bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hubungan Tingkat Stres dengan Derajat Keparahan Akne
Authors: Wijayanti Niluh , Diana Eka Devinta Novi , Irawanto Muhamad Eko
Published: December 2022

Latar belakang: Akne merupakan suatu penyakit inflamasi kronis pada unit pilosebasea yang ditandai dengan lesi pleomorfik yang terdiri dari komedo, papula, pustula dan nodula. Salah  satu faktor yang penting pada patogenesis akne vulgaris adalah stres namun penelitian dalam hal ini masih terbatas. Penelitian ini bertujuan untukmengetahui hubungan antara tingkat stres dengan tingkat derajat akne. Metode: Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian cross sectional dilaksanakan di Poli Kulit Kelamin RSUD DR Moewardi Surakarta (Agustus-November 2019). Kriteria inklusi adalah pasien dengan diagnosis akne vulgaris derajat ringan hingga berat, bersedia mengikuti penelitian dan menandatangani lembar persetujuan medis. Kriteria eksklusi berupa riwayat kebiasaan merokok, menggunakan kontrasepsi hormonal, mengkonsumsi kortikosteroid dalam jangka waktu panjang, memiliki komorbid, serta menggunakan terapi akne (topikal dan sistemik) dalam kurun waktu 3 bulan terakhir. Tingkat stres dihitung dengan Depression anxiety stress scale (DASS-42) sedangkan derajat keparahan akne dievaluasi dengan Global acne grading system (GAGS). Korelasi dianalisis dengan Tes korelasi Spearmandan p<0,05 dianggap signifikan secara statistik. Hasil: 58 pasien dengan akne vulgaris, skor GAGS untuk penilaian derajat keparahan akne dengan tingkat ringan, sedang, dan berat sebanyak37, 18 dan 2 pasien, skor DASS menunjukkan tingkat normal, ringan, sedang dan berat pada 47, 7, 3 dan 0 pasien. Tes Spearman Correlation(p=0,81) dengan koefisien korelasi (r=0,32). Kesimpulan: Pada penelitian didapatkan adanya hubungan yang lemah antara tingkat stres dengan derajat keparahan aknemeskipun tidak signifikan secara statistik. Hal tersebut dapat disebabkan oleh beberapa faktor seperti jumlah subjek penelitian yang kecil dan karakteristik subjekpenelitian yang heterogen, sehingga memerlukan penelitian lebih lanjut.
Determinan Faktor Hipotermi Pasca Operasi dengan General Anestesi di Instalasi Bedah Sentral RSUD Banten
Authors: Fitriani Dewi , Betty Betty , Nurohman Encep , Armanda Liselia
Published: December 2022

Pendahuluan: Anestesi umum merupakan teknik yang banyak ditemukan pada pembedahan, yaitu lebih dari 80%, dan ditemukan 2,5% pasien mengalami komplikasi setelah menjalani anestesi, dan pasien pasca anestesi hampir 80% mengalami kejadian hipotermia.Tujuan:Identifikasi faktor penyebab hipotermia pasca anestesi umum pada RSUD IBS Banten. Metode: Penelitian kuantitatif dengan jenis penelitian observasional analitik. Sampel penelitian berjumlah 56 responden pascaoperasi dengan anestesi umum dengan teknik consecutive sampling, pengujian yang digunakan adalah uji Chi-Square.Hasil: Teridentifikasinya karakteristik responden berdasarkan faktor usia pascaoperasi hipotermia dengan anestesi umum yaitu hampir separuh pada rentang usia 46-55 tahun yaitu 40%. Dan mengidentifikasi karakteristik responden berdasarkan faktor jenis kelamin dengan hipotermia pasca operasi dengan anestesi umum yaitu lebih dari separuh responden berjenis kelamin laki-laki yaitu 55%. Ada hubungan antara faktor IMT (p = 0,032) dengan hipotermia, ada hubungan antara lama pembedahan (p = 0,001) dengan hipotermia, ada hubungan antara jenis pembedahan (p = 0,012), ada hubungan ada hubungan antara suhu kamar (p = 0,015) dengan hipotermia pasca anestesi umum, ada hubungan yang teridentifikasi antara faktor penyebab hipotermia pasca operasi (IMT, durasi operasi, jenis operasi, suhu kamar) dengan hipotermia (p = 0,020) . Kesimpulan: Ada hubungan faktor usia, IMT, jenis kelamin, lama pembedahan, jenis pembedahan dan suhu ruangan dengan hipotermia post anestesi umum di RSUD IBS Banten. Saran : Diharapkan peneliti selanjutnya dapat mengembangkan Penelitian ini dengan meneliti lebih lanjut tentang faktor-faktor lain yang berhubungan dengan hipotermia pada klien post operasi dengan anestesi umum, terutama cairan infus yang akan digunakan dan obat anestesi.
Ulkus kaki Diabetik: Sebuah Laporan Kasus
Authors: Febrianto Budi Yulhasfi , Putra Eko Perdana , Zulkarnaini Aryaldi , Hasni Dita
Published: December 2022

Ulkus kaki diabetik merupakan salah satu komplikasi dari penyakit diabetes mellitus yang paling ditakuti. Sangat penting bagi pasien diabetes untuk mendapatkan kontrol glukosa yang optimal dengan secara ketat mematuhi terapi pengobatan, diet dan olahraga untuk mengurangi komplikasi jangka panjang yang terkait dengan ketidakpatuhan terhadap rekomendasi pengobatan. Pada kasus ini, seorang Perempuan berusia delapan puluh tiga tahun, menderita Diabetes Melitus Tipe-II dan mengkonsumsi obat-obatan secara tidak teratur, kemudian dirawat dengan riwayat nekrosis jari kaki kanan kedua yang kemudian diamputasi. Kadar gula darah sewaktu bervariasi dari 70-210 mg/dl selama masa rawatan. Kurang nya adeherensi terhadap pengobatan diabetes akibat usia  dan lamanya menderita diabetes lebih dari 30 tahun merupakan penyebab  terjadinya komplikasi seperti diabetes ulkus kaki pada pasien kasus diabetes ini . Dokter berperan memberikan terapi pasien baik farmakoterapi ataupun non-farmakoterapi, juga mengedukasi pasien dan keluarga mengenai penyakitnya, pentingnya kepatuhan terhadap pengobatan, pemantauan kadar glukosa darah yang tepat waktu, serta perawatan kaki dan luka yang tepat untuk mencegah keparahan penyakit.
Salt marsh restoration surprise: A subordinate species accumulates and shares nitrogen while outcompeting salt marsh dominants
Authors: Morzaria-Luna Hem Nalini , Zedler Joy B.
Published: December 2022

Selectively planting native species could guide ecosystem development toward wetland restoration targets, once we understand how influential species function, alone and in combination. Knowing that Triglochin concinna (arrow grass, Juncaceae) accumulates N in its perennial roots, we asked how it would influence N dynamics on an excavated salt marsh plain at Tijuana Estuary, in southern California. We hypothesized that it would (a) accumulate N in roots and shoots, (b) reduce biomass of other marsh plain plants or, alternatively, (c) share N with neighbors as its litter decomposed and released N. We used 15N stable isotope enrichment to quantify N transfer between Triglochin and the marsh plain’s seven-species halophyte assemblage in field and greenhouse experiments. We also examined the effect of Triglochin on individual marsh plain species’ biomass and N accumulation. Triglochin had low shoot biomass (0.96 ± 0.5 g m−2 in field plots and 17.64 ± 2.2 g m−2 in greenhouse pots), high root:shoot ratios (4.3 in the field and 2.0 in the greenhouse), and high tissue N content (1.9 ± 0.2% in the field and 1.7 ± 0.1% in the greenhouse). Two productive perennials, Sarcocornia pacifica (pickleweed) and Frankenia salina (alkali heath), outgrew Triglochin; yet these biomass dominants produced 44%–45% less shoot biomass in greenhouse pots with Triglochin than without. However, we did not find this reduction in the field where roots were unconfined. In the greenhouse, δ15N values were higher for species grown with 15N-enriched Triglochin, indicating that this species made N available to its neighbors. The δ15N values for plants grown in the field exceeded background levels, also indicating that the marsh plain assemblage took up N released by Triglochin. We conclude that Triglochin can influence the restoration of salt marsh vegetation by accumulating N and releasing its tissue N to neighbors as leaves and roots decompose, while simultaneously reducing the biomass of neighbors. The seasonally deciduous Triglochin is low in shoot biomass, yet competitively superior in N uptake. Because this often-ignored species has limited tidal dispersal, we suggest restoration plantings, including tests of its ability to facilitate diversity where S. pacifica, the marsh plain dominant, might otherwise form monocultures.
Dissolved rare earth element and neodymium isotope distributions in the South China Sea: Water mass source versus particle dissolution
Authors: Wu Qiong , Liu Zhifei , Colin Christophe , Douville Eric , Zhao Yulong , Wu Jiawang , Dapoigny Arnaud , Bordier Louise , Ma Pengfei , Huang Yi
Published: December 2022

Dissolved rare earth elements (REEs) and neodymium isotopes (ϵNd) have been jointly used to evaluate water mass mixing and lithogenic inputs in the ocean. As the largest marginal sea of the West Pacific, the South China Sea (SCS) is an ideal region for reconstructing past hydrological changes. However, its REE and ϵNd distributions and underlying controlling mechanisms remain poorly understood. On the basis of four seawater profiles spread across the SCS, this study presents dissolved REE concentrations and ϵNd data under summer condition to better understand the processes that potentially influence changes in these parameters and their marine cycling. The results show high concentrations of REEs and large variations in ϵNd (−6.7 to −2.8) in surface water, likely caused by the dissolution of riverine and marine particles. Comparison with published data from samples taken during the winter of different years in this and previous studies suggests a possible seasonal variability of middle REE enrichment. The SCS deep water shows a narrow ϵNd range from −4.3 to −3.4, confirming the dominant presence of the North Pacific Deep Water in the deep SCS. The intermediate water in the central SCS is characterized by a more negative ϵNd signal (–4.2 to –3.4) than that found in its counterpart in the West Pacific (–3.5 to –2.8), indicating alterations by deep water through three-dimensional overturning circulation from the northern to southern SCS below ~500 m. The contributions of external sources could be quantitatively estimated for the SCS in terms of Nd. The dissolution of particles from the SCS surrounding rivers (0.26–1.3 tons/yr in summer; 5.6–29 tons/yr in winter) and continental margins (2–12 tons/yr in summer; 23–44 tons/yr in winter) may play an important role in providing additional Nd to the SCS surface water.
A study on the effects of perceived playfulness and emotional support in interactive learning environments for German language acquisition—A role-playing library system case
Authors: Yang Yunshuo , Lin Jiacheng , Chen Tong , Lin Shuyuan , Chen Jiangjie , Miao Wei , Wei Wei , Sun Hanchu , Sun Jie , Gu Chao
Published: December 2022

Introduction

This study examines the emotional support offered by the non-player characters (NPCs) in an interactive learning environment, as well as the effects of the perceived playfulness of the interactive system on German language learning.

Method

We developed a role-playing library system to serve this purpose. 2,377 Chinese Internet users were surveyed using online questionnaire.

Results

A theoretical model of emotion- driven learning (ELM) was proposed based on the analysis results of valid recovered data. Additionally, NPCs were found to be effective in improving learning outcomes through emotional support.

Discussion

An interactive education system may be able to enhance the perceived playfulness of learning in order to enhance the learning experience.
Yolov5s-CA: An Improved Yolov5 Based on the Attention Mechanism for Mummy Berry Disease Detection
Authors: Obsie Efrem Yohannes , Qu Hongchun , Zhang Yong-Jiang , Annis Seanna , Drummond Francis
Published: December 2022

Early detection and accurately rating the level of plant diseases plays an important role in protecting crop quality and yield. The traditional method of mummy berry disease (causal agent: Monilinia vaccinii-corymbosi) identification is mainly based on field surveys by crop protection experts and experienced blueberry growers. Deep learning models could be a more effective approach, but their performance is highly dependent on the volume and quality of labeled data used for training so that the variance in visual symptoms can be incorporated into a model. However, the available dataset for mummy berry disease detection does not contain enough images collected and labeled from a real-field environment essential for making highly accurate models. Complex visual characteristics of lesions due to overlapping and occlusion of plant parts also pose a big challenge to the accurate estimation of disease severity. This may become a bigger issue when spatial variation is introduced by using sampling images derived from different angles and distances. In this paper, we first present the “cut-and-paste” method for synthetically augmenting the available dataset by generating additional annotated training images. Then, a deep learning-based object recognition model Yolov5s-CA was used, which integrates the Coordinated Attention (CA) module on the Yolov5s backbone to effectively discriminate useful features by capturing channel and location information. Finally, the loss function GIoU_loss was replaced by CIoU_loss to improve the bounding box regression and localization performance of the network model. The original Yolov5s and the improved Yolov5s-CA network models were trained on real, synthetic, and combined mixed datasets. The experimental results not only showed that the performance of Yolov5s-CA network model trained on a mixed dataset outperforms the baseline model trained with only real field images, but also demonstrated that the improved model can solve the practical problem of diseased plant part detection in various spatial scales with possible overlapping and occlusion by an overall precision of 96.30%. Therefore, our model is a useful tool for the estimation of mummy berry disease severity in a real field environment.
Upscaling Groundnut Seed Production and Delivery through Long-Term Public–Private and Development Organization Partnerships: Experiences from Tanzania
Authors: Hatibu Asha Ally , Akpo Essegbemon , Lukurugu Gerald Alex , Nzunda Joseph , Okori Patrick , Ojiewo Chris O.
Published: December 2022

Making quality seed of improved legume varieties sustainably available and accessible to farmers in a timely manner and at affordable price is a major challenge in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Overcoming this challenge requires collective and long-term action through public–private and development organization partnerships (PPDOPs). The PPDOP model was tested by key seed system actors under the Tropical Legumes (TL) and Accelerated Varietal Improvement and Seed Delivery of Legumes and Cereals in Africa (AVISA) projects from 2008 to 2021. The study used the case of groundnut in Tanzania to assess the role played by long-term PPDOPs in groundnut seed production and delivery systems. The effectiveness of seed production and delivery models of the various actors involved in the TL and AVISA projects was analyzed. The study used secondary data obtained from annual reports, unpublished and published literature, and institutional websites. The PPDOP model brought about significant changes to the seed systems. It was found that sustained seed production and delivery over a decade enhanced the performance of the groundnut value chain in Tanzania. Under the TL and AVISA projects, a total of 49,046 tons of groundnut from different seed classes were produced through PPDOPs, covering an estimated 613,078 hectares with improved groundnut varieties. The intervention reached 45,201 stakeholders through 3048 demonstration plots, 128 field days, 55 seed fairs, and 8147 tons of small seed packs of 1–5 kg. The study recommends the use of long-term PPDOPs in seed production and delivery systems for greater impacts on increased variety adoption and consistent seed supply and availability in SSA. Long-term PPDOPs ensure proper coordination, open communication, clear accountability, solid trust, and standardized practices among actors in seed production and delivery systems.
Occurrence and Mechanism of Papaver rhoeas ALS Inhibitors Resistance in Poland
Authors: Stankiewicz-Kosyl Marta , Haliniarz Małgorzata , Wrochna Mariola , Obrępalska-Stęplowska Aleksandra , Kuc Piotr , Łukasz Justyna , Wińska-Krysiak Marzena , Wrzesińska-Krupa Barbara , Puła Joanna , Podsiadło Cezary , Domaradzki Krzysztof , Piekarczyk Mariusz , Bednarczyk Marcin , Marcinkowska Katarzyna
Published: December 2022

Herbicide resistance in weeds, including corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas L.), is an increasing problem compromising global crop production. The aims of this study were to evaluate the susceptibility of P. rhoeas populations in Poland to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors and elucidate their mechanisms of resistance. Between 2017 and 2020, 157 seed samples were collected nationwide and a dose-response study with various ALS-inhibiting herbicides was performed in glasshouses. This revealed 14 resistant populations with R/S ranges of 2.3–1450.2, 9.5–398.5 and 2–2.5 for tribenuron, iodosulfuron and florasulam, respectively. Eight of them were cross-resistant to both tribenuron and iodosulfuron, three and one populations were singly resistant to tribenuron and iodosulfuron, respectively, and one population had reduced susceptibility to florasulam only. In one population, cross-resistance to tribenuron, iodosulfuron and florasulam was identified. The ED50 of many populations susceptible to ALS inhibitors was close to half the recommended dose of the herbicides tested. In seven out of eight resistant P. rhoeas populations analysed, target-site resistance was identified. Six amino acid replacements were found (Ala197, Arg197, His197, Leu197, Ser197 and Thr197). In one population resistant to ALS inhibitors, no mutations in the ALS gene were detected. An efficient anti-resistance strategy is needed to reduce the development of herbicide resistance in P. rhoeas in Poland.
Short-Term Dynamics of Bacterial Community Structure in Restored Abandoned Agricultural Soils under Semi-Arid Conditions
Authors: Rodríguez-Berbel Natalia , Soria Rocío , Villafuerte Ana B. , Ortega Raúl , Miralles Isabel
Published: December 2022

The restoration of unproductive abandoned agricultural soils under a semi-arid climate in southeastern Spain was evaluated. Four organic amendments from different composted wastes (greenhouse crop residues; worm compost from sheep–cow manure and plant remains; chicken manure; and sheep–chicken manure and plant remain) were applied, untreated control plots were installed, and natural unexploited soils were selected as a reference ecosystem. Through three sampling campaigns (initial, 3 months, and 12 months), significant changes were observed in soil physico-chemical properties, nutrient content (carbon -C-, nitrogen -N-, and phosphorus -P-), and bacterial composition of the restored soils with respect to control and natural soil, especially at 3 months. The increase of labile nutrients caused the proliferation of copiotrophic phyla at 3 months, which, after their consumption, were replaced by oligotrophic phyla at 12 months. Specific taxa involved in C, N, and P cycles were identified for each soil. For the soil bacterial composition of vermicompost, only chicken and sheep–chicken manures were more dissimilar to control and natural soils after 12 months, while greenhouse crop compost showed an intermediate position between them. Results indicated that composted greenhouse crop remains could be an optimal treatment for the short-term recovery of physico-chemical properties, nutrient content, and bacterial composition of agriculture-degraded soils in semi-arid areas.
Identification Method of Cotton Leaf Diseases Based on Bilinear Coordinate Attention Enhancement Module
Authors: Shao Mingyue , He Peitong , Zhang Yanqi , Zhou Shuo , Zhang Ning , Zhang Jianhua
Published: December 2022

Cotton is an important cash crop. Cotton diseases have a considerable adverse influence on cotton yield and quality. Timely and accurate identification of cotton disease types is important. The accuracy of cotton leaf disease identification is limited by unpredictable factors in natural settings, such as the presence of a complex background. Therefore, this paper proposes a cotton leaf disease identification model based on a bilinear coordinate attention enhancement module. It reduces the loss of feature information by bilinear coordinate attention embedding feature maps spatial coordinate information and feature fusion. Hence the model is more focused on the leaf disease region and reduces the attention to redundant information such as healthy regions. It also achieves the precise localization and amplification of attention to the leaf disease region through data enhancement, which effectively improves the recognition accuracy of cotton leaf diseases in a natural setting. By experiments, the identification accuracy of the proposed model is 96.61% and the parameter size is 21.55 × 106. Compared with other existing models, the identification accuracy of the proposed model is greatly improved without increasing the parameter size. This study can not only provide decision support for the timely diagnosis and prevention of cotton leaf diseases but also validate a paradigm for the identification of other crop leaf diseases.
Branch Lignification of the Desert Plant Nitraria tangutorum Altered the Structure and Function of Endophytic Microorganisms
Authors: Kang Peng , Fang Xue , Hu Jinpeng , Zhang Yaqi , Ji Qiubo , Liu Jianli , Pan Yaqing , Zhang Jinlin
Published: December 2022

Xerophytes in desert improve their fitness under stress through the development of stems and branches. However, little is known about changes in the structure and function of endophytic microorganisms in response to interactions between desert plants and their environment. In this study, we analyzed the lignification indices of young and mature branches during their development in a typical desert xerophyte, Nitraria tangutorum, and combined 16S and ITS high-throughput sequencing techniques to draw the following conclusions. Nitraria tangutorum accumulated more lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose content during lignification. In addition, the number of OTUs and diversity of endophytic bacteria and fungi were reduced. Both endophytic bacteria and fungi were governed by stochastic processes during the development of stems and branches of Nitraria tangutorum and were significantly affected by lignification indices. Meanwhile, the development of stems and branches increased the relative abundance of Cyanobacteria and Ascomycota, and the dominant bacterial genera were mostly positively correlated with the lignification indices. In addition, stem and branch lignification reduced endophytic microbial interactions in the relationship between the endophytic bacterial and fungal networks of Nitraria tangutorum. Functional prediction analysis further revealed that lignification of Nitraria tangutorum branches changed the metabolic function of endophytic bacteria. The results of this study indicate that plant endophytic microorganisms play an important role in resisting and adapting to adversity and provide support for related studies on microbial ecology in desert areas.
How Much Phosphorus Uptake Is Required for Achieving Maximum Maize Grain Yield? Part 1: Luxury Consumption and Implications for Yield
Authors: Penn Chad J. , Camberato James J. , Wiethorn Matthew A.
Published: December 2022

Development of a more precise and process-based tool for making phosphorus (P) recommendations requires detailed understanding of plant P uptake needs. Future adaptation of a nutrient uptake model for this purpose must utilize a mass-balance approach. The objectives of this study were to determine the minimum P uptake mass required for achieving maximum grain yield of maize and to evaluate plant P partitioning over a range of P uptake. Three maize hybrids were grown under optimal conditions using sand-culture hydroponics for precise control of the root environment. Plants were grown to maturity with six different P concentrations followed by biomass and nutrient partitioning analysis of various maize parts. Phosphorus uptake occurred in three phases with two steps of luxury consumption; (i) increased uptake with increased grain yield and total biomass until maximum grain yield was attained at 580 mg P uptake, (ii) further P uptake with increase in total biomass until 730 mg P uptake, but with decrease in grain yield; and (iii) additional P uptake with little to no increase in total biomass and continued decrease in grain yield. Luxury consumption of P implies that excess P fertility is an economic drag for grain production.
Effects of Extenders Supplementation with Gum Arabic and Antioxidants on Ram Spermatozoa Quality after Cryopreservation
Authors: Shehab-El-Deen Mohamed , Ali Mohamed , Al-Sharari Mohammed
Published: December 2022

Semen cryopreservation is very important in animal agriculture to maximize the number of daughters of genetically superior males and to distribute the cryopreserved semen of good males all over the world. However, the freezing process generates some damage to sperm that reduce their fertilizing ability after thawing. Moreover, egg yolk, which is the most common animal-origin cryoprotectant used in semen dilution, is considered a source of biosecurity risk. In the current study, we aimed to compare the replacement of egg yolk in the extender by gum arabic (5%) along with supplementation with antioxidant cysteine or ascorbic acid on semen quality and freezability in Noemi rams in vitro. Semen from six rams were collected with an artificial vagina two times per week. Semen evaluation parameters such as color, volume, pH, general motility, percentage motility, concentration and cell viability ratio were assessed. Spermatozoa motility and concentration were estimated with the computer-assisted semen analysis system. The semen samples were frozen using a Tris extender containing either 15% egg yolk or 5% gum arabic. For antioxidant-supplemented extenders, cysteine or ascorbic acid was dissolved at concentrations of 0.10, 0.50 or 1.0 mM in egg yolk or gum arabic extender. The semen from each ejaculate of each ram were resuspended with a specific extender with glycerol (5%); the final volume after dilution was 1 mL semen to 4 mL extender. The samples were then cooled to 4 °C for 120 min, loaded into 0.5 mL straws and frozen in liquid nitrogen for 7 days. Supplementation of gum arabic or egg yolk extenders for ram semen with antioxidants such as cysteine or ascorbic acid has beneficial effects on semen quality after cold storage or cryopreservation. However, supplementation of a 5% gum arabic extender with cysteine at 0.5 or 1 mM concentration or ascorbic acid at 0.5 mM concentration improved the quality of spermatozoa postcryopreservation. It could be concluded that gum arabic is a good alternative for egg yolk in Noemi ram semen extenders. Antioxidants are necessary to support the addition of gum arabic to the extender to help the ram spermatozoa to survive freezing–thawing and oxidative stresses.
Scabicidal Potential of Coconut Seed Extract in Rabbits via Downregulating Inflammatory/Immune Cross Talk: A Comprehensive Phytochemical/GC-MS and In Silico Proof
Authors: Zahran Eman Maher , Abdel-Maqsoud Nehad M. Reda , Tammam Omar. Y. , Abdel-Rahman Islam M. , Elrehany Mahmoud A. , Bakhsh Hussain T. , Altemani Faisal H. , Algehainy Naseh A. , Alzubaidi Mubarak A. , Abdelmohsen Usama Ramadan , Elmaidomy Abeer H.
Published: December 2022

Scabies is an invasive skin condition caused by Sarcoptes scabiei mites. The present study investigates the antiscabies potential of coconut seed extract (CSE) in rabbits. GC-MS analysis of the seed oil identified 17 known compounds, while CSE phytochemical investigation afforded 4 known ones. The topical application of seed extract improved all signs of infection, and the improvement started 3 days post application. However, in vitro application of the extract caused 99% mortality of mites 1 day post application. Histopathological examination revealed the absence of inflammatory infiltration and hyperkeratosis of the epidermis, compared with ivermectin-treated groups which revealed less improvement. The mRNA gene expression results revealed a suppression of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, MMP-9, VEGF, and MCP-1, and an upregulation of I-CAM-1, KGF as well as TIMP-1. The docking analysis emphasized a strong binding of gondoic acid with IL-1β, IL-6, and VEGF with high binding scores of −5.817, −5.291, and −8.362 kcal/mol, respectively, and a high binding affinity of 3″(1‴-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl)-sucrose with GST with −7.24 kcal/mol. Accordingly, and for the first time, our results highlighted the scabicidal potential of coconut seed extract, which opens the gate for an efficient, cost-effective as well as herbal-based alternative for the control of scabies in rabbits.
Aloe vera: A Sustainable Green Alternative to Exclude Antibiotics in Modern Poultry Production
Authors: Khan Rifat Ullah , Naz Shabana , De Marzo Davide , Dimuccio Michela M. , Bozzo Giancarlo , Tufarelli Vincenzo , Losacco Caterina , Ragni Marco
Published: December 2022

Over the past 50 years, there has been a rapid increase in the need for poultry meat on a global scale to meet the rising demand from health, ecology, safety and equity. However, there has been a significant rise in recent years in both public demand and scientific interest for organic poultry farming, particularly when using medicinal herbs due to the rising concern of antibiotic resistance in end users. Ban on the use of antibiotics in the poultry industry has resulted in the demand of herbs as alternatives to antibiotics. Various research efforts have illustrated the nutritional value of Aloe vera in improving growth performance and immune status and acting as an antibacterial and anticoccidial agent in poultry. Aloe vera has been used as a supplement in the form of gel, alcoholic extract, powder, polysaccharide and aqueous extract. Aloe vera contains more than 200 nutrients, bioactive compounds, polysaccharides and saponins. In the current review, we have detailed the effect of Aloe vera as an alternative to antibiotics on growth performance, antimicrobial and antiparasitic activities and blood biochemical alternations in poultry.
Dietary Supplement of Grape Wastes Enhances Honeybee Immune System and Reduces Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) Load
Authors: Pascual Guillermo , Silva Diego , Vargas Marisol , Aranda Mario , Cañumir Juan Antonio , López María Dolores
Published: December 2022

Ingredients rich in phenolic compounds and antioxidants of winemaking wastes, which play an important role in the prevention of various diseases and the control of viruses, are being explored. Currently, there is a concern about honeybee population loss, with deformed wing virus (DWV) being the most common virus infecting apiaries and one of the main causes of honeybee decline. Hence, the effect of grape pomace powder (GPP) as a dietary supplement to enhance the immune system of honeybees affected by DWV was evaluated. The characteristics of the ingredient GPP, obtained by spray-drying, revealed a high anthocyanin content (1102.45 mg 100 g−1), and it was applied at doses of 0.5, 1, 2.5 and 5% as a dietary supplement for bees infected by DWV. The results showed that the GPP treatments strengthened the immune response of honeybees against DWV. Moreover, the expression of the Relish gene was significantly higher in bees fed with GPP compared to the infected control. This study, which is framed in the search of food waste valorization for environmental sustainability, proves the feasibility of using grape wastes as dietary supplements for pollinators, and provides knowledge of the influence of polyphenols on the expression profiles of immune-related genes in honeybees.
N,N′-Diphenyl-1,4-phenylenediamine Antioxidant’s Potential Role in Enhancing the Pancreatic Antioxidant, Immunomodulatory, and Anti-Apoptotic Therapeutic Capabilities of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells in Type I Diabetic Rats
Authors: Shaaban Saad , El-Shamy Hemdan , Gouda Mohamed , Darwish Marwa K. , Abd El-Lateef Hany M. , Khalaf Mai M. , El-Hallous Ehab I. , Radwan Kholoud H. , Rashwan Hanan M. , El-Sawah Shady G.
Published: December 2022

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are considered to be a promising therapeutic protocol for diabetes mellitus (DM) management. The latter is attributed to their differentiation potentiality to pancreatic β-cells, angiogenesis, and immune-modulatory capabilities by releasing various paracrine factors. Interestingly, antioxidant co-administration increased the MSCs’ hypoglycemic and regenerative activities. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the therapeutic implication of type 1 DM after the co-administration of adipose tissue-derived-MSCs (AD-MSCs) and N,N′-d iphenyl-1,4-phenylenediamine (DPPD), compared to the single injection of either of them alone. In our four week long experiment, six rat groups were used as control, DPPD (250 mg/kg, i.p.), STZ-diabetic (D), D+DPPD, D+AD-MSCs (1 × 106 cell/rat, i.p.), and D+AD-MSCs+DPPD groups. Within this context, a single injection of AD-MSCs or DPPD into diabetic rats showed significant pancreatic anti-inflammatory, immunomodulation, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic capacities, superior to AD-MSCs injection. However, AD-MSCs and DPPD co-administration into diabetic rats manifested the highest hypoglycemic and pancreatic regenerative activities in managing diabetes compared to the single shot of AD-MSCs or DPPD. These results highlight the synergetic role of DPPD as an antioxidant in enhancing AD-MSCs’ therapeutic applications.
Quercetin Prevents Intestinal Stem Cell Aging via Scavenging ROS and Inhibiting Insulin Signaling in Drosophila
Authors: Yan La , Guo Xiaoxin , Zhou Juanyu , Zhu Yuedan , Zhang Zehong , Chen Haiyang
Published: December 2022

Adult stem cells, a class of cells that possess self-renewal and differentiation capabilities, modulate tissue regeneration, repair, and homeostasis maintenance. These cells undergo functional degeneration during aging, resulting in decreased tissue regeneration ability and increased disease incidence. Thus, it is essential to provide effective therapeutic solutions to preventing the aging-related functional decline of stem cells. Quercetin (Que) is a popular natural polyphenolic flavonoid found in various plant species. It exhibits many beneficial effects against aging and aging-related diseases; however, its efficacy against adult stem cell aging remains largely unclear. Drosophila possesses a mammalian-like intestinal system with a well-studied intestinal stem cell (ISC) lineage, making it an attractive model for adult stem cell research. Here, we show that Que supplementation could effectively prevent the hyperproliferation of ISCs, maintain intestinal homeostasis, and prolong the lifespan in aged Drosophila. In addition, we found that Que could accelerate recovery of the damaged gut and improve the tolerance of Drosophila to stressful stimuli. Furthermore, results demonstrated that Que prevents the age-associated functional decline of ISCs via scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inhibiting the insulin signaling pathway. Overall, our findings suggest that Que plays a significant role in delaying adult stem cell aging.
Effect of Heme Oxygenase-1 Depletion on Complement Regulatory Proteins Expression in the Rat
Authors: Detsika Maria G. , Theochari Eirini , Palamaris Kostas , Gakiopoulou Harikleia , Lianos Elias A.
Published: December 2022

Heme oxygenase has been implicated in the regulation of various immune responses including complement activation. Using a transgenic rat model of HO-1 depletion, the present study assessed the effect of HO-1 absence on the expression of complement regulatory proteins: decay accelerating factor (DAF), CR1-related gene/protein Y (Crry) and CD59, which act to attenuate complement activation. Protein expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry in kidney, liver, lung and spleen tissues. DAF protein was reduced in all tissues retrieved from rats lacking HO-1 (Hmox1−/−) apart from spleen tissue sections. Crry protein was also reduced, but only in Hmox1−/− kidney and liver tissue. C3b staining was augmented in the kidney and spleen from Hmox1−/− rats, suggesting that the decrease of DAF and Crry was sufficient to increase C3b deposition. The observations support an important role of HO-1 as a regulator of the complement system.
Magnitude and Similarity Based Variable Rate Filter Pruning for Efficient Convolution Neural Networks
Authors: Ghimire Deepak , Kim Seong-Heum
Published: December 2022

The superior performance of the recent deep learning models comes at the cost of a significant increase in computational complexity, memory use, and power consumption. Filter pruning is one of the effective neural network compression techniques suitable for model deployment in modern low-power edge devices. In this paper, we propose a loss-aware filter Magnitude and Similarity based Variable rate Filter Pruning (MSVFP) technique. We studied several filter selection criteria based on filter magnitude and similarity among filters within a convolution layer, and based on the assumption that the sensitivity of each layer throughout the network is different, unlike conventional fixed rate pruning methods, our algorithm using loss-aware filter selection criteria automatically finds the suitable pruning rate for each layer throughout the network. In addition, the proposed algorithm adapts two different filter selection criteria to remove weak filters as well as redundant filters based on filter magnitude and filter similarity score respectively. Finally, the iterative filter pruning and retraining approach are used to maintain the accuracy of the network during pruning to its target float point operations (FLOPs) reduction rate. In the proposed algorithm, a small number of retraining steps are sufficient during iterative pruning to prevent an abrupt drop in the accuracy of the network. Experiments with commonly used VGGNet and ResNet models on CIFAR-10 and ImageNet benchmark show the superiority of the proposed method over the existing methods in the literature. Notably, VGG-16, ResNet-56, and ResNet-110 models on the CIFAR-10 dataset even improved the original accuracy with more than 50% reduction in network FLOPs. Additionally, the ResNet-50 model on the ImageNet dataset reduces model FLOPs by more than 42% with a negligible drop in the original accuracy.
Evaluation of Emission Characteristics and Microstructure of Particulate Matters from Excavation and Restoration Work on Asphalt Concrete Pavement
Authors: Han Soohyun , Lee Jongwon , Baek Cheolmin
Published: December 2022

Road excavation–restoration work, where various construction tasks are performed, may generate large quantities of particulate matter (PM). These PM may accumulate in the surroundings or scatter into the atmosphere, thus affecting the environment and people in the surroundings. This study was conducted as part of a basic research study to reduce scattering PM generated from road excavation–restoration work. This study aimed to investigate the PM10 emission trend for each activity of road excavation–restoration work, and to analyze the activity that yields the highest PM10 emissions. PM were measured by using a particle spectrometer and the vacuum sweep method, by conducting field (level 1) and chamber experiments (level 2). The PM10 emission trends of road-cutting, breaking, removal, excavation, and restoration activities were examined based on field experiments. It was found that the highest PM10 emission was generated from road-cutting activities. The road-cutting activities were performed in an enclosed chamber, and the microstructure and the emission characteristics of PM generated by cutting were analyzed. The PM generated during the cutting activity were analyzed by dividing them into scattered and deposited PM. The results showed that as the cutting depth increased, the scattered PM decreased, while the deposited PM tended to increase. Furthermore, as a result of the microstructural analysis of PM conducted during the cutting activity, it was found that the main components were aggregates instead of the components of asphalt binder.
Multi-Objective Deep Reinforcement Learning for Personalized Dose Optimization Based on Multi-Indicator Experience Replay
Authors: Huo Lin , Tang Yuepeng
Published: December 2022

Chemotherapy as an effective method is now widely used to treat various types of malignant tumors. With advances in medicine and drug dosimetry, the precise dose adjustment of chemotherapy drugs has become a significant challenge. Several academics have investigated this problem in depth. However, these studies have concentrated on the efficiency of cancer treatment while ignoring other significant bodily indicators in the patient, which could cause other complications. Therefore, to handle the above problem, this research creatively proposes a multi-objective deep reinforcement learning. First, in order to balance the competing indications inside the optimization process and to give each indicator a better outcome, we propose a multi-criteria decision-making strategy based on the integration concept. In addition, we provide a novel multi-indicator experience replay for multi-objective deep reinforcement learning, which significantly speeds up learning compared to conventional approaches. By modeling various indications in the body of the patient, our approach is used to simulate the treatment of tumors. The experimental results demonstrate that the treatment plan generated by our method can better balance the contradiction between the tumor’s treatment effect and other biochemical indicators than other treatment plans, and its treatment time is only one-third that of multi-objective deep reinforcement learning, which is now in use.
Mixed-Sized Biomedical Image Segmentation Based on U-Net Architectures
Authors: Benedetti Priscilla , Femminella Mauro , Reali Gianluca
Published: December 2022

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are becoming increasingly popular in medical Image Segmentation. Among them, U-Net is a widely used model that can lead to cutting-edge results for 2D biomedical Image Segmentation. However, U-Net performance can be influenced by many factors, such as the size of the training dataset, the performance metrics used, the quality of the images and, in particular, the shape and size of the organ to be segmented. This could entail a loss of robustness of the U-Net-based models. In this paper, the performance of the considered networks is determined by using the publicly available images from the 3D-IRCADb-01 dataset. Different organs with different features are considered. Experimental results show that the U-Net-based segmentation performance decreases when organs with sparse binary masks are considered. The solution proposed in this paper, based on automated zooming of the parts of interest, allows improving the performance of the segmentation model by up to 20% in terms of Dice coefficient metric, when very sparse segmentation images are used, without affecting the cost of the learning process.
Parametric Study on Analyzing the Effect of Soil–Cement Strength on the Uplifting Behavior of HSCM Piles Installed in Marine Soft Clay
Authors: Zhuang Xiaoxuan , Zong Zhongling , Huang Yunhan , Wang Chushu , Lin Xiangjun
Published: December 2022

The Helix-Stiffened Cement Mixing (HSCM) pile is a composite pile constructed by grouting the soil–cement during the installation of the helical pile. A series of 3-D Finite Element Method (FEM) models were developed to investigate the uplifting behavior of HSCM piles installed in marine soft clay. The uplifting behavior of HSCM piles was compared to the Stiffened Deep Cement Mixing (SDCM) piles and the difference was discussed. The FEM results showed that the uplifting ultimate bearing capacity of the HSCM piles and SDCM piles increased with the soil–cement-strength-to-clay-adhesion ratio (Cref/su) until the ratio reached 20 and 40, respectively. The failure mode influenced the uplifting behavior of HSCM piles. At Cref/su ∈ 40,80, the HSCM pile incurred damage at the pile–soil interface, which gradually shifted to the steel pipe and soil–cement interface as the Cref/su was further decreased. Based on the FEM results, the empirical formula for estimating the uplift ultimate bearing capacity of HSCM piles under different failure types was proposed, which provided reliable guidance for designing HSCM piles.
A Design for a Wide-Band Antenna Pair Applied for Mobile Terminals at the Sub-6 GHz Band
Authors: Hu Yao , Du Kaiwen , Zhang Lijun , Wang Yongshun , Kang Xiaoming
Published: December 2022

To meet the requirements of a high transmission rate and strong communication quality for mobile terminals, a planar antenna printed on a 0.8-mm-thick FR-4 substrate is proposed in this paper. The structures are compact, with a size of 23×6 mm2. The performance of a single antenna pair in a 75×35 mm2 ground plane shows the advantages of both ultra-wide bandwidth and high isolation. The operating frequency of −6 dB is 54% (3.3 GHz–5.9 GHz). To solve the mutual coupling effects exiting in the antenna pair, a hybrid strip defected grounding structure (DGS) is added in the middle of neighboring antenna elements, and good isolation performance of lower than −13 dB is achieved. The evolution and analysis of the proposed antenna pair are given to investigate the operating principle. To verify its practicality, an eight-port antenna system in 150×70 mm2 ground plane is constructed along two frames of the smartphone board. The MIMO antenna system performance is simulated and texted. The results show a bandwidth of 3.4–5.2 GHz (−6 dB), an isolation performance lower than −10 dB, an ECC lower than 0.01, and a total efficiency of 46–84%. In addition, the performance of the antenna system under single handheld conditions is also discussed. The correlation results show that the designed antenna pair has good data transmission and interference resistance capability, which proves that this is an excellent antenna model for application in mobile terminals.
A Coupled Darcy-Forchheimer Flow Model in Fractured Porous Media
Authors: Xiong Feng , Jiang Yijun , Zhu Chun , Teng Lin , Cheng Hao , Wang Yajun
Published: December 2022

Aiming at nonlinear flow in fractured porous media, based on the finite volume method, the discrete equations of Darcy flow in porous and Forchheimer flow in fracture were derived, and a solution method for coupling flow is proposed. The flow solution by the proposed method for single fracture and intersecting fracture is verified against Frih’s solution. Based on this method, nonlinear flow behavior for fractured rock deep-buried tunnels under high water heads was discussed. The results show that the hydraulic gradient of surrounding rock is characterized by “large at the bottom and small at the top”, with a maximum difference of 2.5 times. Therefore, the flow rate at the bottom of the tunnel is greater than that at the top. The fracture flow rate along the flow direction is also greater than that in the vertical flow direction, with a maximum difference of 60 times. The distribution homogeneity and density of fracture are the most important factors that affect the hydraulic behavior of fractured rock tunnels. The more fractures concentrated in the direction of water pressure and the greater the density, the greater the surrounding rock conductivity and the greater the flow rate of the tunnel. Under this condition, the water-inflow accident of the tunnel would be prone to occur. The research results provide a reference for the waterproof design and engineering practice of fractured rock tunnels.