bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Internal freezing and heat loss of apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) and sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) reproductive buds are decreased with cellulose nanocrystal dispersions
Authors: Arnoldussen Brent , Alhamid Jassim , Wang Peipei , Mo Changki , Zhang Xiao , Zhang Qin , Whiting Matthew
Published: November 2022

Cold damage has caused more economic losses to fruit crop growers in the U.S. than any other weather hazard, making it a perennial concern for producers. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) represent a new generation of renewable bio-nanomaterials, with many unique physical and chemical properties, including their low thermal conductivity. Our team has developed a process for creating CNC dispersions that can be sprayed onto woody perennial crops, forming a thin insulating film around buds which has been shown to increase cold tolerance. Using digital scanning calorimetry (DSC) on dormant apple (Malus domesticaBorkh.) reproductive buds, we investigated the thermodynamic properties of plant materials treated with CNC dispersion at lower temperatures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to evaluate the thickness of the CNC films and their deposition on the sweet cherry bud surface. Apple buds treated with 3% CNC exhibited lethal freezing at temperatures 3.2°C and 5.5°C lower than the untreated control when sampled 1 and 3 days after application, respectively. Additionally, the latent heat capacity (J/g) of the 3% CNC-treated buds was 46% higher compared with untreated buds 1 day after application, and this difference increased 3 days after application to 168% higher. The emissivity of cherry buds treated with 3% CNC was reduced by an average of 16% compared with the untreated buds. SEM was able to detect the dried films on the surface of the buds 3 days after application. Film thickness measured with SEM increased with material concentration. The emissivity, HTE, and LTE results show that CNC-treated reproductive buds released thermal energy at a slower rate than the untreated buds and, consequently, exhibited internal ice nucleation events at temperatures as much as 5.5°C lower. The increased enthalpy during the LTE in the CNC-treated apple buds shows more energy released at lethal internal freezing, indicating that CNC coatings are increasing the amount of supercooled water. The effects of CNC shown during the DSC tests were increased by CNC concentration and time post-application. These results suggest that CNC dispersions dry into nanofilms on the bud surface, which affects their thermodynamic processes at low temperatures.
Role of higher education system in promoting law abiding behavior among students
Authors: Dong Yan , Zeb Sadaf
Published: November 2022

University phase is a major turning point in youth's life and this is a time of profound mental and cognitive development of students. Without proper direction and guidance, it is common for students to develop deviant behaviors, non-law abidance and unhealthy beliefs. In this regard, an integral part of the educational process is the imparting of moral values and law-abiding behaviors in students. The objective of this study was to explore the role of higher education system in fostering law-abiding behavior among Chinese students, as well as the issues it causes for society. For this purpose, the principles of law-abiding behavior were studied and key psychological factors used in the system were identified. The suggestions of the bibliometric research are designed to improve and expand the method for preventing student misbehavior in educational institutions, hence enhancing the efficacy of preventative work with students. They may serve as the basis for the creation and enhancement of programs and strategies aimed at teaching lawful behavior among students. More than 3,785 articles were published related law-abiding behavior from 2000 to the end of July 2022 years were examined in this research using the Scopus database and the original sample was narrowed down to include only articles, book chapter and conference papers that contributed to law-abiding behavior and higher education literature. The VOS viewer software was used to execute the descriptive statistics and scientific mapping approaches using co-citation analysis. In the descriptive analysis, we analyzed publishing patterns over time, the geographical localization of the contributing institutions, journals, the most prolific authors. The findings of the present study may also provide the foundation for a planned educational initiative whose ultimate aim is to produce a fully realized, harmonious, self-reliant, mature, and law-abiding person. The study has provided supporting evidence for how youngsters legal sensibilities are shaped in universities have been implemented. Two distinct but interdependent educational spheres, the normative legal sphere and the space for the creation and development of students' personalities must work together to raise and educate youngsters.
Exploring the therapeutic potential of reading: Case studies in diary-assisted reading
Authors: Green Kelda
Published: November 2022

This article explores the impact that literary texts can have on real lives and considers how, as researchers, we can get closer to the authentic, first-hand experience of reading to better understand its potential therapeutic mechanisms. Three case studies, based on reading diaries kept over a period of 2 weeks and subsequent semi-structured interviews, are presented here, to demonstrate what it is that literature can do to and for us. The methodology used to collect the case studies offers a simple and replicable template both for encouraging deep reading and for capturing its resulting therapeutic and psychological outcomes. By highlighting the real experiences of readers as they encounter and engage with a complex and unfamiliar literary text, this article aims to demonstrate how empirical research methodologies can add new purpose and meaning to literary study, and equally, show how “literary thinking” can contribute to the methodologies of psychological study and the formulation of psychological therapies.
In search of time to bring the message on social media: Effects of temporal targeting and weather on digital consumers
Authors: Yoon Gunwoo , Li Cong , Choi John Juyoung
Published: November 2022

Marketers always incline to deliver advertising messages to the right consumer at the right time. Yet, the question of when exactly should such a persuasive message be sent to a consumer remains elusive in the existing literature. The current study aims to address this research question within the theoretical framework of contextual marketing. The authors argue that contextual information such as time and weather can be used to design more effective mobile advertising campaigns on social media. The results of a field experiment in cooperation with a local restaurant suggest that ads delivered at consumers’ pre-decision stage (i.e., non-meal time) are more effective than those delivered at the decision stage (i.e., meal time) to increase consumer spending on the dining-in service. Furthermore, unpleasant weather conditions (i.e., less sunlight) are found to improve the effectiveness of advertising on consumer spending on mobile app food delivery orders. Overall, the authors open future research avenues by demonstrating how and why the two contextual factors, time and weather, influence digital consumer behavior.
Improving social presence in online higher education: Using live virtual classroom to confront learning challenges during COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Aldosari Aljawharah M. , Alramthi Saad M. , Eid Hala F.
Published: November 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled practically all higher education institutions to adopt online education tools over the previous 2 years. Online education has a huge potential to supplement or take the place of in-person instruction. However, there are certain drawbacks of online learning, such as the absence of classroom environment interaction and the difficulty in keeping track of students’ engagement and participation. In this study, a live virtual classroom was developed to aid students in their learning activities. The effectiveness of these live video classes was reported from both students and instructors, as well as the variables promoting their implementation within higher education institutions. One of the more significant findings to emerge from this study is that the instructors found it convenient, as they could readily check course participants understanding by studying their live video lectures. The second major finding was that students felt satisfaction with online learning while asking questions without interfering with the instructor’s presentation. Moreover, peers could also provide them with more expertise. However, the teaching process became dynamic, requiring the educator to pay close attention. The course participants also experienced anxiety when they were in front of other people. Additionally, both the instructor and the students need to be highly self-sufficient in technology.
Neural activity in adults with major depressive disorder differs from that in healthy individuals: A resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study
Authors: Hou Xiaofang , Mei Bohui , Wang Fukun , Guo Hua , Li Shilong , Wu Gang , Zang Chen , Cao Bing
Published: November 2022

Objective

Currently, findings regarding resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging studies of major depressive disorder (MDD) are inconsistent. In contrast to the previously used a priori seed-based functional connectivity analyses, this study employed whole-brain exploratory analyses and aimed to explore neural activity patterns in Chinese adults with MDD.

Materials and methods

Specifically, this study examined the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations within the whole brain and adopted a large-scale brain network template to explore the core dysfunctional brain regions in individuals with MDD.

Results

Overall, 32 individuals with MDD and 32 healthy controls were evaluated. Compared to healthy controls, individuals with MDD showed more profound alterations in the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in the temporolimbic affective circuit (e.g., middle temporal gyrus and parahippocampus) and default mode network (e.g., precuneus and thalamus). Moreover, functional connectivity between the left mid-insula and parietal regions within the sensorimotor network was weaker in individuals with MDD than in healthy controls.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the neural characteristics of MDD correspond to cognitive deficits in self-referential processing and emotional processing and are related to a risk of sensory disorders or psychomotor retardation. These findings present neural markers that may be used to identify MDD, contributing to clinical diagnosis.
Health benefits of physical activity for people with mental disorders: From the perspective of multidimensional subjective wellbeing
Authors: Li Chao , Ning Guangjie , Xia Yuxin , Liu Qianqian
Published: November 2022

This paper uses a large scale and nationally representative dataset, Chinese General Social Survey, to empirically examine the role of physical activity in reducing the negative effects of depression among people with mental disorders. Empirical results demonstrate that physical exercise could help to alleviate depression's adverse consequences on work and life for depressed individuals. The impact mechanism is that physical activity may decrease the severity of depression, enhance life satisfaction, improve mood, and make people have a better sense of purpose and meaning in life. Therefore, from the perspective of multidimensional subjective wellbeing, evaluative wellbeing, experienced wellbeing and eudaimonic wellbeing all play mediating roles in the reduction of depression's adverse effects. Heterogeneity analysis shows that there are no significant gender differences in the health benefits of physical exercise, but its impact tends to be more prominent for depressed individuals who are younger and higher educated, with better health status, and live in urban areas. It is also found that socioeconomic status may play an important moderating role. The health benefits of physical activity seem to be greater for depressed people who have lower income, work in the secondary labor market, and have lower levels of social capital and assets. In addition, the instrumental variable approach is used to identify the causal impact of physical activity, which further proves a significant effect of it based on tackling the endogeneity problem. Meanwhile, this paper uses different explanatory and explained variables, different statistical models, as well as machine learning and placebo techniques to conduct robustness tests, all of which lend credence to above findings.
SPECT findings on neuropsychiatric symptoms caused by nitrous oxide abuse
Authors: Wang Li , Yin Lijie , Wang Qian , Wang Renbin , Liu Zunjing , Dong Mingrui , Duan Xiaohui , Zheng Yumin , Hong Wen , Liu Fang , Tie Changle
Published: November 2022

Objective

The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical, neuropsychological, and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) perfusion changes in patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms caused by nitrous oxide (N2O) abuse.

Methods

A total of 16 patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms caused by nitrous oxide abuse were recruited for this study. The study was carried out in the withdrawal phase of N2O abuse. A 925–1110 MBq 99mTc-ECD was administered intravenously. SPECT/CT images were collected with a low-energy and high-resolution collimator. The region uptake statistics of different brain regions of interest between patients with N2O abuse and normal people of the databases for younger subjects from the Scenium DB Comparison software were calculated automatically.

Results

The clinical manifestations of the 16 patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms were mood lability, anxiety, hallucination, delusion, agitation, confusion, and other psychiatric symptoms. In addition, 15 of the patients also complained of memory decline; 14 patients manifested numbness or paresthesia; 14 patients developed limb weakness, and their motor impairments were more severe in the lower limbs than in the upper limbs; and eight patients had urinary and defecation disturbances. In the neuropsychological examination, the BPRS score was 54.69 ± 11.48, the HAMD score was 30.00 ± 11.06, the HAMA score was 18.06 ± 5.77, the MMSE score was 28.06 ± 2.29, and the MoCA score was 25.06 ± 3.40. SPECT showed hypoperfusion in the frontal and temporal lobes, which is consistent with the clinical findings.

Conclusion

This was the first study to demonstrate the obvious effect of N2O abuse on CBF in patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms. CBF perfusion imaging is helpful to detect the changes in the local brain functional activity in patients with N2O abuse.
Sexual dysfunction among people with mental illness attending follow-up treatment at a tertiary hospital, Jimma University Medical Center: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Sewalem Jerusalem , Kassaw Chalachew , Anbesaw Tamrat
Published: November 2022

Background

Sexual function is a complex behavior influenced by several factors that can result in dysfunction. It is highly prevalent among patients with mental illness who are on psychotropic medications. Assessing those patients has paramount importance for appropriate intervention to take place.

Methods

This study was a facility-based cross-sectional study design conducted from 1 March to 30 June 2022. A Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (CSFQ-14) was used to assess sexual dysfunctions. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21 software. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between dependent and independent variables. Independent variables with a p-value < 0.05 were taken as statistically significant with sexual dysfunction.

Results

The prevalence of sexual dysfunction was 45.4 % among respondents. The presence of chronic medical illness, being on typical antipsychotic treatment, being on psychiatric treatment for 24 months and more, moderate level of alcohol use, and being aged 35 and above were significantly associated with sexual dysfunction.

Conclusion

The prevalence of sexual dysfunction among people with mental illness is high. Therefore, the clinician needs to routinely enquire about sexual symptoms during follow-up treatment and give appropriate interventions with special attention to patients with chronic medical conditions and patients taking antipsychotics and psychotropic drugs for a long period of time.
Comparison of three methods of EPR retrospective dosimetry in watch glass
Authors: Marciniak Agnieszka , Juniewicz Małgorzata , Ciesielski Bartłomiej , Prawdzik-Dampc Anita , Karczewski Jakub
Published: November 2022

In this article we present results of our follow-up studies of samples of watch glass obtained and examined within a framework of international intercomparison dosimetry project RENEB ILC 2021. We present three methods of dose reconstruction based on EPR measurements of these samples: calibration method (CM), added dose method (ADM) and added dose&heating method (ADHM). The study showed that the three methods of dose reconstruction gave reliable and similar results in 0.5–6.0 Gy dose range, with accuracy better than 10%. The ADHM is the only one applicable in a real scenario, when sample-specific background spectrum is not available; therefore, a positive verification of this method is important for future use of EPR dosimetry in glass in potential radiation accidents.
Knowledge, attitudes, practice of people toward the COVID-19 pandemics, and its impact in Afghanistan
Authors: Saeed Khwaja Mir Islam , Neyazi Narges , Nabizada Khushal
Published: November 2022

COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the social and economic norms. Knowledge, Attitude and Practices studies are used to address the information gap for further strategic decision making to control the pandemic. This study aimed to find the level of Knowledge, Awareness, Attitudes, and behavioral practices of the people of Afghanistan about the COVID-19 and its impact on health and socio-economic dimension of their routine lives. We used a cross-sectional method with two stage sampling design. Data analysis was performed using SPSS v.20. The survey focused on adults including men and women all over the country to represent the country, including the urban and rural areas. Most of the respondents are in the age group of 21–30 years (46.5%); 60.15% of the participants are married. Almost 75% of females and 84% of males were literate and most participants have a bachelor's degree (34%). More than 80% of participants knew they can prevent themselves from contacting COVID-19 through hand washing frequently with soap and water and wearing a mask. More than 80% of participants responded that they would go for a lab test for detection of the virus as well as COVID-19 vaccination if it is available. Almost 35% reported always wearing a mask to prevent COVID-19 transmission; more than half of participants always wash their hands, more than 60% of them do not touch their eyes, nose, and mouth frequently. Nearly 60% of participants indicated that their household had problems satisfying food needs partly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly half of participants believed that the government was successful in applying lockdown measures and in awareness rising (56.8 and 69.8%). The study findings provide some useful insight about the KAP of communities in Afghanistan, which could assist policy makers in public health to design and implement interventions based on the information gaps reported.
Humanoid robotic system for social interaction using deep imitation learning in a smart city environment
Authors: Alotaibi Sara Bader , Manimurugan S.
Published: November 2022

Introduction

A significant resource for understanding the prospects of smart development is the smart city initiatives created by towns all around the globe. Robots have changed from purely human-serving machines to machines communicating with humans through displays, voice, and signals. The humanoid robots are part of a class of sophisticated social robots. Humanoid robots can share and coexist with people and look similar to humans.

Methods

This paper investigates techniques to uncover proposals for explicitly deploying Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robots in a smart city environment. This paper emphasis on providing a humanoid robotic system for social interaction using the Internet of Robotic Things-based Deep Imitation Learning (IoRT-DIL) in a smart city. In the context of the IoT ecosystem of linked intelligent devices and sensors ubiquitously embedded in everyday contexts, the IoRT standard brings together intelligent mobile robots. IoRT-DIL has been used to create a free mobility mode and a social interaction mode for the robot that can detect when people approach it with inquiries. In direct contact with the actuators and sensors, robotic interface control is responsible for guiding the robot as it navigates its environment and answers questions from the audience.

Results and discussion

For the robots to function safely, they must be monitored and enforced by a central controller using Internet of Robotic Things (IoRT) technology in an emergency. DIL aims to facilitate robot-human interaction by integrating deep learning architectures based on Neural Networks (NN) and reinforced learning methods. DIL focuses on mimicking human learning or expertise presentation to govern robot behavior. The robot's interaction has been tracked in a smart city setting, and its real-time efficiency using DIL is 95%.
Empirical study on urban sustainable development model based on identification of advantages and disadvantages
Authors: Zhang Lili , Su Di , Guo Wenhao , Li Siyao
Published: November 2022

Promoting the sustainable development of cities and unifying ecological, economic, and social benefits are of great significance to the long-term development of the country. Taking the macro level as the starting point, this paper constructs a hierarchical identification model of urban personality advantage characteristics from the perspective of sustainable development. To identify, classify and compare the sustainable urban development models, SPSS was used to analyze the weights of the dominant characteristics of various cities in China. First, according to the identification model, the individual advantages of each city are identified hierarchically; Secondly, all feature weights are clustered, and finally, the sustainable development patterns of different cities are discussed according to the clustering results, and relevant countermeasures are proposed. The comparison shows that each city has its advantages and disadvantages in sustainable development, and these cities have not been able to implement the concept and policies of sustainable development well. Given these problems, this paper recommends grasping the main force, gradually solving and improving the weaker links in sustainable development, and reducing the imbalance in development. In the context of sustainable development strategies, the development of Chinese cities in a virtuous circle is of great significance.
Accelerated corrosion testing of cold spray coatings on 304L in chloride environments
Authors: Karasz Erin K. , Montoya Timothy D. , Taylor Jason M. , Ross Kenneth A. , Schaller Rebecca F.
Published: November 2022

Cold spray is an advanced metal manufacturing technique applied across many fields for a wide range of functions. Low heat input and compressive stresses induced into the substrate by the cold spray process makes it a promising choice for protective corrosion resistant coatings. One potential application for cold spray is as a protective coating against corrosion for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) interim dry storage canisters. As these canisters are currently stored at interim storage locations longer than originally intended, chloride induced stress corrosion cracking has been identified as a high priority knowledge gap, specifically with respect to prolonging or extending canister lifetimes (Teague et al., 2019). The high deployability of cold spray, for which nozzles have been developed for application in constrained spaces, in conjunction with beneficial properties inherent to cold spray makes this a good candidate for a corrosion protection coating on SNF canisters. This work explores a pathway to rapidly down-select cold spray coatings for canisters by focusing on the corrosion properties. Specifically, this study examines the corrosion protection abilities of nickel and nickel-based alloy cold spray coatings on 304 L stainless steel in chloride rich environments through electrochemical scans and ferric chloride pitting tests (ASTM G48 Method A). It was shown that the porosity of the coating, the processing gas, material selection, and deformation in the substrate all impact the corrosion behavior of cold spray coatings and are areas where optimization could reduce potential materials degradation, enabling enhanced coatings development.
Welfare assessment of horses and mules used in recreational and muleteer work in the Colombian coffee region
Authors: Romero Marlyn H. , Meneses Fernando , Sanchez Jorge A.
Published: November 2022

The welfare of working equids in developing countries is sometimes threatened due to the limited resources and/or knowledge of their owners. The objective of this study is to evaluate the welfare of creole horses and mules using a validated protocol that assesses animal-based indicators. A total of 160 horses and 40 mules from three municipalities in the Colombian coffee-growing region were evaluated by means of direct observation of health and behavioral parameters. A descriptive analysis of the variables expressed in proportions was performed. Interactions between the different measurements were examined using the Chi-squared test. Spearman correlations were used to relate the measurements. Horses and mules demonstrated friendly behavior in front of the evaluators (78.13 and 61.54%, respectively); apathetic or severely depressed behavior was low (10.7 and 17.5%, P > 0.05). Significant differences in body condition score (BCS) were observed between mules and horses (P < 0.05); eighty percent of the mules and 54.4% of the horses exhibited a healthy body condition score (3 or more on a scale of 1 to 5). Less than 15% of the animals had eye problems, limb deformities, and gait abnormalities. Injuries to the head, withers, spine, ribs/flank, hindquarters, and hind legs were observed in a frequency between 12.5 and 30.43% of the animals, with a higher frequency in horses (P < 0.05). Weak correlations (R2 coefficient < 0.5), although statistically significant, were observed between low body conditions and the presence of skin and deeper tissue lesions, systemic health abnormalities, and limb problems (P < 0.05). The results indicate that owners care for their animals. However, the presence of skin and deep tissue lesions, especially in horses, suggests that they are subjected to high workloads. Therefore, it is essential to train owners in aspects related to the importance of providing their equids with adequate rest periods to recover from work and develop actions to strengthen human-equine interaction.
Sustainable Development Goals Data-Driven Local Policy: Focus on SDG 11 and SDG 12
Authors: Beccarello Massimo , Di Foggia Giacomo
Published: November 2022

Municipal solid waste charging schemes can be powerful drivers for local policy efforts in reaching the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015. This paper aims to provide empirical evidence on an economic lever to meet SDG 11, Target 11.6 and SDG 12, Target 12.5 by applying the polluter-pays principle to waste management that also depends on user engagement through modern incentivizing charging systems. Unit pricing schemes in municipal solid waste management are often associated with a higher percentage of separated waste, less per capita waste production, and reduced service costs. We checked whether unit pricing schemes and the percentage of the sorted waste collection were correlated, assessed whether there is an impact on per capita waste generation, examined the impact on the total cost of management, and explored how specific phases of waste management were affected. The analysis was based on an empirical sample of 1,636 municipalities, of which 506 had unit pricing schemes in place. Our results confirm that unit pricing schemes can be associated with a higher percentage of sorted waste collection and less per capita waste generation. The impact of unit pricing on the total cost of management was not found to be significant, probably due to different impacts on specific services and phases of waste management. The policy implications are as follows: it is suggested that public administrators put data-driven policy targets into government programs that are applied at an operational level by competent municipal civil servants and codified into single programming documents for contracting waste management utilities according to SDG 11 Target 11.6 and SDG 12 Target 12.5.
Chemical and Nutritional Characterization of the Different Organs of Taif’s Rose (Rosa damascena Mill. var. trigintipetala) and Possible Recycling of the Solid Distillation Wastes in Taif City, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Ali Esmat F. , Al-Yasi Hatim M. , Majrashi Ali , Farahat Emad A. , Eid Ebrahem M. , Galal Tarek M.
Published: November 2022

The objective of the current study was to examine the chemical composition and biological functions of the various Taif’s rose (TR) organs and floral solid distillation wastes (SDW). Additionally, it assessed the SDW’s potential use in animal feed and potential health applications. For chemical and biological analyses, the plant stems, leaves, and flowers as well as the SDW of TR were gathered from four farms in the Al-Shafa highland region of Taif, Saudi Arabia. The highest levels of cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, and phenolics were found in the flowers (7.66 mg securiaside g−1, 16.33 mg GAE g−1, and 10.90 mg RUE g−1, respectively), while the highest carbohydrate and alkaloid contents were found in the TR leaves (2.09% and 9.43 mg AE g−1, respectively) with no significant differences from the SDW. Quercetin, apigenin, and rutin flavonoids, as well as isocorydine and boldine alkaloids, were found in larger concentrations in the flowers and floral SDW than in the leaves and stems. The various TR flower extracts were effective against Gram-negative and -positive bacteria but had no effect on fungal strains, but the SDW’s methanol extract was only effective against fungi. The plant stem had the highest N, K, and Mg contents (138, 174, and 96.12 mg kg−1, respectively), while the leaves had the highest P and Ca values (6.58 and 173.93 mg kg−1, respectively). The leaves had the highest contents of total carbohydrates and acid detergent fibre (59.85 and 3.93%, respectively), while the stems had the highest total protein and acid detergent fibre (8.66 and 24.17%, respectively), and the SDW had the highest fats and crude fiber (0.57 and 36.52%, respectively). The highest amounts of digestible crude protein, gross energy, and total dissolved nutrients (TDN) (4.52% and 412.61 Mcal kg−1) were found in the plant stem and flowers, respectively. The results of the current experiment showed that the TDN contents of the various organs and the SDW of TR are suitable for mature dry gestating beef cows. It was determined that, in addition to the SDW’s potential usage as an ingredient in animal feed, various plant parts and TR’s SDW can be utilized for a variety of medical reasons.
Lightweight Corn Seed Disease Identification Method Based on Improved ShuffleNetV2
Authors: Lu Lu , Liu Wei , Yang Wenbo , Zhao Manyu , Jiang Tinghao
Published: November 2022

Assessing the quality of agricultural products is an essential step to reduce food waste. The problems of overly complex models, difficult to deploy to mobile devices, and slow real-time detection in the application of deep learning in agricultural product quality assessment requiring solutions. This paper proposes a lightweight method based on ShuffleNetV2 to identify phenotypic diseases in corn seeds and conduct experiments on a corn seed dataset. Firstly, Cycle-Consistent Adversarial Networks are used to solve the problem of unbalanced datasets, while the Efficient Channel Attention module is added to enhance network performance. After this, a 7×7 depthwise convolution is used to increase the effective receptive field of the network. The repetitions of basic units in ShuffleNetV2 are also reduced to lighten the network structure. Finally, experimental results indicate that the number of model parameters are 0.913 M, the computational volume is 44.75 MFLOPs and 88.5 MMAdd, and the recognition accuracy is 96.28%. The inference speed of about 9.71 ms for each image was tested on a mobile portable laptop with only a single CPU, which provides a reference for mobile deployment.
DNA Barcoding of Endangered and Rarely Occurring Plants in Faifa Mountains (Jazan, Saudi Arabia)
Authors: Safhi Fatmah Ahmed , Alshamrani Salha Mesfer , Fiteha Yosur Gamal , Abd El-Moneim Diaa
Published: November 2022

Conservation of plant genetic resources, especially threatened species, is an important topic in biodiversity. It is a field that requires prior knowledge of the target species, in addition to correct identification and taxonomic description. In botany, the identification of plant species traditionally relies on key morphological descriptions and anatomical features. However, in complex species and tree plants, molecular identification can facilitate identification and increase species delimitation accuracy. In the Faifa mountains of Jazan province in Saudi Arabia, 12 rarely occurring plants were recorded and identified using two DNA barcoding regions (i.e., rbcL and ITS). All the samples were successfully amplified, sequenced, and analyzed using the standard DNA barcode protocol, and this resulted in the clear and accurate identification of 11 out of the 12 sampled species. A total of five species were in agreement in terms of both morpho- and molecular-based identification. Four and two species were identified based solely on ITS and rbcL phylogenetics, respectively. The geographic distribution records of the identified species showed that some species were distributed at a distance far from their usual region, while others were reported in proximate regions and localities. Some species were found to be medicinally important and required additional conservation plans.
Characteristics of Grain Yield, Dry Matter Production and Nitrogen Uptake and Transport of Rice Varieties with Different Grain Protein Content
Authors: Liu Qiuyuan , Li Meng , Ji Xin , Liu Juan , Wang Fujuan , Wei Yunfei
Published: November 2022

Grain protein content (GPC) is an important index affecting rice quality and nutrition, and there is a large difference in the GPC among varieties. However, the differences in the grain yield, dry matter production, and nitrogen uptake and transport among varieties with a different GPC and their relationships with the GPC are still unclear. In this study, three japonica varieties with high GPC (H-GPC) and three japonica varieties with low GPC (L-GPC) were compared for their grain yield, dry matter production, and nitrogen uptake and transport, in field experiments under the same nitrogen application level in 2020 and 2021. The results showed that the grain yield of the L-GPC type was 26.87% higher in 2020, and 25.98% higher in 2021 than that of the H-GPC type at the same nitrogen rate, which might be related to the higher spikelet per panicle and larger sink capacity of the L-GPC type. Moreover, the varieties with L-GPC showed more dry matter production and total nitrogen content compared with the varieties with H-GPC at the heading stage and maturity, but the nitrogen uptake during the grain-filling period (NUP-GF) of the L-GPC varieties was lower than that of the H-GPC varieties. The leaf nitrogen translocation amount (L-NTA) of the L-GPC type was significantly higher than that of the H-GPC type. There was no significant difference in the leaf nitrogen translocation efficiency (L-NTE) between the different GPC types. The GPC was mainly determined by the amount of nitrogen available for developing the grain per unit sink capacity (NAV) and had a significant positive correlation with the NAV, indicating that sufficient NAV is necessary to obtain a high GPC. The direct restriction effect of the sink capacity on the NAV was the largest, and the leaf nitrogen content at the heading stage (LNC-H) had the largest direct promotion effect on the NAV, but the indirect restriction effect of the LNC-H on the NAV was also the strongest. The direct and indirect path coefficients of the NUP-GF to the NAV were both positive, indicating that increasing the NUP-GF can promote the improvement of the NAV.
Fenclorim Increasing Butachlor Selectivity between Wheat and Roegneria kamoji by Seed Soaking
Authors: Tang Wei , Sun Jinqiu , Yu Xiaoyue , Zhou Fengyan , Liu Shengnan , Liu Mengjie , Lu Yongliang , Yang Yongjie
Published: November 2022

Roegneria kamoji Ohwi (Poaceae), a wild relative plant of wheat which is widely distributed across China, has become a dominant and problematic weed in wheat fields in some regions. We have previously confirmed that R. kamoji is highly tolerant to foliar-applied acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) and acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The sensitivity of R. kamoji to pre-emergence (PRE) herbicides and the basis of fenclorim increase selectivity to butachlor between wheat and R. kamoji were evaluated in this study. Screenhouse bioassay showed that R. kamoji exhibited similar sensitivity to wheat to PRE herbicides at their recommended field doses (RFD); it also showed that buatchlor provides the highest relative control for R. kamoji (53.4% emergence and 81.5% fresh weight reduction, respectively), while it had no impact on seedling emergence of wheat among the six PRE herbicides. When butachlor was applied at four-fold RFD, no R. kamoji seedlings emerged; however, it significantly reduced the above-ground biomass of wheat compared with the non-treated control. Pre-treatment with herbicide safener fenclorim by seed soaking increased the ED10 value of butachlor to wheat from 221.8 to 1600.1 g a.i. ha−1, thus increasing the selectivity index from 9.6 to 68.9 between wheat and R. kamoji. The activities of α-amylase activity and protein content during germination, and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and β-ketoacyl-CoA synthase (KCS) in the seedlings, could be induced by butachlor in both wheat seeds with or without fenclorim pre-soaking. These results suggested that butachlor provides the highest control for R. kamoji and did not affect germination and emergence in wheat. The basis of fenclorim-increased selectivity to butachlor was associated with the induced GST and KCS-mediated enhanced herbicide metabolism in wheat.
Combination of GIS and Multivariate Analysis to Assess the Soil Heavy Metal Contamination in Some Arid Zones
Authors: El Behairy Radwa , El Baroudy Ahmed , Ibrahim Mahmoud , Mohamed Elsayed , Rebouh Nazih , Shokr Mohamed
Published: November 2022

Recent decades have witnessed a danger to food security as well as to human health because of pollutants’ negative impact on crop quality. An accurate estimate of the heavy metal concentrations in Egypt’s north Nile Delta is required to lower the high concentration levels of heavy metal in the soil as a means to develop a remediation strategy that stabilizes heavy metals in contaminated soil. Using a geo-accumulation index (I-geo), contamination factor (CF), Improved Nemerow’s Pollution Index (Pn), and Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI), supported by GIS; principal component analysis (PCA), and cluster analysis, six heavy metals (As, Co, Cu, Ni, V, and Zn) were analyzed from 15 soil profile layers (61 soil samples) to determine the extent of the soil contamination in the area studied. The findings demonstrate the widespread I-geo contamination of As, Co, Cu, Ni, V, and Zn in different layers. The ranges for the I-geo values were from −8.2 to 5.3; 4.11 to 1.8; 6.4 to 1.9; −9.7 to 2.8; −6.3 to 2.9; and from −12.5 to 2.4 for As, Co, Cu, Ni, V, and Zn, respectively. I-geo categorization therefore ranged from uncontaminated to strongly/extremely contaminated. The CF values varied from 0.01 to 60.6; 0.09 to 5.17; 0.02 to 10.51; 0 to 10.51; 0.02 to 7.12; and 0 to 7.68 for As, Co, Cu, Ni, V, and Zn, respectively. In decreasing sequence, the CFs are arranged as follows: CF (As), CF (Ni), CF (Zn), CF (V), CF (Cu), and CF (Co). Most of the research region (71.9%) consisted of a class of moderately to heavily polluted areas. Additionally, a large portion of the study region (49.17%) has a very high risk of contamination, as per the results of the PERI index. The use of a correlation matrix, cluster analysis, and principal component analysis(PCA) to evaluate the variability in the soil’s chemical content revealed the impact from anthropogenic activities on the heavy metal concentration levels in the study area’s soil. The current findings reflect the poor quality of management in the research region, which led to the increase in the concentration of heavy metals in the soil. Decision-makers could use the outcomes from the spatial distribution maps for contaminants and their levels as a basis for creating heavy metal mitigation strategies.
Research Progress on Efficient Pollination Technology of Crops
Authors: Wu Shuo , Liu Jizhan , Lei Xiaojie , Zhao Shengyi , Lu Jiajun , Jiang Yingxing , Xie Binbin , Wang Ming
Published: November 2022

Pollination is essential to maintain ecosystem balance and agricultural production. Domesticated bee pollination, which is easy to feed and manage, and mechanized pollination, which is not restricted by the environment, are considered the main technical means to alleviate the “pollinating insect crisis”. By analyzing differences in pollination methods for different crops, this review summarizes the research progress for efficient pollination technology from the perspectives of bee pollination and mechanized pollination in fields, orchards, and greenhouses. The selection of pollination method should be based on the physiological characteristics of crops and the actual environmental conditions of natural pollination. The pollination ability of bees is closely related to the status of the bees. Maintaining the pollination ability of bees in a reasonable range is the goal of bee pollination services. Colony state control technology needs to develop in two directions. First, there is a need to develop colony state monitoring technology based on multi-feature information fusion and to explore the self-regulation mechanisms of the colony in response to various factors. Second, based on these self-regulation mechanisms, there is a need to develop a low-cost and non-invasive bee colony state and pollination capacity estimation model, monitoring technology, and equipment based on single feature information. The goals of mechanized pollination are “efficiency” and “precision”. Mechanized pollination technology needs to be developed in two directions. First, the mechanisms of pollen abscission, transport, and sedimentation in different crops and mechanized pollination conditions should be explored. Second, research and development of efficient and accurate pollination equipment and technology based on the integration of multiple technologies such as pneumatic assistance, auxiliaries, static electricity, target, variables, and navigation, are needed.
Investigating the Spatial Structure of Soil Hydraulic Properties in a Long-Term Field Experiment Using the BEST Methodology
Authors: Popolizio Stefano , Barca Emanuele , Castellini Mirko , Montesano Francesco F. , Stellacci Anna Maria
Published: November 2022

Understanding the spatial structure of soil properties at field scale and introducing this information into appropriate data analysis methods can help in detecting the effects of different soil management practices and in supporting precision agriculture applications. The objectives of this study were: (i) assessing the spatial structure of soil physical and hydraulic properties in a long-term field experiment; (ii) defining a set of spatial indicators for gaining an integrated view of the studied system. In seventy-two georeferenced locations, soil bulk density (BD), initial volumetric soil water content (θi) and cumulative infiltration curve as function of the time (I(t)) were measured. The soil water retention curve (θ(h)) and the hydraulic conductivity function (K(h)) were then estimated using the Beerkan Estimation of Soil Transfer parameters (BEST) methodology. The volumetric soil water contents at soil matrix (h = −10 cm), field capacity (h = −100 cm) and wilting point (h = −15,300 cm) were considered. In addition, a set of capacitive indicators—plant available water capacity (PAWCe), soil macroporosity (PMACe), air capacity (ACe) and relative field capacity (RFCe)—were computed. The data were first analyzed for overall spatial dependence and then processed through variography for structural analysis and subsequent spatial interpolation. Cross-correlation analysis allowed for assessing the spatial relationships between selected physical and hydraulic properties. On average, optimal soil physical quality conditions were recorded; only PMACe values were indicative of non-optimal conditions, whereas mean values of all the other indicators (BD, Ks, PAWCe, ACe, RFCe) fell within optimal ranges. The exponential model was found to be the best function to describe the spatial variability of all the considered variables, except ACe. A good spatial dependence was found for most of the investigated variables and only BD, ACe and Ks showed a moderate autocorrelation. Ks was confirmed to be characterized by a relatively high spatial variability, and thus, to require a more intensive spatial sampling. An inverse spatial cross-correlation was observed between BD and Ks up to a distance of 10 m; significant cross-correlations were also recorded between Ks and PMACe and ACe. This result seems to suggest the possibility to use these soil physical quality indicators as covariates in predictive multivariate approaches.