bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimating insect pest density using the physiological index of crop leaf
Authors: Chen Meng , Liu Xiang-Dong
Published: August 2023

Estimating population density is a fundamental study in ecology and crop pest management. The density estimation of small-scale animals, such as insects, is a challenging task due to the large quantity and low visibility. An herbivorous insect is the big enemy of crops, which often causes serious losses. Feeding of insects results in changes in physiology-related chemical compositions of crops, but it is unknown whether these changes can be used to estimate the population density of pests. The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, is a serious insect pest hiding under rice canopy to suck the sap of rice stems. BPH density is a crucial indicator for determining whether the control using pesticides will be carried out or not. Estimating BPH density is still dependent on manmade survey and light-trap methods, which are time-consuming and low-efficient. Here, we developed a new method based on the physiological traits of rice leaves. The feeding of BPHs significantly decreased the contents of chlorophyll (the SPAD readings), water, silicon, and soluble sugar in rice leaves. Four ratio physiological indices based on these four physiological traits of the BPH-damaged rice leaves to those of healthy leaves were established, and they were significantly correlated with BPH density in rice plants. A rice growth stage-independent linear model based on the four ratio physiological indices and adding the other two variables, BPH damage duration and population increase rate, was developed. This model exhibited a reasonable accuracy for estimating BPH density. This new method will promote the development of density estimation of pest populations toward nonprofessionalization and automation.
Transcriptomic responses of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) stem to waterlogging at plantation in relation to precipitation seasonality
Authors: Lim Hui , Kobayashi Masaki J. , Marsoem Sri Nugroho , Irawati Denny , Kosugi Akihiko , Kondo Toshiaki , Tani Naoki
Published: August 2023

Global warming-induced climate change causes significant agricultural problems by increasing the incidence of drought and flooding events. Waterlogging is an inevitable consequence of these changes but its effects on oil palms have received little attention and are poorly understood. Recent waterlogging studies have focused on oil palm seedlings, with particular emphasis on phenology. However, the transcriptomic waterlogging response of mature oil palms remains elusive in real environments. We therefore investigated transcriptomic changes over time in adult oil palms at plantations over a two-year period with pronounced seasonal variation in precipitation. A significant transcriptional waterlogging response was observed in the oil palm stem core but not in leaf samples when gene expression was correlated with cumulative precipitation over two-day periods. Pathways and processes upregulated or enriched in the stem core response included hypoxia, ethylene signaling, and carbon metabolism. Post-waterlogging recovery in oil palms was found to be associated with responses to heat stress and carotenoid biosynthesis. Nineteen transcription factors (TFs) potentially involved in the waterlogging response of mature oil palms were also identified. These data provide new insights into the transcriptomic responses of planted oil palms to waterlogging and offer valuable guidance on the sensitivity of oil palm plantations to future climate changes.
Exploring biochar and fishpond sediments potential to change soil phosphorus fractions and availability
Authors: Mahmood Mohsin , Wang Yunting , Ahmed Waqas , Mehmood Sajid , Ayyoub Anam , Elnahal Ahmed S. M. , Li Weidong , Zhan Xin
Published: August 2023

Phosphorus (P) availability in soil is paradoxical, with a significant portion of applied P accumulating in the soil, potentially affecting plant production. The impact of biochar (BR) and fishpond sediments (FPS) as fertilizers on P fixation remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the optimal ratio of BR, modified biochar (MBR), and FPS as fertilizer replacements. A pot experiment with maize evaluated the transformation of P into inorganic (Pi) and organic (Po) fractions and their contribution to P uptake. Different percentages of FPS, BR, and MBR were applied as treatments (T1–T7), T1 [(0.0)], T2 [FPS (25.0%)], T3 [FPS (25.0%) + BR (1%)], T [FPS (25%) +MBR (3%)], T5 [FPS (35%)], T6 [FPS (35%) +BR (1%)], and T7 [FPS (35%) + MBR (1%)]. Using the modified Hedley method and the Tiessen and Moir fractionation scheme, P fractions were determined. Results showed that various rates of MBR, BR, and FPS significantly increased labile and moderately labile P fractions (NaHCO3-Pi, NaHCO3-Po, HClD-Pi, and HClC-Pi) and residual P fractions compared with the control (T1). Positive correlations were observed between P uptake, phosphatase enzyme activity, and NaHCO3-Pi. Maximum P uptake and phosphatase activity were observed in T6 and T7 treatments. The addition of BR, MBR, and FPS increased Po fractions. Unlike the decline in NaOH-Po fraction, NaHCO3-Po and HClc-Po fractions increased. All Pi fractions, particularly apatite (HClD-Pi), increased across the T1–T7 treatments. HClD-Pi was the largest contributor to total P (40.7%) and can convert into accessible P over time. The T5 treatment showed a 0.88% rise in residual P. HClD-Pi and residual P fractions positively correlated with P uptake, phosphatase activity, NaOH-Pi, and NaOH-Po moderately available fractions. Regression analysis revealed that higher concentrations of metals such as Ca, Zn, and Cr significantly decreased labile organic and inorganic P fractions (NaHCO3-Pi, R2 = 0.13, 0.36, 0.09) and their availability (NaHCO3-Po, R2 = 0.01, 0.03, 0.25). Excessive solo BR amendments did not consistently increase P availability, but optimal simple and MBR increased residual P contents in moderately labile and labile forms (including NaOH-Pi, NaHCO3-Pi, and HClD-Pi). Overall, our findings suggest that the co-addition of BR and FPS can enhance soil P availability via increasing the activity of phosphatase enzyme, thereby enhancing plant P uptake and use efficiency, which eventually maintains the provision of ecosystem functions and services.
Emotional freedom techniques for treating post traumatic stress disorder: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Stapleton Peta , Kip Kevin , Church Dawson , Toussaint Loren , Footman Jacqui , Ballantyne Pat , O’Keefe Tom
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a psychophysiological intervention that includes cognitive and somatic elements, utilizing techniques from both Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Prolonged Exposure therapy (PE). Because only a single meta-analysis existed examining EFT for PTSD, this systematic review and meta-analysis represents an update.

Method

Ten databases were searched for quantitative reviews and randomised clinical trials, and six met inclusion criteria.

Results

Study quality and effect size were evaluated and the results demonstrated that treatment with Clinical EFT, when compared to wait list, usual care, or no treatment controls, resulted in significant and large effect sizes, ranging from 1.38 to 2.51. When compared to active controls, effect sizes ranged from −0.15 to 0.79, producing treatment results similar to other evidence-based therapies.

Discussion

Limitations are presented and considerations for further research are proposed.
Hypnotherapy for agoraphobia—Feasibility and efficacy investigated in a pilot study
Authors: Fuhr Kristina , Bender Annika , Wiegand Ariane , Janouch Paul , Drujan Marta , Cyrny Barbara , Schweizer Cornelie , Kreifelts Benjamin , Nieratschker Vanessa , Batra Anil
Published: August 2023

A number of case studies describing hypnotherapy in the treatment of anxiety disorder patients have already been published. Only a few randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigated the efficacy of hypnotherapy but focused mainly on symptoms rather than specific mental disorders. The goal of this study was to investigate whether hypnotherapy (HT) was superior to a waitlist control group (WL) in the reduction of agoraphobia-related symptoms. Further goals were to report the feasibility of hypnotherapy as well as attrition and completion rates and detect (epi-)genetic variables, which might play a role in treatment outcome. This pilot study was based on a monocentric two-armed randomized controlled rater-blind clinical trial that was conducted between 2018 and 2020 with a waitlist control group. A total of 36 patients diagnosed with agoraphobia were randomized to either HT or WL. Patients in HT received individual outpatient treatment with hypnotherapy with 8 to 12 sessions for a period of 3 months. Patients in WL received HT after 3 months. Agoraphobia-related symptoms were assessed at baseline, after the treatment, and 3 months later in both groups with a clinician rating. The primary hypothesis concerning the difference between groups in the individual percentage symptom reduction could be confirmed in the intention-to-treat, not the per-protocol sample. Additionally, we applied repeated-measures analyses of variance and found a higher symptom decrease in HT compared with WL patients in three of the five imputed datasets. The dropout rate was low, and satisfaction with the treatment was high. HT patients experienced a strong symptom reduction after receiving hypnotherapy. WL patients improved slightly during the waiting period. The COMT Val108/158Met genotype had an effect on the agoraphobia-related symptoms as well as on COMT DNA methylation levels. This is the first study to indicate that hypnotherapy performed better than a waitlist control group regarding the reduction in anxiety symptoms in an RCT. Future studies should confirm the efficacy of hypnotherapy and compare the treatment with a standard treatment for anxiety disorders in a larger trial. Future studies should also investigate whether hypnotic susceptibility is associated with COMT Val108/158Met genotype and could predict treatment success for HT.

Clinical trial registration

https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03684577, identifier: NCT03684577.
Population-level, patient-reported outcomes: a case study regarding a public health intervention that involves patients with life-limiting illnesses
Authors: Daveson Barbara , Blanchard Megan , Clapham Sabina , Draper Kylie , Connolly Alanna , Currow David
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Dying and death are public health concerns, but little is known about public health interventions that target populations living with life-limiting illnesses. This gap makes it difficult to identify best-practice public health interventions for this population and to achieve public health objectives. The study aimed to describe a public health intervention that intends to improve population-level outcomes using point-of-care and patient-reported outcomes.

Methods

A case study approach, informed by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) Best-Practice Public Health Framework, was used to describe coverage, effectiveness, and equity using mixed methods. Data from 2012 to 2022 were analyzed.

Results

Over the 10-year period, the number of deaths recorded in the programme (n = 16,358 to 32,421, +98.2%) as well as the percentage of the population that might benefit from palliative care increased (14.8% to 25.1%). The median age of those admitted for care (74 to 77 years) and the proportion of services participating in the programme located in outer regional and remote areas of Australia increased (2012: 59; 2022: 94; +5.4%). The access by patients that experience the greatest socioeconomic disadvantage decreased (2012: 18.2% n = 4,918; 2022: 15.9% n = 9,525). Improvements in relation to moderate distress related to pain were identified (2012: 63% n = 8,751, 2022: 69% n = 13,700), and one in five instances of severe distress related to pain did not improve (2012: 20% n = 781; 2022: 19% n = 635).

Conclusion

Population-level, patient-reported outcome data are useful and necessary in addressing public health objectives in populations with life-limiting illnesses. Our application of the OECD's Best-Practice Public Health Framework has helped to identify and describe a national intervention that may be transferred to other settings to address health promotion objectives. This may help improve the targeting of treatments to improve pain and issues related to equity.
Oral manifestations in hospital-admitted COVID-19 patients: a case control study
Authors: Alhamed Sana , Aljohani Suad
Published: August 2023

The oral cavity can present early manifestations of several systemic diseases. Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been many published studies reporting the direct effect of the virus on orofacial structures. In the present study, oral signs and symptoms of 22 hospital-admitted COVID-19 patients were examined and compared to a matching control group. Loss of taste and smell was the most prevalent symptom (65%), followed by oral dryness (45%) and halitosis (30%). The most common oral lesions were candidal infections (68%). Other less common manifestations were oral ulcerations (36%) followed by the appearance of white patches (27.3%). There was a statistically significant association between candidal infection and age in the study group, where the p-value was 0.008. In the present study, 80% of those who had candida infections were aged 60 years or above. There was no significant association with comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension.
Case report: Utility, complications, and short-term outcomes in three dogs managed with percutaneous pigtail cystostomy catheters for urethral obstruction
Authors: Er Yanshan , Fick Meghan E. , Long Mays Erin
Published: August 2023

Objective

This study aimed to describe the utility, complications, and short-term outcomes of three dogs managed with percutaneous pigtail cystostomy catheters placed in the emergency room (ER).

Case summary

Three dogs were presented separately to the ER for unalleviated mechanical urethral obstruction secondary to urolithiasis and urethral neoplasia. Retrograde urinary catheterization and urohydropulsion were not successful after multiple attempts. Percutaneous pigtail cystostomy catheters were placed under sedation to achieve temporary urinary diversion, and were successful in two of the three dogs. Complications encountered include mild abdominal effusion, unsuccessful placement resulting in hemorrhagic abdominal effusion, steatitis, abdominal pain, and kinking of the catheter. The two dogs diagnosed with urolithiasis were discharged from the hospital, and the dog diagnosed with urethral neoplasia was humanely euthanized due to poor prognosis.

New or unique information provided

When successful, the placement of pigtail cystostomy catheters allowed for temporary urinary diversion until definitive treatment could be performed and were well tolerated. Short-term outcomes were good. Complications arising from this procedure were common and increased morbidity. The risk of unsuccessful catheter placement may be increased when the procedure is performed in an over conditioned patient or by an inexperienced operator. Careful case selection and risk–benefit analysis should be considered before attempting this procedure. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the ideal technique, incidence of complications, and outcomes of this procedure.
An Intelligent Bat Algorithm for Web Service Selection with QoS Uncertainty
Authors: Etchiali Abdelhak , Hadjila Fethallah , Bekkouche Amina
Published: August 2023

Currently, the selection of web services with an uncertain quality of service (QoS) is gaining much attention in the service-oriented computing paradigm (SOC). In fact, searching for a service composition that fulfills a complex user’s request is known to be NP-complete. The search time is mainly dependent on the number of requested tasks, the size of the available services, and the size of the QoS realizations (i.e., sample size). To handle this problem, we propose a two-stage approach that reduces the search space using heuristics for ranking the task services and a bat algorithm metaheuristic for selecting the final near-optimal compositions. The fitness used by the metaheuristic aims to fulfil all the global constraints of the user. The experimental study showed that the ranking heuristics, termed “fuzzy Pareto dominance” and “Zero-order stochastic dominance”, are highly effective compared to the other heuristics and most of the existing state-of-the-art methods.
Executive Attentional Dyscontrol as a Core Cognitive and Behavioral Feature of Individuals with Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease: A Cross-Sectional Investigation
Authors: Pietrabissa Giada , Cammisuli Davide Maria , Scarpina Federica , Volpi Clarissa , Crotti Lia , Mauro Alessandro , Gondoni Luca Alessandro , Castelnuovo Gianluca
Published: August 2023

Executive attention as a frontal domain ability that is effective in potentially blocking distracting information, reconciling conflicts among simultaneous attentional demands, and regulating impulsive behavior may be impaired in individuals with obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study aimed (i) to explore the presence of selected cognitive (global cognitive impairment, sensitivity to interference, and attention) and psychological (quality of life, depression, anxiety, and impulsivity) dimensions and (ii) to examine the interactive relationship between attentional dyscontrol—both as a psychological and as a cognitive measure—and the above-mentioned variables in a sample of patients with CVD attending a cardiac rehabilitation program across different body mass index (BMI) levels. Clinical information of 104 patients with CVD was retrospectively collected. Participants were classified into three groups according to their BMI as follows: normal weight (NW = 30), overweight (OW = 19), and obese (OB = 55). Individuals with CVD and a higher BMI showed problems in controlling executive attention—through both neuropsychological and behavioral measures. Specifically, OB patients demonstrated reduced sensitivity to cognitive interference, lower capabilities in divided attention during visual-tracking tasks, and greater impulsivity compared to NW patients. This behavioral characteristic was also found to be correlated with higher levels of anxiety and depression and a lower quality of life. Implications for cognitive rehabilitation were discussed to offer directions for better management of patients with CVD and obesity.
Telestroke: A Novel Approach for Post-Stroke Rehabilitation
Authors: Nakhostin Ansari Noureddin , Bahramnezhad Fatemeh , Anastasio Albert T. , Hassanzadeh Gholamreza , Shariat Ardalan
Published: August 2023

Despite the tremendous technologic advancements of recent years, the prevalence of stroke has increased significantly worldwide from 1990 to 2019 (a 70 [...]
Characterizing Topological Properties of Brain Functional Networks Using Multi-Threshold Derivative for End-Stage Renal Disease with Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Zhang Rupu , Fu Xidong , Song Chaofan , Shi Haifeng , Jiao Zhuqing
Published: August 2023

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) experience changes in both the structure and function of their brain networks. In the past, cognitive impairment was often classified based on connectivity features, which only reflected the characteristics of the binary brain network or weighted brain network. It exhibited limited interpretability and stability. This study aims to quantitatively characterize the topological properties of brain functional networks (BFNs) using multi-threshold derivative (MTD), and to establish a new classification framework for end-stage renal disease with mild cognitive impairment (ESRDaMCI). The dynamic BFNs (DBFNs) were constructed and binarized with multiple thresholds, and then their topological properties were extracted from each binary brain network. These properties were then quantified by calculating their derivative curves and expressing them as multi-threshold derivative (MTD) features. The classification results of MTD features were compared with several commonly used DBFN features, and the effectiveness of MTD features in the classification of ESRDaMCI was evaluated based on the classification performance test. The results indicated that the linear fusion of MTD features improved classification performance and outperformed individual MTD features. Its accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 85.98 ± 2.92%, 86.10 ± 4.11%, and 81.54 ± 4.27%, respectively. Finally, the feature weights of MTD were analyzed, and MTD-cc had the highest weight percentage of 28.32% in the fused features. The MTD features effectively supplemented traditional feature quantification by addressing the issue of indistinct classification differentiation. It improved the quantification of topological properties and provided more detailed features for diagnosing cognitive disorders.
Adequate Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection in Radical Cystectomy in the Era of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review
Authors: Kaczmarek Krystian , Małkiewicz Bartosz , Lemiński Artur
Published: August 2023

Radical cystectomy (RC) with pelvic lymphadenectomy (PLND) serves as the gold-standard treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Numerous studies have shown that the number of lymph nodes (LN) removed during RC could affect patient prognosis. However, these studies confirmed the association between PLND and survival outcomes prior to the widespread adoption of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Consequently, this study aimed to investigate the prognostic role of PLND in patients previously pretreated with NAC. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed using PubMed, Web of Knowledge, and Scopus databases. The selected studies contained a total of 17,421 participants. The meta-analysis indicated a significant correlation between adequate PLND and overall survival in the non-NAC group. However, a survival benefit was not observed in patients undergoing RC with preoperative systemic therapy, regardless of the LN cut-off thresholds. The pooled HR for ≥10 and ≥15 LN were 0.87 (95% CI 0.75–1.01) and 0.87 (95% CI 0.76–1.00), respectively. The study results suggest that NAC mitigates the therapeutic significance of PLND, as patients pre-treated with NAC no longer gain oncological benefits from more extensive lymphadenectomy. This highlights the analogous roles of NAC and PLND in eradication of micrometastases and in prevention of distal recurrence post-RC.
The Early Effect of Plant Density on Soil Physicochemical Attributes and Bacterial and Understory Plant Diversity in Phoebe zhennan Plantations
Authors: Cheng Yilun , Peng Jian , Gu Yunjie , Guo Hongying , Jiang Tianyi , Yang Hanbo
Published: August 2023

The effect of stand density on the soil bacterial community and diversity remains unclear. Spectrophotometry and full-length 16S rRNA sequences were used to determine the effects of planting density on soil physicochemical attributes and the diversity of soil bacterial and understory vegetation in a young Phoebe zhennan plantation at five densities. The findings showed that stand density had significant effects on the total nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N), nitrate-nitrogen (NO3−-N), organic carbon, and the dominance and evenness of shrubs. Candidatus Udaeobacter and Candidatus Soilbacter were the two most common genera across the five stand densities. The density D5 (850 stems/hm2) demarcated from the others with a lower diversity of soil bacteria. Overall, the relatively low- and middle-density plantations were more conducive to complex and stable understory vegetation, bacterial communities, and soil nutrient cycles. The functional categories of the bacterial communities revealed a high proportion associated with chemoheterotrophy, aerobic chemoheterotrophy, and nitrogen fixation. Bacterial diversity and function were significantly influenced by soil pH, NH4+-N, NO3−-N, total phosphorus, and available phosphorus. However, there were no significant correlations between soil physicochemical attributes, understory vegetation, and bacterial diversity. Therefore, we speculated that the key drivers of the soil bacterial community were the soil physicochemical attributes and that stand density affected the soil bacterial community diversity by changing the soil physicochemical attributes. Overall, P. zhennan plantations with densities below 600 stems/hm2 were conducive to complex and stable soil bacterial communities and nutrient cycles.
Synergistic Use of Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 Based on Different Preprocessing for Predicting Forest Aboveground Biomass
Authors: Fang Gengsheng , Yu Hangyuan , Fang Luming , Zheng Xinyu
Published: August 2023

Forest aboveground biomass (AGB, Mg/ha) measurement is one of the key indicators for carbon storage evaluation. Remote sensing techniques have been widely employed to predict forest AGB. However, little attention has been paid to the implications involved in the preprocessing of satellite data. In this work, considering the areas of low forest AGB in our survey plots, we explored the implications of employing atmospheric correction and speckle filtering with Sentinel-1 (S1) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and Sentinel-2 (S2) to predict forest AGB using multiple linear regression (MLR) and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost). In the present study, the types of plots examined included oaks (Quercus spp.), Chinese firs (Cunninghamia lanceolata), and Masson pines (Pinus massoniana), and all of the plots were investigated. Specifically, the feature variables related to S1 (dual polarization and texture measures) and S2 (spectral bands) were modeled individually, and 16 feature sets, including different combinations of S1 and S2 based on different preprocessing measures, were established using MLR and XGBoost. The results show that speckle filtering and atmospheric correction marginally influenced the capacity of the S2 spectral bands, the SAR dual-polarization backscatter, and the SAR-based textural measures in predicting the AGB in our survey plots. The associations between the speckle-filtered and unfiltered SAR images and the S2 Top-of-Atmosphere and Bottom-of-Atmosphere products were considerably strong. Additionally, the texture models generally showed better performances than the raw SAR data. Ultimately, the groups that only encompassed the S2 spectral bands were the best-performing groups among the 16 feature sets, while the groups that included only S1-based data generally performed the worst.
Genetic Diversity Analysis and Breeding of Geese Based on the Mitochondrial ND6 Gene
Authors: Zhang Yang , Qi Shangzong , Liu Linyu , Bao Qiang , Wu Teng , Liu Wei , Zhang Yu , Zhao Wenming , Xu Qi , Chen Guohong
Published: August 2023

To explore the differences in body-weight traits of five goose breeds and analyze their genetic diversity and historical dynamics, we collected body-weight data statistics and used Sanger sequencing to determine the mitochondrial DNA of 100 samples of five typical goose breeds in China and abroad. The results indicated that Lion-Head, Hortobagy, and Yangzhou geese have great breeding potential for body weight. Thirteen polymorphic sites were detected in the corrected 505 bp sequence of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) ND6 gene, accounting for approximately 2.57% of the total number of sites. The guanine-cytosine (GC) content (51.7%) of the whole sequence was higher than the adenine-thymine (AT) content (48.3%), showing a certain GC base preference. There were 11 haplotypes among the five breeds, including one shared haplotype. We analyzed the differences in the distribution of base mismatches among the five breeds and conducted Tajima’s D and Fu’s Fs neutral tests on the historical dynamics of the populations. The distribution of the mismatch difference presented an unsmooth single peak and the Tajima’s D value of the neutral test was negative (D < 0) and reached a significant level, which proves that the population of the three species had expanded; the Lion-Head goose population tends to be stable. The genetic diversity of Lion-Head, Zhedong White, Yangzhou, and Taihu geese was equal to the average diversity of Chinese goose breeds. The Hortobagy goose is a foreign breed with differences in mating line breeding and hybrid advantage utilization.
Isolation and Genetic Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from a Patas Monkey (Erythrocebus patas) in China
Authors: Yang Liulu , Ren Hongjie , Zhu Niuping , Xin Shilin , Mao Gaohui , Ma Yiheng , Li Junbao , Liang Qunchao , Yang Yurong
Published: August 2023

Many cases of Toxoplasma gondii infection have been reported worldwide in non-human primates (NHPs), especially in captive New World monkeys. However, few studies on toxoplasmosis in Old World monkeys have been conducted. In this study, serological and molecular biological analyses were carried out to look for T. gondii antibodies and T. gondii infection in 13 NHPs from China. T. gondii infection was confirmed in 8 NHP cases. T. gondii antibodies were detected in 1/5 New World monkeys and in 4/7 Old World monkeys. T. gondii DNA was detected in 3/5 New World monkeys and 5/7 Old World monkeys. The one ring-tailed lemur was negative for both antibodies and DNA of T. gondii. The most common clinical manifestations of T. gondii infection were malaise, poor appetite, emaciation, and foamy nasal discharge. The most common histopathological findings were interstitial pneumonia, necrotic hepatitis, necrotizing myocarditis, lymphadenitis, and necrotic splenitis. One viable T. gondii strain was successfully isolated from the myocardium of a patas monkey (Erythrocebus patas) by bioassay in mice. T. gondii tachyzoites were obtained from cell cultures and were designated as TgMonkeyCHn2. The genotype of this strain belongs to ToxoDB genotype #9, and the allele of ROP18/ROP5 gene was 3/6. TgMonkeyCHn2 tachyzoites were avirulent in Swiss mice. To our knowledge, this is the first report of fatal toxoplasmosis in a patas monkey. T. gondii infection in patas monkeys may indicate environmental contamination by oocysts. The patas monkey is a new host record for T. gondii.
Aflatoxins and Ochratoxin A in Tea Sold in Lebanon: Effects of Type, Packaging, and Origin
Authors: Hassan Hussein F. , Tashani Hadeel , Ballouk Farah , Daou Rouaa , El Khoury André , Abiad Mohamad G. , AlKhatib Ali , Hassan Mahdi , El Khatib Sami , Dimassi Hani
Published: August 2023

Tea is among the oldest and most-known beverages around the world, and it has many flavors and types. Tea can be easily contaminated in any of its production steps, especially with mycotoxins that are produced particularly in humid and warm environments. This study aims to examine the level of ochratoxin A (OTA) and total aflatoxin (AF) contamination in black and green tea sold in Lebanon, evaluate its safety compared to international standards, and assess the effect of different variables on the levels of OTA and AFs. For this, the Lebanese market was screened and all tea brands (n = 37; 24 black and 13 green) were collected twice. The Enzyme-Linked Immunoassay (ELISA) method was used to determine OTA and AFs in the samples. AFs and OTA were detected in 28 (75.7%) and 31 (88.6%) samples, respectively. The average of AFs in the positive (above detection limit: 1.75 μg/kg) samples was 2.66 ± 0.15 μg/kg, while the average of OTA in the positive (above detection limit: 1.6 μg/kg) samples was 3.74 ± 0.72 μg/kg. The mean AFs in black and green tea were 2.65 ± 0.55 and 2.54 ± 0.40 μg/kg, respectively, while for OTA, the mean levels were 3.67 ± 0.96 and 3.46 ± 1.09 μg/kg in black and green tea samples, respectively. Four brands (10.8%) contained total aflatoxin levels above the EU limit (4 μg/kg). As for OTA, all samples had OTA levels below the Chinese limit (5 μg/kg). No significant association (p > 0.05) was found between OTA and tea type, level of packaging, country of origin, country of packing, and country of distribution. However, AF contamination was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in unpacked tea, and in brands where the country of origin, packing, and distributor was in Asia. The results showed that the tea brands in Lebanon are relatively safe in terms of AFs and OTA.
Acid Sphingomyelinase Deficiency Type B Patient-Derived Liver Organoids Reveals Altered Lysosomal Gene Expression and Lipid Homeostasis
Authors: Gomez-Mariano Gema , Perez-Luz Sara , Ramos-Del Saz Sheila , Matamala Nerea , Hernandez-SanMiguel Esther , Fernandez-Prieto Marta , Gil-Martin Sara , Justo Iago , Marcacuzco Alberto , Martinez-Delgado Beatriz
Published: August 2023

Acid sphingomyelinase deficiency (ASMD) or Niemann–Pick disease type A (NPA), type B (NPB) and type A/B (NPA/B), is a rare lysosomal storage disease characterized by progressive accumulation of sphingomyelin (SM) in the liver, lungs, bone marrow and, in severe cases, neurons. A disease model was established by generating liver organoids from a NPB patient carrying the p.Arg610del variant in the SMPD1 gene. Liver organoids were characterized by transcriptomic and lipidomic analysis. We observed altered lipid homeostasis in the patient-derived organoids showing the predictable increase in sphingomyelin (SM), together with cholesterol esters (CE) and triacylglycerides (TAG), and a reduction in phosphatidylcholine (PC) and cardiolipins (CL). Analysis of lysosomal gene expression pointed to 24 downregulated genes, including SMPD1, and 26 upregulated genes that reflect the lysosomal stress typical of the disease. Altered genes revealed reduced expression of enzymes that could be involved in the accumulation in the hepatocytes of sphyngoglycolipids and glycoproteins, as well as upregulated genes coding for different glycosidases and cathepsins. Lipidic and transcriptome changes support the use of hepatic organoids as ideal models for ASMD investigation.
Overexpression of BmJHBPd2 Repressed Silk Synthesis by Inhibiting the JH/Kr-h1 Signaling Pathway in Bombyx mori
Authors: Zhang Jikailang , Zhang Xia , Zhang Hui , Li Jiaojiao , Li Wei , Liu Chun
Published: August 2023

The efficient production of silkworm silk is crucial to the silk industry. Silk protein synthesis is regulated by the juvenile hormone (JH) and 20-Hydroxyecdysone (20E). Therefore, the genetic regulation of silk production is a priority. JH binding protein (JHBP) transports JH from the hemolymph to target organs and cells and protects it. In a previous study, we identified 41 genes containing a JHBP domain in the Bombyx mori genome. Only one JHBP gene, BmJHBPd2, is highly expressed in the posterior silk gland (PSG), and its function remains unknown. In the present study, we investigated the expression levels of BmJHBPd2 and the major silk protein genes in the high-silk-producing practical strain 872 (S872) and the low-silk-producing local strain Dazao. We found that BmJHBPd2 was more highly expressed in S872 than in the Dazao strain, which is consistent with the expression pattern of fibroin genes. A subcellular localization assay indicated that BmJHBPd2 is located in the cytoplasm. In vitro hormone induction experiments showed that BmJHBPd2 was upregulated by juvenile hormone analogue (JHA) treatment. BmKr-h1 upregulation was significantly inhibited by the overexpression of BmJHBPd2 (BmJHBPd2OE) at the cell level when induced by JHA. However, overexpression of BmJHBPd2 in the PSG by transgenic methods led to the inhibition of silk fibroin gene expression, resulting in a reduction in silk yield. Further investigation showed that in the transgenic BmJHBPd2OE silkworm, the key transcription factor of the JH signaling pathway, Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1), was inhibited, and 20E signaling pathway genes, such as broad complex (Brc), E74A, and ultraspiracle protein (USP), were upregulated. Our results indicate that BmJHBPd2 plays an important role in the JH signaling pathway and is important for silk protein synthesis. Furthermore, our findings help to elucidate the mechanisms by which JH regulates silk protein synthesis.
Wear Analysis of 3D-Printed Spur and Herringbone Gears Used in Automated Retail Kiosks Based on Computer Vision and Statistical Methods
Authors: Bryła Jakub , Martowicz Adam , Petko Maciej , Gac Konrad , Kobus Konrad , Kowalski Artur
Published: August 2023

This paper focuses on a wear evaluation conducted for prototype spur and herringbone gears made from PET-G filament using additive manufacturing. The main objective of this study is to verify if 3D-printed gears can be considered a reliable choice for long-term exploitation in selected mechanical systems, specifically automated retail kiosks. For this reason, two methods were applied, utilizing: (1) vision-based inspection of the gears’ cross-sectional geometry and (2) the statistical characterization of the selected kinematic parameters and torques generated by drives. The former method involves destructive testing and allows for identification of the gears’ operation-induced geometric shape evolution, whereas the latter method focuses on searching for nondestructive kinematic and torque-based indicators, which allow tracking of the wear. The novel contribution presented in this paper is the conceptual and experimental application of the identification of the changes of 3D-printed parts’ geometric properties resulting from wear. The inspected exploited and non-exploited 3D-printed parts underwent encasing in resin and a curing process, followed by cutting in a specific plane to reveal the desired shapes, before finally being subjected to a vision-based geometric characterization. The authors have experimentally demonstrated, in real industrial conditions, on batch production parts, the usefulness of the presented destructive testing technique providing valid indices for wear identification.
Efficiency of Expired Drugs Used as Corrosion Inhibitors: A Review
Authors: Vaszilcsin Nicolae , Kellenberger Andrea , Dan Mircea Laurentiu , Duca Delia Andrada , Ordodi Valentin Laurentiu
Published: August 2023

Corrosion inhibitors represent one of the most commonly used methods for significantly reducing the corrosion rate of metals and alloys. Adsorption inhibitors have a wide range of applications in cooling water systems, deicing solutions for aircrafts, airports and ways, etching and degreasing solutions, oil pipelines, paints and coatings and metal processing solutions. Adsorption corrosion inhibitors of metals and alloys are generally organic compounds that contain structures with heteroatoms (N, P, S, As, O) in their molecules, having lone pair electrons or π electrons in aromatic rings or multiple bonds. They enable relatively strong interactions between the metal atoms and organic molecules, resulting in a protective layer of organic molecules adsorbed at the metal–corrosive solution interface. Most molecules of active substances from drugs contain similar structures, which is why many drugs have been already tested as corrosion inhibitors. One of the major disadvantages of using drugs for this purpose is their particularly high price. To overcome this impediment, the possibility of using expired drugs as corrosion inhibitors has been investigated since 2009. The present paper is an exhaustive compilation of the scientific published papers devoted to the use of expired drugs as corrosion inhibitors in various aggressive solutions. The inhibitory efficiencies of expired drugs are presented as a function of the studied metal or alloy and the nature of the aggressive solution, as well as the concentration of the inhibitor in such a solution. Research has especially been focused on mild and carbon steel and less on stainless steel, as well as on some metals such as copper, zinc, nickel, tin and aluminum and its alloys. The experimental methods used to assess the inhibitory efficiencies of expired drugs are briefly discussed. Also, the available information on the stability of the active substances in the drugs is presented, although most authors were not concerned with this aspect. Finally, several actions are revealed that must be undertaken by researchers so that the results obtained in the study of the anticorrosive action of expired drugs can be applied at the industrial level and not remain only an academic concern.
Retarding Effect of Hemp Hurd Lixiviates on the Hydration of Hydraulic and CSA Cements
Authors: Tale Ponga Donato , Sabziparvar Amirmohammad , Cousin Patrice , Boulos Lina , Robert Mathieu , Foruzanmehr M. Reza
Published: August 2023

Wood wool panels are widely used in the construction industry as sustainable cementitious composites, but there is a growing need to replace traditional Portland cement with a binder that has a lower embodied carbon footprint. In addition, the sustainability of these panels may face serious impediments if the required amount of wood for their production needs a harvest rate higher than the rate at which the tree sources reach maturity. One solution is to use the wooden part of fast-growing plants such as hemp. However, the compounds extracted from the mixture of plants and water are the main cause of the delay observed during the hydration process of hydraulic binders in these cementitious composites. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of bio-aggregate lixiviates (hemp hurd) on the hydration kinetics of calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement as a low-embodied-carbon alternative to ordinary Portland cement (OPC). The isothermal calorimeter showed that the hemp hurd lixiviate caused a greater delay in GU’s hydration process than CSA’s. At a 5% concentration, the main hydration peak for GU cement emerged after 91 h, whereas for CSA cement, it appeared much earlier, at 2.5 h. XRD and TGA analysis showed that after 12 h of hydration, hydration products such as calcium silicate hydrates (C-S-H) and portlandite (CH) were not able to form on GU cement, indicating low hydration of silicate products. Moreover, at 5% concentration, the carbonation of ettringite was observed in CSA cement. The compressive strength values obtained from the mixes containing hemp hurd lixiviate consistently showed lower values compared to the reference samples prepared with distilled water. Furthermore, the CSA samples demonstrated superior compressive strength when compared to the GU samples. After 28 days of hydration, the compressive strength values for CSA cement were 36.7%, 63.5% and 71% higher than GU cement at a concentration of 0.5%, 2% and 5% hemp hurd lixiviate, respectively.
Effect of Austempering Processes on the Tensile Properties and the Work-Hardening Behavior of Austempered Bainitic Steels Below the Martensite Start Temperature
Authors: Wang Kun , Hu Feng , Zhou Wen , Yershov Serhii , Li Li , Wu Kaiming
Published: August 2023

The tensile properties and work-hardening behavior of austempered bainitic steels below martensite start temperature (Ms) were investigated and compared with those of bainitic steel austempered above Ms. The results show that the tensile strength and yield strength increased from 1096 MPa and 734 MPa to 1203 MPa and 951 MPa, respectively, when the austempering temperature was decreased from 400 °C to 300 °C. However, the total elongation decreased from 23% to 16%. The martensite-retained austenite blocks and bainitic ferrite laths are significantly refined. With a decrease in the austempering temperature, the volume fraction of retained austenite decreased from 15.4 vol% to 6.2 vol%. The carbon content in retained austenite increased from 1.12 wt% to 1.69 wt%. All tensile specimens exhibited three stages of deformation in the differential Crussard−Jaoul (C−J) models. The difference in ductility is mainly attributed to the transformation of the retained austenite blocks into strain-induced martensite during deformation. The initial content of retained austenite is the main factor affecting the ductility of bainitic steels. Therefore, the work-hardening ability of austempered bainitic steel above Ms is higher than that of bainitic steel below Ms.
Precision Control in Vat Photopolymerization Based on Pure Copper Paste: Process Parameters and Optimization Strategies
Authors: Wang Weiqu , Feng Mengzhao , Wang Zhiwei , Jiang Yanlin , Xing Bohang , Zhao Zhe
Published: August 2023

Vat photopolymerization (VPP) presents new opportunities for metals to achieve the design freedom of components. However, the material properties of copper powder and the inherent defects of the technology seriously hinder its application in high-precision metal additive manufacturing. Precision control is the key to obtaining minimal precision metal parts when copper is prepared by reduction photopolymerization. This paper employed variance analysis (ANOVA) and root mean square deviation (RMSD) to determine the significant parameters affecting dimensional accuracy and their optimal regions. The results show that printing accuracy is improved by optimizing exposure time, intensity, layer thickness, and sweeper moving speed. When the exposure time is 21 s, and the exposure intensity is 220 mW/cm2, a hole with a height of 1 mm and a diameter of 200 μm can be printed with a minimum size deviation of 51 μm. In addition, RMSD and ANOVA provide an effective method for realizing high-precision stereolithography 3D printing metal copper, expanding the material adaptation in the 3D printing metals field. The study highlights the potential of VPP as a method for preparing metals in future studies.
Laser Shock Peening Improves the Corrosion Resistance of an E690 High-Strength Steel Cladding Layer
Authors: Qin Jiaxin , Cao Yupeng , Shi Weidong , Wang Zhengang , Qiu Ming
Published: August 2023

To investigate the effect of laser shock peening parameters on the corrosion resistance of an E690 high-strength steel cladding layer, NVE690 high-strength steel powder was selected for testing at various power densities of pulse lasers. The surface roughness and residual stress of the treated samples were measured, and the microstructure morphology of the sample surface was observed. The electrochemical corrosion tests were conducted with an electrochemical workstation to measure the electrometer polarization, obtain the impedance curve, and observe the electrochemical corrosion. As the laser power density increased, the surface grains of the E690 high-strength steel cladding layer continued to refine until nanocrystals formed, and the residual compressive stress on the surface increased. The residual compressive stress on the surface rendered the passivation film stable and dense; furthermore, the refinement of surface grains inhibited the initiation and propagation of microcracks. The positive shift of the corrosion potential increased from −1.004 to −0.771 V, the corrosion current density decreased from 114.5 to 5.41 μA/cm2, the radius of the impedance spectrum curve increased, and the peeling pits, as well as corrosion micropores on the surface, gradually became no longer evident after electrochemical corrosion. After laser shock treatment, the corrosion resistance of the cladding layer sample was substantially improved.