bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do social media interventions increase vaccine uptake?
Authors: Grosso Francesca Maria , Baldassarre Maria Elisabetta , Grosso Roberto , Di Mauro Federica , Greco Chiara , Greco Silvia , Laforgia Nicola , Di Mauro Antonio
Published: June 2023

Introduction

The Italian mass COVID-19 vaccination campaign has included children aged 5–11 years as part of the target population since December 2021. One of the biggest challenges to vaccine uptake was vaccine hesitancy among parents and children's caregivers. Primary care pediatricians (PCPs), as the first point of contact between the National Health Service (NHS) and parents/caretakers, initiated various communication strategies to tackle this hesitancy. This study aims to evaluate the impact of a PCP-led social media intervention and a digital reminder service (DRS) on parental hesitancy regarding vaccinating their 5–11-year-old children against COVID-19.

Methods

A prospective cohort study was designed, and the chosen target populations were parents and caretakers of children aged 5–11 years. Two PCP cohorts were recruited. The first group received a social media intervention and a DRS; while the second group did not. Both cohorts had access to traditional face-to-face and telephone-based counseling. The vaccination coverage rate in the two groups was evaluated.

Results

A total of 600 children were enrolled. The exposed cohort (277 patients) received social media intervention, DRS, and counseling options (face-to-face and telephone-based), whereas the non-exposed cohort (323 patients) received only counseling options. In total, 89 patients from the exposed cohort did not receive any dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (32.5%), 165 were fully immunized (59.5%), and 23 received only one dose (8.5%). A total of 150 non-exposed patients did not receive any dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (47%), 147 were fully immunized (45.5%), and 24 only received one dose (7.4%). The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (chi square = 11.5016; p = 0.0006).

Conclusion

Social media and DRS interventions had a positive impact on vaccine uptake and may be helpful in tackling vaccine hesitancy. Better-designed studies are needed to corroborate these findings.
Creating realistic nerve agent victim profiles for computer simulation of medical CBRN disaster response
Authors: De Rouck Ruben , Benhassine Mehdi , Debacker Michel , Dugauquier Christian , Dhondt Erwin , Van Utterbeeck Filip , Hubloue Ives
Published: June 2023

In the last decades, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) threats have become serious risks prompting countries to prioritize preparedness for such incidents. As CBRN scenarios are very difficult and expensive to recreate in real life, computer simulation is particularly suited for assessing the effectiveness of contingency plans and identifying areas of improvement. These computer simulation exercises require realistic and dynamic victim profiles, which are unavailable in a civilian context. In this paper we present a set of civilian nerve agent injury profiles consisting of clinical parameters and their evolution, as well as the methodology used to create them. These injury profiles are based on military injury profiles and adapted to the civilian population, using sarin for the purpose of illustration. They include commonly measured parameters in the prehospital setting. We demonstrate that information found in military sources can easily be adjusted for a civilian population using a few simple assumptions and validated methods. This methodology can easily be expanded to other chemical warfare agents as well as different ways of exposure. The resulting injury profiles are generic so they can also be used in tabletop and live simulation exercises. Modeling and simulation, if used correctly and in conjunction with empirical data gathered from lessons learned, can assist in providing the evidence practices for effective and efficient response decisions and interventions, considering the contextual factors of the affected area and the specific disaster scenario.
Excessive use of electronic devices among children and adolescents is associated with musculoskeletal symptoms, visual symptoms, psychosocial health, and quality of life: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Tsang Sharon M. H. , Cheing Gladys L. Y. , Lam Andrew K. C. , Siu Andrew M. H. , Pang Peter C. K. , Yip Kin-Chung , Chan Jess W. K. , Jensen Mark P.
Published: June 2023

Objective

Electronic devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. The frequency and duration of device use in children and adolescents have increased drastically over the years and the study of its negative musculoskeletal, visual and psychosocial health impacts is necessary.

Materials and methods

This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the associations between electronic device use and the prevalence and severity of musculoskeletal symptoms, visual symptoms, psychosocial health, and quality of life in children and adolescents studying at primary and secondary schools. Data were collected through confidential online and paper-and-pencil questionnaires. Primary 4–5 and Secondary 1–4 students were recruited from 3 schools in Hong Kong. Demographics, frequency and duration of electronic device use, frequencies of musculoskeletal symptoms, visual symptoms, psychosocial health, and quality of life outcomes were measured.

Results

1,058 children and adolescents aged 9–17  years participated. Sixty-one percent and 78% of all students spent more than 2  h per day using electronic devices during school days and weekend/holidays, respectively. Extended electronic device use was associated with increased prevalence and severity of musculoskeletal symptoms (ρ’s = 0.28–0.33, P’s < 0.001), visual symptoms (ρ’s = 0.33–0.35, P’s < 0.001), and poorer device use-related psychosocial health (ρ’s = 0.38–0.47, P’s < 0.001). Secondary school students reported greater device use and severity of symptoms than primary school students.

Conclusion

Excessive electronic device use was associated with increased prevalence and severity of physical and psychosocial symptoms, and such use is more prevalent in adolescents when compared to the children. The findings have important health implications for children and adolescents, suggesting that early intervention is needed to reduce the risk of developing device use-related disorders.
Simufilam suppresses overactive mTOR and restores its sensitivity to insulin in Alzheimer’s disease patient lymphocytes
Authors: Wang Hoau-Yan , Pei Zhe , Lee Kuo-Chieh , Nikolov Boris , Doehner Tamara , Puente John , Friedmann Nadav , Burns Lindsay H.
Published: June 2023

Introduction: Implicated in both aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is overactive in AD brain and lymphocytes. Stimulated by growth factors such as insulin, mTOR monitors cell health and nutrient needs. A small molecule oral drug candidate for AD, simufilam targets an altered conformation of the scaffolding protein filamin A (FLNA) found in AD brain and lymphocytes that induces aberrant FLNA interactions leading to AD neuropathology. Simufilam restores FLNA’s normal shape to disrupt its AD-associated protein interactions.

Methods: We measured mTOR and its response to insulin in lymphocytes of AD patients before and after oral simufilam compared to healthy control lymphocytes.

Results: mTOR was overactive and its response to insulin reduced in lymphocytes from AD versus healthy control subjects, illustrating another aspect of insulin resistance in AD. After oral simufilam, lymphocytes showed normalized basal mTOR activity and improved insulin-evoked mTOR activation in mTOR complex 1, complex 2, and upstream and downstream signaling components (Akt, p70S6K and phosphorylated Rictor). Suggesting mechanism, we showed that FLNA interacts with the insulin receptor until dissociation by insulin, but this linkage was elevated and its dissociation impaired in AD lymphocytes. Simufilam improved the insulin-mediated dissociation. Additionally, FLNA’s interaction with Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog deleted on Chromosome 10 (PTEN), a negative regulator of mTOR, was reduced in AD lymphocytes and improved by simufilam.

Discussion: Reducing mTOR’s basal overactivity and its resistance to insulin represents another mechanism of simufilam to counteract aging and AD pathology. Simufilam is currently in Phase 3 clinical trials for AD dementia.
Integration of sexually transmitted infection and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis services in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review
Authors: Anand Priyanka , Wu Linxuan , Mugwanya Kenneth
Published: June 2023

Background

Persons living in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) face disproportionate risk from overlapping epidemics of HIV and bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for prevention is gradually being scaled up globally including in several settings in SSA, which represents a key opportunity to integrate STI services with HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). However, there is limited literature on how to successfully integrate these services, particularly in the SSA context. Prior studies and reviews on STI and PrEP services have largely focused on high income countries.

Methods

We conducted a scoping review of prior studies of integration of STI and PrEP services in SSA. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and CINAHL, in addition to grey literature to identify studies that were published between January 2012 and December 2022, and which provided STI and PrEP services in SSA, with or without outcomes reported. Citations and abstracts were reviewed by two reviewers for inclusion. Full texts were then retrieved and reviewed in full by two reviewers.

Results

Our search strategy yielded 1951 records, of which 250 were retrieved in full. Our final review included 61 reports of 45 studies. Most studies were conducted in Southern (49.2%) and Eastern (24.6%) Africa. Service settings included public health clinics (26.2%), study clinics (23.0%), sexual and reproductive care settings (23.0%), maternal and child health settings (8.2%), community based services (11.5%), and mobile clinics (3.3%). A minority (11.4%) of the studies described only syndromic STI management while most (88.6%) included some form of etiological laboratory STI diagnosis. STI testing frequency ranged from baseline testing only to monthly screening. Types of STI tested for was also variable. Few studies reported outcomes related to implementation of STI services. There were high rates of curable STIs detected by laboratory testing (baseline genitourinary STI rates ranged from 5.6–30.8% for CT, 0.0–11.2% for GC, and 0.4–8.0% for TV).

Discussion

Existing studies have implemented a varied range of STI services along with PrEP. This range reflects the lack of specific guidance regarding STI services within PrEP programs. However, there was limited evidence regarding implementation strategies for integration of STI and PrEP services in real world settings.
Modeling the effectiveness of targeting Rift Valley fever virus vaccination using imperfect network information
Authors: Sulaimon Tijani A. , Chaters Gemma L. , Nyasebwa Obed M. , Swai Emanuel S. , Cleaveland Sarah , Enright Jessica , Kao Rowland R. , Johnson Paul C. D.
Published: June 2023

Livestock movements contribute to the spread of several infectious diseases. Data on livestock movements can therefore be harnessed to guide policy on targeted interventions for controlling infectious livestock diseases, including Rift Valley fever (RVF)—a vaccine-preventable arboviral fever. Detailed livestock movement data are known to be useful for targeting control efforts including vaccination. These data are available in many countries, however, such data are generally lacking in others, including many in East Africa, where multiple RVF outbreaks have been reported in recent years. Available movement data are imperfect, and the impact of this uncertainty in the utility of movement data on informing targeting of vaccination is not fully understood. Here, we used a network simulation model to describe the spread of RVF within and between 398 wards in northern Tanzania connected by cattle movements, on which we evaluated the impact of targeting vaccination using imperfect movement data. We show that pre-emptive vaccination guided by only market movement permit data could prevent large outbreaks. Targeted control (either by the risk of RVF introduction or onward transmission) at any level of imperfect movement information is preferred over random vaccination, and any improvement in information reliability is advantageous to their effectiveness. Our modeling approach demonstrates how targeted interventions can be effectively used to inform animal and public health policies for disease control planning. This is particularly valuable in settings where detailed data on livestock movements are either unavailable or imperfect due to resource limitations in data collection, as well as challenges associated with poor compliance.
Spatiotemporal relative risk distribution of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in the United States
Authors: Sanchez Felipe , Galvis Jason A. , Cardenas Nicolas C. , Corzo Cesar , Jones Christopher , Machado Gustavo
Published: June 2023

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) remains widely distributed across the U.S. swine industry. Between-farm movements of animals and transportation vehicles, along with local transmission are the primary routes by which PRRSV is spread. Given the farm-to-farm proximity in high pig production areas, local transmission is an important pathway in the spread of PRRSV; however, there is limited understanding of the role local transmission plays in the dissemination of PRRSV, specifically, the distance at which there is increased risk for transmission from infected to susceptible farms. We used a spatial and spatiotemporal kernel density approach to estimate PRRSV relative risk and utilized a Bayesian spatiotemporal hierarchical model to assess the effects of environmental variables, between-farm movement data and on-farm biosecurity features on PRRSV outbreaks. The maximum spatial distance calculated through the kernel density approach was 15.3 km in 2018, 17.6 km in 2019, and 18 km in 2020. Spatiotemporal analysis revealed greater variability throughout the study period, with significant differences between the different farm types. We found that downstream farms (i.e., finisher and nursery farms) were located in areas of significant-high relative risk of PRRSV. Factors associated with PRRSV outbreaks were farms with higher number of access points to barns, higher numbers of outgoing movements of pigs, and higher number of days where temperatures were between 4°C and 10°C. Results obtained from this study may be used to guide the reinforcement of biosecurity and surveillance strategies to farms and areas within the distance threshold of PRRSV positive farms.
A combined approach for individualized lymphadenectomy in gastric cancer patients
Authors: Varga Zsolt , Bíró Adrienn , Török Miklós , Tóth Dezső
Published: June 2023

Introduction: Gastric cancer ranks as the fifth most common cancer globally. The presence of lymph node metastasis is a significant prognostic factor influencing survival. Postoperative morbidity and nodal staging accuracy are heavily affected by the extent of lymph node dissection. Our study aimed to explore the potential integration of two contemporary methods, sentinel node navigation surgery (SNNS) and the Maruyama Computer Program (MCP), to improve the accuracy of nodal staging.

Materials and methods: We conducted a prospective data collection involving patients with gastric adenocarcinoma from 2008 to 2018 at the Department of Surgery, University of Debrecen, Hungary. Data from 100 consecutive patients were collected. The primary and secondary endpoints included evaluating the rate of node-negative patients and the diagnostic accuracy of our combined approach.

Results: Sentinel node mapping was successful in 97 out of 100 patients. We found that using the threshold value of the Maruyama Index (MI) ≥ 28, all metastatic stations of sentinel-node-negative patients could be identified. Our method achieved 100% sensitivity and negative predictive value, with a specificity of 60.42% (95% CI = 46.31%–72.98%).

Discussion: The combined application of SNNS and MCP has proven to be an effective diagnostic technique in the synergistic approach for identifying metastasis-positive lymph node stations. Despite its limitations, this combination may assist clinicians in customizing lymphadenectomy for gastric cancer patients.
Integrated Gradients for Feature Assessment in Point Cloud-Based Data Sets
Authors: Schwegler Markus , Müller Christoph , Reiterer Alexander
Published: June 2023

Integrated gradients is an explainable AI technique that aims to explain the relationship between a model’s predictions in terms of its features. Adapting this technique to point clouds and semantic segmentation models allows a class-wise attribution of the predictions with respect to the input features. This allows better insight into how a model reached a prediction. Furthermore, it allows a quantitative analysis of how much each feature contributes to a prediction. To obtain these attributions, a baseline with high entropy is generated and interpolated with the point cloud to be visualized. These interpolated point clouds are then run through the network and their gradients are collected. By observing the change in gradients during each iteration an attribution can be found for each input feature. These can then be projected back onto the original point cloud and compared to the predictions and input point cloud. These attributions are generated using RandLA-Net due to it being an efficient semantic segmentation model that uses comparatively few parameters, therefore keeping the number of gradients that must be stored at a reasonable level. The attribution was run on the public Semantic3D dataset and the SVGEO large-scale urban dataset.
Developing Analytical Tools for Arabic Sentiment Analysis of COVID-19 Data
Authors: Abdelhady Naglaa , Elsemman Ibrahim E. , Farghally Mohammed F. , Soliman Taysir Hassan A.
Published: June 2023

Due to the widespread distribution of coronavirus and the existence of a massive quantity of data on social networking sites, particularly Twitter, there was an urgent need to develop a model that evaluates users’ emotions and determines how they feel about the pandemic. However, the absence of resources to assist Sentiment Analysis (SA) in Arabic hampered the completion of this endeavor. This work presents the ArSentiCOVID lexicon, the first and largest Arabic SA lexicon for COVID-19 that handles negation and emojis. We design a lexicon-based sentiment analyzer tool that depends mainly on the ArSentiCOVID lexicon to perform a three-way classification. Furthermore, we employ the sentiment analyzer to automatically assemble 42K annotated Arabic tweets for COVID-19. We conduct two experiments. First, we test the effect of applying negation and emoji rules to the created lexicon. The results indicate that after applying the emoji, negation, and both rules, the F-score improved by 2.13%, 4.13%, and 6.13%, respectively. Second, we applied an ensemble method that combines four feature groups (n-grams, negation, polarity, and emojis) as input features for eight Machine Learning (ML) classifiers. The results reveal that Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifiers work best, and that the four feature groups combined are best for representing features produced the maximum accuracy of (92.21%), precision (92.23%), recall (92.21%), and F-score (92.23%) with 3.2% improvement over the base model.
A Back-Drivable Rotational Force Actuator for Adaptive Grasping
Authors: Wu Xiaofeng , Hua Hongliang , Zhao Che , Shi Naiyu , Wu Zhiwei
Published: June 2023

In this paper, a back-drivable and miniature rotary series elastic actuator (RSEA) is proposed for robotic adaptive grasping. A compact arc grooves design has been proposed to effectively reduce the dimension of the RSEA system. The elastic elements could be reliably embedded in the arc grooves without any additional installation structures. The whole RSEA system is characterized as compact, miniature, and modular. The actuating force is controlled via a PI controller by tracking the deformation trajectory of the elastic elements. An underactuated finger mechanism has been adopted to investigate the effectiveness of the RSEA in robotic adaptive grasping. Results reveal that the underactuated finger mechanism could achieve adaptive grasping via the RSEA in a back-drive approach without the requirement of a fingertip force sensor. The RSEA could also exhibit an actuating compliance and a self-sensing characteristic. The actuating compliance characteristic helps in in guaranteeing the safety of human–robot interaction. The RSEA could estimate the external disturbance due to its self-sensing characteristic, which has the potential to replace the fingertip force sensor in grasping force perception applications.
Mediating Effect of the Adoption of Industry 4.0 Technologies on the Relationship between Job Involvement and Job Performance of Millennials
Authors: Tapia-Andino Geovanni Fernando , Barcellos-Paula Luciano
Published: June 2023

Despite recent interest in Industry 4.0, little is known about the relationship between job involvement and job performance of millennial workers in companies. The present study addresses this knowledge gap by exploring the mediation of the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies (IND) between job involvement (INV) and job performance (PRF). Data was collected from 241 employees of large Canadian companies. The structural equation model was used to test the mediation effect of IND and the relationship between INV and PRF. Results based on this model (SEM) revealed differences by gender. It was found that in men, INV was positively related to PRF and that in women, INV was positively related to IND, although it was also evident that millennial employees showed egalitarian gender attitudes by strongly perceiving IND positively with PRF. Furthermore, IND fully measured the relationship between INV and PRF in manufacturing firms but not in service firms. Years of work experience was also found to affect the mediation effect of IND between INV and PRF, while it was not significant for education level. This study also highlights demographic criteria such as the age, income, and status of millennial employees. Implications of these findings are discussed, and useful insights are provided on new I4.0 approaches that improve industrial processes. This research contributes to developing the Theory of Planned Behaviour and proposes that managers use current continuous improvement approaches, human-centred and consistent with new I4.0 technologies.
Diallel Analysis: Choosing Parents to Introduce New Variability in a Recurrent Selection Population
Authors: Guimarães Paulo Henrique Ramos , de Castro Adriano Pereira , Colombari Filho José Manoel , Torga Paula Pereira , Rangel Paulo Hideo Nakano , Melo Patrícia Guimarães Santos
Published: June 2023

Selecting appropriate donors and acquiring information about the genetic basis of inheritance is essential for breeding programs. In this study, a diallel cross was produced by crossing 15 progenies with five commercial lines of wide diversity for different rice traits (grain yield, plant height, days to flowering, panicle blast, brown spots, leaf scald, and grain discoloration) in an incomplete crossing design. The 20 parents and the 25 F2 crosses constituting the diallel cross were evaluated in a triple lattice design for different traits in a field test. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences between parents and their crosses for all traits, showing high variability. The general combining ability (GCA) and the specific combining ability (SCA) were significant, with a greater contribution of the SCA compared to GCA for the variation among crosses, indicating that non-additive effects were more prevalent for the traits evaluated. The results suggested that commercial lines such as IRGA 424 and BRS Catiana can be used to improve CNA 12T population.
The Impact of Acetic Acid Treatments on Stored Onion (Allium cepa L.) Seeds’ Quality
Authors: Dorna Hanna , Rosińska Agnieszka , Szopińska Dorota
Published: June 2023

The aim of the studies was to evaluate the effects of acetic acid treatments on the quality of stored onion seeds. Seeds of two samples were soaked for 30 min in 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2% acetic acid solutions. Controls included untreated seeds, seeds soaked in distilled water and seeds treated with fungicide Zaprawa Nasienna T 75 WS/DS (a.i. 75% thiram). Germination, vigour and health of untreated and treated seeds were evaluated before and after 2, 6 and 12 months of storage at 4 and 20 °C. Treating onion seeds with acetic acid solutions, especially at the concentrations of 1 and 2%, reduced their infestation with Alternaria alternata, Botrytis cinerea, Cladosporium spp., Penicillium spp. and Stemphylium botryosum after storage at both temperatures. Seeds stored at 20 °C showed lower infestation with fungi than seeds stored at 4 °C. The acetic acid treatments did not have any adverse effect on germination and vigour of stored onion seeds. In some cases, the increase in germination at the first and final counts and the improvement in mean germination time were observed.
Engineering Innovations in Agriculture
Authors: Bolshev Vadim , Panchenko Vladimir , Sibirev Alexey
Published: June 2023

Nowadays, the expansion of people into intact primary areas has been observed alongside an increase in the area of land devoted to crops, pastures, etc [...]
The Effects of Different Sowing Density and Nitrogen Topdressing on Wheat Were Investigated under the Cultivation Mode of Hole Sowing
Authors: Sun Yitao , Yang Wenlong , Wu Yilun , Cui Youhe , Dong Yongli , Dong Zhoujia , Hai Jiangbo
Published: June 2023

Hole sowing is a new and efficient cultivation method with few studies. This study investigated the effects of different sowing densities and nitrogen topdressing at the jointing stage on dry matter, quality, and yield under wheat hole sowing to provide a theoretical basis for integrating wheat fertilizer and density-supporting technology. In this study, a two-factor split-plot design was used. The sowing density was the main plot, and four levels were set: D1, D2, D3, and D4 (238, 327, 386, and 386 suitable seeds·m−2). The four sowing levels were sown according to 8 grains/hole, 11 grains/hole, 13 grains/hole, and 16 grains/hole, respectively, with a row spacing of 25 cm and a hole spacing of 13.5 cm; the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied at the jointing stage was the sub-area, with four levels: N1, N2, N3, and N4 (0, 60, 120, and 180 kg·ha−1). After two years of experimental research, the following main conclusions are drawn: the use of high sowing density and nitrogen topdressing is helpful to improve the dry matter quality of wheat spikes at the maturing stage; the sowing density had significant or highly significant effects on protein content, starch content, and sedimentation value. The yield from 2018–2019 reached a maximum of 8448.67 kg·ha−1 under D4N4 treatment, and the yield from 2019–2020 reached a maximum of 10,136.40 kg·ha−1 under D4N3 treatment. Therefore, the combination of 225 kg·ha−1 sowing density and 120–180 kg·ha−1 nitrogen topdressing at the jointing stage can be used in field production, which can help improve wheat production potential. Similarly, understanding the interaction between wheat hole sowing and different sowing densities and nitrogen topdressing amounts provides a practical reference for high-yield wheat cultivation techniques.
Evaluation of the ECOSSE Model for Estimating Soil Respiration from Eight European Permanent Grassland Sites
Authors: Abdalla Mohamed , Feigenwinter Iris , Richards Mark , Vetter Sylvia Helga , Wohlfahrt Georg , Skiba Ute , Pintér Krisztina , Nagy Zoltán , Hejduk Stanislav , Buchmann Nina , Newell-Price Paul , Smith Pete
Published: June 2023

This study used the ECOSSE model (v. 5.0.1) to simulate soil respiration (Rs) fluxes estimated from ecosystem respiration (Reco) for eight European permanent grassland (PG) sites with varying grass species, soils, and management. The main aim was to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the model in estimating Rs from grasslands, and to gain a better understanding of the terrestrial carbon cycle and how Rs is affected by natural and anthropogenic drivers. Results revealed that the current version of the ECOSSE model might not be reliable for estimating daily Rs fluxes, particularly in dry sites. The daily estimated and simulated Rs ranged from 0.95 to 3.1 g CO2-C m−2, and from 0.72 to 1.58 g CO2-C m−2, respectively. However, ECOSSE could still be a valuable tool for predicting cumulative Rs from PG. The overall annual relative deviation (RD) value between the cumulative estimated and simulated annual Rs was 11.9%. Additionally, the model demonstrated accurate simulation of Rs in response to grass cutting and slurry application practices. The sensitivity analyses and attribution tests revealed that increased soil organic carbon (SOC), soil pH, temperature, reduced precipitation, and lower water table (WT) depth could lead to increased Rs from soils. The variability of Rs fluxes across sites and years was attributed to climate, weather, soil properties, and management practices. The study suggests the need for additional development and application of the ECOSSE model, specifically in dry and low input sites, to evaluate the impacts of various land management interventions on carbon sequestration and emissions in PG.
Measurement and CFD-DEM Simulation of Suspension Velocity of Peanut and Clay-Heavy Soil at Harvest Time
Authors: Qin Mingyang , Jin Yu , Luo Weiwen , Wu Feng , Shi Lili , Gu Fengwei , Cao Mingzhu , Hu Zhichao
Published: June 2023

The suspension velocity is the core of the cleaning and sorting mechanisms that utilize a combination of a fan and vibrating sieve. To investigate this, various experimental subjects, such as peanuts with different kernels and clay-heavy clods in different states, were used. The experiment involved simulating the suspension velocity of materials through numerical calculations using fluid dynamics and particle discrete element coupling. The Eularian model was employed to study the coupled gas-solid two-phase flow. The experiment measured the suspension velocities of single and double kernel peanuts, which were found to be 8.34~9.40 m/s and 8.13~9.51 m/s, respectively. Under 20.4% water content and lumpy conditions, the suspension velocities of smaller clods, side by side clods, and larger clods were 12.61~14.30 m/s, 14.16~15.76 m/s and 16.44~18.72 m/s, respectively; under 20.4% water content and smaller clods, the suspension velocities of lumpy and strip of clods were 12.61~14.30 m/s, 11.90~14.13 m/s, respectively; under lumpy and smaller clods, the suspension velocity at 17.6%, 20.4%, and 23.9% water content ranged from 12.38 to 14.20 m/s, 12.61 to 14.30 m/s, and 12.62 to 14.49 m/s, respectively. The simulations showed that the suspension velocity for different types of peanuts, clod sizes, shapes, and water contents was less different from the actual experiments. Specifically, the relative errors in suspension velocity for single-kernel peanuts, double-kernel peanuts, smaller clods, side-by-side clods, larger clods, lumpy clods, strips of clods, and clods with 17.3%, 20.4%, and 23.9% water content were 1.2%, 4.1%, 0.4%, 2.0%, 4.4%, 0.4%, 5.1%, 5.4%, 0.4%, and 1.9%, respectively, compared to actual experiment measurements. The results indicate a significant difference in the suspension velocity between peanuts and clay-heavy clods, which can be distinguished from each other based on this difference. Furthermore, the simulation results have been found to be consistent with the experimental results, thus verifying the feasibility of measuring the material suspension velocity using CFD-DEM gas-solid coupling.
Mango Fruit Fly Trap Detection Using Different Wireless Communications
Authors: Hahn Federico , Valle Salvador , Rendón Roberto , Oyorzabal Oneyda , Astudillo Alondra
Published: June 2023

Fruit flies cause production losses in mango orchards affecting fruit quality. A National Campaign against Fruit Flies (NCFF) evaluates farm status using the fruit flies per trap per day index (FTD). Traps with attractant are installed manually within orchards in Mexico, but counting the flies trapped every week requires excessive numbers of trained personal. Electronic traps (e-traps) use sensors to monitor fruit fly population, saving labor and obtaining the real-time orchard infestation. The objective of this work was to acquire an image within a e-trap at 17:00 when an insect was detected and binarize the information in real-time to count the number of flies. Each e-trap was implemented with a polyethylene PET bottle screwed to a tap containing an ESP32-CAM camera. E-traps from several hectares of mango trees were sampled and transmitted through WSN wireless sensor networks. This original system presents a star topology network within each hectare with the long range LoRa transceiver at the central tower. It receives the fly count from five e-traps and finally transmits data to the house tower end point. Another contribution of this research was the use of a DJI mini2 for acquiring the e-trap data, and the 8-ha flight took 15 min and 35 s. This period can be reduced if the drone flies higher.
Temperature Dependences of IR Spectral Bands of Humic Substances of Silicate-Based Soils
Authors: Proskurnin Mikhail A. , Volkov Dmitry S. , Rogova Olga B.
Published: June 2023

Temperature-dependent IR spectroscopy capable of revealing specific changes in the band intensities, positions, and shape was used to increase the information on humic substances (HS) from soils. Temperature dependences of IR spectra of HS isolated from silicate-based soils differing in the contents and nature of organic matter, chernozem and soddy podzolic soil, were investigated by attenuated total internal reflection FTIR in the mid-IR region (4000–400 cm−1) in the air within the moderate temperature range of 25–215 °C (298–488 K) with a step of 2.5 °C. The dependences of shifts in frequency (wavenumber) corresponding to band maxima and integrated band intensities were built for all major bands. Observed reversible frequency shifts upon heating and cooling can be interpreted as forming structures in the dry state. The behavior of integrated intensities of bands assigned to C–H and C–C vibrations, characteristic vibrations of polyaromatic compounds, carboxylic acids, and carboxylates were shown, and similar behavior for the same group (symmetric and antisymmetric stretches) were revealed. Differences in the temperature trends in chernozem and soddy podzolic soils due to different structures (aliphatic and aromatic) and functional groups (carboxylic and carboxylate) are shown. The different behavior of the bands corresponding to carboxylic groups and skeletal vibrations differentiates soil types with different organic matter. The temperature trends of band maximum and intensity shifts are less prone to measurement conditions and may serve as qualitative parameters characterizing the composition of soil humic substances.
Optimization of Winter Irrigation under Freeze–Thaw Conditions: A Case Study of the Yellow River Delta, China
Authors: Shan Yuyang , Li Ge , Bai Yungang , Fu Qiuping , Sun Yan , Su Lijun , Mu Weiyi , Liu Hongbo
Published: June 2023

Optimal winter irrigation may be an alternative method for controlling soil salinization under seasonal freezing and thawing conditions in the Yellow River Delta. However, few studies have focused on optimal winter irrigation based on the dynamics of soil water, heat, and salt during the freezing–thawing period in this region. Taking the seedling stage of winter wheat in the Yellow River Delta as the research object and using observation data of hydrothermal salt from the Shandong agricultural high-tech demonstration base from 17 October 2019 to 15 June 2021, a numerical simulation of the hydrothermal coupling process of freeze–thaw soil in the experimental area was carried out through the Simultaneous Heat and Water Model (SHAW). The simulation results of the model were evaluated according to the mean error (ME), root mean square error (RMSE), and Nash efficiency coefficient (NSE). The results showed that the SHAW can well simulate the soil moisture (SM), soil temperature, and soil salt during the growth of winter wheat in this region: the SM at the depth of 0–80 cm with an ME < 0.038 cm3 cm−3, RMSE < 0.064 cm3 cm−3, and NSE > 0.669; the soil temperature with an ME < 1.311 °C, RMSE < 1.493 °C, and NSE > 0.738; and the soil salinity with an ME < 0.005 g kg−1, RMSE < 0.014 g kg−1, and NSE > 0.607. Moreover, the model was used to simulate the distribution of soil water and salt in the winter wheat seedling stage under different winter irrigation methods during wet, normal, and dry years. It was suggested that the appropriate winter irrigation amount was 80 mm in wet years and normal years and 100 mm in dry years, which could be beneficial to winter wheat growth during the seedling stage. These results provide a reference for irrigation optimization in the Yellow River Delta and other similar areas.
Effects of Biochar and Organic Additives on CO2 Emissions and the Microbial Community at Two Water Saturations in Saline–Alkaline Soil
Authors: Zhang Pengfei , Jiang Ziwei , Wu Xiaodong , Lu Qian , Lin Yue , Zhang Yanyu , Zhang Xin , Liu Yi , Wang Siyu , Zang Shuying
Published: June 2023

The nutrient-limiting conditions in saline–alkali soil as well as the salinity and alkalinity stress are successfully alleviated by water management measures and the addition of organic matter. However, the impacts of these two strategies on the microbe-driven CO2 emissions in saline–alkaline soils are not yet clear. Therefore, a 150-day incubation experiment was conducted in this study to evaluate the short-term effects of water regulation and the addition of organic matter with different characteristics on CO2 emissions and microbial community characteristics in saline–alkali soils under non-flooding conditions. This study was conducted at two water saturations, i.e., 50% WFPS and 80% WFPS. In addition, five organic matter treatments were conducted: CK: control; N: urea; SN: Straw + urea; SNH: Straw + urea + microbial agent; and SNB: Straw + urea + biochar. The results demonstrated that compared with 50% WFPS, 80% WFPS significantly increased cumulative CO2 emission by 27.66%, but significantly decreased salt content and the fungal Chao1 and Shannon indices. The application of the biochar and microbial agent decreased the cumulative CO2 emissions of the SN treatment by 27.39% and 14.92%, respectively. When sufficient carbon supply is available, the decrease in fungal diversity may reduce CO2 emission. The findings demonstrated that SNH and SNB at 80% WFPS might decrease CO2 emissions under straw carbon intake as well as the loss of labile organic carbon (LOC). Additionally, these treatments can alleviate microbial stress caused by salinity, which has a favorable impact on enhancing carbon storage in salinity-affected dryland soils.
Evidence of Bi-Directional Volatile-Mediated Communication between Drought-Stressed and Well-Watered Grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.)
Authors: Midzi Joanah , Jeffery David W. , Baumann Ute , Capone Dimitra L. , Rogiers Suzy Y. , Pagay Vinay
Published: June 2023

The volatile-mediated interplay between stressed and non-stressed plants has been described in many studies involving both biotic and abiotic stresses as a one-way channel. However, very little is known about the molecular basis and mechanisms by which volatile organic compounds (VOCs) mediate plant communication between drought-stressed ‘emitter’ plants and non-stressed ‘receiver’ neighbours for the defence against impending stress challenges. Aiming to address this in grapevine, this study investigated the effect of two-way VOC exchange between stressed and non-stressed Vitis vinifera L. cv. Shiraz during drought and recovery using four treatments: isolated well-watered (WW) vines, isolated drought-stressed (DS) vines, and co-located DS ‘emitter’ and WW ‘receiver’ vines in a growth room. The results obtained from solid-phase microextraction (SPME) gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis showed a synchronised decline in α-pinene concentration in the co-located treatment vines and higher isoprene levels in the DS emitters compared to the isolated DS vines. Targeted gene expression analysis further identified the over-expression of a key gene, allene oxide synthase (AOS), in the jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis pathway during peak drought in the DS emitter. Transcript expression of chorismate synthase (CHORS) and α-pinene synthase (VvPNaPin1) showed similar trends in the DS emitter. The results suggest that isoprene and α-pinene may be interplant signalling molecules used by grapevine during drought. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a bi-directional interaction in grapevine between the emitters and receivers under drought stress mediated by the JA and terpenoid biosynthesis pathways.
Responsible Mechanisms for the Restriction of Heavy Metal Toxicity in Plants via the Co-Foliar Spraying of Nanoparticles
Authors: Emamverdian Abolghassem , Ghorbani Abazar , Li Yang , Pehlivan Necla , Barker James , Ding Yulong , Liu Guohua , Zargar Meisam
Published: June 2023

Bamboo is nutritionally significant across the world because the shoots are high in calories and nutritional fiber but low in cholesterol. However, recent research has shown that bamboo shoots also contain a substantial quantity of heavy metals, including arsenic (As). Therefore, we explored whether the co-application of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) and selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) would attenuate As toxicity in bamboo plants (Pleioblastus pygmaeus). A greenhouse experiment was performed to investigate plant responses to arsenic toxicity. Bamboo plants exposed to four levels of As (0, 10, 20, and 40 mg L−1) were foliar-sprayed with 60 mg L−1 of Se-NPs and 60 mg L−1 of IONPs alone and in combination. The data indicated that different As concentrations (10, 20, and 40 mg L−1) caused membrane damage and reactive oxide species (ROS) production in bamboo cells, characterized by H2O2, O2•−, MDA, and EL increasing by up to 47%, 54%, 57%, and 65%, respectively, in comparison with a control. The co-application of 60 mg L−1 of Se-NPs + IONP markedly improved the antioxidant enzyme activities (by 75% in SOD, 27% in POD, 52% in CAT, 37% in GR, and 38% in PAL), total flavonoid content (42%), phenolic content (36%), proline (44%), nitric oxide (59%), putrescine (Put) (85%), spermidine (Spd) (53%), relative water content (RWC) (36%), photosynthetic characteristics (27%) in net photosynthesis (Pn) (24% in the intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), 39% in stomatal conductance (Gs), and 31% in chlorophyll pigments), and ultimately biomass indices and growth. The co-application of Se-NPs + IONPs with 10 and 20 mg L−1 of As raised the TI by 14% and 9% in the shoot and by 18% and 14% in the root, respectively. IONPs and Se-NPs reduced ROS, cell membrane lipoperoxidation, and electrolyte leakage, all contributing to the decrease in oxidative stress by limiting As uptake and translocation. In sum, Se-NPs and IONPs improved bamboo endurance, yet the most effective approach for increasing bamboo’s ability to recover from As toxicity was the concurrent use of 60 mg L−1 of Se-NPs and 60 mg L−1 of IONPs. Our IONP and Se-NP data from single and combined applications offer novel knowledge in improving the tolerance mechanism against As exposure in Pleioblastus pygmaeus.
Yield, Fructans Accumulation, and Nutritional Quality of Young Chicory Plants as Related to Genotype and Nitrogen Fertilization
Authors: Moscatello Stefano , Battistelli Alberto , Mattioni Michele , Proietti Simona
Published: June 2023

Growth and quality attributes were quantified in Cichorium intybus L. and Cichorium endivia L. in response to the nitrate supply. Chicory was grown in Italy, in a cold greenhouse from the 11 of February 2020, in a pot with commercial soil and sand with and without 12 mM of Ca(NO3)2. Seventy-six days after sowing, the growth variables, contents of leaf and root carbohydrates (glucose, fructose sucrose starch and fructans), carbon, nitrate sulphate and phosphate were measured. Fertilization significantly increased the yield and specific leaf dry weight (SLDW) of the C. endivia. The shoot/root ratio was increased in C. intybus with high N; this also increased the carbohydrate content in leaves and roots of C. endivia compared to the value measured in C. intybus. The interaction between fertilization and genotype significantly affected fructans and nitrate accumulation in taproots. Fertilization decreased the sulphate and phosphate contents in the leaves and roots of both chicory species. The yield and quality of young chicory plants can be modulated by species selection and nitrate fertilization. The genotype and nitrogen supply interact in modulating the yield and the inulin and nitrate accumulation in the taproot, thereby affecting its nutritional value and representing a powerful tool to cultivate this new produce for healthy human nutrition.
Genome Assemblies of Two Ormosia Species: Gene Duplication Related to Their Evolutionary Adaptation
Authors: Liu Pan-Pan , Yu En-Ping , Tan Zong-Jian , Sun Hong-Mei , Zhu Wei-Guang , Wang Zheng-Feng , Cao Hong-Lin
Published: June 2023

Ormosia is a genus of the Fabaceae family that shows a distinct evolutionary history due to its typical Asian-American tropical disjunction distribution pattern. However, both its phylogeny and biogeographic mechanisms have not been fully resolved. In addition, Ormosia species have great economic and ecological potential in the wood and handicraft (using their attractive seeds) industries, reforestation, and folk medicine (due to their flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids), making them highly valuable in research, especially from a genomic perspective. We report the genome assemblies of two common Ormosia species, Ormosia emarginata and Ormosia semicastrata, in South China, using both long and short sequencing reads. The genome assemblies of O. emarginata and O. semicastrata comprised 90 contigs with a total length of 1,420,917,605 bp and 63 contigs with a total length of 1,511,766,959 bp, respectively. Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (BUSCO) assessment revealed 97.0% and 98.3% completeness of the O. emarginata and O. semicastrata assemblies, respectively. The assemblies contain 48,599 and 52,067 protein-coding genes, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses using 1032 single-copy genes with 19 species indicated that they are closely related to Lupinus albus. We investigated genes related to plant hormones, signaling, the circadian rhythm, transcription factors, and secondary metabolites derived from the whole genome and tandem and proximal duplications, indicating that these duplications should play important roles in the growth, development, and defense of Ormosia species. To our knowledge, our study is the first report on Ormosia genome assemblies. This information will facilitate phylogenetic and biogeographic analyses and species breeding in the future.