bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What Are the Most Effective Neighborhood Ranges for Social Comparison to Improve Water Use Efficiency?
Authors: Otaki Yurina , Honda Hidehito , Ueda Kazuhiro
Published: February 2022

It is commonly recognized in the field of water demand management that social comparison of water usage among people with a similar background is an effective measure to promote water efficiency. Many studies have used “neighborhood” to represent group similarity, but it is unclear how much geographic proximity is appropriate for defining a neighborhood. Therefore, the aim of this study is to clarify what neighborhood range is the most effective for promoting residential water use efficiency. We conducted a field experiment on social comparison feedback using two neighborhood ranges: narrow (condominium complex level) and wide (prefecture level), and analyzed changes in the water usage of 114 households residing in a condominium in the Tokyo metropolitan area, based on daily household water consumption data and an emoticon-based feedback system. As a result of classification of water consumption trend patterns using the K-means clustering method, it was suggested that those with low-consumption reduced their consumption as a result of the intervention, irrespective of neighborhood range. Despite the limited amount of data, the results provide insights into designing and implementing more effective feedback methods outside the US and European regions, especially in the context of residential water efficiency.
MEMS GC Column Performance for Analyzing Organics and Biological Molecules for Future Landed Planetary Missions
Authors: Blase Ryan C. , Libardoni Mark J. , Miller Gregory P. , Miller Kelly E. , Phillips-Lander Charity M. , Glein Christopher R. , Waite J. Hunter , Ghosh Abhishek , Venkatasubramanian Anandram , Li Maxwell Wei-hao , Stephens Andrew , Fan Xudong , Kurabayashi Katsuo
Published: February 2022

We present a novel, innovative approach to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) based on micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) columns that improve the current, state-of-the-art by dramatically reducing the size, mass, and power resources for deploying GC for future landed missions. The outlet of the MEMS GC column was coupled to a prototype of the MAss Spectrometer for Planetary EXploration (MASPEX) through a heated transfer line into the ion source. MEMS GC-MS experiments were performed to demonstrate linearity of response and establish limit of detection (LOD) to alkanes (organics), fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) and chemically derivatized amino acids (biological molecules). Linearity of response to each chemical family was demonstrated over two orders of magnitude dynamic range and limit of detection (LOD) values were single to tens (4–43) of picomoles per 1 μl injection volume. MEMS GC column analytical performance was also demonstrated for a “Mega Mix” of chemical analytes including organics and biological molecules. Chromatographic resolution exceeded 200, retention time reproducibility was << 1% RSD (majority ≤ 0.3%), and peak capacity values calculated to be 124 ± 2 over a 435 s retention time window. The 5.5 m MEMS column was also shown to be a suitable alternative to traditional commercial columns for use in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC). Mass spectra collected from MASPEX showed close consistency with National Institute of Technology (NIST) reference mass spectra and were used for high confidence identification of all eluting analytes.
Displacement of the Scholar? Participatory Action Research Under COVID-19
Authors: Auerbach Jeremy , Muñoz Solange , Affiah Uduak , Barrera de la Torre Gerónimo , Börner Susanne , Cho Hyunji , Cofield Rachael , DiEnno Cara Marie , Graddy-Lovelace Garrett , Klassen Susanna , Limeberry Veronica , Morse Aimee , Natarajan Lucy , Walsh Elizabeth A.
Published: February 2022

The impact of COVID-19 on conducting research is far-reaching, especially for those scholars working for or alongside communities. As the pandemic continues to create and exacerbate many of the issues that communities at the margins faced pre-pandemic, such as health disparities and access to resources, it also creates particular difficulties in collaborative, co-developed participatory research and scholar-activism. These forms of community engagement require the commitment of researchers to look beyond the purview of the racialized capitalist and neoliberal structures and institutions that tend to limit the scope of our research and engagement. Both the presence of the researcher within the community as well as deep community trust in the researcher is required in order to identify and prioritize local, often counter-hegemonic forms of knowledge production, resources, and support networks. The pandemic and similar conditions of crises has likely limited opportunities for building long-term, productive relationships of mutual trust and reciprocity needed for PAR while communities refocus on meeting basic needs. The pandemic has now not only exacerbated existing disparities and made the need for engaged, critical and co-creative partnerships even greater, it has also abruptly halted opportunities for partnerships to occur, and further constrained funds to support communities partnering with researchers. In this paper we highlight accomplishments and discuss the many challenges that arise as participatory action researchers are displaced from the field and classroom, such as funding obstacles and working remotely. An analysis of experiences of the displacement of the scholar exposes the conflicts of conducting PAR during crises within a state of academic capitalism. These experiences are drawn from our work conducting PAR during COVID-19 around the globe, both in urban and rural settings, and during different stages of engagement. From these findings the case is made for mutual learning from peer-experiences and institutional support for PAR. As future crises are expected, increased digital resources and infrastructure, academic flexibility and greater consideration of PAR, increased funding for PAR, and dedicated institutional support programs for PAR are needed.
Unlocking PGPR-Mediated Abiotic Stress Tolerance: What Lies Beneath
Authors: Mellidou Ifigeneia , Karamanoli Katerina
Published: February 2022

In the forthcoming era of climate change and ecosystem degradation, fostering the use of beneficial microbiota in agroecosystems represents a major challenge toward sustainability. Some plant-associated bacteria, called Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR), may confer growth-promoting advantages to the plant host, through enhancing nutrient uptake, altering hormone homeostasis, and/or improving tolerance to abiotic stress factors and phytopathogens. In this regard, exploring the key ecological and evolutionary interactions between plants and their microbiomes is perquisite to develop innovative approaches and novel natural products that will complement conventional farming techniques. Recently, details of the molecular aspects of PGPR-mediated tolerance to various stress factors have come to light. At the same time the integration of the recent advances in the field of plant-microbiome crosstalk with novel -omic approaches will soon allow us to develop a holistic approach to “prime” plants against unfavorable environments. This mini review highlights the current state of the art on seed biopriming, focusing on the identification and application of novel PGPR in cultivated plant species under conditions where crop productivity is limited. The potential challenges of commercializing these PGPR as biostimulants to improve crop production under multiple environmental constraints of plant growth, as well as concerns about PGPR application and their impact on ecosystems, are also discussed.
Virtual Reality in the Neurosciences: Current Practice and Future Directions
Authors: Scott Hayden , Griffin Connor , Coggins William , Elberson Brooke , Abdeldayem Mohamed , Virmani Tuhin , Larson-Prior Linda J. , Petersen Erika
Published: February 2022

Virtual reality has made numerous advancements in recent years and is used with increasing frequency for education, diversion, and distraction. Beginning several years ago as a device that produced an image with only a few pixels, virtual reality is now able to generate detailed, three-dimensional, and interactive images. Furthermore, these images can be used to provide quantitative data when acting as a simulator or a rehabilitation device. In this article, we aim to draw attention to these areas, as well as highlight the current settings in which virtual reality (VR) is being actively studied and implemented within the field of neurosurgery and the neurosciences. Additionally, we discuss the current limitations of the applications of virtual reality within various settings. This article includes areas in which virtual reality has been used in applications both inside and outside of the operating room, such as pain control, patient education and counseling, and rehabilitation. Virtual reality's utility in neurosurgery and the neurosciences is widely growing, and its use is quickly becoming an integral part of patient care, surgical training, operative planning, navigation, and rehabilitation.
Blood Urea Nitrogen-to-Albumin Ratio in Predicting Long-Term Mortality in Patients Following Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: An Analysis of the MIMIC-III Database
Authors: Zhao Diming , Chen Shanghao , Liu Yilin , Xu Zhenqiang , Shen Hechen , Zhang Shijie , Li Yi , Zhang Haizhou , Zou Chengwei , Ma Xiaochun
Published: February 2022

Background

This study examined the role of blood urea nitrogen-to-albumin ratio (BAR) in predicting long-term mortality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, patients undergoing CABG were enrolled from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC III) database. Patients were divided into the three groups according to the optimal cutoff values of BAR determined by X-tile software. The survival curve was constructed by the Kaplan–Meier method and multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to explore the independent prognostic factors of 1- and 4-year mortality after CABG. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) were calculated to estimate the accuracy of BAR in predicting the outcomes. Subgroup analyses were also carried out.

Results

A total of 1,462 patients at 4-year follow-up were included, of which 933, 293, and 236 patients were categorized into the group 1 (≤ 6.45 mg/g), group 2 (>6.45 and ≤ 10.23 mg/g), and group 3 (>10.23 mg/g), respectively. Non-survivors showed an increased level of BAR at both 1- (p < 0.001) and 4-year (p < 0.001) follow-up compared with the survivors. The patients with a higher BAR had a higher risk of 1- and 4-year mortality following CABG (33.05 vs. 14.33 vs. 5.14%, p < 0.001 and 52.97 vs. 30.72 vs. 13.08%, p < 0.001, respectively). Cox proportional hazards regression model suggested a higher BAR as an independent risk factor of 1-year mortality (HR 3.904; 95% CI 2.559–5.956; P < 0.001) and 4-year mortality (HR 2.895; 95% CI 2.138–3.921; P < 0.001) after adjusting for confounders. Besides, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showed the better predictive ability of BAR compared to other grading scores at both 1- (0.7383, 95% CI: 0.6966–0.7800) and 4-year mortality (0.7189, 95% CI: 0.6872–0.7506). Subgroup analysis demonstrated no heterogeneous results of BAR in 4-year mortality in particular groups of patient.

Conclusion

This report provided evidence of an independent association between 1- and 4-year mortality after CABG and BAR. A higher BAR was associated with a higher risk of long-term mortality and could serve as a prognostic predictor in patients following CABG.
Non-intubated Thoracoscopic Surgery to Minimize Contamination From Airway Secretions During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Wang Man-Ling , Hung Ming-Hui , Hsu Hsao-Hsun , Cheng Ya-Jung , Chen Jin-Shing
Published: February 2022

Background

General anesthesia and tracheal intubation potentially pose a high risk to health care workers (HCWs) managing surgical patients during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Non-intubated anesthesia is a rational way of managing patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery that avoids tracheal intubation and minimizes the aerosols generated during airway instrumentation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether non-intubated anesthesia in combination with a face mask is safe and feasible in patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery.

Methods

A total of 18 patients who underwent non-intubated thoracoscopic surgery with a face mask during the perioperative period between March 9, 2020 and April 6, 2020 were included. The main outcomes were anesthetic management and postoperative results.

Results

The 18 patients had a mean age of 64 years and a body mass index of 22.9 kg/m2. All patients wore a mask during induction of anesthesia and throughout surgery. Three patients underwent lobectomy, four segmentectomy, ten wedge resection, and one underwent anterior mediastinal tumor resection. No patient developed cough or vomiting during the perioperative period. All patients were transferred to the postoperative recovery unit within 15 min of the end of surgery (average 7.2 min). No patient required conversion to tracheal intubation or conversion to thoracotomy.

Conclusion

Non-intubated anesthesia with a mask was safe and feasible in patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery. Avoidance of intubated general anesthesia and use of a lung separation device may reduce the risk to HCWs of contamination by airway secretions, thereby conserving personal protective equipment, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methodological Approaches To Assess Innate Immunity and Innate Memory in Marine Invertebrates and Humans
Authors: Auguste Manon , Melillo Daniela , Corteggio Annunziata , Marino Rita , Canesi Laura , Pinsino Annalisa , Italiani Paola , Boraschi Diana
Published: February 2022

Assessing the impact of drugs and contaminants on immune responses requires methodological approaches able to represent real-life conditions and predict long-term effects. Innate immunity/inflammation is the evolutionarily most widespread and conserved defensive mechanism in living organisms, and therefore we will focus here on immunotoxicological methods that specifically target such processes. By exploiting the conserved mechanisms of innate immunity, we have examined the most representative immunotoxicity methodological approaches across living species, to identify common features and human proxy models/assays. Three marine invertebrate organisms are examined in comparison with humans, i.e., bivalve molluscs, tunicates and sea urchins. In vivo and in vitro approaches are compared, highlighting common mechanisms and species-specific endpoints, to be applied in predictive human and environmental immunotoxicity assessment. Emphasis is given to the 3R principle of Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research and to the application of the ARRIVE guidelines on reporting animal research, in order to strengthen the quality and usability of immunotoxicology research data.
Reversal of Azithromycin Resistance in Staphylococcus saprophyticus by Baicalin
Authors: Wang Jinli , Meng Jinwu , Zhu Jinyue , Qiu Tianxin , Wang Wenjia , Ding Jinxue , Liu Zhenguang , Li Kun , Wang Deyun , Liu Jiaguo , Wu Yi
Published: February 2022

In recent years, the efficacy of antibiotics has been threatened by the evolution of bacterial resistance. We previously demonstrated that baicalin (Bac) showed synergies with azithromycin (Azm) against Azm-resistant Staphylococcus saprophyticus (ARSS). The aim of this study was to explore the roles of Bac in reversing the resistance of ARSS to Azm. The ARSS was sequentially passaged for 20 days with the sub-MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) of Bac. The strain that recovered sensitivity to Azm was named Azm-sensitive S. saprophyticus (ASSS). The sub-MIC of Bac reversed the resistance of ARSS to Azm. The MIC of Azm against the ASSS strain was 0.488 mg/l, and it was stable within 20 passages. The highest rate of resistance reversal reached 3.09% after ARSS was exposed to 31.25 mg/l Bac for 20 days. Furthermore, semiquantitative biofilm and RT-PCR assays reflected that the ability of biofilm formation and the transcript levels of msrA, mphC, and virulence-associated genes in the ASSS strain were significantly lower than those of the ARSS strain (p < 0.05). Simultaneously, Azm delayed the start time of death, alleviated the injury of the kidney, and decreased the bacterial burden in organs and cytokine levels in mice infected with ASSS. In contrast, Azm did not have a good therapeutic effect on mice infected with ARSS. Therefore, Bac has the potential to be an agent that reversed the resistance of ARSS to Azm.
Seven Steps to Strategic SDG Sensemaking for Cities
Authors: Taajamaa Ville , Joensuu Minna , Karanian Barbara , Bettencourt Luis
Published: February 2022

This practitioner paper is based on the need to make sense of UN Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the city level and in an urban context. We examine the need to explain how to utilise the SDGs in strategic, tactical and operative urban development. We find that there are knowledge and practise gaps in how to localise SDGs in the urban context. This need and the lack of existing tools has led to the development of a strategic sensemaking process, which has been tested and developed with municipal and other practitioners, locally and globally. The paper presents findings from this process of development and from implementation pilots, including an SDG Sensemaking Tool (SST), a step by step iterative procedure to address these gaps. The main focus of this paper is the SDG Sensemaking process, which relies on analysing SDGs in relation to any given phenomena or project within or outside a city. The first results in this work-in-progress show that it contributes to an understanding on the complexity of how SDGs are related to the analysed phenomena, and catalyses the SDG localisation process, which helps make sense of how to navigate and measure progress in such complex environments. More research and applications are, however, needed, so as to further understand how urban governance can meet holistic, sustainable-development needs. Future work will, firstly, comprise further integrating SDGs into city-level strategies with a focus on the local, regional, national, and global impact on sustainable development and the actualisation of SDGs, and secondly, on further developing SST so that it can serve these purposes.
Benchmarking Machine Learning Approaches to Evaluate the Cultivar Differentiation of Plum (Prunus domestica L.) Kernels
Authors: Ropelewska Ewa , Cai Xiang , Zhang Zhan , Sabanci Kadir , Aslan Muhammet Fatih
Published: February 2022

Plum fruit and kernels offer bioactive material for industrial production. The promising procedure for distinguishing plum kernel cultivars used in this study comprised two stages: image analysis to compute the texture parameters of plum kernels belonging to three cultivars ‘Emper’, ‘Kalipso’, and ‘Polinka’, and discriminant analysis using machine learning algorithms to classify plum kernel cultivars based on selected textures with the highest discriminative power. The discriminative models built separately for sets of textures selected from all color channels L, a, b, R, G, B, U, V, S, X, Y, Z, color space Lab and color channel b using the KStar (Lazy), PART (Rules), and LMT (Trees) classifiers provided the highest average accuracies reaching 98% in the case of the color space Lab and the KStar classifier. In this case, individual cultivars were discriminated with the accuracies of 97% for ‘Emper’ and ‘Kalipso’ to 99% for ‘Polinka’. The values of other performance metrics were also satisfactory, higher than 0.95. The ROC curves were quite smooth and steady with the most satisfactory curve for the ‘Kalipso’ kernels. The present study sheds light on an objective, non-destructive, and inexpensive procedure for cultivar discrimination of plum kernels.
Measurement and Calibration of the Discrete Element Parameters of Coated Delinted Cotton Seeds
Authors: Hu Mengjie , Xia Junfang , Zhou Yong , Luo Chengming , Zhou Mingkuan , Liu Zhengyuan
Published: February 2022

To simulate the interactions between a pneumatic cotton precision seed-metering device and coated delinted cotton seeds accurately, physical and simulation experiments based on a rotating drum apparatus were combined to calibrate the discrete element simulation parameters of E`kangmian-10 cotton seeds. Firstly, the contact parameters and the dynamic repose angle of the cotton seeds were measured through physical tests. Based on the particle size requirement of the Discrete Element Method (DEM) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) coupling simulation and the reverse engineering technology, the cotton seed discrete element bonded-particle model (BPM) was established. Secondly, taking the contact parameters as calibration objects and the simulated dynamic repose angle as the evaluation index, a Plackett–Burman (PB) test was designed for significance screening. The results of the screening test showed that the static friction coefficient of cotton seed–tough photosensitive resin, the impact recovery coefficient of cotton seed–cotton seed, and the static friction coefficient of cotton seed–cotton seed had a highly significant effect on the simulated dynamic repose angle. Next, a Box–Behnken Design (BBD) test was adopted to establish the quadratic regression model between significant parameters and the simulated dynamic repose angle, and then the multi-factor optimization solution was carried out to obtain the optimal combination of parameters: the static friction coefficient of cotton seed–tough photosensitive resin and the impact recovery coefficient and static friction coefficient of cotton seed–cotton seed were 0.33, 0.06 and 0.10, respectively. Lastly, verification tests on the rotating drum apparatus and the seed-metering device were performed, and their relative errors were less than 2%, which indicated that the discrete element models and the contact parameters of the coated delinted cotton seeds were reliable. This study provides a reference for the selection of the discrete element parameters of coated delinted cotton seeds for DEM-CFD coupling simulation and the optimal design of precision seed-metering device for cotton.
Phylogenetic Analysis of Ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) Populations and the Proliferation of ALS Resistance in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Ghazy Abdelhalim I. , Al-Ateeq Talal K. , Ibrahim Eid I. , Migdadi Hussein M. , Attia Kotb A. , Javed Muhammad , Khan Muhammad Altaf , Al-Ashkar Ibrahim , Al-Doss Abdullah
Published: February 2022

Morphological and simple sequence repeat (SSR) approaches were used to determine the genetic diversity of 29 ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) genotypes belonging to eight populations collected from several regions in Saudi Arabia. In this study, 50 in Silico-developed SSR markers derived from genomic and expressed sequence tag (EST) microsatellites were examined. Analysis of variance showed highly significant differences in all studied traits. Cluster analysis based on the morphological data of the 29 Lolium genotypes and using PAST (paleontological statistics) software was performed. According to the results, clustering was based mostly on genotype location. The sensitive genotypes for herbicide were clustered in one group. In addition, using EST-SSR markers, we observed the existence of a considerable number of genetic variations among Lolium genotypes. From these markers, only 31 produced reasonable amplification products. The results showed that 23 SSR markers revealed that 74.19% were polymorphic. The number of alleles detected per primer ranged from one to five in the primer LTC SSR1. The tested primers amplified 1434 bands across eight populations, with an average of 46.26 bands per primer. The polymorphism information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.11 to 0.76 for the primers LT EST-SSR5 and LTC SSR1. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic average (UPGMA) clustering of the 29 genotypes representing eight populations was based essentially on their locations and herbicide-tolerance levels. Most of the populations formed into four clusters, together representing genotypes. Moreover, the tolerant populations were distinguished from the sensitive ones. The relationship between the genetic diversity and geographical source of Lolium rigidum populations of Saudi Arabia was revealed through this study. The results showed that the efficiency of developed SSR markers are transferable across species. They have been helpful to assess the genetic diversity of the ryegrass population as this could be applied to differentiate between tolerant and sensitive populations of ryegrass.
Measuring Method of Slip Ratio for Tractor Driving Wheels Based on Machine Vision
Authors: Zhu Shaohua , Wang Lin , Zhu Zhongxiang , Mao Enrong , Chen Yiming , Liu Yuxi , Du Xianxu
Published: February 2022

Tractors are prone to large slips when they are in field operation. The degree of slip plays a vital role in traction efficiency and fuel efficiency. This paper presents a method for measuring the slip ratio of tractors in field operation based on machine vision. The accurate measurement of slip ratio needs to obtain actual velocity and theoretical velocity separately. For obtaining the actual velocity, a monocular camera mounted on the tractor vertically faces down at the ground to collect images. Then, the feature points of inter-frame ground images are matched by the ORB (Oriented FAST and Rotated BRIEF) algorithm for calculating the translational displacement. Next, a homography matrix based on camera calibration is proposed to complete the transformation of a point from the pixel coordinate system to the world coordinate system. Aiming to acquire the theoretical velocity, a method that takes the variations in tire radius into account is proposed, and the tire radii of the driving wheels are indirectly determined by the tire inflation pressure in real-time. The proposed measurement method was verified with an experimental tractor. The results show that the mean absolute errors of the tractor driving wheels’ slip ratio measured by the machine vision method are less than 0.75%, and the maximum of the absolute errors is not more than 2.22%, which shows good performance.
Coffee Leaf Rust in Brazil: Historical Events, Current Situation, and Control Measures
Authors: Sera Gustavo Hiroshi , de Carvalho Carlos Henrique Siqueira , de Rezende Abrahão Juliana Costa , Pozza Edson Ampélio , Matiello José Braz , de Almeida Saulo Roque , Bartelega Lucas , dos Santos Botelho Deila Magna
Published: February 2022

In this review of coffee leaf rust (CLR) in Brazil, we report: (i) the historical introduction of CLR in Brazil and the first control measures; (ii) favorable environmental conditions and times of year for the disease; (iii) breeding methods and strategies used for developing CLR-resistant cultivars; (iv) the levels, sources, and types of CLR resistance; (v) the development of Brazilian resistant cultivars; and (vi) chemical and cultural control methods. Most plantations are cultivated with susceptible cultivars, such as those of the Catuaí and Mundo Novo groups. Brazilian research institutes have developed dozens of cultivars with different levels of resistance, and significantly increased the planting of new resistant cultivars. The main sources of CLR resistance are genotypes from Híbrido de Timor, Icatu, BA series carrying the SH3 gene, and Ethiopian wild coffees. High CLR resistance is still observed in Sarchimor and SH3-carrying genotypes. Intermediate CLR resistance is observed in Ethiopian wild coffees and in Sarchimor and Icatu derivatives, where qualitative resistance has been supplanted by races of Hemileia vastatrix. Contact, mesostemic, and systemic fungicides are used for chemical control in Brazil. CLR incidence in Brazil begins to increase after the rainy season onset in November, reaches a peak in June, and remains high until August. Thus, chemical control is typically applied from December to April.
Development and Validation of a Novel RP-HPLC Method for the Determination of Cetrimide and Chlorhexidine Gluconate in Antiseptic Solution
Authors: Vrachas Andreas , Gkountanas Kostas , Boutsikaris Haris , Dotsikas Yannis
Published: February 2022

Cetrimide (CE) is a quaternary ammonium compound and a cationic surfactant, which can be used as an antiseptic and preservative in various formulations. Antiseptic solutions of Cetrimide are available in combination with Chlorhexidine Gluconate (CHG) for external use. Chlorhexidine is a biguanide with high microbicidal activity and is widely known as a skin disinfectant. The present work displays the development and validation of an RP-HPLC isocratic method for the simultaneous determination of CE and CHG. The method consists of a Hypersil® SAS C1 (4.6 × 250 mm) 5 μm column, with a mobile phase of 85%/15% v/v MeOH-NaH2PO4·H2O, aqueous solution. In addition, 0.2% of triethylamine (Et3N) was added to the buffer for the confrontation of peak tailing, and then the pH was adjusted to 3.0 with ortho-phosphoric acid (H3PO4). The flow rate was set at 1 mL/min, and adequate detection was achieved with a diode array detector (PDA) at 205 nm. The method was successfully validated according to ICH guidelines for specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision and stability for sample and standard solutions. In addition, the robustness of the method was evaluated through statistical and graphical analysis, using a fractional factorial experimental design.
Evaluation of the Thuringian Bovine Johne’s Disease Control Program—A Case Study
Authors: Donat Karsten , Einax Esra , Klassen Anne
Published: February 2022

The Thuringian Johne’s Disease (JD) Control Program provides a voluntary approach to JD control in Thuringia, a federal state of Germany. The program has three objectives: reduce the level of infection when present; reduce the spread of JD to uninfected herds; and facilitate the certification and protection of herds that are non-suspect with respect to JD. The program offers pathways for the management of affected herds and for certification of herds with continuing negative tests. After the control stage (CS), a certification stage of at least 3 consecutive years with continuing negative results in the annual whole-herd test has to be passed until a herd can be certified as ‘non-suspect’ with respect to JD. This study focused on calf mortality in relation to JD herd status. In a longitudinal study, the association of annual calf mortality rate of a total of 93 dairy herds (13 ‘non-suspect’; 26 in control stage; 54 not enrolled) over 10 consecutive years with JD herd status was investigated using a generalized mixed linear model with repeated measures. Non-suspect herds had a lower calf mortality rate compared with other farms. We conclude that establishing JD control measures lowers the calf mortality rate.
Social Disruption Impairs Predatory Threat Assessment in African Elephants
Authors: Shannon Graeme , Cordes Line S. , Slotow Rob , Moss Cynthia , McComb Karen
Published: February 2022

The transmission of reliable information between individuals is crucial for group-living animals. This is particularly the case for cognitively advanced mammals with overlapping generations that acquire detailed social and ecological knowledge over long lifetimes. Here, we directly compare the ecological knowledge of elephants from two populations, with radically different developmental histories, to test whether profound social disruption affects their ability to assess predatory threat. Matriarchs (≤50 years of age) and their family groups received playbacks of three lions versus a single lion roaring. The family groups in the natural Amboseli population (Kenya) reliably assessed the greater predatory threat presented by three lions roaring versus one. However, in the socially disrupted Pilanesberg population (South Africa), no fine-scale distinctions were made between the numbers of roaring lions. Our results suggest that the removal of older and more experienced individuals in highly social species, such as elephants, is likely to impact the acquisition of ecological knowledge by younger group members, particularly through the lack of opportunity for social learning and cultural transmission of knowledge. This is likely to be exacerbated by the trauma experienced by juvenile elephants that witnessed the culling of family members and were translocated to new reserves. With increasing levels of anthropogenic disturbance, it is important that conservation practitioners consider the crucial role that population structure and knowledge transfer plays in the functioning and resilience of highly social and long-lived species.
Why Is the Grass the Best Surface to Prevent Lameness? Integrative Analysis of Functional Ranges as a Key for Dairy Cows’ Welfare
Authors: Medina-González Paul , Moreno Karen , Gómez Marcelo
Published: February 2022

Lameness is a painful clinical condition of the bovine locomotor system that results in alterations of movement. Together with mastitis and infertility, lameness is the main welfare, health, and production problem found in intensive dairy farms worldwide. The clinical assessment of lameness results in an imprecise diagnosis and delayed intervention. Hence, the current approach to the problem is palliative rather than preventive. The five main surfaces used in free housing systems in dairy farms are two natural (grass and sand) and three artificial (rubber, asphalt, and concrete). Each surface presents a different risk potential for lameness, with grass carrying the lowest threat. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the flooring type influences on cows’ movement capabilities, using all the available information relating to kinematics, kinetics, behavior, and posture in free-housed dairy cows. Inspired by a refurbished movement ecology concept, we conducted a literature review, taking into account kinematics, kinetics, behavior, and posture parameters by reference to the main surfaces used in free housing systems for dairy cows. We built an integrative analysis of functional ranges (IAFuR), which provides a combined welfare status diagram for the optimal (i.e., within the upper and lower limit) functional ranges for movement (i.e., posture, kinematics, and kinetics), navigation (i.e., behavior), and recovery capacities (i.e., metabolic cost). Our analysis confirms grass’ outstanding clinical performance, as well as for all of the movement parameters measured. Grass boosts pedal joint homeostasis; provides reliable, safe, and costless locomotion; promotes longer resting times. Sand is the best natural alternative surface, but it presents an elevated metabolic cost. Rubber is an acceptable artificial alternative surface, but it is important to consider the mechanical and design properties. Asphalt and concrete surfaces are the most harmful because of the high traffic abrasiveness and loading impact. Furthermore, IAFuR can be used to consider other qualitative and quantitative parameters and to provide recommendations on material properties and the design of any surface, so as to move towards a more grass-like feel. We also suggest the implementation of a decision-making pathway to facilitate the interpretation of movement data in a more comprehensive way, in order to promote consistent, adaptable, timely, and adequate management decisions.
Influence of Feeding Compound Feed Rich in Fibre during Parturition and Lactation on Health and Performance of Sows
Authors: Schwennen Cornelia , Reckels Bernd , Klingenberg Maria , El-Wahab Amr Abd , Keller Birgit , Visscher Christian
Published: February 2022

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of ad libitum access to compound feeds rich in fibre (ante partum (a.p.) and peri partum) on the DM intake, body mass development and performance of sows as well as excretion of Clostridium (C.) perfringens via sows’ faeces. From day 109 (d-7) of gestation, 25 of 48 sows (23 considered as control) received access to one of two different high-fibre pellets from d-7 until the second day post partum (p.p.) (d2) (fibre groups (FG) 1 and 2) in additional to a lactation diet. The additional DM intake of the high-fibre pellets a.p. was 2.13 ± 1.15 kg in FG 1 and 3.14 ± 0.68 kg in FG 2. This led to higher DM intake in the first lactation week and significantly lower losses of weight and back fat thickness during lactation. The bacterial counts of C. perfringens in sows’ faeces directly p.p. were 10 times lower in FG 1 and 100 times lower in FG 2 compared to the controls. High amounts of fibre led to higher DM intake throughout lactation, which had beneficial effects on sows’ body conditions. It seems that high fibre intake influenced the excretion of C. perfringens at parturition, which could improve the health of newborns.
The High Expression of Legumain in Canine Neoplasms: A Retrospective Analysis of 100 Cases
Authors: Ke Chiao-Hsu , Sio Ka-Mei , Wang Shang-Lin , Kuo Ying , Huang Wei-Hsiang , Lin Chen-Si
Published: February 2022

Legumain, a novel asparaginyl endopeptidase, has been observed to be overexpressed in several types of human solid tumors. Elevated levels of legumain are found in human cancers, and this oncoprotein may facilitate tumor invasion and metastasis when overexpressed. These findings suggest that legumain plays a malignant role in cancer biology. However, currently, no publications have identified the role of legumain in the development of canine cancers. The present study first compared the expression patterns of legumain in paraffin-embedded canine tumor tissues, with those of normal tissues, by immunohistochemistry. A total of 100 canine tumor samples, including mast cell tumors, soft tissue sarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, lymphoma, mammary gland carcinoma, hepatoid gland tumor, squamous cell carcinoma, trichoblastoma, and melanoma were evaluated. Compared with the normal tissues, all tumor samples displayed high intensities of legumain expression. Mesenchymal-type tumors displayed immunoreactivity for legumain, with an average expression of 40.07% ± 1.70%, which was significantly lower than those of epithelial tumors and other types of tumors, which had median expressions of 49.12% ± 1.75% and 47.35% ± 2.71%, respectively (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that legumain has a high potential to be a candidate for distinguishing tumors from normal tissues. Although further studies on a larger number of cases are necessary to clarify the clinical application of legumain, the overexpression patterns of legumain in canine tumor tissues are reported, for the first time, in this study.
Phenylpropanoid Glycoside and Phenolic Acid Profiles and Biological Activities of Biomass Extracts from Different Types of Verbena officinalis Microshoot Cultures and Soil-Grown Plant
Authors: Kubica Paweł , Kokotkiewicz Adam , Malinowska Magdalena Anna , Synowiec Alicja , Gniewosz Małgorzata , Hussain Shah , Yaqoob Muhammad , Bonn Günther K. , Jakschitz Thomas , Mahmoud Eman A. , El-Abedin Tarek K. Zin , Elansary Hosam O. , Luczkiewicz Maria , Ekiert Halina , Szopa Agnieszka
Published: February 2022

Different types of microshoot cultures (agar, stationary liquid, agitated, and bioreactors) of Verbena officinalis were optimized for biomass growth and the production of phenylpropanoid glycosides and phenolic acids. Using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry, the presence of verbascoside, isoverbascoside, leucoseptoside A/isomers, and cistanoside D/isomer was confirmed in the methanolic extracts obtained from all types of in vitro cultures. The compound’s content was determined by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography. The main metabolites in biomass extracts were verbascoside and isoverbascoside (maximum 4881.61 and 451.80 mg/100 g dry weight (DW)). In the soil-grown plant extract, verbascoside was also dominated (1728.97 mg/100 g DW). The content of phenolic acids in the analyzed extracts was below 24 mg/100 g DW. The highest radical scavenging activity was found in the biomass extract from agitated cultures, the most effective reducing power in agar culture extract, and the highest chelating activity in extract from bioreactor cultures. The extracts showed significantly stronger bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity against Gram-positive bacteria (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.3–2.2 mg/mL and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 0.6–9 mg/mL) than against Gram-negative bacteria (MIC 0.6–9 mg/mL, MBC of 0.6–18 mg/mL). The biomass extract from liquid stationary culture showed the strongest antibacterial activity, while the extract from soil-grown herb had the lowest.
The Antinociceptive Potential of Camellia japonica Leaf Extract, (−)-Epicatechin, and Rutin against Chronic Constriction Injury-Induced Neuropathic Pain in Rats
Authors: Lim Eun Yeong , Lee Changho , Kim Yun Tai
Published: February 2022

Neuropathic pain is caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system. Currently, prescribed treatments are still unsatisfactory or have limited effectiveness. Camellia japonica leaves are known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.; however, their antinociceptive efficacy has not yet been explored. We examined the antinociceptive efficacy and underlying mechanism of C. japonica leaf extract (CJE) in chronic constriction injury (CCI)-induced neuropathic pain models. To test the antinociceptive activity of CJE, three types of allodynia were evaluated: punctate allodynia using von Frey filaments, dynamic allodynia using a paintbrush and cotton swab, and cold allodynia using a cold plate test. CCI rats developed neuropathic pain representing increases in the three types of allodynia and spontaneous pain. In addition, CCI rats showed high phosphorylation levels of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), transcription factors, and nociceptive mediators in dorsal root ganglion (DRG). The ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 levels and neuroinflammation also increased following CCI surgery in the spinal cord. CJE and its active components have potential antinociceptive effects against CCI-induced neuropathic pain that might be mediated by MAPK activation in the DRG and microglial activation in the spinal cord. These findings suggest that CJE, (−)-epicatechin, and rutin could be novel candidates for neuropathic pain management.
Culture Conditions Affect Antioxidant Production, Metabolism and Related Biomarkers of the Microalgae Phaeodactylum tricornutum
Authors: Curcuraci Eleonora , Manuguerra Simona , Messina Concetta Maria , Arena Rosaria , Renda Giuseppe , Ioannou Theodora , Amato Vito , Hellio Claire , Barba Francisco J. , Santulli Andrea
Published: February 2022

Phaeodactylum tricornutum (Bacillariophyta) is a worldwide-distributed diatom with the ability to adapt and survive in different environmental habitats and nutrient-limited conditions. In this research, we investigated the growth performance, the total lipids productivity, the major categories of fatty acids, and the antioxidant content in P. tricornutum subjected for 15 days to nitrogen deprivation (N−) compared to standard culture conditions (N+). Furthermore, genes and pathways related to lipid biosynthesis (i.e., glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase, citrate synthase, and isocitrate dehydrogenase) and photosynthetic activity (i.e., ribulose-1,5-bisphospate carboxylase/oxygenase and fucoxanthin-chlorophyll a/c binding protein B) were investigated through molecular approaches. P. tricornutum grown under starvation condition (N−) increased lipids production (42.5 ± 0.19 g/100 g) and decreased secondary metabolites productivity (phenolic content: 3.071 ± 0.17 mg GAE g−1; carotenoids: 0.35 ± 0.01 mg g−1) when compared to standard culture conditions (N+). Moreover, N deprivation led to an increase in the expression of genes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis and a decrease in genes related to photosynthesis. These results could be used as indicators of nitrogen limitation for environmental or industrial monitoring of P. tricornutum.
Non-Targeted Effects of Synchrotron Radiation: Lessons from Experiments at the Australian and European Synchrotrons
Authors: Fernandez-Palomo Cristian , Nikitaki Zacharenia , Djonov Valentin , Georgakilas Alexandros G. , Martin Olga A.
Published: February 2022

Studies have been conducted at synchrotron facilities in Europe and Australia to explore a variety of applications of synchrotron X-rays in medicine and biology. We discuss the major technical aspects of the synchrotron irradiation setups, paying specific attention to the Australian Synchrotron (AS) and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) as those best configured for a wide range of biomedical research involving animals and future cancer patients. Due to ultra-high dose rates, treatment doses can be delivered within milliseconds, abiding by FLASH radiotherapy principles. In addition, a homogeneous radiation field can be spatially fractionated into a geometric pattern called microbeam radiotherapy (MRT); a coplanar array of thin beams of microscopic dimensions. Both are clinically promising radiotherapy modalities because they trigger a cascade of biological effects that improve tumor control, while increasing normal tissue tolerance compared to conventional radiation. Synchrotrons can deliver high doses to a very small volume with low beam divergence, thus facilitating the study of non-targeted effects of these novel radiation modalities in both in-vitro and in-vivo models. Non-targeted radiation effects studied at the AS and ESRF include monitoring cell–cell communication after partial irradiation of a cell population (radiation-induced bystander effect, RIBE), the response of tissues outside the irradiated field (radiation-induced abscopal effect, RIAE), and the influence of irradiated animals on non-irradiated ones in close proximity (inter-animal RIBE). Here we provide a summary of these experiments and perspectives on their implications for non-targeted effects in biomedical fields.
Fault-Tolerant Control Scheme for the Sensor Fault in the Acceleration Process of Variable Cycle Engine
Authors: Li Lingwei , Yuan Yuan , Zhang Xinglong , Wu Songwei , Zhang Tianhong
Published: February 2022

This paper presents a fault-tolerant control scheme for the sensor fault in the acceleration process of the variable cycle engine. Firstly, an adaptive equilibrium manifold model with multiple inputs and multiple outputs is established. Combined with the Kalman filter bank, sensor fault diagnosis is carried out to realize the diagnosis and signal reconstruction of the engine in the case of a single sensor and double sensor faults. On this basis, isolation and group isolation are used to diagnose sensor faults and reconstruct signal in speed closed-loop control. Then, the control plan of the acceleration process is optimized based on the target shooting method, aiming to simulate the variation of various variables in the engine acceleration process more accurately, so as to verify the feasibility of the sensor fault-tolerant control scheme. Finally, a hardware-in-loop simulation platform is built based on the idea of distributed control, and the fault-tolerant control scheme of the sensor proposed previously is verified based on this platform. The results show that the proposed scheme can accurately diagnose the sensor faults and reconstruct the signal within 0.2 s, and the actual speed can rise from 67.87% to 99.9% in 4 s, ensuring the safe and rapid completion of the acceleration process.