bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Free word association analysis of German laypeople’s perception of biodiversity and its loss
Authors: Eylering Annike , Neufeld Kerstin , Kottmann Felix , Holt Sebastian , Fiebelkorn Florian
Published: June 2023

Due to the dramatic biodiversity crisis, it is crucial to understand how people perceive biodiversity. Knowledge of how thoughts are organized around this concept can identify which ideas are best to focus on biodiversity conservation information campaigns. The primary aim of the present study was to identify social representations of the German public regarding the concept of biodiversity and its loss using a free word association test. Furthermore, unique association networks were analyzed. For this purpose, data collection was performed in September 2021 in Germany using an online questionnaire to assess participants’ associations with the prompt “biodiversity” (n  = 131) and “biodiversity loss” (n  = 130). Additionally, we used the social network software Gephi to create biodiversity (loss) association networks. The five most commonly mentioned associations for biodiversity were “animal,” “plant,” “nature,” “human,” and “flower.” For biodiversity loss, the five most commonly mentioned associations were “species extinction,” “climate change,” “plant,” “insect,” and “bee.” Neither “land use change” nor “invasive species,” as key drivers of biodiversity loss, were present in social representations of the German public. A difference was observed in the total number of mentioned associations between biodiversity and biodiversity loss. For both, the associations “plant” and “animal” were related. However, participants associated specific taxa only with animals, such as “insects” and “birds.” For plants, no specific taxa were named. Based on the network analysis, the most commonly mentioned word pairs for biodiversity and biodiversity loss were “plant – animal” and “species loss – climate change,” respectively. Based on our statistical network analysis, these associations were identified as the most central associations with the greatest influence in the network. Thus, they had the most connections and the function of predicting the flow in the network. In sum, the public’s multifaceted views on biodiversity and its loss, as well as the aforementioned central associations, hold great potential to be utilized more for the communication and education of biodiversity conservation. In addition, our findings contribute to the scientific community’s understanding of social representations and perceptions of biodiversity and its loss.
The impact of professional learning communities on pre-service teachers’ professional commitment
Authors: Cheng Chunsong , Zhao Jinzhen
Published: June 2023

While in-service teachers’ professional commitment has gained significant attention in recent years, researches on pre-service teachers’ professional commitment is still insufficient, particularly with regard to the effect that professional learning communities play on pre-service teachers’ professional commitment. In this context, this study employed mixed methods to investigate the impact of workshops for teaching competitions as a professional learning community on pre-service teachers’ professional commitment in China. A questionnaire survey was administered to pre-service teachers who had workshop experiences (n = 43) and their classmates who did not have workshop experiences (n = 98) to examine the effect of workshops for teaching competitions as a professional learning community on pre-service teachers’ professional commitment. Follow-up qualitative interviews with 5 pre-service teachers with workshop experiences were conducted to explain the reasons behind such effects. The results showed that workshop experiences had significant and positive effects on pre-service teachers’ professional commitment and the characteristics of shared vision, collaboration, and reflective dialogue affected their professional commitment from three perspectives: commitment to teaching as a career, personal time investment, and interest in professional development.
The metacognitive experience of time passing in Chinese college students: scale development, structure verification, and influencing factors
Authors: Yu Xide , Liu Jiafan , Lin Yaohui , Chen Xianli , Lu Cheng
Published: June 2023

The experience of time passing (ETP) is also the consciousness of the progress of life. ETP contributes to time regulation and life management, which basically conforms to the metacognitive theory. Also, the traditional Chinese cultural approach to time emphasizes ETP. It is an indispensable part of Chinese education and culture to strengthen one’s appreciation of time by emphasizing the passage of time. In combination with the above two points, ETP equals metacognitive experience of time passing (METP) to a certain extent. However, we currently know little about the connotations of METP. To better understand traditional Chinese time culture, and referring to the concept of metacognition and model of time experience as proposed by Western scholars, the current study combined the results of open and semi-structured interviews, to explore the structure of METP in Chinese college students and developed a questionnaire with which to measure it. Using convenience sampling, 2,876 college students were recruited, the interview, and the reliability and validity tests were carried out. Five hundred and seventy-nine college students were tested a second time to investigate the correlation validity between METP and Ruminative Responses, time attitude, and meaning in life. The results led to the development of the METP Scale which contains 15 items and assesses two factors: ruminative and emotional experience of time passing. The two-factor model was well fitted, and invariable in measurements across gender, grade, and major. The internal consistency coefficients of the scale and its two factors ranged from 0.82 to 0.89, the half-point reliability between 0.76 and 0.88, and the retest reliability ranged from 0.77 to 0.78. METP Scale has good correlation validity, meanwhile, the results of regression analysis showed that symptom rumination, positive past, negative present, positive future, and searching for meaning in life significantly predict the intensity of METP.
Prevalence and severity of anxiety and depression in Chinese patients with breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Tao Fuying , Xu Mengnan , Zou Qi , Tang Lin , Feng Jianping , Li Zhenyu
Published: June 2023

Context

Anxiety/depression in breast cancer (BC) is common around the world, and Chinese BC patients should not be ignored. The prevalence of anxiety and depression among BC patients are various in different regions of China, but no clear summarization has been made.

Purpose

This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the prevalence and severity of anxiety and depression among breast cancer (BC) patients in China.

Methods

A literature search on PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, PsycINFO, Cochrane database library, CNKI, Wanfang, and SinoMed was conducted up to 29 December 2021. The effect size (ES) or standard mean difference (SMD) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the prevalence and severity of anxiety/depression were calculated using the STATA 12.0 software.

Results

A total of 63 identified studies were included, containing a total of 53,513 Chinese women confirmed breast cancer. The results showed a high pooled prevalence of anxiety (38%, 95% CI, 27–50%, I2 = 99.4%, p < 0.001) and depression (38%, 95% CI, 33–44%, I2 = 99.2%, p < 0.001) among Chinese BC patients. Moreover, both anxiety (SMD = 0.30, 95% CI, 0.08–0.53, I2 = 91.6%, p < 0.001) and depression (SMD = 0.25, 95% CI, −0.05–0.55, I2 = 95.3%, p < 0.001) in BC patients were more serious than those in healthy controls, but not significantly different from patients with other diseases. Specifically, among the six regions included, the prevalence of anxiety and depression were both the highest in Northeast China, obviously superior than the second-highest region.

Conclusion

The study showed high levels of anxiety and depression among BC patients in China, especially those in the northeast. Clinicians and researchers should pay attention to the psychological problems of patients with breast cancer and regard it as one of the important prognostic outcomes of patients.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/index.php, PROSPERO: CRD42020151752.
An exploration of the correlations between seven psychiatric disorders and the risks of breast cancer, breast benign tumors and breast inflammatory diseases: Mendelian randomization analyses
Authors: Ren Fei , Shang Qingyao , Zhao Shuangtao , Yang Chenxuan , Feng Kexin , Liu Jiaxiang , Kang Xiyu , Zhang Ruixuan , Wang Xiang , Wang Xin
Published: June 2023

Background

Previous observational studies have showed that certain psychiatric disorders may be linked to breast cancer risk, there is, however, little understanding of relationships between mental disorders and a variety of breast diseases. This study aims to investigate if mental disorders influence the risks of overall breast cancer, the two subtypes of breast cancer (ER+ and ER-), breast benign tumors and breast inflammatory diseases.

Methods

During our research, genome-wide association study (GWAS) data for seven psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and anorexia nervosa) from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC) and the UK Biobank were selected, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly linked to these mental disorders were identified as instrumental variables. GWAS data for breast diseases came from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC) as well as the FinnGen consortium. We performed two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses and multivariable MR analyses to assess these SNPs’ effects on various breast diseases. Both heterogeneity and pleiotropy were evaluated by sensitivity analyses.

Results

When the GWAS data of psychiatric disorders were derived from the PGC, our research found that schizophrenia significantly increased the risks of overall breast cancer (two-sample MR: OR 1.05, 95%CI [1.03-1.07], p = 3.84 × 10−6; multivariable MR: OR 1.06, 95%CI [1.04-1.09], p = 2.34 × 10−6), ER+ (OR 1.05, 95%CI [1.02-1.07], p = 5.94 × 10−5) and ER- (two-sample MR: OR 1.04, 95%CI [1.01-1.07], p = 0.006; multivariable MR: OR 1.06, 95%CI [1.02-1.10], p = 0.001) breast cancer. Nevertheless, major depressive disorder only showed significant positive association with overall breast cancer (OR 1.12, 95%CI [1.04-1.20], p = 0.003) according to the two-sample MR analysis, but not in the multivariable MR analysis. In regards to the remainder of the mental illnesses and breast diseases, there were no significant correlations. While as for the data from the UK Biobank, schizophrenia did not significantly increase the risk of breast cancer.

Conclusions

The correlation between schizophrenia and breast cancer found in this study may be false positive results caused by underlying horizontal pleiotropy, rather than a true cause-and-effect relationship. More prospective studies are still needed to be carried out to determine the definitive links between mental illnesses and breast diseases.
Network analysis of frontal lobe alpha asymmetry confirms the neurophysiological basis of four subtypes of depressive behavior
Authors: Sharpley Christopher F. , Bitsika Vicki , Arnold Wayne M. , Shadli Shabah M. , Jesulola Emmanuel , Agnew Linda L.
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Although depression is widespread carries a major disease burden, current treatments remain non-universally effective, arguably due to the heterogeneity of depression, and leading to the consideration of depressive “subtypes” or “depressive behavior subtypes.” One such model of depressive behavior (DB) subtypes was investigated for its associations with frontal lobe asymmetry (FLA), using a different data analytic procedure than in previous research in this field.

Methods

100 community volunteers (54 males, 46 females) aged between 18 yr. and 75 years (M = 32.53 yr., SD = 14.13 yr) completed the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) and underwent 15 min of eyes closed EEG resting data collection across 10 frontal lobe sites. DB subtypes were defined on the basis of previous research using the SDS, and alpha-wave (8-13 Hz) data produced an index of FLA. Data were examined via network analysis.

Results

Several network analyses were conducted, producing two models of the association between DB subtypes and FLA, confirming unique neurophysiological profiles for each of the four DB subtypes.

Discussion

As well as providing a firm basis for using these DB subtypes in clinical settings, these findings provide a reasonable explanation for the inconsistency in previous FLA-depression research.
Analysis of online user discussions on Reddit associated with the transition of use between HIV PrEP therapy
Authors: Godinez Hector , Xu Qing , McMann Tiana J. , Li Jiawei , Mackey Timothy Ken
Published: June 2023

In 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide (Descovy) as another option for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) prevention for high-risk adults and adolescents. With the introduction of this new PrEP, millions of current users on emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (Truvada), another PrEP medication currently used to prevent HIV transmission, have options of whether to continue their current treatment regime or transition to new treatment options. The objective of this study was to conduct a descriptive analysis to characterize user-generated social media conversations on Reddit associated with FDA-approved PrEP prevention treatment options. Key themes identified were associated with perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes associated with the transition of use of different PrEP medications. Data were collected retrospectively and prospectively from the Reddit platform for posts with keywords filtered for HIV, PrEP, and FDA-approved PrEP prevention treatment from October 2020 to December 2020. We chose the Reddit platform based on prior studies that have identified PrEP user conversations and insights on access challenges for specific AIDS communities, such as gays and men who have sex with men (MSM). Reddit posts were then manually annotated using an inductive content coding approach for key themes regarding the transition of use and other emergent themes from user-generated content. Formal coding of text data was conducted with refined codes, and sub-codes created. A total of 3,120 posts were analyzed from Reddit resulting in 315 posts that were coded for PrEP and 105 posts (33.33%) specific to user discussions regarding the transition of PrEP prevention. Overall, users expressed interest in drug switching to Descovy, particularly in the context of poorer adherence or concerns about existing side effects associated with Truvada. Other major themes included discussions about the cost of Descovy, apprehension about side effects in comparison to Truvada, insurance coverage changes, and discussions about the donation of Truvada to other users after transitioning. Among these discussions, topics related to sexual minorities, including MSM, reported concerns when considering a switch in their HIV prevention regime. Understanding the changing public perception associated with the introduction of new HIV prevention is important in the context of market access, patient safety, pharmacovigilance, and health equity, particularly among high-risk populations such as MSM. Results support the use of social media from a digital pharmacovigilance perspective to better understand emerging HIV prevention, treatment, and adherence challenges experienced by patients.
MetaReality: enhancing tactile experiences using actuated 3D-printed metamaterials in Virtual Reality
Authors: Feick Martin , Degraen Donald , Hupperich Fabian , Krüger Antonio
Published: June 2023

During interaction with objects in Virtual Reality haptic feedback plays a crucial role for creating convincing immersive experiences. Recent work building upon passive haptic feedback has looked towards fabrication processes for designing and creating proxy objects able to communicate objects’ properties and characteristics. However, such approaches remain limited in terms of scalability as for each material a corresponding object needs to be fabricated. To create more flexible 3D-printed proxies, we explore the potential of metamaterials. To this aim, we designed metamaterial structures able to alter their tactile surface properties, e.g., their hardness and roughness, upon lateral compression. In this work, we designed five different metamaterial patterns based on features that are known to affect tactile properties. We evaluated whether our samples were able to successfully convey different levels of roughness and hardness sensations at varying levels of compression. While we found that roughness was significantly affected by compression state, hardness did not seem to follow the same pattern. In a second study, we focused on two metamaterial patterns showing promise for roughness perception and investigated their visuo-haptic perception in Virtual Reality. Here, eight different compression states of our two selected metamaterials were overlaid with six visual material textures. Our results suggest that, especially at low compression states, our metamaterials were the most promising ones to match the textures displayed to the participants. Additionally, when asked which material participants perceived, adjectives, such as “broken” and “damaged” were used. This indicates that metamaterial surface textures could be able to simulate different object states. Our results underline that metamaterial design is able to extend the gamut of tactile experiences of 3D-printed surfaces structures, as a single sample is able to reconfigure its haptic sensation through compression.
Agri-food systems in sustainability transition: a systematic literature review on recent developments on the use of the multi-level perspective
Authors: Elsner Friederike , Herzig Christian , Strassner Carola
Published: June 2023

A sustainability transition (ST) of the agri-food system (AFS) is necessary due to manifold environmental and social exigencies. Scholars widely refer to the multi-level perspective (MLP) in the analysis of those transitions. The fast pace of articles covering AFS transitions, the evolving research on spaces between the three levels, and the consisting unclear conceptualization of MLP levels call for a systematic update on literature utilizing MLP in AFS articles covering ST. As a basis for reporting, this systematic literature review uses the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The search was conducted on the database Scopus encompassing the period from 2018 to 2022. After the selection procedure, 58 articles were included in the review. We extracted data based on a combination of a concept-driven and data-driven coding scheme. Qualitative research approaches outweigh and interrelated activities within the AFS are being analyzed, predominantly in the agricultural sectors. The focus lays on ongoing transitions. The concept of sustainability and its direction is considered as given (e.g., through the case lens), without further elaborations. The niche constitutes the most prominent object of study and scholars refer to rather socially innovative activities than technological innovations, providing distinct views on radicality and strategies to breakthrough. A space between niche and regime is being presented, with slightly distinct conceptualisations. Actors from both levels collaborate and exert transformative power. The regime is presented as static but also more vividly evolving views on the regime are demonstrated. The landscape receives the least attention and the focus lays on immaterial characteristics. Combinations of MLP with other frameworks have proven useful, for instance, regarding elaborations on the agency on the landscape level. Generally, an unclear conceptualization of regime and landscape persists, lacking a theoretical elaboration. Further research applying MLP should aim for a deeper examination of its theoretical construct, especially in terms of regime and landscape. More quantitative or mixed-methods research could supplement the current dominating qualitative approaches by testing and validating qualitatively constructed theories and phenomena.
Case report: Diagnosis and treatment of delayed epidural pyogenic abscess after brain tumor operation: a report of 5 cases and review of the literature
Authors: Shen HePing , Lin YingCong , Chu ZhengMin , Wang GengHuan , Chu WenLai
Published: June 2023

Objective

To explore the clinical manifestations and treatment of delayed epidural pyogenic abscess after brain tumor surgery.

Method

To retrospectively analyze the medical records of 5 patients with delayed epidural pyogenic abscess after brain tumor surgery in our hospital from January 2010 to December 2020, including clinical manifestations, laboratory results, imaging findings, treatment measures, prognosis, etc. The causes of epidural abscesses were analyzed, and the treatment methods and prognosis were evaluated.

Result

Among the 5 cases, there were 4 male and 1 female patient, aged 52–75 years. Three cases were gliomas and 2 cases were meningiomas. Four cases received postoperative radiotherapy, and 1 case had open frontal sinus during operation. None of the surgical incisions were infected. The time between the tumor surgery and the discovery of an epidural abscess was 1.5 to 24 months. All 5 patients had headaches, 1 case had a fever, and 2 cases had limb dysfunction. Three cases had elevated blood inflammatory markers. MRI- DWI showed restricted diffusion. All 5 patients underwent surgery, 4 patients had bone flap removed, and 1 patient had bone flap retained. Bacterial culture was positive in 3 cases and negative in 2 cases. All 5 cases were cured, followed up for 1.5–9 years, and no epidural abscess recurred.

Conclusion

The clinical manifestations and laboratory results of delayed epidural pyogenic abscess after brain tumor surgery are not specific, but MRI-DWI has specificity. Postoperative radiotherapy for brain tumors and intraoperative opening of the frontal sinus may be associated with delayed epidural pyogenic abscess. For patients with normal skin flap and no serious inflammation of the bone flap, clinicians can attempt to preserve the bone flap.
Racehorse welfare across a training season
Authors: Annan Rachel , Trigg Leah E. , Hockenhull Jo , Allen Kate , Butler Deborah , Valenchon Mathilde , Mullan Siobhan
Published: June 2023

Racehorse welfare is gaining increasing public attention, however scientific evidence in this area is lacking. In order to develop a better understanding of racehorse welfare, it must be measured and monitored. This is the first study to assess racehorse welfare using scientific objective methods across a training season. The aim of this study was threefold, firstly to investigate welfare measures which could be used in the first welfare assessment protocol for racehorses. Secondly, to understand the effect that a racing and training season had on individual racehorses and thirdly to identify risk factors for both good and poor welfare. Thirteen racehorse training yards were visited at the beginning and the peak of the racing season in England. Behavioral observations along with individual environmental and animal-based welfare measures were carried out on 353 horses in 13 training yards selected for variability. In our sample the horses were generally in good physical health: 94% of horses recorded as an ideal body condition score, no horses had signs of hoof neglect and 77.7% had no nasal discharge. The overall prevalence of external Mouth Corner Lesions was 12.9% and was significantly higher for Flat racing than Jump racing horses. The majority of horses (67.5%) showed positive horse human interactions. When stabled 54.1% horses had physical social contact and nasal discharge was not associated with increased physical contact. The training season significantly affected Human Reactivity Tests, Horse Grimace Scale scores and time spent resting and feeding. A total of 14.5% of horses displayed stereotypic behavior on at least two occasions. Horses with windows in their stables spent more time surveying their surroundings. Overall, in this population of racehorses, horses spent around a third of their daytime feeding (33.7%) followed by time spent standing resting (22.6%). The welfare assessment protocol used in this study is suitable for use in industry to collect welfare data on racehorses.
Robust Output Feedback Position Control of Hydraulic Support with Neural Network Compensator
Authors: Ding Haigang , Wang Yunfei , Zhang He
Published: June 2023

Hydraulic support is important equipment in the fully mechanized mining face, and the control performance of the hydraulic support multi-cylinder system directly affects the smooth progress of coal mining process, which is the basis for the continuous advancement of the coal face. However, the friction force of the hydraulic support in the process of pulling the frame is complex due to the underground environmental load. Moreover, the parameters of the moving cylinder are uncertain, and the state of the system cannot be fully measured, which increases the difficulty of control. A proportional-integral-derivative controller is usually used in electro-hydraulic closed-loop control systems because of its computational complexity, but its robustness is poorly adapted to variable load conditions in the coal mine. Therefore, a robust output feedback position controller is proposed in this paper to improve control accuracy and system robustness with only position signal. The multi-cylinder system of hydraulic support is modeled as a standard type, and then a high-order differentiator is proposed to estimate the immeasurable system states using the output position signal. A neural network compensator is applied to estimate and compensate for the external disturbance of the moving cylinder. Furthermore, the parameters of the ZY3200/08/18D hydraulic support are adopted to analyze the effectiveness of the designed controller in simulations. Finally, a real-time control system of hydraulic support is built, and the experimental results show that the novel robust output feedback controller has improved by 47.2% and 30.6% in tracking accuracy compared to PI controller.
Antimicrobial Coating Based on Tahiti Lemon Essential Oil and Green Banana Flour to Preserve the Internal Quality of Quail Eggs
Authors: Oliveira Gabriel da Silva , McManus Concepta , Salgado Cristiane Batista , Pires Paula Gabriela da Silva , de Figueiredo Sousa Heloisa Alves , da Silva Edilsa Rosa , dos Santos Vinícius Machado
Published: June 2023

This study evaluated the microbiological and internal quality of quail eggs stored for 21 days at room temperature (29.53 ± 1.36 °C) after being coated with green banana flour and Tahiti lemon essential oil (GBF/TAH). One hundred and sixty-two quail eggs were equally distributed into three treatments: (1) uncoated eggs, (2) eggs coated with green banana flour (GBF), and (3) eggs coated with GBF/TAH. The Haugh unit (HU) of the eggs was significantly lower in the third week for uncoated eggs (70.94 ± 1.63, grade A) compared to eggs coated with GBF/TAH (81.47 ± 2.38, grade AA). On the 21st day of storage, the eggs coated with GBF/TAH had significantly lower total counts of aerobic mesophilic bacteria in the shell and egg contents compared to the other treatments. GBF/TAH coating is an effective blending approach to reduce the microbial load of the shell and egg contents and preserve the sensory and internal quality of the eggs.
On the Fence: The Impact of Education on Support for Electric Fencing to Prevent Conflict between Humans and Baboons in Kommetjie, South Africa
Authors: Walsh Debbie , O’Riain M. Justin , Nattrass Nicoli , Gaynor David
Published: June 2023

Few studies test whether education can help increase support for wildlife management interventions. This mixed methods study sought to test the importance of educating a community on the use of a baboon-proof electric fence to mitigate negative interactions between humans and Chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) in a residential suburb of the City of Cape Town, South Africa. An educational video on the welfare, conservation and lifestyle benefits of a baboon-proof electric fence was included in a short online survey. The positioning of the video within the survey was randomised either to fall before or after questions probing the level of support for an electric fence. The results showed that watching the video before most survey questions increased the average marginal probability of supporting an electric fence by 15 percentage points. The study also explored whether the educational video could change people’s minds. Those who saw the video towards the end of the survey were questioned again about the electric fence. Many changed their minds after watching the video, with support for the fence increasing from 36% to 50%. Of these respondents, the results show that being female raised the average marginal probability of someone changing their mind in favour of supporting the fence by 19%. Qualitative analysis revealed that support for or against the fence was multi-layered and that costs and concern for baboons were not the only relevant factors influencing people’s choices. Conservation often needs to change people’s behaviours. We need to know what interventions are effective. We show in the real world that an educational video can be effective and can moderately change people’s opinions and that women are more likely to change their position in light of the facts than men. This study contributes to the emerging literature on the importance of education in managing conservation conflicts and the need for evidence-based interventions.
Saddle Thigh Block Design Can Influence Rider and Horse Biomechanics
Authors: Murray Rachel , Fisher Mark , Fairfax Vanessa , MacKechnie-Guire Russell
Published: June 2023

The association between rider–saddle interaction and horse kinematics has been little studied. It was hypothesized that differences in a thigh block design would influence (a) rider–saddle interface pressures, (b) rider kinematics, and (c) equine limb/spinal kinematics. Eighteen elite sport horses/riders were trotted using correctly fitted dressage saddles with thigh blocks S (vertical face) and F (deformable face). Contact area, mean, and peak pressure between rider and saddle were determined using an on-saddle pressure mat. Spherical markers allowed for the measurement of horse/rider kinematics using two-dimensional video analysis. The kinematics of the equine thoracolumbosacral spine were obtained using skin-mounted inertial measuring units. Results were compared between thigh blocks (paired t-test p ≤ 0.05). With F, the contact area, mean, and peak pressure between rider and saddle were significantly higher (p = 0.0001), and the rider trunk anterior tilt was reduced, indicating altered rider–saddle interaction. The horse thoracic axial rotation and flexion/extension were reduced (p = 0.01–0.03), caudal thoracic and lumbar lateral bend was increased (p = 0.02–0.04), and carpal flexion increased (p = 0.01–0.05) with F compared to S. During straight-line locomotion when in sitting trot, thigh block F was associated with altered rider–saddle interaction and rider and equine kinematics, leading to a more consistent rider–saddle interface, a more upright rider trunk during stance, an increased horse thoracic stability and lumbar lateral bend, and forelimb flexion, supporting the importance of optimising rider–saddle–horse interaction.
Transcriptome Profiling of Goose Ovarian Follicle Granulosa Cells Reveals Key Regulatory Networks for Follicle Selection
Authors: Liu Jie , Dai Shudi , Dai Zichun , Feng Yuyan , Lei Mingming , Chen Rong , Zhu Huanxi
Published: June 2023

The selection of follicles determines the reproductive performance of birds, but the process of follicle selection in geese is still elusive. This study focuses on Yangzhou geese during the egg-laying period and divides the follicular development process into three stages: small follicle development, follicle selection, and follicle maturation. Transcriptome sequencing was performed on granulosa cells from large white follicles, small yellow follicles, and F5 and F4 follicles. In addition, we selected the transcripts that remained unchanged during the development and maturation of small follicles but significantly changed during the follicular selection stage as the transcript collection that plays an important role in the follicular selection process. Then, we performed functional analysis on these transcripts and constructed a ceRNA network. The results showed that during the follicular selection stage, the number of differentially expressed mRNAs, miRNAs, and lncRNAs was the highest. In addition, miR-222-3p, miR-2954-3p, miR-126-5p, miR-2478, and miR-425-5p are potential key core regulatory molecules in the selection stage of goose follicles. These results can provide a reference for a better understanding of the basic mechanisms of the goose follicle selection process and potential targets for the precise regulation of goose egg production performance.
Immobilization of ZnO-TiO2 Nanocomposite into Polyimidazolium Amphiphilic Chitosan Film, Targeting Improving Its Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Applications
Authors: Abd El-Fattah Wesam , Alfaifi Mohammad , Alkabli Jafar , Ramadan Heba , Shati Ali , Elbehairi Serag , Elshaarawy Reda , Kamal Islam , Saleh Moustafa
Published: June 2023

This study presents a green protocol for the fabrication of a multifunctional smart nanobiocomposite (NBC) (ZnO-PIACSB-TiO2) for secure antimicrobial and antibiofilm applications. First, shrimp shells were upgraded to a polyimidazolium amphiphilic chitosan Schiff base (PIACSB) through a series of physicochemical processes. After that, the PIACSB was used as an encapsulating and coating agent to manufacture a hybrid NBC in situ by co-encapsulating ZnONPs and TiO2NPs. The physicochemical and visual characteristics of the new NBC were investigated by spectral, microscopic, electrical, and thermal methods. The antimicrobial indices revealed that the newly synthesized, PIACSB-coated TiO2–ZnO nanocomposite is an exciting antibiotic due to its amazing antimicrobial activity (MIC/MBC→0.34/0.68 μg/mL, 0.20/0.40 μg/mL, and 0.15/0.30 μg/mL working against S. aureus, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa, respectively) and antifungal capabilities. Additionally, ZnO-PIACSB-TiO2 is a potential fighter of bacterial biofilms, with the results being superior to those of the positive control (Cipro), which worked against S. aureus (only 8.7% ± 1.9 biofilm growth), E. coli (only 1.4% ± 1.1 biofilm growth), and P. aeruginosa (only 0.85% ± 1.3 biofilm growth). Meanwhile, the NBC exhibits excellent biocompatibility, as evidenced by its IC50 values against both L929 and HSF (135 and 143 µg/mL), which are significantly higher than those of the MIC doses (0.24–24.85 µg/mL) that work against all tested microbes, as well as the uncoated nanocomposite (IC50 = 19.36 ± 2.04 and 23.48 ± 1.56 µg/mL). These findings imply that the new PIACSB-coated nanocomposite film may offer promising multifunctional food packaging additives to address the customer demand for safe, eco-friendly food products with outstanding antimicrobial and antibiofilm capabilities.
The Benefits of Nanosized Magnesium Oxide in Fish Megalobrama amblycephala: Evidence in Growth Performance, Redox Defense, Glucose Metabolism, and Magnesium Homeostasis
Authors: Zhang Ling , Liu Zishang , Deng Ying , He Chaofan , Liu Wenbin , Li Xiangfei
Published: June 2023

This study evaluated the effects of dietary magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs) on the growth, redox defense, glucose metabolism, and magnesium homeostasis in blunt snout bream. Fish (12.42 ± 0.33 g) were fed seven diets containing graded levels of MgO NPs (0, 60, 120, 240, 480, 960, and 1920 mg/kg) for 12 weeks. Whole-body Mg retention decreased significantly as the dietary Mg increased. As dietary MgO NPs levels reached 120 mg/kg, the growth performance and feed utilization remarkably improved. When added at 240 mg/kg, oxidative stress was significantly reduced evidenced by the increased Mn-sod transcription and the decreased CAT and GSH-Px activities and the MDA content. Meanwhile, it enhanced glucose transport, glycolysis, and glycogen synthesis, while inhibiting gluconeogenesis, as was characterized by the increased transcriptions of glut2, gk, and pk, and the decreased transcriptions of fbpase and g6pase. In addition, the supplementation of 120 mg/kg MgO NPs promoted Mg transport marked by a significant increase in the protein expressions of TRMP7, S41A3, and CNNM1. In conclusion, the moderate supplementation of MgO NPs improved the growth performance, reduced hepatic oxidative stress, and promoted glucose transport, glycolysis, glycogen synthesis, and magnesium homeostasis in fish while inhibiting glu.
Simulation Study on Nanofluid Heat Transfer in Immersion Liquid-Cooled Server
Authors: Wen Shuai , Chen Gang , Wu Qiao , Liu Yaming
Published: June 2023

In order to study the application of nanofluids for enhancing heat transfer in the field of liquid-cooled data centers, a mathematical and physical model of liquid-cooled servers was established in this paper. FC–40 was used as the server cooling liquid base, and simulation studies were conducted on the flow and heat transfer of five types of nanofluid: Cu–FC40, CuO–FC40, Al–FC40, Al2O3–FC40, and TiO2–FC40. The results showed that using Al–FC40 nanofluids as the cooling medium had the best heat transfer effect. Under the same operating conditions, the average Nusselt number Nu and friction resistance coefficient f of five types of nanofluid were analyzed, and the heat transfer state of Al–FC40 nanofluid had the smallest f. Further analysis was conducted on the influence of ‘nanoparticle volume fraction’ α and ‘server inlet flow rate’ u on fluid flow and heat transfer. Our research found that an increase in α and the acceleration of u can effectively reduce the surface temperature of server components. As u increases, Nu gradually increases and f generally decreases, but the amplitude of the increase and decrease becomes smoother.
Research on the Deep Deterministic Policy Algorithm Based on the First-Order Inverted Pendulum
Authors: Hu Hailin , Chen Yuhui , Wang Tao , Feng Fu , Chen Weijin
Published: June 2023

With the mature development of artificial intelligence technology, the application of intelligent control algorithms in control systems has become a trend to meet the high-performance requirements of modern society. This paper proposes a deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) controller design method based on deep reinforcement learning to improve system control performance. Firstly, the optimal control policy of the DDPG algorithm is derived from the Markov decision process and the Actor–Critic algorithm. Secondly, in order to avoid local optima in traditional control systems, the capacity and the settlement method of the DDPG experience pool are adjusted to absorb positive experience to accelerate convergence and to complete efficient training. In response, and to solve the overestimation of the Q value in DDPG, the overall structure of the Critic network is changed to shorten the convergence period of DDPG at low learning rates. Finally, a first-order inverted pendulum control system was constructed in a simulation environment to verify the control effectiveness of PID, DDPG, and improved DDPG. The simulation results reveal that the improved DDPG controller has a faster response to disturbances, smaller displacement, and angular displacement of the first-order inverted pendulum. The simulation further proves that the improved DDPG algorithm has better stability and convergence and stronger anti-interference ability and stability recovery. This control method provides a certain reference for the application of reinforcement learning in traditional control systems.
Analysis and Test of the Tillage Layer Roll-Type Residual Film Recovery Mechanism
Authors: Shi Zenglu , Zhang Xuejun , Liu Xiaopeng , Kang Mengchen , Yao Jieting , Guo Lei
Published: June 2023

With the extensive use of plastic film mulching in planting, the amount of residual plastic film in soil has been increasing, causing soil and water pollution, harming crop growth, and reducing agricultural product quality and yield. In response to this issue, this study proposes a roll-type residual film recovery mechanism using the tillage layer method. The structure and operation principles of this system are discussed, and a detailed analysis of its key components and working process is provided. The lifting cutter operates at a speed of 22.37 rad/s, the pick-up drum at 4.58 rad/s, the roll forward rotation picks up the film at 13.74 rad/s, and the roll reverse film rotation unloads the film at 17.57 rad/s, with the unloading wheel rotating at a speed of 4.5 rad/s. ADAMS (software of automatic dynamic analysis of mechanical systems) Version No.2019 is used for modeling and analysis, and the displacement and velocity change patterns of MARKER_499, MARKER_500, and MARKER_505, which are marked points of the spring-tooth tips and are found to be the same. The maximum resultant displacement of MARKER_499 and MARKER_500 is 22.146 mm when picking up plastic film and 17.047 mm when unloading plastic film. Meanwhile, the maximum resultant displacement of MARKER_500 and MARKER_505 is 231.715 mm in the film-picking area and 234.028 mm in the film-unloading area. After analyzing the velocity of MARKER_499 during picking and unloading of the film, it was determined that the absolute velocity for the picking direction was 79,809.407 mm/s, and for the unloading direction it was 10,2266.168 mm/s. Bench tests show a tillage gathering rate of 71.6% and a surface gathering rate of 83.4%, meeting the performance requirements of the roller-type residual film recovery mechanism. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the design of the structure and operational parameters for the roll-type residual film recovery mechanism using the tillage layer method.
Intelligent Reception of Frequency Hopping Signals Based on CVDP
Authors: Yuan Ze , Zhao Zhijin , Zhang Yupei , Zheng Shilian , Dai Shaogang
Published: June 2023

The frequency hopping communication systems have been widely used in anti-jamming communication due to their anti-interception and anti-interference capabilities. With the increasingly complex electromagnetic environment, the transmitter of the frequency hopping communication system adopts more flexible frequency hopping patterns to cope with interference. Therefore, to address the problem of traditional frequency hopping receiver systems being unable to receive properly due to intelligent frequency hopping sequence decisions made at the transmitter, we design a CVDP (CNN_VIT_Dual Multi-head Probsparse Self-attention) network based on a convolutional neural network (CNN) module and Transformer Encoder module to realize the intelligent reception of frequency hopping signals. The designed CNN module extracts the global features and spatial information of the time-frequency spectrograms and serves as the input of the VIT (Vision Transformer) network, which not only solves the problem that the VIT network is difficult to converge on small data sets but also improves the stability and robustness of the VIT network. In the Transformer Encoder module of the VIT network, a dual multi-head self-attention mechanism is used to extract critical time-frequency features and a Probsparse self-attention idea is introduced to reduce the computational complexity. Simulation results on hopping frequency estimation and received BER(Bit Error Rate) of CVDP networks in different interference and channel environments show that when a hopping sequence is unknown, CVDP-based intelligent hopping receiver systems can achieve nearly the same receiver performance as conventional reception systems in which a hopping sequence is known.
Deep Transformers for Computing and Predicting ALCOA+Data Integrity Compliance in the Pharmaceutical Industry
Authors: Kavasidis Isaak , Lallas Efthimios , Leligkou Helen C. , Oikonomidis Georgios , Karydas Dimitrios , Gerogiannis Vassilis C. , Karageorgos Anthony
Published: June 2023

Strict adherence to data integrity and quality standards is crucial for the pharmaceutical industry to minimize undesired effects and ensure that medicines are of the required quality and safe for patients. A common data quality standard in the pharmaceutical industry is ALCOA+, which is a set of guiding principles for ensuring data integrity. Failure to comply with ALCOA+ guidelines, usually detected after audit inspections, may result in serious consequences for pharmaceutical manufacturers, such as the incurrence of fines, increase in costs, and production delays. It is, therefore, imperative to devise methods able to monitor ALCOA+ compliance and detect decreasing trends in data quality automatically. In this paper we present ALCOAi, a deep learning model based on the transformer architecture, which is able to process large quantities of non-homogeneous data and compute current and future ALCOA+ compliance. The proposed model can estimate trends concerning most ALCOA+ principles. The model was tested on a real dataset comprising raw sensor data, machine-provided values, and human-entered free-text data from two pharmaceutical manufacturing lines. The performed tests led to promising results in forecasting ALCOA+ compliance.
Structural Health Monitoring: Latest Applications and Data Analysis
Authors: Psuj Grzegorz , Szymanik Barbara
Published: June 2023

Structural health monitoring (SHM) is focused on the systematic monitoring of the state of structures to determine their safety, dependability, and durability [...]
Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis for Optimizing CO2 and NH3 Removal by Scenedesmus dimorphus Photobioreactors
Authors: Uguz Seyit , Arsu Talip , Yang Xufei , Anderson Gary
Published: June 2023

Numerous technologies have been investigated for mitigating air pollutant emissions from swine barns. Among them, algal photobioreactors (PBRs) can remove and utilize air pollutants such as CO2 and NH3 from barn exhaust. However, a challenge to PBR operation is that it involves multiple system input parameters and output goals. A key question is then how to determine the appropriate CO2 and NH3 concentrations in this case. Conventional statistical methods are inadequate for handling this complex problem. Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) emerges as a practical methodology for comparison and can be utilized to rank different CO2–NH3 interactions based on their environmental and biological performance. By employing MCDM methods, producers can effectively control the ratio of CO2 and NH3 concentrations, enabling them to identify the optimal range of operating parameters for various housing types, ensuring efficient pollutant mitigation. In this study, a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach was employed to support operation management. Specifically, influent CO2 and NH3 concentrations were optimized for three scenarios (the best biological, environmental, and overall performance), using a combination of two MCDM techniques. This study is anticipated to facilitate the system analysis and optimization of algae-based phytoremediation processes.