bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Amphiphilic Janus Microspheres Prepared by Caged Photoactivatable Alkoxysilane
Authors: Li Wei , Hu Daodao , Ma Jinxin , Shen Shukun
Published: February 2022

A simple photolysis route was proposed to prepare Amphiphilic Janus Particles (AJP) based on SiO2 microspheres. The surface of SiO2 microspheres were modified by photoactive alkoxysilane, which was synthesized by dealcoholization condensation of 6-nitroveratroyloxycarbonyl and isocyanatopropyl-triethoxysilane. UV irradiation caused eater-breaking allowed for the precise control of hydrophilic modification of the hemispherical exposed particles surfaces. The component and morphology of the obtained particles were characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and the Janus feature was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and dispersity in the oil–water dual-phases. The following results were obtained. The AJP with 450 nm size processes the hydrophilic amino groups on one side and the hydrophobic 6-nitroveratryloxycarbonyl moieties on the other. Additionally, the AJP were located at the phase boundary between water and n-hexane, and the negative charged gold nanoparticles with 25 nm size were adsorbed only onto the side with the positive charged amino groups. The AJP have interfacial adsorption energies that can be as much as three times larger than that of homogeneous particles and thus exhibit excellent surface activities.
Strong Philopatry, Isolation by Distance, and Local Habitat Have Promoted Genetic Structure in Heermann’s Gull
Authors: Mancilla-Morales Misael Daniel , Velarde Enriqueta , Aguilar Andres , Contreras-Rodríguez Araceli , Ezcurra Exequiel , Rosas-Rodríguez Jesús A. , Soñanez-Organis José G. , Ruiz Enrico A.
Published: February 2022

Philopatry can promote genetic differentiation among populations but remains undescribed in many seabirds. Hence, we explored such associations in Heermann’s Gull. Philopatry was observed monitoring 998 gulls in Rasa Island, while genetic differences were examined in the Cardonosa, Rasa, and Isabel islands using the cytochrome b of 296 gulls. Adults returned repeatedly to its natal valley or to a very close distance from it under different modelled hypotheses. Likewise, the interaction between sex and distance indicated significant male-biased philopatry. Besides, low to high genetic differentiation was observed between the Rasa and Cardonosa islands (ΦST = 0–0.22) (both in the Midriff Islands Region), but higher genetic differentiation against Isabel Island (ΦST > 0.25) (in the Mexican Province region). Consistently, genetic structure among regions was observed using different approaches (AMOVA: ΦCT = 0.49; SAMOVA: FCT = 0.49; and BAPS: K = 2). Similarly, a pattern of isolation by distance (rM = 0.82, p = 0.03), agrees with lower estimates of scaled migration rates between regions than among islands of the same region. Overall, it is suggested that the genetic structure found in Heermann’s Gull has been promoted by physical and behavioral barriers.
Nevus Comedonicus Syndrome Associated with Psychiatric Disorder
Authors: Woo Ha Young , Kim Sang Kyum
Published: February 2022

Nevus comedonicus (NC) is a rare hamartoma of the pilosebaceous unit origin. The association with extracutaneous abnormalities defines NC syndrome (NCS). Fewer than 50 cases of NCS have been reported in the English literature. A 31-year-old woman presented with grouped and linear comedonal papules present from birth and located on the left buttock along Blaschko’s lines. She had a history of pediatric mood disorder combined with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) from 5 years of age and was recently diagnosed with sinus bradycardia. Her skin lesion was surgically removed and microscopic findings revealed the aggregation of dilated follicular infundibula filled with prominent laminated keratin plugs, a characteristic finding of NC. This is the first report presenting NCS associated with mood disorder and ADHD. Psychiatric symptoms may represent systemic manifestation of NCS.
Glaucoma Detection Using Support Vector Machine Method Based on Spectralis OCT
Authors: Wu Chao-Wei , Chen Hsin-Yi , Chen Jui-Yu , Lee Ching-Hung
Published: February 2022

Spectralis optical coherence tomography (OCT) provided more detailed parameters in the peripapillary and macular areas among the OCT machines, but it is not easy to understand the enormous information (114 features) generated from Spectralis OCT in glaucoma assessment. Machine learning methodology has been well-applied in glaucoma detection in recent years and has the ability to process a large amount of information at once. Here we aimed to analyze the diagnostic capability of Spectralis OCT parameters on glaucoma detection using Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification method in our population. Our results showed that applying all OCT features with the SVM method had good capability in the detection of glaucomatous eyes (area under curve (AUC) = 0.82), as well as discriminating normal eyes from early, moderate, or severe glaucomatous eyes (AUC = 0.78, 0.89, and 0.93, respectively). Apart from using all OCT features, the minimum rim width (MRW) may be good feature groups to discriminate early glaucomatous from normal eyes (AUC = 0.78). The combination of peripapillary and macular parameters, including MRW_temporal inferior (TI), MRW_global (G), ganglion cell layer (GCL)_outer temporal (T2), GCL_inner inferior (I1), peripapillary nerve fiber layer thickness (ppNFLT)_temporal superior (TS), and GCL_inner temporal (T1), provided better results (AUC = 0.84). This study showed promise in glaucoma management in the Taiwanese population. However, further validation study is needed to test the performance of our proposed model in the real world.
Mechanical Factors Implicated in Zirconia Implant Fracture Placed within the Anterior Region—A Systematic Review
Authors: Attard Lauryn , Lee Victoria , Le Jennifer , Lowe Chloe , Singh Vipra , Zhao Jacky , Sharma Dileep
Published: February 2022

Background: To analyze the fracture resistance of zirconia implants within the anterior region and evaluate whether zirconia–zirconia implants can be a viable alternative to titanium implants. Methods: Four online databases (Cochrane Library, Ovid, PubMed, and Scopus) were searched for the period of January 2011 to July 2021. All studies that analyzed the in vivo clinical outcome of two-piece implants in the anterior region in English language were included. Results: The search strategy identified 242 studies. Of these studies, three studies were included for qualitative synthesis based on the pre-determined eligibility criteria. The results showed that there is significant difference in biological results, fractal behavior and other complications between one-piece and two-piece zirconia implants. Two-piece zirconia implants demonstrated favorable longevity and success rates within anterior maxillary in short-term trials. Conclusions: Although factors involved in fractures have been identified—sandblasting, implant diameter, occlusal load, age and implant coating—there is limited quantitative assessment to gauge the fracture resistance of two-piece zirconia implants. Hence, further research with long-term clinical evidence is required.
Cyanobacterial Blooms: Current Knowledge and New Perspectives
Authors: Moreira Cristiana , Vasconcelos Vitor , Antunes Agostinho
Published: February 2022

Cyanobacteria are ancient prokaryotes responsible for bloom formation in many freshwater resources worldwide. These dense agglomerations are a result of the rise of nutrient input (N and P) or temperature. The toxin content and illness associated with contact impair human health with repercussions in water quality. Produced by a wide variety of cyanobacteria species, CyanoBlooms are in need of a literature review to achieve a global scenario of its current impacts on freshwater resources aiming at changing behaviors towards CyanoBlooms globally and by making communities more resilient to this recurrent problem. With a global distribution, recent data highlight the impacts of climate change on CyanoBlooms occurrence, namely through the rise of temperature and nutrient input from storms and heavy rainfall. With current worldwide regulations based on the enumeration of the nutrient input of freshwater ecosystems, the increase in field monitoring regarding CyanoBlooms occurrence is demanded since evaluation of this parameter may conceal these massive agglomerations resulting in human health episodes and cyanotoxin outbreaks.
Design and Implementation of Scalable and Parametrizable Analog-to-Digital Converter on FPGA
Authors: Espitia Castillo Juan David Espitia , Cantó Navarro Enrique , Vidal-Idiarte Enric
Published: February 2022

The flexibility provided by FPGAs permits the implementation of several ADCs, each one configured with the required bit resolution and sampling frequency. The paper presents the design and implementation of scalable and parametrizable analog-to-digital converters (ADC), based on a successive approximation register (SAR), on FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays). Firstly, the work develops a systematic methodology for the implementation of a parametrizable SAR-based ADC from a set of building modules, such as the pulse-width modulator (PWM), external low-pass filter (LPF) and the analog comparator. The presented method allows choosing the LPF parameters for the required performance (resolution bits and sampling frequency) of a SAR-based ADC. Secondly, the paper also presents several optimizations on the PWM module to enhance the sampling frequency of implemented ADCs, and the method to choose the LPF parameters is adapted. The PWM and SAR logic are synthesizable and parametrizable, using a low number of resources, in order to be portable for low-cost FPGA families. The methodology and PWM optimizations are tested on a Zynq-7000 device from Xilinx; however, they can be adapted to any other FPGA.
Bidimensional and Tridimensional Poincaré Maps in Cardiology: A Multiclass Machine Learning Study
Authors: Donisi Leandro , Ricciardi Carlo , Cesarelli Giuseppe , Coccia Armando , Amitrano Federica , Adamo Sarah , D’Addio Giovanni
Published: February 2022

Heart rate is a nonstationary signal and its variation may contain indicators of current disease or warnings about impending cardiac diseases. Hence, heart rate variation analysis has become a noninvasive tool to further study the activities of the autonomic nervous system. In this scenario, the Poincaré plot analysis has proven to be a valuable tool to support cardiac diseases diagnosis. The study’s aim is a preliminary exploration of the feasibility of machine learning to classify subjects belonging to five cardiac states (healthy, hypertension, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure and heart transplanted) using ten unconventional quantitative parameters extracted from bidimensional and three-dimensional Poincaré maps. Knime Analytic Platform was used to implement several machine learning algorithms: Gradient Boosting, Adaptive Boosting, k-Nearest Neighbor and Naïve Bayes. Accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were computed to assess the performances of the predictive models using the leave-one-out cross-validation. The Synthetic Minority Oversampling technique was previously performed for data augmentation considering the small size of the dataset and the number of features. A feature importance, ranked on the basis of the Information Gain values, was computed. Preliminarily, a univariate statistical analysis was performed through one-way Kruskal Wallis plus post-hoc for all the features. Machine learning analysis achieved interesting results in terms of evaluation metrics, such as demonstrated by Adaptive Boosting and k-Nearest Neighbor (accuracies greater than 90%). Gradient Boosting and k-Nearest Neighbor reached even 100% score in sensitivity and specificity, respectively. The most important features according to information gain are in line with the results obtained from the statistical analysis confirming their predictive power. The study shows the proposed combination of unconventional features extracted from Poincaré maps and well-known machine learning algorithms represents a valuable approach to automatically classify patients with different cardiac diseases. Future investigations on enriched datasets will further confirm the potential application of this methodology in diagnostic.
A Comparison of Distribution Models for Fast Variations in the Indoor Radio Channel at 5G Frequency Range 1 Microwave Bands
Authors: Malo-Torreiro Sergio , Seijas-Iglesias Marta , Cuiñas Iñigo
Published: February 2022

The use of long-term (slow variations) for modelling radio propagation behavior in indoor scenarios limits the validity of such models, as most of the environments induced fast variations overlapped with the slow ones. Real world data gathered at different locations in two bands within Fifth Generation FR1 spectrum, 3 GHz and 5 GHz, provide insight on the effect of such fast variations and on the distribution models that would be useful to complement the long term analysis with short term behavior in order to improve the design of such 5G microwave networks. Comparisons among short term performance taking into account both the frequency, the visibility conditions and the environment size, shape and furnishing are presented with the focus on modelling as accurate as possible the narrowband channel. The use of ΔBIC (describing the difference between Bayesian Information Criteria indexes of each fitting) complements and confirms the insight provided by direct inspection on traditional fitting plots. This parameter could be interesting for future network deployments.
Deploying Efficiently Modern Applications on Cloud
Authors: Perri Damiano , Simonetti Marco , Gervasi Osvaldo
Published: February 2022

This study analyses some of the leading technologies for the construction and configuration of IT infrastructures to provide services to users. For modern applications, guaranteeing service continuity even in very high computational load or network problems is essential. Our configuration has among the main objectives of being highly available (HA) and horizontally scalable, that is, able to increase the computational resources that can be delivered when needed and reduce them when they are no longer necessary. Various architectural possibilities are analysed, and the central schemes used to tackle problems of this type are also described in terms of disaster recovery. The benefits offered by virtualisation technologies are highlighted and are bought with modern techniques for managing Docker containers that will be used to build the back-end of a sample infrastructure related to a use-case we have developed. In addition to this, an in-depth analysis is reported on the central autoscaling policies that can help manage high loads of requests from users to the services provided by the infrastructure. The results we have presented show an average response time of 21.7 milliseconds with a standard deviation of 76.3 milliseconds showing excellent responsiveness. Some peaks are associated with high-stress events for the infrastructure, but the response time does not exceed 2 s even in this case. The results of the considered use case studied for nine months are presented and discussed. In the study period, we improved the back-end configuration and defined the main metrics to deploy the web application efficiently.
Perception of the Transition to a Zero-Emission Economy in the Opinion of Polish Students
Authors: Kaczmarczyk Barbara , Urych Ilona
Published: February 2022

Renewable energy sources are an alternative to traditional sources and are based on inexhaustible and environmentally friendly supply. Various controversies have been stirred up by the development of energy production from renewable sources, e.g., due to the high cost of these investments or carbon footprint at the production stage of renewable installations, or later in the disposal process. However, they seem to be gradually offset by the numerous benefits that outweigh the initial costs of their support. Therefore, it is not surprising that European Union (EU) countries are at the forefront of the transition to a low-emission economy. This is evidenced, e.g., by a 22% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in Member States, with gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 58% between 1990 and 2017. Nevertheless, the use of renewable energy sources such as sun, wind, water, etc. is much more expensive than burning fossil fuels. This argument of high investment costs can be decisive in decisions of both public debates and individual households. Therefore, education on renewable energy sources is needed to facilitate the process of transition to a zero-emission economy in the European Union countries. This education should, above all, be addressed to young people, who will be making these decisions in the future. Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 will largely depend on the knowledge and awareness of young people. The aim of the paper is to diagnose the perception of the transition to a zero-carbon economy in the opinion of Polish schoolchildren. We put a particular emphasis on renewable energy sources as a key element shaping the security of the state in terms of sustainable ecology and friendly social development. We achieved the aim of the study through a research process with use of theoretical and empirical research methods. We analysed the literature on the subject and the current legal acts in the field of renewable energy sources. We also conducted a survey of high school students in Poland. The analysis of the research results allowed us to formulate recommendations on the possibility of shaping state security in the field of sustainable ecology and friendly social development.
Supporting Decarbonization Strategies of Local Energy Systems by De-Risking Investments in Renewables: A Case Study on Pantelleria Island
Authors: Novo Riccardo , Minuto Francesco Demetrio , Bracco Giovanni , Mattiazzo Giuliana , Borchiellini Romano , Lanzini Andrea
Published: February 2022

Nowadays, energy policymakers are asked to develop strategies to ensure an affordable clean energy supply as well as minimizing investment risks. In addition, the rise of several community engagement schemes and the uptake of user-scale technologies introduce uncertainties that may result in a disruptive factor for energy systems evolution. This paper introduces a novel scenario analysis approach for local energy planning that supports policymakers and investors in prioritizing new renewable power plant investments, addressing the risks deriving from citizens’ choices. Specifically, a combined analysis is performed on the adoption trends of distributed photovoltaic systems and electric vehicles that are expected to heavily influence the evolution of energy systems. For this reason, an energy model is developed for Pantelleria island, and its transition from an oil-based energy supply to a renewable one up to 2050 is investigated. It is demonstrated how optimal-cost renewable-based scenarios can assure a 45% to 52% CO2 emissions reduction and a 6% to 15% overall cost reduction with respect to the diesel-based business-as-usual scenario. The analyzed scenarios disclose the recommended investments in each renewable technology, considering their learning curves and the unpredictability of user-scale technology adoption. Consequently, priorities in the installation of renewable power plants are stressed, starting with the most resilient to future uncertainties, as well as promoting specific incentive measures for citizens’ commitment at a local scale.
An Investment Decision-Making Approach for Power Grid Projects: A Multi-Objective Optimization Model
Authors: Gao Lei , Zhao Zhen-Yu , Li Cui
Published: February 2022

With the reform of the power system in China, investments in power grid projects across the whole power system are increasing. However, there are various objectives to achieve in the investment decision processes of power grid projects, so the rational investments of a grid project can be seen as a multi-objective optimization problem. Meanwhile, these issues have rarely been studied at home and abroad, and this paper will fill this gap. As a result, this study critically analyzed the application of a multi-objective optimization model to power grid investment. Firstly, the objective factors of grid investments were explored, which were quantified through quantitative methods. Secondly, based on the characteristics of power grid investment, a multi-objective optimization model was established, and the assumptions and constraints of the model were presented. Finally, NSGA-II was used for solving the multi-objective optimization model. The results show that: (1) Multi-objective optimization models are suitable for the study of and deriving solutions for power grid investment by establishing suitable objective functions, assumptions and constraints, (2) According to the conventional steps of NSGA-II, suitable steps can be established to search for an optimal solution to the objective set of a power grid investment and (3) Due to the different concerns of different project scenarios, Pareto frontier solutions can be selected as the practical references of power grid projects. Therefore, the solution set makes the implementation scheme more flexible.
Thermal/Cooling Energy on Local Energy Communities: A Critical Review
Authors: Papatsounis Adamantios G. , Botsaris Pantelis N. , Katsavounis Stefanos
Published: February 2022

One of the most crucial factors for energy transition and the incorporation of renewable energy sources into the existing energy map is citizen engagement. Local energy communities (LECs), which are cooperative-based coalitions aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of the residential building sector, have received increasing attention in the past decade. This is because residential buildings account for almost half of the total energy consumed worldwide. A resounding 75% of it is used for thermal energy consumption, heating and cooling, cooking and bathing. However, the main focus of the literature worldwide is explicitly on electrical LECs, despite the fact that the significant increase in natural gas and oil prices, creates instability in the heating and cooling prices. The scope of this study is to provide an overview of the research field regarding Thermal LECs, using both a thorough literature review as well as bibliometric analysis (VOSviewer software), in order to validate the findings of the review. The results indicate a collective scarcity of literature in the field of thermal/cooling energy communities, despite their proven value to the energy transition. A significant lack of directives, research background and state initiatives in the context of LECs incorporating thermal/cooling energy production, storage and distribution systems, was also observed. Case studies and the applications of such systems are scarce in the available literature, while published studies need further feasibility assessments.
Can Education Save Money, Energy, and the Climate?— Assessing the Potential Impacts of Climate Change Education on Energy Literacy and Energy Consumption in the Light of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive and the Austrian Energy Efficiency Act
Authors: Keller Lars , Riede Maximilian , Link Steffen , Hüfner Katharina , Stötter Johann
Published: February 2022

The Austrian Education Energy Initiative ETSIT has been established as a response to the EU Energy Efficiency Directive and the Austrian Energy Efficiency Act. This paper investigates the energy literacy of its young participants, i.e., 6000 primary and secondary school students altogether, on a cognitive, affective and behavioural level, and it compares the putative energy-saving effectiveness of the workshops to that of conventional energy audits.For the current analysis, data from, 640 students who validly answered an online survey shortly after participating in one of the energy education workshops, and 353 students who validly answered the online survey approximately one year after having participated (overall n = 993) were analysed. The results indicate that ETSIT raises students’ energy literacy on a cognitive, affective and behavioural level with about three-quarters of participants claiming they will positively change their energy consumption behaviour in the future as a result of workshop participation. This is true shortly after participation in the workshops, and also at the 1-year follow-up. In its second impact perspective, this paper delivers an innovative attempt to look at education from a cost-benefit analysis. A default formula for energy audits is adopted to quantify the kilowatt hours (and thus emissions and costs) saved through workshop participation. Despite limitations, the surprising results show that such workshops can compete with conventional energy audits, and that education can, in fact, help save money, resources, and, most important of all, the climate.
Approximate Analytical Solutions to Nonlinear Oscillations of Horizontally Supported Jeffcott Rotor
Authors: Marinca Vasile , Herisanu Nicolae
Published: February 2022

The present paper focuses on nonlinear oscillations of a horizontally supported Jeffcott rotor. An approximate solution to the system of governing equations having quadratic and cubic nonlinearities is obtained in two cases of practical interest: simultaneous and internal resonance. The Optimal Auxiliary Functions Method is employed in this study, and each governing differential equation is reduced to two linear differential equations using the so-called auxiliary functions involving a moderate number of convergence-control parameters. Explicit analytical solutions are obtained for the first time in the literature for the considered practical cases. Numerical validations proved the high accuracy of the proposed analytical solutions, which may be used further in the study of stability and in the design process of some highly performant devices.
On the Potential of Using Air Pressure Fluctuations to Estimate Wind-Induced Tree Motion in a Planted Scots Pine Forest
Authors: Kolbe Sven , Mohr Manuel , Maier Martin , Osterholt Laurin , Gardiner Barry , Schindler Dirk
Published: February 2022

This paper reports statistical relationships between measured airflow, air pressure fluctuations, and the wind-induced motion of planted Scots pine trees (Pinus sylvestris L.). The results presented illustrate the potential of low-cost, ground-based air pressure measurements for monitoring wind-induced tree response. It is suggested that air pressure fluctuations can be used as surrogate information for above-canopy airflow, often used to estimate wind loads on forest trees. We demonstrate that air pressure fluctuations can be measured representatively at the forest floor and correlate very well with wind speed and direction at mean canopy-top (18 m a.g.l.) and above the 18 m high, 56-year-old forest. Their strong correlation (coefficient of determination R2 > 0.77) allows a good approximation of airflow conditions above the canopy, and, with some limitations, in the below-canopy space. Air pressure fluctuations also correlate very well with wind-induced tree motion with a similar correlation to that between wind speed and tree motion. Furthermore, the main directions of wind-induced tree motion agree very well with the propagation direction of air pressure waves. Above-canopy airflow measurements in forests with a large vertical extent are rare, and often require tall wind measurement towers. Therefore, we consider the estimation of airflow conditions over forests using ground-based air pressure measurements a promising option for monitoring the airflow conditions of relevance for predicting wind-induced tree response over large areas using a minimum of measurement infrastructure.
Kinship Analysis and Pedigree Reconstruction of a Natural Regenerated Cork Oak (Quercus suber) Population
Authors: Mendes Bruna , Sampaio Teresa , Antunes Marta A. , Magalhães Hugo , Costa e Silva Filipe , Borges Carla , Simões Fernanda , Usié Ana , Almeida Maria Helena , Ramos António Marcos
Published: February 2022

Cork oak (Quercus suber L.) is a valuable forest species in the western Mediterranean Basin due to its ecological value and the production of cork (a renewable natural material). Cork quality depends on the genetic background and cork oak environment, which has long been recognized. As no cork oak genetic trials with pedigree information were available, the inference of the genetic relatedness between individuals from molecular markers can potentially be applied to natural populations. This work aimed to investigate the potential of performing kinship prediction and pedigree reconstruction by SNP genotyping a natural cork oak population. A total of 494 trees located in Portugal were genotyped with 8K SNPs. The raw SNP set was filtered differently, producing four SNP sets that were further filtered by missing data, genotype frequency, and minor allele frequency. For each set, an identity by descent (IBD) matrix was generated to perform the relationship prediction, revealing from 22,114 to 23,859 relationships. Familial categories from the first to the third degree were able to be assigned. The feasibility of SNP genotyping for future studies on the kinship analysis and pedigree reconstruction of cork oak populations was demonstrated. The information produced may be used in further breeding and conservation programs for cork oak.
Brenneria nigrifluens Isolated from Aesculus hippocastanum L. Bark in Hungary
Authors: Tenorio-Baigorria Imola , Botyánszki Gergely , Gyuris Rita , Zsigó György , Palkovics László , Végh Anita
Published: February 2022

In Hungary, from the beginning of the 19th century, horse-chestnut trees have been planted widely and are popular ornamental trees in public parks, along streets, and in gardens. In the summer of 2015, longitudinal cracks on the trunk and branches and the intensive oozing of brown liquid were observed from a wound in a horse-chestnut tree in a park in Budapest. Some years later, in 2018 and 2019, the same symptoms were found in trees in other locations in Budapest. Several bacteria were reported that induce similar symptoms, including cracks and cankers on the bark of trunks and branches and sticky, white, red, brown, or black oozing. These pathogens belong to the genera Brenneria and Lonsdalea. Bark and exudate samples were taken with the aim of identifying the causal agent by conventional and molecular methods. Our results confirmed that the bacteria isolated from Aesculus hippocastanum trees belong to the genus Brenneria and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene region proved to have the closest phylogenetic relation with the Brenneria nigrifluens strains.
Deforestation for Agriculture Temporarily Improved Soil Quality and Soil Organic Carbon Stocks
Authors: Wang Bo , Wang Guibin , Myo Sai Tay Zar , Li Yong , Xu Cheng , Lin Zeyang , Qian Zhuangzhuang , Tang Luozhong
Published: February 2022

Deforestation for agricultural development or extension is a common land-use problem that may cause a series of changes in the ecological environment and soil carbon stock in planting systems. However, the response of soil physical, chemical properties and carbon stocks in agricultural systems in the initial period after deforestation have not been thoroughly examined, especially in the subsoil. We investigated the variations in the soil physicochemical properties and organic carbon stocks to a depth of 100 cm in a poplar (Populus deltoides cv. 35) plantation, a summer maize (Zea mays L.) followed by winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) field after 1 year of deforestation of a poplar plantation, and a wheat–maize rotation field used for decades. The soil bulk density and pH decreased, and the soil total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus, and total potassium contents increased considerably. The soil organic carbon (SOC) content and stocks (to 100 cm) increased by 32.8% and 20.1%, respectively. The soil TN content was significantly (p < 0.001) positively correlated with the SOC content, and the C:N ratio increased for the field following deforestation. Furthermore, the nitrogen in the poplar plantation and the field following deforestation was limited. We recommend increasing the amount of nitrogen fertilizer following deforestation to improve fertility and this will be beneficial to SOC storage.
The Effect of Hydromorphism on Soils and Soil Organic Matter during the Primary Succession Processes of Forest Vegetation on Ancient Alluvial Sands of the European North-East of Russia
Authors: Likhanova Irina A. , Deneva Svetlana V. , Kholopov Yuriy V. , Kuznetsova Elena G. , Shakhtarova Olga V. , Lapteva Elena M.
Published: February 2022

The article considers the role of hydromorphism in the soil formation processes on ancient alluvial sandy deposits at the primary succession period. Soil organic matter was given special attention. The studies were carried out in the European north-east of Russia (the Komi Republic) in the middle taiga subzone in the territory of a building-sand quarry (61°57′35″ N, 50°36′22″ E) and background sites near the quarry. The authors analyzed the morphological structure of soil profiles, and the principal physical-chemical properties of mature and young soils forming under pine forests. Formation of forest litter and humus-accumulative horizons, as well as soil organic matter accumulation were thoroughly studied. Already in the fourth–fifth succession decades, the soils in a series of increasing hydromorphism actively demonstrated regularities that are normally characteristic of background soils, for example, increase in acidity, silt fraction, carbon and nitrogen reserves. Against moisture deficiency, the accumulation rate of organic carbon became slow and amounted to 0.07–0.11 t ha−1 year−1. The excessive soil moisture content increased the rate up to 0.38–0.58 t ha−1 year−1 due to the conservation of plant material in the form of peat. The upper 50-cm profile layer of young soil contains Corg stock 3–5 times less than that of background soils. The major soil-forming processes are litter formation and podzolization in drained conditions, litter formation in conditions of high moisture, and peat formation and gleization against excessive moisture.
Genetic Evaluation of Juniperus sabina L. (Cupressaceae) in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions of China Based on SSR Markers
Authors: Lu Dongye , Huang Haiguang , Wang Aijun , Zhang Guosheng
Published: February 2022

Juniperus sabina L., a shrub distributed in patches in arid and semi-arid areas of the northern hemisphere, plays an important role in preventing land desertification and maintaining ecosystems. However, few studies have reported genetic diversity and genetic structure of widely distributed populations of J. sabina in northwest China. Here, we evaluated the genetic diversity and genetic structure and predicted the isolation barriers among 11 populations based on 20 simple sequence repeats (SSRs). A total of 134 alleles were generated and the average number of alleles per locus was 6.70. The Shannon diversity index ranged from 0.659 to 0.951, with an average of 0.825. Population structure analysis revealed that the populations were assigned into two genetic groups. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated that 88% of genetic variation existed within populations. Moderate population differentiation was occurred with FST value of 0.090. Finally, we concluded that geographic isolation is the main factor affecting the genetic structure of J. sabina populations. The results of this study provide a foundation for the strategies for J. sabina genetic conservation and management.
Effects of Afforestation Projects on Tradeoffs between Ecosystem Services: A Case Study of the Guanting Reservoir Basin, China
Authors: Pan Tianshi , Zuo Lijun , Zhang Zengxiang , Zhao Xiaoli , Sun Feifei , Zhu Zijuan , Liu Yingchun
Published: February 2022

Evaluating the responses of ecosystem services (ESs) to local land-use changes is critical for understanding the effects of ecological projects related to land planning. Change patterns in the interrelationships between ESs delivered by land-use changes, which are helpful for formulating future strategies, have not been well studied. In this study, we quantified four ESs, namely water yield (WY), water and soil conservation, nonpoint pollution control, and carbon sequestration services, based on the soil and water assessment tool model (SWAT) in the Zhangjiakou section of the Guanting Reservoir watershed, a region with a high concentration of afforestation projects. The impacts of land-use changes on changes in ESs and interrelationships of ESs were investigated by redundancy analysis. The results showed that, along with afforestation, regional water conservation and soil organic carbon content increased by 3.22% and 1.08%, respectively, whereas sediment output, WY, phosphorus output, and nitrogen output decreased by 1.82%, 3.07%, 8.08%, and 12.51%, respectively. Significant tradeoffs of regional ESs were observed between WY and other ESs, while synergies existed between other ESs. Increased areas of evergreen and deciduous forests helped in conserving water, fixing carbon, and regulating runoff. Evergreen forests tended to conserve more water than deciduous forests. With the increase in grassland area, most of the ESs can be improved while introducing fewer tradeoffs compared with those of most of other land-use types. This study provided a better understanding of the effects of afforestation on ESs tradeoffs and benefits to develop better ecological conservation strategies in afforestation regions.
JoSDW: Combating Noisy Labels by Dynamic Weight
Authors: Zhang Yaojie , Xu Huahu , Xiao Junsheng , Bian Minjie
Published: February 2022

The real world is full of noisy labels that lead neural networks to perform poorly because deep neural networks (DNNs) are prone to overfitting label noise. Noise label training is a challenging problem relating to weakly supervised learning. The most advanced existing methods mainly adopt a small loss sample selection strategy, such as selecting the small loss part of the sample for network model training. However, the previous literature stopped here, neglecting the performance of the small loss sample selection strategy while training the DNNs, as well as the performance of different stages, and the performance of the collaborative learning of the two networks from disagreement to an agreement, and making a second classification based on this. We train the network using a comparative learning method. Specifically, a small loss sample selection strategy with dynamic weight is designed. This strategy increases the proportion of agreement based on network predictions, gradually reduces the weight of the complex sample, and increases the weight of the pure sample at the same time. A large number of experiments verify the superiority of our method.
Isolation and Characterization of Plasma-Derived Exosomes from the Marine Fish Rock Bream (Oplegnathus fasciatus) by Two Isolation Techniques
Authors: Nikapitiya Chamilani , Jayathilaka Eriyawala Hewage Thimira Thulshan , Edirisinghe Shan Lakmal , Rajapaksha Dinusha C. , Wasana Withanage Prasadini , Jayasinghe Jayasinghage Nirmani Chathurangika , De Zoysa Mahanama
Published: February 2022

Exosomes are important mediators of intercellular communication and modulate many physiological and pathological processes. Knowledge of secretion, content, and biological functions of fish exosomes during pathological infection is still scarce due to lack of suitable standardized isolation techniques. In this study, we aimed to isolate exosomes from the plasma of marine fish, rock bream (Oplegnathus fasciatus), by two isolation methods: differential ultracentrifugation (UC) and a commercial membrane affinity spin column technique (kit). Morphological and physicochemical characteristics of the isolated exosomes were determined by these two methods, and the efficiencies of the two methods were compared. Exosomes isolated by both methods were in the expected size range (30–200 nm) and had a characteristic cup-shape in transmission electron microscopy observation. Moreover, more intact exosomes were identified using the kit-based method than UC. Nanoparticle tracking analysis demonstrated a heterogeneous population of exosomes with a mean particle diameter of 114.6 ± 4.6 and 111.2 ± 2.2 nm by UC and a kit-based method, respectively. The particle concentration obtained by the kit method (1.05 × 1011 ± 1.23 × 1010 particles/mL) was 10-fold higher than that obtained by UC (4.90 × 1010 ± 2.91 × 109 particles/mL). The kit method had a comparatively higher total protein yield (1.86 mg) and exosome protein recovery (0.55 mg/mL plasma). Immunoblotting analysis showed the presence of exosome marker proteins (CD81, CD63, and HSP90) in the exosomes isolated by both methods and suggests the existence of exosomes. However, the absence of cytotoxicity or adverse immune responses to fish and mammalian cells by the exosomes isolated by the UC procedure indicates its suitability for functional studies in vitro. Overall, our basic characterization results indicate that the kit-based method is more suitable for isolating high-purity exosomes from fish plasma, whereas UC has higher safety in terms of yielding exosomes with low toxicity. This study provides evidence for the existence of typical exosomes in rock beam plasma and facilitates the selection of an efficient exosome isolation procedure for future applications in disease diagnosis and exosome therapy as fish medicine.
A Novel Biocompatible Ternary Nanoparticle with High Antibacterial Activity: Synthesis, Characterization, and Its Application in Beef Preservation
Authors: Lin Lin , Luo Chencheng , Li Changzhu , Chen Xiaochen , Cui Haiying
Published: February 2022

Edible nanoparticles containing antibacterial agents are one of the effective strategies to control foodborne diseases. Herein, novel ternary nanoparticles (TNP) were prepared from rosemary essential oil (REO), nisin and Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) through hydrophobic and electrostatic interaction. The average particle size of TNP was 211.5 nm, and its encapsulation efficiency reached 86.6%. After the addition of LBP, the physical stability, thermal stability and storage stability of TNP were significantly improved. In vitro, compared with the control group, the population of S. aureus and E. coli O157:H7 in the TNP-treated group was reduced by 2.386 log CFU/mL and 1.966 log CFU/mL, respectively, on the fifth day. The free radical scavenging rate of TNP was 63.15%. The application of TNP on beef presented favorable preservation effects without affecting its color and texture. Therefore, the synthesis strategy of TNP has important reference significance for the research and development of new food antibacterial agents.
Projecting Mortality Rates to Extreme Old Age with the CBDX Model
Authors: Dowd Kevin , Blake David
Published: February 2022

We introduce a simple extension to the CBDX model to project cohort mortality rates to extreme old age. The proposed approach fits a polynomial to a sample of age effects, uses the fitted polynomial to project the age effects to ages beyond the sample age range, then splices the sample and projected age effects, and uses the spliced age effects to obtain mortality rates for the higher ages. The proposed approach can be used to value financial instruments such as life annuities that depend on projections of extreme old age mortality rates.
Genome Wide Association Study Uncovers the QTLome for Osmotic Adjustment and Related Drought Adaptive Traits in Durum Wheat
Authors: Condorelli Giuseppe Emanuele , Newcomb Maria , Groli Eder Licieri , Maccaferri Marco , Forestan Cristian , Babaeian Ebrahim , Tuller Markus , White Jeffrey Westcott , Ward Rick , Mockler Todd , Shakoor Nadia , Tuberosa Roberto
Published: February 2022

Osmotic adjustment (OA) is a major component of drought resistance in crops. The genetic basis of OA in wheat and other crops remains largely unknown. In this study, 248 field-grown durum wheat elite accessions grown under well-watered conditions, underwent a progressively severe drought treatment started at heading. Leaf samples were collected at heading and 17 days later. The following traits were considered: flowering time (FT), leaf relative water content (RWC), osmotic potential (ψs), OA, chlorophyll content (SPAD), and leaf rolling (LR). The high variability (3.89-fold) in OA among drought-stressed accessions resulted in high repeatability of the trait (h2 = 72.3%). Notably, a high positive correlation (r = 0.78) between OA and RWC was found under severe drought conditions. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) revealed 15 significant QTLs (Quantitative Trait Loci) for OA (global R2 = 63.6%), as well as eight major QTL hotspots/clusters on chromosome arms 1BL, 2BL, 4AL, 5AL, 6AL, 6BL, and 7BS, where a higher OA capacity was positively associated with RWC and/or SPAD, and negatively with LR, indicating a beneficial effect of OA on the water status of the plant. The comparative analysis with the results of 15 previous field trials conducted under varying water regimes showed concurrent effects of five OA QTL cluster hotspots on normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), thousand-kernel weight (TKW), and/or grain yield (GY). Gene content analysis of the cluster regions revealed the presence of several candidate genes, including bidirectional sugar transporter SWEET, rhomboid-like protein, and S-adenosyl-L-methionine-dependent methyltransferases superfamily protein, as well as DREB1. Our results support OA as a valuable proxy for marker-assisted selection (MAS) aimed at enhancing drought resistance in wheat.
Differential Expression of Kisspeptin System and Kisspeptin Receptor Trafficking during Spermatozoa Transit in the Epididymis
Authors: Mele Elena , D’Auria Raffaella , Scafuro Marika , Marino Marianna , Fasano Silvia , Viggiano Andrea , Pierantoni Riccardo , Santoro Antonietta , Meccariello Rosaria
Published: February 2022

The hypothalamus–pituitary–testis axis controls the production of spermatozoa, and the kisspeptin system, comprising Kiss1 and Kiss1 receptor (Kiss1R), is the main central gatekeeper. The activity of the kisspeptin system also occurs in testis and spermatozoa, but currently the need of peripheral kisspeptin to produce gametes is not fully understood. Hence, we characterized kisspeptin system in rat spermatozoa and epididymis caput and cauda and analyzed the possible presence of Kiss1 in the epididymal fluid. The presence of Kiss1 and Kiss1R in spermatozoa collected from epididymis caput and cauda was evaluated by Western blot; significant high Kiss1 levels in the caput (p < 0.001 vs. cauda) and constant levels of Kiss1R proteins were observed. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed that the localization of Kiss1R in sperm head shifts from the posterior region in the epididymis caput to perforatorium in the epididymis cauda. In spermatozoa-free epididymis, Western blot revealed higher expression of Kiss1 and Kiss1R in caput (p < 0.05 vs. cauda). Moreover, immunohistochemistry revealed that Kiss1 and Kiss1R proteins were mainly localized in the secretory epithelial cell types and in contractile myoid cells, respectively. Finally, both dot blot and Elisa revealed the presence of Kiss1 in the epididymal fluid collected from epididymis cauda and caput, indicating that rat epididymis and spermatozoa possess a complete kisspeptin system. In conclusion, we reported for the first time in rodents Kiss1R trafficking in spermatozoa during the epididymis transit and Kiss1 measure in the epididymal fluid, thus suggesting a possible role for the system in spermatozoa maturation and storage within the epididymis.