bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Green Enterprise Logistics Management System in Circular Economy
Authors: Bozhanova Viktoriia , Korenyuk Petro , Lozovskyi Oleksandr , Belous-Sergeeva Svetlana , Bielienkova Olha , Koval Viktor
Published: May 2022

The article is devoted to the study of green enterprise logistics management and the circular economy incentives used for the implementation of green environmental projects in the countries of the European Union and Ukraine. The article develops methodological approaches and practical recommendations to improve the management system of the enterprise that collects garbage and makes preparations for garbage cardboard and paper recycling. Such system is based on the principles of “green logistics”, taking into account the competitive environment on Ukrainian market. The objectives of the study are the following: elaboration of methodological approaches to the formation of prospects for the development of an enterprise operating in a highly competitive environment; implementation of the strategy of searching and entering new markets for the purchase of raw materials that requires the improvement of the enterprise management system in the context of “green logistics”. A qualitative assessment of the effectiveness of the implementation of the principles of "green logistics" at the enterprise taking into account the economic, social and environmental effects has been carried out in this research. The system for the enterprise management based on the principles of “green logistics” has been proposed. It is recommended to be used at any enterprise that practices the appropriate type of activities (collecting, pressing and preparing cardboard and paper, as well as high-pressure plastic for processing). This approach of the sustainable development of the municipal solid waste treatment industry can be transferred to the country’s entire economy.
Technological Machines Operation by Identification Method
Authors: Kerimov Mukhtar , Belinskaia Irina , Evdokimov Konstantin , Samorukov Vyacheslav , Klochkov Yury
Published: May 2022

In order to effectively organize the process of agricultural enterprises, it is reasonable to involve management tools to build optimal models of interaction of individual components of the production process. The most significant part concerning the technical and economic efficiency is the technological process. However, the harvesting and postharvesting process is of the highest priority. The current stage of the management paradigm development includes the attraction of mathematical modeling in the organizational process. The construction of mathematical models is necessary at the stage of planning, organization, control, and is aimed at choosing such parameters of the technological process that will ensure the highest economic efficiency. At the same time, the validation process of the optimal parameters of machines and equipment that separate the grain receiving is of the most importance. While solving this problem, it is necessary to consider various efficiency criteria, the main of which are “loss volumes” and “reduced costs”. The criteria for the efficiency of the technical equipment of postharvesting grain process are the permissible values of agrotechnical requirements that consider the time of safe storage of freshly harvested grain mass without pretreatment and grain shatter losses due to its overripe. It is necessary to consider the maximum allowable volumes of losses during the postharvesting technological process. In order to define the best organizational solutions the iteration principle is used until a solution that meets the restrictions on the reduced costs level is found. The mathematical modeling in technological processes is carried out with the involvement of regression models that allow predicting the qualitative indicators of the operation of the pre-cleaning machine. As a result, it is possible to choose such a mode of equipment operation that ensures the production of grain that meets the regulatory requirements for the quality of the resulting product. The novelty of this study lies in the development of optimal ways for combine harvesters functioning. The article presents the methodology and procedure of optimizing the technological process during the postharvesting process of grain. The characteristics received as a result of experiments allow us to organize the technological process in an agricultural enterprise in the most optimal way so that it is economically and technically efficient.
Image Cryptography Based On A Second-Order QRT Difference Equation
Authors: Sutrisno Agus , Nuryaman Aang , Ansori Muslim , Faisol Ahmad
Published: May 2022

The use of mathematical concepts of mapping in cryptography provides advantages in securing text or image data. The qualitative properties of mapping can preserve data that is kept confidential. Two of the essential properties in the mapping are the reversible and the preserving area. In this article, besides constructing a linear mapping derived from a second-order QRT difference equation and examining its qualitative properties, the coding procedure is used to encrypt text and fractal images based on the two-dimensional linear maps. For the digital text and image security algorithms, we developed the pseudo code algorithm implemented in Mathematica®. The proposed encoding technique will be compared with a 2D mKdV linear map to demonstrate its efficacy.
Application-Based Cab Services in India: Commuters’ Barriers due to COVID-19
Authors: Trivedi Vibha , Pandey Krishan Kumar , Trivedi Ashish
Published: May 2022

The outbreak of the novel Coronavirus pandemic has brought the world to a standstill. The constant increase in the rise of cases and deaths has compelled nearly all countries to impose lockdowns and other restrictive measures. The restrictions on travel and other non-essential activities have raised some serious business concerns for ridesharing, carpooling, and cab rental services. This study aims to identify, analyze, and prioritize the commuters’ barriers to App-based Ridesharing Services during COVID-19’s first and second waves, and potential ways of adaptation for an anticipated third wave in Indian contexts. The hierarchy of barriers is established using the responses from sixty respondents and their analysis using the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) technique, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). ‘Safety from contagion’ was found to be the most significant and strong factor followed by the desire for personal space and personal security as the most important inhibitors for not choosing ridesharing services during COVID-19. Socio-economic status and the lack of reliability of service were not given much importance by the respondents. The current and potential implications for sustainable business and the environment are also discussed.
The Central Nervous System and Psychosocial Factors in Primary Microvascular Angina
Authors: Cattaneo Mattia , Halasz Geza , Cattaneo Magdalena Maria , Younes Adel , Gallino Camilla , Sudano Isabella , Gallino Augusto
Published: May 2022

Patients diagnosed with ischemia without obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA) comprise the group of patients with primary microvascular angina (MVA). The pathophysiology underlying ischemia and angina is multifaceted. Differences in vascular tone, collateralization, environmental and psychosocial factors, pain thresholds, and cardiac innervation seem to contribute to clinical manifestations. There is evidence suggesting potential interactions between the clinical manifestations of MVA and non-cardiac conditions such as abnormal function of the central autonomic network (CAN) in the central nervous system (CNS), pain modulation pathways, and psychological, psychiatric, and social conditions. A few unconventional non-pharmacological and pharmacological techniques targeting these psychosocial conditions and modulating the CNS pathways have been proposed to improve symptoms and quality of life. Most of these unconventional approaches have shown encouraging results. However, these results are overall characterized by low levels of evidence both in observational studies and interventional trials. Awareness of the importance of microvascular dysfunction and MVA is gradually growing in the scientific community. Nonetheless, therapeutic success remains frustratingly low in clinical practice so far. This should promote basic and clinical research in this relevant cardiovascular field investigating, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. Standardization of definitions, clear pathophysiological-directed inclusion criteria, crossover design, adequate sample size, and mid-term follow-up through multicenter randomized trials are mandatory for future study in this field.
Small Noncoding RNAome Changes During Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Senescence In Vitro
Authors: Xiao Fei , Peng Jianping , Li Yang , Zhou Xing , Ma Ding , Dai Liming , Yuan Jie , Chen Xiaodong , Wang Chuandong
Published: May 2022

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been used in stem cell-based therapy for various diseases due to their self-renewing ability and differentiation potential to various types of cells and immunoprivileged properties. However, the proliferation capability and functionality of BMSCs are known to decline with aging, which severely limits the extensive applications of BMSC-based therapies. To date, the exact mechanism involved in the cellular senescence of BMSCs remains unclear. RNA is thought to be the initial molecular form of life on earth. It also acts as a transmitter and important regulator of genetic information expression. There are many kinds of small noncoding RNAs with different functions in cells that regulate important life activity processes in multiple dimensions, including development process, gene expression, genomic stability, and cellular senescence. In this study, a replicative senescence model of hBMSCs was established and the expression changes of small noncoding RNAs during senescence were detected by small RNA high-throughput sequencing analysis and qPCR. Small RNA sequencing results showed that there were significant differences in the expression of 203 miRNAs, 46 piRNAs, 63 snoRNAs, 12 snRNAs, and 7 rasiRNAs. The results of qPCR, which was performed for the verification of the sequencing results, showed that there were significant differences in the expression of 24 miRNAs, 34 piRNAs, 34 snoRNAs, and 2 snRNAs. These findings might provide a novel insight into hBMSC senescence and contribute to the development of new targeting senescence strategies.
Molecular Subtyping of Cancer Based on Robust Graph Neural Network and Multi-Omics Data Integration
Authors: Yin Chaoyi , Cao Yangkun , Sun Peishuo , Zhang Hengyuan , Li Zhi , Xu Ying , Sun Huiyan
Published: May 2022

Accurate molecular subtypes prediction of cancer patients is significant for personalized cancer diagnosis and treatments. Large amount of multi-omics data and the advancement of data-driven methods are expected to facilitate molecular subtyping of cancer. Most existing machine learning–based methods usually classify samples according to single omics data, fail to integrate multi-omics data to learn comprehensive representations of the samples, and ignore that information transfer and aggregation among samples can better represent them and ultimately help in classification. We propose a novel framework named multi-omics graph convolutional network (M-GCN) for molecular subtyping based on robust graph convolutional networks integrating multi-omics data. We first apply the Hilbert–Schmidt independence criterion least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (HSIC Lasso) to select the molecular subtype-related transcriptomic features and then construct a sample–sample similarity graph with low noise by using these features. Next, we take the selected gene expression, single nucleotide variants (SNV), and copy number variation (CNV) data as input and learn the multi-view representations of samples. On this basis, a robust variant of graph convolutional network (GCN) model is finally developed to obtain samples’ new representations by aggregating their subgraphs. Experimental results of breast and stomach cancer demonstrate that the classification performance of M-GCN is superior to other existing methods. Moreover, the identified subtype-specific biomarkers are highly consistent with current clinical understanding and promising to assist accurate diagnosis and targeted drug development.
Safety and Immunogenicity of Inactivated and Recombinant Protein SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines in Patients With Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Han Yuling , Yang Jiaxin , He Danshuang , Feng Yang , Liu Xiaoman , Min Yu , Fan Shenghao , Yin Guobing , Hu Daixing
Published: May 2022

Background

This study aimed at assessing the safety and immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in patients with thyroid cancer.

Methods

This observational study included thyroid cancer patients between April 1, 2021, and November 31, 2021, in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. All participants received at least one dose of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. SARS-CoV-2 IgG was tested, and the interval time between the last dose and humoral response test ranged from <1 to 8 months. The complications after SARS-CoV-2 vaccines were recorded.

Results

A total of 115 participants at least received one dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines with a 67.0% IgG-positive rate. Among them, 98 cases had completed vaccination, and the positivity of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies was 96% (24/25) with three doses of ZF2001. SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies’ positivity was 63.0% (46/73) of two doses of CoronaVac or BBIBP-CorV vaccine. Additionally, after 4 months of the last-dose vaccination, the IgG-positive rate (31.6%, 6/19) significantly decreased in thyroid cancer patients. The IgG-positive rate (81.0%, 64/79) was satisfactory within 3 months of the last-dose vaccination. Ten (10.2%) patients had side effects after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Among them, two (2.0%) patients had a fever, five (5.1%) patients had injection site pain, one (1.0%) patient felt dizzy, and one patient felt dizzy and had injection site pain at the same time.

Conclusion

SARS-CoV-2 vaccines (CoronaVac, BBIBP-CorV, and ZF2001) are safe in thyroid cancer patients. The regression time of SARS-CoV-2 IgG is significantly shorter in thyroid cancer patients than in healthy adults. Therefore, a booster vaccination dose may be earlier than the systematic strategy for thyroid cancer patients.
Ethanol Induces Secretion of Proinflammatory Extracellular Vesicles That Inhibit Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis Through G9a/GLP-Epigenetic Signaling
Authors: Zou Jian , Walter T. Jordan , Barnett Alexandra , Rohlman Aaron , Crews Fulton T. , Coleman Leon G.
Published: May 2022

Adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) is involved in learning and memory as well as regulation of mood. Binge ethanol reduces AHN, though the mechanism is unknown. Microglia in the neurogenic niche are important regulators of AHN, and ethanol promotes proinflammatory microglia activation. We recently reported that extracellular vesicles (EVs) mediate ethanol-induced inflammatory signaling in microglia. Therefore, we investigated the role of EVs in ethanol-induced loss of adult hippocampal neurogenesis. At rest, microglia promoted neurogenesis through the secretion of pro-neurogenic extracellular vesicles (pn-EVs). Depletion of microglia using colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSFR1) inhibition in vivo or using ex vivo organotypic brain slice cultures (OBSCs) caused a 30% and 56% loss of neurogenesis in the dentate, respectively, as measured by immunohistochemistry for doublecortin (DCX). Likewise, chemogenetic inhibition of microglia using a CD68.hM4di construct caused a 77% loss in OBSC, indicating a pro-neurogenic resting microglial phenotype. EVs from control OBSC were pro-neurogenic (pn-EVs), enhancing neurogenesis when transferred to other naive OBSC and restoring neurogenesis in microglia-depleted cultures. Ethanol inhibited neurogenesis and caused secretion of proinflammatory EVs (EtOH-EVs). EtOH-EVs reduced hippocampal neurogenesis in naïve OBSC by levels similar to ethanol. Neurogenesis involves complex regulation of chromatin structure that could involve EV signaling. Accordingly, EtOH-EVs were found to be enriched with mRNA for the euchromatin histone lysine methyltransferase (Ehm2t/G9a), an enzyme that reduces chromatin accessibility through histone-3 lysine-9 di-methylation (H3K9me2). EtOH-EVs induced G9a and H3K9me2 by 2-fold relative to pn-EVs in naïve OBSCs. Pharmacological inhibition of G9a with either BIX-01294 or UNC0642 prevented loss of neurogenesis caused by both EtOH and EtOH-EVs. Thus, this work finds that proinflammatory EtOH-EVs promote the loss of adult hippocampal neurogenesis through G9a-mediated epigenetic modification of chromatin structure.
Listening in on Multicellular Communication in Human Tissue Immunology
Authors: Albers Julian J. , Pelka Karin
Published: May 2022

Immune responses in human tissues rely on the concerted action of different cell types. Inter-cellular communication shapes both the function of the multicellular interaction networks and the fate of the individual cells that comprise them. With the advent of new methods to profile and experimentally perturb primary human tissues, we are now in a position to systematically identify and mechanistically dissect these cell-cell interactions and their modulators. Here, we introduce the concept of multicellular hubs, functional modules of immune responses in tissues. We outline a roadmap to discover multicellular hubs in human tissues and discuss how emerging technologies may further accelerate progress in this field.
Effects of IL-38 on Macrophages and Myocardial Ischemic Injury
Authors: Li Zhiyang , Ding Yan , Peng Yudong , Yu Jian , Pan Chengliang , Cai Yifan , Dong Qian , Zhong Yucheng , Zhu Ruirui , Yu Kunwu , Zeng Qiutang
Published: May 2022

Macrophages play an important role in clearing necrotic myocardial tissues, myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury, and ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction. M1 macrophages not only participate in the inflammatory response in myocardial tissues after infarction, which causes heart damage, but also exert a protective effect on the heart during ischemia. In contrast, M2 macrophages exhibit anti-inflammatory and tissue repair properties by inducing the production of high levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines and fibro-progenitor cells. Interleukin (IL)-38, a new member of the IL-1 family, has been reported to modulate the IL-36 signaling pathway by playing a role similar to that of the IL-36 receptor antagonist, which also affects the production and secretion of macrophage-related inflammatory factors that play an anti-inflammatory role. IL-38 can relieve myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury by promoting the differentiation of M1 macrophages into M2 macrophages, inhibit the activation of NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain-associated protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, and increase the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-10 and transforming growth factor-β. The intact recombinant IL-38 can also bind to interleukin 1 receptor accessory protein-like 1 (IL-1RAPL1) to activate the c-jun N-terminal kinase/activator protein 1 (JNK/AP1) pathway and increase the production of IL-6. In addition, IL-38 regulates dendritic cell-induced cardiac regulatory T cells, thereby regulating macrophage polarization and improving ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction. Accordingly, we speculated that IL-38 and macrophage regulation may be therapeutic targets for ameliorating myocardial ischemic injury and ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction. However, the specific mechanism of the IL-38 action warrants further investigation.
Immunocytes Rapid Responses Post-ischemic Stroke in Peripheral Blood in Patients With Different Ages
Authors: Zhang Haiyue , Guan Jingwei , Lee Hangil , Wu Chuanjie , Dong Kai , Liu Zongjian , Cui Lili , Song Haiqing , Ding Yuchuan , Meng Ran
Published: May 2022

Objectives

To explore the alterations in immune cell composition in peripheral blood in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) based on their age group.

Methods

Patients with imaging confirmed AIS were enrolled from April 2019 to January 2020 and were divided into three groups according to their ages: <55 years (group-A), 55–65 years (group-B), and >65 years (group-C). Blood samples were collected immediately when the patients were admitted to our ward prior to any intervention. Flow cytometry was used to analyze immune cell composition in peripheral blood.

Results

A total of 41 eligible patients were included for final analysis. Among the three groups, the proportions of CD56+ CD16dim NK cells were least to greatest in group-B, group-A, then group-C, respectively. With increasing age, there was a decrease in the proportion of CD3+ T-cells (group-A vs. group-C, P = 0.016) and CD3+CD4+ T-cells (group-C vs. group-A, P = 0.008; group-C vs. group-B P = 0.026). Meanwhile, no significant differences in proportions of monocytes and B cells were observed.

Conclusions

The compositions of immune cells in peripheral blood of AIS patients were distinct when divided by age groups. Differences in immune cell ratios may affect clinical outcomes and foreshadows possible need for customized treatment of AIS in different age groups.
DHW-221, a Dual PI3K/mTOR Inhibitor, Overcomes Multidrug Resistance by Targeting P-Glycoprotein (P-gp/ABCB1) and Akt-Mediated FOXO3a Nuclear Translocation in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Liu Mingyue , Xu Chang , Qin Xiaochun , Liu Wenwu , Li Deping , Jia Hui , Gao Xudong , Wu Yuting , Wu Qiong , Xu Xiangbo , Xing Bo , Jiang Xiaowen , Lu Hongyuan , Zhang Yingshi , Ding Huaiwei , Zhao Qingchun
Published: May 2022

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is considered as a primary hindrance for paclitaxel failure in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, in which P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is overexpressed and the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway is dysregulated. Previously, we designed and synthesized DHW-221, a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, which exerts a remarkable antitumor potency in NSCLC cells, but its effects and underlying mechanisms in resistant NSCLC cells remain unknown. Here, we reported for the first time that DHW-221 had favorable antiproliferative activity and suppressed cell migration and invasion in A549/Taxol cells in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, DHW-221 acted as a P-gp inhibitor via binding to P-gp, which resulted in decreased P-gp expression and function. A mechanistic study revealed that the DHW-221-induced FOXO3a nuclear translocation via Akt inhibition was involved in mitochondrial apoptosis and G0/G1 cell cycle arrest only in A549/Taxol cells and not in A549 cells. Interestingly, we observed that high-concentration DHW-221 reinforced the pro-paraptotic effect via stimulating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Additionally, intragastrically administrated DHW-221 generated superior potency without obvious toxicity via FOXO3a nuclear translocation in an orthotopic A549/Taxol tumor mouse model. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that DHW-221, as a novel P-gp inhibitor, represents a prospective therapeutic candidate to overcome MDR in Taxol-resistant NSCLC treatment.
Prognostic Factors and Treatment Strategies for Elderly Patients with Malignant Meningioma: A SEER Population-Based Study
Authors: Feng Songshan , Li Jing , Fan Fan , Wang Zeyu , Zhang Qian , Zhang Hao , Dai Ziyu , Zhang Xun , Luo Peng , Liu Zaoqu , Zhang Jian , Liu Zhuoyi , Cheng Quan
Published: May 2022

Objective

Malignant meningioma (MM) is a relatively rare disease with poor survival. Few studies had focused on MM in the elderly population. This study aims to explore the prognostic factors and optimal therapeutic strategy in elderly patients with MM.

Methods

We took advantage of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to include 275 adult patients with histologically confirmed MM between 2011 and 2018. The Kaplan–Meier curves were plotted by different covariates to reveal the survival probability. Univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were applied to identify prognostic factors for cancer-specific survival (CSS).

Results

The multivariable analysis in the elderly group revealed that when compared with patients receiving gross total resection (GTR), patients receiving biopsy had significantly worse CSS (HR = 3.72; 95% CI: 1.35–10.21; P = 0.011), whereas patients receiving subtotal resection (STR) had nearly the same CSS (HR = 0.83; 95% CI: 0.37–1.86; P = 0.653). Meanwhile, postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) showed no significant association with CSS in the elderly patient group (HR = 0.94; 95% CI: 0.42–2.12; P = 0.888).

Conclusion

Surgical resection is recommended for elderly patients with MM in the absence of surgical contraindications, but GTR does not present survival benefit in the elderly patients compared with STR. Additional large-scale clinical studies are needed to explore the survival benefit of PORT applied in patients with MM.
Measuring the Reliability of Postural Sway Measurements for a Static Standing Task: The Effect of Age
Authors: Lo Pei-Yi , Su Bo-Lin , You Yu-Lin , Yen Chen-Wen , Wang Shih-Ting , Guo Lan-Yuen
Published: May 2022

Background: A force plate is used to determine the ability to balance ability. However, only some medical centers or laboratories are equipped with force plates because they are costly so a low-cost force plate is required for home care or health care institutes. Few studies compare the reliability of postural sway measurements in terms of age. This study proposes a low-cost force plate to select reliable parameters to evaluate postural sway.

Objectives: To determine the intra-rater reliability of a novel force plate and the effect of age difference on the intra-rater test-retest reliability for the center of pressure (COP).

Methods: Forty participants were enrolled for this study: 20 youths and 20 older adults. Participants stood on a custom-made and low-cost force plate with eyes opened and eyes closed to measure COP-related parameters. The within-day test-retest reliability was measured at two sessions on the same day and the between-days reliability was measured on two different days. The COP-related parameters include the average velocity of COP, the average velocity in the antero-posterior and medio-lateral directions, the mean distance of COP and the mean distance in the antero-posterior and medio-lateral directions. An intra-class correlation coefficient test with one-way random model was performed to determine the reliability of different variables within-days and between-days. The results were presented in single measurement of intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), the standard error of measurements, and the minimal detectable changes of each COP-related parameters.

Results: The novel low-cost force plate demonstrates excellent reliability in terms of the COP velocity related parameters for within- and between-day measurements. The ICC of COP distance related parameters were good to excellent reliability for between-day measurements (range: 0.43–0.84). Older adults demonstrated excellent reliability in terms of the mean distance for antero-posterior and the results were better than those for younger participants for the eyes-opened and eyes-closed conditions. The reliability in terms of the mean distance for medio-lateral was poor to good for older adults (range: 0.38–0.55), and excellent for younger participants.

Conclusion: The novel and low-cost force plate reliably measured balance and age affects the reliability of different COP variables, so the results of this study were pertinent to the selection of COP measures.
Incubation Temperature and Lighting: Effect on Embryonic Development, Post-Hatch Growth, and Adaptive Response
Authors: YALCIN Servet , Özkan Sezen , Shah Tahir
Published: May 2022

During incubation, the content of the egg is converted into a chick. This process is controlled by incubation conditions, which must meet the requirements of the chick embryo to obtain the best chick quality and maximum hatchability. Incubation temperature and light are the two main factors influencing embryo development and post-hatch performance. Because chicken embryos are poikilothermic, embryo metabolic development relies on the incubation temperature, which influences the use of egg nutrients and embryo development. Incubation temperature ranging between 37 and 38°C (typically 37.5–37.8°C) optimizes hatchability. However, the temperature inside the egg called “embryo temperature” is not equal to the incubator air temperature. Moreover, embryo temperature is not constant, depending on the balance between embryonic heat production and heat transfer between the eggshell and its environment. Recently, many studies have been conducted on eggshell and/or incubation temperature to meet the needs of the embryo and to understand the embryonic requirements. Numerous studies have also demonstrated that cyclic increases in incubation temperature during the critical period of incubation could induce adaptive responses and increase the thermotolerance of chickens without affecting hatchability. Although the commercial incubation procedure does not have a constant lighting component, light during incubation can modify embryo development, physiology, and post-hatch behavior indicated by lowering stress responses and fearful behavior and improving spatial abilities and cognitive functions of chicken. Light-induced changes may be attributed to hemispheric lateralization and the entrainment of circadian rhythms in the embryo before the hatching. There is also evidence that light affects embryonic melatonin rhythms associated with body temperature regulation. The authors’ preliminary findings suggest that combining light and cyclic higher eggshell temperatures during incubation increases pineal aralkylamine N-acetyltransferase, which is a rate-limiting enzyme for melatonin hormone production. Therefore, combining light and thermal manipulation during the incubation could be a new approach to improve the resistance of broilers to heat stress. This review aims to provide an overview of studies investigating temperature and light manipulations to improve embryonic development, post-hatch growth, and adaptive stress response in chickens.
Thermo-Priming Mediated Cellular Networks for Abiotic Stress Management in Plants
Authors: Khan Ambreen , Khan Varisha , Pandey Khyati , Sopory Sudhir Kumar , Sanan-Mishra Neeti
Published: May 2022

Plants can adapt to different environmental conditions and can survive even under very harsh conditions. They have developed elaborate networks of receptors and signaling components, which modulate their biochemistry and physiology by regulating the genetic information. Plants also have the abilities to transmit information between their different parts to ensure a holistic response to any adverse environmental challenge. One such phenomenon that has received greater attention in recent years is called stress priming. Any milder exposure to stress is used by plants to prime themselves by modifying various cellular and molecular parameters. These changes seem to stay as memory and prepare the plants to better tolerate subsequent exposure to severe stress. In this review, we have discussed the various ways in which plants can be primed and illustrate the biochemical and molecular changes, including chromatin modification leading to stress memory, with major focus on thermo-priming. Alteration in various hormones and their subsequent role during and after priming under various stress conditions imposed by changing climate conditions are also discussed.
Interpersonal Mindfulness, Intergroup Anxiety, and Intercultural Communication Effectiveness Among International Students Studying in Russia
Authors: Khukhlaev Oleg , Novikova Irina , Chernaya Anna
Published: May 2022

In modern psychology, mindfulness is an important resource for psychological well-being and intergroup relations, but its role in intercultural communication effectiveness has not been sufficiently studied. This research aims to identify the interrelationship between interpersonal mindfulness, intergroup anxiety, and intercultural communication effectiveness among international students. The sample includes 337 (Mage = 22.93, SD = 3.11) international students (41.5% of females) from different countries studying in Russian Universities. Interpersonal mindfulness was measured using the Interpersonal Mindfulness Scale, Intergroup anxiety using ten items adapted from Stephan and Stephan and used in Gudykunst and Nishida, and Intercultural communication effectiveness using the eight items adapted from Gudykunst’s Perceived Effectiveness of Communication measure. Descriptive analysis, correlations, and mediation analyses were used to process the data. The research findings showed that interpersonal mindfulness has both a direct effect on intercultural communication effectiveness and a mediation effect on intercultural communication effectiveness through intergroup anxiety among the international students.
Reading Ability in Patients With Tuberous Sclerosis Complex: Results of Chinese Character Reading and Reading Comprehension Tests
Authors: Lee Hom-Yi , Yang Sheng-Hui , Sheu Ji-Nan , Tsai Jeng-Dau
Published: May 2022

Background

Most tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) patients have neurological disorders and are at high risk of academic difficulties. Among academic skills, reading ability is the most important academic skill. The study applied the Chinese character fluency test to measure the word recognition and reading comprehension of TSC children to observe whether they have the characteristics of reading disability, as an indicator of the spectrum of reading ability in TSC patients.

Methods

The patients were assessed using the Chinese character fluency test and reading comprehension test to explore the differences in reading ability in terms of gender, age, epilepsy history, genotype, and intelligence level.

Results

Of the 27 patients, the assessment of reading accuracy showed statistical differences between intellectual level > 80, PR (p = 0.024), and pass numbers (p = 0.018). For the fluency assessment, there was a difference between different intellectual level (p = 0.050). In the reading comprehension test, there was differences for intellectual level in positivity (p = 0.07) and pass numbers (p = 0.06).

Conclusion

The Chinese character fluency and reading comprehension test measure the word recognition and reading comprehension and the spectrum of reading ability in TSC patients. All individuals with TSC, especially those with below average of intellectual ability, should be considered for potential academic difficulties.
Text Sentiment Analysis Based on Transformer and Augmentation
Authors: Gong Xiaokang , Ying Wenhao , Zhong Shan , Gong Shengrong
Published: May 2022

With the development of Internet technology, social media platforms have become an indispensable part of people’s lives, and social media have been integrated into people’s life, study, and work. On various forums, such as Taobao and Weibo, a large number of people’s footprints are left all the time. It is these chats, comments, and other remarks with people’s emotional evaluations that make up part of public opinion. Analysis of this network public opinion is conducive to maintaining the peaceful development of society. Therefore, sentiment analysis has become a hot research field and has made great strides as one of the hot topics in the field of natural language processing. Currently, the BERT model and its variants have achieved excellent results in the field of NLP. However, these models cannot be widely used due to huge demands on computing resources. Therefore, this paper proposes a model based on the transformer mechanism, which mainly includes two parts: knowledge distillation and text augmentation. The former is mainly used to reduce the number of parameters of the model, reducing the computational cost and training time of the model, and the latter is mainly used to expand the task text so that the model can achieve excellent results in the few-sample sentiment analysis task. Experiments show that our model achieves competitive results.
Optimal Open-Loop Control of Discrete Deterministic Systems by Application of the Perch School Metaheuristic Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Panteleev Andrei V. , Kolessa Anna A.
Published: May 2022

A new hybrid metaheuristic method for optimizing the objective function on a parallelepiped set of admissible solutions is proposed. It mimics the behavior of a school of river perch when looking for food. The algorithm uses the ideas of several methods: a frog-leaping method, migration algorithms, a cuckoo algorithm and a path-relinking procedure. As an application, a wide class of problems of finding the optimal control of deterministic discrete dynamical systems with a nonseparable performance criterion is chosen. For this class of optimization problems, it is difficult to apply the discrete maximum principle and its generalizations as a necessary optimality condition and the Bellman equation as a sufficient optimality condition. The desire to extend the class of problems to be solved to control problems of trajectory bundles and stochastic problems leads to the need to use not only classical adaptive random search procedures, but also new approaches combining the ideas of migration algorithms and swarm intelligence methods. The efficiency of this method is demonstrated and an analysis is performed by solving several optimal deterministic discrete control problems: two nonseparable problems (Luus–Tassone and LiHaimes) and five classic linear systems control problems with known exact solutions.
Additive Manufacturing of Novel Hybrid Monolithic Ceramic Substrates
Authors: Kovacev Nikolina , Li Sheng , Li Weining , Zeraati-Rezaei Soheil , Tsolakis Athanasios , Essa Khamis
Published: May 2022

Additive manufacturing (AM) can revolutionise engineering by taking advantage of unconstrained design and overcoming the limitations of traditional manufacturing capabilities. A promising application of AM is in catalyst substrate manufacturing, aimed at the enhancement of the catalytic efficiency and reduction in the volume and weight of the catalytic reactors in the exhaust gas aftertreatment systems. This work addresses the design and fabrication of innovative, hybrid monolithic ceramic substrates using AM technology based on Digital Light Processing (DLP). The designs are based on two individual substrates integrated into a single, dual-substrate monolith by various interlocking systems. These novel dual-substrate monoliths lay the foundation for the potential reduction in the complexity and expense of the aftertreatment system. Several examples of interlocking systems for dual substrates were designed, manufactured and thermally post-processed to illustrate the viability and versatility of the DLP manufacturing process. Based on the findings, the sintered parts displayed anisotropic sintering shrinkage of approximately 14% in the X–Y direction and 19% in the Z direction, with a sintered density of 97.88 ± 0.01%. Finally, mechanical tests revealed the mechanical integrity of the designed interlocks. U-lock and Thread configurations were found to sustain more load until complete failure.
Residual Biomass Recovery in the Wine Sector: Creation of Value Chains for Vine Pruning
Authors: Florindo Tiago , Ferraz Ana I. , Rodrigues Ana C. , Nunes Leonel J. R.
Published: May 2022

Waste management is a current and transversal problem in all production areas, including agriculture. Within this economic activity, wine production generates a large amount of waste, namely, that resulting from the winemaking activity itself, such as pomace and grape stalks, and waste resulting from the management of the vineyards, with operations such as vine pruning. The management of vine pruning residuals has traditionally been conducted by burning leftovers on-site, without any use for the energy produced. This research analyzed the potential for the valorization of residual biomass resulting from vine pruning by creating a business model based on value chains of local scale. For this analysis, several samples of residues resulting from the “Loureiro” vine variety planted in Ponte de Lima (northern Portugal) were collected and characterized. The objective of the small-scale business model created, in addition, to solving the environmental problems related to the disposal of waste from agricultural activities, a value chain can be established, contributing to increasing the income of the farmers while introducing a circular bioeconomy and sustainable rural development practices.
Assuring Food Security: Consumers’ Ethical Risk Perception of Meat Substitutes
Authors: Liu Weijun , Hao Zhipeng , Florkowski Wojciech J. , Wu Linhai , Yang Zhengyong
Published: May 2022

The world’s growing population requires an adequate supply of protein to maintain food security, but animal protein production is limited by the finite resources of land, fresh water, and ocean capacity. Several meat substitutes offer protein alternatives that may improve food security in less-developed economies. However, perceptions of difference in the ethical risk associated with consumption of plant-based substitutes (PM) vs. cultured meat (CM) may affect purchases of these products. This study examined differences in ethical risk perception using online survey data gathered in 2020. An ordered logit technique yielded the probabilities of changes in ethical risk perception influenced by demographic attributes, views about the technology, and adequacy of industry regulations. The results show that consumers associated PM with low ethical risk. Educated consumers were more likely to agree that the ethical risks of CM are higher than PM and to regard PM products as safer than CM. Price sensitivity made consumers more likely to agree that the ethical risks related to CM are higher than those related to PM. Ingredient safety concerns increased the ethical risk perception of CM. Consumers perceiving the meat substitute classification to be unclear were more likely to assign a higher ethical risk to CM than PM. The perception of ethical risk associated with CM was greater than that associated with PM if meat substitute industry regulations were inadequate. The results suggest a need to provide verifiable information about each type of meat substitute as well as transparent and understandable standards and rules before these products can improve protein availability and food security.
Sprinkler Drip Infiltration Quality Prediction for Moisture Space Distribution Using RSAE-NPSO
Authors: Liang Zhongwei , Zou Tao , Zhang Yupeng , Xiao Jinrui , Liu Xiaochu
Published: May 2022

Considering the high quality requirements related to agricultural production, the intelligent prediction of sprinkler drip infiltration quality (SDIQ) of the moisture space distribution in soil fields is an important issue in precision irrigation. The objective of this research is to adaptively predict an optimal data set of SDIQ indices using a robust prediction algorithm called the regulated sparse autoencoder–niche particle swarm optimization (RSAE-NPSO) system, so that the SDIQ indices of various irrigated layers of loam, sandy, chernozem, saline–alkali, and clay soils can be predicted and analyzed. This prediction procedure involves the following steps. First, the drip infiltration effectiveness of the moisture on specific irrigated soil layers is measured. Second, a complete set of SDIQ indices used for assessing the moisture space distribution is introduced. Third, an analytical framework based on the RSAE-NPSO algorithm is established. Fourth, the intelligent prediction of SDIQ indices using RSAE-NPSO computation is achieved. This research indicates that when the irrigation parameters include the sprinkling pressure (Pw) at 224.8 KPa, irrigation duration time (Id) at 2.68 h, flow discharge amount (Fq) at 1682.5 L/h, solar radiation (Sr) at 17.2 MJ/m2, average wind speed (Aw) at 1.18 m/s, average air temperature (At) at 22.8 °C, and average air relative humidity (Ah) at 72.8%, as well as the key variables of the irrigation environment, including the soil bulk density (Sb) at 1.68 g/cm3, soil porosity (Sp) at 68.7%, organic carbon ratio (Oc) at 63.5%, solute transportation coefficient (St) at 4.86 × 10−6, evapotranspiration rate (Ev) at 33.8 mm/h, soil saturated hydraulic conductivity rate (Ss) at 4.82 cm/s, soil salinity concentration (Sc) at 0.46%, saturated water content (Sw) at 0.36%, and wind direction Wd in the north–northwest direction (error tolerance = ±5%, the same as follows), an optimal data set of SDIQ indices can be ensured, as shown by the exponential entropy of the soil infiltration pressure (ESIP) at 566.58, probability of moisture diffusivity (PMD) at 96.258, probabilistic density of infiltration effectiveness (PDIE) at 98.224, modulus of surface radial runoff (MSRR) at 411.25, infiltration gradient vector (IGV) at [422.5,654.12], and normalized infiltration probabilistic coefficient (NIPC) at 95.442. The quality inspection of the SDIQ prediction process shows that a high agreement between the predicted and actual measured SDIQ indices is achieved. RSAE-NPSO has extraordinary predictive capability and enables much better performance than the other prediction methods in terms of accuracy, stability, and efficiency. This novel prediction method can be used to ensure the infiltration uniformity of the moisture space distribution in sprinkler drip irrigation. It facilitates productive SDIQ management for precision soil irrigation and agricultural crop production.
Comparative Study between the Photosynthetic Parameters of Two Avocado (Persea americana) Cultivars Reveals Natural Variation in Light Reactions in Response to Frost Stress
Authors: Weil Amir , Rubinovich Lior , Tchernov Dan , Liran Oded
Published: May 2022

Avocado is a commercially important fruit tree which is sold worldwide. Originating in subtropical regions of the South America, this species is now grown worldwide and is sometimes exposed to cold temperatures. Specifically, frost stress harms the crop yield and its quality. While it is known in general that the photosynthetic apparatus changes in response to cold conditions, there is still not much information regarding the photosynthetic apparatus response to sporadic frost stress. In this study, we tracked the photosynthetic apparatus’ light reaction of ‘Hass’ and ‘Ettinger’ avocado cultivars to frost stress, with Ettinger being known to be more resilient to cold than Hass. We found that in avocado trees, the photosynthetic apparatus’ response to frost occurs at the level of photosystem II (PSII) itself, rather than a photoprotective response to a stress. The Hass apparatus incorrectly interprets the reduction in electron transport rate activity and by that increases its light harvesting complex size at the expense of its reaction centers which then increases the apparatus’ probability to generate reactive oxygen species. The results of this study open opportunities to further research the process which regulates the feedback mechanism that controls the photosynthetic unit’s size in Hass when compared to the Ettinger cultivar, and whether it is part of a feedback regulation from the carbon assimilation step or indirectly from a stomatal limitation which arises in these subtropical species. While corroborating past studies performed on avocados, this study suggests using advanced chlorophyll a fluorescence protocols when researching natural variation in crops.