bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of Apple Pomace as Substrate for Production of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Malolactic Starter Cultures
Authors: Cerdeira Victoria , Brizuela Natalia S. , Bravo Sebastián M. E. , Bravo-Ferrada Bárbara M. , Valdés La Hens Danay , Caballero Adriana C. , Semorile Liliana C. , Tymczyszyn E. Elizabeth
Published: November 2021

The by-products of the food industry are an economic alternative as a source of nutrients to obtain biomass. At the same time, theiruse could solve the environmental problem related to their disposal, which is highly polluting due to their elevated biochemical oxygen demand. In this work, we seek to optimize the production of cellular biomass of two native Patagonian strains of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (UNQLp 11 and UNQLp155), selected for its oenological and technological properties, using apple pomace (AP), a residue from the juice and cider industry. The supplementation of AP with yeast extract, salts, and Tween 80 (sAP), proved to maintain the growth of the Lpb. plantarum strains, similar to the commercial medium used to grow LAB (De Man, Rogosa, Sharpe, MRS). Cultures grown in sAP medium showed good tolerance to wine conditions (high ethanol content and low pH), demonstrated by its ability to consume L-malic acid. The subsequent inoculation of these cultures in sterile wines (Merlot and Pinot noir) was carried out at laboratory scale, evaluating cell viability and L-malic acid consumption for 21 days at 21 °C. Cultures grown in sAP media showed a similar performance to MRS media. Thus, sAP media proved to be a suitable substrate to grow oenological Lpb. plantarum strains where cultures (with high size inoculums) were able to drive malolactic fermentation, with an L-malic acid consumption higher than 90%.
Domain Adaptation and Federated Learning for Ultrasonic Monitoring of Beer Fermentation
Authors: Bowler Alexander L. , Pound Michael P. , Watson Nicholas J.
Published: November 2021

Beer fermentation processes are traditionally monitored through sampling and off-line wort density measurements. In-line and on-line sensors would provide real-time data on the fermentation progress whilst minimising human involvement, enabling identification of lagging fermentations or prediction of ethanol production end points. Ultrasonic sensors have previously been used for in-line and on-line fermentation monitoring and are increasingly being combined with machine learning models to interpret the sensor measurements. However, fermentation processes typically last many days and so impose a significant time investment to collect data from a sufficient number of batches for machine learning model training. This expenditure of effort must be multiplied if different fermentation processes must be monitored, such as varying formulations in craft breweries. In this work, three methodologies are evaluated to use previously collected ultrasonic sensor data from laboratory scale fermentations to improve machine learning model accuracy on an industrial scale fermentation process. These methodologies include training models on both domains simultaneously, training models in a federated learning strategy to preserve data privacy, and fine-tuning the best performing models on the industrial scale data. All methodologies provided increased prediction accuracy compared with training based solely on the industrial fermentation data. The federated learning methodology performed best, achieving higher accuracy for 14 out of 16 machine learning tasks compared with the base case model.
Assessing Wildfire Exposure to Communities and Protected Areas in Portugal
Authors: Alcasena Fermin , Ager Alan , Le Page Yannick , Bessa Paulo , Loureiro Carlos , Oliveira Tiago
Published: November 2021

During the 2017 wildfire season in Portugal, unprecedented episodes burned 6% of the country’s area and underscored the need for a long-term comprehensive solution to mitigate future wildfire disasters. In this study, we built and calibrated a national-scale fire simulation system including the underlying fuels and weather data and used the system to quantify wildfire exposure to communities and natural areas. We simulated 10,000 fire season replicates under extreme weather to generate 1.6 million large wildfire perimeters and estimate annual burn probability and fire intensity at 100 m pixel resolution. These outputs were used to estimate wildfire exposure to buildings and natural areas. The results showed a fire exposure of 10,394 structures per year and that 30% of communities accounted for 82% of the total. The predicted burned area in natural sites was 18,257 ha yr−1, of which 9.8% was protected land where fuel management is not permitted. The main burn probability hotspots were in central and northern regions. We highlighted vital priorities to safeguard the most vulnerable communities and promote landscape management programs at the national level. The results can be useful to inform Portugal’s new national plan under implementation, where decision-making is based on a probabilistic methodology. The core strategies include protecting people and infrastructure and wildfire management. Finally, we discuss the next steps necessary to improve and operationalize the framework developed here. The wildfire simulation modeling approach presented in this study is extensible to other fire-prone Mediterranean regions where predicting catastrophic fires can help anticipate future disasters.
DNA Accounting: Tallying Genomes to Detect Adulterated Saffron
Authors: Lievens Antoon , Paracchini Valentina , Pietretti Danilo , Garlant Linda , Maquet Alain , Ulberth Franz
Published: November 2021

The EU General Food Law not only aims at ensuring food safety but also to ‘prevent fraudulent or deceptive practices; the adulteration of food; and any other practices which may mislead the consumer’. Especially the partial or complete, deliberate, and intentional substitution of valuable ingredients (e.g., Saffron) for less valuable ones is of concern. Due to the variety of products on the market an approach to detect food adulteration that works well for one species may not be easily applicable to another. Here we present a broadly applicable approach for the detection of substitution of biological materials based on digital PCR. By simultaneously measuring and forecasting the number of genome copies in a sample, fraud is detectable as a discrepancy between these two values. Apart from the choice of target gene, the procedure is identical across all species. It is scalable, rapid, and has a high dynamic range. We provide proof of concept by presenting the analysis of 141 samples of Saffron (Crocus sativus) from across the European market by DNA accounting and the verification of these results by NGS analysis.
Linseed Silesia, Diverse Crops for Diverse Diets. New Solutions to Increase Dietary Lipids in Crop Species
Authors: Zuk Magdalena , Szperlik Jakub , Szopa Jan
Published: November 2021

The aim of the work was to compare the new variety of oil flax (Silesia) with already cultivated varieties in terms of plant productivity, oil content, fatty acid composition and significant secondary metabolites. The analyzed linseed varieties are characterized by low (Linola), medium (Silesia) and high (Szafir) content of omega-3 fatty acids. Special attention was paid to the quality of the oil and the characteristics that determine its stability (reduction of susceptibility to oxidation). A number of antioxidant compounds of secondary metabolism (simple phenols, phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins) were identified in the linseed oils. All of these compounds can affect lipid oxidation by a mechanism that attenuates initiating radicals such as hydroxyl or forms an oxidizing primary product such as peroxides. Chelation of metal ions may also be involved in lipid oxidation. We propose a mechanism that encompasses all these processes and facilitates understanding of the complex relationships between them. The general thesis is that the ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids is associated with a better metabolic state of flaxseed, and thus with a higher nutritional value. In addition, we find a number of specialized secondary metabolites characteristic of the flax studied, which could be useful for chemotaxonomy.
Antioxidant Activity of Stryphnodendron rotundifolium Mart. Stem Bark Fraction in an Iron Overload Model
Authors: Salazar Gerson Javier Torres , Dias Francisco Junio , Ribeiro Paulo Riceli Vasconcelos , de Brito Edy Sousa , Canuto Kirley Marques , Coutinho Henrique Douglas Melo , Ribeiro-Filho Jaime , Gallo Monica , Montesano Domenico , Naviglio Daniele , Zengin Gokhan , da Costa José Galberto Martins
Published: November 2021

Stryphnodendron rotundifolium Mart., popularly known as “barbatimão”, is a plant species traditionally used by topical and oral routes for the treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases. Considering the well-described antioxidant properties of this species, this study investigated the protective effects of its keto-aqueous extract using an in vitro model of iron overload. Phenolic compounds were quantified and identified by Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with quadrupole Time-Of-Flight Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (UPLC–ESI-qTOF-MS/MS) in positive and negative ions mode analysis. Antioxidant activity was analyzed following the iron-chelating–reducing capacity and deoxyribose degradation (2-DR) protection methods. The analysis identified condensed tannins (54.8 mg catechin/g dry fraction (DF), polyphenols (25 mg gallic acid/g DF), and hydrolyzable tannins (28.8 mg tannic acid/g DF). Among the constituents, prodelphinidin, procyanidin, and prorobinetinidine were isolated and identified. The extract significantly protected 2-DR degradation induced by Fe2+ (72% protection) or •OH (43% protection). The ortho-phenanthroline test revealed Fe2+-chelating and Fe3+-reducing activities of 93% and 84%, respectively. A preliminary toxicological analysis using Artemia salina revealed mortality below 10%, at a concentration of 0.25 mg/mL, indicating low toxicity under the present experimental conditions. In conclusion, the findings of the present study indicate that Stryphnodendron rotundifolium is a source of antioxidant compounds with the potential to be used in drug development in the context of iron overload disorders, which remains to be further investigated in vivo.
Different Forecasting Horizons Based Performance Analysis of Electricity Load Forecasting Using Multilayer Perceptron Neural Network
Authors: Madhiarasan Manogaran , Louzazni Mohamed
Published: November 2021

With an uninterrupted power supply to the consumer, it is obligatory to balance the electricity generated by the electricity load. The effective planning of economic dispatch, reserve requirements, and quality power provision for accurate consumer information concerning the electricity load is needed. The burden on the power system engineers eased electricity load forecasting is essential to ensure the enhanced power system operation and planning for reliable power provision. Fickle nature, atmospheric parameters influence makes electricity load forecasting a very complex and challenging task. This paper proposed a multilayer perceptron neural network (MLPNN) with an association of recursive fine-tuning strategy-based different forecasting horizons model for electricity load forecasting. We consider the atmospheric parameters as the inputs to the proposed model, overcoming the atmospheric effect on electricity load forecasting. Hidden layers and hidden neurons based on performance investigation performed. Analyzed performance of the proposed model with other existing models; the comparative performance investigation reveals that the proposed forecasting model performs rigorous with a minimal evaluation index (mean square error (MSE) of 1.1506 × 10−05 for Dataset 1 and MSE of 4.0142 × 10−07 for Dataset 2 concern to the single hidden layer and MSE of 2.9962 × 10−07 for Dataset 1, and MSE of 1.0425 × 10−08 for Dataset 2 concern to two hidden layers based proposed model) and compared to the considered existing models. The proposed neural network possesses a good forecasting ability because we develop based on various atmospheric parameters as the input variables, which overcomes the variance. It has a generic performance capability for electricity load forecasting. The proposed model is robust and more reliable.
Quantitative and Sensitive Mid-Infrared Frequency Modulation Detection of HCN behind Shock Waves
Authors: Stuhr Michael , Hesse Sebastian , Friedrichs Gernot
Published: November 2021

Despite its key role for the study and modeling of nitrogen chemistry and NOx formation in combustion processes, HCN has only rarely been detected under high-temperature conditions. Here, we demonstrate quantitative detection of HCN behind incident and reflected shock waves using a novel sensitive single-tone mid-infrared frequency modulation (mid-IR-FM) detection scheme. The temperature-dependent pressure broadening of the P(26) line in the fundamental CH stretch vibration band was investigated in the temperature range 670K≤T≤1460K, yielding a pressure broadening coefficient for argon of 2γAr296K=(0.093±0.007)cm−1atm−1 and a temperature exponent of nAr=0.67±0.07. The sensitivity of the detection scheme was characterized by means of an Allan analysis, showing that HCN detection on the ppm mixing ratio level is possible at typical shock wave conditions. In order to demonstrate the capability of mid-IR-FM spectroscopy for future high-temperature reaction kinetic studies, we also report the first successful measurement of a reactive HCN decay profile induced by its reaction with oxygen atoms.
A Framework for Dynamic Advanced Traveler Information Systems
Authors: Carrese Filippo , Carrese Stefano , Patella Sergio Maria , Petrelli Marco , Sportiello Simone
Published: November 2021

This paper presents the framework for a dynamic Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS). The ATIS currently in use provides users with stereotyped travel options, but the set of available modes in a given place and time is not the same for each traveler, and such a personal choice set varies within the context of daily trip chains. The research presented in this paper addressed these limitations by including dynamic features in the proposed system. The activity chain that the user performs as well as the personal mode availabilities are modelled simultaneously to define the logical architecture of an innovative information system. Such a technology was intended to assist travelers in performing their daily trip chaining. In order to provide some insight regarding the efficacy of the proposed procedure, a pilot test was performed using real travel time information. Results have shown that the ATIS proposed in this study might generate a significant reduction in travel times.
Stimuli-Responsive Dual Cross-Linked N-Carboxyethylchitosan Hydrogels with Tunable Dissolution Rate
Authors: Bratskaya Svetlana , Skatova Anna , Privar Yuliya , Boroda Andrey , Kantemirova Ekaterina , Maiorova Mariya , Pestov Alexander
Published: November 2021

Here, we discuss the applicability of (methylenebis(salicylaldehyde)—MbSA) for the fabrication of the stimuli-responsive N-carboxyethylchitosan (CEC) hydrogels with a tunable dissolution rate under physiological conditions. In comparison with non-covalent salicylimine hydrogels, MbSA cross-linking via covalent bis(‘imine clip’) and non-covalent hydrophobic interactions allowed the fabrication of hydrogels with storage moduli > 1 kPa at ten-fold lower aldehyde/CEC molar ratio with the preservation of pH- and amino-acid responsive behavior. Although MbSA-cross-linked CEC hydrogels were stable at neutral and weakly alkaline pH, their disassembly in cell growth medium (Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium, DMEM) under physiological conditions was feasible due to transimination reaction with amino acids contained in DMEM. Depending on the cross-linking density, the complete dissolution time of the fabricated hydrogels varied from 28 h to 11 days. The cytotoxicity of MbSA cross-linked CEC hydrogels toward a human colon carcinoma cell line (HCT 116) and primary human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) was remarkably lower in comparison with CEC-salicylimine hydrogels. Fast gelation, relatively low cytotoxicity, and tunable stimuli-induced disassembly under physiological conditions make MbSA cross-linked CEC hydrogels promising for drug encapsulation and release, 3D printing, cell culturing, and other biomedical applications.
Development of Novel Superabsorbent Hybrid Hydrogels by E-Beam Crosslinking
Authors: Călina Ion , Demeter Maria , Scărișoreanu Anca , Micutz Marin
Published: November 2021

In this study, several superabsorbent hybrid hydrogel compositions prepared from xanthan gum (XG)/sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)/graphene oxide (GO) were synthesized by e-beam radiation crosslinking. We studied and evaluated the effects of GO content from the chemical structure of the hydrogels according to: sol-gel analysis, swelling degree, diffusion of water, ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, network structure, and dynamic mechanical analysis. The gel fraction and swelling properties of the prepared hydrogels depended on the polymer compositions and the absorbed dose. The hybrid XGCMCGO hydrogels showed superabsorbent capacity and reached equilibrium in less than 6 h. In particular, the XGCMCGO (70:30) hydrogel reached the highest swelling degree of about 6000%, at an irradiation dose of 15 kGy. The magnitude of the elastic (G′) and viscous (G″) moduli were strongly dependent on the absorbed dose. When the degree of crosslinking was higher, the G′ parameter was found to exceed 1000 Pa. In the case of the XGCMCGO (80:20) hydrogel compositions, the Mc and ξ parameters decreased with the absorbed dose, while crosslinking density increased, which demonstrated that we obtained a superabsorbent hydrogel with a permanent structure.
Sapiens Dominabitur Astris: A Diachronic Survey of a Ubiquitous Astrological Phrase
Authors: Niermeier-Dohoney Justin
Published: November 2021

From the late thirteenth through late seventeenth centuries, a single three-word Latin phrase—sapiens dominabitur astris, or “the wise man will be master of the stars”—proliferated in astrological, theological, philosophical, and literary texts. It became a convenient marker denoting orthodox positions on free will and defining the boundaries of the scientifically and morally legitimate practice of astrology. By combining the methodology of a diachronic historical survey with a microhistorical focus on evolving phraseology, this study argues that closely examining the use of this phrase reveals how debates about the meanings of wisdom, free will, determinism, and the interpretation of stellar influence on human events changed radically across four centuries of Western European cultural and intellectual history. The first half of this article charts the scholastic response to theological criticisms of astrology and the reconciliation of Aristotelian-Ptolemaic cosmology with Catholic theology, paying special attention to its implications for astrology as viewed through scholarly uses of the phrase. The second half of the article shows how the phrase developed a multitude of idiosyncratic meanings in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, fracturing its late medieval scholastic unity, as new forms of philosophical, socio-political, religious, and scientific critiques upended astrological beliefs and practices. Ultimately, this paper argues that examining the theory and praxis of astrology through the changing phraseological meanings of “sapiens dominabitur astris” allows historians and cultural anthropologists to better discern the dialectical (as opposed to binary) relationships between free will and determinism in the West.
Electroacupuncture for Temporomandibular Disorders: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Sung Soo-Hyun , Kim Dongsu , Park Minjung , Hwang Su-In , Yoon Young-Jin , Park Jang-Kyung , Sung Hyun-Kyung
Published: November 2021

Although electroacupuncture (EA) is an effective treatment for pain relief, there has been no systematic review of EA treatment for temporomandibular disorder TMD. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of EA in TMD management. We searched 14 databases until April 2021 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effects of EA on TMDs. Eleven RCTs with 667 patients that used three acupuncture points (ST6, ST7, and LI4) were included. Two RCTs reported significant effects of EA plus microwave treatment compared with EA treatment alone on the total effectiveness rate (TER) for TMD. Further, two studies reported that compared with ultrashort wave alone, EA plus ultrashort wave had a significant effect on the TER for TMD and visual analog scale. All RCTs did not report adverse events. Our findings demonstrated the positive potential of EA in TMD management. However, there was weak evidence regarding EA use for TMD management given the poor quality and small sample sizes of the included studies. In the future, well-designed RCTs are required. It is necessary to investigate clinical trials and systematic reviews to compare the effectiveness and safety of EA and acupuncture for TMD.
Changes in Mental Health and Views on Communication and Activities of Public Institutions among Swedes during the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Cross-Sectional Repeated Measures Design
Authors: Kerstis Birgitta , Giannotta Fabrizia , Wågert Petra von Heideken , Hellström Charlotta , Lindberg Daniel , Stier Jonas , Elvén Maria
Published: November 2021

Although many studies have been conducted on the effects of COVID-19 on individual lives, only a few focus on the changes in mental health and views of public institutions during the pandemic. This study aimed to investigate how mental health, i.e., life satisfaction, worries, and psychological distress, and views on public institutions’ communication and activities have changed among Swedes during the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether this was moderated by age and sex. In April–May 2020 (survey 1) and in January–February 2021 (survey 2), 2554 adults and 1904 newly recruited adults, respectively, anonymously completed online surveys. We found that life satisfaction and psychological distress did not change from survey 1 to survey 2. However, the level of worries increased, and the positive views of the public institutions decreased. Moreover, worries and psychological distress increased more in young adults than older adults. Finally, the change in the views of the public institutions was not related to the change in worries. Our results highlight the COVID-19 long-term impacts on individual mental health and call for the need for future research concerning the consequences for the population, especially among young adults. The results also indicate that the views on activities of public authorities decreased over time, especially among men. Given that loss of this trust can have vastly negative effects, for instance, on the vaccine campaign, it is important to monitor this trend, to increase awareness among Swedish authorities. The results also stress for institutions to provide adequate support both during the COVID-19 pandemic and in a future crisis.
The Architectural Terracotta Marks of Bracara Augusta (Braga, Portugal): A First Typology Classification
Authors: Ribeiro Jorge , Antunes Filipe , Fragata Ana
Published: November 2021

Architectural Terracotta (ATC) is one of the most common materials in excavations from the Roman period. These ceramic building materials are an essential component of construction. Some of these pieces show potter´s marks, of different categories, that allow access to the production world of these materials. This investigation is a first typological classification of the 1216 marks from ATC materials, collected from 41 archaeological sites in Bracara Augusta (Braga, Portugal). Most of the marks were collected from the domus of Carvalheiras, one of the most emblematic archaeological sites of the city, currently under a musealization process. With this work it was possible to correlate the studied marks with specific terracotta types (shapes), context distribution and associated chronologies. The results suggested an organized and dynamic production, and an open-market, supported by numerous officinae, certainly of different sizes. Some of them were located near the housing area and reveal the presence of a large number of workers, including women and children. Further approaches on mineralogical, chemical and technological characterization of ATC, linked with stratigraphy, are under development.
Realistic Virtual Humans for Cultural Heritage Applications
Authors: Karuzaki Effie , Partarakis Nikolaos , Patsiouras Nikolaos , Zidianakis Emmanouil , Katzourakis Antonios , Pattakos Antreas , Kaplanidi Danae , Baka Evangelia , Cadi Nedjma , Magnenat-Thalmann Nadia , Ringas Chris , Tasiopoulou Eleana , Zabulis Xenophon
Published: November 2021

Virtual Humans are becoming a commodity in computing technology and lately have been utilized in the context of interactive presentations in Virtual Cultural Heritage environments and exhibitions. To this end, this research work underlines the importance of aligning and fine-tuning Virtual Humans’ appearance to their roles and highlights the importance of affective components. Building realistic Virtual Humans was traditionally a great challenge requiring a professional motion capturing studio and heavy resources in 3D animation and design. In this paper, a workflow for their implementation is presented, based on current technological trends in wearable mocap systems and advancements in software technology for their implementation, animation, and visualization. The workflow starts from motion recording and segmentation to avatar implementation, retargeting, animation, lip synchronization, face morphing, and integration to a virtual or physical environment. The testing of the workflow occurs in a use case for the Mastic Museum of Chios and the implementation is validated both in a 3D virtual environment accessed through Virtual Reality and on-site at the museum through an Augmented Reality application. The findings, support the initial hypothesis through a formative evaluation, and lessons learned are transformed into a set of guidelines to support the replication of this work.
Genome Wide Analysis of GH Gene Family Reveals Vvgh9 Positively Regulates Sugar Accumulation under Low Sugar Content in Grape
Authors: Xu Guangzhao , Wang Yi , Ren Chong , Fan Peige , Kuang Yangfu , Wang Yue , Liang Zhenchang
Published: November 2021

Sugar content directly affects grape (Vitis vinifera L.) berry quality and the resulting wine. Therefore, it is of great importance to study and explore novel genes that affect sugar accumulation in grapes. Glycosyl hydrolases (GHs) are key enzymes hydrolyzing polysaccharides into monosaccharides and play important roles in the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism. Nevertheless, the impact of GHs on the regulation of sugar accumulation in plants has rarely been investigated. In this study, we identified 11 putative GH genes in grapevines by phylogeny analysis. RNA-seq and quantitative real-time PCR results demonstrated that the expression level of VvGH9 was higher during the fruit set stage, which had lower sugar content than the véraison and ripe stages. Treatment of grape berries with exogenous sugar two weeks before véraison revealed that VvGH9 was rapidly induced by sucrose, fructose, and glucose. When ‘41B’ calli was treated with different concentrations of glucose, VvGH9 expression increased at first and then decreased with the increase of glucose concentration. Overexpression of VvGH9 in grape calli and tomatoes also confirmed that this gene could contribute to sugar accumulation. All the above results demonstrated that VvGH9 promotes sugar accumulation under low sugar content in plants.
Winter Production of Asian Leafy Greens in High Tunnels Using Biodegradable Mulches
Authors: Li Tongyin , Lalk Geoffrey T. , Zhang Qianwen , Xing Zhiheng , Bi Guihong
Published: November 2021

Use of season extension tools such as high tunnels and diverse vegetable crops have been crucial in improving competitiveness of vegetable growers in Mississippi who operate on small- to medium-sized farms. Chinese cabbage, also known as pak choy or bok choy, has become increasingly popular due to numerous cultivar choices, fast maturity, high productivity, tolerance for frost, and its potential use for winter production in high tunnels in a subtropical climate. Five Chinese cabbage cultivars including ‘Asian Delight’, ‘Black Summer’, ‘Red Pac’, ‘Rosie’, and ‘Tokyo Bekana’ were evaluated for plant growth, yield, and mineral nutrient concentrations when grown with three types of biodegradable plastic mulches (BDMs) and one polyethylene (PE, or plastic) mulch in a high tunnel in two experiments from 30 October 2019 to 18 March 2020. The five tested cultivars varied in plant height, widths, leaf SPAD, fresh and dry plant weights, marketable yield, and macro- and micro-nutrient concentrations. ‘Tokyo Bekana’ produced the highest marketable yield and fresh and dry plant weights in both experiments. The three BDMs resulted in similar marketable yield and mineral nutrients in tested cultivars and similar temperatures of leaf, mulch, and substrate compared to the PE mulch. The high tunnel provides a viable way for the winter production of selected Chinese cabbage cultivars in a subtropical climate with possible different yields between production cycles due to varying microenvironment in those months.
Evaluation of the Storage Characteristics in Maintaining the Overall Quality of Whole and Fresh-Cut Romaine Lettuce during MA Storage
Authors: Choi In-Lee , Lee Joo-Hwan , Choi Dam-Hee , Wang Li-Xia , Kang Ho-Min
Published: November 2021

This study aimed to examine the effect of modified atmosphere (MA) storage on the quality and storability of romaine lettuce. Whole and fresh-cut romaine lettuce were packaged with 1300; 10,000; 50,000; 100,000 cc m−2·day−1·atm−1 O2 transmission rate (OTR) films and stored at 2 or 8 °C for 15 days. The respiration and ethylene production rates before pre-cooling were higher in fresh-cut lettuce than in whole romaine lettuce. The reduction in fresh weight for whole and fresh-cut romaine lettuce during storage was less than 0.5%. The CO2 concentration was less than 2%, except for the 1300 cc treatment (at 8 °C for whole and fresh-cut lettuce) and 10,000 cc (in fresh-cut lettuce). At the end date of storage, the overall quality of the whole lettuce was good, the off-odor was lower in the 10,000 cc treatment, and the 50,000 cc treatment at 8 °C led to good overall quality in the fresh-cut lettuce. The chlorophyll content of the whole lettuce was maintained at a higher level in the treatment of 10,000 cc at 8 °C, while it was higher in the 50,000 cc treatments at 2 and 8 °C in the fresh-cut lettuce. Correlation and PCA confirmed that the main factors affecting the storability and quality of romaine lettuce were fresh weight loss rate, off-odor, and the concentration of CO2. In addition, the storage characteristics of whole and fresh-cut lettuce were opposite to 0 in PC1 and PC2, indicating that the storage characteristics were different depending on the processing type.
Trends of Major Foodborne Outbreaks in the European Union during the Years 2015–2019
Authors: Schirone Maria , Visciano Pierina
Published: November 2021

The incidence of the most common foodborne outbreaks reported by the European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control during the years 2015–2019 is described. Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Yersinia enterocolitica are the investigated microorganisms, and symptomatology, food categories responsible for human disease, as well as some prevention measures are the most important information schedules supplied to the readers. Campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis are the most common zoonoses with a notification rate of 59.7 and 20.0 per 100,000 population, respectively, in the year 2019. Good hygienic practices both at farm and domestic level could prevent such infections. The highest number of deaths is reported for listeriosis, corresponding to 31 fatal events in the year 2019. Therefore, awareness of the hazards linked to L. monocytogenes is particularly recommended amongst high-risk groups. By contrast, most cases of yersiniosis are sporadic and the most important prophylactic measures include adequate sanitation in pork chain, personnel hygiene, and protection of water supplies.
Transmission Dynamics of Schistosoma haematobium among School-Aged Children: A Cohort Study on Prevalence, Reinfection and Incidence after Mass Drug Administration in the White Nile State of Sudan
Authors: Jin Yan , Lee Young-Ha , Cha Seungman , Choi In-Uk , Ismail Hassan Ahmed Hassan Ahmed , Elhag Mousab Siddig , Hong Sung-Tae
Published: November 2021

The reinfection rate of schistosomiasis after mass drug administration (MDA) has not been documented in Sudan. We aimed to explore the transmission dynamics of urogenital schistosomiasis after MDA, targeting school-aged children in the White Nile State of Sudan, assessing the prevalence, reinfection rate, and incidence. A single dose of praziquantel (40 mg/kg) was administered to 1951 students in five primary schools from January to February 2018 immediately after a baseline survey, and follow-up surveys were performed at 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment. We examined Schistosoma haematobium eggs by centrifugation methods. The overall reinfection rate at 6 months after treatment was 9.8% (95% confidence interval: 0.5–17.4%). By school, the reinfection rate was highest in the Al Hidaib school, whose prevalence was highest at baseline. The reinfection rate was significantly higher in high-infection areas than low-infection areas (p = 0.02). Of the prevalence at 6 months in high-infection areas, 41% of cases were due to reinfection. MDA interventions are decided upon and undertaken at the district level. A more targeted treatment strategy should be developed with a particular focus on tracking high-risk groups, even within a school or a community.
Effects of Taekwondo Training on Body Composition: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Baek Seunghui , Park Jong-Beom , Choi Sang-Hwan , Lee Jae-Don , Nam Sang-Seok
Published: November 2021

Background: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of Taekwondo training on body composition and to evaluate the magnitude of the effect. Methods: Databases were used to select studies related to the effectiveness of Taekwondo training, and the inclusion criteria were as follows. Results: Thirty-seven studies were selected. We found statistically significant differences from the control group in weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist–hip ratio (WHR), body fat mass, body fat percentage, lean mass, and muscle mass. Also, the age group was statistically significant in control variables on weight, BMI, and body fat percentage. Conclusions: Taekwondo training had a positive effect on body composition, and these results suggest that Taekwondo training is an effective exercise method to lower obesity.
Investigating the Effectiveness and Acceptability of Oral Health and Related Health Behaviour Interventions in Adults with Severe and Multiple Disadvantage: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Systematic Review
Authors: McGowan Laura J. , Joyes Emma C. , Adams Emma A. , Coyte Aishah , Gavin Richard , Richmond Catherine , Shabaninejad Hosein , Beyer Fiona , Broadbridge Angela , Dobson Kevin , Landes David , Moffatt Suzanne , Watt Richard G. , Sniehotta Falko F. , Freeman Ruth , Paisi Martha , Bambra Clare , Craig Dawn , Kaner Eileen , Ramsay Sheena E.
Published: November 2021

Increasing numbers of people in England experience homelessness, substance use, and repeated offending (known as ‘severe and multiple disadvantage’; SMD). Populations experiencing SMD often have extremely poor oral health, which is closely inter-linked with high levels of substance use, smoking, and poor diet. This study aims to undertake an evidence synthesis to identify the effectiveness, resource requirements, and factors influencing the implementation and acceptability of oral health and related health behaviour interventions in adults experiencing SMD. Two systematic reviews will be conducted using mixed-methods. Review 1 will investigate the effectiveness and resource implications of oral health and related health behaviours (substance use, smoking, diet) interventions; Review 2 will investigate factors influencing the implementation of such interventions. The population includes adults (≥18 years) experiencing SMD. Standard review methods in terms of searches, screening, data extraction, and quality appraisal will be conducted. Narrative syntheses will be conducted. If feasible, a meta-analysis will be conducted for Review 1 and a thematic synthesis for Review 2. Evidence from the two reviews will then be synthesised together. Input from people with experience of SMD will be sought throughout to inform the reviews. An initial logic model will be iteratively refined during the review.
Knowing and Unknowing Purchases of Undeclared Healthcare Goods and Services: The Role of Vertical and Horizontal Trust
Authors: Horodnic Ioana Alexandra , Williams Colin C. , Maxim Alexandru , Stoian Iuliana Claudia , Țugulea Oana Carmen , Horodnic Adrian V.
Published: November 2021

Although major advances have been made in relation to explaining the supply side of the informal economy, this is not the case for the demand-side of the informal economy. This study analyses for the first time the purchasers of undeclared goods and services in the healthcare sector. To evaluate the purchase of undeclared healthcare goods and services, logistic regression analysis and robustness tests are used on 3048 interviews in Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Malta. The finding is that an important share of the purchasers make this type of purchase unknowingly. However, no difference in terms of socio-economics characteristics of those who knowingly and those who unknowingly made purchases of undeclared healthcare goods and services was identified. Meanwhile a significant influence of trust (in government and in other citizens) has been identified in relation to those who made these purchases knowingly. As such, policy measures aimed at decreasing unknowing purchases and at nurturing trust are discussed in the concluding section.
A Qualitative Analysis of Black and White Adolescents’ Perceptions of and Responses to Racially Targeted Food and Drink Commercials on Television
Authors: Miller Alysa , Cassidy Omni , Greene Tenay , Arshonsky Josh , Albert Stephanie L. , Bragg Marie A.
Published: November 2021

Food and beverage marketing is a major driver of childhood obesity, and companies target their least nutritious products to Black youth. However, little is known about adolescents’ perceptions of and responses to racially targeted food marketing. In this qualitative study, we investigated how Black and White adolescents perceived and responded to racially targeted television commercials for food and beverages. We recruited 39 adolescents aged 12–17 years in New York City to watch a series of commercials and then participate in an in-depth interview using a semi-structured interview guide. The research team recorded, transcribed, and analyzed interviews using ATLAS.ti. Overall, participants responded positively to commercials that featured celebrities. They were also able to recognize the commercials and reported they had been exposed to marketing from these companies on social media and in subways/buses. Many participants considered the advertised brands as healthy or able to enhance athletic performance because of their endorsement by or association with athletes. Participants also understood that marketers were using racial targeting in their ads but that targeting did not translate into improved perceptions or responses towards advertised products. These findings suggest the need to empirically evaluate and further explore Black and White adolescents’ responses to racially targeted food marketing.
Crash Injury Severity Prediction Using an Ordinal Classification Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Zhu Shengxue , Wang Ke , Li Chongyi
Published: November 2021

In many related works, nominal classification algorithms ignore the order between injury severity levels and make sub-optimal predictions. Existing ordinal classification methods suffer rank inconsistency and rank non-monotonicity. The aim of this paper is to propose an ordinal classification approach to predict traffic crash injury severity and to test its performance over existing machine learning classification methods. First, we compare the performance of the neural network, XGBoost, and SVM classifiers in injury severity prediction. Second, we utilize a severity category-combination method with oversampling to relieve the class-imbalance problem prevalent in crash data. Third, we take advantage of probability calibration and the optimal probability threshold moving to improve the prediction ability of ordinal classification. The proposed approach can satisfy the rank consistency and rank monotonicity requirement and is proved to be superior to other ordinal classification methods and nominal classification machine learning by statistical significance test. Important factors relating to injury severity are selected based on their permutation feature importance scores. We find that converting severity levels into three classes, minor injury, moderate injury, and serious injury, can substantially improve the prediction precision.
Spatiotemporal Evolution of the Online Social Network after a Natural Disaster
Authors: Shen Shi , Huang Junwang , Cheng Changxiu , Zhang Ting , Murzintcev Nikita , Gao Peichao
Published: November 2021

Social media has been a vital channel for communicating and broadcasting disaster-related information. However, the global spatiotemporal patterns of social media users’ activities, interactions, and connections after a natural disaster remain unclear. Hence, we integrated geocoding, geovisualization, and complex network methods to illustrate and analyze the online social network’s spatiotemporal evolution. Taking the super typhoon Haiyan as a case, we constructed a retweeting network and mapped this network according to the tweets’ location information. The results show that (1) the distribution of in-degree and out-degree follow power-law and retweeting networks are scale-free. (2) A local catastrophe could attract significant global interest but with strong geographical heterogeneity. The super typhoon Haiyan especially attracted attention from the United States, Europe, and Australia, in which users are more active in posting and forwarding disaster-related tweets than other regions (except the Philippines). (3) The users’ interactions and connections are also significantly different between countries and regions. Connections and interactions between the Philippines and the United States, Europe, and Australia were much closer than in other regions. Therefore, the agencies and platforms should also pay attention to other countries and regions outside the disaster area to provide more valuable information for the local people.
Structural and Functional Characterization of One Unclassified Glutathione S-Transferase in Xenobiotic Adaptation of Leptinotarsa decemlineata
Authors: Liu Yanjun , Moural Timothy , Koirala B K Sonu , Hernandez Jonathan , Shen Zhongjian , Alyokhin Andrei , Zhu Fang
Published: November 2021

Arthropod Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) constitute a large family of multifunctional enzymes that are mainly associated with xenobiotic or stress adaptation. GST-mediated xenobiotic adaptation takes place through direct metabolism or sequestration of xenobiotics, and/or indirectly by providing protection against oxidative stress induced by xenobiotic exposure. To date, the roles of GSTs in xenobiotic adaptation in the Colorado potato beetle (CPB), a notorious agricultural pest of plants within Solanaceae, have not been well studied. Here, we functionally expressed and characterized an unclassified-class GST, LdGSTu1. The three-dimensional structure of the LdGSTu1 was solved with a resolution up to 1.8 Å by X-ray crystallography. The signature motif VSDGPPSL was identified in the “G-site”, and it contains the catalytically active residue Ser14. Recombinant LdGSTu1 was used to determine enzyme activity and kinetic parameters using 1-chloro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB), GSH, p-nitrophenyl acetate (PNA) as substrates. The enzyme kinetic parameters and enzyme-substrate interaction studies demonstrated that LdGSTu1 could catalyze the conjugation of GSH to both CDNB and PNA, with a higher turnover number for CDNB than PNA. The LdGSTu1 enzyme inhibition assays demonstrated that the enzymatic conjugation of GSH to CDNB was inhibited by multiple pesticides, suggesting a potential function of LdGSTu1 in xenobiotic adaptation.
The High-Speed Cascade Wind Tunnel at the Bundeswehr University Munich after a Major Revision and Upgrade
Authors: Niehuis Reinhard , Bitter Martin
Published: November 2021

Since its first operation in 1956 at DFL Braunschweig and after its movement to Munich, the High-Speed Cascade Wind Tunnel (HGK) at Bundeswehr University Munich is intensively used for fundamental and application-oriented research on aero-thermodynamics of turbomachinery bladings. Numerous systematic airfoil design studies were performed over the last decades. Thanks to the HGK facility, which enables thorough and detailed cascade testing at turbomachinery-relevant conditions, many of those airfoils for different purposes finally made it into turbomachinery applications. Nowadays, the HGK still provides very useful contributions to the understanding of the complicated flow in compressor and turbine bladings, and thereby extends the knowledge on relevant physical phenomena. As a consequence of the intense usage, this unique test facility was subject to a major revision and upgrade. The performed changes are presented within this paper including an overview on new capabilities in terms of the extended operating range, the data acquisition system, and the recently available measurement equipment.
Identification of Serum Cytokine Biomarkers Associated with Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB)
Authors: Mensah Gloria Ivy , Boakye Alahaman Nana , Basingnaa Anthony , Owusu Enid , Antwi-Baffour Samuel , Ofori Michael Fokuo , Addo Kennedy Kwasi , Jackson-Sillah Dolly , Adekambi Toidi
Published: November 2021

Existing tools (including GeneXpert) for diagnosis of multidrug resistant TB (MDR-TB) have limited utility when sputum samples for microbiological analyses cannot be obtained. There is the need for immunological biomarkers which could serve as putative diagnostic markers of MDR-TB. We measured and compared the serum cytokine levels of inflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL12p70, IL-17A, granzyme B) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10, IL-6, IL-4) among MDR-TB, drug-susceptible (DS)-TB and healthy controls (no-TB) using the Human Magnetic Luminex Multiplex Immunoassay. Levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 were respectively 1.5 log lower and 1.9 log higher in MDR-TB compared to DS-TB cases. Moreover, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10, IL-6, and IL-4 levels were significantly higher in individuals with MDR-TB and DS-TB cases compared to healthy controls. Pairs of cytokines, IL-4 and IFN-γ (p = 0.019), IL-4 and TNF (p = 0.019), and Granzyme B and TNF-α (p = 0.019), showed significant positive correlation in MDR-TB. Serum cytokine profiles can be exploited for immunodiagnostics, as made evident by the Interferon Gamma Release Assays (IGRAs) for TB infection. Using area under the curve values, no single or multiple cytokine combinations could discriminate between DS- and MDR-TB in this study. Studies with a larger sample size and more cytokines could better address the issue.