bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Carbide Slag Combined with Biochar on Improving Acidic Soil of Copper Sulfide Mines
Authors: Han Huaqin , Xue Jinchun , Zhang Xiao , Wang Xiaojuan , Huang Jiaxing , Dai Xun
Published: February 2023

Heavy metal-rich acidic soils of copper sulfide mines can easily cause harm to the surrounding environment and ecosystem safety if not treated properly. Currently, the most common method of mine ecological remediation is to improve acidic soils of copper sulfide mines by adding different types of amendments. In this paper, different dosages of biochar and carbide slag applied singly and in combination were designed to investigate the changes of physicochemical properties and ryegrass growth in the acidic soil of copper sulfide mines. Through soil incubation experiments and potting tests, different treatments explored the improvement effect of carbide slag combined with biochar on the acidic soil of copper sulfide mines. Then, it was found that 2% (w/w) carbide slag in combination with 10% (w/w) biochar had the best effect on the improvement of copper-sulfide mine acidic soil. Among them, carbide slag significantly increased the pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and acid neutralization capacity (ANC), and reduced the electrical conductivity (EC), net acid generation (NAG) and sulfate ion (SO42−) concentrations in the acidic soil of copper sulfide mines; biochar obviously reduced the bio-effectiveness of heavy metals Cu, Pb and Zn, and DPTA-Cu, Pb and Zn decreased by 8~80%, 7~76% and 17~79%, respectively. Apart from that, there was a positive cooperativity between carbide slag and biochar, and their application effectively controlled the acidification process and heavy metal toxicity in the acidic soil of copper sulfide mines. In summary, the results will provide a theoretical basis for the large-scale reclamation of carbide slag and biochar in improving acidic soils of copper sulfide mines, filling the gap of calcium carbide slag and biochar in soil remediation.
Rescuing the Paris Agreement: Improving the Global Experimentalist Governance by Reclassifying Countries
Authors: Qin Geng , Yu Hanzhi
Published: February 2023

The Paris Agreement design follows the Global Experimental Governance mode, which once achieved success in ozone protection. However, the implementation of the Paris Agreement encountered difficulties, as it inherited the traditional dichotomy country classification established at the 1992 Rio Summit. Still, over time, the capability and motivation in Annex I and non-Annex I countries developed so differently that incentive and constraint policies do not encourage more ambitious mitigation commitments using the previous classification. For this reason, according to a country’s capability and motivation, this research divided these countries into four categories: Leader, Reserve Force, Waverer, and Obscurity, and proposed a potential climate action roadmap for different types of countries to mobilize their internal forces by dynamically classifying a country’s character and to improve overall global climate governance.
Sentiment Computation of UK-Originated COVID-19 Vaccine Tweets: A Chronological Analysis and News Effect
Authors: Amujo Olasoji , Ibeke Ebuka , Fuzi Richard , Ogara Ugochukwu , Iwendi Celestine
Published: February 2023

This study aimed to analyse public sentiments of UK-originated tweets related to COVID-19 vaccines, and it applied six chronological time periods, between January and December 2021. The dates were related to six BBC news reports about the most significant developments in the three main vaccines that were being administered in the UK at the time: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Oxford-AstraZeneca. Each time period spanned seven days, starting from the day of the news report. The study employed the bidirectional encoder representations from transformers (BERT) model to analyse the sentiments in 4172 extracted tweets. The BERT model adopts the transformer architecture and uses masked language and next sentence prediction models. The results showed that the overall sentiments for all three vaccines were negative across all six periods, with Moderna having the least negative tweets and the highest percentage of positive tweets overall while AstraZeneca attracted the most negative tweets. However, for all the considered time periods, Period 3 (23–29 May 2021) received the least negative and the most positive tweets, following the related BBC report—’COVID: Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs work against Indian variant’—despite reports of blood clots associated with AstraZeneca during the same time period. Time periods 5 and 6 had no breaking news related to COVID vaccines, and they reflected no significant changes. We, therefore, concluded that the BBC news reports on COVID vaccines significantly impacted public sentiments regarding the COVID-19 vaccines.
How Knowledge Transfer Impact Happens at the Farm Level: Insights from Advisers and Farmers in the Irish Agricultural Sector
Authors: Cawley Anthony , Heanue Kevin , Hilliard Rachel , O’Donoghue Cathal , Sheehan Maura
Published: February 2023

Many studies show that interaction with agricultural advisory services impacts productivity and profitability on farms. However, less attention is paid to explaining how this impact is achieved. This paper explores the factors that determine the implementation of newly learned knowledge from advisory engagement to achieve an impact on farm level performance. Focusing on the Irish case, a series of semi-structured interviews from a purposive sample of advisers and farmers from the more profitable dairy sector were undertaken to analyse the key drivers of impact. Results show that a combination of group-based and individual activities based on relevant content focused on key management practices for grassland, breeding, and financial management were key to achieving impact. Furthermore, positive outcomes were dependent on a high degree of trust between the farmer and the organisation, between the farmer and the adviser, and between the farmer and their peers. The findings indicate that while some barriers remain for farmers to apply newly learned knowledge, those that do implement the practices report a positive impact. This has implications for knowledge transfer design which is timely given the focus on these activities in the upcoming Common Agricultural Policy 2023–2027.
Has Incineration Replaced Recycling? Evidence from OECD Countries
Authors: Kinnaman Thomas C. , Yamamoto Masashi
Published: February 2023

Despite public efforts to promote recycling, recycling rates in OECD countries with mature recycling programs in 2000 have largely stagnated over the past 20 years. Could the rapid growth in incineration have played a role in suppressing the growth in recycling? This paper introduces a model to understand the relationship (possibly positive or negative) between incineration and recycling. A cursory examination of the data within individual countries appears to support the model by demonstrating both a positive and negative relationship. An econometric model that estimates incineration has a negative but statistically insignificant effect on recycling rates. This result contrasts with the previous literature which found a negative and statistically significant negative relationship between incineration and recycling.
Mixed Exponentially Weighted Moving Average—Moving Average Control Chart with Application to Combined Cycle Power Plant
Authors: Raza Muhammad Ali , Iqbal Komal , Aslam Muhammad , Nawaz Tahir , Bhatti Sajjad Haider , Engmann Gideon Mensah
Published: February 2023

Statistical process control (SPC) consists of various tools for effective monitoring of the production processes and services to ensure their stable and satisfactory performance. A control chart is an important tool of SPC for detecting the process shifts that may undermine the quality of the products or services. In the literature, a mixed exponentially weighted moving average–moving average (EWMA–MA) control chart for monitoring the process location is proposed to enhance the overall shift detection ability of the EWMA control chart. It is noted that the moving averages terms were considered as independent irrespective of their order. Consequently, the covariance terms are ignored while deriving the variance expression of the monitoring statistic. However, the successive moving averages of span w might not be independent since each term includes w − 1 preceding samples’ information. In this study, the variance expression of the mixed EWMA-MA charting statistic is derived by considering the dependency among the sequential moving averages. The control limits of the mixed EWMA-MA control chart are revised and the run-length profile is studied by using Monte Carlo simulations. The performance of the mixed EWMA-MA chart is compared with the existing counterparts and its robustness under various process distributions is studied. In the end, a real-life example is provided to demonstrate its application by using the data from a combined cycle power plant.
Small Wins through Inducement Prizes: Introducing Challenge-Oriented Regional Prizes (CORP)
Authors: Morisson Arnault , Liotard Isabelle , Revest Valérie
Published: February 2023

There is an emerging consensus that innovation policies must be geared towards solving societal challenges. The policy complexity of the third generation of innovation policy (TGIP), however, puts less-developed European regions at risk of being left behind from this novel policy paradigm due to lower institutional and governance capacities. Building on the concept of a small wins strategy that focuses on small-scale and bottom-up initiatives that are guided by a shared mission to address wicked problems, the article’s methodology uses expert interviews, examples of challenge prizes, and desk research to explore whether inducement prizes can potentially engage less-developed regions (LDRs) in TGIP to address place-based societal challenges through a small wins strategy. The article introduces the concept of a challenge-oriented regional prize (CORP) as a stepping-stone policy tool to engage LDRs in TGIP through a small wins strategy, namely regarding issues of directionality, legitimacy, responsibility, and strategic orientation. CORPs are, however, not a silver bullet policy tool for LDRs to engage in TGIPs due to their design and implementation constraints.
Students’ Experiences of English-Medium Instruction at the Postgraduate Level: Challenges and Sustainable Support for Success
Authors: Moorhouse Benjamin Luke , Wan Yuwei
Published: February 2023

More and more students are exploring overseas destinations and English-Medium Instruction (EMI) environments for their postgraduate studies. While it is known that students can often struggle in an EMI environment, the challenges faced by postgraduate students, and the support they receive or need, are not fully understood. By adopting a two-stage qualitative sequential data collection approach, this study explored the experiences and perceptions of full-time postgraduate students from Mainland China studying in a one-year Master of Education programme at a Hong Kong university during their first semester. Data were collected through an online survey (N = 73) and three in-depth group interviews (N = 12). The analysis of data offered a holistic understanding of the students’ challenges, needs, and struggles. The findings provide suggestions for support that teachers and programmes can provide to postgraduate students, as well as student self-help support strategies. Several sustainable support strategies are proposed to assist students in adjusting and succeeding in the EMI context at the postgraduate level.
Genetics of Resistance to Leaf Rust in Wheat: An Overview in a Genome-Wide Level
Authors: Ren Xiaopeng , Wang Chuyuan , Ren Zhuang , Wang Jing , Zhang Peipei , Zhao Shuqing , Li Mengyu , Yuan Meng , Yu Xiumei , Li Zaifeng , Chen Shisheng , Wang Xiaodong
Published: February 2023

Due to the global warming and dynamic changes in pathogenic virulence, leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina has greatly expanded its epidermic region and become a severe threat to global wheat production. Genetic bases of wheat resistance to leaf rust mainly rely on the leaf rust resistance (Lr) gene or quantitative trait locus (QLr). Although these genetic loci have been insensitively studied during the last two decades, an updated overview of Lr/QLr in a genome-wide level is urgently needed. This review summarized recent progresses of genetic studies of wheat resistance to leaf rust. Wheat germplasms with great potentials for genetic improvement in resistance to leaf rust were highlighted. Key information about the genetic loci carrying Lr/QLr was summarized. A genome-wide chromosome distribution map for all of the Lr/QLr was generated based on the released wheat reference genome. In conclusion, this review has provided valuable sources for both wheat breeders and researchers to understand the genetics of resistance to leaf rust in wheat.
Data-Driven Analysis of Fatal Urban Traffic Accident Characteristics and Safety Enhancement Research
Authors: Zhang Xi , Qi Shouming , Zheng Ao , Luo Ye , Hao Siqi
Published: February 2023

The occurrence of fatal traffic accidents often causes serious casualties and property losses, endangering travel safety. This work uses the statistical data of fatal road traffic accidents in Shenzhen from 2018 to 2022 as the basis to determine the characteristic patterns and the main influencing factors of the occurrence of fatal road traffic accidents. The accident description data are also analyzed using the analysis method based on Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) data mining to obtain the characteristics of accident fields, objects, and types. Furthermore, this work conducts a kernel density analysis combined with spatial autocorrelation to determine the hotspot areas of accident occurrence and analyze their spatial aggregation effects. A principal component analysis is performed to calculate the factors related to the accident subjects. Results showed that weak safety awareness of motorists and irregular driving operations are the main factors for the occurrence of accidents. Finally, targeted safety management strategies are proposed based on the analysis results. In the current data era, the research results of this paper can be used for the prevention and emergency of accidents to formulate corresponding measures, and provide a theoretical basis for decision making.
Decision Tree Analysis of Sustainable and Ethical Food Preferences of Undergraduate Students of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts
Authors: Şahin Esra , Gök Demir Zuhal
Published: February 2023

The increase in the world’s population is driving consumption, leading to the rapid destruction of natural resources and thus raising concerns about the future state of resources. Agriculture and livestock activities, which can be considered under the heading of food, are one of the most significant factors having effects on sustainability. Animal welfare and ethical food selection have become important issues along with sustainability as people’s awareness has increased. As restaurants are an important part of the food industry, chefs have the power to influence sustainability and ethical food choices and set trends with the choices they make. In this respect, it is important to predict the sustainable and ethical food preferences of gastronomy and culinary arts (GCA) undergraduate program students who have the potential to become the chefs of the future, and to evaluate to what extent they regard chefs as responsible for these issues. In this study, the data obtained from GCA undergraduate students were analysed with the decision tree method using lavaan and rpart packages in the R program. The main objectives of this research are to determine the importance of the independent variables in the decision tree classification and the effects of these independent variables. The analysis suggests that the most important factor in the decision tree classification of the independent variables is the attitude towards sustainable food choice. It is concluded that the independent variables are effective in classifying students as high and low in terms of behavioural intention. It is also seen that attitude towards sustainable food choice is more effective in predicting whether behavioural intention is high or low.
Distributed and Asynchronous Population-Based Optimization Applied to the Optimal Design of Fuzzy Controllers
Authors: García-Valdez Mario , Mancilla Alejandra , Castillo Oscar , Merelo-Guervós Juan Julián
Published: February 2023

Designing a controller is typically an iterative process during which engineers must assess the performance of a design through time-consuming simulations; this becomes even more burdensome when using a population-based metaheuristic that evaluates every member of the population. Distributed algorithms can mitigate this issue, but these come with their own challenges. This is why, in this work, we propose a distributed and asynchronous bio-inspired algorithm to execute the simulations in parallel, using a multi-population multi-algorithmic approach. Following a cloud-native pattern, isolated populations interact asynchronously using a distributed message queue, which avoids idle cycles when waiting for other nodes to synchronize. The proposed algorithm can mix different metaheuristics, one for each population, first because it is possible and second because it can help keep total diversity high. To validate the speedup benefit of our proposal, we optimize the membership functions of a fuzzy controller for the trajectory tracking of a mobile autonomous robot using distributed versions of genetic algorithms, particle swarm optimization, and a mixed-metaheuristic configuration. We compare sequential versus distributed implementations and demonstrate the benefits of mixing the populations with distinct metaheuristics. We also propose a simple migration strategy that delivers satisfactory results. Moreover, we compare homogeneous and heterogenous configurations for the populations’ parameters. The results show that even when we use random heterogeneous parameter configuration in the distributed populations, we obtain an error similar to that in other work while significantly reducing the execution time.
Vector Similarity Measures of Dual Hesitant Fuzzy Linguistic Term Sets and Their Applications
Authors: Ali Jawad , Al-kenani Ahmad N.
Published: February 2023

The dual hesitant fuzzy linguistic term set (DHFLTS) is defined by two functions that express the grade of membership and the grade of non-membership using a set of linguistic terms. In the present work, we first quote an example to point out that the existing complement operation of DHFLTS is on the wrong track. Meanwhile, we redefine this operation to fill the holes in the existing ones. Next, the notion of information energy under a dual hesitant fuzzy linguistic background is provided in order to build the criteria weight determination model. To further facilitate the theory of DHFLTS, we propose two vector similarity measures, i.e., Jaccard and Dice similarity measures, and their weighted forms for DHFLTS. In addition, we pioneer some generalized similarity measures of DHFLTSs and indicate that the Dice similarity measures are particular instances of the generalized similarity measures for some parameter values. Afterward, the similarity measures-based model with unknown weight information under the background of dual hesitant fuzzy linguistic environment is constructed. Lastly, an illustrated example is included to validate the method’s application, along with sensitivity analysis and comparative analysis, demonstrating the practicality and validity of its results.
Molecular Composition, Seasonal Variation, and Size Distribution of n-Alkanes, PAHs, and Saccharides in a Medium-Sized City of Guanzhong Plain, Northwest China: Evaluation of Control Measures Executed in the Past Decade
Authors: Zhou Bianhong , Feng Qiao , Li Chunyan , Jiao Lihua , Cheng Kaijing , Ho Steven Sai Hang , Wen Zhongtao , Li Jianjun
Published: February 2023

Baoji is a medium-sized city in the Guanzhong Plain of northwest China. The compositions of three important organic groups, namely n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and saccharides in atmospheric aerosol with different aerodynamic diameters in power were determined. Both seasonal and daily trends of the target organic chemical groups were demonstrated. The concentration levels of total quantified n-alkanes and saccharides in total suspended particles (TSP) in winter were 541 ± 39 and 651 ± 74 ng·m−3, respectively, much higher than those of the other three seasons. A high total quantified PAHs concentration level of 59.6 ± 6.4 ng·m−3 was also seen in wintertime. n-Alkanes showed a bimodal percent distribution in spring, autumn, and winter. Two peaks were found with the particle sizes of 0.7 μm < Dp < 2.1 μm and 3.3 μm < Dp < 4.7 μm, respectively. In summer, a unimodal was seen with a peak of 4.7 μm < Dp < 5.8 μm. Dehydrated saccharides and PAHs present a unimodal size distribution peaking at the aerodynamic diameters of 0.7 µm < Dp < 2.1 µm. In contrast to glucose and fructose, they mainly exist in the coarse mode particles and have the highest concentrations at aerodynamic diameters of 4.7 µm < Dp < 9.0 µm. The geometric mean diameters (GMD) of n-alkanes and saccharides of the fine particles in winter were higher than in the other seasons. Compared with the data in 2008, the fossil fuel-derived n-alkanes and PAHs in winter decreased by nearly an order of magnitude in 2017. Both the carbon preference index (CPI) of n-alkanes and the diagnostic ratios of PAHs suggest that coal combustion and vehicle exhaust were the major pollution sources of the organic groups in the two decades. It should be noted that the contribution of traffic emissions greatly increased from 2008 to 2017, consistently with a large raise of registered vehicles in Baoji city. The overall results confirm that the control measures conducted by the local government in the recent decade mitigated the air pollution in this city.
Non-Lethal Concentrations of CdCl2 Cause Marked Alternations in Cellular Stress Responses within Exposed Sertoli Cell Line
Authors: Man Yonghong , Liu Yunhao , Xiong Chuanzhen , Zhang Yang , Zhang Ling
Published: February 2023

Cadmium is a component of ambient metal pollution, which is linked to diverse health issues globally, including male reproductive impairment. Assessments of the acute effects of cadmium on male reproduction systems, such as testes, tend to be based on frank adverse effects, with particular molecular pathways also involved. The relationship between cytotoxicity potential and cellular stress response has been suggested to be one of the many possible drivers of the acute effects of cadmium, but the link remains uncertain. In consequence, there is still much to be learned about the cellular stress response induced by a non-lethal concentration of cadmium in male reproductive cells. The present study used temporal assays to evaluate cellular stress response upon exposure to non-lethal concentrations of Cadmium chloride (CdCl2) in the Sertoli cell line (TM4). The data showed alternations in the expression of genes intimated involved in various cellular stress responses, including endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, endoplasmic unfolded protein stress (UPRmt), endoplasmic dynamics, Nrf2-related antioxidative response, autophagy, and metallothionein (MT) expression. Furthermore, these cellular responses interacted and were tightly related to oxidative stress. Thus, the non-lethal concentration of cadmium perturbed the homeostasis of the Sertoli cell line by inducing pleiotropic cellular stresses.
Occurrence of Multidrug-Resistant Strains of Acinetobacter spp.: An Emerging Threat for Nosocomial-Borne Infection in Najran Region, KSA
Authors: Aedh Abdullah I. , Al-Swedan Ali Dhafer , Mohammed Asiri Ahmed , Alwadai Batool Mubarak , Alyami Ahlam Yahya , Alsaaed Esraa Amer , Almurdhimah Nouf Mubarak , Zaki Mohamed Soliman , Othman Alyaa E. , Hasan Abdulkarim
Published: February 2023

Multidrug-resistant strains are frequent causes of nosocomial infections. The majority of nosocomial infections, particularly in critical care units (ICU), have been linked to A. baumannii, which has major clinical significance. The current paper attempts to identify the potential risk and prognosis factors for acquiring an infection due to A. baumannii compared to that of other nosocomial bacteria. In our study, we employed antibiotics generally prescribed for the initial course of treatment such as colistin, meropenem, amikacin, trimethoprime-sulfamethoxazole, levofloxacin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, and piperacillin-tazobactam. We found that the isolated A. baumannii were resistant at a high rate to meropenem, piperacillin–tazobactam, amikacin, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin, while they were partially susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Our study revealed that A. baumannii was most susceptible to gentamicin and colistin at 85.8% and 92.9%, respectively, whereas the combination of colistin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole was 100% active. The patients were the primary source of infection with A. baumannii, followed by inanimate objects present in the ICU and hospital premises, and then the hospital staff who were taking care of the ICU patients. Gentamicin and colistin were the most sensitive antibiotics; of the 13 tested in total, the rate of drug resistance was above 50%. The very high rate of antibiotic resistance is alarming.
Risk Factors of Glecaprevir/Pibrentasvir-Induced Liver Injury and Efficacy of Ursodeoxycholic Acid
Authors: Tamai Hideyuki , Okamura Jumpei
Published: February 2023

Although glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GP) therapy is recommended as a first-line treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, serious drug-induced liver injury occasionally develops. The present study aimed to elucidate real-world risk factors for GP-induced liver injury and to evaluate the efficacy of add-on ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) for liver injury. We analyzed 236 HCV patients who received GP therapy. GP-induced liver injury was defined as any elevation to grade ≥ 1 in total bilirubin (TB), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), or γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) during treatment without other cause. The frequency of GP-induced liver injury was 61.9% (146/236). Serious elevation to grade ≥ 3 in TB, AST, ALT, ALP, and γ-GT was identified in 3.8% (9/236), 0%, 0%, 0%, and 0.4% (1/209), respectively. Therapy discontinuation and dose reduction were seen in one patient each. Multivariate analysis revealed age and TB as independent risk factors for GP-induced liver injury. In patients with grade ≥ 2 hyperbilirubinemia, TB after onset significantly decreased in the add-on UDCA group but not in the no UDCA group. Careful attention to GP-induced liver injury is warranted for elderly patients with cirrhosis. Add-on UDCA could suppress the aggravation of GP-induced liver injury.
Field Performance of a Rapid Test to Detect Progressive, Regressive, and Abortive Feline Leukemia Virus Infections in Domestic Cats in Australia and Germany
Authors: Westman Mark E. , Giselbrecht Juliana , Norris Jacqueline M. , Malik Richard , Green Jennifer , Burton-Bradley Elle , Cheang Ashley , Meili Theres , Meli Marina L. , Hartmann Katrin , Hofmann-Lehmann Regina
Published: February 2023

Different feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection outcomes are possible in cats following natural exposure, such as progressive infections (persistent viremia), regressive infections (transient or no viremia followed by proviral persistence) and abortive infections (presence of only antibodies). Laboratory-based testing is currently required for categorization of infection outcomes in cats. The aim of this study was to evaluate the field performance of a novel, rapid, combination point-of-care (PoC) test kit commercially available in Europe (v-RetroFel®Ag/Ab; 2020–2021 version) to determine different FeLV infection outcomes by concurrent detection of FeLV antigen (p27) and antibodies against FeLV transmembrane envelope protein (p15E). A secondary aim was to evaluate the performance of the same test kit (v-RetroFel®FIV) to determine positive/negative feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection status by the detection of antibodies to FIV capsid protein (p24) and transmembrane glycoprotein (gp40). Two cohorts of domestic cats were recruited and tested with v-RetroFel® using plasma or serum, including cats in Australia (n = 200) and cats in Germany (n = 170). Results from p27 antigen PoC testing, proviral DNA PCR, and neutralizing antibody testing or testing for antibodies against non-glycosylated surface unit envelope protein (p45) were used to assign cats to groups according to different FeLV infection outcomes. Testing with a laboratory-based FeLV p15E antibody ELISA was also performed for comparison. In the first cohort, v-RetroFel®Ag/Ab correctly identified 89% (109/122) FeLV-unexposed cats and 91% (21/23) progressive infections, but no regressive (0/23) or abortive (0/32) infections. In the second cohort, v-RetroFel®Ag/Ab correctly identified 94% (148/158) FeLV-unexposed cats and 100% (4/4) progressive infections, but no regressive (0/2) and only 17% (1/6) abortive infections. There was test agreement between v-RetroFel®Ab and the p15E laboratory ELISA in 58.9% of samples. As a secondary outcome of this study, the sensitivity and specificity of v-RetroFel®FIV testing in cohort 1 were 94.7% (18/19) and 98.3% (178/181), and in cohort 2, 30.0% (3/10) and 100.0% (160/160), respectively. Prior history of FIV vaccination did not produce any false-positive FIV results. In conclusion, v-RetroFel®Ag/Ab (2020–2021 version) was unable to accurately determine different FeLV infection outcomes in the field. Improvements of the test prior to application to field samples are required.
Effect of Extended Photoperiod on Performance, Health, and Behavioural Parameters in Nursery Pigs
Authors: Griffioen Friso , Aluwé Marijke , Maes Dominiek
Published: February 2023

Lighting influences the circadian rhythm and physiology of animals. Yet, the influence of light on nursery pigs is not fully understood and results remain controversial. The present study investigated the effects of a prolonged photoperiod on the performance, health, and behaviour of nursery pigs. This study was conducted in one farm and included 288 hybrid nursery pigs. Long (LONG) and short (SHORT) photoperiod animals were exposed to either 16 or 8 h of light per day, respectively. Performance, health, welfare, and behavioural parameters were monitored during a nursery period of five weeks. Short photoperiod piglets tended to have higher weights at the end of the nursery (LONG: 21.59 vs. SHORT: 22.19 kg; p = 0.064) and higher average daily gain (LONG: 385 vs. SHORT: 403 g/day; p = 0.063) compared to the long photoperiod piglets. The LONG piglets had significantly higher fecal consistency scores (0–100) than the SHORT piglets on days 7 (LONG: 21 vs. SHORT: 10; p = 0.039), 11 (LONG: 40 vs. SHORT: 14; p = 0.002), 21 (LONG: 21 vs. SHORT: 8; p = 0.008), and 25 (LONG: 26 vs. SHORT: 11; p = 0.015). The LONG piglets tended to have a slightly higher incidence of aggressive behaviour (LONG: 2.49% vs. SHORT: 2.36%; p = 0.071). No significant differences were found for the remaining parameters (p > 0.1). Under the present conditions, lengthening the photoperiod during the nursery period did not significantly improve the performance, health, and welfare of the pigs.
Iron Bioaccessibility and Speciation in Microalgae Used as a Dog Nutrition Supplement
Authors: Dalmonte Thomas , Vecchiato Carla Giuditta , Biagi Giacomo , Fabbri Micaela , Andreani Giulia , Isani Gloria
Published: February 2023

Chlorella vulgaris, Arthrospira platensis, Haematoccocus pluvialis, and Phaeodactylum tricornutum are species of interest for commercial purposes due to their valuable nutritional profile. The aim of this study was to investigate the iron content in these four microalgae, with emphasis on their iron bioaccessibility assessed using an in vitro digestion system to simulate the process which takes place in the stomach and small intestine of dogs, followed by iron quantification using atomic absorption spectrometry. Furthermore, the extraction of soluble proteins was carried out and size exclusion chromatography was applied to investigate iron speciation. Significant differences (p < 0.004) in iron content were found between C. vulgaris, which had the highest (1347 ± 93 μg g−1), and H. pluvialis, which had the lowest (216 ± 59 μg g−1) iron content. C. vulgaris, A. platensis, and H. pluvialis showed an iron bioaccessibility of 30, 31, and 30%, respectively, while P. tricornutum showed the lowest bioaccessibility (11%). The four species analysed presented soluble iron mainly bound to proteins with high molecular mass ranging from >75 to 40 kDa. C. vulgaris showed the highest iron content associated with good bioaccessibility; therefore, it could be considered to be an interesting natural source of organic iron in dog nutrition.
Molecular Detection and Phylogenetic Analysis of Deformed Wing Virus and Sacbrood Virus Isolated from Pollen
Authors: Balkanska Ralitsa , Shumkova Rositsa , Atsenova Nedyalka , Salkova Delka , Dundarova Heliana , Radoslavov Georgi , Hristov Peter
Published: February 2023

Among many pathogens and pests, honey bee viruses are known as one of the most common cause of diseases in honey bee colonies. In this study, we demonstrate that pollen grains and bee bread are potential sources of viral DNA. We extracted DNA from 3 types of pollen samples: directly provided by beekeepers (n = 12), purchased from trade markets (n = 5), and obtained from honeycombs (bee bread, n = 10). The extracted DNA was used for molecular detection (RT-PCR analysis) of six of the most widely distributed honey bee viruses: deformed wing virus, sacbrood virus, acute bee paralysis virus, black queen cell virus, Kashmir bee virus, Israeli acute paralysis virus, and chronic bee paralysis virus. We successfully managed to establish only the deformed wing virus (DWV) and the sacbrood virus (SBV), with different distribution frequencies depending on the territory of the country. The phylogenetic analyses of Bulgarian isolates were performed with the most similar sequences available in molecular databases from other countries. Phylogenies of Bulgarian viral strains demonstrated genetically heterogeneous populations of DWV and relatively homogenous populations of SBV. In conclusion, the results obtained from the current study have shown that pollen is a valuable source for molecular detection of honey bee pathogens. This allows epidemiological monitoring of honey bee diseases at a regional and a national level.
Chrysoeriol Improves In Vitro Porcine Embryo Development by Reducing Oxidative Stress and Autophagy
Authors: Wang Chao-Rui , Ji He-Wei , He Sheng-Yan , Liu Rong-Ping , Wang Xin-Qin , Wang Jing , Huang Chu-Man , Xu Yong-Nan , Li Ying-Hua , Kim Nam-Hyung
Published: February 2023

Chrysoeriol (CHE) is a flavonoid substance that exists in many plants. It has various physiological and pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumor, and protective activity, especially for the cardiovascular system and liver. Among common livestock embryos, porcine embryos are often considered high-quality objects for studying the antioxidant mechanisms of oocytes. Because porcine embryos contain high levels of lipids, they are more vulnerable to external stimuli, which affect development. Our study explored the influence of CHE supplementation on oxidative stress in porcine oocytes and its possible mechanisms. Different concentrations of CHE (0, 0.1, 1, and 3 µM) were supplemented in the in vitro culture medium of the porcine oocytes. The results showed that supplementation with 1 µM CHE significantly increased the blastocyst rate and total cell number of embryos in vitro. After finding the beneficial effects of CHE, we measured reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutathione (GSH), and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) when the oocytes reached the 4-cell stage of development and determined the levels of apoptosis, cell proliferation, and autophagy at the blastocyst stage of development. The expression levels of some related genes were preliminarily detected by qRT-PCR. The results showed that the apoptosis of blastocysts in the CHE-treated culture also decreased compared with the untreated culture. Furthermore, CHE downregulated intracellular ROS and increased GSH in the embryos. CHE was also shown to improve the activity of mitochondria and inhibit the occurrence of autophagy. In addition, antioxidant-related genes (SOD1, SOD2, and CAT) and cell pluripotency-related genes (SOX2, OCT4, and NANOG) were upregulated. At the same time, apoptosis-related (Caspase 3) and autophagy-related (LC3B) genes showed a downward trend after supplementation with CHE. These results indicate that CHE improved the development of porcine embryos in vitro by reducing oxidative stress and autophagy levels.
Impact of Climate Change on the Hydrological Regimes of the Midstream Section of the Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin Based on SWAT Model
Authors: Chen Yao , Wang Li , Shi Xiaonan , Zeng Chen , Wang Yuchun , Wang Guanxing , Qiangba Cicheng , Yue Caiyun , Sun Zugang , Renzeng Ouzhu , Zhang Fan
Published: February 2023

Water resources and the water cycle in high mountain areas are significantly impacted by climate change. In this study, the midstream section of the Yarlung Tsangpo River basin, situated in the southern part of the Tibetan Plateau, was chosen as the target area, and the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to assess how climate change may affect hydrological processes. The SWAT model proved effective for runoff and snow cover area simulation. Surface runoff, interflow, and groundwater accounted for 47.2%, 24.4%, and 28.4% of the total runoff, respectively. The spatial distribution of runoff was mainly influenced by precipitation and glacier distribution, whereas the spatial distributions of individual runoff components were mainly influenced by soil properties. Overall, the total runoff as well as its components (surface runoff, interflow, and groundwater) increased at a rate of 0.03–0.83%/10 yr (p > 0.05) in the study area during 1983–2017, which could be attributed to the increase in precipitation. Surface runoff peaked earlier (August) than interflow and groundwater (September), owing to the longer convergence time of interflow and groundwater. Future predictions showed a warming and wetting trend (p < 0.05) in the study area from 2020 to 2100 under the SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5 scenarios. The total runoff was projected to increase at a rate of 0.92–3.56%/10 yr, and the change of total runoff mainly came from the increase of surface runoff.
Characteristics of Debris Flow Activities at Different Scales after the Disturbance of Strong Earthquakes—A Case Study of the Wenchuan Earthquake-Affected Area
Authors: Yang Yu , Tang Chenxiao , Cai Yinghua , Tang Chuan , Chen Ming , Huang Wenli , Liu Chang
Published: February 2023

Of the catastrophic earthquakes over the past few decades, the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake triggered the greatest number of landslides and deposited a large amount of loose material on steep terrains and deep gullies, which was highly conducive to the occurrence of post-earthquake debris flows. It is of great importance to clarify the evolution of debris flow activity for hazard evaluation, prediction, and prevention after a strong earthquake, especially in the face of large debris flow hazards. We established a long-time span database consisting of 1668 debris flow events before and after the earthquake, with information including the occurrence time, location, and scale (small, medium, and large). In order to analyze how the environmental background before and after the earthquake controlled the debris flow activity, we examined various controlling factors, including the material source, topography (relative relief and slope degree), rainfall, normalized vegetation index, and lithology. After completing the analysis of the spatial and temporal evolution of the debris flow events in the database, a 10 × 10 km grid was introduced to grade the controlling factors in ArcGIS. Based on the same grid, the density of debris flow events for each scale in different time periods was calculated and graded. We introduced the certainty factor to figure out the spatial–temporal relationships between debris flow activities at each scale and the controlling factors. The results can provide guidance on how to dynamically adjust our strategies for debris flow prevention after a strong earthquake. Lastly, Spearman rank correlation analysis was performed to clarify the variation in the magnitude of the influence of controlling factors on the debris flow activities of different scales with time. This can provide a reference for the dynamic evaluation of debris flow hazards in the Wenchuan earthquake-affected area.
Interpolation-Based Framework for Generation of Ground Truth Data for Testing Lane Detection Algorithm for Automated Vehicle
Authors: Waykole Swapnil , Shiwakoti Nirajan , Stasinopoulos Peter
Published: February 2023

Automated vehicles, predicted to be fully electric in future, are expected to reduce road fatalities and road traffic emissions. The lane departure warning system, an important feature of automated vehicles, utilize lane detection and tracking algorithms. Researchers are constrained to test their lane detection algorithms because of the small publicly available datasets. Additionally, those datasets may not represent differences in road geometries, lane marking and other details unique to a particular geographic location. Existing methods to develop the ground truth datasets are time intensive. To address this gap, this study proposed a framework for an interpolation approach for quickly generating reliable ground truth data. The proposed method leverages the advantage of the existing manual and time-slice approaches. A detailed framework for the interpolation approach is presented and the performance of the approach is compared with the existing methods. Video datasets for performance evaluation were collected in Melbourne, Australia. The results show that the proposed approach outperformed four existing approaches with a reduction in time for generating ground truth data in the range from 4.8% to 87.4%. A reliable and quick method for generating ground truth data, as proposed in this study, will be valuable to researchers as they can use it to test and evaluate their lane detection and tracking algorithms.
Multimodal analgesia using paracetamol combined with ketorolac after laparoscopic major surgery
Authors: Tran Thi Thu Lanh , Tran Xuan Thinh , Bui Thi Thuy Nga , Le Van Long , Phan Thang , Nguyen Van Minh
Published: February 2023

Background: Effective postoperative pain relief is the cornerstone of enhanced postoperative recovery. Pain after laparoscopic surgery can be caused by many factors such as the trocar incision associated, the incision in the abdominal wall and manipulations in the peritoneal cavity. Therefore, it is necessary to apply multimodal analgesia. The research question is whether the pain after laparoscopic surgery is low level. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of multimodal analgesia using paracetamol combined with intravenous ketorolac and morphine rescue compared with intravenous paracetamol alone and morphine rescue after laparoscopic major surgery. Materials and methods: In a randomized controlled clinical trial, 70 patients aged 18 years and older, classified ASA I - III, undergoing laparoscopic surgery were randomly divided into two groups. The Para-Keto group received intravenous ketorolac and paracetamol, the Para group received intravenously paracetamol and both groups received patient-controlled intravenous morphine. VAS
pain scores at rest, on movement, morphine consumption in 48 hours, flatus time, time to sit up, patient satisfaction and side effects. Results: The Para-Keto group had lower pain scores at rest and on movementand shorter flatus, sitting up time than the Para group (p < 0.05). “Very satisfied” in the Para-Keto group was statistically significantly higher than the Para group (71.4% vs 28.6%). The level of satisfaction in the Para group accounted for 60.0%, the average satisfaction rate accounted for 11.4%. The average total amount of morphine used in 48 hours in the Para-Keto group was significantly lower than that in the Para group (p < 0.05). The rates of itching, vomiting and nausea in the two groups were low and did not differ statistically between the two groups. No patient experienced respiratory depression. Conclusions: Multimodal analgesia
by using paracetamol combined with intravenous ketorolac and rescue with intravenous morphine after laparoscopic major surgery was better than paracetamol combined with morphine rescue after laparoscopic surgery. Laparoscopic surgery still have severe pain and needed additional pain killer
Key words: Laparoscopic surgery, multimodal analgesia.
Characteristics according to traditional medicine in suboptimal health status and some related factors among medical students in University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University
Authors: Truong Duong Thi , Nguyen Thien Phuoc , Nguyen Thi Huong Lam
Published: February 2023

Background: The “Suboptimal health status” (SHS) is a term used to describe a group of conditions that affect many people around the globe but cannot be diagnosed with any diseases according to clinical standards. Lifestyle behaviors are considered as one of the most important factors affecting health status. Objectives: To survey characteristics according to Traditional Medicine (TM) of SHS and find out some related factors. Materials and method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in 464 students in 3rd years of 9 academic majors at University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University. Results: The prevalence of SHS was 13.8%. Among the SHS students, qi deficiency syndrome accounted for 51.6%, fire syndrome with 23.4%, depression syndrome 60.9% and dampness syndrome 28.1%. The average score of these syndromes was 43.1 ± 9.4, 19.6 ± 5.9, 11.7 ± 3.6 and 5.8 ± 2.5 respectively. There was significant difference in the frequency and status of the syndromes according to TM between students with SHS and healthy students (p < 0.05). Factors related to SHS were gender, interest in a major, use of electronic devices, physical activity and meal time (p < 0.05). There was correlation between the syndromes according to TM and characteristics of sleep. Conclusion: Lifestyle behaviors are associated with SHS. Therefore, it is necessary to change these behaviors to effectively improve health status.
Key words: suboptimal health status, traditional medicine, lifestyle behavior, sleep quality, syndrome.