bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hand-Assisted Laparoscopic Surgery Is Superior to Open Liver Resection for Colorectal Liver Metastases in the Posterosuperior Segments
Authors: Abu-Zaydeh Omar , Sawaied Muneer , Berger Yael , Mahamid Ahmad , Goldberg Natalia , Sadot Eran , Haddad Riad
Published: November 2021

Introduction: Laparoscopic liver resections (LLR) of colorectal metastasis located in posterosuperior segments (1, 4A, 7 and 8) are challenging and highly demanding. The aim of our study is to determine the safety and feasibility of hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) in the resections of the posterosuperior lesions and to compare the peri-operative, short-term and long-term outcomes with the open liver resection (OLR) approach.

Methods and Results: A retrospective study of patients who underwent either HALS or OLR for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) located in the posterosuperior segments of the liver between 2008 and 2018 in two university affiliated medical centers.

Results: A total of 187 patients were identified, of whom 78 underwent HALS and 109 underwent OLR. There was no difference between the HALS and OLR with regard to preoperative factors (age, primary CRC tumor location, number and anatomical distribution of liver metastasis, pre-operative neo-adjuvant treatment, operative time, blood transfusion rate, and resection margins positivity). On the other hand, HALS compared to OLR had a significantly shorter mean hospital stay (4 vs. 6 days; P = 0.003), and a lower total complications rate (25 vs. 47% P = 0.006). Both groups had no 30-day mortality. Also, patients who underwent HALS vs. OLR had similar liver metastases recurrence (55 vs. 51%. P = 0.65) and 5-year survival (47 vs. 45%. P = 0.72).

Conclusions: HALS for mCRC located in posterosuperior liver segments is safe and feasible and it is a preferable approach due to its lower complication rate and shorter hospital stay while not compromising survival and disease recurrence.
Evaluation of Carbon Nanoparticle Suspension and Methylene Blue Localization for Preoperative Localization of Nonpalpable Breast Lesions: A Comparative Study
Authors: Zhou Yeqing , Liang Yiran , Zhang Jianshu , Feng Yang , Li Xiaoyan , Kong Xiaoli , Ma Tingting , Jiang Liyu , Yang Qifeng
Published: November 2021

Background: The resection of nonpalpable breast lesions (NPBLs) largely depends on the preoperative localization technology. Although several techniques have been used for the guidance of NPBL resection, more comfortable and effective methods are needed. This aim of this study was to evaluate the use and feasibility of carbon nanoparticle suspension (CNS) and methylene blue (MB)-guided resection of NPBL, to introduce alternative techniques.

Methods: A total of 105 patients with 172 NPBLs detected by breast ultrasound were randomized to CNS localization (CNSL) group and MB localization (MBL) group. The injection times of the two groups were divided into 2, 4, 6, 12, 16, and 20 h before surgery. In this study, localization time, stained area, operation time, total resection volume (TRV), calculated resection ratio (CRR), and pathological diagnosis were assessed.

Results: All of the 172 lesions were finally confirmed benign. Dye persisted in all cases in the CNSL group (109/109, 100%), while that persisted in only 53 cases in the MBL group (53/63, 84.1%) (P < 0.001). There was a significant correlation between dyeing time and dyeing area in the MBL group (r = −0.767, P < 0.001); however, there was no significant correlation in the CNSL group (r = −0.154, P = 0.110). The operation time was 11.05 ± 3.40 min in the CNSL group and 13.48 ± 6.22 min in the MBL group (P < 0.001). The TRV was 2.51 ± 2.42 cm3 in the CNSL group and 3.69 ± 3.24 cm3 in the MBL group (P = 0.016). For CRR, the CNSL group was lower than the MBL group (7.62 ± 0.49 vs. 21.93 ± 78.00, P = 0.018). There is no dye remained on the skin in the MBL group; however, dye persisted in 12 patients (19.4%) in the CNSL group (P = 0.001).

Conclusion: Carbon nanoparticle suspension localization and MBL are technically applicable and clinically acceptable procedures for intraoperatively localizing NPBL. Moreover, given the advantages of CNSL compared to MBL, including the ability to perform this technique 5 days before operation and smaller resection volume, it seems to be a more attractive alternative to be used in intraoperative localization of NPBL.
Intestinal Complication With Myxomatous Mitral Valve Diseases in Chihuahuas
Authors: Araki R. , Iwanaga K. , Ueda Kazunori , Isaka M.
Published: November 2021

The effects of cardiac disease on the intestine have been reported in humans but not in dogs. We investigated the effects of myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD), which is capable of causing congestion and tissue hypoperfusion, on the intestine in Chihuahuas, a breed frequently encountered in clinical practice as the preferred breed for MMVD. In this study, 69 Chihuahuas were divided into four groups based on echocardiography and chest radiography: 19 healthy Chihuahuas (H) and 50 Chihuahuas with MMVD classified according to the ACVIM consensus (stage B1, B2, C/D). In all the cases, serum intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) and D/L-lactate concentrations, markers of intestinal mucosal injury, were measured. I-FABP was significantly higher in stage C/D Chihuahuas than in other groups (p< 0.05), and stage B2 was significantly higher than H (p< 0.05). D-lactate was significantly increased in stages B2 and C/D compared to H and stage B1 (p< 0.05). L-lactate was significantly higher in stage C/D Chihuahuas than in any other group (p< 0.05), and stage B2 was significantly higher than that in H and stage B1 (p< 0.05). Intestinal mucosal injury risk was significantly higher in Chihuahuas with heart failure due to MMVD, suggesting that the risk could increase with worsening heart disease. This is the first study to investigate the intestinal complications of MMVD, and further investigations a needed in the future.
Robust Representation and Efficient Feature Selection Allows for Effective Clustering of SARS-CoV-2 Variants
Authors: Tayebi Zahra , Ali Sarwan , Patterson Murray
Published: November 2021

The widespread availability of large amounts of genomic data on the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, has created an opportunity for researchers to analyze the disease at a level of detail, unlike any virus before it. On the one hand, this will help biologists, policymakers, and other authorities to make timely and appropriate decisions to control the spread of the coronavirus. On the other hand, such studies will help to more effectively deal with any possible future pandemic. Since the SARS-CoV-2 virus contains different variants, each of them having different mutations, performing any analysis on such data becomes a difficult task, given the size of the data. It is well known that much of the variation in the SARS-CoV-2 genome happens disproportionately in the spike region of the genome sequence—the relatively short region which codes for the spike protein(s). In this paper, we propose a robust feature-vector representation of biological sequences that, when combined with the appropriate feature selection method, allows different downstream clustering approaches to perform well on a variety of different measures. We use such proposed approach with an array of clustering techniques to cluster spike protein sequences in order to study the behavior of different known variants that are increasing at a very high rate throughout the world. We use a k-mers based approach first to generate a fixed-length feature vector representation of the spike sequences. We then show that we can efficiently and effectively cluster the spike sequences based on the different variants with the appropriate feature selection. Using a publicly available set of SARS-CoV-2 spike sequences, we perform clustering of these sequences using both hard and soft clustering methods and show that, with our feature selection methods, we can achieve higher F1 scores for the clusters and also better clustering quality metrics compared to baselines.
Design of a Maglev Inertial Actuator with High Mass Power Ratio for Lateral Vibration Control of Propulsion Shafting
Authors: Wu Qianqian , Liu Zhihui , An Fengyan , Liu Bilong
Published: November 2021

The maglev inertial actuators with high power and mass maybe effective for lateral vibration control of a propulsion shafting. But the mass power ratio of the actuators currently in use is too small to meet the requirements. In the paper, a maglev inertial actuator was innovatively designed with high mass power ratio. The structure of the magnetic circuit assembly and the suspending assembly were designed and optimized. To verify the property of the proposed maglev inertial actuator, a prototype with mass less than 8 kg was developed and tests were carried out. The minimum effective output force can reach 200 N within the frequency band of 20–300 Hz. A lateral vibration of a propulsion shafting system was constructed and the active control effect was tested. The experimental results show that the proposed maglev inertial actuator has a good effect on lateral vibration control of shafting.
Fractional Control of a Lightweight Single Link Flexible Robot Robust to Strain Gauge Sensor Disturbances and Payload Changes
Authors: Gharab Saddam , Benftima Selma , Batlle Vicente Feliu
Published: December 2021

In this paper, a method to control one degree of freedom lightweight flexible manipulators is investigated. These robots have a single low-frequency and high amplitude vibration mode. They hold actuators with high friction, and sensors which are often strain gauges with offset and high-frequency noise. These problems reduce the motion’s performance and the precision of the robot tip positioning. Moreover, since the carried payload changes in the different tasks, that vibration frequency also changes producing underdamped or even unstable time responses of the closed-loop control system. The actuator friction effect is removed by using a robust two degrees of freedom PID control system which feeds back the actuator position. This is called the inner loop. After, an outer loop is closed that removes the link vibrations and is designed based on the combination of the singular perturbation theory and the input-state linearization technique. A new controller is proposed for this outer loop that: (1) removes the strain gauge offset effects, (2) reduces the risk of saturating the actuator due to the high-frequency noise of strain gauges and (3) achieves high robustness to a change in the payload mass. This last feature prompted us to use a fractional-order PD controller. A procedure for tuning this controller is also proposed. Simulated and experimental results are presented that show that its performance overcomes those of PD controllers, which are the controllers usually employed in the input-state linearization of second-order systems.
Application of Essential Oils for Maintaining Postharvest Quality of ‘Rongrien’ Rambutan Fruit
Authors: Ummarat Nittaya , Seraypheap Kanogwan
Published: December 2021

The postharvest quality of rambutan fruits (Nephelium lappaceum Linn.) is mainly influenced by dehydration, which causes browning of the peel and spinterns. This research investigated the effects of some essential oils—from citronella, clove, kaffir lime, and lemongrass—on ‘Rongrien’ rambutan fruit quality during storage at 13 °C. Screening of effective concentrations from 0.01 to 0.16% was conducted for each essential oil. The results showed that, of the essential oil treatments tested, a kaffir lime oil coating of 0.01% could best maintain the quality of fruits, reducing both weight loss and browning of the peel and spinterns. However, essential oil concentrations exceeding 0.04% severely damaged the fruit pericarp, in which scores of spintern browning were higher than those of peel browning. These results suggest that kaffir lime oil can maintain the postharvest quality of ‘Rongrien’ rambutan fruit as a supplement in some edible coatings.
Analysis of Air Pollutant Emissions for Mechanized Rice Cultivation in Korea
Authors: Han Gyu-Gang , Jeon Jun-Hyuk , Cho Yong-Jin , Kim Myoung-Ho , Kim Seong-Min
Published: December 2021

In Korea, rice is a major staple grain and it is mainly cultivated using various types of agricultural machinery. Air pollutants emitted from agricultural machinery have their origins mainly from the exhaustion of internal combustion engines. In this study, the emission characteristics of five main air pollutants by the European Environment Agency’s Tier 1 method for rice cultivation were analyzed. Diesel is a main fuel for agricultural machinery and gasoline is generally used only for rice transplanters as a fuel in Korea. Tractors consume 46% of total fuel consumption and 56% of diesel fuel consumption. Gasoline used for rice transplanters accounts for about 17% of the total fuel consumption each year. Tractors and rice transplanters emit 82% of all total pollutants. From 2011 to 2019, the total amount of air pollutant emissions decreased by 15%. That accounted for the reduction of rice cultivation fields in those periods. Rice transplanting operation accounts for 42% of total emissions. Then, harrowing, harvesting, tilling, leveling, and pest control operations generated 10%, 10%, 8%, 8%, and 7% of total emissions, respectively. The contribution of each air pollutant held 54% of CO, 39% of NOx, 5% of NMVOC, and 2% of TSP from the total emission inventory. The three major regions emitting air pollutants from mechanized agricultural practices were Jeollanam-do, Chungcheongnam-do, and Jeollabuk-do, which consume 55% of the total fuel usage in rice farming. The total amount of air pollutant emissions from rice cultivation practices in 2019 was calculated as 8448 tons in Korea.
The Effects of Reduced Mineral Fertilisation Combined with the Foliar Application of Biostimulants and Fertilisers on the Nutrition of Maiden Apple Trees and the Contents of Soil Nutrients
Authors: Świerczyński Sławomir , Antonowicz Agnieszka
Published: November 2021

The experiment compared the use of a dose of mineral fertilisation reduced by half in a nursery, which was replaced by foliar treatment with biostimulants and fertilisers. The control combination was a full dose of mineral fertilisation without foliar treatments. The half dose of mineral fertiliser applied into the soil decreased its acidity and salinity. At the same time, it decreased the soil content of macro- and micronutrients, except for calcium and iron. In most cases the simultaneous foliar application of the four biostimulants tested in our experiment reduced the content of macronutrients in the leaves of maiden apple trees, except for calcium. On the other hand, it increased the iron (28.2% average) and manganese (24.8% average) levels in the leaves but reduced the levels of zinc (11.8% average) and copper (25% average). The foliar application of two fertilisers increased the leaf contents of phosphorus (12% average) and calcium (9.3% average). One of the fertilisers also increased the leaf contents of potassium, magnesium, and micronutrients.
FruitDet: Attentive Feature Aggregation for Real-Time Fruit Detection in Orchards
Authors: Kateb Faris A. , Monowar Muhammad Mostafa , Hamid Md. Abdul , Ohi Abu Quwsar , Mridha Muhammad Firoz
Published: November 2021

Computer vision is currently experiencing success in various domains due to the harnessing of deep learning strategies. In the case of precision agriculture, computer vision is being investigated for detecting fruits from orchards. However, such strategies limit too-high complexity computation that is impossible to embed in an automated device. Nevertheless, most investigation of fruit detection is limited to a single fruit, resulting in the necessity of a one-to-many object detection system. This paper introduces a generic detection mechanism named FruitDet, designed to be prominent for detecting fruits. The FruitDet architecture is designed on the YOLO pipeline and achieves better performance in detecting fruits than any other detection model. The backbone of the detection model is implemented using DenseNet architecture. Further, the FruitDet is packed with newer concepts: attentive pooling, bottleneck spatial pyramid pooling, and blackout mechanism. The detection mechanism is benchmarked using five datasets, which combines a total of eight different fruit classes. The FruitDet architecture acquires better performance than any other recognized detection methods in fruit detection.
Influence of Substrate Composition and Container Size on the Growth of Tissue Culture Propagated Apple Rootstock Plants
Authors: Kim Jae Kyung , Shawon Md. Rayhan Ahmed , An Jin Hee , Yun Yeo Jong , Park Soo Jeong , Na Jong Kuk , Choi Ki Young
Published: December 2021

Substrate composition and container size are considered crucial for apple rootstock grown in a plug seedling system. This study investigated the effect of substrate material’s proportion and different container volumes on the growth of apple rootstock (M-9) plants propagated by tissue culture. In substrate composition, three different ratios of peat moss (PM): vermiculite (VL): perlite (PL) at 1:1:1 (S1), 1:2:3 (S2), 3:1:2 (S3) were used. For container size, plants were grown in 1000 mL (C1), 500 mL (C2), and 300 mL (C3) containers filled by 1:1:1 mixture of PM, VL and PL. In both cases, plants were treated eleven weeks in a green house. Our results demonstrate that the plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, shoot fresh weight and root fresh weight of apple rootstock were significantly higher in substrate composition S3 compared with S1 composition. However, chlorophyll content (SPAD) and photosynthesis rate were unaffected by variation of substrate composition. Furthermore, rootstock grown in C1 container showed plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, number of nodes, root length, shoot and root’s fresh and dry weight were significantly higher than those grown in C2 and C3 volume containers. The chlorophyll content and transpiration rate were not significantly affected by the different container volumes. These results suggest that the substrate ratio 3:1:2 of PM:VL:PL and container size 1000 mL were more favorable than other treatments for initial growth and development of the tissue culture propagated apple rootstock plants.
Toward an Investigation of Diversity and Cultivation of Rye (Secale cereale ssp. cereale L.) in Germany: Methodological Insights and First Results from Early Modern Plant Material
Authors: Filatova Sofia , Claassen Benjamin , Torres Guillermo , Krause-Kyora Ben , Holtgrewe Stukenbrock Eva , Kirleis Wiebke
Published: December 2021

Rye (Secale cereale ssp. cereale L.) is a secondary domesticate, considered to have originated as a weed in wheat fields and to have developed traits of domestication by evolving similar physiological and morphological characteristics to those of wheat. Although it migrated into Europe as a weed possessing domestication traits, it became one of the most significant crops grown in large parts of Europe from the medieval period onward. Within the modern borders of Germany, rye was grown using at least two divergent cultivation practices: eternal rye monoculture and three-field rotation. The straw of rye was used to produce Wellerhölzer, which are construction components in traditional half-timbered houses that have enabled a desiccated preservation of the plant remains. In order to assess the impact of cultivation practices, local environmental conditions and genetic variation on the genetic diversification of rye, we seek to integrate well-established archaeobotanical methods with aDNA sequencing of desiccated plant remains obtained from Wellerhölzer from Germany. In the current contribution, we present a proof of concept, based on the analysis of plant remains from a Wellerholz from the Old Town Hall of Göttingen. We use arable weed ecology to reconstruct cultivation practices and local environmental conditions and present a phylogenetic analysis based on targeted loci of the chloroplast and nuclear genome. Our results emphasise that the study of desiccated remains of plants from Wellerhölzer offer a unique opportunity for an integration of archaeobotanical reconstructions of cultivation practices and local environment and the sequencing of aDNA.
Exposure to Oxy-Tetracycline Changes Gut Bacterial Community Composition in Rainbow Trout: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Roy Choudhury Aritra , Park Ji-Young , Kim Do Young , Choi Jeongyun , Acharya Satabdi , Park Jung-Ho
Published: November 2021

The extensive use of antibiotics is evident in most of the livestock and aquaculture management for inhibiting pathogen infection. Korean aquaculture depends on the usage of oxy-tetracycline for growing rainbow trout. Hence, this study was conducted to evaluate the changes in gut bacterial community profiles of rainbow trout exposed to oxy-tetracycline and predict the metabolic functioning of the bacterial community. The gut bacterial community composition of oxy-tetracycline treated fish was assessed by amplicon sequencing targeting the 16S rRNA gene of bacteria and comparing with the control group that did not receive any antibiotic. The principle coordinate analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis had shown two distinct clusters that implies the changes in community composition. In phyla level, the relative abundances of Tenericutes and Firmicutes were observed to be significantly higher in oxy-tetracycline treated fish compared to the control. Furthermore, the prediction based metabolic profiling revealed the processes that are affected due to the shift in community profiles. For example, metabolic functioning of membrane efflux system, amino acid metabolism and glycolysis were significantly higher in oxy-tetracycline treated fish compared to the control. This study describes alteration in gut bacterial community composition and potential metabolic profiles of the community that might be responsible for surviving in antibiotic rich environment.
Optimizing near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy to Predict Nutritional Quality of Chickpea Straw for Livestock Feeding
Authors: Alemu Tena , Wamatu Jane , Tolera Adugna , Beyan Mohammed , Eshete Million , Alkhtib Ashraf , Rischkowsky Barbara
Published: November 2021

Multidimensional improvement programs of chickpea require screening of a large number of genotypes for straw nutritive value. The ability of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) to determine the nutritive value of chickpea straw was identified in the current study. A total of 480 samples of chickpea straw representing a nation-wide range of environments and genotypic diversity (40 genotypes) were scanned at a spectral range of 1108 to 2492 nm. The samples were reduced to 190 representative samples based on the spectral data then divided into a calibration set (160 samples) and a cross-validation set (30 samples). All 190 samples were analysed for dry matter, ash, crude protein, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, acid detergent lignin, Zn, Mn, Ca, Mg, Fe, P, and in vitro gas production metabolizable energy using conventional methods. Multiple regression analysis was used to build the prediction equations. The prediction equation generated by the study accurately predicted the nutritive value of chickpea straw (R2 of cross validation > 0.68; standard error of prediction < 1%). Breeding programs targeting improving food-feed traits of chickpea could use NIRS as a fast, cheap, and reliable tool to screen genotypes for straw nutritional quality.
Association of Equine Herpesvirus 5 with Mild Respiratory Disease in a Survey of EHV1, -2, -4 and -5 in 407 Australian Horses
Authors: El-Hage Charles , Mekuria Zelalem , Dynon Kemperly , Hartley Carol , McBride Kristin , Gilkerson James
Published: December 2021

Equine herpesviruses (EHVs) are common respiratory pathogens in horses; whilst the alphaherpesviruses are better understood, the clinical importance of the gammaherpesviruses remains undetermined. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of, and any association between, equine respiratory herpesviruses EHV1, -2, -4 and -5 infection in horses with and without clinical signs of respiratory disease. Nasal swabs were collected from 407 horses in Victoria and included clinically normal horses that had been screened for regulatory purposes. Samples were collected from horses during Australia’s equine influenza outbreak in 2007; however, horses in Victoria required testing for proof of freedom from EIV. All horses tested in Victoria were negative for EIV, hence archived swabs were available to screen for other pathogens such as EHVs. Quantitative PCR techniques were used to detect EHVs. Of the 407 horses sampled, 249 (61%) were clinically normal, 120 (29%) presented with clinical signs consistent with mild respiratory disease and 38 (9%) horses had an unknown clinical history. Of the three horses detected shedding EHV1, and the five shedding EHV4, only one was noted to have clinical signs referable to respiratory disease. The proportion of EHV5-infected horses in the diseased group (85/120, 70.8%) was significantly greater than those not showing signs of disease (137/249, 55%). The odds of EHV5-positive horses demonstrating clinical signs of respiratory disease were twice that of EHV5-negative horses (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.25 to 3.16). No quantitative difference between mean loads of EHV shedding between diseased and non-diseased horses was detected. The clinical significance of respiratory gammaherpesvirus infections in horses remains to be determined; however, this survey adds to the mounting body of evidence associating EHV5 with equine respiratory disease.
NF-κB–Dependent Snail Expression Promotes Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition in Mastitis
Authors: Liu Haokun , Zhao Ying , Wu Yanfang , Yan Yutong , Zhao Xiaoe , Wei Qiang , Ma Baohua
Published: December 2021

Mastitis is a common and important clinical disease in ruminants. This may be associated with inflammatory fibrosis if not treated promptly. Inflammation-derived fibrosis is usually accompanied by epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in epithelial cells. However, the precise molecular mechanism underlying mastitis-induced fibrosis remains unclear. Nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and Snail are key regulators of EMT. In this study, primary goat mammary epithelial cells (GMECs) were treated with 10 μg/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 14 d to mimic the in vivo mastitis environment. After LPS treatment, the GMECs underwent mesenchymal morphological transformation and expressed mesenchymal cell markers. Snail expression was induced by LPS and was inhibited by suppression of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. Snail knockdown alleviated LPS-induced EMT and altered the expression of inflammatory cytokines. Finally, we found that the expression of key molecules of the TLR4/NF-κB/Snail signaling pathway was increased in mastitis tissues. These results suggest that Snail plays a vital role in LPS-induced EMT in GMECs and that the mechanism is dependent on the activation of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.
Effects of Personality Traits on the Food-Scratching Behaviour and Food Intake of Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica)
Authors: Zhang Xinyu , Wang Xue , Wang Wei , Xu Renxin , Li Chunlin , Zhang Feng
Published: December 2021

Overall foraging success and ultimate fitness of an individual animal is highly dependent on their food-searching strategies, which are the focus of foraging theory. Considering the consistent inter-individual behavioural differences, personality may have a fundamental impact on animal food-scratching behaviour, which remains largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate how personality traits (i.e., boldness and exploration) affect the food-scratching behaviour and food intake of the domestic Japanese quail Coturnix japonica during the foraging process. The quails exhibited significant repeatability in boldness and exploration, which also constituted a behavioural syndrome. More proactive, that is, bolder and more explorative, individuals scratched the ground more frequently for food and began scratching earlier in a patch. Individuals that scratched more frequently had a longer foraging time and a higher food intake. The correlation between personality traits and temporary food intake during every 2 min varied over time and was sex dependent, with females exhibiting a positive correlation during the first half of the foraging stage and males after the initial stage. These findings suggest that personality traits affect the food-scratching behaviour and, thus, the food intake of quails. Our study provides insights into the impact of personality traits on animal’s foraging behaviour by influencing their food-searching strategies.
Species Traits Drive Long-Term Population Trends of Common Breeding Birds in Northern Italy
Authors: Tirozzi Pietro , Orioli Valerio , Dondina Olivia , Kataoka Leila , Bani Luciano
Published: December 2021

Long-term population trends are considerable sources of information to set wildlife conservation priorities and to evaluate the performance of management actions. In addition, trends observed in functional groups (e.g., trophic guilds) can provide the foundation to test specific hypotheses about the drivers of the observed population dynamics. The aims of this study were to assess population trends of breeding birds in Lombardy (N Italy) from 1992 to 2019 and to explore the relationships between trends and species sharing similar ecological and life history traits. Trends were quantified and tested for significance by weighted linear regression models and using yearly population indices (median and 95% confidence interval) predicted through generalized additive models. Results showed that 45% of the species increased, 24% decreased, and 31% showed non-significant trends. Life history traits analyses revealed a general decrease of migrants, of species with short incubation period and of species with high annual fecundity. Ecological traits analyses showed that plant-eaters and species feeding on invertebrates, farmland birds, and ground-nesters declined, while woodland birds increased. Further studies should focus on investigation of the relationship between long-term trends and species traits at large spatial scales, and on quantifying the effects of specific drivers across multiple functional groups.
Place in Therapy of the Newly Available Armamentarium for Multi-Drug-Resistant Gram-Negative Pathogens: Proposal of a Prescription Algorithm
Authors: Volpicelli Lorenzo , Venditti Mario , Ceccarelli Giancarlo , Oliva Alessandra
Published: December 2021

The worldwide propagation of antimicrobial resistance represents one of the biggest threats to global health and development. Multi-drug-resistant organisms (MDROs), including carbapenem-resistant non-fermenting Gram-negatives and Enterobacterales, present a heterogeneous and mutating spread. Infections by MDRO are often associated with an unfavorable outcome, especially among critically ill populations. The polymyxins represented the backbone of antibiotic regimens for Gram-negative MDROs in recent decades, but their use presents multiple pitfalls. Luckily, new agents with potent activity against MDROs have become available in recent times and more are yet to come. Now, we have the duty to make the best use of these new therapeutic tools in order not to prematurely compromise their effectiveness and at the same time improve patients’ outcomes. We reviewed the current literature on ceftazidime/avibactam, meropenem/vaborbactam and cefiderocol, focusing on antimicrobial spectrum, on the prevalence and mechanisms of resistance development and on the main in vitro and clinical experiences available so far. Subsequently, we performed a step-by-step construction of a speculative algorithm for a reasoned prescription of these new antibiotics, contemplating both empirical and targeted use. Attention was specifically posed on patients with life-risk conditions and in settings with elevated prevalence of MDRO.
Nephroprotective Effects of Synthetic Flavonoid Hidrosmin in Experimental Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Jiménez-Castilla Luna , Marín-Royo Gema , Orejudo Macarena , Opazo-Ríos Lucas , Caro-Ordieres Teresa , Artaiz Inés , Suárez-Cortés Tatiana , Zazpe Arturo , Hernández Gonzalo , Gómez-Guerrero Carmen , Egido Jesús
Published: November 2021

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a high-impact disease commonly characterized by hyperglycemia, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common diabetic microvascular complication and the leading cause of chronic kidney disease worldwide. This study investigates the protective effects of the synthetic flavonoid hidrosmin (5-O-(beta-hydroxyethyl) diosmin) in experimental DN induced by streptozotocin injection in apolipoprotein E deficient mice. Oral administration of hidrosmin (300 mg/kg/day, n = 11) to diabetic mice for 7 weeks markedly reduced albuminuria (albumin-to-creatinine ratio: 47 ± 11% vs. control) and ameliorated renal pathological damage and expression of kidney injury markers. Kidneys of hidrosmin-treated mice exhibited lower content of macrophages and T cells, reduced expression of cytokines and chemokines, and attenuated inflammatory signaling pathways. Hidrosmin treatment improved the redox balance by reducing prooxidant enzymes and enhancing antioxidant genes, and also decreased senescence markers in diabetic kidneys. In vitro, hidrosmin dose-dependently reduced the expression of inflammatory and oxidative genes in tubuloepithelial cells exposed to either high-glucose or cytokines, with no evidence of cytotoxicity at effective concentrations. In conclusion, the synthetic flavonoid hidrosmin exerts a beneficial effect against DN by reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and senescence pathways. Hidrosmin could have a potential role as a coadjutant therapy for the chronic complications of DM.
Supplementation of Avian Semen Extenders with Antioxidants to Improve Semen Quality—Is It an Effective Strategy?
Authors: Partyka Agnieszka , Niżański Wojciech
Published: December 2021

Oxidative stress in sperm is a phenomenon related to the increasing rate of oxidation of cellular components and the excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in bird sperm cell membranes renders these cells particularly susceptible to lipid peroxidation (LPO). Therefore, to ensure the proper functioning of cells, it is necessary to have a balance between the formation of ROS and the protective action of the antioxidant system. This review aims firstly to briefly introduce the antioxidant system characteristics of avian semen. Secondly, we summarize the recent knowledge regarding progress in extender supplementation using antioxidants and other compounds to improve avian semen quality parameters and fertility rates. The review focuses on enzymes, vitamins, amino acids, proteins, some plant extracts, and other compounds that can be used to supplement the extenders to reduce the formation of oxidants in poultry semen and maintain its quality and enhance its fertility.
Multiomics Provide Insights into the Key Molecules and Pathways Involved in the Physiological Adaptation of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) to Chemotherapeutic-Induced Oxidative Stress
Authors: Lazado Carlo C. , Timmerhaus Gerrit , Breiland Mette W. , Pittman Karin , Hytterød Sigurd
Published: December 2021

Although chemotherapeutics are used to treat infections in farmed fish, knowledge on how they alter host physiology is limited. Here, we elucidated the physiological consequences of repeated exposure to the potent oxidative chemotherapeutic peracetic acid (PAA) in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) smolts. Fish were exposed to the oxidant for 15 (short exposure) or 30 (long exposure) minutes every 15 days over 45 days. Unexposed fish served as the control. Thereafter, the ability of the remaining fish to handle a secondary stressor was investigated. Periodic chemotherapeutic exposure did not affect production performance, though survival was lower in the PAA-treated groups than in the control. Increased ventilation, erratic swimming, and a loss of balance were common behavioural manifestations during the oxidant exposure. The plasma reactive oxygen species levels increased in the PAA-treated groups, particularly after the third exposure, suggesting an alteration in the systemic oxidative stress status. Plasma indicators for internal organ health were affected to a certain degree, with the changes mainly observed after the second and third exposures. Metabolomics disclosed that the oxidant altered several circulating metabolites. Inosine and guanosine were the two metabolites significantly affected by the oxidative stressor, regardless of exposure time. A microarray analysis revealed that the gills and liver were more responsive to the oxidant than the skin, with the gills being the most sensitive. Moreover, the magnitude of the transcriptomic modifications depended on the exposure duration. A functional analysis showed that genes involved in immunity and ribosomal functions were significantly affected in the gills. In contrast, genes crucial for the oxidation-reduction process were mainly targeted in the liver. Skin mucus proteomics uncovered that the changes in the mucosal proteome were dependent on exposure duration and that the oxidant interfered with ribosome-related processes. Mucosal mapping revealed gill mucous cell hypertrophy after the second and third exposures, although the skin morphological parameters remained unaltered. Lastly, repeated oxidant exposures did not impede the ability of the fish to mount a response to a secondary stressor. This study provides insights into how a chemical oxidative stressor alters salmon physiology at both the systemic and mucosal levels. This knowledge will be pivotal in developing an evidence-driven approach to the use of oxidative therapeutics in fish, with some of the molecules and pathways identified as potential biomarkers and targets for assessing the physiological cost of these treatments.
Powdered Green Tea (Matcha) Attenuates the Cognitive Dysfunction via the Regulation of Systemic Inflammation in Chronic PM2.5-Exposed BALB/c Mice
Authors: Kim Jong Min , Kang Jin Yong , Park Seon Kyeong , Moon Jong Hyun , Kim Min Ji , Lee Hyo Lim , Jeong Hye Rin , Kim Jong Cheol , Heo Ho Jin
Published: December 2021

This study was conducted to evaluate the anti-amnesic effect of the aqueous extract of powdered green tea (matcha) (EM) in particulate matter (PM)2.5-induced systemic inflammation in BALB/c mice. EM ameliorated spatial learning and memory function, short-term memory function, and long-term learning and memory function in PM2.5-induced mice. EM protected against antioxidant deficit in pulmonary, dermal, and cerebral tissues. In addition, EM improved the cholinergic system through the regulation of acetylcholine (ACh) levels and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in brain tissue, and it protected mitochondrial dysfunction by regulating the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and ATP contents in brain tissue. EM attenuated systemic inflammation and apoptotic signaling in pulmonary, dermal, olfactory bulb, and hippocampal tissues. Moreover, EM suppressed neuronal cytotoxicity and cholinergic dysfunction in hippocampal tissue. This study suggests that EM might be a potential substance to improve PM2.5-induced cognitive dysfunction via the regulation of systemic inflammation.
Granular Media Friction Pad for Robot Shoes—Hexagon Patterning Enhances Friction on Wet Surfaces
Authors: Tramsen Halvor T. , Heepe Lars , Gorb Stanislav N.
Published: November 2021

For maximizing friction forces of robotic legs on an unknown/unpredictable substrate, we introduced the granular media friction pad, consisting of a thin elastic membrane encasing loosely filled granular material. On coming into contact with a substrate, the fluid-like granular material flows around the substrate asperities and achieves large contact areas with the substrate. Upon applying load, the granular material undergoes the jamming transition, rigidifies and becomes solid-like. High friction forces are generated by mechanical interlocking on rough substrates, internal friction of the granular media and by the enhanced contact area caused by the deformation of the membrane. This system can adapt to a large variety of dry substrate topologies. To further increase its performance on moist or wet substrates, we adapted the granular media friction pad by structuring the outside of the membrane with a 3D hexagonal pattern. This results in a significant increase in friction under lubricated conditions, thus greatly increasing the universal applicability of the granular media friction pad for a multitude of environments.
Determination of β-Agonists in Urine Samples at Low µg/kg Levels by Means of Pulsed Amperometric Detection at a Glassy Carbon Electrode Coupled with RP-LC
Authors: Mentana Annalisa , Palermo Carmen , Centonze Diego
Published: November 2021

A method for the determination of β-agonists was developed by combining the separation of analytes through high-performance liquid chromatography, with a reversed-phase column, coupled to the pulsed amperometric detection at a glassy carbon electrode. Preliminary experiments, using cyclic voltammetry, allowed for an understanding of the electrochemical behavior of clenbuterol, fenoterol, and terbutaline. By analyzing the electrochemical response, the conditions for detecting the analytes and for cleaning the working electrode were identified. The proposed potential-time profile was designed to prevent contamination of the carbon electrode following consecutive analyses, so ensuring a reproducible and sensitive quantitative determination. The waveform electrochemical parameters, including detection and delay times, have been optimized in terms of sensitivity, detection limits, and long-term response stability. The chromatographic separation was carried out using a C8 column in isocratic mode, and a mixture of acetic acid and acetonitrile. The optimized experimental conditions were used for the analysis of standard solutions and real samples. Detection limits, lower than the maximum residue limit set for clenbuterol by European directives, were obtained for all β-agonists investigated. The method validation was performed by evaluating the linearity, selectivity, precision, and recovery. Calf urine samples were used to verify the applicability of the proposed method, analyzing both enriched and naturally contaminated urine samples.
Medication Errors Detected in Primary Health Care after Hospital Discharge
Authors: González-López María del Carmen , Ruíz-González Carlos , Nievas-Soriano Bruno José , García-Duarte Sonia , Parrón-Carreño Tesifón
Published: November 2021

Background: Medication conciliation allows finding discrepancies and medication errors in healthcare transitions, but there are few studies performed after hospital discharge, in the context of primary health care. Therefore, the main aim of this research was to evaluate the process of medication conciliation in primary health care, after hospital discharge. We further sought to analyze some demographic aspects of the patients that could be associated with potential discrepancies. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed using the database which contained the records generated by the medication reconciliations performed by the physicians of the Andalusian Public Health Service, in Spain. Results: A total of 6115 medication conciliations were analyzed, and discrepancies were found in 73.7% of them. A total of 50.6% were medication errors, the most frequent being medication omission. Medication errors were more prevalent in women of 65 years and older. Conclusions: After hospital discharge, most patients show medication discrepancies in their records, particularly older women. To prevent this, primary health care plays an essential role in the conciliation process, therefore more research is needed in this context.
Dynamic Process Simulation of a Molten-Salt Energy Storage System
Authors: Al-Maliki Wisam Abed Kattea , Alobaid Falah , Keil Alexander , Epple Bernd
Published: November 2021

The main objective of this work was the construction of a numerical model using Advanced Process Simulation Software to represent the dynamic behaviour of a thermal storage system (TSS). The storage model was validated by comparing the results with the measured data of the storage process of the Andasol 2 solar power plant. Subsequently, a system analysis and system optimisation were carried out, and the stand-alone concept of the thermal storage system is presented. Stand-alone refers to an isolated use of the storage system without a solar power plant. During power peaks, this storage medium is heated with excess electrical power and later returned to the electrical grid through a steam cycle. Then, the system was optimised by modelling four models based on the type of storage medium and the temperature difference of the storage system. The four models, Andasol 2, SSalt max, Hitec, and Carbonate, were evaluated and compared in terms of the improvement in capacity and efficiency that can be achieved. The comparison shows that the preferred storage medium is carbonate salt due to the increases in both efficiency and capacity. The greatest increase in efficiency in terms of power generation can also be achieved with the Carbonate model (18.2%), whereas the amount of increase was 9.5% and 7.4% for each of SSalt max and Hitec, respectively. The goal of this analysis and system optimisation of a thermal salt storage system is to stabilise and relieve the local power grid.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and Photogrammetric Technic for 3D Tsunamis Safety Modeling in Cilacap, Indonesia
Authors: Rezaldi Muhammad Yudhi , Yoganingrum Ambar , Hanifa Nuraini Rahma , Kaneda Yoshiyuki , Kushadiani Siti Kania , Prasetyadi Abdurrakhman , Nugroho Budi , Riyanto Agus Men
Published: November 2021

Three-dimensional (3D) modeling of tsunami events is intended to promote tsunami safety. However, the developed 3D modeling methods based on Computational Fluid Dynamics and photorealistic particle visualization have some weaknesses, such as not being similar to the original environment, not measuring the wave’s end point, and low image accuracy. The method for 3D modeling of tsunamis that results from this research can fulfil those weaknesses because it has advantages, such as being able to predict the end point of waves, similar to the original environment, and the height and area of inundation. In addition, the method produces more detailed and sharper spatial data. Modeling in this research is conducted using Agisoft Metashape Professional software to a produce 3D orthomosaic from pictures taken with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technique or drone (photogrammetry), and 3ds max software is used for wave simulation. We take a sample of an area in Cilacap, Indonesia that was impacted by the 2006 southwest coast tsunamis and may be vulnerable to future big megathrust earthquakes and tsunamis. The results could be used to provide several benefits, such as the creation of evacuation routes and the determination of appropriate locations for building shelters.
Detection Based on Crack Key Point and Deep Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Wang Dejiang , Cheng Jianji , Cai Honghao
Published: November 2021

Based on the features of cracks, this research proposes the concept of a crack key point as a method for crack characterization and establishes a model of image crack detection based on the reference anchor points method, named KP-CraNet. Based on ResNet, the last three feature layers are repurposed for the specific task of crack key point feature extraction, named a feature filtration network. The accuracy of the model recognition is controllable and can meet both the pixel-level requirements and the efficiency needs of engineering. In order to verify the rationality and applicability of the image crack detection model in this study, we propose a distribution map of distance. The results for factors of a classical evaluation such as accuracy, recall rate, F1 score, and the distribution map of distance show that the method established in this research can improve crack detection quality and has a strong generalization ability. Our model provides a new method of crack detection based on computer vision technology.