bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of the Brassica Campestris ssp. Chinensis BcHY5 Gene Important for Hypocotyl Length
Authors: Li Yiran , He Ying , Lin Wenyuan , Jiang Cheng , Hou Xilin
Published: October 2022

The primary domain/leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor, Elongated Hypocotyl (HY5), is crucial for the photomorphogenesis of seedlings. Here, we identified BcHY5 as a regulator of hypocotyl length from the non-heading Chinese cabbage (NHCC) variety ‘Suzhouqing’, which encoded a protein comprised 164 amino acid residues. Ectopic expression of BcHY5 in Arabidopsis shortens the length of the hypocotyl. Additionally, we discovered a protein called BcBBX24 containing the B-BOX (BBX) domain, which is the interacting partner of BcHY5. Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H), bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) and GST pull-down assays revealed that BcHY5 interacted with BcBBX24. Additionally, by physically binding to the promoter of BcHY5, BcBBX24 inhibited the transcriptional activity of BcHY5. Therefore, our findings reveal a transcriptional mechanism through which light response occurs in NHCC seedlings, where BcHY5 can interact with BcBBX24 and BcBBX24 can prevent BcHY5 transcription.
The Effects of Long-Acting Water Erosion on the Hydro-Pedological Characteristics of Chernozems
Authors: Podhrazska Jana , Kucera Josef , Szturc Jan , Blecha Martin , Karasek Petr , Pelisek Igor , Konecna Jana
Published: October 2022

In sloped and intensively managed land, the soil characteristics are influenced mainly by water erosion intensity. In the present study, we evaluate the characteristics of Chernozems damaged by long-acting water erosion, particularly their retention and infiltration properties and possible impacts on soil fertility. Using infiltration experiments and a collection of intact samples, we performed analyses of the physical soil properties in individual transects. Our results confirm the lower infiltration capacity of deteriorated soil in the accumulation slope parts, which corresponded with the analyses of soil samples. The reduced bulk density in the accumulation slope parts exceeded 1.5 g·cm−3, indicating unsatisfactory (non-structured) soil conditions. In the transportation and eluvial slope zones, porosity values reached satisfactory numbers only at a depth of 10 cm. The median values of aeration showed a similar trend, but we recorded a higher value fluctuation.
Comparative Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) Mapping of Twenty-Three Endogenous Jaagsiekte Sheep Retrovirus (enJSRVs) in Sheep (Ovis aries) and River Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Chromosomes
Authors: Perucatti Angela , Iannuzzi Alessandra , Armezzani Alessia , Palmarini Massimo , Iannuzzi Leopoldo
Published: October 2022

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are the remnants of ancient infections of host germline cells, thus representing key tools to study host and viral evolution. Homologous ERV sequences often map at the same genomic locus of different species, indicating that retroviral integration occurred in the genomes of the common ancestors of those species. The genome of domestic sheep (Ovis aries) harbors at least twenty-seven copies of ERVs related to the exogenous and pathogenic Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRVs), thus referred to as enJSRVs. Some of these loci are unequally distributed between breeds and individuals of the host species due to polymorphic insertions, thereby representing invaluable tools to trace the evolutionary dynamics of virus populations within their hosts. In this study, we extend the cytogenetic physical maps of sheep and river buffalo by performing fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) mapping of twenty-three genetically characterized enJSRVs. Additionally, we report the first comparative FISH mapping of enJSRVs in domestic sheep (2n = 54) and river buffalo (Bubalus bubalis, 2n = 50). Finally, we demonstrate that enJSRV loci are conserved in the homologous chromosomes and chromosome bands of both species. Altogether, our results support the hypothesis that enJSRVs were present in the genomes of both species before they differentiated within the Bovidae family.
Dietary Betaine Interacts with Very Long Chain n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids to Influence Fat Metabolism and Circulating Single Carbon Status in the Cat
Authors: Jewell Dennis E. , Jackson Matthew I.
Published: October 2022

Six foods were used to evaluate the interaction of dietary betaine and n-3 PUFA in the cat. There was no ingredient added to the control food to specifically increase betaine or n-3 fatty acids. The experimental design was a 3 × 2 factorial (fatty acids were varied from the control food which had no added source of n-3 fatty acids, flax was included as a source of 18 carbon n-3, or menhaden fish oil as a source of EPA and DHA). Foods were then formulated using these three foods as a base with added betaine or without added betaine. Forty eight cats were used in this study. Equal numbers of cats were allotted by age and gender to each of the six dietary treatments. The cats were offered food amounts to maintain weight and consumed the food to which they were assigned for the length of the study (60 days). Metabolomics, selected circulating analytes and fatty acids were analyzed at the beginning and end of the feeding period. There was an increase in single carbon metabolites (betaine, dimethyl glycine, and methionine) with the consumption of dietary betaine. Betaine also increased the concentration of specific PUFA (ARA, αLA, DHA, and the sum of all circulating PUFA). The combination of dietary betaine and fish oil resulted in a reduction of circulating 3-indoxyl sulfate which suggests a renal benefit from their combined dietary presence.
Tannic Acid and Tea Prevents the Accumulation of Lead and Cadmium in the Lungs, Heart and Brain of Adolescent Male Wistar Rats—Possible Therapeutic Option
Authors: Winiarska-Mieczan Anna , Kwiecień Małgorzata , Bąkowski Maciej , Krusiński Robert , Jachimowicz-Rogowska Karolina , Demkowska-Kutrzepa Marta , Kiczorowska Bożena , Krupa Wanda
Published: October 2022

The protective effect of tannic acid and tea solutions on the lungs, hearts and brains of adolescent Wistar rats exposed to Pb and Cd was studied. Metals were administered with feed (7 mg Cd and 50 mg Pb/kg). Two experiments were carried. Experiment 1 aimed to determine the level of tannic acid (TA), most effectively reducing the adverse impact of Pb and Cd on the organs of adolescent rats (aged 5 weeks, weighing 169.3 ± 14.7 g) during combined exposure. TA was administered with drink (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 or 2.5% solutions). In Experiment 2, adolescent rats (aged 6 weeks, weighing 210.6 ± 12.1 g) received an aqueous solutions of black, green, red or white teas. TA and teas had a positive effect on reducing the accumulation of Cd in the organs. The results obtained suggest that long-term continuing administration of TA increases its effectiveness as a chelator for Pb. A 2% TA and white tea solution proved to be the most effective. In the analyzed tissues, increased activity of SOD and CAT was recorded as a result of the use of the TA and teas; thus, they can efficiently prevent the prooxidant effect of toxic metals.
Trace Minerals Supplementation with Great Impact on Beef Cattle Immunity and Health
Authors: Palomares Roberto A.
Published: October 2022

Trace minerals (TM) play an important role in cattle immunity, health and performance. Although TM are needed in small quantities, they are fundamental for enzymes involved in antioxidant protection against cellular damage and several pathways of the immune response. Cattle TM status results from the balance between TM dietary intake and their requirements. Free-choice oral TM supplementation is a common practice in beef cattle production systems. However, there is a high variation in TM intake and thus TM status and bioavailability in animals receiving free-choice oral TM supplements. Strategic pulse-dose supplementation during critical points of beef cattle management provides a controlled amount of TM intended to remove such a variation. Adequate TM supplementation should not only satisfy the basal requirements but also provide a source of TM when there is a higher demand of the antioxidant systems or during the development of the immune response. This paper reviews the research-based evidence of the effects of TM supplementation on immunity and its impact on beef cattle health. This review highlights the benefits of a novel approach of strategic administration of injectable trace minerals (Se, Zn, Cu and Mn) during critical episodes of cattle management (e.g., around weaning or at vaccination) in combination with free-choice oral supplementation to maintain adequate TM and oxidative status, enhanced immunity and overall cattle health. This strategy has proven to decrease morbidity, which would positively impact the productivity of the beef cattle systems.
Genomic Tools for the Characterization of Local Animal Genetic Resources: Application in Mascaruna Goat
Authors: Tolone Marco , Sardina Maria Teresa , Senczuk Gabriele , Chessari Giorgio , Criscione Andrea , Moscarelli Angelo , Riggio Silvia , Rizzuto Ilaria , Di Gerlando Rosalia , Portolano Baldassare , Mastrangelo Salvatore
Published: October 2022

Italy contains a large number of local goat populations, some of which do not have a recognized genetic structure. The “Mascaruna” is a goat population reared for milk production in Sicily. In this study, a total of 72 individuals were genotyped with the Illumina Goat_IGGC_65K_v2 BeadChip with the aim to characterize the genetic diversity, population structure and relatedness with another 31 Italian goat populations. The results displayed a moderate level of genetic variability for Mascaruna, in concordance with the estimated values for Italian goats. Runs of homozygosity islands are linked to genes involved in milk production, immune response and local adaptation. Population structure analyses separated Mascaruna from the other goat populations, indicating a clear genetic differentiation. Although they are not conclusive, our current results represent a starting point for the creation of monitoring and conservation plans. Additional analyses and a wider sampling would contribute to refine and validate these results. Finally, our study describing the diversity and structure of Mascaruna confirms the usefulness of applied genomic analyses as valid tools for the study of the local uncharacterized genetic resources.
The Benefits of Dog-Assisted Therapy as Complementary Treatment in a Children’s Mental Health Day Hospital
Authors: Guillen Guzmán Elías , Sastre Rodríguez Laia , Santamarina-Perez Pilar , Hermida Barros Laura , García Giralt Marta , Domenec Elizalde Eva , Ristol Ubach Fransesc , Romero Gonzalez Miguel , Pastor Yuste Yeray , Diaz Téllez Cristina , Romero Cela Soledad , Real Gisbert Laura , Salmeron Medina Miquel , Ballesteros-Urpi Anna , Morer Liñan Astrid
Published: October 2022

Dog-assisted therapy (DAT) has shown benefits in people with mental health disorders. A child psychiatric day hospital would be a suitable setting to implement DAT and evaluate the benefits in a pediatric population. Methods: Mixed methods research in a naturalistic setting was considered in this pre-post quantitative study including 23 children under 13 treated in a day hospital over 2 years. Quantitative analysis included the number of emotional and behavioral outbursts and attendance rate and self-control and social impairment questionnaires completed by family members and therapists. In the qualitative study, the experiences of 12 mental health professionals involved in DAT were documented through semi-structured interviews. Results: On DAT days, there were fewer emotional and behavioral outbursts and higher attendance. Significant differences were obtained between pre- and post-test scores on the SCRS and the SRS-2 completed by the therapists, while no significant differences were obtained on the questionnaires completed by the parents. Observations based on the qualitative study were as follows: (1) DAT improves emotional self-regulation; (2) DAT could facilitate the work of therapists in day hospitals; (3) health professionals displayed uncertainty due to a lack of familiarity with DAT. Conclusions: DAT improved emotional self-regulation, attendance rate and self-control and social response in children with mental disorders attending a day hospital.
Body Condition in the Tawny Owl Strix aluco near the Northern Limit of Its Range: Effects of Individual Characteristics and Environmental Conditions
Authors: Solonen Tapio
Published: October 2022

The body condition of boreal species of vole-eaters seems to vary largely according to fluctuations in vole populations and weather conditions of the preceding winter. I studied females and males of the Tawny Owl Strix aluco of temperate origin near the northern limit of the species’ range in southern Finland to reveal if they show similar patterns to the boreal species. Winter weather conditions before breeding seemed to have pronounced effects on the food availability of Tawny Owls. In females, intrinsic factors such as colour morph and age, as well as the body condition of the mate and the stage of the season (Julian date), governed body condition. In males, only age and Julian date showed pronounced relationships with body condition. The results suggest that deep snow cover protects vole populations through winter until spring better than a minor amount of snow and that frequent temperature fluctuations around the freezing point in early spring make voles more available for owls that are preparing for breeding. This was also reflected positively in the body condition of female owls. Probably due to the efficient use of alternative prey, the effects of fluctuating vole populations on the body condition of Tawny Owls are, in general, only moderate.
The Kinematics and Dynamics of Schizopygopsis malacanthus Swimming during Ucrit Testing
Authors: Li Yangxi , Hou Yiqun , Zhang Ben , Zou Xuan , Johnson David , Wan Fan , Zhou Chaoyan , Jin Yao , Shi Xiaotao
Published: October 2022

The swimming kinematics (how fish move) and dynamics (how forces effect movement) of Schizopygopsis malacanthus were investigated during the determination of Ucrit by stepped velocity testing. A video tracking program was used to record and analyze the motion of five test fish in a Brett-type flume during each velocity step. The findings fell into three groups: (1) Even when flow was uniform, fish did not swim steadily, with speeds fluctuating by 2.2% to 8.4% during steady swimming. The proportion of unsteady swimming time increased with water velocity, and defining steady and unsteady swimming statistically, in terms of the definition of standard deviation of instantaneous displacements, may have higher accuracy. (2) In steady swimming, the forward velocity and acceleration of fish were correlated with body length (p < 0.05), but in unsteady swimming the correlations were not significant. The maximum swimming speed (1.504 m/s) and acceleration (16.54 m/s2) occurred during unsteady swimming, but these measurements may not be definitive because of tank space constraints on fish movement and the passive behavior of the test fish with respect to acceleration. (3) Burst-coast swimming in still water, investigated by previous scholars as an energy conserving behavior, is not the same as the gait transition from steady to unsteady swimming in flowing water. In this study, the axial force of fish swimming in the unsteady mode was significantly higher (×1.2~1.6) than in the steady mode, as was the energy consumed (×1.27~3.33). Thus, gait transition increases, rather than decreases, energy consumption. Our characterization of the kinematics and dynamics of fish swimming provides important new information to consider when indices of swimming ability from controlled tank testing are applied to fish passage design.
Effects of Storage Time and Thawing Method on Selected Nutrients in Whole Fish for Zoo Animal Nutrition
Authors: Gimmel Angela , Baumgartner Katrin , Bäckert Sandra , Tschudin Anja , Lang Barbara , Hein Anna , Marcordes Sandra , Wyss Fabia , Wenker Christian , Liesegang Annette
Published: October 2022

Piscivores in human care receive whole fish that were frozen, stored and thawed before feeding. Nutrient losses have been documented, but exact changes during storage and with different thawing methods are unknown. Primarily, it was hypothesized that frozen fish lose different vitamins and trace minerals during a storage period of six months. Secondly, that different thawing methods have a significant influence on the degree of vitamin loss. Three fish species, herring (Clupeus harengus), mackerel (Scomber scombrus) and capelin (Mallotus villosus) were analyzed at four time points within a storage period of 6 months at −20 °C. At each time point, three thawing methods were applied: thawing in a refrigerator (R), thawing at room temperature (RT), and thawing under running water (RW). The following nutrients were analyzed: vitamin A, B1, D3 and E, iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se). The statistical method used was a linear mixed effect model. Cu was below detection limits in all analyzed samples, vitamin B1 in most analyzed herring (44/48 samples) and capelin (in 25/36 samples), respectively. In addition, the vitamin D3 concentration was also below detection limits in half of the capelin samples (18/36). No concentration changes of Fe (p = 0.616), Zn (p = 0.686) or Se (p = 0.148) were observed during a storage period of six months, in contrast to a significant decrease in vitamin A (p = 0.019), D3 (p = 0.034) and E (p = 0.003) concentrations. Thawing fish with different thawing methods did not result in concentration changes of Fe (p = 0.821), Zn (p = 0.549) or Se (p = 0.633), but in a significant concentration change of vitamin A (p = 0.002). It is essential to supplement vitamins B1 and E in diets containing whole fish to avoid deficiencies in piscivorous species, and care should be taken not to store fish longer than six months, due to the depletion of vitamins A, D3 and E.
Early Years of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales Epidemic in Abu Dhabi
Authors: Pál Tibor , Butt Aqdas B. , Ghazawi Akela , Thomsen Jens , Rizvi Tahir A. , Sonnevend Ágnes
Published: October 2022

Recent studies showed that the current endemic of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi is dominated by highly resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae clones ST14, ST231, and CC147, respectively. In the absence of continuous, molecular typing-based surveillance, it remained unknown whether they lately emerged and rapidly became dominant, or they had been present from the early years of the endemic. Therefore, antibiotic resistance, the presence of carbapenemase and 16S methylase genes, and the sequence types of CRE strains collected between 2009 and 2015 were compared with those collected between 2018 and 2019. It was found that members of these three clones, particularly those of the most prevalent ST14, started dominating already in the very early years of the CRE outbreak. Furthermore, while severely impacting the overall antibiotic resistance patterns, the effect of these clones was not exclusive: for example, increasing trends of colistin or decreasing rates of tigecycline resistance were also observed among nonclonal isolates. The gradually increasing prevalence of few major, currently dominating clones raises the possibility that timely, systematic, molecular typing-based surveillance could have provided tools to public health authorities for an early interference with the escalation of the local CRE epidemic.
Limosilactobacillus fermentum Strain 3872: Antibacterial and Immunoregulatory Properties and Synergy with Prebiotics against Socially Significant Antibiotic-Resistant Infections of Animals and Humans
Authors: Abramov Vyacheslav M. , Kosarev Igor V. , Machulin Andrey V. , Priputnevich Tatiana V. , Chikileva Irina O. , Deryusheva Evgenia I. , Abashina Tatiana N. , Donetskova Almira D. , Panin Alexander N. , Melnikov Vyacheslav G. , Suzina Nataliya E. , Nikonov Ilia N. , Selina Marina V. , Khlebnikov Valentin S. , Sakulin Vadim K. , Vasilenko Raisa N. , Samoilenko Vladimir A. , Uversky Vladimir N. , Karlyshev Andrey V.
Published: October 2022

Limosilactobacillus fermentum strain 3872 (LF3872) was originally isolated from the breast milk of a healthy woman during lactation and the breastfeeding of a child. The high-quality genome sequencing of LF3872 was performed, and a gene encoding a unique bacteriocin was discovered. It was established that the bacteriocin produced by LF3872 (BLF3872) belongs to the family of cell-wall-degrading proteins that cause cell lysis. The antibacterial properties of LF3872 were studied using test cultures of antibiotic-resistant Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. Gram-positive pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus strain 8325-4 and S. aureus strain IIE CI-SA 1246) were highly sensitive to the bacteriolytic action of LF3872. Gram-negative pathogens (Escherichia coli, Salmonella strains, and Campylobacter jejuni strains) were more resistant to the bacteriolytic action of LF3872 compared to Gram-positive pathogens. LF3872 is a strong co-aggregator of Gram-negative pathogens. The cell-free culture supernatant of LF3872 (CSLF3872) induced cell damage in the Gram-positive and Gram-negative test cultures and ATP leakage. In the in vitro experiments, it was found that LF3872 and Actigen prebiotic (Alltech Inc., Nicholasville, KY, USA) exhibited synergistic anti-adhesive activity against Gram-negative pathogens. LF3872 has immunoregulatory properties: it inhibited the lipopolysaccharide-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-8, IL-1β, and TNF-α in a monolayer of Caco-2 cells; inhibited the production of IL-12 and stimulated the production of IL-10 in immature human dendritic cells; and stimulated the production of TGF-β, IFN-γ, and IgA in the immunocompetent cells of intestinal Peyer’s patches (PPs) in mice. These results indicate the possibility of creating a synbiotic based on LF3872 and a prebiotic derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall components. Such innovative drugs and biologically active additives are necessary for the implementation of a strategy to reduce the spread of antibiotic-resistant strains of socially significant animal and human infections.
Sustainable Dyeing and Functionalization of Different Fibers Using Orange Peel Extract’s Antioxidants
Authors: Ivanovska Aleksandra , Gajić Ivana Savić , Lađarević Jelena , Milošević Marija , Savić Ivan , Mihajlovski Katarina , Kostić Mirjana
Published: October 2022

A diluted ethanol orange peel extract was used for sustainable dyeing and functionalization of different fabrics. The extract analysis was performed using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS; its total flavonoid (0.67 g RE/100 g d.w.) and antioxidant (2.81 g GAE/100 g d.w.) contents and antioxidant activity (IC50 of 65.5 µg/mL) were also determined. The extract dyeing performance at various dyebath pH values was evaluated using multifiber fabric. Among six fabrics, extract possessed the ability for dyeing wool, polyamide, and cellulose acetate (at pH 4.5), which color strength (K/S) values increased after washing (9.7–19.8 vs. 11.6–23.2). Extract:water ratio of 20:35 (v/v) was found to be sufficient for achieving satisfactory K/S values (i.e., 20.17, 12.56, and 10.38 for wool, polyamide, and cellulose acetate, respectively) that were slightly changed after washing. The optimal dyeing temperatures for wool, polyamide, and cellulose acetate are 55, 35, and 25 °C, while the equilibrium dye exhaustion at those temperatures was achieved after 45, 120, and 90 min, respectively. The color coordinate measurements revealed that wool and polyamide fabrics are yellower than cellulose acetate, while, compared to polyamide and cellulose acetate, wool is redder. Possible interactions between selected fabrics and extract compounds are suggested. All fabrics possessed excellent antioxidant activity (88.6–99.6%) both before and after washing. Cellulose acetate provided maximum bacterial reduction (99.99%) for Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus, which in the case of Staphylococcus aureus remained unchanged after washing. Orange peel extract could be used for simultaneous dyeing and functionalization of wool and polyamide (excellent antioxidant activity) and cellulose acetate (excellent antioxidant and antibacterial activity) fabrics.
A Surface Texture Prediction Model Based on RIOHTrack Asphalt Pavement Testing Data
Authors: Huang Wei , Liu Chuankun , Guo Weiqiang , Wei Ya
Published: October 2022

The surface texture of asphalt pavement is of enormous importance to skid resistance. To investigate the degradation tendency of surface texture related to the skid resistance, four years of sensor measured texture depth (SMTD) panel data measured from 19 pavement structures including 4 types of surface asphalt layer are used to develop a surface texture prediction model. The panel data-based prediction model takes into account the dependence on time scale, diversified road sections, traffic factors, environmental factors, and the Bailey method-based aggregate gradation parameters. The regression and prediction capability of the surface texture model is evaluated from both short and long-term perspective. The results indicated that the random-effects model is the most suitable form to characterize the degradation of surface texture. The cumulative standard axle loads (CSAL), monthly average humidity (MAH), and the Bailey method-based aggregate gradation parameters (the coarse aggregate ratio (CA), the fine aggregate coarse ratio (FAC), and the fine aggregate fine ratio (FAF)) have significant influences on the sensor measured texture depth. The time scale of the input sensor measured texture depth (SMTD) data has influence on the accuracy of the surface texture prediction model; therefore, long-term data series can ensure the robustness of long-term prediction. The results of this study can benefit the material design, construction, maintenance of asphalt pavement, and its evaluation pavement for longer service life.
Kinetic and Equilibrium Studies of Fe(III) Sorption from an Aqueous Solution Using Palmyra Palm Fruit Fibres as a Biosorbent
Authors: Satchawan Suphapan , Phuengphai Pongthipun , Ratanamanee Acharaporn , Meethong Nonglak
Published: October 2022

This research focused on the removal of Fe(III) ions from an aqueous solution of wastewater through an adsorption process using biosorbents of natural palmyra palm fruit fibres (N–PPF) and chemically modified palmyra palm fruit fibres (C–PPF). BET was used to determine the pore volume and pore size of the biosorbents; the C–PPF was more than N–PPF at 0.01069 cm3/g and 450.2094 Å, respectively. The initial concentration of Fe(III), the adsorbent dosage, solution pH, and contact time for optimal adsorption were investigated for adsorption, and it was found that the dosage of the adsorbent was 2.0 g, pH 4, and 300 min for adsorbent dosage, solution pH, and contact time, respectively. The adsorption data were consistent with the three models, though the Freundlich model provided the best fit. The characteristics for both before/after adsorption were examined by FT–IR, which showed that hydroxyl groups were involved in adsorption. SEM–EDX analysis confirmed the successful increase of containing functional groups during adsorption. Adsorption proceeded according to a pseudo–first–order kinetic model for N–PPF, while the adsorption of C-PPF was according to both kinetic models. It was revealed that Fe(III) adsorption is an exothermic process that occurs on the surface of heterogeneous adsorbents and physisorption. The intra-particle diffusion model is appropriate to explain the rate-controlling step in the Fe(III) adsorption process of natural fibres.
A Workflow for Dosimetry of 90Y Radioembolization Based on Quantitative 99mTc-MAA SPECT/CT Imaging and a 3D-Printed Phantom
Authors: Ungania Sara , D’Arienzo Marco , Mezzenga Emilio , Pizzi Giuseppe , Vallati Giulio , Ianiro Anna , Rea Sandra , Sciuto Rosa , Soriani Antonella , Strigari Lidia
Published: October 2022

At a time of increasing evidence for dose-effect relationships in radioembolization (RE) with 90Y-microspheres, the general consensus is that there is an urgent need for accurate treatment planning and dose assessment in patients undergoing RE treatment. This work aimed at assessing the usefulness of 99mTc macroaggregated albumin (MAA) SPECT/CT imaging for personalized provisional RE dosimetry considering a 3D-printed patientlike phantom (AdboMan phantom). A homemade tool was developed in MATLAB for image analysis and absorbed dose calculation. Two dose calculaton methods were implemented and used to calculate dose volume histograms: (I) dose kernel method and (II) local energy deposition method. The accuracy of the two different dosimetric methods was evaluated by means of 3D γ-index (1%–1 mm and 2%–2 mm) implemented in the tool. Differences between the two dose calculation methods using the 3D γ-index are within 1%–1 mm and 2%–2 mm for all AbdoMan inserts, with a passing rate of 99.9% and 100%, respectively, proving a good agreement between the two calculation methods. The present study supports the use of 99mTc-MAA SPECT acquisition for provisional dosimetry along with the local energy deposition method to convert reconstructed SPECT data into absorbed dose maps. As long as 99mTc-MAA SPECT acquisitions are performed on liver lesions larger than 40 mm, the absorbed dose computed by means of the local energy deposition method can lead to results in line with those obtained by Monte Carlo calculations.
Submarine Landslide Susceptibility and Spatial Distribution Using Different Unsupervised Machine Learning Models
Authors: Du Xing , Sun Yongfu , Song Yupeng , Xiu Zongxiang , Su Zhiming
Published: October 2022

A submarine landslide is a well-known geohazard that can cause significant damage to offshore engineering facilities. Most standard predicting and mapping methods require expert knowledge, supervision, and fieldwork. In this research, the main objective was to analyze the potential of unsupervised machine learning methods and compare the performance of three different unsupervised machine learning models (k-means, spectral clustering, and hierarchical clustering) in modeling the susceptibility of the submarine landslide. Nine groups of geological factors were selected as the input parameters, which were obtained through field surveys. To estimate submarine landslide susceptibility, all input factors were separated into three or four groups based on data features and environmental variables. Finally, the goodness-of-fit and accuracy of models were validated with both internal metrics (Calinski–Harabasz index, silhouette index, and Davies–Bouldin index) and external metrics (existing landslide distribution, hydrodynamic distribution, and liquefication distribution). The findings of k-means, spectral clustering, and hierarchical clustering performed commendably and accurately in forecasting the submarine landslide susceptibility. Spectral clustering has the greatest congruence with environmental geology parameters. Therefore, the unsupervised machine learning model can be used in submarine-landslide-predicting studies, and the spectral clustering method performed best. Furthermore, machine learning can improve submarine landslide mapping in the future with the development of models and the extension of geological data related to submarine landslides.
Spatiotemporal Variation of Net Primary Productivity and Its Response to Climate Change and Human Activities in the Yangtze River Delta, China
Authors: Li Dengpan , Tian Lei , Li Mingyang , Li Tao , Ren Fang , Tian Chunhong , Yang Ce
Published: October 2022

Exploring the temporal and spatial changes, as well as driving factors, of net primary productivity (NPP) of terrestrial ecosystems is essential for maintaining regional carbon balance. This work focuses on the spatiotemporal variation and future trends of NPP and the response mechanisms of NPP to various driving factors. The Theil–Sen estimator, as well as Mann–Kendall and Hurst exponent methods, were used to analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics and future trends of NPP, and geographical detectors and correlation analysis were used to reveal the response of NPP to various driver changes to environmental factors. The results showed that the NPP was generally on an increasing trend in the Yangtze River Delta region from 2000 to 2019, with the average NPP value of 550.17 g C m−2 a−1, of which 85.90% was the increasing regions and 14.10% was the decreasing regions, showing a significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity characteristic. The trend of future changes in NPP is dominated by an anti-persistence trend in the study area, i.e., the opposite of the past trend. Notably, annual precipitation is the most significant positive driver of NPP; while NPP was negatively correlated with population, meanwhile, different land use/land cover (LULC) also significantly affected the spatial distribution of NPP. Besides, there was a two-factor enhanced interaction between the various drivers on NPP, with the highest interaction occurring between temperature and elevation. Overall, this study provides data support for future regional NPP predictions and ecosystem evaluations.
Experimental Study on the Effects of Hydrogen Injection Strategy on the Combustion and Emissions of a Hydrogen/Gasoline Dual Fuel SI Engine under Lean Burn Condition
Authors: Pan Shiyi , Wang Jinhua , Liang Bin , Duan Hao , Huang Zuohua
Published: October 2022

Hydrogen addition can improve the performance and extend the lean burn limit of gasoline engines. Different hydrogen injection strategies lead to different types of hydrogen mixture distribution (HMD), which affects the engine performance. Therefore, the present study experimentally investigated the effects of hydrogen injection strategy on the combustion and emissions of a hydrogen/gasoline dual-fuel port-injection engine under lean-burn conditions. Four different hydrogen injection strategies were explored: hydrogen direct injection (HDI), forming a stratified hydrogen mixture distribution (SHMD); hydrogen intake port injection, forming a premixed hydrogen mixture distribution (PHMD); split hydrogen direct injection (SHDI), forming a partially premixed hydrogen mixture distribution (PPHMD); and no hydrogen addition (NHMD). The results showed that 20% hydrogen addition could extend the lean burn limit from 1.5 to 2.8. With the increase in the excess air ratio, the optimum HMD changed from PPHMD to SHMD. The maximum brake thermal efficiency was obtained with an excess air ratio of 1.5 with PPHMD. The coefficient of variation (COV) with NHMD was higher than that with hydrogen addition, since the hydrogen enhanced the stability of ignition and combustion. The engine presented the lowest emissions with PHMD. There were almost no carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions when the excess air ratio was, respectively, more than 1.4 and 2.0.
Elasto-Inertial Particle Focusing in Microchannel with T-Shaped Cross-Section
Authors: Jang Jaekyeong , Kim Uihwan , Kim Taehoon , Cho Younghak
Published: October 2022

Recently, particle manipulation in non-Newtonian fluids has attracted increasing attention because of a good particle focusing toward the mid-plane of a channel. In this research, we proposed a simple and robust fabrication method to make a microchannel with various T-shaped cross-sections for particle focusing and separation in a viscoelastic solution. SU-8-based soft lithography was used to form three different types of microchannels with T-shaped cross-sections, which enabled self-alignment and plasma bonding between two PDMS molds. The effects of the flow rate and geometric shape of the cross-sections on particle focusing were evaluated in straight microchannels with T-shaped cross-sections. Moreover, by taking images from the top and side part of the channels, it was possible to confirm the position of the particles three-dimensionally. The effects of the corner angle of the channel and the aspect ratio of the height to width of the T shape on the elasto-inertial focusing phenomenon were evaluated and compared with each other using numerical simulation. Simulation results for the particle focusing agreed well with the experimental results both in qualitatively and quantitatively. Furthermore, the numerical study showed a potential implication for particle separation depending on its size when the aspect ratio of the T-shaped microchannel and the flow rate were appropriately leveraged.
Real-Time Prediction of Transarterial Drug Delivery Based on a Deep Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Yuan Xin-Yi , Hua Yue , Aubry Nadine , Zhussupbekov Mansur , Antaki James F. , Zhou Zhi-Fu , Peng Jiang-Zhou
Published: October 2022

This study develops a data-driven reduced-order model based on a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) for real-time and accurate prediction of the drug trajectory and concentration field in transarterial chemoembolization therapy to assist in directing the drug to the tumor site. The convolutional and deconvoluational layers are used as the encoder and the decoder, respectively. The input of the network model is designed to contain the information of drug injection location and the blood vessel geometry and the output consists of the drug trajectory and the concentration field. We studied drug delivery in two-dimensional straight, bifurcated blood vessels and the human hepatic artery system and showed that the proposed model can quickly and accurately predict the spatial–temporal drug concentration field. For the human hepatic artery system, the most complex case, the average prediction accuracy was 99.9% compared with the CFD prediction. Further, the prediction time for each concentration field was less than 0.07 s, which is four orders faster than the corresponding CFD simulation. The high performance, accuracy and speed of the CNN model shows the potential for effectively assisting physicians in directing chemoembolization drugs to tumor-bearing segments, thus improving its efficacy in real-time.
Rectification of Gas Pipeline Bridging with the Support of Experimental Stress Analysis and Means of Regression and Correlation Analysis
Authors: Frankovský Peter , Sivák Peter , Delyová Ingrid , Hroncová Darina , Štuller Pavol
Published: October 2022

The paper deals with the connection between the issue of rectification of the structural system and the corresponding experimental and related statistical analysis of stresses. The solution was demonstrated in the example of replacing the aboveground gas pipeline with an underground solution. During the implementation of landscaping for the underground solution, there was a risk of damage to the existing structure. Due to the specific problems in stress analysis based on strain gauge measurements, especially with regard to the narrow range of gas pressure as the primary input quantity, the obtained data had to be subjected to complex statistical procedures. Several linear and non-linear regression models were compiled and subjected to normality, homoscedasticity, and autocorrelation tests. The data obtained in this manner ruled out the possibility of limited state occurrence on the existing structure and, in conjunction with other information, enabled the successful completion of the rectification process to its current form. The scientific added value of the contribution should be the demonstration of procedure methodology and relatively unconventional use of regression and correlation analysis methods and means in the technical field for stress analysis in solving engineering practice problems.
Employing a Multilingual Transformer Model for Segmenting Unpunctuated Arabic Text
Authors: Alshanqiti Abdullah M. , Albouq Sami , Alkhodre Ahmad B. , Namoun Abdallah , Nabil Emad
Published: October 2022

Long unpunctuated texts containing complex linguistic sentences are a stumbling block to processing any low-resource languages. Thus, approaches that attempt to segment lengthy texts with no proper punctuation into simple candidate sentences are a vitally important preprocessing task in many hard-to-solve NLP applications. To this end, we propose a preprocessing solution for segmenting unpunctuated Arabic texts into potentially independent clauses. This solution consists of: (1) a punctuation detection model built on top of a multilingual BERT-based model, and (2) some generic linguistic rules for validating the resulting segmentation. Furthermore, we optimize the strategy of applying these linguistic rules using our suggested greedy-like algorithm. We call the proposed solution PDTS (standing for Punctuation Detector for Text Segmentation). Concerning the evaluation, we showcase how PDTS can be effectively employed as a text tokenizer for unpunctuated documents (i.e., mimicking the transcribed audio-to-text documents). Experimental findings across two evaluation protocols (involving an ablation study and a human-based judgment) demonstrate that PDTS is practically effective in both performance quality and computational cost. In particular, PDTS can reach an average F-Measure score of approximately 75%, indicating a minimum improvement of roughly 13% (i.e., compared to the performance of the state-of-the-art competitor models).
Al-Fe-Ni Metallic Glasses via Mechanical Alloying and Its Consolidation
Authors: Binh Do Nam , Oanh Nguyen Thi Hoang , Viet Nguyen Hoang
Published: October 2022

In this paper, the influence of mechanical milling on the microstructural evolution and magnetic properties of Al82Fe14Ni4 alloys prepared by mechanical alloying is investigated. The elemental powder mixture was processed under argon gas at 250 rpm and 350 rpm using a planetary ball mill. The powder particles experienced severe deformation, fragmentation and mutually cold-welding during the collisions of the balls. The diffraction peaks of the Al, Fe and Ni phases gradually disappeared during the milling process, and a halo peak corresponding to the amorphous phase formed. The amorphization of powders milled at 250 rpm was slower than that of 350 rpm. These alloys achieved a fully amorphous structure after milling for 60 h. The amorphous powder alloy milled at 350 rpm exhibited higher thermal stability compared with that of an alloy milled at 250 rpm. The saturation magnetization and coercive of the milled Al82Fe14Ni4 alloy powder were decreased following the formation of a para-magnetic amorphous phase. The highest compressive strength, about 710 MPa, was obtained for the Al82Fe14Ni4 alloy sintered at 600 °C by SPS.
Special Issue Advances in High-Performance of Eco-Efficient Concrete
Authors: Thomas Carlos , de Brito Jorge , Corinaldesi Valeria
Published: October 2022

The benefits of recycling in the construction sector have been widely demonstrated and are unquestionable [...]
Effect of Secondary Combustion on Thrust Regulation of Gas Generator Cycle Rocket Engine
Authors: Khan Sohaib , Sohail Muhammad Umer , Qamar Ihtzaz , Tariq Muzna , Swati Raees Fida
Published: October 2022

Thrust regulation is applied to maintain the performance of the liquid propellant rocket engine. The thrust level of a rocket engine can be readily controlled by adjusting the number of propellants introduced into the combustion chamber. In this study, a gas generator design is proposed in which thrust regulation is maintained by performing secondary combustion in the divergent section of the nozzle of a gas generator. Tangential and normal injection techniques have also been studied for better combustion analyses. A normal injection technique is used for the experiment and CFD results are validated with the experimental data. Chemical equilibrium analyses are also performed by minimizing Gibbs free energy with the steepest descent method augmented by the Nelder–Mead algorithm. These equilibrium calculations give the combustion species as obtained through the CFD results. Performance evaluation of the rocket engine, with and without secondary combustion in the gas generator, led to an increase of 42% thrust and 46.15% of specific impulse with secondary combustion in the gas generator.
Spare Parts Made by Additive Manufacturing to Improve Preventive Maintenance
Authors: Lastra René , Pereira Alejandro , Díaz-Cacho Miguel , Acevedo Jorge , Collazo Antonio
Published: October 2022

This research work is aimed at identifying the applicability of additive manufacturing (AM) to spare parts in the automotive manufacturing industry, specifically in the field of preventive maintenance. A procedure of AM applicability to preventive maintenance is presented. To this end, the results of the application of a case that has been carried out in the Stellantis factory located in the Vigo (Spain) area have been obtained. The procedure was based on an initial inventory from which a series of lists have been obtained that were later categorised. This was performed in order to know the technical and economic applicability of polymeric spare parts replacement by parts made of AM in polyamide material (PA12) through two manufacturing methods (HP Multi-Jet and Selective Laser Sintering technology, SLS). Original spare parts were characterised and compared with replacement parts made in AM. This article provides observations, recommendations and conclusions to summarise the situation regarding the use of AM techniques to improve preventive maintenance.
Special Issue on Advances in Marine Biotechnology: Exploitation of Halophyte Plants
Authors: Pereira Catarina Guerreiro
Published: October 2022

Halophyte (salt tolerant) plants encompass roughly 1% of the world’s plant species that can thrive in a multitude of saline biotopes, where glycophytes (non-salt tolerant) cannot [...]
Prediction of Multi-Site PM2.5 Concentrations in Beijing Using CNN-Bi LSTM with CBAM
Authors: Li Dong , Liu Jiping , Zhao Yangyang
Published: October 2022

Air pollution is a growing problem and poses a challenge to people’s healthy lives. Accurate prediction of air pollutant concentrations is considered the key to air pollution warning and management. In this paper, a novel PM2.5 concentration prediction model, CBAM-CNN-Bi LSTM, is constructed by deep learning techniques based on the principles related to spatial big data. This model consists of the convolutional block attention module (CBAM), the convolutional neural network (CNN), and the bi-directional long short-term memory neural network (Bi LSTM). CBAM is applied to the extraction of feature relationships between pollutant data and meteorological data and assists in deeply obtaining the spatial distribution characteristics of PM2.5 concentrations. As the output layer, Bi LSTM obtains the variation pattern of PM2.5 concentrations from spatial data, overcomes the problem of long-term dependence on PM2.5 concentrations, and achieves the task of accurately forecasting PM2.5 concentrations at multiple sites. Based on real datasets, we perform an experimental evaluation and the results show that, in comparison to other models, CBAM-CNN-Bi LSTM improves the accuracy of PM2.5 concentration prediction. For the prediction tasks from 1 to 12 h, our proposed prediction model performs well. For the 13 to 48 h prediction task, the CBAM-CNN-Bi LSTM also achieves satisfactory results.