bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research integrity guidelines in the academic environment: The context of Brazilian institutions with retracted publications in health and life sciences
Authors: Stavale Rafaelly , Pupovac Vanja , Ferreira Graziani Izidoro , Guilhem Dirce Bellezi
Published: October 2022

Although research misconduct is responsible for most retractions in health and life sciences from authors affiliated with Brazilian institutions, there are few studies evaluating retraction notices and research misconduct in the country. Understanding the form of research misconduct may share light on the weaknesses and strengths of individual, organizational, and structural factors toward the implementation of a research integrity culture. This review on policies and practices aims to access the available information from research integrity offices and the guidelines from Brazilian funding institutions and universities who were involved in retractions in health and life science publications based on a previously published systematic review. Additionally, we summarize the available guidelines and policies for research integrity in the country. Additionally, we searched publicly available guidelines and offices for research integrity. In total, 15 institutions were analyzed: five funding agencies and 10 universities. Approximately 40% of the funding agencies promoted local research, and 60% promoted national research. Considering national funding agencies, 66% had the commission on research integrity. Approximately 30% of the universities do not have the official office for research integrity or any publicly available guidelines. Most institutions involved in retractions due to some form of research misconduct. Brazilian institutions involved in publication retractions lack instruments to prevent, supervise, and sanction research misconduct. Institutions of the country have insufficiently developed a system to promote and sustain research integrity practices. Nevertheless, there is a positive movement of researchers who are engaged in the investigation of research integrity, policy creation and training. This study emphasizes increased influence of Brazilian scientific collaboration and production globally as well as the impact of retractions in medical sciences. In contrast, it addresses the need for clear research integrity policies to foster high-quality and trustworthy research.
Impact of resolution, colour, and motion on object identification in digital twins from robot sensor data
Authors: Bremner Paul , Giuliani Manuel
Published: October 2022

This paper makes a contribution to research on digital twins that are generated from robot sensor data. We present the results of an online user study in which 240 participants were tasked to identify real-world objects from robot point cloud data. In the study we manipulated the render style (point clouds vs voxels), render resolution (i.e., density of point clouds and granularity of voxel grids), colour (monochrome vs coloured points/voxels), and motion (no motion vs rotational motion) of the shown objects to measure the impact of these attributes on object recognition performance. A statistical analysis of the study results suggests that there is a three-way interaction between our independent variables. Further analysis suggests: 1) objects are easier to recognise when rendered as point clouds than when rendered as voxels, particularly lower resolution voxels; 2) the effect of colour and motion is affected by how objects are rendered, e.g., utility of colour decreases with resolution for point clouds; 3) an increased resolution of point clouds only leads to an increased object recognition if points are coloured and static; 4) high resolution voxels outperform medium and low resolution voxels in all conditions, but there is little difference between medium and low resolution voxels; 5) motion is unable to improve the performance of voxels at low and medium resolutions, but is able to improve performance for medium and low resolution point clouds. Our results have implications for the design of robot sensor suites and data gathering and transmission protocols when creating digital twins from robot gathered point cloud data.
Connecting sufficiency, materialism and the good life? Christian, Muslim and Hindu-based perspectives on EU-level
Authors: Klinkenborg Hannah , Rossmoeller Anica
Published: October 2022

This article analyzes Christian, Muslim, and Hindu-based discourses and practices in relation to sufficiency, materialism, and the good life in the context of the European Union. The current political and scholarly debate emphasizes the need for a sustainability transformation and, more specifically, for reductions in resource use by the global consumer class. Within this discussion, the different approaches to and interpretations of the various facets of ecology and materialism, and the links between them, have become the primary focus. Questions about what a “good life”, as opposed to a consumerist lifestyle, means and the need to focus on sufficiency rather than efficiency are being (re-)considered. Given that religions and faith-based actors (FBAs) play an essential role as interpreters of norms and values in societies, especially when societies are facing particular challenges, it is important to understand how they communicate information about relevant ideas and actions. What do FBAs say about sustainable lifestyles, sufficiency, and the role of materialism vis-à-vis those two ideas? How do they relate it all to questions of faith? Do they use faith-based or secular idioms to address the ideas? How do FBAs relate the ideas to practices? To begin answering these questions, we here present a content analysis of relevant texts and supplement the finding thereof with an analysis of expert interviews. The results come mainly from faith-based actors active on the EU level. Nevertheless, some of the actors also operate globally, which is why a clear, sharp regional separation is not entirely possible. This article identifies and explores the role of faith-based ideas and practices in maneuvering toward one of the most substantial societal challenges in this period of late capitalism and its materialist dimension. The regional focus imposes limitations on the scope of the religions in our sample, which is most evident in the case of Hinduism: here, it was only possible to include one organization in particular (Brahma Kumaris) in the empirical analysis. These practical limitations must therefore be taken into account when considering the scope of the results of this analysis.
Egg Rejection: Getting Rid of a Parasite in the Nest
Authors: Martinez Juan Gabriel , Molina-Morales Mercedes , Precioso Marta , Avilés Jesús Miguel
Published: October 2022

Some species of birds, called brood parasites, lay their eggs in the nests of other species (called the hosts). Male and female hosts take care of the parasitic offspring. In most cases, the hosts raise only the parasitic chicks, which reduces the breeding success of the host birds. However, hosts can defend themselves from brood parasitism by developing the ability to recognize and reject parasitic eggs from their nests. In this article, we explore how host age influences the ability to reject foreign eggs. We show that female magpies improve their ability to reject foreign eggs added to their nests as they age, and we discuss what this might mean for both the magpies and cuckoos. Our results might ultimately help us to better understand how animals and humans defend themselves against the disease-causing parasites that infect them.
Changing gear: Experiences of how existing qualitative research can adapt to an unfolding health emergency
Authors: Jones Theresa , Enria Luisa , Lees Shelley , Marchant Mark , Tulloch Olivia
Published: October 2022

Long-term research projects are not always able to adapt to a new crisis and incorporate characteristics and approaches of rapid research to produce useful data quickly. Project AViD was a programme of research that ran between 2018 and 2022 to examine factors that shape vaccine confidence. The project initially focused on five country case studies looking at vaccines for Ebola, Measles, Rift Valley Fever and Zika. The COVID-19 pandemic emerged during this time and provided an opportunity to contribute to the pandemic's ‘million-dollar question'–how to deploy COVID-19 vaccines. Drawing on our experience as researchers, and specifically from AViD, we propose seven factors that can influence when and how longer-term qualitative research projects can adapt and contribute to the response to an unfolding health emergency. These include: (1) the phase of research in which the emergency hits; (2) the relative significance of the emergency in the research setting; (3) the specific methods and research team capacities; (4) existing operational links; (5) supportive ecosystems; (6) flexibility in research contracting and funding; and (7) the research team attitude and approach. We close with two considerations for longer-term research projects that find themselves having to “change gear” amid a public health emergency–the need to re-assess risks and benefits and the need to protect equitable partnerships.
Evaluation of the pasting characteristics of cassava roots grown in different locations in Nigeria from the Genetic Gain Assessment trial
Authors: Alamu Emmanuel Oladeji , Maziya-Dixon Busie , Dixon Alfred Gilbert
Published: October 2022

The cooking quality, especially the pasting properties, is essential in cassava starch applications or successfully utilizing cassava in food industries and at the household level. This study evaluated the cassava roots from the Genetic Gain Assessment trial grown in three locations for dry matter (DM) and the pasting characteristics. Four hundred cassava genotypes were planted under IVS (Dry season in Inland Valley Hydromorphic area) and Upland (rain-fed conditions) trials at IITA Research Farms, Nigeria. The harvested cassava roots (12 months after planting) were analyzed for DM, and the dried-milled roots were analyzed for pasting properties using standard laboratory methods. The DM ranged from 25.04 to 38.72%, with a mean of 31.97 ± 2.41%. The pasting properties (peak, trough, breakdown, setback and final viscosities) ranged from 140.36–570.93 RVU (mean 241.71 ± 38.17), 6.74–173.32 RVU (mean 96.65 ± 23.45), 66.97–482.35 RVU (mean 142.44 ± 30.16), 60.06–231.74RVU (mean 134.42 ± 30.52), and 5.22–135.69 RVU (mean 37.78 ± 12.96), respectively. The genotypes had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on the DM and pasting properties, but the growing location showed a highly significant effect (P < 0.05) on all the parameters studied. The cluster analysis grouped the genotypes into 2 clusters where clusters 1 and 2 had 115 and 285 genotypes, respectively. Knowing the impact of genotype and grown location on the pasting behavior could help the breeders select the best genotypes with excellent qualities that could adapt to different environments and identify the suitable growing area for the best cooking quality.
Fieldwork without the field: Navigating qualitative research in pandemic times
Authors: Gailloux Chantal , Furness Walter W. , Myles Colleen C. , Wiley Delorean S. , Collins Kourtney
Published: October 2022

More than ever before, the COVID-19 pandemic has required qualitative researchers to develop open-ended, flexible, and creative approaches to continuing their work. This reality includes the adoption of open-ended research goals, a willingness to continually adapt to unpredictable and changing (viral) circumstances, and a commitment to opening toward and adhering to participants' preferences. This ethos is entrenched in a web of moral responsibility and a future anteriorized ethics. We reflect on pandemic-era ethical and methodological considerations in light of Fortun's studies of toxic contamination, research conducted in conflict settings, and researcher experiences during the early stages of COVID-19. Drawing from our own experiences and bearing in mind our own entangled web(s) of moral responsibility, we explore the future anteriorized ethics and methodological landscape of the “new normal” pandemic (potentially endemic) era. We reflect on what data we are able to gather and what data we dare to gather in the context of COVID-19, ultimately asking how qualitative researchers can maintain a safe and ethical environment for conducting research. To this end, we emphasize a recognition of our obligations to our research partners and ourselves in order to reduce risk by turning doubts and concerns into opportunities during project development and fieldwork and transforming participants into collaborators in spaces of uncertainty. Through targeted reflections on our processes of adaptation in research, we examine how scholars can perform relatedness, knowledge, reasonableness, and care in the midst of a risky, compromised research context.
Discourses on the adoption of the Barsha pump: A Q methodology study in Nepal and Indonesia
Authors: Intriago Zambrano Juan Carlo , Diehl Jan-Carel , Ertsen Maurits W.
Published: October 2022

Improved water management is an important strategy to support smallholder farming, and thus to foster food security and improved livelihoods. Within this strategy, technologies like water pumps, especially those operating on renewable energies, are key, as they are more environmentally sound and affordable alternatives. Their successful and sustained uptake is a complex process—largely dependent on the adopter and its surrounding context—usually overlooked by traditional linear technology-transfer approaches. By means of Q methodology, we explored cross-cultural discourses around the adoption of the Barsha pump (BP), a self-reliant hydro-mechanical device that does not require any external input than flowing water to operate. We administered the method to 43 (non-)farmer respondents linked to Nepali and Indonesian smallholder farming systems. We identified three relevant discourses, one of them bipolar in nature. These three groups accounted for 39, 36, and 28% of the total explained variance of our study. The first one identified BP's potential early adopters. The second discourse embodied the (stereotypical) highly dependent smallholder. The last one characterized (contrasting) views around the BP as an enabler of potential service-oriented business models to achieve wellbeing. These results reflect the need for a shift of mindset toward new ways of understanding technological change in smallholder settings. On the one side, simplistic one-size-fits-all models cannot connect to the diversity of issues and opinions as we found. On the other side, it is virtually impossible to produce tailored solutions to satisfy each of those individual realities. We propose possible adoption pathways that may lead to the exploration of innovative and adaptable business models that serve the diversity of smallholder farming needs more effectively.
A safer and more practical tracheotomy in invasive mechanical ventilated patients with COVID-19: A quality improvement study
Authors: Kang Kai , Wang Junfeng , Du Xue , Li Nana , Jin Songgen , Ji Yuanyuan , Liu Xinjia , Chen Pengfei , Yue Chuangshi , Wu Jihan , Wang Xintong , Tang Yujia , Lai Qiqi , Lu Baitao , Gao Yang , Yu Kaijiang
Published: October 2022

Importance

The number of infections and deaths caused by the global epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) invasion is steadily increasing daily. In the early stages of outbreak, approximately 15%–20% of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) inevitably developed severe and critically ill forms of the disease, especially elderly patients and those with several or serious comorbidities. These more severe forms of disease mainly manifest as dyspnea, reduced blood oxygen saturation, severe pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), thus requiring prolonged advanced respiratory support, including high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC), non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV), and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV).

Objective

This study aimed to propose a safer and more practical tracheotomy in invasive mechanical ventilated patients with COVID-19.

Design

This is a single center quality improvement study.

Participants

Tracheotomy is a necessary and important step in airway management for COVID-19 patients with prolonged endotracheal intubation, IMV, failed extubation, and ventilator dependence. Standardized third-level protection measures and bulky personal protective equipment (PPE) may hugely impede the implementation of tracheotomy, especially when determining the optimal pre-surgical positioning for COVID-19 patients with ambiguous surface position, obesity, short neck or limited neck extension, due to vision impairment, reduced tactile sensation and motility associated with PPE. Consequently, the aim of this study was to propose a safer and more practical tracheotomy, namely percutaneous dilated tracheotomy (PDT) with delayed endotracheal intubation withdrawal under the guidance of bedside ultrasonography without the conventional use of flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FFB), which can accurately determine the optimal pre-surgical positioning, as well as avoid intraoperative damage of the posterior tracheal wall and prevent the occurrence of tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF).
Endoscopic endonasal resection of two rare cases of hemangiopericytomas invading the cavernous sinus and literature review
Authors: Wu Yingxi , Gong Li , Zhang Yunze , Zheng Min , Li Junting , Xue Yafei , Qu Yan , Zhao Tianzhi
Published: October 2022

Hemangiopericytomas (HPCs) invading the cavernous sinus (CS) are extremely rare invasive tumors that have a great propensity for local recurrence. To date, only eight cases have been reported in the literature. Owing to the abundant vascular supply of HPCs, intracavernous bleeding and important blood vessels and nerves passing through the CS, it is very difficult and challenging for neurosurgeons to completely resect HPCs. Here, we report two cases of HPCs invading the CS and introduce their clinical manifestations, imaging findings, surgical approaches and histopathological features in detail. We have implemented the surgery by the endoscopic transpterygoid transcavernous approach (ETPTCa) for the two patients, and one patient has undergone gross total resection (GTR) and another has undergone subtotal resection (STR) and postoperative stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). The ETPTCa may serve as a viable option to facilitate HPCs resection. Radiotherapy is helpful in prolonging progression-free survival (PFS) following STR of the tumor.
Changes in paraspinal muscles and facet joints after percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis: A 3-year follow-up
Authors: Pang Daming , Yang Jincai , Hai Yong , Fan Zhexuan , Gao Haifeng , Yin Peng
Published: October 2022

Objectives

This study investigates the changes in the paraspinal muscles of lumbar spinal stenosis patients after percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (PE-TLIF).

Methods

Thirty-three patients from Beijing Chaoyang Hospital who had L4/5 segment lumbar spinal stenosis between January, 2017 and January, 2019were included in this study. Patient-reported outcomes including the visual analog scale scores for back pain and leg pain (VAS-BP and VAS-LP, respectively) and the Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores at pre-operation and 1-week, 3-month, 12-month, and (at least) 3-year follow-up (the final follow-up) were evaluated. Computed tomography (CT) was performed at the 12-month follow-up, 24-month follow-up, and the final follow-up after surgery. Multifidus (MF) muscle functional cross-sectional area (FCSA) and fat infiltration (FI) were evaluated, and the degree of adjacent facet joint degeneration was evaluated using Pathria scores.

Results

All patients underwent at least a 3-year follow-up period. The VAS-BP, VAS-LP, and ODI were significantly lower at 1-week, 3-month, 12-month, and 3-year follow-up than at pre-operation (P < 0.05). At the 3-year follow-up, no differences were found in FCSA and FI for any patient's MF muscle at the lower third of the vertebral body (L3) above the operation level (P > 0.05), and there was no statistical difference in the central plane of the L3/4 and L5/S1 vertebral facet joints at pre-operation, 12-month, 24-month, and 3-month follow-up (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

PE-TLIF can provide satisfactory clinical outcomes for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. Furthermore, the technique may also reduce the injury on the paravertebral muscles, especially the MF muscle, as well as on adjacent facet joints.
Radial and ulnar medullary canal diameter in children: Anatomical limitations of elastic stable intramedullary nailing
Authors: Wang Cui , Su Yuxi
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Surgery is inevitable for children who cannot achieve the ideal reduction in forearm fractures. The biggest limitation of the elastic stable intramedullary nail (ESIN) fixation method is the diameter of the medullary canal. This study aimed to measure the medullary canal diameters of the radius and ulna at different ages in children.

Methods

The forearm radiographs of 540 children were retrospectively reviewed. All background characteristics, including weight, sex, maturity of the radius and ulna, and length of the radius and ulna, were measured and recorded. Children with radius and ulnar diameters shorter than 2 mm were analyzed by statistical regression analysis by SPSS software.

Results

When we set 2 mm as the minimum medullary canal diameter, our results showed that patients aged 3–12 years had radius and ulnar diameters under this limit. The regression analysis of risk factors with the 2 mm diameter limitation had significant differences based on age (P = 0.006) and sex (P = 0.033). There was no significant difference between patients based on weight (P = 0.056), ulnar length (P = 0.946), radius length (P = 0.503), radius maturity (P = 0.655), or ulnar maturity (P = 0.774).

Conclusions

The average medullary canal diameter remained constant until 12 years of age. However, the average diameter length did not increase significantly after the age of 12 years. The incidence of medullary canal diameter shorter than 2 mm was correlated with age and sex. Our results suggest that surgeons should pay attention to the medullary diameter of the anteroposterior and lateral radiographs to determine the ESIN diameter.
Mapping knowledge structure and research trends of knee osteoarthritis with meniscus in two decades: A bibliometric analysis
Authors: Chen Weijian , Yang Yaqin , Tang Gangjian
Published: October 2022

Background

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a chronic degenerative disease that is closely related to the meniscus. Currently, no bibliometric studies have jointly analyzed KOA and the meniscus. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the knowledge structure of KOA and the meniscus across two decades and to identify the emerging research trends from a bibliometric perspective.

Methods

All articles reporting KOA and the meniscus from 2001 to 2021 were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection. R software, CiteSpace, VOS Viewer, and Microsoft Excel were used to analyze the publications including the authors, cited authors, journals, cited journals, country of research, institutions, and research focus. These data were used to generate visual knowledge maps of the outputs.

Results

A total of 3,218 articles were retrieved. Guermazi was identified as the author who had contributed the most to the field and Osteoarthritis and Cartilage was identified as the most productive research journal. The United States is the global leader in the field and the center for international cooperation with less international collaboration occurring in Eastern Asia. Boston University was the most prolific institution. According to the data, “articular-cartilage,” “meniscectomy,” “follow-up,” “anterior cruciate ligament,” and “cartilage” were identified as research hotspots in the field. “Consequences,” “prognostic-factors,” and “receptor” were predicted as future hot topics of research.

Conclusions

This study is the first comprehensive bibliometric study to jointly analyze KOA and the meniscus. Our data enable a better understanding of research trends and identify research hotspots and gaps in knowledge across the field. Our findings provide practical information for researchers to better understand the key research areas and identify the research frontiers and future hot topics.
Treatment of postoperative intestinal dysfunction of hirschsprung's disease based on the principle of “anorectal balance”
Authors: Tian Li , Ma Chensen , Deng Zhengdong , Zhu Tianqi , Zhao Xiang , He Ying , Wei Mingfa , Feng Jiexiong , Yu Donghai
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Radical surgery is the most effective treatment for Hirschsprung's disease. However, some children still have symptoms of intestinal dysfunction such as constipation, abdominal distension, and recurrent enterocolitis after operation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate treatment outcomes of postoperative intestinal dysfunction in children with Hirschsprung's disease by using the principle of “anorectal balance”.

Methods

The clinical data of postoperative intestinal dysfunction in children with Hirschsprung's disease in the single treatment group from July 2019 to July 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. All the enrolled children underwent botulinum toxin injection (2.5 U/kg); 3 to 6 months later, the injection was performed again; the children who had received more than two botulinum toxin injections underwent the internal sphincter myectomy. Anorectal manometry was performed routinely after operation, and abdominal distension and defecation were recorded.

Results

A total of thirty children with postoperative intestinal dysfunction underwent radical surgery for Hirschsprung's disease were included in this study. Symptoms of constipation, abdominal distension and enterocolitis were improved after botulinum toxin injections in most children compared to before surgery (P < 0.01). After re-injection of botulinum toxin in twelve children, the frequency of defecation increased, the anal resting pressure decreased, and the clinical symptoms were relieved again (P < 0.05). Eleven children underwent internal sphincter myectomy, and the symptoms of constipation, abdominal distension and enterocolitis were significantly improved after the operation (P < 0.01).

Conclusion

Botulinum toxin injection and internal sphincter myectomy based on the principle of “anorectal balance” can effectively reduce the resting pressure of the anus and relieve intestinal dysfunction, and have satisfactory clinical effect.
A deep learning model for CT-based kidney volume determination in dogs and normal reference definition
Authors: Ji Yewon , Cho Hyunwoo , Seon Seungyeob , Lee Kichang , Yoon Hakyoung
Published: October 2022

Kidney volume is associated with renal function and the severity of renal diseases, thus accurate assessment of the kidney is important. Although the voxel count method is reported to be more accurate than several methods, its laborious and time-consuming process is considered as a main limitation. In need of a new technology that is fast and as accurate as the manual voxel count method, the aim of this study was to develop the first deep learning model for automatic kidney detection and volume estimation from computed tomography (CT) images of dogs. A total of 182,974 image slices from 386 CT scans of 211 dogs were used to develop this deep learning model. Owing to the variance of kidney size and location in dogs compared to humans, several processing methods and an architecture based on UNEt Transformers which is known to show promising results for various medical image segmentation tasks including this study. Combined loss function and data augmentation were applied to elevate the performance of the model. The Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) which shows the similarity between manual segmentation and automated segmentation by deep-learning model was 0.915 ± 0.054 (mean ± SD) with post-processing. Kidney volume agreement analysis assessing the similarity between the kidney volume estimated by manual voxel count method and the deep-learning model was r = 0.960 (p < 0.001), 0.95 from Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), and 0.975 from the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Kidney volume was positively correlated with body weight (BW), and insignificantly correlated with body conditions score (BCS), age, and sex. The correlations between BW, BCS, and kidney volume were as follows: kidney volume = 3.701 × BW + 11.962 (R2 = 0.74, p < 0.001) and kidney volume = 19.823 × BW/BCS index + 10.705 (R2 = 0.72, p < 0.001). The deep learning model developed in this study is useful for the automatic estimation of kidney volume. Furthermore, a reference range established in this study for CT-based normal kidney volume considering BW and BCS can be helpful in assessment of kidney in dogs.
Analysis of suspensions and recoveries of official foot and mouth disease free status of WOAH Members between 1996 and 2020
Authors: Cabezas Aurelio H. , Mapitse Neo J. , Tizzani Paolo , Sanchez-Vazquez Manuel J. , Stone Matthew , Park Min-Kyung
Published: October 2022

Foot and mouth disease was the first disease for which, in 1996, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH; founded as OIE) established an official list of disease-free territories, which has helped to facilitate the trade of animals and animal products from those territories. Since that year, there have been a number of suspensions of FMD-free status which have impacted the livestock industry of the territories affected. The objective of this study is to identify factors associated with the time taken to recover FMD-free status after suspension. Historical applications submitted (between 1996 and the first semester of 2020) by WOAH Members for recognition and recovery of FMD-free status were used as the main source of data. Only FMD-free status suspensions caused by outbreaks were considered. Data on the Member's socio-economic characteristics, livestock production systems, FMD outbreak characteristics, and control strategies were targeted for the analysis. The period of time taken to recover FMD-free status was estimated using Kaplan–Meier survival curves. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify factors associated with the time taken to recover FMD-free status after suspension. A total of 163 territories were granted official FMD-free status during the study period. The study sample consisted of 45 FMD-free status suspensions. Africa and the Americas accounted for over 50% of FMD-free status suspensions, while over 70% of these occurred in formerly FMD-free territories where vaccination was not practiced. The study noted that implementing a stamping-out or vaccination and remove policy shortened the time to recover FMD-free status, compared with a vaccination and retain policy. Other variables associated with the outcome were the income level of the Member, Veterinary Service capacity, time taken to implement control measures, time taken until the disposal of the last FMD case, whether the territory bordered FMD-infected territories, and time elapsed since FMD freedom. This analysis will contribute toward the understanding of the main determinants affecting the time to recover the FMD free status of WOAH Members and policy processes for FMD control and elimination.
Investigation into the protective ability of monovalent and bivalent A Malaysia 97 and A22 Iraq 64 vaccine strains against infection with an A/Asia/SEA-97 variant in pigs
Authors: Horsington Jacquelyn , Singanallur Balasubramanian Nagendrakumar , Nfon Charles K. , Bittner Hilary , Vosloo Wilna
Published: October 2022

Over the last 15 years, FMDV serotype A viruses in South-East Asia (A/ASIA/SEA-97 lineage) have diverged into several clusters. Variants from Thailand in 2011-2013 have caused vaccine failures and returned poor r1-values (<0.30) to A22 Iraq 64 (A22) and A Malaysia 97 (A May) vaccine strains. We investigated the protective ability of monovalent and bivalent A Malaysia 97 and A22 Iraq 64 vaccine strains against infection with an A/Asia/SEA-97 variant in pigs. Pigs were challenged with a variant of A/Asia/SEA-97 lineage either 21- or 7- days post-vaccination (V21 or V7) using the heal-bulb challenge. Only one in five pigs were protected in the V21 monovalent vaccine groups. Less severe clinical signs were observed in the A22 IRQ group compared to the A MAY 97 group. In the V21 combination group, 4 out of 5 pigs were protected and viraemia was significantly reduced compared to the monovalent V21 groups. V7 vaccine groups were not protected. The neutralising antibody response was below the detection limit in all groups on the challenge day, showing a poor correlation with protection. There was no evidence that the pigs protected from systemic disease had protective antibody responses sooner than other pigs in the study, implying other immune mechanisms might play a role in protecting these animals. FMDV was detected in the nasal and oral swab samples between 1 and 6 dpc. Viral loads were lower in the nasal swab samples from the V21 combination group than the other groups, but there was no difference in the oral swab samples. Since all unvaccinated controls were euthanised by 6-day post-challenge for ethical reasons, the ‘area under the curve (AUC)' method was used to compare the viraemia and virus excretion in different groups. We recommend that for the A/Asia/SEA97 variants, a combination vaccine with A Malaysia 97 and A22 Iraq 64 vaccine strains would be ideal compared to monovalent vaccines.
Design and Analysis of the Cis-Lunar Navigation for the ArgoMoon CubeSat Mission
Authors: Lombardo Marco , Zannoni Marco , Gai Igor , Gomez Casajus Luis , Gramigna Edoardo , Manghi Riccardo Lasagni , Tortora Paolo , Di Tana Valerio , Cotugno Biagio , Simonetti Simone , Patruno Silvio , Pirrotta Simone
Published: October 2022

In the framework of the Artemis-1 mission, 10 CubeSats will be released, including the 6U CubeSat ArgoMoon, built by the Italian company Argotec and coordinated by the Italian Space Agency. The primary goal of ArgoMoon is to capture images of the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. Then, ArgoMoon will be placed into a highly elliptical orbit around the Earth with several encounters with the Moon. In this phase, the navigation process will require a precise Orbit Determination (OD) and a Flight Path Control (FPC) to satisfy the navigation requirements. The OD will estimate the spacecraft trajectory using ground-based radiometric observables. The FPC is based on an optimal control strategy designed to reduce the dispersion with respect to the reference trajectory and minimize the total ΔV. A linear approach was used to determine the optimal targets and the number and location of the orbital maneuvers. A covariance analysis was performed to assess the expected OD performance and its robustness. The analysis results show that the reference translunar trajectory can be successfully flown and the navigation performance is strongly dependent on the uncertainties of the ArgoMoon’s Propulsion Subsystem and of the orbit injection.
Transition Flight Trajectory Optimization for a Flapping-Wing Micro Air Vehicle with Unsteady Vortex-Lattice Method
Authors: Lee Sang-Gil , Yang Hyeon-Ho , Addo-Akoto Reynolds , Han Jae-Hung
Published: October 2022

Flapping-wing micro air vehicles (FWMAVs) have the capability of performing various flight modes like birds and insects. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the various flight modes of FWMAVs in order to fully utilize the capability of the vehicle. The unique flight modes of FWMAVs can be studied through the trajectory optimization. This paper proposes a trajectory optimization framework of an FWMAV. A high-fidelity simulation model is included in the framework to sufficiently consider the complicated dynamics of the FWMAV. The unsteady aerodynamics are modeled with the unsteady panel method (UPM) and the unsteady vortex-lattice method (UVLM). The effect of wing inertia is also considered in the simulation model. In this study, transition flight trajectories are searched with the proposed framework. An optimal control problem is formulated for the transition flight from hovering to forward flight and transcribed to the parameter optimization problem with the direct shooting method. The cost function is defined as energy consumption. The same converged solution can be obtained with different initial guesses. The optimization results show that the FWMAV utilizes the pitch-up maneuver to increase altitude, although the forward speed is reduced. This pitch-up maneuver is performed more actively when the target velocity of transition is low, or the wind condition is favorable to acceleration.
Metabolism Reorganization in Kale (Brassica oleracea L. var acephala) Populations with Divergent Glucosinolate Content under Thermal Stresses
Authors: Díaz-Urbano María , Velasco Pablo , Cartea María Elena , Rodríguez Víctor M.
Published: October 2022

Thermal stress causes the reduction in productivity and harvest quality. To adapt to different temperature ranges, plants activate protecting metabolic pathways. Previous studies have reported that stressful environments due to abiotic stresses have an impact on the accumulation of glucosinolates (GSLs) in Brassicaceae plants. In order to determine the role of GSLs in the plant response to thermal stress, we conducted a study comparing four populations with a high and low GSL content. The GSL levels were analysed at different temperatures [control (20), 12 and 32 °C], detecting that populations with a higher GSL content increased their resistance to the cold. In addition, populations subjected to the cold increased the content of indolic GSLs. Populations with high levels of GSLs show higher levels of glucobrassicin (GBS) and sinigrin (SIN) under cold temperatures than plants grown under control conditions. High temperatures have a lower impact on GSLs accumulation. To elucidate the induced metabolic changes due to the accumulation of GSLs under cold conditions, we performed an untargeted metabolomic analysis and identified 25 compounds differentially expressed under cold conditions in the populations with a high GSL content. Almost 50% of these compounds are classified as lipids (fatty amides, monoradylglycerols, diterpenes, glycosylglycerols, linoleic acids and derivatives). Organoheterocyclic and nitrogenous organic compounds are also over-represented. Therefore, the current results suggest that GSLs play a key role in cold tolerance. Although the associated molecular mechanisms have not been elucidated, the non-targeted metabolomics assay shows a significant change in the lipid profile, with compounds that need to be studied further.
The Recovery of Vermicompost Sewage Sludge in Agriculture
Authors: Rusănescu Carmen Otilia , Rusănescu Marin , Voicu Gheorghe , Paraschiv Gigel , Biriș Sorin Ștefan , Popescu Ileana Nicoleta
Published: October 2022

Considering that worldwide the amount of sludge from sewage treatment plants has increased, which through storage pollutes the environment, solutions must be found for its management. In this paper, through an analysis of studies from the literature, we present an ecological method of recovery of sewage sludge (SS) in agriculture through vermicomposting with Eisenia etida, Eisenia andrei, Eudrilus eugeniae and Perionyx excavatus earthworms, thus we analyzed the possibility that sewage sludge can be transformed from waste into quality fertilizer that benefits the soil, plants, and people, thus being able to replace chemical fertilizers which, if applied to the soil, can acidify and pollute the soil and agricultural crops. We observed that the total nitrogen content of the phosphorus increased. Through the vermicomposting process, organic substances are rapidly decomposed and nitrogen mineralization is accelerated. We studied the impact of dewatered sewage sludge vermicomposting on pH value, electrical conductivity, porosity, moisture content, nitrogen content, water retention capacity, metal content, and the development of agricultural crops, highlighting the positive impact of vermicompost application on the soil. Adding vermicompost to the soil has been observed to improve plant development.
Mapping and Validation of Alectra vogelii Resistance in the Cowpea Landrace B301
Authors: Ohlson Erik W. , Timko Michael P.
Published: October 2022

Cowpea is the most important food legume in West and Central Africa and a valuable economic commodity in the region. Among the major biotic constraints to cowpea production are root parasitic weeds of which Alectra vogelii (Benth.) is of increasing importance. The cowpea landrace B301 was previously identified as a source of Alectra resistance, but neither the genes nor genomic loci conferring this resistance have been mapped. Therefore, to map and identify genetic markers linked to Alectra resistance for use in the molecular improvement of cowpea, we developed an F2 population from a cross of the susceptible variety 524B with B301. The population was phenotyped for resistance to A. vogelii and genotyped with a cowpea high density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray. Putative resistance loci were mapped in F2 populations by categorical trait–multiple interval mapping and validated by selective genotyping. Selective genotyping indicated that the resistance loci on Vu04 (Rav1) and Vu11 (Rav2) were significantly associated with resistance (p ≤ 0.01). Using marker assisted backcrossing, the two resistance loci were introgressed independently into the susceptible 524B genetic background. Phenotyping and genotyping of the segregating backcross families delineated Rav1 to a 10 cM on chromosome 4 and Rav2 to a 6.7 cM interval in chromosome 11. These two loci are desirable for breeding Alectra resistant cowpea varieties due to their simple inheritance and ability to independently confer complete immunity to the parasite.
Performance Analysis and Optimization for Steering Motion Mode Switching of an Agricultural Four-Wheel-Steering Mobile Robot
Authors: Qu Jiwei , Li Hongji , Zhang Zhe , Xi Xiaobo , Zhang Ruihong , Guo Kangquan
Published: October 2022

This study focuses on a wheeled mobile robot used for detection, weeding and information monitoring in agriculture. However, it is difficult to reach satisfactory motion mode switching (MMS) performance. This paper aimed at exploring the optimal control parameters guaranteeing smooth MMS of four-wheel steering. Single factor tests were first conducted using a test-bench. A binary quadratic general rotation combination test was designed to obtain the optimal parameters. An entropy weight method was introduced to construct the four indexes as a comprehensive index. The optimal combination of the parameters was obtained, based on the regression equation. The results showed that the two factors and their interaction had a significant impact on the comprehensive index (p < 0.05). The best combinations of the speed of the stepper motor and locking voltage were 56 r·min−1 and 3.96 V for 15° steering, 72 r·min−1 and 4.35 V for 30°, and 107 r·min−1 and 5.50 V for 45°, respectively. A verification test was performed using the prototype of the robot chassis. The results demonstrated that the MMS process was smooth and stable, and the proposed method was effective. This study is a beneficial exploration of the experimental method concerning wheeled robots.
Pyrroloquinoline Quinone Treatment Induces Rice Resistance to Sheath Blight through Jasmonic Acid Pathway
Authors: Li Sifu , Tang Tao , Ma Guolan , Liu Ducai , Peng Yajun , Zhang Yuzhu
Published: October 2022

Using bioactive inducers to enhance rice resistance is an effective means of green prevention and control of diseases during rice production. In a previous study, we found that foliar sprays of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) as the bioactive inducer could remarkably reduce the occurrence index of rice sheath blight (ShB) Rhizoctonia solani and increase the grain yield of rice under field conditions. However, little information is available on the mechanism of PQQ-induced rice resistance to ShB. In this study, the phenotype and mechanism of foliar sprayed PQQ-induced rice resistance to ShB were investigated by artificial inoculation method, RNA-seq technology, and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assay in the laboratory. The results showed that at 144 h after inoculation (hai) with the ShB C30 strain, many disease spots occurred obviously in a susceptible variety, Lemont (L), treated by 1.0 μmol/L PQQ (P+) with the disease score (DS) of 4.36, and almost all plants were withered and died under the ddH2O (P−) treatment alone, with the DS of 8.39. By comparison, the DS of a resistant variety, Gaopin 6 (G), was only 0.88 in the P+ treatment and 3.82 in the P− treatment. The results of hormone determination showed that jasmonic acid (JA) contents in the G and L varieties treated by P+ were increased significantly, by 78% and 197% respectively, at 48 hai. There was no significant difference in salicylic acid (SA) contents in these varieties between P+ and ddH2O (P−) treatments during the period of 48 hai. These results suggest that JA may play a key role in PQQ-induced rice resistance to ShB. The transcriptome analysis of the leaf sheath of the G and L varieties indicated that 165 and 250 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found in the intersection of LP− vs. LP+ and GP− vs. GP+ at 24 and 48 hai, respectively. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes analysis showed that these DEGs were related to plant–pathogen interaction, ribosome, plant hormone signaling transduction, mitogen-activated protein kinas signaling pathway, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. For ten highly expressed genes related to disease resistance, the results of qRT-PCR assay showed that eight genes, especially OsAOS2 and OsOSM1, were regulated positively, and two genes, OsGF14e and OsWRKY72, were regulated negatively. Among these, four up-regulated genes, OsOSM1, OsAOS2, OsHI-LOX, and OsLOX1, and one down-regulated gene, OsWRKY72, belonging to the JA signaling pathway, may be involved in PQQ-induced rice resistance to ShB. These results provide valuable information for green prevention and control of ShB by PQQ foliar spraying in the field.
Ferrate-Modified Biochar for Greenhouse Gas Mitigation: First-Principles Calculation and Paddy Field Trails
Authors: Zhou Wentao , Zhang Yalan , Zhong Kangyu , Xiong Rui , Long Pan , Xu Ying , Ma Xin , Wu Qing , Wang Hongrui , Fu Zhiqiang
Published: October 2022

Modified biochars have attracted attention for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in paddy fields. However, material screening difficulties and lengthy effect validation periods have restricted their development. We proposed a theoretical calculation method to guide short-term field trials in this study. Utilizing first-principles calculations, we determined that sodium ferrate-modified biochar (Fe@C) would limit methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Field trials confirmed that Fe@C increased rice yields and active organic carbon content in soil and reduced methane emissions and the global warming potential. However, applying sodium ferrate alone significantly reduced N2O emissions. Correlation analysis showed that methane was significantly negatively correlated with yield and the soil carbon pool labile index. N2O was significantly negatively correlated with urease activity, and significantly positively correlated with the soil carbon pool management index. Therefore, Fe@C provides a high-yielding management measure that enhances soil labile organic carbon. Additionally, its effects were controlled by the proportion of sodium ferrate. Our work provides a new strategy to guide the design of paddy field experiments via theoretical calculations, greatly shortening research time and providing solutions for carbon sequestration and emissions reduction.