bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Environmental and Economic Performance of Crop Production in Relation to Crop Rotation, Catch Crops, and Tillage
Authors: Auzins Alberts , Leimane Ieva , Krievina Agnese , Morozova Inga , Miglavs Andris , Lakovskis Peteris
Published: August 2023

Crop production constitutes a significant portion of the EU’s agricultural output and influences land use decisions. Various elements within the crop production system can significantly impact its outcomes. This paper aims to evaluate the environmental and economic performance of crop rotation, catch crops, and different tillage practices in Latvia by analyzing data from case studies, field trials, and field monitoring to identify the potential for improvement towards a more sustainable utilization of agricultural land. Environmental performance was evaluated by focusing on nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), as it is likely to play a significant role in assessing the environmental suitability of crop production according to the Platform on Sustainable Finance. For economic performance, gross margins were calculated. Crop rotation in Latvia tends to be monotonous, with wheat and oilseed rape dominating over 60% of the cultivated area due to their profitability. The findings of this study indicate that achieving a minimum NUE of 70% is challenging. Crop rotations including oilseed rape, particularly the common wheat–oilseed rape rotation, have an average NUE below the threshold, while proper use of catch crops may increase NUE by 7–9%. The three-year field trials on commercial farms yielded divergent findings about the impact of various tillage practices on NUE and gross margin. However, the field trials conducted on the farm practicing reduced tillage for over ten years show higher NUE compared to ploughing. The advantage of reduced tillage was supported by the obtained results indicating lower costs of agrotechnical operations, including less diesel consumption.
The Aversive Response of the Locust Locusta migratoria to 3-Octanone, an Odorant from Fungal Pathogens, Is Mediated by a Chemosensory Protein
Authors: Xu Xiao , Zhang Long , Zhao Xingbo
Published: August 2023

(1) Locusts are important agricultural pests. Identifying harmful substances and avoiding them is important for locusts’ survival; their abilities to do so remain to be clarified. (2) We examined the electrophysiological (electroantennogram (EAG) and single sensillum recording (SSR)) and behavioral responses (preference behavior in a T-maze) of locusts to 18 different compounds; (3) Of these 18 compounds, 9 elicited strong EAG responses, and 3 elicited SSR responses of neurons expressing locust odorant receptor 3 (LmigOR3). The 11 chemicals that elicited stronger EAG or SSR responses were selected for evaluation of the behavioral responses of locusts. Only 2-heptanone induced significant attraction responses in locusts at the tested concentration. RNA interference (RNAi) of LmigOR3 and SSR experiments revealed that LmigOR3 could detect 2-heptanone and 3-octanone. However, in behavioral experiments, RNAi of LmigOR3 did not alter 2-heptanone-induced attraction but increased attraction by 3-octanone. (4) Our results suggest that the broadly tuned receptor expressed in a heterologous expression system exhibits a narrow electrophysiological response spectrum, and the aversive response of locusts to 3-octanone, an odorant from fungal pathogens, natural enemies, and non-host plants, is mediated by LmigOR3. These findings enhance our understanding of the complex olfactory recognition mechanism in insects.
An Analysis of Preference Weights and Setting Priorities by Irrigation Advisory Services Users Based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process
Authors: Donati Itzel Inti Maria , Viaggi Davide , Srdjevic Zorica , Srdjevic Bojan , Di Fonzo Antonella , Del Giudice Teresa , Cimino Orlando , Martelli Andrea , Dalla Marta Anna , Henke Roberto , Altobelli Filiberto
Published: August 2023

Objective: Stakeholders—farmers from four different European areas (Campania (IT), Kujawsko-Pomorskie (PL), Limburg (NL), Andalusia (ES))—are asked to share, from the OPERA project, their opinions on five criteria that all aim at improving the use of irrigation advisory services (IASs). Each criterion has different characteristics that affect the way farmers rank it. The present study has two objectives. The first is to individuate the priorities of the preferences expressed by the stakeholders. The second objective is to carry out a ranking of the weights of the criteria by case study, ranking the groups and their associated properties among farmers’ profiles. Methods: The answers to 120 questionnaires dispensed to the future users of IASs in the four agricultural sites were analyzed in detail, and then the given priorities were evaluated through the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The AHP methodology was used to determine the relative weights of the five assessment criteria, and finally, to select the one with major value. Results and conclusions: The results show that A5 (assuring economic sustainability) was the most important criterion. The contributions provided by this study are twofold: Firstly, it presents an application of a methodology that involves the conversion of a linguistic judgement of farmers in a correspondence weight. Secondly, it tackles decision making regarding improving the use of IASs, evaluating the preferences expressed by the stakeholders. Irrigation advisory services can play a key role in assisting users to adopt new techniques and technologies for more efficient water use and increased production.
Effects of Altitude and Continuous Cropping on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Community in Siraitia grosvenorii Rhizosphere
Authors: Yu Limin , Zhang Zhongfeng , Zhou Longwu , Huang Kechao
Published: August 2023

Siraitia grosvenorii, a medicinal plant with continuous cropping, is cultivated in southern China. Changes in the soil microbial community during continuous cropping can cause soil-borne diseases in S. grosvenorii. This experimental study aimed to determine the differences in the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community structure and root colonization in the rhizosphere soil of S. grosvenorii with different continuous cropping years and altitudes. We tested three altitude gradients (low, 200–300 m; middle, 500–600 m; and high, 700–800 m) and four continuous cropping years (1, 2, 3, and 5 years). AMF colonization, along with AMF spore density, and the soil physicochemical properties of S. grosvenorii roots at different altitudes and continuous cropping years were determined. Illumina high-throughput sequencing was used to determine the molecular diversity of AMF in the rhizosphere of S. grosvenorii as they exhibited a symbiotic relationship. The AMF species in the rhizosphere soil of S. grosvenorii included 28 species of nine genera, including Glomus, Claroideoglomus, Acaulospora, Paraglomus, Ambispora, and so on. With an increasing altitude, the AMF colonization of S. grosvenorii roots increased significantly (p < 0.01); available phosphorus (AP) content was negatively correlated with AMF colonization (p < 0.01). Glomus and Paraglomus were the common dominant genera in the rhizosphere soil of S. grosvenorii planted for 2–5 years at a low altitude and 1 year at middle and high altitudes. The average relative abundance of Glomus increased with increasing continuous cropping years and altitude in the low-altitude and 1-year S. grosvenorii areas, respectively. Slightly acidic rhizosphere soil contributed to AMF colonization and improved the richness and diversity of the AMF community. Our results showed that altitude, AP, and pH are essential factors for predicting AMF infection and community changes in the S. grosvenorii rhizosphere. Here, Illumina high-throughput sequencing was used to study the species resources and community composition of mycorrhizal fungi in S. grosvenorii in the hilly areas of Guangxi, China. This study provides a theoretical basis for the application and practice of mycorrhizal fungi including the isolation and screening of dominant strains, inoculation of mycorrhizal fungi, and exploration of the effects of mycorrhizal fungi on the growth and active ingredients of medicinal plants.
Study of Raw Material Pretreatment and the Microbiota Selection Effect on the Composting Process Efficiency
Authors: Tannouri Abdo , Rizk Ziad , Daccache Marina , Ghanem Chantal , Azzi Valérie , Maroun Richard G. , Hobaika Zeina , Salameh Dominique
Published: August 2023

Lignocellulosic is a carbon source biomass composed of cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin, which are strongly associated with each other. This fact makes them hardly degradable by produced microbial enzymes when introduced to compost piles. To address this problem, a primary single or combined pretreatment method of this biomass allows for the separation of these complex, interlinked fractions, allowing a better accessibility for microbial enzymes. However, the rugged lignin component, in addition to several produced by products from these pretreatments, inhibit the microbial activity. For this, the optimization of these treatments with other interfering parameters is the base for a successful composting process. In this work, nine compost piles were initiated, in which their lignocellulosic fraction was subjected to chemical and microbiological treatments alone or combined while preserving a control. The obtained results showed that the combined pre-treatment of the primary organic raw materials with 10% NaOH and adapted microbial inoculum at 2.5% was the best suited for compost piles in Mediterranean regions. This treatment ensured the quickening of the composting process by 15 days, while yielding a final compost of a higher quality in regard to its physic-chemical characteristics, especially its C:N and CC values. Furthermore, it ensured a higher sanitation through the elimination of different microbial pathogens from the final compost, by means of the secondary metabolites produced by the microbial adapted consortia. This ‘tailor-made’ process could be replicated for the treatment of other generated sources of organic raw materials within the Mediterranean region.
Association Mapping of Quantitative Trait Loci for Agronomic Traits in a Winter Wheat Collection Grown in Kazakhstan
Authors: Amalova Akerke , Yessimbekova Minura , Ortaev Anarbai , Rsaliyev Shynbolat , Griffiths Simon , Burakhoja Aigerym , Turuspekov Yerlan , Abugalieva Saule
Published: August 2023

Central Asia is an important region for the growth of winter wheat, with a cultivation area of more than 15 million hectares (ha). However, the average yield is approximately 3 tons per ha, which is significantly lower than that in developed countries. Therefore, the development of new competitive high-yielding cultivars, including those based on the application of modern molecular genetics tools, is a key priority in winter wheat breeding projects. One of these tools is the result of the identification of new genes and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for agronomic traits using diverse germplasm panels and genome-wide association studies (GWAS). In this work, a panel of winter wheat accessions was assembled using 115 accessions from Central Asia and 162 samples from other regions of the world. The GWAS, based on a two-year field evaluation of the collection in Kazakhstan’s southern and southeastern regions and 10,481 polymorphic SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) markers, allowed for the detection of 173 stable QTLs in nine studied agronomic traits. A survey of the published scientific literature suggests that 23 of these 173 stable QTLs have locations similar to those of previously reported QTLs, supporting the robustness of the research. In addition, 221 and 162 accessions surpassed local standards for grain yield at Kazakhstan’s southern and southeastern stations, respectively. Therefore, this study is an additional contribution to the identification of new QTLs for key agronomic traits and valuable genetic lines in winter wheat breeding projects.
Correction: Cai et al. Sex Reversal Induced by Dietary Supplementation with 17α-Methyltestosterone during the Critical Period of Sex Differentiation in Oriental River Prawn (Macrobrachium nipponense). Animals 2023, 13, 1369
Authors: Cai Pengfei , Yuan Huwei , Gao Zijian , Daka Peter , Qiao Hui , Zhang Wenyi , Jiang Sufei , Xiong Yiwei , Gong Yongsheng , Wu Yan , Jin Shubo , Fu Hongtuo
Published: August 2023

In the original publication [...]
Immediate Effect of Hoof Trimming on Hoof and Thoracic Joint Angles in Mangalarga Mares
Authors: Antonioli Marina Lansarini , Canola Paulo Aléscio , de Carvalho Júlia Ribeiro Garcia , Fonseca Mayara Gonçalves , Ferraz Guilherme de Camargo
Published: August 2023

It is important to understand the effects of hoof trimming on hoof and limb conformation to maximize its benefits on the health of the appendicular skeleton of horses, thus promoting improvements in athletic performance and sporting longevity with regard to athletic horses. There is little information on possible changes in the angulation of the thoracic limb joints after hoof trimming and correlations between the angulation of the thoracic limb joints with hoof measurements. To that purpose, nineteen Mangalarga mares received routine hoof trimming. Visual recordings (photographs) were taken before and after the procedure. Differences (p < 0.05) were found in hoof length, toe angle, heel angle, medial heel height, and metacarpophalangeal angle. Before trimming, correlations were found between frog length and scapulohumeral angle (SH) (r = −0.457; p = 0.049), and between toe length and shoulder-ground angle (SG) (r = −0.553; p = 0.049). A correlation was also seen between the distance from the frog to the lateral wall and the SH angle (r = 0.690; p = 0.001). After trimming, there was a correlation between humeroradial (HR) and SH joint angles (r = 0.669; p = 0.002), and the SG and SH angles (r = 0.488; p = 0.034). This study showed an immediate effect of trimming on the toe angle and heel angle and on the metacarpophalangeal joint angle, in addition to correlations between the hoof and proximal joint angles, following trimming, thus evidencing the relevance of trimming not only in hoof morphology, but also in the conformation of the appendicular skeleton of horses.
Evaluation of the Longissimus Thoracis et Lumborum Muscle Quality of Chaka and Tibetan Sheep and the Analysis of Possible Mechanisms Regulating Meat Quality
Authors: Xu Xianli , Liu Hongjin , Wang Xungang , Zhang Qian , Guo Tongqing , Hu Linyong , Xu Shixiao
Published: August 2023

This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the characteristics in the longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscle of Chaka (CK) sheep and Tibetan (TB) sheep, and transcriptomics–metabolomics association analysis was used to find the possible genes, differential metabolites, and significant differential metabolic pathways that lead to meat quality differences. Based on the researched results, the nutritional quality of meat, including the contents of ether extract (11.95% vs. 10.56%), unsaturated fatty acid (51.20% vs. 47.69%), and polyunsaturated fatty acid (5.71% vs. 3.97%), were better in TB sheep than in CK sheep, while the CK sheep has better muscle fiber characteristics, such as the total number (62 vs. 45) and muscle fiber density (1426.54 mm2 vs. 1158.77 mm2) and flavor. Omics research has shown that the key differential metabolites and metabolic pathways were dominated by amino acid metabolism, particularly the glutathione metabolism, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, and lipid metabolism-related pathways, such as glycerophospholipid metabolism and the sphingolipid signaling pathway. The intermediate metabolite sn-Glycerol 3-phosphoethanolamine played a key role in determining sheep meat quality, which was regulated by GPAT2, PLPP2, AGPAT1, PNPLA2, and GPAT4 and correlated with meat color, texture, and flavor. Overall, these results will provide effective information and more evidence to support further exploration of valuable biomarkers of meat quality.
A Protocol to Assess the Welfare of Patagonian Huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus) in Conservation Centers
Authors: Bombal Enrique , Manteca Xavier , Tallo-Parra Oriol
Published: August 2023

Animal-welfare-assessment protocols are important for identifying welfare problems in conservation programs. This study aimed to develop a baseline welfare protocol for the assessment of the welfare of Patagonian huemuls (Hippocamelus bisulcus) in conservation centers. This protocol is based on the Welfare Quality® (WQ) framework for cattle and was developed with the consideration of the available research on the behaviors, ecology, conservation, and captive management of this species, as well as welfare-assessment protocols for other ungulate species. As a result, the protocol was specifically developed for Patagonian huemuls and included four principles, 12 criteria, and 23 animal- and resource-based indicators. The twelve criteria of the WQ protocol were reduced to nine, and three new criteria were added because they were both feasible and essential for welfare assessment in captive Patagonian huemuls. This protocol is mainly intended to identify welfare problems in endangered species in the context of conservation centers (reproduction, rescue, rehabilitation, or treatment centers). Thus, the aggregation of different measures to obtain a global score was not proposed. However, a scoring system that assigns a value on a 0–2 scale (0 = no welfare concern; 1 = welfare concern; 2 = urgent welfare concern) was proposed for each category. Although further research is still needed to fully validate the protocol, this is the first development of a protocol to assess Patagonian huemul welfare, and it can be used as a basis for the development of welfare-assessment protocols for other deer species in captivity.
Evaluating Overall Performance in High-Level Dressage Horse–Rider Combinations by Comparing Measurements from Inertial Sensors with General Impression Scores Awarded by Judges
Authors: Hobbs Sarah Jane , Serra Braganca Filipe Manuel , Rhodin Marie , Hernlund Elin , Peterson Mick , Clayton Hilary M.
Published: August 2023

In the sport of dressage, one or more judges score the combined performance of a horse and rider with an emphasis on the technical correctness of the movements performed. At the end of the test, a single score is awarded for the ‘general impression’, which considers the overall performance of the horse and rider as a team. This study explored original measures that contributed to the general impression score in a group of 20 horse–rider combinations. Horses and riders were equipped with inertial measurement units (200 Hz) to represent the angular motion of a horse’s back and the motions of a rider’s pelvis and trunk. Each combination performed a standard dressage test that was recorded to video. Sections of the video were identified for straight-line movements. The videos were analyzed by two or three judges. Four components were scored separately: gaits of the horse, rider posture, effectiveness of aids, and harmony with the horse. The main contributor to the score for gaits was stride frequency (R = −0.252, p = 0.015), with a slower frequency being preferred. Higher rider component scores were associated with more symmetrical transverse-plane trunk motion, indicating that this original measure is the most useful predictor of rider performance.
Assessment of Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) Welfare in the Semi-Intensive and Intensive Culture Systems in Thailand
Authors: Lertwanakarn Tuchakorn , Purimayata Thitima , Luengyosluechakul Thnapol , Grimalt Pau Badia , Pedrazzani Ana Silvia , Quintiliano Murilo Henrique , Surachetpong Win
Published: August 2023

Welfare assessments have risen to prominence in the aquaculture industry, with increasing awareness of their significance among stakeholders in Thailand. In this study, we conducted a welfare assessment of tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) farms in Thailand, focusing on health, environmental, behavioural, and nutritional indicators. Comparing semi-intensive (earthen ponds) and intensive farming practices (cage culture), we found significant differences in the overall health score, particularly at farm F due to a disease outbreak (Kruskal–Wallis, p = 0.01). Skin and fin scores varied across farms, indicating their potential as indicators of tilapia health. Environmental assessments revealed differences in transparency between the two culturing systems (Mann–Whitney, p = 0.02). During the harvesting process, tilapia behaviours indicated poor welfare across all farms. However, no statistically significant difference in overall welfare scores was found between the two culturing systems. Correlations were observed between nutritional, environmental, and health indicators, with negative correlations between fish density and water transparency (r = −0.87, p = 0.02), presence of inhabitants (r = −0.78, p = 0.04), feeding behaviours (r = −0.78, p = 0.04), and swimming behaviours during capture (r = −0.98, p = 0.001). These findings provide valuable insights to enhance tilapia-farming practices and welfare in Thailand.
Comments by Microbiologists for Interpreting Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing and Improving the Appropriateness of Antibiotic Therapy in Community-Acquired Urinary Tract Infections: A Randomized Double-Blind Digital Case-Vignette Controlled Superiority Trial
Authors: Piet Emilie , N’Diaye Youssoupha , Marzani Johann , Pires Lucas , Petitprez Hélène , Delory Tristan
Published: August 2023

In primary care, urinary tract infections (UTIs) account for the majority of antibiotic prescriptions. Comments from microbiologists on interpreting the antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) profile for urinalysis were made to improve the prescription of antibiotics. We aimed to explore the added value of these comments on the quality of antibiotic prescribing by a superior double-blind digital randomized case-vignette trial among French general practitioners (GPs). One case vignette with (intervention) or without (control) a ‘comment’ after AST was randomly assigned to GPs. Among 815 participating GPs, 64.7% were women, at an average age of 37 years. Most (90.1%) used a computerized decision support system for prescribing antibiotics. Empirical antibiotic therapy was appropriate in 71.9% (95% CI, 68.8–75.0) of the cases, without differences between arms. The overall appropriateness of targeted antibiotic therapy (primary outcome) was not significantly increased when providing ‘comments’: 83.4% vs. 79.9% (OR = 1.26, 95% CI, 0.86–1.85). With the multivariate analysis, the appropriateness was improved by 2-folds (OR = 2.38, 95% CI, 1.02–6.16) among physicians working in healthcare facilities. Among digital-affine young general practitioners, the adjunction of a ‘comment’ by a microbiologist to interpret urinalysis in community-acquired UTIs did not improve the overall level of appropriateness of the targeted antibiotic.
Bioactive Naphtho-α-Pyranones from Two Endophytic Fungi of the Genus Polyphilus
Authors: Wennrich Jan-Peer , Sepanian Ellen , Ebada Sherif S. , Llanos-Lopez Natalia A. , Ashrafi Samad , Maier Wolfgang , Kurtán Tibor , Stadler Marc
Published: August 2023

In the course of our survey to study the metabolic potential of two species of a new helotialean genus Polyphilus, namely P. frankenii and P. sieberi, their crude extracts were obtained using different cultivation techniques, which led to the isolation and characterization of two new naphtho-α-pyranone derivatives recognized as a monomer (1) and its 6,6′-homodimer (2) together with two known diketopiperazine congeners, outovirin B (3) and (3S,6S)-3,6-dibenzylpiperazine-2,5-dione (4). The structures of isolated compounds were determined based on extensive 1D and 2D NMR and HRESIMS. The absolute configuration of new naphtho-α-pyranones was determined using a comparison of their experimental ECD spectra with those of related structural analogues. 6,6′-binaphtho-α-pyranone talaroderxine C (2) exhibited potent cytotoxic activity against different mammalian cell lines with IC50 values in the low micromolar to nanomolar range. In addition, talaroderxine C unveiled stronger antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis rather than Staphylococcus aureus with MIC values of 0.52 µg mL−1 (0.83 µM) compared to 66.6 µg mL−1 (105.70 µM), respectively.
Candida Biofilm Eye Infection: Main Aspects and Advance in Novel Agents as Potential Source of Treatment
Authors: Petrillo Francesco , Sinoca Marica , Fea Antonio Maria , Galdiero Marilena , Maione Angela , Galdiero Emilia , Guida Marco , Reibaldi Michele
Published: August 2023

Fungi represent a very important cause of microbial eye infections, especially in tropical and developing countries, as they could cause sight-threating disease, such as keratitis and ocular candidiasis, resulting in irreversible vision loss. Candida species are among the most frequent microorganisms associated with fungal infection. Although Candida albicans is still the most frequently detected organism among Candida subspecies, an important increase in non-albicans species has been reported. Mycotic infections often represent an important diagnostic-clinical problem due to the difficulties in performing the diagnosis and a therapeutic problem due to the limited availability of commercial drugs and the difficult penetration of antifungals into ocular tissues. The ability to form biofilms is another feature that makes Candida a dangerous pathogen. In this review, a summary of the state-of-the-art panorama about candida ocular pathology, diagnosis, and treatment has been conducted. Moreover, we also focused on new prospective natural compounds, including nanoparticles, micelles, and nanocarriers, as promising drug delivery systems to better cure ocular fungal and biofilm-related infections. The effect of the drug combination has also been examined from the perspective of increasing efficacy and improving the course of infections caused by Candida which are difficult to fight.
LC-MS- and 1H NMR-Based Metabolomics to Highlight the Impact of Extraction Solvents on Chemical Profile and Antioxidant Activity of Daikon Sprouts (Raphanus sativus L.)
Authors: Cannavacciuolo Ciro , Cerulli Antonietta , Dirsch Verena M. , Heiss Elke H. , Masullo Milena , Piacente Sonia
Published: August 2023

Currently, the interest of consumers towards functional foods as source of bioactive compounds is increasing. The sprouts of Raphanus sativus var longipinnatus (Brassicaceae) are “microgreens” popular, especially in gourmet cuisine, for their appealing aspect and piquant flavour. They represent a functional food due to their high nutritional value and health-promoting effects. Herein, the sprouts of daikon were extracted by different solvent mixtures to highlight how this process can affect the chemical profile and the antioxidant activity. An in-depth investigation based on a preliminary LC-ESI/LTQOrbitrap/MS profiling was carried out, leading to the identification of nineteen compounds, including glucosinolates and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives. An undescribed compound, 1-O-feruloyl-2-O-sinapoyl-β-D-glucopyranoside, was isolated, and its structure was elucidated by NMR spectroscopy. The phenolic content and radical scavenging activity (DPPH and TEAC assays), along with the ability to activate Nrf2 (Nrf2-mediated luciferase reporter gene assay) of polar extracts, were evaluated. The results showed the highest antioxidant activity for the 70% EtOH/H2O extract with a TEAC value of 1.95 mM and IC50 = 93.97 µg/mL in the DPPH assay. Some 50% and 70% EtOH/H2O extracts showed a pronounced concentration-dependent induction of Nrf2 activity. The extracts of daikon sprouts were submitted to 1H NMR experiments and then analyzed by untargeted and targeted approaches of multivariate data analysis to highlight differences related to extraction solvents.
On the Role of ROS and Glutathione in the Mode of Action Underlying Nrf2 Activation by the Hydroxyanthraquinone Purpurin
Authors: Ren Qiuhui , Bakker Wouter , Wesseling Sebastiaan , Bouwmeester Hans , Rietjens Ivonne M. C. M.
Published: August 2023

Purpurin is a major anthraquinone present in the roots of Rubia cordifolia (madder). Purpurin is known to activate Nrf2 (Nuclear transcription factor erythroid 2-related factor 2) EpRE (electrophile responsive element) mediated gene expression as a potential beneficial effect. This study aimed to elucidate the balance between the electrophilicity or pro-oxidant activity of purpurin underlying the Nrf2 induction. For this, Nrf2 activation with modified intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels was measured in an Nrf2 CALUX reporter gene assay. In addition, both cell-free and intracellular ROS formation of purpurin with modified (intracellular) GSH levels at different pH were quantified using the DCF-DA assay. GSH adduct formation was evaluated by UPLC and LC-TOF-MS analysis. GSH and GSSG levels following purpurin incubations were quantified by LC-MS/MS. We show that Nrf2 induction by purpurin was significantly increased in cells with buthionine sulfoximine depleted GSH levels, while Nrf2 induction was decreased upon incubation of the cells with N-acetylcysteine being a precursor of GSH. In cell-free incubations, ROS formation increased with increasing pH pointing at a role for the deprotonated form of purpurin. Upon incubations of purpurin with GSH at physiological pH, GSH adduct formation appeared negligible (<1.5% of the added purpurin). The addition of GSH resulted in conversion of GSH to GSSG and significantly reduced the ROS formation. Together these results demonstrate that Nrf2 induction by purpurin originates from intracellular ROS formation and not from its electrophilicity, which becomes especially relevant when intracellular GSH levels can no longer scavenge the ROS. The present study demonstrated that the efficiency of intracellular Nrf2 activation by purpurin and related anthraquinones will depend on (i) their pKa and level of deprotonation at the intracellular pH, (ii) the oxidation potential of their deprotonated form and (iii) the intracellular GSH levels. Thus, the Nrf2 induction by purpurin depends on its pro-oxidant activity and not on its electrophilicity.
Spatial Vulnerability Assessment of Critical Infrastructure Based on Fire Risk through GIS Systems—Case Study: Historic City Center of Guimarães, Portugal
Authors: Urbina Oscar , Sousa Hélder S. , Fekete Alexander , Matos José Campos , Teixeira Elisabete
Published: August 2023

One of the most important factors when assessing the resilience of critical infrastructure is its vulnerability to extreme events. This study focuses on developing correlation maps that define the vulnerability to fire risk of critical infrastructure and its zone of influence. Using an index approach, a vulnerability assessment is challenging due to the fact that observing and measuring certain vulnerability aspects is not too easy. Furthermore, analyzing the unique vulnerabilities of individual elements becomes intricate, given their interdependencies and correlations. Leveraging GIS mapping techniques, we investigate the impacts of infrastructure disruption on neighboring elements and the urban fabric. The methodology enables multiple levels of assessment, facilitating the identification of vulnerable elements and optimizing decision-making processes before and after extreme events. Our findings highlight the significance of prioritizing emergency planning, enhancing accessibility, implementing preventive measures, and adopting a proactive emergency response approach. In conclusion, these measures contribute to mitigating vulnerability and safeguarding critical infrastructure and surrounding communities from extreme events.
A Convolutional Neural Network-Based Corrosion Damage Determination Method for Localized Random Pitting Steel Columns
Authors: Jiang Xu , Qi Hao , Qiang Xuhong , Zhao Bosen , Dong Hao
Published: August 2023

As one of the most common forms of corrosion in the marine environment, pitting corrosion can have a detrimental impact on the ultimate strength of steel columns. Pitting pits are usually covered by corrosion products, and the detection of pitting is very difficult, so how to effectively identify random pitting corrosion on steel columns has become a very vital issue. In this paper, a deep-learning-based pitting damage determination method for steel columns is investigated by combining numerical simulation and theoretical analysis, which was validated by experimental results. First, a multi-parameter localized pitting corrosion model was proposed that considered the pitting corrosion randomness in time and space distribution. Second, the relationship between the ultimate strength and corrosion rate of steel columns was analyzed. Finally, a steel column damage determination framework was constructed based on the convolutional neural network. Results showed that the ultimate strength and corrosion rate developed different trends in various corrosion regions, and a damage determination accuracy of 90.2% could be achieved by the neural network after training, which satisfied the practical engineering requirements. This study lays the groundwork for further application of deep learning to the research on the pitting damage to steel structures.
Self-Supervised Spatio-Temporal Graph Learning for Point-of-Interest Recommendation
Authors: Liu Jiawei , Gao Haihan , Shi Chuan , Cheng Hongtao , Xie Qianlong
Published: August 2023

As one of the most crucial topics in the recommendation system field, point-of-interest (POI) recommendation aims to recommending potential interesting POIs to users. Recently, graph neural networks have been successfully used to model interaction and spatio-temporal information in POI recommendations, but the data sparsity of POI recommendations affects the training of GNNs. Although some existing GNN-based POI recommendation approaches try to use social relationships or user attributes to alleviate the data sparsity problem, such auxiliary information is not always available for privacy reasons. Self-supervised learning provides a new idea to alleviate the data sparsity problem, but most existing self-supervised recommendation methods are designed for bi-partite graphs or social graphs, and cannot be directly used in the spatio-temporal graph of POI recommendations. In this paper, we propose a new method named SSTGL to combine self-supervised learning and GNN-based POI recommendation for the first time. SSTGL is empowered with spatio-temporal-aware strategies in the data augmentation and pre-text task stages, respectively, so that it can provide high-quality supervision information by incorporating spatio-temporal prior knowledge. By combining self-supervised learning objective with recommendation objectives, SSTGL can improve the performance of GNN-based POI recommendations. Extensive experiments on three POI recommendation datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of SSTGL, which performed better than existing mainstream methods.
Special Issue on Prevention and Treatment of Medical Diseases in Vulnerable Populations
Authors: Bruscolini Alice , Ralli Massimo , Palaia Gaspare
Published: August 2023

Several specific groups within the world’s population have shown that they are particularly vulnerable to quality health care problems, differential experiences in the health system or increased burden of ill health [...]
Research on Coal and Gangue Recognition Model Based on CAM-Hardswish with EfficientNetV2
Authors: Li Na , Xue Jiameng , Wu Sibo , Qin Kunde , Liu Na
Published: August 2023

In response to the multiscale shape of coal and gangue in actual production conditions, existing coal separation methods are inefficient in recognizing coal and gangue, causing environmental pollution and other problems. Combining image data preprocessing and deep learning techniques, this paper presents an improved EfficientNetV2 network for coal and gangue recognition. To expand the dataset and prevent network overfitting, a pipeline-based data enhancement method is used on small sample datasets to simulate coal and gangue production conditions under actual working conditions. This method involves modifying the attention mechanism module in the model, employing the CAM attention mechanism module, selecting the Hardswish activation function, and updating the block structure in the network. The parallel pooling layer introduced in the CAM module can minimize information loss and extract rich feature information compared with the single pooling layer of the SE module. The Hardswish activation function is characterized by excellent numerical stability and fast computation speed. It can effectively be deployed to solve complex computation and derivation problems, compensate for the limitations of the ReLu activation function, and improve the efficiency of neural network training. We increased the training speed of the network while maintaining the accuracy of the model by selecting optimized hyperparameters for the network structure. Finally, we applied the improved model to the problem of coal and gangue recognition. The experimental results showed that the improved EfficientNetV2 coal and gangue recognition method is easy to train, has fast convergence and training speeds, and thus achieves high recognition accuracy under insufficient dataset conditions. The accuracy of coal and gangue recognition increased by 3.98% compared with the original model, reaching 98.24%. Moreover, the training speed improved, and the inference time of the improved model decreased by 6.6 ms. The effectiveness of our proposed model improvements is confirmed by these observations.
Experimental Study on the Reciprocating Shear Characteristics and Strength Deterioration of Argillaceous Siltstone Rockfill Materials
Authors: Du Jun , Li Dong , Xiong Zhiming , Shen Xinggang , Li Chenchen , Zhu Weiwei
Published: August 2023

The reciprocating shear mechanical properties and strength deterioration mechanisms of rockfill materials are of great research significance for high-fill slope stability analysis. To study the shear strength characteristics of argillaceous siltstone rockfill materials with different fabric characteristics under reciprocating shear loading, we analyzed the shear strength, hysteresis loop area, damping ratio, shear strength parameter, and shear stiffness of coarse-grained soils with different coarse grain contents using a coarse-grained soil direct shear testing machine capable of reciprocating shear and revealed their strength deterioration mechanism. The test results show that the shear strength of argillaceous siltstone rockfill materials is significantly affected by the coarse grain content and the number of reciprocating shears. Specifically, the shear strength increases with the coarse grain content and decreases with the number of reciprocating shears. The hysteresis loop area is positively correlated with the coarse grain content and negatively correlated with the number of reciprocating shears. The damping ratio is not related to the coarse grain content but tends to decrease with the number of reciprocating shears. Soil cohesion and the internal friction angle increase with the coarse grain content and decrease with the number of reciprocating shears. The soil failure shear stiffness is linearly correlated with the coarse grain content, and the normalized shear stiffness is logarithmically related to the number of reciprocating shears. According to these relationships, an empirical formula for the shear stiffness of argillaceous siltstone rockfill materials under different coarse grain contents and different numbers of reciprocating shears can be established to provide a basis for analyzing rockfill stability.
A YOLOW Algorithm of Water-Crossing Object Detection
Authors: Xu Shufang , Tang Hanqing , Li Jianni , Wang Longbao , Zhang Xuejie , Gao Hongmin
Published: August 2023

Accurately identifying and locating water-crossing objects is of utmost importance for environmental protection. However, traditional detection algorithms often exhibit poor anti-interference performance and low detection accuracy in complex environments. To address these issues, this paper proposes a YOLOW algorithm based on a one-stage object detection algorithm for the automatic identification of water objects. The proposed algorithm incorporates two new modules, namely the SPDCS module and the SPPAUG module, to improve the model’s performance. Specifically, the SPDCS module retains all information in the channel dimension, thereby enhancing the model’s detection accuracy and recognition ability for water-crossing objects. The SPPAUG module performs multiscale feature fusion, which further improves the model’s detection accuracy and recognition ability. Moreover, the C2f module is introduced from YOLOv8 to increase the detection speed. Experimental results on a water-floating object dataset demonstrate that the improved YOLOW model outperforms the standard YOLOv5s algorithm, especially in water-crossing object detection. This research has significant implications for environmental monitoring and protection.
Fluid–Soil–Structure Interactions in Semi-Buried Tanks: Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Seismic Behaviors
Authors: Pooraskarparast Benyamin , Bento Ana Margarida , Baron Edward , Matos José C. , Dang Son N. , Fernandes Sérgio
Published: August 2023

Qualitative and quantitative assessments evaluate the structural vulnerability of liquid storage tanks. Liquid storage tanks are typically constructed and operated in areas with hard soils to minimize confining influences. However, many of these critical structures are in coastal areas with soft soils. The research conducted in this study entails the utilization of the finite element method accurately model the seismic behavior of a semi-buried concrete tank under various conditions, including changing water levels and soil properties. The study examines fluid–structure and soil–structure interactions through dynamic analyses of the rectangular semi-buried tank and comparing its different parameters. It also identifies sensitive areas where there is a probability of liquid leakage in storage tanks. The modeling is compared with the qualitative evaluation in the Japanese vibration capability diagnosis table. The results show that the tensile stress in the wall adjacent to the expansion joint is greater than the corresponding stress in the wall in all cases. In the dynamic analyses of the soil types, the pressure on the surface increases with increasing water height. A comparison of the quantitative and qualitative evaluation results shows the possible leakage of the tank in soft soil in the expansion joint.
Evaluation of an Optical Sorter Effectiveness in Separating Maize Seeds Intended for Sowing
Authors: Cujbescu Dan , Nenciu Florin , Persu Cătălin , Găgeanu Iuliana , Gabriel Gheorghe , Vlăduț Nicolae-Valentin , Matache Mihai , Voicea Iulian , Pruteanu Augustina , Bularda Marcel , Paraschiv Gigel , Boruz Sorin Petruț
Published: August 2023

The current study focuses on analyzing the impact of integrating an optical sorter in a seed-separation technological flow, in terms of increasing the quality of the maize seeds appropriate for sowing. The study showed that there are situations when the use of optical separation may result in a number of difficulties in removing a variable rate of good seeds from the raw mass, which can bring economic disadvantages. The identified issue encouraged the development of several flow assessment approaches in order to determine the problem’s essence and to develop the best strategy for action. The key finding was that the evaluated optical sorting equipment cannot eliminate impurities without also removing good seeds, resulting in every 1% increase in impurity level and a rate of 0.70% of the good seeds lost. Therefore, farmers must carefully consider the scenarios where integrating optical sorting into their technological flow is a suitable option, considering the input material quality, the selling price of the product, and the risk of missing an important quantity of high-quality seeds. The working method described may be of significant importance to other farmers who intend to choose the components of grain-cleaning processes effectively.
Investigation of the Dielectric Properties of Graphite and Carbon Black-Filled Composites as Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Coatings
Authors: Gümüş Emre , Yağımlı Mustafa , Arca Emin
Published: August 2023

The main purpose of electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding coatings is the insulation of sensitive devices and protect people from electromagnetic field exposure due to its effects on the human body. This paper investigates the dielectric properties, and electromagnetic shielding performances of graphite and carbon black (CB) filled epoxy matrix composites produced by the mechanical mixing method. The sample compositions were created at rates ranging from 1 to 7 wt%. Samples were analyzed by Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) using the coaxial method in the range of 1–14 GHz, including L band, S band, C band, X band and partially Ku band. After determining the scattering parameters with VNA, AC conductivity, absorption, reflection and total shielding efficiency values were calculated. At high frequencies, almost all the samples showed higher AC conductivity. CB-filled samples show higher AC conductivity than graphite-filled samples. The total shielding efficiency (SET) of the graphite-added samples (19–21 dB) is slightly higher than the carbon black-added samples (8–17 dB). Distinct filling ratios in graphite-added samples result in closer shielding behavior in contrast to carbon black-added samples. However, higher shielding efficiency is observed as the CB filler ratio increases. The shielding efficiencies of the samples with both types of filling materials vary little depending on the frequency. Reflection is the main mechanism of the shielding efficiency, which constitutes the majority of total efficiency for all types of samples.
An Efficient Confidence Interval-Based Dual-Key Fuzzy Vault Scheme for Operator Authentication of Autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Authors: Choi Jungin , Lee Juhee , Kim Aeyoung
Published: August 2023

The fuzzy vault is an innovative way to share secret keys, combining traditional cryptography with biometrics and biometric template protection. This method forms the basis for the reliable operation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) through anonymizing drone operators and safely using their data and onboard information. However, due to the inherent instability of biometrics, traditional fuzzy vault schemes face challenges, such as reduced recognition rates with increased chaff points, impractical runtimes due to high-order polynomial reconstruction, and susceptibility to correlation attacks. This paper proposes an efficient fuzzy vault scheme to address these challenges. We generate two secret keys based on biometrics: the first key is produced from the operator’s unique features like the face and iris, using a confidence interval; the second key, used to construct a polynomial, is based on what the operator remembers. These dual-key fuzzy vaults enable the stable generation of genuine points during encoding, easy extraction during decoding, and effective operator authentication while maintaining anonymity. Our experimental results demonstrate improved security and secret acquisition accuracy using the AR face database. These results are achieved regardless of increased false vaults, enabling real-time polynomial reconstruction and resilience against correlation attacks. Importantly, our enhanced fuzzy vault scheme allows the application of this secure, real-time authentication process, safeguarding the anonymity of drone operators.