bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Science, technology, agri-food systems, health, and wellbeing: logic, dynamics, and relationships
Authors: Vargas-Canales Juan Manuel , Orozco-Cirilo Sergio , Estrada Salvador , del Carpio-Ovando Perla Shiomara , Camacho-Vera Joaquín Huitzilihuitl , López-Carmona Daniela , García-Melchor Nicasio , Rodríguez-Haros Benito , Valdés-Cobos Alberto , Sánchez-Torres Yolanda , Fresnedo-Ramírez Jonathan , Palacios-Rangel María Isabel , Ocampo-Ledesma Jorge Gustavo , Barrera-Perales Octavio Tadeo , Pineda-Pineda Joel , Kreimer Pablo , García-Cruz Juan Carlos , Reyes-Barrera Dulce María , Montiel-Flores Julio César , Bustamante-Lara Tzatzil Isela , García-Sánchez Edgar Iván , Hernández-Hernández Belen , Escárcega-Quiroga Virginio , Simón-Calderón César , Brambila-Paz José de Jesús , Medina-Cuéllar Sergio Ernesto , de Gortari-Rabiela Rebeca
Published: January 2024

The agri-food sector worldwide is the most important for life. The recent pandemic made it clear that the best way to resist, overcome and adapt to health problems is by maintaining a healthy, adequate and balanced diet. Currently, food comes almost entirely from agri-food systems, the problem is that the agri-food sector subordinated to an economic and scientific model with very clear interests and objectives. In this sense, the aim of this work was to carry out an analysis of the logic, dynamics and relationship between science, technology, agri-food systems, health and wellbeing from the perspective of Social Studies of Science and Technology. With what is intended contribute to the debate on the future and the strategic transformation of agri-food systems. As a first point, an exploration of the evolution and trends of science and technology in the agri-food sector is carried out. Next, an analysis is developed on the importance of agri-food systems and the ways in which they have been configured. Subsequently, the relationship between food and health and the main implications and damage caused by the current agri-food regime are addressed. Based on the above, some alternatives are proposed to improve nutrition, health and wellbeing. These alternatives imply, on the one hand, a profound reconfiguration of technological systems, orienting them toward the reproduction of life. Secondly, and as a consequence of the above, a reorganization of the economic and social systems. To achieve this, it is advisable to design a policy that promotes sustainable agri-food systems and integrate broad work and research groups that allow addressing these problems and proposing alternatives from different perspectives. Finally, it is important to design and implement science dissemination programs on the relationships, controversies, tensions and problems that exist between scientific and technological development and the agri-food sector, health and wellbeing with the aim of having a true impact on the society and a genuine social appropriation of knowledge.
Genome-scale flux balance analysis reveals redox trade-offs in the metabolism of the thermoacidophile Methylacidiphilum fumariolicum under auto-, hetero-and methanotrophic conditions
Authors: Saldivar Alexis , Ruiz-Ruiz Patricia , Revah Sergio , Zuñiga Cristal
Published: January 2024

Members of the genusMethylacidiphilumare thermoacidophile methanotrophs with optimal growth temperatures between 50°C and 60°C, and pH between 1.0 and 3.0. These microorganisms, as well as other extremophile bacteria, offer an attractive platform for environmental and industrial biotechnology because of their robust operating conditions and capacity to grow using low-cost substrates. In this study, we isolatedMethylacidiphilum fumariolicumstr. Pic from a crater lake located in the state of Chiapas, Mexico. We sequenced the genome and built a genome-scale metabolic model. The manually curated model contains 667 metabolites, 729 reactions, and 473 genes. Predicted flux distributions using flux balance analysis identified changes in redox trade-offs under methanotrophic and autotrophic conditions (H2+CO2). This was also predicted under heterotrophic conditions (acetone, isopropanol, and propane). Model validation was performed by testing the capacity of the strains to grow using four substrates: CH4, acetone, isopropanol, and LP-Gas. The results suggest that the metabolism ofM. fumariolicumstr. Pic is limited by the regeneration of redox equivalents such as NAD(P)H and reduced cytochromes.
Inter-Organisational Collaboration Structures and Features to Facilitate Stakeholder Collaboration
Authors: Ganeshu Pavithra , Fernando Terrence , Therrien Marie-Chiristine , Keraminiyage Kaushal
Published: January 2024

Although inter-organisational collaborative structures play a vital role in determining the level of collaboration among organisations, the identification of required organisational structural types and their features to facilitate fruitful collaboration is not satisfactorily discussed in existing studies. In addition, the connection between inter-organisational structural types and features, and their influence on collaboration, is not well understood. This systematised literature review study explores the available inter-organisational collaborative structural types, features, and their suitability to facilitate collaboration among organisations. Our findings underscore the importance of adopting a hybrid form of hierarchy and network arrangements to facilitate effective collaboration among organisations. Furthermore, this study developed a framework that presents how collaboration depends on inter-organisational structures and their features in facilitating vertical and horizontal integration. This framework can be used to identify the inter-organisational collaboration structures that are required to move towards a desired inter-organisational collaboration level.
Development and Implementation of a Mission Data-Handling Algorithm for an Automatic Flight Guidance System
Authors: Heimsch Dominik , Speckmaier Moritz , Gierszewski Daniel , Schwaiger Florian , Mbikayi Zoe , Holzapfel Florian
Published: January 2024

This paper presents a mission data-handling algorithm that provides a data link interface between a flight control computer (FCC) and a ground control station (GCS) using the protocol standard STANAG 4586, AEP-84 Volume II. A subset of defined messages is used for the transmission of mission and area definition data. Functions for decoding uplink messages, processing received data, and encoding downlink messages are developed. Due to a modular software architecture, these functions can be used both for the onboard FCC, as well as for the GCS using additional logic, to invert the transmission direction. Furthermore, high level consistency and validation checks are performed on the transmitted data before forwarding the mission to the flight guidance functions. Successful transmission of mission and area data between the FCC and the GCS is performed using a high-fidelity model-in-the-loop simulation of a demo mission for a medical evacuation eVTOL aircraft.
Effects of Straw Incorporation and Decomposition on Soil Preferential Flow Patterns Using the Dye-Tracer Method
Authors: Duan Zhengyu , Wang Ce , Zhu Chengli , Chen Xiaoan , Zhai Yaming , Ma Liang , Sun Nan , Cai Jiahao , Fu Yu
Published: January 2024

Preferential pathways in soil lead to nutrient leaching and groundwater contamination. However, the evolution of preferential flow with straw application remains uncertain. This study aims to experimentally determine the hypothesis that, depending on how it is applied, straw will either promote or inhibit the movement of soil preferential flow. Treatments with straw application rates of 0, 5, 10, and 15 t/ha and decomposition time points of 0, 60, and 240 d were set up for the potassium iodide–starch dye-tracer method. The results showed that the straw decomposition rate slowed down in the later stages. At 0 d, the preferential flow coefficients of straw application of 0, 5, 10, and 15 t/ha were 0.13, 0.14, 0.23, and 0.17, respectively. At 60 d, the preferential flow coefficients were approximately 0.17, 0.11, 0.22, and 0.12. Soil properties and irrigation quality improved at 0 d and 60 d. However, a marked increase of 0.31, 0.35, and 0.17 in the preferential flow coefficient was observed at 240 d. Soil properties and irrigation quality deteriorated at 240 d. These results indicate that the effect of straw incorporation and decomposition on preferential flow was initially inhibited and subsequently promoted. Soil properties and irrigation quality were initially improved and subsequently deteriorated. The study serves as a reference for rational utilization of agricultural residuals and scientific irrigation, suggesting that the optimal method of straw incorporation should be adopted based on the growth cycle of the crops.
A Hybrid LSTM Approach for Irrigation Scheduling in Maize Crop
Authors: Dolaptsis Konstantinos , Pantazi Xanthoula Eirini , Paraskevas Charalampos , Arslan Selçuk , Tekin Yücel , Bantchina Bere Benjamin , Ulusoy Yahya , Gündoğdu Kemal Sulhi , Qaswar Muhammad , Bustan Danyal , Mouazen Abdul Mounem
Published: January 2024

Irrigation plays a crucial role in maize cultivation, as watering is essential for optimizing crop yield and quality, particularly given maize’s sensitivity to soil moisture variations. In the current study, a hybrid Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) approach is presented aiming to predict irrigation scheduling in maize fields in Bursa, Turkey. A critical aspect of the study was the use of the Aquacrop 7.0 model to simulate soil moisture content (MC) data due to data limitations in the investigated fields. This simulation model, developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), helped overcome gaps in soil sensor data, enhancing the LSTM model’s predictions. The LSTM model was trained and tuned using a combination of soil, weather, and satellite-based plant vegetation data in order to predict soil moisture content (MC) reductions. The study’s results indicated that the LSTM model, supported by Aquacrop 7.0 simulations, was effective in predicting MC reduction across various time phases of the maize growing season, attaining R2 values ranging from 0.8163 to 0.9181 for Field 1 and from 0.7602 to 0.8417 for Field 2, demonstrating the potential of this approach for precise and efficient agricultural irrigation practices.
Biochar and Flooding Increase and Change the Diazotroph Communities in Tropical Paddy Fields
Authors: Chen Yunzhong , Zhao Yan , Wang Yuqin , Liu Xinrui , Qin Xiaofeng , Chen Qiqi , Zhu Qilin , Elrys Ahmed S. , Wu Yanzheng , Meng Lei
Published: January 2024

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) can reduce synthetic N fertilizer application and improve N-use efficiency. However, knowledge about the effect of biochar and water management regimes on soil diazotrophic microorganisms in tropical paddy fields remains only rudimentary. A field trial was started in the early rice season in 2019 and ended in the late rice season in 2020. We studied the effects of five treatments comprising different water management and biochar applications on the diazotrophic abundance and community composition: no N fertilizer + conventional water management, conventional fertilization + conventional water management, no N fertilizer + flooding, conventional fertilization + flooding, and application of 40 t ha−1 biochar + conventional fertilization + conventional water management. According to the results, biochar increased soil pH and organic carbon (SOC), whereas flooding decreased the soil available phosphorus (P) content. However, the addition of biochar and flooding as well as N application treatments increased nifH abundance. The nifH abundance negatively correlated with available N and P, whereas it significantly positively correlated with SOC (p < 0.05). The results of redundancy analysis unveiled that biochar stimulated the relative abundance of Pelomonas and changed the diazotrophic microbial community structure by increasing soil pH, while flooding stimulated the relative abundance of Azospirllum. Conclusively, both flooding and biochar affect soil diazotrophic microbial community and abundance in paddy fields. Reducing N and P fertilizer application clubbed with biochar amendment and flooding may be beneficial for soil N-fixing in tropical paddy fields.
Geometric Analysis of Greenhouse Roofs for Energy Efficiency Optimization and Condensation Drip Reduction
Authors: Peña-Fernández Araceli , Colón-Reynoso Manuel A. , Mazuela Pilar
Published: January 2024

Greenhouses are instrumental in the advancement of regions globally. The geometric arrangement of these structures plays a pivotal role in governing sunlight distribution, facilitating ventilation, and managing condensation. The roof’s shape significantly affects energy efficiency and the accumulation of condensation water, which, when dripping onto crops, can induce diseases and diminish production. This study introduces a Matlab program designed for defining and analyzing greenhouse roof geometry that is adaptable to both single-span and multispan structures. Various roof shapes were examined, and angles along their length were determined to facilitate condensation droplet runoff. In the ogival roof shape, water droplets adhering to the roof surface were found to slide off, preventing interior dripping. However, in all semicylindrical roof structures, dripping occurred on more than 50% of the cultivated ground surface. Furthermore, the greenhouse’s energy efficiency was evaluated by analyzing diverse roof models, accounting for the surface area and internal air volume. There was little difference in the volume of air inside the greenhouse attributable to the roof shape. Increasing the arch height relative to the span width enhanced solar energy capture and the roof surface, with the semicylindrical shape being more efficient in this case. The results aim to aid in the selection of the optimal greenhouse type based on the climate and latitude. This study offers a valuable decision-making tool for the planning and design of agricultural structures, providing insights to enhance their overall sustainability and performance in diverse environmental contexts. Hence, in cold climates and high latitudes, the steeper roof angle of the ogival shape type 2l and its smaller surface area promote solar energy capture and reduce convective heat losses. In warmer climates, a larger roof surface facilitates natural cooling, making the ogival shape type 3l/2 recommended.
Parameter Study for Establishing a Synchronizer Control Strategy in Tractor Dual-Clutch Transmission
Authors: Byeon Seo-Jung , Kim Seong-Jun , Park Jin-Kam , Park Young-Jun , Lee Jin-Woong
Published: January 2024

Research on dual-clutch transmissions in agricultural tractors is on the rise. Dual-clutch transmissions provide a smooth driving experience and easy operation compared to manual transmissions, as they eliminate power interruptions. Accordingly, there is ongoing research to improve the conventional synchronizer pre-selection method. The study introduces a new control strategy to enhance shifting quality by focusing on shift force and timing. Specifically, the goal is to optimize the impact of pre-selection-induced shock and delayed shift time, minimizing discomfort for the driver. According to the experimental results, it was determined that factors influencing the impact of preselect engagement on gear shift shock were absent, while factors capable of affecting shift time were identified in the form of shift force. However, it was concluded that optimizing shift force and shift timing based on the number of shifts can enhance the quality of gear shifting. Even during preselect disengagement, the factor influencing gear shift shock was identified as the shift timing, with no discernible factor affecting shift time. Nevertheless, it was judged that optimizing shift force and shift timing based on the number of shifts can lead to an improvement in gear shifting quality. In conclusion, the control strategy determined through the parameter study is expected to improve the shifting quality of tractors equipped with dual-clutch transmission. These findings have the potential to support efficient and convenient tractor operation in the agricultural sector.
Lightweight Network for Corn Leaf Disease Identification Based on Improved YOLO v8s
Authors: Li Rujia , Li Yadong , Qin Weibo , Abbas Arzlan , Li Shuang , Ji Rongbiao , Wu Yehui , He Yiting , Yang Jianping
Published: January 2024

This research tackles the intricate challenges of detecting densely distributed maize leaf diseases and the constraints inherent in YOLO-based detection algorithms. It introduces the GhostNet_Triplet_YOLOv8s algorithm, enhancing YOLO v8s by integrating the lightweight GhostNet (Ghost Convolutional Neural Network) structure, which replaces the YOLO v8s backbone. This adaptation involves swapping the head’s C2f (Coarse-to-Fine) and Conv (Convolutional) modules with C3 Ghost and GhostNet, simplifying the model architecture while significantly amplifying detection speed. Additionally, a lightweight attention mechanism, Triplet Attention, is incorporated to refine the accuracy in identifying the post-neck layer output and to precisely define features within disease-affected areas. By introducing the ECIoU_Loss (EfficiCLoss Loss) function, replacing the original CIoU_Loss, the algorithm effectively mitigates issues associated with aspect ratio penalties, resulting in marked improvements in recognition and convergence rates. The experimental outcomes display promising metrics with a precision rate of 87.50%, a recall rate of 87.70%, and an mAP@0.5 of 91.40% all within a compact model size of 11.20 MB. In comparison to YOLO v8s, this approach achieves a 0.3% increase in mean average precision (mAP), reduces the model size by 50.2%, and significantly decreases FLOPs by 43.1%, ensuring swift and accurate maize disease identification while optimizing memory usage. Furthermore, the practical deployment of the trained model on a WeChat developer mini-program underscores its practical utility, enabling real-time disease detection in maize fields to aid in timely agricultural decision-making and disease prevention strategies.
Evaluating the Effects of Long-Term Salinity Stress on the Growth and Physiology of Mono and Mixed Crops
Authors: Sharavdorj Khulan , Byambadorj Ser-Oddamba , Jang Yeongmi , Ahn Youngjik , Cho Jin-Woong
Published: January 2024

Soil salinity is a key factor to limiting agricultural products throughout the world, especially in arid and semi-arid areas, since it intervenes with plant morpho-physiology, resulting in reduced growth and development, as well as disruption of ion homeostasis. This work examined the effects of salinity stress on the mono-cropping of T. pratense, F. arundinacea, and M. sativa and CaSO4 and MgSO4 on the mixed-cropping of T. pratense and F. arundinacea under saline conditions. Plants were assessed by dry weights, physiological parameters (photosynthesis rate, SPAD, SLA), forage quality, and ion concentrations. The biomass of all mono species decreased under salinity, except M. sativa, and mixed cropping was affected less than mono-cropping. The values of the mono-cropping of SPAD were decreased in the long term, and SLA was higher than the control in mixed cropping, with the photosynthesis rate of mono-cropping being higher in medium salinity in the long-term; moreover, CaSO4 and MgSO4 enhanced the photosynthesis rate of mixed cropping. Overall, we concluded that M. sativa is tolerant to medium salinity, and mixed cropping plus MgSO4 and CaSO4 were efficient under salinity stress.
Evaluation of the Role of Legumes in Crop Rotation Schemes of Organic or Conventionally Cultivated Cabbage
Authors: Yfantopoulos Dionisios , Ntatsi Georgia , Karkanis Anestis , Savvas Dimitrios
Published: January 2024

Cabbage is an annual vegetable crop species cultivated throughout the year. The development of high-yielding cabbage hybrids and the optimization of several agronomic management practices such as fertilization and crop rotation have resulted in increased soil fertility, crop yield and product quality. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the farming system (organic and conventional) and the applied rotation scheme on soil nutrient content, head yield and the nutrient content of cabbage. The preceding crops included either pea (P), faba bean (F) or cabbage (C), and thus, the rotation schemes were P-C, F-C and C-C. Sheep manure was applied in the organic farming system, and the inorganic fertilizer 11-15-15 (N-P2O5-K2O) was applied to the conventionally cultivated plants. The results reveal an interaction between the farming system and the preceding crop for the head yield, with the lowest values (57.00 t ha−1 and 53.87 t ha−1 in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017, respectively) recorded in plots where cabbage was cultivated as a preceding crop under the organic farming system. The N, P and K contents in head tissues were affected only by the farming system, with the greatest values recorded in the conventional farming system. Both factors affected the nutrient content in the soil. Specifically, the highest values of NO3− and total N content in the soil were recorded in the P-C and F-C rotations, and the K content was higher in the continuous cabbage cropping system (C-C). Moreover, the NO3−, P and K contents in the soils were higher in the conventional farming system compared to the organic system. To conclude, combining inorganic fertilization in a crop rotation scheme with legume species such as pea and faba bean as preceding crops for cabbage can result in increased soil fertility and head yield.
eDNA-Based Early Detection Illustrates Rapid Spread of the Non-Native Golden Mussel Introduced into Beijing via Water Diversion
Authors: Guo Wei , Li Shiguo , Zhan Aibin
Published: January 2024

The world’s largest water diversion, the South-to-North Water Transfer Project (SNWTP) in China, has created an “invasion highway” to introduce invasive golden mussels (Limnoperna fortunei) from the Yangtze River basin to Beijing. To examine the spread and colonization patterns of this newly introduced invasive species, we conducted comprehensive environmental DNA (eDNA)-based early detection and conventional field surveys across all water bodies in five river basins in Beijing from 2020 to 2023. Our results indicated a rapid spread over the past four years. Among the 130 tested sites, the number of sites with positive signals from eDNA analysis exhibited an annual increase: Commencing with four infested sites identified through field surveys in 2019, eDNA analysis detected an additional 13, 11, and 10 positive sites in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively, and a substantial rise comprising an additional 28 sites in 2023. Conventional field surveys detected mussels 1–3 years later than eDNA-based analysis at 16 sites. Across all 16 sites, we detected a low population density ranging from 1 to 30 individuals/m2. These findings collectively indicate that the invasions by golden mussels in Beijing are still in their early stages. To date, golden mussels have successfully colonized four out of the five investigated river basins, including the Jiyun River (22.2% positive sites), North Canal River (59.6% positive sites), Chaobai River (40% positive sites), and Yongding River (63.6% positive sites), with the North Canal River and Yongding River being the most heavily infested. Currently, only the Daqing River basin remains uninfested. Given the significant number of infested sites and the ongoing transport of large new propagules via SNWTP, further rapid spread and colonization are anticipated across aquatic ecosystems in Beijing and beyond. Consequently, we call for the proper implementation of effective management strategies, encompassing early detection, risk assessment, and the use of appropriate control measures to mitigate the potential ecological and economic damages in invaded ecosystems.
Dietary Lactobacillus delbrueckii Affects Ileal Bacterial Composition and Circadian Rhythms in Pigs
Authors: Luo Wenxin , Yin Zhangzheng , Zhang Mingliang , Huang Xingguo , Yin Jie
Published: January 2024

Intestinal bacteria, synchronized with diet and feeding time, exhibit circadian rhythms and anticipate host gut function; however the effect of dietary probiotics on gut bacterial diurnal rhythms remains obscure. In this study, bacteria were sequenced at 6 Zeitgeber times (ZT) from a pig model of ileal T-shaped fistula to test ileal bacterial composition and circadian rhythms after Lactobacillus delbrueckii administration. The results showed that dietary L. delbrueckii enhanced ileal bacterial α-diversity at Zeitgeber time (ZT) 16, evidenced by an increased Simpson index compared with control pigs. At the phylum level, Firmicutes was identified as the largest phyla represented in pigs, but dietary L. delbrueckii only increased the abundance of Tenericutes at ZT16. At the genus level, 11/100 genera (i.e., Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Leptotrichia, Pediococcus, Bifidobacte, Cellulosilyticum, Desulfomicrobium, Sharpea, Eubacterium, Propionivibrio, and Aerococcus) were markedly differentiated in L. delbrueckii-fed pigs and the effect was rhythmicity-dependent. Meanwhile, dietary L. delbrueckii affected six pathways of bacterial functions, such as membrane transport, metabolism of cofactors and vitamins, cell motility, the endocrine system, signaling molecules and interaction, and the nervous system. Cosinor analysis was conducted to test bacterial circadian rhythm in pigs, while no significant circadian rhythm in bacterial α-diversity and phyla composition was observed. Lactobacillus, Terrisporobacter, and Weissella exhibited significant rhythmic fluctuation in the control pigs, which was disturbed by probiotic exposure. In addition, dietary L. delbrueckii affected circadian rhythms in ileal Romboutsia, Erysipelatoclostridium, Cellulosilyticum, and Eubacterium abundances. Dietary L. delbrueckii affected both ileal bacterial composition and circadian rhythms, which might further regulate gut function and host metabolism in pigs.
New Evidence for the Bronze Age Zooarchaeology in the Inland Area of the Iberian Peninsula through the Analysis of Pista de Motos (Villaverde Bajo, Madrid)
Authors: Estaca-Gómez Verónica , Cruz-Alcázar Rocío , Tardaguila-Giacomozzi Silvia , Yravedra José
Published: January 2024

The Bronze Age zooarchaeological research for the interior and other regions of the Iberian Peninsula is currently limited. Despite several sites with known zooarchaeological profiles from the period, the main issue is that most of these derive from fragmentary and unrepresentative faunal records or are biased profiles from old excavations. New work has yielded novel zooarchaeological results in recent years that could help fill the existing zooarchaeological information gap in the Iberian inland, particularly in the Middle Tagus Valley. However, these projects are in the initial research stages and have not published much of their results. This paper presents the zooarchaeological profile of the Pista de Motos Bronze Age site to help fill this information gap. It analyses the taxonomic representation, skeletal profiles, and human activity patterns associated with faunal use. These observations suggest that animal exploitation at the site followed two primary purposes. One was linked to economic activities, mainly to obtain meat, milk, wool, or animal labour. The other was probably associated with symbolic-ritual practices suggested by the complete animal burials in some excavated units. We contextualise these interpretations with evidence from other Bronze Age sites in the Middle Tagus Valley. Finally, the paper assesses to what extent Pista de Motos is a relevant site for the zooarchaeology of the Bronze Age in the Iberian inland.
Does Placental Efficiency and Vascularization Affect Puppy Health? A Study in Boxer and Dobermann Dogs
Authors: Gloria Alessia , Veronesi Maria Cristina , Contri Alberto
Published: January 2024

Background: The anatomical and functional characteristics of the placenta influence the adaptive ability of the fetus to the extrauterine environment. Placental efficiency, measured as the gram of neonate produced by each gram of placenta, summarizes these characteristics. In the present study, placental efficiency and its impact on the 7-day postpartum life of the puppies were studied in canine large breeds. Methods: Placental efficiency (PE) was computed using chorioallantois weight (WPE) and surface (SPE) efficiency for puppies born from natural delivery or elective cesarean section. Capillary density was also histologically determined. Neonate viability was estimated by the APGAR score and the daily weight gain (DWG) was recorded on day 7 after delivery. Results: from 15 large-breed bitches, 69 live puppies were born by natural delivery (24 puppies) and elective cesarean section (45 puppies). Cluster analysis detected a group of neonates for which reduced placental efficiency (8 for the WPE, 9 for the SPE) was identified, despite a placental weight and surface within the mean and no difference in capillary density. In this group, the DWG was lower and the mortality within 7 days was higher. Conclusions: the results suggest that placental efficiency could be an additional tool for the evaluation of a puppy in the first 7 days after delivery.
Small-Mammal Genomics Highlights Viaducts as Potential Dispersal Conduits for Fragmented Populations
Authors: Hui Tabitha C. Y. , Tang Qian , Ng Elize Y. X. , Chong Ju Lian , Slade Eleanor M. , Rheindt Frank E.
Published: January 2024

Wildlife crossings are implemented in many countries to facilitate the dispersal of animals among habitats fragmented by roads. However, the efficacy of different types of habitat corridors remains poorly understood. We used a comprehensive sampling regime in two lowland dipterocarp forest areas in peninsular Malaysia to sample pairs of small mammal individuals in three treatment types: (1) viaduct sites, at which sampling locations were separated by a highway but connected by a vegetated viaduct; (2) non-viaduct sites, at which sampling locations were separated by a highway and not connected by a viaduct; and (3) control sites, at which there was no highway fragmenting the forest. For four small mammal species, the common tree shrew Tupaia glis, Rajah’s spiny rat Maxomys rajah, Whitehead’s spiny rat Maxomys whiteheadi and dark-tailed tree rat Niviventer cremoriventer, we used genome-wide markers to assess genetic diversity, gene flow and genetic structure. The differences in genetic distance across sampling settings among the four species indicate that they respond differently to the presence of highways and viaducts. Viaducts connecting forests separated by highways appear to maintain higher population connectivity than forest fragments without viaducts, at least in M. whiteheadi, but apparently not in the other species.
Impact of Training Discipline and Experience on Inhibitory Control and Cognitive Performance in Pet Dogs
Authors: Mellor Nerys , McBride Sebastian , Stoker Emma , Dalesman Sarah
Published: January 2024

Training experience has been shown to enhance a dog’s cognitive performance when comparing highly trained working or sporting dogs with untrained dogs. However, whether the type or level of training a pet dog receives can alter their performance in cognitive tasks requiring inhibitory control has not been assessed. Here, we tested whether pet dogs trained in scent work, agility, and obedience differ in cognitive performance. The impact of primary training discipline and combined training experience was assessed using two well-defined tasks that require inhibitory control: (1) the A-not-B task, in which dogs must inhibit a previously learned response in favour of an alternative response; and (2) the detour task, in which dogs must inhibit a direct approach to food to gain a reward. Dogs trained in scent work demonstrated higher levels of inhibitory control and persistence across the two tasks, but this did not affect individual task performance. Increased combined training experience improved learning in the A-not-B task training phase, but did not alter performance during the test phase, whereas it had no effect on success in the detour task. Overall, dogs that performed better in the A-not-B task were also more likely to succeed in the detour task, showing a relationship in the cognitive ability underpinning performance in the two tasks. The effect of the primary discipline on the behavioural phenotype shows that this should be accounted for in future studies, rather than applying the practice of partitioning dogs into highly trained vs. untrained groups.
Optimization of Fermented Maize Stover for the Fattening Phase of Geese: Effect on Production Performance and Gut Microflora
Authors: Hong Xiaoqing , Zhang Yonghong , Ni Hongyu , Xiao Qingxing , Yin Yijing , Ren Jing , Zhao Puze , Zhang Ziyi , Li Xiaohui , Li Yumei , Yang Yuwei
Published: January 2024

To optimize the utilization of fermented maize stover (FMS) feed during the fattening phase of Xianghai flying geese (XFG), a total of 300 XFG at 125 days of age were randomly assigned to four dietary treatment groups with three replicates of 25 in each set. Group A was fed the basal fattening diet, while the B, C, and D groups were fed the basic fattening diet and diets supplemented with 5%, 10% or 15% FMS, respectively. The findings indicate that the production performance indicators (especially the dressed, eviscerated and breast muscle yield) of Group D closely resembled Group A more than Groups B and C. Intestinal morphometry found that the jejunal villus height and the villus height/crypt depth were significantly increased in Group D compared to Group A. Next, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of the extracted DNA revealed that beneficial microbiota (Coprococcus and Victivallis) showed increased abundance in Group D. Cecal flora function analysis further revealed that some amino acid and glycerol biosynthesis were found to be associated with growth performance in geese. These findings suggest that incorporating 15% FMS as a substitute for a portion of the feed during the fattening phase of XFG can effectively sustain their production performance, optimize the gut microbial community and morphometrical traits, provide new insight into using non-conventional feed resources to reduce feed cost and improve economic benefits in the breeding industry.
The cAMP Receptor Protein (CRP) of Vibrio mimicus Regulates Its Bacterial Growth, Type II Secretion System, Flagellum Formation, Adhesion Genes, and Virulence
Authors: Tian Ziqi , Xiang Fei , Peng Kun , Qin Zhenyang , Feng Yang , Huang Bowen , Ouyang Ping , Huang Xiaoli , Chen Defang , Lai Weimin , Geng Yi
Published: January 2024

Vibrio mimicus is a serious pathogen in aquatic animals, resulting in significant economic losses. The cAMP receptor protein (CRP) often acts as a central regulator in highly pathogenic pathogens. V. mimicus SCCF01 is a highly pathogenic strain isolated from yellow catfish; the crp gene deletion strain (Δcrp) was constructed by natural transformation to determine whether this deletion affects the virulence phenotypes. Their potential molecular connections were revealed by qRT-PCR analysis. Our results showed that the absence of the crp gene resulted in bacterial and colony morphological changes alongside decreases in bacterial growth, hemolytic activity, biofilm formation, enzymatic activity, motility, and cell adhesion. A cell cytotoxicity assay and animal experiments confirmed that crp contributes to V. mimicus pathogenicity, as the LD50 of the Δcrp strain was 73.1-fold lower compared to the WT strain. Moreover, qRT-PCR analysis revealed the inhibition of type II secretion system genes, flagellum genes, adhesion genes, and metalloproteinase genes in the deletion strain. This resulted in the virulence phenotype differences described above. Together, these data demonstrate that the crp gene plays a core regulatory role in V. mimicus virulence and pathogenicity.
Improved Equine Fecal Microbiome Characterization Using Target Enrichment by Hybridization Capture
Authors: Álvarez Narváez Sonsiray , Beaudry Megan S. , Norris Connor G. , Bartlett Paula B. , Glenn Travis C. , Sanchez Susan
Published: January 2024

GITDs are among the most common causes of death in adult and young horses in the United States (US). Previous studies have indicated a connection between GITDs and the equine gut microbiome. However, the low taxonomic resolution of the current microbiome sequencing methods has hampered the identification of specific bacterial changes associated with GITDs in horses. Here, we have compared TEHC, a new approach for 16S rRNA gene selection and sequencing, with conventional 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing for the characterization of the equine fecal microbiome. Both sequencing approaches were used to determine the fecal microbiome of four adult horses and one commercial mock microbiome. Our results show that TEHC yielded significantly more operational taxonomic units (OTUs) than conventional 16S amplicon sequencing when the same number of reads were used in the analysis. This translated into a deeper and more accurate characterization of the fecal microbiome when the samples were sequenced with TEHC according to the relative abundance analysis. Alpha and beta diversity metrics corroborated these findings and demonstrated that the microbiome of the fecal samples was significantly richer when sequenced with TEHC compared to 16S amplicon sequencing. Altogether, our study suggests that the TEHC strategy provides a more extensive characterization of the fecal microbiome of horses than the current alternative based on the PCR amplification of a portion of the 16S rRNA gene.
Methicillin Resistance Elements in the Canine Pathogen Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Their Association with the Peptide Toxin PSM-mec
Authors: Cheung Gordon Y. C. , Lee Ji Hyun , Liu Ryan , Lawhon Sara D. , Yang Ching , Otto Michael
Published: January 2024

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is a frequent cause of infections in dogs. Infectious isolates of this coagulase-positive staphylococcal species are often methicillin- and multidrug-resistant, which complicates therapy. In staphylococci, methicillin resistance is encoded by determinants found on mobile genetic elements called Staphylococcal Chromosome Cassette mec (SCCmec), which, in addition to methicillin resistance factors, sometimes encode additional genes, such as further resistance factors and, rarely, virulence determinants. In this study, we analyzed SCCmec in a collection of infectious methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) isolates from predominant lineages in the United States. We found that several lineages characteristically have specific types of SCCmec elements and Agr types and harbor additional factors in their SCCmec elements that may promote virulence or affect DNA uptake. All isolates had SCCmec-encoded restriction–modification (R-M) systems of types I or II, and sequence types (STs) ST84 and ST64 had one type II and one type I R-M system, although the latter lacked a complete methylation enzyme gene. ST68 isolates also had an SCCmec-encoded CRISPR system. ST71 isolates had a psm-mec gene, which, in all but apparently Agr-dysfunctional isolates, produced a PSM-mec peptide toxin, albeit at relatively small amounts. This study gives detailed insight into the composition of SCCmec elements in infectious isolates of S. pseudintermedius and lays the genetic foundation for further efforts directed at elucidating the contribution of identified accessory SCCmec factors in impacting SCCmec-encoded and thus methicillin resistance-associated virulence and resistance to DNA uptake in this leading canine pathogen.
In-Plane Structural Analysis of Coated Masonry Walls via a Homogenized Model
Authors: Di Nino Simona , Luongo Angelo
Published: January 2024

An orthotropic homogenized model is used to investigate the in-plane elastic behavior of coated masonry walls. The homogenization process mainly consists of modeling the elementary cell of a three-layer medium by using suitable designed assemblies of in-parallel springs. On the basis of the latter, the stresses distributed between masonry and reinforcement coatings are analytically assessed after the determination of the average stress acting on the homogeneous medium. The precision of the theoretical outcomes is evaluated through comparisons with finite element (FE) models. Static and dynamic numerical analyses are carried out on both non-homogeneous and homogeneous FE models of sample systems. The homogeneous model is observed to adequately capture both the local and global behavior of reinforced masonry walls. Parametric analyses are also performed to investigate the effectiveness of reinforcement on the overall behavior of the system.
Computational Design of a Novel Dithranol–Salicylic Acid Antipsoriatic Prodrug for Esterase-Activated Topical Drug Delivery
Authors: Andrýsková Natália , Motyčka Jozef , Babincová Melánia , Babinec Peter , Šimaljaková Mária
Published: January 2024

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune skin disorder characterized by the rapid overproduction of skin cells, resulting in the formation of red, inflamed, and scaly patches or plaques on the skin. Dithranol, also known as anthralin, is a very effective topical medication used in the treatment of psoriasis, with several shortcomings like photo-instability; staining skin, clothing, and bedding; and causing skin irritation. Antiproliferative dithranol is frequently used in combination therapy with keratolytic salicylic acid. We have therefore proposed a novel topical antipsoriatic prodrug comprising dithranol and salicylic acid joined together with an ester bond, specifically 8-hydroxy-9-oxo-9,10-dihydroanthracen-1-yl-2-hydroxybenzoate. An ester bond is cleavable by endogenous esterase hydrolyzing this bond and releasing dithranol and salicylic acid in a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio. We performed an exhaustive theoretical analysis of this molecule using the reliable computational methods of quantum chemistry and ADME in silico studies to investigate its biological and pharmacokinetic activities. We found its molecular structure, vibrational spectra, molecular orbitals, MEP (molecular electric potential), UV-VIS spectra, and TDOS (total density of states), and we performed an RDG (reduced density gradient) analysis. The obtained results may be useful for the understanding of its properties, which may assist in the synthesis and further experimental study of this possible antipsoriatic dual-action prodrug with reduced adverse effects and enhanced therapeutic efficacy.
Efficient Small-Object Detection in Underwater Images Using the Enhanced YOLOv8 Network
Authors: Zhang Minghua , Wang Zhihua , Song Wei , Zhao Danfeng , Zhao Huijuan
Published: January 2024

Underwater object detection plays a significant role in marine ecosystem research and marine species conservation. The improvement of related technologies holds practical significance. Although existing object-detection algorithms have achieved an excellent performance on land, they are not satisfactory in underwater scenarios due to two limitations: the underwater objects are often small, densely distributed, and prone to occlusion characteristics, and underwater embedded devices have limited storage and computational capabilities. In this paper, we propose a high-precision, lightweight underwater detector specifically optimizing for underwater scenarios based on the You Only Look Once Version 8 (YOLOv8) model. Firstly, we replace the Darknet-53 backbone of YOLOv8s with FasterNet-T0, reducing model parameters by 22.52%, FLOPS by 23.59%, and model size by 22.73%, achieving model lightweighting. Secondly, we add a Prediction Head for Small Objects, increase the number of channels for high-resolution feature map detection heads, and decrease the number of channels for low-resolution feature map detection heads. This results in a 1.2% improvement in small-object detection accuracy, while the remaining model parameters and memory consumption are nearly unchanged. Thirdly, we use Deformable ConvNets and Coordinate Attention in the neck part to enhance the accuracy in the detection of irregularly shaped and densely occluded small targets. This is achieved by learning convolution offsets from feature maps and emphasizing the regions of interest (RoIs). Our method achieves 52.12% AP on the underwater dataset UTDAC2020, with only 8.5 M parameters, 25.5 B FLOPS, and 17 MB model size. It surpasses the performance of large model YOLOv8l, at 51.69% AP, with 43.6 M parameters, 164.8 B FLOPS, and 84 MB model size. Furthermore, by increasing the input image resolution to 1280 × 1280 pixels, our model achieves 53.18% AP, making it the state-of-the-art (SOTA) model for the UTDAC2020 underwater dataset. Additionally, we achieve 84.4% mAP on the Pascal VOC dataset, with a substantial reduction in model parameters compared to previous, well-established detectors. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposed lightweight method retains effectiveness on underwater datasets and can be generalized to common datasets.
Study of the Mechanical Performance of Grid-Reinforced Concrete Beams with Basalt Fiber-Reinforced Polymers
Authors: Li Haoran , Qi Yujun , Li Yifei , Bao Sai , Song Zhongzheng
Published: January 2024

Basalt fiber-reinforced polymers (BFRPs) can reduce construction costs and mitigate corrosion-related issues associated with steel-reinforced concrete structures. There is limited research on completely substituting steel cages with composite material grid structures. Combining BFRP grids with concrete is an effective solution to address the issue of poor corrosion resistance; BFRP grids also have a good bond with steel-reinforced concrete. Therefore, this paper introduces a novel BFRP grid-reinforced concrete beam. Flexural tests indicate that grid frameworks with 3 mm and 5 mm thickness combined with concrete exhibit higher flexural load-bearing capacity. Shear tests show that the shear load-bearing capability is influenced by the shear span ratio. Shear load-bearing capacity decreases when the shear span ratio rises, but only up to a certain point. Theoretical calculations for grid-reinforced concrete beams are made to demonstrate good conformity with test values. Based on the research findings, design recommendations and precise measurements for the internal grid frameworks for composite material grid-reinforced concrete beams are provided.
Dynamic Response and Energy Characterisation of High-Strength Sandstone under Progressive Cyclic Loading Based on Sustainable Mining
Authors: Shi Zhuolin , Wu Chengle , Li Xuehua , Xu Yingnan , Li Kai , Sun Jialong
Published: January 2024

In the research on sustainable mining and environmental preservation, understanding the dynamic behaviour of rock formations in deep, high-stress mining environments is essential. In order to acquire the laws of rock dynamic disaster generation from mining in deep, high-stress environments, this research adopts a multistage and multi-cycle triaxial cyclic loading test to obtain the stress–strain curves and macroscopic deformation characteristics of hard sandstone under different surrounding pressures. The results show that the cumulative damage displacement of hard sandstone under cyclic loading at a certain stress level for the first 3–4 cycles is half of the total damage displacement at that cycle stage, and its peak volumetric strain will increase with the increase. The elastic energy density ratio and dissipation energy density ratio of hard sandstone under cyclic loading show a sinusoidal fluctuation trend, and the fluctuation gradually decreases with the increase in the number of cycles and the increase in the cyclic stress level. Under the cyclic loading of different surrounding pressures, the hard sandstone shows brittle damage characteristics, where the damage form is mainly shear damage with a small amount of tensile damage in low surrounding pressure and the damage form is mainly shear damage, tensile damage, and local compression damage in high surrounding pressure. The study reveals the deformation and damage law, energy evolution, and dissipation characteristics of high-strength hard sandstone. It is essential for the development of mining strategies that minimize the impact on the environment, reduce the dynamic hazards generated by mining, and maximize the efficiency of resource extraction