bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Wet Ageing on Beef Quality Traits
Authors: Sirtori Francesco , Parrini Silvia , Fabbri Maria Chiara , Aquilani Chiara , Dal Prà Aldo , Crovetti Alessandro , Brajon Giovanni , Bozzi Riccardo
Published: December 2022

Fresh samples of Longissimus thoracis of Charolais (n = 12), Romagnola (n = 15), Limousine (n = 77), and crossbreed (n = 62) animals were evaluated with different storage periods (0, 4, 9, and 14 days). Proximate analysis (i.e., pH, humidity, color, free water content, and physical parameters) was performed for each sample. The data obtained were evaluated with a mixed model, setting 5 fixed effects (breed, storage time, animals age, EUROP conformation, number of animal transports) and the animal as random. The results demonstrated that meat quality was affected mainly by the wet ageing period and that the visual and tactile parameters were also found to be susceptible to the storage time. The conservation entailed a decrease in meat humidity and an increase in L* and b* traits; it also led to a decrease in the hardness of the sample, in turn affecting the other texture profile analysis parameters considered. Fixed effects affected in different ways the traits analyzed i.e., pH and humidity changed with breed, as well as with EUROP classification, animals’ age for some TPA parameters, and the number of animal transports for both visual and tactile parameters. Wet ageing influenced the meat quality, often improving it, confirming how important further research would be to identify precise storage times in relation to the parameters studied.
Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 Myeloencephalitis in the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Barbosa José Diomedes , Lins André de Medeiros Costa , Bomjardim Henrique dos Anjos , Silveira Natália da Silva e Silva , Barbosa Camila Cordeiro , Beuttemmuller Edsel Alves , Brito Marilene Farias , Salvarani Felipe Masiero
Published: December 2022

An investigative and epidemiological study was carried out for equine herpesvirus type 1 (HVE-1) in 10 outbreaks of neurological disease from different farms in the state of Pará, Brazil. 25 horses were studied: six male and 19 females, aged between one and 13 years. A necropsy of six horses was performed, and the others recovered either with or without treatment (T1—vitamin B1 + dexamentasone; T2—vitamin B1 + flunixim meglumine). Animals that received treatment recovered after eight days. The main clinical signs observed were motor incoordination, progressive paresis, thoracic and/or pelvic limbs abducted after induction of clinical examination, knuckling of the hind fetlocks, sagging and swaying of the hindquarters while standing or walking and paresis. All animals were positive: 88% (22/25) in nested PCR and 72% (18/25) in serum neutralization (including three negatives in serology). Focal brownish areas compatible with hemorrhage were found in the white and gray matter of the spinal cord of two animals. On histological analysis, there were perivasculitis and neutrophilic vasculitis in the gray matter of the spinal cord and brain. Based on the evidence, this work proves the circulation of HVE-1 in the Amazon biome, mainly in the state of Pará, Brazil.
Detection and Characterization of Feline Calicivirus Associated with Paw and Mouth Disease
Authors: Palombieri Andrea , Sarchese Vittorio , Giordano Maria Veronica , Fruci Paola , Crisi Paolo Emidio , Aste Giovanni , Bongiovanni Laura , Rinaldi Valentina , Sposato Alessio , Camero Michele , Lanave Gianvito , Martella Vito , Marsilio Fulvio , Di Martino Barbara , Di Profio Federica
Published: December 2022

Feline calicivirus (FCV) infection in cats can led to several diverse clinical presentations, ranging from mild upper respiratory signs to virulent systemic disease. Herein, we report a paw and mouth disease case in a 7-year-old household cat due to an FCV infection. An asymptomatic cat living in the same household was also infected with FCV. Clinical and pathological investigations were combined with the molecular and phenotypical characterization of the FCV strains. The RNA of the FCV was detected using qualitative and quantitative reverse transcription (RT)-PCR assays, and FCV antigen was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. After the whole genome analysis, the strains detected in the two cats appeared to be genetically diverse from FCVs previously detected in association with paw and mouth disease and with virulent systemic disease. Interestingly, the isolates obtained in this study were resistant to low pH conditions and slightly susceptible to bile salts, but they were susceptible to a trypsin treatment, revealing a phenotype pattern that is different from that which has been observed for respiratory FCVs.
Structural and Functional Dynamics of the Ovary and Uterus during the Estrous Cycle in Donkeys in the Eastern Caribbean
Authors: Segabinazzi Lorenzo G. T. M. , Gilbert Robert O. , Ambrosia Rachael L. , Bergfelt Don R. , Samper Juan C. , Peterson Erik W. , French Hilari M.
Published: December 2022

Eight non-bred, non-pregnant, regularly cycling Caribbean jennies were examined daily via transrectal ultrasound to define the ovarian and uterine dynamics during four consecutive estrous cycles. Blood samples were collected every other day for progesterone analysis. The mean (±SD) overall inter-ovulatory interval across all donkeys and cycles was 22.93 ± 1.99 days. The maximum follicular diameter was 34.6 ± 2.9 mm. A two-wave pattern was evident in 97% (30/31) of the cycles. The emergence of the future dominant follicle and the largest subordinate follicle of the major primary wave coincided on Day 5.7 ± 3.6 post-ovulation, whereas the secondary wave emerged on Day 19.8 ± 2.9 during estrus of the previous cycle or early diestrus. The secondary wave was often minor (93%, 28/30 cycles). Follicular deviation occurred 8.2 ± 1.4 days before the subsequent ovulation. Luteal volume increased for the first four days after ovulation and reached a maximum volume of 8.5 ± 2.7 mm3 at Day 5.4 ± 0.4, before gradually regressing after Day 15. Serum progesterone concentration increased from Day 1 after ovulation, peaking at 27.0 ± 9.6 ng/mL between 7 and 10 days after ovulation. Progesterone concentration dropped precipitously around Day 15 after ovulation and was below 2 ng/mL around Day 17 ± 2. A day effect (p < 0.0001) was observed for corpus luteum’s volume, progesterone concentration, and uterine tone, but not for endometrial edema (p > 0.05). This study helps to clarify and define normal estrous characteristics of jennies in the Eastern Caribbean.
Life History Traits of Sperm Whales Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758 Stranded along Italian Coasts (Cetartiodactyla: Physeteridae)
Authors: Maio Nicola , Fioravanti Tatiana , Latini Lucrezia , Petraccioli Agnese , Mezzasalma Marcello , Cozzi Bruno , Mazzariol Sandro , Podestà Michela , Insacco Gianni , Pollaro Francesco , Lucifora Giuseppe , Ferrandino Ida , Zizzo Nicola , Spadola Filippo , Garibaldi Fulvio , Guarino Fabio Maria , Splendiani Andrea , Caputo Barucchi Vincenzo
Published: December 2022

We investigated the relationship between age and body length, and age at sexual maturity of Physeter macrocephalus individuals stranded along the Italian coast. Our molecular analysis shows that all our samples belong to the C.001.002 haplotype, shared between Atlantic and Mediterranean populations. We show that males attain sexual maturity at 10 years, similar to those from other marine areas. However, considering the same body length class, Mediterranean males are older than Atlantic ones. Our finding of a Mediterranean pregnant female of only 6.5 m in length and an assessed age of 24–26 years is particularly noteworthy, considering that females reach sexual maturity at about 9 years and 9 m of total length in other regions. Comparing our results with the literature data, we highlight the positive correlation between lifespan, adult body length and weight of males from the Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean. Regardless of whether the relatively small size of Mediterranean specimens is a consequence of an inbreeding depression or an adaptation to less favorable trophic conditions, we recommend to closely monitor this population from a conservation perspective. In fact, its low genetic diversity likely corresponds to a relatively limited ability to respond to environmental changes compared with other populations.
Dynamics and Diversity of Intrauterine Anaerobic Microbiota in Dairy Cows with Clinical and Subclinical Endometritis
Authors: Ballas Panagiotis , Pothmann Harald , Pothmann Isabella , Drillich Marc , Ehling-Schulz Monika , Wagener Karen
Published: December 2022

The aim of the study was to characterize the dynamics of anaerobic cultivable postpartum microbiota in the uterus of dairy cows. In total, 122 dairy cows were enrolled and sampled on day 0 (day of calving) and on days 3, 9, 15, 21, and 28 postpartum (pp). Samples were cultivated anaerobically and analyzed by MALDI-TOF MS. In total, 1858 isolates were recovered. The most prevalent facultative anaerobic genera were Trueperella (27.8%), Streptococcus (25.4%), and Escherichia (13.1%). The most prevalent obligate anaerobes were Peptoniphilus (9.3%), Bacteroides (3.3%), and Clostridium (2.4%). The microbial communities were highly dynamic and diverse. On the animal level, Trueperella pyogenes on day 21 and 28 pp was associated with clinical endometritis, and E. coli on day 21 pp was associated with subclinical endometritis. The occurrence of Streptococcus pluranimalium on day 28 was related to uterine health. The presence of T. pyogenes, Streptococcus, and Peptoniphilus was significantly associated with an increased risk for purulent vaginal discharge. Primiparous cows showed a higher prevalence of T. pyogenes, Fusobacterium necrophorum, Porphyromonas levii, and Peptoniphilus spp. than multiparous cows but were not more susceptible to uterine diseases. This study might provide a suitable basis for future co-cultivation studies to elucidate potential synergistic interactions between microbiota.
One Health: Animal Models of Heritable Human Bleeding Diseases
Authors: Dodds W. Jean
Published: December 2022

Animal models of human and animal diseases have long been used as the lynchpin of experimental and clinical research. With the discovery and implementation of novel molecular and nano-technologies, cellular research now has advanced to assessing signal transduction pathways, gene editing, and gene therapies. The contribution of heritable animal models to human and animal health as related to hemostasis is reviewed and updated with the advent of gene editing, recombinant and gene therapies.
Effect of a Combination of Lysolecithin, Synthetic Emulsifier and Monoglycerides on the Apparent Ileal Digestibility, Metabolizable Energy and Growth Performance of Growing Pigs
Authors: Kinh La Van , Vasanthakumari Bindhu L. , Sugumar C. , Thanh Huyen La Thi , Thanh Nguyen Van , Wealleans Alexandra L. , Ngoan Le Duc , Loan Nguyen Vu Thuy Hong
Published: December 2022

Two studies were conducted to determine the impact of an absorption enhancer containing a combination of lysophospholipids, monoglycerides and synthetic emulsifiers (LEX) on apparent ileal digestibility, metabolizable energy (ME), and growth performance of growing pigs. In the digestibility study, 12 male crossbred [Duroc x (Large White x Landrace)] pigs with an initial body weight (BW) of 30 kg were randomly allocated to two dietary treatments: (1) a positive control (PC) receiving standard diets formulated to 3100 kcal ME/kg, and (2) a negative control formulated with −100 kcal ME/kg and −2.5% AA content vs. PC and supplemented with LEX at 500 g/t. Apparent ileal digestibility of essential AA was significantly increased for lysine, methionine, threonine, histidine, isoleucine and phenylalanine in the LEX treatment (p < 0.05). Average uplift in AA digestibility as a percent of the PC was +1.88%; with greatest improvement for histidine (+4.22%). LEX supplementation effectively compensated energy deficiency of low-density diet and provided additional ME improvement compared to the PC diet (p < 0.05). A second study was conducted to evaluate LEX dose response on the growth performance of pigs fed a low nutrient density diet. Total 450 cross-bred pigs (240 males (castrated) and 210 females) [Duroc x (Large White x Landrace)] with an average initial BW of 7.19 kg were randomly allocated into 4 dietary treatments: (1) a positive control (PC) formulated with standard specifications, (2) a negative control formulated with −100 kcal ME/kg and −2.5% AA content vs. the PC (NC), (3) NC + LEX at 250 g/t (NC + 250) and (4) NC + LEX at 500 g/t (NC + 500). Results showed significant improvement with LEX supplementation on the final BW, average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of pigs of >50 kg body weight. Across the study, NC + 500 significantly increased ADG vs. PC and NC, and significantly reduced FCR compared to all other treatments. FCR of negative control diets improved by 9 and 15 points with the supplementation of 250 g/t and 500 g/t of LEX, respectively (p < 0.05). FCR in the NC + 250 diet was statistically similar vs. PC, which was significantly reduced compared to the NC. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that the addition of an absorption enhancer containing a combination of lysophospholipids, monoglycerides and synthetic emulsifiers can improve growth performance in growing pigs, driven by increased nutrient digestibility and retention.
Molecular Marker-Assisted Selection of ABCG2, CD44, SPP1 Genes Contribute to Milk Production Traits of Chinese Holstein
Authors: Sun Yujia , Wu Xinyi , Ma Yaoyao , Liu Dingding , Lu Xubin , Zhao Tianqi , Yang Zhangping
Published: December 2022

Based on our results of genome-wide association analysis, we performed gene ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis; three candidate genes (ABCG2, CD44, SPP1) were screened in this study for SNPs association analysis with production traits in 999 Holstein cattle. In this research, flight mass spectrometry genotyping was used to detect the polymorphism of SNP seats. It was shown that four, four, and two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) loci were detected for the ABCG2, CD44, and SPP1 genes, respectively, and the different genotypes of these 10 SNPs significantly affected the milk production performance of Chinese Holstein cattle in terms of milk yield, milk fat percentage, milk protein percentage, somatic cell score, and urea nitrogen content. Among them, ABCG2-G.80952G > T locus, ABCG2-G.120017G > A locus and CD44-G.2294G > C locus had significant effects on somatic cell score (p < 0.01). Cows with GG genotypes at ABCG2-G.80952G > T locus, AA and GG genotypes at ABCG2-G.120017G > A locus, and GG genotypes at CD44-G.2294G > C locus had lower somatic cell scores. The present study elucidated that ABCG2, CD44, and SPP1 could be selected for marker-assisted selection and will benefit for future precise molecular breeding.
Mitogenomic Codon Usage Patterns of Superfamily Certhioidea (Aves, Passeriformes): Insights into Asymmetrical Bias and Phylogenetic Implications
Authors: Ding Hengwu , Bi De , Han Shiyun , Yi Ran , Zhang Sijia , Ye Yuanxin , Gao Jinming , Yang Jianke , Kan Xianzhao
Published: December 2022

The superfamily Certhioidea currently comprises five families. Due to the rapid diversification, the phylogeny of Certhioidea is still controversial. The advent of next generation sequencing provides a unique opportunity for a mitogenome-wide study. Here, we first provided six new complete mitogenomes of Certhioidea (Certhia americana, C. familiaris, Salpornis spilonota, Cantorchilus leucotis, Pheugopedius coraya, and Pheugopedius genibarbis). We further paid attention to the genomic characteristics, codon usages, evolutionary rates, and phylogeny of the Certhioidea mitogenomes. All mitogenomes we analyzed displayed typical ancestral avian gene order with 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNAs, 2 rRNAs, and one control region (CR). Our study indicated the strand-biased compositional asymmetry might shape codon usage preferences in mitochondrial genes. In addition, natural selection might be the main factor in shaping the codon usages of genes. Additionally, evolutionary rate analyses indicated all mitochondrial genes were under purifying selection. Moreover, MT-ATP8 and MT-CO1 were the most rapidly evolving gene and conserved genes, respectively. According to our mitophylogenetic analyses, the monophylies of Troglodytidae and Sittidae were strongly supported. Importantly, we suggest that Salpornis should be separated from Certhiidae and put into Salpornithidae to maintain the monophyly of Certhiidae. Our findings are useful for further evolutionary studies within Certhioidea.
Impact of Moringa oleifera Leaves on Nutrient Utilization, Enteric Methane Emissions, and Performance of Goat Kids
Authors: Leitanthem Vandana Kumari , Chaudhary Parul , Maiti Sanjit , Mohini Madhu , Mondal Goutam
Published: December 2022

The development of different innovative feed resources for livestock is important to provide the essential nutrients and diminish the emission of greenhouse gases. The purpose of the present experiment was to study the response of replacing concentrate with Moringa oleifera leaves in terms of the nutrient intake, digestibility, enteric methane emissions, and performance of goat kids with a berseem-fodder-based diet under different roughage (R)-to-concentrate (C) ratios. Twenty-four goat kids (3 months of age) were distributed into four groups of six animals each, using a randomized block design (RBD). Kids of Group I (control) were fed a basal diet with 70R:30C without any tree leaf supplementation. Group II kids were fed with 60R:40C, where 10% of the concentrate mix was replaced with Moringa leaf (ML powder). In Group III, kids were fed with 70R:30C with 20% ML replacement. In Group IV, kids were fed with 80R:20C with 20% ML replacement. A metabolic trial was conducted after 180 days of feeding to assess the impact of ML on blood metabolites, antioxidant status, immunity parameters, and enteric methane emissions. The results revealed that dry matter digestibility, organic matter, and NDF were better (p < 0.05) in ML-treated kids (GII and GIII) compared to GI. Feed conversion and average daily gain were also enhanced (p < 0.05) in the treated groups as compared to controls. Total blood protein and albumin were increased in GII and GIII kids compared to GI. Plasma cholesterol levels were decreased (p < 0.001) in GII, GIII, and GIV as compared to GI. Glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase enzyme activities were also enhanced in GII, GIII, and GIV compared to controls. ML supplementation improved cell-mediated immunity and humoral immunity responses in goat kids. Enteric methane emissions decreased in the treated groups as compared to the controls. Moringa oleifera leaf may be used up to the level of 10–20% in concentrate mixes to improve digestibility, blood biochemical parameters, immunity status, and antioxidant activity in goat kids. Supplementation of ML not only enhanced the digestion and health of goat kids, but also decreased their methane emissions.
Serum and Prostatic Tissue Concentrations of Cefazolin, Ciprofloxacin and Fosfomycin after Prophylactic Use for Transurethral Resection of the Prostate
Authors: Sobels Annemieke , Lentjes Koen J. , Froeling Frank M. J. A. , van Nieuwkoop Cees , Wilms Erik B.
Published: December 2022

The optimal drug of choice, its time of administration and duration of antibiotic prophylaxis in patient undergoing a TURP procedure are still matters of debate. In this study, we evaluated the concentrations of cefazolin, ciprofloxacin and fosfomycin in the human prostate in a cohort of men undergoing TURP. We compared prostate tissue concentrations to the serum concentrations and MICs of common uropathogens, to determine the appropriateness of the current presurgical prophylactic antibiotics and to gain supportive data about the suitability of fosfomycin for antibiotic prophylaxis in men undergoing urological procedures of the prostate. After a single intravenous dose of cefazoline or an oral dose of ciprofloxacin prior to TURP, concentrations in serum and prostate tissue of well above the MIC (EUCAST breakpoint) of common uropathogens (Enterobacterales) were reached, and both antibiotics seem potentially effective in preventing postsurgical infections. A single dose of oral and intravenous administration of fosfomycin both led to serum concentrations above the MIC for uncomplicated urinary tract infections (8 µg/mL). The MIC for other infections (32 µg/mL) was only reached after a single dose of intravenous fosfomycin. We were unable to detect fosfomycin concentrations in prostate tissue.
Factors Influencing the Implementation of Antimicrobial Stewardship in Primary Care: A Narrative Review
Authors: Suttels Véronique , Van Singer Mathias , Clack Lauren Catherine , Plüss-Suard Catherine , Niquille Anne , Mueller Yolanda , Boillat Blanco Noémie
Published: December 2022

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is directly driven by inappropriate use of antibiotics. Although the majority of antibiotics (an estimated 80%) are consumed in primary care settings, antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) activities in primary care remain underdeveloped and factors influencing their implementation are poorly understood. This can result in promising stewardship activities having little-to-no real-world impact. With this narrative review, we aim to identify and summarize peer-reviewed literature reporting on (1) the nature and impact of AMS interventions in primary care and (2) the individual and contextual factors influencing their implementation. Reported activities included AMS at different contextual levels (individual, collective and policy). AMS activities being often combined, it is difficult to evaluate them as stand-alone interventions. While some important individual and contextual factors were reported (difficulty to reach physicians leading to a low uptake of interventions, tight workflow of physicians requiring implementation of flexible and brief interventions and AMS as a unique opportunity to strengthen physician-patients relationship), this review identified a paucity of information in the literature about the factors that support or hinder implementation of AMS in primary care settings. In conclusion, identifying multilevel barriers and facilitators for AMS uptake is an essential step to explore before implementing primary care AMS interventions.
Diagnostic and Treatment Challenges of Emergent COVID-Associated-Mucormycosis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Arbune Manuela , Arbune Anca-Adriana , Nechifor Alexandru , Chiscop Iulia , Sapira Violeta
Published: December 2022

Mucormycosis is a rare fungal infection, with high mortality, commonly associated with diabetes, malignancies, immunosuppressive therapy, and other immunodeficiency conditions. The emergence of mucormycosis cases has been advanced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical presentation is variable, from asymptomatic to persistent fever or localized infections. We present a case of a Romanian old man, without diabetes or other immunodepression, with COVID-19 who developed severe rhino-orbital mucormycosis and bacterial superinfections, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The late diagnostic and antifungal treatment was related to extensive lesions, bone and tissue loss, and required complex reconstruction procedures. We review the relationships between mucormycosis, COVID-19, and bacterial associated infections. The suspicion index of mucormycosis should be increased in medical practice. The diagnostic and treatment of COVID-19-Associated-Mucormycosis is currently challenging, calling for multidisciplinary collaboration.
Synergistic Effects of Capric Acid and Colistin against Colistin-Susceptible and Colistin-Resistant Enterobacterales
Authors: Liu Yi-Yun , Qin Zong-Hua , Yue Hui-Ying , Bergen Phillip J. , Deng Li-Min , He Wan-Yun , Zeng Zhen-Ling , Peng Xian-Feng , Liu Jian-Hua
Published: December 2022

Colistin is a last-line antibiotic against Gram-negative pathogens. However, the emergence of colistin resistance has substantially reduced the clinical effectiveness of colistin. In this study, synergy between colistin and capric acid was examined against twenty-one Gram-negative bacterial isolates (four colistin-susceptible and seventeen colistin-resistant). Checkerboard assays showed a synergistic effect against all colistin-resistant strains [(FICI, fractional inhibitory concentration index) = 0.02–0.38] and two colistin-susceptible strains. Time–kill assays confirmed the combination was synergistic. We suggest that the combination of colistin and capric acid is a promising therapeutic strategy against Gram-negative colistin-resistant strains.
Antimicrobial Prescribing before and after the Implementation of a Carbapenem-Focused Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in a Greek Tertiary Hospital during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Spernovasilis Nikolaos , Kritsotakis Evangelos I. , Mathioudaki Anna , Vouidaski Alexandra , Markaki Ioulia , Psaroudaki Despoina , Ioannou Petros , Kofteridis Diamantis P.
Published: December 2022

Background: Irrational use of antimicrobials poses a significant risk for public health by aggravating antimicrobial resistance. The aim of this repeated point prevalence survey (PPS) was to evaluate the impact of a carbapenem-focused antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) on overall antimicrobial use and quality of antimicrobial prescribing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: All adult inpatients in the University Hospital of Heraklion in Greece were audited twice, before and after the implementation of the ASP, in October 2019 and October 2020, respectively. Patient characteristics, indications and diagnoses for antimicrobial administration, antimicrobials prescribed, and compliance with treatment guidelines were recorded. Results: Of 743 adult inpatients on the days of the two surveys, 398 (53.6%) were on antimicrobials for 437 diagnoses. Following implementation of the ASP, there was substantial decrease in the utilization of carbapenems (4.9% of all antibacterials prescribed in the second PPS compared to 10.3% in the first PPS). A significant improvement was observed for all indicators of the quality of antimicrobial prescribing. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated a positive impact of an ASP implementation during the first stages of the COVID-19 pandemic on reducing the use of last-line antimicrobials and improving overall quality of antimicrobial prescribing.
Anti-Osteoarthritic Effects of Prunella Vulgaris and Gentiana Lutea In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Kim Jeonghyun , Lee Chang-Gun , Hwang Seokjin , Yun Seung-Hee , Uprety Laxmi Prasad , Oh Kang-Il , Singh Shivani , Yoo Jisu , Jeong Hyesoo , Yong Yoonjoong , Yeo Subin , Park Eunkuk , Jeong Seon-Yong
Published: December 2022

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the progressive destruction of articular cartilage with severe symptoms, including pain and stiffness. We investigated the anti-osteoarthritic effects of Prunella vulgaris (PV) and Gentiana lutea (GL) extract in primary cultured chondrocytes RAW 264.7 cells in vitro and destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM)-induced OA mice in vivo. Primary chondrocytes were induced with IL-1β, and RAW 264.7 cells were treated with LPS and co-incubated with either individual extracts of PV and GL or different ratios of PV and GL mixture. For the OA animal model, the medial meniscus (DMM) was destabilized in 9-week-old male C57BL/6 mice. Treatment of individual PV and GL and combination of PV and GL extracts inhibited the mRNA expression level of COX2 in chondrocytes and RAW 264.7 cells. The optimized inhibitory effect was attained with a PV and GL combination at an 8:2 ratio (PG) without cytotoxic effects. PG extracts prevented the expression of catabolic factors (COX2, Mmp3, Mmp9, and Mmp13) and inflammatory mediator levels (PGE2 and collagenase). In addition, PG decreased subchondral sclerosis and increased BMD in the subchondral region of DMM-induced OA mice with protection of articular cartilage destruction by inhibiting inflammatory processes. This study suggests that PG may be an alternative medicinal herb for treatment of OA.
Phytochemical Composition, Antimicrobial, Anticancer Properties, and Antioxidant Potential of Green Husk from Several Walnut Varieties (Juglans regia L.)
Authors: Barekat Sorour , Nasirpour Ali , Keramat Javad , Dinari Mohammad , Meziane-Kaci Messaouda , Paris Cedric , Desobry Stephane
Published: December 2022

Husk powder was prepared from seven varieties of walnut fruit and their hulling rate, chemical compounds, and total phenolic contents were evaluated. The apolar and polar extracts were prepared, respectively, from hexane and a hydroethanolic solvent, while qualitative and semi-quantitative analyses were performed by GC/MS and UHPLC-PDA-HRMS/MS. The antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antitumor properties of green walnut husk were also evaluated. The total content of phenolic compounds varied between the varieties, ranging from 35.2 ± 0.9 to 58.0 ± 0.0 mg/g gallic acid equivalent of dry husk weight (dw). The apolar extract was found to contain alkanes, tocopherols, sterols, and fatty acids, including oleic, linoleic, and linolenic, while the polar extract showed the presence of phenolics including salicylate glucuronide, taxifolin, catechin, and quercetin isomers. The antioxidant power obtained by the PAOT (total antioxidant power) method for the husk powders ranged from 256.5 ± 5.9 to 746.8 ± 6.9 score/g dw, and seemed consistent with the total phenolic content and the results obtained by the classic antioxidant test with DPPH. The walnut husk also showed an antibacterial effect against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and cytotoxic potential against HepG2. Among the selected varieties, the green Saman had the highest antioxidant properties, while the Saman with a brown color had the lowest.
Analysis of Surface Deformation Induced by Backfill Mining Considering the Compression Behavior of Gangue Backfill Materials
Authors: Li Meng , Peng Yifan , Ding Luwei , Zhang Jixiong , Ma Dan , Huang Peng
Published: December 2022

Coal gangue, as a solid waste produced in the coal mining process, can be disposed by being prepared into backfill materials and then filled in underground goafs, thus controlling strata movement and surface subsidence. However, gangue backfill materials are non-continuous; therefore, research into the surface deformation induced by backfill mining should consider the creep compression behavior of gangue backfill materials. The research took a backfill panel in Tangshan Coal Mine (Tangshan City, Hebei Province, China) as the background. In addition, broken coal gangue was collected in the field to prepare specimens of gangue backfill materials, and their creep compression properties were measured. The corresponding constitutive equation of creep compression was then established and embedded in the numerical software, FLAC3D. By building the numerical model for surface deformation induced by backfill mining, the surface deformation above the backfill panel under conditions of different creep durations of backfill materials was simulated and evaluated. In addition, two measuring lines were arranged on the surface to monitor changes in surface subsidence. After surface subsidence stabilized, the maximum surface subsidence was 163.4 mm, which satisfied the fortification criterion of surface buildings. This means the backfill mining did not affect nearby buildings. The results provide a theoretical basis for predicting surface deformation induced by backfill mining and its effective control.
Traffic Stream Characteristics Analysis for Roadway Linking to Pick-up Zone of Passenger Transportation Hub: A Fundamental Diagram Derived from Threshold Queueing Theory
Authors: Zheng Han , Yang Yunze , Gao Guofei , Yang Kuan , Chen Junhua
Published: December 2022

A pick-up zone links a hub of inter-city transportation (e.g., airplane and rail, etc.) with a connected roadway belonging to the city road network. Passengers depart through the pick-up zone and the interactions between passengers and vehicles lead to delays and queues of vehicles on the connected roadway. A better understanding of the unique traffic characteristics of the connected roadway can help to reveal the collecting or dispersing capacity of the hub. This paper treats passenger boarding in a pick-up zone as a service process in a queue system and uses a fundamental diagram model derived from M/M/1 threshold queueing theory with two service phases to investigate the supply–demand relationship of the system. A calibration method is proposed to determine the parameters of the model. Numerical experiments showed that the model can capture a unique capacity drop in the pick-up zone. Moreover, analyses on the impacts of designed parameters on the model features, such as capacity and degree of capacity drop, were performed, and the comparisons showed that the model used performs better than other classical methods with a 0.69 mean squared error and a 0.90 sum of squares due to error). The results will be important supports for hub capacity management.
Forecasting Steel Production in the World—Assessments Based on Shallow and Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Mateus Balduíno César , Mendes Mateus , Farinha José Torres , Cardoso António J. Marques , Assis Rui , da Costa Lucélio M.
Published: December 2022

Forecasting algorithms have been used to support decision making in companies, and it is necessary to apply approaches that facilitate a good forecasting result. The present paper describes assessments based on a combination of different neural network models, tested to forecast steel production in the world. The main goal is to find the best machine learning model that fits the steel production data in the world to make a forecast for a nine-year period. The study is important for understanding the behavior of the models and sensitivity to hyperparameters of convolutional LSTM and GRU recurrent neural networks. The results show that for long-term prediction, the GRU model is easier to train and provides better results. The article contributes to the validation of the use of other variables that are correlated with the steel production variable, thus increasing forecast accuracy.
Analysis of the Impact of Road Traffic Generated by Port Areas on the Urban Transport Network—Case Study of the Port of Gdynia
Authors: Ziemska-Osuch Monika , Guze Sambor
Published: December 2022

The paper’s main aim is to present the impact on the city’s road traffic generated by the Port of Gdynia’s operations and propose the optimal solution for transport network development around the port. Firstly, the authors demonstrate a case study determining the impact of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) generated by port facilities on local traffic. To this end, the average travel time of cars in the network on selected measurement sections is conditioned on the varying number of HGVs generated by the port. Next, based on the data obtained from the traffic monitoring system, PTV Vissim software is used as a modelling tool to analyse and assess the impact on local traffic. Finally, considering the analysis’ results, the vulnerability of the transport network is discussed. The optimal solution for the transport network around the port’s area is proposed. The paper is an extended version of the materials presented at the XIX Maritime Traffic Engineering Conference.
Spatio-Temporal Forecasting of Global Horizontal Irradiance Using Bayesian Inference
Authors: Sigauke Caston , Chandiwana Edina , Bere Alphonce
Published: December 2022

Accurate global horizontal irradiance (GHI) forecasting promotes power grid stability. Most of the research on solar irradiance forecasting has been based on a single-site analysis. It is crucial to explore multisite modeling to capture variations in weather conditions between various sites, thereby producing a more robust model. In this research, we propose the use of spatial regression coupled with Gaussian Process Regression (GP Spatial) and the GP Autoregressive Spatial model (GP-AR Spatial) for the prediction of GHI using data from seven radiometric stations from South Africa and one from Namibia. The results of the proposed methods were compared with a benchmark model, the Linear Spatial Temporal Regression (LSTR) model. Five validation sets each comprised of three stations were chosen. For each validation set, the remaining five stations were used for training. Based on root mean square error, the GP model gave the most accurate forecasts across the validation sets. These results were confirmed by the statistical significance tests using the Giacommini–White test. In terms of coverage probability, there was a 100% coverage on three validation sets and the other two had 97% and 99%. The GP model dominated the other two models. One of the study’s contributions is using standardized forecasts and including a nonlinear trend covariate, which improved the accuracy of the forecasts. The forecasts were combined using a monotone composite quantile regression neural network and a quantile generalized additive model. This modeling framework could be useful to power utility companies in making informed decisions when planning power grid management, including large-scale solar power integration onto the power grid.
Special Issue on 3D Information Technologies in Cultural Heritage Preservation and Popularization—Motivations, Works Overview, and the Future
Authors: Milosz Marek , Kęsik Jacek
Published: December 2022

Elements of cultural heritage preservation and popularization are defined in the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, which came into force in 1975 and obliges United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) member states to protect cultural and natural heritage [...]
Hey Max, Can You Help Me? An Intuitive Virtual Assistant for Industrial Robots
Authors: Li Chen , Chrysostomou Dimitrios , Pinto Daniela , Hansen Andreas Kornmaaler , Bøgh Simon , Madsen Ole
Published: December 2022

Assisting employees in acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to use new services and technologies on the shop floor is critical for manufacturers to adapt to Industry 4.0 successfully. In this paper, we employ a learning, training, assistance-formats, issues, tools (LTA-FIT) approach and propose a framework for a language-enabled virtual assistant (VA) to facilitate this adaptation. In our system, the human–robot interaction is achieved through spoken natural language and a dashboard implemented as a web-based application. This type of interaction enables operators of all levels to control a collaborative robot intuitively in several industrial scenarios and use it as a complementary tool for developing their competencies. Our proposed framework has been tested with 29 users who completed various tasks while interacting with the proposed VA and industrial robots. Through three different scenarios, we evaluated the usability of the system for LTA-FIT based on an established system usability scale (SUS) and the cognitive effort required by the users based on the standardised NASA-TLX questionnaire. The qualitative and quantitative results of the study show that users of all levels found the VA user friendly with low requirements for physical and mental effort during the interaction.
Optically Transparent Antennas: A Review of the State-of-the-Art, Innovative Solutions and Future Trends
Authors: Chishti Abdul Rehman , Aziz Abdul , Qureshi Muhammad Ali , Abbasi Muhammad Nawaz , Algarni Abdullah M. , Zerguine Azzedine , Hussain Niamat , Hussain Rifaqat
Published: December 2022

The requirement of mounting several access points and base stations is increasing tremendously due to recent advancements and the need for high-data-rate communication services of 5G and 6G wireless communication systems. In the near future, the enormous number of these access points might cause a mess. In such cases, an optically transparent antenna (OTA) is the best option for making the environment more appealing and pleasant. OTAs provide the possible solution as these maintain the device aesthetics to achieve transparency as well as fulfill the basic coverage and bandwidth requirements. Various attempts have been made to design OTAs to provide coverage for wireless communication, particularly for the dead zones. These antennas can be installed on building windows, car windscreens, towers, trees, and smart windows, which enables network access for vehicles and people passing by those locations. Several transparent materials and techniques are used for transparent antenna design. Thin-film and mesh-grid techniques are very popular to transform metallic parts of the antenna into a transparent material. In this article, a comprehensive review of both the techniques used for the design of OTAs is presented. The performance comparison of OTAs on the basis of bandwidth, gain, transparency, transmittance, and efficiency is also presented. An OTA is the best choice in these situations to improve the aesthetics and comfort of the surroundings with high antenna performance.
Modelling and Prediction of Reactive Power at Railway Stations Using Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference Systems
Authors: Panoiu Manuela , Panoiu Caius , Mezinescu Sergiu
Published: December 2022

Electricity has become an important concern in today’s society. This is due to the fact that the electric grid now has a greater number of non-linear components. The AC-powered locomotive is one of these non-linear components. The aim of this paper was to model and predict the reactive power produced by an AC locomotive. This paper presents a study on the modelling and prediction of reactive power produced by AC-powered electric locomotives. Reactive power flow has a significant impact on network voltage levels and power efficiency. The research was conducted by using intelligent techniques—more precisely, by using the adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). Several approaches to the ANFIS structure were used in the research. Of these, we mention the ANFIS-grid partition, ANFIS subtractive clustering and ANFIS fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering. Thus; for modelling and predicting reactive power, ANFIS was trained, then tested. For the training of ANFIS, experimental data obtained from measurements performed in a train supply sub-station were used. The measurements were taken over a period of time when the locomotives were far away from the station, close to the station, and at the station, respectively. The currents and voltages from the supply substation, respectively the active, reactive, and distorted powers, were measured on the data acquisition board. With the measured data of the reactive power, the modelling with ANFIS was performed, and a prediction of the variation in the reactive power was made. The paper analysed the results of the modelling by comparing between several types of ANFIS architectures. The values of RMSE, RMS and the training time of ANFIS were compared for several structures of ANFIS.
Fatigue Strength Assessment of an Aluminium Alloy Car Body Using Multiaxial Criteria and Cumulative Fatigue Damage Theory
Authors: Shangguan Yiming , Wang Wenjing , Yang Chao , He Anrui
Published: December 2022

With the rapid development of urban rail transit, metro vehicles have become preferred choices for urban transportation. It is important to accurately evaluate the fatigue strength of a car body to ensure subway safety. A new method based on multiaxial stress criteria and cumulative fatigue damage theory was proposed for the fatigue strength assessment of welded joints of an aluminium alloy head car body subjected to variable cyclic loads. A local coordinate system was established, according to the geometrical characteristics of the weld. Local stresses perpendicular and parallel to the weld seam were obtained to calculate the stress ratio, stress range, and allowable stress value corresponding to the stress component. Then, the fatigue strength utilization of the joints was estimated to determine whether the fatigue strength of the weld met the design requirements. Moreover, the estimated fatigue life of the car body was predicted with cumulative fatigue damage theory. This method considers both the material utilization degree in multiple stress states and the estimated body fatigue life of the car body. The research results provide a reference and a more comprehensive guarantee for the fatigue strength evaluation of a subway car body’s welded structure to ensure vehicle safety.
More Load, Less Harm? Perceived Harmfulness of Daily Activities and Low Back Pain Beliefs in Weightlifters and Powerlifters
Authors: Syrett Josce , Evans David W. , Liew Bernard X. W.
Published: December 2022

The purpose of this study was to understand how weightlifting/powerlifting (WL/PL) influences low back pain (LBP) beliefs and pain-related fear, and the potential influence of training, individual, and injury characteristics on these psychological features. Responses to the Photographic Series of Daily Activities-Short Electronic Version (PHODA-SeV) and the Back Pain and Attitudes Questionnaire (Back-PAQ) were collected from 67 participants who train on WL/PL. Relevant statistics were conducted to (1) compare questionnaire scores to previously published values from the general population, (2) compare male versus female WL/PL participants, (3) estimate the correlation between PHODA-SeV and Back-PAQ, and (4) identify the most important associative factors of both scores. Only the Back-PAQ was significantly lower than the published score of 113 (p < 0.001). Male participants had a significantly lower PHODA-SeV score compared to female participants (p = 0.008), but no difference was observed for the Back-PAQ. Back-PAQ and PHODA-SeV scores were moderately correlated with each other (r = 0.54). One of the most important association factors was back squat weight for both PHODA-SeV (p < 0.001) and Back-PAQ (p = 0.006). Future studies are required to investigate whether frequent WL/PL training improves pain-related fear and beliefs and reduces the risk of LBP occurrence.
Stock Price Prediction Using a Frequency Decomposition Based GRU Transformer Neural Network
Authors: Li Chengyu , Qian Guoqi
Published: December 2022

Stock price prediction is crucial but also challenging in any trading system in stock markets. Currently, family of recurrent neural networks (RNNs) have been widely used for stock prediction with many successes. However, difficulties still remain to make RNNs more successful in a cluttered stock market. Specifically, RNNs lack power to retrieve discerning features from a clutter of signals in stock information flow. Making it worse, by RNN a single long time cell from the market is often fused into a single feature, losing all the information about time which is essential for temporal stock prediction. To tackle these two issues, we develop in this paper a novel hybrid neural network for price prediction, which is named frequency decomposition induced gate recurrent unit (GRU) transformer, abbreviated to FDGRU-transformer or FDG-trans). Inspired by the success of frequency decomposition, in FDG-transformer we apply empirical model decomposition to decompose the complete ensemble of cluttered data into a trend component plus several informative and independent mode components. Equipped with the decomposition, FDG-transformer has the capacity to extract the discriminative insights from the cluttered signals. To retain the temporal information in the observed cluttered data, FDG-transformer utilizes hybrid neural network of GRU, long short term memory (LSTM) and multi-head attention (MHA) transformers. The integrated transformer network is capable of encoding the impact of different weights from each past time step to the current one, resulting in the establishment of a time series model from a deeper fine-grained level. We appy the developed FDG-transformer model to analyze Limit Order Book data and compare the results with that obtained from other state-of-the-art methods. The comparison shows that our model delivers effective price forecasting. Moreover, an ablation study is conducted to validate the importance and necessity of each component in the proposed model.