bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of different irrigation levels on quality parameters of ‘Honeycrisp’ apples
Authors: Huang Tianhui , Qi Fei , Ji Xiaolong , Peng Qingqing , Yang Jiachuan , Wang Min , Peng Qiang 
Published: November 2021

AbstractBACKGROUNDWater shortage is the main factor affecting agricultural production in the vast arid and semi‐arid areas of northern China. Using proper irrigation methods can optimize the efficiency of water use and improve the quality of agricultural products. This study investigated the effect of different irrigation levels on the quality of ‘Honeycrisp’ apples grown in the Loess Plateau of northern China.RESULTSDifferent irrigation levels were applied to the ‘Honeycrisp’ apple trees via root irrigation using ceramic emitters that provide saturation levels of 75–90% θf (S1, where θf is the field capacity), 60–75% θf (S2), 45–50% θf (S3) and no irrigation treatment (CK). Compared to the apples from the CK group, the water content, transverse diameter, individual fruit weight and titratable acid content of S1 and S2 group apples increased significantly. However, their hardness, soluble solids and total sugar content decreased significantly. The phenolic acid content of apples also changed with the irrigation levels. The chlorogenic acid content of apples increased with increased irrigation volume, while the hyperoside, protocatechuic acid and caffeic acid content decreased. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents of fruits were the highest in S2 group apples. They also had the strongest ABTS and DPPH free radical scavenging capacities.CONCLUSIONThe volume of irrigation applied through ceramic emitters significantly impacted the quality of ‘Honeycrisp’ apples grown in loess areas. Considering water conservation and improving fruit quality, the most suitable ceramic root irrigation level was observed to be 60–75% θf (S2). © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
The CCAAT‐binding complex mediates azole susceptibility of Aspergillus fumigatus by suppressing SrbA expression and cleavage
Authors: Zhang Chi , Gao Lu , Ren Yiran , Gu Huiyu , Zhang Yuanwei , Lu Ling 
Published: November 2021

AbstractIn fungal pathogens, the transcription factor SrbA (a sterol regulatory element‐binding protein, SREBP) and CBC (CCAAT binding complex) have been reported to regulate azole resistance by competitively binding the TR34 region (34 mer) in the promoter of the drug target gene, erg11A. However, current knowledge about how the SrbA and CBC coordinately mediate erg11A expression remains limited. In this study, we uncovered a novel relationship between HapB (a subunit of CBC) and SrbA in which deletion of hapB significantly prolongs the nuclear retention of SrbA by increasing its expression and cleavage under azole treatment conditions, thereby enhancing Erg11A expression for drug resistance. Furthermore, we verified that loss of HapB significantly induces the expression of the rhomboid protease RbdB, Dsc ubiquitin E3 ligase complex, and signal peptide peptidase SppA, which are required for the cleavage of SrbA, suggesting that HapB acts as a repressor for these genes which contribute to the activation of SrbA by proteolytic cleavage. Together, our study reveals that CBC functions not only to compete with SrbA for binding to erg11A promoter region but also to affect SrbA expression, cleavage, and translocation to nuclei for the function, which ultimately regulate Erg11A expression and azole resistance.
Alginate and its Two Components Acted Differently Against Dopaminergic Neuronal Loss in Parkinson's Disease Mice Model
Authors: Du Zhong‐Rui , Wang Xiong , Cao Xu , Liu Xin , Zhou Sai‐Nan , Zhang Hui , Yang Rui‐Li , Wong Ka‐Hing , Tang Qing‐Juan , Dong Xiao‐Li 
Published: November 2021

ScopeThis study aims to investigate and compare the potentially neuroprotective effects and underlying mechanisms for brown seaweed polysaccharides (PS) of Alginate (Alg) and its two components, including polymannuronic acid (PM) and polyguluronic acid (PG), against Parkinson's disease (PD) pathogenesis.Methods and ResultsModel mice of PD are pretreated with Alg or PM or PG, separately via oral gavage once per day for four weeks. Our results found PM improved motor functions of PD mice, but Alg or PG did not. PM or PG, but not Alg, can prevent dopaminergic neuronal loss by increasing tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expressions in midbrain of PD mice. The neuroprotective effects of PM rely on its anti‐inflammation effects and its ability to improve striatal neurotransmitters (serotonin (5‐HT) and 5‐hydroxyindole acetic acid (5‐HIAA)) levels in PD mice. PM inhibits inflammation, but PG or Alg induces inflammation in systemic circulation of PD mice. The neuroprotection provided by PG might be related to its ability to increase striatal neurotransmitter of 5‐hydroxyindole acetic acid levels in PD mice.ConclusionPM plays better than PG to provide neuroprotection, but Alg did not show any neuroprotection against PD. Alg and its two components acted differently in preventing dopaminergic neuronal loss in PD mice.
Impact of graded maternal dietary fat content on offspring susceptibility to high‐fat diet in mice
Authors: Huang Yi , Osorio Mendoza Jazmin , Li Min , Jin Zengguang , Li Baoguo , Wu Yingga , Togo Jacques , Speakman John R. 
Published: November 2021

AbstractObjectiveMaternal high‐fat diet (HFD) increases offspring obesity, yet the impacts of different levels of maternal dietary fat have seldom been addressed. In mice, the impact of graded maternal dietary fat on offspring adiposity and offspring’s later susceptibility to HFD were assessed.MethodsLactating mice were fed diets with graded fat content from 8.3% to 66.6%. One male and one female pup from each litter were weaned onto a low‐fat diet for 15 weeks. HFD (41.7%) was then introduced to half of the offspring for 12 weeks.ResultsOffspring body weight and adiposity were positively related to maternal dietary fat content and were higher when mothers were exposed to HFD. The maternal diet effect was nonlinear and sex dependent. A maternal dietary fat of 41.7% and above exaggerated the offspring body weight gain in males but was not significant in females. Maternal 8.3% fat and 25% fat diets led to the highest daily energy expenditure and respiratory exchange ratio in offspring. Offspring fed a low‐fat diet had higher daily energy expenditure and respiratory exchange ratio than those fed an HFD.ConclusionsIncreasing maternal dietary fat during lactation, and HFD in later life, had significant and interacting impacts on offspring obesity. Maternal diet had a bigger impact on male offspring. The effects of maternal dietary fat content were nonlinear.
Trust in researchers and researchers' statements in large carnivore conservation
Authors: Mathiesen Kristin E. , Barmoen Magnus , Bærum Kim Magnus , Johansson Maria 
Published: November 2021

Abstract

Human–wildlife interactions occur when humans and wildlife overlap in the same landscapes. Due to the growing human population, the number of interactions will continue to increase, and in some cases, develop further into social conflicts. Conflicts may occur between people disagreeing about wildlife conservation or arguing over which wildlife management measures should be taken. Social conflicts between humans are based on different attitudes, values and land‐use aspirations. The success of solving these social conflicts strongly depends on building trust between the public, stakeholders, authorities and researchers, as trust is fundamental to all communication and dialogue.

Here we have examined how trust in large carnivore research differs within a geographically stratified sample of the Norwegian population. The comprehensive survey, including 2,110 respondents, allows us to explore how people perceive factual statements about large carnivores depending on the source of these statements. Specifically, the respondents were given multiple statements and asked to judge them in terms of meaning and authenticity depending on whether the statements were made by a politician, the Norwegian farmers' association, the Norwegian Fish and Game association or a large carnivore researcher. Based on the variations in perceptions, we inferred that trust in large carnivore researchers and their research results varied with people's attitudes, values and direct experience of large carnivores.

In general, respondents perceived 60% of the statements to be genuine when given no information of who had made them. Although this increased to 75% when informed that the statements were made by a large carnivore researcher, there was still a 25% probability that the statement was perceived as manipulative or political. Age, environmental values and negative experiences of carnivores increased the probability of perceiving research statements as manipulative or political. People living in areas with high proportions of hunters showed particularly polarized views, either more strongly perceiving the statements as political, or in contrast as research.

This study provides a novel perspective in understanding the role trust plays in social conflicts related to human–wildlife interactions.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Developing thermoplastic corn starch composites filled with brewer's spent grain for applications in biodegradable films
Authors: Castanho Maria Natália , de Souza do Prado Karen , de Paiva Jane Maria Faulstich 
Published: November 2021

AbstractDespite the growing interest in utilizing starch‐based biodegradable films, their low mechanical properties generally limit them from being widely used. On the other hand, brewer's spent grain (BSG) is an abundant by‐product that does not yet have high added‐value industrial use. This study proposes the development of starch‐based composites filled with BSG for applications in biodegradable films. Different contents (1–5 wt%) of BSG fibers of different sizes (35, 60, and 100 mesh) were used aiming to identify the film compositions with better mechanical and thermal properties. The composites were produced by casting and had their mechanical, morphological, and thermal properties evaluated. The composites with the most promising mechanical properties contained 2.5 wt% BSG with 35 mesh and 1 wt% BSG with 100 mesh. Lower amounts of smaller BSG fibers resulted in balanced mechanical properties because of their higher surface area‐to‐volume ratio and higher aspect ratio. Results revealed that incorporating BSG may slightly improve the tensile strength and thermal stability of pure TPS, thus acting as a promising active filler due to the compatibility with the polymer matrix and increased polymer crystallinity. The developed films contribute to the circular economy and might be a promising low‐cost option for application in conventional packages or mulch films.
Development, characterization, and tribological behavior of polymeric carbon nitride/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene nanocomposites
Authors: George Elssa , Joy Jomon , vijayan P. Poornima , P. S. Sarath , C. George Soney , Anas Saithalavi 
Published: November 2021

AbstractThis article examines the effect of the addition of nanosheets of polymeric carbon nitride (NPCN) on the frictional, mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) system. A series of ABS/NPCN nanocomposites were prepared by varying NPCN concentration using the solution casting and compression molding methods. NPCN were prepared from melamine by thermal treatment and characterized using UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction analysis were utilized to investigate the chemical and crystal structure of NPCN, ABS, and ABS/NPCN composites. The wettability of the composites was analyzed using contact angle studies. The incorporation of NPCN into the ABS matrix improved the thermal stability and tensile strength of the ABS/NPCN composites. The addition of NPCN increased the initial decomposition temperature and char yield of the composites. The frictional analysis results indicated that the presence of NPCN filler significantly influences the friction coefficient (decreased by 35%) and wear loss (reduced by 67%) of the nanocomposites.
Preparation and properties of enhanced lightweight nanofibrous membrane‐based desiccant
Authors: Meng Weidan , Wang Jiaona , Zhao Jingli , Gao Jie , Tan Zhaoyue , Li Xiuyan 
Published: November 2021

AbstractIn this article, the high‐efficiency hygroscopic nanofibrous membrane was prepared by the electrostatic spinning method, and its great moisture absorption performance came from the deployed polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and hydrophilic polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). Different strategies were used to improve the moisture absorption property of nanofibrous membrane under the action of inorganic salts. On the one hand, PAN and PVP with different mass ratios were used to optimize the structure of composite nanofibrous membrane. On the other hand, the addition of inorganic salts could improve the moisture absorption rate and capacity of the composite nanofibrous membrane. The experiment found that when the ratio of PAN and PVP was 11:4, the fiber diameter distribution was uniform, and the moisture absorption rate reached the maximum. The addition of electrolyte greatly improved the moisture absorption performance of the nanofibrous membrane, and the moisture absorption rate was as high as 121.93%. Furthermore, EDX mapping exhibited the uniform state of the electrolyte in the fiber membrane. The composite nanofibrous membrane moisture absorption materials introduced here displayed the advantages of light weight, high efficiency, and recyclability, which provided an efficient and simple method for the preparation of moisture absorption materials in the future.
Airway microbiome dynamics and relationship to ventilator‐associated infection in intubated pediatric patients
Authors: Tarquinio Keiko M. , Karsies Todd , Shein Steven L. , Beardsley Andrew , Khemani Robinder , Schwarz Adam , Smith Lincoln , Flori Heidi , Karam Oliver , Cao Quy , Haider Zainab , Smirnova Ekaterina , Serrano Myrna G. , Buck Gregory A. , Willson Douglas F. 
Published: November 2021

AbstractBackgroundLittle is known about the airway microbiome in intubated mechanically ventilated children. We sought to characterize the airway microbiome longitudinally and in association with clinical variables and possible ventilator‐associated infection (VAI).MethodsSerial tracheal aspirate samples were prospectively obtained from mechanically ventilated subjects under 3 years old from eight pediatric intensive care units in the United States from June 2017 to July 2018. Changes in the tracheal microbiome were analyzed by sequencing bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene relative to subject demographics, diagnoses, clinical parameters, outcomes, antibiotic treatment, and the Ventilator‐Associated InfectioN (VAIN) score.ResultsA total of 221 samples from 58 patients were processed and 197 samples met the >1000 reads criteria (89%), with an average of 43,000 reads per sample. The median number of samples per subject was 3 (interquartile range [IQR]: 2–5), with a median VAIN score of 2 (IQR: 1–3). Proteobacteria was the highest observed phyla throughout the intubation period, followed by Firmicutes and Actinobacteria. Alpha diversity was negatively associated with days of intubation (p = .032) and VAIN score (p = .016). High VAIN scores were associated with a decrease of Mycobacterium obuense, and an increase of Streptococcus peroris, Porphyromonadaceae family (unclassified species), Veillonella atypica, and several other taxa. No specific pattern of microbiome composition related to clinically diagnosed VAIs was observed.ConclusionsOur data demonstrate decreasing alpha diversity with increasing VAIN score and days of intubation. No specific microbiome pattern was associated with clinically diagnosed VAI.
Esculetin: A review of its pharmacology and pharmacokinetics
Authors: Zhang Linlin , Xie Qingxuan , Li Xiaofang 
Published: November 2021

AbstractEsculetin is a natural dihydroxy coumarin; it is mainly extracted from twig skin and the trunk bark of the Chinese herbal medicineFraxinus rhynchophyllaHance. Emerging evidence suggests that esculetin has a wide range of pharmacological activities. Based on its fundamental properties, including antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antiapoptotic, anticancer, antidiabetic, neuroprotective, and cardiovascular protective activities, as well as antibacterial activity, among others, esculetin is expected to be a therapeutic drug for specific disease indications, such as cancer, diabetes, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and other diseases. The oral bioavailability of esculetin was shown by studies to be low. The extensive glucuronidation was described to be the main metabolic pathway of esculetin and C‐7 phenolic hydroxyl to be its major metabolic site. With the development of scientific research technology, the pharmacological effects of esculetin are identified and its potential for the treatment of diseases is demonstrated. The underlining mechanisms of action and biological activities as well as the pharmacokinetic data of the analyzed compound reported so far are highlighted in this review with the aim of becoming a proven, and applicable insight and reference for further studies on the utilization of esculetin.
Effect of novel bottle inner surface coatings made with polylactic acid and plant extracts on the physiological status of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in real liquid foods using flow cytometry
Authors: Oussaid Saliha , Madani Khodir , Houali Karim , Marcet Ismael , Amrouche Tahar , Rendueles Manuel , Diaz Mario 
Published: November 2021

AbstractPolylactic acid (PLA) was used, together with a novel optimized mixture (OM) of Thymus fontanesii essential oil (EOd) and the ethyl acetate (EA) fraction from Scirpus holoschoenus extract, to develop antimicrobial coatings for the inner surface of bottles for the preservation of food liquids against the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The effect of these coatings on the physiological status of P. aeruginosa was tested by flow cytometry (FC), filling coated bottles with previously contaminated fish soup or egg whites. As was expected, the release of phenolic compounds (PCs) from the inner coatings of the bottles to the liquid was temperature dependent. Although their antimicrobial activity in contaminated egg whites was negligible, probably due to the neutralization of bioactive substances by ovalbumin, the PLA‐OM‐coated bottles had a high antimicrobial effect when they were filled with fish soup. In this latter case, the percentage of viable cells greatly decreased, and the percentage of dead cells, killed by membrane damage, increased.
Towards the development of an effective image watermarking system
Authors: Begum Mahbuba , Uddin Mohammad Shorif 
Published: November 2021

AbstractDigital data communication or sharing has increased day by data because of excessive usage of the Internet. It is necessary to protect digital data from unauthorized access. However, it is very difficult to ensure the authenticity of the host data. Digital image watermarking is a significant technology for ensuring this authentication. Existing hybrid domain algorithms are not effective enough to overcome the potential challenges of watermarking techniques. Hence, the current image watermarking technology is devoted toward developing more effective methods with optimization and machine‐learning algorithms for ensuring a better trade‐off among the basic design requirements like imperceptibility, robustness, and capacity simultaneously in addition to security that can be confirmed with lightweight image encryption algorithms. In this research, a framework of standard image watermarking system for ensuring the basic design requirements is given, the existing literature is studied, and the recent trends of image watermarking techniques and their applications are also described to investigate the performance of the state‐of‐the‐art methods along with their limitations. Finally, we have concluded our study by pointing to new research directions.
Experimental investigation on mechanical property and microstructure of ultra‐high‐performance concrete with ceramsite sand
Authors: Xie Youjun , Zhou Qianqian , Long Guangcheng , Chaktrimongkol Pakorn , Shi Ye , Umar Hussaini Abdullahi 
Published: November 2021

AbstractAs one of the most innovative cement‐based materials, the properties of ultra‐high‐performance concrete (UHPC) have been widely investigated. This paper experimentally studies the effect of ceramsite sand on the properties and microstructure of UHPC to develop a new UHPC with low apparent density. The effects of the volume ratio of ceramsite sand and steel fiber content on the properties of UHPC were also studied. Various experiments, including apparent density, compressive and flexural strength, and microstructural properties were conducted on UHPC with different mixing parameters. The results showed that the addition of 18% ceramsite sand effectively improved the mechanical strength, specific strength, and pore structure as well as the interfacial transition zone of UHPC. Steel fiber and ceramsite sand worked together to make up for the lack of lightweight porous aggregate so that even when 100% ceramsite sand was used to prepare UHPC, the compressive strength of concrete could still exceed 100 MPa, and had a lower apparent density than normal UHPC.
Instruction to Engage Multilingual Learners with Grade‐level Content
Authors: Collett Jennifer , Dubetz Nancy 
Published: November 2021

AbstractIn this article we identify ways to scaffold content‐specific instruction to support your multilingual learners’ academic language development. With the definition that academic language compromises of vocabulary, linguistic functions, and syntax, we share ways to integrate three instructional practices across your instruction. These practices include: 1) explicit instruction of key academic language, 2) the use of visuals to anchor grade‐level instruction, and 3) frequent opportunities for content‐based oral and written language practice.