bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Determination of soluble solids content and organic acid content in tomatoes with different nitrogen levels based on hyperspectral imaging technique
Authors: Zhang Yiyang , Ma Yan , Zhang Yao , Tian Xingwu , Ma Siyan , Wang Jing , Ma Ling , Wu Longguo 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
Tomato is sweet and sour and has high nutritional value. Soluble solids content (SSC) and organic acid content are important quality indexes of tomato fruit. The exogenous supply of different forms of nitrogen can have different effects on plant growth and development and physiological and metabolic processes because of the different mechanisms of nitrogen uptake and assimilation in plants. In the paper, different concentrations of nitrogen were used to study tomatoes' physical and chemical characteristics and appearance. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technology was employed to predict tomatoes' SSC and acid content. Competitive adaptive reweighed sampling (CARS), uninformative variable elimination (UVE),variable combination population analysis (VCPA), iteratively retaining informative variables (IRIV), and interval variable iterative spatial shrinkage analysis (IVISSA) were used to extract the feature wavelengths. Based on the characteristic wavelength, the prediction models of tomato SSC and organic acid content were established by partial least squares regression (PLSR), multiple linear regression (MLR) and principal component regression (PCR). Then a custom convolutional neural network (CNN) model was constructed and optimised. The results showed that the SSC of tomato was negatively correlated with nitrogen fertilizer concentration, and the highest organic acid content was recorded under the T4 treatment. For tomatoes treated with different nitrogen concentrations, the CARS-PLSR model showed the best results for tomato SSC, with RC and RP of 0.8589 and 0.8499 and RMSEC and RMSEP of 0.3180 and 0.3407. The IRIV-PCR model for organic acids was the best, with RC and RP reaching 0.8011 and 0.7760 and RMSEC and RMSEP reaching 0.6181 and 0.7055. Among all the models, the performance obtained by the CNN model was satisfactory. This study provides technical support for future online nondestructive testing of tomato quality.
Brain Evoked Response Qualification Using Multi-Set Consensus Clustering: Toward Single-Trial EEG Analysis
Authors: Mahini Reza , Zhang Guanghui , Parviainen Tiina , Düsing Rainer , Nandi Asoke K. , Cong Fengyu , Hämäläinen Timo 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

Objective: Scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) provides a substantial amount of data about information processing in the human brain. In the context of conventional event-related potential (ERP) analysis, it is typically assumed that individual trials for one subject share similar properties and stem from comparable neural sources. However, group-level ERP analysis methods (including cluster analysis) can miss important information about the relevant neural process due to a rough estimation of the brain activities of individual subjects while selecting a fixed time window for all the subjects.
Method: We designed a multi-set consensus clustering method to examine cognitive processes at the individual subject level. First, consensus clustering from diverse clustering methods was applied to single-trial EEG epochs of individual subjects. Next, the second level of consensus clustering was applied across the trials of each subject. Afterward, a modified time window determination is applied to identify the ERP of interest of individual subjects.
Results: The proposed method was applied to real EEG data from the active visual oddball task experiment to qualify the P3 component. Our findings disclosed that the estimated time windows for individual subjects can provide more precise ERP identification than considering a fixed time window for all subjects. Moreover, based on standardized measurementerror and established bootstrap for single-trial EEG, our assessments revealed suitable stability in the calculated scores for the identified P3 component.
Significance: The new method provides a realistic and information-driven understanding of the single trials' contribution towards identifying the ERP of interest in the individual subjects.
Is serum angiotensin-converting enzyme a suitable biomarker for differentiating idiopathic and demyelinating optic neuritis?
Authors: Dehghani Alireza , Hosseini Nastaran-Sadat , Irajpour Matin , Mirmohammadkhani Majid , Moayeri Maryam , Amirkhani Arman , Esfahanian Fatemeh , Pourazizi Mohsen 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

Background:To measure serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in patients diagnosed with idiopathic and demyelinating optic neuritis (ON) as well as heathy individuals and assess its viability as a biomarkerMethods:This case-control study involved patients with established acute ON as a study group and healthy controls aged between 18 and 50 years. After systemic and neurological evaluation, the study group was divided into two subgroups: idiopathic ON and demyelinating ON, including Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) and clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, serum ACE levels were obtained and compared between groups.Results:Fifty-one patients with acute optic neuritis (78.4% female, mean age 29.8 ± 8.4 years) and 51 controls (78.4% female, mean age 29.9 ± 6.9 years) were recruited. In the study group, 29 patients were diagnosed with idiopathic ON (56.9%), and 22 patients with demyelinating ON (43.1%) (MS-ON, n=16; NMO-ON, n=3; and clinically isolated syndrome, n=3). The median serum ACE levels were 33.50 U/L (range: 29.40–46.20) and 34.25 U/L (range: 29.30–46.10) for patients diagnosed with idiopathic ON and demyelinating ON, respectively (P>0.99). Mean serum ACE level for healthy individuals was 26.2 U/L (range: 24.80–20.50) and compared to other groups it was significantly different (P<0.001). A high level of serum ACE (defined as a serum ACE >65 U/L) was present in 3 (10.3%) patients with idiopathic ON and 2 (9.1%) patients with the demyelinating ON (P>0.99).Conclusions:These results reveal that serum ACE levels are not significantly different in patients diagnosed with idiopathic ON and demyelinating ON. But serum ACE level in both groups is significantly higher compared to healthy subjects.
Assessing the Performance of Non-specialised Private Hospitals in Malaysia Using the Pabón‐lasso Model
Authors: Samsudin Mohd Fauzy , Lim Yin Cheng , Rochmah Thinni Nurul , Dahlui Maznah 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

Background
The government has rapidly promoted the privatisation of healthcare to improve systemic performance based on the theory that markets improve efficiency. This study aims to measure the efficiency of private hospitals following private healthcare expansion and venture into the medical tourism industry through extensive governmental support.
Methods
Inpatient utilisation of 101 private, non-specialised hospitals in Malaysia in 2014 and 2018 from the Health Informatics Centre, Ministry of Health Malaysia database was studied using paired samples t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the Pabón-Lasso model.
Results
Better quantitative performance was found among larger hospitals, those with hospital accreditation, and those participating in medical tourism activities. There is a scale effect of efficiency between smaller and larger hospitals. However, when compared within respective size categories, Category 1 (small hospitals with less than 100 beds) has the highest percentage of efficient hospitals (39.3 per cent in 2014 and 35.7 per cent in 2018 in Sector 3 of the Pabón Lasso graphs).
Conclusion
This study has found that a higher bed occupancy rate (BOR) and longer average length of stay (ALoS) are associated with larger private hospitals, hospital accreditation, and participation in medical tourism activities in Malaysia. There is a need to expedite strategic hospitals partnership for resource optimisation and capacity pooling towards producing better performance.
The status of indigenous chicken genetic resources: Analysis of chicken breeds and impact of poultry diseases
Authors: Kanyama Christopher Manchishi , Ngosa Mathews , Moss Amy .F , Crowley Tamsyn .M 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
Indigenous chickens (Gallus domesticus) (IC) are an essential component of agriculture among 80% of small-scale farmers (SSF) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and are essential for rural livelihoods. However, in the past decade, a significant loss of IC animal genetic resources (AnGR) has been reported, resulting from poultry diseases, imported exotic breeds, and poor market access among others. If the losses are not mitigated, rural communities may be highly impacted. To investigate the status of IC-AnGR and assess the major challenges affecting the IC sector, We surveyed 358 households in Eastern, Central, and Southern livelihood zones. Results showed that over 77% of farmers reared the Zambi IC breed, 18–44% reported the introduction of exotic breeds in the past decade, with most households sourcing breeding stock from fellow farmers and family and friends. Further, 40–58% of farmers considered the criterion of number of eggs laid, resistance to diseases, fast growth, and larger body size when adopting chicken breeds. Generally, farmers were concerned about the loss of IC breeds and agreed that some chicken breeds have been lost in the past decade with some attributing the loss to poultry diseases. Deliberate policies to promote sustainable use and conservation of IC are critical in Zambia.
Soil carbon stock potential in pastoral and silvopastoral systems in the Peruvian amazon
Authors: Minaya Rosario Salazar , Orihuela Julio Alegre , Paz Dante Pizarro , Duff Alison , García Carlos Vela , Bravo Carlos Gomez 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

At the moment, there isn't a lot of information that shows how important silvopastoral systems are to the physical and biological properties of Amazonian soils. Thus, this study aimed to compare the soil carbon storage potential, physical and chemical soil properties of silvopastoral systems (SPS), and conventional pastoral systems (CPS) in the San Martin region of Peru. Using the Walkey and Black C determination method, we analyzed organic matter at two different depths (0–15 cm and 15–30 cm). In addition, bulk density, soil moisture total porosity and mechanical resistance were measured in both systems. In both systems, the highest (P < 0.05) carbon stocks were reported at 0–15 cm of depth with values of 31.4 Mg ha− 1 and 34.4 Mg ha− 1, respectively. Despite the absence of statistically significant differences, carbon stocks were higher in SPS. At 15–30 cm depth, the total carbon stock was higher for SPS, with 29.12 Mg ha− 1, than for CPS, which had 26.4 Mg ha− 1. No significant differences in soil moisture were found between systems, although soil moisture was slightly greater in SPS than CPS (28% and 25%, respectively). The CPS had 59% of the total porosity, which was higher than the SPS. Mechanical resistance was lower in SPS (2.15 kg/cm2) than in CPS (2.33 kg/cm2) at 10 cm of depth. These results indicated that the SPS has the potential to store more carbon and improve physical and chemical traits in the soil than the CPS.
Sociodemographic predictors of parenting stress among mothers in disadvantaged settings: evidence from rural and urban study sites in Kenya and Zambia
Authors: Okelo Kenneth Odhiambo , Kitsao-Wekulo Patricia , Onyango Silas , Wambui Elizabeth , Hardie Iain , King Josiah , Murray Aja Louise , Auyeung Bonnie 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
Background: Parental stress occurs when parenting demands are greater than the resources available to cope with parenting. Previous research has identified household wealth, educational level, marital status, age, and number of dependent children as predictors of parental stress. However, limited evidence exists from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study investigated the sociodemographic predictors of parenting stress among mothers in Kenya and Zambia.
Methods: Data were obtained from longitudinal nurturing care evaluation studies conducted in rural and urban study sites in Kenya and Zambia. Mean parental stress scores (PSS) were compared across study sites, and multiple regression modelling was used to examine associations between sociodemographic predictors (household income, educational level, marital status, maternal age, child age, number of children aged <5 years) and PSS, adjusting for clustering and other predictors.
Results: The mean PSS was lower in rural study sites and higher in urban sites (Kenya rural: 37.6 [SD=11.8], Kenya urban: 48.8 [SD=4.2], and Zambia rural: 43.0 [SD=9.1]). In addition, mothers’ income and educational level were associated with PSS (income: Kenya rural, β = -0.43; 95% CI[-16.07, -5.74]; P =.003**; Kenya urban, β = -0.33; 95% CI[-6.69, -0.80]; P =.01*; education: Kenya rural, β = -0.24; 95% CI[-8.97, -1.68]; P=.005**).
Conclusion: Measures to increase education levels, alleviate poverty, and improve household incomes, such as subsidising childcare, improving parental stress levels, and positive parenting practices, lead to better growth and development of their children.
Trial registration: PACTR201905787868050 and PACTR20180774832663
Rhizosphere inoculation of PGPR strain Bacillus cereus BC56 enhances salt tolerance of cucumber
Authors: Song Hanru , Wu Gengwei , Wang Huasen , Huang Ruizhi , Gong Xue , Wang Hua 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
Salt stress is a major cause of crop failure worldwide. The co-evolution of soil microbes and plants is essential for coping with extreme abiotic environments. In this study, a plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) strain B. cereus BC56 was isolated from the rhizosphere soil of cucumber. BC56 has the ability to produce NH3 and siderophore, and to solubilize phosphorus to promote cucumber growth. Under 100 mM NaCl treatment, BC56 significantly increased shoot length (1.28-fold), root length (1.16-fold), shoot fresh weight (1.19-fold), root fresh weight (1.54-fold), and chlorophyll fluorescence parameter of ABS/CSm (1.19-fold), TR0/CSm (1.22-fold), ET0/CSm (1.52-fold), SPAD (1.12-fold) of cucumber seedlings compared to the cucumber without BC56 inoculation. Physiological and biochemical analysis showed that BC56 could increase the content of total soluble sugars (TSS, 1.36-fold) in cucumber seedlings. BC56 also increased peroxidase (POD, 1.17-fold) and glutathione reductase (GR, 2.59-fold) activity of cucumber seedlings, which has the ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) to reduce salt toxicity. However, cucumber seedlings inoculated with BC56 showed a 0.59-fold decrease in abscisic acid (ABA) compared to those uninoculated with BC56. RNA-seq results showed that BC56 induced changes in the expression of a significant number of genes related to photosynthesis, phytohormones, transcriptional regulation, metabolite synthesis and metabolism, and cellular components in cucumber under salt stress, suggesting its role in reducing the deleterious effects of salinity. We concluded that BC56 can alleviate salt stress in cucumber seedlings by affecting photosynthesis, phytohormone levels, osmotic and antioxidant regulation.
Digital footprint for tourism research
Authors: Cebrián Eduardo , Domenech Josep 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

Tourists leave a digital footprint across a variety of repositories when planning and carrying out their activities. This information can be pro- cessed to extract valuable insights about tourist behavior. The objective of this paper is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the digital foot- print sources employed in understanding and predicting the main variables associated with tourist behavior. A model of the purchase consumption system specific to leisure travel behavior is utilized for source classification, as it identifies potential predictors of travelers’ choices and classifies them into three stages: pre-trip, during-trip, and post-trip. Our work presents a comprehensive map of the utilization of digital footprint resources in tourism research, which provides insights into the potential predictors of tourists’ choices.
Establishment of CFRP drilling simulation model considering heat accumulation effect and study on its delamination damage
Authors: ZHANG YIWEI , Hu Zhiwei , Wang Guixing , Wang Lifeng , Luo Qiang 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

The low damage and high quality hole making technology of carbon fiber reinforced polymer/plastic (CFRP) components has been the main problem restricting its rapid popularization. In this paper, taking the delamination defect at the exit of CFRP drilling as the research object, a three-dimensional simulation model of CFRP drilling considering heat accumulation effect is established. The validity of the model is verified by comparing the experimental data of CFRP boreholes from three dimensions: the distribution of surface temperature field at the borehole outlet, the drilling axial force, and the delamination factor at the outlet. The accuracy of the model is verified by comparing with the simulation results of normal temperature CFRP 3D drilling without considering the heat accumulation effect. Furthermore, the model was used to analyze the variation of the temperature field and delamination damage at the outlet of the CFRP hole during the drilling process. It is found that the delamination damage at the exit of the unsupported dry drilling of CFRP is formed at the stage from the horizontal edge of the drill bit just reaching the exit plane of the drilling hole to half of the length of the main cutting edge of the drill bit leaving the workpiece. Finally, the model was used to study the variation of axial force and export delamination factor under different processing parameters, and the quantitative relationship between processing parameters and export delamination factor was obtained by multiple regression. It is pointed out that the processing parameters should be reasonably selected to reduce the delamination damage of CFRP drilling. In addition, it is important to take appropriate measures to conduct sufficient heat conduction and reduce heat accumulation at the stage of delamination damage formation at the exit.
Effect of storage temperature on viral RNA accumulation in plum pox virus-infected cv. Red Lyon plum fruit growing in the Central Valley of Chile
Authors: Madariaga Mónica , Ramírez Isabel , Meza Pablo , Nova Nelly , Devia jessica , Sepúlveda karina , Defilippi Bruno 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

Plum pox virus (PPV), the causative agent of Sharka disease, causes serious economic losses to the stone fruit industry. As PPV is not transmitted by seed, fruit from countries with Sharka present are considered low-risk for spreading the disease. However, there have been cases raising concerns about the safety of exporting fruit from countries with Sharka disease. Due to this, the generation of new scientific evidence becomes important to address these concerns. This study aimed to compare the relative accumulation of PPV viral titer between freshly harvested infected fruit with fruit subjected to cold storage, simulating transit conditions to export markets. During two consecutive seasons, but with independent experiments in each, the fruit was collected from a PPV-infected cv. Red Lyon plum orchard, and divided into three treatments (T): freshly harvested fruit (T1); fruit exposed to cold (0 °C) for seven days (T2), and fruit exposed to cold (0 °C) for 15 days (T3). Semi-quantitative RT-PCR was used to estimate the viral titer; band density values obtained for products of amplification of a PPV genome fragment were normalized with the density values obtained from the constitutive gene nad5and plotted relative to treatment T1, which served as a control for this purpose. The results showed a significant difference (p<0.05) between T1 and other treatments. For the first season, the viral RNA reduction was of 50% in T2 and 61% in T3, compared to T1. For the second season, the corresponding RNA viral reductions were 45% in T2 and 56% in T3, compared to T1.
Can neonicotinoid and pyrrole insecticides manage malaria vector resistance in high pyrethroid resistance areas in Côte d'Ivoire?
Authors: Ekra Armand K. , Edi Constant A. V. , Gbalegba Guy Constant N. , Zahouli Julien Z. B. , Danho Mathias , Koudou Benjamin G. 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

Background
Anopheles mosquito resistance to insecticide remains a serious threat to malaria vector control affecting several sub-Sahara African countries, including Côte d’Ivoire where high pyrethroid, carbamate and organophosphate resistance are reported. Since 2017, new insecticide, namely neonicotinoids (e.g.; clothianidin) and pyrroles (e.g.; chlorfenapyr) have been World Health Organization (WHO) pre-qualified for use in public health to manage insecticide resistance for disease vector control.
Methods
Clothianidin and chlorfenapyr were tested against the field-collected An. gambiae populations from Gagnoa, Daloa and Abengourou using the WHO standard insecticide susceptibility biossays. Anopheles gambiae larvae were collected from several larval habitats, pooled and reared to adulthood in each site in July 2020. Non-blood-fed adult female mosquitoes aged two to five days were exposed to diagnostic concentration deltamethrin, permethrin, alpha-cypermethrin, bendiocarb, and pirimiphos-methyl. Clothianidin 2% treated papers were locally made and tested using WHO tube bioassay while chlorfenapyr (100 µg/bottle) was evaluated using WHO bottle assays. Furthermore, subsamples of exposed mosquitoes were identified to species and genotyped for insecticide resistance markers including the knock-down resistance (kdr) west and east acetylcholinesterase (Ace-1) using molecular techniques.
Results
High pyrethroid resistance was recorded at all study sites. Complete mortality (100% mortality) was recorded with clothianidin in Daloa, 94.9% in Gagnoa and 96.6% in Abengourou, while susceptibility (mortality > 98%) to chlorfenapyr 100 µg/bottle was recorded at all sites and to pirimiphos-methyl in Gagnoa and Abengourou. Kdr-west mutation was present at high frequency (0.58 to 0.73) in the three sites and Kdr-east mutation frequency was recorded at a very low frequency of 0.02 in both Abengourou and Daloa samples and absent in Gagnoa. The Ace-1 mutation was present at frequencies between 0.19 and 0.29 in these areas. Anopheles coluzzii represented 100% of mosquito collected in Daloa and Gagnoa, and 72% in Abengourou.
Conclusions
This study showed that clothianidin and chlorfenapyr insecticides induce high mortality in the natural and pyrethroid-resistant An. gambiae populations in Côte d’Ivoire suggesting that clothianidin and chlorfenapyr could be good candidate insecticides to manage insecticide resistance following a strategic intervention deployments.