bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Phylogenetic Approach to Structural Variation in Organization of Nuclear Group I Introns and Their Ribozymes
Authors: Furulund Betty M. N. , Karlsen Bård O. , Babiak Igor , Johansen Steinar D.
Published: July 2021

Nuclear group I introns are restricted to the ribosomal DNA locus where they interrupt genes for small subunit and large subunit ribosomal RNAs at conserved sites in some eukaryotic microorganisms. Here, the myxomycete protists are a frequent source of nuclear group I introns due to their unique life strategy and a billion years of separate evolution. The ribosomal DNA of the myxomycete Mucilago crustacea was investigated and found to contain seven group I introns, including a direct repeat-containing intron at insertion site S1389 in the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene. We collected, analyzed, and compared 72 S1389 group IC1 introns representing diverse myxomycete taxa. The consensus secondary structure revealed a conserved ribozyme core, but with surprising sequence variations in the guanosine binding site in segment P7. Some S1389 introns harbored large extension sequences in the peripheral region of segment P9 containing direct repeat arrays. These repeats contained up to 52 copies of a putative internal guide sequence motif. Other S1389 introns harbored homing endonuclease genes in segment P1 encoding His-Cys proteins. Homing endonuclease genes were further interrupted by small spliceosomal introns that have to be removed in order to generate the open reading frames. Phylogenetic analyses of S1389 intron and host gene indicated both vertical and horizontal intron transfer during evolution, and revealed sporadic appearances of direct repeats, homing endonuclease genes, and guanosine binding site variants among the myxomycete taxa.
Evaluation of Critical Quality Attributes of a Pentavalent (A, C, Y, W, X) Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine for Global Use
Authors: Bolgiano Barbara , Moran Eilís , Beresford Nicola J. , Gao Fang , Care Rory , Desai Trusha , Nordgren Ida Karin , Rudd Timothy R. , Feavers Ian M. , Bore Prashant , Patni Sushil , Gavade Vinay , Mallya Asha , Kale Sameer , Sharma Pankaj , Goel Sunil K. , Gairola Sunil , Hattarki Suhas , Avalaskar Nikhil , Sarma Annamraju D. , LaForce Marc , Ravenscroft Neil , Khandke Lakshmi , Alderson Mark R. , Dhere Rajeev M. , Pisal Sambhaji S.
Published: July 2021

Towards achieving the goal of eliminating epidemic outbreaks of meningococcal disease in the African meningitis belt, a pentavalent glycoconjugate vaccine (NmCV-5) has been developed to protect against Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y, W and X. MenA and X polysaccharides are conjugated to tetanus toxoid (TT) while MenC, Y and W polysaccharides are conjugated to recombinant cross reactive material 197 (rCRM197), a non-toxic genetic variant of diphtheria toxin. This study describes quality control testing performed by the manufacturer, Serum Institute of India Private Limited (SIIPL), and the independent control laboratory of the U.K. (NIBSC) on seven clinical lots of the vaccine to ensure its potency, purity, safety and consistency of its manufacturing. In addition to monitoring upstream-manufactured components, samples of drug substance, final drug product and stability samples were evaluated. This paper focuses on the comparison of the vaccine’s critical quality attributes and reviews key indicators of its stability and immunogenicity. Comparable results were obtained by the two laboratories demonstrating sufficient levels of polysaccharide O-acetylation, consistency in size of the bulk conjugate molecules, integrity of the conjugated saccharides in the drug substance and drug product, and acceptable endotoxin content in the final drug product. The freeze-dried vaccine in 5-dose vials was stable based on molecular sizing and free saccharide assays. Lot-to-lot manufacturing consistency was also demonstrated in preclinical studies for polysaccharide-specific IgG and complement-dependent serum bactericidal activity for each serogroup. This study demonstrates the high quality and stability of NmCV-5, which is now undergoing Phase 3 clinical trials in Africa and India.
Identical Viral Genetic Sequence Found in Black Flies (Simulium bivittatum) and the Equine Index Case of the 2006 U.S. Vesicular Stomatitis Outbreak
Authors: Drolet Barbara S. , Reeves Will K. , Bennett Kristine E. , Pauszek Steven J. , Bertram Miranda R. , Rodriguez Luis L.
Published: July 2021

In 2006, vesicular stomatitis New Jersey virus (VSNJV) caused outbreaks in Wyoming (WY) horses and cattle after overwintering in 2004 and 2005. Within two weeks of the outbreak onset, 12,203 biting flies and 194 grasshoppers were collected near three equine-positive premises in Natrona County, WY. Insects were identified to the species level and tested by RT-qPCR for VSNJV polymerase (L) and phosphoprotein (P) gene RNA. Collected dipterans known to be competent for VSV transmission included Simulium black flies and Culicoides biting midges. VSNJV L and P RNA was detected in two pools of female Simulium bivittatum and subjected to partial genome sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis based on the hypervariable region of the P gene from black flies showed 100% identity to the isolate obtained from the index horse case on the same premises. This is the first report of VSNJV in S. bivittatum in WY and the first field evidence of possible VSV maintenance in black fly populations during an outbreak.
Preliminary Results on the Prevalence of Salmonella spp. in Marine Animals Stranded in Sicilian Coasts: Antibiotic Susceptibility Profile and ARGs Detection in the Isolated Strains
Authors: Gambino Delia , Sciortino Sonia , Migliore Sergio , Galuppo Lucia , Puleio Roberto , Dara Salvatore , Vicari Domenico , Seminara Salvatore , Gargano Valeria
Published: July 2021

The presence of Salmonella spp. in marine animals is a consequence of contamination from terrestrial sources (human activities and animals). Bacteria present in marine environments, including Salmonella spp., can be antibiotic resistant or harbor resistance genes. In this study, Salmonella spp. detection was performed on 176 marine animals stranded in the Sicilian coasts (south Italy). Antibiotic susceptibility, by disk diffusion method and MIC determination, and antibiotic resistance genes, by molecular methods (PCR) of the Salmonella spp. strains, were evaluated. We isolated Salmonella spp. in three animals, though no pathological signs were detected. Our results showed a low prevalence of Salmonella spp. (1.7%) and a low incidence of phenotypic resistance in three Salmonella spp. strains isolated. Indeed, of the three strains, only Salmonella subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium from S. coeruleoalba and M. mobular showed phenotypic resistance: the first to ampicillin, tetracycline, and sulphamethoxazole, while the latter only to sulphamethoxazole. However, all strains harbored resistance genes (blaTEM, blaOXA, tet(A), tet(D), tet(E), sulI, and sulII). Although the low prevalence of Salmonella spp. found in this study does not represent a relevant health issue, our data contribute to the collection of information on the spread of ARGs, elements involved in antibiotic resistance, now considered a zoonosis in a One Health approach.
Investigating Community Pharmacy Take Home Naloxone Dispensing during COVID-19: The Impact of One Public Health Crisis on Another
Authors: Daskalakis George , Cid Ashley , Grindrod Kelly , Beazely Michael A.
Published: July 2021

A recent report found that the number of opioid-related deaths in Ontario in the first 15 weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic was 38.2% higher than in the 15 weeks before the pandemic. Our study sought to determine if pharmacy professionals self-reported an increase or decrease in naloxone provision due to the pandemic and to identify adjustments made by pharmacy professionals to dispense naloxone during the pandemic. A total of 231 Ontario community pharmacy professionals completed an online survey. Pharmacy professionals’ barriers, facilitators, and comfort level with dispensing naloxone before and during the pandemic were identified. The sample consisted of mostly pharmacists (99.1%). Over half (51.1%) reported no change in naloxone dispensing, while 22.9% of respondents reported an increase and 24.7% a decrease. The most common adjustments made during the pandemic were training patients how to administer naloxone over video or phone, delivering naloxone kits, and pharmacy technicians offering naloxone at prescription intake. Over half (55%) of participants said the top barrier for dispensing was that patients did not request naloxone. Naloxone distribution through pharmacies could be further optimized to address the increased incidence of overdose deaths during the pandemic. Future research should investigate the reasons for changes in naloxone dispensing.
Mid-Infrared Few-Cycle Pulse Generation and Amplification
Authors: Tian Kan , He Linzhen , Yang Xuemei , Liang Houkun
Published: July 2021

In the past decade, mid-infrared (MIR) few-cycle lasers have attracted remarkable research efforts for their applications in strong-field physics, MIR spectroscopy, and bio-medical research. Here we present a review of MIR few-cycle pulse generation and amplification in the wavelength range spanning from 2 to ~20 μm. In the first section, a brief introduction on the importance of MIR ultrafast lasers and the corresponding methods of MIR few-cycle pulse generation is provided. In the second section, different nonlinear crystals including emerging non-oxide crystals, such as CdSiP2, ZnGeP2, GaSe, LiGaS2, and BaGa4Se7, as well as new periodically poled crystals such as OP-GaAs and OP-GaP are reviewed. Subsequently, in the third section, the various techniques for MIR few-cycle pulse generation and amplification including optical parametric amplification, optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification, and intra-pulse difference-frequency generation with all sorts of designs, pumped by miscellaneous lasers, and with various MIR output specifications in terms of pulse energy, average power, and pulse width are reviewed. In addition, high-energy MIR single-cycle pulses are ideal tools for isolated attosecond pulse generation, electron dynamic investigation, and tunneling ionization harness. Thus, in the fourth section, examples of state-of-the-art work in the field of MIR single-cycle pulse generation are reviewed and discussed. In the last section, prospects for MIR few-cycle lasers in strong-field physics, high-fidelity molecule detection, and cold tissue ablation applications are provided.
Secondary Metabolites of Pseudomonas aeruginosa LV Strain Decrease Asian Soybean Rust Severity in Experimentally Infected Plants
Authors: dos Santos Igor Matheus Oliveira , Abe Valéria Yukari , de Carvalho Kenia , Barazetti André Riedi , Simionato Ane Stéfano , de Almeida Pega Guilherme E. , Matis Sergio Henrique , Cano Barbara Gionco , Cely Martha Viviana Torres , Marcelino-Guimarães Francismar Correa , Chryssafidis Andreas Lazaros , Andrade Galdino
Published: July 2021

Asian Soybean Rust (ASR), a disease caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi, causing yield losses up to 90%. The control is based on the fungicides which may generate resistant fungi. The activation of the plant defense system, should help on ASR control. In this study, secondary metabolites of Pseudomonas aeruginosa LV strain were applied on spore germination and the expression of defense genes in infected soybean plants. The F4A fraction and the pure metabolites were used. In vitro, 10 µg mL−1 of F4A reduced spore germination by 54%, while 100 µg mL−1 completely inhibited. Overexpression of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), O-methyltransferase (OMT) and pathogenesis related protein-2 (PR-2; glucanases) defense-related genes were detected 24 and 72 h after soybean sprouts were sprayed with an organocopper antimicrobial compound (OAC). Under greenhouse conditions, the best control was observed in plants treated with 60 µg mL−1 of PCA, which reduced ASR severity and lesion frequency by 75% and 43%, respectively. Plants sprayed with 2 and 20 µg mL−1 of F4A also decreased severity (41%) and lesion frequency (32%). The significant reduction in spore germination ASR in plant suggested that the strain of these metabolites are effective against P. pachyrhizi, and they can be used for ASR control.
Image-Based Wheat Fungi Diseases Identification by Deep Learning
Authors: Genaev Mikhail A. , Skolotneva Ekaterina S. , Gultyaeva Elena I. , Orlova Elena A. , Bechtold Nina P. , Afonnikov Dmitry A.
Published: July 2021

Diseases of cereals caused by pathogenic fungi can significantly reduce crop yields. Many cultures are exposed to them. The disease is difficult to control on a large scale; thus, one of the relevant approaches is the crop field monitoring, which helps to identify the disease at an early stage and take measures to prevent its spread. One of the effective control methods is disease identification based on the analysis of digital images, with the possibility of obtaining them in field conditions, using mobile devices. In this work, we propose a method for the recognition of five fungal diseases of wheat shoots (leaf rust, stem rust, yellow rust, powdery mildew, and septoria), both separately and in case of multiple diseases, with the possibility of identifying the stage of plant development. A set of 2414 images of wheat fungi diseases (WFD2020) was generated, for which expert labeling was performed by the type of disease. More than 80% of the images in the dataset correspond to single disease labels (including seedlings), more than 12% are represented by healthy plants, and 6% of the images labeled are represented by multiple diseases. In the process of creating this set, a method was applied to reduce the degeneracy of the training data based on the image hashing algorithm. The disease-recognition algorithm is based on the convolutional neural network with the EfficientNet architecture. The best accuracy (0.942) was shown by a network with a training strategy based on augmentation and transfer of image styles. The recognition method was implemented as a bot on the Telegram platform, which allows users to assess plants by lesions in the field conditions.
Ultrastructural Alterations in Cells of Sunflower Linear Glandular Trichomes during Maturation
Authors: Amrehn Evelyn , Spring Otmar
Published: July 2021

Sunflower and related taxa are known to possess a characteristic type of multicellular uniseriate trichome which produces sesquiterpenes and flavonoids of yet unknown function for this plant. Contrary to the metabolic profile, the cytological development and ultrastructural rearrangements during the biosynthetic activity of the trichome have not been studied in detail so far. Light, fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy were employed to investigate the functional structure of different trichome cells and their subcellular compartmentation in the pre-secretory, secretory and post-secretory phase. It was shown that the trichome was composed of four cell types, forming the trichome basis with a basal and a stalk cell, a variable number (mostly from five to eight) of barrel-shaped glandular cells and the tip consisting of a dome-shaped apical cell. Metabolic activity started at the trichome tip sometimes accompanied by the formation of small subcuticular cavities at the apical cell. Subsequently, metabolic activity progressed downwards in the upper glandular cells. Cells involved in the secretory process showed disintegration of the subcellular compartments and lost vitality in parallel to deposition of fluorescent and brownish metabolites. The subcuticular cavities usually collapsed in the early secretory stage, whereas the colored depositions remained in cells of senescent hairs.
Capture of Acidic Gases from Flue Gas by Deep Eutectic Solvents
Authors: Wang Yan , Ren Shuhang , Hou Yucui , Wu Weize
Published: July 2021

Up to now, many kinds of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were investigated for the capture of acidic gases from flue gases. In this review, non-functionalized and functionalized DESs, including binary and ternary DESs, for SO2, CO2 and NO capture, are summarized based on the mechanism of absorption, physical interaction or chemical reaction. New strategies for improving the absorption capacity are introduced in this review. For example, a third component can be introduced to form a ternary DES to suppress the increase in viscosity and improve the CO2 absorption capacity. DESs, synthesized with halogen salt hydrogen bond acceptors (HBAs) and functionalized hydrogen bond donors (HBDs), can be used for the absorption of SO2 and NO with high absorption capacities and low viscosities after absorption, due to physicochemical interaction between gases and DESs. Emphasis is given to introducing the absorption capacities of acidic gases in these DESs, the mechanism of the absorption, and the ways to enhance the absorption capacity.
Total SciComm: A Strategy for Communicating Open Science
Authors: Ho Manh-Toan , Ho Manh-Tung , Vuong Quan-Hoang
Published: July 2021

This paper seeks to introduce a strategy of science communication: Total SciComm or all-out science communication. We proposed that to maximize the outreach and impact, scientists should use different media to communicate different aspects of science, from core ideas to methods. The paper uses an example of a debate surrounding a now-retracted article in the Nature journal, in which open data, preprints, social media, and blogs are being used for a meaningful scientific conversation. The case embodied the central idea of Total SciComm: the scientific community employs every medium to communicate scientific ideas and engages all scientists in the process.
Embodiment of Ancestral Spirits, the Social Interface, and Ritual Ceremonies: Construction of the Shamanic Landscape among the Daur in North China
Authors: Qu Feng
Published: July 2021

The case study in this paper is on the Daur (as well as the Evenki, Buriat, and Bargu Mongols) in Hulun Buir, Northeast China. The aim of this research is to examine how shamanic rituals function as a conduit to actualize communications between the clan members and their shaman ancestors. Through examinations and observations of Daur and other Indigenous shamanic rituals in Northeast China, this paper argues that the human construction of the shamanic landscape brings humans, other-than-humans, and things together into social relations in shamanic ontologies. Inter-human metamorphosis is crucial to Indigenous self-conceptualization and identity. Through rituals, ancestor spirits are active actors involved in almost every aspect of modern human social life among these Indigenous peoples.
Investigation of the Influence of Different Vegetable Oils as a Component of Blended Biofuel on Performance and Emission Characteristics of a Diesel Engine for Agricultural Machinery and Commercial Vehicles
Authors: Markov Vladimir , Kamaltdinov Vyacheslav , Devyanin Sergey , Sa Bowen , Zherdev Anatoly , Furman Viktor
Published: July 2021

Biofuels derived from renewable plant materials are considered promising alternative fuels to decrease emissions of ICEs. This study aimed to justify the possibility of using vegetable oils of different sources as a 10% additive in blended biofuel for diesel engines of agricultural machinery and commercial vehicles. Seven different vegetable oils were investigated. Experiments have been performed by fueling a diesel engine with blended biofuels of 90% petroleum diesel fuel and 10% vegetable oil. In the maximum power and maximum torque modes, the brake power drop was no more than 1.5%, and the brake-specific fuel consumption increase was less than 4.3%; NOx emissions were reduced by up to 8.3%, exhaust smoke—up to 37.5%, CO—up to 20.0%, and unburned HC—up to 27.9%. In the operating modes of the European 13-mode steady-state test cycle, the integral specific emissions of HC decreased by up to 30.0%, integral specific emissions of CO—up to 15.0%, and integral specific emissions of NOx—up to 16.0%. The results obtained show the feasibility and rationality of using the investigated vegetable oils as a 10% additive in blended biofuel for diesel engines of agricultural machinery and commercial vehicles.
Variational AutoEncoder to Identify Anomalous Data in Robots
Authors: Pangione Luigi , Burroughes Guy , Skilton Robert
Published: July 2021

For robotic systems involved in challenging environments, it is crucial to be able to identify faults as early as possible. In challenging environments, it is not always possible to explore all of the fault space, thus anomalous data can act as a broader surrogate, where an anomaly may represent a fault or a predecessor to a fault. This paper proposes a method for identifying anomalous data from a robot, whilst using minimal nominal data for training. A Monte Carlo ensemble sampled Variational AutoEncoder was utilised to determine nominal and anomalous data through reconstructing live data. This was tested on simulated anomalies of real data, demonstrating that the technique is capable of reliably identifying an anomaly without any previous knowledge of the system. With the proposed system, we obtained an F1-score of 0.85 through testing.
A Study on the Feasibility of Robotic Harvesting for Chile Pepper
Authors: Masood Muhammad Umar , Haghshenas-Jaryani Mahdi
Published: July 2021

This paper presents a study on the robotic harvesting of New Mexico type chile pepper, in a laboratory setting, using a five degrees of freedom (DoF) serial manipulator. The end-effector of the manipulator, a scissor-type cutting mechanism, was devised and experimentally tested in a lab setup which cuts the chile stem to detach the fruit. Through a MATLAB™-based program, the location of the chile pepper is estimated in the robot’s reference frame, using Intel RealSense Depth Camera. The accuracy of the 3D location estimation system matches the maximum accuracy claimed by the manufacturer of the hardware, with a maximum error to be in Y-axis, which is 5.7 mm. The forward and inverse kinematics are developed, and the reachable and dexterous workspaces of the robot are studied. An application-based path planning algorithm is developed to minimize the travel for a specified harvesting task. The robotic harvesting system was able to cut the chile pepper from the plant based on 3D location estimated by MATLAB™ program. On the basis of harvesting operation, on 77 chile peppers, the following harvesting indicators were achieved: localization success rate of 37.7%, detachment success rate of 65.5%, harvest success rate of 24.7%, damage rate of 6.9%, and cycle time of 7 s.
A Framework for Maternal Physical Activities and Health Monitoring Using Wearable Sensors
Authors: Ullah Farman , Iqbal Asif , Iqbal Sumbul , Kwak Daehan , Anwar Hafeez , Khan Ajmal , Ullah Rehmat , Siddique Huma , Kwak Kyung-Sup
Published: July 2021

We propose a physical activity recognition and monitoring framework based on wearable sensors during maternity. A physical activity can either create or prevent health issues during a given stage of pregnancy depending on its intensity. Thus, it becomes very important to provide continuous feedback by recognizing a physical activity and its intensity. However, such continuous monitoring is very challenging during the whole period of maternity. In addition, maintaining a record of each physical activity, and the time for which it was performed, is also a non-trivial task. We aim at such problems by first recognizing a physical activity via the data of wearable sensors that are put on various parts of body. We avoid the use of smartphones for such task due to the inconvenience caused by wearing it for activities such as “eating”. In our proposed framework, a module worn on body consists of three sensors: a 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope, and temperature sensor. The time-series data from these sensors are sent to a Raspberry-PI via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). Various statistical measures (features) of this data are then calculated and represented in features vectors. These feature vectors are then used to train a supervised machine learning algorithm called classifier for the recognition of physical activity from the sensors data. Based on such recognition, the proposed framework sends a message to the care-taker in case of unfavorable situation. We evaluated a number of well-known classifiers on various features developed from overlapped and non-overlapped window size of time-series data. Our novel dataset consists of 10 physical activities performed by 61 subjects at various stages of maternity. On the current dataset, we achieve the highest recognition rate of 89% which is encouraging for a monitoring and feedback system.
On Asymptotic Efficiency of the M2M4 Signal-to-Noise Estimator for Deterministic Complex Sinusoids
Authors: Romano Gianmarco
Published: July 2021

The moment-based M2M4 signal-to-noise (SNR) estimator was proposed for a complex sinusoidal signal with a deterministic but unknown phase corrupted by additive Gaussian noise by Sekhar and Sreenivas. The authors studied its performances only through numerical examples and concluded that the proposed estimator is asymptotically efficient and exhibits finite sample super-efficiency for some combinations of signal and noise power. In this paper, we derive the analytical asymptotic performances of the proposed M2M4 SNR estimator, and we show that, contrary to what it has been concluded by Sekhar and Sreenivas, the proposed estimator is neither (asymptotically) efficient nor super-efficient. We also show that when dealing with deterministic signals, the covariance matrix needed to derive asymptotic performances must be explicitly derived as its known general form for random signals cannot be extended to deterministic signals. Numerical examples are provided whose results confirm the analytical findings.
Ranging with Frequency Dependent Ultrasound Air Attenuation
Authors: Carotenuto Riccardo , Pezzimenti Fortunato , Della Corte Francesco G. , Iero Demetrio , Merenda Massimo
Published: July 2021

Measuring the distance between two points has multiple uses. Position can be geometrically calculated from multiple measurements of the distance between reference points and moving sensors. Distance measurement can be done by measuring the time of flight of an ultrasonic signal traveling from an emitter to receiving sensors. However, this requires close synchronization between the emitter and the sensors. This synchronization is usually done using a radio or optical channel, which requires additional hardware and power to operate. On the other hand, for many applications of great interest, low-cost, small, and lightweight sensors with very small batteries are required. Here, an innovative technique to measure the distance between emitter and receiver by using ultrasonic signals in air is proposed. In fact, the amount of the signal attenuation in air depends on the frequency content of the signal itself. The attenuation level that the signal undergoes at different frequencies provides information on the distance between emitter and receiver without the need for any synchronization between them. A mathematical relationship here proposed allows for estimating the distance between emitter and receiver starting from the measurement of the frequency dependent attenuation along the traveled path. The level of attenuation in the air is measured online along the operation of the proposed technique. The simulations showed that the range accuracy increases with the decrease of the ultrasonic transducer diameter. In particular, with a diameter of 0.5 mm, an error of less than ± 2.7 cm (average value 1.1 cm) is reached along two plane sections of the typical room of the office considered (4 × 4 × 3 m3).
Plane Wave Imaging through Interfaces
Authors: Cosarinsky Guillermo , Fernandez-Cruza Jorge , Camacho Jorge
Published: July 2021

Plane Wave Imaging (PWI) has been recently proposed for fast ultrasound inspections in the Non-Destructive-Testing (NDT) field. By using a single (or a reduced number) of plane wave emissions and parallel beamforming in reception, frame rates of hundreds to thousands of images per second can be achieved without significant image quality losses with regard to the Total Focusing Method (TFM) or Phased Array (PA). This work addresses the problem of applying PWI in the presence of arbitrarily shaped interfaces, which is a common problem in NDT. First, the mathematical formulation for generating a plane wave inside a component of arbitrary geometry is given, and the characteristics of the resultant acoustic field are analyzed by simulation, showing plane wavefronts with non-uniform amplitude. Then, an imaging strategy is proposed, accounting for this amplitude effect. Finally, the proposed method is experimentally validated, and its application limits are discussed.
The Stream Exchange Protocol: A Secure and Lightweight Tool for Decentralized Connection Establishment
Authors: Tatschner Stefan , Jarisch Ferdinand , Giehl Alexander , Plaga Sven , Newe Thomas
Published: July 2021

With the growing availability and prevalence of internet-capable devices, the complexity of networks and associated connection management increases. Depending on the use case, different approaches in handling connectivity have emerged over the years, tackling diverse challenges in each distinct area. Exposing centralized web-services facilitates reachability; distributing information in a peer-to-peer fashion offers availability; and segregating virtual private sub-networks promotes confidentiality. A common challenge herein lies in connection establishment, particularly in discovering, and securely connecting to peers. However, unifying different aspects, including the usability, scalability, and security of this process in a single framework, remains a challenge. In this paper, we present the Stream Exchange Protocol (SEP) collection, which provides a set of building blocks for secure, lightweight, and decentralized connection establishment. These building blocks use unique identities that enable both the identification and authentication of single communication partners. By utilizing federated directories as decentralized databases, peers are able to reliably share authentic data, such as current network locations and available endpoints. Overall, this collection of building blocks is universally applicable, easy to use, and protected by state-of-the-art security mechanisms by design. We demonstrate the capabilities and versatility of the SEP collection by providing three tools that utilize our building blocks: a decentralized file sharing application, a point-to-point network tunnel using the SEP trust model, and an application that utilizes our decentralized discovery mechanism for authentic and asynchronous data distribution.
A Bayesian Method for Dynamic Origin–Destination Demand Estimation Synthesizing Multiple Sources of Data
Authors: Yu Hang , Zhu Senlai , Yang Jie , Guo Yuntao , Tang Tianpei
Published: July 2021

In this paper a Bayesian method is proposed to estimate dynamic origin–destination (O–D) demand. The proposed method can synthesize multiple sources of data collected by various sensors, including link counts, turning movements at intersections, flows, and travel times on partial paths. Time-dependent demand for each O–D pair at each departure time is assumed to satisfy the normal distribution. The connections among multiple sources of field data and O–D demands for all departure times are established by their variance-covariance matrices. Given the prior distribution of dynamic O–D demands, the posterior distribution is developed by updating the traffic count information. Then, based on the posterior distribution, both point estimation and the corresponding confidence intervals of O–D demand variables are estimated. Further, a stepwise algorithm that can avoid matrix inversion, in which traffic counts are updated one by one, is proposed. Finally, a numerical example is conducted on Nguyen–Dupuis network to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed Bayesian method and solution algorithm. Results show that the total O–D variance is decreasing with each added traffic count, implying that updating traffic counts reduces O–D demand uncertainty. Using the proposed method, both total error and source-specific errors between estimated and observed traffic counts decrease by iteration. Specifically, using 52 multiple sources of traffic counts, the relative errors of almost 50% traffic counts are less than 5%, the relative errors of 85% traffic counts are less than 10%, the total error between the estimated and “true” O–D demands is relatively small, and the O–D demand estimation accuracy can be improved by using more traffic counts. It concludes that the proposed Bayesian method can effectively synthesize multiple sources of data and estimate dynamic O–D demands with fine accuracy.
Optical-Fiber Microsphere-Based Temperature Sensors with ZnO ALD Coating—Comparative Study
Authors: Listewnik Paulina , Bechelany Mikhael , Wierzba Paweł , Szczerska Małgorzata
Published: July 2021

This study presents the microsphere-based fiber-optic sensor with the ZnO Atomic Layer Deposition coating thickness of 100 nm and 200 nm for temperature measurements. Metrological properties of the sensor were investigated over the temperature range from 100 °C to 300 °C, with a 10 °C step. The interferometric signal was used to monitor the integrity of the microsphere and its attachment to the connecting fiber. For the sensor with a 100 nm coating, a spectrum shift of the reflected signal and the optical power of the reflected signal were used to measure temperature, while only the optical power of the reflected signal was used in the sensor with a 200 nm coating. The R2 coefficient of the discussed sensors indicates a linear fit of over 0.99 to the obtained data. The sensitivity of the sensors, investigated in this study, equals 103.5 nW/°C and 19 pm/°C or 11.4 nW/°C for ZnO thickness of 200 nm and 100 nm, respectively.
Dipodal Tetraamide Derivatives of 1,10-Diaza-18-Crown-6 and Alkylmalonic Acids—Synthesis and Use as Ionophores in Ion Selective Membrane Electrodes
Authors: Pomećko Radosław , Luboch Elżbieta , Jeszke Maciej
Published: July 2021

Novel dipodal derivatives of an 18-membered diaza-crown ether with two diamide chains featuring methylmalonic or butylmalonic acid residues were obtained and tested as ionophores in ion-selective plasticized membrane electrodes. The objective of the study was to identify measurement conditions which ensure the most favorable performance for magnesium ion-selective electrodes. The relationship between the molar lipophilic anion salt-to-ionophore ratio and selectivity of electrodes was examined. The best result was obtained for the conventional electrode containing Mg2 ionophore. Calculated selectivity coefficients were as follows: logKMg/Ca = −2.77, logKMg/Na = −3.46 and logKMg.K = −2.24 (SSM, 1M).
Intracellular Detection and Localization of Nanoparticles by Refractive Index Measurement
Authors: Géloën Alain , Isaieva Karyna , Isaiev Mykola , Levinson Olga , Berger Emmanuelle , Lysenko Vladimir
Published: July 2021

The measuring of nanoparticle toxicity faces an important limitation since it is based on metrics exposure, the concentration at which cells are exposed instead the true concentration inside the cells. In vitro studies of nanomaterials would benefit from the direct measuring of the true intracellular dose of nanoparticles. The objective of the present study was to state whether the intracellular detection of nanodiamonds is possible by measuring the refractive index. Based on optical diffraction tomography of treated live cells, the results show that unlabeled nanoparticles can be detected and localized inside cells. The results were confirmed by fluorescence measurements. Optical diffraction tomography paves the way to measuring the true intracellular concentrations and the localization of nanoparticles which will improve the dose-response paradigm of pharmacology and toxicology in the field of nanomaterials.
A Time-Series-Based New Behavior Trace Model for Crowd Workers That Ensures Quality Annotation
Authors: Al-Qershi Fattoh , Al-Qurishi Muhammad , Aksoy Mehmet , Faisal Mohammed , Algabri Mohammed
Published: July 2021

Crowdsourcing is a new mode of value creation in which organizations leverage numerous Internet users to accomplish tasks. However, because these workers have different backgrounds and intentions, crowdsourcing suffers from quality concerns. In the literature, tracing the behavior of workers is preferred over other methodologies such as consensus methods and gold standard approaches. This paper proposes two novel models based on workers’ behavior for task classification. These models newly benefit from time-series features and characteristics. The first model uses multiple time-series features with a machine learning classifier. The second model converts time series into images using the recurrent characteristic and applies a convolutional neural network classifier. The proposed models surpass the current state of-the-art baselines in terms of performance. In terms of accuracy, our feature-based model achieved 83.8%, whereas our convolutional neural network model achieved 76.6%.
Electrocardiogram-Based Emotion Recognition Systems and Their Applications in Healthcare—A Review
Authors: Hasnul Muhammad Anas , Aziz Nor Azlina Ab. , Alelyani Salem , Mohana Mohamed , Aziz Azlan Abd.
Published: July 2021

Affective computing is a field of study that integrates human affects and emotions with artificial intelligence into systems or devices. A system or device with affective computing is beneficial for the mental health and wellbeing of individuals that are stressed, anguished, or depressed. Emotion recognition systems are an important technology that enables affective computing. Currently, there are a lot of ways to build an emotion recognition system using various techniques and algorithms. This review paper focuses on emotion recognition research that adopted electrocardiograms (ECGs) as a unimodal approach as well as part of a multimodal approach for emotion recognition systems. Critical observations of data collection, pre-processing, feature extraction, feature selection and dimensionality reduction, classification, and validation are conducted. This paper also highlights the architectures with accuracy of above 90%. The available ECG-inclusive affective databases are also reviewed, and a popularity analysis is presented. Additionally, the benefit of emotion recognition systems towards healthcare systems is also reviewed here. Based on the literature reviewed, a thorough discussion on the subject matter and future works is suggested and concluded. The findings presented here are beneficial for prospective researchers to look into the summary of previous works conducted in the field of ECG-based emotion recognition systems, and for identifying gaps in the area, as well as in developing and designing future applications of emotion recognition systems, especially in improving healthcare.
What You Want Is Not Always What You Get: Gender Differences in Employer-Employee Exchange Relationships during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Peters Eileen
Published: July 2021

Relational Inequality Theory (RIT) argues that relational claims-making- the process of employer-employee exchange relationships explicitly regarding negotiations over resources and rewards- is the central mechanism that produces social inequalities at work. Yet, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected employees and employers, possibly altering their behavior in relational claims-making. Hence, this paper aims to explore if long-standing gender inequalities in employer-employee exchange relationships have reproduced or changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is examined (1) whether women and men differ in their response to the pandemic regarding expected employer support with further training to work from home (WFH) and (2) whether employers’ decisions on adequate support depend on employees’ gender. The hypotheses were tested using a linked employer-employee dataset (LEEP-B3) with information on German employees’ working conditions before and during COVID-19. OLS regression models predicted no gender differences in training expectations. However, women are more likely to be provided with less training than they expect from their employers. Thus, employers’ decision-making has not been altered, but gender remains an important determinant in relational claims-making, thereby reproducing gender inequalities. Finally, the workforces’ pre-COVID-19 gender ideologies predicted whether mechanisms are mitigated or enhanced. Hence, these findings underline the crucial role of the workplace context in which employer-employee exchange relationships are embedded.
Hybrid Carrier Frequency Modulation Based on Rotor Position to Reduce Sideband Vibro-Acoustics in PMSM Used by Electric Vehicles
Authors: Qiu Zizhen , Chen Yong , Lin Xiaozhe , Cheng Haiquan , Kang Yang , Liu Xu
Published: July 2021

In the permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) drive system, the unwilling and ear-piercing vibro-acoustics caused by high-frequency sideband harmonics becomes unacceptable in electric vehicle applications. In this paper, a modified space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) technique implemented with a hybrid carrier frequency modulation (HCFM) is provided to reduce the sideband current harmonic components and vibro-acoustic responses. The principle and implementation of the proposed HCFM technique are firstly presented in which the fixed carrier frequency is improved with the sawtooth and random signal-based coupling modulation based on the rotor position. The analytical derivations with the power spectral density method are also proposed. For verification, the experiment tests are conducted on a prototype 12/10 PMSM and microcontroller unit. The effectiveness of the HCFM technique can hence be confirmed considering the sideband vibro-acoustics reduction operated more effectively than that in a conventional random PWM. The proposed approach may provide a new route in noise-cancelling and electromagnetic compatibility for the electric drive powertrain.
The trends in quality changes of the Sofia atmospheric air for a 12-year period
Authors: Kostova Bilyana , Borisova Iva , Petkova Vilma
Published: July 2021

The official data of the Executive Environment Agency (ExEA) for the contents of SO2, NO2, fine air particles, O3, CO and C6H6 in the atmospheric air on the territory of Sofia for a 12-year period (2007 – 2018) are analyzed. The trends in their seasonal and annual changes defining the air quality in the urban environment are outlined.
Microsporidian and fungal infections in Lepidoptera and Orthoptera in Bulgaria
Authors: Pilarska Daniela , Gadzhalova Diana , Takov Danail
Published: July 2021

Fourteen hundred and sixty three larvae of 10 lepidopteran species collected from trees and bushes in the spring and summer of 2017, 2018 and 2019 from 5 localities in Northwest and South Bulgaria were investigated for presence of microsporidian and fungal pathogens. Also, 77 grasshopper individuals of Poecilimon thoracicus (Orthoptera, Tettiigoniidae) collected from various shrubs and perennial plants in the spring and summer of 2017 were examined. Conducted microscopic analyses showed the presence of microsporidian infection caused by Endoreticulatis poecilimonae in P. thoracicus and fungal infection in the larvae of mottled umber, Erannis defoliaria caused by Entomophaga auliciae. The studies showed that the average infection rate with the microsporidium E. poecilimonae was 57.1%. The prevalence of the fungus Entomophaga auliciae was 100% during the observed epizootic. E. auliciae is an efficient fungal pathogen which causes strong epizootics and can be used as classical or augmentation biological agent.
Comparative analysis of Aquaponics and Hydroponic systems
Authors: Petkova Vilma , Krusteva Kristina
Published: July 2021

This article presents an analysis of the Aquaponics and Hydroponic systems. The principles of action have been known since the Middle Ages, but in present times they have developed due to an increase in the planet’s population, food and water scarcity, arable land, and environmental pollution. The Hydroponic system is groundless cultivation of food crops, mainly vegetables in a controlled environment. In Aquaponic system the nutrients circulates while combining the life cycle of suitable plants and aquatic fishes. This ensures the functioning of a system that resembles the circles of biogenic chemical elements in nature. Both systems are highly efficient and ecological cleaning, making them particularly suitable for use in urban environments.
The role of the cultural economics in the development of Bulgarian wine tourism
Authors: Velinov Ivo Iv.
Published: July 2021

The author of this report examines basic concepts in the field of wine tourism. The main theoretical ideas, embedded in the cultural economics, aim to represent the dynamics of economic and cultural processes in the tourism industry. The first part of the report outlines thematic assumptions about the role of culture and economy in the wine industry as prerequisites for the development of wine tourism. Therefore, aspects of the emotional, practical and intellectual experience of wine cultural landscapes are analyzed using theoretical statements in the cultural economics. The thematic study summarizes the result of the current cultural and economic situation of wine tourism in relation to Bulgarian natural and anthropogenic tourism resources.
Transtorno do espectro do autismo e ocorrência de neoplasias
Authors: Magalhães Fortes Marianne , Assunção Ribeiro da Costa Rafael Everton , Rodrigues de Abreu Poliana , De Melo Mendes Cíntia Maria
Published: July 2021

Introdução: O transtorno do espectro autista (TEA) é um distúrbio poligênico do neurodesenvolvimento que se caracteriza por sintomas comportamentais, como interações sociais e de comunicação prejudicadas e comportamentos repetitivos em níveis variados. O câncer é uma patologia de grande morbimortalidade, caracterizada pela proliferação descontrolada de células, cuja origem deriva de mutações da sequência de DNA. Curiosamente, o sequenciamento do genoma humano revelou extensa sobreposição em 138 genes de risco para TEA e câncer, sugerindo que o risco aumentado de câncer em indivíduos com TEA pode ter uma base genética significativa. Objetivo: Relatar dois casos de ocorrência de neoplasias em pacientes portadores de transtorno do espectro autista (TEA). Relatos de Casos: Caso 1: paciente do gênero masculino, pardo, 2 anos e 3 meses, portador de leucemia linfoblástica aguda e TEA, tratado com quimioterapia, evoluindo para óbito. Caso 2: paciente do gênero masculino, branco, 33 anos e 3 meses, portador de linfoma Hodgkin e TEA, tratado com quimioterapia, evoluindo para recuperação. Conclusão: Os dois casos descritos ocorreram em pacientes com TEA, do sexo masculino e que apresentaram neoplasias hematológicas, dando visibilidade à associação entre TEA e neoplasias.
Integrating Underutilized Black Volunteers in 4-H Youth Development Programs
Authors: Smith Maurice , Wiley Shannon
Published: July 2021

4-H Youth Development prides itself on providing essential resources to reach underserved minority populations. 4-H provides programming and professional development for volunteers to include diverse hands-on training, and cultural competency workshops. This article provides best practices for the inclusion of African American volunteers in 4-H programming efforts that could help extension educators better understand the need to include minority volunteer roles and responsibilities. These strategies include strengthening diverse volunteer make-up, increasing participation and trust among African American youth, and engaging volunteers working in educational organizations that could provide real world experiences for youth.