bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of a Modified GH11 Xylanase on Live Performance, Gut Health, and Clostridium perfringens Excretion of Broilers Fed Corn-Soy Diets
Authors: Nusairat Basheer , Wang Jeng-Jie
Published: June 2021

Xylanase enzymes and other feed additives are being used more commonly in poultry feed to reduce feed cost, improve performance, and maintain gut health. Five corn-soy-based dietary treatments were designed to compare the effect of different inclusion levels of high-efficiency GH11 xylanase on live performance, gut lesions, and Clostridium perfringens excretion in littler samples of broiler chickens. Diets were the standard diet (positive control; PC); a diet of reduced energy by 130 kcal/kg diet (negative control; NC); NC with xylanase at 10 XU/g of feed (NC + 10); NC with xylanase at 12.5 XU/g of feed (NC + 12.5); NC with xylanase at 15 XU/g of feed (NC + 15). Data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA. At 42 d, birds fed NC + 12.5 and NC + 15 were heavier (P < 0.05) than NC and comparable improvement to birds fed PC. Significant Improvement in FCR (P = 0.0001) was observed from 1 to 42 d for NC + 12.5 and NC + 15 compared with NC. Supplementation of xylanase reduced (P < 0.005) 21 d intestinal lesion score at 21 d with further improvement (P < 0.0001) at 42 d. NC + 15 reduced lesion scores by 24% compared with NC. Xylanase supplementations reduced litter C. perfringens cell forming unit per gram (CFU/g) compared with NC with the highest reduction of NC + 15 treatment by ~27%. In conclusion, xylanase can be included in reduced-energy diets up to 15 XU/g of feed to improve live performance, energy digestibility, and reduce intestinal lesion scores in broilers.
Control of a Rehabilitation Robotic Device Driven by Antagonistic Soft Actuators
Authors: Chi Haozhen , Su Hairong , Liang Wenyu , Ren Qinyuan
Published: June 2021

Stroke is becoming a widely concerned social problem, and robot-assisted devices have made considerable contributions in the training and treatment of rehabilitation. Due to the compliance and continuous deformation capacity, rehabilitation devices driven by soft actuators are attached to widespread attention. Considering the large output force of pneumatic artificial muscle (PAM) and the biological musculoskeletal structure, an antagonistic PAM-driven rehabilitation robotic device is developed. To fulfill the need for control of the proposed device, a knowledge-guided data-driven modeling approach is used and an adaptive feedforward–feedback control approach is presented to ensure the motion accuracy under large deformation motion with high frequency. Finally, several simulations and experiments are carried out to evaluate the performance of the developed system, and the results show that the developed system with the proposed controller can achieve expected control performance under various operations.
Torque Measurement Technology by Using a Magnetostrictive Ring and Multiple Magnets
Authors: Xu Feng , Dhimole Vivek Kumar , Cho Chongdu
Published: June 2021

A torque measurement method that combines the inverse magnetostrictive effect with twist angle measurement has been proposed in this paper. A Kalman filter and complementary filter are applied to significantly reduce the noises and errors in the proposed method. This new measurement block can detect the applied torque with an error of less than 1%. The proposed measurement method can be used in static and dynamic conditions.
Can Colony Size of Honeybees (Apis mellifera) Be Used as Predictor for Colony Losses Due to Varroa destructor during Winter?
Authors: van Dooremalen Coby , van Langevelde Frank
Published: June 2021

For more than three decades, honeybee colonies (Apis mellifera) have experienced high losses during winter and these losses are still continuing. It is crucial that beekeepers monitor their colonies closely and anticipate losses early enough to apply mitigating actions. We tested whether colony size can be used as early predictor for potential colony losses, in particular due to the parasitic mite Varroa destructor. V. destructor is one of the most important causes of these losses. Such an early predictor for potential V. destructor induced losses is especially relevant as measuring V. destructor load in colonies is difficult and cumbersome. Over three years, we monitored colonies with high and low V. destructor loads from July until March of the next year. We found that differences in colony size were only visible after November, even though we lost almost all colonies every winter in the group with a high V. destructor load. In the Northern hemisphere, November is considered to be too late for beekeepers to strengthen colonies in preparation for winter. We therefore argue that early warning signs for potential colony losses due to V. destructor are urgently needed to allow beekeepers to prevent winter losses. We discuss the role of precision apiculture in monitoring the health and productivity of beehive colonies.
Protective and Curative Effects of Trichoderma asperelloides Ta41 on Tomato Root Rot Caused by Rhizoctonia solani Rs33
Authors: Heflish Ahmed A. , Abdelkhalek Ahmed , Al-Askar Abdulaziz A. , Behiry Said I.
Published: June 2021

Two molecularly identified tomato isolates, Trichoderma asperelloides Ta41 and Rhizoctonia solani Rs33, were characterized and antagonistically evaluated. The dual culture technique showed that Ta41 had a high antagonistic activity of 83.33%, while a light microscope bioassay demonstrated that the Ta41 isolate over-parasitized the pathogen completely. Under greenhouse conditions, the application of Ta41 was able to promote tomato plant growth and had a significant increase in plant height, root length, and shoot fresh, shoot dry, root fresh, and root dry weight. It also improved chlorophyll content and total phenol content significantly, both in protective and in curative treatments. The protective treatment assay exhibited the lowest disease index (16.00%), while the curative treatment showed a disease index of 33.33%. At 20 days post-inoculation, significant increases in the relative expression levels of four defense-related genes (PR-1, PR-2, PR-3, and CHS) were observed in all Ta41-treated plants when compared with the non-treated plants. Interestingly, the plants treated with Ta41 alone showed the highest expression, with relative transcriptional levels of CHS, PR-3, PR-1, and PR-2 that were, compared with the control, 3.91-, 3.13-, 2.94-, and 2.69-fold higher, respectively, and the protective treatment showed relative transcriptional levels that were 3.50-, 3.63-, 2.39-, and 2.27-fold higher, respectively. Consequently, the ability of Ta41 to promote tomato growth, suppress Rs33 growth, and induce systemic resistance supports the incorporation of Ta41 as a potential bioagent for controlling root rot disease and increasing the productivity of crops, including tomatoes.
The Use of Intellectual Property Systems in Plant Breeding for Ensuring Deployment of Good Agricultural Practices
Authors: Smulders Marinus J. M. , van de Wiel Clemens C. M. , Lotz Lambertus A. P.
Published: June 2021

Breeding innovations are relevant for sustainable agricultural development and food security, as new, resilient production systems require crop varieties optimally suited for these systems. In the societal debate around genetic engineering and other plant breeding innovations, ownership of patents on the technology used in the hands of large companies is often seen as a reason that small breeding companies are denied opportunities for further improving varieties or that farmers are restricted in using such varieties. However, intellectual property (IP) systems may also be used as tools to ensure the use of good agricultural practices when cultivating the resulting varieties. This paper explores documented cases in which IP systems (plant variety rights, patents and brand names) are used to promote that innovative varieties are grown according to good agricultural practices (GAP). These include effective disease resistance management regimes in innovative crop varieties of potato in order to prevent or delay pathogens from overcoming disease resistance genes, management regimes for transgenic insect-resistant Bt or herbicide-tolerant crops to prevent the development of resistant pests or weeds, respectively. The results are discussed with respect to the influence of breeders on GAP measures through various forms of IP and the contribution and role of other stakeholders, authorities and society at large in stimulating and ensuring the use of GAP.
Productivity of Paddies as Influenced by Varied Rates of Recommended Nutrients in Conjunction with Biofertilizers in Local Landraces
Authors: Nataraja T. H. , Naika Raja , Shankarappa Shashidhar K. , Reddy Krishna Viswanatha , Abdelmohsen Shaimaa A. M. , Al-Harbi Fatemah F. , El-Abedin Tarek K. Zin , Elansary Hosam O. , Abdelbacki Ashraf M. M.
Published: June 2021

This research work explores the productive performance of local paddy landraces under different fertility levels as well as the role of microbial inoculants in improving the yields of paddy landraces and reducing nutrient additions by increasing nutrient use efficiency under changing climatic scenarios in coastal areas. The landrace Padmarekha recorded taller plants, more tillers per hill, higher total dry matter accumulation other than grain and straw yields besides better uptake of N, P2O5, K2O, S and Zn. Further, nutrient management with the application of 100% of the recommended doses of fertilizers combined with biofertilizers including Azospirillum + Bacillus megatherium var. Phosphoticum + Frateuria quaratia + Thiobacillus thiooxidans + Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza recorded higher growth and yield traits in addition to improving the uptake of nutrients and partial factor productivity. Thus, it can be concluded that the application of 100% of the recommended dose of fertilizer, inoculated with biofertilizers, would be helpful in increasing the efficiency of applied nutrients in addition to improving yield and nutrient use efficiency.
Occupational Methacrylate Allergy in Dental Personnel
Authors: Cameli Norma , Mariano Maria , Pigliacelli Flavia , Silvestri Martina , Cristaudo Antonio
Published: June 2021

Purpose of the article: Acrylate and methacrylate (MA) use in the dental industry is widespread, being utilized in dental prostheses and composite resins, dentin bonding materials, and glass ionomers. However, occupational methacrylate allergy in dental personnel is a growing phenomenon. The aims of this retrospective observational study are to evaluate the risk of occupational contact dermatitis following exposure to methacrylates in dental personnel and to identify possible preventive measures. Materials and Methods: A total of 126 subjects exposed to acrylic and methacrylic resins in their professional context and who reported clinical manifestations were included from our outpatient department database. These were subdivided into two groups: 81 dental technicians and 45 dental hygienists. All the subjects had undergone patch testing with a “methacrylate series” (FIRMA) and readings were taken after 2 days (D2), 4 days (D4), and 7 days (D7). Results: A significantly higher incidence of methacrylate allergy was found in the dental technician group compared to the dental hygienists. Among the dental technicians, 40.7% of the subjects presented skin manifestations. The hands were the most frequently affected sites. Conclusion: Our results confirm the high sensitizing potential of MA in the workplace for dental personnel and in particular an increased professional risk in work where the hands are directly involved (dental technicians). Patch testing as an integrated part of a screening tray is needed for a complete evaluation of occupational skin allergy due to MA in dental personnel. The adoption of proper primary preventive measures, including gloves, protective eyewear, face shields, and disposable gowns, can be useful in preventing new cases of contact dermatitis, which may lead to a change of occupation in dental personnel.
Comparison of Extracapsular Stabilization Techniques Using an Ultrasonically Implanted Absorbable Bone Anchor (Weldix) after Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture in Cats—An In Vitro Study
Authors: Koch Lydia , Bockstahler Barbara , Tichy Alexander , Peham Christian , Schnabl-Feichter Eva
Published: June 2021

Background: This study evaluated joint stability after surgical repair of cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL)-deficient stifle joints in cats using a novel absorbable polylactide bone anchor in an ex vivo model. Methods: Thirty-six hindlimbs from cats with intact (Gi group) and transected CrCLs were treated with fabellotibial suture alone (GFW group), suture combined with an absorbable polylactide bone anchor (GWD group), or suture combined with a nonabsorbable bone anchor (GFT group), positioned in a limb press with predefined joint angles (stifle joint: 120 ± 5°; hock joint: 120 ± 5°) and loaded with 10%, 20%, and 30% of body mass (BM). Predefined points were measured on lateral radiographs and with a coordinate measurement machine. Distances on radiographs (mm) were measured and angles (°) were calculated to represent the craniocaudal movement and the internal rotation of the tibia. Results: There were no differences for craniocaudal movement between Gi and GFW or GFT, but for GWD regarding angle measurement at 30% BM. For internal rotation, there was no significant difference between Gi and GFW or GWD, but for GFT. Conclusion: The used absorbable polylactide bone-anchor was able to stabilize the stifle joint regarding internal rotation and craniocaudal movement as calculated from distance measurements.
Developing Equations for Converting Digestible Energy to Metabolizable Energy for Korean Hanwoo Beef Cattle
Authors: Ibidhi Ridha , Bharanidharan Rajaraman , Kim Jong-Geun , Hong Woo-Hyeong , Nam In-Sik , Baek Youl-Chang , Kim Tae-Hoon , Kim Kyoung-Hoon
Published: June 2021

This study was performed to update and generate prediction equations for converting digestible energy (DE) to metabolizable energy (ME) for Korean Hanwoo beef cattle, taking into consideration the gender (male and female) and body weights (BW above and below 350 kg) of the animals. The data consisted of 141 measurements from respiratory chambers with a wide range of diets and energy intake levels. A simple linear regression of the overall unadjusted data suggested a strong relationship between the DE and ME (Mcal/kg DM): ME = 0.8722 × DE + 0.0016 (coefficient of determination (R2) = 0.946, root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.107, p < 0.001 for intercept and slope). Mixed-model regression analyses to adjust for the effects of the experiment from which the data were obtained similarly showed a strong linear relationship between the DE and ME (Mcal/kg of DM): ME = 0.9215 × DE − 0.1434 (R2 = 0.999, RMSE = 0.004, p < 0.001 for the intercept and slope). The DE was strongly related to the ME for both genders: ME = 0.8621 × DE + 0.0808 (R2 = 0.9600, RMSE = 0.083, p < 0.001 for the intercept and slope) and ME = 0.7785 × DE + 0.1546 (R2 = 0.971, RMSE = 0.070, p < 0.001 for the intercept and slope) for male and female Hanwoo cattle, respectively. By BW, the simple linear regression similarly showed a strong relationship between the DE and ME for Hanwoo above and below 350 kg BW: ME = 0.9833 × DE − 0.2760 (R2 = 0.991, RMSE = 0.055, p < 0.001 for the intercept and slope) and ME = 0.72975 × DE + 0.38744 (R2 = 0.913, RMSE = 0.100, p < 0.001 for the intercept and slope), respectively. A multiple regression using the DE and dietary factors as independent variables did not improve the accuracy of the ME prediction (ME = 1.149 × DE − 0.045 × crude protein + 0.011 × neutral detergent fibre − 0.027 × acid detergent fibre + 0.683).
Economic Analysis of Offering Different Herbage Allowances to Dairy Cows Fed a Partial Mixed Ration
Authors: Ho Christie K. M. , Auldist Martin J. , Wright Marlie M. , Marett Leah C. , Malcolm Bill , Wales William J.
Published: June 2021

The economics of grazing dairy cows offered a range of herbage allowances and fed supplements as a partial mixed ration (PMR) were examined where profit was defined as the margin between total milk income and the cost of pasture plus PMR supplement. The analysis made use of milk production and feed intake data from two dairy cow nutrition experiments, one in early lactation and the other in late lactation. In early lactation and at a PMR intake of 6 kg DM/cow per day, the profit from the cows with access to a medium herbage allowance (25 kg DM/cow per day) was AUD 1.40/cow per day higher than that for cows on a low allowance (15 kg DM/cow per day). At a higher PMR intake of 14 kg DM/cow per day, the profit from the cows on a medium herbage allowance was AUD 0.45/cow per day higher than the cows on a low allowance; there was no additional profit from increasing the herbage allowance from medium to high (40 kg DM/cow per day). In late lactation, the profit from the cows fed a PMR with a medium herbage allowance (20 kg DM/cow per day) was only higher than the cows on a low allowance (12 kg DM/cow per day) when the PMR intake was between 6 and 12 kg DM/cow per day. There was also a difference of AUD +0.50/cow per day between the PMR with medium and high herbage allowance (32 kg DM/cow per day). It was concluded that farmers who feed a PMR to dairy cows should offer at least a medium herbage allowance to optimize profit. While feeding additional PMR increases milk production and profit, further gains would be available by offering a higher herbage allowance. These findings provide an estimate of the net benefits of different herbage allowances when feeding a PMR and will enable farmers to manage their feeding systems more profitably.
Clonal Diversity of Klebsiella spp. and Escherichia spp. Strains Isolated from Patients with Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia
Authors: Papajk Jan , Mezerová Kristýna , Uvízl Radovan , Štosová Taťána , Kolář Milan
Published: June 2021

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is one of the most severe complications affecting mechanically ventilated patients. The condition is caused by microaspiration of potentially pathogenic bacteria from the upper respiratory tract into the lower respiratory tract or by bacterial pathogens from exogenous sources such as healthcare personnel, devices, aids, fluids and air. The aim of our prospective, observational study was to confirm the hypothesis that in the etiology of VAP, an important role is played by etiological agents from the upper airway bacterial microflora. At the same time, we studied the hypothesis that the vertical spread of bacterial pathogens is more frequent than their horizontal spread among patients. A total of 697 patients required mechanical ventilation for more than 48 h. The criteria for VAP were met by 47 patients. Clonality of bacterial isolates from 20 patients was determined by comparing their macrorestriction profiles obtained by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Among these 20 patients, a total of 29 PFGE pulsotypes of Klebsiella spp. and Escherichia spp. strains were observed. The high variability of clones proves that there was no circulation of bacterial pathogens among hospitalized patients. Our finding confirms the development of VAP as a result of bacterial microaspiration and therefore the endogenous origin of VAP.
Prevalence and Risk Factors for Multidrug-Resistant Organisms Colonization in Long-Term Care Facilities Around the World: A Review
Authors: Rodríguez-Villodres Ángel , Martín-Gandul Cecilia , Peñalva Germán , Guisado-Gil Ana Belén , Crespo-Rivas Juan Carlos , Pachón-Ibáñez María Eugenia , Lepe José Antonio , Cisneros José Miguel
Published: June 2021

Elderly people confined to chronic care facilities face an increased risk of acquiring infections by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). This review presents the current knowledge of the prevalence and risk factors for colonization by MDROs in long-term care facilities (LTCF), thereby providing a useful reference to establish objectives for implementing successful antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs). We searched in PubMed and Scopus for studies examining the prevalence of MDROs and/or risk factors for the acquisition of MDROs in LTCF. One hundred and thirty-four studies published from 1987 to 2020 were included. The prevalence of MDROs in LTCF varies between the different continents, where Asia reported the highest prevalence of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL) Enterobacterales (71.6%), carbapenem resistant (CR) Enterobacterales (6.9%) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (25.6%) and North America the highest prevalence to MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5.4%), MDR Acinetobacter baumannii (15.0%), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. (VRE) (4.0%), and Clostridioides difficile (26.1%). Furthermore, MDRO prevalence has experienced changes over time, with increases in MDR P. aeruginosa and extended spectrum ß-lactamase producing Enterobacterales observed starting in 2015 and decreases of CR Enterobacterales, MDR A. baumannii, VRE, MRSA and C. difficile. Several risk factors have been found, such as male sex, chronic wounds, the use of medical devices, and previous antibiotic use. The last of these aspects represents one of the most important modifiable factors for reducing colonization with MDROs through implementing ASPs in LTCF.
South Africa’s Best BARK Medicines Prescribed at the Johannesburg Muthi Markets for Skin, Gut, and Lung Infections: MIC’s and Brine Shrimp Lethality
Authors: Khumalo Gugulethu P. , Sadgrove Nicholas J. , Van Vuuren Sandy F. , Van Wyk Ben-Erik
Published: June 2021

Indigenous trade of medicinal plants in South Africa is a multi-million-rand industry and is still highly relevant in terms of primary health care. The purpose of this study was to identify today’s most traded medicinal barks, traditionally and contemporaneously used for dermatological, gastrointestinal, and respiratory tract infections; then, to investigate the antimicrobial activity and toxicity of the respective extracts and interpret outcomes in light of pharmacokinetics. Thirty-one popularly traded medicinal barks were purchased from the Faraday and Kwa Mai-Mai markets in Johannesburg, South Africa. Information on the medicinal uses of bark-based medicines in modern commerce was recorded from randomly selected traders. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method was used for antimicrobial screening, and brine shrimp lethality was used to determine toxicity. New medicinal uses were recorded for 14 bark species. Plants demonstrating some broad-spectrum activities against tested bacteria include Elaeodendron transvaalense, Erythrina lysistemon, Garcinia livingstonei, Pterocelastrus rostratus, Rapanea melanophloeos, Schotia brachypetala, Sclerocarya birrea, and Ziziphus mucronata. The lowest MIC value of 0.004 mg/mL was observed against Staphylococcus epidermidis for a dichloromethane bark extract of E. lysistemon. The tested medicinal barks were shown to be non-toxic against the Artemia nauplii (brine shrimp) bioassay, except for a methanol extract from Trichilia emetica (69.52% mortality). Bacterial inhibition of bark extracts with minimal associated toxicity is consistent with the safety and valuable use of medicinal barks for local muthi market customers. Antimicrobial outcomes against skin and gastrointestinal pathogens are feasible because mere contact-inhibition is required in vivo; however, MIC values against respiratory pathogens require further explaining from a pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics perspective, particularly for ingested rather than smoked therapies.
Chronic Ultraviolet Irradiation to the Skin Dysregulates Adrenal Medulla and Dopamine Metabolism In Vivo
Authors: Lim Hye-Sun , Yoon Kyeong-No , Chung Jin Ho , Lee Yong-Seok , Lee Dong Hun , Park Gunhyuk
Published: June 2021

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation has a strong biological effect on skin biology, and it switches on adaptive mechanisms to maintain homeostasis in organs such as the skin, adrenal glands, and brain. In this study, we examined the adaptation of the body to repeated bouts of UVB radiation, especially with respect to the catecholamine synthesis pathway of the adrenal glands. The effects of UVB on catecholamine-related enzymes were determined by neurochemical and histological analyses. To evaluate catecholamine changes after chronic excessive UVB irradiation of mouse skin, we examined dopamine and norepinephrine levels in the adrenal glands and blood from UV-irradiated and sham-irradiated mice. We found that chronic excessive UVB exposure significantly reduced dopamine levels in both tissues but did not affect norepinephrine levels. In addition, UVB irradiation significantly increased the levels of related enzymes tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine-β-hydroxylase. Furthermore, we also found that apoptosis-associated markers were increased and that oxidative defense proteins were decreased, which might have contributed to the marked structural abnormalities in the adrenal medullas of the chronically UVB-irradiated mice. This is the first evidence of the damage to the adrenal gland and subsequent dysregulation of catecholamine metabolism induced by chronic exposure to UVB.
Sesamin Activates Nrf2/Cnc-Dependent Transcription in the Absence of Oxidative Stress in Drosophila Adult Brains
Authors: Le Tuan Dat , Inoue Yoshihiro H.
Published: June 2021

Sesamin, a major lignin in sesame seeds, possesses health-promoting properties. Sesamin feeding suppresses several aging-related phenotypes such as age-dependent accumulation of damaged proteins in the muscles and neuronal loss in the brains of Drosophila adults with high levels of reactive oxygen species. Sesamin promotes the transcription of several genes that are responsible for oxidative stress, although the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we aimed to demonstrate that sesamin mediates its action through activation of a transcription factor, Nrf2 (Cnc in Drosophila), essential for anti-aging oxidative stress response. Nrf2/Cnc activation was determined using the antioxidant response element, Green Fluorescence Protein reporter, that can monitor Nrf2/Cnc-dependent transcription. We observed strong fluorescence in the entire bodies, particularly in the abdomens and brains, of adult flies fed sesamin. Interestingly, Nrf2/Cnc was strongly activated in neuronal cells, especially in several neuron types, including glutamatergic and cholinergic, and some dopaminergic and/or serotonergic neurons but not in GABAergic neurons or the mushroom bodies of flies fed sesamin. These results indicate that the anti-aging effects of sesamin are exerted via activation of Nrf2/Cnc-dependent transcription to circumvent oxidative stress accumulation in several types of neurons of adult brains. Sesamin could be explored as a potential dietary supplement for preventing neurodegeneration associated with accumulation of oxidative stress.
Methods for Preventing Visual Attacks in Convolutional Neural Networks Based on Data Discard and Dimensionality Reduction
Authors: Andriyanov Nikita
Published: June 2021

The article is devoted to the study of convolutional neural network inference in the task of image processing under the influence of visual attacks. Attacks of four different types were considered: simple, involving the addition of white Gaussian noise, impulse action on one pixel of an image, and attacks that change brightness values within a rectangular area. MNIST and Kaggle dogs vs. cats datasets were chosen. Recognition characteristics were obtained for the accuracy, depending on the number of images subjected to attacks and the types of attacks used in the training. The study was based on well-known convolutional neural network architectures used in pattern recognition tasks, such as VGG-16 and Inception_v3. The dependencies of the recognition accuracy on the parameters of visual attacks were obtained. Original methods were proposed to prevent visual attacks. Such methods are based on the selection of “incomprehensible” classes for the recognizer, and their subsequent correction based on neural network inference with reduced image sizes. As a result of applying these methods, gains in the accuracy metric by a factor of 1.3 were obtained after iteration by discarding incomprehensible images, and reducing the amount of uncertainty by 4–5% after iteration by applying the integration of the results of image analyses in reduced dimensions.
The Study of the Surface Plasmon Polaritons at the Interface Separating Nanocomposite and Hypercrystal
Authors: Ioannidis Thanos , Gric Tatjana , Rafailov Edik
Published: June 2021

Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) propagating at the interfaces of composite media possess a number of fascinating properties not emerging in case of conventional SPPs, i.e., at metal-dielectric boundaries. We propose here a helpful algorithm giving rise for investigation of basic features of complex conductivity dependent SPPs at the interface separating nanocomposite and hypercrystal. The main goal of the work is to investigate dispersion of the SPPs propagating at the boundary separating two different media. Aiming to achieve the aforementioned goal that the effective Maxwell Garnett model is used. It is demonstrated that the SPPs dispersive properties are dramatically affected by the material conductivity. Correspondingly, the filling ratio of the nanoparticles in the composite and their dielectric properties also allow one to engineer characteristics of the SPPs. Having a deep insight into the conductivity dependent functions, we concluded, on their behavior for the case of hyperbolic regime and Dyakonov surface waves case. Our model gives rise for studying features of surface waves in the complex conductivity plane and provides more options to tune the fundamental features of SPPs at the boundaries correlated with composite media.
A Wearable System for the Estimation of Performance-Related Metrics during Running and Jumping Tasks
Authors: Tedesco Salvatore , Alfieri Davide , Perez-Valero Eduardo , Komaris Dimitrios-Sokratis , Jordan Luke , Belcastro Marco , Barton John , Hennessy Liam , O’Flynn Brendan
Published: June 2021

Athletic performance, technique assessment, and injury prevention are all important aspects in sports for both professional and amateur athletes. Wearable technology is attracting the research community’s interest because of its capability to provide real-time biofeedback to coaches and athletes when on the field and outside of more restrictive laboratory conditions. In this paper, a novel wearable motion sensor-based system has been designed and developed for athletic performance assessment during running and jumping tasks. The system consists of a number of components involving embedded systems (hardware and software), back-end analytics, information and communications technology (ICT) platforms, and a graphical user interface for data visualization by the coach. The system is able to provide automatic activity recognition, estimation of running and jumping metrics, as well as vertical ground reaction force (GRF) predictions, with sufficient accuracy to provide valuable information as regards training outcomes. The developed system is low-power, sufficiently small for real-world scenarios, easy to use, and achieves the specified communication range. The system’s high sampling rate, levels of accuracy and performance enables it as a performance evaluation tool able to support coaches and athletes in their real-world practice.
Influences of Work Function Changes in NO2 and H2S Adsorption on Pd-Doped ZnGa2O4(111) Thin Films: First-Principles Studies
Authors: Tung Jen-Chuan , Wang Ding-Yuan , Chen Yu-Hsuan , Liu Po-Liang
Published: June 2021

The work function variations of NO2 and H2S molecules on Pd-adsorbed ZnGa2O4(111) were calculated using first-principle calculations. For the bonding of a nitrogen atom from a single NO2 molecule to a Pd atom, the maximum work function change was +1.37 eV, and for the bonding of two NO2 molecules to a Pd atom, the maximum work function change was +2.37 eV. For H2S adsorption, the maximum work function change was reduced from −0.90 eV to −1.82 eV for bonding sulfur atoms from a single and two H2S molecules to a Pd atom, respectively. Thus, for both NO2 and H2S, the work function change increased with an increase in gas concentration, showing that Pd-decorated ZnGa2O4(111) is a suitable material in NO2/H2S gas detectors.
Inhibitory Effect of Cinnamaldehyde on Main Destructive Microorganisms of Nanhai No. 1 Shipwreck
Authors: Huang Xinduo , Han Yeqing , Du Jing , Guo Peifeng , Wang Yu , Ma Kaixuan , Li Naisheng , Zhang Zhiguo , Li Yue , Pan Jiao
Published: June 2021

Nanhai No. 1, a shipwreck in the Southern Song Dynasty, China, has a history of more than 800 years. It was salvaged in 2007 and is now on display in the Guangdong Maritime Silk Road Museum. Due to the fact that the hull is a wooden cultural relic and exposed to the air, the biological corrosion and biodegradation caused by microorganisms are key problems of hull protection. At present, the antimicrobial agent Euxyl® K100 (isothiazolinone) has a significant antimicrobial effect in the field, but it has a certain negative impact on the environment and archeologists. In order to reduce the use of chemical antimicrobial agents, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of cinnamaldehyde on the main destructive microorganisms of Nanhai No. 1. Cinnamaldehyde is the main active component of cinnamon, and has broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties. The paper diffusion method, gas diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration experiment were used to detect the inhibitory effects of cinnamaldehyde on the main microorganisms of Nanhai No. 1. We found that cinnamaldehyde had significant inhibitory effects on Bacillus tequilensis NK-NH5, Bacillus megaterium NK-NH10, Bacillus velezensis NK-NH11, Bacillus sp. NK-NH15, Bacillus sp. NK-NH16, Bacillus sp. NK-NH17, Fusariumsolani NK-NH1 and Scedosporiumapiospermum NK.W1-3. At the same time, cinnamaldehyde had more inhibitory effects on fungi than bacteria. Finally, we verified that cinnamaldehyde can effectively inhibit the growth of microorganisms in water, for storing the scattered wood blocks of the Nanhai No. 1 hull through laboratory simulation experiments. Cinnamaldehyde, as an environment-friendly antimicrobial agent, is of great significance to protecting water-saturated wooden relics from microbial corrosion and degradation in the future.
Failure Modes in Electricity and Telecommunication Facilities in Dwellings in Spain
Authors: Carretero-Ayuso Manuel J. , Sánchez-Barroso Gonzalo , González-Domínguez Jaime , García-Sanz-Calcedo Justo
Published: June 2021

The value of a house depends not only on the quality of the construction elements but also on the functionality of its installations. Making mistakes during the design and even execution phases of installations in newly built homes is common. This paper determines, catalogues, and quantifies faults in electrical and telecommunications installations in dwellings based on owners’ complaints and using the ‘learning from faults’ philosophy. To this end, 154 complaints concerning these installations in all of Spain were analyzed and protocolized. The results show that, in all types of dwellings, the most common fault was ‘alterations and malfunctions’ (81%), followed by ‘incorrect or lack of placement of elements’ (14%). The pathological origin with the greatest presence in the research was ‘shortcomings and omissions in the installation’ (40%) and ‘anomalies in the installation’ (36%). Moreover, all functional deterioration processes as well as the type of dwelling where each of these parameters occurred most were defined and quantified (association between each fault and its cause). Finally, the ‘probability factor’ (PF) was determined, which numerically quantifies the probable existence of complaints according to four ranges. The results will pave the way for more precise inspections during the construction phase.
Laser Therapy in the Treatment of Peri-Implantitis: State-of-the-Art, Literature Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Pisano Massimo , Amato Alessandra , Sammartino Pasquale , Iandolo Alfredo , Martina Stefano , Caggiano Mario
Published: June 2021

(1) Background: The treatment of the peri-implantitis is still challenging, and no consensus was found in the literature on which is the best treatment protocol. In recent years, numerous authors have proposed the use of the dental laser as an alternative and effective method for decontaminating the surface of infected implants. Therefore, the aim of this work was to examine the state-of-the-art on the use of lasers in the treatment of peri-implantitis through the literature. (2) Methods: An electronic search was conducted through the PubMed database; we selected and reviewed articles that evaluated the effects of laser irradiation in the treatment of peri-implantitis. (3) Results: The use of lasers seems to provide similar results if compared with conventional mechanical therapy. The included studies were divided into three groups based on the active medium of the laser used for the treatments being tested (Erbium: Yttrium Aluminum Garnet, CO2 and diode laser). (4) Conclusions: The lasers showed positive results, on average, after 6 months of follow-up. Comparative clinical trials conducted with the aim to test the efficiency of laser irradiation, in addition to conventional therapy, indicate that this technique can induce similar results if compared to conventional therapy alone.
LTmatch: A Method to Abstract Pattern from Unstructured Log
Authors: Wang Xiaodong , Zhao Yining , Xiao Haili , Wang Xiaoning , Chi Xuebin
Published: June 2021

Logs record valuable data from different software and systems. Execution logs are widely available and are helpful in monitoring, examination, and system understanding of complex applications. However, log files usually contain too many lines of data for a human to deal with, therefore it is important to develop methods to process logs by computers. Logs are usually unstructured, which is not conducive to automatic analysis. How to categorize logs and turn into structured data automatically is of great practical significance. In this paper, LTmatch algorithm is proposed, which implements a log pattern extracting algorithm based on a weighted word matching rate. Compared with our preview work, this algorithm not only classifies the logs according to the longest common subsequence(LCS) but also gets and updates the log template in real-time. Besides, the pattern warehouse of the algorithm uses a fixed deep tree to store the log patterns, which optimizes the matching efficiency of log pattern extraction. To verify the advantages of the algorithm, we applied the proposed algorithm to the open-source data set with different kinds of labeled log data. A variety of state-of-the-art log pattern extraction algorithms are used for comparison. The result shows our method is improved by 2.67% in average accuracy when compared with the best result in all the other methods.
Brainware Computing: Concepts, Scopes and Challenges
Authors: Huh Eui-Nam , Hossain Md Imtiaz
Published: June 2021

Over the decades, robotics technology has acquired sufficient advancement through the progression of 5G Internet, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud, and Edge Computing. Though nowadays, Cobot and Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) supported robots with edge computing paradigms have achieved remarkable performances in diverse applications, the existing SOA robotics technology fails to develop a multi-domain expert with high performing robots and demands improvement to Service-Oriented Brain, SOB (including AI model, driving service application and metadata) enabling robot for deploying brain and a new computing model with more scalability and flexibility. In this paper, instead of focusing on SOA and Robot as a Service (RaaS) model, we propose a novel computing architecture, addressed as Brainware Computing, for driving multiple domain-specific brains one-at-a-time in a single hardware robot according to the service, addressed as Brain as a Service (BaaS). In Brainware Computing, each robot can install and remove the virtual machine, which contains SOB and operating applications from the nearest edge cloud. Secondly, we provide an extensive explanation of the scope and possibilities of Brainware Computing. Finally, we demonstrate several challenges and opportunities and then concluded with future research directions in the field of Brainware Computing.
A Pandemic Early Warning System Decision Analysis Concept Utilizing a Distributed Network of Air Samplers via Electrostatic Air Precipitation
Authors: Bango Joseph J. , Agostinelli Sophia A. , Maroney Makayla , Dziekan Michael , Deeb Ruba , Duman Gazi
Published: June 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for improved airborne infectious disease monitoring capability. A key challenge is to develop a technology that captures pathogens for identification from ambient air. While pathogenic species vary significantly in size and shape, for effective airborne pathogen detection the target species must be selectively captured from aerosolized droplets. Captured pathogens must then be separated from the remaining aerosolized droplet content and characterized in real-time. While improvements have been made with clinical laboratory automated sorting in culture media based on morphological characteristics of cells, this application has not extended to aerosol samples containing bacteria, viruses, spores, or prions. This manuscript presents a strategy and a model for the development of an airborne pandemic early warning system using aerosol sampling.
Linking ECMWF 2 m Temperature Forecast Errors with Upper-Level Circulation Situation: A Case-Study for China
Authors: Wei Xiaomin , Sun Xiaogong , Liang Zhaoming , Sun Jilin , Xiong Zhaohui
Published: June 2021

Using the observational data and the forecast and reanalysis data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) during 2015–2018, the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of the 2 m temperature forecast errors of ECMWF in China, as well as their attribution to upper-level circulation, are analyzed. Results show that positive 2 m temperature forecast errors mainly occur in northwestern, northern and northeastern China, and gradually increase from January to December. This kind of error is attributed to the circulation errors associated with the circumfluence of the low-level differential winds along the Mongolian Plateau, and influenced by the changes in the mid-latitude trough and ridge with the seasons. In contrast, the negative 2 m temperature forecast errors mainly occur in the southeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with the largest errors around March and October, and the smallest errors around June and December. This kind of error is associated with a series of cyclonic and anticyclonic differential circulations generated by the detouring of the mid-level differential winds along the terrain near the south side of the Plateau. The positions and intensity of these differential circulations are also influenced by the variation in the mid-level circulation with the seasons.
The Awareness of and Input into Cultural Heritage Preservation by Urban Planners and Other Municipal Actors in Light of Climate Change
Authors: Carroll Paul , Aarrevaara Eeva
Published: June 2021

Future climate conditions need to be considered in planning for urban areas. As well as considering how new structures would best endure in the future, it is important to take into account factors that contribute to the degradation of cultural heritage buildings in the urban setting. Climate change can cause an increase in structural degradation. In this paper, a review of both what these factors are and how they are addressed by urban planners is presented. A series of inquiries into the topic was carried out on town planning personnel and those involved in cultural heritage preservation in several towns and cities in Finland and in a small number of other European countries. The target group members were asked about observed climate change impacts on cultural heritage, about present steps being taken to protect urban cultural heritage, and also their views were obtained on how climate change impacts will be emphasised in the future in this regard. The results of the inquiry demonstrate that climate change is still considered only in a limited way in urban planning, and more interaction between different bodies, both planning and heritage authorities, as well as current research on climate change impacts, is needed in the field.
The Impact Packaging Type Has on the Flavor of Wine
Authors: Thompson-Witrick Katherine A. , Pitts Eric R. , Nemenyi John L. , Budner Drew
Published: June 2021

This is a literature review of the most commonly available wine packaging categories. This includes glass bottles, polyethylene terephthalate bottles (PET), bag-in-box (BIB), aluminum cans, and Tetra Pak. This review includes a description and history of each category. In addition, the market share and environmental impacts of each category are discussed. Special attention is paid to the reported impact on packaged wine flavor and aroma for each packaging type. Finally, the potential impacts on consumer preference are discussed. While glass is still the dominant packaging material within the wine industry and by consumer demand, economic and environmental concerns are driving the industry and consumers to investigate and adopt alternative packaging materials.
Studies on the Catalytic Properties of Crude Freeze-Dried Preparations of Yarrowia lipolytica Extracellular Lipases for Geranyl Ester Derivative Synthesis
Authors: Jasińska Karina , Zieniuk Bartłomiej , Nowak Dorota , Fabiszewska Agata
Published: June 2021

The study aimed to evaluate the impact of selected factors of the freeze-drying process on the hydrolytic and synthetic activity of the extracellular lipases of Y. lipolytica KKP 379 and to attempt the use of the crude enzyme preparation as a biocatalyst in the synthesis of geranyl 4-hydroxyphenylpropanoate. Antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the geranyl ester derivative were also investigated in order to evaluate their usefulness as a novel food additive. The studies confirmed that freeze-drying was an effective method of dehydrating yeast supernatant and allowed for obtaining lyophilizates with low water activity from 0.055 to 0.160. The type and concentration of the additive (2–6% whey protein hydrolyzate, 0.5% and 1% ammonium sulphate) had a significant effect on the hydrolytic activity of enzyme preparations, while the selected variants of drying temperature during the freeze-drying process were not significant (10 °C and 50 °C). Low yield of geranyl 4-hydroxyphenylopropionate was shown when the lyophilized supernatant was used (5.3%), but the yield of ester synthesis increased when the freeze-dried Y. lipolytica yeast biomass was applied (47.9%). The study confirmed the antioxidant properties of the synthesized ester by the DPPH• and CUPRAC methods, as well as higher antibacterial activity against tested bacteria than its precursor with 0.125 mM MIC (minimal inhibitory concentration) against L. monocytogenes.