bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social Trust and Anti-immigrant Attitudes in Europe: A Longitudinal Multi-Level Analysis
Authors: Mitchell Jeffrey
Published: April 2021

Research investigating how social conditions influence attitudes about immigrants has focused primarily on demographic and economic factors as potential threat inducing contexts that lead to anti-immigrant sentiment. However, the empirical evidence supporting this link is mixed, while social cohesion indicators such as the influence of social trust, have largely been left unexamined. This article uses the European Social Survey (2002–2016) to test how differences in social trust, both within and between countries influence attitudes about immigrants. Results from longitudinal analyses show that countries with higher levels of social trust have more favorable attitudes toward immigrants, and while changes in social trust over time are small, they result in comparably large changes in anti-immigrant attitudes, even when controlling for other social factors. These results are robust across different model specifications and data sources.
“Looking for a Golden Needle in the Haystack”: Perspectives on Talent Identification and Development in Paralympic Sport
Authors: Dehghansai Nima , Pinder Ross A. , Baker Joe
Published: April 2021

Despite rapid increases in research on talent identification and development in able-bodied sports, there remains limited knowledge regarding how talent is identified and developed in Paralympic contexts. The purpose of this study was to capture the perspectives of experts (coaches, high-performance managers, and pathway specialists) working in elite Paralympic sport to better understand how they conceptualize, measure, and develop talent. Eight coaches and three performance directors from six Paralympic sports, along with two pathway specialists from Paralympics Australia participated in semi-structured interviews. The results suggest impairment type and, therefore, classification are key indicators of identification and anticipated success, highlighting the importance of educating talent selectors in these areas. In addition, familial (e.g., overprotectiveness, sporting background) and biopsychosocial factors (e.g., resilience, work-ethic, sport-specific skills, other life commitments) were noted as being influential when selecting athletes. There were concerns regarding the disproportionately low number of female athletes in the system, suggesting a need for new initiatives to support early-entry points for female athletes (e.g., education on the benefits of sport participation, supportive environments). High-performance staff also lacked resources to better understand the nuances associated with different impairments and their implications (physiological response to training, associated psychological stresses from injury, identity change). Recruitment strategies included “talent search” days, collaborations with school programs and rehabilitation centers, and helping local clubs support “drop-in” athletes. However, limited funding impacted the sustainability of programs, resulting in a regular turnover of staff, loss of intellectual property, and a weakened pathway system. Results from this study generated several practical implications and future directions for research.
Post-exercise Cold Water Immersion Effects on Physiological Adaptations to Resistance Training and the Underlying Mechanisms in Skeletal Muscle: A Narrative Review
Authors: Petersen Aaron C. , Fyfe Jackson J.
Published: April 2021

Post-exercise cold-water immersion (CWI) is a popular recovery modality aimed at minimizing fatigue and hastening recovery following exercise. In this regard, CWI has been shown to be beneficial for accelerating post-exercise recovery of various parameters including muscle strength, muscle soreness, inflammation, muscle damage, and perceptions of fatigue. Improved recovery following an exercise session facilitated by CWI is thought to enhance the quality and training load of subsequent training sessions, thereby providing a greater training stimulus for long-term physiological adaptations. However, studies investigating the long-term effects of repeated post-exercise CWI instead suggest CWI may attenuate physiological adaptations to exercise training in a mode-specific manner. Specifically, there is evidence post-exercise CWI can attenuate improvements in physiological adaptations to resistance training, including aspects of maximal strength, power, and skeletal muscle hypertrophy, without negatively influencing endurance training adaptations. Several studies have investigated the effects of CWI on the molecular responses to resistance exercise in an attempt to identify the mechanisms by which CWI attenuates physiological adaptations to resistance training. Although evidence is limited, it appears that CWI attenuates the activation of anabolic signaling pathways and the increase in muscle protein synthesis following acute and chronic resistance exercise, which may mediate the negative effects of CWI on long-term resistance training adaptations. There are, however, a number of methodological factors that must be considered when interpreting evidence for the effects of post-exercise CWI on physiological adaptations to resistance training and the potential underlying mechanisms. This review outlines and critiques the available evidence on the effects of CWI on long-term resistance training adaptations and the underlying molecular mechanisms in skeletal muscle, and suggests potential directions for future research to further elucidate the effects of CWI on resistance training adaptations.
Case Report: Spontaneous Remission of an Infraorbital Follicular B-Cell Lymphoma: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Peeters Maxime , Geusens Joris , Van der Cruyssen Fréderic , Michaux Lucienne , de Leval Laurence , Tousseyn Thomas , Vandenberghe Peter , Politis Constantinus
Published: April 2021

Non-Hodgkin lymphomas comprise a heterogeneous group of malignancies, with a wide scope of clinical, radiological and histological presentations. In this paper, a case is presented of a 59-year-old white male with an infraorbital follicular B-cell lymphoma, which appeared as a painless mass in the left cheek. The lymphoma achieved spontaneous remission five and a half months after his diagnostic incision biopsy. The literature is reviewed, focusing on this rare site of presentation and spontaneous remission. In literature, only four cases have been reported with a follicular B-cell lymphoma of the cheek or infraorbital region, and only 26 cases of spontaneous remission of an extracranial non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the head and neck region have been described. To the authors’ best knowledge, this is the first time spontaneous remission of an infraorbital follicular lymphoma could be observed. The nature of the processes inducing spontaneous remission remains obscure. It is important to recognize this phenomenon as this might prevent unnecessary treatment.
The Indigenous Prestice Black-Pied Pig Breed Differs from a Commercial Hybrid in Growth Intensity, Carcass Value and Meat Quality
Authors: Nevrkla Pavel , Václavková Eva , Rozkot Miroslav
Published: April 2021

The study was designed for the comparison of barrows and gilts of two contrasting genotypes in terms of growth ability, carcass value and meat quality. A total of 76 pigs (from 7 ± 1 kg to 95 ± 6 kg) of the indigenous breed Prestice Black-Pied (PB) and the commercial hybrid of Large White × Landrace × Large Whitesireline (CH) were included in this study. The groups were balanced regarding genotype and sex. Live weight at the age of 79 days (p < 0.001), live weight at slaughter (p < 0.01), average daily gain (p < 0.001), weight of carcass and left carcass side (p < 0.05) and ham proportion (p < 0.001) were higher in the CH group. The values of the given parameters were higher in barrows than in gilts. The effect of genotype and sex interaction was observed in lean meat content (p < 0.05) and backfat thickness (p < 0.01). The CH gilts showed the highest lean meat content and the lowest backfat thickness compared to the lowest values in the PB barrows. The value of pH45 (p < 0.01) and intramuscular fat content were higher in the PB group. The lightness (p < 0.001), yellowness (p < 0.01), drip loss (p < 0.05) and protein content were lower in the PB group. Higher values of lightness (p < 0.05), yellowness (p < 0.05) and cholesterol content (p < 0.05) were observed in the boars. Oxidative stability of the meat (malondialdehyde content) was more favorable in the PB pigs. The effect of genotype and sex interaction was confirmed for the pH24 value (the highest value was found in the PB barrows and the lowest in the CH barrows, p < 0.001) and for the dry matter content (lowest in the PB gilts and highest in the CH barrows, p < 0.05). Overall, the PB pigs were characterized by inferior growth and carcass parameters, however, with more favorable parameters for meat quality.
Prediction of Rice Cultivation in India—Support Vector Regression Approach with Various Kernels for Non-Linear Patterns
Authors: Paidipati Kiran Kumar , Chesneau Christophe , Nayana B. M. , Kumar Kolla Rohith , Polisetty Kalpana , Kurangi Chinnarao
Published: April 2021

The prediction of rice yields plays a major role in reducing food security problems in India and also suggests that government agencies manage the over or under situations of production. Advanced machine learning techniques are playing a vital role in the accurate prediction of rice yields in dealing with nonlinear complex situations instead of traditional statistical methods. In the present study, the researchers made an attempt to predict the rice yield through support vector regression (SVR) models with various kernels (linear, polynomial, and radial basis function) for India overall and the top five rice producing states by considering influence parameters, such as the area under cultivation and production, as independent variables for the years 1962–2018. The best-fitted models were chosen based on the cross-validation and hyperparameter optimization of various kernel parameters. The root-mean-square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) were calculated for the training and testing datasets. The results revealed that SVR with various kernels fitted to India overall, as well as the major rice producing states, would explore the nonlinear patterns to understand the precise situations of yield prediction. This study will be helpful for farmers as well as the central and state governments for estimating rice yield in advance with optimal resources.
Increased Expression of Toll-Like Receptor 4 in Skin of Dogs with Discoid Lupus Erythematous (DLE)
Authors: Di Cerbo Alessandro , Giusti Sara , Mariotti Francesca , Spaterna Andrea , Rossi Giacomo , Magi Gian Enrico
Published: April 2021

Discoid lupus erythematous (DLE) is a common autoimmune skin disorder of dogs where keratinocytes play a pivotal role both in the innate and adaptive immune responses. As for the innate response, pattern recognition receptors (PRR), including Toll-like receptors (TLRs), can activate macrophages and immune tissue cells allowing for transmission and transduction of signals through cytokine and chemokine release to improve host defenses. In particular, TLR4 can also recognize endogenous molecules such as heat shock proteins produced during reactions to tissue damage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of TLR4, a bacterial lipopolysaccharide sensor, in the skin of dogs with DLE and in normal skin to evaluate a possible involvement of this receptor in the disease pathogenesis. Skin samples of affected dogs had a diffuse and intense expression of TLR4 in the epidermis. Also, the inflammatory infiltrates were immunolabelled. The expression was significantly higher in DLE skin compared to normal skin (**** p < 0.0001). In conclusion, dogs with DLE showed an altered expression of TLR4, which might play an important pathogenic role in the ongoing immunopathologic process, thus being considered a valuable therapeutic potential target for DLE.
Hibernation Conditions Contribute to the Differential Resistance to Cadmium between Urban and Forest Ant Colonies
Authors: Jacquier Lauren , Molet Mathieu , Bocquet Céline , Doums Claudie
Published: April 2021

Trace metals such as cadmium are found in high concentrations in urban environments. Animal and plant populations living in heavily contaminated environments could adapt to trace metals exposure. A recent study shows that urban populations of the acorn ant Temnothorax nylanderi are more resistant to cadmium than their forest counterparts. However, this study was performed using field colonies that had just come out of hibernation. Because urban and forest hibernation environments differ, the differential resistance to trace metals may originate either from differential hibernation conditions or from a different resistance baseline to cadmium. In this study, we tested these two hypotheses using laboratory common garden hibernation conditions. We let urban and forest colonies of the ant T. nylanderi hibernate under the same laboratory conditions for four months. After this hibernation period, we also collected field-hibernating colonies and we compared cadmium resistance between urban and forest colonies depending on the hibernation condition. We found a differential response to cadmium under common garden, with urban colonies displaying less larval mortality and lower size reduction of the produced individuals. This suggests a different resistance baseline of urban colonies to cadmium. However, unexpectedly, we did not detect the differential response between urban and forest colonies in the field, suggesting a more complex scenario involving both genetic and environmental influences.
Long-Term Recording of Reticulo-Rumen Myoelectrical Activity in Sheep by a Telemetry Method
Authors: Wierzbicka Małgorzata , Domino Małgorzata , Zabielski Romuald , Gajewski Zdzisław
Published: April 2021

The reticulum and rumen are considered a single functional unit (the reticulo-rumen) with regards to myoelectrical and contractile activities. The specialized contractions of the reticulo-rumen provide constant mixing of partially digested material (cycle A), its flow into the omasum during eructation (cycle B), and regurgitation-rumination (cycle C). This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of electromyography (EMG) registered by a long-term telemetry method for assessment of the basic reticulo-rumen myoelectrical activity in sheep, to develop the effective recognition of the reticulo-rumen cycles at rest with no food stimulation, and to investigate the relationship between cycles A, B, and C in such basic conditions. The experiment was carried out on nine ewes. Myoelectric activity of the rumen, reticulum, and abomasum was recorded by the combination of three silver bipolar electrodes and a 3-channel transmitter implant. The myoelectrical activity registered successfully in the reticulum and rumen was determined as three characteristic patterns of cycles A, B, and C. The percentage of each type of cycle changed at different intervals from equally cycles A (43–50%) and B (50–56%), occurring when cycle C was not observed to the domination of cycle C (57–73%) with a decrease of cycles A (6–14%) and B (20–28%). The long-term EMG telemetry registration is feasible in the assessment of the reticulo-rumen myoelectrical activity in sheep.
Smart Products in Livestock Farming—An Empirical Study on the Attitudes of German Farmers
Authors: Schukat Sirkka , Heise Heinke
Published: April 2021

In recent years, the fourth industrial revolution has found its way into agriculture. Under the term smart farming, various so-called smart products are offered that may positively influence both the daily work of farmers and animal welfare. These smart products can collect data from the farm, extract important information, and in some cases even make decisions independently. Particularly in Germany, where intensive livestock farming is criticized by society, such smart products could make a significant contribution to improving animal welfare. However, an important prerequisite is the acceptance of the users, who are usually the livestock farmers themselves. So far, there is little knowledge about farmers’ attitudes towards smart products in livestock production. In this study, a factor analysis and a cluster analysis are conducted to evaluate the attitudes of German livestock farmers towards smart products. Based on the analysis of an online questionnaire in which German livestock farmers (n = 422) participated, four clusters could be derived. The main distinguishing characteristics of the clusters are the influence of the social environment, the expected effort for implementation, the general trust in smart products, and the technology readiness of the farms. As a result, this study provides valuable insights for technology providers of smart products for livestock farming as well as for policy makers.
Poultry Litter Contamination by Escherichia coli Resistant to Critically Important Antimicrobials for Human and Animal Use and Risk for Public Health in Cameroon
Authors: Moffo Frédéric , Mouiche Mohamed Moctar Mouliom , Djomgang Hervé Kapnang , Tombe Patchely , Wade Abel , Kochivi Fabrice Landjekpo , Dongmo Jarvis Bouna , Mbah Cleophas Kahtita , Mapiefou Nabilah Pemi , Ngogang Marie Paule , Awah-Ndukum Julius
Published: April 2021

Residues of antimicrobials used in farm can exert selective pressure and accelerate the occurrence of multidrug resistant bacteria in litter. This study aimed to investigate the resistance profile of Escherichia coli isolated from poultry litter. A total of 101 E. coli strains was isolated from 229 litter samples collected and stored for two months in the laboratory at room temperature. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the disk diffusion method. An overall resistance prevalence of 58.4% (95% CI: 48.8–68.0) was obtained with 59 E. coli strains resistant to various antimicrobial agents. High levels of resistance were observed with ciprofloxacin (21/59: 36%), imipenem (27/59: 45%), norfloxacin (44/59: 74%), ceftriaxone (44/59: 74%), and levofloxacin (44/59: 75%). These antimicrobials classified under the Watch group by WHO are indicators of the high AMR risk to public health in Cameroon. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that a greater probability of high level of E. coli multidrug resistance was associated with lack of training in poultry farming (OR = 0.13, p = 0.01), less experience in poultry farming (OR = 11.66 p = 0.04), and the high frequency of digestive tract disease (OR = 0.10; p = 0.001). This study revealed that poultry litter constitutes a potential source of dissemination of resistant germs from farm animals to the environment and humans.
The Role of Oxidative Stress Markers in Predicting Acute Thrombotic Occlusion of Haemodialysis Vascular Access and Progressive Stenotic Dysfunction Demanding Angioplasty
Authors: Chan Jenq-Shyong , Hsiao Po-Jen , Chiang Wen-Fang , Roy-Chaudhury Prabir
Published: April 2021

Haemodialysis vascular access (VA) dysfunction is a major cause of morbidity in haemodialysis (HD) patients. Primary venous outflow occlusion and restenosis after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) are two major obstacles for the long-term use of dialysis VA. It remains unclear whether oxidative stress markers can be used as predictors for thrombotic occlusion of VA and progressive stenosis dysfunction demanding PTA. All routine HD patients at one teaching hospital participated in this study including ankle-brachial index (ABI) examinations and serum oxidative stress markers. The serum oxidative stress markers (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9, homocysteine, asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA), nitrate oxidase (NO), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)) were measured using immunosorbent assays in 159 HD patients (83 men and 76 women; mean age: 65 ± 12 years). The participants met the following criteria: (1) received regular HD treatment for at least 6 months, without clinical evidence of acute or chronic inflammation, recent myocardial infarction, unstable angina or circulatory congestion; and (2) received an arteriovenous fistula (AVF)/arteriovenous graft (AVG: polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE) as the current VA for more than 6 months, without interventions within the last 6 months. All the participants were followed up clinically for up to 12 months to estimate the amount of primary thrombotic occlusion and VA dysfunction demanding PTA. During the 12-month observation, 24 patients (15.1%) had primary thrombotic occlusion of VAs. Another 24 patients (15.1%) required PTA because of clinical dysfunction of access. Additionally, during the follow-up period, restenosis occurred in 12 patients (50% of 24 patients). The access types of arteriovenous grafts (AVGs) and a diagnosis of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) were two strong predictors for acute thrombotic events of VA (hazard ratio (HR): 16.93 vs. 2.35; p < 0.001 vs. 0.047). Comparing dysfunctional with non-dysfunctional VAs, up to 27.7% of patients with high levels of ADMA (>0.6207 μM, N = 65) received required PTA compared with 4.4% of those with low levels (≤0.6207 μM; N = 90; p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, the plasma baseline levels of ADMA independently conferred nearly 4.55 times the risk of primary stenotic dysfunction of HD VA (HR: 4.55; 95% confidence interval: 1.20 to 17.26; p = 0.026). In conclusion, our findings suggest the role of ADMA in the development of symptomatic VA dysfunction. Additionally, PAOD severity can be used in clinical practice to predict whether acute thrombotic occlusion of VA will easily occur in HD patients.
Effects of Natural Antioxidants on Phospholipid and Ceramide Profiles of 3D-Cultured Skin Fibroblasts Exposed to UVA or UVB Radiation
Authors: Gęgotek Agnieszka , Łuczaj Wojciech , Skrzydlewska Elżbieta
Published: April 2021

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is one of the primary factors responsible for disturbances in human skin cells phospholipid metabolism. Natural compounds that are commonly used to protect skin, due to their lipophilic or hydrophilic nature, show only a narrow range of cytoprotective activity, which prompts research on their combined application. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effect of ascorbic acid and rutin on the phospholipid and ceramide profiles in UV-irradiated fibroblasts cultured in a three-dimensional system that approximates the culture conditions to the dermis. An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatograph coupled with a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer was used for phospholipid and ceramide profiling. As a result of UVA and UVB cells irradiation, upregulation of phosphatidylcholines, ceramides, and downregulation of sphingomyelins were observed, while treatment with ascorbic acid and rutin of UVA/UVB-irradiated fibroblast promoted these changes to provide cells a stronger response to stress. Moreover, an upregulation of phosphatidylserines in cells exposed to UVB and treated with both antioxidants suggests the stimulation of UV-damaged cells apoptosis. Our findings provide new insight into action of rutin and ascorbic acid on regulation of phospholipid metabolism, which improves dermis fibroblast membrane properties.
The Need for Ecosystem 4.0 to Support Maintenance 4.0: An Aviation Assembly Line Case
Authors: Giacotto Alessandro , Costa Marques Henrique , Pereira Barreto Eduardo Afonso , Martinetti Alberto
Published: April 2021

Manufacturing and assembling aircraft require hundreds of different machines for various process applications. The machines have different complexity and often different ages; however, they have to ensure a higher precision than other industrial fields. Recent technology advancement in maintenance approaches offers a wide range of opportunities to provide performance and availability. The paper discusses how the maintenance technologies applicable to the various machines need to be appropriately supported by a production environment, called “ecosystem”, that allows their integration within the process and their synergy with the operators. (1) A background analysis of the aircraft production environment is offered. (2) A possible framework for designing a proper ecosystem 4.0 for integrating maintenance activities with design solutions and data gathering is provided. (3) A case study based on the assembly line of specific aircraft is adopted for testing the validity of the framework. (4) Finally, a discussion highlights the critical points of the research, underlying future work.
Study of the Incorporation of Biomass Bottom Ash as a Filler for Discontinuous Grading Bituminous Mixtures with Bitumen Emulsion
Authors: Suárez-Macías Jorge , Terrones-Saeta Juan , Iglesias-Godino Francisco , Corpas-Iglesias Francisco
Published: April 2021

Energy consumption, because of population development, is progressively increasing. For this reason, new sources of energy are being developed, such as that produced from the combustion of biomass. However, this type of renewable energy has one main disadvantage, the production of waste. Biomass bottom ash is a residue of this industry that currently has not much use. For this reason, this research evaluates its use as a filler in bituminous mixtures, since this sector also has a significant impact on the environment, as it requires large quantities of raw materials. With this objective, first, the physical and chemical properties of biomass bottom ashes were evaluated, verifying their characteristics for their use as filler. Subsequently, bituminous mixtures were conformed with biomass bottom ash as filler, and their physical and mechanical properties were analyzed through particle loss and Marshall tests. The results of these tests were compared with those obtained with the same type of mixture but with conventional and ophite aggregates. This study confirmed that biomass bottom ash was viable for use as a filler, creating mixtures with a higher percentage of bitumen, better mechanical behavior, and similar physical properties. In short, more sustainable material for roads was obtained with waste currently condemned to landfill.
Sea-Surface Characteristics of the Newfoundland Basin of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean during the Last 145,000 Years: A Study Based on the Sedimentological and Paleontological Proxies
Authors: Rashid Harunur , Lu Qian Qian , Zeng Min , Wang Yang , Zhang Zhao Wu
Published: April 2021

Dramatic changes occur in the sea-surface characteristics (i.e., temperature and salinity) and freshwater input due to the interaction of cold and fresh Labrador Current and warm and salty North Atlantic Current (NAC) on the southeast Grand Banks. As a result, the biological productivity and seasonal stratification of the upper water masses are intensified. Such changes must have been more dramatic during the glacial times due to the penetration of the Polar and Arctic fronts and southward migration of the Gulf Stream/NAC. However, the extent to which such changes impacted the sea-surface characteristics in the Newfoundland Basin is poorly known. We report changes in the sea-surface characteristics using a piston core (Hu9007-08) collected from the Milne seamount during the last 145,000 years. Heinrich layers H1, H2, H4, and H5 and H11 within the MIS3 and at the penultimate deglaciation were identified by the ice-rafted detritus (IRD) and Neogloboquadrina pachyderma peaks and lighter oxygen isotopes. Rapid turnover by the foraminiferal species with distinct depth habitats and ecological niches in the mixed-layer and thermocline suggests an interplay between the polar and subpolar water masses during the Heinrich and non-Heinrich periods. Only two North Atlantic-wide cooling events, C24 and C21, in which the latter event linked to the minor IRD event during the marine isotope stage (MIS) 5 in Hu90-08, compared to the eight events in the eastern subpolar gyre (e.g., ODP site 984). Millennial-scale N. pachyderma variability in the western subpolar gyre appears to be absent in the eastern subpolar gyre during the MIS3 suggesting the occasional presence of salty and warm water by the NAC inflow, implying a different climate state between the western and eastern subpolar gyre. Although T. quinqueloba data are fragmentary, there are differences between the western and eastern subpolar gyre in addition to the differences within the western subpolar gyre during MIS5 that might imply a variable influence by the subpolar water. This finding suggests that the influence by the NAC outweighs the impact of cold and fresh polar water in the northern northwest Atlantic during the MIS5.
Future Industrial Networks in Process Automation: Goals, Challenges, and Future Directions
Authors: Åkerberg Johan , Furunäs Åkesson Johan , Gade Jorgen , Vahabi Maryam , Björkman Mats , Lavassani Mehrzad , Nandkumar Gore Rahul , Lindh Thomas , Jiang Xiaolin
Published: April 2021

There are many initiatives and technologies working towards implementing factories of the future. One consensus is that the classical hierarchical automation system design needs to be flattened while supporting the functionality of both Operation Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) within the same network infrastructure. To achieve the goal of IT/OT convergence in process automation, an evolutionary transition is preferred. Challenges are foreseen during the transition, mainly caused by the traditional automation architecture, and the main challenge is to identify the gap between the current and future network architectures. To address the challenges, in this paper, we describe one desired future scenario for process automation and carry out traffic measurements from a pulp and paper mill. The measured traffic is further analyzed, which reveals representative traffic characteristics in the process automation. Finally, the key challenges and future directions towards a system architecture for factories of the future are presented.
A Framework for Diagnosing Urban Rail Train Turn-Back Faults Based on Rules and Algorithms
Authors: Ma Siqi , Wang Xin , Wang Xiaochen , Liu Hanyu , Zhang Runtong
Published: April 2021

Although urban rail transit provides significant daily assistance to users, traffic risk remains. Turn-back faults are a common cause of traffic accidents. To address turn-back faults, machines are able to learn the complicated and detailed rules of the train’s internal communication codes, and engineers must understand simple external features for quick judgment. Focusing on turn-back faults in urban rail, in this study we took advantage of related accumulated data to improve algorithmic and human diagnosis of this kind of fault. In detail, we first designed a novel framework combining rules and algorithms to help humans and machines understand the fault characteristics and collaborate in fault diagnosis, including determining the category to which the turn-back fault belongs, and identifying the simple and complicated judgment rules involved. Then, we established a dataset including tabular and text data for real application scenarios and carried out corresponding analysis of fault rule generation, diagnostic classification, and topic modeling. Finally, we present the fault characteristics under the proposed framework. Qualitative and quantitative experiments were performed to evaluate the proposed method, and the experimental results show that (1) the framework is helpful in understanding the faults of trains that occur in three types of turn-back: automatic turn-back (ATB), automatic end change (AEC), and point mode end change (PEC); (2) our proposed framework can assist in diagnosing turn-back faults.
Time Course of Sleep Inertia Dissipation in Memory Tasks
Authors: Occhionero Miranda , Fabbri Marco , Tonetti Lorenzo , Martoni Monica , Natale Vincenzo
Published: April 2021

Sleep inertia (SI) refers to a complex psychophysiological phenomenon, observed after awakening, that can be described as the gradual recovery of waking-like status. The time course of cognitive performance dissipation in an everyday life condition is still unclear, especially in terms of the sleep stage at awakening (REM or NREM-stage 2) and the relative effects on performance. The present study aimed to investigate the SI dissipation in different memory performances upon spontaneous morning awakening after uninterrupted nighttime sleep. Eighteen young adults (7 females; mean age 24.9 ± 3.14 years) spent seven non-consecutive nights (one baseline, three REM awakenings and three St2 awakenings) in the laboratory under standard polysomnographic (PSG) control. Participants were tested after three REM awakenings and three St2 awakenings, and three times at 11:00 a.m. as a control condition. In each testing session, participants filled in the Global Vigor and Affect Scale and carried out one memory task (episodic, semantic, or procedural task). For each condition, participants were tested every 10 min within a time window of 80 min. In accordance with previous studies, SI affected subjective alertness throughout the entire time window assessed. Moreover, SI significantly affected performance speed but not accuracy in the semantic task. With reference to this task, the SI effect dissipated within 30 min of awakening from REM, and within 20 min of awakening from St2. No significant SI effect was observed on episodic or procedural memory tasks.
Bone Conduction Auditory Navigation Device for Blind People
Authors: Asakura Takumi
Published: April 2021

A navigation system using a binaural bone-conducted sound is proposed. This system has three features to accurately navigate the user to the destination point. First, the selection of the bone-conduction device and the optimal contact conditions between the device and the human head are discussed. Second, the basic performance of sound localization reproduced by the selected bone-conduction device with binaural sounds is confirmed considering the head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) obtained in the air-borne sound field. Here, a panned sound technique that may emphasize the localization of the sound is also validated. Third, to ensure the safety of the navigating person, which is the most important factor in the navigation of a visually impaired person by voice guidance, an appropriate warning sound reproduced by the bone-conduction device is investigated. Finally, based on the abovementioned conditions, we conduct an auditory navigation experiment using bone-conducted guide announcement. The time required to reach the destination of the navigation route is shorter in the case with voice information including the binaural sound reproduction, as compared to the case with only voice information. Therefore, a navigation system using binaural bone-conducted sound is confirmed to be effective.
Biogas Plants in Renewable Energy Systems—A Systematic Review of Modeling Approaches of Biogas Production
Authors: Heiker Mathias , Kraume Matthias , Mertins Anica , Wawer Tim , Rosenberger Sandra
Published: April 2021

Biogas production is a relevant component in renewable energy systems. The paper addresses modeling approaches from an energy system, as well as from a process optimization, point of view. Model approaches of biogas production show different levels of detail. They can be classified as white, gray, and black box, or bottom-up and top-down approaches. On the one hand, biogas modeling can supply dynamic information on the anaerobic digestion process, e.g., to predict biogas yields or to optimize the anaerobic digestion process. These models are characterized by a bottom-up approach with different levels of detail: the comprehensive ADM1 (white box), simplifications and abstractions of AD models (gray box), or highly simplified process descriptions (black box). On the other hand, biogas production is included in energy system models. These models usually supply aggregated information on regional biogas potentials and greenhouse gas emissions. They are characterized by a top-down approach with a low level of detail. Most energy system models reported in literature are based on black box approaches. Considering the strengths and weaknesses of the integration of detailed and deeply investigated process models in energy system models reveals the opportunity to develop dynamic and fluctuating business models of biogas usage.
A Person Re-Identification Scheme Using Local Multiscale Feature Embedding with Dual Pyramids
Authors: Song Kwangho , Kim Yoo-Sung
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we propose a new person re-identification scheme that uses dual pyramids to construct and utilize the local multiscale feature embedding that reflects different sizes and shapes of visual feature elements appearing in various areas of a person image. In the dual pyramids, a scale pyramid reflects the visual feature elements in various sizes and shapes, and a part pyramid selects elements and differently combines them for the feature embedding per each region of the person image. In the experiments, the performance of the cases with and without each pyramid were compared to verify that the proposed scheme has an optimal structure. The state-of-the-art studies known in the field of person re-identification were also compared for accuracy. According to the experimental results, the method proposed in this study showed a maximum of 99.25% Rank-1 accuracy according to the dataset used in the experiments. Based on the same dataset, the accuracy was determined to be about 3.55% higher than the previous studies, which used only person images, and about 1.25% higher than the other studies using additional meta-information besides images of persons.
Autologous Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) as an Adjunct in the Management of Osteoradionecrosis and Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of Jaws. Case Series in A Single Centre
Authors: Law Benjie , Soh Hui Yuh , Nabil Syed , Rajandram Rama Krsna , Nazimi Abd Jabar , Ramli Roszalina
Published: April 2021

Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) of the jaws and medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws (MRONJ) are uncommon but serious diseases affecting the oral and maxillofacial region with clinically similar appearance but distinct pathophysiology. Management of ORN and MRONJ is inherently challenging and the treatment outcomes are unpredictable. The use of autologous platelet concentrates (APCs) to promote hard and soft tissue healing is well described in the literature, and the efficacy of leucocyte and platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF) has been well documented in a number of clinical studies. The aim of this study was to present our treatment strategy and the outcomes of incorporating L-PRF as a surgical adjunct in management of ORN and MRONJ in our centre. Methods: eight cases of ORN and MRONJ were treated with a combination of sequestrectomy and L-PRF as a surgical adjunct. Results: the overall success was 87.5%. Using L-PRF as an adjunct, we were able to predictably manage ORN and MRONJ without causing significant morbidity. Conclusion: our experience shows that L-PRF may be used as a valuable and cost-effective adjunct to surgical management of ORN and MRONJ. However, due to a limited number of patients, and a short period of review, the true effectiveness of the method is yet to be demonstrated in a longer follow-up study including a greater number of patients, besides the inclusion of a control group.
High-Precision and Four-Dimensional Tracking System with Dual Receivers of Pipeline Inspection Gauge
Authors: Long Yue , Huang Songling , Peng Lisha , Wang Wenzhi , Wang Shen , Zhao Wei
Published: April 2021

Pipeline inspection gauges (PIGs) are widely used for nondestructive testing of oil and natural gas pipelines, while above ground markers (AGMs) can locate and track the PIG through a variety of methods, including magnetic flux leakage signals, acoustic signals, and extremely low-frequency (ELF) magnetic signals. Traditional AGMs have the disadvantages of low positioning accuracy and only one-dimensional tracking capability. In this paper, a newly-designed PIG tracking system based on the ELF magnetic field is proposed by assembling dual receivers. Moreover, this paper develops a magnetic field sign-integration algorithm to achieve high-precision and four-dimensional (4-D) tracking of PIG. The simulation and experiment results demonstrate that the tracking system has the capability of 4-D tracking. In comparison with the previously published work, the designed tracking system improves the positioning accuracy and orientation tracking accuracy by more than 50%. The dual receivers tracking system also has the characteristic of high-robustness. Even in the state of lateral offset or tilt, it can still achieve accurate tracking of PIG. The realization of PIG’s high-precision 4-D tracking can improve the accuracy of defect location. Moreover, it can also provide the latest pipeline network layout and facilitate pipeline maintenance and pipeline surveying applications.
Urban Thermal Risk
Authors: Founda Dimitra
Published: April 2021

Global warming is accelerating and according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the decade from 2011 to 2020 was the warmest recorded decade ever [...]
Clinical Behavior and Complications of Mandibular Full-Arch Fixed Dental Prostheses Supported by Three Dental Implants. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Sánchez-Labrador Luis , Molinero-Mourelle Pedro , Cortés-Bretón Brinkmann Jorge , Prados-Frutos Juan Carlos , Gómez-Polo Miguel , Martínez-González José María
Published: April 2021

This systematic review and meta-analysis set out to assess the clinical behavior of mandibular implant-supported fixed complete dental prostheses (ISFCDP) on three dental implants by analyzing implant and prosthetic survival rates, marginal bone loss, biological/technical complications, and patient-reported outcomes. The review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Electronic searches were conducted in the Medline (PubMed), Web of Science, and Cochrane databases, complimented by a manual search in specialist journals for relevant articles published up to February 2021. The Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale tool was used to assess the quality of evidence in the studies reviewed. The study included 13 articles with 728 patients treated with 2184 implants. A mean implant survival rate of 95.9% (95% CI: 94.6–97.3%) and a prosthetic survival rate of 97.0% (95% CI: 95.7–98.3%) were obtained over 1–6-year follow-up periods. Mandibular implant-supported fixed complete dental prostheses on three dental implants would appear to be a viable option for restoring the edentulous mandible in comparison with mandibular ISFCDP on more than three implants. Further comparative studies are needed, with adequate protocols, as well as sufficient sample sizes and follow-up periods to confirm these findings.
Stress-Induced Changes in Alternative Splicing Landscape in Rice: Functional Significance of Splice Isoforms in Stress Tolerance
Authors: Ganie Showkat Ahmad , Reddy Anireddy S. N.
Published: April 2021

Improvements in yield and quality of rice are crucial for global food security. However, global rice production is substantially hindered by various biotic and abiotic stresses. Making further improvements in rice yield is a major challenge to the rice research community, which can be accomplished through developing abiotic stress-resilient rice varieties and engineering durable agrochemical-independent pathogen resistance in high-yielding elite rice varieties. This, in turn, needs increased understanding of the mechanisms by which stresses affect rice growth and development. Alternative splicing (AS), a post-transcriptional gene regulatory mechanism, allows rapid changes in the transcriptome and can generate novel regulatory mechanisms to confer plasticity to plant growth and development. Mounting evidence indicates that AS has a prominent role in regulating rice growth and development under stress conditions. Several regulatory and structural genes and splicing factors of rice undergo different types of stress-induced AS events, and the functional significance of some of them in stress tolerance has been defined. Both rice and its pathogens use this complex regulatory mechanism to devise strategies against each other. This review covers the current understanding and evidence for the involvement of AS in biotic and abiotic stress-responsive genes, and its relevance to rice growth and development. Furthermore, we discuss implications of AS for the virulence of different rice pathogens and highlight the areas of further research and potential future avenues to develop climate-smart and disease-resistant rice varieties.
Green Extraction by Ultrasound, Microencapsulation by Spray Drying and Antioxidant Activity of the Tucuma Coproduct (Astrocaryum vulgare Mart.) Almonds
Authors: Ferreira Lindalva Maria de Meneses Costa , Pereira Rayanne Rocha , Carvalho Fernanda Brito de , Silva Santos Alberdan , Ribeiro-Costa Roseane Maria , Carréra Silva Júnior José Otávio
Published: April 2021

The industrial processing amazon fruits, like tucuma, generates a large amount of coproducts with large nutritional potential. Thus, this work obtained the oily extract of the tucuma almonds coproducts by green extraction using palm oil by the ultrasound method and then microencapsulated by atomization and verification of its antioxidant activity. Thermogravimetric techniques, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, moisture content, water activity were applied to characterize the microparticles. Total carotenoids were determined by UV spectroscopy and antioxidant activity was measured by 2,2′-azino-di-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulfonic acid and co-oxidation in the system β-carotene/linoleic acid. The oily extract and microparticle had total carotenoid contents of 3.305 mg/100 g ± 0.01 and 2.559 mg/100 g ± 0.01, respectively. The antioxidant activity assessed through the 2,2′-azino-di-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulfonic acid value was 584.75 μM/trolox ± 0.01 (oily extract) and 537.12 μM/trolox ± 0.01 (microparticle) were determined. In the system β-carotene/linoleic acid showed oxidation of 49.9% ± 1.8 lipophilic extract and 43.3% ± 2.3 microparticle. The results showed that the oily extract of the tucuma almond coproduct can be used as a carotenoid-rich source and microencapsuled with possible application for functional foods production.
Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation Enhances Walking Performance and Reduces Spasticity in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Hofstoetter Ursula S. , Freundl Brigitta , Lackner Peter , Binder Heinrich
Published: April 2021

Gait dysfunction and spasticity are common debilitating consequences of multiple sclerosis (MS). Improvements of these motor impairments by lumbar transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) have been demonstrated in spinal cord injury. Here, we explored for the first time the motor effects of lumbar tSCS applied at 50 Hz for 30 min in 16 individuals with MS and investigated their temporal persistence post-intervention. We used a comprehensive protocol assessing walking ability, different presentations of spasticity, standing ability, manual dexterity, and trunk control. Walking ability, including walking speed and endurance, was significantly improved for two hours beyond the intervention and returned to baseline after 24 h. Muscle spasms, clonus duration, and exaggerated stretch reflexes were reduced for two hours, and clinically assessed lower-extremity muscle hypertonia remained at improved levels for 24 h post-intervention. Further, postural sway during normal standing with eyes open was decreased for two hours. No changes were detected in manual dexterity and trunk control. Our results suggest that transcutaneous lumbar SCS can serve as a clinically accessible method without known side effects that holds the potential for substantial clinical benefit across the disability spectrum of MS.