bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Dietary Tea Powder on the Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, and Meat Quality of Tibetan Pig × Bama Miniature Pigs
Authors: Yan Zhaoming , Zhong Yinzhao , Yin Yunju , Duan Yehui , Wang Wenlong , Zhang Lingyu , Guo Qiuping , Chen Qinghua , Li Fengna
Published: November 2021

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of tea powder in diets on the growth performance, meat quality, muscular amino acid, fatty acid profile, and serum biochemical indices of pigs. A total of 120 local Chinese pigs (Tibetan × Bama miniature pigs) were randomly assigned to five treatment groups, each with six pens and four pigs per pen. During a 60-day experiment, these groups of pigs were fed the normal diet and the diet supplemented with 1%, 2%, 4%, and 6% tea powder, respectively. The results showed that the supplementation of tea powder did not affect the growth performance of pigs. However, the dietary tea powder inclusion decreased (p < 0.05) the average fat thickness, total fat, and abdominal fat, and increased (p < 0.05) the total muscle as well. In addition, the dietary 2% tea powder decreased (p < 0.05) the muscle lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*). Compared with the control group, the dietary supplementation with 1%, 2%, and 4% tea powder raised (p < 0.05) the total amino acids (TAA) and essential amino acids (EAA), and dietary 4% and 6% tea powder increased (p < 0.05) the C20:5n3 in the muscle tissue. Furthermore, the serum lipid metabolism-related biochemical indices and mRNA expression levels were improved with the addition of tea powder. These results indicated that dietary tea powder might improve the carcass traits and meat quality of the Chinese native finishing pigs, but it does not affect their growth performance. Tea powder could be fully developed and reasonably applied as a dietary supplement.
Corvids in Urban Environments: A Systematic Global Literature Review
Authors: Benmazouz Isma , Jokimäki Jukka , Lengyel Szabolcs , Juhász Lajos , Kaisanlahti-Jokimäki Marja-Liisa , Kardos Gábor , Paládi Petra , Kövér László
Published: November 2021

Urbanization is one of the most prevalent drivers of biodiversity loss, yet few taxonomic groups are remarkably successful at adapting to urban environments. We systematically surveyed the global literature on the effects of urbanization on species of family Corvidae (crows, choughs, jackdaws, jays, magpies, nutcrackers, ravens, rooks, treepies) to assess the occurrence of corvids in urban environments and the factors affecting their success. We found a total of 424 primary research articles, and the number of articles has increased exponentially since the 1970s. Most studies were carried out in cities of Europe and North America (45.5% and 31.4%, respectively) and were directed on a single species (75.2). We found that 30 corvid species (23% of 133 total) regularly occur in urban environments. The majority (72%) of the studies reported positive effects of urbanization on corvids, with 85% of studies detecting population increases and 64% of studies detecting higher breeding success with urbanization. Of the factors proposed to explain corvids’ success (availability of nesting sites and food sources, low predation and persecution), food availability coupled with diet shifts emerged as the most important factors promoting Corvidae to live in urban settings. The breeding of corvids in urban environments was further associated with earlier nesting, similar or larger clutches, lower hatching but higher fledging success, reduced home range size and limited territoriality, increased tolerance towards humans and increasing frequency of conflicts with humans. Despite geographic and taxonomic biases in our literature sample, our review indicates that corvids show both flexibility in resource use and behavioral plasticity that enable them to exploit novel resources for nesting and feeding. Corvids can thus be urban exploiters of the large-scale modifications of ecosystems caused by urbanization.
Volatile Organic Compound Profiles Associated with Microbial Development in Feedlot Pellets Inoculated with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens H57 Probiotic
Authors: Ngo Thi Thuy , Dart Peter , Callaghan Matthew , Klieve Athol , McNeill David
Published: November 2021

Mould and bacterial contamination releases microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs), causing changes in the odour profile of a feed. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain H57 (H57) has the potential ability to inhibit microbial growth in animal feeds. This study tested the hypothesis that H57 influences the odour profile of stored feedlot pellets by impeding the production of mVOCs. The emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of un-inoculated pellets and those inoculated with H57, stored either at ambient temperature (mean 22 °C) or at 5 °C, was monitored at 0, 1, 2, and 3 months by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Forty VOCs were identified in all the pellet samples analysed, 24 of which were potentially of microbial and 16 of non-microbial origin. A score plot of the principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the VOC profiles of the pellets stored at ambient temperature changed more rapidly over the 3 months than those stored at 5 °C, and that change was greater in the un-inoculated pellets when compared to the inoculated ones. The bi-plot and correlation loading plots of the PCA indicated that the separation of the un-inoculated pellets from the other treatments over the 3 months was primarily due to nine mVOCs. These mVOCs have been previously identified in grains spoiled by fungi, and could be considered potential markers of the types of fungi that H57 can protect pellets against. These data indicate the ability of H57 to maintain the odour profile and freshness of concentrated feed pellets. This protective influence can be detected as early as 3 months into ambient temperature storage.
How Happy Are Equine Athletes? Stakeholder Perceptions of Equine Welfare Issues Associated with Equestrian Sport
Authors: Furtado Tamzin , Preshaw Liane , Hockenhull Jo , Wathan Jennifer , Douglas Janet , Horseman Sue , Smith Rebecca , Pollard Danica , Pinchbeck Gina , Rogers Jan , Hall Carol
Published: November 2021

The international governing body for equestrian sports, the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), states that the welfare of the horse must be paramount and never subordinated to competitive or commercial influences. However, there is growing unease about welfare issues from both within and outside the sport. The aim of this study was to understand stakeholder perceptions of current welfare issues within equestrian sport, determine whether there is scope for change, and explore attitudes towards welfare assessment. Participants (n = 48) from equestrian sport (n = 38) and animal welfare research (n = 10) attended a workshop that included welfare-related presentations and focus group sessions. The focus group sessions were recorded, anonymised and analysed using thematic analysis. Conflict between the demands of competition and the needs of the horse was identified as a key welfare challenge. Although the physical health of equine athletes is closely monitored, horses’ psychological needs are sometimes overlooked. Participants recognised that improving competition practices may not be as impactful as improving the general management and training of horses. The term “quality of life” was considered preferable to “welfare”, which had negative connotations. Participants appreciated the idea of incorporating formal welfare assessments into their training and competition plans but stated that existing tools are rarely used and are not deemed feasible for real-life conditions.
Efficacy Profiles of Antimicrobials Evaluated against Staphylococcus Species Isolated from Canine Clinical Specimens
Authors: Qekwana Daniel Nenene , Odoi Agricola , Oguttu James Wabwire
Published: November 2021

Cross-resistance occurs between antimicrobials with either similar mechanisms of action and/or similar chemical structures, or even between unrelated antimicrobials. This study employed a multivariate approach to investigate the associations between the efficacy profile of antimicrobials and the clustering of eleven different antimicrobial agents based on their efficacy profile. Records of the susceptibility of 382 confirmed Staphylococcus species isolates against 15 antimicrobials based on the disc diffusion method were included in this study. Tetrachoric correlation coefficients were computed to assess the correlations of antimicrobial efficacy profiles against Staphylococcus aureus. Principal components analysis and factor analysis were used to assess the clustering of antimicrobial susceptibility profiles. Strong correlations were observed among aminoglycosides, penicillins, fluroquinolones, and lincosamides. Three main factors were extracted, with Factor 1 dominated by the susceptibility profile of enrofloxacin (factor loading (FL) = 0.859), gentamicin (FL = 0.898), tylosin (FL = 0.801), and ampicillin (FL = −0.813). Factor 2, on the other hand, was dominated by the susceptibility profile of clindamycin (FL = 0.927) and lincomycin-spectinomycin (FL = 0.848) and co-trimazole (FL = −0.693). Lastly, Factor 3 was dominated by the susceptibility profile of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (FL = 0.848) and cephalothin (FL = 0.824). Antimicrobials belonging to the same category or class of antimicrobial, tended to exhibit similar efficacy profiles, therefore, laboratories must choose only one of the antimicrobials in each group to help reduce the cost of antimicrobial susceptibility tests.
Insights into the Karyotype Evolution of Charinidae, the Early-Diverging Clade of Whip Spiders (Arachnida: Amblypygi)
Authors: Reyes Lerma Azucena Claudia , Šťáhlavský František , Seiter Michael , Carabajal Paladino Leonela Zusel , Divišová Klára , Forman Martin , Sember Alexandr , Král Jiří
Published: November 2021

Whip spiders (Amblypygi) represent an ancient order of tetrapulmonate arachnids with a low diversity. Their cytogenetic data are confined to only a few reports. Here, we analyzed the family Charinidae, a lineage almost at the base of the amblypygids, providing an insight into the ancestral traits and basic trajectories of amblypygid karyotype evolution. We performed Giemsa staining, selected banding techniques, and detected 18S ribosomal DNA and telomeric repeats by fluorescence in situ hybridization in four Charinus and five Sarax species. Both genera exhibit a wide range of diploid chromosome numbers (2n = 42–76 and 22–74 for Charinus and Sarax, respectively). The 2n reduction was accompanied by an increase of proportion of biarmed elements. We further revealed a single NOR site (probably an ancestral condition for charinids), the presence of a (TTAGG)n telomeric motif localized mostly at the chromosome ends, and an absence of heteromorphic sex chromosomes. Our data collectively suggest a high pace of karyotype repatterning in amblypygids, with probably a high ancestral 2n and its subsequent gradual reduction by fusions, and the action of pericentric inversions, similarly to what has been proposed for neoamblypygids. The possible contribution of fissions to charinid karyotype repatterning, however, cannot be fully ruled out.
Astragalus membranaceus Alters Rumen Bacteria to Enhance Fiber Digestion, Improves Antioxidant Capacity and Immunity Indices of Small Intestinal Mucosa, and Enhances Liver Metabolites for Energy Synthesis in Tibetan Sheep
Authors: Wang Xianju , Hu Changsheng , Ding Luming , Tang Yiguo , Wei Haiyan , Jiang Cuixia , Yan Qi , Dong Quanmin , Degen Abraham Allan
Published: November 2021

Natural, non-toxic feed additives can potentially replace chemical medications and antibiotics that are offered sheep to improve performance. In the present study, Tibetan sheep were supplemented with the root of Astragalus membranaceus (AMT), a traditional herb used widely in China. Twenty-four male Tibetan sheep (31 ± 1.4 kg; 9-month-old) were assigned randomly to one of four levels of supplementary AMT: 0 g/kg (A0), 20 g/kg (A20), 50 g/kg (A50) and 80 g/kg (A80) dry matter intake (DMI). The A50 and A80 groups increased the diversity of rumen bacteria on d 14 and the relative abundances of fiber decomposing bacteria. Supplementary AMT upregulated the metabolism of vitamins, nucleotides, amino acids and glycan, and downregulated the metabolism of lipids and carbohydrates. In addition, supplementary AMT enriched rumen bacteria for drug resistance, and reduced bacteria incurring cell motility. In general, AMT supplementation increased the concentrations of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in the small intestinal mucosa and CAT and SOD in meat tissue. The liver tissue metabolome response showed that AMT in the A80 lambs compared to the A0 lambs upregulated the metabolites for energy synthesis. It was concluded that supplementary A. membranaceus increased the relative abundances of fiber decomposing bacteria and improved the antioxidant capacities and immunity indices of small intestinal mucosa and meat tissue in Tibetan sheep.
Chemical Profile of the Volatile Constituents and Antimicrobial Activity of the Essential Oils from Croton adipatus, Croton thurifer, and Croton collinus
Authors: Cucho-Medrano Juana Liz Leslie , Mendoza-Beingolea Sammy Wesley , Fuertes-Ruitón César Máximo , Salazar-Salvatierra María Elena , Herrera-Calderon Oscar
Published: November 2021

The aim of this study was to determine the volatile phytochemical constituents and evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the essential oils of the leaves from Croton adipatus, Croton thurifer, and Croton collinus. Essential oils were extracted by hydro-distillation using the Clevenger extractor and the phytochemical analysis was determined by Gas chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The antimicrobial activity was assessed using the agar diffusion and colorimetric broth microdilution methods against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027, and Candida albicans ATCC The essential oils from C. adipatus, C. thurifer, and C collinus had 46, 38, and 35 volatile constituents respectively. The main compounds determined in C. adipatus were β-myrcene (18.34%), while in C. collinus was β-caryophyllene (44.7%), and in C. thurifer was an unknown component (C10H16: 22.38%). Essential oil of C. adipatus showed a MIC against B. subtilis (286.4 µg/mL) and C. albicans (572.8 ± 0 µg/mL); C. thurifer against S. aureus (296.1 ± 0 µg/mL) and B. subtilis (148 ± 0 µg/mL); and C. collinus against B. subtilis (72 ± 0 µg/mL) and C. albicans (576.2 ± 0 µg/mL). The three essential oils of Croton species demonstrated in vitro antimicrobial activity against a strain of bacteria or fungi.
Tumour Microenvironment Stress Promotes the Development of Drug Resistance
Authors: Seebacher Nicole A. , Krchniakova Maria , Stacy Alexandra E. , Skoda Jan , Jansson Patric J.
Published: November 2021

Multi-drug resistance (MDR) is a leading cause of cancer-related death, and it continues to be a major barrier to cancer treatment. The tumour microenvironment (TME) has proven to play an essential role in not only cancer progression and metastasis, but also the development of resistance to chemotherapy. Despite the significant advances in the efficacy of anti-cancer therapies, the development of drug resistance remains a major impediment to therapeutic success. This review highlights the interplay between various factors within the TME that collectively initiate or propagate MDR. The key TME-mediated mechanisms of MDR regulation that will be discussed herein include (1) altered metabolic processing and the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) axis; (2) changes in stromal cells; (3) increased cancer cell survival via autophagy and failure of apoptosis; (4) altered drug delivery, uptake, or efflux and (5) the induction of a cancer stem cell (CSC) phenotype. The review also discusses thought-provoking ideas that may assist in overcoming the TME-induced MDR. We conclude that stressors from the TME and exposure to chemotherapeutic agents are strongly linked to the development of MDR in cancer cells. Therefore, there remains a vast area for potential research to further elicit the interplay between factors existing both within and outside the TME. Elucidating the mechanisms within this network is essential for developing new therapeutic strategies that are less prone to failure due to the development of resistance in cancer cells.
Serum Zinc and Selenium Concentrations in Patients with Hypertrophy and Remodelling of the Left Ventricle Secondary to Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Gać Paweł , Czerwińska Karolina , Poręba Małgorzata , Prokopowicz Adam , Martynowicz Helena , Mazur Grzegorz , Poręba Rafał
Published: November 2021

The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between serum selenium and zinc concentrations (Se-S and Zn-S) and the left ventricle geometry in patients suffering from arterial hypertension. A total of 78 people with arterial hypertension (mean age: 53.72 ± 12.74 years) participated in the study. Se-S and Zn-S were determined in all patients. The type of left ventricular remodelling and hypertrophy was determined by the left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and relative wall thickness (RWT) measured by echocardiography. Se-S and Zn-S in the whole group were 89.84 ± 18.75 µg/L and 0.86 ± 0.13 mg/L. Normal left ventricular geometry was found in 28.2% of patients; left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in 71.8%, including concentric remodelling in 28.2%, concentric hypertrophy in 29.5%, and eccentric hypertrophy in 14.1%. LVH was statistically significantly more frequent in patients with Se-S < median compared to patients with Se-S ≥ median (87.2% vs. 56.4%, p < 0.05), as well as in patients with Zn-S < median compared to patients with Zn-S ≥ median (83.8% vs. 60.9%, p < 0.05). In hypertensive patients, older age, higher LDL cholesterol, higher fasting glucose, lower Se-S, and lower Zn-S were independently associated with LVH. In conclusion, in hypertensive patients, left ventricular hypertrophy may be associated with low levels of selenium and zinc in the serum.
Multiclass Skin Cancer Classification Using Ensemble of Fine-Tuned Deep Learning Models
Authors: Kausar Nabeela , Hameed Abdul , Sattar Mohsin , Ashraf Ramiza , Imran Ali Shariq , Abidin Muhammad Zain ul , Ali Ammara
Published: November 2021

Skin cancer is a widespread disease associated with eight diagnostic classes. The diagnosis of multiple types of skin cancer is a challenging task for dermatologists due to the similarity of skin cancer classes in phenotype. The average accuracy of multiclass skin cancer diagnosis is 62% to 80%. Therefore, the classification of skin cancer using machine learning can be beneficial in the diagnosis and treatment of the patients. Several researchers developed skin cancer classification models for binary class but could not extend the research to multiclass classification with better performance ratios. We have developed deep learning-based ensemble classification models for multiclass skin cancer classification. Experimental results proved that the individual deep learners perform better for skin cancer classification, but still the development of ensemble is a meaningful approach since it enhances the classification accuracy. Results show that the accuracy of individual learners of ResNet, InceptionV3, DenseNet, InceptionResNetV2, and VGG-19 are 72%, 91%, 91.4%, 91.7% and 91.8%, respectively. The accuracy of proposed majority voting and weighted majority voting ensemble models are 98% and 98.6%, respectively. The accuracy of proposed ensemble models is higher than the individual deep learners and the dermatologists’ diagnosis accuracy. The proposed ensemble models are compared with the recently developed skin cancer classification approaches. The results show that the proposed ensemble models outperform recently developed multiclass skin cancer classification models.
Hierarchical Active Tracking Control for UAVs via Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Zhao Wenlong , Meng Zhijun , Wang Kaipeng , Zhang Jiahui , Lu Shaoze
Published: November 2021

Active tracking control is essential for UAVs to perform autonomous operations in GPS-denied environments. In the active tracking task, UAVs take high-dimensional raw images as input and execute motor actions to actively follow the dynamic target. Most research focuses on three-stage methods, which entail perception first, followed by high-level decision-making based on extracted spatial information of the dynamic target, and then UAV movement control, using a low-level dynamic controller. Perception methods based on deep neural networks are powerful but require considerable effort for manual ground truth labeling. Instead, we unify the perception and decision-making stages using a high-level controller and then leverage deep reinforcement learning to learn the mapping from raw images to the high-level action commands in the V-REP-based environment, where simulation data are infinite and inexpensive. This end-to-end method also has the advantages of a small parameter size and reduced effort requirements for parameter turning in the decision-making stage. The high-level controller, which has a novel architecture, explicitly encodes the spatial and temporal features of the dynamic target. Auxiliary segmentation and motion-in-depth losses are introduced to generate denser training signals for the high-level controller’s fast and stable training. The high-level controller and a conventional low-level PID controller constitute our hierarchical active tracking control framework for the UAVs’ active tracking task. Simulation experiments show that our controller trained with several augmentation techniques sufficiently generalizes dynamic targets with random appearances and velocities, and achieves significantly better performance, compared with three-stage methods.
Characteristics of Air Resistance in Aerostatic Bearings
Authors: Yin Jianlong , Yu Jing , Cao Pengfei , Li Dongsheng , Shen Xiaoyan , Li Ming
Published: November 2021

The definition of air resistance is nonuniform when analyzing the bearing capacity, stiffness, and stability of an orifice throttling aerostatic restrictor. In this study, a capillary tube similar to the inlet section of an aerostatic restrictor is used as the research object, and the Bernoulli equation under adiabatic conditions is established. Through an experiment, the pressure and temperature of the capillary tube inlet and outlet and the flow through the capillary tube are measured. Based on the air resistance definition, the empirical formula of the coefficient k is obtained, and the theoretical air resistance of the capillary path is calculated. The relative error between the theoretical air resistance and experimental air resistance is kept within 10%. The comparison results verify the accuracy of the air resistance theory and provide a basis for the subsequent establishment of a universal definition of air resistance. Subsequently, air resistance can be used to design aerostatic bearings and help improve their characteristics.
Central and Periodic Multi-Scale Discrete Radon Transforms
Authors: Gómez-Cárdenes Óscar , Marichal-Hernández José G. , Phillip Lüke Jonas , Rodríguez-Ramos José M.
Published: November 2021

The multi-scale discrete Radon transform (DRT) calculates, with linearithmic complexity, the summation of pixels, through a set of discrete lines, covering all possible slopes and intercepts in an image, exclusively with integer arithmetic operations. An inversion algorithm exists and is exact and fast, in spite of being iterative. In this work, the DRT forward and backward pair is evolved to propose two faster algorithms: central DRT, which computes only the central portion of intercepts; and periodic DRT, which computes the line integrals on the periodic extension of the input. Both have an output of size N×4N, instead of 3N×4N, as in the original algorithm. Periodic DRT is proven to have a fast inversion, whereas central DRT does not. An interesting application of periodic DRT is its use as building a block of discrete curvelet transform. Central DRT can provide almost a 2× speedup over conventional DRT, probably becoming the faster Radon transform algorithm available, at the cost of ignoring 15% of the summations in the corners.
Renal Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Elastography in Hypertensive Nephroangiosclerosis Patients
Authors: Caraba Alexandru , Munteanu Andreea , Iurciuc Stela , Iurciuc Mircea
Published: November 2021

Objective: Hypertensive nephroangiosclerosis (HN) represents the second most common cause of chronic kidney disease. Kidney damage secondary to high blood pressure favors the appearance of serum and urinary changes, but also imaging, highlighted by ultrasonography (B-mode, Doppler, Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Elastography). Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Elastography (ARFI) represents a new imagistic method which characterizes renal stiffness in the form of shear wave velocity (SWV). Aim: This study aims to investigate renal stiffness in HN patients, and to assess the correlations between it and urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and intrarenal resistive index (RRI). Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on a group of 80 HN patients and 50 healthy, sex and age-matched, as controls. UACR (urinary immunoturbidimetry), eGFR (Jaffe method), RRI, and renal SWV (Siemens Acuson 2000) were determined in all patients and controls. Data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Statistical analysis was done by means Pearson’s test and t-Student test, p values of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: UACR, eGFR, RRI and SWV showed statistically significant differences between the HN patients and controls (p < 0.0001). In the hypertensive patients group, statistically significant correlations were observed between the SWV and UACR (r = −0.7633, p < 0.00001), eGFR (r = 0.7822, p = 0.00001), and RRI (r = −0.7978, p = 0.00001). Conclusions: Kidney sonoelastography characterizes imagistically the existence of intrarenal lesions associated with essential hypertension, offering a new diagnosis method for these patients.
Phytomanagement of a Trace Element-Contaminated Site to Produce a Natural Dye: First Screening of an Emerging Biomass Valorization Chain
Authors: Perlein Alexandre , Bert Valérie , Fernandes de Souza Marcella , Gaucher Rodolphe , Papin Arnaud , Geuens Jeroen , Wens Annelore , Meers Erik
Published: November 2021

The study of different possible biomass valorization routes is crucial in order to diversify phytomanagement options, allowing the landowner/stakeholder to choose the best option based on site characteristics and the benefits of local value chains. In the current study, field and laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the suitabilitity of Malva sylvestris L. for the phytoattenuation of a dredged sediment disposal site contaminated with trace elements (trace element (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn). The selected crop was Malva sylvestris, a flowering plant from which a colourant can be extracted to be used in dying of textiles as a way to valorize the produced biomass grown on this contaminated land. Under the conditions of the investigated site, the analysis of TE in the sediment and the biomass matrix showed no effect of M. sylvestris on the sediment TE contamination mobility with an excluder phenotype (Bioconcentration factor < 1). Metal concentrations were found to be the highest in the leaves followed by in the stem and flower. The dye extract obtained from the flower part of M. sylvestris permitted the silk alum-pretreated fabric to be dyed yellow, and the TE concentration in the dyed textile fabrics respected the threshold values set by OEKO-Tex standard 100.
Improved Automatic License Plate Recognition in Jordan Based on Ceiling Analysis
Authors: Al-Yaman Musa , Alhaj Mustafa Haneen , Hassanain Sara , Abd AlRaheem Alaa , Alsharkawi Adham , Al-Taee Majid
Published: November 2021

The main challenge of automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) systems is that the overall performance is highly dependent upon the results of each component in the system’s pipeline. This paper proposes an improved ALPR system for the Jordanian license plates. Ceiling analysis is carried out to identify potential enhancements in each processing stage of a previously reported ALPR system. Based on the obtained ceiling analysis results, several enhancements are then suggested to improve the overall performance of the system under study. These improvements are (i) vertical-edge histogram analysis and size estimation of the candidate regions in the detection stage and (ii) de-rotation of the misaligned license plate images in the segmentation unit. These enhancements have resulted in significant improvements in the overall system performance despite a <1% increase in the execution time. The performance of the developed ALPR is assessed experimentally using a dataset of 500 images for parked and moving vehicles. The obtained results are found to be superior to those reported in equivalent systems, with a plate detection accuracy of 94.4%, character segmentation accuracy of 91.9%, and character recognition accuracy of 91.5%.
Stiffness Modification-Based Bayesian Finite Element Model Updating to Solve Coupling Effect of Structural Parameters: Formulations
Authors: Zeng Jice , Kim Young Hoon
Published: November 2021

The Bayesian model updating approach (BMUA) benefits from identifying the most probable values of structural parameters and providing uncertainty quantification. However, the traditional BMUA is often used to update stiffness only with the assumption of well-known mass, which allows unidentifiable cases induced by the coupling effect of mass and stiffness to be circumvented and may not be optimal for structures experiencing damages in both mass and stiffness. In this paper, the new BMUA tailored to estimating both mass and stiffness is presented by using two measurement states (original and modified systems). A new eigenequation with a stiffness-modified system is formulated to address the coupling effect of mass and stiffness. The posterior function is treated using an asymptotic approximation method, giving the new objective functions with stiffness modification. Analytical formulations of modal parameters and structural parameters are then derived by a linear optimization method. In addition, the covariance matrix of uncertain parameters is determined by the inverse of the Hessian matrix of the objective function. The performance of the proposed BMUA is evaluated through two numerical examples in this study; a probabilistic damage estimation is also implemented. The results show the proposed BMUA is superior to the traditional one in mass and stiffness updating.
Science at X-ray Free Electron Lasers
Authors: Ueda Kiyoshi
Published: November 2021

X-ray Free Electron Lasers (FELs) deliver coherent X-ray pulses, combining unprecedented power densities of up to 1020 W/cm2 and extremely short pulse durations down to hundreds of attoseconds [...]
Improved Biotransformation of Platycoside E into Deapiose-Xylosylated Platycodin D by Cytolase PCL5 under High Hydrostatic Pressure
Authors: Shin Kyung-Chul , Seo Min-Ju , Oh Yu Jin , Kim Dae Wook , Na Chae Sun , Kim Yeong-Su
Published: November 2021

Platycosides are the functional saponins present in balloon flowers that exert diverse biological effects, and which can be further improved by their deglycosylation. Deapiose-xylosylated platycodin D, which is absent in balloon flowers, can be generated only by cytolase PCL5 by acting on platycoside E. To improve cytolase PCL5-catalyzed production of deapiose-xylosylated platycodin D from platycoside E, we explored the use of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP). At an HHP of 150 MPa, the optimal temperature of cytolase PCL5 activity for converting platycoside E into deapiose-xylosylated platycodin D shifted from 50 to 55 °C, and increased the activity and stability of the enzyme by 5- and 4.9-fold, respectively. Under HHP, the enzyme completely converted 1 mM platycoside E into deapiose-xylosylated platycodin D within 4 h, with a 3.75-fold higher productivity than that under atmospheric pressure. Our results suggest that the application of HHP is a potential method for the economical production of platycosides and enzyme-catalyzed biotransformation of functional saponins.
The Use of Silicones as Extractants of Biologically Active Substances from Vegetable Raw Materials
Authors: Saribekova Diana , Kunik Oleksandra , Harhaun Ruslana , Saleba Ludmila , Cavallaro Giuseppe
Published: November 2021

Based on theoretical studies, the authors of this paper propose the use of cosmetic organosilicon polymers (commonly called silicones) for the extraction of a complex of biologically active substances contained in vegetable raw materials. It is important to note that the biological molecules do not interact with the organosilicones and, therefore, their properties are not altered after the extraction. In this work, we investigate the efficiency of several polyorganosiloxanes as extractants of vegetable raw materials (Calendula Officialis L. and Artemisia Absinthium L.) useful for the preparation of cosmetic emulsions. Specifically, the extraction studies were conducted by using polyorganosiloxanes with a single component (polydimethylsiloxane Silicone Oil 350 cSt, cyclopentasiloxane BRB CM 50, and phenyltrimethicone BRB PTM 20) as well as a mixture (PEG-12 polydimethylsiloxane BRB 526, a solution of dimethiconol in cyclopentasiloxane BRB 1834, and amodimethicone BRB 1288). Compared to water and ethyl alcohol, polyorganosiloxanes are more effective in the extraction of the biologically active substances that are contained in the raw plants. Interestingly, the combination of different polyorganosiloxanes improved the extraction efficiency. The attained knowledge can be helpful in the development of a novel protocol for the formulation of emulsions appealing for cosmetic applications.
Finding Targets in Non-Radial FDH Models: A Hybrid Technique Based on STEM and Extended Ratio Based Approach
Authors: Abbasi Mehdi , Mozaffari Mohammad Reza , Wanke Peter F. , Kaviani Mohamad Amin
Published: November 2021

Performance evaluation using interactive methods and extended ratio-based approaches can be very important for some organizations. Free disposal hull models can be created if there is no concern for convexity, and using non-radial DEA models can simultaneously create more logical and practical situations for finding DMU targets. In this paper, a new hybrid technique based on the additive slack based method and enhanced Russel measure in variable return to scale technology has been proposed. The proposed technique can find decision making unit targets in non-radial free disposal hull models using the step method. Furthermore, the extended ratio-based approach in the proposed technique has been applied to find DMU targets of related non-radial free disposal hull models without solving any mathematical programming models. Finally, targets of Fars province pharmaceutical distributing companies were found by applying the proposed hybrid technique.
Experimental Validation and Evaluation of a Coupled Twist-Camber Morphing Wing Concept
Authors: Lobo do Vale José , Raffaelli John , Suleman Afzal
Published: November 2021

A morphing wing concept allowing for coupled twist-camber shape adaptation is proposed. The design is based on an optimized thickness distribution both spanwise and chordwise to be able to morph the wing sections into targeted airfoil shapes. Simultaneously, the spanwise twist is affected by the actuation. The concept provides a higher degree of control on the lift distribution which can be used for roll control, drag minimization, and active load alleviation. Static deformation and flight tests have been performed to evaluate and quantify the performance of the proposed mechanism. The ground tests include mapped actuated wing shapes, and wing mass and actuation power requirements. Roll authority, load alleviation, and aerodynamic efficiency estimates for different configurations were calculated using a lifting line theory coupled with viscous 2D airfoil data. Roll authority was estimated to be low when compared to a general aviation aircraft while the load alleviation capability was found to be high. Differences between the lift to drag ratio between the reference and morphing wing configurations are considerable. Mass and actuation energy present challenges that can be mitigated. The flight tests were used to qualitatively assess the roll control capability of the prototype, which was found to be adequate.
Post-Annealing Effects on the Structure and Semiconductor Performance of Nanocrystalline ZnTe Thin Films Electrodeposited from an Aqueous Solution Containing Citric Acid
Authors: Ohta Jun , Ohgai Takeshi
Published: November 2021

Using the potentiostatic electrodeposition technique, zinc telluride nanocrystalline thin films and an array of nanowires were synthesized in a citric acid bath. Electrodeposited zinc telluride thin films with stoichiometric compositions were obtained at a cathode potential of approximately −0.8 V versus Ag/AgCl, which was in a more noble region compared with the equilibrium potential of zinc. The average thickness of the zinc telluride thin films was approximately 3 μm, and the average growth rate was approximately 3 nm s−1. The as-deposited zinc telluride thin films had an amorphous phase with a black tint. By contrast, the zinc telluride thin films annealed at 683 K had a crystalline phase with a reddish-brown tint. The electrodeposited single-phase zinc telluride exhibited an optical absorption performance in a wavelength region that was shorter than 559 nm. At the annealing temperature of 683 K, the zinc telluride films exhibited an energy band gap of 2.3 eV, which was almost identical to that of single-crystal zinc telluride. The resistivity of the as-deposited amorphous-like zinc telluride thin films was approximately 2 × 105 Ω·m, whereas that of the samples annealed at 683 K was around 2 × 103 Ω·m, which was smaller than that of single-crystal zinc telluride. A three-dimensional nanostructure constructed with the zinc telluride nanowire array was also demonstrated using a template synthesis technique.
Real-Time Quantification of Crude Protein and Neutral Detergent Fibre in Pastures under Montado Ecosystem Using the Portable NIR Spectrometer
Authors: Carreira Emanuel , Serrano João , Shahidian Shakib , Nogales-Bueno Julio , Rato Ana Elisa
Published: November 2021

The Montado is a Mediterranean agro–forestry–pastoral ecosystem. Knowledge of pastures’ nutritional value is critical for farm managers’ decision-making. Laboratory determinations are very expensive, destructive and costly, in terms of time and labour. The objective of this experimental work was to calibrate and validate a portable near-infrared spectrometer (micro-NIR) to predict the nutritive value (neutral detergent fibre, NDF and crude protein, CP) of pastures in the peak of spring 2021. Thus, a total of 87 pasture samples were collected at eight experimental fields located in the Alentejo, Southern region of Portugal. The results show good correlations between in-situ micro-NIR measurements and pasture NDF reference values (R2 of 0.73 and 0.69 for calibration and validation models, respectively), and a moderate correlation between micro-NIR measurements and pasture CP reference values (R2 of 0.51 and 0.36 for calibration and validation models, respectively). These results show the potential of this tool for the quick evaluation of pasture quality and constitute a starting point for future work, which should include the monitoring of temporal variability (throughout the entire vegetative cycle of the pasture) and spatial (with geo-referenced information) diversity of pastures characteristic of the Montado ecosystem in the Mediterranean region.
Effects of Dog-Assisted Therapy on the Physical Function and Communication Skills of Adults with Autism: A Study Protocol for a Controlled Study
Authors: Gómez-Calcerrada Isabel , Lavín-Pérez Ana Myriam , Villafaina Santos , Rueda-Rubio Juan Carlos , Rivera-Martín Beatriz , González-García Israel , Merellano-Navarro Eugenio , Mateo-Garitagoitia Marta , González-Plaza Carlota , Collado-Mateo Daniel
Published: November 2021

Background and Objectives: Despite the scientific evidence of the positive effects of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it is not still considered an evidence-based practice for this population. The proposed study will aim to evaluate the effects of a dog-assisted therapy program on gait, posture, and communication skills. Materials and Methods: A total of 24 adults with ASD will participate in this non-randomized controlled trial. The experimental group will involve 12 participants who will receive AAT for 10 weeks, at two sessions per week. The focus of these sessions will be conducting different activities and physical exercises, facilitated by dogs. The control group will receive treatment as usual. The outcome measures will be the ability to walk and climbing stairs, balance, risk of falls and communication skills. Conclusions: The role of dogs as facilitators of the movement may lead to relevant benefits in the gait, posture and communication skills of adults with ASD, improving their ability to perform activities of daily living.
Degradation of Mechanical Behavior of Sandstone under Freeze-Thaw Conditions with Different Low Temperatures
Authors: Gao Jingwei , Xu Chao , Xi Yan , Fan Lifeng
Published: November 2021

This study investigated the effects of freezing temperature under freeze-thaw cycling conditions on the mechanical behavior of sandstone. First, the sandstone specimens were subjected to 10-time freeze-thaw cycling treatments at different freezing temperatures (−20, −40, −50, and −60 °C). Subsequently, a series of density, ultrasonic wave, and static and dynamic mechanical behavior tests were carried out. Finally, the effects of freezing temperature on the density, P-wave velocity, stress–strain curves, static and dynamic uniaxial compressive strength, static elastic modulus, and dynamic energy absorption of sandstone were discussed. The results show that the density slightly decreases as temperature decreases, approximately by 1.0% at −60 °C compared with that at 20 °C. The P-wave velocity, static and dynamic uniaxial compressive strength, static elastic modulus, and dynamic energy absorption obviously decrease. As freezing temperature decreases from 20 to −60 °C, the static uniaxial compressive strength, static elastic modulus, dynamic strength, and dynamic energy absorption of sandstone decrease by 16.8%, 21.2%, 30.8%, and 30.7%, respectively. The dynamic mechanical behavior is more sensitive to the freezing temperature during freeze-thawing cycling compared with the static mechanical behavior. In addition, a higher strain rate can induce a higher dynamic strength and energy absorption.
Developments of Adapted Clothing for Physically Disabled People with Scoliosis Using 3D Geometrical Model
Authors: Mosleh Sara , Abtew Mulat Alubel , Bruniaux Pascal , Tartare Guillaume , Xu Yukang
Published: November 2021

Scoliosis is a deformity of the spine that causes disorders of the rib cage. This makes it difficult to design clothes for affected people without following the shape of the rib cage. This paper presents a new 3D clothing design method based on virtual reality for women with physical disabilities such as scoliosis. The current design method is a variation of the draping techniques commonly used by fashion designers to design clothes on a mannequin or human body. However, the current design process highly considers the skeleton and body scan of the person. The skeleton is used to detect the anthropometric points of the patient, while the body scan allows us to detect the morphological contours at the onset of scoliosis. Thus, both allow us to accurately track the patient’s morphology and atypical shape. The position of the morphological contours is indicated by reference marks that are closely associated with the skeleton. This helps to automatically adapt the garment to the evolution of the patient’s pathology over time. The process of creating the 3D garment was processed based on the 3D model of the thorax, which helps to easily determine the anthropometric points and the morphological curves. Using this data, the geometrical model of the garment could be created with 3D ease allowances. The 2D block pattern was then obtained by flattening the 3D patterns using flattening methods. Finally, various tests were performed considering the evolution of pathology to predict the future garment. These tests validate our geometrical model of the garment with 3D ease allowances by comparing the results with previous work.
Denitrification in Intrinsic and Specific Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment: A Review
Authors: Busico Gianluigi , Alessandrino Luigi , Mastrocicco Micòl
Published: November 2021

Several groundwater vulnerability methodologies have been implemented throughout the years to face the increasing worldwide groundwater pollution, ranging from simple rating methodologies to complex numerical, statistical, and hybrid methods. Most of these methods have been used to evaluate groundwater vulnerability to nitrate, which is considered the major groundwater contaminant worldwide. Together with dilution, the degradation of nitrate via denitrification has been acknowledged as a process that can reduce reactive nitrogen mass loading rates in both deep and shallow aquifers. Thus, denitrification should be included in groundwater vulnerability studies and integrated into the various methodologies. This work reviewed the way in which denitrification has been considered within the vulnerability assessment methods and how it could increase the reliability of the overall results. Rating and statistical methods often disregard or indirectly incorporate denitrification, while numerical models make use of kinetic reactions that are able to quantify the spatial and temporal variations of denitrification rates. Nevertheless, the rating methods are still the most utilized, due to their linear structures, especially in watershed studies. More efforts should be paid in future studies to implement, calibrate, and validate user-friendly vulnerability assessment methods that are able to deal with denitrification capacity and rates at large spatial and temporal scales.
Autonomous Driving Control Using the DDPG and RDPG Algorithms
Authors: Chang Che-Cheng , Tsai Jichiang , Lin Jun-Han , Ooi Yee-Ming
Published: November 2021

Recently, autonomous driving has become one of the most popular topics for smart vehicles. However, traditional control strategies are mostly rule-based, which have poor adaptability to the time-varying traffic conditions. Similarly, they have difficulty coping with unexpected situations that may occur any time in the real-world environment. Hence, in this paper, we exploited Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) to enhance the quality and safety of autonomous driving control. Based on the road scenes and self-driving simulation modules provided by AirSim, we used the Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG) and Recurrent Deterministic Policy Gradient (RDPG) algorithms, combined with the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), to realize the autonomous driving control of self-driving cars. In particular, by using the real-time images of the road provided by AirSim as the training data, we carefully formulated an appropriate reward-generation method to improve the convergence speed of the adopted DDPG and RDPG models and the control performance of moving driverless cars.