bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Phycocyanin Extraction from Cyanidium caldarium by Spark Discharges, Compared to Freeze-Thaw Cycles, Sonication, and Pulsed Electric Fields
Authors: Sommer Marie-Christine , Balazinski Martina , Rataj Raphael , Wenske Sebastian , Kolb Juergen F. , Zocher Katja
Published: July 2021

Phycocyanin is a blue colored pigment, synthesized by several species of cyanobacteria and red algae. Besides the application as a food-colorant, the pigmented protein is of high interest as a pharmaceutically and nutritionally valuable compound. Since cyanobacteria-derived phycocyanin is thermolabile, red algae that are adapted to high temperatures are an interesting source for phycocyanin extraction. Still, the extraction of high quality phycocyanin from red algae is challenging due to the strong and rigid cell wall. Since standard techniques show low yields, alternative methods are needed. Recently, spark discharges have been shown to gently disintegrate microalgae and thereby enable the efficient extraction of susceptible proteins. In this study, the applicability of spark discharges for phycocyanin extraction from the red alga Cyanidium caldarium was investigated. The efficiency of 30 min spark discharges was compared with standard treatment protocols, such as three times repeated freeze-thaw cycles, sonication, and pulsed electric fields. Input energy for all physical methods were kept constant at 11,880 J to ensure comparability. The obtained extracts were evaluated by photometric and fluorescent spectroscopy. Highest extraction yields were achieved with sonication (53 mg/g dry weight (dw)) and disintegration by spark discharges (4 mg/g dw) while neither freeze-thawing nor pulsed electric field disintegration proved effective. The protein analysis via LC-MS of the former two extracts revealed a comparable composition of phycobiliproteins. Despite the lower total concentration of phycocyanin after application of spark discharges, the purity in the raw extract was higher in comparison to the extract attained by sonication.
Photodegradation of Brilliant Green Dye by a Zinc bioMOF and Crystallographic Visualization of Resulting CO2
Authors: Escamilla Paula , Viciano-Chumillas Marta , Bruno Rosaria , Armentano Donatella , Pardo Emilio , Ferrando-Soria Jesús
Published: July 2021

We present a novel bio-friendly water-stable Zn-based MOF (1), derived from the natural amino acid L-serine, which was able to efficiently photodegrade water solutions of brilliant green dye in only 120 min. The total degradation was followed by UV-Vis spectroscopy and further confirmed by single-crystal X-ray crystallography, revealing the presence of CO2 within its channels. Reusability studies further demonstrate the structural and performance robustness of 1.
Conversion Characteristics of Some Major Cannabinoids from Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Raw Materials by New Rapid Simultaneous Analysis Method
Authors: Ryu Byeong Ryeol , Islam Md. Jahirul , Azad Md. Obyedul Kalam , Go Eun-Ji , Rahman Md. Hafizur , Rana Md. Soyel , Lim Young-Seok , Lim Jung-Dae
Published: July 2021

This study was carried out to develop a high-performance liquid chromatography method for short-time analysis of the main cannabinoids in the inflorescence of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.). We also performed decarboxylation of the raw material using our advanced analysis technique. In this study, the UV spectrum was considered to analyze each of the four common cannabinoids, solvents, and samples, where the uniform elution of acidic cannabinoids without peak tailing and acids was tested. Optimal results were obtained when readings were taken at a wavelength of 220 nm using water and methanol containing trifluoroacetic acid as mobile phases in a solvent gradient system. The established conditions were further validated by system suitability, linearity, precision, detection limit, and quantitation limit tests. The decarboxylation index (DT50) confirmed that Δ9-THCA decarboxylated faster than CBDA, and both maintained a linear relationship with time and temperature. In addition, the loss of cannabidiol was better prevented during the decarboxylation process in the natural state than in the extracted state.
Determination of Activation Energies and the Optimum Temperatures of Hydrolysis of Starch by α-Amylase from Porcine Pancreas
Authors: Miłek Justyna
Published: July 2021

The present paper reports the determination of the activation energies and the optimum temperatures of starch hydrolysis by porcine pancreas α-amylase. The parameters were estimated based on the literature data on the activity curves versus temperature for starch hydrolysis by α-amylase from porcine pancreas. It was assumed that both the hydrolysis reaction process and the deactivation process of α-amylase were first-order reactions by the enzyme concentration. A mathematical model describing the effect of temperature on porcine pancreas α-amylase activity was used. The determine deactivation energies Ea were from 19.82 ± 7.22 kJ/mol to 128.80 ± 9.27 kJ/mol, the obtained optimum temperatures Topt were in the range from 311.06 ± 1.10 K to 326.52 ± 1.75 K. In turn, the values of deactivation energies Ed has been noted in the range from 123.57 ± 14.17 kJ/mol to 209.37 ± 5.17 kJ/mol. The present study is related to the starch hydrolysis by α-amylase. In the industry, the obtained results the values Ea, Ed, Topt can be used to design and optimize starch hydrolysis by α-amylase porcine pancreas. The obtained results might also find application in research on the pharmaceutical preparations used to treat pancreatic insufficiency or prognosis of pancreatic cancer.
No Clinical Symptom Experienced after Consumption of Berry Fruits with Positive RT-qPCR Signals of Human Norovirus
Authors: Eshaghi Gorji Mohamad , Tan Malcolm Turk Hsern , Zhao Mitchie Y. , Li Dan
Published: July 2021

Human noroviruses (hNoVs) are the most important foodborne viruses, and soft berries are one of the most common food sources of hNoV outbreaks and contamination. This paper presents a human volunteer study in order to investigate the correlation between molecular detection results of hNoV in berries with the public health risks. The participants with diverse histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) phenotypes were required to consume self-purchased berries and meanwhile submit aliquots of the products for reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) detection. As a result, none of the 20 participants reported any hNoV infection-like symptoms after six independent consumptions (120 consumptions in total). In contrast, within the 68 berry samples with >1% virus recoveries, 28 samples were detected to be positive for hNoV GI and/or GII (the positive rate at 41%). All of the positive signals were below the limit of quantification (<120 genome copies/g) except one fresh strawberry sample at 252 genome copies/g. It is expected that this study would contribute to the definition of quantitative standards for risk assessment purposes in the future.
Extracellular Proteome Analysis Shows the Abundance of Histidine Kinase Sensor Protein, DNA Helicase, Putative Lipoprotein Containing Peptidase M75 Domain and Peptidase C39 Domain Protein in Leptospira interrogans Grown in EMJH Medium
Authors: Sarma Abhijit , Gunasekaran Dhandapani , Rex Devasahayam Arokia Balaya , Sikha Thoduvayil , Phukan Homen , Kiran Kumar Mangalaparthi , Pinto Sneha M. , Prasad Thottethodi Subrahmanya Keshava , Madanan Madathiparambil G.
Published: July 2021

Leptospirosis is a re-emerging form of zoonosis that is caused by the spirochete pathogen Leptospira. Extracellular proteins play critical roles in the pathogenicity and survival of this pathogen in the host and environment. Extraction and analysis of extracellular proteins is a difficult task due to the abundance of enrichments like serum and bovine serum albumin in the culture medium, as is distinguishing them from the cellular proteins that may reach the analyte during extraction. In this study, extracellular proteins were separated as secretory proteins from the culture supernatant and surface proteins were separated during the washing of the cell pellet. The proteins identified were sorted based on the proportion of the cellular fractions and the extracellular fractions. The results showed the identification of 56 extracellular proteins, out of which 19 were exclusively extracellular. For those proteins, the difference in quantity with respect to their presence within the cell was found to be up to 1770-fold. Further, bioinformatics analysis elucidated characteristics and functions of the identified proteins. Orthologs of extracellular proteins in various Leptospira species were found to be closely related among different pathogenic forms. In addition to the identification of extracellular proteins, this study put forward a method for the extraction and identification of extracellular proteins.
Phytochemical Composition, Antioxidant, and Enzyme Inhibition Activities of Methanolic Extracts of Two Endemic Onosma Species
Authors: Saravanakumar Kandasamy , Sarikurkcu Cengiz , Sahinler Saliha Seyma , Sarikurkcu Rabia Busra , Wang Myeong-Hyeon
Published: July 2021

Onosma species have been used as a dye for hundreds of years due to their dark red pigments. These species have also been used by mankind in the treatment of various diseases since ancient times. This work analyzed the phytochemical composition in methanol extract of two endemic Onosma species (O. lycaonica and O. papillosa). Methanolic extract of these species varied in the content of flavonoids and phenolics. The flavonoids were found higher in O. papillosa [32.9 ± 0.3 mg QEs (quercetin equivalent)/g extracts] while the phenolics were higher in O. lycaonica [43.5 ± 1.5 mg GAEs (gallic acid equivalent)/g extracts]. ESI-MS/MS (electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry) revealed the presence of 25 compounds in O. lycaonica and 24 compounds in O. papillosa. The former was richer than the latter for apigenin, luteolin, eriodictyol, pinoresinol, apigenin 7-glucoside, rosmarinic acid, luteolin 7-glucoside, ferulic acid, vanillin, caffeic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, (+)-catechin3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid. The O. papillosa exhibited low EC50 (1.90 ± 0.07 mg/mL) which indicated its strong phosphomolybdenum scavenging activity as compared to O. lycaonica. However, the O. lycaonica showed low IC50 or EC50 for 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS+), cupric reducing antioxidant power (CUPRAC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and ferrous ion chelating activity, as compared to O. papillosa. The results proved the presence of potent antioxidant compounds in O. lycaonica. Further, the plant extracts significantly varied for enzyme inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), but the plant extracts did not significantly differ for inhibition of α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and tyrosinase. Onosma species deserve further research towards developing novel drugs to treat oxidative diseases.
Disparate Dynamics of Gene Body and cis-Regulatory Element Evolution Illustrated for the Senescence-Associated Cysteine Protease Gene SAG12 of Plants
Authors: Vatov Emil , Ludewig Uwe , Zentgraf Ulrike
Published: July 2021

Gene regulation networks precisely orchestrate the expression of genes that are closely associated with defined physiological and developmental processes such as leaf senescence in plants. The Arabidopsis thaliana senescence-associated gene 12 (AtSAG12) encodes a cysteine protease that is (i) involved in the degradation of chloroplast proteins and (ii) almost exclusively expressed during senescence. Transcription factors, such as WRKY53 and WRKY45, bind to W-boxes in the promoter region of AtSAG12 and play key roles in its activation. Other transcription factors, such as bZIPs, might have accessory functions in their gene regulation, as several A-boxes have been identified and appear to be highly overrepresented in the promoter region compared to the whole genome distribution but are not localized within the regulatory regions driving senescence-associated expression. To address whether these two regulatory elements exhibiting these different properties are conserved in other closely related species, we constructed phylogenetic trees of the coding sequences of orthologs of AtSAG12 and screened their respective 2000 bp promoter regions for the presence of conserved cis-regulatory elements, such as bZIP and WRKY binding sites. Interestingly, the functional relevant upstream located W-boxes were absent in plant species as closely related as Arabidopsis lyrata, whereas an A-box cluster appeared to be conserved in the Arabidopsis species but disappeared in Brassica napus. Several orthologs were present in other species, possibly because of local or whole genome duplication events, but with distinct cis-regulatory sites in different locations. However, at least one gene copy in each family analyzed carried one W-box and one A-box in its promoter. These gene differences in SAG12 orthologs are discussed in the framework of cis- and trans-regulatory factors, of promoter and gene evolution, of genetic variation, and of the enhancement of the adaptability of plants to changing environmental conditions.
Differences in Grain Microstructure and Proteomics of a Broad Bean (Vicia faba L.) Landrace Cixidabaican in China Compared with Lingxiyicun Introduced from Japan
Authors: Hao Pengfei , Zhu Yaming , Feng Qidong , Jin Zhuqun , Wu Feibo
Published: July 2021

In response to the germplasm resources’ conservation in China, the characters of a superior landrace of broad bean (Vicia faba L.) Cixidabaican (CX) were identified, compared with Lixiyicun (LX) introduced from Japan. The plant morphology and root structure of CX were larger, pods/seeds number and yield per plant were higher, but the size of pods/seeds and single-seed weight were lower than the similar characteristics in LX. The protein content of dry seeds of CX was 4.1% lower than LX, while the amino acids contents showed no difference between the two cultivars. The seed scan electron micrograph showed that the structure of starch granules was similar, while the granules number was lower in CX than LX. iTRAQ-based proteomics showed that 80 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) were higher, and 45 DAPs were less abundant in the seeds of CX compared to LX, and DAPs were enriched in proteins of carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. These results verified the importance of the further study of landraces by showing superior traits of CX, which could contribute to the breeding of better-quality varieties.
An Overview of the Glucocorticoids’ Pathways in the Environment and Their Removal Using Conventional Wastewater Treatment Systems
Authors: Yazdan Munshi Md. Shafwat , Ahad Md Tanvir , Mallick Zayed , Mallick Synthia Parveen , Jahan Ishrat , Mazumder Mozammel
Published: July 2021

Numerous micropollutants, especially endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), can pollute natural aquatic environments causing great concern for human and ecosystem health. While most of the conversation revolves around estrogen and androgen, glucocorticoids (GCs) are also prevalent in natural waters. Despite the fact that GCs play a crucial role in both inflammatory and immunologic development activities, they are also detected in natural waters and considered as one of the EDCs. Although many researchers have mentioned the adverse effect of GCs on aquatic organisms, a complete management technology to remove these pollutants from surface and coastal waters is yet to be established. In the current study, six glucocorticoids (prednisone, prednisolone, cortisone, cortisol, dexamethasone, and 6R-methylprednisolone) have been selected according to their higher detection frequency in environmental waters. The concentration of selected GCs ranged from 0.05 ng/L to 433 ng/L and their removal efficiency ranged from 10% to 99% depending on the water source and associated removal technologies. Although advanced technologies are available for achieving successful removal of GCs, associated operational and economic considerations make implementation of these processes unsustainable. Further studies are necessary to resolve the entry routes of GCs compounds into the surface water or drinking water permanently as well as employ sustainable detection and removal technologies.
Evaluation of Physical Characteristics of Typical Maize Seeds in a Cold Area of North China Based on Principal Component Analysis
Authors: Tang Han , Xu Changsu , Jiang Yeming , Wang Jinwu , Wang Zhenhua , Tian Liquan
Published: July 2021

The physical properties of maize seeds are closely related to food processing and production. To study and evaluate the characteristics of maize seeds, typical maize seeds in a cold region of North China were used as test varieties. A variety of agricultural material test benches were built to measure the maize seeds’ physical parameters, such as thousand-grain weight, moisture content, triaxial arithmetic mean particle size, coefficient of static friction, coefficient of rolling friction, angle of natural repose, coefficient of restitution, and stiffness coefficient. Principal component and cluster comprehensive analyses were used to simplify the characteristic parameter index used to judge the comprehensive score of maize seeds. The results showed that there were significant differences in the main physical characteristics parameters of the typical maize varieties in this cold area, and there were different degrees of correlation among the physical characteristics. Principal component analysis was used to extract the first three principal component factors, whose cumulative contribution rate was over 80%, representing most of the information of the original eight physical characteristic parameters, and had good representativeness and objectivity. According to the test results, the classification standard of the evaluation of the physical characteristics of 15 kinds of maize seeds were determined, and appropriate evaluations were conducted. The 15 kinds of maize seeds were clustered into four groups by cluster analysis, and the physical characteristics of each groups were different. This study provides a new idea for the evaluation and analysis of the physical properties of agricultural materials, and provides a new method for the screening and classification of food processing raw materials.
Implementation of the Digital Sales Channel in the Coatings Industry
Authors: Krhač Andrašec Eva , Urh Benjamin , Senegačnik Marjan , Kern Tomaž
Published: July 2021

The development process in the coatings industry can be shortened by digital transformation, and its costs can be reduced using a technical enabler. However, formulators need up-to-date and comprehensive data on existing and potential ingredients to develop the formulation. We were curious about how to supply formulators with data. The idea was that suppliers of ingredients provide data using the “common enabling technology”. We hypothesize that direct data entry compensates suppliers because they can shorten the sales process and increase sales. We used a survey to select key sales channels in the industry. Detailed process models were designed using structured interviews. We analyzed models using structural and operational indicators. Finally, we formed a new digital sales process and verified it. The results show that the digitally formatted sales process can be shortened by up to 32%. Simultaneously, more potential customers can be accessed using the common technology. Existing sales channels would not be closed down. Nevertheless, the digital sales channel is expected to prove its worth over time and gradually increase its share. The suppliers of ingredients can thus avoid a radical process transformation and the immediate integration of additional information technology into the company information system in such an evolutionary way.
Evaluation of the Performance of a Combined Tillage Implement with Plough and Rotary Tiller by Experiment and DEM Simulation
Authors: Du Jun , Heng Yifan , Zheng Kan , Zhang Wenliang , Zhang Jumin , Xia Junfang
Published: July 2021

In order to improve the performance of tillage tool for straw incorporation in silty clay loam, a combined tillage implement with plough and rotary tiller was designed. Its performance on straw incorporation and power consumption was investigated, and the combined tillage types (CTSR and CTDR) were compared with traditional tillage types including a sole plough type (SP and DP), a sole rotary tiller (RT), and a two-pass tillage type (SP+RT and DP+RT) in a rice field experiment. The effect of the forward speed and rotary speed for RT and CTSR were studied by DEM simulation. The ratio of straw coverage by CTSR and CTDR increased nearly 20% compared with RT, and the stability coefficient of tillage depth and CV of the surface evenness after tillage also improved in the field experiment. The total power of CTSR and CTDR was less than that of RT and two-pass tillage types by measurement. DEM simulation indicated that the total power of CTSR increased with the increase of the forward speed and rotary speed, and the reduction of the rotary power for the combined tillage implement can be obtained at a relatively high rotary speed. The combined tillage implement improved the performance on straw incorporation and had an advantage on power consumption at some operational conditions.
Effect of Coated Cow Dung on Fluidization Reduction of Fine Iron Ore particles
Authors: Xu Qiyan , Gu Zhanghan , Wan Ziwei , Huangfu Mingzhu , Meng Qingmin , Liao Zhiyou , Wu Baoguo
Published: July 2021

The effects of reduction temperature, gas linear velocity, reduction pressure, reduction time, and reducing gas on the fluidized ironmaking process were studied for the fine iron Newman ore particles (0.154–0.178 mm) and the optimal experimental operating conditions were obtained. Under the optimal conditions, the effects of the coated cow dung on the reduction of fine iron ore particles were studied, and the inhibition mechanism of cow dung on particle adhesion in the fluidized ironmaking process was elucidated. The experimental results show that the optimal operating parameters are linear velocity of 0.6 m/s, reduction pressure of 0.2 MPa, reduction temperature of 1023 K, H2 as the reducing gas, and reduction time of 60 min. Cow dung can react with oxide in the ore powder to form a high melting point substance that can form a certain isolation layer, inhibit the growth of iron whiskers, and improve the fluidization.
An Efficient ECC-Based CP-ABE Scheme for Power IoT
Authors: Cheng Rui , Wu Kehe , Su Yuling , Li Wei , Cui Wenchao , Tong Jie
Published: July 2021

The rapid development of the power Internet of Things (IoT) has greatly enhanced the level of security, quality and efficiency in energy production, energy consumption, and related fields. However, it also puts forward higher requirements for the security and privacy of data. Ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption (CP-ABE) is considered a suitable method to solve this issue and can implement fine-grained access control. However, its internal bilinear pairing operation is too expensive, which is not suitable for power IoT with limited computing resources. Hence, in this paper, a novel CP-ABE scheme based on elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) is proposed, which replaces the bilinear pairing operation with simple scalar multiplication and outsources most of the decryption work to edge devices. In addition, time and location attributes are combined in the proposed scheme, allowing the data users to access only within the range of time and locations set by the data owners to achieve a more fine-grained access control function. Simultaneously, the scheme uses multiple authorities to manage attributes, thereby solving the performance bottleneck of having a single authority. A performance analysis demonstrates that the proposed scheme is effective and suitable for power IoT.
Experiments with Buddhist Forms of Thought, Action and Practice to Promote Significant Learning
Authors: Regan Julie
Published: July 2021

While scholars have considered the centrality of teaching in Buddhist traditions and the rich pedagogical resources Buddhism has to offer academic courses on the topic, less attention has been paid to the ways in which Buddhist pedagogy might be applied to the overall structure of course design. This article addresses the challenges of presenting the richness and complexity of Buddhist traditions while also encouraging students to experientially engage such traditions in ways that promote transformative learning. It proposes using Buddhist pedagogical principles, together with a model of significant learning (Fink 2013), to design a course according to the Three Trainings in Wisdom, Ethics and Meditation. Framing the course as a series of experiments in Buddhist forms of thought, action, and practice highlights the critical perspective common to both Buddhist and academic approaches and helps maintain important distinctions between Buddhist traditions and popular secular practices. This article describes specific experiments with Buddhist ways of reading and analyzing classic and contemporary texts, films and images, together with experiments in Buddhist methods of contemplative and ethical practice, in an introductory course in order to help students see how forms of suffering that concern them might arise and be stopped or prevented from a Buddhist point of view.
A Near Standard Soil Samples Spectra Enhanced Modeling Strategy for Cd Concentration Prediction
Authors: Tu Yulong , Zou Bin , Feng Huihui , Zhou Mo , Yang Zhihui , Xiong Ying
Published: July 2021

Visible and near-infrared (VNIR) spectroscopy technology for soil heavy metal (HM) concentration prediction has been widely studied. However, its spectral response characteristics are still uncertain. In this study, a near standard soil Cd samples (NSSCd) spectra enhanced modeling strategy was developed in order to to reveal the soil cadmium (Cd) spectral response characteristics and predict its concentration. NSSCd were produced by adding the quantitative Cd solution into background soil. Then, prior spectral bands (i.e., the bands with higher variable importance in projection (VIP) score in NSSCd spectra) were used for predicting Cd concentration in soil samples collected from the Hengyang mining area and Baoding agriculture area. The partial least squares (PLS) and competitive adaptive reweighted sampling-partial least squares (CARS-PLS) were used for validation. Compared to using entire VNIR spectral ranges, the new modeling strategy performed very well, with the coefficient of determination (R2) and the ratio of prediction to deviation (RPD) showing an improvement from 0.63 and 1.72 to 0.71 and 1.95 in Hengyang and from 0.54 and 1.57 to 0.76 and 2.19 in Baoding. These results suggest that NSS prior spectral bands are critical for soil HM prediction. Our results represent an exciting finding for the future design of remote sensing sensors for soil HM detection.
A Framework of Filtering Rules over Ground Truth Samples to Achieve Higher Accuracy in Land Cover Maps
Authors: Padial-Iglesias Mario , Serra Pere , Ninyerola Miquel , Pons Xavier
Published: July 2021

Remote Sensing (RS) digital classification techniques require sufficient, accurate and ubiquitously distributed ground truth (GT) samples. GT is usually considered “true” per se; however, human errors, or differences in criteria when defining classes, among other reasons, often undermine this veracity. Trusting the GT is so crucial that protocols should be defined for making additional quality checks before passing to the classification stage. Fortunately, the nature of RS imagery allows setting a framework of quality controls to improve the confidence in the GT areas by proposing a set of filtering rules based on data from the images themselves. In our experiment, two pre-existing reference datasets (rDS) were used to obtain GT candidate pixels, over which inconsistencies were identified. This served as a basis for inferring five key filtering rules based on NDVI data, a product available from almost all RS instruments. We evaluated the performance of the rules in four temporal study cases (under backdating and updating scenarios) and two study areas. In each case, a set of GT samples was extracted from the rDS and the set was used both unfiltered (original) and filtered according to the rules. Our proposal shows that the filtered GT samples made it possible to solve usual problems in wilderness and agricultural categories. Indeed, the confusion matrices revealed, on average, an increase in the overall accuracy of 10.9, a decrease in the omission error of 16.8, and a decrease in the commission error of 14.0, all values in percent points. Filtering rules corrected inconsistencies in the GT samples extracted from the rDS by considering inter-annual and intra-annual differences, scale issues, multiple behaviours over time and labelling misassignments. Therefore, although some intrinsic limitations have been detected (as in mixed forests), the protocol allows a much better Land Cover mapping thanks to using more robust GT samples, something particularly important in a multitemporal context in which accounting for phenology is essential.
Molecular Monolayer Sensing Using Surface Plasmon Resonance and Angular Goos-Hänchen Shift
Authors: Olaya Cherrie May , Hayazawa Norihiko , Balois-Oguchi Maria Vanessa , Hermosa Nathaniel , Tanaka Takuo
Published: July 2021

We demonstrate potential molecular monolayer detection using measurements of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and angular Goos-Hänchen (GH) shift. Here, the molecular monolayer of interest is a benzenethiol self-assembled monolayer (BT-SAM) adsorbed on a gold (Au) substrate. Excitation of surface plasmons enhanced the GH shift which was dominated by angular GH shift because we focused the incident beam to a small beam waist making spatial GH shift negligible. For measurements in ambient, the presence of BT-SAM on a Au substrate induces hydrophobicity which decreases the likelihood of contamination on the surface allowing for molecular monolayer sensing. This is in contrast to the hydrophilic nature of a clean Au surface that is highly susceptible to contamination. Since our measurements were made in ambient, larger SPR angle than the expected value was measured due to the contamination in the Au substrate. In contrast, the SPR angle was smaller when BT-SAM coated the Au substrate due to the minimization of contaminants brought about by Au surface modification. Detection of the molecular monolayer acounts for the small change in the SPR angle from the expected value.
Tactowel: A Subtle Sports Performance Display for Giving Real-Time Performance Feedback in Tennis
Authors: Havlucu Hayati , Coşkun Aykut , Özcan Oğuzhan
Published: July 2021

Sports technology enhances athletes’ performance by providing feedback. However, interaction techniques of current devices may overwhelm athletes with excessive information or distract them from their performance. Despite previous research, design knowledge on how to interact with these devices to prevent such occasions are scarce. To address this gap, we introduce subtle displays as real-time sports performance feedback output devices that unobtrusively present low-resolution information. In this paper, we conceptualize and apply subtle displays to tennis by designing Tactowel, a texture changing sports towel. We evaluate Tactowel through a remote user study with 8 professional tennis players, in which they experience, compare and discuss Tactowel. Our results suggest subtle displays could prevent overwhelming and distracting athletes through three distinct design strategies: (1) Restricting the use excluding duration of performance, (2) using the available routines and interactions, and (3) giving an overall abstraction through tangible interaction. We discuss these results to present design implications and future considerations for designing subtle displays.
The Q-Pass Index: A Multifactorial IMUs-Based Tool to Assess Passing Skills in Basketball
Authors: Quílez-Maimón Arturo , Rojas-Ruiz Francisco Javier , Delgado-García Gabriel , Courel-Ibáñez Javier
Published: July 2021

Despite being a key sport-specific characteristic in performance, there is no practical tool to assess the quality of the pass in basketball. The aim of this study is to develop a tool (the quality-pass index or Q-Pass) able to deliver a quantitative, practical measure of passing skills quality based on a combination of accuracy, execution time and pass pattern variability. Temporal, kinematics and performance parameters were analysed in five different types of passes (chest, bounce, crossover, between-the-leg and behind-the-back) using a field-based test, video cameras and body-worn inertial sensors (IMUs). Data from pass accuracy, time and angular velocity were collected and processed in a custom-built excel spreadsheet. The Q-pass index (0–100 score) resulted from the sum of the three factors. Data were collected from 16 young basketball players (age: 16 ± 2 years) with high (experienced) and low (novice) level of expertise. Reliability analyses found the Q-pass index as a reliable tool in both novice (CV from 4.3 to 9.3%) and experienced players (CV from 2.8 to 10.2%). Besides, important differences in the Q-pass index were found between players’ level (p < 0.05), with the experienced showing better scores in all passing situations: behind-the-back (ES = 1.91), bounce (ES = 0.82), between-the-legs (ES = 1.11), crossover (ES = 0.58) and chest (ES = 0.94). According to these findings, the Q-pass index was sensitive enough to identify the differences in passing skills between young players with different levels of expertise, providing a numbering score for each pass executed.
Improved Point-Line Feature Based Visual SLAM Method for Complex Environments
Authors: Zhou Fei , Zhang Limin , Deng Chaolong , Fan Xinyue
Published: July 2021

Traditional visual simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) systems rely on point features to estimate camera trajectories. However, feature-based systems are usually not robust in complex environments such as weak textures or obvious brightness changes. To solve this problem, we used more environmental structure information by introducing line segments features and designed a monocular visual SLAM system. This system combines points and line segments to effectively make up for the shortcomings of traditional positioning based only on point features. First, ORB algorithm based on local adaptive threshold was proposed. Subsequently, we not only optimized the extracted line features, but also added a screening step before the traditional descriptor matching to combine the point features matching results with the line features matching. Finally, the weighting idea was introduced. When constructing the optimized cost function, we allocated weights reasonably according to the richness and dispersion of features. Our evaluation on publicly available datasets demonstrated that the improved point-line feature method is competitive with the state-of-the-art methods. In addition, the trajectory graph significantly reduced drift and loss, which proves that our system increases the robustness of SLAM.
Three-Dimensional Reconstruction Method of Rapeseed Plants in the Whole Growth Period Using RGB-D Camera
Authors: Teng Xiaowen , Zhou Guangsheng , Wu Yuxuan , Huang Chenglong , Dong Wanjing , Xu Shengyong
Published: July 2021

The three-dimensional reconstruction method using RGB-D camera has a good balance in hardware cost and point cloud quality. However, due to the limitation of inherent structure and imaging principle, the acquired point cloud has problems such as a lot of noise and difficult registration. This paper proposes a 3D reconstruction method using Azure Kinect to solve these inherent problems. Shoot color images, depth images and near-infrared images of the target from six perspectives by Azure Kinect sensor with black background. Multiply the binarization result of the 8-bit infrared image with the RGB-D image alignment result provided by Microsoft corporation, which can remove ghosting and most of the background noise. A neighborhood extreme filtering method is proposed to filter out the abrupt points in the depth image, by which the floating noise point and most of the outlier noise will be removed before generating the point cloud, and then using the pass-through filter eliminate rest of the outlier noise. An improved method based on the classic iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm is presented to merge multiple-views point clouds. By continuously reducing both the size of the down-sampling grid and the distance threshold between the corresponding points, the point clouds of each view are continuously registered three times, until get the integral color point cloud. Many experiments on rapeseed plants show that the success rate of cloud registration is 92.5% and the point cloud accuracy obtained by this method is 0.789 mm, the time consuming of a integral scanning is 302 s, and with a good color restoration. Compared with a laser scanner, the proposed method has considerable reconstruction accuracy and a significantly ahead of the reconstruction speed, but the hardware cost is much lower when building a automatic scanning system. This research shows a low-cost, high-precision 3D reconstruction technology, which has the potential to be widely used for non-destructive measurement of rapeseed and other crops phenotype.
Restoration of Motion Blurred Image by Modified DeblurGAN for Enhancing the Accuracies of Finger-Vein Recognition
Authors: Choi Jiho , Hong Jin Seong , Owais Muhammad , Kim Seung Gu , Park Kang Ryoung
Published: July 2021

Among many available biometrics identification methods, finger-vein recognition has an advantage that is difficult to counterfeit, as finger veins are located under the skin, and high user convenience as a non-invasive image capturing device is used for recognition. However, blurring can occur when acquiring finger-vein images, and such blur can be mainly categorized into three types. First, skin scattering blur due to light scattering in the skin layer; second, optical blur occurs due to lens focus mismatching; and third, motion blur exists due to finger movements. Blurred images generated in these kinds of blur can significantly reduce finger-vein recognition performance. Therefore, restoration of blurred finger-vein images is necessary. Most of the previous studies have addressed the restoration method of skin scattering blurred images and some of the studies have addressed the restoration method of optically blurred images. However, there has been no research on restoration methods of motion blurred finger-vein images that can occur in actual environments. To address this problem, this study proposes a new method for improving the finger-vein recognition performance by restoring motion blurred finger-vein images using a modified deblur generative adversarial network (modified DeblurGAN). Based on an experiment conducted using two open databases, the Shandong University homologous multi-modal traits (SDUMLA-HMT) finger-vein database and Hong Kong Polytechnic University finger-image database version 1, the proposed method demonstrates outstanding performance that is better than those obtained using state-of-the-art methods.
Interval State Estimation in Active Distribution Systems Considering Multiple Uncertainties
Authors: Chen Tengpeng , Ren He , Amaratunga Gehan A. J.
Published: July 2021

Distribution system state estimation (DSSE) plays a significant role for the system operation management and control. Due to the multiple uncertainties caused by the non-Gaussian measurement noise, inaccurate line parameters, stochastic power outputs of distributed generations (DG), and plug-in electric vehicles (EV) in distribution systems, the existing interval state estimation (ISE) approaches for DSSE provide fairly conservative estimation results. In this paper, a new ISE model is proposed for distribution systems where the multiple uncertainties mentioned above are well considered and accurately established. Moreover, a modified Krawczyk-operator (MKO) in conjunction with interval constraint-propagation (ICP) algorithm is proposed to solve the ISE problem and efficiently provides better estimation results with less conservativeness. Simulation results carried out on the IEEE 33-bus, 69-bus, and 123-bus distribution systems show that the our proposed algorithm can provide tighter upper and lower bounds of state estimation results than the existing approaches such as the ICP, Krawczyk-Moore ICP(KM-ICP), Hansen, and MKO.
Antibacterial, Antibiofilm, and Antischistosomal Activity of Montrichardia linifera (Arruda) Schott (Araceae) Leaf Extracts
Authors: Lima Cleiane , Andrade Dallyla , Moreira Gleidiany , Sousa Ângelo , Leal Antonia , Figuerêdo Juliana , Furtado Pedro , Feitosa Chistiane , Araujo Alyne , Andrade Ivanilza , Miranda João , Lima Aldilene , Rocha Cláudia , Silva Taís , Mengarda Ana Carolina , de Moraes Josué , Rocha Jefferson
Published: July 2021

With a broad ethnopharmacological tradition in Brazil, Montrichardia linifera has been reported as a potent antirheumatic, antimicrobial, and antiprotozoan agent. However, there is a lack of studies on its effect on bacterial biofilm formation and Schistosoma mansoni worms. This study reports the effects of antibacterial, antibiofilm, and antischistosomal properties of leaf extracts of M. linifera. Phytochemical screening and identification of the main compounds of the extracts were performed. All the extracts evaluated showed antibacterial activity at the concentrations tested. We checked for the presence of flavonoids and derivatives of phenolic acids by the presence of spectra with bands characteristic of these classes in the sample analyzed. The antibacterial assays showed that the best MICs corresponded to 125 µg/mL against Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 in all fractions. The ethanolic and methanolic extracts showed the ability to inhibit biofilm of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25123. For the antischistosomal activity, only the acetone and ethyl acetate extracts had a significant effect against helminths, with potent activity at a concentration of 50 µg/mL, killing 100% of the worms after 72 h of incubation. The M. linifera leaf extracts showed antibacterial activity, biofilm inhibition capacity, and anthelmintic activity against S. mansoni.
Migrants’ Sexual Violence in the Mediterranean Region: A Regional Analysis
Authors: Hadjicharalambous Demetris , Parlalis Stavros
Published: July 2021

Migration in the Mediterranean region has increased greatly during the last years. Reports and studies reveal that violence and injuries among refugees and migrants is a common occurrence in the WHO Europe Region. Available literature indicates that sexual violence incidents take place: (a) during the migratory journey to the host country, (b) while in detention centers, (c) once migrants have reached their destination, and (d) during the period in which a woman is subject of trafficking. This manuscript explores how sexual violence against refugee/immigrant women is presented in the international literature; a narrative review of the literature was conducted on the phenomenon of migration in the Mediterranean area, and specifically on sexual violence of migrant women. In order to face the challenges faced by migrant women victims of sexual violence, the following policies are suggested by international literature: (a) offer emergency medical and health care to sexual violence survivors, which is usually relatively limited, (b) offer mental health care and psychological support for sexual violence when planning services to provide clinical care, and (c) work towards the aim of transforming norms and values in order to promote gender equality and support non-violent behaviours.
Association and Agreement between Reactive Strength Index and Reactive Strength Index-Modified Scores
Authors: Louder Talin , Thompson Brennan J. , Bressel Eadric
Published: July 2021

Since the reactive strength index (RSI) and reactive strength index-modified (RSI-mod) share similar nomenclature, they are commonly referred as interchangeable measures of agility in the sports research literature. The RSI and RSI-mod are most commonly derived from the performance of depth jumping (DJ) and countermovement jumping (CMJ), respectively. Given that DJ and CMJ are plyometric movements that differ materially from biomechanical and neuromotor perspectives, it is likely that the RSI and RSI-mod measure distinct aspects of neuromuscular function. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the association and agreement between RSI and RSI-mod scores. A mixed-sex sample of NCAA division I basketball athletes (n = 21) and active young adults (n = 26) performed three trials of DJ from drop heights of 0.51, 0.66, and 0.81 m and three trials of countermovement jumping. Using 2-dimensional videography and force platform dynamometry, RSI and RSI-mod scores were estimated from DJ and CMJ trials, respectively. Linear regression revealed moderate associations between RSI and RSI-mod scores (F = 11.0–38.1; R2 = 0.20–0.47; p < 0.001–0.001). Bland–Altman plots revealed significant measurement bias (0.50–0.57) between RSI and RSI-mod scores. Bland–Altman limit of agreement intervals (1.27–1.51) were greater than the mean values for RSI (0.97–1.05) and RSI-mod (0.42) scores, suggesting poor agreement. Moreover, there were significant performance-dependent effects on measurement bias, wherein the difference between and the mean of RSI and RSI-mod scores were positively associated (F = 77.2–108.4; R2 = 0.63–0.71; p < 0.001). The results are evidence that the RSI and RSI-mod cannot be regarded as interchangeable measures of reactive strength.
Local Muscle Endurance and Strength Had Strong Relationship with CrossFit® Open 2020 in Amateur Athletes
Authors: Tibana Ramires Alsamir , de Sousa Neto Ivo Vieira , Sousa Nuno Manuel Frade de , Romeiro Caroline , Hanai Adriana , Brandão Hiury , Dominski Fábio Hech , Voltarelli Fabricio Azevedo
Published: July 2021

This study analyzed the relationship between anthropometric measures, cardiorespiratory capacity, strength, power, and local muscle endurance with performance in the CrossFit® Open 2020. For this, 17 volunteers (6 women) (29.0 ± 7.2 years) completed, on separate weeks, tests for body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), maximal oxygen consumption (2 km row test), muscle strength (one repetition maximum (1 RM) back and front squat, isometric peak torque), muscle power (1 RM snatch and clean and jerk) and muscle endurance (Tibana test), which were compared with performance during the CrossFit® Open 2020. Specific tests of localized muscular endurance and muscle strength had the strongest relationship with performance in the CrossFit® Open 2020. On the other hand, the percentage of fat and cardiorespiratory capacity were not significantly correlated with CrossFit® Open 2020 workout performance. Coaches and practitioners should therefore utilize these findings to assess physical fitness and organize the distribution of the training session based on less developed physical needs, in order to ensure an appropriate physiological adaptation for a given competition.