bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of the Confinement Plate on the Velocity of Synthetic Jet
Authors: Smyk Emil , Smusz Robert
Published: August 2021

In the paper, the impact of the limitation of the environment around the office of synthetic jet actuators were tested. One short and three length orifices were tested and compared with and without confinement plate. In total, seven different synthetic jet actuators were investigated. The constant temperature anemometer was used for the velocity measurements. The synthetic jet was tested for the Reynolds number in the range of 2300 < Re < 19,500, and the Stokes number in the range of 46 < S < 62. The confinement plate decreased the velocity of synthetic jet depending on the actuator supply power even around 5%. However, the differences in axial velocity profile are slight and the impact of the confinement plate was visible only in the distance x/d < 4.
Complex Event Processing Methods for Greenhouse Control
Authors: Jia Yunsong , Li Xiang
Published: August 2021

In the greenhouse environment, the application of complex event processing (CEP) technology can effectively tackle the problem of recognition of the complex patterns that appeared in greenhouse conditions. In the existing research, few scholars have proposed a scheme to integrate complicated scenes within the greenhouse environment with high efficiency, convenience, and low coupling. Therefore, in order to solve the problem of hard recognition and fusion of complex patterns in the greenhouse environment, based on the characteristics of the greenhouse, this paper proposes a complex event processing method for greenhouse control. Our method has high applicability and high expansibility, including 13 types of event processing agents and 21 types of typical events involved in greenhouse automatic control. This method has the advantages of low information coupling and multi-domain integration, which can be directly used by agricultural experts and related workers and is of great significance to promote the extensive application of CEP technology in the greenhouse field. Our experiment successfully realized a greenhouse intelligent control system based on CEP technology is successfully realized in our experiment. The experimental statistics shows that the structure of the control system was accessible and effective.
A New Grafting Method for Watermelon to Inhibit Rootstock Regrowth and Enhance Scion Growth
Authors: Liu Changjin , Lin Weiguo , Feng Chongran , Wu Xiangshuai , Fu Xiaohu , Xiong Mu , Bie Zhilong , Huang Yuan
Published: August 2021

Grafting is a widely used technique in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) production. However, cost of grafted seedlings is generally high as a result of intensive labor inputs for propagation using traditional grafting methods such as the manual removal of rootstock regrowth. This study developed a new grafting tool to physically remove the epidermis of pumpkin (C. maxima × C. moschata) and bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) rootstock cotyledon base during grafting; we called this a new grafting method. Compared with the traditional grafting, the new grafting method significantly decreased the pumpkin rootstock regrowth rate from 100% to 8% in hole insertion and 2% in one cotyledon grafting, respectively. These attenuated rates for bottle gourd rootstock regrowth were 23% and 9% in hole insertion and one cotyledon grafting, respectively. The scion dry weights of new hole insertion and one cotyledon grafting were increased by 78% and 74% when pumpkin was used as rootstock as compared with traditional grafting without regrown rootstock removal, while the respective values were 33% and 17% in bottle gourd rootstock grafted plants. In addition, the time used for the new hole insertion grafting method to physically remove the epidermis of pumpkin rootstock cotyledon base was significantly shorter than the time required to remove the rootstock regrowth manually three times in the traditional grafting (4.2 s/plant vs. 9.3 s/plant). Similar results were also observed in the new one cotyledon grafting (4.2 s/plant vs. 8.8 s/plant). Taken together, this study presents a new method in watermelon grafting to reduce rootstock regrowth, therefore benefiting both scion growth and plant management, thus the development of this new method is clearly useful in watermelon production.
Assessing the Long-Term Impact of Traditional Agriculture and the Mid-Term Impact of Intensification in Face of Local Climatic Changes
Authors: Telo da Gama José , Loures Luis , Lopez-Piñeiro António , Quintino Derick , Ferreira Paulo , Nunes José Rato
Published: August 2021

In the Mediterranean basin, edaphic salinization, sodification and alkalinization related to anthropic pressures and climatic changes may hinder the ecosystem sustainability. It is pertinent to study the mid and long-term variability of these soil characteristics in face off the macro agricultural system in use (i.e., irrigation or rain-fed). Four irrigated soils from the Caia Irrigation Perimeter (Portugal), Fluvisols, Luvisols, Calcisols and Cambisols were analysed in the mid-term, from 2002 to 2012, for its available Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Na+ content. Overall, Ca2+, K+ and Na+ significantly increased during the period of this study by 25%, 8% and 7%, respectively. Soil organic matter (SOM) and pH for the irrigated soils in the area were already assessed in previous studies with the overall SOM remaining constant (p ≥ 0.05) and pH increasing (p < 0.01) by 5%. We provide the predictive maps for Na+ and the CROSS predictive & HotSpot evolution map from 2002 to 2012. Rain-fed soils were analysed in the long-term, from 1965 to 2012, for their SOM, pH and non-acid cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Na+) content. While SOM, pH and the exchangeable Ca2+, Mg2+ and K+ significantly increased (p < 0.01) by 23%, 8%, 60%, 21% and 193%, respectively, exchangeable Na+ significantly decreased (p < 0.01) by 50%. These results may be related to the local climate changes as, according to the Thornthwaite classification, it went from sub-humid with great water excess (C1B2s2b4) in the climate normal 1951/1980 to sub-humid with moderate water excess (C1B2sb4) in 1981/2010 to semi-arid with little to none water excess (DB2db4) in 1991/2020. The irrigated areas in this Mediterranean region are slowly departing from sustainable goals of soil conservation and better edaphic management and conservation practices, that address the registered climatic changes in the area, could be adopted.
Study the Parametric Effect of Pulling Pattern on Cherry Tomato Harvesting Using RSM-BBD Techniques
Authors: Xie Huaibei , Kong Deyi , Shan Jianhua , Xu Feng
Published: August 2021

Detachment of fruit from the plants with separation force is important in robotic harvesting. Compared with twisting pattern and bending pattern, the pulling pattern for cherry tomato harvesting is more simple, more flexible, and easier to implement in robotic harvesting. It was found that the detachment force is closely related to the location of the fruit separation. However, in the pulling pattern, analysis of the effect of harvesting parameters of cherry tomatoes at the calyx/fruit joint has still not been carried out in depth. In this paper, the goal of this research was to investigate the effect of different harvesting parameters on the minimal detachment force of cherry tomatoes at the calyx/fruit joint. Experiments were designed according to response surface methodology Box–Behnken design by maintaining three levels of three process parameters—grasping angle, horizontal angle, and pitching angle. Results showed that the pitching angle is the most important parameter, and the grasping angle has little effect on the detachment force, and the detachment force was found within the range of 0.58 N to 2.46 N. Results also revealed that the minimum separation force of the cherry tomato harvesting at the calyx/fruit joint was obtained by the optimum conditions of the grasping angle of 68°, the horizontal angle of 135° and the pitching angle of 0°. Moreover, desirability function has also been used to optimize the angle parameters. The confirmation experiments validate the reliability and capability of the developed model.
Growth and Energy Use Efficiency of Grafted Tomato Transplants as Affected by LED Light Quality and Photon Flux Density
Authors: Zheng Jianfeng , Gan Peidian , Ji Fang , He Dongxian , Yang Po
Published: August 2021

This study was conducted to compare the effects of broad spectrum during the whole seedling period and photon flux density (PFD) in the healing stage on the growth and energy use efficiency of grafted tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) transplants in a plant factory. Fluorescent lights, white LED lights, and white plus red LED lights were applied at the growth processes of grafted tomato transplants from germination of rootstock and scion to post-grafting. Three levels of PFD (50, 100, 150 μmol m−2 s−1) were set in the healing stage under each kind of light quality. The results indicated that the growth and quality of grafted tomato transplants under different broad spectrums were influenced by the ratio of red to blue light (R/B ratio) and the ratio of red to far-red light (R/FR ratio). A higher R/B ratio was beneficial to total dry matter accumulation, but excessive red light had a negative effect on the root to shoot ratio and the seedling quality index. The higher blue light and R/FR ratio suppressed stem extension synergistically. The LED lights had good abilities to promote plant compactness and leaf thickness in comparison with fluorescent lights. The plant compactness and leaf thickness increased with the increase in daily light integral in the healing stage within a range from 2.5 to 7.5 mol m−2 d−1 (PFD, 50 to 150 μmol m−2 s−1). Compared to fluorescent lights, the LED lights showed more than 110% electrical energy saving for lighting during the whole seedling period. Higher PFD in the healing stage did not significantly increase the consumption of electric power for lighting. White plus red LED lights with an R/B ratio of 1.2 and R/FR ratio of 16 were suggested to replace fluorescent lights for grafted tomato transplants production considering the high quality of transplants and electrical energy saving, and PFD in the healing stage was recommended to be set to 150 μmol m−2 s−1.
In-Feed Supplementation of Resin Acid-Enriched Composition Modulates Gut Microbiota, Improves Growth Performance, and Reduces Post-Weaning Diarrhea and Gut Inflammation in Piglets
Authors: Uddin Md Karim , Hasan Shah , Mahmud Md. Rayhan , Peltoniemi Olli , Oliviero Claudio
Published: August 2021

The weaning process represents a delicate phase for piglets, and is often characterized by lower feed intake, lower weight gain, diarrhea, and ultimately increased mortality. We aimed to determine the effects of RAC supplementation in diets on improving piglet growth and vitality, reducing post-weaning diarrhea, and enhancing gut health. In a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment, we selected forty sows and their piglets. Piglets were followed until seven weeks of age. There were no significant differences found between RAC treated and control piglets until weaning (p = 0.26). However, three weeks after weaning, RAC treated piglets had higher body weight and average daily growth (ADG) than the control piglets (p = 0.003). In addition, the piglets that received RAC after weaning, irrespective of mother or prior creep feed treatment, had lower post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) and fecal myeloperoxidase (MPO) level than control piglets. Gut microbiota analysis in post-weaning piglets revealed that RAC supplementation significantly increased Lachnospiraceae_unclassified, Blautia, Butyricicoccus, Gemmiger and Holdemanella, and decreased Bacteroidales_unclassified. Overall, RAC supplementation to piglets modulated post-weaning gut microbiota, improved growth performance after weaning, reduced post-weaning diarrhea and reduced fecal myeloperoxidase levels. We therefore consider RAC to be a potential natural feed supplement to prevent enteric infections and improve growth performance in weaning piglets.
The Effect of the Climatic Housing Environment on the Growth of Dairy-Bred Calves in the First Month of Life on a Scottish Farm
Authors: Bell David J. , Robertson Jamie , Macrae Alastair I. , Jennings Amy , Mason Colin S. , Haskell Marie J.
Published: August 2021

Calf housing is naturally thermodynamic, with interactions between various elements such as wind speed, air temperature, and humidity. This study investigated the effect of the proportion of time for which calves were exposed to effective environmental temperatures below their lower critical temperature (LCT) on their daily liveweight gain (DLWG) within their first month of life. This study used the naturally occurring climatic environment, whereas other such studies have been conducted under climatically controlled conditions. Air temperature (°C), relative humidity (%), and wind speed (m/s) were recorded within the calf housing from birth until approximately 28 days of age, with calves being health-scored and weighed at regular intervals. Calves were housed from birth until 6–14 days old in individual hutches, and then moved into group housing igloo pens. Whilst individually housed, calves that spent less than 32% of their time below their LCT had a DLWG of 0.06 ± 0.34 kg/d (mean ± SE) compared to calves that spent more than 97% of their time below their LCT, which had a DLWG of −0.19 ± 0.045 kg/d. When group housed, calves that spent less than 1% of their time below their LCT had a DLWG of 0.59 ± 0.18 kg/d, whereas calves that spent more than 28% of their time below their LCT had a DLWG of 0.53 ± 0.23 kg/d. The proportion of time for which calves were exposed to effective environmental temperatures below their LCT had a significant effect on DLWG when calves were individually housed. Therefore, exposure to effective environmental temperatures below the LCT can be detrimental to the growth of the calf in the early stages of its life.
Relationships between Body Condition Score (BCS), FAMACHA©-Score and Haematological Parameters in Alpacas (Vicugna pacos), and Llamas (Lama glama) Presented at the Veterinary Clinic
Authors: Wagener Matthias Gerhard , Neubert Saskia , Punsmann Teresa Maria , Wiegand Steffen B. , Ganter Martin
Published: August 2021

South American camelids (SAC) are being more and more presented at the veterinary Clinics in Germany. A bad nutritional condition, which can be easily categorized using a body condition score (BCS) of the animals, is often not noticed by the owners. Further anaemia is also often only detected in an advanced stage in SAC. Clinical detection of anaemia can be performed by assessing the FAMACHA©-score (FS), that is adapted from small ruminants. So far, there is only little information available about BCS and FS in SAC. In this study, both clinical scores were assessed in alpacas and llamas presented at the veterinary clinic and compared with the haematological parameters from the animals. The data were extracted retrospectively from the animals’ medical records and compared statistically. More than half of the alpacas (60%) and llamas (70%) had a BCS < 3, while 12% of the alpacas and 21% of the llamas had a FS > 2. A decreased BCS was associated with a decrease in haematocrit, haemoglobin, lymphocytes, and eosinophils, as well as an increase in FS and neutrophils. BCS and FS should be assessed regularly in SAC to detect emaciation and anaemia in time.
Where Is Ethology Heading? An Invitation for Collective Metadisciplinary Discussion
Authors: Bueno-Guerra Nereida
Published: August 2021

Many factors can impact the advancement of scientific disciplines. In the study of animal behavior and cognition (i.e., Ethology), a lack of consensus about definitions or the emergence of some current events and inventions, among other aspects, may challenge the discipline’s grounds within the next decades. A collective metadisciplinary discussion may help in envisioning the future to come. For that purpose, I elaborated an online questionnaire about the level of consensus and the researchers’ ways of doing in seven areas: Discipline name and concepts, species, Umwelt, technology, data, networking, and the impact of sociocultural and ecological factors. I recruited the opinion of almost a hundred of colleagues worldwide (N = 98), both junior and seniors, working both in the wild and in the lab. While the results were pitted against the literature, general conclusions should be taken with caution and considered as a first attempt in exploring the state of the discipline from the researchers’ perspective: There is no unanimity for the discipline’s name; 71.4% of the researchers reported there is limited consensus in the definition of relevant concepts (i.e., culture, cognition); primate species still predominate in publications whereas the species selection criteria is sometimes based on fascination, chance, or funding opportunities rather than on biocentric questions; 56.1% of the apparatuses employed do not resemble species’ ecological problems, and current tech needs would be solved by fostering collaboration with engineers. Finally, embracing the Open Science paradigm, supporting networking efforts, and promoting diversity in research teams may help in gathering further knowledge in the area. Some suggestions are proposed to overcome the aforementioned problems in this contemporary analysis of our discipline.
In Vitro Activity of Propolis on Oral Microorganisms and Biofilms
Authors: Stähli Alexandra , Schröter Hannah , Bullitta Simonetta , Serralutzu Francesca , Dore Antonio , Nietzsche Sandor , Milia Egle , Sculean Anton , Eick Sigrun
Published: August 2021

Natural products are being discussed as alternatives to commonly used chemicals in antimicrobial therapy. The study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial activity of propolis against microbial species associated with caries, periodontal disease, and Candida infections. Two commercially available ethanolic extracts of Brazilian and one of European propolis (EEP) were used. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of propolis and controls against eight microbial strains were determined. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) images visualized the effect of propolis on microorganisms. Subsequently, the activity on three different multi-species biofilms (both formation and existing biofilms) was assessed. All MIC values of the Brazilian EEPs were low against the tested oral species (≤0.1 mg/mL–3.13 mg/mL propolis (Candida albicans)). The European EEP had slightly higher MICs than the Brazilian EEPs. The SEM and TEM images suggest an interaction of propolis with the microbial cell wall. The European EEP exhibited the strongest effect on retarding biofilm formation, whereas the Brazilian EEPs were highly active against preformed biofilms (100 mg/mL propolis of both EEPs reduced colony forming unit counts always by more than 6 log10). The antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activities point to the potential of propolis as an adjunct in oral health care products.
Synergistic Anticandidal Effects of Six Essential Oils in Combination with Fluconazole or Amphotericin B against Four Clinically Isolated Candida Strains
Authors: Soulaimani Bouchra , Varoni Elena , Iriti Marcello , Mezrioui Nour-Eddine , Hassani Lahcen , Abbad Abdelaziz
Published: August 2021

The development of opportunistic pathogenic Candida strains insensitive to several classes of antifungals has emerged as a major health care problem during the last years. Combinational therapy of natural products (e.g., essential oils, EOs) with conventional antifungals has been suggested as a promising alternative to overcome this medical problem. The present study investigates the potential antifungal activity of EOs extracted from some selected medicinal plants, alone and in combination with two common conventional antifungals (fluconazole and amphotericin B) against four clinical Candida isolates. MIC assays indicated that EOs induced strong anticandidal activities with MIC values ranging from 0.162 to 4.950 mg/mL. The combination of amphotericin B with Thymus leptobotrys, Origanum compactum and Artemisia herba alba EOs provided a synergistic effect against C. krusei only, with MIC gain of four-fold, and additive effect against remaining strains (MIC gain = two-fold). Interesting synergistic interactions were observed by combining all studied EOs with fluconazole, with reduction rates of their MICs ranging from 16 to 512-fold. This synergistic effect was very pronounced with the combination of T. leptobotrys EO and fluconazole. These findings indicate that studied EOs can be used as anti-candidals in combination with antifungals, particularly fluconazole, to counteract the emergence of resistant Candida spp.
Medicinal Plants Galega officinalis L. and Yacon Leaves as Potential Sources of Antidiabetic Drugs
Authors: Hachkova Halyna , Nagalievska Mariia , Soliljak Zoriana , Kanyuka Olena , Kucharska Alicja Zofia , Sokół-Łętowska Anna , Belonovskaya Elena , Buko Vyacheslav , Sybirna Nataliia
Published: August 2021

Hypoglycemic and antioxidant properties of extracts of medicinal plants Galega officinalis L. (aboveground part) and yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius Poepp. & Endl.) (leaves) as potential sources of biologically active substances with antidiabetic action have been studied. The pronounced hypoglycemic effect of Galega officinalis extract, devoid of alkaloids, at a dose of 600 mg/kg in experimental diabetes mellitus (DM) has been proven. The established effect is evidenced by a decrease in the concentration of glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin in the blood, increase glucose tolerance of cells, increase C-peptide and insulin content in the plasma of rats’ blood. The effective hypoglycemic effect of the extract in the studied pathology was confirmed by histological examination of the pancreas. The cytoprotective effect of the studied extract on pancreatic cells at a dose of 1200 mg/kg was experimentally confirmed. In the standard cut area, an increase was found in the number of Langerhans islets, their average area, diameter, volume, and a number of β-cells relative to these indicators in animals with diabetes. Comparative screening of the antioxidant properties of 30, 50, 70, and 96% water–ethanol extracts of yacon indicates the highest potential of 50% water-ethanol extract to block free radicals in in vitro model experiments. The non-alkaloid fraction of Galega officinalis extract showed moderate antioxidant activity and was inferior to yacon extract in its ability to neutralize reactive oxygen species (ROS) and bind metal ions of variable valence. The level of antioxidant potential of the studied extracts is due to differences in the quantitative content of compounds of phenolic nature in their compositions. The obtained data on the biological effects of Galega officinalis extract on the structural and functional state of β-cells of the pancreas and antioxidant properties of Galega officinalis and yacon extracts substantiate the prospects of using these plants to create antidiabetic medicines and functional foods based on them.
Impact of Environmental and Lifestyle Use of Chromium on Male Fertility: Focus on Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress
Authors: Pereira Sara C. , Oliveira Pedro F. , Oliveira Sónia Rodrigues , Pereira Maria de Lourdes , Alves Marco G.
Published: August 2021

Male reproductive tissues are strongly susceptible to several environmental and lifestyle stressors. In general, male reproductive health is highly sensitive to oxidative stress, which results in reversible and/or irreversible changes in testosterone-producing cells, spermatogenesis, and sperm quality. Chromium compounds are widely used in the +3 and +6 valence states, as food supplements, and in the industrial field, respectively. Chromium (III) compounds, i.e., Cr(III)-tris-picolinate, [Cr(pic)3], known as chromium picolinate, are used as nutritional supplements for the control of diabetes, body weight, and muscular growth. However, previous studies showed that animal models exposed to chromium picolinate experienced degenerative changes in spermatogenesis. Contradictory results are documented in the literature and deserve discussion. Furthermore, the long-term effects of chromium picolinate on the antioxidant system of treated subjects have not been properly studied. Comprehensive studies on the role of this compound will help to establish the safe and useful use of chromium supplementation. On the other hand, chromium (VI) compounds are widely used in several industries, despite being well-known environmental pollutants (i.e., welding fumes). Chromium (VI) is known for its deleterious effects on male reproductive health as toxic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic. Previous studies have demonstrated severe lesions to mouse spermatogenesis after exposure to chromium (VI). However, workers worldwide are still exposed to hexavalent chromium, particularly in electronics and military industries. Data from the literature pinpoints mechanisms of oxidative stress induced by chromium compounds in somatic and germ cells that lead to apoptosis, thus underlining the impairment of fertility potential. In this review, we analyze the benefits and risks of chromium compounds on male fertility, as well as the mechanisms underlying (in)fertility outcomes. Although supplements with antioxidant properties may maximize male fertility, adverse effects need to be investigated and discussed.
Path Planning and Collision Avoidance in Unknown Environments for USVs Based on an Improved D* Lite
Authors: Zhu Xiaohui , Yan Bin , Yue Yong
Published: August 2021

Path planning and collision avoidance during autonomous navigation in unknown environments is a crucial issue for unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). This paper improves the traditional D* Lite algorithm and achieves multi-goal path planning and collision avoidance for USVs in unknown and complex environments. By expanding the adjacent search range and setting a safe distance for USVs, we solve the issue of limited steering maneuverability in USVs with fewer DOF during autonomous navigation. We propose an approach to optimize the planned path during navigation by comparing the estimated distance with the actual distance between the current waypoint and the goal waypoint. A minimum binary heap is used to optimize the priority queue of the D* Lite and significantly reduce the path search time. Simulation results show that the improved D * Lite can significantly reduce the path planning time, optimize the planned path and solve the issue of limited steering maneuverability in USVs. We apply the algorithm to a real USV for further tests. Experimental results show that the USV can plan an optimized path while avoiding both static and dynamic obstacles in complex environments with a safe distance during autonomous navigation.
Simulation and Experimental Verification of the Thermal Behaviour of Self-Written Waveguides
Authors: Günther Axel , Baran Murat , Kowalsky Wolfgang , Roth Bernhard
Published: August 2021

In this work, we investigated the optical response of a self-written waveguide (SWW) in detail by heating the structure from room temperature up to 60 °C. Previous results indicated a decrease in the optical transmission with increasing temperature for certain waveguide parameters. Based on new experimental measurements, we have identified material parameters resulting in opposite behaviour. An experimental setup was conceived to verify these results. Hereby, we were able to show that we can adjust material parameters such as refractive index and the corresponding density of the material by adapting the curing time applied during the fabrication of the waveguides. This, in turn, affects the material’s response during the heating process. We showed that a limitation of the external curing time changes the internal conditions of the SWW and the cladding in a manner that the numerical aperture increases with the temperature, which subsequently also results in an increase in the optical transmission. In this study, we explain this unexpected behavior of the SWW and point towards possible future applications.
Multipurpose System for Cryogenic Energy Storage and Tri-Generation in a Food Factory: A Case Study of Producing Frozen French Fries
Authors: Popov Dimityr , Akterian Stepan , Fikiin Kostadin , Stankov Borislav
Published: August 2021

This contribution elaborates on a futuristic hybrid concept for the multifunctional employment of a liquid air energy storage (LAES) system for combined heat, cold and power production (tri-generation) in a food factory, thereby providing a substantial part of the energy demand for various unit operations and enhancing the round-trip efficiency (RTE) of LAES. A processing line for frozen French fries, with relatively high heating and refrigeration demands, is used as a case study. The total useful energy output per charge/discharge cycle is 61,677 kWh (i.e., 38,295 kWh of electricity, 19,278 kWh of heating, and 4104 kWh of refrigeration). The estimated tri-generation RTE of the studied system reaches 55.63%, which appears to be 1.2 times higher than the RTE of a classical standalone LAES system with the same power input, considered as a baseline. In a broader context, such a performance enhancement by amalgamating food and energy technologies can make cryogenic energy storage a more viable grid balancing option capable of substantially increasing the share of renewables in the energy supply mix.
Nickel (Ni2+) Removal from Water Using Gellan Gum–Sand Mixture as a Filter Material
Authors: Tran Thi Phuong An , Cho Hoon , Cho Gye-Chun , Han Jong-In , Chang Ilhan
Published: August 2021

Microbial biopolymers have been introduced as materials for soil treatment and ground improvement purposes because of their ability to enhance soil strength enhancement and to reduce hydraulic conductivity. Several studies in the field of environmental engineering have reported heavy metal adsorption and removal from contaminated water using common biopolymers. In particular, gellan gum biopolymers have drawn significant attention for use in metal ion adsorption. This study aims to investigate the heavy metal adsorption capacity of a gellan gum biopolymer–sand mixture when nickel-contaminated water is pumped upward through a uniform gellan gum–sand mixture column. The main aims of this study are (1) to clarify the Ni2+ adsorption phenomenon of gellan gum-treated sand, (2) to assess the Ni2+ adsorbability of gellan gum–sand mixtures with different gellan gum content, and (3) to examine the gellan gum–sand filter thickness and flow rate effects on Ni2+ adsorption. The results of this experiment demonstrate the effectiveness of gellan gum in terms of Ni2+ adsorption and water flow rate control, which are essential criteria of a filter material for contaminated water treatment.
Gait Phase Estimation Based on User–Walker Interaction Force
Authors: Li Pengcheng , Akiyama Yasuhiro , Wan Xianglong , Yamada Kazunori , Yokoya Mayu , Yamada Yoji
Published: August 2021

Smart walkers have been developed for assistance and rehabilitation of elderly people and patients with physical health conditions. A force sensor mounted under the handle is widely used in smart walkers to establish a human–machine interface. The interaction force can be used to control the walker and estimate gait parameters using methods such as the Kalman filter for real-time estimation. However, the estimation performance decreases when the peaks of the interaction force are not captured. To improve the stability and accuracy of gait parameter estimation, we propose an online estimation method to continuously estimate the gait phase and cadence. A multiple model switching mechanism is introduced to improve the estimation performance when gait is asymmetric, and an adaptive rule is proposed to improve the estimation robustness and accuracy. Simulations and experiments demonstrate the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed gait parameter estimation method. Here, the average estimation error for the gait phase is 0.691 rad when the gait is symmetric and 0.722 rad when it is asymmetric.
Automated Conditional Statements Checking for Complete Natural Language Requirements Specification
Authors: Liu Chun , Zhao Zhengyi , Zhang Lei , Li Zheng
Published: August 2021

Defects such as the duality and the incompleteness in natural language software requirements specification have a significant impact on the success of software projects. By now, many approaches have been proposed to assist requirements analysts to identify these defects. Different from these approaches, this paper focuses on the requirements incompleteness implied by the conditional statements, and proposes a sentence embedding- and antonym-based approach for detecting the requirements incompleteness. The basic idea is that when one condition is stated, its opposite condition should also be there. Otherwise, the requirements specification is incomplete. Based on the state-of-the-art machine learning and natural language processing techniques, the proposed approach first extracts the conditional sentences from the requirements specification, and elicits the conditional statements which contain one or more conditional expressions. Then, the conditional statements are clustered using the sentence embedding technique. The conditional statements in each cluster are further analyzed to detect the potential incompleteness by using negative particles and antonyms. A benchmark dataset from an aerospace requirements specification has been used to validate the proposed approach. The experimental results have shown that the recall of the proposed approach reaches 68.75%, and the F1-measure (F1) 52.38%.
Overvoltage Prevention and Curtailment Reduction Using Adaptive Droop-Based Supplementary Control in Smart Inverters
Authors: Maharjan Manisha , Tamrakar Ujjwol , Ni Zhen , Bhattarai Bishnu , Tonkoski Reinaldo
Published: August 2021

Recent developments in the renewable energy sector have seen an unprecedented growth in residential photovoltaic (PV) installations. However, high PV penetration levels often lead to overvoltage problems in low-voltage (LV) distribution feeders. Smart inverter control such as active power curtailment (APC)-based overvoltage control can be implemented to overcome these challenges. The APC technique utilizes a constant droop-based approach which curtails power rigidly, which can lead to significant energy curtailment in the LV distribution feeders. In this paper, different variations of the APC technique with linear, quadratic, and exponential droops have been analyzed from the point-of-view of energy curtailment for a LV distribution network in North America. Further, a combinatorial approach using various droop-based APC methods in conjunction with adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) as a supplementary control scheme has also been proposed. The proposed approach minimizes energy curtailment in the LV distribution network by adjusting the droop gains. Simulation results depict that ADP in conjunction with exponential droop reduces the energy curtailment to approximately 50% compared to using the standard linear droop.
Towards Environmentally Friendly Accelerometers Based on Bacterial Cellulose
Authors: Trigona Carlo , Cerruto Salvatore , Graziani Salvatore , Di Pasquale Giovanna , Pollicino Antonino
Published: August 2021

In this paper, an environmentally friendly inertial motion sensor is investigated, modelled, and characterized as an accelerometer. The sensor is obtained by using bacterial cellulose (BC) as a base biopolymer. BC is then impregnated with ionic liquids. Electrodes are realized by a conducting polymer, in a typical three-layer structure. The sensor works in a cantilever configuration and produces an open voltage signal as the result of a flexing deformation. A model is proposed for the transduction phenomenon. The composite mechano-electric transduction capability is exploited for realizing the accelerometer. Results of the chemical and transduction characterization of the accelerometer are reported. Finally, experimental evidence of the possible nature of the transduction phenomenon is given.
Dietary Soy Impact on Host Transcriptome Profile—A Review
Authors: Anghel Andrei , Sala-Cirtog Maria , Marian Catalin , Samoila Corina , Sirbu Ioan Ovidiu
Published: August 2021

Whether eaten, drank, or taken in the form of supplements, soybean has been a part of the human diet for centuries. The dietary use of soybean has been extensively proven to be beneficial for human health, protecting against a wide range of chronic diseases. However, our knowledge regarding the impact of soy intake on global gene expression is still incomplete. The present review summarizes and compares data describing the transcriptional changes in several tissues from two different phyla (fish and mammals) upon soybean diet supplementation. We performed comparative STRING-based pathway enrichment analysis of both individual and aggregated soy-induced transcriptome data in fish and mammals and identified the signaling pathways common between the two datasets. We hypothesize that these pathways represent a conserved transcriptome response to the soy-enriched dietary challenge.
Effect of Gait Speed on Recovery Motion from Tripping on a Treadmill
Authors: Akiyama Yasuhiro , Miyata Hazuki , Okamoto Shogo , Yamada Yoji
Published: August 2021

The analysis of the mechanism of fall avoidance motion is required to prevent fall-related injuries. To investigate the factors that affect fall avoidance motion, tripping was induced among 10 healthy male subjects during treadmill walking at gait speeds of 3.5 and 4.0 km/h. The posture of the subjects and ground reaction force of the recovery steps were recorded using a motion capture system and force plate to analyze the effect of gait speed on recovery motion. The gait parameters of the recovery steps were calculated and compared between gait speeds. Principal component analysis was performed to identify the parameters that represent the recovery motion and the magnitude of the first and second recovery steps, and the balance of recovery steps were extracted as defining characteristics. Of the 18 gait parameters, such as step time, five differed depending on gait speeds. However, the other gait parameters and all four principal components did not differ significantly with respect to gait speeds. Furthermore, the distribution of principal components and gait parameters across subjects and gait speeds suggested that the variability between trials was greater than the effect of gait speed and individual characteristics on recovery motion.
Phage-Phenotype Imaging of Myeloma Plasma Cells by Phage Display
Authors: De Plano Laura M. , Franco Domenico , Bonsignore Martina , Fazio Enza , Trusso Sebastiano , Allegra Alessandro , Musolino Caterina , Cavaliere Riccardo , Ferlazzo Guido , Neri Fortunato , Guglielmino Salvatore P. P.
Published: August 2021

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant disease based on differentiated plasma cells (PCs) in the bone marrow (BM). Flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy, used to identify a large combination of clusters of differentiation (CDs), are applied for MM immunophenotyping. However, due to the heterogeneous MM immunophenotypes, more antibody panels are necessary for a preliminary diagnosis and for the monitoring of minimal residual disease (MRD). In this study, we evaluated the use of phage clones as probes for the identification of several PCs immunophenotypes from MM patients. First, A 9-mer M13-pVIII phage display library was screened against an MM.1 cells line to identify peptides that selectively recognize MM.1 cells. Then, the most representative phage clones, with amino acid sequences of foreign peptides closer to the consensus, were labelled with isothiocyanate of fluorescein (FITC) and were used to obtain a fluorescent signal on cells in ex-vivo samples by fluorescence microscopy. Selected phage clones were able to discriminate different MM immunophenotypes from patients related to CD45, CD38, CD56, and CD138. Our results highlight the possibility of using a phage-fluorescence probe for the simultaneous examination of the presence/absence of CDs associated with disease usually detected by combination of anti-CD antibodies. The design of a multi-phage imaging panel could represent a highly sensitive approach for the rapid detection of immunophenotype subtypes and the subsequent characterization of patient disease status.
Vision-Based Robotic Arm Control Algorithm Using Deep Reinforcement Learning for Autonomous Objects Grasping
Authors: Sekkat Hiba , Tigani Smail , Saadane Rachid , Chehri Abdellah
Published: August 2021

While working side-by-side, humans and robots complete each other nowadays, and we may say that they work hand in hand. This study aims to evolve the grasping task by reaching the intended object based on deep reinforcement learning. Thereby, in this paper, we propose a deep deterministic policy gradient approach that can be applied to a numerous-degrees-of-freedom robotic arm towards autonomous objects grasping according to their classification and a given task. In this study, this approach is realized by a five-degrees-of-freedom robotic arm that reaches the targeted object using the inverse kinematics method. You Only Look Once v5 is employed for object detection, and backward projection is used to detect the three-dimensional position of the target. After computing the angles of the joints at the detected position by inverse kinematics, the robot’s arm is moved towards the target object’s emplacement thanks to the algorithm. Our approach provides a neural inverse kinematics solution that increases overall performance, and its simulation results reveal its advantages compared to the traditional one. The robot’s end grip joint can reach the targeted location by calculating the angle of every joint with an acceptable range of error. However, the accuracy of the angle and the posture are satisfied. Experiments reveal the performance of our proposal compared to the state-of-the-art approaches in vision-based grasp tasks. This is a new approach to grasp an object by referring to inverse kinematics. This method is not only easier than the standard one but is also more meaningful for multi-degrees of freedom robots.
Stability Analysis of Rotor-Bearing Systems under the Influence of Misalignment and Parameter Uncertainty
Authors: Sun Xiaodong , Sepahvand Kian K. , Marburg Steffen
Published: August 2021

Stability is a well-known challenge for rotating systems supported by hydrodynamic bearings (HDBs), particularly for the condition where the misalignment effect and the parametric uncertainty are considered. This study investigates the impact of misalignment and inherent uncertainties in bearings on the stability of a rotor-bearing system. The misalignment effect is approximately described by introducing two misaligned angles. The characteristics of an HDB, such as pressure distribution and dynamic coefficients, are calculated by the finite difference method (FDM). The stability threshold is evaluated as the intersection of run-up curve and borderline. Viscosity and clearance are considered as uncertain parameters. The generalized polynomial chaos (gPC) expansion is adopted to quantify the uncertainty in parameters by evaluating unknown coefficients. The unknown gPC coefficients are obtained by using the collocation method. The results obtained by the gPC expansion are compared with those of the Monte Carlo (MC) simulation. The results show that the characteristics of the HDB and the stability threshold are affected by misalignment and parameter uncertainties. As the uncertainty analysis using the gPC expansion is performed on a relatively small number of predefined collocation points compared with the large number of MC samples, the method is very efficient in terms of computation time.
Model of Raw Material Exploitation for the Support of Sustainable Development
Authors: Pavolová Henrieta , Bakalár Tomáš , Šimková Zuzana , Tokarčík Alexander
Published: August 2021

The interactions between the indicators of sustainable regional development due to the exploitation of raw material deposits in the Slovak Republic are the starting point for effective raw material management. The primary objective of the study is to point out the interactions of explicitly defined indicators of raw material deposits exploitation, which have an overall impact on sustainable development in the Slovak Republic. Based on the development tendencies of selected social, economic, and environmental indicators, the article defines individual indicators that create the potential for further sustainable development. For an effective evaluation of all the indicators, the analytic hierarchy process was used for the identification of the priorities of the indicators. Based on all the relevant factors and previous experience, and results of the conducted analysis, 14 positive and 14 negative indicators were identified. Based on the complex evaluation of raw material in the process of sustainable development in the Slovak Republic, negative factors were prevailing over the positive ones by a scoring rate of 0.90, and the total impact was identified as average profitability of sustainable development support. Accepting all the principles of sustainable development, a model of effective evaluation of raw material deposits and management of raw material exploitation in regional sustainable development of the Slovak Republic based on the quantification of their interactions was developed.
Octacalcium Phosphate Bone Substitute (Bontree®): From Basic Research to Clinical Case Study
Authors: Kim Joo-Seong , Jang Tae-Sik , Kim Suk-Young , Lee Won-Pyo
Published: August 2021

Bone grafts used in alveolar bone regeneration can be categorized into autografts, allografts, xenografts, and synthetic bones, depending on their origin. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a commercialized octacalcium phosphate (OCP)-based synthetic bone substitute material (Bontree®) in vitro, in vivo, and in clinical cases. Material characterization of Bontree® granules (0.5 mm and 1.0 mm) using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction showed that both 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm Bontree® granules were uniformly composed mainly of OCP. The receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities of MG63 cells were assessed and used to compare Bontree® with a commercial biphasic calcium phosphate ceramic (MBCP+TM). Compared with MBCP+TM, Bontree® suppressed RANKL and increased ALP activity. A rabbit tibia model used to examine the effects of granule size of Bontree® grafts showed that 1.0 mm Bontree® granules had a higher new bone formation ability than 0.5 mm Bontree® granules. Three clinical cases using Bontree® for ridge or sinus augmentation are described. All eight implants in the three patients showed a 100% success rate after 1 year of functional loading. This basic research and clinical application demonstrated the safety and efficacy of Bontree® for bone regeneration.
Workspace Analysis of a Mobile Manipulator with Obstacle Avoidance in 3D Printing Tasks
Authors: Guamán Rivera Robert , García Alvarado Rodrigo , Martínez-Rocamora Alejandro , Auat Cheein Fernando
Published: August 2021

The knowledge of the workspace for a robotic system on construction sites represents an essential resource to ensure the work progress, guarantee the safety of the construction tasks, and avoid robot damage. Despite the dramatic development of 3D printing technologies with robotic systems in recent years, these are still several challenges to consider, such as the size of the printing profile and obstacles in the construction site. This work presents the results from evaluating the workspace of a mobile manipulator in 3D printing tasks on construction sites. The methodology analyses the printing workspace based on the workspace of the mobile manipulator, considering fixed obstacles and possible collisions between the robot and obstacles during 3D printing tasks. The results showed that the shape of the printing profile defined as a building element changes the shape of the printing workspace. Furthermore, the obstacles in the construction site and height variation of the printing profile cause changes in the displacement of the robotic platform and values of rotation of its joints, which also modify the shape of the printing workspace.