bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Fish Oil and Dietary Antioxidant Supplementation on Bone Health of Growing Lambs
Authors: Skiba Grzegorz , Raj Stanisława , Sobol Monika , Czauderna Marian , Kowalczyk Paweł , Grela Eugeniusz R.
Published: January 2021

The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of partial replacement of rapeseed oil (RO) with fish oil (FO) combined with dietary supplementation of various antioxidants on the characteristics of lamb femur. Thirty male lambs were assigned to five dietary treatments and fed isoproteinous and isoenergetic diets for 35 days. The control diet was enriched with 3.0% RO, while the experimental diets were enriched either only with 2.0% RO and 1.0% FO or additionally with 0.1% carnosic acid, 0.1% carnosic acid and 0.35 ppm Se as selenized yeast, or 0.1% carnosic acid and 0.35 ppm Se as sodium selenite. After 35 days, the lambs were slaughtered, and the femur was dissected from the carcass of each animal and analyzed for morphometric, geometric, densitometric, and biomechanical properties. The dietary modifications, specifically the supplementation of FO and selenized yeast, significantly improved the geometric, densitometric, and biomechanical properties of lamb femur.
Is Intestinal Bacterial Diversity Enhanced by Trans-Species Spread in the Mixed-Species Flock of Hooded Crane (Grus monacha) and Bean Goose (Anser fabalis) Wintering in the Lower and Middle Yangtze River Floodplain?
Authors: Yang Zhuqing , Zhou Lizhi
Published: January 2021

Diversity of gut microbes is influenced by many aspects, including the host internal factors and even direct or indirect contact with other birds, which is particularly important for mixed-species wintering waterbird flocks. In this study, Illumina high-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the intestinal bacteria of the hooded crane and bean goose whose niches overlap at Shengjin Lake. We tested whether contact time enhances the trans-species spread of gut bacteria. Results indicate alpha-diversity and microbial composition displayed significant separation between the two hosts in every wintering period, although the number of bacteria types shared increased with increasing contact time. For the same species, with the lengthening of contact time, alpha-diversity and the number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in the host intestine augmented, and the common OTUs and structural similarity of microflora in the middle and late periods were more than in the early and middle periods. In addition, we found a very high proportion of shared pathogens. Our results indicate that, although intestinal microflora of different species were separated, direct or indirect contact in the mixed-species flock caused the spread of gut bacteria trans-species, indicating that more attention should be paid to intestinal pathogens in wild birds.
Regenerative Medicine for Equine Musculoskeletal Diseases
Authors: Ribitsch Iris , Oreff Gil Lola , Jenner Florien
Published: January 2021

Musculoskeletal injuries and chronic degenerative diseases commonly affect both athletic and sedentary horses and can entail the end of their athletic careers. The ensuing repair processes frequently do not yield fully functional regeneration of the injured tissues but biomechanically inferior scar or replacement tissue, causing high reinjury rates, degenerative disease progression and chronic morbidity. Regenerative medicine is an emerging, rapidly evolving branch of translational medicine that aims to replace or regenerate cells, tissues, or organs to restore or establish normal function. It includes tissue engineering but also cell-based and cell-free stimulation of endogenous self-repair mechanisms. Some regenerative medicine therapies have made their way into equine clinical practice mainly to treat tendon injures, tendinopathies, cartilage injuries and degenerative joint disorders with promising results. However, the qualitative and quantitative spatiotemporal requirements for specific bioactive factors to trigger tissue regeneration in the injury response are still unknown, and consequently, therapeutic approaches and treatment results are diverse. To exploit the full potential of this burgeoning field of medicine, further research will be required and is ongoing. This review summarises the current knowledge of commonly used regenerative medicine treatments in equine patients and critically discusses their use.
The Probiotic Lactobacillus fermentum Biocenol CCM 7514 Moderates Campylobacter jejuni-Induced Body Weight Impairment by Improving Gut Morphometry and Regulating Cecal Cytokine Abundance in Broiler Chickens
Authors: Šefcová Miroslava Anna , Larrea-Álvarez Marco , Larrea-Álvarez César Marcelo , Karaffová Viera , Ortega-Paredes David , Vinueza-Burgos Christian , Ševčíková Zuzana , Levkut Mikuláš , Herich Róbert , Revajová Viera
Published: January 2021

This research was conducted to investigate if the administration of the probiotic Lactobacillus fermentum could influence body weight, intestinal morphometry and the cecal cytokine response in Campylobacter jejuni-infected chickens. Seventy-two 1-day old COBB 500 male chicks were allocated randomly into four experimental groups. (I) Control group (C), in which chicks were left untreated. (II) LB group, treated with L. fermentum. (III) Cj group, infected with C. jejuni and (IV) coexposure group in which both bacteria were administered. Body weight was registered and then all birds were slaughtered; samples from the small intestine and caecum were collected at 4- and 7-days post infection. The experiment lasted eleven days. Villi height and crypt depth ratios of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum were evaluated using appropriate software, while reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was utilized for assessing transcript levels of key cecal inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-18, IL-17, IL-15, IL13 and IL-4). Campylobacter-infected birds showed lower body weight values than those supplemented with the probiotic; these birds, in turn, proved to be heavier than those reared under control conditions. L. fermentum administration improved morphometrical parameters of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum; in general, villi were larger and crypts deeper than those identified in control conditions. Moreover, the negative effects elicited by C. jejuni were not observed in chickens exposed to the probiotic. Significant differences were also determined with regards to transcript abundance of all evaluated cytokines in the caecum. C. jejuni induced a downregulation of the studied interleukins; however, such a response was heightened by administration of L. fermentum, with an increase rate of transcription that promoted a more effective response to a C. jejuni infection. The effects of experimental treatments proved to vary between sampling points. Conclusively, these results demonstrate that L. fermentum lessens the negative effects elicited by C. jejuni on body weight by alleviating the impact on intestinal morphometry and cecal cytokine response, which ultimately improve chicken growth performance.
Erratum: Gravrok, J., et al. Beyond the Benefits of Assistance Dogs: Exploring Challenges Experienced by First-Time Handlers. Animals 2019, 9, 203
Authors: Gravrok Jennifer , Bendrups Dan , Howell Tiffani , Bennett Pauleen
Published: January 2021

The authors wish to make the following corrections [1]:In Table 1, under case study 4, the code was originally labeled as H8, P8 and ADI 8; these labels should be H4, P4 and ADI 4, respectively [...]
The Roles of the miRNAome and Transcriptome in the Ovine Ovary Reveal Poor Efficiency in Juvenile Superovulation
Authors: Zhang Xiaosheng , Dong Chunxiao , Yang Jing , Li Yihai , Feng Jing , Wang Biao , Zhang Jinlong , Guo Xiaofei
Published: January 2021

Juvenile superovulation can provide a wealth of oocyte material for embryo production, animal cloning, and genetic modification research, but embryos derived from juvenile oocytes show poor efficiency in subsequent developmental capacity. In order to reveal the formation mechanism of large numbers of follicles and poor oocyte quality in juvenile ovaries under superovulation treatment, differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) were characterized and investigated in the ovaries of lambs and adult sheep using high-throughput sequencing technology. The majority of differentially expressed miRNAs (337/358) were upregulated in lamb libraries. The expression levels of mRNAs related to hormone receptors (follicle-stimulating hormone receptor, FSHR; luteinizing hormone/choriogonadotropin receptor, LHCGR; estrogen receptor 1, ESR1), steroid hormone secretion (cytochrome P450 family 11 subfamily A member 1, CYP11A1; cytochrome P450 family 17 subfamily A member 1, CYP17A1; cytochrome P450 family 19 subfamily A member 1, CYP19A1), and oocyte quality (pentraxin 3, PTX3; BCL2 apoptosis regulator, BCL2; caspase 3, CASP3) were significantly different between the lamb and adult libraries. The miRNA aor-miR-143, which targets FSHR, was highly and differentially expressed, and PTX3 was predicted to be targeted by oar-miR-485-3p and oar-miR-377-3p in the ovine ovary. A considerable number of miRNAs were predicted to inhibit ESR1 expression in lamb ovaries. In conclusion, oar-miR-143 and FSHR molecules, among others, might regulate follicle formation, and oar-miR-485-3p, oar-miR-377-3p, and PTX3, among others, may be associated with oocyte quality. These identified miRNAs and mRNAs will be beneficial for the prediction of ovarian superovulation potential and screening of oocytes.
OXA-48 Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacterales in Spanish Hospitals: An Updated Comprehensive Review on a Rising Antimicrobial Resistance
Authors: Rivera-Izquierdo Mario , Láinez-Ramos-Bossini Antonio Jesús , Rivera-Izquierdo Carlos , López-Gómez Jairo , Fernández-Martínez Nicolás Francisco , Redruello-Guerrero Pablo , Martín-delosReyes Luis Miguel , Martínez-Ruiz Virginia , Moreno-Roldán Elena , Jiménez-Mejías Eladio
Published: January 2021

Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) are significant contributors to the global public health threat of antimicrobial resistance. OXA-48-like enzymes and their variants are unique carbapenemases with low or null hydrolytic activity toward carbapenems but no intrinsic activity against expanded-spectrum cephalosporins. CPEs have been classified by the WHO as high-priority pathogens given their association with morbidity and mortality and the scarce number of effective antibiotic treatments. In Spain, the frequency of OXA-48 CPE outbreaks is higher than in other European countries, representing the major resistance mechanism of CPEs. Horizontal transfer of plasmids and poor effective antibiotic treatment are additional threats to the correct prevention and control of these hospital outbreaks. One of the most important risk factors is antibiotic pressure, specifically carbapenem overuse. We explored the use of these antibiotics in Spain and analyzed the frequency, characteristics and prevention of CPE outbreaks. Future antibiotic stewardship programs along with specific preventive measures in hospitalized patients must be reinforced and updated in Spain.
Additive Manufacturing in Industry
Authors: Citarella Roberto , Giannella Venanzio
Published: January 2021

The advent of additive manufacturing (AM) processes applied to the fabrication of structural components has created the need for design methodologies and structural optimization approaches that take into account the specific characteristics of the fabrication process. While AM processes give unprecedented geometrical design freedom, which can result in significant reductions in the components’ weight (e.g., through part count reduction), on the other hand, they have implications for the fatigue and fracture strength, because of residual stresses and microstructural features. This is due to stress concentration effects, anisotropy, distortions and defects whose effects still need investigation. This Special Issue aims at gathering together research investigating the different features of AM processes with relevance for their structural behavior, particularly, but not exclusively, from the viewpoints of fatigue, fracture and crash behavior. Although the focus of this Special Issue is on AM, articles dealing with other manufacturing processes with related analogies can also be included, in order to establish differences and possible similarities.
Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of the Application of Machine Learning Classifiers in Biomedical Applications of Infrared Thermography
Authors: Magalhaes Carolina , Mendes Joaquim , Vardasca Ricardo
Published: January 2021

Atypical body temperature values can be an indication of abnormal physiological processes associated with several health conditions. Infrared thermal (IRT) imaging is an innocuous imaging modality capable of capturing the natural thermal radiation emitted by the skin surface, which is connected to physiology-related pathological states. The implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) methods for interpretation of thermal data can be an interesting solution to supply a second opinion to physicians in a diagnostic/therapeutic assessment scenario. The aim of this work was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis concerning different biomedical thermal applications in conjunction with machine learning strategies. The bibliographic search yielded 68 records for a qualitative synthesis and 34 for quantitative analysis. The results show potential for the implementation of IRT imaging with AI, but more work is needed to retrieve significant features and improve classification metrics.
Experimental Study of Thermal Comfort Based on Driver Physiological Signals in Cooling Mode under Summer Conditions
Authors: Shin Yunchan , Ham Jeonggyun , Cho Honghyun
Published: January 2021

In this study, electroencephalogram (EEG), photo-plethysmography (PPG), and surface temperature measurements of subjects were taken while performing a driving simulation when the cabin and vent discharge air temperature in summer were changed from discomfort to comfort conditions. Additionally, subjective questionnaires were used to analyze the subject’s thermal comfort under the various driving environments. As a result, the surface temperatures of the forehead, left hand, right hand, and abdomen of the subject during driving were reduced by 2, 0.97, 2.18, and 5.86 °C, respectively, by operating a 12.5 °C vent cooling function at a cabin temperature of 35 °C. As a comprehensive analysis of the subjective survey, PPG, and EEG results, total power (TP), the standard deviation of N-N interval (SDNN), and the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) of subjects increased and stress index decreased at cabin and vent discharge air temperatures of 30–27.5 °C and 16.5–18.5 °C, respectively. Furthermore, the relative sensory motor rhythm (SMR) wave and concentration index (CI) of the frontal lobe tended to increase under the same temperature conditions. Accordingly, it was confirmed that these temperature conditions provided a pleasant driving environment for the driver and increased concentration on driving.
Effects of High-Impact Weight-Bearing Exercise on Bone Mineral Density and Bone Metabolism in Middle-Aged Premenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Kim Sung-Woo , Seo Myong-Won , Jung Hyun-Chul , Song Jong-Kook
Published: January 2021

This study examined the effects of high-impact weight-bearing exercise on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone metabolic markers in middle-aged premenopausal women. Forty middle-aged premenopausal women were initially enrolled, but thirty-one participants (40.34 ± 3.69 years) completed in the study. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups including the high-impact weight-bearing exercise group (HWE, n = 14) and control group (CON, n = 17). The HWE group participated in the exercise for 50 min a day, three days per week for four months, while the CON group maintained their regular lifestyle. The HWE program included 10 different high-impact weight-bearing exercises such as jumping and running. BMD was measured using DXA (Hologic, QDR 4500W, Marlborough, MA, USA). The bone metabolic markers including serum 25-(OH) D, intact parathyroid hormone (PTH), osteoprotegerin (OPG), osteopontin (OPN), receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL), osteocalcin (OC), C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTX), and calcium were analyzed. The results showed that the BMDs of femur, lumbar, and forearm did not significantly change during the intervention period in both the HWE and CON groups. A significant decrease in bone formation markers such as OC (F = 10.514, p = 0.003, ηp2 = 0.266) and an increase in bone resorption marker including CTX (F = 8.768, p = 0.006, ηp2 = 0.232) were found only in the CON group, while these values did not change in the HWE group. There was a significant increase in serum 25-(OH) D (F = 4.451, p = 0.044, ηp2 = 0.133) in the HWE group. Our findings suggest that four months of HWE is not sufficient to improve BMD and bone metabolic markers, but this impact exercise program may prevent the age-associated changes in bone turnover markers in middle-aged premenopausal women.
Fabrication and Biodegradability of Starch Cell-Plastics as Recyclable Resources
Authors: Nakanishi Akihito , Iritani Kohei , Sakihama Yuri , Watanabe Marina , Mochiduki Ayano , Tsuruta Akane , Sakamoto Syunta , Ota Ayami
Published: January 2021

Recently, cell-plastics, which are composed of unicellular green algal cells and biodegradable compounds as ingredients and fillers, have been suggested as carbon-recyclable materials instead of petroleum-based plastics. In this study, cell-plastics, fabricated with Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as an ingredient and a mixture of two types of starches (raw and oxidized starches) as a filler, were successfully stabilized as independent structures despite the quantity of algal cells being nine times more than that of starch. All starch cell-plastics were water repellent, possibly due to their bumpy surface structures. The starch cell-plastic, composed of 50% cells and 50% starch (1.5:1 of oxidized starch versus raw starch), showed 327 ± 52 MPa as Young’s modulus and 6.45 ± 1.20 MPa as tensile strength, indicating the possibility to be a suitable replacement for petroleum-based plastics. Additionally, all starch cell-plastics showed water-repellency and maintained those structures dipped in phosphate-buffered saline buffer as a water environment for 24 h, meaning that all starch cell-plastics had evaluable water resistance. On the other hand, by adding α-amylase, all starch cell-plastics were collapsed and lost the weight efficiently, indicated their biodegradability. This is the first paper to describe starch cell-plastics from their fabrication to biodegradation.
Finding Optimal Stations Using Euclidean Distance and Adjustable Surrounding Sphere
Authors: Onuean Athita , Jung Hanmin , Chinnasarn Krisana
Published: January 2021

Air quality monitoring network (AQMN) plays an important role in air pollution management. However, setting up an initial network in a city often lacks necessary information such as historical pollution and geographical data, which makes it challenging to establish an effective network. Meanwhile, cities with an existing one do not adequately represent spatial coverage of air pollution issues or face rapid urbanization where additional stations are needed. To resolve the two cases, we propose four methods for finding stations and constructing a network using Euclidean distance and the k-nearest neighbor algorithm, consisting of Euclidean Distance (ED), Fixed Surrounding Sphere (FSS), Euclidean Distance + Fixed Surrounding Sphere (ED + FSS), and Euclidean Distance + Adjustable Surrounding Sphere (ED + ASS). We introduce and apply a coverage percentage and weighted coverage degree for evaluating the results from our proposed methods. Our experiment result shows that ED + ASS is better than other methods for finding stations to enhance spatial coverage. In the case of setting up the initial networks, coverage percentages are improved up to 22%, 37%, and 56% compared with the existing network, and adding a station in the existing one improved up by 34%, 130%, and 39%, in Sejong, Bonn, and Bangkok cities, respectively. Our method depicts acceptable results and will be implemented as a guide for establishing a new network and can be a tool for improving spatial coverage of the existing network for future expansions in air monitoring.
An Adaptive Optimization Method Based on Learning Rate Schedule for Neural Networks
Authors: Yi Dokkyun , Ji Sangmin , Park Jieun
Published: January 2021

Artificial intelligence (AI) is achieved by optimizing the cost function constructed from learning data. Changing the parameters in the cost function is an AI learning process (or AI learning for convenience). If AI learning is well performed, then the value of the cost function is the global minimum. In order to obtain the well-learned AI learning, the parameter should be no change in the value of the cost function at the global minimum. One useful optimization method is the momentum method; however, the momentum method has difficulty stopping the parameter when the value of the cost function satisfies the global minimum (non-stop problem). The proposed method is based on the momentum method. In order to solve the non-stop problem of the momentum method, we use the value of the cost function to our method. Therefore, as the learning method processes, the mechanism in our method reduces the amount of change in the parameter by the effect of the value of the cost function. We verified the method through proof of convergence and numerical experiments with existing methods to ensure that the learning works well.
Mechanical Strength Characterization of Plastic Fiber Reinforced Cement Concrete Composites
Authors: Anandan Sivakumar , Alsubih Majed
Published: January 2021

The reinforcing efficiency of plastic fibers obtained from shredded plastic waste was tested in plain concrete mixes and experimentally verified in this study. Plastic fibers up to 0.15% Vf were added to the design concrete mix to assess the fiber effectiveness in terms of improved load carrying capability of various plastic fiber incorporated concrete composites. The effects of plastic fibers distributed homogenously in the entire depth of concrete and confined in the tension zone were evaluated in flexural bending properties. Mechanical strength properties were evaluated for two different types of concrete containing (i) plastic fibers added homogenously throughout the entire depth of concrete and (ii) the plastic fibers confined in the tension zone only. Flexural bending parameters such as toughness, residual strength, crack width, post-peak drop load resistance, and fiber performance index of various plastic fiber substituted concrete mixes were tested in compressive and flexural bending to assess the fiber reinforcing efficiency. Test results indicated that the plastic fibers added in tension zone confinement exhibited higher flexural strength (5.26 N/mm2) improvements compared to homogeneously distributed concrete systems. Flexural bending characteristics in terms of absolute toughness and post peak strain softening were found to be appreciably higher (132%) in tension zone confined plastic fiber concretes compared to homogeneous fiber concrete systems.
Renewable Energy Powered Membrane Technology: Electrical Energy Storage Options for a Photovoltaic-Powered Brackish Water Desalination System
Authors: Li Sheying , Carvalho Ana P. S. G. de , Schäfer Andrea I. , Richards Bryce S.
Published: January 2021

The potential for lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries and supercapacitors (SCs) to overcome long-term (one day) and short-term (a few minutes) solar irradiance fluctuations with high-temporal-resolution (one s) on a photovoltaic-powered reverse osmosis membrane (PV-membrane) system was investigated. Experiments were conducted using synthetic brackish water (5-g/L sodium chloride) with varied battery capacities (100, 70, 50, 40, 30 and 20 Ah) to evaluate the effect of decreasing the energy storage capacities. A comparison was made between SCs and batteries to determine system performance on a “partly cloudyday”. With fully charged batteries, clean drinking water was produced at an average specific energy consumption (SEC) of 4 kWh/m3. The daily water production improved from 663 L to 767 L (16% increase) and average electrical conductivity decreased from 310 µS/cm to 274 μS/cm (12% improvement), compared to the battery-less system. Enhanced water production occurred when the initial battery capacity was >50 Ah. On a “sunny” and “very cloudy” day with fully charged batteries, water production increased by 15% and 80%, while water quality improved by 18% and 21%, respectively. The SCs enabled a 9% increase in water production and 13% improvement in the average SEC on the “partly cloudy day” when compared to the reference system performance (without SCs).
Marginal and Internal Fit of Ceramic Prostheses Fabricated from Different Chairside CAD/CAM Systems: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Son Keunbada , Lee Kyu-Bok
Published: January 2021

The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate marginal and internal fits of ceramic crowns fabricated with chairside computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems. An experimental model based on ISO 12836:2015 was digitally scanned with different intraoral scanners (Omnicam (CEREC), EZIS PO (DDS), and CS3500 (Carestream)). Ceramic crowns were fabricated using the CAD/CAM process recommended by each system (CEREC, EZIS, and Carestream systems; N = 15). The 3-dimensional (3D) marginal and internal fit of each ceramic crown was measured using a 3D inspection software (Geomagic control X). Differences among the systems and various measurements were evaluated using the Kruskal–Wallis test. Statistically significant differences were validated using pairwise comparisons (α = 0.05). Occlusal gaps in the CEREC, EZIS, and Carestream groups were 113.0, 161.3, and 438.2 µm, respectively (p < 0.001). The axial gaps were 83.4, 78.0, and 107.9 µm, respectively. The marginal gaps were 77.8, 99.3, and 60.6 µm, respectively, and the whole gaps were 85.9, 107.3, and 214.0 µm, respectively. Significant differences were observed with the EZIS system compared with the other two systems in terms of the marginal gap sizes. The CEREC system showed no significant differences among the four measured regions. However, the EZIS and Carestream systems did show a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). All three systems were judged to be capable of fabricating clinically acceptable prostheses, because the marginal gap, which is the most important factor in the marginal fit of prostheses, was recorded to be below 100 µm in all three systems.
POP-ON: Prediction of Process Using One-Way Language Model Based on NLP Approach
Authors: Moon Junhyung , Park Gyuyoung , Jeong Jongpil
Published: January 2021

In business process management, the monitoring service is an important element that can prevent various problems in advance from before they occur in companies and industries. Execution log is created in an information system that is aware of the enterprise process, which helps predict the process. The ultimate goal of the proposed method is to predict the process following the running process instance and predict events based on previously completed event log data. Companies can flexibly respond to unwanted deviations in their workflow. When solving the next event prediction problem, we use a fully attention-based transformer, which has performed well in recent natural language processing approaches. After recognizing the name attribute of the event in the natural language and predicting the next event, several necessary elements were applied. It is trained using the proposed deep learning model according to specific pre-processing steps. Experiments using various business process log datasets demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed method. The name of the process prediction model we propose is “POP-ON”.
A Construction Method of Lower Limb Rehabilitation Robot with Remote Control System
Authors: Miao Mingda , Gao Xueshan , Zhu Wei
Published: January 2021

In response to the rehabilitation needs of stroke patients who are unable to benefit from conventional rehabilitation due to the COVID-19 epidemic, this paper designs a robot that combines on-site and telerehabilitation. The objective is to assist the patient in walking. We design the electromechanical system with a gantry mechanism, body-weight support system, information feedback system, and man-machine interactive control system. The proposed rehabilitation robot remote system is based on the client/server (C/S) network framework to realize the remote control of the robot state logic and the transmission of patient training data. Based on the proposed system, doctors can set or adjust the training modes and control the parameters of the robot and guide remote patient rehabilitation training through video communication. The robotic system can further store and manage the rehabilitation data of the patient during training. Experiments show the human-computer interaction system of the lower limb rehabilitation robot has good performance, can accurately recognize the information of human motion posture, and achieve the goal of actively the following motion. Experiments confirm the feasibility of the proposed design, the information management of stroke patients, and the efficiency of rehabilitation training. The proposed system can reduce the workload of the doctors in practical training.
Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence for Designing Accessible Cultural Heritage
Authors: Pisoni Galena , Díaz-Rodríguez Natalia , Gijlers Hannie , Tonolli Linda
Published: January 2021

This paper reviews the literature concerning technology used for creating and delivering accessible museum and cultural heritage sites experiences. It highlights the importance of the delivery suited for everyone from different areas of expertise, namely interaction design, pedagogical and participatory design, and it presents how recent and future artificial intelligence (AI) developments can be used for this aim, i.e.,improving and widening online and in situ accessibility. From the literature review analysis, we articulate a conceptual framework that incorporates key elements that constitute museum and cultural heritage online experiences and how these elements are related to each other. Concrete opportunities for future directions empirical research for accessibility of cultural heritage contents are suggested and further discussed.
Evaluation of Bioactive and Physicochemical Properties of White and Black Garlic (Allium sativum L.) from Conventional and Organic Cultivation
Authors: Najman Katarzyna , Sadowska Anna , Hallmann Ewelina
Published: January 2021

The aim of this study was to evaluate the bioactive and physicochemical properties of white and black garlic (Allium sativum L.) from conventional and organic cultivation. Both white conventional (G) and organic (EG) garlic were processed during 45 days heat treatment at 70 °C temperature and 80% relative humidity. In black garlic (BG) samples the content of soluble solids, total reducing sugars, total polyphenol as well as antioxidant activity significantly (p < 0.05) increased (by about 33.5%, 60.5%, 118.4%, 125.8%, respectively), while a pH significantly (p < 0.05) decreased (by about 41.1%) as compared to white garlic samples. The study showed significant differences between colour of white and black garlic, both in the L*a*b* and RGB colour space, especially in the case of the L* parameter, indicating that the colour of garlic changed from white to dark brown or black during the thermal processing. All organic garlic samples had improved bioactive ingredients and antioxidant activity compared to conventional garlic for both fresh (unprocessed) and heat-treated black garlic. The production of black garlic, especially organic (EBG), allows one to obtain a product with higher amount of bioactive compounds, which can be widely used in the design of health-promoting functional food.
Perceived Benefits of Energy Efficiency in the Spanish Residential Market and Their Relation to Sociodemographic and Living Conditions
Authors: Crespo Sánchez Eva , Spairani Berrio Silvia , Onecha Perez Belén , Marmolejo-Duarte Carlos
Published: January 2021

Within the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive information symmetry regarding financial and environmental benefits, coming from real estate performance, is a key element in the promotion of efficient buildings. However, the link between energy efficiency and its perceived co-benefits is far from perfect in EU countries with a short trajectory in the promotion of such residential attributes, endangering the efficacy of information-symmetry policies. Using a large survey applied to sellers, buyers, lessors and tenants this paper explores, in Spain, the perceived co-benefits in terms of energy savings and thermal comfort of efficient homes and whether such perception correlates to current living conditions, housing tenure and sociodemographic profile of respondents. Results suggest that in general such co-benefits are present in the mind of the main agents of the housing market. However, their perception is far from being homogeneous, it is clearer in the case of households whose current home is poorly insulated or inadequately serviced in terms of thermal active systems. Sociodemographic conditions also play a role in co-benefits perceptions: Elder, wealthier and landlords, irrespective of whether they act as sellers, buyers or lessors, do perceive to a larger extent the co-benefits of efficient homes. Such findings signal clear paths for the improvement of energy and housing policy.
Valence and Arousal-Infused Bi-Directional LSTM for Sentiment Analysis of Government Social Media Management
Authors: Cheng Yu-Ya , Chen Yan-Ming , Yeh Wen-Chao , Chang Yung-Chun
Published: January 2021

Private entrepreneurs and government organizations widely adopt Facebook fan pages as an online social platform to communicate with the public. Posting on the platform to attract people’s comments and shares is an effective way to increase public engagement. Moreover, the comment functions allow users who have read the posts to express their thoughts. Hence, it also enables us to understand the users’ emotional feelings regarding that post by analyzing the comments. The goal of this study is to investigate the public image of organizations by exploring the content on fan pages. In order to efficiently analyze the enormous amount of public opinion data generated from social media, we propose a Bi-directional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) that can model detailed sentiment information hidden in those words. It first forecasts the sentiment information in terms of Valence and Arousal (VA) values of the smallest unit in a text, and later fuses this into a deep learning model to further analyze the sentiment of the whole text. Experiments show that our model can achieve state-of-the-art performance in terms of predicting the VA values of words. Additionally, combining VA with a BiLSTM model results in a boost of the performance for social media text sentiment analysis. Our method can assist governments or other organizations to improve their effectiveness in social media operations through the understanding of public opinions on related issues.
A Theoretical Method for Designing Thin Wobble Motor Using an Electromagnetic Force and an Electropermanent Magnet for Application in Portable Electric Equipment
Authors: Park Sang Yong , Song Buchun , Baek Yoon Su
Published: January 2021

The thin wobble motors that are required to hold rating shafts employ an electropermanent magnet. This turns the holding force on and off by applying a momentary electrical pulse. To design the magnet devices without the need for finite element analyses, a theoretical force model is necessary for predicting the attractive force. In this paper, first, a force model is derived by estimating the permeance around the air gap. A magnetic circuit is constructed, employing a relatively simple method to build the model in clouding leakage flux. Thus, the basic structure and driving principle are also presented. Next, an analytical force model is constructed on the basis of distribution parameter analysis between the stator and the rotating shaft. The design of the electromagnet core and the control method are presented. Finally, a prototype model of the motor that is 30 mm in diameter and 7 mm in thick is fabricated. The two models are verified by comparing the results of FEM with the results of the experiments. They can properly predict the attractive force, so the thin wobble motor with holding force can be applied in portable electric equipment.
Detection of Movement Intention for Operating Methods of Serious Games
Authors: Park Jung-Hyun , Moon Ho-Sang , Kim Hyunggun , Chung Sung-Taek
Published: January 2021

In many post-stroke cases, patients show dysfunctions in movement, cognition, sense, and language, depending on the damaged area of the brain. Active and repetitive physical rehabilitation centered on the stroke-affected side is essential for effective and rapid neurological recovery of upper extremity dysfunction due to hemiplegia. A symmetric upper extremity trainer is utilized to assist the patient body, depending upon the degree of hemiplegia. In this study, we developed a novel balance handle as a symmetric upper extremity trainer capable of extension, flexion, pronation, and supination of the upper extremity. We collected the surface electromyogram (sEMG) signal data while the subjects were playing a serious game and recorded the electroencephalogram (EEG) signal data while the subjects were performing basic movements with the balance handle, to analyze the effectiveness of the device as an assistive tool for rehabilitation. The triceps brachii were activated during the extension movements, whereas the biceps brachii and deltoid muscles were activated during the flexion movements. With the balance handle, the peak event-related desynchronization (ERD) values were relatively lower while showing higher peak event-related synchronization (ERS) values compared to other types of operating methods, such as hand gripping and gamepad operation. Movement intention of tilting the balance handle for the α and β waves was clearly distinguished from the other tasks. These data demonstrated the potential of various applications using the developed proof-of-concept upper extremity trainer to bring out an excellent rehabilitative effect not only through muscle growth but also via identification of large movement intentions inducing brain activation exercise.
Wheat Germ Agglutinin—From Toxicity to Biomedical Applications
Authors: Balčiūnaitė-Murzienė Gabrielė , Dzikaras Mindaugas
Published: January 2021

Wheat germ agglutinin is a hevein class N-Acetylglucosamine–binding protein with specific toxicity and biomedical potential. It is extractable from wheat germ—a low-value byproduct of the wheat industry—using well–established extraction methods based on salt precipitation and affinity chromatography. Due to its N-Acetylglucosamine affinity, wheat germ agglutinin exhibits antifungal properties as well as cytotoxic properties. Its anticancer properties have been demonstrated for various cancer cells, and toxicity mechanisms are well described. Wheat germ agglutinin has been demonstrated as a viable solution for various biomedical and therapeutic applications, such as chemotherapy, targeted drug delivery, antibiotic-resistant bacteria monitoring and elimination. This is performed mostly in conjunction with nanoparticles, liposomes, and other carrier mechanisms via surface functionalization. Combined with abundant wheat byproduct sources, wheat germ agglutinin has the potential to improve the biomedical field considerably.
Static Response of Double-Layered Pipes via a Perturbation Approach
Authors: Zulli Daniele , Casalotti Arnaldo , Luongo Angelo
Published: January 2021

A double-layered pipe under the effect of static transverse loads is considered here. The mechanical model, taken from the literature and constituted by a nonlinear beam-like structure, is constituted by an underlying Timoshenko beam, enriched with further kinematic descriptors which account for local effects, namely, ovalization of the cross-section, warping and possible relative sliding of the layers under bending. The nonlinear equilibrium equations are addressed via a perturbation method, with the aim of obtaining a closed-form solution. The perturbation scheme, tailored for the specific load conditions, requires different scaling of the variables and proceeds up to the fourth order. For two load cases, namely, distributed and tip forces, the solution is compared to that obtained via a pure numeric approach and the finite element method.
An Unbalance Optimization Method for a Multi-Stage Rotor Based on an Assembly Error Propagation Model
Authors: Chen Yue , Cui Jiwen , Sun Xun
Published: January 2021

For the assembly of a multi-stage rotor, such as an aero-engine or gas turbine, the parts need to be assembled optimally to avoid excessive unbalance. We propose a method to optimize the unbalance of a multi-stage rotor during assembly. First, we developed an assembly error propagation model for a multi-stage rotor. The alignment process and distribution of the screw holes of the adjacent rotors was considered for the first time. Secondly, we propose a new assembly datum for unbalance optimization to ensure consistency with the actual conditions of a dynamic balance test. Finally, the unbalance optimization of a multi-stage rotor was achieved using a genetic algorithm, and the corresponding optimal assembly orientations of rotors at different stages were also identified. The results of the simulations showed that the assembly error propagation model had high accuracy and that the genetic optimization process had good convergence. The effect of unbalance optimization was also proven with experiments.
Solar Photovoltaic Forecasting of Power Output Using LSTM Networks
Authors: Konstantinou Maria , Peratikou Stefani , Charalambides Alexandros G.
Published: January 2021

The penetration of renewable energies has increased during the last decades since it has become an effective solution to the world’s energy challenges. Among all renewable energy sources, photovoltaic (PV) technology is the most immediate way to convert solar radiation into electricity. Nevertheless, PV power output is affected by several factors, such as location, clouds, etc. As PV plants proliferate and represent significant contributors to grid electricity production, it becomes increasingly important to manage their inherent alterability. Therefore, solar PV forecasting is a pivotal factor to support reliable and cost-effective grid operation and control. In this paper, a stacked long short-term memory network, which is a significant component of the deep recurrent neural network, is considered for the prediction of PV power output for 1.5 h ahead. Historical data of PV power output from a PV plant in Nicosia, Cyprus, were used as input to the forecasting model. Once the model was defined and trained, the model performance was assessed qualitative (by graphical tools) and quantitative (by calculating the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and by applying the k-fold cross-validation method). The results showed that our model can predict well, since the RMSE gives a value of 0.11368, whereas when applying the k-fold cross-validation, the mean of the resulting RMSE values is 0.09394 with a standard deviation 0.01616.
NLP-Based Customer Loyalty Improvement Recommender System (CLIRS2)
Authors: Tarnowska Katarzyna Anna , Ras Zbigniew
Published: January 2021

Structured data on customer feedback is becoming more costly and timely to collect and organize. On the other hand, unstructured opinionated data, e.g., in the form of free-text comments, is proliferating and available on public websites, such as social media websites, blogs, forums, and websites that provide recommendations. This research proposes a novel method to develop a knowledge-based recommender system from unstructured (text) data. The method is based on applying an opinion mining algorithm, extracting aspect-based sentiment score per text item, and transforming text into a structured form. An action rule mining algorithm is applied to the data table constructed from sentiment mining. The proposed application of the method is the problem of improving customer satisfaction ratings. The results obtained from the dataset of customer comments related to the repair services were evaluated with accuracy and coverage. Further, the results were incorporated into the framework of a web-based user-friendly recommender system to advise the business on how to maximally increase their profits by introducing minimal sets of changes in their service. Experiments and evaluation results from comparing the structured data-based version of the system CLIRS (Customer Loyalty Improvement Recommender System) with the unstructured data-based version of the system (CLIRS2) are provided.
Systematical Engineering of Synthetic Yeast for Enhanced Production of Lycopene
Authors: Zhang Yu , Chiu Tsan-Yu , Zhang Jin-Tao , Wang Shu-Jie , Wang Shu-Wen , Liu Long-Ying , Ping Zhi , Wang Yong , Chen Ao , Zhang Wen-Wei , Chen Tai , Wang Yun , Shen Yue
Published: January 2021

Synthetic biology allows the re-engineering of biological systems and promotes the development of bioengineering to a whole new level, showing great potential in biomanufacturing. Here, in order to make the heterologous lycopene biosynthesis pathway compatible with the host strain YSy 200, we evolved YSy200 using a unique Synthetic Chromosome Rearrangement and Modification by LoxP-mediated Evolution (SCRaMbLE) system that is built in the Sc2.0 synthetic yeast. By inducing SCRaMbLE, we successfully identified a host strain YSy201 that can be served as a suitable host to maintain the heterologous lycopene biosynthesis pathway. Then, we optimized the lycopene biosynthesis pathway and further integrated into the rDNA arrays of YSy201 to increase its copy number. In combination with culturing condition optimization, we successfully screened out the final yeast strain YSy222, which showed a 129.5-fold increase of lycopene yield in comparison with its parental strain. Our work shows that, the strategy of combining the engineering efforts on both the lycopene biosynthesis pathway and the host strain can improve the compatibility between the heterologous pathway and the host strain, which can further effectively increase the yield of the target product.
Response of Human Glioblastoma Cells to Vitamin B12 Deficiency: A Study Using the Non-Toxic Cobalamin Antagonist
Authors: Rzepka Zuzanna , Rok Jakub , Maszczyk Mateusz , Beberok Artur , Hermanowicz Justyna , Pawlak Dariusz , Gryko Dorota , Wrześniok Dorota
Published: January 2021

The most important biological function of vitamin B12 is to accomplish DNA synthesis, which is necessary for cell division. Cobalamin deficiency may be especially acute for rapidly dividing cells, such as glioblastoma cells. Therefore, cobalamin antagonists offer a medicinal potential for developing anti-glioma agents. In the present study, we developed an in vitro model of cobalamin deficiency in glioblastoma cells. Long-term treatment of cells with the cobalamin analogue, hydroxycobalamin [c-lactam] (HCCL) was applied to induce an increase of hypocobalaminemia biomarker. Cytometric assays demonstrated that vitamin B12 promoted glioblastoma cells proliferation, whereas the treatment of cells with HCCL caused a dramatic inhibition of cell proliferation and an induction of cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. Vitamin B12 counteracted all the observed effects of HCCL. In the in silico study, we characterized the molecular interactions between HCCL and transcobalamin II (TCII). We have demonstrated that HCCL shares similar interactions with TCII as naturally occurring cobalamins and therefore may act as a competitive inhibitor of this key transporter protein. We assessed the impact of HCCL on the mortality or developmental malformations of zebrafish embryos. Collectively, our findings suggest that the use of cobalamin transport antagonists as potential anti-glioma agents would be worth exploring further.