bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maximising lamb growth rate - just what is possible in a high performance system
Authors: Muir P.D. , Smith N.B. , Lane J.C.
Published: June 2020

Abstract This study set out to demonstrate what could be achieved in terms of lamb growth rates under controlled experimental conditions. Ewes with high breeding values for progeny growth rate were selected from within a flock of 900 ewes and mated using AI to a ram with a high breeding value for progeny growth rate. Of the 70 ewes mated, 44 reared 75 lambs (170%) to 12 weeks of age. Lamb birth weights averaged 4.8 kg. Ewes and lambs were fed on pasture covers between 1800 and 2600 kg DM/ha throughout lactation. At 12 weeks of age, the average weight of all lambs in the mob averaged 39 kg. Average growth rate of all lambs from birth to 12 weeks was 409 g/d, with single, twin and triplet lambs averaging 437, 407 and 380 g/d respectively. The best individual lamb grew at 549 g/d and weighed 51.6 kg at 12 weeks. This demonstration sets a new benchmark for both mob and individual lamb growth rates and indicates what can be achieved with a combination of genetics for growth, ewes with good milking ability and good pasture feeding conditions. Keywords: breeding value, lamb growth rate, milking ability, pasture quality
Effect of drying method on accuracy of n-alkane estimation of forage intake
Authors: Burnham D.L. , Morris S.T. , Kenyon P.K.
Published: June 2020

N-alkane marker techniques are commonly used in the measurement for forage intake in grazing animals. Traditionally sample preparation of feed for subsequent n-alkane analysis has been conducted on freeze-dried samples, however oven-drying is both less time consuming and less expensive. Ten mixed age rumen fistulated wethers were housed in individual metabolism cr ates in the Animal Physiology Unit of Massey University for 30 days. The wethers were randomly allocated to one of four treatments fed either 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 or 2.0x maintenance requirement based on individual liveweight, with 2, 3, 3 and 2 animals in each respectively. Fresh ryegrass/white clover pasture was offered twice-daily. Following a 10 day adaptation period, each animal had an n-alkane capsule inserted via rumen fistulae from d0-d20. Feed and faeces was sub-sampled for subsequent analysis of C31 , C32 , C33 , C35 and C36 alkane content on alternate days from d5-20. Capsules were removed temporarily on alternate days from d0, for measurement of the plunger travel, as an indirect measure of capsule release rate. All faecal samples were oven-dried at 60°C until a constant dry weight was achieved. Herbage sub-samples collected on d5, 9, 13 and 17 were stored at -5°C before freeze-drying, while subsamples collected on d7, 11, 15 and 19 were oven dried at 60°C for 48 hours. The capsules achieved a constant release rate within four days post-insertion and remained at a steady rate up to day 20 postinsertion. No difference was found between estimated intakes using either C31:C32 or C32:C33 alkane ratios. Day had no significant effect on either actual or estimated intakes. Oven-drying the feed was found to produce a weak linear relationship whereas freezedrying the feed samples produced a much stronger relationship when compared to in vivo intake. A significant difference (P
Quality and quantity of chicory, lucerne and red clover production under irrigation
Authors: Brown H.E. , Moot D.J.
Published: June 2020

The quality and quantity of production from irrigated lucerne, chicory and red clover swards were compared over six years (30 November 1996 30 June 2002) on a Wakanui silt loam at Lincoln University. Mean annual yields from lucerne swards (21 t DM/ha) were 3.9 t/ha greater than chicory and red clover over five perennial regrowth seasons. Sown species gave 100% of dry matter (DM) production in the first regrowth season, but by the fifth season sown species gave 65, 55 and 0% of DM production for chicory, lucerne and red clover respectively. Utilised herbage had a similar metabolisable energy (ME) content for all three species (10.9 11.6 MJ/ kg/DM). The crude protein (CP) content of utilised herbage was also similar for lucerne and red clover (0.25-0.29 g/g DM), but chicory had a lower CP content (0.18 g/g DM). This combined with utilisation data to show lucerne swards provided 30% greater annual CP and ME intake for grazing stock than either chicory or red clover. This demonstrated the greater potential of lucerne to improve livestock production from high value land. Changes in lucerne herbage quality were also analysed within regrowth cycles to examine the influence of the time of grazing on CP and ME intake. The fraction of palatable lucerne herbage decreased linearly from 100% at 700 kg/ha standing DM to 57% at 4300 kg/ha standing DM. The CP and ME contents of the palatable fraction of lucerne herbage were always higher than the post grazing residual. This highlights the selective grazing of the stock, which consumed 80% of total CP and 70% of total ME for a crop of 4300 kg/ha standing DM. This grazing preference shows that delaying defoliation will not reduce potential stock production, unless stock are forced to consume the low quality stem in standing herbage. Keywords: Cichorium intybus, crude protein, herbage utilisation, Medicago sativa, metabolisable energy, pasture persistence, Trifolium pratense
Methane emissions by dairy cows fed increasing proportions of white clover (Trifolium repens) in pasture
Authors: Lee J.M. , Woodward S.L. , Waghorn G.C. , Clark D.A.
Published: June 2020

Methane (CH4) production from ruminant digestion has a significant impact on the New Zealand greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory and represents a loss of about 10% of metabolisable energy (ME) intake. Previous trials with sheep and cattle have demonstrated significantly lower methane losses per unit feed intake from legumes compared to grass dominant pasture. Most trials have compared forages fed as sole diets but white clover (Trifolium repens) is usually fed with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) as a mixed pasture, as it complements ryegrass for animal production. An indoor feeding trial was conducted in December 2003 with thirty-two Holstein-Friesian dairy cows in mid-lactation to determine effects of increasing proportions of white clover on methane emissions and cow performance. Cows were housed indoors and fed perennial ryegrass with 0, 15, 30 or 60% white clover ad libitum on a dry matter (DM) basis. Increasing proportions of white clover resulted in linear increases in dry matter intakes (DMI) and reductions in methane per kg DM eaten, although the extent to which CH4 production/kg DMI was lowered was less than anticipated from previous measurements from sheep fed white clover as a sole diet. DMI of cows fed 60% white clover was 20.5 vs. 15.6 kg DM/cow/day for 100% perennial ryegrass (P
Harvesting sulla for yield and quality
Authors: Minneé E.M.K. , Bluett S.J. , Woodward S.L.
Published: June 2020

Deciding when to harvest sulla (Hedysarum coronarium) can be a compromise between herbage yield and forage nutritive quality. Sulla, which grows up to 1.5 m tall, is tolerant of dry conditions and has been shown to have beneficial effects on ruminant production and health. A trial was conducted at Hamilton, New Zealand, to compare crop yield and nutritive quality of sulla harvested when it reached 30, 45, 60 and 75 cm high (retaining a stubble of 15 cm) over one growing season. Results show harvesting at 75 cm versus 30 cm increased total dry matter (DM) yield by 30%. Increasing harvest height increased total fibre content from 13.1 to 20.1 g/100g DM, (P
Genetic control of white clover seed yield potential
Authors: Woodfield D.R. , Baird I.J. , Clifford P.T.P.
Published: June 2020

Improving the seed yield potential of new white clover (Trifolium repens L.) cultivars is critical to their commercial viability and to overcoming the increasing pressures from land use change in Canterbury. The genetic control and response to selection was investigated for two seed yield characteristics, inflorescence density (no./m2) and seed yield per inflorescence (g/ inflorescence). Inflorescence density and seed yield per inflorescence were both responsive to selection and acted independent of one another to increase seed yield. Selection for high inflorescence density resulted in 34% higher seed yield than the low inflorescence density selection. This change in seed yield was associated with a 33% higher inflorescence density, while seed yield per inflorescence was unchanged. Similarly, selection for seed yield per inflorescence resulted in a 17% difference in seed yield between the high (HYI) and low (LYI) seed yield per inflorescence selections. This change in seed yield was associated with a 24% higher yield per inflorescence for the HYI selection, while inflorescence density remained unchanged. These results confirm that both mechanisms are under independent genetic control and can be utilized to increase seed yield of new white clover cultivars. Keywords: genetics, inflorescence density, seed production, Trifolium repens, white clover
Comparing risk for different dairy farm management systems in Taranaki using the Dexcel Whole Farm Model
Authors: Beukes P.C. , Palliser C.C. , Prewer W.E. , Levy G. , Folkers C. , Neal M. , Wastney M.E. , Thorrold B.S.
Published: June 2020

The approach was to use the Whole Farm Model (WFM) and Taranaki climate to compare a conventional, twice-a-day milking farm system with variations of once-a-day (OAD) milking and high-input systems. The aim was to compare production, return on assets (ROA) and risk as affected by climate and price variability. Simulations were run over 9 different climate years (1995/1996 - 2003/2004). The high-input system had the highest production (1333 kg milksolids (MS)/ ha) and highest ROA (10.8%), with variability thereof dampened by a feed buffer of higher quantity and quality that existed because of higher pasture yields (15.8 t dry matter (DM)/ha with 200 kg nitrogen (N)/ha vs. 13.5 t DM/ha with 105 kg N/ha for the other two systems), maize silage and grazing-off. The high-input system was followed by the OAD and conventional systems in terms of production (1068 and 975 kg MS/ha respectively) and ROA (9.8% and 9.2% respectively). Both OAD and conventional systems showed risk values nominally lower than high-input, but both these systems were more severely affected by climatic var iability, which lowered the average return and increased the risk relative to the return. Keywords: climate var iability, high input farming, once-a-day milking, return on assets
A model of the New Zealand beef value chain: evaluating opportunities
Authors: Mcdermott A.K. , Smeaton D.C. , Sheath G.W. , Dooley A.E.
Published: June 2020

A model of the New Zealand beef value chain, from conception to export, was constructed. The model was parameterised at the national level so that issues and opportunities within the beef industry can be examined at a high level by researchers and industry participants. The model is capable of modelling changes in farm practice, market situations and the industry structure. To illustrate the integrative power and value of the model in evaluating change within the beef sector, three scenarios are presented and compared to the status quo: changes in land price; wider use of beef semen in the dairy industry; and introduction of a gene to improve net feed intake. From the three scenarios presented, it is apparent that land price dominates the ability of the NZ beef industry to create value in the long-run. Although behaviour, practices and technologies can contribute to overcoming this factor, such changes will need to be substantive - incremental improvements will not be sufficient. This model provides the basis for facilitating debate on the future of NZ's beef industry and how to ensure long-run profitability. Keywords: beef industry, scenario evaluation, beef systems, value chain model
They Can’t Speak the Language: On Black and Latinx Disproportionate Coronavirus Death and Few Said, Doctors
Authors: Green Dr. Rupert , Gordon Dr. Robert , Matsunaga Dr. Nikita
Published: June 2020

The disastrous effects of COVID-19 provided a dire illumination of the disproportional mortality rate among American Blacks and Latinxs and the absence of same said groups as physicians, scientists, or advanced medical media spokespersons. These pathologies are both mutual and exclusive in that the reasons for each reside in a common absence of a successful pursuit of education, primarily those within the STEM disciplines. This research-based commentary is the outcome of an investigation to determine the Who, What, Where, When, and How of the consequences of the virus. It also attempts to address the aforementioned inequities to finally and permanently change the group's intractable failure by the established school system. The prospect of identifying, cultivating, and increasing the country’s knowledge base is paramount, and this work provides a framework to capitalize on this occasion. America’s future role in a technological world will depend largely on the caliber and number of STEM citizens.
PENGARUH MOTIVASI, PERSEPSI DAN SIKAP KONSUMEN TERHADAP KEPUTUSAN PEMBELIAN JARINGAN INTERNET PADA PT TELEKOMUNIKASI INDONESIA DI KOTA BATAM
Authors: Nainggolan Nora Pitri , Anano Muhammad
Published: June 2020

In the current era of globalization, business development has been characterized by various kinds of competition in all fields of business. Seeing these needs causes entrepreneurs to increasingly demand the right strategy to meet sales targets. This study aims to discuss partially, Motivation towards internet network purchasing decisions at PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia, and discuss partially. PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia, discussed some of the consumer attitudes towards internet network purchasing decisions at PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia and assessed simultaneously motivational motivation, perceptions and attitudes of consumers towards internet network purchasing decisions at PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia. The method used in this study is a linear multiple regression analysis method. The research design used was descriptive analysis. The test consists of validity test, reliability test, classic assumption test, multiple regression analysis, coefficient of determination, t-test and f-test. The population in this study were consumers of PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia with a total sample of 384 people. By using the SPSS version 21 software program. The conclusion is the partial variable motivation, Perception and Attitude of Customers has a significant effect on Purchasing Decisions, simultaneously the variables of motivation, perception and attitudes of consumers have a significant effect on internet network purchasing decisions at PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia
Mechanisms of Particles in Sensitization, Effector Function and Therapy of Allergic Disease
Authors: Joubert Isabella Anna , Geppert Mark , Johnson Litty , Mills-Goodlet Robert , Michelini Sara , Korotchenko Evgeniia , Duschl Albert , Weiss Richard , Horejs-Höck Jutta , Himly Martin
Published: June 2020

Humans have always been in contact with natural airborne particles from many sources including biologic particulate matter (PM) which can exhibit allergenic properties. With industrialization, anthropogenic and combustion-derived particles have become a major fraction. Currently, an ever-growing number of diverse and innovative materials containing engineered nanoparticles (NPs) are being developed with great expectations in technology and medicine. Nanomaterials have entered everyday products including cosmetics, textiles, electronics, sports equipment, as well as food, and food packaging. As part of natural evolution humans have adapted to the exposure to particulate matter, aiming to protect the individual's integrity and health. At the respiratory barrier, complications can arise, when allergic sensitization and pulmonary diseases occur in response to particle exposure. Particulate matter in the form of plant pollen, dust mites feces, animal dander, but also aerosols arising from industrial processes in occupational settings including diverse mixtures thereof can exert such effects. This review article gives an overview of the allergic immune response and addresses specifically the mechanisms of particulates in the context of allergic sensitization, effector function and therapy. In regard of the first theme (i), an overview on exposure to particulates and the functionalities of the relevant immune cells involved in allergic sensitization as well as their interactions in innate and adaptive responses are described. As relevant for human disease, we aim to outline (ii) the potential effector mechanisms that lead to the aggravation of an ongoing immune deviation (such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etc.) by inhaled particulates, including NPs. Even though adverse effects can be exerted by (nano)particles, leading to allergic sensitization, and the exacerbation of allergic symptoms, promising potential has been shown for their use in (iii) therapeutic approaches of allergic disease, for example as adjuvants. Hence, allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is introduced and the role of adjuvants such as alum as well as the current understanding of their mechanisms of action is reviewed. Finally, future prospects of nanomedicines in allergy treatment are described, which involve modern platform technologies combining immunomodulatory effects at several (immuno-)functional levels.
Design of Tendon-Driven Mechanism Using Geometrical Condition
Authors: Takuma Takashi
Published: June 2020

A tendon-driven robot offers many advantages, such as easy designs for mass distribution that facilitate dexterous motion. A procedure to design such a robot using a single actuator to achieve the desired force direction and magnitude on an endpoint is presented herein. The force on the endpoint is generated by the single actuator and a wire that passes through pulleys attached on links. To set the pulley position for the desired force direction and magnitude, a geometrical condition is proposed. To evaluate the proposed method, a physical monopod robot was developed. We compared the calculated and physical forces on the endpoint of the physical robot for the desired directions. Finally, we confirmed that the proposed method provided the desired force on the endpoint without iterative trials.
Development of a Morphing Landing Gear Composite Door for High Speed Compound Rotorcraft
Authors: Chiariello Antonio , Orlando Salvatore , Vitale Pasquale , Linari Mauro , Longobardi Raffaele , Di Palma Luigi
Published: June 2020

In the framework of fast rotorcraft, smoothness and flushness of external aerodynamic surfaces present challenges for high-speed conditions, where aerodynamics is the driver of helicopter performance. For AIRBUS-RACER helicopter the main landing gear trap doors are parts of the lower wing skins (in retracted configuration) affecting helicopter performance by minimizing the drag. Flushness requirements must not be in contrast with the functionally of the Landing gear system that must open and close the doors during the landing gear retraction-extension phases at moderately low velocity. To manage these goals, a novel design logic has been identified to support the trap doors development phase. The identified way to proceed needs of relevant numerical method and tool as well. This method is aimed at identifying the main landing gear composite compartment doors in pre-shaped configuration to match the smoothness and door-stopper engagements over each aerodynamic conditions. The authors propose a detailed non-linear Finite Element method, based on MSC Nastran (MSC Software, Newport Beach, US) SOL-400 solver in which the structure is modelled with deformable contact bodies in a multiple load step sequence, open door condition and pre-shaped, deformed under actuator pre-load, under flight load conditions. The method includes the entire pre-stressed field due to the preload and the actual door stiffness, considering the achieved large displacement to verify the most representative strain field during loads application. The paper defines a robust methodology to predict the deformation and ensure the most appropriate door “pre-bow” and pre-load, in order to achieve the desiderated structural shape that matches aerodynamic requirements. The main result is the identification of a pre-shaped doors configuration for the Airbus RACER Fast Rotorcraft.
Identification of Sarcocystis spp. in One-humped Camels (Camelus dromedarius) from Riyadh and Dammam, Saudi Arabia, via Histological and Phylogenetic Approaches
Authors: Metwally Dina M. , Al-Otaibi Tahani T. , Al-Turaiki Isra M. , El-Khadragy Manal F. , Alajmi Reem A.
Published: June 2020

Sarcocystis (S.) spp. are intracellular protozoan parasites that infect birds and animals, resulting in substantial commercial losses. Sarcocystis spp. have an indirect life cycle; canines and felines are known to act as final hosts, and numerous domestic and wild animals act as intermediate hosts. The presence of sarcocysts in camel meat may diminish its commercial quality. There is limited knowledge regarding the taxonomy and diagnosis of Sarcocystis spp. that infect camels in Saudi Arabia. In this study, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed S. cameli and S. camelicanis (camelicanis) in Camelus (C.) dromedarius. This is the first report of S. camelicanis in Saudi Arabia and is considered a significant finding. Based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COX1) sequences, two samples of Sarcocystis spp. isolated from C. dromedarius in Riyadh and Dammam were grouped with S. levinei hosted by Bubalus bubalis in India, S. rangi hosted by Rangifer tarandus in Norway, S. miescheriana hosted by Sus scrofa in Italy and S. fayeri hosted by Equus caballus in Canada. The sequences obtained in this study have been deposited in GenBank.
Marked Presence of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Wild Lagomorphs in Valencia, Spain
Authors: Moreno-Grúa Elena , Pérez-Fuentes Sara , Viana David , Cardells Jesús , Lizana Víctor , Aguiló Jordi , Selva Laura , Corpa Juan M.
Published: June 2020

The appearance of methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in several animal species (including rabbits) has set off alarms for their capacity to act as reservoirs for this bacterium. This is especially important in wild animals given its epidemiological implications. The objectives of this study were to identify and characterize S. aureus, specifically MRSA, strains in wild lagomorph high-density areas. Ten hares and 353 wild rabbits from 14 towns with a high rabbit density in the Valencian region (eastern Spanish coast) were sampled. Swabs from the nasal cavity, ears, perineum and lesions (when present) were taken for microbiological studies. The detection of different genes and antibiotic susceptibility studies were also carried out. Of all the animals, 41.3% were positive for S. aureus, of which 63.3% were MRSA. Ears were the anatomical location with more S. aureus and MRSA strains. The more frequently identified MLST type was ST1945 (97.1%, 136/140). The mecA gene was found only in one sample. The rest (n = 139) carried the mecC gene and were included in CC130, except one. Penicillin resistance was detected in 28 mec-negative isolates and, in one case, bacitracin resistance. mecA isolate presented resistance to enrofloxacin and tetracycline, and 10 mecC isolates also showed bacitracin resistance. No MRSA isolate was positive for genes chp, sea, tst and PVL. Two ST1945 isolates contained IEC type E (comprising genes scn and sak). mecA-isolate was positive for blaZ. Of the 28 MSSA strains showing resistance to penicillin, 22 carried the blaZ gene. These surprising results highlight the marked presence of MRSA strains in wild rabbits in high-density areas.
Using Owner Return as a Reinforcer to Operantly Treat Separation-Related Problem Behavior in Dogs
Authors: Feuerbacher Erica N. , Muir Kristy L.
Published: June 2020

Separation-related problem behavior (SRPB) is a severe behavioral issue in which dogs engage in a variety of undesirable behaviors when the owner is absent, such as destructive behavior and excessive vocalization. Given the severity and high prevalence of SRPB, finding effective treatments is crucial. To date, most treatments have relied on habituation to increase tolerance to owner absence. Additionally, research has typically not utilized direct observations of the dog’s behavior and the treatment implemented with unknown treatment integrity. We evaluated an operant approach to SRPB using owner return as the reinforcer. After collecting baseline, we enrolled five dogs for treatment. Treatment involved differential reinforcement of either absence of problem behavior or occurrence of specific desirable behaviors. Behavioral criteria for delivering reinforcement changed based on the dog’s performance assessed through direct observation. We coached owners to ensure treatment integrity on each trial. From baseline, mean time to SRPB was 27.1 s. During treatment, all dogs increased their ability to stay alone without SRPB compared to baseline, indicating that contingent owner return can be a useful treatment. However, despite four training sessions, only one dog was able to stay alone for over 5 min. Our data demonstrate the slow-going progression of this SPRB treatment and the challenges of this behavioral issue.
Seroprevalence of Canine Herpesvirus-1 in Breeding Dogs with or Without Vaccination in Northwest Italy
Authors: Rota Ada , Dogliero Andrea , Biosa Teresa , Messina Margherita , Pregel Paola , Masoero Loretta
Published: June 2020

Canine herpesvirus-1 (CHV-1) can cause abortion and foetal and neonatal deaths in the bitch. The reactivation of latent infections with asymptomatic virus shedding represents a mechanism, whereby the virus can persist in a dog population. The aim of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence of CHV-1 in a population of breeding dogs in Piedmont, Northern Italy, and to investigate the distribution of herpesvirus vaccination. The study was carried out in 370 animals that were housed in 33 breeding kennels. Antibodies against CHV-1 in serum samples were measured by means of serum neutralization. Vaccination had been performed in 21.2% of the kennels and 8.4% of the dogs. The overall seroprevalence of CHV-1 was 50.3%. In ten kennels (30.3%), no seropositive dogs were identified. The percentage of seropositive dogs ranged from 7.1% to 100% in positive kennels. More than 40% of the seropositive dogs showed high titres. Sex had no significant effect on either seroprevalence or the category of the serum titre. The number of positive animals was significantly lower in the groups of prepuberal bitches and animals younger than 1.5 years. The majority of younger animals showed very high titres, suggesting recent contact with the virus. Our data show that CHV-1 is a common infection in breeding dogs in Piedmont. Vaccination is rarely performed but might be an option, because, although many animals of breeding age already show high antibody titres, seronegative pregnant bitches will be at high risk of contracting the infection due to viral circulation in kennels where the virus is enzootic.
Effect of Feeding Lactating Ewes with Moringa oleifera Leaf Extract on Milk Yield, Milk Composition and Preweaning Performance of Ewe/Lamb Pair
Authors: Olvera-Aguirre Gabriel , Mendoza-Taco Miriam Marleny , Arcos-Álvarez Darwin Nicolas , Piñeiro-Vázquez Angel Trinidad , Moo-Huchin Victor Manuel , Canul-Solís Jorge Rodolfo , Castillo-Sánchez Luis , Ramírez-Bautista Marco Antonio , Vargas-Bello-Pérez Einar , Chay-Canul Alfonso Juventino
Published: June 2020

The objective this study was to evaluate the effect of different doses of Moringa oleifera leaf extract (MOE) on milk production and milk composition in ewes and on preweaning performance of their lambs. Twenty-four lactating ewes were housed individually with their lambs and assigned to four groups in a completely randomized design. The treatments included a basal diet without MOE (MOE0) or a basal diet supplemented with either 20 mL MOE per ewe per day (MOE20), 40 mL MOE per ewe per day (MOE40) or 60 mL MOE per ewe per day (MOE60). Over 45 days, milk production was recorded weekly and individual milk samples were collected for chemical analysis. Milk yield, fat-corrected milk and daily yields were similar among the four treatments. The supply of MOE did not affect ewe weaning efficiency and average daily gain or litter weaning weight of the lambs. Overall, the results from this study showed that dietary supplementation of hydroalcoholic extracts of Moringa oleifera leaves at doses of 20, 40 or 60 mL/ewes/d in lactating ewes does not have negative effects on milk yield, milk composition or lamb performance.
Antimicrobial Activity of Five Apitoxins from Apis mellifera on Two Common Foodborne Pathogens
Authors: Lamas Alexandre , Arteaga Vicente , Regal Patricia , Vázquez Beatriz , Miranda José Manuel , Cepeda Alberto , Franco Carlos Manuel
Published: June 2020

Antimicrobial resistance is one of today’s major public health challenges. Infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria have been responsible for an increasing number of deaths in recent decades. These resistant bacteria are also a concern in the food chain, as bacteria can resist common biocides used in the food industry and reach consumers. As a consequence, the search for alternatives to common antimicrobials by the scientific community has intensified. Substances obtained from nature have shown great potential as new sources of antimicrobial activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of five bee venoms, also called apitoxins, against two common foodborne pathogens. A total of 50 strains of the Gram-negative pathogen Salmonella enterica and 8 strains of the Gram-positive pathogen Listeria monocytogenes were tested. The results show that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were highly influenced by the bacterial genus. The MIC values ranged from 256 to 1024 µg/mL in S. enterica and from 16 to 32 µg/mL in L. monocytogenes. The results of this study demonstrate that apitoxin is a potential alternative agent against common foodborne pathogens, and it can be included in the development of new models to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the food chain.
Combined Effect of Sonication and Acid Whey on Antioxidant and Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitory Activities of Peptides Obtained from Dry-Cured Pork Loin
Authors: Kęska Paulina , Stadnik Joanna
Published: June 2020

This study aimed to determine the effects of sonication and acid whey maceration on the oxidative stability, antioxidant activity and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity of peptides obtained from dry-cured pork loins. The changes in the selected parameters were documented over 7, 21 and 42 days of storage. The lowest antioxidant and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activities of peptides were noted in batches with curing salt (C) and acid whey (SW) compared to batches with sea salt (S). In this sample range, the lowest oxidation–reduction power values were associated with the use of ultrasound. In addition, higher antiradical activity (against ABTS•+) and reducing power values were observed for the sea salt ultrasound (SU) batches (after 21 and 42 days) and for the acid whey ultrasound (SWU) batches (after 7 and 21 days). Contrasting results were obtained for samples with sea salt (S and SU), which were characterized by a higher content of peptides, better antiradical properties and the highest potential to inhibit ACE (after seven days).
A Study on the Power Generation Prediction Model Considering Environmental Characteristics of Floating Photovoltaic System
Authors: Jeong Han Sang , Choi Jaeho , Lee Ho Hyun , Jo Hyun Sik
Published: June 2020

The main contents of this paper are to verify the environmental factors affecting the power generation of floating photovoltaic systems and to present the power generation prediction model considering environmental factors by using regression analysis and neural networks studied during the last decade. This study focused on a comparative analysis of which model is best suited for the power generation prediction of the floating photovoltaic (PV) system. To compare the power generation characteristics of a floating and a land-based PV system, two identical 2.5 kW PV systems were installed—one on the water surface in the Boryeong Dam, Korea, and the other nearby on dry land—and their performances were compared. The solar irradiance of the floating PV system was 1.1% lower than that of the land-based PV. Nevertheless, the floating PV module temperature was 4.9% lower than that of the land-based PV, generating approximately 3% more power. Using the correlation analysis of data mining techniques, environmental factors affecting the efficiency of the floating PV system were investigated. The correlation coefficient between the module temperature and water temperature was r = 0.6317 which proves that the high efficiency and low module temperature characteristics of the floating PV system, when compared with that of the land-based PV, are due to the water evaporation effect. Considering environmental factors, power-generation prediction models based on regression analysis and neural networks are presented, and their accuracies are compared. This comparison confirms that the accuracy of the power generation prediction model using neural networks was approximately 2.59% higher than that of the regression analysis method. As a result of adjusting the hidden nodes in the neural network algorithm, it was confirmed that a neural network algorithm with ten hidden nodes was most suitable for calculating the amount of power generation.
Improvement of Learning Stability of Generative Adversarial Network Using Variational Learning
Authors: Lee Je-Yeol , Choi  Sang-Il
Published: June 2020

In this paper, we propose a new network model using variational learning to improve the learning stability of generative adversarial networks (GAN). The proposed method can be easily applied to improve the learning stability of GAN-based models that were developed for various purposes, given that the variational autoencoder (VAE) is used as a secondary network while the basic GAN structure is maintained. When the gradient of the generator vanishes in the learning process of GAN, the proposed method receives gradient information from the decoder of the VAE that maintains gradient stably, so that the learning processes of the generator and discriminator are not halted. The experimental results of the MNIST and the CelebA datasets verify that the proposed method improves the learning stability of the networks by overcoming the vanishing gradient problem of the generator, and maintains the excellent data quality of the conventional GAN-based generative models.
Spatial-Temporal Variation Characteristics of Vertical Dust Flux Simulated by WRF-Chem Model with GOCART and AFWA Dust Emission Schemes (Case Study: Central Plateau of Iran)
Authors: Mesbahzadeh Tayyebeh , Salajeghe Ali , Sardoo Farshad Soleimani , Zehtabian Gholamreza , Ranjbar Abbas , Marcello Miglietta Mario , Karami Sara , Krakauer Nir Y.
Published: June 2020

Dust and sand storms are among the major threats to central Iran. These phenomena pose irreparable risks to natural ecosystems and human societies, including effects on health. In this study, the spatial and temporal pattern of vertical dust flux (VDF) was used to identify dust sources as well as areas with high potential for dust generation. To simulate VDF, two intense dust storms, from 21 February 2015 and 14 February 2018, were selected using synoptic data and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images. These dust storms were identified as responsible for a reduction of horizontal visibility to less than 1000 m, using remote sensing tools and Ackerman Dust Index. MODIS images show that these two storms covered most of Central Plateau of Iran. The Weather Research and Forecasting model with chemistry (WRF-Chem) was used to simulate the storms, with either the Global Ozone Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) or Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) scheme to calculate VDF. Modeled vertical dust fluxes in both events indicate that the Arabian deserts in Saudi Arabia and in southwestern Iran can be identified as main sources of the dust in the central Iranian plateau. The other source of dust is the Hirmand Basin, located in the country of Afghanistan and in the southeast of Iran. The results of VDF simulations indicate that central southeast Iran could be the main dust source of internal origin. Additionally, over seasonal wetlands in Iran, the amount of VDF was simulated to be sometimes over 4000 μg/(m2s), an indication that these areas are sensitive to wind erosion in dry conditions and can be a source of dust. The WRF-Chem results were compared with the horizontal visibility measured in synoptic stations in the area. The results showed that the coefficients of determination of GOCART results with the measured horizontal visibility on 21 February 2015 and 14 February 2018 were 0.72 and 0.76, respectively, while the coefficient values from the simulations with AFWA scheme on 21 February 2015 and 14 February 2018 with the measured horizontal visibility were lower, 0.44 and 0.50, respectively. Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, version 2 (MERRA2) re-analysis data also showed timing of peak dust levels consistent with the GOCART scheme.
An Enhanced Precoder for Multi User Multiple-Input Multiple-Output Downlink Systems
Authors: Lee Woon-Sang , Ro Jae-Hyun , You Young-Hwan , Hwang Duckdong , Song Hyoung-Kyu
Published: June 2020

Recently, as the demand for data rate of users has increased, wireless communication systems have aimed to offer high throughput. For this reason, various techniques which guarantee high performance have been invented, such as massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO). However, the implementation of huge base station (BS) antenna array and decrease of reliability as the number of users increases are chief obstacles. In order to mitigate these problems, this paper proposes an adaptive precoder which provides high throughput and bit error rate (BER) performances to achieve the desired data rate in multi user (MU) MIMO downlink systems which have a practical BS antenna array (up to 16). The proposed scheme is optimized with a modified minimum mean square error (MMSE) criterion in order to improve BER gain and reduce data streams in order to obtain diversity gain at low signal to noise ratio (SNR). It is shown that the BER and throughput performances of the proposed scheme are improved.
Ocular Biometrics Recognition by Analyzing Human Exploration during Video Observations
Authors: Cazzato Dario , Carcagnì Pierluigi , Cimarelli Claudio , Voos Holger , Distante Cosimo , Leo Marco
Published: June 2020

Soft biometrics provide information about the individual but without the distinctiveness and permanence able to discriminate between any two individuals. Since the gaze represents one of the most investigated human traits, works evaluating the feasibility of considering it as a possible additional soft biometric trait have been recently appeared in the literature. Unfortunately, there is a lack of systematic studies on clinically approved stimuli to provide evidence of the correlation between exploratory paths and individual identities in “natural” scenarios (without calibration, imposed constraints, wearable tools). To overcome these drawbacks, this paper analyzes gaze patterns by using a computer vision based pipeline in order to prove the correlation between visual exploration and user identity. This correlation is robustly computed in a free exploration scenario, not biased by wearable devices nor constrained to a prior personalized calibration. Provided stimuli have been designed by clinical experts and then they allow better analysis of human exploration behaviors. In addition, the paper introduces a novel public dataset that provides, for the first time, images framing the faces of the involved subjects instead of only their gaze tracks.
Improvements of Design for Safety in Construction through Multi-Participants Perception Analysis
Authors: Soh Jayho , Jeong Jaewook , Jeong Jaemin
Published: June 2020

For several decades, the number of reported accidents and fatal incidents in the construction industry has remained high compared to those in other industries. Therefore, many studies have been conducted in an effort to reduce accidents and fatal incidents in the construction industry. Recently, construction safety management has shifted from the construction phase to the pre-construction phase, ultimately to eliminate fatal incidents. In line with this change, South Korea enacted the Design for Safety (DfS) process in 2016. However, the current DfS process remains not well implemented for several reasons. Therefore, this study aims to present eight alternatives to improve the DfS process and suggests DfS improvement priorities by considering construction project participants and career levels using what is known as a fuzzy-analytical hierarchy process (F-AHP) analysis. The results of this study are as follows. First, respondents overall suggested improvements in the area of ‘assignment of responsibility for DfS to the client’ (0.196). Second, improvement priorities were also identified according to construction project participants and career levels. The results of the study can be utilized as basic information for DfS improvements during construction projects.
Using Game Engines for Visuo-Haptic Learning Simulations
Authors: Escobar-Castillejos David , Noguez Julieta , Cárdenas-Ovando Roberto A. , Neri Luis , Gonzalez-Nucamendi Andres , Robledo-Rella Víctor
Published: June 2020

Technological advances have been the main driver of enhancing human–computer interaction and interactive simulations have experienced exponential growth in recent years. However, visual and auditory channels are usually the only ones considered for educational simulations even though the sense of touch is also an important one. Touch allows us to recognize and interact with our surroundings. A common way to develop a visuo-haptic simulation in the area of interactive systems is by using a graphic and physics-based engine orchestrated with a haptic rendering framework. However, new solutions, such as professional game engines, have enabled the development of high-quality applications in much shorter time. In this paper, a novel architecture for fast development of interactive visuo-haptic applications in game engines is discussed. To validate the proposed architecture, the Haptic Device Integration for Unity (HaDIU) plugin was implemented. Simulations were implemented to verify the operability of haptic devices. Each scenario was properly modelled and has different haptic objectives. Furthermore, to validate that the usage of this approach provides better visualizations than an existing single purpose application, an experimental study was performed. Results suggest that by using this approach faster development of interactive visuo-haptic simulators can be achieved than using traditional techniques.
Teleseismic Tomography for Imaging the Upper Mantle Beneath Northeast China
Authors: Jia Zhuo , Zhang Gongbo
Published: June 2020

Tomographic imaging technology is a geophysical inversion method. According to the ray scanning, this method carries on the inversion calculation to the obtained information, and reconstructs the image of the parameter distribution rule of elastic wave and electromagnetic wave in the measured range, so as to delineate the structure of the geological body. In this paper, teleseismic tomography is applied by using seismic travel time data to constrain layered crustal structure where Fast Marching Methods (FMM) and the subspace method are considered as forward and inverse methods, respectively. Based on the travel time data picked up from seismic waveform data in the study region, the P-wave velocity structure beneath Northeast China down to 750 km is obtained. It can be seen that there are low-velocity anomalies penetrating the mantle transition zone under the Changbai volcano group, Jingpohu Volcano, and Arshan Volcano, and these low-velocity anomalies extend to the shallow part. In this paper, it is suggested that the Cenozoic volcanoes in Northeast China were heated by the heat source provided by the dehydration of the subducted Pacific plate and the upwelling of geothermal matter in the lower mantle. The low-velocity anomaly in the north Songliao basin does not penetrate the mantle transition zone, which may be related to mantle convection and basin delamination. According to the low-velocity anomalies widely distributed in the upper mantle and the low-velocity bodies passing through the mantle transition zone beneath the volcanoes, this study suggests that the Cenozoic volcanoes in Northeast China are kindred and have a common formation mechanism.
A New Methodology for Decision-Making in Buildings Energy Optimization
Authors: Masdías-Bonome Antonio E. , Orosa José A. , Vergara Diego
Published: June 2020

When designing or retrofitting a building, not too many tools let architects and engineers to define the optimal conditions to reduce energy consumption with the minimal economic investment. This is because different software resources must be employed and an iterative calculation must be done which, most of times, is not possible. The present study aims to define an original methodology that let researchers and architects to select the best option between different possibilities. To reach this objective, Monte Carlo method is employed on the ISO 13790 standard reaching the probability distribution of the energy consumption of each building after each possible modification. From main results, two mathematical models were obtained from a real case study showing the relation between annual energy consumption and economic investment of each different building retrofits. What is more, in disagreement with the expected result, the best retrofit option was not the one with the highest cost and qualities. In conclusion, this methodology can be a useful tool for researchers and professionals to improve their decision-making.
Numerical Evaluation of Structural Safety for Aged Onshore Wind Foundation to Extend Service Life
Authors: Jeong Youn-Ju , Park Min-Su , Song Sung-Hoon , Kim Jeongsoo
Published: June 2020

In this paper, for the case of “service life extension” with the same capacity for wind turbines, a structural safety evaluation was carried out to determine whether to extend the service life of the aged foundation. As a result of this study, it was found that the aged foundation satisfies the structural safety of material strength, ultimate strength, fatigue life, and serviceability up to the present. Although the in-service period has been over 16 years, it has been shown that the material properties of concrete have exceeded the design strength, and no significant material deterioration has occurred. Also, structural safety could be evaluated more realistically based on actual concrete properties. In particular, it has been shown that it has a fatigue life of 40 years or more, so service life can be extended. It is expected that the methodology used in this paper will be useful not only for structural safety evaluation of the foundation in service, but also for decision-making for extending the service life. Furthermore, a more technical approach should be explored by many researchers in the future.