bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Variability of Puroindoline-Encoding Alleles and Their Influence on Grain Hardness in Modern Wheat Cultivars Cultivated in Poland, Breeding Lines and Polish Old Landraces (Triticum aestivum L.)
Authors: Przyborowski Mateusz , Gasparis Sebastian , Kała Maciej , Orczyk Wacław , Nadolska-Orczyk Anna
Published: July 2020

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain hardness is determined mainly by variations in puroindoline genes (Pina-D1 and Pinb-D1), which are located on the short arm of chromosome 5D. This trait has a direct effect on the technological properties of the flour and the final product quality. The objective of the study was to analyze the mutation frequency in both Pin genes and their influence on grain hardness in 118 modern bread wheat cultivars and breeding lines cultivated in Poland, and 80 landraces from Poland. The PCR products containing the Pin gene coding sequences were sequenced by the Sanger method. Based on detected the SNPs (single-nucleotide polymorphisms) we designed CAPS (cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence) markers for the fast screening of Pinb alleles in a large number of genotypes. All analyzed cultivars, breeding lines, and landraces possess the wild-type Pina-D1a allele. Allelic variation was observed within the Pinb gene. The most frequently occurring allele in modern wheat cultivars and breeding lines (over 50%) was Pinb-D1b. The contribution of the remaining alleles (Pinb-D1a, Pinb-D1c, and Pinb-D1d) was much less (approx. 15% each). In landraces, the most frequent allele was Pinb-D1a (over 70%), followed by Pinb-D1b (21% frequency). Pinb-D1c and Pinb-D1g were found in individual varieties. SKCS (single-kernel characterization system) analysis revealed that grain hardness was strictly connected with Pinb gene allelic variation in most tested cultivars. The mean grain hardness values were significantly greater in cultivars with mutant Pinb variants as compared to those with the wild-type Pinb-D1a allele. Based on grain hardness measured by SKCS, we classified the analyzed cultivars and lines into different classes according to a previously proposed classification system.
Functional Characterization and in Silico Analysis of Phytoene Synthase Family Genes Responsible for Carotenoid Biosynthesis in Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.)
Authors: Wu Chuan , Sun Lei , Lv Yuanzuo , Cui Haonan , Wang Xuezheng , Gao Peng , Luan Feishi
Published: July 2020

Carotenoids are the main pigments in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) fruit and contribute to its aesthetic and nutritional value. Phytoene synthase (PSY) is reported to be the first rate-limiting enzyme in carotenogenesis and controls the carotenoid flux. This study aimed to identify PSY genes responsible for carotenoid biosynthesis in the red-fleshed watermelon cultivar LSW-177. The PSY gene members ClPSY1, ClPSY2 and ClPSY3 were characterized and their catalytic activities were displayed in the heterologous complementation assay. The transcript levels of ClPSY genes at the different developmental stages of LSW-177 fruit and the promoter sequence of ClPSY1 were also analyzed. Transcription factors involved in regulating the ClPSY1 expression were scanned with previous RNA-seq data of the different stages during fruit ripening. Results showed that the PSY proteins from watermelon LSW-177 contained the conserved PSY domains and exhibited the ability to condense GGPP into phytoene in E. coli. ClPSY1 is the dominant carotenogenic gene during fruit ripening; and can be induced by light and hormones. Furthermore, Cla013914 and Cla007950 that, respectively encode the transcription factors WD40-like protein and bZIP, likely upregulate ClPSY1 during fruit ripening. In conclusion, ClPSY1 play a dominant role in carotenoid biosynthesis during watermelon fruit ripening and is regulated by complex light and hormone-responsive networks.
Integrated Soil–Crop System Management with Organic Fertilizer Achieves Sustainable High Maize Yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Northeast China Based on an 11-Year Field Study
Authors: Wang Yin , Cao Yaqi , Feng Guozhong , Li Xiaoyu , Zhu Lin , Liu Shuoran , Coulter Jeffrey A. , Gao Qiang
Published: July 2020

To increase crop productivity while reducing environmental costs, an integrated soil–crop system management (ISSM) strategy was developed and successfully adopted in China. However, little information is available on the long-term ISSM effects on maize agronomic and environmental performance. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of ISSM with combining inorganic and organic fertilizers on maize productivity, N use efficiency (NUE) and N balance and losses as compared with farmers’ practice (FP) and high-yielding practice (HY), based on an 11-year field experiment in Northeast China. Maize yield in ISSM (11.7–14.3 Mg ha−1) achieved 97.7% of that in HY and was increased by 27% relative to FP. The excellent yield performance in ISSM was mainly attributed to optimum plant population structure and yield components. Annual N surplus in ISSM was only 7 kg ha−1, which was considerably lower than that in FP (52 kg ha−1) and HY (109 kg ha−1). Consequently, ISSM obtained significantly lower N losses and greenhouse gases emissions and higher NUE. In contrast to FP, crop performance in ISSM showing better sustainability and inter-annual stability. In conclusion, ISSM is an effective strategy to achieve long-term sustainable high crop yields and NUE with less environmental costs in the intensive agricultural system.
Effect of Compound Biochar Substrate on the Root Growth of Cucumber Plug Seedlings
Authors: Ma Guoxin , Mao Hanping , Bu Quan , Han Luhua , Shabbir Abdul , Gao Feng
Published: July 2020

Since plug seedling plays a key role in automatic transplanting, this work aimed to explore the effect biochar has on the root growth of plug seedlings. The physicochemical properties tests showed that the addition of biochar in the peats could increase the porosity, pH, and EC values of the substrate, and the substrates treated with 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% biochar could meet the requirements of seedling raising. The water retention of the substrate was superior with the increase of biochar proportion, and the nitrogen release significantly decreased with the increase of the biochar proportion. Our results demonstrated that the substrate with 10% biochar-treated apparently promoted the growth of seedlings and root systems, even the length of the root-tip cells. However, the substrates with 40% and 50% biochar-treated obviously inhibited the growth of seedlings and root systems. It was noticed that the strength of substrate with appropriate biochar proportion was enhanced, as well. Under the interaction of strong root system and solid substrate, the compressive strength of the substrate with 20% and 10% biochar-treated was much better than others, especially that of 40% and 50% biochar-treated, which efficiently satisfied the requirements of automatic seedling picking. The biochar may have a good application prospect in seedling raising.
Effect of Wheat Cover Crop and Split Nitrogen Application on Corn Yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency
Authors: Adeyemi Oladapo , Keshavarz-Afshar Reza , Jahanzad Emad , Battaglia Martin Leonardo , Luo Yuan , Sadeghpour Amir
Published: July 2020

Corn (Zea mays L.) grain is a major commodity crop in Illinois and its production largely relies on timely application of nitrogen (N) fertilizers. Currently, growers in Illinois and other neighboring states in the U.S. Midwest use the maximum return to N (MRTN) decision support system to predict corn N requirements. However, the current tool does not factor in implications of integrating cover crops into the rotation, which has recently gained attention among growers due to several ecosystem services associated with cover cropping. A two-year field trail was conducted at the Agronomy Research Center in Carbondale, IL in 2018 and 2019 to evaluate whether split N application affects nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of corn with and without a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cover crop. A randomized complete block design with split plot arrangements and four replicates was used. Main plots were cover crop treatments (no cover crop (control) compared to a wheat cover crop) and subplots were N timing applications to the corn: (1) 168 kg N ha−1 at planting; (2) 56 kg N ha−1 at planting + 112 kg N ha−1 at sidedress; (3) 112 kg N ha−1 at planting + 56 kg N ha−1 at sidedress; and (4) 168 kg N ha−1 at sidedress along with a zero-N control as check plot. Corn yield was higher in 2018 than 2019 reflecting more timely precipitation in that year. In 2018, grain yield declined by 12.6% following the wheat cover crop compared to no cover crop control, indicating a yield penalty when corn was preceded with a wheat cover crop. In 2018, a year with timely and sufficient rainfall, there were no yield differences among N treatments and N balances were near zero. In 2019, delaying the N application improved NUE and corn grain yield due to excessive rainfall early in the season reflecting on N losses which was confirmed by lower N balances in sidedressed treatments. Overall, our findings suggest including N credit for cereals in MRTN prediction model could help with improved N management in the Midwestern United States.
Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis of the Pituitary Gland between Cattle Breeds Differing in Growth: Yunling Cattle and Leiqiong Cattle
Authors: Lu Xubin , Arbab Abdelaziz Adam Idriss , Zhang Zhipeng , Fan Yongliang , Han Ziyin , Gao Qisong , Sun Yujia , Yang Zhangping
Published: July 2020

The hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid (HPT) axis hormones regulate the growth and development of ruminants, and the pituitary gland plays a decisive role in this process. In order to identify pivotal genes in the pituitary gland that could affect the growth of cattle by regulating the secretion of hormones, we detected the content of six HPT hormones related to growth in the plasma of two cattle breeds (Yunling and Leiqiong cattle, both also known as the zebu cattle) with great differences in growth and compared the transcriptome data of their pituitary glands. Our study found that the contents of GH, IGF, TSH, thyroxine, triiodothyronine, and insulin were significantly different between the two breeds, which was the main cause of the difference in growth; 175 genes were identified as differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Functional association analyses revealed that DEGs were mainly involved in the process of transcription and signal transduction. Combining the enrichment analysis and protein interaction analysis, eight DEGs were predicted to control the growth of cattle by affecting the expression of growth-related hormones in the pituitary gland. In summary, our results suggested that SLC38A1, SLC38A3, DGKH, GNB4, GNAQ, ESR1, NPY, and GAL are candidates in the pituitary gland for regulating the growth of Yunling and Leiqiong cattle by regulating the secretion of growth-related hormones. This study may help researchers further understand the growth mechanisms and improve the artificial selection of zebu cattle.
Long-Term Effects Following Fresh/Vitrified Embryo Transfer Are Transmitted by Paternal Germline in a Large Size Rabbit Cohort
Authors: Garcia-Dominguez Ximo , Vicente José Salvador , Viudes-de-Castro María P. , Marco-Jiménez Francisco
Published: July 2020

The concept of developmental programming suggests that the early life environment influences offspring phenotype in later life, whose effects may also be manifested in further generations. Valuable pieces of evidence come from the fields applying assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs), which deprive embryos of their optimal maternal environment and were thus associated with subsequent developmental deviations. Recently, we demonstrated that the in vitro manipulations during a vitrified embryo transfer procedure incurs a cumulative and transgenerational decline in the growth performance of the resulting offspring. Here, we provide a longitudinal study to investigate whether previous developmental deviations could be indistinctly paternally or maternally transmitted using crossbred mattings. Our findings revealed that early embryo manipulations through fresh and vitrified embryo transfer incurred paternally transmissible effects over the growth pattern and adult body weight, which seemed not inheritable via the female germline. Similar inheritable effects were observed after fresh and vitrified embryo transfer, suggesting that disturbing optimal embryo development through in vitro manipulations was the principal trigger of transmissible effects, rather than embryo cryopreservation per se.
Application of Edible Alginate Films with Pineapple Peel Active Compounds on Beef Meat Preservation
Authors: Lourenço Sofia C. , Fraqueza Maria João , Fernandes Maria Helena , Moldão-Martins Margarida , Alves Vítor D.
Published: July 2020

Alginate-based edible films containing natural antioxidants from pineapple peel were applied in the microbial spoilage control, color preservation, and barrier to lipid oxidation of beef steaks under storage at 4 °C for five days. Different stabilization methods of pineapple peel compounds were used before incorporation into alginate films, including extracted compounds with an hydroalcoholic solvent encapsulated in microparticles, microparticles produced by spray-drying pineapple peel juice, and particles obtained by milling freeze dried pineapple peel. Bioactive films exhibited higher antioxidant activity (between 0.15 µmol to 0.35 µmol FeSO4.7H2O/g dried film) than the alginate film without these compounds (0.02 µmol FeSO4.7H2O/g dried film). Results showed that control films without active compounds had no significant effect on decreasing the microbial load of aerobic mesophilic and Pseudomonas spp., while the films containing encapsulated hydroalcoholic extract showed a significant inhibitory effect on microbial growth of meat at two days of storage. Alginate films containing peel encapsulated extract were effective for maintaining the color hue and intensity of red beef meat samples. Pineapple peel antioxidants have the potential to retard lipid oxidation in meat samples, and the possibility of incorporation of a higher amount of pineapple peel bioactive compounds in the films should be investigated.
Interaction of Polyphenols as Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Compounds in Brain–Liver–Gut Axis
Authors: Singh Amritpal , Yau Yu Fung , Leung Kin Sum , El-Nezami Hani , Lee Jetty Chung-Yung
Published: July 2020

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the onset as well as the progression of inflammation. Without proper intervention, acute inflammation could progress to chronic inflammation, resulting in the development of inflammatory diseases. Antioxidants, such as polyphenols, have been known to possess anti-oxidative properties which promote redox homeostasis. This has encouraged research on polyphenols as potential therapeutics for inflammation through anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory pathways. In this review, the ability of polyphenols to modulate the activation of major pathways of inflammation and oxidative stress, and their potential to regulate the activity of immune cells are examined. In addition, in this review, special emphasis has been placed on the effects of polyphenols on inflammation in the brain–liver–gut axis. The data derived from in vitro cell studies, animal models and human intervention studies are discussed.
An Enhanced Genetic Algorithm for Parameter Estimation of Sinusoidal Signals
Authors: Jiang Chao , Serrao Pruthvi , Liu Mingjie , Cho Chongdu
Published: July 2020

Estimating the parameters of sinusoidal signals is a fundamental problem in signal processing and in time-series analysis. Although various genetic algorithms and their hybrids have been introduced to the field, the problems pertaining to complex implementation, premature convergence, and accuracy are still unsolved. To overcome these drawbacks, an enhanced genetic algorithm (EGA) based on biological evolutionary and mathematical ecological theory is originally proposed in this study; wherein a prejudice-free selection mechanism, a two-step crossover (TSC), and an adaptive mutation strategy are designed to preserve population diversity and to maintain a synergy between convergence and search ability. In order to validate the performance, benchmark function-based studies are conducted, and the results are compared with that of the standard genetic algorithm (SGA), the particle swarm optimization (PSO), the cuckoo search (CS), and the cloud model-based genetic algorithm (CMGA). The results reveal that the proposed method outperforms the others in terms of accuracy, convergence speed, and robustness against noise. Finally, parameter estimations of real-life sinusoidal signals are performed, validating the superiority and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Amaranth Meal and Environmental Carnobacterium maltaromaticum Probiotic Bacteria as Novel Stabilizers of the Microbiological Quality of Compound Fish Feeds for Aquaculture
Authors: Gołaś Iwona , Potorski Jacek , Woźniak Małgorzata , Niewiadomski Piotr , Aguilera-Arreola Ma Guadelupe , Contreras-Rodríguez Araceli , Gotkowska-Płachta Anna
Published: July 2020

Fish feed should be characterized by microbiological stability to guarantee the optimal health of farmed fish. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of amaranth meal (Amaranthus cruentus) and a highly active environmental strain of probiotic bacteria, Carnobacterium maltaromaticum, as novel supplements that stabilize the quantitative and qualitative composition of microbiota in compound fish feeds for aquaculture, regardless of storage temperature. The total viable counts of mesophilic bacteria at 28 °C (TVC 28 °C), hemolytic mesophilic bacteria (Hem 37 °C), Staphylococcus sp. bacteria, aerobic spore-forming bacteria (ASFB), sulfite-reducing anaerobic spore-forming Clostridium sp. bacteria, yeasts, and molds were analyzed in control feed (CF), in feed supplemented with amaranth meal (AF), and in feed supplemented with amaranth meal and C. maltaromaticum (ACF), stored at a temperature of 4 °C and 20 °C for 98 days. Amaranthus cruentus and C. maltaromaticum significantly reduced bacterial counts in fish feeds, regardless of the temperature and duration of storage. The antibacterial and antifungal effects of the tested additives were statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05). The studied novel supplements contribute to the microbiological safety of compound fish feeds. The tested additives could be recognized as the key ingredients of organic, environmentally friendly fish feeds, which guarantee the high quality of fish intended for human consumption.
Reducing LUT Count for FPGA-Based Mealy FSMs
Authors: Barkalov Alexander , Titarenko Larysa , Krzywicki Kazimierz
Published: July 2020

Very often, digital systems include sequential blocks which can be represented using a model of Mealy finite state machine (FSM). It is very important to improve such FSM characteristics as the number of used logic elements, operating frequency and power consumption. The paper proposes a novel design method optimizing LUT counts of LUT-based Mealy FSMs. The method is based on simultaneous use of such methods of structural decomposition as the replacement of FSM inputs and encoding of the collections of outputs. The proposed method results in three-level logic circuits of Mealy FSMs. These circuits have regular systems of interconnections. An example of FSM synthesis with the proposed method is given. The experiments with standard benchmarks were conducted. The results of experiments show that the proposed approach leads to reducing the LUT counts from 12% to 59% in average compared with known methods of synthesis of single-level FSMs. Furthermore, our approach provides better LUT counts as compared to methods of synthesis of two-level FSMs (from 9% to 20%). This gain is accompanied by a small loss of FSM performance.
Carbon Nanoparticle-Based Electro-Thermal Building Block
Authors: Ahmadi Mohammad Taghi , Mousavi Neda , Nguyen Truong Khang , Rahimian Koloor Seyed Saeid , Petrů Michal
Published: July 2020

All around the world, researchers have raised concerns about the superlative geometrical, electronic, thermal, chemical and mechanical properties of carbon nanoparticles (CNPs). CNPs with low cost, high performance and prominent intrinsic properties have attracted extensive interest for numerous applications in various fields. Although CNPs have been studied mainly as transistors and sensors, they could also be considered as heat producers. However, this option has scarcely been studied. In this research, a CNP-based electro-thermal building block is synthesized by the arc discharge method in a carbonic medium (high-density polyethylene), and its behavior is investigated. It is shaped in the form of a metal–semiconductor–metal structure (MSM) between metallic electrodes, and in addition, the formation of two back-to-back Schottky diodes is analyzed and their use as CNP-based electro-thermal building blocks are reported.
A Tiny Haptic Knob Based on Magnetorheological Fluids
Authors: Heo Yong Hae , Choi Dong-Soo , Yun In-Ho , Kim Sang-Youn
Published: July 2020

In this paper, we propose a tiny haptic knob that creates torque feedback in consumer electronic devices. To develop the proposed haptic knob, we use a magnetorheological (MR) fluid. When an input current is applied to a solenoid coil, a magnetic field causes a change in the MR fluid’s viscosity. This change allows the proposed haptic knob to generate a resistive torque. We optimize the structure of the haptic knob, in which two operating modes of MR fluids contribute to the actuation simultaneously. We conduct magnetic path simulation and resistive torque simulation using the finite element method and perform experiments to measure the resistive torque and its torque rate according to the rotational speed and applied current. The results show that the proposed haptic knob generates sufficient torque feedback to stimulate users and creates a variety of haptic sensations.
Special Issue on Materials Development by Additive Manufacturing Techniques
Authors: Aversa Alberta , Fino Paolo
Published: July 2020

Additive manufacturing (AM) processes are steadily gaining attention from many industrial fields, as they are revolutionizing components’ designs and production lines. However, the full application of these technologies to industrial manufacturing has to be supported by the study of the AM materials’ properties and their correlations with the feedstock and the building conditions. Furthermore, nowadays, only a limited number of materials processable by AM are available on the market. It is, therefore, fundamental to widen the materials’ portfolio and to study and develop new materials that can take advantage of these unique building processes. The present special issue collects recent research activities on these topics.
Characteristics of Deep Groundwater Flow and Temperature in the Tertiary Pohang Area, South Korea
Authors: Lim Woo-Ri , Hamm Se-Yeong , Lee Cholwoo , Hwang Seho , Park In-Hwa , Kim Hyoung-Chan
Published: July 2020

The geothermal characteristics of specific areas on Earth can be identified using geophysical and lithological logs based on deep boreholes, such as those more than 1000 m in depth. Based on the combined analyses of geophysical logs (temperature, caliper, electrical conductivity (EC), and natural gamma-ray logs) and lithological logs, as well as 1D steady-state heat transfer model, the deep groundwater flow and temperature were characterized in four deep boreholes (BH-1–BH-4) roughly 2000 m deep in the area of Heunghae-eup, Pohang, South Korea. The estimated thermal gradients from the temperature profiles are as follows: 22.37–30.77 °C/km for BH-1, 35.67–64.52 °C/km for BH-2, 40.85–46.44 °C/km for BH-3, and 33.33–35.71 °C/km for BH-4. According to the geophysical logs and lithology profiles, the groundwater mainly flows into and out of the boreholes through the basic dyke, rhyolite, and sandstone/mudstone. Evidently, the groundwater flows moving through the fractures and faults induce nonlinear temperature changes. The upward and downward groundwater flows passing through fractures and faults can be estimated using a 1D steady-state heat-transfer equation, by considering a fracture angle based on the lithological and geophysical profiles. To determine the direction (up/down) and rate of groundwater flow, the values for the parameter β were estimated as follows: −1.95 to 5.40 for BH-1, −13.48 to 4.87 for BH-2, −1.76 for BH-3, and −3.39 to 14.15 for BH-4.
Power Flow Calculation Methods for Power Systems with Novel Structure UPFC
Authors: Yang Jian , Xu Zheng
Published: July 2020

Latest unified power flow controller (UPFC) projects adopt novel device structures to meet the requirements of practical applications. Developing power flow calculation methods for these new UPFC structures is of great significance for the design and operation of related projects. To address this issue, this paper deduces an equivalent model of the general structure UPFC, and presents the modified power mismatch equations and Jacobian matrix of the system. Then, three power flow calculation methods suitable for the novel structure UPFC are proposed based on the Newton–Raphson algorithm. The main difference between the three methods is the processing method of UPFC equivalent power injections and the Jacobian matrix. The characteristics of these methods are compared by case studies. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of the three methods for different UPFC structures, and it is found that the improved method, which considers the impact of the Jacobian matrix modifications in UPFC equivalent power injections, can realize power flow calculation in existing calculation programs, and improve the convergence characteristics.
Nondestructive Testing in Composite Materials
Authors: Meola Carosena
Published: July 2020

A composite material is made of two or more constituents of different characteristics with the intent to complete the shortcomings of the individual components and to get a final product of specific characteristics and shape [...]
Assessment of the Impact of Electric Vehicles on the Design and Effectiveness of Electric Distribution Grid with Distributed Generation
Authors: Mancini Enrico , Longo Michela , Yaici Wahiba , Zaninelli Dario
Published: July 2020

The objective of this paper is to assess the probable effect that electric vehicles (EVs), already in wide circulation and likely to increase exponentially in the near future, will have on distribution networks. Analyses are conducted on the necessary interventions and evolutions that the distribution grid will have to undergo in order to manage this new and progressively increasing heavy load of energy. Thus, in order to understand the technical limitations of the current infrastructure and how transformers and lines will be able to withstand the increasing penetration of EVs, urban and rural grid models have been studied, to highlight the differences between the impacts on high- and low-density networks. In addition, an analysis of fast charging station impact has been carried out. MATLAB software was used to perform the simulations for the creation of scripts, which were then exploited within the DIgSILENT PowerFactory software. This allowed evaluation of the networks under examination and verification of the effectiveness of the proposed solutions. In concluding based on findings, some methods of managing the distribution network to optimise the network parameters analysed in the study and a solution involving electric vehicles are recommended.
Insights into Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Lignocellulosic Biomass (Sugar Beet By-Products) and Animal Manure in Long-Term Semi-Continuous Assays
Authors: Aboudi Kaoutar , Gómez-Quiroga Xiomara , Álvarez-Gallego Carlos José , Romero-García Luis Isidoro
Published: July 2020

Biogas production through anaerobic digestion has proven to be one of the most important pillars of the transition into the circular economy concept, a sustainable approach for biorefinery. This work aims to extend and improve knowledge in the anaerobic co-digestion of complementary substrates, given insights into wastes biodegradability and the influence of manure composition on the anaerobic process stability. Anaerobic co-digestion of sugar beet by-products with two kinds of animal manure (pig and cow) was investigated in semi-continuous assays, analyzing both common and non-classical parameters. Co-digestion with manure clearly mitigated the inhibitory effect of volatile fatty acids at high organic loading rates, leading to increases in methane production by 70% and 31% in comparison with individual digestion of sugar beet by-products, for co-digestion with pig and cow manure, respectively. Non-classical parameters could give more insight into the coupling/uncoupling of the anaerobic digestion phases and the involved microorganisms. Indirect parameters indicated that the process failure at the critical organic loading rates was mainly due to methanogenesis inhibition in the co-digestion with pig manure, while in co-digestion with cow manure or in individual digestion of sugar beet by-products, both hydrolysis–acidogenesis and methanogenesis phases were affected. Biomethanation degree refers to the maximum methane potential of organic wastes. Sugar beet by-products required a long digestion-time to reach high biodegradability. However, short digestion-times for co-digestion assays led to a high biomethanation degree.
Tunable Axicons Generated by Spatial Light Modulator with High-Level Phase Computer-Generated Holograms
Authors: Zhai Zhongsheng , Cheng Zhuang , Lv Qinghua , Wang Xuanze
Published: July 2020

Axicon is an interesting optical element for its optical properties. This paper presents an approach to dynamically generated tunable axicons with a spatial light modulator (SLM). 256-level phase computer-generated holograms (CGHs) were loaded into the SLM to simulate the positive and negative axicons. The intensity distributions of beams passing through these axicons were analyzed with the principle of blazed grating and Fresnel diffraction; and the diffraction patterns were obtained theoretically in terms of zero-order Bessel beams and annular hollow beams, corresponding to the positive and negative axicons, respectively. Experimental results verified that the diffraction patterns have the same distribution as the real axicon. The types of the axicon and the axicon’s parameters can be easily altered through changing the CGHs.
A Vision-Based Approach for Ensuring Proper Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
Authors: Chen Shi , Demachi Kazuyuki
Published: July 2020

Decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station (NPS) is challenging due to industrial and chemical hazards as well as radiological ones. The decommissioning workers in these sites are instructed to wear proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for radiation protection. However, workers may not be able to accurately comply with safety regulations at decommissioning sites, even with prior education and training. In response to the difficulties of on-site PPE management, this paper presents a vision-based automated monitoring approach to help to facilitate the occupational safety monitoring task of decommissioning workers to ensure proper use of PPE by the combination of deep learning-based individual detection and object detection using geometric relationships analysis. The performance of the proposed approach was experimentally evaluated, and the experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach is capable of identifying decommissioning workers’ improper use of PPE with high precision and recall rate while ensuring real-time performance to meet the industrial requirements.
Zeolite-Supported Ni Catalysts for CO2 Methanation: Effect of Zeolite Structure and Si/Al Ratio
Authors: da Costa-Serra Javier Francisco , Cerdá-Moreno Cristina , Chica Antonio
Published: July 2020

The urgent need to reduce CO2 emissions requires the development of efficient catalysts for the conversion of CO2 into chemicals and fuels. In this study, a series of nickel catalysts supported on ITQ-2 and ZSM-5 zeolites have been prepared, characterized and tested in the hydrogenation reaction of CO2 towards methane. Specifically, two ITQ-2 and two ZSM 5 zeolites with different aluminum content have been studied. For both types, the higher Si/Al ratio of the material, the more active the catalyst due probably to its higher hydrophobicity. The largest difference was found for the ITQ-2 samples, being the CO2 conversion for the sample with a greater Si/Al ratio 50 points higher at 350 °C. Comparing both zeolite structures, while similar catalytic results were obtained with the samples with lower Si/Al ratio, a distinctly higher activity was found for the ITQ-2 zeolite without aluminum, pure silica. Therefore, this result suggests that the presence of aluminum is of particular relevance. Among the studied materials, the catalyst supported on the delaminated ITQ-2 zeolite without Al was the most active catalyst. Its higher activity was mainly attributed to the smaller crystallite size of nickel supported on the large external surface area presented by this zeolite.
The Effect of a 7-Week Training Period on Changes in Skin NADH Fluorescence in Highly Trained Athletes
Authors: Bugaj Olga , Kusy Krzysztof , Kantanista Adam , Korman Paweł , Wieliński Dariusz , Zieliński Jacek
Published: July 2020

The study aimed to evaluate the changes of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) fluorescence in the reduced form in the superficial skin layer, resulting from a 7-week training period in highly trained competitive athletes (n = 41). The newly, non-invasive flow mediated skin fluorescence (FMSF) method was implemented to indirectly evaluate the mitochondrial activity by NADH fluorescence. The FMSF measurements were taken before and after an exercise treadmill test until exhaustion. We found that athletes showed higher post-training values in basal NADH fluorescence (pre-exercise: 41% increase; post-exercise: 49% increase). Maximum NADH fluorescence was also higher after training both pre- (42% increase) and post-exercise (47% increase). Similar changes have been revealed before and after exercise for minimal NADH fluorescence (before exercise: 39% increase; after exercise: 47% increase). In conclusion, physical training results in an increase in the skin NADH fluorescence levels at rest and after exercise in athletes.
Dynamic Round Robin CPU Scheduling Algorithm Based on K-Means Clustering Technique
Authors: Mostafa Samih M. , Amano Hirofumi
Published: July 2020

Minimizing time cost in time-shared operating system is the main aim of the researchers interested in CPU scheduling. CPU scheduling is the basic job within any operating system. Scheduling criteria (e.g., waiting time, turnaround time and number of context switches (NCS)) are used to compare CPU scheduling algorithms. Round robin (RR) is the most common preemptive scheduling policy used in time-shared operating systems. In this paper, a modified version of the RR algorithm is introduced to combine the advantageous of favor short process and low scheduling overhead of RR for the sake of minimizing average waiting time, turnaround time and NCS. The proposed work starts by clustering the processes into clusters where each cluster contains processes that are similar in attributes (e.g., CPU service period, weights and number of allocations to CPU). Every process in a cluster is assigned the same time slice depending on the weight of its cluster and its CPU service period. The authors performed comparative study of the proposed approach and popular scheduling algorithms on nine groups of processes vary in their attributes. The evaluation was measured in terms of waiting time, turnaround time, and NCS. The experiments showed that the proposed approach gives better results.
Recent Advances in Saliency Estimation for Omnidirectional Images, Image Groups, and Video Sequences
Authors: Buzzelli Marco
Published: July 2020

We present a review of methods for automatic estimation of visual saliency: the perceptual property that makes specific elements in a scene stand out and grab the attention of the viewer. We focus on domains that are especially recent and relevant, as they make saliency estimation particularly useful and/or effective: omnidirectional images, image groups for co-saliency, and video sequences. For each domain, we perform a selection of recent methods, we highlight their commonalities and differences, and describe their unique approaches. We also report and analyze the datasets involved in the development of such methods, in order to reveal additional peculiarities of each domain, such as the representation used for the ground truth saliency information (scanpaths, saliency maps, or salient object regions). We define domain-specific evaluation measures, and provide quantitative comparisons on the basis of common datasets and evaluation criteria, highlighting the different impact of existing approaches on each domain. We conclude by synthesizing the emerging directions for research in the specialized literature, which include novel representations for omnidirectional images, inter- and intra- image saliency decomposition for co-saliency, and saliency shift for video saliency estimation.
Medical Health Benefit Management System for Real-Time Notification of Fraud Using Historical Medical Records
Authors: Matloob Irum , Khan Shoab , ur Rahman Habib , Hussain Farhan
Published: July 2020

This paper presents a novel framework for fraud detection in healthcare systems which self-learns from the historical medical data. Historical medical records are required for training and testing of machine learning models. The main problem being faced by both private and government health supported schemes is a rapid rise in the amount of claims by beneficiaries mostly based on fraudulent billing. Detection of fraudulent transactions in healthcare systems is a strenuous task due to intricate relationships among dynamic elements including doctors, patients, service. In light of aforementioned challenges in health support programs, there is a need to develop intelligent fraud detection models for tracing the loopholes in procedures which may lead to successful reimbursement of fraudulent medical bills. In order to address the issue of fraud in healthcare programs our solution proposes a framework based on three entities (patient, doctor, service). Firstly, the framework computes association scores for three elements of the healthcare ecosystem namely patients, doctors or services. The framework filters out identified cases using association scores. The Confidence values, after G-means clustering of transactional data, are computed for each service in each specialty. Rules are generated based on the confidence values of services for each specialty. Then, an evaluation of identified cases is done using rule engine. The framework classifies cases into fraudulent activities based on the similarity bit’s value. The validation of framework is performed on local hospital employees transactional data which includes many reported cases of fraudulent activities in addition to some introduced anomalies.
Solutions to Increase PV Hosting Capacity and Provision of Services from Flexible Energy Resources
Authors: Laaksonen Hannu , Parthasarathy Chethan , Hafezi Hossein , Shafie-khah Miadreza , Khajeh Hosna , Hatziargyriou Nikos
Published: July 2020

Future smart grids will be more dynamic with many variabilities related to generation, inertia, and topology changes. Therefore, more flexibility in form of several active and reactive power related technical services from different distributed energy resources (DER) will be needed for local (distribution network) and whole system (transmission network) needs. However, traditional distribution network operation and control principles are limiting the Photovoltaic (PV) hosting capacity of LV networks and the DER capability to provide system-wide technical services in certain situations. New active and adaptive control principles are needed in order to overcome these limitations. This paper studies and proposes solutions for adaptive settings and management schemes to increase PV hosting capacity and improve provision of frequency support related services by flexible energy resources. The studies show that unwanted interactions between different DER units and their control functions can be avoided with the proposed adaptive control methods. Simultaneously, also better distribution network PV hosting capacity and flexibility services provision from DER units even during very low load situations can be achieved.
Electrospark Method in Galvanic Wastewater Treatment for Heavy Metal Removal
Authors: Petrov Oleksandr , Petrichenko Sergei , Yushchishina Anna , Mitryasova Olena , Pohrebennyk Volodymyr
Published: July 2020

The objective of this research is to improve water treatment use of the electric spark method. Studies on the treatment of multicomponent galvanic effluent by the electric spark method using metal loading (Fe, Al) and low-voltage (up to 1000 V) equipment have been carried out. The factors that have the largest influence on the degree of galvanic wastewaters purification are the conditions and parameters of the discharge pulse—an efficiency of approximately 0.8–0.85 has a specific energy, which at moderate concentrations of pollutants can be less than 65 kJ/dm3 (18 kWh/m3)—and the metal loading height. Other variable technological parameters can serve either as scaling tools or as methods for regulating the operation of electrical equipment. The research shows that the degree of purification depends on the specific energy and the height of the metal loading of the reactor, and it weakly depends on the pulse energy and the speed of its input. The concentrations of heavy metals (Zn2+, Cr6++Cr3+, Cu2+) in the treated water are significantly lower than their maximal permissible concentrations. The electric spark method allows us to achieve highly efficient results of wastewater treatment from heavy metals.
Contact Lenses as Drug Delivery System for Glaucoma: A Review
Authors: Peral Assumpta , Martinez-Aguila Alejandro , Pastrana Cristina , Huete-Toral Fernando , Carpena-Torres Carlos , Carracedo Gonzalo
Published: July 2020

Glaucoma is an optical neuropathy associated to a progressive degeneration of retinal ganglion cells with visual field loss and is the main cause of irreversible blindness in the world. The treatment has the aim to reduce intraocular pressure. The first therapy option is to instill drugs on the ocular surface. The main limitation of this is the reduced time of the drug staying on the cornea. This means that high doses are required to ensure its therapeutic effect. A drug-loaded contact lens can diffuse into the post lens tear film in a constant and prolonged flow, resulting in an increased retention of the drug on the surface of the cornea for up to 30 min and thus providing a higher drug bioavailability, increasing the therapeutic efficacy, reducing the amount of administered drug, and thereby provoking fewer adverse events. Several different systems of drug delivery have been studied in recent decades; ranging from more simple methods of impregnating the lenses, such as soaking, to more complex ones, such as molecular imprinting have been proposed. Moreover, different drugs, from those already commercially available to new substances such as melatonin have been studied to improve the glaucoma treatment efficacy. This review describes the role of contact lenses as an innovative drug delivery system to treat glaucoma.
Atomic Pt-Clusters Decoration Triggers a High-Rate Performance on Ni@Pd Bimetallic Nanocatalyst for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in Both Alkaline and Acidic Medium
Authors: Bhalothia Dinesh , Wang Sheng-Po , Lin Shuan , Yan Che , Wang Kuan-Wen , Chen Po-Chun
Published: July 2020

The development of inexpensive and highly robust nanocatalysts (NCs) to boost electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) strengthens the implementation of several emerging sustainable-energy technologies. Herein, we proposed a novel nano-architecture consisting of a hierarchical structured Ni@Pd nanocatalyst with Pt-clusters decoration on the surface (denoted by Ni@Pd-Pt) for HER application in acidic (0.5 M H2SO4) and alkaline (0.1 M KOH) mediums. The Ni@Pd-Pt NC is fabricated on a carbon black support via a “self-aligned” heterogeneous nucleation-crystal growth mechanism with 2 wt.% Pt-content. As-prepared Ni@Pd-Pt NC outperforms the standard Pt/C (30 wt.% Pt) catalyst in HER and delivers high-rate catalytic performance with an ultra-low overpotential (11.5 mV) at the cathodic current density of 10 mA∙cm−2 in alkaline medium, which is 161.5 mV and 14.5 mV less compared to Ni@Pd (173 mV) and standard Pt/C (26 mV) catalysts, respectively. Moreover, Ni@Pd-Pt NC achieves an exactly similar Tafel slope (42 mV∙dec−1) to standard Pt/C, which is 114 mV∙dec−1 lesser when compared to Ni@Pd NC. Besides, Ni@Pd-Pt NC exhibits an overpotential value of 37 mV at the current density of 10 mA cm−2 in acidic medium, which is competitive to standard Pt/C catalyst. By utilizing physical characterizations and electrochemical analysis, we demonstrated that such an aggressive HER activity is dominated by the increased selectivity during HER due to the reduced competition between intermediate products on the non-homogeneous NC surface. This phenomenon can be rationalized by electron localization owing to the electronegative difference (χPt > χPd > χNi) and strong lattice mismatch at the Ni@Pd heterogeneous binary interfaces. We believe that the obtained results will significantly provide a facile design strategy to develop next-generation heterogenous NCs for HER and related green-energy applications
Configurational Effects on Strain and Doping at Graphene-Silver Nanowire Interfaces
Authors: Lee Frank , Tripathi Manoj , Lynch Peter , Dalton Alan B.
Published: July 2020

Graphene shows substrate-dependent physical and electronic properties. Here, we presented the interaction between single-layer graphene and silver nanowire (AgNW) in terms of physical straining and doping. We observed a snap-through event for single-layer graphene/AgNW at a separation of AgNWs of 55 nm, beyond the graphene suspended over the nanowires. The adhesion force between the Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) tip apex and the suspended graphene was measured as higher than the conformed one by 1.8 nN. The presence of AgNW modulates the Fermi energy level of graphene and reduces the work function by 0.25 eV, which results in n-type doping. Consequently, a lateral p-n-p junction is formed with single AgNW. The correlation Raman plot between G-2D modes reveals the increment of strain in graphene of 0.05% due to the curvature around AgNW, and 0.01% when AgNW lies on the top of graphene. These results provide essential information in inspecting the physical and electronic influences from AgNW.
A Decision-Support Model for Additive Manufacturing Scheduling Using an Integrative Analytic Hierarchy Process and Multi-Objective Optimization
Authors: Ransikarbum Kasin , Pitakaso Rapeepan , Kim Namhun
Published: July 2020

Additive manufacturing (AM) became widespread through several organizations due to its benefits in providing design freedom, inventory improvement, cost reduction, and supply chain design. Process planning in AM involving various AM technologies is also complicated and scarce. Thus, this study proposed a decision-support tool that integrates production and distribution planning in AM involving material extrusion (ME), stereolithography (SLA), and selective laser sintering (SLS). A multi-objective optimization approach was used to schedule component batches to a network of AM printers. Next, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) technique was used to analyze trade-offs among conflicting criteria. The developed model was then demonstrated in a decision-support system environment to enhance practitioners’ applications. Then, the developed model was verified through a case study using automotive and healthcare parts. Finally, an experimental design was conducted to evaluate the complexity of the model and computation time by varying the number of parts, printer types, and distribution locations.