bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Marine Plastics from Norwegian West Coast Carry Potentially Virulent Fish Pathogens and Opportunistic Human Pathogens Harboring New Variants of Antibiotic Resistance Genes
Authors: Radisic Vera , Nimje Priyank S. , Bienfait André Marcel , Marathe Nachiket P.
Published: August 2020

To our best knowledge this is the first study characterizing fish pathogens isolated from marine plastics from the West coast of Norway for their potential for pathogenicity using whole genome sequencing. Marine plastic polymers identified as polyethylene, polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer and polypropylene, yielded a total of 37 bacterial isolates dominated by Pseudomonas spp. (70%). Six isolates representing either fish pathogens or opportunistic human pathogens were selected for whole genome sequencing (WGS). These included four isolates belonging to Aeromonas spp., one Acinetobacter beijerinckii isolate and one Morganella morganii isolate. Three Aeromonas salmonicida isolates were potentially virulent and carried virulence factors involved in attachment, type II and type VI secretion systems as well as toxins such as aerA/act, ahh1, ast, hlyA, rtxA and toxA. A. salmonicida and Acinetobacter beijerinckii carried new variants of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) such as β-lactamases and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (catB), whereas Morganella morganii carried several clinically relevant ARGs. Our study shows that marine plastics carry not only potentially virulent fish pathogens but also multidrug resistant opportunistic human pathogens like M. morganii and may serve as vectors for transport of these pathogens in the marine environment.
The Effect of Alkali Roasting Pretreatment on Nickel Extraction from Limonite Ore by Using Dissolved SO2-Air
Authors: Wulandari Winny , Kinda Meiyer Marthen , Murida Rahmaditha , Samadhi Tjokorde Walmiki
Published: August 2020

Extraction of limonite ore using dissolved SO2–air is an alternative hydrometallurgical method for nickel recovery. This process is carried out at atmospheric pressure and is shown to have good selectivity of nickel over iron, but with a low recovery yield. The literature refers to the application of alkali roasting as pretreatment in laterite ore leaching to increase nickel recovery. Thus, this study aims to apply the combination method of alkali roasting and leaching to extract nickel from limonite ore (1.33% Ni, 46.61% Fe) from the Southeast Sulawesi region. Three alkali compounds were included in the study (NaOH, Na2CO3 and Na2SO4). The batch-leaching process was carried out at pH 1 and 3 and temperatures of 55 and 80 °C for 180 min. The leach liquors were sampled at 15, 60, 90 and 120 min, and concentrations of the extracted metals were measured by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). A mineralogy characterization of the raw ore and its residue after leaching was undertaken by using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), while the thermal decomposition behavior of the ore was characterized by Thermogravimetry Analyzer (TGA)/Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The addition of Na2CO3, Na2SO4 and NaOH in the ore pretreatment increases nickel recovery from 14.80% without alkali roasting to 23.99%, 28.15% and 39.22%, respectively. The optimum extraction condition for nickel recovery is at pH 1 and a temperature of 80 °C. However, the highest Ni/Fe selectivity of 24,947 is obtained at pH 3 and a temperature of 80 °C, preceded by roasting in the absence of alkali. Compared to other hydrometallurgical processes, the process studied in this work exhibits lower recovery, but provides an alternative to extract nickel from low-grade limonite ore.
Switching Quantum Interference in Phenoxyquinone Single Molecule Junction with Light
Authors: Daaoub Abdalghani , Sangtarash Sara , Sadeghi Hatef
Published: August 2020

Quantum interference (QI) can lead to large variations in single molecule conductance. However, controlling QI using external stimuli is challenging. The molecular structure of phenoxyquinone can be tuned reversibly using light stimulus. In this paper, we show that this can be utilized to control QI in phenoxyquinone derivatives. Our calculations indicate that, as a result of such variation in molecular structure of phenoxyquinone, a crossover from destructive to constructive QI is induced. This leads to a significant variation in the single molecule conductance by a couple of orders of magnitude. This control of QI using light is a new paradigm in photosensitive single molecule switches and opens new avenues for future QI-based photoswitches.
Green Synthesis of Free Standing Cellulose/Graphene Oxide/Polyaniline Aerogel Electrode for High-Performance Flexible All-Solid-State Supercapacitors
Authors: Li Yueqin , Xia Zongbiao , Gong Qiang , Liu Xiaohui , Yang Yong , Chen Chen , Qian Changhao
Published: August 2020

The cellulose/graphene oxide (GO) networks as the scaffold of free-standing aerogel electrodes are developed by using lithium bromide aqueous solution, as the solvent, to ensure the complete dissolution of cotton linter pulp and well dispersion/reduction of GO nanosheets. Polyaniline (PANI) nanoclusters are then coated onto cellulose/GO networks via in-situ polymerization of aniline monomers. By optimized weight ratio of GO and PANI, the ternary cellulose/GO3.5/PANI aerogel film exhibits well-defined three-dimensional porous structures and high conductivity of 1.15 S/cm, which contributes to its high areal specific capacitance of 1218 mF/cm2 at the current density of 1.0 mA/cm2. Utilizing this cellulose/GO3.5/PANI aerogel film as electrodes in a symmetric configuration supercapacitor can result in an outstanding energy density as high as 258.2 µWh/cm2 at a power density of 1201.4 µW/cm2. Moreover, the device can maintain nearly constant capacitance under different bending deformations, suggesting its promising applications in flexible electronics.
Targeted Assembly of Ultrathin NiO/MoS2 Electrodes for Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution in Alkaline Electrolyte
Authors: Xia Kai , Cong Meiyu , Xu Fanfan , Ding Xin , Zhang Xiaodong
Published: August 2020

The development of non-noble metal catalysts for hydrogen revolution in alkaline media is highly desirable, but remains a great challenge. Herein, synergetic ultrathin NiO/MoS2 catalysts were prepared to improve the sluggish water dissociation step for HER in alkaline conditions. With traditional electrode assembly methods, MoS2:NiO-3:1 exhibited the best catalytic performance; an overpotential of 158 mV was required to achieve a current density of 10 mA/cm2. Further, a synergetic ultrathin NiO/MoS2/nickel foam (NF) electrode was assembled by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) and post-processing reactions. The electrode displayed higher electrocatalytic ability and stability, and an overpotential of only 121 mV was needed to achieve a current density of 10 mA/cm2. The improvement was ascribed to the better catalytic environment, rather than a larger active surface area, a higher density of exposed active sites or other factors. DFT calculations indicated that the hybrid NiO/MoS2 heterostuctured interface is advantageous for the enhanced water dissociation step and the corresponding lower kinetic energy barrier—from 1.53 to 0.81 eV.
Measurements of an Effective Longitudinal Coherence Length in Transmission Small Angle X-ray Scatterings
Authors: Liu Chun-Ting , He Bo-Ching , Chen Guo-Dung , Chang Alice Chinghsuan , Wu Wen-Li , Fu Wei-En
Published: August 2020

The notion of an effective longitudinal coherence length with its value much greater than λ2/(2Δλ) has been adopted in small-angle X-ray scattering communities for years, where λ and Δλ denote the incident wavelength and its spread, respectively. Often the implications of the effective longitudinal coherence length do not even enter considerations in the designing and data treatment of small-angle scattering experiments. In this work, conventional transmission small-angle X-ray scattering (tSAXS) was performed to reveal a clear angular dependence on effective longitudinal coherence length. The measured values of effective longitudinal coherence length can be as high as one millimeter, whereas the value of calculated λ2/(2Δλ) is in nanometers.
Pseudo-Interface Switching of a Two-Terminal TaOx/HfO2 Synaptic Device for Neuromorphic Applications
Authors: Ryu Hojeong , Kim Sungjun
Published: August 2020

Memristor-type synaptic devices that can effectively emulate synaptic plasticity open up new directions for neuromorphic hardware systems. Here, a double high-k oxide structured memristor device (TaOx/HfO2) was fabricated, and its synaptic applications were characterized. Device deposition was confirmed through TEM imaging and EDS analysis. During the forming and set processes, switching of the memristor device can be divided into three types by compliance current and cycling control. Filamentary switching has strengths in terms of endurance and retention, but conductance is low. On the other hand, for interface-type switching, conductance is increased, but at the cost of endurance and retention. In order to overcome this dilemma, we proposed pseudo interface-type switching, and obtained excellent retention, decent endurance, and a variety of conductance levels that can be modulated by pulse response. The recognition rate calculated by the neural network simulation using the Fashion Modified National Institute of Standards and Technology database (MNIST) dataset, and the measured conductance values show that pseudo interface-type switching produces results that are similar to those of an interface-type device.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Health Behavior, Stress, Financial and Food Security among Middle to High Income Canadian Families with Young Children
Authors: Carroll Nicholas , Sadowski Adam , Laila Amar , Hruska Valerie , Nixon Madeline , Ma David , Haines Jess ,   on behalf of the Guelph Family Health Study
Published: August 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many aspects of daily life. The purpose of this study was to identify how health behaviors, level of stress, financial and food security have been impacted by the pandemic among Canadian families with young children. Parents (mothers, n = 235 and fathers, n = 126) from 254 families participating in an ongoing study completed an online survey that included close and open-ended questions. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the quantitative data and qualitative responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. More than half of our sample reported that their eating and meal routines have changed since COVID-19; most commonly reported changes were eating more snack foods and spending more time cooking. Screen time increased among 74% of mothers, 61% of fathers, and 87% of children and physical activity decreased among 59% of mothers, 52% of fathers, and 52% of children. Key factors influencing family stress include balancing work with childcare/homeschooling and financial instability. While some unhealthful behaviors appeared to have been exacerbated, other more healthful behaviors also emerged since COVID-19. Research is needed to determine the longer-term impact of the pandemic on behaviors and to identify effective strategies to support families in the post-COVID-19 context.
Dietary Supplementation of Foxtail Millet Ameliorates Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer in Mice via Activation of Gut Receptors and Suppression of the STAT3 Pathway
Authors: Zhang Bowei , Xu Yingchuan , Liu Shuang , Lv Huan , Hu Yaozhong , Wang Yaya , Li Zhi , Wang Jin , Ji Xuemeng , Ma Hui , Wang Xiaowen , Wang Shuo
Published: August 2020

Coarse cereal intake has been reported to be associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer. However, evidence from intervention studies is absent and the molecular basis of this phenomenon remains largely unexplored. This study sought to investigate the effects of foxtail millet and rice, two common staple grains in Asia, on the progression of colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) and define the mechanism involved. In total, 40 BALB/c mice were randomized into four groups. The Normal and azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS) groups were supplied with an AIN-93G diet, while the millet- and rice-treated groups were supplied with a modified AIN-93G diet. Compared to the AOM/DSS-induced CAC mice supplemented with rice, an increased survival rate, suppressed tumor burden, and reduced disease activity index were observed in the millet-treated group. The levels of IL-6 and IL-17 were decreased in the millet-treated group compared to both the AOM/DSS and AOM/DSS + rice groups. Millet treatment inhibited the phosphorylation of STAT3 and the related signaling proteins involved in cell proliferation, survival and angiogenesis. These beneficial effects were mediated by the activation of gut receptors AHR and GPCRs via the microbial metabolites (indole derivates and short-chain fatty acids) of foxtail millet. Moreover, millet-treatment increased the abundance of Bifidobacterium and Bacteroidales_S24-7 compared to the rice-treated mice. This study could help researchers to develop better dietary patterns that work against inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and for CAC patients.
Updated Food Composition Database for Cereal-Based Gluten Free Products in Spain: Is Reformulation Moving on?
Authors: Fajardo Violeta , González María Purificación , Martínez María , Samaniego-Vaesken María de Lourdes , Achón María , Úbeda Natalia , Alonso-Aperte Elena
Published: August 2020

We developed a comprehensive composition database of 629 cereal-based gluten free (GF) products available in Spain. Information on ingredients and nutritional composition was retrieved from food package labels. GF products were primarily composed of rice and/or corn flour, and 90% of them included added rice starch. The most common added fat was sunflower oil (present in one third of the products), followed by palm fat, olive oil, and cocoa. Only 24.5% of the products had the nutrition claim “no added sugar”. Fifty-six percent of the GF products had sucrose in their formulation. Xanthan gum was the most frequently employed fiber, appearing in 34.2% of the GF products, followed by other commonly used such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (23.1%), guar gum (19.7%), and vegetable gums (19.6%). Macronutrient analysis revealed that 25.4% of the products could be labeled as a source of fiber. Many of the considered GF food products showed very high contents of energy (33.5%), fats (28.5%), saturated fatty acids (30.0%), sugars (21.6%), and salt (28.3%). There is a timid reformulation in fat composition and salt reduction, but a lesser usage of alternative flours and pseudocereals.
Development and Validation of a New TaqMan Real-Time PCR for Detection of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni’
Authors: Kogej Zala , Dermastia Marina , Mehle Nataša
Published: August 2020

Phytoplasmas of the 16SrIII group are wide spread, and have a broad plant host range. Among these, ‘Candidatus phytoplasma pruni’ (‘Ca. P. pruni’; phytoplasmas of 16SrIII subgroup A) can cause serious diseases in Prunus species and ‘Ca. P. pruni’-related strains can infect other plant species, including grapevines. In this study, a new real-time PCR detection system was developed for ‘Ca. P. pruni’ using TaqMan chemistry. This test was designed to detect ‘Ca. P. pruni’, by amplifying the species-specific secY gene. In addition, a test to amplify the group-specific 16S rRNA gene region was also developed. The performances of both tests were evaluated. The test that amplifies the secY gene provided reliable and quick detection of ‘Ca. P. pruni’. Using the newly developed and validated test, ‘Ca. P. pruni’ was not found in any of the 434 field samples collected from different plants species grown in different regions of Slovenia.
The Role of Hospital and Community Pharmacists in the Management of COVID-19: Towards an Expanded Definition of the Roles, Responsibilities, and Duties of the Pharmacist
Authors: Bragazzi Nicola , Mansour Muhammad , Bonsignore Alessandro , Ciliberti Rosagemma
Published: August 2020

Since late December 2019, a novel, emerging coronavirus was identified as the infectious agent responsible for a generally mild but sometimes severe and even life-threatening disease, termed as “coronavirus disease 2019” (COVID-19). The pathogen was initially named as “2019 novel coronavirus” (2019-nCoV) and later renamed as “Severe Acute Respiratory Coronavirus type 2” (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 quickly spread from the first epicenter, the city of Wuhan, province of Hubei, mainland China, into neighboring countries, and became a global pandemic. As of July 15th 2020, the outbreak is still ongoing, with SARS-CoV-2 affecting 213 countries and territories. The coronavirus has caused a dramatic toll of deaths and imposed a severe burden, both from a societal and economic point of view. COVID-19 has challenged health systems, straining and overwhelming healthcare facilities and settings, including hospital and community pharmacies. On the other hand, COVID-19 has propelled several changes. During the last decades, pharmacy has shifted from being products-based and patient-facing to being services-based and patient-centered. Pharmacies have transitioned from being compounding centers devoted to the manipulation of materia medica to pharmaceutical centers, clinical pharmacies and fully integrated “medical-pharmaceutical networks”, providing a significant range of non-prescribing services. Moreover, roles, duties and responsibilities of pharmacists have paralleled such historical changes and have known a gradual expansion, incorporating new skills and reflecting new societal demands and challenges. The COVID-19 outbreak has unearthed new opportunities for pharmacists: community and hospital pharmacists have, indeed, played a key role during the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that a fully integrated, inter-sectoral and inter-professional collaboration is necessary to face crises and public health emergencies. Preliminary, emerging evidence seems to suggest that, probably, a new era in the history of pharmacies (“the post-COVID-19 post-pharmaceutical care era”) has begun, with community pharmacists acquiring more professional standing, being authentic heroes and frontline health workers.
An Assessment of Potential Resources for Biomass Energy in Nigeria
Authors: Jekayinfa Simeon Olatayo , Orisaleye Joseph Ifeolu , Pecenka Ralf
Published: August 2020

Nigeria is a developing country with an insufficient supply of energy to meet the continuously growing demand. However, there are several biomass resources available within the country. This paper presents a desk review, which investigates the potential resources for biomass energy generation within the country. Energy policies to aid biomass use as an energy source within the country were also reviewed. Biomass resources identified within Nigeria include forest residues, agricultural residues, human and animal wastes, aquatic biomass, and energy crops. However, several of the resources, particularly agricultural residues, have competing uses, such as livestock feed and soil rejuvenation. An estimation of the technical energy potential of the biomass resources revealed that about 2.33 EJ could be generated from the available resources in Nigeria. Agricultural residues have an energy potential of about 1.09 EJ, with cassava, maize, oil palm, plantain, rice, and sorghum being the major contributors. Animal wastes, municipal solid waste, and forest residues have energy potentials of 0.65, 0.11, and 0.05 EJ, respectively. The potentials of wood fuel and charcoal are 0.38 and 0.05 EJ, respectively. The study found that despite the available potential and existing policies, not much has been done in the implementation of large-scale bioenergy within the country. However, there has been laboratory and research-scale investigations. The review suggests that more policies and stronger enforcement will aid bioenergy development within the country. From the review, it has been suggested that the agricultural sector needs to be developed to generate more biomass resources. More research, development, and implementation have to be carried out on biomass resources and bioenergy generation processes. The production of non-edible energy crops in marginal lands should also be considered prime to the development of bioenergy within the country.
Continuous Quantitative Risk Management in Smart Grids Using Attack Defense Trees
Authors: Rios Erkuden , Rego Angel , Iturbe Eider , Higuero Marivi , Larrucea Xabier
Published: August 2020

Although the risk assessment discipline has been studied from long ago as a means to support security investment decision-making, no holistic approach exists to continuously and quantitatively analyze cyber risks in scenarios where attacks and defenses may target different parts of Internet of Things (IoT)-based smart grid systems. In this paper, we propose a comprehensive methodology that enables informed decisions on security protection for smart grid systems by the continuous assessment of cyber risks. The solution is based on the use of attack defense trees modelled on the system and computation of the proposed risk attributes that enables an assessment of the system risks by propagating the risk attributes in the tree nodes. The method allows system risk sensitivity analyses to be performed with respect to different attack and defense scenarios, and optimizes security strategies with respect to risk minimization. The methodology proposes the use of standard security and privacy defense taxonomies from internationally recognized security control families, such as the NIST SP 800-53, which facilitates security certifications. Finally, the paper describes the validation of the methodology carried out in a real smart building energy efficiency application that combines multiple components deployed in cloud and IoT resources. The scenario demonstrates the feasibility of the method to not only perform initial quantitative estimations of system risks but also to continuously keep the risk assessment up to date according to the system conditions during operation.
Transduction Mechanisms, Micro-Structuring Techniques, and Applications of Electronic Skin Pressure Sensors: A Review of Recent Advances
Authors: dos Santos Andreia , Fortunato Elvira , Martins Rodrigo , Águas Hugo , Igreja Rui
Published: August 2020

Electronic skin (e-skin), which is an electronic surrogate of human skin, aims to recreate the multifunctionality of skin by using sensing units to detect multiple stimuli, while keeping key features of skin such as low thickness, stretchability, flexibility, and conformability. One of the most important stimuli to be detected is pressure due to its relevance in a plethora of applications, from health monitoring to functional prosthesis, robotics, and human-machine-interfaces (HMI). The performance of these e-skin pressure sensors is tailored, typically through micro-structuring techniques (such as photolithography, unconventional molds, incorporation of naturally micro-structured materials, laser engraving, amongst others) to achieve high sensitivities (commonly above 1 kPa−1), which is mostly relevant for health monitoring applications, or to extend the linearity of the behavior over a larger pressure range (from few Pa to 100 kPa), an important feature for functional prosthesis. Hence, this review intends to give a generalized view over the most relevant highlights in the development and micro-structuring of e-skin pressure sensors, while contributing to update the field with the most recent research. A special emphasis is devoted to the most employed pressure transduction mechanisms, namely capacitance, piezoelectricity, piezoresistivity, and triboelectricity, as well as to materials and novel techniques more recently explored to innovate the field and bring it a step closer to general adoption by society.
Evaluation of the Possibility of Identifying a Complex Polygonal Tram Track Layout Using Multiple Satellite Measurements
Authors: Wilk Andrzej , Specht Cezary , Koc Wladyslaw , Karwowski Krzysztof , Skibicki Jacek , Szmagliński Jacek , Chrostowski Piotr , Dabrowski Pawel , Specht Mariusz , Zienkiewicz Marek , Judek Slawomir , Skóra Marcin , Grulkowski Sławomir
Published: August 2020

We present the main assumptions about the algorithmization of the analysis of measurement data recorded in mobile satellite measurements. The research team from the Gdańsk University of Technology and the Maritime University in Gdynia, as part of a research project conducted in cooperation with PKP PLK (Polish Railway Infrastructure Manager), developed algorithms supporting the identification and assessment of track axis layout. This article presents selected issues concerning the identification of a tramway line’s axis system. For this purpose, the supporting algorithm was developed and measurement data recorded using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) techniques was evaluated and analyzed. The discussed algorithm identifies main track directions from multi-device data and repeated position recordings. In order to observe the influence of crucial factors, the investigated route was carefully selected. The chosen tramway track was characterized by its location in various field conditions and a diversified and complex geometric layout. The analysis of the obtained results was focused on the assessment of the signal’s dispersion and repeatability using residuals in relation to the estimated track’s direction. The presented methodology is intended to support railway infrastructure management processes, mainly in planning and maintenance through an efficient inventory of the infrastructure in service.
SARS-CoV-2 RNA Extraction Using Magnetic Beads for Rapid Large-Scale Testing by RT-qPCR and RT-LAMP
Authors: Klein Steffen , Müller Thorsten G. , Khalid Dina , Sonntag-Buck Vera , Heuser Anke-Mareil , Glass Bärbel , Meurer Matthias , Morales Ivonne , Schillak Angelika , Freistaedter Andrew , Ambiel Ina , Winter Sophie L. , Zimmermann Liv , Naumoska Tamara , Bubeck Felix , Kirrmaier Daniel , Ullrich Stephanie , Barreto Miranda Isabel , Anders Simon , Grimm Dirk , Schnitzler Paul , Knop Michael , Kräusslich Hans-Georg , Dao Thi Viet Loan , Börner Kathleen , Chlanda Petr
Published: August 2020

Rapid large-scale testing is essential for controlling the ongoing pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The standard diagnostic pipeline for testing SARS-CoV-2 presence in patients with an ongoing infection is predominantly based on pharyngeal swabs, from which the viral RNA is extracted using commercial kits, followed by reverse transcription and quantitative PCR detection. As a result of the large demand for testing, commercial RNA extraction kits may be limited and, alternatively, non-commercial protocols are needed. Here, we provide a magnetic bead RNA extraction protocol that is predominantly based on in-house made reagents and is performed in 96-well plates supporting large-scale testing. Magnetic bead RNA extraction was benchmarked against the commercial QIAcube extraction platform. Comparable viral RNA detection sensitivity and specificity were obtained by fluorescent and colorimetric reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) using a primer set targeting the N gene, as well as RT-qPCR using a primer set targeting the E gene, showing that the RNA extraction protocol presented here can be combined with a variety of detection methods at high throughput. Importantly, the presented diagnostic workflow can be quickly set up in a laboratory without access to an automated pipetting robot.
African Swine Fever in Two Large Commercial Pig Farms in LATVIA—Estimation of the High Risk Period and Virus Spread within the Farm
Authors: Lamberga Kristīne , Oļševskis Edvīns , Seržants Mārtiņš , Bērziņš Aivars , Viltrop Arvo , Depner Klaus
Published: August 2020

African swine fever (ASF) was first detected in Latvia in wild boar at the Eastern border in June 2014. Since then ASF has continued to spread in wild boar populations covering almost whole territory of the country. Sporadic outbreaks occurred at the same time in domestic pig holdings located in wild boar infected areas. Here we present the results of the epidemiological investigation in two large commercial farms. Several parameters were analyzed to determine the high risk period (HRP) and to investigate the ASF virus spread within the farm. Clinical data, mortality rates and laboratory results proved to be good indicators for estimating the HRP. The measures for early disease detection, particularly the enhanced passive surveillance that is targeting dead and sick pigs, were analyzed and discussed. Enhanced passive surveillance proved to be a key element to detect ASF at an early stage. The study also showed that ASF virus might spread slowly within a large farm depending mainly on direct contacts between pigs and the level of internal biosecurity. Findings suggest improvements in outbreak prevention, control measures and may contribute to a better understanding of ASF spreading patterns within large pig herds. Culling of all pigs in large commercial farms could be reconsidered under certain conditions.
Communities and the Kingdom
Authors: Hoyt-Oliver Jane
Published: August 2020

No abstract required
O Forró “Pé de Serra” e a Motivação dos Jovens Forrozeiros de Belo Horizonte
Authors: Cardilo Camila Moura
Published: August 2020

O forró “Pé de Serra” contagia muitos jovens da cidade de Belo Horizonte. Assim, este estudo procura compreender o motivo que os levam a viver e reviver esta dança, música e espaço definido como forró. Primeiramente foi realizada uma pesquisa bibliográfica para apresentar o significado do forró “Pé de Serra”, do jovem e da motivação. Posteriormente, uma observação em um dos espaços da cidade em que se realiza o forró e uma aplicação de questionários a 20 jovens freqüentadores, deu continuidade à pesquisa. Quanto aos resultados verificou-se que, mesmo com as influencias externas do meio, os jovens possuem um forte envolvimento intrínseco com o forró pelo forte despertar de sentimentos e emoções.
“Cuidado de Si” e Lazer Cinematográfico
Authors: Oliveira Karla Michelle de , Mendes Maria Isabel Brandão de Souza
Published: August 2020

Pensar o lazer enquanto um fenômeno propulsor de novas formas de subjetividades e elemento capaz de engendrar a construção de práticas de liberdade é o mote aqui utilizado para desenvolver uma análise acerca da influência desses momentos no processo de construção de novos sujeitos. As análises empreendidas tomam como norte as noções de liberdade e subjetividade de Michel Foucault e uma acepção de lazer pautada em Marcellino. Trata-se de um estudo de campo de natureza qualitativa em que foram utilizadas as técnicas da observação participante e entrevistas semi-estruturadas com o objetivo de identificar, junto a frequentadores do Cineclube Natal, possíveis relações entre a vivência do cinema alternativo e a (re) construção de novos processos de liberdade e subjetividade.
Reduction in dislocation densities in 4H-SiC bulk crystal grown at high growth rate by high-temperature gas-source method
Authors: Hoshino Norihiro , Kamata Isaho , Kanda Takahiro , Tokuda Yuichiro , Kuno Hironari , Tsuchida Hidekazu
Published: August 2020

We performed fast growth of a 4H-SiC crystal using the gas-source method and investigated the crystal to reveal changes in dislocation densities along the growth direction. The remarkable reduction in densities of threading and basal plane dislocations to be less than 1/10 and 1/20, respectively, was confirmed in the crystal grown at ∼3 mm h−1. The change in radial distribution of threading dislocations indicates enhanced reduction in dislocation densities within an area containing high density dislocations. We discussed possible mechanisms which could explain declining densities of threading dislocations according to the results obtained by classifying threading dislocations into each Burgers vector.
Fabrication of high-performance YBa2Cu3Oy melt-textured bulks with selective grain growth
Authors: Motoki Takanori , Yanai Yu , Nunokawa Kota , Shimoyama Jun-ichi
Published: August 2020

We developed a simple single-direction melt growth for the fabrication of high-performance REBa2Cu3O
y
(RE: rare earth element) melt-textured bulks with selective grain growth. In this method, bulks were epitaxially melt-grown from a large plate cut from commercial melt-textured bulks by utilizing the different peritectic temperatures of REBa2Cu3O
y
. Ag-added YBa2Cu3O
y
bulks with three crystallographic orientations ([100], [110], and [001]) were successfully prepared. The whole c-grown bulk showed a higher trapped field (∼0.39 T) with more circular distributions than the conventional top-seeded bulk. The proposed method is promising for the fabrication of high-performance melt-textured bulks with high scalability and flexibility.
DSTATCOM Performance for Voltage Sag swell Mitigation
Authors:   Assistant Professor, Department of EEE, Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, Bengaluru, India., M Prof. Vidya. , Pramila Prof. Dr. P. ,   Professor & HOD, Department of EEE, Bangalore Institute Of Technology, Bengaluru, India., Nagaraj Prof. A. M. ,   Associate Professor, Department of EEE, Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, Bengaluru, India.
Published: August 2020

The Indian economy has been growing at a fast pace since the beginning of this millennium. Due to constraints in the availability of fuel and environmental concerns, the power generation sector has not kept pace with other industrial sectors. One way of increasing the power availability is by reducing the high losses in the existing power transmission and distribution systems. The current increases in the motor windings when the voltages in the three phases are unbalanced. Compensation for reactive power and unbalance in the power distribution system are key factors in improving the power quality to the end user. A Distributed Static Compensator [DSTATCOM] is a custom power device, which is connected in shunt with the load in the distribution system to compensate the reactive power due unbalanced loads. The performance of the DSTATCOM is based on the control technique used for finding the voltage referred and current components to be considered. Voltage compensation is defined as the error in voltage in the grid and that the value of voltage that has to be induced in the grid. This is analyzed by using DSTATCOM for voltage compensation with series converter controller block. This paper gives the simulation of voltage compensation to rectify the issue of voltage swell/sag in order to improve the power quality in the distribution system.
Land Classification using Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors:   Student, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Chaitanya Bharathi Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, Telangana, India., Khan Anees Fatima , P Bhavya ,   Student, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Chaitanya Bharathi Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, Telangana, India., Reddy R. Ravinder ,   Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Chaitanya Bharathi Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
Published: August 2020

Identifying the physical aspect of the earth’s surface (Land cover) and also how we exploit the land (Land use) is a challenging problem in environment monitoring and much of other subdomains. One of the most efficient ways to do this is through Remote Sensing (analyzing satellite images). For such classification using satellite images, there exist many algorithms and methods, but they have several problems associated with them, such as improper feature extraction, poor efficiency, etc. Problems associated with established land-use classification methods can be solved by using various optimization techniques with the Convolutional neural networks(CNN). The structure of the Convolutional neural network model is modified to improve the classification performance, and the overfitting phenomenon that may occur during training is avoided by optimizing the training algorithm. This work mainly focuses on classifying land types such as forest lands, bare lands, residential buildings, Rivers, Highways, cultivated lands, etc. The outcome of this work can be further processed for monitoring in various domains.
Realization of Reliability for Data and Software to Improve Quality
Authors:   Computer Science and Engineering, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education, Vaddeswaram, India., Malleswari D.Naga , Anumolu Hema Latha ,   Computer Science and Engineering, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education, Vaddeswaram, India., Vampugadawala Likitha ,   Computer Science and Engineering, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education, Vaddeswaram, India., Jonnalagadda DivyaSai ,   Computer Science and Engineering, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education, Vaddeswaram, India.
Published: August 2020

The goal is to look for code performance metrics. Reliability is an important aspect of any program that cannot be ignored and difficult to measure. “Program reliability is defined as the probability of running programs without disruption in a specific environment for a specified period of time.” The reliability of the technology differs from the performance of the hardware. Program reliability is difficult because the complexity of the program is high. Different methods can be used to increase system performance, but it is difficult to balance development time, budget, and software quality. But the best way to ensure technology consistency is to build high-quality programs throughout the life cycle of the program. We will discuss software reliability metrics in this paper. Metrics used early on can help detect and correct defects of requirements that will prevent program lifecycle errors later. It also provides consistency quality of the information system database with the help of RStudio, and we can also illustrate reliability based on the value of cyclomatic complexity and we can say whether the data or software is more reliable, less reliable or somewhat reliable.
Scrutinization of Flexural Practices of Light Weight Concrete by using Sisal Fibres and Bamboo
Authors:   Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Kongunadu College of Engineering and Technology, Trichy, Tamilnadu, India., Southamirajan Mr. S. , Dhavashankaran Mr. D. ,   Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Kongunadu College of Engineering and Technology, Trichy, Tamilnadu, India., Anbarasi Mrs. K. ,   Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Kongunadu College of Engineering and Technology, Trichy, Tamilnadu, India., Kanaka P. ,   Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Kongunadu College of Engineering and Technology, Trichy, Tamilnadu, India., Jegan Mr. R. ,   Department of Civil Engineering, Kongunadu College of Engineering and Technology, Trichy, Tamilnadu, India.
Published: August 2020

Lightweight concrete is the way to reduce the weight as well as deflection in concrete members without affecting its properties. Many of the researches are in progress to find a substitute for this lightweight material. In this project, we would like to take the naturally available fibre named sisal fibre and bamboo as partial replacement material. The influence of sisal fibres on the strength of concrete is taken as the main objective of this experimental study. The addition of natural fibre to the lightweight concrete will enhance the various strength parameters like flexural strength, compressive strength, and increase the ductile behaviour. In the present work, it is aimed to investigate the mechanical properties of lightweight concrete with a replacement of sisal fibre for cement and bamboo as a replacement in coarse aggregate in different percentages. The compressive strength, flexural strength, deflection of the beam is studied with consideration of M25 concrete specimens. Totally 36 number of 500 x 100 x 100mm flexural member cast and tested. It is recommended up to 5% replacement of coarse aggregate with bamboo and 5% addition of sisal fibres with cement provide at M25 grade of concrete gives the optimum increases of strength values. The test results indicated that the sisal fibres were effective in improving the strength of lightweight concrete.
Double Domination Number of Some Families of Graph
Authors:   Professor, KLEMSSCET, Belagavi, India., Gudgeri Dr.Manjula. C. , Varsha Mrs. ,   Research Scholar, KLEMSSCET, Belagavi, India.
Published: August 2020

In a graph G = (V, E) each vertex is said to dominate every vertex in its closed neighborhood. In a graph G, if S is a subset of V then S is a double dominating set of G if every vertex in V is dominated by at least two vertices in S. The smallest cardinality of a double dominating set is called the double domination number γx2 (G). [4]. In this paper, we computed some relations between double domination number, domination number, number of vertices (n) and maximum degree (Δ) of Helm graph, Friendship graph, Ladder graph, Circular Ladder graph, Barbell graph, Gear graph and Firecracker graph.
Exploration of Various Attacks and Security Measures Related to the Internet of Things
Authors:   Undergraduate B.Tech., Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India., Datta Debajit , Dheeba Prof. J. ,   Associate Professor in School of Computer Science and Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India.
Published: August 2020

In this era of technological advances, it will be impractical to think of a day without the usage of gadgets. Development and popularity of the Internet of Things have helped mankind a lot in several ways, but at the same time, there has also been an increase in attacks invading the underlying security. Advances in studies have resulted in the development of evolved algorithms that can be used in order to reduce the attacks and threats to the Internet of Things. With several advancements in studies and research works, the security measures on various Internet of Things based components and protocols are developing with time, but concurrently more advanced threats and attacks on these components are also evolving. These attacks are not only harmful to the components, but rather they also affect the users and applications that are associated with it, by breaching data, increase in inconsistency and inaccuracy, and many more. This work deals with the study of several attacks that are associated with the Internet of Things and also the approaches to secure the IoT systems. This work will also help in coming up with further up-gradation in the currently implemented security protocols and also in predicting the possible attacks that can be developed against the IoT protocols.
Adaptive Prediction of User Interaction based on Deep Learning
Authors:   Computer science, SRM Institute of science and Technology, Chennai, India., A Vidhyavani , Gopi Pooja ,   Computer science, SRM Institute of science and Technology, Chennai, India., Ram T Sushil ,   Computer science, SRM Institute of science and Technology, Chennai, India., Sukumar Sujay ,   Computer science, SRM Institute of science and Technology, Chennai, India.
Published: August 2020

This application starter work in the region of site page expectation is introduced. The structured and actualized model offers customized association by anticipating the client’s conduct from past web perusing history. Those forecasts are a short time later used to streamline the client’s future connections. We propose a Profile-based Interaction Prediction Framework (PIPF), which can illuminate the occasion activated connection expectation issue productively and adequately. In PIPF, we initially change the cooperation sign into a Sliding-window Evolving Graph (SEG) to decrease the information volume and steadily update SEG as the association log develops. At that point, we construct profiles intended to introduce clients’ conduct by separating the static and astounding highlights from SEG. The static (separately, astonishing) stress mirrors the normality of clients’ conduct (individually, the transient conduct). At the point when an occasion happens, we process the closeness between the event and every competitor connects.
To Eliminate the Threat of a Single Point of Failure in the SDN by using the Multiple Controllers
Authors:   School of Computer Applications, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, India., Ryait Deepjyot Kaur , Sharma Dr. Manmohan ,   School of Computer Applications, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, India.
Published: August 2020

The Software Defined Network (SDN) provides an innovative paradigm for networking, which improve the programmability and flexibility of the network. Due to the separation between the control and data plane, all the control logic transfer to the controller. In SDN, the controller, which provides a global view of the whole network. That is why it acts as the “Network Brain” of the network. Because the controller has the capability to configure or reconfigure the forwarding devices by customizing their policies in a dynamic manner. Thus, the controller provides a centralized logical view of the entire network. Therefore, all manipulation and implementation in the network are control by the single controller in the SDN, which increases the maximum chance of a single point of failure (SPOF) in the network. As a consequence, it collapses the entire network. Therefore, a fault tolerance mechanism is required which reduce single point of failure in the network by using multiple controllers. As a significance, this mechanism also increases the scalability, reliability, and high availability of services in the network. The three different roles of multiple controllers are equal, master and slave exist in the SDN. In the simulation, the Ryu SDN controller and Mininet tool are utilized. During the simulation to analysis, what is happen when a single point of failure (SPOF) occur in the network and how to use the different roles of the multiple controllers (such as equal, master and slave) which reduces the threat of single point of failure in SDN network.
Automated Plant Disease Detection using Deep Learning Architectures with Autonomous rover
Authors:   Department of Information Technology, R.M.D Engineering College, Chennai, India., R Dr. Jothilakshmi , R Sharanesh ,   Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India.
Published: August 2020

Agriculture is the backbone and plays a vital role in many Asian countries. Farmers mainly depend on their agricultural produce for their living. A report says one-third of the farmers income account’s for the agricultural loss which is primarily due to plant diseases. To combat this farmers are in need of a early plant disease identification mechanism. Observation of individual plants in the farm for detecting the disease is labor-intensive and time consuming work, if the farm is vast and multiple plants are cultivated then it’s even worse. To solve such issues, current technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are used to predict the diseases more effectively. Farmers usually detect plant diseases with the help of images captured manually and analyzed separately by experts. The proposed system renders an efficient solution for detecting multiple diseases in several plant varieties. The system is designed to detect and recognize several plant varieties, specifically pepper, grapes, and strawberry. The proposed system discovers various plant’s various diseases based on the inputs obtained by capturing images from a built-in camera present in the Autonomous rover. The rover also record’s it’s GPS location and makes a map of the entire farm traced and checked by the robot. The images are processed and are classified into their respective categories using deep learning algorithms. Convolutional neural networks the powerful methodology for image classification is the underlying principle applied. The deep learning model’s architecture namely, VGG16 and InceptionResNetV2, are used to train the model. These models are primarily made of convolutional layers. On testing, we recorded am accuracy of 93.21% was obtained from VGG16, and 95.24% from InceptionResNetV2.