bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Capturing Multidimensional Energy Poverty in South America: A Comparative Study of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay
Authors: Pereira Gabriel , González Arturo , Ríos Richard
Published: July 2021

Roughly 789 million people have no access to energy, and around 2.8 billion people lack access to clean cooking solutions according to the World Bank, and so we also find many people that cannot afford energy (reliable and clean) at the current prices. In the literature, accessibility, availability, and affordability are underlined as the key drivers of energy poverty. In South America, these aspects have not been studied in depth. This research is relevant because it provides a standardized, cross-country, and comparable analysis of multidimensional energy poverty in the region. The study of energy poverty is critical for the development and well-being of countries, especially in regions such as South America, where this issue can be affected by geographical, cultural, infrastructure, and/or socio-economic differences. In this study, we measured the magnitude of energy poverty in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay. This methodology is based on the analysis of energy poverty through a multidimensional approach, considering three parameters as drivers of energy poverty in the countries: accessibility, availability, and affordability. Through a two-step process, first, we calculate the Weighted Average Energy Poverty Index (WAEPI), based on three proposed scenarios (W1, W2, and W3), and finally, through the Composite Energy Poverty Index (CEPI), we measure the existing gaps, based on the selected indicators, between the countries under study and the benchmark country. Additionally, we decided to focus our analysis on the country that has shown the highest level and gaps on multidimensional energy poverty in the region, as a case study to validate the results obtained through the chosen methodology. The results show that during the period of analysis (2000–2016), Paraguay has been the most energy-poor country among the countries under study, while Argentina has been the least energy-poor country. At the local level, we observed that, Paraguay, despite being one of the largest producers and exporters of clean hydroelectric energy in the region, still presents high levels of consumption of biomass or coal for cooking, while electricity only represents 17% of the total final energy consumption in the country (biomass and fossil fuels account for 83%). These results could lead the design of energy policies, projects, and programs to reduce the multidimensional energy poverty, nationally, also at the common platform: MERCOSUR. Finally, this study includes an analysis of policy implications and alternative solutions to eradicate energy poverty in the region.
Optimizing Pasteurized Fluid Milk Shelf-Life Through Microbial Spoilage Reduction
Authors: Enayaty-Ahangar Forough , Murphy Sarah I. , Martin Nicole H. , Wiedmann Martin , Ivanek Renata
Published: July 2021

Psychrotolerant spore-forming bacteria, entering raw milk primarily on-farm, represent a major challenge for fluid milk processors due to the ability of these bacteria to survive heat treatments used for milk processing (e.g., pasteurization) and to cause premature spoilage. Importantly, fluid milk processors require tools to identify optimal strategies for reducing spore-forming bacteria, thereby extending product shelf-life by delaying spoilage. Potential strategies include (i) introducing farm-level premium payments (i.e., bonuses) based on spore-forming bacteria counts in raw milk and (ii) investing in spore reduction technologies at the processing level of the fluid milk supply chain. In this study, we apply an optimization methodology to the problem of milk spoilage due to psychrotolerant spore-forming bacteria and propose two novel mixed-integer linear programming models that assess improving milk shelf-life from the dairy processors' perspective. Our first model, imposed to a budgetary constraint, maximizes milk's shelf-life to cater to consumers who prefer milk with a long shelf-life. The second model minimizes the budget required to perform operations to produce milk with a shelf-life of a certain length geared to certain customers. We generate case studies based on real-world data from multiple sources and perform a comprehensive computational study to obtain optimal solutions for different processor sizes. Results demonstrate that optimal combinations of interventions are dependent on dairy processors' production volume and quality of raw milk from different producers. Thus, the developed models provide novel decision support tools that will aid individual processors in identifying the optimal approach to achieving a desired milk shelf-life given their specific production conditions and motivations for shelf-life extension.
Assessment of Evaluation Tools for Integrated Surveillance of Antimicrobial Use and Resistance Based on Selected Case Studies
Authors: Sandberg Marianne , Hesp Ayla , Aenishaenslin Cécile , Bordier Marion , Bennani Houda , Bergwerff Ursula , Chantziaras Ilias , De Meneghi Daniele , Ellis-Iversen Johanne , Filippizi Maria-Eleni , Mintiens Koen , Nielsen Liza R. , Norström Madelaine , Tomassone Laura , van Schaik Gerdien , Alban Lis
Published: July 2021

Regular evaluation of integrated surveillance for antimicrobial use (AMU) and resistance (AMR) in animals, humans, and the environment is needed to ensure system effectiveness, but the question is how. In this study, six different evaluation tools were assessed after being applied to AMU and AMR surveillance in eight countries: (1) ATLASS: the Assessment Tool for Laboratories and AMR Surveillance Systems developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, (2) ECoSur: Evaluation of Collaboration for Surveillance tool, (3) ISSEP: Integrated Surveillance System Evaluation Project, (4) NEOH: developed by the EU COST Action “Network for Evaluation of One Health,” (5) PMP-AMR: The Progressive Management Pathway tool on AMR developed by the FAO, and (6) SURVTOOLS: developed in the FP7-EU project “RISKSUR.” Each tool was scored using (i) 11 pre-defined functional aspects (e.g., workability concerning the need for data, time, and people); (ii) a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT)-like approach of user experiences (e.g., things that I liked or that the tool covered well); and (iii) eight predefined content themes related to scope (e.g., development purpose and collaboration). PMP-AMR, ATLASS, ECoSur, and NEOH are evaluation tools that provide a scoring system to obtain semi-quantitative results, whereas ISSEP and SURVTOOLS will result in a plan for how to conduct evaluation(s). ISSEP, ECoSur, NEOH, and SURVTOOLS allow for in-depth analyses and therefore require more complex data, information, and specific training of evaluator(s). PMP-AMR, ATLASS, and ISSEP were developed specifically for AMR-related activities—only ISSEP included production of a direct measure for “integration” and “impact on decision making.” NEOH and ISSEP were perceived as the best tools for evaluation of One Health (OH) aspects, and ECoSur as best for evaluation of the quality of collaboration. PMP-AMR and ATLASS seemed to be the most user-friendly tools, particularly designed for risk managers. ATLASS was the only tool focusing specifically on laboratory activities. Our experience is that adequate resources are needed to perform evaluation(s). In most cases, evaluation would require involvement of several assessors and/or stakeholders, taking from weeks to months to complete. This study can help direct future evaluators of integrated AMU and AMR surveillance toward the most adequate tool for their specific evaluation purpose.
Would Kazakh Citizens Support a Milk Co-Operative System?
Authors: Kaliyeva Samal , Areal Francisco Jose , Gadanakis Yiorgos
Published: July 2021

We estimate the monetary value of a policy aimed at increasing rural co-operative production in Kazakhstan to increase milk production. We analyse the drivers associated with public support for such policy using the contingent valuation method. The role of individuals’ psychological aspects, based on the reasoned action approach, along with individuals’ views on the country’s past regime (i.e., to the former Soviet Union), their awareness about the governmental policy, their sociodemographic characteristics, and household location on their willingness to pay (WTP) for the policy is analysed using an interval regression model. Additionally, we examine changes in individuals’ WTP before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The estimated total economic value of the policy is KZT 1335 bn for the length of the program at KZT 267 bn per year, which is approximately half the total program budget, which includes other interventions beyond the creation of production co-operatives. The total economic value of the policy would equal the cost of the whole program after 10 years, indicating public support for this policy amongst Kazakh citizens. Psychological factors, i.e., attitude, perceived social pressure, and perceived behavioural control, and the respondents’ awareness of the policy and views on the Soviet Union regime are associated with their WTP. Sociodemographic factors, namely, age, income, and education, are also statistically significant. Finally, the effect of the shocks of COVID-19 is negatively associated with the respondents’ WTP.
Yield and Quality of Ratoon Sugarcane Are Improved by Applying Potassium under Irrigation to Potassium Deficient Soils
Authors: Bhatt Rajan , Singh Paramjit , Ali Omar M. , Abdel Latef Arafat Abdel Hamed , Laing Alison M. , Hossain Akbar
Published: July 2021

The current study was carried out at the experimental farm of Rana Sugars Ltd., Buttar Seviyan, Amritsar, Punjab, India, to identify methods to improve the yield and quality of ratoon sugarcane in potassium-deficient soils. The treatments comprised two levels of irrigation, resulting in plants which either received sufficient water (I1) or were water-stressed (I2), and four rates of potassium (K) application: 0 (K1), 40 (K2), 80 (K3) and 120 (K4) kg K2O ha−1. The results showed that the irrigation levels did not influence crop parameters significantly, although all parameters presented higher values for I1-treated plots. Compared to the K1 (i.e., 0 kg ha−1 K fertiliser applied) treatment, the K2, K3 and K4 treatments yielded 11.16, 37.9 and 40.7%, respectively, higher millable canes and 1.25, 5.62 and 13.13% more nodes per plant, respectively. At 280 days after harvest of the first (plant) crop, the I1 treatment provided ratoons which were up to 15.58% higher than those obtained with the I2 treatment, with cane girths up to 7.69% wider and yields up to 7.29% higher than those observed with the I2 treatment. While the number of nodes per plant did not differ significantly between treatments, there were significant differences in other parameters. Quality parameters (with the exception of extraction percentage) were significantly enhanced by the K3 treatment. The benefit-to-cost ratio (B/C) was higher for the I1 treatment than for the I2, due to a reduced productivity associated with the I2 treatment. At both irrigation levels, the K3 treatment resulted in the highest quality parameters. K1-, K2- and K4-treated plots presented more instances of insect infestations than plots receiving the K3 treatment. Relative to the K3 plots, infestation by the early shoot borer (Chilo infuscatellus) was 18.2, 6.0 and 12.2% higher, respectively, in plots that underwent the K1, K2 and K4 treatments, while infestation by the top borer (Scirpophaga excerptalis) was 21.2, 9.21 and 14.0% higher, and that by the stalk borer (Chilo auricilius) was 10.7, 0 and 8.10% higher. Not all infestation differences between treatments were significant. Our research demonstrates that growing sugarcane in potassium-deficient soils with applications of 80 kg K2O ha−1 under irrigation should be recommended to increase yield and quality while minimising insect infestation and to implement sustainable ratoon sugarcane production.
Integrated Design and Evaluation of a Soil-Covering and Film-Mulching Device for Sugarcane Transverse Planters
Authors: Li Ke , Li Shizeng , Teng Xiao , Deng Zhanglin , Huang Wenbo , Gan Fangfang , Ma Fanglan
Published: July 2021

To solve the problem that the covering device of sugarcane cannot be adequate for the agronomic standards of seed cane setts planting, a soil-covering and film-mulching device for sugarcane transverse planting was designed. The device includes a soil-covering part, soil-compacting part, and film-mulching part. Through theoretical analysis of key components, the factors affecting the cane seed covering quality for the device were obtained. A quadratic orthogonal rotation regression test was conducted by a homemade prototype to explore the effects of disk diameter, central distance, disk depth in soil, and dip angle on soil covering thickness. The results showed that the above factors all have an extremely significant effect on the soil covering thickness, and the effect degree of each factor from high to low is central distance, disk depth in soil, dip angle, and disk diameter within the range of test parameters. The optimal parameter combination, with the disk diameter, the dip angle, the central distance, the disk depth in soil, and the diameter of the soil-compacting wheel being 304.7 mm, 55.1°, 386.5 mm, 32.4 mm, and 300 mm, respectively, was obtained by Design-Expert software and verified by comprehensive field tests. The results showed that the covering thickness is in the range of 94–111 mm, the average value is 102.6 mm, and the breakage rate is no more than 2.6%. The emergence rate is 86.4%, which is an improvement of 9.3% over that of a traditional covering device. The results suggested that the device can conform to the agricultural covering standard of sugarcane planting and provide a design basis for the application and popularization of the soil-covering and film-mulching device.
SLASSY—An Assistance System for Performing Design for Manufacturing in Sheet-Bulk Metal Forming: Architecture and Self-Learning Aspects
Authors: Sauer Christopher , Breitsprecher Thilo , Küstner Christof , Schleich Benjamin , Wartzack Sandro
Published: July 2021

Substantial efforts have been made to integrate manufacturing- and design-relevant knowledge into product development processes. A common approach is to provide the relevant knowledge to the design engineers using a knowledge-based system (KBS) that, in turn, becomes the engineering assistance system. Keeping the knowledge up to date is a critical issue, making knowledge acquisition a bottleneck of developing and maintaining KBS. This article presents a robust metamodel optimization and performance estimation architecture for developing and maintaining a KBS useful for design-for-manufacturing from the context of sheet-bulk metal forming. It is shown that the presented KBS or engineering assistance system helps achieve performing design-for-manufacturing, integrating both design and manufacturing knowledge. Using the presented approach helps overcome the bottleneck of knowledge acquisition and knowledge update through its self-learning component based on data mining and knowledge discovery.
Developing Recommendations for Cumulative Endpoints and Lifetime Use for Research Animals
Authors: Nunamaker Elizabeth A. , Davis Shawn , O’Malley Carly I. , Turner Patricia V.
Published: July 2021

Research animals are important for scientific advancement, and therefore, their long-term welfare needs to be monitored to not only minimize suffering, but to provide positive affective states and experiences. Currently, there is limited guidance in countries around the world on cumulative and experimental endpoints. This paper aims to explore current opinions and institutional strategies regarding cumulative use and endpoints through a scoping survey and review of current regulations and welfare assessment tools, and ultimately to provide recommendations for assessment of cumulative and lifetime use of research animals. The survey found that only 36% of respondents indicated that their institution had cumulative use endpoint policies in place, but these policies may be informal and/or vary by species. Most respondents supported more specific guidelines but expressed concerns about formal policies that may limit their ability to make case-by-case decisions. The wide diversity in how research animals are used makes it difficult for specific policies to be implemented. Endpoint decisions should be made in an objective manner using standardized welfare assessment tools. Future research should focus on robust, efficient welfare assessment tools that can be used to support planning and recommendations for cumulative endpoints and lifetime use of research and teaching animals.
A Review of the Nursery Culture of Mud Crabs, Genus Scylla: Current Progress and Future Directions
Authors: Syafaat Muhammad Nur , Azra Mohamad Nor , Waiho Khor , Fazhan Hanafiah , Abol-Munafi Ambok Bolong , Ishak Sairatul Dahlianis , Syahnon Mohammad , Ghazali Azmie , Ma Hongyu , Ikhwanuddin Mhd
Published: July 2021

The nursery stages of mud crab, genus Scylla, proceed from the megalopa stage to crablet instar stages. We review the definition and several of the key stages in mud crab nursery activities. The practice of the direct stocking of megalopa into ponds is not recommended due to their sensitivity. Instead, nursery rearing is needed to grow-out mud crabs of a larger size before pond stocking. Individual nursery rearing results in a higher survival rate at the expense of growth and a more complicated maintenance process compared with communal rearing. The nursery of mud crabs can be done both indoors or outdoors with adequate shelter and feed required to obtain a good survival percentage and growth performance. Artemia nauplii are still irreplaceable as nursery feed, particularly at the megalopa stage, while the survival rate may be improved if live feed is combined with artificial feed such as microbound diet formulations. Water quality parameters, identical to those proposed in tiger shrimp cultures, can be implemented in mud crab rearing. The transportation of crablets between different locations can be done with or without water. The provision of monosex seeds from mud crab hatcheries is expected to become commonplace, increasing seed price and thus improving the income of farmers. Numerous aspects of a mud crab nursery including nutrition; feeding strategies; understanding their behaviour, i.e., cannibalism; control of environmental factors and practical rearing techniques still need further improvement.
Effect of Dietary Sugarcane Bagasse Supplementation on Growth Performance, Immune Response, and Immune and Antioxidant-Related Gene Expressions of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Cultured under Biofloc System
Authors: Lumsangkul Chompunut , Tapingkae Wanaporn , Sringarm Korawan , Jaturasitha Sanchai , Le Xuan Chinh , Wannavijit Supreya , Outama Piyatida , Van Doan Hien
Published: July 2021

We investigated, herein, the effects of dietary inclusion of sugarcane bagasse powder (SB) on Nile tilapia development, mucosal and serum immunities, and relative immune and antioxidant genes. Fish (15.12 ± 0.04 g) were provided a basal diet (SB0) or basal diet incorporated with SB at 10 (SB10), 20 (SB20), 40 (SB40), or 80 (SB80) g kg−1 for 8 weeks. Our results demonstrated that the dietary incorporation of sugarcane bagasse powder (SB) at 20 and 40 g kg−1 significantly ameliorated FW, WG, and SGR as opposed to fish fed basal, SB10, and SB80 diets. However, no significant changes in FCR and survivability were observed between the SB supplemented diets and the control (basal diet). The mucosal immunity exhibited significantly higher SMLA and SMPA activities (p < 0.005) in fish treated with SB diets after eight weeks. The highest SMLA and SMPA levels were recorded in fish fed SB80 followed by SB20, SB40, and SB10, respectively. For serum immunity, fish fed SB incorporated diets significantly ameliorated SL and RB levels (p < 0.05) compared with the control. However, SP was not affected by the inclusion of SB in any diet throughout the experiment. The expression of IL1, IL8, LBP, GSTa, GPX, and GSR genes in the fish liver was significantly increased in fish fed the SB20 and SB10 diets relative to the basal diet fed fish (p < 0.05); whereas only the IL8, LBP, and GPX genes in the intestines were substantially augmented via the SB20 and SB80 diets (p < 0.05). IL1 and GSR were not influenced by the SB incorporated diets (p > 0.05). In summary, sugarcane bagasse powder (SB) may be applied as a feed additive to improve growth performance, immune response, and immune and antioxidant-related gene expression in Nile tilapia.
Prevalence and Characteristics of Multidrug-Resistant Livestock-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) CC398 Isolated from Quails (Coturnix Coturnix Japonica) Slaughtered for Human Consumption
Authors: Silva Vanessa , Vieira-Pinto Madalena , Saraiva Cândido , Manageiro Vera , Reis Lígia , Ferreira Eugénia , Caniça Manuela , Capelo José L. , Igrejas Gilberto , Poeta Patrícia
Published: July 2021

Livestock-associated MRSA (LA-MRSA) is a zoonotic pathogen that has been reported in several animals, and it is often associated with clonal complex (CC) 398. We aimed to isolate MRSA from quails and to characterize their antimicrobial resistance and genetic lineages. One hundred swab samples were recovered from quails at the slaughterhouse. The swabs were inoculated onto CHROMagar™ MRSA agar plates for MRSA isolation. The presence of antimicrobial-resistant genes and virulence factors was investigated by PCR. All strains were typed by MLST, SCCmec-, spa- and agr-typing. From the 100 samples, 29 MRSA were isolated. All strains were resistant to penicillin, cefoxitin, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin and clindamycin and carried the blaZ, mecA, ermB and ermC genes. All strains, except one, showed resistance to tetracycline and harbored the tetM, tetK and tetL genes in different combinations. Twenty strains belonged to ST398 and SCCmec type V, and nine strains belonged to the new ST6831. Twenty-eight out of twenty-nine strains were ascribed to t011 and one to t108. As far as we know, this is the first report of MRSA from quails slaughtered for human consumption. Most strains belonged to ST398-t011, which is the most common LA-MRSA clone found in livestock in Europe.
Interaction of Acinetobacter baumannii with Human Serum Albumin: Does the Host Determine the Outcome?
Authors: Pimentel Camila , Le Casin , Tuttobene Marisel R. , Subils Tomas , Papp-Wallace Krisztina M. , Bonomo Robert A. , Tolmasky Marcelo E. , Ramirez Maria Soledad
Published: July 2021

Acinetobacter baumannii has become a serious threat to human health due to its extreme antibiotic resistance, environmental persistence, and capacity to survive within the host. Two A. baumannii strains, A118 and AB5075, commonly used as model systems, and three carbapenem-resistant strains, which are becoming ever more dangerous due to the multiple drugs they can resist, were exposed to 3.5% human serum albumin (HSA) and human serum (HS) to evaluate their response with respect to antimicrobial resistance, biofilm formation, and quorum sensing, all features responsible for increasing survival and persistence in the environment and human body. Expression levels of antibiotic resistance genes were modified differently when examined in different strains. The cmlA gene was upregulated or downregulated in conditions of exposure to 3.5% HSA or HS depending on the strain. Expression levels of pbp1 and pbp3 tended to be increased by the presence of HSA and HS, but the effect was not seen in all strains. A. baumannii A118 growing in the presence of HS did not experience increased expression of these genes. Aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes were also expressed at higher or lower levels in the presence of HSA or HS. Still, the response was not uniform; in some cases, expression was enhanced, and in other cases, it was tapered. While A. baumannii AB5075 became more susceptible to rifampicin in the presence of 3.5% HSA or HS, strain A118 did not show any changes. Expression of arr2, a gene involved in resistance to rifampicin present in A. baumannii AMA16, was expressed at higher levels when HS was present in the culture medium. HSA and HS reduced biofilm formation and production of N-Acyl Homoserine Lactone, a compound intimately associated with quorum sensing. In conclusion, HSA, the main component of HS, stimulates a variety of adaptative responses in infecting A. baumannii strains.
Role of Antioxidants in Cooled Liquid Storage of Mammal Spermatozoa
Authors: Silvestre Miguel A. , Yániz Jesús L. , Peña Fernando J. , Santolaria Pilar , Castelló-Ruiz María
Published: July 2021

Cooled preservation of semen is usually associated with artificial insemination and genetic improvement programs in livestock species. Several studies have reported an increase in reactive oxidative species and a decrease in antioxidant substances and sperm quality parameters during long-term semen storage at refrigerated temperatures. The supplementation of antioxidants in extenders before refrigeration could reduce this detrimental effect. Various antioxidants have been tested, both enzymatic, such as superoxide dismutase and catalase, and non-enzymatic, such as reduced glutathione, vitamins E and C and melatonin. However, the problem of oxidative stress in semen storage has not been fully resolved. The effects of antioxidants for semen-cooled storage have not been reviewed in depth. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to review the efficiency of the supplementation of antioxidants in the extender during cooled storage of semen in livestock species.
Nutritional and Functional Properties of Gluten-Free Flours
Authors: Culetu Alina , Susman Iulia Elena , Duta Denisa Eglantina , Belc Nastasia
Published: July 2021

This study characterized and compared 13 gluten-free (GF) flours (rice, brown rice, maize, oat, millet, teff, amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, chickpea, gram, tiger nut, and plantain) for their nutritional and functional properties. For all GF flours investigated, starch was the major component, except for gram, chickpea, and tiger nut flours with lower starch content (<45%), but higher fiber content (8.8–35.4%). The higher amount of calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, similar values for iron and lower content of sodium in gram, makes this flour a good alternative to chickpea or other GF flour to develop healthier food products. Amaranth flour had a high protein digestibility, while tiger nut and millet flours were less digestible. Gram, chickpea, quinoa, buckwheat, and oat flours fulfilled amino acids recommendation for daily adult intake showing no limiting amino acid. Total polyphenolic content and antioxidant capacity showed higher values for buckwheat, followed by quinoa and maize flours. Gram, chickpea, maize, and quinoa flours are good candidates to improve health conditions due to lower saturated fatty acid content. The findings of this study provide useful insights into GF flours and may contribute to the development of novel gluten-free products like bread, cookies, or pasta.
Comparison of Quantitative Morphology of Layered and Arbitrary Patterns: Contrary to Visual Perception, Binary Arbitrary Patterns Are Layered from a Structural Point of View
Authors: Smolyar Igor , Smolyar Daniel
Published: July 2021

Patterns found among both living systems, such as fish scales, bones, and tree rings, and non-living systems, such as terrestrial and extraterrestrial dunes, microstructures of alloys, and geological seismic profiles, are comprised of anisotropic layers of different thicknesses and lengths. These layered patterns form a record of internal and external factors that regulate pattern formation in their various systems, making it potentially possible to recognize events in the formation history of these systems. In our previous work, we developed an empirical model (EM) of anisotropic layered patterns using an N-partite graph, denoted as G(N), and a Boolean function to formalize the layer structure. The concept of isotropic and anisotropic layers was presented and described in terms of the G(N) and Boolean function. The central element of the present work is the justification that arbitrary binary patterns are made up of such layers. It has been shown that within the frame of the proposed model, it is the isotropic and anisotropic layers themselves that are the building blocks of binary layered and arbitrary patterns; pixels play no role. This is why the EM can be used to describe the morphological characteristics of such patterns. We present the parameters disorder of layer structure, disorder of layer size, and pattern complexity to describe the degree of deviation of the structure and size of an arbitrary anisotropic pattern being studied from the structure and size of a layered isotropic analog. Experiments with arbitrary patterns, such as regular geometric figures, convex and concave polygons, contour maps, the shape of island coastlines, river meanders, historic texts, and artistic drawings are presented to illustrate the spectrum of problems that it may be possible to solve by applying the EM. The differences and similarities between the proposed and existing morphological characteristics of patterns has been discussed, as well as the pros and cons of the suggested method.
Multi-Descriptor Random Sampling for Patch-Based Face Recognition
Authors: Cheheb Ismahane , Al-Maadeed Noor , Bouridane Ahmed , Beghdadi Azeddine , Jiang Richard
Published: July 2021

While there has been a massive increase in research into face recognition, it remains a challenging problem due to conditions present in real life. This paper focuses on the inherently present issue of partial occlusion distortions in real face recognition applications. We propose an approach to tackle this problem. First, face images are divided into multiple patches before local descriptors of Local Binary Patterns and Histograms of Oriented Gradients are applied on each patch. Next, the resulting histograms are concatenated, and their dimensionality is then reduced using Kernel Principle Component Analysis. Once completed, patches are randomly selected using the concept of random sampling to finally construct several sub-Support Vector Machine classifiers. The results obtained from these sub-classifiers are combined to generate the final recognition outcome. Experimental results based on the AR face database and the Extended Yale B database show the effectiveness of our proposed technique.
Study of Possible Frequency Dependence of Small AC Fields on Magnetic Flux Trapping in Niobium by Polarized Neutron Imaging
Authors: Treimer Wolfgang , Junginger Tobias , Kugeler Oliver
Published: July 2021

Reducing the size of ambient magnetic flux trapping during cooldown in superconducting radio-frequency niobium cavities is essential to reaching the lowest power dissipation as required for continuous wave application. Here, it is suggested that applying an alternating magnetic field superimposed to the external DC field can potentially reduce the size of trapped flux by supporting flux line movement. This hypothesis is tested for the first time systematically on a buffered chemically polished (BCP) niobium sample before and after high temperature annealing, a procedure which is known to reduce flux pinning. External low-frequency (Hz-range) magnetic fields were applied to the samples during their superconducting transition and the effect of varying their amplitude, frequency and offset was investigated. A few results can be highlighted: The influence of the frequency and magnitude of the AC fields on the flux trapping in the untreated Nb sample cannot be neglected. The trapped flux seems to be homogeneously distributed, unlike the flux trapping in, e.g., lead (Pb), which is a type I superconductor. After annealing, the Nb sample shows practically no dependency of flux trapping on external AC fields. The trapped magnetic flux was measured by polarized neutron imaging, and calculations of trapped fields show good agreement with experimental results.
Water and Sediment Bacterial Communities in a Small Mediterranean, Oxygen-Stratified, Saline Lake (Lake Alboraj, SE Spain)
Authors: Espín Yolanda , Menchén Alfonso , Moreno José Luis , Sanz David , Álvarez-Ortí Manuel , Fernández José Antonio , Gómez-Alday Juan José
Published: July 2021

Lake Alboraj, located in southeast Spain, was declared natural Microreserve and included into European Natura-2000 Network due to its contribution to environmental heritage. Unfortunately, the ecological status of the lake has changed dramatically, mainly due to the lowering of water table caused by groundwater abstractions for irrigation. It is a permanent small karstic lake whose surface has reduced in the last decades to nearly the third part of its historical water level. The water column shows a marked seasonal oxycline, that splits an aerobic upper layer (epilimnion) from an anaerobic layer below (hypolimnion). Sequencing 16S rRNA gene amplicons and applying chemical tools at epilimnion, hypolimnion and sediment, showed a clear gradient in the bacterial community structure, which support the co-existence of assimilatory and dissimilatory microbial mediated reactions. Results allows to infer that microbial stratification could provide various physical and chemical environments at different depths in the water column related to biogeochemical reactions providing N-S-C- recycling processes.
Design, Simulation and Experimentation of an Axial Flow Sunflower-Threshing Machine with an Attached Screw Conveyor
Authors: Ali Khaled Abdeen Mous , Zong Wangyuan , Md-Tahir Hafiz , Ma Lina , Yang Liu
Published: July 2021

Sunflower threshing is one of the most interesting field processes for making the sunflower ready for seed handling, drying, cleaning and oil extraction. One of the biggest problems observed during the sunflower threshing process is the accumulation of threshed crop on the first third of the threshing roller and passing off some unthreshed parts of sunflower heads. To solve the aforementioned problem and optimize the efficiency of the sunflower threshing process, this research was focused on devising and testing a sunflower threshing machine with a close threshing box system equipped with a screw conveyor that evenly distributed the feedstock of sunflower heads on the entire length of the threshing roller. The machine was tested to assess the seed damage rate, unthreshed seed percentage, threshing efficiency, machine productivity, power requirements and specific energy consumption. The evaluation was done under different roller rotational speeds (150, 200, 250 and 300 rpm) and feeding rates (600, 700, 800 and 900 kg/h). The obtained results revealed that the threshing evaluation parameters were affected significantly by the roller rotational speed and feeding rate. The threshing efficiency was observed to rise with the rise in the roller rotational speed, and it also rose with the increasing feed rate up to 800 kg/h and then started to descend. The unthreshed seed percentage decreased with the increase in the roller rotational speed for all feed rates, and it decreased with the increasing feed rate up to 800 kg/h and then started to increase at the higher feed rates. The damaged seed percentage, power requirement and machine productivity increased with the increase of the roller speed and feed rate. The Buckingham π theorem was followed to find an equation to predict the threshing efficiency, resulting in an equation with an R2 value of 0.9309. With elimination of the blockage problem and better threshing efficiency, this machine could be a good choice for small- to medium-sized sunflower farms.
A Hybrid Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm-Based Semantic Foundation for Sustainable Distributed Manufacturing Systems
Authors: Ramakurthi Veera Babu , Manupati V. K. , Machado José , Varela Leonilde
Published: July 2021

Rising energy prices, increasing maintenance costs, and strict environmental regimes have augmented the already existing pressure on the contemporary manufacturing environment. Although the decentralization of supply chain has led to rapid advancements in manufacturing systems, finding an efficient supplier simultaneously from the pool of available ones as per customer requirement and enhancing the process planning and scheduling functions are the predominant approaches still needed to be addressed. Therefore, this paper aims to address this issue by considering a set of gear manufacturing industries located across India as a case study. An integrated classifier-assisted evolutionary multi-objective evolutionary approach is proposed for solving the objectives of makespan, energy consumption, and increased service utilization rate, interoperability, and reliability. To execute the approach initially, text-mining-based supervised machine-learning models, namely Decision Tree, Naïve Bayes, Random Forest, and Support Vector Machines (SVM) were adopted for the classification of suppliers into task-specific suppliers. Following this, with the identified suppliers as input, the problem was formulated as a multi-objective Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model. We then proposed a Hybrid Multi-Objective Moth Flame Optimization algorithm (HMFO) to optimize process planning and scheduling functions. Numerical experiments have been carried out with the formulated problem for 10 different instances, along with a comparison of the results with a Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II) to illustrate the feasibility of the approach.
Titanium Periimplant Tissue Alterations: A Prospective Cohort Plate Retrieval Study
Authors: Opris Horia , Armencea Gabriel , Manea Avram , Mitre Ileana , Baciut Mihaela , Onișor Florin , Imre-Lucaci Florica , Vulpoi Adriana , Vacaras Sergiu , Simion Bran , Dinu Cristian
Published: July 2021

Commercially pure titanium and titanium alloys have been extensively used in materials to reconstruct the facial skeleton in different forms and sizes. There is yet to be a consensus on removing (or not) the plates and screws after osteosynthesis. Our study tries to investigate the adjacent tissues of the titanium plates used in jaw surgery using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Twenty samples of soft tissue surrounding the titanium plates were retrieved 1 year after placement (fracture sites or orthognathic surgery) and were investigated using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The study found 1.06 ppm titanium in the adjacent soft tissues. Even if there are no clinical signs of the presence of titanium in the soft tissues, our findings suggest that a plate removal is a feasible option for patients to avoid local complications due to titanium migration.
Field Investigation and Rapid Deterioration Analysis of Heavy Haul Corrugation
Authors: Jin Feng , Xiao Hong , Nadakatti Mahantesh M , Yue Huiting , Liu Wanting
Published: July 2021

In this study, the rapid growth of corrugation caused by the bad quality of grinding works and their wavelength, depth, and evolution processes are captured through field measurements. The residual grinding marks left by poor grinding quality lead to further crack accumulation and corrugation deterioration by decreasing plastic resistance in rails. In this case, the average peak-to-peak values of corrugation grow extremely fast, reaching 1.4 μm per day. The finite element method (FEM) and fracture mechanics methodologies were used to analyze the development and trends in rail surface crack deterioration by considering rails with and without grinding marks. Crack propagation trends increase with residual grinding marks, and they are more severe in circular curve lines. To avoid the rapid deterioration of rail corrugation, intersections between grinding marks and fatigue cracks should be avoided.
Adaptive Abnormal Oil Temperature Diagnosis Method of Transformer Based on Concept Drift
Authors: Zhao Zhibin , Xu Jianfeng , Zang Yanlong , Hu Ran
Published: July 2021

The diagnosis of abnormal transformer oil temperature is of great significance to guarantee the normal operation of the transformer. Due to concept drift, the oil temperature abnormal diagnosis of the oil-immersed main power transformer is usually unstable via the classic data mining method. Thus, this paper proposes an adaptive abnormal oil temperature diagnosis method (AAOTD) of the transformer based on concept drift. First, the bagging ensemble learning method was used to predict the oil temperature. Then, abnormal diagnosis was performed based on the difference between the predicted oil temperature and the actual measured oil temperature. At the same time, based on the concept drift detection strategy and Adaboost ensemble learning methods, adaptive update of the base classifier in the abnormal diagnosis model was realized. Experiments validated that the algorithm proposed in this paper can significantly reduce the influence of concept drift and has higher oil temperature prediction accuracy. Furthermore, since this method only utilizes the existing power grid data resources to realize abnormal oil temperature diagnosis without extra monitoring equipment, it is an economic and efficient solution for practical scenarios in the electric power industry.
Theoretical Modeling of Piezoelectric Cantilever MEMS Loudspeakers
Authors: Liu Wei , Huang Jie , Shen Yong , Cheng Jiazheng
Published: July 2021

Piezoelectric microelectromechanical system (MEMS) loudspeakers have received extensive attention in recent years. In particular, the piezoelectric cantilever MEMS loudspeaker, which uses multilayer piezoelectric cantilever actuators (MPCAs), has attracted attention because of its small size, low cost, ease of manufacture, and desirable piston movement. However, owing to the complex driving principles of MPCAs, no adequately efficient and appropriate method currently exists that can be used to analyze and predict the performance of piezoelectric cantilever MEMS loudspeakers. In this study, the equivalent circuit method (ECM) is adopted to theoretically model piezoelectric cantilever MEMS loudspeakers, and an ECM model with a special MPCA transformer for electromechanical conversion is proposed. With the proposed ECM model, the performance characteristics of piezoelectric cantilever MEMS loudspeakers, such as the displacement and sound pressure response, can be calculated efficiently and conveniently. To verify the accuracy of the ECM model, the finite element method is adopted for simulation, and the simulated results are compared with those of the ECM models. A satisfactory agreement was found, which verifies the accuracy of the proposed ECM model.
Thermal Characteristics and Parametric Analysis of an Improved Solar Wall
Authors: Zhao Xi , Zhu Jiayin , Li Ruixin , Li Weilin , Chen Bin
Published: July 2021

Solar air collectors installed on buildings can significantly reduce conventional energy consumption in winter and summer. However, some problems arise in the utilization process, such as overheating, inconvenient operation control and low energy efficiency, etc. This work is a parametric analysis focusing on the automatic control and thermal efficiency improvement of the solar wall. An improved color-changing solar wall integrated with automatic control components, such as a photoelectric fan and temperature-controlled damper, was proposed in this paper. Based on the experimental data, the average daily heat output of the color-changing solar wall is 1.08 MJ per unit floor area on clear days in winter and the average thermal efficiency is 56.8%. Meanwhile, a quantitative analysis was carried out based on monitoring experiments for evaluating the thermal characteristic of automatic control components. Furthermore, in order to improve the thermal performance of the solar wall, parametric analysis was performed by numerical simulation. Results from this paper can provide a theoretical basis for the application of solar air collectors in modern buildings.
Investigating the Attitudes of First-Year Students of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports of Galati towards Online Teaching Activities during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Mocanu George Danut , Murariu Gabriel , Georgescu Lucian , Sandu Ion
Published: July 2021

The paper identifies the perceptions of first-year undergraduate students from the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports in Galati on online teaching activities, dominant and needful in the current pandemic context. The questionnaire used contains 23 items and was structured based on four distinctive factors, namely attractiveness, accessibility, motivation and efficiency; it was applied after the winter session of the academic year 2020–2021. The values of the internal consistency coefficient Cronbach’s alpha indicate for the four mentioned factors a high fidelity for the measurements of the investigated features. The results of the 147 completed questionnaires allowed the definition of the independent variables sex (boys and girls) and environment of origin (rural and urban) the identification of their influence on the scores of each item (dependent variables) by using the statistical technique MANOVA (multivariate and univariate analysis), besides the values of F and the corresponding significance thresholds; the magnitude of the effect, expressed by partial eta squared (η2p), was also calculated. Even if the averages of item scores differ between sexes and backgrounds, the differences noted are in few cases significant: attractiveness and socialization for those in urban areas; participation in activities and effective involvement for girls; technical deficiencies, platform logging and weak computer skills for those in rural areas; and an increase in free time for girls and students in urban areas. The study undertaken allows the identification of the favorable aspects and the shortcomings of online teaching activities, these being the premises for optimizing the teaching process in the following stages.
Analysis of Permanent Magnet Motors in High Frequency—A Review
Authors: Moreno Yerai , Almandoz Gaizka , Egea Aritz , Arribas Beñat , Urdangarin Ander
Published: July 2021

Electric drives consume a great amount of the world’s energy, and it will keep increasing due to the electromobility trend. Thus, the efficiency of electric drives must be improved to reach the desired sustainability goal. The Silicon Carbide devices contribute to this objective due to their high working frequency and lower switching losses. However, working at higher frequencies may bring serious Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) problems, as well as insulation stress and higher bearing currents. Hence, it is important to have an electrical machine electrical equivalent circuit model to predict the electromagnetic interference levels. This review summarizes the current state of the art in electrical machine modeling and analysis in high frequency. The main analysis tools as Finite Element Methods, analytic and measurement-based tools are compared in their application on high-frequency electrical machine analysis. Then, different machine high-frequency models are reported, detailing their individual features. Additionally, the influence of the machine design parameters in EMC behavior is outlined for future analysis. All in all, Finite Element analysis is the most accurate tool for high-frequency analysis, provided that mesh size is thinner than the skin depth. It is also concluded that the winding placement is an essential parameter to define the high-frequency behavior of the machine.