bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Terminal drought effect on sugar partitioning and metabolism is modulated by leaf stay-green and panicle size in the stem of sweet sorghum (
Sorghum bicolor
L. Moench)
Authors: Tovignan Thierry Klanvi , Adoukonou-Sagbadja Hubert , Diatta Cyril , Clément-Vidal Anne , Soutiras Armelle , Cisse Ndiaga , Luquet Delphine
Published: June 2020

Background

The benefits of leaf stay-green for maintaining grain filling in sorghum under drought was largely demonstrated. However, its role in the stability of a dual production (grain, stem sugar) in tall sweet sorghum remains to be elucidated. This study aimed to analyze the impact of a post-anthesis drought on sugar accumulation along stem internodes in sweet and tall West-African sorghum with variable leaf stay-green and grain yield abilities.

Methods

Four accessions with similar phenology were studied in two consecutive years in the field at the National Agronomic Research Centre (CNRA) of Bambey (Senegal, West Africa) under two post-anthesis water treatments (irrigated, non-irrigated). Plant morphology, stem sugar related traits, grain production, and plant leaf area (PLA) variation were assessed. Carbohydrate contents (sucrose, hexoses, starch) were determined during grain filling in the whole stem juice and at three internode levels: bottom, median, top. Analysis of variance was performed to test post-anthesis water treatment, accession, organ, year effects and their interactions on the studied traits.

Results

Panicle dry weight (PDW) was not affected by drought, but strongly varied among years and accessions. The PDW/PLA ratio was negatively correlated with the variation of sucrose and hexoses at the three internodes levels. This carbohydrates reduction was mainly influenced by the PDW. The bigger the panicle the higher the carbohydrates remobilization from the stem to panicle for grain filling. This was mainly shown on accessions G3 and G11 which exhibited low stay green ability. However, G10 with low PDW/PLA ratio and showing higher stay green ability, exhibited a low reduction of total soluble sugars and sucrose and inversely higher increase of hexoses mainly at the median internode.

Conclusions

This ability to better maintain green leaf area and high hexoses in the stem under post-flowering drought could be an osmoregulation mechanism to adapt to drought. Therefore, stay-green is an important trait to consider for sweet sorghum breeding and particularly in the objective of developing dual purpose varieties in drought prone environments.
Serum Detection of Nonadherence to Adjuvant Tamoxifen and Breast Cancer Recurrence Risk
Authors: Pistilli Barbara , Paci Angelo , Ferreira Arlindo R. , Di Meglio Antonio , Poinsignon Vianney , Bardet Aurelie , Menvielle Gwenn , Dumas Agnes , Pinto Sandrine , Dauchy Sarah , Fasse Leonor , Cottu Paul H. , Lerebours Florence , Coutant Charles , Lesur Anne , Tredan Olivier , Soulie Patrick , Vanlemmens Laurence , Jouannaud Christelle , Levy Christelle , Everhard Sibille , Arveux Patrick , Martin Anne Laure , Dima Alexandra , Lin Nancy U. , Partridge Ann H. , Delaloge Suzette , Michiels Stefan , André Fabrice , Vaz-Luis Ines
Published: June 2020

PURPOSE

Nonadherence to long-term treatments is often under-recognized by physicians and there is no gold standard for its assessment. In breast cancer, nonadherence to tamoxifen therapy after surgery constitutes a major obstacle to optimal outcomes. We sought to evaluate the rate of biochemical nonadherence to adjuvant tamoxifen using serum assessment and to examine its effects on short-term, distant disease-free survival (DDFS).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We studied 1,177 premenopausal women enrolled in a large prospective study (CANTO/NCT01993498). Definition of biochemical nonadherence was based on a tamoxifen serum level < 60 ng/mL, assessed 1 year after prescription. Self-reported nonadherence to tamoxifen therapy was collected at the same time through semistructured interviews. Survival analyses were conducted using an inverse probability weighted Cox proportional hazards model, using a propensity score based on age, staging, surgery, chemotherapy, and center size.

RESULTS

Serum assessment of tamoxifen identified 16.0% of patients (n = 188) below the set adherence threshold. Patient-reported rate of nonadherence was lower (12.3%). Of 188 patients who did not adhere to the tamoxifen prescription, 55% self-reported adherence to tamoxifen. After a median follow-up of 24.2 months since tamoxifen serum assessment, patients who were biochemically nonadherent had significantly shorter DDFS (for distant recurrence or death, adjusted hazard ratio, 2.31; 95% CI, 1.05 to 5.06; P = .036), with 89.5% of patients alive without distant recurrence at 3 years in the nonadherent cohort versus 95.4% in the adherent cohort.

CONCLUSION

Therapeutic drug monitoring may be a useful method to promptly identify patients who do not take adjuvant tamoxifen as prescribed and are at risk for poorer outcomes. Targeted interventions facilitating patient adherence are needed and have the potential to improve short-term breast cancer outcomes.
Engineering the Ovarian Hormones Inhibin A and Inhibin B to Enhance Synthesis and Activity
Authors: Goney Monica P , Wilce Matthew C J , Wilce Jacqueline A , Stocker William A , Goodchild Georgia M , Chan Karen L , Harrison Craig A , Walton Kelly L
Published: June 2020

Ovarian-derived inhibin A and inhibin B (heterodimers of common α- and differing β-subunits) are secreted throughout the menstrual cycle in a discordant pattern, with smaller follicles producing inhibin B, whereas the dominant follicle and corpus luteum produce inhibin A. The classical function for endocrine inhibins is to block signalling by activins (homodimers of β-subunits) in gonadotrope cells of the anterior pituitary and, thereby, inhibit the synthesis of FSH. Whether inhibin A and inhibin B have additional physiological functions is unknown, primarily because producing sufficient quantities of purified inhibins, in the absence of contaminating activins, for preclinical studies has proven extremely difficult. Here, we describe novel methodology to enhance inhibin A and inhibin B activity and to produce these ligands free of contaminating activins. Using computational modeling and targeted mutagenesis, we identified a point mutation in the activin β A-subunit, A347H, which completely disrupted activin dimerization and activity. Importantly, this β A-subunit mutation had minimal effect on inhibin A bioactivity. Mutation of the corresponding residue in the inhibin β B-subunit, G329E, similarly disrupted activin B synthesis/activity without affecting inhibin B production. Subsequently, we enhanced inhibin A potency by modifying the binding site for its co-receptor, betaglycan. Introducing a point mutation into the α-subunit (S344I) increased inhibin A potency ~12-fold. This study has identified a means to eliminate activin A/B interference during inhibin A/B production, and has facilitated the generation of potent inhibin A and inhibin B agonists for physiological exploration.
Ciliogenesis and Hedgehog signalling are suppressed downstream of KRAS during acinar-ductal metaplasia in mouse
Authors: Bangs Fiona K. , Miller Paul , O'Neill Eric
Published: June 2020

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, but has a 5-year survival rate of only 7% primarily due to late diagnosis and ineffective therapies. To treat or even prevent PDAC, it is vital that we understand the initiating events that lead to tumour onset. PDAC develops from preneoplastic lesions, most commonly pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias (PanINs), driven by constitutive activation of KRAS. In patients, PanINs are associated with regions of acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM) where, in response to inflammation, acini dedifferentiate to a pancreatic progenitor-like fate. In healthy tissue this process is reversible leading to regeneration of the pancreas; however, in the presence of oncogenic KRAS, regeneration is blocked and ADM can give rise to PanIN lesions. Here, we used a 3D mouse acinar culture that recapitulates ADM in vitro to explore how KRAS prevents regeneration. Regeneration is regulated by Hedgehog (Hh) signalling, which is transduced via the primary cilium. In wild-type acini, cilia assemble upon ADM and Hh target gene expression is upregulated; however, ciliogenesis and Hh signalling are suppressed during ADM in cells expressing oncogenic KRAS. We show that ciliogenesis fails due to ectopic activation of the cilium disassembly pathway, which is mediated by AurkA, a direct transcriptional target of KRAS. Inhibition of AurkA is able to rescue primary cilia and restore Hh signalling. We suggest that this could be used as a mechanism to prevent the formation of early lesions and thereby prevent progression to PDAC.
THE PEDIATRIC INACTIVITY TRIAD: A TRIPLE JEOPARDY FOR MODERN DAY YOUTH
Authors: Faigenbaum Avery D. , MacDonald James P. , Carvalho Carlos , Rebullido Tamara Rial
Published: June 2020

Apply It!

• A majority of youth worldwide do not accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily.

• The pediatric inactivity triad is a novel construct that consists of three interrelated determinants, namely, exercise deficit disorder, pediatric dynapenia, and physical illiteracy, that drive physical inactivity in youth.

• Developmentally appropriate and inherently enjoyable exercise interventions are needed to move inactive youth toward the pediatric activity triad.

• Youth fitness specialists who understand the science of pediatric exercise as well as the art of designing youth fitness programs are more likely to be successful.
18FDG-PET/CT findings in COVID-19: a single centre retrospective radiological review
Authors: Charters Pia F. P. , Little David , Rodrigues Jonathan C. L. , Graham Richard N , Redman Stewart L
Published: June 2020

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes the infectious disease COVID-19, was declared a global pandemic in March 2020. As radiology departments recommence 18FDG-PET/CT imaging, it is likely that both asymptomatic and specific symptomatic patients with COVID-19 infection will be imaged, particularly if the disease becomes endemic in the UK. We review the clinical scenarios where 18FDG-PET/CT could be performed in COVID-19 positive patients. Our local protocol for safely scanning known COVID-19 positive patients is described, highlighting considerations for other departments.

We present the findings from a series of known COVID-19 positive patients and two further asymptomatic cases evaluated with18FDG-PET/CT. Classic, indeterminate, normal and non-COVID-19 manifestations on both the 18FDG-PETand low dose CT component are described as an aid for radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians when reporting 18FDG PET/CT.
Restrição de contato social e saúde mental na pandemia: possíveis impactos das condicionantes sociais
Authors: Garrido Rodrigo Grazinoli , Rodrigues Rafael Coelho
Published: June 2020

Objetivo: analisar os impactos das condicionantes sociais preexistentes no Brasil sobre a saúde mental em condições de restrição de contato interpessoal pela pandemia de COVID-19. Método: pesquisa exploratória por meio de documentação indireta de fontes secundárias e primárias. Resultados: a pandemia de COVID-19 demandou medidas de restrição de contato social, gerando dilemas éticos, legais e econômicos. Essas restrições, contrariamente, podem atuar negativamente sobre a saúde individual, em especial a mental. Assumindo que a saúde não se restringe a parâmetros biomédicos, os condicionantes sociais assumem importante papel. Esses parâmetros ficam evidentes em países como o Brasil, em que a estrutura social é perversa e a desigualdade flagrante. Essa estrutura dificulta a adequação às normas preventivas da COVID-19 e atua sinergicamente às condicionantes sociais pré-pandêmicas interferindo decisivamente, na saúde mental. Considerações finais: é esperado que as mudanças repentinas e compulsórias, bem como as incertezas com o futuro acarretem sofrimento mental, devendo-se atentar para possíveis adoecimentos. Já se verifica agravamento de alguns estados psicopatológicos e aumento no consumo de álcool e drogas. Por fim, ficou evidente que a pandemia não só afastou pessoas, mas potencializou a distância preexistente para aqueles mais vulneráveis, agravando as condicionantes sociais de saúde.
Psychosociology of Addiction and Rehabilitation: Construction of a Psychometric Instrument for screening problem and pathological gambling
Authors: Charonitaki Aikaterini , Zhuravliova Irina , Koskinas Konstantinos
Published: June 2020

Gambling and gambling disorders have received solicitous attention by clinicians and researchers during the past three decades. The majority of existing psychometric instruments relevant to problem gambling are based on the clinical evaluation of symptomatology. The aim of this study was the development and evaluation of a self report instrument that comprehends elements based on three main factors: a. psychological, b. biological, c. sociological. In the first phase of this research, structured and semi-structured interview was conducted in 16 individuals. In the second phase, a pilot inventory that consisted of 227 items, was administered in 91 individuals of general population. In the last phase of this study participated 200 individuals from the community and completed the short form of the inventory that included 148 items. Factor analysis was conducted in all items and 115 statistically significant questions were derived which comprise the final form. The present instrument, which has demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties, provides a first step in self evaluation of problem and pathological gambling in Greece and aims at effective counseling in order to reduce or even prevent addictive gambling behaviors.
Hybrid neighborhoods: From sandlots to social media
Authors: Karras Dimitris , Koletsi Maria , Vagias Georgios
Published: June 2020

The rapid development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) along with the mass urbanization phenomenon have led to dramatic changes in the ways people create social bonds, form and understand communities and act collectively towards common goals. One important change is that locality and distance is no longer perceived as a key prerequisite for the development of social bonds. Local communities, traditionally based on social grouping by physical proximity, have been seriously affected by technological media (social media and applications). Socio-psychological research shows that the major impact of technology-based communication is the transformation of social bonds between members of local communities and the social capital they accumulate. Within this framework, the research project “GEITONIA” has a dual scope. On a theoretical level, to shed more light on the different ways and degrees local communities use social media and applications in everyday life. On an empirical level, to examine if and in what ways a local social medium mobile application, developed for neighborhoods, can help the understanding of the sense of community and re-strengthen the social cohesion among its members. The article is an attempt to provide a quick glance on the key concepts and theoretical background on which the research project is based.
Digital pedagogies and biotechnical realities: Education and life after the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Brailas Alexios
Published: June 2020

What would have taken years to change in the world we knew, took just a few months during a global pandemic. Millions of teachers, therapists, and other practitioners around the world whose work requires direct contact with people, dived into every synchronous and asynchronous platform they could find. They had to in order to continue their work with students or clients, to maintain connections, to empower people during the crisis, to ensure that nobody felt alone, to protect and strengthen life, and to resist a vicious invisible threat. All these practitioners struggled to ensure physical distancing did not result in social or emotional distancing, and managed to do so through web technologies and digital media. The social pattern of life, the very pattern that allowed coronavirus to threaten humanity, is the same pattern helped maintain life during lockdown by taking advantage of digital media.
Building a global policy agenda to prioritize preterm birth: A qualitative analysis on factors shaping global health policymaking
Authors: Kassabian Sara , Fewer Sara , Yamey Gavin , Brindis Claire D.
Published: June 2020

Background: Preterm birth, defined as infants born before 37 weeks of gestation, is the largest contributor to child mortality. Despite new evidence highlighting the global burden of prematurity, policymakers have failed to adequately prioritize preterm birth despite the magnitude of its health impacts. Given current levels of political attention and investment, it is unlikely that the global community will be adequately mobilized to meet the 2012 Born Too Soon report goal of reducing the preterm birth rate by 50% by 2025.

Methods: This study adapts the Shiffman and Smith framework for political priority to examine four components contributing to policy action in global health: actor power, ideas, political context, and issue characteristics. We conducted key informant interviews with 18 experts in prematurity and reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) and reviewed key literature on preterm birth. We aimed to identify the factors that shape the global political priority of preterm birth and to describe policy opportunities to increase its priority moving forward.

Results: The global preterm birth community (academic researchers, multilateral organizations, government agencies, and civil society organizations) lacks evidence about the causes of and solutions to preterm birth; and country-level data quality is poor with gaps in the understanding required for implementing effective interventions. Limited funding compounds these challenges, creating divisions among experts on what policy actions to recommend. These factors contribute to the lack of priority and underrepresentation of preterm birth within the larger RMNCH agenda.

Conclusion: Increasing the political priority of prematurity is essential to reduce preventable newborn and child mortality, a key target of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal for health (target 3.2). This study identifies three policy recommendations for the preterm birth community: address data and evidence gaps, clarify and invest in viable solutions, and bring visibility to prematurity within the larger RMNCH agendas.
Heterogeneity, Compliance and Enforcement of Public International Law Remarks on Sanctions and Countermeasures
Authors: Menkes Jerzy , Kociołek-Pęksa Anna
Published: June 2020

This paper discusses issues with law enforcement and compliance in the area of public international law. It presents the conditions affecting the quality of the application of legal norms of public international law. Analysis of the problem is multifactorial. While presenting the law enforcement process, attention is drawn to the question of the standards of execution of international legal norms that run contrary to national law. This phenomenon has been identified as and called by the authors “discovering law (legal norms) through sanctions”. The main issue concerns theoretical and legal philosophical issues: the legal responsibility of states, coercive measures against states, sanctions and countermeasures in public international law and in international relations. The authors critinstitutionalization and heterogenity of public international lawicize the contemporary model of the legal responsibility of states, pointing to a feedback loop between the concept of sanctions and the principle of the sovereigntyof a state. Homogenization and globalization processes overlap only slightly in public international law. Also, institutionalization and constitutionalization have slowed. We argue that the PIL system is threatened by the effects of sui generis rejection of legal norms by a state in relation to certain countries while claiming that these legal norms apply to other countries. The system is also under threat by the effects of strong nationalist tendencies among PMP actors, as well as the international community itself. The conclusion and recommendation of the authors suggest that the lack of analysis of socio-legal publicinternational law is undesirable and harmful to that area of law. We claim that itnegatively affects macro-social efficiency and, above all, the supranational and interstate (intergovernmental) level of effectiveness. It impairs the process of institutionalization of public international law and hinders the process of socialization, sensu largissimo.
On The Role of Anti-globalist and Anti-European Attitudes in Extreme Right Ideology
Authors: Kałabunowska Agata
Published: June 2020

This paper aims at analysing attitudes towards globalization processes and the European Union among five German political groups commonly categorized as extreme or radical right. It tries to answer research questions focusing on the role of anti-globalist and anti-European attitudes in the wider radical right ideology. The presented research follows Michael Freeden’s morphological approach to studying ideologies, with an attempt at finding the precise location of anti-globalist attitudes in the ideological structure of the political thought ofthe radical right. The author concludes that neither an anti-globalism nor ananti-European stance belong to the core of this ideology, but they rather play a secondary role.
Survival Strategies of Nigerian Victims of Trafficking in Paris
Authors: Zamorano Valeria
Published: June 2020

Trafficking in persons for the purpose of sexual exploitation of Nigerian women in France is a phenomenon addressed by the abolitionist movement and national security policies. Both currents have created the category of ideal victim, generating that many Nigerian women have been expelled from the country as illegal migrants or prostitutes guilty of pimping. In this way, this paper presents the difficulties that Nigerian women face and the strategies they develop to remain in France. At the same time, I present my results of an investigation into the racialization interactions and processes that occur within a social assistance association for Nigerian women in situations of sexual exploitation. In conclusion, Nigerian women are not defined based on their trajectories or the identities they build, but instead categories defined by the public policies of victims, pimps and illegal migrants are imposed.
The Revival of Dutch Nationalist Narratives as a Threat to European Identity
Authors: Menagie Kevin
Published: June 2020

This article analyses the impact of a recent revival of nationalist narratives in The Netherlands on the issue of European identity. In the past decade, a sensitive and very salient debate has risen around the controversial figure of Zwarte Piet, part of a popular national festival called Sinterklaas. The article explains the nature of this tradition and elaborates on the development of the public debate on the topic. By analysing the defensive reaction towards criticism from Dutch action groups, the European Parliament and the United Nations, the article intends to expose an emphasis on nationalist arguments and invented traditions. It is often argued that the debate has already led to an increase in polarization in the country itself, but the article shows that it could also potentially function as a threat to European identity.
Welfare, but Only for Us?
Authors: Jusko Jakub
Published: June 2020

Welfare, but Only for Us? Randomized Survey Experiment on Welfare Chauvinism Conducted on Students in Brno

The immigrants’ rights to welfare benefits have been heavily discussed in European Union member states recently. This study focuses on general opposition to those rights, welfare chauvinism, and its potential existence in the country with essentially no immigration issues – the Czech Republic. Using a survey experiment on students of Masaryk University in Brno, a change in the attitudes towards the child benefits (as one aspect of social benefits) was observed right after they were reminded that also immigrants from other countries have accessto those benefits. The effect of persuasive argument was stronger in the case of Bulgarian rather than German immigrants, which could imply Czechs perceive Germans more positively than they do Bulgarians, and they behave less chauvinistically towards them in comparison to citizens of Bulgaria.
Core Nonemptiness of Stratified Pooling Games: A Structured Markov Decision Process Approach
Authors: Schlicher Loe , Slikker Marco , van Jaarsveld Willem , van Houtum Geert-Jan
Published: June 2020

We study several service providers that keep spare parts in stock to protect for downtime of their high-tech machines and that face different downtime costs per stockout. Service providers can cooperate by forming a joint spare parts pool, and we study the allocation of the joint costs to the individual service providers by studying an associated cooperative game. In extant literature, the joint spare parts pool is typically controlled by a suboptimal full-pooling policy. A full-pooling policy may lead to an empty core of the associated cooperative game, and we show this result in our setting as well. We then focus on situations where service providers apply an optimal policy: a stratification that determines, depending on the real-time on-hand inventory, which service providers may take parts from the pool. We formulate the associated stratified pooling game by defining each coalitional value in terms of the minimal long-run average costs of a Markov decision process. We present a proof demonstrating that stratified pooling games always have a nonempty core. This five-step proof is of interest in itself, because it may be more generally applicable for other cooperative games where coalitional values can be defined in terms of Markov decision processes.
Decision Making When Things Are Only a Matter of Time
Authors: Ebert Sebastian
Published: June 2020

Suppose that “risk” does not concern “what” may happen but “when” something may happen. In “Decision making when things are only a matter of time,” Sebastian Ebert analyzes time risk preferences: that is, preferences toward the risk of something happening sooner or later. The author defines and characterizes “prudence” and “temperance” for discount functions in analogy to the corresponding concepts for utility functions. Prudent discounting and temperate discounting matter for time risk preferences and thus, decisions in which an important event is only a matter of time. For example, the disutility from climate change—which is only a matter of time—is underestimated when ignoring the uncertainty about when its undesired consequences come into effect.
Healthy rabbits and communicating with owners
Authors: Speight Claire
Published: June 2020

Rabbits need species-specific care, in order to meet their health, welfare and behavioural needs. Preventative health care is imperative to help keep rabbits healthy. Advice needs to be given to owners on their rabbit's dietary requirements, and why hay and grass is imperative as the bulk of their diet. Vaccinations to help prevent myxomatosis and rabbit viral haemorrhagic disease (RVHD1 and RVHD2) should be advised for all rabbits, including house rabbits. Rabbits require adequate space and the companionship of another rabbit to live a good quality life. They should have access to an exercise area, and have the choice of where to spend their time, without the need to be picked up and moved from a hutch to a run.

Many owners will look to veterinary nurses for current advice, and it is important that nurses feel confident in offering the most up-to-date information. At times, it may be that owners need to make changes to the way they care for their rabbits, and being confident in explaining why these need to be implemented, and the positive effects these will have on the rabbit's life, is vital.
Impact of Wild Blueberry Fruit Characteristics and Machine Parameters on Performance of a Mechanical Harvester: Basis for Automation
Authors: Zaman Qamar U , Jameel Muhammad W , Farooque Aitazaz A , Esau Travis J , Schumann Arnold W
Published: June 2020

Highlights

Automated harvesting of wild blueberry can decrease cost of production.

Ground speed and header RPM of a wild blueberry harvester have been evaluated for efficiency.

Increased harvestable yield will generate more revenue for wild blueberry growers.

This study suggests automation of the wild blueberry harvester to improve harvest efficiency.

Abstract. Mechanical harvesting of wild blueberries results in fruit losses during manual adjustment of harvester’s operations in fields of variable fruit characteristics (fruit yield, fruit zone, and fruit diameter). This study examined the impact of fruit characteristics and machine operating parameters including harvester ground speed (1.2, 1.6, and 2.0 km h-1) and header revolutions per minute (26, 28, and 30 rpm) on berry losses. Fruit characteristics were classified into two categories; i.e., fruit zone (LFZ: low fruit zone - average plant height = 17 cm and HFZ; high fruit zone - average plant height > 17 cm) and fruit yield (LFY; low fruit yield - average yield = 3000 kg ha-1 and HFY; high fruit yield - average yield > 3000 kg ha-1). Experimental treatments (ground speed × RPM: 3×3) were randomly replicated thrice under factorial design in four fields at each combination of fruit characteristics (LFZ-LFY, LFZ-HFY, HFZ-LFY, and HFZ-HFY). The fruit diameter was used as a co-variate in this study. With moderate to high variability in fruit characteristics and berry losses within the selected fields, the picking performance of the tested harvester was better in the high fruit zone irrespective of fruit yield at all treatment combinations of ground speed and header rpm. There were lesser fruit losses in high yielding areas at the lowest ground speed and header rpm. The harvester’s picking performance was better in high fruit zone areas at a traditional head height of up to 10 cm above ground. However, 5%-15% variations in fruit zone reduced berry picking efficiency at a constant head height. It is concluded that the selection of an ideal combination of harvester ground speed and header rpm based on crop variations in blueberry fields can minimize berry losses during harvesting. The findings of this study would suggest that automation of the tested wild blueberry harvester could improve harvest efficiency Keywords: Automation, Fruit losses, Mechanical harvester, Operational settings, Wild blueberry.
Stress-Free Detection Technologies for Pig Growth Based on Welfare Farming: A Review
Authors: Yuan Feiyan , Zhang Hang , Liu Tonghai
Published: June 2020

Abstract. The detection of pig growth and monitoring of abnormal behaviors are key steps in pig breeding management. Using conventional methods to obtain information on growth and abnormal behavior causes stress to pigs, directly affects the number of live pigs for market, and decreases the quality of the pork. Moreover, this approach requires considerable labor, reduces economic returns, and does not meet the requirements of high-welfare farming. Compared to the conventional methods for obtaining growth parameters and data on abnormal behaviors, modern information technology provides a new method for stress-free growth detection and behavior monitoring in farmed pigs. This article first summarizes the importance of body size, body mass, and abnormal behaviors as well as the correlations among these factors. For the research on growth detection and behavior monitoring based on computer vision, radio frequency identification (RFID) and sensor technology, methods of detecting increases in body size and body mass and methods of monitoring abnormal behaviors are summarized separately. Through computer-computer vision technology, we found that the data sampling for growth and abnormal behaviors of the pigs was achieved without contact monitoring but, rather, occurred at the expense of complex data calculation and a higher illumination requirement during data collection. However, with the development of depth camera technology and improved product performance, technology based on high-precision depth cameras reduces the amount of data processing and complexity, making it possible to obtain real-time data on pig growth and abnormal behaviors. Moreover, with the advantages of no contact and no stress, the method conforms to the requirements of welfare farming. Keywords: Abnormal behaviors, Stress-free detection, Welfare farming.
Development and Testing of a Low-Cost Portable Apparent Soil Electrical Conductivity Sensor Using a Beaglebone Black
Authors: Queiroz Daniel M. , Sousa Emanoel D. T. S. , Lee Won Suk , Schueller John K.
Published: June 2020

Abstract.

The adoption of apparent soil electrical conductivity (soil ECa) sensors has increased in precision agricultural systems, especially in systems pulled by vehicles. This work developed a portable soil sensor for measuring soil ECa that could be used without vehicles in mountainous areas and small farms. The developed system was based on the electrical resistivity method. The system measured the electrical conductivity by applying a square wave signal at frequencies defined by the user. The acquired data were georeferenced using a low-cost global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver. The sensor system was developed using a BeagleBone Black, a low-cost single-board computer. A user interface was developed in C++, and a touch screen with a resolution of 800×480 pixels was used to display the results. This interface performed statistical analysis, and the results were used to guide the user to identify more field locations to be sampled to increase mapping accuracy. The system was tested in a coffee plantation located in a mountainous area and in a sugarcane plantation in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The system worked well in mapping the soil ECa. The apparent soil electrical conductivities measured using frequencies of 10, 20, 30, and 40 Hz were highly correlated. In the sugarcane field that had more variation in soil texture, a greater number of soil properties presented a significant correlation with the soil ECa. Keywords: Electrical conductivity, Geostatistics, Precision agriculture, Soil properties, Soil sensing, Spatial variability.
Wavefront coding with Jacobi–Fourier phase masks for retinal imaging
Authors: Acosta Eva , Olvera-Angeles Miguel , González-Amador Enrique , Sasian J. , Schwiegerling J. , Arines Justo
Published: June 2020

Wavefront coding is a technique that combines optical phase elements and digital signal processing in order to increase the effective depth of focus of optical systems. The success of wavefront coding lies in the design of a suitable phase mask placed at the system’s aperture. This element allows for image formation invariant under the effects of different second-order optical aberrations. In optical systems limited by temporally or spatially varying high-order aberrations, the use of wavefront coding has not been fully demonstrated. Here we propose the choice of Jacobi–Fourier shaped phase masks to produce sharp and clear retinal images of living eyes. To demonstrate the potential use of the technique, we analyze the performance of the Jacobi–Fourier phase masks through experimental simulations to alleviate aberrations for different eye aberrations. We will show that the best mask choice is robust to noise while keeping acceptable resolution and reducing image artefacts.
Efficiently enhancing co-occurring details while avoiding artifacts for light field display
Authors: Wei Jian , Wang Shigang , Zhao Yan , Piao Meilan , Song Chenxi
Published: June 2020

The ability of the human visual system (HVS) to perceive a three-dimensional (3D) image at once is finite, but the detail contrast of the light field display (LFD) is typically degraded during both acquisition and imaging stages. It is consequently difficult for viewers to rapidly find a region of interest from the displayed 3D scene. Existing image detail boosting solutions suffer from noise amplification, over-exaggeration, angular variations, or heavy computational burden. In this paper, we propose a selective enhancement method for the captured light field image (LFI) that empowers an attention-guiding LFD. It is based on the fact that the visually salient details within a LFI normally co-occur frequently in both spatial and angular domains. These co-occurrence statistics are effectively exploited. Experimental results show that the LFDs improved by our efficient method are free of undesirable artifacts and robust to disparity errors while retaining correct parallaxes and occlusion relationships, thus reducing HVS’s efforts to cognitively process 3D images. Our work is, to the best of our knowledge, the first in-depth research on computational and content-aware LFD contrast editing, and is expected to facilitate numerous LFD-based applications.
Model of a tunable hybrid Tamm mode–liquid crystal device
Authors: Pyatnov Maxim V. , Bikbaev Rashid G. , Timofeev Ivan V. , Vetrov Stepan Ya.
Published: June 2020

A concept of an easily tunable device based on hybrid Tamm modes is proposed. The device can be controlled using a high-sensitivity chiral liquid crystal serving as a mirror. The coupling of the chiral optical Tamm state with the Tamm plasmons is predicted. The Tamm plasmons are excited at different frequencies for the orthogonal linear polarizations, while the chiral Tamm state is excited at only one frequency. The properties of the proposed model are analytically and numerically calculated. The possibility of creating a two- and three-mode laser with tunable characteristics on the basis of the proposed model is discussed.
On-demand inkjet-printed microdisk laser with air cladding by liquid flow microetching
Authors: Takagishi Taku , Yoshioka Hiroaki , Mikami Yuya , Oki Yuji
Published: June 2020

We have novelly, to the best of our knowledge, developed the liquid
flow microetching method that can treat a single microdisk in a
microregion with precise position control for inkjet-printed microdisk
lasers. The injection-drain wet etching setup consisted of two
microneedles that successfully performed a formation of a fine
undercut structure of an inkjet-printed microdisk on a pre-pedestal
layer through the individual wet etching process. Then measurement of
the undercut structure using scanning electron microscopy and lasing
characteristics with whispering gallery modes were carried out to
demonstrate performance of the etched microdisks. The measured lasing
threshold decreased by half compared with that of the unetched
microdisk directly printed on a fluorine-type film. A point to note is
that this etching method exhibits an excellent undercut and lasing
characteristics even when using a clad pre-pedestal layer having a
refractive index higher than that of core microdisks. This technique,
combined with inkjet printing, offers a powerful tool for individually
designing a microdisk and can help develop novel devices that comprise
several inkjet-printed microdisks being evanescently coupled.
Machine learning informed predictor importance measures of environmental parameters in maritime optical turbulence
Authors: Jellen Christopher , Burkhardt John , Brownell Cody , Nelson Charles
Published: June 2020

Prediction of the index of refraction structure constant

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in the low-altitude maritime environment is challenging. To improve predictive models, deeper understanding of the relationships between environmental parameters and optical turbulence is required. To that end, a robust data set of

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as well as numerous meteorological parameters were collected over a period of approximately 15 months along the Chesapeake Bay adjacent to the Severn River in Annapolis, Maryland. The goal was to derive new insights into the physical relationships affecting optical turbulence in the near-maritime environment. Using data-driven machine learning feature selection approaches, the relative importance of 12 distinct, measurable environmental parameters was analyzed and evaluated. Random forest nodal purity analysis was the primary machine learning approach to relative importance determination. The relative feature importance results indicated that air temperature and pressure were important parameters in predicting

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in the maritime environment. In addition, the relative importance findings suggest that the air–water temperature difference, temporal hour weight, and time of year, as measured through seasonality, have strong associations with

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and could be included to improve model prediction accuracy.
Stimulated emission assisted time-gated detection of a solid-state spin
Authors: Zhao Bo-Wen , Chen Xiang-Dong , Wang En-Hui , Zheng Yu , Du Bo , Li Shen , Dong Yang , Guo Guang-Can , Sun Fang-Wen
Published: June 2020

The nitrogen vacancy (NV) center in diamond is studied widely for magnetic field and temperature sensing at the nanoscale. Usually, the fluorescence is recorded to estimate the spin state of the NV center. Here we applied a time-gating technique to improve the contrast of the spin-dependent fluorescence. A NIR pulsed laser pumped the stimulated emission of the NV center and depleted the spontaneous emission that was excited by a green laser. We changed the relative delay between the NIR laser and the green laser. Then the spontaneous emission of the NV center in varied time windows was extracted by comparing the fluorescence intensities with and without the NIR laser. The results showed that the spin-dependent fluorescence contrast could be improved by approximately 1.8 times by applying the time gating. The background of the environment was eliminated due to temporal filtering. This work demonstrates that the stimulated emission assisted time-gating technique can be used to improve the performance of an NV center sensor in a noisy environment.
Liquid crystal cell asymmetrically anchored for high transmittance and triggered with a vertical field for fast switching
Authors: Choi Yeongyu , Oh Seung-Won , Choi Tae-Hoon , Sohn Ho-Jin , Do Su-Min , Yoon Tae-Hoon
Published: June 2020

The optical performance of an asymmetrically surface-anchored liquid crystal (LC) cell driven with three-terminal electrodes is demonstrated. The transmittance of an asymmetrically anchored cell is considerably higher than that of a symmetrically anchored cell. However, the slow response of an asymmetrically anchored cell makes its practical application difficult. In this work, we demonstrate that the slowest GTG response time from a high to low grey level in an asymmetrically anchored cell can be reduced to less than 0.7 ms by applying a vertical trigger pulse with three-terminal electrodes while maintaining the high transmittance of an asymmetrically anchored cell.
On the equivalence of speckle contrast-based and diffuse correlation spectroscopy methods in measuring in vivo blood flow
Authors: Murali K. , Nandakumaran A. K. , Varma Hari M.
Published: June 2020

We establish the equivalence between laser speckle contrast-based and diffuse correlation spectroscopy methods in in vivo imaging of blood flow using the Volterra integral equation theory. We further substantiate the need of regularized fitting while employing the multiexposure speckle contrast imaging to recover autocorrelation function.
Robustness of software
Authors: Ladkin Peter Bernard
Published: June 2020

In the English civil court case Bates v Post Office Limited, the properties of the Post Office Horizon transaction-processing system were investigated and argued. Anthony de Garr Robinson QC for the Post Office defined “robustness” of the Horizon software-based system. The concept of robustness was at the core of the defendant’s argument, which was that Horizon was “robust”, if not infallible. This article sets out that the vocabulary deployed by Mr de Garr Robinson is not used in this way in computing, whether or not it is conceptually clear.

Index words: software, electronic documents, electronic evidence, computer evidence, robust
Improved bathymetry leads to 4000 new seamount predictions in the global ocean
Authors: Yesson Chris , Letessier Tom , Nimmo-Smith Alex , Hosegood Phil , Brierley Andrew , Harouin Marie , Proud Roland
Published: June 2020

Seamounts are important marine habitats that are hotpots of species diversity. Relatively shallow peaks, increasedproductivity and offshore locations make seamounts vulnerable to human impact and difficult to protect. Present estimates ofseamount numbers vary from barely 10000 to more than 60000), because locating and identifying them remotely can bedifficult. Seamount locations can be estimated by extracting conical shaped features from bathymetry grids. These predictedseamounts are a useful reference for marine researchers and can help direct exploratory surveys. However, these predictionsare dependent on the quality of the surveys underpinning the bathymetry. Historically, quality has been patchy, but isimproving as mapping efforts step up towards the target of complete seabed coverage by 2030.This study presents an update of seamount predictions based on the most recent SRTM30 global bathymetry. This updatewas prompted by a seamount survey in the British Indian Ocean Territory, where locations of two putative seamounts, basedon several previous global seamount predictions, were visited, but no such features were detected during echosoundersurveys. An examination of Admiralty charts for the area showed that the summits of these putative features had soundingsreporting no bottom detected at this depth where this depth was similar to the seabed reported from the bathymetrygrids: we suspect that these features likely resulted from an initial misreading of the charts. We show that perhaps 15phantom seamount features, derived from a misinterpretation of no-bottom sounding data, persist in current globalbathymetry grids and updated seamount predictions. Overall, we predict 37,889 seamounts, an increase of 4,437 from theprevious prediction derived from an older global bathymetry grid. This increase is due to greater detail in newer bathymetrygrids as acoustic mapping of the seabed expands
El conflicto armado colombiano visto por los escolares
Authors: Arias Gómez Diego
Published: June 2020

El presente escrito realiza un análisis de algunos estudios que abordan el conflicto armado colombiano de las últimas décadas, desde los imaginarios y las representaciones de estudiantes de educación básica, bajo el supuesto que esta mirada permite identificar un campo poco explorado de la dinámica escolar de un fenómeno que lleva varias décadas de vigencia. Para ello, inicialmente, se exponen algunos elementos de carácter histórico sobre la violencia en Colombia, enfatizando en sus periodos en algunas de sus características: desterritorialización, destemporaliza­ción y desubjetivación; seguidamente se muestran algunos trabajos latinoamericanos que tratan de la confluencia de ideas de jóvenes y pasados traumáticos, para confluir en el objetivo del presente texto. En el cierre se hace un balance de la incipiente productividad existente y se señala la importancia de cosechar más este campo de estudio dada su importancia, no solo para comprender el papel de la escuela en este largo periplo de la historia del país, sino para sugerir alternativas pedagógicas con miras a la construcción de justicia social.