bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Breeding Schemes: What Are They, How to Formalize Them, and How to Improve Them?
Authors: Covarrubias-Pazaran Giovanny , Gebeyehu Zelalem , Gemenet Dorcus , Werner Christian , Labroo Marlee , Sirak Solomon , Coaldrake Peter , Rabbi Ismail , Kayondo Siraj Ismail , Parkes Elizabeth , Kanju Edward , Mbanjo Edwige Gaby Nkouaya , Agbona Afolabi , Kulakow Peter , Quinn Michael , Debaene Jan
Published: January 2022

Formalized breeding schemes are a key component of breeding program design and a gateway to conducting plant breeding as a quantitative process. Unfortunately, breeding schemes are rarely defined, expressed in a quantifiable format, or stored in a database. Furthermore, the continuous review and improvement of breeding schemes is not routinely conducted in many breeding programs. Given the rapid development of novel breeding methodologies, it is important to adopt a philosophy of continuous improvement regarding breeding scheme design. Here, we discuss terms and definitions that are relevant to formalizing breeding pipelines, market segments and breeding schemes, and we present a software tool, Breeding Pipeline Manager, that can be used to formalize and continuously improve breeding schemes. In addition, we detail the use of continuous improvement methods and tools such as genetic simulation through a case study in the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Cassava east-Africa pipeline. We successfully deploy these tools and methods to optimize the program size as well as allocation of resources to the number of parents used, number of crosses made, and number of progeny produced. We propose a structured approach to improve breeding schemes which will help to sustain the rates of response to selection and help to deliver better products to farmers and consumers.
The Impact of COVID-19-Related Work Stress on the Mental Health of Primary Healthcare Workers: The Mediating Effects of Social Support and Resilience
Authors: Shi Lu-shao-bo , Xu Richard Huan , Xia Yi , Chen Dong-xue , Wang Dong
Published: January 2022

Objective

The psychological condition of healthcare workers since the COVID-19 pandemic has attracted the attention of many studies. However, few have reported on psychosocial problems of primary healthcare workers in the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to examine the mediating roles of social support and resilience in COVID-19-related work stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Methods

A total of 840 primary healthcare workers in 17 community health centers in Guangzhou, China, were recruited from May to July 2021. Data on demographic characteristics, COVID-19-related work stress, social support, resilience, anxiety and depression were collected. A structural equation model was used for mediation analysis.

Results

More than half of participants reported mild or more severe (at least borderline abnormal) symptoms of anxiety (68.1%) and depression (55.6%). Social support and resilience mediate the association between COVID-19-related work stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression, respectively. Furthermore, the association between work stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression was also mediated by an accumulation of social support and resilience. The indirect effect of COVID-19-related work stress on anxiety and depression through resilience was much greater than other indirect effects.

Conclusion

Anxiety and depression were prevalent among primary healthcare workers. This study highlights the psychological impact of the COVID-19-related psychosocial work environment on primary healthcare workers. There is an urgent need to improve working conditions for primary healthcare workers in the COVID-19 and to implement intervention strategies aimed at increasing individual resilience alongside the establishment of external supportive work environments.
Independent Supported Housing for Non-homeless People With Serious Mental Illness: A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Mötteli Sonja , Adamus Christine , Deb Tim , Fröbel Rahel , Siemerkus Jakob , Richter Dirk , Jäger Matthias
Published: January 2022

Background

Independent supported housing (ISH)—services to support independent housing are recommended by current guidelines. However, there is little evidence of ISH models for non-homeless people with severe mental illness (SMI). The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of ISH by comparing the clinical outcomes of a newly implemented ISH service with regular housing and support services.

Methods

A total of 58 adults with a broad spectrum of mental disorders experiencing housing problems were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (IG) with the possibility to use the ISH service in Zurich providing targeted, individual and flexible support for housing problems or to the control group (CG) with regular housing and support services currently available (trial registration at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03815604).

Results

After 12 months, almost all participants of the IG were able to live independently and need for inpatient treatment could be significantly reduced. Service utilization varied between 2 and 79 h. In the CG, 70% of the participants wanted to join a waiting list for the ISH service. The results indicated that IHS was comparable to regular housing and support services in terms of social inclusion and other social and clinical outcomes such as quality of life, capabilities, needs, mental state and functioning (p's > 0.05). The costs of service utilization were on average 115 Swiss Francs (about 124 USD) per participant per month.

Conclusions

ISH is an effective service in housing rehabilitation in terms of social and clinical outcomes and costs. ISH is strongly preferred by service users. In line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, access to ISH services for non-homeless people with SMI should be improved.

Clinical Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT03815604, December 04, 2019.
RipetaScore: Measuring the Quality, Transparency, and Trustworthiness of a Scientific Work
Authors: Sumner Josh Q. , Vitale Cynthia Hudson , McIntosh Leslie D.
Published: January 2022

A wide array of existing metrics quantifies a scientific paper's prominence or the author's prestige. Many who use these metrics make assumptions that higher citation counts or more public attention must indicate more reliable, better quality science. While current metrics offer valuable insight into scientific publications, they are an inadequate proxy for measuring the quality, transparency, and trustworthiness of published research. Three essential elements to establishing trust in a work include: trust in the paper, trust in the author, and trust in the data. To address these elements in a systematic and automated way, we propose the ripetaScore as a direct measurement of a paper's research practices, professionalism, and reproducibility. Using a sample of our current corpus of academic papers, we demonstrate the ripetaScore's efficacy in determining the quality, transparency, and trustworthiness of an academic work. In this paper, we aim to provide a metric to evaluate scientific reporting quality in terms of transparency and trustworthiness of the research, professionalism, and reproducibility.
Do Robotic Tutors Compromise the Social-Emotional Development of Children?
Authors: Smakman Matthijs H. J. , Konijn Elly A. , Vogt Paul A.
Published: January 2022

Social robots are reported to hold great potential for education. However, both scholars and key stakeholders worry about children’s social-emotional development being compromised. In aiming to provide new insights into the impact that social robots can have on the social-emotional development of children, the current study interviewed teachers who use social robots in their day-to-day educational practice. The results of our interviews with these experienced teachers indicate that the social robots currently used in education pose little threat to the social-emotional development of children. Children with special needs seem to be more sensitive to social-affective bonding with a robot compared to regular children. This bond seems to have positive effects in enabling them to more easily connect with their human peers and teachers. However, when robots are being introduced more regularly, daily, without the involvement of a human teacher, new issues could arise. For now, given the current state of technology and the way social robots are being applied, other (ethical) issues seem to be more urgent, such as privacy, security and the workload of teachers. Future studies should focus on these issues first, to ensure a safe and effective educational environment for both children and teachers.
Farm Level Milk Adulteration: Changes in the Physicochemical Properties of Raw Cow’s Milk after the Addition of Water and NaCl
Authors: Fehér Pindešová Iveta , Fehér Alexander , Prus Piotr , Zajác Peter , Prčík Martin
Published: January 2022

Sustainable food security assumes the elimination of food resources adulteration that is already present on farms. This paper is focused on changes in physical and chemical properties of raw cow’s milk treated by the addition of water and NaCl. The main studied factor is the freezing point of milk, which is strongly influenced by the chosen treatment. Adulteration of milk by water can be detected by the changed freezing point of the milk, but this can be brought within the range of standardized limits by the addition of NaCl. Determining the concentration of chloride ions in milk by the titration method is a proxy for the added NaCl. The analysis of raw cow’s milk from 17 agricultural farms in Southwest Slovakia revealed a negative correlation between the content of chlorides and the freezing point. In another laboratory experiment, the differences in the milk freezing points were statistically significant in the samples treated with different amounts of NaCl. The relationship of chlorides and the freezing point to other milk components (minerals, lipids, proteins, solids-not-fat, lactose, pH, and milk acidity after Soxhlet–Henkel) were analysed, as well. The results showed that the chosen method of chlorides detection to identify the adulteration of milk, by added water and NaCl, was not effective due to the unstable composition of milk and uncertainty in measurements (the coefficient of determination was very low, R2 = 0.3022).
Impact of Diversified Chemical and Biostimulator Protection on Yield, Health Status, Mycotoxin Level, and Economic Profitability in Spring Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Cultivation
Authors: Lozowicka Bozena , Iwaniuk Piotr , Konecki Rafal , Kaczynski Piotr , Kuldybayev Nurlan , Dutbayev Yerlan
Published: January 2022

Biostimulators with chemical protection are a challenge in sustainable agriculture to obtain high yield, healthy, and pesticide-free wheat. The aim of this four-year spring wheat field experiment was to assess the effectivity of using herbicide, mixed fungicides protection, and a humic biostimulator. The following treatments were tested: biostimulator (S), sulfosulfuron (H), H + S, H + propiconazole + cyproconazole/spiroxamin + tebuconazole + triadimenol (H + F1 + F2), and H + F1 + F2 + S. Evaluations of wheat yield and fungal diseases (Septoria tritici blotch, eyespot, sharp eyespot, Fusarium spp.) were performed using visual and qPCR methods. Thirteen mycotoxins were analyzed by LC–MS/MS. Infestations of six weeds were examined visually. Temperatures and precipitation data of the vegetative seasons were monitored. Precipitation most affected the occurrence of leaf diseases despite the same chemical/biostimulator treatments (up to 48% Septoria tritici blotch severity for the S treatment). The highest mean yield was obtained for H + F1 + F2 + S (5.27 t ha−1), while the lowest level of mycotoxins was obtained for H + F1 + F2 (221.68 µg kg−1). For H + S, a greater reduction of mycotoxins was determined compared to the H treatment (27.18%), as well as a higher severity of eyespot (18%) and sharp eyespot (24%). In 2017–2020, the most effective reduction of weed infestation and Fusarium spp. DNA on ears was indicated for H + F1 + F2 (16 g and 0.88 pg g−1 DNA, respectively). The greatest saved production value (196.15€) was determined for H + F1 + F2 + S.
Degradation of Doxycycline, Enrofloxacin, and Sulfamethoxypyridazine under Simulated Sunlight at Different pH Values and Chemical Environments
Authors: Álvarez-Esmorís Cristina , Rodríguez-López Lucia , Fernández-Calviño David , Núñez-Delgado Avelino , Álvarez-Rodríguez Esperanza , Arias-Estévez Manuel
Published: January 2022

In this work, the dissipation of the antibiotics doxycycline (DC) (from the group of tetracyclines), enrofloxacin (ENR) (a fluoroquinolone), and sulfamethoxypyridazine (SMP) (a sulfonamide) is investigated both under simulated sunlight and in the dark, at three different pH (4.0, 5.5, and 7.2), and in the presence of different salts and humic acids. The results indicate that all three antibiotics are very sensitive to photodegradation, and this sensitivity increased with rising pH values, from 4.0 to 7.2. The rise in pH also caused an increase in the degradation kinetic constants and a decrease in the half-lives of antibiotics. In general, the half-lives ranged from a few minutes to 6 h, depending on the pH conditions and the specific antibiotic, and followed the sequence DC > SMP > ENR, although at pH 5.5 the sequence changed to SMP > DC > ENR. After 24 h of simulated sunlight, mineralization was always lower than 10%, although the antibiotic was not quantifiable after the same time of exposure to light (24 h), which indicates that intermediate compounds were generated. The effect of the presence of salts on the dissipation of the three antibiotics was negligible for NaCl and NaNO3, while NaHCO3 did favor the dissipation of DC and ENR. The presence of humic acids showed no effect on the dissipation of SMP, and it only slightly increased the dissipation of DC and ENR. These results may be useful in the assessment of the persistence/degradation of the antibiotics studied when they reach different environmental compartments and may suffer exposure to light under different physicochemical conditions.
Optimization of an Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Method Applied to the Extraction of Flavonoids from Moringa Leaves (Moringa oleífera Lam.)
Authors: Yerena-Prieto Beatriz Juliana , Gonzalez-Gonzalez Monserrat , Vázquez-Espinosa Mercedes , González-de-Peredo Ana Velasco , García-Alvarado Miguel Ángel , Palma Miguel , Rodríguez-Jimenes Guadalupe del Carmen , Barbero Gerardo Fernández
Published: January 2022

Interest in phenolic compounds has recently increased due to their potential as antioxidant agents. Moringa leaves (Moringa oleifera) have a high content of phenolic compounds, which presents them as a promising source for the extraction of these compounds. However, it is necessary to use analytical techniques to identify and quantify their actual compound content to determine the quality of the raw material and the potential of the final product. Ultrasound assisted extraction is a green, rapid and environmentally friendly extraction technique that produces high quality extracts from natural products. Hence, the aim of this research is to optimize the variables of the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) process for the extraction of moringa leaves using response surface methodology (RSM) to extract the main flavonoids using methanol as the extraction solvent. A Box–Behnken design (BBD) has been used to evaluate the effect of the ultrasound extraction process variables. Finally, the optimal extraction time in the range between 2 and 30 min was determined. The results revealed that the methanol concentration was the most influential variable. The optimal extraction time was established at 15 min. Six of the main flavonoids were quantified by UHPLC-DAD and identified by UHPLC-QToF-MS. The results confirmed that UAE is an efficient method for the extraction and subsequent analysis and quality control of the flavonoids that can be found in moringa leaves.
Livelihood Diversification Helps Herder Households on the Mongolian Plateau Reduce Emissions: A Case Study of a Typical Pastoral Area
Authors: Li Zhidong , Liu Moucheng
Published: January 2022

Environmental issues caused by energy consumption have become increasingly prominent in recent years. In some ecologically vulnerable areas of developing countries, the negative environmental effects caused by farmers’ household energy consumption are closely related to the local (and even global) ecological environment and human health. Taking a typical ecologically vulnerable area of the Mongolian Plateau as an example, we combined a regression model, energy popularity rate, and average energy consumption to explore the impact of livelihood diversification on herder households’ energy consumption structures. We also attempted to quantify the environmental effects of the energy transition in terms of greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions. The findings show that the average consumption of livestock dung, gasoline, coal, liquefied gas, solar, and wind of livelihood diversification households (LDHs) is lower than that of pure herder households (PHHs), whereas the average consumption of electricity is higher than that of PHHs. As a result, the average emission of CO2 by LDHs is 5.14 t/a lower than that of PHHs. And compared with PHHs, the average emission reductions of air pollutants by LDHs are ranked as follows: CO: 153.20 kg/a, PM10: 36.56 kg/a (including PM2.5: 32.94 kg/a), VOCs: 12.47 kg/a, SO2: 3.14 kg/a, and NOx: 3.06 kg/a. Therefore, livelihood diversification can help herder households on the Mongolian Plateau reduce emissions through energy consumption transitions. Strengthening education (especially language education) can help herder households engage in livelihood diversification. This study provides a scientific means for ecologically vulnerable areas in developing countries to resolve conflicts between farming households’ energy consumption and the environment.
Current Skills of Students and Their Expected Future Training Needs on Precision Agriculture: Evidence from Euro-Mediterranean Higher Education Institutes
Authors: Bournaris Thomas , Correia Manuela , Guadagni Alessandro , Karouta Jeremy , Krus Anne , Lombardo Stefania , Lazaridou Dimitra , Loizou Efstratios , Marques da Silva José Rafael , Martínez-Guanter Jorge , Michailidis Anastasios , Nastis Stefanos , Paltaki Aikaterini , Partalidou Maria , Pérez-Ruiz Manuel , Ribeiro Ángela , Valero Constantino , Vieri Marco
Published: January 2022

This paper set out to explore the precision agriculture (PA)-training needs of students studying in agricultural universities in the Euro-Mediterranean region (Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain). SPARKLE is a Knowledge Alliance Project, funded by the European Union (EU), and one of its main goals is to narrow the innovation divide between entrepreneurship and the effective application of sustainable PA. During the project, the research conducted in all countries in the Euro-Mediterranean region revealed differences in the PA-training needs of university students. Additionally, this paper set out to explore the socioeconomic characteristics of students that affect their interest and knowledge towards PA. Finally, this paper aimed to understand the scope, present status and strategies for improving PA training in agricultural universities in the Euro-Mediterranean region. The following descriptive statistics and two multivariate analysis techniques were used: Two-Step Cluster Analysis (TSCA) and Categorical Regression (CATREG). Results support the notion that the lack of “PA knowledge/interest” adds to the technological gap amongst university students, slow adoption of PA and lower levels of overall rural economic development. These findings will be used as the fundamental cognition for the development of a joint action plan and several other national plans in the selected regions.
Antioxidant Activity of Milk and Dairy Products
Authors: Stobiecka Magdalena , Król Jolanta , Brodziak Aneta
Published: January 2022

The aim of the study was to present a review of literature data on the antioxidant potential of raw milk and dairy products (milk, fermented products, and cheese) and the possibility to modify its level at the milk production and processing stage. Based on the available reports, it can be concluded that the consumption of products that are a rich source of bioactive components improves the antioxidant status of the organism and reduces the risk of development of many civilization diseases. Milk and dairy products are undoubtedly rich sources of antioxidant compounds. Various methods, in particular, ABTS, FRAP, and DPPH assays, are used for the measurement of the overall antioxidant activity of milk and dairy products. Research indicates differences in the total antioxidant capacity of milk between animal species, which result from the differences in the chemical compositions of their milk. The content of antioxidant components in milk and the antioxidant potential can be modified through animal nutrition (e.g., supplementation of animal diets with various natural additives (herbal mixtures, waste from fruit and vegetable processing)). The antioxidant potential of dairy products is associated with the quality of the raw material as well as the bacterial cultures and natural plant additives used. Antioxidant peptides released during milk fermentation increase the antioxidant capacity of dairy products, and the use of probiotic strains contributes its enhancement. Investigations have shown that the antioxidant activity of dairy products can be enhanced by the addition of plant raw materials or their extracts in the production process. Natural plant additives should therefore be widely used in animal nutrition or as functional additives to dairy products.
Factors Affecting Intraoperative Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux in Dogs and Cats
Authors: Savvas Ioannis , Pavlidou Kiriaki , Anagnostou Tilemachos , Flouraki Eugenia , Kazakos George , Raptopoulos Dimitrios
Published: January 2022

In animals, gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) may occur during anaesthesia, and it can lead to severe consequences such as oesophagitis and oesophageal stricture. This systematic review investigates the effect of fasting duration and anaesthetic and nonanaesthetic drugs on GOR in dogs and cats during general anaesthesia. Fifteen clinical studies met the inclusion criteria in this systematic review. In thirteen studies the population was dogs, while in two studies the population was cats. In the meta-analysis, seven studies were included. Four studies on the effect of fasting duration on GOR in dogs were included in the meta-analysis. In total, 191 dogs had a fasting duration less than 5 h, while 311 dogs had a fasting duration more than 5 h. The heterogeneity of the studies was high and statistically significant (p = 0.0002, I2 = 85%), but the overall effect was statistically nonsignificant (p = 0.82, odds ratio = 0.81, 95% CI 0.15, 4.26), in favour of the low fasting duration (<5 h). Concerning the effect of antacids on GOR, three studies were included in the meta-analysis. The heterogeneity of the studies was low and nonsignificant (p = 0.13, I2 = 52%) and the overall effect was statistically nonsignificant (p = 0.24). The low number of studies and the diverse factors affecting the incidence of reflux prevented us from reaching valuable conclusions on the risk factors for GOR.
Diversity of Volatile Compounds in Raw Milk with Different n-6 to n-3 Fatty Acid Ratio
Authors: Li Ning , Huang Guoxin , Zhang Yangdong , Zheng Nan , Zhao Shengguo , Wang Jiaqi
Published: January 2022

Fatty acid profiles may affect the flavor of milk. The diversity of volatile compounds in raw milk with different ratios of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids (8:1, 4:1, and 3:1) was studied. Gas chromatography–ion mobility spectroscopy (GC–IMS) is a promising technology for the accurate characterization and detection of volatile organic compounds in agricultural products, but its application in milk is rare or even unavailable. In this experiment, GC–IMS fingerprints along with principal component analysis (PCA) were used to study the flavor fingerprints of fresh milk samples with different percentages. Thirty-four typical target compounds were identified in total. A diversity of flavor compounds in raw milk with different n-6/n-3 was observed. After reduction of the proportion, the concentrations of volatile compounds, such as hexanoic acid (dimer and monomer), ethyl acetate, and 2-methylpropanoic acid (dimer and monomer) decreased, while those of 4-methyl-2-pentanone, pentanal, and acetone increased. We carried out PCA according to the signal strength of the identified volatile compounds, and the examination showed that it could precisely make a distinction among the samples in a comparative space. In conclusion, the results show that the volatile compounds are different as the proportion is different. The volatile compounds in raw milk are mainly hexanoic acid, ethyl acetate, and 2-methylpropanoic acid. After adjustment of the ratio, the flavor substances of the medium-ratio (MR) group were mainly ketones, while those of the low-ratio (LR) group were aldehydes. Therefore, in production, reducing the impact on volatile substances while adjusting the proportion of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids to obtain functional dairy products should be taken into consideration.
Reliability of a White Striping Scoring System and Description of White Striping Prevalence in Purebred Turkey Lines
Authors: Vanderhout Ryley J. , Leishman Emily M. , Hiscock Heather , Abdalla Emhimad A. , Makanjuola Bayode O. , Mohr Jeff , Harlander-Matauschek Alexandra , Barbut Shai , Wood Benjamin J. , Baes Christine F. , van Staaveren Nienke
Published: January 2022

To efficiently meet consumer demands for high-quality lean meat, turkeys are selected for increased meat yield, mainly by increasing breast muscle size and growth efficiency. Over time, this has altered muscle morphology and development rates, which are believed to contribute to the prevalence of myopathies. White striping is a myopathy of economic importance which presents as varying degrees of white striations on the surface of skinless breast muscle and can negatively affect consumer acceptance at the point of sale. Breeding for improved meat quality may be a novel strategy for mitigating the development of white striping in turkey meat; however, it is crucial to have a reliable assessment tool before it can be considered as a phenotype. Six observers used a four-category scoring system (0–3) to score severity in several controlled rounds and evaluate intra- and inter-observer reliability of the scoring system. After sufficient inter-observer reliability (Kendall’s W > 0.6) was achieved, 12,321 turkey breasts, from four different purebred lines, were scored to assess prevalence of the condition and analyze its relationship with important growth traits. Overall, the prevalence of white striping (Score > 0) was approximately 88% across all genetic lines studied, with most scores being of moderate-severe severity (Score 1 or 2). As was expected, increased white striping severity was associated with higher slaughter weight, breast weight, and breast meat yield (BMY) within each genetic line. This study highlights the importance of training to improve the reliability of a scoring system for white striping in turkeys and was required to provide an updated account on white striping prevalence in modern turkeys. Furthermore, we showed that white striping is an important breast muscle myopathy in turkeys linked to heavily selected traits such as body weight and BMY. White striping should be investigated further as a novel phenotype in future domestic turkey selection through use of a balanced selection index.
The Impacts of Drought on the Health and Demography of Eastern Grey Kangaroos
Authors: Juillard Loic Quentin , Ramp Daniel
Published: January 2022

Extreme climatic events such as droughts and floods are expected to become more intense and severe under climate change, especially in the southern and eastern parts of Australia. We aimed to quantify the relationship between body condition scores (BCS), demography, activity rate, and parasitic infections of eastern grey kangaroos on a large conservation property under different climate extremes by employing camera traps established at artificial water points (AWPs). The survey period included a severe drought, broken by a significant flooding event. Climatic and environmental conditions were documented using remotely sensed indices of moisture availability and vegetation productivity. These conditions were found to affect all health and population parameters measured. BCS, juvenile proportions, and sex ratios were most correlated with 6-month lags in climatic conditions, while the activity rate of kangaroos at AWPs was most correlated with vegetation productivity. Ticks were mostly found on individuals with a poorer BCS, while the concentration of parasitic eggs in feces was higher in autumn than in spring. Our study offers a glimpse into some of the environmental drivers of eastern grey kangaroo populations and their health, information that may become increasingly important in today’s climate. It further emphasizes the importance of this knowledge for wildlife conservation efforts appropriate to managing the impact of climate change alongside other threats.
Combination of Transfer Learning Methods for Kidney Glomeruli Image Classification
Authors: Lee Hsi-Chieh , Aqil Ahmad Fauzan
Published: January 2022

The rising global incidence of chronic kidney disease necessitates the development of image categorization of renal glomeruli. COVID-19 has been shown to enter the glomerulus, a tissue structure in the kidney. This study observes the differences between focal-segmental, normal and sclerotic renal glomerular tissue diseases. The splitting and combining of allied and multivariate models was accomplished utilizing a combined technique using existing models. In this study, model combinations are created by using a high-accuracy accuracy-based model to improve other models. This research exhibits excellent accuracy and consistent classification results on the ResNet101V2 combination using a mix of transfer learning methods, with the combined model on ResNet101V2 showing an accuracy of up to 97 percent with an F1-score of 0.97, compared to other models. However, this study discovered that the anticipated time required was higher than the model employed in general, which was mitigated by the usage of high-performance computing in this study.
Project Risk in the Context of Construction Schedules—Combined Monte Carlo Simulation and Time at Risk (TaR) Approach: Insights from the Fort Bema Housing Estate Complex
Authors: Sobieraj Janusz , Metelski Dominik
Published: January 2022

In this article, we present our own construction process model consisting of 16 stages and eight phases, which is particularly applicable to large investment projects. In the context of each project phase, we examine how the appropriate way of scheduling construction processes affects the problem of the risk of prolonging individual phases and the whole project, as well as of not meeting deadlines (which is one of the main problems faced by management practitioners in the construction industry). There are many methods for assessing risk in this context, but they tend to be overly complex and rarely used by construction practitioners. On the other hand, the risks associated with potential schedule delays can be considered holistically. One tool that can serve this purpose is the combined Monte Carlo simulation and Time-at-Risk (TaR) approach, which originates from the world of finance. We show how the implementation of the process model (individual phases) and the whole project can be considered in the context of the covariance matrix between all its phases and how changes in the arrangement of these phases can affect the risk of time extension of the whole project. Our study is based on simulation data for a large development project (Fort Bema/Parkowo-Leśne housing estate complex) in Bemowo, a district of Warsaw, carried out between 1999 and 2012. The entire investment project involved the construction of almost 120,000 m2 of floor space.
A Comprehensive Survey of the Recent Studies with UAV for Precision Agriculture in Open Fields and Greenhouses
Authors: Aslan Muhammet Fatih , Durdu Akif , Sabanci Kadir , Ropelewska Ewa , Gültekin Seyfettin Sinan
Published: January 2022

The increasing world population makes it necessary to fight challenges such as climate change and to realize production efficiently and quickly. However, the minimum cost, maximum income, environmental pollution protection and the ability to save water and energy are all factors that should be taken into account in this process. The use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in agriculture to meet all of these criteria serves the purpose of precision agriculture. As unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can easily obtain real-time data, they have a great potential to address and optimize solutions to the problems faced by agriculture. Despite some limitations, such as the battery, load, weather conditions, etc., UAVs will be used frequently in agriculture in the future because of the valuable data that they obtain and their efficient applications. According to the known literature, UAVs have been carrying out tasks such as spraying, monitoring, yield estimation, weed detection, etc. In recent years, articles related to agricultural UAVs have been presented in journals with high impact factors. Most precision agriculture applications with UAVs occur in outdoor environments where GPS access is available, which provides more reliable control of the UAV in both manual and autonomous flights. On the other hand, there are almost no UAV-based applications in greenhouses where all-season crop production is available. This paper emphasizes this deficiency and provides a comprehensive review of the use of UAVs for agricultural tasks and highlights the importance of simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) for a UAV solution in the greenhouse.
Certifiable AI
Authors: Landgrebe Jobst
Published: January 2022

Implicit stochastic models, including both ‘deep neural networks’ (dNNs) and the more recent unsupervised foundational models, cannot be explained. That is, it cannot be determined how they work, because the interactions of the millions or billions of terms that are contained in their equations cannot be captured in the form of a causal model. Because users of stochastic AI systems would like to understand how they operate in order to be able to use them safely and reliably, there has emerged a new field called ‘explainable AI’ (XAI). When we examine the XAI literature, however, it becomes apparent that its protagonists have redefined the term ‘explanation’ to mean something else, namely: ‘interpretation’. Interpretations are indeed sometimes possible, but we show that they give at best only a subjective understanding of how a model works. We propose an alternative to XAI, namely certified AI (CAI), and describe how an AI can be specified, realized, and tested in order to become certified. The resulting approach combines ontologies and formal logic with statistical learning to obtain reliable AI systems which can be safely used in technical applications.
Review of Professionally Applied Fluorides for Preventing Dental Caries in Children and Adolescents
Authors: Munteanu Aneta , Holban Alina-Maria , Păuna Mihaela-Rodica , Imre Marina , Farcașiu Alexandru-Titus , Farcașiu Cătălina
Published: January 2022

This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of professional topical fluoride application on the prevention of dental caries in primary and permanent dentition. A web search was conducted for English papers published from 2000 to 2020, using various digital resources (Pubmed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and ResearchGate). The keywords were “professionally applied fluoride”, “fluoride gel”, “fluoride varnish”, “fluoride foam”, “fluoride mouthrinses”, and “non-cavitated caries lesions”. Inclusion criteria: (a) participants: children and adolescents, treated in a dental care setting; (b) intervention: professionally applied fluorides (gel, varnish, foam, mouthrinse); (c) comparator: no professional treatment or other preventive treatments; (d) outcomes: clinical effectiveness (e.g., caries reduction, tooth remineralization); (e) study design: randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, meta-analyses; (f) publication period: 1 January 2000–31 December 2021. Clinical studies about home-use fluoride products, discussion papers, in-vitro studies, case reports, non-English articles, and studies with unclear methodology were excluded. Topical fluoride applications are indicated for patients with active smooth surface caries and for patients in high caries risk groups. Both APF gel and fluoride varnish are effective and can be recommended for caries prevention in primary and permanent teeth. For children under the age of 6, only 2.26% fluoride varnish is recommended.
UAV Swarm Real-Time Rerouting by Edge Computing D* Lite Algorithm
Authors: Lee Meng-Tse , Chuang Ming-Lung , Kuo Sih-Tse , Chen Yan-Ru
Published: January 2022

Seeking to give unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) a higher level of autonomous control, this study uses edge computing systems to replace the ground control station (GCS) commonly used to control UAVs. Since the GCS belongs to the central control architecture, the edge computing system of the distributed architecture can give drones more flexibility in dealing with changing environmental conditions, allowing them to autonomously and instantly plan their flight path, fly in formation, or even avoid obstacles. Broadcast communications are used to realize UAV-to-UAV communications, thus allocating tasks among a swarm of UAVs and ensuring that each individual UAV collaborates as an integrated member of the group. The dynamic path programming problem for UAV swarm missions uses a two-phase tabu search with a 2-Opt exchange method and an A* search as the path programming algorithm. Distance is taken as a cost function for path programming. The turning points of no-fly zones are then increased and expanded based on drone fleet coverage, thus preventing drones from entering prohibited areas. Unlike previous work, which mostly considers only single no-fly zones, this approach accounts for multiple restricted areas, ensuring that a UAV swarm can complete its assigned task without violating no-fly zones. A drone encountering an obstacle while traveling along the route set by the algorithm will update the map information in real time, allowing for instant recharting of the optimal path to the goal as a reverse search using the D* Lite algorithm.
An Application of Instantaneous Spectral Entropy for the Condition Monitoring of Wind Turbines
Authors: Civera Marco , Surace Cecilia
Published: January 2022

For economic and environmental reasons, the use of renewable energy sources is a key aspect of the ongoing transition to a sustainable industrialised society. Wind energy represents a major player among these natural, carbon-neutral sources. Nevertheless, wind turbines are often subject to mechanical faults, especially due to ageing. To alleviate Operation and Maintenance costs, Vibration-Based Inspection and Condition Monitoring have been proposed in recent times. This research proposes Instantaneous Spectral Entropy and Continuous Wavelet Transform for anomaly detection and fault diagnosis, departing from gearbox vibration time histories. The approach is validated on experimental data recorded from a turbine suffering bearing failure and total gearbox replacement. From a computational point of view, the proposed algorithm was found to be efficient and therefore even potentially applicable for real-time monitoring.
Geosynthetic Interface Friction at Low Normal Stress: Two Approaches with Increasing Shear Loading
Authors: Pavanello Paolo , Carrubba Paolo , Moraci Nicola
Published: January 2022

The evaluation of geosynthetic interface friction is a key parameter for the stability of coupled geosynthetics, as in landfill capping liner. At the present time, few types of tests are suitable for measuring the interface friction at low normal stress: one of these is the inclined plane, usually carried out under a vertical stress of 5 kPa. This type of test is not without critical aspects, mainly due to the nonuniform normal stress state induced by the inclination of the plane, but, on the other hand, the most widespread direct shear test generally cannot be performed at such low values of normal stress. After a short discussion on the pros and cons of these two types of test, the paper presents a comparison of the interface friction angles obtained, for three interfaces, by means of an inclined plane and an unconventional direct shear apparatus, under the same low normal stress. The peculiarity of this latter device is of ensuring a gradual increase of the mobilized strength, in a way similar to what occurs during the inclined plane test. The good correspondence of the results of the two types of tests confirmed the validity of both the test approaches.
Designed Circularly Polarized Two-Port Microstrip MIMO Antenna for WLAN Applications
Authors: Khan Ijaz , Wu Qun , Ullah Inam , Rahman Saeed Ur , Ullah Habib , Zhang Kuang
Published: January 2022

The proposed work describes a corner square-cut square-patch multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna with reduced mutual coupling for circular polarization (CP). A two-port MIMO-CP antenna was designed and operated at 5.6 GHz for wireless local area network (WLAN) applications. The dimensions of the MIMO-CP antenna were 22.5×50mm2(0.43λ0×0.933λ0) and the FR4 substrate height was 1.6 mm. Between the two-elements, the edge-to-edge distance was 12.2 mm (0.227 λ0), where λ0 was the free space wavelength at 5.6 GHz. A slot was created in the middle of the ground in the proposed MIMO antenna to reduce mutual coupling and improve CP. The ground slot improves impedance matching and provides a better S-parameter and axial ratio (AR), according to the antenna results. According to the simulated results, the proposed antenna bandwidth of 5.23–6.42 GHz (21.4%) for S11 were <−10 dB, isolation was −37 dB with a peak gain of 6 dB and AR ≤3 dB from 5.37 to 5.72 GHz (6.25%). The proposed antennas are simple to fabricate, have low profiles, are inexpensive, have good isolation, and are CP. The diversity gain (DG) and envelop correlation coefficient (ECC) results are better in the simulated frequency band. A MIMO-CP antenna geometry prototype is built and measured for comparison, yielding good results when compared to the simulated and measured results. The MIMO-CP antenna, as designed, is suitable for WLAN applications.
Rigid-Flexible Coupled Dynamic and Control for Thermally Induced Vibration and Attitude Motion of a Spacecraft with Hoop-Truss Antenna
Authors: Liu Yue , Li Xin , Qian Ying-Jing , Yang Hong-Lei
Published: January 2022

As space exploration activities are developing rapidly, spacecraft with large antennas have gained wide acceptance in providing reliable telecommunications and astrophysical observations. In this paper, the dynamic responses and control strategy for a spacecraft with a large hoop-truss antenna under solar flux shock are studied. According to the momentum and angular momentum principle, the rigid-flexible coupled rotational dynamic equation and the translational dynamic equation of the system are established, which include the attitude motion of the rigid main body and the vibration of the antenna. Then, a finite element model of the antenna is established to analytically obtain the corresponding vibration modal shape matrix and natural frequencies. Last, the coupled responses for the attitude motion and vibration are investigated. The corresponding control strategy is designed based on a double-loop structure sliding mode control method. The Lyapunov method is used to demonstrate the global asymptotic stability of the system. Simulations verify the effectiveness of the proposed rigid-flexible coupled model and control strategy.
Human Vital Signs Detection: A Concurrent Detection Approach
Authors: Adiprabowo Tjahjo , Lin Ding-Bing , Wang Tse-Hsuan , Purnomo Ariana Tulus , Pramudita Aloysius Adya
Published: January 2022

The measurement of heartbeat rate and breathing rate for patients with sensitive skin, such as skin with burns, is very difficult to do, especially if the number of patients is large and medical personnel is limited. Therefore, this study seeks to propose a preliminary solution to this problem by proposing a device that can measure the vital signs of several people concurrently, especially the heartbeat rate and breathing rate, without attaching sensors to their skin. This is done using an FMCW (frequency-modulated continuous wave) radar that operates at 77–81 GHz. FMCW radar emits electromagnetic waves towards the chest of several targets and picks up the reflected waves. Then, using signal processing of these reflected waves, each target’s heartbeat rate and breathing rate can be obtained. Our experiment managed to perform concurrent detection for four targets. The experimental results are between 52 and 82 beats per minute for the heartbeat rates and between 10 and 35 breaths per minute for the breathing rates of four targets. These results are in accordance with normal heartbeat rate and normal breathing rate; thus, our research succeeded in proposing a preliminary solution to this problem.
The Influence of Interlock Loss between Rebar and Concrete on Bond Performance of RC Member
Authors: Kurihara Ryota , Ito Youhei , Cai Qianghua , Chijiwa Nobuhiro
Published: January 2022

Rebar corrosion, which causes section loss of rebar, is one of the serious deterioration factors for RC structures. Section loss affects not only stiffness or load capacity but also interlock condition between lugs on deformed rebar and surrounding concrete. Interlock is a dominant factor of bond between rebar and concrete and interlock effects on structural behavior of RC member can be significant. This research focused on the influence of interlock loss on the structural behavior and bond performance of RC member from experimental and analytical investigations. The static loading test for the six beams and FE analysis were conducted for the investigation on the effects of residual interlock, with or without confinement effects from stirrups. In order to evaluate interlock effects precisely, a rebar shape including lugs was reproduced by fine hexahedron elements in the FE analysis. The authors also conducted FE analytical case studies for investigating the effects of non-uniform lug loss or partially interlocking condition due to section loss of rebar. Through these investigations, it was seen that interlock could work and keep sound bond as long as contact between a lug and concrete was maintained even when the rebar lug was flattened due to section loss. Furthermore, under the situation with non-uniform distribution of section loss, pull-out behavior of rebar was prevented by interlocking of parts in a member even when other regions completely lost their interlock due to serious section loss.