The recognition of emotional states is a relatively new technique in the field of machine learning. The paper presents the study and the performance results of a system for emotion classification ...using the architecture of a distributed speech recognition system (DSR). The features used were extracted by the front-end ETSI Aurora eXtended of a mobile terminal in compliance with the ETSI ES 202-211 V1.1.1 standard. On the basis of the time trend of these parameters, over 3800 statistical parameters were extracted to characterize semantic units of varying length (sentences and words). Using the WEKA (Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis) software the most significant parameters for the classification of emotional states were selected and the results of various classification techniques were analysed. The results, obtained using both the Berlin Database of Emotional Speech (EMO-DB) and the Speech Under Simulated and Actual Stress (SUSAS) corpus, showed that the best performance is achieved using a support vector machine (SVM) trained with the sequential minimal optimization (SMO) algorithm, after normalizing and discretizing the input statistical parameters.
Removal of nitrogen from anaerobically digested swine manure centrate was investigated in a photo-sequencing batch reactor (PSBR) with alternating light and dark periods. Microalgal photosynthesis ...was shown to provide enough oxygen for complete nitritation during the light period. With addition of an organic carbon source during the dark period, the reactor removed over 90% total nitrogen (TN) without aeration other than by mixing. Overall, 80% of the TN removal was through nitritation/denitritation and the rest was due to biomass uptake. The high concentrations of ammonia and nitrite and low dissolved oxygen concentration in the PSBR effectively inhibited nitrite oxidizing bacteria, resulting in stable nitritation. The hybrid microalgal photosynthesis and shortcut nitrogen removal process has the potential to substantially reduce aeration requirements for treatment of anaerobic digestion side streams. The PSBR also produced well settling biomass with sludge volume index of 62 ± 16 mL mg−1.
Shortcut nitrogen removal using an algal-bacterial consortium. Display omitted
•Shortcut nitrogen removal process using an algal-bacterial consortium.•Photo-sequencing batch reactor conditions produced high NO2− in light period.•Uncoupling SRT and HRT process produced well settling biomass.•Over 90% of total nitrogen was removed without aeration other than mixing.•Potential treatment of high NH4+ strength wastewater with low energy inputs.
Within neuroscience and biobehavioral research, the pig (Sus scrofus) is increasingly being acknowledged as a valuable large animal species. Compared to the rodent brain, the pig brain more closely ...resembles the human brain in terms of both anatomy and biochemistry, which associates the pig with a higher translational value. Several brain disorders have been fully or partially modeled in the pig and this has further spurred an interest in having access to behavioral tasks for pigs, and in particular to cognitive tasks. Cognitive testing of pigs has been conducted for several years by a small group of farm animal welfare researchers, but it has only recently received interest in the wider neuroscience community. Several behavioral tasks have successfully been adapted to the pig, and valuable results have been produced. However, most tasks have only been established at a single research facility, and would benefit from further validation. This review presents the cognitive tasks that have been developed for pigs, their validation, and their current use.
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It has been a great challenge to develop aldehyde-free tissue adhesives that can function rapidly and controllably on wet internal tissues with fine adhesion strength, sound ...biocompatibility and degradability. To this end, we have devised a mussel-inspired easy-to-use double-crosslink tissue adhesive (DCTA) comprising a dopamine-conjugated gelatin macromer, a rapid crosslinker (namely, Fe3+), and a long-term acting crosslinker (namely, genipin). As a mussel-inspired gluing macromer, dopamine is grafted onto gelatin backbone via an one-step reaction, the catechol groups of which are capable of performing strong wet adhesion on tissue surfaces. By addition of genipin and Fe3+, the formation of catechol–Fe3+ complexation and accompanying spontaneous curing of genipin-primed covalent crosslinking of gluing macromers in one pot endows DCTA with the double-crosslink adhesion mechanism. Namely, the reversible catechol–Fe3+ crosslinking executes an controllable and instant adhesive curing; while genipin-induced stable covalent crosslinking promises it with long-term effectiveness. This novel DCTA exhibits significantly higher wet tissue adhesion capability than the commercially available fibrin glue when applied on wet porcine skin and cartilage. In addition, this DCTA also demonstrates fine elasticity, sound biodegradability, and biocompatibility when contacting in vitro cultured cells and blood. In vivo biocompatibility and biodegradability are checked and confirmed via trials of subcutaneous implantation in nude mice model. This newly developed DCTA may be a highly promising product as a biological glue for internal medical use including internal tissue adhesion, sealing, and hemostasis.
There is a great demand for ideal tissue adhesives that can be widely used in gluing wet internal tissues. Here, we have devised a mussel-inspired easy-to-use double-crosslink tissue adhesive (DCTA) that meets the conditions as an ideal tissue adhesive. It is composed of gelatin–dopamine conjugates – a gluing macromer, Fe3+ – a rapid crosslinker, and genipin – a long-term acting crosslinker. This DCTA is constructed with a novel complexation-covalent double-crosslinking principle in one pot, in which the catechol–Fe3+ crosslinking executes a controllable and instant adhesive curing, at the same time, genipin-induced covalent crosslinking promises it with long-term effectiveness in physiology conditions. This novel DCTA, with excellent wet tissue adhesion capability, fine elasticity, sound biodegradability, and biocompatibility, is a promising biological glue for internal medical use in surgical operations.
Reduction of lipid absorption has been recognized as an attractive approach for the discovery of new drugs to treat obesity and overweight. The leave extract of Ginkgo biloba has been widely used for ...the treatment of metabolic diseases (such as hyperlipidemia) in both eastern and western countries, but the bioactive compounds in Ginkgo biloba and the underlying mechanism have not been fully characterized. This study aimed to investigate the inhibition potentials and mechanism of major biflavones from G. biloba on pancreatic lipase (PL), a key target regulating lipid absorption. The results clearly demonstrated that all tested biflavones in G. biloba including isoginkgetin, bilobetin, ginkgetin and sciadopitysin, displayed strong to moderate inhibitory effects on PL with the IC50 values ranging from 2.90 μM to 12.78 μM. Further investigations on both inhibition kinetic analyses and docking simulations demonstrated that isoginkgetin, bilobetin and ginkgetin were potent PL inhibitors (Ki < 2.5 μM), which could create strong interactions with the catalytic triad of PL via hydrogen bonding. These findings provided a new powerful evidence for explaining the hypolipidemic effects of G. biloba, while these newly identified PL inhibitors from G. biloba could serve as lead compounds for the development of biflavonoid-type PL inhibitors.
•We aimed to find salivary markers for stress other than cortisol in pigs.•Pigs were subjected to mixing and feed deprivation stress.•Salivary cortisol, chromogranin A and haptoglobin were positively ...correlated.•Responses of the respective salivary biomarkers differed between stressors.•Including various salivary biomarkers in stress evaluation seems useful.
Most commonly, salivary cortisol is used in pig stress assessment, alternative salivary biomarkers are scarcely studied. Here, salivary cortisol and two alternative salivary biomarkers, haptoglobin and chromogranin A were measured in a pig stress study. Treatment pigs (n = 24) were exposed to mixing and feed deprivation, in two trials, and compared to untreated controls (n = 24). Haptoglobin differed for feed deprivation vs control. Other differences were only found within treatment. Treatment pigs had higher salivary cortisol concentrations on the mixing day (P < 0.05). Chromogranin A concentrations were increased on the day of refeeding (P < 0.05). Haptoglobin showed a similar pattern to chromogranin A. Overall correlations between the salivary biomarkers were positive. Cortisol and chromogranin A were moderately correlated (r = 0.49, P < 0.0001), correlations between other markers were weaker. The present results indicate that different types of stressors elicited different physiological stress responses in the pigs, and therefore including various salivary biomarkers in stress evaluation seems useful.
Le cathétérisme sus pubien est une procédure alternative au sondage urétro-vésicale couramment utilisée pour le drainage urinaire à court ou à long terme. Un cathétérisme sus pubien prolongée peut ...être compliqué par une infection des voies urinaires, un blocage du cathéter, une incrustation, des spasmes vésicaux. L´incrustation du cathéter est une complication assez rare. Nous rapportons le cas d´un patient porteur d´un cathéter sus pubien pour une sténose de l´urètre pendant une longue durée. Il a ensuite reconsulté aux urgences pour rétention aigue des urines où le diagnostic d´une incrustation de son cathéter sus pubien a été confirmé. Le traitement était chirurgical par la réalisation d´une cystholithotomie à ciel ouvert.
A novel pestivirus species was discovered in a piglet-producing farm in Austria during virologic examinations of congenital tremor cases. The emergence of this novel pestivirus species, provisionally ...termed Linda virus, in domestic pigs may have implications for classical swine fever virus surveillance and porcine health management.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, ODKLJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Fortificația liniară Valul lui Traian de Sus reprezintă unul dintre monumentele arheologice cele mai importante de pe teritoriul Republicii Moldova. Spre deosebire de alte obiective arheologice ...reprezentative, această impunătoare amenajare de pământ, cu o lungime de cca 120 km, care străbate transversal întreg spațiul pruto-nistrean, de la Leova, pe râul Prut, până la Copanca, pe râul Nistru, este încă insuficient cercetată și cunoscută. În luna septembrie 2019, cu ocazia construcției drumului M3 (porțiunea Porumbrei-Cimișlia), care urma să intersecteze Valul lui Traian de Sus pe sectorul dintre satele Gradiște și Coștangalia, r-nul Cimișlia), echipa mixtă a Agenției Naționale Arheologice și a Universității de Stat din Moldova au realizat cercetări arheologice preventive. Rezultatele obținute sunt în măsură să completeze sau chiar să corecteze informațiile mai vechi, dar fără să fi fost descoperite materiale cu privire la datarea acestei importante fortificații liniare, problema urmând a fi rezolvată în viitor.
There is increasing evidence that animal personalities are linked to different life history strategies. However, studies examining whether these effects differ under varying environmental conditions ...are rare. Here, we investigated how animal personality affects reproductive success in a pulsed resource consumer, the wild boar. We determined the exploratory behaviour of 57 female wild boars in nine novel object tests and additionally assessed their aggressiveness. Exploration behaviour (i.e. approach latency and investigation duration) and aggressiveness were repeatable within individuals and both mapped on a single principal component yielding an individual personality score. Afterwards the females were kept together with 28 males under seminatural conditions in two large breeding enclosures from 2011 to 2014. Over winter 2013/2014 we applied high versus medium feeding regimes to the two enclosures. Our results show that adult body mass and reproductive success were affected by juvenile body mass and thus already determined early in life, which may point to a silver spoon effect in the wild boar. Whether a female reproduced or not, as well as the litter size shortly after birth, was only affected by female body mass. The postweaning litter size (i.e. at the time of independence at the age of about 6 months), however, was additionally affected by the personality score in interaction with food availability. Under high food availability less aggressive and explorative individuals raised more juveniles to independence. We conclude that lower aggressiveness and reduced exploratory tendency of the mother lead to lower juvenile mortality and hence have a positive impact on postweaning litter size. Under slightly decreased food availability, however, this effect vanished. As the impact of personality on reproductive success differed between changing environmental conditions, our results support the hypothesis that different personality phenotypes are evolutionarily maintained by varying selection pressures in heterogeneous environments.
•Juvenile body mass is predictive for adult quality in female wild boars.•Body mass but not personality affects whether a female invests in reproduction.•Depending on food availability personality affects the weaning success differently.•Under good food conditions shyer individuals raise significantly more juveniles.
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