Word matching using single closed contours for indexing handwritten historical documents

Effective indexing is crucial for providing convenient access to scanned versions of large collections of historically valuable handwritten manuscripts. Since traditional handwriting recognizers based on optical character recognition (OCR) do not perform well on historical documents, recently a holistic word recognition approach has gained in popularity as an attractive and more straightforward solution (Lavrenko et al. in proc. document Image Analysis for Libraries (DIAL’04), pp. 278–287, 2004). Such techniques attempt to recognize words based on scalar and profile-based features extracted from whole word images. In this paper, we propose a new approach to holistic word recognition for historical handwritten manuscripts based on matching word contours instead of whole images or word profiles. The new method consists of robust extraction of closed word contours and the application of an elastic contour matching technique proposed originally for general shapes (Adamek and O’Connor in IEEE Trans Circuits Syst Video Technol 5:2004). We demonstrate that multiscale contour-based descriptors can effectively capture intrinsic word features avoiding any segmentation of words into smaller subunits. Our experiments show a recognition accuracy of 83%, which considerably exceeds the performance of other systems reported in the literature

Development of two reference materials for all trans-retinol, retinyl palmitate, α- and γ-tocopherol in milk powder and infant formula

AbstractVitamins are important food constituents that can be present in almost every foodstuff. Food quality and safety depends on food surveillance by reliable quantitative analysis enabled by appropriate quality control. Certified matrix reference materials are versatile tools to support quality assurance and control. However, in the case of vitamins, which are important in various foods, there is a lack of matrix reference materials. Two certified reference materials for the determination of all–trans-retinol, retinyl palmitate, and α- and γ-tocopherol in milk powder and infant formula have been developed by the National Institute of Standards, Egypt. This article presents the preparation, characterization, homogeneity, and stability testing as well as statistical treatment of data and certified value assignment. The assignment of the certified values and associated uncertainties in the prepared natural-matrix reference materials were based on the widely used approach of combining data from independent and reliable analytical methods

Temperature dependence of J–V and C–V characteristics of n-InAs/p-GaAs heterojunctions prepared by flash evaporation technique and liquid phase epitaxy

In this work, n-type of InAs films have been successfully fabricated on p-GaAs monocrystalline substrates by both flash evaporation technique and liquid phase epitaxy. The elemental composition of the prepared films has been confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. The morphology of the films has been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The current transport mechanisms of n-InAs/p-GaAs heterojunctions in the temperature range 300-400 K have been investigated. Temperature-dependent dark current density-voltage (J–V) studies under forward and reverse bias have been carried out for this purpose. In the temperature range studied, the dark current contribution in the low bias range is believed to be due to the generation-recombination of minority carriers in the space-charge region. A change in the preparation technique does not seem to have altered the dark current conduction mechanism. Capacitance-voltage (C–V) at various temperatures has been measured to identify the junction type as well as determination of the important junction parameters

Rice Bran as an Alternative Feedstuff in Broiler Nutrition and Impact of Liposorb® and Vitamin E-Se on Sustainability of Performance, Carcass Traits, Blood Biochemistry, and Antioxidant Indices

The impact of dietary rice bran with or without feed additives on the performance, carcasses, and blood profiles of chickens was examined. A total of 245 unsexed one-week-old broiler chicks were divided into seven groups, with seven replications of five chicks each. The treatments were: (1) control, (2) 5% rice bran, (3) 5% rice bran + 0.5 g/kg of Liposorb®, (4) 5% rice bran + 1 g/kg of vitamin E-Se, (5) 10% rice bran, (6) 10% rice bran + 0.5 g/kg Liposorb®, and (7) 10% rice bran + 1 g/kg of vitamin E–selenium. Considering the entire experimental period, it did not affect the in vivo performance of the broilers. However, all the experimental diets decreased dressing % compared with the control (p < 0.01) and the worst values were obtained for the 10% RB groups (75.7, 75.9, and 75.8%, respectively, for 10%RB, 10%RB + Liposorb, and 10%RB + Vit. E-Se groups). All the experimental diets decreased (p < 0.01) the albumin/globulin ratio due to an increased level of serum globulins. Differences in lipid profiles, antioxidants, and immunity parameters in plasma were not related to dietary treatments. In conclusion, the use of rice bran up to 10% in diets had no harmful effect on the overall growth performance of the broilers from 1 to 5 weeks of age. Still, carcass characteristics were negatively affected, except for heart percentage. In addition, the supplementation of Liposorb® or vitamin E-Se to rice bran diets did not recover these harmful effects. Thus, rice bran could be utilized at 10% in broiler diets when growth performance was considered; further research is required

Cera de abejas y su insaponificable como conservante natural para mantequilla y aceites de semilla de algodón

Simple model systems consisting of butter oil or refined cottonseed oil mixed with melted bees wax and its unsaponifiables were designated to study their hydrolytic and oxidative rancidity during storage. Whole bees wax at 0,5 and 1% levels possessed significant pro-hydrolytic activity whilst its unsaponifiables at 0,25 and 0,5% exhibited antihydrolytic effect on butter oil. The addition of whole bees wax at 0,5 and 1 % caused no effect on peroxide and thiobarbituric acid values of butter oil. However, bees wax unsaponifiables significantly reduced both peroxide and thiobarbituric acid values of stored butter oil. Bees wax unsaponifiables added to refined cottonseed oil had no effect on the acid value, whilst whole bees wax possessed significant prohydrolytic activity. The data for peroxide and thiobarbituric acid values of refined cottonseed oil demonstrated that both whole bees wax and its unsaponifiables had approximately the same antioxidant efficacy. The effectiveness of the added materials on the secondary oxidation products of refined cottonseed oil can be ranked according to its inhibition activity as follows: BHT (200 ppm) > bees wax (1%) > bees wax (0,5%) > bees wax unsaponifiables (0,5%) > bees wax unsaponifiables (0,25%) > control.aceites de semilla de algodón Sistemas modelo simples consistentes en aceite de mantequilla o aceite de semilla de algodón refinado mezclado con cera de abeja derretida y su insaponificable fueron diseñados para estudiar su rancidez oxidativa e hidrolítica durante el almacenamiento. La cera de abeja íntegra a niveles del 0,5 y 1% tuvo una actividad pro-hidrolítica significativa, mientras que su insaponificable al 0,25 y 0,5% exhibió efecto antihidrolítico sobre el aceite de mantequilla. La adición de cera de abeja íntegra al 0,5 y 1% no causó efecto sobre el índice de peróxido y ácido tiobarbitúrico del aceite de mantequilla. Sin embargo, el insaponificable de cera de abeja redujo significativamente tanto el índice de peróxido como el de ácido tiobarbitúrico de aceite de mantequilla almacenado. El insaponificable de cera de abeja añadido al aceite de semilla de algodón refinado no tuvo efecto sobre el índice de acidez, mientras la cera de abeja íntegra mostró una actividad prohidrolítica significativa. Los valores para el índice de peróxido y ácido tiobarbitúrico del aceite de semilla de algodón refinado demostraron que tanto la cera de abeja íntegra como su insaponificable tuvieron aproximadamente la misma eficacia antioxidante. La efectividad de las sustancias añadidas sobre los productos de oxidación secundarios del aceite de semilla de algodón refinado pueden ser colocados de acuerdo con su actividad inhibitoria de la siguiente forma: BHT (200 ppm) > cera de abeja (1%) > cera de abeja (0,5%) > insaponificable de cera de abeja (0,5%) > insaponificable de cera de abeja (0,25%) > control

Minimal Length in Quantum Gravity, Equivalence Principle and Holographic Entropy Bound

A possible discrepancy has been found between the results of a neutron interferometry experiment and Quantum Mechanics. This experiment suggests that the weak equivalence principle is violated at small length scales, which quantum mechanics cannot explain. In this paper, we investigated whether the Generalized Uncertainty Principle (GUP), proposed by some approaches to quantum gravity such as String Theory and Doubly Special Relativity Theories (DSR), can explain the violation of the weak equivalence principle at small length scales. We also investigated the consequences of the GUP on the Liouville theorem in statistical mechanics. We have found a new form of invariant phase space in the presence of GUP. This result should modify the density states and affect the calculation of the entropy bound of local quantum field theory, the cosmological constant, black body radiation, etc. Furthermore, such modification may have observable consequences at length scales much larger than the Planck scale. This modification leads to a \sqrt{A}-type correction to the bound of the maximal entropy of a bosonic field which would definitely shed some light on the holographic theory.Comment: 12 pages, no figures, recommended to be published at Class.Quant.Gra

Influence of Pickling Process on Allium cepa and Citrus limon Metabolome as Determined via Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics

Brine, the historically known food additive salt solution, has been widely used as a pickling media to preserve flavor or enhance food aroma, appearance, or other qualities. The influence of pickling, using brine, on the aroma compounds and the primary and secondary metabolite profile in onion bulb Allium cepa red cv. and lemon fruit Citrus limon was evaluated using multiplex metabolomics technologies. In lemon, pickling negatively affected its key odor compound “citral”, whereas monoterpene hydrocarbons limonene and γ-terpinene increased in the pickled product. Meanwhile, in onion sulphur rearrangement products appeared upon storage, i.e., 3,5-diethyl-1,2,4-trithiolane. Profiling of the polar secondary metabolites in lemon fruit via ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to MS annotated 37 metabolites including 18 flavonoids, nine coumarins, five limonoids, and two organic acids. With regard to pickling impact, notable and clear separation among specimens was observed with an orthogonal projections to least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) score plot for the lemon fruit model showing an enrichment of limonoids and organic acids and that for fresh onion bulb showing an abundance of flavonols and saponins. In general, the pickling process appeared to negatively impact the abundance of secondary metabolites in both onion and lemon, suggesting a decrease in their food health benefits

Horizontal Gene Transfer as an Indispensable Driver for Evolution of Neocallimastigomycota into a Distinct Gut-Dwelling Fungal Lineage

Survival and growth of the anaerobic gut fungi (AGF; Neocallimastigomycota) in the herbivorous gut necessitate the possession of multiple abilities absent in other fungal lineages. We hypothesized that horizontal gene transfer (HGT) was instrumental in forging the evolution of AGF into a phylogenetically distinct gut-dwelling fungal lineage. The patterns of HGT were evaluated in the transcriptomes of 27 AGF strains, 22 of which were isolated and sequenced in this study, and 4 AGF genomes broadly covering the breadth of AGF diversity. We identified 277 distinct incidents of HGT in AGF transcriptomes, with subsequent gene duplication resulting in an HGT frequency of 2 to 3.5% in AGF genomes. The majority of HGT events were AGF specific (91.7%) and wide (70.8%), indicating their occurrence at early stages of AGF evolution. The acquired genes allowed AGF to expand their substrate utilization range, provided new venues for electron disposal, augmented their biosynthetic capabilities, and facilitated their adaptation to anaerobiosis. The majority of donors were anaerobic fermentative bacteria prevalent in the herbivorous gut. This study strongly indicates that HGT indispensably forged the evolution of AGF as a distinct fungal phylum and provides a unique example of the role of HGT in shaping the evolution of a high-rank taxonomic eukaryotic lineage.IMPORTANCE The anaerobic gut fungi (AGF) represent a distinct basal phylum lineage (Neocallimastigomycota) commonly encountered in the rumen and alimentary tracts of herbivores. Survival and growth of anaerobic gut fungi in these anaerobic, eutrophic, and prokaryote-dominated habitats necessitates the acquisition of several traits absent in other fungal lineages. We assess here the role of horizontal gene transfer as a relatively fast mechanism for trait acquisition by the Neocallimastigomycota postsequestration in the herbivorous gut. Analysis of 27 transcriptomes that represent the broad diversity of Neocallimastigomycota identified 277 distinct HGT events, with subsequent gene duplication resulting in an HGT frequency of 2 to 3.5% in AGF genomes. These HGT events have allowed AGF to survive in the herbivorous gut by expanding their substrate utilization range, augmenting their biosynthetic pathway, providing new routes for electron disposal by expanding fermentative capacities, and facilitating their adaptation to anaerobiosis. HGT in the AGF is also shown to be mainly a cross-kingdom affair, with the majority of donors belonging to the bacteria. This study represents a unique example of the role of HGT in shaping the evolution of a high-rank taxonomic eukaryotic lineage

Potentiation of thrombus instability: a contributory mechanism to the effectiveness of antithrombotic medications

© The Author(s) 2018The stability of an arterial thrombus, determined by its structure and ability to resist endogenous fibrinolysis, is a major determinant of the extent of infarction that results from coronary or cerebrovascular thrombosis. There is ample evidence from both laboratory and clinical studies to suggest that in addition to inhibiting platelet aggregation, antithrombotic medications have shear-dependent effects, potentiating thrombus fragility and/or enhancing endogenous fibrinolysis. Such shear-dependent effects, potentiating the fragility of the growing thrombus and/or enhancing endogenous thrombolytic activity, likely contribute to the clinical effectiveness of such medications. It is not clear how much these effects relate to the measured inhibition of platelet aggregation in response to specific agonists. These effects are observable only with techniques that subject the growing thrombus to arterial flow and shear conditions. The effects of antithrombotic medications on thrombus stability and ways of assessing this are reviewed herein, and it is proposed that thrombus stability could become a new target for pharmacological intervention.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio