High-pitch sounds small for domestic dogs: abstract crossmodal correspondences between auditory pitch and visual size

Humans possess intuitive associations linking certain non-redundant features of stimuli - e.g. high-pitched sounds with small object size (or similarly, low-pitched sounds with large object size). This phenomenon, known as crossmodal correspondence, has been identified in humans across multiple different senses. There is some evidence that non-human animals also form crossmodal correspondences, but the known examples are mostly limited to the associations between the pitch of vocalizations and the size of callers. To investigate whether domestic dogs, like humans, show abstract pitch-size association, we first trained dogs to approach and touch an object after hearing a sound emanating from it. Subsequently, we repeated the task but presented dogs with two objects differing in size, only one of which was playing a sound. The sound was either high or low pitched, thereby creating trials that were either congruent (high pitch from small object; low pitch from large objects) or incongruent (the reverse). We found that dogs reacted faster on congruent versus incongruent trials. Moreover, their accuracy was at chance on incongruent trials, but significantly above chance for congruent trials. Our results suggest that non-human animals show abstract pitch sound correspondences, indicating these correspondences may not be uniquely human but rather a sensory processing feature shared by other species

Construction and validation of a low-cost system for indoor air quality measurements in livestock facilities

In recent years, there has been an increase in demand for food of ani-mal origin. The number of intensive production systems such as pig and poultry farming has been increasing more and more and exerting great impacts on the environment, due to a large amount of particulate material and gaseous pollutants that are generated within these facilities. Thus, low-cost devices emerge as a cheap alternative that provides farmers with information on indoor air quality in its facilities. However, it is important that these devices make precise and accu-rate measurements, providing reliable concentration readings. Therefore, the ob-jective of this study is the construction and validation of a low-cost system capa-ble of measuring, storing and sending, via the mobile network, the concentrations of hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, carbon dioxide, PM2.5, PM10, temperature, and relative humidity. Preliminary inter-comparison tests showed that the built sys-tem had a reliable behavior in relation to all variables, even though the CO2 sen-sor was the one with the highest determination coefficient. The built device is able to provide continuous monitoring of atmospheric pollutants concentrations, at low cost and with simple handling.This study was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under the PT2020 Program through financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2013) and by the bilateral project established between the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (Portugal) and the Federal University of Technology – Paraná (Brazil).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Force plate monitoring of human hemodynamics

which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Background: Noninvasive recording of movements caused by the heartbeat and the blood circulation is known as ballistocardiography. Several studies have shown the capability of a force plate to detect cardiac activity in the human body. The aim of this paper is to present a new method based on differential geometry of curves to handle multivariate time series obtained by ballistocardiographic force plate measurements. Results: We show that the recoils of the body caused by cardiac motion and blood circulation provide a noninvasive method of displaying the motions of the heart muscle and the propagation of the pulse wave along the aorta and its branches. The results are compared with the data obtained invasively during a cardiac catheterization. We show that the described noninvasive method is able to determine the moment of a particular heart movement or the time when the pulse wave reaches certain morphological structure. Conclusions: Monitoring of heart movements and pulse wave propagation may be used e.g. to estimate the aortic pulse wave velocity, which is widely accepted as an index of aortic stiffness wit

Potentials of 3D extrusion‐based printing in resolving food processing challenges: A perspective review

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has promising application potentials in improving food product manufacturing, increasingly helping in simplifying the supply chain, as well as expanding the utilization of food materials. To further understand the current situation of 3D food printing in providing food engineering solutions with customized design, the authors checked recently conducted reviews and considered the extrusion-based type to deserve additional literature synthesis. In this perspective review, therefore, we scoped the potentials of 3D extrusion-based printing in resolving food processing challenges. The evolving trends of 3D food printing technologies, fundamentals of extrusion processes, food printer, and printing enhancement, (extrusion) food systems, algorithm development, and associated food rheological properties were discussed. The (extrusion) mechanism in 3D food printing involving some essentials for material flow and configuration, its uniqueness, suitability, and printability to food materials, (food material) types in the extrusion-based (3D food printing), together with essential food properties and their dynamics were also discussed. Additionally, some bottlenecks/concerns still applicable to extrusion-based 3D food printing were brainstormed. Developing enhanced calibrating techniques for 3D printing materials, and designing better methods of integrating data will help improve the algorithmic representations of printed foods. Rheological complexities associated with the extrusion-based 3D food printing require both industry and researchers to work together so as to tackle the (rheological) shifts that make (food) materials unsuitable.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

SMARTphone-based, early cardiac REHABilitation in patients with acute coronary syndromes [SMART-REHAB Trial]: A randomized controlled trial protocol

© 2016 The Author(s). Background: There are well-documented treatment gaps in secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and no clear guidelines to assist early physical activity after acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Smartphone technology may provide an innovative platform to close these gaps. This paper describes the study design of a randomized controlled trial assessing whether a smartphone-based secondary prevention program can facilitate early physical activity and improve cardiovascular health in patients with ACS. Methods: We have developed a multi-faceted, patient-centred smartphone-based secondary prevention program emphasizing early physical activity with a graduated walking program initiated on discharge from ACS admission. The program incorporates; physical activity tracking through the smartphone's accelerometer with interactive feedback and goal setting; a dynamic dashboard to review and optimize cardiovascular risk factors; educational messages delivered twice weekly; a photographic food diary; pharmacotherapy review; and support through a short message service. The primary endpoint of the trial is change in exercise capacity, as measured by the change in six-minute walk test distance at 8-weeks when compared to baseline. Secondary endpoints include improvements in cardiovascular risk factor status, psychological well-being and quality of life, medication adherence, uptake of cardiac rehabilitation and re-hospitalizations. Discussion: This randomized controlled trial will use a smartphone-phone based secondary prevention program to emphasize early physical activity post-ACS. It will provide evidence regarding the feasibility and utility of this innovative platform in closing the treatment gaps in secondary prevention. Trial registration: The trial was retrospectively registered in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) on April 4, 2016. The registration number is ACTRN12616000426482

Potrzeby nawozenia pszenicy jarej cynkiem. Cz.II. Wplyw nawozenia cynkiem na plonowanie pszenicy

Wheat response to residual fertilization of Zn was investigated in 74 field experiment with Zn rates: 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 kg·ha-1. For 34 in 74 cases a significant yield increase after Zn application into soil was received. The rate of 5 kg Zn·ha⁻¹ Zn, applied one year before wheat, was too low and didn't give any yield increase. Three other rates of 10, 15 and 20 kg·ha⁻¹ applied at the same time caused similar, about 10% yield increase of wheat grain. Positive response of wheat to Zn fertilization was connected with too low Zn : P and Zn : Cu ratios in soil.W 74 doświadczeniach polowych badano reakcję pszenicy na efekt następczy doglebowego nawożenia cynkiem w dawkach 0, 5, 10, 15 i 20 kg Zn·ha⁻¹. Analiza doświadczeń wykazała, że w 34 przypadkach na 74 uzyskano istotne zwyżki plonów. Dawka 5 kg Zn·ha⁻¹ po roku od jej zastosowania okazała się za niska i nie przyniosła efektów plonotwórczych. Na dawkach 10, 15 i 20 kg Zn·ha⁻¹ uzyskano podobny ok. 10% przyrost plonów ziarna pszenicy. Wystąpienie reakcji na nawożenie cynkiem było związane między innymi ze zbyt niskim stosunkiem Zn : P i Zn : Cu w glebie

Potrzeby nawozenia pszenicy jarej cynkiem. Cz.I. Ocena potrzeb nawozenia cynkiem w oparciu o analize zawartosci tego pierwiastka w ziarnie pszenicy

Ocena zawartości Zn w glebach Polski nie daje jednoznacznej odpowiedzi co do potrzeb nawożenia cynkiem. Analogiczna analiza zawartości cynku w roślinach przynosi bardziej jednoznaczne wyniki, wskazujące na zmniejszanie się zawartości tego pierwiastka w ziarnie pszenicy o 15% na przestrzeni ostatnich 30 lat. W badaniach, oprócz danych literaturowych, wykorzystano wyniki własne zawartości cynku w próbkach ziarna pszenicy jarej pobranych w latach 1987-1989 z 74 punktów doświadczalnych rozmieszczonych na terenie całego kraju. Na podstawie przedstawionych danych nie można wykluczyć potrzeby nawożenia pszenicy cynkiem na niektórych terenach naszego kraju, szczególnie uprawianej na paszę dla zwierząt.Estimation of Zn content in Polish soils doesn't give a reliable answer to the question about the need of zinc fertilization. Parallel analysis of Zn content in plant material brings more trustworthy results and shows the 15% decrease of Zn content in wheat grain within last 30 years in Poland. In this work, apart from the literature data, author's results from 74 field trials conducted with spring wheat in 1987-1989 on area of Poland were used. On the basis of data presented in this work, et coald not be excluded the necessity of Zn fertilization of wheat in Poland, especially for wheat cultivated for animal feeding