Split Enzyme-Based Biosensors for Structural Characterization of Soluble and Insoluble β-Glucans

β-Glucan is widely distributed in various plants and microorganisms and is composed of β-1,3-linked d-glucose units. It may have a branched short or long side chain of glucose units with β-1,6- or β-1,4-linkage. Numerous studies have investigated different β-glucans and revealed their bioactivities. To understand the structure-function relationship of β-glucan, we constructed a split-luciferase complementation assay for the structural analysis of long-chain β-1,6-branched β-1,3-glucan. The N- and C-terminal fragments of luciferase from deep-sea shrimp were fused to insect-derived β-1,3-glucan recognition protein and fungal endo-β-1,6-glucanase (Neg1)-derived β-1,6-glucan recognition protein, respectively. In this approach, two β-glucan recognition proteins bound to β-glucan molecules come into close proximity, resulting in the assembly of the full-length reporter enzyme and induction of transient luciferase activity, indicative of the structure of β-glucan. To test the applicability of this assay, β-glucan and two β-glucan recognition proteins were mixed, resulting in an increase in the luminescence intensity in a β-1,3-glucan with a long polymer of β-1,6-glucan in a dose-dependent manner. This simple test also allows the monitoring of real-time changes in the side chain structure and serves as a convenient method to distinguish between β-1,3-glucan and long-chain β-1,6-branched β-1,3-glucan in various soluble and insoluble β-glucans.     

Tactile colour pictogram to improve artwork appreciation of people with visual impairments

A recent development in tactile technology enables an improvement in the appreciation of the visual arts for people with visual impairment (PVI). The tactile sense, in conjunction with, or a possibly as an alternative to, the auditory sense, would allow PVIs to approach artwork in a more self‐driven and engaging way that would be difficult to achieve with just an auditory stimulus. Tactile colour pictograms (TCPs), which are raised geometric patterns, are ideographic characters that are designed to enable PVIs to identify colours and interpret information by touch. In this article, three TCPs are introduced to code colours in the Munsell colour system. Each colour pattern consists of a basic cell size of 10 mm × 10 mm to represent the patterns consistently in terms of regular shape. Each TCP consists of basic geometric patterns that are combined to create primary, secondary, and tertiary colour pictograms of shapes indicating colour hue, intensity and lightness. Each TCP represents 29 colours including six hues; they were then further expanded to represent 53 colours. Two of them did not increase the cell size, the other increased the cell size 1.5 times for some colours, such as yellow‐orange, yellow, blue, and blue‐purple. Our proposed TCPs use a slightly larger cell size compared to most tactile patterns currently used to indicate colour, but code for more colours. With user experience and identification tests, conducted with 23 visually impaired adults, the effectiveness of the TCPs suggests that they were helpful for the participants.     

农耕印迹:扎染菱形纹样作为布依语“Ndaeh Sengh”的解读研究

目的 菱形纹样是我国古老的几何纹样之一，其历史悠久、应用广泛，在不同地域和文化背景下被赋予了不同的文化内涵，厘清纹样的在地性符号所指，是提升传统工艺传承与设计创新的方法路径。方法 以贵州花戛乡布依族扎染技艺中的菱形纹样为研究个案，结合人类学的田野调查法和艺术设计学的比较研究法，对花戛布依族服装配饰中的扎染菱形纹样进行综合考证和分析。结论 认为花戛扎染菱形纹样是布依族日用器物“升”的形态转译，是农耕背景下布依人祈求丰收的文化符号载体。有着文化符号功能的菱形“Ndaeh Sengh”纹样，与布依人生活、习俗、地域环境等方面存在多维的联结，“Ndaeh Sengh”越多代表农作物收成越好，寓意丰收和富足。“Ndaeh Sengh”作为农耕记忆背景下布依族集体无意识原型形式的外化，其制作工艺和纹样所承载的文化记忆对于非遗保护、工艺传承、非遗设计等方面都有一定的理论指导意义。     

基于音频特征的工程车辆工况识别研究

高效率地使用工程车辆是工程项目管理中节约成本的有效方法，无人监管环境下工程车辆的工况识别，是实现工程车辆高效率使用的有效手段。目前以GPS等技术为核心的车辆智能管理系统未对工程车辆进行工况识别，提出一种基于GRU循环神经网络的工程车辆工况识别方法，通过对工程车辆在不同工况下产生的音频信号进行分析，从中提取Mel倒谱系数作为主要特征，构建GRU循环神经网络模型进行训练和识别。实验结果表明，该方法可以实现对工程车辆工况的有效识别。     

Pattern design and optimization of yarn-dyed plaid fabric using isolation niche genetic algorithm and rough set theory

Under the circumstance of perceptual consumption, it is still challenging to grasp consumer's emotions and demands due to the large search space, diversified preferences, and easy fatigue of consumers. To reduce user fatigue and enlarge search space, a novel method was presented to design and optimize the pattern of yarn-dyed plaid fabric using the isolation niche genetic algorithm and rough set theory. Each pattern was encoded as a chromosome based on the real number code. The population was initialized and evolved using INGA to maintain the diversity. The rough set theory was adopted as the fitness function of isolation niche genetic algorithm to extract the consumer's demands. After multiple evolutions, a large set of practical patterns of the yarn-dyed plaid fabric are obtained. Experiments were carried out by 24 testers of different ages and genders. The results prove that the proposed method based on the isolation niche genetic algorithm and rough set theory is feasible and effective, supplying references to the designer.     

空间曲线的特征识别与高质量非均匀采样

为避免传统均匀采样方法因忽视曲线重要特征而生成不理想的采样结果,获得给定数量且由特征点和辅助点组成的采样点序列,提出基于特征识别的高质量空间曲线非均匀采样方法.首先使用抛物线插值法得到曲线上所有曲率极大值点和挠率极大值点的近似位置,经筛选后产生特征点,以更好地抓住空间曲线的轮廓特征.然后定义基于弧长、曲率和挠率加权组合的特征函数,并以此自适应地选取曲线上的辅助点.与3种主流采样方法比较的实验结果表明,该方法能够获得更高质量的采样结果且具有更好的实用性,从而进一步改善空间曲线的B样条拟合效果.     

基于表情识别技术的用户研究方法

目的为了以更加客观的方式评估用户体验,拓展用户研究的途径,引入表情识别技术对已有用户研究方法进行优化与探索。方法以阅读APP为研究载体,以表情识别与卷积神经网络算法为技术手段,通过设计人机交互实验将其应用于用户研究过程中,建立用户面部表情与用户主观满意度的映射关系。结果针对阅读APP"X",开展了基于表情识别技术和传统问卷访谈的双向设计研究,并采用对比验证的方法得出了基于表情识别技术的用户满意度客观度量方法的有效性和可行性,进而挖掘了基于表情识别方法的用户研究优势。结论基于表情识别技术的用户研究方法在产品交互设计中具有一定的通用性。通过识别分析用户与产品进行人机交互时的面部表情动态变化,可以使用户体验评估更加客观并容易解读,准确定位产品交互体验问题,为设计领域中的用户研究和认识提供了新思路,同时也为表情识别技术与产品设计的交叉融合提供了理论和实践意义的参考。     

Feeding behavior parameters and temporal patterns in mid-lactation Holstein cows across a range of residual feed intake values

Residual feed intake (RFI) is a measurement of the difference between actual and predicted feed intake when adjusted for energy sinks; more efficient cows eat less than predicted (low RFI) and inefficient cows eat more than predicted (high RFI). Data evaluating the relationship between RFI and feeding behaviors (FB) are limited in dairy cattle; therefore, the objective of this study was to determine daily and temporal FB in mid-lactation Holstein cows across a range of RFI values. Mid-lactation Holstein cows (n = 592 multiparous; 304 primiparous) were enrolled in 17 cohorts at 97 ± 26 d in milk (± standard deviation), and all cows within a cohort were fed a common diet using automated feeding bins. Cow RFI was calculated as the difference between predicted and observed dry matter intake (DMI) after accounting for parity, days in milk, milk energy, metabolic body weight and change, and experiment. The associations between RFI and FB at the level of meals and daily totals were evaluated using mixed models with the fixed effect of RFI and the random effects of cow and cohort. Daily temporal FB analyses were conducted using 2-h blocks and analyzed using mixed models with the fixed effects of RFI, time, RFI × time, and cohort, and the random effect of cow (cohort). There was a positive linear association between RFI and DMI in multiparous cows and a positive quadratic relationship in primiparous cows, where the rate of increase in DMI was less at higher RFI. Eating rate, DMI per meal, and size of the largest daily meal were positively associated with RFI. Daily temporal analysis of FB revealed an interaction between RFI and time for eating rate in multiparous and primiparous cows. The eating rate increased with greater RFI at 11 of 12 time points throughout the day, and eating rate differed across RFI between multiple time points. There tended to be an interaction between RFI and time for eating time and bin visits in multiparous cows but not primiparous cows. Overall, there was a time effect for all FB variables, where DMI, eating time and rate, and bin visits were greatest after the initial daily feeding at 1200 h, increased slightly after each milking, and reached a nadir at 0600 h (6 h before feeding). Considering the relationship between RFI and eating rate, additional efforts to determine cost-effective methods of quantifying eating rate in group-housed dairy cows is warranted. Further investigation is also warranted to determine if management strategies to alter FB, especially eating rate, can be effective in increasing feed efficiency in lactating dairy cattle.     

国际橄榄理事会的定位和使命及相关标准（网络首发、推荐阅读）

The International Olive Council(IOC) is an international intergovernmental organization dedicated to olive oil and table olives, aiming at modernizing olive production, coordinating olive policies, improving the regulation of international trade, defending the quality of the olive sector and promoting olive oil and table olives to increase their consumption. The IOC grants recognition of laboratories and tasting panels in annual trials when they meet the conditions given in the decisions adopting the IOC certificate for laboratories for the physico–chemical testing of olive oil and laboratories for the sensory analysis of virgin olive oils. The IOC establishes analysis methods applying to olive oils and olive pomace oils for purity, quality and organoleptic assessment. The IOC elaborates guides of storage conditions for olive oils and olive pomace oils, of managing virgin olive oil tasting panels and of sensory testing laboratories. In future works, the IOC includes activities to identify analytical criteria for detecting fraud and guaranteeing the quality of olive oils and olive pomace oils.