Visualizing for the Non‐Visual: Enabling the Visually Impaired to Use Visualization

The majority of visualizations on the web are still stored as raster images, making them inaccessible to visually impaired users. We propose a deep‐neural‐network‐based approach that automatically recognizes key elements in a visualization, including a visualization type, graphical elements, labels, legends, and most importantly, the original data conveyed in the visualization. We leverage such extracted information to provide visually impaired people with the reading of the extracted information. Based on interviews with visually impaired users, we built a Google Chrome extension designed to work with screen reader software to automatically decode charts on a webpage using our pipeline. We compared the performance of the back‐end algorithm with existing methods and evaluated the utility using qualitative feedback from visually impaired users.     

Combination of vegetable soup and glucan demonstrates synergistic effects on macrophage-mediated immune responses

Vegetable soup (VS), a plant-based functional food, has been used as a traditional folk medicine and is attracting attention for its ability to enhance the immune response. β-Glucan, a well-established and effective immunomodulator, has synergistic effects when used in combination with some bioactive compounds. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the synergistic immunomodulatory effects of the combination of VS and β-glucan on macrophage-mediated immune responses. β-Glucan was demonstrated to synergistically enhance the VS-stimulated immune response, including the production of interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and nitric oxide, mainly through the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway in macrophages. In addition, this combination has the potential for further development in functional foods with immune-enhancing activity.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-021-00888-x.     

Structure and Certain Properties of Hot-Pressed Boron Carbide-Based Ceramic with Calcium-Silicon Additive

The influence which the composition of powder mixtures, the treatment conditions which the mixtures are subjected to, and the conditions under which the hot-pressed composite materials B₄C – (5-10 mass%) calcium-silicon are fabricated exert on the structure, nature of failure, and mechanical properties of these materials is investigated. Optimum properties are possessed by material containing 10 mass% of addition. It is shown that the structure, morphology, and dispersivity, as well as the nature of the distribution of the components that are added to the composite material (secondary phase) vary as the temperature of hot pressing changes. Maximal mechanical characteristics of the composite material (σ_bend = 560 MPa, K _1c = 4.7 MPa·m^1/2, HV = 37 GPa) are attained at hot-pressing temperatures in the range 2000-2100°C.     

A study on UV-curable coatings for HD-DVD: Primer and top coats

This study relates to the development of coatings for optical discs in high-density digital versatile disc systems (HD-DVD or blue lay disk) that use a high numerical aperture of 0.85 at 405 nm wavelength and have a protective top layer over a primer layer for protection against damage and dust. Ultraviolet-curable raw materials of two acrylic monofunctional monomers ( isobornylacrylate, IBA and tetrahydrofurfurylacrylate, THFA) and two kinds of urethaneacrylate oligomers (OUMD and OUME) have been easily mixed with photoinitiators. Curing rate of these materials was characterized by FT-IR. In case of top coats, VTES (vinyltriethoxysilane) and acrylic acid were added to enhance the abrasion resistance. These two kinds of UV-curable resinous materials having no solvent were synthesized and investigated as means for making a blue ray disk having good optical and mechanical properties. In addition, dynamic characteristics including reflectivity, fluctuation of RF signal and noise level were also investigated.     

Forecasting Capillary Characteristics for Aluminum Nitride Ceramic ― Liquid Metal Systems

A test has been devised that allows one to determine the work of adhesion and wettability in a system composed of aluminum nitride ceramics with a liquid metal without the need for experimental examination. A correlation is examined between the work of adhesion on the one hand and that criteria or others on the other that have been proposed by various researchers. Forecasts are made for the work of adhesion and wetting angle for a series of metals that have not been examined previously. An experimental check has been made on the forecast adhesion activity for some elements.     

The hygienic working practices of maintenance personnel and equipment hygiene in the Finnish food industry

The hygienic working practices of the maintenance personnel as well as the hygiene of the equipment in the food industry were investigated with questionnaires and microbial surveys. The protective clothing, washing of hands and tools as well as avoiding foreign bodies left on the production lines should be targeted when the hygienic working practices are developed for maintenance personnel. Based on the questionnaire to food processors, packaging machines, conveyers, dispensers, slicing and cooling machines were considered the most problematic pieces of equipment hygienically mainly because of poor hygienic design. In order to improve food safety, both the training of maintenance personnel in food hygiene and equipment design should be more emphasised.     

Susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes strains to disinfectants and chlorinated alkaline cleaners at cold temperatures

Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), suspension and biofilm tests were used in evaluating the disinfecting efficacy of eight commercially available disinfectants and four chlorinated alkaline cleaners against 10 strains of Listeria monocytogenes at refrigerated temperatures. The adaptive response and cross-adaptation of L. monocytogenes to the disinfectants and chlorinated alkaline cleaners were investigated. The bactericidal components in the agents used were chlorine, quaternary ammonium compound (QAC), peracetic acid, ethanol and isopropanol. With some exceptions the disinfectants were efficient against the L. monocytogenes strains. One alkaline hypochlorite containing disinfectant was not efficient in the suspension and MIC tests at the lowest concentration recommended by the manufacturer. The chlorinated alkaline cleaners were effective against L. monocytogenes. A QAC-based disinfectant was found to be the least-effective agent on both glass bead-blasted polyethylene and stainless-steel surfaces. Adaptive and cross-adaptive responses of L. monocytogenes strains were observed towards the QAC-based agent, but over 2-fold increases to other agents were not observed. These results suggest that the adaptive responses of L. monocytogenes to disinfectants or chlorinated alkaline cleaners are of a minor concern.     

Modelling of Al2O3 Powder Compaction with Hot Pressing in a Rigid Die

Computer modelling of hot pressing is provided. Kinetics are described for compaction during hot pressing in a rigid die, and the change in density distribution, irreversible solid phase strain accumulation, and equivalent stresses are studied by means of the finite element method. Shrinkage during the preparation of complex-shaped articles by hot pressing pure Al₂O₃ powder in a graphite die without a protective atmosphere and the physicomechanical properties of the finished article are studied. Calculated and experimental results agree satisfactorily.     

Oxidation of methane in a wide range of pressures and effect of inert gases

The analysis of methane oxidation in a wide range of pressures (0.05–10 atm) demonstrates that the efficiency of CH₃ radicals recombination is of great importance for high selectivity of C₂ hydrocarbons formation. The relative efficiency of different “colliders” assisting the stabilization of exited C₂H*₆ molecules increases in the series: solid surface> Ar> He. The increase of the overall reaction rate upon increasing pressure of the inert gases in the case of catalysts having a higher surface area and more developed pore structure is likely due to the contribution of the surface-induced chain reaction in the volume of pores.