Commercial Environment Research Articles

Assessment of Sustainable Supply Capability of Chinese Tin Resources Based on the Entropy Weight-TOPSIS Model

This study focuses on the issue of supply security in Chinese tin resources, conducting a comprehensive analysis encompassing supply security, demand conditions, market risk, and geopolitical stability. The study employs the AHP-Entropy Weight method to calculate the comprehensive weights of various indicators, revealing the sustainable supply capability of the resources and the challenges they confront. The research unveils that the domestic supply potential and the international commercial extraction environment are pivotal influences on the sustainable supply capability of tin resources. Firstly, since 2010, China has started to import net tin ores and concentrates, leading to a substantial increase in external dependency. However, China’s tin resource reserves have gradually decreased, posing challenges to the stability of the tin resource supply. Secondly, the stability of supply countries and the security of import channels critically affect the stability of the tin resource supply chain. A comprehensive analysis of the outcomes indicates a consistent decline in China’s sustainable tin resource supply capability since 2010, primarily due to the deterioration of resource supply conditions, growth in demand, and the escalation of geopolitical risks. Thus, the evolving foreign extraction environment, domestic resource supply potential, and the alteration in the global tin resource extraction landscape require significant attention.

Distributed Representations of Wi-Fi Fingerprints from Non-Contextual Text-Embedding Techniques with Applications in Crowdsourcing Zone-Level Localization

Over the past decade, indoor localization systems have gained increasing attention and found widespread applications in commercial and research environments. Specifically, a Wi-Fi fingerprint-based system offers a low-cost solution over its counterparts such as Bluetooth, ultra-wideband (UWB), and radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies due to the ubiquity of Wi-Fi access points (WAPs) in most buildings. However, the main disadvantage of the fingerprint-based system is intensive survey effort required during system initialization and maintenance. This work explores a solution to alleviate this limitation by considering a crowdsourcing approach for zone-level localization. Instead of relying only on the labelled fingerprint data from trained surveyors, this approach uses the more-attainable unlabelled fingerprint data collected by participating volunteers. This unlabelled data is then used to augment the survey data in a process called pseudo labelling, forming a more comprehensive training dataset for subsequent localization tasks; this semi-supervised approach allows for minimal survey effort during system initialization and maintenance. To enable such solution, this work introduces a novel approach of employing non-contextual word embedding techniques to construct distributed vector representations of fingerprint data to overcome 3 challenges; (a) high memory requirement in the downstream tasks due to high-dimensional non-distributed vector representations from the “standard” vector transformation, (b) inclusion of an arbitrary value that represents missing WAPs which can affect the performance of the downstream localization tasks in a non-transparent manner, and most importantly, (c) poor pseudo-labelling and semi-supervised zone-prediction performances due to poor data separability in a feature space. The choice of the non-contextual text-embedding techniques, as opposed to the contextual counterparts, leads to less computational requirement in model training and distributed-representation generation due to simpler model architectures (no deep learning) and no requirement for pre-trained model during distributed-representation generation. To this end, we considered non-contextual word embedding techniques commonly used in natural language processing such as Word2Vec, GloVe, and Doc2Vec in the distributed-representation transformation, and compared the resulting downstream performances with those from well-recognized dimensionality reduction techniques such as PCA, Isomap, and UMAP. The results show that Word2Vec and GloVe transformations outperform other types of transformations in terms of separability in fingerprint representations, pseudo-labelling performance, and semi-supervised zone-prediction accuracy. Together with the promising robustness property against potential data inhomogeneity, Word2Vec and GloVe transformations are the recommended transformation processes for constructing vector representations of fingerprints in crowdsourcing zone-level localization. HIGHLIGHTS This work introduces a novel approach of employing non-contexual word-embedding techniques to construct distributed vector representations of Wi-Fi fingerprint data to facilitate pseudo-labelling and semi-supervised zone-prediction tasks in crowdsourcing zone-level localization The benefits of employing word-embedding techniques are (a) lower memory requirement in the downstream tasks due to distributed vector representations (b) no inclusion of an arbitrary value that represents missing WAPs which can affect the performance of the downstream localization tasks in a non-transparent manner (c) improved pseudo-labelling and semi-supervised zone-prediction performances due to improved data separability in a feature space The benefit of employing non-contextual techniques, as opposed to the contextual counterparts, is less computational requirement in model training and distributed-representation generation due to simpler model architectures (no deep learning) and no requirement for pre-trained model during distributed-representation generation The results show that Word2Vec and GloVe transformations outperform other types of transformations in terms of separability in fingerprint representations, pseudo-labelling performance, and semi-supervised zone-prediction accuracy GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Motivators and impediments to mushroom commercialisation in Ghana: Implication for policymakers, development partners and extension agents

Waste (organic waste) management is a major challenge for urban and peri-urban areas all over the world. This is because landfilling raises greenhouse gas emissions, whereas indiscriminate refuse dumping wastes valuable nutrients and energy that are still present in the refuse. Fungi, such as mushrooms, have the unique ability to decompose and transform obstinate organic substances into protein. The government, private sector, and foreign development partners in Ghana's Greater Accra region have invested in mushroom (oyster) production to boost commercialization for economic development. However, commercialization remains low, and significant income gains from mushroom commercialization have yet to be realised. Psychosocial factors are imperative for agricultural commercialization because they create a thriving environment and incentive for agricultural commercialization in general, and mushroom commercialization in specific. To determine the motivations and impediments to mushroom commercialization, we used a questionnaire to survey 153 oyster mushroom producers censused from the Ga East and the Adentan municipalities in the Greater Accra region. The data was analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), means and standard deviations. Our results showed three [3] motivators: social awareness, economic value, and market incentives, and three [3] impediments: institutional and personal weakness, market uncertainty, and value chain challenges. The major motivators to mushroom commercialization are social awareness (M = 3.94) and economic value (M = 3.93) whereas the major impediments comprised market uncertainty (M = 3.59) and institutional and personal weaknesses (M = 3.29). We recommend that policy effort to create enabling institutional environment and social awareness of mushroom coupled with development partners' and extension agents' effort to train farmers on mushroom production management are key to enhancing commercial mushroom production in Ghana.NB: M=Mean

Uncovering changes in microbiome profiles across commercial and backyard poultry farming systems.

The microbiome profiles of poultry production systems significantly impact bird health, welfare, and the environment. This study investigated the influence of broiler-rearing systems on the microbiome composition of commercial and backyard chicken farms and their environment over time. Understanding these effects is vital for optimizing animal growth, enhancing welfare, and addressing human and environmental health implications. We collected and analyzed various samples from commercial and backyard farms, revealing significant differences in microbial diversity measurements between the two systems. Backyard farms exhibited higher alpha diversity measurements in soil and water samples, while commercial farms showed higher values for litter and feeder samples. The differences in microbial diversity were also reflected in the relative abundance of various microbial taxa. In backyard farms, Proteobacteria levels increased over time, while Firmicutes levels decreased. Campilobacterota, including the major poultry foodborne pathogen Campylobacter, increased over time in commercial farm environments. Furthermore, Bacteroides, associated with improved growth performance in chickens, were more abundant in backyard farms. Conversely, pathogenic Acinetobacter was significantly higher in backyard chicken fecal and feeder swab samples. The presence of Brevibacterium and Brachybacterium, associated with low-performing broiler flocks, was significantly higher in commercial farm samples. The observed differences in microbial composition and diversity suggest that farm management practices and environmental conditions significantly affect poultry health and welfare and have potential implications for human and environmental health. Understanding these relationships can inform targeted interventions to optimize poultry production, improve animal welfare, and mitigate foodborne pathogens and antimicrobial resistance risks. IMPORTANCE The microbiome of poultry production systems has garnered significant attention due to its implications on bird health, welfare, and overall performance. The present study investigates the impact of different broiler-rearing systems, namely, commercial (conventional) and backyard (non-conventional), on the microbiome profiles of chickens and their environment over time. Understanding the influence of these systems on microbiome composition is a critical aspect of the One-Health concept, which emphasizes the interconnectedness of animal, human, and environmental health. Our findings demonstrate that the type of broiler production system significantly affects both the birds and their environment, with distinct microbial communities associated with each system. This study reveals the presence of specific microbial taxa that differ in abundance between commercial and backyard poultry farms, providing valuable insights into the management practices that may alter the microbiome in these settings. Furthermore, the dynamic changes in microbial composition over time observed in our study highlight the complex interplay between the poultry gut microbiome, environmental factors, and production systems. By identifying the key microbial players and their fluctuations in commercial and backyard broiler production systems, this research offers a foundation for developing targeted strategies to optimize bird health and welfare while minimizing the potential risks to human and environmental health. The results contribute to a growing body of knowledge in the field of poultry microbiome research and have the potential to guide future improvements in poultry production practices that promote a sustainable and healthy balance between the birds, their environment, and the microbial communities they host.

Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Decision-making in Organisations

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in decision-making processes has emerged as a key organizational development driver in the modern, dynamic commercial environment. This case study investigates the broad implications, difficulties, and transformative possibilities of intelligence in corporate decision-making. We discover how applying data analysis, pattern recognition, and artificial intelligence can increase decision-making and accuracy using an integrated strategy. Real-world examples from a variety of industries demonstrate how AI-driven decision-making can boost productivity, lower risk, and encourage innovation. However, as businesses use AI to its full potential, ethical issues become more crucial. These days, factors including algorithmic bias, data privacy worries, and the demand for human attention must be carefully considered. This paper discusses this intricacy and emphasizes the significance of integrating ethical AI. got an endorsement from 250 workers utilizing a Google Docs study paper. The results illustrated the advantages and difficulties experienced by professionals directly involved in AI-driven decision-making. Finally, this study shows how AI has advanced beyond efficiency to develop models for business decision-making. Organizations may overcome obstacles and maximize their potential to advance to a time when AI and people will share a common intelligence in decision-making by understanding the function and ethics of AI.

Multiscale techno-economic analysis of orange hydrogen synthesis

The conversion of hydrogen sulphide into value-added products, hydrogen and elemental sulphur, might be a promising route for the treatment of H2S waste streams and for a circular production of hydrogen. This work investigates the thermal splitting of H2S at different scales: the kinetic scale through dedicated experimental campaigns, the reactor scale with a combined experimental and modelling approach, and the process scale in a commercial simulation environment. The system was tested in a lab-scale reactor at 1 bar and in a temperature range going from 640 °C up to 1100 °C. H2S conversion was measured and used to validate a kinetic scheme implemented in a customized simulation suite. These results were then used for process design and scale-up in Aspen HYSYS, which, considering a feed of 10 t/h of pure H2S, estimated a production of 590.8 kg/h of hydrogen. An economic analysis was performed and the production cost of hydrogen resulted to be 2.23 $/kg.

Channel Analysis for 3.5 GHz Frequency in Airport

This letter presents an analysis of the radio propagation channel based on measurements at the 3.5 GHz frequency. The measurement campaigns were carried out inside the Valde-Cans airport using line-of-sight (LOS) transmissions. First, the channel small-scale dispersion parameters were extracted through channel probing and the results are similar to those obtained by ITU-R P.1238 for the bands below 15 GHz considering commercial indoor environments as well as for those using the 3.5 GHz band in outdoor environments utilizing WiMax OFDM-256 signals. Then, the floating-intercept (FI) and close-in (CI) models are applied and analyzed to evaluate the received signal behavior for co-polarized and cross polarized antennas. The results show that the CI path loss exponent values are close to the free space propagation loss model, while the FI model provides a lower root mean square error (RMSE) to the measured data. The results show that the FI and CI models are suitable for large-scale indoor propagation loss modeling for 5G networks with a frequency of 3.5 GHz.

Analyzing the Financial Risk Factors Impacting the Economic Benefits of the Consumer Electronic Goods Manufacturing Industry in India

Financial market instability and losses driven by changes in stock prices, currencies, interest rates, and other factors are the primary causes of economic risk. One of the risk types with the highest priority for every business is financial risk. The consumer electronics manufacturing sector’s focus on rising technology is driving important growth and includes manufacturers of smartwatches, stylish home products, and smart speakers. Risks can arise from the inability to meet functional requirements and business expectations throughout the life cycle, from original formation to final disposal, while supplying competitive electronic products. All of this highlights the necessity and potential of thorough study in the field of financial risk in economic growth. With the help of owners and managers of top electronic manufacturing industries in India, this study’s goal is to examine and evaluate several aspects of financial risk in economic benefits. The main factors of the financial risk covered under the study include liquidity risk, market risk, credit risk, and operational risk. Financial risks also arise from a combination of macroeconomic factors, including changing interest rates on the market and the potential for default by sizable businesses or industries. Financial stability is of the utmost importance to a commercial enterprise to maintain its position and status in the commercial environment. All of this demonstrates the value and need for rigorous research in the area of financial risk affecting the performance of the organization. This study intends to analyze several components of financial risk in consumer electronic goods manufacturers in India. Various aspects discussed in the study revolving around financial risk management are an important factor and demand the maximum attention of the organization.

Intelligent Energy Management for Distributed Power Plants and Battery Storage

A smart energy management controller is required for effective source coordination and load demand management. This work proposes a novel instantaneous current reference technique for use in power management of hybrid power systems (HPS), both autonomous and interconnected with the grid. A grid integrated hybrid power system (GI-HPS) includes both the AC grid and additional sources used in industrial and commercial environments. Solar photovoltaic (SPV) panels, wind turbine generators, proton exchange membrane fuel cells, and batteries are all part of the test system. The suggested energy management system (SEMS) manages power from the hybrid power source and the energy storage components to meet the load needs. The recommended SEMS can transit between 12 different modes of operation to fulfil the load demand requirements. The SEMS employs a scaling factor N to accelerate the rate at which the measured current approaches the reference current. The proposed scaling factor significantly improves the SEMS’s dynamic performance since it can quickly respond to the changes in the source and load characteristics. The dependability of an HPS powered by a variety of renewable energy sources can also be improved.

HyperPS: A Virtual-Machine Memory Protection Approach Through Hypervisor's Privilege Separation

The HostOS or Hypervisor constitutes the most important cornerstone of today's commercial cloud environment security. Unfortunately, the HostOS/Hypervisor, especially the QEMU-KVM architecture, is not immune to all vulnerabilities and exploitations. Recently, researchers have put forward lots of schemes to protect Virtual Machines under the compromised HostOS/Hypervisor. However, some of these schemes rely on special hardware facilities, while other (e.g., Nested Virtualization schemes) require large modification to current commercial cloud architecture. In this paper, we present a novel scheme, named HyperPS, to implement virtual machine protection under the compromised HostOS/Hypervisor. The key idea of HyperPS is to deprive the HostOS/Hypervisor of the privileges of managing the physical memory into an isolated and trusted execution environment. HyperPS does not rely customized hardware or extra processor privilege. HyperPS shares the same privilege with the HostOS. We have implemented a fully functional prototype based on the KVM in Intel x86_64 architecture. Experiment results show that HyperPS has achieved an acceptable trade-off between security and performance.

Does the history of opening ports and trading influence the long-term business credit environment of cities? Evidence from the Yangtze River Delta region of China.

Based on the China City Commercial Credit Environment Index (CEI), a more scientific spatial DID model was used to examine the long-term impact of the opening of ports and trading in the late Qing Dynasty on the urban commercial credit environment, taking cities above the prefecture level in the Yangtze River Delta as a sample. The study confirms that: (1) the opening of ports and commerce in the late Qing Dynasty had a significant contribution to the urban commercial credit environment, which was conducive to the transformation of production methods and interpersonal relationships from traditional to modern, and to the improvement of the urban commercial credit environment. (2) Before the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki, the local forces of the late Qing Dynasty were resistant to the economic aggression of the Great Powers, and the positive impact of the opening of ports and trading on the commercial credit environment of port cities was more significant, but the impact was not obvious after the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki. (3) From the history of the opening of ports for trade in the late Qing Dynasty, the economic aggression of the Western powers against the non-patronage areas by means of the buying class objectively strengthened the concept of rule of law and credit awareness in the local market and exerted a long-term influence on the commercial credit environment of the cities, but the impact of the opening of ports for trade on the commercial credit environment of the patronage areas was not prominent. (4) Cities located in the sphere of influence of the common law powers had a more pronounced impact on the commercial credit environment as their institutions and concepts were more easily transplanted, while the impact of the opening of ports and trading on the commercial credit environment of cities in the sphere of influence of the civil law powers was not significant. Policy Insights: (1) Enhance the ability to negotiate with foreign countries on economic and trade matters from a level-headed world perspective, and be bold and adept at fighting unreasonable rules, standards and requirements in order to better optimise the business credit environment; (2) Regulate the use of administrative resources and avoid undue administrative intervention, which is an important prerequisite for improving the basic system of the market economy to enhance the business credit environment; (3) Emphasise both connotative development to follow a Chinese style modernisation path, and (3) emphasising selective cooperation to promote outward development, promoting the interaction, convergence and matching of domestic and foreign regulations, and continuously improving the regional commercial credit environment.

Security and Fire Safety of Industries with AI and IoT Devices

Ever-increasing advancement in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has caused a spike in the implementation of the Internet of Things (IoT) devices in the industrial as well as the commercial environment. This also demands its assimilation in the sector of power systems, mainly the security and safety part of the power system which faces the most negligence. This paper underlines the economic losses caused by the laxness shown in this department of power and proposes the practices to minimize such losses using AI integrated into IoT devices in the grid and other areas of the power sector. The research focuses on the safety of humans from fires or intruders as well as from any part of the grid which can be a fire hazard if neglected.

Internet of things sports information collection and sports action simulation based on cloud computing data platform

In recent years, cloud computing technology has shown exponential growth, and the upgrading of hardware and the improvement of computing performance have brought significant changes to the Internet of Things industry. With the changes of the times and the emergence of many new demands, data platforms under cloud computing platforms must make corresponding changes according to the new demands. Among them, the construction of cross regional data centers is particularly important, especially in commercial environments. How to reduce the cost of data centers on cloud computing platforms while ensuring business quality has become a crucial issue. Based on the above situation, this article has optimized the bandwidth cost of the data center and solved the problem of big data transmission based on delayed big data windows and multi delay windows. A mathematical model for optimizing bandwidth cost under multi delay windows is proposed. This article also studied sports action simulation, which plays an important role in sports research, film animation, and virtual reality. Simulation actions are usually implemented based on data capture methods. However, these methods typically do not have interactivity with the environment. To enhance the authenticity and interactive ability of simulation action information collection, this article adopts reinforcement learning method for training and design, and applies a system of functions such as collecting human sports data processing. This article applies cloud computing data platforms and sports information collection to sports action simulation, making progress in the development of sports action simulation.

Potential of yellow gentian aqueous-ethanolic extracts to prevent Listeria monocytogenes biofilm formation on selected food contact surfaces

As a foodborne pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes could be commonly found in the food processing facilities, where forms biofilm on various food contact surfaces. Therefore, the control of L. monocytogenes biofilm formation is of key importance for improving food safety. The aim of this work was to examine the ability of yellow gentian root and leaf extracts to inhibit biofilm formation of L. monocytogenes strains at commonly used 37 °C and at ambient temperature associated with food processing plants (18 °C), on both polystyrene and stainless steel. Crystal violet staining assay revealed strong potential of the extracts to prevent biofilm formation on polystyrene at 37 °C (up to 90% inhibition), and on both surfaces at 18 °C (up to 78.1% and 62.9% on polystyrene and stainless steel, respectively). Antibiofilm effect could be ascribed to extracts’ ability to reduce the production of exopolysaccharides and to suppress swimming motility. Finally, qRT-PCR demonstrated no activity against quorum sensing, but up-regulation of the genes (flaA, sigB) involved in biofilm formation, most likely as a response to stressful conditions. Results obtained suggest yellow gentian extracts as potent antibiofilm agents, but further analyses are needed to determine the underlie mechanism and to validate the efficiency and safety in commercial environment.

Contrast inversion of ferrite and pearlite in a sweet corrosion environment

In-situ optical imaging in a confocal Raman system of a pipeline steel under sweet corrosion environmental conditions typical of a commercial environment (NaCl brine, pH 6.8, temp, 80 °C, low oxygen, open circuit potential) revealed contrast inversion of ferrite and pearlite microdomains as compared to their 3% Nital etched counterpart. This behaviour is in excellent agreement with the time resolved mineralogy growth profile obtained from in-situ confocal Raman and also complemented by AFM and SEM analysis of the surface roughness and corresponding morphology. The data presented here provides new insight into the process of sweet corrosion scaling in a ferritic-pearlitic microstructure steel.

COOPERATIVE IN CURRENT VIETNAMESE COMMERCIAL ENVIRONMENT

Cooperative is a model of cooperation, production and business that emerged quite early and very popular in Vietnam. However, from current business practices, the development of cooperatives is showing signs of decline. It hence raises a concern as to if the cooperative model is still suitable for the commercial environment in Vietnam in the current development stage? Therefore, article research the compatibility between cooperative and the current commercial environment in Vietnam to propose for the laws to be improved and to promote the strong development of cooperative.

Organizational Policy Implementation to Address Covid-19 Impacts: A Comparative Case Study on Thomas Cook Travels and Akbar Travels

Purpose: The pandemic made huge negative impacts on the travel business globally. Massive shakes in different parts of the travel industry led to the shutdown of different travel companies during the outbreak of Covid-19. This research identifies two prominent travel agencies for a detailed study. Thomas Cook Travels is the oldest travel firm, it underwent complete bankruptcy and was undertaken by forex holidays in 2012. Akbar Travels is another leading travel company operating in different countries. This study focuses on assessing the customer/tourist and employee policies made by Thomas Cook Travels and Akbar Travels. NOISE analysis is a strategic planning tool to identify the strengths and needs of the current state of business and it gives light on the Improvements, Opportunities, and Expectations. The study emphasizes the current strength, needs, opportunities, and improvements. Design: This research adopted the case study method by using a descriptive research design. Secondary data has been collected and analyzed to find out the factors affecting the tourism industry after Covid -19. NOISE analysis was conducted to explore the travel business of Akbar Travels and Thomas cook travels and also to identify the features and excellence of each travel firm and the expected improvements for the smooth run of the business. Findings: The study constitutes that Thomas Cook Travels is running on a strategy and focused on business research on a yearly basis analysis. Yearly annual reports which are published and have public access, are suggesting the best possible areas of development and recommended the removal of low-profit products and services. Travel products from Thomas Cook Travels designed with the changes in commercial environments made them suitable for the business. Competitive forex services were very well helpful for travelers during the time of the pandemic. Multiple sources of income helped Travels to survive in the time of covid. Comprehensive regaining of business after the pandemic made their position the second-best travel firm in India. Originality value: This study includes a detailed analysis of the travel and tourism business and its operational excellence in the post-Covid scenario with special reference to Akbar Travels and Thomas Cook Travels. It also compares the functioning of Thomas Cook’s and Akbar’s travels. Paper type: A case study

The effect of the perceptible built environment on pedestrians’ walking behaviors in commercial districts: Evidence from Hong Kong

In order to structure an efficient and comfortable commercial district for pedestrians, we need to understand the interaction between pedestrian walking behavior and the complex elements of the built environment. Previous studies have focused on people’s activities in the context of the neighborhood rather than the commercial district. This study investigates the potential associations between multi-dimensional environmental factors and pedestrians under various temporal distributions in a densely populated commercial district. Multi-source urban data and semantic segmentation technics have been adopted to measure the built environmental quality from four classic dimensions of urban design, and combining the observations of pedestrian volumes of representative streets in the commercial district, we assess the relationship between the two at different times on the basis of a generalized linear model (GLM). The analytical results identify that the Morphology, Visual perception, Function, and Street configuration features of the commercial environment have a significant impact on walking activity, and temporal differences exist. The findings highlight the importance of built environment quality to pedestrians and street attractiveness, and inform designers, stakeholders, and municipalities on the revitalization of traditional commercial districts.

A Comparative Analysis of the Fecal Bacterial Communities of Light and Heavy Finishing Barrows Raised in a Commercial Swine Production Environment.

For commercial swine producers, the natural variation in body weight amongst pigs in a herd presents a challenge in meeting the standards of meat processors who incentivize target carcass weights by offering more favorable purchase prices. Body weight variation in a swine herd is evident as early as birth, and it is typically maintained throughout the entire production cycle. Amongst the various factors that can affect growth performance, the gut microbiome has emerged as an important factor that can affect efficiency, as it contributes to vital functions such as providing assimilable nutrients from feed ingredients that are inedible to the host, as well as resistance to infection by a pathogen. In this context, the objective of the study described in this report was to compare the fecal microbiomes of light and heavy barrows (castrated male finishing pigs) that were part of the same research herd that was raised under commercial conditions. Using high-throughput sequencing of amplicons generated from the V1-V3 regions of the 16S rRNA gene, two abundant candidate bacterial species identified as operational taxonomic units (OTUs), Ssd-1085 and Ssd-1144, were found to be in higher abundance in the light barrows group. Ssd-1085 was predicted to be a potential strain of Clostridium jeddahitimonense, a bacterial species capable of utilizing tagatose, a monosaccharide known to act as a prebiotic that can enhance the proliferation of beneficial microorganisms while inhibiting the growth of bacterial pathogens. OTU Ssd-1144 was identified as a candidate strain of C. beijerinckii, which would be expected to function as a starch utilizing symbiont in the swine gut. While it remains to be determined why putative strains of these beneficial bacterial species would be in higher abundance in lower weight pigs, their overall high levels in finishing pigs could be the result of including ingredients such as corn and soybean-based products in swine diets. Another contribution from this study was the determination that these two OTUs, along with five others that were also abundant in the fecal bacterial communities of the barrows that were analyzed, had been previously identified in weaned pigs, suggesting that these OTUs can become established as early as the nursery phase.

An Ensemble Approach To Improve Homomorphic Encrypted Data Classification Performance

Homomorphic encryption (HE) permits users to perform computations on encrypted data without first decrypting it. HE can be used for privacy-preserving outsourced computation and analysis, allowing data to be encrypted and outsourced to commercial cloud environments for processing while encrypted or sensitive data. HE enables new services by removing privacy barriers inhibiting data sharing or increasing the security of existing services. A convolution neural network (CNN) can be homomorphically evaluated using addition and multiplication by replacing the activation function, such as Rectified Linear Units (ReLU), with a low polynomial degree. To achieve the same performance as the ReLU activation function, we study the impact of applying the ensemble techniques to solve the accuracy problem. Our experimental results empirically show that the ensemble approach can reduce bias, and variance, increasing accuracy to achieve the same ReLU performance with parallel and sequential techniques. We demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of our method using three datasets: MNIST, FMNIST, and CIFAR-10.