Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prediction of the Chemical Composition and Fermentation Parameters of Winter Rye Silages by Near Infrared Spectroscopy

ABSTRACT This study was carried out to explore the accuracy of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for the prediction of chemical and fermentation parameters of whole crop winter rye silages. A representative population of 216 fresh winter rye silages was used as database for studying the possibilities of NIRS to predict chemical composition and fermentation parameters. Samples of silage were scanned at 1 nm intervals over the wavelength range 680~2,500 nm and the optical data recorded as log 1/Reflectance (log 1/R) and scanned in fresh condition. NIRS calibrations were developed by means of partial least-squares (PLS) regression. NIRS analysis of fresh winter rye silages provided accurate predictions of moisture, acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), crude protein (CP) and pH as well as lactic acid content with correlation coefficients of cross-validation (R 2 cv) of 0.96, 0.86, 0.79, 0.85, 0.82 and 0.78 respectively and standard error of cross-validation (SECV) of 1.89, 2.02, 2.79, 1.14, 1.47 and 0.46 % DM respectively. Results of this experiment showed the possibility of NIRS method to predict the chemical parameters of winter rye silages as routine analysis method in feeding value evaluation and for farmer advice. (
Inorganic and Phytochemical Content Analysis of the Wild Abyssinian Thyme Spice

A study was conducted to investigate selected inorganic, anti-nutritional factor and pro-vitamin “A” contents of the aromatic spices of the wild Abyssinian thyme aerial parts. Different aerial parts of the plant were considered for the experiments. The mineral content, anti-nutritional and pro-vitamin”A” value of the plant parts was analyzed using AOAC (2000). Mineral contents such as iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), calcium (Ca), copper (Cu) and magnesium (Mg) were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer and Condensed tannin, total phenolic content, carotenoids, beta carotene and retinol equivalent vit “A” were determined by UV/vis Spectrophotometer and the data were analyzed by SAS software version 9.1. The results revealed that Abyssinian thyme herb aerial parts (F, L & W) contained Zinc (9.19, 9.01 and 8.36 mg/100 g); Iron (0.022, 0.0022 and 0.012 mg/100 g), copper (0.038, 0.054 and 0.045 mg/100 g), Magnesium (2.47, 2.32 and 2.1 mg/g ) and Calcium (392, 379.5, and 355.3 mg/g), respectively. They contained condensed tannin (0.2, 0.4 and 0.9 µg/mL), total phenolic content (0.5, 0.2 and 0.3 µg/mL) of anti-nutritional factors, respectively. Furthermore, they contained carotenoids (59.6, 68.7 and 63.0 IU), beta carotene (119.5, 137 and 126.7 IU) and retinol equivalent (239.5, 274.8 and 252 IU) of pro-vit “A”, respectively. Among the minerals in Abyssinian thyme herb aerial parts calcium is the highest in the flower part and the lowest was in the whole thyme aerial parts, the least of the five minerals is the iron and copper. None of the mineral contents were highest for the whole plant. From the wild Abyssinian thyme aerial parts the flower had highest total phenolic content and the leaf had the lowest and data shows that the whole thyme plant had the highest condensed tannin content from the three aerial parts wild Abyssinian thyme spice. Keywords : zinc, Thyme, Iron, condensed tannin, Carotenoids
Finite Element Methods against Limit Equilibrium Approaches for Slope Stability Analysis

A number of powerful numerical models, including limit equilibrium and finite element (FE) methods, have been developed for slope stability analysis in recent decades. The limit equilibrium method contains several limitations, yet is considered the most common approach. However, the advancement of technology has increased the use of the finite element method as it embraces a wider range of features. The limit equilibrium software, SLOPE/W, and the FE program PLAXIS are two common software programs currently employed in geotechnical engineering. Slope analysis using the limit equilibrium method involves a series of slip surfaces dividing ground into vertical slices, and using the static equilibrium equations to calculate the factor of safety (FOS) and stresses for each slice. PLAXIS requires the input of soil properties and elastic-plastic parameters of elements. In this study the properties of a heterogeneous slope, consisting of general fill embankment over soft, slightly overconsolidated clay is implemented in each program. The FOS of slopes is determined for subsequent design requirements, and results are analysed and comparisons are conducted. The effect of Young’s modulus on the FOS is also discussed. Recommendations are provided based on the results and previously published findings. The contribution of this paper is beneficial to geotechnical engineers, as it discusses the suitability and limitations of each method and assesses reliability of model outputs for slope stability analyses.
Effect of various pretreatments on anaerobic biodegradability and quality microbiology of waste activated sludge

In this paper was evaluated the effect of different pretreatments on the solubilization, biodegradability and microbiological quality of waste activated sludge. Six pre-treatments were assayed: thermal, alkaline, ultrasonic, thermal-alkaline, alkali ultrasonic, ultrasonic-alkaline. Pretreatment with that achieved the highest solubilization was ultrasonic-alkaline pretreatment with 85% and this had the highest biodegradability of 65%. Besides, we observed a reactivation of pathogens in all cases, except thermal-alkaline, which implies a decrease in their microbiological quality and biosolids do not fulfill with the classification type A. The phenomenon of reactivation of pathogens may involve a review of the classification criteria of the biosolids or the inclusion of a parameter storage time prior to final disposal, which would raise the costs of disposal.
A Nonparametric Analysis Of Canadian Employment Patterns

Popular perception holds that employment stability has decreased in recent decades. However, no conclusive evidence exists on secular declines in the length of jobs held. Furthermore, most studies conclude that the proportion of long term jobs has remained remarkably stable over the last few decades. To shed light on this discrepancy we use distribution analysis to systematically track changes in Canadian employment durations over an extended period. This is done in order to reconcile popular perception with recent studies and nest the existing literature in a broader historical context. Using nite mixture decomposition on successive cohorts of workers starting from the 1950s we identify worker types within cohort-based distri-butions. Then, using tests of stochastic dominance, we show that the distribution of employment has indeed changed. The nite mixture decomposition reveals that earlier cohorts were more likely to have longer tenure than later cohorts and that there are shifts in pro-portions between longer and shorter work episodes. Our results also indicate that after the 1960s employment durations declined sharply for men, while for women the results were mixed.
Cranial integration and modularity: insights into evolution and development from morphometric data

Morphological integration and modularity have become central concepts in evolutionary biology and geometric morphometrics. This review summarizes the most frequently used methods for characterizing and quantifying integration and modularity in morphometric data: principal component analysis and related issues such as the variance of eigenvalues, partial least squares, comparison of covariation among alternative partitions of landmarks, matrix correlation and ordinations of covariance matrices. Allometry is often acting as an integrating factor. Integration and modularity can be studied at dierent levels: developmental integration is accessible through analyses of covariation of fluctuating asymmetry, genetic integration can be investigated in dierent experimental protocols that either focus on eects of individual genes or consider the aggregate eect of the whole genome, and several phylogenetic comparative methods are available for studying evolutionary integration. Morphological integration and modularity have been investigated in many species of mammals. The review gives a survey of geometric morphometric studies in some of the groups for which many studies have been published: mice and other rodents, carnivorans, shrews, humans and other primates. This review demonstrates that geometric morphometrics oers an established methodology for studying a wide range of questions concerning integration and modularity, but also points out opportunities for further innovation.
Peers' Composition Effects in the Short and in the Long Run: College Major, College Performance and Income

In this paper we use a newly constructed dataset following 30,000 Italian individuals from high school to labor market and we analyze whether the gender composition of peers in high school affected their choice of college major, their academic performance and their labor market income. We leverage the fact that the composition of high school classmates (peers), within school-cohort and teacher-group, was not chosen by the students and it was as good as random. We find that male students graduating from classes with at least 80% of male peers were more likely to choose “prevalently male” (PM) college majors (Economics, Business and Engineering). However, this higher propensity to enroll in PM majors faded away during college (through transfers and attrition) so that men from classes with at least 80% of male peers in high school did not have higher probability of graduating in PM majors. They had instead worse college performance and did not exhibit any difference in income or labor market outcomes after college. We do not find significant effects on women.
A criterion for reflectiveness of normal extensions

We give a new sufficient condition for the normal extensions in an admissible Galois structure to be reflective. We then show that this condition is indeed fulfilled when X is the (protomodular) reflective subcategory of S-special objects of a Barr-exact S-protomodular category C, where S is the class of split epimorphic trivial extensions in C. Next to some concrete examples where the criterion may be applied, we also study the adjunction between a Barr-exact unital category and its abelian core, which we prove to be admissible.
Quality and Antioxidant Properties of Apricot Fruits at Ready-to-Eat: Influence of the Weather Conditions under Mediterranean Coastal Area

The effect of different weather conditions on fruit quality of ‘Pisana’ apricot cultivar (Prunus armeniaca L.) was evaluated over seven consecutive harvesting seasons in central Italy. The main physical-chemical traits, total antioxidant capacity and total phenols of fresh apricots at ready-to-eat were studied. The fruit quality showed a high variability in relation to the climatic conditions, particularly due to the summer rainfall. The most influenced quality parameters were TSS, TA and antioxidant levels: under wet seasons a huge reduction was observed, while strong drought conditions increased these chemical compounds. To improve fruit quality, ‘Pisana’ cultivar benefits of environmental conditions typical of temperate and semi-temperate regions, where water is usually limited.
WORKING PAPER

The current study investigates whether abnormal returns may be gained by purchasing a straddle position prior to a verdict or settlement announcement in a lawsuit. The basis for the hypothesis stems from behavioral finance—more specifically, the Overreaction Hypothesis. Using CAPM expected rates of return and comparisons of 31 lawsuit firms’ straddle returns, three new straddle trading strategies are devised. Within the sample of lawsuits, abnormal returns are evident for the three strategies. The results and their implications support behavioral finance and the Overreaction Hypothesis and thus refute the Efficient Markets Hypothesis.
An Effective Modification with Mild Alkali Pretreatment for Enhancing the Biodegradation of Wheat Straw by Pycnoporus sanguineus NFZH-1

A delignification pretreatment is important for enhancing lignocellulose biodegradation. Alkali pretreatment is a promising approach. Fiber morphology, alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation, and ozonation were used to characterize the wheat straw modified by mild alkali pretreatment (2% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at 121 °C for 30 min), and for studying the advantageous performance by Pycnoporus sanguineus NFZH-1 in the aspects of lignin and carbohydrate biodegradation. The results indicated a powerful and selective delignification in the mild alkali pretreatment process. The relative contents of the G unit and the T form both decreased with mild alkali pretreatment. Meanwhile, epicuticular wax removal and increased porosity was observed in the fibrous tissue of alkali-treated wheat straw. Thus, the biodegradation of the Klason lignin in alkali-treated wheat straw was clearly enhanced and reached 41.4% during the following 10 days of fermentation with P. sanguineus NFZH-1. In addition, the modification of fiber tissue with a mild alkali pretreatment enhanced the biodegradation of xylan. The biodegradation of the chemical constituents of the wheat straw was enhanced by the effective modification with a mild alkali pretreatment. The enhanced biodegradation will be helpful for improving the efficiency of straw return.
Impact of globalisation? Changes in the MTM in Poland

The relationship between economic slack and inflation has been getting vague and blurred recently in the monetary transmission models supporting the MPC decision making process. This paper shows that the relationship holds robustly for inflation measures corrected for textile, footwear, audio appliances and telecom devices. The prices of those four consumption basket components have exhibited a downward trend irrespective of what is going on with the rest of consumption process for already five years. The results are supported by the evidence from VAR.
Multicolour photometry and Coravel observations of stars in the southern open cluster IC 2488

We present new UBV photoelectric observations of 119 stars in the field of the southern open cluster IC 2488, supplemented by DDO and Washington photometry and Coravel radial velocities for a sample of red giant candidates. Nearly 50% of the stars sampled - including three red giants and one blue straggler - are found to be probable cluster members. Photometric membership probabilities of the red giant candidates show good agreement with those obtained from Coravel data. A mean radial velocity of ( 2.63 0.06) km s 1 is derived for the cluster giants. The reddening across the cluster is found to be uniform, the mean value being E(B V)= 0.24 0.04. IC 2488, located at a distance of (1250 120) pc from the Sun and 96 pc below the Galactic plane, is most probably not related to the planetary nebula ESO 166-PN21. A metal abundance (Fe/H)= 0.10 0.06 relative to the Sun is determined from DDO data of the red giant members, in good agreement with the (Fe/H) values derived from five independent Washington abundance indices. An age of 180 Myr is determined from the fitting of isochrones computed with convective overshooting for Z = 0.019. The isochrone for log t= 8.25 reproduces remarkably well not only the morphology of the upper main sequence but also the observed red giant pattern.
Localizing Educational Curriculum of Tertiary Institutions: Approach to Sustainable Development

Every society is unique in terms of opportunities, challenges and aspirations of citizens among others. This paper investigates the importance of curriculum restructuring to the benefit socio-economic development in developing societies. The main argument of this paper expresses the need to localize the educational curriculum to address specific needs and challenges facing a society, beginning from the local communities where educational institutions are situated, to the state before moving towards realizing global goals. The study also explored other factors that are essential for enhancing teaching and learning activities to achieve the overall educational goals and objectives. The review of concepts of curriculum and sustainable development were made with a special focus on the interrelationships of the two in realizing significant socio-economic development. The paper recommends that the curriculum of developing societies should be designed to ensure globalization: Meeting local needs before global needs.
Optimisation mécanique et énergétique d'enveloppes en matériaux composites pour les bâtiments

La majorite des bâtiments existant aujourd'hui ne respectent pas les reglementations thermiques actuelles. Pour repondre aux exigences environnementales il est impossible, dans ce contexte, d'envisager une politique globale de demolition-reconstruction. Des campagnes de rehabilitation doivent etre mises en place. Une solution innovante de rehabilitation energetique est proposee permettant d'exploiter les ressources energetiques urbaines, peu utilisees actuellement. Elle consiste a rajouter autour du bâtiment une enveloppe exterieure qui aurait pour fonction principale le captage d'energie solaire. Un outil d'optimisation de la geometrie de l'enveloppe et de la distribution spatiale de panneaux capteurs a sa surface est developpe. Sa validation est effectuee sur des cas simples, puis il est applique aux situations presentant de forts contrastes : optimisation pendant la periode d'hiver ou d'ete, a Oslo ou a Tunis, avec des obstacles proches masquant le Soleil. Afin de realiser les formes complexes obtenues, il est propose d'utiliser les gridshells comme systeme constructif. Ces structures obtenues par deformation elastique d'une grille de poutres en materiau composite initialement planes posent la question de la durabilite de ces materiaux soumis au chargement permanent. Pour etudier le comportement a long terme (fluage et rupture differee) de ces materiaux composes de fibres de renfort et matrice polymere viscoelastique, un modele micro-mecanique est developpe. Ce modele de type shear-lag permet d'etudier l'influence des proprietes mecaniques des constituants sur la duree de vie du composite soumis a un chargement en traction et traction-cisaillement combines
Measuring Customer Satisfaction through SERVQUAL Model: A Study on Beauty Parlors in Chittagong

Everyone wants to be beautiful. One’s beauty can be enriched with proper nourishment, treatment and care. For that reason beauty parlors have been established in cities and towns. It’s a flourishing business in service sector. This study attempts to measure customer satisfaction on parlors in Chittagong city. A structured questionnaire is developed on SERVQUAL model. The survey is conducted among 100 respondents in 5 most popular beauty parlors in Chittagong. The purpose of the study is to identify customer perception on tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy in beauty parlors in Chittagong and to evaluate the effect of service quality on customer satisfaction. The statistical tools SPSS is used to calculate the mean and linear regression analysis. The findings show that tangibility has the highest mean score among five factors. Moreover, tangibility factor has significant influence on customer satisfaction. Beauty parlors should consider these factors more to satisfy customer. Keywords: Customer Satisfaction, SERVQUAL Model, Beauty Parlors
Cognitive and interactive aspects of task-based performance in Dutch as a second Language : PhD thesis, University of Amsterdam.

Marije Michel onderzocht in het kader van het taakgericht taalonderwijs hoe de mondelinge prestaties van hoogopgeleide Turkse en Marokkaanse taalstudenten verschillen als zij taken alleen dan wel met zijn tweeen uitvoeren. Bovendien manipuleerde ze de cognitieve complexiteit van taken en vergeleek ze het taalgebruik van de studenten in simpele en complexe taaltaken. Michel toont met haar onderzoek aan dat taalstudenten met zijn tweeen op veel vlakken beter presteren dan als ze in hun eentje te werk gaan. Dit geldt ook als twee studenten allebei het Nederlands nog niet machtig zijn een belangrijk inzicht vooral met het oog op taaltoetsen. Tot nu toe worden tweedetaalstudenten immers meestal in hun eentje getest, terwijl samen toetsen wellicht meer recht zou doen aan hun daadwerkelijke talige vermogen. Michel vond geen bijzondere effecten van taakcomplexiteit op studiegedrag.
An Evaluation of a Dialogic Book-Reading Program for At Risk Children

Children from low-income backgrounds are at a higher risk for reading difficulties partly because they are read to less frequently in the home (Adams, 1990). When shared reading does occur in low-income homes, it is usually of poorer quality when compared to reading in middleor upperincome homes (Arnold, Lonigan, Whitehurst, Epstein, 1994). Dialogic reading, a form of enhanced discussion and structured questioning during shared-book reading, can be a cost effective way of improving the language and literacy skills of young children. The current research examines the effectiveness of a community-based, four-month dialogic reading intervention called the Dialogic Reading Club (pseudonym used to protect the identity of the program). Eighteen children aged 38 months to 68 months (Mage = 58.22 months) that attended the intervention were compared with 18 children aged 39 months to 71 months (Mage = 53.11 months) that did not attend the intervention on measures of expressive vocabulary, word reading, concepts of print, and narrative ability. Controlling for pre-test differences on the same post-test measures, ANCOVAs revealed significant differences in word reading, F (1,33) = 5.40,p<. 05, and a measure of concepts of print, F (1,33) =9.28, j? <. 05 in favour of the intervention group. Differences in narrative structure and ability approached significance, with ANOVAs revealing that children in the intervention group produced higher quality narratives (p = .09), produced more words (p = .08), and produced a greater diversity of words (p = .08). No differences were found on expressive vocabulary. The benefits of incorporating dialogic reading strategies in a short-term reading intervention for young children are discussed.