Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Sulfur and Potassium Application under Salinity Stress on Productivity and Fruit Quality of Swelling Peach Cultivar

This study was conducted during two successive seasons (2016 and 2017) at El-Sheikh Zwayed, North Sinai Governorate, Egypt. The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of three anti-salt stress materials (Nile fertile, elemental sulfur and potassium sulfate) on Swelling peach cultivar under irrigation water saline stress. In this experiment Nile fertile was applied at (0, 500 and 1000 gm/ tree), elemental sulfur (95% S) as soil application at three levels (0, 500 and 750 g / tree) and potassium sulphate as foliar application on three concentrations (0, 2, and 4 g/l.) and combination of them. The obtained results revealed that all anti-salt stress substances have a positive effect on vegetative growth parameters, fruit set, and yield/tree. The highest significant value of the final fruit set, yield/tree was obtained with Nile fertile treatment followed by elemental sulfur and potassium sulphate in both seasons of this study. On the other hand, there was no significant differences between the three materials on fruit length, fruit diameter, flesh and pit fruit weight, total soluble solids, total acidity and leaf content of N%, P% and k% during both seasons of the study and leaf content of Fe (ppm) in the 1st season. While the interaction effect between the three investigated factors shows clearly significant effects in improving vegetative growth, final fruit set no. of fruits /tree, fruit weight, crop yield, fruit physical and chemical parameters. Thus, the combination between Nile fertile 1000g/tree + elemental sulfur 750g/tree + potassium sulphate at (4g/L) gave the best results on shoot length, leaf area, initial, final fruit set %, fruit length and diameter, flesh weight (g), pit weight (g), maximum yield/tree, TSS, lowest acidity%. In addition to N, P, K, Fe, Zn and Mn in leaves in both seasons. On the other hand, untreated trees recorded the lowest values in previous studied parameters in this respect.
A study of A2/O process in El-Berka WWTP by replacing the anaerobic selector with UASB and adopting a hybrid system in the oxic zone

ABSTRACT A multistage system comprising an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) followed by anoxic unit and then oxic activated sludge (AS) with biofilm is studied in El-Berka WWTP, Egypt. Different organic loading wastewaters of chemical oxygen demand (COD) less than 500 mg/L till 3000 mg/L are tested during the study. The hydraulic retention time (HRT) varies for each loading from 7.5 to 10 to 15 h. The UASB reactor accomplishes the removal efficiency of 50%–70% of influent COD. The overall system performs the removal efficiency of 95% of influent COD and NH4-N. Also, the results are verified by a modified mathematical model.
L-arginine enhances blood trace metals and reduces oxidative stress burden in sickle cell anaemia subjects in the steady state

Background: It is not clear how arginine supplementation, which may be beneficial in the management of sickle cell anaemia, interplays with trace metals which are required as cofactors for antioxidant enzymes levels and activity. Methods: We compared the effect of oral, low-dose (1 g/day), 6-week supplementation with L-arginine on some trace metals and antioxidant enzymes levels in 33 HbAA and 28 HbSS subjects. Ten (10) milliliters of blood was withdrawn from an ante-cubital vein for the estimation of plasma arginine concentration ([R]), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and serum concentrations of Zn ++ , Mn ++ and Cu ++ . Results: HbAA subjects had higher levels of Zn ++ , Mn ++ , [R], CAT, SOD and GPx but lower [MDA] (p < 0.05 in each case) than HbSS subjects. In both groups, L-arginine supplementation increased [R], SOD, GPx, CAT, Zn ++ and Cu ++ (p < 0.05 in each case and group) but decreased [MDA] (p < 0.001 in each group). Mn ++ level decreased in HbAA but, it increased in HbSS subjects (p < 0.001 in each case). The degree of change (%Δ) in all the measured parameters (except MDA) was higher in HbSS than in HbAA subjects. Correlation coefficients (r) calculated between changes (Δ) in trace metals levels and changes (Δ) in antioxidant levels were higher in HbSS subjects. Conclusion: Study showed that L-arginine boosted plasma arginine, serum trace metals and antioxidant enzymes but decreased malondialdehyde in HbSS subjects in the steady state. Associations between changes in antioxidant enzymes and changes in trace metal levels were higher in HbSS than in HbAA subjects. Keywords: L-arginine, sickle cell anaemia, antioxidant enzymes, trace metals, malondialdehyde
Improved Bayesian Compression

Compression of Neural Networks (NN) has become a highly studied topic in recent years. The main reason for this is the demand for industrial scale usage of NNs such as deploying them on mobile devices, storing them efficiently, transmitting them via band-limited channels and most importantly doing inference at scale. In this work, we propose to join the Soft-Weight Sharing and Variational Dropout approaches that show strong results to define a new state-of-the-art in terms of model compression.
The Variable Pronunciations of Word-final Consonant Clusters in a Force Aligned Corpus of Spoken French

This study examined both schwa insertion and simplification following word-final consonant clusters in a large corpus of spoken French and asked how do variables, such as speech style, following context, motivation for simplification and speech rate, affect the variable pronunciations of word-final consonant clusters. The results presented in this large sample corpus analysis should help to clarify the role of many phonological and stylistic factors – such as the identity of the cluster, the following context, and speaking rate – in how likely each process (simplification or schwa insertion) is to apply. The predictions of mixed-effects logistic regression models suggest that the dialectal differences between Québec and France are not as simple as “simplification in Québec, schwa insertion in France”. The differences in the effects of different factors between the dialects points towards the most interesting finding of the paper, that the two processes are related in each dialect, but in different ways. Remarkably, there seems to have been almost no previous work discussing both simplification and schwa insertion together, despite the fact that they target the same context (word-final clusters) in the same language. While the results presented here indicate that the process of simplification following a word-final consonant cluster is similar in both dialects, the process of schwa insertion is likely to be different in each dialect. In both dialects, word-final consonant cluster simplification is more frequent in a pre-consonantal context; is most likely in a spontaneous or less formal speech style and in that speech style is positively associated with higher speaking rates. Schwa insertion following a word-final consonant cluster displays much stronger dialectal differences. Schwa insertion in the dialect from France is strongly affected by following context and possibly speech style. Schwa insertion in the dialect from Québec is not affected by following context and is strongly predicted by a lack of consonant cluster simplification.
Impact of Propylene Glycol on some Nutritional, Chemical and Technological Properties of Dairy Zaraibi Goats

To evaluate the effects of propylene glycol (PG as powder) on some nutrition parameters (digestion coefficient and nutritive values) and some productive parameters (milk yield and composition) and its effects on the quality of milk processing for Domiatti cheese). An experiment was conducted by eighteen lactating Zaraibi goats in 3 lactation season with an average body weight of 36±5.46 Kg and aged 39 months. In this experiment, three treatments were employed as six does in each treatment. The treatments done up to 21 weeks during lactation season and included: (1) control without PG (PG0), (2) 10g PG /doe/day (PG1) and (3) 20 g PG/doe/day. All treated goats were received basal ration contained 50% concentrate feed mixture (CFM) + 50% roughage (as berseem hay and rice straws) through lactation period up to 21 weeks. Apparent digestibility of CP, TDN and DCP was affected (P<0.05) by PG administration. Acetate and propionate were increased by using PG, but level of butyrate has increase significant for PG0. Moreover, the results could be showed that milk yield and milk compositions were affected (P<0.05) by the PG addition compared to control. Also, increasing PG levels from 10 to 20 g /does/day did not have any significant effect on milk yield, milk composition and other nutrition parameters. The cheese sample yield was slightly decreased particularly within PG1 and PG2 compared to PG0 cheese. The total solids and titratable acidity were slightly increased and pH values were slightly decreased by using PG milk. The PG cheese samples had significant (P<0.05) differences in TN/DM%, FA/DM% during the ripening period. The cheese made from PG1 and PG2 had the higher (P<0.05) score points for organoleptic properties than PG0 after continually storage period for 60 days. The results indicate that PG is an appropriate alternative for goats to prevent energy deficiency in the lactation period, while increasing the daily PG dose from 10 to 20 g has no significant but observed beneficial effect.
Design and evaluation of rhubarb total free anthraquinones oral colon-specific drug delivery granules to improve the purgative effect

Rhubarb is commonly used as a cathartic in Asian countries. However, researchers have devotedextensive concerns to the quality control and safety of rhubarb and traditional Chinese preparations composed of rhubarb due to the instable purgative effect and potential nephrotoxicity of anthraquinones. In this study, we aimed to prepare rhubarb total free anthraquinones (RTFA) oral colon-specific drug delivery granules (RTFA-OCDD-GN) to delivery anthraquinones to colon to produce purgative effect. RTFAOCDD-GN were prepared using chitosan and Eudragit S100 through a double-layer coating process and the formulation was optimized. Continuous release studies were performed in a simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2), followed by a small-intestinal fluid (pH 6.8) and a colonic fluid (pH 7.4, containing rat cecal contents). The purgative effect test was performed in rats. The dissolution profile of RTFA-OCDD-GN showed that the accumulative dissolution rate of RTFA was about 83.0% in the simulated colonic fluid containing rat cecal contents and only about 9.0% in the simulated gastrointestinal fluids. And the RTFAOCDD-GN could produce the comparative purgative activity as rhubarb, suggesting it could deliver the free AQs to the colon. The RTFA-OCDD-GN was a useful media to enhance the purgative activity of free anthraquinones after administered orally.
Plasma Enabled Conformal and Damage Free Encapsulation of Fragile Molecular Matter: from Surface‐Supported to On‐Device Nanostructures

Damage‐free encapsulation of molecular structures with functional nanolayers is crucial to protect nanodevices from environmental exposure. With nanoscale electronic, optoelectronic, photonic, sensing, and other nanodevices based on atomically thin and fragile organic matter shrinking in size, it becomes increasingly challenging to develop nanoencapsulation that is simultaneously conformal at atomic scale and does not damage fragile molecular networks, while delivering added device functionality. This work presents an effective, plasma‐enabled, potentially universal approach to produce highly conformal multifunctional organic films to encapsulate atomically thin graphene layers and metalorganic nanowires, without affecting their molecular structure and atomic bonding. Deposition of adamantane precursor and gentle remote plasma chemical vapor deposition are synergized to assemble molecular fragments and cage‐like building blocks and completely encapsulate not only the molecular structures, but also the growth substrates and device elements upon nanowire integration. The films are insulating, transparent, and conformal at sub‐nanometer scale even on near‐tip high‐curvature areas of high‐aspect‐ratio nanowires. The encapsulated structures are multifunctional and provide effective electric isolation, chemical and environmental protection, and transparency in the near‐UV–visible–near‐infrared range. This single‐step, solvent‐free remote‐plasma approach preserves and guides molecular building blocks thus opening new avenues for precise, atomically conformal nanofabrication of fragile nanoscale matter with multiple functionalities.
Physico - chemical properties of black and yellow soybean (Glycine max L.) Genotype

A total of three soybean genotypes including two black Kalitur and DSM with one yellow – DSb 21 were procured during kharif, 2017, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad were analyzed for physico-chemical composition, cooking quality and acceptability. A significant variation was found in physical and functional characteristics of black and yellow soybean genotypes. The DSM genotype had highest weight (16.85 g), length (7.26 mm), breadth (6.69 mm), thickness (5.53 mm) and swelling capacity (0.20 ml) compared to Kalitur and DSb 21. Significant variation was observed in the proximate and mineral matter contents of soybean genotypes. The highest moisture was recorded in Kalitur (12.00 g). The fat content of soybean genotype ranged between 17.86 19.76 g per 100 g with maximum in Kalitur followed by DSb 21 and DSM. Significantly high amount of protein was observed in the DSb 21 (43.63 g). Black soybean DSM genotype had significantly high content of crude fibre (6.30 g) and ash (5.82 g) respectively. Among the mineral matter, calcium was found to be highest in DSb 21. The iron content of soybean genotypes with and without hull ranged between (268 to 341 ppm and 218 to 292 ppm).
Postveraison Leaf Removal Does Not Consistently Delay Ripening in Semillon and Shiraz in a Hot Australian Climate

Grapegrowing areas worldwide are experiencing earlier and compressed phenology because of higher temperatures, which has led to excessive sugar accumulation in grapes. This is associated with negative effects on grape and wine quality and higher alcohol in wines. Recent research has shown that early, climate-related ripening can be ameliorated by late leaf removal above the cluster zone. This practice was found to delay sugar accumulation in the berries by up to two weeks without affecting other berry chemistry parameters. Therefore, in this study, postveraison leaf removal was investigated as a canopy management technique to delay ripening in Semillon and Shiraz in a hot climate in Australia. Yield and yield components, canopy size, berry and wine chemistry, and sensory attributes were measured over four seasons for Semillon and two seasons for Shiraz. The results showed no effect of the proposed technique on delaying ripening in the first year of application for both varieties. However, on the second year of application, a delay in ripening of 10 days in Semillon and 20 days in Shiraz was observed. In Semillon, postveraison leaf removal did not delay ripening on the fourth year of application. No differences were observed in berry chemistry and sensory attributes in Semillon. In Shiraz, wines obtained from defoliated vines in the second season were different from control wines, and were characterized by attributes consistent with overripe berries such as dry fruit and jammy aromas and flavors. The results from this study showed that this technique was not effective in consistently delaying ripening in Semillon and Shiraz in a hot Australian climate.
Response of Strawberry Plants Grown in the Hydroponic System to Pretreatment with H2O2 before Exposure to Salinity Stress

A hydroponic experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of immersion durations (1 and 2h) of hydrogen peroxide on roots of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) grown under NaCl stress at (0, 34 and 68 mM NaCl). Roots immersion into H2O2 increased plant growth, photosynthetic pigment concentration, leaf relative water content and the activity of antioxidant enzymes i.e. (catalase, peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase) as well as decrease electrolyte leakage compared to untreated plants. High NaCl salinity level, induced ultrastructural alterations in leaflet mesophyll cells such as swelling thylakoids, disintegration of grana staking, increase number of plastoglobuli and starch grains as well as increase the size and number of mitochondria and its structure, shrinkage the plasma membranes, increase the Myelin-Like, membrane vesicles formation and increase the thickness of cell wall. In addition, roots immersion into H2O2 led to maintain the chloroplast structure, grana staking and increase the size of chloroplast and mitochondria, decrease the number and size of starch grains and plastoglobuli, decrease the number of membrane vesicles and peroxisomes, as well as maintain the cell wall structural and reduced its thickness. Furthermore, the high NaCl level led to increase the number of stomata and stomatal density and decreased the dimensions of stomatal pore. On the contrary, roots immersion into H2O2 decreases the stomatal density and its number. Concerning the leaflet anatomy, it was found that low NaCl salinity level increased the dimensions of midrib region, main vascular bundle as well as the thickness of palisade parenchyma. While, high salinity level, in most cases, decreased all these parameters. In conclusion, immersed roots of strawberry plants (pre-treatment) in H2O2 (1.0 M) for 1h application before exposure to salinity stress increased plant resistance and mitigated the deleterious effects of NaCl on cellular organelles.
Determinants of Italian agri-food exports in non-EU Mediterranean Partner Countries: an empirical investigation through a gravity model approach

The aim of this paper is to lay emphasis on the main factors (economic, historical, structural, etc.) that affect Italian agri-food exports in the non-EU Mediterranean Partner Countries (MPCs). The authors estimate a gravity equation including some of the main variables found in the reference literature useful to highlight the main factors which influence the bilateral exchanges. The results show that the variables traditionally included in the gravity equation present the expected sign. In particular, Italian agri-food exports towards its neighbouring Mediterranean countries are positively affected by income of partner countries, colonial and historical ties, geographical proximity and the lack of importance of the agricultural sector in some partner countries.
Dynamic evaluation of heterogeneity in pore-fracture system of different rank coals under different confining pressure based on low-field NMR

ABSTRACT In order to quantitatively analyze the dynamic changes in pore-fracture system coals under confining pressure loading, six coal samples were tested by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The experiment result show that with the increase of coal rank, the total pore space (0.01 ms < T 2 < 10000 ms) increases firstly and then decreases, the proportion of adsorption space (0.01 ms < T 2 < 2.5 ms) increases gradually, and the seepage space (T 2 > 20 ms) shows the opposite trend. The fractal dimension of adsorption space (D 1, 0.5 ms < T 2 < 2.5 ms) and seepage space (D 2) of different rank coal under different confining pressure were discussed in this paper. The D 1 of low- and medium-rank coals are higher than high-rank samples. With the increase of coal rank, the D 2 is gradually increased, and the dynamic change of D 2 is closely related to the composition and pore development of coal. As the stress increases, the change in D 1 is more complicated, and D 2 shows the “two-stage” characteristic, when the stress is lower than 8 MPa, the heterogeneity becomes complicated, when the stress is higher than 8 MPa, the heterogeneity tends to be stable. Additionally, from the definition of pore compression coefficient, the pore compression coefficient theory expression is derived. It is concluded that the pore compression decreases with the increase of confining pressure. Compared with the medium- and high-rank coals, there is a negative correlation between the pore compression coefficient of low-rank coal and D 2. This study helps to better understand the pore and heterogeneity changes under coal rank and stress and provides a quantitative evaluation method for different pores under stress changes, which has a predictive effect on permeability changes.
A Review of Ore Smelting in High Carbon Ferromanganese Production

ABSTRACT Manganese ore smelting is reviewed in terms of processing parameters such as feed material particle sizes, energy input methods, heat transfer modes, smelting mechanisms, experimental findings on specific smelting aspects, and rates of MnO reduction and carbon dissolution into ferrous alloys. This paper provides a comprehensive current review of our fundamental understanding of manganese ore smelting. Process parameters and resultant cost effects are discussed in terms of existing industrial smelting processes, the Submerged Arc Furnace (SAF) and the Blast Furnace (BF), and the AlloyStream process demonstration plant. Bench-scale experimental results for AlloyStream induction furnace smelting are discussed with reference to rate measurements reported in literature. The experimental results clearly illustrate the importance of higher alloy bath temperatures in induction smelting to improve alloy production rates, whilst the effect of alloy bath chemistry was of less importance. AlloyStream process benefits and issues are discussed with reference to the SAF and BF processes.
Isolation, Characterization and Identification of Salt Tolerant Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria

The present investigation deals with the isolation and characterization of nitrogen-fixing bacteria (NFB) such as Azotobacter sp. and Azospirillum sp. from paddy field rhizosphere of Damietta governorate, Egypt. Twelve Azotobacter spp. and 12 Azospirillum spp.Were identified based on morphological and physiological characteristics. All isolates were tested for salt tolerance. The highest salt tolerant of Azotobacter spp. Were S2-8, S3-3, S1-3, S3-2, whil they S2-11, S1-1, S5-1, S3-6 in case of Azospirillum spp. were. Nitrogenase activity assay of the highest nitrogen fixing isolates was (S2-8) in case of Azotobacter sp. and (S2-11)in case of Azospirillum sp. Molecular identification showed that isolates were Azotobacter chroococcum and Azospirillm brasilense. Based on this study salt-tolerant isolates of Azotobacter chroococcum and Azospirillm brasilense could be highly used in cultivation of paddy soil in coastal environment.