Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Different Carbohydrate Sources on Alfalfa Silage Quality at Different Ensiling Days

This study was evaluated the effects of different carbohydrate sources on the fermentation profiles, chemical compositions, and correlation of fermentation profiles and chemical compositions with water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) silage. Alfalfa was harvested at early flowering stage from the third cutting in September 2018, wilted to 32% dry matter (DM) and chopped into 1–2 cm pieces. Treatments included the addition of pectin (PEC), starch (STA; powdered corn), molasses (MOL), and fructose (FRU), as well as distilled water as a control (CON). Afterward, 300 g of prepared alfalfa was packed into polyethylene bags, vacuumed, and sealed, after which they were stored at room temperature for 1, 3, 7, 15, and 30 d. FRU and PEC additions resulted in desirable fermentation profiles and chemical compositions throughout the ensiling period. FRU and PEC rapidly decreased the pH and increased Fleig’s point, exhibiting lower pH and higher Fleig’s point from 3 d to the end of ensiling. Acetic acid (AA), propionic acid (PA) and ammonia nitrogen (AN) contents of FRU and PEC were lower at 30 d after ensiling. Higher lactic acid (LA) contents were found in FRU and PEC from 7 d to the end of ensiling and higher LA:AA ratios from 15 d to the end of ensiling. Butyric acid (BA) was not detected at any point during the ensiling period. Additives exhibited higher DM content from 7 to 30 d after ensiling. The WSC content decreased as the number of ensiling days increased and was stable from 15 d to the end of ensiling. PEC, STA, and FRU exhibited higher WSC than CON. FRU and PEC improved the fermentation quality throughout the ensiling period. Thus, FRU and PEC or related agricultural byproducts may offer alternative additives for improving the alfalfa silage fermentation profile.
Physico- chemical Properties and Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activity of two varieties of Honey from Algerian Steppe

Honey is a natural sweet substance produced by honey bees from the nectars of plant ﬂowers or tree exudates. Natural honey has been valued in traditional medicine having demonstrated many antioxidant and antibacterial properties. The present study aimed to evaluate physicochemical characteristics and the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of two varieties of honey from Algerian steppe. Physicochemical parameters, such as pH, moisture content, electrical conductivity (EC), total acidity, ree acidity,ash and HMF were measured. The antibacterial activity was examined against the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 33862 by using the agar incorporation technique method and the determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The antioxidant activity was assessed by using the 2,2 diphenyl 1 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and the fer reduction antixydant power (FRAP). Physico-chemical analysis of honey samples confirmed good quality of honey according to the standards set by European Union Commission and Codex Alimentarius Commission. All samples had ability to scavenge DPPH. radicals and showed reducing potential analyzed by FRAP methods, with the highest performance obtained in Euphorbia cheridenia honey. The result of the antibacterial effect of this study revealed that our honey samples have showed an important antibacterial activity against all the bacterial tested strains, Noeae mucronata honey has the better antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The results of this study may suggest that Algerian honey possess natural compounds with antibacterial and antioxidant properties which can be used as natural agents in new drugs for therapy of diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria and oxidative stress.
A simultaneous investigation of the environmental Kuznets curve for the agricultural and industrial sectors in China

Abstract We investigate the relationship between China’s high growth and environmental pollution from the agricultural and industrial sectors by estimating the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC). We used panel data of Chinese cities at the prefecture level and above for the period between 2011 and 2015 and estimated the EKC models using the system generalized method of moments (GMM). We found that agricultural chemical oxygen demand (COD) and industrial wastewater depict N-shaped and reverse N-shaped curves. Further, an EKC for agricultural nitrogen balance has been established. We find that industrial sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions and their emission intensity support the EKC hypothesis. Our research is then used to provide policymakers with guidance on mitigating environmental pollution by comparing and scrutinizing the characteristics of agricultural and industrial pollution in China.
The Effect of Syllable-level Hyphenation on Novel Word Reading in Early Finnish Readers: Evidence from Eye Movements

ABSTRACT In early Finnish reading instruction, hyphens are used to denote syllable boundaries. However, this practice slows down reading already during the 1st grade. It has been hypothesized that hyphenation forces readers to rely more on phonology than orthography. Since hyphenation highlights the phonology of the word, it may facilitate reading during the very first encounters of the word. To assess whether this is the case, Finnish 1st and 2nd graders read stories about fictional animals while their eye movements were registered. Each story included four occurrences of a novel target (pseudo)word, hyphenated at the syllable level in half of the stories. Target words were read faster with repeated exposure but there were no effects regarding grade or hyphenation. The use of hyphenation does not give rise to enhanced processing of phonology in novel words and is likely to hinder the processes connected to the use of orthography.
VLD-45: A Big Dataset for Vehicle Logo Recognition and Detection

Vehicle logo detection (VLD) is a special and significant topic in object detection for vehicle identification system applications. Nevertheless, the range of the research and analysis for VLD are seriously narrow in the real complex scenes, although it’s a critical role in the object detection of small sizes. In this paper, we make further analysis work toward vehicle logo recognition and detection in real-world situations. To begin with, we propose a new multi-class VLD dataset, called VLD-45 (Vehicle Logo Dataset), which contains 45000 images and 50359 objects from 45 categories respectively. Our new dataset provides several research challenges involve in small sizes object, shape deformation, low contrast and so on. Meanwhile, we use 6 existing classifiers and 6 detectors to evaluate our dataset and show the baseline performance. According to the result, our dataset has very significant research value for the task of small-scale object detection. The dataset source: https://github.com/YangShuoys/VLD-45-B-DATASET-Detection
Analysis on the thrust bearing lubrication in pumped storage unit based on fluid-solid-thermal interactions

The bidirectional thrust bearings are used to balance the thrust load of the entire shaft system which play an important role in the pumped storage units. The lubrication is usually analyzed by simultaneously solving the Reynolds equation, energy equation, film thickness equation of the film and the heat conduction equation, elastic equilibrium equation of the pad. However, in this method the assumptions for the inlet temperature of the film and the wall heat coefficients on the pad greatly affect the numerical accuracy. This study used fluid-solid-thermal interaction method, built three dimensional (3D) FEM model for the pad and collar and the 3D CFD model for the oil film, and then analyzed the influence of the thrust loads and the Babbitt layer on the bearing performance. The results show that increasing the thrust load will rapidly decrease the minimum film thickness, increase the maximum pressure and maximum temperature on the pad. Increasing the thickness of the Babbitt layer on the pad sliding surface will increase the minimum thickness of the film, decrease the maximum temperature on the pad which improve the bearing lubrication.
Changes in Landscape Structure in the Municipalities of the Nitra District (Slovak Republic) Due to Expanding Suburbanization

Suburbanization, as a set of several factors, influences and changes the landscape structure of smaller municipalities in the hinterland of larger cities. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the built-up areas related to suburbanization within three time horizons—in 2002, 2005, and 2020—in 62 municipalities of the district (including two cities, Nitra and Vráble). This study examines the process of spatial changes in landscape features (residential, industrial, agricultural, transport) related to suburbanization between 2002 and 2005 and between 2002 and 2020. The input analytical data were digital orthophotomaps from 2002 and 2005 and the current orthophotomosaics of the Slovak Republic from 2017 (GKÚ, Bratislava), updated for the year 2020 using Sentinel 2 satellite image data (European Space Agency). The impact of suburbanization processes between 2002 and 2005 did not reach the dimensions of the changes that occurred due to suburbanization processes between 2002 and 2020 or 2005 and 2020. The main research objective of the article is the identification and assessment of these changes. We determined which landscape features related to suburbanization affected spatial changes in municipalities of the district Nitra. The total area affected by one of the suburbanization processes monitored by us reached 92.52 ha in the period between 2002 and 2005. Between the years 2002 and 2020, the area reached a total of 2272.82 ha, which is an increase of 2180.30 ha in 2020 compared to 2002. This included mainly the expansion of settlements or housing (60.15%), industrial areas (29.31%), transport facilities (4.35%), agricultural areas (0.73%), and other areas (5.46%). These results show expanding suburbanization for the period from 2002 to 2020 and that this process has been gaining momentum in the municipalities of the Nitra district, especially in recent years, which changes the look of rural municipalities and the character of a typical rural landscape.
Screening of essential oils activity against a gram negative psychrophilic bacterium isolated from aquatic environment (Water & Biofilm)

Among the applications of medicinal plants, it is their use as antimicrobial agents. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of some essential oils against an etiological pathogen Flavobacterium spp. responsible for several lost in rainbow trout, (Oncorhynchus mykiss) hatcheries, the strains used in this study were isolated from rearing tanks water and biofilm, identified as Flavobacterium spp. based on phenotypic, biochemical and enzymatic characterizations. A collection of eight essential oils were extracted, analyzed and tested for an inhibitory activity against the isolated strains, the effect on this bacterium has been demonstrated by the aromatogram method based on a screening of bacterial growth in a solid medium culture with disks containing essential oils. Our study’s results show that the chemical composition of the extracted essential oils play a crucial role in their antibacterial activity, which varies from 6 mm up to 34 mm as maximal inhibitory diameter.
A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN ENDONASAL ENDOSCOPIC AND MICROSCOPIC TRANSSPHENOIDAL APPROACHES IN MANAGEMENT OF PITUITARY ADENOMAS

Background: Advances in the era of modern micro-neurosurgery enabled a reduction of surgical invasiveness and brain retraction which has been defined as minimally invasive or keyhole surgery. Sinonasal endoscopy has brought radical changes in the concepts of pathophysiology and treatment of sinonasal diseases as well as surgical techniques. Objective: Assessment of patient outcomes regarding transsphenoidal endoscopic and microscopic approaches of pituitary adenomas. Patients and methods: Our study included 40 cases of pituitary adenomas, operated upon during 2 years, half of them (group A; 20 cases) underwent endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal pituitary adenoma resection, while the remaining (group B; 20 cases) operated upon using the standard microscopic transseptal transsphenoidal pituitary adenoma resection. Results: The highest age incidence of our cases was during the third and fourth decades of life, with a male to female ratio of nearly 1:1. Headache was the commonest presenting symptom in our series both in endoscopic and microscopic groups; (60%& 70%) respectively followed by visual impairment; (55%& 60%). Although, loss of libido was the most common endocrinopathies; (75%& 60%) respectively. In our study CT-sella with coronal cuts was the initial radiographic investigation, performed in all our cases. It gave an idea about bony anatomy of the sella, sphenoid sinus, and particularly was important in showing the position of the sphenoid sinus septum, which was crucial in planning the decision of operation. In our study, improvement in out-come was higher in endoscopic group opposed to microscopic group (100% vs. 71% improved headache, 82% vs. 58% visual improvement and 80% vs. 55% total tumor removal ). Conclusion: Endoscopy offers a very special and wide visualization, close to the target and inside the anatomy. The panoramic view provided by the endoscope, allowing the identification of all the landmarks around the sella during the entire procedure, minimizes the chance of an inaccurate orientation.
Effect of fuel property on the ignition and combustion characteristics of prechamber ignition

Recently, since international problems such as global warming, air pollution, and energy resource depletion are gradually becoming more serious, combined heat and power and cogeneration systems have been attracting a lot of attention since they can be used as low environmental load power generation systems (Agency for Natural Resources and Energy in Japan, Energy in Japan, 2003). A cogeneration system can recover an engine’s waste heat and provide both heat and electrical energy at the same time, resulting in a high total efficiency of 80%. In Japan, since 65% of the installed cogeneration systems are gas engines and about 49% of the total power generation capacity is fueled by natural gas, increasing the efficiency of natural gas engines, whose efficiency is currently about 40%, enhances the utilization of both heat and electrical energy, thus corresponding to various environmental and customer demands. One of the most effective ways for improving the thermal efficiency of combustion engines and reducing the harmful emissions of undesirable combustion products, such as nitrogen oxides, is the use of lean-burn techniques and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) (Heywood, 2018). Although such methods have already been in practical use, they still face many technical problems, such as the substantial decrease in the burning velocity and the unstable combustion in the lean or diluted mixture region. To solve these problems, prechamber ignition systems are commonly used in gas engines to improve their inflammability and enhance the combustion characteristics in the lean or diluted mixture region. A prechamber ignition system has a small “prechamber” whose volume is less than 5% of the main chamber’s volume. The combustible mixture is first ignited in the prechamber, resulting in a torch flame that can burn a leaner mixture in the main chamber, where the torch flame is injected from the prechamber into the main chamber. Since the combustion characteristics in gas engines depend on the injected torch Riku YAMASHITA*, Satoshi WAKU*, Daisuke MORI*, Seiya UENO*, Kimitoshi TANOUE* and Yasuo MORIYOSHI** * Oita Univ. Dept. of Mechanical and Energy systems engineering 700 Dannoharu, Oita 870-1192, Japan E-mail: tanoue@oita-u.ac. jp ** Chiba Univ. Graduate School of Engineering 1-33 Yayoicho, Inage Ward, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 263-0022, Japan
Exogenous S-Methylmethionine Alleviates Salinity Stress by Modulation of Physiological Processes in Canola (Brassica napus)

Canola is a moderately salt tolerant plant, high salinity inhibits germination of seeds, vegetative growth of young plantlets, and reduces biomass production. This study investigated the effects of priming with 1 mM S-methylmethionine (SMM) on germination, leaf gas exchange, induced chlorophyll fluorescence, photosynthetic pigment content and membrane damage through lipid peroxidation by exposing canola (Brassica napus L. cv. Cindi) plants to moderate and severe salt stress (induced by 60 mM and 120 mM NaCl) for different periods. Priming with SMM alleviated the reduction of net photosynthetic rate, the effective quantum efficiency and efficiency of excitation energy capture by open photosystem II reaction centers, chlorophylls to carotenoids ratio, enhanced water use efficiency and contributed to reduction of oxidative membrane damage in fully developed young leaves. Delay and inhibition of seed germination by salt stress were significantly reduced by SMM, as well as the non-photochemical quenching of the singlet excited state of chlorophyll a, suggesting a more efficient protection against hyperosmotic stress, ionic toxicity and associated oxidative stress in primed plants exposed to high salinity. This first assay of SMM as a priming agent for canola plants under high salinity contributes to a better understanding of the mode of action of this natural, plant-derived bioactive compound and the optimization of canola cultivation under the adverse growth conditions caused by salt stress. © 2021 Friends Science Publishers
Effect of Feed Withdrawal Stress on Reproductive Tissue, Sex Steroids and mRNA Expression of IGF-1, Survivin, Caspase 2 and HSP 70 Gene in the Ovarian Follicles of Japanese Quail

Background: Japanese quail, similar to domestic chicken, is equally sensitive and susceptible to stress but limited literatures are available so far. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the effect of feed withdrawal stress on the changes in reproductive tissues, steroid hormones and gene expression in Japanese quail. Methods: Forty two quail hens (10weeks) were individually caged and subjected to feed withdrawal for a period of 10 days without water restriction. Six birds each were sacrificed on 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 day. The reduction in oviduct weight and serum concentration of steroid hormones was evaluated. The quantitative expression of IGF-1, Caspase-2, Survivin and HSP-70 genes were performed in ovarian follicles using real-time PCR. Result: No hierarchial follicles were detected after day 6. The ovary and oviduct weight was significantly reduced on day 2 and 4 respectively. The serum estrogen and progesterone were declined significantly when corticosterone was increased from day 1. The IGF-1 gene expression was significantly (P less than 0.05) down regulated in yellow and atretic follicles. The gene expression of Survivin and caspase-2 was up-regulated in F3 follicle. It concludes feed withdrawal brings noticeable change in reproductive tissues, steroid hormones and associated gene expression in Japanese quail.
Effects of Energy Supply from Roughage and Concentrates and the Occurrence of Subclinical Ketosis on Blood Chemistry and Liver Health in Lactating Dairy Cows during Early Lactation

The objectives of this study were to examine the effects of varying dietary energy supply as well as the impacts of subclinical ketosis (SCK) on blood chemistry and liver health. A total 63 German-Holstein cows were housed from three weeks antepartum until sixteen weeks postpartum. After calving, cows were assigned to one of four treatment groups receiving either moderate or high energy concentrations in roughage and secondly moderate or high amounts of concentrates. Retrospectively, cows were additionally grouped according to their β-hydroxybutyrate concentration (SK: cows with SCK vs. CON: cows without SCK). The different energy supply of treatment groups had little effects on blood and liver variables; greater differences occurred between SK and CON cows. Liver fat content of SK cows was 34% higher compared to CON cows. Also, the activity of aspartate aminotransferase and γ-glutamyl transferase, bilirubin concentration, and percentage of granulocytes were increased in SK cows. The results indicate that cows were able to adjust their metabolism to different dietary energy supplies without having a clearly increased risks for metabolic disorders. However, individual animals of all groups developed a metabolic derailment during the postpartum period resulting in SCK, which is closely connected with impaired liver function, compromised immune-responsiveness, and elevated oxidative stress.
Reverse diel vertical movements of oceanic manta rays off the northern coast of Peru and implications for conservation

1. An understanding of the vertical movements of elasmobranchs across their range is crucial to defining critical habitat use, its overlap with anthropogenic activities and subsequently managing such interactions. 2. In this study, satellite telemetry was used to investigate the vertical habitat use of three oceanic manta rays ( Mobula birostris ) tagged on the northern coast of Peru. 3. All three oceanic mantas exhibited patterns of reverse diel vertical migration, where vertical movements were significantly deeper at night than the day, as well as an overall preference for surface habitats ( < 2 m). High-resolution archival data (3–5 s) from two recovered tags revealed fine-scale behaviours, where individuals predominately remained in coastal surface waters throughout the day, and oscillated up and down through a highly stratified water column at night. Our results suggest that coastal vertical movements were motivated by a combined foraging and thermal recovery strategy, whereby oceanic mantas dived to forage on vertically migrating zooplankton at night and returned to surface waters to rewarm between dives, indicating that the coast of northern Peru be a these
An Expedient DDF-Based Implementation of Perfectly Matched Monolayer

Alternative unsplit-field-based absorbing boundary condition (ABC) computation approach for the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) is efficiently proposed based upon the deep differentiable forest (DDF) model which is introduced to replace the conventional perfectly matched layer (PML) ABC during the computation process of FDTD. The field component data on the interface of traditional PML are adopted to train the DDF-based model for implementing the perfectly matched monolayer (PMM). The DDF has the advantages of both trees and neural networks. Its tree structure is easy to use and explain for the numerical PML data. Meanwhile, it has full differentiability like neural networks. The DDF can be trained by powerful deep learning techniques. Numerical cases have been carried out to benchmark the performance of the proposed method. Results illustrate that the DDF-based PMM could not only replace the traditional PML but be integrated into FDTD computation process with satisfactory numerical accuracy.