Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
AGRONOMIC MANAGEMENT OF INTERCROPPING IN SUGARCANE AND ITS ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS

GROWTH rate of sugarcane during the initial stages is rather slow with the low canopy coverage, and it is possible to exploit the potential of the cropping system by adjusting crop geometry and utilisation of inter-crops. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted to assess the economic benefits of intercrops with different planting configurations in sugarcane. Dual-row (60–120–60 cm) and single-row (90 cm) methods of planting were deployed as main plots and intercrops comprising sunnhemp, maize, cowpea (green manure), soybean (inter-crop), peanut, potato and french bean were treated as subplots. Planting systems did not alter significantly the number of millable canes (NMC) or cane yield. However, sunnhemp, cowpea grown and soybean recorded higher NMC (92 080, 89 830 and 87 830/ha respectively) than cane alone (85 910/ha), while maize intercropping gave 68 880 NMC and the sugarcane yields were 111.1, 109.1, 106.9 and 70.8 t/ha, respectively for the 4 inter-crops and 107.4 t/ha for cane alone. Higher cane yields are attributed to the optimum shoot population which later on converted higher NMC and cane weight due to in situ incorporation of green manure and its further decomposition in building organic matter content of soil. Detrimental effect on NMC and cane yield was noticed due to intercropping of maize in sugarcane. Compared to the normal single row configuration, dual-row planting with the same cost of cultivation improved B:C ratio from 2.17 to 2:76, due to higher cane yields. As a result of the grain yield of soybean (1.5 t/ha) and lower cost of production in soybean inter-cropping, this strategy recorded the highest net return (Rs68, 336/ha) with B:C ratio of 3.21 compared to other inter-crops. Conversely, although maize and potato yields were higher, these treatments produced lower net income and B: C ratios due to the reduction in cane yield. Post-cane harvest data indicate that inter-cropping has a positive effect on the chemical properties of soil.
USING OPENSEES FOR ANALYZING A 9- STORY STEEL BUILDING UNDER POST- EARTHQUAKE FIRES

Post-earthquake fires are major hazards with possible intense consequences. Civil engineering design is moving towards the concept of resilient cities, which requires buildings with structural systems to perform adequately after extreme hazards and ensure human safety. Current codes and standards in fire engineering are mainly based on design at the component level and deterministic approaches, where uncertainties in variables are not directly incorporated in the design process. Reliability-based approaches offer better means of evaluating resilience in the face of extreme hazards. But to measure resilience in an earthquake-fire multi-hazard scenario, uncertainties in the system must be captured, and nonlinear analyses must seamlessly transfer from seismic to fire analysis. This paper discusses the successes and challenges of this seamless analysis using the open source software OpenSees. A 9-story steel building with moment resisting frames is subject to fire following earthquake while being modeled in OpenSees. With the newly added fire module in OpenSees, the software has the capacity to perform structural analysis for both seismic and thermal loads. This way, system-level analysis is performed in one software and interaction of members with each other, under both seismic and fire events, is then considered together. The current constitutive material model for steel at elevated temperature does not properly capture behavior in fire following earthquake scenario. The constitutive model is therefore modified to capture effect of plastic strains, and strain reversals during heating or cooling. The resultant moment calculation is also modified to be consistent with other finite element programs and properly capture combined axial load and moment effects. The new model is used to analyze the 9-story building under two earthquake hazard levels and multiple fire locations. Results show that the new constitutive model works well. The sample analyses indicated that the subsequent fire can increase the drift of the column on the perimeter on the order of 0.5% in the lower floors and 1% in the upper floors. Total drifts in FFE did not exceed 2% (including the residual from earthquake) for the scenario studied.
The Effects of Pandemics on the Vulnerability of Food Security in West Africa—A Scoping Review

The purpose of this paper was to show the effects of the Ebola and COVID-19 pandemics on food security vulnerability in West Africa. The methodology is based on a scoping literature review using the PRISMA method. The study showed that food security was affected by the restrictive measures in the different West African countries. In addition, it shows that this region is highly vulnerable to such crises, which can combine their effects with those of other events such as climate change and civil unrest. In both pandemics, all pillars of food security were affected. The effects on urban and rural centers may be very different. The study suggests a better understanding of the differences between rural and urban centers and between men and women and how long-term restraint measures can affect rural areas where agriculture is the main lever for reducing food insecurity. Food security must be seriously considered by governments when implementing restrictive measures during a pandemic. Consideration of health factors alone at the expense of food security can greatly exacerbate health problems and even increase cases of disease.
Practice Guidelines of the Central European Hepatologic Collaboration (CEHC) on the Use of Thrombopoietin Receptor Agonists in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease Undergoing Invasive Procedures

Background: Second-generation thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RAs) are emerging as the new standard for managing thrombocytopenia (TCP) in patients with chronic liver diseases (CLDs) undergoing scheduled procedures. However, practical guidance for their routine use in CLD patients undergoing specific invasive procedures is lacking. Methods: These practice guidelines were developed by the Initiative Group for Central European Hepatologic Collaboration (CEHC), composed of nine hepatologist/gastroenterologist experts from Central Europe. Using an adapted Delphi process, the CEHC group selected ten invasive procedures most relevant to the hepatology/gastroenterology setting in the region. Consensus recommendations for each invasive procedure are reported as a final percentage of expert panel responses. Results: A consensus was agreed that TPO-RAs should be considered for raising platelet count in CLD patients undergoing scheduled abdominal surgery, high-bleeding risk dentistry, endoscopic polypectomy, endoscopic variceal ligation, liver biopsy, liver surgery, liver transplantation and percutaneous ablation, but it was also agreed that they are less beneficial or not necessary for endoscopy without intervention and paracentesis. Conclusions: Using a modified Delphi method, experts reached an agreement for TCP management in CLD patients undergoing ten invasive procedures. These practice guidelines may help with decision making and patient management in areas where clinical evidence is absent or limited.
Making sense of the past to understand the present: Attributions for historical trauma predict contemporary social and political attitudes

Research indicates that the memory of collective trauma influences attitudes towards contemporary social and political issues. We suggest that the specific attributions for trauma that members of victim and perpetrator groups make provide a more nuanced understanding of this relationship. Thus, we constructed and validated a measure of attributions for the Holocaust. Then, we ran a preregistered study on representative samples in Germany (N = 504) and Israel (N = 469) to examine whether attributing the Holocaust to essentialist or contextual causes influences attitudes towards the immigration crisis and the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Results indicated that, among Germans, attributing the Holocaust to German character was associated with positive attitudes to immigration via collective guilt. Among Israelis, attributions to German character were associated with negative attitudes to non-Jewish immigration, a hawkish stance in the Palestinian–Israeli conflict, and pro-Israel attitudes via a sense of perpetual victimization. Results reveal how attributions about past trauma affect contemporary social and political attitudes among victims and perpetrators.
Implications of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as a Treatment Modality for Tinnitus

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive, neuromodulating technique for brain hyperexcitability disorders. The objective of this paper is to discuss the mechanism of action of rTMS as well as to investigate the literature involving the application of rTMS in the treatment of tinnitus. The reviewed aspects of the protocols included baseline evaluation, the total number of sessions, frequency and the total number of stimuli, the location of treatment, and the outcome measures. Even with heterogeneous protocols, most studies utilized validated tinnitus questionnaires as baseline and outcome measures. Low frequency (1 Hz) stimulation throughout 10 consecutive sessions was the most widely used frequency and treatment duration; however, there was no consensus on the total number of stimuli necessary to achieve significant results. The auditory cortex (AC) was the most targeted location, with most studies supporting changes in neural activity with multi-site stimulation to areas in the frontal cortex (FC), particularly the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). The overall efficacy across most of the reviewed trials reveals positive statistically significant results. Though rTMS has proven to impact neuroplasticity at the microscopic and clinical level, further studies are warranted to demonstrate and support the clinical use of rTMS in tinnitus treatment with a standardized protocol.
Utilization of Fenugreek (Trigonella Foenum-Graecum) as Growth Promoter for Broiler Chickens

The aim of the experiment was to compare the production performance of broiler chickens when fed a conventional standard feed and the same feed supplemented with Fenugreek seeds. One hundred and twenty (120) a-day old male broiler chicks of the strain ISA-15, were divided into 2 equal groups; a control group (A) and an experimental group (B), with six replicates of 10 chicks each per group (6×10) in a completely randomized design. The control group received a classic feed based on maize and soybean meal and the experimental group was fed with the same control feed without antibiotic and coccidiostatic and supplemented with Fenugreek seeds at (3g/kg of feed). Fenugreek seeds supplementation significantly (p 0.05) for the slaughters parameters (dressing percentage, carcass length) and mortality.
Measurement of sound transmission and signal gain in the complex Strait of Korea

The experiment, The Acoustic Characterization Test III, was conducted in the oceanographically complex Strait of Korea to accurately measure the sound transmission under known environmental conditions. Geoacoustic profiles derived from geophysical measurements, measured bathymetry, and sound-speed profiles were the basis for range dependent parabolic equation (PE) calculations. Agreement between measured and calculated transmission loss was obtained with an attenuation profile in the near water-sediment interface layer with a dependence on frequency to the 1.8 power consistent with measurements in other sand-silt areas. Since the environment was oceanographically complex and the shipping noise levels were high, the coherency of the sound transmission was estimated using relative signal gain (RSG). RSG was taken as the difference between the gain calculated with PE and measured with the array and at longer ranges and higher frequencies was found to be approximately -2 dB with a signal gain coefficient of variation of 5%. This RSG degradation, attributed to the random signal phase fluctuations resulting from scattering from the surfaces and volume of the waveguide, yielded using a Gaussian coherence function a spatial coherence length of 30/spl lambda/ @ 400 Hz-40 km. In addition, high resolution imaging of five targets with two bottom mounted arrays illustrate the achievable performance of low-to-mid frequency active sonar in this environment.
Aerodynamics of battle-damaged finite-aspect-ratio wings

Wind-tunnel tests have been carried out on a battle-damaged NACA 641412 half-wing aspect ratio of 8.2. The simulated gunfire damage had a diameter of 0.2 wing chord and was located at midchord and at one of two spanwise locations. Tests were carried out at a Reynolds number of 5:5 105. Compared with an undamaged wing, the damage resulted in reduced lift, increased drag and a positive increase in pitching moment at zero lift. Moving the damage to near the tip reduced the magnitude of these effects. Using the static pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces of the undamaged wing allowed the data from the present study to be successfully compared with previously published drag and lift data for a two-dimensional damaged airfoil. Tests on wings with aspect ratios of 6.2 and 10.3 produced similar trends in the aerodynamic characteristics and showed that the use of static pressure difference was equally effective in allowing comparisons with two-dimensional data.
A new approach to the design optimization of HEMT and HBT for maximum gain-bandwidth of MSM-based integrated photoreceiver and its noise performance at 1.55 /spl mu/m

A new and simple approach has been proposed for the design optimization of devices using PSPICE, and it has been applied to the design of high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) and heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) for the maximum gain-bandwidth (GBW) of a front-end integrated photoreceiver that uses metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) structure as the photodetector at 1.55 /spl mu/m. The standard high frequency circuit models are used with some important modifications to simplify the model equations. The results of the optimized design show that the gain-bandwidth of the photoreceiver can be raised to a very high value compared to those of nonoptimized structures. Finally, the sensitivity of the integrated photoreceivers are calculated for a bit-error-rate of 10/sup -9/.
Association between smell and taste dysfunction and obesity and metabolic syndrome in older adults

Background: Obesity and metabolic syndrome (MS) are prevalent and associated with negative health outcomes in the elderly. There is a need to identify risk factors for these diseases in this population. Methodology: The 2013-14 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was used in this study. Adults aged 60 or under were categorized into normosmia, hyposmia, anosmia, and combined anosmia + hyposmia using the Pocket Sniff Test. Taste was evaluated using quinine and NaCl solutions. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to characterize associations between smell and taste status and obesity and MS. Results: In univariate obesity analysis, normosmia, combined anosmia + hyposmia, and 0.32M NaCl taste dysfunction were significant. 0.32M NaCl taste dysfunction remained significant in multivariate analysis. MS was significantly associated with only tongue tip quinine dysfunction in univariate and multivariate analyses. Conclusions: Salty taste dysfunction was found to be negatively associated with obesity while bitter taste dysfunction was found to be positively associated with MS.
Moped Rider Violation Behavior and Moped Safety at Intersections in China

The study identified moped rider violation behavior leading to conflicts and crashes to help guide future countermeasure development. Mopeds (electric bicycles and light motorcycles) are a commonly used personal transportation mode in China, and moped crashes are increasing rapidly. This increase in crashes may be attributable to certain traffic behavior of moped riders. Video recordings were used to acquire data on moped riders' violation behavior and the violation behavior of bicycle, tricycle, and motorcycle riders at signalized intersections. One hundred twenty-five min of video were recorded from 10 intersections, and rider behavior was coded from 1,455 vehicles. Video data showed that moped riders committed more violations than did riders of bicycles, tricycles, and electric bicycles and that moped riders who engaged in violation behavior at intersections were involved in more frequent and more severe conflicts than were moped riders who did not engage in violation behavior. Typical moped violation behavior included running red lights, riding in improper directions, waiting at improper positions, riding in improper lanes, and overloading. Violation behavior was closely associated with the traffic environment (traffic facilities, traffic flow, traffic signal status, and other riders' behavior), but not with either the vehicle's characteristics or the rider's characteristics. This difference suggests that countermeasures related to the traffic environment would be more effective than those related to either vehicle or rider characteristics. Countermeasures within the areas of traffic regulation, traffic management, traffic facilities, vehicle management, and rider education are proposed.
Disabling the Circadian Clock in the Yellow Fever Mosquito Aedes Aegypti Reduces Adult Life Span, Attraction to Host Odor and Mating Success

Like other insects, Aedes aegypti displays strong daily patterns in host seeking and mating. Much of these behaviors are believed to be under the control of a circadian clock, an endogenous timekeeping mechanism relying on transcriptional/translational negative feedback loops that drive rhythmic physiology and behavior. To examine the connection between the circadian clock and various Ae. aegypti behaviors, we knocked out the core clock gene cycle using CRISPR/Cas9. We found that the rhythmic pattern and intensity of mRNA expression of seven circadian genes, including AeCyc-/-, were altered across the day/night cycle as well as in constant darkness conditions. We further show that, if expressed, the mutant CYC protein is incapable of forming a dimer with CLK to stimulate per expression and that the endogenous clock is disabled in AeCyc-/- mosquitoes. AeCyc-/- do not display the bimodal locomotor activity pattern of wild type, have a significantly reduced response to host odor, reduced egg hatching rates, delayed embryonic development, and reduced adult survival and mating success. Surprisingly, however, the propensity to blood feed in AeCyc-/- females is significantly higher than in wildtype females. Together with other recent work on the circadian clock control of key aspects of mosquito biology, our data on how cycle KO affects mosquito behavior and fitness provides a basis for further work into the pathways that connect the mosquito endogenous clock to its vector competence.
Unsteady transition in an axial flow turbine, part 1: measurements on the turbine rotor

Previously published measurements in a low speed, single stage, axial flow turbine have been reanalysed in the light of more recent understanding. The measurements include time-resolved hot wire traverses and surface hot film gauge measurements at the midspan of the rotor suction surface with three different rotor-stator spacings. Part 1 investigates the suction surface boundary layer transition process using surface-distance time plots, and boundary layer cross sections to demonstrate the unsteady and two-dimensional nature of the process. Part 2 of the paper will describe the results of supporting experiments carried out in a linear cascade together with a simple transition model which explains the features seen in the turbine.Copyright © 1989 by ASME
Optimization of nutritional and functional qualities of local complementary foods of southern Ethiopia using a customized mixture design

Abstract Commercially produced complementary foods are inaccessible to rural households in Ethiopia. This study aimed to optimize the nutritional and functional properties of local complementary foods using flours of the following locally available crops: maize, red kidney bean, kocho, and pumpkin fruit. Ten formulations were generated using a customized mixture design. A five‐point hedonic scale was used for the determination of organoleptic properties, and standard methods were used for the analyses of nutritional composition and functional properties. The flours were mixed in the range of 20%–30% for kocho, 10%–25% for pumpkin fruit, 10%–40% for red kidney bean, and 15%–30% for maize. Optimal nutritional and functional properties were obtained using 33.5% kocho, 22.5% maize, 17.5% pumpkin, and 26.5% red kidney bean. Optimal values for functional properties were 0.86 g/ml, 5.94 ml/g, 4.14 ml/g, 2.96 g/g, 5.0 ml/g, and 1225.3 cP for bulk density, water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity, swelling capacity, swelling index, and viscosity, respectively. All formulations were within acceptable limits with scores ranging from 3.00 to 4.32 on a scale of 5. The inclusion of 25% pumpkin fruit flour and other ingredients between 20% and 30% increased the pro‐vitamin A carotenoid and vitamin E contents of the composite flours. Aside from optimization, a higher concentration of limiting amino acids was achieved with 40% kidney beans and 15%–25% of the other ingredients. The mineral contents improved with increasing pumpkin, kidney bean, and kocho. To sum up, the nutrient quality, energy density, and functional quality of complementary foods can be optimized at a low cost using local ingredients.
Computation of High-Performance Concrete Compressive Strength Using Standalone and Ensembled Machine Learning Techniques

The current trend in modern research revolves around novel techniques that can predict the characteristics of materials without consuming time, effort, and experimental costs. The adaptation of machine learning techniques to compute the various properties of materials is gaining more attention. This study aims to use both standalone and ensemble machine learning techniques to forecast the 28-day compressive strength of high-performance concrete. One standalone technique (support vector regression (SVR)) and two ensemble techniques (AdaBoost and random forest) were applied for this purpose. To validate the performance of each technique, coefficient of determination (R2), statistical, and k-fold cross-validation checks were used. Additionally, the contribution of input parameters towards the prediction of results was determined by applying sensitivity analysis. It was proven that all the techniques employed showed improved performance in predicting the outcomes. The random forest model was the most accurate, with an R2 value of 0.93, compared to the support vector regression and AdaBoost models, with R2 values of 0.83 and 0.90, respectively. In addition, statistical and k-fold cross-validation checks validated the random forest model as the best performer based on lower error values. However, the prediction performance of the support vector regression and AdaBoost models was also within an acceptable range. This shows that novel machine learning techniques can be used to predict the mechanical properties of high-performance concrete.