Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Utilization of Bioslurry on Maize Hydroponic Fodder as a Corn Silage Supplement on Nutrient Digestibility and Milk Production of Dairy Cows

The research was conducted to study the effect of addition of 7% DM maize hydroponic fodder (MHF) in corn silage on digestibility and milk production of dairy cows. The experiment used a completely randomized block design with two treatments, and four replications. The treatments were dairy cows fed with grass (Pennisetum purpureum), corn silage, and concentrate (R0), and dairy cows fed with grass (P. purpureum), corn silage, concentrate, and MHF (R1). This research used eight dairy cows with initial average milk production of 13.01±2.96 L/d. MHF was produced in a hydroponic system using bioslurry as a fertilizer enriched with mineral fertilizer. Variables observed were chemical composition of bioslurry, nutrient content of ration, daily dry matter intake, nutrient digestibility, Total Digestible Nutrient (TDN), and Digestible Energy (DE). Data were analyzed with ANOVA, except for milk production using ANCOVA. Supplementation of MHF resulted a higher total dry matter intake on R1 than R0 (P<0.05), 12.99±0.063 kg/head/d, and 11.98±0.295 kg/head/d, respectively. The digestibility of nutrients were not affected by the addition of MHF. Energy consumption in R1 was also higher than R0 (P<0.05), 49.95±0.36 Mkal/kg, and 46.11±0.54 Mkal/kg, respectively. Supplementation of MHF also increased nitrogen consumption, R1 was higher than R0 (P<0.05), 318.3±2.3 g/head/d, and 295.9±3.5 g/head/d, respectively, and could maintain the persistency of milk production at the end of lactation. It can be concluded that supplementation of MHF in corn silage can increase dry matter intake, energy consumption, and nitrogen consumption, also can maintain nutrient digestibility and maintain persistency of milk production during late lactation of dairy cows.Key words: bioslurry, dairy cow, greenhouse fodder, nutrient digestibility
A Novel CNN Training Framework: Loss Transferring

As one of the indispensable components in convolutional neural network (CNN), loss function assists in updating parameters of CNN models during the training phase. Generally, different loss functions can assist convolutional neural network (CNN) to learn different feature representations, and different feature representations can be treated as different knowledge learned from objects. In this paper we introduce a novel training framework, namely Loss Transferring (LT), to improve the generalization ability of CNN. LT contains multiple training phases, and each training phase uses a different loss function. Under this framework, CNN models can combine different knowledge of objects by transferring the knowledge learned via one loss function to another. LT contains two components, i.e., loss function set and training strategy. In order to build appropriate loss function set, we establish two basic guides. And according to these basic guides, we design a new loss function in the last layer of CNN models (layer before softmax operation), namely Near Classifier Hyper-Plane (N-CHP) loss, which makes the learned object features belonging to the same category have the minimum intra-class distance and be near the classifier hyper-plane. Based on the two loss function set <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\{\text {MSE, softmax}\}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\{\text {N-CHP, softmax}\}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, we setup two specific training methods, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$LT_{\text {MSE, softmax}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$LT_{\text {N-CHP, softmax}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, which can be universally applied to different CNN models with low additional computation cost. Meanwhile, two training strategies, multi-phase strategy 1 and multi-phase strategy 2, are further proposed to improve the training efficiency of LT. Extensive experimental results on shallow, moderate and deep models with four benchmark datasets, including MNIST, SVHN, CIFAR-10 and CIFAR-100, demonstrate that CNN models can bring obvious performance improvements when working with <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$LT_{\text {MSE, softmax}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$LT_{\text {N-CHP, softmax}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, which verifies the effectiveness of LT and the proposed two basic guides.
Correlation between Self-Efficacy and English Performance

Self-efficacy may affect our behaviours, thoughts and emotions. The students with strong self-efficiency tend to have good autonomous learning ability. However, there is little report on the correlation between self-efficacy and English performance. To make up for the gap, this paper explores the influence of self-efficacy on English performance based on the theories on self-efficacy. Specifically, a questionnaire survey was carried out among male and female students in three grades, covering all aspects of English learning (e.g. listening, speaking, reading and writing). The collected data were analysed statistically on the SPSS. The results show that self-efficacy influences the selection of environment and behaviour; the students with strong self-efficacy can flexibly use various cognitive and learning methods, and achieve excellent self-management and regulation; the students with good English performance have high self-efficacy scores, revealing a positive correlation between self-efficacy and English performance. The research findings lay a theoretical basis for improving English performance based on self-efficacy.
Unified Disturbance-Estimation-Based Control and Equivalence With IMC and PID: Case Study on a DC–DC Boost Converter

In the context of disturbance-estimation (DE)-based control, it is reported that including desired dynamics into the nominal model yields a simple and compact control law that is easier to implement. The resulting control structure unifies the nominal feedback controller and feed-forward disturbance compensator to formulate an overall feed-forward disturbance compensation problem. Based on this, two popular DE-based techniques, namely active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) and uncertainty and disturbance estimator (UDE)-based control, are restructured into a unified form. By reformulating the controllers in the frequency domain, it is shown that the two structures are equivalent provided the UDE filter is selected based on the observer designed for ADRC. For an easier understanding of practitioners who are familiar with the conventional control structures, the designed controllers are reinterpreted in the framework of two-degree-of-freedom (2DoF) internal model control and 2DoF proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller to show the equivalence among them. Tuning rules for PID controllers in terms of unified ADRC parameters are also presented to aid practical implementation in industry. Performance of the unified control scheme is evaluated on a non-minimum phase dc–dc boost converter that is operating under line and load disturbances using simulation and experimental study.
Reproduction and survival of the desert tortoise (Scaptochelys agassizii) in Ivanpah Valley, California

Eighty-seven adult desert tortoises (58 females, 29 males) in Ivanpah Valley, California, were fitted with radiotransmitters in 1980 and 1981. All were marked, weighed, and measured and released. Tortoises were then recaptured, weighed and released about every two weeks in 1980 and weekly in 1981. The experiment concluded in the spring of 1982, when 62 tortoises were recovered. Survival of males and females did not differ, but the observed death rate in 1981-82 (18.4%) was significantly greater than that in 1980-81 (4.4%). Females > 200 mm in plastron length exhibited two periods of distinct loss of mass in 1980 (15-28 May, 12-25 June) when masses of males were essentially unchanged. Losses of > 100 g were interpreted as evidence of egg-laying. Eleven of 15 females for which we had season-long records in 1980 laid two clutches, two laid one clutch and two did not lay eggs. The mean number of clutches laid was 1.60. Of 40 females considered in 1981, 20 laid one clutch, 12 laid two clutches and eight did not lay. The mean number of clutches was 1.10. The estimated dry standing crop of forbs in 1980 was about 100 times that in 1981. Estimated biomass of grasses in 1980 was about 25 times that measured in 1981. Analyses of tortoise feces showed that grasses were eaten with equal frequency until mid-May in both years, but that after this time grasses essentially disappeared from 1981 diets. Annuals and seeds were much better represented in early spring diets in 1980 than in 1981. Cacti were more frequent in scats collected in 1981, particularly after mid-May-when about 87% of material in feces was from such plants. Cacti may serve as a reserve supply of energy, but more importantly as a potential source of water. This may partially explain the egg production in 1981-one of the most unfavorable years on record in the Mojave Desert.
Multi-Depot Green Vehicle Routing Problem to Minimize Carbon Emissions

A Multi-Depot Green Vehicle Routing Problem (MDGVRP) is considered in this paper. In MDGVRP, Alternative Fuel-powered Vehicles (AFVs) start from different depots, serve customers, and, at the end, return to the original depots. The limited fuel tank capacity of AFVs forces them to visit Alternative Fuel Stations (AFS) for refueling. The objective is to minimize the total carbon emissions. A Two-stage Ant Colony System (TSACS) is proposed to find a feasible and acceptable solution for this NP-hard (Non-deterministic polynomial-time) optimization problem. The distinct characteristic of the proposed TSACS is the use of two distinct types of ants for two different purposes. The first type of ant is used to assign customers to depots, while the second type of ant is used to find the routes. The solution for the MDGVRP is useful and beneficial for companies that employ AFVs to deal with the various inconveniences brought by the limited number of AFSs. The numerical experiments confirm the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms in this research.
Risk-Aware Data Offloading in Multi-Server Multi-Access Edge Computing Environment

Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) has emerged as a flexible and cost-effective paradigm, enabling resource constrained mobile devices to offload, either partially or completely, computationally intensive tasks to a set of servers at the edge of the network. Given that the shared nature of the servers’ resources introduces high computation and communication uncertainty, in this paper we consider users’ risk-seeking or loss-aversion behavior in their final decisions regarding the portion of their computing tasks to be offloaded at each server in a multi-MEC server environment, while executing the rest locally. This is achieved by capitalizing on the power and principles of Prospect Theory and Tragedy of the Commons, treating each MEC server as a Common Pool of Resources available to all the users, while being rivarlous and subtractable, thus may potentially fail if over-exploited by the users. The goal of each user becomes to maximize its perceived satisfaction, as expressed through a properly formulated prospect-theoretic utility function, by offloading portion of its computing tasks to the different MEC servers. To address this problem and conclude to the optimal allocation strategy, a non-cooperative game among the users is formulated and the corresponding Pure Nash Equilibrium (PNE), i.e., optimal data offloading, is determined, while a distributed low-complexity algorithm that converges to the PNE is introduced. The performance and key principles of the proposed framework are demonstrated through modeling and simulation, while useful insights about the users’ data offloading decisions under realistic conditions and behaviors are presented.
The Critical Zinc Deficiency Level and Response to Zinc Application of Wheat on Typic Ustochrepts

SUMMARY Field experiments at 26 sites, selected on the basis of their varying degrees of zinc deficiency, showed that the critical deficiency levels of zinc for wheat were 0.60 mg kg−1 in the soil and 19 μg g−1 dry matter in 45-day-old plants. Further field trials at nine locations with varying levels of zinc deficiency showed successive increases in the grain yield of wheat with increases in zinc application, emphasizing the need for zinc fertilization when wheat is grown on zinc-deficient soils.
The Histochemical and Cytochemical Changes from Formative to Resorptive Osteocytes

Based on their ultrastructural features, osteocytes have been classified into three phases: formative, resorptive, and degenerative. However, the mechanism of the morphological changes from formative osteocyte to resorptive osteocyte is still unclear. Therefore, we labeled bone matrix with calcein and examined chronologically the histochemical changes in osteocytes from two distinct areas in the mandible, focusing on the relationship between osteocytes and osteoclastic bone resorption. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity was detected only in osteocytes located near sites of osteoclastic bone resorption. Osteocytes far from osteoclasts lacked TRAP activity, even those that had been enclosed in bone matrix as long as the osteocytes that did show TRAP activity. Furthermore, glycogen granules evidenced by periodic acid-Schiff and the periodic acidthiocarbohydrazide-silver protein staining in osteocytes disappeared when the cell acquired TRAP activity. These findings suggest that the acquisition of TRAP activity in an osteocyte is closely synchronized with bone resorption. Disappearance of glycogen in osteocytes in the same area may also be related to the acquisition of TRAP activity or bone resorbing activity. The osteocytes characterized by glycogen accumulation must be in the phase that follows the formative phase, in which osteocytes display neither formation nor resorption activity.
Metals/metalloid in Marine Sediments, Bioaccumulating in Macroalgae and a Mussel

ABSTRACT The aim of the present work is to broaden our knowledge on the variability of metals and metalloid concentration levels in surface sediments, macroalgae and mollusc. Accordingly, As, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn levels in surface sediments, marine macroalgae species (Ulva intestinalis and Ceramium rubrum) and mollusk (mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis) collected from nine stations along the Sürmene Bay, Black Sea, Turkey, have been investigated using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Hence, higher concentration levels of As, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn have been recorded in the sediments and macroalgae collected from the harbor area, largely exceeding those recorded in previous studies carried out in the Turkish Black Sea. Consequently, sampled sediments from such area have revealed the highest Contamination Factor (Cf) values as well as the highest Contamination Degree (CD) levels, signaling higher ecological risks. Furthermore, U. intestinalis has shown higher accumulation capacity than C. rubrum and M. galloprovincialis. The Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) and the Hazard Index (HI) have been carried out in order to evaluate the non-carcinogenic health risks posed by metals/metalloid via M. galloprovincialis consumption, revealing values below 1 for all sampling sites, indicating thus no adverse effects on human health.
Double staining procedure for histochemical localization of alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase activities in the mouse liver

The double staining procedure using both the nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) and copper ferrocyanide methods was presented for the simultaneous localization of two different dehydrogenase activities in a single histologic section.Sections of normal mouse liver were stained for alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity using the NBT method first, then stained for aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity using the copper ferrocyanide method. However, the formazan showing ADH activity must chelate metal ion (Cu2+, Co2+, or Ni2+) prior to staining for ALDH activity.Both the blue metal-formazan complex showing ADH and brown copper ferrocyanide showing ALDH activities in a single liver section were localized mainly in the perivenous zone of the hepatic lobule. In addition, ALDH activity is always localized in the zone of the lobule where ADH activity is present.
Comparative Fecundity of Four Species of Crayfish in Southwestern Ontario, Canada (Decapoda, Astacidea)

La fecondite de quatre especes d'ecrevisses a ete etudiee: Cambarus robustus, Orconectes propinquus, Orconectes rusticus et Orconectes airilis. Les taux de fecondite ont ete respectivement pour chaque espece: C. robustus de 25 a 128, moyenne 64,9; O. propinquus de 26 a 195, moyenne 68,5; O. rusticus de 75 a 351, moyenne 161,8; O. virilis de 29 a 195, moyenne 139,1. La dimension (diametre) des oeufs est constante dans une meme espece, mais presente d'une espece a l'autre les variations suivantes: 3,69, 4,55, 6,88 et 40,03 mm3 chez O. propinquus, O. virilis, O. rusticus et C. robustus respectivement. Les pentes de regression de la fecondite en fonction de la taille varient egalement d'une espece a une autre; les rapports entre le volume total des oeufs et la surface ventrale de l'abdomen sont similaires, et ceci montre que la fecondite est determinee a la fois par la taille des oeufs et la surface ventrale de l'abdomen. Les resultats presentes ici sont compares aux donnees anterieures de la litterature et quelques aspects ecologiques sont discutes.
Modeling of Human Cognition in Consensus Agreement on Social Media and Its Implications for Smarter Manufacturing

Opinion dynamics modeling has long been interesting to scientists because of its applications in the marketing industry as well as elections. Agreement, e.g., on a special product, has an affective influence on its manufacturing process. However, most of the existing opinion dynamics models are linear time invariant. In this article, eight non-linear time variant models for opinion dynamics are proposed and put to test on subjective synthetic networks. Despite all the efforts, the issues of stability and convergence in time-varying networks, which can be found in industrial contexts, have not been resolved yet and only sufficient conditions have been derived. In the proposed models, unlike in the classical ones such as the French–DeGroot model, we have taken into account each member's susceptibility to persuasion by others that is a cognitive parametric function of individuals' opinions. In addition, we have introduced a stubbornness matrix which has large values initially but shrinks to zero as the time grows. This implies that agents' susceptibilities to others, at the beginning of any experiment, are smaller than what they are at the end. We present a novel mathematical formulation for these new opinion dynamics models and prove their stability too. For evaluation, we simulated a scenario in which some people connected via a graph, voted for a product. They initially had their own stands but gradually came to a point found through interaction with the others. The results confirm the convergence and stability of the proposed models.
Field experimental evidence that grazers mediate transition between microalgal and seagrass dominance

We tested the relative effects of nutrient loading, reduced predation, and reduced grazing on eelgrass community dynamics in Chesapeake Bay and found evidence supporting the “mutualistic mesograzer model” in which small invertebrate grazers control accumulation of epiphytic algae, buffer eutrophication effects, and thus facilitate seagrass dominance. Experimental reduction of crustacean grazers in the field stimulated a nearly sixfold increase in epiphytic algae, and reduced seagrass biomass by 65% compared to controls with grazers. Nutrient fertilization generally had much weaker effects, but an interaction with mesograzers was key in changing the sign of fertilization effects on the system: aboveground eelgrass biomass was reduced by fertilization under reduced grazing, but increased by fertilization under ambient grazing. When protected from predators in field cages, these mesograzers limited epiphyte blooms even with nutrient enrichment, and nutrients instead enhanced grazer secondary production. Crustacean mesograzers play a key role in maintaining macrophyte (seagrass) dominance in Chesapeake Bay, in buffering eelgrass against eutrophication, and in efficiently transferring nitrogen to higher trophic levels. Yet, these crustacean grazers are also highly sensitive to predator abundance. Reducing nutrient pollution alone is unlikely to restore seagrass meadows where alterations to food webs have reduced populations of algae‐feeding mesograzers. Integration of both water quality and fishery management will be more effective in restoring and maintaining healthy coastal ecosystems.
An Efficient Hardware Implementation of Residual Data Binarization in HEVC CABAC Encoder

HEVC-standardized encoders employ the CABAC (context-based adaptive binary arithmetic coding) to achieve high compression ratios and video quality that supports modern real-time high-quality video services. Binarizer is one of three main blocks in a CABAC architecture, where binary symbols (bins) are generated to feed the binary arithmetic encoder (BAE). The residual video data occupied an average of 75% of the CABAC’s work-load, thus its performance will significantly contribute to the overall performance of whole CABAC design. This paper proposes an efficient hardware implementation of a binarizer for CABAC that focuses on low area cost, low power consumption while still providing enough bins for high-throughput CABAC. On the average, the proposed design can process upto 3.5 residual syntax elements (SEs) per clock cycle at the maximum frequency of 500 MHz with an area cost of 9.45 Kgates (6.41 Kgates for the binarizer core) and power consumption of 0.239 mW (0.184 mW for the binarizer core) with NanGate 45 nm technology. It shows that our proposal achieved a high overhead-efficiency of 1.293 Mbins/Kgate/mW, much better than the other related high performance designs. In addition, our design also achieved a high power-efficiency of 8288 Mbins/mW; this is important factor for handheld applications.
Assessment of the association between paraspinal muscle degeneration and quality of life in patients with degenerative lumbar scoliosis

The present study aimed to determine the characteristics of multifidus, erector spinae and psoas major degeneration in elderly patients with degenerative lumbar scoliosis (DLS) and the correlation between asymmetric changes and patient quality of life. A total of 49 patients with lumbar scoliosis (DLS group) and 38 healthy individuals (control group) were prospectively examined. The functional cross-sectional area, cross-sectional area difference index (CDI) and fat infiltration rate (FIR) of the multifidus, erector spinae and psoas major at the apical vertebral level were measured using MRI. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) score were used to evaluate patient quality of life. Correlations between the degree of asymmetric muscular degeneration and quality of life were analysed. The CDI of the multifidus, erector spinal and psoas major was higher in the DLS group compared with that in the control group. The CDI of the multifidus was found to be positively associated with the Cobb angle of lumbar scoliosis. Similar results were obtained for fat infiltration between the two groups. In addition, the CDI and FIR difference index of the multifidus was positively correlated with the VAS score and ODI but negatively correlated with the SF-36 score. The quality of life significantly decreased with increasing asymmetric atrophy and fat infiltration in the multifidus. Thus, strategies to enhance the function of the multifidus may have a positive impact on quality of life (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, registration date, 2018.11.12; registration no. ChiCTR1800019459.).