Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
OVULATION RATE , METABOLITE AND HORMONAL PROFILES OF EWES IN LOW BODY CONDITION STIMULATED WITH HIGH-ENERGY DIET DURING THE LATE-LUTEAL PHASE OF THE ESTROUS CYCLE

The aims of this study were to determine the effects of short-term feeding with a high-energy diet on the ovulatory capacity, metabolite, and hormonal profiles of ewes in low body condition score (BCS), and to investigate the relationship between these variables in the ovulated ewes. Sixteen ewes that had ovulated (day 0) after synchronized estrus were allotted into two experimental groups. The control group received a control diet (CD) throughout the experimental period, while the supplemental group was offered a high-energy diet (H-ED) for a 5-day period from days 10–14 after ovulation. The follicles were scanned by ultrasonography, and the blood was sampled to measure the metabolites and progesterone. On day 14, the number of large-sized follicles was greater in the H-ED than in the control ewes. On days 11, 13 and 14, the concentrations of glucose were found to be higher for the H-ED group compared to the CD group. Ovulation rate was greater in the H-ED than in the control ewes. Ovulation rate tended to be positively correlated with the number of ovulatory follicles. Thus, these data emphasize that use of a high-energy diet improves the glucose concentration, follicular growth, and subsequent ovulation rate in low-BCS ewes.
POLLEN MORPHOLOGY AS AN AID TO THE IDENTIFICATION OF SCORZONERA ( CICHORIEAE-COMPOSITAE ) FROM PAKISTAN

Pollen morphological characters of 5 species of Scorzonera have been investigated from Pakistan by light microscopy. Pollen grains are usually radially symmetrical, isopolar, prolatespheroidal in equatorial view, semi-angular to inter-semi-angular in polar view, trizonocolporate, non-lacunate and echinate. Pollen characters such as size, shape, colpi and exine thickness, and aperture type are found considerably important. Scorzonera hondae can be distinguished due to its sub-prolate shape whereas S. picridioides has oblate-spheroidal subprolate P/E ratio (0.95). The pollen spine character is a diagnostic character in this genus. S. hondae has the highest spine length (4.8 μm) and S. laciniata can be distinguished due to lowest spine length 2.5 μm. There is a great range of variation in exine thickness which has proved useful at specific level. On the basis of exine thickness 3 groups viz. Group 1: S. virgata, S. laciniata, Group II: S. picridioides, Group III: S. ammophila, S. hondae are recognized.
Determinants of Corporate Cash Holdings: Evidence from Private Manufacturing Firms in Kenya

Cash is an important requirement to ensure continued operations, yet excessive cash holdings might result in many problems which include; higher opportunity costs of holding cash, cash abuse, a tool for obtaining the controlled self-interests and the higher agency costs. The study established that there is a negative and insignificant linear relationship between growth opportunities and corporate cash holdings. The study also revealed that leverage is a significant positive determinant of corporate cash holdings in line with the precautionary motive. In regard to firm size, the study findings indicate that firm size positively determines corporate cash holding. Further, the study revealed that there is a negative linear relationship between likelihood of financial distress and cash holdings. The findings also confirmed a positive relationship between cash flow variability and corporate cash holdings. The study therefore concludes that; leverage, firm size, likelihood of financial distress and cash flow variability determine corporate cash holdings among private manufacturing firms in Kenya.
Communicating with residents of host destinations: an exploratory study of a dispersed mega-event

In 2006, the Commonwealth Games were hosted by the State of Victoria, Australia. This study examined the efficacy of the communication channels that were used to disseminate information to residents in three regions across Victoria about the community events that were associated with the 2006 Commonwealth Games (Games, hereafter). It also explored residents’ preferred communication channels regarding community events in each of the regions. The Games were a “dispersed mega-event”. That is, while they were largely staged in the City of Melbourne, parts of them were dispersed to other areas of the State of Victoria. While this is a newer model of event delivery, it is one that has been taken up quite well in the context of mega-events. The dispersed mega-event, however, raises challenges for event organisers and marketers including how to communicate with larger and more diverse communities than what might be the case of a single-location event. Focus groups were conducted with residents in three host destinations. Results suggested that traditional methods of disseminating event information were ineffective. Participants in this study reported a preference for (passively) receiving information about events in their respective communities through existing infrastructure and social networks. They reported a desire to receive information in places that are sympathetic with their lifestyles—such as at sport clubs, on public transport, at schools and childcare facilities, and at supermarkets. However, there were differences in the perceived efficacy of some of these methods among the destinations. Implications for practitioners are discussed, as well as implications for further research.
Glacier Changes in the Qilian Mountains, Northwest China, between the 1960s and 2015

Glaciers in the Qilian Mountains are important sources of fresh-water for sustainable development in the Hexi Corridor in the arid northwest China. Over the last few decades, glaciers have generally shrunk across the globe due to climate warming. In order to understand the current state of glaciers in the Qilian Mountains, we compiled a new inventory of glaciers in the region using Landsat Operational Land Imager (OLI) images acquired in 2015, and identified 2748 glaciers that covered an area of 1539.30 ± 49.50 km2 with an ice volume of 81.69 ± 7.40 km3, among which the Shule River basin occupied the largest portion of glaciers (24.8% in number, 32.3% in area, and 35.6% in ice volume). In comparison to previous inventories, glacier area was found to shrink by 396.89 km2 (20.5%) in total, and 446 glaciers with an area of 44.79 km2 disappeared over the period from the 1960s to 2015. This situation was primarily caused by the increase in air temperature, and also related with the size of glacier and some local topographic parameters. In addition, the change of glaciers in the Qilian Mountains showed a distinct spatial pattern, i.e., their shrinking rate was large in the east and small in the west.
Protection of bridge piers against ship collision

This article outlines the development of pier protection against ship collision over the last 25 years. The calculation of impact forces is developed from general formulas for equivalent loads, based on collision tests, to numerical FEM simulations. Comparisons between the results are given. Examples of the structural protection of 18 bridges are described.
A hypersonic plasma bullet train traveling in an atmospheric dielectric-barrier discharge jet

An experimental observation of fast-moving plasma bullets produced in an atmospheric dielectric-barrier discharge jet is reported in this paper. Nanosecond imaging suggests that the atmospheric discharge jet consists of a plasma bullet train traveling at a hypersonic speed from 7.0km∕sto43.1km∕s. Yet on a millisecond scale, the bullet train appears as a plasma jet of several centimeters long. The plasma bullets are produced through several possible mechanisms, the most likely of which is related to the ionization wave. Time and space resolved optical emission spectroscopy show that reactive plasma species can be delivered to different spatial sites with varying quantities.
Songs to the Jinas and of the Gurus: historical comparisons between Jain and Sikh devotional music

ABSTRACT Jain worship has always been accompanied by music and likewise for Sikhs the performance of and listening to the singing of hymns, as composed by several of their Gurus, continuously has been central to the community’s spiritual experience. For different reasons, however, Sikh and Jain devotional music, known as kirtan and bhakti respectively, until recently were neglected subjects in historiography. This article investigates the parallels and differences among the two genres from a historical comparative perspective against the successive backgrounds of the bhakti movement and Indic culture, the imperial encounter and globalization. In doing so, it particularly emphasizes the importance of identity politics to the making of modern Sikh and Jain devotional music, as well as the fact that, in comparison to Jain bhakti, Sikh kirtan generally remains North Indian ‘Hindustani’ art music, rather than regional folk music.
Studies on Combined Application of Organic and Inorganic Amendments on Micronutrients Availability to Turmeric in an Acid Alfisol

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) a herbaceous perennial medicinal plant belongs to family Zingiberaceae and sub-family Zinigeradeae. It is most sacred and ancient spice of India commonly known as Indian saffron and golden spice of life. Being a tall annual herb it requires considerable amount of rainfall and temperature between 20 and 30 o C to thrive well. Cultivation of this spice crop can be practiced from sea level to an altitude of 1500 m, establish well in a pH range of 4.5 to 7.5 (Anonymous, 2013). It develops as a large ovoid root stock that bears stalkless cylindrical tubes with distinct orange color. Rhizomes can be considered as underground stems having roots below and leaves growing above the surface. Due to its shallow rooting, it requires heavy nutrients application and has a capacity to produce large amount of dry matter per unit area. It contains 5 per cent phenolic curcuminiods (diarylheptanoids) which are responsible for imparting the International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 9 Number 10 (2020) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas. com
In vitro Efficacy of Non Systemic and Systemic Fungicides against Macrophomina phaseolina causing Charcoal Rot of Soybean

Soybean (Glycine max L.), a legume of commercial importance at both national and global market belongs to family Leguminaceae and sub-family Papilionoideae (Fabaceae). It can enrich the soil with nitrogen because of its N-fixing ability. Soybean is known as the ‘golden bean’ and ‘miracle crop’ because it contains about 43 per cent of good quality protein, 21 per cent carbohydrates, 20 per cent oil content, 5 per cent minerals, 8 per cent moisture, 20 per cent fat, 4 per cent fiber and reasonable amounts of vitamins (Gautam et al., 2018). USA, Brazil, Argentina, China, and India contribute about 89 per cent of the total soybean production in the world. In India, soybean oil is used for cooking and soya products are more famous due to the high protein content and also have high export value.
Marital Conflict Management of Married Men and Women

Abstract This study aimed to investigate constructive and destructive conflict resolution strategies used by married women and men, as well as the association of these strategies with sociodemographic and relationship variables. Participants were 750 heterosexual couples living in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, who answered the Conflict Resolution Behavior Questionnaire - CRBQ and 16 questions about sociodemographic data and relationship characteristics. Variance and correlation analyses were conducted in order to verify the differences and associations between the study variables. The “compromise” conflict resolution strategy was used more by men compared to women, and women used the “attack” strategy more often when compared to men. For both, religiosity was correlated with constructive strategies, whereas having children was associated with destructive strategies. Considering these findings, the aspects that can favor constructive management of conflicts by spouses are discussed.
Effect of Amount and Time of Incorporation of Forest Litter on Soil Fertility Status

Soil is an essential non-renewable resource with potentially rapid degradation rates and extremely slow formation and regeneration processes (Van-Camp et al., 2004). Excessive and injudicious use of fertilizers and agrochemicals in conventional farming systems can upset the soil physico-chemical and biological equilibrium leading to land degradation. Soil degradation is as old as agriculture itself, its impact on human food production and the environment becoming more serious than ever before, because of its extent and intensity (Duran and Rodríguez, 2008). Organic farming without using chemosynthetic inputs has become one of the most feasible alternatives to achieve sustainability in agriculture. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 9 Number 10 (2020) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas. com
Impact of Harsh Environmental Conditions on Nodule Formation and Dinitrogen Fixation of Legumes

Dinitrogen (N2) comprises almost 80% of the atmosphere. The triple-bonded molecule cannot be used directly by higher plant. The element nitrogen, or “azote,” meaning “with‐ out life,” as Antonie Lavoisier called it about 200 years ago, has proved to be anything but lifeless, since it is a component of food, poisons, fertilizers, and explosives (Schoot Ui‐ terkamp 1990). The atmosphere contains about 1015 tonnes of N2 gas, and the nitrogen cy‐ cle involves the transformation of some 3 × 109 tonnes of N2 per year on a global basis (Postgate 1982). However, transformations (e.g., N2 fixation) are not exclusively biologi‐ cal. Lightening probably accounts for about 10% of the world’s supply of fixed nitrogen (Sprent and Sprent 1990). The fertilizer industry also provides very important quantities of chemically fixed nitrogen. World production of fixed nitrogen from dinitrogen for chemical fertilizer accounts for about 25% of the Earth’s newly fixed N2, and biological processes account for about 60%. Nitrogen availability is probably the second most limit‐ ing factor in agricultural production, second only to water availability (Date 2000). The le‐ gume-Rhizobium symbiosis is the single most important source of biologically fixed nitrogen in agricultural systems (Graham and Vance 2000). Since it is a biological proc‐ ess, it does not depend on external sources of energy, except for free and renewable sun‐ light, and has few detrimental ecological effects (Phillips 1999).
Microbial and sensory evaluation of Bangladeshi frozen chicken sausage

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the microbiological safety and the effect of some synthetic chemicals with comparison to natural additives such as rosemary extract in preventing microbial growth and as a source of antioxidant by maintaining GHP as well as GMP of Bangladeshi processed chicken sausages with low fat content to correlate some scientific evidence in producing cancer and cardiovascular diseases by the consumption of meat product. Two experimental batches of chicken sausage were prepared according to Bangladeshi standard using different parameters of ingredients. Then centesimal parameter, PH and instrumental color of the product were analyzed according to standard protocol. A sensory parameter was also checked by ranking the acceptance level of consumers about different batches of chicken sausage. The sensory properties and the instrumental color parameter of two experimental batches of chicken sausage ‘A’ and ‘B’ were found almost similar in comparison to the commercial cured chicken sausage ‘C’ but quite dissimilar in comparison to commercial uncured sausage ‘D’. Total coliforms were observed 4.4 × 10 for sausage ‘A’ and 5.3 × 10 for sausage ‘B’, while the most probable number (MPN) for E. coli was 1.7 for both products. The counting of sulphite reducing Clostridium was 2 cfu/g and 3 cfu/g for both of the batches ‘A’ and ‘B’ consecutively. The coagulase-positive Staphylococci and lactose fermenting Salmonella was not found in any batches of chicken sausage.The results of this experiment clearly mentioned the possibility of producing safe and high quality chicken sausage with reduced fat content in Bangladesh by using natural pigments and antioxidants. Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. December 2015, 1(3): 463-470
Deep Learning Initialized Phase Retrieval

Phase retrieval (PR) consists of estimating 2D or 3D objects from their Fourier magnitudes and takes a central place in scientiﬁc imaging. At present, most iterative methods for PR work well only when the initialization is close enough to the solution and fail otherwise. But there has been no general way of obtaining desired initialization. In this paper, we show that a carefully designed deep learning pipeline can consistently generate reliable initialization, so that the subsequent iterative methods can solve the PR problem and produce high-quality solutions. Technically, PR is an inverse problem containing three forward symmetries, and naive deployment of end-to-end deep learning for PR yields poor initialization. We explain why the symmetries cause the learning difﬁculty and propose a novel strategy that substantially improves the estimation. Overall, the proposed method solves PR in regimes not accessible by the previous methods, and our work synergizes deep learning and iterative methods to solve a difﬁcult scientiﬁc inverse problem.
From Road to Path: The Symbolic Roles of Islam amongst South London Gangs

Abstract Two different understandings of the symbolic repertoire of Islam for young British gang members have been used in this article. Islam was used to justify participation in gang life, a function of rationalisation and protection. Islamic ideas were exploited to rationalise their criminal enterprises. The repertoire was also used to find a path out of criminality, perceived as a clear structure to finding constructive alternatives to reshape their lives. Based on 18 interviews, this paper examines these aspects of the symbolic repertoire, and shows how there is no monolithic interpretation for the role played by Islam.
An evaluation of fractal characteristics of urban landscape in Indianapolis, USA, using multi-sensor satellite images

There is an increasing interest in applying fractal analysis to measure the spatial complexity of remotely sensed images. This study provides an evaluation of the effectiveness of three fractal algorithms (isarithm, triangular prism, and variogram) for characterizing urban landscapes in Indianapolis, USA, based on eight satellite images taken by five sensors (Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS), Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM)/Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), and IKONOS). Fractal dimensions (FDs) were computed for both individual spectral bands and classified images to understand the fractal characteristics of land-use and land-cover (LULC) patterns. Results indicated that FD values were sensitive to the computational algorithms used. It was found that the performance of different FD algorithms varied by application. The red and the near-infrared bands were the most spatially complicated bands among all spectral bands of the Landsat and ASTER images as well as the IKONOS images. The most fragmented LULC type was grassland. FD analysis of Landsat-derived LULC maps revealed that the urban landscape in Indianapolis had experienced great change between 1975 and 1991 as well as between 1991 and 2000. It is concluded that the fractals were useful in discriminating the image spatial complexity of various types and show potential in characterizing the temporal changes of urban landscape. However, fractal analysis alone may not be sufficiently effective to characterize urban landscape changes. Detailed quantitative change information is needed to assist in the interpretation of resultant FD values.
Measuring Verbal Fluency Task Performance of Indonesian Bilinguals

Verbal fluency (VF) task is a tool that has been utilized in bilingual studies to measure executive performance of bilingual individuals. While many of the previous studies compared bilingual speakers’ performance in VF to their monolingual counterparts, this descriptive study compares exclusively the cross-linguistic VF performance of Indonesian bilinguals in their first (L1), second (L2), and third language (L3). The aim of this study was to see whether or not there were any differences in the result of their performance in each of their languages. The participants of the current study were 25 non-native bilingual university students in Indonesia who speak English in at least intermediate level. Javanese is the L1 of the participants. Indonesian is their L2, whereas English is their L3. In the VF task, the participants were requested to generate, in a rapid fashion, semantic category and phonemic category in their L1, L2, and L3. The results showed that the participants’ VF performance in English and standard Indonesian were significantly higher (p < .05) than Javanese. However, no significant difference was indicated when comparing the semantic category and phonemic category in all three languages. The findings of this study will be used as a basis for a forthcoming study on VF performance of Indonesian bilinguals.
MEASURING AMBIENT DENSITIES AND LORENTZ FACTORS OF GAMMA-RAY BURSTS FROM GeV AND OPTICAL OBSERVATIONS

The Fermi satellite detected GeV flashes from cosmological gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). In two GRBs, an optical counterpart of the GeV flash was detected. Such flashes are predicted by the model of a blast wave running into a medium loaded with copious e ± ? > pairs. Here we examine a sample of seven bursts with the best GeV+optical data and further test the model. We find that the observed light curves are in agreement with the theoretical predictions, which allows us to measure three parameters for each burst: the Lorentz factor of the explosion, its isotropic kinetic energy, and the external density. With the possible exception of GRB 090510 (the only short burst in the sample), the ambient medium is consistent with a wind from a Wolf–Rayet progenitor. The wind density parameter A = &rgr; r 2 ? > varies in the sample around 1011 g cm−1. The initial Lorentz factor of the blast wave varies from 200 to 540, and correlates with the burst luminosity. Radiative efficiency of the prompt emission varies between 0.1 and 0.8. For the two bursts with a detected optical flash, GRB 120711A and GRB 130427A, we also estimate the magnetization of the external blast wave. Remarkably, despite its small number of free parameters, the model reproduces the entire optical light curve of GRB 120711A (with its sharp peak, fast decay, plateau, and break) as well as the GeV data. The spectra of GeV flashes are predicted to extend above 0.1 TeV, where they can be detected by ground-based Cherenkov telescopes.
Is the populist radical right (still) shaping the news? Media attention, issue ownership and party strategies in Switzerland

Populist radical right parties (PRR) arguably have benefited from high media attention, since their provocative (discursive) strategies largely fulfill the media logic. Once the PRR has established itself, however, there are fewer reasons to assume that media treatment should be much different compared to other mainstream parties. To shed light on this question, this paper aims, first, to show whether the PRR (still) finds large media attention and, second, to explain possible reasons for the amount of media attention. To this end, this paper includes an analysis of the 200 most salient communication events and issues in six Swiss newspapers from 2002 to 2009. Answers are provided as to whether political cleavages play a decisive role for the amount of media attention, or whether it is the interplay of strategies of political parties to acquire or reconfirm issue ownership and the media logic that favors populist issues and actors.