Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Forage Quality and Feeding Management for Eastern Gamagrass in Wisconsin

Throughout Wisconsin, chopped straw often is purchased as forage and used within diets of dairy cattle to provide additional fiber, and maintain proper rumen function. For replacement heifers, straw is used commonly to dilute the energy density of the diet, limit voluntary intake, and prevent over-conditioning, especially within diets constructed for pregnant heifers weighing >1000 lbs. Unfortunately, the use of straw has several well-known problems. It often must be purchased, and then processed, before it can be blended properly within total mixed rations. Chopped straw also is sorted routinely by replacement heifers, which complicates its use in production situations where (inadequate) bunk space prevents all animals from eating simultaneously. Eastern gamagrass [Tripsacum dactyloides (L.) L. ] (EGG) is a tall-growing, perennial warm-season grass, and a distant relative of corn (Bates et al., 1981). It retains many of the typical nutritional characteristics associated with perennial warm-season grasses that include: i) high concentrations of cell-wall components, such as NDF, even when harvested at very immature growth stages; ii) slower and/or poorer digestibility; and iii) greater proportions of crude protein (CP) that are associated with NDF (NDICP), and that bypass ruminal degradation. Recent research has shown that EGG haylage is non-sortable by heifers or cows, and could be a viable alternative to straw. This Focus on Forage report summarizes evaluations of the nutritional characteristics of EGG forages, and their use in diets of dairy heifers at the University of Wisconsin Marshfield Agricultural Research Station. What Concentrations of Fiber (NDF) Can Be Expected in Eastern Gamagrass Forages?
Transforming digital signatures into single sign-on schemes

With the extensive need of the internet, users are usually required to access multiple services on a daily basis, and therefore they may have to maintain a lot of username/password pairs. Nevertheless, with the growth in the number of service providers this approach becomes either inefficient if each login should be unique for each service, or insecure if the same login is used for multiple services. Fortunately, in a single sign-on (SSO) model, during a given period (eg. one day) a user may perform just one single sign-on to a trusted third party (TTP), which is trusted by all the applications he/she needs to access. Later on, each time the user wants to access an application, he/she will be automatically authenticated by the interaction between his client and the TTP, without requiring direct involvement from the user. Our research focuses on formalising the notions of single sign-on (SSO) and anonymous single sign-on (ASSO). These notions are motivated by the need of strong security requirements, low trust level in the TTP and anonymity in a single sign-on system. Then, we construct generic SSO schemes from digital signatures and prove that our transformations are secure under some assumptions. Our work can be summarized as follows: • Motivated by the fact that most existing SSO schemes either fail to satisfy the security notions or has a high trust level in the TTP, we formalise a security model of single sign-on (SSO), which not only satisfies strong security notions
Efficient energy harvesting for Microbial Fuel Cell dedicated to Wireless Sensor Network

Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) is novel technology for harvesting a fully sustainable zero emissions bioenergy that, by means of dedicated electronic circuits, suitably can be used for the proper functioning of a single Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) node. MFC is a bioreactor that transforms energy stored in chemical bonds of organic compounds into electrical energy. Low-power electronic devices allow now the design of electronic systems characterized by very low energy consumption. Accordingly, this allows the use of power sources based on energy harvesting techniques that involve clean renewable sources as MFC The first section of the paper introduces technological characteristics of the cell. The second one briefly examines the gap between electrical supplying of the cell and the energy requirements of WSN nodes. The design requires the usage of a step-up DC/DC converter, so the last part of the paper deals with the problems that occur when you want realize a system including a single MFC reactor for powering a single WSN node.
Comparison of digital nerve sensory recovery after repair using loupe or operating microscope magnification

Our purpose was to determine whether there was a significant difference in sensory recovery after digital nerve repair using loupe magnification or an operating microscope. We identified patients aged 21–75 who had primary proper digital nerve repairs at least 24 months before our study. A total of 12 patients with 13 digital nerve injuries repaired with loupe magnification and nine patients with 12 digital nerve injuries repaired using the operating microscope, agreed to return for assessment by a therapist blinded to treatment. We found no significant difference in sensory recovery between the two groups as measured by static two-point discrimination, moving two-point discrimination, and Semmes–Weinstein monofilament. There were also no significant differences in average Disabilities of the Arm Shoulder and Hand or visual analogue pain scores. Level of evidence: IV
Hexa-μ-acetato-1:2κ4 O,O′;1:2κ2 O:O;2:3κ4 O,O′;2:3κ2 O:O-bis(4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine)-1κ2 N,N′;3κ2 N,N′-2-calcium-1,3-dizinc

In the centrosymmetric trinuclear ZnII⋯CaII⋯ZnII title complex, [CaZn2(CH3COO)6(C12H12N2)2], the CaII ion lies on an inversion centre and is octahedrally coordinated by six acetate O atoms. The ZnII ion is coordinated by two N atoms from a bidentate dimethylbipyridine ligand and three O atoms from acetate ligands bridging to the CaII ion, leading to a distorted square-pyramidal coordination sphere. The Zn⋯Ca distance is 3.4668 (5) Å.
Leading causes of child mortality in Brazil, in 1990 and 2015: estimates from the Global Burden of Disease study.

Objective: To analyze under-5 mortality rates and leading causes in Brazil and states in 1990 and 2015, using the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2015 estimates. Methods: The main sources of data for all-causes under-5 mortality and live births estimates were the mortality information system, surveys, and censuses. Proportions and rates per 1,000 live births (LB) were calculated for total deaths and leading causes. Results: Estimates of under-5 deaths in Brazil were 191,505 in 1990, and 51,226 in 2015, 90% of which were infant deaths. The rates per 1,000 LB showed a reduction of 67.6% from 1990 to 2015, achieving the proposed target established by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The reduction generally was more than 60% in states, with a faster reduction in the poorest Northeast region. The ratio of the highest and lowest rates in the states decreased from 4.9 in 1990 to 2.3 in 2015, indicating a reduction in socioeconomic regional disparities. Although prematurity showed a 72% reduction, it still remains as the leading cause of death (COD), followed by diarrheal diseases in 1990, and congenital anomalies, birth asphyxia and septicemia neonatal in 2015. Conclusion: Under-5 mortality has decreased over the past 25 years, with reduction of regional disparities. However, pregnancy and childbirth-related causes remain as major causes of death, together with congenital anomalies. Intersectoral and specific public health policies must be continued to improve living conditions and health care in order to achieve further reduction of under-5 mortality rates in Brazil.
Voting and the Membership of Public and Private Clubs

The issue of how the provision of public goods should be divided be- tween the private and public sectors has received little discussion in the theoretical literature. We employ club theory to provide a model in which, if dissatis…ed with what is oered by the public sector, individuals can form a private club. This basic model has many interpretations. In some cases, no private club is formed but, when it is, individuals are divided between clubs on the basis of income. There may be multiple equilibria which, in the example given, can be Pareto-ranked with the worst of these having the highest level of public good provision. The eect of changing the electoral franchise is also considered. When the vote over public pro- vision is extended to include non-members there can be two classes of equilibrium, one which involves very limited public provision. If the gov- ernment intervenes via taxation, our example shows that it should aim to drive out private provision. THIS IS A PRELIMINARY AND INCOMPLETE VERSION
Fair-value Pension Accounting , Corporate Risk Management and Pension Investment Policy

This paper investigates whether employer sponsors manage their pension risk exposure as an integral part of firm risk, or manage these two risk exposures separately over an extended period (2003-2010) in the UK, when transition from a disclosure to a recognition pension accounting regime has taken place. We test three competing explanations of corporate pension investment policy: coordinated risk management, contribution volatility, and separation hypotheses. We predict and find a negative association between the systematic pension risks and prior year’s firm risk and operating asset risk during the period of recognition under fair value pension accounting (IAS 19). These findings hold after controlling for other economic determinants identified by prior literature as relevant for pension investment policy. Our empirical evidence supports the view that fair-value pension accounting has real economic consequences, and pension investment policy is a dynamic process that is ultimately determined by strategic corporate risk management considerations.
INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL DISCLOSURE IN ITALY AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS

Purpose: The paper aims at assessing the level of voluntary disclosure of intellectual capital in the main companies listed on the Italian Stock Exchange. Information on intangible assets provided by companies is very important for investors due to the recent advent of the knowledge economy. In particular, in this paper, it is analysed the effect that certain determinants (leverage, firm size, auditor and ownership concentration) could have on voluntary disclosures of intellectual capital information by the Italian companies observed. In order to do this, 186 annual reports of Italian listed companies for the year 2010 were analysed. Design/methodology/approach: To assess the extent of voluntary disclosure of intellectual capital an index is created to measure it and it is used in an OLS model, as dependent variable, to understand the relationship between the above mentioned determinants and intellectual capital disclosure. In order to do this, 186 annual reports were analysed and about 6,000 items of information on their intellectual capital elements were collected. Findings: Relational capital information is the most disclosed item and size affecting positively the total amount of intellectual capital disclosure. Originality/value: The paper contributes in improving knowledge about intellectual capital disclosure analysing a wide sample of Italian listed companies and assessing intellectual capital disclosure determinants.
The Effect of Audit Strategy Information on Tax Compliance - An Empirical Study

This paper deals with an experiment by the Swedish Tax Agency to test the effect of information to taxpayers regarding different audit strategies . The experiment involved approximately 900 sole proprietors, divided into three groups, where one was informed that audits would focus on taxpayers declaring the lowest income, i.e. according to a rational audit strategy. Another group was told that audits would be made at random whereas the third was a control group. The effect of strategy information was measured as the change in declared income between years. The principal finding was that declared income increased significantly more in the rational-audit-strategy group than in the control group.
The role of intestinal gas in functional abdominal pain.

A washout technic with intestinal infusion of an inert gas mixture was used to study the relation of gas to functional abdominal symptoms. The volume of gas in the intestinal tract (176 plus or minus 28 ml S.E.M.) of 12 fasting patients with chronic complaints of excess gas did not differ significantly (P greater than 0.10) from that of 10 controls (199 plus or minus 31 ml). Similarly, there was no difference in the composition or accumulation rate of intestinal gas. However, more gas tended to reflux back into the stomach in patients who complained of abdominal pain during infusion of volumes of gas well tolerated by controls. Six patients with severe pain during the study had intestinal transit times of gas (40 plus or minus 6 minutes S.E.M.) that were significantly (P less than 0.05) longer than those of the control group (22 plus or minus 3 minutes). Thus, complaints of bloating, pain and gas may result from disordered intestinal motility in combination with an abnormal pain response to gut distention rather than from increased volumes of gas.
VALUE INVESTING: EVIDENCE FROM THE DUTCH STOCK MARKET

This study tests the performance of value investing strategies for the Dutch stock market using stock market data covering the period between 1995 and 2013. The topic of value investing has been covered extensively in the financial literature, but there is not much evidence on the effectiveness of value investing on the Dutch stock market. The purpose of this article is to strengthen the evidence using a large dataset covering the last twenty years. The data for this research is based on stocks trading at the Euronext Amsterdam. The results of this study show there is indeed a value premium on the Dutch stock market, consistent with the majority of the international evidence. The value premium however differs from one indicator to the next. The price to earnings ratio (P/E), the return on assets (ROA) and the return on invested capital (ROIC) are the strongest value indicators. The results also show some value premium for stocks with a high book to market value ratio and for stocks with a high cash flow yield. The relationship between dividend yield and stock performance was unclear.
X-ray structure of motor and neck domains from rat brain kinesin.

We have determined the X-ray structure of rat kinesin head and neck domains. The folding of the core motor domain resembles that of human kinesin reported recently [Kull, F. J., et al. (1996) Nature 380, 550-554]. Novel features of the structure include the N-terminal region, folded as a beta-strand, and the C-terminal transition from the motor to the rod domain, folded as two beta-strands plus an alpha-helix. This helix is the beginning of kinesin's neck responsible for dimerization of the motor complex and for force transduction. Although the folding of the motor domain core is similar to that of a domain of myosin (an actin-dependent motor), the position and angle of kinesin's neck are very different from those of myosin's stalk, suggesting that the two motors have different mechanisms of force transduction. The N- and C-terminal ends of the core motor, thought to be responsible for the directionality of the motors [Case, R. B. , et al. (1997) Cell 90, 959-966], take the form of beta-strands attached to the central beta-sheet of the structure.
Crosstalk Effect in SNPP VIIRS

An investigation has been carried out to examine the crosstalk contamination in the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) onboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) spacecraft. Prior to this study, the cause of the pronounced striping in Earth View (EV) images and obvious discontinuity in the EV brightness temperature (BT) of the thermal emissive bands (TEB) during black body (BB) warm-up cool-down (WUCD) calibration observed since launch has not been identified. Meanwhile, it has been recently demonstrated in the MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) long-wave infrared (LWIR) photovoltaic (PV) bands that the crosstalk effect induces the same erroneous features. In this investigation, it is shown that the established lunar imagery analysis indeed verifies the existence of crosstalk contamination in SNPP VIIRS TEB. The crosstalk effect is quantitatively characterized by deriving the crosstalk coefficients from the scheduled lunar observations. The magnitude of the effect is comparatively smaller than that in MODIS LWIR PV bands, but is of a large enough magnitude to induce the aforementioned artificial features. Among all SNPP VIIRS TEB, Band M14 has the largest crosstalk contamination from Band M15, while Bands M13, M15, M16, and I5 have pronounced crosstalk effects as well. One new detail of the crosstalk effect specific to SNPP VIIRS, differing from the MODIS result, is the distinctive two-group pattern of odd and even detectors for each affected band due to the arrangement of the detector on the focal plane assembly (FPA). This is fully consistent with the earlier finding that this odd-even detector arrangement contributes to striping in the sea surface temperature (SST) products. Our analyses additionally suggest an explanation of the large temperature anomalies appearing during the WUCD time periods. The parallel effort examining the potential crosstalk contamination in SNPP VIIRS reflective solar bands, however, reveals no observable effect.
Membrane Bioreactors as Hybrid Artificial Pancreas: Experimental Evaluation

Results of cultured islet transplantation in the management of insulin-dependent diabetes are still unsatisfactory. The main problem preventing success is the swift and resolute host immune rejection. To obviate this we designed and experimented a model of bioartificial pancreas, made of polymeric hollow fibers, put into the blood circulation as an artero-venous bypass to immunoisolate endocrine tissue from leucocytes and immunoglobulins. We tested four different membrane bioreactors (BR1-4). BR1 and 2 had seven hollow fibers, the others more than 6,000 smaller fibers. In BR4 a connecting tube with a high-permeability membrane was inserted between the islet compartment and the bioreactor outlet to improve the ultrafiltration flow. In vitro, the islets inside the bioreactor perfused with glucose solutions (300 mg%) showed a rapid, high insulin secretory response, related to the glucose stimulation. The use of the outside connection allowed a twofold increase of insulin production.
Artifact and head movement compensation in MEG.

PURPOSE Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is traditionally considered impractical if the subject's head moves during measurements. A novel approach to correct the head position and the associated movement-related artifacts does, however, exist: continuous head position monitoring and movement compensation (MC) realized by the signal space separation (SSS) or its temporal extension (tSSS). The latter is especially important for rejection of close-to-sensor artifacts. The goal of the present work was to study how MC-SSS and its temporal extension MC-tSSS would influence MEG results. METHODS Somatosensory evoked MEG responses to electrical median nerve stimulation were recorded with 204 planar gradiometers and 102 magnetometers. We compared the localization error of the N20m source, the averaged baseline noise, goodness of fit and confidence volume on data processed by MC-SSS vs. MC-tSSS on a subject moving in a controlled manner. RESULTS We defined two patterns of disturbances with MC-SSS: stimulus artifact increase and random noise increase mainly on the lowermost sensors in very low head positions (5-6 cm shift). Up to 5-cm head shift, MC-SSS decreased mean localization error from 3.91 to 2.13 cm, but at the same time increased noise on gradiometers from 3.4 to 5.3 fT/cm. The noise increment occurred simultaneously with signal enhancement as MC transformed the head position closer to the sensors. Replacement of SSS by tSSS reduced the noise on gradiometers from 5.3 to 2.8 fT/cm and on magnetometers from 1.4 to 0.8 fT, reduced the mean localization error from 2.13 to 0.89 cm and increased the goodness of fit from 61.5% to 76.5%. Thus, tSSS specifically suppressed the random noise and nearby artifacts without suppressing the signal and thereby improved the signal to noise ratio. CONCLUSIONS Head position recalculation should be combined with a powerful artifact rejection method. We recommend limiting MC use up to 3 cm head shift and using tSSS-based MC.
Improvement of cytotoxicity of autologous CIKs from patients with breast cancer to MCF-7 cells by suppressed PD-1 expression.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the improvement of cytotoxicity of autologous CIKs from patients with breast cancer to MCF-7 cells by suppressed PD-1 expression. METHODS The Lentiviral Vector/PD-1 carrying the gene that can suppressed PD-1 was transferred to CIK cells from patients with breast cancer to inhibit PD-1 expression. The PD-1 protein were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. The positive PD-1 of CIKs and PD-L1 of MCF-7 cells were detected by FCM, and cytotoxicity of CIKs to MCF-7 was assayed by CCK-8. RESULTS The PD-1 positive CIKs with Lentiviral Vector/PD-1 transferred from patients with breast cancer were 16.02%, 14.36% and 14.64% at 14th, 21st and 28th day, obviously inhibited as compared to 50.54%, 74.50% and 73.36% in CIKs without transinfection (P< 0.05); the Lentiviral Vector/PD-1 decreased the PD-1 mRNA levels in CIK cells, and Lentiviral Vector/PD-1-transferred CIKs had lower PD-1 expression; CCK-8 detection showed that at 14th day, the cytotoxicity rates of CIKs with blank plasmids and those with PD-1 transfection to MCF-7 cells were 58.78% and 68.14%, respectively. CONCLUSION MCF-7 cells have a strong PD-L1 expression at its surface, and inhibition of PD-1 expression can improve the cytotoxicity of CIK cells.
A divide-and-conquer approach with heuristics of motion planning for a Cartesian manipulator

An efficient method for planning a safe trajectory for a Cartesian manipulator doing pick-and-place motion is described. A 3D grid model is used to represent the workspace of the manipulator. An algorithm, called the critical configuration algorithm, is introduced to support the path searching process in an environment cluttered with obstacles. The algorithm decomposes the movement of the manipulator into a departure motion, an intermediate motion, and an approach motion. Based on the information about the object being moved and the manipulator, a temporary intermediate motion is obtained, using the VGRAPH algorithm and the critical configuration algorithm, by transforming the problem into a 2D problem. The intermediate motion found in the first step is optimized according to heuristic information. A departure motion and an approach motion are then computed and optimized, and a global trajectory is determined. >
Circularly polarized stacked-Yagi antenna with logarithmic spiral elements for E-band applications

This paper presents a new stacked-Yagi antenna operating in the E-band that uses logarithmic spiral elements to achieve an ultra wideband response and circular polarization. An SIW structure is used to excite the spiral structure as the single element and a matching post is used as a balun. This element is then used in a vertical stacked-Yagi configuration in order to increase the antenna gain. According to the simulation results, the resulting stacked-Yagi antenna provides a peak gain of 11.5 dB and a CP bandwidth from 71 to 86 GHz.