Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of Tribasic Copper Chloride (TBCC) to Reduce the Harmful Effects of Aflatoxin in Broilers

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of copper as tribasic copper chloride on serum biochemical values and growth performance of broilers intoxicated with aflatoxins. Aflatoxins significantly decreased the level of albumin (P < 0.001), total protein (P < 0.001) and total cholesterol (P < 0.01), and increased the activities of alanine amino transferase, L-lactic dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase (P ≤ 0.001) in serum. These AF-induced changes were significantly improved by adding tribasic copper chloride to the diet. The decrease in serum copper concentration induced by aflatoxin was reversed by tribasic copper chloride. Serum zinc concentrations were not affected in tribasic copper chloride and tribasic copper chloride plus aflatoxin groups. Serum iron levels decreased in all the treatment groups significantly (P < 0.05). Aflatoxins caused significant decrease in the body weight gain and significant increase in the feed conversion ratio. Adverse effects of aflatoxins on feed conversion ratio were reversed by tribasic copper chloride supplementation to the diet. It is suggested that tribasic copper chloride might be used for reducing the adverse effects of aflatoxins in broiler production.
Hydro-alcoholic Extract of Achillea Wilhelmsii C. Koch Reduces the Expression of Cell Death-Associated Genes while Inducing DNA Damage in HeLa Cervical Cancer Cells

Background: Achillea wilhelmsii C. Koch hydroalcoholic extract (AWHE) is proven to induce cell death. Previous studies suggested that AWHE is an effective inhibitor against the proliferation of prostate cancer cells. The present study aimed to evaluate possible alterations of cell death-associated genes and determine the growth inhibitory activity of AWHE on HeLa cervical cancer cells. Methods: The antiproliferative activity of AWHE was tested using the tetrazolium dye-based colorimetric assay (MTT assay). The mRNA levels of Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), caspase-3, and Breast Cancer Susceptibility gene 1 (BRCA1) were measured using the real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction method. The in-cell levels of phosphorylated H2AX were determined using the in-cell ELISA method. The data were analyzed using the non-parametric ANOVA and Friedman tests. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Based on the MTT assay, The half-maximal inhibitory concentration and 81.99 µg/mL, respectively. The mRNA levels of BRCA1 increased after 12 and 24 hours of treatment (P<0.001), while the mRNA levels of VEGF significantly decreased after 12 hours (P=0.003) and 24 hours (P=0.001). Caspase-3 expression was increased in the HeLa cells after 6 and 12 hours (P<0.001) whereas γ-H2AX levels significantly increased after 24 and 48 hours of treatment (P<0.001). Conclusion: AWHE possesses growth inhibitory activity by altering the expression of cell death-associated genes. Using extracts from herbal plants may provide alternative strategies to be deployed in the fight against cancer.
Experimental Validation of Autonomous Motion Control with Standard Cardiac Electrophysiology Catheter

Cardiac electrophysiology (EP) is an effective treatment to arrhythmias, in which a long and flexible catheter is delivered to a cardiac chamber. Although several control methods have been designed to provide accurate manipulation of the catheter tip, few have been implemented on the standard cardiac EP catheter. In this abstract, we implement a motion control algorithm on our previously developed robotic catheter platform. Experimental validation is conducted by performing autonomous radiofrequency (RF) ablation on ex vivo tissue with a standard cardiac EP catheter. Preliminary results demonstrate the potential of the system to perform autonomous EP catheterization.
Rebel Manhood: The Hegemonic Masculinity of the Southern Rock Music Revival

Southern men occupy a contradictory place in U.S. culture as the rest of the country stereotypes them as backwards and deviant, yet simultaneously celebrates Southern males as quintessential exemplars of American manhood. I explore this contradiction using interviews with musicians, participant observation of concerts, and an ethnographic content analysis of contemporary Southern rock lyrics and websites. I find marginalized men embrace a Southern rebel identity to meet hegemonic masculine ideals shared across social classes and geographic regions. Rebels reject the middle class roles and cultural capital most men use to signify their manhood by accruing authority and resources through education, career, and family. Instead, southern rebels empower the masculine self by protesting authority figures, dominating women and signifying their independence by drinking, using drugs, and brawling. While rebels define their selves in contrast to middle-class morals and practices, dismissing them as deviant and backward overlooks how rebels use the symbolic resources they have at their disposal to meet the hegemonic masculine ideals celebrated throughout the country.
Comparative Study of Antagonistic Activity of Scots Pine Root Associated Mycorrhizal

The aim of the present work was to test antagonistic activity of Scots pine root associated mycorrhizal fungus-bacteria and wheat associated bacteria against pathogenic fungi Fusarium culmorum, Rhizoctonia solani, Botrytis cinera and to determine the production of extracellular lytic enzymes by bacterial strains. The higher number of bacterial strains isolated from wheat showed antagonistic activity compared to bacterial strains isolated from mycorrhizal hyphae. The best performing strains from mycorrhizal hyphae were Arthrobacter ilicis KNCL24, Rhodococcus. fascines HNOL8 and from wheat Bacillus cohnii 19, B. subtilis 1, and B. lentus 28. All isolates presented high level of pectinase activity. Only four strains A. ilicis KNCL24, B. lentus 17, B. subtilis 4, B. halodurans 12 were able to produce hydrogen cyanide (HCN). Our results showed that bacterial strains associated with wheat possess more antagonistic activity compared to bacterial strains from mycorrhizal hyphae. The all tested bacterial strains produced one or more cell wall degrading enzymes.
On the HVSR estimation at Icelandic strong-motion stations

In this study Nakamura’s H/V Spectral Ratio (HVSR) method was applied to ambient noise data and earthquake recordings collected at selected stations of the Icelandic Strong-motion Network (ISMN). In particular, continuous measurements of ambient noise, with minimum one-hour recordings, were performed while the strong-motion data set consisted of earthquake events recorded by the ISMN. The ambient noise data was analysed using various parameters such as time window duration, smoothing factor, different methods of averaging the two horizontal components and mean HVSR, respectively. For 20 minute recording window of ambient noise, applying the Konno and Ohmachi smoothing function with B = 20, combining the horizontal components and averaging the individual HVSR curves using the geometric mean, a stable HVSR amplification curve was obtained for a given site. The earthquake recordings were analysed using this common procedure by analysing the S phase instead of the entire time history. This unified procedure is applied in the HVSR method for characterization of the contribution of localized site effects at strong-motion stations in Iceland so that any similarities or differences observed can be attributed to factors other than data processing itself. The study serves as the first look at HVSRs at selected ISMN recording sites in Iceland using earthquake data. The results are expected to provide better insight into the localized site effects in view of the lack of geotechnical information which hampers the understanding of the relationship between Iceland’s characteristic sub-surface materials and their dynamic response.
Perspective Study on Content Based Video Retrieval

: The Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) footages plays a vital role in criminal investigations which helps to reduce cost, time and effort but still it has many challenges to face such as monitoring multiple cameras simultaneously, missing pre-eminent details or the object captured on video surveillance, excess storage of video data and spending huge time on watching the entire suspect video to collect the affirmation for investigations. The Motion Detection, Facial recognition, Automatic number plate recognition through CCTV streams a live report. From this, the identification of suspicious behaviour, like public inebriation or attaining thievery from the entire video content becomes very critical to deter the criminals. To meliorate all these situation, Content Based Video retrieval (CBVR) is efficiently used to analyze the video content of the CCTV Footages. The CBVR detects the shots and frames obtained from the CCTV Footages where it analyzes the Color, texture, shape and inter-frame relations to detect the similarity between the frames. Still CBVR lacks to analyze a huge storage of video data content, which is frustrating the person for long time extraction of particular crime scene detection. With this objective, the paper reveals the study on feature extraction methods of Shot Boundary Detection (SBD) and Key-frame extraction methods.
Modeling and Control of a Three-Phase Neutral-Point-Clamped Inverter by Means of a Direct Space Vector Control of Line to Line Voltages

This paper presents a modulation strategy that enables to copy directly modulated waveform onto output voltages of a three-phase N.P.C. inverter. A particular modeling of this converter is presented. The feasibility of a space vector scheme without using a Park transform is studied. All voltage vectors are drawn into the line to line voltage frame. Then three voltage vectors are selected for the modulation and simultaneously their durations are calculated. The effect of the modulation on the capacitor divider is studied and a balancing strategy is deduced.
THE ORIGIN OF BIOPOTENTIALS

This chapter deals with the genesis of various bioelectric signals that are recorded routinely in modern clinical practice. Given adequate monitoring equipment, many forms of bioelectric phenomena can be recorded with relative ease. These phenomena include the electrocardiogram (ECG), electroencephalogram (EEG), electroneurogram (ENG), electromyogram (EMG), and electroretinogram (ERG). Engineers generally have a good physical insight into the nature of electromagnetic fields produced by bioelectric sources, and, because of their comprehensive understanding of the physical problem, they may contribute to the solution of biological problems. This chapter begins by introducing bioelectric phenomena at the cellular level. It proceeds to discuss volume-conductor potential distributions of simple bioelectric sources, and gradually more anatomically complex ones. The volume-conductor electric field problem provides the link (mapping) between microscopic electrical activity generated within the bioelectric source, the flow of action current through the conducting medium, and the macroscopic potential distribution produced at the surface of the body. We continue with a discussion of the functional organization of the peripheral nervous system (outside the brain and spinal cord), which leads to a discussion of the ENG and EMG. Finally, other bioelectric sources (and associated field potentials) are discussed including the active heart (ECG), retina (ERG), and brain (EEG).
A new global biome reconstruction and data‐model comparison for the Middle Pliocene

Aim To produce a robust, comprehensive global biome reconstruction for the Middle Pliocene (c. 3.6–2.6 Ma), which is based on an internally consistent palaeobotanical data set and a state-of-the-art coupled climate–vegetation model. The reconstruction gives a more rigorous picture of climate and environmental change during the Middle Pliocene and provides a new boundary condition for future general circulation model (GCM) studies. Location Global. Methods Compilation of Middle Pliocene vegetation data from 202 marine and terrestrial sites into the comprehensive GIS data base TEVIS (Tertiary Environmental Information System). Translation into an internally consistent classification scheme using 28 biomes. Comparison and synthesis of vegetation reconstruction from palaeodata with the outputs of the mechanistically based BIOME4 model forced by climatology derived from the HadAM3 GCM. Results The model results compare favourably with available palaeodata and highlight the importance of employing vegetation–climate feedbacks and the anomaly method in biome models. Both the vegetation reconstruction from palaeobotanical data and the BIOME4 prediction indicate a general warmer and moister climate for the Middle Pliocene. Evergreen taiga as well as temperate forest and grassland shifted northward, resulting in much reduced tundra vegetation. Warm-temperate forests (with subtropical taxa) spread in mid and eastern Europe and tropical savannas and woodland expanded in Africa and Australia at the expense of deserts. Discrepancies which occurred between data reconstruction and model simulation can be related to: (1) poor spatial model resolution and data coverage; (2) uncertainties in delimiting biomes using climate parameters; or (3) uncertainties in model physics and/or geological boundary conditions. Main conclusions The new global biome reconstruction combines vegetation reconstruction from palaeobotanical proxies with model simulations. It is an important contribution to the further understanding of climate and vegetation changes during the Middle Pliocene warm interval and will enhance our knowledge about how vegetation may change in the future.
Depth Map Super-Resolution for Multi-view Images

: Increase the image sharpness of low resolution image is an important concept in many applications. It is widely used in medical applications, satellite images and many more. The content of low resolution image is improved by using content of neighboring high resolution image. High resolution image get divide into high frequency image and low frequency image. Thus, the generated high frequency content is used to improve image quality of low resolution image by using depth map of an image. Depth map of an image is generated by using stereo matching algorithm over a pair of an image. Afterward Basic block matching technique is used. Displacement estimation is further calculated. Finally super-resolution algorithm is used to generate super resolved image .
A trial of two trouts: comparing the impacts of rainbow and brown trout on a native galaxiid

Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and brown trout Salmo trutta are the world's two most widespread exotic fishes, dominate the fish communities of most cold‐temperate waters in the southern hemisphere and are implicated in the decline and extirpation of native fish species. Here, we provide the first direct comparison of the impacts of rainbow and brown trout on populations of a native fish by quantifying three components of exotic species impact: range, abundance and effect. We surveyed 54 small streams on the island of Chiloé in Chilean Patagonia and found that the rainbow trout has colonized significantly more streams and has a wider geographic range than brown trout. The two species had similar post‐yearling abundances in allopatry and sympatry, and their abundances depended similarly on reach‐level variation in the physical habitat. The species appeared to have dramatically different effects on native drift‐feeding Aplochiton spp. , which were virtually absent from streams invaded by brown trout but shared a broad sympatric range with rainbow trout. Within this range, the species' post‐yearling abundances varied independently before and after controlling for variation in the physical habitat. In the north of the island, Aplochiton spp. inhabited streams uninvaded by exotic trouts. Our results provide a context for investigating the mechanisms responsible for apparent differences in rainbow and brown trout invasion biology and can help inform conservation strategies for native fishes in Chiloé and elsewhere.
Parallel Evolution of Endospory within Hornworts: Nothoceros renzagliensis (Dendrocerotaceae), sp. nov.

Abstract The development of a gametophyte within the confines of the spore (i.e. endospory) is one essential innovation toward the evolution of seeds, but this feature also arose in seedless plants. In bryophytes, spores may begin to divide prior to dispersal and germination, but always develop into a free-living gametophyte. In hornworts, multicellular spores occur only in Dendroceros although they have also been observed in cultures of Phaeoceros carolinianus. Here, we describe a new species of Nothoceros, N. renzagliensis , from Pasto, Colombia, that differs from its congeners by its endosporic condition and Dendroceros-like spores. Gametophyte anatomy and sequence data from all cellular compartments place this species within the genus Nothoceros and as the sister taxon to all Neotropical Nothoceros. We re-evaluate the evolution of endospory in hornworts and we show two cases of parallel evolution of this trait across the hornwort phylogeny. Endospory seems to be a highly homoplastic feature across all bryophytes with several independent origins in mosses and liverworts.
Influence of processing on the molecular modifications of milk proteins in the course of enzymic coagulation

Summary The formation of hydrophobic sites on the surface of casein micelles as a consequence of enzymic coagulation of industrially heat-treated milk was studied by following the distribution of a fluorescent hydrophobic probe between a free and an aggregated protein fraction. Results were compared with those obtained when coagulation of the same milk samples was followed rheologically in a Gelograph apparatus and by tristimulus colorimetry. Thermal treatment of milk appeared to affect the accessibility of casein to enzyme action, while homogenization influenced the rate of cooperative aggregation of casein subjected to proteolysis.
Clean Development Mechanism Afforestation and Reforestation projects: implications for local agriculture.

The potential of Clean Development Mechanism Afforestation and Reforestation (CDM A/R) projects to contribute to climate change mitigation and sustainable development is widely recognized. Yet, problems with the design and implementation of CDM A/R projects have limited analyses of project outcomes. In fact, of the nearly 1400 registered CDM projects in early January 2009, there was only one A/R project. Yet, as of May 2010, the number of registered CDM A/R projects had rapidly grown to 14 with 41 more CDM A/R projects in the pipeline. This rapid increase in A/R activities may provide some early indications of whether CDM A/R projects are successfully meeting their potential to contribute to sustainable development goals. This review specifically examines the literature that documents the positive and negative impacts of CDM A/R projects on local agriculture. It finds that while half of the current CDM A/R projects are credited with generating carbon offsets from 2007 or earlier, there is little published evidence of their specific impacts on local agriculture or sustainable development. This review recommends that future research should focus on (1) developing field surveys with criteria and indicators that evaluate the performance of individual CDM A/R projects in meeting stipulated outcomes, (2) increasing critical scrutiny of CDM A/R project validation documentation and procedures and (3) developing criteria and indicators to analyse the impacts of all CDM A/R projects on broad issues (such as tenure security and institutional capacity) and specific demographic groups, geographic regions or livelihoods.
A Configurable Mathematical Model for Single-Gateway LoRaWAN Performance Analysis

LoRaWAN is a Low Power Wide Area Network technology featuring long transmission ranges and a simple MAC layer, which can support sensor data collection, control applications and reliable services thanks to the flexibility offered by a large set of configurable system parameters. However, the impact of such parameters settings on the system’s performance is often difficult to predict, depending on several factors. To ease this task, in this paper, we provide a mathematical model to estimate the performance of a LoRaWAN gateway serving a set of devices that may or may not employ confirmed traffic. The model features a set of parameters that can be adjusted to investigate different gateway and end-device configurations, making it possible to carry out a systematic analysis of various trade-offs. The results given by the proposed model are validated through realistic ns-3 simulations that confirm the ability of the model to predict the system performance with high accuracy, and assess the impact of the assumptions made in the model for tractability.
The Swendsen–Wang dynamics on trees

The Swendsen–Wang algorithm is a sophisticated, widely‐used Markov chain for sampling from the Gibbs distribution for the ferromagnetic Ising and Potts models. This chain has proved difficult to analyze, due in part to its global nature. We present optimal bounds on the convergence rate of the Swendsen–Wang algorithm for the complete d$$ d $$ ‐ary tree. Our bounds extend to the non‐uniqueness region and apply to all boundary conditions. We show that the spatial mixing conditions known as variance mixing and entropy mixing imply Ω(1)$$ \Omega (1) $$ spectral gap and O(logn)$$ O\left(\log n\right) $$ mixing time, respectively, for the Swendsen–Wang dynamics on the d$$ d $$ ‐ary tree. We also show that these bounds are asymptotically optimal. As a consequence, we establish Θ(logn)$$ \Theta \left(\log n\right) $$ mixing for the Swendsen–Wang dynamics for all boundary conditions throughout (and beyond) the tree uniqueness region. Our proofs feature a novel spectral view of the variance mixing condition and utilize recent work on block factorization of entropy.
Translate Reverberated Speech to Anechoic Ones: Speech Dereverberation with BERT

Single channel speech dereverberation is considered in this work. Inspired by the recent success of Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) model in the domain of Natural Language Processing (NLP), we investigate its applicability as backbone sequence model to enhance reverberated speech signal. We present a variation of the basic BERT model: a pre-sequence network, which extracts local spectral-temporal information and/or provides order information, before the backbone sequence model. In addition, we use pre-trained neural vocoder for implicit phase reconstruction. To evaluate our method, we used the data from the 3rd CHiME challenge, and compare our results with other methods. Experiments show that the proposed method outperforms traditional method WPE, and achieve comparable performance with state-of-the-art BLSTM-based sequence models.
Automatic Detection of Cue Points for DJ Mixing

The automatic identification of cue points is a central task in applications as diverse as music thumbnailing, mash-ups generation, and DJ mixing. Our focus lies in electronic dance music and in specific cue points, the "switch points", that make it possible to automatically construct transitions among tracks, mimicking what professional DJs do. We present an approach for the detection of switch points that embody a few general rules we established from interviews with professional DJs; the implementation of these rules is based on features extraction and novelty analysis. The quality of the generated switch points is assessed both by comparing them with a manually annotated dataset that we curated, and by evaluating them individually. We found that about 96\% of the points generated by our methodology are of good quality for use in a DJ mix.