Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modelling of biohydrogen generation in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) using a committee of artificial neural networks (ANNs)

The enhancement of hydrogen yield in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) requires a robust process model that accurately relates the effect of anodic physicochemical input variables to the process output. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) have been used for the modelling of complex and non-linear processes. This paper reports the modelling of biohydrogen yield in MECs by using a committee of five ANNs. A topology of 6–(6, 8, 11, 12, 14)–1 was adopted, corresponding to the number of neurons of inputs, hidden (varied) and output layers. The ANN inputs were substrate type, substrate concentration, pH, temperature, applied voltage and reactor configuration. Model development was carried out with 50 data points from 15 published studies. The coefficients of determination (R2) between the experimental and predicted hydrogen yields for the five models were as follows: 0.90, 0.81, 0.85, 0.70 and 0.80. Model validation on new MEC processes showed a strong correlation between the observed and predicted hydrogen yields. Sensitivity analysis revealed that the performance of MEC was highly affected by variations in the substrate type, followed by applied voltage, substrate concentration, pH, MEC configuration and temperature in decreasing order. This study showed that the committee model accurately modelled the non-linear relationship between the considered physicochemical parameters of MEC and hydrogen yield, and thus could be used to navigate the optimization window in MEC scale-up processes.
Biological Treatment of Oily Wastewater from Gas Stations by Membrane Bioreactor

In many Asian countries, rapid industrialization and urbanization has led to an increased number of cars, making wastewater from gas stations an important issue of concern in urban environment. This wastewater is characterized by high concentration of oil–water emulsion, which cannot be effectively removed by a conventional gravity separator. An experimental investigation on the treatability of oily wastewater from gas stations using a membrane bioreactor (MBR) system revealed that MBR system could achieve good removal efficiency with stability against shock loading. Optimum operating conditions were found to be at a hydraulic retention time of 4 h and an oil-loading rate of 1.8 kg oil m–3·d–1. It was anticipated that adding powdered activated carbon (PAC) in the MBR could help to adsorb the oils. However, operating the MBR with only microbial flocs has an advantage over adding PAC particles into the MBR, since the former condition could provide a prolonged cycle of filtration with a relatively lesser inc.
The ovulatory shift: proceptive and receptive mating behaviours across the menstrual cycle

Research has suggested an ovulatory shift whereby women become more oriented towards short-term mating around the time of ovulation. Other research suggests that women’s cyclical shifts depend on their sociosexuality and that sociosexuality may only be related to proceptive (but not receptive) behaviours. Study 1 (n = 64) provided reliability and validity information on an independent measure of short-term mating orientation and examined women’s use of proceptive and receptive mating strategies with a new measure (the Proceptive and Receptive Mating Strategies Scale; PARMSS). Reliability and validity indicators provided strong support for use of both measures. Study 2 (n = 28) was a prospective pseudo-randomized counterbalanced controlled crossover design where women rated their likelihood of engaging in proceptive and receptive mating behaviours with imaginary men and 19 specific attractive men (seen in photos) at the periovulatory and luteal phases of their menstrual cycles. It was predicted that women overall would show an increase in receptive mating behaviours near ovulation (Hypothesis 1), but that sociosexuality would interact with menstrual cycle phase to predict proceptive behaviours (i.e., restricted women will become more proceptive at ovulation but unrestricted women will become less proceptive) (Hypothesis 2). It was predicted that differential shifts in self-perceived attractiveness may be a mechanism facilitating the ovulatory shift (Hypothesis 3). Hypotheses 1 and 2 (but not 3) were supported when women evaluated men of high social visibility and the effects were most pronounced in a subsample of exclusively heterosexual women. This dissertation provides rationale and preliminary support for the reliability and validity of the PARMSS and provides further evidence that women’s sociosexuality is associated with differential shifts in proceptive mating behaviour across the menstrual cycle.
Effects of canola meal on growth and digestion of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fry

A 12-week feeding trial was conducted with rainbow trout fry (initial weight of 1.57 ± 0.01 g) to examine the effects of partial substitution of canola meal in prepared diets on growth, feed conversion ratio (FCR), nutrient digestibility, somatic indices, and survival rate. Five isonitrogenous (44% crude protein) and isocaloric (4000 kcal/kg digestible energy) diets were formulated to contain 8%, 16%, 24%, and 32% canola meal against no canola meal (control group). A total of 375 rainbow trout were distributed into 5 experimental groups with 3 replicates. At the end of the experiment, the fish that were fed diets containing 8% and 16% canola meal exhibited similar growth performance, FCR, and protein digestibility as those receiving the control diet (P > 0.05). Feed intake was reduced in the groups fed a diet containing a level of canola meal higher than 8%. A decrease in growth performance and FCR was found in the fish fed diets with 24% and 32% canola meal. Fish fed the diet containing 32% canola meal had the worst growth and FCR. No significant differences in lipid digestibility or somatic indices were found (P > 0.05). This study showed that canola meal could replace standard diets by up to 8% in rainbow trout fry without adversely affecting performance.
Effects of Algae Meal as Feed Additive on Growth, Feed Efficiency, and Body Composition in Red Sea Bream

The efficacy of three different algae (Ascophyllum nodosum, Porphyra yezoensis, and Ulva pertusa) were compared in fingerling red sea bream Pagrus major. Oregon moist diet containing 5% of algae meal were fed for 41 days and the effects were monitored in terms of growth, feed efficiency, and body composition. Feeding algae commonly elevated body weight grain, and tended to increase feed efficiency and muscle protein deposition. Algae-fed groups were higher in liver glycogen and triglyceride accumulation in muscle. Feeding Porphyra showed the most pronounced effects on growth and energy accumulation, followed by Ascophyllum and Ulva. The results suggest the practical efficacy of using algae as a feed additive for the effective use of nutrients in cultured fish.
Improved Germination of American Ginseng Seeds Under Controlled Environments

Traditionally, American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium L.) seeds are stratified for 18 to 22 months, before seeding, in a sandbox buried outdoors in late August or early September. Uncontrolled fluctuating temperature and moisture levels and the presence of pathogenic organisms in the seed box can cause seeds to sprout prematurely, rot, dry out and die. A study was initiated to shorten the lengthy stratification period, and to increase seed viability and percentage of germination by stratifying seeds indoors under a controlled environment. Seeds were subjected to various periods of warm [15 or 20 °C (59 or 68 °F)] and cold [2 °C (35.6 °F)] temperature stratification regimes in growth chambers. Embryo growth and viability, and seed moisture content were tested periodically during stratification. The best warm regime for embryo development, seed viability and germination after subsequent cold treatment was 15 °C (59 °F). The first “split” seeds, indicating incipient germination, were observed after 3 months of warm [15 °C (59 °F)] and 4 months of cold [2 °C (35.6 °F)] treatment, when average embryo length reached 6 mm (0.24 inch). Greenhouse germination of stratified seeds was as high as 80%. The results from this study indicate that good germination is possible when ginseng seeds are stratified indoors under a controlled environment and seeds can be made to germinate at any time of the year.
How to evaluate and sustain continuous improvements

Having continuous improvements strategies in organizations are of importance in today’s competitive environment. It is also important to sustain the improvements to obtain longterm results. Assuring sustained improvements is however often a challenge for companies and how to investigate if improvements are sustained has not been an area for extensive research. Therefore these areas have been the focus for this study. A case study with an inductive approach was performed at Volvo Construction Equipment (VCE) that has a continuous improvement strategy called Operational Development (OD) where improvements are performed in teams. Information from these improvements is stored in a database which created an opportunity for investigating to what extent improvements are sustained. The improvements in the database were categorized and resulted in ten categories showing the chosen improvement areas selected by the improvement teams. To investigate what categories of improvements that have been sustained a follow-up tool was created. The follow-up tool was created as an Excel-file where information regarding implementation of improvement, sustainability and positive impacts could be collected. The tool takes three levels of sustainability into account and considers both a static and dynamic perspective. A pilot investigation with the follow-up tool was performed at one of VCE’s sites to see what the results could show and this generated information regarding sustained improvements in that site. In parallel, 20 semi-structured interviews were performed to analyze factors affecting sustained improvements. These factors were divided into important but not decisive and important and decisive factors. The important but not decisive factors were timing and importance, common interest and clear goals, and learning but these alone do not assure sustained improvements based on the case study. Management involvement, systems view and involving stakeholders, systematic work approach, measuring results, and standardization were important and decisive factors for sustaining improvements. Another finding was that the above factors are interrelated which indicates that they should not be seen in isolation. Based on the discussion it was also found that the PDCA-cycle has a potential to play a more important role for improvement work and sustained improvements.
Transmission of different nucleopolyhedroviruses by two ectoparasitoids: Bracon hebetor say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Euplectrus plathypenae (Howard) (Hymenoptera: eulophidae)

The transmission of nucleopolyhedroviruses (NPVs) of Autographa gamma (AgNPV), Mamestra brassicae (MbNPV), Lacanobia oleraceae (LoNPV), Helicoverpa armigera (HaNPV) and Xantia c-nigrum (XnNPV) to their relevant larvae by the ectoparasitoid Bracon hebetor and the transmission of the multiple-enveloped NPVs of Spodoptera exigua (SeMNPV) and Spodoptera frugiperda (SfMNPV) by the ectoparasitoid Euplectrus plathypenae was examined. Two methods of contamination of the both parasitoids (exposure to infected hosts and total body surface) and two subsequent transmissions of the viruses by Bracon hebetor to healthy hosts were tested. The results showed that both parasitoids were capable to be mechanical vectors of the tested NPVs. Every Bracon hebetor female was able to transmit subsequently twice the virus in 27% to 52.2% of the five Noctuidae species by preliminary exposing to infected larvae. The second method of contamination (applying virus suspension to the total body surface of the parasitoid) was also efficient causing virus infection in between 29.4% and 54.15% of the larvae. The parasitoid E. plathypenae transmited the virus from infected to noninfected larvae in 20% and 25.57% of the S. frugiperda and S. exigua larvae, and 6.43% and 11.10%, respectively of them died from the virus infection. The same observation was established by the second method of contamination - respectively 33.33% and 40% infection and between 13.23% and 16.67% mortality. The mortality of all tested larvae exposed to virus contaminated parasitoids was higher when the parasitoid entire body surface had been artificially contaminated with the virus than when the parasitoid itself was previously allowed to oviposit the larvae.
Wild Edible Plants of the Bodrum Area (Muğla, Turkey)

The town of Bodrum is situated on a peninsula in south-western Turkey in the province of Mugla. The research project on the Useful Plants of the Bodrum Area has been collecting data since October 1999 on the traditional uses of plants for food, medicine, fodder, fuel, handicrafts and other purposes. The information was collected over a two-and-a-half-year period from informants of various ages and background categories in Bodrum and the surrounding villages, with the help of about 25 volunteers. In addition to the informant-based research, year-round surveys of weekly markets in Bodrum, Milas and Mugla have been carried out to check the availability of the locally known edibles in these markets. Over 770 plant samples were collected and about 400 species identified. The information on each species is entered into a database. The highest percentage of useful plants was of natural or so-called "wild" edibles. A total of 179 species (143 natural and 36 cultivar and introduced) are recorded in the food and beverage category. Some edible plants are no longer collected by local people, some others are known only by certain villagers, and some species are under the threat of over collection.
EFFICACY OF SOME SYNTHETIC INSECTICIDES AND NEEM SEED OIL FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THRIPS OF MUNGBEAN VIGNA RADIATE (L.) WILEZEK

Field study was carried out at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) farm during March to August 2005 to find out the most appropriate management practices against thrips of mungbean. The experiment consisted of seven treatments of various management practices. It was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications. The incidence of this pest was first noticed during vegetative and flowering stage. The infestation rate was highest in reproductive stage. Application of Furadan 5G as a seed treatment gave the maximum yield (950.5 kg -ha ). On the other hand, minimum yield was found in control treatment. Two times application of Shobicron 425 EC also gave the satisfactory result but it was not economically viable. Neem oil with Trix gave the significant result in comparison with other treatments and it may be environmentally friendly. Key words: Efficacy, Synthetic and botanical insecticides, Megalurothrips distalis , Yield. DOI:10.3329/jbs.v16i0. 3750 J. bio-sci. 16: 105-108, 2008
Temporal Variation in Abundance of an Isolated Population of Cutthroat Trout in Western Oregon, 1981–1991

Abstract The magnitude of variation in an isolated population of wild coastal cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki clarki is described for an 11-year study period during which conditions in a Cascade Mountain drainage in western Oregon were relatively stable. Dead Horse Canyon Creek watershed, which drains 1,376 ha in the upper Molalla River, experienced no storm events or disturbances of riparian habitat that caused major changes in channel configuration. Cutthroat trout populations in Dead Horse Canyon Creek varied from year to year, while habitat conditions remained constant, which thereby complicated any analyses of the independent effects of land management activities on the population. The cutthroat trout population fluctuated substantially within and among age-classes, with young of the year showing the greatest variation and age-1 fish the least. Because most of the habitat models used to predict changes in trout populations do not incorporate natural variations in populations under similar habitat.
What Links Bats to Emerging Infectious Diseases?

The discovery that bats are the reservoir hosts of the coronavirus that causes SARS in humans raises important questions about how we monitor and control emergent disease outbreaks. In his Perspective, Dobson focuses on the need to know more about the distribution of pathogens in their natural reservoir hosts and asks whether the absence of pathology that characterizes these relationships may reflect subtle differences in the immune responses of bats.
High linolenic acid mutant in soybean induced by X-ray irradiation

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. cv. Bay] seeds were irradiated with X-rays (25kR) and the M2 progeny was screened for changes in the fatty acid composition of seed oil. X-ray irradiation remarkably increased the variability of the fatty acid composition in the oil of the Bay cultivar. A mutant in which linolenic acid accounted for 18.4 per cent of the total oil cornpared with 9.4 per cent in the Bay cultivar was identified among 2006 M2 plants. The M3 generation of the mutant also showed a linolenic acid content approximately two times higher than that of the original variety.
Efecto de la temperatura en el comportamiento reológico de la pulpa de níspero (Achras sapota L.)

El nispero (Achras sapota L.) es una fruta exotica, de gran consumo por su sabor y aroma agradable. Sin embargo es una fruta que no ha sido ampliamente utilizada para el procesamiento industrial. En este trabajo se determino el efecto de la temperatura sobre el comportamiento reologico de la pulpa de nispero en el intervalo de 10oC a 70oC. La pulpa de nispero fue obtenida en la planta piloto de frutas y hortalizas de la Universidad de Cordoba sede Berastegui (Colombia), mediante refinadora de malla de abertura 1,5 mm, se empacaron en bolsas hermeticas y posteriormente se refrigeraron a 4oC. Las medidas reologicas fueron determinadas en un viscosimetro Brookfield modelo DV-II + Pro. La pulpa de nispero fue descrita adecuadamente por el modelo de la ley de potencia exhibiendo un comportamiento seudoplastico, sin presencia de tixotropia. La temperatura no influyo significativamente en el indice de comportamiento al flujo (n), pero si sobre el indice de consistencia (k), sin embargo no se ajusto al modelo de Arrhenius.
Known Facts About the Epidemiology of Porcine Proliferative Enteropathy

The amount of new information of the last seven years regarding Lawsonia intracellularis sensitivity to antimicrobial drugs, prevention/control based on treatment and vaccination, diagnosis and, finally, genome is amazing. Nevertheless, not much is known about the epidemiology of the disease, mainly regarding the source of infection, resistance of the bacteria in the environment and possible biological vectors that could spread the infection among farms. It was learned that as few as 1,000 to 10,000 bacteria are enough to induce infection and fecal shedding two to three weeks after inoculating susceptible pigs. It was also learned that L. intracellularis organisms can survive at least 14 days in infected feces at room temperature. Sow to piglet transmission is also speculated as a possible and reasonable method of transmission, however, detection of the bacteria in sow feces, quantification of these shed bacteria and evaluation of susceptibility of suckling piglets have never been done. There is no information in the literature regarding the importance of fomites such as boots and biological vectors for the transmission of L. intracellularis. Risk factors related to proliferative enteropathy have been published using retrospective and case control studies showing that transportation, feed change, significant temperature variation, pig flow and floor are all important aspects that have to be considered in order to reduce the pressure of infection. Nevertheless, even applying this knowledge in association to the use of efficient antimicrobials, there have been not many successful attempts to eradicate L. intracellularis from pig herds. It is clear that there is a lot missing about transmission and resistance of the bacteria in order to make a better and sufficient assessment of the relevant aspects of an eradication program.
Determination of substrate utilization patterns of soil microbial communities: An approach to assess population changes after hydrocarbon pollution

Changes in hydrocarbon content in soils resulted in characteristic shifts of the substrate utilization patterns as tested with the Biolog system. The altered patterns of substrate utilization corresponded to similar changes in abundance of hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria and the occurrence of specific bacterial groups in the soils. Substrate utilization patterns as recorded with the Biolog system are suitable for rapidly assessing dynamics of autochthonous soil communities and evaluating their biodegradative potential.
Morphology and Morphometry of Caeca in the Tufted Duck Aythya Fuligula

Morphology and Morphometry of Caeca in the Tufted Duck Aythya Fuligula In this study, we examined the caeca of 44 individuals of Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula): 29 males (23 adult and 6 young) and 15 females (8 adult and 7 young). We analyzed the correlations between lengths of left (CLL) and right (CRL) caeca vs. the dimensions of the bird's body: body weight (BW), body length (BL), sternum length (SL) and tarsus length (TL), in relation to the sex of the animals. We also analyzed the asymmetry of caeca and determined its direction and strength, using a fluctuating asymmetry coefficient. Despite the observed sexual dimorphism in the body size, we found neither sex-related differences in the length of caeca, nor any significant correlation between the CLL and CRL vs. body size (BW, BL, SL, TL). 42 birds (94.5%) were asymmetrical with respect to the length of caeca, and in 37 (84.1%) the left caecum was longer. The fluctuating asymmetry coefficient for the length of these organs in the examined group was 0.413. Morfologia I Morfometria Jelit ślepych Czernicy Aythya Fuligula Jelita ślepe ptaków, podobnie jak pozostałe elementy budowy układu trawiennego, cechuje duża wewnątrzgatunkowa zmienność morfologiczna. Zmienność ta ujawnia się między innymi w wielkości, kształcie, barwie tych organów i uwarunkowana jest przede wszystkim dietą zwierząt. U gatunków, które posiadają dwa jelita ślepe, zmienność międzyosobnicza przejawia się również w dysproporcji budowy obydwu tych organów. Celem pracy była charakterystyka morfologiczna i morfometryczna jelit ślepych oraz analiza asymetrii długości tych organów u 44 osobników zimujących czernic Aythya fuligula. Badano związki zachodzące między długością jelit ślepych - lewego i prawego a czterema parametrami charakteryzującymi wielkość ciała ptaków (masą i długością ciała, długością mostka i długością kości skokowej) w powiązaniu z płcią ptaków. Asymetrię długości jelit ślepych analizowano wyznaczając współczynnika asymetrii fluktuacyjnej. Mimo stwierdzonego dymorfizmu płciowego w wielkości ciała ptaków nie wykazano go w odniesieniu do długości jelit ślepych. Nie odnotowano również istotnego związku między długością obydwu jelit ślepych lewego i prawego a pomiarami opisującymi wielkość ciała ptaków. Zdecydowana większość osobników (94,5%) miała asymetryczne pod względem długości jelit ślepe, przy czym 37 osobników (84,1%) miało dłuższe jelito ślepe lewe niż prawe. Współczynnik asymetrii fluktuacyjnej dla długości tych organów osiągnął w badanej grupie czernic wartość 0,413.