Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the unit weight of organic soils from a CPTM using an Artificial Neural Networks

This paper discusses the use of mechanical cone penetration test CPTM for estimating the soil unit weight of selected organic soils in Rzeszow site, Poland. A search was made for direct relationships between the empirically determined the soil unit weight value and cone penetration test leading parameters (cone resistance qc, sleeve friction fs. The selected, existing models were also analysed in terms of suitability for estimating the soil unit weight and tests were performed to predict the value soil unit weight of local, different organic soils. Based on own the regression analysis, the relationships between empirically determined values of soil unit weight and leading parameters cone penetration test were determined. The results of research and analysis have shown that both existing models and new, determined regression analysis methods are poorly matched to the unit weight values determined in laboratory, the main reason may be the fact that organic soils are characterized by an extremely complicated, diverse and heterogeneous structure. This often results in a large divergence and lack of repeatability of results in a satisfactorily range. Therefore, in addition, to improve the predictive performances of the relationships, analysis using the artificial neural networks (ANN) was carried out.
Impact of Road Cuts in Slope Stability in Hilly Regions of Nepal

This paper reviews the geological and engineering aspects of rural road construction in the hilly areas of Nepal. The general background in geological, climatic and geographical setting is briefly presented in reference to the five-zone Himalayan model for the Nepal Himalayas. Then, alignment selection of rural roads is discussed in the context of the five zone mountain model. The impact of road cross section design and construction on mountain slopes has been studied. The cut width is a key geometric design parameter that has a significant impact on slope stability and volume of excavation. The choice of cut width in cross-section is reviewed and appropriate cut width in cross-section is recommended in terrain slopes to minimize slope failures and volume of excavation.
Prereferral rectal artesunate and referral completion among children with suspected severe malaria in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria and Uganda

Introduction Children who receive prereferral rectal artesunate (RAS) require urgent referral to a health facility where appropriate treatment for severe malaria can be provided. However, the rapid improvement of a child’s condition after RAS administration may influence a caregiver’s decision to follow this recommendation. Currently, the evidence on the effect of RAS on referral completion is limited. Methods An observational study accompanied the roll-out of RAS in three malaria endemic settings in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Nigeria and Uganda. Community health workers and primary health centres enrolled children under 5 years with suspected severe malaria before and after the roll-out of RAS. All children were followed up 28 days after enrolment to assess their treatment-seeking pathways. Results Referral completion was 67% (1408/2104) in DRC, 48% (287/600) in Nigeria and 58% (2170/3745) in Uganda. In DRC and Uganda, RAS users were less likely to complete referral than RAS non-users in the pre-roll-out phase (adjusted OR (aOR)=0.48, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.77 and aOR=0.72, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.88, respectively). Among children seeking care from a primary health centre in Nigeria, RAS users were less likely to complete referral compared with RAS non-users in the post-roll-out phase (aOR=0.18, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.71). In Uganda, among children who completed referral, RAS users were significantly more likely to complete referral on time than RAS non-users enrolled in the pre-roll-out phase (aOR=1.81, 95% CI 1.17 to 2.79). Conclusions The findings of this study raise legitimate concerns that the roll-out of RAS may lead to lower referral completion in children who were administered prereferral RAS. To ensure that community-based programmes are effectively implemented, barriers to referral completion need to be addressed at all levels. Alternative effective treatment options should be provided to children unable to complete referral. Trial registrstion number NCT03568344; ClinicalTrials.gov.
Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Several Neogastropod Species (Mollusca: Gastropoda) From Coastal Waters of Bangladesh With One New Record

The present study reports the morphological and molecular characterization of marine neogastropods collected from the South-East to the South-West coasts of Bangladesh. A total of 21 species under 13 families were identified morphologically, of which 7 species were barcoded successfully using partial sequence of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit-I (COI) gene. The average nucleotide frequencies of these species were G (guanine) = 20.57%, C (cytosine) = 18.44%, A (adenine) = 23.65%, T (thymine) = 37.35% and the GC content was 39.01%. The average Kimura two-parameter (K2P) distances of the COI barcode sequences within species, genera, and families were 20.7%, 22.0%, and 22.0%, respectively. The average inter-species genetic divergence was calculated as 21.0%. In addition, the COI barcode sequence of Nassarius stolatus was identified and submitted to the GenBank for the first time. The study also reports the new record of a species, Indothais rufotincta Tan & Sigurdsson, 1996 from Bangladesh. This finding greatly extends the distributional range of this species from the West coast to the East coast of the Bay of Bengal. J. Bio-Sci. 29(1): 79-91, 2021 (June)
Characterizing the Mitogenome of the Endemic Bumblebee Subspecies from the Canary Islands for Conservation Purposes

The taxonomic status of Bombus terrestris subspecies is complex and has deep implications in the management of commercial bumblebees for crop pollination as well as in the establishment of appropriate conservation plans. Herein, the complete mitogenome of the endemic Canary Islands subspecies Bombus terrestris canariensis is newly sequenced and compared with available mitochondrial sequences in order to shed light into its taxonomic status. The mitochondrial genome was 17,300 bp in length and contained 37 genes, including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two rRNAs, and 22 tRNAs and a partial sequence of the AT rich control region. The phylogenetic analysis of PCGs of the mitogenome was congruent with its subspecific status and a close relationship with the North African subspecies africanus as previously suggested. The sequencing of the mitogenome of B. t. canariensis provides useful genetic information to study the conservation genetics and genetic diversity of these island bumblebee populations.
Isolation and Characterization of CMCase Producing Bacteria for the Purpose of Converting Spent Mushroom Edible Canna Substrate into Organic Fertilizer

Converting spent mushroom substrates into organic fertilizer helps to tackle the problem of pollution in edible canna starch processing villages and adds new value to the production chain of edible canna. To successfully turn the spent substrates into compost, there is certainly an indispensable role for cellulolytic microorganisms, in which Bacillus strains are always important. Several bacterial strains have been isolated from spent edible canna substrate after cultivation of monkey head mushroom in this study. Among isolated strains, the strain NDK5 has been selected exhibiting the highest cellulolytic activities with solubilization indexes of 6.14 and 18.3 mm for the ratio between the halo zone diameters and the colony diameters in the point cultivation method (SIratio) and the offset between the halo zone diameters and the agar hole diameters (SIoffset), respectively. The highest CMCase activity was 4.29 ± 0.071 U/ml. Morphological, physiological, biochemical, and 16S rRNA sequence analyses (100% homology with B. amyloliquefaciens sp. plantarum FZB42) were further carried out for the selected strain, leading to the identification of the strain as B. amyloliquefaciens sp. plantarum NDK5 strain. In addition, NDK5 was proved to have a capacity for synthesizing indole-3-acetic acid, a plant growth hormone, on an L-tryptophan-containing medium. Trial incubation of spent mushroom edible canna-substrate with the strain NDK5 showed increases in several quality criteria of the waste after 20 days of incubation, that meet the standard criteria for bio-organic fertilizer according to TCVN 7185:2002.
Genetic Diversity and Maternal Origin of Indigenous Sheep of Bangladesh Using Mitochondrial

Indigenous sheep stands third in position among the ruminants in Bangladesh. They are sparsely distributed throughout the country with a relatively higher concentration in three agro-ecological zones (AEZs) namely Jamuna river basin (JRB), Sundarban delta region (SDR) and Coastal region (COR) (Hassan and Talukdar, 2011). Sheep of Bangladesh are mostly non-descript indigenous type along with a small proportion of crossbreds (Bhuiyan, 2006) and the total population is estimated to be 3.47 million (Department of Livestock Services, 2017). In Bangladesh, the major attention towards sheep rearing mainly for mutton production under small scale mixed farming system. They have the withstand ability of adaptations in hot and humid agro-climatic conditions, capable of bi-annual lambing with multiple births and better resistance to diseases and parasites (Hassan and Talukder, 2011; Hailemariam et al. 2018). Notably, sheep are the only domestic animals can utilize stubbles of cultivated crops, farm waste, small vegetation in harvested fields and fellow lands, and even graze on aquatic weeds which make them suitable for traditional low input production system (Khan et al. 2009; Banerjee et al. 2010). Locally adapted sheep population possesses a lot This study was aimed to investigate genetic diversity, phylogenetic relationship and maternal origin of Bangladeshi indigenous sheep population based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) displacement loop (Dloop) region. A total of 62 unrelated indigenous sheep samples from 4 different geographical regions (Sundarban delta region=SDR, Jamuna river basin=JRB, Coastal region=COR and Barind tract=BAT) were investigated using 444 bp mtDNA D-loop sequence fragment. Sequence analysis revealed only 10 variable sites that defined 11 haplotypes. The estimated haplotypes diversity and nucleotide diversity were 0.401 ± 0.149 and 0.002 ± 0.001, respectively. The population pairwise FST values were highly significant (P<0.01) between COR and three other sheep populations (SDR, JRB and BAT) that ranged between 0.037 and 0.352. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that 88.84% of the total genetic variability was accounted for within population differentiation and the remaining 11.16% variability was distributed among sheep populations of four different regions of Bangladesh. The phylogenetic study did not show any distinct cluster among the Bangladeshi sheep populations but had evolutionary relationship with Ovis aries as well as with some other Indian, Chinese and Turkish sheep breeds. Altogether, the mtDNA sequence information showed lower genetic diversity and common matrilineage among the studied populations. In conclusion, this study provides important insight on genetic diversity measures and relationships among indigenous sheep population of Bangladesh.
Effective medium theory for microwave dielectric constant and magnetic permeability of conducting stick composites

In this paper we consider high frequency properties of composite materials. We use Monte Carlo simulations and Effective Medium Theory (EMT) to calculate the dielectric constant and the magnetic permeability. The EMT is a well-known approximation which is used for describing the conductivity, dielectric constant, and magnetic permeability of granular materials consisting of conducting and nonconducting components. Different modifications of this theory are considered when the skin layer depth is larger then the characteristic size of the conducting inclusions. In the microwave range it is necessary to take into account the internal inductance of the materials and presence of strong skin effect in conducting granules. In this paper we calculate the internal inductance of materials using a Monte Carlo simulation and then derive EMT equations in the presence of skin effects and the internal inductance. We obtain the dielectric constant for the materials with different shapes of conducting inclusions (spheres.
Pensions and the green transition: policy and political issues at stake

Pension policy has gone through an intense period of reform over the last decades. However, further changes are envisageble in the next future. Major global trends, not only population ageing but also globalization, technological innovation and climate change are going to shape socio-economic and labour organization and thus will have an impact on the adequacy and the long-term sustainability of pension policy. The paper focuses on the green transition as a challenge for pensions in three respects. First, we look at the potential consequences of the future ecological transition on the financing of old age protection. Second, we refer to the future benefits and their adequacy: green jobs and the potential rearticulation of the economic activities will not be neutral phenomena. They will shape future both public and private pension. Third, we focus on the changing role of trade unions in approaching the complex dilemma of supporting the green transition on the one hand, while defending the short-term interest of their rank and file (in terms of tax, labour market and social policies).
Antimicrobial Activity of Seed and Leaf Extracts of Mucuna Pruriens on Some Common Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens

Mucuna pruriens (Fabaceae) is widely known as velvet bean. Phytochemical screening and antimicrobial activities of seed and leaf of the plant were extracted using methanol, ethanol, acetone, chloroform and aqueous as solvents and tested against six clinical pathogens; Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. The susceptibility test and MIC were determined using agar well dilution method. The qualitative phytochemical screening of the plant parts indicated a high content of flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, saponins and carbohydrates in the seed while it indicated high content of terpenoids, glycosides and protein in the leaf. Quantitative phytochemical constituents revealed 0.702± 0.005mg and 0.964± 0.052 mg of total Phenols compound and total flavonoid content of 34.95± 4.18 and 43.52± 1.10mg of the leafs and seeds respectively. All plant extracts showed significant activity (p< 0.05) against all the test organisms except Candida albicans. The results revealed the extracts of the plant with methanol, ethanol, acetone and chloroform solvents showed more antimicrobial activities against test organisms with zone of inhibition ranging from 28mm-8mm compared to the aqueous extract at varied concentrations. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay showed that acetone had the lowest MIC values ≤ 31mg/ml for the test organisms followed by methanol, aqueous, chloroform and ethanol while the minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentration assay showed that only the methanol seed extract of the plant at a concentration of 500mg/ml was able to exhibit bacterial activity against Escherichia coli while all other concentrations of the plant extract did not exert a bactericidal effect against the test organisms. The phytochemicals seen in Mucuna pruriens revealed it possess antimicrobial properties. Thus, the plant is a potential potent antimicrobial agent which should be greatly encouraged and used in treatment of infections caused by the organisms that showed activity to its extracts.
Mechanisms to Combat DNA Degradation

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a highly-susceptible molecule used in forensic analysis that can be degraded. Degraded DNA is usually unfit for analysis because information is lost as the DNA breaks, resulting in poor profiles and bad statistics. This paper looked at ways to counter or reverse the damage via mini-STRs, SNPs, and MDA. There was no methodology that was clearly better than another; all three mechanisms need to be more thoroughly researched as they have unique pros and cons to consider before they can be fully implemented. No perfect DNA damage reversal has been discovered, so perhaps our focus should shift from reversing the damage to developing smaller primers and more accurate amplification methods. Mechanisms to Combat DNA Degradation in a Forensic Setting 3
Ovarian superstimulation with FSH in Wagyu breed bovine donors impacts folicular dynamics but does not improve the amount of embryos

The increase of the world population generates the need to raise the production of food of vegetal and animal origin. In Brazil, livestock farming has evolved, demonstrating the important role of the country in the production of food. In this way, researchers of this productive chain have been looking for technologies related to production and reproduction, above all, to the use of reproduction biotechnologies, seeking to increase the production of different bovine breeds. Thus, the objective of this research was to investigate the efficacy of ovarian FSH super stimulation in bovine Wagyu oocyte donor females on follicular dynamics and in vitro embryo production. Twelve Wagyu animals, aged 12 to 24 months, randomly distributed in a crossover design were used in two groups: Group 1= animals not stimulated with FSH and Group 2= animals stimulated with FSH. The follicular, oocyte and embryonic variables were evaluated. It was observed that ovarian overstimulation in Wagyu oocyte donor cows with FSH improved the mean and large follicles but reduced the rate of oocyte recovery and, despite the best percentage of viable oocytes, there was no improvement in the amount of embryos produced in vitro.
‘A Night of Shame’: A Quantitative Content Analysis of Newspaper Narratives of the Mass Molestation Event in Bangalore, India

On December 31, 2016 amidst New Year’s Eve revelry in Bangalore, India, about 700 young women faced a mass molestation. This research analyzed and compared 299 news articles (N=299) between January 1, 2017 and February 1, 2017 from three leading English language newspapers in India through a quantitative content analysis. Results indicated that there were differences in how the regional and national newspapers framed their stories. While national newspapers deployed the episodic frame in their news stories, the local newspaper used both thematic and episodic frames. The episodic frame focuses on individual events, whereas the thematic frame focuses on trends over time. Local newspapers discussed causes and attributions of responsibility more than national newspapers. National newspapers mostly used celebrity and official sources in their coverage, whereas local newspapers covered the testimonies of the victims and eyewitnesses more. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed in this paper.
Elegant Iterative Methods for Solving a Nonlinear Matrix Equation X-A* eX A=I

The nonlinear matrix equation was solved by Gao (2016) via standard fixed point method. In this paper, three more elegant iterative methods are proposed to find the approximate solution of the nonlinear matrix equation namely: Newton’s method; modified fixed point method and a combination of Newton’s method and fixed point method. The convergence of Newton’s method and modified fixed point method are derived. Comparative numerical experimental results indicate that the new developed algorithms have both less computational time and good convergence properties when compared to their respective standard algorithms. Keywords: Hermitian positive definite solution; nonlinear matrix equation; modified fixed point method; iterative method
Biological activity of entomopathogenic nematodes on Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) is one of the main pests of fruit farming, and entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) represent an important control tool of this species. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the biological activity of different isolate against A. fraterculus larvae and adults. Bioassays were performed using a suspension of three isolates of Heterorhabditis amazonensis IBCB 24, Steinernema carpocapsae IBCB 02 and Steinernema feltiae IBCB 47 at six concentrations (control - without nematodes), 50, 150, 300, 500, 1000 and 1500 infective juveniles (IJs)/mL of water per 3º instar larvae. It was verified the susceptibility of larvae of A. fraterculus to isolates of EPNs and a significant increase of the pupal mortality in the function of the concentration of IJs inoculated by larva (above 75%). After the dissection of pupae and adults of A. fraterculus from infected larvae, the concentration of 1500 IJs/mL of EPNs provided the highest rate of multiplication of IJs by insect, equating to maximum concentration tested 1500 IJs/mL. Adults of A. fraterculus from larvae infected with EPNs longevity of five days, being less than adults from uninfected larvae by IJs (135 days). H. amazonensis IBCB 24, S. carpocapsae IBCB 02, and S. feltiae IBCB 47 proved to be promising as agents of biological control of A. fraterculus.
Internal force – deformation and corresponding control measures of shield tunnel with a 5.8m diameter under lateral pressure loss conditions

In consideration of the deformation reservation, treatment and repair of the shield tunnel structure in the 100-year service life, the designed inner diameter of the shield tunnel structure tends to increase. However, the increase in the diameter will reduce the overall stiffness of the structure and reduce the shield tunnel’s mechanical properties under load changing conditions. Taking the 5.8m-inner-diameter shield tunnel in Nanjing as an example, this paper establishes a refined three-dimensional numerical model of the shield tunnel and validates the model with the results from a full-scale experimental test. Mechanical responses of the shield tunnel under the influence of the surrounding engineering activities are analyzed, and the structural maintenance and deformation control strategy are also discussed. The research shows that as the lateral pressure coefficient decreases (i.e. when unloading occurs around the tunnel structure), the stress and deformation curves of the structure have a strong nonlinear characteristic: when the lateral earth pressure loss is about 0% to 21%, the structure is in a near-elastic state, and the deformation and internal force response are not sensitive to load-changing conditions; when the lateral earth pressure loss is 21%∼43%, the damage, stress and deformation of the tunnel structure will increase rapidly, indicating that the structure is in the stage of plasticity, which is the critical interval for structural maintenance; when the lateral pressure loss exceeds 43%, the structure reaches total yielding stage. Therefore, the corresponding maintenance and control measures of shield tunnel segment structure are proposed from the aspects of prevention at the source, control in the process and treatment at the end.