Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Performance of Cholistani male cattle calves fed fattening ration under local climatic conditions

A study was conducted to evaluate the performance of calves of Cholistani breed of cattle fed on fattening rations under local climatic conditions. Twenty male calves of approximately equal weight, age and size were included in the experiment. All the calves were below one year of age (8-12 months) and their average weight was 133 Ibs (105-165 Ibs.) The animals were divided into four homogenous groups, A, B, C and 0 of five calves in each according to their initial bodyweight and were allotted to four rations, A, B, C & D. Corresponding to each group. The experiment lasted for 91 days. Daily weight gain, feed and protein utilization efficiencies were compared among groups. The calves fed cottonseed cake based diet (Ration, B) gained the highest weight Of 0.71 kg/head/day followed by Anmol Vanda* based diet (Ration, A) (Control Group) gained 0.69 kg while maize gluten and wheat bran based diets gained 0.62 kg (Ration, D) and 0.50 kg (Ration, C ) respectively. All groups significantly differed (P 0.05) between Groups A,B & 0 and C & D. All groups also significantly differed (P 0.05) between groups A&B, B&D and C&D. The results for feed conversion efficiencies were 8.13 / 7.26 kg, 10.24 / 9.21 kg, 13.93 / 12.58 kg and 11.86 / 10.73 kg on as fed and OM basis for rations, A, B, C and D respectively . The results for protein utilization efficiency differed (P<0.01) among groups but it was the lowest in case of group A and no significant difference was found between the groups A&B, B&D and C&D both on as fed and OM basis. The Protein utilization efficiencies were 1.13/1.01 kg, 1.35/1.21 kg, 1.84/1.66kg, 1.56/1.42kg On as fed and OM basis for rations A, B, C and 0 respectively. All the rations were equally good for live weight gain in calves however ration C was the lowest among the other groups. The Cholistani cattle calves possessed great potential to be used for fattening and although the feed and protein conversion efficiencies were slightly better for Anmol vanda, but on the basis of more weight gain and lower cost, the cotton seed cake based diet was recommended to Cholistani farmers for fattening their animals. A concentrate ration being prepared on commercial basis at difference Livestock Farm of Punjab and used as a
Optimization of PMSM Sensorless Control Based on Improved PSO Algorithm

For the problem that manual adjustment of the parameters of controller in sensorless control system costs too much time, manpower and always can not get a good result, a new method based on improved particle swarm optimization algorithm is proposed to optimize the parameters. The improved algorithm is based on the standard particle swarm optimization with the simulated annealing algorithm and chaotic search brought in. The speed of motor is estimated by the extend Kalman filter. The error between measured speed and estimated speed of the permanent magnet synchronous motor rotor is used as the fitness function in order that the parameters in the covariance matrix is adjusted.The result of simulation indicates that high estimation precision can be got and the motor represents steadily with few of ripple of the actual speed.With this method, the time of adjustment is reduced and manpower is saved. In addition, the validity of the method is proved in experiment with dSPACE.
On the exploitation of relationships in online communities of practice

Numerous tools aiming at facilitating or enhancing collaboration among members of diverse communities have been already deployed and tested over the web. Taking into account the particularities of online communities of practice, this paper introduces a framework for mining knowledge that is hidden in such settings. Our motivation stems from the criticism that contemporary tools receive regarding lack of active participation and limited engagement in their use, partially due to their inability of identifying and meaningfully exploiting important relationships among community members and collaboration-related assets. Particular attention is given to the identification of requirements imposed by contemporary communities and learning contexts. Our overall approach elaborates and integrates issues from the disciplines of data mining and social networking.
Direct CCL4 Inhibition Modulates Gut Microbiota, Reduces Circulating Trimethylamine N-Oxide, and Improves Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in High-Fat-Diet-Induced Diabetes Mellitus

Purpose Modulation of the gut microbiota may lead to changes in pathological conditions. C-C chemokine motif ligand (CCL) 4 was upregulated in diabetes mellitus (DM) and was shown to play a significant role in pancreatic inflammation and glucose metabolism. The detailed in vivo mechanisms have not been well explored. This study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that direct CCL4 inhibition could modify gut microbiota and systemic metabolism in diet-induced DM mice. Methods C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) were used as a diet-induced DM model. CCL4 inhibition was conducted by anti-CCL4 neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. The gut microbiota was analyzed by high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was used to verify the effect of CCL4 deficiency on gut microbiota and the linkage between CCL4-modulated gut microbiota and HFD-induced DM. Results CCL4 inhibition stabilized glucose homeostasis, modulated lipid parameter, and decreased inflammatory markers in HFD-induced DM mice. Moreover, CCL4 inhibition reversed HFD-induced gut dysbiosis, evidenced by the decreased abundance of family Muribaculaceae and increased abundance of family Atopobiaceae when CCL4 antibodies were administrated. CCL4 inhibition led to a decrease in circulating trimethylamine N-oxide levels, a proinflammatory metabolite from gut microbiota. Taken together, CCL4 inhibition could modify gut microbiota profiles, suppress proinflammatory metabolites, reduce systemic inflammation, improve insulin resistance, and retard the progression of hyperglycemia in HFD-induced DM. Furthermore, FMT from CCL4 knockout mice rescued the glucose homeostasis in HFD-induced DM mice. Conclusion Our findings may not only provide a novel rationale to in vivo CCL4-based therapeutic approach in diet-induced DM but also indicate the significance of gut microbiota profile including the family Muribaculaceae and the family Atopobiaceae as a potential modifiable target for systemic metabolism.
A BIST scheme for a SNR, gain tracking, and frequency response test of a sigma-delta ADC

Built-in-self test (BIST) for VLSI systems is desirable in order to reduce the cost per chip of production-time testing by the manufacturer. In addition, it can provide the means to perform in-the-field diagnostics. This paper discusses a mixed analog-digital BIST (MADBIST) for a signal-to-noise-ratio test, gain tracking test, and frequency response test of a sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter. The MADBIST strategy for the SNR, GT, and FR tests of the ADC is introduced, accuracy issues are discussed, and experimental results are presented. >
Silica dust control in small-scale building/structure demolition operations using good work practice guidance

Work practices can influence exposure, especially in small-scale operations conducted by mobile work crews. This study evaluated the use of information on good work practice in control guidance sheets adapted from UK Silica Essentials guidance sheets by trained workers and supervisors employed in small-scale concrete and masonry demolition operations. A one-page employee silica task-based control guidance sheet for each of four demolition tasks and multiple-page silica control guidance for supervisors were developed. Interactive, hands-on worker training on these task-based good work practice controls was developed. Training was presented to 26 participants from two demolition crews. Feedback on the training and task-based good work practice control guidance sheets was elicited. Observations of work practices were made before and after training. Participants indicated gains in knowledge and checklists were used to document skill attainment. The quality of the training and usefulness of the material/skills was rated high by trainees. Increased use of water to suppress dust and wet cleaning methods on the job were documented following the training. Additional follow-up after training is required to determine long-term impact on sustained changes in work practices, and to evaluate the need for refresher training.
Isolation, Uncertainty and Treatment Delays: Parents’ Experiences of Having a Baby with Cleft Lip/Palate During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Objectives Previous literature finds that having a child with a cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) may pose social and emotional challenges for parents. For parents of children born during the Covid-19 pandemic, such challenges may be heightened. Further, novel demands brought about by the pandemic could have caused additional hardships. The aim of this study was to describe the impact of the pandemic on new parents through qualitative exploration of their experiences. Design Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 parents of children born in the United Kingdom with CL/P between January and June 2020, around the start of the pandemic. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results Three themes, with sub-themes, were identified. The first theme, “Changes to Healthcare: The Impact of Restrictions and Reduced Contact”, discussed the impact of the pandemic on perinatal care, the care received from the specialist CL/P teams, and parents’ experiences of virtual consultations. The second theme, “Family Functioning During the Pandemic”, covered parental anxiety, fathers’ experiences, and social support. The third theme, “Surgical Prioritisation: Delays and Uncertainty”, addressed changes to surgical protocols, coping with uncertainty, complications associated with delayed surgery, and how parents created positive meaning from this period. Conclusions A range of increased and additional psychosocial impacts for parents were identified, along with several coping strategies, utilization of social support, and the positive aspects of their experiences. As the pandemic continues, close monitoring of families affected by CL/P remains imperative, particularly for those at risk of emotional distress.
Kelly investing with downside risk control in a regime-switching market

The optimal capital growth strategy or Kelly strategy has many desirable properties, such as maximizing the asymptotic long-run growth of capital. However, it is aggressive and can have the considerable short-run risk of losing much of the invested wealth. In this paper, we provide a method to obtain the maximum growth while staying above a specified downside wealth threshold with high probability, where shortfalls below the threshold are penalized with a convex function of shortfall. The financial market is characterized by regimes, where the dynamics of the stochastic regime process is Markovian. Within a regime, the asset prices are lognormal. With the additional model features of regimes and downside risk control, the optimal strategy has a modified Kelly format. The modification requires the assignment of weights to each regime, with the weights incorporating the risk control. The multi-asset problem is reduced to determining the regime weights and the fraction of investment capital allocated to risky assets. The estimation risk is controlled by regime switching and the decision risk is controlled by the downside threshold. The methods are applied to the problem of investing in select sector exchange-traded funds.
A Review of Underwater Mine Detection and Classification in Sonar Imagery

Underwater mines pose extreme danger for ships and submarines. Therefore, navies around the world use mine countermeasure (MCM) units to protect against them. One of the measures used by MCM units is mine hunting, which requires searching for all the mines in a suspicious area. It is generally divided into four stages: detection, classification, identification and disposal. The detection and classification steps are usually performed using a sonar mounted on a ship’s hull or on an underwater vehicle. After retrieving the sonar data, military personnel scan the seabed images to detect targets and classify them as mine-like objects (MLOs) or benign objects. To reduce the technical operator’s workload and decrease post-mission analysis time, computer-aided detection (CAD), computer-aided classification (CAC) and automated target recognition (ATR) algorithms have been introduced. This paper reviews mine detection and classification techniques used in the aforementioned systems. The author considered current and previous generation methods starting with classical image processing, and then machine learning followed by deep learning. This review can facilitate future research to introduce improved mine detection and classification algorithms.
Estimation of the combined effects of ageing and seasonality on mortality risk: An application to Spain

Despite the overwhelming evidence that shows the persistence of intra‐annual variations on demographic events (deaths, birth dates and migration flows), life tables are computed and provided on an annual basis. This paper develops a new estimator for estimating sub‐annual death rates that, considering the exact moment of occurrence (exact age and day) of events, concurrently accounts for ageing and calendar fluctuations. This paper also shows how modelling the intra‐annual variations of death rates, through specific seasonal–ageing indexes, can be used as a tool for constructing new sub‐annual tables from annual tables. This new methodology is exemplified using a real database of Spain made up of 186 million demographic events (1.5 million of which are deaths), from which seasonal–ageing indexes are estimated and conclusions drawn. First, seasonal effects are, as a rule, stronger than ageing effects. For a given integer age, season has a higher impact on increasing or decreasing the average risk of death at that age than the actual age of the exposed‐to‐risk. Second, the intensity of the effects varies among seasons and age‐quarters. Third, neither seasonal nor ageing effects are age‐stationary. Their impact, be it to varying degrees, intensifies as people get older. Fourth, there is interaction between seasonal and ageing effects. In short, life expectancies and probabilities of dying/surviving not only depend on people's age, but also on when their birthday falls within the year. This has implications, for instance, in managing pension systems or for insurance companies.
Chemometric Profiling and Bioactivity of Verbena (Aloysia citrodora) Methanolic Extract from Four Localities in Tunisia

This research aimed to study the chemical composition of Aloysia citrodora methanolic extract and its biological activities as an antioxidant, and its antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory activities based on four bioclimatic collection stages. The contents of total phenols, total flavonoids and total tannins were determined. Nine phenolic compounds were identified by LC-DAD–ESI-MS/MS. The major compound was acteoside, a phenylpropanoid which represented about 80% of the methanolic fraction in the various regions. The antioxidant activities of different locations were measured by different analytical assays, such as DPPH, ABTS and iron reducing power. The results showed that phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities varied with climatic and environmental factors. Moreover, there was a significant dependency between regions and biological activities. The use of a principal component analysis showed that there was a close relationship among phenylpropanoids, phenolic compounds and the studied biological activities.
Second-Order Random Wave Kinematics and Resulting Loads on a Bottom-Fixed Slender Monopile

The importance of including second-order nonlinear random wave kinematics in the numerical prediction of drag-induced shear forces and moments, at various levels on a bottom-fixed slender monopile in 40m water depth, is investigated. A vertical circular cylinder of diameter 0.5m is considered, representing typical dimensions of members in jacket type foundations of offshore wind turbines. The focus is here on the wave loads only, and wind and a propeller are therefore not included in this study. In particular, the main focus is on the effects from second-order random wave kinematics on the structural quasi-static time-varying loads due to drag forces in heavy storm wave conditions. Comparisons are made to the traditional use of Airy waves with various ways of stretching.An in-house numerical FEM code developed for structural analysis, NIRWANA, is used for this study. Thus one purpose of the present work is also to verify the implementation of the second-order random waves in the code.The results show significant effects, especially in the wave zone. Extreme crests are around 15%–20% increased, free-surface extreme particle velocities increase by around 30%–40%, while the velocities at levels below MWL are, on the other hand, somewhat reduced. The resulting peak shear forces, and in particular the moments, are thereby increased by typically 50%–100% in the upper parts of the column. At the base the peak shear forces are comparable to the traditional methods, while moments are still somewhat higher. Another effect is the generation of more high-frequency load contributions, which may be important to address further with respect to natural frequencies of such towers.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Computerized Fluoroscopy Techniques For Non-Invasive Cardiovascular Imaging

A number of methods for visualizing the cardiovascular system of dogs and humans in real time have been developed and are grouped under the heading computerized fluoroscopy. Such techniques provide images capable of high contrast sensitivity and moderate spatial resolution (~ 1 mm). A standard image intensifier - television chain used in connection with a Lpecially constructed digital video image processor (V.I.P.) is capable of producing contrast enhanced difference images at rates up to 60/second. Such difference images can isolate small concentrations of iodine which have been administered intravenously through peripheral veins. Such non-invasive techniques have been used to visualize: 1) The carotid arteries and fine structures in dogs and humans at typical rates of 2 per second, and 2) the heart chambers of both dogs and humans at typical display rates of 15-60 per second. For such studies 0.6-1.0 gms (Iodine)/kg (body mass) have provided excellent visualization of the cardiac chamber dynamics.
Alpha-particle-induced collected charge model in SOI-DRAM's

We have developed a model for collected charges induced by an alpha-particle for SOI-DRAMs which assumes that the body capacitance equals the gate capacitance and that holes do not recombine with electrons. The validity of our model was supported by three-dimensional (3-D) device simulations that considered various gate lengths, gate oxide thicknesses, and flat-band voltages. The work function difference between the gate and body materials caused a significant increase in the current gain. The vertical band of the body region should therefore be flat to suppress the collected charge. A thinner gate oxide would also suppress the collected charge during a refresh interval. This finding could not be obtained from the conventional equation.
Shear Strength Characteristics of Recycled Glass

A comparison of the California bearing ratio (CBR) for recycled glass (RG) with other recycled materials and a basaltic virgin aggregate, all having similar gradations, revealed that the CBR of RG is superior to that of recycled asphalt pavement but less than that of recycled concrete and virgin aggregate. Direct shear tests were then run on the as-received gradation to derive strength parameters for RG prepared at very high and very low relative densities. For “dense” RG, the peak failure envelope was nonlinear with secant friction angles varying from 50° to 61°. For “loose” RG, the peak and critical state failure envelopes were linear with friction angles of 41° and 38°, respectively. Bolton's postulate that the peak friction angle is approximately equal to the critical friction angle plus 0.8 times the maximum angle of dilation works well for the RG tested in direct shear. A friction angle of 38° at critical state is significant, implying that RG has the potential to be used in even more foundation and ground improvement applications that are so often associated with transportation infrastructure construction. With increased use of recycled materials, civil engineers can help comply with the demand for sustainable development, a major theme in society today.
Does corporate governance compliance condition information asymmetries? Moderating role of voluntary disclosures

PurposeThis study examines the moderating effects of low and high levels of voluntary disclosures (VDs) between corporate governance and information asymmetry (IA). Design/methodology/approachThe study used PROCESS macro to construct bootstrap confidence intervals at the 95% level to estimate the model, and “simple slope analysis” to visualize the model.FindingsThe better corporate governance provides a monitoring mechanism that disseminates private information and reduces IA The effect of corporate governance on IA is contingent on the levels of VDs within a firm, and this relationship is strengthened when the level of VDs within a firm is high, and results remain consistent when levels of sub-indices are high. Additional analysis reveals that effective boards and audit committees reduce IA. Increased inside, an associated company, family and foreign ownership exacerbate IA, whereas institutional owners act as effective monitors to overcome informational disadvantages.Practical implicationsThe findings provide implications for policymakers to promote corporate governance and more relevant reporting practices as effective mechanisms for protecting shareholders' rights and attenuating IA in capital markets.Originality/valueThe study is valuable to understand the strength of the relationship between corporate governance and information asymmetries based on the moderating role of different VD levels.
Hardness assurance testing of bipolar junction transistors at elevated irradiation temperatures

The effect of dose rate on radiation-induced current gain degradation was quantified for radiation-hardened poly-Si emitter n-p-n bipolar transistors over the range of 0.005 to 294 rad(Si)/s. Degradation increases sharply with decreasing dose rate and saturates near 0.005 rad(Si)/s. The amount of degradation enhancement at low dose rates decreases monotonically with total dose. In addition, the effect of ambient temperature on radiation-induced gain degradation at 294 rad(Si)/s was investigated over the range of 25 to 240/spl deg/C. Degradation is enhanced with increasing temperature while simultaneously being moderated by in situ annealing, such that, for a given total dose, an optimum irradiation temperature for maximum degradation results. The optimum irradiation temperature decreases logarithmically with total dose and, for a given dose, is smaller than optimum temperatures reported previously for p-n-p devices. High dose rate irradiation at elevated temperatures is less effective at simulating low dose rate degradation for the n-p-n transistor than for the p-n-p transistors. However, additional degradation of the n-p-n device at elevated temperatures is easily obtained using overtest. Differences in the radiation responses of the device types are attributed to the relative effects of oxide trapped charge on gain degradation. High dose rate irradiation near 125/spl deg/C is found to be suitable for the hardness assurance testing of these devices provided a design margin of at least two is employed.