Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Photoperiod on the Performance, Blood Profile, Welfare Parameters, and Carcass Characteristics in Broiler Chickens

Simple Summary The physiology and behavior of birds, including poultry, are greatly affected by light. The poultry industry uses lighting regimens with long lighting periods to maximize the growth of broiler chickens. Rapid growth not only adversely affects the health of the birds, but also causes great stress. As animal welfare issues have become increasingly important, concerns regarding the current photoperiods in broiler production have increased. In this study, the effects of the photoperiod on the productivity and various welfare indicators on broiler rearing were investigated. Generally, the productivity and stress of broilers were both positively and negatively correlated with the photoperiod. The results showed that a photoperiod of 18L:6D was appropriate, when considering the growth and stress of broilers. The optimum photoperiod for broilers may vary in different feeding phases, with respect to performance and welfare. Therefore, continuous research is needed to establish the ideal light regimens under the consideration of the productivity and welfare of broilers. Abstract We studied the effects of photoperiods on the growth performance, blood profile, welfare parameters, and carcass characteristics of broilers. A total of 336 male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly allocated into 4 treatments (84 birds per treatment with 4 replicates), based on the following lighting regimen: 24 h continuous light (24L), 18 h continuous light (18L:6D), 8 h continuous light (8L:16D), and intermittent light (4L:2D). Body weight and feed intake of 7- and 35-day-old broilers were measured. At 5 weeks of age, 12 birds per treatment were selected for blood collection and carcass analysis. Body weight, body weight gain, and feed intake were the lowest in the 8L:16D treatment (p < 0.05). The heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, aspartate aminotransferase, interleukin-6, and corticosterone levels in the 24L treatment increased significantly when compared to that in the 18L:6D treatment (p < 0.05). The footpad dermatitis score was significantly lower in the 18L:6D and 8L:16D treatments than in the 24L and 4L:2D treatments (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the carcass and meat characteristics, except for the shear force of breast meat (Pectoralis major), which was the lowest in the 8L:16D treatment (p < 0.05). These results indicate that a photoperiod of 18 h resulted in an improvement in the performance and welfare of birds and a simultaneous decrease in stress level. However, further research is needed to establish a lighting regimen that satisfies both the productivity and welfare requirements of broilers in different feeding phases.
Comparison of Superchilling and Supercooling on Extending the Fresh Quality of Beef Loin

This study compared the effects of superchilling and supercooling preservations for 15 days on the freshness and quality characteristics of beef loin. Beef freshness was evaluated by total aerobic count (TAC), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and instrumental color, drip loss, cooking loss, and texture profile analysis (TPA) were determined as quality parameters. All assays were compared with fresh control and normal chilling conditions (4 °C). The mean preservation temperatures of superchilling and supercooling were −3.9 °C and −2.1 °C, respectively. The freshness parameters indicated that both superchilling and supercooling extended the freshness of beef loin for 15 days, while chilled beef could not maintain the standard of freshness conditions. For quality parameters, there was no difference between the control and supercooling treatments, whereas superchilling exhibited higher drip loss and toughness compared to the control (p < 0.05). Therefore, this study demonstrated that supercooling was the best preservation technique to extend the freshness and quality of beef loin, but superchilling was not suitable to guarantee the quality of beef.
Narratives on the Current Medical Situation in Japan According to Highly Specialized Foreign Professionals

In order to understand the difficulties faced by highly skilled foreign professionals when dealing with the Japanese healthcare system and to identify the support they require therein, university health center staff members of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University conducted semi-structured interviews with faculty, staff, and students from the Institute. Data from the interviews were analyzed by subject matter analysis using a narrative-oriented approach. In total, 13 participants were interviewed, and five themes and 15 subthemes were generated from the 40 codes extracted. Although participants considered themselves to be accepting of other cultures and made little mention of the need for cultural and religious considerations that previous studies have identified as important, they reported that their experiences receiving healthcare in Japan were fraught with many difficulties. They felt that the capacity to communicate in Japanese was a prerequisite for receiving appropriate healthcare and that hospitals should assume the responsibility of providing language support. While they reported satisfaction with the easy and inexpensive access to advanced medical equipment and specialists in Japan, they also noted challenges in selecting medical institutions and departments, the flow and procedures in the hospital, and building open and direct relationships with doctors. In addition, based on the present study, people with chronic illnesses felt isolated from the community, worried about a lack of privacy, and wanted a primary care physician they could trust. In order to provide appropriate healthcare to foreigners, we require an accurate understanding of their needs, how to address these comprehensively and in a multifaceted manner, and how the communication responsibilities should be shared among the involved parties (i.e., foreign care recipients and Japanese medical professionals).
A characterization of Riemannian flows

We prove that a flow on a closed manifold is Riemannian if and only if it is locally generated by Killing vector fields for a Riemannian metric. Consider a flow F, i.e. an oriented one-dimensional foliation on a manifold M. The purpose of this note is to prove the following result. Theorem. Let M be a closed manifold. Then the flow F is Riemannian if and only if the tangent bundle of F is locally generated by Killing vector fields for a Riemannian metric g on M. If the flow F is locally generated by Killing vector fields for a metric g on M, then the flow is clearly Riemannian, and the metric g bundle-like for F in the sense of Reinhart [8]. What we wish to show is that on a closed manifold the converse also holds. It is well-known that a Riemannian flow on a closed manifold Mn+l is not necessarily defined by a global Killing vector field for a Riemannian metric on M. According to a result of Molino and Sergiescu [7], a necessary and sufficient condition for this to be the case is that HD (F) $& 0, where HD (F) is the topdimensional basic cohomolQgy vector space. Carriere [1] proved a general structure theorem for Riemannian flows, and also provided an example of a Riemannian flow on a closed oriented manifold M3 with HW (.F) = 0. Proof of the theorem. Let F be a Riemannian flow on the closed manifold M. The fundamental new fact we are going to use is the result of Dominguez [2], establishing the existence of a bundle-like metric g for which the mean curvature 1-form i, is basic. The mean curvature 1-form is dual to the mean curvature vector field, and as such vanishes on vectors tangent to F. The essential property making i, basic is that the Lie derivative O(V)s = 0 for vector fields V tangent to F. A fact pointed out in [4, (4.4)] is that under this condition ds = 0 (see also the proof in [9, (12.5)]). It follows that locally r, = df. This local function f is necessarily basic, as follows from Vf = df(V) = (V) = 0 for a vector field V tangent to F. It suffices to verify that for such a local unit vector field V the modified e-fV is a local Killing vector field for g. The property to verify is that O(e-fV)g = 0. We evaluate this bilinear form successively on the tangent bundle L of F, its g-orthogonal complement L', and Received by the editors June 19, 1996. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary 53C12, 57R30. )1997 American Mathematical Society
Test–Retest Reliability and Efficacy of Individual Symptoms in Concussion Management

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. Objective: (1) To determine test–retest reliability of individual Sport Concussion Assessment Tool—Third Edition (SCAT-3) symptom scores and symptom severity scores, (2) to examine the specificity/sensitivity of individual SCAT-3 symptom severity scores acutely (24-48 hours) postconcussion, and (3) to develop a model of symptoms best able to differentiate concussed from nonconcussed student athletes and cadets. Design: Prospective, longitudinal, and cross-sectional. Setting: Twenty-six civilian schools and 3 US service academies. Participants: Collegiate student athletes (n = 5519) and cadets (n = 5359) from the National Collegiate Athletic Association–Department of Defense Grand Alliance: Concussion Assessment, Research and Education Consortium, including 290 student athletes and 205 cadets, assessed 24 to 48 hours postconcussion. Independent Variables: Concussed and nonconcussed student athlete and cadet groups. Main Outcome Measures: Sport Concussion Assessment Tool—Third Edition individual symptom severity scores, total symptom scores, and symptom severity scores. Results: Results indicated poor test–retest reliability across all symptom scores (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.029-0.331), but several individual symptoms had excellent predictive capability in discriminating concussed from nonconcussed participants (eg, headache, pressure in the head, and don't feel right had area under the curve >0.8, sensitivity >70%, and specificity >85%) regardless of baseline testing. These symptoms were consistent with Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detector classification trees with the highest mean probability. Conclusions: Findings support the excellent diagnostic accuracy of honest symptom reporting, notwithstanding the known limitations in symptom underreporting, and suggest that there may be added value in examining individual symptoms rather than total symptom scores and symptom severity scores alone. Finally, findings suggest that baseline testing is not necessary for interpreting postconcussion symptom scores.
Oral Administration of Mice with Cell Extracts of Recombinant Lactococcus lactis IL1403 Expressing Mouse Receptor Activator of NF-kB Ligand (RANKL)

Abstract Receptor activator of NF-kB ligand (RANKL) is known to play a major role in bone metabolism and the immune system, and its recombinant form has been expressed in bacterial systems for research since the last two decades. However, most of these recombinant forms are used after purification or directly using living cells. Here, there were cell extracts of recombinant Lactococcus lactis expressing mouse RANKL (mRANKL) used to evaluate its biological activity in mice. Mice were divided into three groups that were fed phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), wild-type L. lactis IL1403 (WT_CE), and recombinant L. lactis expressing mRANKL (mRANKL_CE). The small intestinal transcriptome and fecal microbiome were then profiled. The biological activity of mRANKL_CE was confirmed by studying RANK-RANKL signaling in vitro and in vivo. For small intestinal transcriptome, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the mRANKL_CE group, and no DEGs were found in the WT_CE group. In the PBS vs. mRANKL_CE gene enrichment analysis, upregulated genes were enriched for heat shock protein binding, regulation of bone resorption, and calcium ion binding. In the gut microbiome analysis, there were no critical changes among the three groups. However, Lactobacillus and Sphingomonas were more abundant in the mRANKL_CE group than in the other two groups. Our results indicate that cell extracts of mRANKL_CE can play an effective role without a significant impact on the intestine. This strategy may be useful for the development of protein drugs.
Control Efficiency and Yield Response of Chemical and Biological Treatments against Fruit Rot of Arecanut: A Network Meta-Analysis

Fruit rot disease (FRD) in arecanut has appeared in most of the arecanut growing regions of India in the last few decades. A few comprehensive studies on the management of FRD under field conditions have examined various treatment combinations for disease control and yield response analysis. This study aimed to compare the control efficiencies and yield responses of treatments applied over multiple locations and compute the probable returns of investment (ROIs) for treatment costs. Data were gathered from 21 field trials conducted across five main arecanut growing regions of India in the period 2012–2019. The collected data were subjected to analysis with a multivariate (network) meta-analytical model, following standard statistical protocols. The quantitative, synthesized data were evaluated for the estimated effects of disease pressure (DPLow ≤ 35% of FRDInc in the treatments > DPHigh), mean disease control efficiencies (treatment mean, C), and yield responses (R) corresponding to the tested treatments. Based on disease control efficacy, the evaluated treatments were grouped into three efficacy groups (EGs): higher EGs were observed for the Bordeaux mixture (C, 81.94%) and its stabilized formulation (C, 74.99%), Metalaxyl + Mancozeb (C, 70.66%), while lower EGs were observed in plots treated with Biofight (C, 29.91%), Biopot (C, 25.66%), and Suraksha (C, 29.74%) and intermediate EGs were observed in plots to which microbial consortia (bio-agents) had been applied. Disease pressure acted as a significant moderator variable, influencing yield response and gain. At DPLow, the Bordeaux fungicide mixture (102%, 22% of increased yield) and Metalaxyl + Mancozeb (77.5%, +15.5%) exhibited higher yield responses, with absolute arecanut yield gains of 916.5 kg ha−1 and 884 kg ha−1, while, under DPHigh, Fosetyl-AL (819.6 kg ha−1) showed a yield response of 90.5%. To ensure maximum yield sustainability, arecanut growers should focus on the spraying of fungicides (a mixture of different active ingredients or formulations or products) as a preventative measure, followed by treating palms with either soil microbial consortia or commercial formulations of organic fungicides.
Spatial distributions of the REFLEX-DXL galaxy clusters at z~0.3 observed by XMM-Newton

We present XMM-Newton results on the spatially resolved temperature profiles of eight massive galaxy clusters of a volume-limited sample at redshifts $z\sim0.3$ (REFLEX-DXL sample) and an additional luminous cluster at $z=0.2578$, selected from the REFLEX survey. Useful temperature measurements could be performed out to radii with overdensity 500 ($r_{500}$). The scaled temperature distributions show good similarities. We discovered diversities in the temperature gradients at the outer cluster radii with examples of both flat and strongly decreasing profiles which call for different physical interpretations. We found an indication of the 'warm-hot' gas existing in or around the hot clusters. Using RXCJ0307.0-2840 we demonstrate that the errors on the mass estimates are within 25% up to r_{500}.
Three-dimensional S-wave velocity structure of oceanic core complexes at 13° N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

13° N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is regarded as a type site for oceanic core complexes (OCCs). Within ∼70 km along the spreading centre, it hosts four OCCs in different stages of their life cycle making this an ideal location to determine how OCCs are formed, and what drives the hydrothermal circulation that sustains the vent fields associated with them. Here we describe the results of S-wave seismic tomographic modelling within a 60 × 60 km footprint containing several OCCs, the spreading centre and both flanks. A grid of 17 wide-angle seismic refraction profiles was shot within this footprint and recorded by a network of 46 ocean-bottom seismographs (OBS). Approximately 6200 S-wave arrival travel times have been modelled, constraining primarily the velocity-depth structure of the upper-to-mid-crust. Depth slices through the resulting 3-D S-wave velocity (Vs) model reveal the OCCs located at 13°20′N and 13°30′N to each have a region of relatively low Vs (<3 km s–1) beneath its detachment, and a higher Vs (>3 km s–1) in the inter-OCC basin and regions surrounding the detachments. Using the equivalent 3-D P-wave velocity (Vp) model of Simão et al. (2020), the corresponding Vp/Vs model is calculated to investigate lithology, permeability and the existence of any off-axis magmatic intrusions that may drive fluid flow. The Vp/Vs model clearly shows that the crust beneath the deep lava-floored inter-OCC basin is characteristically oceanic (Vp/Vs ratio of < 1.85) in velocity-depth structure, in contrast to the OCCs themselves which have a Vp/Vs ratio of > 1.85, suggesting that they formed under magma poor (tectonic) conditions. The Vp/Vs model also shows that the OCCs are not connected, at least to mid-crustal level. Alternatively, if the OCCs lie on the same detachment surface, that surface would have to undulate > 3 km in amplitude over a distance of < 20 km for these OCCs to appear to be unconnected. Our 3-D S-wave and Vp/Vs models thus support MacLeod et al.’s (2009) model of localized OCC evolution. Our S-wave velocity model also suggests that the Irinovskoe (13°20′N) and Semyenov (13°30′N) vent fields have different hydrothermal circulation drivers, with the Semyenov field being driven by magma intrusion(s) and the Irinovskoe field being driven by the spreading centre thermal gradient and pervasive flow along open permeability within the detachment footwall, perhaps further opened by roll-over to lower dip angle as it exhumes at the seabed.
Dynamic mode multiplexing with plasmonic metasurfaces

Since metamaterials have enabled the design of almost arbitrary landscapes of static optical properties and functionalities, dynamic temporal and spatial control over metamaterial properties has become the next big challenge. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the interaction of two coherent waves of arbitrarily low power on a metasurface can provide ultrafast control over the material excitation and thus over the expression of the nanostructure’s functionalities [1]. Here we report simultaneous spatial and temporal control of metasurface excitation including first proof-of-principle demonstrations of spatial mode multiplexing, image processing and logical operations.
Actuarial Measures, Regression, and Applications of Exponentiated Fréchet Loss Distribution

In this study, a new loss distribution, called the exponentiated Fréchet loss distribution is developed and studied. The plots of the density function of the distribution show that the distribution can exhibit different shapes including right skewed and decreasing shapes, and various degrees of kurtosis. Several properties of the distribution are obtained including moments, mean excess function, limited expected value function, value at risk, tail value at risk, and tail variance. The estimators of the parameters of the distribution are obtained via maximum likelihood, maximum product spacing, ordinary least squares, and weighted least squares methods. The performances of the various estimators are investigated using simulation studies. The results show that the estimators are consistent. The new distribution is extended into a regression model. The usefulness and applicability of the new distribution and its regression model are demonstrated using actuarial data sets. The results show that the new loss distribution can be used as an alternative to modelling actuarial data.
Characteristics of flax oil and milk mixture

: In order to develop milk products both with better taste and more health benefits, a blended system of dairy products and flax oil was studied based on the Budwig diet. The amounts of flax oil added to the pure milk or yogurt were varied and the system was fully mixed without adversely affecting the flavor. The effects of flax oil addition on the frictional and rheological properties of different dairy products were investigated, and the optimal addition ratio was determined combined with the sensory evaluation. The experimental results showed that the addition ratio of flax oil significantly affected the friction characteristics and rheological properties of dairy products, in which the friction coefficient of the mixture tended to decrease as the addition of flax oil increased, and with the added increase the viscosities of both ordinary yogurt mixture and pure milk mixture tended to increase. Furthermore, based on physical characteristics and sensory properties the optimal addition ratios of flax oil to pure milk, ordinary yogurt, and non-fat yogurt are obtained, which are 2.5wt%, 2.5wt%, and 5wt%, respectively. The study provides a quantified analysis way for the additions to the dairy products and the obtained data can be used for reference in production.
Magnetic flux noise in MgB2 superconductor

Magnetic flux noise in MgB2 polycrystalline sample is measured using a high-TC rf-superconducting quantum interference device in the temperature range of 6–40K. A small magnetic field (∼200mG) was applied while cooling the sample. The flux noise exhibits 1∕fα type of behavior with α∼1.0–1.3 and shows enhanced noise around 24 and 37K. The flux noise seems to originate from thermally activated vortex hopping. The large magnetic noise at 24K indicates the presence of larger density of pinning sites with energies ∼0.061eV leading to enhanced magnetic fluctuations at temperatures much below TC.
Extract of Acanthopanax senticosus and Its Components Interacting with Sulfide, Cysteine and Glutathione Increase Their Antioxidant Potencies and Inhibit Polysulfide-Induced Cleavage of Plasmid DNA

Aqueous root extract from Acanthopanax senticosus (ASRE) has a wide range of medicinal effects. The present work was aimed at studying the influence of sulfide, cysteine and glutathione on the antioxidant properties of ASRE and some of its selected phytochemical components. Reduction of the 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,5-dihydro-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1H-imidazol-1-yloxy-3-oxide (●cPTIO) stable radical and plasmid DNA (pDNA) cleavage in vitro assays were used to evaluate antioxidant and DNA-damaging properties of ASRE and its individual components. We found that the interaction of ASRE and its two components, caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid (but not protocatechuic acid and eleutheroside B or E), with H2S/HS−, cysteine or glutathione significantly increased the reduction of the ●cPTIO radical. In contrast, the potency of ASRE and its selected components was not affected by Na2S4, oxidized glutathione, cystine or methionine, indicating that the thiol group is a prerequisite for the promotion of the antioxidant effects. ASRE interacting with H2S/HS− or cysteine displayed a bell-shaped effect in the pDNA cleavage assay. However, ASRE and its components inhibited pDNA cleavage induced by polysulfides. In conclusion, we suggest that cysteine, glutathione and H2S/HS− increase antioxidant properties of ASRE and that changes of their concentrations and the thiol/disulfide ratio can influence the resulting biological effects of ASRE.