Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigation of a Chemical Looping Combustion (CLC) Configuration with Gas Feed

Chemical looping combustion (CLC) is a promising novel combustion technology involving inherent separation of carbon dioxide with minimum energy penalty. An oxygen carrier is used to continuously transfer oxygen from the air reactor to the fuel reactor where the oxygen is delivered to burn the fuel. Consequently, direct contact between the air and the fuel is prevented. The resulting flue gas is rich in CO2 without N2 dilution. The reduced oxygen carrier is then transported back to the air reactor for re-oxidation purposes, hence forming a chemical loop. This dissertation presents studies conducted on a novel 10 kWth CLC configuration built to investigate a wide range of conditions. The system employs concept of interconnected bubbling fluidized beds using L-valves to control solid flow rate and loop-seals to maximize gas tightness. Hydrodynamics of solid circulation was investigated with a cold flow prototype and a high temperature pilot plant in a wide temperature range. A solid circulation model was developed based on the experimental results using the pressure balance principle. Hydrodynamic of the gas phase in the reactors was investigated through RTD studies. A hydrodynamic model was then developed based on the two phase model of bubbling fluidized beds. Methane Combustion was experimentally studied in the pilot plant using NiO/NiAl2O4 oxygen carriers. Good combustion performances and CO2 capture efficiency were achieved. A reactor model was finally developed using the previously developed hydrodynamic model of bubbling fluidized bed and adapting a reaction scheme
Book Reviews : Scientific Opportunities and Public Needs: Improv ing Priority Setting and Public Input at the National Institutes of Health. Institute of Medicine. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1998, 136 pages, $26.00

A student encountering decision analysis for the first time has to master two distinct sets of skills. First, there are the qualitative skills of problem identification and structuring: thinking about objectives and preferences, tracing the linkages between different decisions, identifying alternatives, and the like. Second, there are the quantitative skills of probability theory, utility assessment, Bayesian updating, expected value and expected utility calculation, sensitivity analysis, solution techniques for decision trees and influence diagrams, and others, presented in simple or advanced form as the students’ math-
Environmental Effects on Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti) Epicuticular Wax Deposition and Herbicide Absorption

Controlled environment experiments showed that velvetleaf plants grown under drought stress or low temperature (LT) treatments had greater leaf epicuticular wax (ECW) deposition compared to plants grown in soil with moisture at field capacity (FC) or a high temperature (HT) regime. Light intensity did not affect ECW deposition; however, increasing light intensity decreased the leaf ECW ester content and increased the secondary alcohol content. Plants grown at an LT regime or under FC had leaf ECW with fewer hydrocarbons and more esters than those grown at an HT or drought stress regime. Velvetleaf absorption of acifluorfen increased as light intensity decreased for plants grown in adequate soil water content, while the opposite was true for drought-stressed plants. Velvetleaf absorption of acifluorfen was approximately 3 and 10 times greater, respectively, with the addition of 28% urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) in comparison to crop oil concentrate (COC) or no adjuvant, regardless of the environmental treatments. Plants absorbed more acifluorfen when subjected to the LT regime in comparison to the HT regime when UAN was the adjuvant, while the opposite was true when COC was the adjuvant. Velvetleaf absorption of acifluorfen was not affected by drought stress when COC or no adjuvant was used and varied between studies when UAN was used. Velvetleaf absorption of bentazon was greatest for plants grown under HT/FC or high light/FC treatments and least with plants grown under HT/drought stress or low light/drought stress treatments, regardless of the adjuvant. However, bentazon absorption was higher with the addition of an adjuvant and for plants grown at a high light intensity or FC condition compared with medium to low light intensity or drought stress treatments. Nomenclature: Acifluorfen; bentazon; velvetleaf Abutilon theophrasti Medic. ABUTH.
Hierarchical nonlinear embedding reveals brain states and performance differences during working memory tasks

Investigation of the moment-to-moment changes in brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is an emerging field. However, one of the major problems is how to represent and evaluate these temporal relationships from the high-dimensional fMRI data. While many linear approaches have been proposed, nonlinear dimensionality reduction approaches may offer better solutions for these high-dimensional data. In this work, we propose a hierarchical, dimensionality reduction framework for time-synchronized fMRI data based on diffusion maps—a type of nonlinear embedding—labeled 2step diffusion maps (2sDM). For evaluation, we apply the framework to task fMRI during a working memory task for two large, independent datasets. By applying the embedding on the time domain, we show that our framework can detect brain states as defined by task blocks. By applying the embedding on the subjects domain, we show that subjects can be separated by their working memory performance. Together, these results show the promise of 2sDM as a nonlinear embedding framework for fMRI data.
Estimating the Effect of a Teacher Training Program on Advanced Placement® Outcomes

This study employs a potential outcomes modeling approach to estimate the causal effect of Code. orgâ€™s Professional Learning Program on Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles test taking and qualifying score earned for a recent cohort of 167 schools compared to a matched group of comparison schools. Results indicate substantial and significant increases in both Computer Science AP test taking and qualifying score earning for all students. In addition, the significant effects were even greater for Computer Science AP test taking and qualifying score earned by female and minority students when impact ratios are analyzed separately. This study provides evidence of a teacher training program that is having a significant and important impact on preparing more students to succeed in computer science and improve the future of computer science education in this country.Keywords: computer science, professional development, teacher training
Identification of NF-κB-Dependent Gene Networks in Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Infected Cells

ABSTRACT Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a mucosa-restricted virus that is a leading cause of epidemic respiratory tract infections in children. In epithelial cells, RSV replication activates nuclear translocation of the inducible transcription factor nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) through proteolysis of its cytoplasmic inhibitor, IκB. In spite of a putative role in mediating virus-inducible gene expression, the spectrum of NF-κB-dependent genes induced by RSV infection has not yet been determined. To address this, we developed a tightly regulated cell system expressing a nondegradable, epitope-tagged IκBα isoform (Flag-IκBα Mut) whose expression could be controlled by exogenous addition of nontoxic concentrations of doxycycline. Flag-IκBα Mut expression potently inhibited IκBα proteolysis, NF-κB binding, and NF-κB-dependent gene transcription in cells stimulated with the prototypical NF-κB-activating cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and in response to RSV infection. High-density oligonucleotide microarrays were then used to profile constitutive and RSV-induced gene expression in the absence or presence of Flag-IκBα Mut. Comparison of these profiles revealed 380 genes whose expression was significantly changed by the dominant-negative NF-κB. Of these, 236 genes were constitutive (not RSV regulated), and surprisingly, only 144 genes were RSV regulated, representing numerically ∼10% of the total population of RSV-inducible genes at this time point. Hierarchical clustering of the 144 RSV- and Flag-IκBα Mut-regulated genes identified two discrete gene clusters. The first group had high constitutive expression, and its expression levels fell in response to RSV infection. In this group, constitutive mRNA expression was increased by Flag-IκBα Mut expression, and the RSV-induced decrease in expression was partly inhibited. In the second group, constitutive expression was very low (or undetectable) and, after RSV infection, expression levels strongly increased. In this group, NF-κB was required for RSV-inducible expression because Flag-IκBα Mut expression blocked their induction by RSV. This latter cluster includes chemokines, transcriptional regulators, intracellular proteins regulating translation and proteolysis, and secreted proteins (complement components and growth factor regulators). These data suggest that NF-κB action induces global cellular responses after viral infection.
The Influence of Organic Acid Additive, Phytoadditive and Complex of Organic Acid Additive Phytoadditive on Pig Productivity, Meat Quality

A study was conducted to determine the efficiency of organic acids, phytoadditives and an organic acids and phytoadditive complex on pigs' growth processes and meat quality. Control group pigs (group 1) were fed with a complete ration (basic feed); the trial group pigs additionally received an organic acid additive (group 2), a phytoadditive (group 3), an organic acids and phytoadditive complex (group 4). The highest impact of 12% on the live weight gain of pigs was exercised by inclusion of the newly developed phytoadditive in the feed ration compared with the control group. The feed conversion ratio for pigs having received organic acid additives was by 4.2% higher, for animals having received the phytoadditive - by 8.1% and for animals having received a complex of both - by 7.45% higher than for the control group pigs where feed consumption was 3.09. The phytoadditive and the organic acids and phytoadditive complex as a pig feed supplement ensures a higher protein quality in muscle tissue, i.e., a higher nutritive value. The highest impact on the cholesterol level reduction in muscle tissue was exercised by the phytoadditive by 51.1 mg kg −1 in comparison with the control group.
INTRA- AND INTERSPECIFIC CHARACTERIZATIONS OF BURROW USE AND DEFENSE BY JUVENILE AMBYSTOMATID SALAMANDERS

We conducted two laboratory experiments with juveniles of Ambystoma opacum and A. maculatum to test for intra- and interspecific competition for burrows. Experiment 1 examined how the behavior of an intruder (i.e., an individual that enters an occupied burrow) was influenced by the presence of a resident salamander that had been placed in the test chamber 5 d earlier. In Experiment 2, we investigated patterns of cohabitation when salamanders were introduced singly, as conspecific pairs, or as heterospecific pairs during a 7-d test period. The results of these experiments indicate that (1) when maintained alone, juvenile A. opacum were observed more frequently outside of the burrow than were juvenile A. maculatum; (2) A. maculatum were more likely to enter unoccupied burrows compared to burrows that were occupied by conspecific or heterospecific salamanders; (3) A. maculatum intruders were bitten more frequently by resident A. opacum than by resident A. maculatum; (4) when two individual salamanders shared a burrow, A. maculatum were more likely to leave a cohabited burrow whereas use of shared burrows by A. opacum was not influenced by the presence of another salamander in the burrow. These experiments demonstrate that juvenile A. opacum may defend burrow space by excluding heterospecific salamanders. However, our results also indicate that species-specific behavioral differences may influence patterns of burrow use, which may reduce the importance of agonistic interactions under natural conditions.
Molecular Detection And Characterization of Phytoplasma Associated with Periwinkle

Phytoplasmas are cell wall-less, non-helical prokaryotes that colonize plant phloem and insects gut wall and are known to cause devastating losses in crops and natural ecosystems worldwide. Amplification and band of ∼1.8 kb and ∼ 1.25 kb was obtained with little leaf disease of periwinkle and parthenium phyllody samples, but not other phytoplasma suspected samples with the phytoplasma specific primer pairs P1/P7 and R16F2/R2 in first and second round PCR respectively confirming its phytoplasmal etiology. The partial sequence (GenBank accession: HQ127073) of 16S rRNA gene of the present isolate shared 99 per cent homology with reported Sugarcane yellow leaf phytoplasma isolate from Brazil belonging Candidatus phytoplasma asteris (Group 16Sr I-B) isolate. Evolutionarily closeness to subgroup 16SrI-B (‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’) and virtual RFLP Pattern similarity to 16SrI-B predict that the little leaf disease of periwinkle from Dharwad belongs to 16S rDNA I-B phytoplasma group.
Layered-Division-Multiplexing for High Spectrum Efficiency and Service Flexibility in Next Generation ATSC 3.0 Broadcast System

LDM, a non-orthogonal multiplexing technology, is one of the main innovations in ATSC 3.0, a next generation terrestrial TV broadcast system. This article gives a general overview of the LDM technology, its current applications in the ATSC 3.0 system, and its cost in terms of the required additional complexity. The transmission capacity benefit offered by LDM is explained by theoretical analysis and demonstrated by simulation results. An efficient implementation scheme is described with less than 15 percent complexity increase. New service coverage paradigms enabled by LDM are presented. Finally, more future innovative applications of LDM, along with their benefits and challenges, are introduced. These include using LDM for wireless in-band backhaul, combining LDM with scalable video coding, and the application of LDM in other future broadcasting and 4G/5G broadband systems.
Nitrogen fertilization as a component of integrated crop management of hot pepper (Capsicum spp.) under tropical lowland conditions

In field trials, treatments of hot pepper with various nitrogen application rates between 0 and 500 kg N/ha were combined with mulch treatments in factorialtrials carried out under tropicallowland conditions. Nutrient levels of leaves and fruits were analysed. Crop performance was monitored as plant height, branching and fruiting time, and crop health as incidence and severity of pests and diseases. Crop production was measured as yield of healthy fruits, mean weight of healthy fruits, and mid-harvesttime. In potexperiments in a growth chamber, effects of nitrogen application rates on severity of Cercospora leaf spot were studied. Nitrogen fertilization improved plant growth, but did not influence fruiting time. Increasing nitrogen application rates increased Cercospora leaf spot in growth chamber trials, and Cercospora leaf spot and anthracnose fruit rot in field trials. Negative correlations between nitrogen levels in leaves and incidence of blossom mould and thrips were found. Moderate nitrogen applica.
Estimating dispersal and gene flow in the neotropical freshwater turtle Hydromedusa maximiliani (Chelidae) by combining ecological and genetic methods

Hydromedusa maximiliani is a vulnerable neotropical freshwater turtle endemic to mountainous regions of the Atlantic rainforest in southeastern Brazil. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) was used to estimate the gene flow and dispersal for individuals inhabiting rivers and streams within a drainage. Nine primers generated 27 scoreable bands, of which 9 (33%) were polymorphic and produced 12 RAPD phenotypes. The gene flow estimates (Nm) among turtles inhabiting different rivers and streams were variable, ranging from 0.09 to 3.00 (mean: 0.60). For some loci, the rates of gene flow could offset population differentiation (Nm > 1), whereas for others random genetic drift could result in population divergence (Nm < 1). Since the genetic variation of this turtle seems to be structured according to the natural hierarchical system of rivers and streams within drainages, management programs involving translocations between different regions across the geographical range of H. maximiliani should be viewed with caution.
ACCLIMATION OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND PIGMENTS DURING AND AFTER SIX MONTHS OF DARKNESS IN PALMARIA DECIPIENS (RHODOPHYTA): A STUDY TO SIMULATE ANTARCTIC WINTER SEA ICE COVER1

The influence of seasonally fluctuating photoperiods on the photosynthetic apparatus of Palmaria decipiens (Reinsch) Ricker was studied in a year‐round culture experiment. The optimal quantum yield (Fv/Fm) and the maximal relative electron transport rate (ETRmax), measured by in vivo chl fluorescence and pigment content, were determined monthly. During darkness, an initial increase in pigment content was observed. After 3 months in darkness, ETRmax and Fv/Fm started to decrease considerably. After 4 months in darkness, degradation of the light‐harvesting antennae, the phycobilisomes, began, and 1 month later the light harvesting complex I and/or the reaction centers of PSII and/or PSI degraded. Pigment content and photosynthetic performance were at their minimum at the end of the 6‐month dark period. Within 24 h after re‐illumination, P. decipiens started to accumulate chl a and to photosynthesize. The phycobiliprotein accumulation began after a time lag of about 7 days. Palmaria decipiens reached ETRmax values comparable with the values before darkness 7 days after re‐illumination and maximal values after 30 days of re‐illumination. Over the summer, P. decipiens reduced its photosynthetic performance and pigment content, probably to avoid photodamage caused by excess light energy. The data show that P. decipiens is able to adapt to the short period of favorable light conditions and to the darkness experienced in the field.
Multiplex panels of polymorphic microsatellite loci for two cryptic bat species of the genus Pipistrellus , developed by cross-species amplification within the family Vespertilionidae

The paper presents multiplex panels of polymorphic microsatellites for two closely related cryptic species Pipistrellus pipistrellus and Pipistrellus pygmaeus . We tested the crossspecies amplification of 34 microsatellite loci, originally developed for five vespertilionid bat species. Ten and nine polymorphic loci in P . pipistrellus (mean number of alleles per locus = 10.5) and P . pygmaeus (8.1), respectively, in three multiplex polymerase chain reactions per species were amplified. All loci can be analysed in a single fragment analysis and can be used as markers to the study of evolution and the ecology of structured populations of socially living bats.
The Karoo Thrush (Turdus smithi Bonaparte 1850), a southern African endemic

The Olive Thrush (Turdus olivaceus) species complex is characterised by striking geographical phenotypic variation. Recent consensus has been to recognise three assemblages (1) the olivaceus group restricted to southern Africa, (2) the swynnertoni group of the Zimbabwean and southern Malawi highlands and (3) the abyssinicus group of the montane highlands of eastern and central Africa. We re-examined the status of taxa in the olivaceus group of southern Africa, with specific reference to the central-western taxon T. o. smithi using both morphological and molecular evidence. Sequence divergence between T. o. smithi and other members of the olivaceus group averages 3.5% for the cytochrome-b gene and 4-4.5% for the NADH sub-unit 3 gene of the mitochondrial DNA. There is also both morphological (biometric and plumage) and molecular support for the recognition of T. smithi as a separate species, the common name of which we suggest should be Karoo Thrush.
Demographic characterization, inbreeding and genetic variability within Sanfratellano population horse from genealogical data

RIASSUNTO Analisi dei dati genealogici per la caratterizzazione demografica della popolazione cavallina Sanfratellana: consanguineità e variabilità genetica - E’ stato analizzato un pedigree composto da 1587 individui di cui 482 maschi e 1105 femmine nati tra il 1968 ed il 2000. A partire da questo pedigree sono stati calcolati: l’intervallo di generazione (L), il numero effettivo della popolazione (Ne), la varianza del numero della progenie σκ2, l’incremento di consanguineità per generazione (∆F) ed il numero di fondatori equivalenti (fe). Due prioritarie necessità sono emerse: 1) il mantenimento della variabilità genetica puntando a minimizzare l’incremento della consanguineità per generazione e 2) la messa a punto di una corretta gestione tra maschi e femmine al fine di massimizzare l’indice di conservazione genetica (fe) e minimizzare l’incremento di consanguineità per generazione (∆F).
Changing professional service archetypes in a law firm using Process Orientated Holonic (PrOH) Modelling

ABSTRACT This paper gives an in depth action research case study on how organisational change has been implemented in a medium-sized law firm in the UK (Higgs & Sons). The Canonical Action Research process was followed and a specific novel type of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) known as Process Oriented Holonic (PrOH) Modelling was used to define systemic problems, support knowledge-based decision-making and implement change. This study found that as a result of increased competition, Higgs & Sons successfully transformed some of its services from a “professional partnership (P2)” delivery style towards having greater “managed professional business” (MPB) characteristics, but found that not all of its services were suited to this change, and that different types of service styles were necessary on a service by service basis. Practical changes and implications are discussed in the context of Pinnington and Morris’ (2003) “professional partnership” (P2) and “managed professional business” (MPB) archetype template.
Physicochemical characterisation of mung bean (Phaseolus aureus) protein isolates

Protein isolates were prepared from mung bean (Phaseolus aureus) flour by two different methods, ie by traditional alkaline water extraction/isoelectric precipation and by micellisation, and studied with regard to chemical composition and protein fractional distribution. Micellisation decreased the phytic acid content, whereas the ‘isoelectrical’ isolate preparation resulted in an increase in phytic acid. Using size exclusion liquid chromatography (SE-HPLC) and analytical ultracentrifugation, it has been shown that the major protein component in both isolates is a 7S globulin, which was most enriched in the micelle isolate. The results of one- and two-dimensional SDS gel electrophoresis give evidence for the absence of interchain disulphide bonds in the polypeptide chains, which are typical for the 7S globulin class. The presence of minor protein zones corresponding to disulphide-linked α and β chains of 11S globulin-like storage proteins in the protein isolates has also been shown. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry