Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Automated Localization and Classification of Expressway Pole-Like Road Facilities from Mobile Laser Scanning Data

Mobile LiDAR is an emerging advanced technology for capturing three-dimensional road information at a large scale effectively and precisely. Pole-like road facilities are crucial street infrastructures as they provide valuable information for road mapping and road inventory. Thus, the automated localization and classification of road facilities are necessary. This paper proposes a voxel-based method to detect and classify pole-like objects in an expressway environment based on the spatially independent and vertical height continuity analysis. First, the ground points are eliminated, and the nonground points are merged into clusters. Second, the pole-like objects are extracted using horizontal cross section analysis and minimum vertical height criteria. Finally, a set of knowledge-based rules, which comprise height features and geometric shape, is constructed to classify the detected road poles into different types of road facilities. Two test sites of point clouds in an expressway environment, which are located in Bangkok, Thailand, are used to assess the proposed method. The proposed method extracts the pole-like road facilities from two datasets with a detection rate of 95.1% and 93.5% and an overall quality of 89.7% and 98.0% in the classification stage, respectively. This shows that the algorithm could be a promising alternative for the localization and classification of pole-like road facilities with acceptable accuracy.
Analysis of Torque Ripple of a Spoke-Type Interior Permanent Magnet Machine

This paper investigates the theoretical reasons behind the low torque ripple of a fractional-slot concentrated-winding (FSCW) spoke-type interior permanent-magnet (IPM) machine obtained via a genetic algorithm-based optimization. To better understand the torque performance of the IPMM, this paper uses the frozen permeability method to segregate the overall torque into four components—magnet torque, reluctance torque, cogging torque, and the torque caused by cross-magnetization. Equations and detailed procedures of the torque separation method are discussed in the paper. Analysis of the separated torque components reveals that the counteraction between ripples of different torques leads to the low torque ripple. At high-load conditions, the magnetic saturation alters the torque ripples caused by cross-magnetization to offset ripples of other components resulting in minimization of the overall torque ripple. A detailed parametric analysis of the geometric parameters was carried out to understand their effect in producing minimum torque ripple in the optimized design. In the end, a prototype was built and used for the verification of the torque separation method and the analytical findings based on it.
Research on Partial Least Squares Method Based on Deep Confidence Network in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Partial least squares method has many advantages in multivariate linear regression modeling, but its internal cross-checking method will lead to a sharp reduction of the principal component, thereby reducing the accuracy of the regression equation, and the selection of principal components about the traditional Chinese medicine data is particularly sensitive. This paper proposes a kind of partial least squares method based on deep belief nets. This method mainly uses the deep learning model to extract the upper-level features of the original data, putting the extracted features into the partial least squares model for multiple linear regression and evading the problem that selects the number of principal components, continuously adjusting the model parameters until satisfied well-pleased accuracy condition. Using Dachengqitang experimental data and data sets in the UCI Machine Learning Repository, the experimental results show that the partial least squares analysis method based on deep belief nets has good adaptability to TCM data.
Strawberry fungal diseases

Strawberry (Fragariaananassa Duchesne) fungal diseases cause considerable economic losses in crop areas all over the world. strawberry diseases can be divided into two classes: in one group we include those caused by soil-borne pathogens and in the other the diseases caused by aerial pathogens. Among the soil-borne pathogens we found primarily species of Phytophthora and Rhizoctonia and belonging to the second group the species of Colletotrichum, Botrytis cinerea, Sphaerotheca macularis and Zythia fragariae. Disease control depends on the correct pathogen identification, the use of pathogen-free transplants, control of fungi and sanitation measurements. Soil-borne pathogens may be controlled by soil disinfestations, by systemic fungicides and under some conditions by soil and water management. Application of control measures must be based on the knowledge of disease etiology, epidemiology, and on a cognizance of the pathogen life cycle.
An examination of the P requirements of broiler breeders for performance, progeny quality and P balance 1. Non-Phytate Phosphorus.

A 40-wk study was performed to assess the effects of reduced dietary Non-Phytate Phosphorus (NPP) on broiler breeder performance, progeny quality and P balance. Seven hundred Cobb 500 chicks were reared according to Cobb guidelines (Cobb-Vantress, 2005) and transferred to a production house at 21 wk. At 24 wk, 285 birds were switched over to one of five experimental diets (5 groups of 57) that differed only in NPP. Phosphorus levels ranged from 0.2% to 0.4% NPP in 0.05% increments; and corresponded to a daily intake of 288, 360, 432, 504 and 576 mg at peak. Production performance, egg quality, breeder and progeny skeletal quality, hatchability, progeny weight and P retention were monitored throughout the experimental period. Results show that total egg production, egg number, age at sexual maturity and egg weight were not negatively effected by lowering NPP levels to 0.20% (288 mg/day). Shell quality, though statistically impacted by NPP level, remained at high levels for all treatments (above 1.081). Reproductively, reduced dietary NPP did not negatively impact hatchability or subsequent progeny performance. Day old progeny wt and progeny bone quality were not significantly different from the breeders fed different NPP intake. Breeder tibia ash and relative strength was impaired at 0.20% NPP. The % total P (TP) retention showed a negative linear response with increasing dietary NPP, although absolute P retained increased with increasing dietary NPP. The amount of P deposited into the egg was not different among the treatment groups. Results appear to indicate that 360 mg NPP/day at peak (0.25% NPP) is sufficient for breeder hen performance, progeny 1 d wt and progeny skeletal quality. Breeder hens are able to maintain their performance by mobilizing bone reserves to meet the demands of egg formation and utilize dietary sources to replenish these reserves.
Crosstalk and spatiotemporal regulation between stress-induced MAP kinase pathways and pheromone signaling in budding yeast

ABSTRACT Budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been widely used as a model system to study cellular signaling in response to internal and external cues. Yeast was among the first organisms in which the architecture, feedback mechanisms and physiological responses of various MAP kinase signaling cascades were studied in detail. Although these MAP kinase pathways are activated by different signals and elicit diverse cellular responses, such as adaptation to stress and mating, they function as an interconnected signaling network, as they influence each other and, in some cases, even share components. Indeed, various stress signaling pathways interfere with pheromone signaling that triggers a distinct cellular differentiation program. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for this crosstalk are still poorly understood. Here, we review the general topology of the yeast MAP kinase signaling network and highlight recent and new data revealing how conflicting intrinsic and extrinsic signals are interpreted to orchestrate appropriate cellular responses.
Carob pulp inclusion in lamb diets: effect on intake, performance, feeding behaviour and blood metabolites

Carob (Ceratonia siliqua) is commonly found in the Mediterranean region and may be used as an alternative feed resource in livestock production. However, carob contains plant secondary compounds, such as polyphenols, which limit its use due to potential toxicity problems. This study aimed to investigate whether the substitution of barley by carob pulp at a relatively high level of up to 35% causes production-level reduction and has detrimental effects on animal welfare. Lamb performance parameters such as feed intake, liveweight and carcass weight were recorded and feeding behaviour was monitored. Blood metabolites and protein profiles were determined to detect signs of metabolic distress. The inclusion of carob pulp resulted in similar level of performance by animals in all the experimental diets. However, the feeding pattern was different with feed intake being significantly lower during the first 90 min post feed supply in the carob-fed lambs compared with the Control animals, although total daily intake was similar. In terms of welfare indicators, the inclusion of carob pulp in the lambs’ diet reduced blood cholesterol while increasing both non-esterified fatty acid and urea levels. These indicate that the animals were probably under some form of metabolic stress but not at a level to cause concerns, as confirmed by the similar serum protein profile especially in terms of albumin to globulins ratio.
EXTENSIVE INTRASPECIFIC MORPHOLOGICAL VARIATION IN ENTEROMORPHA MUSCOIDES (CHLOROPHYTA) REVEALED BY MOLECULAR ANALYSIS

Enteromorpha muscoides (Clemente y Rubio) Cremades and E. clathrata Roth (Greville) are morphologically variable species that can easily be distinguished from other Enteromorpha species but not from each other. The key morphological character separating the two species is the presence or absence of spine‐like branches: E. muscoides has small spine‐like branches throughout the thallus, whereas E. clathrata lacks spines. The spiny branches in E. muscoides are not as obvious in summer as in winter, so summer samples may be difficult to distinguish from those of E. clathrata. In this study, molecular data were used to investigate whether these two species, as defined by morphological characters, might be conspecific. The sequences of the internal transcribed spacers ITS1 and ITS2 and the 5.8S gene differed by 0%–0.6% between all samples of both E. muscoides and E. clathrata. Phylogenetic analysis of these sequences in an alignment with 13 other representatives of both Enteromorpha and Ulva showed that this highly supported monophyletic E. muscoides/E. clathrata clade is separated by long branch lengths from other Enteromorpha and Ulva clades. Based on these results, we suggest that Enteromorpha muscoides (Clemente y Rubio) Cremades and Enteromorpha clathrata Roth (Greville) are conspecific, with the older name E. muscoides taking priority.
Adapting to climate change: the case of snow-based tourism in Afriski, Lesotho

ABSTRACT Climate change poses significant challenges to the tourism sector, with snow-based tourism particularly threatened. Snow-based tourism is largely dependent on adaptation, including snowmaking practices and product diversification. In the global south, the limited snow-based tourism products face similar challenges to the global north, but with significantly higher vulnerability and lower adaptive capacity. By making use of a questionnaire survey and personal in-depth interviews this paper examines adaptation mechanisms and the perceptions held by tourists and managers at Afriski, Lesotho. While Afriski already implements adaptive mechanisms, considering the current global environmental change projections for southern Africa, greater adaptive action is necessary.
Nematode‐induced galls in Miconia albicans: effect of host plant density and correlations with performance

The study of nematodes parasitizing native plants plays a crucial role in understanding plant–pathogen interactions. In the present study we describe the patterns of attack by an undescribed species of Ditylenchus occurring in Miconia albicans (Melastomataceae), a widespread, native shrub from the Brazilian cerrado. We also tested the hypothesis that nematode-induced leaf galls negatively correlate to host plant performance and that gall density is a function of host plant density. We collected paired healthy and attacked shoots from 28 individuals of M. albicans and estimated the leaf area lost to nematode-induced galls in up to 10 leaves per shoot. We analyzed the relationships between leaf area lost to nematode galls and reproductive traits. Nematode attack levels were also compared to the spatial distribution of the host plant. Inflorescence length and fruit production were significantly reduced in attacked shoots compared with healthy shoots. Seeds from attacked shoots showed no significant reduction in germinability or germination time when compared with seeds collected from healthy shoots. Gall density was positively correlated with host density. Despite being seldom studied in tropical ecosystems, nematodes may play an important role in plant fitness and in structuring tropical communities.
The role of the major histocompatibility complex and the Leukocyte receptor complex genes in susceptibility to tuberculosis in a South African population

Tuberculosis (TB) disease results in approximately 2 million deaths annually and is the leading cause of death due to a single infectious agent. Previous studies have indicated that host genetics play an important role in the development of TB. This together with pathogen and environmental factors intensifies the complexity of this disease. The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) and Leukocyte Receptor Complex (LRC) comprise several genes which are known to be important modulators of the host immune response. The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class-I genes of the MHC are involved in the presentation of pathogenic antigens on the surfaces of infected cells, while the killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) of the LRC are involved in the recognition of self and non-self cells. Natural Killer (NK) cells through their KIRs are thus able to kill non-self cells through recognition of the class-I molecules expressed. Additionally, HLAs and KIRs are extremely polymorphic and differ markedly across populations of different ethnicities. Here we studied these genes and their polymorphisms in the South African Coloured (SAC) population to determine their involvement in susceptibility to TB, susceptibility to disease caused by specific Mycobacterium tuberculosis subtypes, and understanding their ancestral contribution to the SAC with regards to the development of TB. We showed that the KIR3DS1 gene and KIR genotypes with five or more activating KIRs, and the presence of 3DS1, protected against the development of active TB in the SAC population. Several HLA class-I alleles were identified as susceptibility factors for TB disease. With regards to genes of the MHC and LRC, several loci were found to alter susceptibility to TB in the SAC population, including MDC1, BTNL2, HLA-DOA, HLA-DOB, C6orf10, TAP2, LILRA5, NCR1, NLRP7 and the intergenic regions between HLA-C/WASF5P and LAIR1/TTYH1. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za
POLLINATION SUCCESS IN A DECEPTIVE ORCHID IS ENHANCED BY CO-OCCURRING REWARDING MAGNET PLANTS

It has been debated whether pollination success in nonrewarding plants that flower in association with nectar-producing plants will be diminished by competition for pollinator visits or, alternatively, enhanced through increased local abundance of pollinators (the magnet species effect). We experimentally evaluated these effects using the nonrewarding bumblebee-pollinated orchid Anacamptis morio and associated nectar-producing plants at a site in Sweden. Pollination success (estimated as pollen receipt and pollen removal) in A. morio was significantly greater for individuals translocated to patches of nectar-producing plants (Geum rivale and Allium schoenoprasum) than for individuals placed outside (∼20 m away) such patches. These results provide support for the existence of a facilitative magnet species effect in the interaction between certain nectar plants and A. morio. To determine the spatial scale of these interactions, we correlated the visitation rate to flowers of A. morio with the density of sym.
Emerging strategies in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of chlamydial infections

Chlamydial infections cause a spectrum of diseases affecting millions of individuals worldwide. Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common sexually transmitted bacterium and the causative agent of trachoma, the leading cause of preventable infectious blindness in the world. The unique intracellular life-cycle and the chronic, persistent nature of chlamydial infections have hindered efforts to develop optimal diagnostic, preventive and treatment strategies for these pathogens. The reported association of C. pneumoniae with atherosclerosis and adult onset asthma suggests that these organisms may play an important role in the aetiology of chronic diseases. Treatment options involving new classes of antibiotics or new versions of existing antibiotics that may provide greater specificity and utility for long-term use against chlamydiae are much needed. In addition, new combinations of therapies are needed to manage existing chronic conditions and at the same time to alleviate any role that chlamydiae could be playing in these conditions. Novel strategies that address these shortcomings are apparent in recent research efforts. This review summarises patent claims of emerging strategies to diagnose, prevent and treat chlamydial infections. In addition, current efforts to develop suitable vaccine candidates are highlighted.
Studies on Energy Levels in Poultry Rations. 1. The Effect of Calorie-Protein Ratio of the Ration on Growth, Nutrient Utilization and Body Composition of Chicks

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION GROWTH rate feed consumption, body composition and feathering of broiler chickens have been shown to be influenced by the ratio of energy to protein content of the ration (Baldini and Rosenberg, 1955; Combs and Romoser, 1955; Combs et al., 1955a, b; Donaldson et al., 1955, 1956; Leong et al., 1955; Matterson et al., 1955; Scott et al., 1955; and Sunde, 1956). More recently, similar observations have been made in studies with turkey rations. Lockhart and Thayer (1955) reported that poults grew best when fed a starting ration having a Calorie-protein ration4 of 29:1. Ferguson et al. (1956a) in dicated that the optimum Calorie-protein ratio for the turkey poult to eight weeks of age was between 25 and 31:1. In close agreement with this work is that of Atkinson et al. (1956) which indicates that up to eight weeks, the poult requires a protein level of 30 to 32% with .
Genetic diversity of bean (Phaseolus) landraces and wild relatives from the primary centre of origin of the Southern Andes

The Southern Andes, especially the inter-Andean valleys of south Bolivia, is thought to be a probable point of domestication within the primary centre of diversity for Andean common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The national Phaseolus germplasm collection of Bolivia is maintained by the Pairumani Foundation and consists of 449 accessions where most of the accessions are of common bean but some are of related cultivated and wild species. The goal of this study was to determine the genetic diversity of this collection by sampling 174 accessions of P. vulgaris and an outgroup of eight Phaseolus augusti, two Phaseolus lunatus and one Phaseolus coccineus genotype. The genetic diversity and population structure were estimated using 29 microsatellite markers. High levels of polymorphism were found, with a total of 311 alleles identified and an average of 10.7 alleles per marker. Correspondence analysis and an unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean-based dendrogram distinguished P. vulgaris from the other species of Phaseolus. Common bean accessions were separated into two groups: the first one including Andean controls and most accessions from high altitudes with morphological characteristics and growth habits typical of this gene pool; the second one including Mesoamerican controls and accessions from low altitudes. Inside the Andean gene pool, the wild accessions were diverse and separated from the weedy and cultivated accessions. Low geographical distances between collection sites (up to 100 km) were shown to be related to low genetic distances. These results are important for the conservation of common beans in the Southern Andes.
Age- and sex-related characteristics of the increasing trend of nontuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease in a tertiary hospital in South Korea from 2006 to 2016

Background/Aims The incidence rate of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) is increasing worldwide. However, data regarding the age- and sex-specific epidemiology of NTM-PD are limited. This study aimed to investigate the long-term epidemiologic trends of NTM-PD within the recent 11-year period in a tertiary referral hospital in Korea. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of the patients diagnosed with NTM-PD between January 2006 and December 2016 at Severance Hospital, South Korea. Results There were 1,017 incident cases with NTM-PD during the study period. The mean age was 62.7 years, and 41.2% were men. Women were younger than men (59.9 years vs. 66.7 years, p < 0.001) and a higher proportion of women had bronchiectasis (88.6% vs. 77.1%, p < 0.001). The incidence rates of NTM-PD annually increased by 14% (95% confidence interval, 10% to 19%) from 1.2 in 2006 to 4.8 in 2016 (per 100,000 patients-year). The peak incidence rate was in the 50s for women and in the 70s for men, except for those aged ≥ 80 years. Mycobacterium avium complex was the most common causative species of NTM-PD (63.6%). Conclusions The incidence rate of NTM-PD in a tertiary referral hospital in South Korea continued to increase from 2006 to 2016. Furthermore, there were age- and sex-related differences in the clinical characteristics, which might contribute to understanding the nature of the disease and inherited and acquired host factors.
Effect of processing on starch digestibility in some legumes — An in vitro study

The effect of processing treatments on the rate of starch digestibility in three legumes, viz., bengal gram (Cicer arietinum L.), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and green gram (Vigna radiata) was studied using an in vitro dialysis system. The processes studied were fermentation, germination, pressure cooking and roasting. The released sugars measured as glucose equivalents after 3 h digestion were expressed as digestibility index (DI). All the processing treatments except roasting, increased the rate of starch digestibility in all the three legumes. Subsequent cooking of the germinated/fermented legumes lead to a further increase in starch digestibility. The results of the study indicate that `slow release' property of legumes is heat labile and that loss of this property is independent of macro-nutrient and starch content.