Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In vitro predation of pure bacterial species by rumen protozoa from monofaunated sheep, determined by qPCR

Predation of bacteria has important implications on rumen microbial ecology and metabolism. The predation rate of bacteria by protozoa in vitro was studied by bacterial DNA quantification. Entodinium caudatum (EC), Diplodinium dentatum (DD) and Metadinium medium (MM) from monofaunated sheep rumen contents were incubated with two pure cultures of bacteria: the fibrolytic Ruminococcus albus (Ra) and the amylolytic Streptococcus bovis (Sb). Total bacterial and protozoal numbers were counted in the media by microscopy, and concentration of Ra, Sb and total bacterial DNA was measured in the protozoal fraction as an index of predation. No differences (P>0.10) were observed in the proportion of DNA from Ra in the different protozoal fractions, but MM predated a higher amount of total bacteria than EC (P=0.045). Proportion of Ra and Sb in the protozoal fraction agrees with that in the medium, precluding selective predation. Protozoal fraction from EC showed a higher (P=0.018) proportion of Sb DNA and a lower amount of total bacterial DNA than MM (P 0.10), suggesting that the predation rate of each protozoa was similar to the intracellular digestion rate.
The role of orthography in (apparent) L2 dialect acquisition

This paper investigates the role of orthographic representation in the production of the local variant of the STRUT vowel in the speech of Polish migrants living in Manchester. A previous study (Drummond 2013) showed that acquisition of the local variant depended on various social factors, yet this only took into account conversation data, leaving some word list data unexplored. Comparing the two data sets reveals a difference in degree of acquisition, with the word list data producing more of the local vowel. This is explained not as a case of dialect acquisition as such, but more as an effect of orthography triggering a connection to the L1 phonology, the particular nature of which mimics acquisition of the local variant.
Production and fate of transparent exopolymer particles in the ocean

[1] The production and fate of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) have been investigated in various oceanic regions (tropical, temperate, and polar), from the sea surface microlayer (SML) to the deep ocean. Accumulation of TEP within the mixed layer was observed even in the absence of phytoplankton blooms, indicating abiotic processes are important in TEP production. The abiotic TEP aggregation rates measured in the tropical and temperate North Pacific and the Arctic Ocean averaged between 8 and 12 μmol C L−1 d−1. Depth profiles from under sea ice in the Arctic revealed the highest TEP concentrations, potentially released by sympagic algal activity at the bottom of the sea ice. The aggregation rates in the SML, the interfacial layer between the ocean and atmosphere, were generally enhanced over those in the bulk surface waters by factors of 2 to 30. This finding further strengthens a developing consensus on the gelatinous nature of the SML, which will also affect microbial life, light penetration, and surface wave properties. We present a conceptual model implying that abiotic aggregation is an important factor for TEP production in the ocean, in particular in sea surface microlayers, while consumption by zooplankton and protists recycle TEP, providing a new pool of dissolved precursor material. Overall, TEP is recycled within the water column through heterotrophic grazing and degradation, providing a new pool of TEP precursor materials, while enhanced aggregation rates of TEP in the SML indicates the importance of this thin surface film in the marine carbon cycle.
Effect of subclinical uterine infection on plasma amino acid concentrations in early lactation dairy cows

This study examined the effect of sub-clinical endometritis (scEndo) in early lactation on plasma amino acid (AA) concentrations of dairy cattle (n = 46). On D21 and D42 postpartum cows were classified as having scEndo or Clean based on uterine cytology; >18% polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells amongst uterine nucleated cells. On D21 and D42, 35% and 7% of cows respectively were classified as having scEndo, with a large proportion of scEndo cows having self-resolved the infection by D42. Plasma serine concentrations were higher (P <0.03) in scEndo compared to Clean cows irrespective of day postpartum. Independent of uterine status, three AA altered (P <0.05) in concentration between D21 and D42. The effect of change in uterine status from D21 to D42 resulted in decreased (P =0.05) concentrations of three AA in cows that resolved infection. The use of a lower cut-off to define scEndo (4% vs 18%PMN) identified four AA, instead of three AA at 18% that differed over time. Thus, during the early postpartum period, the concentrations of a number of AA change (P <0.05) irrespective of uterine health. However, scEndo is associated with an increase in plasma serine and a decrease in the concentration of several AA when a uterine infection is resolved.
UvA-DARE ( Digital Academic Repository ) Public agility and change in a network environment

Preparing for change is increasingly core business for governmental organisations. The networked society and the increasing connectedness of governmental organisations have as much impact on the complexity of the change process as the complexities of the corpus of law. Change is not only driven by changes in the law; changes in the organisation’s environment often create a need to redesign business processes, reallocate roles and responsibilities, and reorder tasks. Moreover, preparations for change are not limited to the internal processes and systems of these organisations. Propagation of changes to network partners and redesign of network arrangements can be an enormous challenge. In the AGILE project, we develop a design method, distributed service architecture, and supporting tools that enable organisations — administrative and otherwise — to orchestrate their law-based services in a networked environment. This paper explains the Agile approach and describes some of its key principles.
Experimental Analysis of Ecomomic Action Level of Tomato Leafminer, Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) on Tomato Plant under Open Field

Tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) is considered to be one of the major pests of tomato crop in Ethiopia. In tomato, economic impact is caused by larval which feeding leaves and fruits. Information on tomato leafminer economic injury levels (EILs) and economic thresholds (ETs) is relatively limited. Studies were conducted during 2015 to 2017 to determine EILs and ETs on open field is required for more effective management. The results from the current studies significant (P<0.05) differences were observed among the treatments during the study periods. T. absoluta was highly infested the untreated control as compared with protected treatment. The mean value of marketable yield loss to the cost of insecticide application at one larva/plant was 3.61% and from untreated control was obtained 77.91% during 2015/16. Similarly, during 2016/17 at one larva/plant and untreated control marketable yield loss were observed 5.57% and 81.61%, respectively. The highest yield loss was observed at unsprayed control (24,577.84 kg/ha) followed by five larvae/plant (10,587 kg/ha) during 2015/16 while during 2016/17 the highest yield loss also observed in untreated control (26,593.08 kg/ha) followed by five larvae/plant. From this study the economic injury level of T. absoluta was 3.82 larvae per plant. Therefore, based on economic injury level, the economic threshold level was determined as at 2.87 larvae per plant.
Status and Interrelation of Trace Minerals and Steroid Hormones in Heifers

| The aim of the present study was to evaluate the serum trace mineral and steroid hormone status in heifers and to find interrelation among them. Thirty crossbred heifers (Holstein Friesen X local non-descript) were divided into three groups on the basis of age viz. group A (12-18 months), group B (18-24 months) and group C (24-30 months) and each group was having ten animals (n=10) each. Serum trace minerals were estimated by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and steroid hormones (estrogen and progesterone) by radio immuno assay. Overall mean±SE of copper, iron, zinc and manganese in heifers was found to be 0.59±0.20, 1.32±0.57, 0.93±0.38 and 0.18±0.03 ppm respectively. Most of the trace minerals were in deficient range when compared with critical levels. Overall mean±SE of estrogen and progesterone in heifers was 18.34±2.28 pg/mL and 0.83±0.21 ng/mL respectively. Copper showed non-significant (p>0.05) decrease whereas iron showed non-significant (p>0.05) increase with increase in age. Zinc and manganese showed significant (p<0.05) decrease with age. Serum estrogen significantly (p<0.05) increased with increase in age whereas serum progesterone decreased non-significantly (p>0.05) with increase in age. Positive and significant (p<0.05) correlations were noted between most of the trace minerals and steroid hormones. This may be due to involvement of trace minerals in steroid hormone synthesis through metalloenzymes or cofactors. Hence supplementation of trace minerals can improve animal health and reproductive efficiency by minimizing mineral deficiency and favouring steroid hormone synthesis.
Revealing the Photodissociation Region: HST/NICMOS Imaging of NGC 7027

We report results from a Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and Near-Infrared Camera and Multiobject Spectrometer (NICMOS) program to study the distribution of hot neutral (molecular hydrogen) and ionized circumstellar material in the young planetary nebulae NGC 7027. HST/NICMOS provided very high spatial resolution imaging in line and continuum emission, and the stability and large dynamic range needed for investigating detailed structures in the circumstellar material. We present dramatic new images of NGC 7027 that have led to a new understanding of the structure in this important planetary nebula. The central star is clearly revealed, providing near-infrared fluxes that are used to directly determine the stellar temperature very accurately (T⋆ = 198,000 K). It is found that the photodissociation layer as revealed by near-infrared molecular hydrogen emission is very thin (ΔR ~ 6 × 1015 cm) and is biconical in shape. The interface region is structured and filamentary, suggesting the existence of hydrodynamic instabilities. We discuss evidence for the presence of one or more highly collimated, off-axis jets that might be present in NGC 7027. The NICMOS data are combined with earlier Hubble Space Telescope data to provide a complete picture of NGC 7027 using the highest spatial resolution data to date. The evolutionary future of NGC 7027 is discussed.
The impact of synchronizing drivers breaks and recharging operations for electric vehicles

Electric commercial vehicles (ECVs) are gaining importance as they are seen to provide a sustainable mean of transportation. However, practitioners still see ECVs as less competitive compared with internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), especially in mid-haul operations where ECVs have to be recharged en route. In this paper we study the influence of hours of service (HOS) regulations on operational planning tasks of ECVs and ICEVs in mid-haul transportation. We introduce the electric vehicle routing problem with truck driver scheduling and present a mixed integer program as well as an adaptive large neighborhood search for the solution of large-size instances. We first compare the competitiveness of ECVs against ICEVs for the current state of the art in mid-haul transportation without considering HOS regulation, before we secondly analyze the impact of EU respective US HOS regulations on route patterns and costs of both vehicle types. We show, that HOS regulations affect the competitiveness of both ECVs and ICEVs and prove that synchronizing recharging and driver breaks helps to increase the competitiveness of ECVs. Cost savings of up to 20% can be achieved if ECVs are used instead of ICEVs.
tHE StRuCtuRE oF SoCIAL tRuSt In PoSt-InDuStRIAL CItIES oF CEntRAL AnD EAStERn EuRoPE

Despite numerous publications and empirical studies devoted to social trust as an abstract concept, it still arouses considerable controversy in scientific discourse. This controversy stimulates new theoretical reflection and empirical research devoted to this notion. It has also inspired this article whose main cognitive objective is to determine the structure of trust attitudes in post-industrial cities under study, i.e. to capture similar and different coincidences among the main forms of this phenomenon. The methodological objective of the article is to examine the consistencies and inconsistencies among the three basic forms of trust (generalized, horizontal and vertical) and the directions of relationships among them. Therefore, in addition to presenting the results of the level of social trust in the studied cities, an important part of this article will be capturing coincidences occurring among the three basic forms of trust, which will play an important role in future empirical research methodology. Demonstrating significant coherence of attitudes among the three mentioned forms, will provide an argument in favor of their use for designing more synthetic indexes, while the lack of such consistency would suggest some restraint in such proceedings.
An Empirical Investigation of Agency Costs and Ownership Structure in Unlisted Small Businesses

The study uses panel data to investigate agency costs, both principal-agent (PA) and principal-principal (PP), in 240 small businesses not listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange. Results show that both forms of agency cost vary according to industry, the life of the business and size. The results indicate that the degree of owner involvement in the business influences firm PA and PP agency costs. Moreover, this study finds non-linear relationship between agency costs and ownership structure align with convergence of interest hypothesis and managerial entrenchment hypothesis. It is noted that the distortion between equity returns and debt returns gives rise to a preference for quasi-equity and distorts the productive base and effective pricing of risk. The analysis indicates there is considerable variability in the burden of agency cost and that this raises the potential for regulatory and policy reforms that may enhance the productivity and growth in the sector.
Just try to see it human, see it human”: A Humanistic Psychological Reading to the Machiavellian Businessman in Arthur Miller‟s All My Sons

This paper argues that Miller’s all My Sons(1947) shows how the cultural factors represented by politics, economics and social powers create characters who have certain Machiavellian features that can be explained by modern psychological theories. Instead of endeavoring to achieve their self-realization or actualization, these modern Machiavellian characters have lost their way and their human potentiality and become self-alienated. Arthur Miller’s All My Sons (1947) has insightfully captured the disastrous effects of capitalism and cultural factors on his character. Miller’s play demonstrates the influence of the modern increasing needs and the different strategies of coping with anxieties caused by the competitive capitalist society. The villainy of his businessman is seen more pity than contempt. The characters are defeated as society is defeated by the competitive spirit which brings out the worst in men and by the commercialism which perverts or hampered the traditional values. By applying a psychological approach of Abraham Maslow and Karen Horney’s theories, this study aims to explore how Miller depicts the psychological sources of Machiavellian personality, the dynamics of inner conflict and the strategies that arise when character’s bargain is threatened. This study applies Machiavellian personality theory that concentrates on the sense of Machiavellianism in modern time.
lets: A Reflective Framework for Enabling AmI

An interesting new application domain for handheld devices may be represented by Ambient Intelligence (AmI), where they can be used as intermediaries between us and our surrounding environment. Thus, mobile devices, which always accompany us, will behave as electronic butlers who assist us in our daily tasks, by interacting with the smart objects (everyday objects augmented with computational services) in our whereabouts. In order to achieve such goal, this paper proposes an AmI-enabling framework providing two main functions: a) facilitate the development and deployment of smart objects and b) transform mobile devices into universal remote controllers of those smart objects.
A Singularity Free MoM-Type of Formulation Using the Dipole-Moment-Based Approach (Invited Paper)

In this work we present a new physics-based approach for formulating MoM problems based on the use of dipole moments (DMs) — as opposed to the conventional Green's functions. The proposed technique is valid over the entire frequency range without any need for special treatments and is also free of singularities associated with the Green's function. The DM approach can be used equally well to both PEC and Dielectric objects. We also introduce certain refinements to the DM method to improve its computational efficiency like the use of higher-order basis functions, combining the DM with the Characteristic Basis Function Method (CBFM), the use of closed-form expressions for the calculation of interaction matrix elements and employing Fast Matrix Generation (FMG) for electrically large problems. We also demonstrate ways to incorporate lumped loads, capture sharp resonances even at low frequencies, calculate the input impedance of small antennas, calculate fields from irregular geometries; from faceted surfaces; from geometries with slot and slit; and also demonstrate the capability to model microstrip line type of geometries with fine features.
Reconstruction of the Magnetic Particle Imaging System Matrix Using Symmetries and Compressed Sensing

Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is a tomographic imaging technique that allows the determination of the 3D spatial distribution of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. Due to the complex dynamic nature of these nanoparticles, a time-consuming calibration measurement has to be performed prior to image reconstruction. During the calibration a small delta sample filled with the particle suspension is measured at all positions in the field of view where the particle distribution will be reconstructed. Recently, it has been shown that the calibration procedure can be significantly shortened by sampling the field of view only at few randomly chosen positions and applying compressed sensing to reconstruct the full MPI system matrix. The purpose of this work is to reduce the number of necessary calibration scans even further. To this end, we take into account symmetries of the MPI system matrix and combine this knowledge with the compressed sensing method. Experiments on 2D MPI data show that the combination of symmetry and compressed sensing allows reducing the number of calibration scans compared to the pure compressed sensing approach by a factor of about three.
on CMS information server CMS CR-2017 / 263 The Compact Muon Solenoid Experiment

Among the many challenges arising from the high luminosities of the HL-LHC is the impact of increased hit rates in the cathode strip chambers of the CMS endcap muon system. These chambers detect muons as part of the CMS muon trigger, and their data is used offline for muon track reconstruction. Neutrons (both fast and thermal) induce background hits via nuclear interactions and capture, followed by gamma emission and (mainly) Compton scatter off electrons that subsequently ionize the chamber gas. This note presents recent efforts to improve the understanding of such neutron-induced background through detailed comparison of CMS pp collision data and GEANT4 simulation. Presented at EPS-HEP2017 EPS Conference on High Energy Physics Study of neutron-induced background hits in the CMS endcap muon system Abhigyan Dasgupta∗† University of California, Los Angeles E-mail: abhigyan.dasgupta@cern.ch Among the many challenges arising from the high luminosities of the HL-LHC is the impact of increased hit rates in the cathode strip chambers of the CMS endcap muon system. These chambers detect muons as part of the CMS muon trigger, and their data is used offline for muon track reconstruction. Neutrons (both fast and thermal) induce background hits via nuclear interactions and capture, followed by gamma emission and (mainly) Compton scatter off electrons that subsequently ionize the chamber gas. This note presents recent efforts to improve the understanding of such neutron-induced background through detailed comparison of CMS pp collision data and GEANT4 simulation. EPS-HEP 2017, European Physical Society conference on High Energy Physics 5-12 July 2017 Venice, Italy ∗Speaker. †on behalf of the CMS Muon Group c © Copyright owned by the author(s) under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). https://pos.sissa. it/ Neutron background hits in the CMS muon system Abhigyan Dasgupta
A System for Analysis of Code on Cloud as an Educational Service to Students

Yung-Hsiang Lu is an associate professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and (by courtesy) the Department of Computer Science of Purdue University. He is an ACM distinguished scientist and ACM distinguished speaker. He is a member in the organizing committee of the IEEE Rebooting Computing Initiative. He is the lead organizer of the first Low-Power Image Recognition Challenge in 2015, the chair (2014-2016) of the Multimedia Communication Systems Interest Group in IEEE Multimedia Communications Technical Committee. He obtained the Ph.D. from the Department of Electrical Engineering at Stanford University.
A New Perceptual Mapping Model Using Lifting Wavelet Transform

Perceptual mappingapproaches have been widely used in visual information processing in multimedia and internet of things (IOT) applications. Accumulative Lifting Difference (ALD) is proposed in this paper as texture mapping model based on low-complexity lifting wavelet transform, and combined with luminance masking for creating an efficient perceptual mapping model to estimate Just Noticeable Distortion (JND) in digital images. In addition to low complexity operations, experiments results show that the proposed modelcan tolerate much more JND noise than models proposed before
Knowledge sharing networks and performance

The present investigation aims to analyse the relationship between knowledge sharing behaviours and performance. The former behaviours were studied using Social Network Analysis, in an attempt to characterise knowledge sharing networks. Through identification of central individuals in these networks, we made analysis of the association between this centrality and individual performance. A questionnaire was developed and applied to a sample of workers in a Portuguese organisation (N=244). The final conclusions point to a positive association between these behaviours and individual performance.
Public and private choice in UK health insurance

Many parts of the public sector coexist with private provision of similar services and in such circumstances we may expect to find interaction between public and private choices. Quality of publicly provided services will be a central influence on decisions whether to make use of private substitutes and use of private substitutes will feed back into attitudes towards the level of public spending. In this paper we present evidence using the British Social Attitudes Survey to show that individual take up of private medical insurance inhibits support for spending on the public health sector. Such effects have been shown to be appreciable and allowance for the joint determination of insurance decisions and attitudes magnifies the size of the estimated effects.