Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of a mixture of herbal extracts on broiler chickens infected with Eimeria tenella

The effect of dietary supplementation with Apacox (Apa-CT, s.r.l. Italy), a commercial preparation of herbal extracts, on the performance of broiler chickens experimentally infected with 6 × 10 4 sporulated oocysts of Eimeria tenella at 14 days of age, was evaluated. A total of 150 day- old Cobb-500 chicks separated into 5 equal groups with three replicates each, were used. Two of the groups, one challenged with E. tenella oocysts and the other not, were given a basal diet and served as controls. The remaining groups that were also challenged with E. tenella were administered a basal diet supplemented with Apacox at levels of 0.5 or 1.0 g·kg-1 or the anticoccidial lasalocid at 75 mg·kg -1 . Throughout the experimental period from day 1 to day 35, performance parameters including body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, mortality, caecal lesion score, bloody diarrhoea and oocyst output were recorded. Dietary supplementation with Apacox attained higher body weight gain and lower feed conversion ratio values than the non-supplemented challenged control group. The lasalocid and the non-challenged control groups exhibited body weight gain and feed conversion ratio values that did not significantly differ from each other, and were better than in the Apacox groups. Bloody diarrhoea was observed in all challenged groups except for the Apacox group at the dose of 1.0 g·kg -1 diet, where it was milder and the lasalocid group where it was very weak. The mortality in the challenged control group was 23.4% whereas in the Apacox group at the dose of 1.0 g·kg-1, 13.4%. The caecal lesion scores of the Apacox groups were not significantly different from that of the challenged control group. The numbers of oocysts per bird in the Apacox groups were lower than that in the challenged control group but higher than that in the lasalocid group. These results indicate that Apacox exerted a coccidiostatic effect against E. tenella. This effect was, however, significantly lower than that exhibited by lasalocid. broiler chickens / herbal extracts / coccidiosis / performance / Eimeria tenella
EVALUATION OF CORN HYBRIDS UNDER CONTRASTING WATER AVAILABILITY CONDITIONS

The current study aimed to assess adaptability and stability of corn hybrids regarding grain yields when sown in three different seasons in the Brazilian cerrado. The research was carried out at the Experimental Farm of the IF Goiano, campus in Ceres GO. Pre-sowing fertilization was made with 20 kg ha of nitrogen, 150 kg ha of phosphorus and 80 kg ha of potassium (04-30-16 formulation). Data were analyzed in a random block experimental design. We assessed tem corn hybrids (Truck, Fórmula, P30F53, P3646H, P30F35H, AGN 30A77H, AGN 30A37H, AG 8088PRO, DKB 390 and DKB Bi9440) in three sowing seasons (Nov. 18, 2011; Jan. 31, 2012 and Feb. 20, 2012) with three replications. Harvests were held on Apr. 4, 2012; Jun. 10, 2012 and Jul. 1, 2012. Each hybrid were assessed on yielding; and a graphical analysis was made to contrast hybrids and sowing seasons regarding stability and adaptability. Results showed a significant effect of the interaction between hybrids and sowing times. Therefore, we may state that the best hybrid in an environment would not be necessarily good in another. Thereby, we can infer that drought and corn genetic variability have diverse behaviors in each season. Over the two-dimensional graphics generated by GGE Biplot method, we observed an increased adaptability of AGN 30A77H when sown on Nov. 18, 2011 and on Jan. 31, 2012, followed by Fórmula; however, for P30F35H, it was on Feb. 20, 2012.
Women’s social networks in resettlement areas: The case of Metema resettlement site, Ethiopia

THIS STUDY IS designed to understand the existing formal and informal social networks among re-settlers in Ethiopia. Its main purpose is to explore the extent and gender implications of women’s participation in different social networks. The study aims to identify options for enhancing the role and sustainability of these social networks for promoting agricultural innovation in the Metema resettlement site in Ethiopia. Using multistage sampling procedure, the study is based on the selection of 2 out of 18 Peasant Associations (PAs) in the district, and on a random sample of 160 households. The results show significant variations between previous and recent settlers, and between male and female headed households in terms of membership in different social networks. Relatives, friends and neighbors are the most important source of information and mutual support; and of influential networks in the adoption and diffusion process in the study area. The study recommends for government and NGOs to provide genuine support to social networks, to strengthen their organization, and to promote community based self help groups.
Control and numerical approximation of the wave and heat equations

In recent years important progress have been done in the context of numerical approximation of controllability problems for PDEs. It is by now well known that, often, numerical approximation schemes that are stable for solving initial-boundary value problems, develop instabilities when applied to controllability problems. This is due to the presence of spurious high frequency numerical solutions that the control mechanisms are not able to control uniformly as the mesh-size tends to zero. However, the theory is far from being complete. In this article we present some new results in this framework for the wave and the heat equations, which also raise a number of open questions and future directions of research. We first prove that a two-grid method, introduced by R. Glowinski, that is by now well-known to guarantee convergence for the 1 - d wave equation, also converges in the semilinear setting for globally Lipschitz nonlinearities. This result provides a further evidence of the robustness of the two-grid method. We then show that boundary controls for finite-difference space semi-discretizations of the heat equation converge when applied all along the boundary of the domain, a fact that does not hold for wave-like equations. This confirms that the strong irreversibility of the heat equation enhances the control properties of its numerical approximation schemes. This result fails when the control is restricted to some subsets of the boundary because of the lack of unique continuation of some high frequency eigenvectors of the underlying discrete eigenvalue problem.
Design Of Microstrip Patch Array Antenna For Ku-band Applications

For satellite communications terminals, this paper deals with the design of a Micro strip Patch Array Antenna for KU-band applications that resonates at 12.3 GHz respectively. The substrate used for design is ARLON AD300N and the software used for simulation is Agilent ADS Momentum. This design expressed the array antenna in 8-element.It approach their corresponding results are validated based on their antenna parameters like VSWR, gain, directivity and power radiated and so on. One of the microstrip antennas MSA arrays achieved a radiation efficiency of 100%, which is among the best reported efficiencies for this resonating frequency and class of antennas.
A Video Zero-watermark Algorithm Based on the Contourlet Transform

A video zero-watermark algorithm is proposed based on Contourlet transform, which has been hailed as the "real" tool to capture the geometric structure of the two-dimensional signal. The algorithm uses Contourlet transform to deal with each frame image of the original video, and select the low frequency coefficients to construct the zero-watermark. The experimental results show that the algorithm makes the imperceptibility and robustness have a good compromise and can resist MPEG compression and other common video attack effectively.
Role of free volume in strain softening of as-cast and annealed bulk metallic glass

Plasticity in amorphous alloys is associated with strain softening, induced by the creation of additional free volume during deformation. In this paper, the role of free volume, which was a priori in the material, on work softening was investigated. For this, an as-cast Zr-based bulk metallic glass (BMG) was systematically annealed below its glass transition temperature, so as to reduce the free volume content. The bonded-interface indentation technique is used to generate extensively deformed and well defined plastic zones. Nanoindentation was utilized to estimate the hardness of the deformed as well as undeformed regions. The results show that the structural relaxation annealing enhances the hardness and that both the subsurface shear band number density and the plastic zone size decrease with annealing time. The serrations in the nanoindentation load-displacement curves become smoother with structural relaxation. Regardless of the annealing condition, the nanohardness of the deformed regions is ∼12–15% lower, implying that the prior free volume only changes the yield stress (or hardness) but not the relative flow stress (or the extent of strain softening). Statistical distributions of the nanohardness obtained from deformed and undeformed regions have no overlap, suggesting that shear band number density has no influence on the plastic characteristics of the deformed region.
Spectrographic Analysis of the Acoustical Properties of Selected Vowels in Choral Sound

The purposes of this study were (1) to categorize examples of vowel sounds by means of subjective evaluation, (2) to ascertain by spectrographic analysis the distinguishing characteristics of the acoustical properties of the examples in the categories, (3) to determine the similarities and dissimilarities which exist within and between the categories, and (4) to analyze the implications of the findings for the teaching of choral singing.
Measurement of soil resistance by using a horizontal penetrometer working with the two-argument comparative method.

Currently, the interest in land is high and is increased by in relation to the increasing need for livelihood of the population. Therefore, the need for land use to increase its potential production while ensuring a sustained recovery of agricultural systems still exists. The aim of this publication is to test the measurement of the soil resistance impact at different levels of humidity using a newly designed type of a measuring device - a horizontal penetrometer. The measurements were carried out under field conditions by average soil moisture of 8.47% and 14.24%, on the basis of the two parameters comparative method by using a horizontal penetrometer. The proposed measuring device measured the soil resistance in the tire track and outside of the track after five passages of the tractor. Measuring and recording devices to capture the measured values were also designed. From the results, we can indicate that the soil resistance after each passage increases and we also observed that after the first passage, the soil resistance increased by about 48.1% compared to the initial soil resistance. The average soil bulk density corresponds proportionally with the soil resistance increases in both the absolute and relative terms, depending on the number of tractor passages. It is possible to conclude that the newly designed measuring device is working properly and can be used for all types of tractors equipped with a three-point hitch with the tire tread width of 1,000 -2,000 mm. The measurement results will be utilized in mapping of the actual conditions of soil environment.
HAZGRIDX: earthquake forecasting model for ML≥ 5.0 earthquakes in Italy based on spatially smoothed seismicity

We present a five-year, time-independent, earthquake-forecast model for earthquake magnitudes of 5.0 and greater in Italy using spatially smoothed seismicity data. The model is called HAZGRIDX, and it was developed based on the assumption that future earthquakes will occur near locations of historical earthquakes; it does not take into account any information from tectonic, geological, or geodetic data. Thus HAZGRIDX is based on observed earthquake occurrence from seismicity data, without considering any physical model. In the present study, we calculate earthquake rates on a spatial grid platform using two declustered catalogs: 1) the Parametric catalog of Italian earthquakes (Catalogo Parametrico dei Terremoti Italiani, CPTI04) that contains the larger earthquakes from MW 7.0 since 1100; and 2) the Italian seismicity catalogue (Catalogo della Sismicita Italiana, CSI 1.1) that contains the small earthquakes down to ML 1.0, with a maximum of ML 5.9, over the past 22 years (1981-2003). The model assumes that earthquake magnitudes follow the Gutenberg-Richter law, with a uniform b-value. The forecast rates are presented in terms of the expected numbers of ML>5.0 events per year for each grid cell of about 10 km × 10 km. The final map is derived by averaging the earthquake potentials that come from these two different catalogs: CPTI04 and CSI 1.1. We also describe the earthquake occurrences in terms of probabilities of occurrence of one event within a specified magnitude bin, DM0.1, in a five year time period. HAZGRIDX is one of several forecasting models, scaled to five and ten years, that have been submitted to the Collaboratory for the Study of Earthquake Probability (CSEP) forecasting center in ETH, Zurich, to be tested for Italy.
Automatic extracting event-related potentials within several trials using Infomax ICA algorithm

This study presents a new method for automatic extracting event-related potentials (ERP) within several trials based on independent component analysis (ICA). After mixed data is decomposed by Infomax ICA, independent component (IC) of ERP is automatically selected according to the standard deviation of fixed temporal pattern of IC, and applied in ERP reconstruction. Visual evoked potential extraction, used to confirm effectiveness of algorithm, can be obtained automatically after 6 trials on experimental data, and result of its Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) within the average of 205 trials (standard signal) is 0.9106. However, PCC of average result of 6 trials within standard signal is only 0.3066, demonstrating practical applicability of proposed method. This algorithm enhances objectivity of ERP extraction within several trials.
GEM-AQ/EC, an on-line global multi-scale chemical weather modelling system: model development and evaluation of global aerosol climatology

Abstract. A global air quality modeling system GEM-AQ/EC was developed by implementing tropospheric chemistry and aerosol processes on-line into the Global Environmental Multiscale weather prediction model – GEM. Due to the multi-scale features of the GEM, the integrated model, GEM-AQ/EC, is able to investigate chemical weather at scales from global to urban domains. The current chemical mechanism is comprised of 50 gas-phase species, 116 chemical and 19 photolysis reactions, and is complemented by a sectional aerosol module CAM (The Canadian Aerosol Module) with 5 aerosols types: sulphate, black carbon, organic carbon, sea-salt and soil dust. Monthly emission inventories of black carbon and organic carbon from boreal and temperate vegetation fires were assembled using the most reliable areas burned datasets by countries, from statistical databases and derived from remote sensing products of 1995–2004. The model was run for ten years from from 1995–2004 with re-analyzed meteorology on a global uniform 1° × 1° horizontal resolution domain and 28 hybrid levels extending up to 10 hPa. The simulating results were compared with various observations including surface network around the globe and satellite data. Regional features of global aerosols are reasonably captured including emission, surface concentrations and aerosol optical depth. For various types of aerosols, satisfactory correlations were achieved between modeled and observed with some degree of systematic bias possibly due to large uncertainties in the emissions used in this study. A global distribution of natural aerosol contributions to the total aerosols is obtained and compared with observations.
Ações de valor e de crescimento no Brasil: riscos e retornos de carteiras uni e bidimensionais em diferentes estados da economia

For empirical purposes, value stocks are usually defined as those traded at low price-to-earnings ratios (stock prices divided by earnings per share), low price-to-book ratios (stock prices divided by book value per share) or high dividend yields (dividends per share divided by stock prices). Growth stocks, on the other hand, are traded at high price-to-earnings ratios, high price-to-book ratios or low dividend yields. Academic research so far produced, international and Brazilian alike, shows that value stocks outperform growth stocks, challenging the Efficient Market Hypothesis, which states that the market prices of traded stocks are the best estimate of their intrinsic values. Most studies use a single ratio to sort stocks on percentiles; risks (generally defined as beta or standard deviations) and returns are then calculated for the resulting value and growth portfolios. In the present paper, we aim to further contribute to the growing literature on the field by applying a method not previously tested on the Brazilian market. We build portfolios sorted by the price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios alone and by a combination of both in order to assess value and growth stocks' risks and returns on the Brazilian stock market between 1989 and 2009. Furthermore, our risk analysis may be regarded as the paper's main contribution, since its approach departs from conventional risk concepts, as we not only test for beta: portfolios' returns are measured under different economic conditions. Results support a pervasive value premium in the Brazilian stock market. Risk analysis shows that this premium holds under every economic condition analyzed, suggesting that value stocks are indeed less risky. Beta proved not to be a satisfactory risk measure. Portfolios sorted by the price-to-earnings ratio yielded the best results.
Economic Growth and the Economic Historians

The problem of explaining the causes of modern economic growth looms large in the economic history literature. The twelve-fold increase in the material standard of living since the industrial revolution, but that is only enjoyed by a small fraction of the world’s population, is the central observation in the …eld. Since the pioneering work of Colin Clark and Simon Kuznets, empirically and theoretically informed economic historians have attempted to measure, locate, and explain the causes of modern economic growth. The results have been mixed. This paper is a survey of the various methods employed. The literature is characterized by the failure of empirical studies grounded in neoclassical theory to explain the mechanism by which growth occurs. This failure has resulted in a shift to searching for the necessary conditions required for growth to occur.
Tunnel junction thermometry and thermalisation of electrons

OF DOCTORAL DISSERTATION AALTO UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY P.O. BOX 11000, FI-00076 AALTO http://www.aalto. fi Author Tommy Holmqvist Name of the dissertation Manuscript submitted December 15 2009 Manuscript revised March 1 2010 Date of the defence 9 April Article dissertation (summary + original articles) Monograph Faculty Department Field of research Opponent(s) Supervisor Instructor Abstract
Binary Ni-Nb bulk metallic glasses

We studied the glass forming ability of Ni–Nb binary alloys and found that some of the alloys can be prepared into bulk metallic glasses by a conventional Cu-mold casting. The best glass former within the compositional range studied is off-eutectic Ni62Nb38 alloy, which is markedly different from those predicted by the multicomponent and deep eutectic rules. The glass formation mechanism for binary Ni–Nb alloys was studied from the thermodynamic point of view and a parameter γ* was proposed to approach the ability of glass formation against crystallization.
Millora de la precisió en l'estudi del moviment humà a partir de les dades del Kinect

[CATALA] L'objectiu d'aquest projecte es la millora de les dades resultants de les captures del dispositiu Kinect, mes concretament les obtingudes representant el cos huma. El proposit principal es fer l'eina mes precisa i aixi poder augmentar els seus camps de treball.
Theoretical and experimental exploration of finite sample size effects on the propagation of surface waves supported by slot arrays

The authors wish to acknowledge financial support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) of the United Kingdom, via the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Metamaterials (Grant No. EP/L015331/1). R.R. B. and F.M. acknowledge financial support from the Spanish MINECO (Grant No. TEC2013-41913-P) and the Spanish Junta de Andalucia (Grant No. P12-TIC-1435).
On the Roles of Information in the Interaction of Agents in Markets

Markets are rich environments for study. Two features in particular make them attractive settings for the study of the roles of information. First, they are often characterized by a significant amount of uncertainty, an essential ingredient for information to be relevant. Second, strategic interactions abound.Each chapter of this dissertation uses a different `lens' so as to focus on particular roles of information in strategic market settings. First, information is considered in its pure `aid to decision-making' role, in which agents use it to improve their decisions, not only based on the expected future conditions but also on the expected actions of the other agents which in turn depend on the information they are likely to hold. Second, information is considered in its `influencer' and `coordinator' roles. It can be used to influence the decisions of agents which will in turn affect the welfare of the original transmitters, while increasing overall market coordination. Finally, information is considered in its `homogenizer' role, in the sense that actions and preferences may become more similar after its repeated use and subsequent transmission. The purpose of this study is to propose, document and estimate mechanisms by which information fulfills these specific roles in actual market settings.This dissertation is organized in the following way. Chapter 1 analyzes the use of information acquired by decision-makers in a strategic context. Chapter 2 introduces the layer of the information transmitter as a separate strategic entity, who may have different interests from those of the receivers. Finally, Chapter 3 considers the case where the same agents are simultaneously receivers, users and transmitters of information.These scenarios are analyzed in well-defined market contexts. Chapter 1 looks at the role of information in the production and capacity decisions of DRAM producers. I estimate the precision of market information used by firms in the DRAM industry, implicit in the patterns and accuracy of their actions. The value of information is estimated as well as its impact on the decisions of the firms. Chapter 2 investigates advertising between firms and consumers in a market for a search good. It is shown that even if firms have an interest in providing biased information through advertising, it is still possible for it to convey credible content that may be useful to consumers. In addition it is shown that the precision of information delivered is sparser as the quality of the product or service in question decreases. Finally, Chapter 3 analyzes the context of online movie ratings and estimates how the opinions of consumers shape the opinions of subsequent consumers, ad infinitum. It is estimated that roughly half of the consumers' valuations for movies is a function of the valuations of other consumers who have had a chance to rate the movie earlier. A sensitivity analysis of how some extreme initial ratings influence consumer valuations is performed, revealing considerable effects.