Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of the soil macrofauna community under silvopastoral and agrosilvicultural systems in Amazonia

Summary In the Brazilian Amazon region, millions of hectares of forest land have been converted into cattle pastures and then been abandoned. Agroforestry is a potential option for the transformation of in parts degraded lands into productive agricultural systems. The re-establishment of a diversified soil macrofauna can help in the process of recuperation of the often compacted soil structure of the pastures. The soil macrofauna community was studied during the rainy season in four different agroforestry systems near Manaus in Central Amazonia: 1. a high-input silvopastoral system (ASPh), 2. a low-input silvopastoral system (ASPl), 3. a palm based system with four tree crop species (AS1) and 4. a high-diversity tree crop system with ten tree crop species (AS2), plus a spontaneous fallow for comparison. The sampling method recommended by the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Programme was used. The highest diversity of fauna groups was observed in the ASPh and ASPl where trees were associated with the leguminous cover crop, Desmodium ovalifolium. The cover crop exerted a favorable effect on the soil fauna presumably by maintaining the soil moist and shaded and providing litter as a substrate. Of the 15 soil fauna groups that were found in all systems, four were absent from AS1. Within the AS2 system a significantly greater density of the soil fauna was observed under peach palm (Bactris gasipaes) and cupuacu (Theobroma grandiflorum) (3107 and 524 ind.m−2, respectively) than under the other three tree species. The soil under peach palm and cupuacu also tended to have a higher number of soil fauna groups. In AS1, the soil under peach palm had a higher fauna density than the soil under cupuacu, probably caused by the abundant residues of the heart of palm harvest on the soil. The earthworm biomass was particularly high in AS1. Under cupuacu approximately 7 times more earthworms were found in AS1 (17.9) than in AS2 (2.4). The study of the macrofauna community, including both the litter layer and the superficial soil layers, allows to identify the plant species/management combinations which favour the increase of the diversity of the invertebrates.
Comparative Energy Analysis of a Load Sensing System and a Zonal Hydraulics for a 9-Tonne Excavator

With the rising demand for energy efficiency, displacement-controlled or so-called pump-controlled systems have become an attractive research topic for applications in construction machinery and other off-road vehicles. Pump-controlled systems can be implemented with electro-hydrostatic actuators as electro-hydraulic zones, which are located next to the end actuator as a replacement for the traditional valve-controlled hydraulic actuation systems. In this paper a 9-tonne class excavator is utilized as a study case. A mathematical model of the conventional machine, validated with tests carried out on both the excavator and the single hydraulic components, was previously developed within the Simcenter AMESim© environment. This mathematical model was modified with electric components for simulating a zonal hydraulics excavator and compared with a conventional load sensing (LS) machine. The energy efficiencies of both the LS circuit and the new solution were evaluated for typical duty cycles, pointing out the obtainable energy efficiency improvements, which were mainly due to the absence of the directional valves and pressure compensators. The results also point out the effect of the pipe losses when the circuit layout requires the pipe for connecting the pump with the actuator; moreover, the effect of a diesel engine downsizing on the energy saving was evaluated.
Chemical Characteristics and Palatability of Molecular Species of Triacylglycerol Obtained from Japanese Black Cattle Body Fat

中性脂肪（TG）の分子種分画が，牛肉の脂肪融点と食味に及ぼす影響を明らかにするために，黒毛和種牛肉および腹腔内脂肪からTG分子種分画を調製し，その化学的性質と食感を調べた．TGから，飽和脂肪酸（SFA）3分子からなる分子種分画（SSS），飽和脂肪酸とモノ不飽和脂肪酸（MUSFA）が2 : 1の分画（SSM），および1 : 2の分画（SMM），ならびにMUSFA3分子からなる分画（MMM）が得られた．SSSは白色粉末として得られ，融点は57. 3～61.2℃であり，口の中で溶解せず，不快なザラザラした食感を呈した．SSMは室温では白色固形で，融点は27. 0～27.7℃であり，口の中ですぐに溶解した．SMM分画は，室温では液体であり，融点は8. 2～12.7℃であった．MMMは4℃では液体であり，融点は－12.2～－10.0℃であり，食感は水様で脂肪の後味が残らなかった．抽出した筋肉内脂肪にSSSおよびMMMを添加したところ，融点は1％当りSSSで2. 73℃上昇し，MMMで0. 71℃低下した．
Benchmarking the Performance and Energy Efficiency of AI Accelerators for AI Training

Deep learning has become widely used in complex AI applications. Yet, training a deep neural network (DNNs) model requires a considerable amount of calculations, long running time, and much energy. Nowadays, many-core AI accelerators (e.g., GPUs and TPUs) are designed to improve the performance of AI training. However, processors from different vendors perform dissimilarly in terms of performance and energy consumption. To investigate the differences among several popular off-the-shelf processors (i.e., Intel CPU, NVIDIA GPU, AMD GPU, and Google TPU) in training DNNs, we carry out a comprehensive empirical study on the performance and energy efficiency of these processors1 by benchmarking a representative set of deep learning workloads, including computation-intensive operations, classical convolutional neural networks (CNNs), recurrent neural networks (LSTM), Deep Speech 2, and Transformer. Different from the existing end-to-end benchmarks which only present the training time, We try to investigate the impact of hardware, vendor's software library, and deep learning framework on the performance and energy consumption of AI training. Our evaluation methods and results not only provide an informative guide for end users to select proper AI accelerators, but also expose some opportunities for the hardware vendors to improve their software library.
On the solutions of the fractional Bratu’s problem

Abstract The ultimate aim of the article is to apply an efficient semi-analytical method for the approximate solution of the fractional differential equations of Bratu–type. A Laplace Decomposition Method (LDM), which is a combination of Laplace transform and a Decomposition Method, is implemented for the nonlinear fractional Bratu problem that is complemented with initial and boundary conditions. The nonlinear term is decomposed and a recursive algorithm is composed for the determination of the proposed infinite series solution. A patching strategy, based on domain decomposition, is suggested to overcome a deficiency of the LDM. Some examples are selected to explicate the effectiveness and simplicity of the proposed technique. The results assure that this scheme is speedily convergent and quite accurate by which it approximates the solution using only few iterates of its iterative scheme.
The post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina: Social capital and pro-social behaviour

This paper investigates how social capital contributes to the pro-social behaviour of individuals in a post-conflict environment. I simultaneously investigate the pro-social behaviours in the periods of crisis (floods) and normality and observe whether (structural and relational) social capital has important influences in these two different times. The main novelty of this approach is that I model individuals' pro-social behaviours jointly for both the periods in focus and treat them as systematic outcomes of observed and unobserved (endogenous) influences. I find that more pro-social activities in the normal times are positively associated with such activities in the crisis period. Additionally, the results reveal the importance of (structural) social capital on pro-social behaviour – namely, group membership, size and ethnic structure of individual networks matter. Of particular interest for this post-conflict society and related literature is that greater ethnic diversity of individual networks is supportive for pro-social engagement of citizens. Finally, among the observed economic influences, I find that the respondents working in the informal economy report more pro-social activities while formal employment works more as financial intermediary for these engagements.
Preparation and Characterization of Waterborne Polyurethane/Cellulose
Nanocrystal Composite Membrane from Recycling Waste Paper

Cellulose plays a key role in abundant organic natural materials meeting the increasing demand for green and biocompatible products. The highly crystalline nanoscale component of cellulose nanocrystals has recently attracted great attention due to the versatile performance as filler or matrix in producing functional materials. In this work, we prepared the waterborne polyurethane via a prepolymer process, and obtained cellulose and cellulose nanocrystals from waste paper via a facile acid hydrolysis process. After that, the cellulose nanocrystals were assembled into film and mixed with polyurethane to prepare flexible polyurethane/cellulose nanocrystals composite membrane with different soaking time. The correlation between the bulk structure and applied properties including thermal resistance and mechanical property was investigated by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and folding test. The structure analysis indicates that cellulose nanocrystals prepared from used paper have a quality similar to that of commercial cellulose. Meanwhile, the cellulose nanocrystals have been mixed with polyurethane uniformly. Polyurethane can significantly benefit to the thermal resistance and mechanical property of the cellulose nanocrystals film. The polyurethane/cellulose nanocrystals composite membrane present good flexibility and may hold a significantly potential application as visual and flexible material.
NASICON Electrodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries

The incessantly growing demand for energy storage is attracting the researcher’s attention to develop consistent, effective, and ecologically harmless electrochemical systems for energy storage. Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) are emergent as one of the utmost efficient large‐scale systems for energy storage due to the great accessibility of raw sodium resources and their cost-effective assets. Sodium Super Ionic Conductor (NASICON) electrodes-based materials have offered an opportunity precisely for SIBs as a next-generation energy storage device because of their unique properties. NASICON electrodes have been extensively proven to demonstrate enhanced and miscellaneous features for SIBs in terms of high rate competence, flexible battery structures, long cycling life, and high specific capacity, due to their outstanding characteristics such as high charge carrier mobility, excellent mechanical strength, high theoretical ability, high electronic conductivity, and large surface area. This chapter summarizes the important advancement accomplished on NASICON-based electrodes for application in SIBs, including both cathodes and anodes over the past decade. Furthermore, this chapter also focuses on the new challenges and commercial demand for SIBs and some perspectives on the use of NASICON-based electrodes for future SIB applications.
Perception of English Intonation by Japanese Learners of English

This study investigated the extent to which Japanese learners of English (JLE) correctly perceived English intonation contours (falling, rising, falling-rising), and whether training could improve their performance. The influence of an acoustic cue (duration) on learners’ perception errors (confusions), especially for rising contour, was also explored. In total, 245 JLE completed a forced-choice intonation identification task. To examine the influence of the durational cue, some stimuli were manipulated by shortening the duration between the onset and the starting point of pitch rise in a stressed syllable. Analysis of the performance of JLE in terms of correct identification rate and perception errors revealed that falling tones were easiest to perceive correctly, followed by rising and then falling-rising tones. These differences across the three contours remained unchanged after training. While confusions were also observed between rising and falling-rising contours, correct identification of rising contour increased significantly for manipulated rising stimuli—that is, JLE exhibited sensitivity to duration in distinguishing rising from falling-rising contours, indicating that durational cues may cause perceptual confusion of rising and falling-rising contours.
Robustness: A Key to Evolutionary Design

Why bother about robustness? Engineers wish to create systems that are both functional and robust. Robustness is the ability of a system to maintain its functionality across a wide range of operational conditions. Different conditions arise, for example, from environmental variation, input perturbation, sloppiness of system components, and subversion (e.g., computer viruses). In the life sciences, robustness has been an implicit theme for more than a century. For instance, biologists have long understood mechanisms of thermoregulation that enable homeothermic organisms to operate throughout an impressive range of ambient temperatures. It would thus seem like selling old wine in new bottles if one claimed robustness to be a new theme of the life sciences. New, however, is the recognitionthatrobustnessisakeytounderstandingtheevolutionary design of virtually all living systems (see Kitano 2004 for an excellent review). This is why it is now worthwhile to further develop the biological concept of robustness and to reflect on its role in the life sciences.
Ethylene: a regulator of root architectural responses to soil phosphorus availability

The involvement of ethylene in root architectural responses to phosphorus availability was investigated in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) plants grown with sufficient and deficient phosphorus. Although phosphorus deficiency reduced root mass and lateral root number, main root length was unchanged by phosphorus treatment. This resulted in decreased lateral root density in phosphorusdeficient plants. The possible involvement of ethylene in growth responses to phosphorus deficiency was investigated by inhibiting endogenous ethylene production with aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) and aerating the root system with various concentrations of ethylene. Phosphorus deficiency doubled the root-to-shoot ratio, an effect which was suppressed by AVG and partially restored by exogenous ethylene. AVG increased lateral root density in phosphorusdeficient plants but reduced it in phosphorus-sufficient plants. These responses could be reversed by exogenous ethylene, suggesting ethylene involvement in the regulation of main root extension and lateral root spacing. Phosphorus-deficient roots produced twice as much ethylene per g dry matter as phosphorus-sufficient roots. Enhanced ethylene production and altered ethylene sensitivity in phosphorus-deficient plants may be responsible for root responses to phosphorus deficiency.
Research on the influence of union-pay M-payment quality and brand personality on user viscosity

[Abstract] The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of Union-Pay mobile payments on user viscosity from the perspective of service quality and brand personality. In the future, it is meaningful for CUP to obtain a stable and loyal user group in China's mobile payment market. This study uses SPSS22.0 and AMOS statistical analysis tools to conduct empirical research. In this case, this study uses mobile service quality and The brand personality is the independent variable, and the user's viscosity is the dependent variable, which studies the impact on the user's viscosity in the context of China Union-Pay mobile payment. the study. According to the analysis results, the research goal: service quality has a significant positive correlation effect on user perceived value; service quality has a significant positive correlation effect on user viscosity; perceived value has significant positive correlation effect on user viscosity; brand personality to user Viscosity has a significant positive correlation effect; brand personality has a significant positive correlation effect on user perceived value. Through this research, we can make Suggestions on the industrial development of mobile payment enterprises and provide better opinions on the development of mobile payment.
Initiation of symbiosis between the soft coral Heteroxenia fuscescens and its zooxanthellae

ABSTRACT: Symbiotic dinoflagellates of the genus Symbiodinium , commonly referred to as zooxan-thellae, inhabit a large portion of the world’s corals and are essential for the existence and well beingof tropical reef ecosystems. The initiation of this symbiosis was studied using the Red-Sea soft coral Heteroxenia fuscescens. Results show that the motile algal cells are attracted to chemical substancesemanating from the mouths of juvenile (zooxanthellae-free) polyps but not of adult (zooxanthellae-bearing) ones. The oral acquisition of symbionts is immediate; within 15 min of encountering thepolyp, 15.6 ± 5.2 cells gain access into it. Once initial acquisition is concluded, the net number ofalgae within the polyp does not change significantly over the next 3 h, while algae continue to pene-trate through and be expelled from the polyp mouth.KEY WORDS: Algal acquisition · Symbiosis · Coral reef · Zooxanthellae · Chemotaxis Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher
The Effect of R&D Investments and Patents on the Financial Performance of Latin American Firms

Abstract This paper investigates the influence of internal R&D and patent applications by Latin American firms on firm performance. Patents should have a positive direct influence on performance. Internal R&D, in turn, should have a positive direct and indirect influence (mediated by patents) as R&D generates innovations regardless of whether they are patented or not. A sample of 751 firms from six Latin American countries showed that when performance is measured by turnover growth, internal R&D has a positive influence and patents have a negative influence. Internal R&D also affects patents, showing a negative indirect influence on performance. The discussions that follow seek to explain these unexpected results.
Investigation of physico-chemical Characteristics and Heavy Metals Concentration Implying to the Effect of Local Geology on Surface Water Quality of Werii Catchment, Tigray, Ethiopia

The paper assesses the water quality parameters of Werii catchment in Northern Ethiopia. 27 water samples were collected and analyzed for 17 physico-chemical parameters. The electrical conductivity ranges 128-627μS/cm, while turbidity: 20-36.23NTU; total dissolved solids: 140.5-389 mg/L, and total alkalinity: 105-510 mg/L. The proportion of the samples exceeding WHO guidelines for drinking purposes in increasing order are Cu (16%), Cr (40%), As (44%), Ni (54%), Pb (64%), Fe (76%), Co (80%) and Zn (100%). One-sample testing confirmed that all but Fe significantly exceed the WHO guidelines values. The result of both One-way ANOVA and Factor analyses revealed Cr, Zn, Cu and Turbidity are associated with Werii slates in the first of five factors. Fe, As, Ni and Co are associated with Tsedia Slate in the second factor. The rest factors indicated that EC, TS, TSS and Co are attributed to Aiba basalt, Adigrat sandstone, Werii Slates and Tsedia Slates respectively.
Review : Axons, Schwann Cells, and Neurotrophic Factors

As most elegantly confirmed by the recent success in deriving mice with null mutations in the genes for specific neurotrophic factors or their respective receptors, it is clear that neurotrophic factors alone or in combination are essential for the development of many classes of neurons. Specific neurotrophic factors have now been characterized that have actions on primary sensory afferents, sympathetic and parasym pathetic neurons, and motor neurons—the major contributors to the axon bundles that comprise the periph eral nervous system. The peripheral tissues or "end organs" that these neurons innervate have traditionally been thought of as the key source of neurotrophic factor support, but it is now evident that this "target- derived neurotrophic factor hypothesis" has restricted validity. Rather, the totality of neurotrophic support required to promote the survival, maturation, and maintenance of a neuron appears to be derived not only from targets, but also from support cells and possibly even neurons themselves. In this article, we review the role played by multiple sources of neurotrophic factors, especially factors derived from non-neuronal cells, not only in development, but also in the maintenance and regenerative responses of the adult PNS. In par ticular, we focus on neurotrophic factors of the neurotrophin family and ciliary neurotrophic factor. The Neuro scientist 1:192-199, 1995
DNA barcoding as a heuristic tool for classifying undescribed Nearctic Myrmica ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The Palearctic species of the ant genus Myrmica are well studied. In contrast, the taxonomy of the Nearctic species is outdated, making identification impossible. We collected Myrmica samples in the Holarctic and investigated their diversity using mtDNA data. We analysed a barcode sequence of the Cytochrome Oxidase I gene for 57 Palearctic and 293 Nearctic Myrmica samples. We used sequences of known Palearctic species to search for Myrmica barcode patterns. All but one Palearctic species groups were recovered. The Nearctic diversity was much higher than known. We retrieved the punctiventris, crassirugis and incompleta groups, and established nine additional tentative species groups. Genetic distance analysis revealed a large overlap of intra‐ and inter‐specific distances in Palearctic species and species groups. We could not find a variation gap to separate Nearctic sequences into species with COI data only. Variation in scape morphology divided two genetic groups further. Scape morphology correlated with most molecular groups, except three specimens. Our results illustrate that barcoding, using only a limited amount of genetic information, cannot serve as a universal proxy for taxonomy and species demarcation. It should be considered a first step in understanding the taxonomic diversity of an unknown group of organisms.
Complete Dried Ration for Ruminant Based on Pennisetum purpureum cv. Mott Enriched Phyto-Protein of Tree Legumes Leaf

Indonesia is a country with a big human population in the world, still import red meat, since the price of this commodity is higher than those import. The problem is supply of forages is insufficient due to limitation of space for forage production. Especially during the dry season the forages almost disappears and farmers face on shortage supply of forage followed decrease beef production. This research aimed to study the effects of enriched protein of tree legume leaf on complete dry ration based on tropical grass. The treatments were: T-0 = P.purpureum (control); T-1 = PP + GS+Crt; T-2 = PP + LL + Crt; T-3 = PP + IZ + Crt. Treatments were arranged on Completely Randomized Design, with 5 replications. Twenty male goats with average body weight +15 Kg has been used. The results of this research showed that treatment T-3 with I. zolingeriana (IZ) as a source of phyto-protein in complete rations has the best results on all variables measured. It could be concluded that leaves of this tree legumes prospective to support the application of technology complete ration based on local resources to resolve the problem of shortages of feeds supply to ruminant in the tropic region.