Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Apparent calcium retention and digestibility coefficients of limestone with different particle sizes in laying hens

: Apparent calcium (Ca) retention and digestibility coefficients are affected by limestone particle size in the diet of laying hens. This study aimed to determine the apparent retention and digestibility coefficients of Ca in limestone of different particle sizes in laying hens. The study comprised 288 Lohmann Brown laying hens (50 weeks of age; 1,964 ± 98 g) distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement [three Ca concentrations (10, 20, and 30 g kg –1 ) × two limestone particle sizes (480 and 1,978 µm)] with eight repetitions per treatment and six birds per experimental unit. The experiment included five days for adaptation and five days for total excreta collection. All birds were slaughtered at the end of the ten days to collect the ileal contents. The total or ileal Ca content was plotted against the Ca of diets concentration using linear regression analysis. The regression line slope represented the apparent retention (CaR) and digestibility coefficients of Ca (CaD) in limestone. There was interaction between Ca concentration in the diet and limestone granulometry on CaD ( p = 0.001) and CaR ( p < 0.001). The CaD and CaR of fine-and coarse-grained limestone increased linearly with increasing Ca concentrations in the diet. The apparent digestibility coefficients estimated for laying hens fed with fine-grained and coarse-grained limestone were 0.72 and 0.35, respectively. The apparent retention coefficients estimated for laying hens fed fine-grained and coarse-grained limestone were 0.96 and 0.47, respectively.
Wort disinfection treatment with electron beam for bioethanol production

: Microbial contamination of the wort during the fermentation process causes significant losses in ethanol production worldwide and creates a dependence of the industry on chemicals and antibiotics to control contamination. Therefore, this study used electron beam (e-beam) to disinfect wort from sugarcane ( Saccharum officinarum L.) molasses and investigate the bioethanol fermentation. Four treatments (T0 – T3) were carried out using ionizing doses of radiation through the electron accelerator: 0 (control), 10, 20, and 40 kGy. Total mesophiles, total bacteria, sucrose, glucose, fructose, phenolics, flavonoids, hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), and Furfural were measured. An alcoholic fermentation assay was performed after the irradiation process. The irradiated treatments showed no inversion of sugars and formation of the inhibitory by-products flavonoids, furfural and 5-HMF, except for the phenolic compounds. The lower dose tested (10 kGy) reduced more than 99.9 % of the total mesophiles and more than 99.99 % of the total bacteria in the substrate. In the fermentation, the irradiated worts presented similar ( p > 0.05) yields (92, 93, and 94 %) and ethanol productivity levels (0.89, 0.88, and 0.87 g L –1 h –1 , for T1, T2, and T3 respectively). However, all treatments presented higher yields and productivity ( p < 0.05) when compared to the control (88 % and 0.85 g L –1 h –1 ), highlighting the possible use of e-beam in wort fermentation at a lower dose (10 kGy). This allows reduction in losses caused by microbial contamination, besides increasing fermentation yield and productivity with lower energy consumption.
Motion-Resistant Pulse Oximetry Processing Based on Time-Frequency Analysis

This paper proposes an alternative method for pulse oximetry processing based on time-frequency analysis. Instead of using the fast Fourier transform (FFT), the continuous wavelet transform (CWT) together with the median calculation was proposed for finding the frequency components of the normalized first derivative red and infrared photoplethysmographic signals (PPG). In order to estimate the arterial oxygen saturation (%SpO2), the ratio of each red CWT modulus to each corresponding infrared CWT modulus was computed at each frequency, and then converted to the oxygen saturation by using the saturation equation obtained from calibration. All of the oxygen saturation data were plotted on a histogram. The greatest oxygen saturation with the most occurrences was considered to represent the %SpO2. The experiments were held to evaluate the performance of the proposed processing method compared with the conventional pulse oximetry (CPO) processing. The red and infrared PPGs were acquired from left and right index fingers simultaneously by using the PPG measurement system constructed in the laboratory. During measurement, the left index finger was stationary, while the right index finger was performed the finger bend to induce the motion artifact (MA) in transient and periodic manners. All detected PPGs were processed by the proposed method and the CPO processing. The %SpO2 obtained from different processing methods and positions were compared. Experimental results showed that the proposed method was more resistant to the MA than the conventional method.
Evidence to inform an integrated social and behavior change strategy in the Sahel

Breakthrough RESEARCH completed this literature review, which summarized the evidence, or lack thereof, in the Sahel, to establish a rationale for the planned RISE II SBC evaluation as described in the study protocol. The literature review provides an overview of the health and development challenges in the region, along with priority health behaviors and their determinants followed by a description of SBC programmatic approaches that have addressed behavioral determinants and health outcomes in the region.
Coffee Leaf Diseases Identification and Severity Classification using Deep Learning

In this paper, we propose a method for automatic identification and classification of leaf diseases and pests in the Brazilian Arabica Coffee leaves. We developed a Machine Learning model, trained with the BRACOL public image dataset, to evaluate if a given image of a leaf has a disease or pest — Miner, Phoma, Cercospora and Rust — or if it is healthy. We then compared our model with other famous and well-known classification models, and we were able to achieve an accuracy of 98,04%, which greatly exceeds the accuracy of the other methods implemented. In addition, we developed an assessment to perform a classification related to the percentage of each leaf that is affected by the disease, achieving an accuracy of approximately 90%.
Physically Derived Synthesis Model of an Edge Tone

The edge tone is the sound generated when a planar jet of air from a nozzle comes into contact with a wedge and a number of physical conditions are met. Fluid dynamics equations were used to synthesise authentic edge tones without the need for complex computation. A real-time physically derived synthesis model was designed using the jet airspeed and nozzle exit-to-wedge geometry. We compare different theoretical equations used to predict the tone frequency. A decision tree derived from machine learning based on previously published experimental results was used to predict the correct mode of operation. Results showed an accurate implementation for mode selection, and highlighted areas where operation follows or deviates from previously published data.
Genome-Wide Analysis of Type-III Polyketide Synthases in Wheat and Possible Roles in Wheat Sheath-Blight Resistance

The enzymes in the chalcone synthase family, also known as type-III polyketide synthases (PKSs), play important roles in the biosynthesis of various plant secondary metabolites and plant adaptation to environmental stresses. There have been few detailed reports regarding the gene and tissue expression profiles of the PKS (TaPKS) family members in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). In this study, 81 candidate TaPKS genes were identified in the wheat genome, which were designated as TaPKS1–81. Phylogenetic analysis divided the TaPKS genes into two groups. TaPKS gene family expansion mainly occurred via tandem duplication and fragment duplication. In addition, we analyzed the physical and chemical properties, gene structures, and cis-acting elements of TaPKS gene family members. RNA-seq analysis showed that the expression of TaPKS genes was tissue-specific, and their expression levels differed before and after infection with Rhizoctonia cerealis. The expression levels of four TaPKS genes were also analyzed via qRT-PCR after treatment with methyl jasmonate, salicylic acid, abscisic acid, and ethylene. In the present study, we systematically identified and analyzed TaPKS gene family members in wheat, and our findings may facilitate the cloning of candidate genes associated with resistance to sheath blight in wheat.
Technology Prioritized for HA/DR: A Space Based ISR Solution

Abstract : The uncertainty of both the type of future conflict and the role of the US military in it creates challenges for ISR planners. The additional stress of humanitarian crises and natural disasters threaten regional stability and stretch US military commitments. However, by investing in technologies that advance ISR in support of HA/DR missions, the US can develop engagement opportunities with vulnerable states, improving interoperability and information sharing while simultaneously reducing instability and capitalizing on ISRs dual applicability to HA/DR and security.
Performance Analysis of an Optical OFDM System

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is a modulation technique which is now used in most new and emerging broadband wired and wireless communication systems because it is an effective solution to intersymbol interference caused by a dispersive channel. Optical OFDM is proposed in two forms, one using direct-detection and the other using coherent detection. The main drawbacks of OFDM are its high peak to average power ratio and its sensitivity to phase noise and frequency offset. The aspire is to develop an efficient Optical OFDM system with the reduced peak to average ratio. The system will be less sensitive to phase noise and frequency offset. In this project, we describe the complete design of OFDM system. By observing the effects of changing the parameters of system, we try to reduce the drawbacks. Key Words: Modulation, OFDM, Optical communication, OptSim.
When the future meets the past: Can safety and cyber security coexist in modern critical infrastructures?

Big data technologies are entering the world of ageing computer systems running critical infrastructures. These innovations promise to afford rapid Internet connectivity, remote operations or predictive maintenance. As legacy critical infrastructures were traditionally disconnected from the Internet, the prospect of their modernisation necessitates an inquiry into cyber security and how it intersects with traditional engineering requirements like safety, reliability or resilience. Looking at how the adoption of big data technologies in critical infrastructures shapes understandings of risk management, we focus on a specific case study from the cyber security governance: the EU Network and Information Systems Security Directive. We argue that the implementation of Network and Information Systems Security Directive is the first step in the integration of safety and security through novel risk management practices. Therefore, it is the move towards legitimising the modernisation of critical infrastructures. But we also show that security risk management practices cannot be directly transplanted from the safety realm, as cyber security is grounded in anticipation of the future adversarial behaviours rather than the history of equipment failure rates. Our analysis offers several postulates for the emerging research agenda on big data in complex engineering systems. Building on the conceptualisations of safety and security grounded in the materialist literature across Science and Technology Studies and Organisational Sociology, we call for a better understanding of the ‘making of’ technologies, standardisation processes and engineering knowledge in a quest to build safe and secure critical infrastructures.
Exploring factors affecting developer abandonment of open source software projects

Open Source Software (OSS) projects have long been studied to understand the need of community support for their growth and survival. However, there has been limited research on developers' abandonment, though it is found to have detrimental effect on quality and sustainability of OSS projects. This paper examines the impact of developer and project‐related factors on developer abandonment in OSS projects. Factors include developer attributes: experience, role, coding language, and joining date, and project attributes: change complexity and sentiments in commit logs. The findings are (1) for developer experience, core/non‐core member, and joining date; there exists a pattern of developers abandoning the projects. (2) There is no definite answer for coding language. (3) It does not relate to the change profile of a project except a few indicators. Sentiments can also not be linked. These results provide OSS community and researchers with useful insights on developer abandonment and the factors influencing it or not.
Student Aid, Higher Education, and Long-Run Health

Financial aid lowers the cost of higher education and improves educational attainment. Based on the correlation between education and health, one might expect aid to improve health, but little evidence exists. I use a shock in Social Security benefits that occurred in 1981 to test the relationship between aid, education, and health. Minor children of retired, disabled, or deceased parents are eligible for their own Social Security benefits, and until 1981 college-aged recipients could continue to receive these benefits conditional on college enrollment. Using difference-in-differences, I show that aid reduced women’s long-run body mass index and general health, but had no effect on men. I find that financial aid improved educational attainment for beneficiaries, which is the plausible mechanism between aid and health. Consistent with the effects on health, the educational effects are concentrated in women. Finally, I use Social Security benefits as an instrument for attending college to estimate the effect of education on long-run weight and general health.
Phylogeographical Pattern and Population Evolution History of Indigenous Elymus sibiricus L. on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Elymus sibiricus L. is a perennial allotetraploid belonging to Triticeae of Poaceae, Elymus L. , as the type species of genus Elymus L. The existing geographical distribution pattern and genetic spatial structure of E. sibiricus on Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP) are not yet clear. In this study, population genetic structure and demography history of 216 individuals from 44 E. sibiricus populations on QTP were studied used specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq). The result of genetic diversity showed that there was no single genetic diversity center was observed across all E. sibiricus populations. The results of genetic variation showed that 44 populations were clearly divided into the following three groups: Qinghai Plateau (Group I), South Tibet (Group II), and Hengduan Mountains (Group III). From the three analyses of AMOVA, Mantel test and Treemix, strong genetic differentiation across all populations and low genetic differentiation among populations within three groups. Molecular dating indicated that E. sibiricus diverged at 16.08 Ma (during the early Miocene) can be linked to the Himalayan Motion stage of QTP uplift. It is speculated that the reasons affecting the current phylogeographical pattern are as follows: (1) The environmental changes due to the uplift of the QTP; (2) The geographic distance between the populations (Groups I and III are close in geographic distance, and gene flow are frequent); (3) Geographical barriers (the Tanggula and Bayangela Mountains between Groups I and II). This study provides new evidence and historical perspective to the future exploration of the evolution and geographic distribution pattern of Elymus L.
Population status, habitat composition and threats of Paphiopedilum fairrieanum (Lindl.) Stein (Orchidaceae: Cypripedioideae) in Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park

Natural habitats of Paphiopedilum fairrieanum (Lindl.) Stein was studied in the Taksha Range, Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park, Bhutan, to determine the distribution range, population status, ecological conditions, and associated risks of the orchid. A total of 22 quadrat plots were assessed at two different locations at Rukha and Passang Omchu. The study discovered 519 individuals, mostly on steep slopes and cliffs in chirpine dominated forests with a canopy cover of less than 35% at elevations ranging from 980-1540 m above sea level. The plants were found on a limestone substrate with soil pH ranging from 7.3 to 8.0 and soil moisture content ranging from 1.4 to 2.5%, regardless of aspects and inclination. The greatest threats to the species in the study area were forest fire, browsing by wild ungulates, and anthropogenic activities.
Geometric morphometric analysis of gonopods in Bicoxidens flavicollis populations (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Spirostreptidae)

Male gonopods are useful in taxonomic diagnoses and descriptions of millipedes, although they may vary intraspecifically in shape and size. To assess this intraspecific variation, we used geometric morphometric analysis to compare gonopod morphology among eight isolated populations of the colour-polymorphic southern African millipede Bicoxidens flavicollis. Our results showed that gonopod shapes vary significantly across the examined populations, and elucidated subtle variations. CVA cross-validation test indicates an average classification rate of 75% for the five populations for which we had more than one specimen. Although we had a small number of replicates for three populations, our results still illustrate the importance of applying quantitative approaches to what would otherwise be qualitative and subjective gonopod shape categories in millipedes. As such, the taxonomic assignment of the populations of B. flavicollis may require further investigation, and further revisions would be required with an integrative approach, including molecular data, in order to re-evaluate the taxonomic diversity and distribution data of this species. Finally, we highlight the conservation potential of divergent populations as evolutionary insurance against a dynamic and unpredictable climate, whether or not they undergo full speciation.
Effectiveness of a peanut ball device during labour on maternal and neonatal outcomes: protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Frequent positional changes and movements during labour is one of the recommendations by the World Health Organization (WHO) to prevent prolonged labour, thereby avoiding cesarean sections. However, labour induction, continuous fetal monitoring in supine position and immobilising the women during labour are standard practices in most private hospitals. To combat these problems and to implement WHO recommendations, the peanut ball is an effective device through which frequent positional changes will be achieved without disrupting the labour procedures. The current study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the peanut ball device during labour on maternal and neonatal outcomes and assess the stress response induced by labour in terms of maternal and neonatal cortisol in low-risk primigravid women. The study is a prospective, block randomised controlled trial with parallel arms. A total of 768 study participants will be randomised to the peanut-ball group (intervention) and standard care group (control). The intervention group will receive different peanut ball positions during labour at or after 4 cm of cervical dilatation. The primary outcomes of the study are maternal outcome that includes measurement of duration of the active and the second stage of labour, stress level as measured by serum cortisol level at 3–4 cm and at 10 cm of cervical dilatation, mode of delivery, perception of pain, behavioural response during the active stage of labour and neonatal outcomes, which includes the pattern of fetal heart rate, APGAR score, birth injuries, and umbilical serum and salivary cortisol level. The collected data will be compared between the intervention and control groups. Trial Registration: This research is registered under the CTRI (Clinical Trials Registry of India) ( CTRI/2019/08/020802) (21/8/2019).
Common Ground Nine-Level Boost Inverter for Grid-Connected PV Applications

The article discusses a nine-level switching capacitor-based common ground-type boost inverter for grid-connected photovoltaic applications. The proposed structure’s direct connection between the negative terminal of the input source and the grid neutral eliminates leakage current. The proposed topology uses eleven switches, two diodes, and three switching capacitors to produce a double voltage boost with nine different voltage levels. Self-balancing switching capacitors eliminate the need for sophisticated independent control algorithms. The maximum voltage stress on one of the three capacitors equals the input voltage, while it is equal to half of the input voltage on the other two switched capacitors. The various modes of operation and capacitance calculation are discussed in depth. A comprehensive comparison with various nine-level topologies has been conducted in terms of total component count, total standing voltage, capacitor voltage, and approximate cost to demonstrate the proposed topology’s benefits. A 400-W inverter prototype is constructed, and the experimental findings under various operating situations are reviewed.
Evaluation of the effect of the synthesis method on the performance of manganese spinel as cathode material in lithium-ion batteries

Spinel-structured lithium manganese oxide (LiMn2O4) has been successfully used as a cathode material for various lithium batteries. To improve the capacity and increase the discharge potential of the battery, transition metals are commonly added to the spinel as dopants or as a substitute for manganese. This can also confer stability on the structure of the cathode material. In this work, the production and performance of spinel LiMn2O4 (LMO) and LiN i0.5Mn1. 5O4 (LNMO) by solid-state and sol-gel synthesis methods were studied. Synthetized (LMO) and (LNMO) materials were characterized by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to verify the formation of a spinel-like structure. It was corroborated that both synthesis methods can produce an adequate spinel structure. SEM analyses showed that in general, spinel take an octahedral form. The particle size changes according to the synthesis method used. Lower particle sizes were obtained by sol-gel. The electrochemical characterization demonstrates that solid-state synthesis generates compounds with greater purity and crystallinity, which induces a greater capacity of lithium ion intercalation. The addition of nickel to the spinel increases the discharge potential of the cathode by 0.5V.