Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spermatozoa Survival in Egg Yolk-Based and Soybean-Based Extenders at Ambient and Chilling Temperature in Domestic Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo)

Simple Summary Hunting pressure and loss of habitat exacerbated by climate change have led to a decline in the number of many galliform species, especially those found in the wild. One such species is the Congo peacock, which has been classified as vulnerable. A domestic galliform species such as the domestic turkey can conceivably be used as a model to research and understand reproduction patterns of related wild and endangered species. The collection, preservation and use of the male gametes for assisted reproductive techniques are key to the successful breeding of such species. This study was aimed at developing a suitable semen extender using two extender formulations (egg yolk-based and soybean-based with or without L-ascorbic acid supplementation) and two storage protocols (ambient temperature and chilled). The results show that both extender formulations preserved turkey semen viability for up to 6 h at ambient temperature and up to 24 h at the chilling temperature. In conclusion, the two extenders were similar with regard to semen quality parameters, and L-ascorbic acid supplementation of the turkey semen extenders improved semen quality during liquid storage. Abstract Populations of many galliform species have declined mainly due to habitat loss and over-hunting, notably the Congo peacock, which has been classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The domestic turkey, being a species of least concern, which has been reported to be closely related to peacocks, could serve as a model for the optimization of assisted reproductive technologies for the Congo peacock. This study was aimed at developing a suitable turkey semen extender for artificial insemination in field conditions. Semen was collected using the dorso-abdominal massage technique from seven turkey toms and analyzed. Ejaculates with >70% motility and >80% live spermatozoa were pooled and divided into four aliquots (four treatments). Each of the four treatments was extended in a soybean-based extender or an egg yolk-based extender, with or without L-ascorbic acid. Two liquid preservation protocols (ambient temperature (35 °C) and chilled (4 °C)) were employed, and quality parameters including motility, viability and morphology were evaluated. The results show that the two extenders were similar with regard to semen quality parameters, and L-ascorbic acid supplementation of the turkey semen extenders improved semen quality during liquid storage.
Influence functions for CART

This paper deals with measuring the influence of observations on the results obtained with CART classification trees. To define the influence of individuals on the analysis, we use influence functions to propose some general criterions to measure the sensitivity of the CART analysis and its robustness. The proposals, based on jakknife trees, are organized around two lines: influence on predictions and influence on partitions. In addition, the analysis is extended to the pruned sequences of CART trees to produce a CART specific notion of influence. A numerical example, the well known spam dataset, is presented to illustrate the notions developed throughout the paper. A real dataset relating the administrative classification of cities surrounding Paris, France, to the characteristics of their tax revenues distribution, is finally analyzed using the new influence-based tools.
AC Loss Calculation and Analysis of Hollow Conductor for Doubly Salient Brushless DC Generator

The hollow conductor has attracted attention in variable reluctance machines (VRMs) working in harsh environment due to its good heat dissipation performance. The abundant harmonic content of the magnetic field in the slot of VRM and the complex structure of the hollow conductor make ac loss characteristics of the hollow conductor complex. Accurate and fast ac loss calculation is necessary to optimize the efficiency of VRM and provide the basis for thermal design. The doubly salient brushless dc generator (DSBLDCG), as the VRM, is analyzed in this article. First, the ac loss of the hollow conductor under a uniform alternating magnetic field is modeled numerically. The loss characteristics of hollow conductor in DSBLDCG are obtained by combining the analytical model and the simplified finite element (FE) model. Second, the refined FE model of DSBLDCG with the hollow conductor winding is established to verify the proposed method, and the influence of different structural parameters and operating conditions on the ac loss of the hollow conductor is also analyzed. Finally, the ac loss test experiment is designed for experimental verification.
Corrigendum à La loi de Pascal restreinte et ses cas particuliers

Abstract Deux erreurs ont été rapportées dans Laurencelle (2012), La loi de Pascal restreinte et ses cas particuliers, publié dans ces pages (vol. 8, p. 35-51). Les formules correctes sont présentes dans Laurencelle (1998), La variable n(k, 2) de la loi de Pascal restreinte. Lettres Statistiques, vol. 8, 25-47.
Performance Study for Indoor Visible Light Communication Systems

The field of Optical Wireless Communications (OWC) has seen rapid development during the recent years. This growing popularity is due to several characteristics of considerable importance to consumer electronics products, such as large bandwidth that is also not having spectrum regulations imposed, low cost, and license free operation. As a branch of OWC, visible light communication (VLC) systems have their own unique advantages, with several new technologies, products and patents having been developed during since the end of last century. In this research, a VLC system for indoor application is proposed. In this work, we focus on reducing cost, and for that, we had to make appropriate selection of system’s components, e.g. modulation, coding, filtering. Our objective was to achieve acceptable bit error rate (BER) performance for indoor use, with a low cost system. Through our research we met this objective. Our designs were evaluated through computer simulations. The acquired results proved the suitability of the proposed schemes and the performance’s degree of dependency on several parameters such as distance, incidence angle and irradiance angle. A software tool was created allowing easy assessment of the communication system. It is using a user friendly GUI through which the user enters the system’s parameters and the system outputs the corresponding BER value.
Frequency domain diffuse correlation spectroscopy: a new method for simultaneous estimation of static and dynamic tissue optical properties

Oxygenation and blood flow are important biomarkers of tissue health and they play a vital role in diagnosis and monitoring of diseases in both clinical and basic science research. Diffuse optical instruments offer effective solutions for continuous monitoring of oxygen and blood flow because they are non-invasive, portable and use non-ionizing light. Traditionally, this requires use of two complementary instruments, Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy (DOS) for measuring oxygenation from tissue absorption coefficient (𝜇𝑎) and reduced scattering coefficient (μs′) and Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy (DCS) for measuring blood flow index (F). These hybrid DOS and DCS instruments use collocated sources leading to issues like partial volume effects, increased cost, and size. Here, we propose a novel technique - Frequency Domain Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy (FD-DCS) to overcome these issues. FD-DCS extends and generalizes DCS measurements to the frequency domain, measures a frequency dependent intensity autocorrelation function, which is fit to a frequency domain solution to the correlation diffusion equation for simultaneous estimation of static and dynamic tissue optical properties. We present experiment results validating the technique in tissue simulating liquid phantoms (intralipid + India ink + water) using a new prototype instrument. Specifically, we compare tissue optical properties of phantoms of different absorption and scattering coefficients measured with FD-DCS and commercial FD-DOS. Our results show successful estimation of 𝜇𝑎, 𝜇𝑠 and 𝐹 with minimal errors.
Comparison and Assessment of Two Load Flow Methods for Optimum Under Voltage load Shedding in Distribution Power System

Under voltage load shedding is considered to avoid voltage collapse. Usually, the loads are modelled as constant power types, while different load models are used in load flow studies. A study of optimal load shedding is presented in this research, along with a comparison and evaluation of two load flow methods taking into account various load models. The algorithm is used optimised Dolphin method to oachieve the voltage values of buses while also reducing losses. Under the health and fault cases of the system, a comprehensive comparison and assessment of the optimization performances for four different load shedding models constant power, constant current, constant impedance, and composite ZIP models were performed to determine which model provides the most improvement in the voltage profile and loss reduction using the MATLAB programme.
Comparison of the electromechanical properties of embedded and surface-mounted piezoelectric transducers

An experimental and computational comparison of the structural and electromechanical coupling properties of composite beams with surface-mounted and embedded piezoelectric disks shows that the embedded sensors tend to have higher electromechanical coupling coefficients due to improved strain transfer between the transducer and host material. Experimental testing of fiber–epoxy composite beams with embedded and surface-mounted piezoelectric disks under quasi-static three-point bending tests shows that bending elastic moduli and ultimate stresses are not significantly different between these two cases, while ultimate strains are greater for the surface-mounted cases compared with the embedded cases. Electromechanical coupling decreases with increasing bending loads due to either debonding between the sensor and host structure or due to damage of the brittle piezoelectric material. Embedded sensors tend to show a smaller degradation in electromechanical coupling with increasing stress level.
Quantitative analysis of the mechanical and electrical properties of Cu-Cu bonds for three-dimensional integrated circuits (3D ICs).

The increasing complexity and the scaling down of feature sizes for devices have led to the increasing dominance of interconnect delays in determining integrated circuit performance. One promising solution is to stack devices vertically, commonly known as 3D ICs. Copper is an attractive candidate for 3D applications as it can be both the bonding and interconnect material. This thesis explores the wafers bonding technique, thermocompression bonding, to create 3D ICs. This technique involves the application of pressure and temperature to forge a bond. In this work, copper thin films were used to bond two silicon substrates. Characterization of the bond process focused on the effects of bonding temperature (250C to 400C), applied load (400 to 10000 N) and surface roughness (total root-mean-square roughness of 1 nm to 14 nm). The resultant bond was quantified using a four-point bend test technique. High bond strength was obtained and the bond quality was found to improve with increases in the bond temperature and applied load, and with decreases in the surface roughness. However, nonideality in the load-displacement behavior was observed due to variation in the bond strengths and non-uniformity in the bonding. This is attributed to process issues such as dishing and non-uniform distribution of the true contact area. The true contact area between two contacting surfaces is found to be a small fraction of the nominal contact area. A contact model was developed to estimate this true contact area, taking into account the applied loads, the nominal contact areas, and the surface roughness of the pre-bond surfaces. The dicing yield of the bonded wafers was found to correlate with the true contact area and is directly proportional up to a maximum yield of 100%. In addition to the applied load, the surface roughness is also critical in obtaining good bonds between the bonded surfaces. A contact resistance test structure was fabricated to measure the contact resistance of the bonded interface. The contact resistances were shown to increase as surface roughness increases and/or as the applied load decreases. A contact resistance model was also developed to predict the contact resistance of a bonded interface, taking into account of the true contact area. It was shown that the model’s prediction is close to the minimum value measured in each case but is about an order lower than the average value. This is likely to be because the model does not account for large-area non-uniformities in the fabrication and bonding processes, such as dishing effects. A contact resistance reduction phenomenon under high current density was also observed and is shown to be due to electro-migration rather than Joule heating effects. This work has demonstrated the viability of wafer-level thermo-compression bonding of Cu for fabricating 3D ICs. The contact model determines the process controls to achieve ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library
Carbon and Manganese in Semi-Insulating Bulk GaN Crystals

Co-doping with manganese and carbon was performed in gallium nitride grown by halide vapor phase epitaxy method. Native seeds of high structural quality were used. The crystallized material was examined in terms of its structural, optical, and electrical properties. For that purpose, different characterization methods: x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, low-temperature photoluminescence, and temperature-dependent Hall effect measurements, were applied. The physical properties of the co-doped samples were compared with the properties of crystals grown in the same reactor, on similar seeds, but doped only with manganese or carbon. A comparison of the electrical and optical properties allowed to determine the role of manganese and carbon in doped and co-doped gallium nitride crystals.
Production of Vitamin K by Wild-Type and Engineered Microorganisms

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that mainly exists as phylloquinone or menaquinone in nature. Vitamin K plays an important role in blood clotting and bone health in humans. For use as a nutraceutical, vitamin K is produced by natural extraction, chemical synthesis, and microbial fermentation. Natural extraction and chemical synthesis methods for vitamin K production have limitations, such as low yield of products and environmental concerns. Microbial fermentation is a more sustainable process for industrial production of natural vitamin K than two other methods. Recent advanced genetic technology facilitates industrial production of vitamin K by increasing the yield and productivity of microbial host strains. This review covers (i) general information about vitamin K and microbial host, (ii) current titers of vitamin K produced by wild-type microorganisms, and (iii) vitamin K production by engineered microorganisms, including the details of strain engineering strategies. Finally, current limitations and future directions for microbial production of vitamin K are also discussed.
SEARCH FOR PROPANIL RESIDUES IN RICE BY UV-VISIBILE SPECTROPHOTOMETRY AND FTIR AT THE NATIONAL HEALTH LABORATORY IN BAMAKO, MALI

Context: farmers, to increase productivity, increasingly resort to fertilizers and pesticides. Propanil is one of the pesticides used to improve the yield of rice, but the presence of its residue in quantity is said to be toxic to humans and animals. Objective: implementation of a technique to search for Propanil residues in rice by the UVvisible spectrophotometry method and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Materials and Methods: this was an experimental study, carried out within the food and drink quality control service of the National Health Laboratory. The UV-visible spectrophotometry method allowed us to quantify the Propanil content in rice. The FTIR was used for identification through the spectral overlay. Results: our study allowed us to: • Dose the rice in accordance with the maximum residue limit (0.01ppm) by UV-visible spectrophotometer with a result of 107.1%; • To identify the presence of Propanil in the rice by superimposing the images of the standard and the sample at the same concentration of 0.01ppm. Conclusion and outlook: other additional studies must be carried out in order to validate this method and extend it to other varieties of rice in order to guarantee the safety of the rice consumed in Mali.
Antibacterial activity of Medan Butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea L.) corolla extract against Streptococcus mutans ATCC®25175™ and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC®6538™

Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) pathogenicity that alter biofim, has become one of risk factor in orthodontic treatment. The medicinal plant’s Butterfly pea efficacy as an antibacterial agent should be confirmed in dentistry. The purpose of this study is to investigate the antibacterial activity of Medan butterfly pea corolla extract (BPCE) against S. mutans ATCC®25175™ and S. aureus ATCC®6538™. This is a laboratory experiment with Post Test Only Group Design. The minimum inhibitory concentration of BPCE is 6.25 mg/mL. The best concentration of butterfly pea extract to inhibit biofilm formation (antibiofilm) is 100 mg/mL. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) for antibiofilm activity assays and determination of intramembrane cellular leakage. Although Medan BPCE was inadequate enough in forming antibiofilm and caused intramembrane leakage of S. mutans and S. aureus, further studies in exploring the potential morphological traits of these herbs related to orthodontic products are quite promising.
Adipocyte Phenotype Flexibility and Lipid Dysregulation

The prevalence of obesity and associated cardiometabolic diseases continues to rise, despite efforts to improve global health. The adipose tissue is now regarded as an endocrine organ since its multitude of secretions, lipids chief among them, regulate systemic functions. The loss of normal adipose tissue phenotypic flexibility, especially related to lipid homeostasis, appears to trigger cardiometabolic pathogenesis. The goal of this manuscript is to review lipid balance maintenance by the lean adipose tissue’s propensity for phenotype switching, obese adipose tissue’s narrower range of phenotype flexibility, and what initial factors account for the waning lipid regulatory capacity. Metabolic, hypoxic, and inflammatory factors contribute to the adipose tissue phenotype being made rigid. A better grasp of normal adipose tissue function provides the necessary context for recognizing the extent of obese adipose tissue dysfunction and gaining insight into how pathogenesis evolves.
Cytomorphology of a ‘Benign Follicular Nodule’ of Thyroid

There 4 to 7 percent of the population who have palpable thyroid nodules; nevertheless, there is 19 to 67 percent of the population who have nodules identified accidentally on ultrasonography. The great majority of thyroid nodules do not manifest themselves with symptoms. As malignant nodules account for around 5% of all palpable nodules, the major purpose of investi-gating thyroid nodules is to rule out the presence of cancer. One of the tests that may be used to differentiate between a thyrotoxic nodule and a euthyroid nodule is the thyroid-stimulating hormone test. Thyroid nodules should be fine-needled aspirated in individuals who are otherwise healthy but have a thyroid nodule, and radionuclide scanning should be reserved for patients with equivocal thyroid cytology or thyrotoxic endocrine disease (thyrotoxicosis). Using ultrasonic guidance during fine-needle aspi -ration, the frequency of inadequate specimens from fine-needle extraction is reduced. Operation is the most common treatment for malignant lesions, and the amount of the surgery is decided by the severity and kind of the sickness. Postoperative radioactive iodine ablation is done on high-risk patients who have cancer that has spread or that has returned after treatment. However, thyroxine suppression therapy is often employed surgically to treat malignant lesions. iodine (I-131) ablations (i.e., those with metastatic disease, nodal disease, or gross residual disease). In low-risk individuals, the advantages of postoperative thyroid replacement treatment are contested. 9, 16, 17 TSH levels should be 0.5 U per mL following thyroid carcinoma removal (0.5 mU per L). High- risk patients and patients with metastatic or locally invasive cancers that were not entirely surgically excised or ablated by postoperative I-131 treatment may need suppression. 9, 16, 17 Cold nodules on nuclear imaging should be surgically removed. Toxic nodules (low TSH or symptoms like atrial fibrillation) will need therapy. Hot nodules may be treated with radioactive iodine or surgically removed in certain cases.
On the effective medium theory to study the dielectric response of the cancerous biological tissue

Herein, we are making a step forward by treating cancerous tissues as the highly disordered anisotropic media. The classical Maxwell-Garnett technique is utilized. The former stands for as a perfect tool allowing to evaluate an effective medium of the sample analytically with no needs of human intervention by performing an experimental analysis to measure the parameters of the sample. It should be noted, that laboratory measurements of the effective properties are not needed in this case as well. In this relation, the presented technique allows for the creation of the phantom tissue models for the further usage in clinical applications.
Vitamin C Supplementation Improves Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients' Sputum Conversion During Intensive Phase Category I Treatment in Medan

Background: Many factors influence the success of the acceleration of Acid-Fast Bacilli (AFB) sputum conversion in the treatment of the intensive phase of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). One of these factors is the nutritional status or nutrition of pulmonary TB patients. Through a fenton reaction, Vitamin C is known to be able to sterilize Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This study aims to determine the effect of giving vitamin C on the conversion of AFB sputum in the intensive phase of pulmonary TB treatment. Method: This study was an inferential, quasi-experimental evaluation of the acceleration of AFB sputum conversion following vitamin C supplementation in patients with category I pulmonary TB. The study group was separated into two groups: 40 TB patients getting Anti Tuberculosis Treatment (ATT) with vitamin C, and 40 TB patients receiving ATT with placebo. Every two weeks, AFB sputum was examined, and vitamin C levels were measured before and after two months of therapy. Results: Conversion of AFB occurred sooner in the vitamin C group of pulmonary TB patients, with as many as 29 patients (72.5%) experiencing conversion of AFB sputum at the end of the second week of therapy, whereas there was no conversion in the placebo group. At the end of the fourth week, all patients (100%) given vitamin C showed AFB sputum conversion, whereas only eight patients (20%) in the placebo group had conversion at the end of the fourth week of treatment. Vitamin C levels increased significantly in the group of pulmonary tuberculosis patients who received vitamin C supplementation. Conclusion: Vitamin C supplementation in the treatment of pulmonary TB can accelerate the conversion of AFB sputum, which is statistically significant.