203 research outputs found
Dual band, Miniaturized Permittivity Measurement Sensor with Negative-Order SIW Resonator
A novel dual band, highly sensitive Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) sensor for permittivity measurements is presented. A pair of modified Complementary Split Ring Resonators (CSRRs) is etched on SIW surface. CSRRs are located in the center of SIW, where the electric field distribution is high so that the coupling be maximized. The coupling between the SIW and the CSRRs as well as the adjacent CSRRs results in two notches in transmission coefficient. These notches vary with the dielectric loading on the sensor. The ratio of a notch variation to the load permittivity variation determines the sensitivity of proposed sensor. Two sensitivities proportional to two notches are provided. Normalized sensitivities from both notches show identical values. Therefore, any environmental effect have the same variation on the TZs. This demonstrates the potential of the proposed sensor for differential operation that can mitigate the effect of environmental condition. The size of the proposed sensor is small as the inductive and the capacitive effects of CSRRs forced the SIW to operate below the cut off frequency at negative-order-resonance mode. All design steps including SIW design, CSRRs design and modified CSRRs effects are presented in details. The sensor operation principle is described through an equivalent circuit model as well as simulation results. The experimental results indicates that the normalized sensitivity is 3.4% which is much higher than similar sensors. The prototype sensor size (27.8 x 18.4 x 0.508 mm(3)) is smaller than those reported in the literature
All-time dynamics of continuous-time random walks on complex networks
The concept of continuous-time random walks (CTRW) is a generalization of ordinary random walk
models, and it is a powerful tool for investigating a broad spectrum of phenomena in natural, engineering,
social, and economic sciences. Recently, several theoretical approaches have been developed
that allowed to analyze explicitly dynamics of CTRW at all times, which is critically important for
understanding mechanisms of underlying phenomena. However, theoretical analysis has been done
mostly for systems with a simple geometry. Here we extend the original method based on generalized
master equations to analyze all-time dynamics of CTRWmodels on complex networks. Specific
calculations are performed for models on lattices with branches and for models on coupled parallelchain
lattices. Exact expressions for velocities and dispersions are obtained. Generalized fluctuations
theorems for CTRW models on complex networks are discussed
EFFECT OF DIET DILUTION IN THE STARTER PERIOD ON PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF BROILER CHICKS
The effect of energy and protein dilution in the starter period (8 to 14 days) of age, on performance and carcass characteristics of 360 Arian male chicks was studied in a completely randomised design. This experiment consisted of 6 treatments, 4 replicates, with 15 chicks per replicate. In order to dilute the diets six levels (0, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20) percent of ground wood charcoal was used. Chicks were fed with starter and grower diet from 15 to 21 and 22 to 42
days of age respectively. During the experiment feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio were measured weekly. Mortality was measured throughout the experiment. At 43 day of age 4 chicks each treatment was selected and carcass characteristics were measured. The results indicated that dilution of diet from 8 to 14 days of age increased feed intake in this period but the differences were not signifi cant. With increasing dilution rate body weight gain of
chicks signifi cantly decreased in comparison to control group (P< 0.05). Due to compensatory growth after restricted period, there was not signifi cant difference in body weight among restricted and control groups at 42 days of age. There was not signifi cant difference among the treatments for feed conversion ratio in whole period of the experiment (8 to 42 day). Similarly, there was not signifi cant difference among the treatments for caloric conversion ratio in whole period of the experiment (8 to 42 day). Mortality rate in restricted groups was signifi cantly lower than control group
(P<0.05). Diet dilution hadnât signifi cant effect on carcass, breast meat, drumsticks, thighs, liver, intestine, abdominal fat percentages. The results of the present study indicated that broiler chicks could withstand a 7-day period (from 8 to 14 days) feed restriction with ground wood charcoal in early age without loss in performance
Investigating 2d and 3d convolutions for multitemporal land cover classification using remote sensing images
With the availability of large amounts of satellite image time series (SITS), the identification of different materials of the Earth's surface is possible with a high temporal resolution. One of the basic tasks is the pixel-wise classification of land cover, i.e.The task of identifying the physical material of the Earth's surface in an image. Fully convolutional neural networks (FCN) are successfully used for this task. In this paper, we investigate different FCN variants, using different methods for the computation of spatial, spectral, and temporal features. We investigate the impact of 3D convolutions in the spatial-Temporal as well as in the spatial-spectral dimensions in comparison to 2D convolutions in the spatial dimensions only. Additionally, we introduce a new method to generate multitemporal input patches by using time intervals instead of fixed acquisition dates. We then choose the image that is closest in time to the middle of the corresponding time interval, which makes our approach more flexible with respect to the requirements for the acquisition of new data. Using these multi-Temporal input patches, generated from Sentinel-2 images, we improve the classification of land cover by 4% in the mean F1-score and 1.3% in the overall accuracy compared to a classification using mono-Temporal input patches. Furthermore, the usage of 3D convolutions instead of 2D convolutions improves the classification performance by a small amount of 0.4% in the mean F1-score and 1.2% in the overall accuracy
Association between two common transitions of H2BFWT gene and male infertility: a caseĂąïżœïżœcontrol, meta, and structural analysis
H2BFWT is one of the testisâspecific histones that plays a fundamental role in spermatogenesis, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in this gene may result in male infertility. This study aimed to investigate the association between â9C>T and 368A>G transitions of H2BFWT gene and male infertility through a caseâcontrol, metaâanalysis, and a bioinformatics approach. In this caseâcontrol study, 490 subjects including 240 idiopathic infertile men and 250 healthy controls were included. The â9C>T and 368A>G SNPs genotyping were performed by a PCRâRFLP method. To find eligible studies for metaâanalysis, we searched valid scientific databases. The odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were estimated to find the strength of these associations. Furthermore, the influences of two common transitions on the molecular features of H2BFWT were assessed by in silico tools. Our caseâcontrol data revealed that â9C>T is not associated with male infertility. But, there was a significant association between 368A>G and male infertility. In the metaâanalysis, five eligible studies were included. Our data revealed significant associations between â9C>T, 368A>G, and male infertility in overall and stratified analyses. Moreover, structural analysis showed that 368A>G could affect the protein structure (SNAP prediction: nonâneutral, score: 42, expected accuracy: 71%; SIFT prediction: deleterious, score: â2.55), while â9C>T may affect the binding nucleotide in the promoter region. Based on these findings, two aforementioned polymorphisms were associated with increased risk of male infertility. However, studies with larger sample size and different ethnicities are needed to obtain more accurate conclusions
A model of online protection to reduce children's online risk exposure: empirical evidence from Asia
Children are surrounded by a variety of digital media and are exposed to potential risks that come with such easy accessibility. Learning how to be safe online is an important consideration for both children and their caregivers. The present study proposes an integrated model of online safety based on constructs from protection motivation theory and the health belief model, namely perceived severity of (and susceptibility to) risk, online self-efficacy, online privacy concern, and digital literacy. The study comprised a survey conducted among 420 schoolchildren aged 9â16 years. Using partial least squares-structural equation modelling, the results illustrated the presence of a negative effect of âperceived severity of online riskâ toward online risks, whereas the effect of âdigital literacyâ was found to be positive. Children whose perception of online risks was more severe were less exposed to online risks if they had higher âonline privacy concernsâ than the children with higher âdigital literacyâ who are more exposed to online risk. Results of the study show that engaging in safe online behaviour requires children to have a high perception regarding severity of online risks as well as knowledge of online privacy concerns. Online risks and opportunities occur in parallel. Consequently, the factors that increase or decrease risk may also increase or decrease the benefits
Kinetic modelling of competition and depletion of shared miRNAs by competing endogenous RNAs
Non-conding RNAs play a key role in the post-transcriptional regulation of
mRNA translation and turnover in eukaryotes. miRNAs, in particular, interact
with their target RNAs through protein-mediated, sequence-specific binding,
giving rise to extended and highly heterogeneous miRNA-RNA interaction
networks. Within such networks, competition to bind miRNAs can generate an
effective positive coupling between their targets. Competing endogenous RNAs
(ceRNAs) can in turn regulate each other through miRNA-mediated crosstalk.
Albeit potentially weak, ceRNA interactions can occur both dynamically,
affecting e.g. the regulatory clock, and at stationarity, in which case ceRNA
networks as a whole can be implicated in the composition of the cell's
proteome. Many features of ceRNA interactions, including the conditions under
which they become significant, can be unraveled by mathematical and in silico
models. We review the understanding of the ceRNA effect obtained within such
frameworks, focusing on the methods employed to quantify it, its role in the
processing of gene expression noise, and how network topology can determine its
reach.Comment: review article, 29 pages, 7 figure
Impact of dietary incorporation of Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) and exogenous enzymes on broiler performance, carcass traits and meat quality
This study assessed the effect of Spirulina
(Arthrospira platensis), individually and in combination
with exogenous enzymes, on growth
performance, carcass traits, and meat quality of broiler
chickens. One hundred and twenty Ross 308 male
chickens were allocated into 40 battery brooders, with 3
birds per cage, and fed ad libitum a corn-based diet
during the first 21 D of the trial. The experimental period
lasted from day 21 to 35, during which birds were fed 4
different diets: a corn-soybean basal diet, taken as the
control group, a basal diet containing 15% Spirulina
(MA), a basal diet containing 15% Spirulina plus 0.005%
Rovabio Excel AP (MAR), and a basal diet containing
15% Spirulina plus 0.01% lysozyme (MAL). Body weight
gain (P , 0.001) and feed conversion rate (P , 0.001)
were improved in control chickens, when compared with
those fed with Spirulina. In addition, Spirulina increased
the length of duodenum plus jejunum in relation to the
other treatment (P , 0.01). Chickens on the MAL diet showed a considerable increase in digesta viscosity
(P , 0.05) compared with the control group. Breast and
thigh meats from chickens fed with Spirulina, with or
without the addition of exogenous enzymes, had higher
values of yellowness (b*) (P , 0.001), total carotenoids
(P , 0.001), and saturated fatty acids (P , 0.001),
whereas n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (P , 0.01) and
a-tocopherol (P , 0.001) decreased, when compared
with the control. In conclusion, the incorporation of 15%
Spirulina in broiler diets, individually or combined with
exogenous enzymes, reduced birdsâ performance through
a higher digesta viscosity, which is likely associated with
the gelation of microalga indigestible proteins. In addition,
cell wall of Spirulina was successfully broken by the
addition of lysozyme, but not by Rovabio Excel AP.
Therefore, we anticipate that the combination of lysozyme
with an exogenous specific peptidase could improve
the digestibility of proteins from this microalga and
avoid their detrimental gelationinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
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