Toward Sustainable IoT Applications: Unique Challenges for Programming the Batteryless Edge

The advent of ultra-low-power computer systems has enabled intermittently powered, battery-free devices to operate using harvested ambient energy. We present a roadmap from today’s continuously powered Internet of Things devices to tomorrow’s battery-free devices that highlights challenges for those running intermittent programs.acceptedVersio

Effect of Various Environmental Factors and Management Practices on Somatic Cell Count in the Raw Milk of Anatolian Buffaloes

WOS: 000374719000004The aim of this study was to determine the effects of various environmental factors on the somatic cell count (SCC) of Anatolian Buffaloes raised under different herd conditions in Turkey. Data were evaluated according to the stage of lactation (early, mid, and late), herd, lactation month, milking time, and parity. Analysis of the data was performed using the SAS package program. For a one-year period, farms were visited on a monthly basis to collect milk samples from each buffalo, in milkings performed both in the morning and evening. A total of 1200 SCC readings from 100 Anatolian Buffaloes were analyzed using repeated measures. The average SCC was determined to be 134,731 +/- 18,500 cells/ml. The effects of herd, parity, lactation month, milking time and stage of lactation on the SCC value were statistically significant (P<0.05). The mean SCC for morning milking (173,118 cells/ml) was higher than evening milking (148,562 cells/ml). The fourth month of lactation had the highest mean SCC value (186,418 cells/ml), which was statistically different from the values observed during the first, second and fifth months of lactation (P<0.05), as well as the sixth month of lactation (P<0.05). The SCC level was the highest in the first parity (177,844 cells/ml) and the lowest in buffaloes in their third and fourth parity (P<0.05). Mean SCC values were high (P<0.05) for late lactation (203,498 cells/ml), low for mid-lactation (81,975 cells/ml). The SCC was low in herd 6 (37,481 cells/ml), and high in herd 1 (223,000 cells/ml). The significant differences identified between the herds indicated differences in management methods, milking hygiene, and barn conditions. To reduce the SCC levels of milk, while also improving udder health, it is necessary to take certain precautions and measures such as improving milking management; improving hygiene and barn conditions; carrying out milking at uniform intervals; feeding the buffaloes after milking; and implementimg a mastitis control program. In this context, further studies are necessary to investigate and identify the threshold SCC values that are applicable for Anatolian buffaloes and their associated conditions

The effects of storage temperature and storage time on the somatic cell count of anatolian buffaloes

This research examined the effects of storage temperature and storage time on the somatic cell count (SCC) of milk from Anatolian buffaloes, which was measured with the DeLaval cell counter (DCC). Storage temperature and time are among the different factors that potentially affect the SCC of Anatolian buffalo milk. In this context, 20 milk samples were collected from Anatolian Buffaloes and analyzed. The milk samples were divided into two groups according to their measured level of SCC. These two groups were the low score (?3.16 cell/ml) group and the high score (>3.16 cell/ml) group. The mean logSCC values of the low score and the high score groups were determined as 2.27±0.045 and 4.06±0.019 cells/ml, respectively. In this research, the effects of storage temperature (4ºC, 21ºC) and storage time (fresh milk, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 24 h) on logSCC were determined to be statistically significant (P<0.01). Thus, increases in storage temperature and storage time were associated with an increase in the logSCC of the milk samples. © 2019, International Buffalo Information Center, Kasetsart University. All rights reserved

Carcass yield, non-carcass parts, internal organs and meat quality characteristics of karayaka male lambs with different birth weight fed free-choice feeding

In order to investigate the changes in meat quality characteristics and some serum metabolites as well as carcass yield, non-carcass parts, internal organs of lambs as influenced by birth weight (BtW) and feeding system (FS), 28 Karayaka male lambs (150 days of age) obtained from four comparable groups that consisted of seven replicates according to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement for 2 BtW (low, 4.1 ± 0.06 kg and high, 5.0 ± 0.09 kg) and 2 FS (total mixed ration, TMR and free choice feeding, FCF) were used. After weaning (90 days of age), lambs with low BtW and high BtW were fed individually a TMR ad libitum or fed on the same ingredients (FCF) as that of TMR. The TMR was consisted of 80% of a compound feed and 20% of roughage based on a dry matter basis (140 g crude protein and 10.7 ME MJ/kg). The carcass weight and yield of lambs were not affected by the BtW, FS and BtWxFS interaction. The slaughter body weight, cold carcass weight and yield of FCF-fed lambs were higher than those of TMR-fed animals. The pH45 and shear force of semitendinosus muscle decreased and increased by the FCF systems, respectively. These results showed that BtW of lambs did not affect the studied parameter and that feeding system created more differences in terms of some parameters due to the fact that the FCF lead to improvement in carcass and some meat quality traits

Lactation curve and persistency of Anatolian buffaloes

WOS: 000360812300003The aim of this study was to determine the lactation curve traits of Anatolian buffaloes raised under different conditions in farms in Tokat Province, Turkey. Wood's gamma curve parameters were employed to identify the lactation curve types, and values for the parameters beginning yield (a), coefficient of rising (b) and coefficient of decreasing (c) were used to determine the shape and type of lactation curve. All parameters in typical lactation curves were positive, and in the event of one parameter being negative, the curve was considered to be an atypical lactation curve. A total of 690 lactation curves were investigated. It was determined that 406 (58.84%) of these curves were typical, while 90 (13.04%) were concave and 194 (28.12%) of a decreasing type. For typical lactation curves, a, b, c, persistency (S), time after parturition until the peak yield occurs (T-max), maximum daily peak yield (Y-max), and coefficient of determination (R-2) were 7.14 +/- 0.008, 0.85 +/- 2.1, 0.40 +/- 0.001, 2.68, 63.6, 6.41 and 76.33, respectively. For concave lactation curves, values for a, b, c, T-max, Y-max and R-2 were 4.94 +/- 0.42, -0.73 +/- 0.016, -0.23 +/- 0.0038, 95.40, 7.41 +/- 0.004 and 71.68, respectively. For decreasing typical lactation curves, values for a, b, c, T-max, and R-2 were 5.31 +/- 0.0041, -0.15 +/- 0.007, 0.039 +/- 0.0023, 3.89 +/- 0.11 and 79.94, respectively. Parameters predicted by the Wood model within the scope of this study have the potential of being useful for breeding programmes. Further breeding/selection activities could be conducted by using the female Anatolian buffaloes with typical lactation curves

THE EFFECT OF SOME ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ON MILK COMPOSITION OF ANATOLIAN BUFFALOES

WOS: 000413672900011The aim of this study was to determine the composition of raw milk from Anatolian water buffaloes raised under different village conditions in the Tokat province of Northern Turkey. The study materials included 600 milk samples from 120 water buffaloes raised at different farms in 12 separate villages of the Erbaa, Turhal, and Pazar counties in the Tokat Province. The dry matter, nonfat dry matter (or solid non fat), fat, protein, lactose, and casein content of the milk samples were determined. The study results demonstrated that the mean dry matter, nonfat dry matter, fat, protein, lactose, and casein content of the raw milk samples were 16.99 +/- 0.108%, 10.88 +/- 0.036%, 5.98 +/- 0.107%, 4.85 +/- 0.043%, 5.17 +/- 0,021%, and 3.61 +/- 0.036%, respectively. The study data were evaluated according to the water buffaloes' lactation stage, parity, and season by using the SPSS statistical program. It was concluded that the sampling time, parity, village conditions, stage of lactation and calving age had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on the dry matter, nonfat dry matter, fat, protein, lactose, and casein content of raw milk from the Anatolian water buffalo.Ahi Evran University Scientific Research Projects Coordination UnitAhi Evran University [ZRT.E2.16.008]; General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies in Tokat provinceThis work was supported by the Ahi Evran University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit. Project Number: ZRT.E2.16.008. This study's data were obtained from the scope of the project of improvement of Anatolian buffalo in public hand supported by General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies in Tokat province. We would like to thank Tokat Water Buffalo Breeders' Association for valuable technical assistance

ETAP: Energy-Aware Timing Analysis of Intermittent Programs

Energy harvesting battery-free embedded devices rely only on ambient energy harvesting that enables stand-alone and sustainable IoT applications. These devices execute programs when the harvested ambient energy in their energy reservoir is sufficient to operate and stop execution abruptly (and start charging) otherwise. These intermittent programs have varying timing behavior under different energy conditions, hardware configurations, and program structures. This article presents Energy-aware Timing Analysis of intermittent Programs (ETAP), a probabilistic symbolic execution approach that analyzes the timing and energy behavior of intermittent programs at compile time. ETAP symbolically executes the given program while taking time and energy cost models for ambient energy and dynamic energy consumption into account. We evaluate ETAP by comparing the compile-time analysis results of our benchmark codes and real-world application with the results of their executions on real hardware. Our evaluation shows that ETAP’s prediction error rate is between 0.0076% and 10.8%, and it speeds up the timing analysis by at least two orders of magnitude compared to manual testing.acceptedVersio

Self-assembly of liquid crystals in nanoporous solids for adaptive photonic metamaterials

Nanoporous media exhibit structures significantly smaller than the wavelengths of visible light and can thus act as photonic metamaterials. Their optical functionality is not determined by the properties of the base materials, but rather by tailored, multiscale structures, in terms of precise pore shape, geometry, and orientation. Embedding liquid crystals in pore space provides additional opportunities to control light-matter interactions at the single-pore, meta-atomic scale. Here, we present temperature-dependent 3D reciprocal space mapping using synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction in combination with high-resolution birefringence experiments on disk-like mesogens (HAT6) imbibed in self-ordered arrays of parallel cylindrical pores 17 to 160nm across in monolithic anodic aluminium oxide (AAO). In agreement with Monte Carlo computer simulations we observe a remarkably rich self-assembly behaviour, unknown from the bulk state. It encompasses transitions between the isotropic liquid state and discotic stacking in linear columns as well as circular concentric ring formation perpendicular and parallel to the pore axis. These textural transitions underpin an optical birefringence functionality, tuneable in magnitude and in sign from positive to negative via pore size, pore surface-grafting and temperature. Our study demonstrates that the advent of large-scale, self-organised nanoporosity in monolithic solids along with confinement-controllable phase behaviour of liquid-crystalline matter at the single-pore scale provides a reliable and accessible tool to design materials with adjustable optical anisotropy, and thus offers versatile pathways to fine-tune polarisation-dependent light propagation speeds in materials. Such a tailorability is at the core of the emerging field of transformative optics, allowing, e.g., adjustable light absorbers and extremely thin metalenses.Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation

Carcass Yield, Non-Carcass Parts, Internal Organs and Meat Quality Characteristics of Karayaka Male Lambs with Different Birth Weight Fed Free-Choice Feeding

ABSTRACT In order to investigate the changes in meat quality characteristics and some serum metabolites as well as carcass yield, non-carcass parts, internal organs of lambs as influenced by birth weight (BtW) and feeding system (FS)

Flogging tired horses: who wants whipping and who would walk away if whipping horses were withheld?

Recent studies have cast doubt on the effectiveness of whipping horses during races and this has led to questions concerning its continuing justification. Furthermore, it has been argued that whipping tired horses in racing is the most televised form of violence to animals. The present study used de-identified data from a recent independent Australian poll (n = 1,533) to characterise the 26% of respondents (113 females and 271 males) who support the whipping of racehorses and the 10% of racing enthusiasts in the sample (44 females and 63 males) who would stop watching races and betting on them if whipping were banned. Logistic regression models examining associations between age, gender, and income level of respondents demonstrated that those who support racehorse whipping are significantly more likely to be male. Among racing enthusiasts who would stop watching races and betting on them if whipping were banned, those in the lowest income bracket were over-represented. The more frequently respondents attended races or gambled on them, the more likely they were to agree that horses should be hit with a whip during the normal course of a race. These findings align with previous studies of violence among men and women but may also be attributed to male support of traditional gambling practices. Globally, racing organisations may consider the findings of the present study helpful in their deliberations on the merits of continuing the practice of whipping tired horses in the name of sport. The study might also provide important data for stakeholders who demand that it continues