Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Prediction Of The Feed Values Of Maize Silage By Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy, H. S. Park, J. K. Lee, H. J. Ko, H. Y. Lee, D. Y. Kil

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Until recently, feed evaluation of silages in official laboratories and feed factories was based on cutting date, chemical composition and the ammonia fraction. However, in vitro techniques have been developed based on rumen fluid or commercial enzymes to replace laborious, time-consuming and expensive digestibility experiments with animals. In this study the possibility of using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) to predict the chemical composition and digestibility of maize silage was examined.

Sample Preparation Method For Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy To Predict Fermentation Quality Of Maize Silage, H. S. Park, J. K. Lee, M. C. Kim

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Using NIRS directly on undried silage can increase error due to variability in sample particle size, temperature and water content (Givens et al., 1997). These problems can be overcome by grinding silages in frozen state with dry ice or liquid nitrogen, but such procedures are time-consuming and inconvenient due to cleanup required between samples and the need to thaw the sample for subsequent use. The objective of this experiment was to assess the effect of sample preparation methods on prediction of fermentation quality of maize silage, and to select an acceptable sample-preparation method for wet silage.

Nutritive Quality Of Silages By Conventional Laboratory Methods And Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy, Pilar Castro, G. Flores, A. González-Arráez, J. Castro, B. Fernández-Lorenzo

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Preservation of forages as silages is needed by dairy farmers in NW Spain to feed their cows during the dry (summer) and cold (winter) seasons. The objective of this work was to compare the prediction of in vivo digestibility values by conventional laboratory methods and by near infra-red reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) for herbage and maize silages.

Prediction Of N Fractions Of Warm-Season Grasses With Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy, S. W. Coleman, C. E. Johnson, B. A. Reiling, P. Mislevy

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Warm-season (C₄), the most common forage for beef production in much of the U.S.A., although having a higher productivity than temperate forages are of a lower quality. Current feeding standards (NRC, 1996) have adapted the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (Sniffen et al., 1992) to more accurately characterize forage quality. As these procedures are tedious, data is limited on genetic and management factors influencing quality parameters in C₄ species. The objective of this research was to determine if near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) could be used to predict the various N fractions in three C_{4 …}

A Rapid Estimation Of Nitrogen Bound To Neutral Detergent Fibre In Forages By Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy, Jérôme Bindelle, G. Sinnaeve, P. Dardenne, P. Leterme, A. Buldgen

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) is widely used as a rapid method for the evaluation of the chemical composition or the nutritive value of foodstuffs (Givens et al., 1997). The determination of the neutral detergent fibre (NDF) bound N (NDF-N), which is highly variable in forages (Shayo & Udén, 1999), is expensive. The purpose of this study was to test the use of NIRS in the prediction of NDF-N in various forages.

Towards Truly “Global” Near Infrared Calibrations For Protein And Neutral Detergent Fibre In Dried Ground Forages, D. Undersander, P. Berzaghi, P. Dardenne, P. Flinn, N. P. Martin, C. Paul, B. N. B. Büchmann, F. Mazeris, M. Lagerholm, I. A. Cowe

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Over the past five years, Foss and DeLaval have sponsored the activities of a group of forage analysts with the aim of developing "global" Near Infrared (NIR) calibrations for parameters that are important in ruminant nutrition. The approach adopted has been based on the amalgamation of historical databases from centres worldwide and calibrations for protein and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) in dried ground forages have been developed based on databases that currently comprise approximately 30,000 records. Protein and NDF, while not the most important parameters in ruminant nutrition, were chosen for the initial calibration development exercise because of the amount …

Forage Quality As Related To Mineral Concentrations In Tropical Regions, L. R. Mcdowell

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Often tropical forages contain deficient or toxic concentrations of minerals for grazing livestock (McDowell, 2003). Tropical forages generally contain less of the more essential minerals than species grown in temperate regions (McDowell & Valle, 2000). Mineral elements in forages are dependent upon the interaction of a number of factors, including soil, plant species, stage of maturity, yield, pasture management and climate. The objective of this study was to determine the adequacy of minerals for ruminants in forages collected from seven tropical countries.

Mineral Status Of Some Permanent Range Plants For Grazing Sheep In Semi-Arid Areas Of The Chaharmahal And Bakhtiari Province In Iran. 2. Trace Minerals, G. H. R. Shadnoush

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The principal factors limiting the performance of grazing animals are low protein content of grasses, low energy intake due to high fibre content and mineral deficiencies or imbalances (McDowell, 1985). At least 26 mineral elements are required by at least one animal species (Church et al., 1988). These elements are generally required in small amounts. They have a great deal of importance for body tissue growth as well as for physiological functions. Mineral deficiencies and imbalances have been reported from almost all tropical regions of the world. This study was designed to measure the copper, iron, manganese and zinc …

Mineral Status Of Some Permanent Range Plants For Grazing Sheep In Semi-Arid Areas Of The Chaharmahal And Bakhtiari Province In Iran. 1. Some Macro Minerals, G. H. R. Shadnoush

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

A deficiency of one or more of the essential minerals in animals can lead not only to a decrease in productivity but also to metabolic diseases in case of severe deficiencies (McDowell, 1985). In general, mineral, especially phosphorous, deficiencies and imbalances are reported from almost all tropical regions of the world (Matijovic & Durackova, 1994). This study was designed to measure the calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, sodium and chlorine contents of some plant species in the semi-arid rangeland of Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari Province in Iran, because little information is available at present.

The Effect Of Two Magnesium Fertilisers, Kieserite And Mgo, On Herbage Mg Content, M. B. O'Connor, A. H. C. Roberts, R. Haerdter

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Supplementing Mg to dairy cows is widely practised in New Zealand. Various methods are used including drenching, pasture dusting, water trough treatment and adding to hay, silage and other feedstuffs (Young et al., 1979). Fertiliser Mg (calcined magnesite, MgO) is widely used to maintain soil Mg status but research has shown that using fertiliser Mg to achieve good soil, pasture and animal Mg status requires large inputs of Mg (120 kg/ha) and maintaining blood serum Mg status in dairy cows tends to be short-lived without further animal supplementation (O'Connor et al., 1987). The objective of these experiments was …

Potassium Content And The Balance Between Potassium And Other Minerals And Crude Protein In Forage Can Have A Big Impact On Dairy Cow Health, Hary Eriksson

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Preliminary studies indicated that the mineral balance in forage may affect dairy cow health. A bigger study covering the four most northern counties in northern Sweden was conducted. The objective of this study was to compare data on harvested forage with farm data on milk yield and animal health.

Distribution Of Trace Elements In Plant Parts Of Red Clover (Trifolium Pratense L.), S. Ignjatovic, Z. Lugic, D. Sokolovic, J. Radovic

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

There is little information on the distribution of minerals in plant parts although factors affecting mineral content in forages have been well investigated (Fleming, 1973; Whitehead et al., 1985). The aim of this investigation was to determine the trace mineral content in plant parts of different cultivars of red clover (foreign and domestic) and to assess differences between cultivars. The existence of significant differences between cultivars would indicate the possibility of selecting cultivars to satisfy particular animal requirements for minerals.

Use Of Green Sulla Forage For Feeding. 2. Effects On Lamb Carcass And Meat Quality, A. Bonanno, M. L. Alicata, G. Tornambè, F. Mazza, G. Di Miceli, D. Giambalvo

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Diets with 2.5% of condensed tannins (CT) from carob pulp have been showed to reduce lamb carcass weight, yield and fatness, as a consequence of lower digestibility due to strong protein-tannin bonds. Moreover the diets lightened meat colour and negatively affected meat sensory properties (Priolo et al., 2000). There is evidence that some tannin-rich legumes have weaker stability of the protein-tannin complex post-rumen (McSweeney et al., 2001). Since the CT-containing sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.) demonstrated improved lamb growth performance in comparison with CT-lacking annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam. subsp. wersterwoldicum) (Giambalvo et al., 2005), …

Use Of Green Sulla Forage For Feeding. 1. Effects On Lamb Growth And Gastrointestinal Nematode Parasite Infestation, D. Giambalvo, A. Di Grigoli, M. L. Alicata, B. Formoso, A. S. Frenda, P. Trapani

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Recent studies have shown that some forage legumes containing condensed tannins (CT), such as sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.), can reduce the gastrointestinal nematode burden in sheep (Niezen et al., 1998) and increase post-ruminal protein availability (Waghorn et al., 1994). This study aimed to evaluate the anthelmintic and nutritional properties of sulla forage in relation to its CT content. Thus, the growth performance and the level of nematode infestation of lambs fed sulla were compared with those of lambs fed ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam. subsp. wersterwoldicum), lacking in CT.

Leaf, Pod And Whole Plant Tannin Contents In Pigeon Pea (Cajanus Cajan (L.) Millsp), Rodolfo Godoy, P. M. Santos, Francisco H. D. Souza

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Tannin content is an important characteristic of leguminous crops and it has been used as a selection criterion in pigeon-pea improvement programmes (Godoy et al., 1994). In south-eastern Brazil, pigeon pea is often consumed by bovines in the dry season (from April though October), after flowering occurs, and is recommended in some cases, specifically for that time of the year (Lourenço et al., 1994). Since tannin content is being used as a selection criterion and the animals in the dry season preferentially eat pods and leaves, an experiment was conducted to compare whole plant, leaf and pod tannin …

Aisha: A Custom Ai Library Chatbot Using The Chatgpt Api, Yrjo Lappalainen, Nikesh Narayanan

All Works

This article focuses on the development of a custom chatbot for Zayed University Library (United Arab Emirates) using Python and the ChatGPT API. The chatbot, named Aisha, was designed to provide quick and efficient reference and support services to students and faculty outside the library's regular operating hours. The article also discusses the benefits of chatbots in academic libraries, and reviews the early literature on ChatGPT's applicability in this field. The article describes the development process, perceived capabilities and limitations of the bot, and plans for further development. This project represents the first fully reported attempt to explore the potential …

Environmental Impact Assessment (Eia) Of As, Se, Sn, And Hg In Water And Sediments From The Egyptian Red Sea Ports, Lamiaa I. Mohamedein, Khalid M. El-Moselhy, Mohamed A. El-Sawy

Blue Economy

Background: Pollution monitoring is an important tool to protect the marine ecosystems where ports had been seen as a source of contamination affecting the public wellbeing. Methods: Therefore, in the present study, surface seawater and surficial sediment samples were collected from 19 stations covering six ports of the Egyptian Red Sea during summer 2017 and winter 2018. The concentrations of As, Se, Sn, and Hg were determined using the Hydride system MH10 coupled with atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results: The obtained data revealed that mean values of AS, Se, Sn and Hg for water samples were ranged between …

Data-Driven Analysis For Causality Of Parent–Child Interactions In The Bakken, Kyoung Min, Alexander V. Chakhmakhchev, Xue Yu, Nicholas A. Azzolina, Darren D. Schmidt, Bethany A. Kurz, James A. Sorensen

EERC Publications

This study 1) evaluates the effect of parent–child interaction on productivity by assessing depletion effects and the impact of different completion designs and 2) investigates how refracturing strategies affect parent–child interactions.

Developing A High-Efficiency Method For Field-Scale Simulation Of A Tight And Naturally Fractured Reservoir In The Williston Basin, Xincheng Wan, Lu Jin, Tao (Todd) Jiang, James A. Sorensen, Chenyu Wu, Ahmed Merzoug

EERC Publications

A novel FDO (fracture and DRV optimization) workflow was proposed in this study to better reproduce the production and water injection history of a tight reservoir with natural fractures in the Williston Basin. Compared to most of the published work in this area, the FDO workflow can significantly improve the simulation efficiency for field-scale simulation models considering the presence of a complex natural fracture network.

Optical Characterisation Of Holographic Diffusers And Bangerter Foils For Treatment Of Amblyopia, Matthew Hellis, Suzanne Martin, Matthew Sheehan, Kevin Murphy

Articles

Amblyopia is a significant issue for children worldwide, and current treatment methods have drawbacks that can hinder treatment effectiveness and/or patient experience. This study proposes a new treatment method using holographic diffusers while also comparing their optical characteristics to a current treatment method (Bangerter foils). Holographic diffusers were developed by optically patterning thin polymer layers on a micron scale. Two compositions of photopolymer (acrylamide and diacetone acrylamide based) are analysed herein. Characterisation shows that holographic diffusers of either composition can achieve a wide range of on-axis intensity reductions, allowing for precise and customisable treatment levels by altering recording exposure time …

Laboratory Simulations Of H2s Generation In The Bakken Petroleum System, Alexander V. Chakhmakhchev, Bethany A. Kurz, Timothy O. Nesheim, David J. Miller, Carol B. Grabanski, Saptashati Biswas, Marc D. Kurz, Nicholas A. Azzolina, James A. Sorensen

EERC Publications

This work focuses on quantifying the H₂S generation potential of the Madison Group and Bakken Formation source rocks during the maturation process.

Personalized Eca Tutoring With Self-Adjusted Pomdp Policies And User Clustering, Ashwitha Vichuly Jawahar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA) is an intelligent agent that enables realtime human/computer interaction in natural language. For its rich style of communication, ECA is particularly popular and useful in applications such as education, e-commerce, healthcare, finance, marketing, and business, where a human-like conversation is more attractive to users than traditional keyboard-based interaction. The interest in using ECA in e-learning has become even stronger since the COVID-19 outbreak, and a preliminary investigation has been started by our research group to extend collaborative learning in a virtual environment with personalized ECA tutoring. This thesis document first highlights the prior work of …

Periodic, Nonperiodic, And Chaotic Solutions For A Class Of Difference Equations With Negative Feedback, Benjamin B. Kennedy

Math Faculty Publications

We study the scalar difference equation x(k + 1) = x(k) + (f(x(k - N))) / N,

where f is nonincreasing with negative feedback. This equation is a discretization of the well-studied differential delay equation x'(t) = f(x(t - 1)).

We examine explicit families of such equations for which we can find, for infinitely many values of N and appropriate parameter values, various dynamical behaviors including periodic solutions with large numbers of sign changes per minimal period, solutions that do not converge to periodic solutions, and chaos. We contrast these behaviors with the dynamics of the limiting differential equation. Our …

Cross-Blockchain Technology For An Interoperable And Scalable Digital Contact Tracing, Farbod Behnaminia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of contact tracing as a tool for controlling the spread of the virus, but it has also raised concerns about the privacy and security of personal information. Blockchain technology, with its immutability and security features, has the potential to address these concerns. However, traditional blockchain solutions may not be sufficient to protect sensitive personal information, especially when it comes to interoperability with other chains that may have different privacy standards. Cross-blockchain technology, such as the interoperability feature of the Polkadot network, allows for the creation of a decentralized and distributed contact tracing system that …

Extreme Horizontal Wind Perturbations In The Mesosphere And Lower Thermosphere Over South America Associated With The 2022 Hunga Eruption, Facundo L. Poblet, Jorge L. Chau, J. Federico Conte, Juha Vierinen, Jose Suclupe, Alan Liu, Rodolfo R. Rodriguez

Publications

On 15 January 2022, the Hunga volcano produced a massive explosion that generated perturbations in the entire atmosphere. Nonetheless, signatures in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) have been challenging to identify. We report MLT horizontal wind perturbations using three multistatic specular meteor radars on the west side of South America (spanning more than 3,000 km). The most notorious signal is an exceptional solitary wave with a large vertical wavelength observed around 18 UT at all three sites, with an amplitude of ∼50 m/s mainly in the westward direction. Using a customized analysis, the wave is characterized as traveling at …

Coordinating Tethered Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Towards Entanglement-Free Navigation, Abhishek Patil, Myoungkuk Park, Jungyun Bae

Michigan Tech Publications

This paper proposes an algorithm that provides operational strategies for multiple tethered autonomous underwater vehicle (T-AUV) systems for entanglement-free navigation. T-AUVs can perform underwater tasks under reliable communication and power supply, which is the most substantial benefit of their operation. Thus, if one can overcome the entanglement issues while utilizing multiple tethered vehicles, the potential applications of the system increase including ecosystem exploration, infrastructure inspection, maintenance, search and rescue, underwater construction, and surveillance. In this study, we focus on developing strategies for task allocation, path planning, and scheduling that ensure entanglement-free operations while considering workload balancing among the vehicles. We …

A Deep Hierarchical Variational Autoencoder For World Models In Complex Reinforcement Learning Environments, Sriharshitha Ayyalasomayajula

Dissertations and Theses

Model-based reinforcement learning (MBRL) approaches leverage learned models of the environment to plan and make optimal decisions, reducing the need for extensive real-world interactions and enabling more efficient learning in complex domains such as robotics, autonomous systems, and resource allocation problems. They also provide interpretability and insight into the underlying dynamics, facilitating better decision-making and system understanding.

The world model is a model-based RL approach that employs generative neural network models to learn a compressed spatial and temporal representation of the environment. This work explores world models and a simple single-layered RNN model to learn a simple policy based on …

Bayesian Inference For The White Dwarf Initial-Final Mass Relation, Nathan Stein, Ted Von Hippel, David Van Dyk, Steven Degennaro, Elizabeth Jeffery, Bill Jefferys

Publications

Stars lose mass as they age, and understanding mass loss is important for understanding stellar evolution. The initial-final mass relation (IFMR) is the relationship between a white dwarf’s initial mass on the main sequence and its final mass. We have developed a new method for fitting the IFMR based on a Bayesian analysis of photometric observations, combining deterministic models of stellar evolution in an internally coherent way. No mass data are used. Our method yields precise inferences (with uncertainties) for a parameterized linear IFMR. Our method can also return posterior distributions of white dwarf initial and final masses.

Databases And Inter-Connectivity In Ground-Based Astronomy, Ted Von Hippel, C. M. Mountain

Publications

Optical and infrared ground-based astronomy is undergoing a renaissance. Advances in material technology, system modeling, and the ability to correct atmospheric distortions in real time have produced a new generation of powerful, large telescopes. An equally profound revolution stems from the availability of large observational databases that span the electromagnetic spectrum. The increased use of such databases as well as the need to operate the new telescopes efficiently requires the development of a National or International Virtual Observatory to set standards for astronomical database formats, data quality assurance, and access protocols, and also to provide all-inclusive centers for data products.

Planning For The Preservation Of Biodiversity And Environmental Assets In Support Of Sustainable Planning In Urban Areas, Case Study: Batu Licin City, Tanah Bumbu Regency, South Kalimantan, Dharma Kalsuma, Hendricus Andy Simarmata

Smart City

Planning for preserving biodiversity and environmental assets in urban areas is crucial in supporting sustainable planning. This study aims to design a strategy for preserving biodiversity and environmental assets in Batu Licin, Tanah Bumbu Regency, South Kalimantan, to support sustainable urban planning. The method used is field observation and literature study. The results showed that the Batu Licin area has a relatively high potential for biodiversity and environmental assets. However, along with the growth of the Batu Licin urban area in the future, it will undoubtedly be a source of pressure on biodiversity. Several strategies can be implemented to overcome …