Development of a Functional Food Snack Product Utilizing Underexplored and Underutilized Ingredients: Spirulina Microalgae and Bilberry

Spirulina, a protein-rich cyanobacterium, and Bilberry, a dark berry, have the potential to be used as functional food ingredients in the food industry. These two underexplored and underutilized ingredients were used to develop an adolescent-friendly functional snack food product in the light of food industry trends. Stages of product development, shelf life/physiochemical analysis (texture, pH, color, and water activity) and sensory evaluation were utilized in developing a functional snack mini muffin containing Spirulina and Bilberry. Aqueous (AQ) and 80% ethanol (ET) extracts of mini muffin formulations (chocolate, 1% Spirulina (S) + 4% Bilberry (B), 2% Spirulina (S) + 8% Bilberry (B)) were prepared using a standard protocol. Antioxidant potential was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Potential (FRAP) assays. Utilizing a 5-point hedonic scale (1—Dislike very much, 2—Dislike a little, 3—Neither like nor dislike, 4—Like a little, 5—Like very much), 3 mini muffin formulations (chocolate, 1% S + 4% B, 2% S +8% B), were tested among consumer panelists, with 1% S + 4% B being the most acceptable based on taste, texture, color, aroma, appearance, etc. Texture (post-peak (N) of the mini muffin did not vary between chocolate and 1 S% + 4% B formulations;however, 2% S + 8% B was 1.09 times higher compared to its counterparts. pH, color, and water activity remained constant over the 9-day shelf-life period. The Spirulina and Bilberry muffins developed exhibited antioxidant activities (highest in 2% S + 8% B), and were accepted by the sensory panelists for color, taste, mouthfeel, and aroma (panelists preferred 1% S + 4% B).

On Enforcing Dyadic-type Homogeneous Binary Function Product Constraints in MatBase

Homogeneous binary function products are frequently encountered in the sub-universes modeled by databases,spanning from genealogical trees and sports to education and healthcare,etc.Their properties must be discovered and enforced by the software applications managing such data to guarantee plausibility.The(Elementary)Mathematical Data Model provides 17 types of dyadic-based homogeneous binary function product constraint categories.MatBase,an intelligent data and knowledge base management system prototype,allows database designers to simply declare them by only clicking corresponding checkboxes and automatically generates code for enforcing them.This paper describes the algorithms that MatBase uses for enforcing all 17 types of homogeneous binary function product constraint,which may also be employed by developers without access to MatBase.

Euler Product Expressions of Absolute Tensor Products of Dirichlet L-Functions

In this paper, we calculate the absolute tensor square of the Dirichlet L-functions and show that it is expressed as an Euler product over pairs of primes. The method is to construct an equation to link primes to a series which has the factors of the absolute tensor product of the Dirichlet L-functions. This study is a generalization of Akatsuka’s theorem on the Riemann zeta function, and gives a proof of Kurokawa’s prediction proposed in 1992.

Biological function of resveratrol and its application in animal production:a review

With the prohibition of antibiotics in feed,plant functional substances have been widely studied as feed additives.Resveratrol,a natural stilbene,and a non-flavonoid polyphenol found in plants,possesses antioxidant,anti-inflammatory,and metabolic regulatory features.Resveratrol generated intense scientific and public interest,primarily due to its widely reported ability to prevent cancer,delay aging and alleviate related metabolic diseases.Recently,resveratrol has been studied and applied as a feed additive in animal production.This review focuses on the outline of the absorption and metabolism and biological functions of resveratrol and summarizes the application of dietary resveratrol in animal production up to the present,including pigs,poultry,and ruminants.In pigs,dietary resveratrol improved intestinal health,mitochondrial function,meat quality,and more.In poultry,studies have shown that dietary resveratrol improves growth performance and meat and egg quality and alleviates heat stress induced adverse effects.There are few studies on dietary resveratrol in ruminants;however previous studies have indicated that dietary resveratrol increases nutrient digestibility and reduces methane emissions in sheep.It is hoped that this review could provide a specific theoretical basis and research ideas for the research and application of resveratrol.

ON THE GRAPHS OF PRODUCTS OF CONTINUOUS FUNCTIONS AND FRACTAL DIMENSIONS

In this paper,we consider the graph of the product of continuous functions in terms of Hausdorff and packing dimensions.More precisely,we show that,given a real number 1≤β≤2,any real-valued continuous function in C([0,1])can be decomposed into a product of two real-valued continuous functions,each having a graph of Hausdorff dimensionβ.In addition,a product decomposition result for the packing dimension is obtained.This work answers affirmatively two questions raised by Verma and Priyadarshi[14].

Product quality prediction based on RBF optimized by firefly algorithm

With the development of information technology,a large number of product quality data in the entire manufacturing process is accumulated,but it is not explored and used effectively.The traditional product quality prediction models have many disadvantages,such as high complexity and low accuracy.To overcome the above problems,we propose an optimized data equalization method to pre-process dataset and design a simple but effective product quality prediction model:radial basis function model optimized by the firefly algorithm with Levy flight mechanism(RBFFALM).First,the new data equalization method is introduced to pre-process the dataset,which reduces the dimension of the data,removes redundant features,and improves the data distribution.Then the RBFFALFM is used to predict product quality.Comprehensive expe riments conducted on real-world product quality datasets validate that the new model RBFFALFM combining with the new data pre-processing method outperforms other previous me thods on predicting product quality.

Proof of Riemann Conjecture Based on Contradiction between Xi-Function and Its Product Expression

Riemann proved three results: analytically continue ζ(s) over the whole complex plane s =σ + it with a pole s =1;(Theorem A) functional equation ξ(t) = G(s0)ζ (s0), s0 =1/2 + it and (Theorem B) product expression ξ1(t) by all roots of ξ(t). He stated Riemann conjecture (RC): All roots of ξ (t) are real. We find a mistake of Riemann: he used the same notation ξ(t) in two theorems. Theorem B must contain complex roots;it conflicts with RC. Thus theorem B can only be used by contradiction. Our research can be completed on s0 =1/2 + it. Using all real roots rk and (true) complex roots zj = tj + iaj of ξ (z), define product expressions w(t), w(0) =ξ(0) and Q(t) > 0, Q(0) =1 respectively, so ξ1(t) = w(t)Q(t). Define infinite point-set L(ω) = {t : t ≥10 and |ζ(s0)| =ω} for small ω > 0. If ξ(t) has complex roots, then ω =ωQ(t) on L(ω). Finally in a large interval of the first module |z1|>>1, we can find many points t ∈ L(ω) to make Q(t) . This contraction proves RC. In addition, Riemann hypothesis (RH) ζ for also holds, but it cannot be proved by ζ.

Application Effect of Functional Microbial Products in the Cultivation of Green Ecological Strawberry

In order to promote the transformation and high-quality development of strawberry industry and speed up the application of functional microbial products in strawberry,the application technology of functional microbial products in strawberry planting is studied and summarized.It mainly includes:the periods and methods of continuous cropping strawberry soil reduction and disinfection at high temperature,before and after strawberry planting,before plastic film mulching and whole process of plant spraying.Through multi-point test and demonstration,the purpose of advancing the season of strawberries,improving the quality,increasing production and increasing efficiency is achieved,and there is no risk of agricultural residue pollution,which meets the needs of people's consumption upgrading.Therefore,the application of functional microbial products in green ecological planting is very necessary,and it is worth further speeding up the demonstration and promotion.

Appropriateness of Reduced Modified Three-Parameter Weibull Distribution Function for Predicting Gold Production in Ghana

Forecasting mine production is pertinent to gold mining as it serves as production goals for investors. It is therefore important to identify the exact distribution that gold production as a response variable naturally follows. It is even more appropriate to have a model(s) with few predictor variables. This paper seeks to identify appropriate statistical distribution functions for fitting gold production in Ghana. The empirical paper relied mainly on quarterly secondary datasets on gold production between the years 2009 and 2022 secured from the Minerals Commission of Ghana, Accra. Several known statistical distributions including Weibull, Log-Normal, Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) were explored with Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) and evaluated using model selection criteria as AIC, AICc and BIC. Goodness of Fits were evaluated using Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test (K-S), Cramer-Von Mises Statistic and Anderson-Darling Statistic. Based on the analysis conducted, the reduced modified 3-parameter Weibull distribution provided the best fit for gold production in Ghana. Though the reduced modified Weibull function is proposed, it is important however to recognize that other external factors can influence production levels. Also, the average quarterly fitted gold production is 1000334.8918 ± 75,327.080 (±7.5%) [i.e., 925,007.812 – 1,075,661.972]. This indicates that the average annually fitted gold production lies between 3700031.248 and 4302647.888 ounces at 99.9% confidence level. Therefore, the predicted gold production for the year 2022 is 3.7million ounces at 99.9% confidence level.

Appropriateness of Reduced Modified Three-Parameter Weibull Distribution Function for Predicting Gold Production in Ghana

Forecasting mine production is pertinent to gold mining as it serves as production goals for investors. It is therefore important to identify the exact distribution that gold production as a response variable naturally follows. It is even more appropriate to have a model(s) with few predictor variables. This paper seeks to identify appropriate statistical distribution functions for fitting gold production in Ghana. The empirical paper relied mainly on quarterly secondary datasets on gold production between the years 2009 and 2022 secured from the Minerals Commission of Ghana, Accra. Several known statistical distributions including Weibull, Log-Normal, Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) were explored with Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) and evaluated using model selection criteria as AIC, AICc and BIC. Goodness of Fits were evaluated using Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test (K-S), Cramer-Von Mises Statistic and Anderson-Darling Statistic. Based on the analysis conducted, the reduced modified 3-parameter Weibull distribution provided the best fit for gold production in Ghana. Though the reduced modified Weibull function is proposed, it is important however to recognize that other external factors can influence production levels. Also, the average quarterly fitted gold production is 1000334.8918 ± 75,327.080 (±7.5%) [i.e., 925,007.812 – 1,075,661.972]. This indicates that the average annually fitted gold production lies between 3700031.248 and 4302647.888 ounces at 99.9% confidence level. Therefore, the predicted gold production for the year 2022 is 3.7million ounces at 99.9% confidence level.

Rosemary extract improves egg quality by altering gut barrier function,intestinal microbiota and oviductal gene expressions in late-phase laying hens

Background Rosemary extract(RE)has been reported to exert antioxidant property.However,the application of RE in late-phase laying hens on egg quality,intestinal barrier and microbiota,and oviductal function has not been systematically studied.This study was investigated to detect the potential effects of RE on performance,egg quality,serum parameters,intestinal heath,cecal microbiota and metabolism,and oviductal gene expressions in late-phase laying hens.A total of 21065-week-old“Jing Tint 6”laying hens were randomly allocated into five treatments with six replicates and seven birds per replicate and fed basal diet(CON)or basal diet supplemented with chlortetracycline at 50 mg/kg(CTC)or RE at 50 mg/kg(RE50),100 mg/kg(RE100),and 200 mg/kg(RE200).Results Our results showed that RE200 improved(P<0.05)Haugh unit and n-6/n-3 of egg yolk,serum superoxide dismutase(SOD)compared with CON.No significant differences were observed for Haugh unit and n-6/n-3 of egg yolk among CTC,RE50,RE100 and RE200 groups.Compared with CTC and RE50 groups,RE200 increased serum SOD activity on d 28 and 56.Compared with CON,RE supplementation decreased(P<0.05)total cholesterol(TC)level.CTC,RE100 and RE200 decreased(P<0.05)serum interleukin-6(IL-6)content compared with CON.CTC and RE200 increased jejunal m RNA expression of ZO-1 and Occludin compared with CON.The biomarkers of cecal microbiota and metabolite induced by RE 200,including Firmicutes,Eisenbergiella,Paraprevotella,Papillibacter,and butyrate,were closely associated with Haugh unit,n-6/n-3,SOD,IL-6,and TC.PICRUSt2 analysis indicated that RE altered carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism of cecal microbiota and increased butyrate synthesizing enzymes,including 3-oxoacid Co A-transferase and butyrate-acetoacetate Co A-transferase.Moreover,transcriptomic analysis revealed that RE200 improved gene expressions and functional pathways related to immunity and albumen formation in the oviductal magnum.Conclusions Dietary supplementation with 200 mg/kg RE could increase egg quality of late-phase laying hens via modulating intestinal barrier,cecal microbiota and metabolism,and oviductal function.Overall,RE could be used as a promising feed additive to improve egg quality of laying hens at late stage of production.

No generality in biodiversity-productivity relationships along elevation in temperate and subtropical forest landscapes

An improved understanding of biodiversity-productivity relationships(BPRs)along environmental gradients is crucial for effective ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation.The stress-gradient hypothesis suggests that BPRs are stronger in stressful environments compared to more favorable conditions.However,there is limited knowledge regarding the variation of BPRs along elevational gradients and their generality across different landscapes.To study how BPRs change with elevation,we harnessed inventory data on 6,431 trees from152 plots surveyed twice in eight to ten year intervals in mountain forests of temperate Europe and subtropical Asia.We quantified the relationship between aboveground productivity and different biodiversity measures,including taxonomic,functional,and phylogenetic diversity.To elucidate the processes underlying BPRs,we studied the variation of different functional traits along elevation across landscapes.We found no general pattern of BPRs across landscapes and elevations.Relationships were neutral for all biodiversity measures in temperate forests,and negative for taxonomic and functional diversity in subtropical forests.BPRs were largely congruent between taxonomic,functional and phylogenetic diversity.We found only weak support for the stress-gradient hypothesis,with BPRs turning from negative to positive(effect not significant)close to the tree line in subtropical forests.In temperate forests,however,elevation patterns were strongly modulated by species identity effects as influenced by specific traits.The effect of traits such as community-weighted mean of maximum plant height and wood density on productivity was congruent across landscapes.Our study highlights the context-dependence of BPRs across elevation gradients and landscapes.Species traits are key modulating factors of BPRs and should be considered more explicitly in studies of the functional role of biodiversity.Furthermore,our findings highlight that potential trade-offs between conserving biodiversity and fostering ecosystem productivity exist,which require more attention in policy and management.

Productivity and technical efficiency of Robusta coffee farms at varying elevation categories in Sultan Kudarat, Philippines: implications on sustainability

Elevation can affect agricultural outputs,affecting farms’productivity and efficiency.This article identified the significant production inputs influencing productivity and factors influencing technical efficiency(TE)and determined the average TE scores of Robusta coffee farms at varying elevations in Sultan Kudarat,Philippines.Cross-sectional data from the Mahintana Foundation,Inc.using random stratified sampling and power analysis from September 9,2021,to January 13,2022,were used to analyze 604 farms from areas ranging from 0.33 to 1284.18 above mean sea level(amsl),classified as low,medium,and high elevation.Open-Data-Kit-based(ODK)mobile data collection systems were utilized to precisely determine the farms’coordinates and elevation.Using stochastic frontier analysis,results showed that increasing the total fertilizer amount and total trees by 1%significantly increased yield by 0.20%and 0.79%,respectively.Meanwhile,increasing the total land area by 1%,including areas unutilized for coffee farming,decreases total yield by 0.11%.Regarding TE,results showed that TE decreases by approximately 0.58%at high elevations.Meanwhile,increasing net income from coffee farming alone by 1%significantly increases TE by 0.00008%.With an average TE of 0.60,0.77,and 0.63 in low,medium,and high elevations,farms may be incentivized to improve farming practices to increase their TE further.TE improvement recommendations include promoting coffee-agroforestry systems and ecolabelling at medium elevations,such as shade-grown coffee,to promote sustainable production in Robusta coffee farms by assigning a premium to consumers demanding environmental conservation.

Wigner function of optical cumulant operator and its dissipation in thermo-entangled state representation

To conveniently calculate the Wigner function of the optical cumulant operator and its dissipation evolution in a thermal environment, in this paper, the thermo-entangled state representation is introduced to derive the general evolution formula of the Wigner function, and its relation to Weyl correspondence is also discussed. The method of integration within the ordered product of operators is essential to our discussion.

Molecular engineering binuclear copper catalysts for selective CO_(2) reduction to C_(2) products

Molecular copper catalysts serve as exemplary models for correlating the structure-reaction-mechanism relationship in the electrochemical CO_(2) reduction(eCO_(2)R),owing to their adaptable environments surrounding the copper metal centres.This investigation,employing density functional theory calculations,focuses on a novel family of binuclear Cu molecular catalysts.The modulation of their coordination configuration through the introduction of organic groups aims to assess their efficacy in converting CO_(2) to C_(2)products.Our findings highlight the crucial role of chemical valence state in shaping the characteristics of binuclear Cu catalysts,consequently influencing the eCO_(2)R behaviour,Notably,the Cu(Ⅱ)Cu(Ⅱ)macrocycle catalyst exhibits enhanced suppression of the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER),facilitating proton trans fer and the eCO_(2)R process.Fu rthermore,we explo re the impact of diverse electro n-withdrawing and electron-donating groups coordinated to the macrocycle(R=-F,-H,and-OCH_3)on the electron distribution in the molecular catalysts.Strategic placement of-OCH_3 groups in the macrocycles leads to a favourable oxidation state of the Cu centres and subsequent C-C coupling to form C_(2) products.This research provides fundamental insights into the design and optimization of binuclear Cu molecular catalysts for the electrochemical conversion of CO_(2) to value-added C_(2) products.

Consistency of Water Production Function Models of Two Crops

On basis of test information, the research performed analysis on water production function models of two crops, which indicated that water model of crops in whole growth stage and water model of crops indifferent growth stages have consistency as well as differences, providing references for optimization of irrigation water. Meanwhile, the research analyzed the deficiency of optimization on irrigation water for crops just by Jensen model.

Analysis on Input-Output in Rice Cultivation Based on Cobb-Douglas Production Function

[Objective] To analyze the input and output in rice cultivation based on CD function. [Method] Based on the input factors, Cobb-Douglas production （CD） function was used to do the quantitative analysis on the input-output in rice production with rice growers as the objective. [Result] Considering the substitution effect of labor in- put and capital input, under the same technical conditions, the effect of increasing labor input on the rice production in per 667 m2 was negative, based on which 2 pieces of policy suggestions were put forward to promote the transfer of surplus la- bor force of rice growers and ensure the capital supply for rice production. [Conclusion] This study laid the foundation for the realization of reasonable allocation of rice production resources.

Association of polymorphisms of Nramp1 gene with immune function and production performance of large white pig

The present research was designed to study the association of polymorphism of natural resistance-associated macrophage proteinl （Nrampl） with some immune function and the production performance in Large White pig. The PCR-RFLP technique was applied to analyze the correlation between the polymorphisms of Nrampl gene and immune function [value of Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes （PMN） obtained by Nitroblue Tetrazolium （NBT） Reduction and effect of Cytotoxin in Monocyte] and production performance in 165 Large White pigs. The results showed that there was one Nde I restriction locus in Large White pig, and both values of PMN by NBT Reduction and effect of Cytotoxin in Monocyte in genotype BB were higher than those in genotype AB （P〈0.05）. Simultaneously, the weight of 180-day-old pigs with genotype BB was higher than that with genotype AB （P〈0.05）. The results indicated that there was a significant correlation between different genotypes of Nrampl gene and Immune function and production performance, and it can be regarded as a candidate gene of disease resistance. All these results provide valuable reference to further studies of pig disease resistance.

Productive functional evolution of rural settlements:analysis of livelihood strategy and land use transition in eastern China

In China, rural settlements are usually multifunctional complex of natural societies and they also play important productive function. This study explored the spatiotemporal evolution of the productive function of three rural settlements, i.e.,Hetaoyuan, Dawengshan, and Gaoqiao, in the Yimeng Mountain in Shandong province of eastern China.Residents lived in this three types of rural settlements were all involved in agricultural production(i.e., grain threshing, drying and storage), which had remained dominant in Hetaoyuan. Dawengshan became an industrial-oriented settlement, while Gaoqiao became a commercial-oriented settlement. This evolution was reflected in the livelihood strategy changes of rural households and the transition of rural settlements changes. The choice of livelihood strategy was affected by the livelihood assets and policies, which resulted in the spatiotemporal evolution of the productive function of rural settlements. This study can provide references for the implementation and adjustment of rural residential land consolidation policies and the improvement of production and the quality of rural life in future.

Saline Water Irrigation Scheduling Through a Crop-Water-Salinity Production Function and a Soil-Water-Salinity Dynamic Model

Using a crop-water-salinity production function and a soil-water-salinity dynamic model, optimal irrigation scheduling was developed to maximize net return per irrigated area. Plot and field experiments were used to obtain the crop water sensitivity index, the salinity sensitivity index, and other parameters. Using data collected during 35 years to calculate the 10-day mean precipitation and evaporation, the variation in soil salinity concentrations and in the yields of winter wheat and cotton were simulated for 49 irrigation scheduling that were combined from 7 irrigation schemes over 3 irrigation dates and 7 salinity concentrations of saline irrigation water (fresh water and 6 levels of saline water). Comparison of predicted results with irrigation data obtained from a large area of the field showed that the model was valid and reliable. Based on the analysis of the investment cost of the irrigation that employed deep tube wells or shallow tube wells, a saline water irrigation schedule and a corresponding strategy for groundwater development and utilization were proposed. For wheat or cotton, if the salinity concentration was higher than 7.0 g L-1 in groundwater, irrigation was needed with only fresh water; if about 5.0 g L-1, irrigation was required twice with fresh water and once with saline water; and if not higher than 3.0 g L-1, irrigation could be solely with saline water.