Gain Ratio Research Articles

Perancangan Sistem Informasi Bantuan Dana Desa Meggunakan Algoritma C4.5 pada Dinsos Kabupaten Ogan Ilir

The design of a village fund assistance information system using the C4.5 algorithm aims to optimize the selection process for prospective aid recipients at the Ogan Ilir Regency Social Service (DINSOS). Currently, the village fund assistance selection process often takes a long time and is prone to inaccuracy and unfairness due to the limitations of the manual system. The C4.5 algorithm was chosen to build an effective decision tree in classifying based on predetermined criteria, such as income, number of dependents, employment, housing status, and expenses. By utilizing the Gain or Gain Ratio value of each attribute, the C4.5 algorithm is able to produce a clear decision tree, which makes it easier for DINSOS to make decisions objectively and transparently. This information system is designed with an easy-to-use user interface and a structured database to facilitate the management of aid recipient data. The results of the implementation of this system show increased accuracy in determining prospective aid recipients and time efficiency in data processing, thus supporting efforts to evenly distribute village fund assistance in Ogan Ilir Regency in a targeted manner.

Comparison of Different Antibiotic Alternatives for Safe Broiler Production

The use of growth-promoting antibiotics in broiler feed, once widespread, is now recognized as risky due to antibiotic resistance and residue concerns in meat. To mitigate these risks, the goal of this study was to compare different alternative additives like organic acids, neem, enzymes, and probiotics for producing a safe broiler. A total of 360 Cobb-500-day-old broiler chicks were indiscriminately assigned into six treatment groups, i.e., Control (T1), Basal feed + Antibiotic (T2), Basal feed + Organic acid (T3), Basal feed + Enzyme (T4), Basal feed + Probiotic (T5), and Basal feed + Medicinal plant (T6) having four replications of 15 birds in each. During the experiment, significant differences (P < 0.05) in body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) among the experimental groups were observed only in the 5th week. At the end of the study, the highest BW, BWG, and FCR were found in organic acid, followed by the enzyme, antibiotic, probiotic, neem, and control group. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in BW, BWG, and FI among the dietary groups during the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th weeks. No significant differences (P > 0.05) in meat yield (drumstick meat, thigh meat, wing weight, and breast meat), bone development, and dressing parameters were observed among the dietary groups. Supplementation of different additives significantly (P < 0.05) affects cholesterol and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase content, whereas HDL, LDL, triglyceride, GPT, and creatinine were not affected among the groups. The neem and organic acid groups had the lowest cholesterol and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase values, respectively, compared to the others. It can be concluded that supplementing organic acid, probiotics, enzymes, and neem enhanced the growth performance, carcass quality, and blood biochemical profiles of the broilers, potentially serving as antibiotic alternatives. Mainly, the organic acid gives the best results among all the antibiotic alternatives.

Short communication: Estimation of the dietary standardized ileal digestible valine to lysine ratio required for 40 to 130 kg pigs during the finisher periods

BackgroundThree experiments were conducted separately to determine the optimum standardized ileal digestible (SID) valine (Val) to lysine (Lys) ratio for early finishing (Experiment 1, 40 to 75 kg bodyweight), finishing (Experiment 2, 75 to 100 kg bodyweight), and late finishing (Experiment 3, 100 to 130 kg bodyweight) pigs. Dietary SID Val: Lys ratios were designed at 0.61, 0.65, 0.69, 0.73, and 0.77. The optimal SID Val: Lys ratio was estimated by different regression models, including a quadratic polynomial model, a two-slope quadratic broken-line model, a curvilinear-plateau model, and a one-slope straight broken-line model.ResultsIn Exp.1, a total of 550 early finishing pigs (initially 40.3 kg bodyweight) were used in a 38-day growth trial. Pigs consuming 0.61 dietary SID Val: Lys ratio had lower final bodyweight compared to those fed 0.69 in diets. Using regression models, the optimal dietary SID Val: Lys requirement for average daily gain (ADG) was between 0.63 and 0.68, and for feed to gain ratio (F: G) was between 0.62 and 0.68, respectively. In Exp.2, 525 finishing pigs (initially 76.4 kg) were used in a 26-day trial. Based on regression models, estimate of the required SID Val: Lys for ADG was between 0.65 and 0.71, and for F: G was between 0.64 and 0.70, respectively. In Exp.3, 640 late finishing pigs (102 kg bodyweight) were used in a 27-day trial. No significant improvement was found for performance parameters of pigs from 100 to 130 kg, while 0.73 SID Val: Lys ratio resulted in the highest ADG and the lowest F: G from a numerical point of view.ConclusionsThese findings indicated that the optimum SID Val: Lys requirement for pigs from 40 to 75 kg was between 0.62 and 0.68, and for pigs from 75 to 100 kg was estimated to be between 0.64 and 0.71, using different regression models.

Intensive white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) culture integrated with green mussel (Perna viridis), seaweed (Gracilariopsis bailiniae), and tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus): impacts on water quality and growth of the shrimp

The production of Litopenaeus vannamei has significantly intensified, and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) has emerged as an effective farming technique to sustain the shrimp industry. Integrated aquaculture reduces pollution while increasing aquaculture production. This production system could give both ecological and economic benefits. Its contribution to the reduced amount of nutrients from intensive shrimp farming effluents and to the improvement of water quality conditions and growth of white shrimp are significant. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts on water quality and growth performance of shrimp (L. vannamei) at the same time assess the viability of rearing shrimps integrated with either green mussel, Perna viridis (GM alone), GM+seaweed (Gracilariopsis bailiniae), GM+tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus), or GM+seaweed+tilapia. Shrimps were cultured outdoors for 60 days in a recirculating system at an average water exchange rate of 6 L hr-1. Shrimps were stocked at 400 shrimp m-3 in shrimp tank while seaweed (2kg m-2), green mussels (50 individuals per meter line), and tilapia (350 grams m-3) were cultivated separately in plastic baskets inside the biofiltration tank. Shrimp effluents were recirculated from the shrimp tank to the biofiltration tank. After 60 days of culture, results showed that shrimps without integration had the lowest average body weight (ABW), survival, weight gain, specific growth rate (SGR), biomass gain, and high feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to shrimps with integration. This experiment confirmed that shrimp can be cultured intensively with either green mussel (GM alone), GM+ seaweed, GM+tilapia, or GM+seaweed+tilapia without adversely affecting the water quality and its growth performance and could even result in better yield than the shrimp cultured without integration. This research demonstrated the benefits of integrated aquaculture and could be further verified using large-scale culture.

Low protein diet influences mineral absorption and utilization in medium-growing yellow-feathered broilers from 1 to 30 days of age

Reduced-protein diet can save protein ingredients and reduce nitrogen (N) losses. However, the effect of low protein diet on the mineral uptake and utilization in broilers needs to be explored. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of low-protein diet on the growth performance, N deposition, mineral contents in serum, tissues and excreta, and the activities and gene expression of related enzymes in tissues of medium-growing yellow-feathered broilers, so as to elucidate the relationship between dietary protein level and the absorption and utilization of minerals in broilers. A total of 72 1-d-old Spotted-Brown male broilers were randomly allotted to 1 of 2 treatments with 6 replicate cages of 6 birds per cage for each treatment. The dietary crude protein (CP) levels for the two treatments were 21 % (the control treatment) and 19 % (low protein treatment), respectively. The experimental period was 30 d. The results showed that no differences (P > 0.05) were detected in average daily gain, average daily feed intake and feed: gain ratio of broilers during 1 to 30 d between the two treatments. However, low protein intake increased (P < 0.05) N retention rate, serum P, Cu and Mn, and excreta Cu, Mn and Zn, and decreased (P < 0.05) liver P and excreta P. In addition, birds fed low protein diet had higher (P < 0.05) manganese superoxide dismutase, and total superoxide dismutase activities in liver, and total antioxidant capacity and malondialdehyde content in heart, and lower (P < 0.05) copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) and succinate dehydrogenase activities in liver and CuZnSOD mRNA level in heart. In conclusion, the reduction of dietary CP content from 21 % to 19 % improved N retention, the absorption of P, Cu and Mn, as well as the antioxidant ability of liver and heart, and influenced metabolic utilization of P, Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn in medium-growing yellow-feathered broilers from 1 to 30 d of age.

Asteroid material classification based on multi-parameter constraints using artificial intelligence

Material types of asteroids provide key clues to their evolutionary history and contained resources. The Gaia mission has released extensive low-resolution spectral observation data of small Solar System bodies. However, methods for classifying asteroids based on low-resolution space-based spectra are still inadequate, and do not fully leverage the complementary features of spectra and multiple intrinsic attributes of asteroids to achieve precise material classification. Our goal is to propose a method with a higher generalization accuracy for asteroid material classification by integrating multi-source information, identifying optimal feature combinations for model inputs, and deepening the understanding of relationships among asteroid parameters. The effective asteroid photometric, physical, and orbital parameters were screened using the information gain ratio and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. Then, artificial intelligence techniques were employed to combine asteroid spectra with the selected various parameters for six-class material classification. By comparing five machine learning models, we identified network structures with higher validation accuracy and stable generalization performance. Meanwhile, feature ablation experiments were conducted to determine the input parameter combinations suitable for different scenarios. Finally, based on the statistical results and model outputs, the constraint relationships among asteroid parameters were visualized and analyzed. The proposed AsterRF model achieved a validation accuracy of 92.2&lt;!PCT!&gt;, an improvement of approximately 7.8 percentage points compared to existing methods that use only spectra. V-type asteroids exhibited the highest classification accuracy, followed by A-type and D-type. X-type asteroids had the lowest precision and recall, and were easily confused with C-type. The model generally showed higher classification confidence for S-type asteroids. The top five attributes that the model focused on are the phase slope parameter (G), orbital type, albedo, H magnitude, and effective diameter. Additionally, the correlations between asteroid materials and other parameters were generally below 0.4. Incorporating optimal asteroid parameter combinations can significantly enhance classification accuracy based on spectra. A dual-channel network that processes spectra and parameter inputs separately, and employs a self-attention mechanism for feature fusion is effective in combining multi-source asteroid information. Both the statistical correlations and model performance-based importance rankings of parameters contribute to understanding the constraint relationships among asteroid attributes.

3-D-Printed Ka-Band Circularly Polarized Monopulse Antenna Array With High Gain and Low Axial Ratio

3-D-Printed Ka-Band Circularly Polarized Monopulse Antenna Array With High Gain and Low Axial Ratio

Enhancing growth performance and health of coloured-broiler chickens with signal grass meal (Brachiaria decumbens) supplementation under tropical conditions

This study examines the impact of signal grass (Brachiaria decumbens) as a phytobiotic supplement on the production performance and health of coloured-broiler chickens reared in tropical environments. A total of 216 day-old Sasso broiler chicks were randomly assigned to six treatment groups with six replications each. All six treatments received the same commercial diets with some adjustments: Treatment 1 (negative control) with only commercial feed, Treatment 2 (positive control) with 100 mg kg-1g kg-1 oxytetracycline, Treatment 3, 4, 5, and 6 with 1.25, 2.50, 3.75, and 5.00 g kg-1 of B. decumbens grass meal, respectively, without antibiotic. Throughout the eight-week study, body weight and feed intake were recorded weekly for each replicate to calculate body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. Additional evaluations included nutrient digestibility, gut histomorphology, cecal microflora population, carcass characteristics, and meat quality. Blood biomarkers and biochemistry were also analysed to evaluate the chickens' health status. Results indicated that broilers supplemented with B. decumbens grass meal, particularly T6 showed significantly (p<0.05) superior growth performance compared to the negative with reduced FCR of 6.8%. Apparent ileal digestibility was also significantly improved in T6, with 22.32% higher CP digestibility. Enhanced gut histomorphology and a healthier cecal microbial population supported improved nutrient absorption and overall gut health, as evidenced by significant increases in the villi-to-crypt ratio and a higher coliform count than the control. Enhanced carcass characteristics, such as higher full gizzard and gastrointestinal tract weights of T6 broilers, further supported improved digestibility. The supplementation also improved meat quality, with blood biomarkers indicating lower stress and inflammation levels comparable to T2. Additionally, the blood biochemistry of T6 broilers suggested hepatoprotective and hypocholesterolemic effects. Therefore, broilers in T6 demonstrated that B. decumbens has significant potential as an effective feed additive to replace antibiotics in the tropical poultry sector due to its phytocompounds profile, including high saponin content.

Effects of substituting soybean meal with fermented rapeseed meal mixture on the growth performance, slaughter performance, meat quality, blood biochemical indices and intestinal barrier function in Langshan Chickens

This study aimed to explore the effects of substituting soybean meal with a mixture of solid-state fermented rapeseed meal, apple pomace, and wheat bran on the growth performance, slaughter performance, meat quality, blood biochemical indices and intestinal barrier function of Langshan chickens. A total of 144 30-day-old Langshan chickens with similar body weights were randomly divided into three treatment groups, with six replicates per group and eight chickens per replicate: the control group (CON) was fed a corn-soybean meal basal diet, while the rapeseed meal mixture group (RSM) and the fermented rapeseed meal mixture group (FRSM) were fed diets substituting 5 % of soybean meal with rapeseed meal mixture and fermented rapeseed meal mixture, respectively. The trial lasted from 30 to 58 days of age. The results showed that compared to the CON group, the RSM group exhibited no significant changes in average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG) and feed to gain ratio (F/G) (P > 0.05); the dressing percentage, half-eviscerated yield and eviscerated yield decreased (P < 0.05); the pH24h and yellowness of breast muscle increased (P < 0.05); the crypt depth of the jejunum decreased, and the villus height/crypt depth ratio increased (P < 0.05); the serum D-lactic acid content decreased (P < 0.05). Compared to the CON group, the FRSM group exhibited no significant changes in ADFI, ADG and F/G (P > 0.05); the eviscerated yield increased (P < 0.05); the serum glucose and uric acid levels decreased (P < 0.05); the crypt depth of the jejunum decreased, and the villus height/crypt depth ratio increased (P < 0.05); the serum D-lactic acid content decreased (P < 0.05). Furthermore, compared to the RSM group, the FRSM group exhibited no significant changes in ADFI, ADG and F/G (P > 0.05); the dressing percentage, half-eviscerated yield and eviscerated yield increased (P < 0.05); the pH24h of breast muscle decreased; the serum glucose and uric acid levels decreased (P < 0.05).In conclusion, RSM reduced the slaughter performance of Langshan chickens, while FRSM improved their slaughter performance. Both RSM and FRSM improved the jejunal morphology and intestinal permeability in Langshan chickens. In conclusion, fermentation improved the feed value of the rapeseed meal mixture; replacing part of the soybean meal diet with fermented rapeseed meal mixture helped improve the slaughter performance and intestinal barrier of Langshan chickens.

Determination of converter parameters for high-voltage electromechanical systems of stationary installations of industrial fans

Purpose. To study the electromagnetic processes in the circuit of the phase rotor of a high-voltage induction motor connected to the network through a step-up converter, to determine the parameters of the converter and their relationship with the voltage gain to ensure the optimal level of energy efficiency of the electromechanical system. Methodology. Methods of theoretical electrical engineering for the construction of a rotor circuit replacement scheme for an induction motor with a step-up converter, methods for solving a system of first-order differential equations, analytical methods. Findings. The expediency of using a converter that combines the rotor circuit of a high-voltage induction motor with the power supply network and provides regulation of the rotor EMF with the recovery of the slip energy of the induction motor rotor to the power supply network has been proved. This will ensure speed control of powerful high-voltage induction motors on the rotor side with an EMF of up to 600 V and significantly reduce the cost of a high-voltage electromechanical system. A methodology for determining the converter gain and the parameters of the rotor circuit of the electromechanical system is proposed, which allows determining the transformation ratio of the matching transformer at the optimal value of the voltage gain. The conditions of trouble-free operation of the inverter at the moment of start-up of the electromechanical system are determined. Achieving these conditions is ensured by determining the delay of the control signal to the power keys of the inverter of a step-up converter. The correlation between the voltage gain and the equivalent resistance of the rotor circuit of the electromechanical system is established. Originality. The ratio of the voltage gain to the equivalent resistance of the rotor circuit of the electromechanical system is established, which will ensure the matching of the rotor EMF with the voltage of the power supply network while maintaining a high level of energy efficiency. Practical value. A methodology for determining the gain and parameters of a step-up converter is proposed, which allows determining the transformation ratio of a matching transformer at the optimal value of the voltage gain. The proposed methodology can be applied to the modelling of complex powerful high-voltage electromechanical systems, especially for stationary installations of industrial fans.

Growth performance, serum metabolites, plasma protein fraction, meat lipid profile and antioxidant activities of breast meat of broiler chicken fed diets containing Cinnamomum ceylon powder, Zingiber officinale powder and Moringa oleifera leafmeal supplem

An experiment was conducted to determine growth performance, serum metabolites, plasma protein fraction, meat lipid profile and antioxidant activities of meat of broilers as affected by Cinnamomium ceylon, Zingiber officinale and Moringa oleifera supplementation. A total of 112 day old chicks were allotted into four treatments replicated four times with seven birds per replicate in a completely randomized design (CRD). Basal diets were formulated for broiler starters (0-28days) and finisher phase (29-56) days. The basal diets were divided into 4 diets : diet 1- control diet without supplementation; diet 2- contained 0.2% Cinnamomum ceylon supplementation (CCS); diet 3- contained 0.2% Zingiber officinale supplementation (ZOS), diet 4-contained 0.2% Moringa oleifera leafmeal (MOLM) supplementation. The experiment lasted for 56 days. Results showed an improvement in final liveweight, weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio of birds on 0.2% MOLM. Birds on phytogenic feed additives have lower values of urea, cholesterol, glucose, high density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein. Birds administered phytogenic supplements exhibited much greater plasma albumin levels. Low levels of meat cholesterol, triglycerides and low density lipoprotein were found in birds fed phytogenic feed additives while high levels of high density lipoprotein were recorded for birds on phytogenic feed additives. The supplementation of broilers diets with phytogenic feed additives increased the glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase and decreased lipid peroxidation. It was concluded that supplementation of broiler diets with Moringa oleifera leaf meal enhanced body weight gain, antioxidant activities also reduced cholesterol level in both serum metabolites and meat.

A Gray Scale Image Compression Using Hierarchical DWT Decomposition and Mixing Quantization Techniques

This paper describes a hybrid grayscale compression system based on the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and a polynomial coding technique for mixing quantization schemes to increase the compression ratio while maintaining quality. The proposed compression system consists of three main steps: first, decomposing an image using a three-level DWT; second, applying the 2-D linear polynomial coding technique to the approximation sub-band; and third, dividing the detailed sub-bands of each level into the Most Significant Value (MSV) and Least Significant Value (LSV), where the former is compressed using iterative scalar uniform quantization and the latter by soft quantization thresholding. For testing the performance of the suggested compression system, five standard images of size 256×256 pixels were adopted. The suggested technique showed superior performance in terms of reconstructed (decoded) image quality and compression ratio (gain), where the compression ratio is between 21–27 with a PSNR value between 36–38 dB and the compression ratio of JPEG is between 7–20 with a PSNR value between 33–37 dB.

Comparative growth, production, carcass characteristics and reproduction performance of Naked Neck, Black Australorp and their crossbred chicken

This study evaluated the phenotypic and genetic parameters of indigenous Naked Neck (NN), exotic Black Australorp (BA), and their crossbred (NNBA) chickens. A total of 270 day-old chicks (30 per group) were raised under identical conditions from day 1 to 48 weeks of age. Growth performance, including body weight, daily and total gain, feed consumption, and feed conversion ratio (FCR), was highest in BA, followed by NNBA, and lowest in NN. Carcass composition also varied significantly, with BA and NNBA having higher dressing percentages (62.98% and 62.68%, respectively) compared to NN (60.60%). BA produced the heaviest eggs (54.0 g), followed by NNBA (50.9 g) and NN (47.93 g). BA also had the best egg quality, hatchability, and FCR (3.15), with NNBA showing intermediate results. NN had the poorest performance in all traits. Age at sexual maturity was earlier in NNBA (161.23 days) compared to NN and BA. The study concluded that NNBA crossbreds outperformed NN in growth, carcass traits, and egg production, indicating their potential for enhancing rural poultry farming.

Evaluation of protease plus a precision-biotic on body weight gain and feed conversion ratio in broilers from 0 to 42 days of age

This study aims to evaluate the effects of a protease combination with a precision biotic on body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of broilers from day 0 to 42. 1,400 Cobb 500 male chicks were reared on seven different diets, including an unrestricted positive control (PC–Diet 1) and a negative control (NC–Diet 2) with slightly reduced crude protein, apparent metabolizable energy (AME), and digestible amino acids. Five additional treatment diets were formulated using the negative control and varying concentrations of a protease (Diets 3-4; 33ppm and 50ppm, respectively) and in combination with a precision biotic (Diets 5-7; 33ppm + 700ppm; 50ppm + 500ppm; and 50ppm + 700ppm, respectively). The PC treatment showed significantly different feed intake and FCR compared to all other treatments in all production phases (P &lt; 0.05). There are no significant differences in non-PC treatments in all production phases for BWG and FCR (starter p=0.230 and 0.300; grower p=0.443 and 0.237; finisher p=0.450 and 0.896; overall p=0.111 and 0.497, respectively), nor is there any in terms of mortality (p=0.800). These findings may provide valuable information to producers to optimize flock performance efficiently and cost-effectively.

The impact of myostatin variants on growth traits in South African Bonsmara beef cattle

Double muscling occurs when the myostatin (MSTN) gene is deactivated due to a series of mutations, leading to uncontrolled muscle growth and excessive muscle fiber accumulation, as the gene can no longer effectively regulate muscle development. This study aimed to assess the impact of MSTN variants and their combinations on growth traits, namely direct birth weight (BWDIR), direct weaning weight (WWDIR), average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in the South African (SA) Bonsmara. Genomically enhanced estimated breeding value (GEBVs) for traits of interest, and MTSN genotypes for SA Bonsmara animals were available for the study. Thirteen MSTN variants (Nt821, Q204X, F94L, E226X, E291X, C313Y, Nt419, S105C, D182N, Nt414, Nt324, Nt267, and Nt748) were routinely genotyped using the IDBv3 SNP array. Genotypic frequencies of MSTN variants ranged from 1.18% for Q204X to 35.02% for Nt748. No association was observed between the Nt267 variant and any growth traits, while both Nt748 and Nt414 variants affected WWDIR, ADG and FCR (p < 0.05). The results of the effect of multiple variants on growth traits indicated that there was an additive effect when more than one MSTN variant was present in an individual. This study is the first study to report the impact of MSTN variants on traits of economic importance in the SA Bonsmara breed.

Assessment of land degradation susceptibility within the Shaqlawa subregion of Northern Iraq-Kurdistan Region via synergistic application of remotely acquired datasets and advanced predictive models.

Land degradation (LD) is the decline in a land's functional capacity and productive potential, which includes various anthropogenic and natural drivers. This study focuses on three primary manifestations of LD including soil erosion, landslides, and rockfalls, which are the most prevalent in the Shaqlawa district. A set of 22 LD conditioning factors, encompassing curvature, lithology, aspect, river density, soil type, lineament density, river distance, elevation, road distance, length slope (LS), land use land cover (LULC), stream power index (SPI), valley depth, profile curvature, slope, solar radiation, road density, lineament distance, rainfall, topographic wetness index (TWI), plan curvature, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), were integrated into the analysis. Variance inflation factors (VIF) and tolerance (TOL) values from linear regression indicate that most LD factors have acceptable levels of multicollinearity. The Information Gain Ratio (IGR) identified key variables TWI, NDVI, and lithology-as pivotal factors for predicting LD. Additionally, the study evaluated degradation factors using various machine learning (ML) algorithms, including random forest (RF), Naive Bayes, logistic regression, rotation forest, forest penalized attributes (FPA), and Fisher's Linear discriminant analysis (FLDA). This facilitated categorizing the study area into five susceptibility categories. The FLDA model categorized the highest area under very high degradation risk at 26.72%, emphasizing the varied insights each algorithm brought to characterizing the degradation risk. Additionally, the receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) were employed for model validation, identifying RF as the most successful model in the training dataset with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.882, while FLDA outperformed in the testing dataset with an AUC of 0.883. The identified LD-prone areas will help land-use planners and emergency management officials apply effective mitigation strategies for similar terrains.

The effect of high levels of Glycyrrhiza glabra powder on performance, carcass characteristics, blood parameters, immunity, intestinal microbial flora, intestinal morphology and breast muscle fatty acid profile in broilers

In order to investigate the effect of licorice medicinal plant on performance, carcass characteristics, fatty acid profile of breast muscle, intestinal microbial flora, blood constitutes and immunity of broiler chickens, an experiment using a completely randomized design with 3 treatments, 4 replications, 10 chicks per repetition and a total of 120 pieces of one-day-old male broiler chickens of commercial strain Ross 308 were performed for 42 days. Experimental treatments included three different levels of licorice (0, 300 and 400 mg/kg feed). Data was analyzed using SAS statistical software and averages were compared at the 5% probability level with Duncan's multiple range test. The results showed that although variation in feed consumption, weight gain and feed conversion ratio was not significant in any of the rearing periods (P≥0.05), the highest feed consumption, weight gain and the best feed conversion ratio was observed in the final period of chickens were fed with Diet containing 400mg/kg licorice. Also, according to the data, the best European index was related to this treatment. In addition, the use of two levels of licorice had no significant effect on carcass characteristics or intestinal microbial flora; however, the highest increase in body weight and the lowest number of Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria were observed at the higher level of licorice. However, these high levels did not lead to a decrease in abdominal fat. According to the results obtained, different levels of licorice led to a significant reduction of harmful fats such as cholesterol, triglycerides, VLDL and LDL (P&lt;0.05). Furthermore, although the level of HDL was not significant (P≥ 0.05), its highest amount was seen at high levels of licorice. In addition, the lowest amount of total protein, albumin and globulin was observed at the level of 400 mg/kg of licorice. According to these results, although the amount of glucose was lowest its level was not significant (P≥0.05), Also, the use of this same level of licorice had no significant effect on the function of the humoral immune system in response to antigen injection (SRBC Antibody against sheep red blood cell) or antibody titer against Newcastle virus and influenza (P≥0.05). Nevertheless, according to the data, the highest antibody titer against Newcastle virus and SRBC antigen was associated with this treatment. These results also showed that high levels of licorice led to an increase in the number of Bifidobacterium. Villi width and crypt depth decreased at the high dose of licorice, but the ratio of villi length to crypt depth increased. In addition, the use of different levels of licorice could not reduce the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids compared to the control group. Therefore, based on the results of this research, it is recommended to use the level of 400 mg/kg of licorice to supplement the diet of broilers of Ross 308 strain.

Study on Mass Transfer and Physicochemical Properties of Avocado During Osmotic Dehydration

A previous study found that mass transfer occurring during the osmotic dehydration (OD) process. This phenomena is possible causing modification in physicochemical properties; therefore, understanding the OD effect on quality attributes is important. This research aimed to study the impact of sucrose concentration and immersion time on the kinetics of mass transfer and the physicochemical properties of avocado (Persea americana var. Miki) during the OD process. The samples were immersed in a sucrose solution (45, 55 and 65 ° Brix) for up to 300 min, then the mass transfer parameter and physicochemical properties were evaluated. The results showed that the highest rate of water removal (WR) was –0.037 g.g–1.h–1 using the 55 ° Brix solution, which also led to an increase in the soluble solid gain (SSG) value to 0.0126 g.g–1.h–1, while the highest WR/SSG ratio was obtained after 180 min of immersion using 65 ° Brix (2.451). A 2nd-order polynomial model accurately describes avocado mass transfer kinetics and their relationship to physicochemical properties. The model showed the best adjustment for WR, SSG, and weight loss (WL), as pointed out by R2 = 0.9671, 0.8968 and 0.9573, respectively. WR has a negative effect on firmness (R2 = 0.9278), vitamin C (R2 = 0.9349), and total fat (R2 = 0.8954). The uptake of sucrose correlated with decrease of vitamin C (R2 = 0.9391), whereas WL also affected the loss of total fat (R2 = 0.8288). The OD process modified the chroma of the avocado by reducing lightness, increasing greenness and yellowness, and yet protecting the flesh from the browning effect. Overall, this study provides insights into the relationship between mass transfer and physicochemical properties, and it is useful to predict the final condition of the osmo-avocado before subsequent processes. HIGHLIGHTS Immersing the avocado in a 55 ° Brix solution resulted in the highest rate of water removal (WR) and soluble solid gain (SSG). The highest ratio of WR and soluble solid gain (WR/SSG) was obtained at 180 min of immersion using a 65 ° Brix solution. The 2nd-order polynomial model fits the mass transfer parameters (WR, SSG, and weight loss/WL). WR contributed to a softened texture, color contrast, degradation of vitamin C, and total fat content. The combination of mass transfer and physicochemical property models is useful for designing the OD process and predicting the final condition of osmo-avocado. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Effects of Increasing Oral Deoxynivalenol Gavage on Growth Performance, Blood Biochemistry, Metabolism, Histology, and Microbiome in Rats.

Mycotoxin-contaminated feed or food can affect physiological responses and cause illnesses in humans and animals. In this study, we evaluated the effects of deoxynivalenol (DON) toxicity on the growth performance, blood biochemistry, histology, microbiome, and metabolism of rats fed with different toxin concentrations. After 1 week of acclimatization, seven-week-old male rats received 0.9% saline as a control, 0.02 mg/kg DON as T1, and 0.2 mg/kg DON as T2 via oral gavage for 4 weeks. The final body weight of the T2 group was significantly lower than that of the control and T1; however, the average daily gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio did not differ. Fibrosis and apoptosis were observed in various tissues as DON concentration increased. Creatinine and alkaline phosphatase levels were significantly lower in the DON-treated group than in the control. Firmicutes and Desulfobacterota phyla dominated the cecum, whereas those in the feces were Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Metabolomic profiling showed phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis as the most prominent pathways. Overall, our results suggest that low-dose and short-term DON exposure can trigger several adverse effects in rats. Dietary toxicants in rats may explain the physiological effects associated with the metabolism commonly reported in animals.

Assessing critical flood-prone districts and optimal shelter zones in the Brahmaputra Valley: Strategies for effective flood risk management

Frequent flooding has become a persistent issue in floodplain regions, causing significant disasters during each rainy season due to insufficient disaster management planning. This study proposes a methodology to prioritize flood susceptibility areas at the district level and identify suitable sites for flood shelters using a combination of machine learning algorithms and multi-criteria analysis, supported by geospatial technology. Flood shelter suitability mapping was conducted using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), while flood susceptibility zones were assessed using four different machine learning models: Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest, Decision Tree, and Naive Bayes. The integration of machine learning models with the AHP technique is vital in situations where conventional numerical models face challenges due to limited data, such as river discharge and water levels. The methodology includes a multicollinearity assessment to ensure the independence of selected flood-causing factors, information gain ratio to identify the most influential factors, Spearman's rho test to verify correlations between the machine learning models, and ROC-AUC along with statistical regression for validating the accuracy of the flood susceptibility maps. The findings indicate that the SVM algorithm, given its strong performance and effective training datasets, is recommended for areas with similar physical characteristics. The district-wise priority map generated from the weighted results of flood susceptibility assessments will be useful for flood management and mitigation strategies. Additionally, the study found that applying the AHP technique to determine flood shelter suitability, after assessing flood-prone areas, enhanced the efficiency of the flood management process. This research offers valuable insights for authorities to better address flooding and improve flood prevention and management efforts in floodplain regions, contributing to broader climate change adaptation strategies.