LHC Magnet Tests: Operational Techniques and Empowerment for Successful Completion

The LHC magnet tests operation team developed various innovative techniques, particularly since early 2004, to complete the superconductor magnet tests by Feb. 2007. Overall and cryogenic priority handling, rapid on-bench thermal cycling, rule-based goodness evaluation on round-the-clock basis, multiple, mashed web systems are some of these techniques applied with rigour for successful tests completion in time. This paper highlights these operation empowerment tools which had a pivotal role for success. A priority handling method was put in place to enable maximum throughput from twelve test benches, having many different constraints. For the cryogenics infrastructure, it implied judicious allocation of limited resources to the benches. Rapid On-Bench Thermal Cycle was a key strategy to accelerate magnets tests throughput, saving time and simplifying logistics. First level magnet appraisal was developed for 24 hr decision making so as to prepare a magnet further for LHC or keep it on standby. Web based systems (Tests Management and E-Traveller) were other essential ideas to track & coordinate various stages of tests handled by different teams

Good Practices 51: October 2021―ILRI’s digital advisory tool to reduce yield gap in dairy animals in the context of mixed farming

In this Good Practice Note, Padmakumar, Ravi, Manikandan and Adithyan throw light on a digital advisory tool developed by ILRI to address the mismatch between nutrient requirement and nutrient availability in dairy animals where a mixed farming system prevails

Are commercial total mixed rations viable in intensifying sheep production?

Total Mixed Rations (TMRs)having different metabolizable energy (8.73 and 10.53 MJ/kg) and crude protein (14% and 16% per kg) designed by a private feed enterprise in Nellore were compared with a control diet (7.74 MJ ME and 12% CP) for fattening two different breeds of sheep (Rambouillet and Judipi). Ten sheep each were allotted to three treatments in each breed and feed intake (DMI) recorded daily and weight gain (ADG) twice monthly. No significant differences were foundin DMIand ADG between the TMRs. Average DMIin high TMR ranged was 1069 g/d (946 – 1463g/d), in medium TMR 1001 g/d (711 –1341 g/d)and control 1016 g/d (743 – 1210 g/d). Average ADGin high TMR was 139 g/d (93– 189g/d), in medium TMR 123 g/d (94 – 175 g/d)and in control 128 g/d (107 – 161 g/d) in Rambouillet. In Judipiin high TMR average ADG was 93 g/d (75-126 g/d),in medium TMR 73 g/d (47–105g/d) and in control 81 g/d (59 – 104), respectively. Between the breeds significant differences were found for DMI intake and ADG(P < 0.01) and FCR (P<0001)which was 8and 10.4 kg per kg ADG in Rambouillet and Judipi, respectively

The use of macroalgae in feeds for finfish aquaculture

Fed aquaculture accounted for around three-quarters of total aquaculture production in 2022. The most important raw materials in fish feed have traditionally been fishmeal and fish oil. Fishmeal has been the preferred protein source due to its high protein content and excellent amino acid profile. In aquaculture, feeds constitute over 50% of operating costs, with protein being the most expensive dietary source (based on inclusion levels). There is a growing need for alternative feed ingredients in securing the future supply of protein, as the high protein plant feedstuffs currently used are limited due to deficiencies in essential amino acids. Seaweeds have been cited as alternative protein sources for finfish with a quality of protein similar to traditional protein sources. The response of finfish to dietary seaweed is dose-dependent and species-specific, and any new protein source must be assessed on the provision of the most-limiting essential amino acid requirements of the target species. The potential of seaweed as an alternate protein or feed supplement ingredient in aquatic feeds has been well studied suggesting partial substitution of fishmeal up to 15% can be possible in most cases, although it may be higher in some species. While the majority of seaweed species contain insufficient levels of essential amino acids to meet the requirements of most finfish, despite their moderate protein contents, the number and levels of highly bioactive compounds and micro-nutrients in seaweed-derived products could be considered valuable and useful as functional additives for aquafeed fortification

The distinct roles of the nucleus and nucleus-cytoskeleton connections in three-dimensional cell migration

Cells often migrate in vivo in an extracellular matrix that is intrinsically three-dimensional (3D) and the role of actin filament architecture in 3D cell migration is less well understood. Here we show that, while recently identified linkers of nucleoskeleton to cytoskeleton (LINC) complexes play a minimal role in conventional 2D migration, they play a critical role in regulating the organization of a subset of actin filament bundles – the perinuclear actin cap - connected to the nucleus through Nesprin2giant and Nesprin3 in cells in 3D collagen I matrix. Actin cap fibers prolong the nucleus and mediate the formation of pseudopodial protrusions, which drive matrix traction and 3D cell migration. Disruption of LINC complexes disorganizes the actin cap, which impairs 3D cell migration. A simple mechanical model explains why LINC complexes and the perinuclear actin cap are essential in 3D migration by providing mechanical support to the formation of pseudopodial protrusions

Phytoplankton across Tropical and Subtropical Regions of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans

Postprint4,411

Beyond the Imitation Game: Quantifying and extrapolating the capabilities of language models

Language models demonstrate both quantitative improvement and new qualitative capabilities with increasing scale. Despite their potentially transformative impact, these new capabilities are as yet poorly characterized. In order to inform future research, prepare for disruptive new model capabilities, and ameliorate socially harmful effects, it is vital that we understand the present and near-future capabilities and limitations of language models. To address this challenge, we introduce the Beyond the Imitation Game benchmark (BIG- bench). BIG-bench currently consists of 204 tasks, contributed by 450 authors across 132 institutions. Task topics are diverse, drawing problems from linguistics, childhood develop- ment, math, common-sense reasoning, biology, physics, social bias, software development, and beyond. BIG-bench focuses on tasks that are believed to be beyond the capabilities of current language models. We evaluate the behavior of OpenAI's GPT models, Google- internal dense transformer architectures, and Switch-style sparse transformers on BIG-bench, across model sizes spanning millions to hundreds of billions of parameters. In addition, a team of human expert raters performed all tasks in order to provide a strong baseline. Findings include: model performance and calibration both improve with scale, but are poor in absolute terms (and when compared with rater performance); performance is remarkably similar across model classes, though with benefits from sparsity; tasks that improve gradually and predictably commonly involve a large knowledge or memorization component, whereas tasks that exhibit "breakthrough" behavior at a critical scale often involve multiple steps or components, or brittle metrics; social bias typically increases with scale in settings with ambiguous context, but this can be improved with prompting