Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Maximal Exercise Performance and Electromyography Responses after Antagonist Neuromuscular Proprioceptive Facilitation : A Pilot Study

Paz GA, Maia MF, Lima VP, Oliveira CG, Bezerra E, Simão R, Miranda H. Maximal Exercise Performance and Electromyography Responses after Antagonist Neuromuscular Proprioceptive Facilitation: A Pilot Study. JEPonline 2012;15(6):60-67. Antagonist stretching may promote agonist performance-enhancement. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effects of antagonist proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on agonist activation and strength performance. Ten men (22.4 ± 0.9 yrs, 74.7 ± 7.7 kg, 172 ± 0.05 cm) participated as subjects in this study. All subjects had previous resistance training experience. Initially, the 10 RM test and retest were applied for wide grip seated row exercise (SR). In the traditional protocol (TP), the subjects performed a set on SR exercise with 10 RM loads. For antagonist PNF stretching (PNFA) the subjects performed 40 sec of PNF on shoulders adductors followed by a set of SR. EMG data of the latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major (clavicular fibers), biceps brachii and triceps brachii (lateral head) were registered. The paired t-test was used to statistically analyze the data, using an alpha level of P<0.05. Significant increase in repetitions was found with PNFA (10.8 ± 0.8) compared to the TP (9.9 ± 0.3) protocol. However, no significant differences were observed on EMG activity for the 4 muscles that were monitored. Therefore, it appears that antagonist PNF stretching may induce acute increase in muscle performance.
Income and Food Expenditures Decomposed by Cohort, Age, and Time Effects

This report expands aggregate lifecycle expenditure analysis by separating generational or cohort effects from aging effects. This is important since different generations or age groups may exhibit expenditure patterns that are the result of higher incomes and/or different tastes and preferences. Ignoring these generational effects produces income and consumption age profiles that can be misleading. With accurate consumption and age profiles, policymakers can gain a better idea of food intake patterns by cohort, and thereby identify groups that may need additional diet and health information. Using survey data to follow eight cohort groups from 1982 through 1995, this study found that: real per capita income increased for all cohorts, except for the very youngest, with a peak in earnings between the ages of 50 and 59; all food categories except for vegetables and sugar and sweets have statistically significant cohort effects; younger cohorts spent less than older cohorts on food at home, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products, but more on cereal and bakery goods as well as miscellaneous prepared foods. This study found no evidence that younger cohorts spend more than older cohorts on food away from home.
Identification of Selection Indices and Choosing of Parents for Vegetable Cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata cv-gr. Sesquipedalis ) Breeding Programme

In the present study seventeen genotypes of vegetable cowpea (Vigna unguiculata cv-gr. Sesquipedalis) collected from different places in the country were evaluated for different horticultural traits for genetic variation, character association, cause-effect analysis and genetic diversity was measured among the genotypes through D2 statistics. All the eight characters under study differed significantly among the genotypes. High to moderate GCV and PCV values were found for number of pods per plant, pod yield per plant, pod weight, number of seeds per pod and pod length. Higher estimates of broad sense heritability coupled with higher genetic advance for number of pods per plant, pod yield per plant, pod weight, number of seeds per pod and pod length. Association studies revealed that genotypic correlation coefficients were higher than their phenotypic correlation coefficients in most of the cases. From the correlation and path analysis, it can be concluded that emphasis should be given on number of pods per plant and pod weight for selecting high yielding genotypes. Based on the degree of divergence the genotypes were grouped into seven clusters. The top three characters which contributed most towards the genetic divergence were number of seeds per pod, pod yield per plant and pod weight. Cluster II had genotypes with high pod productivity, while the genotypes in Cluster III flowered much earlier. Crossing between genotypes within these groups could produce highly productive and early maturing cowpea genotypes.
Analysis of Didactical Trajectories in Teaching and Learning Mathematics: Overcoming Extreme Objectivist and Constructivist Positions

There is currently a consensus in mathematics education that favors constructivist instructional models, which are based on the inquiry of knowledge by students. There are, however, different views that consider objectivist models, based on knowledge transmission (direct or explicit teaching) more effective in the teaching of scientific disciplines. In this article we analyze an instructional process on elementary probability directed to prospective primary education teachers, which was designed under constructivist principles and is based on data analysis projects. A systematic analysis of the study process reveals that the optimization of the learning process involves implementing frequent moments that require explicit transmission of knowledge by the teacher. This analysis is based on some theoretical tools from the onto-semiotic approach to mathematical knowledge and instruction, which allow identifying significant didactical facts that support a mixed instructional model. The relevance for mathematics education to contemplate the use of mixed instructional models that articulate constructivists and objectivist approaches to promote mathematical learning is concluded.
The productivity challenge in services: measurement and strategic perspectives

The concept of productivity is at the heart of economic theory, management science and operational management of firms and organizations. Despite the theoretical and operational importance of this concept, in recent years, its absolutism has been challenged. Services are often at the heart of this critical debate. Both conceptually and methodologically, services are indeed a major challenge to the concept of productivity. The objective of this paper is to review issues raised by services and their relationships with productivity, from two different but related perspectives: (1) a theoretical and methodological perspective focused on the problems involved in defining and measuring productivity, and (2) a strategic perspective focused on identifying generic productivity and performance strategies in service firms and organizations.
HIGH-RESOLUTION ACOUSTIC MAPPING OF GAS CHARGED SEDIMENTS AND LIVING BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA ASSEMBLAGES FROM THE NE REGION OF THE GUANABARA BAY ( RJ , BRAZIL )

This work was performed in the NE region of the Guanabara Bay, a highly impacted Brazilian coastal system, located in Rio de Janeiro State. It aimed to: i) identify and map the areas with occurrence of gas in the sediment, as well as its acoustic signature; ii) characterize the physical properties of the sediments and; iii) document the response of microbenthic organisms (living benthic foraminifera) to changes in quantity and quality of organic matter. Seismic surveys at the frequency of 12 kHz identified a large area with about 50% gas charged sediments in the study area. The main acoustic signatures of the shallow gas were black shadow and gas blanket. In addition, features related to gas seepages to the water column (acoustic plumes and pockmarks) and gas percolation within the sediments (intrasedimentary plumes, turbidity pinnacles) were also identified. The gas has a biogenic origin and results from the high acumulation rate between 0.03 to 0.9 cm.year-1 and from the decomposition of large amount of organic matter (10-20%). Vertical distribution of gas ranges from few centimeters to 9 m below the water-sediments interface. These occurrences are related to both gas migration from lower sedimentary layers to Holocene muds above, and to recent generation in near-surface sediments as the area display favorable conditions for gas production. Cores ranging from 150-240 cm in length have predominantly muddy sediments and variations in the P-wave velocity followed the changes in sediment density, controlled mainly by the presence of gas in sediments, bioclasts accumulation, textural variation and percentage of organic matter. Journal of Sedimentary Environments Published by Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro 1(3): 360-384, July-September, 2016 doi: 10.12957/jse.2016. 26281 RESEARCH PAPER 361 The TOC content and Rock-Eval pyrolysis parameters evaluated in nine surface sediment samples indicate that good to excellent amount of organic matter associated with moderate to good source potential for gas production is present in the study area. In these areas living benthic foraminifera are of reduced diversity and density. The assemblages are largely dominated by Ammonia tepida. Statistical results evidence that areas of intense gas release affect the benthic faunas since the benthic foraminiferal assemblages are reduced in diversity and density.
Friction force: from mechanics to thermodynamics

We study some mechanical problems in which a friction force is acting on a system. Using the fundamental concepts of state, time evolution and energy conservation, we explain how to extend Newtonian mechanics to thermodynamics. We arrive at the two laws of thermodynamics and then apply them to investigate the time evolution and heat transfer of some significant examples.
Etiology and prevalence of urinary tract infections among pregnant women in Kerala

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is the typical type of infectious disease which can occur for all groups of populations. However, some particular groups of people are more prone to UTI than others, such as women are in a higher risk compared to men due to their shorter urethra which is continually contaminated with pathogens from vagina and rectum. UTI’s are more common during pregnancy because of changes in the urinary tract and has been reported among 20% of the pregnant women with significant reason for hospital admission. 1 The uterus sits directly on top of the bladder. As the uterus grows, its increased weight can block the drainage of urine from the bladder, causing an infection. Hormonal and mechanical changes can promote urinary stasis and vesicoureteral reflux. These changes, along with an already short urethra (approximately 3-4 cm in females) and difficulty with ABSTRACT
Impact assessment of human activities on runoff and sediment of Beiluo River in the Yellow River based on paired years of similar climate

Climate change and human activities influence runoff and sediment load in an integrated way. However, under similar climate conditions the variability in runoff and sediment load is mainly a result of human activities. In this study, the change trends of runoff and sediment load were detected with linear regression analysis for the Beiluo River on the Loess Plateau, China. The impact of human activities on runoff and sediment was examined under similar weather conditions based on continuous monthly data of climate and runoff and sediment load from 1958 to 2012 at the Zhuangtou Hydrological Station. The results showed that: 1) Annual runoff and sediment load varied greatly and declined significantly in the study period, but precipitation and potential evapotranspiration (ET0) estimated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Penman-Monteith Method had no significant trend. 2) The paired periods with similar precipitation and ET0 were selected if they had similar annual amounts (less than 2%) and similar changing process controlled by monthly data (P<0.05). It has been demonstrated that the decreases of runoff and sediment load were mostly (60%, 70%, 75%) induced by human activities within the paired periods. *e-mail: xmmu@ms.iswc. ac.cn pengtian@nwsuaf.edu. cn DOI: 10.15244/pjoes/60492
Conditions and Determinants of the Internationalization of Latin American Industrial Enterprises

In the last ten years, there has been a marked increase in the number of Latin American companies that offer their products on international markets. The objective of this study is to explore quantitatively the conditions and determinants that have allowed for this international expansion of Latin American industrial enterprises in 2010, using a logit model on a sample of 196,000 companies. Estimates indicate that specific assets such as technological capacity and sectorial characteristics (geographic location and branch of economic activity) are the factors that have had the greatest influence on export performance.
The Impact of Marketing Mix towards Customer Loyalty Mediated by Customer Satisfaction of Blackberry Indonesia

This research conducted to know the impact of Marketing Mix strategy toward customer loyalty mediated by customer satisfaction of Blackberry Indonesia. The data gathered using simple random sampling method and distribute questionnaires to 102 respondents who ever used or own Blackberry. The data then being analyzed by Path Analysis and Sobel Test The result shown that marketing mix simultaneously having significant impact toward customer loyalty mediated by customer satisfaction of Blackberry Indonesia. However, only one of marketing mix element which is product is not significant toward customer loyalty of Blackberry Indonesia.
Interstellar NaI and CaII absorption observed towards the Cygnus Loop SNR

We present high resolution spectra (R 5k m s 1 ) of the interstellar NaI and CaII absorption lines observed to- wards 9 early-type stars with distances ranging from 250 to 2300 pc in the line-of-sight towards the Cygnus Loop Supernova Remnant (SNR). All but one of these absorption profiles can be fit using a combination of one or more of three absorption components with average best-fit (lsr) velocities of V1=+0: 8k m s 1 , V2=+9: 0k m s 1 and V3=+19: 7k m s 1 . An additional velocity component at V4=+29: 7k m s 1 is required in order to fit the NaI profile recorded towards the star HD 198946, whose distance of 794 pc places it well in excess of the nominal 440 pc distance to the SNR. The NaI/CaII column density ratios for the three higher velocity components are typically<1.0, which are similar to values found for high-velocity gas components detected towards other evolved SNRs. Even though we have detected the three higher velocity components solely along the sight-lines towards stars with distance estimates greater than that of the Cygnus Loop, we are unable to definitely associate these components with an interaction between the expansion of the SN shock wave and the ambient interstellar medium. We suggest a more likely origin for these absorption components is that of an old pre-cursor SN neutral gas shell, within whose interstellar cavity the Cygnus Loop supernova explosion occured some 20 000 years ago.
Remarks on *−(σ,Τ)− Lie Ideals of *−Prime Rings with Derivation

Abstract Let R be a ∗−prime ring with characteristic not 2, U a nonzero ∗− (σ,τ)−Lie ideal of R, d a nonzero derivation of R. Suppose σ, τ be two automorphisms of R such that σd = dσ, τd = dτ and ∗ commutes with σ, τ, d. In the present paper it is shown that if d(U) ⊆ Z or d2(U) ⊆ Z, then U ⊆ Z.
Analysis and Multi-Objective Optimization of Multi-Cell DC/DC and AC/DC Converter Systems

One of the key enabling technologies behind many global megatrends, which are affecting our lives as individuals and as a society in many different areas, is power electronics. Prominent examples are the shift from conventional energy sources to renewable energy sources, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions due to the electrification of mobility, and the trend towards cloud-computing in the information technology area, which are all based on the development of cost-effective, efficient and compact power electronic systems. In order to fulfill future requirements for power electronic systems, it is therefore of great importance to identify new ways to develop systems with higher efficiency, power density, and reliability. The analysis of relevant literature reveals, that improvements of power electronic systems are to a great extent either based on the improvements of specific components or on the modification of known control algorithms and/or topologies. These improvement processes, however, are of evolutionary nature and are not going to provide significant steps of performance improvements compared to today’s solutions for the foreseeable future. A very promising and fundamentally different approach, in order to fulfill the future demands for power electronic systems, is the development of multi-cell converter systems consisting of multiple converter cells connected together. Several advantages are obtained with respect to different performance criteria (e.g. efficiency and power density) of the full system by employing multiple converter cells with lower power rating that share the voltage and/or the current. The development of multi-cell converter systems creates new degrees of freedom regarding e.g. the number of employed cells and the control of the individual cells of the multi-cell system. Until now there has not been a comprehensive analysis and investigation of possible modulation schemes and converter designs of multi-cell systems, which clearly indicates the mandatory requirement for a multi-objective optimization and a comprehensive comparison to state-of-the-art solutions. The main focus of this thesis is thus set on the comprehensive analysis and description of multi-cell converter systems for different application areas. For each specific application a multi-objective optimization is performed for novel multi-cell converter solutions and compared to state-of-the-art solutions with respect to e.g. the achievable efficiency and power density. In a first step, different fundamental scaling laws xv
Detecting general patterns in fish movement from the analysis of fish tagging data

We describe a method to extract patterns of local fish movement from acoustic tagging data in small scale surveys covering distances in the order of tens of kms. The purpose of our analysis is two-fold: first, to provide a general insight into fish movement which allows us to approximately evaluate the efficiency of current local protected areas; second, to provide a statistical description of fish movement as input to ecological numerical models which can be used to evaluate alternative design for sanctuary zones. We analysed 3 months of data from 41 Spangled Emperors (Lethrinus nebulosus) in the Ningaloo Marine Park, in Western Australia. The data was collected via 38 acoustic receivers spread over an area of approx 180 km2 covering roughly 5 different habitats typical of shallow water, reef environments. The frequency of fish detection from the acoustic receivers has a strong seasonal and daily pattern with detections decreasing at day-time and from December to February. Our initial analysis suggests that this is not the result of biological factors, rather of environmental factors (mostly waves due to sea breeze) and that the pattern of fish movement is mostly uniform during the sampled period. Using wind data from a nearby station we devised an approximate rule relating the effective variability in the receivers' detection range with wind speed, which in turns is transformed into uncertainty on the fish position as a function of time. This has been further processed to generate a) the statistics of fish transitioning from one receiver position to another and b) a probability distribution of likely fish movement in un-sampled areas (outside the detection ranges) With this information we produced 2 types of maps. One map represents the probability of occurrence of Spangled Emperors at a given location in the studied area given only the measurements and their relative uncertainty. This can be considered as the information most constrained by the data. A second map represents the probability of occurrence assuming all fish use movement patterns extracted from the data, that is they act as agents trained on the measured data set. This can be considered as data extrapolation and is least constrained by the data. 'Real' fish movement, given the data at hand, may be expected to lie somewhere in between these two representations. By assigning receivers' location to different habitats, from these two maps we extracted two probability distributions of fish movement from habitat to habitat. First results suggest that Spangled Emperors are mostly sedentary, which should facilitate the design of protected areas. Finally, this analysis has highlighted several possible improvements in data collection, receiver positioning, data analysis and algorithm design which are also discussed and which may lead to improved future surveys.
Promote Democratic Citizenship among Rural Women: A Chinese NGO’s Two Models

A Beijing-based non-governmental organization (NGO) strives to empower rural Chinese women and migrant girls by increasing their awareness of constitutional rights and promoting their capacities to exercise their civil and political rights. This article reports the NGO leaders’ perceptions of the goals, strategies, and challenges in their citizenship endeavor, and analyzes their educational activities in theoretical and cultural contexts. By reporting a tension between the two founding leaders and unpacking the different approaches they take to engaging rural women, we demonstrate how the conceptualization of human rights education in the rural Chinese context is influenced by three approaches to human rights—the Confucian emphasis of rites, the Western tradition of emphasizing law, and the “human functional capacities” approach—and how the implementation process is constrained by China’s political framework, the social conditions of rural women, and the NGO leaders’ vantage points.
A model for the non-thermal emission of the very massive colliding-wind binary HD 93129A

The binary stellar system HD 93129A is one of the most massive known binaries in our Galaxy. This system presents non-thermal emission in the radio band, which can be used to infer its physical conditions and predict its emission in the high-energy band. We intend to constrain some of the unknown parameters of HD 93129A through modelling the non-thermal emitter, and also to analyse the detectability of this source in hard X-rays and $\gamma$-rays. We develop a broadband radiative model for the wind-collision region taking into account the evolution of the accelerated particles streaming along the shocked region, the emission by different radiative processes, and the attenuation of the emission propagating through the local matter and radiation fields. From the analysis of the radio emission, we find that the binary HD~93129A is more likely to have a low inclination and a high eccentricity. The minimum energy of the non-thermal electrons seems to be between $\sim 20 - 100$MeV, depending on the intensity of the magnetic field in the wind-collision region. The latter can be in the range $\sim 20 - 1500$ mG. Our model is able to reproduce the observed radio emission, and predicts that the non-thermal radiation from HD~93129A will increase in the near future. With instruments such as \textit{NuSTAR}, \textit{Fermi}, and CTA, it will be possible to constrain the relativistic particle content of the source, and other parameters such as the magnetic field strength in the wind collision zone, which in turn can be used to obtain upper-limits of the magnetic field on the surface of the very massive stars, thereby inferring whether magnetic field amplification is taking place in the particle acceleration region.