Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
THE INFLUENCE OF HIGH-INTENSITY RUN DURATION ON TIBIAL ACCELERATION AND SHOCK ATTENUTION

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of high-intensity fatiguing running on tibial acceleration and shock attenuation. Fourteen highly-trained male runners volunteered and completed an incremental treadmill-based lactate threshold test. On a subsequent test day, tibial acceleration and head acceleration values were recorded in all runners during two 20-minute treadmill running bouts at each subject’s lactate threshold (3.5mM) speed. Results indicated no significant change in tibial acceleration during the running bouts, however head acceleration did significantly increase (38%) over time. This resulted in an overall decrease in shock attenuation due to the fatiguing running. The results indicate that these highly-trained runners may show improved movement strategies that allow them to maintain tibial acceleration rates even in a fatigued state.
First results of Herschel-SPIRE observations of Titan

We investigate the composition of Titan’s stratosphere from high-resolution submillimetric observations performed with the SPIRE instrument on the Herschel satellite. From the flux density spectrum measured in the 20−52 cm −1 interval at an apodized resolution of 0.08 cm −1 , we determine the stratospheric abundances of CH4, CO, HCN, as well as the isotopic ratios 12 C/ 13 C = 87 ± 6i n CO and 96 ± 13 in HCN, 14 N/ 15 N = 76 ± 6, and 16 O/ 18 O = 380 ± 60. The last of these results is the first documented measurement of Titan’s 16 O/ 18 O ratio in CO, with a value 24% lower than the terrestrial ratio.
A comparitve study between vector control and Direct Torque Control of induction motor using MATLAB SIMULINK

This thesis project studies and compares two of the most commonly used electric driving methods of induction motors (IM). These methods, which have been used for three decayed are Field Orientation Control (FOC) and Direct Torque Control (DTC). Theoretical background for both methods is explained. Due to its simplicity of use, MATLAB/ SIMULINK is used to simulate the dynamic model of (IM) and applying both techniques on it. The comparative study of speed, torque, and flux is performed under two cases which are the normal operation and in the presence of voltage-sag and short interruption.
Portfolio Diversification Benefits Using Real Estate Investment Trusts – An Experiment with US Common Stocks, Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts, and Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts

Using recent data (2002-2012) from the US financial markets, we study the magnitude and benefits of Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) and common stock in portfolio diversification. In particular, we examine the effects of risk-reduction benefits through diversifying among common stocks via Equity REITs (EREITs) and Mortgage REITs (MREITs). In addition, overall performance measures are calculated and compared among REIT, common stock and mixed-asset portfolios. We observe that investors can benefit from diversification using EREITs but not MREITs. In fact, MREITs turn out to be the worst asset class to be in diversifying portfolio. This conclusion is in contrast with Kuhle (1987) who claims improvement of portfolio risk reduction with MREITs. Our finding, however, is consistent with Hartzell et al. (1986) and Chen et al. (2005). Finally, even though our data period consists one of the historic collapses of real estate market in the US, it still indicates the EREITs still offers diversification benefits. It provides evidence that small investors can use EREITs to diversify their risks. It also offers an opportunity to earn return on real estate investments without investing in real estate properties which may be beyond investor’s capacity.
Does Relative Age Distribution Influence the Physical and Anthropometric Profiles of Drafted under 18 Australian Footballers? An Investigation between the 2010 to 2013 Seasons

This study examined if the relative birth distribution of drafted under 18 (U18) Australian football (AF) players influenced their physical and anthropometric profile. Birthdate, physical (vertical jump, agility, 20 m sprint, 20 m multistage fitness test) and anthropometric (standing height, body mass) data were obtained from U18 players drafted into the Australian Football League between 2010 to 2013 (n = 212). Birth distribution did not change across quartile (χ23 = 5.09, P > 0.05) or half year (χ21 = 2.50, P > 0.05). Physical and anthropometric profiles did not differ according to quartile or half year (P > 0.05). Relative birth distribution did not appear to influence draft success or physical/anthropometric profile. This study provides insight into a phenomenon not always observed in team sport.
Déjà Vu? An Updated Analysis of the Gender Wage Gap in the U.S. Hospitality Sector

Drawing on a random sample of 112,990 people working in the U.S. hospitality sector in 2010, this study found strong evidence that there remains a significant difference in the income of women and men working in the industry, even after accounting for likely explanations such as differences in educational attainment and hours worked, as well as structural forms of discrimination such as occupational crowding. Across the entire hospitality industry, after controlling for these factors, being a woman was associated with a loss of income of $620, relative to a mean income of $11,271 per year. For the food service sector, being a woman cost $542 relative to a mean income of $9,339, and for the lodging sector, the gender penalty was $2,368, compared with a mean income of $17,783. However, managers faced the most severe penalties, as being a woman cost $6,617 compared with a mean income of $30,577 (21.6%). This study echoed findings of a study that used 1989 data, which also found that women were paid substantially less than men across the entire industry. While the 2010 study data showed at least some progress toward wage equality, the wage difference remains noticeable despite the advancement of women in professional and executive positions in the United States in general, and specifically within the hospitality industry.
The Nonprofit World: Civil Society and the Rise of the Nonprofit Sector

John Casey explores the expanding global reach of nonprofit organizations, examining the increasingly influential role not only of prominent NGOs that work on hot-button global issues, but also of the thousands of smaller, little-known organizations that have an impact on people's daily lives. What do these nonprofits actually do? How and why have they grown exponentially? How are they managed and funded? What organizational, political, and economic challenges do they face? Casey answers these questions and also, liberally using case studies, situates the evolution of the sector in the broader contexts of differing national environments and global public affairs. With its broad perspective, The Nonprofit World affords readers a thorough understanding of both the place of nonprofits in the global arena and the implications of their growing importance.
ALLELOPATHIC ACTIVITY OF ACACIA CONCINNA POD EXTRACTS

Acacia concinna (Willd,) DC. (Fabaceae) has been used as a traditional medicine and well-known for many of their pharmacological and toxicological properties. However, the allelopathic property of the plant have not yet been evaluated. Therefore, we investigated the allelopathic activity of Acacia concinna pods. Aqueous methanol extracts of A. concinna pods inhibited the growth of cress (Lepidium sativum L.), lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), rapeseed (Brassica napus), barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-gallis L.), Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lum.), foxtail fescue (Vulpia myuros (L.) C. C. Gmel. ) and timothy (Phleum pretense L.) at concentrations greater than 0.003 and 0.001 g dry weight equivalent extract/mL for their shoots and roots, respectively. The inhibitory effect was increased with increasing the concentration of the pod extracts. The concentrations required for 50% inhibition of shoot and root growth of the eight test plant species ranged between 1.00 to 5.17 and 0.02 to 2.59 g dry weight equivalent extract/mL, respectively. Root growth of all test plant species were more sensitive to the extract than shoot growth of them. The extract was purified by column chromatographies and reverse phase HPLC, and an active substance (ACP-1) was isolated. The present result indicates that A. concinna has allelopathic activity and ACP-1 may be responsible for the allelopathic effect of A. concinna. The pods and the pod extracts of A. concinna could be useful for one of the weed management options.
Effects of irrigation on seedling emergence and seedling survival of a desert shrub Haloxylon ammodendron (Chenopodiaceae)

Haloxylon ammodendron (C.A. Mey) Bunge (Chenopodiaceae) is a shrub occurring on desert sand dunes in China. Seedling emergence and seedling survival were investigated by sowing seeds at different depths (0, 2.5, 5.0 or 10 mm) in fine or coarse sand in pots irrigated under different regimes. Seed burial in sand was required for seedling establishment of this species. Seedling emergence depended greatly on seed burial depth, sand type, and irrigation regime; this appeared to be due to (1) seeds or seedlings suffering from oxygen or moisture deficiency depending on the air : moisture ratio in sand, and/or (2) higher moisture content in sand resulting in hardening of the sand and obstruction of seedling growth. Increased irrigation resulted in longer survival of emerging seedlings because sand was moistened more deeply, and moisture in deeper sand persisted longer. The results suggest that the infrequent and light precipitation common in desert environments is likely to cause germination of many of the buried seeds, but is insufficient for emerging seedlings to survive. It is suggested that water from melting snow in early spring is crucial in enabling seedling establishment of this species in the deserts of China.
A social welfare perspective of competing supply chains

We employ the classic concept of deadweight loss in economics to quantify social welfare, which is an integral component of social sustainability from a supply chain perspective. Consider an industry consisting of two supply chains. Each channel produces and distributes a competing product. Each channel can be either decentralized or integrated. In this stylized model, we study social welfare issue. Specifically, we investigate how demand asymmetry, differentiation and degree of vertical integration affect social welfare. Key findings are: (1) Monopoly does not always hurt social welfare; (2) having equally matched competing channels may or may not be socially beneficial, depending on industry configurations.
Pfmdr1 gene polymorphism of Plasmodium falciparum isolates from asymptomatic individuals of Dienga, southeastern Gabon

Background: In Gabon, studies on molecular epidemiology of malaria are mainly confined to urban and hospital settings; contrasting with rural areas where data are scarce, especially on asymptomatic P. falciparum infection. In this study, the polymorphism of P. falciparum multidrug resistance -1 gene (Pfmdr1) was investigated for the first time in P. falciparum specimens from asymptomatic individuals living in Dienga, a rural area in southeastern Gabon. Methods: P. falciparum specimens collected in 2013 and 2014 and diagnosed by standard microscopy (microscopic infection=MI) or by PCR (submicroscopic infection=SMI) were used in this study. The codons 86, 184 and 1246 of Pfmdr1 of P. falciparum specimens were genotyped by PCR and RFLP. Results: Among the three codons 86, 184 and 1246 of Pfmdr1, the wild-type alleles were the most prevalent in 2014. The frequency of mixed genotype N86Y was 19.23% in 2013 and 25.28% in 2014. The frequency of D1246Y mixed genotype was 10.40% in 2013 and 17.24% in 2014. On the other hand, no mixed genotype was observed for the codon 184. The most frequent haplotypes identified were NFY (33%) in 2013 and YYD (30.0%) in 2014. The frequencies of other haplotypes (YYY, YFD, NYD, YFY, NFD and NYY) did not show significant difference between 2013 and 2014. Conclusion: Data from Dienga showed moderate variations in the distribution of Pfmdr1 genotypes and a high haplotype diversity suggesting the low ACT drug pressure on parasites in this locality.
Characteristic emotional intelligence and emotional well-being

Both theory and previous research suggest a link between emotional intelligence and emotional well-being. Emotional intelligence includes the ability to understand and regulate emotions; emotional well-being includes positive mood and high self-esteem. Two studies investigated the relationship between emotional intelligence and mood, and between emotional intelligence and self-esteem. The results of these studies indicated that higher emotional intelligence was associated with characteristically positive mood and higher self-esteem. The results of a third study indicated that higher emotional intelligence was associated with a higher positive mood state and greater state self-esteem. The third study also investigated the role of emotional intelligence in mood and self-esteem regulation and found that individuals with higher emotional intelligence showed less of a decrease in positive mood and self-esteem after a negative state induction using the Velten method, and showed more of an increase in positive mood, but not in self-esteem, after a positive state induction. The findings were discussed in the light of previous work on emotional intelligence, and recommendations were made for further study.
Free radicals induced oxidative stress at a molecular level: the current status, challenges and perspectives of computational chemistry based protocols

Oxidative stress is frequently caused by an excess of free radicals and has been associated with a wide variety of health disor-ders. Therefore, finding strategies for scavenging free radicals has be-come an active area of research. This review summarizes, from a physicochemical perspective, relevant strategies to fight oxidative stress via antioxidants, including prevention, deactivation of oxidants, and repair of damaged targets. Different reaction mechanisms in-volved in the chemical protection exerted by antioxidants are dis-cussed, as well as their relative importance depending on several aspects. Some of them are the polarity of the environment, the pH of aqueous phase, and the chemical nature of the reacting radicals. Data that can currently be obtained from computational, quantum, chemis-try, protocols are detailed and their reliability is analyzed. Viable crite-ria to identify optimal antioxidants using such protocols are provided. Current challenges and future directions in this area of research are discussed. A large set of antioxidants are compared and their trends in activity, based on kinetic data, is provided.
The role of geosynthetics in improving the behaviour of ballasted rail tracks

This chapter contains a laboratory assessment of the role of geosynthetics in the performance of railway ballast. The main objectives of this testing were to examine the actual potential of selected geosynthetic products for ballast stabilisation. A series of cyclic drained tests were carried out using a large scale prismoidal triaxial apparatus that was designed and built at the University of Wollongong, and is the most innovative cyclic process simulation testing equipment available in the world today. The effects of different types of geosynthetics, including bi-axial geogrid, non-woven geotextile and geocomposite (a combination of bi-axial geogrid and non-woven geotextile) have been evaluated as single layer and dual layer arrangements. The test findings revealed that bi-axial geogrid with aperture size of 40  40 mm and with minimum bi-directional strength that complies with the University of Wollongong recommendations, would be a suitable grid reinforcement to be placed under the ballast layer for track stabilisation. This particular non-woven geotextile offered an optimum separation function between the ballast and capping layers and maintained a higher resiliency during cyclic loading. Among the three types of geosynthetics tested, the use of geocomposite resulted in the least strain and particle breakage. The dual layer configuration reduced deformation and degradation better than the single layer configuration.
Blackwater sanitization with urea in Sweden - sanitization effect and environmental impact

The increasing global population is placing pressure on the water resources and nutrients needed for food production, while increasing the amount of waste generated and the environmental contamination. Technical solutions and changes in the social perception of the environmental problems are needed to address these problems. The blackwater (wastewater from toilets only) represents the major proportion of the plant nutrients found in household wastewater (about 90 % of the phosphorous and nitrogen from the total effluent) and thus they should be recycled in order to close the nutrients loop in the environment. The aim of this research was to analyze the possible use of blackwater as fertilizer in agriculture by comparing three different scenarios: conventional wastewater treatment, separate storage with addition of urea 1 % and separate storage with addition of urea 0.5 % and heat from different sources. The methodology included a system analysis to evaluate the environmental impact of the treatments, considering primary energy use, electricity use and global warming potential. Furthermore, a sanitation part was carried out in the laboratory as a pilot study by monitoring of indicator organisms over time in blackwater treated with 1 % urea. The urea added in situ is degraded into ammonium, which has a sanitization effect due partly to the increment of the pH that consequently inactivates the pathogens. The results showed that the urea treatment was better than the conventional wastewater treatment both from environmental and sanitation perspective. The indicator organisms studied in the lab showed good inactivation rates. The importance of this research relies on the possibility to minimize waste and environmental pollution, close the nutrients cycles by an efficient use of the available resources and, at the same time, decrease the demand of chemical fertilizers by the agricultural sector. In addition, an adequate sanitation process is ensured to reduce the hygienic risks associated.
Estimating Aboveground Net Primary Production in Grasslands: A Comparison of Nondestructive Methods

Abstract Aboveground net primary production (ANPP) is an important ecosystem property that is affected by environmental variability. ANPP in grasslands is typically measured by clipping peak live plant material. However, this method is time intensive (and therefore expensive), making it difficult to capture spatial and temporal variability. Additionally, it is impractical to use a destructive method to estimate ANPP in long-term, permanent plots. Thus, many double-sampling techniques have been developed to reduce costs and increase sample size. The objective of our study was to assess the accuracy and precision of nondestructive techniques to estimate ANPP as supplements to the traditional method of peak biomass harvest at two grassland sites. We harvested biomass and compared estimates from the same plots to 1) canopy interception using a point frame, 2) green cover estimates derived from a digital camera, and 3) reflectance measurements using a handheld radiometer. We calculated the optimum allocation of sampling effort to direct and indirect methods to minimize sampling cost yet achieve a desired precision. We found that the point frame technique explained the highest proportion of the variability in biomass at both sites (R2 = 0.91, 0.90). However, our cost-optimization analysis revealed that the radiometer technique, although less accurate (R2 = 0.38, 0.51), could achieve a desired precision for lower labor costs than the point frame. The radiometer and point frame methods will be a useful tool for grassland ecologists and rangeland managers who desire fast, nondestructive estimates of ANPP.
ANÁLISE ECONÔMICA DE DIFERENTES PRÁTICAS CULTURAIS NA CULTURA DO MILHO (Zea mays L.)

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi analisar, economicamente, as diferentes praticas culturais na cultura do milho, envolvendo sistemas de manejo do solo, com a utilizacao de plantas de cobertura, hibridos e doses de nitrogenio em cobertura, para obtencao da relacao beneficio/custo das diferentes praticas. O experimento foi conduzido com milho safrinha, na Embrapa Arroz e Feijao, em Latossolo Vermelho Distrofico. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso, com tres repeticoes, em arranjo de parcelas sub-subdivididas. As parcelas foram formadas por quatro tipos de manejo do solo: plantio direto do milho sobre palhada de mucuna preta; plantio direto sobre palhada de crotalaria juncea; plantio direto sobre vegetacao infestante (pousio); e plantio do milho no sistema de preparo convencional.
Sporormiella as a tool for detecting the presence of large herbivores in the Neotropics

The reliability of using the abundance of Sporormiella spores as a proxy for the presence and abundance of megaherbivores was tested in southern Brazil. Mud-water interface samples from nine lakes, in which cattle-use was categorized as high, medium, or low, were assayed for Sporormiella representation. The sampling design allowed an analysis of both the influence of the number of animals using the shoreline and the distance of the sampling site from the nearest shoreline. Sporormiella was found to be a reliable proxy for the presence of large livestock. The concentration and abundance of spores declined from the edge of the lake toward the center, with the strongest response being in sites with high livestock use. Consistent with prior studies in temperate regions, we find that Sporormiella spores are a useful proxy to study the extinction of Pleistocene megafauna or the arrival of European livestock in Neotropical landscapes.
Sociosexuality and Relationship Status Interact to Predict Facial Symmetry Preferences

Past research demonstrates that the relationship between sociosexual orientation and “good genes” face preferences is moderated by participants’ own relationship status. Specifically, those women who are relatively sexually unrestricted demonstrate a greater preference for sexual dimorphism in faces, but only when unpartnered; for partnered women, sociosexuality does not predict preferences for sexual dimorphism. The current study extended these findings by assessing whether sociosexuality and relationship status interact to influence preferences for a different phenotypic cue, facial symmetry, in both male and female targets. A secondary hypothesis assessed whether this pattern of face preferences was moderated by either participant or target sex. Men and women completed a symmetry preference task, the sociosexual orientation inventory, and were asked to report their relationship status. Unrestricted sociosexual orientation predicted a heightened preference for facial symmetry in both male and female faces, but only in unpartnered participants. This effect was not qualified by participant gender. These findings provide additional evidence that an important moderating variable when assessing the association between mating personality (i.e., sociosexual orientation) and “good genes” face preferences is an individual’s own relationship status.