Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adventure tourism and the place brand of Argentina

ABSTRACT This paper extends what is known about place brand to a specific context and a particular type of tourism. Mountain-based adventure tourism and the country of Argentina’s place brand are empirically assessed, building on the literature regarding Product Country Image and Tourist Destination Image using an existing integrated approach to these two areas. Argentina was selected as the location for the research due to its geography (including Mount Aconcagua, the highest point in the world outside of the Himalaya), its people, and its position as both the #1 tourist destination and the 2nd largest economy in South America. It is a place with a wealth of cultural attractions and adventure opportunities. This research builds upon previous literature to examine how adventure tourists observe place image constructs versus the views of other tourists, with the goal of improving our understanding of how place images influence the travel decisions of adventure tourists. Surveys were conducted with tourists in the Aconcagua region (n = 263) to test three hypotheses related to whether there are differential place image views and effects for adventure tourists. The hypotheses were supported, empirically validating that adventure tourists are a distinct segment for destinations similar to Argentina and that tourism marketers in these kinds of environments should focus on adventure opportunities as well as the place image dimensions that play a role in adventure tourist travel decisions, which are people character, people competence, country character, and country evaluation.
Nutritional Compositions, Phenolic Contents, and Antioxidant Potentials of Ten Original Lineage Beans in Thailand

Legumes and pulses are nutrient-dense foods providing a good source of protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds. To breed a new lineage of beans with specific nutritional and health beneficial purposes, more information on original lineage beans must be obtained. However, data concerning the nutritive compositions, total phenolic contents (TPCs), and health benefits regarding the antioxidant potentials of some original lineage beans in Thailand remain scarce, causing difficulty in decisional selection to breed a new lineage. Thus, this study aimed to examine the nutritional values (proximate compositions, vitamins, and minerals), TPCs, and antioxidant activities of ten original lineage bean cultivars in Glycine, Phaseolus, and Vigna genera from Genebank, Department of Agriculture (DOA), Thailand. The results indicated that beans in the Glycine genus potentially provided higher energy, protein, fat, and calcium contents than other genera, while the Phaseolus genus tended to provide higher carbohydrate and dietary fiber. Specifically, lima bean cultivar ‘38’ exhibited high vitamin B1, and red kidney bean cultivar ‘112’ exhibited high potassium content. Beans in the Vigna genus exhibited high TPCs and antioxidant activities. However, their nutritional compositions were markedly varied. The results of this work could support bean consumption as a feasible alternative diet and be used as a reference for future bean breeding (within the same genera) of a new lineage with particular nutritional requirements and health potentials.
Predefined-Time Robust Stabilization of Robotic Manipulators

The contribution of this paper is a dynamic controller that enforces predefined-time stabilization of robotic manipulators by exploiting the passivity property inherent to their dynamical structure. The proposed scheme is continuous and provides exact predefined-time stabilization in the case of full knowledge of the robot dynamics. Nonetheless, even in the case of dynamic uncertainties and nonvanishing disturbances, exact predefined-time stabilization can be assured by using an additional unit-vector-like control term, and alternatively, a predefined-time predefined-bounded convergence can be achieved into a vicinity of the origin by means of a continuous controller. Numerical results based on simulations highlight the feasibility of the proposed scheme.
A new fluorescent method to determine honey bee sperm motility parameters with computer-aided sperm analysis

Abstract Honey bees are a keystone species, playing an important role in the food cycle. Improving honey bee reproduction will aid in the replacement of lost colonies. Fertility potential and reproductive health are dependent on semen and sperm quality. Current data on drone semen parameters are limited to semen volume, sperm concentration, sperm viability, and the assignment of sperm motility grade scores. The assessment of drone sperm motility is of importance to determine fertility potential and colony health. This study aimed to establish a quantitative and a qualitative method to measure drone sperm quality, and the fertility potential of Apis mellifera capensis subspecies of South Africa. Firstly, an improved five-point semi-quantitative manual motility index score was used to classify drone sperm motility. Secondly, it was possible to accurately analyse drone sperm motility qualitatively using a fluorescent technique in conjunction with a computer-aided sperm analysis (CASA) system. Manual motility index scores corresponded with total motility percentages as determined by using a CASA system. Furthermore, low values for motility kinematic parameters, particularly velocity parameters, were obtained in samples with both low motility index scores and low total motility percentages. Additionally, total sperm motility percentage and velocity parameters positively correlated with sperm total progressivity. This study provides in-depth data on honey bee drone sperm motility and motility kinematic parameters, which can serve as a reference for future studies on honey bee sperm and possibly related species.
Collaboration and Communication between Hobby Metal Detectorists and Archaeologists in Norway

Abstract In this article, the ways in which hobby metal detectorists searching for protected objects in the ploughsoil and archaeologists in Norway have collaborated and communicated throughout the public history of metal detecting in the country is outlined and problematized. Due to the opinions of individual archaeologists working in key positions and the autonomy of the country's local and regional management institutions, there are huge variations in both attitudes and practices toward metal detecting and its practitioners. In some areas, metal detectorists are allowed to search more or less freely, whereas in others, entire fields are protected after a few finds, making continued detecting without formal approval from the authorities illegal. Because of this, and the extreme difference in the activity level of individual detectorists, the number of recorded detecting finds varies immensely across county and regional borders. I suggest that channels for collaboration and communication be formalized and that a national and therefore uniform public reporting system be realized—given that it is, for the time being, largely up to individual archaeologists whether some of the country's most active citizen scientists are equally treated by the archaeological heritage management system in Norway.
Awareness, Knowledge, and Acceptance of Dental Implants among the Geriatric Population of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Background: Dental implants (DI) are gaining popularity among the general population, and special consideration has been given to the geriatric population in the replacement of missing teeth subject to their medical stability. The study aimed to assess the awareness, knowledge, and acceptance regarding DI among the geriatric population of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was carried out through face-to-face interviews using a pretested and standardized questionnaire by calibrated interviewers. Participants of age >58 years who have not undergone any implant or bone graft procedures attending different prosthodontic clinics in Jeddah were recruited according to availability after obtaining consent. Responses received were converted into digital format and subjected to statistical analysis. Results: The knowledge related to DI was not satisfactory, and only 4.5% showed good knowledge. The willingness to replace the current prosthesis with DI was found in 49.6%, and it was also observed that 40% of the participants were using some tooth-supported fixed dental prosthesis. Only 41.3% and 31% were aware of bone graft and sinus lift procedures related to DI. Conclusion: Even though most participants were aware of DI, the knowledge related to it was little satisfactory. Older people should be appropriately explained about the best treatment choice for teeth replacement by connecting to their current systemic health condition with its benefits and long-term effects. Unexpectedly, the awareness related to bone graft and sinus lift procedures related to DI was found to be relatively acceptable as well as the willingness to accept bone graft if needed for DI placement was observed.
In vivo evaluation of the potential protective effects of prolactin against damage caused by methylmercury

Non-biodegradable metals such as mercury accumulate in living organisms during life (bioaccumulation) and also within trophic webs (biomagnification) and may reach high concentrations in humans. The contamination of humans by mercury in drinking water and food may be common, in particular in riverside communities that have a diet rich in fish. In vitro studies of human cell lines exposed to the cytotoxic and mutagenic effects of methylmercury have shown that prolactin has potential cytoprotective properties and may act as a co-mitogenic factor and inhibitor of apoptosis. The present in vivo study investigated the protective potential of prolactin against the toxic effects of methylmercury in the mammal Mus musculus. Histological and biochemical analyses, together with biomarker of genotoxicity, were used to verify the protective potential of prolactin in mice exposed to methylmercury. The reduction in kidney and liver tissue damage was not significant. However, results of biochemical and genotoxic analyses were excellent. After prolactin treatment, a significant reduction was observed in biochemical parameters and mutagenic effects of methylmercury. The study results therefore indicated that prolactin has protective effects against the toxicity of methylmercury and allowed us to suggest the continuation of research to propose prolactin in the future, as an alternative to prevent the damage caused by mercury, especially in populations that are more exposed.
A Study on the Effect of Nursing Intervention Based on Health Behavior Change Integration Theory on Patients with Limb Fracture and Its Effect on Limb Function and Self-Efficacy

Objective To assess the impact on nursing care based on the theory of health behavior change integration in patients with limb fracture and its effect on limb function and self-efficacy. Methods The starting and ending time of this study is from February 2021 to February 2022. In this study, 116 hospitalized patients with limb fracture were selected as the object of study. According to the method of random number table, the patients were divided into study group and control group. The patients of the study cohort were given nursing healthcare based on the theory of health behavior change integration, while those in the control cohort were given common nursing. The scores of self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), self-rating depression scale (SDS), Frankl compliance scale, self-efficacy scale (GSES), activity of daily living scale (ADL), and Fugl-Meyer limb motor function assessment (FMA) were studied before and 3 months after nursing. Results After 3 months of nursing, the SAS and SDS scores of the study group were lower than those of the control group, and the difference between groups was statistically significant (p < 0.05). After 3 months of nursing, the scores of Frankl scale, GSES, ADL scale, and FMA scale in the study group were higher than those in the control group, and the difference between groups was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion The value of nursing interventions based on the integration of health behavior change theory is even more significant in patients with limb fractures. It is more helpful in reducing patients' anxiety and depression, increasing compliance and improving limb function. Self-efficacy and daily living skills were also significantly improved.
A Search Space Reduction-Based Progressive Evolutionary Algorithm for Influence Maximization in Social Networks

Influence maximization (IM) problem, which selects a subset of nodes from a social network to maximize the influence spread, appeals to numerous scholars. Since the IM problem is NP-hard, it is still an arduous task to achieve good results in terms of influence spread and running time at the same time. This article proposes a novel search space reduction strategy-based progressive evolutionary algorithm (SSR-PEA) for solving IM problems effectively and efficiently. In SSR-PEA, a novel search space reduction strategy (SSR) in the light of the power-law distribution of the social network is designed to reduce the computational overheads, which eliminates a great deal of less influential nodes in a sensible way. After that, we propose a progressive evolutionary framework based on SSR, where the $k$ -element individual is optimized on the basis of the ( $k$ -1)-element individual to speed up the optimal solution search process. Experimental results on ten real-world networks demonstrate that the proposed algorithm SSR-PEA can achieve 98% of the influence spread achieved by cost-effective lazy forward (CELF) on average, and its running time is two or even three orders of magnitude shorter. Thus, SSR-PEA strikes a better balance between effectiveness and efficiency.
RECOVERY OF VALUE METALS FROM SPENT ZINC-CARBON BATTERIES

A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN WATER RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING. DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING, FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA NIGERIA
Determinant of Behavioral Intention to Use E-wedding Gifts

This study aims to analyze the effect of perceived risk, perceived ease of use, and customer's attitude on behavioral intention to use e-wedding gifts in Padang. The type of research is explanatory research, with the research method being a descriptive survey that emphasizes quantitative methods. The sample is 160 users and those who intend to use the e-wedding gift in the city of Padang. The sampling technique is purposive sampling. The data analysis method used Structural Equation Modeling - Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS). The results showed that perceived risk had a significant effect on perceived ease of use, perceived risk had a significant impact on customer attitude, perceived risk had no significant effect on behavioral intention to use, perceived ease of use had no significant effect on behavioral intention to use, and customer attitude has a significant impact. The behavioral choice to use and perceived risk significantly affect behavioral intention to use through customer attitude. This study has several significant findings for e-wedding gift providers. The researcher hopes that this research can be developed so that the use of e-wedding gifts as the adoption of banking technology and digital wallets for alternative wedding gifts can be implemented better.
Postembryonic development of the tracheal system of beetles in the context of aptery and adaptations towards an arid environment

The tracheal system comprises one of the major adaptations of insects towards a terrestrial lifestyle. Many aspects such as the modifications towards wing reduction or a life in an arid climate are still poorly understood. To address these issues, we performed the first three-dimensional morphometric analyses of the tracheal system of a wingless insect, the desert beetle Gonopus tibialis and compared it with a flying beetle (Tenebrio molitor). Our results clearly show that the reduction of the flight apparatus has severe consequences for the tracheal system. This includes the reduction of the tracheal density, the relative volume of the trachea, the volume of the respective spiracles and the complete loss of individual tracheae. At the same time, the reduction of wings in the desert beetle allows modifications of the tracheal system that would be impossible in an animal with a functional flight apparatus such as the formation of a subelytral cavity as a part of the tracheal system, the strong elongation of the digestive tract including its tracheal system or the respiration through a single spiracle. Finally, we addressed when these modifications of the tracheal system take place during the development of the studied beetles. We can clearly show that they develop during pupation while the larvae of both species are almost identical in their tracheal system and body shape.
Effect of limited capacity on optimal planning parameters for a multi-item production system with setup times and advance demand information

An analytical production/inventory model to optimise the planning parameters lot-size, safety stock and planned lead time is developed for a stochastic single-stage production system with multiple items and limited capacity. Based on queuing analysis, the influence of item specific lot-sizes on the production lead time distribution is modelled. Applying stochastic advance demand information, the expected values for finished-goods-inventory, backorders and service level are explicitly stated. Numerical optimisation is applied to solve the respective cost minimisation problem and a solution heuristic is developed to support this approach. A numerical study provides managerial insights concerning capacity limitation effects on the optimal planning parameters. Higher shop loads, i.e. tighter capacity constraints, are found to significantly increase optimal lot-size and optimal safety stock. Safety stock and planned lead time are substitutes, an increase of both leads to higher FGI and lower backorders, however, the specific trade-off depends on the demand information quality. A sensitivity analysis investigating other (non-) financial system parameters is conducted as well. The main contribution of this paper is that the interaction of different planning parameters, i.e. lot-size, safety stock and planned lead time, for different items is simultaneously studied for a capacity constrained production/inventory system.
Performance Improvement of the Hybrid Switch Reluctance Motor by Notching Method

- Hybrid switch reluctance motors are the family of switch reluctance motors (SRMs) that attenuate the magnetic saturation and increase the air gap magnetic flux by exploiting permanent magnets. The permanent magnet auxiliary air gap flux can affect the average torque and ripple. Commonly, the torque ripples reduction comes with the average torque drop. In this paper, the torque ripple reduction and average torque improvement are achieved for a 6/10 pole hybrid switch reluctance motor by inserting two symmetrical notches on its rotor. Also, the lengths of magnet and rectangular notches are optimized by the finite element method and sensitivity analysis. The comparison of the optimized design with the initial one carried out by finite element proves the efficiency of the proposed model.
Drivers of trust in the ECB during the pandemic

ABSTRACT Trust in the European Central Bank (ECB) is vital. However, little is known about trust in the ECB during the COVID-19 pandemic. We use the rich pilot microdata from the ECB Consumer Expectations Survey during 2020–2021 on six key euro area countries to shed light on trust in the ECB during the pandemic. Our findings suggest that there is ample room to improve consumers’ trust in the ECB. Personal COVID-19 experiences play a role: respondents who reduced the number of hours worked due to COVID-19 have lower trust in the ECB than those with unchanged working hours. Trust in the ECB varies within countries. It is highest among males and people with a good financial situation. It increases with financial knowledge, education, income, and wealth.
The Impacts of the Entrepreneurial Conditions on Economic Growth: Evidence from OECD Countries

This study aims to assess the impacts of entrepreneurial framework conditions on economic growth based on the level of economic development in transition-driven economies and innovation-driven economies. The data were organised into a panel (2000–2019) and obtained from the National Expert Survey (NES), the Global Monitor Entrepreneurship (GEM), and the World Bank. By applying the generalised method of moments (GMM) estimation, we found that R&D transfer has a negative impact on economic growth that is innovation-driven, but positively impacts transition-driven economies. The results further highlighted that regardless of the level of development of the country, business and professional infrastructure do not positively impact economic growth. However, taxes and bureaucracy and physical and service infrastructure were shown to positively impact only innovation-driven economies, as in transition-driven economies, they were shown to have negative impacts on economic growth. The present study contributes to a better understanding of the link between economic growth and the conditions for entrepreneurship in economies with different degrees of economic growth. This study can serve as a basis for policy makers to adjust or develop new policies to accelerate economic growth.
A New Adaptive Maximum Power Point Controller for a Photovoltaic System

Controlling extraction of maximum power from photovoltaic (PV) panels is very important for an efficient PV power system. This maximum power control can be performed by using a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm. We propose a new self-tuning based adaptive MPPT algorithm that is designed with an incremental-proportional-integral-derivative (IPID) controller. Power extraction from a PV panel is greatly influenced by external weather conditions. The IPID-controller monitors the rate of change in control signal during rapid variation in input weather conditions for maintaining stability of a PV system. The proposed adaptive MPPT controller is comprised of two components, namely, parameter estimation of the MPPT converter system and control design strategy for tuning the IPID-controller. In this paper, a recursive least square algorithm and incremental generalized minimum variance (IGMV) control law have been used for parameter estimation and tuning the gains of the IPID-controller, respectively. The efficacy of the proposed MPPT algorithm is verified on comparing its performance with that of the Perturb and observe (P&O) algorithm. From the simulation and experimental results, it is envisaged that the efficacy of the proposed adaptive MPPT control scheme exhibits superior performance as compared to P&O MPPT algorithm.