Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
VALUTAZIONE DELLA PERFORMANCE IN CAVALLI DA ENDURANCE DI ELITE MEDIANTE TEST DI ESERCIZIO IN CAMPO ESTIMATION OF PERFORMANCE IN ELITE ENDURANCE HORSES BY MEANS OF AN EXERCISE TEST IN FIELD CONDITIONS

Nella medicina sportiva umana i test di esercizio vengono comunemente utilizzati per controllare il progredire dell’allenamento, in particolare sono molto usati i test basati sulla relazione fra lattato ematico e velocita di esercizio. Anche per il cavallo atleta gli studi si sono susseguiti per la messa a punto di test di esercizio basati sugli stessi principi. Lo scopo di questo lavoro e stato quello di verificare la possibilita applicativa del calcolo della soglia anaerobia in cavalli da endurance di elevato valore atletico, attraverso la messa a punto di un test di esercizio submassimale in campo, cercando in tal modo di ottenere dei parametri di riferimento nei cavalli da endurance. Allo studio hanno preso parte i 10 cavalli selezionati per la squadra Nazionale di Endurance. Il test si e svolto su una pista ovale della lunghezza di 800 metri, con fondo in erba ed ha previsto l’esecuzione di tre riprese di lavoro a velocita crescenti, ciascuna della lunghezza di un giro di pista. Dopo 60 secondi dal termine di ogni sessione e stato effettuato un prelievo di sangue per la determinazione della concentrazione plasmatica di lattato. Ai cavalieri sono state fornite velocita indicative di percorrenza per ciascuna ripresa (5, 7,5 e 10 m/sec) e le reali velocita di esecuzione del test sono state calcolate in base al tempo impiegato per coprire la distanza di ciascuno step. Per ciascun cavallo sono state determinate: velocita di soglia individuale (VSI), velocita di soglia anaerobia (V4) e velocita corrispondente a 2 mM/l di concentrazione di lattato (V2). L’analisi dell’andamento dell’acido lattico plasmatico evidenzia un accumulo esponenziale nel corso del test. I risultati ottenuti per i parametri VSI, V4 e V2, espressi in km/h, sono i seguenti (media±ds): 25,7±5,1; 30,5±2,5; 21,1±2,9.
The Utilization of Modified Listen-Read-Discuss Strategy to Teach Reading Comprehension

This research was quantitative research and considered as true experimental. The objectives of the research were to find out whether modified Listen-Read-Discuss technique can be used to improve students’ reading comprehension better than original LRD or not and the reading aspect that improved the most after the students received the treatments. The sample of this research was 35 students in control class and 34 students in experimental class. The data of this research was collected through reading test. After the data were collected, the researcher used independent t test to analyze the data. From the analysis, it was found that the original and modified LRD were able to improve reading comprehension significantly and modified LRD technique enabled the students to improve their reading better than original one. The last finding of this research was determining reference the most improved reading aspect in experimental class while finding specific information was the most improved aspect in control class. In short, modified LRD technique can enhance students’ reading comprehension better than original one since it added outlining strategy which arranged information based on concept. Keywords: Listen-Read-Discuss, Modified Listen-Read-Discuss, Reading Comprehension.
Forced Oscillations in Combustors With Spray Atomizers

Most types of combustion-driven devices experience combustion instabilities. For aeroengine combustors, the frequency of this oscillation is typically in the range 60-120 Hz and is commonly called rumble. The rumble oscillations involve coupling between the air and fuel supplies and unsteady flow in the combustor Essentially pressure fluctuations alter the inlet fuel and air, thereby changing the rate of combustion, which at certain frequencies further enhances the pressure perturbation and so leads to self-excited oscillations. The large residence time of the liquid fuel droplets, at idle and subidle conditions, means that liquid and gaseous phases must both be considered. In the present work, we use a numerical model to investigate the forced unsteady combustion due to specified time-dependent variations in the fuel and air supplies. Harmonic variations in inlet air and fuel flows have been considered and the resulting unsteady combustion calculated. The influence of droplet size distribution has also been investigated. The calculations provide insight into the interaction between atomization, unsteady combustion, and flow oscillations.
The Policy-Media Interaction Model: Measuring Media Power during Humanitarian Crisis

This article details the results of a plausibility probe of a policy-media interaction model designed to identify instances of media influence. If sufficient evidence is found to support the model, it can be used as part of a wider study examining the impact of media coverage on decisions to intervene during humanitarian crisis, the so-called CNN effect. The model predicts media influence when policy is uncertain and media coverage is framed so as to be critical of government and empathizes with suffering people. In order to test the model, it is applied to two cases: US intervention in Bosnia in 1995 in order to defend the Gorazde `safe area' and Operation Allied Force in Kosovo in 1999. In the first case, the model highlights the impact of critical, empathizing media coverage and policy uncertainty in effecting the US decision to defend the Gorazde `safe area'. In the second case, the failure of critical newspaper coverage to change the Clinton Administration's air-war policy highlights the limits of media influence when there exists policy certainty. Overall, it is argued that the plausibility probe supports the prediction that media influence occurs when policy is uncertain and media coverage is critically framed and empathizes with suffering people. And that when policy is certain, media influence is unlikely to occur. As such, the policy-media interaction model should prove a useful tool in testing the claim that media coverage causes intervention during humanitarian crisis.
Integrative Assessment of Sediments Affected by CO2 Enrichment: A Case Study in the Bay of Santos—SP, Brazil

CO2 enrichment in the marine environment caused by leakages from carbon capture and storage technologies may occur over operational procedures. An integrated approach using weight-of-evidence was applied to assess the environmental risk associated with the acidification caused by CO2 enrichment in coastal sediments from Santos (Brazil). Chemical analyses (metal(loid)s and organic contaminant (e.g., hydrocarbons), toxicity tests (amphipods mortality, sea-urchin embryo-larval development) and macro-benthic community structure alteration assessment were performed with different acidified scenarios (pH 8.0–6.0) for two stations with different contamination degrees. These lines of evidence were statistically analyzed and integrated (multivariate analysis and ANOVA). Results of toxicity showed significant chronic effects starting at pH 7.0 while acute effects were observed starting at pH 6.5. The macro-benthic community integrity showed significant differences for all treatments at the Piaçaguera channel station, considered to be moderately contaminated. Results from the multivariate analysis correlated toxic effects and increase in the mobility of some elements with acidification. Also, the biological indexes were correlated with concentrations of dissolved Zn in seawater. The pH of 6.0 was extremely toxic for marine life due to its high acidification and metal bioavailability. The approach herein identified and discriminated the origin of the degradation caused by the acidification related to the enrichment of CO2.
The Relationship Between Psychosocial Factors and Adherence to Treatment in Men, Premenopausal and Menopausal Women with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Introduction Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic disease that begins in adulthood, and is caused by multiple factors. The onset of menopause involves changes that predispose women to the development of T2DM, which can worsen if the adherence to treatment is inadequate due to psychosocial factors or medications. The present study aims to describe the psychosocial factors that may affect adherence to treatment among men and premenopausal and menopausal women with T2DM. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 96 patients with T2DM, who were divided into three groups: 1) men (n=32); 2) premenopausal women (n=32); and 3) menopausal women (n=32). Somatometric and metabolic control data were obtained. Adherence to treatment and psychosocial factors were evaluated: social support, belief in conventional medicine, disease denial, and depressive symptoms. Results Adherence to medication had a negative correlation with depressive symptoms in men (p <0.001) and menopausal women (p <0.021). Dietary adherence had a positive correlation with belief in conventional medicine in men (p <0.037) and premenopausal women (p <0.029). Conclusion Medication adherence in men and menopausal women was correlated with fewer depressive symptoms. Adherence to diet in men and premenopausal women was correlated with greater belief in conventional medicine. The results show the diversity of psychosocial factors among the groups that must be addressed in order to improve adherence.
Health Risk Assessment of Exposure to 15 Essential and Toxic Elements in Spanish Women of Reproductive Age: A Case Study

This case study investigates the exposure of 119 Spanish women of reproductive age to 5 essential (Co, Cu, Mn, V, Zn) and 10 toxic (Ba, Be, Cs, Ni, Pb, Pt, Sb, Th, Al, U) elements and assesses their risk. The essential elements (Co, Cu, Mn, V, and Zn) showed average concentrations (GM: geometric mean) of 0.8, 35, 0.5, 0.2, and 347 μg/L, respectively. Five of the toxic elements (Ba, Cs, Ni, Al, U) exhibited detection frequencies of 100%. The GM concentrations of the novel toxic elements were 12 μg/L (Al), 0.01 μg/L (Pt), 0.02 μg/L (U), 0.12 μg/L (Th), 0.009 μg/L (Be) and 4 μg/L (Cs). The urine analysis was combined with a survey to assess any variations between subgroups and potential predictors of exposure to elements in the female population. Significant differences were obtained between the rural and urban areas studied for the toxic element Cs, with higher levels found in mothers living in urban areas. In relation to diet, statistically significantly higher levels of essential (Cu) and toxic (Ba) elements were detected in women with a high consumption of fish, while mothers who consumed a large quantity of legumes presented higher levels of the toxic element Ni (p = 0.0134). In a risk-assessment context, hazard quotients (HQs) greater than 1 were only observed for the essential elements Zn and Cu in P95. No deficiency was found regarding the only essential element for which a biomonitoring equivalent for nutritional deficit is available (Zn). For the less-studied toxic elements (Al, Pt, U, Th, Be, and Cs), HQs were lower than 1, and thus, the health risk due to exposure to these elements is expected to be low for the female population under study.
Acting in the Shadow of German Hegemony? The Role of Small States in the Economic and Monetary Union (Introduction to the Special Issue)

ABSTRACT This article introduces the special issue on smaller states and their relation to Germany in the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). While there has been a mushrooming literature on the role of Germany in EMU, there has been hardly any research on how smaller states interact with EMU’s most powerful member. However, recent developments such as the rise of populism, Brexit, or the emergence of small state coalitions such as the ‘New Hanseatic League’ and the ‘Frugal Four’ give reason to take a closer look at the role of smaller states. Therefore, this special issue gathers the preferences of smaller EMU members, analyses the strategies they use to pursue them vis-à-vis Germany, and investigates the reasons for their choice as well as Germany’s reaction. At a theoretical level, we put forward an analytical framework providing causal propositions on why and how smaller states adopt certain strategies when they act in the shadow of hegemony. At an empirical level, we present the findings of the single contributions. We conclude by discussing the results in the light of our theoretical expectations.
Effective utilisation of low-density biomass in a downdraft gasifier

Biomass gasification is an option for achieving the objective which could utilise both solid and low-density biomass in an efficient way. Experimental investigations are carried out to utilise three different types of feed stock, namely babul wood, neem wood and mango wood, to arrive at satisfactory performance. The efficacy of a 35kVA rated down draught gasifier was studied in terms of gasifier efficiency, tar content and total particulate matter. The optimum value of equivalence ratio was found to be 0.3134 for maximum gas conversion efficiency. Electrical output readings were observed to be 23.4, 22.17 and 20.4kVA for babul wood, neem wood and mango wood, respectively, with satisfactory performance. With the designed gasifier, significant improvement was achieved with babul wood as compared with other two fuels to generate the electricity.
Effect of diurnal changes on the auditory working memory in individuals with normal hearing

The human circadian rhythmicity is an internal biological clock mechanism that enables them to effectively perform tasks during a particular time of the day, due to which they exhibit diurnal effects. The morningness-eveningness questionnaire classifies individuals as definitely morning, moderately morning, intermediate, moderately evening, and definitely evening type individuals based on their active performance during different times of the day. Literature show variations in visual, memory, audition, and other cognitive tasks throughout the day in every individual. The current study aimed to document the diurnal effects on auditory working memory, a phenomenon crucial for learning and academic outcomes and holds its role in various clinical and research fields. Thirty-two participants were enrolled (21 females and 11 males) and were classified based on the morningness-eveningness questionnaire. The Auditory Working Memory tests were carried out during the morning and evening for all the participants. Based on a parametric paired t-test, results reveal no significant differences between morning time and evening time across moderately morning, intermediate, and moderately evening groups implying that working memory is a higher-order function that shows no or negligible diurnal effects, unlike other lower-order functions like temporal processing of auditory signals.
Entrepreneurial Orientation, Organizational Learning, and Performance in Hospitality and Tourism Start-ups: The ESCAPE Perspective

ABSTRACT Using an expanded view of the E-S-P (Environment-Strategy-Performance) perspective, this study was based on the ESCAPE model to investigate the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and performance under environmental uncertainty in Taiwan’s hospitality and tourism start-ups. The findings from 543 entrepreneurs demonstrate that organizational learning mediated between entrepreneurial orientation and that organization performance is also mediated between entrepreneurial orientation and competitive advantage. Moreover, the findings show that environmental uncertainty strengthens the mediation effect on performance and competitive advantage.
Couchsurfing with Bateson: An ecology of digital platforms

Digital platforms radically alter socio-economic and organizational patterns. In an ecological sense, they enable the rapid extension of tolerance limits by digitally scaling variables such as the availability of accommodation or labour. However, such maximization of specific variables in a complex ecology bears the danger of pathological runaway patterns. In our paper we draw on the work of Gregory Bateson to outline an analytical approach for the study of digital platforms as ecological phenomena, focusing on the effects of digitalization on the context in which platforms operate. To study such meta-patterns, we elaborate three interrelated concepts: stress, adaptation and budgets of flexibility. We exemplify these ideas through a longitudinal study of the early digital platform Couchsurfing and develop implications for our understanding of technology and organization.
24 GHz serrodyne frequency translator using a 360/spl deg/ analog CPW MMIC phase shifter

A 360/spl deg/ analog CPW MMIC phase shifter is presented for the first time. The compact MMIC employs eight multilayer 3 dB quadrature couplers and was fabricated using low cost GaAs foundry processing techniques. The phase shifter was required to implement a narrow band serrodyne frequency translator at 24 GHz. With an arbitrary, small-shift, frequency translation of +5 KHz, the measured results demonstrated a carrier suppression of 30 dB and an image sideband suppression of 13 dB. This was achieved with a simple linear sawtooth signal, providing 22% of under-modulation. In addition, a 0 dB conversion loss was achieved and almost no control power was required. >
Development of 550 kV and 362 kV synchronous switching gas circuit breakers

550 kV and 362 kV synchronous switching gas circuit breakers (GCBs) have been developed. In the closing operation of a GCB, making voltage depends on the rate of decrease of dielectric strength (RDDS) and the mechanical scatter of the operating time. No delay is caused by the operation after a long idle time up to 1000 hours, therefore optimal closing targets for different rated voltages can be determined by measurements on these characteristics of GCBs. Optimal target points for maximum and minimum making voltage are also given as functions of the RDDS and deviations of the operating time. The distribution of experimental maximum and minimum making voltages of synchronous closing with 550 kV and 362 kV GCBs shows good agreement with those calculated by the proposed method. A series of performance tests show that 550 kV and 362 kV GCBs can be applied for synchronous closing for transformer, reactor, capacitor, and line applications. The successful closing tests demonstrated the EMC of a synchronous switching controller mounted in a 550 kV GCB cabinet.
Prediction of Blood-Brain Barrier Penetration (BBBP) Based on Molecular Descriptors of the Free-Form and In-Blood-Form Datasets

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) controls the entry of chemicals from the blood to the brain. Since brain drugs need to penetrate the BBB, rapid and reliable prediction of BBB penetration (BBBP) is helpful for drug development. In this study, free-form and in-blood-form datasets were prepared by modifying the original BBBP dataset, and the effects of the data modification were investigated. For each dataset, molecular descriptors were generated and used for BBBP prediction by machine learning (ML). For ML, the dataset was split into training, validation, and test data by the scaffold split algorithm MoleculeNet used. This creates an unbalanced split and makes the prediction difficult; however, we decided to use that algorithm to evaluate the predictive performance for unknown compounds dissimilar to existing ones. The highest prediction score was obtained by the random forest model using 212 descriptors from the free-form dataset, and this score was higher than the existing best score using the same split algorithm without using any external database. Furthermore, using a deep neural network, a comparable result was obtained with only 11 descriptors from the free-form dataset, and the resulting descriptors suggested the importance of recognizing the glucose-like characteristics in BBBP prediction.
CORRELATION, REGRESSION AND PATH ANALYSIS OF SEED AND OIL YIELD IN SUNFLOWER (HELIANTHUS ANNUS L.) GENOTYPES

Correlation and path coefficient analyses were studied in twenty-five diverse genotypes of sunflower in order to understand the relationship and contribution on eight characters towards the seed yield. The seed yield exhibits highly significant and positive correlation with plant height, oil yield and number of seeds per head. Days to full flowering and head diameter showed significant and negative correlation with seed yield. Path coefficient analysis revealed that no. seed/head had the highest and positive direct effect on seed yield. On the other hand, days to full flowering and head diameter showed the highest and negative direct effect on seed yield. On the other hand, the traits no. seed/head, 1000-seed weight and plant height showed the positive and direct effects on oil yield. Over all, the study revealed the importance of selection for the higher amounts of these traits and lower amounts of days to full flowering as the best indirect selection criteria to improve seed and oil yield in sunflower breeding programs especially in early generations.
Fastener Damage Estimation in a Square Aluminum Plate

To reduce costs and meet turn-around goals of future space vehicles, structural health monitoring systems are needed to assess the health of the entire vehicle structure within hours of the completed mission. In particular, the thermal protection system must be in good condition before launch due to its critical role in protecting the vehicle’s primary structure and subsystems. The capability to detect fastener failure is critical, as the overall thermal protection system for a vehicle will likely include a number of adjacent panels that are mechanically fastened to the substructure. This article discusses experimental and analytical efforts focused on estimating fastener damage in a square aluminum plate test article. Fastener condition is estimated using classifiers based on statistical pattern recognition methods. The classifiers utilize features from measured vibration data with the ability to discriminate between damage conditions. Finite element analyses are used to provide a physical understanding of the structural dynamics of the aluminum plate and an interpretation of the selected features used for the classifier. Techniques to detect, locate, and assess damage resulting due to fastener failure have been investigated. The classification systems presented perform reasonably well in detecting and localizing damage, particularly if the damage is fairly severe. However, the classification system performance is much worse at assessing the severity of damage, particularly for lower levels of damage.