Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Marine invertebrate fossils from the Permian–Triassic boundary beds of two core sections in the northern Perth Basin, Western Australia

Abstract Marine macroinvertebrate fossils from two petroleum exploration cores, Apium-1 and Redback-2, are described, and found to contain two separate assemblages. The assemblage from the Apium-1 core was recovered from an ca 5-m-thick interval (2756.35–2751.28 m) in the basal Hovea Member (‘inertinitic interval’) of the Kockatea Shale and includes the following forms: ? Spinomarginifera sp. , Cimmeriella sp. , ? Etherilosia sp. , Elivina sp. , Cleiothyridina sp. , and Paeckelmanelloidea gen. et. sp. indet. (all brachiopods). The age of this assemblage is interpreted as Changhsingian, as constrained by its association with the palynofloral Dulhuntyispora parvithola Zone. The assemblage from the Redback-2 core was recovered from the ‘sapropelic interval’ of the Hovea Member of the Kockatea Shale between 3806 m and 3786 m and comprises the following forms: Lingulidae gen. et sp. indet. (brachiopod), Claraia perthensis Dickins & McTavish, Crittendenia cf. australasiatica (Krumbeck), ? Paralledon sp. (bivalves), ? Otoceras sp. (ammonoid), Microconchus utahensis Zatoń, Taylor & Vinn (microconchid) and Magniestheria mangaliensis (Jones) (spinicaudatan). Among these, the first local appearances of the lingulid species, ? Otoceras sp. and M. mangaliensis are associated with the palynofloral Protohaploxypinus microcorpus Zone and are interpreted as latest Changhsingian in age. Other occurrences of the Redback-2 fossil assemblage overlap with the palynofloral Kraeuselisporites saeptatus Zone and are considered to be of earliest Triassic (Griesbachian) age. G.R. Shi [guang@uow.edu. au] and Sangmin Lee [sangminlee76@gmail.com], School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Ian Metcalfe [imetcal2@une.edu. au], Earth Sciences, Earth Studies Building C02, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia; Daoliang Chu [chudl@cug.edu. cn], State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China; Huiting Wu [ht_wu415@163.com], College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology, Beijing, PR China; Tinglu Yang [yang@geology.hk], Faculty of Geosciences, East China University of Technology, Nanchang 330013, PR China; Yuri D. Zakharov [yurizakh@mail.ru], Far East Geological Institute, Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, 690022 Russia.
Multi-mode Near Minimum Deviation Controller IC for High Frequency Switch-mode Power Supplies

The purpose of this thesis is to propose a versatil e controller IC (integrated circuit) for dc-dc switch-mode power supplies used in volume-sensitive portable consumer devices. A novel control technique and implementation is presented w hich provides near minimum output voltage deviation, allowing for the reduction of reactive c omponent sizes. The controller utilizes a simple hardware implementation to obtain accurate estimate s of the output capacitor current during transients. It requires no knowledge of the convert er's parameters and can be used with direct and indirect energy transfer converters. The controller is implemented on an IC and the digital logic on an FPGA. The IC was fabricated in a CMOS 0.13 μm IBM process which consumes 0.0511 mm of silicon area and 591 μA of current. A complete IC controller solution would occupy an estimated silicon area of ~0.25 mm 2 which is competitive with state-of-the-art analog r digital controller solutions that occupy ~0.2-0.3 mm .
Chief Executive Officer Duality, Nationality and Firms’ Growth Opportunities

Corporate governance mechanisms highlight the invaluable role of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in the affairs of an organization. The nexus between CEO characteristics and firm performance is not mute in the literature and mixed findings have also been presented. This study deviates from previous studies by focusing on the impact of CEO attributes on growth opportunities of the firm. Accordingly, this paper analysed duality and nationality of CEO on firms’ growth opportunities against the backdrop of national culture and societal values. To this end, secondary data of 76 non-financial firms listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group from 2010- 2019 were analyzed. Various diagnostic tests for panel data unit root were conducted. The result of the robust panel data analysis revealed that both CEO duality and nationality have negative but insignificant relationship with firms’ growth opportunities. Clearly, the CEO attributes examined do not wield significant influence in diminishing growth opportunities.
The Effect of a Stickhandling and Puck Control (SPC) Training Intervention on SPC Skills and Wrist Shot Performance Variables in Female Collegiate Ice Hockey Players

ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LIST OF TABLES vi LIST OF FIGURES vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 8 1.1 Purpose of the Study 10 1.2 Null and Alternative Hypotheses 10 1.3 Significance of Study 10 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 122 2.1 Hockey Skills 122 2.1.1 Training of Hockey Skills 133 2.1.2 Stickhandling and Shooting Technique 166 2.1.3 Shooting Speed and Accuracy 188 2.2 Challenge Point Framework 211 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 277 3.1 Participants 277 3.2 Study Design 288 3.3 Equipment 288 3.4 Testing Sessions 299 3.4. 1 Forearm/Grip Strength Assessment Protocol 299 3.4. 2 Stickhandling Assessment Protocol 30 3.4. 3 Shooting Assessment Protocol 30 3.4. 4 Motivational Questionnaire 311 3.5 SPC Training Sessions 311 3.6 Dependent and Independent Variables 333
Human‐Robot Interaction in Assisted Personal Services: Factors Influencing Distances That Humans Will Accept between Themselves and an Approaching Service Robot

In the provision of robot‐assisted personal services, the ergonomic design of the phase when a robot approaches a human being is important for the efficacy, efficiency, and safety of human‐robot interaction. For this reason, an empirical user study was conducted, using a repeated measures fractional factorial design. The participants (n = 30) were approached 30 times by the 1.45‐m‐tall service robot Care‐O‐bot® 3 under different conditions to investigate what influences the distances that humans will accept between themselves and an approaching robot. The results show that participant body position, robot speed, and speed profile significantly influence the accepted distances. Furthermore, an effect of habituation was found for the repeated approaches. Significant effects of participant age and gender as well as robot appearance on the accepted distance were not found.
History of alcohol use does not predict HCV direct acting antiviral treatment outcomes.

BACkGROUND Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and excessive alcohol consumption are leading causes of liver disease worldwide. Direct acting antivirals (DAAs) are well-tolerated treatments for HCV infections with high sustained virologic response (SVR) rates. There are limited data assessing the influence of alcohol use on DAA uptake and cure. METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of patients followed at The Ottawa Hospital Viral Hepatitis Program between January 2014 and May 2020 to investigate the effect of excessive alcohol use history on DAA uptake and SVR rates. Additionally, we evaluated the incidence of concurrent comorbidities and social determinants of health. Predictors of DAA uptake and SVR were assessed by logistic regression. RESULTS Excessive alcohol use history was reported in 46.0% (733) of patients. Excessive alcohol use did not predict DAA uptake (OR 1.06, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.57), while employment (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.29 to 3.42) and recreational drug use (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.94) were predictors. Employment predicted SVR (OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.68 to 3.36) in those starting treatment. Excessive alcohol use history did not predict SVR. CONCLUSIONS History of excessive alcohol use does not influence treatment initiation or SVR. Efforts to improve treatment uptake should shift to focus on the roles of determinants of health such as employment and recreational drug use on treatment initiation.
A Novel Decision Support Methodology for Autonomous Collision Avoidance Based on Deduction of Manoeuvring Process

In the last few years, autonomous ships have attracted increasing attention in the maritime industry. Autonomous ships with an autonomous collision avoidance capability are the development trend for future ships. In this study, a ship manoeuvring process deduction-based dynamic adaptive autonomous collision avoidance decision support method for autonomous ships is presented. Firstly, the dynamic motion parameters of the own ship relative to the target ship are calculated by using the dynamic mathematical model. Then the fuzzy set theory is adopted to construct collision risk models, which combine the spatial collision risk index (SCRI) and time collision risk index (TCRI) in different encountered situations. After that, the ship movement model and fuzzy adaptive PID method are used to derive the ships’ manoeuvre motion process. On this basis, the feasible avoidance range and the optimal steering angle for ship collision avoidance are calculated by deducting the manoeuvring process and the modified velocity obstacle (VO) method. Moreover, to address the issue of resuming sailing after the ship collision avoidance is completed, the Line of Sight (LOS) guidance system is adopted to resume normal navigation for the own ship in this study. Finally, the dynamic adaptive autonomous collision avoidance model is developed by combining the ship movement model, the fuzzy adaptive PID control model, the modified VO method and the resume-sailing model. The results of the simulation show that the proposed methodology can effectively avoid collisions between the own ship and the moving TSs for situations involving two or multiple ships, and the own ship can resume its original route after collision avoidance is completed. Additionally, it is also proved that this method can be applied to complex situations with various encountered ships, and it exhibits excellent adaptability and effectiveness when encountering multiple objects and complex situations.
Contribution to the Optimization of Phospho-Nitrogen Fertilization on a Durum Wheat Crop in Saline and Calcareous Soil

The soils of Algeria are generally poor in nitrogen and always pose the problem of the availability of available phosphorus especially in arid regions, where there is also the problem of salinity which is often accompanied by the presence of limestone. The present work aims to examine the optimization of phospho-nitrogen fertilization on a durum wheat crop in saline and carbonate conditions through the use of different types, forms and doses of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers. The fertilizers used are: Urea(46%), triple super phosphate TSP(46%), simple super phosphate SSP(20%), Potassium Nitrate KNO 3 (13%), Monammonium phosphate MAP(12%, 61%), NPK(15%,15%,15%), NPK(20%,20%,20%), NPK(13%,40%,13%), NPK(30%,10%,10%), NPK(4%,20%,25%), combined with three doses (D1=150U N and P ha -1 , D2=200U N and P ha -1 and D3=250U N and P ha -1 ). The results obtained show that phospho-nitrogen fertilization has a very important effect on the parameters studied. Indeed, we notice that the best results are obtained by compound fertilizers , height of the plants: (HP) =MAP and NPK(15 % ,15 % ,15 % ) (250U ha -1 ) and (KNO 3 -SSP) (150U ha -1 ), yield and its components: Number of grains ear -1 (NG E - 1 ) =NPK(13 %, 40 %, 13 % ) (250U ha -1 ), 1000 grains weight (TGW) =NPK(4 %, 20 %, 25 % ) (250U ha -1 ), grain Yield (GY) =NPK(13 %, 40 %, 13 % ) (250U ha -1 ) and NPK(15 % ,15 % ,15 % ) (150U/ha), straw yield (SY) =NPK(15 % ,15 % ,15 % ) (250U ha -1 ) and (KNO 3 -SSP) (150U ha -1 ). However the highest nitrogen and phosphorus content of the grains is obtained by simples fertilizers, N= (Urea-SSP) with the dose (200 and 250 U ha -1 ), and P = (Urea-TSP) with the dose (150U ha -1 ). It is noted that the NPK(15%,15%,15%) fertilizer was able to give better grain and straw yields with the lowest dose as well as obtaining the best plant height and better straw yield with the lowest dose of (KNO 3 -SSP) fertilizer. and 250 U ha -1 ), and P= (Urea-TSP) with the dose (150U ha -1 ). The most relevant results in this study are the achievement of better grain and straw yields with the lowest dose of NPK fertilizer (15%, 15%, 15%), as well as a better plant height and straw yield with the lowest dose of (KNO 3 -SSP) fertilizer. Finally, we suggest the use of compound NPK fertilizer (15%, 15%, 15%) especially for wheat grain production and (KNO 3 -SSP) fertilizer especially for growth and
The Science of Speed: Determinants of Performance in the 100 m Sprint

Performance in the 100 m sprint is influenced by a multitude of factors including starting strategy, stride length, stride frequency, physiological demands, biomechanics, neural influences, muscle composition, anthropometrics, and track and environmental conditions. The sprint start, the accelerative phase of the race, depends greatly on muscular power. Three considerations of the sprint start are reaction time (time to initiate response to the sound of the starting gun), movement time (onset of response until end of movement) and response time. Maximal velocity running is a result of stride length and stride frequency. While stride length can be greatly limited by an individual's size and joint flexibility, stride frequency can be affected by muscle composition, neuromuscular development, and training. Although 100 m sprint world record times have progressed drastically, there is limited evidence for how technology has contributed to such improvement. As such, human physiology and physique combine to be the most influential determinants of improved sprint performance.
Evolutionary targets of gene expression divergence in a complex of closely related pine species

The environment is a powerful selective pressure for sessile organisms, such as plants, and adaptation to the environment is particularly important for long‐lived species, like trees. Despite the importance of adaptive trait variation to the survival and success of trees, the molecular basis of adaptation is still poorly understood. Gene expression patterns in three closely related, but phenotypically and ecologically divergent, pine species were analyzed to detect differentiation that may be associated with their adaptation to distinct environments. Total RNA of Pinus mugo, Pinus uncinata, and Pinus sylvestris samples grown under common garden conditions was used for de novo transcriptome assembly, providing a new reference dataset that includes species from the taxonomically challenging P. mugo complex. Gene expression profiles were found to be very similar with only 121 genes significantly diverged in any of the pairwise species comparisons. Functional annotation of these genes revealed major categories of distinctly expressed transcripts, including wood trait properties, oxidative stress response, and response to abiotic factors such as salinity, drought, and temperature. We discuss putative associations between gene expression profiles and adaptation to different environments, for example, the upregulation of genes involved in lignin biosynthesis in the species, which have adapted to mountainous regions characterized by strong winds and thick snow cover. Our study provides valid candidates for verification of the importance of the gene expression role, in addition to evidence for selection within genomic regions, in the process of ecological divergence and adaptation to higher altitudes in pine taxa.
The interdependences of BIM and supply chain partnering: empirical explorations

ABSTRACT Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology and the concept of supply chain management (SCM) could be a potentially compatible and mutually interdependent practice. The existing research on BIM focuses on improving project-based and intra-organisational goals, ignoring the impact of BIM on existing structured long-term Supply Chain (SC) partnerships. The purpose of this study is to explore the interdependences of BIM and cross-project long-term inter-organisational teams. Five projects in the Netherlands, with BIM and SCM implementation, were analysed empirically using case study methods, including interviews, documents analysis and live observations. The BIM-enabled SC partnerships adopted various SCM practices and displayed distinct BIM collaboration patterns. This exploration revealed three main patterns of BIM-based collaboration, that is, ad-hoc, linear and distributed, in the SC partnerships. The three patterns included various quasi-contractual, physical and digital means for BIM collaboration. The study suggests implications about BIM researchers and practitioners for not only implementing BIM, but also further integrating the construction SC.
Synaptic Cell Adhesion Molecule 3 (SynCAM3) Deletion Promotes Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury by Limiting Glial Scar Formation

Synaptic cell adhesion molecules (SynCAMs) play an important role in the formation and maintenance of synapses and the regulation of synaptic plasticity. SynCAM3 is expressed in the synaptic cleft of the central nervous system (CNS) and is involved in the connection between axons and astrocytes. We hypothesized that SynCAM3 may be related to the astrocytic scar (glial scar, the most important factor of CNS injury treatment) through extracellular matrix (ECM) reconstitution. Thus, we investigated the influence of the selective removal of SynCAM3 on the outcomes of spinal cord injury (SCI). SynCAM3 knock-out (KO) mice were subjected to moderate compression injury of the lower thoracic spinal cord using wild-type (WT) (C57BL/6JJc1) mice as controls. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis over time, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) showed reduced scar formation in SynCAM3 KO mice compared to WT mice. SynCAM3 KO mice showed improved functional recovery from SCI by preventing the transformation of reactive astrocytes into scar-forming astrocytes, resulting in improved ECM reconstitution at four weeks after injury. Our findings suggest that SynCAM3 could be a novel therapeutic target for SCI.
Final Colour of Ultratranslucent Multilayered Zirconia Veneers, Effect of Thickness, and Resin Cement Shade

Background Aesthetic restorations should be able to mimic the natural colour depth of teeth, affected by several factors including material properties. There is a lack of information regarding the effect of cement shade and material thickness on the final colour of ultratranslucent multilayered zirconia veneers. Objectives This study evaluated the effect of ceramic thickness and resin cement shade on the final colour of different layers of ultratranslucent multilayered (UTML) zirconia veneers. Methods This in vitro study produced 90 rectangular-shaped specimens with nonsintered Katana UTML monolithic zirconia (Kuraray Noritake Dental, Tokyo, Japan), shade A1 blocks. Ceramic samples were prepared in two groups of 0.7 mm and 0.5 mm thicknesses, 45 of each (a: 8 × 11 × 0.5 mm; b: 8 × 11 × 0.7 mm). Specimens of each thickness were further divided into 5 groups: universal, clear, brown, white, and opaque (n = 9). Each adhesive resin cement (Panavia V5) was applied between the ceramic samples and composite substrate. The colour values were measured using a spectrophotometer in baseline and after resin cement application according to the CIELab system. For all samples, ΔE00 values were obtained. Data were evaluated with SPSS 25 using the three-way ANOVA test (p < 0.05). Results The factors of cement shade, ceramic thickness, and ceramic layers have statistically significant effect on ΔE00 values (p < 0.001). The results showed lower ΔE00 values with thicker ceramic veneers. Tukey test results showed that the opaque and brown shade had a significantly greater ΔE00 values comparing to universal (p = 0.004), clear, and white shades (p < 0.001). Conclusion The colour change was greater in lower ceramic thickness. Different shades of resin cement and layers of UTML zirconia differently affected the final colour.
The “real-world” effectiveness and safety of omalizumab in patients with uncontrolled persistent allergic asthma in Slovakia: a subgroup analysis of the eXpeRience study

Introduction Omalizumab was proven to be effective and safe in patients with moderate-to-severe allergic asthma. However, there is no direct evidence of the benefits of add-on omalizumab in real-life practice in the Slovakian population. Aim This subgroup analysis assessed the real-life effectiveness and safety of omalizumab in Slovakian patients with severe allergic asthma enrolled in the eXpeRience registry. Material and methods Patients who commenced omalizumab 15 weeks prior to inclusion were assessed for the physicians’ global evaluation of treatment effectiveness (GETE), exacerbation rate, asthma symptoms, lung function, oral corticosteroid (OCS) use, rescue medication, hospitalizations, and school/work absenteeism at 16 weeks and 12 and 24 months. Results Of 204 patients, 159 (77.9%) completed 2-year follow-up. As per GETE, 69.5% of patients treated with omalizumab achieved excellent/good response at 16 (±1) weeks. The proportion of patients with no severe clinically significant asthma exacerbations increased from 17.3% at pre-treatment to 82.4% and 92.0% at months 12 and 24, respectively. Maintenance OCS use was reduced to 17.0% and 15.3% of patients at 12 and 24 months, respectively, compared with 34.7% at baseline (BL). From BL until month 24, asthma control test scores improved from 11.6 to 20.3; rescue medication use/week decreased from 5.5 to 1.6 days; mean total number of days of asthma-related medical healthcare use decreased from 7.7 to 0.3 days and missed workdays decreased from 16.8 to 0.3 days. No new safety signals were observed. Conclusions Add-on omalizumab was effective and well-tolerated in Slovakian patients, complementing the results observed in the overall population of eXpeRience.
Morphometric magnetic resonance imaging study of the quadriceps tendon in hemodialysis patients: comparison with non-dialyzed controls

Objective To evaluate the knees of individuals with renal failure who are on hemodialysis, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), comparing them with those of a group of individuals with normal renal function. Materials and Methods This was a cross-sectional, observational, controlled study conducted between August 2018 and February 2020. The cases consisted of 15 patients who had been on hemodialysis for ≥ 5 years and did not have a quadriceps tendon rupture. The controls consisted of 15 individuals with normal renal function who were matched (1:1) to the cases for sex, age, and physical activity level. The subjects in both groups underwent MRI of the right knee only. Results The mean ages of the cases and controls were 50 ± 15 years and 49 ± 14 years, respectively. The median time on hemodialysis was 11 years (range, 10-14 years). Serum levels of parathyroid hormone, ferritin, alkaline phosphatase, phosphorus, and creatinine were higher among the cases than among the controls, whereas serum albumin and hemoglobin were lower (p < 0.05 for all). The MRI study showed a hyperintense signal in the quadriceps tendon in 11 of the cases and in three of the controls (p = 0.009). Knee joint effusion was observed in nine of the cases and in three of the controls (p < 0.05). The thickness, length, and width of the tendon did not differ between the groups. A hyperintense signal in the tendon was not associated with the time on hemodialysis; nor with the levels of intact parathyroid hormone, hemoglobin, or alkaline phosphatase. Conclusion Patients on chronic hemodialysis, even those without a tendon rupture, show a hyperintense signal in the quadriceps tendon on MRI.