Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Undoing age, redefining gender, and negotiating time: Embodied experiences of midlife women in endurance sports

Despite the increasing participation of midlife women in sports, and biomedical and consumerist discourses encouraging physical activity, research on intersections of age, gender, and the body in sports is lacking or fragmentary. Based on in-depth interviews with Israeli women aged 40–60 years participating in marathons, ultramarathons, and triathlons, we explore how they experience their participation and how these experiences correspond with normative socio-temporal assumptions about midlife transitions, gender, and the body. Findings reveal that endurance sports enable midlife women to challenge dominant discourses on the “decaying” and “menopausal” body by undoing age and formulating gender narratives that include new identities and negotiations of temporal orders. The interplay between undoing age and redefining gender operates through two mechanisms: “embodied experiences” that introduce the body as a material reality and a source of critical knowledge, and the liminality of mid-age as a life-course transition characterized by the absence of institutional and symbolic anchors. We make a twofold contribution to the critical literature on gender and life course. First, we develop the concept of embodied experiences as a vantage point for understanding the intersections of age and gender. Second, we highlight the potential of participation in endurance sports for negotiating temporal orders and formulate new narratives of femininity and aging.
Could Striate Cortex Microcolumns Serve as the Neural Correlates of Visual Consciousness?

Neural circuit structure studies commonly focus on cell connectivity within circuits and not on the 3-D structure of the circuit itself. In part, this is due to the difficulty of identifying the three-dimensional structure of circuits containing hundreds to thousands of cells. However, given the importance of structurefunction relationships in biology, this approach may be missing valuable information related to the properties and activities of these circuits. A case in point being the well-known and studied striate cortex microcolumns found in several mammals. Within the Quantized Visual Awareness (QVA) hypothesis, the specific topology of these microcolumns is thought to be a key factor in determining the type of qualia produced by these neural circuits of the visual cortex. This communication serves as a gentle reminder that we may be overlooking important features of the circuits we study in our rush to understand circuit activity and physiology, especially as it relates to the neural correlates of visual consciousness.
‘It’s Torture for the Soul’: The Harms of Image-Based Sexual Abuse

Beyond ‘scandals’ and the public testimonies of victim-survivors, surprisingly little is known about the nature and extent of the harms of ‘image-based sexual abuse’, a term that includes all non-consensual taking and/or sharing of nude or sexual images. Accordingly, this article examines the findings from the first cross-national qualitative study on this issue, drawing on interviews with 75 victim-survivors of image-based sexual abuse in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. We adopt a feminist phenomenological approach that permits more nuanced and holistic understandings of victim-survivors’ experiences, moving beyond medicalised, trauma-based accounts of harm. Our analysis develops five interconnected accounts of the harms experienced, that we have termed social rupture, constancy, existential threat, isolation and constrained liberty. Our findings shed new light on the nature and significance of the harms of image-based sexual abuse that emphasises the need for more comprehensive and effective responses to these abuses.
Association analysis of some morphological traits of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under field stress conditions

An association between yield components and their direct and indirect influence on the grain yield of wheat were investigated. 24 breeding lines were tested in a randomized complete block experiment design with three replications. According to the results the phenotypic correlation among the traits and their path coefficient were estimated. Positive significant correlation coefficients were obtained for association between survival rate treatment I (0.35*) and III (0.34*), leaf venation (0.51*), stomatal frequency (0.39*), osmotic pressure (0.30*), flag leaf area (0.85*), number of tillers per plant (0.70*) with grain yield per plant at both phenotypic and genotypic levels. A negatively significant correlation between hygrophilic colloids (–0.15*) and epidermal cell size (–0.22*) with grain yield per plant was obtained at phenotypic and genotypic levels. Path coefficients were also computed to estimate the contribution of character to the yield. Path coefficient analysis revealed that flag leaf area (1.34), root/shoot ratio (0.51) and survival rate II (0.56) had the highest positive direct effects on grain yield, while hygrophilic colloids (–0.24) and osmotic pressure (–0.07) had a negative direct effect on grain yield. The results thus obtained suggested that flag leaf area is an important component of yield and hence needs a special attention in selection strategies.
Effect of exercise and vitamin D on insulin like growth factor-1 level and skeletal muscle autophagy in diabetic rats

Background: diabetic myopathy is one of chronic complications of diabetes mellitus, which is evidenced by muscle weakness and atrophy. In our research we aimed to evaluate the protective role of exercise and vitamin D on diabetic induced changes in the skeletal muscles. Methods: Fourty male Sprague Dawely rats were divided into control, diabetic, exercised diabetic, vitamin D treated diabetic and combined exercise and vitamin D diabetic rats. Fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, serum IGF-1 level as well as the contractile properties of soleus and tibialis anterior muscles were measured. Also western blot analysis for measuring (LC3) and histopathological examination of both muscles were done. Results: in diabetic rats, fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR and LC3 (microtubule associated protein-1 light chain-3) expression in muscles were increased whereas serum IGF-1 level was decreased and the contractile properties of skeletal muscles were deteriorated. Vitamin D treatment decreased fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR and expression of LC3 but it increased serum IGF-1 with improvement in the skeletal muscles contractility. Also exercised diabetic rats revealed improvement in all biochemical parameters, autophagy marker expression with further improvement in the skeletal muscles contractility. Combining exercise and vitamin D treatment showed a more improvement in all studied parameters and the histopathological examination confirmed our results. Conclusion: regular exercise and vitamin D protect the muscles from diabetic induced lesions by improving glycemic state, serum level of IGF-1and suppressing autophagy which finally reflected on the contractile parameters of the muscles.
From Shame to New Name: How Naming and Shaming Creates Pro-Government Militias

Researchers have identified naming and shaming as a strategy used by the international community to reprimand state leaders for their repressive actions. Previous research indicates that there is variation in the success of this tactic. One reason for the heterogeneity in success is that leaders with an interest in repressing opposition but avoiding international condemnation have adapted their behavior, at least partially, to avoid naming and shaming. For instance, some states choose to create and utilize alternative security apparatuses, such as pro-government militias (PGMs), to carry out these repressive acts. Creating or aligning with PGMs allows leaders to distance themselves from the execution of violence while reaping the rewards of repression. This analysis explores this dynamic. In particular, I examine how naming and shaming by Amnesty International and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights influences the creation of PGMs to skirt future international condemnation by the offending state for all states from 1986 to 2000. I find that countries are more likely to create PGMs, especially informal PGMs, after their human rights abuses have been put in the spotlight by the international community.
Influence of the Static Pre-Stress in Micro-Viscothermoelastic Resonators Based on Dual-Phase-Lagging Heat Conduction

Thermal and mechanical relaxation times play vital roles in the values of the quality factor of micro/nanoresonators. They can control the energy dissipation across the coupling of mechanical and thermal behavior. In this paper, we introduce an analytical model that considers a pre-stress in a micro-viscothermoelastic resonator to modify the thermal and mechanical relaxation times and thus higher the quality factor. The impacts of length scale and static pre-stress on the quality factor have been discussed. The model expects that significant improvement in terms of quality factors is possible by tuning the pre-stress and the thermal and mechanical relaxation times parameters, and the isothermal value of frequency have significant effects on the thermal quality factor of the resonators.
Knowledge, attitudes and practices of contact lens use in a South African adolescent population

Abstract Background Contact lens usage is becoming increasingly popular amongst young people. Assessing their knowledge, attitudes and practices in relation to contact lens wear is therefore important, so that gaps in understanding or incorrect practices can be rectified to promote continued safety and success of contact lens wear. Objectives This study aimed to assess and describe the knowledge, attitudes and practices of contact lens wearers aged 18 to 30 years, in the greater Durban area of South Africa. Methods A semi-structured questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practice of the participants. Results: Two hundred and forty six participants completed the survey. Young contact lens wearers in this sample generally had poor knowledge with regards to appropriate hygiene and contact lens wear complications. Despite wearers exhibiting a positive attitude with satisfactory hand hygiene and lens cleaning practices, important aspects such as lens case hygiene, storage and lens removal practices were found to be unsatisfactory. Compliance with after-care visits was also unsatisfactory. Conclusion There is a need for contact lens practitioners to educate young contact lens wearers regarding appropriate contact lens-related care, to promote long term ocular health and contact lens-related safety.
Itinerant ferromagnetism in van der Waals 
Fe5−xGeTe2
 crystals above room temperature

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) magnets have recently attracted increasing attention, as they provide a novel system for exploring 2D magnetism. However, intrinsic ferromagnetism in 2D systems has almost exclusively been observed at low temperatures, limiting their technological relevance. ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{\mathrm{N}}{\mathrm{Ge}\mathrm{Te}}_{2}$ ($N=3$, 4, and 5) systems are currently becoming the most attractive 2D vdW materials due to their relatively high Curie temperatures and large saturation magnetization. However, the nature of their complex yet intriguing magnetic behaviors is still unclear, in part due to the multiple inequivalent iron sites and iron vacancies. Here, we show evolution of magnetic ordering transitions in ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{5\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Ge}\mathrm{Te}}_{2}$ with high Curie temperature and a strong saturation magnetization using photoemission electron microscopy and transport measurements. At 275 K, the ferromagnet transitions to a ferrimagnet, and below 110 K transitions to a state with glassy clusters. These are evidenced from temperature-dependent magnetic stripe domain evolution and anisotropic magnetoresistance measurements. Our findings show a clear magnetic ground state of ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{5\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Ge}\mathrm{Te}}_{2}$ at room temperature which signals that ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{5\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Ge}\mathrm{Te}}_{2}$ system is a very promising candidate for spintronic devices and provides a material design pathway to further increase the Curie temperature and saturation moments in vdW ferromagnets.
Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Essential Oils as an Alternative to Antibiotic Growth Promoter on Performance of Commercial Broilers

An experiment was conducted to assess the effects of thyme and peppermint essential oils (EO) as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoter (AGP) on the performance of broiler chicken. Total 256 day-old Vencobb broiler chicks were randomly distributed into eight experimental groups with four replicates of eight birds each. Experimental groups were fed with control diet without supplementation of AGP and essential oils (T1), BMD (Bacitracin Methylene Disalicylate) antibiotic @ 500 mg/kg diet (T2), thyme essential oil @ 150 mg/kg diet (T3), 200 mg/kg diet (T4), 250 mg/kg diet (T5), peppermint essential oil @ 200 mg/kg diet (T6), 250 mg/kg diet (T7) and 300 mg/kg diet (T8). The supplementation of thyme oil @ 200 mg/kg and peppermint oil @ 300 mg/kg broiler diet significantly (p less than 0.05) improved b.wt. and b.wt gain. The peppermint oil supplementation @ 300 mg/kg was found to be more beneficial when compared among different oil-supplemented groups. The feed conversion ratio was significantly (p less than 0.05) improved with peppermint oil supplementation @ 300 mg/kg diet. A significant (p less than 0.05) reduction in the mean abdominal fat was observed in diet supplemented with higher levels of thyme oil (@ 250 mg/kg diet) and peppermint oil (@ 300 mg/kg diet). Return over feed cost was the highest in broilers assigned diet with AGP; however, it was statistically similar to the basal diet. Considering the net return over fed cost of broilers, use of thyme oil was uneconomical, but supplementation of peppermint essential oil @ 200 and 300 mg/kg diet increased the net return over feed cost and were economical, however less as compared to T1 and T2.
Applied theater: Using improvisation in social services as an illustrating example

Summary Since the practice of interdisciplinary collaboration in applied theater for social work with children and youth in Hong Kong is rare, this study explores its applicability for maximizing beneficial outcomes. An improv group for youth was jointly conducted by a social worker and a theater tutor. A mixed-methods study was undertaken involving 38 undergraduate university students to evaluate group effectiveness. Findings Quantitative results showed that participants displayed enhanced personal growth and sense of self, and the interaction effect between the intervention and improvisational activities was significant. Qualitative results indicated that participants assessed the collaboration between the two professional tutors as effective for enhancing participants’ self-understanding and various capacities to handle life challenges. Applications Interdisciplinary collaboration in applied theater is advocated for social work practice, so as to further strengthen the development of participants’ insight.
Diagnostic du plasma de la source d'ions ECR SIMPA par spectroscopie X : collisions d'ions néon hydrogenoïdes avec des agrégats d'argon

La premiere partie de la these est consacree a la caracterisation de la source d'ions ECR SIMPA, nous avons d'abord explore les performances de la source d'ions, en terme des courants extraits pour trois elements, que sont l'argon, le krypton et le neon. En analysant les spectres Bremsstrahlung, nous avons determine la temperature electronique dans la plasma ainsi que la densite electronique et la densite ionique au sein du plasma. Dans un deuxieme temps, nous avons enregistre des spectres haute resolution du plasma d'argon et du plasma de krypton. En prenant en compte les principaux mecanismes de production d'une lacune en couche K des ions dans le plasma, nous avons pu determiner la densite ionique des etats de charges eleves de l'argon. Enfin, nous avons mis en evidence, une correlation entre la densite des etats de charges avec les intensites de courants extraits. La seconde partie de la these est consacree a la collision des ions Ne9+ avec des agregats d'argon. Dans un premier temps, nous avons presente des modeles theoriques simples mais efficaces dans l'interpretation des phenomenes survenant au cours de la collision, du point de vue du projectile, nous avons effectue une application theorique simple pour une collision d'un ion Ne9+ avec un agregat d'argon d'une certaine taille, dans le but de connaitre les niveaux energetiques peuples lors de la capture electronique et de suivre l'evolution du nombre d'electrons dans chaque couche du projectile. Enfin, nous avons presente les premiers resultats de collision entre un faisceau d'ion Ne9+ et des agregats d'argon. Ces resultats, nous ont permis de mettre en evidence par les photons X emis lors de la collision ions-agregats, un fort taux d'agregation des atomes, ainsi que la multi-capture electronique faite par les projectiles.
Effect of selected factors on the content of ascorbic acid in potatoes with different tuber flesh colour.

in precise field trials in the years 2004–2008 in the Czech republic the effect of conditions of location, variety and mineral fertilization on ascorbic acid content (aa) in potatoes with different tuber flesh color was investigated. Significant was the effect of variety. The Marabel variety with the highest aa content (248 mg/kg FW) exceeded other eight varieties by 13.4–74.1%. The valfi variety, in five-year trials the only variety with purple colored flesh, ranked among analyzed varieties moderately below average. in addition, in the year 2008 the group of seven varieties with purple and red tubers was evaluated and aa content lower by 15.2% compared to the group of varieties with yellow flesh was determined. also, significant differences were determined between the varieties with coloured tubers; the highest aa content was found in the red-fleshed variety Highland Burgundy red (234 mg/kg FW). a negative effect on aa content in tubers was observed at increased intensity of n fertilization (at 180 kg n/ha, aa decreased by 12.4% compared to 100 kg n/ha). Enhanced levels of potassium and magnesium fertilization had no effect on the aa content. The effect of location on aa content was not shown; however, from the four locations in average of five years a pronounced trend of the highest content of ascorbic acid on the location Přerov nad labem with the highest temperature averages during vegetation period of experimental years was determined (by 0.9°C, 2.3°C, and 5.9°C higher compared with other locations).
Selling-to-Teach: A Didactical Look at the Natural Integration Between Teaching and Selling

This article examines whether educators’ use of selling activities (selling-to-teach) based on the seminal sales process can improve perceived and actual learning. By viewing the teaching interaction as a sales situation, the authors suggest professors can help students realize their need for learning just as a salesperson helps a prospect realize a need for a product or service. Leveraging the theoretical communication commonalities in teaching and selling, we posit that selling-to-teach will positively affect perceived and actual learning. Using a mixed-methods approach through two studies, we find qualitative and quantitative (n=616) support for selling-to-teach. Instead of examining pedagogy in sales, we suggest that sales is a pedagogy to be used across disciplines. This fuller examination unveils the sales process as a pedagogical tool to empower instructors and to maximize the student learning experience through different selling steps used as teaching method.
A Closure of the Mongol‐Okhotsk Ocean by the Middle Jurassic: Reconciliation of Paleomagnetic and Geological Evidence

The late Mesozoic closure of the Mongol‐Okhotsk Ocean (MOO) is critical for understanding the tectonics of East Asia. There is a considerable mismatch (~40 million years) between the timing of MOO closure based on paleomagnetic data and geological evidence. We review paleomagnetic data from Mongolia, Siberia, and North China and argue that previously published apparent polar wander paths (APWPs) for North China and Siberia are insufficient to constrain the timing of MOO closure. Our new analysis incorporates newly published paleomagnetic data from North China and a refined geochronology for the key Siberian poles. We combine this with an updated global APWP incorporating large‐scale Jurassic true polar wander and argue that the MOO was closed by the Middle Jurassic. This temporal shift is compatible with geology‐based models. The Middle Jurassic reconstruction of Eurasia suggests that the East Asian blocks had become a quasi‐rigid part of Pangea prior to breakup.
True versus Spurious Long Memory in Cryptocurrencies

We test whether the selected cryptocurrencies exhibit long memory behavior in returns and volatility. We use data on five most traded cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, and XRP. Using recent tests of long memory developed against persistent and nonlinear alternatives, this paper finds that long memory is mostly rejected in returns. The tests fail to reject the null hypothesis of long memory in most cases across different volatility proxies and cryptocurrencies. The estimated memory parameters show that volatility is persistent, and when volatility is measured by log range, it is borderline nonstationary.
Effect of Leg Length–Evening Device on Perceived Balance in Patients Wearing a Controlled Ankle Motion Boot

Background: Patients are often made weightbearing as tolerated (WBAT) in a controlled ankle motion (CAM) boot for the management of various foot and ankle conditions. The CAM boot causes a leg length discrepancy (LLD) between the booted (longer) and contralateral (shorter) lower extremities. This discrepancy can potentially cause balance problems, undue strain on joints, and discomfort in patients. We hypothesized that a leg length–evening orthotic placed on the plantar aspect of the contralateral shoe improves balance among patients who are WBAT in a CAM boot. Methods: Patients made WBAT in a CAM boot were randomized to either the leg length–evening orthotic intervention group or to a control group in which patients wore a normal shoe of their choice. Patients were followed for 2 weeks and asked a series of questions pertaining to balance and pain experienced at their knees, hips, and back. Balance was the primary outcome and was scored from 0 (no difficulty with balance) to 10 (great difficulty with balance). Of 107 subjects enrolled and randomized, 95 (88.8%) completed the study, satisfying the a priori sample size requirement of 94 patients. There were no differences in baseline characteristics between groups (P > .05 for each). Results: Intervention patients reported less difficulty with balance than control patients (intention-to-treat analysis: 2.0±1.5 vs 3.2±1.8, P = .001; as-treated analysis: 2.1±1.7 vs 3.0±1.7, P = .009). Intervention and control patients did not differ with respect to pain experienced at their knees, hips, or back, or in a composite total pain score (P > .05 for each). Conclusion: This multicenter randomized controlled trial found that adding a limb length–evening orthotic to the plantar aspect of the contralateral shoe in a patient that is WBAT in a CAM boot improved patient-reported self-assessment of balance. The trial was powered to identify a difference in the primary outcome measure of balance and may have been insufficiently powered to identify differences in knee, hip, back, or total pain. Level of Evidence: Level II, prospective comparative study.