Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Thinning on Forest Scenic Beauty in a Black Pine Forest in Central Italy

Forest management practices determine changes in stand characteristics and consequently influence public perception of forest scenic beauty visually appreciated by visitors. To understand the relationship between forest management practices and public perception, the present study evaluated the effects of thinning on the forest scenic beauty analyzing visitors’ preferences towards images of forest managed in different ways. The investigation was implemented in a black pine (Pinus nigra spp.) forest located in Central Italy, where a designed thinning experiment was conducted during the winter of 2016. Silvicultural interventions were based on three options: traditional thinning (medium-intensity thinning from below), selective thinning, and absence of intervention (control). Then, through the face-to-face administration of a questionnaire to a sample of 200 visitors, visitors’ aesthetic preferences for stands’ characteristics affected by management interventions were assessed. The survey also investigated the perception of the effect of silvicultural treatments on the scenic beauty using pairwise comparison method. Results evidence a strong relation between scenic beauty and forest attributes. In particular, the results show that visitors prefer mixed forest with varying tree heights and layers, and consequently a high and variable quantity of light reaching the soil. Results also show that visitors prefer managed forests, and both kinds of thinning have a positive effect on the scenic beauty.
Does Advanced Placement Economics Exam Participation and Performance Predict Undergraduate Economics Major Completion?

Students who take an Advanced Placement (AP) Microeconomics and/or AP Macroeconomics exam may be more interested in economics than their non-AP exam peers and more likely to complete an economics major. Performance on AP exams in economics may also affect students’ economics major completion. This study uses binary probit estimations to assess how participation in and performance on AP exams in economics affects students’ completion of an economics major. The findings suggest students who take both AP exams in economics are significantly more likely to graduate with an economics major compared with non-AP students who complete their introductory economics coursework in college. In addition, strong performance on the AP Microeconomics exam significantly increases a student’s probability of earning an economics major. Receiving high scores on both AP Economics exams is also significantly and positively correlated with economics major completion. JEL Classifications : A21, A22
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE SKIN AND THE FLESH OF APPLES

Usual puncture tests were applied to study texture properties (deformation, failure load, firmness, and toughness) of apple skin and apple flesh. The difference between overall puncture load displacement (whole fruit) and that measured without skin provided a satisfactorily precise result related to mechanical behavior of the skin itself. This procedure is applied to evaluate changes in skin and flesh properties of Golden Delicious apples, both during cold storage (2°C, 96% relative humidity) and ripening at constant room temperature (20 ± 1°C). Highest decreases occur in deformation (10%), firmness (50%), and toughness (60%) of the apple flesh early during the cool storage. Concurrently, the highest increases are related to the contribution of the skin to the overall firmness (43%) and to the overall toughness (15%). During forced ripening, the skin plays a great part in the relative changes in all the measured overall properties. Storage conditions (relative humidity and temperature) affect highly the percent contribution of the skin to the overall firmness. Additional experiments are carried out after a 210 days cool storage on four apple varieties (Fuji, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Pink Lady) to compare their mechanical behaviors. Differences in overall and skin toughness were found between varieties. Percent contribution of the skin to firmness value is alike for all apple varieties tested after a 210 days storage at 2°C. The contribution of the skin in the overall firmness is not a variety feature.
Observation of the N2 Herman infrared system in pulsed positive streamer induced emission at atmospheric pressure

Time-resolved emission spectroscopy has been applied to the study of optical emission induced by pulsed positive primary streamers in coaxial geometry generated in high-purity nitrogen at atmospheric pressure. During the investigation of the post-discharge emission, the formation of N2(B 3Πg, C 3Πu, C'' 5Πu, C' 3Πu) states through N2(A 3Σu+) energy pooling reactions has been discovered. The evolution of the N2(A 3Σu+) metastable species has been inferred through the analysis of the time dependence of the band intensities of the Herman infrared N2(C'' 5Πu→ A' 5Σg+) system. It has been found that, in the case of pulsed positive streamers generated in high-purity nitrogen, the maximum density of the N2(A 3Σu+) metastables occurs during the early post-discharge period (0.5-1 µs). The production of NO(X 2Π) and OH(X 2Π) radicals originating from O2 and H2O impurities has been inferred from the emissions of the NO(A 2Σ+) and OH(A 2Σ+) states. The maximum densities of the NO(X 2Π) and OH(X 2Π) radicals occur in the 9 and 5 µs post-discharge times, respectively.
41 Characterizing the amount and variability of intramuscular fat deposition throughout the loin using barrows and gilts from two genotypes

Pork quality is evaluated by commercial processors along the ventral surface of whole boneless loins. However, in retail settings boneless chops are evaluated individually for quality. The objective was to determine the variability in marbling attributable to chop location, sex, and sire line. The population of pigs evaluated were sired by commercial duroc boars selected for meat quality (MQ; n=96) or lean growth (LG; n=96) and equally split between sexes. Upon slaughter and fabrication, bone-in chops were removed from four locations along the loin (A=6th rib, B=10th rib, C=last rib, D=4th lumbar). Pairs of chops from each location were used for visual color, visual marbling, and subjective firmness, Warner-Bratzler shear force, and determination of moisture and extractable lipid (IMF). Variability across location, sex, and sire line was measured using a Levene’s test and the VARCOMP procedure of SAS was used to evaluate the proportion of variability each contributed to total variance. Barrows produced chops with greater IMF (3.64%) and variability (P< 0.001) than gilts (3.20%; P< 0.001). Chops from MQ pigs exhibited greater IMF (4.02%) and variability (P< 0.001) than LG (2.82%; P< 0.001). Chops from location A (3.80%) and D (3.77%) had greater IMF than B (3.34%; P< 0.001) with all three locations greater than C (2.77%; P< 0.001). Variance (s2) also differed (A=1.44% B=1.59% C=1.05% D=2.18%; P< 0.05) across chop locations. Of the variability in IMF, 33.0% was attributed to sire line, 10.16% to chop location and 4.01% to sex, with 52.83% unaccounted for. Location A chops were the most tender (2.57kg; P< 0.001) and C chops the least tender (2.93kg; P< 0.01). No differences in variability (s2; P=0.40) of tenderness were observed across chop location (A=0.31kg B=0.24kg C=0.24kg D=0.23kg). In conclusion, chop location, sex, and sire line all contribute to the amount and variability of pork loin marbling. Supported by National Pork Board Grant #18-118.
Optical properties of sub-monolayer molecular films

Equations for the change in both the specular reflectance and the ellipsometric parameters for a flat surface following formation of a sub-monolayer molecular film are derived by taking explicit account of the particulate nature of the adsorbed film, while treating the substrate as a continuum. A dielectric constant tensor, Iµ, can be defined for the adsorbed film which, upon choosing an effective film thickness, de, so that Iµ is isotropic whenever the mean molecular polarizability of the adsorbed species is isotropic, takes a form essentially identical to that obtained using the Lorentz–Lorenz equation. In general, both Iµ and de vary with coverage in the range zero to one monolayer. For films consisting of island patches, however, Iµ is constant and de is proportional to coverage; while for films consisting of more or less randomly distributed molecules, de is approximately equal to the molecular diameter at all coverages up to one monolayer and Iµ varies with coverage.
Gains or Losses in Forest Productivity under Climate Change? The Uncertainty of CO2 Fertilization and Climate Effects

Global warming poses great challenges for forest managers regarding adaptation strategies and species choices. More frequent drought events and heat spells are expected to reduce growth and increase mortality. Extended growing seasons, warming and elevated CO2 (eCO2) can also positively affect forest productivity. We studied the growth, productivity and mortality of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and fir (Abies alba Mill.) in the Black Forest (Germany) under three climate change scenarios (representative concentration pathways (RCP): RCP2.6, RCP4.5, RCP8.5) using the detailed biogeochemical forest growth model GOTILWA+. Averaged over the entire simulation period, both species showed productivity losses in RCP2.6 (16–20%) and in RCP4.5 (6%), but productivity gains in RCP8.5 (11–17%). However, all three scenarios had a tipping point (between 2035–2060) when initial gains in net primary productivity (NPP) (6–29%) eventually turned into losses (1–26%). With eCO2 switched off, the losses in NPP were 26–51% in RCP2.6, 36–45% in RCP4.5 and 33–71% in RCP8.5. Improved water-use efficiency dampened drought effects on NPP between 4 and 5%. Tree mortality increased, but without notably affecting forest productivity. Concluding, cultivation of beech and fir may still be possible in the study region, although severe productivity losses can be expected in the coming decades, which will strongly depend on the dampening CO2 fertilization effect.
Development and Validation of a New Calibration Model for Diviner 2000® Probe Based on Soil Physical Attributes

This study aimed to develop a new model, valid for soil with and without expandable characters, to estimate volumetric soil water content (θ) from readings of scaled frequency (SF) acquired with the Diviner 2000® sensor. The analysis was carried out on six soils collected in western Sicily, sieved at 5 mm, and repacked to obtain the maximum and minimum bulk density (ρb). During an air-drying process SF values, the corresponding gravimetric soil water content (U) and ρb were monitored. In shrinking/swelling clay soils, due to the contraction process, the variation of dielectric permittivity was affected by the combination of the mutual proportions between the water volumes and the air present in the soil. Thus, to account for the changes of ρb with U, the proposed model assumed θ as the dependent variable being SF and ρb the independent variables; then the model’s parameters were estimated based on the sand and clay fractions. The model validation was finally carried out based on data acquired in undisturbed monoliths sampled in the same areas. The estimated θ, θestim, was generally close to the corresponding measured, θmeas, with Root Mean Square Errors (RMSE) generally lower than 0.049 cm3 cm−3, quite low Mean Bias Errors (MBE), ranging between −0.028 and 0.045 cm3 cm−3, and always positive Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency index (NSE), confirming the good performance of the model.
LOW REYNOLDS NUMBER TURBULENT LIFTED FLAMES IN HIGH CO-FLOW

ABSTRACT This study presents the results of experiments designed to investigate flame lift-off behavior to nozzle velocity, co-flow velocity, fuel-type, and nozzle size for low Reynolds Number turbulent flows (in and near the hysteresis regime). Local excess jet velocities are computed using jet relations from Tieszen et al. The results show that the local excess jet velocity remains linear with respect to nozzle velocity through most of the hysteresis regime, even though flame lift-off height is not linear. This suggests a non-linear relation not captured by Kalghatgi (1984) for lift-off in the near field and hysteresis regime. Local excess jet velocities at the reattachment point were also computed for flames that are lifted more than three nozzle diameters above the burner. The results show that there is a minimum excess jet velocity for which a flame can stabilize. This minimum velocity is inversely proportional to the laminar burning velocity of the fuel squared. A new relation for lift-off height at the reattachment point for flames in the hysteresis region is derived and compared to experimental data.
The Association between Dynamic Changes in Serum Presepsin Levels and Mortality in Immunocompromised Patients with Sepsis: A Prospective Cohort Study

Presepsin is a subtype of soluble CD14 that is increased in the blood of septic patients. We investigated the role of dynamic changes in serum presepsin levels in critically ill, immunocompromised patients with sepsis. This is a prospective cohort study that included 119 adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Presepsin level was measured on day 1 and day 3 after ICU admission. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. In immunocompromised patients, presepsin levels on day 1 were higher in patients with sepsis than those in patients without sepsis. The area under the curve (AUC) of presepsin for diagnosing sepsis in immunocompromised patients was 0.87, which was comparable with that of procalcitonin (AUC, 0.892). Presepsin levels on day 3 were higher in patients who died in the hospital than in those who survived. In immunocompromised patients who died in the hospital, presepsin levels on day 3 were significantly higher than those on day 1. In the multivariate analysis, ΔPresepsin+ alone was independently correlated with in-hospital mortality in immunocompromised patients. These findings suggest that dynamic changes in presepsin levels between day 1 and day 3 are associated with in-hospital mortality in patients with sepsis, especially in immunocompromised patients.
Dissolution behavior of iron cyanide (Prussian blue) in contaminated soils

The solubility of iron cyanide complexes [Fe(CN) 6 3- and Fe(CN) 6 4- ] in soils was studied to elucidate the possible hazards posed by soils contaminated with iron cyanide. Earlier work had indicated that these complexes probably precipitate as a form of Prussian blue, a mineral containing Fe(CN) 6 4- and iron
Relationship Between Isometric Hip Torque With Three Kinematic Tests in Soccer Players

Introduction: Hip muscle strength has a good component to improve the execution of movement preventing excessive knee movements, such as dynamic valgus, which is a factor related to ACL injuries, however, the relationship between isometric torque and dynamic valgus is not yet well established. Functional tests that resemble sports have been used for movement analysis and possible injury minimizing factor. Objectives: To compare the knee medialization peak in three kinematic tests with different demands, and its correlation with the isometric torque of the abductors and hip extensors. Methods: The isometric torque was collected by the Lafayette hand dynamometer. Two-dimensional kinematics were used to evaluate three functional tests of different requirements, Single Limb Squat, Lateral Step Down Test and Single Leg Drop Landing Tests. For comparison between values we used the Student T test and for correlation the Spearman test, with p Results: No significant differences were found between the three right kinematic tests, different from the left. And no relationship was established between the isometric hip torque and none of the three kinematic tests. Conclusion: There is no correlation between the dynamic knee valgus peak during different tests. It is concluded that the isometric torque test does not seem to be as sensitive when related to functional tests, but it has good applicability for comparing strength between limbs.
Post-traumatic effects in policing: exploring disclosure, coping and social support

ABSTRACT This study explored the relationships between traumatic events experienced at work and police officer distress disclosure, enacted coping, including social support seeking, and impairment. A total of 266 web surveys were completed by sworn officers from a large municipal police force in Canada with 76 reporting having experienced at least one traumatic event at work in the year prior to the survey. The most significant finding was the relationship between officers feeling comfortable disclosing distressing personal information and seeking social support from others, although social support did not relate to their impairment. Reported attempts to cope on their own (self-coping) and to avoid the issue (avoidant coping) were positively related to impairment suggesting that these forms of coping are less effective for police officer work-related trauma. Implications for future research and practice for coping and social support in police occupations are discussed.
Comparison of the Performance of APACHE II, SOFA, and mNUTRIC Scoring Systems in Critically Ill Patients: A 2-year Cross-sectional Study

Abstract Aims and objectives Different severity scores are being used to assess outcomes in intensive care unit, but variable data had been reported so far per their performance. Main objective of this study is to compare performance of acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II), sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), and modified nutrition risk in critically ill (mNUTRIC) scoring systems regarding the outcomes in the form of morbidity and mortality in medical intensive care unit (MICU) at rural tertiary-care health center. Materials and methods In this cross-sectional study, 1,990 patients older than 18 years admitted in the ICU were enrolled. Age, gender, diagnosis, intubation, comorbidities, APACHE II, SOFA scores, m NUTRIC score, MICU stays in days, and need of mechanical ventilation were noted. Results When we compared different score with mortality, APACHE-II was having sensitivity of 89.9% and specificity of 97.6%; SOFA had 90.1% sensitivity and 96.6% specificity; while mNUTRIC score had 97.2% sensitivity and 74.0% specificity. APACHE-II score had sensitivity of 93.4%, SOFA had 90.5%, and mNUTRIC score 92.3% with low specificity of 76.5% in predicting requirement of mechanical ventilation. mNUTRIC score and ICU length of stay showed moderate positive correlation (p value = <0.001). Conclusion All the three scores were comparable in sensitivity and specificity in predicting outcomes in the form of mortality, need of mechanical ventilation, and length of ICU stays. mNUTRIC score was more sensitive than others, and as it was based on nutritional status, hence more weightage should be given on this score. How to cite this article Kumar S, Gattani SC, Baheti AH, Dubey A. Comparison of the Performance of APACHE II, SOFA, and mNUTRIC Scoring Systems in Critically Ill Patients: A 2-year Cross-sectional Study. Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(11):1057–1061.
Fragment replica-exchange method for efficient protein conformation sampling

The native structure of proteins corresponds to the global minimum of the free energy. The replica-exchange method (REM) has been recently used to search for the energy minimum in a wide protein conformation space. For large systems, however, applying REM can be costly because the number of replicas required for conformational sampling increases. We have developed a variant of REM called fragment REM, which is based on the existence of correlations between the local amino acid sequence and the local structure. Equilibrium distributions for two peptides were computed by conventional molecular dynamics, REM and the proposed REM simulations. We found that the modified REM successfully reduces the number of replicas needed for the simulation.
Exploring the Use of Digital Technologies from the Perspective of Diverse Learners in Online Learning Environments

This qualitative study explored digital technologies that promote educational experiences and achievements of culturally diverse learners via interviews with 46 culturally and linguistically diverse students across different academic programs. A qualitative research design using semi-structured interviews was used to collect the data for the study. The analysis of the data identified that digital technologies, multimedia presentations, and social network tools facilitate educational experiences and achievements of participants in asynchronous online learning environments. Participants applied digital technologies to navigate the Learning Management Systems (LMS) to engage and contribute to knowledge creation to achieve better academic success in online context. Findings support the need for online instructors to incorporate digital technologies to facilitate academic engagement and achievements of students from diverse backgrounds in online learning.
POLICY LEARNING FOR GENERATING GREEN ELECTRICITY

An important challenge for any developing country is to achieve their green energy targets for clean electricity generation. In this respect, Iran is no exception. This paper sets out a reference point for Iran as a less developed country by learning the green electricity production policies from developed countries; Germany and Denmark. We used a mixed research approach. The most significant lessons learnt includes the relevance of the financial and regulatory tools and policies that have been successfully applied in Denmark and Germany. Our findings show the structure of fuel allocation to energy generation plants needs reforming. The result shows a considerable difference between Iran and the two other developed countries regarding the level of utilizing fossil fuels and renewable energies. We identified a wide range of beneficial measures to facilitate the transition to green energy production. These included: reforms to electricity pricing, phasing out nuclear energy production; the setting of a green tax package, subsidising renewable energy development for new and old systems, dedicating soft-interest loans, implementing informative programmes about local ownership, facilitating the process of participation, and performing obligatory plans to purchase green electricity for governmental sectors. well as manufacturing main equipment including gas and steam turbines, electrical generator, turbine blade and vane, HRSG and conventional boilers, electric and control systems, gas compressor, locomotive and other pertinent equipment.