Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Current methods, concepts and theories regarding mobile power meters in cycling : A critical review of the physiological and pedagogical implications for training,racing and performance testing

Aim This critical review is aimed at the methods, concepts and theories currently employed and advocated by users of mobile power meters (PM) in cycling and the physiological and pedagogical implications they have for training, racing and performance testing. Method The methods, concepts and theories reviewed were chosen since they generated the most hits from a search on the Google Groups Wattage (http://groups.google.com/group/wattage) discussion forum, which is the largest internet forum for PM-related discussions. After the selection of methods, concepts and theories a search in the data bases available at College of Dalarna was made to find if they had any support in the scientific literature. Results The methods, concepts and theories included are: 1. Pacing strategy and racing tactics 2. General considerations for performance testing with a PM. Tests for alactic anaerobic and maximal neuromuscular power, anaerobic lactic power, maximal aerobic power and power related to VO2max and anaerobic threshold power. Performance profiling, scaling and ratios for power output and interpreting changes in testing results. 3. Quantifying the power output demands of racing for designing training programs and other preparations. 4. Andrew Coggans and Richard Sterns power based training zones and the relationship between power output and perceived exertion. 5. Analysis of training and racing power output with tools such as Normalized Power™, Intensity Factor™, Quadrant Analysis™, energy expenditure and how pedaling dynamics affect this analysis. 6. Planning, monitoring and managing the training process with tools such as Training Stress Score™, Performance Manager Chart™ and “power-to-heart rate decoupling”. 7. Theoretical basis for the role of the PM in the inter-personal and intra-personal communication. Conclusions This review has shown that there are several very promising methods, concepts and theories related to the use of PM’s in cycling. Presently, however, most of these are in need of further research to investigate their affect on performance and how to improve their validity and reliability.
The Essential Department Chair: A Comprehensive Desk Reference

This second edition of the informative and influential The Essential Department Chair offers academic chairs and department heads the information they need to excel in their roles. This book is about the "how" of academic administration: for instance, how do you cultivate a potential donor for much-needed departmental resources? How do you persuade your department members to work together more harmoniously? How do you keep the people who report to you motivated and capable of seeing the big picture?
Praeruptorin C alleviates cognitive impairment in Type 2 diabetic mice through restoring PI3K/AKT/ GSK3β pathway

Diabetic encephalopathy is a common complication of diabetes, leading to cognitive impairment. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of Praeruptorin C (Pra-C), an active component of traditional Chinese herb medicine Peucedanum praeruptorum, on cognitive impairment in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes. Our results showed that Pra-C administration significantly reduced body weight and fasting blood glucose levels, relieved learning and memory behavioral deficits in diabetic model mice. The effects of Pra-C on learning and memory ability were further confirmed by late-phase LTP (L-LTP) facilitation, which was recorded by Med64 electrophysiology recording system. Pra-C also restored the activation of PI3K/AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway in hippocampus of mice suffering from diabetes. Taken together, this study demonstrates that Pra-C alleviates cognitive impairment in diabetic mice by restoring PI3K/AKT/GSK3β activation.
Testing apparatus for the spatial and temporal pressure measurements from near-field free air explosions

Accurate quantification of the loading on a structure resulting from the impingement of a blast wave following a high explosive detonation is crucial if analysts are to be able to determine the viability of protective structures. This is of particular importance in the case of near-field explosive detonations, where the magnitude of the loading is extremely high, and highly spatially non-uniform over the face of the target. This loading can result in localised failure of structural targets due to brisance or rear-face spalling (predominantly load magnitude related phenomena) or shear failure due to spatially non-uniform impulse take-up of the target (predominantly impulse related phenomenon). However, no clear and simple guidance exists on how to define the magnitude and spatial variation of very near-field blast loading. Whilst it is possible to use numerical modelling approaches to simulate the detonation, air-shock propagation and shock-structure interaction, little definitive, well controlled experimental data exists to validate such models. This paper presents an experimental methodology that has been developed in part to enable such experimental data to be gathered. The experimental rig comprises an array of Hopkinson Pressure Bars, fitted through holes in a target, with the loaded faces of the bars flush with the target face. Thus, the bars are exposed to the normally or obliquely reflected shocks from the impingement of the blast wave with the target. Pressure-time recordings are presented along with associated Arbitary Langrangian Eulerian modelling using the LS-DYNA explicit numerical code. A new finite element based method is introduced which allows for correction of the effects of dispersion of the propagating waves in the pressure bars, enabling accurate characterisation of the peak pressures and impulses from these loadings.
TBXAS1 Gene Polymorphism Is Associated with the Risk of Ischemic Stroke of Metabolic Syndrome in a Chinese Han Population

Objective To investigate the association between thromboxane A synthase 1 (TBXAS1) gene polymorphism and metabolic syndrome (MS) and explore whether gene polymorphism could act as biomarkers in MS and its components or whether it could play a role in MS-related damage. Methods A total of 3072 eligible subjects were obtained, of which 1079 cases were controls and 1993 cases were MS patients. Subjects were followed up for 5 years, and the endpoint were recorded. The gene polymorphism of TBXAS1 was detected by using the Sequenom MassArray method. Results Significant differences were observed in ischemic stroke and NC_000007. 14: g.139985896C>T (P < 0.05). The incidence of ischemic stroke was significantly higher in T allele carriers than in C (P < 0.05). C allele was the protective factor of the onset of ischemic stroke. There were negative interactions between C allele and waist circumference (WC), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and fasting plasma glucose (FPG). Conclusion These findings suggest that NC_000007. 14: g.139985896C>T was related to the incidence of ischemic stroke in the whole and MS population, and individuals who carry the C allele have a reduced risk of ischemic stroke, which may be used as a promising biomarker of disease risk in patients with MS.
Acceptance, Effectiveness and Relationship of Blended Learning Implementation Among Lecturers in Polytechnic Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin.

Purpose: This paper aims to analyze Acceptance, Effectiveness and Relationship of Blended Learning Implementation Among Lecturers in Polytechnic Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin. Design/methodology/approach: The method used is statistic-descriptive and the design used is cross sectional. Findings: 2 hypotheses are rejected while the other is accepted. Research limitations/implications: Variables considered in this study are e-Learning, blended learning, innovation, teaching and online learning. with data showing 270 academic lecturers in PSMZA Practical implications: Results show that from the 2 hypotheses proposed. Originality/value: This paper is original. Paper type: This paper can be categorized as a case study. Keyword: e-Learning, blended learning, innovation, teaching and online learning
Berberine Chloride and Hyperthermia Promote Osterix Expression and Suppress Cell Cycle Genes in Osteosarcoma Cells

Objectives: The aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of berberine chloride and various heat conditions on the gene expression of Osterix, RUNX-2, RANKL, CDK2, CDK4, IL-6 and IL-11. Methods: Six groups of cells were treated with hyperthermia for 1 h: Two groups at mild, two at moderate and two at severe hyperthermia (39, 43 and 45°C respectively). Berberine chloride (80 µg/mL) was selected for treating one group of mild, moderate and severe hyperthermia (combination). All treated groups were recovered at 37°C for 24 h. Another exposure for hyperthermia (1 h) and recovery for 3 h at 37°C were applied. Results: The expression of Osterix was highly upregulated in all groups except in the severe hyperthermia and mild hyperthermia with berberine groups. Only the mild hyperthermia without berberine induced a slight increase in the expression of RUNX2, whereas severe hyperthermia alone suppressed the levels on a significant manner. Berberine alone was more effective in significantly up-regulating RANKL expression. On the other hand, CDK2 mRNA was downregulated in all groups. CDK4 showed a similar regulation in the mild hyperthermia group with control, but the expression was downregulated in the other groups, especially in severe hyperthermia the expression was significantly downregulated (p<0.5). IL-6 was upregulated highly and significantly in the group of berberine and all groups of combinations, whereas mild and moderate hyperthermia stimulated significant expression of IL-11 mRNA. Conclusion: These results suggest that hyperthermia and berberine chloride can promote osteosarcoma cells differentiation and arrest cell-cycle.
Synthesis of Hydroxy Sodalite from Coal Fly Ash for Biodiesel Production from Waste-Derived Maggot Oil

Zeolites are aluminosilicate crystalline materials known for their unique characteristics, and have been prominent for nearly half a century due to their wide and important industrial applications. The production of zeolites, however, remains a challenge due to the high cost of commercial reagents conventionally used as feedstocks. In the current study, hydroxy sodalite (HS) zeolite samples were synthesised from coal fly ash feedstock by a direct hydrothermal synthesis method. The effects of hydrothermal crystallisation synthesis time on phase crystallinity, crystal size, and morphology of the formed HS were investigated. The prepared samples were characterised using XRD, SEM, EDS and FT-IR techniques. The XRD results of the samples prepared with varying synthesis times confirmed the formation of HS from low to high phase purity and crystallinity from 11 to over 98%. The SEM results reflected gradual variation in crystal morphology, of which highly crystalline HS samples were associated with hexagonal-cubic and cubic-platelet crystals. The FTIR, depicting zeolite characteristics of T–O and T–O–T stretching vibrations in the molecular framework, further confirmed the formation of HS zeolites for samples obtained above the 24-h synthesis time. These zeolite samples were then evaluated for their catalytic activities in the conversion of maggot oil to biodiesel. The application of the various hydroxy sodalite samples for the transesterification of maggot oil yielded up to 84.10% biodiesel (FAME) with physicochemical properties that were in compliance with the biodiesel specification standards. This study investigated the novel use of a coal fly ash-derived, heterogeneous HS catalyst in biodiesel production from maggot oil, and indicates its potential to enhance biodiesel yield and quality upon process optimisation tests.
Hydraulic design of a Francis turbine that will be influenced by sediment erosion

High amount of sediments in the Himalayas are at present a large problem for power companies in Nepal, preventing them of utilizing the large amount of hydro power available in the area. In the Jhimruk power plant the sediment load makes it necessary to repair the system once a year, and the power plant is shut down if the concentration of sediments is exceeding 3000 ppm. Several different measures have been tried to minimize the wear on the system. This Master thesis describes the theoretical definition of erosion and examines both designs and materials affecting erosion. The work is based on earlier work and strive for better design of Jhimruk power plant. The main objective of the thesis is to define different guide vane designs that affect and reduce sediment erosion in a Francis turbine. The work is carried out using several NACA designs for the guide vanes and implementing sediments in the flow to simulate sediment erosion. The assignment include utilization of several programs, including the Matlab-based design tool Khoj, the meshing tools Ansys Turbogrid and Ansys ICEM, and the CFD calculation tool Ansys CFX. The simulations in Ansys CFX are done using the Tabakoff erosion model. The erosion on the reference parts show similar tendencies as previous work, while the new designs in general show heighten erosion tendency. The simulations show in general the same tendency for the reference runner and the optimal runner. The results produced in this thesis show the difference in sediment erosion handling by different guide vane profiles, affecting the pressure distribution along the guide vanes and thus disrupting the inlet conditions on the runner. In this thesis the implementation of NACA 2412 enhancing the pressure difference across the guide vane shows the best effect of erosion reduction, while the design changes equalizing this pressure difference generally show an increased erosion tendency along the runner. The results are thus opposite of the expected results. The implementation of the optimal runner design show that the use of NACA 4412 with pressure difference enhancing effect reduces the erosion maximum for the design changes.
Flat Earth News: An Award-Winning Reporter Exposes Falsehood, Distortion and Propaganda in the Global Media

'Finally I was forced to admit that I work in a corrupted profession. ' When award-winning journalist Nick Davies decided to break Fleet Street's unwritten rule by investigating his own colleagues, he found that the business of reporting the truth had been slowly subverted by the mass production of ignorance. Working with a network of off-the-record sources, Davies uncovered the story of the prestigious "Sunday" newspaper which allowed: the CIA and MI6 to plant fiction in its columns; the newsroom which routinely rejects stories about black people; the respected paper that hired a professional fraudster to set up a front company to entrap senior political figures; and the newspapers which support law and order while paying cash bribes to bent detectives.Davies names and exposes the national stories which turn out to be pseudo events manufactured by the PR industry, and the global news stories which prove to be fiction generated by a new machinery of international propaganda. He shows the impact of this on a world where consumers believe a mass of stories which, in truth, are as false as the idea that the Earth is flat - from the millennium bug to the WMD in Iraq - tainting government policy, perverting popular belief. He presents a new model for understanding news. With the help of researchers from Cardiff University, who ran a ground-breaking analysis of our daily news, Davies found most reporters, most of the time, are not allowed to dig up stories or check their facts - a profession corrupted at the core. Read all about it. The news will never look the same again.
The use of multichannel analysis of surface waves in determining Gmax for soft clay.

The measurement of the small strain shear modulus, Gmax is determined using the Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) method for two soft clay sites in Ireland. G.ax profiles generated using the MASW method compare very well with values derived empirically from CPTU data and also with results of laboratory triaxial testing. A synthetic earth model generated using a Discrete Particle Scheme (DPS) was also used to evaluate the software, Surfseis. The MASW method compares well with both the conventional seismic methods and the synthetic model.
Comparison of Volume Changes in Different Environmental Conditions After Retrofilling Using Three Calcium Silicate Cements

Background The present study aimed to compare the marginal sealing ability of three calcium silicate cements after retrofilling at different pH levels via micro-computed tomography (CT) scan.Methods Forty-two extracted human single-rooted teeth were randomly assigned to three groups according to the retrofilling materials used (Biodentine, Endocem MTA, and ProRoot MTA). Each group was divided into two subgroups according to the setting condition. The teeth in one group were immersed in normal saline for 5 days at room temperature, and the teeth in the other group were immersed in butyric acid (pH = 5.4) for 5 days at room temperature. To investigate marginal sealing ability, the volume ratios of the retrofilling material were calculated via micro-CT imaging.Results The volume ratios of the Biodentine and Endocem MTA groups were significantly different between the two setting environment, and these groups had significantly lower filled volume ratio (Vf, %) in the acidic environment than in the saline environment (pH = 5.4). Meanwhile, the volume ratio of the ProRoot MTA group did not significantly differ between the two setting environments. All materials under the acidic setting condition had relative radiolucency in the area in contact with the acidic solution.Conclusions The Vf ratio of the Biodentine and Endocem MTA cements was significantly lower in the acidic environment than in the saline environment. Meanwhile, no statistically significant difference was observed in the Vf ratio of ProRoot MTA between the two setting environments.
Review of Artificially Triggered Lightning Study in China

Lightning-triggered experiments have been conducted both in the north and southeast of China since 1989. Twenty five events of artificial lightning were triggered by using rocket-wire technique. The experiments and characteristics of triggered lightning are briefly reviewed and most of results of these experiments are outlined in this paper. The characteristics of triggered lightning appear to be significant different in the north and southeast of China.
COMPARING STRATIFIED CROSS-CLASSIFICATION AND LOGIT-BASED TRIP ATTRACTION MODELS

Trip attraction models constitute half of the trip generation step in traditional 4-step transportation planning models. This means they can play an important role in determining the overall accuracy and responsiveness of such models. Yet it would appear that relatively little has been done to examine potential improvements in practical trip attraction modeling, taking it beyond the basic use of simple linear relationships based on different categories of employment or amounts of floorspace. In particular, the lack of compatibility between stratified trip production models that consider socioeconomic differences in trip-making, and regression-based trip attraction models that do not, may severely limit the ability of trip distribution models to correctly allocate workers to jobs. Recent practical model development work in Cleveland and Phoenix considered two alternative approaches to the modeling of trip attractions. In Cleveland a fairly straightforward cross-classification approach was used, where attraction rates for proportions of workers in different income and car ownership categories were computed using a disaggregate workplace survey. In Phoenix a more novel logit-based approach was used, where proportions of workers by auto ownership and household income were established using the logit formula with utility functions that included various measures of industrial classification and accessibility, using readily available Census Transportation Planning Package (CTPP) data. The intent of both approaches is to appropriately attract the correct number of workers by socioeconomic stratification based on the mix and quantity of employment types at the trip destination. This paper describes the two approaches in detail, considering their theoretical foundations and mathematical properties and discussing some of the practical issues that arise in their development in a United States context. The results of the two models are also examined. It is concluded that these two approaches represent useful advances in the practical modeling of trip attractions beyond the use of simple ratios based on floorspace or total employment, with relative merits that depend on the context of the specific application.
The Effects of the Strategy and Goal on Business Performance as Mediated by Management Accounting Systems

Previous research in the literature often investigated the associations between management accounting systems and the success of organizations. However, little has been done in regard to the association of business strategies, goals, and firms’ performance while having management accounting tools as mediators. Management accounting systems are classified as traditional and strategic management accounting themes. Each theme, of course, implements different accounting tools. This article explores the degree to which, as mediated by management accounting systems, the business strategies and business goals of large Thai manufacturing companies influence their financial and non-financial performance. To gather the data, a survey questionnaire was developed. Of the 1500 companies selected for inclusion in the survey, 205 provided completed and usable responses for a response rate of 13.67%. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the relationships among the variables. The findings shed some light on what the management of a firm could expect concerning organizational performance from their business strategies, business goals, and the implementation of specific management accounting systems. Corporate strategies and corporate goals had a statistical influence on both the financial and non-financial performance of the large corporations in Thailand when mediated via strategic management accounting systems, while there was no influence when mediated by traditional management accounting systems. A greater understanding of the relationships and effects of which mediators should have been employed in organizations to bring forth business strategies and business goals and generate productive results for organizational performance is provided by this research. Choosing the appropriate performance mediators can help achieve corporate strategies and goals.
Criminal Spots on the Way Home from School A Case Study of Middle Schools in the Gangseo District

Abstract The purpose of this paper was to determine criminal spots on the way home from school for middle-school students. The Gangseo district, where most school violence occurs in Seoul, was investigated. Through a cognitive map analysis, the findings of this paper are as follows: first, the frequency of where fear of crime was felt was greater than that of actual crime, and the fear of crime did not closely reflect crime occurrence. Second, females had more fear of crime spots than males. Third, students feel fear mostly for reasons related to human factors rather than to space factors; among the human factors, 'peers' represented the most frequent reason. Fourth, mixed-use building regions were the most commonly cited criminal regions, as were school regions, despite the fact that they were small areas. Narrow paths and landmarks where people congregate were cited as criminal spots. Planned spaces for relaxation could also lead to fear related to the fact that these places are seen as common bully peer congregation spots. In addition, places associated with territoriality were commonly cited as criminal spots.