Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluating Virtual Reality-based Training Programs for Mine Rescue Brigades in New South Wales (Australia)

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Confidence Is Key: Collective Efficacy, Team Processes, and Team Effectiveness

We investigated collective efficacy as a key predictor of team effectiveness (i.e., satisfaction and performance) and examined three behavioral team process dimensions (i.e., transition, action, and interpersonal processes) as novel mediators. Based on survey data from 160 project teams, we found a positive linear relation between collective efficacy and team effectiveness. In addition, we found that a higher frequency of action and interpersonal processes partially explains the positive benefits of collective efficacy on team effectiveness. Our study has unique practical and theoretical implications as it provides empirical evidence for distinct mechanisms of the collective efficacy-team effectiveness relation.
Effects of financial constraints and policy uncertainty on the economy with shifting trend inflation

The primary purpose of this paper is to investigate macroeconomic, financial and welfare effects of financial constraints and policy uncertainty on the economy featuring shifting trend inflation. By developing a New Keynesian model incorporating trend inflation into staggered prices and staggered credit channel, we indicate three important findings. First, we report negligible welfare consequences of financial shocks, whereas policy uncertainty shocks dampen the economic welfare considerably. More import-antly, financial frictions are a channel through which policy uncertainty stuns the economy more remarkably. Second, the welfare consequences and business cycles effects of shocks are greater in the high-trend-inflation economy, while the costs of exogenous variations in trend inflation are larger if there is policy uncertainty. Third, among staggered prices and staggered credit, the later plays a more vital role in transmitting adverse effects of shocks to trend inflation into the economy.
A Comprehensive Overview of the Complex Role of Oxidative Stress in Aging, The Contributing Environmental Stressors and Emerging Antioxidant Therapeutic Interventions

Introduction Aging is a normal, inevitable, irreversible, and progressive process which is driven by internal and external factors. Oxidative stress, that is the imbalance between prooxidant and antioxidant molecules favoring the first, plays a key role in the pathophysiology of aging and comprises one of the molecular mechanisms underlying age-related diseases. However, the oxidative stress theory of aging has not been successfully proven in all animal models studying lifespan, meaning that altering oxidative stress/antioxidant defense systems did not always lead to a prolonged lifespan, as expected. On the other hand, animal models of age-related pathological phenotypes showed a well-correlated relationship with the levels of prooxidant molecules. Therefore, it seems that oxidative stress plays a more complicated role than the one once believed and this role might be affected by the environment of each organism. Environmental factors such as UV radiation, air pollution, and an unbalanced diet, have also been implicated in the pathophysiology of aging and seem to initiate this process more rapidly and even at younger ages. Aim The purpose of this review is to elucidate the role of oxidative stress in the physiology of aging and the effect of certain environmental factors in initiating and sustaining this process. Understanding the pathophysiology of aging will contribute to the development of strategies to postpone this phenomenon. In addition, recent studies investigating ways to alter the antioxidant defense mechanisms in order to prevent aging will be presented. Conclusions Careful exposure to harmful environmental factors and the use of antioxidant supplements could potentially affect the biological processes driving aging and slow down the development of age-related diseases. Maybe a prolonged lifespan could not be achieved by this strategy alone, but a longer healthspan could also be a favorable target.
Moving Average Market Timing in European Energy Markets: Production Versus Emissions

This paper searches for stochastic trends and returns predictability in key energy asset markets in Europe over the last decade. The financial assets include Intercontinental Exchange Futures Europe (ICE-ECX) carbon emission allowances (the main driver of interest), European Energy Exchange (EEX) Coal ARA futures and ICE Brent oil futures (reflecting the two largest energy sources in Europe), Stoxx600 Europe Oil and Gas Index (the main energy stock index in Europe), EEX Power Futures (representing electricity), and Stoxx600 Europe Renewable Energy index (representing the sunrise energy industry). This paper finds that the Moving Average (MA) technique beats random timing for carbon emission allowances, coal, and renewable energy. In these asset markets, there seems to be significant returns predictability of stochastic trends in prices. The results are mixed for Brent oil, and there are no predictable trends for the Oil and Gas index. Stochastic trends are also missing in the electricity market as there is an ARFIMA-FIGARCH process in the day-ahead power prices. The empirical results are interesting for several reasons. We identified the data generating process in EU electricity prices as fractionally integrated (0.5), with a fractionally integrated Generalized AutoRegressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH) process in the residual. This is a novel finding. The order of integration of order 0.5 implies that the process is not stationary but less non-stationary than the non-stationary I(1) process, and that the process has long memory. This is probably because electricity cannot be stored. Returns predictability with MA rules requires stochastic trends in price series, indicating that the asset prices should obey the I(1) process, that is, to facilitate long run returns predictability. However, all the other price series tested in the paper are I(1)-processes, so that their returns series are stationary. The empirical results are important because they give a simple answer to the following question: When are MA rules useful? The answer is that, if significant stochastic trends develop in prices, long run returns are predictable, and market timing performs better than does random timing.
An augmented reality study for public participation in urban planning

ABSTRACT Ongoing urbanisation processes invoke immense construction activities, for which citizens often participate in planning. Yet, imagining planned buildings based on visual representations is a highly demanding task. While traditional methods, such as construction spans, 2D, or 3D visualisation often fail to offer a complete picture, we propose Augmented Reality (AR) as a more adequate tool. We first present an evaluation of the suitability of AR compared to construction spans for a future building and assess which degree of abstraction of AR is most effective, as well as difficulty of interpreting them correctly. In a between-subjects field study we compare construction spans and a prototype AR application including three levels of detail (LOD) of the same building project. Participants solve two estimation tasks using the construction spans and six estimation tasks using the AR application, before answering a questionnaire on the different visualisation methods. We find participants are confident about the potential of AR, but no significant differences between the different LOD groups in subjective assessment. Results suggest that previous knowledge (e.g. in GIS) may have a positive impact on dimension estimation performance. Also, details, such as façade elements or windows, could facilitate estimation tasks because they allow inferences about a building’s size.
Identification and expression analysis of xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH) family in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.)

Xyloglucan endotransglucosylases/hydrolases (XTH) are key enzymes in cell wall reformulation. They have the dual functions of catalyzing xyloglucan endotransglucosylase (XET) and xyloglucan endonuclease (XEH) activity and play a crucial role in the responses against abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, and freezing. However, a comprehensive analysis of the XTH family and its functions in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) has not yet been completed. In this study, 34 XTHs were identified in the whole grapevine genome and then named according to their distribution on chromosomes. Based on a phylogenetic analysis including Arabidopsis XTHs, the VvXTHs were classified into three groups. Cis-element analysis indicated that these family members are related to most abiotic stresses. We further selected 14 VvXTHs from different groups and then examined their transcription levels under drought and salt stress. The results indicated that the transcription levels of selected VvXTHs in the leaves and roots presented the largest changes, suggesting that VvXTHs are likely to take part in the responses to drought and salt stress in grapevines. These results provide useful evidence for the further investigation of VvXTHs function in response to abiotic stresses in grapevine.
Solving the clustered traveling salesman problem via traveling salesman problem methods

The Clustered Traveling Salesman Problem (CTSP) is a variant of the popular Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) arising from a number of real-life applications. In this work, we explore a transformation approach that solves the CTSP by converting it to the well-studied TSP. For this purpose, we first investigate a technique to convert a CTSP instance to a TSP and then apply powerful TSP solvers (including exact and heuristic solvers) to solve the resulting TSP instance. We want to answer the following questions: How do state-of-the-art TSP solvers perform on clustered instances converted from the CTSP? Do state-of-the-art TSP solvers compete well with the best performing methods specifically designed for the CTSP? For this purpose, we present intensive computational experiments on various benchmark instances to draw conclusions.
A Wide-Bandwidth Wearable All-Textile PIFA With Dual Resonance Modes for 5 GHz WLAN Applications

A novel wide-bandwidth wearable all-textile planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA), designed for 5 GHz wireless local area network (WLAN) applications (5.15–5.825 GHz), is proposed in this communication. By using hollow copper rivets, nylon conductive fabric, and wool felt, a PIFA with a compact structure and flexible fabrication is realized. Additional wide bandwidth is achieved by adding a pair of shorting pins and etching a slot to manipulate the dual resonances of the TM0,1/2 and TM0,3/2 modes. The variation in the electric field distributions qualitatively explains the effects of the shorting pins and the slot for these two modes. As a result, the antenna has a good performance with a measured fractional bandwidth of 18.0%, a peak gain of 5.9 dBi, and an average efficiency up to 74.1%. In addition, stable performance on a human body is obtained such that the operating bandwidth on different human tissues and under different bending conditions can cover the design band. The calculated specific absorption rate (SAR) values are 0.9307 and 0.4016 W/kg under 1 g average and 10 g average, respectively. These properties make the proposed antenna suitable for wearable systems.
Association Between Types of Carbapenemase and Clinical Outcomes of Infection Due to Carbapenem Resistance Enterobacterales

Purpose Compared with non-carbapenemase producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (non-CP-CRE), carbapenemase-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CP-CRE) are associated with considerable mortality. However, given that the patients are treated with various therapeutic options, it remains unclear whether differences in types of carbapenemase genes yield different mortality rates. Therefore, this study aims to identify carbapenemase genes and identify whether clinical outcomes differ according to the prevalence of genotype and phenotype of carbapenemase among Enterobacterales clinical isolated. Patients and Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed to determine whether types of carbapenemase genes have an impact on clinical outcomes. Carbapenem-resistant clinical isolates were collected at a tertiary care university hospital in Songkhla, Thailand, between June 2018 and February 2020. Demographic and microbiological data such as antimicrobial susceptibility, carbapenemase genes, and overall mortality were evaluated. Results A total of 121 Enterobacterales clinical isolated were evaluated. The blaNDM-1 gene was detected in 44% of the isolates, followed by blaOXA-48 (28%) and blaNDM-1/OXA-48 (28%). NDM-1- or NDM-1/OXA-48- producing isolates were more likely to require meropenem MICs of ≥16 mg/L, while OXA-48-producing isolates were more likely to require meropenem MICs of <16 mg/L. The patients with NDM-1 or NDM-1/OXA-48 had a higher 14 days mortality rate than those with OXA-48 after treating with carbapenem-containing regimens (P-value 0.001) or colistin-containing regimens (P-value < 0.001). Conclusion Our findings suggest that the mortality for CP-CRE infection in patients with NDM-1 or NDM-1/OXA-48 was higher than the mortality in those with OXA-48, which It seems that the type of carbapenemase gene may affect meropenem MIC levels. Hence, in treatment decisions involving the use of either carbapenem-containing regiment or colistin-containing regiment in patients with CP-CRE infection, especially those in the NDM-1 and NDM-1/OXA-48 groups, the patient symptoms should be closely monitored.
Effects of Stator Iron Loss and Current-Loop Delay on Copper-Loss-Minimizing Torque Control of BLDCM: Analysis and Improvements

Copper-loss-minimizing torque control (CLMTC) method has been widely studied to reduce electromagnetic torque ripple and minimize copper loss of a brushless dc motor (BLDCM), but still suffers challenges to improve its performance. This paper presents a quantitative analysis of stator iron loss and current-loop delay effects on CLMTC. In the analysis, the iron-loss-included torque equation that only suits for sinusoidal back electromotive force (EMF) is modified to cover the case of nonsinusoidal back EMF. It is concluded that the iron loss effect brings about significant torque generation error and the delay effect leads to torque ripple that increases linearly with the delay angle. Two improvements are proposed, one of which redefines the condition of an optimal motor current vector to compensate for the iron loss effect. The other one aims to suppress the delay effect by preshaping current reference based on delay characteristic of the loop. The improvements can be performed effectively on a microprocessor to realize a better CLMTC method with reduced torque generation error and torque ripple. Both the analysis and improvements are experimentally validated on a 0.95 kW BLDCM setup.
Genomic Diversity of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant in South American Countries

Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 is one of the tools that provide genomic information on circulating variants. Given the recent emergence of the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant, this tool has provided data about this lineage’s genomic and epidemiological characteristics. However, in South America, this variant’s arrival and genomic diversity are scarcely known. Therefore, this study determined the genomic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of 21,615 Omicron genomes available in public databases. We found that in South America, BA.1 (n = 15,449, 71%) and BA.1. 1 (n = 6257, 29%) are the dominant sublineages, with several mutations that favor transmission and antibody evasion. In addition, these lineages showed cryptic transmission arriving on the continent in late September 2021. This event may have contributed to the dispersal of Omicron sublineages and the acquisition of new mutations. Considering the genomic and epidemiological characteristics of these lineages, especially those with a high number of mutations in their genome, it is important to conduct studies and surveillance on the dynamics of these lineages to identify the mechanisms of mutation acquisition and their impact on public health.
Student learning effect using flipped classroom with WPSA learning mode - An Example of Programming Design Course

ABSTRACT Flipped classroom is one of the important teaching modes among many novel teaching methods in recent years, students watch the video in the pre-class. However, if students cannot focus on the pre-class video learning or have problems with the learning content, the learning effect will be less than expected. Therefore, this research proposes a flipped classroom combined with the WPAQ learning model extended by the WSQ learning model to carry out programming courses, allowing students to perform flipped classroom learning with peers online before class and jointly complete the tasks of flipped classroom learning lists, and share with them a summary of learning content to enhance learning effectiveness. The research results show that the use of flipped classrooms combined with the WPAQ learning model of the learning system can help students improve learning effectiveness, learning motivation, self-efficacy, reflective ability, programming learning attitudes, and reduce students’ cognitive load.
Effect of Foliar Application of Nano-Urea Under Different Nitrogen Levels on Growth and Nutrient Content of Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.)

A field experiment entitled “Effect of Foliar Application of Nano-Urea under Different Nitrogen Levels on Productivity and Quality of Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.)” was conducted at Research Farm, Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur (India) during Kharif season of 2021. The experiment was laid out with 9 treatment combinations comprising in a factorial randomized block design with three replications. Results showed that highest plant height, dry matter accumulation, chlorophyll content, nitrogen content, phosphorus content and potassium content in grain and straw of pearl millet was obtained with the application of 100% RDN which was significantly superior to 50% RDN. Results further showed that foliar spray of Nano-Urea (4 ml/l water) at 30 and 45 DAS significantly increased the plant height, dry matter accumulation, chlorophyll content, nitrogen content, phosphorus content and potassium content in grain and straw of pearl millet over control and foliar spray of Nano-Urea (4 ml/l water) at 30 DAS.
Pakikipagkapwa: Pathways in Developing Civic Engagement among Student Leaders

The realm of academe has a vital role in civic engagement development among student leaders. The study aimed to analyze the perceived routes and attributes in developing civic engagement among nine former college student leaders from a CICM school recruited using purposive sampling. The study employed a qualitative research design. Online photo-elicitation interview with auto-driving was the main data measure. Participants were asked to take photos that best capture the pathways in molding civic engagement. Framework analysis and establishment of trustworthiness were employed for analysis and validation. Pathways are inculcation of values, spirited involvement in extra-curricular activities, embarking with a sense of purpose, character and interpersonal skills building, and rooted in chosen discipline or course. Moreover, the facilitative attributes are authentic social interest, pivotal core values, experiential learning space, and a supportive academic ecosystem. The pakikipagkapwa and civic engagement shared a common ground that the community is hindi ibang tao. Consequently, the synergy between routes and characteristics of the school molds civic engagement among the participants. It is suggested to strengthen its leadership training by including necessary characteristics or traits related to civic-mindedness and interpersonal skills.
Optimization of Evaluation Indicators for Driver’s Traffic Literacy: An Improved Principal Component Analysis Method

The traditional traffic concept seems to be unable to adapt to the traffic problems brought by cities’ rapid development. People must cultivate new modern traffic literacy to deal with traffic problems. Based on traffic literacy, this paper constructs a traffic literacy evaluation indicator system including 13 evaluation indicators such as traffic rules and mechanical knowledge by summarizing relevant literature. We propose an Improved Principal Component Analysis (I-PCA) method, introduce the concept of information contribution sensitivity, and optimize and empower the traffic literacy indicator system. The primary research is to construct a traffic literacy evaluation indicator system including 13 evaluation indicators such as traffic rules and mechanical knowledge. The top 10 indicators that satisfy the cumulative information contribution rate value greater than 90% are retained, and the three indicators with low contribution rate are excluded. The optimization method can retain the indicator with a relatively large information contribution rate so that the indicator’s weight can genuinely reflect the information content of the corresponding indicator. The optimization method can retain the indicator with a relatively large information contribution rate so that the indicator’s weight can genuinely reflect the information content of the corresponding indicator.