Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Health and reproduction in organic and conventional swedish dairy cows

This thesis compares indicators of animal health and reproduction in organically and conventionally managed dairy cows in Sweden. The first part of the thesis is based on data from a twelve-year longitudinal study of a research farm with parallel but separate organic and conventional management. The second part of the thesis is based on data from a field investigation performed by the author. The field investigation included 20 organically and 20 conventionally managed dairy herds in south-east Sweden. Udder health and reproductive performance were studied in both the research farm and in the field study, general health and length of productive life in the research farm only and early-lactation metabolic profiles in the field study only. Udder health was assessed by comparing somatic cell counts during first 150 days in milk, number of test-milking occasions with >200,000 cells/ml during first 150 days in milk and number of veterinary treated cases of mastitis. Reproductive performance was assessed by comparing calving interval, calving-to-first insemination and pregnancy success at first insemination. Body condition score and blood metabolites indicating negative energy balance such as non-esterified fatty acids, beta-hydroxybutyrate, glucose and insulin were measured. Multivariable, multilevel statistical models were consistently employed. Management type, breed, housing, parity, and milk yield were frequently used predictor variables in the different statistical models. The predictor variable of main interest, organic or conventional management, was forced to stay in all models. The conclusion is that under Swedish conditions, cows in organic and conventional dairy management differ only marginally considering mastitis, reproductive performance and metabolic profiles, implying that animal health in organic management is equally good as in conventional management in these specific fields.
The Responsibility Principles in The Framework of Good Corporate Governance of The Social Welfare Institution in The Special Region of Yogyakarta

This research of responsibility in the framework of good corporate governance aims to know the responsibility principles in the framework of good corporate governance and governance model of social welfare institution (LKS) in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY). This type of study is a case study. The type of research conducted is descriptive qualitative, that is the researchers give an idea about the responsibility principles in the framework of good corporate governance of social welfare institution in DIY. The result of the research shows that there are fie responsibility principles which happened to social welfare institution in DIY and there are fie governance models of social welfare institution in DIY. Although the study was conducted for 8 years, this study still has weaknesses. It is advisable for further research to analyze thecorrelation between indicators of good corporate governance. The implications of the research are used as a reflection for policymakers, managers of LKS and donors.
An Analysis of Factors Influencing the Teaching of Biological Evolution in Louisiana Public Secondary Schools.

Louisiana public school biology teachers were surveyed to investigate their attitudes toward biological evolution. A mixed method investigation was employed using a questionnaire and open-ended interviews. Results obtained from 64 percent of the sample receiving the questionnaire indicate that although teachers endorse the study of evolution as important, instructional time allocated to evolution is disproportionate with its status as a unifying concept of science. Two variables, number of college courses specifically devoted to evolution and number of semester credit hours in biology, produced a significant correlation with emphasis placed on evolution. The data suggest that teachers' knowledge base emerged as the most significant factor in determining degree of classroom emphasis on evolution. The data suggest a need for substantive changes in the training of biology teachers. Thirty-five percent of teachers reported pursuing fewer than 20 semester credit hours in biology and 68 percent reported fewer than three college courses in which evolution was specifically discussed. Fifty percent reported a willingness to undergo additional training about evolution. In spite of the fact that evolution has been identified as a major conceptual theme across all of the sciences, there is strong evidence that Louisiana biology teachers de-emphasize evolutionary theory. Even when biology teachers allocate instructional time to evolutionary theory, many avoid discussion of human evolution. The research data show that only ten percent of teachers reported allocating more than sixty minutes of instructional time to human evolution.
Social Information Disclosure of Friends in Common in an E‐commerce Platform Ecosystem: An Online Experiment

Real social information is believed to cause a trust–privacy paradox in e‐commerce platforms, with the degree of information disclosure affecting platform performance. In this study, we split the mixed influence into the direct trust mechanism and the indirect privacy mechanism, studying each in the context of partial and full social information disclosure, respectively. Using unique data from an 80‐day large‐scale online experiment conducted in an e‐commerce platform in China, we show that a partial social information disclosure could reduce the conversion rate, while a full social information disclosure could promote both the conversion and sales rates of the e‐commerce platform through a trust mechanism. Moreover, social information disclosure would reduce the sales rate and promote the conversion rate through a privacy mechanism. However, even though the degree of privacy could enhance the privacy mechanism, this mechanism is still much weaker than a trust mechanism. Overall, social information could play a positive role in e‐commerce platforms if it is fully disclosed. This study encourages cooperation between social media platforms and e‐commerce platforms by introducing a real social relationship into the online trading market.
Actionneurs "stick and slip" pour micro-manipulateurs

This thesis is a contribution to the development of simple micromanipulators, having high resolution and several degrees-of-freedom, dedicated to the manipulation of miniature objects, the manipulation of biological specimens or to the assembly of microsystems. The actuators for these micromanipulators must have a submicronic resolution over displacements of a few centimeters at a speed of several millimeters per second. They must also be compact and rigid in order ease their integration and to have a high rejection of the external perturbations (vibrations, temperature changes, etc.). Stick and slip actuators studied in this work fulfil very well these requirements. Their main features are: a resolution better than 5 nm over strokes of a few centimeters at a speed of several millimeters per second (2-5 mm/s); a high rigidity (6.5 N/μm) giving an excellent rejection of external perturbations; an extreme simplicity obtained by the combination of the guiding and actuating functions and by using an innovative concept of monolithic flexible structures. This report presents all the stages of our research work: the state of the art: originally, stick and slip actuators have been developed for the scanning probe microscopy (STM or AFM). We have adapted this concept to our purposes. Several innovative solutions allow us to simplify and improve significantly these actuators; the modeling: it allows us to understand in details the behavior of stick and slip actuators and to optimize them; the study of scaling down: it demonstrates that stick and slip actuators can be miniaturized. New applications in the field of microsystems are therefore promising; the experiment: the characterization of a one-degree-of-freedom actuator demonstrates its performances and validates our modeling; the-implementation-and-tests-of-severa1micro-mani.pulators-actuated-by-stick and slip confirm the pertinence of our approach; The results of this thesis will help engineers to design and implement efficient micromanipulators using stick and slip actuators.
A multiple reflection cell photonic true-time delay device for phased array antennas /

This paper describes an optical unit designed to provide true-time delays (TTDs) for phased array antennas. The TTD device is a multiple reflection optical mirror configuration with a spatial light modulator for switching. This device can provide: a) ultra-wide bandwidth, b) compact size (folded paths with repetitive refocusing to effectively remove beam spread), c) parallel processing of hundreds of independent array element time delays for transmit and receive modes, d) design flexibility for time delays of picoseconds to microseconds, and e) radar system configuration flexi­ bility. Proof-of-concept hardware demonstrations were built to verify time delays and measure system performance factors. In addition, theoretical analysis of the device is presented along with implications for real-world implementation and integration into a multi-element array in transmit and receive mode.
Thermal Tides in the Upper Cloud Layer of Venus as Deduced From the Emission Angle Dependence of the Brightness Temperature by Akatsuki/LIR

The brightness temperature of the Venus disk obtained by Longwave Infrared Camera (LIR) on board Akatsuki shows clear limb darkening at low and middle latitudes. The profile of limb brightness reflects the vertical distributions of atmospheric temperature and the optical thickness of the cloud particles. Horizontal distributions of brightness temperature obtained by LIR during ∼5.8 Venusian years were analyzed to investigate the vertical structure of the brightness temperature distribution above the cloud tops based on the emission angle dependence of the sensing altitude. Emission angles were converted to sensing altitudes by a radiative transfer calculation with nominal temperature and cloud particle distributions based on past observations. We show a local time‐altitude cross section of the brightness temperature deviation above the cloud tops for three latitudinal zones. The derived vertical amplitude distribution of the diurnal and semidiurnal tides above ∼68 km is mostly explained by the classical theory of thermal tides. A semidiurnal tide in which the phase shifts upstream with altitude is clearly seen in the equatorial region. By applying the dispersion relation of the internal gravity wave to the observed wave structure, it was found that the zonally averaged zonal wind velocity at altitudes of 66–71 km was approximately the same as the known superrotation velocity. By comparing the observed and simulated vertical phase structures, it is suggested that the tidal wave structure seen in the equatorial cloud tops is an aspect of upward propagation of a gravity wave generated in the upper cloud layer by solar heating.
Organization Theory and Design

Discover to the most progressive thinking about organizations today as acclaimed author Richard Daft balances recent, innovative ideas with proven classic theories and effective business practices. Daft's best-selling ORGANIZATION THEORY AND DESIGN, 10E presents a captivating, compelling snapshot of contemporary organizations and the concepts driving their success that will immediately engage any reader. Recognized as one of the most systematic, well organized texts in the market, ORGANIZATION THEORY AND DESIGN helps both future and current managers thoroughly prepare for the challenges of today's business world. This thorough revision showcases some of today's most current examples and research alongside time-tested principles. Readers see how many of today's well-known organizations thrive amidst a rapidly changing, highly competitive, international environment. Proven and new learning features provide opportunities for readers to apply concepts and refine personal business skills and insights.
The effect of processing and compositional changes on the tribology of PM212 in air

The effects of processing and compositional variations on the tribological performance of PM212 were investigated. PM212 is a self-lubricating powder metallurgy composite, comprised of a wear-resistant metal bonded chromium carbide matrix, containing the solid lubricants barium fluoride/calcium fluoride eutectic and silver. Several composites were formulated which had lubricant, matrix, and processing variations. Processing variations included sintering and hot isostatic pressing. Pins fabricated from the composites were slid against superalloy disks in a pinon-disk tribometer to study the tribological properties. Several composites exhibited low friction and wear in sliding against a nickel-based superalloy. The good tribological performance by several different composites showed that the composition of PM212 can be altered without dramatically affecting performance.
Operational sustainability metrics : a case of electronics recycling

In the past 15 years corporations and governments have developed a growing appreciation of the need for "sustainability" and have worked the term into their goals, strategy and mission statements. Despite extensive efforts to define the term, there is still little clarity on how to move toward sustainability or measure improvements. Further advances toward sustainability will require system specific metrics to assess both current performance and the impact of operational, technological or regulatory changes on that performance. Not only are there currently few operational metrics by which to practically assess progress toward sustainability, there is also very little understanding of how to judge the effectiveness of such metrics. Electronics recycling is used in this thesis as a case problem in developing and evaluating system specific performance metrics for sustainability. Electronics recycling is a growing national and international concern due to the increasing volume of waste, the potential toxicity of the scrap, and reports of improper handling and disposal. Despite this concern, there is limited understanding about the electronics recycling system. There is a need for systematic ways to describe system functioning and quantitative methods to assess system performance. Existing evaluations of eco-efficiency or sustainability are either too aggregated to guide operational decisions or too complex and data intensive to be performed in the context of a low-margin system. A range of performance metrics were developed and assessed for several electronics recycling operators. These included measures of resource recovery and environmental performance. These metrics were assessed for their ability to provide insights on resource efficiency comparable to more complex indicators, with minimal data required beyond that collected for normal business operations. The informative value of these metrics, their ability to capture system behavior, and the similarity between evaluations using different metrics were compared. Recovery effectiveness results for three US Electronic recycling operators are presented based on several quantitative indicators. Results show that current simple measures such as "mass percent to landfill" are not sufficient to fully assess system performance. Composite indicators of systems performance can provide valuable insights even using currently available data collected by operators for business purposes. Thesis Supervisor: Randolph E. Kirchain, Jr. Title: Assistant Professor of Materials Science & Engineering and Engineering Systems
Protection of flunarizine on ventralis posteromedialis nucleus in rat model of migraine induced by inflammatory soup

Background: Migraine is a disease closely related to calcium ions and ion channels. Ventralis posteromedialis (VPM) nucleus is an important nucleus in the process of migraine pain signal transmission. Flunarizine has been widely demonstrated as a calcium channel antagonist in the preventive treatment of migraine, but the mechanism of its anti-migraine on VPM is still unclear. Methods: Part 1. Fifteen transfected male rats were randomly divided into three groups: Flunarizine intervention group, Nimodipine intervention group and Normal saline sham group. Viral expression of fluorescent tracers allows purely anterograde labeling. Following injection of AAV-hSyn-9-CaMPARI-GFP into the physiologically defined area in the VPM nucleus of the thalamus, labeling in the thalamus-cortex had a green appearance. Part 2. Twenty Sprague Dawley male rats were randomly divided into four groups: Single stimulus group, Double stimuli group, Flunarizine intervention group and Nimodipine intervention group. A calcium-selective carbon fiber electrode (CFMEs) is used for online monitoring of electrochemically inactive Ca2+ in the rat brain in vivo. Results: Part 1.GFP Images showed that the VPM nucleus of the thalamus was involved in the signal transmission process of headache. Fluorescence imaging of the VPM nucleus of the thalamus after intervention with flunarizine or nimodipine suggested that it was activated. Part 2. No specific response was observed in the migraine rat model after stimulation with normal saline, extracellular calcium ions increased first and then decreased linearly after each stimulation with inflammatory soup. After the intervention of nimodipine, the curve of calcium changes after IS stimulation was the same as before. While after the intervention of flunarizine, the performance was significantly inconsistent, which was first increased and then maintained a level of concentration or slightly increased. Conclusion: VPM might play an important role in pain signal transmission of migraine and Flunarizine can alleviate such Ca2+ concentration in VPM neurons to exert its anti-migraine effects.
EML4-ALK induces cellular senescence in mortal normal human cells and promotes anchorage-independent growth in immortalized normal human cells

Background: Chromosomal inversions involving anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and echinoderm microtubule associated protein like 4 (EML4) generate a fusion protein EML4-ALK in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The understanding of EML4-ALK function can be improved by a functional study using normal human cells.Methods: Here we for the first time conduct such study to examine the effects of EML4-ALK on cell proliferation, cellular senescence, DNA damage, gene expression profiles and transformed phenotypes.Results: The lentiviral expression of EML4-ALK in mortal, normal human fibroblasts caused, through its constitutive ALK kinase activity, an early induction of cellular senescence with senescence-associated b-galactosidase activity, upregulation of p16INK4A and p21WAF1, and accumulated DNA damage. In contrast, when EML4-ALK was expressed in normal human fibroblasts immortalized by telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), which is activated in the vast majority of NSCLC, the cells showed accelerated proliferation and acquired anchorage-independent growth ability in soft-agar medium, without accumulated DNA damage, chromosome aberration, nor p53 mutation. EML4-ALK induced the phosphorylation of STAT3 in both mortal and immortalized cells, but RNA sequencing analysis suggested that the different STAT3-regulated signaling pathways contributed to the different phenotypic outcomes in these cells. While EML4-ALK also induced anchorage-independent growth in hTERT-immortalized human bronchial epithelial cells in vitro, the expression of EML4-ALK alone did not cause detectable in vivo tumorigenicity in immunodeficient mice.Conclusions: Our data indicate that the immortalized state is critical for EML4-ALK to manifest its in vitro transforming activity in human cells. This study provides the isogenic pairs of human cells with and without EML4-ALK expression.
Teachers’ creation of blended learning environments at a campus-based university: a New Zealand case study

x Chapter One : Introduction 1 1.1 Origins of the study 1 1.2 Purpose of the study 2 1.3 Research aim and research questions 3 1.4 Justification 4 1.5 Theoretical perspectives of the study 4 1.6 Definitions 5 1.7 Structure of the Thesis 6 Chapter Two : Literature Review 7 2.1 Blended learning definitions 7 2.2 The role of the teacher in response to blended learning 13 2.3 The SCOT concept and model 17 2.3. 1 Brief paradigm overview 17 2.3. 2 Concepts underpinning the SCOT model 18 2.3. 3 The SCOT model 19 2.3. 4 SCOT Stage 1: RSG 20 2.3. 5 SCOT Stage 2: Interpretive flexibility 21 2.3. 6 SCOT Stage 3: Closure 22 2.3. 7 SCOT Stage 4: Stabilisation 23 2.3. 8 Critiques of SCOT concept and model 24 2.3. 9 Recent developments in the application of the SCOT concept 25 2.4 Conclusions from the literature review and areas for further research 26
Teachers Make a Difference, What is the research evidence?

My journey this morning takes me from identifying the relative power of the teacher, to a reflection on the qualities of excellence among teachers, and dwells mainly on a study undertaken in the classroom of America’s very best teachers. My search is driven by the goal of ascertaining the attributes of excellence – because if we can discover the location of these goal posts, if we can understand the height of the bar of the goal posts, we then have the basis for developing appropriate professional development, the basis for teacher education programs to highlight that which truly makes the difference, the basis for extolling that our profession truly does have recognisable excellence which can be identified in defensible ways, and the basis for a renewed focus on the success of our teachers to make the difference. As has been noted in the USA in recent years, it is by such a focus on the attributes of excellent teachers that more faith is being restored in the public school system – which has taken a major bashing. The typical redress has been to devise so-called “idiot-proof” solutions where the proofing has been to restrain the idiots to tight scripts – tighter curricula specification, prescribed textbooks, bounded structures of classrooms, scripts of the teaching act, and all this underpinned by a structure of accountability. The national testing movements have been introduced to ensure teachers teach the right stuff, concentrate on the right set of processes (those to pass pencil and paper tests), and then use the best set of teaching activities to maximise this narrow form of achievement (i.e., lots of worksheets of mock multiple choice exams).