Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sports Level and the Personality of American Football Players in Poland

Research on personality in sport is very popular as it allows prediction of the behavior of players in the starting situation. Hence, verifications of players due to their sports level may turn out to be crucial. Due to the dynamic development of American football in Poland, we undertook research to verify the relationship between the sports level and the personality of these players. The Big Five personality study that we carried out involved players aged from 20 to 29—the representatives of American football clubs in Poland (N = 140) from three league games levels: LFA 1 (n = 75), LFA 2 (n = 40), and LFA 9 (n = 25). The NEO-FFI personality questionnaire was used as a research tool. The players from the top-level games were characterized by their openness to experience, the level of which decreases along with the decrease in the players’ sports levels. The differences in openness to experience were revealed, first of all, in divergent thinking and creativity. It was ascertained that openness to experience is a characteristic personality trait for American football players in Poland. Therefore, systematic conduct of personality tests among American football players in Poland, in the process of selecting candidates for the highest levels of football competition, would be recommended. This might significantly affect the development of the sports level of this discipline in Poland. The obtained results of research on personality may, moreover, prove to be useful in selecting players and improving the predictions of important sports behaviors in American football in Poland.
Toward a reverse adaptation view in cross-cultural management

Purpose – Contrasting local adaptation, which focusses on foreign multinationals learning about and adapting to local (host country) culture and environment, reverse adaptation refers to the case where an MNE’s local employees learn, assimilate and modify their personal behavior (e.g. values, norms) and professional competence (e.g. standards, goals, language, knowledge, capabilities) in order to fit the MNE’s global mindset and global competence set so that they can be internationally reassigned. The purpose of this paper is to take the first step toward addressing this nascent phenomenon and practice. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses combined inductive and ethnographic methods to explore the importance, process and practice of reverse innovation. This study defines reverse adaptation, illustrates the major driving forces underlying reverse adaptation, and suggests how MNEs should prepare for it. As reverse adaptation is a promising area for research, this paper also proposes a research agen.
Physical Hardening of Asphalt Binders Relative to Their Glass Transition Temperatures

Physical hardening (physical aging) is a process that occurs below room temperature in asphalt binders. Physical hardening causes time-dependent isothermal changes in the rheological behavior and specific volume of asphalt binders. The process is reversible: when the asphalt binder is heated to room temperature or above, the effect of physical hardening is completely removed. Physical hardening for amorphous materials is generally reported as occurring below the glass transition temperature (Tg), but this is not the case for asphalt binders, in which physical hardening is observed both above and below Tg. The glass transition temperature of asphalt binders is measured by using three different techniques: dilatometry, differential scanning calorimetry, and rheological considerations (peak in the loss modulus versus temperature). These three techniques give roughly equivalent estimates of the glass transition temperature. The behavior of physical hardening in asphalt binders is somewhat different than that reported for polymers and other organic materials. This difference is explained in terms of the presence of crystalline fractions in the asphalt binder. Techniques for modeling physical hardening are described, and possible explanations for the anomalous behavior of asphalt binders are given.
Hedging Rules for the Operation of Lake Okeechobee in Southern Florida

Lake Okeechobee is the major source of freshwater in Southern Florida. With the increasing possibility of water stress, determining how to manage water during drought periods is essential to the operation of the Lake. This study deals with operational problems related to the management of Lake Okeechobee and the challenges involved in the implementation of hedging policy. We examine the implications of applying a theoretical hedging rule approach, comprising inter‐ and intrayear models, for the management of Lake Okeechobee and explore several optional hedging policies. The results demonstrate that hedging rules could reduce profit loss particularly under serious water stress, and might be applied sooner to mitigate the risk of severe water shortages. We suggested that the management of Lake Okeechobee should consider both short‐ and long‐term hedging nested. It is also demonstrated that the practical applicability of rolling decision making with updated forecast. Based on the results of the model, the merits of explicit optional hedging rules are demonstrated.
Egyptian Educators’ Online Teaching Challenges and Coping Strategies during COVID-19

The present descriptive study investigated the challenges experienced and the coping strategies used by Egyptian university educators from different institution types while teaching online during the pandemic. The cross-sectional study drew participants (N = 222) from three different academic institution types, private universities, public universities, and adult education institutions, who responded to a survey that examined the technical, professional, administrative, social, and psychological challenges teachers encountered as well as their coping strategies. Data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Results indicated that the challenges and coping strategies reported by teachers varied according to the teaching context and the requirements of each academic institution. The most reported challenges experienced were exhaustion, internet problems, technical issues, and anxiety. Despite the challenges, participants reported a few positive effects, including feeling more productive, being motivated to learn something new, feeling appreciated by the students and administration, and feeling confident using online teaching tools. Results also revealed that the participants used social and professional strategies to cope with the circumstances accompanying the sudden shift to online teaching. The results indicated how challenges faced by educators from different institution types may diminish with more training on, and experience with, online teaching, forming communities of practice as well as other coping strategies they developed. Such findings should be helpful to educators, institutions, and policymakers in different academic institutions all over the world and in various teaching contexts.
Comparison of Bispectral Index Monitor Data Between Standard Frontal-Temporal Position and Alternative Nasal Dorsum Position in the Intensive Care Unit: A Pilot Study

Supplemental digital content is available in the text. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The Bispectral (BIS) monitor is a validated, noninvasive monitor placed over the forehead to titrate sedation in patients under general anesthesia in the operating room. In the neurocritical care unit, there is limited room on the forehead because of incisions, injuries, and other monitoring devices. This is a pilot study to determine whether a BIS nasal montage correlates to the standard frontal-temporal data in this patient population. METHODS: This prospective nonandomized pilot study enrolled 10 critically ill, intubated, and sedated adult patients admitted to the neurocritical care unit. Each patient had a BIS monitor placed over the standard frontal-temporal location and over the alternative nasal dorsum with simultaneous data collected for 24 hours. RESULTS: In the frontal-temporal location, the mean (SD) BIS score was 50.9 (15.0), average minimum BIS score was 47.0 (15.0), and average maximum BIS score was 58.4 (16.7). In the nasal dorsum location, the mean BIS score was 54.8 (21.6), average minimum BIS score was 52.8 (20.9), and average maximum BIS score was 58.0 (22.2). Baseline nonparametric tests showed nonsignificant P values for all variables except for Signal Quality Index. Generalized linear model analysis demonstrated significant differences between the 2 monitor locations (P < .0001). CONCLUSION: The results of this pilot study do not support using a BIS nasal montage as an alternative for patients in the neurocritical care unit.
Design Displacements for Base Isolators considering Bidirectional Seismic Effects

Currently, there is not available in the literature a specific recommendation to combine peak displacements in orthogonal directions for the design of base isolators. The 100%+30% combination rule prescribed by many seismic codes worldwide to account for orthogonal effects in the design of conventional structures is sometimes used for base-isolated structures. This combination rule was formerly proposed to account for lateral forces, but it should be studied whether or not this rule still applies for the design displacements of isolated systems. This paper presents a parametric study where it is found that the statistical responses to combine peak displacements in orthogonal directions are not independent from the effective period for both linear and bilinear isolators, so a constant combination rule is somewhat incorrect.
The Effect of Pharmacist-Led Intervention on Surgical Antibacterial Prophylaxis (SAP) at an Orthopedic Unit

Perioperative antibiotic use is a common reason for antibiotic misuse. Evidence suggests that adherence to SAP guidelines may improve outcomes. The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of pharmacist-led antibiotic stewardship interventions on SAP guideline compliance. The study was conducted at an Orthopedic Department of a tertiary care medical center. SAP compliance and antibiotic exposure in the pre-intervention and intervention period was compared using chi-square, Fisher exact, and Mann-Whitney tests, as appropriate. Prophylactic antibiotic use in orthopedic joint arthroplasties (overall guideline adherence: agent, dose, frequency, duration), clinical outcomes (length of stay-LOS, number of surgical site infections-SSIs), antibiotic exposure and direct antibiotic costs were compared between pre-intervention and intervention periods. Significant improvement in mean SAP duration (by 42.9%, 4.08 ± 2.08 vs. 2.08 ± 1.90 days, p ˂ 0.001), and overall guideline adherence regarding antibiotic use (by 56.2%, from 2% to 58.2%, p ˂ 0.001) were observed. A significant decrease was observed in antibiotic exposure in SAP (by 41%, from 6.07 ± 0.05 to 3.58 ± 4.33 DDD/patient, p ˂ 0.001), average prophylactic antibiotic cost (by 54.8%, 9278.79 ± 6094.29 vs. 3598.16 ± 3354.55 HUF/patient), and mean LOS (by 37.2%, from 11.22 ± 6.96 to 7.62 ± 3.02 days, p < 0.001); and a slight decrease in the number of confirmed SSIs was found between the two periods (by 1.8%, from 3% to 1.2%, p = 0.21). Continuous presence of the clinical pharmacist led to significant improvement in SAP guideline adherence, which was accompanied by decreased antibiotic exposure and cost.
An Investigation of How Change in Dynamic Risk and Protective Factors Affects the Prediction of Imminent Criminal Recidivism

Dynamic risk and protective factors are changeable, psychosocial variables associated with an increased or decreased likelihood of future criminal behaviour. These variables have an important role in correctional psychology. In particular, they are increasingly central to the management and supervision of individuals released from prison. The changeable nature of these variables means that, with frequent reassessment, the likelihood of recidivism can be monitored during the release period, and intervention can be more carefully targeted to an individual’s needs. However, research has yet to clearly demonstrate that reassessment of dynamic risk and protective factors can accurately track the likelihood of recidivism over time. Further, relatively little is known about how these variables change over time, and how change is associated with recidivism. This thesis set out to investigate whether reassessment of a dynamic risk assessment tool—the Dynamic Risk Assessment for Offender Re-entry (DRAOR; Serin, 2007; Serin, Mailloux, & Wilson, 2012)—would enhance the prediction of imminent recidivism among a large sample of high-risk men (n = 966) released from prison on parole in New Zealand. The analyses addressing this question were divided into three primary sections: 1) an investigation of whether a single proximal assessment was a more accurate predictor of imminent recidivism than a single baseline assessment completed shortly after release; 2) an investigation of whether a single proximal assessment was a more accurate predictor of recidivism than a series of aggregated measures across multiple time points, and; 3) an investigation of whether several different measures of intra-individual change demonstrated incremental predictive validity over the most proximal assessment. This approach represented a replication and extension of the framework set out by Lloyd (2015) in a recent thesis for testing whether reassessment of dynamic risk and protective factors enhances the prediction of imminent recidivism. Across all three sections, results provided consistent evidence that the most proximal assessment was the most accurate predictor of imminent recidivism. The most proximal assessment was a significantly more accurate predictor than a baseline assessment, and neither aggregation nor measures of intra-individual change clearly improved predictive accuracy. These results highlight the importance of reassessment for monitoring changes in the likelihood of recidivism over time and have important implications for community correctional agencies who are tasked with managing individuals released from prison, particularly those deemed to be the highest risk of recidivism. The results also have theoretical implications for the concepts of dynamic risk and protective factors and their role in the process leading to recidivism. A better understanding of the recidivism process should lead to intervention strategies that are more effective at reducing recidivism.
Theoretical Versus Experimental Modeling of the Anchorage Capacity of Geotextiles in Trenches

The behavior of the anchorage of geotextile sheets at the top of a slope is a decisive factor when determining the dimensions of geosynthetic lining systems on slopes. In order to optimize the geometry of the structures in question (to reduce the area taken up by the anchorage at the top of the slope), anchorage solutions using trenches of varying forms are sometimes used. Calculating the required dimensions of this anchorage remains problematic. To improve knowledge of the behavior of anchor trenches, experimental studies and numerical studies were developed. Full-scale pullout tests were carried out on anchored geotextile sheets (run-out anchorage and anchor trenches). Two types of soil were studied: sand and sandy silt. The numerical modeling proposed was based on the Discrete Element Method (DEM). This method is particularly well suited to the problem being addressed, for it enables consideration of major movements and large-scale deformation of the soil (rotation, compression, and lifting) as well as.
A Preliminary Study of Radon Equilibrium Factor at a Tourist Cave in Okinawa, Japan

The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) issued its Publication 137, Occupational Intakes of Radionuclides: Part 3 in which the radon equilibrium factor is fixed as 0.4 for tourist caves; however, several studies have reported a different value for the factor and its seasonal variation has also been observed. In this study, the radon concentration, equilibrium equivalent radon concentration and meteorological data were measured, and the equilibrium factor was evaluated in a tourist cave, Gyokusen-do Cave located in the southern part of Okinawa Island in southwestern Japan. Radon concentrations were measured with an AlphaGUARD and their corresponding meteorological data were measured with integrated sensors. Equilibrium equivalent radon concentration was measured with a continuous air monitor. The measured radon concentrations tended to be low in winter and high in summer, which is similar to previously obtained results. By contrast, the equilibrium factor tended to be high in winter (0.55 ± 0.09) and low in summer (0.24 ± 0.15), with a particularly large fluctuation in summer. It was concluded that measurements in different seasons are necessary for proper evaluation of radon equilibrium factor.
A Rat Model of Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome Causes Phenotype-Associated Morphological Changes and Hypofunction of the Adrenal Gland

Background: Rats exposed to chronic predator scent stress mimic the phenotype of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in humans, including altered adrenal morphology and function. High- and low-anxiety phenotypes have been described in rats exposed to predator scent stress (PSS). This study aimed to determine whether these high- and low-anxiety phenotypes correlate with changes in adrenal histomorphology and corticosteroid production. Methods: Rats were exposed to PSS for ten days. Thirty days later, the rats’ anxiety index (AI) was assessed with an elevated plus-maze test. Based on differences in AI, the rats were segregated into low- (AI ≤ 0.8, n = 9) and high- (AI > 0.8, n = 10) anxiety phenotypes. Plasma corticosterone (CORT) concentrations were measured by ELISA. Adrenal CORT, desoxyCORT, and 11-dehydroCORT were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. After staining with hematoxylin and eosin, adrenal histomorphometric changes were evaluated by measuring the thickness of the functional zones of the adrenal cortex. Results: Decreased plasma CORT concentrations, as well as decreased adrenal CORT, desoxyCORT and 11-dehydroCORT concentrations, were observed in high- but not in low-anxiety phenotypes. These decreases were associated with increases in AI. PSS led to a significant decrease in the thickness of the zona fasciculata and an increase in the thickness of the zona intermedia. The increase in the thickness of the zona intermedia was more pronounced in low-anxiety than in high-anxiety rats. A decrease in the adrenal capsule thickness was observed only in low-anxiety rats. The nucleus diameter of cells in the zona fasciculata of high-anxiety rats was significantly smaller than that of control or low-anxiety rats. Conclusion: Phenotype-associated changes in adrenal function and histomorphology were observed in a rat model of complex post-traumatic stress disorder.
Decade-long mitral valve surgery trends and rheumatic heart disease: a review of mitral valve surgery in a large Chinese cardiovascular center.

BACKGROUND Despite being one of the few chronic secondary heart diseases that can be prevented, current epidemiological data on rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in China are unavailable. This study examined mitral valve (MV) surgery trends in a large Chinese cardiovascular center over the last 10 years and provided insight into the distribution of RHDs and their changes. METHODS Medical records of patients who underwent cardiac surgery, MV surgery, and MV surgery for rheumatic MV (rMV) disease at Beijing Anzhen Hospital between January 2010 and December 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients' demographic and clinical characteristics were statistically analyzed among age groups. RESULTS Overall, 7,736 patients underwent rMV surgery and 87.5% were aged 40-70 years. The proportion of patients aged >60 years increased annually (P<0.05), and the proportion of patients in all other age groups decreased. The proportion of patients with rMV diseases among those with cardiac or mitral valve diseases decreased each year, but the absolute number of patients with rMV disease remained stable. Approximately 90% of patients who underwent rMV surgery were from northern China. The incidence of rMV disease among patients with mitral valve disease moderately correlated with the per capita gross regional product (Per-GRP), an indicator of living standards (r=-0.517, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS RHD still exists in northern China and requires adequate resources for its management. The number of older patients with rMV disease presents a challenge for mitral valve surgery.
Evaluation of clinical success and survival rates of different types of space maintainers used in pediatric dentistry

Premature loss of primary molars often causes undesirable drifting and loss of space. However, insertion of space maintainers to preserve arch length can prevent or limit the malocclusion development. The aim of this study is to investigate the success and survival rate of three different fixed space maintainers used for premature loss of primary molars. A total of 45 children between the ages of 4 and 7 years participated in the study. Children were divided into 3 groups according to the type of space maintainer, namely band and loop (B&L), composite and wire (C&W), and Sannrud , s (S) space maintainer . Patients were recalled once every 3 months for clinical evaluation for 1 year or until failure. The survival times of SMs were estimated by means of the Kaplan-Meier method, use Breslow test to compare between SM (B&L,C&W,S) by weighting all time points by the number of cases at risk at each time point. Mean survival time was highest for B&L SMs (10.5 months), followed by C&W SMs (9 months) and S SMs (7.5 months). The clinical success rate was found to be 86.6 % for B&L SMs, 46.6 % for C&W SMs, and 20% for Sannrud , s SMs at the end of the study. Statistically there is no significant difference between SMs in survival time. Band and loop fixed space maintainers showed superior performance in terms of both survival time and success rates versus composite & wire and Sannrud , s space maintainers. Keywords : Space maintainer, band and loop, Sannrud , s space maintainer.