Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An X-Ray Investigation of the NGC 346 Field in the Small Magellanic Cloud I. The Luminous Blue Variable HD 5980 and the NGC 346 Cluster

We present results from a Chandra observation of the NGC 346 cluster. This cluster contains numerous massive stars and is responsible for the ionization of N66, the most luminous H II region and the largest star formation region in the SMC. In this first paper we will focus on the characteristics of the main objects of the field. The NGC 346 cluster itself shows only relatively faint X-ray emission (with L ~ 1.5 × 1034 ergs s-1), tightly correlated with the core of the cluster. In the field also lies HD 5980, a luminous blue variable star in a binary (or possibly a triple) system that is detected for the first time at X-ray energies. The star is X-ray bright, with an unabsorbed luminosity of L ~ 1.7 × 1034 ergs s-1, but needs to be monitored further to investigate its X-ray variability over a complete 19 day orbital cycle. The high X-ray luminosity may be associated either with colliding winds in the binary system or with the 1994 eruption. HD 5980 is surrounded by a region of diffuse X-ray emission, which is a supernova remnant. While it may be only a chance alignment with HD 5980, such a spatial coincidence may indicate that the remnant is indeed related to this peculiar massive star.
Incorporating metamorphism in geodynamic models: the mass conservation problem

SUMMARY Geodynamic models incorporating metamorphic phase transformations almost invariably assume the validity of the Boussinesq approximation that violates conservation of mass. In such models metamorphic density changes take place without volumetric effects. We assess the impact of the Boussinesq approximation by comparing models of orogeny accompanied by lower crustal eclogitization both with and without the approximation. Our results demonstrate that the approximation may cause errors approaching 100 per cent in characteristic measures of orogenic shape. Mass conservation errors in Boussinesq models amplify with model time. Mass conservative models of metamorphism are therefore essential to understand long-term tectonic evolution and to assess the importance of the different geodynamic processes.
A kind of Supporting Structure of the Thromboelastography

According to the measurement principle of thrombus elasticity, a kind of supporting structure for the thromboelastography is designed. A kind of magnetic suspension support structure combined with active magnetic bearings and passive magnetic bearings is proposed. The radial suspension of the magnetic bearings relies on the magnetic force provided by the permanent magnets. The axial suspension is achieved by the electromagnetic force provided by the electromagnet. The electromagnetic simulation of Ansoft Maxwell is applied to optimize the structure of the radial magnetic bearing. By Simulink simulation, the appropriate PID parameters are found, and make the system’s control work well. Finally, a magnetic suspension support structure with simple structure, small size and low cost is obtained, of which the radial bearing stiffness is 12.9653N/mm and the axial bearing of which the adjustment time of step response is 0.6s. This structure satisfies the measurement of thrombus elasticity.
Honey mesquite influences on Chihuahuan desert vegetation

Research has been lacking on the influence of honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa Torr.) on forage production in the Chihuahuan desert. In 1964 honey mesquite was controlled (65% kill) with the herbicide, Monuron, on portions of the New Mexico State University College Ranch. Both herbicide treated and nontreated areas occur within the same pasture on similar soils and have similar grazing histories (continuous grazing, conservative stocking rate). This has resulted in areas with moderate and low levels of mesquite (16% and 9% mesquite canopy cover, respectively). We evaluated relationships among forage standing crop, vegetation canopy cover, mesquite density, mesquite height, mesquite diameter, and mesquite volume on areas with low and moderate mesquite levels in fall 1992 and spring 1993. Regression analyses showed forage standing crop and canopy cover generally were not (P > 0.10) associated with mesquite height, mesquite diameter, canopy volume, and mesquite density on either low or moderate mesquite areas. Honey mesquite canopy cover on the non-treated area was nearly double that on the treated area. Data from long term permanent transects (1968-1992) showed no differences (P > 0.10) in total forage production between low and moderate mesquite areas in fall of 1992. On these transects mesquite increases in cover and density were over 3 times greater on the low compared to moderate mesquite areas in the 1982 to 1992 period. Our data indicate mesquite density and cover increase rapidly after herbicidal mesquite control even under conservative stocking. However at canopy cover levels below 17% honey mesquite appeared to have little effect on forage production. Potential maximum canopy cover of mesquite on these types of sites is about 37%. Our data show that under proper stocking both mesquite and perennial forages grasses can increase concurrently on desert grassland ranges. We recognize that the outcome of our study may have been modified with higher mesquite densities, different soil characteristics or a lack of desirable understory species.
Exceptional AGN long-timescale X-ray variability: the case of PHL 1092

PHL 1092 is a z ∼ 0.4 high-luminosity counterpart of the class of Narrow–Line Seyfert 1 galaxies. In 2008, PHL 1092 was found to be in a remarkably low X-ray flux state during an XMM–Newton observation. Its 2 keV flux density had dropped by a factor of ∼ 260 with respect to a previous observation performed 4.5 yr earlier. The UV flux remained almost constant, resulting in a significant steepening of the optical-to-X-ray slope αox from − 1.57 to − 2.51, making PHL 1092 one of the most extreme X-ray weak quasars with no observed broad absorption lines (BALs) in the UV. We have monitored the source since 2008 with three further XMM–Newton observations, producing a simultaneous UV and X-ray database spanning almost 10 yr in total in the activity of the source. We present here results from our monitoring campaign.
Emerging Competitive Strategies in the Global Luxury Industry in the Perspective of Sustainable Development: the Case of Kering Group

In the last years, many drivers should motivate luxury companies to engage in more sustainable practices. On the one hand, consumers seek new forms of luxury that shows respect for natural resources and human beings, yet standing by traditional factors such as quality, creativity, originality, craftsmanship and savoir-faire. The recent economic crisis has thrust the consumers towards the search for responsible luxury. In the new economic and competitive scenario, luxury brands would base their identity and image on a set of values through which they should be known and publicly judged by both clients and the market; sustainable development and corporate social responsibility strategies offer a particularly suitable platform to enrich the value-set of luxury brands. In this framework, the luxury industry is undergoing a process of self-analysis and redefinition of competitive strategies in the light of social responsibility and sustainable dimension. In order to create both financial and non-financial value, sustainable development needs to be incorporated in the core strategy of the firm and its core business. In this perspective, the paper provides an analysis of the main drivers that, in the luxury industry, are leading to a growing integration of social responsibility and sustainable development principles in the competitive strategies of luxury firms. In particular, the paper focuses on innovations emerging in the luxury industry, both at strategic and organizational levels, and provides an overview of new emerging innovative business models coherent with the principles of corporate social responsibility and sustainability. The theoretical analysis is supported by presentation of the case of the French Group Kering, which represents a pioneering example in sustainable development applied to competitive strategies and leading brand management practices.
Cluster formation techniques in hierarchical routing protocols for Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract: Wireless sensors are an irreplaceable link in the chain of global networking today. There is almost no area of human activity where they are still not used, and they will be used in the near future almost everywhere. Wireless sensor networks consist of a large number of sensor nodes that are arranged (usually randomly) in an area. The main problem is the limited power supply. Sensors are usually powered by the battery which is not possible to replace. The lifetime of the network depends on the duration of battery power of sensor nodes. The largest part of the consumed energy goes for communication with the rest of the network. Therefore, the selection of good routing protocol is essential for the long life-span of the network. There are a large number of proposed protocols and they can be divided into several groups, depending on the approach to the problem. In this paper we present a family of hierarchical protocols, their common features and specific implementation, we will present advantages and disadvantages as well as possible directions of further development.
The accuracy of a river bed moulding/casting system and the effectiveness of a low‐cost digital camera for recording river bed fabric

Digital photogrammetry has been used to develop and test an artificial river bed moulding and casting system, which allows the pebbles within a coarse‐grain river bed to be recreated for hydraulic research in a laboratory flow channel or flume. Imagery of both the original streambed and the cast facsimile was acquired using a non‐metric Kodak DCS460 digital camera and digital elevation models and orthophotographs were derived and compared to assess the accuracy of the moulding and casting system. These comparative tests proved to be critical in modifying and developing the system.
Legal Transplants and the Frontiers of Legal Knowledge

The study of legal transplants provides a vital critical supplement to mainstream theories about legal change. Legal transplants are not exceptional or isolated occurrences, despite the economic, social, political and cultural barriers that separate the world’s legal systems. This Article goes beyond traditional approaches to the study of transplants by substituting the figurative language of transplants with explicit theory about how legal change is produced. It first provides a brief account of what the literature on legal transplants has achieved so far in terms of "macro" explanations of legal change currently available. It then argues that legal transplants as social acts performed by individuals call for a study of the "micro" level of engagement with legal change by individuals. The key notion that is advanced to explore this dimension is the notion of mediated action, which denotes action that is performed by individuals making use of features of the environment as tools to interact in a specific setting. The notion of mediated action was first introduced in cultural-historical psychological investigations of the social formation of the mind. As social acts, legal transplants represent instances of mediated action. The last part of this Article highlights how legal transplants raise questions of justice and discusses briefly how the new approach to the study of transplants advocated here relates to them.
MECHANICALLY INDUCED TRABECULAR BONE REMODELING INCLUDING CELLULAR ACCOMMODATION EFFECT: A COMPUTER SIMULATION

Trabecular bone’s capability to adapt its architecture to the surrounding environment has been a subject of research for more than a century. The purpose of the present work is to simulate and improve a semi-mechanistic bone remodeling theory. In doing so, a computer code was developed using finite element method, also a cellular accommodation effect was incorporated in the model. Using this novel approach, trabecular-like structures for different loading conditions and directionalities similar to actual human bone have resulted for a square plate. Furthermore, it was shown that the model is sensitive loading time history. In summary, results of our research showed that a semi-mechanistic model including cellular accommodation effect is scientifically valid, and is able to predict more realistic morphologies in time-dependent simulations.
The selective environment: genetic adaptation of the midge Chironomus riparius to metal pollution

The aim of the present study was to provide conclusive evidence for either genetic adaptation or phenotypic plasticity of the midge Chironomus riparius in response to metal pollution. To this purpose the genetic structure and copper sensitivity of C. riparius populations from metal-polluted and reference sites was compared. Microsatellite analysis demonstrated that populations from metal-polluted sites were genetically different from the population of a nearby reference site. In addition, midges from a metal-polluted site were less sensitive to copper than the laboratory culture. By combining the population genetic structure of C. riparius and copper sensitivity of the F1 larvae we concluded that metal tolerance in C. riparius is most likely due to genetic adaptation.
BEST PRACTICE OF NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS 1 Evaluating the Effectiveness of Non-Pharmacological Interventions for Decreasing Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia Applied Thesis

Dementia is a disease that affects a large portion of the geriatric population. Dementia is not a specific disease, however many diseases can cause dementia. The diseases include, Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy Body disease, frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (“Normal aging vs dementia,” 2015). The disease affects individuals differently however the most common symptoms are both behavioural and psychological. It is found that 60-90% of individuals with a diagnosis of dementia will portray distressed symptoms and behaviours (Mitchell & O’Donnell, 2013). Lately, nonpharmacological interventions have become a popular method for decreasing Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia. The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the effectiveness of a variety of non-pharmacological interventions used in both long-term care and adult day centers. Non-pharmacological interventions in dementia care are stated as best practices and should be primarily pursued before pharmacological interventions are implemented (Douglas, James, Ballard, 2004). Peer reviewed literature was examined from online databases accessed through St. Lawrence College and Queens University. The existing literature suggests that the discussed non-pharmacological interventions including Doll Therapy, Validation Therapy, Music Therapy, Aromatherapy, Multi-sensory Therapy, Montessori Based Activity Therapy, and Reminiscence Therapy can be used to both decrease behavioural disturbances as well increase an individuals quality of life and independence. For the purpose of any future research, it is suggested that future studies include pairing intervention methods to determine the level of effectiveness in decreasing BPSD, increasing quality of life and increasing independence. BEST PRACTICE OF NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS 4
RESEARCH AND REVIEWS: JOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES Formulation and Evaluation of Floatable In-situ Gel for Stomach-Specific Drug Delivery of Carbamazapine.

The present investigation deals with the formulation and evaluation of sodium alginate and HPMC based floating oral in-situ gel of carbamazapine. Sodium alginate and HPMC were used as a polymer and CaCO3 was used as a cross-linking agent to form in-situ gels. The drug gets released in sustained and controlled manner from these types of formulations for prolonged duration thus reduces the dosing frequency of the drug. Formulation method of present study utilizes the polymers that exhibit sol-to-gel phase transition due to change in specific physicochemical parameters. Developed formulations were evaluated for their suitability to control the drug release and ease of administration by measuring the amount of drug entrapped, floatation duration, rate of drug release and pH and viscosity during sol gel transition etc. Results of the study indicated among the different batches of formulations with range of polymeric concentration and gelling stimuli, the formulation batch F5 was most suitable preparation being able to control the drug release for 24hrs duration with administration and physiological suitability in terms of pH and Viscosity. Thus results of the study concluded that very useful antiepileptic drugs like carbamazapine can be reformulated into more patient friendly and therapeutically beneficial formulations using these types of oral in-situ floatable gel systems, which reduces manufacturing cost and duration.
The effect of oral nutritional supplementation on selected pathology and anthropometric markers of health status in middle aged men

This study was aimed at determining whether treatment with nutritional supplementation would improve pathology measures of disease risk. A total of twenty (20) healthy males, 30-60 years of age, served as participants. Participants were randomly divided into an Active Group (AG) (n=10) and a Placebo Group (PG) (n=10). Participants took the treatment (with active or placebo ingredients) for 90 days. On day 1 and 90th day blood samples were collected and analysed for cardiovascular disease risk markers (HDL, LDL, Triglycerides, total cholesterol and C reactive protein). To evaluate renal function urea, electrolytes creatinine and g GFR were analysed. White cell count and differential count were used as indicators of immune function. Vit B12 and s-folate were also analysed. No significant differences were found between the pre-test and post-test readings in the PG, whilst the AG experienced significant differences between the pre- and posttest in sodium and s-folate readings. On sodium readings the AG presented more cases with significantly lower levels during the post-test whilst s-folate was statistically higher during the post-test. No significant changes were found in any of the other pathology disease markers. It can be concluded despite the significant improvement in folic acid and sodium level observed in the AG participants that the nutritional supplement rich in folic acid, Vit B6, Vit B1, Vit B12, zinc, calcium, amino acid, Vit E and Vit C used for a period of 90 days has no effect on selected pathology markers of health status in middle-aged sedentary men. Key words: Supplementation, groups, health status, sedentary, sodium, s-folate.
Fruit development, pigmentation and biochemical properties of wax apple as affected by localized Application of GA3 under field conditions

ABSTRACT This study investigated the effects of gibberellin (GA 3 ) on the fruit development, pigmentation and biochemical properties of wax apple. The wax apple trees were rubbing treated with 0, 20, 50 and 100 mgGA 3 /l under field conditions. The localized application (rubbing) of 50 mg GA 3 /l significantly increased the fruit set, fruit length and diameter, color development, weight and yield compared to the control. In addition, GA 3 treatments significantly reduced the fruit drop. With regard to the fruit quality, 50 mg/l GA 3 treatment increased the juice content, K + , TSS, total sugar and sugar acid ratio of wax apple fruits. In addition, higher vitamin C, phenol, flavonoid, anthocyanin, carotene content, PAL and antioxidant activities were recorded in the treated fruits. There was a positive correlation between the peel colour and TSS content and between the PAL activity and anthocyanin formation in the GA 3 -treated fruit. It was concluded that rubbing with 50 mg/L GA
Creating and Leading in an Environment of Collaboration

In an age of increasingly complex social issues, a global economy, renewed emphasis on positive outcomes, and a scarcity of resources; a culture of collaboration is becoming more prominent. hierarchical leadership is being overshadowed by a new way of leading via collaborative partnerships. This paper will seek to define collaboration and its advantages in today's society. It will identify how society encourages collaboration and various methods used to collaborate. It will explore strategies to build collaborations and what barriers are inherent within that process. Finally, the paper will take a close look at leadership within a collaborative environment. Personal characteristics of effective collaborative leaders will be identified. Effective leadership strategies to encourage collaborative environments will be explored. The paper concludes with the paradoxes inherent to collaborative leadership.
Household food security: Trends and determinants in mountainous districts of Nepal

This paper assesses household food security and identifies the factors affecting it in two mountainous districts of Nepal using census data from 2011/12. A binary logit model has been used because the dependent variable is dichotomous. In the study districts, farmland expansion was the major contributor to the increased production of major crops over the period 1974/75 to 2013/14. The yield growth of major crops, with the exception of potato and wheat, remained below the population growth in these districts. On average, households experienced no food shortages for about 9 months out of the year; cultivated land per household was 0.63 ha, of which around 29% was irrigated; 22% of the households were female headed; and 60% of the households worked in allied activities alongside agriculture. The results show that household food security was positively affected by the following variables: male-headed household, household members with both agricultural and allied occupation, age of the household head, percentage of irrigated area, number of livestock owned by the household, and owner operator. Household food security was negatively affected by the variables household size and time taken to reach the nearest market. Taplejung district’s food security was better than that of the Bajura district. The findings imply that female-headed households need support in order to improve their food security. There is a need for on-farm value-added processing and off-farm employment opportunities, which could be provisioned by financial support and development of the required technical and managerial skills. Public investment should be increased in markets, roads and irrigation infrastructure development in rural areas. Moreover, improving access to land and its utilization based on comparative advantage could improve household food security. Keywords: Agriculture, Mountains, Food Security Data of the article First received : 05 January 2017 | Last revision received : 10 September 2017 Accepted : 18 September 2017 | Published online : 16 October 2017 URN: nbn:de:hebis:34-2017082853340