Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measuring knowledge transfer success by D&M

DeLone & McLean's success model has been actively used since its first introduction in 1992. In this article the model is extended to describe the success of knowledge sharing in an information system that included a part of the knowledge base of a private educational institute. As the supply of private education is increased it is vital to be aware if the offered educational services support the use of the knowledge base and if the service is perceived satisfactory by the customers. In our descriptive qualitative case study we discuss how the D&M model can be used in assessing educational services from the customerâs point of view. In the assessment we focus on issues that interested the target organisation.
Does contrast ultrasound dispersion imaging reveal changes in tortuosity? : a comparison with acoustic angiography

—Higher microvascular density with tortuous and irregular vessels are hallmarks of cancer vasculature. These alterations can be captured by contrast ultrasound dispersion imaging (CUDI) and acoustic angiography (AA) at different scales: CUDI aims at obtaining an implicit measure of structural alteration by determining the dispersion kinetics of contrast agents. At a smaller scale, AA images the vascular architecture by detecting the high-frequency components generated with ultrasound contrast agents (UCA). This work shows the performance of these techniques by imaging cancerous and control regions in 3 rat xenograft models. Furthermore, it investigates the diagnostic value of the vascular features extracted using CUDI and AA with the aim to answer the question: does CUDI reveal changes in vascular tortuosity?
Effect of probiotics on the chemical, mineral, and amino acid composition of broiler chicken meat

The experiment was conducted to examine the influence of probiotic preparation on the mineral contamination of the broiler chicken muscles. Investigational product contains probiotic lactic acid bacteria of genus Lactobacillus and Enterococcus. It is proved that additional feeding of probiotic “Entero-active” to broiler chickens increases retention of mineral elements of the fodder. To study the effect of probiotic on chicken meat the contamination of minerals in the experimental poultry meat was researched. The studies proved that the additional use of the studied probiotic supplements with food of broiler chickens allowed increasing phosphorus contamination by 4.7%, magnesium by 3.9% and iron by 46.5% in the pectoral muscles compared with the control group. The use of probiotic for broilers feeding has increased phosphorus by 4.7%, calcium by 4.1 times, iron by 70.5%, zinc by 5.4%, magnesium by 31.5% and copper in 4.2 times in thigh muscles of poultry. Thus, consumption of probiotic preparation by broilers in various doses improves the mineral compound of meat carcasses this meat is also considered as free range food. It was proved that probiotic increases the synthesis of such essential amino acids in the pectoral muscles as lysine by 1.66%, histidine by 0.03%, arginine by 0.38%, threonine by 0.07%, valine by 0.16%, methionine by 0.33%, leucine by 0.1% and phenylalanine by 0.17%. The increasing of level of lysine and histidine respectively by 0.05 and 0.08% is observed in the thigh muscles of broilers under the influence of probiotic. We have proved that the optimal dose for broiler chickens is 0.25% for the age of 1-10 days, 0.1% for the age of 11-28 days, 0.05 % for the age of 29-42 days, the percentage is for broiler chickens feed weight.
Higher expression of connexin 40 in human atrial tissue of patients with type 2 diabetes who have undergone a coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Background: Although cardiac-related mortality rates are declining for the general population in the United States, this is not the case for patients with diabetes. Diabetes is a significant independent predictor of atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common cardiac rhythm disturbance responsible for substantial morbidity and mortality. Objectives: This research was designed to evaluate properties of the atrial tissue between patients with and without type 2 diabetes. Heart rate variability (HRV) indices were calculated and expression of Kv1.5, connexin 43 (Cx43), and 40 (Cx40) were compared. Methods: Patients undergoing a CABG were enrolled: 10 with type 2 diabetes and 8 without diabetes, paired for age, gender and co-morbidities such as hypertension and dyslipidemia. All patients showed normal ejection fraction. A sample of right auricular appendix was taken during CABG and Kv1.5, Cx40 and Cx43 protein contents were determined by western blotting and normalized to α-tubulin level. Results: No HRV difference was found between patients with and without diabetes. Cx43 and Kv1.5 levels were unaffected by diabetes (p=0.20 and 0.07, respectively) whe- reas Cx40 content was significantly increased by 55% (p=0.02). Levels of Cx43 phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated forms were non-significantly decreased in patients with diabetes. Conclusion: Patients with type 2 diabetes had higher expression of Cx40 in the right auricular appendix tissue. In light of other studies having demonstrated a link between AF and Cx40 expression, it is possible that higher prevalence of AF in patients with diabetes is explained, at least partially, by differential expression of gap-junction proteins.
Getting out of the Armchair: Potential Tipping Points for Online Radicalisation

This chapter will explore possible factors (both online and real world) that can ‘tip’ an ‘armchair jihadi’ towards real world extremism. This entails examining social psychological research on tipping points that can be translated to the process of radicalisation. Prominent cases of jihadists will then be examined to illustrate the physiognomies behind their tipping points and the applicability of such theories. Finally, strategies to incorporate tipping point mechanisms towards countering violent extremism will be discussed. This chapter emphasises how the key to understanding tipping points in extremism lies in understanding the cognitive, social and emotive barriers to extremist thinking and action. There is thus an imperative need for more research and experimentation on persuasion tactics and in particular tipping points. Extremist counter-narratives can only be successful if they incorporate the energies of youth and other key individuals at the grassroots towards crafting, spreading and adding credibility to counter-narratives.
Does Switzerland share common business cylces with other European countries

Contemporaneous comovements of aggregated output time series between industrialized countries represent an important characteristic of the international business cycle and have already been well documented. This paper shows that a small open economy like Switzerland shares common short term GDP fluctuations with other European countries, independently of the specific definitions used for the common component. The serial correlation common feature (SCCF) hypothesis of ENGLE and KOZICKI (1993) and also the univariate and multivariate structural time series models (HARVEY, 1989) are presented and applied. Sharing common short-term economic fluctuations with other European countries has various economic policy implications for Switzerland. This last issue is commented in the light of the new commom monetary policy framework in the Euro area, since the beginning of 1999.
A DESIGN PROCESS MANAGEMENT METHOD FOR PRODUCT-SERVICE SYSTEMS

Product-Service Systems (PSS) has been regarded as an attractive business concept that create high added value by integrated provisions of products and services. Since both products and services are included in the design object, the PSS design process has become increasingly complicated. To support such PSS design process, this paper proposes a design process management method for PSS. The proposed method uses “PSS design cards” which organize the tasks in PSS design and enables designers to grapple what they need to focus on during PSS design process in a tangible way.
Relationships between Muscular Performance and Markers of Well-Being in Elite Rugby Union Players

Relationships between Muscular Performance and Markers of Well-Being in Elite Rugby Union Players Regular testing can be used to track athletes' changes in performance over time. However, testing should not be limited to physiological characteristics alone, but also encompass perceived psychological status and well-being. Foster (1998) suggests monitoring of subjective well-being may serve to prevent deterioration in the practice of physical tasks. The relationship between psychological and physiological measures in professional team sport is not fully investigated. St Clair Gibson et al. (2003) proposed that fatigue may be the mental representation of physiological changes characterizing emotions. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine relationship between psychological self-assessment of well-being and physiological parameters related to muscular performance in a professional rugby union team. 15 male professional rugby union players (26.5 ± 5.8 years; 102.6 ± 13.4 kg; 186.1 ± 9.5 cm) participated. On a weekly basis over a competitive season players completed a perceived well-being questionnaire related to manifestations of fatigue, and 3 jump squats. Vertical displacement, velocity, power, force and force impulse were calculated for each jump. Time series analysis indicates no relationship between measures of well-being and muscular performance on an individual basis. However, analysis of mean team data does show the existence of a relationship in some cases.
Effect of crude root extract from Synadenium glaucescens on selected bacterial infections in albino mice (Mus musculus)

Studies were carried out to investigate the effect of root extract from a tropical plant Synadenium glaucescens against two pathogenic species of bacteria in mice. A total of 120 mice were used in two experiments involving two bacterial species, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In each experiment, 60 mice were randomly divided into 6 groups with or without bacterial infection and with or without root extract. Clinical signs and survival of the mice were monitored; skin, kidneys and livers were examined for gross lesions, histopathological changes and bacterial counts. Results indicated that mice infected with the two bacteria and treated with the root extract from S. glaucescens had significantly less (P < 0.05) severe skin lesions compared to mice from the untreated groups. Histopathological examination of liver and kidney tissues showed hydropic degeneration and inflammatory reaction in uninfected groups receiving the extracts. Protein in tubular lumens, desquamated tubular epithelium and necrosis around central veins were observed in livers of mice infected with S. aureus and treated with the extract at 50 mg/kg body weight. It is concluded that root extract from S. glaucescens had significant antibacterial activity against the tested bacteria. Histopathological changes in the kidneys and livers of mice which received the extract alone suggested that high doses of the tested extract could be harmful to the mice. Further studies are needed to find out optimum dosage and whether the extract is harmful to other organs. Key words: Synadenium glaucescens, root extract, antibacterial activity, mice.
Imidazolinone-tolerant maize as a tool for weed control in flooded rice production systems.

This study aimed to (1) evaluate the optimal dose of the herbicide [imazapic + imazapyr], for control of red rice, as well as its selectivity to imidazolinone-tolerant maize; (2) to identify the most suitable adjuvant to be added to the optimal dose for maximizing red rice and barnyardgrass control; and (3) to evaluate its carryover effect on winter species commonly planted after maize in Southern Brazil. Three studies were carried out (two under field conditions, one under greenhouse) in completely randiomized blocks design. Experiment one consisted of application of [Imazapic + Imazapyr] and nicosulfuron, at increasing rates, on OnDuty® maize crop; experiment two consisted of application of the optimal dose of [Imazapic + Imazapyr] determined in experiment 1, plus atrazine, with distinct adjuvants, and experiment 3 consisted of planting rapeseed (Brassica napus), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum ), white clover (Trifolium repens) and vetch (Vicia sativa) after applying [Imazapic + Imazapyr] at 1x and 2x the label dose in order to verify its toxicity effects. Application of [imazapic + imazapyr] at dose of 0.100 kg c.p. ha -1 (equivalent to 52.5 + 17.5 g a.i. ha -1 ) on imidazolinone-tolerant maize was effective in controlling red rice and barnyardgrass when using Cicol or Dash as adjuvants, being also selective to the crop cv C 909 CL. Residues of these herbicides can affect winter crops in succession. Further studies should be conducted to evaluate the use of vetch in phytoremediation following imidazolinone-tolerant maize.
Conservation Genetics at the Species Boundary

Abstract: Conservation genetics has expanded its purview such that molecular techniques are now used routinely to prioritize populations for listing and protection and infer their historical relationships in addition to addressing more traditional questions of heterozygosity and inbreeding depression. Failure to specify whether molecular data are being used for diagnosis‐related questions or for population viability questions, however, can lead either to misinterpretation of character data as adaptive information or to misinterpretation of frequency or distance data as diagnostic or historical information. Each of these misinterpretations will confound conservation programs. The character‐based approach to delimiting phylogenetic species is both operationally and logically superior to “diagnostic” methods that involve distance‐ or frequency‐based routines, which are unstable over time. Tree‐based criteria for the diagnosis of conservation “units” are also inappropriate because they can depend on patterns inferred without reference to diagnostic characters. Intraspecific studies, conservation‐related or otherwise, that adopt terminology and methods designed to infer nested hierarchic relationships confuse diagnosis with historical inferences by treating diagnoses as outcomes rather than as precursors to phylogeny reconstruction. A character‐based diagnostic approach recognizes the analytical dichotomy between species hierarchies and population statistics and provides a framework for the understanding of each. No species concept, however, should be viewed as an absolute criterion for protecting populations, but as part of a framework from within which identification of protection and management goals can be achieved effectively and defensibly.
Video event detection and visual data pro cessing for multimedia applications

Cette these (i) decrit une procedure automatique pour estimer la condition d'arret des methodes de deconvolution iteratives basees sur un critere d'orthogonalite du signal estime et de son gradient a une iteration donnee; (ii) presente une methode qui decompose l'image en une partie geometrique (ou "cartoon") et une partie "texture" en utilisation une estimation de parametre et une condition d'arret basees sur la diffusion anisotropique avec orthogonalite, en utilisant le fait que ces deux composantes. "cartoon" et "texture", doivent etre independantes; (iii) decrit une methode pour extraire d'une sequence video obtenue a partir de camera portable les objets de premier plan en mouvement. Cette methode augmente la compensation de mouvement de la camera par une nouvelle estimation basee noyau de la fonction de probabilite de densite des pixels d'arriere-plan. Les methodes presentees ont ete testees et comparees aux algorithmes de l'etat de l'art.
Title : A 6 % Efficient MIS Particulate Silicon Solar Cell

approved: James A. Van Vechten Solar cells that are based on an intimate metal-semiconductor (Schottky) contact generally produce lower efficiencies than p-n junction solar cells. However, if a thin insulating layer (< 30 A) is introduced between the metal and the semiconductor then the dominant current transport mechanism of thermionic emission is suppressed, and a large minority carrier tunneling current may flow between the metal and the semiconductor. The metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structure can produce solar cells with higher efficiencies than traditional p-n junction solar cells. This thesis presents the theory, the fabrication techniques, and the experimental results for a minority carrier MIS structure as applied to a solar cell design that seeks to reduce cost by utilizing particulate silicon grains. The MIS contact investigated is aluminum/Si07/p-Si , where the p-Si is in the form of single crystal grains with diameters of 425-800 pm. The solar cell performance as a function of the insulator thickness and the semiconductor resistivity is compared to theory. Also, the performance of the particulate silicon solar cell is compared to a similarly processed MIS structure that is created on a polished silicon wafer. The best particulate solar cell yields 6% efficiency whereas the best wafer solar cell gives 10%. Redacted for Privacy A 6% Efficient MIS Particulate Silicon Solar Cell by Michael Greer A THESIS submitted to Oregon State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
A Proficiencia Digital Favorece a Presenca Social em Curso Online

RESUMO A aprendizagem colaborativa em cursos de Educação a Distância (EAD), segundo a abordagem da Comunidade de Inquirição (COI), promove a educação baseada na partilha de recursos informacionais e na construção solidária de saberes. A chave para a eficácia desta aprendizagem é a interação social, podendo ser mensurada pela Presença Social. Como a EAD se apoia nas tecnologias de informação a Proficiência Digital do estudante pode afetar sua aprendizagem online. Apesar disso, as dimensões contempladas pelas pesquisas sobre a Presença Social não têm levado em consideração a Proficiência Digital. O objetivo deste artigo é examinar como a Proficiência Digital interfere na percepção da Presença Social. Para isso foi feita uma análise de correlações entre Proficiência Digital e Presença Social a partir de uma amostra composta por 76 participantes de fóruns de discussão online incluindo estudantes e professores universitários brasileiros. Os resultados indicam que a Proficiência Digital está correlacionada (significativa no nível 0,01) com a Presença Social, sugerindo que o aumento da Proficiência Digital por meio da capacitação dos estudantes irá favorecer a percepção da Presença Social. Desta forma, os estudantes poderão ter melhores condições para interagir no ambiente de aprendizagem e desfrutar dos benefícios da aprendizagem colaborativa baseada no computador.
Growth of Smectite from Leached Layer During Experimental Alteration of Albite

Experimental alteration of albite in deionized-distilled water at 150° to 225°C for various times up to 30 days was performed to elucidate formation processes for alteration products of albite in aqueous solution. The alteration products were examined by X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The surface compositions of albite before and after alteration were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). TEM clearly showed that an amorphous leached layer was produced on the albite surface at the earliest alteration stage together with small amounts of allophane. The leached layer increased successively in thickness and tended to be detached from the albite surface as alteration proceeded. Noncrystalline fibers less than 0.5 µm in length appeared within the leached layer matrix and transformed into thin flaky smectite and small amounts of K-mica. The leached layer gave electron diffraction patterns with a diffuse halo, whereas the flaky smectite displayed rings at 4.51, 2.61, and 1.54 Å. EDX confirmed that the flaky smectite consisted mainly of Si and Al, and small amounts of Na. The smectite was formed in the stability field of Na-smectite for the system of Na2O-Al2O3-SiO2-H2O.
The Influence of Playing Position Within Recreational Netball on Lower Extremity 3D Joint Kinematics and Kinetics During a Cutting Movement and Jump Landing with regards to Potential Risk of Noncontact ACL Injury

To include: collation of information and ideas and evaluation of those ideas relative to the extant literature/concept/theory and research question/problem; adoption of a personal position on the study by linking and combining different elements of the data reported; discussion of the real-life impact of your research findings for coaches and/or practitioners (i.e. practical implications); discussion of the limitations and a critical reflection of the approach/process adopted; and indication of potential improvements and future developments building on the study; and a conclusion which summarises the relationship between the research question and the major findings.
Microwave-Assisted Preparation of Biodegradable Water Absorbent Polyacrylonitrile/Montmorillonite Clay Nanocomposite

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/Montmorillonite (MMT) clay nanocomposite was prepared in a microwave oven using a transition metal Co(III) complex taking ammonium persulfate (APS) as initiator with a motive of converting hydrophobic PAN into hydrophilic nanocomposite material via nanotechnology by the inclusion of MMT to the virgin polymer. UV-visible spectral analysis revealed various interactions between the developed complex with other reaction components. The formation of the PAN/MMT nanocomposites was characterized by FTIR. Furthermore, as evidenced by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the composite so obtained was found to have nano-order. XRD and TEM were suggesting that montmorillonite layers were exfoliated during the polymerization process. An increasing in the thermal stability for the developed nanocomposite was recorded by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The water absorption and biodegradation properties were carried out for its ecofriendly nature and better commercialization.
Electrochemical Detection of Dopamine at Poly (o-anisidine)/Silver Nanocomposite Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

Poly (o-anisidine) and silver nanoparticles based nanocomposite (POA-AgNPs) modified electrode was used for the electrocatalytic detection of dopamine (DA). POA-AgNPs nanocomposite was synthesized via simple and cost-effective chemical oxidative polymerization method. The composite was characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The face centred cubic structure of silver and the semi-crystalline nature of poly (o-anisidine) is evident from XRD studies. The formation of polymer matrix-type nanocomposite with the embeddment of silver nanoparticles is determined from HRTEM. The synthesized POA-AgNPs nanocomposite was found to exhibit electrocatalytic activity towards the detection of DA at a potential of +0.45 V. Under the optimal conditions, the modified electrode showed enhanced catalytic current and a linear response was observed in the concentration range of 10.0-140.0 µM with a detection limit of 0.2 µM (S/N=3). The results revealed the potential application of the fabricated sensor for other such biomolecules.