Practical Data Correlation of Flashpoints of Binary Mixtures by a Reciprocal Function: The Concept and Numerical Examples

Simple data correlation of flashpoint data of binary mixture has been developed on a basic of rational reciprocal function. The new approximation requires has only two coefficients and needs the flashpoint temperature of the pure flammable component to be known. The approximation has been tested by literature data concerning aqueous-alcohol solution and compared to calculations performed by several thermodynamic models predicting flashpoint temperatures. The suggested approximation provides accuracy comparable and to some extent better than that of the thermodynamic methods.Comment: 6 pages and 5 tables IN PRESS; Thermal Science vol. 15, issue 3, 201

Impact of Compost Application Rate on Lettuce Plant Growth and Soil Agrochemical Status

One way to reduce environmental stress and safeguard soil fertility and ecological sustainability in crop production is by adding compost to the soil substrate. Supplying the soil with organic matter improves its chemical and physical characteristics, leading to better plant growth and development and increasing yield. The study presents a pot experiment with lettuce on leached cinnamon forest soil (Chromic Luvisol). Research has studied changes in soil NPK before and after vegetation and the effects of the compost on plant production and quality. Increasing the amount of compost in the soil substrate led to an increase in the fresh mass and yield of lettuce and to an increase in the accumulated N, P, and K (%) in the plant tissues (R2=0.91, 0.96 and 0.68, respectively). After the experiment\u27s conclusion, the soils remained very well stocked in P2O5 content. The K2O stock in the soil was medium, i.e. when compost is applied, plant-available potassium increases relative to the initial soil. Total N remained very low; the applied composts provided large amounts of nitrogen for growing lettuce but did not leave the soil in good ecological status

ETIOLOGY AND PREVENTION OF OVERTIREDNESS IN STUDENTS FROM Medical University-Varna

Student life is extremely dynamic, which is a prerequisite for spending a large amount of energy due to the high commitment - inability to rest quality and sufficient. With such a daily rhythm of life, fatigue may occur, which leads to overwork. Recognizing its etiology and applying the right ways of its prevention would contribute to reducing the physical exhaustion and mental load of students. Aim: To analyze the knowledge about the etiology of fatigue and prevention in students from the Medical University of Varna. Material and methods: Direct anonymous poll with 216 respondents, conducted for the period March-May 2023 and analysis of literary sources. Results: The poll was attended by 216 students from different specialties of MU-Varna. Almost half of the respondents are in the first year of their studies, which is an etiological factor related to the adaptability to the academic environment and the possible manifestation of overwork. Nearly 80% of students cited insufficient sleep as the cause of their fatigue. They are of the opinion that they experience signs of overwork, such as physical powerlessness, insomnia, increased irritability, etc. Respondents prefer to exercise, eat healthy and a small part of them take dietary supplements and vitamins. The three leading behavioral factors on the part of the students as a way to prevent fatigue are walks in nature, alternation of mental work with cultural activities and rational nutrition.

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e., a controlling message) compared with no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared with the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing. Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intention to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges

The psychological science accelerator’s COVID-19 rapid-response dataset

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Psychological Science Accelerator coordinated three large-scale psychological studies to examine the effects of loss-gain framing, cognitive reappraisals, and autonomy framing manipulations on behavioral intentions and affective measures. The data collected (April to October 2020) included specific measures for each experimental study, a general questionnaire examining health prevention behaviors and COVID-19 experience, geographical and cultural context characterization, and demographic information for each participant. Each participant started the study with the same general questions and then was randomized to complete either one longer experiment or two shorter experiments. Data were provided by 73,223 participants with varying completion rates. Participants completed the survey from 111 geopolitical regions in 44 unique languages/dialects. The anonymized dataset described here is provided in both raw and processed formats to facilitate re-use and further analyses. The dataset offers secondary analytic opportunities to explore coping, framing, and self-determination across a diverse, global sample obtained at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be merged with other time-sampled or geographic data

The Psychological Science Accelerator’s COVID-19 rapid-response dataset

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Psychological Science Accelerator coordinated three large-scale psychological studies to examine the effects of loss-gain framing, cognitive reappraisals, and autonomy framing manipulations on behavioral intentions and affective measures. The data collected (April to October 2020) included specific measures for each experimental study, a general questionnaire examining health prevention behaviors and COVID-19 experience, geographical and cultural context characterization, and demographic information for each participant. Each participant started the study with the same general questions and then was randomized to complete either one longer experiment or two shorter experiments. Data were provided by 73,223 participants with varying completion rates. Participants completed the survey from 111 geopolitical regions in 44 unique languages/dialects. The anonymized dataset described here is provided in both raw and processed formats to facilitate re-use and further analyses. The dataset offers secondary analytic opportunities to explore coping, framing, and self-determination across a diverse, global sample obtained at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be merged with other time-sampled or geographic data

A multi-country test of brief reappraisal interventions on emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased negative emotions and decreased positive emotions globally. Left unchecked, these emotional changes might have a wide array of adverse impacts. To reduce negative emotions and increase positive emotions, we tested the effectiveness of reappraisal, an emotion-regulation strategy that modifies how one thinks about a situation. Participants from 87 countries and regions (n = 21,644) were randomly assigned to one of two brief reappraisal interventions (reconstrual or repurposing) or one of two control conditions (active or passive). Results revealed that both reappraisal interventions (vesus both control conditions) consistently reduced negative emotions and increased positive emotions across different measures. Reconstrual and repurposing interventions had similar effects. Importantly, planned exploratory analyses indicated that reappraisal interventions did not reduce intentions to practice preventive health behaviours. The findings demonstrate the viability of creating scalable, low-cost interventions for use around the world