Invariance of the stability of meissner's equation under a permutation of its intervals

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Changes in cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiovascular health in the workplace: a case study

Background: Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is an independent predictor of cardiovascular (CV) and all-cause mortality, contributing a higher proportion of CV risk compared to other traditionally recognised risk factors. However, CRF is not included in usual workplace wellness protocols and, as such, employers are not aware of the importance of this factor.Aim: The aim of this case study was to explore the effect of a 12-week exercise intervention programme on CRF, CV health and medical health claims in a male participant who was employed by a corporate company with existing chronic diseases.Findings: Health outcome measures improved after the 12-week exercise intervention programme. CRF showed the greatest improvement and medical health claims were lowered during the three-month post-intervention period.Implications: CRF should be included as a health outcome measure in worksite wellness programmes and monitored. Keywords: cardiopulmonary fitness, exercise interventions, medical health claims, corporate wellnes

Semi-analytical response of acoustic logging measurements in frequency domain

This work proposes a semi-analytical method for simulation of the acoustic response of multipole eccentered sources in a fluid-filled borehole. Assuming a geometry that is invariant with respect to the azimuthal and vertical directions, the solution in frequency domain is expressed in terms of a Fourier series and a Fourier integral. The proposed semi-analytical method builds upon the idea of separating singularities from the smooth part of the integrand when performing the inverse Fourier transform. The singular part is treated analytically using existing inversion formulae, while the regular part is treated with a FFT technique. As a result, a simple and effective method that can be used for simulating and understanding the main physical principles occurring in borehole-eccentered sonic measurements is obtained. Numerical results verify the proposed method and illustrate its advantages

Paleopathological study of skeletal remains of Ursids of the Pleistocene-Holocene of the Iberian Península

An exhaustive paleontologic study of skeletal remains of Ursids of the Pleistocene-Holocene from the lberian Peninsula was realized by one of us (Torres, 1984). Many of the pieces studied here were selected by this author. Other pieces proceed from recent excavations in the exceptional site of Ibeas, from the Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain, of the Middle Pleistocene, which is providing human remains

Dynamics of Vortex Dipoles in Confined Bose-Einstein Condensates

We present a systematic theoretical analysis of the motion of a pair of straight counter-rotating vortex lines within a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate. We introduce the dynamical equations of motion, identify the associated conserved quantities, and illustrate the integrability of the ensuing dynamics. The system possesses a stationary equilibrium as a special case in a class of exact solutions that consist of rotating guiding-center equilibria about which the vortex lines execute periodic motion; thus, the generic two-vortex motion can be classified as quasi-periodic. We conclude with an analysis of the linear and nonlinear stability of these stationary and rotating equilibria.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Phys. Lett.

Niobia supported on silica as a catalyst for Biodiesel production from waste oil

AbstractThe activity and stability of niobia supported on silica catalyst have been tested in continuous micro-pilot reactors, for biodiesel production starting from acid vegetable oils. A catalyst was prepared by the impregnation of silica pellets with a loading of 12% of Nb and was extensively characterized. The activity of this catalyst in both esterification and transesterification was tested in a continuous micro-pilot laboratory plant in which acid oil was fed (FFA 10% w/w) at a temperature of 220°C and at a pressure of 60 bar. The niobia based catalyst resulted in a very active catalyst in both esterification (FFA conversion = 95-90%) and transesterification reactions (FAME yield = 80-90%), and the activity remained quite constant for more than 100 h on stream. Notwithstanding this stability, a non-negligible leaching phenomena has been detected, in the case of long-time continuous runs, as the Nb concentration on the spent catalyst resulted lower than that on the fresh one. The obtained result confirms that the leaching of the active specie is one of the most strong problem in heterogeneous catalysis for biodiesel production

Influencia del riego deficitario controlado precosecha sobre la calidad de la cereza ´Prime Giant`

El uso de redes de sensores para el manejo del riego deficitario controlado (RDC) en cerezo puede incidir en la mejora de la productividad del agua, calidad de la fruta y en su comportamiento poscosecha, al permitir el conocimiento y control del estado hídrico del suelo y árbol en todo momento. En el primer año de ensayo, el riego deficitario aplicado en precosecha para satisfacer el 85% de las necesidades máximas del cultivo (ETcg) permitió un ahorro de agua del 17% (380 m3 ha-1) respecto al tratamiento control, que se regó al 110% de la ETcg. Este déficit hídrico ligero no afectó a la producción (16,13 t ha-1) e incluso mejoró la calidad del fruto. Así, en el momento de la cosecha (t0) los frutos bajo déficit ligero presentaron matices más rojos y mayor acidez que los de riego completo. Esta mayor acidez no afectó al índice de madurez debido a la compensación por sólidos solubles totales (SST). El carácter de mayor acidez perduró tras 30 días de conservación en frio (t1) y 5 días de simulación de las condiciones de comercialización (t2). Igualmente, los frutos bajo déficit hídrico presentaron una tendencia a menores pérdidas de peso por deshidratación a finales de los periodos de conservación en frio y de simulación de la comercialización.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad AGL2013-49047-C2-1

Playing at the school table: systematic literature review of board, tabletop, and other analogue game-based learning approaches

YesThe unique characteristics of games have led scientific research to increasingly focus on their potential role in learning processes. Currently, their effectiveness in fostering experiential learning and skill acquisition in several areas is already supported by the existing evidence, mainly about the potential of digital games. Paradoxically, the current post-digital era seems to have led to a growing popularity of analogue games. The present Systematic Literature Review aimed to map the existing literature on the potential of board, tabletop, or other analogue games in learning processes. It intended to systematize the contemporary state of the art (2012-2022) around the pedagogical role of these games, their effectiveness, the promoted learning outcomes, the methodological aspects of the interventions, the used games – including mechanics and other characteristics – and the current discussions around inclusion and accessibility in analogue game-based learning. Adopting the PRISMA methodology, we searched ACM Digital Library, EBSCO, ERIC, Scopus - Elsevier, and Web of Science databases, as well as other peer-reviewed “grey literature” sources. The search resulted in an initial sample of 2741 articles that was then screened by inclusion and exclusion criteria previously defined according to the research objectives. We obtained a final sample of 45 articles. To formulate the mapping of existing research, these studies were analyzed using a combination of statistical, content, and critical analysis procedures. The obtained results support the role of board, tabletop, and other analogue games in educational contexts – based on their educational potential – with a broad range of knowledge, cognitive, and psychological outcomes. The study also emphasized the relevance of these games in the promotion of soft skills and other aspects typically associated with meaningful learning, such as engagement, satisfaction, flexibility, and freedom of experimentation. However, important limitations were found in a fair amount of the pedagogical approaches studied, which can be mostly attributed to the low prevalence of modern board games that relate what is intended to be learned to aspects of game design and have little to no consideration of accessibility and inclusion aspects in these studies.The present work was developed in the scope of the Project Training the Educators to Facilitate the Teaching and Assessment of Abstract Syllabus by the Use of Serious Games – TEGA (2020-1- UK01-KA203-079248), funded by the European Commission on the scope of Erasmus+ Programme. The research team also acknowledges the funding by Fundação para a Ciência e para a Tecnologia (FCT) provided to CICANT R&D Unit (UIDB/05260/2020), on the scope of Verão com Ciência initiative, which allowed the inclusion of a research initiation grant holder as co-author of the present work

The potential to control Haemonchus contortus in indigenous South African goats with copper oxide wire particles

The high prevalence of resistance of Haemonchus contortus to all major anthelmintic groups has prompted investigations into alternative control methods in South Africa, including the use of copper oxide wire particle (COWP) boluses. To assess the efficacy of COWP against H. contortus in indigenous South African goats, 18 male faecal egg-count-negative goats were each given ca.1200 infective larvae of H. contortus three times per week during weeks 1 and 2 of the experiment. These animals made up an “established” infection group (ESTGRP). At the start of week 7, six goats were each given a 2-g COWP bolus orally; six goats received a 4-g COWP bolus each and six animals were not treated. A further 20 goats constituted a “developing” infection group (DEVGRP). At the beginning of week 1, seven of the DEVGRP goats were given a 2-g COWP bolus each; seven goats were treated with a 4-g COWP bolus each and no bolus was given to a further six animals. During weeks 1–6, each of these DEVGRP goats was given ca. 400 H. contortus larvae three times per week. All 38 goats were euthanized for worm recovery from the abomasa and small intestines in week 11. In the ESTGRP, the 2-g and 4-g COWP boluses reduced the worm burdens by 95% and 93%, respectively compared to controls (mean burden ± standard deviation, SD: 23 ± 33, 30 ± 56 and 442 ± 518 worms, P = 0.02). However, in the DEVGRP goats, both the 2-g and 4-g COWP treatments were ineffective in reducing the worm burdens relative to the controls (mean burdens ± SD: 1102 ± 841, 649 ± 855, 1051 ± 661 worms, P = 0.16). Mean liver copper levels did not differ between the ESTGRP goats treated with 2-g COWP, 4-g COWP or no COWP (mean ± standard error of the mean, SEM, in ppm: 93.7 ± 8.3; 101.5 ± 8.3; 71.8 ± 8.3, P = 0.07) nor did they differ between the DEVGRP goats (mean ± SEM, in ppm: 74.1 ± 9.1; 75.4 ± 9.1; 74.9 ± 10.0, P > 0.99). The copper values were considered adequate, but not high, for goats. The COWP boluses have the potential to be used in the place of conventional anthelmintics for the control of established H. contortus infections in indigenous South African goats, but their use as part of an integrated approach to control H. contortus in the field must be fully investigated