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The purpose of this study was to find out two variations of the exercise up and down the stairs, namely the exercise of going up and down the stairs with lunges and the exercise of going up and down the stairs with lunges while doing balestra fencing with floret/foil weapon types for fencing students who have low and high muscle power difficulties. . The research design used is a 2x2 factorial design. Research result : 1) there is a significant effect between climbing and descending stairs training on the ability of balestra fencing with floret/foil weapons, 2) there is a significant effect of muscle strength and stiffness on the ability of balestra to fencing floret/foil weapons and 3) there is an interaction between climbing and descending stairs and licensed muscle power on the ability of floret/foil weapon type balestra fencing. The findings of this study can be used as input for trainers, coaches, and teaching staff for fencing courses, especially in selecting and sorting out the types of training/learning according to the athlete/student background. For further research, both by the researchers themselves and other fencing observers who want to deepen a similar theme in this study, so that if they can use a larger sample, test instruments that are more accurate (digitally), and with more involvement many experts to improve the quality of the findings that will be produced.

This study aims to determine the effect of hanging ball training on the puncture accuracy of epee weapons fencing athletes at public vocational secondary schools number 1 Makassar. This research is a type of quantitative experimental research with a one group pretest-posttest design. The population in this study were 20 fencing athletes at public vocational secondary schools number 1 Makassar. The sample in this study were 20 male fencing athletes at public vocational secondary schools number 1 Makassar using the total sampling technique. The sample was divided into one group which was given hanging ball exercises as a treatment. The exercises were carried out for 16 meetings, and the puncture accuracy was measured using kuhadja fencing before and after treatment. The puncture scores were then statistically analyzed using a paired t-test with a 95% confidence interval. From the results of the analysis it was found that the average puncture accuracy score in the posttest was higher than the pretest with a significant value of 0,00. From these results it can be concluded that hanging ball training affects the accuracy of punctures in fencing athletes.

Sorghum is the most well-known helpful cereal crop for poor farmers in Ethiopia’s dry lowland areas due to it’s a high yielding, drought tolerant, nutrient use efficiency crop that can be grown over 80 % of the worlds’ cultivated land. It has many advantages in the economic lives of the farmers in the highlands of the country. It is a source of food, feed, fuel, construction, fencing to poor farmers of Ethiopia. Though, many biological and environmental stresses are reducing grain yield increment. Foliar and grain diseases are one of the main biological stresses limiting sorghum production and productivity in the high and intermediate rainfall areas of Ethiopia. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to review the current state of highland sorghum improvement in Ethiopia’s highlands. Breeders, pathologists, agronomists, and research extension workers have all worked hard to overcome the constraints. In addition, the national sorghum research program is focusing on developing tolerant varieties that can withstand a variety of pressures by backcrossing tolerant characteristics into existing potential landraces and elite advanced lines. Due to many yield-limiting conditions, the crop’s production is well below its potential. Sorghum breeding began in Ethiopia in the early 1950s to solve important production difficulties that contributed to low productivity, and as a result, a number of improved varieties have been offered to farmers. Since 1978, research and development efforts previous to Ethiopian sorghum enhancement have been studied. Generally, believe that future productivity will most likely increase as a result of the integration of a diverse collection of mutually beneficial disciplines and organizations with varying priorities in technology development, advancement, promotion, and market/product production. Multidisciplinary methodologies, system sustainability with temporal and spatial intensification, and participation of essential stakeholders, including farmers, in the technological development, increase, promotion, and proper intervention in production are also of interest.

Managers of threatened species in remote protected areas play a pivotal role in shaping the outcomes of management and conservation programmes. The island of Java supports the last remaining population of the Javan rhinoceros Rhinoceros sondaicus, a Critically Endangered megaherbivore with only 72 individuals persisting in the wild, in Ujung Kulon National Park. Substantial resources are being invested to manage the Javan rhinoceros and it is difficult to monitor it in the rainforest to assess whether management actions have been successful. Insights from frontline staff into the outcomes of past conservation actions and the future actions required may be key to enhancing the outcomes of conservation actions for threatened species. To study the perceptions of frontline staff towards the conservation of the Javan rhinoceros, management actions and their outcomes, we surveyed all 36-frontline staff in Ujung Kulon National Park. Although staff perceptions of conservation outcomes were generally positive, they noted key anthropogenic threats and challenges to rhinoceros protection inherent to the survival of the last Javan rhinoceros population. Staff identified increased threat of disease transfer from domestic stock to the rhinoceros, in spite of protective fencing, and the combined effects of illegal firewood collection and agricultural encroachment on rhinoceros habitat. Systematically recording and incorporating the perceptions of frontline staff in remote and often inaccessible protected areas can help identify important areas for future conservation and threat mitigation that can facilitate better protection for the Javan rhinoceros and other iconic species.

The environmental impacts of cannabis cultivation have been an issue of growing concern, with legalization often framed as a means to introduce regulations that hinder damaging practices. However, the concept of frontier expansion presents the possibility that the widespread establishment of this new industry may institute an additional source of habitat encroachment. Here, through geospatial analysis, we employ Colorado as a case study to investigate the distribution of licensed recreational cannabis cultivators, potential habitat infringement of threatened and endangered species, and LULC change. From 2011 to 2016, licensed cannabis cultivation has resulted in over 67 ha of LULC change toward more developed land uses. In addition, nearly 15 km of new fencing was constructed establishing over 38 ha of fenced areas, and nearly 60 ha of vegetation was cleared. Much of this cannabis-driven LULC change is identified within the habitats of threatened and endangered species, as well as areas recognized as containing high biodiversity values with the potential for conservation. Thus, notable cannabis-driven frontier expansion is evident. Cannabis-driven LULC change is found to be primarily produced by outdoor and greenhouse facilities, as well as operations utilizing mixed-cultivation methods in rural areas. Therefore, policy instruments that inter alia encourage indoor cannabis cultivation in urban areas are recommended and discussed.

In this paper, I consider the role of animals in gentrification processes, developing a conceptualisation of ‘horsification’: the proliferation of horses within a locale, resulting directly from (human) residential migration. Horses are a highly charismatic species. Practices of horse keeping offer rich opportunities for encounter, shaping the bodies and knowledge of both horses and their keepers. Utilising examples from a case study in rural Scotland, I describe the affective logics of residential horse keeping and how these logics play out in specific types of economic investment and social interaction. I demonstrate how the materialities of horse bodies are embodied in specific landscape changes: qualities of pasture, styles of fencing and stables, and new sanded maneges, and lead to the territorialisation and contestation of broader rural landscapes. Consideration of animal-human relationships de-centres human agency in gentrification studies, drawing attention to the affective and relational processes of gentrification, and how gentrification is performed and territorialised on an ongoing basis. In conceptualising horsification, I draw attention to the agency of more-than-human actors and the role of land in gentrification processes.

This study sought to come up with intervention measures that could be put in place to mitigate the challenges experienced in non-formal schools to enhance safety and security of children. Purposive sampling was used to select Nairobi City County and all the pre-primary schools attached to non-formal schools in informal settlements in the county and the head teachers/managers and teachers working in these pre-primary schools. A sample size of 54 pre-primary schools was selected. A total number of 136 participants from the sampled pre-primary schools participated in the study comprising of 78 preschool teachers, 54 head teachers, and four education officers. The findings revealed various intervention measures by participants such as intervention by: county government, school management such as picking and dropping children, fencing school and having lockable gates.

The aim of the study was to examine whether the width of the base of support (BOS) has an influence on early postural adjustments (EPA) and armed upper limb and COM kinematics during lunging. Eight elite female fencers participated in the study. The displacement of the centre of foot pressure (COP) and kinematics of centre of mass (COM) were recorded using force platforms. The kinematics of the wrist of the armed upper limb were obtained using a 3D accelerometer. The results show that EPA were characterised by a very small COP displacement (about 0.6 to 1.2 cm). The COP amplitude showed a tendency to decrease with an increase in BOS width under reaction time conditions. In contrast, a greater BOS width was associated with a significant increase in COM acceleration at foot-off and peak COM acceleration during lunging also under reaction time instructions. The kinematics of the wrist were not influenced by BOS. The results show that in elite fencers, the upper limb movement is dissociated from the whole body movement. We suppose that a small COP amplitude is a postural skill which is integrated into the lunging skill and might influence the acceleration of COM.

This article describes a case study of virtual herding and digital fencing technology implementation for goats in Norway. With the abolishing of physical fences, the goats can roam free in a physical sense, but in the digital realm, they are controlled by a virtual fence. The virtual fence, or digital boundary, is set by the famers and interacts with a collar around the goats’ necks. The collar first give a sound signal and thereafter a small electric shock if the goats cross a boundary, resulting in the creation of new classifications and orderings of reality. This article focuses on what this disruption means for contemporary goat farming in terms of practices, perceptions and policies of (smart) farming, as well as how the goats themselves are given new meanings and ways of being. We analyze this with the theoretical concept of “boundary object” and see how goats, which contain a multiplicity of agency and autonomy, are transformed by smart-farming technologies. Collaboration and interaction are made possible despite the fact that the actors have widely different goals. Through negotiations between multiple actors, a new type of goat emerges between nature-, culture- and technology. We conceptualize this as “CyborGoat.” This boundary object facilitates new everyday agricultural settings, which brings new benefits and issues for different stakeholder actors involved.

One way to reduce the impacts of invading wildlife diseases is setting up fences that would reduce the spread of pathogens by limiting connectivity, similarly to exclusion fences that are commonly used to conserve threatened species against invasive predators. One of the problems with fences is that, while they may have the short-term benefit of impeding the spread of disease, this benefit may be offset by potential long-term ecological costs of fragmentation by fencing. However, managers facing situations where a pathogen has been detected near the habitat of a (highly) vulnerable species may be willing to explore such a trade-off. To aid such exploration quantitatively, we present a series of models trading off the benefits of fragmentation (potential reduction of disease impacts on susceptible individuals) against its costs (both financial and ecological, i.e. reduced viability in the patches created by fragmentation), and exploring the effects of fragmentation on non-target species richness. For all model variants we derive the optimal number of artificial patches. We show that pre-emptive disease fences may have benefits when the risk of disease exceeds the impacts of fragmentation, when fence failure rates are lower than a specific threshold, and when sufficient resources are available to implement optimal solutions. A useful step to initiate planning is to obtain information about the expected number of initial infection events and on the host’s extinction threshold with respect to the focal habitat and management duration. Our approach can assist managers to identify whether the trade-offs support the decision to fence and how intensive fragmentation should be.

Reversing biodiversity loss is a global imperative that requires setting aside sufficient space for species. In South Africa, an estimated area of 20 million ha is under wildlife ranching, a form of private land enterprise that adopts wildlife-based land uses for commercial gain. This land has potential to contribute towards biodiversity conservation, but the extent to which this occurs has not been evaluated. Using structured questionnaires of 226 wildlife ranchers, we assessed how the sector contributes towards the conservation of ungulates and elephants (hereafter herbivores). Overall, 40 herbivore species were present across the sample, where individual ranches had a mean of 15.0 (± 4.8) species, 1.9 (± 1.5) threatened species, and 3.6 (± 3.1) extralimital species per property. In comparison to 54 state PAs, wildlife ranches had significantly higher species richness, more threatened species but more extralimital species when property/reserve size was controlled for. Ranches conducting trophy hunting had similar species richness and numbers of extralimital species per ha, but fewer threatened species when compared to ranches conducting ecotourism. We estimate that 4.66–7.25 million herbivores occur on ranches nationally, representing one of the few examples on earth where indigenous mammal populations are thriving and demonstrating how sustainable use can lead to rewilding. We discuss the potential negative impacts of widespread game fencing on landscape fragmentation and gene flow, as well as how the widespread occurrence of extralimital species may lead to hybridisation, biotic homogenisation, and changes to vegetation dynamics. Despite these challenges, commercial wildlife ranching offers a viable option for conserving large mammalian herbivore biodiversity.

Belowground carbon (C) input is a key component of the global C cycle. However, how does fencing affect Belowground net primary production (BNPP) and the contribution of root derived C to belowground C input remains poorly studied. In this study, the in-growth soil cores-13C method was used to quantify net root C input. Five different plant communities of different fencing years (1 year, 5 years, 10 years, 25 years, 30 years) in the Loess Plateau of China, characterized by herbs and shrubs were investigated. BNPP was increased with the increase of fencing years: 61.54~140.23 gC·m− 2·yr− 1. Root derived C in soil represented a considerable contribution to BNPP varying from 57 to 81 %, and the proportion of root derived C to BNPP was decreased with the fencing years. The contribution of root derived C to soil organic carbon (SOC) was 3 %~5 % during one-year growth. Our results underline the fact that fencing is an effective means to improve the BNPP and plant community. Root derived C rather than root biomass contributes to the SOC sequestration in grassland soils with different fencing years. Fencing increases the contribution of root derived C to SOC mainly by increasing root C content.

This paper examines individual policies against the covid-19. The number of deaths due to COVID-19 can be divided by the population (in million) to score the performance of individual policies. 19 countries were investigated. Although many experts emphasize pharmaceutical methods including vaccines, the most effective policy against the covid-19 is based on a robust digital fence where the physical isolation strategy reveals the remarkable achievement for mitigating the pandemic. To mitigate and end the pandemic, combined policies with vaccination and digital fencing need to be used.

Background and Study Aim. The aim of the research is to investigate the efficiency of designed complexes of training exercises aimed to improve the coordination abilities of qualified athletes in fencing. Material and Methods. 22 qualified athletes specializing in fencing aged from 15 to 18 took part in the research. The study design included the sequential pedagogical experiment that was realized through the several stages. At the first stage, the preliminary testing of the athletes’ coordination abilities (n=22) was conducted. During the preliminary testing the following tests were applied: jumps to the line; shuttle run (4x9 m.); T-test, straight touch from en-garde position to the target of 10 cm in diameter from close range (10 attempts); straight lunge attack from en-garde position to the target of 10 cm (10 attempts). At the second stage of the pedagogical experiment two complexes of exercises aimed at developing the coordination abilities of the athletes were applied for 3 months. The experimental complexes of exercises were used twice a week. At the third stage, the efficiency of experimental complexes aimed at the developing of coordination abilities of qualified athletes in fencing was checked through a control testing. The Statistica 10 software created by the StatSoft Company was used for statistical processing of data. Results. It was established that during the process of coordination abilities development, the greatest attention should be given to the athletes’ ability to control timing, spatial and physical parameters of moves and moves consistency. To improve the process of developing the coordination abilities of the qualified athletes in fencing two complexes of training exercises were developed. The results of the pedagogical experiment confirmed the statistical differences in the levels of the athletes’ coordination abilities manifestation before and after using experimental training complexes (p, Передумови та мета дослідження. Мета дослідження - вивчити ефективність розроблених комплексів тренувальних вправ, спрямованих на поліпшення координаційних здібностей кваліфікованих спортсменів з фехтування.Матеріал і методи. У дослідженні взяли участь 22 кваліфікованих спортсмена з фехтування у віці від 15 до 18 років. Дизайн дослідження включав послідовний педагогічний експеримент, який проводився в кілька етапів. На першому етапі було проведено попереднє тестування координаційних здібностей спортсменів (n = 22). В ході попереднього тестування застосовувалися такі тести: стрибки на лінію; човниковий біг (4х9 м.); Т-тест, пряме дотик з вихідної позиції мішені діаметром 10 см з близької відстані (10 спроб); прямий випад атака від ан-авангардистами положення до мішені 10 см (10 спроб). На другому етапі педагогічного експерименту застосовувалися два комплексу вправ, спрямованих на розвиток координаційних здібностей спортсменів протягом 3 місяців. Експериментальні комплекси вправ використовувалися два рази в тиждень. На третьому етапі через контрольне тестування перевірялася ефективність експериментальних комплексів, спрямованих на розвиток координаційних здібностей кваліфікованих спортсменів з фехтування. Для статистичної обробки даних використовувалася програма Statistica 10, створена компанією StatSoft.Результати. Встановлено, що в процесі розвитку координаційних здібностей найбільшу увагу слід приділяти вмінню спортсменів контролювати тимчасові, просторові і фізичні параметри рухів і узгодженість рухів. Для поліпшення процесу розвитку координаційних здібностей кваліфікованих спортсменів з фехтування були розроблені два комплексу тренувальних вправ. Результати педагогічного експерименту підтвердили статистичні відмінності в рівнях прояву координаційних здібностей спортсменів до і після використання експериментальних тренувальних комплексів (p, Предпосылки и цель исследования. Цель исследования - изучить эффективность разработанных комплексов тренировочных упражнений, направленных на улучшение координационных способностей квалифицированных спортсменов по фехтованию.Материал и методы. В исследовании приняли участие 22 квалифицированных спортсмена по фехтованию в возрасте от 15 до 18 лет. Дизайн исследования включал последовательный педагогический эксперимент, который проводился в несколько этапов. На первом этапе было проведено предварительное тестирование координационных способностей спортсменов (n = 22). В ходе предварительного тестирования применялись следующие тесты: прыжки на линию; челночный бег (4х9 м.); Т-тест, прямое касание из исходной позиции мишени диаметром 10 см с близкого расстояния (10 попыток); прямой выпад атака от ан-авангардистами положения к мишени 10 см (10 попыток). На втором этапе педагогического эксперимента применялись два комплекса упражнений, направленных на развитие координационных способностей спортсменов в течение 3 месяцев. Экспериментальные комплексы упражнений использовались два раза в неделю. На третьем этапе через контрольное тестирование проверялась эффективность экспериментальных комплексов, направленных на развитие координационных способностей квалифицированных спортсменов по фехтованию. Для статистической обработки данных использовалась программа Statistica 10, созданная компанией StatSoft.Результаты. Установлено, что в процессе развития координационных способностей наибольшее внимание следует уделять умению спортсменов контролировать временные, пространственные и физические параметры движений и согласованность движений. Для улучшения процесса развития координационных способностей квалифицированных спортсменов по фехтованию были разработаны два комплекса тренировочных упражнений. Результаты педагогического эксперимента подтвердили статистические различия в уровнях проявления координационных способностей спортсменов до и после использования экспериментальных тренировочных комплексов (p

Faidherbia albida is one of the scattered trees commonly intercropped with most cereals in Ethiopia due to its positive impacts. The tree is pruned for various purposes including for fencing and fuelwood. In this study, the impact of pruning on water relations of F. albida and on understorey wheat productivity was investigated. The on-farm study was conducted in Ejerssa Joro, semi-arid Ethiopia. Six mature trees were selected; three were fully pruned and three were left unpruned. Sap flow and leaf water potential were measured on these trees. Crop gas exchange, aboveground biomass and grain yield were measured under and outside tree canopies. The highest and the lowest sap volumes, recorded from unpruned F. albida, during the dry period, were 153 L day−1 and 20 L day−1, respectively. The highest and the lowest sap volumes were 13.4 L day−1 and 0.04 L day−1 recorded during the wet period. Wheat CO2 assimilation was highest (7.8 µmolm−2 s−1) at 1 m distance and declined away from the tree trunk under unpruned trees. Aboveground biomass and grain yield under unpruned treatments were significantly (P

Utilization of off-grid solar PV system is one of the availability approaches that can provide electricity to these villages from the remote area or mini grid home load system design for future purposeng to design and application of off-grid solar PV system, valued experience was gotten for popularizing off-grid solar PV system in the remote area of home load . which played an important exemplary role for utilization of solar energy in future. For remote area home/house security is very important. House is one of the basic needs of human being. A system is to be proposed which will protect the home from animals / birds, as which enter the house. A Solar / electric fence is provided around the home to protect the house from animal /birds/unknown human, so that they should not enter the house. If anyone touches electric fencing then a text message is sent to the owner’s mobile by the use of GSM. This research offers harmless and user-friendly home security for better security.

Knowledge of soil N cycling and the associated functional microbial groups of N2O production under different management measures could provide clues for the restoration of degraded meadows in alpine ecosystems. We investigated soil N2O emissions, the genes related to N2O production and reduction (AOA-amoA, AOB-amoA, nirK, nirS, and nosZ), and associated microbial communities in four meadows (continuous grazing, grazing exclusion by fencing, grazing exclusion by combined fencing and reseeding, and undisturbed meadow) in the Tibetan Plateau to reveal the mechanism underlying potential N2O emissions in alpine meadows. Compared to the grazing meadow, fencing and fencing + reseeding meadows had lower N2O emissions and lower abundances of AOA-amoA, AOB-amoA, nirK, nirS, and nosZ genes, suggesting that grazing exclusion could decrease the soil N-turnover potential. However, the higher N2O emissions compared to those of undisturbed meadows indicated that longer restoration periods were necessary. Seeding the fenced meadow did not alter soil N2O emission or the abundance of AOA-amoA, AOB-amoA, nirK, nirS, and nosZ genes, possibly owing to the similar soil nutrient status compared to that of the fencing meadow. Grazing exclusion also resulted in significant changes in the community diversity and composition of microbes harboring these functional genes, especially nirK and nosZ communities. N2O emissions were significantly associated with microbial communities involved in N2O production and reduction but not with the gene abundance of AOA-amoA, AOB-amoA, nirK, nirS, and nosZ. Soil dissolved organic nutrients, including C and N, and soil moisture were the controlling factors for N2O production by altering the community composition of nirK- and nosZ-type denitrifiers, such as Bradyrhizobiaceae, Rhizobiaceae, Brucellaceae, Ochrobactrum, and Proteobacteria. Our results indicated that grazing-induced elevation of potential N2O emissions from meadow soil could be alleviated by grazing exclusion, including sole fencing and a combination of fencing and reseeding, by changing soil dissolved organic nutrients and moisture thus regulating the microbial communities.

Human–wildlife conflicts have intensified by many folds and at different levels in recent years. The same is true in the case of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), the roof of the world, and a region known for its wealth in biodiversity. We present a systematic literature review (SLR) using the search, appraisal, synthesis, and analysis (SALSA) framework; and for spatial and network analysis, we employed the VOSviewer software. The review—covering 240 peer—articles within a span of 27 years (from 1982 to 2019)—revealed that in the last decade, there was a 57% increase in publications but with a disproportionate geographical and thematic focus. About 82% of the research concentrated on protected areas and large carnivores and mega herbivores played a big role in such conflicts. About 53% of the studies were based on questionnaires, and the main driver reported was habitat disturbance of animals due to land‐cover change, urbanization, and increase in human population. On the management front, the studies reported the use of traditional protection techniques like guarding and fencing. Our analysis of 681 keywords revealed a prominent focus on ‘human‐wildlife conflict,’ ‘Nepal,’ ‘Bhutan,’ ‘Snow Leopard,’ and ‘Leopard’ indicating the issue linked with these species and countries. The involvement of 640 authors from 36 countries indicates increasing interest, and Nepal and India are playing key roles in the region. As for the spatial analysis that was conducted, while it showed regional variations, there were conspicuous limitations in terms of having a transboundary focus. Thus, particular attention ought to be paid to building transboundary partnerships and improving management interventions; there is also a pressing need to understand the patterns of human–wildlife convergence, especially involving meso‐mammals., We present a systematic review on human–wildlife conflict from the roof of the world. The review presents results from 240 peer‐reviewed articles with an increasing trend of publications. About 82% of the research reported cases from protected area indicating conservation challenges. Scholars highlight habitat disturbance through land‐cover change, urbanization, and human population increase as major drivers. More focus on pattern of interactions at transboundary level and effective mitigation measures are recommended.

What do we learn when we study the historical connections between the political sphere—events that make headlines—and the politics of daily life? What role have self-managed communities of practice and their networks played in the socioeconomic, political, and cultural transformations in post-15M Spain? Have they exhausted their potential, or have they just scratched the surface of their capabilities? This reflection illustrates some preliminary observations on the ecosystem of the commons and its communities of practice in post-15M Spain. It responds to some of these expansive and yet pressing questions offering initial answers based on structured interviews and participant observation of community members in forty-six self-managed communities of practice in Spain.

A subject course complied with a grade of 4.0 (A+) approved Doctorate Ph.D. Curriculum Design Subject Course, DBCE 108 3.0 Credit Units Building Acoustic Engineering and as part of my journey at the Atlantic International University with Ph.D. in Building and Construction Engineering. The Gold Line Metro Rail Transit is referred to as the Historic Line that will run approximately from east to west of about 23 km from the Al Aziziya Station, which is adjacent to the Villagio Shopping Mall in the west to the Ras Bu Abboud Station in the east and situated in the heart of Doha City that will become a point of destination in a tranquil environment of connectivity and making them with a perfect place of connectivity in the public domain, which is designed for the community with relations to other landmarks in Doha. The Metro Rail Stations offers great viewpoints for commercial businesses, shelters, and connectivity that will provide connection to the rest of Doha City. However, this is a course study that contains an acoustic screening of the design of the proposed measures for the building acoustic assessment of the public address and the voice alarm system application, building architectural chiller yard, and fencing acoustic system application that includes airborne sound insulation, room acoustics, and noise and vibration control, which is noise acceptable for the Gold Line Metro Rail Transit entrances shelter environment designed for 10 public stations. The proper estimation and simulation using the acoustic 3D modeling software for the Gold Line Metro Rail Transit Shelters with references to the codes and standards of practices which have been shown explain and figure them in this study. The design procedure first starts with the estimation of building acoustic requirements and calculation process that was explained and demonstrated in full detail procedure and was performed obtaining through the software. Based on the design calculation result as discussed in the succeeding Sections which have to be understood by the layman of the application, however, the acoustic equipment was sized and selected based on the requirement. At the start of the design process, the acoustical design has been investigated throughout the architectural perspective according to the requirement of the client for the Sport City Metro Station building, however, the purpose is to secure a sustainable environment within the noise perspective, and acoustic measures which can be used as the design principles in the contribution in the development of the building process.

In forests affected by heavy fires and continuous grazing of exotic herbivorous mammal species, Nothofagus pumilio (lenga) cannot recover naturally. The main factors that hinder the natural recovery of these forests and the feasibility of native tree plantations are the exotic herbivorous pressure, like that produced by Lepus europaeus (European hare), and the environment degradation degree by anthropic disturbances. The objective of this study was to evaluate different plantation efforts to recover N. pumilio forests degraded by fires in Chilean Patagonia. The plantation actions also included wire fences for sapling protection in 100 ha, where 60 ha were established during autumn (May 2012), and 40 ha were established during spring (October 2012). In March 2013 we recorded the height annual growth (cm year−1), the section browsed at each sapling, the modification of plant form (number of new branches), and the vigor expression. We evaluated the data using one- and two-way ANOVAs, Cohen’s d effect size, and chi-square analyses. We measured a total of 872 plants, where 42% presented damages caused by European hare browsing. These results indicated that the wire fences were not completely useful to stop the damage on saplings (Cohen’s d effect size =

This study examined the various forms of agroforestry technologies adopted by the farmers as well as assessed the factors influencing the adoption of agroforestry technologies among farmers in the study area. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select the respondents from the study area. Both descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages as well as inferential statistics such as Logistic Regression model were used in the study. From the study, it was discovered that adopters of agroforestry technology accounts for 42.47%, while non-adopters accounted for 57.53% of the sampled respondents. The result further shows the different forms of agroforestry practices adopted by the farmers in the study area which includes boundary planting, multipurpose trees/shrubs, wind breaks and live fencing. The result of the analysis of the factors that influence the adoption of agroforestry technologies among farmers from the logistic regression analysis revealed that access to extension services, age, education, farming experience, farm size and gender were positive and significant factors in determining the adoption of agroforestry technologies among the farmers.

Virtual wildlife fencing presents as a cost-effective measure for roadkill mitigation, which aids in reducing fragmentation of wildlife populations by facilitating safer movement of wildlife across the landscape. In this study, we conducted an audit of a virtual fence installation in south-east Queensland, Australia. We assessed its reliability in flows of traffic and the effect that installation parameters and site conditions had on its effective operation in an urban setting. We made observations on the behavioural response of Eastern Grey Kangaroos Macropus giganteus to the acoustic signals produced by the fence. We found that the fencing activated consistently in response to headlights at dusk and dawn, and when traffic flows were dense, despite considerable variations in the range of installation parameters. However, we identified that the response of the virtual fence to headlights was affected by road curvature and we identified inconsistencies in the timing and pattern of activation in response to traffic. Behavioural observations showed a significant increase in kangaroo vigilance in response to the acoustic signal of the fence when resting or grazing, and kangaroos detected the acoustic signal up to 50 m away. While virtual fencing operates effectively and is a low-cost roadkill mitigation option that can be applied to the urban environment, more research is needed to better understand the effect of its acoustic and visual signals on wildlife behaviour and efficacy in busy urban environments.

From 1864 to 1867, Australian novelist Rolf Boldrewood (Thomas Alexander Browne) was resident manager of the Riverina sheep run Bundidjaree. During this time, he fenced the run but left penniless a...

Livestock presence in forest ecosystems is considered a factor in forest destruction in developing countries; therefore, rehabilitation practices following livestock exclusion could be a good way to restore forests. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in the soil properties and plant biodiversity 12 years after applying fencing and planting in the livestock farms in the Hyrcanian Forests of Iran. First, three regions close to each other were selected and then four areas (treatments) were considered in each region: 1. An area under livestock use (L), 2. an enclosed area (E; with fences, established in 2007), 3. a planted area (P; established with Acer velutinum seedlings in 2007), and 4. a control area (C; natural forest); therefore, a total of 12 areas were considered. In each of the 12 areas, three plots (20 × 20 m) were randomly established (a total of 36 plots), and all the vascular plants in the herbaceous layer and woody species seedlings were recorded in order to study the biodiversity of the vegetation cover. One soil sample was taken from each plot to examine the physical and chemical properties of the soil. The results showed that bulk density, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and available potassium were not significantly different between the C, E, and P treatments. Rehabilitation practices improved the soil pH (P: 6.36 ± 0.06, E: 6.59 ± 0.08), EC (P: 0.86 ± 0.05, E: 0.82 ± 0.04 ds cm−1), total nitrogen (P: 0.31 ± 0.001, E: 0.31 ± 0.005), available phosphorus (P: 10.13 ± 2.22, E: 19.29 ± 2.43 mg kg−1), and available potassium (P: 1369.60 ± 31.06, E: 1898.80 ± 448.60 mg kg−1). The Margalef index was lower in the L area and no significant difference was observed between the E and P areas. Since the multivariate analysis (based on the vegetation and soil data) showed that P and E had more similarity to C, these treatments could accelerate the forest restoration process.

SIGNIFICANCE Perceptual-cognitive skills are the capacity of athletes to identify task-relevant information in the environment and integrate information with the knowledge available for decision making or controlling motor responses. Gaze behavior is one performance-related perceptual skill and a key factor affecting expertise affecting referee performance. PURPOSE The aim of this study was to compare visual search behavior and decision-making accuracy of expert and novice fencing referees. METHOD Twenty-eight referees were divided into expert (n = 14) and novice (n = 14) groups. Participants were fitted with mobile eye trackers and participated in tests that consisted of five blocks of 10 video clips. Videos are provided annually by the World Fencing Federation for referee testing. RESULTS The results showed a significant difference between the two groups in terms of the accuracy of decision making, number, duration, and location of fixations. Expert referees had higher decision-making accuracy compared with novice referees. Expert referees had fewer fixations than did novice referees. Fixations of expert referees were longer than those of novice referees, and the locations of fixations of expert and novice referees were different. CONCLUSIONS According to the results of this study, it can be concluded that the difference in visual search behavior of expert and novice referees was one of the factors contributing to better decision making of expert referees.

Experimental restoration using tree seedlings is a common strategy for accelerating succession on degraded post-agricultural land formerly occupied by Cerrado vegetation. Seedling growth in degraded tropical lands is constrained by various factors. The goal of this study was to evaluate the seedling growth and survival of seven native tree species used to accelerate forest recovery in a gully area with stressful environmental conditions. The experimental design involved fenced and unfenced blocks, presence and absence of fertilization and use of an adhesive to prevent ant herbivory (four treatments with four replicates). Seedlings were planted in December 2006 and collection of data on seedling basal diameter, height, mortality and herbivory started on January 24th 2007 and continued every three months, until final data collection on January 31st 2009 (9 measurement dates). Overall seedling survival was 38 % and protecting seedlings did not influence growth, but seedlings grew faster in response to the addition of fertilizer containing N, P and K. The use of the adhesive Tanglefoot to exclude leaf cutter ants had no influence on growth. Fencing reduced seedling mortality, but combining fencing with Tanglefoot did not. Nutrient availability limits seedling growth and survival in the gully. Direct planting of seedlings of native trees may accelerate succession in degraded Cerrado lands subject to interventions that overcome constraints on seedling growth and survival.

Solar-based virtual fences use the principle of converting solar energy into electrical energy and giving electric shock while touching the fences. Electronic fence systems are used at many places such as forest areas, farms, etc. To protect those places against animals and thefts solar energy is converted to electrical energy to provide the necessary voltage for electrical fences As the Unregulated DC voltage from the solar energy is converted to regulated DC voltage and further converted to AC voltage using an inverter. And this electrical energy is used to give short but sharp shocks to the animals or anyone who touches the fence, But there is life threat through electrical shocks, as even though it is a short time shock it will be dangerous to life as it electrical energy and there will be chances of death, So we proposed a model of VIRTUAL FENCING technique which protects the farmland by scaring away the animals which tries to enter the fence protected land and at the same time it alerts the owner about the intrusion and lets the owner choose the type of defense to use remotely which is made possible in our model through a GSM module.

Az egyetem-, mentalitás- és sporttörténeti kérdésfelvetéseket egyesítő tanulmány arra a kérdésre keresi a választ, hogy a kora újkorban melyen szerepet töltött be a vívás az európai egytemek hallgatóinak életében, hogyan viszonyultak az egyetemek a hallgatók fegyverviseléséhez és a fegyveres rendbontások problémájához. A kezdeti tiltások után a vívás-tanítás fokozatosan helyet kapott az egyetemek és akadémiák curriculumaiban és az ilyen módon elsajátított „szabályozott” vívás jelentősen hozzájárult az önmagát privilegzált társadalmi rétegnek tekintő egyetemi hallgatóság viselkedéskultúrájának konszolidálásához.

This study was conducted to identify major livestock production constraints and improved forage production efforts in the Damot Gale district. Four representative kebeles, two associated with our NGO project and two from nonproject outreach activities, were selected. Forty farmers from each kebele were randomly chosen for the purpose of individual interviews using a semistructured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS (version 20) and Excel. The topmost livestock production constraint was feed shortage where a larger proportion of farmers (75.6%) suffered from the problem with higher ( p ≤ 0.01) severity in nonproject intervention areas. Of these, 38.6% were challenged for a period of three months while another 61.4% suffered for about four months. Purchasing grass (31.4%) and concentrate (33.5%) and feeding enset (Ensete ventricosum) leaf (21.49%) were the most commonly adopted coping mechanisms to alleviate feed shortages during the dry season, while using purchased grass and enset leaf was the main coping strategy in nonproject intervention ( p ≤ 0.01) areas. The majority of households (90.75%) participate in improved forage production regardless of farm size. Desho grass (Pennisetum pedicellatum) (71.38%) and elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) (42.63%) are the most common improved forages in both study areas. These forages are produced for the purpose of two or more functions (feed, cash, and preventing erosion) that vary ( p ≤ 0.01) among intervention status. Major niche locations adopted for improved forage production include farm land, soil and water conservation structures, and perimeter fencing. Greatest constraints on improved forage production were seed/material shortage followed by land shortage and lack of awareness. Project intervention ( p ≤ 0.01), tropical livestock unit (TLU) holding ( p ≤ 0.01), and forage seed/planting material access ( p

The research aims to identify the design of an interactive electronic booklet using a quick response code and its effect on both: - 1- The level of cognitive achievement of the fencing course for the second year girls ’students of the Faculty of Physical Education, Sadat City University. 2- The level of skillful performance of the skills of " Une-deux, Doublement, Une-deux-trois, Coup-droit-degagement, " for the Female students of the second year, Faculty of Physical Education, Sadat City University.

The research aims to identify the reality of the use of fencing course faculty members on the virtual electronic educational platforms of some physical education colleges through the following axes: - 1-The importance of using virtual electronic educational platforms in teaching the fencing course to male and female students of some physical education colleges. 2-The extent of using virtual electronic educational platforms in teaching the fencing course to male and female students of some physical education colleges. 3-Difficulties facing the use of virtual electronic educational platforms in teaching the fencing course to male and female students of some physical education colleges. 4-Setting a proposed concept for developing and activating the virtual electronic educational platforms in the Faculties of Physical Education.

Agricultural strategies are changing quickly as a result of late advances in sustainable power innovation. The new headways in environmentally friendly power can be adequately utilized in the agribusiness area to decrease reliance on regular harvests water system procedures and petroleum derivatives. The Solar-Powered Smart Irrigation System intends to give an IoT arrangement in computerizing the watering interaction utilizing an Arduino-based microcontroller and sensors. It is an energy proficient and eco-accommodating framework that produces power from the photovoltaic cells to supply water to the plants from the water siphons. The watering cycle is driven by the dampness substance of the dirt utilizing sensors. Edge limit are set for soil dampness sensor to guarantee productive and viable utilization of water asset. The fundamental microcontroller unit controls the framework at whatever point the sensor is across limit esteem. Likewise, the framework has implicit temperature and dampness sensors to screen the environment condition on the particular climate. Another sensor is carried out to gauge the water tank level which fills in as capacity limit that provisions the water to the framework. With the incorporation of IoT, mechanized water system can be effectively access and distantly checked over the versatile application through a remote specialized gadget. With these shrewd water system procedures, it replaces the customary water system framework that helps decline the manual intercession and mix-ups

Understanding the performance of agroforestry woody species in controlled and free grazing systems is crucial for scaling up agroforestry practices. The objective of this study was to identify and evaluate the determinants of agroforestry woody species composition and regeneration in free and controlled grazing systems in the Ethiopian highlands. Household and field surveys were conducted on 83 and 171 households selected from controlled grazing (CG) and free grazing (FG) systems, respectively. Woody species performance was compared between the two grazing systems using independent T-test. Seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) was used to identify the factors determining woody species density/abundance, diversity and regeneration. Most trees were grown for fuel wood and timber rather than for fodder. CG users owned more diversified species and abundant regenerates and mature trees/shrubs than FG users. The SUR results showed that herd size, farmland size, fencing, plantation of seedlings, education, wealth, grazing system, farmland distance from homestead and slope were the major factors affecting the composition and regeneration of species. Specifically the SUR results per-household indicated that woody species regeneration was highly affected by grazing system. Fencing is the common underlying factor positively affecting species diversity, regeneration and density of mature trees. Homestead distance from road and number of planted seedlings significantly affected density of regenerates and mature trees. Density of mature trees and species diversity were significantly affected by agroecology and slope. Woody species diversity was significantly affected by education, wealth, farmland size and project participation. Our findings revealed that the scaling up of woody species in agroforestry requires not only CG and favorable agroecology but also matching of agroforestry options with household and farmland characteristics.

The coronavirus has challenged the lives of many people all around the globe. The widespread use of COVID-19 left people starving with no money and bread. To combat this effect on people the only way is to maintain social distance and be cautious all the time. We put forward a mobile application-based strategy to combat the risk of COVID-19. The motive of the proposed model is to make people aware of COVID-19 cases updates and also notify them at various situations. We developed the mobile application using android studio and made use of Google firebase for the database. COVID-19 cases status along with information related to pandemic and emergency contacts are featured in the application. The outcomes of the application are good in response time as well as in the delivering of notifications. Index Terms: Geo-Fencing, Mobile Application, COVID-19, Android Studio, Google Firebase

Virtual fencing technology uses a neckband-mounted device to deliver an audio cue when an animal nears a virtual boundary that is set via a global positioning system, followed by an electrical stimulus if it crosses the boundary. The flexibility offered by this technology could revolutionize grazing management on dairy farms, but its application and effects on lactating dairy cattle have not been assessed. This experiment reports on the effects of an electric or a virtual front-fence on dairy cow behavior and welfare. Two temporally separated treatments were applied to a herd of 30 multiparous cows. Cows were provided an estimated 14 to 15 kg of dry matter/cow of fresh pasture in a new paddock every 24 h. From d 1 to 10 cows were grazed using a conventional electric front-fence (control treatment) and from d 14 to 23 they were grazed using a virtual front-fence (eShepherd, Agersens Pty Ltd.). Cows were trained to the technology from d 11 to 13. The milk production and live weight of individual cows were recorded daily. Cortisol concentrations were obtained from milk samples collected from individual cows on 3 d during each of the control and the virtual fence grazing periods, plus the first day of training. From d 6 of the experiment, 6 focal cows were fitted with a RumiWatch (Itin + Hoch GmbH) noseband sensor to monitor grazing and ruminating time, and 8 focal cows were fitted with an IceTag (IceRobotics Ltd.) sensors to monitor activity. Milk production, live weight, and the time cows spent standing and lying did not differ between the electric and virtual fence periods. Milk cortisol concentrations, activity, and the times spent ruminating and grazing were comparable between the electric and early virtual fence periods (i.e., d 1–3 with a virtual fence). However, at d 4 to 6 with a virtual fence, activity (steps taken and motion index) and time spent grazing were lower, and time spent ruminating was greater, compared with an electric fence. Further, least significant difference tests suggest milk cortisol concentrations were higher at d 5 with a virtual fence than at d 8 with an electric fence and d 1 with a virtual fence. We conclude there is no evidence of behavioral and welfare effects of virtual fencing on dairy cows in the days immediately following implementation of the technology in a simple intensive grazing regimen, but a longer study is required to fully elucidate effects beyond this period.

Hardin’s Tragedy of the Commons has often been cited as the rationale for the privatization of pastures throughout the world, yet rangeland degradation is still widespread. A significant body of ecological research has demonstrated negative impacts from limiting herd movement through fencing. The privatization of pastures has often followed heterogeneous patterns. We use a natural experiment in common grazing areas on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau where land use was privatized beginning in 1999 following different land use division patterns. We measure the relationship between land use privatization paths and grassland quality using satellite data from 1989 to 2011 in five different villages, and compare how well herder environmental perceptions match satellite data. We find that rangeland degradation has significantly increased following privatization of land use, and that grassland in small individually managed fenced plots is deteriorating more significantly than in larger fenced areas with group herding. We further find that herders’ had accurate perceptions of the state of their pastures that closely match remotely sensed data.

Sword fencing is a special sport in which swordsmen can inflict both injections and blows. We studied the indicators of mutual attacks of highly qualified male saber players at the competitions of the fencing season 2018/2019, the peculiarities of which were that this season followed the next changes in the rules of the competition and preceded the next Olympic Games. At the competitions of this period, the tactical schemes of conducting fights were tested, the sports struggle for the ratings of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) and obtaining licenses for the XXXII Olympiad was conducted. The video of individual matches of saber players, which took place at the stages of the World Cup (Algeria, Budapest, Warsaw), at the Grand Prix (Cairo, Moscow, Seoul) and at the 2019 World Cup (Budapest) was used in the work. The article presents the results of a comparative analysis of the indicators of mutual attacks of saber players in the playoff rounds and in the finals of competitions. It was established that the fights of highly qualified swordsmen were characterized by the average size of mutual attacks. However, as we approached the finals and intensified the tactical confrontation of rivals, the volume of mutual attacks increased. The final fights were characterized by a reduced volume of mutual attacks. Data on the correlation of the volume of mutual attacks with the ratings of fencers are given.

Wildlife fences are often considered an important tool in conservation. Fences are used in attempts to prevent human–wildlife conflict and reduce poaching, despite known negative impacts on landscape connectivity and animal movement patterns. Such impacts are likely to be particularly important for wide-ranging species, such as the African wild dog Lycaon pictus, which requires large areas of continuous habitat to fulfil its resource requirements. Laikipia County in northern Kenya is an important area for wild dogs but new wildlife fences are increasingly being built in this ecosystem. Using a long-term dataset from the area's free-ranging wild dog population, we evaluated the effect of wildlife fence structure on the ability of wild dogs to cross them. The extent to which fences impeded wild dog movement differed between fence designs, although individuals crossed fences of all types. Purpose-built fence gaps increased passage through relatively impermeable fences. Nevertheless, low fence permeability can lead to packs, or parts of packs, becoming trapped on the wrong side of a fence, with consequences for population dynamics. Careful evaluation should be given to the necessity of erecting fences; ecological impact assessments should incorporate evaluation of impacts on animal movement patterns and should be undertaken for all large-scale fencing interventions. Where fencing is unavoidable, projects should use the most permeable fencing structures possible, both in the design of the fence and including as many purpose-built gaps as possible, to minimize impacts on wide-ranging wildlife.

Анотація. Еволюція змагальної діяльності у фехтуванні, неможливість збільшення обсягів та інтенсивності тренувальних навантажень фехтувальників на шпагах обумовлює пошук нових шляхів та резервів до вдосконалення різних сторін їх підготовленості. За останні роки, у зв’язку з активними процесами комерціалізації в спорті, суттєво збільшилася кількість змагань, у яких беруть участь висококваліфіковані спортсмени. Як наслідок – зросла інтенсивність змагальної діяльності та підвищились вимоги до підготовленості спортсменів. Тренери та науковці почали шукати нові шляхи підвищення результативності змагальної діяльності спортсменів, серед таких підходів можна виділити дослідження психофізіологічних характеристик та врахування їх під час побудови підготовки спортсменів у єдиноборствах. Мета. Визначити психофізіологічні характеристики фехтувальників на шпагах на етапах спеціалізованої базової підготовки та максимальної реалізації індивідуальних можливостей спортсменів. Методи. Теоретичний аналіз та узагальнення, документальний метод, метод вимірювання та математичної статистики. Результати. Для визначення психофізіологічних характеристик фехтувальників на шпагах нами було використано комплекс для психофізіологічного тестування «Нейрософт-психотест». У дослідженні взяли участь 15 фехтувальників на шпагах на етапі максимальної реалізації індивідуальних можливостей, а також 15 фехтувальників на шпагах на етапі спеціалізованої базової підготовки. За допомогою цього комплексу було здійснено вимірювання простої зорово-моторної реакції, реакції розрізнення, вибору, на рухомий об’єкт, силової витривалості кисті та стійкості до перешкод. Для фехтувальників на етапі максимальної реалізації індивідуальних можливостей характерний високий рівень простої зорово-моторної реакції, реакції розрізнення та реакції вибору, висока стійкість до перешкод, а також під час реалізації реакції на рухомий об’єкт переважає кількість випереджень над кількістю запізнень. Ключові слова: психофізіологія, фехтування на шагах, спортивні єдиноборства, етап багаторічної підготовки.

The study intended to identify the problems of the farmers and prioritise them for extension intervention. The study was facilitated by the political head of the department within a hundred days of the resumption of duty. Meetings were facilitated through district offices of both the department and municipalities. The identification of farmers’ problems focused mainly on production, financial and infrastructural projects. Data was collected through a participatory rural appraisal approach. Farmers were allowed to express problems affecting them in a meeting setup. The extension officers (E.O) captured problems expressed by farmers and classify them according to the questionnaire template developed. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to capture and analyse data. The data was presented to extension officers and management of DARD. The major findings of the study revealed that :( 1) Water supply, (2) Availability of land, (3) Livestock theft, (4) production inputs, (5) Machinery, and (6) fencing were major problems of the farmers. The recommendation of the study was that: (a) Problems be resolved according to their importance and (b) preference for implementation of extension intervention programmes to be a bottom-up than a top-down approach.

BACKGROUND: Data about lower extremities’ strength and power asymmetries in fencers, and their relationships to fencing performance are limited and inconsistent. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate asymmetries, between dominant (D) and non-dom (ND) legs of elite young male and female fencers, in relation to performance in fencing specific tests. METHODS: Anthropometric characteristics, unilateral vertical-horizontal jumping, isokinetic strength, lunge and step lunge performances were evaluated in 16 male and 22 female elite fencers. RESULTS: Significant differences between genders were found for all anthropometric measurements (p< 0.05). No significant bilateral asymmetries and gender x laterality effects were observed (p> 0.05). Fencing performance was negatively correlated with the D leg’s flexion/extension (F/E) ratio at 300∘/s (r: -0.564 to -0.619, p< 0.05). In addition, D leg’s F/E ratio at 300∘/s was positively related to lung peak velocity and power in female fencers (r: 0.562–0.649; p< 0.05). Finally, only in female fencers, unilateral triple hop distance was significantly related to lung peak velocity and power (r: 0.442–0.500; p< 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest that the differential activation/movement pattern of the D and ND leg muscles do not lead to anatomical, dynamic and functional lower extremities asymmetries.

With changes in global climate and land use, the area of desertified farmland in southeastern Horqin Sandy Land (HSL) has increased in recent years, and farmlands are being abandoned. These abandoned farmlands (AFs) negatively impact the local ecology. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to select suitable trees and shrubs for those AFs to prevent and control the desertification tendency. In this study, three AFs were fenced for 2 years, then 37 arbor and shrub species or varieties of 21 families were planted in the fenced AFs and grown for 10 years. The ecological adaptability of the species was evaluated and ranked using a principal component analysis. The results showed that the biodiversity of the AFs significantly improved after 2 years of fencing; the Shannon–Wiener index and species richness of perennial grasses and forbs were 1.45 and 3.6 times higher, respectively, than for the unfenced AF. Among all species planted in fenced AFs, nine tree species had positive comprehensive F (CF) values; Pinus sylvestris (Russian Shira steppe provenance), Populus alba ‘Berolinensis’ and Gleditsia triacanthos had CF greater than 1, and the first (PC1), second (PC2) and third (PC3) principal component values (F1, F2, F3) were all positive. Among the shrubs, only Lespedeza bicolor and Rosa xanthina f. normalis had CF greater than 0. All these results suggest that fencing improves biodiversity and that planting trees and shrubs that have higher CF values on the basis of fencing is an effective way to green and beautify AFs in HSL.

This study aims to investigate the effect of imagery training and concentration on the reaction time of students taking fencing extracurricular activities. It was a quasi-experimental research using quantitative approach. A total of 15 respondents were classified into 3 groups, which were control (K) and two experimental groups. Students in experimental groups were given imagery training (E1) and concentration training (E2) for six weeks and reaction times were measured using Electronic Fencing Target-1 (EFT-1) before and after the exercise was given. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistic using paired t-test and Anova one way, and significance level was set at p=0.05. The results found that the imagery and concentration training had a positive impact on the decrease of reaction time, with significance values of 0.008 and 0.005, respectively. From these results it can be concluded that imagery and concentration exercises can help players to improve their reaction time, so that fencers can react quickly to every movement. OPTIMALISASI WAKTU REAKSI MELALUI LATIHAN IMAGERY DAN KONSENTRASI DALAM OLAHRAGA ANGGAR AbstrakPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh latihan imagery dan konsentrasi terhadap kecepatan waktu reaksi pada siswa yang mengikuti ekstrakulikuler anggar. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian eksperimen semu yang menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif. Sebanyak 15 orang responden dikelompokkan menjadi 3 kelompok, yaitu satu kelompok kontrol (K) dan dua kelompok eksperimen yang diberi latihan imagery (E1) dan latihan konsentrasi (E2). Latihan dilakukan selama enam minggu dan waktu reaksi diukur sebelum dan sesudah latihan diberikan menggunakan Electronic Fencing Target-1 (EFT-1). Analisis data dilakukan secara deskriptif dan inferensial menggunakan uji paired t-test dan Anova one way, dengan nilai signifikan ditetapkan sebesar 0.05. Hasil analisis didapatkan bahwa latihan imagery dan konsentrasi yang diberikan kepada responden memberikan dampak positif terhadap penurunan waktu reaksi, dengan nilai signifikansi secara berturut-turut sebesar 0.008 dan 0.005. Dari hasil ini dapat disimpulkan bahwa latihan imagery dan konsentrasi dapat membantu pemain untuk meningkatkan kemampuan reaksi, sehingga pemain anggar dapat bereaksi dengan cepat terhadap setiap gerakan.

Context Herding and mustering procedures during livestock management can be time-consuming, labour intensive, and costly. The ability to gather animals virtually is an enticing notion but technology to do this is not widely commercially available. Aims The eShepherd® virtual fencing system being developed for cattle may be able to remotely herd animals. This system operates via global positioning system, and requires animals to wear a neckband device. Animals are trained to associate an audio tone with an electrical pulse to avoid a virtual boundary. Methods Experiments were conducted with cattle using pre-commercial prototypes of the automated virtual fencing neckbands, and with sheep using manually operated dog training collars implementing the same virtual fencing algorithm to explore the potential of this technology for herding, and optimal fence designs for herding success. In the first experiment, five groups of 12 cattle were moved down a 344 m paddock using three different fence placement designs. Results The most successful design for cattle herding was a back fence that followed behind the animals to prevent them from turning back in the wrong direction. The fences were manually activated by personnel based on the cattle movement. The same type of fence design was manually applied to two groups of six sheep to successfully herd them down a 140 m paddock in the second experiment. Conclusions All herding was highly dependent on the animal’s own pace of movement as no signals were applied to ‘push’ the animals, the systems only prevented movement back in the wrong direction. The pre-commercial prototype of the automated eShepherd® device used is now obsolete and testing with updated versions would be needed to confirm its application for animal herding. Implications These preliminary trials indicate potential for virtual fencing technology to herd livestock, but technology improvements are required, and an automated device for sheep is not yet available.

Poor handling and storage practices reduce the manure quality as a fertilizer. A survey was done in the Seke communal area, Zimbabwe to establish common manure management practices, determine factors that influence use of manure and determine effects of the manure management practices on vegetable yield. A structured questionnaire was administered to 222 respondents from April to August 2019. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were done using SPSS. Chi-square tests and Spearman rank correlation were done to test for associations and the non-cause-effect relationship between different independent variables and farmers’ management practice of manure respectively. 88% of the respondents owned 0.5 t/ha) quantities and >50% of the farmers were void of information on animal manure management. Fencing only was the common type of animal housing but had negative effects on quantity and quality of the manure. Drylot was most common (90%) manure management practice and different manure management practices had significantly (P

Given the multiple stressors affecting freshwater ecosystems and the limited resources devoted to their management, effective conservation of freshwater biodiversity requires regional prioritization. Patagonian wetlands are essential for regional biodiversity and the economy, but they are still far from reaching global conservation targets and many of them could disappear due to climate change. Our study aimed at prioritizing wetlands based on aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity, their conservation status and vulnerability to climate change. First, we identified 43 priority wetlands containing all aquatic biodiversity collected in 82 Patagonian wetlands located over a 1500 km north–south gradient, by using the software Marxan. Then, we ranked within priority wetlands according to their conservation status (low priority if they were already protected; medium priority if not), importance for terrestrial biodiversity conservation (high priority) and vulnerability to climate change. Highly ranked priority wetlands in National Parks (low priority), contained diverse wetlands (57% aquatic taxon richness), including a large proportion of rare species (33%). High priority wetlands are oases of water in an arid and semiarid steppe, containing not only a large proportion of the aquatic biodiversity, but also acting as a refuge for terrestrial flora and fauna. Different management actions are proposed according to wetland priority level (e.g. fencing, creation of artificial ponds), and since 20% of medium priority and 36% of high priority wetlands are expected to disappear by 2050, their inclusion in conservation or restoration plans needs to be carefully evaluated.

Over one-fourth of the world's land area is dedicated to agriculture, and these lands provide important ecosystem services (ES). Trees are a key component of agricultural ecosystems' ability to provide ES, especially in tropical regions. Agricultural landowners' evaluation of the ES provided by trees influences management decisions, impacting tree cover at large scales. Using a case study approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with four types of agricultural landowners in southern Costa Rica to better understand how they value ES provided by trees. We used a socio-cultural valuation method, which revealed that landowners highly valued regulating and provisioning ES provided by trees and that the number and type of ES identified was influenced by the principle economic activity. Those farmers with larger amounts of forests on their properties more often identified cultural ES. The socio-cultural valuation methods revealed that respondents valued trees as wildlife habitat, coupling supporting and cultural services with both material (e.g., tourism) and non-material benefits (e.g., beauty). Few farmers in the study benefited from payment for ecosystem services programs, but the high value farmers placed on trees indicates there are other opportunities to increase tree cover on farms, such as promotion of live fencing and expanded riparian corridors. Results from this work can help improve conservation outcomes by shifting the focus of ecosystem service valuation to the needs and concerns of small-scale farmers in the development of outreach programs, management plans, and policies aimed at increasing tree cover on private lands in agricultural landscapes.