Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Participatory responses to historical flash floods and their relevance for current risk reduction: a view from a post‐communist country

Participatory responses to natural disasters are currently considered to be the primary tool for disaster risk reduction. However, the implementation of this tool in post-communist Central European countries is constrained by the strong position of the central government and a weakened civil society as a heritage of the former communist governments. This study analyses documentary sources to reconstruct social responses to five disastrous flash flood events (1897, 1907, 1925, 1926 and 1927) in northern Bohemia, Czech Republic. The reconstruction of social responses has revealed their complexity and strong component of a participatory approach. The analysis shows that certain historical measures and approaches to recovery from flash floods can be useful for re-establishing and reinforcing former social patterns in post-communist transition countries in terms of strategies for disaster risk reduction.
Phylogenetic overview of the genus Squalius (Actinopterygii, Cyprinidae) in the Iberian Peninsula, with description of two new species

A B S T R A C T. - A more accurate assessment of the true diversity within the genus S q u a l i u s on the Iberian Peninsula was made using morphological and molecular characters. A phylogenetic analysis based on the complete sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene was used to reveal monophyletic groups that had the suf ficient evolutionary significance to be regarded as new species. On the basis of genetic and morphological characters, Mediterranean populations from eastern and southern Spain that, in the past, were included in Squalius pyre n a i c u s are herein described as two new species. S q u a l ius valentinus sp. nov., the new eastern Spanish species, inhabits the Mijares, Turia, Jucar, Serpis, Bullent, Gorg o s , Guadalest, Monebre (Verde), and Vinalopo basins as well as the Albufera de Valencia Lagoon. It is distinguished from S . p y re n a i c u s by a combination of morphometric, meristic and genetic characters, such as a wide caudal peduncle, low number of scales (8-9/35-39/3), large fourth and fifth infraorbital bones, pointed anterior process of the maxilla, frontal bone widen in the middle, large and narrow urohyal, robust lower branch of the pharyngeal bone. Divergence distances of the cytochrome b in S. valentinus sp. nov. are p = 0.021-0.032 with respect to S. pyre n a i c u s. In addition, S. valentinus sp. nov. has two diagnostic loci to nuclear molecular markers (IDHP-2 and IDHP-3). Squalius malacitanussp. nov., the new southern Spanish species, inhabits the Guadalmina, Guadaiza and Guadiaro basins in Malaga Province, in southern Spain. S . m a l a c i t a n u s sp. nov. is distinguished from S. pyre n a i c u s by a combination of morphometric, meristic and genetic characters, such as narrow caudal peduncle, and high number of scales (7-8/39-43/3). The fourth and fifth infraorbitals are larg e and the anterior process of the maxilla is not pointed. Frontal bone is not wider in the middle. The urohyal is short and wide and the lower branch of the pharyngeal bone is thin. Divergence distances of the cytochrome b in S. malacitanus sp. nov. are p = 0.078-0.086 with respect to S. pyre n a i c u s. The distribution range of S. pyre n a i c u s currently includes the Ebro, J u c a r, Segura, Guadalfeo, Guadalhorce, Ve lez, Guadalquivir, Tinto, Odiel, Piedras, Guadiana, Alportel, Sado, Sorraia, Tajo, Colares, Samarra, Sizandro, Grande, Lis and San Pedro basins.
Chinese Context and Theoretical Contributions to Management and Organization Research: A Three-decade Review

In this study, we develop a context-emic model to evaluate articles which use the Chinese context for their theoretical contributions to management and organization research. We apply the model to 259 articles published in six leading general management and organization journals between 1981 and 2010 and 43 articles from Management and Organization Review (MOR) from its launch in 2005 to 2010. We found ten articles in the six leading journals and four articles in MOR to have some degree of Chinese contextualization in their concepts or constructs (what), their relationships (how), and tlie logics underlying the relationships (why). In particular, we discovered only three new concepts (market transition, network capitalism, and guanxi), and some reference to Confucianism and its related concepts. As expected, MOR articles have a higher level of Chinese contextualization than articles in the top six journals. Using the Colquitt and Zapata-Phelan theory-building-testing taxonomy, we found Chinese-context research to have contributed to both theory-building and theory-testing over time. We also found that empirical articles with a higher level of Chinese contextualization garner more citations. Finally, we discuss the implications of the study's results for future contextualization research related to China.
Transmit antenna selection with Alamouti scheme in MIMO wiretap channels

This paper proposes a new transmit antenna selection (TAS) scheme which provides enhanced physical layer security in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wiretap channels. The practical passive eavesdropping scenario we consider is where channel state information (CSI) from the eavesdropper is not available at the transmitter. Our new scheme is carried out in two steps. First, the transmitter selects the two strongest antennas based on the feedback from the receiver, which maximizes the instantaneous signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the transmitter-receiver channel. Second, the Alamouti scheme is employed at the selected antennas in order to perform data transmission. At the receiver and the eavesdropper, maximal-ratio combining is applied in order to exploit the multiple antennas. We derive a new closed-form expression for the secrecy outage probability in non-identical Rayleigh fading, and using this result, we then present the probability of non-zero secrecy capacity in closed form and the ε-outage secrecy capacity in numerical form. We demonstrate that our proposed TAS-Alamouti scheme offers lower secrecy outage probability than a single TAS scheme when the SNR of the transmitter-receiver channel is above a specific value.
Gender, parental and peer influences upon science attitudes and activities

This paper explores the extent to which variance in science attitudes and involvement in science activities may be attributable to gender, parental and peer influences upon 11-14 year olds in the UK. The data presented are derived from a sample of 391 pupils drawn at random, but stratified by age and gender, from Local Education Authority schools (i.e. schools within the state sector where parents make no direct payments for education). A self-completion questionnaire was administered to the pupils in school. Attitudes toward scientific change, involvement in scientific extra-curricular activity, liking and performance in school science subjects, and participation in peer youth culture were indexed, in addition to estimates of the amount of positive regard for science expressed by peers and parents. Boys had more positive attitudes to science and greater levels of participation in scientific extra-curricular activities. They also reported performing better at school science than girls. A positive attitude to science was strongly positively related to having a father and mother who support science, coming from a lower socio-economic family background, being male, and having scientific peers. Greater involvement in scientific extra-curricular activities was predicted by having a father who supports science, having parents who engage in activities jointly with their children, and having scientific peers. In terms of predicting participation in science, liking of it and success at it, these data lead to the conclusion that both parental and peer support are influential. Though it does seem that they are relatively more important in predicting variance in attitudes to science in society than as indicators of liking of or performance at school science. The problems involved in estimating whether commonly reported gender effects are mediated through peer or parental support are discussed.
Naming and Describing in Social Communication

Naming and describing provide referential labels for entities. They seem to have much in common, but they also seem to be distinct. The social communication task developed by Robert M. Krauss (Krauss, Garlock, Bricker and McMahon, 1977; Krauss and Blucksberg, 1977; Krauss and Weinheimer, 1964, 1966) provides a functional model of how naming and describing are related and yet distinct modes of reference. Eighteen of Krauss's original dialogue transcripts were reanalyzed in order to characterize both the sequential relation between naming and describing (i.e., how a referential description is shortened into a name through use) and the structural relation between the two reference types (i.e., what parts of antecedent descriptive phrases are abbreviated and composed to form the consequent name).
Precipitation classification at mid-latitudes in terms of drop size distribution parameters

Abstract. The drop size distribution (DSD) is a fundamental property of rainfall because the shape of the distribution reflects the physics of rain formation processes. Given the lack of studies on the DSD at mid-latitudes, the present work focuses on the microphysical characterization of precipitation events occurring in Italy, using two different types of disdrometer. A large number of different rain events was collected: they underwent microphysical analysis by computing the Z-R relationships, observing the average DSDs and DSD parameters, fitting the real distribution for different rainfall rate categories and applying convective (C) – stratiform (S) discrimination algorithms. A general agreement with past works at mid-latitudes is found both in the Z-R relationship and in DSD parameters. The rain distribution is well described by a gamma DSD and only in some cases (especially the light rain events) by an exponential DSD. Marked differences are observed in DSD parameters and Z-R relationships between C and S episodes. The use of disdrometers for areas covered by multiparametric radar is suggested and will be performed in the near future.
Bone Alkaline Phosphatase besides Intact Parathyroid Hormone in Hemodialysis Patients – Any Advantage?

Background/Aim: Bone alkaline phosphatase (bAP) is known to be an important biochemical marker of bone formation. Through the present study, we intended to find out whether there is any advantage in bAP determination, as a routine biochemical marker, besides intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) in hemodialysis patients. Methods: In a population of 140 hemodialysis patients, bAP and iPTH were determined on four quarterly consecutive occasions. According to the values of iPTH (pg/ml) and bAP (ng/ml), patients were divided into four groups: group I: iPTH >200 and bAP >20, group II: iPTH >200 and bAP <20, group III: iPTH <200 and bAP <20 and group IV: iPTH <200 and bAP >20. Patients with higher serum phosphorus (P) (group A: p ≧7 mg/dl) were compared with those with lower serum P levels (group B: p <7 mg/dl). Results: The global correlation between iPTH and bAP (total evaluations, n = 503) was 0.32 (p < 0.001). Group IV patients tended to show a slight increase of serum aluminum (sAl) levels, which were 12.48 ± 5.35 µg/l higher than in the patients from group I (sAl = 9.97 ± 4.39 µg/l), group II (sAl = 10.86 ± 4.45 µg/l) or group III (sAl = 10.92 ± 3.92 µg/l). Significance values (Mann-Whitney) in each group, in comparison with group IV, were the following: group I: 0.004; group II: 0.062; group III: <0.001. Group A (n = 66) showed higher iPTH levels than group B (n = 430), although bAP and sAl were both similar in these two groups of patients (Mann-Whitney): iPTH (A) = 631.0 ± 487.7 vs. iPTH (B) = 253.3 ± 191.6, p < 0.001; bAP (A) = 22.9 ± 17.4 vs. bAP (B) = 20.4 ± 13.1, p = n.s. ; sAl (A) = 10.2 ± 3.5 vs. sAl (B) = 10.8 ± 4.4, p = n.s. For similar Al and bAP values, group A showed a much stronger iPTH/bAP correlation than group B: r = 0.67 (p < 0.001) vs. r = 0.30 (p < 0.001), respectively. Conclusion: Although iPTH and bAP are frequently in agreement, it seems important to separate parathyroid activity given by iPTH, from bone remodelling reflected by bAP, in the presence of either a higher aluminum exposition or a well-controlled phosphatemia.
Major Earthquakes of the Past Decade (2000-2010): A Comparative Review of Various Aspects of Management

Objectives: This article sought to review and compare data of major earthquakes of the past decade and their aftermath in order to compare the magnitude, death toll, type of injuries, management procedures, extent of destruction and effectiveness of relief efforts. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study of the various aspects of management and aftermath of 5 major earthquakes of the past decade (2000–2010) was undertaken. This included earthquakes occurring in Bam Iran, Sichuan China, Port-au-Prince Haiti, Kashmir Pakistan and Ica Peru. A literature search was done via computer of published articles (indexed in Pubmed). The issues assessed included: 1)Local magnitude,2)Type of building structure 3)Time of the earthquake (day/time/season), 4)Time to rescue, 5)Triage, Transfer, and Treatment 6) Distribution of casualties (dead/ injured), 7)Degree of city damage, 8)Degree of damage to health facilities, 9)Field hospital availability, 10)International aid, 11)Air transfer, 12) Telecommunication systems availability, 13) PTSD prevalence, 14) Most common injury and 15) Most common disease outbreak. Results: The Bam earthquake had the lowest (6.6 Richter’s) and the Sichuan earthquake had the greatest magnitude (8.0 Richter’s). Mortality in Haiti was 212,000 and it was the deadliest earthquake of the past decade. Collapse of heavy clay roofing structures was a major cause of death in Iran and Pakistan. Earthquakes occurring at night and nonworking days carried a high death toll. The time to rescue and treat was the lengthiest in Haiti (possibly contributing to the death to injured ratio). However, the worst dead to injured ratios were in Bam (51%) and in Pakistan (47%); the best ratio was in China (15%). Iran and Pakistan suffered the highest percentage of damage to the health facilities (90%). Field hospital availability, international aid and air transfer were important issues. Telecommunication systems were best in China and worst in Pakistan. PTSD prevalence was highest in Iran. Respiratory infection was the most common infection following all 5 earthquakes. Conclusions: Earthquake damage, death toll, managerial protocols etc. vary in different countries and are influenced by many factors including the hour the earthquake hits and the day of the week. Additionally, social, structural and geographic factors as well as the medical, governmental and NGO respondents are influential. Engineered residential construction remains to be of importance in reducing mortality in developing countries. It is essential that hospitals, fire departments and police stations, water, telephone and electrical facilities be made earthquake proof.
Germ-cell nondisjunction in testes biopsies of men with idiopathic infertility.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has been used in combination with testicular sperm extraction to achieve pregnancies in couples with severe male-factor infertility, yet many of the underlying genetic mechanisms remain largely unknown. To investigate nondisjunction in mitotic and meiotic germ cells, we performed three-color FISH to detect numeric chromosome aberrations in testicular tissue samples from infertile men confirmed to have impaired spermatogenesis of unknown cause. FISH was employed to determine the rate of sex-chromosome aneuploidy in germ cells. Nuclei were distinguished as haploid or diploid, respectively. The overall incidence of sex-chromosome aneuploidy in germ cells was found to be significantly higher (P<.00001) in all three abnormal histopathologic patterns (range 39.0%-43.5%) as compared with normal controls (29.1%). The relative ratio of normal to aneuploid nuclei in the diploid cells of patients with impaired spermatogenesis was approximately 1.0, a >300% decrease when compared with the 4.42 ratio detected in patients with normal spermatogenesis. These results provide direct evidence of an increased incidence of sex-chromosome aneuploidy observed in germ cells of men with severely impaired spermatogenesis who might be candidates for ICSI with sperm obtained directly from the testis. The incidence of aneuploidy was significantly greater among the diploid nuclei, which suggests that chromosome instability is a result of altered genetic control during mitotic cell division and proliferation during spermatogenesis.
Multisensory training can promote or impede visual perceptual learning of speech stimuli: visual-tactile vs. visual-auditory training

In a series of studies we have been investigating how multisensory training affects unisensory perceptual learning with speech stimuli. Previously, we reported that audiovisual (AV) training with speech stimuli can promote auditory-only (AO) perceptual learning in normal-hearing adults but can impede learning in congenitally deaf adults with late-acquired cochlear implants. Here, impeder and promoter effects were sought in normal-hearing adults who participated in lipreading training. In Experiment 1, visual-only (VO) training on paired associations between CVCVC nonsense word videos and nonsense pictures demonstrated that VO words could be learned to a high level of accuracy even by poor lipreaders. In Experiment 2, visual-auditory (VA) training in the same paradigm but with the addition of synchronous vocoded acoustic speech impeded VO learning of the stimuli in the paired-associates paradigm. In Experiment 3, the vocoded AO stimuli were shown to be less informative than the VO speech. Experiment 4 combined vibrotactile speech stimuli with the visual stimuli during training. Vibrotactile stimuli were shown to promote visual perceptual learning. In Experiment 5, no-training controls were used to show that training with visual speech carried over to consonant identification of untrained CVCVC stimuli but not to lipreading words in sentences. Across this and previous studies, multisensory training effects depended on the functional relationship between pathways engaged during training. Two principles are proposed to account for stimulus effects: (1) Stimuli presented to the trainee’s primary perceptual pathway will impede learning by a lower-rank pathway. (2) Stimuli presented to the trainee’s lower rank perceptual pathway will promote learning by a higher-rank pathway. The mechanisms supporting these principles are discussed in light of multisensory reverse hierarchy theory (RHT).
Effect of Aflatoxin B1 on Nuclear Receptors PXR, CAR, and AhR and Their Target Cytochromes P450 mRNA Expression in Primary Cultures of Human Hepatocytes

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), one of the most common mycotoxins found in human foods and animal feed, is principally hepatotoxic and hepatocarcinogenic. The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of AFB1 on messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of pregnane X receptor (PXR), constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and some of their target cytochromes using primary cultures of human hepatocytes. Our results showed that AFB1, at noncytotoxic increasing concentrations, caused a significant upregulation of cytochrome P 2B6 (CYP2B6), CYP3A5, and to a lesser extent CYP3A4 and CYP2C9. Pregnane X receptor and CAR mRNA expression increased in the 3 treated livers. Aflatoxin B1 was found also to induce an overexpression of CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 genes accompanied by an increase in AhR mRNA expression. These findings suggest that AFB1 could activate PXR, CAR, and AhR; however, further investigations are needed to confirm nuclear receptor activation by AFB1.
Abdominosacral resection for locally recurring rectal cancer

AIM To investigate feasibility and outcome of abdominal-sacral resection for treatment of locally recurrent rectal adenocarcinoma. METHODS A population of patients who underwent an abdominal-sacral resection for posterior recurrent adenocarcinoma of the rectum at the National Cancer Institute of Milano, between 2005 and 2013, is considered. Retrospectively collected data includes patient characteristics, treatment and pathology details regarding the primary and the recurrent rectal tumor surgical resection. A clinical and instrumental follow-up was performed. Surgical and oncological outcome were investigated. Furthermore an analytical review of literature was conducted in order to compare our case series with other reported experiences. RESULTS At the time of abdomino-sacral resection, the mean age of patients was 55 (range, 38-64). The median operating time was 380 min (range, 270-480). Sacral resection was performed at S2/S3 level in 3 patients, S3/S4 in 3 patients and S4/S5 in 4 patients. The median operating time was 380 ± 58 min. Mean intraoperative blood loss was 1750 mL (range, 200-680). The median hospital stay was 22 d. Overall morbidity was 80%, mainly type II complication according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. Microscopically negative margins (R0) is obtained in all patients. Overall 5-year survival after first surgical procedure is 60%, with a median survival from the first surgery of 88 ± 56 mo. The most common site of re-recurrence was intrapelvic. CONCLUSION Sacral resection represents a feasible approach to posterior rectal cancer recurrence without evidence of distant spreading. An accurate staging is essential for planning the best therapy.
(En)Gendering Responsibilities: Experiences of Parenting a ‘Young Offender’

This article discusses how parenting a ‘young offender’ involves specific additional responsibilities for parents who are already under scrutiny for apparently not taking their parenting responsibilities seriously. With reference to empirical data, three specific parental tasks are considered: managing the family's involvement in the youth justice system, waiting on ‘standby’ for police and schools, and reporting the child's offences to the police. In doing so, this article highlights the ways in which gender is implicated, and performs a regulatory function, in the day-to-day lives of mothers and fathers who are parenting a ‘troublesome’ child.