Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Farming adaptations in the face of climate change

Abstract Agriculture is one of the most vulnerable sectors to climate change, and in many agricultural communities climate change adaptations by farmers are underway. Farmers’ beliefs about climate change and their experiences with climate change, along with a range of other factors, could influence climate change adaptation. Utilizing a framework which draws from research examining how farmers’ climate change beliefs and experiences affect their adaptation strategies, and research on farm succession and adaptation at the rural–urban interface (RUI), we ask ‘How do climate change beliefs and different farm attributes (particularly the presence of an heir and location at the RUI) affect adaptation strategies? ’ Preliminary findings indicate that adaptation varies based on multiple factors, including belief in climate change, the presence of an heir, geographical location and a variety of other farm characteristics and farmer attributes.
Kinetics of Ca2+ release by InsP3 in pig single aortic endothelial cells: evidence for an inhibitory role of cytosolic Ca2+ in regulating hormonally evoked Ca2+ spikes

1 The role of the InsP3 receptor and its interaction with Ca2+ in shaping endothelial Ca2+ spikes was investigated by comparing InsP3‐evoked intracellular Ca2+ release with hormonally evoked Ca2+ spikes in single endothelial cells. 2 Ins P3 was generated by flash photolysis of intracellular caged InsP3. InsP3 at 0.2 μM or higher released Ca2+ from stores with a time course comprising a well‐defined delay, a fast rise of free [Ca2+] to a peak where net flux into the cytosol is zero, and a slow decline to pre‐flash levels. InsP3‐evoked Ca2+ flux into unit cytosolic volume was measured as the rate of change of free [Ca2+]i during the fast rise, d[Ca2+]i/dt (mol s−1 l −1). 3 The mean delay decreased from 433 ms at 0.2 μM to 30 ms at 5 μM. At very high InsP3 concentrations, 78 μM, the delay was shorter, < 10 ms. At low InsP3 concentration the delay was reduced by ∼30% by prior elevation of free [Ca2+]i, supporting a co‐operative action of free [Ca2+] and InsP3 in activation. 4 Both Ca2+ flux and peak free [Ca2+]i increased with InsP3 concentration within each cell. Maximal activation was at > 5 μM, 50% maximum Ca2+ flux was at 1.6 μM InsP3 and the Hill coefficient was between 3.6 and 4.3. A large variation of Ca2+ flux and peak [Ca2+]i was found from cell to cell at the same InsP3 concentration. 5 Strong inhibition of InsP3‐evoked flux was produced by an immediately preceding response, with complete inhibition at peak free [Ca2+]i due to the first pulse. InsP3 sensitivity returned over 1–2 min, with 50% recovery at ∼25 s. The recovery of InsP3 sensitivity may determine the minimum interval between hormonally evoked spikes. 6 Ca2+ flux due to a pulse of InsP3 terminated rapidly, in the continued presence of InsP3, producing a well‐defined peak [Ca2+]. A reciprocal relation was found between the duration and the rate of Ca2+ flux, such that high Ca2+ flux was of brief duration. The rate of termination of flux measured as the reciprocal of the 10–90% rise time of free [Ca2+]i showed a linear correlation with Ca2+ flux over a large range in all cells. A systematic deviation from linearity at low InsP3 concentration showed a greater rate of termination at low InsP3 concentration than at high for the same flux. 7 Elevating cytosolic free [Ca2+] by 0.1–2.5 μ M strongly inhibited Ca2+ release by InsP3, and buffering free [Ca2+] to low levels greatly prolonged Ca2+ release. Both results support the idea that Ca2+ flux quickly produces locally high free [Ca2+] which inhibits the receptor and terminates Ca2+ release. 8 Hormonally evoked Ca2+ spikes showed a similar reciprocal relation between rise time and Ca2+ flux, seen in the initial Ca2+ spike evoked by extracellular ATP in porcine aortic endothelial cells and by acetylcholine in rat aortic endothelial cells in situ, supporting the idea that the same mechanism of cytosolic Ca2+ inhibition determines the duration of hormonally and InsP3‐evoked Ca2+ spikes.
Interobserver reliability of attending physicians and bedside nurses when using an inpatient paediatric respiratory score.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This study aimed to determine the interobserver reliability between bedside nurses and attending physicians for a paediatric respiratory score as part of an asthma Integrated Care Pathway implementation. BACKGROUND An Integrated Care Pathway is one approach to improving quality of care for children hospitalised with asthma. Prior to implementation of the integrated care pathway, it was necessary to train nursing staff on the use of a respiratory assessment tool and to evaluate the interobserver reliability use of this tool. DESIGN Prospective study using a convenience sample of children hospitalised for a respiratory illness in an academic medical centre. METHODS The respiratory assessment used was the Paediatric Asthma Score. Bedside nurse-attending physician (27 different RNs and three attending paediatric hospitalists) pairs performed 71 simultaneous patient assessments on 20 patients. Intraclass correlation coefficient and kappa statistics were used to assess interobserver reliability. RESULTS The overall intraclass correlation coefficient was nearly perfect where κ = 0·95, 95% CI (0·92, 0·97) and overall kappa for reliability based on clinically relevant score breakpoints was also high with κ = 0·82, 95% CI (0·75, 0·90). The majority of subgroup analyses revealed substantial to almost perfect agreement across a variety of diagnoses, age ranges, and individual score components. CONCLUSIONS Bedside nurses, with support and training from attending physicians, can perform respiratory assessments that agree almost perfectly with those of attending physicians. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE The use of an Integrated Care Pathway allows for optimal interprofessional collaboration between bedside nurses and attending physicians.
Kappaphycus alvarezii as a Food Supplement Prevents Diet-Induced Metabolic Syndrome in Rats

The red seaweed, Kappaphycus alvarezii, was evaluated for its potential to prevent signs of metabolic syndrome through use as a whole food supplement. Major biochemical components of dried Kappaphycus are carrageenan (soluble fiber ~34.6%) and salt (predominantly potassium (K) 20%) with a low overall energy content for whole seaweed. Eight to nine week old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups and fed for 8 weeks on a corn starch diet, a high-carbohydrate, high-fat (H) diet, alone or supplemented with a 5% (w/w) dried and milled Kappaphycus blended into the base diet. H-fed rats showed symptoms of metabolic syndrome including increased body weight, total fat mass, systolic blood pressure, left ventricular collagen deposition, plasma triglycerides, and plasma non-esterified fatty acids along with fatty liver. Relative to these obese rats, Kappaphycus-treated rats showed normalized body weight and adiposity, lower systolic blood pressure, improved heart and liver structure, and lower plasma lipids, even in presence of H diet. Kappaphycus modulated the balance between Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes in the gut, which could serve as the potential mechanism for improved metabolic variables; this was accompanied by no damage to the gut structure. Thus, whole Kappaphycus improved cardiovascular, liver, and metabolic parameters in obese rats.
The role of thyroid fine‐needle aspiration cytology in the pediatric population: An institutional experience

The current study was conducted to investigate the role of thyroid fine‐needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the authors' pediatric series. Thyroid pediatric FNAC has been reported to have conflicting sensitivity and specificity in different series. The authors evaluated their thyroid cytological series mainly for the categories of 1) follicular/indeterminate neoplasms with atypical cells of indeterminate significance (FN/AUS) and 2) suspicious for malignancy (SM). In this setting, the application of immunocytochemistry (ICC) is likely to allow a correct diagnosis.
Poverty, Clientelism and Democratic Accountability in Mexico

Does democracy dampen clientelism and enhance accountability in social policy making? The conventional answer to this question is that democracy is more likely to redistribute income in favor of the poor. However, recent scholarly works present evidence that the distributive politics in emerging democracies often induces office-seeking politicians to manipulate social spending for electoral gain, which make social policy less accountable to impoverished citizens. This study provides some texture to the latter argument to show that policy-oriented and institutional reforms enacted in tandem with democratization work to constrain the clientelist distribution of social spending, and help promote programmatic redistribution in favor of the poor. Focusing on the case of Mexico, I demonstrate that the introduction of conditional cash transfer programs and the development of monitoring institutions over social programs tied politicians’ hands by developing institutional constraints on discretionary spending. Using an original dataset, I compare the geographic distribution of Pronasol (Programa Nacional de Solidaridad, 1988-1994) and Progresa (Programa de Educacion, Salud y Alimentacion) (1997-2002), and Oportunidades (2002-2006), and demonstrate that Mexico’s anti-poverty programs became increasingly pro-poor and less clientelist over time.
A Microsimulation Platform of Firm Evolution Processes

Firmography is a fundamental component of urban systems that has not received much research attention. Firmographic events of entry, exit, growth, and relocation affect economic growth, labour dynamics, and result in a complex system of goods movements. This dissertation develops a firm modelling framework, called the firmographic engine. The goal of the framework is to evaluate the implications of policy on firm evolution over time by simulating and forecasting firm behaviour. The engine is composed of firm generation, market introduction, performance evaluation, and firm evolution modules. Firm generation simulates entrepreneurial decisions of firm entry. Market introduction involves the specification and completion of operational strategies. Performance evaluation assesses the outcomes of the operational strategies. Firm evolution simulates growth/shrinkage and exit decisions depending on performance evaluation results. Three firmographic events are studied in detail: firm start-up size, growth, and survival. Ordered logit models are estimated for firm start-up size in terms of the firm’s number of employees and tangible assets. Autoregressive Distributed-Lag models (ARDL) are estimated to represent firm growth. Parametric and non-parametric analyses for firm survival are presented. The non-parametric analysis introduces survival and hazard rates characterized by industry class, province, firm age, and firm size. The parametric analysis includes a discrete-time hazard duration model of firm failure. The results show that firm start-up size, growth and survival are influenced by economic growth, industry dynamics, competition, and firm location and characteristics.
Protein chainmail variants in dsDNA viruses

First discovered in bacteriophage HK97, biological chainmail is a highly stable system formed by concatenated protein rings. Each subunit of the ring contains the HK97-like fold, which is characterized by its submarine-like shape with a 5-stranded β sheet in the axial (A) domain, spine helix in the peripheral (P) domain, and an extended (E) loop. HK97 capsid consists of covalently-linked copies of just one HK97-like fold protein and represents the most effective strategy to form highly stable chainmail needed for dsDNA genome encapsidation. Recently, near-atomic resolution structures enabled by cryo electron microscopy (cryoEM) have revealed a range of other, more complex variants of this strategy for constructing dsDNA viruses. The first strategy, exemplified by P22-like phages, is the attachment of an insertional (I) domain to the core 5-stranded β sheet of the HK97-like fold. The atomic models of the Bordetella phage BPP-1 showcases an alternative topology of the classic HK97 topology of the HK97-like fold, as well as the second strategy for constructing stable capsids, where an auxiliary jellyroll protein dimer serves to cement the non-covalent chainmail formed by capsid protein subunits. The third strategy, found in lambda-like phages, uses auxiliary protein trimers to stabilize the underlying non-covalent chainmail near the 3-fold axis. Herpesviruses represent highly complex viruses that use a combination of these strategies, resulting in four-level hierarchical organization including a non-covalent chainmail formed by the HK97-like fold domain found in the floor region. A thorough understanding of these structures should help unlock the enigma of the emergence and evolution of dsDNA viruses and inform bioengineering efforts based on these viruses.
Application of four different football match analysis systems: A comparative study

Abstract Using a video-based time–motion analysis system, a semi-automatic multiple-camera system, and two commercially available GPS systems (GPS-1; 5 Hz and GPS-2; 1 Hz), we compared activity pattern and fatigue development in the same football match. Twenty football players competing in the Spanish second and third divisions participated in the study. Total distance covered during the match for the four systems was as follows: 10.83 ± 0.77 km (semi-automatic multiple-camera system, n = 20), 9.51 ± 0.74 km (video-based time–motion analysis system, n = 17), 10.72 ± 0.70 km (GPS-1, n = 18), and 9.52 ± 0.89 km (GPS-2, n = 13). Distance covered by high-intensity running for the four systems was as follows: 2.65 ± 0.53 km (semi-automatic multiple-camera system), 1.61 ± 0.37 km (video-based time–motion analysing system), 2.03 ± 0.60 km (GPS-1), and 1.66 ± 0.44 km (GPS-2). Distance covered by sprinting for the four systems was as follows: 0.38 ± 0.18 km (semi-automatic multiple-camera system), 0.42 ± 0.17 km (video-based time–motion analysing system), 0.37 ± 0.19 km (GPS-1), and 0.23 ± 0.16 km (GPS-2). All four systems demonstrated greater (P < 0.05) total distance covered and high-intensity running in the first 15-min period and less (P < 0.05) total distance covered and high-intensity running during the last 15-min period than all other 15-min intervals, with a reduction (P < 0.05) in high-intensity running from the first to the last 15-min period of 46 ± 19%, 37 ± 26%, 50 ± 26%, and 45 ± 27% for the semi-automatic multiple-camera system, video-based time–motion analysis system, GPS-1, and GPS-2, respectively. Our results show that the four systems were able to detect similar performance decrements during a football game and can be used to study game-induced fatigue. Rather large between-system differences were present in the determination of the absolute distances covered, meaning that any comparisons of results between different match analysis systems should be done with caution.
WEB ACCESSIBILITY OF MOOCS FOR ELDERLY STUDENTS: THE CASE OF TURKEY

Learning, eLearning and distance education has a significant function on the elderly for advancing well-being, which has indicated in the literature. In addition to this, e-learning provides an opportunity to become unified with the rest of society to older people. In this context, older people have extensive opportunities to raise the qualified life and enable lifelong learning and inclusion in learning communities by using Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC). The number of users over age 65 has more than doubled since 2000. Currently elderly users represent less than 10 % of MOOC users. Besides, the certain outcome of younger participants aging will raise the number of older people using the Internet the next decades. In this research, it is attempted to examine whether a MOOC-platform is accessible for elderly people. For this purpose, three MOOCs selected and were evaluated. The evaluation was carried out according to the Achecker. The results of the study showed that one of the investigated MOOCs met the overall criteria. And, there is no study has been carried out on the accessibility of MOOCs for elderly users in Turkey context.
Responses of striate cortex cells to grating and checkerboard patterns.

1. Cells in visual cortex have been alternately considered as bar and edge detectors, or as spatial‐frequency filters responding to the two‐dimensional Fourier component of patterns. 2. The responses to gratings and to checkerboards allow one to test these alternate models: the Fourier components of a checkerboard pattern do not occur at the same orientation as the edges, nor do the checkerboard spatial frequencies correspond to the check widths. 3. Knowing the orientation tuning of a cell for gratings, one can precisely predict its orientation tuning to checkerboards from the orientation of the fundamental Fourier components of the patterns, not from the orientation of their edges. This was found for both square and rectangular checkerboards, and held for both simple and complex cortical cells. 4. Knowing the spatial tuning of a cell for sine‐wave gratings, one can precisely predict its spatial tuning to square and rectangular checkerboards from the spatial frequencies of the fundamental Fourier components of the patterns, not from the widths of their checks. 5. When presented with checkerboards in which not the fundamental but the upper harmonics were within its spatial bandpass, a cell's orientation tuning was found to be predictable from the (quite different) orientation of the higher Fourier harmonic components, but not from the orientation of the edges. 6. Knowing a cell's contrast sensitivity for gratings, one can predict the cell's contrast sensitivity for checkerboards much more accurately from the amplitudes of the two‐dimensional Fourier components of the patterns than from the contrasts of the patterns. 7. The orientation tuning, spatial‐frequency tuning and responsiveness of cells to a plaid pattern were also found to be predictable from the pattern's two‐dimensional Fourier spectrum. 8. Both simple and complex striate cortex cells can thus be characterized as two‐dimensional spatial‐frequency filters. Since different cells responsive to the same region in the visual field are tuned to different spatial frequencies and orientations, the ensemble of such cells would fairly precisely encode the two‐dimensional Fourier spectrum of a patch of visual space.
Silastic coated incus in tympanoplasty: a preliminary report

Abstract In 54 ears lacking the stapedial arch and the long process of the incus, ossiculoplasty was performed with a shaped auto-or homologous incus as columella. In 29 of the ears, the deep, slender part of the columella was coated with a silastic tube in order to prevent adhesions and dislocation. One year after the operation the functional results were similar in patients with silastic coating of the incus to those without. It is concluded that the less satisfactory results of tympanoplasty in such ears are primarily caused by factors outside the niche of the oval window. Possible ways of improving the results are discussed.
The role of cross-functional integration in new product development: differences between incremental and radical innovation projects

Abstract The literature on new product development (NPD) contains several studies of management practices involved in different types of innovation. However, few studies focus on how cross-functional integration affects incremental and radical innovation product projects. The purpose of this study is to explore this aspect, from a qualitative perspective, through case studies of four high-tech firms in Brazil. Eight NPD projects were studied. The findings suggest that radical and incremental innovation NPD projects require different management practices in the studied cases. In incremental NPD projects, greater integration efforts may not be necessary. However, the following practices should be adopted in projects involving radical innovation product projects: intense involvement of technical teams, flexibility in the early stages of NPD, and geographical separation between the development team and other departments of the firm. Moreover, the application of these same practices in projects of incremental innovation in NPD may not bring positive results.
Age- and Sex-Related Influences on Left Ventricular Mechanics in Elderly Individuals Free of Prevalent Heart Failure: The ARIC Study (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities)

Background— Advanced age is related to left ventricular (LV) remodeling. We sought to investigate the relationships between aging, elevated hemodynamic load, cardiac mechanics, and LV remodeling in an elderly community-based population. Methods and Results— We studied 1105 subjects (76±5 years, 61% women) without prevalent heart failure, who attended the visit 5 of the ARIC study (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities). LV global longitudinal strain, global circumferential strain, and torsion indices were analyzed using 3-dimensional echocardiography. Advanced age was associated with greater LV concentricity, lower myocardial diastolic relaxation, reduced global longitudinal strain (adjusted estimate, 0.39±0.19% (SE)/decade; P=0.038), borderline greater global circumferential strain (adjusted estimate, −0.59±0.36% (SE)/decade; P=0.08), and higher torsion indices (adjusted estimate for torsion, 0.33±0.04° (SE)/decade; P<0.001). In addition, greater concentricity was associated with decreased global longitudinal strain and greater torsion in multivariable models (all P<0.001). Women showed smaller LV cavity size, greater concentricity, lower myocardial relaxation velocity E′, though demonstrated greater global longitudinal strain, global circumferential strain, and torsion than men (all P<0.05). Overall, subjects with hypertension and increasing age were more likely to have higher torsion, though the association between advanced age and greater torsion was more pronounced in women than in men (both interaction P<0.05). Conclusions— In an asymptomatic, senescent community–dwelling population, we observed a distinct, sex-specific pattern of cardiac remodeling. Although we observed worse diastolic and longitudinal function with advanced age or elevated load in both sexes, a significant increase of torsion was more pronounced in women.
Screening the public for depression through the Internet.

OBJECTIVE Despite increased public screening, many individuals with depression remain undetected or untreated. This study explored the performance of an Internet-based program in screening for depression. METHODS The Centers for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale was adapted as an online screening test. The program advised persons whose score indicated a high probability of depression to seek treatment and asked them to complete a survey of attitudes and preferences that could be printed and taken to a health professional. Responses were collected anonymously for epidemiologic research. Demographic characteristics of participants were compared with those of the U.S. population and participants in previous community screenings. The costs of the program were calculated. RESULTS The CES-D scale was completed 24,479 times during the eight-month study period. The respondents' median age category was 30 to 45 years, and almost 30 percent were male; 58 percent (N=14,185) screened positive for depression, and fewer than half of those had never been treated for depression. The proportion of younger individuals was larger than in previous public screenings, but was still lower than that in the U.S. population. Our sample contained a lower proportion of minorities than the U.S. population (16.6 percent versus 28.3 percent). Sunk costs totaled $9,000, and additional marginal costs to maintain the system totaled $3,750. CONCLUSIONS The Internet provides a continuously available, inexpensive, easily maintained platform to anonymously screen a large number of individuals from a broad geographic area. However, older adults and minorities may visit screening sites less frequently than other populations.