Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Persistence in regional voting patterns in Turkey during a period of major political realignment

Using province-level data from five nationwide elections held during the past decade, we examine the main voting patterns in Turkey. By means of cluster analysis, we classify the 81 provinces according to vote shares of the major parties and independent candidates, and repeat this exercise for each election held between 1999 and 2009. We find that three-way and five-way partitions of the country adequately capture the main political cleavages in Turkey. Although the conservative right-wing parties receive a plurality of votes in all regions of the three-way partition, they receive significant challenge from left-wing and Turkish nationalist parties in the west and from the Kurdish nationalist parties in the east. In addition to these patterns, the five-way partition brings out shifts in the relative strength of the parties within each main division. Our results also show that, despite the major political realignment that occurred during the period under examination, the groupings of provinces remain mainly unchanged. Therefore, we construct ‘composite clusters’ by classifying provinces in the group in which they appear the majority of the time. The distinct socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the composite clusters suggest that differences in social and economic structures lie at the root of differing regional political tendencies and their persistence.
Genetic variability of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) natural regeneration compared with their maternal stands

Abstract The genetic variability and biodiversity of tree populations ensure the stability and sustainability of forest ecosystems. New research tools based on molecular DNA markers enable precise characterisation of forest genetic resources, i.e. detection of different allele frequencies in mature trees and progeny populations. The paper describes the genetic structure of mature stands of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in Oława Forest District and Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) in Jawor Forest District and stands of their respective progeny. In the Scots pine stand, there was a slight increase (0.6%) in heterozygosity level and a larger increase (4.9%) in the inbreeding coefficient of progeny trees. In the Norway spruce stand, despite a small reduction (0.9%) in heterozygosity, a similar increase (4.6%) in the inbreeding coefficient of progeny was revealed. In both stands, allele richness and the partition probability of basic clustering were high. Both pine and spruce adults and progeny trees were characterised by high levels of genetic similarity (96% and 79%, respectively). Gene flow between the mature and progeny populations was high (Nm > 1) for both Scots pine and Norway spruce. Conservation of the gene pool within forest tree stands requires an increase in the proportion of natural regeneration. To estimate the extent to which genes are transmitted between adult trees and their progeny, more studies are needed, especially taking into account the influence of silviculture measures, like selective tree cutting, on the genetic variability of the younger generation. These results confirm that the gene pool was conserved when transmitted between the stands studied, as well as highlight the usefulness of such a study for silvicultural purposes
Characterization and Evaluation of the Efficiency of TiO2/Zinc Phthalocyanine Nanocomposites as Photocatalysts for Wastewater Treatment Using Solar Irradiation

This work reports the characterization of composites prepared by the association between zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and titanium dioxide. These composites are better photocatalysts for wastewater decontamination mediated by solar radiation than pure TiO2, performance that remains even when reused. The UV-Vis diffuse reflectance absorption spectra show for these composites two intense absorption bands. The first covers the ultraviolet and part of the visible spectrum region until 460 nm (2.7 eV), whereas the second, nonstructured, goes from 475 nm until the near infrared with an absorption peak at 683 nm attributed to the Q band of ZnPc. The production of additional e−/h
Effect of menstrual cycle phase on glucose kinetics in healthy women & women with premenstrual symptoms.

Objective: To compare the blood glucose levels during the two phases of the menstrual cycle between healthy women and patients with premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Methods: From January of 2012 to the August of 2013, a descriptive cross-sectional study was performed among staff of tertiary care hospital.Inclusion Criteria: 1)100 women aged 18 to 45 years, 2) Regular Menstrual cycle.Exclusion Criteria: 1) Menopause 2) Patient on Oral Contraceptive pills.After approval from IEC and informed consent from the 100 enrolled subjects with either the most severe symptoms of PMS or healthy controls. 2ml of venous blood was collected on fasting condition during the follicular phase (5-11 days of menstrual cycle)and the luteal phase of the cycle (19-28 days menstrual cycle) and analyzed the serum concentrations of glucose by using the glucose oxidase method.Results: The statistical analysis was done using student's paired T test. P value less than 0.0001was taken as significant.No significant differences between the demographic data of the control and PMS groups were observed. The mean concentrations of glucose were significantly different during the follicular and luteal phases.
Alcohol Use Disorders among Trauma Survivors With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Dogonahawa, North Central Nigeria: Prevalence and Correlates

Nigeria has witnessed recurrent political and ethnoreligious conflict since the exit of the military rule in 1999, with the North Central region which plateau state belongs to being one of the areas worst hit. In September 2001, the first major ethno-religious crisis erupted in Jos the capital of Plateau State, causing the death of thousands of people including Muslims and Christians [1]. Over the ensuing years, the conflict rapidly spread to other parts of the state, resulting in a series of communal violence.
The Jobless Trap Job Market Paper

Three recent audit studies on nonemployment discrimination report results consistent with the long-term jobless having significantly lower chances of being invited to job interviews. Given the design of previous studies unfavorable treatment can be due to a marginal preference among employers for hiring applicants with shorter spells or to stronger negative beliefs about the long-term nonemployed. Using a résumé audit study, I explore the extent to which employers become forgiving of longer nonemployment spells when other merits appear on an applicant’s résumé: in this case relevant work experience. Responses indicate a strong distaste for applicants with long spells of nonemployment—even in a situation characterized by observationally superior résumés in comparison to applicants with short nonemployment spells. The findings reveal a sharp drop-off in the number of interview requests for those whose nonemployment spell topped six months, implying that those experiencing long jobless spells might become trapped in nonemployment, regardless of their prior experience. To interpret the findings, a nonstationary job search model under duration-dependent unemployment benefits and endogenous job search intensity is constructed. It is shown that in the spirit of Lockwood (1991), the model can generate a unique equilibrium for plausible parameter values, with unemployment benefits expiration date becoming a focal point around which job search intensifies and employer screening becomes optimal. JEL CLASSIFICATION: J64
System Information Therapy in the Management of Pain: A Pilot Study

Dealing with pain is an important daily part of current medical practice. Biophys- ical methods by use of medical devices (such as Med Select 729 in this trial) allows to perform very personalized treatment using endogenous signals of the patient leading to the deflnition of a System Information Therapy (SIT) approach. An open labeled clinical trial was designed to assess the efiectiveness of a biophysical treatment compared to a common anti in∞ammation drug (ibuprofen) and compared to placebo. Methods: patients has been divided in three groups: Group 1 System Information Therapy patients receiving two steps of treatment by the Med Select 729 medical device: 1st step delivered with a program called regulation therapy with recording of endogenous input signals at the painful region and delivery of therapeutic output signals at systemic level by mean of an electromagnetic mattress on which the patient lied | 2nd step delivered with the program called pain therapy: recording endogenous input signals at the painful region and delivery of therapeutic output signals at the pain site, moreover a copy of therapeutic signals has been recorded on a commercial available aqueous system (Nomabit Base). Group 2 Pharmacological therapy: receiving ibuprofen 600mg twice a day for 10days. Group 3 Placebo group: receiving only Nomabit Base solution as placebo. A total of 66 patients was enrolled: 26 in System Information Therapy group (17f, 9m), 23 in the pharmacological group (11f, 9m); 17 in the placebo group (12f, 5m). Evaluation of follow up was performed by a visual analogue scale at the beginning, after one week, after one month, and after three months. After one week biophysical therapy shows similar efiect than ibuprofen and after one month the statistical signiflcance was ´ 2 = 12:153 with p < 0:02. In conclusion the biophysical therapy protocol demonstrated the same efiectiveness than usual pharmacological therapy with ibuprofen at flrst week reaching statistical signiflcance after one month of administration and maintaining the efiect at tree month. System information therapy seems, therefore, to be an efiective and safe method in the management of pain in current medical practice representing a possible resource especially for patients with chronic disease and multiple comorbidities in order to reduce drug overload.
DETERMINATION OF ENERGY LOSS, RANGE AND STOPPING POWER OF LIGHT IONS USING SILICON SURFACE BARRIER DETECTOR

Energy loss of light ions, such as alpha particles of energy 5.15 MeV [Pu-239], has measured in atmospheric air at different pressures. Experimentally, the energy loss measurement was made using Silicon Surface Barrier Detector (SSBD) of an alpha ray spectrometer. Silicon Surface Barrier Detector has a higher resolution of 20 KeV at energy of 5.15 MeV. The alpha source and the detector were kept at a fixed distance of 10 mm. The measured energy loss in the air medium has higher than that in vacuum. The value of energy loss in atmospheric air at a pressure of 4.6 mbar is 0.8639 MeV, and calibrated energy loss in vacuum is 8.93 KeV per channel. The stopping power of alpha particles decreased exponentially as transmitted energy increased in the energy range of 2.0-6.0 MeV. The nuclear and electronic energy loss stopping powers are studied as a function of transmitted energy of alpha particles in atmospheric air using SRIM values.
Recovering differential pencils on graphs with a cycle from spectra

We study boundary value problems on compact graphs with a cycle for second-order ordinary differential equations with nonlinear dependence on the spectral parameter. We establish properties of the spectral characteristics and investigate inverse spectral problems of recovering coefficients of the differential equation from spectra. For these inverse problems we prove uniqueness theorems and provide procedures for constructing their solutions.
The realized equity premium has been higher than expected: further evidence

We propose a new approach to the study of stock returns. We develop a simple model to show that, in the long run, the average rate of return on the market portfolio equals the average growth rate of income plus an average payout rate measuring the quantity of financial resources distributed or absorbed by quoted firms. We exploit this framework to calculate expected returns using U.S. stock market data.
AN APPRAISAL OF THE USE OF RECIPROCAL TRANSFER EXPERIMENTS: ASSESSING THE STAGES OF PHOTOPERIOD SENSITIVITY IN PANSY, SNAPDRAGON, PETUNIA AND COSMOS

To assess photoperiod sensitive/insensitive phases of 3 long day plants (LDPs) viz., Pansy cv. Baby Bingo, Snapdragon cv. Coronette and Petunia cv. Dreams and one short days plant (SDP) viz., Cosmos cv. Sonata Pink a non-linear statistical model was used for its validation. Six plants of each cultivar were transferred from LD to SD and Vice versa at four days interval from emergence until first flower appearance. Plants at juvenile phase (initial phase of development) were insensitive to photoperiod in both inductive (LD for LDPs and SD for SDP) and non-inductive (SD for LDPs and LD for SDP) environment. After completing the juvenile phase when plants were transferred from LD to SD (Pansy, Snapdragon and Petunia) and SD to LD (Cosmos), they showed a coherent recognition of the stimulus carry forward from their respective inductive environment and induced flowering. However, plants transferred from non-inductive environment to inductive showed a continuous phase of photosensitivity. The duration of photoperiod sensitive phases varied with the cultivars. Hence, it is concluded that LDPs and SDP are not sensitive to photoperiod during their entire course of growth and development. Therefore, providing light during whole growing span is mere wastage of energy. These cultivars require 5-10 days of photoperiod at critical phase to flower that will minimize the production cost of cut flower industry.
Progesterone inserts may help to improve breeding readiness in beef heifers

The accurate determination of pubertal status in yearling beef heifers, possibly combined with the use of exogenous progesterone, allows females to produce the maximum number of calves over their lifetimes. This study aimed to determine the reliability of a reproductive tract scoring (RTS) system that combines manual palpation with ultrasound as a measure of pubertal status, and whether the treatment of heifers with progesterone-containing vaginal inserts — followed by breeding on the second estrus after removal of the insert — could result in increased conception rates compared to untreated heifers. Over 2 years, we found that RTS predicted pubertal status reasonably accurately. Progesterone-treated heifers were more likely to exhibit estrus than control heifers, but their overall breeding efficiency was not affected by progesterone treatment. Inadequate nutrition associated with increased pasture stocking density during both breeding seasons likely had a negative effect on the results of our study.
LAND COVER/USE CHANGE AND CHANGE PATTERN DETECTION USING RADAR AND OPTICAL IMAGES : AN INSTANCE OF URBAN ENVIRONMENT

reviewed publications Mishra, B. , and Susaki, J. (2014). SAR and optical data fusion for land use and cover change detection, Proceedings of the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) 2014, July 13-18, Quebec, Canada, pp. 4691-4694 [oral]. Mishra, B. , and Susaki, J. (2013), Urban and suburb change detection using multitemporal polarimetric SAR images, Proceeding of ACRS October 20-24-Bali, Indonesia, pp. SC01-55 – SC01-62, 2013 [poster]. Mishra, B. , and Susaki, J. (2013). Automatic thresholding for land cover change detection in SAR images, Proceedings of the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) 2013, July 21-26, MelbourneAustralia, pp.3347-3350 [oral].
Sources of organic trace minerals in diets for weaned piglets

One hundred and twenty six piglets from a commercial genetic strain weaned at 21 days of age (6.11±0.42 kg) were used to evaluate the effects of supplementation levels of organic sources of trace minerals in the diets of weaned piglets on performance, occurrence of diarrhea, excretion of copper and zinc in the feces, and hematological parameters. A completely randomized block design was adopted, composed of six treatments (diets containing 100% of inorganic trace minerals premix at 3.00 kg/T; diets containing 0, 25, 50, 75 or 100% of organic trace minerals premix, equivalent to 0; 0.75; 1.50; 2.25 or 3.00 kg/T, respectively), seven replicates and three animals per plot. During the experimental period (from 21 to 63 days of age), the increasing levels of organic trace minerals premix in the diets determined a quadratic effect on daily weight gain (DWG), feed conversion (FC), percentage of hematocrit (Ht), hemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), platelets (Pt), and a linear increase of Cu and Zn concentrations in feces. The comparison of means between the treatment with inorganic trace minerals premix and the other treatments showed that piglets fed diets without trace minerals premix had lower values of DWG, Ht, Hb, MCH, MCV, Pt and the worst FC value of piglets fed diets containing 25% of organic trace minerals premix presented lower values of Ht and Hb, in comparison with those fed diets with 100% of inorganic trace minerals premix. Inorganic trace minerals premix can be substituted by organic trace minerals premix at a lower level of inclusion in diets for weaned piglets.
The Aid Effectiveness Literature: The Sad Results of 40 Years of Research

The aid effectiveness literature (AEL) consists of empirical macroeconomic estimates of the effects of development aid. By the end of 2004, it comprised 97 econometric studies of three families of related effects. Each family has been analyzed in a separate meta-analysis. The AEL is an ideal subject for meta-analysis as it uses only a few formally similar models to estimate the same underlying effects. It is also an area with strong beliefs, often generated by altruism. When this whole literature is examined, a clear pattern emerges. After 40 years of development aid, the preponderance of the evidence indicates that aid has not been effective. We show that the distribution of results is significantly asymmetric reflecting the reluctance of the research community to publish negative results. The Dutch disease effect on exchange rates provides a plausible explanation for the observed aid ineffectiveness.
THE CATERPILLAR PROJECT: A LARGE SUITE OF MILKY WAY SIZED HALOS

We present the largest number of Milky Way sized dark matter halos simulated at very high mass (∼104 M ⊙ ? > /particle) and temporal resolution (5 Myr/snapshot) done to date, quadrupling what is currently available in the literature. This initial suite consists of the first 24 halos of the Caterpillar Project whose project goal of 60–70 halos will be made public when complete. We do not bias our halo selection by the size of the Lagrangian volume. We resolve ∼20,000 gravitationally bound subhalos within the virial radius of each host halo. Improvements were made upon current state-of-the-art halo finders to better identify substructure at such high resolutions, and on average we recover ∼4 subhalos in each host halo above 108 M ⊙ ? > which would have otherwise not been found. The density profiles of relaxed host halos are reasonably fit by Einasto profiles (α = 0.169 ± 0.023) with dependence on the assembly history of a given halo. Averaging over all halos, the substructure mass fraction is f m , subs = 0.121 ± 0.041 ? > , and mass function slope is dN/d M ∝ M − 1.88 ± 0.10 ? > . We find concentration-dependent scatter in the normalizations at fixed halo mass. Our detailed contamination study of 264 low-resolution halos has resulted in unprecedentedly large high-resolution regions around our host halos for our fiducial resolution (sphere of radius ∼ 1.4 ± 0.4 ? > Mpc). This suite will allow detailed studies of low mass dwarf galaxies out to large galactocentric radii and the very first stellar systems at high redshift (z ≥ ? > 15).
Entrepreneurship in the Cultural and Creative Industries: Insights from an Emergent Field

Abstract:This article reports the results of a systematic review of the current state of research on arts, cultural, and creative entrepreneurship. By means of a systematic database search, 50 scientific articles from peer-reviewed journals were identified and analyzed with regard to the interpretation of the terms and the primary objects and focal areas of current research. In conclusion, it can be stated that to date there is no consensual understanding of the terms. While some authors differentiate between entrepreneurs and other players in the cultural and creative industries, the majority of researchers makes no such distinction. Moreover, the specific objects of current research mainly fall into the two categories “groups of persons” and “sub-segments of the cultural and creative industries. ” And, finally, while there exists some considerable research on entrepreneurship in the music industry by now, less attention was paid to other sub-sectors of the cultural and creative industries.
From manufacturing belt, to rust belt, to college country: a visual narrative of US urban growth

What has shaped the US urban landscape? Probably, different forces worked at different magnitudes, times, and locations. In this paper we develop a methodology to disaggregate some of the engines of US city growth over time and across space. To understand the results we propose a visualization approach based on what we term storyboards, which create an intuitive and dynamic narrative on the effect of several factors of urban success. This allows us to show that the role of growth engines differs greatly: the rise and decline of manufacturing were very localized; industrial specialization is counterproductive, particularly so in the 1990s; service sectors used to be a consumption amenity, but now serve as a production amenity; and highly educated cities unambiguously and increasingly attract firms in any part of the US. We also note that the arguments for our visualization and its lessons bear implications for visualization in the social sciences beyond this particular example.
Neuroprotective Effects of Piracetam Versus Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-Gamma Agonist Pioglitazone in Drug-Induced Parkinsonism

Parkinsonism is a common and disabling neurodegenerative disease. Drug-induced Parkinsonism is not uncommon. The neuroprotective actions of Piracetam and peroxisome proliferatorâ€“activated receptor gamma (PPAR I³) agonist pioglitazone have been reported. The aim of the current work was to investigate and compare the neuroprotective effect of piracetam versus pioglitazone on haloperidol-induced Parkinsonism. 36 male rats constituted the animal model for our study and had been divided into six groups (6 rats/group); control, Haloperidol, Piracetam, Piracetam with haloperidol, Pioglitazone, and Pioglitazone with Haloperidol groups. Hypokinesia was tested by stepping test and blood samples were collected for measurement of serum glucose, calcium, Creatine phosphokinase (CPK), Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-I²1), Fibroblast growth factor 21(FGF-21), Glial cell-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF). Brains extracted for measurement of basal ganglia Tyrosin hydroxylase (TH) and Beclin gene expression. Haloperidol caused hypokinesia, increased serum glucose, CPK, TGF-I²1, FGF-21, GDNF, basal ganglia TH expression and decreased serum calcium and basal ganglia Beclin expression. Both piracetam and pioglitazone provided neuroprotection and improved hypokinesia and the biochemical markers measured in blood and brains of haloperidol-induced Parkinsonism when administered before haloperidol, however; Pioglitazone had a better effect regarding the improvement of serum glucose, CPK and brain expression of Beclin.