Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
UNDERSTANDING AMYLOID FIBRIL GROWTH THROUGH THEORY AND SIMULATIONUNDERSTANDING AMYLOID FIBRIL GROWTH THROUGH THEORY AND SIMULATIONUNDERSTANDING AMYLOID FIBRIL GROWTH THROUGH THEORY AND SIMULATIONUnderstanding Amyloid Fibril Growth Through Theory and Simulation

Proteins are fundamental building blocks of life in an organism, and to function properly, they must adopt an appropriate three-dimensional conformation or conformational ensemble. In protein aggregation diseases, proteins misfold to incorrect structures that allow them to join together and form aggregates. A wide variety of proteins are involved in these aggregation diseases and there are multiple theories of their disease mechanism. However, a common theme is that they aggregate into filamentous structures. Therapies that target the process by which the aggregating proteins assemble into these similar fibril-like structures may by effective at countering aggregation diseases. This requires models that can accurately describe the assembly process of the fibrils. An analytical theory was recently described where fibrils grow by the templating of peptides onto an existing amyloid core and the kinetics of the templating process is modeled as a random walk in the backbone hydrogen bonding space. In this thesis, I present my work integrating molecular simulation with this analytical model to investigate the dependence of fibril growth kinetics on peptide sequence and other molecular details. Using the Aβ16-22 peptide as a model system, we first calculate the rate matrix of transitions among all possible hydrogen bonding microscopic states using numerous short-time simulations. These rates were then used to construct a kinetic Monte Carlo model for simulations of long-timescale fibril growth. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using such a theory/simulation framework for bridging the significant gap between fibril growth and simulation timescales. At the same time, the study also reveals some limits of describing the fibril growth as a templating process in the backbone hydrogen bonding space alone. In particular, we found that dynamics in nonspecifically bound states must also be considered. Possible solutions to this deficiency are discussed at the end.
Keystone Characteristics of Bird-Dispersed Ficus in a Malaysian Lowland Rain Forest

The fruiting of 307 Ficus trees in 74 ha of lowland forest at Kuala Lompat, Malaysia, was monitored monthly for 3 years. The guild of twenty-nine species of bird-dispersed Ficus exhibited asynchronous fruiting phenology, with no recurrent annual pattern. Fig crops were available in all 36 months of the study, but whilst medium-sized and small-sized figs were always available, crops of large-fruited (mean fig diameter of>20 mm) bird-dispersed Ficus were scarce, with only around sixteen fruiting events year −1 km −2 of forest (.)
Alternative Engine to Detect and Block Port Scan Attacks using Virtual Network Environments

Summary Currently, IP networks are constantly harmed by several attack techniques such as port scans, denial of service, brute force attacks, etc., which can collapse the continuity of business services. To address this problem, this paper focuses on an alternative solution for detection, block, and prevention of port scanning attacks. Particularly, this implementation is an alternative engine to automatically block specialized tool scans, namely PSAD (Port Scan Attack Detector), but it is conceptualized differently from the features that the program offers. To carry out this work, we have designed and implemented a virtual network environment that is to be configured as an experimenting platform with port scan attacks. To neutralize such attacks, we performed a security mechanism that takes the data reported by the PSAD and using parameterized variables (block time and level of category) automatic locks become viable, including custom records and notifications via e-mail. To validate our solution, several tests of port scan attacks have been run on public and private networks. Then we have compared the performance of our alternative engine with ClearOS (specialized security tool for Linux) and the PSAD. The results show that our alternative engine is faster and more reliable than the tools previously mentioned.
Fecundity, Oviposition and Egg Incubation Period of Female Rhipicephalus Sanguineus Latreille (Acari: Ixodidae) Ticks

The brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) is one of the most important ectoparasites of dogs and is often found in various countries in the world and is a blood-sucking ectoparasite and acts a vector of various diseases. This study aims to examine the fecundity and oviposition of engorged female brown dog ticks collected from Bogor, Indonesia, including the number of egg production, the pre-oviposition period, the oviposition period, the pre-hatching egg period, and the rate of eggs hatchability. Thirty engorged female ticks were collected from dogs then they were weighed, reared individually in plastic jars, and kept for 30 days in the laboratory at room temperature. The results showed that the average body weight of the engorged ticks collected from dogs was 68.3 mg (30-130 mg) and the number of eggs produced was 805.4 eggs/tick (135-1707 eggs). The eggs of R. sanguineus were oval, dark brown, shiny, measuring 0.5 mm in length and 0.4 mm in width, and the average egg mass weight was 32.68 mg/tick (5-70 mg). The egg hatchability was 53.95 % (25- 82.3%) at a room temperature of 25-27 oC and a relative humidity of 80-90%. The average pre-oviposition period of this tick was 4.9 days (3-7 days), and the average oviposition period was a 14.3 days (9-19 days). The pre-hatching period, the period from the end of oviposition until the eggs begin to hatch into larvae was 6.9 days (1- 17 days). Therefore, the egg incubation period of this tick is the oviposition period plus pre-hatching period: 14.3 + 6.9 days = 21.2 days (17-29 days). This is the first record of the fecundity of the brown dog tick of Indonesia.
The perceptions of Zimbabwean Pharmacists of their overall job satisfaction and the factors associated with it

Job satisfaction plays an important role in the motivation, productivity and performance of employees including pharmacists. We investigated the perceptions of Zimbabwean pharmacists of their overall job satisfaction and the factors associated with it. A random sample of 120 licensed pharmacists working in community, and hospital pharmacies and industry in Zimbabwe participated in this cross-sectional study. Pharmacists were highly satisfied with their jobs. Older pharmacists and those with more experience were more satisfied than younger ones. Pharmacists in industry had the greatest job satisfaction while those in large chain retail pharmacies had the lowest. Owners were more satisfied with their jobs than non-supervisor pharmacists. There was no significant difference in job satisfaction by gender and marital status. We conclude that although pharmacists in Zimbabwe are satisfied with their jobs in general, this is not so for young pharmacists who mainly work in retail chain pharmacies.
Effect of incorporation of spelt flour on the dough properties and wheat bread quality

Effect replacement of wheat flour with spelt flour on the rheological parameters, baking quality and sensory acceptance was studied. Increasing level of spelt flour in the flour blend concluded in enhanced water absorption capacity and longer dough development time. Addition of spelt flour affected baking and sensory parameters of products. The assessors evaluated as the most acceptable baked goods with 15% addition of spelt flour.
Interannual Variability of the Mixed Layer Winter Convection and Spice Injection in the Eastern Subtropical North Atlantic

AbstractThe Argo dataset is used to study the winter upper-ocean conditions in the northeastern subtropical (NEA) Atlantic during 2006–12. During late winter 2010, the mixed layer depth is abnormally shallow and a negative anomaly of density-compensated salinity, the so-called spiciness, is generated in the permanent pycnocline. This is primarily explained by unusual weak air–sea buoyancy flux during the late winter 2010, in contrast with the five other studied winters. Particularly deep mixed layers and strong spiciness anomalies are observed during late winter 2012. The 2010 winter conditions appear to be related to historically low North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and high tropical North Atlantic index (TNA). Interannual variability of the eastern subtropical mixed layer is further investigated using a simple 1D bulk model of mean temperature and salinity linear profiles, based on turbulent kinetic energy conservation in the upper-ocean layer, and forced only with seasonal air–sea buoyancy forcing corr.
Effective treatment options in amoebic liver abscess in a tertiary care setting in West Bengal: an observational study, India

Background: Conservative management and image guided drainage have emerged as mainstay of the treatment in Amoebic Liver Abscess (ALA), with surgery used in complicated cases. The current study was conducted with an objective to demonstrate the effectiveness of the different treatment options in ALA.Methods: An observational study was conducted on 100 patients, aged 19 to 60 years, admitted with sonographic evidence of Amoebic Liver Abscess (ALA) in the General Surgery wards of a tertiary care hospital in Kolkata. Patients coming for regular follow-up after completing treatment were included. On completion of the treatment before discharge a repeat ultrasonography of the upper abdomen was done to confirm remission.Results: Majority of the patients were male, Muslim, rural resident and within 30 – 40 years age. Chief complaints were pain (100%), fever (60%) and abdominal swelling (80%). Tender hepatomegaly (80%) and icterus (36%) were present. Majority patients had the left lobe of the liver affected (72%) and abscess dimension <6 cms (66.67%). Out of the participants with unruptured abscess 21.87% had multiple abscesses. Out of 64 patients subjected to conservative therapy, 44 were successfully managed. Success rate of 72.73% was observed among 44 patients receiving ultrasound guided needle aspiration. All twenty patients subjected for pigtail catheter drainage were cured. Four patients underwent laparotomy and open drainage following intraperitoneal rupture.Conclusions: Conservative treatment was observed to be sufficient in majority of cases of amoebic liver abscess of lesser size with percutaneous catheter drainage useful in large abscess. Surgical intervention was required in ruptured or complicated abscesses.
Psychological ownership : a managerial construct for talent retention and organisational effectiveness

Many scholars, consultants and practitioners have recently focused their attention on ‘ownership’ as a psychological, rather than just a business phenomenon. Psychological ownership is defined as a state in which individuals feel as though the target of ownership or a piece of it is ‘theirs’ (that is ‘It is mine! ’). It suggests that, the presence of psychological ownership among employees can have a positive effect on organisational effectiveness. The main aim of this paper is to introduce and describe a new kind of ownership, known as ‘psychological ownership’ that could be a valuable managerial construct for improving talent retention and organisational effectiveness within the South African work environment. The research methodology followed an extensive literature review in order to compile the construct for psychological ownership, which was then validated by a panel of nine scholarly subject-matter experts by applying Lawshe’s quantitative approach to content validity. The study resulted in a multidimensional construct for psychological ownership with high content validity, consisting of a promotion-orientated and prevention-orientated dimension. Promotion-orientated psychological ownership consists of six theory-driven components: Self-efficacy, sense of belonging, self-identity, accountability, autonomy and responsibility. Territoriality, the seventh dimension, was identified as a preventative form of psychological ownership. The particular relevance of this paper is the introduction of a positively oriented psychological ownership construct that can be utilised by managers and human resource professionals as a potential guideline to facilitating talent retention and productivity in the current work environment.
Effect of colours on oviposition preference of the oriental fruit moth,Grapholita molesta Busck

The oriental fruit moth( OFM),Grapholita molesta Busck is one of the major fruit tree pest insects which lay their eggs on the leaves of peach young shoots. In order to find out the roles of the host colour in oviposition orientation,we conducted a comparative study to reveal effects of 12 different colours( red,pink,light pink,orange yellow,deep yellow,light yellow,green,deep green,light green,blue,purple,brown etc) on oviposition preference of adults using the color cardboard to simulate the host colours outdoors. The results have showed that colour affected the oviposition preference significantly. OFM preferred to the light yellow and light green laying eggs,with oviposition preferences of 68. 9%( white reference) and 63. 8%( black reference) on light yellow cards,64. 1% and 65. 5% on light green cards. OFM showed a certain avoidance to blue and light pink cards,with oviposition preferences of 47. 7% and 40. 4% on blue cards,47. 2%and 42. 7% on light pink cards. and the referance colours can significantly affect the oviposition preference. Colour also affected the fecundity significantly. whether while or black referance,the eggs spawed on yellow and green cards were much more than others,especially the deep yellow,deep green and green cards. Colour affected the oviposition preference of 1—7 days adults significantly. 2 and 3 days of OFM preferred to the light yellow and light green laying eggs on white reference,with oviposition preferances of 86. 7% and 91. 7%. On black reference,2 day moth preferred light green laying eggs,with oviposition preferance of 79. 7% and 6 day moth preferred light yellow,with oviposition preferance of 74. 8%. The study showed that host colour play an important role in the spawning site selection,and provide bases and references for the application of colour in the monitoring and prevention and control of egg stage and even further reveals the spawning host selection mechanism of OFM.
Geologic investigations of a “slip gap” in the surficial ruptures of the 1992 Landers earthquake, southern California

A 3-km-long gap in the dextral surficial rupture of the 1992 Mw = 7.3 Landers earthquake occurs at the north end of a major fault stepover between the Johnson Valley and Homestead Valley faults. This gap is situated along a segment of the Landers rupture that has been modeled geophysically as having a deficit in average slip at depth. To better evaluate the nature of the slip gap, we document in detail the character and distribution of surficial rupture within it. Along the gap, is a northwest trending thrust fault rupture with an average of less than 1 rn of northeast directed reverse-slip and nearly no oblique right slip. We interpret this rupture to be limited to the shallow crust of the northern end of the stepover and to have been the secondary result of dextral shear, rather than a mechanism of rigid-block slip-transfer from the Landers-Kickapoo fault. A zone of en echelon extensional ruptures also occurs along the slip gap, which we interpret as the secondary result of diffuse dextral shear that accommodated less than 0.5 rn of west-northwest extension. These secondary ruptures represent a discontinuity in the surficial dextral rupture of the Landers earthquake, which we propose resulted from the lack of a mature fault connection between the Johnson Valley and Homestead Valley faults. The rupture pattern of the slip gap implies a significant deficit in net surficial slip, which compares favorably with some geophysical models. Aspects of this rupture pattern also suggest a temporal sequence of rupture that compares favorably with geophysical interpretations of the dynamic rupture propagation.
SSR ANALYSIS WITH A NEW ANALYTIC MODEL OF THYRISTOR CONTROLLED SERIES CAPACITOR

This paper presents the use of new model of a Thyristor Controlled Series Capacitor (TCSC) in studies of subsynchronous resonance (SSR). The new analytical model is developed by using frequency re- sponse of the non-linear TCSC segment to derive a simplified non-linear state space model, where the fre- quency of the dominant TCSC complex poles shows linear dependence on the firing angle. The non-linear TCSC model is linearised and linked with the generator- shaft system model and the controller model that also includes a Phase Locked Loop model. The test system selected for the study is the IEEE first benchmark model for SSR studies. The SSR analysis is studied through eigenvalues analysis using MATLAB and the results are validated through PSCAD/EMTDC simulation studies.
Real Exchange Rates in the Long and Short Run: A Panel Co-Integration Approach

The main goal of this paper is to tackle the empirical issues of the real exchange rate literature by applying recently developed panel cointegration techniques to a structural long-run real exchange rate equation. Using annual data for 67 countries over 1966-97, we find evidence of cointegration between the real exchange rate and its fundamentals. I also find: (a) evidence of cointegration holds for all sub-samples of countries (classified by income or capital controls), (b) parameter constancy across units holds only for high income countries and low capital controls, (c) structural change in the cointegrating relationship around 1973, (d) estimated parameters consistent with theoretical values implied with calibrated parameters of preferences and technology, (e) deviations from the equilibrium are large and persistent with half-life (between 2.8 and 5) consistent with the consensus interval of 2.5-5 found in the literature (Murray and Papell, 2002)
Cascading Failures in Weighted Complex Networks of Transit Systems Based on Coupled Map Lattices

Study on the vulnerability and robustness of urban public transit networks (PTNs) has great implications for PTNs planning and emergency management, particularly considering passengers’ dynamic behaviors. We made a complex weighted network analysis based on passenger flow for Beijing’s bus stop network and multimodal transit network coupled with bus and urban rail systems. The analysis shows that there are small-world or scale-free properties in these two networks, which make them display different robustness under link or node failures. With consideration of the dynamic flow redistribution, we propose a model based on coupled map lattices to analyze the cascading failures of these two weighted networks. We find that the dynamic flow redistribution can significantly improve the tolerance of small-world or scale-free PTN against random faults. Because of the coupling of bus and rail systems, the multimodal network with scale-free topology and flow distribution structures displays an increasing tolerance even against intentional attack; however, its cascade is also much more intense once the failure is triggered. We find some thresholds of topological and flow coupling strength in the spreading process, which can be exploited to develop strategies to control cascade failures.
Rapport Nummer : C 010 / 05 Een indicator voor visserij-inspanning uitgewerkt voor de Nederlandse boomkorvloot

De Directie van het Nederlands Instituut voor Visserij Onderzoek (RIVO) BV is niet aansprakelijk voor gevolgschade, alsmede voor schade welke voortvloeit uit toepassingen van de resultaten van werkzaamheden of andere gegevens verkregen van het Nederlands Instituut voor Visserij Onderzoek (RIVO) BV; opdrachtgever vrijwaart het Nederlands Instituut voor Visserij Onderzoek (RIVO) BV van aanspraken van derden in verband met deze toepassing.
You Pay a Fee for Strong Beliefs: Homogeneity as a Driver of Corporate Governance Failure

The financial crisis made apparent the fact that managers and the boards of banks had failed to see the implications of irrational behavior and had ignored the risk associated with group think. Taking data from Switzerland our study shows that there is an increasing homogeneity of management and board teams. Most committees mainly consist of males with a managerial background. We derive from the existing literature the hypotheses that in radically changing environments women and individuals without a managerial background are less affected by systematic forecasting errors. Using a dataset collected shortly before the peak of the financial crisis we demonstrate that the groups which are highly underrepresented in most boards and management teams were significantly more capable of giving correct forecasts than the groups generally best represented in boards and management teams. To mitigate corporate governance failures we argue that firms should use simple social mechanisms in order to increase the diversity of their management and board teams while at the same time avoiding the danger of time consuming team conflicts. They should therefore include criss-cross individuals, i.e. individuals with no clear-cut group affiliation such as males with a nonmanagerial background as well as women with a management-related background.
Uncovering Collateral Constraints

Collateral plays two roles. It may be used as an ex-ante commitment mechanism against agency risk or for hedging expected default risk. Using cross-country loan level data, we find that the commitment motive alone explains collateralization. Going from the lowest to highest quartile of ex-ante agency risk distribution increases initial collateralization by 11 percentage points, controlling for the supply of collateral, but the same change in default risk leads to no change in collateralization. We also uncover a collateral “pecking order” driven solely by commitment concerns. While the bank is willing to accept firm-specific assets susceptible to agency risk for low agency risk firms, it prefers non-specific assets for firms prone to agency risk. We find that information environments with institutions such as credit registries and objective rating criteria increase rating precision, and show that our results are not a consequence of rating imprecision.
FDI and the Process of European Integration A Brief Overview

The object of this short paper is to focus on one of the many aspects of FDI - the one related to the location of industrial activity with respect to the process of European economic integration - with the aim of reviewing the most recent theoretical contributions to this topic, and to evaluate the robustness of the main empirical results. The overall evidence suggests that a precise assessment of the effects of the process of European integration on FDI and MNEs activity is far from being available. Much work has to be done especially on the data side in order to obtain a precise diagnosis of the European “new” industrial geography following integration.