Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Geomorphic coastal vulnerability to storms in microtidal fetch-limited environments: application to NW Mediterranean & N Adriatic Seas

JIMENEZ, J.A. , CIAVOLA, P., BALOUIN, Y. , ARMAROLI, C. , BOSOM, E. and GERVAIS, M. , 2009. Geomorphic coastal vulnerability to storms in microtidal fetch-limited environments: Application to NW Mediterranean & N Adriatic Seas. Journal of Coastal Research, SI 56 (Proceedings of the 10th International Coastal Symposium), 1641 – 1645. Lisbon, Portugal, ISSN 0749-0258. A methodology to compare in relative terms the coastal vulnerability to storm impacts is presented and applied to three sites in the Mediterranean Sea. The analysis separately evaluates the vulnerability to storm-induced processes (inundation and erosion) and, it quantifies the contribution of the forcing (storm properties) and receptor (beach geomorphology) to the overall vulnerability. Beach geomorphology affects calculated vulnerability by influencing process intensity and the ability of the beach to cope with the impacts (resilience). Results showed that regarding wave-induced inundation, the highest vulnerable area is the Ebro delta (Catalan coast) due to a combination of storm properties and the existence of a very low-lying profile. On the other hand, when considering the storm-induced erosion, Lido di Dante (Italy) is the highest vulnerable area because despite the fact that the estimated erosion is not the largest one, the beach width is narrower than in the other sites. In any case, actual beach width at the three sites exceeds the estimated shoreline retreat. According to the obtained results the main induced process affecting coastal vulnerability is inundation. ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS: Inundation, erosion, runup
Creative Music Therapy with Premature Infants and Their Parents: A Mixed-Method Pilot Study on Parents’ Anxiety, Stress and Depressive Symptoms and Parent–Infant Attachment

Premature birth is stressful for infants and parents and can adversely affect the parent–infant dyad. This mixed-methods pilot study evaluates whether creative music therapy (CMT) can alleviate anxiety, stress, and depressive symptoms in parents and support the bonding process with their infant. Sixteen parent couples were included. Ten couples were randomly allocated to the music therapy group (MTG) and six to the control group (CG). All couples completed psychological questionnaires measuring anxiety and depressive symptoms as well as an implicit measure of parent–infant attachment at two weeks postpartum (T1), at approximate neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization halftime (T2), and two weeks after the infant had been discharged (T3). At T1 and T2, the parents additionally completed a questionnaire assessing the degree of stress they experienced at the NICU. Qualitative data were collected through a semi-structured, problem-centered interview with MTG parents at T3. The results of the quantitative analyses revealed reductions in anxiety levels from T1 to T2 (p = 0.002) as well as decreases in depressive symptoms from T2 to T3 (p = 0.022). No such changes were apparent in the CG. In fact, parental stress increased from T1 to T2 (p = 0.016). Significant increases in attachment across time were also observed within the MTG, but not in the CG. The qualitative inquiry confirmed that CMT can support the parent–infant relationship. Being in musical interaction evoked feelings of joy and relaxation in the parents and encouraged them to interact more profoundly with their infant. The results call for a more extensive powered follow-up study to further investigate CMT’s potential for parental well-being and parent–infant bonding.
Applications of time-delayed backward stochastic differential equations to pricing, hedging and portfolio management in insurance and finance

We investigate novel applications of a new class of equations which we call time-delayed backward stochastic differential equations. Time-delayed BSDEs may arise in insurance and finance when we want to find an investment strategy and an investment portfolio which should replicate a liability or meet a target depending on the applied strategy or the past values of the portfolio. In this setting, a managed investment portfolio serves simultaneously as the underlying security on which the liability/target is contingent and as a replicating portfolio for that liability/target. This is usually the case for capital-protected investments and performance-linked pay-offs. We give examples of pricing, hedging and portfolio management problems (asset-liability management problems) which couldbe investigated in the framework of time-delayed BSDEs. Our motivation comes from life insurance and we focus on participating contracts and variable annuities. We derive the corresponding time-delayed BSDEs and solve them explicitly or at least provide hints how to solve them numerically. We argue that time-delayed BSDEs could offer a tool for studying investment life insurance contracts from a new and desirable perspective.
The Role of Interdisciplinarity in Bringing PBL to traditional Universities: Opportunities and Challenges on the Organizational, Team and Individual Level

Problem-based learning (PBL) has emerged as a suitable approach to shift from teacher-centered to learner-centered education. However, higher education institutions (HEIs) experience obstacles stemming from lecturers’ and students’ reservations as well as organizational challenges. Following action research, the author reflects on her implementation of interdisciplinary PBL within one exemplar case study to explore opportunities and challenges of interdisciplinarity in the transition toward a PBL curriculum in a traditional HEI. At the organizational level, interdisciplinarity facilitates collective knowledge creation about PBL by providing interdisciplinary learning spaces and in-house training. At the team level, lecturers as well as students can collectively learn about PBL. At the individual level, interdisciplinary student-to-student and lecturer-to-lecturer learning can enhance personal knowledge about PBL. Monodisciplinary structures, discipline-based differences in teaching and knowledge traditions, as well as individual prejudices are sources of challenges associated with interdisciplinarity in organizational learning.
MOMENT-BASED SIMULATION OF THE S-DALINAC RECIRCULATIONS ∗

In this paper an outline of the numerical model and the implementation of the moment-based beam dynamics sim- ulation tool V-Code is presented together with new sim- ulation results regarding the S-DALINAC recirculations. These simulations demonstrate the applicability of the V- Code to properly reproduce the recirculating layout includ- ing the longitudinal beam dynamics within the dispersive sections. So far, the acceleration of the particles within the main linac section is done on crest of the accelerating electric field of the 8 superconducting cavities. Together with an isochronous recirculation scheme, were every particle has the same revolution time L independent of its energy, the field errors coherently add up throughout the three main linac passages. This results in a undesired increase of the energy spread. In order to reduce the energy spread caused by the ob- served phase- and amplitude-jitters a new non-isochronous recirculation scheme is currently being investigated at the IKP. This scheme utilizes longitudinal dispersion DL in the recirculation paths together with an off-crest acceleration as it is done for example in microtrons. The intended longitudinal dispersion leads to the fact that particles with higher energy re-enter the LINAC earlier, whereas particles with lower energy re-enter the LINAC later. In (1) a phase shift of 7.5 degree and a longitudinal dispersion of -1.5 mm/% were found to be an optimal working point for the two S-DALINAC recirculations. Under these conditions the effects of the phase- and amplitude jitters on the energy spread can almost be compensated.
Genomic analysis reveals independent evolution of Plasmodium falciparum population in Ethiopia

Deriba Abera Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology College of Pure and Applied Sciences Caleb Kipkurui Kibet Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology Teshome Degefa School of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jimma University Lucas Amenga-Etego Western African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens WACCBIP), University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana Joel L Bargul Department of Biochemistry, College Sciences, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya Lemu Golassa (  lgolassa@gmail.com ) Addis Ababa University, Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1216-8711
Do Multinational Operations Influence Firm Value? Evidence from the Triad Regions

This paper examines the effect of multinational operations on firm value using a sample of firms from the three triad regions of the world. Using the Transnational Index (reported by the United Nations), a newer measure of multinational operations, this study helps explain some of the conflicting findings reported in the literature and highlights the importance of location of the firm as a factor in influencing the premium or discount in firm value due to multinational operations.
Reflective Practice in the Teaching of Civic Education in Secondary Schools in Zambia: A Case Study of Lusaka Province

This study sought to establish the use of reflective practice in the teaching of Civic Education in secondary schools in Zambia. The theory of Conscientisation was applied in the study to understand how the process of reflection generates liberating knowledge in the teaching of Civic Education in secondary schools in Zambia. A descriptive case study design was used and data was collected using interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Purposive sampling procedures were used to sample 73 participants. Data collected was analysed using themes that emerged from the objectives of the study. The study noted that reflective practice though rarely promoted by the teachers in their lessons was a significant aspect in teaching of Civic Education in secondary schools. The study also found that when applied correctly as an approach in teaching, reflective practice provides opportunities among the learners to engage in educational discussions during the lessons. Additionally, the study also noted that the use of reflective practice in teaching Civic Education in Secondary schools served as a good motivation for the learners to become active, responsible and informed members of society. Based on these findings, this study concludes that reflective practice as an approach of teaching serves to build self- esteem and confidence in learners and therefore the study recommends that the Ministry of General Education (MoGE) should take a deliberate move in providing workshops/short courses to Civic Education teachers so that they can enhance their skills in the use of reflective practice in Civic Education lessons.
Products of Hexavalent Chromium Reduction by Green Rust Sodium Sulfate and Associated Reaction Mechanisms

The efficacy of in vitro Cr(VI) reduction by green rust sulfate suggests that this mineral is potentially useful for remediation of Cr-contaminated groundwater. Previous investigations studied this reaction but did not sufficiently characterize the intermediates and end products at chromate (CrO42−) concentrations typical of contaminant plumes, hindering identification of the dominant reaction mechanisms under these conditions. In this study, batch reactions at varying chromate concentrations and suspension densities were performed and the intermediate and final products of this reaction were analyzed using X-ray absorption spectroscopy and electron microscopy. This reaction produces particles that maintain the initial hexagonal morphology of green rust but have been topotactically transformed into a poorly crystalline Fe(III) oxyhydroxysulfate and are coated by a Cr (oxy) hydroxide layer that results from chromate reduction at the surface. Recent studies of the behavior of Cr(III) (oxy) hydroxides in soils have revealed that reductive transformation of CrO42− is reversible in the presence of Mn(IV) oxides, limiting the applicability of green rust for Cr remediation in some soils. The linkage of Cr redox speciation to existing Fe and Mn biogeochemical cycles in soils implies that modification of green rust particles to produce an insoluble, Cr(III)-bearing Fe oxide product may increase the efficacy of this technique.
Nanoparticles as Adjuvants and Nanodelivery Systems for mRNA-Based Vaccines

Messenger RNA (mRNA)-based vaccines have shown promise against infectious diseases and several types of cancer in the last two decades. Their promise can be attributed to their safety profiles, high potency, and ability to be rapidly and affordably manufactured. Now, many RNA-based vaccines are being evaluated in clinical trials as prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines. However, until recently, their development has been limited by their instability and inefficient in vivo transfection. The nanodelivery system plays a dual function in RNA-based vaccination by acting as a carrier system and as an adjuvant. That is due to its similarity to microorganisms structurally and size-wise; the nanodelivery system can augment the response by the immune system via simulating the natural infection process. Nanodelivery systems allow non-invasive mucosal administration, targeted immune cell delivery, and controlled delivery, reducing the need for multiple administrations. They also allow co-encapsulating with immunostimulators to improve the overall adjuvant capacity. The aim of this review is to discuss the recent developments and applications of biodegradable nanodelivery systems that improve RNA-based vaccine delivery and enhance the immunological response against targeted diseases.
Power law cosmology model comparison with CMB scale information

Despite the ability of the cosmological concordance model ($\Lambda$CDM) to describe the cosmological observations exceedingly well, power law expansion of the Universe scale radius, $R(t)\propto t^n$, has been proposed as an alternative framework. We examine here these models, analyzing their ability to fit cosmological data using robust model comparison criteria. Type Ia supernovae (SNIa), baryonic acoustic oscillations (BAO) and acoustic scale information from the cosmic microwave background (CMB) have been used. We find that SNIa data either alone or combined with BAO can be well reproduced by both $\Lambda$CDM and power law expansion models with $n\sim 1.5$, while the constant expansion rate model $(n=1)$ is clearly disfavored. Allowing for some redshift evolution in the SNIa luminosity essentially removes any clear preference for a specific model. The CMB data are well known to provide the most stringent constraints on standard cosmological models, in particular, through the position of the first peak of the temperature angular power spectrum, corresponding to the sound horizon at recombination, a scale physically related to the BAO scale. Models with $n\geq 1$ lead to a divergence of the sound horizon and do not naturally provide the relevant scales for the BAO and the CMB. We retain an empirical footing to overcome this issue: we let the data choose the preferred values for these scales, while we recompute the ionization history in power law models, to obtain the distance to the CMB. In doing so, we find that the scale coming from the BAO data is not consistent with the observed position of the first peak of the CMB temperature angular power spectrum for any power law cosmology. Therefore, we conclude that when the three standard probes are combined, the $\Lambda$CDM model is very strongly favored over any of these alternative models, which are then essentially ruled out.
A standardised protocol for measuring phenoloxidase and prophenoloxidase in the honey bee, Apis mellifera *

– The prophenoloxidase activating system (ProPO-AS) is an integral part of the constitutive in- nate immune response in insects, the products of which are commonly assayed to assess an individual’s ability to respond to immune challenges. However, there is considerable variation in the methodologies associated with these assays, and as such, it is not always clear how to interpret results. We have optimised assays for measuring phenoloxidase in its active (PO) and zymogen (ProPO) forms in the honey bee, Apis mellifera . Contrary to results for other insects, we found that the activator α -chymotrypsin, when used at a low concentration (0.5 mg mL − 1 ), combined with a minimal activation time (5 min), provided optimal conditions for assaying ProPO. In addition, a saturated L-dopa solution was required for assaying both PO and ProPO. The results highlight the importance of deﬁning the working parameters of each assay to be species-speciﬁc.
EURASIAN JOURNAL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

It would seem that a relationship exists between the idiosyncratic risk and stock returns, and the idiosyncratic risk exhibits a positive and statistically significant trend. The goal of this paper is to use data from Japanese markets to investigate the two issues for the 2000-2014 period and provide further evidence that adds to the existing conflicting results. Our results suggest that existence of a positive relationship between the equally weighted measure of idiosyncratic risk and subsequent stock returns, but we don’t find a rise in idiosyncratic volatility over the period.
Frequency of Intimate Partner Violence among an Urban Emergency Department Sample: A Multilevel Analysis

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive public health problem. Within the U.S., urban emergency department (ED) patients have elevated prevalence of IPV, substance use, and other social problems compared to those in the general household population. Using a social-ecological framework, this cross-sectional study analyzes the extent to which individual, household, and neighborhood factors are associated with the frequency of IPV among a socially disadvantaged sample of urban ED patients. Confidential survey interviews were conducted with 1037 married/partnered study participants (46% male; 50% Hispanic; 29% African American) at a public safety-net hospital. Gender-stratified multilevel Tobit regression models were estimated for frequency of past-year physical IPV (perpetration and victimization) and frequency of severe IPV. Approximately 23% of participants reported IPV. Among men and women, impulsivity, adverse childhood experiences, substance use, and their spouse/partner’s hazardous drinking were associated with IPV frequency. Additionally, household food insufficiency, being fired or laid off from their job, perceived neighborhood disorder, and neighborhood demographic characteristics were associated with IPV frequency among women. Similar patterns were observed in models of severe IPV frequency. IPV prevention strategies implemented in urban ED settings should address the individual, household, and neighborhood risk factors that are linked with partner aggression among socially disadvantaged couples.
The Value of Obtaining Colonic Mucosal Biopsies of Grossly Normal Tissue in Pediatric Patients

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text ABSTRACT Objectives: Current practice during pediatric colonoscopy is to obtain random colonic biopsies, even from normal appearing tissue. The majority of literature published on colonic biopsy practice analyzes adults; however, limited data examines the pediatric population. The lack of standardization regarding tissue sampling during pediatric colonoscopy reinforces the necessity to study this question objectively. The aim of the present study was to assess the value of obtaining mucosal biopsies from grossly normal colonic tissue. Methods: A retrospective study was performed to examine the utility of obtaining colonic biopsies from normal appearing tissue. Subjects included patients who underwent colonoscopy during a 2-year period. Descriptive analyses and logistic regression models were used to determine endoscopic and histologic agreement and to characterize predictors of agreement. Results: The predictive value of agreement between normal appearing colonoscopies (n = 237) and histopathology was 81%. Excluding patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) increased the predictive value to 85%. Two and a half percent of grossly normal colonoscopies had histological findings consistent with newly diagnosed IBD. Predictors of normal histology included abdominal pain (odds ratio [OR] 3.68, 95% CI 1.84–7.37), whereas a known diagnosis of IBD was predictive of abnormal histology (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.08–0.67). Among the full sample, elevated inflammatory markers (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.06–3.86) or fatigue (OR 2.60, 95% CI 1.13–5.94) were predictive of abnormal histology. Conclusions: Results suggest that colonic biopsies may not need to be routinely obtained from all pediatric colonoscopies, particularly in those patients with complaints of abdominal pain. Biopsies should continue to be obtained from patients with a known diagnosis of IBD, elevated inflammatory markers, or fatigue. Further studies are needed to standardize protocols for biopsy practice in pediatric colonoscopy.
Life Story of Chinese College Students with Perfectionism Personality : A Qualitative Study Based on a Life Story Model

This manuscript aims to explore and delineate the common characteristics of college students with perfectionism, to promote an in-depth understanding of dynamic personality development of perfectionists from the views of life story model proposed by McAdams (1985). The researchers adopted a narrative qualitative research method. The life stories of respondents who had a strong tendency of perfectionism were analyzed. We found out that participants experienced intensive feelings of superiority and inferiority due to fluctuations of academic performance. Most respondents tended to use negative tone in describing their interpersonal relationship. Respondents hold high expectations for their future. Moreover, they tended to believe that some supernatural power controls the world and the lives. Themes of life story of perfectionists normally focused on three themes: self-control, status and success, and love and friendship. The perfectionists with negative tone usually show that they are only pursuing a powerful energy, a sense of control, and status.
Pleurotus spp. Mycelia Enriched in Magnesium and Zinc Salts as a Potential Functional Food

Worldwide, mushrooms belonging to the Pleurotus spp. such as P. citrinopileatus, P. djamor, and P. pulmonarius are highly valued not only for their taste and aroma but also for their health-promoting properties. These species are rich in bioelements, vitamins, and above all, compounds that exhibit immunostimulatory activity. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to determine the effect of the supplementation of culture media using inorganic Mg and Zn salts. This is the first study to establish the bioavailability of the selected elements (Mg and Zn) and anions (Cl−, SO42−) from the enriched biomass by means of the extraction of lyophilized mycelium into artificial digestive juices. The following salts were added to the liquid Oddoux medium: ZnSO4·7H2O, ZnCl2, MgSO4·7H2O or MgCl2·6H2O. The bioelements, anions and organic compounds in the obtained biomass were determined. The addition of Zn and Mg salts to the media increased the production of biomass by 30% and increased the bioaccumulation of the inorganic salts. Maintaining in vitro cultures under optimized and controlled conditions produced mycelium with a better composition and health properties than otherwise. Such enriched biomass may be classified as potential functional foods, aiding in overcoming deficiencies of elements and organic compounds with biological activity in humans.