Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Practical and Intrinsic Predictability of a Warm‐Sector Torrential Rainfall Event in the South China Monsoon Region

Warm‐sector torrential rainfall (WR) in the South China monsoon region has long been a forecasting challenge because of the limited capability of numerical models in heavy rainfall without strong synoptic forcing. Through convection‐allowing ensemble forecasts, this study explores both the intrinsic and practical predictability of a coastal WR event on 19–20 May 2015 during SCMREX (the Southern China Monsoon Rainfall Experiment). The results show a large variability in forecast performance among different members, indicating the practical limit of predictability. In general, GOOD members tend to have a stronger low‐level southerly wind over the sea (monsoon flow) and a considerable surface cooling over the northern mountains (associated with land/mountain breeze). Further investigation via ensemble‐based sensitivity analysis shows that the occurrence of WR is closely related to the nighttime strengthened (cooling) southerly wind (temperatures) over the sea (mountains), 1–3 hr prior to the convection initiation. In contrast, spatial scaling of the initial perturbations has little impact on the forecast after 3 hr and the meso‐γ‐scale rainfall is fully decorrelated after 12 hr, suggesting an intrinsic predictability limit for lead times as short as 6–12 hr. Sensitivity experiments are conducted with the initial‐condition differences reduced by almost an order of magnitude smaller than typical ensemble perturbations, with the results demonstrating that the rainstorm might be near the point of bifurcation, where predictability is intrinsically limited. The limits of both intrinsic and practical predictability highlight the need for rapidly updated and probabilistic convection‐allowing ensemble forecasts for events of this type.
Valuing Private Equity Strip by Strip

We propose a new valuation method for private equity investments. First, we construct a cash-flow replicating portfolio for the private investment, applying Machine Learning techniques on cash-flows on various listed equity and fixed income instruments. The second step values the replicating portfolio using a flexible asset pricing model that accurately prices the systematic risk in bonds of different maturities and a broad cross-section of equity factors. The method delivers a measure of the risk-adjusted profit earned on a PE investment and a time series for the expected return on PE fund categories. We apply the method to buyout, venture capital, real estate, and infrastructure funds, among others. Accounting for horizon-dependent risk and exposure to a broad cross-section of equity factors results in negative average risk-adjusted profits. Substantial cross-sectional variation and persistence in performance suggests some funds outperform. We also find declining expected returns on PE funds in the later part of the sample.
IMPACT OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS ON ECONOMIC GROWTH: COINTEGRATED PANEL DATA IN 79 COUNTRIES GROUPED BY INCOME LEVEL

This paper investigates the existence of causal relationships among primary energy consumption per capita (PEC), carbon dioxide per capita (CO2) and gross domestic product per capita (GDP) in 79 countries grouped by income level for the 1980­-2014 period. The countries are classified into high (HIC), upper-middle (UMIC), lower-middle (LMIC), and low (LIC) average per capita income. We apply a model of cointegrated panel data and an error correction mechanism. The estimation is carried out with fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) and dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS). For the HIC and UMIC groups, there is, in general, a positive relationship between PEC and GDP, and a negative one between GDP and PEC given that they develop new technologies to reduce CO2 emissions. For the LMIC and LIC groups there are mixed results. For instance, the LIC group accepts the null hypothesis in 26% of the cases with FMOLS and 42% with the DOLS. The Granger causality test suggests that for the HIC, UMIC and LMIC groups the variable GDP has a bidirectional relationship with PEC and CO2 in the short and long runs, a bidirectional causal relationship between PEC and CO2 in the long run, and unidirectional from PEC to Co2 in the short run. For the LIC group, PEC and CO2 show a bidirectional relationship, but unidirectional from PEC to CO2 in the short term. We also only detected a bidirectional relationship between CO2 and GDP in the short term for the LIC group.
Wandering Off the Beaten Path: Re-Imagining the Gift of Distraction

One element of our co-editorship that we value highly is the opportunity to think about interesting topics that come up when we are apart, muse collaboratively about them when we are together (or text about them when we MUST share right away), and then develop and write these editorials. We view the Editors’ Corner as our forum for teasing out insights and beginning or extending conversations about some of the most pressing issues within the scholarship of teaching and learning in management education practice. To date, we have been thrilled at the discussions our editorials have engendered as we interact with our domain’s community around the world. We come to our subject for this editorial by dint of our new and widereaching campus roles. Recently, Jeanie became president of her institution’s faculty senate and Kathy took on co-director responsibilities for her institution’s study abroad/multilingual learner office. Our individual decisions to take on these additional responsibilities resulted from a combination of institutional need, personal interest, and a fair amount of administrative lobbying. However, before either of us said “yes,” we talked together about the potential
Body condition score and age do not affect the physiological responses, thyroid hormones, hematological or serum biochemical parameters for tropical ewes

ABSTRACT Tropical ewes of the Morada Nova breed were used to evaluate concordance on the effects of body condition score (BCS) and age classification using canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) as the classification method. The dependent variables in this study were: physiological responses, thyroid hormones, hematological and biochemical parameters. The hypothesis of this study was that the effect of BCS and age classification of the ewes might explain changes in physiological responses, thyroid hormones, hematological and serum biochemical parameters; however, very little effect was observed. Only the physiological responses and the thyroid hormones presented a subtle change using the BCS classification effect. An elevated error rate with both effects was observed, especially for age. However, the lowest total error rate was detected when all variables for BCS and for the thyroid hormones according to chronological age were used in the analyses. Therefore, the results do not support the recommendation of using BCS and age as classification effects, and therefore other effects should be used to improve reference ranges.
More Informative Disclosures, Less Informative Prices? Portfolio and Price Formation Around Quarter-Ends

Fund trades and prices vary systematically with the quarterly reporting cycle. Funds are more likely to complete the building of a position at quarter-end, which is when most funds report positions to investors, and begin building new positions afterwards. While some of the observed shift in trades is consistent with window-dressing motives, other aspects of the shift make disclosures more informative about future holdings. A coinciding decrease in commissions and increase in one-time position adjustments suggests this quarterly pattern might reduce price informativeness. Consistent with this possibility, we find that quarter-ends are associated with greater subsequent return reversals and lower price efficiency. Additional tests support a link between disclosure-driven trades and lower price efficiency.
Performance improvement of induction motor drives with model-based predictive torque control

One of the most important advantages of using modeling and simulation software in design and control engineering is the ability to predict system behavior within specified conditions. This paper presents a novel error vector-based control algorithm that aims to reduce torque ripples predicting flux and torque errors in a conventional vector-controlled induction motor. For this purpose, a new control model has been developed that envisages flux change by applying probabilistic space vectors’ torque and flux control. In the proposed predictive control algorithm, flux and torque errors are calculated for each candidate voltage vector. Thus, the optimal output voltage vector that minimizes the error is determined for the next sampling time. A MATLAB/Simulink model of the proposed control algorithm was formed and experimental studies were conducted to test the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed method using a dSpace 1104 controller board. The results obtained by comparing the effects of the conventional torque control and the proposed predictive direct torque control methods on the motor performance are presented under various speed and loading conditions. The experimental results prove that the proposed algorithm reduced the torque ripples of the motor remarkably when compared to the conventional torque control. The proposed method stands out with its simple structure due to simplified cost function with the flux model prediction approach and easy applicability with satisfactory results.
Psychopathy and resting state eeg (theta/beta) in adolescent offenders

ii DEDICATION.iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS.v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.vi LIST OF TABLES.viii LIST OF FIGURES.ix INTRODUCTION.1 METHODS.17 DATA ANALYSIS.22 RESULTS.25 DISCUSSION.35 REFERENCES.40 APPENDIX.47
ÖĞRETMEN ADAYLARINA YÖNELİK “ÜSTBİLİŞSEL FARKINDALIK ÖLÇEĞİ”NİN GELİŞTİRİLMESİ

Bu arastirmanin amaci ogretmen adaylarinin ustbilissel farkindalik duzeylerini olcmeyi amaclayan orijinal dilde ve kulturde hazirlanmis, gecerlik ve guvenirlik calismalari yapilmis bir olcme araci gelistirmektir. Arastirma tarama modeli kullanilarak yurutulmustur. Arastirmanin calisma grubunu 2011-2012 egitim-ogretim yili Inonu Universitesi Egitim Fakultesi’nde ogrenim goren ogretmen adaylari olusturmaktadir. Olcek gelistirme sureci; literatur taramasi yapma, madde havuzu olusturma, kapsam ve yapi gecerligini saglama, ic tutarlilik ve kararlilik acisindan guvenirligi saglama asamalarindan olusmaktadir. Arastirmanin sonucunda; acimlayici faktor analizi sonuclarina gore olcegin 18 maddeden olustugu, bu maddelerin 3 faktor altinda toplandigi ve faktorlerin olcek toplam varyansini %45.03’unu acikladigi belirlenmistir. Dogrulayici faktor analizi sonuclari olcegin 3 faktorlu yapisini dogrulamis, olcek uyum degerlerinin “kabul edilebilir” ve “mukemmel uyum” olcusunde oldugu belirlenmistir. Olcegin geneline yonelik Cronbach-Alpha guvenirlik katsayisi ise . 75 olarak tespit edilmistir. Olcegin kararlilik acisindan guvenirligi test-tekrar test yontemi ile belirlenmis, dort haftalik iki uygulama sureci sonunda ogretmen adaylarinin her iki uygulamadaki ortalama puanlarinin birbirine yakin oldugu ve olcek alt boyutlari arasindaki korelasyon katsayilarinin da . 70’den yuksek oldugu tespit edilmistir. Yapilan tum analizler sonucunda gelistirilen olcegin ogretmen adaylarinin ustbilissel farkindalik duzeylerini olcecek gecerli ve guvenilir bir olcme araci oldugu sonucuna varilmistir.
Kinetic stability of nitrogen cubane inside the fullerene cage: Molecular dynamics study

Abstract Using tight-binding molecular dynamics simulations, we study kinetic stability of the nitrogen cubane inside the fullerene carbon cage. The main identified mechanism of N8 decomposition is the N–N bond breaking with the further rapid “splitting” into the N2 molecules that can form the strong covalent bonds with the inner surface of the fullerene cage. It is found that the fullerene cage significantly increases the stability of the N8 cube, but its lifetime at room temperature is insufficient to observe the endohedral complex N8@C60 without the use of extreme temperature conditions. It can be synthesized and investigated only at cryogenic temperatures.
Expression of recombinant antigen in BCG.

Little is known about the effect of different modes of expression of an antigen in rBCG on immune response. An appropriate wing of the immune system, with different degrees, is activated upon encounter with a foreign antigen. Knowledge of these responses is vital to the development of future recombinant vaccine. Various E. coli-mycobacterial species shuttle vector constructs were made using a combination of mycobacterial promoters and signal sequences. Thus enabling foreign antigens to be expressed cytoplasmically or secreted outside rBCG as native proteins or membrane-associated lipoproteins. A pivotal study using an E. coli beta-lactamase as a reporter gene is described for the evaluation of the strength of promoter and signal sequence constructs both in vitro and most importantly in vivo using the mouse macrophage cell line J-774. Expression of the diphtheria toxin fragment B as a foreign antigen was detected in vitro with all constructed plasmid vectors in rBCG using a western blot as a means of detection. It was observed that all hsp60 promoter-based constructs exhibited a high frequency with variable degree of plasmid DNA deletions Using three different rBCG substrains, the BCG Tokyo was found to be more stable (P<0.01) and exhibited less degree of deletion (P<0.001) compared to either BCG Moreau or BCG Pasteur. Sequence analysis of deleted plasmid DNA revealed a specific region common with nearly all plasmid deletions. Such a region of the DNA was found to correspond to the first transcriptional starting site of the hsp60 promoter. Furthermore no differences were observed in the level of expression among the three-rBCG substrains, retaining plasmid DNA, when detected by immunoblotting.
From wronged to rights : sexual and gender-based violence in Freetown, through the lens of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

Sexual and gender-based violence against girls and young women is an entrenched and widespread problem in Sierra Leone. In this qualitative research, conducted in two Freetown slum communities, girls and young women faced sexual and gender-based violence in both their private and public spheres: in their homes, where girls are burdened with domestic duties and where desperate parents push their daughters into exploitative relationships with older men, transactional sex and prostitution; in their communities, where girls are intimated on the street and where initiation into secret “Bondo” societies through Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is an accepted part of a girl´s transition to womanhood; in schools, where girls face sexual harassment from their teachers and peers; and finally at an institutional level, where pregnant girls are denied their right to education and their protection in law from FGM. The culture of violence in Freetown communities is amplified by extreme poverty and by discriminatory social and cultural norms. These norms emphasise the inferior status of girls and women while laying down a morality trap: setting expectations that circumstances render impossible to achieve. These forms of sexual and gender-based violence against girls and young women can be identified as violations of their rights under the basic principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC, 1989), ratified by Sierra Leone in 1990. The CRC represents a useful lens through which to approach this topic since its framework can be applied effectively to both analysis of the underlying social problems and formulation of the response needed from state, civil society and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). One such NGO project, Defence for Children International-Sierra Leone´s Girl Power programme, is examined in detail in the thesis. Through adopting a human rights framework in its programmes with girls and young women, Girl Power demonstrates how such an approach can be used practically, to identify and address the causes and consequences of sexual and gender-based violence.
RNA-protein interaction mapping via MS2 or Cas13-based APEX targeting

RNA-protein interactions underlie a wide range of cellular processes. Improved methods are needed to systematically map RNA-protein interactions in living cells in an unbiased manner. Capitalizing on the ability of the engineered peroxidase APEX2 to identify protein interaction partners via proximity-dependent biotinylation, we used two approaches to target APEX2 to specific cellular RNAs. Both an MS2-MCP system and an engineered CRISPR-Cas13 system were able to deliver APEX2 to the human telomerase RNA hTR with high specificity. One-minute proximity biotinylation captured endogenous protein interaction partners of hTR, including more than a dozen proteins not previously linked to hTR. We validated the unexpected interaction between hTR and the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) demethylase ALKBH5. Further investigation showed that endogenous hTR is modified by m6A, which can be erased by ALKBH5, and that ALKBH5 influences both telomerase complex assembly and activity. These results highlight the ability of MS2- and Cas13-targeted APEX2 to identify novel RNA-protein interactions in living cells.
Prevalence of prescription opioid analgesic use among adults : United States, 2013–2016

Prescription opioid analgesics are used to treat pain resulting from a variety of health conditions, surgery, and injury. However, opioid-related deaths have emerged as a public health issue (1), and efforts to monitor prescription opioid analgesic use are ongoing (2,3). This analysis uses data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to examine the prevalence (age adjusted for race and Hispanic-origin estimates) of prescription opioid analgesic use among U.S. adults.
Image-Based Gender Prediction Model Using Multilayer Feed-Forward Neural Networks

In this study, we develop a reliable and high-performance multi-layer feed-forward artificial neural networks (MFANNs) model for predicting gender classification. The study used features for a set of 450 images randomly chosen from the FERET dataset. We extract the only high-merit candidate parameters form the FERET dataset. A discrete cosine transformation (DCT) is employed to facilitate an image description and conversion. To reach the final gender estimation model, authors examined three artificial neural classifiers and each extremely performs deep computation processes. In addition to the MFANNs, artificial neural networks (ANNs) classifiers include support vector regression with radial-basis function (SVR-RBF) and k-Nearest Neighbor (k-NN). A 10-folds cross-validation technique (CV) is used to prove the integrity of the dataset inputs and enhance the calculation process of the model. In this model, the performance criteria for accuracy rate and mean squared error (MSE) are carried out. Results of the MFANNs models are compared with the ones that obtained by SVR-RBF and k-NN. It is shown that the MFANNs model performs better (i.e. lowest MSE = 0.0789, and highest accuracy rate = 96.9%) than SVR-based and k-NN models. Linked the study findings with the results obtained in the literature review, we conclude that our method achieves a recommended calculation for gender prediction.
Local sleep-like cortical reactivity in the awake brain after focal injury

The functional consequences of brain injury are known to depend on neuronal alterations extending beyond the area of structural damage. Although a lateralized EEG slowing over the injured hemisphere was known since the early days of clinical neurophysiology, its electrophysiological mechanisms were not systematically investigated. In parallel, basic sleep research has thoroughly characterized the neuronal events underlying EEG slow waves in physiological conditions. These EEG events reflect brief interruptions of neuronal firing (OFF-periods) that can occur locally and have prominent consequences on network and behavioral functions. Notably, the EEG slow waves observed following focal brain injury have been never explicitly connected to local sleep-like neuronal events. In previous works, probing cortical circuits with transcranial magnetic stimulation coupled with EEG (TMS/EEG) proved as an effective way to reveal the tendency of cortical circuits to transiently plunge into silent OFF-periods. Here, using this approach, we show that the intact cortex surrounding focal brain injuries engages locally in pathological sleep-like dynamics. Specifically, we employed TMS/EEG in a cohort of thirty conscious awake patients with chronic focal and multifocal brain injuries of various etiologies. TMS systematically evoked prominent slow waves associated with sleep-like OFF-periods in the area surrounding focal cortico-subcortical lesions. These events were associated with a local disruption of signal complexity and were absent when stimulating the contralateral hemisphere. Perilesional sleep-like OFF-periods may represent a valid read-out of the electrophysiological state of discrete cortical circuits following brain injury as well as a potential target of interventions aimed at fostering functional recovery. One Sentence Summary Focal cortical injuries are associated with local intrusion of sleep-like dynamics over the perilesional areas which disrupt local signal complexity and coexist with typical wakefulness cortical reactivity patterns within the same brain.
Estimating causal effects of class size in secondary education: evidence from TIMSS

ABSTRACT The effectiveness of class size reduction on student performance has been of great research interest and policy debate worldwide. Nevertheless, the evidence has been largely inconclusive partially due to potential bias arising from non-random placement of students and teachers in classrooms of different sizes. This study applied instrumental variable (IV) methods and used a regression discontinuity design (RDD) to conduct analyses of TIMSS data in 2003, 2007 and 2011. The purpose was to investigate over time the effects of class size on eighth grade students’ cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes on five mathematics and science subjects in four European countries (i.e. Hungary, Lithuania, Romania and Slovenia). IV estimates indicate that in Romania in 2003 smaller classes had significant and positive effects on academic scores in mathematics, physics, chemistry and earth science and in 2007 on enjoyment to learn mathematics. In Lithuania, in 2011 small classes had significant and positive effects on enjoyment to learn biology and chemistry and learning chemistry well. In 2007 however, the effects were reversed on some of the biology related non-cognitive outcomes. Overall, the class size effects that were significant were also substantial in magnitude and typically much larger than the effects reported in Project STAR.