Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measuring Faecal Glucocorticoid Metabolite Concentrations as an Indicator of Stress in Blue Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus)

In South Africa, blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) are routinely captured for relocation purposes. To monitor the stress caused by this practise, a non-invasive method assessing adrenocortical function as a measure of stress would minimize disturbance during sample collection. In our study, an adrenocorticotropic hormone challenge, and a mass-capture event were used to examine the suitability of five enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) for monitoring stress-related physiological responses using faeces as a sample matrix. The tested 11-oxoaetiocholanolone I EIA performed best, showing a 2126% increase above baseline after 22 h for a male, and a 474% increase for a female 23 h post-ACTH injection. Baseline faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations did not differ between animals captured on either day 1 or day 2 of the capture event, indicating that the frequent presence of a helicopter during the two days did not influence fGCM concentrations. However, during capture-related restraint for up to 10 h, an overall 1.5-fold elevation in (fGCM) concentrations was found. Storage of faeces at ambient temperature post-defecation indicated a fair stability of fGCMs for up to 8 h. The ability to reliably assess adrenocortical function provides a solid basis to examine endocrine responses to putative stressful circumstances in blue wildebeest.
Hindcasts of Sea Surface Wind around the Korean Peninsula Using the WRF Model: Added Value Evaluation and Estimation of Extreme Wind Speeds

Sea surface wind plays an essential role in the simulating and predicting ocean phenomena. However, it is difficult to obtain accurate data with uniform spatiotemporal scale. A high-resolution (10 km) sea surface wind hindcast around the Korean Peninsula (KP) is presented using the weather research and forecasting model focusing on wind speed. The hindcast data for 39 years (1979–2017) are obtained by performing a three-dimensional variational analysis data assimilation, using ERA-Interim as initial and boundary conditions. To evaluate the added value of the hindcasts, the ASCAT-L2 satellite-based gridded data (DASCAT) is employed and regarded as “True” during 2008–2017. Hindcast and DASCAT data are verified using buoy observations from 1997–2017. The added value of the hindcast compared to ERA-Interim is evaluated using a modified Brier skill score method and analyzed for seasonality and wind intensity. Hindcast data primarily adds value to the coastal areas of the KP, particularly over the Yellow Sea in the summer, the East Sea in the winter, and the Korean Strait in all seasons. In case of strong winds (10–25 m·s−1), the hindcast performed better in the East Sea area. The estimation of extreme wind speeds is performed based on the added value and 50-year and 100-year return periods are estimated using a Weibull distribution. The results of this study can provide a reference dataset for climate perspective storm surge and wave simulation studies.
Managing Open School Units Amid COVID-19 Pandemic through the Experiences of Greek Principals. Implications for Current and Future Policies in Public Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of primary and secondary Greek school principals, regarding the management of their school units at the beginning of the school year 2020–2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative study of 57 principals was undertaken, in order to explore the following questions: (a) What were the difficulties and obstacles that principals faced during the management of the school unit from the beginning of the school year? (b) What factors helped them to manage these difficulties? Written answers were analyzed using thematic analysis. Several key findings emerged, indicating that, in general, the principals had to respond to an unprecedented crisis context, under tremendous pressure, with limited resources. They faced a variety of difficulties, both on a personal level and in the context of their professional role. They also encountered difficulties above their role, which had to do with the general impact of the extended sanitary crisis on the emotional state and perceptions of the members of the school community. The results of the research have implications for the policy that is applied in schools in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Comparison of Methods Dealing with Missing Data in a Longitudinal Rheumatologic Study

Received \ Geliş tarihi : 21.05. 2020 Accepted \ Kabul tarihi : 07.08. 2020 Online published : 12.07. 2021 Elektronik yayın tarihi ABSTRACT Missing data are unavoidable in longitudinal studies and can lead toserious problems, such as loss of power and biased estimates, which should be solved in the statistical analysis of clinical studies. In this paper, three different techniques for handling missing data are shown using an example from a rheumatologic study. It is also shown how sensitive the conclusions of the study can be in terms of how the incomplete data are analyzed. The missing data process is studied in the framework of longitudinal data. The common approaches to handling missing longitudinal clinical trial data because of dropout are complete case (CC) and last observation carried forward (LOCF) analyses. These methods, while intuitively appealing, require tough assumptions to reach valid statistical conclusions. A relatively new and up to date statistical method for analyzing data with incomplete repeated measures is “likelihoodbased ignorable method” which has less constraints and fewer tough assumptions than those required for CC and LOCF. We apply these three methods to data set of a rheumatologic trial comparing disease groups in terms of the joint pain scores using a mixed model. No significant differences were found between the methods of analysis. It can be concluded that attention to the mechanisms of missing data should be very important part of the analysis of rheumatologic data.
Hepatoprotective effects of hydroethanolic extracts of Crocus sativus tepals, stigmas and leaves on carbon tetrachloride induced acute liver injury in rats

Introduction: The present study investigated the hepatoprotective effects of stigmas, tepals and leaves of Crocus sativus on carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) induced liver injury in rats. Methods: Hydroethanolic extracts of Crocus sativus (stigmas, tepals and leaves) were administrated daily for 14 days by oral gavage. In the present study, 30 male rats divided into five groups were treated as 1: normal rats gavaged with distilled water; 2: intoxicated rats gavaged with distilled water and injected with CCL4; 3: rats treated with stigmas extract and injected with CCL4; 4: rats treated with tepal extract and injected with CCL4; 5: rats treated with leaf extract and injected with CCL4. Bodyweight and the relative liver weight were determined. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), total cholesterol, triglycerides, bilirubin direct and total, total protein, albumin, urea and creatinine measured in plasma. Malondialdehyde (MDA) was quantified in liver homogenate. Results: The experimental data showed that the stigmas and tepals extracts significantly prevented weight body loss and improved the relative liver weight. They significantly protected against elevation of ALT, AST, direct bilirubin, total bilirubin, LDH, ALP, creatinine and MDA. Also, they enhanced significantly total proteins and albumin compared to the CCL4 control group. Moreover, leaves reduced ALT, AST, total bilirubin, LDH and MDA significantly. Conclusion: In conclusion, these results suggest that tepals, stigmas, and leaves extracts of Crocus sativus have hepatoprotective effects on CCL4 induced liver injury in rats.
Untersuchung der Polyelektrolytadsorption an Monoschichten geladener Amphiphile

Polyelektrolyte sind in Natur und Technik weit verbreitet und werden fur viele Anwendungen eingesetzt. Der Prozes, der hinter vielen dieser Anwendungen steckt, ist das Phanomen der Polyelektrolytadsorption. Aufgrund ihrer Komplexitat ist die Polyelektrolytadsorption bislang nur unzureichend verstanden. Dies macht die Suche nach geeigneten Modellsystemen mit klar definierten Strukturen notwendig, in denen die Einflusparameter variabel und systematisch untersucht werden konnen. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde die Adsorption verschiedener Polyelektrolyte an Monoschichten geladener Amphiphile als Modelloberflachen untersucht. Neben verschiedenen linearen Polyelektrolyten wurden auch gezielt in Molmasse und Struktur eingestellte Poly(tert-butylacrylate) und Poly(4-vinylpyridine) mittels kontrolliert/lebend radikalischer Polymerisation hergestellt und polymeranalog zu den entsprechenden Polyelektrolyten umgesetzt. Durch die Verwendung multifunktioneller Initiatoren konnten auf diese Weise 4-, 6- und 12-Arm-Sterne hergestellt werden. Die Ergebnisse haben bestatigt, das Amphiphilmonoschichten ein geeignetes Modellsystem zur Untersuchung der Polyelektrolytadsorption sind. Daruber hinaus konnte gezeigt werden, das in diesem System auch die Dynamik des Adsorptionsprozesses erfasst und untersucht werden kann. Dazu wurden Brewster-Winkel-Helligkeits- und UV/Vis-Reflektivitats-Messungen durchgefuhrt.
Influence of tool rotational speed on mechanical properties of aluminium alloy AA 7075-T6 during friction stir welding process

ABSTRACT Influence of the rotational speed can be clearly seen by using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The influence of rotating speed on macro and microstructures, hardness, shear performance and failure mechanism of friction stir welding on AA7075-T6 Al alloy with a thickness of 5 mm was investigated. At the lowest rotational speed, the data show a significantly closer hardness distribution in the AA7075-T6 Al alloy plates used during the friction stir welding process. The presence of the Fe- compounds was observed in the fracture surface of the nugget zone through the microstructure analysis. In this experimental investigation H-13 steel tool is used for friction stir welding process.
Changes in temperature and heat waves over Africa using observational and reanalysis data sets

Providing comprehensive regional‐ and local‐scale information on changes observed in the climate system plays a vital role in planning effective and efficient climate change adaptation options, specifically over resource‐limited regions. Here, we assess changes in temperature and heat waves over different regions of the African continent, with a focus on spatiotemporal trends and the time of emergence of change in hot extremes from natural variability. We analyse absolute and relative threshold indices. Data sets include temperatures from observations (CRUTS4.03 and BEST) and from three representative state‐of‐the‐art reanalyses (ERA5, MERRA2 and JRA‐55) for the common period 1980–2018. Statistically significant warming is observed over all regions of Africa in temperature time series from CRU observations and reanalysis data, although the trend strength varies between data sets. Also, extreme temperatures and heat wave indices from BEST observations and all reanalysis data sets reveal increasing trends over all regions of the African continent. However, there are differences in both trend strength and time evolution of heat wave indices between different reanalysis data sets. Most data sets agree in identifying 2010 as a peak heat year over Northern and Western Africa while Eastern and Southern Africa experienced the highest heat wave occurrence in 2016. Our results clearly reveal that heat wave occurrences have emerged from natural climate variability in Africa. The earliest time of emergence takes place in the Northern Africa region in the early 2000s while in the other African regions emergence over natural variability is found mainly after 2010. This also depends on the respective index metrics, where indices based on more consecutive days show later emergence of heat wave trends. Overall, significant warming and an increase in heat wave occurrence is found in all regions of Africa and has emerged from natural variability in the past one or two decades.
Effect of Intake Duration of Anthocyanin-Rich New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract on Cardiovascular Responses and Femoral Artery Diameter during Sustained Submaximal Isometric Contraction

Abstract Seven-day intake of anthocyanins from New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) extract increased cardiac output and femoral artery diameter during a sustained submaximal isometric contraction. It is not known if there are intake duration effects by NZBC extract on the isometric contraction-induced cardiovascular responses. In a repeated measures design, male participants (n = 19, age: 26 ± 4 years) performed a 120-second submaximal (30%) isometric contraction of the knee extensors at baseline and following 1, 4 and 7-days intake of 600 mg·day−1 NZBC extract. During the 120-second submaximal isometric contraction, femoral artery diameter and cardiovascular responses were measured with ultrasound and beat-to-beat hemodynamic monitoring. Femoral artery was larger following 4-days (mean difference = 0.046 cm, 95% CI [0.012, 0.080], p = 0.005) and 7-days (mean difference = 0.078 cm, 95% CI [0.034, 0.123], p < 0.001) in comparison to baseline with no increase with 1-day intake. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate and total peripheral resistance were not changed by NZBC extract at 1, 4 and 7-days intake. However, mean arterial pressure, stroke volume, cardiac output and total peripheral resistance were changed at time points during the isometric contraction following 7-days intake in comparison to 1-day intake of NZBC extract (p < 0.05). Alterations in femoral artery diameter and some cardiovascular responses during a submaximal sustained isometric contraction of the knee extensors are affected by the intake duration of New Zealand blackcurrant extract, with no effects by 1-day intake. Our observations suggest that the bioavailability of blackcurrant anthocyanins and anthocyanin-derived metabolites is required for days to alter the mechanisms for isometric-contraction induced cardiovascular responses.
Kernel Function Definition Completion for Time–Domain State–Space Representations of Radiation Forces: Application to the Hankel Singular Value Decomposition

This paper focuses on the formulation of state–space representations of radiation forces for marine structures using Hankel Singular Value Decomposition (HSVD), a method used to obtain a state–space realization from a Hankel matrix, with the classical definition of the kernel function and its new definition given in this paper. The first part shows the influence of a term commonly neglected and the resulting improvement by taking this term into account. The second part will focus on the feedthrough matrix to understand why some models have none and why some others, such as HSVD, have one. An exact definition of the kernel function will be given underlying its discontinuity and its causality. This study also shows the interest of extrapolating hydrodynamic coefficients before approaching radiation forces by a state–space model.
Sustainability and Natural Wines: An Exploratory Analysis on Consumers

Wine production and consumption in Italy have a long tradition strongly linked to conventional products. Because of these market dynamics, the Italian wine industry has strongly increased the production of organic wines, as well as that of biodynamic and natural wines. Based on a qualitative survey of 210 wine consumers, this study explores the motivations which move the interests of consumers for the consumption of natural wine. The aim of the study is to verify if and how sustainability inspires demand. Considering the scarcity of studies on “natural wines” this research aims to provide a cognitive framework capable of giving a social representation of natural wine from the consumers’ side, although not reaching a generalizable result.
Understanding Emergency Preparedness in Public Agencies: The Key Role of Managerial Perceptions

A central function of government is to protect citizens from harms of various hazards. Research on governmental emergency preparedness focuses predominantly on emergency management agencies per se but seldom assesses the full range of public sector agencies—nor how public managers specifically shape agency actions. This study addresses these gaps by investigating how perceptions and attitudes of administrators in nonemergency management agencies affect preparedness. Using a survey of U.S. public transit agencies, I demonstrate how managers’ perceived risks and efficacy beliefs shape nonemergency public agencies’ commitment to emergency preparedness. These findings suggest pathways for improved emergency preparedness across public sector agencies overall.
Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment for West Africa region

ABSTRACT West-Africa is a region of low-to-moderate seismicity, with only a few known earthquakes of moment magnitude greater than 5, notably the 1939 M w 6.4 Accra (Ghana) earthquake. An effort has been made to perform a seismic hazard assessment for the region enclosed within latitudes 2°N and 16°N and longitudes 18°W and 15°E using a probabilistic approach within a logic-tree framework. Ground-motion scaling relationships are selected to account for epistemic uncertainty. The compiled catalogue from 1615 to 2018 and homogenised to moment magnitude (M w). We present hazard result values on rock site conditions, in terms of seismic hazard curves, peak ground acceleration and uniform hazard spectra, for the study region and four selected cities. We estimate the maximum PGAs of 10%, and 2%, chances over 50 years at 0.10 and 0.26 g respectively, in Accra. Finally, a deaggregation of the Accra site was carried out to identify the dominant earthquake scenario for the chosen site for a 475-year return period. Results showed that the prevalent scenario characterised by seismic events between magnitudes 5.5-6.0 and at a distance less than 60 km. Findings from these assessments will help to contribute to the safe development of the region.
Monte carlo simulations for blue-phase structure in liquid crystals

ABSTRACT Blue-phase liquid crystals form three-dimensional structures in a self-organizing manner and are similar to living tissue structures such as the teeth of mice and collagen tissues. This study presents numerical results regarding the conditions under which blue-phase liquid crystals occur. The Monte Carlo simulations are performed by employing an improved Lennard–Jones potential that considers anisotropy and chirality. The conditions for the formation of the blue phase, which vary with respect to the chirality, are examined first. The relationship between the anisotropic parameters and the chiral parameter for the formation of the blue phase is discussed. Identical blue-phase structures are obtained, even when the cell size and molecular number are varied drastically. This discussion is useful for considering the scale-up problem, which is almost always a difficult issue for molecular-scale simulations.
Recent acoustic energy harvesting methods and mechanisms: A review

This review article summarises the mechanism of the acoustic energy harvester or converter which includes the compact structure of the piezoelectric element, electromagnetic transducer and Helmholtz resonator; different shapes of Helmholtz resonators, piezoelectric cantilever, acoustic metamaterial-based approach, electrostatic transduction method, auxetic structure of material and other techniques. The recently established methods of acoustic energy harvesting and converting mechanisms; devices are carefully reviewed, and their results are compared and listed in the table. The technique of energy conversion by using acoustic metamaterial will tend to be more efficacious due to its complexity and the structure. Even in the few noise attenuation applications, more metamaterial is used, where, with the help of the conversion mechanism, the noise or sound energy can be converted into electrical energy for small electronic applications. It is demonstrated that the acoustic energy-conversion technique will become an essential part of the environmental energy harvesting research field.
Genetic Diversity in 19th Century Barley (Hordeum vulgare) Reflects Differing Agricultural Practices and Seed Trade in Jämtland, Sweden

Landrace crops are important genetic resources, both for plant breeding efforts and for studying agrarian history. The distribution of genetic diversity among landraces can reflect effects of climate, economic structure, and trade also over a limited spatial and temporal scale. In this study, we have SNP genotyped historical barley seed samples from the late 19th century, together with extant barley landrace accessions from Jämtland, Sweden, a county centrally located, situated between Sweden and Norway. We found two main genetic clusters, one associated with the main agricultural district around lake Storsjön and one in the peripheral areas. Data was also compared with genotypes from landraces from across the Scandinavian peninsula. Accessions from the peripheral part of Jämtland show genetic similarity to accessions from a large part of central Scandinavia, while the accessions from the Storsjön district are more differentiated. We suggest that these dissimilarities in genetic diversity distribution are explained by differences in the relative importance of agriculture and trading. We further compared the historical material with ex situ preserved extant landraces from the same region and found that their genetic diversity was not always representative of the given provenience. The historical material, in contrast, proved particularly valuable for assessing how crop genetic diversity has historically been influenced by economic focus.
Strategic monitoring informs wilderness management and socioecological benefits

Federally designated wilderness areas in the US are mandated to fulfill social and ecological goals. Long‐term monitoring is key to this mandate, yet is seldom consistent across boundaries. Our purpose is to compile literature and data to examine the utility of a strategic forest inventory for meeting wilderness management objectives and for enabling coordinated interagency responses to boundary‐crossing challenges (e.g., pollution, wildfires, plant invasions, global changes). We provide examples from a national forest inventory (NFI), which provides nationally consistent information that helps stakeholders comply with protected‐areas policy, reduce risks to public safety, define economic opportunities, guide conservation efforts and forecast key ecological processes. For example, the NFI has helped detect long‐distance air‐pollution, document high‐elevation whitebark pine declines and evaluate the risk of wilderness fires spreading to adjacent lands and private property. We identify opportunities to improve monitoring by expanding existing measurements of nonforest ecosystems and linking supplemental monitoring efforts to the existing framework. Though the NFI alone cannot fulfill all monitoring functions, strategic monitoring enables effective wilderness management by revealing socioecological feedbacks between human communities and the wildlands on which they depend.