Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic diversity of the Critically Endangered Philippine Eagle Pithecophaga jefferyi (Aves: Accipitridae) and notes on its conservation

The Philippine Eagle Pithecophaga jefferyi is a diurnal raptor endemic to the Philippines. Its distribution is restricted to remaining forests on the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao. The Philippine Eagle is classified as a Critically Endangered species under the IUCN Red List, with a high end estimated population of only 500 breeding pairs in the wild. Population decline has been attributed to continuing deforestation, particularly since the mid-1900s, and hunting. This study aimed to identify the effects of population decline on the genetic structure of the present population of the Philippine Eagle by sequencing 1132bp of the mitochondrial control region from 22 individuals. Control region haplotype diversity (h = 0.8960±0.05590) and nucleotide diversity (π = 0.006194±0.003372) are comparable with other accipitrid species. Maximum likelihood trees and network analysis show that the Luzon and Samar individuals come from different lineages, but both shared a common ancestral population with the Mindanao population. The genetic diversity, multimodal mismatch distribution for the control region and high frequency of lower class modes all indicate a recent bottleneck for the Philippine Eagle population. Possible strategies for conservation are discussed.
Formal methods and tools for the development of distributed and real time systems : Esprit Project 3096 (SPEC)

• A submitted manuscript is the version of the article upon submission and before peer-review. There can be important differences between the submitted version and the official published version of record. People interested in the research are advised to contact the author for the final version of the publication, or visit the DOI to the publisher's website. • The final author version and the galley proof are versions of the publication after peer review. • The final published version features the final layout of the paper including the volume, issue and page numbers.
Cement Microstructure: Fostering Photocatalysis

The singularities and the qualities of the hydrated cement microstructure have been identified by researchers as enhancers to promote photocatalytic processes, mediated by titanium dioxide, to create environment-friendly cement. In this chapter, we intend to expose the microstructural characteristics of cement and those aspects that make it possible for the promotion of photocatalytic activity. Within the inherent complexity of the cement microstructure, we describe a framework of two key elements in the microstructure of this material that affects the promotion of TiO 2 photocatalysis, to offer a more comprehensive view of the physical-chemical processes involved. These elements are: the porosity and the nanostructure of the C-S-H. This framework is also a starting point for future studies that seek to improve the photocatalytic response of titanium dioxide inserted in the cement matrix, as well as to provide implications for the application of photocatalytic cement technology in the construction materials industry.
Late - Onset Hypogonadism - New Point of View

Long-term testosterone deficiency related to age may adversely affect health, anatomy and physiology of man. The implementation of testosterone boost therapy only at the time, when for many years, as the result of testosterone deficiency, irreversible anatomical changes have occurred, is clearly too late. Age-related progressive decrease in testosterone serum concentration levels causes anatomical and functional abnormalities. It is the cause of lipid disorders; it excarberates type-2 diabetes, it is also the common cause of cardiovascular diseases. It contributes to other health problems such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, osteoporosis and obesity and it manifests itself by decreased libido and potency. There is also a strong relationship between age-related decrease in testosterone and Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and carcinoma of the prostate are closely associated with testosterone deficiency and comedo-carcinoma — the most malignant form of prostate cancer — is directly proportional to the decrease in serum testosterone. A good therapy for increasing testosterone serum levels can reverse the problems associated with aging such as type-2 diabetes, sexual dysfunction, osteoporosis, hyper-lipidemia and ischemic heart disease. It can even reverse symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Using synthetic testosterone is often recommended in the treatment of testosterone deficiency. Unfortunately, synthetic testosterone can cause side effects such as infertility and a long-term use of testosterone may also lead to irreversible testicular atrophy. Therefore, patients receiving long-term testosterone therapy are all dependent on adequate doses of synthetic testosterone until the end of their lives. Meanwhile, intramuscular administration of hCG to stimulate the endogenous testosterone synthesis, has been known since the 1950s. The induction of endogenous testosterone production by hCG has been effective in all age groups while being safe at the same time. In this paper, the author presents problems caused by testosterone deficiency and outlines the possibility of the treatment, which increases the induction of testosterone endosynthesis by hCG. It has not yet been determined how to diagnose testosterone deficiency. The age-related serum testosterone concentration reference range has not been established yet either. The paper presents the first attempt to establish international standards for testosterone serum concentration levels in different age groups.
Systematics of the coral genus Craterastrea (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Scleractinia) and description of a new family through combined morphological and molecular analyses

The monotypic genus Craterastrea was assigned to the family Siderastreidae owing to the similarity of its septal micromorphology to that of Coscinaraea. Subsequently, it was synonymized with Leptoseris, family Agariciidae, based on corallum macromorphology. Since then, it has remained poorly studied and has been known only from a small number of specimens from relatively deep reef environments in the Red Sea and the Chagos archipelago, northern Indian Ocean. Access to museum collections enabled examination of type material and the recovery of coral skeletons from the Seychelles, Madagascar, and Mayotte, southern Indian Ocean. A recent survey in Mayotte allowed the in situ imaging of Craterastrea in shallow and turbid reef environments and sampling for molecular analyses. The molecular analyses were in agreement with the examination of micromorphology and microstructure of skeletons by revealing that Craterastrea levis, the only species in the genus, differs much from Leptoseris foliosa, with which it was synonymized. Moreover, Craterastrea is closely related to Coscinaraea, Horastrea and Anomastraea. However, these genera, currently ascribed to the Siderastreidae, are genetically distant to Siderastrea, the family's type genus, and Pseudosiderastrea. Hence, we restore the genus Craterastrea, describe the new family Coscinaraeidae due to its deep evolutionary divergence from the Siderastreidae, and provide revised diagnoses of the four genera in the family. The description of the new family Coscinaraeidae is a further step in the challenging but ongoing process of revision of the taxonomy of scleractinian corals as a result of the molecular systematics revolution.
Pharmacognosy of Science for the Protection and Survival of Nature and Man

Pharmacognosy as a science of natural medicinal raw materials and drugs of natural origin is a science that protects nature and affects the survival and protection of man. From the earliest times, man was exploring everything that nature provides. With the development of science and technology, research into natural raw materials, as well as those with healing activity, was perfected. The obtained results could reliably be used in official pharmacopoeia, medicine and dentistry. With the development of computer technology, there has been more detailed information on the use of natural medicinal raw materials through Phytotherapy, which is increasingly being applied. All these studies indicate that pharmacognosic studies with the goal of using natural medicinal substances and medicines of natural origin must not be called alternative medicine, but it is the same as all other medicines that are only adapted to the nature of natural raw materials.
Backwardation and Commodity Futures Performance

The recent performance of commodities has spurred interest in the various sources of returns to commodity investment. The underlying sources of return include the potential return due to backwardation. The extent of backwardation existing in various commodities depends both on the actual commodity examined and the changing characteristics of that particular commodity market. This article examines the role of backwardation in the performance of passive long positions in soybeans, corn, and wheat futures over the period, 1950 to 2004. The results show that over this period, backwardation has been highly predictive of the return of a passive long futures position when measured over long investment horizons. The article also focuses on the backwardation for a particular commodity, soybeans. A historical examination of soybean production and trading suggests that the profitability of a passive long soybean position during the early part of the sample may have been a result of inadequate inventories and storage facilities at the time. The implications of changing demand and supply characteristics on future commodity backwardation and on commodity investing are considered.
Agroecological Formación in Rural Social Movements

Among the many sectors currently engaged in struggle against the corporate food system, small farmers play a particularly important role—not only do they constitute a legitimate alternative to global agribusiness, but also they are the heirs to long traditions of local knowledge and practice. In defending peasant agriculture, rural social movements defend popular control over seeds and genetic resources, water, land and territory against the onslaught of globalized financial capital. A framework called food sovereignty has been developed by the international peasant movement La Via Campesina (LVC), to encompass the various elements of a food system alternative based on reclaiming popular resource control, defending small-scale agriculture and traditional knowledge, rebuilding local circuits of food and labor, and recovering the ecological processes that can make farming sustainable. Recognizing the need to develop “movement people” capable of integrating many ecological, social, cultural and political criteria into their organizational activities, LVC increasingly has articulated processes of popular education and consciousness-raising as part of the global social movement for agroecology and food sovereignty. Given the enormous diversity of organizations and actors in LVC, an underlying feature known in Spanish as dialogo de saberes (roughly the equivalent of “dialogue between ways of knowing”) has characterized LVC processes of education, training, formation and exchange in agroecology. The dialogo de saberes takes place at the level of training centers and schools of the LVC organizations, as well as the larger scale of agricultural landscapes and peasant territories. The interactions between peasant, family or communal farmers, their organizations, their youth and their agroecology create social processes that assume the form and dynamic of a social movement in several countries of Latin America.
Barriers to forest regeneration of deforested and abandoned land in Panama

Summary 1. In Panama, abandoned agricultural lands that supported tropical rain forest are invaded by the exotic invasive grass Saccharum spontaneum , which precludes native forest regeneration. This study aimed to evaluate the importance of several barriers to forest regeneration and highlight mitigation opportunities. 2. We examined four barriers to natural regeneration: Saccharum competition, seed dispersal limitation, fire and soil nutrient deficiency. Tree and shrub regeneration was measured in a factorial experiment combining Saccharum cutting treatments, distances from adjacent forest and a prescribed burn to assess the first three barriers, respectively. We compared soil nutrients in Saccharum plots with those from adjacent forest. Additionally, we determined the importance of distance to remnant vegetation (large-leaved monocots, shrubs and isolated trees) on forest regeneration. 3. Fire significantly decreased plant species richness of forest regeneration. Fire inhibited the germination of most species; the effect was exacerbated by cutting the Saccharum . 4. Grass competition significantly decreased seedling growth, while soil nutrient deficiency did not affect forest regeneration. 5. Seed dispersal limitation affected density and species richness. Significantly more species (3 × ) regenerated at 10 m compared with 35 m from the forest. Mean seedling densities were, respectively, four, three and two times higher under large-leaved monocots, isolated trees and shrubs than in open Saccharum . When seed input was experimentally equalized, large-seeded species had the highest establishment rate, suggesting that if their propagules were dispersed to the site they would regenerate in high proportions. However, under natural conditions they regenerated poorly and represented the most dispersal-limited species group. 6. Synthesis and applications . Our results suggest that facilitation of natural regeneration may be a feasible, low-cost management option for restoring native forest cover to large areas. Firebreaks must be established to promote biodiversity of forest regeneration. We do not recommend Saccharum cutting or fertilization as site treatments. Shading effectively eliminates Saccharum . Planting a variety of tree species in clumps throughout the Saccharum may overcome dispersal limitations and catalyse natural regeneration. Trees that attract different frugivores are recommended, especially largeseeded forest species.
Discriminant Analysis to Predict the Hypertension in Women Aged 25–54 Years

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is generally associated with the contributing risk factor for cardiovascular disease in adults. This research is aimed to create a prediction model of the hypertension incidence in women aged 15 through 54 years. MATERIAL & METHODS: The research subjects are 117 women whose ages range from 27 to 54 years living in the village in the central district of Bogor. Through the instrumentation and Vo2 max measuring performed, the information was gathered concerning the following aspects: a) socio-demographic status; b) the abdominal girth; c) fasting blood glucose level; d) body mass index; e) blood lipids including the total cholesterol and triglycerides. The data analysis was conducted using discriminant analysis. RESULTS: The results of multivariable discriminant analysis showed that the level of Vo2 max is the only distinction maker of the incidence of hypertension with the final equation model Zscore = -3.033 + 0.102*Vo2 max and the cut off point -0.00018. CONCLUSION: Concerted efforts from all concerned parties are needed to prevent the hypertension especially through the physical activities relevant to a more quality lifestyle.
An empirical investigation of the Black-Scholes model: evidence from the Australian Stock Exchange

This paper evaluates the probability of an exchange traded European call option being exercised on the ASX200 Options Index. Using single-parameter estimates of factors within the Black-Scholes model, this paper utilises qualitative regression and a maximum likelihood approach. Results indicate that the BlackScholes model is statistically significant at the 1% level. The results also provide evidence that the use of implied volatility and a jump-diffusion approach, which increases the tail properties of the underlying lognormal distribution, improves the statistical significance of the Black-Scholes model. This journal article is available in Australasian Accounting, Business and Finance Journal: http://ro.uow. edu.au/aabfj/vol1/iss4/5 The Australasian Accounting Business & Finance Journal, December, 2007. McKenzie, Gerace & Subedar: Empirical Investigation of the Black-Scholes Model. Vol. 1, No. 4. Page 71. AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE BLACK-SCHOLES MODEL: EVIDENCE FROM THE AUSTRALIAN STOCK EXCHANGE Scott McKenzie, Dionigi Gerace, Zaffar Subedar University of Wollongong ABSTRACT This paper evaluates the probability of an exchange traded European call option being exercised on the ASX200 Options Index. Using single-parameter estimates of factors within the Black-Scholes model, this paper utilises qualitative regression and a maximum likelihood approach. Results indicate that the Black-Scholes model is statistically significant at the 1% level. The results also provide evidence that the use of implied volatility and a jump-diffusion approach, which increases the tail properties of the underlying lognormal distribution, improves the statistical significance of the Black-Scholes model.This paper evaluates the probability of an exchange traded European call option being exercised on the ASX200 Options Index. Using single-parameter estimates of factors within the Black-Scholes model, this paper utilises qualitative regression and a maximum likelihood approach. Results indicate that the Black-Scholes model is statistically significant at the 1% level. The results also provide evidence that the use of implied volatility and a jump-diffusion approach, which increases the tail properties of the underlying lognormal distribution, improves the statistical significance of the Black-Scholes model.
Analysis of Heat Transfer in Air Cooled Condensers

Condensing units at geothermal power plants containing surface condensers and cooling towers utilize great amounts of water. Air cooled condensers (ACCs) are not typically paired with dry or flash steam geothermal power plants, but can be a viable solution to eliminate the extensive water usage and vapor emissions related to water cooled systems. The present thesis investigates two different models that provide tools for calculating the heat transfer coefficient across air cooled tube bundles. An analytical model is created using MATLAB (2013), while ANSYS Fluent (2013a) is used to generate a numerical model. A correlation from literature is used for the heat transfer coefficient calculation in the analytical model and the k− ω shear stress transport (SST) turbulence model is used in ANSYS Fluent (2013a). When compared, the analytical model results in more accuracy than the numerical model. However, both models can be utilized to optimize air cooled condenser design.
Stock Price Forecasting in an Interest-Free Economy.

Stock price forecasting models are equally important for investor decisions in the western market as well as in the Islamic market. Both dividend discount and earning-based valuation models use interest rate as a fundamental measure to reflect the present value of future dividends and earnings respectively. In general terms, stock prices are forecasted based on the correlation between stock return and interest rate. However, in an Islamic, interest-free economy, no such correlation is available. This paper suggests that an interest-free economy could realize the principle of market efficiency more efficiently and would render stock prices more related to economic realities. In other words, stock prices would capture the real growth component of the concerned stock, rather than the speculative and artificial ones. It is argued that such an economy provides more accurate indicators to investors as to where to direct their funds for potential growth at a rate higher than the market capitalization rate.
Clinical Interface of Macular Retinal and cpRNFL Thickness, OND by OCT and Visual Field for Glaucoma Diagnosis Macula Research for Glaucoma Diagnosis

Background: Assessment of clinical interface of macular retinal thickness and circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) thickness, optic nerve disc (OND) parameters using optical coherence tomography (OCT)and visual field mean deviation in the large scale case-control study were combined to produce a better diagnostic strategy for early glaucoma detection, monitoring and prognosis. Materials and Methods: It was the case-control study comprising 45-74 years old men and women of 499 healthy and198 patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). All the study subjects underwent full ophthalmological investigation and OCT scanning of the macula, cpRNFL and OND. The statistical analysis was done. Results: The macular retinal and cpRNFL thickness in sectors, except for the fovea, showed statistically significant thinning in the POAG group compared with the control group. The sectoral macular retinal thickness averages had stronger correlation with respective sectoral cpRNFL thickness averages in the case of POAG. It is possible to make the prognosis that odds ratio to have POAG increases by 3.5 times when retinal thickness average of inferior outer macula is less than 219m. The odds ratio of having cup/disc vertical ratio bigger than 0.577 significantly increased by 2.8 times if inferior outer macular retinal thickness was less than 219m. The odds ratio of having visual field deeper than MD -3.55dB significantly increased 3.5 times if inferior inner + outer macular retinal thickness was less than 237m. Conclusion: Thinning of the macular retinal thickness in the sectors had significant clinical interface with changes in cpRNFL, visual field loss and OND cupping in glaucoma and may represent a surrogate indicator of retinal ganglion cell loss. Macular thickness measurements with OCT may provide a new approach for the detection and monitoring of glaucomatous damage.
CREDIT AND LIQUIDITY SUPPORT IN SECURITISATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR BANK SOLVENCY

Using US bank holding company data for the period 2001 to 2007, this paper examines the relationship between banks’ involvement in securitisations and insolvency risk. We find that the overall level of retained interests and guarantees increases bank risk. Breaking down retained interests by the form of the underlying facility, we find that credit enhancements and seller’s interest have a risk-increasing effect, while the provision of liquidity support appears to lessen risk. Credit-enhancing interest-only strips have the strongest risk-increasing effect, consistently with their subordinated (first loss) position, while the effect of subordinated securities is positive although not statistically significant. This appears to (weakly) support the theoretical literature on the mitigating effect on bank risk taking of holding a subordinated/equity tranche. Finally, we find that that engagement in third-party securitisations does not have significant effect on bank risk.