Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Climate Risk Profile for Southern Africa

changes and related impacts on different sectors in Southern Africa until 2080 under different climate change scenarios (called Representative Concentration Pathways, RCPs). RCP2.6 represents the low emissions scenario that aims to keep global warming likely below 2 °C above pre-industrial temperatures. RCP6.0 represents a medium to high emissions scenario that is likely to exceed 2 °C. Model projections do not account for effects of future socio-economic impacts, unless indicated otherwise. Due to changing climatic conditions, yields of cassava, ground nuts, maize and rice are projected to benefit from CO2 ferti li sation, while yields of millet and sorghum are projected to decrease. Wheat projections are highly uncertain.
The contribution of cultural capital to students’ mathematics achievement in medium and high socioeconomic gradient economies

The present study addresses the issue of how different forms of cultural capital may influence children's mathematics achievement in economies with different socioeconomic gradients. Data from 73,178 parent-child dyads from ten economies with different socioeconomic gradients who participated in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012 were analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling. The cultural capital variables examined comprised the availability of home educational resources and parental educational expectations of their children. Results showed that after controlling for parent education, student gender, and student history of repeating grades in the past, there were statistically significant main and interaction effects (home educational resources X parent education, and parental educational expectations X parent education) of cultural capital on student achievement. Furthermore, these effects explained more student achievement variance in high than medium socioeconomic gradient economies (7.45% versus 2.82% respectively). In particular, the main effects for parental educational expectations, and interaction effect between parental educational expectations and parent education were more pronounced in high as compared to medium socioeconomic gradient economies. Overall, the results underscore the challenges confronting low-SES parents who aspire social mobility for their children, and the need for high-SES parents to strategically ‘activate’ their cultural capital advantages to benefit their children’s achievement maximally.
Multidomain Legendre-Galerkin Chebyshev collocation least squares method for one-dimensional problems with two nonhomogeneous jump conditions

ABSTRACT The multidomain Legendre-Galerkin Chebyshev collocation least squares method is developed for one-dimensional problems with two nonhomogeneous jump conditions. The original problem is rewritten as an equivalent first-order system by introducing a flux variable. The scheme is based on the Legendre Galerkin method, but Chebyshev-Gauss-Lobatto points interpolation are applied in computation of the piecewise smooth variable coefficient and the right hand side terms. By choosing appropriate base functions to deal with interfaces, the proposed method can be implemented in parallel. The coercivity and continuity of the method are proved and an error estimate in a block -norm is derived. Numerical examples are given to validate the efficiency and accuracy.
Assessment of smoke plume height products derived from multisource satellite observations for wildfire in the western US

As wildfires intensify and fire seasons lengthen across the western U.S., the development of applicable 10 models that can predict the density of smoke plumes and track wildfire-induced air pollution exposures has become critical. Wildfire smoke plume height is a key indicator of the vertical placement of plume mass emitted from wildfire-related aerosol sources in climate and air quality models. With advancements in Earth observation (EO) satellites, spaceborne products for aerosol layer height or plume injection height have recently emerged with increased global-scale spatiotemporal resolution. However, to evaluate column radiative effects and refine satellite algorithms, vertical 15 profiles of regionally representative aerosol data from wildfire emissions need to be measured directly in the field. In this study, we conduct the first comprehensive evaluation of four passive satellite remote sensing techniques specifically designed to retrieve plume height distribution for wildfire smoke. We compare these satellite products with the airborne Wyoming Cloud Lidar (WCL) measurements during the 2018 Biomass Burning Flux Measurements of Trace Gases and Aerosols (BB-FLUX) field campaign in the western U.S. Two definitions, namely “plume top” 20 and “extinction-weighted mean plume height”, are used to derive representative heights of wildfire smoke plumes, based on the WCL-retrieved vertical aerosol extinction coefficient profiles. We also perform a comparative analysis of multisource satellite-derived plume height products for wildfire smoke using these two definitions. With the aim to discuss which satellite product is most appropriate under various aerosol loadings and in determining plume height characteristics near a fire-event location or downwind plume rise equivalent height. Our findings highlight the 25 importance of understanding the sensitivity of different passive remote sensing techniques to space-based wildfire smoke plume height observations, in order to resolve ambiguity surrounding the concept of “effective smoke plume height”. As additional aerosol-observing satellites are expected to be launched in the coming years, our results will inform future remote sensing missions and EO data selection. This will help bridge the gap between satellite observations and plume rise modeling to further investigate the vertical distribution of wildfire smoke aerosols
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS AND THE INSTITUTE OF ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES OF BILKENT UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS

TH E FISHER H YPOTH ESIS: A M U L T I-C O U N T R Y ANALYSIS Mohamed Mehdi Jelassi M . A . in Economics Supervisor: Assist. Prof. Hakan Berument August, 1999 There is a long tradition of testing the Fisher hypothesis on the long run relationship between inflation and nominal interest rates. In this study, we examine the before tax strong version of the Fisher hypothesis for a sample of countries, in an attempt to extend the available literature. Using an error correction modeling approach suggested by Moazzarni [30] which cillows for direct estimates of the long run coefflcients, we show that the strong version of the Fisher hypothesis tends to hold for more than half of the countries under study. In addition to that we point to the fact that under complete financial deregulation, there is a higher chance for the Fisher hypothesis to hold in line with the suggestion of Olekalns [33].
Ab initio phasing

The background and use of dual-space direct methods (also known as Shake-and-Bake) for the ab initio phasing of small proteins as well as the phasing of heavy-atom substructures of large proteins is described. Basic concepts include normalized structure factors, multisolution procedures, random trial structures, phase-refinement formulas, peak-picking techniques, alternation of phase improvement in reciprocal and real space, and recognizing solutions. Two independent computer programs which implement the Shake-and-Bake algorithm, SnB and SHELXD, are compared and typical parameters are given. Other topics discussed are the use of Patterson information to get better starting phases, avoiding false minima, the effects of data resolution and completeness, special features of space group P1, and refinement strategies. Keywords: Fourier refinement; Patterson functions; ab initio phasing; anomalous scattering; ‘baking’; computer programs; constraints; data completeness; data resolution; direct methods; false minima; isomorphous replacement; minimal function; multiple-beam diffraction and direct methods; normalized structure factors; parameter-shift method; peak picking; peaklist optimization; phase expansion in reciprocal space; phase refinement; phasing; random omit maps; real-space constraints; ‘shaking’; structure factors; structure invariants; tangent formula; ‘twice baking’
Instrumented platform for assessment of isometric hand muscles contractions

Measurement of forces exerted by a human hand while performing common gestures is a highly valuable task for assessment of neurorehabilitation and neurological disorders, but also, for control of movement that could be directly transferred to assistive devices. Even though accurate and selective multi-joint measurement of hand forces is desirable in both clinical and research applications there is no commercially available device able to perform such measurements. Moreover, the custom-made systems used in research commonly impose limitations, such as availability of only single, predefined hand aperture. Furthermore, there is no consensus on design requirements for custom made measurement systems that would enable comparison of results obtained during research or clinical hand function studies. In an attempt to provide a possible solution for a device capable of multi-joint hand forces measurement and disseminate it to the research community, this paper presents the mechanical and electronic design of an instrumented platform for assessment of isometric hand muscles contractions. Some of the key features related to the developed system are: flexibility in placing the hand/fingers, fast and easy hand fitting, adjustability to different lengths, circumferences and postures of the digits, and the possibility to register individual bidirectional forces from the digits and the wrist. The accuracy of isometric force measurements was evaluated in a controlled test with the reference high accuracy force gauge device during which the developed system showed high linearity (R2 = 0.9999). As the more realistic test, the device was evaluated when force was applied to individual sensors but also during the intramuscular electromyography (iEMG) study. The data gathered during the iEMG measurements was thoroughly assessed to obtain three appropriate metrics; the first estimating crosstalk between individual force sensors; the second evaluating agreement between measured forces and forces estimated through iEMG; and the third providing qualitative evaluation of hand force in respect to activations of individual muscle units. The results of these analyses performed on multiple joint forces show agreement with previously published results, but with the difference that in that case, the measurement was performed with a single degree of freedom device.
Anthocyanin Effects on Vascular and Endothelial Health: Evidence from Clinical Trials and Role of Gut Microbiota Metabolites

Hypertension and derived cardiovascular disease (CVD) are among the leading causes of death worldwide. Increased oxidative stress and inflammatory state are involved in different alterations in endothelial functions that contribute to the onset of CVD. Polyphenols, and in particular anthocyanins, have aroused great interest for their antioxidant effects and their cardioprotective role. However, anthocyanins are rarely detected in blood serum because they are primarily metabolized by the gut microbiota. This review presents studies published to date that report the main results from clinical studies on the cardioprotective effects of anthocyanins and the role of the gut microbiota in the metabolism and bioavailability of anthocyanins and their influence on the composition of the microbiota. Even if it seems that anthocyanins have a significant effect on vascular health, more studies are required to better clarify which molecules and doses show vascular benefits without forgetting the crucial role of the microbiota.
Physiological and pharmacological modulation of the human nociceptive withdrawal reflex

1°HA = primary hyperalgesic area 2°HA = secondary hyperalgesic area NWR = nociceptive withdrawal reflex ISI = inter stimulus interval WDR = wide dynamic range (neuron) NS = nociceptive specific (neuron) LTM = low threshold mechanoreceptor-2-The present thesis is based on the papers listed below (in the text referred to by roman numerals). The original papers are attached. Modulation of the human nociceptive reflex by cyclic movements Facilitation of the human nociceptive reflex by stimulation of Aβ-fibres in the a secondary hyperalgesic area sustained by nociceptive input from the primary hyperalgesic area The effect of ketamine on stimulation of primary and secondary hyperalgesic areas induced by capsaicin-a double-blind, placebo-controlled, human experimental study Pain, in press-3-PREFACE The present studies have all been carried out at Center for Sensory-Motor Interaction, Aalborg University in the period from 1992 to 1995. I wish to express my deepest and sincere gratitude to my supervisor Professor Lars Arendt-Nielsen, Ph.D., dr.med., for his never failing interest in discussing and commenting on the research projects, paper drafts, and future ideas. I also wish to thank all the co-workers for helping with the experimental studies and completing manuscripts for publication. It has been a pleasure.
Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in cattle: factors affecting fecal shedding of E. coli O157:H7 and detection methods of non-O157 STEC

Escherichia coli O157:H7 and over 380 non-O157 serotypes of Shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC) are human food-borne pathogens that inhabit the hindgut of ruminants and are shed in the feces, which subsequently contaminate food products. Recent epidemiological data have shown that six non-O157 STEC (O26, O103, O111, O121, O45 and O145) account for majority of human STEC infections. Fecal shedding of STEC is influenced by a number of factors, including diets, supplements, and feed additives, because of their potential to alter hindgut ecosystem. Not much is known about the fecal shedding of non-O157 STEC in cattle because of lack of standardized detection methods. Fecal shedding of E. coli O157:H7 was studied to determine the effects of supplemental urea, monensin, an ionophore, and ractopamine, a betaagonist. Cattle fed monensin at 44 mg/kg of feed had lower (P = 0.05) fecal O157:H7 prevalence than cattle fed 33 mg/kg. Supplemental urea (0.35 or 0.70% of the diet) and inclusion of ractopamine at 200 mg/animal/day had no effect on fecal shedding of E. coli O157:H7. In an experimental inoculation study, inclusion of corn starch to a distiller’s grains (DG)-supplemented diet had no effect on fecal shedding of E. coli O157 suggesting that either the decreased starch content in the DG-supplemented diet is not a factor in the increased shedding of E. coli O157:H7 or inclusion of pure starch in the diet may not have achieved our intended goal to have starch flow into the hindgut similar to that of corn grain. A multiplex PCR to detect O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and O157 was designed and applicability to detect the seven serogroups in cattle feces was evaluated. A multiplex PCR, designed to detect E. coli O104, feces showed presence of O104 in cattle feces (20.6%), but the isolated strains did not carry genes characteristic of the virulent strain responsible for the 2011 food-borne outbreak in Germany. Two preharvest interventions, a siderophore receptor and porin proteins-based vaccine and a Lactobacillus acidophilus-based direct-fed microbial, intended to control E. coli O157, had no effect on fecal shedding of O26 assessed by culture-based or PCR-based method. SHIGA TOXIN PRODUCING ESCHERICHIA COLI (STEC) IN CATTLE: FACTORS AFFECTING FECAL SHEDDING OF E. COLI O157:H7 AND DETECTION METHODS OF NON-O157 STEC
The Japanese honeysuckle in the eastern United States.

The rapidity with which introduced weeds can multiply and take possession of new territory has been repeatedly demonstrated by such examples as the Russian thistle (Salsola pestifer) , bitterweed (Helenium tenuifolium) and the Sida (S. Spinosa and S. rhombifolia) plants which have become such common pests in certain parts of our country. As a general thing these unwelcome intruders belong to the class of herbaceous annuals and biennials, whose frequent succession of new generations, with the opportunities for seed production and distribution which this affords, makes them much more efficient travelers than the slower-growing woody shrubs and vines. A notable exception to this rule, however, is furnished by the Japan honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), an exotic from Asia which I remember to have known in my youth only as a carefully cultivated and highly prized ornamental plant, twining about the piazzas of the old plantation mansions and covering the " summer houses'* pergolas, they would be called now in old-fashioned southern gardens. The flowers are very fragrant and showy, and it was a profuse bloomer under cultivation, but since it has run wild and taken on the weedy habit, it has to a large extent given up flowering, and propagates chiefly by vegetative means. Wherever a shoot touches the ground it strikes root and then sends forth a numerous progeny of young shoots to repeat the process. The prostrate stems and those in contact with the soil, even on high banks and ledges, where there
Radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy (rESWT) for coccydynia: a prospective study of 14 patients

Background: Coccydynia is defined as pain in the coccyx. We investigated the effect of radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy (rESWT) in the management of coccydynia. Methods: In this prospective study, patients (≥18 years) diagnosed with coccydynia at a sports clinic located in Thessaloniki, Greece, were eligible for rESWT treatment when they reported a visual analogue scale (VAS) pain level ≥6. Treatment sessions were once weekly and ended when VAS pain levels decreased to ≤3. Recurrence rates were documented at 3-month and 12-month follow-ups. Results: Fourteen patients were treated using rESWT. The mean age and symptom duration of our cohort was 33.6±7.9 (range: 20–45) years and 9.4±8.5 (range: 3–36) months, respectively. The mean number of treatment sessions per patient was 6.4±1.6 (range: 4–8). The mean device pressure, frequency, and number of pulses was 1.2±0.1 (range: 1–1.4) bar, 5.0±0.1 (range: 5–6) Hz, and 2082±74.8 (range: 2000–2300) pulses, respectively. Treatment alleviated pain in all patients, and no recurrence of symptoms was reported during follow-up. There was a positive correlation between symptom duration and the number of treatment sessions (r=0.701, P=0.005). Pairwise comparison highlighted significant reductions in VAS pain levels between each stage of treatment (P<0.001). Conclusion: Our study affirms the safety and efficacy of rESWT in managing coccydynia.
Protein structure alignment by deterministic annealing

MOTIVATION Protein structure alignment is one of the most important computational problems in molecular biology and plays a key role in protein structure prediction, fold family classification, motif finding, phylogenetic tree reconstruction and so on. From the viewpoint of computational complexity, a pairwise structure alignment is also a NP-hard problem, in contrast to the polynomial time algorithm for a pairwise sequence alignment. RESULTS We propose a method for solving the structure alignment problem in an accurate manner at the amino acid level, based on a mean field annealing technique. We define the structure alignment as a mixed integer-programming (MIP) problem. By avoiding complicated combinatorial computation and exploiting the special structure of the continuous partial problem, we transform the MIP into a reduced non-linear continuous optimization problem (NCOP) with a much simpler form. To optimize the reduced NCOP, a mean field annealing procedure is adopted with a modified Potts model, whose solution is generally identical to that of the MIP. There is no 'soft constraint' in our mean field model and all constraints are automatically satisfied throughout the annealing process, thereby not only making the optimization more efficient but also eliminating many unnecessary parameters that depend on problems and usually require careful tuning. A number of benchmark examples are tested by the proposed method with comparisons to several existing approaches.
Dimensions of intra-household food and nutrient allocation : a study of a Bangladeshi village

This thesis describes and discusses a study conducted in a centralwest Bangladesh village, between March 1981 and January 1982, with a view to testing the hypothesis that intra-household allocation of food discriminates against women and children and that the discrimination puts the vulnerable members of the household at extra risks during periods when food and financial resources of households are scarcest. Intra-household allocation of food was studied by weighing the individual food intakes of household members for three consecutive days, at four different seasons covering periods of normal food availability, relative shortage and abundance of food. Nutritional status was assessed py consecutive measurement of weight (monthly) and height (quarterly). Information was collected on socio-economic status of households, people's perception of food needs (physiological) of individuals, household decision making and strategies in coping with shortage by structured and unstructured interviews and through personal observations. The sample consisted of 320 individuals in 53 households. Analysis of the study revealed lack of marked and consistent socioeconomic differentials in intake and outcome, but that highly significant seasonal differences did exist. The most important finding of the study is that although the intake of women and girls over 5 years was lower than that of men and boys over 5 years, the male-female differential did not generally exceed the differential between the two sexes that might be expected on the basis of body size and activity. Only in the 1-4 year age group was there a significant difference between energy intakes of males and females when corrected for body size. Furthermore, contrary to what has been generally postulated in the literature, (often based on qualitative information), women and children were not discriminated against during periods of food shortage, but were rather generally given preferential treatment in the allocation of available food. It is believed that the study adds to our understanding as to how seasonal fluctuations affect the food intake of 'poor' people in rural Bangladesh and how people cope with predictable cyclical periods of food shortage.
Positive Psychology and Men: The Tell-Tale Heart

Gender differences are often overlooked or minimized in research regarding well-being. Men and women respond differently to stress, such that men experience higher risk of cardiovascular events. Yet despite their greater potential to benefit, men seem to exhibit less interest and participation than women in activities shown by research to enhance well-being. Heart rate variability provides a sensitive and reliable index of well-being and adaptability both at rest and across various stressors. Research suggests that heart rate variability is influenced not only by physiological processes, but also cognitive and emotional processes, which differ between men and women. Neurological factors underlying these differences may suggest future directions for improving well-being in men.