Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Health-related vulnerability to climate extremes in homoclimatic zones of Amazonia and Northeast region of Brazil

Amazonia and the Northeast region of Brazil exhibit the highest levels of climate vulnerability in the country. While Amazonia is characterized by an extremely hot and humid climate and hosts the world largest rainforest, the Northeast is home to sharp climatic contrasts, ranging from rainy areas along the coast to semiarid regions that are often affected by droughts. Both regions are subject to extremely high temperatures and are susceptible to many tropical diseases. This study develops a multidimensional Extreme Climate Vulnerability Index (ECVI) for Brazilian Amazonia and the Northeast region based on the Alkire-Foster method. Vulnerability is defined by three components, encompassing exposure (proxied by seven climate extreme indicators), susceptibility (proxied by sociodemographic indicators), and adaptive capacity (proxied by sanitation conditions, urbanization rate, and healthcare provision). In addition to the estimated vulnerability levels and intensity, we break down the ECVI by indicators, dimensions, and regions, in order to explore how the incidence levels of climate-sensitive infectious and parasitic diseases correlate with regional vulnerability. We use the Grade of Membership method to reclassify the mesoregions into homoclimatic zones based on extreme climatic events, so climate and population/health data can be analyzed at comparable resolutions. We find two homoclimatic zones: Extreme Rain (ER) and Extreme Drought and High Temperature (ED-HT). Vulnerability is higher in the ED-HT areas than in the ER. The contribution of each dimension to overall vulnerability levels varies by homoclimatic zone. In the ER zone, adaptive capacity (39%) prevails as the main driver of vulnerability among the three dimensions, in contrast with the approximately even dimensional contribution in the ED-HT. When we compare areas by disease incidence levels, exposure emerges as the most influential dimension. Our results suggest that climate can exacerbate existing infrastructure deficiencies and socioeconomic conditions that are correlated with tropical disease incidence in impoverished areas.
Small area variations and factors associated with blood pressure and body-mass index in adult women in Accra, Ghana: Bayesian spatial analysis of a representative population survey and census data

Background Body-mass index (BMI) and blood pressure (BP) levels are rising in sub-Saharan African cities, particularly among women. However, there is very limited information on how much they vary within cities, which could inform targeted and equitable health policies. Our study aimed to analyse spatial variations in BMI and BP for adult women at the small area level in the city of Accra, Ghana. Methods and findings We combined a representative survey of adult women’s health in Accra, Ghana (2008 to 2009) with a 10% random sample of the national census (2010). We applied a hierarchical model with a spatial term to estimate the associations of BMI and systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) with demographic, socioeconomic, behavioural, and environmental factors. We then used the model to estimate BMI and BP for all women in the census in Accra and calculated mean BMI, SBP, and DBP for each enumeration area (EA). BMI and/or BP were positively associated with age, ethnicity (Ga), being currently married, and religion (Muslim) as their 95% credible intervals (95% CrIs) did not include zero, while BP was also negatively associated with literacy and physical activity. BMI and BP had opposite associations with socioeconomic status (SES) and alcohol consumption. In 2010, 26% of women aged 18 and older had obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2), and 21% had uncontrolled hypertension (SBP ≥ 140 and/or DBP ≥ 90 mm Hg). The differences in mean BMI and BP between EAs at the 10th and 90th percentiles were 2.7 kg/m2 (BMI) and in BP 7.9 mm Hg (SBP) and 4.8 mm Hg (DBP). BMI was generally higher in the more affluent eastern parts of Accra, and BP was higher in the western part of the city. A limitation of our study was that the 2010 census dataset used for predicting small area variations is potentially outdated; the results should be updated when the next census data are available, to the contemporary population, and changes over time should be evaluated. Conclusions We observed that variation of BMI and BP across neighbourhoods within Accra was almost as large as variation across countries among women globally. Localised measures are needed to address this unequal public health challenge in Accra.
Adaptation and validity of the Sleep Quality Scale among Chinese drivers

Purpose Poor sleep quality is closed related with driving accidents. However, due to the lack of a valid instrument for assessing drivers’ sleep quality, few studies have examined drivers’ sleep quality and its associations with driving behaviours and traffic accidents in China. The aim of this paper is to revise the Sleep Quality Scale (SQS) and assess its reliability and validity in Chinese drivers. Methods 522 Chinese drivers aged from 18 to 56 years old agreed to complete the SQS, Daytime Sleepiness Perception Scale version 4 (DSPS-4), Self-report of Risky Driving Behavior (RD-SR) and Self-assessment of the Likelihood of Being Involved in a Risky Driving Situation (RD-SA). Results The final Chinese version of the SQS contained 23 items across four factors: difficulty in getting up, difficulty in falling asleep, sleep recovery and daytime dysfunction. Second, man scored lower on the difficulty in falling asleep factor but higher on the sleep recovery factor than women. Third, low to moderate correlations were found between the SQS factors and the DSPS-4, RD-SA and RD-SR, indicating that the validity of the revised scale was satisfactory. More importantly, daytime dysfunction factor is an effective predictor of violation involvement and accident involvement. Conclusion The revised SQS has acceptable reliability and validity and can be used as a tool to measure the sleep quality of Chinese drivers.
Managing knowledge and intellectual capital for improved organizational innovations in the construction industry: an examination of critical success factors

Innovation is viewed as a major source of competitive advantage and is perceived to be a pre‐requisite for organizational success and survival. The ability to innovate depends largely on the way in which an organisation uses and exploits the resources available to it. The paper explores the importance of knowledge management (KM) and intellectual capital (IC) in organisations. It also considers the critical factors that lead to successful innovations and the role of KM and IC in this regard. The paper argues that effective management of knowledge assets involves a holistic approach to a host of factors. It is also suggested that there are a host of factors that combine in different ways to produce successful organizational innovations. It recommends that more is needed on the education and training of construction personnel and that these education and training programmes should reflect the nature of innovation and KM dimensions as very complex social processes.
Autonomic Reactivity to Social Rejection, Peer Difficulties, and the Buffering Effects of Adolescent Friendships Following Early Psychosocial Deprivation

Autonomic nervous system reactivity has been posited to be a mechanism contributing to social and emotional problems among children exposed to early adversity. Leveraging data from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, a longitudinal randomized controlled trial of foster care versus institutional care of abandoned children in Romania, we assessed whether altered sympathetic reactivity to peer rejection feedback in early adolescence mediated the relation between early institutional rearing and peer problems in later adolescence. We also assessed whether adolescent friendship quality or random- ized placement in foster care early in life moderated these associations. Participants include 68 institutionalized children randomized to care as usual, 68 institutionalized children randomized to foster care, and 135 never-institutionalized children. At age 12, participants reported friendship quality with respect to a best friend and completed a social rejection task while electrocardiogram and impedance cardiography were recorded. Sympathetic nervous system reactivity to rejection feedback was assessed using pre- ejection period (PEP). At ages 12 and 16, peer problems were reported by parents. Mediation analysis revealed that less PEP reactivity to social rejection at age 12 partially mediated the association between early institutionalization and greater peer problems at age 16. Further moderated mediation analysis revealed that this indirect effect was evidenced among previously institutionalized youths with low, but not high, quality friendships. We did not observe foster care intervention effects. These ﬁ ndings suggest that altered sympathetic reactivity to social rejection might be a mechanism linking early institutionalization to social dif ﬁ culties into adolescence, however, positive adolescent friendships may buffer these effects.
Glucosylsphingosine evokes pruritus via activation of 5‐HT2A receptor and TRPV4 in sensory neurons

Glucosylsphingosine (GS), an endogenous sphingolipid, is highly accumulated in the epidermis of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) due to abnormal ceramide metabolism. More importantly, GS can evoke scratching behaviours. However, the precise molecular mechanism by which GS induces pruritus has been elusive. Thus, the present study aimed to elucidate the molecular signalling pathway of GS, especially at the peripheral sensory neuronal levels.
New Songdo City and the value of flexibility : a case study of implementation and analysis of a mega-scale project

In the modern real estate industry, mega-scale developments have been a notable feature. The distinctiveness of these projects is that they are enormous in scale and thus require many years to develop. Unlike regular sized projects, they have greater opportunities to alter strategies, plans or designs during the multiple years of development. This provides the developer with alternative options to mitigate potential risks or seize upside opportunities. The “Real options” theory is especially applicable for valuation and decisionmaking of mega-scale real estate development projects. Relying on the dynamic decisions of the developer, for example, the project can proceed, be delayed or be abandoned. Either way, the developer can avoid downside risks and attain a more optimal value for the project. The New Songdo City (NSC) project in South Korea is an archetype of the mega-scale development phenomenon. “New Songdo City” is a massive city development project on 1,415 acres of reclaimed land in Incheon, near Seoul. The project features innovative and valuable aspects that are milestones for the real estate industry. Not only is NSC of megascale and multi-phase, but it is highly international in nature (foreign lead developer and architect, much foreign capital, and aimed at international world-class occupants). It also features imaginative conceptual planning, local and international developer partnership and sophisticated investment and financing techniques. The project highlights the importance of the interaction of local circumstances and other participants, helping to avoid risks and enhance the future values of the project. New Songdo City thus provides an excellent laboratory to explore both the broader strategic and historical development of a Mega-Project and also the applicability of modern, cuttingedge analytical tools for valuing flexibility in project design and implementation. This thesis seeks to explore both of these aspects, including an in-depth review of the history and strategic prospects for the project as well as a specific quantitative model focusing on the value of phasing in the project. The quantitative model is innovative in that, while previous literature has developed classical economics-based real options models of NSC, this is the first application of the “engineering-based approach” advocated by Professor de Neufville and the MIT Engineering Systems Division. This approach allows the model to be more transparent and user-friendly to decision-makers, assisting the valuation of flexibility in the project in a manner more supportive for practitioners. Thesis Supervisor : David Geltner Title : Professor of Real Estate Finance, Department of Urban Studies and Planning
The toll of staying dry in a sea of context

‘Is everyone who lives in Ignorance like you? ’ asked Milo. ‘Much worse,’ he said longingly. ‘But I don't live here. I'm from a place very far away called Context. ’ ‘Don't you think you should be getting back? ’ suggested the bug, holding one arm up in front of him. ‘What a horrible thought. ’ The bird shuddered. ‘It's such an unpleasant place that I spend almost all my time out of it . ’ (The Phantom Tollbooth, p. 207)
ADDITIONAL ANALYSES OF PROBABILITY OF DETECTION (POD) IN SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR) PROJECT DATA

Abstract : This report assesses the search performance of Coast Guard units employing both visual and electronic sensors in detecting small boats (16 to 21 feet) and life rafts. A comparison is also made between real-time search performance and post-search videotape analysis for a prototype Coast Guard forward-looking infrared (FLIR) system. Based upon data collected during eight experiments, lateral range curves and sweep width estimates are developed for combined surface vessel radar (SVR)/visual and side-looking airborne radar (SLAR)/visual searches. This analysis demonstrates that, in many situations, combined sensor search is significantly more effective than single-sensor search. The FLIR analysis demonstrated that human factors can degrade the present FLIR system's detection capability. Combined sensor search guidance is recommended and suggestions for further data collection and analysis are made.
Utility of the oxygen pulse in the diagnosis of obstructive coronary artery disease in physically fit patients

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) guidelines recommend analysis of the oxygen (O2) pulse for a late exercise plateau in evaluation for obstructive coronary artery disease (OCAD). However, whether this O2 pulse trajectory is within the range of normal has been debated, and the diagnostic performance of the O2 pulse for OCAD in physically fit individuals, in whom V˙O2 may be more likely to plateau, has not been evaluated. Using prospectively collected data from a sports cardiology program, patients were identified who were free of other cardiac disease and underwent clinically‐indicated CPET within 90 days of invasive or computed tomography coronary angiography. The diagnostic performance of quantitative O2 pulse metrics (late exercise slope, proportional change in slope during late exercise) and qualitative assessment for O2 pulse plateau to predict OCAD was assessed. Among 104 patients (age:56 ± 12 years, 30% female, peak V˙O2 119 ± 34% predicted), the diagnostic performance for OCAD (n = 24,23%) was poor for both quantitative and qualitative metrics reflecting an O2 pulse plateau (late exercise slope: AUC = 0.55, sensitivity = 68%, specificity = 41%; proportional change in slope: AUC = 0.55, sensitivity = 91%, specificity = 18%; visual plateau/decline: AUC = 0.51, sensitivity = 33%, specificity = 67%). When O2 pulse parameters were added to the electrocardiogram, the change in AUC was minimal (−0.01 to +0.02, p ≥ 0.05). Those patients without OCAD with a plateau or decline in O2 pulse were fitter than those with linear augmentation (peak V˙O2 133 ± 31% vs. 114 ± 36% predicted, p < 0.05) and had a longer exercise ramp time (9.5 ± 3.2 vs. 8.0 ± 2.5 min, p < 0.05). Overall, a plateau in O2 pulse was not a useful predictor of OCAD in a physically fit population, indicating that the O2 pulse should be integrated with other CPET parameters and may reflect a physiologic limitation of stroke volume and/or O2 extraction during intense exercise.
High-voltage, high-power, ZVS, full-bridge PWM converter employing an active snubber

The authors present the analysis, design, and applications of a high-voltage, high-power, zero-voltage switched (ZVS), full-bridge (FB) pulse-width-modulated (PWM) converter with an active snubber in the secondary circuit. The nondissipative snubber completely eliminates the voltage overshoot and ringing across the rectifiers. The ringing of the parasitic capacitance of the rectifiers and the leakage inductance of the transformer are eliminated in a nondissipative manner, thus increasing the overall efficiency of the circuit. The active snubber employs only a high-voltage low-power MOSFET and a high-voltage capacitor. The control of the snubber switch is simple and utilizes the PWM signal to control the primary switches with a time delay. The authors also present the complete steady-state analysis of the ZVS-FB-PWM converter employing the active snubber. The analysis shows that the transformer secondary voltage is a function of the steady-state duty cycle and gives the equation to calculate the steady-state secondary voltage. The results of the analysis are in good agreement with the experimental results. <<ETX>>
NASA's Risk Management System

Leadership is key to success. Phased-approach for implementation of risk management is necessary. Risk management system will be simple, accessible and promote communication of information to all relevant stakeholders for optimal resource allocation and risk mitigation. Risk management should be used by all team members to manage risks -- risk office personnel. Each group is assigned Risk Integrators who are facilitators for effective risk management. Risks will be managed at the lowest-level feasible, elevate only those risks that require coordination or management from above. Risk reporting and communication is an essential element of risk management and will combine both qualitative and quantitative elements. Risk informed decision making should be introduced to all levels of management. Provide necessary checks and balances to insure that risks are caught/identified and dealt with in a timely manner. Many supporting tools, processes & training must be deployed for effective risk management implementation. Process improvement must be included in the risk processes.
Comparison of Technical School and On-the-Job Training As Methods of Skill Upgrading

Abstract : The report provides information on rates of progression to the five- skill level in Category B skills by comparing samples of technical school and on-the-job training personnel. Development of the methodology used to measure the rates of progression to the five-skill level was described, along with an explanation of the achievement ratio defined in this study. Achievement rates from Basic Military Training (BMT) graduation to award of the five-skill level were investigated. In the majority of the Category B specialties, there was inconclusive evidence of any advantage for technical training over OJT. In the specialties in which there were substantial differences between the two groups, the differences in most cases favored technical training. There were two specialties in which neither training group was superior to the other. The achievement rates after award of the three-skill level (i.e., apprentice level) to award of the five-skill level were not entirely consistent with achievement rates from BMT graduation to the five-skill level. In many cases, it was found that OJT personnel progressed more rapidly than technical school personnel from the three-skill to the five-skill level.
‘It’s not just about the dinner; it’s about everything else that we do’: A qualitative study exploring how Meals on Wheels meet the needs of self‐isolating adults during COVID‐19

Abstract Meals on Wheels (MoWs), a service offered by local authorities in England, deliver meals to older, housebound and/or vulnerable adults, who might otherwise not be able to acquire and prepare their own meals. Research suggests that MoWs provide benefits beyond nutrition. Little is known about the actual interactions between service providers and clients, particularly during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The aim of this small‐scale, formative study was to explore MoWs service providers’ experiences and their perceptions around the benefits and challenges faced by the service, and understand how these experiences changed during the first UK national lockdown. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted in September 2020 with 18 service providers of MoWs (drivers who deliver the meals, service coordinators and managers) in two local authorities in England, and analysed thematically. Participants indicated that benefits of the service encompassed those to clients (e.g. welfare checks, encouraging independence and identifying and addressing isolation and loneliness), employees (e.g. sense of pride, rewarding relationships with clients) and the wider community (e.g. reducing pressures on families), and described MoWs as the ‘fourth emergency service’ (e.g. being the first responders to emergency situations). Participants identified several challenges faced by the MoWs service, including organisational challenges (e.g. funding cuts and closures, lack of appropriate publicity to raise awareness of the service) and restrictions on time spent with clients. The pandemic and lockdown resulted in increased demand on resources, concerns about client and staff wellbeing and uncertainty about how the service will cope if lockdowns continue. These findings provide important insights regarding the wide benefits of MoWs and the challenges the service faces, which can be used as the formative research base to guide future interventions and policies to protect vulnerable adults, not only during the COVID‐19 pandemic, but beyond.