Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distributions and Habitat Models of Epiphytic Physconia in North-Central California

I examined the distributions of eight Physconia species in northern and central California: Physco- nia americana, P. californica, P. enteroxantha, P. fallax, P. isidiigera, P. isidiomuscigena, P. leucoleiptes, and P. perisidiosa. Distributions are based upon lichen community data collected for the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program in over 200 permanent plots. Physconia californica was not found while P. leucoleiptes was infrequent across the landscape, occurring sporadically around the periphery of the Central Valley. Physconia isidiomuscigena occurred only once in the study plots, growing on Quercus sp. in Stanislaus county. This site is unusual in that this species is often saxicolous and known primarily from southern California. The remaining Physconia species were more frequent across the landscape with distributions centered in the Central Valley. I derived habitat models for these more common species using nonparametric multiplicative regression to help ex- plain how distributions relate to environmental variables. Distributions of P. enteroxantha, P. isidiigera, and P. perisidiosa were well described by one or more environmental gradients while P. fallax and P. americana were only weakly associated with single predictors. Considering that many Physconia species are considered nitrophi- lous (nitrogen-loving), the habitat models would probably be better had an estimate of ammonia deposition been included. There are not, however, any comprehensive estimates of ammonia deposition for the study area.
Opinion Piece

Landscape evolutionary genomics Tremendous advances in genetic and genomic techniques have resulted in the capacity to identify genes involved in adaptive evolution across numerous biological systems. One of the next major steps in evolutionary biology will be to determine how landscape-level geographical and environmental features are involved in the distribution of this functional adaptive genetic variation. Here, I outline how an emerging synthesis of multiple disciplines has and will continue to facilitate a deeper understanding of the ways in which heterogeneity of the natural landscapes mould the genomes of organisms. 1. INTRODUCTION In 2003, three landmark papers envisioned an emerging integration of ecology, evolution and population genetics. Luikart et al. (2003) defined the field of Population Genomics as the 'simultaneous study of numerous loci or genome regions to better understand the roles of evolutionary processes that influence variation across genomes and populations'. Feder & Mitchell-Olds (2003) recognized the synthetic disciple Ecological and Evolutionary Functional Genomics or EEFG. The main goal of EEFG was to use all the genetic and genomic tools available to determine the exact functional genetic changes involved in the evolution of adaptations. A third field, Landscape Genetics, was born out of the fusion of population genetic techniques and landscape ecology's layered geographical information system (GIS) maps (Manel et al. 2003). Landscape Genetics has thus far primarily focused on how various landscape features affect gene flow of neutral genetic variation, usually with the goal of identifying threatened or endangered populations for conservation purposes. In this piece, I will briefly outline the current states of the fields of Population Genomics, EEFG and Landscape Genetics. I then discuss how a further synthesis of these fields has and will continue to facilitate a better understanding of the nature of adaptive genetic variation.
Velocity and attenuation structure of very shallow soils: Evidence for a frequency-dependent Q

The importance of a detailed knowledge of the shear-wave velocity structure in the very shallow depth was recently stressed in strong ground motion studies. In this article, we investigate the 1D velocity and attenuation structure of the very shallow coverage of a sediment-filled valley by using surface waves from a small explosive source, recorded along a 65-m-long linear array. The group and phase velocity dispersion curves are obtained from the analysis of the multi-channel recordings and inverted for the velocity structure. The velocity model obtained in this way is then used as a new starting model for a waveform inversion process, in which both compressional- and shear-wave velocities are iteratively adjusted, obtaining a significative improvement of the fit between data and synthetics. The Q structure is investigated by using the technique described in Malagnini et al. (1995). The velocity is kept fixed, and the reference frequency for the computation of causal Q is put at 10 Hz, due to the high-frequency content of the recorded waveforms. The resulting Q values in the upper layer (QP = QS = 9 in the first 20 m in depth) are higher than those previously observed at 1 Hz in the same site (QP = QS = 2 in the first 22 m in depth), suggesting, at least in the investigated case, a frequency-dependent attenuation structure for soft-soil coverages.
Effect of target size, temporal frequency and luminance on temporal modulation visual fields

The effects of five target sizes (0.125, 0.25, 0.50, 1.0, and 2.0 degrees) and four temporal rates (1, 5, 10, and 15 Hz) on temporal modulation fields (TMF) were assessed in ten observers at 3.4 cd/m2 and five observers at 10 cd/m2. A decrease of sensitivity was found as eccentricity increased for a 40 deg visual field. This decline in sensitivity was greater for small target sizes and higher temporal rates. Increasing the luminance causes peripheral facilitation at lower temporal rates and a sensitivity improvement throughout the visual field at higher temporal rates. Small targets and high temporal rates benefit the most from a luminance increase. The relevance of the data to the clinical assessment of TMFs is discussed.
Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Barriers to HIV Testing Scale-Karolinska Version for Brazilian Men Who Have Sex With Men

Abstract The aim of this study was to perform the cultural adaptation and validation of the Barriers to HIV testing scale-Karolinska version for Brazilian men who have sex with men. A methodological study was conducted for cultural adaptation and validation of the scale. Reliability analyses, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and convergent and discriminant validity tests were performed. Four factors were extracted: F1, personal consequences; F2, structural barriers; F3, confidentiality; F4, economic consequences and individual concerns. Good fit indexes were obtained: (χ2)/GL (2.71); goodness of fit index (0.94); root-mean-square error of approximation (0.052; 90% CI [0.045–0.059]); Tucker–Lewis index (0.94); normed fit index (0.93); IFI (0.95); comparative fit index (0.95). Convergent validity results were greater than 0.7 for the four factors. The adapted version of the scale showed satisfactory reliability and validity for assessing barriers to HIV testing among men who have sex with men.
Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Parental Health Literacy Activities Test-8 with Portuguese Parents

Background. Parents’ health literacy has a great impact on child’s care and health. Knowing parent’s health literacy levels is crucial to avoid the consequences of limited literacy and for the creation of better health policies and educational interventions. To assess those levels, we must have tools tailored to this population. However, there is a lack of specific instruments to evaluate this capacity in Portuguese parents of children aged less than 12 months. Aim. To perform the cultural adaptation and psychometric validation of the Parental Health Literacy Assessment Test-8 for use in Portugal. Methods. Methodological study is divided into two phases: cultural adaptation and psychometric validation. The first phase followed the Beaton guidelines. The second, carried out with 176 parents, took place at a public hospital in Portugal, between October 2020 and June 2021. Data were analyzed for internal reliability using the Kuder–Richardson reliability coefficient (KR-20). Confirmatory factor analysis was used to estimate factor validity, applying polychoric correlation measures using the “lavaan package” for the R statistical package. Results. In the cultural adaptation, the expert committee adjusted the translated version, validating the content for Portuguese parents. At validation, the calculated value of KR-20 was approximately 0.50. The empirical indices of the goodness-of-fit of the factor model showed a good overall fit, although two of the items had low weights (0.24 and 0.32). The results of the factors show an acceptable value for the factor (FC = 0.756) and a lower value for the average variance extracted. Conclusion. The version of the instrument adapted for Portugal presented adequate semantic and content equivalence. The psychometrics suggested that the PHLAT-8-PT is a reliable and valid instrument that can be used systematically by the health team to measure the health literacy levels and improve health education.
Cultural adaptation and validation of the Quality of Dying in Long‐term Care (QoD‐LTC and QoD‐LTC‐C) scales by caregivers in nursing homes

There is a lack of tools that can evaluate quality of dying in nursing homes from the perspective of deceased patients' caregivers. The aim of this study was to adapt and validate the caregivers' versions of the Quality of Dying in Long‐Term Care (QoD‐LTC) and Quality of Dying in Long‐Term Care Complete (QoD‐LTC‐C) scales in the Spanish context.
ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIAS ( H ERBA , SECTION EDITOR ) What Is the Optimal Induction Therapy for Younger Fit Patients With AML ?

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a complex clonal disorder. The disease is characterized by chromosomal and molecular abnormalities that propagate and expand the abnormal clone(s). The main goal of therapy is to achieve and ultimately maintain a complete remission. In the younger AML patient (less than 60 years of age), there has been a standardization of the initial therapy with the 3 + 7 regimen, consisting of an anthracycline and cytarabine combination. Recent intensification of the anthracycline has led to improved remission and survival outcomes in these patients. Prognosis and therapy in this disease is driven by cytogenetic studies and the additional molecular information that is gathered at the time of diagnosis. With the finding of potential targetable lesions within these molecular aberrancies, new treatments are emerging to deepen remissions and ultimately improve survival.
Forging a joint commitment to sustainable and cost-efficient energy transition in Europe

Forging a joint commitment to sustainable and cost-efficient energy transition in Europe / Accenture. Brussels : Eurelectric, June 2014, 12 p. http://www.eurelectric. org/media/132600/eurelectric-accenture_brochure-2014-030-0355-01-e.pdf -- A propos du rapport : Jusqu’a 81 milliards d’euros d’economies sur les depenses annuelles d’energie de l’Europe : C’est possible ! , Tecsol, 2/06/2014 http://tecsol.blogs. com/mon_weblog/2014/06/jusqu%C3%A0-81-milliards-deuros-d%C3%A9conomies-sur-les-d%C3%A9p.
To Err Is Human : Building a Safer Health System

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Application Security

This project is due on Thursday, April 16 at 6 p.m. This is a group project; you will work in teams of two and submit one project per team. You will have a budget of five late days (24-hour periods) over the course of the semester that you can use to turn assignments in late without penalty and without needing to ask for an extension. Late pair projects will be charged to both partners. Once your late days are used up, extensions will only be granted in extraordinary circumstances.
Climate Change Impact on Rice Yield in India – Vector Autoregression Approach

Climate change plays an important role in agricultural production. Agricultural productivity is highly affected by a number of factors including precipitation, temperature. This paper examines the relationship between the yield of two major rice crops (e.g., Kharif and Rabi) and three main climate variables (e.g., maximum temperature, minimum temperature and rainfall). The dynamic relationships among the variables considered for observing the impact of climate change on rice yields are examined based on Vector Autoregression (VAR) model with the use of Granger causality test, impulse response functions and variance decomposition for the data. Maximum and Minimum temperature have significant effects, meanwhile rainfall has negative impact on Kharif rice yield. Adverse effects on Rabi rice yield are observed by maximum temperature and rainfall, whereas minimum temperature affect yield positively. Appropriate adaptive techniques are recommended to overcome this emerging hazard of climate change on rice production. Sri Lankan Journal of Applied Statistics 2015;16(3): 161-17
International Environmental Agreements with Uncertainty , Learning and Risk Aversion

Uncertainty and learning play an important role for the formation of international environmental agreements (IEAs). For instance, scientific uncertainty about climate damages and technological abatement and mitigations options is still large despite ongoing research. It has been shown that in the strategic context of voluntary participation but strong free-rider incentives, learning may have a negative impact on the success of IEAs. This paper extends the model of Kolstad (2007) and Kolstad and Ulph (2008) by considering risk aversion. This seems suggestive as uncertainties in climate change are highly correlated and hence pooling risks may be limited. It is shown that the negative conclusion with respect to the role of learning derived for risk neutrality has to be qualified. JEL-Classification: D62, D80, Q54
AMERICAN GASTROENTEROLOGICAL ASSOCIATION American Gastroenterological Association Medical Position Statement: Guidelines on Constipation

Symptoms of constipation are extremely common; the prevalence has been reported to be as high as 20%. Many people seek medical care for constipation, but fortunately, most do not have a life-threatening or disabling disorder, and the primary need is for control of symptoms. The impressive number of people affected and the cost of most diagnostic tests dictate that, in the next century, we manage this symptom in a cost-effective manner. Therefore, internists and gastroenterologists must be efficient in excluding life-threatening or treatable conditions, in identifying persons who may benefit from specialized testing, and in developing effective therapy that will relieve symptoms as much as possible. We suggest the following practice guidelines for the symptom of constipation; our rationale for these guidelines is supported by the accompanying technical review.1 Constipation is a symptom that can be associated with life-threatening diseases, although these are in this review primarily for exclusion. Thus, recommendations will relate to (1) more rational and, where possible, less invasive diagnostic approaches, and (2) more rational and efficacious therapies that will improve the quality of life, both of which should have (3) beneficial fiscal and logistic impacts on the health care system.
American Gastroenterological Association Technical Review on the Management of Crohn ’ s Disease After Surgical Resection

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 American Gastroenterological Association Technical Review on the Management of Crohn’s Disease After Surgical Resection 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 Miguel Regueiro,*Fernando Velayos,*Julia B. Greer, Christina Bougatsos, Roger Chou, Shahnaz Sultan, and Siddharth Singh
Climate change and the northward shift of Cryptotympana facialis in Japan: evidence from national survey data

: We developed a species distribution model of Cryptotympana facialis in Japan in order to investigate (1) the relationship between climate change and the northward shift of this species, (2) the existence of potential habitats in northern areas, and (3) the possibility of further northward shifts in the future. The distribution of C. facialis can be explained by life-history-related climate factors, including egg-hatching probability based on the sum of effective temperature, total precipitation during the rainy season, topographic slope, and the proportions of forest and urban areas, using an intrinsic Gaussian conditional autoregressive (CAR) model. The changes in potential habitat for C. facialis under climate change were projected using predicted climate conditions for 2070. In the parameter estimates of the CAR model, hatching probability, precipitation, and urban area were positive factors, while slope and forest area were negative factors. The fixed effects of the CAR model showed that more potential habitats exist in the north than in the current range of the species in western Japan. Moreover, our projection showed areas of suitable habitat increasing under all climate change scenarios. The current distribution of C. facialis is not in a state of equilibrium, possibly due to its low speed of dispersal. The distribution of C. facialis will expand to northern areas without climate warming, but climate warming will increase the amount of potential habitat. We emphasize the importance of considering life-history-related climatic factors, non-climatic factors, and spatial autocorrelation when modeling species distributions under climate change.
Multi-Objective Reinforcement Learning based on Decomposition: A taxonomy and framework

Multi-objective reinforcement learning (MORL) extends traditional RL by seeking policies making different compromises among conflicting objectives. The recent surge of interest in MORL has led to diverse studies and solving methods, often drawing from existing knowledge in multi-objective optimization based on decomposition (MOO/D). Yet, a clear categorization based on both RL and MOO/D is lacking in the existing literature. Consequently, MORL researchers face difficulties when trying to classify contributions within a broader context due to the absence of a standardized taxonomy. To tackle such an issue, this paper introduces multi-objective reinforcement learning based on decomposition (MORL/D), a novel methodology bridging the literature of RL and MOO. A comprehensive taxonomy for MORL/D is presented, providing a structured foundation for categorizing existing and potential MORL works. The introduced taxonomy is then used to scrutinize MORL research, enhancing clarity and conciseness through well-defined categorization. Moreover, a flexible framework derived from the taxonomy is introduced. This framework accommodates diverse instantiations using tools from both RL and MOO/D. Its versatility is demonstrated by implementing it in different configurations and assessing it on contrasting benchmark problems. Results indicate MORL/D instantiations achieve comparable performance to current state-of-the-art approaches on the studied problems. By presenting the taxonomy and framework, this paper offers a comprehensive perspective and a unified vocabulary for MORL. This not only facilitates the identification of algorithmic contributions but also lays the groundwork for novel research avenues in MORL.
Feasibility of a Family-Centered Hospital Intervention

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Dr. Reinhard is Senior Vice President and Director, and Ms. Choula is Senior Advisor, AARP Public Policy Institute, Washington, DC; Dr. Capezuti is WR Hearst Foundation Chair in Gerontology and Associate Dean for Research, Hunter College School of Nursing, City University of New York, New York, New York; and Ms. Bricoli is Founder and Principal, B2 Advisory Group, Cedar Grove, New Jersey. Dr. Reinhard is also Chief Strategist, Center to Champion Nursing in America, Washington, DC. The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise. Address correspondence to Susan C. Reinhard, PhD, RN, FAAN, Senior Vice President and Director, AARP Public Policy Institute, 601 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20049; e-mail: sreinhard@aarp.org. doi:10.3928/00989134-20160516-01 ABSTRACT Approximately one half of the 40 million family caregivers in the United States are regularly performing medical/nursing tasks, with very little training from clinicians. The goal of the current project was to encourage health care and social service professionals to proactively engage family caregivers as partners in care. The phases of the Professional Partners Supporting Family Caregivers project and results of an intervention are presented. Five hospitals were selected to develop a family-centered intervention. Patients’ and family caregivers’ hospital experience was examined, as well as nurses’ perception of their work environment specific to care of older adults and caregivers. The sample included five intervention sites in which patients, family caregivers, and nurses provided baseline postintervention data. The four comparison sites included post-intervention data from patients, family caregivers, and nurses. The family-centered intervention shows promise in improving patients’ hospital experience and nurses’ perception of caring for older adults and their families. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 43(6), 9-16. ] T are approximately 40 million family caregivers in the United States (AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2015). Approximately one half of these caregivers are performing medical/nursing tasks, which can include managing complex medication schedules, giving injections, providing wound care, inserting catheters, giving tube feedings, and many others. Responsibilities often © 20 17 Sh ut te rst oc k.c om /a rk a3 8