cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
Investigating $γ$-ray halos around three HAWC bright sources in Fermi-LAT data
Creators: name: Di Mauro, Mattia
name: Manconi, Silvia
name: Negro, Michela
name: Donato, Fiorenza
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Numerous extended sources around Galactic pulsars have shown significant $γ$-ray emission from GeV to TeV energies, revealing hundreds of TeV energy electrons scattering off of the underlying photon fields through inverse Compton scattering (ICS). HAWC TeV gamma-ray observations of few-degree extended emission around the pulsars Geminga and Monogem, and LAT GeV emission around Geminga, suggest that systems older than 100 kyr have multi-TeV $e^\pm$ propagating beyond the SNR-PWN system into the interstellar medium. Following the discovery of few $γ$-ray sources by HAWC at energies E$>100$~TeV, we investigate the presence of an extended $γ$-ray emission in Fermi-LAT data around the three brightest sources detected by HAWC up to 100 TeV. We find an extended emission of $θ_{68} = 1.00^{+0.05}_{-0.07}$ deg around eHWC J1825-134 and $θ_{68} = 0.71\pm0.10$ deg eHWC J1907+063. The analysis with ICS templates on Fermi-LAT data point to diffusion coefficient values which are significantly lower than the average Galactic one. When studied along with HAWC data, the $γ$-ray Fermi-LAT data provide invaluable insight into the very high-energy electron and positron parent populations.
description: 18 pages and 11 figures. Phys.Rev.D 104 (2021) 10, 103002
title: Physical activity and beta-amyloid pathology in Alzheimer's disease
title: a sound mind in a sound body
titleType: AlternativeTitle
Creators: name: Ebrahimi, Khadije
name: Majdi, Alireza
name: Baghaiee, Behrouz
name: Hosseini, Seyed Hojjat
name: Sadigh-Eteghad, Saeed
Publisher: name: Technische Universität Dortmund
Year: 2017
Subjects: subject: Physical activity
subject: Alzheimer's disease
subject: Beta-amyloid
subject: Prevention
subject: 610

description: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia worldwide. Since curative treatment has not been established for AD yet and due to heavy financial and psychological costs of patients’ care, special attention has been paid to preventive interventions such as physical activity. Evidence shows that physical activity has protective effects on cognitive function and memory in AD patients. Several pathologic factors are involved in AD-associated cognitive impairment some of which are preventable by physical activity. Also, various experimental and clinical studies are in progress to prove exercise role in the beta-amyloid (Aβ) pathology as a most prevailing hypothesis explaining AD pathogenesis. This study aims to review the role of physical activity in Aβ-related pathophysiology in AD.
description: EXCLI Journal;Vol. 16 2017
CONFIRMATION AND FALSIFICATION OF EQUILIBRIUM DISPLACEMENT MODELS
Creators: name: Davis, George C.
name: Davis, George C.
Publisher: name: Unknown
Year: 2001
Subjects: Research Methods/ Statistical Methods

description: One of the most important principles in any science is testing and consequently confirmation and falsification. In agricultural economics, the equilibrium displacement model is a popular modeling approach that presently is not testable and consequently cannot be confirmed or falsified. This paper presents four increasingly sophisticated procedures designed to overcome this limitation of equilibrium displacement models. An empirical illustration demonstrates the usefulness of these procedures in deciding between three alternative and theoretically viable equilibrium displacement models.
Analysis of a single-atom dipole trap
Creators: name: Weber, Markus
name: Volz, Juergen
name: Saucke, Karen
name: Kurtsiefer, Christian
name: Weinfurter, Harald
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2005
Subjects: subject: Quantum Physics (quant-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We describe a simple experimental technique which allows to store a single Rubidium 87 atom in an optical dipole trap. Due to light-induced two-body collisions during the loading stage of the trap the maximum number of captured atoms is locked to one. This collisional blockade effect is confirmed by the observation of photon anti-bunching in the detected fluorescence light. The spectral properties of single photons emitted by the atom were studied with a narrow-band scanning cavity. We find that the atomic fluorescence spectrum is dominated by the spectral width of the exciting laser light field. In addition we observe a spectral broadening of the atomic fluorescence light due to the Doppler effect. This allows us to determine the mean kinetic energy of the trapped atom corresponding to a temperature of 105 micro Kelvin. This simple single-atom trap is the key element for the generation of atom-photon entanglement required for future applications in quantum communication and a first loophole-free test of Bell's inequality.
description: Version 2; formula in equ. 3 corrected
title: Χρηματοοικονομική ανάλυση ομίλου Blue Lagoon Group
title: Financial analysis Blue Lagoon Group
titleType: AlternativeTitle
Creators: name: Αυγερινού, Αικατερίνη-Διονυσία
Publisher: name: Πανεπιστήμιο Πειραιώς
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Χρηματοοικονομική ανάλυση
subject: Αριθμοδείκτες
subject: Οικονομικές καταστάσεις
subject: Ξενοδοχείο
subject: Όμιλος
subject: Κως

description: Στη παρούσα μελέτη γίνεται η χρηματοοικονομική ανάλυση και αξιολόγηση του ξενοδοχειακού ομίλου Blue Lagoon Group. Ο Όμιλος Blue Lagoon Group είναι μια αλυσίδα ξενοδοχείων πολυτελείας (πέντε και τεσσάρων αστέρων) που βρίσκονται στο νησί της Κω. Οι αφίξεις αλλοδαπών στο νησί της Κω αυξάνονται όλο και κάθε χρόνο και ο όμιλος βρίσκεται σε φάση ανάπτυξης και επέκτασης προσφέροντας κάτι πολύ διαφορετικό στους πελάτες του με σκοπό την αξιοποίηση της δυναμικής του νησιού και του ελληνικού τουριστικού προϊόντος. Η μεθοδολογία της παρούσας διπλωματικής εργασίας είναι αυτή του συγκριτικού χαρακτήρα για την περίοδο της πενταετίας μεταξύ των ετών 2014 με 2018. Με την χρήση των δημοσιευμένων οικονομικών καταστάσεων και των εξαγομένων από αυτές χρηματοοικονομικών αριθμοδεικτών παρουσιάζονται συμπεράσματα σχετικά με την πορεία του ομίλου τόσο αυτόνομα όσο και σε σύγκριση με τον ξενοδοχειακό κλάδο. Προτείνεται κατά κύριο λόγο η μείωση των εξόδων του οργανισμού καθώς και η μείωση του κόστος πωληθέντων σε σχέση με τον κύκλο εργασιών με σκοπό την επίτευξη καλύτερης αποδοτικότητας. Επίσης προτείνεται η αποτελεσματικότερη χρησιμοποίηση των ίδιων κεφαλαίων και του κεφαλαίου κίνησης δηλαδή η αναδιάρθρωση της δομής των κεφαλαίων με σκοπό καλύτερες ενδείξεις για την μακροχρόνια επιβίωση. Τέλος, η ρευστότητα του ομίλου και των εταιρειών του κρίνεται πολύ καλή με μεγαλύτερες αποδόσεις από ότι ο κλάδος. H χρησιμότητα της παρούσας μελέτης πέραν από την αποτύπωση των χρηματοοικονομικών καταστάσεων και των χρηματοοικονομικών δεικτών του ομίλου αποτελεί μια σοβαρή ένδειξη στην μελέτη των ξενοδοχειακών μονάδων στην χώρα καθώς και την εξαγωγή ασφαλών συμπερασμάτων για την πορεία της ελληνικής τουριστικής βιομηχανίας για την περίοδο των ετών 2014-2018.
Mixing and decays of the antidecuplet in the context of approximate SU(3) symmetry
Creators: name: Guzey, V.
name: Polyakov, M. V.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2005
Subjects: subject: High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph)
subject: High Energy Physics - Experiment (hep-ex)
subject: Nuclear Theory (nucl-th)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We consider mixing of the antidecuplet with three J^P=1/2^+ octets (the ground-state octet, the octet containing N(1440), Λ(1600), Σ(1660) and Ξ(1690) and the octet containing N(1710), Λ(1800), Σ(1880) and Ξ(1950)) in the framework of approximate flavor SU(3) symmetry. We give general expressions for the partial decay widths of all members of the antidecuplet as functions of the two mixing angles. Identifying N_{anti-10} with the N(1670) observed by the GRAAL experiment, we show that the considered mixing scenario can accommodate all present experimental and phenomenological information on the Θ^+ and N_{anti-10} decays: Θ^+ could be as narrow as 1 MeV; the N_{anti-10} -> N + ηdecay is sizable, while the N_{anti-10} ->N + πdecay is suppressed and the N_{anti-10} ->Λ+ K decay is possibly suppressed. Constraining the mixing angles by the N_{anti-10} decays, we make definite predictions for the Σ_{anti-10} decays. We point out that Σ_{anti-10} with mass near 1770 MeV could be searched for in the available data on K_S p invariant mass spectrum, which already revealed the Θ^+ peak. It is important to experimentally verify the decay properties of Σ(1770) because its mass and J^P=1/2^+ make it an attractive candidate for Σ_{anti-10}.
description: 57 pages, 31 figures, 4 tables
Σύγχρονα ζητήματα προπτωχευτικού δικαίου
Creators: name: Κάρκουλα, Χριστίνα
Publisher: name: Πανεπιστήμιο Πειραιώς
Year: 2019
Subjects: subject: Ειδική διαχείριση
subject: Πτώχευση

description: Σκοπός της εκπόνησης της παρούσας διπλωματικής εργασίας καθίσταται η προσέγγιση του θεσμού της ειδικής διαχείρισης, όπως ορίζεται στα άρθρα 68 – 77 του Ν. 4307/2014 περί «Ενσωμάτωσης στο ελληνικό δίκαιο α) της Απόφασης-Πλαίσιο 2008/909/ΔΕΥ του Συμβουλίου της 27ης Νοεμβρίου 2008, όπως τροποποιήθηκε με την Απόφαση - Πλαίσιο 2009/299/ΔΕΥ του Συμβουλίου της 26ης Φεβρουαρίου 2009». Πρόκειται για ένα ιδιαίτερα καινοτόμο νομοθετικό μόρφωμα, το οποίο καλείται να ανταπεξέλθει στις απαιτήσεις της οικονομίας και της επιχειρηματικής αγοράς. Η γνωριμία με το θεσμό εκκινεί μέσω της ιστορικής αναδρομής προπτωχευτικών διαδικασιών, οι οποίες παρέδωσαν τη σκυτάλη στη διαδικασία της ειδικής διαχείρισης, οριοθετώντας τη ρυθμιστική εμβέλεια και δυναμική τους στο πέρασμα των χρόνων. Μελετάται η διαδικασία της υπαγωγής της προβληματικής επιχείρησης στην ειδική διαχείριση με έμφαση στα χαρακτηριστικά αυτής, τα οποία χρήζουν εναργέστερης και διεξοδικότερης ανάλυσης. Κομβικός αρωγός στην εν γένει προσπάθεια μελέτης κρίνονται οι νομολογιακές αποφάσεις των Ελληνικών Δικαστηρίων, συγγράμματα των Καθηγητών της Νομικής Σχολής όλων των αντίστοιχων Πανεπιστημιακών Ιδρυμάτων της χώρας και, σαφώς, άρθρα νομικών επιστημόνων με σαφείς παρατηρήσεις και εύστοχη κριτική ματιά. Εξετάζεται, ειδικότερα, η σχέση αμοιβαιότητας και αλληλεξάρτησης του θεσμού της ειδικής διαχείρισης με τις διατάξεις της εργατικής νομοθεσίας, καθώς ο κλάδος του Πτωχευτικού Δικαίου επηρεάζει, άμεσα, τις εργασιακές σχέσεις αποτελώντας, συνακόλουθα, ακανθώδες ζήτημα με κοινωνικοοικονομικές διαστάσεις. Πραγματώνεται, επιπροσθέτως, η ανάλυση νομολογιακών αποφάσεων, οι οποίες αποκρυσταλλώνουν τη «διάθεση» της ελληνικής δικαιοσύνης προς τον εν λόγω προπτωχευτικό θεσμό. Συμπερασματικά, αξίζει να σημειωθεί, ότι το καθεστώς της ειδικής διαχείρισης του Ν. 4307/2014 αποβλέπει στην επίτευξη ενός ουσιώδους σκοπού, ήτοι στη συνέχιση και τη διατήρηση της πληγείσας επιχείρησης με παράλληλη ικανοποίηση του συνόλου των πιστωτών αυτής μέσω εκποιήσεως του ενεργητικού της περιουσίας της αποφεύγοντας τις δυσμενείς συνέπειες της κήρυξης της επιχείρησης σε πτώχευση, όμως, παρουσιάζει κενά και νομοθετικές ασάφειες, που παρακωλύουν την εύρυθμη λειτουργία και εφαρμογή της εν γένει διαδικασίας.
Efficient Bayesian inference of fully stochastic epidemiological models with applications to COVID-19
Creators: name: Li, Yuting I.
name: Turk, Günther
name: Rohrbach, Paul B.
name: Pietzonka, Patrick
name: Kappler, Julian
name: Singh, Rajesh
name: Dolezal, Jakub
name: Ekeh, Timothy
name: Kikuchi, Lukas
name: Peterson, Joseph D.
name: Bolitho, Austen
name: Kobayashi, Hideki
name: Cates, Michael E.
name: Adhikari, R.
name: Jack, Robert L.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Methodology (stat.ME)
subject: Populations and Evolution (q-bio.PE)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences
subject: FOS: Biological sciences

description: Epidemiological forecasts are beset by uncertainties about the underlying epidemiological processes, and the surveillance process through which data are acquired. We present a Bayesian inference methodology that quantifies these uncertainties, for epidemics that are modelled by (possibly) non-stationary, continuous-time, Markov population processes. The efficiency of the method derives from a functional central limit theorem approximation of the likelihood, valid for large populations. We demonstrate the methodology by analysing the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, based on age-structured data for the number of deaths. This includes maximum a posteriori estimates, MCMC sampling of the posterior, computation of the model evidence, and the determination of parameter sensitivities via the Fisher information matrix. Our methodology is implemented in PyRoss, an open-source platform for analysis of epidemiological compartment models.
description: Revised and accepted version, 24 pages
Fast 3-dimensional estimation of the Foveal Avascular Zone from OCTA
Creators: name: Ometto, Giovanni
name: Montesano, Giovanni
name: Chakravarthy, Usha
name: Kee, Frank
name: Hogg, Ruth E.
name: Crabb, David P.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Image and Video Processing (eess.IV)
subject: Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (cs.CV)
subject: FOS: Electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: The area of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) from en face images of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is one of the most common measurement based on this technology. However, its use in clinic is limited by the high variation of the FAZ area across normal subjects, while the calculation of the volumetric measurement of the FAZ is limited by the high noise that characterizes OCTA scans. We designed an algorithm that exploits the higher signal-to-noise ratio of en face images to efficiently identify the capillary network of the inner retina in 3-dimensions (3D), under the assumption that the capillaries in separate plexuses do not overlap. The network is then processed with morphological operations to identify the 3D FAZ within the bounding segmentations of the inner retina. The FAZ volume and area in different plexuses were calculated for a dataset of 430 eyes. Then, the measurements were analyzed using linear mixed effect models to identify differences between three groups of eyes: healthy, diabetic without diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic with DR. Results showed significant differences in the FAZ volume between the different groups but not in the area measurements. These results suggest that volumetric FAZ could be a better diagnostic detector than the planar FAZ. The efficient methodology that we introduced could allow the fast calculation of the FAZ volume in clinics, as well as providing the 3D segmentation of the capillary network of the inner retina.
description: 6 pages, 3 figures, submitted to IEEE I2MTC 2021 conference
Endo-cannabinoids system and the toxicity of cannabinoids with a biotechnological approach
Creators: name: Niaz, Kamal
name: Khan, Fazlullah
name: Maqbool, Faheem
name: Momtaz, Saeideh
name: Ismail Hassan, Fatima
name: Nobakht-Haghighi, Navid
name: Rahimifard, Mahban
name: Abdollahi, Mohammad
Publisher: name: Technische Universität Dortmund
Year: 2017
Subjects: subject: Synthetic cannabinoids
subject: Acute
subject: Chronic
subject: Toxicity
subject: Biotechnology
subject: 610

description: Cannabinoids have shown diverse and critical effects on the body systems, which alter the physiological functions. Synthetic cannabinoids are comparatively innovative misuse drugs with respect to their nature of synthesis. Synthetic cannabinoids therapy in healthy, chain smokers, and alcoholic individuals cause damage to the immune and nervous system, eventually leading to intoxication throughout the body. Relevant studies were retrieved using major electronic databases such as PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The extensive use of Cannabis Sativa L. (C. Sativa) and its derivatives/analogues such as the nonpsychoactive dimethyl heptyl homolog (CBG-DMH), and tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) amongst juveniles and adults have been enhanced in recent years. Cannabinoids play a crucial role in the induction of respiratory, reproductive, immune and carcinogenic effects; however, potential data about mutagenic and developmental effects are still insufficient. The possible toxicity associated with the prolong use of cannabinoids acts as a tumor promoter in animal models and humans. Particular synthetic cannabinoids and analogues have low affinity for CB1 or CB2 receptors, while some synthetic members like Δ9-THC have high affinity towards these receptors. Cannabinoids and their derivatives have a direct or indirect association with acute and long-term toxicity. To reduce/attenuate cannabinoids toxicity, pharmaceutical biotechnology and cloning methods have opened a new window to develop cannabinoids encoding the gene tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) synthase. Plant revolution and regeneration hindered genetic engineering in C. Sativa. The genetic culture suspension of C. Sativa can be transmuted by the use of Agrobacterium tumefaciens to overcome its toxicity. The main aim of the present review was to collect evidence of the endo-cannabinoid system (ECS), cannabinoids toxicity, and the potential biotechnological approach of cannabinoids synthesis.
description: EXCLI Journal;Vol. 16 2017
Comment on DiNuzzo & Griffen 2020 – Supplementary material from Details matter when modelling the effects of animal personality on the spatial distribution of foragers
Creators: name: Netz, Christoph
name: Ramesh, Aparajitha
name: Gismann, Jakob
name: Gupte, Pratik R.
name: Weissing, Franz J.
Publisher: name: The Royal Society
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Ecology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: 60102 Bioinformatics
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences
subject: 60801 Animal Behaviour
subject: 10202 Biological Mathematics
subject: FOS: Mathematics

description: (1) Detailed technical analysis of the model code used in D&G's paper; (2) Altered version of D&G's code demonstrating the effect of a corrected functional response type II and of an alternative stopping condition; (3) Mathematical proof that ratio-dependent functional responses type I and II are equivalent; (4) Model description of our event-based simulation model.
title: Dynamic analysis of three-mass vibratory system with twin crank-slider excitation mechanism
Creators: name: Korendiy, Vitaliy
name: Gursky, Volodymyr
name: Krot, Pavlo
name: Kachur, Oleksandr
Publisher: name: Publishing House of Poznan University of Technology
Year: 2023

description: Vibrations in Physical Systems, 34(2), 2023226-1 - 2023226-9
An Equilibrium Dark Matter Halo with the Burkert Profile
Creators: name: Liu, W-H
name: Fu, Y-N
name: Deng, Z-G
name: Huang, J-H.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2005
Subjects: subject: Astrophysics (astro-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: In this paper a prescription for generating an equilibrium spherical system depicted with cuspy density profiles is extended to a core density profile, the Burkert profile, which is observationally more suitable to dwarfs. By using a time-saving Monte Carlo method instead of N-body simulations, we show that the Burkert halo initialized with the distribution function that depends only on energy is in a practically stable equilibrium. The one generated using the local Maxwellian approximation is unstable, where the flat core density structure tends to steepen. This is fundamentally different from the previous study on a halo with cuspy density profile. The deviation of the unstable "Burkert" from the initial Burkert profile is found to be closely related to taking a Gaussian as the velocity distribution at any given point. The significance of not using the local Maxwellian approximation is further demonstrated by exploring the dynamical evolution of compact super star clusters in the Burkert halo. In particular, the local Maxwellian approximation will result in underestimating the dynamical friction and overestimating sinking time scale. Accordingly, it will lead to lower probability of forming massive bulges and young nuclear star clusters in bulgeless galaxies.
description: 12 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in PASJ
Recent developments in animal sciences
Creators: name: Hammad, Seddik
name: Sobor, Isabelle
name: Abdallah, Mohammed F.
name: Abdel-Wareth, Ahmed A. A.
name: Al-Aboody, Mohammad S.
name: Omar, Mosaab A.
Publisher: name: Technische Universität Dortmund
Year: 2015
Subjects: subject: 610

description: EXCLI Journal;Vol. 14, 2015
Nonempirical definition of the Mendeleev numbers: Organizing the chemical space
Creators: name: Allahyari, Zahed
name: Oganov, Artem R.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Organizing a chemical space so that elements with similar properties would take neighboring places in a sequence can help to predict new materials. In this paper, we propose a universal method of generating such a one-dimensional sequence of elements, i.e. at arbitrary pressure, which could be used to create a well-structured chemical space of materials and facilitate the prediction of new materials. This work clarifies the physical meaning of Mendeleev numbers, which was earlier tabulated by Pettifor. We compare our proposed sequence of elements with alternative sequences formed by different Mendeleev numbers using the data for hardness, magnetization, enthalpy of formation, and atomization energy. For an unbiased evaluation of the MNs, we compare clustering rates obtained with each system of MNs.
description: 9 figures, 4 tables
Ανάλυση ηχητικών εγγραφών αστικού περιβάλλοντος και αναγνώριση πλαισίου
Creators: name: Φασιανού, Ζαΐρα
Publisher: name: Πανεπιστήμιο Πειραιώς
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Machine learning
subject: Classification
subject: Audio analysis
subject: Audio classification
subject: Urban sounds
subject: Sound recognition

description: Ο κόσμος είναι γεμάτος από ήχους. Μετά την όραση, η ακοή είναι η σημαντικότερη αίσθηση, με την οποία αντιλαμβανόμαστε το περιβάλλον. Εκ πρώτης όψεως, όλοι οι ήχοι φαίνεται να είναι διαφορετικοί μεταξύ τους. Eν τούτοις έχουν κάποια όμοια χαρακτηριστικά, όπως το γεγονός ότι μεταφέρουν ενέργεια και κατά συνέπεια μεταδίδουν κάποια πληροφορία από μια περιοχή σ’ άλλη, ώστε να επικοινωνούμε με τους άλλους ανθρώπους. Η παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία πραγματεύεται τη μελέτη και την ανάλυση των ήχων σ’ ένα αστικό περιβάλλον. Συγκεκριμένα, ο σκοπός είναι η εφαρμογή και η αξιολόγηση μεθόδων μηχανικής μάθησης πάνω σ’ ένα σύνολο περιβαλλοντικών ήχων. Αρκετή έρευνα έχει ήδη διεξαχθεί στον τομέα της ανάλυσης ήχου. Ωστόσο οι περισσότεροι ερευνητές έχουν καταπιαστεί με την αναγνώριση ανθρώπινης ομιλίας είτε με την κατηγοριοποίηση διαφόρων ειδών μουσικής. Στην παρούσα μελέτη θα εξετάσουμε, πως κάποιοι από τους δημοφιλείς αλγορίθμους ταξινόμησης ανταποκρίνονται σε αστικά ηχητικά δεδομένα. Στο πρώτο στάδιο της διαδικασίας έγινε η συλλογή των δειγμάτων ήχου, με σκοπό τη δημιουργία μιας βιβλιοθήκης, η οποία θα συμπεριλάμβανε πιθανές δραστηριότητες για κάθε μία από τις οχτώ κλάσεις που μελετήθηκαν. Στη συνέχεια, τα ηχητικά δεδομένα καταχωρήθηκαν στην κατάλληλη κλάση, αφού χωρίστηκαν στις επιθυμητές χρονικές διάρκειες και κάθε ηχητικό αρχείο διαιρέθηκε περαιτέρω μετά την εφαρμογή των συναρτήσεων πλαισίου. Επίσης για κάθε ήχο εξάχθηκαν κάποια χαρακτηριστικά, προκειμένου να δημιουργηθούν διανύσματα χαρακτηριστικών συγκεκριμένης διάστασης με τις πληροφορίες, που ήταν απαραίτητες για την ταξινόμηση. Στο επόμενο στάδιο πραγματοποιήθηκε η εφαρμογή των αλγορίθμων μηχανικής μάθησης στα επεξεργασμένα, πλέον, ηχητικά δεδομένα. Το σύνολο χαρακτηριστικών χωρίστηκε σε σύνολο εκπαίδευσης και σε σύνολο δοκιμής, προκειμένου να αξιολογηθεί η απόδοση του κάθε αλγορίθμου. Επιπλέον, ο αλγόριθμος με την υψηλότερη ακρίβεια δοκιμάστηκε σ’ ένα άγνωστο σύνολο ηχητικών δεδομένων διαφορετικής μεταξύ τους χρονικής διάρκειας, για να διερευνηθεί η ικανότητα του να γενικεύει.
Prevalence of measles in vaccinated and non-vaccinated children
Creators: name: Zahoor, Muhammad Asif
name: Rasool, Muhammad Hidayat
name: Waseem, Muhammad
name: Aslam, Bilal
name: Zahoor, Muhammad Kashif
name: Saqalein, Muhammad
name: Nawaz, Zeeshan
name: Sahar, Rabia
Publisher: name: Technische Universität Dortmund
Year: 2015
Subjects: subject: 610

description: EXCLI Journal;Vol. 14, 2015
An XMM-Newton and Chandra Study of the Starburst Galaxy IC 10
Creators: name: Wang, Q. Daniel
name: Whitaker, Katherine E.
name: Williams, Rosa
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2005
Subjects: subject: Astrophysics (astro-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We present an X-ray study of our nearest starburst galaxy IC 10, based on XMM-Newton and Chandra observations. A list of 73 XMM-Newton and 28 Chandra detections of point-like X-ray sources in the field is provided; a substantial fraction of them are likely stellar objects in the Milky Way due to the low Galactic latitude location of IC 10. The brightest source in the IC 10 field, X-1, shows a large variation by a factor of up to $\sim 6$ on time scales during the XMM-Newton observation. The X-ray spectra of the source indicate the presence of a multi-color blackbody accretion disk with an inner disk temperature T_{in} \approx 1.1 keV. These results are consistent with the interpretation of the source as a stellar mass black hole, probably accreting from a Wolf-Rayet star companion. We infer the mass of this black hole to be about 4 Msun if it is not spinning, or a factor of up to about 6 higher if there is significant spinning. We also detect an apparent diffuse soft X-ray emission component of IC 10. An effective method is devised to remove the X-ray CCD-readout streaks of X-1 that strongly affect the study of the diffuse component in the XMM-Newton and Chandra observations. We find that the diffuse X-ray morphology is oriented along the optical body of the galaxy and is chiefly associated with starburst regions. The diffuse component can be characterized by an optically thin thermal plasma with a mean temperature of $\sim 4 \times 10^6$ K and a 0.5-2 keV luminosity of $\sim 8 \times 10^{37} {\rm erg s^{-1}}$, representing only a small fraction of the expected mechanical energy inputs from massive stars in the galaxy. There is evidence that the hot gas is driving outflows from the starburst regions; therefore, the bulk of the energy inputs may be released in a galactic wind.
description: 30 pages, accepted for publication in MNRAS
Seafarers faced with piracy & armed robbery
Creators: name: Ταταράκη, Χρυσάνθη
name: Tataraki, Chrysanthi
Publisher: name: Πανεπιστήμιο Πειραιώς
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Maritime piracy
subject: Armed robbery against ships
subject: Legal framework
subject: Seafarer’s rights
subject: Ship-owner
subject: Release

description: Η θαλάσσια πειρατεία και ένοπλη ληστεία ενάντια στα εμπορικά πλοία αποτελούν μία από τις σύγχρονες προκλήσεις της ναυτιλιακής βιομηχανίας. Αυτά τα δύο φαινόμενα έχουν παγκόσμιο αντίκτυπο στο ναυτιλιακό εμπόριο και στα μέτρα αντιμετώπισης και ασφάλειας. Η πιθανότητα επίθεσης πειρατείας είναι επίσης μία συνεχή ανησυχία των ναυτικών και των οικογενειών τους. Τα πλοία τα οποία διέρχονται σε περιοχές υψηλού κίνδυνου έχουν μεγάλες πιθανότητες επίθεσης πειρατείας και ένοπλης ληστείας με αποτέλεσμα την απαγωγή του πληρώματος για λύτρα. Η ναυσιπλοΐα σε αυτές τις επικίνδυνες περιοχές μέχρι και τον Κόλπο της Γουινέας καθιστά τους ναυτικούς ευάλωτους σε τέτοιου είδους επιθέσεις. Το πρώτο μέρος της συγκεκριμένης διατριβής αναλύει την θαλάσσια πειρατεία και ένοπλη ληστεία ως παγκόσμιο φαινόμενο, τα εθνικά πρότυπα πειρατείας και ερευνά το φαινόμενο εις βάθος. Η ανασφάλεια που δημιουργείται από την απειλή της πειρατείας αναδεικνύει για ακόμη μία φόρα πόσο σημαντικός είναι ο ρόλος του ναυτικού. Η συγκεκριμένη διπλωματική παρέχει μια καθοδήγηση στον τρόπο με τον οποίο οι ναυτικοί μπορούν να υποστηριχτούν από τις οικογένειες τους και από την ίδια την εταιρεία. Όσον αφορά την εταιρεία, πρέπει να τονιστεί πως μια καλή προετοιμασία μπορεί να συμβάλλει θετικά στην ίδια και συνεπώς και στον ναυτικό κατά τη διάρκεια μιας επίθεσης. Επομένως η σωστή καθοδήγηση για την υποστήριξη των ναυτικών είναι ύψιστης σημασίας καθώς και οι εταιρείες με αυτόν τον τρόπο μπορούν καλύτερα να αντιμετωπίσουν κάθε είδους επίθεσης. Επιπλέον δεν θα πρέπει να παραλειφθούν τα δικαιώματα των ναυτικών, η εξέλιξη αυτών και η περίπτωση του επαναπατρισμού. Για αυτό το λόγο το δεύτερο μέρος της συγκεκριμένης διατριβής αναφέρεται στον αντίκτυπο που έχει η πειρατεία και η ένοπλη ληστεία στα δικαιώματα των ναυτικών ως ένα ανεξερεύνητο τμήμα του νόμου. Ιδιαίτερη έμφαση δίνεται στην εξέλιξη και πορεία των δικαιωμάτων και στην εξασφάλιση του επαναπατρισμού. Αν και υπάρχει αλληλεπίδραση πολλών παραγόντων στο συγκεκριμένο θέμα, η διερεύνηση περιορίζεται στον ρόλο του πλοιοκτήτη και στην συμφωνία που έχει αναπτύξει με τον ίδιο τον ναυτικό. Εδώ αξίζει να σημειώσουμε πως o MLC (Maritime Labour Convention) έχει σχεδιάσει έναν οδηγό τονίζοντας τον ρόλο του πλοιοκτήτη σχετικά με τον επαναπατρισμό του ναυτικού. Λέξεις κλειδιά: Θαλάσσια πειρατεία, ένοπλη ληστεία, νομικό πλαίσιο, δικαιώματα των ναυτικών, πλοιοκτήτης, επαναπατρισμός.
Photo-Induced Anomalous Hall Effect in Two-Dimensional Transition-Metal Dichalcogenides
Creators: name: Nguyen, Phuong X.
name: Tse, Wang-Kong
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics (cond-mat.mes-hall)
subject: Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: A circularly polarized a.c. pump field illuminated near resonance on two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) produces an anomalous Hall effect in response to a d.c. bias field. In this work, we develop a theory for this photo-induced anomalous Hall effect in undoped TMDs irradiated by a strong coherent laser field. The strong field renormalizes the equilibrium bands and opens up a dynamical energy gap where single-photon resonance occurs. The resulting photon dressed states, or Floquet states, are treated within the rotating wave approximation. A quantum kinetic equation approach is developed to study the non-equilibrium density matrix and time-averaged transport currents under the simultaneous influence of the strong a.c. pump field and the weak d.c. probe field. Dissipative effects are taken into account in the kinetic equation that captures relaxation and dephasing. The photo-induced longitudinal and Hall conductivities display notable resonant signatures when the pump field frequency reaches the spin-split interband transition energies. Rather than valley polarization, we find that the anomalous Hall current is mainly driven by the intraband response of photon-dressed electron populations near the dynamical gap at both valleys, accompanied by a smaller contribution due to interband coherences. These findings highlight the importance of photon-dressed bands and non-equilibrium distribution functions in achieving a proper understanding of photo-induced anomalous Hall effect in a strong pump field.
description: 12 pages, 7 figures
Understanding Supernova Neutrino Physics using Low-Energy Beta-Beams
Creators: name: Jachowicz, N.
name: McLaughlin, G. C.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2005
Subjects: subject: Nuclear Theory (nucl-th)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We show that fitting linear combinations of low-energy beta-beam spectra to supernova-neutrino energy-distributions reconstructs the response of a nuclear target to a supernova flux in a very accurate way. This allows one to make direct predictions about the supernova-neutrino signal in a terrestrial neutrino detector.
description: To appear in the proceedings of International School of Nuclear Physics: 27th Course: "Neutrinos in Cosmology, in Astro, Particle and Nuclear Physics". Erice, Sicily, Italy, 16-24
IMPACT OF MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS ON DAIRY FARM PROFITABILITY
Creators: name: Lazarus, William F.
name: Streeter, Deborah H.
name: Jofre-Giraudo, Eduardo
name: Lazarus, William F.
name: Streeter, Deborah H.
name: Jofre-Giraudo, Eduardo
Publisher: name: Unknown
Year: 1989
Subjects: Livestock Production/Industries

description: Seven of 196 New York dairy farms used on-farm computers for accounting in 1984, rising to 23 in 1987. A regression of net farm income per cow on computer use, years computer experience and other variables showed income increasing the first year of computer use, dropping and rising again by year four.
Passive immunization of rainbow trout with chicken immunoglobins (IGY)
Creators: name: Arasteh, Nikoo
Publisher: name: University of British Columbia
Year: 2009

description: Passive immunization as an alternative to vaccination or antibiotic therapy, involves use of a pathogen specific antibody raised in other animals to provide extended disease resistance to the host animals or humans. The egg yolks of hens are a rich source of specific immunoglobulins (IgY) which can be easily extracted and incorporated into the human or animal diets. However, an effective method of IgY delivery into the host animal system is needed. In this study, enhancement of rainbow trout resistance against Vibrio anguillarum infection has been used as a model to investigate passage of IgY through the gut barrier into the bloodstream and the passive immunization that pathogen specific IgY may confer. High titers of anti-V. anguillarum IgY were raised in vaccinated hens, recovered from the water-soluble fraction (WSF) of the egg-yolks and subsequently used in intraperitoneal (IP) injection, oral intubation or feeding of the trout. Western blotting of such IgY revealed a strong reactivity with V. anguillarum whole cell lysate and lipopolysaccharide, which was as strong as that of the rabbit IgG and stronger than that of the fish IgM. Immunological properties of IgY as measured by ELISA were not affected by freeze-drying, vacuum microwave drying, air-drying, or spray drying. IP injected anti- Vibrio IgY was transferred into the fish system in high enough levels to confer protection against Vibriosis in an experimental challenge. This protective effect which was retained at least 14 days post IgY injection, proved efficacy of pathogen-specific IgY in enhancement of disease resistance. To investigate absorption through trout digestive tract, IgY was intubated both anally and orally at the levels of 0.1mg and 1.4-2.7mg fish-1, respectively. Under the conditions of this study, anally intubated IgY (0.1mg) did not appear in the serum in a detectable level. Oral intubation of WSF led to absorption of IgY in an immunologically active form; however the levels were 800 to 2500 times lower than those resulting from IP injection. Among the detergents co-administered with IgY, deoxycholate, Mega9 and octyl-β-glucoside mediated the highest enhancement of IgY absorption. Use of Mega9 raised serum IgY to levels only 12 to 18 times lower than the levels after IP injection o f a similar dose. Encapsulation of WSF in polylactide-co-glycolide did not improve IgY uptake. Oral administration of anti-Vibrio IgY in co-delivery with detergents resulted in different levels of protection of rainbow trout against Vibriosis following an immersion challenge, which in some cases was comparable to the protection offered by IP injection of IgY. The efficacy of continued feeding of specific IgY before and after exposure to the pathogenic bacteria has yet to be explored.
Ηλεκτρονικό εμπόριο και πανδημία
Creators: name: Χοβχανισιάν, Ονίκ
Publisher: name: Πανεπιστήμιο Πειραιώς
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Ηλεκτρονικό εμπόριο
subject: Πανδημία

description: Αντικειμενικός σκοπός της εργασίας είναι η μελέτη του ηλεκτρονικού εμπορίου, όπως αυτό διαμορφώνεται στη σύγχρονη εποχή και καθορίζει τις επιχειρήσεις. Επιπλέον, μελετώνται σημαντικοί παράγοντες που επηρεάζουν την υιοθέτηση ενός μοντέλου ηλεκτρονικού εμπορίου, όπως και πιθανές στρατηγικές που μπορούν να εφαρμοστούν για τη μετάβαση ενός οργανισμού στην εποχή που χαρακτηρίζεται από την πληροφορία, τις τεχνολογικές εξελίξεις και το Διαδίκτυο. Το γενικότερο συμπέρασμα που προκύπτει από την παρούσα εργασία, πέρα από την αναζήτηση εξεζητημένων τεχνολογικών λύσεων οι οποίες αναλύονται διεξοδικά, είναι ότι το ηλεκτρονικό εμπόριο αποτελεί την παρούσα στιγμή το σημαντικότερο εργαλείο για τις επιχειρήσεις που θέλουν να παραμείνουν ανταγωνιστικές και καινοτόμες σε ένα δυναμικά εναλλασσόμενο περιβάλλον. Προτείνονται συγκεκριμένες στρατηγικές με γνώμονα το όφελος του οργανισμού, που προσανατολίζονται κυρίως στη συμμετοχικότητα, την ανάληψη ευθυνών από κάθε συμμετέχοντα καθώς και την εύρεση του σημείου ισορροπίας μεταξύ εταιρικής κουλτούρας, τεχνολογίας και ανθρώπινου παράγοντα. Επιπλέον, μελετάται η ελληνική πραγματικότητα και προτείνονται λύσεις για βιώσιμη ανάπτυξη των ελληνικών επιχειρήσεων στο ηλεκτρονικό εμπόριο. Τέλος, παρουσιάζεται συνοπτικά ένα case study μιας επιχείρησης που υιοθέτησε με τον καλύτερο δυνατό τρόπο ένα μοντέλο E-Business, ανταποκρινόμενη στις προκλήσεις της νέας οικονομίας και της εποχής του Διαδικτύου.
Quantum electrodynamics in 2+1 dimensions, confinement, and the stability of U(1) spin liquids
Creators: name: Nogueira, Flavio S.
name: Kleinert, Hagen
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2005
Subjects: subject: Strongly Correlated Electrons (cond-mat.str-el)
subject: High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph)
subject: High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Compact quantum electrodynamics in 2+1 dimensions often arises as an effective theory for a Mott insulator, with the Dirac fermions representing the low-energy spinons. An important and controversial issue in this context is whether a deconfinement transition takes place. We perform a renormalization group analysis to show that deconfinement occurs when $N>N_c=36/π^3\approx 1.161$, where $N$ is the number of fermion replica. For $N
description: 4 pages; 1 figure; v4: version accepted for publication in PRL. Additional material: the detailed derivation of the RG equations appearing in this preprint can be downloaded from http://www.physik.fu-berlin.de/~nogueira/cqed3.html
Hybrid Quantum Investment Optimization with Minimal Holding Period
Creators: name: Mugel, Samuel
name: Abad, Mario
name: Bermejo, Miguel
name: Sanchez, Javier
name: Lizaso, Enrique
name: Orus, Roman
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Quantum Physics (quant-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: In this paper we propose a hybrid quantum-classical algorithm for dynamic portfolio optimization with minimal holding period. Our algorithm is based on sampling the near-optimal portfolios at each trading step using a quantum processor, and efficiently post-selecting to meet the minimal holding constraint. We found the optimal investment trajectory in a dataset of 50 assets spanning a one year trading period using the D-Wave 2000Q processor. Our method is remarkably efficient, and produces results much closer to the efficient frontier than typical portfolios. Moreover, we also show how our approach can easily produce trajectories adapted to different risk profiles, as typically offered in financial products. Our results are a clear example of how the combination of quantum and classical techniques can offer novel valuable tools to deal with real-life problems, beyond simple toy models, in current NISQ quantum processors.
description: 6 pages, 4 figures, revised version
Gwbench: a novel Fisher information package for gravitational-wave benchmarking
Creators: name: Borhanian, Ssohrab
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We present a new Python package, gwbench, implementing the well-established Fisher information formalism as a fast and straightforward tool for the purpose of gravitational-wave benchmarking, i.e. the estimation of signal-to-noise ratios and measurement errors of gravitational waves observed by a network of detectors. Such an infrastructure is necessary due to the high computational cost of Bayesian parameter estimation methods which renders them less effective for the scientific assessment of gravitational waveforms, detectors, and networks of detectors, especially when determining their effects on large populations of gravitational-wave sources spread throughout the universe. gwbench further gives quick access to detector locations and sensitivities, while including the effects of Earth's rotation on the latter, as well as waveform models and their derivatives, while giving access to the host of waveforms available in the LSC Algorithm Library. With the provided functionality, gwbench is relevant for a wide variety of applications in gravitational-wave astronomy such as waveform modeling, detector development, cosmology, and tests of general relativity.
description: 18 pages, 6 figures, 4 tables
Hyperelliptic curves with extra involutions
Creators: name: Gutierrez, J.
name: Shaska, T.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2006
Subjects: subject: Algebraic Geometry (math.AG)
subject: Group Theory (math.GR)
subject: FOS: Mathematics

description: The purpose of this paper is to study hyperelliptic curves with extra involutions. The locus $Ł_g$ of such genus $g$ hyperelliptic curves is a $g$-dimensional subvariety of the moduli space of hyperelliptic curves $\H_g$. We discover a birational parametrization of $Ł_g$ via dihedral invariants and show how these invariants can be used to determine the field of moduli of points $\p \in Ł_g$. We conjecture that for $\p\in \H_g$ with $|\Aut(\p)| > 2$ the field of moduli is a field of definition and prove this conjecture for any point $\p\in Ł_g$ such that the Klein 4-group is embedded in the reduced automorphism group of $\p$. Further, for $g=3$ we show that for every moduli point $\p \in \H_3$ such that $| \Aut (\p) | > 4$, the field of moduli is a field of definition and provide a rational model of the curve over its field of moduli.
Antihypercholesterolemic effect of Cleome arabica L on high cholesterol diet induced damage in rats
Creators: name: Samout, Noura
name: Bouzenna, Hafsia
name: Ettaya, Amani
name: Elfeki, Abdelfattah
name: Hfaiedh, Najla
Publisher: name: Technische Universität Dortmund
Year: 2015
Subjects: subject: hypercholesterolemic rat
subject: Cleome arabica
subject: lipid peroxidation (TBARS)
subject: antioxidant enzymes
subject: 610

description: Dietary cholesterol is known to be one of the main risk factors that accelerate oxidation process leading to hypercholesterolemia and attendant cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this study, carried out on adult male Wistar rats, was to evaluate the inhibitory effects of supplementation with aqueous of Cleome arabica leaf extract on hypercholesterolemia. After 3 months of treatment, animals were sacrificed by decapitation. Blood serum was obtained by centrifugation. Under our experimental conditions, administration of Cleome arabica leaf extract decreased the total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-chol) and triglycerides (TG) levels by 27 %, 52 %, 37 %, respectively, and reduced SGOT, SGPT, LDH and PAL levels in blood serum compared to untreated hypercholesterolemic rats. TBARS concentrations decreased by 21 % in liver, 22 % in heart and 30 % in kidney in a group of rats treated with cholesterol and Cleome arabica (Chol C.ar) compared to a Chol-treated group. The same treatment with Cleome arabica leaf extract increased superoxide dismutase and enhanced glutathione peroxidase activity. Catalase activity was found to increase in liver, heart and kidney by 17 %, 16 % and 23 %, respectively, in the C.ar Chol-treated group. The protective effect of Cleome arabica on hypercholesterolemia inducing oxidative stress in several organs was mainly attributed to antioxidant properties. The latter were due to the presence of phenolic acids and flavonoids shown by the obtained HPLC profiles.
description: EXCLI Journal;Vol. 14, 2015
INTERLACE Stakeholder Engagement Strategy (D1.5)
Creators: name: Leone, Michael
name: Lammens, Liesa
name: Julie, Callebaut
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023

description: Stakeholder engagement is a central element of the INTERLACE project as it aims to co-produce tools,governance instruments and other project deliverables with local stakeholders, as well as facilitateknowledge exchange between local, regional and global stakeholders, to inform and support therestoration and rehabilitation of (peri)urban ecosystems through Nature-based Solutions. The purposeof the Stakeholder Engagement Strategy (SES) is to give both theoretical and practical guidance tofacilitate sustainable engagement of stakeholders in the INTERLACE project. In the first place, thisguidance is meant for all INTERLACE partners who are involved with stakeholder engagement.Secondly, this guidance can be used by anyone who is involved with stakeholder engagement in urbanNature-based Solutions projects.This guidance integrates an agile workflow and contains a logical step-to-step approach to create atailored plan for engagement activities (see the 10 steps below, or download the visual summary here).To support this, an INTERLACE specific categorization of stakeholders is applied. Additionally, goodpractices are discussed and a troubleshooting section is included to support with possible challengesthat can be encountered during stakeholder engagement.
Limits of Chow groups, and a new construction of Chern-Schwartz-MacPherson classes
Creators: name: Aluffi, Paolo
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2005
Subjects: subject: Algebraic Geometry (math.AG)
subject: FOS: Mathematics
subject: 14C17, 57D20

description: We define an `enriched' notion of Chow groups for algebraic varieties, agreeing with the conventional notion for complete varieties, but enjoying a functorial push-forward for arbitrary maps. This tool allows us to glue intersection-theoretic information across elements of a stratification of a variety; we illustrate this operation by giving a direct construction of Chern-Schwartz-MacPherson classes of singular varieties, providing a new proof of an old (and long since settled) conjecture of Deligne and Grothendieck.
description: 23 pages, final version. Dedicated to Robert MacPherson on the occasion of his 60th birthday
RISK IN AGRICULTURE AS IMPEDIMENT TO RURAL LENDING - THE CASE OF NORTH-WESTERN KAZAKHSTAN
Creators: name: Petrick, Martin
name: Ditges, C. Markus
name: Petrick, Martin
name: Ditges, C. Markus
Publisher: name: Unknown
Year: 2000
Subjects: subject: Agricultural Finance
subject: Agricultural credit
subject: Kazakhstan
subject: Portfolio selection theory
subject: Risk programming

description: On the basis of portfolio selection theory, this paper finds that whole-farm risk must be regarded as a major reason for the low level of credit flow to agriculture in North-western Kazakhstan. A quadratic programming model was used in order (a) to demonstrate the comparatively high overall risk exposition of a typical farm, (b) to show that an inflow of working capital could contribute to risk reduction, and (c) to illustrate short-term risk management strategies. Although there may be a role for the government in reducing risk exposition of agriculture in its current form, natural and economic constraints suggest to pave the way for structural reforms that reduce the importance of agriculture in the rural economy. .