Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Information and communication technology, poverty, and development in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia

The objectives of the paper are: to examine patterns of utilization, ownership, and affordability of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and South Asia; to discuss applications of ICTs to the poor by the private sector, the Government, and external donors; and to suggest ways in which ICTs can best be used in poverty alleviation strategies. The paper finds that SSA and South Asia have the lowest access to ICTs resources. There are critical access gaps between urban and rural areas, and between the poorest and the richest. Evidence indicate that in a sufficiently competitive and liberalized market the private sector is most effective in providing commercially viable communications services, even in rural or less viable areas. The paper proposes some principles for using ICTs in poverty alleviation strategies: 1) Tnformation is a dynamic process of acquisition and use. 2) The effective use of information by the poor may be constrained by lack of skills, financial resources, and the existence of urban/rural, gender inequities. 3) The effectiveness of ICTs must be assessed along with existing information systems. 4) ICTs must focus on areas where complementary investment has already been built and encourage the participation of the communities and of the poor. 5) Long term strategies for ICT diffusion must be centered around integrating ICTs into wider educational programs.
Aprovechamiento metabólico de granos de sorgo entero con diferentes contenidos de taninos en novillos británicos

Se evaluo la digestibilidad in vivo del almidon (DIVA) del grano de sorgo entero, con altos y bajos contenidos de taninos (GSAT y GSBT, respectivamente), como suplemento, en machos bovinos en crecimiento; asi como las perdidas en heces y el efecto diferencial de estas perdidas, segun el contenido de taninos. Se establecieron dos tratamientos (T 1 y T 2 ) y dos repeticiones. Se empleo un diseno totalmente aleatorizado y cada animal constituyo una unidad experimental. Las dietas se suministraron una vez al dia y estaban compuestas por diferentes proporciones de GSAT y GSBT, pellet de harina de girasol y heno de pastura mixta. El nivel proteinico fue de 18 y 15 % para el T 1 y el T 2 , respectivamente. Se midio el consumo de MS (CMS), la digestibilidad in vivo de la MS (DIVMS), la DIVA y el consumo de agua por kilogramo de MS consumida. El CMS fue de 8,5 y 12,0 kg para el T 1 y el T 2 , respectivamente, mientras que la DIVMS fue similar (71,64 y 71,66 %). La DIVA fue mayor en T 1 (74,25 vs. 66,67 %); mientras que la perdida de almidon en heces lo fue en T 2 (31,56 vs. 27,27 %). El consumo de agua fue similar (1,8 L de agua/ kg de MS). Se concluye que hubo un comportamiento diferenciado en el aprovechamiento del grano de sorgo entero, debido al tamano del animal y a los diferentes contenidos de taninos. Los terneros aprovecharon el 33 % de la oferta, y los novillos, el 25 %.
STUDY OF THE CYTOTOXIC AND GENOTOXIC EFFECTS FOR FRACTIONIATED EXTRACTS OF CONVOLULUS ARVENSIS ON BONE MARROW IN MICE

Objective: The aerial parts of convolvulus arvensis examined for their cytotoxicity and genotoxicity actions for two doses of four organic solvents fractions according to their polarity. Methods: The aerial parts of the crud plant were extracted with 80% aqueous ethanol and fractionated using petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol which were then examined on bone marrow of mice by measuring the mitotic index (MI) and chromosomal aberrations (CA) for two doses of the each fraction dissolved in DMSO and used cyclophosphamide as standard for positive control while DMSO only remain as negative control. Results: The results showed that the chloroform and n-butanol fractions give significant decrease in MI and increased CA for both doses. The petroleum ether in low doses didn’t give any significant effect while the high dose had. The ethyl acetate fraction of low dose increased MI and decreased CA while the high dose gives the inverse action. Conclusion: The results could be explained due to different active constituent that present in each fraction mainly alkaloids, flavanoids and saponins for chloroform, ethyl acetate and petroleum ether respectively. For this reason it is possible that the plant extracts can have a therapeutic effect to destroy the cancerous cells. However, further studies on active components and their effects on cell di visions are needed.
A new method for the spectroscopic identification of stellar non-radial pulsation modes - II. Mode identification of the delta Scuti star FG Virginis

Aims. We present a mode identification based on new high-resolution time-series spectra of the non-radially pulsating delta Scuti star FG Vir (HD 106384, V = 6.57, A5V). From 2002 February to June a global Delta Scuti Network (DSN) campaign, utilizing high-resolution spectroscopy and simultaneous photometry has been conducted for FG Vir in order to provide a theoretical pulsation model. In this campaign we have acquired 969 Echelle spectra covering 147 h at six observatories. Methods. The mode identification was carried out by analyzing line profile variations by means of the Fourier parameter fit method, where the observational Fourier parameters across the line are fitted with theoretical values. This method is especially well suited for determining the azimuthal order m of non-radial pulsation modes and thus complementary with the method of Daszynska-Daszkiewicz (2002) which does best at identifying the degree l. Results. 15 frequencies between 9.2 and 33.5 d(-1) were detected spectroscopically. We determined the azimuthal order m of 12 modes and constrained their harmonic degree l. Only modes of low degree (l <= 4) were detected, most of them having axisymmetric character mainly due to the relatively low projected rotational velocity of FG Vir. The detected non-axisymmetric modes have azimuthal orders between -2 and 1. We derived an inclination of 19 degrees, which implies an equatorial rotational rate of 66 km s(-1).
Finite-Difference Time-Domain Simulations of Light Scattering from Retinal Photoreceptors

Recently, a novel optical imaging technique was successfully used in measuring the functional response of living retinal tissues. The technique, functional ultra high resolution optical coherence tomography, measures localized differential changes in the retina reflectivity over time resulting from external white light stimulation. This result can be used to develop a non-invasive diagnostic method for the early detection of retinal diseases. However, the physiological causes of the experimentally observed optical signals, most of which originate from the photoreceptors layer, are still not well understood. Due to the complexity of the photoreceptors, using purely experimental methods to isolate the changes in light reflectivity corresponding to individual physiological processes is not feasible. Therefore, we have employed the finite-difference time-domain method to model the changes in light scattering patterns of the photoreceptor cells caused by light-induced physiological processes. Processes such as cell swelling, cell elongation and hyperpolarization of doublelipid membrane structures were simulated by changing the size parameters and optical properties of the cells components. Simulation results show that the hyperpolarization of double-lipid membranous structures and cell swelling are the most likely causes for the experimentally observed changes in optical reflectivity. A number of experiments were suggested to verify the conclusions drawn from this numerical work. This numerical work includes an analysis of various errors in FDTD computational models.
THE ROLE OF ART EDUCATION ON THE CREATIVE THINKING SKILLS OF STUDENTS IN MUSIC AND VISUAL ARTS EDUCATION: A COMPARISON FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE MUSIC EDUCATION

There have many views in the related literature that the art develops the creativity. Although there have been study findings on this issue regarding the Visual Arts Education, a few study findings have been existed for the Music Education. Also, there has not been any consensus on the topic that Music Education (or Visual Arts) develops the creative thinking more (or less). This study aimed to investigate whether there was a potential source of developmental differences between music students (Grade 9 and 12) and visual arts (Grade 12) students' creative thinking skills in high school education level. This study includes two folds research designs as cross-sectional and causal-comparative. As a result, it was found that music or visual arts education disciplines do not possess a privilege role in the development of the students’ creative thinking skills except originality . Thus, it was concluded that overall creative thinking skills can be synonymous as gain of educational outcomes regarding to art education disciplines, but the Originality can be main educational gain of the music learning.
A Cytopathological and Histopathological Correlation Study of Benign and Malignant Paediatric Age Group Tumour

Objective: Cancer is a rarity in childhood. It is a major cause of death in pediatric age group. Present study was aimed to evaluate role of cytology in diagnosis of malignancy in pediatric age group and correlate these finding with Histopathology. Method: In present study, 100 cases of pediatric malignancy were studied under the age group 0-14 years in our series. Cytosmears made from material obtained by FNAC. In neuromalignant cases cytosmears were prepared by squash technique. Histopathology was done on lump removed by surgery. Stained by rapid papanicoloau techniques, hematoxylin and eosin, and May grunwald giemsa stains. For histopathology, routine Hematoxylin and Eosin staining was done. Result: Out of 100 cases, satisfactory aspiration was obtained in 87 (87%). Out of these, 87 cytosmears, the diagnosis was consistent with histopathology in 70 cases and not consistent in 17 cases. Therefore, an accuracy rate of 80.4% was obtained. Commonest malignancy was of kidney, mainly wilm’s tumour (25%). Lymphoma was second common (22%) followed by soft tissue sarcoma (18%). FNAC is feasible, rapid and inexpensive first approach in evaluation of cases of pediatric tumour but cytological diagnosis on FNAC is not a substitute for the histological diagnosis on tissue section. In 0-5 yrs. age group, Kidney tumours were the commonest malignancy. In 5-10 yrs. age group commonest were lymphomas and in 10-14 yrs. age group soft tissue tumours formed the main type. Male preponderance was seen in all malignancies except malignant teratoma, gonadal tumours and neuroblastoma.
Finding second-best toll locations and levels by relaxing the set of first-best feasible toll vectors

This paper provides a framework for optimizing toll locations and levels in congestion pricing schemes for large urban road networks, with the objective to maximize the social surplus. This optimization problem is referred to as the toll location and level setting problem (TLLP) and is both non-convex, non-smooth and involves binary decision variables, and is therefore considered as a hard problem to solve. In this paper a solution approach is provided which instead of directly solving the TLLP, makes use of the first-best toll level solution, in which no restrictions are imposed on toll locations or levels. A first-best pricing scheme can be obtained by solving a convex program, and it has previously been shown that for the used routes in the network, the first-best toll levels on a route level are unique. By formulating an optimization problem, which instead of maximizing the social surplus, tries to find the link toll levels which minimize the deviation from first-best route tolls, a mixed integer linear program is obtained, and if the toll locations are predetermined the resulting optimization problem is a linear program. The approach of minimizing the deviation from first--best route tolls is applied for two different network models, and results are provided to show the applicability of the approach, as well as to compare with other approaches. Also, it is shown that for the Stockholm network, virtually the first-best level of social surplus can be obtained with a significantly reduced number of located tolls.
The state human trafficking and human rights issues in Africa

Internal factors in Africa which include limited autonomy of African states, the states’ various degrees of lack of capacity, as well as inept and parasitic leadership make human trafficking and human rights abuses in Africa inevitable. Regardless of the connections suggested to exist between globalization and human trafficking, internal factors in Africa are more fundamental than globalization in explaining human trafficking and the associated human rights violations. Corruption and misrule brought about wars and crises, unemployment, poverty, and diseases, all of which acted as push factors in disposing victims to be trafficked. Internal factors were exacerbated by the structural adjustment programs of the 1980s and were only deepened by the impacts of globalization. Any meaningful resolve to combat human trafficking and fight human rights abuses in Africa necessarily has to address the nature of state and the character of the leadership in the region.
Seasonal pattern of the fish assemblage of El Conchalito mangrove swamp,La Paz Bay, Baja California Sur, Mexico

The seasonal changes in fish assemblage structure and the importance of El Conchalito mangrove swamp was assessed from October 1996 to August 1997. A modified stationary flume net was deployed at the swamp channel just before high tide and operated continuosly until the neap tide during the full moon. A total of 35,138 fish specimens were caught, belonging to 34 species included in 26 genera and 16 families. The fish assemblage changed with seasons, the fish assemblage had the highest species richness (21) and highest relative dominance index (0.77) in summer, but the highest Shannon diversity (2.7 bits/ind.) and Pielou evenness (0.73) in winter. Fish assemblages of summer and autumn had the highest similarity (68%), which reflects environmental changes that drives a sequential pattern in community structure between summer-autumn and autumn-winter clusters. Dominant species also showed a seasonal alternation between Eucinostomus currani (autumn), Albula nemoptera (winter) and Anchoa ischana (spring and summer) by numbers, whereas Diapterus peruvianus (autumn), Mugil curema (winter), Sphoeroides annulatus (spring) and A. ischana (summer) were the dominant species by biomass. The structural analysis of the fish community revealed four dominant species, seven common species and 23 rare species. The importance of the mangrove area of El Conchalito estuary is demonstrated based on the diversity of marine fishes that use this ecosystem as primary habitat for nursery, foraging and recruitment areas, and by its low disturbed conditions.
Threshold Effects of Fiscal Policy on Economic Activity in Developing Countries

The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between fiscal policy and economic growth for a panel of 40 developing countries for the period 1990 â€“ 2012 with a focus on a comparative analysis between Morocco and the panel. The variables used are real GDP, budget deficit, current government spending, national saving, inflation rate, total investment, public debt and current account balance. The main findings are: First, there is evidence of a double threshold effect of the fiscal balance. When exceeding a budget deficit level of 4.8% of GDP or a fiscal surplus level of 3.2% of GDP, economic growth is negatively affected. Second, the sign of the relationship between budget deficit and economic growth is conditioned by the level of total investment. For values of total investment higher than 23%, it follows that there is a positive relationship. However, it becomes negative, when investment falls below this threshold. Third, from Moroccoâ€™s perspective, analysis of threshold effects suggested that above 4.8% of budget deficit, average growth rate falls by 2.1%, while median growth falls by 1.5%.
Differences in standard metabolic rate at the range edge versus the center of an expanding invasive population of Xenopus laevis in the West of France

Empirical and theoretical studies have investigated the trade-offs between reproduction, dispersal and/or survival that may arise between individuals at the range edge of an expanding population. The differential allocation of resources to these lifehistory traits may then be constrained by the metabolism of an individual. Previous studies of an invasive expanding population of the frog Xenopus laevis in the West of France showed an increase in allocation of resources to dispersal and a decrease in allocation to reproduction in individuals from the range front. The present study focuses on physiological variation through an analysis of the standard metabolic rate (SMR). SMR was analyzed through measurements of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production under resting conditions. Our results show a positive correlation between SMR and individual size and weight, but no difference in body condition is observed between individuals from the center and those from the periphery of the range. Moreover, a decrease in SMR at the periphery was observed in both sexes. Yet, a significant interaction effect between sex and site was observed. Males had a higher SMR than females at the center while females from the periphery showed a higher SMR than males. A lower SMR may allow animals from the periphery to allocate more resources to other functions, such as locomotion, and therefore dispersal. In contrast, the relatively higher SMR in females from the periphery (compared to males) is likely to be driven by the important energetic cost of reproduction in addition to the environmental and demographic constraints at the edge of an expanding population. From the perspective of conservation biology, these results attest to the importance of understanding the biological and evolutionary mechanisms underpinning the selection of traits to estimate the invasive potential of exotic species.
Heterogenous effects of sports participation on education and labor market outcomes

ABSTRACT This paper analyzes the distribution of education and labor market benefits from sports participation. Results show that effects are similar across gender, but differ on other dimensions. In particular, participants in team sports show greater gains than those in individual sports. Quantile regressions show that educational gains are larger for low performing populations and earnings gains are larger for low earning individuals. Instrumental variable results also show similar effects across gender and larger gains in academic performance for low performers, but these results show insignificant effects of sports participation on labor market outcomes.
EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON THE CONSUMPTION CAPACITY OF CHRYSOPERLA CARNEA (STEPHENS) (NEUROPTERA: CHRYSOPIDAE) REARED ON FOUR APHID SPECIES

Effects of prey kinds on consumption capacity was studied in the common lacewing, Chrysoperla carnea using four aphid species i.e. Aphis craccivora, Aphis gossypii, Myzus persicae and Lipaphis erysimi, as a prey, at five constant temperature regimes that is 10oC, 15oC, 20oC, 25oC and 30oC under laboratory conditions. The failures of aphid’s chemical control compel us to switch over other methods of integrated pest management (IPM), particularly biological control programme through larvae of C. carnea, a predator of several arthropod pest. The data revealed that the consumption capacity of C. carnea differ significantly, when its larvae were reared separately on the four aphid species at different temperatures. Consumption was maximum (320.5±22.79 aphids) at 15oC when A. craccivora was given as prey to the larvae of this predator and minimum (143.3±1.25 aphids) at 30oC when reared on L. erysimi.
Locating basic Spanish colour categories in CIE L*u*v* space: Identification, lightness segregation and correspondence with English equivalents

Five experiments were performed to identify the basic Spanish colour categories (BCCs) and to locate them in the CIE L*u*v* space. The existence of 11 BCCs was confirmed using an elicited list task and a free monolexemic naming task. From the results provided by a synonymicity estimation task, it was concluded that, in Spanish, 2 synonymous terms (morado and violeta) are used to name a category equivalent to the English category purple. Three experiments provided information about the colourimetric localization of the 11 Spanish BCCs. Two experiments used monolexemic naming tasks (free and restricted) and a third required the free signalling of prototypes and good exemplars. It was observed that Spanish and British BCCs are essentially equivalents in number and colourimetric delimitation and, therefore, our work can be considered to extend and complement previous research (on English BCCs) insofar as achromatic categories in colour space localization, the links between chromatic and achromatic categories (red and orange have no direct links with achromatic categories), and the dependence of the use of BCCs on lightness are concerned. Lastly, our results indicate the existence of 2 categories that are nearly basic: beige and garnet.
Intravitreal Ranibizumab for Macular Edema Secondary to Juxtafoveal Retinal Telangiectasia Type 1A

Purpose: To describe the clinical, angiographic, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings of a patient with cystoid macular edema (CME) in juxtafoveal retinal telangiectasis (JXT) treated with intravitreal ranibizumab injections. Methods: In the setting of a tertiary referral center, a patient with a long history of Leber’s miliary aneurysms was later diagnosed with ipsilateral juxtafoveal retinal telangiectasis (JXT) type 1A with associated CME. The patient was treated with eight intravitreal injections of 0.5 mg of ranibizumab and followed with examination and Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) for 14 months. Results: At baseline, fluorescein angiography demonstrated macular telangiecatasis and aneurysms with late leakage. The OCT showed a large area of intraretinal fluid in the area of telangiectasis. CME resolved after the first intravitreal ranibizumab injection and the vision gradually improved from 20/50 to 20/20−1 over 5 months. Repeat ranibizumab injections were required to keep the macula dry over 14 months. No adverse events were noted. Conclusions: Intravitreal ranibizumab injections resulted in restoration of macular architecture and vision improvement in a patient with JXT type 1A. Ranibizumab should be considered as a treatment option in this condition.
Is Nitrogen Deposition Altering the Nitrogen Status of Northeastern Forests?

Abstract Concern is resurfacing in the United States over the long-term effects of excess nitrogen (N) deposition and mobility in the environment. We present here a new synthesis of existing data sets for the northeastern United States, intended to answer a single question: Is N deposition altering the N status of forest ecosystems in this region? Surface water data suggest a significant increase in nitrate losses with N deposition. Soil data show an increase in nitrification with decreasing ratio of soil carbon to nitrogen (C:N) but weaker relationships between N deposition and soil C:N ratio or nitrification. Relationships between foliar chemistry and N deposition are no stronger than with gradients of climate and elevation. The differences in patterns for these three groups of indicators are explained by the degree of spatial and temporal integration represented by each sample type. The surface water data integrate more effectively over space than the foliar or soil data and therefore allow a more comprehensive view of N saturation. We conclude from these data that N deposition is altering N status in northeastern forests.