Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis on Regional Characteristics of Economic Growth Based on Total Factor Productivity

In this paper, we adopt stochastic frontier model of translog production function to measure the total factor productivity growth rate of 13 cities in Jiangsu province from the year 2000 to 2020 and study the characteristics of the contribution rates of capital, labor, and total factor productivity in driving economic growth. The study shows that, firstly, the explanatory power of the model could be increased by 35.9% after 6 effect variables, such as urban economic development level, have been taken into consideration when two-step method has been adopted to explore the model parameters of stochastic frontier; secondly, there is an obviously positive correlation between the 4 variables, urban economic development level, urban size, level of opening up to the outside world and infrastructure construction, and production efficiency, while there is a negative correlation between economic structure and production efficiency, and the research input intensity has an uncertain effect on production efficiency; thirdly, the TFP growth trend of urban economy of the province shows a similar “W” trend, technical progress becomes the first element in affecting total factor productivity, and the negative growth in technical efficiency and scale efficiency result in a dramatic decline in growth rate of TFP; fourthly, among all the elements contributing to urban economic growth, capital has the greatest contribution, TFP takes the second place, and labor element takes the last. The double difference between capital and TFP appears to be the major cause in forming regional difference of urban economy. The regional differences of TFP concerning infrastructure advantage, position advantage, factor advantage, and policy advantage are the key factors in urban economic gap. At the end of this study, we propose some policy suggestions.
Evaluation of Pre-Diploma Students using Fuzzy Approach

This paper discusses the comprehensive evaluation of Pre-Diploma (Science) students in recent semesters using fuzzy approach. It focuses on how we can select the best students based on both academic performance and soft skills for university recognition purposes. The approach utilizes membership functions to derive the membership values for the entire course which registered for first semester. Then the approach employs the intersection of fuzzy goals and constraints concept to identify the best students among the best in terms of academic performance, soft skills as well as their attitude. A case study was conducted based on session intake of November 2013 - March 2014. It was found that our proposed approach has unique advantage in the sense that it can distinguish clearly for every single score marks obtained by the students. Also, the results show that the approach is highly beneficial for problem solving under uncertainty data sets environment.
2-{5-[(Z,2Z)-2-Chloro-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-propenylidene]-4-oxo-2-thioxothiazolidin-3-yl}-3-methylbutanoic Acid as a Potential Anti-Breast Cancer Molecule

It was established that the synthesis of hybrid molecules containing a thiazolidinone and a (2Z)-2-chloro-3-(4-nitrophenyl)prop-2-ene structural fragments is an effective approach for the design of potential anticancer agents. Given the results of the previous SAR-analysis, the aim of the study was to synthesize a novel 4-thiazolidinone derivative Les-3331 and investigate its molecular mechanism of action in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. The cytotoxic properties and antiproliferative potential of Les-3331 were determined. The effect of the tested compound on apoptosis induction and mitochondrial membrane potential was checked by flow cytometry. ELISA was used to determine caspase-8 and caspase-9, LC3A, LC3B, Beclin-1, and topoisomerase II concentration. Additionally, PAMPA, in silico or in vitro prediction of metabolism, CYP3A4/2D6 inhibition, and an Ames test were performed. Les-3331 possesses high cytotoxic and antiproliferative activity in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Its molecular mechanism of action is associated with apoptosis induction, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and increased caspase-9 and caspase-8 concentrations. Les-3331 decreased LC3A, LC3B, and Beclin-1 concentration in tested cell lines. Topoisomerase II concentration was also lowered. The most probable metabolic pathways and no DDIs risk of Les-3331 were confirmed in in vitro assays. Our studies confirmed that a novel 4-thiazolidinone derivative represents promising anti-breast cancer activity.
Financial speculation in Canada: prevalence, correlates and relationship to gambling

ABSTRACT The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the prevalence, demographic profile, and correlates of financial speculation in Canada, with a focus on its relationship to gambling. In cooperation with Statistics Canada, a brief assessment of financial speculation was developed and included in the 2018 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) and administered to 23,952 adults. The past year national prevalence of financial speculation was found to be 3.6%, with the province of Alberta having the only higher inter-provincial rate. Speculators were predominantly male, White, with a modal age of 30–49, and with higher educational attainment and household income. In terms of health indicators, they were more likely to be regular alcohol drinkers and occasional smokers, but to have better self-reported general health, mental health, and life satisfaction. However, the strongest multivariate predictor of speculation was higher frequency of gambling involvement. Speculators had higher levels of participation in all types of gambling (especially skill-based formats) with the exception of instant lotteries. This high level of involvement contributes to somewhat higher rates of problem gambling symptomatology. The present investigation confirms that speculation not only has a strong conceptual relationship to gambling but also a strong empirical relationship.
Crowdsourced Employee Sentiment and Abnormal Stock Returns

Previous literature has found crowdsourced employee sentiment obtained from Glass-door.com is related to stock returns. Evidence has shown this data can suffer from some abnormalities which may limit its usefulness. To account for these discrepancies, we utilize textual analysis through the multinominal inverse regression method to create monthly firm specific expected employee sentiment indexes for US public firms from the period 2008-2019. We test the implications of the previous literature to determine if our expected employee sentiment index is related to the cross section of abnormal returns. We find evidence that our expected employee sentiment index is related to the cross section of abnormal returns. Further, we find that employee sentiment as estimated similar to the previous literature is no longer related to stock returns. These result are robust to different specifications.
"Colorectal Cancer Screening in South Africa: Consideration for National Risk Differentiated Colorectal Cancer Screening Programme"

The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act, SS. 8-12 No. 108 of 1996 second Amendment Act, No. 3 of 2003, highlight the bill of rights in chapter two, ensuring access to health care services for all its citizens. This article attempts to advocate for a structured risk differentiated national colorectal cancer screening programme to raise awareness; prevent; and promote early detection of colorectal cancer in South Africa.
Can participation in learning abroad mobility support pro-European Union attitudes among youth?

The role of education in the development of pro-EU attitudes is often examined by focusing on the association of educational attainment and the development of pro-EU attitudes. However, student exchanges and youth mobility have also become pillars of the foundation of the European Higher Education Area, figuring out the Maastricht Treaty and the Bologna Declaration. Accordingly, based on a utilitarian approach, the current study investigates the role of participation in learning abroad mobility in the development of positive views on the EU. In doing so, Flash Eurobarometer 478 data was used and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed by student and non-students groups of youth in the new (NMS) and old (EU15) member states. The findings show that the role of participation depends on the degree of positive views, and it makes a significant contribution to having Very Positive views on the EU among non-students in both national groups and students in the NMS. Findings also demonstrate that participation is more important than consideration in the development of Very Positive views. So, even if respondents could have already been supportive of the EU before participation, participation also takes their positive views on the EU to a higher level.
Measurement of SST and SSS Using Frequencies in the Range 0.3–2.0 GHz

Wide bandwidth radiometer systems that make measurements at multiple frequencies in the range from 300 MHz to 2 GHz have been proposed to address parameters important for understanding issues in the cryosphere associated with climate change such as ice sheet thickness and temperature. It is also possible with such a system to retrieve sea surface salinity (SSS), which is important for understanding the impact of climate change on ocean circulation at high latitude. In contemporary sensors for retrieving SSS, such as on Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) and Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP), sea surface temperature (SST), another parameter important for understanding ocean circulation and necessary in the retrieval of salinity, is treated as an ancillary parameter obtained from an independent source. However, both SSS and SST have peaks in sensitivity below 1 GHz; and it has been shown that measurements at multiple frequencies in this portion of the spectrum can take advantage of this peak in sensitivity to improve the accuracy of the retrieval of SSS. In this manuscript, it will be shown that there is also the potential to retrieve SST and, in cold water, the possibility for improved accuracy over existing retrievals.
SOCIAL MEDIA UTILIZATION AND ITS IMPACT ON MALE MEDICAL STUDENTS’ LEARNING DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

To assess the patterns of social media uses and their impact on the learning of male medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from March to May 2020 at the College of Medicine, University of Bisha (UBCOM) in Saudi Arabia. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data from the students at first year, pre-clerkship and clerkship levels about the types, patterns and benefits of social media usage in their learning. A five-Likert scale was used to measure the students' responses. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA tests were used for data analysis. Of the 203 students enrolled, 89.2% (n=181) were responded. Most students commonly used Twitter (75.1%), followed by YouTube (52.5%) and Facebook (24.3%). The highest usage of Twitter was found among clerkship students (85.1%) compared to first-year (76.2%) and pre-clerkship students (69.6%), with no significant differences (p = 0.133). About 38.7% of students spent over 10 hours per week on social media and pre-clerkship students being the highest group (43.5%). Most students (67.9%) showed that social media enhance learning activities, 65.2% are interested in using social media in their learning and 64.1% suggested that their inappropriate use consumes time. We concluded social media become interactive tools of learning in medical schools during the urgent situation such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Such findings highlighted the benefits of considering social media inclusion when designing medical curricula.
Chronic kidney disease, survival and graft-versus-host-disease-free/relapse-free survival in recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant

ABSTRACT Background Advances in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) have increased patient survival, although substantial treatment-related toxicity remains, including chronic kidney disease (CKD). We assessed the association between CKD and survival and transplant-specific outcomes in HSCT recipients. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of all 408 adult patients with allogenic HSCT at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (Toronto, Canada, 2015–18). We used logistic regression to identify risk factors for CKD at 1 year post-transplant. Associations between CKD at 1 year and overall survival, relapse-free survival, graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD)-free/relapse-free survival, relapse and transplant-related mortality were examined using extended time-varying Cox models. In a sensitivity analysis, we restricted the cohort to survivors at 1 year, using standard Cox proportional hazard models to examine associations between CKD and overall survival, relapse-free survival and GVHD-free/relapse-free survival, and Fine and Gray's competing risk models to determine associations between CKD and relapse/transplant-related mortality. Results The prevalence of CKD at 1 year was 19% (46 patients) with median follow-up of 23 months. Multivariable regression identified age at transplant [adjusted OR (aOR) 1.09, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.05–1.14; P < 0.0001), female gender (aOR 2.83, 95% CI = 1.34–5.97; P = 0.006) and acute kidney injury during the first 100 days (aOR 3.86, 95% CI = 1.70–8.73; P = 0.001) as risk factors for CKD at 1 year. Patients with CKD at 1 year had significantly poorer overall survival than those without CKD, when adjusted for relevant covariates [adjusted HR (aHR) 1.93, 95% CI = 1.02–3.66; P = 0.04 in the time-varying Cox model, and aHR 2.06, 95% CI = 1.04–4.07; P = 0.04 using the standard Cox model]. CKD at 1 year was also associated with worse GVHD-free/relapse-free survival (aHR 1.65, 95% CI = 1.04–2.61; P = 0.03). Conclusions CKD adversely affects the long-term prognosis for allogeneic HSCT recipients, with increased mortality risk and worse GVHD-free/relapse-free survival.
The Mean Platelet Volume Combined with Procalcitonin as an Early Accessible Marker Helps to Predict the Severity of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Preterm Infants

Purpose This study aims to evaluate the value of the mean platelet volume (MPV) combined with procalcitonin (PCT) in predicting the severity of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm infants. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study conducted in a neonatal intensive care unit from January 2014 to July 2020. Premature neonates with NEC were enrolled. In this study, mild-moderate NEC was defined as Bell’s stage I and II, and severe NEC was defined as Bell’s stage III. The demographic data, blood cell count analysis, C-reactive protein and PCT were compared between the severe and mild-moderate groups. Results A total of 18 premature infants with NEC in the severe group and 57 infants in the mild-moderate group were enrolled. The MPV and PCT were all significantly higher in the severe group than in the mild-moderate group (P < 0.01), and white blood cells were lower in the severe group (P < 0.05). The results of logistic regression suggested that the MPV (OR = 6.194, P = 0.000) and PCT (OR = 1.093, P = 0.006) were independent predictive factors for the severity of NEC. A receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the areas under the curve (AUCs) were 0.829 for MPV alone, 0.706 for PCT alone, and 0.895 for MPV combined with PCT. Conclusion The combination of MPV with PCT had the highest overall AUC of the investigated parameters, and their combination can be considered an early marker for predicting the severity of NEC in preterm infants.
A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW STUDY ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND DISTANCE EDUCATION: THE CASE OF TURKEY

In this study, the purpose was to reveal the content analysis of master’s theses and doctoral dissertations in the field of CEIT between 2018-2020. The field of CEIT could be said to cover the fields of educational technology and distance education. A total of 156 master’s theses and dissertations were examined in order to identify the keywords, academic discipline, research areas, theoretical frameworks, research designs and models, variables and related institutions. According to the research findings, it was seen that quantitative methods were mostly used in the theses and dissertations examined and that mixed methods were used in master’s theses more than in doctoral dissertations. In addition, it was revealed that few of the theses and dissertations had theoretical foundations. K-12 students were mostly preferred as the type of participant, and scales and interviews were most popular as data collection tools. Moreover, the variables of academic performance and effectiveness were mostly used as dependent variables. The present study, which conducted systematic content analysis of master’s and doctoral dissertations in the field of CEIT, is thought to be important in terms of revealing the current situation in the fields of Educational Technology and Distance Education and determining the research trends.
Revealing the Impact of Socio-Economic Metrics
on the Air Quality on Northeast China Using
Multivariate Statistical Analysis

Urban air pollution is an important issue facing China in the midst of rapid urbanization and economic development. To investigate the regional air quality characteristics and its drivers in Northeast China, this paper compares the spatial and temporal characteristics of air quality between cities and analyzes the influence of socioeconomic variables by using statistical analysis methods and geographic model. The results show that the air quality index (AQI) showed a downward trend in time and decreased from southwest to northeast in space. The duration of heavy pollution condition was not only controlled by the distribution of pollutant concentrations, but also influenced by the topography. Based on the mean concentrations of the 6 pollutants, 37 cities were divided into 4 categories by cluster analysis, reflecting the levels and characteristics of pollution. The level of industrialization was the most important cause for air quality, followed by the size of the city and the degree of economic development. The AQI predicted by geographic weighted regression model (GWR) showed a lower goodness of fit in developed cities, indicating that the factors controlling air quality are more complex in these regions. The influence of different socioeconomic metrics on AQI showed large spatial differences. AQI was more sensitive to variations in socioeconomic metrics in less developed small and medium-sized cities. This study provides a theoretical basis for revealing the causes of urban air pollution and formulating pollution control measures in Northeast China.
An assessment of technological development and applications of decentralized water reuse: A critical review and conceptual framework

Rapid development, urbanization, and population growth have contributed to water stress in many parts of the world. As freshwater sources are finite, it is essential to source for alternatives to ensure water security. Reclamation of non‐conventional water sources (i.e., rainwater and greywater) can be a viable alternative to alleviate water stress. In this work, various laboratory, pre‐commercialization scale, and commercialized products for rainwater harvesting and greywater treatment and reuse were reviewed. As a result, a conceptual framework is proposed to provide an overview on the applicability of technologies under various settings, which were mapped against the intended use of treated water and the potential for water supply expansion. This conceptual framework could aid decision makers in deciding on a suitable decentralized solution for water reclamation depending on limiting criteria. Decentralized systems of rainwater harvesting and greywater treatment for reuse are going to be crucial in reducing the dependence on the centralized water supply.
Clinical and laboratory studies of mesenchymal stem cells in long bone fracture nonunion

Treatment of atrophic long bone fracture nonunion is challenging with current therapeutic interventions including bone morphogenetic proteins (BM Ps) or autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In this work it was hypothesised that, total MSC numbers and their responsiveness to BMPs in the nonunion setting were compromised, leading to poor healing. Additionally, the rationale for systemic injection of MSCs to repair bone is based on a contentious concept of their widespread circulation. To address the number and functional competence of iliac crest bone marrow MSCs in nonunion, this study employed colony forming unit fibroblast and osteoblast assays (CFU-F, CFU-O) and flow cytometry enumeration of the CD45lowCD271+ cell population, to compare nonunions (n=11) with united long bone fracture patients (n=11). Unexpectedly, total number of MSCs, was higher in nonunion; however their proliferative capacity, was lower. No response to BMP-7, assessed by CFU-F, CFU-O and calcium deposition assays, was found in both nonunion and union study groups. Possible mechanical translocation of MSCs into the venous circulation was investigated using matched antecubital venous blood from the upper limb (UL) and lower limb femoral venous blood (LL) samples from nonunion patients undergoing reaming with reamer irrigation aspiration (RIA) (n=12) and other non-reaming procedures (NR, n=12) with control groups including UL from early rheumatoid arthritis (RA, n=11) and healthy controls (n=12). CFU-F assay results revealed the presence of MSC colonies in LL at higher frequencies than UL samples in RIA and NR, (8LL, 2PB) and (SLL, 1 PB) respectively. None were detected in the UL of RA and controls. Altogether, these results indicate a functional defect in proliferative capacity of MSCs in nonunion. MSCs however are unlikely to circulate and contribute to reduced healing at fracture sites. This points towards a generalized systemic effect of the nonunion state on MSC dynamics, which should be further explored in future.