Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quality of life of long-term surviving patients with colorectal carcinoma

Introduction: The number of long-term surviving patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) is growing. Their quality of life is rarely examined. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in long-term surviving patients with CRC and determine demographic and clinical correlations that significantly affect HRQoL of the patients. Methods: 162 long-term CRC survivors in the Slovak Republic were contacted through self-help groups. The condition for inclusion in the sample was at least three years of survival after diagnosis of CRC and termination of the treatment. The patients filled-in two questionnaires of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer: QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR 29. Results: The analysis of the results shows statistically significant correlations between sex and Fatigue – SFA (p = 0.011) and Insomnia – SL (p = 0.005). Significant correlations between age and Role functioning – RF2 (p = 0.041) and Nausea and vomiting – NV (p = 0.011) have been shown. There are significant correlations between age and the following scales: Body image – BI (p = 0.023), Anxiety – ANX (p = 0.011), Sexual interest – SEXF (p = 0.006), Financial difficulties – FI (p = 0.015) and Dyspareunia – DYS (p = 0.034). None of the scales correlate with disease duration. Conclusions: The quality of life in the study group was not affected by the duration of survival. The quality of life scales are affected by age and sex of the respondents.
Factors Affecting Financial Leverage: The Case of Vietnam Firms

The purpose of the study is to find the factors that influence the financial leverage of Vietnam firms. The dependent variable is the financial leverage and the independent variables are firm size, asset structure, liquidity, growth opportunities, profitability, and firm age. The data are collected from Vietnam firms’ annual financial reports in the period from 2010 to 2019. The study uses a sample of 448 Vietnam listed firms in the period. We also employ a panel regression model with pooled OLS and fixed effect to analyze the firms’ financial data. The results of the model showed that financial leverage (FL) has a negative relationship with some factors such as asset structure (AS), liquidity (LQ), growth opportunities (GRW), profitability (ROA), and firm age (AGE) in the fixed effect regression. It means that when liquidity, profitability, and firm age increase, firms’ financial leverage will decrease. While firms’ financial leverage has still a positive relationship with the firm size (SIZE) in the model. As a result, when firm size increases, financial leverage will increase, too. The results showed that models are fit for the research and can be used to predict future findings. It is also useful for enterprises, financial advisors, investors, as well as the financial managers.
Reliable Determination of Cyanide in Treated Water

Reliable determination of cyanide in water samples is important for both wastewater and drinking water treatment plant operators and regulatory agencies. However, as a result of cyanide's diverse chemistry, obtaining reliable results has been challenging because several chemical mechanisms can form or destroy cyanide—and some of these can occur within the sample container or during laboratory pretreatment and analysis, leading to biased results. Also, sample matrix constituents or preservation chemicals can interfere with the analytical determination. The US Environmental Protection Agency acknowledged this difficulty for wastewater samples in the 2012 Methods Update Rule by revising the footnote for cyanide preservation to indicate that some interferences may not be mitigated and any technique for removal or suppression of interferences can be used as long as quality control measures are used to demonstrate that the technique worked. Many of the same concerns inherent in testing wastewater apply to testing drinking water. In this study, the effects of holding time, preservation, and on‐line digestion and distillation on cyanide results for wastewater and drinking water were examined, including the use of field dilution as a treatment for interferences and field spikes as a means to gauge whether sample integrity was maintained.
The Use of White Rot Fungus Funalia Trogii (Malatya) for the Decolourization and Phenol Removal from Olive Mill Wastewater

The aerobic digestion of olive mill wastewater (OMW) in static and agitated cultures was studied. The white rot fungus Funalia trogii showed 31% and 38% colour removal and 77% and 72% phenol removal in static and agitated cultures. 40% chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction was also obtained.
A spatially variable scarcity of floating microplastics in the eastern North Pacific Ocean

Plastic waste accumulating in the global ocean is an increasingly threatening environmental issue. To date, the floating and thus most visible fraction of ocean plastic pollution has been mapped at global scale. Yet, large knowledge gaps exist in our current understanding of the transport and transformation processes of positively buoyant plastic debris at the sea surface. Observations at sea typically report an apparent scarcity of microplastics (<5 mm) relative to the expected abundance-size distribution based on fragmentation of larger plastic objects. Here, we provide a comprehensive study on the relative abundance of microplastics (>500 µm) and mesoplastics (0.5–5 cm) in the surface waters of the eastern North Pacific Ocean using data from 1136 040 plastic fragments collected by 679 neuston trawl deployments between 2015 and 2019. Our results reveal that the apparent microplastic scarcity is not uniformly distributed across the region. Instead, we show that the relative abundance of floating microplastics increases from the outside to the inside of the North Pacific Garbage Patch. We hypothesize that this observation could be explained by (i) a spatially variable microplastic removal due to spatial differences in ocean productivity, (ii) a differential dispersal of micro- vs. mesoplastics with a preferential accumulation of microplastics in the subtropical gyre, and/or (iii) the timescales associated with transport and fragmentation of plastic objects at the ocean surface with older, more degraded, floating plastic accumulation in subtropical gyres. The results presented here highlight that global estimates of the accumulation and removal of positively buoyant microplastics need to consider spatial aspects such as variations in ocean productivity, the dominant physical transport processes in a given area, as well as the time needed for a plastic object to reach the specific offshore location.
Impact of Linseed Variety, Location and Production Year on Seed Yield, Oil Content and Its Composition

Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) is a traditional oilseed crop in Europe that represents a valuable alternative for cropping systems because of the high quality of the seed oil, which is being increasingly appreciated by consumers, food, cosmetic and ecomaterials industries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of linseed variety and year of production in relation to weather conditions on seed yields, oil content and its quality, with a focus on human nutrition value, through a field study carried at four different locations in Slovenia. Six early French linseed varieties were studied: Recital, Niagara, Princess, Altess, Comtess and Duchess. The seed yield was significantly affected by the year of production (413 kg/ha higher in 2012 compared to 2013), the location and the variety. The environmental factors that negatively affect seed yield are high temperatures in summer, water shortage and wet and cold soil in spring. The highest seed yield was reached at mid-heavy soil (1907 kg/ha) in the region with higher precipitation amount, while the lowest on light soil (1052 kg/ha) in the region with a lower precipitation amount. Comtess and Altess varieties, followed by Duchess, would be recommendable for Slovenian environmental conditions. Comtess variety gave the significantly highest oil yield. There were no significant differences in oil content between varieties. The content of α-linolenic acid was highly related to genetic and environmental factors. The ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids was recognized as favorable for human health for all studied varieties. The content of α-linolenic acid in seeds from the Altess, Comtess and Duchess varieties exceeded the averages of 2012 and 2013, at 50.3% and 51.6%, respectively. The omega-3:omega-6 ratio ranged from 3:1 to 4:1 among varieties.
Optimization Assessment of Projection Methods of Climate Change for Discrepancies between North and South China

Downscaling methods have been widely used due to the coarse and biased outputs of general circulation models (GCMs), which cannot be applied directly in regional climate change projection. Hence, appropriate selection of GCMs and downscaling methods is important for assessing the impacts of climate change. To explicitly explore the influences of multi-GCMs and different downscaling methods on climate change projection in various climate zones, the Heihe River Basin (HRB) and the Zhanghe River Basin (ZRB) were selected in this study to represent the north arid region and the south humid region in China, respectively. We first evaluated the performance of multi-GCMs derived from Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) in the two regions based on in-situ measurements and the 40 year European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Re-Analysis (ERA-40) data. Subsequently, to construct appropriate climate change projection techniques, comparative analysis using two statistical downscaling methods was performed with consideration of the significant north–south meteorological discrepancies. Consequently, specific projections of future climate change for 2021–2050 under three representative concentration pathway (RCP) scenarios (RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5) were completed for the HRB and ZRB, including daily precipitation, maximum air temperature, and minimum air temperature. The results demonstrated that the score-based method with multiple criteria for performance evaluation of multiple GCMs more accurately captured the spatio-temporal characteristics of the regional climate. The two statistical downscaling methods showed respective advantages in arid and humid regions. The statistical downscaling model (SDSM) showed more accurate prediction capacities for air temperature in the arid-climate HRB, whereas model output statistics (MOS) better captured the probability distribution of precipitation in the ZRB, which is characterized by a humid climate. According to the results obtained in this study, the selection of appropriate GCMs and downscaling methods for specific climate zones with different meteorological features significantly impact regional climate change projection. The statistical downscaling models developed and recommended for the north and south of China in this study provide scientific reference for sustainable water resource management subject to climate change.
Neurons of the Myenteric Plexus of the Rat Ileum Are Vulnerable to the Action of the Herbicide 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid

The herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is widely used in several countries. Research on the neurotoxicity of 2,4-D has been focused on the central nervous system, and little is known about its effects on the myenteric plexus. Therefore, to elucidate the neurotoxicity of 2,4-D and the viability of its use, we investigated the effects of daily intake of 5 mg 2,4-D/kg for 60 days on the myenteric plexus neurons of the rat ileum using quantitative and morphometric analyses. Twenty male Wistar rats aged 60 days were divided into two groups (n=10 rats/group). The group E animals received daily 5 mg doses of 2,4-D/kg diluted in 1 mL of water, whereas the group C animals were not treated with the herbicide. The animals were euthanized with anesthetic after 60 days; subsequently, the ileum was dissected out, and procedures were performed to visualize the total population of neurons (Giemsa staining), the nitrergic neurons (NADPHd+), and the estimated population of cholinergic neurons (NADPHd-). The results were statistically analyzed and compared between groups. In group E, the densities of Giemsa-stained neurons and NADPHd- neurons decreased (p<0.05) by 7% and 10%, respectively, whereas the density of NADPHd+ neurons remained constant. The cell body area was 5.8% greater (p<0.05) for the NADPHd+ neurons but remained unchanged for the neurons stained with Giemsa. These results suggest that 2,4-D causes a reduction in neuronal density, particularly for cholinergic neurons, and promotes an increase in the cell body area of nitrergic neurons, leading to hypertrophy.
Farm Product Prices, Redistribution, and the Early U.S. Great Depression

We argue that falling farm product prices, incomes, and spending may explain 10–30 percent of the 1930 U.S. output decline. Crop prices collapsed, reducing farmers’ incomes. And across U.S. states and Ohio counties, auto sales fell most in crop-growing areas. The large spending response may be explained by farmers’ indebtedness. Reasonable assumptions about the marginal propensity to spend of farmers relative to nonfarmers and the pass-through of farm prices to retail prices imply that the collapse of farm product prices in 1930 was a powerful propagation mechanism worsening the Depression.
Systematic Review of Site-Selection Processes in Onshore and Offshore Wind Energy Research

Wind energy has a leading role in achieving a low-carbon or completely carbon-free energy sector in the near future. Scientific research on the site-selection aspects of onshore and offshore wind farms is of great importance, contributing to sustainable, technically and economically viable, and socially acceptable wind energy projects. This systematic review provides direct analysis and assessment of existing site-selection procedures and addresses a gap in knowledge in the onshore and offshore wind energy research field, identifying trends in the thematic modules of site-selection issues. Important insights and useful trends are highlighted in: (1) site-selection methodologies; (2) the type, number, and exclusion limits of exclusion criteria; (3) the type, number, importance, priority, and suitability classes of assessment criteria; (4) studies’ geographic locations; (5) spatial planning scales; (6) wind resource analysis; (7) sensitivity analysis; (8) participatory planning approaches, groups, and contributions; (9) laws, regulations, and policies related to wind farm siting; (10) suitability index classifications (i.e., linguistic and numeric); and (11) micro-siting configuration of wind turbines. Identified insights and trends could motivate the conduction of updated site-selection analyses on onshore and offshore wind energy research, addressing the determined gaps and enhancing global siting implementations.
Limitations of the X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy Technique in the Study of Electroactive Polymers

Polyaniline (PAN) and polypyrrole (PPY) were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and bulk analytical techniques. A systematic comparison of the results was carried out to determine the effects of anion size, synthesis methods, and the nature of the polymer (powder or film) on the variation between the surface and bulk compositions. Good agreement between the XPS and bulk analytical results is generally obtained for chemically synthesized polyaniline (in powder form). However, these two methods may give substantial discrepancies in the analysis of anion concentration in as-cast polyaniline base films subjected to re-doping by acids. Such discrepancies are also found in the analysis of as-synthesized polypyrrole doped by large anions and polypyrrole base films and powders after re-doping by acids. In these cases the XPS technique tends to give anion concentrations that are significantly higher than the bulk values. In some of these cases the high surface anion concentration supports a high pr.
Effects of Processing Conditions on the Nutritional Quality of Seafood -1. Effects of Heating and Storage Conditions on Protein Quality of Surimi Products-

Optimal processing conditions and shelf-life of steamed kamaboko made from Alaska pollock surimi were investigated, including protein digestibility, computed protein efficiency ratio (C-PER), trypsin inhibitor content and protein solubility. Steamed kamaboko containing starch and water in pollock surimi showed the best protein quality in terms of C-PER and protein digestibility. Steaming could not give any significant advantage over kamaboko protein digestibility but a higher C-PER resulted from steamed kamaboko. All kamaboko products had trypsin content of 1.4 to which was of total trypsin inhibitor levels in frozen pollock meat. A two stage steaming process, the first at for 20min followed by a second 10min steaming period at , was found to be the most effective way of the most effective heating process for kamaboko protein quality. C-PERs of marketed Korean surimi products ranged from for steamed kamaboko and for crab meat analog which were superior to ANRC casein(2.5). Measured protein digestibility of all products were ranged from 86 to . VBN and protein solubility data suggest Korean marketed surimi products could have a shelf-life of 15 days at for crab meat analog and 20 days at for steamed kamaboko.
Long-Term Modelling of an Agricultural and Urban River Catchment with SWMM Upgraded by the Evapotranspiration Model UrbanEVA

Evapotranspiration (ET) has a decisive effect on groundwater recharge and thus also affects the base flow of the receiving water. This applies above all to low-lying areas with a low depth to groundwater (GW), as is often the case in the north German lowlands. In order to analyze this relation, a coupled rainfall-runoff and hydraulic stream model was set up using the software SWMM-UrbanEVA, a version of the software SWMM that was upgraded by a detailed ET module. A corresponding model was set up for the same site but with the conventional software SWMM to compare the water balance and hydrographs. The total amount of ET calculated with the SWMM software is 7% higher than that computed with the upgraded version in the period considered. Therefore, less water is available for soil infiltration and lateral groundwater flow to the stream. This generally leads to a slight underestimation of base flows, with the exception of a notably wet summer month when the base flows were highly overestimated. Nevertheless, the base flow hydrograph shows a good adaptation to observed values (MAE = 0.014 m3s−1, R = 0.88, NSE = 0.81) but gives worse results compared to SWMM-UrbanEVA. The latter is very well able to reflect the GW-fed base flow in the sample stream in average (MAE = 0.011 m3s−1) and in its dynamics (R = 0.93, NSE = 0.85). By applying the UrbanEVA upgrade, SWMM is applicable to model the seasonal dynamics of near-natural river basins.
Moisture‐ Versus Wind‐Dominated Flavors of Atmospheric Rivers

Atmospheric rivers (ARs) are essential features of the global water cycle. Although AR definitions are commonly based on integrated vapor transport (IVT), ARs of a given IVT can induce a wide range of surface precipitation and wind impacts. We develop an AR “flavor” metric that partitions AR IVT into moisture‐dominant and wind‐dominant components. We use this metric to create a climatological catalog of “wet” and “windy” ARs along the U.S. West Coast from 1980 to 2016. Windy ARs are generally associated with stronger surface winds than are wet ARs, with the largest differences at low IVT. Windy ARs are also associated with greater daily precipitation totals than are wet ARs, with the difference widening at higher IVT, notably over mountainous regions. Pacific Northwest ARs have become increasingly moisture dominated over 1980–2016, which has important implications for western U.S. water availability and flood risk.
FMCG firms’ margin management: consumer trade-offs among product price, quantity and quality

ABSTRACT Margin management is an important aspect of marketing mix decision-making. We argue that when production costs increase, product managers must eventually choose among three alternatives: raising selling prices, reducing pack quantities, or decreasing product quality. Thus, the purpose of this research is to ascertain consumer trade-off preferences – among product price, pack quantity and product quality – for different types of FMCG products. Adopting a choice-based conjoint analysis research design, the study used three samples of American consumers. It was found that for each of the three FMCG product categories tested, quality is the product attribute most favoured by the respondents. For two of the three products, pack quantity was rated the least important product attribute, suggesting that manufacturers may have a better chance of maximising profit by reducing pack quantity, rather than increasing price or lowering quality. In the context of margin management, this is, to our knowledge, the first study to examine consumers’ preferences related to the trade-off between product price, pack quantity and product quality.
Transcriptomic analysis of equine placenta reveals key regulators and pathways involved in ascending placentitis†

Abstract Improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying ascending equine placentitis holds the potential for the development of new diagnostic tools and therapies to forestall placentitis-induced preterm labor. The current study characterized the equine placental transcriptome (chorioallantois [CA] and endometrium [EN]) during placentitis (placentitis group, n = 6) in comparison to gestationally-matched controls (control group, n = 6). Transcriptome analysis identified 2953 and 805 differentially expressed genes in CA and EN during placentitis, respectively. Upstream regulator analysis revealed the central role of toll-like receptors (TLRs) in triggering the inflammatory signaling, and consequent immune-cell chemotaxis. Placentitis was associated with the upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP1, MMP2, and MMP9) and apoptosis-related genes such as caspases (CASP3, CASP4, and CASP7) in CA. Also, placentitis was associated with downregulation of transcripts coding for proteins essential for placental steroidogenesis (SRD5A1 and AKR1C1), progestin signaling (PGRMC1 and PXR) angiogenesis (VEGFA, VEGFR2, and VEGFR3), and nutrient transport (GLUT12 and SLC1A4), as well as upregulation of hypoxia-related genes (HIF1A and EGLN3), which could explain placental insufficiency during placentitis. Placentitis was also associated with aberrant expression of several placenta-regulatory genes, such as PLAC8, PAPPA, LGALS1, ABCG2, GCM1, and TEPP, which could negatively affect placental functions. In conclusion, our findings revealed for the first time the key regulators and mechanisms underlying placental inflammation, separation, and insufficiency during equine placentitis, which might lead to the development of efficacious therapies or diagnostic aids by targeting the key molecular pathways. Summary sentence This is the first study to characterize the equine placenta transcriptome to identify the key regulators and pathways underlying placental inflammation, separation, and insufficiency during the equine ascending placentitis. Graphical Abstract