Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
External and domestic political determinants of defence spending: a time-series cross-section analysis of EU member states

ABSTRACT We investigate external and domestic political influences on defence burden of the 28 EU member states, based on time-series cross-section data from 1993 to 2017. Our research is one of the most comprehensive studies on EU members' defence, as it includes many potential explanations. Our findings do not support freeriding by EU members, both NATO allies and non-NATO members, on US commitment in the defence and security field. Relatedly, NATO membership does not come up in the analysis as an instantaneous guarantee for an effective special relationship with the US. However, there is evidence of freeriding by EU members not belonging to the Alliance on EU-NATO member states. Domestic political factors are also important: right-wing parties in government are associated with heavier defence burden, while upcoming elections tend to reduce it. In general, we find that to provide an accurate explanation of military spending, one needs to take into account a multitude of different factors and, moreover, pay attention to conditional effects.
An Analysis of Abandoned Oil Well Characteristics Affecting Methane Emissions Estimates in the Cherokee Platform in Eastern Oklahoma

Anthropogenic activities increase methane emissions, contributing to greenhouse gas levels and adversely affecting the environment. Abandoned oil and gas wells potentially leak methane, but data are limited. We analyze methane emissions from abandoned wells (n = 179) in the Cherokee Platform in Oklahoma, a previously unaccounted basin, and compare emissions factors (EFs) to those in the Greenhouse Gas Inventory. We compare the contribution of various characteristics to the propensity for leakage. Higher emissions were observed with shallower wells and with unplugged wells. Plugged wells (n = 20) had an average EF of 96 ± 429 g/day and 65 ± 294 g/day for unplugged wells (n = 159). The majority of wells had no detectable leak. We calculated ethane EFs based on geochemical analysis of gas samples, finding higher EFs for unplugged (1.2 ± 5.5 g/day) versus plugged (0.9 ± 4.6 g/day) wells. The data indicate that in addition to the location of abandoned wells, physical characteristics are necessary to consider in estimating methane emissions.
Maternal Aromatase Inhibition Effects on RFamide-Related Peptide-3 and Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone in Adult Murine Offspring With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Background: Despite the prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) among childbearing women and the development of many animal models for this syndrome, information on its etiology is still scarce. Intrauterine hyperandrogenic environment may underlie changes at the levels of hypothalamus, pituitary and ovary organization in female offspring, and PCOS later in life. Letrozole, has been shown to mimic reproductive and metabolic characteristics of PCOS in adult rodent models. Therefore, the aim of this research was to assess the condition in a prenatal letrozole-treated rat model. Methods: Twenty-eight female rats from dams receiving letrozole at certain doses during late pregnancy were used in the trial. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats (n=21) received letrozole treatment on days 16-18 gestation at doses 1.25, 1.0, 0.75, 0.5, and 0.25 mg/kg body weight (BW). Results: Prenatal letrozole-treatment delayed parturition time and reduced the litter size in pregnant dams (P<0.0001). Late puberty onset, irregular ovarian cyclicity, increased anogenital distance (AGD), body weight gain, and serum testosterone concentration and reduced estradiol levels (P<0.0001) were observed in the female offspring of dams receiving 1.25 and 1 mg/kg BW letrozole. Furthermore, Letrozole at 1.25 and 1 mg/kg BW showed increased Rfrp and decreased Gnrh mRNA expression (P<0.0001). Conclusions: Letrozole treatment at doses 1 mg/kg BW and lower was not feto-toxic. It was concluded that 1 mg/kg BW letrozole may be suggested for prenatal PCOS induction.
Bank Concentration and Economic Growth Nexus

This paper examines the relationship between bank concentration and economic growth in Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries. This is done using the system GMM estimators on a panel data sample consisting of 41 countries and 650 observations. Our analysis reveals that bank concentration has negative impact on economic growth and this relationship is non-linear. Furthermore, the impact of bank concentration on economic growth is found to be dependent on the country’s income and corruption levels. Therefore, it seems reasonable to conclude that bank concentration has negative impact on the economic growth in OIC countries.
European daily precipitation according to EURO-CORDEX regional climate models (RCMs) and high-resolution global climate models (GCMs) from the High-Resolution Model Intercomparison Project (HighResMIP)

<p>In this study, we evaluate a set of high-resolution (25&#8211;50&#8201;km horizontal grid spacing) global climate models (GCMs) from the High-Resolution Model Intercomparison Project (HighResMIP), developed as part of the EU-funded PRIMAVERA (Process-based climate simulation: Advances in high resolution modelling and European climate risk assessment) project, and from the EURO-CORDEX (Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment) regional climate models (RCMs) (12&#8211;50&#8201;km horizontal grid spacing) over a European domain. It is the first time that an assessment of regional climate information using ensembles of both GCMs and RCMs at similar horizontal resolutions has been possible. The focus of the evaluation is on the distribution of daily precipitation at a 50&#8201;km scale under current climate conditions. Both the GCM and RCM ensembles are evaluated against high-quality gridded observations in terms of spatial resolution and station density. We show that both ensembles outperform GCMs from the 5th Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5), which cannot capture the regional-scale precipitation distribution properly because of their coarse resolutions. PRIMAVERA GCMs generally simulate precipitation distributions within the range of EURO-CORDEX RCMs. Both ensembles perform better in summer and autumn in most European regions but tend to overestimate precipitation in winter and spring. PRIMAVERA shows improvements in the latter by reducing moderate-precipitation rate biases over central and western Europe. The spatial distribution of mean precipitation is also improved in PRIMAVERA. Finally, heavy precipitation simulated by PRIMAVERA agrees better with observations in most regions and seasons, while CORDEX overestimates precipitation extremes. However, uncertainty exists in the observations due to a potential undercatch error, especially during heavy-precipitation events. </p><p>The analyses also confirm previous findings that, although the spatial representation of precipitation is improved, the effect of increasing resolution from 50 to 12&#8201;km horizontal grid spacing in EURO-CORDEX daily precipitation distributions is, in comparison, small in most regions and seasons outside mountainous regions and coastal regions. Our results show that both high-resolution GCMs and CORDEX RCMs provide adequate information to end users at a 50&#8201;km scale. </p>
Effect of Isotonic and Hypotonic Fluid Therapy on Serum Sodium: A Randomized Controlled Trial

There is little consensus about the type of maintenance fluid therapy and it’s the effect on serum sodium in adults. Thus, this study was conducted to assess the effect of maintenance fluid therapy on serum sodium of hospitalized patients in the intensive care unit. This randomized clinical trial was carried out on 64 patients aged 18-90 years hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Imam Sadjad and Shahid Beheshti hospitals, Yasuj, Iran, in 2017. These patients were randomly allocated to take 2500-3000 milliliters of intravenous maintenance isotonic (0.9% saline) or hypotonic (0.45% saline) fluids daily. Blood and urine samples were taken to measure biochemical parameters before and 48 hours after the intervention. Data analyses were done by using SPSS 16 software via descriptive and analytic statistics. Twenty-eight patients in the 0.9% saline group (19 male and 9 female) and 32 patients in 0.45% saline (20 male and 12 female) completed the study. There was no significant difference between two groups in sodium (P=0.94), potassium (P=0.21), sugar (P=0.91), creatinine (P=0.21), Blood Urea Nitrogen (P=0.99), systolic (P=0.81) and diastolic (P=0.73) blood pressure, PH (P=0.27), bicarbonate (P=0.8), and urine specific gravity (P=0.73). Based on the results of this study, it was shown that the administration of maintenance hypotonic fluids has been appropriate for the patients and will not face them with the risk of hyponatremia.
Potential industrial utilization of starches extracted from new yellow cassava varieties

Industrials generally utilize rice, wheat, corn and potato starches because of their well-known physicochemical and functional properties. In this study, starches of some improved cassava varieties were analyzed in order to detect those revealing potentialities and aptitude for industrial exploitation. For this, morphological, physicochemical and functional characteristics of these starches were evaluated. All the starches were composed of ovoid and conical granules with truncated sides bearing one or several holes. They contained relatively low amount of small granules (< 10 μm) with low amylopectin content. All starches showed very strong water absorption capacity with the strong value recorded by V 53 (122.52 ± 1.57 %) and the lowest by V 63 (104.84 ± 0.55 %) and began gelatinizing early (50–55 °C). However, physicochemical and functional characteristics significantly varied from a starch variety to another. Hence, V 53 (32.47 ± 0.54 g/g), V 63 (29.41 ± 0.64 g/g) and V 71 (28.58 ± 0.55) varieties which recorded low small granules content showed the earliest (80 °C) and strongest swelling power peak. In addition, these varieties showed the lowest syneresis values at 4 °C (V 53 (0.01%) and V 63 (0.6%) and at – 15 °C V 71 (0.01%)) during the first week of experimentation (V 71 ) and during the four weeks of experimentation (V 53 and V 71 ). The highest values of paste clarity were highlighted by V 23 (63.00 ± 0.3 %) and V 53 (85.85 ± 0.5 %), respectively. All the studied cassava starches varieties showed interesting physicochemical and functional characteristics which could be exploited in food and non-food industries. Keywords: New yellow Cassava varieties, starches, physicochemical characteristics, functional properties, industrial utilization
Eco-Efficient Cement-Based Materials Using Biomass Bottom Ash: A Review

In recent years the use of biomass for electricity generation in thermal and cogeneration plants has increased worldwide because it is an environmentally clean fuel whose impact measured in greenhouse gas emissions is practically zero. However, biomass bottom ash, a waste produced during combustion, has also increased considerably, which has both a negative economic and environmental impact, due to landfill transport and management of this by-product. Although biomass bottom ash has potential characteristics for application in the manufacture of construction materials, its full-scale application is difficult because of the wide range in physicochemical properties, depending on the type of biomass burned, such as wood residue, olive waste, waste paper sludge, cocoa shell, etc., and the type of combustion process in the plant. This study reviews the influence on the physicochemical properties, mechanical behavior, and durability of different cement-based materials, such as mortars, concrete, and cement-treated granular material, manufactured from biomass bottom ash. The previous studies demonstrate the feasibility of substituting natural materials for biomass bottom ash in cement-based materials, presenting adequate mechanical behavior and durability properties to comply with the required technical specifications in different building materials.
A new mobbing scale for academicians (MS-A) in higher education institutions

This study proposed and tested a new mobbing scale for academicians in higher education institutions. A two-stage methodology consisting of a qualitative approach and quantitative measuring was used in the study. First, mobbing behavior items were developed by using an in-depth interview technique on a group of Turkish academicians. Then, the developed items were formulated and applied to academicians (n = 165) working in eight state universities in Turkey. Both exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to test the construct validity of the scale. Additionally, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was examined in order to determine its reliability. The results of the analysis showed high validity and reliability values and revealed a two-dimensional structure of the scale. These dimensions were labeled as “vertical/horizontal mobbing” and “vertical mobbing. ” The scale was labeled as the Mobbing Scale for Academicians (MS-A). As a result, MS-A is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring mobbing in the higher education environment and determines the level of mobbing behaviors. Unlike the mobbing scales in the literature, this scale is more effective because it is developed specifically for academicians. Additionally, the scale is considered to be more economical in terms of time and labor due to its brevity.
Religiosity, idealism, and ethical consumption: the mediating effect of perceived customer effectiveness and moral obligation

Purpose The cognitive processes through which religiosity and idealism affect ethical consumption have received little attention in prior research. This study aims to explore the influence of religiosity and idealism on ethical purchasing intention through moral obligation and perceived customer effectiveness (PCE). Design/methodology/approach The study analyses data from 149 Muslim participants in Saudi Arabia, using structural equation modelling. Findings The results reveal that religiosity leads to PCE but not to moral obligation and that idealism leads to both PCE and moral obligation. Mediation analysis indicated that PCE mediates the effect of both religiosity and idealism, although moral obligation only mediates the effect of idealism. Research limitations/implications This research enriches the understanding of ethical consumption and contributes to the debate on how religiosity and idealism affect ethical consumption. It also has significant implications for theory and the development of sustainable marketing initiatives. Marketing campaigns and other promotional activities may focus on the interconnection between ethical purchase and the religious and ideology dimensions of consumers. Also, while formulating a communication strategy, it is necessary to emphasize the religious dimension of the sustainable use of the product. Originality/value Moral obligation and PCE have been shown as cognitive and psychological mechanisms explaining the links between religiosity or idealism and ethical purchasing behaviour.
Comparison of Trace Elements Levels in Atrial Fibrillation Patients and Healthy Group

Background: The aim of this study is to measure the concentration of Zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and selenium (Se) in the blood serum of Atrial Fibrillation (AF) patients as compared to healthy subjects in both genders. Methods: This study, conducted on patients with AF (n = 50) and controls (n = 24) were evaluated by available method. Blood samples were taken from the patients and analysis of trace elements was performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Statistical analyses were done using IBMSPSS 22.0. Results: Zn and Se concentrations were evaluated in AF patients and healthy group. Zn and Se concentration in AF patients is much lower than in healthy group (p<0.008, p<0.000). AF patients showed a significantly higher Cu concentration than the healthy group (p<0.000). The data of the present study revealed that the concentrations of all trace elements had a significant difference in the serum of AF patients with respect to the healthy group (p<0.05). Conclusion: We found that concentrations of Zn & Se levels were significantly decrease in the in the serum samples of AF patients compared with the controls group. Original Research Article Shojaeifard et al.; JPRI, 32(26): 113-119, 2020; Article no.JPRI. 62250 114
High thematic resolution land use change models refine biodiversity scenarios: A case study with Belgian bumblebees

Projections of biodiversity scenarios often rely solely on climate change to inform species distribution shifts in the future. Land use projections are rarely used due to their unavailability and, when available, are often at coarse spatial and thematic resolutions, making them unsuitable to capture fine scale habitat suitability. This study aims to (a) show how coupled land use change (LUC) models of high thematic resolution (HTR) can be used in species distribution models (SDM), (b) compare the impacts of HTR and low thematic resolution (LTR) explanatory predictors on biodiversity scenarios and (c) assess the impact of species' present area of occupancy on the effect of thematic resolution in SDMs.
Suburban battles over immigration: a case study of local day labourer policies

ABSTRACT Over the past thirty years, there has been an increase in the number of immigrant day labourers in the United States. The presence of day labourers has led to numerous conflicts in municipalities. Some locals benefit from the labour performed by day labourers and believe they do no harm, while others see them as “illegal” immigrants that pose a threat to the community. For many, the legitimacy of day labourers remains uncertain, which opens a space for opponents and supporters to push for competing policies. Uncertain legitimacy and back and forth conflicts result in policies that are continuously being tugged between exclusionary and inclusionary measures. Whereas much of the literature on local immigration policies suggests that subnational governments opt for either exclusionary or inclusionary measures, this paper reveals the volatility of local immigration policies and the blurring of lines between them.
How does power affect happiness and mental illness? The mediating role of proactive coping

Abstract Previous research suggests that sense of power is associated with happiness and mental illness. However, the mechanisms underlying this relationship is relatively unexplored. This study aimed to examine whether proactive coping mediated the relationship between power and mental illness and between power and happiness. Specifically, we predicted that power—which is associated with goal-oriented tendencies, high-level construals, and positive characteristics—activates the use of proactive coping strategies, which in turn leads to greater happiness and less mental illness. By carrying out a survey (Study 1, N = 150) and an experiment (Study 2, N = 143), we found results that were consistent with our predictions. Overall, this study demonstrates the psychological mechanisms behind the influence of power on happiness and mental illness from the perspective of coping.
Responses of Winter Wheat Yield to Drought in the North China Plain: Spatial–Temporal Patterns and Climatic Drivers

Understanding the winter wheat yield responses to drought are the keys to minimizing drought-related winter wheat yield losses under climate change. The research goal of our study is to explore the response patterns of winter wheat yield to drought in the North China Plain (NCP) and then further to study which climatic factors drive the response patterns. For this purpose, winter wheat yield was simulated by the Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) crop model. Drought was quantified by standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI), and the contributions of the various climatic factors were evaluated using predictive discriminant analysis (PDA) method. The results showed that the responses of winter wheat yield to different time-scale droughts have obvious spatial differences from the north part to the south part in the NCP. Winter wheat yield is more sensitive to the medium (6–9 months) and long (9–12 months) time-scale droughts that occurred in the key growth periods (April and May). The different response patterns of winter wheat yield to the different time-scale droughts are mainly controlled by temperature and water balance (precipitation minus potential evapotranspiration) in winter in the NCP. Compared with the water balance, temperature plays a more important role in driving the response pattern characteristics. These findings can provide a reference on how to reduce drought influences on winter wheat yield in the NCP.
The impact of a lack of mathematical education on brain development and future attainment

Significance Our knowledge of the effect of a specific lack of education on the brain and cognitive development is currently poor but is highly relevant given differences between countries in their educational curricula and the differences in opportunities to access education. We show that within the same society, adolescent students who specifically lack mathematical education exhibited reduced brain inhibition levels in a key brain area involved in reasoning and cognitive learning. Importantly, these brain inhibition levels predicted mathematical attainment ∼19 mo later, suggesting they play a role in neuroplasticity. Our study provides biological understanding of the impact of the lack of mathematical education on the developing brain and the mutual play between biology and education. Formal education has a long-term impact on an individual’s life. However, our knowledge of the effect of a specific lack of education, such as in mathematics, is currently poor but is highly relevant given the extant differences between countries in their educational curricula and the differences in opportunities to access education. Here we examined whether neurotransmitter concentrations in the adolescent brain could classify whether a student is lacking mathematical education. Decreased γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentration within the middle frontal gyrus (MFG) successfully classified whether an adolescent studies math and was negatively associated with frontoparietal connectivity. In a second experiment, we uncovered that our findings were not due to preexisting differences before a mathematical education ceased. Furthermore, we showed that MFG GABA not only classifies whether an adolescent is studying math or not, but it also predicts the changes in mathematical reasoning ∼19 mo later. The present results extend previous work in animals that has emphasized the role of GABA neurotransmission in synaptic and network plasticity and highlight the effect of a specific lack of education on MFG GABA concentration and learning-dependent plasticity. Our findings reveal the reciprocal effect between brain development and education and demonstrate the negative consequences of a specific lack of education during adolescence on brain plasticity and cognitive functions.