Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Climate Change Uncertainty Spillover in the Macroeconomy

The design and conduct of climate change policy necessarily confronts uncertainty along multiple fronts. We explore the consequences of ambiguity over various sources and configurations of models that impact how economic opportunities could be damaged in the future. We appeal to decision theory under risk, model ambiguity and misspecification concerns to provide an economically motivated approach to uncertainty quantification. We show how this approach reduces the many facets of uncertainty into a low dimensional characterization that depends on the uncertainty aversion of a decision-maker or fictitious social planner. In our computations, we take inventory of three alternative channels of uncertainty and provide a novel way to assess them. These include i) carbon dynamics that capture how carbon emissions impact atmospheric carbon in future time periods; ii) temperature dynamics that depict how atmospheric carbon alters temperature in future time periods; iii) damage functions that quantify how temperature changes diminish economic opportunities. We appeal to geoscientific modeling to quantify the first two channels. We show how these uncertainty sources interact for a social planner looking to design a prudent approach to the social pricing of carbon emissions.
A study of prevalence of urogenital problem among menopausal women attending the OPD at tertiary care hospital in Bhopal

Although climacteric symptoms, particularly vasomotor symptoms, may be transient, atrophic symptoms affecting the vagina and lower urinary tract are often progressive and frequently require treatment. Urogenital (UG) symptoms are one of the most common symptoms of menopause. These symptoms include vaginal dryness, itching, dyspareunia, and urinary incontinence (UI). The percentage of women seeking medical help is somewhere around 20%-25%. the urinary and vaginal symptoms can be decreased effectively by local application of estrogenic creams.
SOCIO-ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF CHILD LABOR EXPLOITATION: THE CASE STUDY OF JIMMA TOWN, ETHIOPIA

This study was initiated with the objective of identifying socio-economic factors of child labor exploitation in Jimma town, Ethiopia for which a cross sectional data were collected from 196 sample child laborers of which 80 (40.82%) are females and 116 (59.18%) are males. After collection primary data through a structured questionnaire, the descriptive statistics (frequency distribution, tables, percentages), and econometric model were used to estimate the determinants of child labor coupled with the ordinary least square (OLS) estimation technique. The result from the OLS estimation revealed that child labor exploitation which is measured by child labor hour found to be significantly associated with age of the child, household size, monthly income of child’s parent, sex of the child, and educational level of child’s father and the parents of the child under debt. The study recommends that apart from effective law enforcement and creating awareness in the community about the horrible impact of child labor exploitation on their physical and mental wellbeing, the long lasting solution to curb the problem of child labor and the human capital accumulation is yet to come by overcoming poverty level.
Reflective coaching: Training for development of instructional skills and sense of efficacy of pre-service EFL teachers

The goal of this study was to inquire the impact of the reflective coaching (RC) on development of pre-service EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers’ sense of efficacy and instructional skills. The reflective coaching program utilized in this study was developed and adapted by the researcher in 2016 mainly based on the theoretical views and principles of reflection, self-analysis of strengths and weaknesses and the writing of personal statements, and reflective teaching. The research approach used for this study was both quantitative and qualitative and this study is a single case study based on pre/post-test design. To achieve this goal, eight volunteer male and female (one male and seven female) undergraduate students, aged from 21 to 22, attending B.A. program in ELT, Faculty of Education, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Turkey participated in the study. For the pre/post-test design of this study, one case study group was formed. The study was conducted between February 11, 2019 and May 17, 2019. During the implementation of the RC program, the researcher also employed an overview of the instructional skills, which represented teaching behaviors desired. Results showed significant differences in favor of the implementation of RC program on development of pre-service EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers’ sense of efficacy and instructional skills. The findings are expected to have implications for how reflective coaching can be a means to improve instructional skills and sense of efficacy and recommendations for EFL teachers and curriculum designers will also be made.
Physiological response of Nigerian indigenous cocks fed diet with graded levels of tumeric (Cucumma longa)

This study was conducted to evaluate the physiological response of Nigerian indigenous chicken (cock) fed graded levels of Tumeric Rhizome Powder (TRP). Sixty (60) adult local cocks divided into 4 groups with 15 birds in each group, replicated into 3 of 5 birds per replicate in each treatment group were used for the study. The birds in the experimental groups designated as T1, T2, T3, and T4 were fed with TRP supplemented diet at various inclusion levels of 0.0, 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75%, respectively for 8 weeks. From the results obtained, the growth performance and the relative organ yields were significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced, with an average weight of 121.33 ± 14.70 of the experimental birds in the Turmeric groups. The nutrient digestibility was significantly (p < 0.05) improved with TRP supplemented diet. The result of the organ weight recorded showed the weight of the visceral organs such as heart, liver, lungs, spleen, pancreas and the gizzard relative to body weight were not significantly (p> 0.05) affected by the turmeric supplemented diet compared with the control group, whereas the dressed weight, the size of the kidney, proventriculus and the gall bladder relative to body weight were significantly (p< 0.05) increased, although no statistical difference between the 0.25% and 0.75% inclusion groups compared with the control group. The significant (p< 0.05) increase in the size of proventriculus which is responsible for the mechanical storage of the ingested feed could be attributed to the effect of turmeric supplemented diet compared to control. Also, the gall bladder contained significantly (p< 0.05) increased volume of the bile. In conclusion, Turmeric powder supplemented diet at 0.25 and 0.5 % inclusions performed better in improving the growth of Nigerian indigenous cocks, although care should be exercised in prolonged supplementation above 0.5 % inclusion to prevent its deleterious effect on the blood profile. From the findings in this study, to achieve a better growth performance of the Nigerian indigenous cocks with little or no effect on the relative organ weight, 0.5 % inclusion level is highly recommended.
Understanding jobs-housing imbalance in urban China: A case study of Shanghai

Shanghai has experienced a rapid process of urbanization and urban expansion, which increases travel costs and limits job accessibility for the economically disadvantaged population. This paper investigates the jobs-housing imbalance problem in Shanghai at the subdistrict-level (census-level) and reaches the following conclusions. First, the jobshousing imbalance shows a ring pattern and is evident mainly in the suburban areas and periphery of the Shanghai metropolitan area because job opportunities are highly concentrated while residential areas are sprawling. Second, structural factors such as high housing prices and sprawling development significantly contribute to the jobs-housing imbalance. Third, regional planning policies such as development zones contribute to jobs-housing imbalance due to the specialized industrial structure and limited availability of housing. However, geographically weighted regression reveals the development zones in the traditional Pudong district are exceptional insofar as government policy has created spatial heterogeneity there. In addition, the multilevel model used in this study suggests regions with jobs-housing imbalance usually have well-connected streets, and this represents the local government’s efforts to reduce excessive commuting times created by jobs-housing imbalance.
Influence of different pre-treatments on the content of bioactive compounds of dried plum fruits

Plum (Prunus domestica L.) is mostly represented on the European market as fresh or industrially processed as dried fruit. The plum drying process is usually carried out at higher temperatures between 85 and 90 °C, which can result with loss of bioactive compounds, sensory attributes, texture, taste and aroma. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the efficiency of applying different pre-treatments in combination with a lower drying temperature (42 °C) in order to obtain a high quality product and the highest retention of bioactive compounds (total phenols, total hydroxycinnamic acids and total flavonols). Three plum cultivars: cv ‘Hauszwetschge Schuffer’, cv ‘President’ and cv 'Topend plus' were treated with 11 different pre-treatments: abrasion in duration of 5, 10 and 15 minutes; submersion in KOH solution in concentration of 0,5, 1,0 and 1,5% at two temperatures of 22 °C and 60 °C in duration of 1 minute, and submersion of fruits in distilled water at two temperatures (22 and 60 °C) in duration of 1 minute. The highest retention of bioactive compounds (total phenols, total hydroxycinnamic acids and total flavonols) was obtained in the dried fruits of all plum cultivars treated by chemical and thermal pre-treatment while the lowest values were determined in fruits pre-treated with abrasion.
The Use of Mobile to Boost Iranian EFL Learners’ Grammar Knowledge: The Case of Grammar Learning Application in Focus

Using a mobile device in education opened a new way for the teaching and learning process. One aspect of the English language which has been subject to investigation in mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) is grammar. The main purpose of the present study was to probe the efficacy of mobile applications for grammar learning. In so doing, a quasi-experimental research design was adopted to investigate the effect of grammar learning application on EFL learners' grammatical knowledge. For this purpose, 50 Iranian female Intermediate learners were recruited to participate in this study. They were assigned to two groups; control and experimental, consisted of 25 learners in each group. To assess the learners' grammatical knowledge before specific treatment, a pretest of grammar was administered. After the pretest, in each session of the treatment, the participants in the experimental group were taught grammar through Grammar Learning Application on their mobile phones, and in the control group, a conventional method was employed for teaching grammar. After 14 sessions, to discover the effect of treatment both groups participated in another grammar test as the posttest. Finally, an independent samples t-test was run on obtained data. The results indicated that participants in the experimental group performed significantly better in the posttest, demonstrating the effectiveness of the mobile application used in this study on learning grammar. The findings are beneficial for syllabus designers, material developers, and EFL teachers to use mobile applications in teaching grammar.
Intelligent Medical Decision Support System for Predicting Patients at Risk in Intensive Care Units

Patients’ lives can be rescued by a prediction made by an Intelligent Medical Decision Support System (IMDSS). Such a system can harness the information wealth of patient Electronic Medical Records and leverage up-to-date Machine Learning technology. The accuracy of prediction is one of the most critical characteristics of this intelligent system. Moreover, the technical issues of the medical data as the curse of dimensionality and imbalance are significant challenges. In this paper, we implement the main building block of an IMDSS which is the predictive model. In addition, a comprehensive study of different accuracy factors of this system is given. We tested different approaches and methods for these factors to reach an optimal setting for system development. A big real-world medical dataset is used to test the model for predicting the in-hospital risk of mortality from only the first 24 hours of stays in the Intensive Care Unit.
Comparison on the effect of oral hygiene status before and after supervised oral health maintenance in special children

Introduction: The dental health of people with disabilities has been reported to be worse than that of normal people. Maintenance of oral hygiene by tooth brushing is the most important and effective way of reducing levels of plaque and gingivitis.Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of supervised tooth brushing in various special schools of Mathura district.Materials and Methodology: 160 subjects (6-14years) were selected for the study and the participants were divided into four groups depending upon their disability as: Down’s syndrome, Cerebral palsy, Autism spectrum disorder & Hearing impaired. Baseline of half of the subjects were maintained; Gingival & plaque index were recorded followed by oral hygiene instructions to all the children, supervising staff and caregivers. Plaque and gingival index were recorded again in 3 months and again reminded the taught technique & subsequently a 6 months follow-up.Result: Gingival health status was improved in all the groups. Statistical significant result was found in Plaque index of hearing impaired whose baseline were maintained and statistical analysis was done using paired t-test.Conclusion: School based dental programs for oral health education should be done regularly and frequently as it will help in avoiding the expensive and lengthy dental procedures.
Explaining an Adoption and Continuance Intention to Use Contactless Payment Technologies: During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the lives of people and services, pushing them toward new technologies that are in step with the development of a “New Normal” way of life. Contactless technologies have been realized as a mechanism to reduce the risks of infection, accelerating the move to touchless behaviors. The purpose of this study is to develop an Integrated Expectation-Confirmation and Health Belief Model (ECHBM) to explain an adoption and continuance intention to use contactless technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand. Based on an empirical research survey of 142 samples, the proposed conceptual model was empirically validated using structural equation modelling (SEM). The study found that perceived usefulness, perceived susceptibility, perceived seriousness, and satisfaction significantly influenced continuance usage intention of contactless payment technologies, whereas perceived usefulness and confirmation were found to be significant determinants of consumer satisfaction. The effect of perceived susceptibility was found to be relatively higher than that of satisfaction, and confirmation was found to have an indirect effect on continuance usage intention through perceived usefulness and satisfaction. The integrated ECHBM model has strong explanatory power (56.8%) to predict customers’ continuance usage intention toward use of contactless payment technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study proposes a novel challenge to explain an adoption and continuance intention to use contactless payment technologies as a protective health behavior to mitigate risks of being infected by COVID-19. Doi: 10.28991/esj-2021-01260 Full Text: PDF
Clinical Features and Treatment Outcomes in Patients with Extracranial Germ Cell Tumors: A Tertiary Centre Experience

Background: Germ cell tumors are histologically heterogeneous group of tumors with high cure rate if diagnosed early. The aim of study was to evaluate the extracranial germ cell tumors presenting to our institute with regards to gender, age, clinical presentation, pathology, management, acute toxicity and survival. Material and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at Department of Radiation Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna. Results: Total of 75 patients with germ cell tumor (GCT) were analysed. Distribution of males and females were 50.7% and 49.3% respectively. The median age of presentation of males and females was 31 years and 15 years respectively. At the time of presentation, 47.3% male and 16.2% of female patients had metastatic disease. The median alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (βHCG), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were 112 ng/ml, 668 mIU/ml, and 550 U/L respectively. At median followup of 34 months, 32% of the patient developed recurrence. The median disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were 57 months and 71 months respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that the histological subtypes (p = 0.001) and risk groups (p = 0.029) were the independent prognostic factors for DFS, while metastatic status at presentation (p = 0.037), upfront surgical intervention (p =0.039), and histopathological subtypes (p = 0.009) were the independent prognostic factor for OS. Conclusion: GCT is primarily a disease of young and adolescents. Early diagnosis, well-orchestrated multidisciplinary management leads to favourable outcome and survival.
EFFECT OF AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR MOTHERS REGARDING CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN HAVING INTESTINAL STOMAS

Intestinal stoma is a surgical opening made by means of a hollow organ through the abdominal skin forming a mouth that is in contact with the external environment for the externalization of waste, secretions and/or feces. Nurses can take a key role in caring for children with a stoma, both pre and postoperatively and assisting parents, caregivers, in becoming confident and independent in the care of stoma by providing knowledge on a specific medical and surgical condition, the surgical procedure, stoma care, and pouching equipment choices. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of an educational program for mothers regarding care of their children having intestinal stomas. The study included 40 mothers of children having intestinal stomas recruited over six month’s period. The study was carried out at the inpatient pediatric surgery department in Mansoura University Children’s Hospital (MUCH). Results: The results of this study revealed, that there was statistically significant difference of the studied mothers’ knowledge & practices regarding care of their children having intestinal stomas pre/ post educational program. The study concluded that, there was a positive effect of the educational program in improving mothers’ knowledge & practices regarding care for their children having intestinal stomas. Recommendations: refreshing periodical and educational programs for pediatric nurses are essential for upgrading the mothers’ knowledge & practices regarding care of their children having intestinal stomas.
Milk yield of West African Dwarf sheep as affected by udder stimulation, stage of lactation and parity

This study was conducted to investigate the milk yield of West African Dwarf sheep as affected by udder stimulation, stage of lactation and parity. The study involves 12 matured lactating ewes weighing between 16 and 24 kg live weights in a semi intensive system of management. For udder stimulation, the animals were divided into 2 groups; 6 animals were stimulated by massaging, cleaning and drying the udder for 2 minutes before milking while the other 6 were not stimulated, the udder were just milked. Stage of lactation was divided into 4; early, mid, late, and very late respectively with 3weeks interval for all the animals. 4 animals were on first parity while 8 animals were on second parity. The animals were allowed to graze on an established paddock consisting of Stylosanthes hamata, Panicum maximum, Pennisetum purpureum etc. for 5 hours and then supplemented with concentrate (17% CP at 5% body weight). Each quarter of the udder was hand milked unilaterally twice per week at 8.00am for 12 weeks. The result of the study showed that daily milk yield in each of the quarter of the udder (left and right) was not significantly (P>0.05) different. Udder stimulation and stage of lactation had significant (P<0.05) effect on daily milk yield while parity and mammary gland position (left and right ) did not significantly affect daily milk yield. The interaction between udder stimulation and stage of lactation as well as interaction between udder stimulation and parity had significant (P<0.05) effect on daily milk yield in WAD sheep. Therefore it is recommended that sheep udder be stimulated at late and very late stages of lactation to enhance milk production.
The Nexus between R&D, Innovation and Economic Growth Revisit: The Case of South Africa and Saudi Arabia

It is evident in many countries that having abundant natural resources does not guarantee an increased economic growth. In order to diversify the economy, each one of South Africa and Saudi Arabia has developed Vision 2030 as related to their country. The aim of this paper is to study the role and impact of research and development (R&D) and innovation towards economic growth. Using ARDL and ECM for the period 2001-2018, the study finds that R&D and innovation have a long run association with economic growth in both countries, and a long run causality from R&D and innovation to economic growth is also established. Meanwhile in the short run, it is only R&D which has significant impact on economic growth in both countries. The study suggests that the policy makers should continue to advocate for more spending on research and innovative efforts as well as creating a strong collaboration among the stakeholders of national innovation systems as this would boost indigenous innovation capabilities which lead to economic growth.
Whether Cord Blood or Venous Blood Procalcitonin Level for Better Prediction of Maternofetal Infections in Algerian Newborns?

This prospective study aims to measure and compare the level of umbilical cord blood and venous blood procalcitonin (PCT) for a better and more rapid prediction of maternofetal infections in Algerian newborns. The study was conducted at the hospital of child and mother of Setif in Algeria from 2016 to 2018. 164 Algerian term suspected newborns born alive to mothers with Maternofetal infection (MFI) risk factors were included. 69 non-infectious newborns born alive to mothers without MFI risk factors served as the control group. The venous blood and cord blood in each group were collected. PCT levels were determined and compared to CRP levels. Receiver operating curves (ROC) were generated to detect the best cut-off values for sensitivity and specificity. Levels of both cord blood and venous blood procalcitonin were significantly higher in the suspected group than those in the control group (P<0.05). According to the ROC curve, at the cut-off value of cord blood PCT of 0.595 ng/mL, the sensitivity and specificity were 92.3 %, 91.8 % respectively. At the cut-off value of venous blood PCT of 1.12 ng/mL, the sensitivity and specificity were 100%, 80.5% respectively. The diagnostic value of cord blood PCT for maternofetal infections is higher than venous blood PCT.