Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ion Exchange Resin for Assessing Phosphorus Availability in Soils

Phosphorus has received considerable attention in the research of methods of soil analysis, but agreement on best methodology is lacking. Resin extractable P seems to be a superior method, but its adoption in routine soil testing is still limited worldwide. When there is a choice between several methods of analysis, if results are not comparable, greenhouse experiments under controlled conditions are used to select the soil test that is more closely related with nutrient uptake. This is done in pot experiments with soils representing a wide range of attributes that affect P reactions. A test plant is grown under conditions of proper nutrient supply except for P. The linear correlations between P uptake by plant and soil P determined by different procedures allow the ranking of methods based on the quality of prediction of P availability in soils. An example of such research for a pot experiment with fl ooded rice is shown in Figure 1. In this case, resin extractable P is compared with the Mehlich 1 extraction. The results of resin P presented a much better correlation with P absorbed by the rice plants than Mehlich 1. Several studies comparing soil P determination methods have been carried out. The literature review by Silva and Raij (1999) included papers published with soils of different countries, in which P determined by different methods was correlated with plant P uptake. The data in Table 1 indicate that the ion exchange resin method is better correlated with P uptake than the other methods and that it is suitable for all types of soils, both acidic and alkaline. The pH of the extractant solution is important for the ionexchange resin procedure as shown in Table 2. Phosphorus extraction was poor when the suspension pH was low. For soil #2, where no response to P was observed, a high value of extractable P (36 mg/dm 3 ) was obtained when the suspension
Histological Changes of Aripiprazole on the Seminiferous Tubules of Prepubertal Albino Rats

Background: Many people nowadays are suffering from mental or behavioral disorders. The Egyptian community is complaining from an increase in the appearance of mental disorders with a lot of treatment options. Increasing prevalence of psychiatric disorders is not limited to adults, but also appears in children and adolescents. The treatment of psychiatric disorders as schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder and autism usually involve the long-term taking of antipsychotic drugs. Therefore, the uses of antipsychotics have increased. Two main drugs are used quetiapine and aripiprazole. Aripiprazole has been used with satisfactory results. It is known to-act on the dopaminergic receptors which have been detected in the germinal cells.Aim of work: To detect the histological changes induced by aripiprazole on the structure of the seminiferous tubules of albino rats and the possible recovery of the tubules after drug withdrawal.Material and Methods: Twenty four prepubertal male albino rats were used in this study aged two weeks and weighed forty grams. The rats were divided into the following groups: Group (I): Control group: included twelve rats. Six rats were left without any medication throughout the experiment (group IA). The other six rats received 0.2 ml of 0.9% NaCl via oral gavage daily for 45 days (group IB). Group (II): Aripiprazole group: included twelve rats which received aripiprazole at a dose of 2 mg/kg B.W/day dissolved in 5 ml of 0.9% NaCl taken via oral gavage for 45 days. After this period (immediately after stoppage of drug administration), six of the rats in the group were sacrificed (group IIA). The other six were sacrificed after another 45 days (they were left without taking any drugs and considered group IIB i.e. a withdrawal period). After scarification, dissection of the testes was done. Specimens from both testes of all groups were taken and processed for light microscopic study.Results: The testes of all groups showed that the seminiferous tubules lost their normal architecture pattern. Multiple vacuolations replaced the cellular elements. Focal depletions or generalized cellular loss occurred. The lumen was empty in most of the tubules. Irregularity of the basement membrane of the tubules was a common finding as well as congestion of the blood vessels and exudation in between the tubules. The withdrawal group of aripiprazole still showed damage of the seminiferous tubules.Conclusion: The adverse effect of aripiprazole on the seminiferous tubules was evident and there was no significant improvement after withdrawal of the drug.
Trends in Teacher Monitoring Methods across Curriculum and Didaktik Traditions: Evidence from three PISA waves

The main objectives of this study were to examine trends in teacher monitoring methods (TMMs) among a representative set of 12 curriculum and didaktik countries, using data from PISA 2009, 2012, and 2015, and the association of TMMs with students’ reading, mathematics, and science performance accordingly. Curriculum and didaktik education traditions frame the study theoretically, while quantitative research methods are used, consisting of a two-sample difference of proportion test and hierarchical linear modelling. The findings suggest that across the PISA waves, the control over teachers is growing across all countries and in all three subject domains and four TMMs. However, the proportion of students in schools where any of the TMMs are used is higher and more statistically significant for curriculum than for didaktik countries. Student tests, teacher peer review, and principal observation are much more common TMMs than external inspector observation across all countries. Nevertheless, the use of external inspector observation is very low in several didaktik countries, and in the case of Finland almost inexistent. Results for Sweden seem to be over-reported as in previous survey work it was found that teacher self-assessment is the most common TMM, however, teacher self-assessment is not a variable included in the PISA survey. The results from within-country hierarchical linear models (HLMs) of associations of TMMs with students’ reading (2009), mathematics (2012), and science (2015) performance in PISA show mixed, and at times relatively large, effects from country to country and across three PISA waves, and interestingly the associations had diminished by PISA 2015. Adding a more diverse set of questions to PISA contextual questionnaires is warranted for results to be more meaningful and representative across more countries.
Water and mental health

There is a well‐established connection among water quality, sanitation, and physical health. The potentially important relationship between water and mental health is considerably less studied. Reviewing evidence from ethnography, geography, folklore, indigenous studies, rural medicine, drought research, and large‐n statistical studies, we argue there is now good theoretical rationale and growing evidence of water insecurity as a possible driver of mental ill‐health. Furthermore, some nascent evidence suggests that emotionally meaningful interactions with water might improve mental health outcomes. Leveraging these literatures, we address the many ways in which mental health outcomes are conceptualized and operationalized in water research, including as emotional distress, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, somatic symptoms, and quality of life. We outline arguments supporting seven possible (and likely interlocking) mechanisms that could explain such a relationship: (a) material deprivation and related uncertainty, (b) shame of social failure, (c) worry about health threats, (d) loss of connections to people and places, (e) frustration around opportunity losses and restricted autonomy, (f) interpersonal conflict and intimate partner violence, and (g) institutional injustice or unfairness. However, we explain that as most existing studies are ethnographic, qualitative, or cross‐sectional, a causal relationship between water and mental ill‐health is yet to be confirmed empirically. More research on this topic is needed, particularly given that poorly understood connections may create barriers to achieving Sustainable Development Goals 3 (health) and 6 (water). We further suggest that tracking mental health indicators may provide unique and as‐yet underappreciated insights into the efficacy of water projects and other development interventions.
Efficacy and safety of regorafenib versus dinutuximab with chemotherapy in Chinese children with neuroblastoma

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of regorafenib in comparison with dinutuximab with chemotherapy in Chinese children with advanced neuroblastoma. The patients aged less than 16 years who were histologically diagnosed with advanced neuroblastoma were enrolled and randomized to receive either regorafenib plus best supportive care or dinutuximab plus chemotherapy plus best supportive care in a 1:1 ratio. The tumor response assessment was made in accordance with modified international neuroblastoma response criteria. Adverse events were also assessed. Regorafenib showed prolonged overall survival and progression-free survival than who received dinutuximab plus chemotherapy (overall survival: median 32.3 months versus 27.2 months; hazard ratio = 0.45; 95% CI 0.11-0.13, p<0.001; progression-free survival: stratified hazard ratio = 0.48; 95% CI 0.11-0.14; p<0.01). Moreover, the overall response rate was greater in patients treated with regorafenib as compared to dinutuximab group. Regorafenib appears efficacious and has a manageable safety profile in Chinese children with advanced neuroblastoma.
Structure and composition of trees in Mount Tilu Nature Reserve, West Java, Indonesia

Abstract. Cahyanto T, Efendi M, Ramdan DM. 2020. Structure and composition of trees in Mount Tilu Nature Reserve, West Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 2674-2680. An understanding of the structure and composition of stands in a conservation area is needed to support sustainable management strategy. However, this information in the Mount Tilu Nature Reserve, Bandung District, West Java area is still lacking. This research was aimed to analyze the structure and composition of tree species in the block of Malagembol forest, Mt. Tilu NR. Data collection was carried out through vegetation analysis using sampling plot method with size of 10x100 m2 at three-level altitudes of 1530 m, 1745 m, and 1950 m asl. Observation parameters included species names, number of individuals, and diameter at breast height (dbh). Data were analyzed to determine the floristic composition, species structure based on their diameter class, relative basal area, diversity indices, and analysis of the importance of the main components of trees species through Principal Component Analysis (PCA). A total of 32 tree species from 23 families was found in the observation plots which was dominated by Fagaceae, Lauraceae, and Myrtaceae families. Some pioneer plants covered the gap in vegetation due to minor disturbance and residual damage in the past. Nonetheless, the dominance of stands with small diameters indicated good regeneration status following such disturbance. Based on these findings, we recommend protecting the vegetation in Mt. Tilu NR by limiting community activities that can disturb the forest.
Effects of heathland management on seedling recruitment of common juniper (Juniperus communis)

Background and aims – Common juniper (Juniperus communis L.) is one of the most widespread woody species on the planet. Over recent decades, however, common juniper populations are decreasing in size and number in different regions. Lack of recruitment, caused by extremely low seed viability and the absence of suitable microsites for recruitment, is the key reason for this decline. For successful germination, the seeds need gaps in the existing vegetation and a soil with a relatively high base saturation. The aim of this study was therefore to assess how management actions such as sod cutting, rotavation and liming (alone or in various combinations) influence soil characteristics, seed germination and seedling survival of common juniper. Methods – We installed a sowing experiment across 104 1-m2 plots in four different sites in Belgium and the Netherlands using treatments with different combinations of fencing, sod cutting, rotavation, litter addition and liming. We determined how these treatments affected soil characteristics and how they influenced seed germination and seedling survival. Key results and conclusions – Across the whole experiment, germination rates of juniper seeds were very low (almost always
Hyaluronic acid-functionalized gelatin hydrogels reveal extracellular matrix signals temper the efficacy of erlotinib against patient-derived glioblastoma specimens

Therapeutic options to treat primary glioblastoma (GBM) tumors are scarce. GBM tumors with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, in particular a constitutively active EGFRvIII mutant, have extremely poor clinical outcomes. GBM tumors with concurrent EGFR amplification and active phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) are sensitive to the tyrosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib, but the effect is not durable. A persistent challenge to improved treatment is the poorly understood role of cellular, metabolic, and biophysical signals from the GBM tumor microenvironment on therapeutic efficacy and acquired resistance. The intractable nature of studying GBM cell in vivo motivates tissue engineering approaches to replicate aspects of the complex GBM tumor microenvironment. Here, we profile the effect of erlotinib on two patient-derived GBM specimens: EGFR+ GBM12 and EGFRvIII GBM6. We use a three-dimensional gelatin hydrogel to present brain-mimetic hyaluronic acid (HA) and evaluate the coordinated influence of extracellular matrix signals and EGFR mutation status on GBM cell migration, survival and proliferation, as well as signaling pathway activation in response to cyclic erlotinib exposure. Comparable to results observed in vivo for xenograft tumors, erlotinib exposure is not cytotoxic for GBM6 EGFRvIII specimens. We also identify a role of extracellular HA (via CD44) in altering the effect of erlotinib in GBM EGFR+ cells by modifying STAT3 phosphorylation status. Taken together, we report an in vitro tissue engineered platform to monitor signaling associated with poor response to targeted inhibitors in GBM.
Evaluation of certain medicinal plant extracts for the management of late larval Flacherie disease of silkworm, Bombyx mori L.

The study on evaluation of nine different medicinal plant extracts against late larval flacherie disease of silkworm B. mori L. showed significant results. Among the nine medicinal plants extracts, Asparagus officinalis administration in silkworms (CSR2 and PM x CSR2) was found effective by enhancing the larval growth parameters viz., fifth instar larval duration (197.48 h and 189.10 h), mature larval weight (33.66 and 29.28 g / 10 larvae), ET50 value for larval mortality (184.66 and 205.84 h), reduced larval mortality (18.00 and 12.66 %) and ERR (79.33 and 86.67 %) in both the silkworm breeds respectively compared to control.
Leaf Characteristics at Recovery Stage Affect Seed Oil and Protein Content Under the Interactive Effects of Nitrogen and Waterlogging in Rapeseed

Four nitrogen rates (0, 90, 180, and 270 kg ha−1) were applied to the waterlogging-tolerant variety ZS 9 and the sensitive variety GH01. Seedlings with five leaves were waterlogged for 0 (control) or 10 days to investigate the effects of nitrogen on the quality of waterlogged rapeseed. Compared with controls, the seed oil content of waterlogged rapeseed increased slightly in GH01 and significantly in ZS 9 with nitrogen application, which can be explained by the following. (1) after waterlogging, the biomass distribution in roots and leaves of ZS 9 decreased, which alleviated physiological water shortage. Conversely, biomass distribution in roots of GH01 increased, which was not synchronized with the leaf biomass change. (2) After waterlogging at 90–270 kg N ha−1, the leaf number at bolting and flowering was increased in ZS 9 but decreased in GH01 compared with the control. The decrease in leaf area and SPAD value were greater for GH01 after waterlogging, which limited photosynthesis. (3) The leaf soluble protein at bolting was highest in ZS 9 and lowest in GH01. The sensitive variety showed poor growth. The inhibition of seed protein synthesis resulted in an increase in the oil content of waterlogged rapeseed with nitrogen. The seed oil of the waterlogging-tolerant variety was most significantly negatively correlated with leaf soluble protein content at the flowering stage, while the protein content showed the opposite correlation. The seed oil of the waterlogging-sensitive variety was most significantly negatively correlated with the number of leaves at the bolting and flowering stage, while the seed protein content had opposite correlations.
Influence of gamma radiation treatment on the profile of phenolic compounds and on the quality parameters of strawberries cv. Albion during storage

This study evaluated the effects of gamma radiation treatment on the profile of phenolic compounds and the quality parameters of strawberries irradiated during storage. The fruits were submitted to irradiation doses 0, 0.8; 1.6, and 2.4 kGy and stored for up to 9 days at 10°C. The levels of anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, and total phenolic compounds were evaluated, as along with the profile of these compounds and colorimetric and microbiological parameters. Our results show that the doses used preserved the studied phenolic compounds. The variation in ascorbic acid values may be due to post-harvest storage of fruits. The applied doses did not interfere in the characteristic red color of the strawberry. The irradiation dose of 2.4 kGy more efficiently controlled microorganisms and is the ideal dose to increase the shelf life of strawberries.
Mycotic Incidence of Ear Infection Among Primary School Students at Taiz - City, Yemen

The prevalence and distribution of fungi involved in otomycosis in children of primary school at Taiz city were studied using two types of isolation media. The obtained results revealed the confirmation of fungal otomycosis in 76. 7 % of suspected patients. Ear infection in relation to age the results showed that the group with age between 10- 15 years were highly infected with fungi and the female patients were more affected than male. Patients with excellent and good healthy state were less infected. Also, the majority of ear infection were found in children of poor occupation and decreased with raising of the family occupation and disappeared in rich families. On the other hands, there are no relationship between ear infection and the level of family education. Twelve species and one variety belonging to 5 genera were isolated from 60 children patients on Czapeck,s and Sabouraud,s dextrose agar at 28°C. Members of Aspergillus were the most prevalent. From the genus 8 species were identified of which A. niger, A. sydowii and A. versicolor were the most predominant. The second incidence fungi in children ears was represented by Penicillium. The other 3 genera identified, represented each by one species, were isolated in less frequency of occurrence at least on one isolation medium. About 17 isolates appertaining to 10 species related to 5 genera were tested for their abilities to produce lipase and protease enzymes on solid medium. The results indicated that 12 isolates could produce the two enzymes.Isolates related to A. flavus, A. niger, A. sydowii, Penicillium sp. were the most producers for lipase and protease enzymes. Thus, critical diagnosis of the causative agent by employing aseptic and proper culture techniques and susceptibility testing for proper treatment of this disease is the need of the hour .
Instructional Leadership Practices adopted by Principals for Administrative Effectiveness in Public and Private Secondary Schools in Anambra State, Nigeria

This study investigated the instructional leadership practices adopted by principals for administrative effectiveness in public and private secondary schools in Anambra State. Two research questions guided the study and two null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised 759 respondents made up of 258 public and 501 private secondary school principals in the state. Cluster and simple random sampling techniques were used to draw 304 principals, which is made up of 103 from public secondary schools and 201 from private secondary schools. The researchers developed questionnaire titled ‘‘Principals’ Instructional Leadership Practices for Administrative Effectiveness Questionnaire (PILPAEQ) was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts; who are lecturers, two in the Department of Educational Management and Policy and an expert in Measurement and Evaluation in the Department of Educational Foundations, all in the Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University. Cronbach alpha was used for a test of internal consistency of the instrument and it yielded reliability co-efficients of 0.79 and 0.76 for Clusters I and II respectively and overall coefficient of the entire instrument was 0.78. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while t-test was used to test the null hypotheses. The findings of the study revealed that instructional supervision practices are adopted by principals for administrative effectiveness in public and private secondary schools in Anambra State. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that Ministry of Education and school proprietors should conduct regular unannounced intensive inspection exercise to oversee the supervisory practices of public and private school principals and make possible recommendations for improvement.
Studying the Rheological Properties of Non-Newtonian Fluids under the Effect of temperature Using Different Chemical Additives

This research studies the rheological properties ( plastic viscosity, yield point and apparent viscosity) of Non-Newtonian fluids under the effect of temperature using different chemical additives, such as (xanthan gum (xc-polymer), carboxyl methyl cellulose ( High and low viscosity ) ,polyacrylamide, polyvinyl alcohol, starch, Quebracho and Chrome Lignosulfonate). The samples were prepared by mixing 22.5g of bentonite with 350 ml of water and adding the additives in four different concentrations (3, 6, 9, 13) g by using Hamilton Beach mixer. The rheological properties of prepared samples were measured by using Fan viscometer model 8-speeds. All the samples were subjected to Bingham plastic model. The temperature range studied is from 50 to 200 °F. The results shows that the rheological properties (plastic viscosity, apparent viscosity and yield point) decreased as temperature increased for all prepared samples of non-Newtonian fluids.