Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Agricultural price evolution in drought versus non-drought affected areas in Ethiopia: An updated assessment using national producer data (January 2014 to January 2017)

We analyze the evolution of crop and livestock producer prices and wages of unskilled laborers in Ethiopia between January 2014 and January 2017 to evaluate the effect of El Nino triggered droughts – which started in 2015 – that massively impacted parts of the country. The analyses reveal no evidence of widespread adverse price effects of the drought in cereal and labor markets. Real prices of major cereals were lower in January 2017 compared to three years earlier, especially for maize, sorghum, and wheat – the crops that are the major source of calories in areas that were most hit by drought. The decline in the cost of cereals in the food basket in January 2017 compared to three years earlier was estimated at 13.3 percent at the national level. Moreover, this decline in cereal costs was highest in areas most affected by the drought, possibly indicating the effect of major cereal imports and food aid directed to these areas. Considering crop and livestock prices jointly, the analysis reveals that livestock-cereal terms of trade improved. This is mainly due to the fact that although livestock prices declined during this period, as is usually seen in droughts, this decline was less than the decline in prices of cereals in such areas. The fluctuating behavior of cereal prices since January 2015 strikingly contrasts with the El Nino triggered major drought during 1997/98 in Ethiopia. During that period, cereal production declined by 25 percent compared to the year before, with significant increases in the real price of cereals, ranging between 15 and 45 percent. In contrast, in 2016 real cereal prices declined, which appears consistent with the relatively larger cereal imports and lower impacts of the drought on national cereal production in 2015/16.
Evaluation of the coal wash and steel furnace slag blends as effective reclamation fill for port expansion

Coal wash (CW) and steel furnace slag (SFS) are granular waste by-products that result from the operation of the coal mining and the steel industries, respectively. Their effective reuse and recycling as fill materials for earthwork construction, embankments and/or structural fill materials in port expansion projects, is economically attractive and environmentally sustainable because it lessens the need for disposal and sourcing of materials from local quarries. As the need for blending these materials arises from their individual adverse geotechnical characteristics, i.e. swelling and breakage behaviour in SFS and CW, it is important to evaluate the suitability of different mixtures ratios particularly in terms of shear strength and swelling potential to meet various performance criteria for structural fills. This paper presents an experimental study on the compacted SFS and CW source materials and SFS-CW blends prepared on a dry weight basis. First the basic index properties of the mixtures are described and the shear strength and swelling behaviour were examined through drained triaxial compression and free swelling tests according to the expected performance criteria of structural fill materials for port reclamation. The experimental data suggests that while different blends exhibited different stress strain behaviour, they showed some degree of similarity in terms of the stress-strain relationships. Furthermore, the results confirm that the addition of CW reduces the swelling potential of the mixture. Disciplines Engineering | Science and Technology Studies Publication Details Heitor, A. , Indraratna, B. , Rujikiatkamjorn, C. , Chiaro, G. & Tasalloti, S. M. A. (2014). Evaluation of the coal wash and steel furnace slag blends as effective reclamation fill for port expansion. In A. Bouazza, S. T. S. Yuen & B. Brown (Eds.), 7th International Congress on Environmental Geotechnics (pp. 972-979). Melbourne, Australia: Engineers Australia. This conference paper is available at Research Online: http://ro.uow. edu.au/eispapers/3109
Uncertainty analysis in ecological risk assessment modeling

UNCERTAINTY ANALYSIS IN ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT MODELING by Tepwitoon Thongsri A probabilistic approach employing Monte Carlo simulations for assessing parameter and risks as probabilistic distributions was used in an ecological risk assessment (ERA) model to characterize risk and address uncertainty. This study addresses the following sources of uncertainty: parameter inputs in the ERA models, risk algorithms and uncertain input concentrations. To achieve this objective, both sensitivity and uncertainty analyses are being conducted. Monte Carlo simulations were used for generating probabilistic distributions of parameter and model uncertainty. All sensitivity, uncertainty, and variability analyses were coded in Visual Basic as part of the ERA model software version 2001, which was developed under the Sustainable Green Manufacturing (SGM) program. This simulation tool includes a Window's based interface, an interactive and modifiable database management system (DBMS) that addresses the food web at trophic levels, and a comprehensive evaluation of exposure pathways. To verify this model, ecological risks from Cr, Ta, Mo and DU exposure at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) and Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) were assessed and characterized. For the case of DU exposure to YPG terrestrial plants, the overall distributions for DU uptake for plants suggest 90% likelihood in reduction in root weight. For most terrestrial animals at YPG, the dose is less than that resulting in a decrease in offspring. At APG, DU exposure potentially poses little risk for terrestrial animals, which is no observable impact on receptor's reproduction or development. DU potentially poses lower risks to aquatic species at APG as well. The overall risk posed by the metals followed the order of Mo>Cr>Ta for both YPG and APG sits. Blacktailed-jackrabbits, lesser long-nosed bats, mule deer and cactus mice, at YPG site, are expected to have a reduction in size and weight of offspring. Terrestrial plants are likely to exhibit a reduction in root weight. For APG site, the vulnerable receptors are white-footed mice, white-tailed deer, and cottontail rabbits. For terrestrial plants, the risk result suggests a reduction in root weight. Aquatic species did not show any observable risk from Mo, Cr, and Ta in the terms of survival, growth and mortality. UNCERTAINTY ANALYSIS IN ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT MODELING by Tepwitoon Thongsri A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey — Newark in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Science Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science May 2004 Copyright © 2004 by Tepwitoon Thongs
Ovarian Cancer in the Older Manitoban Population—Treatment Tolerance and Cancer-Related Outcomes: A Manitoba Ovarian Cancer Outcomes (MOCO) Group Study

Background: In Canada, individuals with gynecologic reproductive organs (ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus) over the age of 70 comprise a large proportion of epithelial ovarian cancer patients. These patients often have co-morbidities, polypharmacy, or decreased functional status that may impact treatment initiation and tolerance. Despite this, there is limited evidence to guide treatment for older patients diagnosed with ovarian epithelial carcinoma. Methods: This is a retrospective study with data from Manitoba, Canada. The data were obtained from the Manitoba Ovarian Cancer Database, the Manitoba Cancer Registry, and electronic health records. All individuals with epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer diagnosed between 2009 and 2018 were identified. Patients aged > 70 at the time of diagnosis were included in the study cohort. Results: Four hundred and forty individuals were included. The majority had advanced stage disease (56%). Moreover, 59% of patients received no chemotherapy. Of the patients who received chemotherapy, 20% received <2 cycles and 21% required a dose reduction due to toxicity. Univariable and multivariable analysis identified advanced stage (p < 0.001), treatment modality (p < 0.001), and advanced age at diagnosis (p < 0.001) with poorer overall survival. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated a high rate of chemotherapy dose reduction and discontinuation in the elderly epithelial ovarian cancer population. Further research is needed to identify risk factors for treatment discontinuation and intolerance in this population.
IPVAW male perpetrators convicted in Spain: a typology and characterization based on latent class analysis

Introduction Men who assault their partners present deficits in the social skills necessary for adequate interpersonal interaction. Not all of them have the same difficulties, thus they do not constitute a homogeneous group. Various studies have proposed different typologies of abusers based on their sociodemographic characteristics, criminal history, intensity and extent of violent or psychopathological traits. The majority of these investigations have been conducted in community samples, prompting the question of their validity in samples of men convicted of gender violence. The aim of this study was to establish a typology of men convicted in Spain for a gender violences crimes. Methodology A total of 365 men participated and were subdivided into three classes of abusers based on their childhood, family experiences with violence, criminal history, sexist attitudes and attitudes toward violence, intensity and type of violence, psychopathological state and attachment style. Results Coinciding with the results found in other research, 30% of the participants were classified as generally violent. They engaged in severe forms of physical, psychological and sexual violence and were more likely to do so than the rest. Additionally, they are more likely to present psychopathological problems and an antisocial character. Twenty-one percent were classified as dysphoric/borderline. They are characterized by minor forms of psychological violence, borderline or depressive symptomatology and an anxious attachment style. The remaining 49% were classified as familial or normalized abusers. This group exhibits moderate attitudes toward violence and sexism, resulting in less psychological and physical aggression. They do not present psychopathological problems and are likely to present a secure attachment style. Discussion It is argued that determining the psychological characteristics of each type of abuser would contribute to improving and adapting intervention protocols in Spain, leading to a significant improvement in the current issue of abuse.
Serum Immunoglobulin G and M as Predictors for Outcome of Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome

Background: Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is characterised by a loss of albumin, proteins, and other plasma components with comparable bulk. Symptoms include decreasing serum albumin levels, increased blood lipid levels, lipids in urine, and edema. Objective: To estimate serum levels of IgG, IgM, in nephrotic syndrome cases in addition to detect the relationship between IgG/IgM ratio and response to treatment with steroids. Patients and Methods: The present study was carried out in Benha University Hospital, it comprised 60 children admitted to Nephrology Unit of Pediatric Department of Benha University Hospitals. The cases were divided into four groups: Group A included 15 cases of frequent relapse N.S. (FRNS), Group B comprised 15 cases of steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS), and Group C consisted of 15 cases with infrequent relapses. Additionally, a control group of 15 cases. Results: In our study, serum IgM showed a significant difference between the studied groups (P < 0.001). Pairwise analysis revealed that it was significantly lower in the control group (median = 0.71 mg/ml) than in groups A (median = 1.48 mg/ml), B (median = 1.27 mg/ml), and C (median = 1.62 mg/ml). ROC analyses were conducted to assess the discriminatory potential of serum IgG and IgM levels among the different study groups (Group A, Group B, and Group C) compared to controls. For serum IgG, the analysis for all groups demonstrated significant AUC values, ranging from 0.938 to 0.958, with confidence intervals indicating excellent discrimination. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the potential of serum IgG and IgM levels as diagnostic markers for differentiating nephrotic syndrome cases and provide valuable insights into the pathophysiology and treatment response in these patients.
Tramadol and/or Ketamine Repurposing as Potential Anticancer Drugs in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Cell Lines

Prostate cancer (PCa) progression to androgen independence is the main cause of death. Although all metastatic patients initially responded to anti-androgen therapy, most of them failed hormonal treatments in less than 2 years. Tramadol is an opioid agonist with the central effect of treating pain. Ketamine is a flexible medication that has a wide range of clinical uses. This in vitro study evaluated the repurposing of tramadol and/or ketamine as potential anticancer drugs. Moreover, the impact of these drugs on cell death pathways was assessed. PC-3 and DU145 cell lines were treated with tramadol and/or ketamine. Apoptosis, autophagy, necroptosis, parthanatos, endoplasmic reticulum stress, the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related genes were determined by real-time PCR. Current data showed upregulation of most gene expression in PC-3 cells treated with TRA and/or KET compared to untreated cancer cells, except for N-cadherin, which was insignificantly downregulated by KET. On the other hand, gene expressions in DU145 showed an insignificant difference in all treated cells compared to each other or untreated cancer cells, except for significant up-regulation of ATG3, Beclin1, and ATF6 by KET (P = 0.047, 0.035, and 0.042, respectively), IRE1 by TRA (P = 0.023) and N-cadherin by the combined drug (P = 0.014) compared to untreated cells. PC-3 cells were significantly more susceptible to tramadol and/or ketamine than DU145 cells. ROS-induced cell death pathways could be the mechanism by which tramadol and ketamine exert their anticancer effects against metastatic PCa. Targeting cell death pathways is an ideal strategy for developing new anticancer therapies .
Fertilización y demanda nutrimental NPK de Swietenia macrophylla King y Cedrela odorata L. en desarrollo

La caoba y el cedro son especies nativas de América Tropical y se consideran maderas preciosas tropicales más valiosas del mundo. Por lo que se han establecido plantaciones forestales a escala comercial, dándole un manejo silvícola sustentable, siendo la fertilización una de las prácticas más importantes. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el efecto de cuatro dosis de fertilización sobre el crecimiento de caoba y cedro en fase temprana en un suelo ácido de sabana, así como determinar la demanda nutrimental de NPK de cada especie. En el experimento se probaron ocho tratamientos de fertilización en las dos especies. Las variables estudiadas fueron altura total y diámetro del tallo, realizándose mediciones durante 10 meses. Para estimar la demanda nutrimental, se muestrearon cuatro árboles completos; y se determinó su concentración NPK en cada tejido (hoja, tallo y raíz). Los resultados muestran que el cedro presentó mayor crecimiento en altura y diámetro. La variable altura en la especie cedro, fue la que mostró diferencias estadísticas significativas, siendo el tratamiento 17-17-60 con las cantidades de 35 y 50 g con un incremento de 177 cm. La cantidad de nutriente de NPK que demandan ambas especies presentan una relación en el orden siguiente N>K>P. La mayor extracción de N, P y K la realiza el tallo y en menor cantidad la raíz. Y en el caso de la mayor concentración de nutriente se encuentra en las hojas. El cedro mostró mayor demanda nutrimental y mejor exploración de la rizósfera que la caoba.
New Trends in E-learning and New Approaches to the Development of E-learning Educational Materials

E-learning represents an area that is dynamically developing and closely correlated with society's technological progress. Since its inception, we have witnessed many changes in e-learning development and the creation of electronic educational materials. With the growing development of modern technologies, E-learning is becoming a key element in education. This article aims to identify and describe the main trends in e-learning and the creation of electronic educational materials. As part of our survey, we identified the main trends shaping E-learning. These trends include various aspects, including the personalisation of education, the interactivity of courses, the use of artificial intelligence and data analysis for better efficiency, the development of virtual reality and augmented reality in the educational environment, the inclusion of various multimedia elements, and many others. We expect these trends to have a significant impact on the way educational materials are created and delivered. They open the door to new possibilities and innovations in the E-learning field, which promise a more effective and adaptable education for everyone.
Assessing the maximum limit of SAR-OSL dating using quartz of different grain sizes

Abstract SAR-OSL dating studies of Romanian, Serbian and Chinese loess using fine and coarse quartz have previously resulted in a series of controversial issues. We extend here the investigations using fine (4–11 μm) and different coarse quartz (>63 μm) grains extracted from aeolianites from a site on Eivissa Island (southwestern Mediterranean). Aeolianites were chosen since they contain quartz from a different geological context and have significantly lower environmental dose rates. The dose response curves of the OSL signals for fine and coarse quartz are similar to those for loess and are also represented by the sum of two saturating exponential functions. For doses up to ~200 Gy, the dose response curves of fine and coarse grains from aeolianites can be superimposed and the ages obtained for the different grain sizes are in agreement up to ~250 ka, increasing our confidence in the accuracy of the ages obtained for samples with such doses, irrespective of the magnitude of the environmental dose rate. Particularly for the fine quartz fraction, a mismatch between the SAR dose response curve and the dose response curve obtained when doses are added to the natural is reported, indicating that the application of the SAR protocol in the high dose range is problematic. This dose dependent deviation is much less pronounced for coarse grains. Thus, it seems reasonable to infer that the dose response curves for the coarse grains, although saturating earlier can be regarded as more reliable for equivalent dose calculation than those for the fine grains.
Significant relationship of self-esteem and class engagement of students from Cavite city, Philippines

This study sought to investigate the correlation between self-esteem and class engagement among students in Cavite City and its potential influence on academic achievement. Pearson correlation coefficient and inferential statistics were employed to assess this association. However, the results unveiled no substantial link between the two variables, highlighting the need for additional research. In examining the data concerning the relationship between self-esteem and engagement, the statistical approach of Pearson r was applied. The findings from this analysis demonstrated the absence of a noteworthy connection between the two variables. The calculated Sig. value of 0.124 signified a 12.4% probability that any observed relationship between self-esteem and engagement might have occurred purely by chance. To provide further clarity, a significant relationship between the variables typically arises when the Sig. value equals or falls below 0.05. Nevertheless, in this instance, the Sig. value of 0.124 indicated that the observed relationship did not attain statistical significance. Although the outcomes implied that promoting self-esteem and class engagement may not significantly influence each other, this study furnished valuable insights for educators and policymakers in Cavite City, encouraging them to explore alternative interventions for enhancing academic outcomes. Further investigation is required to attain a more thorough grasp of the intricate factors influencing student motivation and engagement.
Statistical Correlation Analysis of Field‐Aligned Currents Measured by Swarm

We investigate the statistical, dual‐spacecraft correlations of field‐aligned current (FAC) signatures between two Swarm spacecraft. For the first time, we infer the orientations of the current sheets of FACs by directly using the maximum correlations obtained from sliding data segments. The current sheet orientations are shown to broadly follow the mean shape of the auroral boundary for the lower latitudes and that these are most well ordered on the dusk side. Orientations at higher latitudes are less well ordered. In addition, the maximum correlation coefficients are explored as a function of magnetic local time and in terms of either the time shift (δt) or the shift in longitude (δlon) between Swarms A and C for various filtering levels and choice of auroral region. We find that the low‐latitude FACs show the strongest correlations for a broad range of magnetic local time centered on dawn and dusk, with a higher correlation coefficient on the dusk side and lower correlations near noon and midnight. The positions of maximum correlation are sensitive to the level of low‐pass filter applied to the data, implying temporal influence in the data. This study clearly reflects the two different domains of FACs: small‐scale (some tens of kilometers), which are time variable, and large‐scale (>50 km), which are rather stationary. The methodology is deliberately chosen to highlight the locations of small‐scale influences that are generally variable in both time and space. We may fortuitously find a potential new way to recognize bursts of irregular pulsations (Pi1B) using low‐Earth orbit satellites.
North-South Customs Unions and International Capital Mobility

North-South Customs North-South trade accords can serve as 'credibiityUnions and International enhancing' mechanisms for Capital M obiliy *the treatment of foreign investment, inducing additional inflows of foreign Eduardo Fernandez-Arias capital. Mark M. Spiegel The presence of sovereign risk changes the tradeoffs between trade: creation and diversion, enhancing the potential for welfareincreasing, trade-diverting North-South regional trade accords. North-South integration involves different issues than did previous trade accords, but a nation still does best by the integration that yields the greatest gains from trade.