Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Heavy Metal Concentrations in Some Vegetables Grown in a Farm Treated with Urban Solid Waste in Kuru Jantar, Nigeria

The use of dumpsite soils as organic manure is wide spread in developing countries like Nigeria. This study investigates the concentration of some heavy metals in vegetables grown in a farm treated with dumpsite soils in Kuru Jantar, Nigeria. Soil samples and vegetables from the farm were collected and prepared using standard analytical procedures. The concentrations of metals in both soil and vegetables were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The results showed that the farm was polluted with the metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Mu, Fe, Pb, Zn, Ni) determined. The Enrichment Factor (EF) showed that some metals had minimal enrichment while Cd (13.93) had significant enrichment at the farm. The Pollution index (PI) calculations showed that Original Research Article Nanven et al.; BJAST, 8(2): 139-147, 2015; Article no.BJAST. 2015.192 140 at the farm, the contamination pollution ranged from very slight to very severe. The overall order of the metals at the dumpsite was Fe> Mn> Zn> Cu> Cr> Ni> Pb> Cd while the order of the metal concentrations at the farm was Fe> Mn> Zn> Ni> Cd> Pb. The data obtained in the study were analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis. The results showed perfect positive correlation values above 0.9 between the farm and the dumpsite, which indicated that there was a strong association or similarity between them. The metal concentrations in the vegetables analyzed showed that spinach decreased in the order Fe>Zn>Mn>Cd>Pb while in Cabbage, the order was Mn> Fe> Zn>Cu>Cd; in Radish, the order was Fe>Mn>Cu>Cr>Zn while in pepper, the order was Fe>Cu>Mn>Ni. In general, the metal concentrations were below the recommended limit of USEPA and FEPA standards for agricultural soils and vegetables except for Cd in vegetables. The concentrations were however higher in the farm than in the control. Thus, the farm was polluted with heavy metals from the dumpsite soils.
Sporoderm ultrastructure of some Devonian and Permian representatives of Biharisporites and their botanical affinity

Abstract The megaspore genus Biharisporites has a very wide stratigraphic range, being recorded from the Devonian to the Cretaceous. However, in situ these megaspores are known only from the Middle–Upper Devonian, from archaeopteridalean sporangia. Post-Devonian producers of Biharisporites are so far unknown; the parent group can only be hypothesized from the spore morphology and ultrastructure, and from the composition of contemporaneous assemblages of macroremains. To contribute to the understanding of the botanical affinity of dispersed megaspores of the genus, we undertook a comparative ultrastructural study of several Biharisporites species from the Middle Devonian of Russia and the Lower Permian of India. Surprisingly, we found exclusively lycopsid variants of the sporoderm ultrastructure not only in the Permian spores, but also in the Devonian. Therefore, some megaspores of Biharisporites were produced by lycopsids even in the Middle Devonian. Megaspores of Biharisporites morphology have been produced by different groups of spore-bearing plants since the Middle Devonian, and the genus Biharisporites is heterogeneous.
The Efficacy of Grief Therapy: Reviewing the Evidence and Looking Ahead

The efficacy of psychotherapeutic interventions for the bereaved has engendered considerable discussion and debate over recent years. These concerns have been largely motivated by reviews of grief therapy outcome studies that have not provided strong support for these interventions. This paper summarizes the available empirical evidence and outlines some of the critical issues associated with outcome research on grief therapy that might provide a partial explanation of these discouraging findings. In particular, we focus on the importance of tailoring interventions to the targeted population and evaluating outcome in a way that is consistent with the goals of the therapy. Although there is certainly cause for pessimism at this point, by implementing appropriate research designs and measurement approaches according to the preventive or treatment-oriented aims of the intervention, we also see room for hope. Implications for clinical work and future outcome research are also discussed.
Mites (Oribatida and Mesostigmata) and vegetation as complementary bioindicators in peatlands.

Vegetation is widely used in the assessment of the quality of peatlands, while the invertebrate fauna of peatlands is relatively poorly studied. We compared the bioindicator values of vegetation with two arthropod groups widespread in peatlands, saprophagous Oribatida (Acariformes) and predatory Mesostigmata (Parasitiformes) mites. Samples were collected from ecotones at the edges of peatland ponds in Poland, including four in near-natural condition (i.e., peatlands unaffected by human activity) and three in previously disturbed but now recovering peatlands. A set of abiotic parameters was measured at each site: pond area, mean annual temperature, annual precipitation, and water parameters (pH, conductivity, colour, total nitrogen and phosphorus, calcium, organic carbon). Overall, 63,635 specimens of Oribatida and 448 of Mesostigmata were recovered in the sampling. Species richness of Oribatida (56 species) was higher than that of vegetation (46) and Mesostigmata (15). Vegetation was significantly associated with annual precipitation in the years 1998-2007 which accounted for 29.1 % of the variation in vegetation communities. Oribatida variability was significantly associated with the content of organic carbon in water accounting for 32.4 % of variation. In contrast, variation in the Mesostigmata was not significantly associated with any of the abiotic parameters. Vegetation at ponds in previously disturbed and now recovering peatlands had higher bush cover than at near-natural ponds and the pond in the cutaway peat had lowest moss cover and the highest number of associate species (i.e., species with wide tolerance not characteristic of the certain community). Mite communities did not differ consistently between near-natural and recovering peatlands. Sphagnum divinum Flatberg et Hassel was recorded from Poland for the first time.
A regional explanation for Laxfordian tectonic evolution and its implications for the Lewisian terrane model

The later Paleoproterozoic (Laxfordian) structural and metamorphic history of the Lewisian Complex can be explained by several major kinematic changes. At c. 1.9 Ga, the neighbouring Archean cratons of Rae, North Atlantic (NAC), Kola and Karelia were isolated from each other and subduction and accretion were active at their margins. At c. 1.85 Ga, during the ‘Early Laxfordian’, the Lewisian, then part of the Nagssugtoqidian orogenic belt, experienced NW–SE-directed tectonic movements attributed to east–west convergence between the Rae Craton and the NAC, probably prompted by collision with Baltica. At c. 1.7 Ga, during the ‘Late Laxfordian’, a major change to north–south convergence produced a combination of NW–SE-trending folds and NW–SE dextral shear zones. The kinematic system changed again after c. 1.6 Ga. The latter two changes may be attributable to the docking of further large cratons as the Nuna supercontinent was assembled. The Lewisian terrane model can be interpreted in terms of the relative movements between two major cratons, Rae and NAC. Sandwiched between them was a third, composed of material partly derived from a juvenile magmatic arc or arcs situated in oceanic crust. The Assynt terrane may be an isolated remnant of the upper-plate NAC, whereas most of the remaining Lewisian outcrop may consist of modified Rae material.
Macrophage-Related Genes Biomarkers in Left Ventricular Remodeling Induced by Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND Elevated left ventricular mass index contributes to morbidity and mortality induced by heart failure and M2 macrophages play a critical role in left ventricular remodeling. Here, our aim was to investigate the roles of M2 macrophage-related genes in heart failure. METHODS GSE10161 was downloaded and the abundance of immune cells were estimated utilizing the CIBERSORT algorithm. Using the limma test and correlation analysis, differentially expressed plasm B cells and M2 macrophages-related genes (DEBRGs and DEMRGs) were documented. Functional pathways and the protein-protein interaction network were analyzed and the hub DEMRGs were obtained. The hub DEMRGs and their interactions were analyzed using NetworkAnalyst 3.0 and for validation, the hub DEMRGs expressions were analyzed using the GSE135055, GSE116250 and GSE74144 datasets. RESULTS 103 differentially expressed genes were correlated with the abundance of M2 Macrophages and were identified as DEMRGs (PCC >0.4), which were mainly enriched in extracellular matrix organization, cell adhesion molecule binding and postsynaptic membrane. After screening out, 5 hub DEMRGs were obtained, including FN1 (degree = 21), COL3A1 (degree = 13), COL1A2 (degree = 13), FBN1 (degree = 12), and MMP2 (degree = 11). However, no hub DEBRGs were obtained in the network. The expression patterns of the screened DEMRGs were further validated in the patients with heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, ischemic cardiomyopathy or hypertension. CONCLUSIONS The results can improve our understanding of the macrophages-associated molecular mechanisms in heart failure induced by dilated cardiomyopathy, ischemic cardiomyopathy or hypertension and 5 hub DEMRGs may help prevent the adverse left ventricular remodeling to decrease mortality and morbidity.
Complete chloroplast genome studies of different apple varieties indicated the origin of modern cultivated apples from Malus sieversii and Malus sylvestris

Background Apple is one of the most important temperate deciduous fruit trees worldwide, with a wide range of cultivation. In this study, we assessed the variations and phylogenetic relationships between the complete chloroplast genomes of wild and cultivated apples (Malus spp.). Method We obtained the complete chloroplast genomes of 24 apple varieties using next-generation sequencing technology and compared them with genomes of (downloaded from NCBI) the wild species. Result The chloroplast genome of Malus is highly conserved, with a genome length of 160,067–160,290 bp, and all have a double-stranded circular tetrad structure. The gene content and sequences of genomes of wild species and cultivated apple were almost the same, but several mutation hotspot regions (psbI-atpA, psbM-psbD, and ndhC-atpE) were detected in these genomes. These regions can provide valuable information for solving specific molecular markers in taxonomic research. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Malus formed a new clade and four cultivated varieties clustered into a branch with M. sylvestris and M. sieversii, which indicated that M. sylvestris and M. sieversii were the ancestor species of the cultivated apple.
Motivated Mobilization: The Role of Emotions in the Processing of Poll Messages

This study investigates how exposure to favorable messages about one's preferred party can affect emotional reactions and subsequent behavioral intentions. Integrating the motivated reasoning and discrete emotions’ frameworks, we offer a theoretical framework of motivated mobilization for explaining political engagement in response to poll exposure. Specifically, we examine the mediating role of emotions in the relationship between motivated assessments of polls and political mobilization. To test this model, we offer empirical evidence from an online survey-experiment (N = 540) conducted during the 2019 Indian general election. We find that exposure to favorable poll results increases enthusiasm and decreases anger, while both enthusiasm and anger activate behavioral intention for political participation. While our study supports the existing findings which show that partisanship is an important predictor of mobilization for a party and candidate, we uncover the affective routes through which partisanship operates to shape poll reactions. The results underscore the importance of capturing individual variability in preexisting affiliations and their shaping of poll reactions through affect-driven motivated reactions. We discuss these results with regard to the dynamics of political mobilization during election campaigns, the role of emotions in political cognition at large, and in understanding and mitigating biases in poll perceptions.
Degree of eGovernment Development and Level of Informal Economy - A Nudge from the Covid-19 Pandemic?

Across the whole world, more than half of the global workforce have their main employment in the informal economy. EU member state factsheets suggest that undeclared work in its various manifestations is a real problem for all countries, hence the need for appropriate tackling strategies, from a multitude of theoretical and practical perspectives. One of these, the neoinstitutional theoretical perspective, considers that individuals` behaviour is shaped by the institutional environment they are embedded in, defined by three pillars namely, the regulative, normative and cultural-cognitive pillars. Based on this perspective, in our study we aim to investigate, at exploratory level, the relationship between the degree of development of e-Government services and the level of informal economy, with a specific focus on the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on people’s perceptions about this relationship in several EU countries with high percentages of undeclared work and a lower degree of e-Government development. We employed secondary data extracted from previous surveys (Eurobarometers, eGovernment benchmarks, UN eGov Survey), combined with a quick online survey of a small number of experts’ perceptions about undeclared work and e-Government services during the pandemic in one of the analyzed countries. The study is exploratory and can serve as a starting point for future tests of the new theoretical developments suggested in the field.
Gender Differences in Admissions and In-Hospital Outcomes of Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

Background The incidence of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) decreased during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Few studies have investigated gender differences in ACS admissions and outcomes during pandemics and have presented divergent results. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on male and female hospitalizations and in-hospital outcomes in patients presenting with ACS. Methodology We designed a retrograde, single-center trial gathering data for ACS hospitalizations during the lockdown (March 9, 2020, to April 30, 2020) compared with the same timeframe of 2019. ACS hospitalizations were subgrouped as ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-STEMI (NSTEMI), and unstable angina (UA). We calculated the incidence rate ratio (IRR) to compare all-ACS and subgroups for male and female hospitalizations and the risk ratio (RR) to compare overall male/female mortality. Results This study included 321 ACS patients (238 males, 83 females) during the COVID-19 lockdown and 550 patients (400 males, 150 females) during 2019. The IRRs of all-ACS/males/females were significantly lower during the COVID-19 period at 0.58 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.44-0.76), 0.59 (95% CI = 0.43-0.75), and 0.55 (95% CI = 0.37-0.74), respectively. The IRR for STEMI was significantly lower among females (0.59 (95% CI = 0.39-0.89)), but not among males (0.76 (95% CI = 0.55-1.08)) The IRR for NSTEMI was not significantly lower, meanwhile it was significantly lower for UA among both males and females. The overall ACS mortality increased during the COVID-19 period (7.4% vs. 3.4%; RR = 2.16 (95% CI = 1.20-3.89)). Important increase was found in males (7.45% vs. 2.5%; RR = 3.02 (95% CI = 1.42-6.44)), but not in females (7.2% vs. 6%; RR = 1.20 (95% CI = 0.44-3.27). Conclusions The admissions of ACS reduced similarly in males and females during the COVID-19 pandemic. The admissions of STEMI reduced predominantly in females. We identified a substantial increase in the overall ACS mortality, but predominantly in males, reducing the differences between males and females. Further studies are necessary to better understand the increase in male mortality during the pandemic.
Mechanisms of Radiation-induced Cardiovascular Complications

SUMMARY Radiation therapy (RT) has contributed to significant improvements with respect to the survival times in many cancers, including Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (HL), breast cancer, lung cancer, and other thoracic region tumors. In addition, the advances of anti-cancer therapies result in greater numbers of long-term survivors after thoracic irradiation as well. Therefore, it has become more important to understand the long-term complications of RT. Radiation-induced cardiovascular complications (RICC) have become an increasingly recognized side effect of RT, which can cause non-malignant death in patients particularly suffering from HL and breast cancer. The spectrum of RICC is broad, potentially involving any component of the heart, including pericardium, myocardium, heart valves, coronary arteries, capillaries, and conducting system that underwent RT, most often occurring decades after the treatment. Numerous studies of RICC show that the injury of endothelial cells is the key point in most tissues that ultimately leads to fibrosis or necrosis. Ionizing radiation directly modifies DNA, including single-and double-strand breaks on a molecular level. Indirectly ionizing radiation also produces reactive oxygen species, which can lead cellular stress and death. Radiation directly affects the vasculature by causing endothelial cell apoptosis and senescence and by changing aspects of normal vascular homeostasis. The mechanism of RICC has not been clearly defined yet. A better understanding of the biological mechanisms of RICC is very important to clarify the exact pathogenesis of this important disease spectrum, and it will also provide to develop novel treatment strategies.
What Do We Know about Business Angels’ Decision Making Research Development? A Document Co-Citation Analysis

Business angels (BAs) mitigate the financial gap of early-stage ventures and get actively involved in ventures they invest in. Their crucial role in the start-up ecosystem is spurring interest in their decision-making processes when making investments. However, the research about their investment decision making is crumpled. So far, we know the knowledge base about BA decision making comes from a blend of interdisciplinary studies where psychology and finance had a significant impact in pushing the research to new levels. With this study, we review knowledge dyads in the BA decision-making field through bibliometric co-citation analysis.
Embracing the Maverick: The Evolution of President Donald Trump’s Management of Foreign Policy-Making

Research on the American presidency reveals that all presidential advisory systems follow a similar pattern of change over time from standard, formal interagency structures to informal structures in which decisions are made outside the traditional interagency processes. We employ a longitudinal comparative case design to analyze the dynamics of the Trump administration’s foreign policy-making to explain how Trump’s management of foreign policy decision-making evolved over his tenure in office. By using a focused-structured comparison to analyze five foreign policy case studies, we argue that Trump confirms the main tenets of the evolution model of presidential policy-making which claims that, over time, presidents increasingly rely on informal and ad hoc decision-making structures and processes. However, rather than adopt structures and processes that assured a broad deliberation of options, Trump increasingly sought information and policy options that confirmed his pre-existing beliefs or preferences, replacing individuals in his administration who challenged his views and consolidating the decades-long trend of the personalization of foreign policy decision-making in the hands of the president.
Identifying Students with Gifts and Talents in Technology

Susan's science teacher has just purchased five Palm handhelds with temperature probes. He plans to ask his students to develop experiments that test the effectiveness of different types of insulations. Susan can barely contain herself as she waits for him to unpack the new instruments. Later, when he has trouble installing the probe software, Susan volunteers to stay during lunch and help solve the problem. She quickly discovers the error her teacher has been making and remedies it. Susan might be classified as gifted in technology.
Socio-economic status, educational debt, and career choices of social work students in the Southeast United States

ABSTRACT An important goal of the social work profession is to maintain a qualified and accessible professional workforce across all practice areas. Little is known about socio-economic diversity among social work students and potential associations with career choices. The purpose of this project is to describe economic circumstances of social work students and to explore any associations between socio-economic status, debt, intent to stay in the social work profession, and their desired practice area. In this sample of social work students in the Southeastern United States, we find that the majority of students work and accrue student loan debt while in school. Parents’ education level was associated with preference to work in healthcare, mental health/substance abuse, and education settings over nonprofit settings. Parents’ income level had a non-linear association with likelihood of staying in the social work field. Students rated stability and health insurance as more important to choosing a job than salary. We find some potential influence of socio-economic status on career choices of social work students. Given this potential influence, educators should provide information about the features of different practice areas in the social work field and strategies for managing debt after graduation, especially for first generation students.
Serum endocan levels in fresh IVF/ICSI cycles in women with endometriosis: a comparative prospective study

Background: The current study tested the level of endocan, which is thought to have an effective role in both endothelial dysfunction and inflammation, in infertile women with endometriosis treated with in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI). It is based on the hypothesis of chronic inflammation in the pathophysiology of endometriosis. Methods: This prospective case–control study included a total of 64 women who were in the IVF/ICSI program. The women were divided into two groups: endometriosis (n = 32) and non-endometriosis (n = 32). Their baseline characteristics, stimulation parameters, and IVF/ICSI outcomes (clinical pregnancy and live birth rates) were recorded. Blood samples collected at the beginning of the IVF cycle for endocan levels were analyzed with a sandwich enzyme immunoassay and the results were documented. Results: The endocan levels in the endometriosis group were significantly higher than those in the non-endometriosis group, i.e., 5010 pg/mL and 2738 pg/mL, respectively (p< 0.05). A significant weakly positive correlation was found between endocan levels and the presence of endometriosis (p < 0.05, r: 0.284). The cut-off value for endometriosis was determined as 4693 pg/mL with a sensitivity of 53.13% and a specificity of 78.12%. Clinical pregnancy was insignificantly higher in the non-endometriosis group (p = 0.079). However, live birth rates were significantly higher in the nonendometriosis group (p< 0.05). No correlation was found between clinical pregnancy and live birth rate and endocan levels (p> 0.05). Conclusion: High endocan levels were detected in women who underwent IVF/ICSI treatment for endometriosis and infertility and there was a positive correlation between them. However, there was no relationship between endocan levels and IVF/ICSI outcomes.