Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Disintegration predicts problem alcohol and drug use, quality of life, and experience in close relationships over the Big Five and HEXACO personality traits

The Disintegration trait (i.e., proneness to psychotic-like experiences and behaviors) was recently proposed as the basic personality trait that supplements the space of individual differences framed by well-known Big Five and HEXACO models. In this research, we provided additional evidence of the unique contribution of Disintegration in predicting the individual differences in some outcomes whose relations with this trait are mainly unexplored. In the first study (N = 300), we employed a 20-item measure of Disintegration (DELTA-20), a short form of the Big Five Inventory (BFI-10), alcohol and drug use disorders identification tests (AUDIT, DUDIT), and Flanagan's Quality of Life Scale (QoLS). The results showed that Disintegration predicts higher levels of problem alcohol and drug use, and lower quality of life, over and above the Big Five traits, thus increasing the proportion of explained variance by 3% and 1%, respectively. In the second study (N = 537), we used a 10-item measure of Disintegration (DELTA-10), a 60-item form of HEXACO, and a Serbian version of the Modified and Revised Experiences in Close Relationship scale (SM-ECR-R). The results showed that Disintegration predicts higher levels of avoidance and anxiety in close relationships over and above HEXACO traits, with an incremental contribution in the explained variance of 2% and 11%, respectively. In sum, our findings suggested that the Disintegration trait, assessed by either the shorter or longer measure, accounts for unique variance in individual, wellbeing-related outcomes, and dyadic functioning-related outcomes. The limitations and future directions are discussed.
PDO and AMO Modulation of the ENSO–Asian Summer Monsoon Teleconnection During the Last Millennium

Observations show that the teleconnection between the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Asian summer monsoon (ASM) is non‐stationary. However, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood due to inadequate availability of reliable, long‐term observations. This study uses two state‐of‐the‐art data assimilation‐based reconstructions of last millennium climate to examine changes in the ENSO–ASM teleconnection; we investigate how modes of (multi‐)decadal climate variability (namely, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, PDO, and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, AMO) modulate the ENSO–ASM relationship. Our analyses reveal that the PDO exerts a more pronounced impact on ASM variability than the AMO. By comparing different linear regression models, we find that including the PDO in addition to ENSO cycles can improve prediction of the ASM, especially for the Indian summer monsoon. In particular, dry (wet) anomalies caused by El Niño (La Niña) over India become enhanced during the positive (negative) PDO phases due to a compounding effect. However, composite differences in the ENSO–ASM relationship between positive and negative phases of the PDO and AMO are not statistically significant. A significant influence of the PDO/AMO on the ENSO–ASM relationship occurred only over a limited period within the last millennium. By leveraging the long‐term paleoclimate reconstructions, we document and interrogate the non‐stationary nature of the PDO and AMO in modulating the ENSO–ASM relationship.
Pronunciation Anxiety, Pronunciation-Related Views and Pronunciation Learning Actions of EMI and English Major Students

The present study explored pronunciation views, learning actions and anxiety in two differentiated English learner groups: one group which was studying English in an engineering degree and another group enrolled in an English major degree. The results from a questionnaire and focus group sessions revealed that the groups share some views such as a wish to improve their English pronunciation and adherence to native pronunciation references as well as pronunciation learning actions such as watching series or talking to native speakers. However, we also observed significant differences between the groups as the English major students tended to view pronunciation learning as a discipline, while the engineering students saw it as a communicative skill. The English majors also exhibited more pronunciation anxiety, specifically fear of ridicule and worry of making mistakes. They also revealed more anxiety-related themes in the focus group discussions such as worry about their pronunciation, pronunciation shame or unease because they do not know how to pronounce a word or cannot understand. Finally, the English major group was also more demanding of lecturers’ accurate pronunciation. These results suggest that differences regarding English pronunciation anxiety between different learner profiles may need to be considered during their English language learning progress.
Implementing The Role of NGOs In Curricular and Societal Civic Education Through Political Literacy

The importance of political literacy in this context NGOs have the potential to contribute to developing political literacy that is more effective and has a wider impact. Although Civic Education is an integral part of the curriculum, the challenge of teaching democratic values and effective political participation can still be implemented by NGOs as a form of curricular and societal Civic Education. The research in this paper aims to find out the role of NGOs related to political literacy in society through education and advocacy strategies. The research method used is qualitative, with data collection techniques of observation, documentation, and structured, open, and in-depth interviews with representative civic education teachers and representative staff of local NGOs as informants selected by purposive sampling. The findings were based on research conducted for six months with limitations in regional coverage. The political literacy program was declared successful in demonstrating the role of NGOs with the strategy of conducting political literacy training, providing easy-to-understand political information, holding public discussions, inviting people to get involved in the political process, and establishing partnerships with government institutions and civil society. Political literacy activities have a positive impact on participants, although it is not seen and felt directly by the entire community. In conclusion, through political literacy, NGOs can help people become politically literate, less susceptible to political issues, and more open in their political thoughts and actions.
Performance of Animal Drawn Planter on Establishment and Productivity of Groundnut in North Kordofan of Sudan

DOI: 10.15580/GJAS.2013. 8.071013715 In Sudan, groundnut is important in terms of area cultivated, oil and cash export crop. However, the labor requirement for field production considered as the main constraint in groundnut cultivation. Field experiments were conducted in three locations namely El-Obeid research station, El-Nuhoud and Elmahana on sandy soil during two consecutive seasons, 2011/2012 and 2012/2013. The objective of experiment was to evaluate the effect of animal drawn planter on establishment and yield of groundnut in sandy soil. In this experiment, two types of sowing methods were used, the animal drawn planter and manual sowing. The animal drawn planter is simple, locally made and easily operated and maintained by farmers. The treatments were arranged in randomize plots with three replicates and analyzed by t-test. The parameters observed were sowing time, plant population, depth of sowing, uniformity %, weeding %, 50% flowering; and yield and hay production. The results showed that there were highly significant differences between the animal drawn planter and manual for a parameters such as time for sowing, sowing depth, plant population, uniformity of seeding, in groundnut cultivation weeding efficiency, seed and hay yield (kg/ha). The animal drawn planter saves sowing time by 86.6 % compared to manual sowing. It also gave better crop establishment, distribution and uniformity of plant population which resulted in higher yield (1583.9hk/ha) than that of manual treatment (998kg/ha). The results of the economic analysis revealed that the animal drawn planter sowing recorded the highest net return and marginal rate of return (922%) compared to manual sowing for groundnut under rain-fed condition in north kordofan state. Submitted: 10/07/2013 Accepted: 22/08/2013 Published: 29/08/2013
The saline genesis of lacustrine basin in the lower section of the first member of Shahejie Formation in Q ikou Sag

The lower sub-segment Es1 in the Qikou Sag formed a specific lithology of several sets of thin bed of dolomite developed in dark sandstone during the overall expansion of the lake,which showed a strong brackish lacustrine environment.The author studied the trace element of different lithology and the results tasted that the intended interval is mainly the saltwater atmosphere with large salinity.The carbon and oxygen stable isotope test displayed that the carbonate δ13C tended to positive anomaly and the Z value distributed between 111~168.52;the allocation for strontium stable isotopes is slightly higher than the same period sea and far lower than the river and lake;the study indicated that brackish lake basin maybe caused by marine transgression after combined with the diagnostic glauconite and collophane found in the phase and the calcareous nannofossils discovered in the SEM.
Zealandia's oldest volutes (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Volutidae) from the early Paleogene of South Island and Chatham Islands: post Gondwana break-up and evolutionary divergence

Abstract. The isolation of Zealandia in the latest Cretaceous and early Paleogene following the final break-up of Gondwana fostered significant provincialism in molluscan faunas, concomitant with the segmentation of oceanic circulation patterns and changing climate nearing the end of the greenhouse phase in the Southwest Pacific. The earliest volutes (Gastropoda: Volutidae) from the Zealandian region reflect this isolation after separation from the Marie Byrd Land region of West Antarctica with several endemic groups being recognized for the first time since collecting first started in the Wangaloa Formation at Mitchells Rocks (Wangaloa), South Island, New Zealand in 1869. Five taxa attributed to the Volutidae are described herein from South Island (Wangaloa Formation and Steel Greensand) and also the Chatham Islands (Red Bluff Tuff) from the early (mid-Danian) to late Paleocene (Thanetian? ). These comprise a new mid-Danian fulgorariine? genus and species, Wangaluta henaconstricta n. gen. n. sp. ; a new combination also from the Wangaloa Formation, Wangaluta? neozelanica (Finlay and Marwick, 1937); two new zidonine volutes, the mid-Danian Alcithoe. s.l. wangaloaensis n. sp. from the Wangaloa Formation, and also Teremelon onoua n. sp. from the late Paleocene-early Eocene of the Red Bluff Tuff; and a probable volute, Fulgorariine? gen. indet. sp. indet. from the mid-Danian of the Steel Greensand. All of these taxa are endemic in the early Paleogene of New Zealand and represent a significant boost in our knowledge of post-K-Pg boundary diversification of volutid gastropods in the shrinking Weddellian Biotic Province in the southern rim of the Pacific.
Does trade liberalization increase child labor in rural Pakistan? A rural perspective

Trade liberalization has differentiated effects on the regions (i.e., urban and rural). Concerning regional importance, we investigate the association between trade liberalization (TL) and child labor (CL), with special emphasis on rural areas, using micro-level data from 1990-2005 in rural Pakistan. Our estimation approach analyzes geographical differences in the effects of trade policy through province-level exposure to a reduction in import tariffs. We construct provincial panel data for the investigation of the liaison between trade liberalization and child labor in rural Pakistan. The feasible generalized least-squares (FGLS) method is utilized for empirical analysis. Pakistan is related to trade liberalization and the prevalence of child labor in rural areas. In Pakistan, trade liberalization has given rise to child labor in rural regions. It might be the reason that children who are living in rural areas assist their parents with household chores and on-farm. In rural Pakistan, trade liberalization leads to a rise in child labor. Our results hold up well against a range of control variables. The policy implication of the study is that the government should provide free education programs and packages to the poor, especially in rural areas, for the survival of their lives and then parents should send their children to school instead of work.
Mixed populations and annual flood frequency estimates in the western United States: The role of atmospheric rivers

The Bulletin 17B framework assumes that the annual peak flow data included in a flood frequency analysis are from a homogeneous population. However, flood frequency analysis over the western United States is complicated by annual peak flow records that frequently contain annual flows generated from distinctly different flood generating mechanisms. These flood series contain multiple zero flows and/or potentially influential low floods (PILFs) that substantially deviate from the overall pattern in the data. Moreover, they often also contain extreme flood events representing different hydrometeorologic agents. Among the different flood generating mechanisms, atmospheric rivers (ARs) are responsible for large, regional‐scale floods. The spatial and fractional contribution of ARs in annual peak flow data is examined based on 1375 long‐term U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamgage sites with at least 30 years of data. Six main areas in which flooding is impacted by ARs at varying degrees were found throughout the western United States. The Pacific Northwest and the northern California coast have the highest fraction of AR‐generated peaks (∼80–100%), while eastern Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico have nearly no impacts from ARs. The individual regions of the central Columbia River Basin in the Pacific Northwest, the Sierra Nevada, the central and southern California coast, and central Arizona all show a mixture of 30–70% AR‐generated flood peaks. Analyses related to the largest flood peaks on record and to the estimated annual exceedance probabilities highlight the strong impact of ARs on flood hydrology in this region, together with marked regional differences.
Tetrodotoxin/Saxitoxin Accumulation Profile in the Euryhaline Marine Pufferfish Chelonodontops patoca

Marine Takifugu pufferfish, which naturally possess tetrodotoxins (TTXs), selectively take up and accumulate TTXs, whereas freshwater Pao pufferfish, which naturally possess saxitoxins (STXs), selectively take up and accumulate STXs. To further clarify the TTXs/STXs selectivity in pufferfish, we conducted a TTX/STX administration experiment using Chelonodontops patoca, a euryhaline marine pufferfish possessing both TTXs and STXs. Forty nontoxic cultured individuals of C. patoca were divided into a seawater group (SW, acclimated/reared at 33‰ salinity; n = 20) and a brackish water group (BW, acclimated/reared at 8‰ salinity; n = 20). An aqueous TTX/STX mixture was intrarectally administered (both at 7.5 nmol/fish), and five individuals/group were analyzed after 1–48 h. Instrumental toxin analyses revealed that both TTX and STX were taken up, transferred, and retained, but more STX than TTX was retained in both groups. TTX gradually decreased and eventually became almost undetectable in the intestinal tissue, while STX was retained at ~5–10% of the dose level, and only STX showed transient transfer in the liver. The BW group showed a faster decrease/disappearance of TTX, greater STX retention in the intestine, and greater STX transient transfer to the liver. Thus, C. patoca appears to more easily accumulate STXs than TTXs, especially under hypoosmotic conditions.
PROFIT GROWTH OF BANKING COMPANIES LISTED ON IDX: TOTAL ASSET TURNOVER, RISK PROFILE AND GROSS PROFIT MARGIN

Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk meneliti dampak dari Perputaran Total Aset, Risk Profile, dan Margin Laba Kotor terhadap pertumbuhan laba, yang didasari oleh temuan yang kontradiktif dari penelitian sebelumnya dan fluktuasi kinerja perbankan dari tahun 2020-2022. Diharapkan riset ini dapat memberikan gambaran yang lebih mendalam mengenai hal-hal yang memengaruhi pertumbuhan laba, yang dapat menjadi landasan bagi strategi keuangan yang lebih efektif bagi perusahaan dan investor. Penelitian ini memanfaatkan 51 sampel yang dipilih secara purposive sampling dari data sekunder laporan tahunan yang dipublikasikan di BEI. Data dianalisis secara kuantitatif menggunakan uji asumsi klasik dan analisis regresi linier berganda untuk menguji hipotesis. Dari hasil penelitian yang dilakukan, menunjukkan bahwa TATO memiliki pengaruh negatif serta signifikan terhadap pertumbuhan laba, GPM memiliki pengaruh positif serta signifikan terhadap profit growth. Sebaliknya risk profile memiliki pengaruh negatif dan tidak signifikan terhadap profit growth. Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa semakin besar risk profile perusahaan perbankan akan mengindikasikan penurunan pertumbuhan laba yang diakibatkan peningkatan kredit bermasalah, meskipun pengaruhnya tidak signifikan. Implikasi dari penelitian yakni pertumbuhan laba bank tidak hanya disebabkan oleh intermediasi perbankan saja, namun jika bank dapat menjaga kualitas kredit dan meningkatkan efisiensi operasional maka laba bank akan tumbuh.
Catharanthus roseus extract attenuates E. coli toxin-induced short circuit current in isolated jejunal epithelium of goat and buffalo

Enterotoxigenic E. coli-derived heat-stable enterotoxin not only alters intestinal barrier functions and produces secretory diarrhea but also causes production losses in livestock. This study aimed to elucidate the ameliorative effect of Catharanthus roseus extract on Cl- secretion in an in vitro model. Isolated jejunal epithelia from goats (N=10) and buffaloes (N=4) were divided into four groups: A) control; B) 1.5% C. roseus extract; C) 10% E. coli toxin, and D) 10% E. coli toxin and 1.5% C. roseus extract. The jejunal epithelia were mounted on Ussing chambers with an exposed surface area of 0.95 cm2 and treated with E. coli toxin on the mucosal side to invoke Cl- channels. Transepithelial potential difference (Pdt), tissue conductance (Gt), and short circuit current (Isc) were determined under voltage-clamped conditions. E. coli toxin produced a significant increase in the Pdt, Gt, and Isc for both goat and buffalo jejunal epithelia, whereas C. roseus extract on the mucosal side alone or followed by the E. coli toxin decreased these parameters, which were comparable with the control. The change in Isc was more pronounced in goats than buffaloes (ΔIscgoat > ΔIscbuff). In experiments with the goat jejunal epithelia, replacement of Cl- from the mucosal buffer decreased Isc, similar to a decrease observed for the C. roseus extract groups. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that C. roseus extract has a potential to attenuate E. coli-induced Cl- secretion in isolated jejunal epithelia of goats and buffaloes. Keywords: Catharanthus roseus extract; Electrophysiology; Secretory diarrhea; Small intestine, Ruminants
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Periodontal Disease among Rural and Urban Residents of a South Indian City: A Cross-Sectional Study

ABSTRACT Background: The prevalence of oral diseases has been increasing alarmingly in the state of Kerala. Screening for periodontal disease (PD) is crucial due to its negative impact on oral and overall health. Since the occurrence and severity of PD depend on its risk factors, a structured survey in randomly selected districts in the state can be a valuable tool for policymakers to envisage strategies to enhance oral health care and control shared systemic illnesses. Data on the prevalence and risk factors of PD among the residents of the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala is not currently available in the public domain. This data could also be representative of the other 13 districts with more or less similar topographical, cultural, and lifestyle characteristics. Aim: To study the prevalence of PD and its risk factors among the residents of the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala and to compare the urban–rural differences. Materials and Methods: In this community-based cross-sectional study, a multistage cluster random sampling method was used to select the participants. Among the 1285 participants, 560 were from urban areas, and 725 were from rural areas. A modification of the Ramfjord PD index was used to assess periodontal health. The epidemiological risk factors were evaluated using sociodemographic data, personal histories, and physical and biochemical parameters. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the relationship of PD with independent variables. Mediation analysis was performed to examine the mediating effects of independent factors. Results: The rural population (61.4%) had a higher frequency of PD than the urban (35.5%) and an overall prevalence of 50%. Aging, poor oral hygiene, and low educational level (EL) were significant risk factors for PD in urban and rural settings, with hypertension only being significant in the latter. A higher odds ratio (9.07–29.68) with a confidence interval of (5.45–48.94) for poor oral hygiene was noted. Poor oral hygiene and tobacco use had mediating effects between low EL and PD. Conclusions: In this study, the overall prevalence of PD was 50%, with the rural population being more afflicted. Poor oral hygiene has been identified as a modifiable risk factor for PD in urban and rural populations. Poor oral hygiene and tobacco use have been demonstrated to be mediators of the strong link between low EL and PD. Therefore, this study reiterates the need for better oral health awareness and treatment facilities to minimize the impact of the above risk factors on the periodontium. A shared risk relationship between PD and hypertension in the rural population emphasizes the need for an integrated approach to public health by including oral health as part of noncommunicable disease prevention and intervention programs.
Can neutral genetic differentiation explain geographical variation in body size of the natterjack toad, Epidalea calamita?

Population genetic studies are crucial for evolutionary biologists because the population is the basic substrate on which evolution is forged. However little empirical evidence has been able to demonstrate the role that isolation and gene flow play in maintaining differentiation in populations at short geographic scales. Epidalea calamita exhibits a steep variation in body size and reproductive traits in southwestern Spain, associated with changes in the geological substrate. This implies a decrease of 70.9% of body mass and 28.5% in snout-vent length, on a micro-geographic scale of only 60 km. Previous results from both metamorphic and juvenile common garden experiments showed that genetic differentiation may be a causal determinant of geographic variation in adult. This study tested whether neutral genetic differentiation can explain the geographical variation in the body size observed in E. calamita. It was addressed analyzing the level of genetic structuring and gene flow among populations along the cline, comparing the genetic diversity between and within populations, as well as between ecological environments. The study showed that the geographic variation in body size observed in E. calamita has evolved in absence of geographic isolation, with moderate gene flow connecting the populations. Thus, neutral genetic differentiation cannot explain the geographical variation observed. Future studies are needed on the interaction between the genetic component with the environmental factors and will be necessary to analyze the contribution of the maternal effects in the origin and evolution of the geographical variation in the body size observed in E. calamita from southern Spain.