Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measuring pollution based on total petroleum hydrocarbons and total organic carbon in Tigris River, Maysan Province, Southern Iraq

In the current study, the concentrations of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) in water and total organic carbon content in sediments were measured. A number of environmental factors, including water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, electrical conductivity, nitrates, and phosphates, have also been measured in the Tigris River deposits and in three selected stations on its course in Maysan Province in southern Iraq during the months of November, 2014, December, 2014, and January, 2015. The highest temperature, 25 °C, was recorded at Ali Al Gharbi District Station (St1) in November, while the lowest temperature, 15°C, was recorded at Al-Amara District Station (St2) in January. Moreover, the highest value of dissolved oxygen, 9.1 mg L-1, was recorded in St1 in January, while the lowest value, 7.5 mg L-1, was recorded at the same station in December. All pH values were within the baseline trend for the duration of the study, with the highest level, 7.8, recorded at St2 in November, while the lowest level, 7.05, at Al Majar Al-Kabir District Station (St3) in the same month. The highest value for electrical conductivity was 2416 μs cm-1 at Al-Amara District Station in November, while the lowest value was 2000 μs cm-1 at the same station in December. The highest concentration of nitrate ion, 6.25 mg L-1, was recorded at St2 in November, while the lowest value, 3.8 mg L-1,at St1 in December. Moreover, the highest phosphate value, 0.59 mg L-1, was recorded at St2 in January, while the lowest, 0.049 mg L-1, at St3 in November. The highest rate of total organic carbon content was 2.15%, recorded at St2 in November, while the lowest, 1.7%, at St1 in the same month. The highest concentration of TPHs in the water was 5.22, recorded at St2 in January, while the lowest, 2.85, at St1 in November. The present study concluded that St2 was heavily contaminated with organic matter. This station had the highest concentration of total petroleum hydrocarbons, which is mainly due to the increased population density beside the station, leading to increased human activities and the introduction of various wastes. These wastes contain nutrients and organic compounds, such as compounds containing petroleum derivatives, discharging to the water and sediment. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between the organic carbon rate (%) and the concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons.
Commitment in an organizational context: a SET-theoretic approach that provides management tools

PurposeGrounded on the social exchange theory (SET), this paper aims to analyze the different networks of conditions that lead to the presence and absence of total commitment, in its affective, continuance and normative dimensions. Six conditions – competencies development, empowerment, work-family conflict, trust, transformational leadership and seniority – are studied to explore and explain the exchanges and reciprocity relationships between organizations and employees.Design/methodology/approachUsing a sample of 546 employees from Portuguese large companies, the study uses the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to explore how causal conditions jointly link to the outcome of organizational commitment.FindingsThe results show more causal configurations leading to the most favorable dimensions of commitment (affective, normative and the absence of continuance commitment), which is a positive sign for organizations. Employees' seniority stands out in all types of commitment, reflecting the affective and emotional themes in Portuguese culture.Originality/valueThis study makes an original contribution to the literature on organizational commitment by showing the alternative complementarity of the conditions in the context of the SET, only possible through fsQCA. It also provides inputs for practitioners who can adopt strategies and measures to develop the paths that lead to successful outcomes (presence of commitment) and avoid those that lead to undesired ones (absence of commitment).
Professional youth work as a preventive service: towards an integrated conceptual framework

ABSTRACT Knowledge of how professional youth work might prevent individual and social problems in socially vulnerable youngsters is poorly developed. This article presents a conceptual framework that clarifies the implicit methodical process used by professional youth workers and focuses on what stakeholders regard as the potential of professional youth work as a preventive service. A qualitative research synthesis approach was used to combine the findings of six practice-based studies conducted in six European countries. This synthesis revealed that professional youth workers employ a multi-methodic approach in their prevention efforts, strengthening the social skills and self-mastery of youngsters, reinforcing their social network, enhancing their civic participation and helping them find additional social or health services. Twelve methodic principles were identified as contributing to achieving these prevention efforts, shedding light on the process taking place between youngsters and youth workers. This conceptual framework provides essential information for future evaluation research.
TO BRIBE OR TO CHEAT? EFFECTS OF SELF-MONITORING AND GENDER

This study aimed to contribute to business ethics research investigating the effects of two individual differences – self-monitoring personality and gender – on ethical decision making. Applying a bribery scenario (intentions) and a cheating matrix task (behavior), results showed that high self-monitors had more unethical intention and behavior than low self‑monitors. Moreover, low self-monitors had more consistency intention-behavior than high self-monitors, and the inconsistencies of the later were different regarding gender. The bi-dimension of self-monitoring construct – acquisitive and protective – was tested and brought additional evidence about the ones who bribes. Possible explanations of these findings are discussed, with suggestions for future research.
Hyperspectral imaging technigue for monitoring moisture content of
 blueberry during the drying process

Changes in the moisture content (MC) of blueberries during drying was monitored by hyperspectral image analysis, and the degree of drying was determined using the partial least squares (PLS) model. Blueberries (n=820) were dried at 35°C for 0 (control), 3, 6, 9 and 12 days. The PLS discriminant analysis prediction accuracy of smoothing the pre-processed data was the highest. Regression coefficients were high at 706, 790, 827, 868, and 894 nm, corresponding to water molecules and carbohydrates (830-840 nm). To develop a prediction model for blueberry MC, 150 hyperspectral images were obtained from 30 samples per group. The MC of each group was also analyzed. The accuracy of the MC prediction model pretreated by the multiplicative scatter correction method was the highest at 0.9302. As indicated by Pearson’s correlation analysis, the blueberry MC showed a high correlation of 0.95 with the total soluble solid contents, brightness, and total flavonoid contents. These results suggest that hyperspectral imaging techniques can be used to predict and monitor various quality characteristics as well as the MC of blueberries during drying.
China's Infrastructure Financing and the Role of Infrastructure in Awakening African Economies

African economies, through Agenda 2063, recognize that developing infrastructure – transport, electricity, energy, water, and e-connectivity – will be critical for the region to assume a lasting place in the global economic system. As a result, this paper addresses the continent’s infrastructure gap and provides an important insight into the rapidly growing presence of China’s official infrastructure financing in Africa as well as the distinctive character of its involvement. In addition, the paper provides an empirical evaluation of the role of infrastructure in awakening African economies. The generalized-method-of-moments (GMM) estimator for dynamic models of panel data developed by Arellano and Bond (1991), and Arellano and Bover (1995) was employed to estimate an infrastructure-increased growth model.
Private Equity Exit Strategies and Profitability During the Global Pandemic: Evidence from Around the World

Private equity (PE) exit strategy is important for investors as a planned and effective exit strategy improves the chance of realizing higher profit. In this paper, we examine how PE exit strategies are being affected by the on-going global pandemic. The current COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented exogenous shocks to nearly every economy and it is important to see how this uncertainty affects economic activities such as the PE exit decision. Using 20 years of PE fund data from across 79 countries, we find that the current COVID-19 global pandemic has significantly affected the PE exit decision and the effect is stronger than that of the recent financial crisis. Out of all the exit strategies, acquisition is the most popular, and COVID-19 exerts a significant negative impact on the others. We also find that COVID-19 has negatively affected deal values across all the exit strategies, limiting the profit potential for investors. Moreover, the paper provides evidence that PE investors tend to wait for a good time to exit rather than rushing to exit during an uncertain time such as this global pandemic. Our results are robust for various alternative econometric specifications. © 2021 British Academy of Management and Wiley Periodicals LLC
Shape Analysis of Otoliths of the Round goby, Neogobius melanostomus (Gobiiformes, Gobiidae), from the Black Sea Basin

The aim of this study was to assess the discriminability of the stocks of the round goby Neogobius melanostomus based on the shape of its otoliths. Recent otolith-shape-based species and stock discrimination studies were using otolith contours in sagittal plane and we are following this approach. We hypothesized the possibility of existence of several geographically separated populations of the round goby. Round gobies have been sampled from different locations of the North-Western Black Sea, otoliths were removed in course of the full biological analysis and photographed in sagittal plane. Principal components of the otolith contour were processed by linear discriminant analysis aiming to cross-validate the discriminability of round gobies placed at different geographical locations. This would allow demonstration of different stocks or populations. This research allows to conclude the limited applicability of otolith contours for discrimination of stocks or populations of round goby based on multiple annual samples. However, neither classification matrices of discriminant analysis nor cluster analysis dendrograms showed a single pattern except for the high year to year otoliths variability. This allows to hypothesise a strong response of contour formation to habitat and feeding conditions. However, this assumption needs to be verified by further studies.
Deciphering the Multi-Dimensional Abilities of Indigenous Bacteria Enterobacter Cloacae Isolated from Arsenic Contaminated Industrial Sites

Arsenic (As) is a quintessential toxic metalloid and it has been classified as Group 1 human carcinogen. The evolution of arsenic defense mechanisms due to the omnipresent nature of arsenic has resulted in its alteration to less toxic forms. The present study deals with the isolation of arsenic remediating microbial strains from soil samples and their integration into bioremediation strategy. From the metal contaminated site, 118 different bacterial strains were isolated from heavy metal contaminated site. Twenty-five strains were tolerant to arsenic and one bacterial strain Enterobacter cloacae (RSC3) demonstrated maximum growth at high concentration of arsenate (6000ppm). The cell growth kinetics of RSC3revealed the specific growth rate (µ) to be 0.55 h-1. The The bacteria hosts arsC gene in the genome involved in the reduction of arsenate to arsenite. AAS, SEM, TEM and EDX studies confirmed the arsenate transportation and efflux of arsenic by the bacteria. Furthermore, the strain showed multi-resistance to other heavy metals like zinc, cadmium, selenium and nickel and several antibiotics indicating its application for facilitating bioremediation of toxic metal contaminated sites.
Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Virus Infection and Risk Factors among Adolescents and Youth in Secondary School in 2018, Commune of Covè, Benin

Background: Hepatitis B is a vaccine-preventable liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus. The study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of hepatitis B infection in adolescents and youth attending secondary school in Cove, urban area in Benin. Methods: From 4th to 10th February 2018, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 years old. Subjects were randomly selected. Hepatitis B surface antigenaemia (HBsAg) was assayed in blood using rapid enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Results: Two hundred adolescents and youth were recruited. The seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus infection was 18.50%. According to the multivariate logistic regression model, being infected by hepatitis B was 4.32 times higher in the age group of 15 - 19 years old than in 20 - 24 years age group (PR = 4.32 95% CI [1.51 - 12.34], p = 0.0063). Similarly, students who had not been aware of hepatitis B were more infected than those who were sensitized (PR = 14.60 [95% CI 4.98 - 4.27], p = 0.0001). With regard to lifestyle, individuals with tattoos or piercings were 8.60 times more likely to have been infected by HBV than those without tattoos or piercings, (PR = 8.60; 95% CI [3.41 - 21.70], p < 0.0001). Conclusion: The seroprevalence of hepatitis B among adolescents and youth attending secondary school was high. Regular screening of HVB infection status should be included in school health services in Benin. Awareness campaigns and health education on HVB transmission and prevention should be promoted and strengthened.
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CROSS LINKING VERSUS STROMAL PUNCTURE IN KERATOCONUS

Background: Keratoconus is a non-inflammatory condition where the cornea assumes a conical shape because of thinning and protrusion of the corneal stroma. The corneal thinning induces irregular astigmatism, myopia, and corneal protrusion, leading to mild to marked impairment in the quality of vision. Symptoms are highly variable and, in part, depend on the stage of progression of the disorder. Objective: To compare refractive and topographic outcomes between cross-linking (CXL) and corneal stromal puncture in stiffening the cornea and halt the progression of Keratoconus. Patients and Methods: This randomized controlled study included 19 patients (30 eyes) with keratoconus. They were not presenting with any eye disease and had never undergone eye surgery. The total number of subjects meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria. They were divided into 2 groups, group (A) 9 patient: 15 eyes received cross-linking and group (B) 10 patient: 15 eyes received corneal puncture. All examination, investigation and the procedure were done at El Sayed Galal Hospital and Nour al Hyaa eye Hospital, Cairo. Results: The results showed significant improvement in postoperative value of UCVA, BCVA, than its preoperative value. In addition, a statistically significant decrease of postoperative K1 in both group than its preoperative value while there was a statistically significant increase of K2 postoperative value compared to preoperative value in puncture group, K2 showed significant decease postoperative in CXL group. There was significant increase in corneal thickness postoperatively compared to preoperative values in puncture group, corneal thickness showed significant decrease postoperatively in CXL group. Comparing both groups, there was significant improvement in postoperative UCVA, postoperative BCVA in puncture group than in CXL group. On the other hand, there was a significant decrease in mean of postoperative corneal thickness in CXL group than puncture group. Conclusion: Overall, the results of this study continue to support the efficacy of CXL in progressive keratoconus and explored new modality of its treatment by anterior stromal puncture (ASP), with an improvement in UCVA, and BCVA 3 months after operation.
Successful Treatment of Acute Aluminum Phosphide Poisoning by Aloe Vera Syrup: A Case Report

Background: Aluminum phosphide, known as rice pill in Iran, is a very effective pesticide for commercial and industrial ‎use. The high lethality of Aluminum phosphide is due to Phosphine gas (PH3) which is released by its ‎reaction with water. One of the most important properties of aluminum phosphide, which despite being ‎very lethal to almost all living creatures, still makes it one of the most widely used pesticides, is its very ‎high yield, ease of use, and, most importantly, the absence of residues in products after application; while ‎its exposure to the human body is associated with high mortality. ‎ Case Presentation: In this article, we reported the successful treatment of rice pill-induced poisoning in a 30-year-old man using a novel approach. Accordingly, we used sodium bicarbonate (50 ccs) and aloe vera syrup (1-2 L), followed by olive oil (150 cc olive oil was given every 2 hours). Conclusion: While numerous studies recommend observing patient conditions as the treatment approach, our presented case was a successful experience of treating acute aluminum phosphide poisoning.
Study of Latent Tuberculosis among Type 1 Diabetic Children in Zagazig University Pediatric Hospital

Background: In certain places, tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes mellitus (DM) are strongly linked as frequent comorbidities and might be termed epidemics combined. Objective: The present work aimed to detect relationship between type 1 DM (T1DM) and latent TB. Patients and Methods: This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted over the period from October 2019 to October 2020. It included 81 cases had type 1 DM and 81 healthy children as control group. This study was conducted at Zagazig University Pediatric Hospital. All patients were subjected to the following: Full history taking, full general examination, and investigation (Tuberculin test and chest X ray). Results: In the current study, 42% were male and (58%) were female. In the present work, there was no statistically significant difference between cases group and controls group regarding anthropometric measurements. This study showed that, the percentage of positive tuberculin test was higher among cases group than controls group (32.1%, 7.4%) p value< 0.001. OR estimate for DM on risk of TB was 5.9 (95% CI 2.27 to 15.33). Conclusion: There was no statistically significant difference between diabetic group and control group regarding sex, age, weight, and height. There was no statistically significant difference between diabetic and control group regarding contact with patient with TB and passive smoking. The percentage of positive tuberculin test was higher among diabetic group than control group.
Supporting students’ academic literacies in post-covid-19 times: Developing digital videos to develop students’ critical academic reading practices

While embedding Academic Language and Literacies (ALL) instruction in discipline-specific courses is known to be effective, it is difficult to enact across the siloed university. Moreover, the move to online/ remote delivery during COVID-19 has necessitated greater focus on the development of online supports. This article reports on an effort to embed digital ALL support in a mandatory social research methods course, which we argue is particularly suited to academic literacies instruction. A series of digital videos were created to complement a literature review assignment, and were evaluated using video analytics, end-of-course student surveys, and individual interviews with tutors. Quantitative analysis of viewing patterns demonstrated that the majority of students accessed the videos multiple times, while qualitative data suggest that students generally had positive responses to the videos. However, thematic analysis of interviews with tutors showed that while they considered the content helpful, they also had reservations about the length and use of the videos. These findings clearly demonstrate the extent of the unmet need to integrate these types of approaches into undergraduate courses. We also argue that if universities wish to maintain currency in a shifting, globalised world, they must do more to foster the types of collaborative partnerships that facilitate effective ALL instruction in undergraduate coursework. These findings carry particular relevance for teaching and learning literacies in the wake of COVID-19, because digital video has become even more integral to higher education. © 2021, University of Wollongong. All rights reserved.
Effect of Sowing date and plant density on yield and yield components of three maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes in Takhar climatic conditions of Afghanistan

Crops are the main source of human food supply and among them, grains are more important, among cereals, corn (Zea mays L.) is an important crop due to its high grain and forage yield potential. The research experiment was conducted on maize to find out the effect of different sowing dates and plant density among three genotypes on the performance of maize, in the spring of the 2020 growing season in the Bagh-e-Zakhirah Research Farm of Takhar province Afghanistan. The experiment was laid out as a split-plot factorial in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Three planting dates (May 5, May 21, and June 5) as the main factor, three plant densities of 6.5, 8, and 10 plants/m2, and three genotypes, SC260, SC600, and SC302 were considered as sub-factors. All treatments sowing date, plant density, genotype, and only interaction effect of sowing date × plant density showed significantly different effects (p < 0.01) on yield and yield components. The results of the present investigation revealed that the highest grain yield 6.99 ton/h was obtained from the sowing date (May 5) and plant density of 6.5 plants/m2 and the lowest grain yield 6.21 ton/h was obtained from the sowing date (June 5) and plant density of 10 plants/m2. In general, the results showed that the sowing on the 5th of May is superior to the 5th of June in terms of grain yield and yield components, and among the three corn genotypes, the SC260 genotype is more batter than the SC600 and SC302 genotypes under the environment condition. Therefore considering all results the first week of May as the sowing date and 65000 plants/h with SC260 genotype could be recommended to the maize grower for the most effective for producing maize.
Extended dissipative-based state estimation for Markov jump coupled neural networks with reaction-diffusion terms

This work mainly concentrates on the state estimation for Markov jump coupled neural networks (MJCNNs) with reaction-diffusion terms, in which the memory controller is employed. First, the considered MJCNNs model is introduced, and the dynamic error system can be obtained based on the proposed state estimator. Then, a memory controller that involves constant signal transmission delay is designed. Moreover, by Lyapunov functional method, inequality technique and Kronecker product law, a novel stable and extended dissipative analysis criteria can be established to ensure that the stability of the error system the error system. Meanwhile, the controller gains can be obtained by solving linear matrix inequalities. Finally, a numerical example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the developed method.