Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING METHODS IMPROVES RATIONAL PRESCRIBING SKILL IN MEDICAL STUDENTS

Background: Rational prescribing is an important skill for medical doctors. Many graduates still feel insufficiently prepared to make rational prescribing and fail to demonstrate the related clinical reasoning after graduation. For these reasons, it is important to improve the medical student teaching of rational prescribing. The aim of this study is proving the effectiveness of experiential learning methods to improve rational prescribing skills of medical students. Methods: This study used a one-group pretest-posttest design. Rational prescribing courses use experiential learning methods for 6 years medical students. Every student provided evaluation of rational prescribing and clinical reasoning through pretest and posttest, and we analyzed the results by paired t test. Results: The change in the rational prescribing skill of the students is significant between pretest and posttest. However, in the hypertension case the scores are not significant between pretest and posttest. Also, the scores of clinical reasoning based on drug interaction and evidence-based methods are not significant in the hypertension and otitis media cases. Conclusions: Experiential learning methods can enhance rational prescribing skill in medical students but the students were still not able to choose appropriate medications based on drug interaction and evidence-based approach.
Examination of parents refusing administration of childhood vaccinations: Turkey example

Background. Vaccination is an important health service that reduces the morbidity and mortality of infectious diseases. In our study, it was aimed to examine the knowledge, attitude, risk perception of parents about vaccine refusal, and the vaccination status of their children in a province of Turkey with a low socioeconomic level. Materials and methods. In the study designed in a cross-sectional type, 105 parents (participation rate: 80.2 %) who rejected the vaccine were reached. Results. The most refused vaccine by the parents is DaBT-İPA-Hib (90.5 %) and the least rejected vaccine is BCG (58.1 %). It was determined that who thought vaccines have no benefits (p = 0.003), those who were doubtful about the content of the vaccine (p = 0.001), those who did not want the vaccine due to their religious beliefs (p = 0.006), and those who believed in natural immunity (p = 0.002) were less convinced about vaccinating their children at a statistically significant level than the other group. The vaccine with the highest rate is HAV (35.0 %, n = 7), and the vaccine with the lowest rate is BCG (8.3 %, n = 1) in terms of the rate of vaccination that they declare to be convinced to have it. Conclusions. When evaluated on the causes of vaccine refusal and persuasion, the primary source of information is provided by health workers with scientific evidence through different communication methods (social media, etc.) should be reached.
Development and Validation of Willingness to Communicate, Language Use, and Motivation Questionnaires

The main goal of modern second language (L2) pedagogy is to engender appropriate communication skills among its learners. Hence, willingness to communicate (WTC) in L2 emerged as an important variable in recent years. Several factors have been found to influence students’ L2 WTC directly or indirectly. For this purpose, many scales and questionnaires have been developed so far to examine the factors influencing WTC among L2 students. However, a comprehensive questionnaire on WTC inside ESL classroom is still lacking. Likewise, WTC in relation to language use and motivational orientations in a single study has yet to be investigated. Thus, this study was aimed to develop and validate questionnaires on WTC, language use and motivational orientations. For this purpose, a five-phase model was used. After an extensive literature review, questionnaires on WTC, language use and motivational orientations were framed. Operational definitions of the three constructs were established and the items of the questionnaires were finalised. Two experts in the field of applied linguistics determined the content validity of the questionnaires. At the end, the questionnaires were piloted on 50 undergraduates and 10 ESL teachers. The results revealed that all the instruments were valid and highly reliable.
MORPHOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF HURA CREPITANS L. (EUPHORBIACEAE) AS PROSPECTIVE RESOURCE FOR PULP AND PAPERMAKING

Hura crepitans L. (Euphorbiaceae) is a tropic tree species that was investigated for pulp and paper characteristics in this study. The diameters of five (5) different stands of Hura crepitans trees were first determined using diameter tape. Wood slivers were obtained from sapwood of the trees parallel to grain and at three (3) different positions along the axis, at the base (5%), middle (50%) and top (90%). The wood slivers were macerated in a mixture of equal volumes of glacial acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide at between 80 -100 degrees Celsius for 2 hours. Macerated fibres were washed and used to prepare microscopic slides where 15 fibres were measured per slide. Data recorded was subjected to One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) based on Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Results show that both the primary fibre characteristics and derived characteristics were significantly different at p<0.05? The mean fibre characteristics ranged as follows, Fibre lengths (0.87-1.16 mm), Fibre diameter (18.84 24.44 μm), Lumen width (9.92-16.89 μm) and Cell wall thickness (3.93-4.60 μm). The derived mean fibre characteristics ranged as follows; Runkel ratio (0.36-0.78), Elasticity coefficient (44.20-67.91%), Rigidity coefficient (15.98-27.82 %) and Slenderness ratio (0.44-0.80). This result implies that Hura crepitans has short fibres with high flexibility, which can collapse easily and form a fully bonded paper and is therefore recommended for pulp and paper production.
APPLICABILITY OF FUZZY AND FUZZY ANALYTIC HIERARCHY PROCESS METHODS TO DETERMINE THE OPTIMUM SOIL DEPTH IN LAND SUITABILITY EVALUATION FOR IRRIGATED RICE

12Abstract. The conventional Boolean logic models of land suitability assessment disregard the continuity concepts of the soil and landscape which might cause inaccurate evaluation and classification. To overcome this uncertainty and consequent constraints, the fuzzy set theories were introduced. Therefore, the current study was undertaken to estimate the optimum soil depth that is used in land suitability evaluation for irrigated rice through the fuzzy sets theory and analytic hierarchy process (fuzzy AHP) in Guilan Province, Iran. The square root and quantitative land suitability evaluation methods were employed to calculate traditional land suitability indices (for depths 0–25, 0–50, 0–75, and 0–100 cm). Also, fuzzy and fuzzy AHP methods were used to explore new land indices. The Sarma similarity indices were used to compare the results of traditional and fuzzy methods for different soil depths. The results showed that the compatibility percentage between the representative pedons (0–100 cm) and the findings of this research (0–50 and 0–75 cm) was remarkable. Furthermore, the highest compatibility percentage of land suitability class was related to the comparison of these two former depths and 0 to 100 cm depths in each of the two used fuzzy methods. Besides, except for 0–25 cm depths, actual yield revealed a significant and positive correlation with the rest three soil pedon depths. These findings show that consid-
DECENTRALIZATION OF BUDGET EXPENDITURE EXECUTION AND ITS EFFECT ON MUNICIPAL SPENDING

Objective: The research aimed to investigate the effect of purchasing decentralization on municipal spending, through the theoretical lens of Public Choice Theory. Method: The analysis was developed using quantile regression performed with data obtained from an electronic questionnaire, analyzed together with data from city halls from 2013 to 2018, considering expenditures with different pressures and budget constraints. Results or Discussion: The results indicate that in areas with enough linkages, decentralization lowers spending; in areas with insufficient linkages and high social pressure, it presented the opposite result, an increase, with no effect in areas without linkages and low pressure. Through the adopted theoretical lens, the decisions in the public sector does not necessarily follow a logic of well-being, but are influenced by other factors, such as self-interest of the actors. However, the decision does not depend solely on individual aspects and can be influenced also by organizational aspects, such as the decentralization of the implementation of budget expenditure. Contributions: The results bring three contributions. First, by discussing the effect of practices that are in use in governments, often automatically, it allows for greater reflection on the decisions of the organization of these practices. Second, it draws attention to the effects caused by the budget linkage, which should be considered by the surveys, given the specificities of each linkage. Third, even when having autonomy over purchases, managers of decentralized units tend to seek efficiency only when the resources allocated to their areas are sufficient. Thus, the research suggests the existence of an effect organizational moderator in the search for maximization.
Morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses to NaCl-induced salt stress in mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) varieties

Seventeen mungbean varieties [Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek] were subjected to 100-400 mM salinity stress at the germination stage, and the indices of seed germination and early seedling growth were analysed. With the increasing salinity, seed germination and seedling growth attributes were affected in all varieties. Principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis of varietal responses on the germination and seeding growth attributes at 400 mM NaCl separated seventeen varieties into four distinct clusters. Principal component analysis at lower salt stress levels indicated that the attributes of germination and early seedling growth are reliable to identify salt-tolerant mungbean varieties. In contrast, only germination attributes are reliable at higher salinity levels. Two salt-susceptible and salt-tolerant varieties were further assessed for NaCl-induced physiological and biochemical changes. Levels of proteins, secondary metabolites, osmolyte, and antioxidants were increased at lower salt concentrations but reduced at higher salt concentrations. Photosynthetic pigments decreased and membrane damage increased under salinity. Varieties that showed tolerance to salt stress can be used in salinity-affected agriculture fields after validating their salt tolerance in field experiments.
PHYSIOLOGICAL STUDIES ON THE HEAVY METALS RESISTANCE MECHANISMS IN TOMATO PLANTS GROWING UNDER INTERCROPPING CONDITIONS.

Pot experiments were conducted in the greenhouse of the Faculty of Agriculture in Shebin El-Kom, Menoufia University, during 2018 and 2019 seasons, to study the cultivation of (sensitive) tomato plants in a loading system with watercress plants (resistant) in a soil contaminated with heavy metals. Three levels of lead were used, which are 0 (control), 1000 and 2000 mg / kg of soil, and three levels of cadmium metal, which are 0 (control), 100 and 300 mg / kg of soil, each alone. Use of growth inducers as nanoparticles silicon and seaweed extract and its affects on tomato or watercress plants under heavy metals stress. The characteristics of vegetative growth and some of the physiological and chemical characteristics such as photosynthetic pigments, water relations, activity of some antioxidant enzymes, Pb and Cd accumulation and some quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the yield were studied. The soil contamination with lead and cadmium minerals at all levels led to a decrease in all studied parameters. There was an increase in the accumulation of lead and cadmium metal within watercress plants by increasing the concentrations of lead and cadmium in the contaminated soil, and there was a decrease of the heavy metals residual in the polluted soil. Spraying with silicon and seaweed extract on tomato plants increased the vegetative growth characteristics, relative water content, plant pigments, yield and its components for tomato plants. While it led to a decrease in the concentration of the enzymatic activity of peroxidase and phenoloxidase. Also, increased the efficiency of watercress plants' accumulation of heavy metals . From the above, it is cleared that the use of hyperaccumulators plants (watercress) to accumulate heavy metals led to a decrease in the residual of the two heavy metals, lead and cadmium, in the contaminated soil, and this led to a better growth conditions for tomato plants grown in the intercropping system with watercress plants in soil contaminated with lead and cadmium.
Mutagenesis in Horsegram [Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc.]

Induced mutagenesis has bean used to create desired genetic variability, the base of crop improvement. Induced genetic variability in crop plants is a important resource from which plant breeders can select and combine different desired characteristics to produce best crop plants. The desirable characters which have been bred through induced mutations. In present investigation the physiological effects on seed germination as well as seedling height on 7 day after sowing were investigated. Gradual reduction in seed germination and seedling height was recorded with increase in concentration /dose of mutagens. Majority of the mutagenic treatments caused decrease in seed germination, seedling height and survival pf plants at maturity. While pollen sterility increased with increasing dose/conc. of mutagens. KeywordsMutagenesis, horsegram, mutants, variability, seedling height.
Performance of the Nanobio-Based Reagent for Visualising Wet Fingerprints Exposed to Different Levels of Water Salinity

Introduction: Recovery of evidence such as murder weapons in waterways has been commonly reported. However, visualising latent fingerprints on the immersed substrates may prove challenging due to its obliteration by physicochemical parameters (e.g. pH, temperature, salinity) as well as the mechanical effect of water. Although the use of Small Particle Reagent (SPR) for visualising latent fingerprints on wet non-porous substrates has been suggested, it contains molybdenum and titanium that are toxic, and their utilisation must be reduced. Furthermore, no study verifies the chemical and/or physical interaction between SPR and the lipid constituents of wet latent fingerprints that leads to the visualisation of ridge details. Methods: The SPR and newly developed nanobio based reagent (NBR) i.e. Candida rugosa lipase-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CRL-MWCNTs) were used for visualising latent fingerprints on glass slides immersed in water with salinity levels representing those of estuary and swimming pool for up to 15 days. Results: It was observed that the quality of the visualised fingerprints using NBR was comparable with that of SPR. Characterisations via instrument and bioinformatics analyses have also verified the incorporation of CRL onto MWCNTs and the chemical interaction between NBR and lipid constituents of wet latent fingerprints. Conclusions: Therefore, the newly developed NBR may prove a promising relatively greener alternative for substituting SPR for visualising latent fingerprints on glass slides immersed in different levels of water salinity.
Evaluation of Raw Groundnuts from Makurdi Markets in Nigeria for Aflatoxin B1

Aims: The contamination of groundnut by aflatoxins (AF) results in financial losses to farmers’ as well as severe food safety and public health challenges globally. This study was carried out to; (i) assess the levels of AFB1 in husked groundnut seeds in Makurdi (ii) determine the relationship between moisture content and AF levels, and (iii) investigate vendors’ knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of AF and their approach towards groundnut storage. Study Design: Quantitative research method was employed in this study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of Microbiology, Benue State University, Makurdi from May – June 2019. Methodology: Duplicate groundnut samples were collected from ten market locations in Makurdi and analyzed using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) quantification method. Results: The moisture content of the groundnuts was determined, and data on Knowledge Attitude and Practice (KAP) relating to groundnut storage were obtained using mini-questionnaires. The results obtained showed that all the sampled groundnuts were contaminated with AFB1 levels ranging from 17.3 - 35.9 parts per billion (ppb). Furthermore, we found a correlation between high moisture content and high AFB1 levels and vice-versa. The knowledge of AF among the groundnut retailers was low (<40%), and 40.91% of the sellers confirmed that groundnuts were stored for ≤one month before sale. Conclusion: The levels of AFB1 levels in stored groundnuts are above the permissible limit of 20 ppb for stored groundnut in Nigeria. The data obtained raises concerns for food safety considering that groundnuts are widely consumed in Makurdi. Regular evaluation of AFB1 levels in food should be conducted in Nigeria.
Prevalence of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis and factors associated with treatment outcome in three districts of Himachal Pradesh, India

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world and especially in India. MDR TB has emerged as a major challenge in TB control in India. The prevalence of MDR TB is on the rise in India. We did this study to see the prevalence of MDR TB in 3 districts of Himachal Pradesh and to study the factors affecting treatment outcomes.Methods: The period of the study was from January 2019 to December 2019. We collected data of MDR TB patients from district TB offices of Solan, Bilaspur and Hamirpur. Information from patients was collected through questionnaires while interviews were conducted with district project officer and other health officials and documents, brochures, etc. were collected from Solan, Hamirpur and Bilaspur.Results: Overall prevalence rate of MDR TB in our study was 3.14%. Among new TB cases, the prevalence rate of MDR TB was 2.42% (81/3345), and among old treated cases was 9% (37/411). 31% MDR TB patients were old treated while 69% patients had no previous treatment history. The default rate was low in our study (0.84%) while 8 (6.4%) patients had treatment interruption but for less than 15 days.Conclusions: The prevalence in our study is comparable to the national drug resistance survey. Early detection, timely treatment and contact tracing is vital in decreasing the MDR TB cases. Better supervision, constant monitoring, proper counselling and timely identification and management of adverse effects of the drugs will improve the treatment outcome among MDR TB patients.
In a previous prospective study of 80 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract, a progressive increase in expression of the integrin cell adhesion molecule aj3@ in suprabasilar cell

In a previous prospective study of 80 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract, a progressive increase in expression of the integrin cell adhesion molecule aj3@ in suprabasilar cell layers of the tumor parenchyma was associated with an increase in early recurrence after therapy. In this study, we determined the relationship of the altered expression pattern of the Integrin to changes occurring during benign, invasive, or metastatic stages oftumor development. Suprabasilar expression of integrin a@ appeared with neoplastic transformadon in benign squamous papillomas, but homogeneous expression occurred more frequently in the parenchyma of primary and metastatic squamous cell carcinomas. The variation in the extent of suprabasilar integrin expres sion among the tumors corresponded to the variation in the population undergoing proliferation as determined by two independent markers of proliferation. Integrin expression was quantified in primary, HPV 16 DNA-immortalized, and v-Id-ms oncogene-transformed keratinocytes, and the pattern of expression was compared with cell cycle progression. Primary keratinocyte lines showed a bimodal distribution of integrin expression, with one population showing decreased integrin expression, cell size, and a block of cell cycle progression consistent with differentia don, whereas another population exhibited high integrin expression and full progression through the cell cycle, consistent with proliferation. HPV immortalized and v-ki-ras-transformed cell lines undergoing continuous proliferation exhibited uniformly strong integrin expression, which was shnllar in intensity to that observed in the proliferating population of normal keratinocytes. Shnilar increases in expression of two additional integrins, a2Ã ̃1and a@j3@, occurred along with integrin aj3@ in tissue specimens and cell lines derived from neoplasms. Thus, epidermal neo plasma display an increase in a population of cells exhibiting constitutive expression of a repertoire of integrins, which is similar to that found transientiy in the acute phase ofepidermal wound healing, a physiological response in which hyperproliferation, retention of multiple layers of pro liferating cells, and migration occur The association of a progressive increase in suprabasilar expression of these integrins with early tumor recurrence and advanced neoplasia suggests that constitutive expression and function of the same repertoire of integrins may be advantageous, rather than sufficient, for tumor progression.
A tribute to Arthur T. Bergerud, 1930–2019

Dr. Arthur T. (Tom) Bergerud (Figure 1), aged 89, passed away on 27 November 2019. He left us to mourn the loss of the “Caribou biologist” who was also a provocative thinker on animal behaviour and population dynamics in wildlife, an activist for the specific causes he knew needed to be heard, and a respected professional to those who were blessed with time to get to know him as naturalist, scholar, peer, friend, and mentor. Tom was born on 11 November 1930 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Alf and Marjorie Bergerud. Alf was a lawyer and popular state politician for 30 years, and General Counsel and President of the midwestern grocery store chain, Red Owl. At its peak, the Red Owl chain had over 400 stores. Alf served a week shy of 11 000 days in public office. Tom found little of interest in his father’s pursuits, instead spending much of his youth in outdoor adventures. Always enamoured of nature, Tom recounted to many the story of his first visit to the Bell Museum of Natural History on the St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota. There, he saw a diorama depicting a cranberry bog on the Red Lake Peatland, about 100 km south of the Manitoba–Ontario border; the diorama featured taxidermy mounts of among the last Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) seen alive from this location in the state of Minnesota (Figure 2). It was on seeing this magnificent display that Tom convinced himself to be that “Caribou biologist” who could fight for the conservation of the species so emblematic of the boreal forest and much of the tundra of Canada and Alaska. Tom’s academic and professional career started in 1953 with a B.Sc. in Wildlife Management from Oregon State University, after which he began work as a Fish and Wildlife Specialist at the Delta Waterfowl Research Station in Minnedosa, Manitoba. His friendship there with Hans Albert (Al) Hochbaum almost led to M.Sc. research on ducks, but Tom knew that his two years of U.S. Army service was imminent, so this plan was put aside. After his army service, Tom was hired in 1956 as a District Wildlife Biologist in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, and by 1960 became Director of the Province’s Game Division. While in Newfoundland and Labrador, Tom be came familiar with parts of Canada that always remained dear to him. He published well into the