Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of power training on muscle structure and neuromuscular performance

The present study examines changes in muscle structure and neuromuscular performance induced by 15 weeks of power training with explosive muscle actions. Twenty‐three subjects, including 10 controls, volunteered for the study. Muscle biopsies were obtained from the gastrocnemius muscle before and after the training period, while maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVC) and drop jump tests were performed once every fifth week. No statistically significant improvements in MVC of the knee extensor (KE) and plantarflexor muscles were observed during the training period. However, the maximal rate of force development (RFD) of KE increased from 18 836±4282 to 25 443±8897 N (P<0.05) during the first 10 weeks of training. In addition, vertical jump height (vertical rise of the center of body mass) in the drop jump test increased significantly (P<0.01). Simultaneously, explosive force production of KE muscles measured as knee moment and power increased significantly; however, there was no significant change (P>0.05) in muscle activity (electromyography) of KE. The mean percentage for myosin heavy chain and titin isoforms, muscle fiber‐type distributions and areas were unchanged. The enhanced performance in jumping as a result of power training can be explained, in part, by some modification in the joint control strategy and/or increased RFD capabilities of the KE.
Uplink Macro Diversity with Limited Backhaul Capacity

In this contribution we present new achievable rates, for the non-fading uplink channel of a cellular network, with joint cell-site processing, where unlike previous results, the error-free backhaul network has finite capacity per-cell. Namely, the cell-sites are linked to the central joint processor via lossless links with finite capacity. The cellular network is modeled by the circular Wyner model, which yields closed form expressions for the achievable rates. For this idealistic model, we present achievable rates for cell-sites that use compress-and forward scheme, combined with local decoding, and inter-cell time-sharing. These rates are then demonstrated to be rather close to the optimal unlimited backhaul joint processing rates, already for modest backhaul capacities, supporting the potential gain offered by the joint cell-site processing approach.
Over-education among doctorate holders in the Korean labor market

Most prior research addressing the topic of educational mismatch focuses on university graduates, while the analysis of microdata on doctorate holders has received relatively little attention in the literature. Using Korean survey of Careers and Mobility of Doctorate Holders (KCDH), this paper attempts to examine the incidence and wage effects of over-education among the most highly educated workers (i.e., doctorate holders) in the Korean labor market. Overall, the major findings of this study confirm the findings of existing studies. The analysis reveals a worrisome situation in which a non-negligible proportion of doctorate holders face over-education associated with a significant wage penalty. Approximately 44% of doctorate holders in our sample survey consider themselves as being over-educated. The significant wage penalty (approximately 6.5 percent) exists for over-educated workers compared with their adequately-matched counterparts. From theoretical perspectives on labor market mismatch, our results confirm the validity of the assignment theory, which asserts that the returns to additional investment in human capital appear to depend in part on the quality of the assignment of heterogeneous workers to heterogeneous jobs, and thus returns to investment in education are limited by how well jobs exploit workers’ education.
Comparative study of background subtraction algorithms

In this paper, we present a comparative study of several state of the art background subtraction methods. Approaches ranging from simple background subtraction with global thresholding to more sophisticated statistical methods have been implemented and tested on different videos with ground truth. The goal of this study is to provide a solid analytic ground to underscore the strengths and weaknesses of the most widely implemented motion detection methods. The methods are compared based on their robustness to different types of video, their memory requirement, and the computational effort they require. The impact of a Markovian prior as well as some post-processing operators are also evaluated. Most of the videos used in this study come from state-of-the-art benchmark databases and represent different challenges such as poor signal-to-noise ratio, multimodal background motion and camera jitter. Overall, this study not only helps better understand to which type of videos each method suits best but also estimate how better sophisticated methods are, compared to basic background subtraction methods.
A Comparison of Carbon Footprint and Production Cost of Different Pasta Products Based on Whole Egg and Pea Flour

Feed and food production are inter alia reasons for high greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced by the replacement of animal components with plant components in processed food products, such as pasta. The main components currently used for pasta are semolina, and water, as well as additional egg. The hypothesis of this paper is that the substitution of whole egg with plant-based ingredients, for example from peas, in such a product might lead to reduced greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and thus a reduced carbon footprint at economically reasonable costs. The costs and carbon footprints of two pasta types, produced with egg or pea protein, are calculated. Plant protein–based pasta products proved to cause 0.57 kg CO2 equivalents (CO2eq) (31%) per kg pasta less greenhouse gas emissions than animal-based pasta, while the cost of production increases by 10% to 3.00 €/kg pasta.
High Mobility Group Box-1: A Missing Link between Diabetes and Its Complications

High mobility group box-1 (HMGB-1), a damage-associated molecular pattern, can be actively or passively released from various cells under different conditions and plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of inflammation and angiogenesis-dependent diseases. More and more evidence suggests that inflammation, in addition to its role in progression of diabetes, also promotes initiation and development of diabetic complications. In this review, we focus on the role of HMGB-1 in diabetes-related complications and the therapeutic strategies targeting HMGB-1 in diabetic complications.
Mineralogy of Basaltic Sands at Meridiani Planum from the Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer and Comparison to Orbital Observations

Introduction: The Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) instrument aboard the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has been used to acquire thousands of spectra from the surface of Merid-iani Planum [1]. The Mini-TES measures thermal in-frared energy at a similar spectral resolution and range to that of the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) aboard the Mars Global Surveyor orbiting spacecraft. This similarity between the two instruments provides a unique opportunity for detailed surface-to-orbit comparisons. In addition, complementary compositional information from the APXS and Mössbauer instruments are also available. This new combination of datasets will be used to refine the modal mineralogy of Meridiani basaltic sands and to evaluate the accuracy of mineral abundance determination from orbit. From orbit, basaltic sands dominate the spectral signature measured by TES both inside and outside of the hematite region in Meridiani Planum [2-4]. Globally , low-albedo regions are dominated by basaltic lithologies. Therefore, this work focuses on the basal-tic sands component of the landing site, and compares the emissivity and derived mineralogy of basaltic sands from Mini-TES to derived surface emissivity and mineralogy of the Opportunity landing site and surrounding low-albedo surfaces with TES data. The Mini-TES data used in this work is a single basaltic sand endmember that was previously derived by [5]. Glotch et al. [5] applied factor analysis and target transformation techniques to the Mini-TES dataset acquired between Sols 1-350, and found that seven independently-varying endmember components are present in that dataset. These are: hematite, sil-ica/sulfate-rich outcrop, basaltic sand, fine-grained dust, two atmospheric dust opacity shapes, and black-body. The derived basaltic shape should be free of influence from dust, outcrop, and hematite components , unlike previous studies of basaltic sands using Mini-TES [1,6]. Methods: To estimate the modal mineralogy from TES spectra measured from orbit, and from the basal-tic endmember derived by [5], we employ linear least squares fitting techniques similar to that of Ramsey and Christensen [7] with a spectral library composed of common igneous and secondary minerals. Least squares fitting is performed in three different ways: (1) iterative removal of negative percentages until only positive percentages remain in the solution [7-8], (2) same as (1), except that small (<2%) negative percentages are allowed to remain in the solution until the last
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Physical and Chemical Properties of the Regional Mixed Layer of Mexico's Megapolis

The concentration of gases and aerosol particles have been measured at the mountain site of Altzomoni, 4010 m in altitude, located 60 km southeast of Mexico City, 50 km east of Puebla and 70 km northeast of Cuernavaca. The objective of this study was to evaluate the properties of gases and particles in the Regional Mixed Layer (RML) of Mexico's Megapolis. Altzomoni is generally above the RML from late evening until late morning at which time the arrival of the RML is marked by increasing concentrations of CO and aerosol particles that reach their maxima in mid-afternoon. The average diurnal cycles for fourteen days in March, 2006 were evaluated during which time the synoptic scale circulation had three principal patterns: from the east (E), southwest (SW) and west northwest (WNW). The original hypothesis was that air arriving from the direction of Mexico City would have much higher concentrations of an-thropogenic gases and particles than air from Puebla or Cuer-navaca, due to the relatively large differences in populations. In fact, not only were the average, maximum concentrations of CO and O 3 (0.3 and 0.1 ppmv) approximately the same for air originating from the WNW and E, but the average maximum concentrations of Peroxyacyl nitrates (PAN,PPN) and particle organic matter (POM) in air from the E exceeded those in air from the WNW. Comparisons of measurements from the mountain site with those made by aircraft during the same period, using the same type of aerosol mass spectrometer, show that the total masses of POM, NO − 3 , SO 2− 4 and NH + 4 were approximately the same from aircraft measurements made over Mexico City and when winds were from the east at the mountain site. In contrast 75% of the total aerosol mass at the mountain site was POM whereas over Mexico City the fraction of POM was less than 60%. The measurements suggest the occasional influence of emissions from the nearby volcano, Popocatepetl, as well as possible incursions of biomass combustion; however, the large concentrations of O 3 , PAN and POM suggest that secondary processes are the major source for these gases and particles. The similar concentrations in gases and particles when air is coming from the E and NWN raises the possibility of recirculation of air from Mexico City and the importance of this mechanism for impacting the regional air quality. 1 Background In the central …
EXPOSURE TO MASS MEDIA AS A DOMINANT FACTOR INFLUENCING PUBLIC STIGMA TOWARD MENTAL ILLNESS BASED ON SUNRISE MODEL APPROACH

Background : The person suffering mental disorders is not only burdened by his condition but also by the stigma. The impact of stigma extremely influences society which is considered to be an obstacle in the mental disorder therapy. Stigma as the society adverse view towards severe mental disorders is related with the cultural aspect. The interaction appeared from each component of nursing model, called sunrise model, is a model developed by Madeleine Leininger that connects with the wide society views about severe mental disorders condition. Objective : The aim of this study was to analyze the factors related to public stigma and to find out the dominant factors related to public stigma about severe mental illness through sunrise model approach in Indonesia. Methods : This study used observational analytical design with cross sectional approach. There were 150 respondents contributed in this study selected using purposive sampling technique. Spearman Rank and multiple logistic regression were used for data analysis. Results : The results showed a significant relationship between mass media exposure, spiritual well-being, interpersonal contact, attitude, and knowledge with public stigma about mental illness. The result of multiple logistic regression revealed that the low exposure of mass media had the highest OR value at 26.744. Conclusion : There were significant correlations between mass media exposure, spiritual well-being, interpersonal contact, attitude, and knowledge with public stigma toward mental illness. Mass media exposure was a dominant factor influencing public stigma toward mental illness.
The Benefits of Extensive Reading for EFL Vietnamese Learners

This study aimed to explore the benefits of extensive reading on the development of Vietnamese EFL learners' reading fluency. The data were collected through an experiment conducted on university students who were following the usual English program for English majors. During the experiment, the treatment group read extensively and completed reading inventories for two months while the control group was given homework based on the reading materials they read in class. The results indicated that the extensive reading course helped the participants to increase their reading rate and facilitated their reading comprehension.
neurodegeneration : evidence for association of the p . R 47 H variant with frontotemporal dementia and Parkinson ¿ s disease Permalink

Background: A rare variant in the Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) gene has been reported to be a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease by two independent groups (Odds ratio between 2.9-4.5). Given the key role of TREM2 in the effective phagocytosis of apoptotic neuronal cells by microglia, we hypothesized that dysfunction of TREM2 may play a more generalized role in neurodegeneration. With this in mind we set out to assess the genetic association of the Alzheimer’s disease-related risk variant in TREM2 (rs75932628, p.R47H) with other related neurodegenerative disorders. Results: The study included 609 patients with frontotemporal dementia, 765 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, 1493 with Parkinson’s disease, 772 with progressive supranuclear palsy, 448 with ischemic stroke and 1957 controls subjects free of neurodegenerative disease. A significant association was observed for the TREM2 p.R47H substitution in susceptibility to frontotemporal dementia (OR = 5.06; p-value = 0.001) and Parkinson’s disease (OR = 2.67; p-value = 0.026), while no evidence of association with risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive supranuclear palsy or ischemic stroke was observed. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the TREM2 p.R47H substitution is a risk factor for frontotemporal dementia and Parkinson’s disease in addition to Alzheimer’s disease. These findings suggest a more general role for TREM2 dysfunction in neurodegeneration, which could be related to its role in the immune response.
Insulin Resistance Distribution and Cut-Off Value in Koreans from the 2008-2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Background We sought to identify the distribution and cut-off value of the ‘homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance’ (HOMA-IR) according to gender and menopausal status for metabolic syndrome in Koreans. Methods Data were from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2008–2010. The subjects included adults aged 20 years or older. We excluded participants who had diabetes or fasting serum glucose ≥ 7 mmol/L. Finally, 11,121 subjects (4,911 men, 3,597 premenopausal women, 2,613 postmenopausal women) were enrolled. The modified Adult Treatment Panel III criteria were used to define metabolic syndrome. Results The mean HOMA-IR was 2.11 (2.07–2.15) for men, 2.0 (1.97–2.04) for premenopausal women, and 2.14 (2.2–2.19) for postmenopausal women. The first cut-off values in men, premenopausal women, and postmenopausal women were 2.23 (sensitivity 70.6%, specificity 66.9%), 2.39 (sensitivity 72.3%, specificity 76.4%), and 2.48 (sensitivity 51.9%, specificity 80.2%), respectively. Based on the first HOMA-IR cut-off value, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 22.9% in men, 13.7% in premenopausal women, and 51.6% in postmenopausal women. The second cut-off value was around 3.2 in all three groups. Based on the second HOMA-IR cut-off value, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 50.8% in men, 42.5% in premenopausal women, and 71.6% in postmenopausal women. Conclusion In conclusion, the first cut-off values for HOMA-IR were 2.2–2.5 and the second cut-off value was 3.2 in Korea. The distribution of HOMA-IR showed differences according to gender and menopausal status. When we apply HOMA-IR, we should consider gender, menopausal status, and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome.
Geographic variation in the advertisement calls of Hyla eximia and its possible explanations

Populations of species occupying large geographic ranges are often phenotypically diverse as a consequence of variation in selective pressures and drift. This applies to attributes involved in mate choice, particularly when both geographic range and breeding biology overlap between related species. This condition may lead to interference of mating signals, which would in turn promote reproductive character displacement (RCD). We investigated whether variation in the advertisement call of the mountain treefrog (Hyla eximia) is linked to geographic distribution with respect to major Mexican river basins (Panuco, Lerma, Balsas and Magdalena), or to coexistence with its sister (the canyon treefrog, Hyla arenicolor) or another related species (the dwarf treefrog, Tlalocohyla smithii). We also evaluated whether call divergence across the main river basins could be linked to genetic structure. We found that the multidimensional acoustic space of calls from two basins where H. eximia currently interacts with T. smithii, was different from the acoustic space of calls from H. eximia elsewhere. Individuals from these two basins were also distinguishable from the rest by both the phylogeny inferred from mitochondrial sequences, and the genetic structure inferred from nuclear markers. The discordant divergence of H. eximia advertisement calls in the two separate basins where its geographic range overlaps that of T. smithii can be interpreted as the result of two independent events of RCD, presumably as a consequence of acoustic interference in the breeding choruses, although more data are required to evaluate this possibility.
Fundus Autofluorescence Imaging

Fundus auto fluorescence (FAF) imaging is a novel imaging method that allows topographic mapping of lipofuscin distribution in the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell monolayer as well as of other flurophores that may occur with disease in the outer retina and the sub neurosensory space. Excessive accumulation of lipofuscin (LF) granules in the lysosomal compartment of RPE cells represents a common downstream pathogenetic pathway in various hereditary and complex retinal diseases including age related macular degeneration (AMD). FAF imaging has been shown to be useful in understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms, diagnostic, phenotype-genotype correlation, identification of predictive markers of disease progression, and monitoring of novel therapies.
Design of a student lab program for nanoscience and technology – an intervention study on students’ perceptions of the Nature of Science, the Nature of Scientists and the Nature of Scientific Inquiry

ABSTRACT Background: This article describes the design and the evaluation of a student lab program on the topic of nanoscience and technology (NST), mainly focusing on Nanoscience and its applications. The program was designed for students in grades 8–10 and was part of a larger outreach program of the Collaborative Research Center ‘Function by Switching’ at Kiel University. The Model of Educational Reconstruction (MER) served as a framework for the research-based design of the student lab. Purpose: We aimed to develop an authentic science activity in the area of NST in order to support scientific inquiry learning and to provide a deeper understanding of scientific topics. Sample: A total of 154 secondary school students from grades 8–10 of seven different secondary schools participated in this study. Design and methods: A pre-post questionnaire with six subscales on students’ perceptions of the Nature of Science (NOS), Scientific Inquiry (NOSI) and the involved scientists (NOST) in the area of nanoscience and nanotechnology was applied. Results: Results show that the applied explicit and reflective approach embedded in the nanoscience content significantly improved the participating students’ perceptions of NOS, NOSI and NOST facets. After the lab visit, students’ answers corresponded to a more adequate perception of today’s science and scientists. Some gender differences in learning gains were also detected. Conclusion: The study served its main purpose which was to investigate a well-balanced strategy to develop authentic out-of-school-learning environments with a focus on NOS/NOSI/NOST. Testing students’ perceptions of the nature of nanoscience provided insights into students’ worlds and served as feedback for the lab program. The outcomes of this study might help to better understand and further develop authentic (nano)science programs in out-of-school settings and science outreach programs.
Research article PREVALENCE OF BIOFILM PRODUCING MDR CANDIDA ALBICANS AND NON CANDIDA ALBICANS ISOLATE FROM MEDICAL DEVICES

Totally 56% of occurrence was observed from 6 types of sources. Among them highest prevalence was observed from urinary catheter (68%) next in line is intravenous tubes (66.66%), venflon needles (65%), and blood bags (53.33%) respectively. Four types of Candida species were identified by using selective media and biochemical tests. The Candida albicans was predominant isolates in all sources especially in urinary catheter. In this study, 60.2% of non Candida albicans were observed. All isolates were subjected to antifungal stability test, 6 antifungal agents were used. Among the 6 antifungal agents Itraconazole had highly resistance activity and Fluconazole had highly sensitive activity against the isolates. The antifungal resistance of isolates were highly observed in non Candida albicans such as Candida tropicalis (83.3%) and followed by Candida glabrata (74.5%). All isolates were have the ability to produce biofilm, among them 37.4% of isolates were strong biofilm producer and 100% of protease producing isolates were observed in the last part of the study.