Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How Antitrust Failed Workers

Antitrust law has very rarely been used by workers to challenge anticompetitive employment practices. Yet recent empirical research shows that labor markets are highly concentrated, and that employers engage in practices that harm competition and suppress wages. These practices include no-poaching agreements, wage-fixing, mergers, covenants not to compete, and misclassification of gig workers as independent contractors. This failure of antitrust to challenge labor-market misbehavior is due to a range of other failures—intellectual, political, moral, and economic. And the impact of this failure has been profound for wage levels, economic growth, and inequality. In light of the recent empirical work, it is urgent for regulators, courts, lawyers, and Congress to redirect antitrust resources to labor market problems. This book offers a strategy for judicial and legislative reform.
Clostridioides difficile Prevalence in the United States: National Inpatient Sample, 2016 to 2018

Abstract Data from the National Inpatient Sample indicate that Clostridioides difficile prevalence decreased from 10.1 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 9.9–10.3) to 8.6 (95% CI = 8.5–8.8) per 1000 hospital discharges between 2016 and 2018, after accounting for age, sex, and race. There was heterogeneity in the prevalence and decrease in prevalence by geographic region in the United States.
Are reactive oxygen species (ROS) a suitable metric to predict toxicity of carbonaceous aerosol particles?

Abstract. It is being suggested that particle-bound or particle-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS), which significantly contribute to the oxidative potential (OP) of aerosol particles, are a promising metric linking aerosol compositions to toxicity and adverse health effects. However, accurate ROS quantification remains challenging due to the reactive and short-lived nature of many ROS components and the lack of appropriate analytical methods for a reliable quantification. Consequently, it remains difficult to gauge their impact on human health, especially to identify how aerosol particle sources and atmospheric processes drive particle-bound ROS formation in a real-world urban environment. In this study, using a novel online particle-bound ROS instrument (OPROSI), we comprehensively characterized and compared the formation of ROS in secondary organic aerosols (SOA) generated from organic compounds that represent anthropogenic (naphthalene, SOANAP) and biogenic (β-pinene, SOAβPIN) precursors. The SOA mass was condensed onto soot particles (SP) under varied atmospherically relevant conditions (photochemical aging and humidity). We systematically analysed the ability of the aqueous extracts of the two aerosol types (SOANAP-SP and SOAβPIN-SP) to induce ROS production and OP. We further investigated cytotoxicity and cellular ROS production after exposing human lung epithelial cell cultures (A549) to extracts of the two aerosols. A significant finding of this study is that more than 90 % of all ROS components in both SOA types have a short lifetime, highlighting the need to develop online instruments for a meaningful quantification of ROS. Our results also show that photochemical aging promotes particle-bound ROS production and enhances the OP of the aerosols. Compared to SOAβPIN-SP, SOANAP-SP elicited a higher acellular and cellular ROS production, a higher OP and a lower cell viability. These consistent results between chemical-based and biological-based analyses indicate that particle-bound ROS quantification could be a feasible metric to predict aerosol particle toxicity and adverse human effects. Moreover, the cellular ROS production caused by SOA exposure not only depends on aerosol type, but is also affected by exposure dose, highlighting a need to mimic the process of particle deposition onto lung cells and their interactions as realistically as possible to avoid unknown biases.
Anti-Cancer Acitivity of Etodolac and Its Derivatives on Prostate and Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used as anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents. This family of drugs suppresses prostaglandin synthesis through inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes. Recent studies showed that anti-carcinogenic effects of these drugs are especially mediated by COX-2 enzyme. Etodolac is a COX-2 inhibitor and though not perfectly selective, it exhibits “preferential selectivity” for COX-2. In this study, the anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects of etodolac and its hydrazone or triazole derivatives (SGK 206 and SGK 242, respectively), were investigated on prostate cancer cell line PC-3 and human colorectal carcinoma cell line HT-29. Our data showed that SGK 206 and SGK 242 were more effective in the inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis compared to etodolac in both cell lines.
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Protein Unbound Ciprofloxacin Concentrations to avoid inadequate Treatment of severe Bacterial Infections in Critically ill Patients

OBJECTIVES: To develop a reliable ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of unbound ciprofloxacin concentrations in critically ill patients. METHODS: Total and unbound ciprofloxacin concentrations of five randomly selected intensive care unit (ICU) patients were measured using UPLC-MS/MS. Method validation included accuracy, linearity, precision, repeatability, and limits of detection and quantification. RESULTS: The median unbound ciprofloxacin fraction was 74.8%, with a median area under the curve from 0-24 h (AUC0-24) and maximum serum concentration (Cmax) of 28.51 h·mg/L and 4.45 mg/L respectively. Median free AUC0-24 (fAUC0-24) and free Cmax (fCmax) were 21.57 h·mg/L and 3.53 mg/L respectively; 20% of patients reached the pharmacodynamic target. The UPLC-MS/ MS method was validated using an intra-assay and inter-assay precision < 3%. Recoveries were between 90-110% CONCLUSIONS: This UPLC-MS/MS method provided reliable unbound ciprofloxacin concentrations, allowing target attainment in critically ill patients and exploration of different dosing regimens.
“Visualization” of SDGs-related Patent Technologies by Natural Language Processing Technology

SDGs is an abbreviation for “Sustainable Development Goals”, which were adopted at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit in September 2015. They were set as goals to be achieved by the 193 United Nations Member States during the 15-year period from 2016 to 2030. Technological innovation is indispensable for the realization of the SDGs, but at present, it is unclear where (countries and companies) and to what extent SDG-related technologies are available. For this reason, we used BERT, a natural language processing technology, and Japanese patent publications we own and worked on the "visualization" of the SDGs technologies in Japan. The results show that out of the 17 SDGs goals, patents can contribute to Goals 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 11 and 13.
Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate on Grain Yield and Malt Quality of Three Malt Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Varieties at Arsi Zone, Ethiopia

Grain yield and malt quality of barley are largely influenced by the specific variety, soil property and applied nitrogen fertilizer rates. Consequently, nitrogen fertilizer application could lead to tradeoff between grain yield and malt quality and grain yield resulting in significant loss for beverage industries and farmers. Thus a field experiment was carried out during 2018/2019 main cropping season on Nitisol at Arsi Zone of Ethiopia to study the effect of grain yield and malt quality response of malt barley (Hordeum vulgar L.) Varieties to different rates of nitrogen fertilizer. Factorial combination of three malt barley varieties (Holker, Ibon and Fanaka) and five rates of nitrogen fertilizer (11.5, 23, 34.5, 46 and 57.5 kg N ha-1) were laydown in split plot arrangement Nitrogen fertilizer rate as main plot and varieties as sub plot replicate three times. Data on soil sample analysis results revealed that, the soil physic-chemical property didn’t show significant variation in both before planting and after harvest. The interaction effects of nitrogen fertilizer rate and varieties had significant influence on grain yield, thousand kernel weight and hectoliter weight. Malt extract content and germination energy were significantly affected by main effect of malt barley varieties, while grain protein content affected only by nitrogen rate. Thus application of 57.5 kg N ha-1 to Ibon malt barley variety produced better (2.629 t ha-1) grain yields at the study area. From this point of view it can be conclude that Ibon Varity fertilized with 57.5 kg N ha-1 was found to be better in terms of both yield performance and economic feasibility for malt barley production in study area.
Phytochemical and phytotoxic investigation of the aqueous leaf extract of Eugenia dysenterica DC. under laboratory conditions

The objective of this study was to carry out a phytochemical characterization of the aqueous leaf extract of Eugenia dysenterica DC. , as well as to evaluate its phytotoxic potential on the germination and growth of Lactuca sativa L. and Zea mays L. under laboratory conditions. Concentrations of 250, 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 mg/L of the extract in addition to the control were used for the bioassays. Under laboratory conditions this extract inhibited average growth of the radicle/primary root and hypocotyl/coleoptile leaves of lettuce and maize, with proportionality between the effect and the concentration being observed. The presence of phenols, hydrolysable tannins, flavonols, flavanones, flavanonols, xanthones, flavones, free steroids and saponins were identifiedin the aqueous extract. The aqueous extract of the plant species under study has a phytotoxic effect, and this effect is due to the presence of phenolic compounds, tannins, flavonoids and saponins.
Consensus of switched delay multi-agent systems via self-triggered impulsive control

This paper addresses the consensus problem of switched nonlinear multi-agent systems with delay and disturbances on undirected graph. Under distributed self-triggered impulsive control, continuous communication among neighbours is avoided and the lower bound of inter-event time is given. By the tool of average dwell time and comparison method, we obtain less conservative conditions for practical consensus compared with the existing results. It is shown that precise consensus can be achieved for the considered multi-agent systems without disturbances. Finally, a simulation example verifies our theoretical results.
Miro1-dependent mitochondrial dynamics in parvalbumin interneurons

The spatiotemporal distribution of mitochondria is crucial for precise ATP provision and calcium buffering required to support neuronal signaling. Fast-spiking GABAergic interneurons expressing parvalbumin (PV) have a high mitochondrial content reflecting their large energy utilization. The importance for correct trafficking and precise mitochondrial positioning remains poorly elucidated in inhibitory neurons. Miro1 is a Ca2+-sensing adaptor protein that links mitochondria to the trafficking apparatus, for their microtubule-dependent transport along axons and dendrites, in order to meet the metabolic and Ca2+-buffering requirements of the cell. Here, we explore the role of Miro1 in parvalbumin interneurons and how changes in mitochondrial trafficking could alter brain network activity. By employing live and fixed imaging, we found that the impairments in Miro1-directed trafficking in PV+ interneurons altered their mitochondrial distribution and axonal arborization. These changes were accompanied by an increase in the ex vivo hippocampal γ-oscillation (30 – 80 Hz) frequency and promoted anxiolysis. Our findings show that precise regulation of mitochondrial dynamics in PV+ interneurons is crucial for proper neuronal signaling and network synchronization.
The structuring in mixtures with acetone as the common solvent

ABSTRACT A molecular dynamics study of binary mixtures with acetone and different non-polar solutes (benzene, pentane and carbon tetrachloride) was undertaken. Through the analysis of different structural features, Kirkwood–Buff integrals, as well as energy distributions the weak nonideality is observed, governed mainly by the acetone’s interactions. The excess thermodynamic properties highlighted that the subtle balance between unfavourable energetic and favourable entropic contributions promotes mixing. The solutes, despite showing differences, exhibit globally similar behaviour. The characteristics of these mixtures contrast those of the acetone-methanol mixtures, which exhibit more complex structuring, dictated primarily by the methanol molecules.
Enhanced bactericidal efficacy of polymer stabilized silver nanoparticles in conjugation with different classes of antibiotics

The paper presents the interaction mechanism of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with different antibiotics and the antibacterial efficacy of the formed conjugates. The AgNPs used in this study were synthesized from silver nitrate using sodium borohydride as a reducing agent, in the presence of PVP as a protecting agent. Two antibiotics, amikacin and vancomycin with different modes of action, were used to functionalize the synthesized PVP-capped AgNPs. The formation of antibiotic-AgNPs conjugate was confirmed by UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the results suggest the conjugation of both drugs to silver nanoparticle surfaces. FTIR results indicate that intermolecular hydrogen bonding exists between PVP-coated AgNPs and antibiotics. The oxygen atom coordinated with PVP was available for interaction with either amine or amide groups of drugs. Further, the antibacterial efficacy of these PVP-capped AgNPs with selected antibiotics was evaluated against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus by agar well diffusion test. Synergetic bactericidal activity for antibiotic-AgNPs conjugate was observed against both microbes.
A Study of Magnetic Conjugate Property in a Large Density Irregularity Structure Using Hilbert‐Huang Transform

A large density irregularity structure in latitudinal extent was observed by the sun‐synchronous orbiting FORMOSAT‐5 satellite at 720 km topside ionosphere in the South American sector on November 24, 2018 during a magnetically quiet time. The observed density irregularity structure has a latitudinal extent of ∼30° across the dip equator, and a longitudinal width of ∼6°. Unlike previously studied equatorial plasma bubble structures with the airglow images that indicate hemispheric magnetic conjugate similarity, the gross feature of this large density irregularity structure indicates a north‐south hemispheric asymmetry in density variation. We use the Hilbert‐Huang Transform analysis to study the irregularity structure in different scales of density variations. It is found that the amplitude of density variations in the scale sizes from 22.5 to 450 km all indicate the hemispheric asymmetry. However, the spectral property of density variations in the two hemispheres is almost identical to each other. This implies that the density irregularity structure which originates from the same Rayleigh‐Taylor (RT) instability process has preserved the spectral characteristics inside the magnetic flux tube. Therefore, the cause that fails to preserve the magnetic conjugate property in the density irregularity structure comes from the fact that the background ionospheric density distribution has a north‐south hemispherical asymmetry in the beginning of the RT instability process. This hemispheric asymmetrical density distribution is caused by the seasonal variation of density distributions in the two hemispheres and the prevailing inter‐hemispheric neutral wind during solstices in the South American sector.
Pressure tolerance of Artemia cysts compressed in water medium

ABSTRACT The high pressure tolerance of cysts of Artemia salina was investigated up to several GPa in water. No survival was observed after exposure to 1.0 GPa for 15 min. After exposure to 2.0 GPa for the same time duration, the hatching rate had recovered to 33%, but decreased to 8% following compression at 7.5 GPa. This contrasts with results using Fluorinert™ as the pressure-transmitting medium where 80–88% recovery was observed. The lower survival rate in water is accompanied by swelling of the eggs, indicating that liquid H2O close to the ice-VI crystallization pressure penetrated inside the eggs. This pressure exceeds the stability limit for proteins and other key biomolecules components within the embryos that could not be resuscitated. Rehydration takes several minutes and so was not completed for all samples compressed to higher pressures, prior to ice-VI formation, resulting in renewed survival. However H2O penetration inside the shell resulted in increased mortality.
Ethics and curriculum design of accounting programmes in a developing country: a qualitative insight

ABSTRACT The paper explores curriculum design and drivers of ethics in universities and the professional accounting bodies in Ghana. Data were collected through individual face-to-face interviews. The study revealed that ethics in the curricula of universities and professional bodies are integrated within and across subjects and within all levels of programmes. Also, ethics is integrated using a combination of stand-alone, embedded and narrative approaches. Factors such as faculty initiative, industry demand, international benchmarking and modernisation are some of the drivers of ethics in the universities and the professional accounting bodies. Accounting educators need to understand the nature and drivers of ethics in the design of accounting curricula in order to improve the ethical practices of accounting graduates. The study is among the few that adopt an in-depth qualitative approach in highlighting the nature of ethics curriculum design for universities and professional bodies.
Do Chief Audit Executives Matter? Evidence from Turnover Events

We investigate the chief audit executive’s (CAE) internal audit supervisory role by examining the change in internal audit monitoring effectiveness following the turnover of CAEs. Using a sample of firms listed on the small and medium enterprise board of China’s stock exchange, we find that CAE turnover is accompanied by a reduction in financial reporting/internal control quality and that the reduction is more pronounced for firms whose successor CAEs have lower financial expertise than their predecessors. Further analysis shows that the negative association with financial reporting/internal control quality is stronger when the turnover is for personal reasons than when it is for internal transfer of the CAE. These findings are robust to a battery of sensitivity checks, including placebo tests and matching diagnostics. Our results highlight the importance of the CAE for a firm’s internal audit functions.
A New Unconstrained Approach to GNSS Atmospheric Water Vapor Tomography

A new atmospheric tomographic model totally based on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observations is proposed and tested against field observations. The method does not require a first guess, does not contain specific constraints on the variability of water vapor density inside the tomographic domain, and is able to produce reasonable results at 6 km horizontal and 500 m vertical resolutions, from short (30 min) GNSS data samples. The inversion method uses the Moore‐Penrose pseudoinverse, which is made possible by increasing the rank of the design matrix through angular interpolation and extrapolation of the observations. Comparisons against 30 consecutive 4‐h radiosonde observations and model simulations suggest the ability of the method to detect inversions and local maxima aloft, and behave sensibly in the far‐field. Further improvements from this method may be expected from higher density and multi‐constellation networks.
Cycle Generative Adversarial Network: Towards A Low-Cost Vegetation Index Estimation

This paper presents a novel unsupervised approach to estimate the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The NDVI is obtained as the ratio between information from the visible and near infrared spectral bands; in the current work, the NDVI is estimated just from an image of the visible spectrum through a Cyclic Generative Adversarial Network (CyclicGAN). This unsupervised architecture learns to estimate the NDVI index by means of an image translation between the red channel of a given RGB image and the NDVI unpaired index’s image. The translation is obtained by means of a ResNET architecture and a multiple loss function. Experimental results obtained with this unsupervised scheme show the validity of the implemented model. Additionally, comparisons with the state of the art approaches are provided showing improvements with the proposed approach.
Ocean dynamics are key to extratropical forcing of El Niño

The El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has been recently linked with extratropical-Pacific atmospheric variability. The two key mechanisms connecting the atmospheric variability of extratropical-Pacific with ENSO are the heat-flux driven “seasonal footprinting mechanism” (SFM) and the ocean-dynamics driven “trade wind charging” (TWC) mechanism. However, their relative contributions to ENSO are still unknown. Here we present modeling evidence that the positive phase of the SFM generates a weaker, short-lived central Pacific El Niño-like warming pattern in the fall, whereas the TWC positive phase leads to a wintertime eastern Pacific El Niño-like warming. When both mechanisms are active, a strong, persistent El Niño develops. While both mechanisms can trigger equatorial wind anomalies that generate an El Niño, the strength and persistence of the warming depends on the subsurface heat content buildup by the TWC mechanism. These results suggest that while dynamical-coupling associated with extratropical forcing is crucial to maintain an El Niño, thermodynamical-coupling is an extratropical source of El Niño diversity.
Removal of Cr(VI) from synthetic solutions using water caltrop shell as a low-cost biosorbent

ABSTRACT Water caltrop (WC) shell was investigated as a potential biosorbent for the removal of Cr(VI) ions from aqueous solutions. FT-IR spectrum of WC exhibited different functional groups such as carboxyl-group, amino-group, and hydroxyl-groups. Biosorption capacity obtained is 98.04 mg/g at pH 2.0, initial Cr(VI) concentration 100 mg/L, 1 g/L biosorbent-dose, 100 rpm rotational speed, and 60 min equilibration time. The biosorption process follows Langmuir adsorption isotherm (R2 = 0.989) and pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R2 = 0.998) with separation factor found between 0.11 and 0.37. Thermodynamics parameters reveal that biosorption process is endothermic, spontaneous, and entropy-driven at lower concentrations.