Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transnationalism and migrant entrepreneurship: a case study of self-employed foreigners in Hangzhou, China

Abstract International migrant entrepreneurship in China has expanded and grown. Yet, studies on this phenomenon in China have been limited. We aim to contribute to this literature by exploring international migrant entrepreneurship for various categories of international migrants in a single setting and suggesting a more comprehensive picture of migrant entrepreneurship in China. We rely on the transnationalism framework and conduct various regression analyses using our unique dataset—Survey of Foreigner Residents in China (SFRC) from 2018-2019 to study both factors in China and factors from migrants’ home country, as well as the interactions between these two types of factors, in determining migrants’ likelihood of being an entrepreneur. Our results suggest that social networks and language skills in China, the ownership of the assets in migrants’ home country, and the economy and culture of their home country can significantly shape migrants’ likelihood to become an entrepreneur. These findings show the major role of factors from migrants’ home country, highlighting the importance of using the transnationalism framework to study migrant entrepreneurship. We also find evidence of only a few interaction effects between factors in China and factors from migrants’ home country, suggesting that they are weakly dependent on each other in influencing migrant entrepreneurship in China.
Synthesis and the effect of a novel benzoxazole compound on breast cancer cell line

Breast cancer today is the most frequent cancer among women, and the second most common cause of cancer deaths among women. The aim of this study was to synthesize a new benzoxazole derivative, scan it for anti-cancer potential by MTT test using different breast cancer cell lines, and examine its effects on NF-κB and apopitosis-related proteins (APAF-1, cytochrome C, caspase-3, bcl-2) by the western blot method. newly-synthesized benzoxazole compound was applied to breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB, MCF-7) and its cytotoxicity was measured quantitatively by MTT test. Later, the level of its effects on NF-κB and apopitosis-related proteins (APAF-1, cytochrome C, caspase-3, bcl-2) were examined by the western blot method. In our study, the structure of the synthesized new 5-[4-chlorobutanamido]-2-(p-methylphenyl)benzoxazole was proved by elemental analysis, 1H NMR and mass spectroscopy analysis methods. When the toxic effects of the application of the compound on the cell lines was examined by MTT, it had a greater toxic effect on MCF-7 when compared with MDA-MB, and IC50 levels were lower. When the protein was examined in immunohistochemistry with regard to VEGF, eNOS and TUNEL, it was observed that it caused a reduction in VEGF and an increase in eNOS and TUNEL. In the assay of the proteins by western blot, when benzoxazole compound was added to the MDA and MCF-7 cell line, there was no difference from the control group in Apaf-1 and BCL-2 levels, but a reduction was observed in caspase and Nfkβ levels compared with the control group. When the compound was added to the MDA-MB cell line, an increase was shown in the Cytochrome C level compared to the control group, but no difference was seen in the MCF-7 cell line. It is felt that this synthesized new benzoxazole compound increases apopitosis by reducing the activation of Nfkβ, and in this way has shown an effect of inhibiting tumor growth in cancer treatment. In addition, it is felt that this can provide hope in cancer treatment by the improved phase studies.
Adjustments to gang exposure in early adolescence

The article investigates how exposure to gang-affiliated peers affects social behaviors and attitudes of early adolescents. Much of the literature finds that exposure to gangs contributes to adolescents’ antisocial behaviors. According to other studies, however, gang exposure can also promote prosocial behaviors. The present article re-examines this contradictory evidence, exploring potential complementarity of both reactions to gangs. Using a survey of 1,782 adolescents aged ten to 13 from rural Colombia, I compare adolescents who are and are not in a school class with members of youth gangs. I exploit the fact that schools in rural Colombia are unsegregated. Moreover, the presence of youth gangs across these schools is linked to incidence of historic armed conflict rather than typical forms of social disadvantage. This comparative setting thus allows me to establish an unconfounded relationship between exposure to gang-affiliated classmates and social outcomes. The analysis reveals gender differences in the effect of youth gang exposure. I find that girls react to male gang classmate by increased involvement in prosocial organizations. Boys, by contrast, adjust to male gangs by expressing more antisocial attitudes. There are no gender differences in the effect of gang classmates on alcohol consumption (an indicator of antisocial behavior). The article shows that the well-documented antisocial adjustments to gangs are – population-wide – complemented by prosocial adjustments, with gender being a key moderator. I discuss the implications of these findings for theories of violence and social change after conflict.
Cross-lingual Transfer of Phonological Features for Low-resource Speech Synthesis

Previous work on cross-lingual transfer learning in text-to-speech has shown the effectiveness of ﬁne-tuning phonemic representations on small amounts of target language data. In other contexts, phonological features (PFs) have been suggested as a more suitable input representation than phonemes for sharing acoustic information between languages, for example in multilingual model training or for code-switching synthesis where an utterance may contain words from multiple languages. Starting from a model trained on 14 hours of English, we ﬁnd that cross-lingual ﬁne-tuning with 15 minutes of German data can produce speech with subjective naturalness ratings compa-rable to a model trained from scratch on 4 hours of German, using either phonemes or PFs. We also ﬁnd a modest but statistically signiﬁcant improvement in naturalness ratings using PFs over phonemes when training from scratch on 4 hours of German.
The European Union and the challenge of ‘independence in Europe’: Straddling between (formal) neutrality and (actual) support for member-states’ territorial integrity

ABSTRACT In the last decade, regionalist forces have been testing the limits of the EU multi-level system by making concrete bids to ‘Independence in Europe’. This article investigates the reaction of the EU institutions in the cases of Scotland and Catalonia. The analysis, based on archive research and elite interviews, points to a certain ambiguity in the behaviour of EU institutions, whereby a claimed neutrality is contradicted by declarations that clearly help the defence of member-states’ territorial integrity. This strategy is applied by all EU political institutions – intergovernmental and supranational alike – and to both analysed cases, independently of whether the independence process is considered legal (Scotland) or illegal (Catalonia). The implementation of this strategy is strengthened by party connections between member-states’ PMs and presidents of EU institutions.
A theoretical formulation of the buckling analysis of a composite sandwich structure with multiple holes

This article presents a theoretical formulation presented for conducting a buckling analysis of the composite sandwich plate with multiple holes via the homogenization method. The validity of the theoretical formulation was verified by comparing the results of the finite element analysis and experimental analysis. Finally, the theoretical formulation was used to optimize a composite sandwich plate with multiple holes for the design of an aircraft structure to minimize the mass. The optimization result allows a database to be obtained on the buckling characteristics of composite sandwich structures with multiple holes for applying aerospace applications. We then concluded that the theoretical formulation is well-suited to buckling analysis of a composite sandwich structure with multiple holes for aerospace applications due to their relative simplicity and computational efficiency.
Topical Nanoemulsion of Rifampicin with Benzoic Acid and Salicylic Acid: Activity Against Staphylococcus aureus, Stap. epidermis and Candida albicans

The aim of this study was to formulate a topical nanoemulsion which can be used to treat both bacterial and fungal infections of the skin. Eight self-emulsifying drug delivery systems composed of different combinations of rifampicin (1%), benzoic acid (6%) and salicylic acid (3%) were formulated and designated as F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7 and F8. Nanoemulsions of the eight formulations were prepared using oleic acid, Tween 80 and water by sonication method. Antibacterial and antifungal effects were observed against Staphylococcus aureus, Stap. epidermis and Candida albicans by the Kirby-Bauer method. The nanoemulsion containing only rifampicin showed strong activity against S. aureus and S. epidermis, but not against C. albicans. The nanoemulsion containing both benzoic acid and salicylic acid showed better activity in C. albicans, but not against S. aureus and S. epidermis. However, the nanoemulsions consisting of all three active ingredients showed significant results against S. aureus, S. epidermis and C. albicans. Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Journal 22(1): 1-6, 2019
Impact of the El Niño type and PDO on the winter sub-seasonal North American zonal temperature dipole via the variability of positive PNA patterns

In recent years, the winter (from December to February, DJF) North American surface air temperature (SAT) anomaly in midlatitudes shows a “warm west/cold east” (WWCE) dipole pattern. To some extent, the winter WWCE dipole can be considered as being a result of the winter mean of sub-seasonal WWCE events. In this paper, the Pacific SST condition linked to the sub-seasonal WWCE SAT dipole is investigated. It is found that while the sub-seasonal WWCE dipole is related to the positive Pacific North American (PNA+) pattern, the impact of the PNA+ on the WWCE dipole depends on the El Niño SST type and the phase of Pacific decadal Oscillation (PDO). For a central-Pacific (CP) type El Niño, the positive (negative) height anomaly center of PNA+ is located in the west (east) part of North America to result in an intensified WWCE dipole, though the positive PDO favors the WWCE dipole. In contrast, the WWCE dipole is suppressed under an Eastern-Pacific (EP) type El Niño because the PNA+ anticyclonic anomaly dominates the whole North America.Moreover, the physical cause of why the type of El Niño influences the PNA+ is further examined. It is found that the type of El Niño can significantly influence the location of PNA+ through changing North Pacific midlatitude westerly winds (NPWWs). For the CP-type El Niño, the eastward migration of PNA+ is suppressed to favor its anticyclonic (cyclonic) anomaly appearing in the west (east) region of North American owing to reduced NPWWs. But for the EP-type El Niño, NPWWs are intensified to cause the appearance of the PNA+ anticyclonic anomaly over the whole North America due to enhanced Hadley cell and Ferrell cell.
Experimental Studies of the Influence of Microencapsulated Phase Change Material on Thermal Parameters of a Flat Liquid Solar Collector

The article presents the results of preliminary research aimed at determining the possibility of using microencapsulated phase change material (mPCM) slurries as a working fluid in installations with a flat liquid solar collector. In the tests, the following were used as the working fluid: water (reference liquid) and 10% wt. and 20% wt. of an aqueous solution of the product under the trade name MICRONAL® 5428 X. As the product contained 43% mPCM, the mass fraction of mPCM in the working liquid was 4.3% and 8.6%, respectively. The research was carried out in laboratory conditions in the range of irradiance I = 250–950 W/m2. Each of the three working fluids flowed through the collector in the amount of 20 kg/h, 40 kg/h, and 80 kg/h. The working fluid was supplied to the collector with a constant temperature Tin = 20 ± 0.5 °C. It was found that the temperature of the working fluid at the collector outlet increases with the increase in the radiation intensity, but the temperature achieved depended on the type of working fluid. The greater the share of mPCM in the working liquid, the lower the temperature of the liquid leaving the solar collector. It was found that the type of working fluid does not influence the achieved thermal power of the collector. The negative influence of mPCM on the operation of the solar collector was not noticed; the positive aspect of using mPCM in the solar installation should be emphasized—the reduced temperature of the medium allows the reduction in heat losses to the environment from the installation, especially in a low-temperature environment.
Physicochemical, nutritional and sensory qualities of salted Philippine mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos L.) eggs

Diet diversification as well as a sustainable supply of the raw materials for utilization in processing salted eggs leads to an increase in the demand and consumption of salted duck eggs in the Philippines. In this study, the physicochemical, nutritional and sensory properties of salted duck eggs made in the laboratory were evaluated. Physicochemical properties revealed that the sample collected registered a pH and water activity of 7.1 and 0.88, respectively. In addition, the samples showed a total colour difference of 15.01 using the Hunter scale system. The samples exhibited an average of 1.03% salt content. Furthermore, proximate composition, mineral and fatty acid analyses of samples proved that a considerable amount of these nutrients were present in salted duck eggs that were analysed. Protein, fat, carbohydrate, crude fibre and ash content were 11.49, 10.15, 3.54, 1.07 and 1.01%, respectively. On the other hand, minerals such as phosphorus, potassium and calcium were recorded at 4.46, 3.92 and 3.61 mg/100 g, respectively. In general, the major fatty acids found in the samples were oleic acid (C18:1), myristic acid (C14:0) and linolenic acid (C18:2). Sensory evaluation revealed that flavour was regarded by the panellist as a major consideration in evaluating the quality of salted duck eggs. This study proved that salted duck eggs have nutritional and quality characteristics that can be considered as an alternative source of protein, fat and minerals for human consumption.
CHEMICAL INTERESTERIFICATION OF COTTON OIL WITH METHYL ACETATE ASSISTED BY ULTRASOUND FOR BIODIESEL PRODUCTION

In this study, research was performed on the interesterification reaction of cotton oil with methyl acetate, using potassium methoxide as catalyst, in the presence of ultrasonic waves. In order to obtain a better understanding of the process variables behavior, a response surface methodology was used along with statistical methods. The experiments were performed with molar ratio varying from 1:8 to 1:24, catalyst percentage of 0.1 to 1.3% (weight), ultrasonic nozzle amplitude varying from 30% to 90% (180 to 540 W) and vibration pulse varying from 50% to 90%. Process variables were optimized with the optimal molar ratio of 1:14.87, catalyst concentration of 1.17%, ultrasonic probe amplitude of 67.64% and vibration pulse of 67.30%. The average conversion of triglycerides was found to be 98.12% at the optimal conditions. The experimental data were adjusted to the second-order irreversible reaction approximation model, under optimized conditions, with temperatures of 30, 40 and 50 oC. Lastly, in comparison to the conventional methodology, a significant increase of 14% of triglycerides conversion utilizing ultrasonic waves was observed.
The Difference in the Antimicrobial effect of Katuk Leaf Extract (Sauropus Androgynus (l.) Merr.) Concentration against Escherichia Coli

Abstract Purpose – The aim of this study is to determine the differences in the antimicrobial activity of katuk leaf (Sauropus androgynus (L.) Merr) against Escherichia coli. Design/Methodology/Approach – The method used in this study was experimental posttest using a control group design. Analysis of the effect of katuk leaf was performed in the dilution method with 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% concentration. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA test (α = 0.05) and was then tested using the least significant difference (LSD) test. Findings – Bacterial colony counting that used total plant count found the average of E. coli amount at 20% of concentration (526.820 CFU/ml), 40% of concentration (449.380 CFU/ml), concentration of 60% (255.710 CFU/ml), concentration of 80% (194.110 CFU/ml), and at concentration 100% (168.600 CFU/ml). This study concluded that the katuk leaf extract at 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% of concentration had antimicroba effect with significant influence. The 100% of concentration had the most significant effect compared with the other concentrations. Research Limitations/Implications – Katuk leaf could be used as one of the alternative herbal choices that has a compound antimicrobial effect. Originality/Value – This study increases the theoretical understanding of the difference of antimicrobial effectivity of katuk leaf extract (S. Androgynus (L.) Merr. ) concentration against E. coli
Eeg Based Visual Classification With Multi-Feature Joint Learning

With a significant boost in neuroscience and artificial intelligence, decoding the process of human vision has become a hot topic in the last few decades. Although many existing deep learning models are employed to explore and solve mysteries of human brain activity, the accuracy and reliability of the visual classification task based on electroencephalography (EEG) still have space for promotion. In our research, we design the experiments to collect the subjects’ EEG data when they are watching the different types of images. In this way, an image-EEG dataset corresponding to 80 ImageNet object classes was constructed. Afterward, we proposed a dual-EEGNet for joint feature learning for multi-category visual classification. Especially, one branch EEGNet is used to extract the spatio-temporal embeddings of EEG signals, and the other branch is used to extract the time-frequency embeddings of EEG signals. The experimental results demonstrate that EEG signals can reflect the human brain activity and distinguish the different types of images. Moreover, the proposed model with joint features has a better classification performance in terms of accuracy compared with other methods.
Comparative studies of essential oils composition and cytotoxic activity of Valeriana jatamansi Jones

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to investigate comparative essential oils (EOs) composition and cytotoxic activity of Valeriana jatamansi Jones, from wild growing samples at higher altitude and cultivated sample at lower altitude. Hydrodistilled EOs from the rhizomes of this herb were analyzed using Gas Chromatography with Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID), Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS), and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (13C NMR). Thirty-six diverse metabolites were characterized in EOs samples accounting 68.5–88.2% of the total oils. The extracted EOs were found to be enriched in patchouli alcohol (7.6–70.5%), β-bisabolol (17.2–21.4%), maaliol (0.3–28.1%) and α-bulnesene (1.4–8.5%). The obtained EOs were further evaluated for cytotoxic activity against human lung carcinoma (A549) and human skin carcinoma (A431) cancer cells. Isolated component (patchouli alcohol) and extracted oils were represented good to moderate cytotoxic activity. These findings showed that EOs of these plants could be employed in the field of flavour, fragrance and pharmaceutical applications.
Antimicrobial properties and sensorial acceptability of edible antimicrobial films from seaweed (Kappaphycus alvarezii) and cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) essential oil

Packaging of foods by using edible antimicrobial films (EAF) incorporated with essential oils is able to reduce the spoilage of food due to surface contamination. Essential oils are highly volatile and have strong aromas that can affect their function and consumer acceptance. This paper discussed the effect of cinnamon essential oil (CEO) concentrations on the antimicrobial activity and sensory acceptability of EAF produced from seaweed through a casting method. The CEO was added into the formulations at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 g/kg levels. The EAF showed antimicrobial activity against the tested microorganisms with the highest antimicrobial activity at the concentration of 40 g/kg CEO. However, based on the results obtained from a sensory evaluation using a 7-points hedonic scale, the overall acceptability was 3.23 which was lower than the minimum acceptability score of 4. Hence, the highest acceptable level of CEO in the EAF was 30 g/ kg. It is recommended that the CEO of 30 g/kg could be incorporated into edible film and act as an alternative method to extend the shelf life of packaged foods.
Spectroscopic Characterization of the Interaction between Dopamine and Human Serum Albumin

The interactions of HSA with DA have received great attention nowadays due to its significant effect in the biomedical field and overall health. The main aim of this work is to examine the interaction between DA and HSA at physiological conditions. Upon addition of DA to HSA, the fluorescence emission was quenched with quenching constant Kq = 1.32 × 109 L⋅mol−1⋅s−1 and the binding constant of DA with HSA is found to be K = 4.4 × 102 mainly indicating dynamic quenching. The HSA conformation was altered upon binding of DA to HSA with an increase in α-helix and a decrease in β-sheets suggesting unfolding of HSA secondary structure due to weak intermolecular interaction with HSA. In view of the evidence presented, it is important to understand the details of the interactions of HSA with DA which will be crucial in the design of new DA-inspired drugs and help revealing vital details to better understand the HSA’s role as a transporter for many drugs.
Contribution of open-ended questions in student evaluation of teaching

ABSTRACT Student evaluation of teaching (SET) is applied in the vast majority of universities and higher education institutions. They are used to design professor training programs, evaluate teaching performance, and show evidence of performance to different stakeholders. SET surveys typically include an open-ended question which is not always considered in the analysis of the results. This study aims to show the contribution of analyzing the students’ comments by means of the Latent Dirichlet Allocation methodology to factor them into the analysis of the quantitative part of the survey. For this purpose, a sample of 737 courses taught during 2017 and 2018 in an undergraduate program at a Chilean university is used. The results show that both the number of comments and the topics that can be extracted from them contribute significantly to the analysis of the professors’ teaching performance. The topics extracted are more specific than the quantitative dimensions of the survey, which allows obtaining very concrete feedback for professors and for designing training programs. Around half of the topics extracted are actionable and do not depend on the intrinsic characteristics of the professors, which allows for effective improvements in teaching. Additionally, the extracted topics can be grouped into dimensions that have a correspondence with the quantitative dimensions of the survey, although they only cover a subset of the latter. This result provides insights to improve the survey design and adjust the weighting of its different dimensions.