Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive assessment of in vivo lumbar spine intervertebral discs using a 3D adiabatic T1ρ prepared ultrashort echo time (UTE-Adiab-T1ρ) pulse sequence.

Background T1ρ has been extensively reported as a sensitive biomarker of biochemical changes in the nucleus pulposus (NP) and annulus fibrosis of intervertebral discs (IVDs). However, no T1ρ study of cartilaginous endplates (CEPs) has yet been reported because the relatively long echo times (TEs) of conventional clinical T1ρ sequences cannot effectively capture the fast-decaying magnetic resonance signals of CEPs, which have very short T2/T2*s. This can be overcome by using ultrashort echo time (UTE) T1ρ acquisitions. Methods Seventeen subjects underwent UTE with adiabatic T1ρ preparation (UTE-Adiab-T1ρ) and T2-weighted fast spin echo imaging of their lumbar spines. Each IVD was manually segmented into seven regions (i.e., outer anterior annulus fibrosis, inner anterior annulus fibrosis, outer posterior annulus fibrosis, inner posterior annulus fibrosis, superior CEP, inferior CEP, and NP). T1ρ values of these sub-regions were correlated with IVD modified Pfirrmann grades and subjects' ages. In addition, T1ρ values were compared in subjects with and without low back pain (LBP). Results Correlations of T1ρ values of the outer posterior annulus fibrosis, superior CEP, inferior CEP, and NP with modified Pfirrmann grades were significant (P<0.05) with R values of 0.51, 0.36, 0.38, and -0.94, respectively. Correlations of T1ρ values of the outer anterior annulus fibrosis, outer posterior annulus fibrosis, and NP with ages were significant with R equal to 0.52, 0.71, and -0.76, respectively. T1ρ differences of the outer posterior annulus fibrosis, inferior CEP, and NP between the subjects with and without LBP were significant (P=0.005, 0.020, and 0.000, respectively). Conclusions The UTE-Adiab-T1ρ sequence can quantify T1ρ of whole IVDs including CEPs. This is an advance, and of value for comprehensive assessment of IVD degeneration.
Excluding Whom? Race, Gender, and Suspension in High School

Students of color are more apt to face exclusionary discipline in school, such as suspension or expulsion, than their white counterparts, and once suspended students may be more likely to drop out of school altogether. Utilizing the Education Longitudinal Study (ELS), we assess the separate and combined effects of various student level influences while controlling for contextual influences on the odds of suspension and dropping out. Results suggest students of color face a more punitive schooling experience and are more likely to experience scholastic exclusion even after controlling for a host of covaraites. Thus, findings indicate implicit perceptions of students of color, irrespective of their attitudes and behaviors, guide disciplinary practices which have real effects for students’ subsequent academic experience.
Peer Presence Effect on Numeracy and Literacy in 4th Graders: When Working With a Schoolmate Makes Children More Adult-Like

The present study explores the potential impact of peers' omnipresence at school on children's academic performance. We tested 99 fourth-graders either alone or with a classmate in a task involving both numeracy and literacy skills: numerosity comparison and phonological comparison. Ninety-seven college-aged young adults were also tested on the same task, either alone or with a familiar peer. Peer presence yielded a reaction time (RT) speedup in children, and this social facilitation was at least as important as that seen in adults. RT distribution analyses indicated that the presence of a familiar peer promotes the emergence of adult-like features in children. This included shorter and less variable reaction times (confirmed by an ex-Gaussian analysis), increased use of an optimal response strategy and, based on Ratcliff’s diffusion model, speeded up non decision (memory and/or motor) processes. Peer presence thus allowed children to, at least, narrow (for demanding phonological comparisons), and, at best, virtually fill in (for unchallenging numerosity comparisons) the developmental gap separating them from adult levels of performance. These findings confirm the influence of peer presence on skills relevant to education and lay the ground for exploring how the brain mechanisms mediating this fundamental social influence evolve during development.
Finnish and Portuguese Parents’ Perspectives on the Role of Teachers in Parent-Teacher Partnerships and Parental Engagement

The current educational reforms in Finland and Portugal require a holistic engagement of parents with learning, bringing parents and teachers together as partners. This qualitative study, which interviewed Finnish (N = 10) and Portuguese (N = 9) parents, aimed to explore parents’ views on the role of teachers in supporting parent–teacher partnerships and parental engagement with the school. Inductive content analysis was performed to analyze the interviews. From a general standpoint, three patterns were found in the parents’ narratives about the role of teachers in supporting partnership and engagement: communication, professionalism, and invitations to active parental participation. From a cross-cultural standpoint, Finnish parents evidenced partnerships and engagement grounded in little face-to-face contact but consistent online communication with the teacher, as well as trust in their professionalism and independent work. The Portuguese parents revealed rather frequent active participation within the school premises, more recurrent face-to-face communication with the teacher, and appreciation for teachers’ timely responses and support. Recommendations for a holistic approach of engagement and partnerships were brought forward within the context of teacher education, such as the need to maintain simple but regular communication with parents and the relevance of reconsidering the frequency of parental activities in the school.
Maximum-Power-Per-Ampere Variable Frequency Modulation for Dual Active Bridge Converters in Battery-Balancing Application

Varying the operating frequency helps dual-active bridge topologies increase the system efficiency since the soft-switching is regained at low-load condition. This article proposes a conduction-loss-based variable frequency modulation (VFM) that decouples the phase-shift from the frequency control that conventional VFM applies. The power losses for the shared-bus battery-balancing topology are elaborated as switching frequency varies. The results show that increasing the operating frequency within the reasonable boundaries can benefit not only the switching loss but also the conduction losses. The switching loss is nearly constant, whereas the conduction losses decrease significantly. A factor of output power and transformer current, namely power-per-ampere, is derived as a function of operating conditions and phase-shift independent of switching frequency. The operating setpoints are selected to minimize the factor using both online and offline optimizations. The proposed control strategy outperforms constant frequency modulation by up to 30% below 30% rated power. Furthermore, compared with conventional VFM, the proposed method improves the efficiency of the system under test by 1.5% below 50% normalized power, with significantly less computational resources needed.
The FM-IBEM simulation for three dimensional seismic wave scattering by arbitrary layered media

Abstract We have built a three-dimensional layered alluvial basin calculation pattern based on the actual basin alluvial stratification. A FM-IBEM program for the arbitrary layered alluvial basin is developed, proved its applicability to the model in this paper via verification of accuracy and efficiency. Focusing on the geological complexity of real 3D basins and the broadband characteristics of incident frequency of seismic waves, we addressed the effects of incident P and SV waves in the case of different frequencies on surface displacement amplification of arbitrary layered alluvial basins. The results show that the large curvature of the alluvial boundary layer has the strongest magnifying influence on the surface displacement amplitude of the layered alluvial basin. The magnification effect of medium and high frequency SV waves on surface displacement of layered alluvial basins is less than that of P waves. But, for medium and high frequency P and SV waves incident layered alluvial basins, the surface displacement amplitude shows attenuation effect integrally.
Perception of Coach According to the Role of Starter or Substitute in the Final Stage of the Season

This paper examines the athletes’ perception of their coaches according to the role of starter or substitute in the final phase of the season. The variables analyzed were: leadership style, perceived justice, competence, and support for basic psychological needs. A longitudinal study was developed, evaluating the participants at two different stages: the end of the season and seven weeks before. A total of 112 football and handball players participated in this study, 78 completing the questionnaire at the two waves. The final sample comprised 51 starters (80.39% males) and 27 substitutes (70.37% males) who evaluated their coaches’ leadership, competence, and support of the players’ psychological needs. The interaction moment of measurement (seven weeks before the end of the season vs. end of the season) * group (starters vs. substitutes) was statistically significant for the variables authentic leadership, perceived justice, and the basic psychological need of competence. Post hoc analyses revealed a significant decline in the perception of authentic leadership from coaches, perceived justice, and support of the psychological need of competence at the end of the season only in those in a starter position, with no change observed in the substitutes group. The findings show that the perceptions of coaches among starting players deteriorates significantly in the final phase of the season, while those among substitutes remain unaffected.
EFEITO IN VITRO DA SUPLEMENTAÇÃO DO GUARANÁ (Paullinia cupana) NA ATIVIDADE DE QUIMIOTERÁPICOS USADOS NO TRATAMENTO DO CÂNCER DE MAMA

A fadiga relacionada ao câncer (CRF) e um fenomeno comum em pacientes submetidos a quimioterapia e a radioterapia representando um impacto negativo sobre o estado funcional e a qualidade de vida. Algumas plantas apresentam propriedades tonicas e antifatigantes, como guarana (Paullinia cupana) e um estudo anterior descreveu efeito positivo sobre a CRF de pacientes com câncer de mama, submetidas a quimioterapia. Apesar dos resultados positivos, indicando que o guarana melhora o CRF, este fruto apresenta molecula bioactiva como cafeina e catequina, que podem influenciar no efeito de farmacos antitumorais. Portanto, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar se o guarana muda a viabilidade e o efeito antiproliferativo de sete agentes quimioterapicos atualmente utilizados no tratamento do câncer de mama, utilizando como modelo experimental in vitro a linhagem de celulas de câncer de mama MCF-7. As celulas foram expostas a concentracoes de guarana de 1, 5 e 10 μg/mL, com e sem quimioterapicos. Os principais resultados demonstraram um efeito antiproliferativo do guarana em 5 10 μg/mL. A influencia do guarana sobre os efeitos quimioterapicos era dependente de farmacos. O efeito do guarana na viabilidade de celulas MCF-7 foi heterogeneo e dependente de drogas. Diferente dos resultados obtidos apos 24 horas de exposicao, o guarana mais todos os farmacos quimioterapicos mostraram um forte efeito antiproliferativo (> 40% de inibicao de celulas) em celulas MCF-7, depois de 72 horas de exposicao de 10 uM de gemcitabina, vinorelbina e metotrexato, 2 uM 5-fluoracil, 50 uM de paclitaxel, 200 nM de doxorubicina, e 5 mM de ciclofosfamida. Devido ao fato das drogas quimioterapicas serem afetadas pela adicao de guarana melhorando a atividade antiproliferativa, o uso terapeutico de guarana contra CRF parece nao afetar negativamente a quimioterapia. No entanto, protocolos in vitro apresentam limitacoes metodologicas que precisam ser consideradas e precisam ser realizadas investigacoes complementares in vitro e in vivo para avaliar se a administracao de quimioterapico com guarana e segura para pacientes com câncer de mama.
Interfacial and Stability Studies of Photocathodes for Hydrogen Evolution

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is a promising way to generate clean hydrogen fuel from water and sunlight. The ideal photocathodes for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) should have good electrical contact and mechanical adhesion on the interface between the semiconductor and the catalyst, and be stable during operation. However, the interfacial properties and the stability have not been intensively studied. We investigated the electrical and mechanical properties on the nanoscale of the interface of commonly used Si/Pt nanoparticles (Pt-NPs) electrodes with Pt-NPs as a catalyst, and showed that the Pt-NPs have a weaker adhesion in electrolyte than in air, and less than half of the Pt-NPs carry high currents, limiting the performance of the common Si/Pt-NPs electrodes. Furthermore, we explored the interfacial engineering of using TiO2 deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD), and showed that annealed TiO2 led to higher open circuit voltages than the as grown ones by the possible formation of an interfacial Si-O-Ti mixture layer. Besides, the stability and corrosion behavior of CdTe electrodes for HER in the dark was studied in 1.0 M H2SO4(aq) and 1.0 M KOH(aq). The conditions studied herein include the electrochemical corrosion when biased at -100 mV vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), the chemical corrosion when left at open circuit voltage (OCV), and the electrochemical corrosion with an active HER Pt catalyst overlayer when biased at -100 mV vs. RHE. The corrosion comes mostly from chemical corrosion and is reduced at negative bias in electrochemical condition. With a Pt catalyst overlayer at -100 mV vs. RHE, the corrosion rate is further reduced, indicating the promising utilization of CdTe for HER in PEC cells.
What Determines the Uptake of Multiple Tools to Mitigate Agricultural Risks among Hybrid Maize Growers in Pakistan? Findings from Field-Level Data

Arable farming is an intrinsically risky enterprise. Therefore, managing risks and uncertainties in agriculture is very important as it affects all sectors of the economy of a developing country like Pakistan. To do so, a whole suite of options is available to the farming community to safeguard against any type of risk. However, farmers’ behavior of the concurrent adoption of multiple risk management tools is largely ignored in previous studies and has formed the rationale for this research. Thus, the current study is intended to investigate farmers’ decisions of adopting risk management strategies (contract farming, off-farm income diversification, and farm credit use) and to examine the impacts of a variety of factors on farmers’ risk management decisions. The present study is carried out in four districts of Punjab province, Pakistan with a focus on hybrid maize growers. A multivariate probit model is used to evaluate the impacts of independent variables on growers’ choices of adopting contract farming, off-farm income diversification, and farm credit use to manage farm risks keeping in view the potential for the concurrent adoption of these risk management strategies. Results show that 78% of farmers are risk-averse and hence ready to manage risks. The top risk faced by farmers is price risk followed by biological, climatic, and financial risks. Contract farming is the most popular strategy (61% farmers) followed by off-farm income diversification (49% farmers), and the use of farm credit (42% farmers). The findings also reveal that the decisions of adopting risk management strategies are interlinked while the adoption of one risk management tool complements farmers’ decision to adopt other risk management strategies. In addition, the risk management strategies’ adoption choices are affected by the number of factors including socioeconomic characteristics, farmers’ risk perceptions about risk sources, and their attitude towards risk. The study recommends the provision of timely information (climatic, extension) along with easy access to farm credit and the streamlining of contractual arrangements.
Process optimisation for the production of papaya leaf extract based therapeutic whey beverage

The therapeutic benefit of whey with papaya leaf extract was tried to exploit. In the present study, a therapeutic whey beverage was developed using the Extract from Papaya leaves. Various levels of papaya leaf extract were tried at 15, 20, and 25 per cent, sucrose at 7, 10 and 15 per cent and Stevia at 1, 1.5 and 2 per cent. Based on the sensory scores of sensory evaluations by expert panellists, amongst all, 20 per cent papaya leaf extract, 15 per cent sucrose, and Stevia up to 1.5 per cent were ideal for preparing this therapeutic beverage. Finally, based on sensory scores, this therapeutic whey beverage with the addition of papaya leaf extract was optimised as a drink and was used for further detailed analysis.
The Extent to Which Ageism Has Affected Lifelong Learning Settings: Perspectives From Practitioners in Taiwan

As of 2018, Taiwan had a population of approximately 23.5 million people, of which 14% had reached 65 years old. To promote healthy and active aging for Taiwanese older adults, the Lifelong Learning Act was amended in 2018 in order to support older adults in terms of their personal development and leisure opportunities. The primary goal of the study was to explore the attitudes toward older adults and ageist behaviors shown by Taiwanese lifelong learning practitioners, including faculty members, lecturers, and volunteers. The results showed that Taiwanese lifelong learning practitioners, especially faculty members, had a high level of benevolent ageist attitudes toward older adults. However, associations between demographic factors on ageist behaviors were inconsistent. The findings of the study provide suggestions and research directions for the purpose of building a better age discrimination-free lifelong learning environment for current and prospective older learners.
Rewards and penalties in an evolutionary game theoretic model of international environmental agreements

Abstract The UNFCC on climate change specifies that all nations must follow the rule of ‘common’ with differentiation regarding their responsibilities for the protection of the global environmental system. Recently, the formulation and stability of the IEA have been increased in the literature by applying the concept of game theory to make the climate agreements successful at the national and the international level. This study provides a novel evolutionary game theoretic model of self-enforcing IEA to overcome the free rider problem. The fundamental difference between our paper and existing literature is that we examine enforcement within a model as IEA has a governing authority while the typical model of enforcement involves a government enforcing a rule that it has imposed. For this purpose, we assign countries into different grades according to their pollution levels, consider a combination of rewards and penalties, use replicator dynamics to derive the conditions for the population steady state, and examine how the proposed regulatory mechanism fares in this steady state. This framework enables us to avoid the free rider and renegotiation problems as well as the rationality assumption. We establish the condition for evolutionary stability. The global environmental problem is managed effectively as a reward-punishment scheme and the monitoring frequency of IEA fulfills this condition. Our results provide an allocation principal with stable conditions under which countries get more benefits by monitoring the IEA and stability of the grand coalition holds.
Comparative Study of Starch Characteristics, In-Vitro Starch Digestibility and Glycemic Index of Some Starchy Foods Consumed in Nigeria

The study investigated the carbohydrate characteristics and in-vitro starch digestibility of some starchy food consumed in Nigeria. Ten foods samples (cassava, yam, red and white sorghum, rice, plantain, banana, semovita, noodles and bread) were selected. The content of starch, amylose and sugar were determined by colorimetric method, in vitro rate of starch hydrolysis was evaluated by multi-enzyme digestion method over a period of two hours, the glucose released was estimated by colorimetric method and was compared to the reference food (bread). The result showed that the percentage moisture content and total starch ranged from 9.8 to 15.3% and 236 to 248 mg/g, while amylose, Rapidly Digestible Starch (RDS) and Resistance Starch (RS) ranged from 8.41 to 19.2%, 30.8 to 51% and 7.8 to 37.4%, respectively. The in-vitro digestibility study indicated that the equilibrium Concentration (C? ), Kinetic constant (K ), Hydrolysis Index (HI) and Glycemic Index (GI) ranged from 34 to 64.9, and 0.02 to 0.07, 56.6 to 104 and 71 to 96.8, respectively. Positive correlations (P < 0.05) exist between RDS and GI (r = 0.700) and RS and amylose (r = 0.899) The study revealed that, structure of dietary carbohydrate could greatly influenced the Glycemic Index, plantain and noodles with low RDS and low hydrolysis constant may be beneficial in management of diabetes whereas sorghum, semovita, cassava and bread with high RDS, and high GI should be taken sparingly or combined with high protein and low glycemic load foods.
An Investigation into Peace Teaching Practices in Secondary Schools of the Punjab, Pakistan

Present study was conducted to examine peace-teaching practices in public secondary schools of the Punjab, Pakistan. The whole procedure of the study was based on the ‘affective phase’ of Castro & Galace Model of Peace Education (CGMPE, 2010). Forty (40) education managers were interviewed for this purpose including 32 head teachers (16 males and 16 females) from 4 selected districts of the Punjab. The DEOs (SE) and CEOs of these districts were also interviewed. It was found that all the peace values were not equally focused during teaching learning activities in secondary schools. Commonly, teachers tried to promote the sense of ‘cooperation’, ‘self-respect’, ‘ecological concern’ and ‘compassion’ whereas‘ gender equality’, ‘global concern’, ‘openness and tolerance’ and ‘social responsibility’ were not duly emphasized during teaching learning activities. The study is hoped to sensitize the education managers and the teachers to pay special attention towards teaching the ignored peace values.
Three-Dimensional CBCT Based Evaluation of the Maxillary Sinus by Facial Index

The maxillary sinus growth is initiated 3 months after birth, and it grows lateral and inferior until the pneumatization of the alveolar bone occurs. The facial skeleton has recently been determined as affecting the maxillary sinus, prompting additional studies on changes in the size of the maxillary sinus. This study aimed to determine the size of the maxillary sinus using a 3D program after categorizing South Korean adults according to their facial index (FI) classification. The participants of this study were 60 patients in their 20s, who visited the orthodontic department of Dankook University Dental Hospital (approval no. DUDH IRB 2015-12-022). The CBCT of the patients were extracted and measured as 3D images using Mimics (version 22.0, Materialise, Leuven, Belgium). Upon categorizing the subjects based on their FI classification, they were grouped into the mesoprosopic, leptoprosopic, and hyperleptoprosopic types. A one-way ANOVA was performed to evaluate the mean differences of the maxillary sinus, depending on the FI classification. In this study, the maxillary sinus tended to be wider in those with mesoprosopic type, and tended to be higher in the hyperleptoprosopic type, suggesting a need for clinicians to focus to the shape of the face during clinical treatments.