Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identifying Opportunity Occupations in the Nation's Largest Metropolitan Areas

In this paper, we investigate the extent to which the U.S. economy offers decent-paying jobs to workers without a four-year college degree. We define an “opportunity occupation” as one that is generally considered accessible to someone without a bachelor’s degree and that pays at least the national annual median wage, adjusted for differences in local consumption prices. Focusing on the 100 largest metropolitan areas and using measures that reflect both the typical education needed to enter an occupation and the requisite education suggested by incumbent workers and occupational experts, we find that 27.4 percent of employment could be found in opportunity occupations in 2014. This estimate falls by more than seven percentage points — to 20.3 percent — when we predicate job accessibility on the educational attainment requested by employers in online job ads.The availability of opportunity-rich work for those without a bachelor’s degree varies dramatically across the metropolitan areas in our study, ranging from 36.6 percent to well under half that level. The educational preferences of employers as expressed in online job ads introduce a potentially significant barrier to economic self-sufficiency for those without a four-year degree, lowering the share of opportunity occupations by more than 10 percentage points in some metro areas. Our analysis suggests that since 2011, the level of education requested in job ads has become less stringent for some occupations and more stringent for others.
INCORPORATING MICRONIZED RUBBER POWDER INTO COMPOSITES FOR SUSTAINABILITY IN AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS

In this study, micronized rubber powder (MRP) made from post-manufacturing shoe rubber was tested as a filler in hybrid composites. Several hybrid composites were fabricated containing varying amounts of recycled polypropylene (PP), long glass fiber (LGF), and MRP from material discarded during shoe production. Although glass fibers are a desirable addition to composites due to their superior mechanical properties, the fibers are inorganic and dense. Therefore, they do not provide benefits to the environment or to the fuel efficiency of automobiles. This study analyzes the effect of MRP on the mechanical properties of a composite to create an eco-friendly, lighter-weight, and sustainable alternative for glass-filled composites used in the automotive industry.
Role of CB-NAAT in Diagnosis of Mycobacterial Tuberculosis and Rifampicin Resistance among Key Population under Programmatic Condition in Gujarat, India

Introduction : India is the country with the highest burden of TB infection. The World Health Organization has endorsed the Gene Xpert MTB/RIF assay for rapid detection of tuberculosis with rifampicin resistance. Testing specimens with CB-NAAT can detect pauci bacillary mycobacterial tuberculosis which is potentially contribute to microbiological confirmation of tuberculosis. Diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) , paediatric age group and extrapulmonary samples is challenging as microscopy is negative due to low bacillary load . TB culture is a slow method which takes 2-6 weeks for growth of the mycobacteria. Objective : To assess the the role of Cartridge based nucleic acid amplification test (CBNAAT) to diagnose TB and rifampicin resistance in PLHIV , paediatric age group and extrapulmonary samples. Method : The study is based on the secondary analysis of data derived from testing by Xpert MTB/RIF testing among presumptive TB cases of HIV/AIDS (PLHIV), paediatric age group and extrapulmonary samples in Gujarat. Under this study, 28,304 presumptive TB cases of HIV/AIDS (PLHIV), paediatric age group and extrapulmonary samples were tested between January to September 2019. Results: Overall, 1,40,177 specimens were tested, of which 10,018 (7.14%) samples were PLHIV presumptive TB , 7,380 (5.26%)samples were Paediatric Presumptive TB and 10,906(7.78%) samples were extrapulmonary Presumptive TB. These 28,304 presumptive cases , in 3994(14.11%) cases TB detected. Out of these 3994 TB detected cases , 1068 were PLHIV Presumptive TB , 724 were paediatic presumptive TB and 1987 were extrapulmonary presumptive TB. Total 2220 rifampicin resistant TB cases were detected from January 2019 to September 2019 , of which 288(10.27%) were rifampicin resistant TB in key population . Out of these 288 rifampicin resistant TB cases 63 were PLHIV Presumptive TB ,47 were paediatic presumptive TB and 178 were extrapulmonary presumptive TB cases. Conclusion : CBNAAT has advantages of rapid case detection bacteriologically confirmed TB in less than 2 hours and simultaneously detecting rifampicin resistance in PLHIV , paediatic age group and extrapulmonary samples in which bacillary load is very low .
Impact of Ownership Structure on Capital Structure: A Study of Corporate Financing of Manufacturing Companies in Malaysia

In this study, ownership structure, namely managerial shareholdings, largest shareholdings and institutional shareholdings are considered to be the main factors in deciding the sources of fund available to the firm. Relying on fixed effect panel data regression estimation of 46 manufacturing companies under Bursa Malaysia, we found a negative relationship between managerial shareholdings and capital structure, reflecting the choice of equity financing than debt financing of lower managerial shareholdings where the systematic risk of debt to the management is higher. This result also supports the pecking order theory. In contrast, as external block holders, largest and institutional shareholdings have a positive relationship with capital structure, indicating the role of financing decision taken by these investors to issue more debt that reduces the conflicts of interest between managers and shareholders. Additionally, firm’s size and earnings are significantly negatively correlated with capital structure by fixed effect estimators.
Hongchao Zheng · Zhenming Shi · Ming Peng · Shenggong Guan · Kevin J. Hanley · Shijin Feng

Affected by earthquakes and heavy rainfall, multiple landslide dams often cluster closely together along river reaches or gullies. Compared with a single landslide dam, the burst flood produced by the cascading failure of multiple landslide dams can be enhanced, seriously threatening life and property downstream. Here, we conduct a series of experiments in a 42 m flume to investigate the failure mechanisms of single and paired dams with finegrained, well-graded, and coarse-grained debris; analyze the effects of dam geometry and initial water level of a downstream dam on the cascading breach; and quantitatively evaluate the amplification effect of cascading breach discharge. Single dams fail by overtopping along with seepage instability for a fine-grained dam, headcutting for a well-graded dam, and overtopping for a coarse-grained dam, respectively. The type of failure which occurs for a single dam is influenced by the shear strength of the dam material and seepage. However, the downstream dams in cascading tests fail by overtopping irrespective of dam material due to the large outburst floods from the upstream dams. A general flat slope angle is maintained during breaching for the fine-grained and coarse-grained dams, while a step-pool structure is developed for the well-graded dams because the finer grains are easier to wash away than coarse grains. The peak breach discharge for a downstream dam is 1.4–1.9 times the value for an upstream dam in the experimental runs, indicating the amplification effect of breach discharge. The amplification effect has a negative linear correlation with the time interval between the peak breach discharges of the two dams because the overlap of breach processes of upstream and downstream dams is gradually reduced as the time interval increases.
THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA SENTIMENT ON DAILY STOCK RETURNS

In today’s economic world, the influences of sentiment are increasing. Since investor’s have adopted social media as source to spread information, thoughts and feelings, the general level of sentiment becomes measurable. This study investigates whether sentiment contains pricing power towards daily stock returns. A sample of Tweets, specifically related to Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Tesla was used to conduct and compare five different methods of sentiment analysis. It is found that social media sentiment had a significant impact on the same day’s stock returns. Accordingly, the inclusion of sentiment variables in a traditional CAPM model significantly increased its explanatory power to determine stock returns. Since there is no consensus on how to appropriately measure sentiment on social media, this study compared five lexicon-based approaches in terms of performance. It is found that field-specific lexicons outperform general lexicons. This finding contributes to the process of creating consensus, and improvement of transparency and replicability in the field of sentiment analysis.
Facial Chuna Manual Therapy and Acupuncture Treatment for the Sequelae of Peripheral Facial Nerve Palsy: Two Clinical Cases

Two patients with sequelae of peripheral facial nerve palsy were treated with Facial Chuna Manual Therapy (FCMT) and acupuncture over 6 months. The House-Brackmann (HB) scale, facial nerve grading system 2.0 (FNGS), the scale of Peitersen, the scale of Murata, and the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) were used to assess the effects of treatment. The HB scale, FNGS and NRS scores showed improvement for both patients (Case 1: HB scale 5 to 3, FNGS 4 to 2, NRS 10 to 5; Case 2: HB scale 5 to 3, FNGS 4 to 3, NRS 10 to 2.5) following 6 months of treatment. The scores for the Peitersen and Murata scales showed improvement over 6 months in Case 1 (Peitersen 2 to 1, Murata 10 to 7), but there was no change in Case 2 over the test period (4 months). FCMT and acupuncture may help patients with sequelae of facial palsy.
Introducing time perspective coaching: A new approach to improve time management and enhance well-being

This article provides an overview of coaching methods and interventions that address different forms of imbalance in clients' time perspectives, proposing a fresh look on dealing with multiple time management issues. We selected different coaching intervention techniques according to the time perspective theory, which distinguishes between five different time perspectives: Past Negative, Past Positive, Present Fatalistic, Present Hedonistic and Future. The selection was made based on the literature review and expertise gained through practical experience of coaching. As a result, our paper offers a step-by-step guide for practitioners on how to start with time perspective coaching: from performing initial diagnostics, to distinguishing problems associated with excessive reliance on particular time frames and providing practical tools that can help individuals to overcome the negative consequences associated with them. This paper presents an alternative approach to working with time management related issues and to developing a healthier relationship with time in general. Research shows that having a balanced time perspective improves well-being and productivity on many levels: work-related, social and personal.
3D FMCW SAR Imaging based on a 240 GHz SiGe Transceiver Chip with Integrated Antennas

Especially production quality assurance and non destructive testing applications demand for cost effective and high resolution imaging sensor systems. In this contribution 3D synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images in the upper millimeterwave region are presented. All measurements are performed using a SiGe MMIC based ultra-wideband frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar with on-chip antennas at 240 GHz. The on-chip antennas together with integration of all high frequency parts into a single transceiver chip will allow low-cost high-volume production of complete sensor chips at frequencies close to the THz region in near future.
Optimization of porous carbons for methane adsorption from South African coal wastes

ABSTRACT The preparation of porous carbons by KOH activation from three different coal wastes in South Africa was modeled and optimized using an artificial neural network and whale optimization algorithm (ANN-WOA). The potential for methane adsorption of the optimized porous carbons was investigated. The optimal conditions for preparing the porous carbons, as determined by maximum surface area and micropore volume, according to ANN-WOA results, were as follows: Temperature of reaction: 800°C; activation time: 120 minutes; impregnation ratio: 1:4. SEM/EDS and BET methods were used to examine the surface properties and structural morphology of the optimized activated carbons. The methane adsorption isotherm on the three optimized porous carbons was fitted with the Toth isotherm model, which had an average R2 value of 0.9999. The maximum adsorption capacity of the three optimized porous carbons were 158.4, 147.6, and 123.1 cm3/g at 25°C and an average pressure of 37 bar. In addition, because of their high surface area and methane adsorption capacity, these materials have the potential to be used in natural gas storage, demonstrating that coal wastes in South Africa have the potential to be used as a sustainable starting material for the synthesis of porous carbons for gas storage.
Using of maple syrup as an alternative to sucrose and whey in making healthy
functional sherbet-ice

The study was aimed to produce refreshing and healthy fat-free, low-calorie drinks by using acid whey as a basic material resulting from making cheese as an alternative to milk. Sugar has been replaced partially or completely with maple syrup at 0, 35, 70 and 100% and the chemical and physical tests of both blends were conducted. The level results showed a significant decrease in total solids, total sugars, viscosity, overrun, an increase in specific weight, and ash. The control treatment showed higher melting resistance than the rest of the treatments made with the replacement of sugar. Although the total acidity was lower than the comparison sample, the acidity of the maple syrup mixtures was observed to have significantly increased. The fat percentage was not affected by the addition of maple syrup and was not significant. Sensory evaluation showed that the 100% maple syrup sample received the highest sensory rating score.
Regional club convergence: Evidence from U.S. metropolitan-level data

ABSTRACT In this paper, we analyze income per capita absolute and club convergence of 383 metropolitan areas of the U.S. To our knowledge, we are the first to provide club convergence analysis of income per capita at the metropolitan area-level. Using data for 1969–2017 containing 18,767 observations, we employ a data-driven convergence model that also allows heterogeneity in the panel. We demonstrate evidence of the absence of absolute convergence and the presence of club convergence. Furthermore, we use the ordered logit model to analyze the economic, demographic, and several other factors influencing club membership. Our results reveal a diversity of growth experiences across the U.S. metropolitan areas by extensively accounting for heterogeneity using a novel transition dynamic modeling framework.
Ultimate capacity of cracked tubular T-joints reinforced with grouted clamp connection in axial tension

ABSTRACT Fatigue-induced cracks are common in tubular joints of aged offshore platforms, especially outlived structures. These joints can be strengthened using grouted clamps or by other means of repair. The design of grouted clamps to strengthen the cracked joints in axial loads especially tensile loads is limited. Hence, experimental and extensive numerical investigations were conducted on the clamped cracked joints under axial tension. The experiments were conducted using a 1:8 scaled model of a typical prototype joint and numerical simulation has been carried out using nonlinear FE analysis based on the modified RIKS method. The ultimate capacity (unclamped and clamped joints) obtained from the numerical model compares reasonably well with that obtained from experiments (Diff.<14%). Parametric assessment on the ultimate capacity of the connection for ls /d, dg /tg , and ds /ts has been carried out. The ultimate capacity of clamped cracked joint increases by 76% compared to cracked joint for the ls /d of 2–3 investigated. The load-displacement behaviour and ultimate capacity of the clamped and unclamped joints are presented and discussed.
The relationship of eosinophil cationic protein / eosinophil count ratio and disease severity in allergic asthma patients

Finding an applicable clinical biomarker in body fluids can be useful in asthma management. This study was conducted to support the investigations of probable immunological changes in asthmatic patients that may be useful therapeutic indicators. 61 matching patients and 23 apparently healthy individuals were included. Significant elevation in the level of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) in asthmatics was found as compared with healthy controls, so as among asthma severity categories. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis determined 29 ng/ml of serum ECP as the typical cut-off value of significant denotation for differentiation between asthmatic patients and healthy individuals, significant positive linear correlation between both ECP level and also ECP/Eosinophil ratio with clinically estimated asthma severity were observed. The median of serum total IgE and rate of 100 IU/ml overlapped serum total IgE individuals were significantly higher in asthmatics than healthy controls and so as among asthma severity categories, whereas no significant correlation between total serum IgE level and asthma severity was found. According to the results, determination of serum ECP can be considered as a diagnostic tool to distinguish asthma cases, besides it reflects the severity of the disease significantly, whereas calculation of ECP/Eo ratio may be an effective marker in reflecting asthma severity and the activity of eosinophils during the inflammation which may be useful in asthma control and in the assessment of the disease severity as well as the response to anti-inflammatory therapy, but it has no benefit for diagnosing asthma as no significant differences were recorded between asthmatics and healthy controls.
Traffic-land use compatibility and street design impacts of automated driving in Vienna, Austria

The potential rise of automated vehicles (AVs) may significantly impact future traffic volumes, in turn affecting urban street designs and adjacent land use. While integrated studies on potential traffic and land-use changes due to AVs largely concern issues of location choice and changing settlement patterns, assessments of how AVs may influence the quality of streets depending on the requirements of adjacent land use remain scarce. This paper presents an integrated assessment of the urban effect of AVs on traffic and neighborhoods in Vienna. It provides a methodology to assess whether changing traffic volumes are compatible with the land use of a given neighborhood to approximate street space requirements for shared automated shuttles and to visualize possible trajectories of spatial transformation by considering local development goals. The results show that the opportunities to convert street space and the risks of environmental harm due to AVs will vary across neighborhoods and street typologies. It is crucial for policymakers and planners to consider such contextual differences to gain better insight into the functional requirements and urban consequences of AVs. This assessment aims to shed light on the possible trade-offs of a system change in favor of AVs to help evaluate adequate operational conditions and inform proactive traffic and urban design policies to harness possible implications.
Use of sugarcane mosaic virus for virus-induced gene silencing in maize

Previously, sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) was developed as a vector for transient expression of heterologous genes in Zea mays (maize). Here we show that SCMV can also be applied for virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of endogenous maize genes. Comparison of sense and antisense VIGS constructs targeting maize PDS (phytoene desaturase) showed that antisense constructs resulted in a greater reduction in gene expression. In a time course of gene expression after infection with VIGS constructs targeting PDS, Les22 (Lesion mimic 22), and Ij1 (Iodent japonica1), efficient expression silencing was observed two, three, and four weeks after infection with SCMV. However, at week five, expression of Les22 and Ij1 was no longer significantly reduced compared to control plants. The defense signaling molecule jasmonate-isoleucine (JA-Ile) can be inactivated by 12C-hydroxylation and hydrolysis, and knockout of these genes leads to increased herbivore resistance. JA-Ile hydroxylases and hydrolases have been investigated in Arabidopsis, rice, and Nicotiana attenuata. To determine whether the maize homologs of these genes function in plant defense, we silenced expression of ZmCYP94B1 (predicted JA-Ile hydroxylase) and ZmJIH1 (predicted JA-Ile hydrolase) by VIGS with SCMV. Although ZmCYP94B1 and ZmJIH1gene expression silencing increased resistance to Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm), Schistocerca americana (American birdwing grasshopper), and Rhopalosiphum maidis (corn leaf aphid), there was no additive effect from silencing the expression of both genes. Further work will be required to determine the more precise functions of these enzymes in regulating maize defenses.
Quinones from 'Gondwanan' sundews

The acetogenic naphthoquinones, plumbagin (P in this paper) and ramentaceone (= 7-methyl- juglone, M in this paper), are important chemotaxonomic markers in sundews (Drosera L.) (D rand & Zenk 1974; Culham & Gornall 1994; Schlauer & Fleischmann 2016; Schlauer et al. 2017; 2018). Most of the previous phytochemical data relate to the chemotaxonomy of the genus in Australia, where several endemic lineages have evolved into the bulk of the species diversity. In this study several taxa presumed to occupy crucial branching points in the phylogenetic backbone of the genus (Rivadavia et al. 2003; Fleischmann et al. 2018a) have been investigated together with taxonomically established representatives of the sections that account for the diversity of the genus outside Australia. The geographical distribution of these taxa is conspicuously Gondwanan (Brewer & Schlauer 2018), reminiscent of the former (pre-Cretaceous) coherence of South America, Africa (incl. Madagascar), Australia, and New Zealand.
Diameters of clearcut openings influence central Appalachian hardwood stem development - 10-year study

Appalachian hardwood stands in West Virginia were studied to determine how reproduction establishment and development were influenced by circular clearcut openings of different sizes, postlogging herbicide treatments, and site quality. Ten-year results indicate that circular clearcuts should be at least 1/2 acre to gain the silvicultural effects of larger clearcuts. Smaller openings on both fair and good sites produced adequate numbers of trees, but diversity in species composition was lacking. Herbicide treatments reduced stump sprouting. After 10 years, 15 to 20 percent of the good dominant or codominant trees were of stump-sprout origin where the most intensive herbicide treatment has been used. Without the postlogging treatment, about 40 percent of the good dominant-codominant trees were of stump-sprout origin.