Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Difference in returns to schooling between formal and informal employment in China

ABSTRACT Based on the 2015 China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), the difference in returns to schooling between formal and informal employment was empirically analysed using the IV-Heckman model. It is found in the research that there are significant differences in the average income and level of educational human capital between formal and informal employment, and that returns to schooling of formal employment is much higher than that of informal employment. In addition, the propensity score matching (PSM) method was used to study the returns to schooling of high school and university of the two employment groups. The results indicate that returns to schooling of high school and university of the formal employment are significantly higher than those of the informal employment group, while the difference in returns to schooling of university is greater than that of high school.
Mechanism of Enhanced Oral Absorption of a Nano-Drug Delivery System Loaded with Trimethyl Chitosan Derivatives

Introduction In the previous study, nanoparticles coated with trimethyl chitosan (TMC) derivatives (PPTT-NPs) could promote the oral bioavailability of panax notoginseng saponins (PNS). Herein, we chose PPTT-NPs as a model drug to study the property and mechanism of intestinal absorption in vitro and in vivo. Methods The stability of PPTT-NPs was evaluated using simulated gastric fluid and simulated intestinal fluid. The uptake and transport of PPTT-NPs were investigated in Caco-2 and Caco-2&HT29 co-culture cells. The biosafety, intestinal permeability, adhesion, and absorption mechanism of PPTT-NPs were investigated using SD rats in vivo. The live imaging and biodistribution of PPTT-NPs were observed by IVIS. Furthermore, the effects on CYP3A4 of PPTT-NPs were investigated using testosterone as the probe substrate. Results The results of the stability assay showed that PPTT-NPs had a strong tolerance to the pH and digestive enzymes in the gastrointestinal environment. In vitro cell experiments showed that the uptake of drugs exhibited a time-dependent. When the ratio of TMC-VB12 and TMC-Cys was 1:3, the uptake capacity of PPTT-NPs was the highest. PPTT-NPs could enhance the paracellular transport of drugs by reversibly opening a tight junction. Animal experiments demonstrated that PPTT-NPs have good biological safety. PPTT-NPs had good adhesion and permeability to small intestinal mucosa. Meanwhile, PPTT-NPs needed energy and various protein to participate in the uptake of drugs. The live imaging of NPs illustrated that PPTT-NPs could prolong the residence time in the intestine. Moreover, TMC-VB12 and TMC-Cys could reduce the metabolism of drugs by inhibiting CYP3A4 to a certain extent. Conclusion The results show that TMC-VB12 and TMC-Cys are effective in the transport of PPTT-NPs. PPTT-NPs can increase the intestinal adhesion of drugs and exert high permeation by intestinal enterocytes which demonstrate significant and efficient potential for oral delivery of the BCS III drugs.
Financial Development and Growth in the Caucasus and Central Asia

: This paper presents stylized facts on financial development in the CCA countries relative to their EM and LIC peers and assesses how f inancial development can boost growth in the CCA. Drawing on IMF’s multidimensional index of financial development , we find that CCA countries have made progress following the independence in early 1990s. However, the progress was uneven across the CCA, resulting in a divergence of financial development over time and mixed performance relative to EM and LIC peers. Financial institutions have progressed the most, while financial markets remain underdevelped in most CCA countries except Kazakhstan. In terms of sub-indicators of financial development, financial access has expanded markedly, while the depth of financial intermediation has remained largely shallow and efficiency of financial intermediation has fluctuated over time. Standard growth regressions suggest that CCA countries with relatively lower level of financial development have scope to boost annual growth rates between 0.5-2.5 percent by reaching the level of financial development of frontier CCA countries.
The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) is a particle physics experiment scheduled to be installed on the International Space Station (ISS). The purpose of this experiment is to provide a high statistics measurement of charged particles and nuclei in rigidity range 0.5GV to few TV, and to provide a sensitive search for cosmic antimatter (antihelium) and dark matter, and to study the properties of cosmic rays. The construction of the final detector will be completed by 2004. We describe the detector and the working principles.
Performance analysis and comparison of symmetrical and asymmetrical configurations of evanescent mode ridge waveguide filters

In this paper, the trade‐offs between out‐of‐band performance, filter length, power‐handling capability, and insertion loss of both symmetrical and asymmetrical evanescent mode ridge rectangular waveguide filters are investigated. As a result, clear design methodologies for optimizing such performances are proposed. The developed methodologies are then applied to design several evanescent mode filters, and a complete performance analysis of the symmetrical and asymmetrical structures is performed. From the performance analysis results, the designer can choose the more appropriate filter topology and design strategy to satisfy the prescribed specifications.
Organohalogenated Substances and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Fish from Mediterranean Sea and North Italian Lakes: Related Risk for the Italian Consumers

The primary source of persistent organic pollutant (POP) exposure is food, especially fish. European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) are among the most eaten sea fish in Italy. Fish from lakes in Northern Italy, such as agone (Alosa agone), represent niche consumption for most people, but possibly constitute a much larger percentage of overall consumption volume for local residents. This study dealt with the presence of POPs in the above-mentioned fish species via GC-MS/MS analysis. None of the analytes for which maximum limits are in place showed concentrations above those limits. Moreover, none of the substances without maximum limits exceeded the provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI) when given, nor did they exceed the more general values considered safe, even for 99th percentile consumers.
Adaptive Safety Shields for Reinforcement Learning-Based Cell Shaping

Adjusting the remote electrical tilt (RET) of antennas is one of the important actions targeting run-time optimization of key performance indicators (KPIs) related to service quality in wireless self-organizing networks (SONs). Reinforcement learning (RL) is one of the preferred Machine Learning methods for automating the choice of RET for all the antennas managed by a company in a region. The automated system should ensure that the system will operate within a safe region to maintain a minimum defined service quality. The safe region of operation is typically customizable based on the targeted service quality at any point in time. This customizable nature of the safe region necessitates automated learning of adaptive safety shields for steering the RL agent away from unsafe regions. This paper presents an adaptive safety shield framework that is capable of learning such shields during the training phase of the RL agent. Our adaptive safety shield framework has been evaluated in different RET scenarios, and we have shown the benefits of our proposed framework over the Baseline method currently in use and a vanilla RL-based method in terms of both safety and performance metrics.
Chemical Constituents from the Aerial Parts of Artemisia iwayomogi and Their Anti-Neuroinflammatory Activities

Neuroinflammation, predominantly mediated by microglial activation, is a key immunological response in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. In our preliminary study, the aerial part of Artemisia iwayomogi inhibits LPS-induced microglial activation. The present study aims to identify chemical constituents with anti-neuroinflammatory properties in the aerial parts of A. iwayomogi. Two new guaianolide sesquiterpenes, iwayomogins A and B (1 and 2), along with thirteen known sesquiterpene lactones (3–15), one diterpene glycoside (16), and nine phenolic compounds (17–25) were isolated from the aerial parts of A. iwayomogi by repeated chromatography. The structures of the isolates were elucidated by their spectroscopic data. All isolates were evaluated for their inhibitory activities on nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-induced BV-2 microglial cells. 2,3-Dehydro-1-epi-asperilin (11) exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on NO production (IC50 value of 1.78 μM). In the molecular docking study, three compounds (1, 2, and 11) showed good binding affinities with iNOS. Additionally, compounds 1, 2, and 11 inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) in dose-dependent manners. The present study demonstrates that the chemical constituents from A. iwayomogi inhibit NO production and pro-inflammatory cytokine release in BV-2 cells. However, further evaluation with biological experiments utilizing in vivo models is necessary.
Hedging Bets in Linguistic Prediction: Younger and Older Adults Vary in the Breadth of Predictive Processing

Language processing is predictive in nature, but it is unknown whether language users generate multiple predictions about upcoming content simultaneously or whether spreading activation from one pre-activated word facilitates other words downstream. Simultaneously, developmental accounts of predictive processing simultaneously highlight potential tension among spreading activation vs. multiple activation accounts. We used self-paced reading to investigate if younger and older readers of German generate (multiple) graded predictions about the grammatical gender of nouns. Gradedness in predictions was operationalized as the difference in cloze probability between the most likely and second-most likely continuation that could complete a sentence. Sentences with a greater probabilistic difference were considered as imbalanced and more biased towards one gender. Sentences with lower probabilistic differences were considered to be more balanced towards multiple genders. Both young and older adults engaged in predictive processing. However, only younger adults activated multiple predictions, with slower reading times (RTs) when gender representations were balanced, but facilitation when one gender was more likely than others. In contrast, older adults’ RTs did not pattern with imbalance but merely with predictability, showing that, while able to generate predictions based on context, older adults did not predict multiple gender continuations. Hence, our findings suggest that (younger) language users generate graded predictions about upcoming content, by weighing possible sentence continuations according to their difference in cloze probability. Compared to younger adults, older adults’ predictions are reduced in scope. The results provide novel theoretical insights into the developmental mechanisms involved in predictive processing.
DNA barcoding of commercially relevant marine fish species in Tunisian waters

Abstract DNA barcoding based on the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene in mitochondrial DNA has been adopted as a global biological identification system for animals due to its accuracy compared with other classical taxonomic methods. The objective of this study was to establish a reference library with generated barcodes. A total of 84 fish specimens belonging to 37 commercially important marine fish species, representing five orders, 14 families and 30 genera, were sampled along the Tunisian coast and barcoded for the first time, obtaining 637 bp sequences. The average Kimura 2-parameter (K2P) distances within species, genera and families were 0.52, 6.86 and 14.60%, respectively. The Maximum likelihood (ML) tree revealed distinct clusters in concurrence with the taxonomic status of the species. Our results confirmed the authentication of the barcode approach for the identification of the species examined and provide valuable information that would help ichthyologists to achieve better monitoring, conservation and management of fisheries in Tunisia.
Does inflation targeting increase income inequality?

Abstract We contribute to the growing empirical literature on the impact of monetary policy on income distribution by focusing on the impact of adopting an inflation targeting (IT) regime to guide monetary policy. We assess the impact employing a panel of 121 advanced and developing economies, including 27 IT adopters, during the period 1971–2015. Our results suggest that IT adoption has contributed to greater inequality of household income as measured by the Gini coefficient and to a reduced share of GDP going to labor compensation. The results are robust to alternative estimation methodologies and to variations in the sample with respect to countries and data frequency.
Falling through the cracks: Increased vulnerability and limited social assistance for TB patients and their households during COVID-19 in Cape Town, South Africa

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, Tuberculosis (TB) patients in South Africa, as elsewhere, faced increased vulnerability due to the consequences of the COVID-19 response such as loss of income, challenges to access diagnostic testing, healthcare services and TB medication. To mitigate the socio-economic impact of the pandemic, especially among the most vulnerable, the South African government expanded social assistance programmes by creating the Social Relief of Distress grant (SRDG), the first grant for unemployed adults in South Africa. Our study investigated how TB patients experienced the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing socio-economic fallout, how this affected their health and that of their household, income and coping mechanisms, and access to social assistance. We interviewed 15 TB patients at a health facility in Cape Town and analysed data thematically. To situate our findings, we adapted the United Nations’ conceptual framework on determinants of vulnerability and resilience during or following a shock such as climate shocks or pandemics. We found increased vulnerability among TB patients due to a high exposure and sensitivity to the COVID-19 shock but diminished coping capacity. The loss of income in many households resulted not only in increased food insecurity but also a decreased ability to support others. For the most vulnerable, the loss of social support meant resorting to begging and going hungry, severely affecting their ability to continue treatment. In addition, most participants in the study and especially the most vulnerable, fell through the cracks of the most extensive social assistance programme in Africa as few participants were accessing the special COVID-19 SRDG. Targeted social protection for TB patients with a heightened vulnerability and low coping capacity is urgently needed. TB patients with a heightened vulnerability and low coping capacity should be prioritized for urgent assistance.
Genome-wide Association Study of Resistance to Mastitis in Czech Holstein Cattle

Clinical mastitis is an inflammatory disease of the mammary gland that largely impacts dairy farming profitability and welfare. Globally, a massive scientific effort is being made to elucidate the possible link of certain genotypes to the susceptibility to this disease. After data pruning controlling for genotype missingness, minor allele frequency, and population stratification, 51 557 SNPs from 1 042 animals have been analysed using the general linear model (GLM). Two SNPs, BTA-121769-no-rs and BTB-00265951, have demonstrated statistically significant associations (-log 10 ( p ) >6.0134), both located on the chromosome BTA6. The detected SNPs have been annotated within a reference genome. They have been found to lie outside of transcribed regions but within the vicinity of genes essential for the immune response. This finding further supports the case for their significance in the resistance to mastitis. In addition, 14 relatively weaker associations (-log 10 ( p ) >4) have been observed across chromosomes BTA1, 2, 9, 14, 19, 24 and 25.
Statistical characterization and optimization of integrated circuits based on singular value decomposition

One of the major objectives of statistical IC design is to reduce variabilities of circuit performances, resulting from process variations and environmental effects, such as temperature. The simplest method of calculating performance variabilities is based on the use of the Propagation of Variance (POV) formula. This requires computation of the circuit Jacobian matrix at every iteration, which makes the entire process expensive. A new methodology is proposed, based on statistical system characterization using the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) of the scaled system Jacobian matrix. Several measures of the overall system performance variability are related to the sum of squares of the singular values of the scaled Jacobian matrix, and thus to its Frobenius norm. Since some of the singular values are often very small, a reduced-space characterization of the system variability is obtained, which is important for both better circuit understanding by the IC designers and for more efficient circuit optimization.
The Twins-Hit Hypothesis of Atopic Dermatitis and Autoimmune Diseases

Atopic dermatitis is a common disease that affects all age groups. The disease is on the rise worldwide. There is an increasing concern regarding its association with autoimmune diseases. Literature regarding this important issue lacks. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the association of AD with autoimmune disorders. An electronic literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Cochrane Library, in addition to the first 100 articles in Google Scholar during the period from 2010 up to January 2021. Five hundred forty-three references and abstracts were identified, of them, 8 full texts were screened. While only four studies fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The keywords used were atopic dermatitis, atopic eczema dermatitis syndrome, autoimmune disease, skin autoimmunity, gastrointestinal autoimmune diseases to include most of the systematic autoimmune disorders. The current meta-analysis included four studies with 1735789 patients and 14927 events. The studies were published in Asia and Europe. All were retrospective studies with study periods ranging from five years to 48 years. Autoimmune diseases were higher among patients with AD, a significant statistical difference was observed (odds ratio, 1.61, 95 % CI, 1.05- 2.45, P-value, 0.03). The random effect was applied due to the substantial heterogeneity observed (I 2 =98%, P-value<0.001). Autoimmune disease was commoner among patients with AD compared to their counterparts without the disease.
Low-energy electron scattering by CH3F, CH2F2, CHF3, and CF4

We present measured and calculated differential cross sections, as well as calculated integral cross sections, for elastic electron collisions with CH 3 F, CH 2 F 2 , CHF 3 , and CF 4 . The calculated cross sections were obtained with the Schwinger multichannel method, and a Born-closure procedure was used to improve the differential cross sections for polar systems. Polarization effects were found to be relevant even for systems with moderately large permanent dipole moments, such as CH 3 F and CHF 3 In general, there is good agreement between theory and experiment.
At-sea behavioural ecology of the endangered MacGillivray’s prion from Saint Paul Island: combining tracking and stable isotopes

: Seabirds play important roles as marine ecosystem sentinels. Studying their at-sea ecology is essential for understanding how environmental variability affects their populations. However, the at-sea ecology of small-sized temperate seabirds remains poorly studied. We ex - plored the at-sea ecology of the Critically Endangered MacGillivray’s prion Pachyptila macgillivrayi breeding on the subtropical Saint Paul Island. Using global location sensor loggers and stable isotope analysis, we investigated movements, migratory strategies, at-sea activity and moulting period, and characterized the isotopic niche of tracked individuals. During incubation, MacGillivray’s prions remained in temperate waters north of the Subtropical Front, possibly feeding on prey caught in cold eddies. During the inter-breeding period, individuals wintered almost equally to the north and south of the Subtropical Front in 2 distinct sectors (Tasman Sea and Southwest Indian Ridge). Daily activity varied seasonally, and individuals overwintering in the Tasman Sea spent more time flying at night when moonlight intensity was high. Moulting occurred after the breeding period and lasted longer compared to other prion species. Isotopic data suggest a higher dietary proportion of low trophic-level prey for MacGillivray’s prions than for Antarctic and slen-der-billed prions, highlighting trophic segregation in relation to bill width. Our study provides new evidence to understand the suite of adaptations allowing the abundant prion species to coexist by feeding on prey of different sizes. Contrary to the majority of seabird species, MacGillivray’s prions from Saint Paul Island exhibited 2 migratory tactics with associated differences in at-sea activity, leading to questions about the origin of these differences.
Marine Cyanobacteria as Sources of Lead Anticancer Compounds: A Review of Families of Metabolites with Cytotoxic, Antiproliferative, and Antineoplastic Effects

The marine environment is highly diverse, each living creature fighting to establish and proliferate. Among marine organisms, cyanobacteria are astounding secondary metabolite producers representing a wonderful source of biologically active molecules aimed to communicate, defend from predators, or compete. Studies on these molecules’ origins and activities have been systematic, although much is still to be discovered. Their broad chemical diversity results from integrating peptide and polyketide synthetases and synthases, along with cascades of biosynthetic transformations resulting in new chemical structures. Cyanobacteria are glycolipid, macrolide, peptide, and polyketide producers, and to date, hundreds of these molecules have been isolated and tested. Many of these compounds have demonstrated important bioactivities such as cytotoxicity, antineoplastic, and antiproliferative activity with potential pharmacological uses. Some are currently under clinical investigation. Additionally, conventional chemotherapeutic treatments include drugs with a well-known range of side effects, making anticancer drug research from new sources, such as marine cyanobacteria, necessary. This review is focused on the anticancer bioactivities of metabolites produced by marine cyanobacteria, emphasizing the identification of each variant of the metabolite family, their chemical structures, and the mechanisms of action underlying their biological and pharmacological activities.