Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Designs, Application and Performances of Asphalt/Bituminous Trackbeds in European, Asian, and African Countries

International rail authorities in several countries, primarily in Western Europe and Asia, have been actively involved with the development and application of asphalt trackbeds for more than 40 years. In this paper, representative activities and standards for trackbeds in countries involved with significant asphalt trackbed design and construction are described. The most common identified use of this technique consists of building asphalt subballast layers as a (partial) replacement for unbound granular material (UGM) subballast. This has been primarily associated with the construction of new high-speed lines (HSL), where the used asphalt mix is similar to those used for highway base courses. Most countries specify a layered design for the track support layers. This involves setting specific standards for individual layer thickness and bearing capacity depending on traffic characteristics. Some other identified uses include asphalt slab tracks and even sleeperless and ballastless track systems where the rail is embedded in an asphalt slab. The presented use cases in this paper account for the advantages and important considerations in relation to the use of asphalt in layered track designs. Even though some countries have adopted asphalt layers as a standard component of their track systems, more information is needed to develop a rational and optimized design method and maintenance protocols of asphalt subballast layers; thus, the importance of the data collected from instrumented track sections and information introduced in this paper.
Determinants Influencing the Level of Corruption in Indonesia Local Governments

This study is based on the high levels of corruption occurring in Indonesia, indicated by the low level of the Corruption Perception Index (CPI). The majority of corruption cases occurring in Indonesia involves local governmental institutions. The high levels of corruption in local governments is related to government size, fiscal decentralization, and audit findings. The aim of this study is to determine the factors that cause the high levels of corruption in local governments. This study uses the agency theory as theoretical basis to formulate a framework of thought that connects government size, fiscal decentralization, audit findings, and corruption levels. The result of this study shows that the variables of government size, fiscal decentralization, audit findings, all have significant effects towards corruption levels. Fiscal decentralization and audit findings have a negative effect towards corruption level, while the government size variable has a positive effect on corruption levels. This study provides contribution to the practices of auditing, government execution, law enforcement, and corruption control initiatives in local governments in Indonesia
STUDENT PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS SYSTEM

: With reference to this document; it specifically mentions the details of the project how it was developed, the primary requirement, as well as various features and functionalities of the project and the procedure followed in achieving these functionalities. This structured system deals with the scores of students in various subjects he opted for during an academic year. For this research, students' scores across few important measures that tries to determine their academic excellence such as subjects conceptual knowledge based on marks scored in that exam, Time management skills based on number of questions attempted is obtained priorly, have been used to create homogeneous groups of students who opted for same subjects and share perceptions of their non-cognitive abilities. Result of statistical graphical data helps students and teachers to track the performance and direction in which the students perception and knowledge regarding the subject is inculcated. Results of this study indicate the degree to which specific profiles predict outcome of the conceptually relevant data and widen the scope of their information to discover knowledge from data. Also it facilitates smooth and efficient handling of data that includes storage and modification of data in files which can be easily converted to other formats as desired by the user.
An Overarching Model for Cross-Sector Strategic Transitions towards Sustainability in Municipalities and Regions

Municipal and regional governments can play a key role in global society’s transition towards sustainability. However, municipal leaders often lack a sufficient overview of sustainability and thereby the capacity to coordinate efforts across sectors. Several municipal planning frameworks are available but vary greatly in terms of definitions, scope, and hands-on advice on processes. To complement and unify approaches, the framework for strategic sustainable development (FSSD) has been developed. It utilizes backcasting from operational boundary conditions for the full scope of social and ecological sustainability. This study aims to evaluate a recently developed model for long-term implementation of FSSD across sectors for more cohesive cooperation towards sustainability. This is done through participatory action research (PAR) in ten Swedish municipalities and regions. The evaluation is done to examine if the implementation model (i) lives up to its purpose to help sectors cooperate effectively by using the FSSD as a shared mental model, (ii) aid the handling of previously identified barriers to strategic sustainable development in municipalities and regions, (iii) may contain barriers of its own for appropriate use and (iv) has room for improvement. We used observations, dialogues, and surveys to capture the strengths, weaknesses, enablers, and barriers of the preliminary implementation model. While the compliance of the model varied, our findings show a general appreciation and identified the needs for the approach. From experiencing barriers for the application of the model, practitioners provided several ideas for additional support, such as assessment and alignment support of on-going work and further developed guiding material. In a second phase of the PAR project, application of the implementation model will continue, and such additional support will be developed and evaluated.
Gaming the no-choice system? School choice and persistent educational inequality in China

ABSTRACT The admission policy for public compulsory schools in China is neighbourhood enrolment which entitles children to attend their assigned local school free of charge, and this policy has been rigorously implemented in recent years to prevent school choice. However, driven by disparities in education provision, parents still find ways to make choices in an officially no-choice public educational system. Inspired by a Bourdieusian framework, this study uses the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) to explore the relationships between family capital, school choice, and the quality of the school pupils attend. We seek to offer a lens to explore the prevalence and patterns of school choice, and its impact on constructing educational stratification. Findings suggest persistent inequality in the no-choice policy context and that children from more privileged families are more likely to study in higher performing schools.
Jerusalem artichoke tubers for producing vegetable probiotic functional beverages with lactic acid bacteria

The lactobacilli (L. plantarum, L. bulgaricus, L. salivarius, and L. rhamnosus) growth in water extracts of Jerusalem artichoke tubers (solvent ratio of 1:10) with solid particles was studied. The cultures were found to have great specific growth rates and high abundance (up to 10.3 log (CFU/ml)) for 6 hours. The adhesion of the cells to the tuber particles was revealed by a modified counting technique and confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Lactobacilli were shown to be able to maintain the abundance required (not less than 7.5 log (CFU/ml)) at 2–6 °C for 28 days, which was presumably influenced by the adhesion of the cells to the tuber particles. The data obtained allowed claiming that water extracts of Jerusalem artichoke tubers are promising for production of probiotic functional beverages with lactic acid bacteria.
Joint position sense of lower extremities is impaired and correlated with balance function in children with developmental coordination disorder

Objective To determine the joint position sense of the lower extremities and its relationship with motor function in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and typically developing (TD) children. Methods A total of 56 participants were recruited; 28 children with DCD (age 10.86±1.07 years; 13 females, 15 males) and 28 TD children (age 10.96±1.18 years; 12 females, 16 males). Knee and ankle joint position sense were assessed using a Biodex isokinetic dynamometer. Joint position acuity was measured by position error (PE) and position error variability (PEV). Motor function was examined using the 2nd edition of Movement Assessment Battery for children (MABC-2) and quantified via sub-scores from 3 MABC-2 domains. Results Both PE and PEV at knee and ankle joints were significantly greater in children with DCD compared with TD children. In addition, both PE and PEV were significantly greater at the ankle joints than the knee joints in children with DCD. For children with DCD only, joint position acuity in the lower extremities significantly and negatively correlated with MABC-2 balance sub-score. Conclusion This study verifies that lower limb proprioception is impaired in children with DCD. Also, children with DCD displayed greater proprioceptive deficits at the ankle compared with the knee joint. Children with DCD who had poorer joint position acuity, i.e. greater PE and PEV, in the lower extremities tended to perform less well in balance function.
Industrial structure upgrading, urbanization and urban-rural income disparity: evidence from China

ABSTRACT This study examines the influence of industrial structure upgrading in China on urban-rural income disparity. Using panel data from 30 provinces with the empirical analysis methodology, we find that, during 2013 and 2018, industrial structure upgrading in China plays a significantly positive role in narrowing urban-rural income disparity. By the mechanism analysis, we find that urbanization rate is an intermediary variable which affects this causation. Further, urbanization in industrial structure upgrading for the influence of narrowing rural-urban income disparity existing in threshold effects, and threshold levels present a regional difference. Using the urban-rural consumption gap as the proxy variable of income gap, the result is still stable.
Automatic Fake News Detection: Issues and Solutions

Internet and social media have gained popularity due to its involvement in human life for any sort of information access and sharing social life stories and events generally. It is observed that every one-in-three person has to access social media platforms throughout the world. With the popularity of social media, there are some issues related to fake information or news. Fake news has a serious impact on societies in terms of ethical, social, and financial matters. It is more serious when fake news is used for any political benefits, against forces and military establishment. This paper presents comprehensive literature to highlight fake news issues and available datasets such as Facebook, Twitter, and Weibo. This paper also discusses the available solutions and algorithms such as naive based, NLP techniques, artificial intelligence algorithms. The paper reviewed the latest research and reputable journal and technically discussed their highlighted factors. This review paper will benefit the new researchers in the field of automatic fake news detection and prevention for their research.
IDENTIFICATION OF AMPC Β-LACTAMASE-PRODUCING CLINICAL ISOLATES OF ESCHERICHIA COLI

Objective: Indiscriminate use of β-lactam antibiotics has resulted in the emergence of β-lactamase enzymes. AmpC β-lactamases, in particular, confer resistance to penicillin, first-, second-, and third-generation cephalosporins as well as monobactams and are responsible for antibiotic resistance in nosocomial pathogens. Therefore, this study was undertaken to screen nosocomial Escherichia coli isolates for the presence and characterization of AmpC β-lactamases. The study also envisaged on the detection of inducible AmpC β-lactamases and extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) in AmpC β-lactamase-producing E. coli . Methods: A total of 102 clinical isolates of E. coli, were subjected to cefoxitin screening, and screen-positive isolates were further subjected to inhibitor-based detection method, phenotypic confirmatory test, disc antagonism test, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and isoelectric focusing (IEF). Results: In this study, 33% of E. coli were resistant to cefoxitin, of which 35% were found to be positive for AmpC β-lactamase by inhibitor-based phenotypic test. Of the AmpC-positive isolates, 83% were positive for ESBLs, whereas 25% were producing inducible AmpC β-lactamases. PCR and IEF showed CIT and EBC types of AmpC β-lactamases present in the tested isolates. Conclusion: Our study showed the presence of inducible AmpC enzymes and ESBLs in E. coli isolates and PCR identified more isolates to be AmpC producers.
Neurological and molecular biological characterisation of the mutant mouse line Tom40

The mitochondrial import machinery consists of several translocases. By gene trap mutagenesis, a knockout mouse model for the translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane (Tom) 40 was created, the protein which forms the general import pore of the outer membrane. The mutation is homozygous lethal. Reduced expression of Tom40 leads to mild cardiac dysfunction and causes a slowly progressing movement disorder, combined with neurological impairments and neurodegeneration. Mitochondrial morphology is altered widely in mutants and there is a strong age-dependant worsening of mitochondrial function. These mutants can serve as a model for age-associated motor disorders.
Stress-specific changes of galanin and PACAP expression in the rat hypothalamus and adrenal gland

Paper dfescription: Neuropeptides galanin and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) play an important role in mediating the stress response. We showed for the first time that galanin and PACAP displayed specific responses which depended on the duration and type of stressor, with hypothalamic and adrenal expression of galanin and PACAP mRNA increased after repeated restraint and acute immobilization, respectively. Unlike PACAP which remained unchanged, the hypothalamic galanin content increased regardless of the type and duration of applied stressor. Both galanin and PACAP levels remained unaffected by the stressors in the adrenal gland. Abstract: Galanin and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) are involved in the stress response, and both produce multiple effects in the central and peripheral nervous systems. In rodents, galanin brain expression is altered by different stressors, while PACAP has a critical role in the circuits mediating the stress-response. The aim of this study was to investigate whether acute and/or repeated immobilization (IMO) and restraint (R) differently affect galanin and PACAP expression in the rat hypothalamus and adrenal gland. Relative expression of mRNAs was examined by qPCR and relative changes in the protein content were analyzed using Western blotting. The distribution of galanin and PACAP peptides in the hypothalamus was analyzed by immunofluorescence. Relative hypothalamic expression of both galanin and PACAP mRNAs was increased only after repeated restraint. Hypothalamic galanin protein levels were increased after all applied stressors, whereas there were no changes in the PACAP content. In the adrenal glands, galanin and PACAP mRNAs were elevated only after acute IMO, whereas the protein levels were not changed, regardless of the applied stressor or its duration. Immunofluorescence staining demonstrated the presence of galanin in the paraventricular nuclei (PVN) of the hypothalamus in all groups. Galanin immunoreactivity was stronger in the PVN of all stressed groups in comparison to the control. We concluded that the patterns of transcriptional activation and translational control of galanin and PACAP in the examined tissues depended on the type (IMO vs. R) and duration (acute vs. repeated) of the applied stressor. https://doi.org/10.2298/ABS180228008L Received: February 28, 2018; Revised: March 13, 2018; Accepted: March 13, 2018; Published online: March 21, 2018 How to cite this article: Lakic I, Jevđovic T, Jasnic N, Dakic T, Vujovic P, Đorđevic J. Stress-specific changes of galanin and PACAP expression in the rat hypothalamus and adrenal gland. Arch Biol Sci. 2018;70(3):…
Progressive impairment of directional and spatially precise trajectories by TgF344-AD Rats in the Morris Water Task

Spatial navigation is impaired in early stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and may be a defining behavioral marker of preclinical AD. Nevertheless, limitations of diagnostic criteria for AD and within animal models of AD make characterization of preclinical AD difficult. A new rat model (TgF344-AD) of AD overcomes many of these limitations, though spatial navigation has not been comprehensively assessed. Using the hidden and cued platform variants of the Morris water task, a longitudinal assessment of spatial navigation was conducted on TgF344-AD (n=16) and Fischer 344 (n=12) male and female rats at three age ranges: 4 to 5 months, 7 to 8, and 10 to 11 months of age. TgF344-AD rats exhibited largely intact navigation at 4-5 and 7-8 months of age, with deficits in the hidden platform task emerging at 10-11 months of age. In general, TgF344-AD rats displayed less accurate swim trajectories to the platform and a wider search area around the platform region compared to wildtype rats. Impaired navigation occurred in the absence of deficits in acquiring the procedural task demands or navigation to the cued platform location. Together, the results indicate that TgF344-AD rats exhibit comparable deficits to those found in individuals in the early stages of AD.
The effects of an online learning environment with worked examples and peer feedback on students’ argumentative essay writing and domain-specific knowledge acquisition in the field of biotechnology

Abstract The present study investigated the effects of an online learning environment supported with worked examples and peer feedback on students’ argumentative essay writing and domain-specific knowledge acquisition in the field of biotechnology. As part of a bigger project, a pre- and post-test study design was used with 45 bachelor students who were randomly grouped in pairs. Students were asked to analyse a case and write an argumentative essay taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of genetically modified organisms. The results showed that the combination of worked examples and peer feedback improve the quality of argumentative essay writing and facilitate the acquisition of domain-specific knowledge. Implications, suggestions, and future research are discussed.
Static Thermal Coupling Factors in Multi-Finger Bipolar Transistors: Part II-Experimental Validation

In this paper, we extend the model developed in part-I of this work to include the effects of the back-end-of-line (BEOL) metal layers and test its validity against on-wafer measurement results of SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs). First we modify the position dependent substrate temperature model of part-I by introducing a parameter to account for the upward heat flow through BEOL. Accordingly the coupling coefficient models for bipolar transistors with and without trench isolations are updated. The resulting modeling approach takes as inputs the dimensions of emitter fingers, shallow and deep trench isolation, their relative locations and the temperature dependent material thermal conductivity. Coupling coefficients obtained from the model are first validated against 3D TCAD simulations including the effect of BEOL followed by validation against measured data obtained from state-of-art multifinger SiGe HBTs of different emitter geometries.
Expression analysis, single-nucleotide polymorphisms of the Myoz1 gene and their association with carcase and meat quality traits in chickens

Abstract Previous studies reported that the Myoz1 gene plays a crucial role in signal transduction and muscle fibre type differentiation. This finding suggests that the Myoz1 gene is a potential candidate for affecting carcase and meat quality traits in animals. Therefore, this study aimed to detect genetic variations in Avian and Yellow Bantam chickens and to evaluate the effects of these variations on economically important carcase and meat-quality traits. Expression analysis using quantitative real-time PCR indicated that Myoz1 was broadly expressed in all four studied tissues (liver, heart, breast muscle and leg muscle). Expression of Myoz1 was significantly higher in both leg muscle and breast muscle compared to the liver and heart. Then, using direct sequencing, a total of five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified within the Myoz1 gene in two breeds of chickens. These breeds included three non-synonymous SNPs (SNP1: g. 16022512 G > T, SNP3: g. 16022560 C > T and SNP5: g.16023903 A > G) corresponding to A103S, H119Y and S189G, respectively. Statistical analyses indicated that SNP2 (g. 16022529 T > C), SNP3, SNP4 (g.16023878 A > C) and SNP5 significantly influenced some carcase and meat quality traits. Meanwhile, we did not find any association between the constructed haplotype and carcase traits in the Avian nor Yellow Bantam chickens. In conclusion, SNPs in the Myoz1 gene could be used for marker-assisted selection in chicken breeding.
Host-guest inclusion complex of desloratadine with 2-(hydroxy)propyl-?-cyclodextrin (HP-?-CD): Preparation, binding behaviors and dissolution properties

Desloratadine (DSL) is an anti-allergic agent that diminishes nasal and non-nasal allergic marks of seasonal allergic rhinitis. However, its efficiency of DSL is restricted with its low dissolution rate and aqueous solubility. The influence of 2-(hydroxy)propyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) on the DSL solubility was evaluated in respect of the phase solubility method. Following the formulation of inclusion complexes of DSL and HP-β-CD with various strategies (freeze-drying, spray-drying and kneading) (FD, SD and KN), compounds were investigated to evaluate the possibility of altering the physicochemical properties (solubility, release, stability, morphology) of DSL after complexation that are critical for subsequent formulation studies including the complexes prepared. Changes in DSC thermograms, FT-IR spectra and NMR spectra confirmed the constitution of a DSL-HP-β-CD complexes. In vitro release from inclusion complexes was compared to pure DSL by dialysis method. It was found that solubility enhancements of DSL-HP-β-CD complexes relies on the sort of the formulation technique. Higher release of DSL from complexes compared to pure DSL was ascribed to the interactive relations between HP-β-CD and DSL, high energetic amorphous status and inclusion complex constitution.