Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
What Drives Regional Disparities in Educational Expansion: School Reform, Modernization, or Social Structure?

The aim of this study is to empirically investigate the reasons for regional disparities in educational expansion in Germany (i.e., rising rates of general university entrance qualification) on the basis of theoretically relevant influencing factors: changes in school policies, changes in social structure, or general social modernization processes. We pay special attention to the legal framework of schools, which has changed at different times in the German states. Our analysis is based on data from the National Educational Panel Study and on a database on the development of schooling regulations in the German states after World War II. For the analysis, we use two-way crossed random-effects models. Our analyses show that the modernization of school structures is only associated with increasing individual opportunities to access higher school education. However, this association disappears when controlling for social structure and cohort sequence. Rather, the educational expansion of the recent decades is characterized by a changed social structure and, in small parts, by general social modernization processes. In light of our findings, we argue that educational policy adapts school structures to societal changes, opens up new opportunities, yet at the same time reproduces and exacerbates educational inequality.
Measurement of agonist-induced Ca2+ signals in human airway smooth muscle cells using excitation scan-based hyperspectral imaging and image analysis approaches

Ca2+ and cAMP are ubiquitous second messengers known to differentially regulate a variety of cellular functions over a wide range of timescales. Studies from a variety of groups support the hypothesis that these signals can be localized to discrete locations within cells, and that this subcellular localization is a critical component of signaling specificity. However, to date, it has been difficult to track second messenger signals at multiple locations. To overcome this limitation, we utilized excitation scan-based hyperspectral imaging approaches to track second messenger signals as well as labeled cellular structures and/or proteins in the same cell. We have previously reported that hyperspectral imaging techniques improve the signal-to-noise ratios of both fluorescence measurements, and are thus well suited for the measurement of localized Ca2+ signals. We investigated the spatial spread and intensities of agonist-induced Ca2+ signals in primary human airway smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) using the Ca2+ indicator Cal520. We measured responses triggered by three agonists, carbachol, histamine, and chloroquine. We utilized custom software coded in MATLAB and Python to assess agonist induced changes in Ca2+ levels. Software algorithms removed the background and applied correction coefficients to spectral data prior to linear unmixing, spatial and temporal filtering, adaptive thresholding, and automated region of interest (ROI) detection. All three agonists triggered transient Ca2+ responses that were spatially and temporally complex. We are currently analyzing differences in both ROI area and intensity distributions triggered by these agonists.
Wideband RWG-SIW Interconnection With Improved Integration for Millimeter-Wave/Terahertz Application

In this letter, wideband interconnections are proposed to connect metal rectangular waveguide (RWG) and substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) based on printed circuit board (PCB) technology. For the purpose of easy fabrications and micro-assembly processes in millimeter-wave/terahertz (MMW/THz) applications, a standard RWG is used to feed the transition without any manufactures in the metal waveguide. The wideband interconnection structure with improved impedance matching is only designed in a single-layer PCB. Particularly, the novel interconnections are realized by stepped dielectric transformers using PCB technology. These integrations have the advantages of simple structure, low fabrication cost, and easy processes. To demonstrate the scheme, two 220-GHz band interconnections are designed as examples. Back-to-back interconnections are fabricated and measured. The measured results agree well with the simulated results. It can be concluded that the measured insertion and return losses of both single interconnections are better than 0.9 and 10 dB, respectively, in the frequency range from 180 to 240 GHz (28.6%).
Interaction and Assembly of Bacterial Communities in High-Latitude Coral Habitat Associated Seawater

Threatened by climate change and ocean warming, coral reef ecosystems have been shifting in geographic ranges toward a higher latitude area. The water-associated microbial communities and their potential role in primary production contribution are well studied in tropical coral reefs, but poorly defined in high-latitude coral habitats to date. In this study, amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA and cbbL gene, co-occurrence network, and βNTI were used. The community structure of bacterial and carbon-fixation bacterial communities showed a significant difference between the center of coral, transitional, and non-coral area. Nitrite, DOC, pH, and coral coverage ratio significantly impacted the β-diversity of bacterial and carbon-fixation communities. The interaction of heterotrophs and autotrophic carbon-fixers was more complex in the bottom than in surface water. Carbon-fixers correlated with diverse heterotrophs in surface water but fewer lineages of heterotrophic taxa in the bottom. Bacterial community assembly showed an increase by deterministic process with decrease of coral coverage in bottom water, which may correlate with the gradient of nitrite and pH in the habitat. A deterministic process dominated the assembly of carbon-fixation bacterial community in surface water, while stochastic process dominated t the bottom. In conclusion, the structure and assembly of bacterial and carbon-fixer community were affected by multi-environmental variables in high-latitude coral habitat-associated seawater.
Phytochemical Investigation and Determination of Antibacterial Activity of Solvent Leave Extracts of Carissa spinarum

Background Among many traditionally used medicinal plants, Carissa spinarum (Agam) is a well-known indigenous plant in Ethiopia. It is used in its raw form to treat different diseases in different parts of the country. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate extraction, isolation, and determination of the antibacterial properties of the solvent leaf extract of Carissa spinarum. Methods In this study, 800 g of powdered leaves of Carissa spinarum were macerated with 2500 mL of methanol and yielded 58 g (7.25%, w/w) of gummy material. The extract was then further partitioned by using ethyl acetate and chloroform. The extracts were subjected to phytochemical screening test. The antibacterial activity of the three solvent leaf extracts of Carissa spinarum were evaluated using disc diffusion method. The methanol extract was subjected to column chromatography silica gel (60–200 mesh) by mixing methanol:petroleum ether (4:1). Then fractions were collected and investigated by TLC and finally identified using spectroscopy. Results The three extracts (methanol, ethyl acetate, and chloroform) of Carissa spinarum were presented to antimicrobial activity by disc diffusion method against four bacterial species using gentamycin and ampicillin discs as positive controls and DMSO as a negative control. All extracts had a relatively antibacterial effect with different extent zones of inhibition. However, the methanol extract showed superior antibacterial activity compared with DMSO and ethyl acetate and chloroform extracts. These could due to variation of the phytoconstituents. The most probable structure of the compound isolated was 5-(2’,3’,4’,6’-tetrahydroxy-5’-methoxycyclohexyloxy)-2,3,4 trihydroxypentanoic acid. Conclusion Data obtained from this study collectively indicated that the three solvent extracts of Carissa spinarum have a promising antimicrobial activity which supports the traditional claim of the plant for treatment of infection.
Stair climbing and incident atrial fibrillation: a prospective cohort study

Background A protective role for physical activity against the development of atrial fibrillation (AF) has been suggested. Stair climbing is a readily available form of physical activity that many people practice. Herein, we investigated the association between stair climbing and the risk of AF in a Japanese population. Methods In this prospective cohort study, we used data of 6,575 people registered in the Suita Study, aged 30–84 years, and had no history of AF. The frequency of stair climbing was assessed by a baseline questionnaire, while AF was diagnosed during the follow-up using a 12-lead ECG, health records, check-ups, and death certificates. We used the Cox regression to calculate the hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals of AF incidence for climbing stairs in 20–39%, 40–59%, and ≥60% compared with <20% of the time. Results Within 91,389 person-years of follow-up, 295 participants developed AF. The incidence of AF was distributed across the stair climbing groups <20%, 20–39%, 40–59%, and ≥60% as follows: 3.57, 3.27, 3.46, and 2.63/1,000 person-years, respectively. Stair climbing ≥60% of the time was associated with a reduced risk of AF after adjustment for age and sex 0.69 (0.49, 0.96). Further adjustment for lifestyle and medical history did not affect the results 0.69 (0.49, 0.98). Conclusion Frequent stair climbing could protect from AF. From a preventive point of view, stair climbing could be a simple way to reduce AF risk at the population level. Supplementary information The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1265/ehpm.21-00021.
ANTIFUNGAL PROPERTIES OF WATER EXTRACT PROPOLIS COATING AGAINST ANTHRACNOSE (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) DISEASE ON STRAWBERRY (Fragaria anannassa)

Anthracnose is a major pre and post-harvest disease. Due to the consumer concerns of the residual effect of the synthetic fungicide, biocontrol from a natural source is highly required by the consumer to reduce the problem. Propolis is a natural antifungal that can be used as a coating to control fruit quality and postharvest losses. This study evaluated the physical and chemical characteristics of strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) induced with Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, coated with water extract propolis (WEP) and stored at 5°C. The effect of coating was evaluated with different concentrations of water extract propolis (WEP) which were control, 10%, 12%, and 14%. The post-harvest parameters such as weight loss, total soluble solids (TSS), anthocyanin, disease severity index (DSI), and firmness were evaluated at two days interval for 12 days of storage. The highest percentage of inhibition (in vitro) was shown by the highest concentration of WEP (14%). Fruits coated with propolis showed reduced deterioration and infection diameter of fungus, as compared to the control (without coating) which already spoiled at day 4. Strawberry coated with 14% concentration of WEP also showed the highest firmness compared to other treatments. Thus, this coating can be used as an alternative method for bio-control of disease to reduce the post- harvest loss of fresh produce.
INNOVATIONS IN BAGGAGE HANDLING: THE MATCH GAME

This article discusses current developments in baggage handling technology and the forces driving these developments. Airline passenger traffic is increasing by about 5%/year and is expected to reach near 20 million annually by 2050. Matching bags with each passenger, known as positive passenger baggage match (PPBM) is a major causative factor of baggage technology innovation. Radio frequency (RF) technology, in which chips are inserted into a bag tag for tracking, and other similar "chipless" methods have been created to make PPBM more accurate, dependable, and speedier. Other developments include the tracking of bags from input at ticket counters to final destination with no down-line scanning using an interface with the host check-in computer so the bag is automatically identified. Delivery of bags is accomplished via high-speed long belt [1800 ft (550 m)] technology at speeds of 500 ft/min (152 m/min). Even faster and longer baggage conveyers are being developed. High tech security measures are also being integrated into in many newly built airport facilities, enabling both speed and safety concerns to be adequately met.
Voronoi Diagrams and Perlin Noise for Simulation of Irregular Artefacts in Microscope Scans

Artefacts are a common occurrence in microscopic images and scans used in life science research. The artefacts may be regular and irregular and arise from different sources: distortions of the illumination field, optical aberrations, foreign particles in the illumination and optical path, errors, irregularities during the processing and staining phases, et cetera. While several computational approaches for dealing with patterned distortions exist, there is no universal, efficient, reliable, and facile method for removing irregular artefacts. This leaves life scientists within cumbersome predicaments, wastes valuable time, and may alter the analysis results. In this article, the authors outline a systematic way to introduce synthetic irregular artefacts in microscopic scans via Perlin Noise and Voronoi Diagrams. The reasoning behind such a task is to produce pairs of “successful” and manufactured “failed” image counterparts to be used as training pairs in an artificial neural network tuned for artefact removal. At the moment, the outlined method only works for grayscale
The effect of Kinesio Tape on scapular kinematics with different external loads in healthy subjects

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of Kinesio Tape (KT) on scapular kinematics with different external loads in healthy subjects. Twenty-three subjects performed abduction, scaption and flexion of their shoulders in three conditions: (1) no load (2) dumbbell and (3) elastic band resistance. KT was applied (I-shaped) over the upper trapezius muscle, and scapula kinematic data was captured and analyzed based on Euler angles. The situations and interactions of the different loads and KT were compared using a repeated measures two-way ANOVA. KT decreased the upward rotation during the movements of abduction, scaption and flexion of the shoulder. There was an effect of load in all evaluated movements, but there was no interaction between the load and the KT. It can be concluded that KT and load showed effects on scapula kinematics. Regardless of the load condition (no load, dumbbell or elastic resistance), the effects of the KT on scapula kinematics will be the same in healthy subjects.
Temperature-induced potential barriers in piezoelectric semiconductor films through pyroelectric and thermoelastic couplings and their effects on currents

We study temperature effects in piezoelectric semiconductor thin films through pyroelectric and thermoelastic as well as piezoelectric couplings. Two-dimensional equations based on the macroscopic theory of piezoelectric semiconductors for extensional deformations of the films are used. A p-type ZnO film with an in-plane c-axis is analyzed. It is shown through a linear and theoretical analysis that a local temperature change produces a pair of a potential barrier and a well in the film. A nonlinear numerical analysis is then performed when a voltage is also applied, showing that the potential barrier blocks the in-plane motion of the holes and thus affects the current density distribution. The effects of various physical and geometric parameters are examined. The results obtained provide the theoretical foundation for thermally manipulating currents in piezoelectric semiconductor films for piezotronic applications.
Surface-Modified Bilosomes Nanogel Bearing a Natural Plant Alkaloid for Safe Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis Inflammation

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory illness affecting the joints. The characteristic of RA is gradual joint deterioration. Current RA treatment alleviates signs such as inflammation and pain and substantially slows the progression of the disease. In this study, we aimed to boost the transdermal delivery of berberine (a natural product) by encapsulating it in chitosan, surface-modified bilosomes nanogel for better management of the inflammation of RA. The chitosan-coated bilosomes loaded with berberine (BER-CTS-BLS) were formulated according to the thin-film hydration approach and optimized for various causal variables, considering the effect of lipid, sodium deoxycholate, and chitosan concentrations on the size of the particles, entrapment, and the surface charge. The optimized BER-CTS-BLS has 202.3 nm mean diameter, 83.8% entrapment, and 30.8 mV surface charge. The optimized BER-CTS-BLS exhibited a delayed-release profile in vitro and increased skin permeability ex vivo. Additionally, histological examination revealed that the formulated BLS had no irritating effects on the skin. Furthermore, the optimized BER-CTS-BLS ability to reduce inflammation was evaluated in rats with carrageenan-induced paw edema. Our results demonstrate that the group treated with topical BER-CTS-BLS gel exhibited a dramatic reduction in rat paw edema swelling percentage to reach 24.4% after 12 h, which was substantially lower than other groups. Collectively, chitosan-coated bilosomes containing berberine have emerged as a promising therapeutic approach to control RA inflammation.
Resilient finite‐time fault detection dissipative‐based filter for semi‐Markovian jump systems with incomplete measurements

In this article, the problem of resilient finite‐time fault detection dissipative‐based filter design is investigated for a class discrete‐time semi‐Markovian jump systems with incomplete measurements, dynamic quantization and time‐varying delay. The considered system includes various network‐induced imperfections such as missing measurements, transmission delay and dynamic signal quantization. Specifically, all these imperfections are modeled using stochastic variables following Bernoulli random distribution. In addition, the transition probability of the semi‐Markov process is time‐varying along with the lower and upper bounds of the transition rate. Eventually, a set of sufficient conditions is derived in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) by assuming proper Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional and using S‐procedure lemma such that the augmented filtering error system is stochastically finite‐time bounded with prescribed dissipative performance. Finally, the applicability and usefulness of the proposed filter design is demonstrated through a pulse‐width‐modulation‐boost‐converter (PWM) model.
Defining Fragmentation Patterns of Archaeological Bone Remains without Typologies: A Landmark-Based Approach on Rodent Mandibula

Fragmentation is a recurring feature of archaeological faunal material, and impacts many aspects of zooarchaeological studies from taxonomical identification to biometric studies. It can result from anthropic and natural actions that occurred respectively before and/or after bone deposit. While several bone fragmentation typologies have been described, they are currently based on both macroscopic observations and researcher subjectivity and lack the universality necessary for inter-study comparisons. To fulfill this need we present a standardized landmark-based protocol for the description and quantification of mandibular fragmentation patterns, using two insular rodents of different sizes as models. The rice rats (Oryzomyini tribe) and the agouti (Dasyprocta) from the Lesser Antilles were abundant during the pre-Columbian Ceramic Age (500 BCE-1500 CE). Their mandibles’ shapes were quantified using the coordinates of 13 2D-landmarks. We show that landmark-based measurements can be used to:—assess the preservation differences between taxa of the same taxonomic group (e.g., rodents),—estimate the level of preservation of a skeletal part (e.g., mandible),—describe fragmentation patterns without pre-existing typologies and—facilitate the application of geometric morphometric methods to fragmented archaeological material. Our novel approach, leveraging fragmentation analyses and establishing specific fragmentation patterns, frees itself from existing typologies and could be systematically applied to future research.
Role of folate metabolizing genes and homocysteine in mothers of Down syndrome children

Objectives: Folates are essential nutrients required for the synthesis of DNA/RNA in cell division and segregation. Folates are reduced and methylated in the liver with the help of enzymes such as methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), MTR MTRR, reduced folate carrier 1, and cystathionine-β-synthase. Variants in the genes encoding these enzymes may lead to hypomethylation, resulting in nondisjunction which in turn increases the risk for Down syndrome (DS). The present study was conducted to genotype these genes and to see their association with homocysteine levels. Materials and Methods: A total of 213 mothers having DS children and 220 mothers having normal children were enrolled in the study. Genomic DNA was isolated from lymphocytes followed by polymerase chain reaction/Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism for genotyping. Homocysteine levels were checked by chemoassay utilizing coumarin-based fluorescent probe. Results: Genotypic frequency of MTHFR 1298 A > C polymorphism was significantly different among cases and controls (χ2 = 5.83, P = 0.01), presence of C instead of A allele provided protection against DS in mothers (odds ratios = 0.57, 95% confidence interval = 0.35–0.91, P = 0.01). Higher levels of homocysteine were independently associated with the risk of having DS child (P = 0.0001). Conclusion: Homocysteine acted as an independent risk factor in the present study and was not associated with folate metabolizing gene variants.
Short Tandem Repeat Variation in the CNR1 Gene Associated With Analgesic Requirements of Opioids in Postoperative Pain Management

Short tandem repeats (STRs) and variable number of tandem repeats (VNTRs) that have been identified at approximately 0.7 and 0.5 million loci in the human genome, respectively, are highly multi-allelic variations rather than single-nucleotide polymorphisms. The number of repeats of more than a few thousand STRs was associated with the expression of nearby genes, indicating that STRs are influential genetic variations in human traits. Analgesics act on the central nervous system via their intrinsic receptors to produce analgesic effects. In the present study, we focused on STRs and VNTRs in the CNR1, GRIN2A, PENK, and PDYN genes and analyzed two peripheral pain sensation-related traits and seven analgesia-related traits in postoperative pain management. A total of 192 volunteers who underwent the peripheral pain sensation tests and 139 and 252 patients who underwent open abdominal and orthognathic cosmetic surgeries, respectively, were included in the study. None of the four STRs or VNTRs were associated with peripheral pain sensation. Short tandem repeats in the CNR1, GRIN2A, and PENK genes were associated with the frequency of fentanyl use, fentanyl dose, and visual analog scale pain scores 3 h after orthognathic cosmetic surgery (Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient ρ = 0.199, p = 0.002, ρ = 0.174, p = 0.006, and ρ = 0.135, p = 0.033, respectively), analgesic dose, including epidural analgesics after open abdominal surgery (ρ = −0.200, p = 0.018), and visual analog scale pain scores 24 h after orthognathic cosmetic surgery (ρ = 0.143, p = 0.023), respectively. The associations between STRs in the CNR1 gene and the frequency of fentanyl use and fentanyl dose after orthognathic cosmetic surgery were confirmed by Holm’s multiple-testing correction. These findings indicate that STRs in the CNR1 gene influence analgesia in the orofacial region.