Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dating the Integration of World Equity Markets

Measuring the integration of world capital markets is notoriously difficult. For example, regulatory changes which appear comprehensive may have little impact on the functioning of the capital market if they fail to lead to foreign portfolio inflows. In contrast to the usual practice of documenting the timing of regulatory changes, we specify a reduced-form model for a number of financial time-series (for example, equity returns and dividend yields) and search for a common break in the process generating the data. In addition, we estimate a confidence interval for the break. Information on a variety of financial and macroeconomic indicators is employed to interpret the results and to identify the likely date the equity market becomes financially integrated with world capital markets. We find endogenous break dates that are very accurately estimated but do not always correspond closely to dates of official capital market reforms. After the break, stock markets are on average larger and more liquid than before; returns are more volatile and more highly correlated with the world market return, dividend yields are lower and credit ratings improve.
Is a good soundscape element a restorative environment factor in open office ?

Some research has proved that a good environment preferred by people has a restorative function and can relieve people’s tiredness and stress. Then the question is whether a good soundscape element has also a restorative effect on people and can help them get rid of tiredness particularly when they feel some working stress in open office. In this study the restorative function of soundscape elements was proved by laboratory experiments and how to add the soundscape elements into the open office in order to give consideration to both effect and efficiency was also explored. As a result it showed that the good soundscape elements had an apparent effect on tiredness restoration and annoyance improvement. Compared with visual scene, sound had more effect on tiredness restoration in the condition of open office.
Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder : Prevalence and risk factors in Egyptian primary School Children

OBJECTIVES: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurobehavioral disorders of childhood, which interferes with the social and educational development. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of ADHD among primary school children in Al-Qalyubia Governorate, Egypt, to identify underlying factors related to ADHD and to recommend a prevention and control program for this disorder. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 921 students, aged 6-12 years, from four primary schools in Al-Qalyubia Governorate. ADHD was assessed using screening scales for teachers and parents. Underlying risk factors were investigated using a structured questionnaire filled by parents. RESULTS: The prevalence of ADHD among primary school children was 21.8% and 16.2% based on the teacher and parent scales respectively. The increased risk of ADHD was associated with child exposure to punishment, irritable parents’ relation, poor parent-child relationship, watching TV, cyanosis and head trauma. ADHD was more likely in children with parental consanguinity and whose mothers were exposed to passive smoking during pregnancy. ADHD was less likely in urban children from high socioeconomic level. CONCLUSIONS: ADHD presents a troublesome problem among primary school children. Collaborative efforts are required to control risk factors associated with ADHD and to decrease its prevalence.
Affective scenes influence fear perception of individual body expressions

In natural viewing conditions, different stimulus categories such as people, objects, and natural scenes carry relevant affective information that is usually processed simultaneously. But these different signals may not always have the same affective meaning. Using body‐scene compound stimuli, we investigated how the brain processes fearful signals conveyed by either a body in the foreground or scenes in the background and the interaction between foreground body and background scene. The results showed that left and right extrastriate body areas (EBA) responded more to fearful than to neutral bodies. More interestingly, a threatening background scene compared to a neutral one showed increased activity in bilateral EBA and right‐posterior parahippocampal place area (PPA) and decreased activity in right retrosplenial cortex (RSC) and left‐anterior PPA. The emotional scene effect in EBA was only present when the foreground body was neutral and not when the body posture expressed fear (significant emotion‐by‐category interaction effect), consistent with behavioral ratings. The results provide evidence for emotional influence of the background scene on the processing of body expressions. Hum Brain Mapp 35:492–502, 2014. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Impact of change in sweetened caloric beverage consumption on energy intake among children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVE To estimate the net caloric impact from replacing sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) with alternatives in children and adolescents in naturalistic settings. DESIGN Secondary analysis based on nationally representative cross-sectional study. SETTING Fixed-effect regression analysis of 2 nonconsecutive 24-hour dietary recalls from the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. PARTICIPANTS Children and adolescents 2 to 19 years of age (N = 3098). MAIN EXPOSURES Within-person beverage consumption between 2 surveyed days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The association between changes in the consumption of SSBs and other beverages and changes in total energy intake (TEI) of the same individual. RESULTS Each additional serving (8 oz) of SSB corresponded to a net increase of 106 kcal/d (P < .001; 95% confidence interval [CI], 91 to 121 kcal/d), holding other beverages constant. Increases were also seen (all P < .001) for each additional serving of whole milk (169 kcal/d; 95% CI, 143 to 195 kcal/d), reduced-fat milk (145 kcal/d; 95% CI, 118 to 171 kcal/d), and 100% juice (123 kcal/d; 95% CI, 90 to 157 kcal/d). No net increases in TEI were seen for water (8 kcal/d; P = .27; 95% CI, -6 to 22 kcal/d) or diet drinks (47 kcal/d; P = .20; 95% CI, -23 to 117 kcal/d). Substituting SSBs with water was associated with a significant decrease in TEI, controlling for intake of other beverages, total beverage and nonbeverages, and fast-food and weekend effects. Each 1% of beverage replacement was associated with 6.6-kcal lower TEI, a reduction not negated by compensatory increases in other food or beverages. We estimate that replacing all SSBs with water could result in an average reduction of 235 kcal/d. CONCLUSION Replacing SSB intake with water is associated with reductions in total calories for all groups studied.
The approved Italian version of the comprehensive assessment of at‐risk mental states (CAARMS‐ITA): Field test and psychometric features

The Comprehensive Assessment of At‐Risk Mental States (CAARMS) was specifically developed to assess and detect young people at ultra‐high risk (UHR) of developing psychosis. The current study was undertaken to test the reliability and validity of the authorized Italian version of the CAARMS (CAARMS‐ITA) in a help‐seeking population.
Autoinjectors for administration of interferon beta-1b in multiple sclerosis: patient preferences and the ExtaviPro™ 30G and Betacomfort® devices

Background The ExtaviPro™ 30G autoinjector has been developed for self-administration of interferon beta-1b (Extavia®), which is used as a first-line, parenteral, disease-modifying therapy in multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this survey was to investigate patients’ perceptions of the importance of different general attributes of autoinjectors, and patient preferences when comparing the ExtaviPro™ 30G and Betacomfort® autoinjectors. Method The survey was conducted in France, Germany, Italy, and the USA in patients with relapsing-remitting MS who had been using an autoinjector for at least 1 year. Participants examined the ExtaviPro™ 30G and Betacomfort® devices, viewed fact sheets, and watched a video of these autoinjectors in use, then scored nine prespecified attributes of autoinjectors in terms of importance on a scale of 1–7 (1 = not at all important; 7 = extremely important). They then indicated which device they preferred, both overall and by individual attribute. Results Among the 201 participants who completed the survey, being reliable to use was considered the most important general attribute of autoinjectors, followed by attributes associated with convenience (ease of operation, one-handed injection, ease of reach of injection sites, ergonomic shape). For each of the nine attributes, a significantly higher proportion of participants (74%–94% by attribute; P < 0.05 for each) preferred ExtaviPro™ 30G to the Betacomfort® autoinjector, and 173 (86%) participants indicated that they preferred ExtaviPro™ 30G overall (P < 0.05). Conclusion The results of this survey suggest that patients with MS rate reliability and convenience as the most important general attributes of autoinjectors, and are more likely to prefer ExtaviPro™ 30G to the Betacomfort® autoinjector for routine self-administration of interferon beta-1b.
Hypovitaminosis D and Associated Risk Factors in Postmenopausal Women

Given the relevance of vitamin D in calcium metabolism homeostatic control, as well as its role as differentiation and cell proliferation modulator, it is important to study its circulating level in patients considered at risk, in order to develop prevention strategies. We studied 77 postmenopausal women with no history of osteoactive drug therapy, corticosteroid intake or diseases that could alter bone metabolism, attending the Menopause Center at the Hospital Provincial del Centenario, Rosario, Argentina. A medical history was taken, and a food consumption frequency questionnaire was applied in order to estimate daily calcium intake. To assess daily physical exercise, work and sports activities were investigated. Serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 25(OH)D were measured, and a hip DXA scan was performed in every patient. An inappropriate level of 25(OH)D was observed in 86.3% of patients. The 25(OH)D average value was found within the insufficiency range (<30 ng/ml) whereas PTH average concentration fell within the normal range, and bone mineral density average value was found within the osteopenic category. A statistically significant negative logarithmic association was observed between serum PTH level and vitamin D status (p = 0.01). Mean 25(OH)D concentration among patients who had reported fractures was significantly lower than the corresponding to women who had not suffered this type of event. Patients with vitamin D deficiency had significantly wider mean Cobb angle; higher sum of wedge angles of T4 - T12 vertebral bodies mean values, and higher uncompromised vertebrae wedge angle values than non-deficient women. This study shows high hypovitaminosis D occurrence among these postmenopausal women.
Auditory Information Processing During Adequate Propofol Anesthesia Monitored by Electroencephalogram Bispectral Index

Memory for intraoperative events may arise from inadequate anesthesia when the hypnotic state is not continuously monitored. Electroencephalogram bispectral index (BIS) enables monitoring of the hypnotic state and titration of anesthesia to an adequate level (BIS 40 to 60). At this level, preserved memory function has been observed in trauma patients. We investigated memory formation in elective surgical outpatients during target-controlled propofol anesthesia supplemented with alfentanil. While BIS remained between 40 and 60, patients listened to a tape with either familiar instances (exemplars) from two categories (Experimental [E] group, n = 41) or bird sounds (Control [C] group, n = 41). After recovery, memory was tested directly and indirectly. BIS during audio presentation was on average (± sd) 44 ± 5 and 46 ± 5 for Groups E and C, respectively. No patient consciously recalled the intraoperative period, nor were presented words recognized reliably (Group E, 0.9 ± 0.8 hits; Group C, 0.8 ± 0.8 hits) (P = 0.7). When asked to generate category exemplars, Group E named 2.10 ± 1.0 hits versus 1.98 ± 1.0 in Group C (P = 0.9). We found no explicit or implicit memory effect of familiar words presented during adequate propofol anesthesia at BIS levels between 40 and 60 in elective surgical patients.
Propolis Extract for Onychomycosis Topical Treatment: From Bench to Clinic

Onychomycosis is a chronic fungal infection of nails, commonly caused by dermatophyte fungi, primarily species of Trichophyton. Because of the limited drug arsenal available to treat general fungal infections and the frequent failure of onychomycosis treatment, the search for new therapeutic sources is essential, and topical treatment with natural products for onychomycosis has been encouraged. Propolis, an adhesive resinous compound produced by honeybees (Apis mellifera), has shown multiple biological properties including significant antifungal and anti-biofilm activities in vitro. In spite of promising in vitro results, in vivo results have not been reported so far. This study assessed an ethanol propolis extract (PE) as a topical therapeutic option for onychomycosis, including its characterization in vitro and its applicability as a treatment for onychomycosis (from bench to clinic). The in vitro evaluation included analysis of the cytotoxicity and the antifungal activity against the planktonic cells and biofilm formed by Trichophyton spp. We also evaluated the capacity of PE to penetrate human nails. Patients with onychomycosis received topical PE treatments, with a 6-month follow-up period. The results of the in vitro assays showed that PE was non-toxic to the cell lines tested, and efficient against both the planktonic cells and the biofilm formed by Trichophyton spp. The results also showed that PE is able to penetrate the human nail. The results for PE applied topically to treat onychomycosis were promising, with complete mycological and clinical cure of onychomycosis in 56.25% of the patients. PE is an inexpensive commercially available option, easy to obtain and monitor. Our results indicated that PE is a promising natural compound for onychomycosis treatment, due to its ability to penetrate the nail without cytotoxicity, and its good antifungal performance against species such as Trichophyton spp. that are resistant to conventional antifungals, both in vitro and in patients.
The importance of second-look transurethral resection for superficial bladder cancer

Objectives: The objective of this article is to evaluate the importance of a second-look transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) in patients with newly diagnosed superficial bladder cancer and its impact on subsequent treatment plan. Methods: We carried out a prospective study on 100 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed superficial bladder cancer in whom a second-look TURBT was performed two to six weeks after initial resection. We assessed the incidence of residual tumours, sufficiency of initial pathological staging and grading. We also assessed the need for re-staging and grading after the second-look TURBT. Results: Forty-five out of 75 patients (60%) who underwent second-look TURBT had no tumours, 18 (24%) had visible residual tumours and 12 (16%) had microscopic residual tumours. Of the 30 (40%) patients with residual tumours, five had pTa, three had carcinoma in situ (CIS), 12 had pT1, and 10 had pT2 disease. Upstaging and change of treatment plan as a result of the second-look TURBT were necessary in 18/75 (24%) cases, of which 10 cases (13%) underwent radical cystectomy for muscle-invasive tumours. Conclusions: A second cystoscopy with or without TURBT is recommended two to six weeks after initial resection of stage Ta and T1 bladder tumours in patients with high-grade transitional carcinoma of the bladder or in patients with multiple tumours. Second-look cystoscopy in this category of patients may reveal the need for early change of treatment plan in about 25% of patients.
A Reduced Interval of Chromosome 9p21 Locus is Associated with Ischemic Stroke in Chinese Northern Han Population

The 9p21 locus, a strong risk locus for coronary arterial disease, has been also associated with other cardiovascular disease including ischemic stroke (IS) in Caucasians. However, the association between 9p21 locus and IS in Chinese Han population is still debatable because of ambiguous results reported previously. Genetic heterogeneity between Southern and Northern Chinese Han populations could be one of the reasons for this uncertainty. Four genetic variants selected from the three conjunctional LD blocks within the 44 kb candidate region on chromosome 9p21 were genotyped in 1,429 IS patients and 1,191 healthy controls from the Northern Chinese Han population. Among the four studied variants, the G allele of the SNP rs2383207 was significantly associated with IS with allele frequency 66.8% in patients and 63.4% in controls. This association appears to be dominant with an OR of 1.417 (p=0.003) for people with either GG or AG genotypes. We did not find any association for the other three SNPs (rs1333049, rs10757274, and rs10116277). Based our results, we conclude that the 9p21 locus is a susceptibility locus for IS in the Northern Chinese Han population; and the core risk region for IS is within an interval of less than 28kb.
A range of kindness activities boost happiness

ABSTRACT This experiment investigates the effects of a seven-day kindness activities intervention on changes in subjective happiness. The study was designed to test whether performing different types of kindness activities had differential effects on happiness. Our recent systematic review and meta-analysis of the psychological effects of kindness (Curry, et al. 2018) revealed that performing acts of kindness boosts happiness and well-being. However, we noted in that review that rarely had researchers specifically compared the effects of kindness to different recipients, such as to friends or to strangers. Thus in a single factorial design (n=683) we compare acts of kindness to strong social ties, weak social ties, novel acts of self kindness, and observing acts of kindness, against a no acts control group. The results indicate that performing kindness activities for seven days increases happiness. In addition, we report a positive correlation between the number of kind acts and increases in happiness. Neither effect differed across the experimental the groups, suggesting that kindness to strong ties, to weak ties, and to self, as well as observing acts of kindness, have equally positive effects on happiness.
Exploring Spatial Patterns of Colorectal Cancer in Tehran City, Iran

Objectives: Colorectal cancer (CRC) may now be the second most common cancer in the world. The aim of this study was to determine whether clusters of high and low risk of CRC might exist at the neighborhood level in Tehran city. Methods: In this study, new cases of CRC provided from Cancer Registry Data of the Management Center of Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran in the period from March 2008 to March 2011 were analyzed. Raw standardized incidence rates (SIRs) were calculated for CRC in each neighborhood, along with ratios of observed to expected cases. The York and Mollie (BYM) spatial model was used for smoothing of the estimated raw SIRs. To discover clusters of high and low CRC incidence a purely spatial scan statistic was applied. Results: A total of 2,815 new cases of CRC were identified and after removal of duplicate cases, 2,491 were geocoded to neighborhoods. The locations with higher than expected incidence of CRC were northern and central districts of Tehran city. An observed to expected ratio of 2.57 (p<0.001) was found for districts of 2, 6 and 11, whereas, the lowest ratio of 0.23 (p<0.001) was apparent for northeast and south areas of the city, including district 4. Conclusions: This study showed that there is a significant spatial variation in patterns of incidence of CRC at the neighborhood level in Tehran city. Identification of such spatial patterns and assessment of underlying risk factors can provide valuable information for policymakers responsible for equitable distribution of healthcare resources.
Urodynamic Study of Bladder Function in Patients With Lumbar Compression Disorders and the Effect of Decompressive Surgery

Background: Patients with lumbar spinal canal compression not only experienced leg neuropathy but also lower urinary tract symptoms. There are few reports concerning the prevalence of bladder symptoms and the effect of decompression on urinary symptoms. Objective: The goal of the present study is to determine the incidence of bladder symptoms and urodynamic findings in lumbar spinal compressive disorders and report on outcomes in patients who have undergone decompressive surgery. Patients and Methods: This prospective study included 35 consecutive patients with lumbosacral root syndrome with or without overt bladder dysfunction. Patients were classified according to the preoperative urodynamic results into; Group I: patients with pre-operative normal bladder function, Group II: patients with pre-operative bladder dysfunction. Urodynamic study was conducted pre-operatively and 3 months after lumbar decompression. Results: There was significant difference between the two studied groups regarding the occurrence of urological symptoms. In the present study, among those 18 patients in group II, areflexic bladder was the most frequent urodynamic diagnosis encountered in 12 (66.6%) patients and 6 (33.4%) of patients were with detrusor overactivity. 6 patients with areflexic bladder showed improvement post operatively. Patients with preoperative neuropathic detrusor overactivity became normal postoperatively. Conclusion: Decompression surgery had a beneficial effect not only on urological symptoms but also on urodynamic study of bladder function.
Principles of Seismic Holography for Diagnostics of the Shallow Subphotosphere

We develop the wave-mechanical formalism for phase-correlation computational seismic holography of the shallow subphotosphere under the plane-parallel approximation and apply it to helioseismic Doppler observations from the Michelson Doppler Imager on the SOHO spacecraft of both the quiet Sun and active regions. We compare holographic signatures computed wave-mechanically with similar signatures computed under the widely used eikonal approximation. The major difference between the hydromechanical and eikonal computations can be expressed in terms of acoustic dispersion effects within a few Mm of the solar surface. With an appropriate account for dispersion, the eikonal computations are remarkably accurate over a broad range of practical applications. A major imposition that confronts local diagnostics of the shallow subphotosphere is a phenomenon we call "ghost signatures," artifacts introduced by a local ambiguity in the origin of the waves that give rise to the helioseismic signatures observed in the photosphere. Phase-correlation holographic signatures of the shallow subphotospheres of active regions are predominated by strong, stochastic phase shifts associated with magnetic fields at the solar surface. These introduce effects similar to those of an optical showerglass, significantly impairing the coherence of waves impinging into the magnetic photosphere from beneath, smearing the holographic signatures of possible subphotospheric anomalies.