Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ANALYST RELUCTANCE IN CONVEYING NEGATIVE INFORMATION TO THE MARKET

This paper investigates one of the main sources of financial markets’ public information: financial analysts’ reports. We analyze reports on S&P 500 index through a multidisciplinary approach integrating behavioral finance with linguistic analysis to understand how financial phenomena reflect in or are deviated by language, i.e. whether financial and linguistic trends follow the same patterns, boosting each other, or diverge. In the latter, language could conceal financial events, mitigating analysts’ feelings and misleading investors. Therefore, we attempt to identify behavioral biases (mainly represented by cognitive dissonances) present in analysts’ reports. In doing so, we try to understand whether analysts try to hide the perception of negative price-sensitive events or not, eventually anticipating and controlling the market “mood”. This study focuses on how analysts use linguistic strategies in order to minimize their risk of issuing wrong advice. Our preliminary results show reluctance to incorporate negative information in the reports. A slight asymmetry between the use of positive/negative keywords taken into account and the negative/positive trends of the index seems to emerge. In those weeks characterized by the index poor performances, the frequency of keywords with a negative meaning is lower. On the contrary, in the recovering weeks a higher use of keywords with a positive meaning does not clearly appear. A thorough investigation on the market moods and the analysis of the text of the reports enable us to assess if and to what extent analysts have been willing to mitigate pessimism or emphasize confidence. Furthermore, we contribute to the existing literature also proposing a possible analysts’ value function based on the Prospect Theory [Kahneman and Tversky, 1979] where analysts try to maximize the value deriving from enhancing their reputation, taking into account the risks that may cause a reputational loss. This theoretical framework maintains our preliminary findings and supports the idea that analysts are risk-averse when facing reputational gains and risk-seeking in case of potential reputational losses. ****
How old are your eggs?

Purpose of review It is estimated that 10% of women experience a rapid decline in their ovarian reserve from the early 30s. This is called ‘early ovarian ageing’. With the development of the so-called ‘ovarian reserve tests’, it was hoped that it would be possible to assess each woman's ovarian biological age and screen for ‘early ovarian ageing’ in the general population. This review examines the progress that has been made in this area. Recent findings Almost the entire literature on ovarian reserve tests refers to women having IVF, rather than women in the general population. Recent systematic reviews have shown that the currently known ‘ovarian reserve’ tests are reasonably good at predicting the number of eggs that are collected following ovarian stimulation with gonadotrophins in the context of an IVF cycle. They show very poor correlation with live-birth rates. The reason is that they cannot directly assess oocyte quality. Summary Screening for ‘early ovarian ageing’ in the general population is desirable but still not possible. Therefore, postponing childbearing to the late 30s remains a risky gamble. Advice to individual women should be given by specialist reproductive endocrinologists, though home-testing is not advisable.
The Clinical Significance and Potential Therapeutic Role of GPx3 in Tumor Recurrence after Liver Transplantation

Background and Aims: Our previous study showed that small-for-size liver graft may provide favorable micro-environment for tumor growth. GPx3, an anti-oxidant, not only attenuates oxidative stress, but also suppresses liver tumor growth in our recent study. Here, we aimed to characterize the clinical significance and explore the functional role of GPx3 in HCC recurrence after liver transplantation. Methods: To explore the association between GPx3 expression and HCC invasiveness, a rat orthotopic liver transplantation model with tumor development was established. To investigate the clinical relevance of GPx3, 105 HCC patients who underwent liver transplantation were recruited. The suppressive role of GPx3 in HCC cells was studied using wound healing, Matrigel invasion assay and lung metastasis model. The real-time intravital imaging system was applied to directly visualize the tumor cells invasion in a living animal. The underlying mechanism was further explored. Results: GPx3 was identified as a down-regulated protein in small-for-size liver graft and significantly associated with invasive phenotype of tumor growth in a rat model. Plasma GPx3 was significantly lower in small-for-size graft group post-transplantation (day1: 33 vs 1147; day3: 3209 vs 4459; day7: 303 vs 2506; mU/mL, P<0.05) in rat model. Clinically, the plasma GPx3 was significantly lower in the recipients with HCC recurrence post-transplantation (day1: 4.16 vs 8.99 µg/mL, P<0.001; day7: 3.86 vs 9.99 µg/mL, P<0.001). Furthermore, lower plasma GPx3 was identified as an independent predictor (HR=4.528, P=0.046) for poor overall survival post-transplantation. Over-expression of GPx3 significantly suppressed migration, invasiveness and metastasis of HCC cells. Real-time intravital imaging showed that GPx3 significantly suppressed HCC invasiveness in a live animal. GPx3 suppressed the tumor invasiveness through inhibition of JNK-cJun-MMP2 pathway. Conclusion: GPx3 may possess prognostic and therapeutic value for HCC patients after liver transplantation.
Do Tax Directors Face Consequences from Tax Avoidance?

I examine the association between tax avoidance and tax director turnover. Specifically, I hand collect the names of tax directors and explore whether tax directors face consequences from making certain tax avoidance decisions. This unique dataset allows me to examine the tax director, who is directly responsible for taxes, which are one of the most significant accounts, and who prior literature has largely ignored due to a lack of availability of data. I find evidence that the tax director is more likely to face consequences, as measured by turnover, when their firm’s effective tax rate is higher than the industry median’s effective tax rate and when the effective tax rate is volatile. Accordingly, these results provide an understanding of the consequences of tax directors’ tax avoidance decisions. In supplemental analysis, I examine samples of firms that engaged in aggressive tax avoidance, had tax-related restatements and had tax-related internal control weaknesses. I do not find evidence that tax directors face consequences, as measured by turnover, compared to a set of matched tax directors for any of the supplemental tests. Overall, these findings suggest that tax directors face consequences related to middle range tax avoidance decisions but do not face consequences from very aggressive tax avoidance and GAAP-related tax decisions.
Assessing the relationships between contextual factors and research utilization in nursing: systematic literature review.

AIM This paper reports a systematic literature review examining relationships between contextual factors and research utilization in nursing, examining the strength of these relationships, and mapping the contextual factors to the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services model of research implementation. BACKGROUND Healthcare organizations have long struggled with how to improve clinical care outcomes. Understanding which contextual factors enhance nursing research utilization may support organizations in creating environments that facilitate the uptake of evidence in nursing practice to improve these outcomes. METHODS A search of five electronic bibliographic databases and a manual search of specific journals were conducted for studies that were published in English and examined contextual factors as independent variables and research utilization as the dependent variable from the perspective of nurses working in clinical practice. The studies were assessed for quality of design, sample, measurement and statistical analysis. RESULTS Ten papers met the search criteria. Six contextual factors were identified as having a statistically significant relationship with research utilization, namely the role of the nurse, multi-faceted access to resources, organizational climate, multi-faceted support, time for research activities and provision of education. The contextual factors could successfully be mapped to the dimensions of context in the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services framework (context, culture, leadership), with the exception of evaluation. CONCLUSION The strength of the relationship between the six contextual factors and research utilization by nurses is still largely unknown as (a) few studies were found of sufficient quality because of methodological limitations and (b) the results in reviewed studies were mixed. More robust methods in future work would yield a better understanding of the full impact of contextual factors on nurses' use of research.
PET with 11C‐deuterium‐deprenyl and 18F‐FDG in focal epilepsy

Objectives– This study compares positron emission tomography (PET) using 11C‐deuterium‐deprenyl (DED) with PET using 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose(18F‐FDG) for examining epileptogenic regions in patients with focal epilepsy. Material and methods– Twenty‐three patients undergoing evaluation for epilepsy surgery were subjected to PET with DED. Fourteen patients had mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and 9 patients had seizures of neocortical origin. In addition, 6 healthy control subjects were examined. Pixel‐by‐pixel analysis was used to generate graphical images of tracer distribution volume (intercept) and the accumulation rate (slope). Asymmetries with respect to relative intercept and slope were compared in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), in patients with extra‐temporal lobe epilepsy (exTLE), and in the control subjects. The results were compared with 18F‐FDG‐PET. Results– Among the patients with TLE, significant differences between the epileptogenic and the contralateral lobe were found with DED intercept and FDG‐uptake. No significant differences were found with DED slope. The exTLE and the control groups showed no significant differences between sides or lobes. Conclusions– This study indicates that PET with 11C‐deuterium‐deprenyl is a useful method for identifying TLE and is equivalent to PET with 18F‐FDG in this sense. The method has little localizing value in seizures originating from neocortical structures.
THE VOICES OF FAMILIES AND SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE FAMILY REUNIFICATION SYSTEM

iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . v CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION Problem Statement . 1 Purpose of the Study . 3 Significance of the Project for Social Work . 4 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction . 6 Studies Focusing on Quality of Social Workers . 6 Theories Guiding Coneptualization . 9 Summary . 10 CHAPTER THREE: METHODS Introduction . 12 Study Design . 12 Sampling . 14 Data Collection and Instruments . 14 Procedures . 16 Protection of Human Subjects . 16 Data Analysis . 17 Summary . 17 CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS Introduction . 18
Surgical anatomy of the extralaryngeal aspect of the superior laryngeal nerve.

OBJECTIVES To describe the topography of the superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) and to evaluate the influence of gender, ethnicity, side of the neck, and individual height on the topography of the SLN. DESIGN Anatomical study of human cadavers. SUBJECTS Fifty fresh human cadavers (19 female subjects and 31 male subjects; age range, 22-89 years; mean age, 61 years) were randomly selected for this study. The subjects were divided into nonwhite (n = 18) and white (n = 32) ethnic groups. The t test and linear regression were used for statistical analysis of data. RESULTS All SLNs emerged medially to the vagus nerve. The SLNs mostly divided into internal (ibSLN) and external (ebSLN) branches distally from their origin (94%). The mean +/- SE length of the SLN trunk was 16.7 +/- 0.9 mm and was affected by gender (P =.01) but not ethnicity (P =.57), side of the neck (P =.96), or individual height (R2 = 0.01; P =.33). The length of the ibSLN reached 44.9 +/- 1.0 mm and was unaffected by gender (P =.91), ethnicity (P =.24), side (P =.40), or height (R2<0.01; P =.71). The length of the ebSLN measured 62.6 +/- 1.2 mm and was unaffected by gender (P =.69), ethnicity (P =.42), side (P =.26), or height (R2<0.01; P =.85). The mean +/- SE angle between the ibSLN and the tracheoesophageal sulcus was 49 degrees +/- 1 degrees and was unaffected by gender (P =.35), ethnicity (P =.11), side (P =.26), or height (R2<0.01; P =.96). Only 1 subject demonstrated a bilateral anatomical variation of the ibSLN close to its entrance into the thyrohyoid membrane. CONCLUSIONS The topography of the SLN has a few anatomical variations and is unaffected by gender, ethnicity, side of the neck, and individual height, except that the SLN is longer in males than in females. These findings are important in that they can help in the prevention of SLN injuries during operations such as laryngectomy and neck dissection, as well as in the planning of laryngeal reinnervation and transplantation.
Stereopsis, Accommodative and Vergence Facility: Do They Relate to Dyslexia?

The relation between visual functions and reading performance has been the subject of conflicting opinion over the years. The purpose of this study is 2-fold: first, to examine factors other than visual acuity, i.e., stereopsis, accommodative facility and vergence facility, which might show a greater impact on reading achievement; and second, to utilize well defined dyslexic and normal controls to ensure that the reading deficits were not caused by overt neurological, psychological, educational, or environmental factors. Thirteen normal readers and 13 dyslexics were carefully matched by rigorous quantitative criteria. The performance of both groups on tests of visual acuity and stereopsis was similar. The dyslexic readers tended to show better accommodative facility. Dyslexics performed significantly worse than the matched normal readers on a test of vergence facility. These results, in agreement with those reported by other studies, indicate that less efficient dynamic vergence facility may contribute to reading impairment, unlike other static functions such as visual acuity and stereopsis. It may be that the vergence problems of the dyslexics are related to sequential oculo-motor abnormalities. The dyslexics' vergence problems may also be partly responsible for their large number of small eye movements
Inhibition of NADPH oxidase by glucosylceramide confers chemoresistance

The bioactive sphingolipid ceramide induces oxidative stress by disrupting mitochondrial function and stimulating NADPH oxidase (NOX) activity, both implicated in cell death mechanisms. Many anticancer chemotherapeutics (anthracyclines, Vinca alkaloids, paclitaxel, and fenretinide), as well as physiological stimuli such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), stimulate ceramide accumulation and increase oxidative stress in malignant cells. Consequently, ceramide metabolism in malignant cells and, in particular the up-regulation of glucosylceramide synthase (GCS), has gained considerable interest in contributing to chemoresistance. We hypothesized that increases in GCS activity and thus glucosylceramide, the product of GCS activity, represents an important resistance mechanism in glioblastoma. In our study, we determined that increased GCS activity effectively blocked reactive oxygen species formation by NOX. We further showed, in both glioblastoma and neuroblastoma cells that glucosylceramide directly interfered with NOX assembly, hence delineating a direct resistance mechanism. Collectively, our findings indicated that pharmacological or molecular targeting of GCS, using non-toxic nanoliposome delivery systems, successfully augmented NOX activity, and improved the efficacy of known chemotherapeutic agents.
Oral and salivary changes in patients with chronic kidney disease: A clinical and biochemical study

Background: Both chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its treatment can affect a wide range of tissues and systems. It directly or indirectly affects flow, concentrations and composition of saliva. Hemodialysis can effectively minimize most of these complications to some extent. Aims: The main aim of this study was to know the salivary content of sodium, potassium, calcium, urea, bicarbonate and oral manifestations in patients with CKD. Subjects and Methods: For this study, 50 patients diagnosed with CKD and 50 systemically and periodontally healthy individuals were subjected to a detailed general and intraoral examination. Whole un-stimulated saliva samples of all the selected subjects were collected and subjected to calcium (Ca), phosphorous (P), sodium (Na), potassium (K), bicarbonate and urea analysis. Statistical Analysis Used: Paired t-test, Mann-Whitney test. Results: Among 50 study subjects, 26 subjects had reduced salivary flow in the range of 0.1-0.4 ml/min. Intraoral examination of the study subjects revealed pallor, increased deposition of calculus, bleeding gums, metallic taste, hypoplasia of teeth and fissured tongue. There was a significant difference between healthy and prehemodialysis patients in the salivary sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, urea levels and the difference was insignificant in relation to bicarbonate levels. Conclusions: Alterations in salivary calcium, phosphorous, urea, sodium, potassium levels were significantly higher in the study groups when compared to control groups and the difference was insignificant in relation to bicarbonate level. The increased levels in dialysis patients correlated with renal disease severity.
What are the prerequisites for a euro area fiscal capacity?

ABSTRACT This paper discusses a pathway towards achieving fiscal union in the euro area. It outlines three steps and their prerequisites. In the first step, Banking Union would be completed to increase the financial stability of the euro area. It would render the “no bailout” clause more credible and thereby allow to deal better with insolvent governments. In the second step, more centralised funds would be created in order to provide important public goods and in order to deal with large asymmetric shocks. The third step, which is currently unattainable, consists of a true federalisation of important government functions.
A review and simulation of business angel investment returns

Abstract Business angels are widely recognized as a significant source of entrepreneurial finance, particularly for early-stage businesses. However, rigorous investigation on angel investment performance has been limited. This paper examines investment returns of business angels in addressing the question of whether angel investing generates attractive returns. We review the few published studies which report on more than 100 investment exits to establish baseline returns expectations and clarify returns measurement limitations. We then use data from one of the largest studies of angel returns to populate a Monte Carlo simulation of returns profiles to explore the link between portfolio size and the probability of the desired level of returns. The study reveals that angel deal returns are highly skewed; smaller portfolios have higher average returns but dramatically lower median returns. In contrast with prior studies, our study shows that portfolios with more than 50 investments are required to significantly minimize risk of poor returns and that similar scale is required to maximize returns potential, as smaller portfolios have a lower average internal rate of return (IRR). We show that reinvestment rate is a critical element in measuring angel returns, and we demonstrate the limitations of IRR as a returns metric through the simulation.
Performance of electrocardiographic criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy as compared with cardiac computed tomography: from the Rule Out Myocardial Infarction Using Computer Assisted Tomography trial

Objective Cardiac computed tomography (CT) is a state-of-the-art technology that provides an accurate noninvasive method to quantify left ventricular mass for analysis of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). We aimed to examine seven ECG-based LVH criteria against two CT indexation criteria for LVH: a CT-specific body surface area cutoff and the obesity-independent height2.7 criteria. Methods In 333 patients (mean age 53 ± 12 years, 61% men), 64-slice contrast-enhanced CT was performed and 12-lead surface ECG within 24 h. Left ventricular mass was measured at end-diastole. Using both CT indexation criteria, the cohort was subdivided into patients with LVH and without LVH. The seven ECG criteria for LVH were the Cornell voltage index, Cornell voltage duration product, Cornell/strain index, Sokolow–Lyon index, Romhilt–Estes scores at least 4 and at least 5, and Gubner–Ungerleider. Results The ECG parameters had high specificities (85–97%) and variable low sensitivities (4–43%) when compared to either CT criteria of LVH. The three Cornell-based methods performed the best (test-positive likelihood ratio: 4.5–6.7), followed by the Sokolow–Lyon and Romhilt–Estes scores (test-positive likelihood ratio: 2.3–4.0). With the exception of the Gubner–Ungerleider criterion, the other six ECG criteria were associated with at least one of the CT-based LVH (adjusted odds ratio 2.4–9.5) and had incremental predictive value beyond that of hypertension history. Conclusion Using cardiac CT as a gold standard for LVH assessment, ECG criteria for LVH have high specificities with the three Cornell-based criteria providing the best test performance for identifying patients with LVH.
The Global Compact and its concrete effects

Purpose The purpose of this study is to document the concrete practices put in place by United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) affiliated firms and their application of the UNGC Communication on Progress (COP). Design/methodology/approach The paper examines the practices implemented by firms on the Fortune 500 list that have affiliated with the UNGC and issued a COP separate from their annual report or a sustainable development report. According to the UNGC, the COP policy sets out a description of practical actions the company has taken or plans to take to implement the ten principles. Findings The findings tend to show that firms affiliated with the UNGC use a variety of practices to integrate these principles. Many adopt policies based on an international standard relating to a UNGC principle. However, the reporting process supported by the UNGC does not seem to fully promote the widespread application of these practices. Originality/value The documentation of these practices will serve as a reference for any business interested in adopting the UNGC principles or for government and non-government organisations, including accounting standard setters, aiming to promote and support the universal principles on human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption. In addition, the study reveals weaknesses in the UNGC COP policy that could limit more extensive application of these practices.