Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Whatsapp Goes to Campus - Promoting Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) in Islamic Higher Education

: One of the most favorable apps that is used by students in their mobile phone for chatting purposes is whatsapp (WA). There is a need to investigate this mobile application for MALL researchers in an effort to use WA that is geared toward education. This study is aimed at investigating WA which is tailored to support English language learning (ELL) activities. This study applied case study using observation as main instrument for gathering data. This study found that WA was significant in helping ELL activities since it was used by both students and teachers for ELL related activities. WA increased idea contribution among students and provided faster and easier communication with their peers. According to students, there were some advantages of using WA for their ELL activities: technical advantages, such as simple operation and low cost. These advantages enhanced learning opportunities outside classroom for students. To summarize, WA facilitated ELL activities as an effort toward MALL implementation which offers promising benefits in Indonesian Islamic higher education (IHE).
Carnosic Acid Inhibits Proliferation and Augments Differentiation of Human Leukemic Cells Induced by 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin Dsub3 and Retinoic Acid

Carnosic acid, the polyphenolic diterpene derived from rosemary, is a strong dietary antioxidant that exhibits antimutagenic properties in bacteria and anticarcinogenic activity in various cell and animal models. In the present study, we show that carnosic acid (2.5-10 μM) inhibits proliferation of HL-60 and U937 human myeloid leukemia cells (half-maximal inhibitory concentration = 6-7 μM) without induction of apoptotic or necrotic cell death. Growth arrest occurred concomitantly with a transient cell cycle block in the G1 phase, which was accompanied by an increase in the immunodetectable levels of the universal cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21W A F l and p27K i p 1. Carnosic acid caused only a marginal induction of differentiation, as monitored by the capacity to generate superoxide radicals and the expression of cell surface antigens (CD11b and CD14) and receptors for the chemotactic peptide N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine. However, at low concentrations, this polyphenol substantially augmented (100- to 1,000-fold) the differentiating effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and all-trans retinoic acid. Furthermore, such combinations of carnosic acid and any of these differentiation inducers synergistically inhibited proliferation and cell cycle progression. These results indicate that carnosic acid is capable of antiproliferative action in leukemic cells and can cooperate with other natural anticancer compounds in growth-inhibitory and differentiating effects.
Spatially Balanced Sampling through the Pivotal Method

Summary A simple method to select a spatially balanced sample using equal or unequal inclusion probabilities is presented. For populations with spatial trends in the variables of interest, the estimation can be much improved by selecting samples that are well spread over the population. The method can be used for any number of dimensions and can hence also select spatially balanced samples in a space spanned by several auxiliary variables. Analysis and examples indicate that the suggested method achieves a high degree of spatial balance and is therefore efficient for populations with trends.
A combination of direct viable count and fluorescence in situ hybridization for specific enumeration of viable Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus

Aims: We have developed a direct viable count (DVC)‐FISH procedure for quickly and easily discriminating between viable and nonviable cells of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus strains, the traditional yogurt bacteria.
Prognostic Value of Cardiac Tests in Potential Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Systematic Review

Background Whether abnormal myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS), dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) or coronary angiography, performed during preoperative evaluation for potential kidney transplant recipients, predicts future cardiovascular morbidity is unclear. We assessed test performance for predicting all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Methods We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE (to February 2014), appraised studies, and calculated risk differences and relative risk ratios (RRR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) using random effects meta-analysis. Results Fifty-two studies (7401 participants) contributed data to the meta-analysis. Among the different tests, similar numbers of patients experienced MACE after an abnormal test result compared with a normal result (risk difference: MPS 20 per 100 patients tested [95% CI, 0.11–0.29], DSE 24 [95% CI, 0.10–0.38], and coronary angiography 20 [95% CI, 0.08–0.32; P = 0.91]). Although there was some evidence that coronary angiography was better at predicting all-cause mortality than MPS (RRR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.49–0.96; P = 0.03) and DSE (RRR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.50–1.02; P = 0.06), noninvasive tests were as good as coronary angiography at predicting cardiovascular mortality (RRR, MPS, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.38–2.10; P = 0.78; DSE, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.12–10.05; P = 0.93), and MACE (RRR: MPS, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.64–1.86; P = 0.74; DSE, 1.56; 95% CI, 0.71–3.45; P = 0.25). Conclusions Noninvasive tests are as good as coronary angiography at predicting future adverse cardiovascular events in advanced chronic kidney disease. However, a substantial number of people with negative test results go on to experience adverse cardiac events.
Investimento público no Brasil e suas relações com ciclo econômico e regime fiscal

Resumo O artigo analisa a trajetória dos investimentos públicos na economia brasileira e suas relações com ciclo econômico e regime fiscal. A abordagem de Auerbach e Gorodnichenko (2012) é utilizada para estimar multiplicadores fiscais que variam conforme o ciclo econômico. Os multiplicadores do investimento público estimados para o Brasil podem alcançar valores elevados em recessões (superiores a 2) e muito mais baixos nas expansões (no máximo 0,8). Estes resultados dão subsídios ao uso do investimento público como instrumento de política anticíclica e também indicam que sua retração em conjunturas de crise econômica como em 2015 tem fortes repercussões negativas. Por fim, o artigo explora os fatores por trás da inflexão para uma trajetória de queda da taxa de investimentos a partir de 2011, com destaque para o papel do regime fiscal.
The Day of the Week Effect in the Crypto Currency Market

This paper examines the day of the week effect in the crypto currency market using a variety of statistical techniques (average analysis, Student's t-test, ANOVA, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and regression analysis with dummy variables) as well as a trading simulation approach. Most crypto currencies (LiteCoin, Ripple, Dash) are found not to exhibit this anomaly. The only exception is BitCoin, for which returns on Mondays are significantly higher than those on the other days of the week. In this case the trading simulation analysis shows that there exist exploitable profit opportunities that can be interpreted as evidence against efficiency of the crypto currency market.
Double‐blind, Multiple‐dose Comparison of Buprenorphine and Morphine in Postoperative Pain

The analgesic profile and side‐effects of buprenorphine 0.3 mg and morphine 10 mg intramuscularly were compared postoperatively in a double‐blind, non‐crossover, multiple‐dose study. When the patient complained of moderate to severe postoperative pain after halothane‐relaxant anaesthesia for upper abdominal surgery, the first test dose of either drug was given. Subsequent similar doses of buprenorphine 0.3 mg or morphine 10 mg were given when required (maximum ten doses). The first dose of both drugs gave an equal decrease in pain intensity, suggesting a relative potency of 33:1 for buprenorphine/morphine. A mean of 0.51 mg buprenorphine or 17 mg morphine had to be administered for satisfactory initial analgesia. Thereafter, the next analgesic dose was required a mean of 10.3 h after buprenorphine compared to 5.9 h after morphine (P < 0.01). Significantly (P < 0.01) fewer analgesic doses (mean 5.6) were needed in the buprenorphine group within the first 48 h postoperatively as compared to the morphine group (mean 7.3). A more pronounced mean decrease in the respiratory rate was observed after buprenorphine, but the mean minimum respiratory rates did not differ significantly from each other. Other effects of the two drugs on vital signs were similar. The incidence of other side‐effects was fairly similar after both analgesics. The patients' subjective appraisal favoured buprenorphine.
Measuring International Migration in Azerbaijan

International migration significantly affects economic, social, cultural, and political factors of the country. Owing to this situation, it can be said that the reasons of international migration should be analyzed in order to control this problem. The purpose of this study is to determine the influencing factors of international migration in Azerbaijan. In this scope, annual data of 11 explanatory variables for the period of 1995–2015 was analyzed via Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) method. According to the results of this analysis, it was identified that people prefer to move other countries in case of high unemployment rates. In addition, the results of the study show that population growth and high mortality rate increases the migration level. While considering these results, it was recommended that Azerbaijan should focus on these aspects to control international migration problem.
FGF8-FGFR1 Signaling Acts as a Niche Factor for Maintaining Undifferentiated Spermatogonia in the Mouse1

ABSTRACT In mammalian testes, spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) maintain spermatogenesis over a long period of time by undergoing self-renewal and differentiation. SSCs are among the most primitive of spermatogenic cells (undifferentiated spermatogonia), and their activities are strictly regulated by extrinsic niche factors. However, the factors that constitute a testicular niche remain poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate that fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling maintains undifferentiated spermatogonia through activating ERK1/2 signaling in vivo. Undifferentiated spermatogonia comprise GFRA1+ and NANOS3+ subpopulations, which are likely to undergo self-renewal and enter the differentiation pathway, respectively. In the testis, Fgfr1 was expressed in the entire population of undifferentiated spermatogonia, and deleting FGFR1 in spermatogenic cells partially inactivated ERK1/2 and resulted in reduced numbers of both GFRA1+ and NANOS3+ cells. In addition, Fgf8 was expressed in spermatogenic cells, and loss- and gain-of-function models of FGF8 demonstrated that FGF8 positively regulated the numbers of undifferentiated spermatogonia through FGFR1, particularly among NANOS3+ cells. Finally we show a possible involvement of FGF signaling in the reversion from NANOS3+ into GFRA1+ undifferentiated spermatogonia. Taken together, our data suggest that FGF signaling is an important component of the testicular niche and has a unique function for maintaining undifferentiated spermatogonia.
Immunologic interference from sequential administration of live attenuated alphavirus vaccines.

Two different human vaccine trials examined interference arising from sequential administration of vaccines against heterologous alphaviruses. The first trial indicated that persons previously vaccinated against Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) exhibited poor neutralizing antibody responses to a live attenuated chikungunya virus (CHIKV) vaccine (46% response rate). The second trial prospectively examined neutralizing antibody responses to live attenuated VEEV vaccine in persons previously inoculated with either CHIKV vaccine or placebo. Following seroconversion to CHIKV, CHIKV vaccine recipients' geometric mean titers (GMTs) to VEEV by 80% plaque-reduction neutralization titration never exceeded 10, compared with a peak GMT of 95 after VEEV vaccination for alphavirus-naive volunteers who initially received placebo (P < .003). ELISA antibody responses demonstrated cross-reactive IgG to VEEV after primary CHIKV immunization and then an anamnestic response upon subsequent VEEV vaccination. These data indicate that preexisting alphavirus immunity in humans interferes with subsequent neutralizing antibody response to a live attenuated, heterologous vaccine.
Does synchronous nasal surgery increase the risk of post-operative haemorrhage in adult patients undergoing tonsillectomy?

Otolaryngologists occasionally perform simultaneous procedures on their patients, the indication being co-existent pathology. This is not a universally accepted practice as some feel that the post-operative morbidity is increased in such patients. Tonsillectomy is a common otolaryngological procedure and the main life-threatening complication, haemorrhage is easily identifiable. This study compares the incidence of post-operative haemorrhage requiring admission in patients undergoing tonsillectomy alone with that in patients undergoing tonsillectomy and nasal surgery. A retrospective study was undertaken of all adult patients undergoing tonsillectomy alone or tonsillectomy and synchronous nasal surgery in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Seventy-one patients (34 male) with a mean age of 23 years underwent tonsillectomy and synchronous nasal surgery over a nine-year period 1991–1999. The commonest nasal procedure was reduction of the inferior turbinates (in 48 cases). Three hundred and ninety-eight patients (131 male) with a mean age of 23 years underwent tonsillectomy alone over a nine-month period, July 1998 to April 1999. The incidence of post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage in the synchronous nasal surgery group was 12.7 per cent (9 out of 71) compared with four per cent (16 out of 398) in the tonsillectomy alone group (p <0.01, Chi-squared test). There was no difference in hospital stay between the two groups (mean two days). Synchronous nasal surgery increases the incidence of post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage.
Modeling the fiscal costs and benefits of alternative treatment strategies in the United Kingdom for chronic hepatitis C

Abstract Background: Hepatitis C (HCV) infection causes substantial direct health costs, but also impacts broader societal and governmental costs, such as tax revenue and social protection benefits. This study investigated the broader fiscal costs and benefits of curative interventions for chronic Hepatitis C (CHC) that allow individuals to avoid long-term HCV attributed health conditions. Methods: A prospective cohort model, assessing the long-term fiscal consequences of policy decisions, was developed for HCV infected individuals, following the generational accounting analytic framework that combines age-specific lifetime gross taxes paid and governmental transfers received (i.e. healthcare and social support costs). The analysis assessed the burden of a theoretical cohort of untreated HCV infected patients with the alternative of treating these patients with a highly efficacious curative intervention (ledipasvir/sofosbuvir [LDV/SOF]). It also compared treating patients at all fibrosis stages (Stages F0–F4) compared to late treatment (Stage F4). Results: Based on projected lifetime work activity and taxes paid, the treated cohort paid an additional £5,900 per patient compared to the untreated cohort. Lifetime government disability costs of £97,555 and £125,359 per patient for treated cohort vs no treatment cohort were estimated, respectively. Lifetime direct healthcare costs in the treated cohort were £32,235, compared to non-treated cohort of £26,424, with an incremental healthcare costs increase of £5,901 per patient. The benefit cost ratio (BCR) of total government benefits and savings relative to government treatment costs (including LDV/SOF) ranged from 1.8–5.6. Treating patients early resulted in 77% less disability costs, 43% lower healthcare costs, and 33% higher tax revenue. Conclusion: The ability to cure Hepatitis C offers considerable fiscal benefits beyond direct medical costs and savings attributed to reduced disability costs, public allowances, and improved tax revenue. Changes in parameters, such as productivity, wage growth, and tax rates, can influence the conclusions described here.
Regional gene therapy with a BMP‐2‐producing murine stromal cell line induces heterotopic and orthotopic bone formation in rodents

The ability to continuously deliver osteoinductive proteins to a specific anatomic site would facilitate the treatment of fracture nonunions and other clinical problems associated with bone loss. We have developed a murine model of regional gene therapy. A bone‐marrow stromal cell line infected with an adenovirus expressing recombinant bone morphogenetic protein‐2 cDNA secreted biologically active bone morphogenetic protein‐2. These bone morphogenetic protein‐2‐producing cells were able to induce abundant heterotopic bone formation when implanted into the quadriceps muscle of severe combined immune deficient mice and also successfully healed large segmental femoral defects in nude rats. These studies demonstrate that regional gene therapy with continuous delivery of osteoinductive factors to a specific anatomic site can enhance the formation and repair of bone.
Role for Fimbriae and Lysine-Specific Cysteine Proteinase Gingipain K in Expression of Interleukin-8 and Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein in Porphyromonas gingivalis-Infected Endothelial Cells

ABSTRACT Recent cross-sectional and prospective epidemiological studies have demonstrated an association between periodontal disease and atherosclerosis and human coronary heart disease. Previously, we have established that the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis is capable of invading aortic, heart, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Since atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory response initiated at the vascular wall, interactions of P. gingivalis with endothelial cells and the subsequent host cell response to infection may be important in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. In this study we examined the consequences of P. gingivalis infection of HUVEC on the expression of the chemokines interleukin-8 (IL-8) and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1). HUVEC were found to constitutively produce low levels of IL-8 and MCP-1. The addition of P. gingivalis fimbrillin-specific peptides, lipopolysaccharides (LPS), or heat-killed whole cell preparations to HUVEC stimulated modest IL-8 and MCP-1 responses. In contrast, coculture of HUVEC with live P. gingivalis strain A7436, 33277, or 381 abolished the IL-8 and MCP-1 responses. Inhibition of IL-8 and MCP-1 production was not dependent on bacterial adherence since similar results were obtained with the nonadherent P. gingivalis fimA mutant DPG3 or when P. gingivalis was preincubated with fimbrillin peptide antisera prior to the addition to HUVEC. Furthermore, treatment of P. gingivalis-infected HUVEC with cytochalsin D, which prevented P. gingivalis invasion, also abolished the constitutive IL-8 and MCP-1 responses. Treatment of HUVEC with E. coli LPS stimulated robust IL-8 and MCP-1 responses that were abolished when stimulated cells were cocultured with live P. gingivalis. Analysis of P. gingivalis-infected HUVEC cultures by an RNase protection assay revealed an increase in the IL-8 transcript relative to uninfected HUVEC. Pretreatment of P. gingivalis with protease inhibitors prior to the addition to HUVEC prevented the inhibition of IL-8 and MCP-1 production in P. gingivalis-infected HUVEC, indicating that the inhibition was proteolytically mediated. Coculture of HUVEC with a P. gingivalis mutant deficient in lysine-specific cysteine proteinase (gingipain K [Kgp]) resulted in an increase in both IL-8 transcription and protein expression relative to that observed in HUVEC cocultured with the P. gingivalis wild-type strain. These results indicate that P. gingivalis can temporally modulate the chemokine response in endothelial cells through both fimbriae and gingipain-mediated mechanisms.
Revisiting Measurement Error in Surrogate Measures of Operating Cash Flows: Have We Solved the Problem?

We examine the measurement error in surrogate measures of operating cash flows and accruals widely used in the accounting literature. We decompose the measurement error into two components, non-articulation error and omission error. We find that the measurement error is large in magnitude and primarily driven by the omission error. Furthermore, we find non-articulation events have little effect on the omission error. We demonstrate that the measurement error produces biased coefficients and incorrect inferences in four common research settings. We also provide a simple correction that eliminates the omission error and show that the correction reduces biases and improves inferences. Importantly, our decomposition and correction can be used by future researchers to identify, understand, and take steps to mitigate the measurement error and the resulting biases that are introduced when using surrogate measures of operating cash flows or accruals.
Hyperammonemia increases serotonin 1A receptor expression in both rat hippocampus and a transfected hippocampal cell line, HN2‐5

Hyperammonemia is an important cause of cerebral dysfunction in liver failure. We used two well‐established models to induce hyperammonemia in rats, injection of urease and injection of methionine sulfoximine (MSO). Urease gave a 10‐fold increase in blood ammonia while MSO, a glutamine synthetase inhibitor, gave a 4‐fold increase in blood ammonia with no increase in brain glutamine levels. We observed a 2‐fold increase in 5‐HT1A receptor (5‐HT1A‐R) expression ([3H] 8‐OH‐DPAT binding) in hippocampus, and little change elsewhere, including thalamus in both models, thus eliminating a role for increased glutamine in the receptor induction. In contrast, a 4 to 8‐fold increase in 5‐HT1A‐R mRNA was observed both in hippocampus and thalamus, suggesting some post‐transcriptional regulation. In the absence of glutamine, ammonium acetate treatment of a hippocampal cell line which had been engineered to stably express the 5‐HT1A‐R (HN2‐5) gave a 1.5‐fold increase in [3H] 8‐OH‐DPAT binding and a 4‐fold increase in the mRNA levels for the 5‐HT1A‐R. We conclude that the cell line HN2‐5 is a good model for studying some of the biochemical sequelae of hyperammonemia and that changes in brain function are not only at the metabolic level, as thought earlier, but can also occur at the transcriptional level. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Special District Formation: Evidence from Panel Data

This paper empirically examines the formation of special districts in the United States. It investigates, in particular, the adoption of tax and expenditure limitations (TELs) on local governments to determine how they have motivated special district formation. The paper extends the research agenda by reporting an analysis for TELs and special district formation through the post-Proposition 13 tax revolt in the states. Theory on special-purpose governments and, on TELs, guides the research – literatures interested in the impact of fiscal institutions on local government reorganization. Main findings are that adoption of one type of TEL – general limitations – is encouraging the formation of special districts with taxing powers. Substantively, adoption of general limitations raises the number of taxing districts by approximately 13 percent. A flexible model for panel data, inclusive of fixed effects and time trends, turns out to be crucial for identifying estimates for the role of TELs in special district formation.