Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Googling Investor’s Sentiment: Powerful Measure in Conventional and Islamic MENA Financial Markets

ABSTRACT The objective of this paper is to investigate whether investors' sentiment measured by the Internet search behavior constitutes a valid measure of investor’s sentiment on Islamic and conventional indexes of emerging and frontier financial markets in MENA countries. In fact, we examine the relation between googling investor’s sentiment and monthly Islamic and conventional index returns during the period 2004–2016. Using the Dynamic Conditional Correlation, the BEKK-GARCH and the wavelet coherence models, we confirm that googling investor’s sentiment is a perfect indicator of investor’s sentiment measure. Indeed, we find that this measure has the ability to reflect major events such as subprime financial crisis, oil crisis and Arab spring revolution affecting MENA Islamic and conventional index markets. Our finding indicates that investors can use googling investor’s sentiment as an indicator to predict returns and volatility of emerging and frontier markets since it reflects the behavior and emotions of investors in MENA financial markets.
Seniors’ seasonal movements for health enhancement

ABSTRACT Seasonal migration is an emerging trend among seniors in China. In comparison with the lifestyle-oriented migrations of seniors in much of the western world, Chinese seniors often travel with a focus on improving their health and longevity. Adapting the concept of a therapeutic landscape, the changes experienced by seniors with health problems who visit Bama County, a remote area in southwest China well-known for the longevity of its residents, are explored through personal observation and in-depth interviews. All seniors reported improvements, to different degrees, in their physical, mental and social health. These positive transformations were attributed to the therapeutic physical, social and symbolic landscapes of Bama, as well as to the seniors’ proactive actions and their positive mindset. Implications are offered to the service industry, especially the broad tourism and hospitality industry, that is interested in attracting and catering to the aging Chinese population.
Effortful control, exposure to community violence, and aggressive behavior: Exploring cross‐lagged relations in adolescence

Self-regulation processes and violent contexts play an important role in predicting adolescents' aggressive behavior; less clear is how all three constructs are linked to each other over time. The present study examined the longitudinal relations among adolescents' self-reported effortful control (EC), exposure to community violence, both as a witness and as a victim, and aggressive behavior. Participants were 768 Italian adolescents (358 males) living in a high-risk context, with a mean age at T1 of 11 years in the younger cohort and 14 years in the older cohort. In a four-wave cross-lagged panel design, low EC was a strong predictor of aggressive behavior across each time point, whereas aggressive behavior was found to positively predict adolescents' violence exposure both as witnesses and victims. Some evidence of transactional relations was also found between adjustment problems and exposure to community violence and between EC and externalizing problems. Moreover, EC was indirectly related to exposure to violence through externalizing problems, and mediated the relation of witnessing community violence to aggression, thus supporting the view that top-down regulatory processes play a complex role in the development of violence and other externalizing problems. The importance of considering interventions that take in account these complex relations is discussed.
Susceptibility of Inbred Mice to Rickettsia parkeri

ABSTRACT Rickettsia parkeri, a member of the spotted fever group Rickettsia, is the causative agent of American boutonneuse fever in humans. Despite the increased recognition of human cases, limited information is available regarding the infection of invertebrate and vertebrate hosts for this emerging tick-borne disease. Toward the development of a viable transmission model and to further characterize the pathology associated with R. parkeri infection, inbred mouse strains (A/J, BALB/c, C3H/HeJ, and C3H/HeN) were intravenously and intradermally inoculated with 105 low-passage-number R. parkeri (Portsmouth strain), and infection, gross pathology, and histopathology were scored. Additionally, a quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was performed to estimate rickettsial load in heart, lung, spleen, and liver tissues of infected mice at 19 days postinoculation. Of the A/J, BALB/c, and C3H/HeN mice, none displayed universal pathology consistent with sustained infection. Compared to age-matched control mice, the intravenously inoculated C3H/HeJ mice exhibited marked facial edema and marked splenomegaly upon gross examination, while the intradermally inoculated mice developed characteristic eschar-like lesions. The C3H/HeJ mice also exhibited the greatest concentrations of rickettsial DNA from heart, lung, liver, and spleen samples when examined by qPCR. The similarity of the pathology of human disease and sustained infection suggests that the C3H/HeJ strain of mice is a promising candidate for subsequent experiments to examine the tick transmission, dissemination, and pathology of R. parkeri rickettsiosis.
Analysis of Change Patterns of Microcomputed Tomography 3-Dimensional Bone Parameters as a High-Throughput Tool to Evaluate Antiosteoporotic Effects of Agents at an Early Stage of Ovariectomy-Induced Osteoporosis in Mice

Objectives:The purposes of this study were to develop an osteoporosis model in a short period of 2 weeks after ovariectomy in mice and to investigate whether analysis of microcomputed tomography (&mgr;CT) 3-dimensional bone parameters could provide useful information on the mechanism of action of antiosteoporotic agents. Materials and Methods:Mice were ovariectomized (OVX) or sham-operated, and the OVX mice were treated daily with 17β-estradiol (E2), parathyroid hormone (PTH[1-34]), raloxifene, rolipram, or vehicle for 2 weeks. On day 14 post-OVX, the left femur bones were removed and then the distal metaphyseal bone was analyzed by both &mgr;CT and histomorphometry. Results:The trabecular bone volume, thickness, number, and connectivity significantly decreased and the number of osteoclasts increased in OVX mice. Treatment of OVX animals with each of the 4 antiosteoporotic agents significantly increased the bone volume and improved the bone architecture. However, the improvement of trabecular thickness in the rolipram-treated group and that of cortical thickness in the PTH(1-34)-treated group were the most marked, whereas the improvement of connectivity in the rolipram-treated group was the least among the drug-treated groups. These different improving effects of agents on the bone parameters reflect the differential effects of these agents on bone formation and bone resorption. Conclusions:This study demonstrated the feasibility of evaluating the effect of the antiosteoporotic agents within 2 weeks after ovariectomy in mice. The &mgr;CT analysis may serve as a valuable tool, specifically in a high-throughput pharmacological screening test, offering useful information regarding the effects of test compounds on both bone resorption and formation.
Human Schistosomiasis: Modulation of In Vitro Granulomatous Hypersensitivity and Lymphocyte Proliferative Response by Macrophages Undergoing Differentiation

The mechanisms associated with the modulation of immune response in the chronic phase of human schistosomiasis mansoni infection are complex and involve many cell types. In the present paper the authors demonstrate that antigenic stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from chronic‐intestinal schistosomiasis mansoni patients with polyacrylamide beads (PB) conjugated to Schistosoma mansoni soluble eggantigens (PB‐SEA) or adult worm antigen preparation (PB‐SWAP) were able to induce a statistically significant increase on the in vitro multinucleated giant cell (MGC) formation after the 15th day in culture. A correlation between an increase in the number of MGC and a decrease in in vitro granuloma formation index to PB‐SEA and PB‐SWAP was observed. Moreover, the authors demonstrated a down‐regulation of lymphocyte proliferative responses to S. mansoni antigens, during the differentiation pathway of monocytes towards MGC formation, due to a decrease in the antigen‐presenting capacity of these cells. These phenomena also correlate with a concomitant decrease in the expression of HLA‐DR and CD54 adhesion molecules on the surface of MGC. The results suggest that differentiation of monocytes to MGC may be one of the immunoregulatory mechanisms involved in the down‐regulation of the granuloma reaction against S. mansoni eggs.
Teachers' sense of efficacy and selected characteristics of selected English as a foreign language Venezuelan middle school teachers /

To understand EFL teachers' actions and pedagogical decisions in the classroom, it is necessary to investigate teachers’ beliefs because teachers’ beliefs and perceptions tend to guide their actions and behaviors. According to Bandura’s social cognitive theory, teachers’ beliefs about their instructional efficacy influence the kind of environment they create to orchestrate learning. Thus, teachers with a high sense of teaching efficacy usually believe that difficult students are teachable if the teacher puts in an extra effort. Conversely, teachers with a low sense of efficacy tend to believe that there is little they can do to teach unmotivated students because students’ success often depends on the external environment. This study explored the teacher efficacy beliefs of selected Venezuelan EFL middle school teachers. The purpose of the study was twofold. On the one hand, it sought to investigate the EFL teachers’ self-reported proficiency in English and the extent to which they reported that they felt well prepared to teach English. On the other hand, the study also addressed the need for research on teacher efficacy in the field of foreign/second languages, particularly in EFL contexts. Quantitative as well as qualitative methods were used to answer the research questions in regards to EFL teachers’ self-reported sense o f efficacy, self-reported English language proficiency, and self-reported strategies used to teach EFL and manage student behavior.
In vivo 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of skeletal muscle energetics in endotoxemic rats: A prospective, randomized study

ObjectiveTo identify possible alterations in the skeletal muscle high-energy phosphate metabolism at the early phase of endotoxic shock in rats. DesignA prospective, randomized study of skeletal muscle energetics in endotoxemic and in control rats, by in vivo 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy at rest, under regional ischemia, and during reperfusion. SettingBiochemical NMR laboratory equipped for surgery and hemodynamic monitoring. SubjectsWistar rats were randomized to different groups. Eight rats were injected with Escherichia coli endotoxin (15 mg/kg, survival time 19 ± 4 hrs) intraperitoneally. Seven other rats served as controls. The additional nine rats were studied for the saturation recovery pulse sequence. InterventionsIn the treatment group, endotoxin was injected 8 hrs before NMR spectroscopy. The right hind limbs were studied under anaesthesia using a surface coil NMR probe. Their high-energy phosphate contents and intracellular pH were determined by 31P NMR spectroscopy. After baseline measurements, an ischemia-reperfusion challenge was imposed on the muscle by transient clamping of the abdominal aorta. Contralateral femoral artery pressure was constantly monitored. Measurements and Main ResultsDuring the baseline period, the endotoxin-treated muscles did not show any difference in the distribution of the high-energy phosphate compounds or in intracellular pH, as compared with the controls. Ischemia resulted in a significantly faster decline of the inorganic phosphate/creatine phosphate ratio in the endotoxin-treated rats (1.35 ± 0.17 vs. 0.51 ± 0.06 at the end of the 38-min ischemic period). Skeletal muscle acidosis developed earlier and was deeper in the endotoxemic animals (pH: 6.94 ± 0.02 vs. 7.02 ± 0.03 at the end of ischemia). During reperfusion, the calculated time constants of recovery of inorganic phosphate to phosphocreatine ratios were identical between groups. ConclusionsResting nonischemic muscles of endotoxin-treated rats show no evidence of alterations in high-energy phosphate metabolism. However, under ischemic conditions, high-energy phosphate metabolism deteriorates faster in the skeletal muscles of treated animals. These data support the hypothesis of a greater mismatch during perfusion at very low pressure between residual oxygen availability and oxygen needs in the endotoxin-treated muscle cell. (Crit Care Med 1994; 22:499–505)
Achieving the Partnership Principle in Experiential Learning: The Nonprofit Perspective

University and college experiential education takes many forms: internships, practica and other field experience, volunteerism, community service, and community-based service learning, as well as community activities attached to college courses. Given the joint involvement of university and community institutions in experiential education and the diverse motivations for encouraging student community involvement, this academic practice can be viewed through three lenses: (a) as a form of student learning, (b) as a public policy instrument to promote student civic engagement, and (c) as a service delivery tool for community organizations. Much of the research about student service learning has emphasized the first of these perspectives, examining service learning’s impact on a student’s pedagogical experience and the campus ability to support service learning. This article focuses on the nature of the partnership between campuses and community organizations. We begin with a discussion of how prior literature describes this partnership and then use generalizable community data to explore what host organizations suggest are the most useful partnership characteristics.
Naïve T Cells in the Elderly

Abstract: One of the most striking changes in the primary lymphoid organs during human aging is the progressive involution of the thymus. As a consequence, the rate of naïve T cell output dramatically declines with age and the peripheral T cell pool shrinks. These changes lead to increased incidence of severe infections and decreased protective effect of vaccinations in the elderly. Little is, however, known of the composition and function of the residual naïve T cell repertoire in elderly persons. To evaluate the impact of aging on the naïve T cell pool, we investigated the quantity, phenotype, function, composition, and senescence status of CD45RA+CD28+ human T cells—a phenotype generally considered as naïve cells—from both young and old healthy donors. We found a significant decrease in the number of CD45RA+CD28+ T cells in the elderly, whereas the proliferative response of these cells is still unimpaired. In addition to their reduced number, CD45RA+CD28+ T cells from old donors display significantly shorter telomeres and have a restricted TCR repertoire in nearly all 24 Vβ families. These findings let us conclude that naïve T cells cannot be classified with conventional markers in old age.
Subjective and objective sleep quality in patients on conventional thrice-weekly hemodialysis: comparison with matched controls from the sleep heart health study.

BACKGROUND Studies examining sleep in the hemodialysis (HD) population have largely lacked an adequate comparison group. It therefore is uncertain whether poor sleep quality in the HD population reflects age, chronic health conditions, or effects of conventional HD therapy. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional matched-group study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS Forty-six in-center HD patients were compared with 137 community participants participating in the Sleep Heart Health Study matched for age, sex, body mass index, and race. PREDICTOR HD patients compared with community-dwelling non-HD participants. OUTCOMES & MEASUREMENTS Home unattended polysomnography was performed and scored by using similar protocols. Sleep habits and sleepiness were assessed by using the Sleep Habits Questionnaire and Epworth Sleepiness Scale. RESULTS Average age of study samples was 63 years, 72% were white, and average body mass index was 28 +/- 5 kg/m(2). HD patients were significantly more likely than community participants to have short sleep (odds ratio, 3.27; 95% confidence interval, 1.16 to 9.25) and decreased sleep efficiency (odds ratio, 5.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.5 to 19.6). HD patients reported more difficulty getting back to sleep (odds ratio, 2.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.11 to 4.60) and waking up too early (odds ratio, 2.39; 95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 5.66). There was no association between polysomnography sleep time and self-reported sleep time (r = 0.09; P = 0.6) or between the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and severity of sleep apnea (r = 0.10; P = 0.5) in the HD population. LIMITATIONS The study was limited to participants older than 45 years. CONCLUSIONS Kidney failure treated with thrice-weekly HD is significantly associated with poor subjective and objective sleep quality.
Accuracy limits in multi-GNSS

Satellite navigation is quickly becoming a multidimensional complex challenge, with four Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) fully or partially deployed, more than 90 GNSS satellites currently in the sky, and 12 open-service GNSS signal types available to the end-user. Research papers about GNSS performance typically focus on single or dual GNSS solutions, and there are still very few papers addressing jointly the four existing GNSS together. It is the goal of our paper to present a unified, fast, modular, and simple-to-program theoretical analysis of the four GNSS, focusing on performance limits in terms of spectral characteristics, tracking, multipath robustness, and positioning accuracy. A unified new compact approach for dealing with all the modulations employed in GNSS is also included.We show a unified generic framework for analyzing the multi-GNSS signals in a fast and simple-to-implement manner, without the need of simulating constellations or gathering measurement data. Our approach is also validated with Spectracom-based constellation data. Our analysis can be used as the starting point in further design process or system analysis.
An energy supervision for distributed storage systems to optimize the provision of multiple services

This paper presents an innovative supervisory control for distributed energy storage systems that is able to 1) perform day-ahead scheduling of storage services to maximize profitability while satisfying material and grid constraints and 2) identify the intraday schedule changes that are required in order to take various contingencies into account. Several case studies have been carried out to test this advanced energy supervision. The considered storage system is connected to a rural medium-voltage distribution feeder with a high penetration of wind turbines. This work has made possible to identify several technical, economic and regulatory issues that seem critical to the emergence of distributed energy storage systems.
Sequences that direct significant levels of frameshifting are frequent in coding regions of Escherichia coli

It is generally believed that significant ribosomal frameshifting during translation does not occur without a functional purpose. The distribution of two frameshift‐prone sequences, A_AAA_AAG and CCC_TGA, in coding regions of Escherichia coli has been analyzed. Although a moderate level of selection against the first sequence is evident, 68 genes contain A_AAA_AAG and 19 contain CCC_TGA. The majority of those tested in their genomic context showed >1% frameshifting. Comparative sequence analysis was employed to assess a potential biological role for frameshifting in decoding these genes. Two new candidates, in pheL and ydaY, for utilized frameshifting have been identified in addition to those previously known in dnaX and nine insertion sequence elements. For the majority of the shift‐prone sequences no functional role can be attributed to them, and the frameshifting is likely erroneous. However, none of frameshift sequences is in the 306 most highly expressed genes. The unexpected conclusion is that moderate frameshifting during expression of at least some other genes is not sufficiently harmful for cells to trigger strong negative evolutionary pressure.
Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Gene Expression Is Altered in Burn Patients

INTRODUCTION: Burn patients have been observed to be more susceptible to the hyperkalemic effect of the depolarizing muscle relaxant succinylcholine. Changes in nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunit composition may alter electrophysiologic, pharmacologic, and metabolic characteristics of the receptor inducing hyperkalemia on exposure to succinylcholine. No studies have been performed that show the upregulation and/or alteration of nAChR subunit composition in human burn patients. The scarcity of studies performed on humans with burn injury is mainly attributable to the technical and ethical difficulties in obtaining muscle biopsies at different time frames of illness in these acutely injured patients. nAChRs are expressed in oral keratinocytes and are upregulated or altered in smokers. However, no studies have addressed the expression of nAChRs in the oral mucosa of burn patients. METHODS: Buccal mucosal scrapings were collected from 9 burn patients and 6 control nonburn surgical intensive care unit patients. For burn and control patients, tissues were collected upon presentation (time: 0 hour) and at time points 12, 24, and 48 hours, 1 week, and 2 weeks. Gene expression of the nAChR subunits &agr;1, &agr;7, &ggr;, and ε were performed using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: &agr;7 and &ggr; nAChR genes were significantly upregulated in burn patients, whereas &agr;1 and ε nAChR genes were minimally affected, showing no significant changes over time. DISCUSSION: Over the 2 weeks of measurement, an upregulation of the &agr;7 and &ggr; genes occurred in both burn and control patients; however, the proportion of &agr;7 and &ggr; subunit increases was significantly higher in burn patients than in control surgical intensive care unit patients. The relationship between the thermal injury and the observed alteration in gene expression suggests a possible cause/effect relationship. This effect was observed at a site not affected by the burn injury and in nonmuscle tissues, thus emphasizing the systemic nature of the effect caused by the thermal injury. Because gene expression is the basis of protein production, the upregulation of &agr;7 and &ggr; genes might translate into more &agr;7 and &ggr; protein subunits. These proteins can also combine with each other or with other types of subunits (&agr;1, &bgr;, ε . . .) to form nAChRs with altered electrophysiologic characteristics leading to the observed abnormal clinical outcomes. CONCLUSION: Thermal injury may infer a systemic effect because upregulation/alteration of nAChRs occurs in nonmuscle tissues distant from the site of injury. The effect of thermal injury on nAChR gene subunits can be studied using a minimally invasive method (buccal mucosal scraping) and a highly sensitive technology (real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction) obviating the need for more invasive methods.