Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
International Capital Constraints and Stock Market Dynamics

In order to explain cross-country differences in the effects of capital market liberalization, this paper proposes a model of international asset markets in which investors in different countries each face constraints on portfolio choice. The model demonstrates that liberalization, i.e. the lifting of constraints, can increase or decrease the liberalized stock market’s volatility, depending on how severely the constraint was binding before being removed, and whether markets are fully or only partially liberalized. The same factors also determine whether a market’s correlation with world markets increases or decreases, thus linking correlation effects to the magnitude of capital inflows post-liberalization.
Cognitive impairment and cortisol levels in first-episode schizophrenia patients

Abstract Many modalities of cognition are affected in schizophrenia. The most common findings include dysfunctions of episodic and working memory and of executive functions. Although an inverse correlation between cortisol level and memory function has been proven, few studies have focused on the relationship between cortisol level and cognitive impairment in patients with schizophrenia. In an open, naturalistic, prospective study, consecutively hospitalized males diagnosed with first-episode schizophrenia, hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activity (afternoon cortisol levels, post-dexamethasone cortisol levels) was evaluated before and at the end of acute treatment. Psychopathology was assessed using the positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS). Cognitive functions (memory, attention, psychomotor, verbal fluency, and executive functions) were tested after symptom alleviation using a neurocognitive test battery. In the total sample (n = 23), significant decreases in total PANSS score (including all subscales), afternoon cortisol levels, and post-dexamethasone cortisol levels occurred during the course of treatment. It was found that higher afternoon cortisol levels at the beginning of treatment were significantly related to impaired performance in memory functions. Afternoon cortisol levels were not significantly associated with other measured cognitive functions. No correlation was discovered between cognitive functions and post-dexamethasone cortisol levels. The determination of afternoon cortisol levels may serve to detect potential candidates for specific cognitive intervention immediately after the first psychotic breakthrough.
Work Environment and Organizational Learning as Key Drivers of Employee Productivity: Evidence from Higher Education Sector

Improving employee productivity is one of the main objectives for any organization. This is because high employee productivity can lead to positive organizational outcomes. This study aims to examine the effects of work environment and organizational learning on employee productivity in higher education sector. The data was collected using a survey instrument from 242 employees at public universities in northern Malaysia. The collected data was then coded and analysed using SPSS and structural equation modelling (AMOS). The findings indicated that work environment had significant positive effect on employee productivity. The findings also indicated that organizational learning had significant positive effect on employee productivity. These results provide beneficial suggestions for policy makers to formulate the relevant strategies in terms of work environment and organizational learning for the purpose of improving the productivity of employees to achieve competitive advantages and favourable organizational outcomes.
Targeted therapy with monoclonal antibodies in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Purpose of review To describe the current new targeted therapy with monoclonal and bispecific antibodies in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), to improve response rates and outcome. Recent findings Blast cells in ALL express a variety of specific antigens, such as CD19, CD20, CD22, CD33 and CD52, and recently monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) became available to target these antigens. The anti-CD20 MoAb rituximab has substantially improved the outcome in Burkitt lymphoma/leukemia, and is currently applied in de-novo B-precursor ALL. The MoAbs directed against CD22, linked to cytotoxic agents, either to calicheamicin (inotuzomab ozogamicin) or to plant or bacterial toxins (epratuzumab) are explored in refractory/relapsed childhood and adult ALL. Targeting CD19 is of great interest, as it is expressed in all B-lineage cells, including early precursors. The new bispecific antibody blinatumomab combines single chain antibodies to CD19 and CD3, and thereby T cells lyse the CD19 bearing B cells and is effective in patients with positive minimal residual disease (MRD) or refractory/relapsed ALL. Summary Antibody therapy in ALL is very promising, with high rate of complete remission and MRD-negativity in advanced ALL. It is currently explored in de-novo ALL to establish the best setting in combination with chemotherapy or even as a monotherapy.
Spanking infants and toddlers: maternal belief and practice.

OBJECTIVE To describe maternal beliefs and practices of spanking infants and toddlers and the relations between factors affecting these beliefs and practices. DESIGN Cross-sectional survey. SETTING Site 1 was an inner-city teaching hospital pediatric clinic. Site 2 was a private pediatrician's office in a nearby suburban neighborhood. PARTICIPANTS Mothers of children less than 4 years old in the waiting area. Site 1: n = 104; site 2: n = 100. SELECTION Systematic sample of convenience. METHODS Mothers were interviewed using a 20-minute structured questionnaire. Measures were constructed to assess beliefs (Cronbach's alpha = .90) and practices about spanking and approach to discipline (alpha > .71). RESULTS Belief in spanking correlated significantly (P < .001) with belief in negative approach (r = .52) and with the practice (r = .46) and severity (r = .34) of spanking. Nineteen percent of the mothers believed that there are times when it is appropriate to spank a child less than 1 year old, and 74% believed this about children 1 to 3 years old. Forty-two percent reported that they had spanked their own child in the past week. Mothers believed more strongly in spanking for dangerous misbehaviors than for annoying ones (P < .001). Belief in spanking and negative approach were stronger for older toddlers (P < .001). Belief in and frequency of spanking were more common at the inner-city site (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS The belief in and practice of spanking are prevalent in disciplining very young children. The context of the spanking affects beliefs and practices. The finding that belief and practice of spanking are highly correlated suggests that belief rather than impulse largely explains spanking of children less than 4 years old. The high correlation between spanking and negative approach toward discipline raises questions about whether negative consequences of spanking are the result of spanking per se, the negative approach toward the child, or both.
Buy-Side Analysts, Sell-Side Analysts, and Fund Performance: Theory and Evidence

We examine the role of financial analysts in helping fund managers make better investment decisions. First, we model how a fund manager utilizes reports on a stock produced by two analysts: a biased sell-side analyst who works for an outside brokerage firm, and an unbiased buy-side analyst who is employed by the fund. The fund manager's action is based on her optimal weighting of the two reports. We demonstrate that the optimal weight put on the buy-side analyst's report increases when the quality of the buy-side analyst's signal on the stock increases, or when the quality of the sell-side analyst's signal decreases, or when the sell-side analyst's degree of bias increases, or when the uncertainty in the bias of the sell-side analyst increases. Second, using a unique data set of U.S. equity funds, we find, consistent with our model, that fund managers rely more on buy-side research relative to sell-side and other research, when: 1) sell-side analysts' coverage on the stocks held by the fund decreases, 2) the average error in sell-side analysts' earnings forecasts on these stocks increases; 3) the size of assets under fund management is larger; and 4) the fund offers performance-based fees. Finally, we find that fund performance improves when the buy-side analysts are more experienced, or when the fund's reliance on buy-side research increases.
Effects of a T-type calcium channel blocker, ABT-639, on spontaneous activity in C-nociceptors in patients with painful diabetic neuropathy: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract T-type calcium channels are a potential novel target for treatment of neuropathic pain such as painful diabetic neuropathy. ABT-639 is a peripherally acting highly selective T-type Cav3.2 calcium channel blocker that has demonstrated analgesic efficacy in preclinical models and may have the potential to reduce spontaneous fiber activity. Microneurography is a unique technique that directly assesses the function of peripheral sensory afferents and measures abnormal spontaneous activity in single peripheral nociceptive C fibers. Abnormal spontaneous activity in C-nociceptors functions as a marker for spontaneous pain, as reduction of this activity could indicate analgesic efficacy. This randomized, double-blind controlled study evaluated the effects of a single 100-mg oral dose of ABT-639, compared with placebo, on abnormal spontaneous activity in peripheral C-nociceptors, measured for the first time by microneurography in adult patients with painful diabetic neuropathy. Lidocaine was included in this study and compared with placebo. Pharmacokinetics and safety of ABT-639 were evaluated. Thirty-nine patients were randomized, and a total of 56 analyzable C-nociceptors with spontaneous activity were identified in 34 patients. There were no significant differences in C-nociceptor activities after ABT-639 treatment vs placebo. Similar findings were observed for lidocaine vs placebo. There were no clinically significant findings in the safety of ABT-639. Further research of T-type Cav3.2 calcium channels as potential treatment targets for painful diabetic neuropathy is warranted. The utilization of microneurography as a means to measure abnormal activity in C-nociceptors in human clinical studies opens new possibilities for future studies of compounds targeting peripheral nerve hyperexcitability. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01589432.
Model-Robust Two-Level Designs Using Coordinate Exchange Algorithms and a Maximin Criterion

We propose a candidate-list-free exchange algorithm that facilitates construction of exact, model-robust, two-level experiment designs. In particular, we investigate two model spaces previously considered in the literature. The first assumes that all main effects and an unknown subset of two-factor interactions are active, but that the experimenter knows the number of active interactions. The second assumes that an unknown subset of the main effects, and all associated two-factor interactions, are active. Previous literature uses two criteria for design construction: first, maximize the number of estimable models; then, differentiate between designs equivalent in estimability by choosing the design with the highest average -efficiency. We adopt a similar strategy, but (1) do not impose orthogonality or factor level balance constraints, resulting in generally equal or larger numbers of estimable models, and (2) use a flexible secondary criterion that maximizes the minimum -efficiency. We provide results for many situations of interest. We also provide online supplementary material that includes algorithmic details, designs, and MATLAB code.
Trypanosoma brucei spp. development in the tsetse fly: characterization of the post-mesocyclic stages in the foregut and proboscis

Post-mesocyclic development of Trypanosoma brucei in the tsetse fly in its migration from midgut to salivary glands, was revisited by sequential microdissection, morphometry and DNA-cytofluorometry. This development started by day 6 after the infective feed, with passage of mesocyclic midgut trypomastigotes through proventriculus and upward migration along foregut and proboscis to the salivary gland ducts. Kinetics of salivary gland infection showed that colonization of the salivary glands by epimastigotes occurred only during the time-limited presence of this developmental phase in the foregut and proboscis. Post-mesocyclic trypanosomes in the foregut and proboscis were pleomorphic, with 4 morphological stages in various constant proportions and present all through from proventriculus up to the salivary gland ducts: 67% long trypomastigotes, 27% long epimastigotes, 4% long epimastigotes undergoing asymmetric cell division and 2% short epimastigotes. Measurements of DNA content demonstrated a predominant tetraploidy for 67% of these trypanosomes, the remainder consisting of the homogeneous diploid short epimastigotes and some long epimastigotes. According to the experimental data, the following sequence of trypanosome differentiation in the foregut and proboscis is proposed as the most obvious hypothesis. Incoming mesocyclic trypomastigotes (2N) from the ectoperitrophic anterior midgut start to replicate DNA to a 4N level, are arrested at this point, and differentiate into the long epimastigote (4N) which give rise, by an asymmetric cell division, to 2 unequal, diploid daughter cells: a long, probably dead-end long epimastigote and a short epimastigote. The latter is responsible for the epimastigote colonization of the salivary glands if launched at the vicinity of the gland epithelium by the asymmetric dividing epimastigote.
DECISION MAKING BY UPLAND FARMERS ON FOREST MANAGEMENT IN THE NORTHWEST MOUNTAINOUS REGION OF VIETNAM

In Vietnam, especially in the northwest mountainous regions, deforestation remains unabated in spite of the national reforestation and forest management programs of the government that started as early as the 1990s. This is of particular importance to the country because many of its poor people are dependent on forest and forest products for their livelihood. One objective of the study was to determine the major factors affecting the decision of upland farmers to participate in forest management programs in the northwest mountainous region of Vietnam. The results of the study show that the important factors affecting the decision of upland farmers to participate in forest management programs include the age of upland farmers which is reflective of their farm experience, their ethnicity, availability of family labor, access to forest resources and income earned from forest-related activities. To encourage the participation of upland farmers in forest management programs, it will be important to increase the level of awareness of upland farmers who are mostly poorly educated ethnic minorities about the benefits of improved management of the forest. It will be important also to modify existing forest management policies to ensure that upland farmers are adequately compensated for their efforts in forest management and promote eco- and community tourism.
Arabidopsis Mutants Impaired in Cosuppression

Post-transcriptional gene silencing (cosuppression) results in the degradation of RNA after transcription. A transgenic Arabidopsis line showing post-transcriptional silencing of a 35S–uidA transgene and uidA-specific methylation was mutagenized using ethyl methanesulfonate. Six independent plants were isolated in which uidA mRNA accumulation and β-glucuronidase activity were increased up to 3500-fold, whereas the transcription rate of the 35S–uidA transgene was increased only up to threefold. These plants each carried a recessive monogenic mutation that is responsible for the release of silencing. These mutations defined two genetic loci, called sgs1 and sgs2 (for suppressor of gene silencing). Transgene methylation was distinctly modified in sgs1 and sgs2 mutants. However, methylation of centromeric repeats was not affected, indicating that sgs mutants differ from ddm (for decrease in DNA methylation) and som (for somniferous) mutants. Indeed, unlike ddm and som mutations, sgs mutations were not able to release transcriptional silencing of a 35S–hpt transgene. Conversely, both sgs1 and sgs2 mutations were able to release cosuppression of host Nia genes and 35S–Nia2 transgenes. These results therefore indicate that sgs mutations act in trans to impede specifically transgene-induced post-transcriptional gene silencing.
Monoclonal B‐cell lymphocytosis in blood donors

Monoclonal B‐cell populations have been detected in the peripheral blood of apparently healthy individuals by flow cytometry. In 2005, the term monoclonal B‐cell lymphocytosis (MBL) was proposed to describe these findings. MBL may be immunophenotypically similar to chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and, like CLL, the prevalence is higher in males and older individuals. We studied the prevalence of MBL in blood donors from the Midwestern United States. Samples from 5141 donors were examined and seven (0·14%) were found to have immunophenotypic characteristics of MBL or CLL. Immunoglobulin heavy chain analysis yielded monoclonality or oligoclonality. Prior and subsequent to the study, an additional undetermined number of blood donors were screened and seven of these expressed immunophenotypic characteristics of MBL or CLL. We thus found a total of 14 healthy blood donors with monoclonal expansions of B‐lymphocyte populations. Of these, 12 were presumptively classified as MBL and two as CLL. All but two of the donors were male; the mean age was 59 years. The clinical importance of these findings with regard to transfusion medicine has not been established.
Heterogeneous Network Model to Infer Human Disease-Long Intergenic Non-Coding RNA Associations

With the knowledge of molecular biology it is highlighting that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a critical role in many important biological processes, such as imprinting control, cell differentiation, immune responses, human diseases, tumorigenesis and other biological processes. This study proposes a novel computational method, named KRWRH, to infer disease-lincRNA associations with the influence of phenotype information and tissue expression details of lincRNA. Gaussian interaction profile kernel is calculated for diseases and lincRNAs and random walk with restart method is used for final prediction. The proposed method KRWRH is compared with four existing methods: LRLSLDA, TslncRNA, NRWRH, and RWRH. The experimental results based on the leave-one-out cross validation, ROC curves, and mean enrichment show that the proposed method KRWRH is able to predict known and unknown disease-lincRNA associations more effectively.
Distributed performance analysis of heterogeneous systems

In the study of distributed systems, it is of fundamental interest to understand how specifications on local components and interconnections influence global properties of the system. In this paper, we consider linear continuous time systems described by sparse matrices. Properties of interest are stability and quadratic performance specifications such as passivity and input-output gain. In particular, for systems with sparsity structure corresponding to a chordal graph, we show that sparse performance conditions can be expressed without conservatism.
Medical Incident Report Classification using Context-based Word Embeddings

The University Medical Center Groningen is one of the largest hospitals in The Netherlands, employing over 10.000 people. In a hospital of this size incidents are bound to occur on a regular basis. Most of these incidents are reported extensively, but the time consuming nature of analyzing their textual descriptions and the sheer number of reports make it costly to process them. Therefore, this thesis proposes ways of employing machine learning techniques to process the incident reports more efficiently and effectively. More specifically, we show how context-based word embeddings, vector representations of words, can be used to enhance searching capabilities within the report database and how they can be combined with classifiers to predict labels attributed to the incidents. For these purposes, we subjected several word embedding and classification techniques to a comparative analysis. To evaluate word embedding techniques, we propose a method to measure the extent to which word embeddings that are similar in vector space, represent words that are associated with each other. Using this method, we find that the textit{continuous bag-of-words} architecture developed by Mikolov et al. performs best out of a selection of six different word embedding methods. Furthermore, we compare different methods for embedding entire incident reports, and find that simply averaging word embeddings in combination with an inverse document frequency weighting function yields better results than several recently introduced techniques. For the prediction of class labels, the combination of such report embeddings with multilayer perceptrons proves most promising out of a selection of eleven different combinations of classifier and input type (bag of words, word embeddings or report embeddings). We find that three out of five tested categories are predicted well above the baseline, established by always selecting the most frequent label, whereas the other two maximally yield baseline performances. Finally, to improve searching capabilities within the report database, we developed an application that makes use of the learned word embeddings by providing the user with search suggestions based on a search query. The Central Incident Commission, which is concerned with processing the incident reports, experiences this functionality to drastically increase the efficiency and effectiveness of search queries, both saving them time and helping them find more complete patterns within the data.
T-cell receptor ligation induces distinct signaling pathways in naïve vs. antigen-experienced T cells

Naïve T lymphocytes display weaker and slower responses than antigen-experienced cells for reasons that are not well understood. Here we show that T-cell receptor (TCR) stimulation induces distinct ERK and p38 phosphorylation patterns in naïve and antigen-experienced human T cells, and that these contribute to the differential responses shown by these cells. Specifically, TCR ligation triggers the activation of the ERK pathway in naïve cells. This phosphorylation of ERK attenuates subsequent calcium influx and accelerates the degradation of the signalsome. In contrast, anti-CD3 stimulation of experienced cells results in the phosphorylation of p38 via an association with Discs large (Dlg). Thus, there are distinct signaling pathways triggered by TCR ligation that impair signaling in naïve cells and facilitate it in antigen-experienced cells.