Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Trading and Information Diffusion in OTC Markets

We model trading and information diffusion in OTC markets, when dealers can engage in many bilateral transactions at the same time. We show that information diffusion is effective, but not efficient. While each bilateral price partially reveals all dealers' private information after a single round of trading, dealers could learn more even within the constraints imposed by our environment. This is not a result of dealers' market power, but arises from the interaction between decentralization and differences in dealers' valuation of the asset. We apply our framework to confront several explanations for the disruption of OTC markets with stylized facts from the empirical literature. We find more support for narratives emphasizing increased counterparty risk as opposed to increased informational frictions.
Implementation of Flipped Instruction in Language Classrooms: An Alternative Way to Develop Speaking Skills of Pre-Service English Language Teachers.

Flipped Instruction is overemphasized in recent years that has a significant impact in language education. In this context, the current research investigates the effects of Flipped Instruction on pre-service English language teachers’ speaking skills development. The research covers subskills of speaking skills. In this study quantitative data were collected. The data were collected to investigate whether Flipped instruction based syllabus which was designed specifically for the research is effective to develop participants’ speaking skills. The syllabus is called as OCS1FS which stands for flipped syllabus for the course. Pre-test and posttests were administered to both experimental group and control group with the aim of collecting data. The data were analysed through SPSS. The results show that there is statistically significant difference at, 000 (Sig > 0.05) levels between groups at the end of an eight-week treatment process. It is found that experimental group students developed significantly in terms of fluency, coherence, lexical resource, grammar, pronunciation and accuracy skills.
Suppression of a signaling defect during Myxococcus xanthus development

The csgA gene encodes an extracellular protein that is essential for cell-cell communication (C-signaling) during fruiting body development of Myxococcus xanthus. Two transposon insertions in the socABC operon, soc-560 and socC559, restore development to csgA null mutants. Mixing soc-560 csgA cells or socC559 csgA cells with csgA cells at a ratio of 1:1 stimulated the development of csgA cells, suggesting that soc mutations allow cells to produce the C-signal or a similar molecule via a csgA-independent mechanism. The socABC operon contains the following three genes: socA, a member of the short-chain alcohol dehydrogenase gene family; socB, a gene encoding a putative membrane anchoring protein; and socC, a negative autoregulator of socABC operon expression. Both suppressor mutations inactivate socC, leading to a 30- to 100-fold increase in socA transcription; socA expression in suppressor strains is at least 100-fold higher than csgA expression during all stages of development. The amino acid sequence of SocA has 28% identity and 51% similarity with that of CsgA. We suggest that CsgA suppression is due to overproduction of SocA, which can substitute for CsgA. These results raise the possibility that a cell surface dehydrogenase plays a role in C-signaling.
Enhanced therapy for primary and secondary syphilis: a longitudinal retrospective analysis of cure rates and associated factors

For the treatment of early infectious syphilis, enhanced therapy with three dosages of benzathine penicillin G has been under consideration, particularly in the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infected population (HIV-1). The serological outcome of 249 patients with primary and secondary syphilis treated with standard or enhanced therapy was analyzed retrospectively; 98% (139/142) achieved serological cure with a single dosage and 92% with enhanced therapy (P = 0.033). In HIV-1 infected individuals, cure rates were 88% after a single dosage compared to 97% after three dosages (P = 0.18). A fourfold decrease of Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) titres was achieved within a median of 102 days after treatment initiation (SD = 2; 95% CI = 98–106). Patients aged over 40 years were 5.5 times (OR = 5.52; 95% CI = 1.43–21.32; P = 0.013) and patients with low baseline VDRL titres (≤1 : 32) were 4 times (OR = 4.25; 95% CI = 1.21–14.87; P = 0.024) more likely to experience serological failure.
Does Divergence of Opinion Affect Stock Returns? Evidence from Japanese SEOs

The divergence of opinion model originally proposed by Miller (1977) has recently received a great deal of attention. Focusing on the unique offering process of Japanese seasoned equity offerings (SEOs), we are able to directly test the Miller model. A comparable analysis cannot be performed on U.S. SEOs. We find our proxy for divergence of opinion is negatively related to stock returns on both the announcement day and the issue day. This implies that the demand curve for the issuing firm’s common stock steepens as the dispersion of opinion for a stock widens. We find that issue size is also related to stock returns on both dates. The relation is stronger for stocks with higher dispersions of opinion. This finding is consistent with Miller’s prediction. We also show that short sales constraints cause market underreaction. Further, we show that manipulative short selling is concentrated around the price determination day. However, our results regarding opinion divergence are free from the manipulative short selling effect.
Characterizing the nonlinear interaction of S- and P-waves in a rock sample

The nonlinear elastic response of rocks is known to be caused by the rocks' microstructure, particularly cracks and fluids. This paper presents a method for characterizing the nonlinearity of rocks in a laboratory scale experiment with a unique configuration. This configuration has been designed to open up the possibility of using the nonlinear characterization of rocks as an imaging tool in the field. In our experiment, we study the nonlinear interaction of two traveling waves: a low-amplitude 500 kHz P-wave probe and a high-amplitude 50 kHz S-wave pump in a room-dry 15 × 15 × 3 cm slab of Berea sandstone. Changes in the arrival time of the P-wave probe as it passes through the perturbation created by the traveling S-wave pump were recorded. Waveforms were time gated to simulate a semi-infinite medium. The shear wave phase relative to the P-wave probe signal was varied with resultant changes in the P-wave probe arrival time of up to 100 ns, corresponding to a change in elastic properties of 0.2%. In orde.
Focal entrapment neuropathies in diabetes.

Peripheral neuropathies in diabetes are a diverse group of syndromes, not all of which are the common distal symmetric polyneuropathy. The focal and multifocal neuropathies are confined to the distribution of single or multiple peripheral nerves and their involvement is referred to as mononeuropathy or mononeuritis multiplex. Mononeuropathies are due to vasculitis and subsequent ischemia or infarction of nerves (1). Common mononeuropathies involve cranial nerves III, IV, VI, and VII and thoracic and peripheral nerves, including peroneal, sural, sciatic, femoral, ulnar, and median. Their onset is acute, associated with pain, and their course is self-limiting, resolving over a period of 6 weeks. They must be distinguished from entrapment syndromes that start slowly, progress, and persist without intervention (Fig. 1). Common entrapments involve the median, ulnar, and peroneal nerves, the lateral cutaneous of the thigh, and the tibial nerve in the tarsal canal. The entrapment neuropathies are highly prevalent in the diabetic population, one in every three patients has one, and it should be actively sought in every patient with the signs and symptoms of neuropathy because the treatment may be surgical (2) (Table 1). Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy encountered in diabetic patients and occurs as a result of median nerve compression under the transverse carpal ligament. It occurs thrice as frequently in a diabetic population compared with a normal healthy population (3,4). The increased prevalence in diabetes may be related to repeated undetected trauma, metabolic changes, accumulation of fluid or edema within the confined space of the carpal tunnel, and diabetic cheiroarthropathy (5), rheumatoid arthritis, and hypothyroidism (1,3). CTS is found in up to one-third of patients with diabetes, when demonstrated electrophysiologically, but may only be symptomatic in ∼5.8% (6). It is more common in females and in obese …
Regulation of Virulence by the RevR Response Regulator in Clostridium perfringens

ABSTRACT Clostridium perfringens causes clostridial myonecrosis or gas gangrene and produces several extracellular hydrolytic enzymes and toxins, many of which are regulated by the VirSR signal transduction system. The revR gene encodes a putative orphan response regulator that has similarity to the YycF (WalR), VicR, PhoB, and PhoP proteins from other Gram-positive bacteria. RevR appears to be a classical response regulator, with an N-terminal receiver domain and a C-terminal domain with a putative winged helix-turn-helix DNA binding region. To determine its functional role, a revR mutant was constructed by allelic exchange and compared to the wild type by microarray analysis. The results showed that more than 100 genes were differentially expressed in the mutant, including several genes involved in cell wall metabolism. The revR mutant had an altered cellular morphology; unlike the short rods observed with the wild type, the mutant cells formed long filaments. These changes were reversed upon complementation with a plasmid that carried the wild-type revR gene. Several genes encoding extracellular hydrolytic enzymes (sialidase, hyaluronidase, and α-clostripain) were differentially expressed in the revR mutant. Quantitative enzyme assays confirmed that these changes led to altered enzyme activity and that complementation restored the wild-type phenotype. Most importantly, the revR mutant was attenuated for virulence in the mouse myonecrosis model compared to the wild type and the complemented strains. These results provide evidence that RevR regulates virulence in C. perfringens; it is the first response regulator other than VirR to be shown to regulate virulence in this important pathogen.
Pontamine fast scarlet 4B bifluorescence and measurements of cellulose microfibril angles

Pontamine fast scarlet 4B is a red paper and textiles dye that has recently been introduced as a fluorescent probe for plant cell walls. Pontamine exhibits bifluorescence, or fluorescence dependent on the polarization of the excitation light: Because cellulose is aligned within the cell wall, pontamine‐labelled cell walls exhibit variable fluorescence as the excitation polarization is modulated. Thus, bifluorescence measurements require polarized excitation that can be directly or indirectly modulated. In our confocal microscopy observations of various cellulose samples labelled with pontamine, we modulated excitation polarization either through sample rotation or by the confocal's scanfield rotation function. This variably rotated laser polarizations on Leica confocal microscopes, but not those from other makers. Beginning with samples with directly observable microfibril orientations, such as purified bacterial cellulose, the velamen of orchid roots and the inner S2 layer of radiata pine compression wood, we demonstrate that modelling the variations in pontamine fluorescence with a sine curve can be used to measure the known microfibril angles. We then measured average local microfibril angles in radiata pine samples, and showed similar microfibril angles in compression and normal (opposite) wood. Significantly, bifluorescence measurements might also be used to understand the degree of local cellulose alignment within the cell wall, as opposed to variations in the overall cellulose angle.
The Effects of Isoflurane and Desflurane Titrated to a Bispectral Index of 60 on the Cortical Somatosensory Evoked Potential During Pediatric Scoliosis Surgery

In this study, we compared the effect of isoflurane and desflurane on the posterior tibial somatosensory evoked potential recorded by scalp electrodes during correction of idiopathic scoliosis in pediatric patients. Depth of sedation was controlled by maintaining bispectral index (BIS) at 60 throughout the study. Comparison of patients breathing desflurane and isoflurane showed an evoked cortical amplitude (N37-P45) of 0.53 ± 0.3 &mgr;V versus 1.3 ± 0.8 &mgr;V (P = 0.014), respectively. In addition to this comparison, a crossover design was included whereby the desflurane or isoflurane received in the first part of the study was changed to the other anesthetic. Substituting one anesthetic for another confirmed our initial finding that the cortical evoked amplitude is greater with isoflurane than with desflurane. No differential effect was found between desflurane and isoflurane on the evoked subcortical (N31-P34) amplitude or the P37 latency.
Analysis of longitudinally observed irregularly timed multivariate outcomes: regression with focus on cross-component correlation.

Components of repeatedly observed multivariate outcomes (for example, the two components of blood pressure measures (SBP(it), DBP(it)), obtained on subject i at arbitrarily spaced times t) are often analysed separately. We present a unified approach to regression analysis of such irregularly timed multivariate longitudinal data, with particular attention to assessment of the magnitude and durability of cross-component correlation. Maximum likelihood estimates are presented for component-specific regression parameters and autocorrelation and cross-correlation functions. The component-specific autocorrelation function has the 'damped exponential' form [see text], which generalizes the AR(1), MA(1) and random intercept models for univariate longitudinal outcomes. The cross-component correlation function (CCCF) has an analogous form, allowing damped-exponential decay of cross-component correlation as time between repeated measures elapses. Finite sample performance is assessed through simulation studies. The methods are illustrated through blood pressure modelling and construction of multivariate prediction regions.
Urbanization, Population Pressure And Agricultural Intensification: Evidences From Tamil Nadu In India

This paper analyzes the phenomenon that the transfer of agricultural land and water resources for urban use with adverse consequences to agricultural production has not been adequately addressed in the Indian context, through a case study of the state of Tamil Nadu which stands in the forefront of industrialization and urbanization. Results show that urbanization and land put to non-agricultural uses have strong negative impact on agricultural sector. Therefore, it is important to give priority for decentralized growth through rural industrialization, and public investment on road network should be increased not only to reduce the growth of urbanization but also to promote rural industrialization. The impact of industrialization especially around a few large cities is undesirable both from the point of view of balanced regional development and also from the viewpoint of the serious negative impacts of the growth of large urban centres on the neighbouring rural economies.
Scopoletin and β-sitosterol glucoside from roots of Ipomoea digitata

Plants are ancient source of medicine due to presence of bioactive molecules of various compounds in its different parts. Two compounds were isolated from ethanol extract of the roots of Ipomoea digitata. The compounds are Scopoletin (7-hydroxy-6-methoxycoumarin) and β-sitosterol glucoside. The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis (1H NMR & 13C NMR). Though the compounds are known natural products, scopoletin is the first report of its occurrence from the plant Ipomoea digitata. The compound scopoletin is very much important for its medicinal value.
Hospital foodservice directors identify the important aspects when implementing room service in hospital foodservice

Objectives. To identify the key aspects hospital foodservice directors (HFDs) consider when deciding to implement room service and to determine the importance of each aspect, as considered by two groups of HFDs (those who had and had not implemented room service). Design. Responses from a key informant interview and HFDs on open-ended questions were utilized to develop a web questionnaire. Foodservice directors were asked to rate the importance of 28 aspects of room service implementation. Subjects/setting. A web questionnaire was e-mailed to 845 HFDs who were on the membership list of the National Society for Healthcare Foodservice Management and/or the Association for Healthcare Foodservice or on a supplemental list. A total of 241 HFDs (28.5% response rate) completed questionnaires; 214 responses (25.3%) were usable for complete data analysis. Statistical analyses. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize questionnaire item responses. Factor analysis and independent t test comparisons of mean ratings of aspects and factors identified if significant differences existed between perceptions of either group on important aspects of room service implementation. Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient was calculated for each factor identified as a result of the factor analysis. One-way ANOVA was run to compare the means of the importance of the room service factors by respondents’
E-marketing strategy: An exploratory investigation into Chinese business use of the Internet

This paper outlines the results of an exploratory survey on the business use of the Internet in China in four areas, including; strategic goals, marketing communications, marketing logistics, and relationship management. The results of this study are then compared to a similar study conducted by Adam, Mulye, Deans and Palihawadana (2002) which described the business use of the Internet in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. The findings of the Chinese study do vary from the earlier Western study but rather than showing any particular advance in eMarketing strategy in the past four years, they highlight a utilitarian approach to the Internet by Chinese businesses who are generally less experienced in brand building and customer relationship management than their Western counterparts. Theoretically this suggest that the use of the Internet by businesses is not solely dependent on technical infrastructure and sophistication but also the diffusion of Internet business strategies and tactics. ; ;
Genetic Adaptation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the Airways of Cystic Fibrosis Patients Is Catalyzed by Hypermutation

ABSTRACT In previous work (E. E. Smith, D. G. Buckley, Z. Wu, C. Saenphimmachack, L. R. Hoffman, D. A. D'Argenio, S. I. Miller, B. W. Ramsey, D. P. Speert, S. M. Moskowitz, J. L. Burns, R. Kaul, and M. V. Olson, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 103:8487-8492, 2006) it was shown that Pseudomonas aeruginosa undergoes intense genetic adaptation during chronic respiratory infection (CRI) in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. We used the same collection of isolates to explore the role of hypermutation in this process, since one of the hallmarks of CRI is the high prevalence of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system-deficient mutator strains. The presence of mutations in 34 genes (many of them positively linked to adaptation in CF patients) in the study collection of 90 P. aeruginosa isolates obtained longitudinally from 29 CF patients was not homogeneous; on the contrary, mutations were significantly concentrated in the mutator lineages, which represented 17% of the isolates (87% MMR deficient). While sequential nonmutator lineages acquired a median of only 0.25 mutation per year of infection, mutator lineages accumulated more than 3 mutations per year. On the whole-genome scale, data for the first fully sequenced late CF isolate, which was also shown to be an MMR-deficient mutator, also support these findings. Moreover, for the first time the predicted amplification of mutator populations due to hitchhiking with adaptive mutations in the course of natural human infections is clearly documented. Interestingly, increased accumulation of mutations in mutator lineages was not a consequence of overrepresentation of mutations in genes involved in antimicrobial resistance, the only adaptive trait linked so far to hypermutation in CF patients, demonstrating that hypermutation also plays a major role in P. aeruginosa genome evolution and adaptation during CRI.
The treatment of scabies with ivermectin.

BACKGROUND Ivermectin is an anthelmintic agent that has been a safe, effective treatment for onchocerciasis (river blindness) when given in a single oral dose of 150 to 200 micrograms per kilogram of body weight. Anecdotal reports of improvement in patients who suffered from infestation with the mite Sarcoptes scabiei suggest that the ectoparasitic disease scabies might be treated with ivermectin. METHODS We conducted an open-label study in which ivermectin was administered in a single oral dose of 200 micrograms per kilogram to 11 otherwise healthy patients with scabies and to 11 patients with scabies who were also infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), 7 of whom had the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. All patients received a full physical and dermatologic examination; scrapings from the skin of all patients tested positive for scabies. Patients were reexamined two and four weeks after treatment, when the scrapings for scabies were repeated. The patients used no other scabicides during the 30 days before ivermectin treatment or during the 4-week study period. RESULTS None of the 11 otherwise healthy patients had evidence of scabies four weeks after a single dose of ivermectin. Of the 11 HIV-infected patients, 2 had < or = 10 scabies lesions before treatment, 3 had 11 to 49 lesions, 4 had > or = 50 lesions, and 2 had heavily crusted skin lesions. In eight of the patients the scabies was cured after a single dose of ivermectin. Two patients received a second dose two weeks after the first. Ten of the 11 patients with HIV infection (91 percent) had no evidence of scabies four weeks after their first treatment with ivermectin. CONCLUSIONS The anthelmintic agent ivermectin, given in a single oral dose, is an effective treatment for scabies in otherwise healthy patients and in many patients with HIV infection.