Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Local news and the change in local portfolios

We examine the role of local media in local trading activity and local stock returns. Local media appears to have an influence on individuals’ post buy-sell imbalance in local stocks and abnormal profitability on the local trades. However, local media has a larger impact on the profitability and the local trading activity of individuals who moved into the district (other locals) than on individuals who live in their birth districts (native locals). This result indicates that native locals are more prone to utilize their social networks and turn to the old-fashioned word of mouth method when it comes to obtaining and sharing local information, whereas other locals may lack this opportunity and instead obtain their local information from the Internet. Thus the effects on local trading activity and profitability may not be driven by local media itself, since local investors may have already obtained the information, perhaps form the same sources. Our results enable us to separate informed local trades from uninformed local trades. We also show that widely documented disposition effect stays remarkably consistent and robust in local trading activity.
Characterization of LHI- and LHI+ Rhodobacter capsulatus pufA mutants

The NH2 termini of light-harvesting complex I (LHI) polypeptides alpha and beta of Rhodobacter capsulatus are thought to be involved in the assembly of the LHI complex. For a more detailed study of the role of the NH2-terminal segment of the LHI alpha protein in insertion into the intracytoplasmic membrane (ICM) of R. capsulatus, amino acids 6 to 8, 9 to 11, 12 and 13, or 14 and 15 of the LHI alpha protein were deleted. Additionally, the hydrophobic stretch of the amino acids 7 to 11 was lengthened by insertion of hydrophobic or hydrophilic amino acids. All mutations abolished the ability of the mutant strains to form a functional LHI antenna complex. All changes introduced into the LHI alpha protein strongly reduced the stability of its LHI beta partner protein in the ICM. The effects on the mutated protein itself, however, were different. Deletion of amino acids 6 to 8, 9 to 11, or 14 and 15 drastically reduced the amount of the LHI alpha protein inserted into the membrane or prevented its insertion. Deletion of amino acids 12 and 13 and lengthening of the stretch of amino acids 7 to 11 reduced the half-life of the mutated LHI alpha protein in the ICM in comparison with the wild-type LHI alpha protein. Under the selective pressure of low light, revertants which regained a functional LHI antenna complex were identified only for the mutant strain deleted of amino acids 9 to 11 of the LHI alpha polypeptide [U43 (pTPR15)]. The restoration of the LHI+ phenotype was due to an in-frame duplication of 9 bp in the pufA gene directly upstream of the site of deletion present in strain U43(pTPR15). The duplicated nucleotides code for the amino acids Lys, Ile, and Trp. Membranes purified from the revertants were different from that of the reaction center-positive LHI+ LHII- control strain U43(pTX35) in doubling of the carotenoid content and increase of the size of the photosynthetic unit. By separating the reaction center and LHI complexes of the revertants by native preparative gel electrophoresis, we confirmed that the higher amount of carotenoids was associated with the LHI proteins.
Recovery from Photoinhibition in Peas (Pisum sativum L.) Acclimated to Varying Growth Irradiances (Role of D1 Protein Turnover)

D1 protein turnover and restoration of the photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) after photoinhibition of pea leaves (Pisum sativum L. cv Greenfeast) acclimated to different light intensities were investigated. All peas acclimated to different light intensities were able to recover from photoinhibition, at least partially, at light intensities far above their growth light irradiance. However, the capacity of pea leaves to recover from photoinhibition under increasing high irradiances was strictly dependent on the light acclimation of the leaves; i.e. the higher the irradiance during growth, the better the capacity of pea leaves to recover from photoinhibition at moderate and high light. In our experimental conditions, mainly D1 protein turnover-dependent recovery was monitored, since in the presence of an inhibitor of chloroplast-encoded protein synthesis, lincomycin, only negligible recovery took place. In darkness, neither the restoration of PSII photochemical efficiency nor any notable degradation of damaged D1 protein took place. In low light, however, good recovery of PSII occurred in all peas acclimated to different light intensities and was accompanied by fast degradation of the D1 protein. The rate of degradation of the D1 protein was estimated to be 3 to 4 times faster in photoinhibited leaves than in nonphotoinhibited leaves under the recovery conditions of 50 [mu]mol of photons m-2 s-1. In moderate light of 400 [mu]mol of photons m-2 s-1, the photoinhibited low-light peas were not able to increase further the rate of D1 protein degradation above that observed in nonphotoinhibited leaves, nor was the restoration of PSII function possible. On the other hand, photoinhibited high-light leaves were able to increase the rate of D1 protein degradation above that of nonphotoinhibited leaves even in moderate and high light, ensuring at least partial restoration of PSII function. We conclude that the capacity of photoinhibited leaves to restore PSII function at different irradiances was directly related to the capacity of the leaves to degrade damaged D1 protein under the recovery conditions.
Prognostic value of mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin in patients with heart failure after an acute myocardial infarction

Objective To assess the cardiovascular prognostic value of mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM) and compare this with B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), on death or a composite end point in patients who developed heart failure after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods From a subset of 214 patients from the OPTIMAAL study, blood samples were obtained at a median of 3 days after AMI when patients had developed signs and/or symptoms of heart failure (HF) or a left ventricular ejection fraction <0.35%. End points were all-cause mortality and a composite end point, including death, myocardial reinfarction, stroke and/or resuscitated cardiac arrest. Results Mean age of the patients was 68±10 years and mean follow-up was 918±311 days. During follow-up 31 patients died and 61 reached the composite end point. In multivariable Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for BNP, NT-proBNP and other covariates, a doubling of MR-proADM showed a 3.02 (95% CI 1.66 to 5.49) times increased risk of mortality (p<0.001) and a 1.77 (95% CI 1.13 to 2.78) times increased risk of reaching the composite end point (p=0.013). Receiver operating characteristic curves indicated that MR-proADM (area under the curve (AUC)=0.81) was a stronger predictor of mortality than BNP (AUC=0.66; p=0.0034 vs MR-proADM) and NT-proBNP (AUC=0.67; p<0.001 vs MR-proADM). Furthermore, MR-proADM enhanced significantly risk classification and integrated discrimination improvement in comparison with BNP and NT-proBNP. Finally, changes in MR-proADM over time significantly added prognostic information to the baseline value. Conclusion MR-proADM is a promising biomarker and has strong prognostic value for mortality and morbidity in patients with HF after an AMI. In this study, MR-proADM had stronger predictive value than BNP and NT-proBNP.
State of the art of ecosystem services research at the global level: a multiscale quantitative review

A literature review focused on ecosystem services (ES) research on a worldwide level was performed. The work considered a quantitative analysis based on text mining. Digital information derived from more than 13,000 scientific papers was processed. Temporal trends of ES, the primary research interest, and specificities of different contexts were depicted. Based on a multiscale approach, the above parameters were defined for the global level, regions of the world and countries. The results focused on the relation among ES issues with: 1) techniques for the monetary quantification of ES; 2) the investigation of payments for ecosystem services at a regional scale; 3) the analysis of sustainability pillars. The applied methodology was an updatable and flexible approach useful for the quantitative literature review of specific ES branches, as well as for gap analysis. The final remarks concentrated on future improvements to facilitate the widespread and user-friendly diffusion of the method.
Cardiometabolic health of Chinese older adults with diabetes living in Beijing, China.

OBJECTIVES Using the PRECEDE-PROCEED model, this study examined the presence of metabolic syndrome and modifiable cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome among Chinese adults with diabetes living in Beijing, China. DESIGN AND SAMPLE The cross-sectional study collected data through face-to-face interviews. The study included 73 Chinese older adults with diabetes. Their mean age was 68 years (+ or - 7.66), with a range from 52 to 90 years. MEASUREMENTS Data were collected on demographic characteristics, blood pressure (BP), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, lipid profile and fasting glucose, physical activity, diet, and health status. RESULTS The great majority (85%) had metabolic syndrome; 65% had hypertension; 52% had high levels of low-density lipoproteins, and 80.6% had a high level of fasting glucose. Half of the participants (51.4%) were overweight, 16.7% were obese, and 86.3% had central obesity. Age, gender, BMI, income, insurance, smoking history, physical activity, and diet explained 23% of the variance in the metabolic syndrome component, systolic blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS The association of predisposing and enabling factors and health behavior with the metabolic syndrome needs to be further explored. Persons with diabetes should have regular health screenings to check for blood pressure, BMI, cholesterol, glucose, and triglycerides in order to decrease the risks associated with metabolic syndrome and CVD.
Evaluation of penetration depth of a commercially available resin infiltrate into artificially created enamel lesions: An in vitro study

Background: Early enamel lesions have a potential to re-mineralize and prevent caries progress. Aim: The aim of the following study is to determine the depth of penetration of low viscosity resin into artificially created enamel lesions. Materials and Methods: A sample of 20 sound premolars, indicated for orthodontic extraction, formed the study group. The teeth were coated with a nail varnish, leaving a window of 4 mm × 4 mm, on buccal surfaces of sound, intact enamel. Each tooth was subsequently immersed in demineralizing solution for 4 days to produce artificial enamel lesions. The demineralized area was then infiltrated with low viscosity resin (Icon Infiltrant, DMG, Hamburg, Germany) as per the manufacturer's instructions. All the restored teeth were then immersed in methylene blue dye for 24 h at 37°C. Teeth were then sectioned longitudinally through the lesion into two halves. The sections were observed under stereomicroscope at ×80 magnification and depth of penetration of the material was measured quantitatively using Motic software. Results: The maximum depth of penetration of the resin material was 6.06 ± 3.31 μm. Conclusions: Resin infiltration technique appears to be effective in sealing enamel lesions and has great potential for arresting white spot lesions.
Nonpalpable, circumscribed, noncalcified solid breast masses: likelihood of malignancy based on lesion size and age of patient.

PURPOSE To determine whether lesion size and patient age should prompt immediate biopsy of selected nonpalpable, circumscribed, noncalcified solid (probably benign) breast masses, which otherwise would be managed with periodic mammographic surveillance. MATERIALS AND METHODS Consecutive cases of probably benign breast masses were studied, for which mammographic surveillance was recommended prospectively. Patient age and lesion size were recorded, but age and size thresholds were not used as eligibility criteria. Clinical outcome, determined for each patient after 3 or 3 1/2 years of surveillance, was evaluated as a function of patient age and lesion size. RESULTS There were 1,403 study cases, among which 19 cancers were diagnosed (positive predictive value [PPV] = 1.4%). Only small differences were found in PPV for various patient-age and lesion-size subgroups. Even the subgroup with the highest PPV, which consisted of women aged 50 years and older, contained 60 benign masses for each cancer. CONCLUSION Nonpalpable, circumscribed, noncalcified (probably benign) breast masses should be managed with periodic mammographic surveillance regardless of lesion size and patient age.
Hospital nurses’ comfort in and frequency of delivering heart failure self-care education

Background: Nurses are expected to deliver pre-discharge heart failure education in 8 content areas: what heart failure means, medications, diet, activity, weight monitoring, fluid restriction, signs/symptoms of worsening condition and signs/symptoms of fluid overload. Aims: To examine nurses’ comfort in and frequency of delivering heart failure education to hospitalized patients. Methods: A multicenter, descriptive, correlational design and questionnaire methods were used. General linear models were performed to assess associations of comfort in and frequency of delivering patient education after controlling for significant nurse characteristics. Results: Of 118 nurses, mean age was 39 ± 11.6 years, 61.9% worked on cardiac units and 58.3% spent <15 min providing pre-discharge heart failure education. Comfort in delivering education was highest for weight monitoring and lowest for activity, and was associated with nurse age (p=0.019), years in profession (p=0.004) and minutes providing pre-discharge education (p=0.003). Frequency delivering education was highest for signs/symptoms of worsening condition (mean frequency, 71.5% ± 29%) and lowest for activity (42.7% ± 29.4%) and was associated with comfort in educating patients (all p<0.001); and pre-discharge education minutes, p<0.001. Using general linear modeling, minutes spent delivering pre-discharge education remained associated with overall comfort in (p=0.04) and frequency of (p<0.001) heart failure education delivery. Conclusions: Nurses’ comfort in and frequency of delivering education varied by heart failure self-care content area. Self-care education areas most important to survival and hospitalization had the lowest rates of nurse comfort and frequency. Systems and processes are needed to facilitate education delivery prior to hospital discharge.
Have Standard VARs Remained Stable Since the Crisis

Small or medium-scale VARs are commonly used in applied macroeconomics for forecasting and evaluating the shock transmission mechanism. This requires the VAR parameters to be stable over the evaluation and forecast sample, or to explicitly consider parameter time variation. The earlier literature focused on whether there were sizable parameter changes in the early 1980s, in either the conditional mean or variance parameters, and in the subsequent period till the beginning of the new century. In this paper we conduct a similar analysis but focus on the effects of the recent crisis. Using a range of techniques, we provide substantial evidence against parameter stability. The evolution of the unemployment rate seems particularly different relative to its past behavior. We then discuss and evaluate alternative methods to handle parameter instability in a forecasting context. While none of the methods clearly emerges as best, some techniques turn out to be useful to improve the forecasting performance.
Technetium-99m–HMPAO Labeled Leukocyte Single Photon Emission Computerized Tomography (SPECT) for Assessing Crohn's Disease Extent and Intestinal Infiltration

OBJECTIVES:Scintigraphy using radiolabeled leukocytes is a useful technique for assessing intestinal infiltration in Crohn's disease (CD). However, limits of planar images include overlapping activity in other organs and low specificity. To investigate the usefulness of 99mTc–HMPAO (hexametyl propylene amine oxime) labeled leukocyte single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) for assessing CD lesions, in comparison with planar images.METHODS:Twenty-two inflammatory bowel disease patients (19 CD; 2 ulcerative colitis, UC; 1 ileal pouch) assessed by conventional endoscopy or radiology were enrolled. Leukocytes were labeled with 99mTc–HMPAO. SPECT images were acquired at 2 h and planar images at 30 min and 2 h. Bowel uptake was quantitated in nine regions (score 0–3). RESULTS:Both SPECT and planar images detected a negative scintigraphy (score 0) in the UC patient with no pouchitis and a positive scintigraphy (score 1–3) in the 21 patients showing active inflammation by conventional techniques. SPECT showed a higher global score than planar images (0.71 ± 0.09 vs 0.30 ± 0.05; p < 0.001), and in particular in the right iliac fossa (p = 0.003), right and left flank (p < 0.001; p = 0.02), hypogastrium (p = 0.002), and mesogastrium (p < 0.001). SPECT provided a better visualization and a higher uptake than planar images in patients with ileal and ileocolonic CD (6.45 ± 0.82 vs 2.8 ± 0.55, p < 0.001; 5.5 ± 1.6 vs 2.6 ± 0.7, p = 0.03), and with perianal CD (6.6 ± 1.6 vs 3.4 ± 1.2; p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS:99mTc–HMPAO labeled leukocyte SPECT provides a more detailed visualization of CD lesions than planar images. This technique may better discriminate between intestinal and bone marrow uptake, thus being useful for assessing CD lesions within the pelvis, including perianal disease.
THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY (EAC) AND ITS INFLUENCE ON TANZANIA’S MANUFACTURED EXPORTS INTENSITY AND COMPETITIVENESS

This paper examines the relationship between the revived EAC and both export intensity and competitiveness of Tanzania’s manufactured exports in the East African region. The study uses simple descriptive statistics, which is later supplemented with export intensity and export competitiveness models (also termed as indices) to determine the dynamics and competitiveness of Tanzania’s intra-EAC manufactured exports. Manufactured export intensity is above 100 whereas export competitiveness is found to have increased but below unit since the establishment of the current EAC. Concerted efforts should be taken within both, Tanzania and the EAC as a whole so as to improve the situation. The conclusions point out that EAC is liable to be useful if supply side and market access related constraints are unanimously eradicated.
SUSTAINED ELEVATION OF INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE AFTER INTRAVITREAL ANTI-VEGF AGENTS: What Is the Evidence?

Purpose: To summarize the literature addressing sustained and delayed elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration being treated with intravitreal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors and to present possible mechanisms of effect. Methods: Analysis of current literature evaluating sustained and delayed elevation of IOP in patients receiving intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Results: Studies have demonstrated that patients undergoing treatment with intravitreal anti-VEGF agents may experience sustained and delayed elevation of IOP. The incidence of sustained elevation of IOP in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration varied from 3.45% to 11.6%, and few patients required surgical management to control IOP. Possible risk factors associated with sustained and delayed elevation of IOP include, but are not limited to, history of glaucoma, phakia, history of glucocorticoid use, and/or extended treatment duration. There are multiple theories explaining the pathogenesis of sustained elevation of IOP, including microparticle obstruction of the trabecular meshwork, intraocular inflammation, and transient elevation of IOP. Conclusion: Sustained and delayed elevation of IOP in patients undergoing treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration with intravitreal anti-VEGF agents is likely a multifactorial process. Further studies to prospectively investigate sustained elevation of IOP in large, randomized, controlled trials might lead to a better understanding of the long-term adverse events associated with intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy.
Lung Tumor Induction by 26-week Dermal Application of 1,2-Dichloroethane in CB6F1-Tg rasH2 Mice

Short-term alternatives to traditional 2-year carcinogenic studies in rodents are being actively pursued. Recently, a 26-week short-term carcinogenicity study using CB6F1-Tg rasH2@Jcl (rasH2) mice has become a worldwide standard for the evaluation of chemical carcinogenesis. However, an acceptable short-term carcinogenic study model for dermally applied products is still lacking. To investigate the suitability of using the rasH2 mouse to test carcinogenic potential, 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCE) was dermally applied to rasH2 mice: 1,2-DCE is a known carcinogen that causes lung bronchiolo-alveolar adenomas and adenocarcinomas when administered topically, orally, or by inhalation exposure; 1,2-DCE at a dose level of 126 mg/mouse in 200 μl acetone or acetone alone (vehicle control) was applied to the dorsal skin of 10 mice of each sex 3 times a week for 26 weeks. As a positive control, 10 mice of each sex received a single intraperitoneal injection of 75 mg/kg of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea. Bronchiolo-alveolar adenomas and adenocarcinomas were significantly increased in 1,2-DCE-treated rasH2 mice of both sexes, and bronchiolo-alveolar hyperplasias were significantly increased in female mice. Overall, almost all mice of each sex developed adenomas and/or adenocarcinomas with 100% of female rasH2 mice developing bronchiolo-alveolar adenocarcinomas.
Hitching a lift on the road to speciation

Understanding how speciation can take place in the presence of homogenizing gene flow remains a major challenge in evolutionary biology. In the early stages of ecological speciation, reproductive isolation between populations occupying different habitats is expected to be concentrated around genes for local adaptation. These genomic regions will show high divergence while gene exchange in other regions of the genome should continue relatively unimpaired, resulting in low levels of differentiation. The problem is to explain how speciation progresses from this point towards complete reproductive isolation, allowing genome‐wide divergence. A new study by Via and West (2008) on speciation between host races of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, introduces the mechanism of ‘divergence hitchhiking’ which can generate large ‘islands of differentiation’ and facilitate the build‐up of linkage disequilibrium, favouring increased reproductive isolation. This idea potentially removes a major stumbling block to speciation under continuous gene flow.