Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Gender and Ethnicity on Financial Risk Tolerance in South African

Financial risk tolerance refers to the amount of risk or the attitude of a person that is willing to take risks when making a financial decision or investing money, for example, saving for retirement purposes. An investor needs to make important financial decisions regarding investment products, asset allocation and/or fund accumulation strategies. These decisions have been attributed to risk tolerance. One, therefore, needs to investigate and consider the influence of demographic variables on the investor’s level of risk tolerance. This study aimed to place investors in a certain level of risk tolerance based on their gender and ethnicity. This will significantly contribute towards the risk profiling of investment companies. The results for the study indicated that male investors are more risk tolerant than female investors and that there exists a statistical difference between the risk tolerance levels of different ethnic groups. African investors were found to be more risk tolerant than White, Coloured and Asian investors. A difference was also detected between male and female investors of different ethnic groups. White males indicated that they would take on above average risk compared to White females who would rather take on average or no risk at all.Keywords: Risk tolerance, gender, investors, ethnicity
Cancer as an epigenetic disease: DNA methylation and chromatin alterations in human tumours

Cancer is an epigenetic disease at the same level that it can be considered a genetic disease. In fact, epigenetic changes, particularly DNA methylation, are susceptible to change and are excellent candidates to explain how certain environmental factors may increase the risk of cancer. The delicate organization of methylation and chromatin states that regulates the normal cellular homeostasis of gene expression patterns becomes unrecognizable in the cancer cell. The genome of the transformed cell undergoes simultaneously a global genomic hypomethylation and a dense hypermethylation of the CpG islands associated with gene regulatory regions. These dramatic changes may lead to chromosomal instability, activation of endogenous parasitic sequences, loss of imprinting, illegitimate expression, aneuploidy, and mutations, and may contribute to the transcriptional silencing of tumour suppressor genes. The hypermethylation‐associated inactivation affects virtually all of the pathways in the cellular network, such as DNA repair (hMLH1, BRCA1, MGMT, …︁), the cell cycle (p16INK4a, p14ARF, p15INK4b, …︁), and apoptosis (DAPK, APAF‐1, …︁). The aberrant CpG island methylation can also be used as a biomarker of malignant cells and as a predictor of their behaviour, and may constitute a good target for future therapies. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase targets the production of proinflammatory endothelial microparticles

Summary. Background: Endothelial microparticles (EMPs) are irregularly shaped membrane fragments shed into the circulation in patients with vascular diseases, and may themselves act to enhance the endothelial response to inflammation. On the basis of the importance of p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) in endothelial responses to inflammatory stimuli, we sought to define the role of p38 in EMP generation and function. Methods: Microparticle generation from cultures of human aortic endothelial cells (hAECs) treated with tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) and p38 inhibition was quantified via multiple modalities. The response of target endothelial cells was assessed by treatment of cells with EMPs generated under various conditions. Results: Inhibition of p38 in hAECs, using pharmacologic agents, resulted in a 50% reduction of TNF‐α‐induced EMPs. Importantly, suppression of microparticles was specific to p38 MAPK pathways. EMPs triggered by TNF‐α activation induced an approximately four‐fold increase in soluble intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (sICAM‐1) release from targeted cells. However, inhibition of p38 MAPK in the targeted cell prior to EMP treatment did not alter the sICAM1 response. Conclusions: Our findings implicate p38 MAPK signaling as significant and selective in the formation and maturation of EMPs. EMPs elicited a proinflammatory response from targeted hAECs that was dependent on the conditions under which EMPs were generated. However, our results imply a unidirectional model in which p38 MAPK is critical at the source of microparticle formation, but not the target cell response to EMPs. These findings indicate a novel mechanism by which p38 inhibition may offer therapeutic benefit in vivo via direct inhibition of EMP formation.
Intra‐ and intermuscular variation in human quadriceps femoris architecture assessed in vivo

Despite the functional importance of the human quadriceps femoris in movements such as running, jumping, lifting and climbing, and the known effects of muscle architecture on muscle function, no research has fully described the complex architecture of this muscle group. We used ultrasound imaging techniques to measure muscle thickness, fascicle angle and fascicle length at multiple regions of the four quadriceps muscles in vivo in 31 recreationally active, but non‐strength‐trained adult men and women. Our analyses revealed a reasonable similarity in the superficial quadriceps muscles, which is suggestive of functional similarity (at least during the uni‐joint knee extension task) given that they act via a common tendon. The deep vastus intermedius (VI) is architecturally dissimilar and therefore probably serves a different function(s). Architecture varies significantly along the length of the superficial muscles, which has implications for the accuracy of models that assume a constant intramuscular architecture. It might also have consequences for the efficiency of intra‐ and intermuscular force transmission. Our results provide some evidence that subjects with a given architecture of one superficial muscle, relative to the rest of the subject sample, also have a similar architecture in other superficial muscles. However, this is not necessarily true for vastus lateralis (VL), and was not the case for VI. Therefore, the relative architecture of one muscle cannot confidently be used to estimate the relative architecture of another. To confirm this, we calculated a value of whole quadriceps architecture by four different methods. Regardless of the method used, we found that the absolute or relative architecture of one muscle could not be used as an indicator of whole quadriceps architecture, although vastus medialis, possibly in concert with VL and the anterior portion of VI, could be used to provide a useful snapshot. Importantly, our estimates of whole quadriceps architecture show a gender difference in whole quadriceps muscle thickness, and that muscle thickness is positively correlated with fascicle angle whereas fascicle length is negatively, although weakly, correlated with fascicle angle. These results are supportive of the validity of estimates of whole quadriceps architecture. These data are interpreted with respect to their implications for neural control strategies, region‐specific adaptations in muscle size in response to training, and gender‐dependent differences in the response to exercise training.
Extension Activities for Arable Crops Production in Akure South Local Government Area, Ondo State, Nigeria

The study examined agricultural extension activities for arable crops production in Akure South Local Government Area (LGA), Ondo State, Nigeria. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select respondents. Data were collected using interview schedule, and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square. Most respondents (65.6%) were male, 77.1% had formal education with a mean age of 47 years and an average household size of five (4). Furthermore, 80.2% had less than five hectares of land for arable crop farming while 40% of the respondents farmed for family consumption only. Major source of extension services was government agencies. The most accessed services were; choosing of planting dates and introduction to improved seedlings with a mean score of 3.18 and 3.13 respectively. A significant relationship existed between farmers’ perception about extension service and most socio economic characteristics such as; age (χ2 =57.92, P≤0.05) and farm size (χ2 = 65.283, P≤0.05). The study concluded that extension services in the study area were highly accessed and that farmers have high perception about extension services. It recommends more private agencies participation in extension services. Keywords : Extension service, arable crop farmers and perception.
Amplatzer occluder versus CardioSEAL/STARFlex occluder: a meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of transcatheter occlusion for patent foramen ovale and atrial septal defect

Abstract Objective Percutaneous transcatheter occlusion has benefited thousands of patients suffering from patent foramen ovale and atrial septal defect. However, no general agreement has been reached on the superiority among occluders. Thus, a meta-analysis between the two most commonly adopted types of occluders was conducted. Methods The literature review has identified relevant studies up to May, 2011 in the databases of PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and World Health Organization clinical trials registry centre. Meta-analysis was performed in a fixed/random effects model using Revman 5.1. 1. Information on complications and outcomes was extracted. Results Analysis from included studies reports an outcome in favour of the Amplatzer. The Amplatzer has proven its superiority in efficacy with a significantly lower risk of early (95% confidence interval = 0.09–0.34) and long-term (95% confidence interval = 0.14–0.97) residual shunt rate for atrial septal defect occlusion, although no significant difference in performance has been reported for patent foramen ovale. In addition, the Amplatzer has also remarkably reduced the risk of embolisation by the device (95% confidence interval = 0.07–0.45) for atrial septal defect and new-set atrial fibrillation (95% confidence interval = 0.18–0.48) for patent foramen ovale. On evaluation of recurrent thrombotic events, it was found that the Amplatzer greatly lowered the rate of thrombus formation on the device (95% confidence interval = 0.02–0.21) for patent foramen ovale; however, no statistical difference was found on atrial septal defect evaluation. However, the result indicated no statistically significant difference between the two kinds of occluders in stroke and transient ischaemic attack of patent foramen ovale. Conclusion The meta-analysis has proven the Amplatzer to be the superior occluder, serving better prognosis with more fluent procedure and less complications.
Van Til's Apologetic: Readings and Analysis

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare [are] not fleshly but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. And they will be ready to punish all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
The Effect of Question Wording in Questionnaire Surveys on Placebo Use in Clinical Practice

To identify factors that contribute to the high variability of the rates of use of placebo interventions reported in questionnaire surveys, the author investigated the effect of the explicit use of the word “placebo” in questionnaire surveys on placebo use in clinical practice on the results obtained. 190 primary care physicians in Poland were divided randomly into two groups. The groups received a questionnaire in which either the word placebo or the term “nonspecific methods of treatment” was used. The respondents who were asked explicitly about the use of placebo interventions declared that they never used placebo interventions significantly more often than participants asked about the use of nonspecific treatment methods. Moreover, the former reported significantly rarer use of placebo interventions than the latter. The study demonstrates that differences in the wording of questions in questionnaire surveys on placebo use can create statistically significant differences in results.
Divergent antiviral roles of amphibian (Xenopus laevis) macrophages elicited by colony‐stimulating factor‐1 and interleukin‐34

Macrophages are integral to amphibian immunity against RVs, as well as to the infection strategies of these pathogens. Although CSF‐1 was considered to be the principal mediator of macrophage development, the IL‐34 cytokine, which shares no sequence identity with CSF‐1, is now believed to contribute to vertebrate monopoiesis. However, the respective roles of CSF‐1‐ and IL‐34‐derived macrophages are still poorly understood. To delineate the contribution of these macrophage populations to amphibian immunity against the RV FV3, we identified the Xenopus laevis IL‐34 and transcriptionally and functionally compared this cytokine with the previously identified X. laevis CSF‐1. The X. laevis CSF‐1 and IL‐34 displayed strikingly nonoverlapping developmental and tissue‐specific gene‐expression patterns. Furthermore, only CSF‐1 but not IL‐34 was up‐regulated in the kidneys of FV3‐challenged tadpoles. Intriguingly, recombinant forms of these cytokines (rXlCSF‐1, rXlIL‐34) elicited morphologically distinct tadpole macrophages, and whereas rXlCSF‐1 pretreatment decreased the survival of FV3‐infected tadpoles, rXlIL‐34 administration significantly prolonged FV3‐challenged animal survival. Compared with rXlIL‐34‐elicited macrophages, macrophages derived by rXlCSF‐1 were more phagocytic but also significantly more susceptible to in vitro FV3 infections. By contrast, rXlIL‐34‐derived macrophages exhibited significantly greater in vitro antiranaviral activity and displayed substantially more robust gene expression of the NADPH oxidase components (p67phox, gp91phox) and type I IFN. Moreover, FV3‐challenged, rXlIL‐34‐derived macrophages exhibited several orders of magnitude greater up‐regulation of the type I IFN gene expression. This marks the first report of the disparate roles of CSF‐1 and IL‐34 in vertebrate antiviral immunity.
Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home: And Other Unexplained Powers of Animals

Does your pet know what you're thinking? Rupert Sheldrake thinks so. As do animal communicators they always say that they "talk" to animals by forming pictures in their head, which the animals can "read" and respond to in a similar manner. It may sound a bit out there, but just think about how cats disappear completely on the day they're supposed to be going to the vet, even though you apparently did nothing to give it away (like take out the carrier). But the thought was probably in your head. I think it's possible for all of us to talk to our pets this way; we just need to take the time to learn how.
Using Data Mining to Explore Why Community College Transfer Students Earn Bachelor’s Degrees With Excess Credits

Community college transfer students encounter challenges progressing toward a bachelor’s degree, leading to widespread transfer credit loss. This in turn may lower students’ chances of credential completion and increase the time and costs for students, their families, and taxpayers. In this study we review three definitions of credit transfer inefficiency—credit transferability, credit applicability, and excess credits among completers—focusing on the last to examine why students who start at a community college and transfer to a four-year institution so often end up with excess credits that do not count toward a bachelor’s degree. To shed light on credit transfer inefficiency, we examine the course-taking behaviors of community college transfer students who earn bachelor’s degrees with numerous excess credits compared with transfer students who earn bachelor’s degrees with few excess credits. We employ data-mining techniques to analyze student transcripts from two state systems, enabling us to examine a large number of variables that could explain the variation in students’ excess credits at graduation. These variables include not only student demographics but also the types and timing of courses taken. Overall, we find more excess credits associated with several factors, including taking larger proportions of 100and 200-level courses and smaller proportions of 300-level courses throughout students’ progression toward completion, and taking 100-level courses in any subject—and specifically 100-level math courses— immediately after transferring to a four-year institution. Findings suggest that institutions could help students reduce credit transfer inefficiency by encouraging them to explore and choose a bachelor’s degree major early on so they can take the required lower division (100and 200-level) courses at the community college, thereby enabling them to take mostly upper division 300and 400-level courses in their desired major field once they transfer to a four-year institution.
A randomized controlled trial of duloxetine in diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain

Background: Serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) are involved in pain modulation via descending inhibitory pathways in the brain and spinal cord. Objective: To assess the efficacy of duloxetine, a dual reuptake inhibitor of 5-HT and NE, on the reduction of pain severity, as well as secondary outcome measures in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP). Methods: In this double-blind study, patients with DPNP and without comorbid depression were randomly assigned to treatment with duloxetine 60 mg once daily (QD), duloxetine 60 mg twice daily (BID), or placebo for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure was the weekly mean score of 24-hour average pain severity on the 11-point Likert scale. Secondary measures and health outcome measures were also assessed. Results: Duloxetine 60 mg QD and 60 mg BID demonstrated improvement in the management of DPNP and showed rapid onset of action, with separation from placebo beginning at week 1 on the 24-hour average pain severity score. For all secondary measures for pain (except allodynia), mean changes showed an advantage of duloxetine over placebo, with no significant difference between 60 mg QD and 60 mg BID. Clinical Global Impression of Severity and Patient’s Global Impression of Improvement evaluation demonstrated greater improvement on duloxetine- vs placebo-treated patients. Duloxetine showed no notable interference on diabetic controls, and both doses were safely administered. Conclusions: This study confirms previous findings that duloxetine at 60 mg QD and 60 mg BID is effective and safe in the management of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain.
Uric Acid's Relationship with Stroke and Parkinson's Disease: A Review Could uric acid levels be modulated to help prevent or manage neurologic diseases? Here's what recent data show. EXPERTOPINION

n recent years, much attention has been paid to the role of uric acid in disease modification. It has been hypothesized that uric acid reduces oxidative stress on neurons. This may have a significant bearing on therapeutic management of disease, as many neurological disorders are believed to result from oxidative stress. As a potentially modifiable risk factor, the prospect for uric acid and its derivatives to play a role in disease modification or prevention has great potential. Uric acid is primarily produced as an end product of purine metabolism. Dietary purine intake accounts for a smaller percentage of the body’s total uric acid production; however, it is more commonly formed from de novo synthesis or degradation of nucleic acids. Its chemical composition consists of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen with the formula C5H4N4O3. Uric acid is excreted in the urine. Stroke and Parkinson’s Disease (PD) are two disorders that carry a correlation with uric acid. This review is designed to help clarify the relationship, if any, that exists between uric acid and these two extremely widespread disorders.
Bacteriocin production by Clostridium acetobutylicum in an industrial fermentation process

High titers of a noninducible bacteriocin were produced by Clostridium acetobutylicum in a molasses fermentation medium used for the industrial production of solvents. Release of the bacteriocin towards the end of the exponential growth phase was accompanied by lysis of the culture and inhibition of the production of solvents. The producer cells were sensitive to the bacteriocin, which only affected other C. acetobutylicum strains and a Clostridium felsineum strain. The thermolabile bacteriocin was not inactivated by protease enzymes and had no optimum stability between pH 4 and 5. The sedimentation coefficient of the bacteriocin was 6S.
Reducing injection pain in children and adolescents with diabetes: a review of indwelling catheters

Abstract: Most children and adolescents find the pain when injecting insulin quite minimal but still significantly more painful than a placebo injection. However, injection pain and needle phobia are major problems for a small number of patients, even after many years of diabetes. Needle diameter is of less importance for the experienced pain. The use of indwelling catheters (Insuflon®, Unomedical, Lynge, Denmark) for introducing insulin injections at the onset of diabetes results in an evident relief of preinjection anxiety, injection problems, and the procedural pain of repeated injections. The average indwelling time is 3–5 d. Fixation problems and local redness at the insertion site are the most frequent side effects. However, the frequency is low and they can be dealt with effectively. Needles of 8–10 mm should be used for injecting to avoid penetration of the tubing of the catheter. Using indwelling catheters for up to 4–5 d does not affect the absorption of insulin, when the catheter is inserted in an area free from lipohypertrophies. The long‐term (measured by hemoglobin A1c) and short‐term metabolic control (measured by blood glucose profiles and serum‐free insulin) is not altered.