Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Monthly Cyclicality in Retail Investors' Liquidity and Lottery-Type Stocks at the Turn of the Month

The well-documented under performance of lottery stocks masks a within-month cyclical pattern. Demand for lottery stocks increases at the turn of the month especially in areas whose demographic profile resembles that of the typical lottery-ticket buyers (i.e., gamblers) driving their prices higher at the turn of the month. This effect is particularly pronounced among firms located in areas whose demographic profile resembles that of the typical lottery-ticket buyer and propelled by the within-month cyclicality of local investors’ personal liquidity positions. A long-short investment strategy based on this cyclical pattern of lottery stocks performance yields gross abnormal returns of about 15% per year.
Effect of zoledronic acid therapy on postmenopausal osteoporosis between the Uighur and Han population in Xinjiang: An open‐label, long‐term safety and efficacy study

Postmenopausal osteoporosis is becoming an urgent health problem in China. A once‐yearly infusion of zoledronic acid can be very effective for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis in significantly reducing the risk of hip, vertebral and other fractures. This study aimed to investigate zoledronic acid treatment on postmenopausal osteoporosis in Uighur and Han patients in Xinjiang province, China.
Multiple Triclosan Targets in Trypanosoma brucei

ABSTRACT Trypanosoma brucei genes encoding putative fatty acid synthesis enzymes are homologous to those encoding type II enzymes found in bacteria and organelles such as chloroplasts and mitochondria. It was therefore not surprising that triclosan, an inhibitor of type II enoyl-acyl carrier protein (enoyl-ACP) reductase, killed both procyclic forms and bloodstream forms of T. brucei in culture with 50% effective concentrations (EC50s) of 10 and 13 μM, respectively. Triclosan also inhibited cell-free fatty acid synthesis, though much higher concentrations were required (EC50s of 100 to 200 μM). Unexpectedly, 100 μM triclosan did not affect the elongation of [3H]laurate (C12:0) to myristate (C14:0) in cultured bloodstream form parasites, suggesting that triclosan killing of trypanosomes may not be through specific inhibition of enoyl-ACP reductase but through some other mechanism. Interestingly, 100 μM triclosan did reduce the level of incorporation of [3H]myristate into glycosyl phosphatidylinositol species (GPIs). Furthermore, we found that triclosan inhibited fatty acid remodeling in a cell-free assay in the same concentration range required for killing T. brucei in culture. In addition, we found that a similar concentration of triclosan also inhibited the myristate exchange pathway, which resides in a distinct subcellular compartment. However, GPI myristoylation and myristate exchange are specific to the bloodstream form parasite, yet triclosan kills both the bloodstream and procyclic forms. Therefore, triclosan killing may be due to a nonspecific perturbation of subcellular membrane structure leading to dysfunction in sensitive membrane-resident biochemical pathways.
Full-field ERG, multifocal ERG and multifocal VEP in patients with retinitis pigmentosa and residual central visual fields.

PURPOSE To evaluate (with three different electrophysiological methods) the residual retinal function in a selected group of patients with retinitis pigmentosa and remaining small central visual fields. METHODS Fourteen patients from several different genetic subgroups, who had been followed with visual acuity and visual field testing for periods up to 32 years, were examined. Ophthalmological examination included full-field electroretinography (ERG), multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) and multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP). RESULTS The ERGs were severely reduced in all patients. The mfERGs demonstrated the residual central retinal function in five of the patients. The mfVEPs showed measurable amplitudes centrally in most of the patients. The follow-up examinations demonstrated the slowly progressive course of the disease with preservation or only slight further loss of visual fields over a period of 7-32 years. CONCLUSION Patients with retinitis pigmentosa may not always follow the typical natural course with progressive loss of visual fields, which may in some patients remain unaffected over several decades. Multifocal ERG and mfVEP may be clinically useful for evaluating remaining visual function in these patients.
The Association Between Use of Electronic Media in Bed Before Going to Sleep and Insomnia Symptoms, Daytime Sleepiness, Morningness, and Chronotype

This study investigated whether the use of a television, computer, gaming console, tablet, mobile phone, or audio player in bed before going to sleep was associated with insomnia, daytime sleepiness, morningness, or chronotype. 532 students aged 18–39 were recruited from lectures or via e-mail. Respondents reported the frequency and average duration of their in-bed media use, as well as insomnia symptoms, daytime sleepiness, morningness-eveningness preference and bedtime/rise time on days off. Mean time of media use per night was 46.6 minutes. The results showed that computer usage for playing/surfing/reading was positively associated with insomnia, and negatively associated with morningness. Mobile phone usage for playing/surfing/texting was positively associated with insomnia and chronotype, and negatively associated with morningness. None of the other media devices were related to either of these variables, and no type of media use was related to daytime sleepiness.
Emergence of oligodendrocytes from human neural spheres

To study the development of human oligodendrocyte precursors (OP), we expanded human embryonic brain‐derived neural precursors into spheres with basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2). Over 90% of the cells in the expanded spheres were precursors coexpressing nestin and the polysialylated (PSA) form of NCAM. The remaining cells were mostly astrocytes and neuronal cells located at the periphery of the floating spheres. When spheres were allowed to adhere on fibronectin‐coated substrate in the absence of FGF2, neural precursors migrated in the outgrowth and often formed chains of cells expressing high levels of PSA‐NCAM. Many migrating cells also expressed beta‐3 tubulin while only scattered elongated cells radiating from the spheres were GFAP+ astrocytes. Spindle‐shaped cells not associated with the chains were labeled for the PDGF‐alpha receptor and often coexpressed MAP2 neuronal isoforms. Neuronal cells in the outgrowth rapidly established a rich neuritic network where OP expressing O4 and DM20/proteolipid antigens appeared. T3 treatment of neural spheres increased the rate of OP formation and the complexity of their shape. Thus, the generation of human oligodendrocytes from neural precursors is tightly correlated with growth of neuronal processes and enhanced by hormonal signals. J. Neurosci. Res. 50:146–156, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Lightweight format-compliant encryption algorithm for JPEG 2000 images

The increasing usage of personal multimedia devices such as mobiles phones, smart glasses, etc. has pointed out the need for securing the captured/exchanged images content. Nevertheless, because of the limited resources of these novel platforms on one hand and the voluminous nature of multimedia content on the other hand, preserving multimedia content security remains a research challenge. In this paper, we tackle this issue by presenting a fast format-compliant selective encryption algorithm for JPEG 2000 images. It is based on selectively choosing data from the JPEG 2000 code-stream in a uniformly dynamic-key dependent manner to apply the proposed encryption algorithm. The encryption algorithm consists of two rounds of substitution-diffusion processes, based on a dynamic key, that is changed for every input image. Extensive security analysis has been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. The obtained results have demonstrated the robustness of our algorithm against the most known types of attacks and have shown a significant improvement in term of execution time reduction compared to a similar existing JPEG 2000 images encryption scheme.
Arteriovenous brain malformations: is functional MR imaging reliable for studying language reorganization in patients? Initial observations.

PURPOSE To determine whether the blood flow abnormalities frequently associated with arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) can alter functional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging evaluation of language lateralization and whether reorganization of language function occurs in patients with brain AVMs. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eleven patients with left-hemisphere brain AVMs and 10 age-matched control subjects were examined with 1.5-T blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) functional MR imaging. Verbal fluency, sentence repetition, and story listening tasks were performed. The functional MR imaging laterality index in the frontal and temporal lobes was defined as the (L - R)/(L + R) ratio, where L and R are the numbers of activated pixels in the left and right hemispheres, respectively. Statistical analyses were performed with Wilcoxon signed rank, Fisher exact, and Kruskal-Wallis tests. RESULTS Control subjects had left-sided language dominance, although symmetric pixel counts were observed in the frontal lobes in two subjects and in the temporal lobes in one subject. Six patients had left-sided language dominance similar to that observed in control subjects. Five of these patients had AVMs outside frontal or temporal language areas, without flow abnormalities. Five patients had abnormally right-sided asymmetric indexes (below mean control subject value - 2 SDs), which suggested language reorganization (P <.05). Results of Wada examination and/or postembolization functional MR imaging performed in two of these patients showed that the abnormal laterality indexes were at least partly due to severe flow abnormalities that impaired detection of BOLD MR imaging signal intensity. CONCLUSION These data suggest that flow abnormalities may interfere with language lateralization assessment with functional MR imaging.
Gender Linked Fate, Race/Ethnicity, and the Marriage Gap in American Politics

In this study, we explore the predictors of gender linked fate with a focus on marital status for different racial/ethnic groups. We argue that marriage alters women’s perceptions of self-interest by institutionalizing their partnerships with men and consequently leading women to feel less connected to other women. We assess our hypothesis using the 2012 American National Election Study. While we find that married white women and Latinas have significantly lower levels of linked fate than unmarried women of the same race/ethnicity, we find no such relationship for black women. We then explore the implications of these findings by examining the role of gender linked fate in explaining political differences among married and unmarried women using mediation analysis. Ultimately, we find that differences in perceptions of linked fate explain a significant amount of the variation in political ideology and partisanship for white and Latina women.
Do You Have “Connections” at the Courthouse? An Original Survey on Informal Influence and Judicial Rulings in Morocco

Under what conditions do citizens of developing countries view judges as neutral and fair or biased and arbitrary? This study addresses this topic through an original, nationally representative survey from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Conducted in Morocco, the survey is the first of its kind to gauge attitudes about how a citizen’s informal influence facilities getting favorable rulings from judges. It finds that 82 percent of respondents believe that citizens with “connections”—known as wasta in Arabic—get favorable rulings. Yet some citizens more strongly value informal influence, especially rural individuals, women, and ethnic minorities. The survey shows that believing in informal influence considerably lowers citizen trust in the authoritarian regime’s courts and institutions, which some scholars consider an asset for democratization. However, because the citizens most likely to value informal influence are marginalized or embedded in regime clientelism, their low trust may not easily translate into strong advocacy for democracy. Meanwhile, the citizens most able to advocate for democratization—the Francophone petite bourgeoisie—disproportionately deny the importance of informal influence in regime institutions.
[Amic solution hydrolysis for improving content of astragaloside IV in extract of Radix Astragali].

OBJECTIVE To optimize amic solution hydrolysis technique for improving the content of astragaloside IV in extract of Radix Astragali. METHOD Orthogonal design was adopted to investigate the main factors that influenced hydrolysis. Choosing the content of astragaloside IV as inspecting index which determined by HPLC, total saponins was purified with the macro-reticular resine, and contents of saponins before and after hydrolysis were determined by colorimetry at 544 nm. RESULT The ratio of amic solution to herb medicine was most notable in the four inspected factors. The optimal technique of hydrolysis was that the ratio was 1:5, concentration of amic solution was 2%, and the time of regurgitant extraction at 90 degrees C was two hours. The content of astragaloside IV was notably higher than before by hydrolysis. Difference wasnt significant between the content of saponins before and after hydrolysis by colorimetry. CONCLUSION Content of astragaloside IV was obviously higher than that before hydrolysis,but the content of total saponins was not changed before and after hydrolysis. The results showed that the other saponins can be transformed into astragaloside IV by hydrolysis. This method was valuable, which provided basis on its industrialization.
The Switch in the Helical Handedness of the Histone (H3-H4)2 Tetramer within a Nucleoprotein Particle Requires a Reorientation of the H3-H3 Interface*

It has recently been proposed that the histone (H3-H4)2 tetramer undergoes structural changes, which allow the particle to accommodate both negatively and positively constrained DNA. To investigate this process, we modified histone H3 at the H3-H3 interface, within the histone (H2A-H2B-H3-H4)2octamer or the histone (H3-H4)2 tetramer, by forming adducts on the single cysteine of duck histone H3. We used three sulfhydryl reagents, iodoacetamide, N-ethylmaleimide, and 5,5′-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid). Torsionally constrained DNA was assembled on the modified histones. The H3 adducts, which have no effect on the structure of the nucleosome, dramatically affected the structural transitions that the (H3-H4)2 tetrameric nucleoprotein particle can undergo. Iodoacetamide andN-ethylmaleimide treatment prevented the assembly of positively constrained DNA on the tetrameric particle, whereas 5,5′-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) treatment strongly favored it. Determination of DNA topoisomer equilibrium after relaxation of the tetrameric nucleoprotein particles with topoisomerase I demonstrated that the structural transition occurs without histone dissociation. Incorporation of H2A-H2B dimers into the tetrameric particle containing modified or unmodified cysteines allowed nucleosomes to reform and blocked the structural transition of the particle. We demonstrate the importance of the histone H3-H3 contact region in the conformational changes of the histone tetramer nucleoprotein particle and the role of H2A-H2B in preventing a structural transition of the nucleosome.
Preferences, Nominal Rigidities, and Monetary Policy

This thesis takes an alternative view on preferences and nominal rigidities and studies their implications for monetary policy. While the alternative view on preferences provides rationales for long-run effects of monetary policy and endogenous price stickiness, the alternative view on nominal rigidities challenges the time-dependent pricing paradigm and questions the high degree of nominal inertia estimated from quarterly data. The thesis shows that each of these alternative views has far reaching implications for the conduct of monetary policy analysis.
Epidermal Growth Factor Plays a Crucial Role in Mitogenic Regulation of Human Brain Tumor Stem Cells*

A cancer stem cell population in malignant brain tumors takes an essential part in brain tumor initiation, growth, and recurrence. Growth factors, such as epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor-2, vascular endothelial growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, and hepatocyte growth factor, are shown to support the proliferation of neural stem cells and also may play key roles in gliomagenesis. However, the responsible growth factor(s), which controls maintenance of brain tumor stem cells, is not yet uncovered. We have established three cancer stem cell lines from human gliomas. These cells were immunoreactive with the neuronal progenitor markers, nestin and CD133, and established tumors that closely resembled the features of original tumor upon transplantation into mouse brain. Three cell lines retained their self-renewal ability and proliferation only in the presence of epidermal growth factor (>2.5 ng/ml). In sharp contrast, other growth factors, including fibroblast growth factor-2, failed to support maintenance of these cells. The tyrosine kinase inhibitors of epidermal growth factor signaling (AG1478 and gefitinib) suppressed the proliferation and self-renewal of these cells. Gefitinib inhibited phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor as well as Akt kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that epidermal growth factor concentration-dependently increased the population of CD133-positive cells. Gefitinib significantly reduced CD133-positive fractions and also induced their apoptosis. These results indicate that maintenance of human brain tumor stem cells absolutely requires epidermal growth factor and that tyrosine kinase inhibitors of epidermal growth factor signaling potentially inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of these cells.
Dobutamine-induced T wave positivization after uncomplicated myocardial infarction: a marker of myocardial viability and higher cardiac risk.

BACKGROUND There is evidence that after uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction, T wave positivization during stress testing may unveil myocardial viability. We evaluated in a prospective study the clinical value of T wave positivization during dobutamine stress echocardiography in patients with recent, first uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction. METHODS Two hundred twenty-nine patients, who underwent dobutamine stress echocardiography within 10 days of uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction, were selected for exhibiting negative T waves in the infarct area. A mean follow-up of 2.1 +/- 1 years (up to 6 years) was obtained. RESULTS T wave positivization appeared during dobutamine test in 76 (33%) patients. The agreement of T wave positivization for myocardial viability was 65% (95% confidence interval 59-71). Compared to myocardial viability during dobutamine stress echocardiography, the combination with T wave positivization was more sensitive (55 vs 24%, 95% confidence interval 46-64 vs 17-33) for predicting cardiac events, albeit less specific. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed 47 (62%) cardiac events in patients with T wave positivization and 70 (46%) cardiac events in the remaining patients (p < 0.05). Soft (n = 91) prevailed over hard (n = 26) cardiac events. CONCLUSIONS T wave positivization during dobutamine stress echocardiography after uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction identifies patients at higher cardiac risk, and is more sensitive, albeit less specific, for cardiac events than viability alone. T wave positivization is helpful in the case of inconclusive stress echocardiography. The pathophysiology of T wave positivization and its relative value among other variables warrant further analysis.
Young's modulus of sections of living branches and tree trunks.

Young's modulus along the grain (elasticity, E) was measured on 10 sections of branches and three tree trunks, with bark, of Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr. , Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud. , Larix decidua Mill. and Betula pendula Roth. syn. verrucosa Ehrh. The sections were simply supported and corrections were made for taper and deflection due to shear. The E values for trunks were at the lower end of the range reported for green timber (2.4-7.5 GPa), and those for branches were still lower (0.7-4.6 GPa). Values of E for branches decreased with decrease in specific gravity, which corresponded with an increase in percentage water content. When E values were calculated using underbark diameters they fell more closely within the range reported for green timber.
The role of extracellular DNA in the establishment, maintenance and perpetuation of bacterial biofilms

Abstract The significance of extracellular DNA (eDNA) in biofilms was overlooked until researchers added DNAse to a Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm and watched the biofilm disappear. Now, a decade later, the widespread importance of eDNA in biofilm formation is undisputed, but detailed knowledge about how it promotes biofilm formation and conveys antimicrobial resistance is only just starting to emerge. In this review, we discuss how eDNA is produced, how it aids bacterial adhesion, secures the structural stability of biofilms and contributes to antimicrobial resistance. The appearance of eDNA in biofilms is no accident: It is produced by active secretion or controlled cell lysis – sometimes linked to competence development. eDNA adsorbs to and extends from the cell surface, promoting adhesion to abiotic surfaces through acid–base interactions. In the biofilm, is it less clear how eDNA interacts with cells and matrix components. A few eDNA-binding biomolecules have been identified, revealing new concepts in biofilm formation. Being anionic, eDNA chelates cations and restricts diffusion of cationic antimicrobials. Furthermore, chelation of Mg2+ triggers a genetic response that further increases resistance. The multifaceted role of eDNA makes it an attractive target to sensitize biofilms to conventional antimicrobial treatment or development of new strategies to combat biofilms.
α‐Terpineol Reduces Mechanical Hypernociception and Inflammatory Response

α‐Terpineol (TPN), a volatile monoterpene alcohol, is relatively non‐toxic and one of the major components of the essential oils of various plant species. In this study, we tested for the antihypernociceptive activity of TPN (25, 50 or 100 mg/kg, i.p.) in mice using mechanical models of hypernociception induced by carrageenan (CG, 300 μg/paw) and the involvement of important mediators of its cascade signalling, such as tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α, 100 pg/paw), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2, 100 ng/paw) or dopamine (DA, 30 μg/paw). We also investigated the anti‐inflammatory effect of TPN on the model of carrageenan‐induced pleurisy and the LPS‐induced nitrite production in murine macrophages. Pre‐systemic treatment with TPN (25, 50 or 100 mg/kg, i.p.) inhibited the development of mechanical hypernociception induced by CG or TNF‐α. A similar effect was also observed upon PGE2 and DA administration. In addition, TPN significantly inhibited the neutrophil influx in the pleurisy model. TPN (1, 10 and 100 μg/mL) also significantly reduced (p < 0.01) nitrite production in vitro. Our results provide information about the antinociceptive and anti‐inflammatory properties of TPN on mechanical hypernociception and suggest that this compound might be potentially interesting in the development of new clinically relevant drugs for the management of painful and/or inflammatory disease.