Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Commodity Price Uncertainty Comovement: Does It Matter for Global Economic Growth?

Global economic activity is surrounded by increasing uncertainties from various sources. In this paper, we focus on commodity prices and estimate a global commodity uncertainty factor by capturing comovement in volatilities of major agricultural, metals and energy commodity markets through a group-specific Dynamic Factor Model. Then, by computing impulse response functions estimated using a small-scale Structural VAR model, we find that an increase in the common commodity price uncertainty results in a substantial and persistent drop in investment and trade, for a set of emerging and advanced economies. We also show that a global commodity uncertainty shock is more detrimental for shortand long-term economic growth than usual financial and economic policy uncertainty shocks. Last, our methodology turns out to be an efficient way to disentangle "good" and "bad" macroeconomic effects of oil price uncertainty: when an oil price uncertainty shock is common to all commodities, then the macroeconomic effect is likely to be negative, similar to a global demand shock. However, when the uncertainty shock is only specific to the oil market, the short-run effect tends to be positive.
Reduced Expression of PD-1 in Circulating CD4+ and CD8+ Tregs Is an Early Feature of RRMS

Altered regulatory T cell (Treg) function could contribute to MS. The expression of activating and inhibitory receptors influences the activity of Tregs. Our aim was to investigate T cell phenotypes in relapsing–remitting MS (RRMS) patients at an early phase of the disease. We examined the influence of demographic parameters on the distribution of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subclasses by generalized linear modeling. We also studied the expression of the following markers—CTLA-4, GITR, PD-1, FoxP3, Helios, CD28, CD62L, CD103—on T cell subsets from peripheral blood with a 14-color flow cytometry panel. We used an antibody array to define the profiles of 34 Th1/Th2/Th17 cytokines in the serum. Expression of PD-1 and GITR on CD4+ and CD8+ Tregs was decreased in RRMS patients. The proinflammatory factors IFN-γ, IL-17, IL-17F, TGFβ-1, TGFβ-3, IL-1SRII, IL-12 p40, sgp130, IL-6sR were significantly increased in RRMS patients. Therefore, a deficiency of PD-1 and GITR immune checkpoints on CD4+ and CD8+ Tregs is a feature of RRMS and might underlie impaired T cell control.
Antecedents and Impacts of Enterprise Resource Planning System Adoption among Jordanian SMEs

Businesses need accounting information to support their decision-making. In this regard, the extensive use of Information Technology (IT) has enhanced the effectiveness and efficiency of accounting functions that support accounting-related information. Specifically, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system ensures reporting accuracy, large amounts of transaction processing, and the generation of reports for analysis. Regardless of the numerous benefits that an ERP system provides, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have yet to catch up with their system usage. Hence, this study draws upon the technology-organisation-environment (TOE) framework to propose an integrated model that includes diffusion of innovation (DOI), institutional factors, and TOE to examine ERP adoption antecedents in the context of SMEs in Jordan. A mixed method is applied in this work, and it uses a self-administered questionnaire survey as the main data collection instrument along with interviews. Quantitative data are obtained from 102 respondents through the questionnaire, after which the research model is validated using SMEs in Jordan. The survey results show that relative advantage, top management support, organisational readiness, training, competitive pressure, government support compatibility, and service provider support significantly influence ERP adoption among the SMEs. The findings are expected to shed light on the way SMEs can enhance their ERP adoption for optimum performance, as well as extend the literature dedicated to the antecedents of information system, IT adoption, and their impact.
The Effectiveness of the Technopark Program in Efforts to Prepare Start-Up Business

One of the government's commitments to improve the quality of the workforce in Indonesia is to develop vocational education and training through the technopark program. The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of the technopark program at SMK Negeri 3 Malang.The research method uses a qualitative approach with indicators: efford, cost efficiency, result and impact. Data analysis using the Miles and Huberman model includes: reduction, display and verification. The results of this study revealed that the implementation of the technopark program at SMK Negeri 3 Malang was quite successful in increasing the number of entrepreneurs.
The Role of Social Networks in the Development of Skills of Professional Communication: An Empirical Study

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of social networks in the formation of professional communication skills. With this aim in view, a number of training approaches initially used in class were adapted to the online format and re-oriented towards developing professional communication skills using social networks. The specially created training course focused on developing professional communication skills included the following tasks: come up with a meme on a given topic, invent a short story, create antinomies, make up compliments, create an online event on social network and count how many people from the group are interested in it. These tasks’ fulfillment was proved to facilitate professional communication skills among students, which testifies to their validity and effectiveness. Consequently, they can be suggested for inclusion in educational institutions’ academic programs to raise their students’ communicative competence.
Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Small Extracellular Vesicles Ameliorated Insulin Resistance in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Rats

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicle (hUC-MSCs-sEVs) therapy has shown promising results to treat diabetes mellitus in preclinical studies. However, the dosage of MSCs-sEVs in animal studies, up to 10 mg/kg, was considered high and may be impractical for future clinical application. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of low-dose hUC-MSCs-sEVs treatment on human skeletal muscle cells (HSkMCs) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rats. Treatment with hUC-MSCs-sEVs up to 100 μg/mL for 48 h showed no significant cytotoxicity. Interestingly, 20 μg/mL of hUC-MSCs-sEVs-treated HSkMCs increased glucose uptake by 80–90% compared to untreated cells. The hUC-MSCs-sEVs treatment at 1 mg/kg improved glucose tolerance in T2DM rats and showed a protective effect on complete blood count. Moreover, an improvement in serum HbA1c was observed in diabetic rats treated with 0.5 and 1 mg/kg of hUC-MSCs-sEVs, and hUC-MSCs. The biochemical tests of hUC-MSCs-sEVs treatment groups showed no significant creatinine changes, elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels compared to the normal group. Histological analysis revealed that hUC-MSCs-sEVs relieved the structural damage to the pancreas, kidney and liver. The findings suggest that hUC-MSCs-sEVs could ameliorate insulin resistance and exert protective effects on T2DM rats. Therefore, hUC-MSCs-sEVs could serve as a potential therapy for diabetes mellitus.
Molecular, Viral and Clinical Features of Alcohol- and Non-Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury

Hepatic cells are sensitive to internal and external signals. Ethanol is one of the oldest and most widely used drugs in the world. The focus on the mechanistic engine of the alcohol-induced injury has been in the liver, which is responsible for the pathways of alcohol metabolism. Ethanol undergoes a phase I type of reaction, mainly catalyzed by the cytoplasmic enzyme, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and by the microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system (MEOS). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by cytochrome (CYP) 2E1 activity and MEOS contribute to ethanol-induced toxicity. We aimed to: (1) Describe the cellular, pathophysiological and clinical effects of alcohol misuse on the liver; (2) Select the biomarkers and analytical methods utilized by the clinical laboratory to assess alcohol exposure; (3) Provide therapeutic ideas to prevent/reduce alcohol-induced liver injury; (4) Provide up-to-date knowledge regarding the Corona virus and its affect on the liver; (5) Link rare diseases with alcohol consumption. The current review contributes to risk identification of patients with alcoholic, as well as non-alcoholic, liver disease and metabolic syndrome. Additional prevalence of ethnic, genetic, and viral vulnerabilities are presented.
Relationship between loss of echogenicity and cavitation emissions from echogenic liposomes insonified by spectral Doppler ultrasound

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States and worldwide. Echogenic liposomes (ELIP) are theragonistic ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) being developed for the early detection and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Stability of the echogenicity of ELIP in physiologic conditions is crucial to their successful translation to clinical use. The stability of ELIP echogenicity was determined in vitro under physiologic conditions of total dissolved gas concentration, temperature, and hydrodynamic pressure in porcine plasma and whole blood. Ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) have the potential to nucleate cavitation and promote both beneficial and deleterious bioeffects in vivo. Previous studies have elucidated the pressure amplitude threshold for rapid loss of echogenicity due to UCA fragmentation as a function of pulse duration and pulse repetition frequency (PRF). Previous studies have also demonstrated that UCA fragmentation was concomitant with inertial cavitation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between stable and inertial cavitation thresholds and loss of echogenicity of ELIP as a function of pulse duration and pulse repetition frequency. Determining the relationship between cavitation thresholds and loss of echogenicity of ELIP would enable monitoring of cavitation based upon the on-screen echogenicity in clinical applications. ELIP were insonified by a clinical ultrasound scanner in duplex spectral Doppler mode at four pulse durations and four PRFs in a static fluid and in a flow system. Cavitation emissions from the UCAs insonified by Doppler pulses were recorded using a single-element passive cavitation detection (PCD) system and a passive cavitation
Molecular Characterisation of Flavanone O-methylation in Eucalyptus

Flavonoids are ubiquitous polyphenolic compounds in plants, long recognised for their health-promoting properties in humans. Methylated flavonoids have received increasing attention due to the potential of methylation to enhance medicinal efficacy. Recently, Eucalyptus species with high levels of the O-methylated flavanone pinostrobin have been identified. Pinostrobin has potential commercial value due to its numerous pharmacological and functional food benefits. Little is known about the identity or mode of action of the enzymes involved in methylating flavanones. This study aimed to identify and characterise the methyltransferase(s) involved in the regiospecific methylation of pinostrobin in Eucalyptus and thereby add to our limited understanding of flavanone biosynthesis in plants. RNA-seq analysis of leaf tips enabled the isolation of a gene encoding a flavanone 7-O-methyltransferase (EnOMT1) in Eucalyptus. Biochemical characterisation of its in vitro activity revealed a range of substrates upon which EnOMT1 acts in a regiospecific manner. Comparison to a homologous sequence from a Eucalyptus species lacking O-methylated flavonoids identified critical catalytic amino acid residues within EnOMT1 responsible for its activity. This detailed molecular characterisation identified a methyltransferase responsible for chemical ornamentation of the core flavanone structure of pinocembrin and helps shed light on the mechanism of flavanone biosynthesis in Eucalyptus.
A binder‐free bivalent manganese oxide cathode elective structure with high activity in aqueous zinc ion batteries

Manganese‐based oxides are being actively studied as cathode materials for rechargeable aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) because of their high capacity, cost‐effectiveness, safety, and eco‐friendliness. Herein, we propose a binder‐free electrode of bivalent manganese oxide with the chemical composition of Mn5O8 deposited on stainless steel as a cathode of AZIBs. Mn5O8 nanoparticles with a layered structure, which provide a facile pathway for Zn2+ ion transport and diffusion, were directly deposited on a three‐dimensional stainless steel mesh via a hydrothermal method using different temperatures. The structures of the active materials in the cathode were characterized by X‐ray diffraction, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and field‐emission scanning electron microscopy. The Mn5O8 cathode materials exhibited a high specific capacity of 254.98 mAh g−1, and simultaneously demonstrated satisfactory reversible charge/discharge and high rate performance. The Zn2+ insertion/extraction behaviors were studied in detail by cyclic voltammetry. In addition, factors that influence the electrochemical performance of the cathode, such as the phase structure and particle size of manganese dioxide, are discussed. Smaller and homogeneous Mn5O8 particles provide a large interface area and facilitate more zinc ions for diffusion, leading to improved ionic current and specific capacity.
An evaluation of the German teacher version of the Developmental Behaviour Checklist in children and adolescents with intellectual disability

ABSTRACT Background The Developmental Behaviour Checklist (DBC) is an established, internationally used questionnaire for assessing behavioural and emotional problems among young people with developmental or intellectual disabilities (ID). The present study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of its German teacher version (DBC-T). Method The German DBC-T was administered to 397 school staff members who reported twice on 1177 children and adolescents with ID over a period of 7–9 months. Data were analysed within an exploratory structural equation modelling framework. Results Our results supported the five-factor structure of the DBC-T and found good reliability for all scales. Analyses on the relationship of DBC-T scores with students’ age, gender, and adaptive behaviour provided further evidence for the validity of the DBC-T. Conclusions Our study endorses the notion that the German DBC-T is an important instrument both for research and practice. Limitations and further directions are discussed.
Shine Bright Like a Diamond: When Signaling Creates Glass Cliffs for Female Executives

There is mixed support for the glass cliff hypothesis that firms will more likely appoint female candidates into top management positions when in crisis. We trace the inconsistent findings back to an underdeveloped theoretical link and deficient identification strategies. Using signaling theory, we suggest that crisis firms appoint female top managers to signal change to the market and argue that the effect is context-dependent. In a field study of 26,156 executive appointments in U.S. firms between 2000 and 2016, we exploit a regression discontinuity to test for the causal impact of firm crisis status on the likelihood of female top management appointments and for moderators of the effect. We find that crisis status leads to a significant increase in female top management appointments and that crisis (vs. noncrisis) firms are more likely to frame female appointments as change-related in press releases. Importantly, the presence of the glass cliff effect hinges on attributes of the signaler (absence of another female executive), signal (appointment type), and receiver (investor attention). The findings robustly evidence the glass cliff and our theoretical extensions.
Risk budgeting portfolios from simulations

Risk budgeting is a portfolio strategy where each asset contributes a prespecified amount to the aggregate risk of the portfolio. In this work, we propose an efficient numerical framework that uses only simulations of returns for estimating risk budgeting portfolios. Besides a general cutting planes algorithm for determining the weights of risk budgeting portfolios for arbitrary coherent distortion risk measures, we provide a specialised version for the Expected Shortfall, and a tailored Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD) algorithm, also for the Expected Shortfall. We compare our algorithm to standard convex optimisation solvers and illustrate different risk budgeting portfolios, constructed using an especially designed Julia package, on real financial data and compare it to classical portfolio strategies.
Effect of a combination of infrared irradiation and magnesium sulfate wet compress on infection and healing of episiotomy incision in puerperae

Purpose: To investigate the effect of a combination of infrared irradiation and magnesium sulfate wet compress on infection and healing of episiotomy incision in puerperae during spontaneous delivery. Methods: A total of 120 puerperae who underwent lateral episiotomy in Jinan Maternity and Child Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University from January 2019 to January 2020 were used as study subjects. They were randomly assigned to group A (n = 60) and group B (n = 60). Group B received external application of anerdian, while group A was treated with infrared irradiation and magnesium sulfate wet compress, in addition to receiving the treatment given to group B. The two groups were compared with respect to perineal edema, levels of inflammatory factors, wound pain grading, degree of incision healing, incision healing time, and incidence of infection. Results: Group A patients had significantly lighter perineal edema and more pronounced pain relief than group B patients (p < 0.05). The number of puerperae with grade A healing and grade C healing in group A was significantly higher than that in group B (p < 0.05). Incision healing time and incidence of infection were lower in group A than in group B (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The combination of infrared irradiation and magnesium sulfate wet compress effectively mitigates perineal edema in puerperae, reduces pain, enhances the healing of incision, and lowers maternal infection. Thus, this combination strategy may have some merit in clinical practice.
Purification, identification, and standardization of silybin A & B composition from Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.

Background: Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. (Milk thistle) is a perennial herb with medicinal properties. The seeds of these plants contain silymarin compounds with flavonolignan structure and antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects. The major bioactive constituent of S. marianum is silybin A and B. It is used in the treatment of various liver conditions and exhibits high anti-tumor promoting activity. Objective: The purpose of this study was to purify, identify, and standardize of silybin A and B from the seeds extract of Silybum marianum . Methods: At first, the milk thistle seeds were defatted with hexane and then extracted with methanol as solvent. Isolation and further purification of silybin A and B was carried out by column chromatography using Diaion HP-20 resin, silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 as stationary phase, respectively. 1 H-NMR and 13 C-NMR techniques were used to identify these compounds. Finally, the HPLC method has been used to standardize. Results: 1 H-NMR and 13 C-NMR techniques characterized the structure of silybin A and B extracted from Silybum marianum L. and standardization and determination of their purity was performed using HPLC. Conclusion: Our proposed system presented significant advantages in increasing efficiency and reducing cost, and the diastereoisomers of silybin A and silybin B in silymarin were successfully isolated with high purities.
Music: a versatile interface for explorations in art & science

The article traces the author's research into auditory and temporal perception to probe the strategies useful to a composer for portraying illusions of multiple layers in music, then to a secondary exploration of cross-disciplinary terminologies and strategies, and subsequently to a focus on variables in the listener profile as influencing the potential discernment of meaning in music. Further exploration, tracing the millennia of primitive sound-processing strategies as well as the many contexts which involve body movements and rhythms, leads to the realization that a composer who ventures outside traditional stylistic conventions of music-making will benefit from attention to these factors. In conclusion, the author points out that music is created not only for portraying emotions and moods, but, like all art forms, with an infinite variety of manifestations, subject matter, and research modes.
Financialisation in developing countries: approaches, concepts, and metrics

ABSTRACT Financialisation in developing countries is the subject of an expanding literature but its characteristic features and its relationship to developed countries remain unclear. Reviewing the literature, this paper shows that financialisation in developing countries should be distinguished from financial liberalisation and financial globalisation. Furthermore, its character is partly derivative from financialisation in developed countries, as is confirmed by two theoretical approaches, related but different from each other, namely ‘subordinate’ and ‘dependent’ financialisation. By further reviewing the empirical literature, the paper also shows that financialisation in developing countries is highly variable and different from that in developed countries regarding the conduct of non-financial enterprises, banks, and households. Moreover, the literature addresses several sources of vulnerability for developing countries relating to financialisation. Finally, there are significant literature gaps, above all, the connection between financialisation and the globalisation of production as well as the role of the state.
Central Auditory Functions of Alzheimer’s Disease and Its Preclinical Stages: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

In 2020, 55 million people worldwide were living with dementia, and this number is projected to reach 139 million in 2050. However, approximately 75% of people living with dementia have not received a formal diagnosis. Hence, they do not have access to treatment and care. Without effective treatment in the foreseeable future, it is essential to focus on modifiable risk factors and early intervention. Central auditory processing is impaired in people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and its preclinical stages and may manifest many years before clinical diagnosis. This study systematically reviewed central auditory processing function in AD and its preclinical stages using behavioural central auditory processing tests. Eleven studies met the full inclusion criteria, and seven were included in the meta-analyses. The results revealed that those with mild cognitive impairment perform significantly worse than healthy controls within channel adaptive tests of temporal response (ATTR), time-compressed speech test (TCS), Dichotic Digits Test (DDT), Dichotic Sentence Identification (DSI), Speech in Noise (SPIN), and Synthetic Sentence Identification-Ipsilateral Competing Message (SSI-ICM) central auditory processing tests. In addition, this analysis indicates that participants with AD performed significantly worse than healthy controls in DDT, DSI, and SSI-ICM tasks. Clinical implications are discussed in detail.