Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Flavonoids eﬀects on the proliferation and protection of Lactobacillus rhamnosus

Intestinal microbiota plays an important role in the human organism homeostasis and it is subject to several perturbations caused by diet and environmental factors, inducing dysbiosis. The search for compounds can help rebuild the intestinal microbiota because sometimes this is the only treatment option for intestinal dysbiosis. Phenolic compounds are neutralizing free radicals, showing a mutual relationship with foods rich in ﬂav onoids, so they might be helpful during the restoration of the intestinal microbiota. This study analyzed the direct eﬀect of these compounds on Lactobacillus rhamnosus, cultivated with and without ﬂavonoids in MRS broth, in diﬀerent growth phases and concentrations. After that, were exposed to enzymes that are involved in the human digestive process to analyze any alteration. Flavonoids quercetin, rutin, hesperetin, and hesperidin were individually tested. The results showed that the presence of ﬂavonoids increased the number of colony-forming units (CFU) compared to the control group (without ﬂavonoids), especially when added before the lag phase. In the digestibility test, quercetin showed a minimal eﬀect for the acidic stomach stage, but for the other steps mimicking the further digestive system, there was no diﬀerence compared to the control, all being killed after bile salts. Therefore, we concluded ﬂavonoids are helpful in the proliferation of the tested stain; however, it is necessary to develop more eﬃcient methods so that the ﬂavonoids can overcome the digestive system and reach the intestine with total eﬃciency.
Balanced Score card as a Strategic Management Tool in Hospital Pharmacies: An Experimental Study

Purpose : A balanced scorecard (BSC) is an applied tool for implementing strategic management in various organizations. Implementing strategic management using the BSC approach has not received much attention in pharmacy departments. This study aims to provide a model for the strategic management of pharmacy departments using the BSC framework. Design/methodology/approach : This experimental study was conducted from 2015 to 2018 in a 300-bed hospital and regional healthcare centers affiliated with the Petroleum Industry Health Organization (PIHO) in Tehran Province, Iran. After carefully reviewing the organization’s mission and vision, the strategic objectives were determined via the internal matrix and the external matrix (IE matrix), and the strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats matrix (SWOT matrix) were examined. Then, six BSC measures and interventions were identified, and each was examined from the perspectives of finance, patient satisfaction, internal processes, and learning/growth. Finally, the proposed strategy was evaluated. Findings : Results showed significant increases in patient satisfaction and gross profit. The observed increase range, from 0.09 to 0.29, indicates more effective operational management for optimal resource utilization. In addition, the pharmacy department was able to save US $539,137 by implementing prepared protocols for expensive medications. Similarly, the pharmacy department saved $442,899 during the two years of our strategic management plan by implementing the standard mechanism for returning unused medications to the pharmacy department after patients were discharged from various treatment units. Originality : This study is among the first studies to demonstrate the simultaneous development, implementation, and evaluation of the proposed strategy using the BSC in a pharmacy department in a public healthcare center. The BSC application improved the optimal use of resources and
Current draft : January 2013 First draft : August 2012

In standard rational expectations models, investors know whether others are informed, and therefore know how to update their beliefs using prices. We develop a dynamic model in which investors must learn whether others are informed and, therefore, learn how to use the information in prices. We show that the price is a non-linear function of the underlying signal, and expected returns and volatility are stochastic and persistent, even though shocks to fundamentals and signals are i.i. d. The price reaction to information about dividends is asymmetric: the price reacts more strongly to bad news than it does to good news. The model also generates volatility clustering in which large return realizations, which are associated with dividend surprises, are followed by higher volatility and higher expected returns. JEL Classification: G12, G14
A Network-Flow Technique for Finding Low-Weight Bounded-Degree Spanning Trees

Given a graph with edge weights satisfying the triangle inequality, and a degree bound for each vertex, the problem of computing a low weight spanning tree such that the degree of each vertex is at most its specified bound is considered. In particular, modifying a given spanning tree T using adoptions to meet the degree constraints is considered. A novel network-flow based algorithm for finding a good sequence of adoptions is introduced. The method yields a better performance guarantee than any previously obtained. Equally importantly, it takes this approach to the limit in the following sense: if any performance guarantee that is solely a function of the topology and edge weights of a given tree holds for any algorithm at all, then it also holds for our algorithm. The performance guarantee is the following.If the degree constraint d(v) for each v is at least 2, the algorithm is guaranteed to find a tree whose weight is at most the weight of the given tree times 2 — min \(\left\{ {\tfrac{{d(v) - 2}}{{\deg _T (v) - 2}}:\deg _T (v) > 2} \right\}\), where degT(v) is the initial degree of v. Examples are provided in which no lighter tree meeting the degree constraint exists. Linear-time algorithms are provided with the same worst-case performance guarantee.
Eating the Landscape: American Indian Stories of Food, Identity, and Resilience

"Eating is not only a political act, it is also a cultural act that reaffirms one s identity and worldview," Enrique Salmon writes in "Eating the Landscape. " Traversing a range of cultures, including the Tohono O odham of the Sonoran Desert and the Raramuri of the Sierra Tarahumara, the book is an illuminating journey through the southwest United States and northern Mexico. Salmon weaves his historical and cultural knowledge as a renowned indigenous ethnobotanist with stories American Indian farmers have shared with him to illustrate how traditional indigenous foodways from the cultivation of crops to the preparation of meals are rooted in a time-honored understanding of environmental stewardship. In this fascinating personal narrative, Salmon focuses on an array of indigenous farmers who uphold traditional agricultural practices in the face of modern changes to food systems such as extensive industrialization and the genetic modification of food crops. Despite the vast cultural and geographic diversity of the region he explores, Salmon reveals common themes: the importance of participation in a reciprocal relationship with the land, the connection between each group s cultural identity and their ecosystems, and the indispensable correlation of land consciousness and food consciousness. Salmon shows that these collective philosophies provide the foundation for indigenous resilience as the farmers contend with global climate change and other disruptions to long-established foodways. This resilience, along with the rich stores of traditional ecological knowledge maintained by indigenous agriculturalists, Salmon explains, may be the key to sustaining food sources for humans in years to come. As many of us begin to question the origins and collateral costs of the food we consume, Salmon s call for a return to more traditional food practices in this wide-ranging and insightful book is especially timely. "Eating the Landscape "is an essential resource for ethnobotanists, food sovereignty proponents, and advocates of the local food and slow food movements. "
DETERMINANTS OF PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENTS IN PRIVATIZED FIRMS : THE ROLE OF RESTRUCTURING AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

While there is now ample empirical evidence that privatization improves the performance of divested firms, to date there has been very little study of why these performance improvements occur. We use a sample of 118 firms (from 29 countries and 28 industries), privatized via public share offering between 1961 and 1995, to address this important issue. We first contribute to the existing empirical literature by documenting significant increases in profitability, efficiency, output, and capital expenditure, and significant decreases in leverage following privatization. Unlike other large-sample empirical studies of share-issue privatization, we then study the determinants of these performance improvements. Our data provide evidence of stronger profitability gains for firms with lower employee ownership and higher state ownership, stronger output gains for firms in competitive industries and for firms in countries with faster growing economies. Stronger efficiency gains are observed when foreign ownership is high, for firms that restructure, for firms in developing nations, and when the share offer size is relatively small compared to total national market capitalization. We find that higher levels of employee ownership are associated with greater increases in capital expenditure after privatization. Finally, our results indicate that leverage increases more for firms with higher foreign ownership, those located in developing economies and those in countries with rapidly growing economies.
The effects of the menstrual cycle on muscle activation patterns and fuel utilization in cold exposure

HI LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS iv LIST OF FIGURES v LIST OF TABLES vm ACKNOWLEGEMENTS IX CHAPTER I GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1 RATIONALE 9 PURPOSE AND FRAMEWORK 10 OBJECTIVE OF THESIS 11 HYPOTHESIS 12 CHAPTER II-METHODOLOGY 17 CHAPTER III RESULTS 28 CHAPTER IV-DISCUSSION 47 LIMITATIONS/DELIMITATIONS 56 CHAPTER VGENERAL CONCLUSIONS AND PERSPECTIVES 58 REFERENCES: 61 APPENDIX A: CONSENT FORM 65 APPENDIX B: EXAMPLE OF MENSTRUAL CYCLE LOG 68
Worksite SMT 1 Running head : MODERATION AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE IN SMT Worksite Stress Management Training : Moderated Effects and Clinical Significance

Psychologically healthy participants may dilute the observed effects of worksite stress management training (SMT) programs, therefore hiding the true effectiveness of these interventions for more distressed workers. To examine this issue, 311 local government employees were randomly assigned to SMT based on acceptance and commitment therapy (SMT, n = 177) or to a waitlist control group (n = 134). The SMT program consisted of three half-day training sessions, and imparted a mixture of mindfulness and values-based action skills. Across a six month assessment period, SMT resulted in a significant reduction in employee distress. As predicted, the impact of SMT was significantly moderated by baseline distress, such that meaningful effects were found only among a subgroup of initially distressed workers. Furthermore, a majority (69%) of these initially distressed SMT participants improved to a clinically significant degree. The study highlights the importance of accounting for sample heterogeneity when evaluating and classifying worksite SMT programs.
Research Unit for Statistical and Empirical Analysis in Social Sciences (Hi-Stat)

This paper empirically establishes the signi(cid:12)cant roles of transport costs in price dispersions across regions. We identify and estimate the iceberg-type distance-elastic transport costs as a parameter of a structural model of cross-regional price di(cid:11)erentials featuring product delivery decisions. Utilizing a data set of wholesale prices and product delivery patterns of agricultural products in Japan, our structural estimation approach (cid:12)nds large distance elasticities of the transport costs. The result con(cid:12)rms that geographical barriers are an economically signi(cid:12)cant contributor to the failures of the law of one price
Pengaruh Faktor Internal dan Eksternal terhadap Return On Equity (Roe)

Abstract This study examines the influence of internal and external factors to Return On Equity (ROE), study on sharia banks 2010-2014 period. The effectiveness of the management of Islamic banks in the operations will affect profit and equity of the bank. Return On Equity (ROE) describe profitability of an entity. In the theory of profitability there are 2 factors that affect the profitability of the bank, namely internal factors and external factors. Internal factors in this research is the Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR), Non Performing Financing (NPF), Finance to Deposit Ratio (FDR), Operating Expenses Operating Income (BOPO) and external factors in this study are the exchange rates and inflation. While profitability in this study using a proxy Return On Equity (ROE). This study uses secondary data with samples of most Islamic banks are seven Islamic banks in Indonesia period 2010 to 2014. The results showed that the CAR, BOPO, FDR, EXCHANGE negative and significant effect on ROE. NPF negative but insignificant effect on ROE on Islamic Banks in Indonesia. While the inflation variable and not significant positive effect on ROE on Islamic Banks in Indonesia. Keywords: Return on Equity (ROE), Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR), Non Performing Financing (NPF), Finance to Deposit Ratio (FDR), Operating Expenses Operating Income (BOPO), Exchange Rates, Inflation, Sharia Banks
EVALUATING CARDIORESPIRATORY RESPONSES TO SLOW BREATHING IN YOUNG HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS: FITBIT “RELAX MODE” VERSUS RESPERATE

2 Device-guided slow breathing has been used to reduce blood pressure (BP) in clinical 3 populations. The Fitbit’s “Relax Mode” (FB) and the RESPeRATE (RESP) are commercially4 available devices which guide users through bouts of slow breathing (SB). However, it remains 5 to be established which device is most effective in reducing BP. Therefore, the purpose of this 6 study was to test the null hypothesis that there would be no difference in the SB-induced 7 reductions in BP between the FB and RESP. We tested 7 young individuals (22±1yr; 6 women) 8 with a normal body mass index (24±2 kg/m). Blood pressure was measured using finger 9 photoplethysmography (Finometer Midi), which was then used to calculate stroke volume (SV). 10 We observed that the relative decrease from baseline in systolic BP induced by the RESP (11 1.5±2.2 mmHg) was greater than that elicited by the FB (+1.5±1.8, P<0.05) when both devices 12 were used according to manufacturer-recommended conditions. Interestingly, the FB resulted in 13 increases in SV (+3.6±2.9 ml) which were not observed with the RESP (+0.3±3.9 ml; P<0.05), 14 which likely limited the BP-lowering effects of the FB relative to RESP. Likewise, when 15 duration of exposure was matched between devices, the RESP reduced mean arterial pressure, 16 systolic BP, and diastolic BP to a greater extent than the FB (main effect of device, P<0.05). 17 These preliminary data indicate that the RESP device may be more effective than the FB device 18 in reducing BP, supporting use of the RESP device in the management of hypertensive disorders. 19 20 21 22 23
Federal Reserve Bank of New York Staff Reports Inflation Dynamics in a Small Open-economy Model under Inflation Targeting: Some Evidence from Chile Inflation Dynamics in a Small Open-economy Model under Inflation Targeting: Some Evidence from Chile

This paper presents preliminary findings and is being distributed to economists and other interested readers solely to stimulate discussion and elicit comments. The views expressed in the paper are those of the authors and are not necessarily reflective of views at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or the Federal Reserve System. Any errors or omissions are the responsibility of the authors. Abstract This paper estimates a small open-economy dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model, specified along the lines of Galí and Monacelli (2005) and Lubik and Schorfheide (2007), using Chilean data for the full inflation-targeting period of 1999 to 2007. We study the specification of the policy rule followed by the Central Bank of Chile, the dynamic response of inflation to domestic and external shocks, and the change in these dynamics under different policy parameters. We use the DSGE-VAR methodology from our earlier work (2007) to assess the robustness of the conclusion to the presence of model misspecification. ). This paper was prepared for " Monetary Policy under Uncertainty and Learning, " the 11th annual conference of the Central Bank of Chile. We thank the Central Bank of Chile and Mauricio Calani, in particular, for providing us with the data used in the empirical analysis. Schorfheide gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Central Bank of Chile, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and the National Science Foundation. The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or the Federal Reserve System.
Autoimmune Diabetes: Caught in a NET

The mantra is “no type 1 diabetes without autoimmunity. ” Indeed, it is difficult to resist the evidence that autoimmunity plays a key role in the origins of type 1 diabetes (1,2). Recently, some aspects of that certainty have been shaken. As with other autoimmune diseases, type 1 diabetes is believed to arise from the impact of environmental insults in genetically susceptible individuals (3). The disease is β-cell specific, associated with β-cell autoantigens, which are recognized both by T cells and highly disease-predictive autoantibodies (2,4). Adoptive transfer of T cells from type 1 diabetic donors or of a pancreas from a twin donor to their type 1 diabetic twin induces the disease process (1,5). Moreover, genes associated with genetic susceptibility to the disease have a number of immune-associated functions, including decreasing the threshold of T-cell signaling and activation and modifying antigen presentation, each of which implies an adaptive immune effect (3). Quod erat demonstrandum? Well, not quite, because additional changes occur that coexist or antedate the development of diabetes-predictive autoantibodies; namely, changes in innate effector cells (6–8), decreased pancreatic weight (9), and metabolic dysfunction (10–13). Innate effector cells most likely play a role in causing type 1 diabetes, as macrophages, monocytes, dendritic cells, and neutrophils infiltrate the islets at the onset …
[Seroprevalence and factors associated with Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) for HIV among children in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo].

Introduction Despite proposals for screening infants or preschool children for HIV infection, the proportion of children who grow or die with unknown HIV status is high in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence during a voluntary screening and to identify factors associated with Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) for HIV in the paediatric population of non-HIV infected or non-HIV exposed infants and children in Lubumbashi, DRC. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional prospective analytical study in 4 community VCT centers divided into 4 health zones in the city of Lubumbashi, DRC (Lubumbashi, Ruashi, Kampemba and Kenya) over the period 1 August 2006 - 31 September 2007. The study aimed to evaluate voluntary testing for HIV among children less than 15 years. The sociodemographic characteristics and the parameters related to Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) for HIV were analyzed. Usual descriptive statistical analyses and logistic regression were perfomed. Results Out of 463 children screened for HIV, 41 (8.9%; 95% CI: 6.5%-11.9%) were HIV positive. Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) for HIV in the paediatric population of non-HIV infected or non-HIV exposed infants or children was significantly higher in children over 2 years of age (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=3.6 [95% CI: 1,1-12,2]) when both of their parents had negative or uknown HIV status (AOR = 27.4 [95% CI: 9,4-80,0]), when either or both of their biological parents were alive (AOR = 24.9 [95% CI: 2,4-250,8]) and when screening programs were not only carried out by health professionals (AOR = 2.9 [95% CI: 1,0-7,9]). Conclusion Our study shows a high HIV prevalence among children supporting the need for VCT highly accepted by parents and tutors in the city of Lubumbashi.
Expression of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 mRNA in different SARS-CoV-2 infection states and times

Abstract To measure the expression of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) mRNA in SARS-CoV-2 infection with different infection status and at different stages during infection, we used RT-qP CR to measure the expression of ACE2 mRNA. Measurements were analyzed by two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (RMANOVA). Expression of ACE2 mRNA was downregulated in initial stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection both in the asymptomatic infection (ASY) group and the confirmed cases (CON) group (t=-8.0845, P < 0.0001; t=-8.1904, P < 0.0001, respectively). The expression of ACE2 mRNA in the incubation period of CON group was lower compared with the intinal period of ASY group (F = 6.084, p = 0.016, partialη2 = 0.070). Relative expression of ACE2 mRNA was upregulated at the late stage of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the ASY and CON groups (F = 23.489, p = 0.000, partialη2 = 0.225; F = 46.555, p = 0.000, partialη2 = 0.365, respectively). The relative expression of ACE2 mRNA was down-regulated (mean ± SEM:0.69 ± 0.03) after inoculation with SARSCoV- 2 Spike pseudovirus, and there was a statistical difference (one-way t test, mean diffience =-0.31, 95%CI: -0.37˜-0.24, t=-8.1904, P < 0.0001). The expression of ACE2 mRNA is downregulated in the initial stage of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and then upregulated in the late stage of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The lower expression of ACE2 mRNA during the incubation period can lead to clinical symptoms. Downregulation of ACE2 mRNA was related to the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 S protein and ACE2. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma