Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MIGRANT WORKERS' REMITTANCES AND OUTPUT GROWTH IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN COUNTRIES

Economic growth and development processes affect and are affected by migration of people. While migration of skilled workers could potentially hurt the sending economies due tooutright deprivation of vital human resources,the migrant sending countries of Africa can also benefit economically from migration through the inflow of workers‟ remittances.This study sheds new light on this relationship by examining the economic growth outcomes of workers‟ remittance flows to some selected Sub-Saharan African countries. The hypothesized link between workers‟ remittances and output growth was specified in alinear dynamic panel data model and estimated using the system Generalized Method of Moments. The study found a negative and statistically insignificant link between remittancesand output growth across the sampled countries over the study period. This result suggests that workers‟ remittances may not be relied upon for now to promote economic growth in the SSA region.
RELIABILITY AND DETECTING CHANGE FOLLOWING SHORT‐TERM CREATINE SUPPLEMENTATION: COMPARISON OF TWO‐COMPONENT BODY COMPOSITION METHODS

The purpose of the present study was twofold: firstly, to assess the reliability of various body composition methods, and secondly, to determine the ability of the methods to estimate changes in fat-free mass (FFM) following creatine (Cr) supplementation. Fifty-five healthy male athletes (weight 78.3 ± 10.3 kg, age 21 ± 1 years) gave informed consent to participate in this study. Subjects' FFM was estimated by hydrostatic weighing (HW), air-displacement plethysmography (ADP), bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR), and anthropometric measurements (ANTHRO). Measurements were taken on 2 occasions separated by 7 days to assess the reliability of the methods. Following this, 30 subjects returned to the laboratory for an additional test day following 7 days of Cr supplementation (20 g·d-1 Cr + 140 g·d-1 dextrose) to assess each method's ability to detect acute changes in FFM. In terms of reliability, we found excellent test-retest correlations for all 5 methods, ranging from 0.983 to 0.998 (p < 0.001). The mean biases for the 5 methods were close to 0 (range - 0.1 to 0.3 kg) and their 95% limits of agreement (LOAs) were within acceptable limits (HW = −1.1 to 1.7 kg; ADP = −1.1 to 1.2 kg; BIA = −1.0 to 1.0 kg; NIR = - 1.4 to 1.4 kg); however, the 95% LOAs were slightly wider for ANTHRO (− 2.4 to 2.6 kg). Following Cr supplementation there was a significant increase in body mass (from 77.9 ± 10.1 kg to 78.9 ± 10.3 kg, p = 0.000). In addition, all 5 body composition techniques detected the change in FFM to a similar degree (mean change: HW = 0.9 ± 0.6 kg; ADP = 0.9 ± 0.6 kg; BIA = 0.9 ± 0.6 kg; NIR = 0.8 ± 0.5 kg; ANTHRO = 1.0 ± 0.7 kg; intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.962). We conclude that between-day differences in FFM estimation were within acceptable limits, with the possible exception of ANTHRO. In addition, all 5 methods provided similar measures of FFM change during acute Cr supplementation.
The conjugation protein TcpC from Clostridium perfringens is structurally related to the type IV secretion system protein VirB8 from Gram‐negative bacteria

Bacterial conjugation is important for the acquisition of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes. We investigated the mechanism of conjugation in Gram‐positive pathogens using a model plasmid pCW3 from Clostridium perfringens. pCW3 encodes tetracycline resistance and contains the tcp locus, which is essential for conjugation. We showed that the unique TcpC protein (359 amino acids, 41 kDa) was required for efficient conjugative transfer, localized to the cell membrane independently of other conjugation proteins, and that membrane localization was important for its function, oligomerization and interaction with the conjugation proteins TcpA, TcpH and TcpG. The crystal structure of the C‐terminal component of TcpC (TcpC99–359) was determined to 1.8‐Å resolution. TcpC99–359 contained two NTF2‐like domains separated by a short linker. Unexpectedly, comparative structural analysis showed that each of these domains was structurally homologous to the periplasmic region of VirB8, a component of the type IV secretion system from Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Bacterial two‐hybrid studies revealed that the C‐terminal domain was critical for interactions with other conjugation proteins. The N‐terminal region of TcpC was required for efficient conjugation, oligomerization and protein–protein interactions. We conclude that by forming oligomeric complexes, TcpC contributes to the stability and integrity of the conjugation apparatus, facilitating efficient pCW3 transfer.
Image Segmentation Using Linked Mean-Shift Vectors and Global/Local Attributes

This paper proposes novel noniterative mean-shift-based image segmentation that uses global and local attributes. The existing mean-shift-based methods use a fixed range bandwidth, and hence their accuracy is dependent on the range spectrum of an image. To resolve this dependency, this paper proposes to modify the range kernel in the mean-shift process to be anisotropic. The modification is conducted using a global attribute defined as the range covariance matrix of the image. Further, to alleviate oversegmentation, the proposed method merges the segments having similar local attributes more aggressively than other segments. The local attribute for each segment is defined as the sum of the variances of the chromatic components. Finally, to expedite the processing, the proposed method uses a region adjacency graph (RAG) for the merging process, thus differing from the existing linked mean-shift-based methods. In the experiments on the Berkeley segmentation data set, the use of the global and local attributes improved segmentation accuracy; the proposed method outperformed the state-of-the-art linked mean-shift-based method by showing an improvement of 2.15%, 3.16%, 3.32%, and 1.90% in probability rand index, segmentation covering, variation of information, and F-measure, respectively. Further, compared with the benchmark method, which uses the dilating and merging scheme, the proposed method improved the speed of the merging process 42 times by applying the RAG.
A 3-GS/s 5-bit Flash ADC with wideband input buffer amplifier

This paper presents a 3-GS/s 5-bit interpolated Flash ADC with a wideband input buffer amplifier. Small input capacitance of the ADC is necessary to achieve high signal bandwidth with low power consumption of the input buffer. The design challenge is a reduction of power consumption of the interpolated Flash ADC and the input buffer simultaneously. To solve this, the interpolation technique using reference voltages is proposed to reduce the input capacitance and interpolated stages simultaneously. The prototype is fabricated in a 65-nm CMOS technology. The measured results show that the cutoff frequency is 1.6 GHz, the peak spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) and signal to noise and distortion ratio (SNDR) are 33.1 dB and 23.1 dB at nyquist frequency, respectively. The power consumption including the input buffer is 39.4 mW, and the Figure of Merit (FoM) of 0.58 pJ/conversion-step is achieved.
Domains of Teachers’ Leadership Knowledge: Comparison between Models

This article compares and synthesize four teacher leadership models to gain the domains of teachers’ leadership knowledge. The domains of teachers’ leadership knowledge that been synthesized are known as knowledge of improvements in instruction and student learning, knowledge of modeling leadership attributes and skills, knowledge of organizational development, knowledge of collaborative culture, knowledge of collaboration with communities and knowledge of referral leader. These domains of knowledge can be used to develop teachers’ leadership knowledge in the future.
Challenges in hepatitis B detection among blood donors

Purpose of reviewThe availability of hepatitis B virus (HBV) nucleic acid testing (NAT) for donor blood screening led to its implementation in low prevalence and high prevalence countries. Genomic detection was a substantial addition to HBV surface protein (HBsAg) screening by detecting window period infections and ‘occult’ HBV infections (OBIs), characterized by undetectable HBsAg, low viral load and presence of serological markers (anti-HBc and/or anti-HBs). OBIs are the result of multiple, poorly understood mechanisms including incomplete immune control mutations of the HBsAg antigenic determinants; abnormal expression of S gene; and inhibition of genome transcription. Infectivity for the recipient is high for window period blood and relatively low for OBIs. Recent findingsThe number of cases identified by NAT ranges between 1 : 1000 and 1 : 50 000, depending on epidemiology and assay sensitivity whether NAT is implemented in individual donations or pools of samples. OBI donors are generally older than 45 years except in Africa, carry very low viral load (median 11–25 IU/ml) and have normal alanine transaminase levels. Cases carrying anti-HBc alone are more infectious than those with low level of anti-HBs. Evidence of HBsAg escape mutants that are undetected by commercial assays has been published. Inhibition of HBsAg mRNA production and export are potential mechanisms of OBI occurrence. SummaryHBV blood safety is improved by NAT for HBV DNA when applied to individual donations. Until the sensitivity of NAT is improved, both this method and HBsAg screening are needed to eliminate potentially infectious blood donations. Occult HBV characterization clarifies new facets of HBV natural history.
Comparison of Information about the Quality of Apparel in Three Retail Formats

Multiple options are available for selection and purchase of apparel including in-store, catalogue, and Internet. The present purpose was to compare information about quality available to consumers in three retail formats. Students studying quality of apparel selected a product which could be purchased in each of the three formats, completed an evaluation from both a consumer's and preprofessional perspective, and made recommendations for improving information on quality. A total of 413 recommendations were categorized and tested for independence. Students had similar expectations for cues of quality across Internet, catalogue, and in-store formats including fiber content, country of origin, 3-dimensional information about fit. color accuracy, size charts, and strong customer service. Students expected a uniform array of information on quality regardless of the shopping format. Merchandisers must be aware of the total image across formats and be prepared to explore methods for improving communication of information on quality in each.
Functional status in patients with spinal cord injury: a new standardized measurement scale. Gruppo Interdisciplinare Valutazione Interventi Riabilitativi.

OBJECTIVE To report on the validation process of a new functional assessment scale (Valutazione Funzionale Mielolesi [VFM]) for patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN Prospective study testing for the VFM in a sample of patients with SCI to evaluate the scale characteristics in terms of psychometric and clinical validity. SETTING Eight SCI units located in northern Italy. PATIENTS One hundred patients were recruited and followed up for 18 months. Seventy-seven subjects were men, subjects' mean age was 37 years, 67 were paraplegic, and for 81 their SCI was of traumatic etiology. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES VFM's characteristics are described using estimates of construct and criterion validity (estimates of the strength and direction of associations between different VFM tasks and between VFM and other medical and nonmedical variables). The Barthel index was used as concurrent and independent measure. RESULTS VFM met all psychometric criteria usually recommended and, at least in the current sample, was found to be strongly correlated with independent clinical variables (diagnosis and lesion level) and with the Barthel index. Moreover, most of the domains were able to document large and significant changes over time. CONCLUSIONS VFM is a reliable and valid tool that can be used confidently in the rehabilitation setting for patients with SCI to screen for functional problems and monitor changes in patients' functional status and impact of rehabilitation.
The self-paced VO2max test to assess maximal oxygen uptake in highly trained runners.

PURPOSE The novel self-paced maximal-oxygen-uptake (VO2max) test (SPV) may be a more suitable alternative to traditional maximal tests for elite athletes due to the ability to self-regulate pace. This study aimed to examine whether the SPV can be administered on a motorized treadmill. METHODS Fourteen highly trained male distance runners performed a standard graded exercise test (GXT), an incline-based SPV (SPVincline), and a speed-based SPV (SPVspeed). The GXT included a plateau-verification stage. Both SPV protocols included 5×2-min stages (and a plateau-verification stage) and allowed for self-pacing based on fixed increments of rating of perceived exertion: 11, 13, 15, 17, and 20. The participants varied their speed and incline on the treadmill by moving between different marked zones in which the tester would then adjust the intensity. RESULTS There was no significant difference (P=.319, ES=0.21) in the VO2max achieved in the SPVspeed (67.6±3.6 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1), 95%CI=65.6-69.7 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1)) compared with that achieved in the GXT (68.6±6.0 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1), 95%CI=65.1-72.1 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1)). Participants achieved a significantly higher VO2max in the SPVincline (70.6±4.3 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1), 95%CI=68.1-73.0 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1)) than in either the GXT (P=.027, ES=0.39) or SPVspeed (P=.001, ES=0.76). CONCLUSIONS The SPVspeed protocol produces VO2max values similar to those obtained in the GXT and may represent a more appropriate and athlete-friendly test that is more oriented toward the variable speed found in competitive sport.
THE SPREAD COMPONENT OF THE EXCHANGE RATE: THE INDONESIAN CASE

Paper ini menganalisa perilaku trader yang merupakan isu utama didalam market microstucture, karena perilaku ini dapat mempengaruhi inefisiensi pasar. Perilaku ini menetukan bid-ask spread yang komponennya terdiri dari order-processing cost, adverse selection cost dan inventory holding cost. Dengan mengetahui perilaku trader dalam menentukan spread, kita akan mengetahui perilaku perubahan nilai tukar dalam jangka pendek, dimana hal ini sangat penting bagi pelaku pasar didalam menjalankan bisnisnya. Dengan menggunakan nilai tukar Rupiah terhadap US dollar, diketahui bahwa order processing cost adalah komponen spread yang paling kecil. Hal ini tidak mengejutkan karena pasar valuta asing merupakan pasar yang sangat kompetitif. Sedangkan porsi terbesar dari komponen spread adalah inventory holding cost, hal ini disebabkan karena adanya opportunity cost dan resiko perubahan kurs. Adverse selection cost adalah komponen spread terpenting kedua. Hal ini dikarenakan Bank Indonesia melakukan intervensi secara diam-diam terhadap pasar valuta asing, jika tidak maka trader akan mendapatkan informasi yang sama tentang kebijakan pemerintah atau perilaku dari makro ekonomi sebuah negara. Keywords : Foreign exchange, spread, order-processing cost, adverse selection cost, inventory holding cost. JEL Classification : F31
Cardiovascular risk in adult patients with growth hormone (GH) deficiency and following substitution with GH--an update.

CONTEXT GH deficiency (GHD) of the adult is a clinical condition characterized by the presence of several traditional and emerging cardiovascular risk factors that can significantly increase cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. It is still an open issue whether GH replacement is able not only to improve cardiovascular risk factors but also to decrease cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION The major source of data acquisition included PubMed research strategies. Original articles, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and included relevant citations were screened. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS In untreated GHD, cardiovascular risk is increased due to abnormal lipid profile (increased total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, increased triglycerides, and reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) and impaired glucose metabolism. Emerging cardiovascular risk factors/markers such as proinflammatory cytokines, C-reactive protein, and adipokines are also increased in GHD patients. Increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality have also been reported in GHD. GH treatment has been shown to improve both traditional and emerging cardiovascular risk factors and markers. However, evidence on the effects of GH replacement on cardiovascular events and mortality is limited. CONCLUSION The GHD population may be considered at high cardiovascular risk, and GH substitution may be expected to bring an added value to patients with hypopituitarism in terms of cardiovascular protection. However, there is too limited evidence (rarely coming from randomized and controlled studies) to recommend GH treatment based on the cardiovascular status of the patients.
Thermoregulation of the pap operon: evidence for the involvement of RimJ, the N-terminal acetylase of ribosomal protein S5

Our previous work showed that pap pilin gene transcription is subject to a thermoregulatory control mechanism under which pap pilin is not transcribed at a low temperature (23 degrees C) (L. B. Blyn, B. A. Braaten, C. A. White-Ziegler, D. H. Rolfson, and D. A. Low, EMBO J. 8:613-620, 1989). In order to isolate genes involved in this temperature regulation of gene expression, chromosomal mini-Tn10 (mTn10) mutations that allowed transcription of the pap pilin gene at 23 degrees C were identified, and the locus was designated tcp, for "thermoregulatory control of pap" (C. A. White-Ziegler, L. B. Blyn, B. A. Braaten, and D. A. Low, J. Bacteriol. 172:1775-1782, 1990). In the present study, quantitative analysis showed that the tcp mutations restore pap pilin transcription at 23 degrees C to levels similar to those measured at 37 degrees C. By in vivo recombination, the tcp mutations were mapped to phage E4H10S of the Kohara library of the Escherichia coli chromosome (Y. Kohara, K. Akiyama, and K. Isono, Cell 50:495-508, 1987). The tcp locus was cloned by complementation, in which a 1.3-kb DNA fragment, derived from the Kohara phage, was shown to restore thermoregulation to the mTn10 mutants. DNA sequencing revealed two open reading frames (ORFs) encoding proteins with calculated molecular masses of 22.7 and 20.3 kDa. The sequence of the 22.7-kDa ORF was identical to that of rimJ, the N-terminal acetylase of the ribosomal protein S5. The gene encoding the 20.3-kDa ORF, designated g20.3 here, did not display significant homology to any known DNA or protein sequence. On the basis of Northern (RNA) blot data, rimJ and g20.3 are located within the same operon. Two of the mTn10 transposons in the thermoregulatory mutants were inserted within the coding region of rimJ, indicating that the RimJ protein plays an important role in the temperature regulation of pap pilin gene transcription. However, rimJ itself is not thermoregulated, since rimJ transcripts were detected at both 23 and 37 degrees C. Disruption of the g20.3 gene by insertion and deletion mutagenesis did not affect thermoregulation of the pap operon, suggesting that, although g20.3 lies within the same operon as rimJ, it does not play a role in thermoregulation.
Going back to go forward: on studying the determinants of corporate governance disclosure

Purpose The purpose of this study is to: i) review the prior empirical studies that investigate the Corporate Governance (CG) determinants and provide a synopsis and ii) explore the main factors that drive the level of CG disclosure in Greek context. Design/methodology/approach We perform an extensive review of the relevant literature and identify twenty-four papers that use various potential factors. Afterwards, we construct two different GC indices to investigate these potentials and we conduct multiple regression analysis to identify and explain these determinants. Findings The empirical analysis shows that large Greek listed firms are more likely to disclose more CG information in the CG statement (CGS). In addition, the analysis shows statistically significant association with performance related variables (such as Tobin’s q and liquidity) and CG related variables (such as independent members, board meetings and women on board). Research limitations/implications The results of the study support theor.
Thymidylate Synthase Expression, p53, bcl-2, Ki-67 and p27 in Colorectal Cancer: Relationships with Tumor Recurrence and Survival

It was the objective to determine in this retrospective study whether thymidylate synthase (TS), p53, bcl-2, Ki-67 and p27 in Dukes’ stage B and stage C (AJCC/UICC stage II and III) colorectal adenocarcinoma were predictive of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Paraffin-embedded specimens from 103 patients with colorectal cancer, treated with surgery between October 1994 and September 1999, were examined for TS expression, p53, bcl-2, Ki-67 and p27 using immunohistochemistry; 51 cases were Dukes’ stage B and 52 cases were Dukes’ stage C disease. Adjuvant 5-FU-based chemotherapy was given to all patients, while 31 having rectal malignancy also received pelvic radiotherapy. Data were associated with the recurrence rate and survival. With a median follow-up of 5 years, 38 patients (36.8%) developed recurrence and as many patients (36.8%) died. TS was overexpressed in 16 cases (15.6%), p53 nuclear oncoprotein accumulation in >10% of cells occurred more frequently [61 of 103 cases (59.3%)], positive expression of bcl-2 protein in >10% of cells was observed in 41 of 103 cases (39.9%), 57 patients (55.4%) showed immunohistochemical expression of Ki-67 and there were 75 cases (72.9%) with p27 accumulation. The pathological stage was the only independent prognostic factor for DFS (p = 0.042). Sex, as well as age and biological prognostic factors, had no significant impact value on DFS and OS. A multivariate analysis of OS demonstrated that stage C, p53 negative and Ki-67 positive were associated significantly with an unfavorable outcome and a worse median OS (p = 0.035 and t ratio = 2.48). Some biological characteristics such as p53 and Ki-67 status may provide useful prognostic information in addition to the classical clinicopathological parameters. However, further studies are needed to clarify the value of adopting biological prognostic factors into clinical practice.
High Frequency of Mutations Associated with Head Lice Pyrethroid Resistance in Schoolchildren from Bobigny, France

ABSTRACT Resistance of head lice to pyrethroids induces difficult therapeutic problems. Previous studies demonstrated that this resistance was present in a French urban area, but its prevalence needed to be more precisely evaluated in terms of genotyping lice collected from more infested children over a certain period of time. We monitored the presence of the head lice kdr-like haplotype of the voltage-gated sodium channel &agr;-subunit gene in schoolchildren seen three times on a 6-wk period. The prevalence of pediculosis was 2.39% (n = 1551). Genotyped lice (n = 167) were homozygous resistant in all but one pupil. The high frequency of the mutant haplotype (0.93) advocated for the abandonment of pyrethroid insecticides in this area and for the consideration of other treatment options.