Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Corporate information transparency on the Internet by listed companies in Spain (IBEX35) and Mexico (IPYC)

Financial and non-financial disclosure play a central role in the functioning of capital markets. In this context, the Internet has been adopted as an effective mechanism for large companies to disseminate corporate information. The institutional theory approach has been applied to identify both formal (fundamentally legal and economic) and informal factors that significantly influence listed companies� level of corporate transparency on the Internet. Our work aims to build on existing study by focusing on two main objectives. Firstly, to make a comparative study of the corporate transparency of listed companies from Mexico and Spain by creating an index of corporate transparency on the Internet (e-CTI). And secondly, to identify the factors that affect this index using multiple regression analysis. Our study population is comprised of 70 companies, of which 35 belong to the Mexican Price and Quotations Index (IPyC) and 35 to the Spanish IBEX 35 index. The descriptive analysis reveals significant differences in the level of information disclosure between the two countries. The companies listed in Mexico obtain an e-CTI of 59%, while the Spanish ones register 80%, i.e. more importance is assigned to the disclosure of corporate governance data in Spain than in Mexico. Furthermore, this analysis shows that the factors most telling with regards to corporate transparency are the strength and application of law, GDP per capita, inflation and firm-level variables such as ownership concentration and Chairman of the Board-Chief Executive Officer (COB-CEO) duality. However, other variables such as board size and composition, profitability, leverage and firm size are not significant for the purposes of this analysis. Our work is of great relevance today, since most studies have focused on developed countries, mainly in the U.S. and Europe, with few comparisons being made between developed and developing countries, such as Spain and Mexico.
Identifying Time Intervals for Knowledge Graph Facts

Knowledge graphs capture very little temporal information associated with facts. In this work, we address the problem of identifying time intervals of knowledge graph facts from large document collections annotated with temporal expressions. Prior approaches in this direction have leveraged limited metadata associated with documents in large collections (e.g., publication dates) or have limited techniques to model the uncertainty and dynamics of temporal expressions. Our approach to identify time intervals for time-sensitive facts in knowledge graphs leverages a time model that incorporates uncertainty and models them at different levels of granularity (i.e., day, month, and year). Evaluation on a temporal fact benchmark using two large news archives amounting to more than eleven million documents show the quality of our results.
Implicaciones del desempeño ejecutivo y del perfil sintomático sobre el funcionamiento y bienestar de personas con trastornos del espectro de la esquizofrenia

Este estudio examino, en pacientes con trastornos del espectro de la esquizofrenia, la relacion de variables de rendimiento ejecutivo, evolucion clinica y perfil sintomatico con cuatro areas funcionales: calidad de vida, desempeno social, afrontamiento al estres y capacidad de introspeccion, creencias en salud y actitudes hacia el tratamiento. Los resultados obtenidos indican que la presencia e intensidad de los sintomas depresivos tienen un papel destacado dentro de la estimacion del deficit en el funcionamiento y la percepcion subjetiva del bienestar. Un peor curso evolutivo junto a una mayor intensidad de sintomas depresivos afecta el rendimiento ejecutivo. El desempeno social se ve afectado por un perfil sintomatico negativo mientras que el uso de antipsicoticos combinados con benzodiacepinas mejora su rendimiento. El deficit ejecutivo acompanado de sintomatologia depresiva, se asocio a peores condiciones personales de afrontamiento, menor capacidad de introspeccion y creencias de indefension e incontrolabilidad relacionados con la salud.
Trust Your Gut: Galvanizing Nutritional Interest in Intestinal Cholesterol Metabolism for Protection against Cardiovascular Diseases

Recent studies have demonstrated that the intestine is a key target organ for overall health and longevity. Complementing these studies is the discovery of the trans-intestinal cholesterol efflux pathway and the emerging role of the intestine in reverse cholesterol transport. The surfacing dynamics of the regulation of cholesterol metabolism in the intestine provides an attractive platform for intestine-specific nutritional intervention strategies to lower blood cholesterol levels for protection against cardiovascular diseases. Notably, there is mounting evidence that stimulation of pathways associated with calorie restriction may have a large effect on the regulation of cholesterol removal by the intestine. However, intestinal energy metabolism, specifically the idiosyncrasies surrounding intestinal responses to energy deprivation, is poorly understood. The goal of this paper is to review recent insights into cholesterol regulation by the intestine and to discuss the potential for positive regulation of intestine-driven cholesterol removal through the nutritional induction of pathways associated with calorie restriction.
Composition and Morphology of Individual Combustion, Biomass Burning, and Secondary Organic Particle Types Obtained Using Urban and Coastal ATOFMS and STXM-NEXAFS Measurements

Complementary single particle measurements of organic aerosols using aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ATOFMS) and Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy—Near Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (STXM-NEXAFS) are compared to examine the relationships between particle morphologies and chemical composition of particles having similar sources. ATOFMS measurements provide size-resolved chemical composition information for single particles. Measurements from field campaigns in polluted or urban (Riverside/SOAR 2005; Mexico City/MILAGRO 2006; Port of Long Beach 2007) and clean or marine (Arabian Sea/INDOEX 1999; Sea of Japan/ACE-Asia 2001; Trinidad Head/CIFEX 2004) locations illustrate regional differences. The majority (≥ 85 %) of the number of submicron particles are carbonaceous (including elemental and organic carbon), but represent less than 10% of the number of supermicron particles. Organic carbon (OC) particles are classified into three meta-classes corresponding to (1) combustion generated OC/EC internal mixtures, (2) biomass burning generated K/OC mixtures, and (3) OC/High Mass OC (HMOC) mixtures containing secondary markers of atmospheric processing. Normalized dot products are used to quantify similarity among fragment spectra and indicate that OC particle types are consistent across (and within) platforms. Single particle carbon STXM-NEXAFS measurements during ACE-Asia 2001 and MILAGRO 2006 yield similar source categories based on relative abundances of aromatic, alkane, and carboxylic acid functional groups. All three organic particle types correspond to a variety of very heterogeneous particle morphologies, although the highly oxygenated OC particles with likely secondary organic contributions frequently are nearly spherical, liquid-like particles. Size-resolved number fractions of the major ATOFMS OC particle types show qualitative agreement with OC particle types from STXM-NEXAFS analysis, indicating a correspondence of the OC/EC type with the presence of strong aromatic groups, of the OC/HMOC type with high carboxylic acid groups, and of the biomass burning OC type with aromatic and carbonyl groups. ATOFMS measurements can be used to establish robust statistics for offline single particle techniques, providing the atmospheric context for the functional group and morphological information obtained from STXM-NEXAFS for an improved understanding of the climate impact of organic aerosols.
Feature Ranking Based on Decision Border

In this paper a Feature Ranking algorithm for classification is proposed, which is based on the notion of Bayes decision border. The method elaborates upon the results of the Decision Border Feature Extraction approach, exploiting properties of eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the orthogonal transformation to calculate the discriminative importance weights of the original features. Non parametric classification is also considered by resorting to Labeled Vector Quantizers neural networks trained by the BVQ algorithm. The choice of this architecture leads to a cheap implementation of the ranking algorithm we call BVQ-FR. The effectiveness of BVQ-FR is tested on real datasets. The novelty of the method is to use a feature extraction technique to assess the weight of the original features, as opposed to heuristics methods commonly used.
3D inters-subject cardiac registration using 4D information

In this paper we present a new approach for the registration of cardiac 4D image sequences of different subjects, where we assume that a temporal association between the sequences is given. Moreover, we allow for one (or two) selected pair(s) of associated points in time of both sequences, which we call the bridging points in time, the use of additional information such as the semi-automatic segmentation of the investigated structure. We establish the 3D inter-subject registration for all other pairs of points in time exploiting (1) the inter-subject registration for the bridging pair of points in time, (2) the intra-subject motion calculation in both sequences with respect to the bridging pair, and (3) the concatenation of the obtained transformations. We formulate a cost functional integrating the similarity measures comparing the images of the bridging pair(s) of points in time and of the current pair of points in time, respectively. We evaluated our algorithm on 8 healthy volunteers leading to 28 inter-subject combinations and we analyze the behaviour for different parameter settings weighting differently the involved pairs of points in time. The approach based on the bridging pairs outperforms a direct 3D registration of corresponding points in time, in particular in the right ventricle we gain up to 33% in registration accuracy. Starting with a cost functional taking into account the similarity at the first bridging point in time, the results improve stepwise by integrating, firstly, information from the current pair of points in time and secondly, from a second bridging point in time. Our results also show a steep rise of the importance of regularization on the registration accuracy when registering the current point in time with our procedure (17% gain in accuracy) with respect to a direct registration in the bridging point (less than 1%). However, regularization during intra-sequence registration had only minor effects on the accuracy of our registration procedure.
Efficient and Robust Secure Aggregation of Encrypted Data in Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks are now in widespread use to monitor regions, detect events and acquire information. To reduce the amount of sending data, an aggregation approach can be applied along the path from sensors to the sink. However, usually the carried information contains confidential data. Therefore, an end-to-end secure aggregation approach is required to ensure a healthy data reception. End-to-end encryption schemes that support operations over cypher-text have been proved important for private party sensor network implementations. Unfortunately, nowadays these methods are very complex and not suitable for sensor nodes having limited resources. In this paper, we propose a secure end-to-end encrypted-data aggregation scheme. It is based on elliptic curve cryptography that exploits a smaller key size. Additionally, it allows the use of higher number of operations on cypher-texts and prevents the distinction between two identical texts from their cryptograms. These properties permit to our approach to achieve higher security levels than existing cryptosystems in sensor networks. Our experiments show that our proposed secure aggregation method significantly reduces computation and communication overhead and can be practically implemented in on-the-shelf sensor platforms. By using homomorphic encryption on elliptic curves, we thus have realized an efficient and secure data aggregation in sensor networks.
Modeling the Minimal Newborn's Intersubjective Mind: The Visuotopic-Somatotopic Alignment Hypothesis in the Superior Colliculus

The question whether newborns possess inborn social skills is a long debate in developmental psychology. Fetal behavioral and anatomical observations show evidences for the control of eye movements and facial behaviors during the third trimester of pregnancy whereas specific sub-cortical areas, like the superior colliculus (SC) and the striatum appear to be functionally mature to support these behaviors. These observations suggest that the newborn is potentially mature for developing minimal social skills. In this manuscript, we propose that the mechanism of sensory alignment observed in SC is particularly important for enabling the social skills observed at birth such as facial preference and facial mimicry. In a computational simulation of the maturing superior colliculus connected to a simulated facial tissue of a fetus, we model how the incoming tactile information is used to direct visual attention toward faces. We suggest that the unisensory superficial visual layer (eye-centered) and the deep somatopic layer (face-centered) in SC are combined into an intermediate layer for visuo-tactile integration and that multimodal alignment in this third layer allows newborns to have a sensitivity to configuration of eyes and mouth. We show that the visual and tactile maps align through a Hebbian learning stage and and strengthen their synaptic links from each other into the intermediate layer. It results that the global network produces some emergent properties such as sensitivity toward the spatial configuration of face-like patterns and the detection of eyes and mouth movement.
Chemical Composition and Energy Nutritional Value of the Meat of Guinea Fowls (Numidameleagris), Fattened to different Ages

The aim of the study was to investigate the chemical composition and energy content of the meat of young guinea-fowls, with different duration of the fattening period, raised in a free-range, semi-intensive production system. The authors establish the following data: dry matter content- from 27.08 to 28.82% in breast muscle and from 23.83 to 26.56% in thigh muscle; crude protein in dry matter –from 86.19to 93.54% in breastand from 82.02 to 87.84% in thigh muscle; crude fat in dry matter - from 5.64 to 7.58% in breast and from 9.02 to 11.05% in thigh muscles. The average energy content in 100 g dry matter varies from 23.7 (breast muscle, 16 weeks of age) to 25.07 kJ (thigh muscle, 24 weeks of age).
Slavic language identification using cascade classifier approach

Automatic Language Identification (LID) of a text is an important preprocessing step in many Text Mining applications. Most successful language identification systems perform very well in discrimination between unrelated languages on standard datasets. Nevertheless, this is not a solved problem, and there are a number of scenarios in which language identification has proven to be a quite challenging task. In this paper we focus on disambiguation between closely-related Slavic languages in the conditions of short and noisy texts using cascade classifier approach. We used the datasets and the evaluation metrics from LT4VarDial'2015 Workshop (RANLP'2015) in the shared task on Discriminating between Similar Languages (DSL).
The impact of personal budgets on unpaid carers of older people

Summary This paper focuses on the impact of a personal budget – either in the form of a direct payment or managed personal budget – on the role of unpaid carers of older budget holders. Data were collected via postal survey of 1500 unpaid carers and semi-structured interviews with 31 carers. Findings Unpaid carers played a central role in supporting older budget holders irrespective of the type of budget received. The allocation of a personal budget may have decreased the amount of ‘hands-on’ care they provided, enabling them to do different things for and with the person cared for, but most did not relinquish direct involvement in care provision. Both kinds of personal budget provided greater flexibility to juggle caring tasks with other roles, such as childcare or paid employment. However, carers supporting direct payment users did experience higher levels of stress. This seemed linked to the additional responsibilities involved in administering the direct payment. Carers seemed relatively unsupported by their local Adult Social Care Department: the survey found that only one in five said they had ever received a carer assessment. Application The findings offer a detailed exploration of the impact of personal budgets on carers, suggesting that even in countries with relatively well-developed systems of support for carers such as England their impact remains overlooked. The paper may be of interest to social work practitioners, managers, academics and social work policy specialists working in countries that have, or are about to introduce, personal budgets or other forms of cash-for-care scheme.
Genotyping analysis of 3 RET polymorphisms demonstrates low somatic mutation rate in Chinese Hirschsprung disease patients.

BACKGROUND Genetic mosaicism has been reported for both coding and non-coding sequences in the RET gene in Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) patients. This study aimed to investigate somatic mutation rate in Chinese population by comparing both homozygous genotype percentage and risk allele frequency of 3 RET single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among blood and colon samples. METHODS DNA was extracted from 59 HSCR blood samples, 59 control blood samples and 76 fresh frozen colon tissue samples (grouped into ganglionic, transitional and aganglionic level). Genotype status of rs2435357 and rs2506030 was examined by competitive allele specific hydrolysis probes (Taqman) PCR technology, and rs2506004 was examined by Sanger sequencing. Homozygous genotype percentage and risk allele frequency were calculated for each type of sample and compared by chi-square test. P<0.05 was regarded as being statistically significant. RESULTS Colon tissue DNA samples showed similar frequency of SNPs as that of the blood DNA samples in HSCR patients, both of which are significantly higher than the control blood group (rs2435357 TT genotype: 71.2%, 74.7% versus 22.0% in HSCR blood, HSCR colon and control blood DNA respectively, P=0.000; rs2506004 AA genotype: 72.4%, 83.1% versus 25.5%, P=0.000; rs2506030 GG genotype: 79.7%, 77.2% versus 54.2%, P=0.000 and 0.004). With respect to DNA extracted from ganglionic, transitional and aganglionic levels, no statistically significant difference was demonstrated in those 3 regions (rs2435357: P=0.897; rs2506004: P=0.740; rs2506030: P=0.901). CONCLUSION Our data does not support the notion that high frequency of somatic changes as an underlying etiology of Chinese HSCR population.
Association of Low Back Pain with Vitamin D Deficiency and other Common Risk Factors: A Hospital Based Case-Control Study

Background: low back pain (LBP) is an extremely common health Problem in Asian communities. It is a major cause of activity limitation. Aim of this study was to identify the association of vitamin D and modifiable risk factors of low back pain among female patients in the childbearing period. Subject and methods: It was a hospital based case-control approach done at rheumatology and rehabilitation outpatient clinic of Arar hospital in Saudi Arabia during a period of 10 months from September 2010 to June 2011. The study population comprised Saudi female in the childbearing period (20-45years) (to exclude rickets in younger females and post menopausal osteoporosis in older ones). Cases were patients who had the complaints of chronic LBP (lasting more than three months) at the time of data collection. For each case, one control was selected from the same age group from patients with no LBP but attend the same units for other reasons. Data were collected with a semi-structured Check list and 174 participants were interviewed from which 87 had back pain (cases). Venous sampling 5 ml was done for both cases and control for serum calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, PTH and 25- hydroxy cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). Results: Univariate analysis showed that low back pain was significantly associated with age of the patients, low physical activity, body mass index (BMI) >25kg/m, prolonged sitting, history of back trauma (p 25kg/m and hypovitaminosis D as an independent risk factors for low back pain. Conclusion: Low back pain among Saudi female was associated with BMI, physical activity, sitting posture and hypovitaminosis D. All these risk factors could be regarded as the indicators of low back pain, and some relevant preventive measures should be taken to reduce low back pain risk.
Oxidative stress and chromatin remodeling in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and smoking-related diseases.

SIGNIFICANCE Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is predominantly a tobacco smoke-triggered disease with features of chronic low-grade systemic inflammation and aging (inflammaging) of the lung associated with steroid resistance induced by cigarette smoke (CS)-mediated oxidative stress. Oxidative stress induces various kinase signaling pathways leading to chromatin modifications (histone acetylation/deacetylation and histone methylation/demethylation) in inflammation, senescence, and steroid resistance. RECENT ADVANCES Histone mono-, di-, or tri-methylation at lysine residues result in either gene activation (H3K4, H3K36, and H3K79) or repression (H3K9, H3K27, and H3K20). Cross-talk occurs between various epigenetic marks on histones and DNA methylation. Both CS and oxidants alter histone acetylation/deacetylation and methylation/demethylation leading to enhanced proinflammatory gene expression. Chromatin modifications occur in lungs of patients with COPD. Histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) reduction (levels and activity) is associated with steroid resistance in response to oxidative stress. CRITICAL ISSUES Histone modifications are associated with DNA damage/repair and epigenomic instability as well as premature lung aging, which have implications in the pathogenesis of COPD. HDAC2/SIRTUIN1 (SIRT1)-dependent chromatin modifications are associated with DNA damage-induced inflammation and senescence in response to CS-mediated oxidative stress. FUTURE DIRECTIONS Understanding CS/oxidative stress-mediated chromatin modifications and the cross-talk between histone acetylation and methylation will demonstrate the involvement of epigenetic regulation of chromatin remodeling in inflammaging. This will lead to identification of novel epigenetic-based therapies against COPD and other smoking-related lung diseases. Pharmacological activation of HDAC2/SIRT1 or reversal of their oxidative post-translational modifications may offer therapies for treatment of COPD and CS-related diseases based on epigenetic histone modifications.