Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dietary Supplementation with Carotenoids Improves Immunity without Increasing Its Cost in a Crustacean

Costs of immunity include self‐harming autoreactivity through the production of cytotoxic chemicals. While carotenoids stimulate immunity and reduce oxidative stress during immune activity in vertebrates, their involvement in invertebrate immunity is unclear. Recently, a positive correlation between immune defenses and concentration of carotenoids in the hemolymph was demonstrated in the crustacean Gammarus pulex, suggesting an important role of carotenoids in invertebrate immunity. We tested the causality of this relationship by using a dietary supplementation with carotenoids and measuring several immune parameters. We found that dietary carotenoids had a broad immunostimulating effect, enhancing phenoloxidase activity and resistance to a bacterial infection. When immune challenged, gammarids fed with carotenoids did not pay an additional survival cost because of autoreactivity, despite their intensified immune activity. Therefore, dietary carotenoids improved gammarids' immunity without inducing additional self‐harming. This underlines the importance of carotenoids in both the regulation and the evolution of immunity in G. pulex.
Performing “The Tourist” on Social Networking Media: An Analysis of Tourists' Travel Posts on Facebook

The evolution of social networking sites has significantly influenced human behavior. On social networking platforms that transcend barriers of time and geographical distance, people are now engaged 24/7 in an obsessive-compulsive behavior of crafting and projecting a favorable identity of themselves in the virtual world. Social attention and admiration is continuously being sought by making ‘public’, ‘any and every’ attractive dimension of one’s private life. An individual’s travel for leisure is one such personal dimension that has become a part of ‘public broadcast’ on social networking platforms in order to seek attention, through playing ‘The Tourist’. This paper explores the manner in which people try to project their performance of ‘the tourist’ on the popular social networking site ‘Facebook’. Through deconstruction of the ‘touristy’ photographs and travel ‘status updates’ posted by people on Facebook, the present study aims to identify the characteristic elements that symbolize a ‘typical tourist’. The study also elaborates upon the nature in which travel is being used for ‘status enhancement’ through social networking platforms.
A Serosurvey of the Prevalence of Enzootic Bovine Leukosis in the Mafikeng Area of the North West Province of South Africa

Abstract The objectives of this study were to determine the seroprevalence of enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL) and some possible factors influencing its occurrence in the Mafikeng area of the North West Province using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Three hundred and forty blood samples were collected from cattle aged 6-72 months. Structured interviews as well as clinical examinations were used to gather supplementary data. The overall seroprevalence was 12.6 percent while area prevalence ranged between 6 and 51 percent. Eighty percent of the studied areas tested positive to EBL, revealing the extent to which farmers could be losing out to the disease. Oral interviews revealed a paltry 20 percent awareness level among the farmers. Awareness campaigns and more seroprevalence surveys are obligatory if the actual extent of the disease and its effects are to be revealed.
How information about overdetection changes breast cancer screening decisions: a mediation analysis within a randomised controlled trial

Objectives In a randomised controlled trial, we found that informing women about overdetection changed their breast screening decisions. We now present a mediation analysis exploring the psychological pathways through which study participants who received the intervention processed information about overdetection and how this influenced their decision-making. We examined a series of potential mediators in the causal chain between exposure to overdetection information and women’s subsequently reported breast screening intentions. Design Serial multiple mediation analysis within a randomised controlled trial. Setting New South Wales, Australia. Participants 811 women aged 48–50 years with no personal history of breast cancer. Interventions Two versions of a decision aid giving women information about breast cancer deaths averted and false positives from mammography screening, either with (intervention) or without (control) information on overdetection. Main outcome Intentions to undergo breast cancer screening in the next 2–3 years. Mediators Knowledge about overdetection, worry about breast cancer, attitudes towards breast screening and anticipated regret. Results The effect of information about overdetection on women’s breast screening intentions was mediated through multiple cognitive and affective processes. In particular, the information led to substantial improvements in women’s understanding of overdetection, and it influenced—both directly and indirectly via its effect on knowledge—their attitudes towards having screening. Mediation analysis showed that the mechanisms involving knowledge and attitudes were particularly important in determining women’s intentions about screening participation. Conclusions Even in this emotive context, new information influenced women’s decision-making by changing their understanding of possible consequences of screening and their attitudes towards undergoing it. These findings emphasise the need to provide good-quality information on screening outcomes and to communicate this information effectively, so that women can make well-informed decisions. Trial registration number This study was prospectively registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12613001035718) on 17 September 2013.
Establishment and Characterization of a Novel Caco-2 Subclone with a Similar Low Expression Level of Human Carboxylesterase 1 to Human Small Intestine s

Caco-2 cells predominantly expresshumancarboxylesterase 1 (hCE1), unlike the human intestine that predominantly expresses human carboxylesterase 2 (hCE2). Transport experiments using Caco-2 cell monolayers often lead to misestimation of the intestinal absorption of prodrugs because of this difference, as prodrugs designed to increase the bioavailability of parent drugs are made to be resistant to hCE2 in the intestine, so that they can be hydrolyzed by hCE1 in the liver. In the present study, we tried to establish a new Caco-2 subclone, with a similar pattern of carboxylase expression to human intestine, to enable a more accurate estimation of the intestinal absorption of prodrugs. Although no subclone could be identifiedwith high expression levels of only hCE2, two subclones, #45 and #78, with extremely low expression levels of hCE1 were subcloned from parental Caco-2 cells by the limiting dilution technique. Unfortunately, subclone #45 did not form enterocyte-like cell monolayers due to low expression of claudins and b-actin. However, subclone #78 formed polarized cell monolayers over 4 weeks and showed similar paracellular and transcellular transport properties to parental Caco-2 cell monolayers. In addition, the intestinal transport of oseltamivir, a hCE1 substrate, could be evaluated in subclone #78 cell monolayers, including P-glycoprotein–mediated efflux under nonhydrolysis conditions, unlike parental Caco-2 cells. Consequently, it is proposed that subclone #78 may provide a more effective system in which to evaluate the intestinal absorption of prodrugs that are intended to be hydrolyzed by hCE1.
Structure and reactivity of tRNA

All tRNA sequences so far known can be folded into a cloverleaf structure. Physical data and chemical reactions allow us to draw conclusions on secondary (cloverleaf) and tertiary structure. N‐oxidation of adenosine to adenosine‐1‐N‐oxide can be done with monoperphthalic acid in non‐base‐paired regions of polynucleotides and can be followed easily by changes in absorption of ultraviolet light. Thus this method can be used to determine the structure of tRNA's. A fingerprint of the N‐oxidation product of tRNAyeastPhe reveals that all adenosine residues are protected except the 3′‐terminal adenosine and the three adenosine residues in or adjacent to the anticodon. On this basis a conformation of tRNAyeastPhe is proposed. Similar tertiary structures can be constructed for the other tRNA's. In order to connect tertiary structure of a tRNA and recognition by its aminoacylating enzyme, the rate of aminoacylation, as a function of temperature, was measured. Neither changes in the anticodon nor specific changes at the 3′‐terminal adenosine abolish aminoacylation. Single crystals of tRNAyeastPhe were obtained from aqueous solutions upon addition of various organic solvents.
Economic Forecasting in Theory and Practice: An Interview with David F. Hendry

David Hendry has made major contributions to many areas of economic forecasting. He has developed a taxonomy of forecast errors and a theory of unpredictability that have yielded valuable insights into the nature of forecasting. He has also provided new perspectives on many existing forecast techniques, including mean square forecast errors, add factors, leading indicators, pooling of forecasts, and multi-step estimation. In addition, David has developed new forecast tools, such as forecast encompassing; and he has improved existing ones, such as nowcasting and robustification to breaks. This interview for the International Journal of Forecasting explores David Hendry’s research on forecasting.
RNA tertiary interactions in the large ribosomal subunit: The A-minor motif

Analysis of the 2.4-Å resolution crystal structure of the large ribosomal subunit from Haloarcula marismortui reveals the existence of an abundant and ubiquitous structural motif that stabilizes RNA tertiary and quaternary structures. This motif is termed the A-minor motif, because it involves the insertion of the smooth, minor groove edges of adenines into the minor groove of neighboring helices, preferentially at C-G base pairs, where they form hydrogen bonds with one or both of the 2′ OHs of those pairs. A-minor motifs stabilize contacts between RNA helices, interactions between loops and helices, and the conformations of junctions and tight turns. The interactions between the 3′ terminal adenine of tRNAs bound in either the A site or the P site with 23S rRNA are examples of functionally significant A-minor interactions. The A-minor motif is by far the most abundant tertiary structure interaction in the large ribosomal subunit; 186 adenines in 23S and 5S rRNA participate, 68 of which are conserved. It may prove to be the universally most important long-range interaction in large RNA structures.
Model for formulating competitive strategy: the supplementary health sector case

Purpose The implementation of quality in health services should go beyond legal, regulatory and purely technical obligations in relation to carrying out health insurance practices. The purpose of this paper is to present a management model that intends to equip private health care companies in favor of quality development from the use of a model for forming a competitive strategy in the supplementary health sector companies. Design/methodology/approach In this approach the proposed model is grounded on guiding procedures for the process of strategy formulation, with a systemic structure that separates in analysis involving the internal and external environment to the organization to verify the strategy that best applies. It is based on prescriptive strategy – the five competitive forces and, with adaptive strategy, the competition arenas. Findings Through the proposed model the analytical mechanisms of political-legal environments surrounding companies in the sector can be described, identify organizations and their process performance, study them, and perform comparative analysis of information between them. All of this development seeks to ensure the formation of policies, to guide strategic action in health insurance. Originality/value This work strongly contributes to the foundation and strengthening of strategic knowledge and has quality aimed at the study of the private health care market, due to the high degree of regulatory requirements by the state to the businesses, the environment turns into a chain of complex information that migrates from the condition of just meeting legal requirements, to also satisfying the demands of a hypercompetitive market.
`What, Me Worry?'

Little is known about the bases of parental worry about adolescents' risk for acquiring a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Parents (N = 247) of adolescents 12—17 years endorsed reasons that explained their worry or nonworry. Parents' past experience of an STI, perception of the child's sexual activity, and racial self-identification were predictors of worry. Cluster analyses identified five groups of worriers and four groups of nonworriers. Worriers tended to select reasons reflecting an external parental locus of control or child-specific reasons. Nonworriers endorsed reasons consistent with internal parental locus of control. Findings suggest that preventive health communication should be tailored to parents' perceptions of risk and protective factors.
Single Dose Effects of Pascoflair ® on Current Source Density (CSD) of Human EEG

Pascoflair? 425 mg is a herbal drug based on Passiflora incarnata dry extract and is registered in different countries for the treatment of nervous restlessness and anxiety and also as an aid to sleep. The study was initiated for the quantitative assessment of the effect of this preparation on brain electric activity and cognition in human volunteers. Quantitative electroencephalographic current source density (CSD) from 16 healthy male and female human volunteers (average age 49 years) was used in a randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study. Data were taken 0.5, 1.5, 3 and 4 hours after administration of the preparations under the conditions of 6 minutes eyes open, 5 minutes d2 concentration test, mathematical calculation test and memory test respectively. During mental load, changes in spectral band power were used to analyse drug-induced effects. All variables were fed into a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) for comparison with other drug profiles. Spectral power in the delta and theta range was significantly attenuated at 3 and 4 hours after administration in comparison with the time-dependent increase normally observed due to circadian rhythm. Discriminant analysis revealed a difference to placebo for all recordings as early as 30 minutes after intake of 3 coated tablets of Pascoflair? 425 mg. Using LDA data location within the poly-dimensional space, verum was projected into the area of the effects of Gingko/Ginseng as reference drugs tested earlier under identical conditions. Psychometric performance was not disrupted. Pascoflair? 425 mg can be regarded as a well characterized plant-derived drug with anxiolytic and calming properties without negative sedative and cognition-attenuating side effects. Current results document the effecttiveness of the preparation as early as after 30 minutes. In addition, they indicate persistence of good mental performance for hours. Trial registration: the study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under NCT01047605.
Does Breastfeeding Protect Against Substantiated Child Abuse and Neglect? A 15-Year Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES. We explored whether breastfeeding was protective against maternally perpetrated child maltreatment. METHODS. A total of 7223 Australian mother-infant pairs were monitored prospectively over 15 years. In 6621 (91.7%) cases, the duration of breastfeeding was analyzed with respect to child maltreatment (including neglect, physical abuse, and emotional abuse), on the basis of substantiated child protection agency reports. Multinomial logistic regression was used to compare no maltreatment with nonmaternal and maternally perpetrated maltreatment and to adjust for confounding in 5890 cases with complete data (81.5%). Potential confounders included sociodemographic factors, pregnancy wantedness, substance abuse during pregnancy, postpartum employment, attitudes regarding infant caregiving, and symptoms of anxiety or depression. RESULTS. Of 512 children with substantiated maltreatment reports, >60% experienced ≥1 episode of maternally perpetrated abuse or neglect (4.3% of the cohort). The odds ratio for maternal maltreatment increased as breastfeeding duration decreased, with the odds of maternal maltreatment for nonbreastfed children being 4.8 times the odds for children breastfed for ≥4 months. After adjustment for confounding, the odds for nonbreastfed infants remained 2.6 times higher, with no association seen between breastfeeding and nonmaternal maltreatment. Maternal neglect was the only maltreatment subtype associated independently with breastfeeding duration. CONCLUSION. Among other factors, breastfeeding may help to protect against maternally perpetrated child maltreatment, particularly child neglect.
Market Receptiveness and Product Positioning Model of Chinese Firms in Emerging Markets

This study looks into the common strategic moves of Chinese firms to create appeal for their products in emerging markets. The focus is on the common competitive factors that make them to have high rate of success and prosperity compared to first movers firms from advanced markets in developing countries marketplace. Past studies showed that a firm without established brands, technology knowhow and management capabilities are likely to face with survival and performance problems, and may also reduce the firm’s strategic options and growth opportunities in developing economies. Chinese firms are known to lack established brands and important core capabilities but have been able to demonstrate a unique trend in emerging countries market place. They have a common structure and trend in the ways Chinese firms create appeal to users and potential buyers in emerging market environment. This present research explored the situation with case research interview of seven Chinese firms in Nigeria.
Carrageenan/MIV-150 (PC-815), a Combination Microbicide

Objective: The objective of this article is to study the effect of PC-815, a novel combination microbicide containing carrageenan and the nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) MIV-150, in blocking HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections in vitro as compared with Carraguard alone. Goal: The goal of this study was to develop a combination microbicide that is more efficacious than Carraguard against HIV-1 and HIV-2. Study Design: The microtiter syncytial assay was used to evaluate: 1) the antiviral and virucidal activity of MIV-150 against HIV-1MN; 2) the additive effect of MIV-150 when combined with carrageenan; and 3) a possible interference of seminal fluid in the antiviral activity of these compounds. Results: MIV-150 effectively inactivated free virus. Combination of MIV-150 and Carraguard demonstrated an additive antiviral effect. Seminal fluid had no effect on the antiviral activity of MIV-150 or Carraguard. The average concentration that blocks 50% of infection (EC50) for PC-815 was approximately 10 times stronger than Carraguard for the different clinical isolates used in the study. Conclusion: Theoretically, PC-815 is likely to be a more efficacious microbicide than Carraguard.
Space-vector approach in three-phase unbalance and distortion analysis

This paper shows that the space-vector approach is an eminent and powerful tool in three-phase analysis. It is able to manage in a unitary way the sinusoidal, distorted and transient conditions. Its complex Fourier series implements a formal unification between unbalance and distortion; such unification is conceptually significant and leads to simplification of principle, as well as powerful analytical processing. Examples illustrate the effectiveness of the complex Fourier series as analytical tool in different application areas.
The relationship between direct cost of raising Equity capital and gross proceeds of companies Listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE)

There have been questions as to why most companies do not raise equity capital from the public in Kenya by issuing shares even with the increased tax incentives for such issuers. It has not been clear as to whether the costs of such funds are prohibitive compared to those of alternatives sources. No study has been undertaken in Kenya to establish the cost of raising equity capital from the public. This paper is focused on the cost of raising equity capital in Kenya. It utilized secondary data on costs and expenses for a sample of 37 issues being both IPOs and SEOs between 1990 and 2005 as published in the prospectuses, audited financial statements and other source documents obtained from both the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) and Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE), to test the following hypotheses: 1. Average cost of an issue decreases with increase in gross proceeds 2. Average cost of an issue increases with increase in gross proceeds Analysis results indicate that the average cost of raising equity capital in Kenya is 10.24% of the gross proceeds. It has also been revealed from the findings that IPOs are more costly than SEOs and that rights issues are cheaper with only 4.5% of the gross proceeds being consumed by direct floatation costs. On the basis of this analysis it turns out that flotation costs are lower if the issuer opts to raise high proceeds from the issue thus as far as the economies of scale view is concerned, there is clear evidence in favor of this view. On the relationship between direct cost of capital and gross proceeds, regression analysis was significant that gross proceeds explain changes in direct floatation
The New Statutory Audit Framework in Europe: Implications for the Provision of Non-Audit Services

Purpose: The individual EU Member States have options on how they implement the new statutory audit framework in Europe. They may introduce stricter rules or apply certain exemptions where deemed appropriate. Denmark exemplifies Member States with a traditionally high level of non-audit services provided by its auditors. The aim of this study is to contrast the minimum implementation rationale observed in the Danish implementation process with an ex ante examination of fee dependency.Design/methodology/approach: The audit reform introduces a cap on non-audit fees which implies a regulator-determined condition of non-independence. The cap is applied as a treatment effect on the ex ante relationship between audit fees and non-audit fees. In a sample with 3,238 observations, Denmark is compared with Finland, Germany, Sweden and the UK in order to determine whether the new measure will have different implications. Findings: The findings support the regulators’ concern that auditors of public interest entities (PIEs) with high levels of non-audit services are more likely to have self-interest threats. The findings also suggest that the implications of the harmonization process will be different across countries. Denmark is singled out as having particular dependency issues which are not sufficiently recognized in the minimum implementation rationale applied by the national legislators.Originality/value: This study establishes that the measures in the new audit reform likely will have some effect in most Member States, but for certain countries like Denmark, there will be greater effects on the future provision of non-audit services.