Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effective audit committee, audit quality and earnings management: evidence from the Ghana Stock Exchange

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of audit committee effectiveness and audit quality (auditor size) on earnings management by firms listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE). The study uses 180 firm-year observations for the period 2013-2017 for firms listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange. Descriptive analysis was performed to provide the background statistics of the variables examined. This was followed by regression analysis, which forms the main data analysis. The results of multivariate regression analysis indicated that audit committee financial expertise, audit committee prior experience, audit committee size and audit quality have significant negative relationship with discretionary accruals (DACC) as a proxy for earnings management. On the other hand, no significant relationship was found between audit committee independence and audit committee meeting (ACMT) and the level of discretionary accruals. This paper is important because it offers useful information that is of great value to policy makers, academics and other stakeholders. This study is one of the few to measure the influence of audit committee effectiveness and audit quality (auditor size) on earnings management.
Hematologic Effects of Maternal Antiretroviral Therapy and Transmission Prophylaxis in HIV-1-Exposed Uninfected Newborn Infants

Objective:A prospective observational study to investigate hematologic alterations during the first 3 months of life in HIV-exposed uninfected infants subjected to antiretroviral medication before and after birth. Methods:Two hundred twenty-one consecutive uninfected infants born to HIV-positive mothers on antiretroviral medication during pregnancy were included. Perinatal transmission prophylaxis comprised zidovudine (ZDV) administered intravenously intrapartum and 10 days after birth. Blood counts and differentials were determined at birth and at 2, 4, 6, and 12 weeks of age, and hematologic toxicity was graded according to pediatric toxicity scales. Data were analyzed according to the kind of prenatal medication (ZDV alone or with another nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor [NRTI] vs. highly active antiretroviral therapy [HAART]). Results:Median hemoglobin was significantly lower in HAART-exposed newborns from birth (P = 0.004) until day 28. During follow-up, 119 (53.8%) infants had anemia grade 2 or higher on at least 1 occasion; 16 (7.2%) received red blood cell transfusion at 23 (range: 1-56) days of age. Neutropenia grade 2 or higher occurred in 106 (48.0%) infants at least once; 8 infants had staphylococcal infections, and 2 infections were severe. After adjustment for possible confounders (prematurity, birth weight, ethnicity, gender, duration of maternal antiretroviral therapy, maternal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stage, and maternal illicit drug use), HAART exposure was the only independent risk factor for anemia (odds ratio [OR] = 2.22, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06 to 4.64; P = 0.034) and neutropenia (OR = 2.15, CI: 1.02 to 4.55; P = 0.045). Conclusions:Antiretroviral transmission prophylaxis is associated with significant anemia and neutropenia in HIV-uninfected infants during the first 3 months of life. Anemia was more profound in HAART-exposed infants.
Adolescents Living the 24/7 Lifestyle: Effects of Caffeine and Technology on Sleep Duration and Daytime Functioning

OBJECTIVE. Adolescents may not receive the sleep they need. New media technology and new, popular energy drinks may be implicated in sleep deficits. In this pilot study we quantified nighttime technology use and caffeine consumption to determine effects on sleep duration and daytime behaviors in adolescents. We hypothesized that with increased technology use, adolescents increase caffeine consumption, resulting in insufficient sleep duration. PATIENTS AND METHODS. Subjects were recruited from a pediatric office in a proximal suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Inclusion criteria for this study were middle and high school subjects aged 12 to 18 years old. The questionnaire, Adolescent Sleep, Caffeine Intake, and Technology Use, was developed by the investigators to measure adolescents' intake of caffeinated drinks, use of nighttime media-related technology, and sleep behaviors. Descriptive statistics characterized the subjects, their caffeine and technology use, and sleep variables. Regression models assessed the relationships between caffeine, technology use, and sleep variables, having adjusted for age, race, gender, and BMI. RESULTS. Sleep was significantly related to the multitasking index. Teenagers getting 8 to 10 hours of sleep on school nights tended to have 1.5- to 2-fold lower multitasking indices compared with those getting less sleep. Thirty-three percent of the teenagers reported falling asleep during school. Caffeine consumption tended to be 76% higher by those who fell asleep. The log-transformed multitasking index was significantly related to falling asleep during school and with difficulties falling asleep on weeknights. CONCLUSIONS. Many adolescents used multiple forms of technology late into the night and concurrently consumed caffeinated beverages. Subsequently, their ability to stay alert and fully functional throughout the day was impaired by excessive daytime sleepiness. Future studies should measure more than television hours when evaluating the impact of nighttime activities on sleep patterns in adolescents.
Toll-Like Receptor 3: Involvement with Exogenous and Endogenous RNA

The recognition of pathogens is assigned to an evolutionarily conserved family of receptors, the Toll-like receptors (TLRs). The investigation of RNA-based immunology has been reinvigorated with the observation that TLR3s interact with RNA (dsRNA of viral origin, poly (I:C) and endogenous RNA). Many RNAs, therefore, join the list of endogenous ligands for TLRs. The further finding that nucleoside modification alters RNA-mediated TLR signaling presents a mechanism for the long-observed differences in immunogenicity. The involvement of RNA modification in the pathogenesis of diseases, and its implications in the therapeutics, are still being studied, and will have important implications in the future.
Power assist method based on Phase Sequence and muscle force condition for HAL

An exoskeleton robot can replace the wearer's motion function by operating the human's body. The purpose of this study is to propose a power assist method of walking, standing up and going up stairs based on autonomous motion of the exoskeleton robot suit, HAL (Hybrid assistive Limb), and verify the effectiveness of this method by experiment. In order to realize power assist of tasks (walking, standing up and going up stairs) autonomically, we used the Phase Sequence control which generates a task by transiting some simple basic motions called Phases. A task was divided into some Phases on the basis of the task performed by a normal person. The joint moving modes were categorized into active, passive and free modes according to the characteristic of the muscle force conditions. The autonomous motions which HAL generates in each Phase were designed corresponding to one of the categorized modes. The power assist experiments were performed by using the autonomous motion with a focus on the active mode. The experimental results showed that the wearer's muscle activation levels in each Phase were significantly reduced. With this, we confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed assist method.
Drug-induced acute kidney injury

Purpose of reviewThe purpose of this review is to describe the most prevalent mechanisms of drug-induced acute kidney injury, to define the risk factors for nephrotoxicity, and to analyze the available evidence for preventive measures. Recent findingsDrug toxicity remains an important cause of acute kidney injury that, in many circumstances, can be prevented or at least minimized by vigilance and early intervention. Recent studies have resulted in increased insight into the subcellular mechanisms of drug nephrotoxicity. Further improvement is to be expected from the identification of early markers of nephrotoxicity and an increasing involvement of a clinical pharmacist. SummaryThe main mechanisms of nephrotoxicity are vasoconstriction, altered intraglomerular hemodynamics, tubular cell toxicity, interstitial nephritis, crystal deposition, thrombotic microangiopathy, and osmotic nephrosis. Before prescribing a potentially nephrotoxic drug, the risk-to-benefit ratio and the availability of alternative drugs should be considered. Modifiable risk factors should be corrected. The correct drug dosage should be prescribed. Patients should be pre-hydrated and the glomerular filtration rate should be frequently monitored during the administration of a potentially nephrotoxic drug. Studies are needed to further elucidate the mechanisms of nephrotoxicity to design more-rational prevention and treatment strategies. Computer-based prescriber-order entry and an appropriately trained intensive care unit pharmacist are particularly helpful to minimize medication errors and adverse drug events.
Characterization of Listeria monocytogenes isolates by CAMP test

In this study, a total 28 Listeria monocytogenes field isolates obtained from different animal species were characterized phenotypically by CAMP test. Characterization by CAMP test on all the 28 field isolates revealed positive reaction, of which twenty-three isolates showed characteristics enhancement of haemolytic zone with S. aureus on 5 % Sheep Blood Agar (SBA) and five isolates showed weak haemolytic zone.
Sonographic Detection of Thyroid Cancer in Breast Cancer Patients

The purpose of our study was to analyze the incidence of incidental thyroid cancers which were detected by simultaneous sonographic examination of breast and thyroid glands. Between January 2001 and March 2004, 518 patients were diagnosed with breast cancer after modified radical mastectomy (n = 369) or breast conserving surgery (n = 149). We screened thyroid glands when we examined breast for diagnosis and follow-up after surgery. If we found the sonographic finding of suspicious for malignancy in thyroid, we immediately performed ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). Forty-two cases showed suspicious sonographic findings and of those, 18 cases (42.9%) were determined to have suspicious malignant cytology by ultrasound guided FNAB. Among 518 breast cancers, total 13 cases (2.5%) were diagnosed with papillary carcinoma after thyroidectomy. The mean longest diameter of the thyroid masses was 9.9mm (range 1 - 30mm). Six cases (6/13, 46.2%) were diagnosed as simultaneous breast and thyroid cancers, and the rest of the thyroid cancers were detected after 6 to 33 months (mean 16.5 months) after surgery. In conclusion, the patients with breast cancer had a high incidence (2.5%) of thyroid cancer. Sonographic screening is useful for the early detection of thyroid cancer.
HUMAN SYNTHETIC PEPTIDE VACCINE FOR CONTRACEPTION TARGETING SPERM

A vaccine targeting sperm is an interesting approach to contraception. The acceptability of a sperm antigen for contraceptive vaccine development is contingent upon its sperm-specificity, surface expression for antibody binding, and involvement in fertilization. Sperm-zona pellucida (ZP) binding is a pivotal step and constitutes an attractive site for immunointerception. Using phage display technology, we have identified a novel dodecamer peptide sequence, designated as YLP12, that is present on sperm, and is involved in ZP binding and sperm capacitation/acrosome reaction in man/mouse. Extensive search in the human and mouse genome sequence databases did not indicate a complete identity with the YLP12 nucleotide sequence. It is peptide mimetic with sperm receptor carbohydrate mimicking action that is involved in oocyte binding. The sperm-specific YLP12 sequence is also involved in involuntary immunoinfertility in men, indicating its autoantigenicity, sperm-specificity, and involvement in fertility/infertility in humans. Vaccination of female animals with synthetic YLP12 peptide causes a long-term reversible contraception by raising a sperm-specific immune response. The contraceptive effect could also be completely reversed voluntarily at any time by immunoneutralization of antibodies using intravaginal administration of the peptide. Thus, the novel synthetic YLP12 peptide is an attractive candidate for contraceptive vaccine development, and diagnosis and treatment of immunoinfertility in humans.
Determinants for Successful Agile Collaboration between UX Designers and Software Developers in a Complex Organisation

ABSTRACT Agile and User-centered design processes have been reported to frequently putting contradictory demands on people working within these methodological frameworks. The current research addresses this point by focussing on the crucial relationship between software developer and designer. An online survey, a contextual inquiry, and a diary study were employed with 107 developers and designers in a large media organization to determine the factors for success in agile development cycles. The results from the survey show that while developers and designers have similar levels of satisfaction with agile processes, there are differences in the factors predicting those ratings. Developers are happier with the wider teamwork but want more access to and close collaboration with designers, while the latters’ concern was the quality of the wider teamwork. Additional contextual inquiries and a diary study with pairs of designers and developers reflected the survey findings that close cooperation (and proximity) was essential for improving communication, reducing inefficiencies, and avoiding suboptimal products being released. However, organizational processes, the setup of the work environment, and managerial traditions meant that this close collaboration and localized decision-making was found difficult to maintain. Results from the survey, the contextual inquiry, and the diary study found six factors for success from collaborations emerged.
Gestion de l'usage d'une nappe par un groupement d'agriculteurs : l'expérience de Bsissi Oued El Akarit en Tunisie

En Afrique du Nord, de nombreux aquiferes sont surexploites, principalement du fait d'une agriculture irriguee intensive. Cependant, les politiques publiques qui ont cherche a reguler cet usage se sont montrees jusqu'a maintenant peu efficaces, du fait du manque de moyens et parce que les agriculteurs les considerent comme peu legitimes. L'article analyse un cas de gestion collective de l'usage des eaux souterraines par les agriculteurs eux-memes, dans le cadre d'une association au Sud de la Tunisie. Dans la zone de Bsissi Oued El Akarit, l'administration multipliait dans les annees 1990 les procedures de controle des puits, conduisant a de nombreux conflits. En 1999, les agriculteurs et l'administration se sont mis d'accord pour qu'un groupement de developpement agricole soit cree specifiquement pour controler les puits et forages dans cette zone. Depuis, le groupement a effectivement reussi a mettre en oeuvre un tel controle, mais reste toujours fragile financierement car il ne s'auto-finance pas. Le processus de concertation qui a conduit a ce dispositif de gestion a reussi grâce a : i) la posture de l'administration, a la fois ferme en matiere d'application des lois en vigueurs, et ouverte a la concertation avec les agriculteurs, et ii) aux competences et a la legitimite des leaders du groupement. Cette experience montre que, dans certains cas, les agriculteurs peuvent devenir partie prenante d'une cogestion des eaux souterraines pour un usage durable de cette ressource. (Resume d'auteur)
In Vitro Activity of Novel Gyrase Inhibitors against a Highly Resistant Population of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

ABSTRACT The activity of five novel gyrase inhibitors was evaluated against 303 nonduplicate Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains collected from 53 North American institutions. The most active compound, GP-2, displayed MIC50 and MIC90 values of 1 and 2 μg/ml, respectively. Cross-resistance to other commercially available antipseudomonal compounds was not evident, as no major change was observed in the gyrase inhibitor MIC distribution when stratified by nonsusceptible phenotypes, including the fluoroquinolones and those isolates classified as multidrug resistant (MDR).
Varying Use of Conceptual Metaphors across Levels of Expertise in Thermodynamics†

Many studies have previously focused on how people with different levels of expertise solve physics problems. In early work, focus was on characterising differences between experts and novices and a key finding was the central role that propositionally expressed principles and laws play in expert, but not novice, problem-solving. A more recent line of research has focused on characterising continuity between experts and novices at the level of non-propositional knowledge structures and processes such as image-schemas, imagistic simulation and analogical reasoning. This study contributes to an emerging literature addressing the coordination of both propositional and non-propositional knowledge structures and processes in the development of expertise. Specifically, in this paper, we compare problem-solving across two levels of expertise—undergraduate students of chemistry and Ph.D. students in physical chemistry—identifying differences in how conceptual metaphors (CMs) are used (or not) to coordinate propositional and non-propositional knowledge structures in the context of solving problems on entropy. It is hypothesised that the acquisition of expertise involves learning to coordinate the use of CMs to interpret propositional (linguistic and mathematical) knowledge and apply it to specific problem situations. Moreover, we suggest that with increasing expertise, the use of CMs involves a greater degree of subjective engagement with physical entities and processes. Implications for research on learning and instructional practice are discussed.
Construct validation of the Nurse Cultural Competence Scale: a hierarchy of abilities.

AIM The aim of this study was to describe the development of a Nurse Cultural Competence Scale using Mokken scaling. BACKGROUND The psychometrics of the present cultural competence assessment tools has been questioned. The levels of competence measured by existing tools are not capable of indicating individual differences. DESIGN This study employed a cross-sectional design. A convenience sample of 172 on-the-job nursing students in a college of technology in Taiwan was recruited. METHODS Based on previous literature, the Nurse Cultural Competence Scale comprising 41 items was developed to measure the concept of cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural sensitivity and cultural skill. Mokken scaling analysis was conducted to investigate the unidimensionality and hierarchical nature of the scale. RESULTS From the 41 items entered into the Mokken scaling procedure, 20 form a strong Mokken scale. The 20 items form a reliable and statistically significant scale which is negatively skewed. The ordering of the items from lowest to highest difficulty shows a hierarchy. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Nursing managers and educators may use this scale to assess the levels of cultural competence of their members or students and then provide the education according to individual needs.
Functional Pearl: On generating unique names

And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, and Handoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, and Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba, and Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan. — Genesis 10:26–29
Projections onto the Pareto surface in multicriteria radiation therapy optimization.

PURPOSE To eliminate or reduce the error to Pareto optimality that arises in Pareto surface navigation when the Pareto surface is approximated by a small number of plans. METHODS The authors propose to project the navigated plan onto the Pareto surface as a postprocessing step to the navigation. The projection attempts to find a Pareto optimal plan that is at least as good as or better than the initial navigated plan with respect to all objective functions. An augmented form of projection is also suggested where dose-volume histogram constraints are used to prevent that the projection causes a violation of some clinical goal. The projections were evaluated with respect to planning for intensity modulated radiation therapy delivered by step-and-shoot and sliding window and spot-scanned intensity modulated proton therapy. Retrospective plans were generated for a prostate and a head and neck case. RESULTS The projections led to improved dose conformity and better sparing of organs at risk (OARs) for all three delivery techniques and both patient cases. The mean dose to OARs decreased by 3.1 Gy on average for the unconstrained form of the projection and by 2.0 Gy on average when dose-volume histogram constraints were used. No consistent improvements in target homogeneity were observed. CONCLUSIONS There are situations when Pareto navigation leaves room for improvement in OAR sparing and dose conformity, for example, if the approximation of the Pareto surface is coarse or the problem formulation has too permissive constraints. A projection onto the Pareto surface can identify an inaccurate Pareto surface representation and, if necessary, improve the quality of the navigated plan.
Bullying at elementary school and problem behaviour in young adulthood: a study of bullying, violence and substance use from age 11 to age 21.

AIM The main aim of this paper is to investigate to what extent self-reported bullying at Grade 5 predicts later violence, heavy drinking and marijuana use at age 21. METHOD Univariate and multivariate associations between bullying and later outcomes were examined based on a longitudinal community sample of 957 young people from the Raising Healthy Children project. RESULTS Childhood bullying was significantly associated with violence, heavy drinking and marijuana use at age 21. These associations held up after controlling for prior risk factors. CONCLUSIONS Childhood bullying had unique associations with risk of later violence and substance use among young adults. Early intervention to prevent childhood bullying may also reduce other adverse outcomes later in life.
The evolution of senescence in the tree of life

The existing theories on the evolution of senescence assume that senescence is inevitable in all organisms. However, recent studies have shown that this is not necessarily true. A better understanding of senescence and its underlying mechanisms could have far-reaching consequences for conservation and eco-evolutionary research. This book is the first to offer interdisciplinary perspectives on the evolution of senescence in many species, setting the stage for further developments. It brings together new insights from a wide range of scientific fields and cutting-edge research done on a multitude of different animals (including humans), plants and microbes, giving the reader a complete overview of recent developments and of the controversies currently surrounding the topic. Written by specialists from a variety of disciplines, this book is a valuable source of information for students and researchers interested in ageing and life history traits and populations.