Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bedtime, shuteye time and electronic media: sleep displacement is a two‐step process

This study argues that going to bed may not be synonymous with going to sleep, and that this fragmentation of bedtime results in a two‐step sleep displacement. We separated bedtime (i.e. going to bed) from shuteye time (i.e. attempting to go to sleep once in bed) and assessed the prevalence of electronic media use in both time slots. A convenience sample of 338 adults (aged 18–25 years, 67.6% women) participated in an online survey. Results indicated a gap of 39 min between bedtime and shuteye time, referred to as ‘shuteye latency’. Respondents with a shuteye latency of, respectively, ≤30 min, ≤1 or >1 h, were 3.3, 6.1 and 9.3 times more likely to be rated as poor sleepers compared to those who went to sleep immediately after going to bed. Before bedtime, volume of electronic media use (17 h 55 min per week) was higher than non‐media activities (14 h per week), whereas the opposite was true after bedtime (media = 3 h 41 min, non‐media = 7 h 46 min). Shuteye latency was related exclusively to prebedtime media use. Findings confirmed the proposed fragmentation of bedtime. Sleep displacement should therefore be redefined as a two‐step process, as respondents not only engage in the delay of bedtime, but also in the delay of shuteye time once in bed. Theoretical, methodological and practical implications are discussed.
Computerized tomography and pulmonary diffusing capacity in highly trained athletes after performing a triathlon.

We investigated the computerized tomographies (CTs) of the thorax and the pulmonary diffusing capacity for CO (DLCO) in eight male athletes before and after a triathlon. DLCO and alveolar volume (VA) were simultaneously measured during 9 s of breath holding. The transfer coefficient (KCO = DLCO/VA) was then calculated. CT scanning was performed during breath holding with the subjects in the supine position. Scanner analysis was done by 1) counting the linear and polygonal opacities (index of interstitial fluid accumulation) and 2) calculating the physical mean lung density and the mean slice mass. Results showed a significant reduction in DLCO (44.9 +/- 2.3 vs. 42.9 +/- 1.7 ml.min-1.mmHg-1; P < 0.05) and KCO (6.0 +/- 0.3 vs. 5.6 +/- 0.3 ml.min-1.mmHg-1.l of VA-1; P < 0.05) after the triathlon and an increase in mean lung density (0.21 +/- 0.009 vs. 0.25 +/- 0.01 g/cm3; P < 0.0001). The number of polygonal and linear opacities increased after the race (P < 0.001). This study confirmed that DLCO and KCO decrease in elite athletes after a long-distance race and showed a concomitant increase in CT lung density and in the number of opacities.
Survey of Volatility and Spillovers on Financial Markets

In this survey article, we present a rich extent of literature on volatility and its propagation on financial markets via spillovers. We document how new approaches or improved existing methodologies lead to results that offer richer insights than those derived from standard econometric techniques. Moreover, the implications of the results can be related to a wide set of markets as the surveyed articles cover emerging and developed European markets as well as the United States.
Market Reactions to Stock Rating and Target Price Changes in Analyst Reports: Evidence from Japan

Abstract We aim to perform a comprehensive analysis of the effects of stock ratings and target prices published in the Japanese markets using a large number of analyst reports. Our study is the first to cover reports published by six domestic brokerage firms and ten foreign brokerage firms. In addition to the impact of rating changes on stock prices, we provide analyses on the combined effects of stock ratings and target prices. Furthermore, we find that market responses are affected by the information quality of securities companies issuing analyst reports and the number of reports issued on the same day.
THE EFFECT OF TRANSFORMATIONAL AND BUREAUCRATIC STYLES OF LEADERSHIP ON THE QUALITY OF TEACHER SUPPORT SUPERVISION

This paper discusses the effect of two leadership styles, namely: transformational and bureaucratic styles of leadership as practiced by head teachers on the quality of support supervision they offer primary teachers in Mid-western Uganda. The study arose as a result of public outcry over the poor quality and limited amount of support supervision teachers in primary schools in that region of the country are offered despite numerous attempts by Government to train school heads in institutional management. The researchers employed a descriptive cross-sectional survey research design where quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 320 teachers and 20 educational administrators using questionnaire survey and interview methods. The data were analyzed with the use of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques as well as content analysis method. The findings of the study revealed that both transformational (B=.365; p= .000) and bureaucratic (B =.250; p=.000) styles of leadership significantly affect the quality of support supervision that head teachers offer teachers. Overall, the study established that, together, the two styles of leadership (R=.671; R 2 =.45; Sig. =.000) account for 45 percent variations in the quality of teacher support supervision offered by head teachers, other factors notwithstanding. It was, thus, concluded that any leadership style head teachers employ that involves subordinates in decision-making or brings about change, would have a positive bearing on the kind of support supervision they can offer teachers; and therefore, the researchers recommend that school heads should be conscious of the choice of leadership styles they use while heading a school. Article visualizations:
AIDS and economic growth in Africa: a critical assessment of the base-case scenario approach.

The literature dealing with the issue of the macroeconomic impact of AIDS can be presented in several ways: by differentiating the studies according to the channels they use or by differentiating the studies according to the development models that they use. We can then attempt to construct a “model” which synthesises these different approaches thus enabling a comparative study of the means of forecasting the impact of AIDS in a developing economy. The result of this work is that by considering a multiplicity of productivity variables as potential engines of development (such as human capital public spending etc.) endogenous growth models produce more valuable and precise assessments of an epidemiological crisis such as AIDS in developing countries. For example we highlight a non-linearity and the risks of the persisting effect of the AIDS crisis on development which would not be demonstrated by an exogenous growth model based solely on the idea of a “catching-up effect” established with regards to the permanent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) target level of the Solowian permanent regime. (authors)
Gain-of-Function Mutations in UPC2 Are a Frequent Cause of ERG11 Upregulation in Azole-Resistant Clinical Isolates of Candida albicans

ABSTRACT In Candida albicans, Upc2 is a zinc-cluster transcription factor that targets genes, including those of the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway. To date, three documented UPC2 gain-of-function (GOF) mutations have been recovered from fluconazole-resistant clinical isolates that contribute to an increase in ERG11 expression and decreased fluconazole susceptibility. In a group of 63 isolates with reduced susceptibility to fluconazole, we found that 47 overexpressed ERG11 by at least 2-fold over the average expression levels in 3 unrelated fluconazole-susceptible strains. Of those 47 isolates, 29 contained a mutation in UPC2, whereas the remaining 18 isolates did not. Among the isolates containing mutations in UPC2, we recovered eight distinct mutations resulting in putative single amino acid substitutions: G648D, G648S, A643T, A643V, Y642F, G304R, A646V, and W478C. Seven of these resulted in increased ERG11 expression, increased cellular ergosterol, and decreased susceptibility to fluconazole compared to the results for the wild-type strain. Genome-wide transcriptional analysis was performed for the four strongest Upc2 amino acid substitutions (A643V, G648D, G648S, and Y642F). Genes commonly upregulated by all four mutations included those involved in ergosterol biosynthesis, in oxidoreductase activity, the major facilitator efflux pump encoded by the MDR1 gene, and the uncharacterized ATP binding cassette transporter CDR11. These findings demonstrate that gain-of-function mutations in UPC2 are more prevalent among clinical isolates than previously thought and make a significant contribution to azole antifungal resistance, but the findings do not account for ERG11 overexpression in all such isolates of C. albicans.
A consumer theory with environmental assets

Willingness-to-pay for environmental quality as well as discounting are two crucial concepts in environmental economics. Both are linked to the substitutability between consumption and environmental quality. In classical economic models, two goods are exogenously defined as complements or as substitutes. In this paper, we develop a theoretical framework in which goods can be either complements or substitutes depending on the context, i.e., on their quantities. We analyze the impacts of a context-dependent substitutability on (i) environmental preferences and (ii) the rates at which consumption and environmental quality are discounted. We show that, in a context of substitutability, a decision-maker’s WTP can decrease as her income grows and increase as environmental quality grows. We also show that the sign of the so-called substitution eect in discounting can change whether the goods are substitutable or not. This impacts the values of the economic and environmental discount rates. It is particularly well-illustrated by ecological or economic shocks, which may induce a sudden change in the decision-maker’s behavior toward consumption and the environment.
One Market, One Money – A Mistaken Argument (post factum)? CEPS Policy Insight, 2017/05, 16 February 2017

Why should Europe opt for monetary union? ‘One Market needs one Money'! This is, at first sight, the key argument of the influential report by the European Commission entitled “One Market, One Money”, published in 1990. But after closer examination of the report, Daniel Gros considers its rather more agnostic subtitle: “An evaluation of the potential benefits and costs of forming an economic and monetary union” and concludes that the key argument was in fact the other way round: one money would create one market. Unfortunately, the authors of 1990 did not recognise that ‘one money’ would foster huge cross-border financial flows that would one day lead to a very costly financial crisis.
Predicting the potential distribution of Sirex noctilio (Hymenoptera: Siricidae), a significant exotic pest of Pinus plantations

La distribution potentielle du Sirex (Sirex noctilio) en Australie, en Amerique du Sud et en Afrique (ou l'on sait que l'insecte intervient et s'etend), et en Amerique du Nord et en Chine (ou il n'a pas ete introduit) a ete estimee a partir d'une etude de la distribution actuelle de l'insecte et de sa gamme d'hotes. S. noctilio a un large spectre d'hotes, principalement chez les pins, y compris chez des especes importantes d'un point de vue commercial, introduites en plantations dans l'Hemisphere Sud ainsi qu'indigenes en Amerique du Nord. En utilisant le programme d'assortiment climatique CLIMEX, la distribution potentielle de S. noctilio a ete predite a l'echelle du globe en se basant sur les conditions climatiques d'Eurasie et d'Afrique du Nord ou l'insecte est endemique. On predit que S. noctilio devrait s'etablir dans la majorite des plantations commerciales australiennes de Pinus. Beaucoup de pays possedant des plantations commerciales de Pinus en Amerique du Sud (Uruguay, Bresil, Argentine, Chili et Paraguay) et en Afrique du Sud devraient etre colonises par migration naturelle. Les pays tres eloignes des zones infestees par S. noctilio, tels que l'Equateur, la Colombie, le Venezuela, le Zimbabwe, la Tanzanie, l'Ouganda, l'Ethiopie, le sud du Chili, l'Australie Occidentale et le nord-ouest du Bresil, sont susceptibles d'etre colonises par S. noctilio, seulement via les transports par l'homme de bois infestes. S. noctilio est capable de persister dans de nombreuses zones d'Amerique du Nord. En Chine, il peut persister dans de nombreuses regions ou des reboisements de grande envergure d'essences sensibles ont deja eu lieu ou sont prevus. Cependant, S. noctilio est endemique dans des pays voisins de la Chine, ce qui indique que d'autres facteurs que le climat et l'hote restreignent son installation en Chine, ou qu'il n'y a pas encore ete detecte. La strategie de gestion de Sirex aidera a reduire l'expansion et l'impact de S. noctilio.
Amino acids Thr56 and Thr58 are not essential for elongation factor 2 function in yeast

Yeast elongation factor 2 is an essential protein that contains two highly conserved threonine residues, T56 and T58, that could potentially be phosphorylated by the Rck2 kinase in response to environmental stress. The importance of residues T56 and T58 for elongation factor 2 function in yeast was studied using site directed mutagenesis and functional complementation. Mutations T56D, T56G, T56K, T56N and T56V resulted in nonfunctional elongation factor 2 whereas mutated factor carrying point mutations T56M, T56C, T56S, T58S and T58V was functional. Expression of mutants T56C, T56S and T58S was associated with reduced growth rate. The double mutants T56M/T58W and T56M/T58V were also functional but the latter mutant caused increased cell death and considerably reduced growth rate. The results suggest that the physiological role of T56 and T58 as phosphorylation targets is of little importance in yeast under standard growth conditions. Yeast cells expressing mutants T56C and T56S were less able to cope with environmental stress induced by increased growth temperatures. Similarly, cells expressing mutants T56M and T56M/T58W were less capable of adapting to increased osmolarity whereas cells expressing mutant T58V behaved normally. All mutants tested were retained their ability to bind to ribosomes in vivo. However, mutants T56D, T56G and T56K were under‐represented on the ribosome, suggesting that these nonfunctional forms of elongation factor 2 were less capable of competing with wild‐type elongation factor 2 in ribosome binding. The presence of nonfunctional but ribosome binding forms of elongation factor 2 did not affect the growth rate of yeast cells also expressing wild‐type elongation factor 2.
Functional Selectivity in Serotonin Receptor 2A (5-HT2A) Endocytosis, Recycling, and Phosphorylation

G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling is modulated by endocytosis and endosomal sorting of receptors between degradation and recycling. Differential regulation of these processes by endogenous ligands and synthetic drugs is a poorly understood area of GPCR signaling. Here, we describe remarkable diversity in the regulation of trafficking of GPCR induced by multiple ligands. We show that the serotonin receptor 2A (5-HT2A), a prototypical GPCR in the study of functional selectivity at a signaling receptor, is functionally selective in endocytosis and recycling in response to five ligands tested: endogenous agonists serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA), synthetic agonist 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-aminopropane (DOI), antagonist ketanserin, and inverse agonist and antipsychotic drug clozapine. Only four ligands (5-HT, DA, DOI, and clozapine) bring about receptor endocytosis. As we have earlier described with 5-HT and DA, there is ligand-specific requirement for protein kinase C (PKC) in endocytosis. We now show 5-HT2A phosphorylation by PKC is necessary for 5-HT-mediated and DOI-mediated receptor endocytosis, but DA-mediated and clozapine-mediated internalization is not affected if PKC is inhibited. Internalized receptors are recycled to the cell surface, but there is variability in the time course of recycling. 5-HT- and DA-internalized receptors are recycled in 2.5 hours while agonist DOI and antagonist clozapine bring about recycling in 7.5 hours. Recycling in response to those ligands that require PKC activation to effect receptor endocytosis is dependent on receptor dephosphorylation by protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). Thus, internalization and phosphorylation/dephosphorylation cycles may play a significant role in the regulation of 5-HT2A by functionally and therapeutically important ligands.
Genomic structure and functional characterization of the human ADAM10 promoter

The ADAM10 gene encodes a membrane‐bound disintegrin‐metalloproteinase, which, after overexpression in an Alzheimer disease (AD) mouse model, prevents amyloid pathology and improves long‐term potentiation and memory. Because enhancing ADAM10 expression appears to be a reasonable approach for treatment of AD, we functionally analyzed the ADAM10 gene. Both human and mouse ADAM10 genes comprise ∼160 kbp, are composed of 16 exons, and are evolutionarily highly conserved within 500 bp upstream of either translation initiation site. By using luciferase reporter assays, we demonstrate that nucleotides −2179 to −1 upstream of the human ADAM10 translation initiation site represent a functional TATA‐less promoter. Within this region we identified and examined several single nucleotide polymorphisms, but did not detect significant differences in their appearance between AD and nondemented control subjects. By deletion analysis, site‐directed mutagenesis, transcription factor overexpression and electrophoretic mobility shift assays, we identified nucleotides −508 to −300 as the core promoter and found Sp1, USF, and retinoic acid‐responsive elements to modulate its activity. Finally, we identified vitamin A acid (RA) as an inducer of human ADAM10 promoter activity. This finding suggests that pharmacologic targeting of RA receptors may increase the expression of the α‐secretase ADAM10 with beneficial effects on AD pathology.
Wide area 3D seafloor reconstruction and its application to sea fauna density mapping

3D visual mapping of the seafloor has found applications ranging from environment monitoring and survey of marine minerals to underwater archeology and inspection of modern man-made structures. However, the attenuation of light is significantly more pronounced in water than in air or in space, and so in order to obtain underwater images in colour, it is typically necessary to be within 2 to 3m of the seafloor. In addition to the high risk of collision when operating underwater vehicles at such low altitudes, the limited area of the seafloor covered in each image means large area surveys require a huge investment of time. In this research, we aim to increase the efficiency of mapping large areas of the seafloor by developing an underwater imaging system that can take colour images at ranges of up to 12 m, so that each image can cover a larger area, together with the necessary algorithms to automatically process the data it obtains. The system was deployed to map artificial hydrothermal vents in Iheya North Knoll using the ROV Hyper-Dolphin in October 2012. In this paper, we describe the methods used to process the data it obtains and present wide area 3D reconstructions of habitats surrounding artificial hydrothermal vents. Habitats of Shinkaia crosnieri squat lobsters, which are abundant in the hydrothermally active areas, are identified in the maps and their population density calculated.
1,1,1-Trichloro-2,2-bis (p-Chlorophenyl)-Ethane (DDT) and Reduced Bone Mineral Density

Abstract The organochlorine pesticide 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-ethane (DDT), is a well-known and widely dispersed “environmental estrogen” (World Health Organization Criteria no. 9; Geneva, Switzerland [1979]). Kelce et al. (Nature, 1995; 375:581–85) recently identified the DDT metabolite, 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (DDE), has also recently been identified as a potent androgen receptor antagonist. The authors examined the relationship between serum levels of DDE and bone mineral density in 68 sedentary women who reported adequate dietary intake of calcium. Reduced bone mineral density was correlated significantly with age (r = -.36, p = .004), as well as with increases in the log of DDE levels in serum (r = -.27, p = .03). The authors also used multiple-regression analysis to examine the influence of other predictor variables on the relationship between log DDE and bone mineral density. The strongest model (p = .002) included log DDE (p = .018), age (p = .002), and years on hormone replacement therapy (p = .10) as predictor variables, and this model afforded prediction of 21% of bone mineral density variation. These results suggest that past community exposures to DDT may be associated with reduced bone mineral density in women.
The Treat-to-Target Trial and related studies.

OBJECTIVE To describe the rationale for, and the findings of, the Treat-to-Target Trial and to compare its results with those of two subsequent studies based on the same concepts. METHODS The 24-hour pattern of hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes is presented, and its separate components are identified in an attempt to help optimize therapeutic interventions for diabetes. In addition, the treat-to-target concept, including glycemic outcomes and potential adverse effects, is discussed. RESULTS Using a hemoglobin A1c (A1c) value of 7% as a treatment goal based on evidence from interventional studies and a fasting plasma glucose level of 100 mg/dL as a target for titration of dosage of basal insulin, the Treat-to-Target Trial tested two hypotheses. It confirmed that addition of basal insulin to previously unsuccessful oral therapies can, using a simple algorithm, restore glycemic control to 7% A1c or better in most patients with type 2 diabetes. It also confirmed that a long-acting insulin analogue, glargine, causes less hypoglycemia than human NPH insulin when used in this way. Two subsequent studies using similar treatment algorithms showed comparable ability to improve glycemic control but also demonstrated more frequent unwanted effects of insulin treatment when a different comparator regimen was used to initiate therapy than when a glargine-based regimen was used. CONCLUSION Initiation of insulin therapy with structured titration to glycemic targets can frequently, but not always, restore glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes when orally administered agents are no longer successful alone. Future trials should include hypoglycemia and weight gain as specific, objectively measured endpoints to assess their importance as adverse effects of titrating insulin dosage to target. Studies are needed to assess ways to control postprandial as well as basal hyperglycemia and thus enable almost all patients with type 2 diabetes to reach A1c targets.