Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effects of government political visits on sustainability of energy enterprises: evidence from rare earth companies in China

ABSTRACT Against the backdrop of Sino-US trade friction, we use Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to rare earth companies as an exogenous event to investigate market investors’ pursuit effect, on 11 rare earth companies. We find that (1) Xi’s visit had an important signal effect, causing abnormal fluctuations in the stock prices and a significantly positive cumulative average abnormal return (CAAR) of the 11 companies . (2) After government political visits (GPV), firms located in developing regions, younger firms, firms with poor historical performance, and firms with high ownership concentration can generate higher cumulative excess returns than those in developed regions, more established firms, firms with better financial performance, and firms with lower ownership concentration. (3) Our findings can be interpreted from two perspectives: the information asymmetry between market investors and enterprises and the signal effects of GPV. Finally, we discuss policy recommendations from the perspective of information transfer and securities analysts.
Attendance-related healthcare resource utilisation and costs in patients with long QT syndrome in Hong Kong: A retrospective cohort study

Introduction: The understanding of healthcare resource utilisation and its related costs is crucial for optimizing resource allocation in the healthcare setting. There is currently a paucity of published studies investigating healthcare costs related to long QT syndrome (LQTS). Method: This was a retrospective study of LQTS patients from Hong Kong, China. The healthcare resource utilisation for Accident and Emergency (A&E), inpatient and specialist outpatient settings across a 19-year period was extracted and analysed. Costs in US dollars were calculated using unit costs. Results: The cohort consists of 125 LQTS patients with a mean presentation age of 26.7 +/- 22.0 years old. Of these, 45 patients presented with ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) and 44 patients had an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implementation. At the individual patient level, the median annualised costs were $69 (30-183) at the A&E setting, $10270 (2248-64006) at the inpatient setting and $675 (393-1329) at the special outpatient setting. Patients who presented with VT/VF initially had significantly higher annualised median costs in the inpatient ($59843 [13812-214930] vs. $5480 [1162-23111], p<0.0001) and specialist outpatient setting ($823 [539-1694] vs $609 [383-1269], p=0.133) compared to patients without VT/VF initially. Conclusion: There is an increasing healthcare demand in the inpatient and specialist outpatient settings for LQTS patients. The most expensive attendance type was inpatient setting stay at $10270 per year. The total median annualised cost of LQTS patients without VT/VF was 90% lower compared to patients with VT/VF.
Spectral switches of the off-axis Gaussian beams

The study of the spectral switches has been extended to the off-axis regime within the framework of the paraxial approximation, and the main attention is focused on the influence of the off-axis parameters and incident angles on the behavior of the spectral switches. It is shown the critical position uc, spectral minimum Smin and transition height Δ of the spectral switch depend on the off-axis parameters Δu and incident angles φ. By a suitable choice of system parameters, Smin, Δ and zc of the spectral switch can be variable. Therefore, this kind of spectral changes might find some interesting applications in spectrum-selective interconnects. The on-axis Gaussian beams are treated as a special case of the general result. Keywords: modern optics, aperture diffraction, spectral switch, off-axis Gaussian beam
Simultaneous deep inferior epigastric and bilateral anterolateral thigh perforator flap reconstruction of an extended perineoscrotal defect in Fournier's gangrene: A case report

Fournier's gangrene is lethal necrotizing fasciitis that involves the perineum and external genitalia. We describe the case of a 52‐year‐old man with Fournier's gangrene who underwent reconstruction of an extensive perineoscrotal defect using three pedicled perforator flaps. Three debridement procedures resulted in a skin and soft tissue defect of 36 × 18 cm involving the perineum, scrotum, groin, medial thigh, buttocks, and circumferential perianal area and left the perforating arteries originating from these locations unavailable for reconstruction. We repaired the defect using left deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) (29 × 8 cm) and bilateral anterolateral thigh perforator (ALT) flaps (35 × 8 cm and 22 × 7 cm). The flaps reached the defect without tension, and the defect was successfully covered without a skin graft. No postoperative complications occurred except for epidermal necrosis involving a tiny part of the DIEP flap tip. Nine months postoperatively, the patient experienced no impairment of bowel function or hip joint movement. There was also no avulsion or ulceration of the reconstructed perineal skin, and the cosmetic appearances of the healed wound and donor site were satisfactory. The combination of these three perforator flaps enabled us to achieve a satisfactory outcome while avoiding skin grafts.
Cross-National Research in Family Therapy: One Encouraging Collaborative Approach

In this article we share the structure and process of an ongoing cross-national family therapy research study that involves samples from 7 countries (Colombia, India, Iran, Indonesia, the Philippines, the United States, and 2 regions of China, mainland China and Taiwan). Various features of the study may serve as useful templates for others interested in collaborative cross-national research. Each of the 6 authors of this article at Virginia Tech have contributed 10 questions related to an area of their own particular family therapy research interest, and they will be the first authors on any brief research reports written on the topics of those 10 questions. Because all 6 Virginia Tech researchers have been part of the conceptualization, planning, and implementation of this study, all 6 also will be co-authors on each other's research reports. The authors include Filipino and Indonesian collaborators in the publication process, as well. This article reports on the structure and process of ongoing research and the lessons learned thus far.
Anti-Mutated Citrullinated Vimentin (Anti-MCV) Antibodies as a Diagnostic Aid for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the role of anti-MCV antibodies in the diagnosis of RA and correlate anti-MCV with other markers of disease activity. Subjects and methods: The study was carried out on 70 individuals, categorized as follows; 40 patients diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (Group I), 15 patients diagnosed as osteoarthritis disease (OA) (Group II) and their results were compared to 15 apparently healthy persons as control group (Group III). All participants were subjected to careful history taking, general examination, routine laboratory investigations, in addition to, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) and anti-mutated citrullinated vimentin (anti-MCV) assays. Results: Anti-CCP and anti-MCV values were significantly higher in group I when compared to group II and III (Pvalue 27.5 U/ml at which Sensitivity was 99.1, Specificity was 93.3, PPV was 97.8 and NPV was 99.8. The AUC (area under the curve) value for anti-MCV was 0.997. There were highly significant positive correlations between anti-MCV, anti-CCP and ESR in group I (P-value<0.001 and 0.001). Anti-CCP and anti-MCV were significantly higher in RF positive patients compared to RF negative patients (P-values=0.005 and 0.011 respectively), while no significant differences in anti-CCP and anti-MCV were found between CRP positive and CRP negative patients in group I. Conclusion: Anti-MCV is an excellent marker for early diagnosis of RA with high sensitivity and specificity especially when other markers are negative. The use of anti-MCV and anti-CCP collectively give the best result for the diagnosis of rheumatoid disease.
Molecular Characterization of Begomoviruses Associated with Yellow Leaf Curl Disease in Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae Crops from Northern Sumatra, Indonesia

Begomoviruses, transmitted by whiteflies ( Bemisia tabaci ), have emerged as serious constraints to the cultivation of a wide variety of vegetable crops worldwide. Leaf samples from Solanaceae (tomato, tobacco, and eggplant) and Cucurbitaceae (cucumber and squash) plants exhibiting typical begomoviral yellowing and/or curling symptoms were collected in Northern Sumatra, Aceh province, Indonesia. Rolling circle amplification was conducted using DNA isolated from cucumber, squash, eggplant, and tobacco, and the full-length sequences of the begomoviruses were evaluated. The following viruses were isolated: bipartite begomoviruses Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV), Squash leaf curl China virus (SLCCNV), Tomato yellow leaf curl Kanchanaburi virus (TYLCKaV), and a monopartite begomovirus Ageratum yellow vein virus (AYVV). Begomovirus diagnosis was conducted by PCR using begomovirus species-specific primers for Pepper yellow leaf curl Indonesia virus (PepYLCIV), Pepper yellow leaf curl Aceh virus (PepYLCAV), ToLCNDV, SLCCNV, TYLCKaV, and AYVV, which are the predominant begomoviruses. The primary begomovirus species for each plant were as follows: PepYLCAV for tomato, AYVV for tobacco, TYLCKaV for eggplant, ToLCNDV for cucumber, and SLCCNV for squash. This study provides valuable information for breeding begomovirus-resistant cultivars as horticultural crops.
Blue whiting ( Micromesistius poutassou ) sex ratio, size distribution and condition patterns off Portugal

The sex ratio is an important trait of natural populations and a key parameter for assessing the reproductive potential and stock status of exploited fish populations. In fisheries research, knowledge on spatial and temporal sex ratio variation can inform on the capacity of a population to support exploitation and environmental changes. Blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou ) shows sexual growth dimorphism after maturation, with females achieving greater lengths than males. The main goal of this work was to investigate seasonal patterns in the blue whiting sex distribution, size structure and condition in three areas along the Portuguese coast (north, southwest and south), based on bottom trawl surveys performed in autumn and winter between 1998 and 2015. Smaller blue whiting (12–24 cm) were found in shallow areas down to 250–300 m while larger individuals (>24 cm) were spread deeper down to 400–500 m. Condition factor Fulton K differed significantly between seasons in all the areas (F = 11.72; p -value = 6.14; p -value 2 (1) = 4.38, p = 0.03) and across depths (χ 2 (1) = 4.73, p = 0.03). Thus, this study revealed seasonal and depth variations in the blue whiting sex ratio along the Portuguese coast.
RE leader connectedness: a theology of the lived reality of Catholic education

ABSTRACT The relationships between RE leaders in Catholic education and their schools and their religious communities may be ambiguous. RE leaders often appear disconnected from both ‘ordinary’ teacher issues and ‘ordinary’ leadership issues because of their religious responsibilities. In this innovative research project, the authors have explored RE leader connectedness and disconnectedness in Catholic schools around the world. Visual research methods are used, as respondents make use of artistic representations of both connectedness and disconnectedness, to describe (by explaining their choice of picture) the nature of their connectedness. Responses from Australia, Hong Kong in China, the USA, the UK and Germany are presented here, generating an initial account of the lived reality of RE leaders in Catholic schooling systems. Responses range from those who seem to integrate their accountabilities to school and church systems to those who seem more ‘torn’ between those systems and disconnected from one or both of school and church. The authors suggest this has implications for practical-empirical theology, and education more generally, based on the idea of the ‘bi-dimensionality’ of the RE leader role in Catholic schools, and on the role of the school in Catholic theology which, according to D’Souza, ‘cannot help but be one of the intersecting points where the problems and challenges of society are encountered’
Does Patriarchy Still Exist? An Examination of Equal Employment Opportunities in the United States

Since the 1970s, major changes in reproductive freedom, education, and the passage of equal employment laws have impacted women’s experience in the workplace. My thesis is a US-based study that examines the progress of women’s equal employment opportunities from the 1970s to today. Chapter 1 provides the context of discrimination in the 1970s. Chapter 2 provides detailed literature reviews on reproductive freedom and education separately. Section 2.1 shows the relationship between reproductive freedom and increased labor force participation. Section 2.2 finds that higher levels of education encourage women to seek employment in traditionally maledominant positions. Section 2.3 adds alternative explanations to women’s increased labor force participation rate, such as the aftermath of WWII and changing social attitudes. Chapter 3 gives an overview of women in management in the United States. Section 3.1 examines the history of equal employment laws and how they are subsequently enforced. Chapter 3.2 explains why women in the United States today are still victims of the glass ceiling. Chapter 3.3 compares the status of women in higher management as well as policy trends (maternity leave, childcare subsidization) between the United States and other countries. Chapter 3 draws models from other countries and shows how female management in developed Asian countries successfully included women in top management over time. Chapter 4 is the conclusion of my thesis. Section 4.1 concludes that the United States has a long way to go to achieve truly equal employment opportunities. Section 4.2 provides suggestions and directions for future research.
The Relationship of Cytokines IL-13 and IL-17 with Autoantibodies Profile in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis

Aims. In the present study, we aimed to assess the concentrations of IL-13 and IL-17 in serum of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (eRA), the investigation of correlation between the concentrations of these cytokines and disease activity score, and the concentration of some autoantibodies and the evaluation of the utility of IL-13 and -17 concentration measurements as markers of disease activity. Materials and Methods. Serum samples were collected from 30 patients and from 28 controls and analysed parameters. Results. The serum concentrations of IL-13, IL-17, anti-CCP, and IgM-RF were statistically significantly higher in patients with eRA, compared to the controls. IL-13 concentrations in the severe and moderate groups with eRA were statistically higher than in the mild and control groups. Also, in the case of IL-17, serum concentrations increased proportionally with the disease activity of eRA. We observe that concentrations of IL-13 and -17 did not correlate with autoantibodies. IL-17 concentration significantly positively correlated with CRP, while IL-13 concentration significantly negatively correlated with CRP. Disease activity score, DAS28, was strongly positively correlated with levels of ESR and weakly positively correlated with concentrations of anti-RA33 autoantibodies. IL-13 has a higher diagnostic utility than IL-17, CRP, ESR, IgM-RF, and anti-CCP as markers of disease activity. Conclusions. The presence of higher IL-13 and IL-17 serum levels in patients, compared with those of controls, confirms that these markers, found with high specificity, might be involved in the pathogenesis of eRA. IL-13 and IL-17 might be of better usefulness in the prediction of eRA activity status than IgM-RF and anti-CCP.
The Attention Revolution: Unlocking the Power of the Focused Mind

Meditation offers, in addition to its many other benefits, a method for achieving previously inconceivable levels of concentration. Author B. Alan Wallace has nearly thirty years' practice in attention-enhancing meditation, including a retreat he performed under the guidance of the Dalai Lama. An active participant in the much-publicized dialogues between Buddhists and scientists, Alan is uniquely qualified to speak intelligently to both camps, and The Attention Revolution is the definitive presentation of his knowledge.
Polynomial-Time Approximation Scheme for Minimum Connected Dominating Set in Ad Hoc Wireless Networks

A connected dominating set in a graph is a subset of vertices such that every vertex is either in the subset or adjacent to a vertex in the subset and the subgraph induced by the subset is connected. The minimum connected dominating set is such a vertex subset with minimum cardinality. An application in ad hoc wireless networks requires the study of the minimum connected dominating set in unit-disk graphs. In this paper, we design (1+1=s)-approximation for the minimum connected dominating set in unit-disk graphs, running in time nO((s logs)2). Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. Email: fcheng,dzdg@cs.umn. edu. †3M Center, Building 0235-03-F-08, St. Paul, MN 55144, USA. Email: xchuang@mmm.com. ‡Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. Email: dyli@cs.cityu. edu.hk.
LONG MEMORY FEATURES IN THE EXCHANGE RATES OF ASIA-PACIFIC COUNTRIES

In this paper, we examine for long memory dynamics in the daily and weekly exchange rates of six Asia Pacific countries: Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. Three semiparametric frequency domain estimators and the exact maximum likelihood estimator are used. Estimation results reveal strong evidence of long memory in the weekly exchange rate series for all six countries. On the other hand, we generally failed to detect long memory in the daily exchange rate series. The long memory estimates vary significantly across estimation procedures. The long memory estimates also vary significantly with the choice of frequency ordinates. Terence C. K. CHENG Department of Economics National University of Singapore CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION Over the past two decades, numerous research have been directed towards understanding the stochastic process behind exchange rate dynamics. Exchange rate movements, like many economic and financial time series, have been empirically observed to exhibit large persistence and non-periodic yet mean-reverting cycles. The autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) process has been the standard time series models to study exchange rates. The martingale, which is traditionally the most widely accepted model to represent exchange rate dynamics has important implications on forecasting, forward asset pricing, portfolio management and the efficiency of the currency markets. The development of the autoregressive fractionally integrated moving average (ARFIMA) process allows for a richer and more flexible class of time series models by extending the differencing process beyond the integer domain and permitting the order of integration parameter d to take any real, non-integer values. A stochastic process is fractionally integrated and said to contain long memory if longterm dependence exist between observations. From a statistical standpoint, long memory can be represented in terms of the degree of persistence in the observed autocorrelations from empirical data. The theoretical and empirical possibilities of the ARFIMA process have generated a vast amount of interest and research on its application to 1 A stochastic follows a “martingale” or “random walk” if it is well approximated by a first order, autoregressive process with a single unit root.
When Love Hurts: Preadolescent Girls' Reports of Incest

The present study explored incest behavior as it was reported by young girls in Internet chat rooms. Thirty-eight percent of the girls in the study reported having sex with a relative. The most frequent type of incest (36%) was between a father and his daughter. Thirty-six percent of girls reported that the incest occurred before they were 10 years of age. After the initial intercourse, which virtually all girls reported as painful, many of the girls stated that the sexual behavior was a part of their life, occurring on a regular basis. The actual accounts of the girls are included in this article. Therapeutic implications are presented, as well as the socially constructed meaning of the behavior within the context of larger socio-historical values.
Impact of training on pre‐service teachers' attitudes and concerns about inclusive education and sentiments about persons with disabilities

Inclusion of students with disabilities into regular schools is now one of the most significant issues facing the education community both nationally and internationally. In order to address this issue there is widespread acceptance that teacher training institutions must ensure that new teachers are trained to teach effectively in classrooms where there are students with a variety of learning needs. Utilizing a data set of 603 pre‐service teachers from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong and Singapore this study reports the effects of training in inclusive education on pre‐service teacher attitudes towards inclusion, their sentiments about people with a disability and their concerns about inclusion. The results are discussed in relation to a range of factors that could have produced different gains in their attitudes, sentiments and concerns among cohorts from different countries.
[The change of CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells in patients with rheumatoid arthritis].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the change of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Treg)in peripheral blood (PB)and synovial fluid (SF) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its role in RA immune tolerance imbalance. METHODS The frequency of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ Treg in PB and SF cells in active RA patients and healthy volunteers were determined using flow cytometry. The expression of FoxP3 gene in mononuclear cells was analyzed by real-time PCR. The correlation between the frequency of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ Treg in PB cells and disease activity indices was evaluated. RESULTS (1) Active RA patients had a higher level of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ Treg in SF cells (7.56% +/- 2.89%) than in PB cells (1.84% +/- 0.97%). Their level of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ Treg in SF cells was also higher than that of healthy volunteers (2.19% +/- 0.54%). Anti-CCP antibody (ACPA) positive RA patients had a lower level of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ Treg (1.40% +/- 0.63%) in PB cells compared with the ACPA negative RA patients (2.85 +/- 0.87%). (2) Active RA patients had a higher mRNA level of FoxP3 in SF mononuclear cells than those inactive RA patients and healthy volunteers (P < 0.01). (3) The frequency of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ Treg in PB cells in active RA patients had no correlation with disease activity indices (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Altered frequency of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ Treg in SF cells of RA patients might contribute to RA immune tolerance imbalance in inflammatory joints.