Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stabilization of the Relaxosome and Stimulation of Conjugal Transfer Are Genetically Distinct Functions of the R1162 Protein MobB

ABSTRACT MobB is a small protein encoded by the broad-host-range plasmid R1162 and required for efficient mobilization of its DNA during conjugation. The protein was shown previously to stabilize the relaxosome, the complex of plasmid DNA and mobilization proteins at the origin of transfer (oriT). We have generated in-framemobB deletions that specifically inactivate the stabilizing effect of MobB while still allowing a high rate of transfer. Thus, MobB has two genetically distinct functions in transfer. The effect of another deletion, extending into mobA, indicates that both functions require a specific region of MobA protein that is distinct from the nicking-ligating domain. The mobB mutations that specifically affected stability also resulted in poor growth of cells, due to increased transcription from the promoters adjacent tooriT. The effects of the mutations could be suppressed not only by full-length MobB provided in trans, as expected, but also by additional copies of oriT, cloned in pBR322. In addition, in the presence of MobA both the full-length and truncated forms of MobB stimulated recombination betweenoriT-containing plasmids. We propose a model in which MobB regulates expression of plasmid genes by altering the stability of the relaxosome, in a manner that involves the coupling of plasmid molecules.
The Deteminants of Audit Fees in HongKong: An Empirical Study

This paper studies the audit fee structure in Hong Kong. By analysing data concerning a number of variables representing auditee size, auditee risk, complexity of audit, auditor identity, and the timing of audit, we develop a model of the determinants of audit fees which is applicable to the unique environment in Hong Kong. Using a more recent time period of 1992 and 1993, this study strongly confirms that most of the previous research findings are also applicable to the Hong Kong audit service market. We provide additional evidence relating to variables such as the Big Six (previously Big Eight) effects, auditee risk and auditee complexity which have been found to have inconclusive associations with the level of audit fees in previous research. Specifically, auditee size appears to have been the main determinant of audit fees, and the size measure is two‐dimensional, both asset and turnover respectively add explanatory power to that provided by each other. Complexity of audit adds significantly to the cost of audit. There is also evidence of Big Six effects and low‐balling. In addition, some evidence is found for the effects of auditee risk on audit fees. Finally, a longer audit delay, which reflects the possibility of inefficient audit time spent, entails higher audit fees. Future research should consider the importance of other issues such as non‐audit services and the extent of market concentration.
Implications of Network Structure on Public Health Collaboratives

Interorganizational collaboration is an essential function of public health agencies. These partnerships form social networks that involve diverse types of partners and varying levels of interaction. Such collaborations are widely accepted and encouraged, yet very little comparative research exists on how public health partnerships develop and evolve, specifically in terms of how subsequent network structures are linked to outcomes. A systems science approach, that is, one that considers the interdependencies and nested features of networks, provides the appropriate methods to examine the complex nature of these networks. Applying Mays and Scutchfields’s categorization of “structural signatures” (breadth, density, and centralization), this research examines how network structure influences the outcomes of public health collaboratives. Secondary data from the Program to Analyze, Record, and Track Networks to Enhance Relationships (www.partnertool.net) data set are analyzed. This data set consists of dyadic (N = 12,355), organizational (N = 2,486), and whole network (N = 99) data from public health collaborations around the United States. Network data are used to calculate structural signatures and weighted least squares regression is used to examine how network structures can predict selected intermediary outcomes (resource contributions, overall value and trust rankings, and outcomes) in public health collaboratives. Our findings suggest that network structure may have an influence on collaborative-related outcomes. The structural signature that had the most significant relationship to outcomes was density, with higher density indicating more positive outcomes. Also significant was the finding that more breadth creates new challenges such as difficulty in reaching consensus and creating ties with other members. However, assumptions that these structural components lead to improved outcomes for public health collaboratives may be slightly premature. Implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed.
Dual-Specificity Phosphatase 4 Overexpression in Cells Prevents Hypoxia/Reoxygenation-Induced Apoptosis via the Upregulation of eNOS

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signaling cascades regulate several cellular functions, including differentiation, proliferation, survival, and apoptosis. The duration and magnitude of phosphorylation of these MAPKs are decisive determinants of their physiological functions. Dual-specificity phosphatases exert kinetic control over these signaling cascades. Previously, we demonstrated that DUSP4−/− hearts sustain a larger infarct and have poor functional recovery, when isolated hearts were subjected to ischemia/reperfusion. Uncontrolled p38 activation and upregulation of Nox4 expression are the main effectors for this functional alteration. Here, dual-specificity phosphatase 4 (DUSP4) overexpression in endothelial cells was used to investigate the role of DUSP4 on the modulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and vascular function, when cells were subjected to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) insult. Immunostaining with cleaved caspase-3 revealed that DUSP4 overexpression prevents caspase-3 activation and apoptosis after H/R. The beneficial effects occur via modulating p38 activity, increased NO bioavailability, and reduced oxidative stress. More importantly, DUSP4 overexpression upregulates eNOS protein expression (1.62 ± 0.33 versus 0.65 ± 0.16) during H/R-induced stress. NO is a critical small molecule involved in regulating vascular tone, vascular growth, platelet aggregation, and modulation of inflammation. The level of NO generation determined using DAF-2 fluorescence demonstrated that DUSP4 overexpression augments NO production and thus improves vascular function. The level of superoxide generated from cells after being subjected to H/R was determined using dihydroethidium-HPLC method. The results suggested that DUSP4 overexpression in cells decreases H/R-induced superoxide generation (1.56 ± 0.14 versus 1.19 ± 0.05) and thus reduces oxidant stress. This also correlates with the reduction in the total protein S-glutathionylation, an indicator of protein oxidation. These results further support our hypothesis that DUSP4 is an antioxidant gene and a key phosphatase in modulating MAPKs, especially p38, during oxidative stress, which regulates ROS generation and eNOS expression and thus protects against oxidant-induced injury or apoptosis. Overall, DUSP4 may serve as an excellent molecular target for the treatment of ischemic heart disease.
An Analysis of Submissions on Proposed Regulations for Audit and Assurance in New Zealand

After numerous collapses of finance companies in New Zealand, and widespread losses by investors, self-regulation of the auditing profession was no longer considered adequate, or acceptable internationally. The Government sought to restore public perceptions of audit quality and investor confidence in the financial markets with proposals to change existing accounting standards and audit and assurance requirements. The proposals included a review engagement for some entities, and imposing the force of law on auditing standards. We analyse the public submissions on the auditing and assurance aspects of these proposals. Many respondents objected to the proposal requiring small public sector and not-for-profit entities to obtain review engagements, and to giving auditing standards the force of law.
Earnings Management to Reduce Earnings Variability: Evidence from Bank Loan Loss Provisions

Prior research demonstrates that share prices reflect a risk premium that is associated with earnings variability. This suggests that managers can reduce the cost of capital and increase share prices by reducing earnings variability. In this study, we investigate bank managers' use of discretion in estimating loan loss provisions (LLP) to reduce earnings variability. We find that banks with relatively high pre‐managed earnings have positive discretionary LLP and banks with relatively low pre‐managed earnings have negative discretionary LLP, results that are consistent with the hypothesis of earnings management to reduce earnings variability. In addition, we find that bank managers' decisions to reduce earnings variability are related to the need for external financing and to gains and losses on the sale of securities which serve as substitutes for accomplishing their objective of earnings variability reduction.
BAL1 and Its Partner E3 Ligase, BBAP, Link Poly(ADP-Ribose) Activation, Ubiquitylation, and Double-Strand DNA Repair Independent of ATM, MDC1, and RNF8

ABSTRACT The BAL1 macrodomain-containing protein and its partner E3 ligase, BBAP, are overexpressed in chemotherapy-resistant lymphomas. BBAP selectively ubiquitylates histone H4 and indirectly promotes early 53BP1 recruitment to DNA damage sites. However, neither BBAP nor BAL1 has been directly associated with a DNA damage response (DDR), and the function of BAL1 remains undefined. Herein, we describe a direct link between rapid and short-lived poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) polymerase 1 (PARP1) activation and PARylation at DNA damage sites, PAR-dependent recruitment of the BAL1 macrodomain-containing protein and its partner E3 ligase, local BBAP-mediated ubiquitylation, and subsequent recruitment of the checkpoint mediators 53BP1 and BRCA1. The PARP1-dependent localization of BAL1-BBAP functionally limits both early and delayed DNA damage and enhances cellular viability independent of ATM, MDC1, and RNF8. These data establish that BAL1 and BBAP are bona fide members of a DNA damage response pathway and are directly associated with PARP1 activation, BRCA1 recruitment, and double-strand break repair.
Measuring and monitoring outputs in social care: the problem of measuring quality

The focus of this article is the measurement of quality within the context of a new approach to measuring government-funded social care services. The approach builds on principles set out in a UK review led by Professor Sir Tony Atkinson. At its heart are the concepts of capacity for benefit, describing the potential benefit to users from services, and quality, reflecting the extent to which the benefit is realized. We report on a study designed to explore the suitability of a weighted user satisfaction measure to measure quality, examining in particular its sensitivity to changes in the quality of social care over time. The study finds some problems with using weighted user satisfaction. We discuss potential reasons for these problems, including the possibility of gaming and the specification of the measure, and discuss a way forward in the context of the requirement to draw upon routine sources of data. Points for practitioners The article describes a practical approach to measuring and monitoring outcomes and productivity in social care. Routine measures are used as far as possible, weighted to reflect outcomes for services users. The concepts of Capacity for Benefit and quality in this context potentially allow commissioners and managers to distinguish the impact on productivity of: the potential of services as they are currently configured, the dependency of service users, and the quality of delivery. The article identifies key issues and problems in using measures of satisfaction both as performance indicators and monitoring quality of services in the proposed approach.
Integrated Strategy, Trade Policy, and Global Competition

An integrated strategy captures the synergies between competitive strategies that seek superior performance in the marketplace and nonmarket strategies that shape the competitive environment. This article extends the conceptual and analytical foundations of integrated strategy to a competitive environment structured by international trade policy. The framework is illustrated by the international trade dispute between the Eastman Kodak Company and Fuji Photo Film Company regarding access to the Japanese market for consumer film and photographic paper. The analysis focuses on the synergies between market and nonmarket strategies in which governments act as agents of their companies. The framework incorporates competition between the two companies in their market environment, competition in the nonmarket environment to influence their government's bargaining position, and bargaining between the governments.
Disclosure Quality and Management Trading Incentives

This study examines whether managers strategically alter disclosure “quality” in response to personal incentives, specifically those derived from trading on their own account. Using changes in market liquidity to proxy for disclosure quality, I find that trading incentives are associated with disclosure quality choices. Tests are performed across three disclosure samples: management forecasts, conference calls, and press releases. Consistent with a desire to reduce the probability of litigation, I find evidence that managers provide higher quality disclosures before selling shares than they provide in the absence of trading. Consistent with a desire to maintain their information advantage, I find some, albeit weaker, evidence that managers provide lower quality disclosures prior to purchasing shares than they provide in the absence of trading.
Enhanced concentrations of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond through TEM irradiation

The studies of many-body dynamics of interacting spin ensembles, as well as quantum sensing in solid state systems, are often limited by the need for high spin concentrations, along with efficient decoupling of the spin ensemble from its environment. In particular, for an ensemble of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond, high conversion efficiencies between nitrogen (P1) defects and NV centers are essential while maintaining long coherence times of an NV ensemble. In this work, we study the effect of electron irradiation on the conversion efficiency and the coherence time of various types of diamond samples with different initial nitrogen concentrations. The samples were irradiated using a 200 keV transmission electron microscope. Our study reveals that the efficiency of NV creation strongly depends on the initial conversion efficiency and on the initial nitrogen concentration. The irradiation of the examined samples exhibits an order of magnitude improvement in the NV concentration (up to ∼1011 NV/cm.
THE CRIMINOGENIC EFFECTS OF IMPRISONMENT: EVIDENCE FROM STATE PANEL DATA, 1974–2002

Research Summary: The heavy reliance on the use of incarceration in an attempt to address the crime problem has resulted in a dramatic growth in the number of state prisoners over the past 30 years. In recent years, however, a growing concern has developed about the impact that large numbers of offenders released from prison will have on crime rates. Using a state panel data set for 46 states from 1974 to 2002, this study demonstrates that although prison population growth seems to be associated with statistically significant decreases in crime rates, increases in the number of prisoners released from prison seem to be significantly associated with increases in crime. Because we control for changes in prison population levels, we attribute the apparent positive influences on crime that seem to follow prison releases to the criminogenic effects of prison. Policy Implications: Policy makers should continue to serve the public interest by carefully considering policies that are designed to reduce incarceration rates and thus assuage the criminogenic effects of prison. These policies may include changes in sentencing, changes in probation and/or parole practices, or better funding of reentry services prerelease and postrelease.
The Hahn Process with Firms but No Production

1. INTIRODUCTION ANALYSES OF THE STABILITY of general competitive equilibrium2 have typically concerned themselves with the case of pure exchange. Sometimes that restriction has been inessential. In the tatonnement case, for example, if we are willing to make the assumption that all goods are gross substitutes, then it makes little difference where the excess demand functions come from.3 In less highly special cases, the restriction to pure exchange is a more serious matter. This is particularly so in the richer world of non-tatonnement processes. The difficulties raised by the abandonment of the pure exchange assumption in such models are three. First, such models, in assumptions or proofs, rest on considerations of utility maximization which are not immediately applicable to firms. Second, it is not fully natural to assume that stocks of goods are bounded, an important feature when non-tatonnement is being considered. Third, the creation and destruction of goods in the course of the adjustment process itself must be taken into account. The present paper shows how the first and, to some extent, the second of these problems can be handled in the context of the most appealing of the non-tatonnement models, that of the Hahn process.4 The third problem, that of the creation and disappearance of goods during the adjustment process is far more difficult. It is also not special to the introduction of firms, since the pure exchange models do not allow consumption to take place until equilibrium has been reached. Thus, this
An Assessment of Validity in Entrepreneurship Research

Based on an analysis of empirical articles published in the highest-rated academic journals between 1999 and 2003, we examined the current state of entrepreneurship research in terms of its validity. We collected 275 relevant publications in order to explore the entrepreneurship field with respect to internal validity, external validity, construct validity and statistical conclusion validity. Our aim was to gain insight into the dominant methodological and statistical practices that currently shape the field, shed light on possible gaps and compare these observations with the findings in general management literature. We found that entrepreneurship studies are mainly cross-sectional using surveys or field study as methods, emphasising external validity. Entrepreneurship research could benefit from more triangulation in research strategies, more advanced analytical techniques and methodologies, and from more longitudinal research resulting in higher validity levels. However, a positive trend towards more longitudinal research and triangulation in data sources is already visible.
Risk factors associated with default among new pulmonary TB patients and social support in six Russian regions.

SETTING Tuberculosis (TB) services in six Russian regions in which social support programmes for TB patients were implemented. OBJECTIVE To identify risk factors for default and to evaluate possible impact of social support. METHODS Retrospective study of new pulmonary smear-positive and smear-negative TB patients registered during the second and third quarters of the 2003. Data were analysed in a case-control study including default patients as cases and successfully treated patients as controls, using multivariate logistic regression modelling. RESULTS A total of 1805 cases of pulmonary TB were enrolled. Default rates in the regions were 2.3-6.3%. On multivariate analysis, risk factors independently associated with default outcome included: unemployment (OR 4.44; 95%CI 2.23-8.86), alcohol abuse (OR 1.99; 95%CI 1.04-3.81), and homelessness (OR 3.49; 95%CI 1.25-9.77). Social support reduced the default outcome (OR 0.13; 95%CI 0.06-0.28), controlling for age, sex, region, residence and acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear of sputum. CONCLUSION Unemployment, alcohol abuse and homelessness were associated with increased default outcome among new TB patients, while social support for TB patients reduced default. Further prospective randomised studies are necessary to evaluate the impact and to determine the most cost-effective social support for improving treatment outcomes of TB in patients in Russia, especially among populations at risk of default.
Exports trade, employment and poverty reduction in Nigeria

Purpose - Poverty reduction remains one of the main goals of development efforts, as evidenced by the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals by most developing countries and international agencies. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between trade (exports) and employment and how the relationship reduces poverty through the instrumentality of employment, with a focus on Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach - The paper takes the form of descriptive analysis. Findings - Evaluating the case for Nigeria, the authors find that oil exports which drives economic growth do not provide the needed employment to reduce poverty, while agricultural trade, particularly exports, are capable of reducing poverty and inequality in Nigeria through the channel of employment and agricultural productivity growth. Originality/value - The paper makes a link between export trade, employment and poverty reduction in Nigeria.
Reorganising adjustment: Finland's emergence as a high technology leader

As attention has shifted to the topic of change in organised economies, Finland represents a valuable case study. The nation's leap from paper producer to high technology leader represents a unique opportunity to study restructuring within the confines of an allegedly incremental organised economy. To date, Finland's transformation has been interpreted as a product of sweeping liberal reforms in finance and corporate governance. This article, however, identifies an enduring role for collectively organised economic actors in labour market and technology policies. Cooperation in these arenas did not inhibit restructuring. On the contrary, collaborative technology policies actively facilitated the rapid redistribution of resources to an emerging ICT industry. In exploring the opportunities and constraints associated with these policies, this article not only sheds light on Finland's shift into high technology markets, but also identifies a more flexible role for coordination in the new economy.