Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Protracted Collapse of Ghana Airways: Lessons in Organizational Failure

Although the importance of organizational failure has fostered a steady stream of research, a review of the literature suggests that the majority of studies have focused on firms in the private sector and in developed economies. Despite the increasing occurrence of state-owned firms failing in many developing countries, empirical research on this issue remains scant. Using an in-depth case study of Ghana Airways, this article examines the causes of failure of state-owned organizations in developing countries. This study revealed that, in addition to external factors such as liberalization, frequent changes of the top management team and the decision makers’ characteristics contributed significantly to the firm’s demise. The theoretical, managerial, and policy implications of these findings are discussed.
Soluble and cell surface ICAM‐1 as markers for disease activity in multiple sclerosis

Objective ‐ The intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1) is a member of the Ig supergene family. ICAM‐1 is expressed on various cells like peripheral blood lymphocytes, endothelial cells or thymic cells and the cell surface form is supposed to be shed into a soluble form. The expression of ICAM‐1 is induced by cytokines like Interleukin‐1, TNF alpha or interferon gamma. The aim of the study was to investigate whether changes of cell surface and soluble ICAM‐1 in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood are indicative for disease activity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Material and methods ‐ In all patients with relapsing‐remitting MS (relapse: n=31, remission: n= 11) and controls (n= 13) the expression of cell surface ICAM‐1 (c‐ICAM‐1) was determined by two colour flow cytometry. Soluble ICAM‐1 (s‐ICAM‐1) was measured by ELISA. Follow‐up examinations were done 3 months later. Results ‐ In 31 patients with a current relapse we found significantly decreased expression levels of c‐ICAM‐1 on leukocytes in CSF (P<0.001) and blood (P<0.10), when compared to those 11 individuals experiencing remission. In contrast we observed significantly (P<0.05) increased levels of s‐ICAM‐1 in CSF of patients with relapses. Comparing patients who had been in remission for more than 4 weeks (n= ll) with remission lasting longer than 3 months (n=28) we detected stable c‐ICAM‐1 expression on CD3 + T cells in blood. Conclusion ‐ Our results demonstrate for the first time that c‐ICAM‐1 on CD3 + T‐cells in CSF and blood is an activity marker in MS.
Human renal allograft rejection: molecular characterization.

went one biopsy each; 18 recipients, two biopsies; and one patient underwent three renal biopsies. The biopsies were an earlier acute rejection episode to subsequent occurperformed to determine the basis for graft dysfunction. rence of chronic rejection. The possibility thus exists The biopsy tissues included in this study of intragraft gene that chronic rejection might be due to CTL-dependent expression were classified on the basis of the BanV working cellular eVector mechanism(s). We therefore deterclassification criteria [11]. The histological classification of mined whether intragraft expression of granzyme B the biopsy specimen was made without the knowledge of the mRNA or perforin mRNA is a correlate of chronic results of the molecular studies.
Vandetanib as a potential new treatment for estrogen receptor‐negative breast cancers

The receptor tyrosine kinase RET is implicated in the progression of luminal breast cancers (BC) but its role in estrogen receptor (ER) negative tumors is unknown. Here we investigated the expression of RET in breast cancer patients tumors and patient‐derived xenografts (PDX) and evaluated the therapeutic potential of Vandetanib, a tyrosin kinase inhibitor with strong activity against RET, EGFR and VEGFR2, in ER negative breast cancer PDX. The RT‐PCR analysis of RET expression in breast tumors of 446 patients and 57 PDX, showed elevated levels of RET in ER+ and HER2+ subtypes and in a small subgroup of triple‐negative breast cancers (TNBC). The activity of Vandetanib was tested in vivo in three PDX models of TNBC and one model of HER2+ BC with different expression levels of RET and EGFR. Vandetanib induced tumor regression in PDX models with high expression of RET or EGFR. The effect was associated with inhibition of RET/EGFR phosphorylation and MAP kinase pathway and increased necrosis. In a PDX model with no expression of RET nor EGFR, Vandetanib slowed tumor growth without inducing tumor regression. In addition, treatment by Vandetanib decreased expression of murine Vegf receptors and the endothelial marker Cd31 in the four PDX models tested, suggesting inhibition of tumor vascularization. In summary, these preclinical results suggest that Vandetanib treatment could be useful for patients with ER negative breast cancers overexpressing Vandetanib's main targets.
DNMT3A Arg882 mutation drives chronic myelomonocytic leukemia through disturbing gene expression/DNA methylation in hematopoietic cells

Significance Epigenetic modifications are required for the regulation of hematopoiesis. DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A), a critical epigenetic modifier responsible for de novo DNA methylation, was reported recently to be a frequently mutated gene in hematopoietic malignancies. However, the role of mutated DNMT3A in hematopoiesis remains largely unknown. Here we show that the Arg882 (R882) mutation of DNMT3A disrupts the normal function of this enzyme and results in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) in mice. Meanwhile, the gene expression, DNA methylation, and protein–protein interaction assays suggest that DNMT3A R882 mutation drives CMML by disturbing the transcriptional expression/DNA methylation program and cell-cycle regulation of hematopoietic cells. This study may shed light on the function of DNMT3A mutant in myeloid leukemogenesis. The gene encoding DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) is mutated in ∼20% of acute myeloid leukemia cases, with Arg882 (R882) as the hotspot. Here, we addressed the transformation ability of the DNMT3A-Arg882His (R882H) mutant by using a retroviral transduction and bone marrow transplantation (BMT) approach and found that the mutant gene can induce aberrant proliferation of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. At 12 mo post-BMT, all mice developed chronic myelomonocytic leukemia with thrombocytosis. RNA microarray analysis revealed abnormal expressions of some hematopoiesis-related genes, and the DNA methylation assay identified corresponding changes in methylation patterns in gene body regions. Moreover, DNMT3A-R882H increased the CDK1 protein level and enhanced cell-cycle activity, thereby contributing to leukemogenesis.
Effect of cesium radioisotope on humoral immune status in Ukrainian children with clinical symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome related to Chernobyl disaster

The aim of this study is to determine humoral immune status in Ukrainian children with clinical symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome 23 years after the Chernobyl disaster. Method and material: The test population consisted of 95 participants: 75 rural patients aged 4—18, who lived in a contaminated area exposed to natural environmental radiation (falling under three groups) and 20 healthy urban participants from Kiev aged 5—15 as a control group. Internal radiation activity has been measured by gamma-ray spectrometry. B-lymphocytes population was analyzed with monoclonal antibody against antigen CD22+. Serum immunoglobulins were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. p < 0.05 was considered significant. Result: The percentage of CD22+ in study groups is increased significantly in comparison to control group at p < 0.05. Reduced serum immunoglobulins levels have developed in the majority of the participants. Conclusion: Humoral immune status of study groups with clinical symptom of irritable bowel syndrome residing in a contaminated area has changed.
Universality and language-specific experience in the perception of lexical tone and pitch

ABSTRACT Two experiments focus on Thai tone perception by native speakers of tone languages (Thai, Cantonese, and Mandarin), a pitch–accent (Swedish), and a nontonal (English) language. In Experiment 1, there was better auditory-only and auditory–visual discrimination by tone and pitch–accent language speakers than by nontone language speakers. Conversely and counterintuitively, there was better visual-only discrimination by nontone language speakers than tone and pitch–accent language speakers. Nevertheless, visual augmentation of auditory tone perception in noise was evident for all five language groups. In Experiment 2, involving discrimination in three fundamental frequency equivalent auditory contexts, tone and pitch–accent language participants showed equivalent discrimination for normal Thai speech, filtered speech, and violin sounds. In contrast, nontone language listeners had significantly better discrimination for violin sounds than filtered speech and in turn speech. Together the results show that tone perception is determined by both auditory and visual information, by acoustic and linguistic contexts, and by universal and experiential factors.
The Metabolic Syndrome and Glucose Tolerance Status Deterioration Over 23-Year Follow-Up

Individuals with impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (1). Identifying those individuals whose glucose tolerance status (GTS) will deteriorate over the years would be of public health importance, due to its preventive implications. We assessed the metabolic syndrome and lifestyle habits as predictors of 23-year GTS deterioration among survivors of a nationwide longitudinal study (the Israeli Glucose Intolerance, Obesity and Hypertension Study) subsample (2). The study was approved by the institutional review board, and all subjects gave written informed consent. Among the …
Stepping Out of the Classroom and up the Ladder of Learning

Academics in the field of entrepreneurship education are increasingly aware that, while class-based knowledge input is a vital component of learning, the traditional lecture-based, didactic methods of teaching and learning alone are insufficient. In an attempt to achieve ‘real, active learning’ various interactive techniques have been developed, one of which is to provide opportunities for students to ‘see, touch and feel’ entrepreneurship at first hand by working alongside practising entrepreneurs. An example of this approach is the Venture Management programme of the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship at the University of Strathclyde, in which students from a broad spectrum of disciplines work with an entrepreneur on a business development project. This paper presents an evaluation of the programme to date, and considers its benefits and shortcomings from the perspectives of both students and entrepreneurs. The findings of the evaluation are now shaping the future development of this programme and also of ‘Implementing Entrepreneurship’, a new elective programme in which individual students work full-time for eight weeks on a business development project with an entrepreneur. Lessons from the innovative programmes offered by the Hunter Centre will help to inform the wider debate about effective teaching and learning programmes in entrepreneurship education.
Negative Regulation of Stat3 by Activating PTPN11 Mutants Contributes to the Pathogenesis of Noonan Syndrome and Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia*

Noonan syndrome (NS) is an autosomal dominant congenital disorder characterized by multiple birth defects including heart defects and myeloproliferative disease (MPD). Approximately 50% of NS patients have germline gain-of-function mutations in PTPN11, which encodes the protein-tyrosine phosphatase, Shp2. We provide evidence that conditional ablation of Stat3 in hematopoietic cells and cardiac valvular tissues leads to myeloid progenitor hyperplasia and pulmonary stenosis due to the leaflet thickening, respectively. Consistently, STAT3 activation is significantly compromised in peripheral blood cells from NS patients bearing Shp2-activating mutations. Biochemical and functional analyses demonstrate that activated Shp2 is able to down-regulate Tyr(P)-Stat3 and that constitutively active Stat3 rescues activating mutant Shp2-induced granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor hypersensitivity in bone marrow cells. Collectively, our work demonstrates that Stat3 is an essential signaling component potentially contributing to the pathogenesis of NS and juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia caused by PTPN11 gain-of-function mutations.
Cs+ Induces the kdpOperon of Escherichia coli by Lowering the Intracellular K+ Concentration

ABSTRACT Cs+ was found to induce expression of thekdpFABC operon, encoding a high-affinity K+uptake system of Escherichia coli. Quantitative expression analyses at the transcriptional and translational levels reveal that CsCl causes much higher induction of kdpFABCthan does NaCl. A decrease of the intracellular K+concentration is found in cells exposed to CsCl. The results indicate that kdpFABC expression is induced when the intracellular K+ concentration is lowered. Moreover, the results imply that the signal transduction cascade mediated by KdpD and KdpE is able to integrate multiple signals.
Altered antioxidant defence in a mouse adriamycin model of glomerulosclerosis.

BACKGROUND Antioxidant enzyme status changes in experimental models of chronic renal disease with glomerulosclerosis. Most of the studies are performed in rats. We now investigate whether a mouse model with more rapid development of glomerulosclerosis is suitable for the study of radical-associated renal disease. METHODS Female BALB/c mice are injected intravenously with a single dose of adriamycin (10 mg/kg). The development of glomerular and interstitial injury is evaluated by means of renal function parameters and histology. Renal cortex activities of catalase, Cu/Zn and Mn superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase are measured by enzymatic techniques, and their mRNA levels by Northern blot analysis. RESULTS The mice develop proteinuria and hypercholesterolaemia; glomerulosclerosis is present 20 days after adriamycin injection. Involvement of reactive oxygen intermediates in the disease process is supported by an increased cortex level of glutathione (1.77+/-0.13 vs 1.31+/-0.12 micromol/g kidney; P = 0.021) and ferric iron deposition in the tubulointerstitial compartment. Glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial lesions are accompanied by decreased cortex activities of catalase (0.19+/-0.01 vs 0.23+/-0.01 U/mg protein; P = 0.024), glutathione peroxidase (0.28+/-0.01 vs 0.32+/-0.01 U/mg protein; P = 0.049) and Mn superoxide dismutase (6.61+/-0.91 vs 9.25+/-0.99 U/mg protein, P = 0.020). We find decreased cortex mRNA levels only for glutathione peroxidase. CONCLUSION The fast development of glomerulosclerosis combined with an altered antioxidant status makes this mouse adriamycin model a suitable alternative for the slower rat models.
Morphometry, Estimation and Ultrastructure of Ovarian Preantral Follicle Population in Queens

The aim of the present study was to estimate the population and morphometrically and ultrastructurally characterize preantral follicles from queen ovaries. Ovaries from 5 queens were collected and processed for light and electron microscopy. A total of 190 preantral follicles (100 primordial, 60 primary and 30 secondary) were analyzed by light microscopy. The diameters of the follicle, oocyte and oocyte nucleus were taken and the number of granulosa cells was counted using a computer program. Queen ovaries presented 37,853 ± 6,118 preantral follicles on average, with 87% primordial, 10.4% primary and 2.3% secondary follicles. Significant differences were observed in the 3 follicular classes in regard to follicular, oocyte and oocyte nucleus diameters and granulosa cell number (p < 0.05). In regard to ultrastructure, queen preantral follicles presented many unique characteristics, such as early zona pellucida formation in primary follicles and the organization of mitochondria and other organelles in conglomerates and cortical granules aligned at the peripheral zone in secondary follicles. In conclusion, this study described the morphometry and ultrastructure of queen preantral follicles and the preantral follicle population in the ovaries, establishing a pattern for the species and consequently allowing comparisons with other species.
Chiefs as Critical Partners for Decentralized Governance of Fisheries: An Analysis of Co-Management Case Studies in Malawi

Centralized regulation and fisheries co-management institutions, when imposed on Malawian fisherfolk, have failed due to poor local legitimacy, resulting in de facto open access regimes for most Malawian fisheries. Case studies from a range of locations indicate that a key to success or failure in co-management lies in understanding the roles played by both traditional (chiefs) and representational (stakeholder) institutions. Formally instituted, conservation-driven co-management institutions are unlikely to be effective if they try to replace informally derived, consensus-based social and cultural institutions. Additionally, institutional legitimacy requires downward accountability, and both traditional and decentralized institutions must remain vigilant against the threat of elite capture. An analysis of fisherfolk and chieftain roles in Malawi's fisheries management regimes illustrates how these stakeholders may either promote or undermine socially and ecologically sustainable outcomes. We conclude that both decentralized representational institutions and “institutional bricolage” facilitated by chiefs are critical to maintaining resilient co-management institutions and fishing livelihoods.
Testing For Threshold Nonlinearity in Short-Term Interest Rates

This article addresses some empirical problems in the term structure of interest rates using a threshold autoregressive framework with GARCH errors. This framework provides a parsimonious representation of some stylized features of interest rate data and facilitates statistical inference in the presence of high persistence and conditional heteroskedasticity. We propose a bootstrap-based LM test for linearity in the conditional mean and variance functions. The empirical results indicate a presence of threshold nonlinearities in the AR and GARCH representations of the conditional moments of short-term rate. The explicit modeling of these nonlinearities appears to improve the stability properties of the process for spot rate. The article also reports that allowing for threshold nonlinearities in conditional mean and variance leads to significant forecast improvements. The economic significance of these findings is evaluated by the term structure implications of the estimated TAR-GARCH model. Copyright 2005, Oxford University Press.
Sesquiterpenes of the Geosmin-Producing Cyanobacterium Calothrix PCC 7507 and their Toxicity to Invertebrates

The occurrence of sesquiterpenes was investigated with the geosmin-producing cyanobacterium Calothrix PCC 7507. The essential oil obtained by vacuum destillation was studied in more detail by GC-MS methods and superposition with authentic compounds. Geosmin was the dominating compound while the other sesquiterpenes were minor components. Sesquiterpenes that have not been described before in cyanobacteria were isodihydroagarofuran, eremophilone and 6,11-epoxyisodaucane. Closed-loop stripping analysis revealed that most of the sesquiterpenes were found in the biomass of Calothrix, while eremophilone was mainly observed in the medium of the axenic culture. Eremophilone showed acute toxicity (LC50) against Chironomus riparius (insecta) at 29 μM and against Thamnocephalus platyurus (crustacea) at 22 μM. The compound was not toxic for Plectus cirratus (nematoda). 6,11-Epoxyisodaucane and isodihydroagarofuran exhibited no toxicity to invertebrates when applied in concentrations up to 100 μM.
Testing the Unbiased Forward Rate Hypothesis: Evidence on Unit Roots, Co-Integration, and Stochastic Coefficients

Abstract In this paper, we demonstrate that the conflicting results found in the literature of tests of the unbiased forward rate hypothesis (UFRH) depend upon the econometric specification used as well as differences in the time period of estimation. It is established that the time series properties of spot and forward exchange rate data rule out certain econometric specifications used to test the UFRH. Specifically, we find that both spot and forward exchange rates for the U.K., Germany, Japan, and Canada have unit roots and are cointegrated. We also find that the co-integrating parameter in the regression of realized spot on forward rates for each currency is approximately one, implying that researchers who use this specification to test the UFRH may falsely accept the hypothesis simply because of the specification used in the test. Using an alternative error correction specification, we find that the UFRH is resoundingly rejected for all currencies and that the coefficients in this specification exhibit temporal instability. More importantly, we find that the evolution of the estimated parameters is becoming increasingly inconsistent with the UFRH with the passage of time. We conclude the paper with an investigation into potential causes for the gross violation of the UFRH.
THE DYNAMICS OF UK NATIONAL AND REGIONAL HOUSE PRICES

In this paper, the Johansen cointegration technique is applied to modeling the dynamics of national and regional house prices. It is concluded that household income, real mortgage rate and housing completions are significant factors influencing house price changes at the national level. The underlying structure of the national market is investigated, showing that while price trends in some regions of the UK are strongly related by causal processes, others are relatively independent
The Transferability of Military-Provided Occupational Training in the Post-Draft Era

Several studies have examined how military-provided training affects post-service employment experience, but this study is the first to investigate that relationship for young men and women who enlisted in the “all-volunteer” era that began in 1974. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey—Youth Cohort, the authors find that the transfer of skills to civilian employment was as high for military training as for civilian training (45–50 percent), once employer-provided training is excluded from consideration. Furthermore, within two years of their return to civilian life, those who received military training had higher earnings than those who received training in the civilian sector—a finding that contrasts with the results of studies of Vietnam veterans, but agrees with the results found for veterans of World War II and the Korean Conflict.