Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Corporate reporting of intellectual capital: Evidence from Ace Market of Bursa Malaysia

The purpose of this study is to investigate the intellectual capital reporting practice of companies listed under Ace Market of Bursa Malaysia. This study also evaluates the relationship of firms' characteristics such as firm size, type of industry, type of auditor and profitability with intellectual capital disclosure (ICD) levels. The extent of ICD was measured by using content analysis method. The data was collected by reviewing the annual reports of 104 companies for the year 2009. The results show that among the three categories, the information under external capital category has the highest reporting record, followed by internal capital and finally the human capital category. The multiple regression analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship between firms' characteristics and ICD. The regression produces an adjusted R2 of 0.377 which indicate that the model is able to explain 37.7 percent of the variance in the dependent variable for the whole sample. The results show that type of industry and type of auditor has a significant association with the intellectual capital disclosure at 5% significant level. Finally, the other variables such as size and profitability did not have any significant association with the ICD. The results have significant implications for setting standard on the disclosure of intellectual capital information in the annual reports. It will give some insight to the policymakers towards the needs to design future accounting guidelines on ICD.
A Recipe for Soft Fluidic Elastomer Robots

Abstract This work provides approaches to designing and fabricating soft fluidic elastomer robots. That is, three viable actuator morphologies composed entirely from soft silicone rubber are explored, and these morphologies are differentiated by their internal channel structure, namely, ribbed, cylindrical, and pleated. Additionally, three distinct casting-based fabrication processes are explored: lamination-based casting, retractable-pin-based casting, and lost-wax-based casting. Furthermore, two ways of fabricating a multiple DOF robot are explored: casting the complete robot as a whole and casting single degree of freedom (DOF) segments with subsequent concatenation. We experimentally validate each soft actuator morphology and fabrication process by creating multiple physical soft robot prototypes.
Nanotopographical Control of Stem Cell Differentiation

Stem cells have the capacity to differentiate into various lineages, and the ability to reliably direct stem cell fate determination would have tremendous potential for basic research and clinical therapy. Nanotopography provides a useful tool for guiding differentiation, as the features are more durable than surface chemistry and can be modified in size and shape to suit the desired application. In this paper, nanotopography is examined as a means to guide differentiation, and its application is described in the context of different subsets of stem cells, with a particular focus on skeletal (mesenchymal) stem cells. To address the mechanistic basis underlying the topographical effects on stem cells, the likely contributions of indirect (biochemical signal-mediated) and direct (force-mediated) mechanotransduction are discussed. Data from proteomic research is also outlined in relation to topography-mediated fate determination, as this approach provides insight into the global molecular changes at the level of the functional effectors.
X-ray rotational modulation of a supersaturated star in IC 2391

We present evidence of X-ray rotational modulation on VXR45, a young fast rotator star, member of IC 2391. It is a dG9 spectral type star whose rotational period and X-ray luminosity make it a supersaturated star. Our X-ray observation, made with EPIC/PN on XMM-Newton, covers about two photometric rotational periods. The detection of X-ray rotational modula- tion implies the presence of structural inhomogeneities. Possible interpretations are presented and discussed.
Onco-miR-155 targets SHIP1 to promote TNFα-dependent growth of B cell lymphomas

Non‐coding microRNAs (miRs) are a vital component of post‐transcriptional modulation of protein expression and, like coding mRNAs harbour oncogenic properties. However, the mechanisms governing miR expression and the identity of the affected transcripts remain poorly understood. Here we identify the inositol phosphatase SHIP1 as a bonafide target of the oncogenic miR‐155. We demonstrate that in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) elevated levels of miR‐155, and consequent diminished SHIP1 expression are the result of autocrine stimulation by the pro‐inflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα). Anti‐TNFα regimen such as eternacept or infliximab were sufficient to reduce miR‐155 levels and restored SHIP1 expression in DLBCL cells with an accompanying reduction in cell proliferation. Furthermore, we observed a substantial decrease in tumour burden in DLBCL xenografts in response to eternacept. These findings strongly support the concept that cytokine‐regulated miRs can function as a crucial link between inflammation and cancer, and illustrate the feasibility of anti‐TNFα therapy as a novel and immediately accessible (co)treatment for DLBCL.
Fusarium oxysporum: exploring the molecular arsenal of a vascular wilt fungus.

UNLABELLED SUMMARY Taxonomy: Vascular wilt fungus; Ascomycete although sexual stage is yet to be found. The most closely related teleomorphic group, Gibberella, is classified within the Pyrenomycetes. HOST RANGE Very broad at the species level. More than 120 different formae speciales have been identified based on specificity to host species belonging to a wide range of plant families. Disease symptoms: Initial symptoms of vascular wilt include vein clearing and leaf epinasty, followed by stunting, yellowing of the lower leafs, progressive wilting of leaves and stem, defoliation and finally death of the plant. In cross-sections of the stem, a brown ring is evident in the area of the vascular bundles. Some formae speciales are not primarily vascular pathogens but cause foot- and rootrot or bulbrot. Economic importance: Causes severe losses on most vegetables and flowers, several field crops such as cotton and tobacco, plantation crops such as banana, plantain, coffee and sugarcane, and a few shade trees. CONTROL Use of resistant varieties is the only practical measure for controlling the disease in the field. Under greenhouse conditions, soil sterilization can be performed. Alternative control methods with potential for the future include soil solarization and biological control with antagonistic bacteria or fungi. USEFUL WEBSITES http://www.fgsc. net/fus.htm, http://www-genome.wi. mit.edu/annotation/fungi/fusarium/, http://www.cbs. knaw.nl/fusarium/database.html.
A case of receptive amusia with prominent timbre perception defect.

'Sagar HJ, Warlow CP, Sheldon PWE, Esiri MM. Multiple sclerosis with clinical and radiological features of cerebral tumour. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1982;45:802-8. 2 Matthews WB. Multiple sclerosis. In: Recent Advances in Clinical Neurology, vol. 2, Matthews WB, Glaser GH eds. Edinburgh, Churchill Livingston 1978. 3 Van der Velden M, Bots GTAM, Endtz U. Cranial CT in multiple sclerosis showing a mass effect. Surg Neurol 1979;12:307-10.
ATP Binding Site Mutagenesis Reveals Different Subunit Stoichiometry of Functional P2X2/3 and P2X2/6 Receptors*

Background: Heteromeric P2X receptors increase the diversity of rapid ATP signaling. Results: Non-functional P2X2, P2X3, and P2X6 subunit mutants were used to investigate the composition of heteromeric P2X2/3 and P2X2/6 receptors. Conclusion: The subunit stoichiometry of P2X2/3 and P2X2/6 is 1:2 and 2:1, respectively. Significance: Recognition sites between P2X2 and its partners rather than random association may govern the subunit composition of the receptor trimers. The aim of the present experiments was to clarify the subunit stoichiometry of P2X2/3 and P2X2/6 receptors, where the same subunit (P2X2) forms a receptor with two different partners (P2X3 or P2X6). For this purpose, four non-functional Ala mutants of the P2X2, P2X3, and P2X6 subunits were generated by replacing single, homologous amino acids particularly important for agonist binding. Co-expression of these mutants in HEK293 cells to yield the P2X2 WT/P2X3 mutant or P2X2 mutant/P2X3 WT receptors resulted in a selective blockade of agonist responses in the former combination only. In contrast, of the P2X2 WT/P2X6 mutant and P2X2 mutant/P2X6 WT receptors, only the latter combination failed to respond to agonists. The effects of α,β-methylene–ATP and 2-methylthio-ATP were determined by measuring transmembrane currents by the patch clamp technique and intracellular Ca2+ transients by the Ca2+-imaging method. Protein labeling, purification, and PAGE confirmed the assembly and surface trafficking of the investigated WT and WT/mutant combinations in Xenopus laevis oocytes. In conclusion, both electrophysiological and biochemical investigations uniformly indicate that one subunit of P2X2 and two subunits of P2X3 form P2X2/3 heteromeric receptors, whereas two subunits of P2X2 and one subunit of P2X6 constitute P2X2/6 receptors. Further, it was shown that already two binding sites of the three possible ones are sufficient to allow these receptors to react with their agonists.
SARS-Coronavirus Replication Is Supported by a Reticulovesicular Network of Modified Endoplasmic Reticulum

Positive-strand RNA viruses, a large group including human pathogens such as SARS-coronavirus (SARS-CoV), replicate in the cytoplasm of infected host cells. Their replication complexes are commonly associated with modified host cell membranes. Membrane structures supporting viral RNA synthesis range from distinct spherular membrane invaginations to more elaborate webs of packed membranes and vesicles. Generally, their ultrastructure, morphogenesis, and exact role in viral replication remain to be defined. Poorly characterized double-membrane vesicles (DMVs) were previously implicated in SARS-CoV RNA synthesis. We have now applied electron tomography of cryofixed infected cells for the three-dimensional imaging of coronavirus-induced membrane alterations at high resolution. Our analysis defines a unique reticulovesicular network of modified endoplasmic reticulum that integrates convoluted membranes, numerous interconnected DMVs (diameter 200–300 nm), and “vesicle packets” apparently arising from DMV merger. The convoluted membranes were most abundantly immunolabeled for viral replicase subunits. However, double-stranded RNA, presumably revealing the site of viral RNA synthesis, mainly localized to the DMV interior. Since we could not discern a connection between DMV interior and cytosol, our analysis raises several questions about the mechanism of DMV formation and the actual site of SARS-CoV RNA synthesis. Our data document the extensive virus-induced reorganization of host cell membranes into a network that is used to organize viral replication and possibly hide replicating RNA from antiviral defense mechanisms. Together with biochemical studies of the viral enzyme complex, our ultrastructural description of this “replication network” will aid to further dissect the early stages of the coronavirus life cycle and its virus-host interactions.
Moderators of Children's Exposure to Community Violence: A Commentary

The 5 articles included in this special section are reviewed in this article. The studies encompassed were all focused on pre- or early adolescents, and samples were generally from inner-city areas, with 1 involving rural youth. Considered collectively, the results point to 3 major conclusions: Many children in America are regularly exposed to violence in communities; such exposure carries risk for psychopathology; and parents and other adults can provide valuable support but are limited in how much they can offset the effects of ongoing violence exposure. Intervention implications are, foremost, that community violence itself must be reduced and, second, that positive relationships with significant adults should be fostered to the degree possible among children living in high-risk, violence-prone communities. The five articles on violence exposure within this special section reflect several strengths, including the focus on rural as well as urban children, the use of multiple methods and respondents in assessments, and the exploration of diverse potentially protective processes, including different parenting domains and high perceived support from various people in the child’s life. Considered in tandem, the results of these studies point to a series of three major conclusions.
Estimation of Coronary Blood Flow by Washout of Diffusible Indicators

In 13 canine hearts, 158 disappearance curves for 133Xe and antipyrine-1125I, given by intra-arterial slug injection, were recorded at a wide range of perfusion rates. Flow rates (ml/100 g/min) calculated from these curves by a variety of methods were compared with measured flow rates (Fa) per weight of perfused tissue. Perfusion of isolated, supported hearts and of anterior descending coronary arteries in open-chest dogs provided similar data. The semilogarithmic slope of curves from apex or whole heart decreased with time, particularly at high flow rates. There was a small, consistent difference in shape between antipyrine and xenon curves, suggesting that radioactivity in fat contributed somewhat to this tailing. Estimation of flow rate from the steepest semilog slope yielded an average value of 1.1 Fa for all rates; estimation from slope at 30% of peak radioactivity gave 0.9Fa. The curves were closely described by a two-exponential equation which gave flow estimates of 0.95Fa when collimation limited the observations to the heart apex, and lower values when the whole heart was observed. Peak height/area methods gave values of approximately 0.75Fa in spite of various compensations for the impossibility of recording the curve until radioactivity = 0.
Relationship Between C-Reactive Protein and Subclinical Atherosclerosis: The Dallas Heart Study

Background— Elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) are associated with increased risk for incident cardiovascular events on the basis of observations from several prospective epidemiological studies. However, less is known regarding the relationship between CRP levels and atherosclerotic burden. Methods and Results— We measured CRP in 3373 subjects 30 to 65 years of age who were participating in the Dallas Heart Study, a multiethnic, population-based, probability sample. Electron-beam CT scans were used to measure coronary artery calcification (CAC) in 2726 of these subjects, and MRI was used to measure aortic plaque in 2393. CRP levels were associated with most traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Subjects with CAC had higher median CRP levels than those without CAC (men: median, 2.4 versus 1.8 mg/L, P<0.001; women: median, 5.2 versus 3.6 mg/L, P<0.001), and there was a modest trend toward increasing CRP levels with increased CAC levels in men (P for trend=0.003) but not in women (P for trend=0.08). Male subjects with aortic plaque also had higher CRP levels than those without (median, 2.3 versus 1.8; P<0.001). In multivariate analysis adjusted for traditional cardiovascular risk factors, body mass index, and estrogen and statin medication use, the associations between CRP levels and CAC and CRP levels and aortic plaque were no longer statistically significant. Conclusions— In a large, population-based sample, subjects with higher CRP levels had a modest increase in the prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis, but this association was not independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. CRP is a poor predictor of atherosclerotic burden.
Does CEO's IT Knowledge Matter? An Empirical Analysis of Earnings Conference Calls

We study the impact of Chief Executive Officer (CEO)’s IT knowledge on firm performance by leveraging the knowledge-based view and the influence of top management. We take an innovative approach by examining CEO’s conversation with financial analysts and investors in the earnings conference calls, which are considered as the biggest information event for listed companies. We measure CEO’s IT knowledge by counting the amount of IT discussions in the CEO’s answers to IT-related questions at the conference calls. The results show a positive relationship between CEO’s IT knowledge and firm performance. The findings will have clear and high contributions to the core IS literature of business value of IT by explicitly studying the role of top executives in IT success.
Prevalence and Characteristics of Relational Aggression Among Female Inmates

The number of female inmates is growing at alarming rates, yet research on this population is extremely limited. Even more limited is research regarding relational aggression among female inmates. In the current study, prevalence and characteristics of relational aggression among female inmates were assessed in a survey. Inmates were classified into one of four categories: pure aggressor, aggressor/victim, pure victim, and notinvolved. Results indicated that 93.6% of inmates had either experienced relational aggression, perpetrated relational aggression, or both. These findings hold implications for increased awareness of the prevalence, characteristics, and consequences of relational aggression in prison. Further research on this topic is imperative for the safety and wellbeing of inmates.
Breastmilk-Saliva Interactions Boost Innate Immunity by Regulating the Oral Microbiome in Early Infancy

Introduction Xanthine oxidase (XO) is distributed in mammals largely in the liver and small intestine, but also is highly active in milk where it generates hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Adult human saliva is low in hypoxanthine and xanthine, the substrates of XO, and high in the lactoperoxidase substrate thiocyanate, but saliva of neonates has not been examined. Results Median concentrations of hypoxanthine and xanthine in neonatal saliva (27 and 19 μM respectively) were ten-fold higher than in adult saliva (2.1 and 1.7 μM). Fresh breastmilk contained 27.3±12.2 μM H2O2 but mixing baby saliva with breastmilk additionally generated >40 μM H2O2, sufficient to inhibit growth of the opportunistic pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp. Oral peroxidase activity in neonatal saliva was variable but low (median 7 U/L, range 2–449) compared to adults (620 U/L, 48–1348), while peroxidase substrate thiocyanate in neonatal saliva was surprisingly high. Baby but not adult saliva also contained nucleosides and nucleobases that encouraged growth of the commensal bacteria Lactobacillus, but inhibited opportunistic pathogens; these nucleosides/bases may also promote growth of immature gut cells. Transition from neonatal to adult saliva pattern occurred during the weaning period. A survey of saliva from domesticated mammals revealed wide variation in nucleoside/base patterns. Discussion and Conclusion During breast-feeding, baby saliva reacts with breastmilk to produce reactive oxygen species, while simultaneously providing growth-promoting nucleotide precursors. Milk thus plays more than a simply nutritional role in mammals, interacting with infant saliva to produce a potent combination of stimulatory and inhibitory metabolites that regulate early oral–and hence gut–microbiota. Consequently, milk-saliva mixing appears to represent unique biochemical synergism which boosts early innate immunity.
An Adaptive Technique based on Similarity Measures for Change Detection in Very High Resolution SAR Images

This paper presents a novel adaptive technique for change detection in very high geometrical resolution (VHR) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images that exploits information theoretical similarity measures for modeling the temporal evolution of probability density functions (pdfs). Image statistics for characterizing pdfs are adaptively estimated on a local basis by exploiting the spatial-context information of pixels on small homogeneous regions shared by multitemporal images (i.e., multitemporal "parcels"). The joint analysis of different orders statistics makes the method robust and suitable to the detection of both step changes of the backscattering and texture changes. The use of parcels allows one to model both complex objects in the investigated scene and borders of the changed areas and change details. Experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
An anti-reflection coating for silicon optics at terahertz frequencies

A method for reducing the reflections from silicon optics at terahertz frequencies has been investigated. In this study, we used thin films of parylene as an anti-reflection (AR) layer for silicon optics and show low-loss behavior well above 1 THz. Transmittance spectra are acquired on double-sided-parylene-coated, high-resistivity, single-crystal silicon etalons between 0.45 THz and 2.8 THz. Modeling the optical behavior of the three-layer system allowed for the determination of the refractive index and absorption coefficient of parylene at these frequencies. Our data indicate a refractive index, n, of 1.62 for parylene C and parylene D, and a reasonably modest absorption coefficient make these materials a suitable AR coating for silicon at terahertz frequencies. Coatings sufficiently thick for AR performance reduced the average transmittance of the three-layer system by <10% compared to a lossless AR coating with an ideal refractive index.
Association study of IGFBP1 and IGFBP3 polymorphisms with hypertension and cardio-cerebral vascular diseases in a Chinese Han population

Previous studies have showed that insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis is involved in the development of hypertension. It is unclear whether genetic variants in the IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) contribute to the susceptibility to hypertension. Three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IGFBP1 and four SNPs in IGFBP3 were selected for genotyping in 2,012 hypertension cases and 2,210 healthy controls and 4,128 subjects were followed up for a median of 5.01 years. Multiple logistic regression and Cox regression were performed to evaluate the association of these seven SNPs with hypertension and cardio-cerebral vascular disease (CCVD). In the case-control study, rs2132572 and rs3110697 at IGFBP3 were significantly associated with hypertension, and the odds ratios (ORs) of rs2132572 (CT+TT vs. CC) and rs3110697 (GA+AA vs. GG) were 1.235 (P=0.002) and 1.176 (P=0.013), respectively (PFDR<0.05). The association of rs2132572 (TT vs. CT+CC) with hypertension was further replicated in the follow-up population, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.694 (P=0.014). rs1874479 at IGFBP1 was significantly associated with CCVD, particularly with stroke, and the HRs of the additive model were 1.310 (P=0.007) and 1.372 (P=0.015). Moreover, the hypertension cases presented with lower serum IGFBP1 levels than the controls (P=0.011). The serum levels of IGFBP1 significantly varied among the genotypes of rs1065780, rs2854843 and rs13223993, both in the controls and in the hypertension cases (P<0.05). These findings suggest that the genetic variants of IGFBP1 and IGFBP3 were associated with an increased risk of stroke and hypertension, respectively. Lower serum IGFBP1 levels may predict an increased risk of hypertension.