Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Employee voice and organizational performance: Team versus representative influence

This article explores the effects of team voice and worker representative voice, as well as their interaction, on labor productivity. We examine team voice in terms of team influence on key work-related issues and representative voice via the degree of worker representatives’ influence on multiple collective voice issues. We thus build on the European tradition of examining both direct and indirect voice and their implications for valued organizational outcomes. We find that neither type of voice bears a significant relationship to labor productivity when examined solely but that team voice significantly contributes to enhanced worker efficiency when considered in conjunction with representative voice. In examining the interaction of the two types of voice, we find that a combination of low team and low representative voice leads to inferior labor efficiency compared to other conditions. We also find a negative interaction between team voice and worker representative voice, supporting an interpretation that these types of voice do not complement each other with respect to worker productivity. The positive impact of each type of voice is significantly stronger at low levels of the other type of voice.
Metacognition and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms: The Contribution of Thought- Fusion Beliefs and Beliefs about Rituals

In the metacognitive model of obsessive-compulsive disorder (Wells, 1997), two belief domains are central: (1) metacognitive beliefs about the meaning of thoughts (thought-fusion beliefs) and (2) beliefs about the need to perform rituals. The present study had two aims: (1) to replicate studies which have demonstrated that thought-fusion beliefs and beliefs about rituals each contribute to symptoms; and (2) to determine the best predictors of symptoms among the subtypes of metacognition. 177 students provided cross-sectional data on thought-fusion beliefs, beliefs about rituals, worry, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Thought-fusion beliefs and beliefs about rituals each contributed uniquely to symptoms. Thought-action fusion, thought-object fusion, and beliefs that rituals prevent anxiety predicted both symptom frequency and distress. There was some specificity in beliefs about rituals depending on whether the outcome variable was distress or frequency.
Interrater reliability of bilateral coordination of bruininks oseretsky test of motor proficiency (BOTMP) & performance of indian children compared with USA norms.

*T. Balakrishnan; Co-Authors : **Chavan Sasidhar Rao Abstract : Aim of the study : To establish interrater reliability and to compare the performance of the Indian children with U.S.A normative sample on the bilateral coordination subtest of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP). Methodology : Two Occupational Therapists administered Kannada version of the subtest on 30 school children of age group 7-9 years. Later the test was administered on 204 school children (Boys and girls equal) of age group 6.6 through 9.5 years. The mean point score of 204 Indian children was compared with 259 U.S.A. normative sample using independent 't' test. Results : The interrater reliability kappa agreement for the items ranged from 0.66 to 1.00 and 0.93 for the subtest point score. (p<0.0001). The performance of the Indian children was significantly lower (p=0.05) compared with that of U.S.A.normative sample across all the age group on the bilateral coordination point score. Conclusion : The findings of this study indicate that the bilateral coordination subtest of the BOTMP provides reliable information that can be used by occupational therapists to evaluate and provide intervention program. The study also indicate that the performance of the Indian children overall in three age groups were significantly different from the performance of U.S.A normative sample, and need to establish specific norms for Indian population is suggested.
A New Approach to the Economic Analysis of Nonstationary Time Series and the Business Cycle

This paper models occasional, discrete shifts in the growth rate of a nonstationary series. Algorithms for inferring these unobserved shifts are presented, a byproduct of which permits estimation of parameters by maximum likelihood. An empirical application of this technique suggests that the periodic shift from a positive growth rate to a negative growth rate is a recurrent feature of the U.S. business cycle, and indeed could be used as an objective criterion for defining and measuring economic recessions. The estimated parameter values suggest that a typical economic recession is associated with a 3 percent permanent drop in the level of GNP. Copyright 1989 by The Econometric Society.
"Sometimes I like to see what I'm doing": Children's voices in outdoor play pedagogical documentation

This qualitative research was designed to explore how children respond to and think about their outdoor play pedagogical documentation, and how they engage in outdoor play experiences after they have conversations about their outdoor play pedagogical documentation. The purposive sample of six children was bounded in a single-case program in Nova Scotia, Canada. Six children were directly observed during their outdoor play time, and were individually interviewed face-to-face. A typological analysis model was used to analyse the collected data (Hatch, 2002). The research questions predetermined three typologies, children’s reaction, children’s perceptions, and children’s outdoor play engagements. These typologies were examined to determine themes for each typology. The final data analysis concluded with four generalization statements and a case study report. The children perceived their outdoor play pedagogical documentation as a tool where they can revisit, interpret, and reflect on their previous outdoor play experiences. The children believed that the purpose of outdoor play pedagogical documentation is for sharing with their families, friends, or other people who visit their child care centre. It was also found that the children demonstrated their confidence after their outdoor play pedagogical documentation was provided. Merely displaying outdoor play pedagogical documentation outside did not influence the children’s outdoor play experiences; however, having conversations about outdoor play pedagogical documentation allowed the children to express their emotions, articulate their thoughts about previous outdoor play experiences, and provoke and implement outdoor play ideas. This case study revealed children’s understanding about their outdoor play pedagogical documentation and this understanding can be incorporated in the practice of early childhood education in order to increase access to outdoor play and enhance the quality of outdoor play. This case study is limited to one-single case with a focus on each individual child rather than a group of children. This case study yields some implications for early childhood educators, educational institutions, and the community. Recommendations for future research are discussed.
Phosphorylation of recombinant human phenylalanine hydroxylase: effect on catalytic activity, substrate activation and protection against non-specific cleavage of the fusion protein by restriction protease.

The phosphorylation of human phenylalanine hydroxylase by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase was studied using recombinant enzyme expressed as a fusion protein in the pMAL system of Escherichia coli. Using the target sequence of the restriction protease enterokinase (Asp4-Lys) as the linker peptide, 100% full-length human phenylalanine hydroxylase was obtained on protease cleavage. The fusion protein and human phenylalanine hydroxylase were both phosphorylated at Ser-16 with a stoichiometry of 1 mol of Pi/mol of subunit. The rate of phosphorylation of human phenylalanine hydroxylase was inhibited about 40% by the cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin, and this inhibition was completely prevented by the simultaneous presence of L-phenylalanine (i.e. at turnover conditions). Phosphorylated enzyme revealed a 1.6-fold higher specific activity than the non-phosphorylated enzyme form, and it also required a lower concentration of L-Phe for substrate activation. Pre-incubation with L-Phe increased the specific activity of phenylalanine hydroxylase 2- to 4-fold, L-Phe acting with positive cooperativity. Thus, the basic catalytic and regulatory properties of recombinant human phenylalanine hydroxylase, as well as those observed for the enzyme as a fusion protein, are similar to those previously reported for the rat liver enzyme. When the target sequence of the restriction protease factor Xa (Ile-Glu-Gly-Arg) was used as the linker between maltose-binding protein and human phenylalanine hydroxylase, cleavage of the fusion protein gave a mixture of full-length hydroxylase and a truncated form of the enzyme lacking the 13 N-terminal residues. Interestingly, phosphorylation of the fusion protein, before exposure to factor Xa, almost completely protected against secondary cleavage by this restriction protease at Arg-13 of phenylalanine hydroxylase.
A study on the design space for harm claim thresholds

Harm claim threshold policies will offer more flexibility in radio regulations. By defining bounds on the acceptable field strength over time and space, these policies will introduce quantitative measures to inter-system coexistence questions. How-ever, this requires tangible and sufficient means of proving claims of interference through spectrum measurements. In this paper we study drive test requirements in terms of necessary sample set sizes and decorrelated sampling. We present order statistics and extreme value theory as powerful mathematical tools for describing necessary confidence intervals, and test their practical viability with data from an extensive measurement campaign. Furthermore, we discuss by means of example necessary extensions to planning tools for wireless networks operating under an interference threshold policy. Our results emphasize that future regulations will need to be accompanied by a rigorous specification of evidence collection requirements in order to compensate for bias and correlation structure in the spectrum data.
Mammography in women ≥50 years of age Predisposing and enabling characteristics

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship of selected predisposing and enabling characteristics of women ≥50 years of age to mammography utilization. Andersen and Aday's theoretical model for health services utilization guided data collection. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 161 women members of four urban churches, using a mailed survey. Results showed that 81% reported at least one mammogram and 24% had followed mammography guidelines for the preceding 3 years. Results of logistic regression analyses with variables having a bivariate significance of p ≤ 0.01 showed that higher income was associated with both ever having a mammogram and adherence. Willingness to pay >$50 out of pocket for a mammogram was significant for 3 year adherence. Additionally, the sociodemographic variables of age and religion were associated with adherence, whereas a college education was highly significant (odds ratio = 13.78) for ever having a mammogram. Having a regular place for health care and having yearly Papanicolaou tests were associated with ever having a mammogram, but not adherence. Finally, intending to get a mammogram was associated with ever having a mammogram. In this study, belief and knowledge variables showed no association with utilization, and social influence had bivariate significance only for ever having a mammogram. This study suggests the importance of addressing economic and health-care delivery system factors to promote increased mammography utilization, particularly for older women.
Meteorological parameters and pollutants on asthma exacerbation in Bangalore, India – an ecological retrospective time-series study

Abstract Background: Literature has shown a significant association between asthma exacerbations and pollutant levels during that time. There is very limited evidence in India, especially Bangalore, for impacts of meteorological changes and pollution on asthma hospital admissions in adults. The objective was to study the impact of air pollution and meteorological parameters on asthma exacerbation in Bangalore. Methods: This study quantitatively analyzed the relation between acute exacerbations of asthma and related admissions to the hospital with the air pollution and the meteorological conditions during that time. Data regarding the daily hospital admissions in about 13 tertiary care centers in Bangalore, Karnataka and air pollutant levels and the meteorological conditions prevailing during each day over a year were collected from the Karnataka State pollution control board and meteorology departments, respectively. Results: An average daily asthma admission of 4.84±2.91, with clear seasonal variation and autocorrelations between meteorological parameters and pollutants was observed. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that average temperature (p=0.005) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) (p=0.034) were the two factors that were affecting the number of admissions. Quasi-poisson regression analysis using multi-pollutants and meteorological variables showed that particulate matter and NO2 had significant lag effect for up to 5 days (p<0.05) and rainfall for 1 day (p<0.001). Conclusions: In Bangalore city, levels of NO2 and particulate matter, temperature, rainfall, and season increase asthma exacerbations.
Calcineurin Aβ Regulates NADPH Oxidase (Nox) Expression and Activity via Nuclear Factor of Activated T Cells (NFAT) in Response to High Glucose*

Background: Similar to its role in other organs, calcineurin is involved in kidney hypertrophy. However, downstream targets are not known. Results: The β isoform of calcineurin (CnAβ) is required for hypertrophy and regulates Nox2 and Nox4 expression and function through NFAT. Conclusion: CnAβ and not CnAα mediates hypertrophy in renal cells and is required for chronic ROS generation. Significance: Interaction of calcineurin and Nox signaling is essential for renal hypertrophy. Hypertrophy is an adaptive response that enables organs to appropriately meet increased functional demands. Previously, we reported that calcineurin (Cn) is required for glomerular and whole kidney hypertrophy in diabetic rodents (Gooch, J. L., Barnes, J. L., Garcia, S., and Abboud, H. E. (2003). Calcineurin is activated in diabetes and is required for glomerular hypertrophy and ECM accumulation. Am. J. Physiol. Renal Physiol. 284, F144–F154; Reddy, R. N. , Knotts, T. L. , Roberts, B. R. , Molkentin, J. D. , Price, S. R. , and Gooch, J. L. (2011). Calcineurin Aβ is required for hypertrophy but not matrix expansion in the diabetic kidney. J. Cell Mol. Med. 15, 414–422). Because studies have also implicated the reactive oxygen species-generating enzymes NADPH oxidases (Nox) in diabetic kidney responses, we tested the hypothesis that Nox and Cn cooperate in a common signaling pathway. First, we examined the role of the two main isoforms of Cn in hypertrophic signaling. Using primary kidney cells lacking a catalytic subunit of Cn (CnAα−/− or CnAβ−/−), we found that high glucose selectively activates CnAβ, whereas CnAα is constitutively active. Furthermore, CnAβ but not CnAα mediates hypertrophy. Next, we found that chronic reactive oxygen species generation in response to high glucose is attenuated in CnAβ−/− cells, suggesting that Cn is upstream of Nox. Consistent with this, loss of CnAβ reduces basal expression and blocks high glucose induction of Nox2 and Nox4. Inhibition of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT), a CnAβ-regulated transcription factor, decreases Nox2 and Nox4 expression, whereas NFAT overexpression increases Nox2 and Nox4, indicating that the CnAβ/NFAT pathway modulates Nox. These data reveal that the CnAβ/NFAT pathway regulates Nox and plays an important role in high glucose-mediated hypertrophic responses in the kidney.
Early Endocardial Morphogenesis Requires Scl/Tal1

The primitive heart tube is composed of an outer myocardial and an inner endocardial layer that will give rise to the cardiac valves and septa. Specification and differentiation of these two cell layers are among the earliest events in heart development, but the embryonic origins and genetic regulation of early endocardial development remain largely undefined. We have analyzed early endocardial development in the zebrafish using time-lapse confocal microscopy and show that the endocardium seems to originate from a region in the lateral plate mesoderm that will give rise to hematopoietic cells of the primitive myeloid lineage. Endocardial precursors appear to rapidly migrate to the site of heart tube formation, where they arrive prior to the bilateral myocardial primordia. Analysis of a newly discovered zebrafish Scl/Tal1 mutant showed an additional and previously undescribed role of this transcription factor during the development of the endocardium. In Scl/Tal1 mutant embryos, endocardial precursors are specified, but migration is severely defective and endocardial cells aggregate at the ventricular pole of the heart. We further show that the initial fusion of the bilateral myocardial precursor populations occurs independently of the endocardium and tal1 function. Our results suggest early separation of the two components of the primitive heart tube and imply Scl/Tal1 as an indispensable component of the molecular hierarchy that controls endocardium morphogenesis.
Significance of Bcl-2 and Bcl-6 immunostaining in B-Non Hodgkin's lymphoma

The determination of prognosis for B-Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is known to be related to the multiple differences in tumor cell biology. Bcl-2 and Bcl-6 are two markers linked to germinal center B cells. Both markers are thought to have an effect on prognosis of mature B-cell neoplasms. Forty-four patients with chronic B-cell neoplasm were included; Bcl-2 and Bcl-6 expression by immunohistochemistry was examined. Bcl-2 protein was positive in 36.4% (16 of 44) of cases (62.5% of follicular lymphoma, 16.7% of mantle cell lymphoma and 30% of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma); the positive group implying a bad prognostic effect of the marker in NHL. Bcl-6 was positive in 13.6% (6 of 44) of cases (11.1% of mantle cell lymphoma and 40% of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) and its positivity implies a better disease course. Bcl-2 and Bcl-6 can be used as prognostic marker in NHL.
Construcción de género y ficción televisiva en España

In the last years there has been an increase of gender studies, with the incorporation of women at academic world and as consecuence of a bigger social awareness. Even so, the analyses of this type, specially in communication, are not very usual. The object of this paper is to analyze gender construction and stereotypes in spanish fiction TV through two successful Spanish series, proposing a model of analyses that allows to recognize and to clasificate these representations.
Core Practices and Problems of Practice in Learning to Lead Classroom Discussions

Given the current interest in organizing teacher education around core instructional practices that help preservice teachers enact ambitious aspects of teaching like leading classroom discussions, this article investigates an example from the experience of a preservice teacher as she works on orienting students to each other’s ideas. Resulting problems of practice are examined, along with the factors that contribute to their emergence in real time. The study also brings attention to the complexity of this work and the ways in which novice teachers’ knowledge, development as learners, and available resources in the contexts of their work contribute to how they approach and manage these problems.
A New Approach to Image Denoising based on Wiener- LMMSE Scheme

noise removal techniques have proven their worth in image processing applications. After an overview of some image denoising approaches, we introduce a LMMSE-based denoising technique with wavelet multiscale model and wiener filter in spatial domain. This proposed denoising technique stands out prominent in terms of SNR, MSE and PSNR compared to some more denoising techniques (also proposed in this paper). The Overcomplete Wavelet Expansion (OWE) which is also employed, provides better result compared to Orthogonal Wavelet Transform (OWT). Moreover, some fine details of the image such as edges, curves etc. is preserved using the LMMSE rule.
Abnormal cellular energy and phospholipid metabolism in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of medication-free individuals with bipolar disorder: an in vivo 1H MRS study.

OBJECTIVES While the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder (BD) remains to be elucidated, postmortem and neuroimaging studies have suggested that abnormalities in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) are implicated. We compared the levels of specific brain chemicals of interest measured with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H MRS) in medication-free BD subjects and age- and gender-matched healthy controls. We hypothesized that BD subjects would present abnormal cellular metabolism within the DLPFC, as reflected by lower N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) and creatine + phosphocreatine (Cr + PCr). METHODS Thirty-two medication-free BD subjects (33.8 +/- 10.2 years) and 32 matched controls (33.8 +/- 9.0 years) underwent a short echo-time (TE = 30 ms) (1)H MRS. An 8-cm(3) single voxel was placed in the left DLPFC, and individual concentrations of NAA, Cr + PCr, choline-containing compounds (GPC + PC), myo-inositol, and glutamate were obtained, using the water signal as an internal reference. RESULTS BD subjects had lower Cr + PCr [F((1,62)) = 5.85; p = 0.018; one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA)] and lower GPC + PC [F((1,62)) = 5.79; p = 0.019; one-way ANOVA] levels in the left DLPFC. No significant differences were observed for other brain metabolites. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide further evidence that the pathophysiology of BD involves impairment in the DLPFC. Our findings can be interpreted as evidence for reduced cellular energy and phospholipid metabolism, consistent with the hypothesis of mitochondrial dysfunction in BD.
Cerebral gray matter volume reduction in subcortical vascular mild cognitive impairment patients and subcortical vascular dementia patients, and its relation with cognitive deficits

Subcortical vascular mild cognitive impairment (svMCI) is the predementia stage of subcortical vascular dementia (SVaD). The aim of this research is to explore and compare cerebral gray matter (GM) volume reduction in svMCI patients and SVaD patients, and to investigate the relationship between cerebral GM volume reduction and cognitive deficits.
Food security in Nunavut, Canada: barriers and recommendations.

Abstract Objectives. The food supply of Inuit living in Nunavut, Canada, is characterized by market food of relatively low nutritional value and nutrient-dense traditional food. The objective of this study is to assess community perceptions about the availability and accessibility of traditional and market foods in Nunavut. Study Design. A qualitative study using focus group methodology. Methods. Focus groups were conducted in 6 communities in Nunavut in 2004 and collected information was analyzed. Results. Barriers to increased traditional food consumption included high costs of hunting and changes in lifestyle and cultural practices. Participants suggested that food security could be gained through increased economic support for local community hunts, freezers and education programs, as well as better access to cheaper and higher quality market food. Conclusions. Interventions to improve the dietary quality of Nunavut residents are discussed. (Int J Circumpolar Health 2006; 65(5):416–431)