Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determining the impact of quality management practices and purchasing-related information systems on purchasing performance: A structural model

Purpose – Many studies claim that the implementation of quality management practices and specific information systems can help organizations to improve performance. The objective of this article is to provide insights into current quality management and information systems theory and practice in the purchasing function and their impact on purchasing performance.Design/methodology/approach – Hypotheses derived from the key features of quality management practices in purchasing (QMPP) and related information systems (IS) practices presented by previous authors are tested using Structural Equation Modelling through field research on a sample of 306 manufacturing companies in Spain.Findings – Findings from this study indicate that there is significant evidence to support the hypothesized model in which QMPP has a direct impact on related IS practices and purchasing performance, as well as an indirect impact on purchasing performance mediated through IS.Research limitations/implications – Use of a single key i.
STRUCTURE AND EVOLUTION OF PRE-MAIN-SEQUENCE CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS

We present new subarcsecond (∼0.″7) Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA) observations of the 1.3 mm continuum emission from circumstellar disks around 11 low- and intermediate-mass pre-main-sequence stars. High-resolution observations for three additional sources were obtained from the literature. In all cases the disk emission is spatially resolved. We adopt a self-consistent accretion disk model based on the similarity solution for the disk surface density and constrain the dust radial density distribution on spatial scales of about 40 AU. Disk surface densities appear to be correlated with the stellar ages where the characteristic disk radius increases from ∼20 AU to ∼100 AU over about 5 Myr. This disk expansion is accompanied by a decrease in the mass accretion rate, suggesting that our sample disks form an evolutionary sequence. Interpreting our results in terms of the temporal evolution of a viscous α-disk, we estimate (1) that at the beginning of the disk evolution about 60% of the circumstellar material was located inside radii of 25–40 AU, (2) that disks formed with masses from 0.05 to 0.4 M☉, and (3) that the viscous timescale at the disk initial radius is about 0.1–0.3 Myr. Viscous disk models tightly link the surface density Σ(R) with the radial profile of the disk viscosity ν(R) ∝ Rγ. We find values of γ ranging from −0.8 to 0.8, suggesting that the viscosity dependence on the orbital radius can be very different in the observed disks. Adopting the α parameterization for the viscosity, we argue that α must decrease with the orbital radius and that it may vary between 0.5 and 10−4. From the inferred disk initial radii we derive specific angular momenta, j, for parent cores of (0.8 − 4) × 10−4 km s−1 pc. Comparison with the values of j in dense cores suggests that about 10% of core angular momentum and 30% of the core mass are conserved in the formation of the star/disk system. We demonstrate that the similarity solution for the surface density for γ < 0 can explain the properties of some “transitional disks” without requiring discontinuities in the disk surface density. In the case of LkCa 15, a smooth distribution of material from few stellar radii to about 240 AU can produce both the observed spectral energy distribution and the spatially resolved continuum emission at millimeter wavelengths. Finally we show that among the observed sample, TW Hya is the only object that has a disk radius comparable with the early solar nebula.
Comparative Analysis of Non-Synchronized Initial Random Access for Mobile Broadband Systems

In this paper, a comparative analysis of the performance of the non-synchronized initial random access channel in Mobile WiMAX and E-UTRA systems under different conditions (fast fading, multiuser interference) is carried out. The analysis is focused on the correlation properties of the code sequences used in each case. We evaluate their ability to provide low values for false alarm and erroneous detection probabilities (detecting a sequence that has not been transmitted) at the same time as guaranteeing low non detection probabilities of the effectively transmitted sequences.
TRIM32 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase for dysbindin

Mutations in the gene encoding tripartite motif protein 32 (TRIM32) cause two seemingly diverse diseases: limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2H (LGMD2H) or sarcotubular myopathy (STM) and Bardet–Biedl syndrome type 11(BBS11). Although TRIM32 is involved in protein ubiquitination, its substrates and the molecular consequences of disease-causing mutations are poorly understood. In this paper, we show that TRIM32 is a widely expressed ubiquitin ligase that is localized to the Z-line in skeletal muscle. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we found that TRIM32 binds and ubiquitinates dysbindin, a protein implicated in the genetic aetiology of schizophrenia, augmenting its degradation. Small-interfering RNA-mediated knock-down of TRIM32 in myoblasts resulted in elevated levels of dysbindin. Importantly, the LGMD2H/STM-associated TRIM32 mutations, D487N and R394H impair ubiquitin ligase activity towards dysbindin and were mislocalized in heterologous cells. These mutants were able to self-associate and also co-immunoprecipitated with wild-type TRIM32 in transfected cells. Furthermore, the D487N mutant could bind to both dysbindin and its E2 enzyme but was defective in monoubiquitination. In contrast, the BBS11 mutant P130S did not show any biochemical differences compared with the wild-type protein. Our data identify TRIM32 as a regulator of dysbindin and demonstrate that the LGMD2H/STM mutations may impair substrate ubiquitination.
Preconception Cardiovascular Risk Factor Differences Between Gestational Hypertension and Preeclampsia

Preconception predictors of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia may identify opportunities for early detection and improve our understanding of the pathogenesis and life course epidemiology of these conditions. Female participants in community-based Cohort Norway health surveys, 1994 to 2003, were prospectively followed through 2012 via record linkages to Medical Birth Registry of Norway. Analyses included 13 217 singleton pregnancies (average of 1.59 births to 8321 women) without preexisting hypertension. Outcomes were gestational hypertension without proteinuria (n=237) and preeclampsia (n=429). Mean age (SD) at baseline was 27.9 years (4.5), and median follow-up was 4.8 years (interquartile range 2.6–7.8). Gestational hypertension and preeclampsia shared several baseline risk factors: family history of diabetes mellitus, pregravid diabetes mellitus, a high total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (>5), overweight and obesity, and elevated blood pressure status. For preeclampsia, a family history of myocardial infarction before 60 years of age and elevated triglyceride levels (≥1.7 mmol/L) also predicted risk while physical activity was protective. Preterm preeclampsia was predicted by past-year binge drinking (≥5 drinks on one occasion) with an adjusted odds ratio of 3.7 (95% confidence interval 1.3–10.8) and by past-year physical activity of ≥3 hours per week with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.5 (95% confidence interval 0.3–0.8). The results suggest similarities and important differences between gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and preterm preeclampsia. Modifiable risk factors could be targeted for improving pregnancy outcomes and the short- and long-term sequelae for mothers and offspring.
Bank Skin in the Game and Loan Contract Design: Evidence from Covenant-Lite Loans

Abstract In a model of dual-agency problems where borrower–lender and bank–nonbank incentives may conflict, we predict a hockey stick relation between bank skin in the game and covenant tightness. As bank participation declines, covenant tightness increases until reaching a low threshold, at which point the relation sharply reverses and covenant protection is removed with a commensurate increase in spread. We find support for the hockey stick relation with bank’s stake in covenant-lite loans averaging 8% (0% median). We also find that covenant-lite loans are more likely when borrower moral hazard is less severe and when bank relationship rents are high.
Combining strengths of circuit-based and CNF-based algorithms for a high-performance SAT solver

We propose satisfiability checking (SAT) techniques that lead to a consistent performance improvement of up to 3/spl times/ over state-of-the-art SAT solvers like Chaff on important problem domains in VLSI CAD. We observe that in circuit oriented applications like ATPG and verification, different software engineering techniques are required for the portions of the formula corresponding to learnt clauses compared to the original formula. We demonstrate that by employing the same innovations as in advanced CNF-based SAT solvers, but in a hybrid approach where these two portions of the formula are represented differently and processed separately, it is possible to obtain the consistently highest performing SAT solver for circuit oriented problem domains. We also present controlled experiments to highlight where these gains come from. Once it is established that the hybrid approach is faster, it becomes possible to apply low overhead circuit-based heuristics that would be unavailable in the CNF domain for greater speedup.
Evaluation of the oral health situation of a group of Egyptian haemophilic children and their re‐evaluation following an oral hygiene and diet education programme

Summary. Haemophilic children in Egypt have received minimal dental intervention and their dental needs required assessment. The purpose of this study was to assess the oral health needs of a sample (n = 60) of Egyptian haemophilic children (6–12 years), so as to develop, implement and evaluate an oral hygiene education programme over an 8‐month period on the experimental group (n = 30) vs. the control group (n = 30). The oral hygiene index simplified (OHI‐S) index was used for baseline data and at the end of the study, while DMFS and defs were used to collect caries experience baseline data on each subject. The results showed that the DMFT and deft were significantly higher than those of the non‐haemophilic population in Egypt and also higher than those of haemophilic children in developed countries and that the decayed component represented most of the index values. At phase I, the mean value of the OHI‐S of experimental and the control groups was 2.67 ± 0.45 and 2.53 ± 0.53, respectively, but the difference was not significant (P > 0.05), both values were in the ‘fair’ category (1.3–3.0). At phase II, the end of the 8 months follow‐up period and after the application of a strict oral care programme in the experimental group, there was a significant decrease from 2.67 to 1.20 (P < 0.001), a shift of values occurred from the ‘fair’ category to the ‘good’ category (0.1–1.2) while there was no significant difference in the control group. It can be concluded that professional plaque control, education and access to oral hygiene aids is paramount to improve oral health of these children.
Localized Error Correction in Projective Space

In this paper, we extend the localized error correction code introduced by L. A. Bassalygo and coworkers from Hamming space to projective space. For constant dimensional localized error correction codes in projective space, we have a lower bound and an upper bound of the capacity, which are asymptotically tight when <i>z</i> <; <i>x</i> ≤ [( <i>n</i>-<i>z</i>)/2], where <i>x</i>, <i>z</i>, and <i>n</i> are dimensions of codewords, error configurations, and the ground space, respectively. We determine the capacity of nonconstant dimensional localized error correction codes when <i>z</i> <; [( <i>n</i>)/3].
Pathway of Human AS3MT Arsenic Methylation

A synthetic gene encoding human As(III) S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) methyltransferase (hAS3MT) was expressed, and the purified enzyme was characterized. The synthetic enzyme is considerably more active than a cDNA-expressed enzyme using endogenous reductants thioredoxin (Trx), thioredoxin reductase (TR), NADPH, and reduced glutathione (GSH). Each of the seven cysteines (the four conserved residues, Cys32, Cys61, Cys156, and Cys206, and nonconserved, Cys72, Cys85, and Cys250) was individually changed to serine. The nonconserved cysteine derivates were still active. None of the individual C32S, C61S, C156S, and C206S derivates were able to methylate As(III). However, the C32S and C61S enzymes retained the ability to methylate MAs(III). These observations suggest that Cys156 and Cys206 play a different role in catalysis than that of Cys32 and Cys61. A homology model built on the structure of a thermophilic orthologue indicates that Cys156 and Cys206 form the As(III) binding site, whereas Cys32 and Cys61 form a disulfide bond. Two observations shed light on the pathway of methylation. First, binding assays using the fluorescence of a single-tryptophan derivative indicate that As(GS)3 binds to the enzyme much faster than inorganic As(III). Second, the major product of the first round of methylation is MAs(III), not MAs(V), and remains enzyme-bound until it is methylated a second time. We propose a new pathway for hAS3MT catalysis that reconciles the hypothesis of Challenger ((1947) Sci. Prog. , 35, 396–416) with the pathway proposed by Hayakawa et al. ((2005) Arch. Toxicol. , 79, 183–191). The products are the more toxic and more carcinogenic trivalent methylarsenicals, but arsenic undergoes oxidation and reduction as enzyme-bound intermediates.
Full Wavefield Migration, Using Internal Multiples for Undershooting

Full wavefield migration (FWM) is an inversion-based imaging algorithm that utilizes the complete reflection measurements: primaries as well as all multiples, both surface and internal. Using multiples in the imaging can extend the illumination of the subsurface. In this paper we concentrate the study on the internal scattering that can be helpful in imaging structures from below that are otherwise difficult to image by primaries, i.e. an undershooting setting. This can be fruitful in the case of the obstacles, like oil-production facilities, or in the case of poor illumination, like sub-salt imaging or near-surface complexities. We demonstrate such approach on two synthetic examples.
Different Physiological Roles of ATP- and PPi-Dependent Phosphofructokinase Isoenzymes in the Methylotrophic Actinomycete Amycolatopsis methanolica

ABSTRACT Cells of the actinomycete Amycolatopsis methanolicagrown on glucose possess only a single, exclusively PPi-dependent phosphofructokinase (PPi-PFK) (A. M. C. R. Alves, G. J. W. Euverink, H. J. Hektor, J. van der Vlag, W. Vrijbloed, D.H.A. Hondmann, J. Visser, and L. Dijkhuizen, J. Bacteriol. 176:6827–6835, 1994). When this methylotrophic bacterium is grown on one-carbon (C1) compounds (e.g., methanol), an ATP-dependent phosphofructokinase (ATP-PFK) activity is specifically induced, completely replacing the PPi-PFK. The two A. methanolica PFK isoenzymes have very distinct functions, namely, in the metabolism of C6 and C1 carbon substrates. This is the first report providing biochemical evidence for the presence and physiological roles of PPi-PFK and ATP-PFK isoenzymes in a bacterium. The novel ATP-PFK enzyme was purified to homogeneity and characterized in detail at the biochemical and molecular levels. TheA. methanolica ATP-PFK and PPi-PFK proteins possess a low level of amino acid sequence similarity (24%), clearly showing that the two proteins are not the result of a gene duplication event. PPi-PFK is closely related to other (putative) actinomycete PFK enzymes. Surprisingly, the A. methanolica ATP-PFK is most similar to ATP-PFK from the protozoon Trypanosoma brucei and PPi-PFK proteins from the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi andTreponema pallidum, both spirochetes, very distinct from actinomycetes. The data thus suggest that A. methanolicaobtained the ATP-PFK-encoding gene via a lateral gene transfer event.
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus replicates in testicular germ cells, alters spermatogenesis, and induces germ cell death by apoptosis

Like other arteriviruses, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is shed in semen, a feature that is critical for the venereal transmission of this group of viruses. In spite of its epidemiological importance, little is known of the association of PRRSV or other arteriviruses with gonadal tissues. We experimentally infected a group of boars with PRRSV 12068-96, a virulent field strain. By combined use of in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, we detected infection by PRRSV in the testes of these boars. The PRRSV testicular replication in testis centers on two types of cells: (i) epithelial germ cells of the seminiferous tubules, primarily spermatids and spermatocytes, and (ii) macrophages, which are located in the interstitium of the testis. Histopathologically, hypospermatogenesis, formation of multinucleated giant cells (MGCs), and abundant germ cell depletion and death were observed. We obtained evidence that such germ cell death occurs by apoptosis, as determined by a characteristic histologic pattern and evidence of massive DNA fragmentation detected in situ (TUNEL [terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated digoxigenin-UTP nick end labeling] assay). Simultaneously with these testicular alterations, we observed that there is a significant increase in the number of immature sperm cells (mainly MGCs, spermatids, and spermatocytes) in the ejaculates of the PRRSV-inoculated boars and that these cells are infected with PRRSV. Our results indicate that PRRSV may infect target cells other than macrophages, that these infected cells can be primarily responsible for the excretion of infectious PRRSV in semen, and that PRRSV induces apoptosis in these germ cells in vivo.
Serum OPN Expression for Identification of Gastric Cancer and Atrophic Gastritis and Its Influencing Factors

Background Most studies have found that osteopontin (OPN) expression level is related to the poor prognosis of gastric cancer. However, few studies have examined the relationship between OPN expression and gastric precancerous diseases, and the potential role of OPN in the formation and development of GC. We investigated the relationships between serum OPN levels and the risks of gastric cancer (GC) and its precancerous disease, to explore the diagnostic efficacy of serum OPN level for GC and atrophic gastritis and its influencing factors. Methods A total of 1,452 patients were enrolled, including 609 with mild superficial gastritis (SG), 594 with atrophic gastritis (AG) and 249 with GC. The levels of serum OPN and serum Helicobacter pylori IgG antibody were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Serum OPN levels increased from mild SG (1.99±1.91 ng/ml) to AG (2.37±2.27 ng/ml) to GC (5.94±4.52 ng/ml) (P≤0.002), along with increasing severity of gastric disease. OPN levels were significantly higher in patients with GC compared with the non-cancer population (2.17±2.10, P<0.0001). Serum OPN level was positively correlated with age and was higher in men than women, but was not correlated with H. pylori infection status. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.805, the optimal cutoff was 2.56 ng/ml and the sensitivity and specificity were 74.3% and 71.8%, respectively, for the ability of serum OPN to discriminate GC. Conclusions Serum OPN expression was closely related to the risks of GC and AG, and it might be a useful marker for the discrimination of GC. OPN level was positively correlated with age and male sex, but was not affected by H. pylori infection, and it was promoted by smoking and drinking, in patients with mild SG.
Nuc2p, a Subunit of the Anaphase-Promoting Complex, Inhibits Septation Initiation Network Following Cytokinesis in Fission Yeast

In most cell types, mitosis and cytokinesis are tightly coupled such that cytokinesis occurs only once per cell cycle. The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe divides using an actomyosin-based contractile ring and is an attractive model for the study of the links between mitosis and cytokinesis. In fission yeast, the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) and the septation initiation network (SIN), a spindle pole body (SPB)–associated GTPase-driven signaling cascade, function sequentially to ensure proper coordination of mitosis and cytokinesis. Here, we find a novel interplay between the tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domain–containing subunit of the APC/C, Nuc2p, and the SIN, that appears to not involve other subunits of the APC/C. Overproduction of Nuc2p led to an increase in the presence of multinucleated cells, which correlated with a defect in actomyosin ring maintenance and localization of the SIN component protein kinases Cdc7p and Sid1p to the SPBs, indicative of defective SIN signaling. Conversely, loss of Nuc2p function led to increased SIN signaling, characterized by the persistent localization of Cdc7p and Sid1p on SPBs and assembly of multiple actomyosin rings and division septa. Nuc2p appears to function independently of the checkpoint with FHA and ring finger (CHFR)–related protein Dma1p, a known inhibitor of the SIN in fission yeast. Genetic and biochemical analyses established that Nuc2p might influence the nucleotide state of Spg1p GTPase, a key regulator of the SIN. We propose that Nuc2p, by inhibiting the SIN after cell division, prevents further deleterious cytokinetic events, thereby contributing to genome stability.
Mechanistic Implications of the Findings That Opiates and Other Drugs of Abuse Moderate T‐Cell Surface Receptors and Antigenic Markers

In 1982, before the AIDS virus was discovered,',* we found that 24% of clinically AIDS-free heroin addicts from Chicago had severely depressed ratios of T-helper (Th) to T-suppressor (Ts) lymphocytes (TABLE 1). It is unlikely that these addicts had been exposed to the HTLV-III/LAV AIDS because even 3 years later in 1985 only 12% of addicts from the same study population were positive for antibody to LAV virus. -' Also, none of the study addicts (10 of 21) who used heroin for less than 10 years had depressed Th/Ts ratios, while those exhibiting depressed Th/Ts had used heroin for a mean duration of 13.1 ( 2 2 ) years. These facts indicated that Th/ Ts depression was nonrandom among addicts in respect to the duration of heroin use. Thus, a viral cause for Th/Ts depression was unlikely because it would be expected to have occurred randomly among these long-term addicts (mean duration of heroin