Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Metabolic Profiling of Transgenic Tomato Plants Overexpressing Hexokinase Reveals That the Influence of Hexose Phosphorylation Diminishes during Fruit Development

We have conducted a comprehensive metabolic profiling on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) leaf and developing fruit tissue using a recently established gas chromatography-mass spectrometry profiling protocol alongside conventional spectrophotometric and liquid chromatographic methodologies. Applying a combination of these techniques, we were able to identify in excess of 70 small-Mr metabolites and to catalogue the metabolite composition of developing tomato fruit. In addition to comparing differences in metabolite content between source and sink tissues of the tomato plant and after the change in metabolite pool sizes through fruit development, we have assessed the influence of hexose phosphorylation through fruit development by analyzing transgenic plants constitutively overexpressing Arabidopsis hexokinase AtHXK1. Analysis of the total hexokinase activity in developing fruits revealed that both wild-type and transgenic fruits exhibit decreasing hexokinase activity with development but that the relative activity of the transgenic lines with respect to wild type increases with development. Conversely, both point-by-point and principal component analyses suggest that the metabolic phenotype of these lines becomes less distinct from wild type during development. In summary, the data presented in this paper demonstrate that the influence of hexose phosphorylation diminishes during fruit development and highlights the importance of greater temporal resolution of metabolism.
National Ownership and Hr Practices In Uk Greenfield Sites

This article reports research on the influence of country of ownership on HR policy and practice in UK establishments. It is hypothesised that establishments will conform to national stereotypes in the practices they adopt and that establishments owned by firms from the USA, Japan and Germany, will, albeit in different ways, adopt more HR practices and report better outcomes than their UK counterparts. the research is based on the Third Workplace Industrial Relations Survey and on a sample of new establishments, opened in the 1980s. Analysis of the data from the 1990 Workplace Industrial Relations Survey finds no evidence that foreign-owned firms are more likely to adopt HR practices. the study of new workplaces finds that UK-owned establishments are as enthusiastic as the foreign-owned in their adoption of HR policy and practice. There is also evidence to support, at least partially, the stereotypes of the American and Japanese approaches. However German-owned establishments do not conform to the expected home country pattern. They are the least likely to adopt HR practices and also report poorer HR and employee relations outcomes. the study challenges the assumption that foreign-owned firms in the UK are more likely to adopt HR practices and indicates that we must be cautious in applying stereotypical national approaches to HRM both among foreign and UK establishments.
Performance Fees for Investment Management

A performance fee is designed to provide a more direct relation between the fee an investment manager receives from his client and the performance of the portfolio he manages for that client. Performance is typically measured relative to some stated objective. A comnmon structure for a performance fee calls for a base fee that is substantially less than the manager's normal fee, and which is paid regardless of the portfolio's performance. The manager receives bonuses as the portfolio return begins to rise above an agreed-upon benchmark return. When the portfolio return equals the performance objective (e.g., 2 per cent above the S&P 500), the manager earns his normal fee. If the portfolio outperforms the objective, the manager continues to receive bonuses up to some maximum fee. A performance fee can be calculated over any time period at least as long as the one-year minimum set by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Simulations indicate that a moving three-year time period provides a good balance between smoothing the manager's fee revenue and reducing his opportunity to "game" the fee by altering portfolio risk.
Evaluation of pseudoenhancement of renal cysts during contrast-enhanced CT.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of our study was to evaluate renal cyst pseudoenhancement during helical CT in a phantom model and in patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS Iodine baths containing water-filled spheres and cylinders were constructed to simulate cysts in enhancing renal parenchyma. Iodine concentration, cyst size and location, collimation, and peak kilovoltage were varied and cyst attenuation was measured. Data were analyzed with the mixed linear models and Mantel-Haenszel tests. Subsequently, a paired t test compared CT attenuation values before and after contrast material enhancement in 40 patients with 68 renal cysts (radiographic stability >3 months). RESULTS The attenuation values of phantom cysts increased when placed in a contrast media bath (p = 0.001). The increase in attenuation values became more pronounced with increasing iodine concentrations, decreasing peak kilovoltage, and smaller sphere sizes. In patients, mean cyst attenuation increased 3.4 +/- 6.2 H after administration of contrast material (p = 0.00002). The attenuation did not increase more than 10 H in any of the 37 cysts larger than 2 cm found in patients. Eight (26%) of the 31 cysts smaller than 2 cm found in patients increased by at least 10 H. CONCLUSION In a phantom model, at simulated physiologic levels of renal enhancement, cysts may pseudoenhance by more than 10 H. Similarly, in patients, cysts may also pseudoenhance; however, most pseudoenhancement does not exceed 10 H. In patients, pseudoenhancement of at least 10 H is more likely in cysts smaller than 2 cm.
Improved High Efficiency Stacked Microstructured Neutron Detectors Backfilled With Nanoparticle  $^{6}$LiF

Silicon diodes with large aspect ratio trenched microstructures, backfilled with 6LiF, show a dramatic increase in thermal neutron detection efficiency beyond that of conventional thin-film coated planar devices. Described in this work are advancements in the technology using detector stacking methods to increase thermal neutron detection efficiency, along with the current process to backfill 6LiF into the silicon microstructures. The highest detection efficiency realized thus far is over 42% intrinsic thermal neutron detection efficiency by device-stacking methods. The detectors operate as conformally diffused pn junction diodes each having 1 cm2 area. Two individual devices were mounted back-to-back with counting electronics coupling the detectors together into a single dual-detector device. The solid-state silicon device was operated at 3 V and utilized simple signal amplification and counting electronic components that have been adjusted from previous work for slow charge integration time. The intrinsic detection efficiency for normal-incident 0.0253 eV neutrons was found by calibrating against a 3He proportional counter.
Rural Tourism Demand in Galicia, Spain

This paper is a study of rural tourism demand in Galicia by means of panel data. The dependent variable used is the number of overnight stays. Empirical results suggest that the number of overnight stays in rural tourism establishments depends basically on economic determinants, such as the price of services in rural tourism establishments, the extent of transport (travel) costs and the economic cycle (tourists' income). The income variable exhibits the highest elasticity. Besides the influence of economic determinants, rural tourism demand depends mainly on the reputation (prestige) and peculiarities of each establishment. In light of these results, conclusions are drawn and policy implications are discussed.
Management's Earnings Justification and Earnings Management Under Different Institutional Regimes

Manuscript Type. Empirical. Research Question/Issue. This study examines whether accruals earnings management is associated with managers' explanations of performance provided in narrative reports accompanying the financial statements in an international setting that covers voluntary and mandatory institutional environments for management commentary (MC) reporting. Differences in institutional environment are theorized as having a profound impact on the relative adequacy of different explanation types in mitigating earnings management concerns. Research Findings/Insights. Based on 162 companies from four countries (the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, and Canada), the study reports a close alignment of the use of earnings explanations and the strength and direction of accruals management. The results indicate that explanation type significantly affects the association between performance explanations and accruals management and that this effect becomes more pronounced in a mandatory institutional regime where expected regulatory and litigation costs are higher. Theoretical/Academic Implications. The results indicate that the mandatory setting for narrative reporting (United States and Canada) affects the type of explanation perceived by managers to be more effective in mitigating potential concerns about earnings management. In a mandatory setting, the more costly causal explanations are more likely to be used by companies that are engaged in upwards earnings management. Practitioner/Policy Implications. Regulators have debated about how to promote useful disclosure in management commentary reports. They have pointed to the need for more meaningful causal explanations. Our findings are relevant to the debate as they show that more scrutiny via a mandatory reporting regime (with associated higher expected litigation and regulatory costs) is a setting that encourages provision of these more costly causality‐based explanations when preparers have incentives to ensure the adequacy of their explanations.
Rethinking and re‐shaping indigenous economies: Māori geothermal energy enterprises

Purpose – In light of the shortcomings of the current world order for indigenous peoples and the environment, there is a need to make “another world possible” by promoting new ways of thinking and articulating indigenous economies. This paper aims to address this issue.Design/methodology/approach – This paper examines Māori enterprises involved in geothermal energy production as existing expressions of this other “possible world”. Findings – The paper finds that Māori enterprises involved in geothermal energy production are increasing in number and are demonstrating complex ways of conducting business. In seeking a clearer picture of these enterprises, it was found that analysing how Māori values were “added in” to these businesses was not enough. Instead it was found that examining how these enterprises could be charted with ethical coordinates allows a more complete account of what is taking place.Originality/value – This paper is of value for scholars analysing the value‐based aspects of economies, part.
Teenagers’ response to self- and other-directed antismoking messages: a cross-cultural study

While the de-marketing of smoking among teenagers has received wide attention in the literature, few have examined the issue of whether messages should be uniform across cultures. Globally, the vast majority of anti-smoking messages are based on fear appeals to the negative effects on the (potential) smoker him/herself. This research suggests that such a global strategy may be suboptimal. Specifically, while ads portraying the negative consequences of smoking to oneself may work for teens from individualist cultures, they are less effective in collectivist cultures. In contrast, messages orientated towards the adverse effects on other people are more effective in collectivist environments. Given the astronomical amounts spent on anti-tobacco advertising, this finding offers significant advantages for creating effective anti-smoking messages.
A transferable silencing domain is present in the thyroid hormone receptor, in the v‐erbA oncogene product and in the retinoic acid receptor.

Inhibition of gene transcription is brought about by several mechanisms. The least understood mechanism is probably silencing, the analogue to transcriptional enhancing. We provide evidence that the silencing function of the oncogene product v‐ERBA or the cellular counterpart, the thyroid hormone receptor (TR, c‐erbA) is located in the C‐terminal part and is transferable to a heterologous DNA binding domain. Deletion analyses suggest an important role for a basic and hydrophilic amino acid stretch on both ends of the domain. In addition we show that the related retinoic acid receptor (RAR) also contains a functional silencing domain similar in size and amino acid sequence. However, the activity of this domain can be neutralized by an additional domain in the C‐terminus which functions cell specifically.
Detecting circulating prostate cells in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer: clinical implications for molecular staging

Objective To evaluate the clinical utility of using the reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) to detect prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) mRNA in peripheral blood samples from patients with prostate cancer, as a predictor of extraprostatic disease, and to assess any correlations with known predictive markers of this condition.
Well-Being and Economic Development: A Principal Components Analysis

There has been a long-running debate over the relationship between income and happiness. The Easterlin paradox and the paradox of unhappy growth are both discussed at length in the literature. The traditional reduced form regression model, however, limits the structure of relationships that can be estimated. This limitation is the motivation for an alternative approach that can uncover more complicated relationships between well-being and economic development. This study uses principal components analysis to reveal the unobserved latent variables that govern the co-movement of several well-being and economic development variables. Two major components are found: the first has a positive influence on all of the variables, whereas the second has opposite effects on well-being and economic development. Auxiliary regressions suggest that the first component is associated with the level of rule of law and the second is correlated with freedom from regulation.
Combining reflector focused and phased array beamforming for microwave diagnosis and therapy

In this paper we continue our recently reported work on the exploitation of the focusing properties of a conductive ellipsoidal reflector in conjunction with directive phased antenna configurations in order to achieve diagnosis and therapy at the microwave frequency regime. Both aforementioned modules are parts of a hybrid microwave radiometry and hyperthermia system comprising a symmetrical axis ellipsoidal conductive wall cavity which ensures the necessary beamforming and focusing on the body/brain areas of interest. The proposed system operates in an entirely non-invasive contactless manner providing temperature and/or conductivity variations monitoring while it is also designed to provide hyperthermia treatment. Recently, the effect of the use of patch antennas as receiving or emitting elements on the system's focusing properties and specifically the use of two-element phased array setups to achieve scanning of the areas under measurement was investigated. In the present paper, four element antenna setups are used and extensive simulations to compute the electric field distributions inside the whole ellipsoidal reflector and inside two types of human head models were carried out. The results show that clear focusing (creation of “hot spots”) inside the head models is achieved at 1GHz. In the case of the four element antennas, the “hot spot” performs a linear scan around the brain area of interest while the phase values of the four antenna elements significantly affect the way the scanning inside the head model is achieved. The proposed setups enhance and increase the dimensions and scanning of the focusing area toward the acquisition of tomography images without the need of subject movement.
Diversification Strategy and Corporate Performance in India: An Empirical Investigation

Diversification is developing as one of the most important growth strategies these days followed by the corporate sector. Using multiple regression analysis, this paper studies the impact of diversification on the performance of firms in the Indian corporate sector over the ten year time period, that is, 1995–2004. Profitability is measured in terms of Return on Net Worth (RONW), Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) and Earnings Per Share (EPS), while growth is measured in term of Growth in Sales (GSALES) and Growth in Dividend (GDIV). But for diversification, nine other independent variables have been controlled for. The results show that diversification strategy, especially Related Business strategy, has a negative and significant impact on the performance of the firms. Risk and industry have a positive and significant association with most of the dependent variables, while age and leverage have a negative and significant association with most of the dependent variables. Firms in India need to achieve the Break-even Point with respect to their costs of diversification. After the gestation period is over, diversification strategy is likely to bear fruitful results for the firms in India.
Visualization and Other Emerging Technologies as Change Makers for Oral Cancer Prevention

Abstract: The genomic era has fueled a rapid emergence of new information at the molecular level with a great potential for developing innovative approaches to detection, risk assessment, and management of oral cancers and premalignant disease. As yet, however, little research has been done on complementary approaches that would use different technology in conjunction with molecular approaches to create a rapid and cost‐effective strategy for patient assessment and management. In our ongoing 8‐year longitudinal study, a set of innovative technologies is being validated alone and in combination to best correlate with patient outcome. The plan is to use these devices in a step‐by‐step sequence to guide key clinicopathological decisions on patient risk and treatment. The devices include a hand‐held visualization device that makes use of tissue autofluorescence to detect and delineate abnormal lesions and fields requiring follow‐up, to be used in conjunction with optical contrast agents such as toluidine blue. In addition, two semi‐automated high‐resolution computer microscopy systems will be used to quantitate the protein expression phenotype of cell nuclei in tissue sections and exfoliated cell brushings. Previously identified risk‐associated molecular changes are being used to validate these systems as well as to establish their place in a population‐based triage program that will filter out high‐risk cases in the community and funnel them to dysplasia clinics where higher‐cost molecular tools will guide intervention. A critical development for the translation of this technology into community settings is the establishment of an effective methodology for education and training of health practitioners on the front lines.
Tissue-Adapted Invasion Strategies of the Rice Blast Fungus Magnaporthe oryzae[W]

This work characterizes infection of rice roots by Magnaporthe oryzae, a fungus that adopts a hemibiotrophic lifestyle during rice shoot infection. Unexpectedly, the cytological and molecular results reveal a largely biotrophic fungal lifestyle in roots, thus indicating that M. oryzae adopts tissue-specific invasion strategies that are accompanied by discrete host responses. Magnaporthe oryzae causes rice blast, the most serious foliar fungal disease of cultivated rice (Oryza sativa). During hemibiotrophic leaf infection, the pathogen simultaneously combines biotrophic and necrotrophic growth. Here, we provide cytological and molecular evidence that, in contrast to leaf tissue infection, the fungus adopts a uniquely biotrophic infection strategy in roots for a prolonged period and spreads without causing a loss of host cell viability. Consistent with a biotrophic lifestyle, intracellularly growing hyphae of M. oryzae are surrounded by a plant-derived membrane. Global, temporal gene expression analysis used to monitor rice responses to progressive root infection revealed a rapid but transient induction of basal defense-related gene transcripts, indicating perception of the pathogen by the rice root. Early defense gene induction was followed by suppression at the onset of intracellular fungal growth, consistent with the biotrophic nature of root invasion. By contrast, during foliar infection, the vast majority of these transcripts continued to accumulate or increased in abundance. Furthermore, induction of necrotrophy-associated genes during early tissue penetration, previously observed in infected leaves, was not seen in roots. Collectively, our results not only report a global characterization of transcriptional root responses to a biotrophic fungal pathogen but also provide initial evidence for tissue-adapted fungal infection strategies.
Removal of Interproximal Dental Biofilms by High-velocity Water Microdrops

The influence of the impact of a high-velocity water microdrop on the detachment of Streptococcus mutans UA159 biofilms from the interproximal (IP) space of teeth in a training typodont was studied experimentally and computationally. Twelve-day-old S. mutans biofilms in the IP space were exposed to a prototype AirFloss delivering 115 µL water at a maximum exit velocity of 60 m/sec in a 30-msec burst. Using confocal microscopy and image analysis, we obtained quantitative measurements of the percentage removal of biofilms from different locations in the IP space. The 3D geometry of the typodont and the IP spaces was obtained by micro-computed tomography (µ-CT) imaging. We performed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to calculate the wall shear stress (τw) distribution caused by the drops on the tooth surface. A qualitative agreement and a quantitative relationship between experiments and simulations were achieved. The wall shear stress (τw) generated by the prototype AirFloss and its spatial distribution on the teeth surface played a key role in dictating the efficacy of biofilm removal in the IP space.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSES INDICATE THAT THE IXODES RICINUS COMPLEX IS A PARAPHYLETIC GROUP

The Ixodes ricinus species complex is a group of ticks distributed in almost all geographic regions of the world. Lyme borreliosis spirochetes are primarily transmitted by tick species within this complex. It has been hypothesized that the Lyme vector ticks around the world are closely related and represent a monophyletic group. This implies that vector competence in ixodid ticks for Lyme agents might have evolved only once. To test this hypothesis, we used a molecular phylogenetic approach. Two fragments of mitochondrial 16S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid were sequenced from 11 species in the I. ricinus complex and from 16 other species of Ixodes. Phylogenetic analysis using Bayesian methodology indicated that the I. ricinus complex is not a monophyletic group unless 3 additional Ixodes species are included in it. The known major vectors of Lyme disease agents in different areas of the world are not sister taxa. This suggests that acquisition of the ability to transmit borreliosis agents in species of Ixodes may have multiple origins.