Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Deconditioning reduces mineral content of the third metacarpal bone in horses.

Diet and exercise are two management factors that affect bone density and strength. We proposed that bone density and calcium status would be affected by deconditioning for 12 wk and by dietary Ca concentration. Eleven highly conditioned Arabian horses were taken out of training and placed in stalls for 12 wk. Horses were walked on a mechanical walker in two 30-min sessions, 7 d/wk. Diets were designated CC (.36% Ca) and HC (.62% Ca). Data were collected every 21 d. Serum or plasma were analyzed for total and ionized Ca, parathyroid hormone, osteocalcin, hydroxyproline, electrolytes, and blood gases. Bone mineral content (BMC) of the left third metacarpal bone was estimated by radiographic photometry using an aluminum step wedge, which was exposed in each radiograph, as a reference standard for an image analysis system. During deconditioning, BMC decreased by approximately 1.1 g/2 cm, or . 45% per week. This decrease was unaffected by dietary Ca. Serum Ca concentration increased with deconditioning. The results suggest that dietary Ca at twice the currently recommended level did not prevent the loss of BMC in response to deconditioning. Loss of BMC during 12 wk of stall confinement may weaken bones, increasing the risk of skeletal injuries when training is resumed.
Liberalization and Risk-Taking: Evidence from Government-Controlled Banks

We study the effects of the interplay between deregulation and governance on risk-taking in the financial industry. We consider the removal of regulatory geographic constraints for savings banks in Spain, the cajas, which led to a nationwide expansion of these banks during the past two decades. Based on a unique dataset that combines information on the geographic distribution of bank lending, matched lender-borrower financial statements, and borrower defaults, we find that the governance of the savings banks significantly affects the way in which they expand their lending activities. Savings banks that are subject to political influence by regional governments exhibit higher ex ante risk-taking and higher ex post loan defaults. Our study highlights the broader implications of the impact of global deregulation and consolidation and their interaction with governance issues.
Cell Cycle Regulation by Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus K-bZIP: Direct Interaction with Cyclin-CDK2 and Induction of G1 Growth Arrest

ABSTRACT In order to cope with hostile host environments, many viruses have developed strategies to perturb the cellular machinery to suit their replication needs. Some herpesvirus genes protect cells from undergoing apoptosis to prolong the lives of infected cells, while others, such as Epstein-Barr virus Zta, slow down the G1/S transition phase to allow ample opportunity for transcription and translation of viral genes before the onset of cellular genomic replication. In this study, we investigated whether Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) K-bZIP, a homologue of the Epstein-Barr virus transcription factor BZLF1 (Zta), plays a role in cell cycle regulation. Here we show that K-bZIP physically associates with cyclin-CDK2 and downmodulates its kinase activity. The association can be detected in the natural environment of KSHV-infected cells without artificial overexpression of either component. With purified protein, it can be shown that the interaction between K-bZIP and cyclin-CDK2 is direct and that K-bZIP alone is sufficient to inhibit CDK2 activity. The interacting domain of K-bZIP has been mapped to the basic region. The result of these associations is a prolonged G1 phase, accompanied by the induction of p21 and p27 in a naturally infected B-cell line. Thus, in addition to the previously described transcription and genome replication functions, a new role of K-bZIP in KSHV replication is identified in this report.
Entrepreneurial intentions of university students: an international comparison between African, European and Canadian students

The purpose of this study is to compare the entrepreneurial intentions of university students in North Africa (Algeria) with those of students in Canada and Europe (France and Belgium), and to examine differences with regard to psychological, sociocultural and economic factors influencing these intentions. Analyses on the sample as a whole confirm the relevancy of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) proposed by Ajzen (1991). When we differentiate among cultural groups, results were fairly similar for Canadian and European students. However, no TPB elements were significant for the Algerian students, or more significant than the control variables. We discuss the need to consider cultural factors to explain entrepreneurial intentions. Moreover, given the socioeconomic climate in Algeria, we hypothesise that among Algerian university students, entrepreneurship is motivated by necessity rather than opportunity.
The effects of employee competencies and IT applications on operations strategy: an empirical study of retail firms in China

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between employee competencies, information technology (IT) applications, operations strategy, and business performance.Design/methodology/approach – Drawing upon the resource‐based theory, this study employs a path analytic framework to investigate how employee competencies and IT applications influence the development of competitive operations strategies and business performance for a sample of retail firms in China.Findings – The findings indicate significant and positive relationships between employee competencies and operations strategy (e.g. low cost, quality and flexibility). IT applications also play a vital role in helping retailers pursue a flexibility strategy. The operations strategies of low cost and flexibility in turn influence business performance.Originality/value – This study seems to be the first in investigating the impacts of employee competencies and IT applications on operations strategy and performance in the se.
Value of endoscopy and MRI for predicting intestinal surgery in patients with Crohn's disease in the era of biologics

Objective Severe endoscopic lesions (SEL) in patients with colonic Crohn's disease (CD) have been linked to higher risk of colectomy. The aims of this study were to reassess the predictive value of colonoscopy compared against MRI for requirement of resection surgery in patients with CD and determine the influence of current therapeutic options. Design In this single-centre, observational, prospective, longitudinal study, patients with an established diagnosis of CD and suspected activity were included. After baseline assessment, including colonoscopy and MRI, patients were followed until resection surgery or the end of study. Results 112 patients were eligible for analysis. Ulcers were present in 94/112 (84%) of patients at colonoscopy (SELs in 51/112 (46%)) and stenosis in 38/112 (34%). MRI identified ulcers in 79/112 (71%) of patients, stenosis in 36/112 (32%) and intra-abdominal fistulae in 20/112 (18%). Surgical resection requirements (29/112 (26%)) were not associated with the presence of SELs at colonoscopy. The presence of stenosis (p<0.001) or intra-abdominal fistulae (p<0.001) at MRI correlated with a higher risk of surgery. In the multivariate analysis, perianal disease (OR 9 (2 to 39), p=0.003), stenosis (OR 3.4 (1 to 11), p=0.04) and fistulae at MRI (OR 10.6 (2 to 46), p=0.002) increased the risk of abdominal resection surgery, while months under immunomodulators (OR 0.94 (0.90 to 0.98), p=0.002) and/or antitumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy (OR 0.97 (0.94 to 1), p=0.04) during follow-up decreased this risk. Conclusions Perianal disease, stenosis and/or intra-abdominal fistulae at MRI independently predict an increased risk of resection surgery in patients with CD, whereas immunosuppressants and/or anti-TNF therapy reduce such risk. Under current therapeutic strategies, the presence of SELs is not a predictor of resection surgery in patients with CD.
Musculoskeletal sonography: a dynamic tool for usual and unusual disorders.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to illustrate a wide variety of musculoskeletal disorders that can be diagnosed with dynamic sonography. CONCLUSION Dynamic sonography is a useful tool for the evaluation of a variety of musculoskeletal disorders. Many of these disorders cannot be diagnosed by any other imaging method.
On Knowing the Meaning of Words We are Unable to Report Confirmation of a Guessing Explanation*

This experiment investigated Allport's (1977) claim that normal subjects can be induced to make semantic errors of the type characterised by “deep dyslexia”. The procedure followed that used by Allport except that a subject based control for the chance level of semantic errors was included. The results replicated the original finding by producing a semantic error rate of 12·7%. It was shown, however, that this rate was not significantly higher than the calculated chance rate of 11·5%. It was concluded, therefore, that the semantic error rates reported by Allport can be accounted for in terms of a guessing artefact and thus they bear no relevance to the problem of deep dyslexia.
Finance and Efficiency: Do Bank Branching Regulations Matter?

We use portfolio theory to quantify the efficiency of state-level sectoral patterns of production in the United States. On the basis of observed growth in sectoral value-added output, we calculate for each state the efficient frontier for investments in the real economy. We study how rapidly different states converge to this benchmark allocation, depending on access to finance. We find that convergence is faster - in terms of distance to the efficient frontier and improving Sharpe ratios - following intra- and (particularly) interstate liberalization of bank branching restrictions. This effect arises primarily from convergence in the volatility of state output growth, rather than in its average. The realized industry shares of output also converge faster to their efficient counterparts following liberalization, particularly for industries that are characterized by young, small and external finance dependent firms. Convergence is also faster for states that have a larger share of constrained industries and greater distance from the efficient frontier before liberalization. These effects are robust to industries integrating across states and to the endogeneity of liberalization dates. Overall, our results suggest that financial development has important consequences for efficiency and specialization (or diversification) of investments, in a manner that depends crucially on the variance-covariance properties of investment returns, rather than on their average only.
Clinical Outcomes and Quality of Life in Patients Submitted to Electroconvulsive Therapy

Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) on clinical and quality of life improvement in patients hospitalized at the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre and to compare psychopathology measures between the patient's and the physician's perspectives. Methods: In a longitudinal and observational study, 58 patients who submitted to ECT were assessed for clinical symptoms and quality of life before and 24 hours after treatment. Symptoms were assessed using the Behavior and Symptom Identification Scale 32 (BASIS-32), Brief Psychiatry Rating Scale-Anchored (BPRS-A), and Clinical Global Impression (CGI). Quality of life was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref (WHOQOL-BREF) assessment. Results: Of 58 patients assessed, 25 (43.1%) had major depression and 23 (39.7%) had bipolar disorder. Electroconvulsive therapy was indicated because of resistant depression in 47 patients (81.1%). There was a significant difference (P < 0.001) between the periods before and after ECT in BASIS-32, BPRS-A, and CGI scores and in all WHOQOL domains, with greater difference in physical and psychological domains than in social relationships and environment. Size effects of BASIS-32 and BPRS scales were similar. Conclusion: Electroconvulsive therapy is associated with improvement in symptoms and in quality of life of patients with psychiatric disorders, which could be seen in measurements assessed by physicians (BPRS and CGI) and by patients (WHOQOL and BASIS-32). There was similarity between the patient's and the physician's perspectives.
High and low doses of haptens dictate whether dermal or epidermal antigen‐presenting cells promote contact hypersensitivity

In the induction of contact hypersensitivity (CH) to an epicutaneously applied hapten, we have previously proposed that low doses of hapten sensitize primarily through epidermal Langerhans' cells (LC), whereas high doses rely largely on dermal antigen‐presenting cells (APC). To examine this issue further, we applied either high or low doses of dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) epicutaneously to mice. We observed reduced LC density at the site after 12 h (nadir), which returned to normal levels at 24 h only after a low dose of hapten. When a low dose of an unrelated hapten, oxazolone, was painted on skin that had been painted 12 h previously with high dose of DNFB, oxazolone‐specific CH was impaired. When grafts of whole skin, dermis alone, and epidermis alone prepared from skin painted 2 h previously with low or high doses of DNFB were placed onto naive, syngeneic mice, CH was induced by whole skin after both types of doses, by epidermis only after a low dose, and by dermis only after high dose. When epidermal cell suspensions were derivatized in vitro with low or high doses of DNFB, only cells exposed to a low dose induced proliferation of hapten‐specific T cells. Thus, only a low dose of hapten reveals the APC functions of LC without the participation of dermal APC.
Earnings Announcements, Differences of Opinion, and Management Guidance

Berkman, Dimitrov, Jain, Koch, and Tice (2009) document a negative relation between differences of opinion and earnings announcement returns, and this relation is more pronounced when short sale constraints are likely to be high. These findings are interpreted as support for the theory in Miller (1977) that binding short sale constraints cause pessimists to be underrepresented in price formation. We conjecture that accounting information (i.e., earnings news) likely plays a role in this returns pattern. After controlling for the level of earnings news, we find that the relation between differences of opinion and stock returns is either eliminated or opposite from what is predicted from Miller’s theory. Further, we present evidence that suggests the confounding effect of earnings news can be explained by (pessimistic) management earnings guidance. Our findings offer an alternative explanation for why low differences of opinion stocks earn greater abnormal returns around earnings announcements.
Histamine‐Evoked Chromaffin Cell Scinderin Redistribution, F‐Actin Disassembly, and Secretion: In the Absence of Cortical F‐Actin Disassembly, an Increase in Intracellular Ca2+ Fails to Trigger Exocytosis

Abstract: Histamine is a known chromaffin cell secretagogue that induces Ca2+‐dependent release of catecholamines. However, conflicting evidence exists as to the source of Ca2+ utilized in histamine‐evoked secretion. Here we report that histamine‐H1 receptor activation induces redistribution of scinderin, a Ca2+‐dependent F‐actin severing protein, cortical F‐actin disassembly, and catecholamine release. Histamine evoked similar patterns of distribution of scinderin and filamentous actin. The rapid responses to histamine occurred in the absence of extracellular Ca2+ and were triggered by release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores. The trigger for the release of Ca2+ was inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate because U‐73122, a phospholipase C inhibitor, but not its inactive isomer (U‐73343), inhibited the increases in IP3 and intracellular Ca2+ levels, scinderin redistribution, cortical F‐actin disassembly, and catecholamine release in response to histamine. Thapsigargin, an agent known to mobilize intracellular Ca2+, blocked the rise in intracellular Ca2+ concentration, scinderin redistribution, F‐actin disassembly, and catecholamine secretion in response to histamine. Calphostin C and chelerythrine, two inhibitors of protein kinase C, blocked all responses to histamine with the exception of the release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores. This suggests that protein kinase C is involved in histamine‐induced responses. The results also show that in the absence of F‐actin disassembly, rises in intracellular Ca2+ concentration are not by themselves capable of triggering catecholamine release.
Personal Bankruptcy and the Credit Report: Conflicting Mechanisms of Social Mobility

ABSTRACT Personal bankruptcy has long been assumed to be a mechanism through which indebted families could achieve a financial fresh start. In sociological terms, bankruptcy, because it allows for the discharge of debt and protection of some assets, insures upward social mobility. For the most part, however, the efficacy of bankruptcy to improve families' socioeconomic status remains untested. Based on interviews with more than 700 people who filed for personal bankruptcy in 2001, it appears that a second mechanism, the credit report, impedes the upward mobility that results from personal bankruptcy.
Transformational leadership in crisis situations: evidence from the People's Republic of China

While existing leadership research has tended to focus on the importance of transformational leadership in normal times, minimal attention has been paid to date to transformational leadership in crisis situations. Leadership effectiveness has been considered the most pivotal mechanism for various organizations, both during normal times and in times of crisis. In this paper, we attempt to unpack the black box underlying the relationship between transformational leadership and leadership effectiveness. From a perspective of sensemaking theory, we suggest it is just the value congruence between leaders and group members that plays as a mediating mechanism. Furthermore, combined with the features in crisis situation, we suggest that leaders' emotional control and the quality of leader–member exchange are two important factors that play the moderating role in the relationship between transformational leadership and value congruence between leaders and members. The current paper examines the effect of transformational leadership on leadership effectiveness in the context of the 5.12 earthquake that struck China on 12 May 2008. Through the collection of data from 146 groups with 146 leaders and 526 members from hospitals in the disaster area, the results confirm our arguments. Implications and suggestions for future work are discussed.
The effect of elevated extracellular glucose on migration, adhesion and proliferation of SV40 transformed human corneal epithelial cells.

PURPOSE To examine the effect of elevated extracellular glucose, thus simulating diabetes, on migration, adhesion and proliferation of SV40 transformed human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells. METHODS HCE cells were maintained in serum supplemented media containing 5 mM, 17.5 mM or 38 mM D-glucose. Cell migration was determined using Blind well chambers fitted with fibronectin/collagen I coated filters. In adhesion experiments, cells were allowed to adhere to extracellular matrix protein-coated wells for 90 min at 37 degrees C. Non-adherent cells were removed by washing, then the fluorochrome calcein-AM was added to quantitate the number of attached cells. Proliferation was determined by plating the cells at low density, then quantitating viable cells with calcein-AM 5 to 7 days later. RESULTS Raising extracellular glucose from 5 mM to 17.5 mM significantly increased cell migration by 42%. When glucose was further raised to 38 mM, migration was not significantly different from that in 5 mM glucose. Adhesion to fibronectin and collagen I (but not IV) was significantly increased (62% and 32% respectively) when cells were cultured in 17.5 mM glucose. Similarly, proliferation was increased by 44%. Adhesion and proliferation tended to be decreased at 38 mM compared to 17.5 mM glucose, but not significantly so. In the presence of 5 mM glucose and mannitol (12.5 mM or 33 mM), neither migration, adhesion nor proliferation were significantly different from that in 5 mM glucose alone. CONCLUSION Elevated extracellular glucose modulates migration, adhesion and proliferation of HCE cells. The effects are dependent on the concentration of glucose and are not due to changes in osmolality since mannitol failed to produce similar results. Our in vitro findings suggest that high-glucose effects may directly contribute to the etiology of impaired corneal wound healing in diabetes.
A Holistic View of Public Sector Information Technology

Abstract This paper outlines the research methodology, conceptual framework, and initial research results for a holistic and longitudinal study of the impact and management of information technology in two governments considered to be in the forefront of its application, the federal Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario. The methodology involves close observation and interviewing of public servants, questionnaires of politicians and public servants, and ongoing tracking of government and party Websites. The conceptual framework uses economic analysis to identify and describe demand, supply, and competition in a number of related markets that comprise the IT sector in government. We also examine the use of IT in political processes and political control over the management of IT by public servants.
Responsible Ownership, Shareholder Value and the New Shareholder Activism

In this paper we use interview data to explore the ‘new shareholder activism’ of mainstream UK institutional investor We describe contemporary practices of corporate governance monitoring and engagement and how they vary across institutions, and explore the motivations behind them Existing studies of shareholder activism mainly assume that it is motivated by a desire to maximize shareholder value, and we find some evidence both of this and of alternative political/moral motivations related to ideas of responsible ownership We conclude, however, that in the current situation both these act primarily as rationalizations rather than as genuine motivators The main driving force behind the new shareholder activism is the institutions' own profit maximisation and the need to position themselves against competitor institutions in the context of political and regulatory changes that have significantly changed the non-financial expectations of their clients.
Women entrepreneurs, opportunity recognition and government‐sponsored business networks: A social capital perspective

Purpose – This paper uses a social capital theoretical framework to examine how the relational dimension of business networks affects the networking activities of female entrepreneurs. In particular, the study examines the role of trust on women's networking behaviour and the part played by government business development officers in supporting women entrepreneur's opportunity recognition behaviour.Design/methodology/approach – The research used mixed methods to gather and analyse data. A survey instrument was used to gather quantitative data and qualitative data was gathered from interviews and written responses to open‐ended questions included in the survey.Findings – The quantitative findings suggest firstly that approximately 20 per cent of the reason why women entrepreneurs belong to formal business networks is to search for business opportunities; however, their experience of trusting significantly affects their perception of the potential benefits of networking activities. Moreover, government deve.