Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Loss of neurons of origin of the adrenergic projection to cerebral cortex (nucleus locus ceruleus) in senile dementia

To examine the possibility that senile dementia may be associated with a loss of noradrenergic neurons that innervate the cerebral cortex, we used a Quantimet 720 image analyzer to estimate the number of neurons in the nucleus locus ceruleus in elderly patients with the clinical diagnosis of senile dementia. In all but one case, the diagnosis was established histopathologically as senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT). In a subgroup characterized by a high dementia score and relatively young age at death, there was a loss of about 80% of locus ceruleus neurons. This loss of neurons indicates a deficit of noradrenergic innervation to cerebral cortex in a group of patients which may represent a variant of SDAT.
Finding the funds in fun runs: exploring physical activity events as fundraising tools in the nonprofit sector

An increasingly popular form of raising funds in the nonprofit sector is the special event that involves some form of physical activity. This paper describes a study that tracked 50 events over nine months in order to explore the phenomenon of physical activity events, their function as a solicitation strategy and as a public awareness/relations tool, and to gauge how these events met the needs of participants who donated their money and energy to a cause. Data were collected by means of participant observation at 12 events and interviews with 12 participants and 12 hosting organisations. Using a social marketing framework and diffusion of innovations theory as an approach to making sense of the data, the results suggest that events serve two main purposes: celebrating a cause and offering an event that satisfies the physical activity interests of participants, and that events appropriately act as fundraising and publicity tools. Implications for adopting a social marketing orientation so that nonprofit organisations can hasten the diffusion process by tailoring events to meet the needs of participants, and for further research are discussed. Copyright © 2003 Henry Stewart Publications
Analysis of Promoter Elements Involved in the Transcriptional Initiation of RpoS-Dependent Borrelia burgdorferi Genes

ABSTRACT Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, encodes an RpoS ortholog (RpoSBb) that controls the temperature-inducible differential expression of at least some of the spirochete's lipoprotein genes, including ospC and dbpBA. To begin to dissect the determinants of RpoSBb recognition of, and selectivity for, its dependent promoters, we linked a green fluorescent protein reporter to the promoter regions of several B. burgdorferi genes with well-characterized expression patterns. Consistent with the expression patterns of the native genes/proteins in B. burgdorferi strain 297, we found that expression of the ospC, dbpBA, and ospF reporters in the spirochete was RpoSBb dependent, while the ospE and flaB reporters were RpoSBb independent. To compare promoter recognition by RpoSBb with that of the prototype RpoS (RpoSEc), we also introduced our panel of constructs into Escherichia coli. In this surrogate, maximal expression from the ospC, dbpBA, and ospF promoters clearly required RpoS, although in the absence of RpoSEc the ospF promoter was weakly recognized by another E. coli sigma factor. Furthermore, RpoSBb under the control of an inducible promoter was able to complement an E. coli rpoS mutant, although RpoSEc and RpoSBb each initiated greater activity from their own dependent promoters than they did from those of the heterologous sigma factor. Genetic analysis of the ospC promoter demonstrated that (i) the T(−14) in the presumptive −10 region plays an important role in sigma factor recognition in both organisms but is not as critical for transcriptional initiation by RpoSBb as it is for RpoSEc; (ii) the nucleotide at the −15 position determines RpoS or σ70 selectivity in E. coli but does not serve the same function in B. burgdorferi; and (iii) the 110-bp region upstream of the core promoter is not required for RpoSEc- or RpoSBb-dependent activity in E. coli but is required for maximal expression from this promoter in B. burgdorferi. Taken together, the results of our studies suggest that the B. burgdorferi and E. coli RpoS proteins are able to catalyze transcription from RpoS-dependent promoters of either organism, but at least some of the nucleotide elements involved in transcriptional initiation and sigma factor selection in B. burgdorferi play a different role than has been described for E. coli.
The Determinants of CEO Inside Debt and its Components

I use the new SEC disclosure rule of 2006 to examine the role of CEO inside debt (pension plans and deferred compensation plans) in CEO compensation problem. I find that the contribution ratio of deferred compensation to total cash compensation is positively related to firm size, firm liquidity status, firm default risk, and executive personal wealth. In addition, I find a non-linear relation between firm leverage and CEO inside debt. The investigation shows that the underlying reasons for this non-linear relation may relate to firm financial distress and CEO risk aversion. This finding suggests that inside debt plays a more complex role in mitigating the asset substitution problem.
Impact of dietary cadmium sulphide nanoparticles on Danio rerio zebrafish at very low contamination pressure

Abstract To address the impact of cadmium sulphide nanoparticles (CdSNPs) of two different sizes (8 and 50 nm), Danio rerio zebrafish were dietary exposed to very low doses: 100 or 40 ng CdSNPs/day/g body weight for 36 or 60 days, respectively. The results obtained using RAPD-PCR genotoxicity test showed genomic alteration since the number of hybridisation sites of the RAPD probes was significantly modified after CdSNPs exposure. In addition, selected stress response genes were either repressed or upregulated in tissues of CdSNPs-exposed fish. Mitochondrial dysfunction was also caused by the presence of CdSNPs in food. Cadmium accumulation in fish tissues (brain and muscles) could only be observed after 60 days of exposure. CdSNPs toxicity was dependent on their size and concentration.
Increasing Firm’s Innovation Performance through Formal and Informal Integrating Mechanisms

There is consensus in the knowledge management literature that knowledge integration mechanism is fundamental for firms to conduct innovation successfully. However, few studies examine the dimensions or characteristics of knowledge integration mechanism and how these mechanisms influence firms' innovation performance. This paper divide knowledge integration into two parts, namely formal knowledge integration and informal knowledge integration, and examines how formal knowledge integration and informal knowledge integration help enhance innovation performance in China's emerging economy. The result shows that formal knowledge integration and informal knowledge integration both are positively related to innovation performance. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.
A Study of the Determinants and Impacts of Indian ADRs and GDRs

This study addresses following research issues in context of foreign listings by the Indian companies: (a) What are the motivating and deterring factors that influence firms' foreign listing decisions? (b) What considerations may influence managerial choice to foreign list their DR programs on a particular financial market? (c) How the foreign listings by firms affect the returns available from the domestic stocks of the foreign listed firms? (d) How the foreign listings by firms affect the liquidity of domestic stocks of the foreign listed firms? (e) How the foreign listings by firms affect the volatility of domestic stocks of the foreign listed firms? (f) Whether foreign listing of firm's securities improves its access to the external capital markets? (g) Whether foreign listings reduce the investment-cash flow sensitivity of the foreign listed firms?
Effect of porcine small intestinal submucosa on acute full-thickness wounds in dogs.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of porcine small intestinal submucosa (PSIS) on the healing of full-thickness wounds in dogs, specifically the appearance of granulation tissue, percent epithelialization and contraction, histologic variables of inflammation and repair, and aerobic culture results. STUDY DESIGN Prospective, controlled, experimental study. ANIMALS Purpose-bred, female dogs (n=10). METHODS Wounds were created bilaterally on the trunk; 1 side as a control and 1 treated with PSIS. First appearance of granulation tissue was recorded. Total wound area, open wound area, and epithelialized area were measured at 21 time points-wound contraction and percent epithelialization were calculated. Aerobic cultures were taken at 4 time points and wound biopsies at 8. Histologic features were graded into an Acute Inflammation Score and Repair Score. RESULTS There was no difference in first appearance of granulation tissue between PSIS-treated and control wounds. Wound contraction was significantly faster in control wounds as was percent epithelialization after day 21. Histologic Acute Inflammation Scores were significantly higher in PSIS-treated wounds compared with control wounds on days 2 and 6. There were no differences in Histologic Repair Scores between PSIS-treated and control wounds or in aerobic culture results. CONCLUSION Wounds treated with PSIS contract more slowly, epithelialize less, and have more pronounced acute inflammation after implantation than control wounds. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Acute, full-thickness wounds in dogs do not benefit from treatment with PSIS.
Notice of RetractionThe Relationship between Pollution Emission and the Economy: An Eco-Efficiency Analysis in Industrial Waste Water Discharge in China

The paper aims at investigating the relationship between economic growth and pollution emission by adopting the data of waste water discharge in China during a timeframe of 28 years, Taking Eco-efficiency analysis, the result show that Chinese sky-rocketing economic development highly improved the eco-efficiency of waste water, which take more than 10 times improvement in Eco-efficiency, and there haven't any environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) exists through time series. The study provides deeper insights into the causes of eco-efficiency soaring, and gives further implications on this phenomenon. In the article, we also discuss the advantages and disadvantages for using eco-efficiency analysis as tools to judgment environmental condition.
Susceptibility and reservoir potential of the dog to spotted fever-group rickettsiae.

This study was initiated to determine the degree of susceptibility of dogs to virulent and nonvirulent spotted fever-group rickettsiae and to evaluate dogs as sources of infection for ticks. Dogs were exposed either by inoculation (syringe) or by infective tick bite to the following rickettsial serotypes: (1) Rickettsia rickettsii (Wachsmuth and Sawtooth female 2 strains), (2) R montana (M/5-6 B strain), and (3) R rhipicephali (3-7-female 6 strain). Results indicated that dogs inoculated with 1,000 or 10,000 egg infective doses of virulent R rickettsii developed a rickettsemia that was detectable as early as 4 days after inoculation to as late as 10 days. Conversely, none of the dogs inoculated with R montana (M/5-6 B) or R rhipicephali (3-7-female 6) or exposed to ticks infected with these strains developed detectable rickettsemia, fever, or other observable clinical signs. None of the 394 ticks that fed on rickettsemic dogs (R rickettsii) infected by inoculation became infected, and only 3 of 348 ticks (0.9% infection rate) were infected after feeding on dogs which had been infected by tick bite. All ticks fed on dogs exposed to R rhipicephali and R montana were shown to be free of rickettsiae. The largest concentrations of plaque-forming units (PFU) in Vero cell culture from undiluted whole blood were found on day 6 and on day 7 in dogs that were inoculated with 10,000 and 1,000 R rickettsii, respectively, of the Sawtooth female 2 strain. The highest rickettsial concentration observed for the dog infected by tick feeding was on day 9. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Comparing Computer-Tailored, Internet-Based Smoking Cessation Counseling Reports with Generic, Untailored Reports: A Randomized Trial

To assess and compare the impact on quit attempts of online computer-tailored smoking cessation counseling reports and untailored reports, we performed a randomized controlled trial on a smoking cessation website in 2007–2008. After answering a questionnaire, current and former smokers were randomly assigned to immediately receiving either an online, individually tailored counseling report or a personalized but untailored generic report. Participants were invited by e-mail to report any smoking in the previous 24 hours, 48 hours after baseline. We used an intention-to-treat analysis, where nonrespondents at follow-up were counted as smokers. There were 2,872 participants at baseline and 2,226 at follow-up (78%). At baseline, there were 76% of current smokers (mean = 18 cigarettes/day) and 24% of recent quitters (median = 7 days of abstinence). The same proportion of smokers in both study groups had made a 24-hour quit attempt at follow-up (12.1%, P = 1.0). In baseline recent quitters, lapse/relapse rates at follow-up were similar in both groups (tailored: 25.1%, untailored: 23.5%, P = 0.64). We conclude that untailored reports were as effective as tailored reports in the short term. Even though these particular computer-tailored reports were not more effective than untailored reports, meta-analyses show that computer-tailored documents are in general more effective than untailored ones.
Multi-exon deletions of the PKHD1 gene cause autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD)

Background: Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) is caused by mutations in the PKHD1 (polycystic kidney and hepatic disease 1) gene on chromosome 6p12, a large gene spanning 470 kb of genomic DNA. So far, only micromutations in the 66 exons encoding the longest open reading frame (ORF) have been described, and account for about 80% of mutations. Objective: To test the hypothesis that gross genomic rearrangements and mutations in alternatively spliced exons contribute to a subset of the remaining disease alleles. Methods: Using DHPLC for alternatively spliced exons and quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction to detect genomic imbalances, 58 ARPKD patients were screened, of whom 55 were known to harbour one PKHD1 point mutation in the longest ORF. Results: Three different heterozygous PKHD1 deletions and several single nucleotide changes in alternatively spliced exons were identified. The detected partial gene deletions are most likely pathogenic, while a potential biological function of the alterations identified in alternatively spliced exons must await the definition of transcripts containing alternative exons and their predicted reading frames. Conclusions: Gross PKHD1 deletions account for a detectable proportion of ARPKD cases. Screening for major genomic PKHD1 rearrangements will further improve mutation analysis in ARPKD.
Powerful CEOs and Corporate Risk-Taking: Evidence from the CEO Pay Slice (CPS)

We explore the role of powerful CEOs on the extent of risk-taking, using Bebchuk, Cremers, and Peyer’s (2011) CEO pay slice (CPS). Based on more than 12,000 observations over 20 years (1992-2012), our results reveal a non-monotonic association. In particular, relatively less powerful CEOs exhibit risk aversion, resulting in less risky strategies. However, when the CEO has his power consolidated beyond a certain point, he is less likely to compromise with other executives, leading to less moderate decisions and more risky strategies. We estimate that the CEO has to wield considerable power, i.e. around the 75th percentile of CPS, before significantly more risk-taking is observed. Finally, we show that our results are unlikely vulnerable to endogeneity.
Catabolism of Raffinose, Sucrose, and Melibiose in Erwinia chrysanthemi 3937

ABSTRACT Erwinia chrysanthemi (Dickeya dadantii) is a plant pathogenic bacterium that has a large capacity to degrade the plant cell wall polysaccharides. The present study reports the metabolic pathways used by E. chrysanthemi to assimilate the oligosaccharides sucrose and raffinose, which are particularly abundant plant sugars. E. chrysanthemi is able to use sucrose, raffinose, or melibiose as a sole carbon source for growth. The two gene clusters scrKYABR and rafRBA are necessary for their catabolism. The phenotypic analysis of scr and raf mutants revealed cross-links between the assimilation pathways of these oligosaccharides. Sucrose catabolism is mediated by the genes scrKYAB. While the raf cluster is sufficient to catabolize melibiose, it is incomplete for raffinose catabolism, which needs two additional steps that are provided by scrY and scrB. The scr and raf clusters are controlled by specific repressors, ScrR and RafR, respectively. Both clusters are controlled by the global activator of carbohydrate catabolism, the cyclic AMP receptor protein (CRP). E. chrysanthemi growth with lactose is possible only for mutants with a derepressed nonspecific lactose transport system, which was identified as RafB. RafR inactivation allows the bacteria to the assimilate the novel substrates lactose, lactulose, stachyose, and melibionic acid. The raf genes also are involved in the assimilation of α- and β-methyl-d-galactosides. Mutations in the raf or scr genes did not significantly affect E. chrysanthemi virulence. This could be explained by the large variety of carbon sources available in the plant tissue macerated by E. chrysanthemi.
Characterization of gastrins and their receptor in solid human gastric adenocarcinomas

Abstract Objective. The gastrin and the gastrin/CCK-B receptor genes are co-expressed in several carcinomas. The primary translational product, progastrin, however, is processed to several peptides of which only those that are α-amidated at their C-terminus are receptor ligands. So far, characterization of the progastrin-derived peptides in gastric cancer has not been reported. The authors therefore examined the molecular nature of gastrin and its receptor in human gastric carcinomas. Materials and methods. Twenty patients with adenocarcinoma underwent partial or total gastrectomy. In samples from each carcinoma, gastrin peptides were characterized, using a library of sequence-specific immunoassays. Expression was also demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. In addition, the gastrin and gastrin/CCK-B receptor gene expression was quantitated using real-time PCR, and the receptor protein demonstrated by western blotting. Results. α-Amidated gastrins were detectable in 16 of 20 carcinomas (median concentration 2.1 pmol/g tissue; range 0–386 pmol/g tissue). The tissue concentrations correlated closely to the gastrin mRNA contents (r = 0.75, p < 0.0001). Moreover, progastrin and non-amidated processing intermediates, including glycine-extended gastrins, were detected in 19 carcinomas. Immunohistochemistry corroborated gastrin expression in carcinoma cells. Chromatography revealed extensive progastrin processing with α-amidated gastrin-34 and -17 (tyrosyl-sulfated as well as non-sulfated) as major products. Finally, gastrin/CCK-B receptor mRNA and protein were detected in all tumors. Conclusions. The results show that the elements for a local loop of α-amidated gastrins and their receptor are detectable in 80% of human gastric adenocarcinomas. Therefore, the results support the contention that locally expressed gastrin may be involved in the tumorigenesis of gastric adenocarcinomas.
Prevalence of and Attitudes About Distracted Driving in College Students

Objective: To identify current distracted driving (DD) behaviors among college students, primarily those involving cell phone use, and elucidate the opinions of the students on the most effective deterrent or intervention for reducing cell phone use. Methods: Students enrolled at 12 colleges and universities were recruited to participate in an online, anonymous survey. Recruitment was done via school-based list-serves and posters. School sizes ranged from 476 to over 30,000. The validated survey included 38 questions; 17 were specifically related to distracted driving. Results: Four thousand nine hundred sixty-four participants completed the surveys; the average age was 21.8, 66% were female, 82.7% were undergraduates, and 47% were white/non-Hispanic. Additionally, 4,517 (91%) reported phoning and/or texting while driving; 4,467 (90%) of drivers said they talk on the phone while driving; 1,241 (25%) reported using a hands-free device “most of the time”; 4,467 (90%) of drivers reported texting while driving; 2,488 (50%) reported sending texts while driving on the freeway; 2,978 (60%) while in stop-and-go traffic or on city streets; and 4,319 (87%) at traffic lights. Those who drove more often were more likely to drive distracted. When asked about their capability to drive distracted, 46% said they were capable or very capable of talking on a cell phone and driving, but they felt that only 8.5% of other drivers were capable. In a multivariate model, 9 predictors explained 44% of the variance in DD, which was statistically significant, F (17, 4945) = 224.31; P <. 0001; R2 = 0.44. The four strongest predictors (excluding driving frequency) were self-efficacy (i.e., confidence) in driving while multitasking (β = 0.37), perception of safety of multitasking while driving (β = 0.19), social norms (i.e., observing others multitasking while driving; β = 0.29), and having a history of crashing due to multitasking while driving (β = 0.11). Conclusions: Distracted driving is a highly prevalent behavior among college students who have higher confidence in their own driving skills and ability to multitask than they have in other drivers’ abilities. Drivers’ self-efficacy for driving and multitasking in the car, coupled with a greater likelihood of having witnessed DD behaviors in others, greatly increased the probability that a student would engage in DD. Most students felt that policies, such as laws impacting driving privilege and insurance rate increases, would influence their behavior.
Some Attitudinal Predictors of Home-Shopping through the Internet

The study focuses on consumer-related factors that affect the success of traditional store-based retailers' ventures on Internet shopping. In particular, the impact of income, involvement, home shopping and Internet shopping experience, attitudes towards a retailer's brand and attitudes towards a retailer's web site on consumers' intentions to buy through that retailer's web site are examined. Results indicated that high income favours Internet shopping from retailers with strong brand names and that high involvement with a product category affects adversely shopping from retailers' sites with weak brands. Both extensive home-shopping experience and positive attitudes towards a retailer's web site were found to have a positive effect on shoppers' buying intentions regardless the strength of the brands involved.