Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Beneficial effect of nicotinamide on the proportion of insulin cells in developing chick pancreas

Previous studies have suggested that nicotinamide increases the number of insulin cells both in vivo and in vitro. However, the question remains as to whether there is in fact an increase and whether this increase is caused by the proliferation of progenitor cells, or by replication of existing insulin cells. In order to investigate this, the endodermal component of dorsal pancreatic buds of 5‐day‐old chick embryos was cultured on Matrigel in a serum‐free medium (Ham’s F12‐ITS) to which nicotinamide, at a concentration of 5 and 10 m M, respectively, was added. Control explants were cultured in Ham’s F12‐ITS medium without nicotinamide. After 7 days in culture the buds were incubated with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and then processed for immunocytochemistry. Localization of insulin, BrdU and glucagon was carried out on adjacent serial sections. The proportion of insulin cells was 6.76, 11.32 and 16.86% in control, 5 and 10 m M nicotinamide‐treated explants, respectively. Hence adding nicotinamide to the culture medium induced a 1.7‐ and 2.5‐fold increase in the proportion of insulin cells when compared to the controls. These proportions were significantly different from that of control explants (P < 0.05). However, a very small number of insulin cells were found to be proliferating, suggesting that the increase in the proportion of insulin cells had resulted from stimulation of progenitor cells and not proliferation of existing insulin cells.
Promoter methylation status of PTEN, SYK and survivin genes in breast cancer tissues derived from Chinese women

Background: Epigenetic mechanisms of gene transcription, including inactivation of tumor suppressor genes by hypermethylation and activation of oncogenes by hypomethylation, have been shown to contribute to breast tumorigenesis. Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) and Spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) are both tumor suppressor genes and survivin is a novel member of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family which may promote tumorigenesis. Objective: To investigate the methylation status of PTEN, SYK, and survivin genes in breast cancer derived from Chinese women. Materials and methods: We examined the methylation status of these three genes in 52 paraffin-embedded breast cancer tissues using methylation-specific PCR (MSP) assay in conjunction with sequencing analysis. Results: PTEN and SYK were both methylated in 15.4% (8/52) of breast tumor tissues, while the survivin gene was all demethylated in the examined samples. Random selection of MSP products sequence analyses to three genes all revealed a homogenous methylation status in the CpG sites. Conclusion: The present study showed a moderate methylation status of PTEN and SYK, and an unmethylation status of survivin in breast tumor tissues derived from Chinese women, which suggested methylation mechanisms might be involved in the aberrant expression of these three genes in breast cancer development.
Cryptic Journalism

In light of Edward Snowden’s global surveillance disclosures, this article examines news discourses about online communication security and surveillance circumvention practices. It analyses 1249 news reports mentioning encryption in The Guardian and The New York Times, covering a three-year period from June 2012 to June 2015 (one year before and two years after the Snowden revelations). Whilst there was a marked increase in the volume of news articles mentioning encryption post-Snowden, the context in which encryption is discussed has since shifted from an initial emphasis on “surveillance” towards “security” issues. However, the research found that greater news coverage of encryption did not necessarily mean an increase in depth of coverage, with most mentions of encryption vague and non-descript. In terms of source usage, the research finds an emphasis on private corporations in both publications analysed. This is problematic when many of the organisations allowed to speak on encryption were those accused of colluding with the US and UK Governments to aid covert mass surveillance—the likes of Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft and so forth—thus providing them with a platform to exonerate themselves from the accusations. This contradictory depiction of communication security serves the status quo and prevents advancement of the “encrypted by default” communication practice called for by Snowden. This, by extension, has serious implications for both journalistic freedom and civil liberties since it helps to perpetuate the ability of nation states and corporations to conduct indiscriminate mass surveillance.
Definition of the Interaction Domain for Cytochrome con Cytochrome c Oxidase

The electron transfer complex between bovine cytochrome c oxidase and horse cytochrome c has been predicted with the docking program DOT, which performs a complete, systematic search over all six rotational and translational degrees of freedom. Energies for over 36 billion configurations were calculated, providing a free-energy landscape showing guidance of positively charged cytochrome c to the negative region on the cytochrome c oxidase surface formed by subunit II. In a representative configuration, the solvent-exposed cytochromec heme edge is within 4 Å of the indole ring of subunit II residue Trp104, indicating a likely electron transfer path. These two groups are surrounded by a small, hydrophobic contact region, which is surrounded by electrostatically complementary hydrophilic interactions. Cytochrome c/cytochrome c oxidase interactions of Lys13 with Asp119 and Lys72 with Gln103 and Asp158 are the most critical polar interactions due to their proximity to the hydrophobic region and exclusion from bulk solvent. The predicted complex matches previous mutagenesis, binding, and time-resolved kinetics studies that implicate Trp104 in electron transfer and show the importance of specific charged residues to protein affinity. Electrostatic forces not only enhance long range protein/protein association; they also predominate in short range alignment, creating the transient interaction needed for rapid turnover.
Assessing the Financial Performance of Islamic Banking: The Case of Sudanese Banks

This research aims to explore and investigate the interrelationship between performance measures and determinants of Sudanese Islamic banks. To generate a comprehensive picture of such interrelationship, three models are built. To achieve the study objectives a secondary source of information presented in the annual reports of twenty-seven Sudanese Islamic Banks, covering the period 2005-2013, was utilised. Empirical evidence from the first model indicates that the management of Sudanese Islamic Banks lacks the capability to predict and avoid the risk associated with leverage. With regards the profitability determinants, in relation to the Islamic banking industry, the model prove that PLS (Modarabah and Mosharakah) have a significant positive impact on profitability. This is due to the policy of the Central Bank of Sudan which encourage banks to use Mosharakah mode for financing all economic activities as well as giving each bank the right to determine the Modarabah’s percentage share in the profits. Evidence from the second model shows that the presence of women in departmental managers’ positions has significantly negative impact on the profitability of banks. This due the restricted role of women in the Islamic culture which lead women to have career development barrier. Meanwhile, due to coordination and communication problems resulting from enlarging the board size and higher cost of directors’ salaries and remunerations, the impact of the size of the board of director on the profitability of Sudanese banks is proved to be negative and significant. Findings from the third model suggest that females’ departmental managers at Sudanese banks have a risk aversion attitude which leads to more performance stability of these banks. Finally, the model proves that the proportion of Ph.D. holders in corporate governance positions enhance the managers’ understanding of decision making and risk taking techniques.
Myocardial contractile reserve during exercise predicts left ventricular reverse remodelling after cardiac resynchronization therapy.

AIMS Lack of response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) may be due to the presence of significant amount of scar or fibrotic tissue at myocardial level. This study sought to investigate the potential impact of myocardial contractile reserve as assessed during exercise echocardiography on left ventricular (LV) reverse remodelling (decrease in LV end-systolic volume > or =15% after 6 months of CRT). METHODS AND RESULTS Fifty-one consecutive patients with heart failure underwent exercise Doppler echocardiography before CRT implantation to assess global contractile reserve and local contractile reserve (assessed by two-dimensional speckle tracking) in the region of the LV pacing lead. Responders (30 patients) showed a greater exercise-induced increase in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) compared with non-responders (P < 0.001). Contractile reserve was directly related to the improvement in LVEF and to LV reverse remodelling after 6 months of CRT (P < 0.001). A 6.5% exercise-induced increase in LVEF yielded a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 85.7% to predict the response after 6 months of CRT. Baseline myocardial deformation as well as contractile reserve in the LV pacing lead region was greater in responders than in non-responders (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION Myocardial contractile reserve (global and regional) is a strong predictive factor of LV reverse remodelling after CRT.
Lost and Found: Market Access and Public Debt Dynamics

The empirical literature on sovereign debt crises identifies the level of public debt (measured as a share of GDP) as a key variable to predict debt defaults and to determine sovereign market access. This evidence has led to the widespread use of (country-specific) debt thresholds to assess debt sustainability. We argue that the level of the debt-to-GDP ratio, whose use is justified on a theoretical and empirical ground, should not be the only fiscal metric to assess the complex relationship between public debt and debt defaults/market access. In particular, we show that, in a large panel of emerging markets, the dynamics of the debt ratio plays a critical role for market access. In particular, given a certain level of debt, a steadily declining debt ratio is associated with a lower probability of debt distress/market loss and with a higher likelihood of market re-access once access had been lost.
Payment behaviour: the role of socio-psychological factors

This research examines the effects of socio-psychological factors on consumers' payment behaviour. Based on insights from the socio-psychological and payment literature we build a theoretical model of payment behaviour. We test this model empirically by focussing on the choice between cash and electronic payments, and by using the outcomes of two specially constructed surveys of a representative panel of Dutch consumers. We are significantly better able to explain payment behaviour than traditional payment models. Moreover, we provide useful insights for those who want to understand and steer payment behaviour. Consumers' payment attitudes depend on perceptions of attributes, such as safety and acceptance. Together with social norms, roles, emotions, and perceived control, these attitudes drive payment intentions. Although payment intentions are the key determinant of payment behaviour, payment habits also play an important role in explaining how consumers pay.
The influence of early aerobic training on the functional capacity in patients with cerebrovascular accident at the subacute stage.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of early aerobic training on the aerobic and functional abilities of patients in the subacute stage of cerebrovascular accident (CVA). DESIGN Randomized controlled trial. SETTING Rehabilitation unit in Israel. PARTICIPANTS Ninety-two patients who had a first CVA were randomly assigned to an exercise-training group or to a control group. INTERVENTION Aerobic training with a leg cycle ergometer for 8 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Workload, exercise time, resting and submaximal blood pressure and heart rate, and functional abilities. RESULTS A trend toward improvement was found in all aerobic parameters for the experimental group, but only heart rate at rest (P=.02), workload, and work time (P<.01) improved significantly. A trend for improvement was also found in all parameters of function for the experimental group, but only stair climbing was significantly better (P<.01). An interaction (95% confidence interval, 1.7-17.21) was found between age and aerobic training on walking distance. Although no significant effect was found in the group of younger patients (aged <65y), a significant difference in favor of training was noted in the group of older patients. CONCLUSIONS Patients with CVA in the subacute stage improved some of their aerobic and functional abilities after submaximal aerobic training.
Stress generation and exposure in a multi-wave study of adolescents: Transactional processes and sex differences.

Given considerable overlap among individual difference predictors of stress generation, the current study sought to elucidate which individual factors are uniquely involved in the stress generation process for interpersonal and achievement events among adolescents. Further, we examined transactional processes between stressors and depressive symptoms and explored potential sex differences in the unique prediction of stress generation. At baseline, youth (6th-10th graders, n=350, 57% female; 53% White) reported on various individual differences hypothesized to predict prospective increases in stressors. Youth also reported on depressive symptoms and stressors for 4 waves over 5 months. Multi-level modeling showed that different individual difference factors uniquely prospectively predicted increases in dependent (interpersonal and achievement) stressors. Central to this process was interpersonal vulnerabilities and psychopathology. Some of these predictions differed for boys and girls. In addition and in support of a transactional relationship between stressors and depressive symptoms, increases in stressors predicted prospective elevations in depressive symptoms for both boys and girls. This study provides support for the transactional nature of stress and depression in a multi-wave study of adolescence. This study demonstrates that particular individual factors are uniquely associated with the generation of stress, with some associations moderated by gender.
Evidence-based medicine in orthopaedic surgery--a way to the future.

"We are in this business to serve people, and that means not only maintaining and restoring their health, but doing it without violating the budget they are willing to spend . The unifying principle is that when we run into a tough choice, we should try to resolve it by reference to the people we serve: what is important to them and how they weight the different consequences. " David Eddy, MD, PhD.1
Institutional Investors’ ETF Usage and Stock Selection Ability

We investigate the information content of institutional investors' use of exchange-traded funds vis-a-vis stock selection ability. On average, we find that ETF users --- as compared with non-users --- have lower managerial activeness measures of their equity holdings, invest in larger stocks with broader analyst coverage, hold more diversified portfolios, and have less direct equity investment. When adjusted for common sources of risk, the stock portfolio of non-users outperforms that of ETF users; the performance difference is greater among smaller and more active institutions. Stock selection ability explains performance differences and is manifested by the variation among institutional investors' holdings.
Debt Covenants and the Expected Cost of Technical Default

To estimate the expected cost of technical default for equityholders, we analyze the stock market reaction to changes in the ex-ante likelihood of technical default. Our large-sample, ex-ante estimates exceed five percent of equity value, which reflects material monetary and risk consequences of lender control. Small-sample, ex-post estimates using market reactions to default announcements are smaller, consistent with anticipation and selection. In cross-sectional tests, we find that equityholders anticipate technical defaults and that renegotiating borrowers' ex-ante expected technical default costs exceed that of defaulters. Moreover, we show that creditor coordination and monitoring problems increase the expected cost of default.
Flux-Gradient Estimates of Ammonia Emissions from Beef Cattle Feedyard Pens

Concentrated animal feeding operations are major sources of ammonia emitted to the atmosphere. There is a considerable literature on ammonia emissions from poultry and swine, but few studies have investigated large, open lot beef cattle feedyards. We used the micrometeorological flux-gradient method to estimate ammonia emissions during six field campaigns in three seasons. Profiles of ammonia, wind speed and air temperature were measured on towers located within feedyard pens. Atmospheric ammonia concentration was measured using either acid gas washing or chemiluminescence. Mean daily ammonia flux in summer averaged 72 µg m-2 s-1, and in winter, 39 µg m-2 s-1. Springtime fluxes were highly variable and averaged 79 µg m-2 s-1; high springtime fluxes were attributed to greater ammonium concentration in manure and high wind speeds. Ammonia-N emisson rate averaged 3930 and 2150 kg d-1 in summer and winter, respectively, which was 45% and 27% of fed N. Assuming that the mean of summer and winter emission rates represented a mean annual emission, ammonia-N loss was 36% of fed N, and an annual emission factor for feedyard pens based on total yearly per head production was 11.0 kg NH3-N head-1 yr-1. Ammonia emissions increased after N in cattle rations was increased from 13.5% to 14.5%. Ammonia emissions estimated using the flux-gradient method were 22 to 36% less than those derived from an inverse dispersion model. Uncertainty in the Schmidt number and possible violation of the assumption of homogeneous flow could have contributed to the lower flux estimates of the flux-gradient method. Optimizing fed N through practices such as phase feeding could help minimize ammonia emissions. Longer term, more continuous monitoring of ammonia emissions is needed to better define annual variability, emission rates and factors, and facilitate development of process models.
Predicting Managerial Performance in Law Enforcement: The Impact of Work Setting and Rater Position

CARTER, LYCIA ANNE. Predicting Managerial Performance in Law Enforcement: The Impact of Work Setting and Rater Position. (Under the direction of Mark A. Wilson.) The purpose of this research was twofold: to determine the predictive validity of a promotion process currently in use at a statewide law enforcement agency; and to investigate the effect that rater position and work context exhibit on the relationships between three components of job performance and overall performance ratings. Results indicate that performance ratings are the most robust predictor of supervisory performance, after accounting for the effects of time in rank and the number of times an individual participated in the promotion process before being promoted. The predictive validity of the promotion process was modest but statistically significant, accounting for approximately 21% of the variance in supervisory performance when the evaluator’s position and the incumbents’ work setting were included in the model. Results for the criterion side of the model indicate that task performance and citizenship performance account for the greatest amount of variance in overall supervisory performance. The effects that rater position and work context have on the relative weights of task, citizenship and counterproductive performance were inconclusive but suggest a possible interaction between rater position and work setting. PREDICTING MANAGERIAL PERFORMANCE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT: THE IMPACT OF WORK SETTING AND RATER POSITION by LYCIA ANNE CARTER A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of North Carolina State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy INDUSTRIAL/ORGANIZATIONAL & VOCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY Raleigh 2004
A controlled trial of nevirapine plus zidovudine versus zidovudine alone in p24 antigenaemic HIV‐infected patients

Objectives Nevirapine is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor of HIV-1 which exhibits synergy in vitro with zidovudine (ZDV) and also is active against ZDV-resistant HIV. We evaluated the activity and safety of nevirapine in combination with ZDV in patients receiving long-term ZDV therapy. Methods We conducted a randomized, open-label, controlled 28-week study of nevirapine (200 mg daily for 2 weeks followed by 200 mg twice daily for 26 weeks) and continued ZDV (500–600 mg daily) versus continued ZDV alone in 49 HIV-1 p24 antigenaemic patients with CD4+ lymphocyte counts < 500×106/l and who had been treated with ZDV for at least 6 months. Results Addition of nevirapine to ZDV resulted in a significant and rapid reduction in circulating RNA load (mean, 0.65), a mean CD4+ lymphocyte rise of 34×106/l, a reduction in serum β2 -microglobulin and a median fall in immune complex dissociated p24 antigen levels of 69%. These changes remained statistically significant for 4, 4, 12 and at least 28 weeks, respectively. The principal adverse event due to nevirapine was a hypersensitivity reaction comprising rash with or without fever and mucosi-tis in eight (32%) patients, which was dose-limiting in seven patients. Conclusion Nevirapine exhibits significant although transient anti-HIV activity in ZDV-pretreated patients but its use is frequently associated with a hypersensitivity reaction.
Data Collection and Capacity Analysis in Large- scale Wireless Sensor Networks

In this dissertation, we study data collection and its achievable network capacity in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). Firstly, we investigate the data collection issue in dualradio multi-channel WSNs under the protocol interference model. We propose a multi-path scheduling algorithm for snapshot data collection, which has a tighter capacity bound than the existing best result, and a novel continuous data collection algorithm with comprehensive capacity analysis. Secondly, considering most existing works for the capacity issue are based on the ideal deterministic network model, we study the data collection problem for practical probabilistic WSNs. We design a cell-based path scheduling algorithm and a zone-based pipeline scheduling algorithm for snapshot and continuous data collection in probabilistic WSNs, respectively. By analysis, we show that the proposed algorithms have competitive capacity performance compared with existing works. Thirdly, most of the existing works studying the data collection capacity issue are for centralized synchronous WSNs. However, wireless networks are more likely to be distributed asynchronous systems. Therefore, we investigate the achievable data collection capacity of realistic distributed asynchronous WSNs and propose a data collection algorithm with fairness consideration. Theoretical analysis of the proposed algorithm shows that its achievable network capacity is order-optimal as centralized and synchronized algorithms do and independent of network size. Finally, for completeness, we study the data aggregation issue for realistic probabilistic WSNs. We propose order-optimal scheduling algorithms for snapshot and continuous data aggregation under the physical interference model. INDEXWORDS: Wireless sensor networks, Data collection, Data aggregation, Delay analysis, Capacity analysis, Protocol interference model, Physical interference model, Generalized physical interference model, Deterministic network model, Probabilistic network model DATA COLLECTION AND CAPACITY ANALYSIS IN LARGE-SCALE WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORKS