Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Expression of nitric oxide synthase isoforms in spinal cord in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

METHODS: Autoradiography with [ 3 H]nitroL-arginine ( 3 HL-NNA) was used to quantify nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and immunocytochemistry to identify NOS isoforms, in spinal cord in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and controls. RESULTS: In controls NOS binding was marked only in the superficial dorsal horn, but in ALS tissue it was intense throughout the grey and white matter. A single population of binding sites was indicated in controls, but two populations in ALS. In the controls intense neuronal NOS (nNOS) immunoreactivity was present in numerous cells in the dorsal horn, and faint immunoreactivity in small and medium-sized cells in the ventral horn. Only weak immunoreactivity for inducible NOS (iNOS) and endothelial NOS (eNOS) was detectable in control tissue. In ALS, the pattern was broadly similar in the grey matter, but immunoreactivity for both nNOS and iNOS was present in white matter. CONCLUSION: Expression of abnormal variants of nNOS or increased expression of iNOS may have a role in motoneuron death in ALS. (ALS 2000; 1: 259-267)
Application of Lung Volume Measurement by Three‐dimensional Ultrasonography for Clinical Assessment of Fetal Lung Development

Objective. To prepare nomograms for normal fetal lung volume using three‐dimensional ultrasonography and to evaluate the possibility of clinical applications of this procedure. Methods. One hundred twenty‐five healthy neonates with birth weights within ±1.5 SD (group A), 9 neonates with intrauterine growth restriction (birth weight less than –1.5 SD) but no severe respiratory disturbance at birth (group B), and 10 neonates with severe respiratory disturbance but no intrauterine growth restriction (group C) were studied. With the use of a three‐dimensional ultrasonographic device, continuous B‐mode images centering on the fetal thorax were acquired as volume data. Analytical software was used to repeatedly trace the contours of bilateral fetal lungs on transverse slices to calculate the lung volume. Results. In group A, the total volume of normal fetal lungs can be expressed by the second‐degree regression equation: 0.08 × (gestational week – 30.1)2 + 3.28 × gestational week – 67.2 (R = 0.909; P < .001). The lung volumes of groups B and C were below the 25th and 2.5th percentiles, respectively, of this regression curve. For the same case, the lung volume increased with gestational week in group B but remained unchanged or even decreased in group C. The total volume of normal fetal lungs can also be expressed by the linear regression equation: 0.02 × estimated fetal weight + 0.29 (R = 0.902). The lung volumes of groups B and C were distributed below and above, respectively, the 2.5th percentile of the regression line. Conclusions. This analytical method may be applied to evaluate lung development.
Morphological heterogeneity of renal glomerular arterioles and distinct [Ca2+]i responses to ANG II.

The present study compares cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) responses to angiotensin II (ANG II) of afferent (AA) and efferent arterioles (EA) by taking account of the localization and morphological differences of EA. In outer cortex, 1 nM ANG II induced smaller [Ca2+]i increases in thin EA than in AA[48 +/- 10 (n = 12) vs. 94 +/- 7 nM (n = 11); P < 0.001]. In inner cortex, two types of EA were considered, i.e., thin and muscular ones. The response to 1 nM ANG II was 35% lower in thin than in muscular EA (P < 0.05) but did not differ from that obtained with corresponding AA. In EA of the outer cortex, 1 microM nifedipine, a dihydropyridine blocker of voltage-operated channels (VOCC), did not affect calcium influx, which was suppressed by 1 mM NiCl2, a nonselective calcium entry blocker. In other arterioles, nifedipine inhibited by approximately 40% calcium entry, and remaining influx was blocked by NiCl2. These results indicate a relationship between the magnitude of [Ca2+]i responses, activation of dihydropyridine-sensitive VOCC by ANG II, and the muscular morphology in renal glomerular arterioles. They suggest that ANG II regulates differently local renal microcirculation. They do not, however, support the hypothesis of a greater sensitivity to ANG II of EA compared with the AA of a given nephron.
Service user involvement: development of a communication strategy between service users and senior management in a healthcare voluntary organisation.

The project focused on national and international best practice guidelines on service user involvement, service user involvement has become buzz words in health and social care settings in the past decades. Third sector not for profit services are competing for survival i.e. on how best to get service users involved in the day to day service planning. The project aimed at developing a communication strategy between senior management and service users in a third sector not for profit organization, providing services to adults with intellectual disabilities and mental health difficulties. Changes in legislation and the introduction of a regulatory body (HIQA) Health Information and Quality Authority in Ireland, in the field of health and social care, has resulted in health care organizations across Ireland to look for effective ways to work hand in hand (partnership) with the people receiving services. Traditionally services were designed by the providers, but current trends and regulatory requirements have seen service users in the driving seat. Using the HSE change model monthly residential service users meetings were introduced. Senior management attends these meetings on a quarterly basis. It was discovered that if not carefully managed these meetings will become either paper based activity (tokenistic approach) or used to secure funding. The HSE change model was used to implement change process because it is current, local, user friendly, and relevant model to the subject matter. When done for the right reasons service user involvement can be empowering and can improve the quality of life of the service users.
Ecological role and bacterial grazing of Halteria spp.: small freshwater oligotrichs as dominant pelagic ciliate bacterivores.

We conducted extensive studies on bacterivory and bacterial production over several seasons in 2 reservoirs: the meso-eutrophic R ˇ imov Reservoir in the Czech Republic and the highly eu- trophic Sau Reservoir in Spain. Based on abundance, seasonal dynamics, and cell-specific uptake rates of different ciliate taxa, as well as heterotrophic nanoflagellate bacterivory, we were able to quantify bacterivory by individual ciliate species, total ciliates, and aggregated protists in these sys- tems. With increasing trophic status, a higher portion of bacterial production was consumed by pro- tists, and there was a greater importance of ciliate grazing, accounting for 40 and 50% of the total protistan bacterivory in the epilimnion of the R ˇ imov and Sau reservoirs, respectively. Increases were attributable to the oligotrichs of the genus Halteria that often numerically dominate freshwater pelagic ciliate communities. In both reservoirs, the most important ciliate bacterivores in order of im- portance were: oligotrichs, primarily the bacterivorous Halteria spp. , peritrichs, and scuticociliates. We also examined food vacuole content in natural populations of Halteria spp. to estimate the propor- tion of cells that had ingested algae. Our results and a review of previous reports on the abundance of Halteria spp. suggest that small halteriids are ecologically important bacterial consumers in meso- to eutrophic freshwater systems due to: (1) efficient uptake of prey over a large size spectrum (approxi- mately 0.4 to 5 µm), (2) high clearance rates on picoplankton-sized particles along with (3) high potential growth rate, and (4) lower vulnerability to metazooplankton predation compared to other common pelagic ciliates. Correspondingly, we suggest a revised concept of planktonic ciliate bacteri- vory, where the principal role is attributed to small omnivorous filter-feeding oligotrichous ciliates.
Incidence of cardiotoxicity with the oral fluoropyrimidine capecitabine is typical of that reported with 5-fluorouracil.

Acute cardiotoxicity has recently been reported in two patients receiving capecitabine [1, 2], an oral fluoropyrimidine that undergoes a three-step enzymatic conversion to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Cardiotoxicity due to 5-FU is a rare but serious side effect, reported in 1–18% of patients [3]. The most common symptom of fluorouracil-associated cardiotoxicity is anginalike chest pain [3]. Less common symptoms include cardiac arrythmias, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, dilatative cardiomyopathy, cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest or sudden death syndrome. The mechanism of 5-FU-induced cardiotoxicity has not been completely elucidated. Most cases occur during or following initial courses of fluorouracil treatment and are generally reversible on treatment discontinuation. Only a proportion (18%) of patients developing cardiotoxicity following 5-FU exposure have a history of underlying cardiac disease. To enable a direct comparison between the incidence of cardiotoxic events in patients receiving capecitabine monotherapy (1250 mg/m twice daily, days 1–14, followed by a 7-day rest period) and i.v. 5-FU/LV (Mayo Clinic regimen), a retrospective analysis was performed on two randomized phase III studies comparing the two regimens as first-line therapy for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (MCRC) (n = 1189) [4, 5]. Two large phase II studies evaluating capecitabine monotherapy in patients with taxane-pretreated metastatic breast cancer (MBC) (n = 236) [6, 7] were also analyzed. This analysis revealed a similar low incidence (3%) of capecitabine-related cardiotoxic events in patients with MCRC and MBC (Table 1). Among patients with MCRC treated in the two phase III trials, 3% of patients in each of the treatment arms experienced treatment-related cardiotoxic events (all grades). Grade 3–4 treatment-related cardiotoxic events occurred in four patients in the 5-FU/LV arm (0.7%) and five patients in the capecitabine arm (0.8%). One fatal cardiac event related to study treatment occurred in each treatment arm. One patient with a prior history of ischaemic heart disease experienced a fatal myocardial infarction while receiving capecitabine, while the second patient experienced cardiac failure 12 days after completion of their 5-FU/LV treatment. Treatment-related cardiotoxic events (all grades) also occurred at a similar incidence (3%) in patients with taxane-pretreated MBC who received capecitabine in two phase II trials (n = 236) [6, 7]. None of the
Export Dynamics in Colombia: Transactions Level Evidence

We examine Colombian export transaction data from customs records in several dimensions. We begin with some basic statistics on the number and frequency of export transactions by a firm, overall and across individual markets. We then decompose the variation in overall exports into the number of transactions and the size of the average transaction, both at the aggregate level and for individual firms to explore gravity equations, where the patterns of exports and numbers of transactions are related to the distance with respect to the destination. The analysis is carried out both at the aggregate and the firm level. Then we explore the relationship between patterns of transactions numbers and shipment modes. Our results show great heterogeneity in the patterns of frequency and number of transactions across firms; the average firm sent about 75 shipments abroad in 2005, while the firm with largest number of transactions that same year dispatched more than 26,000 shipments. Moreover, while close to 35% of firms in the sample report a single export transaction over the period, for most firms with multiple transactions the average span between two transactions is less than a month. Part of this heterogeneity is shown to be related to the distance with respect to the destination market: firms exporting to more distant destinations make less frequent shipments than firms exporting to markets that are closer. This suggests that there are fixed costs per shipment inducing declining marginal cost of higher shipment volume. These patterns imply that, at the aggregate level, transactions numbers are the primary source of variation in exports. The variability in the numbers of transactions also explains an important part of the well-known negative relationship between aggregate exports and distance to a specific destination.
Transgenic lines of Begonia maculata generated by ectopic expression of PttKN1

KNOX (KNOTTED1-like homeobox) genes encode homeodomain-containing transcription factors which play crucial roles in meristem maintenance and proper patterning of organ initiation. PttKN1 gene, isolated from the vascular cambium of hybrid aspen (Populus tremula × P. tremuloides), is a member of class I KNOX gene family. In order to understand the roles of PttKN1 gene in meristem activity and morphogenesis as well as to explore the possibility to generate novel ornamental lines via its ectopic expression, it was introduced into the genome of Begonia maculata Raddi by Agrobacterium tumefasciens-mediated gene transformation here. Four types of transgenic plants were observed, namely coral-like (CL) type, ectopic foliole (EF) type, phyllotaxy-irregular (IP) type and cup-shaped (CS) type, which were remarkably different from corresponding wild type and were not also observed in the regenerated plantlets of wild type plant. Among these four types of transgenic plants, the phenotype of coral-like was observed for the first time in the transformants ectopically expressed KNOX genes. The observation of scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed ectopic meristems on the adaxial leaf surface of the transformants. Interestingly, the plantlets with ectopic foliole could generate new ectopic folioles from the original ectopic folioles again, and the plants regenerated from the EF-type transformants could also maintain the original morphology. The same specific RT-PCR band of the four types of transgenic plantlets showed that PttKN1 was ectopically expressed. All these data demonstrated that the ectopic expression of PttKN1 caused a series of alterations in morphology which provided possibilities producing novel ornamental lines and that PttKN1 played important roles in meristem initiation, maintenance and organogenesis events as other class I KNOX genes.
Chemical Analysis of Astragali Complanati Semen and Its Hypocholesterolemic Effect Using Serum Metabolomics Based on Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

The hypocholesterolemic protective effect of the dried seed of Astragalus complanatus (ACS) was investigated in rats fed with normal diet, high cholesterol diet (HCD), and HCD plus 70% ethanol extract of ACS (600 mg/kg/day) by oral gavage for four weeks. ACS extract was tested to be rich in antioxidants, which may be contributed to its high content of phenolic compounds. Consumption of ACS remarkably suppressed the elevated total cholesterol (p < 0.01) and LDL-C (p < 0.001) induced by HCD. Chemical constituents of ACS extract were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization orbitrap mass spectrometry and the results showed that the ACS extract mainly consisted of phenolic compounds including flavonoids and flavonoid glycosides. In addition, based on the serum fatty acid profiles, elucidated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, free and esterified fatty acids including docosapentaenoic acid, adrenic acid, dihomo-γ-linolenic acid and arachidonic acid were regulated in ACS treatment group. Western blot results further indicated the protein expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) (p < 0.05) in liver was upregulated in ACS treatment group. To conclude, our results clearly demonstrated that ACS provides beneficial effect on lowering HCD associated detrimental change.
The role of human, social and organizational capital in the interconnections between knowledge workers' perception in HR practices and, their organizational commitment and job satisfaction

• Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.
Characterization of Phytochemicals in Petals of Different Colours From Viola × wittrockiana Gams. and Their Correlation With Antioxidant Activity

A study to establish relationship between the petal colour, extraction solvent, phenolic, flavonoid, anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity in three varieties of Viola × wittrockiana (yellow, red and violet) is reported in this article. Identification and quantification of flavonoids and anthocyanins using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS is also presented. The antioxidant activity was studied by four different analytical assays: the measurement of scavenging capacity against ABTS + and DPPH free radicals, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The violet petals were the most active in all solvents employed for extraction and also showed higher total phenolic, flavonoid and anthocyanin content in comparison with red and yellow ones. Fourteen constituents were identified by HPLC coupled with diode-array detection (DAD) and mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), ten of them were flavonoids and four anthocyanins. The major compounds found in violet pansy were rutin, violanthin and violanin. Aqueous extract of violet pansy can be regarded as a suitable candidate to serve as a radical scavenging agent that could be used in functional foods.
Assessing customers’ perception regarding service failure and recovery strategies and consumer future behavior in the restaurant industry ;Evidence from Mashhad, Iran

iii ӦZ v ACKNOWLEDGMENT vii LIST OF TABLE xi 1INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Research philosophy 1 1.2 Aims and objectives 2 1.3 Contribution of the thesis 3 1.4 Proposed methodology 4 1.5 Outline of the thesis 6 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 7 2.1 Service 7 2.1.1 Service definition 7 2.1.2 Service characteristics 10 2.1.2.1 Intangibility 11 2.1.2.2 Inseparability 12 2.1.2.3 Perishability 13 2.1.2.4 Heterogeneity 15 2.2 Service failure 16 2.2.1 Definition of service failure 16 2.2.2 Service failure categories 17
Regulation of nitrogen fixation in Rhizobium sp

Regulation of nitrogen fixation by ammonium and glutamate was examined in Rhizobium sp. 32H1 growing in defined liquid media. Whereas nitrogenase synthesis in Klebsiella pneunoniae is normally completely repressed during growth on NH4+, nitrogenase activity was detected in cultures of Rhizobium sp. grown with excess NH4+. However, an "ammonium effect" on activity was invariably observed in cultures grown on NH4+ as sole nitrogen source; the nitrogenase activity was, depending on conditions, 14 to 36% of that of comparable glutamate-grown cultures. Glutamate inhibited utilization of exogenous NH4+ and, in one of two procedures described, glutamate partially alleviated the ammonium effect on nitrogenase activity. NH4+, apparently produced from N2, was excreted into the culture medium when growth was initiated on glutamate, but not when NH4+ was thesole source of fixed nitrogen for growth. These findings are discussed in relation to nitrogen fixation by Rhizobium bacteroids.
Steps in lithospheric thickness within eastern Australia, evidence from surface wave tomography

A series of steps in the lithospheric thickness of eastern Australia are revealed by the latest seismic surface wave tomographic model and calculations of the horizontal gradient of shear wave speed. The new images incorporate data from the recent Tasmal experiment, improving resolution in continental Australia. Through comparisons with surface geology and geochemical studies, it is possible to infer that the steps in lithospheric thickness are related to boundaries between blocks of different age. The westernmost boundary marks the edge of the Archaean to Early‐Proterozoic core of the continent. A second lithospheric boundary is observed in the central part of east Australia. To the west of this line, geochemical evidence suggests that there is Proterozoic lithospheric mantle, and this boundary may therefore represent the change from Proterozoic to Phanerozoic basement. The structure on the eastern margin of the continent is dominated by slow velocities, suggesting that in this area the continental lithosphere is very thin. There is a strong correlation between the slow wave speeds and the location of both the highest topography and recent volcanic activity. Inland of the continental margin, a zone of strong gradients in the seismic wave speed is observed, indicating a distinct step in lithospheric structure. If the step in lithospheric thickness was in place prior to volcanism, it may have acted as a boundary, with volcanism mainly occurring beneath the thinner lithosphere to the east.
Inferring Analysts' Information About Changes in Earnings Components*

This paper develops a technique to infer the accuracy of analysts' forecasts of different components of earnings when databases contain forecasts of only bottom line (or limited component) earnings forecasts. We focus our analysis on three components - sales, operating profit percentage, and effective tax rates - and find that larger changes in all three components are associated with larger contemporaneous forecast errors, but that the change in operating profit percentage appears to be the most difficult to forecast. This difficulty in forecasting changes in the operating profit percentage appears to be concentrated in those observations in which net income decreases from the prior year.
Reward Management: Employee Performance, Motivation and Pay

1. Employee and Organizational Performance. 2. Theories of Motivation. 3. Performance Management. 4. Remuneration and Motivation. 5. Developments in Payment Systems. 6. Establishing Remuneration Systems. 7. Job Evaluation. 8. Equal Pay. 9. Remuneration Benefits. 10. Pension Schemes. 11. Systems of Performance Related Remuneration. 12. Remuneration in an International Context. 13. Managing the Reward System. Bibliography. Acknowledgements. Glossary.
Advertising in Emerging Markets: Consumer Attitudes in Ukraine

The usage of western advertising concepts and their interpretations from western perspective can lead to misunderstanding of Ukrainian perspective towards advertising. This working paper aims to report the results of a survey about changing attitudes towards advertising in Ukraine in the post liberalization period. It examines the questionnaire-based response of a sample population of consumers from the city of Kiev in their general attitudes towards advertising. Findings will contribute to the understanding of theoretical explanations for advertising in emerging markets, and of western firms using advertising marketing tool to penetrate the Ukrainian market.
Electromagnetic interactions of metallic objects in nanometer proximity.

The chemical and proximity dependence of electromagnetic interactions of various metallic bodies at nanometer separations is probed through photon emission from a scanning tunneling microscope. The role of local dielectric properties is determined and the strength of the electromagnetic coupling in the cavity between tip and sample is investigated. The experimental results compare well with model calulations and show the relative role of the dielectric functions of both electrodes as well as the influence of proximity.