Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association of DNA repair gene XRCC1 polymorphisms with head and neck cancer in Korean population

Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), which is relatively prevalent in Korea, is believed to be induced by environmental carcinogens and host genetic factors. Accumulating evidence has shown that genetic differences in DNA repair capacity resulting from genetic polymorphism influence the risk of environmental carcinogenesis. We therefore examined the associations of genetic polymorphisms in the DNA repair genes XRCC1 with the risk of SCCHN in a Korean population (hospital‐based, case‐control study; 147 cases and 168 controls). Three known polymorphisms in the XRCC1 gene were genotyped: R194W(C>T) in exon 6, R280H(G>A) in exon 9 and R399G(G>A) in exon 10. Although no significant associations were apparent with R280H(G>A) and R399G(G>A), a highly significant association (p = 0.0005) of R194W(C>T) with the increased risk (OR = 2.61; 95% CI 1.53–4.46) of SCCHN was detected among patients and normal controls under dominant model. The frequency of minor allele‐containing genotypes (TT and CT) was much higher in SCCHN patients (51.8%) compared to that in normal controls (30.3%) (p = 0. 0005). When considering a relatively small number of cases (n = 147) and controls (n = 168) in our study, larger studies are needed to validate the genetic effects of XRCC1 polymorphisms in Asian populations. In conclusion, the result from our study provides additional evidence of an association of the XRCC1 polymorphism (Arg194Trp) with SCCHN as markers of genetic susceptibility in the Korean population. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Auditing the Management of Technological Innovation in Chinese Companies

Technological innovation audit can help companies to improve innovation performance by identifying key factors in innovation management and provide the benchmarking guidance. Combining extant audit theories, the paper develops an audit framework that is more comprehensive and more suitable to Chinese firms. Using beta testing method in a medium-size sample of cross-sectional Chinese companies, the authors test the applicability of the operational audit scoreboard in the sample firms. Moreover, the authors identify qualitatively the key advantages and disadvantages in technological innovation in Chinese companies that can differentiate successful and less successful innovation management practice. Three types of innovation management are found in our sample and possible implication for technological innovation development strategy in Chinese firms is proposed.
The Politics of Welfare State Retrenchment: A Literature Review

Welfare state retrenchment is widely seen as a highly unpopular endeavour and, therefore, as politically difficult to pursue. This assumption has underpinned most of the political science research on this issue, notably Paul Pierson's seminal contributions about the ‘new politics of the welfare state’. Yet, the question remains why and under what circumstances cutbacks take place in highly developed welfare states despite these formidable political obstacles. This article reviews the literature on the politics of retrenchment, namely on the impact of socio-economic problem pressure, political parties, political institutions, welfare state structures and ideas. Most authors agree that socio-economic problems – particularly domestic problems – contribute to an atmosphere of ‘permanent austerity’ which inspires cutbacks. Moreover, according to most scholars, the extent of retrenchment possible depends on the specific institutional configuration of a political system and the path dependence of existing welfare state structures. The debate on the relevance of political parties and ideas, by contrast, is still far from settled. Further unresolved issues include the nature of the dependent variable in retrenchment studies. Also, the exact motives for cutbacks are theoretically still little understood, as are the political mechanisms through which they are realized. I argue that, because of the nature of these persisting issues, the pluralistic dialogue between different methods and approaches – as well as their combination – remains the most promising way forward in the study of welfare state politics.
Eccentric Exercise Subcellular fractionation reveals HSP 72 does not associate with SERCA in human skeletal muscle following damaging eccentric and concentric exercise

Frankenberg NT, Lamb GD, Vissing K, Murphy RM. Subcellular fractionation reveals HSP72 does not associate with SERCA in human skeletal muscle following damaging eccentric and concentric exercise. J Appl Physiol 116: 1503–1511, 2013. First published April 25, 2013; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00161. 2013. —Through its upregulation and/or translocation, heat shock protein 72 (HSP72) is involved in protection and repair of key proteins after physiological stress. In human skeletal muscle we investigated HSP72 protein after eccentric (ECC1) and concentric (CONC) exercise and repeated eccentric exercise (ECC2; 8 wk later) and whether it translocated from its normal cytosolic location to membranes/myofibrils. HSP72 protein increased 2-fold 24 h after ECC1, with no apparent change after CONC or ECC2. In resting (nonstressed) human skeletal muscle the total pool of HSP72 protein was present almost exclusively in the cytosolic fraction, and after each exercise protocol the distribution of HSP72 protein remained unaltered. Overall, the amount of HSP72 protein in the cytosol increased 24 h after ECC1, matching the fold increase that was measured in total HSP72 protein. To better ascertain the capabilities and limitations of HSP72, using quantitative Western blotting we determined the HSP72 protein content to be 11.4 mol/kg wet weight in resting human vastus lateralis muscle, which is comprised of Type I (slow-twitch) and Type II (fast-twitch) fibers. HSP72 protein content was similar in individual Type I or II fiber segments. After physiological stress, HSP72 content can increase and, although the functional consequences of increased amounts of HSP72 protein are poorly understood, it has been shown to bind to and protect protein pumps like SERCA and Na -K -ATPase. Given no translocation of cytosolic HSP72, these findings suggest eccentric contractions, unlike other forms of stress such as heat, do not trigger tight binding of HSP72 to its primary membrane-bound target proteins, in particular SERCA.
Beef producers online: diffusion theory applied

Members of an Australian beef producer group have become users of electronic communication as a precursor to fuller engagement in electronic commerce. The research team’s immediate aim was to assist this group to become effective users of the Internet. In addition, using interpretive methods of enquiry, aims to provide a basis from which subsequent wider usage of the Internet in the red meat industry could be enabled. Presents data from the project using diffusion theory as a framework, with rich description to allow for further interpretation of the views of all parties. The apparent success of the project suggests it can be used or adapted for other members of the beef industry, having regard for their particular circumstances.
Pricing foreign equity options under Lévy processes

This article investigates the valuation of a foreign equity option whose value depends on the exchange rate and foreign equity prices. Assuming that these underlying price processes are correlated and driven by a multidimensional Levy process, a method suitable for solving the complex valuation problem is developed. First, to reduce the number of dimensions of the problem, the probability measure is changed to embed some dimensions of the Levy process into the pricing measure. Second, to simplify the integral complexity of the discounted terminal payoff, the valuation problem is transformed to Fourier space. The main contribution of this study is that by combining these two methods, the multivariate valuation problem is significantly simplified, and very accurate results are obtained relatively quickly. This powerful method can also be applied to other multivariate pricing problems involving Levy processes. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 25:917–944, 2005
Corporate Social Responsibility: Psychological, Person-Centric, and Progressing

Micro-CSR, or the psychological study of how corporate social responsibility (CSR) affects individuals, is gaining significant attention within industrial/organizational psychology and organizational behavior (IOOB). Although this research has the potential to offer insight into how CSR impacts individuals representing various stakeholder groups (e.g., consumers, shareholders), to date the term micro-CSR has generally been limited to describing research on employee responses to CSR initiatives. We argue that the taxonomic conscription of micro-CSR to employees alone exacerbates current friction within the field pertaining to the effects, utility, and importance of CSR. This review synthesizes the accruing research on employee-focused micro-CSR and summarizes current theories while addressing some of the concerns regarding CSR, particularly as it applies to other stakeholder groups. It repositions the study of CSR toward its ostensible ultimate purpose, reducing human suffering, and in doing so draws toget.
Mental capacity assessments among general hospital inpatients referred to a specialist liaison psychiatry service for older people

ABSTRACT Background: Mental capacity has been little studied among older general hospital inpatients. Methods: A retrospective analysis was undertaken of routinely collected data (age, gender, ethnicity, admission diagnosis, psychiatric diagnosis, Mini-mental State Examination score, whether capacity was assessed, the outcome of that assessment, and discharge destination) on referrals to a liaison psychiatry service for older people (2003–2006) from medical and surgical teams at a large London teaching hospital. Results: 1267 patients were referred to the service, of whom 379 (30%) were assessed for capacity. The most common mental capacity issues were placement (303 assessed of whom 54% lacked capacity), treatment (86 assessed, 59% lacking capacity) and finances (70 assessed, 79% lacking capacity). Cognitive impairment, dementia and delirium, rather than mental disorders were associated with incapacity. Those assessed and deemed to lack capacity for placement decisions were twice as likely to be placed in a care home, and four times as likely to be placed in an elderly mentally ill (EMI) facility, independent of dementia diagnosis and cognitive functioning. Conclusion: Referrals to a liaison psychiatry service for older people for assessment of mental capacity are common. The main mental capacity issues in older people were those linked to discharge planning. The relatively high proportion of those found to have capacity when capacity had been queried by referring clinicians attests to the important role of specialist liaison teams, particularly in complex cases, in protecting the autonomy of vulnerable older people, and avoiding institutionalization.
Agency or Agencies? Catalysts of Resilience in Drop-In Participants

In this thesis, the factors that contribute to resilience are explored in a sample of participants who attend a food bank/clothing bank drop-in program in North Hamilton, Ontario. Resilience is defined as obtaining positive outcomes despite a level of risk to development. This thesis expands on the literature clarifying the concept of resilience. This thesis also contributes importantly to the smaller amount of literature on resilience in adults and older adults. Purposive sampling was used to obtain participants from the drop-in program at which the researcher volunteers. Phenomenology was utilized for this research, semi-structured interviews were used for data collection, and textural analysis was used to analyze the data. Eight participants were interviewed about their experiences with attempting to overcome adversity in their lives. Factors that were significant in participants’ resilience through adverse situations were psychological characteristics, social support, neighbourhood characteristics, voluntary sector services, and government services. A significant barrier to resilience for participants was housing issues. A factor that affected every aspect of the journey to resilience was the sociopolitical structure. The structural landscape and its transformation over the past several decades is discussed, as well as the effects of neo-liberalism on the ability to be resilience. Results are discussed in light of the current literature. Learning of the researcher, limitations of the thesis, policy and practice implications, and possibilities for future research are discussed.
Mechanism of repression of RNA polymerase I transcription by the retinoblastoma protein

The retinoblastoma susceptibility gene product pRb restricts cellular proliferation by affecting gene expression by all three classes of nuclear RNA polymerases. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying pRb-mediated repression of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) transcription by RNA polymerase I, we have analyzed the effect of pRb in a reconstituted transcription system. We demonstrate that pRb, but not the related protein p107, acts as a transcriptional repressor by interfering with the assembly of transcription initiation complexes. The HMG box-containing transcription factor UBF is the main target for pRb-induced transcriptional repression. UBF and pRb form in vitro complexes involving the C-terminal part of pRb and HMG boxes 1 and 2 of UBF. We show that the interactions between UBF and TIF-IB and between UBF and RNA polymerase I, respectively, are not perturbed by pRb. However, the DNA binding activity of UBF to both synthetic cruciform DNA and the rDNA promoter is severely impaired in the presence of pRb. These studies reveal another mechanism by which pRb suppresses cell proliferation, namely, by direct inhibition of cellular rRNA synthesis.
Pharmacokinetics and Disposition of the Thiouracil Derivative PF-06282999, an Orally Bioavailable, Irreversible Inactivator of Myeloperoxidase Enzyme, Across Animals and Humans

The thiouracil derivative PF-06282999 [2-(6-(5-chloro-2-methoxyphenyl)-4-oxo-2-thioxo-3,4-dihydropyrimidin-1(2H)-yl)acetamide] is an irreversible inactivator of myeloperoxidase and is currently in clinical trials for the potential treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Concerns over idiosyncratic toxicity arising from bioactivation of the thiouracil motif to reactive species in the liver have been largely mitigated through the physicochemical (molecular weight, lipophilicity, and topological polar surface area) characteristics of PF-06282999, which generally favor elimination via nonmetabolic routes. To test this hypothesis, pharmacokinetics and disposition studies were initiated with PF-06282999 using animals and in vitro assays, with the ultimate goal of predicting human pharmacokinetics and elimination mechanisms. Consistent with its physicochemical properties, PF-06282999 was resistant to metabolic turnover from liver microsomes and hepatocytes from animals and humans and was devoid of cytochrome P450 inhibition. In vitro transport studies suggested moderate intestinal permeability and minimal transporter-mediated hepatobiliary disposition. PF-06282999 demonstrated moderate plasma protein binding across all of the species. Pharmacokinetics in preclinical species characterized by low to moderate plasma clearances, good oral bioavailability at 3- to 5-mg/kg doses, and renal clearance as the projected major clearance mechanism in humans. Human pharmacokinetic predictions using single-species scaling of dog and/or monkey pharmacokinetics were consistent with the parameters observed in the first-in-human study, conducted in healthy volunteers at a dose range of 20–200 mg PF-06282999. In summary, disposition characteristics of PF-06282999 were relatively similar across preclinical species and humans, with renal excretion of the unchanged parent emerging as the principal clearance mechanism in humans, which was anticipated based on its physicochemical properties and supported by preclinical studies.
Calendar anomalies: Case of Karachi Stock Exchange

Calendar anomalies can be defined as any irregularity or consistent pattern that cannot be defined by means of any accepted theory of finance. This study has been conducted to find out holiday effect and half month effect in Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE). Our data for this study has been obtained from KSE 100 index which is a capital weighted index and consists of 100 companies and represent about 86% of the total market capitalization of the Exchange. Index of all listed shares is calculated at the end of trading day at closing prices. Data pertaining to the daily stock index has been gathered for the period starting from November, 1991 to December, 2007. Daily logarithmic market returns are then calculated from this data for testing different calendar effects. Data was further divided into two parts based on change of working days in a week. Our results reveal that the returns in pre-holidays have been found significant than post-holidays. Also, the average returns in the first half of the month are significantly higher than the other half of the month. Thus, we can say that Karachi Stock Market is an inefficient market and has an anomalous behavior towards returns. Key words: Calendar anomalies, Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE), average returns.
Ttk69 acts as a master repressor of enteroendocrine cell specification in Drosophila intestinal stem cell lineages

In adult Drosophila midgut, intestinal stem cells (ISCs) periodically produce progenitor cells that undergo a binary fate choice determined primarily by the levels of Notch activity that they receive, before terminally differentiating into enterocytes (ECs) or enteroendocrine (EE) cells. Here we identified Ttk69, a BTB domain-containing transcriptional repressor, as a master repressor of EE cell specification in the ISC lineages. Depletion of ttk69 in progenitor cells induced ISC proliferation and caused all committed progenitor cells to adopt EE fate, leading to the production of supernumerary EE cells in the intestinal epithelium. Conversely, forced expression of Ttk69 in progenitor cells was sufficient to prevent EE cell specification. The expression of Ttk69 was not regulated by Notch signaling, and forced activation of Notch, which is sufficient to induce EC specification of normal progenitor cells, failed to prevent EE cell specification of Ttk69-depleted progenitors. Loss of Ttk69 led to derepression of the acheate-scute complex (AS-C) genes scute and asense, which then induced prospero expression to promote EE cell specification. These studies suggest that Ttk69 functions in parallel with Notch signaling and acts as a master repressor of EE cell specification in Drosophila ISC lineages primarily by suppressing AS-C genes. Summary: In the adult Drosophila midgut, depletion of Ttk69 in intestinal progenitor cells induces their differentiation into enteroendocrine cells, at the expense of enterocyte generation.
An economic impact analysis of the Korean exhibition industry

This study estimates the multiplier effect of the exhibition industry. In order to calculate the exhibition industry's total expenditure, consideration is made of three major sources of expenditure including hosts, exhibitors and foreign attendees. According to the summary of the economic impact analysis, the total exhibition receipts of US$645.7 million produced US$1.2 billion in output; 21 692 full-time equivalent jobs, US$260 million in personal income for residents, US$577.4 million in value-added, US$54.2 million in indirect tax and US$104.3 million in imports. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the Relation between Ownership Structure and Capital Structure

The agency relationship between managers and shareholders has the potential to influence decision-making in the firm which in turn potentially impacts on firm characteristics such as value and leverage. Prior evidence has demonstrated an association between ownership structure and firm value. This paper extends the literature by examining a further link between ownership structure and capital structure. Using an agency framework, it is argued that the distribution of equity ownership among corporate managers and external blockholders may have a significant relation with leverage. The empirical results provide support for a positive relation between external blockholders and leverage, and non-linear relation between the level of managerial share ownership and leverage. The results also suggest that the relation between external block ownership and leverage varies across the level of managerial share ownership. These results are consistent with active monitoring by blockholders, and the effects of convergence-of-interests and management entrenchment.
The Direct Entry versus Takeover Decision and Stock Price Performance around Takeovers

The authors develop a Cournot oligopoly model of an industry with a potential entrant. Entry into the industry can be effected either directly or through acquisition of an incumbent. They establish the existence of an equilibrium in which the types of potential entrant differentiate themselves by the entry strategy chosen. A takeover offer generated by this behavior reveals information to the capital markets, which respond in a manner consistent with the empirical evidence by driving up the value of the targeted incumbent and driving down the value of the bidding entrant. Copyright 1994 by University of Chicago Press.
Macroeconomic Synchronization and Foreign Direct Investment Inflow into ASEAN: Evidence from Malaysia’s Experiences

ASEAN has experienced remarkable growth performance in the last decade, in particular the period before the 1997 economic crisis. This great achievement is partly attributed to the inflow of foreign direct investments (FDI) into the region. Today, ASEAN is facing stiff competition to attract FDI inflow with the emergence of China and India as new competitors or locations for (FDI). Meanwhile, the 1997 economic crisis has also resulted in large volatility especially exchange rate volatility. As part of the efforts to stabilize the region, there is a suggestion that ASEAN has to pursue regional currency. Regional currency, in turn, requires ASEAN macroeconomic to converge or synchronize to enable all members will be benefited from the formation. In the nutshell, it is the importance of this convergence that propels this study to undertake an investigation into the impact of several macroeconomic convergences on the FDI flow into ASEAN. As expected, this study found that macroeconomic synchronization, which is believed as able to strengthening the formation of ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) if successfully coordinated, has a significant impact on the inflow of FDI into the region.