Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sublethal Concentrations of Prion Peptide PrP106–126 or the Amyloid Beta Peptide of Alzheimer's Disease Activates Expression of Proapoptotic Markers in Primary Cortical Neurons

Neurodegenerative disorders such as prion diseases and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are characterized by neuronal dysfunction and accumulation of amyloidogenic protein. In vitro studies have demonstrated that these amyloidogenic proteins can induce cellular oxidative stress and therefore may contribute to the neuronal dysfunction observed in these illnesses. Although the neurotoxic pathways are not fully elucidated, recent studies in AD have demonstrated up-regulation of caspases in neurons treated with amyloid beta (Abeta) peptide, suggesting involvement of apoptotic processes. To examine the role of proapoptotic pathways in prion diseases we treated primary mouse cortical neurons with the toxic prion protein peptide PrP106-126 and measured caspase activation and annexin V binding. We found that PrP106-126 induced a rapid and marked elevation in caspase 3, 6, and 8-like activity in neuronal cultures. Increased annexin V binding was observed predominantly on cortical cell neurites in peptide-treated cultures. Interestingly, these effects were induced by sublethal (5-50 microM) or lethal (100-200 microM) concentrations of PrP106-126. Sublethal concentrations of PrP106-126 maintained elevated caspase activation for at least 10 days with no loss of cell viability. Abeta1-40 also up-regulated caspase 3 activity and annexin V binding at both sublethal (5 microM) and lethal (25 microM) concentrations. There were no changes to proapoptotic marker expression in cultures treated with scrambled PrP106-126 (200 microM) or Abeta1-28 (25 microM) peptides. These studies demonstrate that amyloidogenic peptides can induce prolonged activation of proapoptotic marker expression in cultured neurons even at sublethal concentrations. These effects could contribute to chronic neuronal dysfunction and increase susceptibility to additional metabolic insults in neurodegenerative disorders. If so, targeting of therapeutic strategies against neuronal caspase activation early in the disease course could be beneficial in AD and prion diseases.
Cash Flow Volatility and Capital Structure Choice

Prior research finds a weak relation between cash-flow volatility and leverage. Using a novel measure of cash-flow volatility, we find that volatility matters more for firms that are financially constrained. Constrained firms issue debt when volatility is low, but have trouble deleveraging in response to increases in volatility. Constrained firms also hoard the proceeds from debt issues undertaken during low-volatility regimes, but invest the proceeds from debt issues when volatility is high. Overall, the observed relation between cash-flow volatility and capital structure choice is driven by financially constrained firms’ desire to ensure future financial flexibility.
Differences in Drowning Rates Between Rural and Non-Rural Residents of Ontario, Canada

The objective of our study was to determine if rural residence was associated with an increased risk of drowning in Ontario, Canada. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all unintentional drowning deaths in Ontario, Canada from 2004 to 2008. Age-adjusted mortality rates for males and females living in rural and nonrural areas were calculated using direct standardization, with non-rural residents as the reference population. We identified a total of 564 unintentional drowning deaths. The majority (89%) of fatal drowning victims were male, and 75% percent of victims were from non-rural areas. Excluding bathtub drowning deaths, the age-adjusted drowning mortality rate was significantly higher for both males (rate ratio 2.8; 95% CI, 2.3–3.4) and females (rate ratio 2.8; 95% CI, 1.5–5.0) from rural compared with non-rural areas. In Ontario, rural residence was associated with an increased risk of unintentional drowning.
A Management Strategy for the Improvement of Private Universities Lecturers' Professional Competences

Lecturers are professional educators and scientists whose main job is to transform, develop, and disseminate knowledge, technology, and art through education, research and community services. As professionals, in Indonesia, lecturers are expected to possess pedagogic, personal, social, and professional competences. However, in reality, the professional competences of private university lecturers are still low. It has been established that the masterly of learning materials, the understanding of the pedagogic content and substance, and the use of appropriate teaching and learning methodologies are still low. Thus, the present study aimed to reveal, explain, and find a model of management which can better improve services in the private universities across Indonesia, especially, the improvement of lecturers’ professional competences. The research employed a descriptive-analytic method, which aimed to reveal current events that impact positively on the improvement of private university lecturers’ professional competences. This research, has revealed that the policies of lecturer planning and preparation by teacher training institutions are still weak and less concerned with the aspect of needs assessment or mapping; lecturer competence development has not been handled sufficiently thus, ignoring the stduents needs; the management strategy of lecturers’ competence improvement has not been well-coordinated; the management aspect as well as lecturer continuous professional development has failed to consider reward and punishment, hence affecting lecturer competences. In the effort for further clarification, SWOT analysis was applied which also revealed that among the factors supporting lecturer development was the high motivation and othe inner personal factors. This means there should be special strategies of management development that positively influence lecturer professional competences and quality.
Evaluating the comparative efficiency of Chinese third‐party logistics providers using data envelopment analysis

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a benchmark of performance standards for Chinese third‐party logistics providers (3PLs) in the emerging market. It also intends to identify various factors that significantly affect the operational efficiency of the Chinese 3PLs and propose ways to improve the competitiveness of 3PLs.Design/methodology/approach – This paper proposes data envelopment analysis (DEA) to measure the operational efficiency of ten leading 3PLs in China, relative to prior periods and their key competitors. In particular, this paper develops both the Charnes, Cooper and Rhodes model and the Banker, Charnes and Cooper model that are designed to derive weights without being fixed in advance. It also uses step‐wise regression analysis to identify factors influencing the performances of Chinese 3PLs.Findings – First, the declining efficiency within some Chinese 3PLs coincides with a steep decline in domestic transportation activities due to the SARS outbreak and the slow adaptation of.
Taxes and Entrepreneurial Endurance: Evidence from the Self-Employed

Do taxes drive entrepreneurs out of business? This paper uses panel data on self-employed workers to examine whether differential income and payroll taxes affect their decisions to continue operating or to close their doors and take wage-and-salary jobs. I exploit statutory variations in the tax treatment of wage and self-employment income using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Taking into account the endogeneity of individuallevel tax rates, I find that higher relative marginal tax rates on self-employment income do not necessarily increase the probability of exit.
Antecedents and effects of customer–service employee attachments on customer–company identification and word-of-mouth: the case of Cheong in South Korea

Among the critical areas in services research is the role played by the relationship between customers and service employees. However, the ways in which customer–service employee attachments affect customer–company relationship and corporate loyalty such as word-of-mouth is unclear. Furthermore, there is a tendency to overlook personal and relational characteristics that influence customer–service employee attachments. This study empirically examined the antecedents and consequences of customer–service employee attachments in the context of a collectivistic culture. Specifically, this research investigated the effects of relationship period, consumer relationship proneness, customer orientation and relational benefits on customer–service employee attachments by using survey data collected from beauty salon customers in South Korea. The study also empirically tested customer–service employee attachments' positive influence on customer–company identification and word-of-mouth. The results support most of our hypotheses. This study offers some meaningful insights into the roles played by customer–service employee attachment in collectivistic cultures.
Substance use of lesbian, gay, bisexual and heterosexual college students.

OBJECTIVE To compare self-identified lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) college students to heterosexual peers and to each other on alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) measures and alcohol use consequences. METHODS Preexisting data (Falls 2009-2011) from the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA-II) were analyzed. RESULTS Bisexual college students had greater odds of ATOD use than heterosexual and gay/lesbian students. Bisexual women had the highest levels of use. LGB students had more serious consequences due to alcohol use. CONCLUSIONS ATOD use among LGB students was more prevalent than heterosexuals during the past 30 days, year, and life-time. LGB students report more negative alcohol consequences.
A Transaction Cost Analysis Model of Channel Integration in International Markets

The authors develop a transaction cost analysis model designed to explain the channel integration choices of firms in international markets. In a test with data collected from a group of Canadian export firms, the model receives significant support, suggesting that an important contingency when deciding on channel structure in a foreign country is the ability of the market to limit the opportunistic tendencies of outside intermediaries. When the enforcement of contractual arrangements cannot be relied upon in the market, different degrees of forward integration are feasible alternatives. Other empirical results suggest that the firm may prefer use of intermediaries in a foreign market with high environmental diversity in order to cope with its inherent complexity and maintain flexibility. Channel volume, the use of shared channels, and country destination also are shown to affect the nature of integration in channels in international markets.
An Examination of Consumers' Motives to Switch Energy Suppliers

In most European countries, the energy industry continues to undergo dramatic changes. Customer relationship management concepts and their central focus - customer retention - are playing an increasingly significant role in the marketing considerations of energy supply companies. However, little is known about the reasons why customers remain loyal to a particular energy supplier or why they switch suppliers. The purpose of this study was to identify customers' switching motives, to investigate the relationship between customer satisfaction and switching intentions as well as to identify switching segments. A total of 462 customers of a German energy supplier were surveyed regarding their perceptions and future intentions in relation to their energy provider. Results using regression analysis show that customer satisfaction had a significant effect on switching intentions. Cluster analysis identified three distinct switching clusters; dissatisfied customers, relative satisfied customers seeking change, and dissatisfied customers seeking change. Results of this study are discussed in light of its theoretical as well as practical implications.
Analysing the effect of satisfaction and previous visits on tourist intentions to return

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the determinants of tourist intentions to revisit a destination, paying special attention to the effects of satisfaction and the number of previous visits. In order to guarantee an incentive to improve the product, satisfaction must be the main determinant. A second objective is to analyse the contribution that satisfaction with different aspects of a destination makes on overall satisfaction.Design/methodology/approach – A structural equation model (SEM) has been estimated. Some of the variables involved in the model are ordinal. Thus, tetrachoric, polychoric and polyserial correlations were calculated and then used as the input for structural equation modelling.Findings – Both satisfaction and the number of previous visits have a positive effect on intention to return. However, the main determinant is satisfaction. Satisfaction with different aspects of the destination has a differing effect on overall satisfaction. Attributes associated with the basic s.
Customer reactions to service failure and recovery in the banking industry: the influence of switching costs

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to test the effects of satisfaction, satisfaction with service recovery (SSR) and switching costs (SC) on loyalty and positive word-of-mouth (PWOM) of bank customers in a service recovery context, taking into account the interaction among latent variables and the effects of contextual factors. Design/methodology/approach – A theoretical model is proposed based on previous studies and tested using structural equation modeling technique and bootstrapping estimates. A survey was conducted with 1,878 bank customers of a large Brazilian bank. Findings – Results supported the positive effects of satisfaction and SC on loyalty, while PWOM was influenced mainly by SAT. In addition, SC significantly interacted with satisfaction, reducing the effects of satisfaction on loyalty. Finally, relationship time, gender and age were the most relevant contextual factors. Practical implications – This study highlights the importance of switching costs in the banking industry. Although s.
Financial leverage and stock returns: evidence from an emerging economy1

Abstract The aim of this research was to examine the propositions of Campbell et al. and Mirza et al. on pricing of leverage in stock returns using a comprehensive set of firms listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) over a period of 13 years. Our results suggest that while size, value and, more importantly, financial leverage are systematic in nature, market risk premium is not a relevant factor. The results confirm the notion of leverage premium and have important implications for financial managers, investment analysts and other market participants who use asset pricing frameworks for investment appraisals. These findings have global relevance, notably for other emerging and developing economies where default risk is of importance due to cyclical nature of cash flows and low recovery rates owing to weaknesses of legal structure.
DIVERSIFICATION AND TOP MANAGEMENT TEAM COMPLEMENTARITY: IS PERFORMANCE IMPROVED BY MERGING SIMILAR OR DISSIMILAR TEAMS?

This study examines the impact of complementary top management teams (defined as differences in functional backgrounds between the acquiring and acquired firm managers) on post-acquisition performance. Based on a sample of 147 acquisitions completed during 1986-88, we find that complementary backgrounds have a positive impact on postacquisition performance in both related and unrelated acquisitions. Another major finding is that complementarity is negatively related to top management team turnover among acquired managers, suggesting that differences in functional backgrounds are more easily integrated into the new organization. Finally, top management team turnover among acquired managers is negatively related to postacquisition performance. These findings highlight the importance of examining complementarity in terms of differences, and reinforce the notion that differences have the potential to create unique value for the organization. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prevalence and Determinants of Excessive Gestational Weight Gain in Saudi Women in Riyadh: a Retrospective Study

Background In developed countries, pregnant women constitute an important subpopulation with elevated risk for developing obesity, and hence obesity-related health problems. Excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG) is associated with pregnancy complications, postpartum obesity and associated chronic illnesses. The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of gestational weight gain and characteristics of Saudi women in Riyadh with adequate gestational weight gain and Excessive gestational weight gain. Methods A retrospective, descriptive, correlational design used for data from charts in Two Ministry of health centers in Riyadh. The screened charts (n=1257), 681 met the study inclusion criteria of Saudi nationality, entry into prenatal care by 28 weeks gestation, term gestation, and completion of the Comprehensive Perinatal Services. All eligible charts (n=681) were used for the prevalence analysis, and charts with adequate gestational weight gain or Excessive gestational weight gain. (n= 469) were coded for the descriptive analysis. Results The Results showed that the prevalence of inadequate gestational weight gain (IGWG) was 31%, adequate gestational weight gain (AGWG) was 33%, and EGWG was 36%. Compared to Saudi women with AGWG, Saudi women with EGWG had higher pre-pregnancy BMI (p <0.01), and more hypertension (p <0.01), Alternately, Saudi women with AGWG are more servings of grains (p <0.05), had more snacks per day (p <0.05) and had less educated partners (p <0.05) than Saudi women with EGWG. Risk factors for EGWG in Saudi women with normal pre-pregnancy BMI were primiparity, and hypertension. Conclusions Excessive gestational weight gain is a critical issue for Saudi women. Although most of the Saudi women started pregnancy with a normal pre-pregnancy BMI, nearly a third gained excessively, putting them at risk for beginning the next pregnancy with a higher BMI. Saudi women who were overweight at the onset of pregnancy had the greatest degree of Excessive gestational weight gain. Further study is warranted in Saudi women to design strategies that will promote adequate gestational weight gain and reduce the risk of lifelong obesity and the associated chronic illnesses.
Fine Feathers Make Fine Birds? Wealth Effects and the Choice between Major and Minor Corporate Name Changes

This study is the first to investigate the causes and effects of corporate name changes in Continental Europe using a sample of German firms in the period 1997-2009. We report a positive and significant stock market reaction to announcements of corporate name changes considerably different for major and minor name changes. Regression results show that prior firm performance positively affects the observed stock returns. Short-term effects turn out to be transitory as firms significantly underperform the German CDAX in the year after the name change was announced. As the first study, we examine the impact of performance and corporate governance on the probability of corporate name changes and show that managers react to poor firm performance by implementing more expensive major name changes. This can be interpreted as an attempt to cloud poor past performance of both the firm and the management. Accordingly, we document a positive relation between management influence, available cash, and the probability of major name changes.
Using the Expected Importance and Perceived Satisfaction of Tourists to Construct Indicators for Improvement of Resort Hotel Service Quality

Summary This study explored the extent of expected importance and perceived satisfaction of tourists regarding various services provided by resort hotels, focusing on resort hotels in significant scenic areas in Taitung. This study used the “SERVQUAL” scale to construct indicators for the improvement of resort hotel service quality. The results showed that gaps remain between the service quality of resort hotels and the actual perceptions upon staying at the hotels. Regarding service quality improvement, tourists remain the most concerned with safety, followed by external leisure environments, accurate and fast professional service provided by service personnel, and finally, the empathy of hotels and the entertainment facilities and provided activities. Tourists are concerned with service quality from the external to the internal, and it is necessary to first satisfy the basic needs of tourists, before intricate services provided by personnel can become meaningful. Resort hotel operators must also continuously provide more intricate service standards to enhance the satisfaction of tourists, or it will adversely affect the willingness of tourists to stay at hotels, and in turn lower corporate profit.
Degrons at the C Terminus of the Pathogenic but Not the Nonpathogenic Hantavirus G1 Tail Direct Proteasomal Degradation

ABSTRACT Pathogenic hantaviruses cause two human diseases: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). The hantavirus G1 protein contains a long, 142-amino-acid cytoplasmic tail, which in NY-1 virus (NY-1V) is ubiquitinated and proteasomally degraded (E. Geimonen, I. Fernandez, I. N. Gavrilovskaya, and E. R. Mackow, J. Virol. 77: 10760-10768, 2003). Here we report that the G1 cytoplasmic tails of pathogenic Andes (HPS) and Hantaan (HFRS) viruses are also degraded by the proteasome and that, in contrast, the G1 tail of nonpathogenic Prospect Hill virus (PHV) is stable and not proteasomally degraded. We determined that the signals which direct NY-1V G1 tail degradation are present in a hydrophobic region within the C-terminal 30 residues of the protein. In contrast to that of PHV, the NY-1V hydrophobic domain directs the proteasomal degradation of green fluorescent protein and constitutes an autonomous degradation signal, or “degron,” within the NY-1V G1 tail. Replacing 4 noncontiguous residues of the NY-1V G1 tail with residues present in the stable PHV G1 tail resulted in a NY-1V G1 tail that was not degraded by the proteasome. In contrast, changing a different but overlapping set of 4 PHV residues to corresponding NY-1V residues directed proteasomal degradation of the PHV G1 tail. The G1 tails of pathogenic, but not nonpathogenic, hantaviruses contain intervening hydrophilic residues within the C-terminal hydrophobic domain, and amino acid substitutions that alter the stability or degradation of NY-1V or PHV G1 tails result from removing or adding intervening hydrophilic residues. Our results identify residues that selectively direct the proteasomal degradation of pathogenic hantavirus G1 tails. Although a role for the proteasomal degradation of the G1 tail in HPS or HFRS is unclear, these findings link G1 tail degradation to viral pathogenesis and suggest that degrons within hantavirus G1 tails are potential virulence determinants.