Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identification of a potential regulator of early transcriptional responses to mesoderm inducers in the frog embryo.

The activin/transforming growth factor‐beta (TGF‐beta) family of peptide growth factors plays a central role in the induction of mesoderm during early Xenopus embryogenesis. Immediate transcriptional responses to mesoderm‐inducing signals have been described, but the signal transduction steps leading to these early responses are unknown. We describe here the first pre‐transcriptional response to activin/TGF‐beta mesoderm inducers in the early embryo. We have identified a cellular factor which binds to a 50 bp portion of the promoter for an activin/TGF‐beta early response gene. This factor is activated within 4 min of treatment of embryonic prospective ectoderm with mesoderm‐inducing factors, making it the earliest response to these factors described in early embryos. This factor can be activated throughout early cleavage and blastula stages, is activated by mesoderm inducers of the activin/TGF‐beta superfamily but not the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family, and does not appear to require an endogenous FGF signal for activation. Characterization of this factor provides a powerful tool for studying the early steps in the induction of mesoderm by members of the activin/TGF‐beta superfamily.
A structural change in Ca3Co4O9 associated with enhanced thermoelectric properties

Temperature dependent electrical resistivity, crystal structure and heat capacity measurements reveal a resistivity drop and electrical transport behavior change corresponding to a structural change near 400 K in Ca3Co4O9. The lattice parameter c varies smoothly with increasing temperature while anomalies in a, b1 and b2 lattice parameters occur near 400 K. The Ca site in the Ca2CoO3 block becomes distorted and a change in electrical transport behavior is found above 400 K. Resistivity and heat capacity measurements as a function of temperature under magnetic field combined with Co L-edge x-ray absorption spectra reveal only a weak spin contribution to this change. Reduced resistivity associated with the structural change enhances the thermoelectric properties at moderately high temperatures and points to the electrical transport behavior change as a mechanism for improved ZT in this thermoelectric oxide.
The impact of the facebook website quality on users perceived attitude, intention and loyalty among students of UTM

Loyalty of patrons, especially online ones, is an essential, effective and dynamic factor not only for development of social community but also for the development of a nation. Loyalty of the Facebook users is the most obvious one among loyalty of other websites. This research investigates the association between the criteria of the Facebook website’s quality and online users’ loyalty. It focuses on the development of an evaluation model that is not only responsible for the generation of a robust set of evaluation metrics but also highlights the influential constraints, success criteria and tangible outcomes of influence of the Facebook website’s quality on users’ loyalty. To develop this model, a paper-based questionnaire was used. A total 236 responses were collected among students of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Analyses were performed to test the data such as descriptive analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. This study found that, General Content Quality, Appearance Quality, and Reputation were significantly influenced an individual’s attitude. Also, both of Appearance Quality and Attitude influenced an individual’s intention to use the Facebook website. In addition, this study found that Intention is a strong predictor of social media loyalty. However, all of the Technical Quality, Specific Content Quality, and Information Quality had no significant influence on the Facebook user’s attitude and intention. Based on the findings of this study, implications of this study are classified into academic research and field practices. For academic implication, it contributes to the historical contributions on the theory of Technology Acceptance Model in explaining the relationship between an individual’s beliefs and actual behavior in the information system context. On the other hand, the practical implication of this study recommends the website quality criteria in the electronic service industry. In the end, future research is recommended with respect to the limitations of the study.
Change of Guinea Pig Inner Ear Pressure by Square Wave Middle Ear Cavity Pressure Variation

The inner ear fluid pressure of guinea pigs was measured during square wave middle ear cavity pressure variation. Time constants were derived for the slopes of the inner ear pressure recovery curves after middle ear pressure change. A "single exponential" function did not fit well and therefore more complicated functions were used for this purpose. For middle ear pressure increasing from zero to a few centimetres of water, returning to zero again, decreasing from zero to minus a few centimetres of water and then returning to zero again, time constants for the inner ear pressure recovery curves were on average 15.0, 8.6, 2.5 and 2.5 s, respectively. The results could not be described using a linear model with constant window membrane compliance and cochlear aqueduct flow resistance. A possible explanation for the large difference in time constants for positive or negative middle ear pressure changes is a dependence on aqueduct flow resistance or round window membrane position.
Increased serum angiotensin converting enzyme activity in type T insulin—dependent diabetes mellitus: its relation to metabolic control and diabetic complications

Abstract. Serum angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) was measured in 150 insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) patients and 72 healthy subjects by radioassay, using [3H]‐hippuryl‐glycyl‐glycine as a substrate. Mean (SD) serum ACE activity in diabetic patients was 120 ± 33 nmol ml−1 min−1 (range 46–215) and was significantly increased by 56% compared to control values (77 ± 23 nmol ml−1 min−1, range 46–125, P < 0·001). ACE activity > 125 nmol ml−1 min−1 was observed in 60 of 150 IDDM patients. 96 IDDM patients were normoalbuminuric (< 22 mg 24 h−1) and 49 patients were micro‐ or macroalbuminuric (range 22–6010 mg 24 h−1). Micro‐ and macroalbuminuric IDDM patients were found to have significantly greater ACE activity values than normoalbuminuric patients (128 ± 36 vs. 115 ± 30 nmol ml−1 min−1, P = 0·025). Metabolically well‐controlled IDDM patients (glycosylated haemoglobin ≤ 8%) had lower ACE activity values than the patients with glycosylated haemoglobin greater than 8% (109 ± 20 vs. 127 ± 32 nmol ml−1 min−1, P < 0·02). A significant correlation between degree of metabolic control and ACE activity was found (r = 0.435, P < 0·001) so that an increase in one glycosylated quartile unit is accompanied by an increase in ACE activity of 10·5 nmol ml−1 min−1. Thus ACE activity in the serum of IDDM patients was increased by 56% in 40% of the patients. It was increased in IDDM patients without complications and in patients with retinopathy or nephropathy. In diabetic patients with nephropathy, ACE activity was greater than in diabetic patients without nephropathy. ACE activity was positively correlated with metabolic control. The role of increased ACE activity in the development of diabetic nephropathy remains to be established.
Survival After Cancer Diagnosis in Persons With AIDS

The survival of persons with AIDS (PWA) has recently improved because of better antiretroviral therapies. Similarly, the prognosis of cancer has also improved. To determine if survival in PWA with cancer has also improved, we compared cancer survival in adults with and without AIDS using data from New York City from 1980 through 2000. Analyses were made for AIDS-related cancers (Kaposi sarcoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma [NHL], and cervical cancer) and for 8 non-AIDS-related cancers (lung, larynx, colorectum, anus, Hodgkin lymphoma, breast, prostate, and testis). Death hazard ratios compared survival in PWA with cancer with that in cancer patients without AIDS, adjusted for age, sex, race, and calendar-time of cancer occurrence. The 24-month survival rate of PWA with cancer (9015 AIDS cancers and 929 non-AIDS-related cancers of 8 types) improved significantly for most cancer types. By 1996 through 2000, the 24-month survival rate in PWA was 58% for Kaposi sarcoma, 41% for peripheral NHL, 29% for central nervous system NHL, and 64% for cervical cancer. For non-AIDS-related cancers, survival of PWA was lowest for lung cancer (10%) but was >50% for most other cancer types. In 1996 through 2000, significant differences in survival between cancer patients with and without AIDS still remained for Hodgkin lymphoma and lung, larynx, and prostate cancers. We conclude that recent improvements in AIDS and cancer care have greatly narrowed the gap in survival between cancer patients with and without AIDS. Clinicians should be encouraged by the improving prognosis and be diligent about detecting and treating cancer in PWA.
Organizational antecedents and competitive consequences of environmental proactivity in the hotel industry

ABSTRACT This research simultaneously examines the influence of organizational design variables (specialization, decentralization, formalization, link mechanisms, and informal social relations) on environmental proactivity, and the impact of this environmental proactivity on the competitiveness of hotels. The joint analysis of causes and consequences of environmental proactivity, and the relationship between organizational design and environmental management are topics that have rarely been explored in the literature. Using structural equation modeling methodology, a model is empirically tested using a survey instrument that was distributed to hotels in Spain. The findings indicate that specialization, formalization, link mechanisms, and informal social relations are effective coordination mechanisms to foster environmental proactivity. Moreover, the most effective way of encouraging the implementation of environmental practices is formalization. The findings also show that environmental proactivity contributes to improving competitive advantage in terms of both cost and differentiation.
Pharmacokinetics and ovarian-stimulatory effects of equine and human chorionic gonadotropins administered singly and in combination in the domestic cat.

Pregnancy success and embryo survival are low with the use of assisted reproduction in felids treated with exogenous gonadotropins. In this study, the pharmacokinetics and ovarian-stimulatory effects of eCG and hCG were evaluated in the domestic cat. Catheterized anestrual queens (n = 4 per treatment [Trt] group) were given 100 IU eCG i.v. (Trt 1), 100 IU eCG i.m. (Trt 2), 75 IU hCG i.v. (Trt 3), 75 IU hCG i.m. (Trt 4), or 100 IU eCG i.m. followed 80 h later by 75 IU hCG i.m. (Trt 5). Blood samples were collected at 0, 5, 30, and 60 min and 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, and 168 h postinjection, and serum samples were analyzed for estradiol-17beta, progesterone, eCG, and hCG. Pharmacokinetic traits (volume of distribution, Vd; elimination half-life, t1/2beta; clearance rate, Clr) were calculated for eCG and hCG. When i.v. and i.m. administration were compared, no differences (p > 0.05) were observed in follicle or corpus luteum (CL) number or hormone concentrations for queens receiving eCG or hCG alone. Number of mature ovarian follicles (> or = 2 mm diameter) observed at 168 h postinjection did not differ (p > 0.05) for eCG (mean +/- SEM, 10.5 +/- 2.0) vs. hCG (11.1 +/- 3.0), indicating that these were equally effective in inducing follicular growth. In most queens (> 90%) given single gonadotropins (i.m. or i.v.), eCG and hCG persisted in circulation for at least 120 h and 96 h after injection, respectively, reflecting similar (p > 0.05) pharmacokinetic (i.v.) values for Vd (eCG, 91.4 +/- 24.8 ml/kg; hCG, 59.1 +/- 7.9 ml/kg), t1/2beta (eCG, 23.0 +/- 2.4 h; hCG, 22.9 +/- 4.1 h), and Clr (eCG, 2.7 +/- 0.5 ml/h per kg; hCG, 1.8 +/- 0.1 ml/h per kg). Sequential treatment with eCG+hCG did not affect (p > 0.05) the t1/2beta of individual gonadotropins. In summary, eCG and hCG have comparable pharmacokinetics and ovarian-stimulatory activity when administered alone to the domestic cat. These findings suggest that hCG promotes the ancillary follicle formation that is frequently observed after ovulation in cats treated with eCG+hCG regimens, possibly disrupting the maternal environment and decreasing fecundity following assisted reproductive procedures.
Cochlear implantation via round window or cochleostomy: Effect on hearing in an animal model

Cochlear implantation in patients with residual hearing has increased interest in hearing preservation. Two major surgical approaches to implantation have been devised: via the round window membrane and through cochleostomy. However, the advantages of either approach on hearing preservation have not been established. Due to the great inter‐ and intravariability among implantees, the current study used a normal‐hearing animal model to compare the effect of the two methods on hearing.
Linear relationship between Wnt activity levels and apoptosis in colorectal carcinoma cells exposed to butyrate

We have reported that butyrate, a fatty acid produced by dietary fiber that induces cell cycle arrest, differentiation and/or apoptosis in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) cells in vitro, modulates Wnt activity in 2 CRC cell lines (Bordonaro et al., Int. J. Cancer, 2002; 97:42–51). Our study determines how changes in the levels of Wnt activity induced by butyrate relate to the effects of butyrate on apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and differentiation of CRC cells. In 10 human CRC cell lines a direct relationship was shown between apoptosis and butyrate‐induced increase in Wnt activity, as well as between suppressed clonal growth and increased Wnt activity. No correlation existed between butyrate‐induced increase in Wnt activity and differentiation. The direct relationship between apoptosis and Wnt activity was supported by analyses of DLD‐1 and HCT‐116 cells expressing a dominant negative form of Tcf4, and therefore, with repressed Wnt activity, as well as by measuring the ratio of apoptotic to live cells in flow cytometry‐sorted cell fractions with high and low Wnt activity. Novel flow cytometric methodology was utilized to show that butyrate differentially increases the number of cells with Wnt activity in different CRC cell lines. Thus, CRC cell lines in which butyrate upregulated Wnt activity to relatively high levels were most susceptible to the apoptotic effects of butyrate, whereas cell lines in which butyrate modestly modulated Wnt activity were less affected. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Desloratadine relieves nasal congestion and improves quality‐of‐life in persistent allergic rhinitis

Background: Symptoms of allergic rhinitis (AR), particularly nasal congestion, can impair quality‐of‐life (QoL). However, only a modest correlation exists between these symptoms and Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) scores, suggesting that both be evaluated for a complete assessment of health.
User Assessment of "InsuOnLine," a Game to Fight Clinical Inertia in Diabetes: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE We performed a pilot study to assess usability and playability of "InsuOnLine," a serious game for education of primary care physicians on insulin therapy for diabetes mellitus. MATERIALS AND METHODS A multidisciplinary team has designed and developed "InsuOnLine," using Andragogy and Problem-Based Learning principles, with game elements to improve players' motivation. The prototype was tested by four medical doctors and two medical students, using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and a questionnaire to assess playability. These results were used to guide corrections, after which the beta version was retested by 14 medical students and 6 residents. RESULTS Out of a maximum score of 100 on the SUS, the "InsuOnLine" prototype was rated 88, and some areas for improvement were identified (game instructions, controls). After corrections, the beta version was rated 92.5 on the SUS. Users have found the beta version to be fun, engaging, challenging, relevant, and realistic. Users said that the game has increased their knowledge on diabetes and insulin, that it has made them feel more confident for prescribing insulin, and that it would have impact on how they treated patients with diabetes. Most users said they have learned more from the game than they would have from a lecture. Lessons learned were the need of early piloting, preferably by users with very little or very much gaming experience, on their own computers and free patterns of use. CONCLUSIONS "InsuOnLine" was rated by users as easy to play, fun, and useful for learning. Further studies will assess its educational effectiveness. "InsuOnLine" is a promising tool for large-scale continuing medical education on insulin, helping to fight clinical inertia in diabetes.
Intrinsic Decoherence in Mesoscopic Systems

We present measurements of the phase coherence time ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{\ensuremath{\varphi}}$ in six quasi-1D Au wires and clearly show that ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{\ensuremath{\varphi}}$ is temperature independent at low temperatures. We suggest that zero-point fluctuations of the phase coherent electrons are responsible for the observed saturation of ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{\ensuremath{\varphi}}$. We introduce a new functional form for the temperature dependence and present the results of a calculation for the saturation value of ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{\ensuremath{\varphi}}$. This explains the observed temperature dependence of our samples as well as many 1D and 2D systems reported to date.
Leadership Practices of a Principal in a High School with a High Teacher Retention Rate.

Leadership Practices of a Principal in a High School with a High Teacher Retention Rate Ronald A. Branch II As political and societal expectations for our nation's public school system continue to increase, leaders of local school systems are ever mindful of the demands for continual improvement. The cornerstone for this improvement is the classroom teacher. Research has supported the idea that teacher experience is influential in the effectiveness of the teacher. The statistics on teacher attrition, though, are disheartening. The purpose for this research is to uncover emerging themes regarding the leadership practices and cultural elements that are in place in a school that has a high retention rate of teachers. This case study includes a school in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. This school has been identified as having the highest teacher retention rate in its programmatic level in Berkeley County, West Virginia, and has one of the highest retention rates among all programmatic levels in the county. Through the use of the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) designed by Kouzes and Posner (2003), open-ended interviews, and a review of school documents, the researcher provides data relevant to the creation of a school culture that fosters teacher retention. This study describes the elements found in this high school that have led to the retentive culture which exists. The familial culture of this school has been affected by the leadership practices of the principal, the collegiality and friendships among the staff, and the attitudes and behavior of the students. These leadership practices and cultural elements are described in detail in order to provide an understanding of components of a school culture that leads to teacher retention. LEADERSHIP PRACTICES OF A PRINCIPAL 111
APC EXPRESSION IN NORMAL HUMAN TISSUES

The tumour suppressor gene APC codes for a 2843‐amino acid protein whose precise functions are still poorly understood. This paper describes the development of two new antisera to APC (to amino‐ and carboxy‐terminal epitopes) which permit localization of the protein by immunohistochemistry in archival paraffin sections. The protein is expressed in a wide variety of normal epithelial tissues. Its distribution frequently coincides with the location of post‐replicative cells within tissues. Staining patterns demonstrate that the APC protein, although often diffusely cytoplasmic in distribution, may also accumulate in the apical and immediately subapical regions, or along the lateral margins of certain cells. These results indicate that APC is significant in many tissues in addition to the colorectal epithelium. They are compatible with a function related to signalling at the adherens junction and possibly with other more complex roles in cells committed to terminal differentiation. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimal Scheduling of Complex Multi-Cluster Tools Based on Timed Resource-Oriented Petri Nets

Complex multi-cluster tools have been extensively used in semiconductor manufacturing. It is crucial to increase their productivity by their effective operation. With structural complexity, multiple robots, and the interaction among individual tools, it is very challenging to schedule a tree-like multi-cluster tool. This paper investigates the scheduling problem of such a tool whose bottleneck individual tool is process-bound. The system is modeled by well-known discrete-event models, i.e., resource-oriented Petri nets. Based on the models, for the first time, this work develops necessary and sufficient conditions under which a one-unit (wafer) periodic schedule exists and shows that an optimal one-unit periodic schedule can always be found. Algorithms with polynomial complexity are presented to find the optimal cycle time and the one-unit periodic schedule. Industrial examples are used to illustrate the proposed method, and they show that a significant reduction in cycle time can be obtained in comparison with the existing method.
Modeling and predicting the market volatility index: The case of VKOSPI

The KOSPI 200 options are one of the most actively traded derivatives in the world. This paper empirically examines (a) the statistical properties of the Korea's representative implied volatility index (VKOSPI) derived from the KOSPI 200 options and (b) macroeconomic and financial variables that can predict the implied volatility process of the index, using augmented heterogeneous autoregressive (HAR) models with exogenous covariates. The results suggest that the dynamics of the VKOSPI is well described by the elaborate HAR framework and that some Korea's macroeconomic variables significantly explain the VKOSPI. In addition, we find that the stock market return and implied volatility index of the US market (i.e., the S&P 500 spot return and the VIX from S&P 500 options) play a key role in predicting the level of VKOSPI and explaining its dynamics, and their explanatory power dominates that of Korea's macro-finance variables. Further, while Korea's stock market return does not predict the VKOSPI, US stock market return well predicts the future VKOSPI level. When both US stock market return and US implied volatility index are incorporated into the HAR framework, the model's both in-sample fitting and out-of-sample forecasting ability exhibits the best performance.