Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A temperature‐sensitive Krp1 allows in vivo characterization of kexin activation

Members of the kexin family of processing enzymes are responsible for the cleavage of many proproteins during their transport through the secretory pathway. The enzymes are themselves made as inactive precursors and we have investigated the activation of Krp1, a kexin from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. As Krp1 is essential for cell growth, we have used a krp1ts strain to investigate the role of the prosequence in the activation process. Mutations that reduce either the efficiency with which the prosequence is released or the rate at which the released prosegment is subsequently cleaved at an internal site are less active when assayed in vivo. We also show that prosegments lacking an internal dibasic motif can act as autoinhibitors and prevent activation of the catalytic fragment. Krp1 constructs containing prosequences based on these inhibitors do not become active in vitro. Surprisingly, the same constructs do become active in the intact cell and appear to suggest that alternative activation processes can be used by these enzymes.
Towards a New Vision for Sustainability of Incubator Best Practices Model in the Years to Come

Incubators are internationally recognized as a premier 21 st century location for technology and technology-based economic development. The purpose of this paper is to identify the similarities and differences of business incubation programs worldwide. The study focuses on six key success indicators and points out proposed incubators model in the years to come. The approach to the design methodology is based on survey and interviews implanted on 100 selected incubators. The research findings indicate the similarities of incubators programs that are 1) Creating jobs, 2) Enhancing community’s entrepreneurial climate, and 3) Tangible services and the differences are 1) Incubators type, 2) Finical status, and 3) Incubators age. The research adds value to current literature on new visions for sustainability of incubators best practice models for the coming year. Finally, it provides useful guidelines for implementation to both academies and practitioners involved with incubators worldwide. Keywords: Technology incubators, innovation, entrepreneurship, job creation, economic development.
Plasma catecholamines, blood pressure responses and perceived stress during mental arithmetic stress in young men

We assessed plasma noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (A) at rest during a hyperinsulinaemic glucose clamp and responses to a mental arithmetic stress test (MST) in relation to blood pressure (BP) responses (Finapres) and distress in 20 men with high (≥140/90 mmHg) and 21 men with normal (≤⃒115/75 mmHg) screening BP, 21-24 years of age. Perceived stress, effort and overall discomfort were scored 1-10. Catecholamines and BP increased in both groups, change in diastolic BP (ΔDBP; 9.9 vs. 3.8 mmHg, p < 0.05) and ΔDBP carryover (recovery period minus baseline) (7.2 vs. 2.2 mmHg, p < 0.01) being greater in men with high screening BP. Independently of BP status, change in systolic BP (ΔSBP) and ΔSBP carryover were related to A (both p < 0.001), and ΔDBP and ΔDBP carryover to ΔNA (both p < 0.001). The subjective score sum correlated with maximal NA (r [Formula: See Text] = 0.40) and A (r [Formula: See Text] = 0.37) (both p < 0.05). Maximal NA was independently related to stress (p < 0.05) and the subjective score sum (p < 0.01). ΔA% was greater in the high- (score ≥6) than in the low-stress category, independently of BP status (p < 0.05). High screening BP is associated with impaired BP recovery after mental stress. Plasma catecholamine responses are related to BP responses and carryover effects, and reflect perceived stress in young men.
Federal, State, and Local Governments: Do Any of Them Promote Growth?

We use US county level data (3,058 observations) from 1970 to 1998 to explore the relationship between economic growth and the extent of government employment at three levels: federal, state and local. We find that increases in federal, state and local government employments are all negatively associated with economic growth. We find no evidence that government is more efficient at more decentralized levels - and thus reject Oates' (1972) "decentralization theorem. " Furthermore, while we cannot separate out the productive and redistributive services of government, we document that the county-level income distribution became slightly wider from 1970 to 1998. For those who justify government activities in terms of equity concerns - perhaps even trading off economic growth for equity - the burden falls on them to show that the income distribution would have widened significantly more in the absence of government activities. We conclude that a release of government-employed labor inputs to the private sector would be growth-enhancing.
Molecular cloning of the precursor polypeptide of mastoparan B and its putative processing enzyme, dipeptidyl peptidase IV, from the black‐bellied hornet, Vespa basalis

Mastoparan B, a cationic toxin, is the major peptide component in the venom of Vespa basalis. Molecular cloning of its cDNA fragment revealed that this toxin was initially synthesized as a precursor polypeptide, containing an N‐terminal signal sequence, a prosequence, the mature toxin, and an appendix glycine at C‐terminus. Sequence alignment between precursors of mastoparan B and melittin from honeybee venom showed a significant conservation in prosequence. Alternate positions existing in both prosequences were either proline or alanine known as the potential cleaving sites for dipeptidyl peptidase IV. Subsequently, a putative dipeptidyl peptidase IV cDNA fragment was cloned from Vespa basalis venom gland. The prosequence may possibly be removed via sequential liberation of dipeptides during the processing of mastoparan B.
Levodopa in Parkinson’s Disease: Current Status and Future Developments

Background Ever since the pioneering reports in the 60s, L-3,4-Dioxyphenylalanine (levodopa) has represented the gold standard for the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease (PD). However, long-term levodopa (LD) treatment is frequently associated with fluctuations in motor response with serious impact on patient quality of life. The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of LD are pivotal to such motor fluctuations: discontinuous drug delivery, short half-life, poor bioavailability, and narrow therapeutic window are all crucial for such fluctuations. During the last 60 years, several attempts have been made to improve LD treatment and avoid long-term complications. Methods Research and trials to improve the LD pharmacokinetic since 1960s are reviewed, summarizing the progressive improvements of LD treatment. Results Inhibitors of peripheral amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) have been introduced to achieve proper LD concentration in the central nervous system reducing systemic adverse events. Inhibitors of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) increased LD half-life and bioavailability. Efforts are still being made to achieve a continuous dopaminergic stimulation, with the combination of oral LD with an AADC inhibitor and a COMT inhibitor, or the intra-duodenal water-based LD/ carbidopa gel. Further approaches to enhance LD efficacy are focused on new non-oral administration routes, including nasal, intra-duodenal, intrapulmonary (CVT-301) and subcutaneous (ND0612), as well as on novel ER formulations, including IPX066, which recently concluded phase III trial. Conclusion New LD formulations, oral compounds as well as routes have been tested in the last years, with two main targets: achieve continuous dopaminergic stimulation and find an instant deliver route for LD.
Managerial Overconfidence and Dividend Policy

Managerial overconfidence has been shown to significantly affect corporate investment, financing policy and merger appetite. We investigate whether it also impacts dividend policy. Overconfident managers believe their firms' securities are undervalued, either because they expect cash flows from current projects to be higher or because they foresee better future growth opportunities. As such, they are less inclined to pay anything out since they believe they can earn higher returns by investing in their firms' projects. This effect is amplified by their preference to using internally generated cash to finance these projects, in an attempt to avoid issuing undervalued securities. Using several proxies for managerial overconfidence and controlling for the determinants of dividend policy discussed in the literature, we provide empirical evidence that managerial overconfidence affects the magnitude of dividends and total distributions paid out to shareholders.
Dissociation between mesocortical dopamine release and fear‐related behaviours in two psychogenetically selected lines of rats that differ in coping strategies to aversive conditions

The mesocortical and mesolimbic dopaminergic (DAergic) pathways are activated by either aversive or rewarding stimuli. The functional tone of these DAergic neurons also increases during the execution of cognitive tasks. The present study was designed to examine the relationship between mesocortical and mesolimbic DAergic function and the expression of fear‐related behaviours as compared with attention‐ and cognition‐related mechanisms (e.g. coping strategies), in response to aversive conditions. To this aim, we used two psychogenetically selected rat lines, Roman high‐avoidance (RHA/Verh) and Roman low‐avoidance (RLA/Verh), which display drastically different emotion‐ and coping‐related behaviours in response to stressors: RLA/Verh rats are ‘reactive copers’ and more fearful than RHA/Verh rats, which are ‘proactive copers’. Brain dialysis experiments demonstrated that tail‐pinch (TP) and the anxiogenic compounds pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) and ZK 93426 increased DA output in the medial prefrontal cortex (PFCX) of RHA/Verh but not RLA/Verh, rats. In contrast, in the shell compartment of the nucleus accumbens (NAC shell), TP caused a small increase in DA output only in RLA/Verh rats, whereas PTZ and ZK 93426 had no significant effect on either line. RHA/Verh rats displayed more robust and longer lasting coping activity and less frequent freezing and self‐grooming episodes than did RLA/Verh rats after TP, PTZ or ZK 93426. This dissociation between fear‐related behaviour and cortical DAergic activation argues against the view that the latter may be involved in the control of fear‐like responses. We therefore propose that the activation of mesocortical DAergic projections by aversive stimuli underlies the cognitive mechanisms that are triggered in an attempt to gain control over the stressor.
How do Non-Monetary Performance Incentives for Physicians Affect the Quality of Medical Care? - A Laboratory Experiment

In recent years, several countries have introduced non-monetary performance incentives for health care providers to improve the quality of medical care. Evidence on the effect of non-monetary feedback incentives, predominantly in the form of public quality reporting, on the quality of medical care is, however, ambiguous. This is often because empirical research to date has not succeeded in distinguishing between the effects of monetary and non-monetary incentives, which are usually implemented simultaneously. We use a controlled laboratory experiment to isolate the impact of nonmonetary performance incentives: subjects take on the role of physicians and make treatment decisions for patients, receiving feedback on the quality of their treatment. The subjects' decisions result in payments to real patients. By giving either private or public feedback we are able to disentangle the motivational effects of self-esteem and social reputation. Our results reveal that public feedback incentives have a significant and positive effect on the quality of care that is provided. Private feedback, on the other hand, has no impact on treatment quality. These results hold for medical students and for other students.
Stock-Based Compensation and Top Management Turnover

We test the hypothesis that corporate managers leave their jobs less often when they receive stock-based compensation. In a sample of CEOs from 452 large U.S. companies between 1984 and 1991, we find inverse associations between the probability of CEO turnover and the amount of stock option compensation in relation to cash pay. The association is even stronger when we exclude apparently involuntary CEO turnover. Our results suggest that stock-based compensation plays a significant role in helping firms retain the services of top managers.
Stiquito - advanced experiments with a simple and inexpensive robot

From the Publisher: Stiquito: Advanced Experiments with a Simple and Inexpensive Robot begins with an introduction that describes the birth of Stiquito. The chapters that follow describe the building process, its modifications, and its increased load capacity. Other chapters examine designs for simple controllers to enhance the functionality of the robot while giving the robot intelligence and hardware designs for performing independent, intelligent operations. In addition, the book examines further research on the role of logic in a mobile robot's sensors, control, and locomotion; Stiquito's platform for Al; and simulation of a robot guided by vision. Stiquito concludes with a discussion of the future for nitinol-propelled walking robots.
Seizures and head injury in an urban community

Among 811 patients hospitalized for head injury (HI) in the Bronx, 14 (1.7%) had HI caused by a seizure, 47 (5.8%) had a history of seizures of some type unrelated to the index HI episode, and 40 (4.9%) had a history of single or recurrent unprovoked seizures. The 40 patients who had unprovoked seizures and HI not caused by a seizure tended to have more severe HI and were more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, but were otherwise similar to HI patients without a history of epilepsy. The number of cases observed is increased threefold over that expected if rates were similar to those in the predominantly white middle-class community of Rochester, MN. We estimate the prevalence of epilepsy in the Bronx to be between 2.4 and 4.7%.
Perceptions regarding Entrepreneurship in an Emerging and Culturally Diverse Economy: A South African Survey

Of all the developing countries that participated in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor survey, South Africa was ranked the lowest, in terms of entrepreneurial activity. It is clear that South Africa is not producing a sufficiently entrepreneurial economy and this needs to be addressed so as to create employment, expand markets, increase production and revitalise communities. This paper examines the entrepreneurial traits of a diverse group of young adults in South Africa. It looks at their attitudes towards and perceptions of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial opportunities and the broader environment.
Inverse relationship between body mass index and mortality in older nursing home residents: a meta‐analysis of 19,538 elderly subjects

Body mass index (BMI) and mortality in old adults from the general population have been related in a U‐shaped or J‐shaped curve. However, limited information is available for elderly nursing home populations, particularly about specific cause of death. A systematic PubMed/EMBASE/CINAHL/SCOPUS search until 31 May 2014 without language restrictions was conducted. As no published study reported mortality in standard BMI groups (<18.5, 18.5–24.9, 25–29.9, ≥30 kg/m2), the most adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) according to a pre‐defined list of covariates were obtained from authors and pooled by random‐effect model across each BMI category. Out of 342 hits, 20 studies including 19,538 older nursing home residents with 5,223 deaths during a median of 2 years of follow‐up were meta‐analysed. Compared with normal weight, all‐cause mortality HRs were 1.41 (95% CI = 1.26–1.58) for underweight, 0.85 (95% CI = 0.73–0.99) for overweight and 0.74 (95% CI = 0.57–0.96) for obesity. Underweight was a risk factor for higher mortality caused by infections (HR = 1.65 [95% CI = 1.13–2.40]). RR results corroborated primary HR results, with additionally lower infection‐related mortality in overweight and obese than in normal‐weight individuals. Like in the general population, underweight is a risk factor for mortality in old nursing home residents. However, uniquely, not only overweight but also obesity is protective, which has relevant nutritional goal implications in this population/setting.
Receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) in a dash to the rescue: inflammatory signals gone awry in the primal response to stress

The multiligand receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) of the Ig superfamily transduces the biological impact of discrete families of ligands, including advanced glycation end products, certain members of the S100/calgranulin family, high mobility group box‐1, Mac‐1 (αMβ2, CD11b/CD18), and amyloid‐β peptide and β‐sheet fibrils. Although structurally dissimilar, at least at the monomeric level, recent evidence suggests that oligomeric forms of these RAGE ligands may be especially apt to activate the receptor and up‐regulate a program of inflammatory and tissue injury‐provoking genes. The challenge in probing the biology of RAGE and its impact in acute responses to stress and the potential development of chronic disease is to draw the line between mechanisms that evoke repair versus those that sustain inflammation and tissue damage. In this review, we suggest the concept that the ligands of RAGE comprise a primal program in the acute response to stress. When up‐regulated in environments laden with oxidative stress, inflammation, innate aging, or high glucose, as examples, the function of these ligand families may be transformed from ones linked to rapid repair to those that drive chronic disease. Identification of the threshold beyond which ligands of RAGE mediate repair versus injury is a central component in delineating optimal strategies to target RAGE in the clinic.
Funding Universal Service Obligations with an Essential Facility: Charges vs. Taxes and Subsidies

This paper compares three schemes for funding Universal Service Obligations in network industries with an essential facility: an uplift to the network access charge, the establishment of a Universal Service (US) fund financed through a lump-sum tax and a US fund financed through a unit tax. The comparison is made under a duopoly structure with a potential entrant and an incumbent, which owns the essential facility and is responsible for universal service. The incumbent is also constrained to offer the same price on all markets. Using a social welfare criteria, we show that the US fund financed with a lump sum tax dominates the other two schemes, while the US fund with unit tax is equivalent to the access charge uplift.
Mineralogy of Asteroids

Reflectance spectroscopy is a powerful tool for the investigation of the nature, history, evolution, and relationships between asteroids and meteorites. This information provides a better understanding of the conditions present and processes active in the late solar nebula and the early solar system. To achieve the maximum information about asteroid‐meteorite relationships and asteroid histories, mineralogical characterizations should be derived from their reflectance spectra using quantitative methodologies and calibrations. Spectral curve matching is a very useful survey technique but can seldom establish reliable asteroid‐meteorite links. Mineralogical characterizations can be used to constrain the geochemical evolution of specific asteroids, to elucidate relationships to other asteroids, and to establish genetic links to specific meteorite types.
A review of functional capacity evaluation practice.

OBJECTIVES This study evaluated the implementation of recommendations from a prior review of functional capacity evaluation practice in a regionalised rehabilitation service. The evaluation considered the acceptance of the recommendations and the current level of consistency of approach in practice. STUDY DESIGN The study was qualitative in nature, using a descriptive survey and a focus group. Participants were occupational therapists of a major rehabilitation provider in Queensland, Australia. Eighteen of 48 therapists (38%) responded to the questionnaire. Eight therapists participated in the focus group. RESULTS The results indicated some acceptance of the recommendations for functional capacity evaluation in areas such as procedure, reporting, equipment and model of evaluation. Further research into the reliability and validity of functional capacity evaluation was indicated. DISCUSSION The low response rate did not allow conclusive results. However, the findings provided some evidence of consistency in functional capacity evaluation practice. The results are discussed in relation to current issues in functional capacity evaluation practice.
Kinetics of pulmonary epithelial proliferation during prenatal growth of the mouse lung

Autoradiographic methods were used to analyze cell kinetics in peripheral epithelium of the fetal mouse lung, days 15‐18. The 3H labeling index decreased in proportion to increases in fetal lung and body weight from day 15 to day 18. Cell‐cycle determination estimated from the percent of labeled metaphases at intervals after 3H thymidine injection showed the shortest cell‐cycle time (12.25 hours) on day 15 during the precenal stage of growth. Total cycle time (Tc) increased by approximately one hour on each subsequent day. Between days 15 and 16 Tc increased due to a 1‐hour increase in the post mitotic interphase (G1); thereafter increases in Tc could be ascribed almost entirely to lengthening of the DNA synthetic period. A comparison of cell‐cycle time in central and peripheral tubules of the same lungs on day 15 showed a slower cell cycle in the central tubules than in the peripheral branches. An estimate of the growth fraction (GF) on each day based on calculated and observed cell‐cycle times showed that GF was 1 on days 15 and 16, decreasing to 0.69 on day 17 and 0.27 on day 18. Thus cell‐cycle time increases with lung maturation and it increases from peripheral to central zones of the bronchial tree. The greater part of the observed decline in growth rate as the prenatal phase of growth is completed was due largely to a decrease in the fraction of cells in the cell cycle.
Prevention of Nosocomial Pressure Ulcers: A Process Improvement Project

Nosocomial pressure ulcers (PU) occur in approximately 12% of all hospitalized patients. The risk can be determined by a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. As a first line of defense against nosocomial PU, we use the Braden Scale to determine the potential risk of PU development during hospitalization. Once risk was identified, our standard was to implement an individualized plan of care. However, consistent implementation of PU preventative measures was lacking. As a result, a process improvement project was developed and implemented. The purpose of this process improvement project was to increase communication about and awareness of the need to vigorously intervene and document whenever there is risk of, or development of, a nosocomial PU. By initiating consistent use of a PU Tracking Form, developing unit-based wound champions that serve as experts in ulcer prevention, and creating an individual case analysis process, PU prevention and tracking was institutionalized. Results indicate that our nosocomial PU rate has declined from 7% to 4%.