Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cardiac L‐type calcium current is increased in a model of hyperaldosteronism in the rat

Accumulating evidence supports the importance of aldosterone as an independent risk factor in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease. It has been postulated that aldosterone could contribute to ventricular arrhythmogeneity by modulation of cardiac ionic channels. The aim of this study was to analyse ex vivo the electrophysiological characteristics of the L‐type cardiac calcium current (ICaL) in a model of hyperaldosteronism in the rat. Aldosterone was administered for 3 weeks, and cardiac collagen deposition and haemodynamic parameters were analysed. In addition, RT‐PCR and patch‐clamp techniques were applied to study cardiac L‐type Ca2+ channels in isolated cardiomyocytes. Administration of aldosterone induced maladaptive cardiac remodelling that was related to increased collagen deposition, diastolic dysfunction and cardiac hypertrophy. In addition, ventricular myocytes isolated from the aldosterone‐treated group showed increased ICaL density and conductance and prolongation of the action potential duration. No changes in kinetics or in voltage dependence of activation and inactivation of ICaL were observed, but relative expression of CaV1.2 mRNA levels was higher in cardiomyocytes isolated from the aldosterone‐treated group. The present study demonstrates that aldosterone treatment induces myocardial fibrosis, cardiac hypertrophy, increase of ICaL density, upregulation of L‐type Ca2+ channels and prolongation of action potential duration. It could be proposed that aldosterone, through these mechanisms, might exert pro‐arrhythmic effects in the pathological heart.
Strategies to Reduce Employee Turnover in Small Retail Businesses

Strategies to Reduce Employee Turnover in Small Retail Businesses by Amelia Claudina Pryce MBA, Wayland Baptist University, 2011 BSOE, Wayland Baptist University, 2009 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University November 2016 Abstract Employee turnover is high in small retail business, compelling business leaders to implement strategies that successfully reduce employee turnover. The conceptual framework guiding this study was the Herzberg 2-factor theory because the theoryEmployee turnover is high in small retail business, compelling business leaders to implement strategies that successfully reduce employee turnover. The conceptual framework guiding this study was the Herzberg 2-factor theory because the theory identifies factors that influence job satisfaction and employee turnover. The study population was retail owners and managers from small businesses in the retail industry in San Antonio, Texas who had demonstrated successful strategies to reduce employee turnover. A focus group was conducted with 4 retail managers, and semistructured interviews were conducted with 2 small retail owners, all of whom were recruited via purposeful criterion-based sampling. Yin’s 5-step process for data analysis of compiling, disassembling, reassembling, interpreting, and concluding resulted in themes of continuous learning in the workplace, communication, and valuing employees. These leaders provided continuous learning in the workplace, which demonstrated their value of their employees. Communication was a key concept discussed by all participants, as it built credibility with leaders and employees, increased productivity, and reduced turnover. The study has value to the practice of business because results may benefit industry growth by increasing retail leaders’ knowledge levels about employee turnover. The findings may affect positive social change as leaders apply strategies useful for reducing employee turnover as lower turnover rates might reduce unemployment, stabilize communities, and improve the human and social conditions outside the
The multidimensional perfectionism scale : reliability, validity, and psychometric properties in psychiatric samples

Previous perfectionism measures have not been evaluated for use with clinical samples. This research examined the psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS), a 45-hem measure of self-oriented, other-oriented, and socially prescribed perfectionism. Study 1 provided normative data for various patient groups and demonstrated the stability of the MPS subscales in psychiatric patients. Study 2 showed that the MPS subscales have adequate concurrent validity, are not influenced by response biases, and that the items require a Grade 6-7 reading level. Overall, the MPS appears to be a useful measure for individuals with various clinical disorders.
Evidence that patients with single versus recurrent depressive episodes are differentially sensitive to treatment discontinuation: a meta-analysis of placebo-controlled randomized trials.

BACKGROUND Antidepressants are effective in the prevention of relapse after remission from an acute depressive episode. It is unclear, however, to what degree duration of the continuation phase, level of abruptness of antidepressant discontinuation, or the number of previous episodes moderate the prophylactic effect of antidepressants. DATA SOURCES Searches were conducted to identify all published randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trials available for review by May 2007 on the efficacy of continuation or maintenance treatment of major depressive disorder with either selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) that included patients entering a maintenance phase after achieving remission from the acute phase. The MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched using the terms depression, antidepressants, discontinuation, and maintenance treatment; this was followed by reference checks of articles thus identified. In addition, the Cochrane Library was also searched using the same terms. Some authors of the identified papers were contacted for specific data. DATA SYNTHESIS Data were collected from 30 trials with 4890 participating patients. The overall reduction of relapse risk in the maintenance phase was highly significant for both SSRIs (OR = 0.24, 95% CI = 0.20 to 0.29) and TCAs (OR = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.23 to 0.38) over 1 year of follow-up of maintenance treatment. The prophylactic effect appeared to be constant over the length of the continuation phase. Recurrent episode patients experienced less protection from antidepressants over the maintenance phase (OR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.31 to 0.44) than single episode patients (OR = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.06 to 0.26). CONCLUSIONS Antidepressants robustly reduce relapse risk in the maintenance phase, regardless of a number of clinical and pharmacologic factors. There is evidence, however, that with increasing number of episodes, patients develop a relative resistance against the prophylactic properties of antidepressant medication.
Non-Recourse Mortgage Law and Housing Speculation

In a state with non-recourse mortgage law, borrowers have limited liability on their mortgage loan. Examining price discontinuities at state borders, we show that non-recourse law causes larger swings in housing prices by encouraging speculative investments when housing markets are in a boom cycle. Non-recourse states experience 3 percentage points higher annual growth during the boom period and 3 percentage points steeper annual drop in housing price during the recession. We find that the emergence of the originate-to-distribute (OTD) model in the housing markets enables lenders to effectively shift the risks to other investors, mortgage lending pricing does not fully reflect the higher risk in non-recourse state.
Flowering, Shoot Production, and Vole Bark Herbivory in a Boreal Willow.

Different intensities of vole bark herbivory were simulated on the boreal willow Salix myrsinifolia-phylicifolia in field experiments, and plant responses were followed during 4 yr. Intermediate damage (every second stem barked) resulted the 1st yr in a fourfold increase in the production of basal shoots per individual, and in the following years, a twofold increase in the number of catkins per intact stem compared with control willows. However, 1 yr after damage, the average number of seeds per individual was 21% lower than in control willows and seed germination was reduced 40%. Severe damage (all stems barked) caused a nearly 10-fold increase in the production of basal shoots the 1st yr and a reduction and delay of sexual reproduction. Mortality of damaged stems was high (100%), while genet mortality was < 5% in the group in which all stems were barked. Flowering in female willows was reduced more than in male willows, and males produced catkins on younger basal shoots than females. We suggest that in this system, where the principal herbivore fluctuates between years, compensatory reactions by damaged plants might be of particular benefit, as the period of growth following damage is more or less free from herbivores.
Defining success of African immigrant-owned small businesses in Cape Town, South Africa

Taking Cape Town, South Africa as a case, this paper seeks to investigate the factors that define the success of small businesses owned by African immigrants. The paper reviews literature on immigrant entrepreneurs, immigrant-owned ventures and social capital. A random sample of available immigrant small businesses owners was taken where semi-structured interviews were conducted, as well as the use of self-administered questionnaires. Secondary data (literature review) have unveiled that social networks are vital in the formation and growth stages of an immigrant-owned business, as networks provide the necessary support. Ultimately, social networks supplement the survival chances of an immigrant-owned venture. Furthermore, primary data (empirical results) have revealed that most of the businesses are mainly run by males, while longevity and employment creation are defining factors of success to African immigrant-owned small businesses in Cape Town. Following the empirical findings and their analysis, recommendations have been formulated.
Increased incidence of testicular cancer in men presenting with infertility and abnormal semen analysis.

PURPOSE We determined the standardized incidence ratio of testicular cancer in infertile men presenting with an abnormal semen analysis compared to the general population. MATERIALS AND METHODS The charts from more than 3,800 men presenting with infertility and abnormal semen analysis during a 10-year period were retrospectively reviewed. The incidence of testicular tumors diagnosed in this group was compared to that of race and age matched controls during the same period from the general population (as reported by the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results [SEER] database). RESULTS Of 3,847 men 10 (0.3%) with infertility and abnormal semen analysis were diagnosed with testicular tumors. Mean patient age was 32.6 years (range 25 to 52) and all 10 men were diagnosed with a seminomatous germ cell tumor. Two men had a history of cryptorchidism while the remaining 8 had no identifiable risk factors for testicular cancer. The SEER database reported an incidence of 10.6 cases of testicular cancer (95% CI 10.3-10.8) per 100,000 men of similar age group and racial composition during the same period. The standardized incidence ratio of testicular cancer was 22.9 (95% CI 22.4-23.5) when comparing our infertile group to the control population. Exclusion from analysis of the 2 patients with a history of cryptorchidism decreased the standardized incidence ratio to 18.3 (95% CI 18.0-18.8). CONCLUSIONS Infertile men with abnormal semen analyses have a 20-fold greater incidence of testicular cancer compared to the general population. Patients and physicians should be aware that one of the causes of infertility could be cancer, particularly testicular cancer.
“‘Organics’ are good, but we don’t know exactly what the term means!” Trust and Knowledge in Organic Consumption

This article explores consumer trust in organics and investigates the relationship between credibility, trust, and knowledge in a mixed-method study incorporating a survey, a focus group, and individual interviews. Danish consumers show a high level of systemic trust in the organic label, which can be trumped by personal trust. Consumers wanting to know more about organics are mainly those who already know a lot, while others show a deliberate lack of knowledge. Furthermore, it is argued that knowledge does not lead to trust—trust replaces knowledge, and consumers largely seek confirmation of their views when they have already made up their minds about organics.
Melanocytic nevi with spitz differentiation: Diagnosis and management

Melanocytic proliferations with Spitz differentiation present a difficult clinicopathologic dilemma, as their spectrum ranges from benign to malignant. Distinct entities include Spitz nevus, atypical Spitz nevus, and Spitzoid melanoma. Their histopathologic differentiation can be challenging, and cases of Spitzoid melanoma initially diagnosed as benign Spitz nevi are reported in the literature. The goal of this article is to discuss the diagnostic tools (including comparative genomic hybridization), which may be helpful in differentiating benign Spitz nevi from malignant melanoma with Spitzoid features, and to propose an appropriate management strategy for each entity.
Efficient Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) Modification of Membrane Proteins Requires a C-terminal Anchoring Signal of Marginal Hydrophobicity*

Background: Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor addition occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Results: Efficient GPI signals have marginal hydrophobicity, intermediate between transmembrane helices and secreted proteins. Conclusion: Proteins released into the ER lumen and those retained in the ER membrane are both bona fide substrates of the GPI anchoring reaction. Significance: The results resolve a long-standing issue regarding the processing of GPI signals. Many plasma membrane proteins are anchored to the membrane via a C-terminal glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) moiety. The GPI anchor is attached to the protein in the endoplasmic reticulum by transamidation, a reaction in which a C-terminal GPI-attachment signal is cleaved off concomitantly with addition of the GPI moiety. GPI-attachment signals are poorly conserved on the sequence level but are all composed of a polar segment that includes the GPI-attachment site followed by a hydrophobic segment located at the very C terminus of the protein. Here, we show that efficient GPI modification requires that the hydrophobicity of the C-terminal segment is “marginal”: less hydrophobic than type II transmembrane anchors and more hydrophobic than the most hydrophobic segments found in secreted proteins. We further show that the GPI-attachment signal can be modified by the transamidase irrespective of whether it is first released into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum or is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane.
Resource Management in Large-scale Systems

The focus of this thesis is resource management in large-scale systems. Our primary concerns are energy management and practical principles for self-organization and self-management. The main contributions of our work are: 1. Models. We proposed several models for different aspects of resource management, e.g., energy-aware load balancing and application scaling for the cloud ecosystem, hierarchical architecture model for self-organizing and self-manageable systems and a new cloud delivery model based on auction-driven self-organization approach. 2. Algorithms. We also proposed several different algorithms for the models described above. Algorithms such as coalition formation, combinatorial auctions and clustering algorithm for scale-free organizations of scale-free networks. 3. Evaluation. Eventually we conducted different evaluations for the proposed models and algorithms in order to verify them. All the simulations reported in this thesis had been carried out on different instances and services of Amazon Web Services (AWS). All of these modules will be discussed in detail in the following chapters respectively.
Point:Counterpoint: The parafacial respiratory group (pFRG)/pre-Botzinger complex (preBotC) is the primary site of respiratory rhythm generation in the mammal. Counterpoint: the preBötC is the primary site of respiratory rhythm generation in the mammal.

This series of debates was initiated for the Journal of Applied Physiology because we believe an important means of searching for truth is through debate where contradictory viewpoints are put forward. This dialectic process whereby a thesis is advanced, then opposed by an antithesis, with a synthesis subsequently arrived at, is a powerful and often entertaining method for gaining knowledge and for understanding the source of a controversy. Before reading these Point:Counterpoint manuscripts or preparing a brief commentary on the content, the reader should understand that authors on each side of the debate are expected to advance a polarized viewpoint and to select the most convincing data to support their position. This approach differs markedly from the review article where the reader expects the author to present balanced coverage of the topic. Each of the authors has been strictly limited in the lengths of both the manuscript (1,200 words) and the rebuttal (400). The number of references to publications is also limited to 30, and citation of unpublished findings is prohibited.
A new Nawaz–Enscore–Ham-based heuristic for permutation flow-shop problems with bicriteria of makespan and machine idle time

A new heuristic based on the Nawaz–Enscore–Ham algorithm is proposed in this article for solving a permutation flow-shop scheduling problem. A new priority rule is proposed by accounting for the average, mean absolute deviation, skewness and kurtosis, in order to fully describe the distribution style of processing times. A new tie-breaking rule is also introduced for achieving effective job insertion with the objective of minimizing both makespan and machine idle time. Statistical tests illustrate better solution quality of the proposed algorithm compared to existing benchmark heuristics.
Isolation and Characterization of a Generalized Transducing Phage for Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strains PAO1 and PA14

ABSTRACT A temperate, type IV pilus-dependent, double-stranded DNA bacteriophage named DMS3 was isolated from a clinical strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A clear-plaque variant of this bacteriophage was isolated. DMS3 is capable of mediating generalized transduction within and between P. aeruginosa strains PA14 and PAO1, thus providing a useful tool for the genetic analysis of P. aeruginosa.
Price Clustering and Round Number Effects - Evidence from the German Market

Price clustering was found to be a major artifact of securities trading over many decades. In the literature several conjectures about the origin of these effects have been put forward. However, most explanations are not applicable anymore since today a great share of the trading activity is due to automated trading systems which are assumed to be unaffected by any number bias. I analyze round number effects in the German market and thereby contribute to existing literature by showing that round number effects are also present in the Germany, but exhibit local stylized facts. Further, new determinants of round number effects are identified. In accordance with increasing algorithmic trading activities the strength of effects is decreasing over the observation period. On the other hand, an analysis of retail investor trading reveals that the magnitude of human round number biases remains stable over time and is mainly induced by the usage of limit orders.
Cyber attacks on AC state estimation: Unobservability and physical consequences

An algorithm is developed to construct unobservable attacks for an AC state estimator (SE). It is shown that unobservability of the attack, in the absence of noise, is guaranteed when the attacker exploits its local network knowledge to perform AC SE locally than the simpler DC SE often assumed in the literature. Finally, the consequences of such an unobservable attack are highlighted via a scenario in which the physical system is changed due to false data injection.
The higher you go the less you will know: placing camera traps high to avoid theft will affect detection

Vandalism and theft of camera traps is common, imposing financial and data losses on wildlife professionals. Like many ‘victims’, our response to a spate of thefts was to attempt to install camera traps at heights we suspected would reduce detection and interference by vandals. We sought to determine if placing camera traps above humans’ eye line, to reduce the likelihood of detection and theft by vandals, would compromise predator detection in road‐based surveys. Our efforts to resolve this problem led us to discover the importance of placing camera traps at a height commensurate with the height of the animals being studied. Monitoring stations comprised of two camera traps, one at 0.9 m and another at 3 m above ground level, were established at regular intervals along trails during two survey periods. We also conducted a pilot trial to compare vertical (facing downwards) to horizontal (facing across) orientation of camera traps to detect medium‐sized mammals. We compared images recorded by the pairs of camera to consider whether height made a significant difference to detections of predators. We found that cameras placed 3 m high and those facing downwards reduced the detection rate of all species compared to those at 0.9 m, so placing camera traps higher than normal significantly compromised our survey data. It is important to note that such data loss would not necessarily be apparent without a robust comparison between deployment strategies. Saving camera traps but concurrently sacrificing data quality is unlikely to be an acceptable outcome for many wildlife professionals. This study reports that placing camera traps too high will reduce the detection of animals and compromise the quality of the survey data.
Strengths model case management fidelity scores and client outcomes.

OBJECTIVE The study examined the relationship between fidelity of strengths model case management (SMCM) and client outcomes of psychiatric hospitalization, competitive employment, postsecondary education, and independent living. METHODS Data were collected over an 18-month period during regularly scheduled fidelity reviews for 14 case management teams representing ten agencies serving an average of 953 clients diagnosed as having a serious mental illness. Time-varying covariate linear growth modeling examined the relationship between fidelity scores and client outcomes. RESULTS A statistically significant association was found between fidelity scores and psychiatric hospitalization, competitive employment, and postsecondary education. CONCLUSIONS The study results offer promising evidence that higher SMCM fidelity has a positive effect on clients over an 18-month period, thereby providing an effective complement to current mental health treatment.