Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The quality of board decision making processes in Higher Education institutions: UK and European experiences

We investigated governance practices in higher education institutions (HEIs) in the UK and in selected EU countries, with a focus on the quality of strategic decision-making processes at the level of governing boards against a context of increasing challenges, uncertainties and expectations facing the UK HEI sector.1 The report examines factors affecting the quality of decision-making. Specifically, we investigated awareness of the impact of heuristics (mental shortcuts that act as decision aids) and cognitive biases on judgement, and whether boards regularly adopt active processes to mitigate bias in reviewing or approving plans set out by university management. Documented in the report are significant differences, commonalities and nuances in approaches by governing boards. Interviews with board members, observations of board meetings and a review of documentation (eg council effectiveness reviews) reveal wide diversity in decision-making and risk management approaches, varying opportunities for board members to review information critical to their decision-making, low levels of awareness of heuristics and biases, and a general absence of systematic implementation of bias mitigation procedures. Comparisons of governing board experiences between UK and selected EU countries (Italy, Netherlands and Cyprus) highlight the existence of a formal and informal moderation of strategic decisions in the latter countries. This arises either from an internal form of democratic governance (senate or similar academic board) or more directly from the state (eg ministerial authority). This sharply contrasts with the mainstream form of managerialism in the UK context which emphasises dominant control by the top management team (led by the vice-chancellor) and the governing board chairperson in the decision-making process. After reviewing all interviews and board observations, we conclude that instances of reflection on ways to arrive at better decisions, constructive reflections on past outcomes (especially poor ones), and awareness of the need for bias mitigation procedures appear haphazard and isolated in nature, and almost accidental. There is a void of evidence on the existence of a consistent, systematic, or deliberate use of processes and procedures to systematically mitigate cognitive bias. Little evidence was provided of an awareness of heuristics in human judgement and the likely presence of bias in everyday decision making, either at individual or at group level. There was also little evidence of a desire or intention to systematically learn from past mistakes or that past mistakes represent significant learning opportunities.
Decreased expression of elastin, fibulin‐5 and lysyl oxidase‐like 1 in the uterosacral ligaments of postmenopausal women with pelvic organ prolapse

Aim: Pelvic organ prolapse is associated with defects in connective tissues, including elastic fibers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of fibulin‐5 and lysyl oxidase‐like 1 (LOXL1), which play an essential role in the synthesis and assembly of elastic fibers, in the uterosacral ligaments of women with advanced pelvic organ prolapse (POP) compared with controls.
Dual regulation of cation‐selective channels by muscarinic and alpha 1‐adrenergic receptors in the rabbit portal vein.

1. The excitatory actions of phenylephrine (Phe) and acetylcholine (ACh) on the smooth muscle of rabbit portal vein were investigated and compared by using whole‐cell and single channel configurations of the patch clamp technique, in combination with a modified concentration jump method. 2. At negative holding potentials with KCl (0.1 mM EGTA) electrodes, rapid applications of Phe (> 1 microM) and ACh (> 10 microM) both resulted in biphasic responses consisting of fast outward or inward currents and a long‐lasting inward current with an increased noise level. 3. The slow inward current was still recorded when the cell was dialysed with caesium aspartate solution complemented with 10 mM EGTA, in order to eliminate contributions of calcium‐dependent conductances (K+ and Cl‐ currents). Phe was more potent at activating the current than ACh. Ion replacement experiments revealed that both the Phe‐ and ACh‐induced slow inward currents are cation‐selective conductances (CS currents). 4. The I‐V relationships of the Phe‐ or ACh‐induced CS currents were similar both for the instantaneous peak and the steady state. The tail current analysis over a wide range of membrane potentials (‐150 to +100 mV) showed that depolarizations to very positive potentials (> +50 mV) from near the resting membrane potential (‐40 mV) can produce a several‐fold increase in the steady‐state activation of the CS currents, but the maximal activations were in most cases not observed even at +100 mV. 5. Externally applied Cd2+ produced a quick and reversible inhibition of both the Phe‐ and ACh‐induced CS currents. This inhibition seemed almost voltage independent and the concentrations of half‐inhibition were 100 and 129 microM for Phe and ACh, respectively. 6. Single channel activities were recorded in the presence of Phe or ACh using the outside‐out membrane patches. The unitary conductances and reversal potentials of the Phe‐ and ACh‐activated channels were 23 pS, +5.2 mV and 25 pS, +4.1 mV, respectively, and the open lifetimes evaluated for 50 microM Phe and 500 microM ACh were of similar order (the longer open times at ‐60 mV for Phe and ACh were 4.3 and 4.4 ms, respectively). In addition, the relative open probability (Po,rel) was no more than 0.2 in the voltage range of ‐100 to ‐30 mV for both 50 microM Phe and 500 microM ACh, suggesting low open probabilities of the Phe‐ and ACh‐activated CS channels near the resting membrane potential. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
An exposition to information percolation for the Ising model

Information percolation is a new method for analyzing stochastic spin systems through classifying and controlling the clusters of information-flow in the space-time slab. It yielded sharp mixing estimates (cutoff with an $O(1)$-window) for the Ising model on $Z^d$ up to the critical temperature, as well as results on the effect of initial conditions on mixing. In this expository note we demonstrate the method on lattices (more generally, on any locally-finite transitive graph) at very high temperatures.
New Sinularianin Sesquiterpenes from Soft Coral Sinularia sp.

Four new sesquiterpenes, sinularianins C–F (3–6), together with known sinularianins A (1) and B (2) were identified from a South China Sea soft coral Sinularia sp. Compounds 1–6 were evaluated for inhibition of NF-κB activation using the cell-based HEK293 NF-κB luciferase reporter gene assay. Compounds 1 and 4 were exhibited a potent effect with inhibitory rates of 41.3% and 43.0% at the concentration of 10 µg/mL, respectively.
Yes–no Answers versus Check-all in Self-Administered Modes: A Systematic Review and Analyses

When writing questions with dichotomous response options, those administering surveys on the web or on paper can choose from a variety of formats, including a check-all-that-apply or a forced-choice format (e.g. yes-no) in self-administered questionnaires. These two formats have been compared and evaluated in many experimental studies. In this paper, we conduct a systematic review and a few meta-analyses of different aspects of the available research that compares these two formats. We find that endorsement levels increase by a factor of 1.42 when questions are posed in a forced-choice rather than check-all format. However, when comparing across a battery of questions, the rank order of endorsement rates remains the same for both formats. While most authors hypothesise that respondents endorse more alternatives presented in a forced-choice (versus check-all-that-apply) format because they process that format at a deeper cognitive level, we introduce the acquiescence bias hypothesis as an alternative and complementary explanation. Further research is required to identify which format elicits answers closer to the ‘true level’ of endorsement, since the few validation studies have proved inconclusive.
Fast folding of a ribozyme by stabilizing core interactions: evidence for multiple folding pathways in RNA.

Folding of the Tetrahymena ribozyme under physiological conditions in vitro is limited by slow conversion of long-lived intermediates to the active structure. These intermediates arise because the most stable domain of the ribozyme folds 10-50 times more rapidly than the core region containing helix P3. Native gel electrophoresis and time-resolved X-ray-dependent hydroxyl radical cleavage revealed that mutations that weaken peripheral interactions between domains accelerated folding fivefold, while a point mutation that stabilizes P3 enabled 80 % of the mutant RNA to reach the native conformation within 30 seconds at 22 degrees C. The P3 mutation increased the folding rate of the catalytic core as much as 50-fold, so that both domains of the ribozyme were formed at approximately the same rate. The results show that the ribozyme folds rapidly without significantly populating metastable intermediates when native interactions in the ribozyme core are stabilized relative to peripheral structural elements.
Loop recorders for syncope evaluation: what is the evidence?

ABSTRACT Introduction: Implantable loop recorders (ILRs) have become an important pillar in the diagnostic work-up of patients with unexplained syncope. Areas covered: The modern ILR is minimally-invasive and provides an extended-duration of monitoring with high diagnostic yield. These insertable cardiac monitors (ICMs) enable prolonged monitoring that extends the opportunity for symptom-rhythm correlation from days-weeks to years, with associated incremental diagnostic yield. Over the years, observational studies and randomized trials have supported a unique role for ILRs in the assessment of recurrent or high-risk unexplained syncope. Furthermore, ILRs have been used in the elderly, in children, patients with overt heart disease, and patients with conduction block with varying success. The current guidelines recommend ILRs in the early phase of evaluation in recurrent syncope, and as part of the comprehensive evaluation of high-risk patients with syncope. Expert commentary: In this review, we discuss the evidence surrounding ILRs, including comparison studies with ‘conventional’ management and the external loop recorder.
Chapter Three Effects of Resistance-Breaking ( RB ) Field Isolates of Soybean mosaic virus on Resistant and Susceptible Soybeans

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV; Genus Potyvirus; Family Potyviridae), one of the most widespread viruses in soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr), can be effectively managed by deployment of resistance. Hutcheson, one SMV-resistant cultivar, is widely used in the MidSouth region and carries an Rsv1 allele for resistance to SMV pathotypes G1-G3, the common strains in US soybean fields. Recently, resistance-breaking (RB) isolates of SMV have been detected in soybean cultivar Hutcheson in natural infections. Seven RB isolates of SMV from Virginia were inoculated on susceptible and resistant soybeans in the field in 2002-2003. The RB isolates induced severe foliar symptoms on Hutcheson and induced seed coat mottling. Hutcheson and herbicide-tolerant Hutcheson RR cultivars reacted similarly and herbicide spray had no effect on the plant-virus interactions. RB isolates did not break the resistance of the Essex-Rsv1 or Essex-Rsv4 and did not affect their field performance. Hutcheson and Hutcheson RR dually inoculated with RB isolates of SMV and Bean pod mottle virus (BPMV) showed an increase in severity of symptoms, including plant stunting. SMV accumulation increased in the dually inoculated plants. BPMV titer increased in the dual inoculations with one of the RB isolates of SMV. The results would be catastrophic if Hutcheson is infected with both viruses in the field, a definite threat with the emergence of the RB isolates of SMV and the increased spread of BPMV in soybean-growing areas.
Trend of some Tuberculosis Indices in Iran during 25 yr Period (1990-2014)

Background: Investigation of tuberculosis (TB)-specific indices including prevalence of TB, mortality of TB cases excluding HIV, HIV/TB mortality, incidence of TB (all forms), HIV/TB incidence as well as case detection and related trends is a crucial step in evaluation of program performance and strategies success. Besides, estimating the number and time of change points for TB incidence can help to detect effective factors in TB control. Therefore, the current study aimed to determine the trend of aforementioned indices in Iran during a 25 yr period (1990 to 2014). Methods: Data on trend of TB in Iran was extracted from WHO regional office reports during 1990-2014. For determining the trend of TB indices, Annual Percent Changes (APC) and Average Annual Percent Changes (AAPC) was estimated using segmented regression model. Results: AAPC (95% CI) for HIV/TB mortality and HIV/TB incidence were 11.5 (9.3, 13.6) and 14.8 (13.6, 16.1), respectively, which are sign of increasing trend during the period (P<0.05). Other indices showed significantly decreasing trend (P<0.05), except for case detection rate (P=0.803). Conclusions: The incidence, prevalence, and death rates of TB had shown a decreasing trend in general population, regarded as a useful indicator of achievements of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and effectiveness of interventional programs. Increasing trend of incidence and mortality of TB in HIV infected patients, needs conducting more intervention strategies in health care programs.
Cloning and Characterization of HB2, a Candidate High Density Lipoprotein Receptor

The protection against coronary artery disease attributed to high density lipoprotein (HDL) may be associated with several functions, including its central role in reverse cholesterol transport, possible antioxidant and antithrombotic properties and others not yet identified which may depend on specific interactions between HDL and cell receptors. Several HDL-binding proteins have been identified including two candidate liver HDL receptors, HB1 and HB2 recently purified in this laboratory. We now report the cloning, sequencing, and some properties of HB2, the most abundant of the pair. It shows significant homology with the adhesion molecules ALCAM and BEN of the immunoglobulin superfamily and the cDNA, when transfected into HepG2 or COS cells, caused specific HDL3 binding to increase by 80–100%. Further, ligand blotting of glycoproteins isolated from phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-treated THP-1 cells or from transfected HepG2 and Chinese hamster ovary cells also provided evidence of increased binding of HDL3 to HB2. Differentiation of THP-1 cells into macrophages resulted in a striking increase in HB2 mRNA which was attenuated if cells were cholesterol-loaded by incubation with acetylated low density lipoprotein. If the interaction between HDL and HB2 reduces the adhesion-induced inflammatory cellular events that characterize arterial wall injury, thereby achieving the protection associated with higher plasma levels of HDL, these findings may provide a clue to one mitigating effect of HDL in heart disease.
The role of mycobacterial cell wall nucleic acid complex in the treatment of bacillus Calmette–Guérin failures for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer

Introduction: The treatment of high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) utilizes transurethral resection followed by adjuvant intravesical immunotherapy or chemotherapy. Intravesical bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) is the mainstay of adjuvant immunotherapy, but there are limited nonsurgical options for patients that fail this treatment. Mycobacterial cell wall nucleic acid complex (MCNA) is an immunotherapeutic agent utilized primarily after failure of intravesical BCG. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the published literature regarding MCNA. Methods: A literature review was performed and identified studies indexed in MEDLINE® related to utilization of MCNA for patients with NMIBC. Results: Two trials assessed the efficacy of MCNA in patients with NMIBC, comprising a total of 184 patients. Most patients had carcinoma in situ (CIS) with (26%) or without (52%) concomitant papillary tumors. A minority of patients had only papillary tumors (22%). Most patients (95%) previously received BCG or other intravesical therapy prior to receiving MCNA. In the largest available trial, 25% and 19% of patients had no evidence of residual cancer in 1 and 2 years following initiation of MCNA. A total of 2.3% of patients had adverse events (AEs) leading to delay or discontinuation of therapy and 66% of patients had mild drug-related AEs. Conclusion: Based on analysis of available published data, MCNA offers a durable response for a small proportion of patients that have failed prior intravesical therapy. There still exists a large unmet need for nonsurgical treatment options for patients with NMIBC who have failed adjuvant intravesical therapies.
Enviromental Dynamics Analysis and Dynamic Capabilities of Enterprises Competitiveness; Case Study of the Manufacturing Industry in South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstrac: This study aims to examine the influence of environmental dynamics and dynamic capabilities to the competitiveness of enterprises through competitive strategy and operational strategy. The study was conducted in the manufacturing industry in South Sulawesi, the respondent was the director or manager of a company that is believed to understand the company's strategy formulation and implementation. Samples were taken 151 of 275 manufacturing companies in South Sulawesi, data collected directly from respondents using research instruments. Statistical analysis was used to test the hypothesis is the model equation structural equation model (SEM). The results showed that the dynamics of the environment and the dynamic capabilities contribute to the competitiveness of the company, either directly or through an intervening variable competitive strategy and operational strategy. Environmental dynamics and dynamic capabilities affect competitive strategy. Interesting results of this study is that the dynamics of the environment does not significantly influence the selection of a manufacturing company's operational strategy. keywords: dynamic environment, dynamic capabilities, competitiveness.
Splenic T-lymphocyte functions during early syphilitic infection are complex

Immune regulation during syphilitic infection is extremely complex. This paper presents findings on the early events of T-cell activation following testicular infection in rabbits. Treponema pallidum was preincubated for 24 h with nonadherent spleen cells. After being washed to remove the organisms, these spleen cells were either stimulated with concanavalin A (ConA) to induce interleukin-2 (IL-2), or added to adherent cells that were then stimulated with lipopolysaccharide to induce IL-1. Preincubation with the treponemes up-regulated nonadherent cell functions. These sensitized cells increased their IL-2 production and augmented macrophage IL-1 synthesis. In sharp contrast, if this preincubation step was omitted, down-regulation was apparent. When T. pallidum was directly incubated with nonadherent cells in the presence of ConA, reduced levels of IL-2 were detected. Nonadherent cells from infected rabbits secreted soluble suppressive factors after 48 h of in vitro incubation; these factors inhibited ConA-induced IL-2 generation as well as ConA-induced lymphocyte proliferation. At least some of this suppressive activity was attributed to transforming growth factor. In addition, when T lymphocytes were depleted, less suppression was detected. Treponemes also inhibited ConA-induced T-cell proliferation, and monophosphoryl lipid A reversed this inhibitory effect. Since monophosphoryl lipid A neutralizes T-suppressor activity, these findings further suggest a role for T-suppressor activity during syphilitic infection. Finally, T. pallidum directly stimulated IL-2 synthesis when coincubated with phorbol myristate acetate. This agent reverses the prostaglandin E2 blockage of T-helper cell protein kinase C, a necessary second messenger signal for IL-2 synthesis. In summary, T-cell functions are extremely complex and represent a composite of both stimulation and down-regulation, which occur concurrently but to different degrees.
Customer Care, Customer Satisfaction, Value, Loyalty and Complaining Behavior: Validation in a UK University Setting

This paper examines the importance of customer care in a UK university setting. It is argued following the analysis of an exploratory survey instrument that customer care consists of two main components, 1. a level of perceived care commitment, and 2. the behaviors manifested by this commitment. On the assumption that staff and student loyalty is linked to the financial strength of the university. the relationship between a number of conceptually Linked variables, for example, customer care, customer satisfaction, perceived value, loyalty and complaining behavior is also examined. Correlation analysis of the presented conceptual model reveals significant positive associations between customer care and the above variables. Perhaps the most revealing finding following structural analysis , pertains to the evidence of a strong and significant positive path coefficient between care commitment and complaining behavior. This finding is important in that it suggests a need for education institutions to view with greater importance both staff and students (potential complainers) in a broader strategic success framework. A complete review of the conceptual model, findings, implications for education managers and future research suggestions are presented .
Early neuromeric distribution of tyrosine‐hydroxylase‐immunoreactive neurons in human embryos

A segmental mapping of brain tyrosine‐hydroxylase‐immunoreactive (TH‐IR) neurons in human embryos between 4.5 and 6 weeks of gestation locates with novel precision the dorsoventral and anteroposterior topography of the catecholamine‐synthetizing primordia relative to neuromeric units. The data support the following conclusions. (1) All transverse sectors of the brain (prosomeres in the forebrain, midbrain, rhombomeres in the hindbrain, spinal cord) produce TH‐IR neuronal populations. (2) Each segment shows peculiarities in its contribution to the catecholamine system, but there are some overall regularities, which reflect that some TH‐IR populations develop similarly in different segments. (3) Dorsoventral topology of the TH‐IR neurons indicates that at least four separate longitudinal zones (in the floor and basal plates and twice in the alar plate) found across most segments are capable of producing the TH‐IR phenotype. (4) Basal plate TH‐IR neurons tend to migrate intrasegmentally to a ventrolateral superficial position, although some remain periventricular; those in the brainstem are related to motoneurons of the oculomotor and branchiomotor nuclei. (5) Some alar TH‐IR populations migrate superficially within the segmental boundaries. (6) Most catecholaminergic anatomical entities are formed as fusions of smaller segmental components, each of which show similar histogenetic patterns. A nomenclature is proposed that partly adheres to previous terminology but introduces the distinction of embryologically different cell populations and unifies longitudinally analogous entities. Such a model, as presented in the present study, is convenient for resolving problems of homology of the catecholamine system across the diversity of vertebrate forms. J. Comp. Neurol. 394:283–308, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.