Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Two competing orientation patterns explain experimentally observed anomalies in growing actin networks

The lamellipodium of migrating animal cells protrudes by directed polymerization of a branched actin network. The underlying mechanisms of filament growth, branching, and capping can be studied in in vitro assays. However, conflicting results have been reported for the force–velocity relation of such actin networks, namely both convex and concave shapes as well as history dependencies. Here we model branching as a reaction that is independent of the number of existing filaments, in contrast to capping, which is assumed to be proportional to the number of existing filaments. Using both stochastic network simulations and deterministic rate equations, we show that such a description naturally leads to the stability of two qualitatively different stationary states of the system, namely a ± 35° and a +70/0/-70° orientation pattern. Changes in network growth velocity induce a transition between these two patterns. For sufficiently different protrusion efficiency of the two network architectures, this leads to hysteresis in the growth velocity of actin networks under force. Dependent on the history of the system, convex and concave regimes are obtained for the force–velocity relation. Thus a simple generic model can explain the experimentally observed anomalies, with far reaching consequences for cell migration.
Influence of Lipoteichoic Acid d-Alanylation on Protein Secretion in Lactococcus lactis as Revealed by Random Mutagenesis

ABSTRACT Lactococcus lactis, a food-grade nonpathogenic lactic acid bacterium, is a good candidate for the production of heterologous proteins of therapeutic interest. We examined host factors that affect secretion of heterologous proteins in L. lactis. Random insertional mutagenesis was performed with L. lactis strain MG1363 carrying a staphylococcal nuclease (Nuc) reporter cassette in its chromosome. This cassette encodes a fusion protein between the signal peptide of the Usp45 lactococcal protein and the mature moiety of a truncated form of Nuc (NucT). The Nuc secretion efficiency (secreted NucT versus total NucT) from this construct is low in L. lactis (∼40%). Twenty mutants affected in NucT production and/or in secretion capacity were selected and identified. In these mutants, several independent insertions mapped in the dltA gene (involved in d-alanine transfer in lipoteichoic acids) and resulted in a NucT secretion defect. Characterization of the dltA mutant phenotype with respect to NucT secretion revealed that it is involved in a late secretion stage by causing mature NucT entrapment at the cell surface.
The Domestic Credit Supply Response to International Bank Deleveraging: Is Asia Different?

During the global financial crisis, European banks contracted foreign claims on recipient economies sharply. This paper examines the impact of that deleveraging on credit supply in recipient economies, with a particular focus on Asia. Identification is achieved by exploiting heterogeneity in ex-ante patterns of funding reliance on different European banking systems, and in variation in the ratio of local claims in local currency to total foreign claims in recipient economies. These sources of variation are used to create instruments for the deleveraging shock. We find that the contraction in European bank foreign claims was associated with a substantial reduction in domestic credit supply in a broad sample of countries. However, the credit supply response in Asia was only about half the size of the response in non-Asian countries, possibly due to a more robust policy response and healthier local bank balance sheets at the outset of the crisis.
Non-academic service quality: comparative analysis of students and faculty as users

The research focus was a non-academic service quality assessment within higher education. In particular, non-academic service quality perceptions of faculty and students were evaluated using a service profit chain. This enabled a comparison which helped understanding of non-academic service quality orientation from a key users' perspective. Data were collected using a self-completion questionnaire that was posted on Survey Monkey. A four point Likert scale without a mid-point was used to record respondent perceptions. In total 296 usable questionnaires (192 from students and 104 from faculty) were collected, representing a response rate of 17 percent. Key results indicated that on the whole service users (both faculty and students) were satisfied with non-academic services and this had a positive impact on their loyalty. However, in the case of students, there was a disconnect between loyalty and its ‘productive’ propagation to the external environment.
Stress in A SL: Empirical Evidence and Linguistic I ssues

The study of signed languages provides an opportunity to identify those characteristics of language that are universal and to investigate the effect of production modality (signed vs. spoken) on the grammar. Over time, American Sign Language (ASL) has accommodated itself to the production and perception requirements of the manual/visual modality, resulting in a prosodic system that is comparable in function to spoken languages but different in means of expression. The present focus is on phrasal prominence in ASL. I review the marking of stress and phrase boundaries in ASL, and discuss prominence assignment at the phrasal level, with brief mention of lexical stress. At the kinematic level, there is a modality effect in marking of linguistic prominence but no modality effect with respect to marking phrase position. Of significance is the fact that ASL lacks phrasal prominence plasticity, that is the ability to move prominence to mark focus in a sentence location other than phrase final. I review the typological implications of how ASL handles prominence as compared to other languages.
Pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution and metabolism of acriflavine and proflavine in the channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus).

1. The disposition of proflavine (PRO) and acriflavine (ACR) were examined in channel catfish after intravascular (i.v.) dosing (1 mg/kg) or waterborne exposure (10 mg/l for 4 h). 2. After i.v. dosing, plasma concentration-time profiles of parent PRO and ACR were best described by two- and three-compartment pharmacokinetic models respectively. Terminal elimination half-lives of PRO and ACR in plasma were 8.7 and 11.4 h respectively. 3. In animals dosed with 14C-PRO or 14C-ACR, total drug equivalent concentrations were highest in the excretory organs and lowest in muscle, fat and plasma. In PRO-dosed animals, residues in the liver and trunk kidney were composed primarily of glucuronosyl and acetyl conjugates of PRO; residues in muscle were composed mostly (> 95%) of the parent drug. In ACR-dosed animals, the parent compound comprised > 90% of the total residues in all tissues examined. 4. PRO and ACR were poorly absorbed in catfish during waterborne exposure. At the end of a 4-h exposure, parent PRO and ACR concentrations in muscle were 0.064 and 0.020 microgram/g respectively. Levels in muscle declined below the limit of determination (0.005 microgram/g) within 1-2 weeks.
The Bright Side of Asymmetric Benchmarking: Evidence from Top Management Team Pay

CEOs and top management team members have incentives to influence their own pay. Asymmetric benchmarking of pay for CEOs has been linked to the CEO's control over the pay-setting process in previous research. This paper examines whether asymmetric benchmarking of pay exists for top management team members. The presence of asymmetric benchmarking of pay could on one hand suggest that managers are involved in skimming and on the other hand it could mean that firms insulate managers to prevent them from accessing outside opportunities. Using ExecuComp firms from 1992-2007, we find that top management team members are rewarded for good luck but they are not penalized bad luck. Unlike CEOs, asymmetric benchmarking of pay for top management team members is consistent with the retention hypothesis rather than skimming. In particular, we find that asymmetric benchmarking of pay for top management team members has a positive relationship with firm value.
Public Reporting of Fed Cattle Grid Prices: Policy Reform Consequences

Mandatory livestock price reporting was implemented in April 2001. Empirical evidence indicates a significant change in volatility occurred in publicly reported fed cattle grid premiums and discounts after its implementation. Empirical analysis of grid premiums and discounts across the pre-and post-reform periods indicates that increased transparency is compatible with either an increase or a decrease in price volatility in the post-MPR period. Furthermore, it appears that the public price reporting system for weekly grid premiums and discounts failed to provide an adequate level of transparency prior to the implementation of price reporting reforms. Our methodology extends the literature on the use of volatility measures for investigating issues associated with market transparency. This extension can be applied to the development of volatility measures for monitoring the price reporting behavior of firms.
Community-acquired pneumonia distinguished from influenza infection based on clinical signs and symptoms during a novel (swine) influenza A/H1N1 pandemic.

AIMS The numbers of patients with influenza-like illnesses increase during influenza outbreaks. A study was undertaken to distinguish community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) from influenza based on clinical signs and symptoms. METHODS This retrospective study investigated patients with positive results in the rapid influenza antigen test and those diagnosed with CAP during an influenza A/H1N1 pandemic. Significant factors for predicting risk for CAP within 48 hrs from onset and at diagnosis were selected by multiple regression analysis. RESULTS Within 48 hrs of onset and at diagnosis, age and coarse crackles significantly increased the risk of CAP whereas sick contact, sore throat, and rhinorrhoea significantly decreased the risk of CAP. Duration of illness, sputum, dyspnoea, chest pain, and coarse crackles also significantly increased the risk of CAP at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS CAP differed somewhat from influenza even within 48 hrs of onset and the differences became even more evident thereafter.
Catecholamine‐induced apoptosis and necrosis in cardiac and skeletal myocytes of the rat in vivo: the same or separate death pathways?

High levels of catecholamines are myotoxic but the relative amounts of apoptosis and necrosis have not been established in vivo in cardiac and skeletal muscles. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect and quantify myocyte‐specific necrosis (myosin antibody in vivo) and apoptosis (caspase‐3 antibody in vitro) in the heart and soleus muscles of male Wistar rats that had received single subcutaneous injections of isoprenaline over the range 1 μg to 5 mg [kg body weight (BW)]−1. Peak myocyte apoptosis occurred 3–6 h after, and necrosis 18 h after, a single injection of 5 mg (kg BW)−1 isoprenaline in vivo. In the heart myocyte death was mediated through the β1‐adrenergic receptor whereas myocyte death in the soleus muscle was mediated through the β2‐adrenergic receptor. Cardiomyocyte death was heterogeneously distributed throughout the heart, being greatest in the left ventricle (LV) subendocardium and peaking close to the apex, but with significantly more necrosis than apoptosis. Extensive co‐localization of caspase‐3 and myosin labelling was found in the myocytes of both the heart and the slow‐twitch soleus muscle. This, together with similar spatial distributions and responses to catecholamine doses, suggests that either caspase‐3 activation occurs in necrotic as well as apoptotic myocytes or that a large proportion of apoptotic myocytes progress to secondary necrosis in vivo.
MOTIVATION AND SUCCESS OF ACADEMIC SPIN-OFFS: EVIDENCE FROM HUNGARY

Universities today are expected to play a major role in contributing to economic competitiveness and especially through the process of commercializing research results. There is much evidence that firms started by university researchers are effective channels of knowledge from the academic sphere to the private sector. To encourage the creation of university spin-offs, first we have to understand the goals and motivations of academic entrepreneurs. This paper includes the empirical study of 80 Hungarian spin-off owners, who run their own firm besides retaining their position at the university. The purpose is to explore the motives that drive academics to start their own business and to test the relationship between motivations and entrepreneurial success. Success is measured from both objective and subjective aspects. The former refers to quantitative indices related to business performance such as firm revenue, change of revenue, number of employees and firm age. The latter refers to the self-evaluation of one's success as an academic entrepreneur. Subjective success is measured on the one hand by the researcher's own entrepreneurial success criteria, while on the other hand by the perceived degree to which his or her knowledge has been commercialized on the market. The results show that the dissatisfaction with the university salary (necessity) is the most important motive for starting a venture in the academic sphere. The studied entrepreneurial motivations, except for necessity, have a significant relationship with subjective success, but a weaker or no relationship with objective success. The results also highlight the importance of research-related motives, which have a relatively strong link with subjective success (mainly with the subjective success of technology transfer), and are also related to some objective performance indicators of the venture such as revenue. Although the need for achievement and the need for independence are not key motivations for starting a spin-off venture, they have a relatively strong relationship with subjective entrepreneurial success.
The Effect of Size and Type of Auditor on Audit Quality

This study aims to investigate whether or not audit quality is influenced by auditor type (governmental vs. private auditors) and by auditor size (Big auditors vs. non-Big auditors). A sample of 2241 firm-year observations from Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) companies during the period 2002 to 2007 is used. Discretionary accruals (DAC) is employed as representative of audit quality. The cross-sectional version of Jones' model modified by Kothari, et al. (2005) is applied to measure DAC. Results show that financial statements audited by governmental auditors contain smaller discretionary accruals than those audited by private audit firms do. Furthermore, a change from governmental auditor to private auditors is associated with larger discretionary accruals, suggesting that governmental auditors provide superior audits. Finally, the size of non-governmental audit firms does not affect their audit quality, and changes within private audit firms do not lead to changes in the level of discretionary accruals. The empirical results imply that in some settings such as Iran’s, factors including auditor type, intense competition, audit committee, and litigation risk are of greater importance than auditor size. This paper shed new light on the comparison of audit quality between governmental and private audit firms.
Abo-Rhesus Blood Groups and Susceptibility to HIV Infection

Erythrocyte surface antigens, particularly those governing blood group systems, are known to act as receptors for various etiological agents. It is for this reason that this study was conducted to determine the association between blood groups and the susceptibility to HIV infection in Cameroon. For this, data were collected from blood bank registers at the Yaounde University Teaching Hospital. Demographic data such as age and gender were collected on 1281 individuals who were recruited at the Blood Bank of the Yaounde University Teaching Hospital over a three-month period. Their HIV status and blood groups (Rhesus and ABO) were equally recorded. The analysis of the ABO Blood Group System of these individuals revealed that Blood Group O had the highest representation (48.6%) and Group AB the lowest (5.9%). The percentages of Rhesus positive and negative persons observed in this population were 96% and 4% respectively. The overall sero-prevalence of HIV infection was 5.5%. However, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of HIV among the different ABO (p=0.36>0.05) and Rhesus blood types (p=0.559>0.05). This study revealed no association between ABO and Rh blood groups and HIV infection. Keyword: ABO, Rhesus, Blood Groups, Susceptibility, HIV, Infection
Dimensions of consumer knowledge and its impacts on country of origin effects among Australian consumers: a case of fast‐consuming product

Purpose – The main purpose of the study is to extend Schaefer's paper by investigating how different dimensions of consumer knowledge may affect country of origin cues with an Australian sample.Design/methodology/approach – A self‐administered mail survey was used in this study. The main sample consisted of Australian residents who are aged 18 and above and may or may not be alcoholic drinkers. The mailing list was purchased from a local council consisting of a suburb of metropolitan Perth, Western Australia. The total usable response rate was 38.7 per cent.Findings – The results indicated that country of origin cues affect Australian consumers in beer evaluations despite its weak influences. It suggested that brand familiarity and objective product knowledge mediate the extent to which consumers relied on country of origin in product evaluation. However, the study found inconsistent results between different levels of objective knowledge and its effects on country of origin of manufacture.Originality/val.
Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Updated Review

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents one of the most challenging potentially curable tumors with high incidence, prevalence and mortality rates. For proper assessment, prognosis estimation and treatment decisions, at least seven important guidelines and staging systems were designated. Proper treatment needs the interaction of multidisciplinary HCC clinic to choose the most appropriate line of treatment. The different modalities of management include resection (surgery or transplantation), local ablation, chemoembolization, radioembolization and molecular targeted therapies with a wide range of investigational drugs that developed after the FDA approved sorafenib. Downstaging and bridging are two important strategies to manage HCC patients who will undergo liver transplantation to improve their postoperative survival. Finally, survival and prognosis depends on several prognostic factors that are either patient related or tumor related. In our study, we aim to provide an updated comprehensive review of the different aspects of liver cancer management starting from staging systems to the different applied treatment modalities.
Influence of intra-abdominal pressure on the specificity of pulse pressure variations to predict fluid responsiveness

BACKGROUND The positive predictive value of pulse pressure variations (&Dgr;PP) to discriminate patients who should respond to volume expansion (VE) may be altered in mechanically ventilated patients. Our goal was to determine whether intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) measurements could discriminate patients with true-positive &Dgr;PP values versus patients with false-positive &Dgr;PP values. METHODS We designed a prospective pathophysiologic study in a mixed intensive care unit of a university hospital. Sixteen mechanically ventilated patients with hypotension (SAP, <90 mm Hg) and with &Dgr;PP of 13% or more were included. Cardiac output was assessed using Doppler echocardiography before and after VE; IAP was measured using the bladder pressure method. Patients were classified into two groups according to their response to a standardized VE (500 mL of NaCl 0.9%): responders (≥15% increase in cardiac output) and nonresponders. RESULTS Nine patients (57%) were responders, and seven patients (43%) were nonresponders. Before VE, IAP was statistically higher in nonresponders (15 [11–22] mm Hg vs. 9 [6.5–11] mm Hg; p = 0.008). The area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.9 ± 0.08. In patients with &Dgr;PP of 13% or more, an IAP cutoff value of 10.5 mm Hg discriminated between responders and nonresponders with a sensitivity of 100% (59–100%) and a specificity of 78% (40–97%). CONCLUSION An increase in IAP of more than 10.5 mm Hg can decrease the positive predictive value of &Dgr;PP. Hence, in patients prone to present abnormal IAP values, IAP should be measured before performing VE directed by the &Dgr;PP marker. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Diagnostic study, level II.
FROM SOUND TO SENSE AND BACK AGAIN: THE INTEGRATION OF LEXICAL AND SPEECH PROCESSES

The path from sound to sense crosses several disciplinary boundaries. Unfortunately, compelling early demonstrations of categorical perception helped to create a historical wedge between speech and word recognition. This talk highlights some advantages of the reintegration of these fields. First, task-dependencies found in studies of speech perception suggest lexical processes as a more appropriate locus of study. Examination of sensitivity to within-category VOT variation reveals that while such variation is perceived categorically in explicitly metalinguistic tasks, it leads to continuous sensitivity in an implicit measure of lexical activation. Similarly, work on place assimilation shows that the same segment may receive different interpretations in metalinguistic offline tasks and online tasks implicitly reflecting automatic word recognition. To the extent that metalinguistic and lexical tasks produce different interpretations of stimuli, tasks stressing lexical activation are closer to core processing phenomena. Second, we argue that work on word recognition minimizes the importance of phonetic detail at its own peril. A series of studies using paradigms including head-mounted eyetracking techniques show that listeners rely on subphonemic detail to recognize words that have undergone lawful assimilation. Moreover, the same detail facilitates the recognition of neighboring items that drive the assimilation. Thus, subphonemic variability may serve as a processing asset, rather than an obstacle to processing. We suggest a consolidation of research paradigms. Speech processes responding to subsegmental acoustic detail both facilitate word recognition and resolve ambiguity. At the same time lexical dynamics are exquisitely sensitive to such detail and provide a more accurate window on speech processing.