Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Protein flexibility and adaptability seen in 25 crystal forms of T4 lysozyme.

The structures of various mutants of T4 lysozyme have been determined in 25 non-isomorphous crystal forms. This provides an unusually diverse data base to compare the structures and dynamics of a closely related set of proteins in different crystal packing environments. In general, the more tightly packed crystals diffract better than those that are highly hydrated although the wild-type crystal form is an exception. The ability of the protein to form a relatively open but stable lattice may help explain why many of the mutants crystallize in this form. In different crystalline environments, the lysozyme molecules associate with 2-fold, 3-fold, 4-fold, and 5-fold symmetry, as well as with various types of screw associations. A "back-to-back" dimeric association, and a "head-to-tail" 2(1) screw association, are especially common, each occurring in more than half a dozen crystal forms. The 4-fold and 5-fold modes of association are closely related and provide an example of quasi-equivalent association as envisaged by Caspar and Klug. In different crystal environments the lysozyme molecules display a range of over 50 degrees in the hinge-bending angle between the amino and carboxy-terminal domains. Large variations in the hinge-bending angle are observed not only for lysozymes with mutations in the hinge region, but for molecules with mutations far from this site. This suggests that hinge-bending is an intrinsic property of the lysozyme molecule and is not an artifact due to mutation. As the hinge-bending angle increases about 15 degrees beyond that seen in wild-type there is a distinct conformations change in the side-chains of five residues in the hinge-bending region. Changes in the backbone are localized near residues 13, 59 and 80, but do not include significant changes in (phi, psi). Comparison of the different structures indicates that crystal contacts perturb the backbone structure of the protein by 0.2 to 0.5 A. These perturbations are of the same magnitude for helices and beta-sheet strands, suggesting that protein structures can be defined and maintained equally well by hydrogen-bonding (i.e. strand-strand) or by non-hydrogen-bonding (i.e. helix-helix) interactions. The discrepancies between the lysozyme structures in different crystallographic environments are in line with other comparisons of independently determined protein crystal structures. They suggest that protein structures in general are subject to low energy changes in conformation of 0.2 to 0.5 A. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Managing Dissatisfaction

Previous research emphasizes the benefits of generous refunds as part of overall complaint management service policy, yet recent empirical evidence suggests that many retailers have concerns about abusive returns and hesitate to fully compensate dissatisfied customers. We present an analysis of three refund policies-no questions asked, no refunds, and verifiable problems only-and show that no questions asked is the most efficient way to handle consumer opportunism.
Comparing three signals of service quality

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate a relatively new signal of service quality, third‐party evaluation of a service brand.Design/methodology/approach – The meaning of the third‐party signal to consumers was studied and the third‐party signal was compared with two other signals, word‐of‐mouth communication about a service brand and popularity of a service brand, for the ability to influence anticipated satisfaction with a homeowners' insurance product.The three signals appeared as factors in two experiments. The factor levels were favorable, absent, or unfavorable.Findings – All three signals exhibited significant main effects. Of the three signals, third‐party evaluation accounted for the greatest proportion of variance in the dependent variable, and this signal also had the strongest negativity effect. Also, a significant two‐way ordinal interaction was found between word‐of‐mouth communication and third‐party evaluation. The boosting effect of a favorable versus an unfavorable word‐of‐.
Disability and health-related quality-of-life 4 years after a severe traumatic brain injury: A structural equation modelling analysis

Abstract Objectives: To assess predictors and indicators of disability and quality-of-life 4 years after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), using structural equation modelling (SEM). Methods: The PariS-TBI study is a longitudinal multi-centre inception cohort study of 504 patients with severe TBI. Among 245 survivors, 147 patients were evaluated upon 4-year follow-up, and 85 completed the full assessment. Two outcome measures were analysed separately using SEM: the Glasgow Outcome Scale-extended (GOS-E), to measure disability, and the QOLIBRI, to assess quality-of-life. Four groups of variables were entered in the model: demographics; injury severity; mood and cognitive impairments; somatic impairments. Results: The GOS-E was directly significantly related to mood and cognition, injury severity, and somatic impairments. Age and education had an indirect effect, mediated by mood/cognition or somatic deficiencies. In contrast, the only direct predictor of QOLIBRI was mood and cognition. Age and somatic impairments had an indirect influence on the QOLIBRI. Conclusion: Although this study should be considered as explorative, it suggests that disability and quality-of-life were directly influenced by different factors. While disability appeared to result from an interaction of a wide range of factors, quality-of-life was solely directly related to psycho-cognitive factors.
Impact of fungal species cultured on outcome in horses with fungal keratitis

PURPOSE To determine the significance of Aspergillus and Fusarium spp. , as identified by culture, on clinical outcome in equine keratomycosis. METHODS Retrospective analysis of 66 horses (66 eyes) evaluated at the NCSU-VH diagnosed with keratomycosis from which Aspergillus or Fusarium spp. were cultured. Horses were classified into those who improved with medical management alone or those who required surgical intervention to improve. Horses who underwent surgery were divided into globe-sparing procedures or enucleation. Effects of bacterial co-infection, previous topical steroid or antifungal use, and time of year on fungal genus and outcome were evaluated. RESULTS Aspergillus spp. was cultured from 41 eyes (63%), while 24 eyes (37%) cultured Fusarium spp. One horse cultured both species and was not included in further evaluation. From the horses that cultured Aspergillus spp. , 28 eyes (68%) required surgical intervention to control the infection: 21 (75%) of these eyes maintained globe integrity, while 7 eyes (25%) were enucleated. Of those horses with Fusarium spp. , 14 eyes (58%) required surgical intervention: 11 (79%) of these eyes maintained globe integrity, while 3 eyes (21%) were enucleated. Genus of fungus cultured was not significantly associated with the need for surgical intervention nor was it significantly associated with the necessity of globe-sparing surgery versus enucleation. Additionally, bacterial co-infection, previous steroidal or antifungal use, and time of year did not affect outcome or type of fungal species cultured. CONCLUSION Equine keratomycosis from Fusarium spp. compared to keratomycosis from Aspergillus spp. is not associated with a different clinical outcome.
A ballistic-diffusive heat conduction model extracted from Boltzmann transport equation

A ballistic-diffusive heat conduction model is derived from the Boltzmann transport equation by a coarse-graining approach developed in the present study. By taking into account of the lagging effect, this model avoids the infinite heat propagation speed implied by the classical Fourier law. By expressing the heat conductivity as a function of the Knudsen number, it accounts for the size effect of the nanoscale heat conduction. The variation of the obtained effective heat conductivity with respect to the characteristic length shows an agreement with the experimental results for thin silicon films and nanowires in the nanoscale regime.
Understanding the causes of defection among satisfied B2B service customers

Abstract Many research studies conclude that satisfaction is strongly and positively related to repurchase intentions and loyalty behaviour. However, companies are often faced with the perplexing question of why some customers, who are satisfied, still switch suppliers given the right circumstances. To answer this question, an exploratory research study was conducted in the facilities-management industry with business-to-business service customers. The study was conducted in two stages: an exploratory stage that focused on the industry as a whole, and a confirmatory stage that focused on lost customers from one specific company. It was found that switching motives and actual reasons for switching are quite different. Customers, despite being satisfied, are more likely to switch suppliers for price reasons than they originally stated.
The Impacts of Intellectual Capital on Performance: An Empirical Investigation of the Taiwan Semiconductor Industry

This study builds an integrated theoretical model to investigate the impact of intellectual capital on business performance and examines the relationships among elements of intellectual capital. The performance measures include both past- and expectation-oriented performance indicators, i.e., both accounting and market-based performance factors. The partial least squares (PLS) approach is applied to examine the Taiwan semiconductor industry. The empirical results show that intellectual capital does affect performance and each intellectual capital element not only directly influences performance, but also indirectly affects performance through the cause-and-effect relationship between elements. Human capital, the most fundamental element, positively affects both innovation capital and process capital; innovation capital has impact on process capital which, in turn, affects customer capital; and then customer capital ultimately affects business performance. From the perspective of performance management for a semiconductor company, the accumulation and improvement of lagged elements may be facilitated through appropriate management of leading intellectual capital elements. Furthermore, based on the proposed cause-and-effect model, relevant intellectual capital elements can be identified to effectively enhance business performance.
Interaction of spirochetes with the host fibrinolytic system and potential roles in pathogenesis

Abstract The pathogenic spirochetes Borrelia burgdorferi, B. hermsii, B. recurrentis, Treponema denticola and Leptospira spp. are the etiologic agents of Lyme disease, relapsing fever, periodontitis and leptospirosis, respectively. Lyme borreliosis is a multi-systemic disorder and the most prevalent tick-borne disease in the northern hemisphere. Tick-borne relapsing fever is persistent in endemic areas worldwide, representing a significant burden in some African regions. Periodontal disease, a chronic inflammatory disorder that often leads to tooth loss, is caused by several potential pathogens found in the oral cavity including T. denticola. Leptospirosis is considered the most widespread zoonosis, and the predominant human disease in tropical, undeveloped regions. What these diseases have in common is that they are a significant burden to healthcare costs in the absence of prophylactic measures. This review addresses the interaction of these spirochetes with the fibrinolytic system, plasminogen (Plg) binding to the surface of bacteria and the generation of plasmin (Pla) on their surface. The consequences on host–pathogen interactions when the spirochetes are endowed with this proteolytic activity are discussed on the basis of the results reported in the literature. Spirochetes equipped with Pla activity have been shown to degrade extracellular matrix (ECM) components, in addition to digesting fibrin, facilitating bacterial invasion and dissemination. Pla generation triggers the induction of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) in a cascade of events that enhances the proteolytic capacity of the spirochetes. These activities in concert with the interference exerted by the Plg/Pla on the complement system – helping the bacteria to evade the immune system – should illuminate our understanding of the mechanisms involved in host infection.
Assessment of occupational health and safety risks of farmworkers in Colorado.

BACKGROUND Migrant farmworkers face a variety of hazards including exposure to pesticides and agricultural chemicals. However, few studies have quantatively evaluated these risks. METHODS Hazards were assessed during 32 field surveys conducted in the agricultural fields and 15 surveys at five camps. Observations of 1,461 farmworkers for potential hazards were recorded. Estimated risk was evaluated on a four-point scale (no hazard, minor, serious, and critical). A total of 229 farmworkers were interviewed about field conditions. RESULTS Two out of the five camps did not have safe drinking water. Risks for farmworkers were lower when a manager was living on site. Field surveys estimated higher risk when provision of sanitation was deficient (P < 0.05). Farmworkers' responses concerning field conditions differed from the survey findings. CONCLUSIONS Risks for farmworkers depended largely on the environment provided. Discordances between survey results and farmworkers' interview responses suggested that self-reported data might have limited validity for this population. Working and living conditions require improvement to decrease occupational risks for farmworkers.
Studies in Nonlinear Dynamics and Econometrics Quarterly

We report evidence that the relation between the financial-sector share, private saving, and growth in the United States in 1948–96 is characterized by several regime shifts. The finding is based on vector autoregressions on quarterly data that allow for Markov switching regimes. The evidence may be interpreted as support for a hypothesis that the relation between financial development and growth evolves in a stepwise fashion. Theoretical models in which structural financial developments entail fixed costs imply such stepwise patterns. The estimated variable relations are roughly consistent with the patterns to be expected from such models, although our data do not admit definite conclusions. The timing of the shifts coincides with changes in regulation and in the financial-market structure.
Risk Exposure : on the Interaction of Quota and Product Markets No 10 / 09

We investigate how moral concerns about permit trading affect an endogenous pollution permit trading equilibrium, where governments choose non-cooperatively the amount of permits they allocate to domestic industries. Politicians may feel reluctant to allow permit trading and/or may prefer that abatement is undertaken domestically due to moral concerns. This will have an effect on the initial permit allocations, and, therefore, on global emissions. The impact on global emissions depends on the precise formulation of the moral concerns, but under reasonable assumptions, we show that global emissions may increase. Thus, doing what is perceived as good does not always yield the desired outcome. However, this can be offset by restrictions on permit trading when governments have moral concerns about this trade.
The Trend and Characteristics of Financial Statement Restatements:2004-2008

This paper analyzes the five-year characteristics and trend of financial statement restatements from 2004 to 2008,and finds that restatements are serious; approximately 75% of restatements reduce income; cost and expense,valuation,taxes,equity related with investment profits or losses and revenue are the main accounting issues involved in financial restatements at the present time. Voluntary restatements take a relatively low proportion. Announcement time is usually choosen so that the market reaction to restatements announcement is very weak,the median of cumulative abnormal return based on the adjustment of negotiable market capitalization weighted average is only -0.5%,and the mean value is -0.2%.
The Stabilizing Effect of Industrial Structure Upgrade on Economic Fluctuations in China

Abstract Empirical study using a time-varying parameter model indicates that since the reform and opening up of China, its industrial structure upgrade has had an increasingly significant stabilizing effect on the amplitude of economic fluctuations. A further analysis using a TGARCH model reveals that the three major industrial sectors have asymmetrical effects on the size of macroeconomic fluctuation: the primary industry (extraction) has little effect; the secondary industry (manufacturing) has a leverage effect mainly caused by heavy industry; the tertiary industry (services) has a clear stabilizing effect, with the effect of transportation, logistics, the postal industry, housing-catering services, and other service industries being most significant, and the effect of wholesale, retail, the finance industry and real estate being less significant due to their own large fluctuations. The policy implications of the findings are that to maintain stable growth in the economy, China should optimize the relations of the three major industrial sectors, and further push for the upgrading of the industrial structure, especially the development of the tertiary industry.
Internet usage: Predictors of Active Users and Frequency of Use

The factors that predict Internet usage patterns are explored through the use of consumer panel data. We look at two major aspects of usage behavior; active (current) versus lapsed usage and usage frequency among current users. We find that the main predictors of active or current use of the Internet are: • Time since first use of the Internet. Pioneers (very early adopters) are most likely to be active users. However, the relationship is not a linear one; middle adopters are more likely than other groups to have not used the Internet in the previous month. • Location of use. Social use at home, especially with two or more other people. • Specific services used. Personal communication is the most popular activity (used by just over half the sample), but the best predictors of active users are use of information services. The main predictors of frequent or heavy Internet use (20+ times per month) are: • Broad applications, e.g., business email followed by personal email. • Time since first Internet use. The relationship here is linear; the longer someone has used the Internet, the more likely they are to be a heavy user. • Location of use. Use at work and use at home with two or more other people are both strong predictors of heavy usage.
Logistics collaboration in supply chains: practice vs. theory

Purpose – This paper aims to present results from a survey that investigates the situation in real world supply chains concerning logistics collaboration.Design/methodology/approach – Based on supply chain management literature, a questionnaire was developed covering important topics from the literature. The questionnaire was sent to the logistics manager at Swedish manufacturing companies and a net response rate of 37.8 percent (177/482) was achieved. Apart from purely descriptive statistics, factor analysis, cluster analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and cross tabulations with χ 2 tests were used for the analysis.Findings – From the results, three major conclusions are drawn. First, there is a clear relationship between the intensity of the collaboration and the positive effects experienced from the collaboration. Second, the results indicate that top management is an important driver for higher intensity collaboration. Third, there are serious differences between supply chain management (SCM) theo.
ATP– and ADP–DnaA protein, a molecular switch in gene regulation

DnaA protein functions by binding to asymmetric 9mer DNA sites, the DnaA boxes. ATP–DnaA and ADP–DnaA bind to 9mer DnaA boxes with equal affinity, but only ATP–DnaA protein binds in addition to an as yet unknown 6mer site, the ATP–DnaA box AGATCT, or a close match to it. ATP–DnaA protein binding to ATP–DnaA boxes is restricted to sites located in close proximity to DnaA boxes, suggesting that protein–protein interaction is required for its stabilization. We show that ATP–DnaA represses dnaA transcription much more efficiently than ADP–DnaA. DnaA is thus a regulatory molecule that, depending on the adenosine nucleotide bound, can bind to different sequences and thereby fulfill distinct functions.
The Cardioprotective Effects of Levosimendan: Preclinical and Clinical Evidence

Levosimendan, a drug used in the treatment of acute and decompensated heart failure, has positive inotropic and antistunning effects mediated by calcium sensitization of contractile proteins, and vasodilatory and antiischemic effects mediated via the opening of ATP-sensitive potassium channels in vascular smooth-muscle cells. Recently, it also has been shown to act on mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium (mitoKATP) channels, an action thought to protect the heart against ischemia-reperfusion damage. This finding has suggested a possible application for levosimendan in clinical situations in which preconditioning would be beneficial (eg, in pre- and perioperative settings in cardiac surgery). The demonstration that levosimendan can prevent or limit myocyte apoptosis via the activation of mitoKATP channels provides a potential mechanism whereby this agent might protect cardiac myocytes during episodes of acute heart failure. This finding may explain why short-term treatment with levosimendan may improve longer-term survival. The present article reviews the literature on the cardioprotective actions of levosimendan, with particular emphasis on its recently recognized effects on mitoKATP channels and the putative preconditioning effects of that action. A therapeutic approach to acute heart failure that includes a cardioprotective strategy could have a clinically meaningful benefit on disease progression beyond alleviation of symptoms.
Impact of Corporate Social responsibility on Brand image in Different FMCGs of Pakistan

The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has gained extensive consideration in recent years. Nowadays firms are using CSR to gain competitive advantage and to establish long lasting relations with its stakeholders. Although CSR is much popular in the developed world but the potential benefits of CSR are less highlighted in the developing markets like Pakistan.Data were collected from 180 students of 22 universities. Four hypotheses were developed and all of them were accepted. Results showed that socially responsible activities of a firm enhance the brand image of the firms’ goods as well as the general image of the firm.
Women as ‘Gold Dust’: Gender Diversity in Top Boards and the Performance of Italian Banks

European comparisons for the 2000s show that Italy was among the EU countries where women were least represented in bank boardrooms. Using a unique dataset on Italian banks over the period 1995-2010, this paper investigates the effects of gender diversity in boards on bank riskiness and economic performance. Taking account of omitted variables and reverse causality problems, as a source of endogeneity, our main econometric findings suggest that gender diversity may have a positive impact on the quality of credit and, to a lesser extent, on profitability. Both results may be driven by women’s higher risk aversion and their attitude to monitoring activities. Our study therefore suggests that women are ‘gold dust’ for Italian banks and that increasing their presence may be beneficial to economic performance.