Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The impact of market size on new market entry: a contingency approach

Purpose The purpose of this study is to offer explanations of the wide variation in the impact of market size on new market entry decisions – i.e. its positive impact lessens because of unreliable predictability of market size on post-entry profit and entry motivations other than post-entry profit. Design/methodology/approach On the basis of the two explanations, this paper builds a contingency frame that the impact of market size on new market entry depends on entry-context-specific variables. It validates the contingency frame, empirically analyzing 219 parameter estimates of the impact of market size on market entry obtained from 41 existing empirical studies. Findings The meta-analysis results reveal that the entry-context-specific variables used in this study – niche market entry, high-tech market entry, entry by industry incumbent firms and the year of market entry – notably moderate the impact of market size on new market entry decisions, as the research frame suggests. Research limitations/implications This study examines the various literature and study outcomes in the areas of marketing, economics and strategy to elucidate whether and when market size is a critical driver of new market entry. In most cases, the greater the new market size, the greater is the propensity to enter the market. However, the contingency arguments stated in this paper suggest that firms may and do enter a new market even if the market size is not large at the time of entry. Originality/value This paper enhances the understanding of the relative importance of market size in market entry decisions, which depend on various entry contexts. It clarifies the direction and magnitude of the impact of such entry contexts.
Indian English Evolution and Focusing Visible Through Power Laws

New dialect emergence and focusing in language contact settings is difficult to capture and date in terms of global structural dialect stabilization. This paper explores whether diachronic power law frequency distributions can provide evidence of dialect evolution and new dialect focusing, by considering the quantitative frequency characteristics of three diachronic Indian English (IE) corpora (1970s–2008). The results demonstrate that IE consistently follows power law frequency distributions and the corpora are each best fit by Mandelbrot’s Law. Diachronic changes in the constants are interpreted as evidence of lexical and syntactic collocational focusing within the process of new dialect formation. Evidence of new dialect focusing is also visible through apparent time comparison of spoken and written data. Age and gender-separated sub-corpora of the most recent corpus show minimal deviation, providing apparent time evidence for emerging IE dialect stability. From these findings, we extend the interpretation of diachronic changes in the β coefficient—as indicative of changes in the degree of synthetic/analytic structure—so that β is also sensitive to grammaticalization and changes in collocational patterns.
The effect of handling techniques on serum alt activity in mice

The effect of handling mice by the tail or by the body on serum alanine transaminase (ALT) activity was investigated in normal mice and in mice pretreated with a known hepatotoxin. In normal mice, the mean ALT activity 1 h after grasping the body was almost four times greater than in the control (not‐handled) and tail‐handled groups. However, when ALT analyses were repeated 1 week later, all groups were equivalent. In mice given a hepatotoxic dose of 30 mg kg−1 carbon tetrachioride, the mean ALT activity was approximately three times greater in mice handled by the body than in mice grasped by the tail only. Handling mice by the body may reduce the usefulness of ALT activity as a measure of hepatotoxicity.
Predicting mobility outcome in lower limb amputees with motor ability tests used in early rehabilitation

Study design: Retrospective cohort study. Background: Persons with a lower limb amputation can regain mobility using a prosthetic device. For fast and adequate prescription of prosthetic components, it is necessary to predict the mobility outcome early in rehabilitation. Currently, prosthetic prescription is primarily based on empirical knowledge of rehabilitation professionals. Objective: In this study, we explored motor ability tests, to be completed without a prosthetic device, which have predictive value for mobility outcome at the end of rehabilitation. Methods: For this study, data of 82 patients with a lower limb amputation were included. The Single-limb standing balance test (Balance test), the Lower-Extremity Motor Coordination Test and the Amputee Mobility Predictor Assessment Tool (AMPnoPRO) were used as measures for motor ability. Mobility outcome was measured using the Timed Up and Go Test, the Two-Minute Walking Test and K levels were used. Results: The explained variance of the Balance test, the Lower-Extremity Motor Coordination Test and the AMPnoPRO was, respectively, 0.603, 0.534 and 0.649 on the Two-Minute Walking Test (linear regression); 0.597, 0.431 and 0.624 on the Timed Up and Go Test (linear regression); and 0.432, 0.420 and 0.526 on the K levels (logistic regression). Conclusion: The AMPnoPRO predicted mobility outcome statistically (largest amount of explained variance). Clinical relevance This study explored the possibility of statistically predicting mobility outcome in lower limb amputees at the end of rehabilitation, using motor ability tests conducted in early rehabilitation. This study suggests the use of the AMPnoPRO to predict mobility outcome in lower limb amputees.
Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Insurance and Firm Value

This study examines the effect of directors' and officers' liability (D&O) insurance on firm value. Previous studies are divided on the value implication of D&O insurance: some argue for various benefits of being covered by D&O insurance, whereas others focus on the managerial opportunism stemming from being insured. In order to address whether D&O insurance increases firm value, we utilize a sample of quoted Korean companies from a period in which the disclosure of D&O insurance information was mandatory and there was a significant crossâ€ sectional variation in the firms' coverage of D&O insurance. We find that controlling for the endogeneity of D&O insurance coverage, D&O insurance increases firm value compared to noninsured firms. We also find evidence that the increase in firm value is pronounced for firms with greater growth opportunities, which suggests that D&O insurance can help firms to better convert growth opportunities into higher firm value.
Hypnotizability and Opinions About Hypnosis in a Clinical Trial for the Hypnotic Control of Pain and Anxiety During Pregnancy Termination

Abstract This descriptive study evaluates the hypnoanalgesic experience's effect on participants' hypnotizability and opinions about hypnosis and identifies factors associated with hypnotizability. Hypnotizability was assessed using the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale: Form A in 290 women 1 month after their participation in a randomized clinical trial evaluating hypnotic intervention for pain/anxiety versus standard care during pregnancy termination. Opinions were collected before and after the intervention. The regression model describing hypnotizability (F = 13.55; p < .0001; R 2 = 0.20) retained 5 variables but not the intervention group. The variable explaining most of total variance (62.9%) was the level of perceived automaticity/involuntariness. Opinions about hypnosis were modified by the hypnotic experience compared to standard care but were not associated with hypnotizability. Exposure to hypnoanalgesia did not influence hypnotizability but modifies significantly the opinions about hypnosis. Consistent with previous findings, perceived automaticity appears to best predict hypnotizability.
Colonization and pathogenesis of Cryptococcus neoformans in gnotobiotic mice

Congenitally immunodeficient nude (nu/nu) mice and their immunocompetent littermates (nu/+) were used to determine whether the absence of thymus-matured T cells would alter the capacity of Cryptococcus neoformans to colonize their mucosal surfaces or enhance their susceptibility to systemic cryptococcosis, or both, following oral challenge. We present data demonstrating that an encapsulated strain of C. neoformans serotype A colonized the alimentary tracts of germfree, conventional, and antibiotic-treated conventional nu/nu mice. Scanning electron microscopy showed that C. neoformans adhered to the epithelial surfaces of the oral cavities, esophagi, and gastrointestinal tracts of monoassociated nu/nu and nu/+ mice, and culture data showed that there were more viable C. neoformans cells in the alimentary tracts of nu/nu mice than of nu/+ mice. Tetracycline-treated conventional nu/nu, but not nu/+, mice were also colonized with C. neoformans following intragastric challenge. C. neoformans-monoassociated and tetracycline-treated conventional nu/nu mice succumbed to disseminated cryptococcosis with cerebral involvement 3 to 4 weeks after oral challenge, whereas no mortality was observed for similarily challenged nu/+ mice. These results demonstrate that an encapsulated strain of C. neoformans can colonize mucosal surfaces and cause systemic cryptococcosis in immunodeficient nu/nu mice, suggesting that the alimentary tract can be a portal of entry for C. neoformans in an immunodeficient host. These data also indicate that functional T cells play an important role in resistance to systemic cryptococcosis of endogenous origin.
Neuronal Voltage Gated Potassium Channels May Modulate Nitric Oxide Synthesis in Corpus Cavernosum

Potassium channels (K+Ch) in corpus cavernosum play an important role in the regulation of erection. Nitric oxide (NO) acts through opening of K+Ch leading to hyperpolarization and relaxation. Aim : This study aims to update knowledge about the role of voltage-gated K+Ch (KV) channels in erectile machinery and investigate their role in the control of NO action &/or synthesis in the corpus cavernosum. Methods : Tension studies using isolated rabbit corpus cavernosum (CC) strips and rat anococcygeus muscle were conducted. Results are expressed as mean ± SEM. Results : Electric field stimulation (EFS, 2–16 Hz) evoked frequency-dependent relaxations of the PE (phenylephrine)-precontracted CC strips. At 2 Hz, EFS-induced relaxation amounted to 73.17 ± 2.55% in presence 4-AP (10−3 M) compared to 41.98 ± 1.45% as control. None of the other selective K+Ch blockers tested inhibited EFS-induced relaxation. 4-AP (10−3M) significantly attenuated ACh-induced relaxation of rabbit CC where dose-response curve was clearly shifted upward, and attenuated SNP- induced relaxation, for example, to 49.28 ± 4.52% compared to 65.53 ± 3.01% as control at 10−6 M SNP. The potentiatory effect of 4-AP on EFS was abolished or reversed in presence of NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA, non-selective nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, 10−5M, and 2 × 10−4M). Same results were observed in rat anococcygeus muscle which is a part of the erectile machinery in rats. Conclusion : This study provides evidence for the presence of prejunctional voltage-gated K+Ch in CC, the blockade of which may increase the neuronal synthesis of NO.
Sexuality education for immigrant and minority students. Developing a culturally appropriate curriculum.

Sexuality education for minority groups and migrants has posed challenges. The suggestion is to form focus groups of adolescents and parents from different cultural backgrounds. Curriculum content and materials need to be culturally and linguistically sensitive and relevant to the population served. Bicultural and bilingual teachers are an obvious plus. Where teaching faculty are unable to meet this need educators should enlist support in the community from trained paraprofessionals as a supplement to classroom instruction. Additionally peer support networks can be established to share information with those of the same ethnic group who are 1-5 years more experienced. These efforts can help to reduce myths and misinformation for parents and youths and to bridge family cultural values with American mainstream norms on sexuality and sexual behavior. Sex education curricula must acknowledge the needs of adolescents and the context of their lives and prepare students for the social political and economic realities of society. Sexuality education as currently taught does not serve the needs of many adolescents and children in America particularly minorities. Sexuality education in this article is viewed from a social constructivist perspective. The need to address minority and immigrant cultural issues and sexuality is apparent when the changing demographics and the high teenage birth rates among Blacks and Hispanics are taken into account. Presently 93% of Americas high schools offer some form of sexuality education. Most programs are 10 hours or less and noncomprehensive. U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop promoted sexuality education including AIDS and other sexually transmitted disease issues. There are no standards established for sexuality education curricula in the US. Little evaluation research has been conducted on school-based or nonschool-based sexuality education programs or on culture-specific attitudes about sexuality. Minority concerns are frequently subsumed under majority concerns ignored completely or addressed in stereotypic ways. The proposed new model of sexuality education is detailed by background information methods and findings from focus groups on adolescent perceptions contraception sexual decision-making and the double standard.
Lethality of sortase depletion in Actinomyces oris caused by excessive membrane accumulation of a surface glycoprotein

Sortase, a cysteine‐transpeptidase conserved in Gram‐positive bacteria, anchors on the cell wall many surface proteins that facilitate bacterial pathogenesis and fitness. Genetic disruption of the housekeeping sortase in several Gram‐positive pathogens reported thus far attenuates virulence, but not bacterial growth. Paradoxically, we discovered that depletion of the housekeeping sortase SrtA was lethal for Actinomyces oris; yet, all of its predicted cell wall‐anchored protein substrates (AcaA‐N) were individually dispensable for cell viability. Using Tn5‐transposon mutagenesis to identify factors that upend lethality of srtA deletion, we uncovered a set of genetic suppressors harbouring transposon insertions within genes of a locus encoding AcaC and a LytR‐CpsA‐Psr (LCP)‐like protein. AcaC was shown to be highly glycosylated and dependent on LCP for its glycosylation. Upon SrtA depletion, the glycosylated form of AcaC, hereby renamed GspA, was accumulated in the membrane. Overexpression of GspA in a mutant lacking gspA and srtA was lethal; conversely, cells overexpressing a GspA mutant missing a membrane‐localization domain were viable. The results reveal a unique glycosylation pathway in A. oris that is coupled to cell wall anchoring catalysed by sortase SrtA. Significantly, this novel phenomenon of glyco‐stress provides convenient cell‐based assays for developing a new class of inhibitors against Gram‐positive pathogens.
Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibition Attenuates Cerebral Vasospasm and Improves Functional Recovery After Experimental Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

BACKGROUND Cerebral vasospasm is an independent predictor of poor outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The nitric oxide–cyclic guanosine monophosphate (NO-cGMP) vasodilatory pathway is strongly implicated in its pathophysiology. Preliminary studies suggest that phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5), an enzyme that degrades cGMP, may play a role because the PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil was found to reduce vasospasm after SAH. However, several questions that are critical when considering translational studies remain unanswered. OBJECTIVE To elucidate the mechanism of action of sildenafil against vasospasm and to assess whether sildenafil attenuates SAH-induced neuronal cell death, improves functional outcome after SAH, or causes significant physiological side effects when administered at therapeutically relevant doses. METHODS SAH was induced via endovascular perforation in male C57BL6 mice. Beginning 2 hours later, mice received sildenafil citrate (0.7, 2 or 5 mg/kg orally twice daily) or vehicle. Neurological outcome was assessed daily. Vasospasm was determined on post-SAH day 3. Brain PDE5 expression and activity, cGMP content, neuronal cell death, arterial blood pressure, and intracranial pressure were examined. RESULTS We found that PDE5 activity (but not expression) is increased after SAH, leading to decreased cGMP levels. Sildenafil attenuates this increase in PDE5 activity and restores cGMP levels after SAH. Post-SAH initiation of sildenafil was found to decrease vasospasm and neuronal cell death and markedly improve neurological outcome without causing significant physiological side effects. CONCLUSION Sildenafil, a US Food and Drug Administration–approved drug with a proven track record of safety in humans, is a promising new therapy for vasospasm and neurological deficits after SAH.
A receptor-like protein mediates the response to pectin modification by activating brassinosteroid signaling

Significance Plant growth and development depend on the biosynthesis and remodeling of the cell wall. To coordinate these two processes, surveillance mechanisms have evolved to monitor the state of the cell wall. The brassinosteroid (BR) hormone signaling pathway plays an essential role in growth control and regulates the expression of a plethora of cell wall-related genes. We have previously shown that feedback signaling from the wall can modulate the outputs of the BR pathway, ensuring cell wall homeostasis and integrity. Here, we identified a receptor-like protein (RLP44), which mediates the activation of BR signaling through direct interaction with the BR coreceptor BAK1. Thus, RLP44 integrates cell wall surveillance with hormone signaling to control cell wall integrity and growth. The brassinosteroid (BR) signaling module is a central regulator of plant morphogenesis, as indicated by the large number of BR-responsive cell wall-related genes and the severe growth defects of BR mutants. Despite a detailed knowledge of the signaling components, the logic of this auto-/paracrine signaling module in growth control remains poorly understood. Recently, extensive cross-talk with other signaling pathways has been shown, suggesting that the outputs of BR signaling, such as gene-expression changes, are subject to complex control mechanisms. We previously provided evidence for a role of BR signaling in a feedback loop controlling the integrity of the cell wall. Here, we identify the first dedicated component of this feedback loop: a receptor-like protein (RLP44), which is essential for the compensatory triggering of BR signaling upon inhibition of pectin de-methylesterification in the cell wall. RLP44 is required for normal growth and stress responses and connects with the BR signaling pathway, presumably through a direct interaction with the regulatory receptor-like kinase BAK1. These findings corroborate a role for BR in controlling the sensitivity of a feedback signaling module involved in maintaining the physico-chemical homeostasis of the cell wall during cell expansion.
Defective Selection of Thymic Regulatory T Cells Accompanies Autoimmunity and Pulmonary Infiltrates in Tcra-Deficient Mice Double Transgenic for Human La/Sjögren’s Syndrome-B and Human La-Specific TCR

A human La/Sjögren’s syndrome-B (hLa)–specific TCR/hLa neo–self-Ag double-transgenic (Tg) mouse model was developed and used to investigate cellular tolerance and autoimmunity to the ubiquitous RNA-binding La Ag often targeted in systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren’s syndrome. Extensive thymic clonal deletion of CD4+ T cells occurred in H-2k/k double-Tg mice presenting high levels of the I-Ek–restricted hLa T cell epitope. In contrast, deletion was less extensive in H-2k/b double-Tg mice presenting lower levels of the epitope, and some surviving thymocytes were positively selected as thymic regulatory T cells (tTreg). These mice remained serologically tolerant to hLa and healthy. H-2k/b double-Tg mice deficient of all endogenous Tcra genes, a deficiency known to impair Treg development and function, produced IgG anti-hLa autoantibodies and displayed defective tTreg development. These autoimmune mice had interstitial lung disease characterized by lymphocytic aggregates containing Tg T cells with an activated, effector memory phenotype. Salivary gland infiltrates were notably absent. Thus, expression of nuclear hLa Ag induces thymic clonal deletion and tTreg selection, and lymphocytic infiltration of the lung is a consequence of La-specific CD4+ T cell autoimmunity.
Starvation‐inducible loci of Salmonella typhimurium: regulation and roles in starvation‐survival

Four starvation‐inducible loci (stiA, stiB, stiC, and stiE) of Salmonella typhimurium have been extensively characterized as to their genetic and physiologic regulation, and their roles in survival during prolonged simultaneous phosphate (P)‐, carbon (C)‐and nitrogen (N)‐starvation (PCN‐starvation). Strains of S. typhimurium LT‐2, isogenic with the exception of lacking either the stiA, stiB or stiC locus, died off more quickly and survived at much reduced levels compared with their wild‐type parent. When certain sti mutations were combined in the same strain, we found that viability of these cultures declined even more rapidly, and starvation‐survival was affected to leveis over‐and‐above the additive effects of each individual mutation, indicating an epistatic relationship between these loci. All four sti loci were, directly or indirectly, under negative control by the crp gene product (cAMP receptor protein, CRP). With the exception of stiB, all were similarly regulated by the cya gene product (i.e., cAMP). This suggests that CRP acts alone, or with a signal molecule other than cAMP, to cause repression of the stiB locus. In addition, all four loci are under positive regulation by the relA gene product (i.e., ppGpp) during C‐ or N‐starvation, but not P‐starvation. Since not all relA‐depen‐dent sti loci are induced during both C‐ and N‐starvation, we propose that two separate ppGpp‐dependent pathways function during C‐starvation and N‐starvation, respectively. Possible models for separate P‐, C‐and N‐starvation‐induction pathways are discussed.
Repeatability of three-dimensional thorax and pelvis kinematics in the golf swing measured using a field-based motion capture system

Field-based methods of evaluating three-dimensional (3D) swing kinematics offer coaches and researchers the opportunity to assess golfers in context-specific environments. The purpose of this study was to establish the inter-trial, between-tester, between-location, and between-day repeatability of thorax and pelvis kinematics during the downswing using an electromagnetic motion capture system. Two experienced testers measured swing kinematics in 20 golfers (handicap ≤ 14 strokes) on consecutive days in an indoor and outdoor location. Participants performed five swings with each of two clubs (five-iron and driver) at each test condition. Repeatability of 3D kinematic data was evaluated by computing the coefficient of multiple determination (CMD) and the systematic error (SE). With the exception of pelvis forward bend for between-day and between-tester conditions, CMDs exceeded 0.854 for all variables, indicating high levels of overall waveform repeatability across conditions. When repeatability was compared across conditions using MANOVA, the lowest CMDs and highest SEs were found for the between-tester and between-day conditions. The highest CMDs were for the inter-trial and between-location conditions. The absence of significant differences in CMDs between these two conditions supports this method of analysing pelvis and thorax kinematics in different environmental settings without unduly affecting repeatability.