Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The role of transformational leadership and knowledge management processes on the rate of organisational innovation

Organisational innovation has constantly been considered as a powerful tool for sustaining competitive advantage and delivering high value to customers. The purpose of this research is to investigate the role of transformational leadership and knowledge-management processes on the organisational innovation. The importance of investigating organisational innovation has been confirmed in various studies. The design of the present study is descriptive (correlation, causal). The sample of this study comprised of 256 members of administrative staffs of the Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, who were selected by simple random sampling. The results of this study revealed that transformational leadership has a positive and meaningful effect on the knowledge-management processes and the organisational innovation. In addition, it was found that the knowledge-management processes have a mediating role between transformational leadership and organisational innovation.
A hybrid wavelet transform and neural network-based approach for modelling dynamic voltage-current characteristics of electric arc furnace

This paper proposes a discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) based method for modeling the dynamic voltage-current (v-i) characteristics of the ac electric arc furnace (EAF). The objective of the study is to develop a complete model of the EAF including different operation stages and the model can be used as a harmonics and flicker source in its connected power system for the PQ penetration or mitigation study, where the developed model can be embedded in the power system implemented by a commonly seen simulation tool such as Matlab/Simulink. In the study, a combination of the DWT and the sequential RBFNN with parameters initialization algorithm is proposed to build the EAF v-i characteristics with enhanced look-up tables for different operation stages, where the field measurements of the EAF voltage and current are used to train the RBFNN for modeling the EAF load. Simulation results obtained by using the proposed model are compared with different measured data. It shows that the solution procedure accurately models the EAF dynamic v-i behavior. The proposed method also can be applied to model other highly nonlinear loads to assess the effectiveness of compensation devices or to perform relative penetration studies.
Selective Regulation of TrkA and TrkB Receptors by Retinoic Acid and Interferon-γ in Human Neuroblastoma Cell Lines (*)

Trk receptors are a family of genes implicated in the survival, differentiation, and growth of certain neurons and tumors of the nervous system. A better understanding of the regulation of Trk receptors is relevant for developmental and oncological studies. Human neuroblastoma (NB) cell lines constitutively express low levels of TrkA mRNA, while TrkB mRNA is not readily detectable. Differentiation of NB cells is accompanied by a differential modulation of Trk expression in human NB cells. Nanomolar concentrations of RA induce a stable increase of TrkB mRNA. A transient induction of TrkA mRNA levels requires micromolar concentrations of RA. Induction of both TrkA and TrkB mRNA does not require new protein synthesis. However, RA-induced TrkB mRNA expression is transcriptionally regulated, while the transient RA-induced increase of TrkA mRNA is a consequence of extended mRNA stability. Interferon γ (IFN-γ) selectively increases TrkA mRNA without affecting TrkB mRNA levels. Similar to RA, IFN-γ does not modify the transcriptional rate of TrkA mRNA, but rather increases TrkA mRNA stability. Thus, RA and IFN-γ differentially regulate TrkA or TrkB expression in the same cell type by predominantly transcriptional (TrkB) or post transcriptional (TrkA) mechanisms. Such experiments indicate the complexity of Trk mRNA regulation and also indicate compounds that may affect neurotrophin responsiveness in developing neural cells.
Homeobox gene methylation in lung cancer studied by genome-wide analysis with a microarray-based methylated CpG island recovery assay

De novo methylation of CpG islands is a common phenomenon in human cancer, but the mechanisms of cancer-associated DNA methylation are not known. We have used tiling arrays in combination with the methylated CpG island recovery assay to investigate methylation of CpG islands genome-wide and at high resolution. We find that all four HOX gene clusters on chromosomes 2, 7, 12, and 17 are preferential targets for DNA methylation in cancer cell lines and in early-stage lung cancer. CpG islands associated with many other homeobox genes, such as SIX, LHX, PAX, DLX, and Engrailed, were highly methylated as well. Altogether, more than half (104 of 192) of all CpG island-associated homeobox genes in the lung cancer cell line A549 were methylated. Analysis of paralogous HOX genes showed that not all paralogues undergo cancer-associated methylation simultaneously. The HOXA cluster was analyzed in greater detail. Comparison with ENCODE-derived data shows that lack of methylation at CpG-rich sequences correlates with presence of the active chromatin mark, histone H3 lysine-4 methylation in the HOXA region. Methylation analysis of HOXA genes in primary squamous cell carcinomas of the lung led to the identification of the HOXA7- and HOXA9-associated CpG islands as frequent methylation targets in stage 1 tumors. Homeobox genes are potentially useful as DNA methylation markers for early diagnosis of the disease. The finding of widespread methylation of homeobox genes lends support to the hypothesis that a substantial fraction of genes methylated in human cancer are targets of the Polycomb complex.
Antipsychotic and Benzodiazepine Drug Changes Affect Acute Falls Risk Differently in the Nursing Home.

BACKGROUND Psychotropic drugs increase the risk of falls, but they are still frequently prescribed to treat behavioral symptoms associated with dementia in the nursing home. We examined whether there is an acute increased risk of falls in the days following a change to an antipsychotic or benzodiazepine drug prescription. METHODS We collected information on 594 long-stay nursing home residents from two facilities who fell at least once between September 1, 2010 and May 31, 2013. Psychotropic drug changes were ascertained from the facilities' computerized medication administration log. We used the case-crossover design to compare the frequency of antipsychotic and benzodiazepine drug changes during the days before a fall with the frequency of drug changes at more remote times. RESULTS Mean age was 87.5 years, and 75.1% were female. The risk of falls was higher in the 24 hours following benzodiazepine initiation compared with other times (odds ratio [OR] 3.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10, 13.00). There was no clear difference in risk following antipsychotic initiation (OR 2.42, CI 0.58, 10.06), but this could be due to the small sample size. Stopping a benzodiazepine was associated with a significantly reduced fall risk (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.08-0.91). CONCLUSIONS Benzodiazepines pose an immediate threat to fall risk, whereas it is less clear if antipsychotics also pose an immediate risk. Nursing home staff should be particularly vigilant in the days following the new prescription for a benzodiazepine in an effort to prevent injury.
Due diligence neglected: managing human resources and organisational culture in mergers and acquisitions

The aim of this article is to identify attributes of organisational culture and human resource practices required for successful transitions in mergers and acquisitions. Using primary data from five case studies on mergers and acquisitions, findings show that where neglect of two key ‘soft’ due diligence factors of cultural and human resource compatibility occurs, transition and effective integration of the new entity is hampered. The need for a coherent integration plan including joint teams, effective communication and other appropriate human resource practices is considered vital for successful acculturation. A model for both managerial policy and further research is proposed.
Psychiatric morbidity following injury.

OBJECTIVE Accurate information regarding the psychopathological consequences of surviving traumatic injury is of great importance for effective health service design and planning. Regrettably, existing studies vary dramatically in reported prevalence rates of psychopathology within this population. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity following severe injury by adopting a longitudinal design with close attention to optimizing the research methodology. METHOD Consecutive admissions (N=363) to a level 1 trauma service, excluding those with moderate or severe traumatic brain injury, were assessed at three time periods: just before discharge and 3 and 12 months after their injury. Structured clinical interviews were used to assess anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and substance use disorders. RESULTS Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder were the most frequent diagnoses at both 3 and 12 months, with 10% of participants meeting diagnostic criteria for each disorder at 12 months. Over 20% of the group met criteria for at least one psychiatric diagnosis 12 months after their injury. Comorbidity was common, with the most frequent being PTSD with major depressive disorder. CONCLUSIONS Psychopathology following injury is a frequent and persistent occurrence. Despite the adoption of a rigorous and potentially conservative methodology, one-fifth of participants met criteria for one or more psychiatric diagnoses 12 months after their injury. These findings have major implications for injury health care providers.
UVA and UVB Decrease the Expression of CD44 and Hyaluronate in Mouse Epidermis, which is Counteracted by Topical Retinoids

Abstract The transmembrane glycoprotein CD44 is currently thought to be the main cell surface receptor for the glycosaminoglycan hyaluronate. We previously showed that (1) CD44 regulate keratinocyte proliferation; (2) topical retinoids dramatically increase the expression of CD44, hyaluronate and hyaluronate synthase (HAS)s in mouse epidermis; (3) topical retinaldehyde restores the epidermal thickness and CD44 expression which are correlated with clinical improvement in lichen sclerosus et atrophicus lesions; and (4) retinaldehyde-induced proliferative response of keratinocytes is a CD44-dependent phenomenon and requires the presence of HB-EGF, erbB1 and matrix metalloproteinases. In this study, we analyzed the effect of UV irradiation on the levels of epidermal hyaluronate and CD44 in mice, as well as its potential prevention by topical retinoids. UVA (10 J/cm2) or UVB (1 J/cm2) irradiation significantly decreased the expression of CD44 and hyaluronate in the epidermis of hairless mice after 2 h. Expression of both epidermal CD44 and hyaluronate was reconstituted within 24 h. Topical application of retinaldehyde for 3 days prior to UVA or UVB irradiation prevented the decrease of CD44 and hyaluronate expression. Topical retinol and retinoic acid also increased the basal levels of epidermal CD44 and hyaluronate, although their preventive effect on UV-induced decrease of these molecules was less pronounced as compared to topical retinaldehyde. These data confirm the relationships between retinoid and CD44 pathways, although the primary target(s) of UV leading to CD44 and hyaluronate degradation remain to be elucidated.
Growth Differentiation Factor-9 Is Expressed by the Primate Follicle Throughout the Periovulatory Interval1

Abstract Expression of growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF-9), an apparent regulator of follicular development, reportedly differs between compartments of the rodent (oocytes) and human (oocytes and granulosa cells) ovary. To further characterize GDF-9 expression and action in the primate periovulatory follicle, adult female rhesus monkeys received recombinant human gonadotropins to promote multiple follicular development. Whole ovaries or follicular aspirates were obtained before and at various times after administration of an ovulatory dose of hCG; time points for tissue collection spanned the 40-h periovulatory interval. GDF-9 mRNA was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay in each oocyte and every granulosa cell sample examined, but granulosa cell GDF-9 mRNA levels did not change across the periovulatory interval. GDF-9 was also detected in follicular fluid using Western blotting; GDF-9 protein concentration in follicular fluid did not change across the periovulatory interval. Immunocytochemical staining for GDF-9 indicated that oocytes of both small and large antral follicles were positive for GDF-9. GDF-9 immunoreactivity was also present in cumulus granulosa cells and mural granulosa cells near the cumulus stalk. When granulosa cells from preovulatory follicles were exposed to recombinant GDF-9 in culture, GDF-9 increased vascular endothelial growth factor levels in culture medium. These data demonstrate that the cells of the primate periovulatory follicle both produce and respond to GDF-9. However, GDF-9 expression and action differ between rodent and primate follicles, suggesting a possible regulatory role for GDF-9 that is unique to the primate follicle.
Where Do Self-Concordant Goals Come From? The Role of Domain-Specific Psychological Need Satisfaction

Previous research has shown that self-concordant goals are more likely to be attained. But what leads someone to adopt a self-concordant goal in the first place? The present research addresses this question by looking at the domains in which goals are set, focusing on the amount of psychological need satisfaction experienced in these domains. Across three experimental studies, we demonstrate that domain-related need satisfaction predicts the extent to which people adopt self-concordant goals in a given domain, laying the foundation for successful goal pursuit. In addition, we show that need satisfaction influences goal self-concordance because in need-satisfying domains people are both more likely to choose the most self-concordant goal (among a set of comparable choices), and are more likely to internalize the possible goals. The implications of this research for goal setting and pursuit as well as for the importance of examining goals within their broader motivational framework are discussed.
Valsartan and Telmisartan Abrogate Angiotensin II–induced Downregulation of ABCA1 Expression Via AT1 Receptor, Rather than AT2 Receptor or PPAR&ggr; Activation

Abstract: The possible pharmacological mechanism by which partial PPAR&ggr;-activating angiotensin II (Ang II) type 1 receptor blocker (ARB) telmisartan and non–PPAR&ggr;-activating ARB valsartan reverse Ang II–suppressed ABCA1 expression is still unclear. In this study, human monocyte-derived THP-1 cells were differentiated into macrophages. Cells were treated with various concentrations of Ang II alone or with Ang II and various drugs including highly selective ARB valsartan, partial PPAR&ggr;-activating ARB telmisartan, angiotensin II type 2 (AT2) receptor blocker PD123319, full PPAR&ggr; agonist pioglitazone, and PPAR&ggr; antagonist GW9662, respectively. After treatment, messenger RNA and protein expressions of ABCA1 and ABCG1 were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively. ABCA1 expression was remarkably suppressed by Ang II at both messenger RNA and protein levels in a dose-dependent manner in THP-1–derived macrophages, whereas ABCG1 expression was not affected. Valsartan and telmisartan could both reverse the downregulation of Ang II on ABCA1 expression. Such effects were not affected by either AT2 receptor blocker PD123319 or PPAR&ggr; antagonist GW9662. Our findings suggest that the effect of Ang II on ABCA1 expression should be mediated by the AT1 receptor. Both valsartan and telmisartan abrogate Ang II–induced downregulation of ABCA1 expression mainly through AT1 receptor rather than through AT2 receptor or PPAR&ggr;-dependent pathway.
Successful student activism in contemporary Italian universities

This article assesses the strategies that the Italian student activists adopted in order to influence the revision process of the governance structure of their universities in 2011. Which kind of strategy has enabled these activists to influence more successfully this process? I argue that the joint pressure of insiders and outsiders allows student activists to get their voice more effectively heard from the university leaders than when one of the two forms of pressure is absent. The ‘power of the streets’ exerted by the ‘outsiders’, combined with the institutional power of the ‘insiders’, produces a significant amplifying effect in the governing bodies. University leaders fear this kind of alliance, as they perceive that insiders with a strong tie with other actors are the expression of a collective voice that is difficult to neutralize. On the other hand, the outsiders are also aware that their collective strength is more likely to be translated into institutional power and action from their allies and/or representatives. To empirically probe this proposition, I have singled out three Italian universities (University of Turin, Sapienza of Rome, and Federico II of Naples), which witnessed high levels of student mobilization in the past years (2008–13), and where student activists and their organizations adopted the most different array of strategies. More specifically, while at the University of Turin the student activists were able to deploy simultaneously both forms of pressure, at the Federico II of Naples and Sapienza of Rome one of the two forms was lacking.
Non‐uniform surface electromyographic responses to change in joint angle within rectus femoris muscle

Introduction: Our recent studies have demonstrated region‐specific neural activation within the rectus femoris (RF) muscle. However, these studies involved a fixed joint angle or posture. In this study we investigated the effect of hip and knee joint angles on neural activation within RF using multichannel surface electromyography (SEMG). Methods: Eleven healthy men performed isometric maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) during knee extension and hip flexion at different hip or joint angles. During the contractions, SEMG of the RF was recorded using 46 electrode pairs covering most of the superficial area of the muscle. Results: During knee extension MVC, an increase in the hip joint angle was associated with a significant increase in SEMG amplitude in the proximal region and a decrease in the distal region (P < 0.05). Higher SEMG amplitude during hip flexion MVC compared with knee extension MVC was observed in proximal regions with the flexed knee and hip joint angles. This task‐dependent spatial distribution of SEMG amplitude was seen at the extended hip, but not at the extended knee. Conclusions: SEMG amplitudes within the RF muscle are not modified uniformly with changes in joint position. Muscle Nerve 50: 794–802, 2014
FHA, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Great Recession

Did government mortgage programs mitigate the adverse economic effects of the financial crisis? We find that counties with greater participation in traditional government mortgage programs experienced less severe economic downturns during the Great Recession. In particular, counties with higher levels of participation in FHA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac lending had relatively smaller increases in mortgage delinquency rates; smaller declines in purchase originations, home sales, home prices, and new automobile purchases; and smaller increases in unemployment rates. These results hold both in 2009 (soon after the peak of the financial crisis) and in 2014 (six years after the crisis). The persistence of better economic outcomes in these counties is consistent with a view that mortgage originators' access to a liquidity outlet (in this case, government-backed securitization) is key to maintaining credit flows and economic growth during financial turmoil.
Long-term Ultraviolet Flux, Other Potential Risk Factors, and Skin Cancer Risk: A Cohort Study

Background: Few prospective studies have examined the relationship between sun exposure, other potential risk factors, and risk of different skin cancers [including basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and melanoma] simultaneously. Methods: We evaluated the association between a number of potential risk factors and skin cancer risk in a cohort of 108,916 US women, the Nurses' Health Study II (1989–2009). Results: During 2.05 million years of follow-up, we identified 6,955, 880, and 779 diagnoses of BCC, SCC, and melanoma, respectively. Compared with participants in the lowest quintile of cumulative ultraviolet flux in adulthood, participants in the highest quintile had multivariable-adjusted relative risks (RR) of 2.35 (Ptrend < 0.0001) for BCC, 2.53 (Ptrend = 0.009) for SCC, and 0.68 (Ptrend = 0.38) for melanoma. In contrast, the RRs were 1.68 (95% CI, 1.55–1.82) for BCC, 1.68 (95% CI, 1.34–2.11) for SCC, and 1.80 (95% CI, 1.42–2.28) for melanoma for participants with ≥5 blistering sunburns when compared with participants without sunburn between ages 15 and 20 years. We found significant interactions between family history of melanoma, number of blistering sunburns between ages 15 and 20 years and BCC risk, and between sunburn reaction as a child/adolescent and SCC risk (all Pinteraction < 0.05). Conclusion: In a cohort of U.S. women, we found that sun exposures in both early life and adulthood were predictive of BCC and SCC risks, whereas melanoma risk was predominantly associated with sun exposure in early life. Impact: Our results may have potential implications for the prevention of skin cancers. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(6); 1080–9. ©2014 AACR.
“Cycling Around an Emotional Core of Sadness”

In contrast to the traditional view of working through grief by confronting it, recent theories have emphasized an oscillating process of confronting and avoiding the pain of loss. In this qualitative study, we sought a better understanding of this process by conducting a detailed case study of a bereaved couple after the loss of their infant daughter. We employed multiple data collection methods (using interviews and written feedback) and an intensive auditing process in our thematic analysis, with special attention to a recurrent metaphor used by this bereaved couple in describing their personal and relational experience. The findings suggest the presence of a dialectic tension between the need to be close to the deceased child and the need for distance from the pain of the loss, which was evidenced on both individual and relational levels. For this couple, the image of “cycling around an emotional core of sadness” captured their dynamic way of dealing with this dialectic of closeness and distance.