Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors influencing Malaysian construction firms in venturing into international market

A tremendous demand of development worldwide has gained interest of Malaysian construction firms to venture into international construction domain. Identifying and analyzing major determinants of the firm's internal and external factors are crucial in order to ease the complexity in global market expansion. This paper identifies the relative importance of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT's) related to the internationalization of Malaysian contractors. Responses were received from thirty one (31) Class A and Grade 7 Malaysian construction firms registered with CIDB Malaysia in 2010. The findings reveal that “good track record”, “specialist expertise” and “international network” were the most influential strength factors for the firms to effectively compete in international market. However, “shortage of financial resources” as well as “material and labor resources” contributed to the weaknesses in exploring international market. The study also reveals that “opening up new market”, “technological advancement” and “beneficiary international agreements” offered huge opportunities in overseas market. Nevertheless, factors such as “bribery in the host country”, “increase of interest rate” and “lack of awareness” were perceived as the threats due to difficulties in dealing with moral problems, financial risks and unfamiliar environment within the host country. Finally, this study is of relevance to Malaysian construction firms as it systematically highlights the internal and external factors those may affect their performance in international market. These findings may assist them to make necessary preparatory works by enhancing the strengths, reducing the weaknesses, seizing the opportunities and facing the threats in international market, as these elements are consistently changing.
'Steal' is an unestablished mechanism for the clinical presentation of cerebral arteriovenous malformations.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Focal neurological deficits (FNDs) in patients with arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) have been widely attributed to the phenomenon of "cerebral steal. " The incidence of focal deficits was investigated in a large prospective sample. METHODS Using data from patient history and examination, CT or MRI, and transcranial Doppler sonography, we studied 152 consecutive, prospective AVM patients for evidence of FNDs unrelated to a hemorrhagic event. Feeding mean arterial pressure was measured during superselective angiography. RESULTS Two (1.3%) of 152 patients met the criteria for a progressive FND. Nonprogressive FNDs were seen in 11 (7.2%) patients (stable in 4.6%, reversible in 2.6%). The median observation time period was 17 months (range, 1 to 60 months). There were no differences in transcranial Doppler mean velocities in feeding arteries in FND versus non-FND groups (118 +/- 44 versus 112 +/- 37 cm/s, P > .05) or pulsatility indexes (0.53 +/- 0.20 versus 0.55 +/- 0.15, P > .05). Feeding artery pressure was similar in FND (n = 10) and non-FND (n = 96) groups (39 +/- 16 versus 39 +/- 16 mm Hg at a systemic pressure of 82 +/- 18 versus 75 +/- 14 mm Hg, NS). CONCLUSIONS Nonhemorrhagic focal neurological syndromes in AVM patients are infrequent. Progressive deficits are especially rare. There was no relation between feeding artery pressure or flow velocities and FND. There does not appear to be sufficient evidence to assign steal as an operative pathophysiological mechanism in the vast majority of AVM patients.
Autotaxin and LPA1 and LPA5 Receptors Exert Disparate Functions in Tumor Cells versus the Host Tissue Microenvironment in Melanoma Invasion and Metastasis

Autotaxin (ENPP2/ATX) and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptors represent two key players in regulating cancer progression. The present study sought to understand the mechanistic role of LPA G protein–coupled receptors (GPCR), not only in the tumor cells but also in stromal cells of the tumor microenvironment. B16F10 melanoma cells predominantly express LPA5 and LPA2 receptors but lack LPA1. LPA dose dependently inhibited invasion of cells across a Matrigel layer. RNAi-mediated knockdown of LPA5 relieved the inhibitory effect of LPA on invasion without affecting basal invasion. This suggests that LPA5 exerts an anti-invasive action in melanoma cells in response to LPA. In addition, both siRNA-mediated knockdown and pharmacologic inhibition of LPA2 reduced the basal rate invasion. Unexpectedly, when probing the role of this GPCR in host tissues, it was found that the incidence of melanoma-derived lung metastasis was greatly reduced in LPA5 knockout (KO) mice compared with wild-type (WT) mice. LPA1-KO but not LPA2-KO mice also showed diminished melanoma-derived lung metastasis, suggesting that host LPA1 and LPA5 receptors play critical roles in the seeding of metastasis. The decrease in tumor cell residence in the lungs of LPA1-KO and LPA5-KO animals was apparent 24 hours after injection. However, KO of LPA1, LPA2, or LPA5 did not affect the subcutaneous growth of melanoma tumors. Implications: These findings suggest that tumor and stromal LPA receptors, in particular LPA1 and LPA5, play different roles in invasion and the seeding of metastasis. Mol Cancer Res; 13(1); 174–85. ©2014 AACR.
The influence of crown‐to‐implant ratio on marginal bone levels around splinted short dental implants: A radiological and clincial short term analysis

BACKGROUND The amount of marginal bone resorption around dental implants is considered to have a significant impact on implant stability as well as implant survival rates. PURPOSE The aim of this prospective study was to investigate the influence of prosthetic as well as patient specific factors on marginal bone loss around short dental implants. MATERIALS AND METHODS Seventy-six implants, which supported splinted crowns were included for investigation. All implants were from the same type and had an intraosseous length of 6.5 mm and a diameter of 4.0 mm. Twenty implants were additionally splinted onto longer ones. Measurements of marginal bone loss were performed at a mean of 12.38 months after prosthetic loading and the mean follow-up for clinical evaluation was 20.52 months. RESULTS Overall two implant failures were recorded, revealing a survival rate of 97.3%. Marginal bone resorption around 72 short implants measured 0.71 mm (SD: 0.74 mm) and was found to have a strong correlation with calculated Crown-to-Implant ratio (r = .71; P < .001). Age, gender, insertion torque, implant surface area, location, position, bone quality, and insertion torque did not influence peri-implant bone loss after one year of loading. CONCLUSION Within the limitations of the study, it is suggested that Crown-to-Implant ratios should not exceed 1.7 to avoid increased early marginal bone loss.
Classical transplantation tolerance in the adult: the interaction between myeloablation and immunosuppression

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in the neonate is an effective way of inducing permanent tolerance to donor tissue. To do the same in the immunocompetent adult requires immunosuppression to counter host‐versus‐graft alloreactivity. Conditioning with monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to CD4 and CD8 has been sufficient where donor and recipient are mismatched at only multiple “minor” histocompatibility loci, or at major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I plus “minor” loci, but not where the mismatch involves the entire MHC. Tolerance across the MHC barrier requires extra conditioning with agents that happen to be both immunosuppressive and myeloablative, so obscuring the assessment of which effect is important. By using dimethylmyleran as a selective “space”‐creating myeloablative agent, and CD4 plus CD8 mAb as sole immunosuppressive agents, we have been able to dissect the relative requirements for immunosuppression and myeloablation. We show here that transplantation tolerance could only be achieved when both types of agent were combined together so as to guarantee sufficient donor‐type hemopoietic chimerism. We argue that the donor marrow, given sufficient space, will engraft and provide a sustained source of tolerogen overriding any host resistance that antibodies cannot control.
KI, WU, and Merkel Cell Polyomavirus DNA was not Detected in Guthrie Cards of Children who Later Developed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Background: Neonatal dried blood spots (Guthrie cards) have been used to demonstrate a prenatal origin of clonal leukemia-specific genetic aberrations in several subgroups of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). One hypothesis suggests that an infectious agent could initiate genetic transformation already in utero. In search for a possible viral agent, Guthrie cards were analyzed for the presence of 3 newly discovered polyomavirus Karolinska Institutet polymavirus (KIPyV), Washington University polyomavirus (WUPyV), and Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV). Methods: Guthrie cards from 50 children who later developed ALL and 100 matched controls were collected and analyzed by standard or real-time polymerase chain reaction for the presence of the VP1 region of KIPyV, WUPyV, and MCPyV, and the LT region for MCPyV. Results and Conclusions: DNA from KIPyV, WUPyV, and MCPyV was not detected in neonatal blood samples from children with ALL or controls. Prenatal infections with these viruses are not likely to be etiological drivers for childhood leukemogenesis.
Nonviral and Viral Gene Transfer Into Different Subsets of Human Dendritic Cells Yield Comparable Efficiency of Transfection

Among the many promising cancer immunotherapeutic strategies, dendritic cells (DC) have become of particular interest. This study aims to optimize a clinical grade protocol for culture and transfection of human DC. Monocytes and CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) from same donor were differentiated under serum-free conditions and analyzed for their susceptibility to several recently described nonviral transfection methods as compared with established virally mediated gene transfer. Nonviral gene transfer methods studied were square-wave electroporation, lipofection, and particle-mediated transfer of plasmid DNA or in vitro transcribed mRNA. We conclude that DNA is not suitable for transduction of DC using nonviral methods. In contrast, mRNA and square-wave electroporation reproducibly yields 60% and 50% transfected monocyte- and CD34+-derived DC, respectively, measured at protein level, without affecting the cell viability. Thus, the transfection efficiency of this method is comparable with the 40–90% transgene expression obtained using retroviral (RV) or adenoviral (AdV) vectors in CD34+- and monocyte-derived DC, respectively. In monocyte-derived DC, however, the amount of protein expressed per-cell basis was higher after AdV (MOI = 1000) compared with mRNA electroporation-mediated transfer. This is the first study directly demonstrating side-by-side that mRNA electroporation into DC of different origin indeed results in a comparable number of transduced cells as when using virus-mediated gene transfer.
Enzyme induction in the elderly: Effect of rifampin on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of propafenone

A clinical study on enzyme induction in elderly subjects was performed by investigation of the effect of rifampin (INN, rifampicin) on propafenone disposition. Propafenone was chosen as a model drug because of its complex metabolism that permits the simultaneous in vivo assessment of induction of phase 1 and phase 2 pathways.
Contribution of the amino and carboxyl termini for PHA‐4/FoxA function in Caenorhabditis elegans

FoxA transcription factors are central regulators of gut development in all animals that have been studied. Here we examine the sole Caenorhabditis elegans FoxA protein, which is called pha‐4. We describe the molecular characterization of five pha‐4 mutations and characterize their associated phenotypes. Two nonsense mutations are predicted to truncate PHA‐4 after the DNA binding domain and remove the conserved carboxyl terminus. Surprisingly, animals harboring these mutations are viable, provided the mutant mRNAs are stabilized by inactivating the nonsense‐mediated decay pathway. Two additional nonsense mutations reveal that the DNA binding domain is critical for activity. A missense mutation predicted to alter the PHA‐4 amino terminus leads to a dramatic reduction in pha‐4 activity even though the protein is expressed appropriately. We suggest that the PHA‐4 amino terminus is essential for PHA‐4 function in vivo, possibly as a transactivation domain, and can compensate for loss of the carboxyl terminus. We also provide evidence for autoregulation by PHA‐4. Developmental Dynamics 234:346–354, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Conserved Features of the PB2 627 Domain Impact Influenza Virus Polymerase Function and Replication

ABSTRACT Successful replication of influenza virus requires the coordinated expression of viral genes and replication of the genome by the viral polymerase, composed of the subunits PA, PB1, and PB2. Polymerase activity is regulated by both viral and host factors, yet the mechanisms of regulation and how they contribute to viral pathogenicity and tropism are poorly understood. To characterize these processes, we created a series of mutants in the 627 domain of the PB2 subunit. This domain contains a conserved “P[F/P]AAAPP” sequence motif and the well-described amino acid 627, whose identity regulates host range. A lysine present at position 627 in most mammalian viral isolates creates a basic face on the domain surface and confers high-level activity in humans compared to the glutamic acid found at this position in avian isolates. Mutation of the basic face or the P[F/P]AAAPP motif impaired polymerase activity, assembly of replication complexes, and viral replication. Most of these residues are required for general polymerase activity, whereas PB2 K586 and R589 were preferentially required for function in human versus avian cells. Thus, these data identify residues in the 627 domain and other viral proteins that regulate polymerase activity, highlighting the importance of the surface charge and structure of this domain for virus replication and host adaptation. IMPORTANCE Influenza virus faces barriers to transmission across species as it emerges from its natural reservoir in birds to infect mammals. The viral polymerase is an important regulator of this process and undergoes discrete changes to adapt to replication in mammals. Many of these changes occur in the polymerase subunit PB2. Here we describe the systematic analysis of a key region in PB2 that controls species-specific polymerase activity. We report the importance of conserved residues that contribute to the overall charge of the protein as well as those that likely affect protein structure. These findings provide further insight into the molecular events dictating species-specific polymerase function and viral replication.
Contact lens practice in Hong Kong in the new millennium.

PURPOSE We evaluated the contact lens services provided by practitioners in Hong Kong, the fitting habits of the contact lens practitioners and their attitudes regarding the use of orthokeratology (ortho-k) and silicone hydrogel (SH) lenses for overnight wear. METHODS Questionnaires were sent to all Hong Kong optometrists licensed to prescribe contact lenses. RESULTS Two hundred and seventy-five questionnaires (21 per cent) were returned. Most of the respondents (96 per cent) were employed in optical shops and worked in practices that provided contact lens services. The number of new/refit cases per practice per month was about 55, with the percentages of new and refit cases being 48 per cent and 52 per cent respectively. Eighty-eight per cent of the patients were fitted with soft lenses and 10 per cent were fitted with rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses. Fifty-nine per cent of soft lens patients were fitted with planned replacement (frequent replacement and disposable) soft lenses. Fifty per cent of soft lenses were low water content lenses and 85 per cent of RGP lenses were in low DK (< or = 40) material. Multipurpose solutions and soaking solutions with separate cleaner were the most commonly prescribed care regimens for soft and rigid lenses, respectively. Thirteen per cent of the practitioners provided ortho-k services and the mean number of ortho-k cases per month per ortho-k practitioner was six, the majority of patients being children. DreimLens was the lens design most commonly used and Boston XO the most used material. However, 96 per cent of the responding practitioners had reservations about the practice of ortho-k and the use of SH lenses for overnight wear. CONCLUSIONS The contact lens market in HK is still dominated by soft lenses, particularly planned replacement lenses, whereas the percentage of RGP fits has changed little in the past decade. Few respondents used overnight ortho-k and SH lenses in view of concerns about their efficacy and long-term safety.
Induction of pro‐apoptotic calsenilin/DREAM/KChIP3 in Alzheimer's disease and cultured neurons after amyloid‐β exposure

Calsenilin/DREAM/KChIP3 was identified as a calcium-binding protein that interacts with presenilins, serves as a transcription repressor, and binds to the A-type potassium channel. In this study, we hypothesized that calsenilin might be involved in the neurodegeneration of Alzheimer's disease and examined calsenilin expression in Alzheimer's disease. Calsenilin levels were elevated in the cortex region of Alzheimer's patient brains and in the neocortex and the hippocampus of Swedish mutant beta-amyloid precursor protein transgenic mice brains. Induction of calsenilin was also observed in the activated astroglia as well as in the neurons surrounding beta-amyloid (Abeta)- and Congo red-positive plaques. Exposing cultured cortical and hippocampal neurons to Abeta42, an amyloid-beta peptide whose deposition in the brain is a characteristic of Alzheimer's disease, induced both calsenilin protein and mRNA expression, and cell death. Moreover, blocking the calsenilin expression protected the neuronal cells from Abeta toxicity. These findings suggest that chronic up-regulation of calsenilin may be a risk factor for developing Alzheimer's disease, perhaps by facilitating calsenilin-mediated neurodegeneration.
Employment Adjustments Following Rises and Reductions in Minimum Wages: New Insights from a Survey Experiment

The effects of large minimum wage increases, like those planned in the UK and in some US states, are still unknown. We conduct a survey experiment that randomly assigns increases or decreases in minimum wages to about 6,000 plants in Germany and asks the personnel managers about their expectations concerning employment adjustments. We find that employment reacts asymmetrically to positive and negative changes in minimum wages. The larger the increase in the minimum wage is, the larger the expected reduction in employment. Employment adjustments are more pronounced in those industries and plants which are more strongly affected by the current minimum wage and in those plants that have neither collective agreements nor a works council. In contrast, employment is not found to increase if the minimum wage is reduced by about 10 percent. This mainly reflects that plants with works councils and collective agreements would not cut wages.
Particle-mediated DNA vaccine delivery to the skin

Particle-mediated DNA vaccines employ a physical, intracellular delivery device to achieve the deposition of plasmid DNA-based expression vectors directly into the interior of cells of the skin. The resultant bolus of transient antigen expression in keratinocytes and trafficking dendritic cells results in the induction of humoral and cellular immune responses in various animal models and humans, mimicking characteristics of live or live-vectored vaccines. Ultimately, DNA vaccine success in the clinic will depend on both the successful intracellular delivery of a plasmid vector and an immunostimulator or adjuvant to maximise humoral and cellular immune responses to the encoded antigen(s). To this end, recent DNA vaccine clinical trials are confirming the importance of an intracellular delivery system, while preclinical studies in animal models are demonstrating the feasibility of augmenting responses through the use of DNA-encoded immunostimulators. Particle-mediated DNA vaccines represent a promising tool for developing candidate vaccines against some of the more difficult infectious, parasitic and oncologic disease targets.
Sustainable Working Lives: Managing Work Transitions and Health throughout the Life Course

The purpose of this volume is to describe the impact of the increased demand for flexibility on employees and its impact on their individual work life trajectories and health. The volume offers concrete examples of interventions aimed to find innovative ways of sustainable work careers for today's workers. We focus on the school to work transition, job insecurity, job loss and re-employment and retirement. The interventions described offer strategies for implementing support in employment contracts, increasing preparedness of individual employees with public education programs or developing work arrangements and support systems in work organizations.
Physician-evaluated and self-reported morbidity for predicting disability.

OBJECTIVES This study compared the predictive validity of physician-evaluated morbidity and self-reported morbidity on disability among adults. METHODS Subjects from a large national survey (n = 6913) received a detailed medical examination by a physician and were asked about the presence of 36 health conditions at baseline. Disability measured 10 and 15 years later was regressed on the morbidity measures and covariates with tobit models. RESULTS Although physician-evaluated morbidity and self-reported morbidity were associated with greater disability, self-reports of chronic nonserious illnesses manifested greater predictive validity. Disability was also higher for obese subjects and those of lower socioeconomic status. CONCLUSIONS The findings demonstrate the predictive utility of self-reported morbidity measures on functional disability.