Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regulation of adenovirus transcription by an E1a gene in microinjected Xenopus laevis oocytes

The regulation of adenovirus type 5 gene expression by the E1a gene product was examined in microinjected Xenopus laevis oocytes. Chimeric genes were constructed which included the promoter region of early adenovirus type 5 gene 3 and the structural sequence which codes for the bacterial enzyme chloramphenicol-3-O-acetyltransferase (CAT). A plasmid containing this chimeric gene as well as plasmids containing the E1a gene were coinjected into oocyte nuclei. The presence of the E1a gene was shown to increase CAT activity by up to 8.5-fold over basal levels. Synthesis of the functional product from the E1a gene requires the removal of intron sequences by RNA splicing. The E1a gene and a derivative that precisely lacks the intron were equally effective in increasing CAT activity, suggesting that splicing of the primary E1a transcript is efficiently accomplished in the oocyte nucleus. This was confirmed by directly examining the E1a mRNAs by the S1 mapping procedure. A protein extract from adenovirus type 5-infected HeLa cells enriched for the E1a protein may supplant the E1a plasmid in enhancing CAT activity. Synthesis of the CAT enzyme after gene injection is invariant in oocytes from the same frog, but oocytes from different frogs show a high degree of variability in their ability to synthesize the CAT enzyme. Microinjected X. laevis oocytes appear to be an extremely useful system to study the effects of protein elements on transcription.
Transport Policy Impact on Residential Location

This study investigates the impacts of transport factors on residential location decisions to assess the extent to which transport policy decisions (road user charging, changes to fuel duties, and the provision of a new public transport system) affect housing markets. This was achieved by undertaking stated preference experiments in the Greater Oxford area in UK. The forecasts of the impact of transport improvements on house prices suggest road user charging might reduce house prices on average by around 2%. A 10% change in fuel duty leads to an average change in house prices of around 3%, but with the direction of change being uniform throughout the study area. It was also found that introducing a new public transport might increase house prices by around 3% on average, with the greatest increases in central Oxford.
Use of desmopressin acetate in severe hyponatremia in the intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Excessive correction of chronic and profound hyponatremia may result in central pontine myelinolysis and cause permanent brain damage. In the case of foreseeable or established hyponatremia overcorrection, slowing down the correction rate of sodium plasma levels (PNa) or reinducing mild hyponatremia may prevent this neurologic complication. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS This retrospective and observational study was performed with 20 consecutive patients admitted to two intensive care units for severe hyponatremia, defined by PNa <120 mmol/L and/or neurologic complications ascribable to hyponatremia and subsequently treated by desmopressin acetate (DDAVP) during correction of hyponatremia when the rate of correction was overtly or predictably excessive. The primary endpoint was the effectiveness of DDAVP on PNa control. RESULTS DDAVP dramatically decreased the rate of PNa correction (median 0.81 mmol/L per hour [interquartile range, 0.46, 1.48] versus -0.02 mmol/L per hour [-0.16, 0.22] before and after DDAVP, respectively; P<0.001) along with a concurrent decrease in urine output (650 ml/h [214, 1200] versus 93.5 ml/h [43, 143]; P=0.003), and a rise in urine osmolarity (86 mmol/L [66, 180] versus 209 mmol/L [149, 318]; P=0.002). The maximal magnitude of PNa variations was also markedly reduced after DDAVP administration (11.5 mmol/L [8.25, 14.5] versus 5 mmol/L [4, 6.75]; P<0.001). No patient developed seizures after DDAVP or after subsequent relowering of PNa that occurred in 11 patients. CONCLUSIONS Desmopressin acetate is effective in curbing the rise of PNa in patients admitted in the intensive care unit for severe hyponatremia, when the initial rate of correction is excessive.
Absorbing the Costs of Turnover

This study looks at the relationship between labor productivity and employee turnover. I show that the average firm suffers a productivity loss of about 10 percent from employee turnover. Since strategies for increasing employee retention may be economically infeasible, organizational characteristics that affect turnover costs are important. I argue that slack resources may absorb productivity losses. This only appears to be the case for firms experiencing high turnover rates.
Transgenic Animals in Cardiovascular Disease Research

Worldwide, the highest morbidity and mortality results from such cardiovascular diseases as hypertension, myocardial infarction, cardiac and renal failure, as well as stroke. Since the cardiovascular system and its regulation is quite complex, study of these disorders has been grossly limited to whole organism models. As a result, in recent years, transgenic technology has played a significant role in the discovery of specific gene products for cardiovascular regulation and disease aetiology. Genetic manipulation in rats and mice has altered the expression of numerous genes. In this review, some of the important new genetically modified animals (i.e. transgenic models) with alterations in hormone and second messenger systems involved in cardiovascular regulation are summarized.
Short-term effects of kinesio taping versus cervical thrust manipulation in patients with mechanical neck pain: a randomized clinical trial.

STUDY DESIGN Randomized clinical trial. OBJECTIVE To compare the effectiveness of cervical spine thrust manipulation to that of Kinesio Taping applied to the neck in individuals with mechanical neck pain, using self-reported pain and disability and cervical range of motion as measures. BACKGROUND The effectiveness of cervical manipulation has received considerable attention in the literature. However, because some patients cannot tolerate cervical thrust manipulation, alternative therapeutic options should be investigated. METHODS Eighty patients (36 women) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups: the manipulation group, which received 2 cervical thrust manipulations, and the tape group, which received Kinesio Taping applied to the neck. Neck pain (11-point numeric pain rating scale), disability (Neck Disability Index), and cervical-range-of-motion data were collected at baseline and 1 week after the intervention by an assessor blinded to the treatment allocation of the patients. Mixed-model analyses of variance were used to examine the effects of the treatment on each outcome variable, with group as the between-subjects variable and time as the within-subjects variable. The primary analysis was the group-by-time interaction. RESULTS No significant group-by-time interactions were found for pain (F = 1.892, P = .447) or disability (F = 0.115, P = .736). The group-by-time interaction was statistically significant for right (F = 7.317, P = .008) and left (F = 9.525, P = .003) cervical rotation range of motion, with the patients who received the cervical thrust manipulation having experienced greater improvement in cervical rotation than those treated with Kinesio Tape (P<.01). No significant group-by-time interactions were found for cervical spine range of motion for flexion (F = 0.944, P = .334), extension (F = 0.122, P = .728), and right (F = 0.220, P = .650) and left (F = 0.389, P = .535) lateral flexion. CONCLUSION Patients with mechanical neck pain who received cervical thrust manipulation or Kinesio Taping exhibited similar reductions in neck pain intensity and disability and similar changes in active cervical range of motion, except for rotation. Changes in neck pain surpassed the minimal clinically important difference, whereas changes in disability did not. Changes in cervical range of motion were small and not clinically meaningful. Because we did not include a control or placebo group in this study, we cannot rule out a placebo effect or natural changes over time as potential reasons for the improvements measured in both groups. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapy, level 1b.
Rebranding in brand-oriented organisations: Exploring tensions in the nonprofit sector

Abstract In a corporate rebranding process, changes to brand identity will involve a concurrent organisational adaptation likely to generate reactions from internal and external stakeholders. We explore this issue by identifying, describing and explaining the tensions involved in managing the process where organisations have to meet expectations from different stakeholders, as in nonprofit organisations. Based on in-depth interviews with managers and consultants, the research provides a view of the complexity of balancing and maintaining relationships with various stakeholders. Three key tensions are presented: in aligning image and identity, in stakeholder dialogue and access, and in balancing market requirements with organisational identity.
Clinical Experiences of Non-fusion Dynamic Stabilization Surgery for Adjacent Segmental Pathology after Lumbar Fusion

Background As an alternative to spinal fusion, non-fusion dynamic stabilization surgery has been developed, showing good clinical outcomes. In the present study, we introduce our surgical series, which involves non-fusion dynamic stabilization surgery for adjacent segment pathology (ASP) after lumbar fusion surgery. Methods Fifteen patients (13 female and 2 male, mean age of 62.1 years) who underwent dynamic stabilization surgery for symptomatic ASP were included and medical records, magnetic resonance images (MRI), and plain radiographs were retrospectively evaluated. Results Twelve of the 15 patients had the fusion segment at L4-5, and the most common segment affected by ASP was L3-4. The time interval between prior fusion and later non-fusion surgery was mean 67.0 months. The Visual Analog Scale and Oswestry Disability Index showed values of 7.4 and 58.5% before the non-fusion surgery and these values respectively declined to 4.2 and 41.3% postoperatively at 36 months (p=0.027 and p=0.018, respectively). During the mean 44.8 months of follow-up, medication of analgesics was also significantly reduced. The MRI grade for disc and central stenosis identified significant degeneration at L3-4, and similar disc degeneration from lateral radiographs was determined at L3-4 between before the prior fusion surgery and the later non-fusion surgery. After the non-fusion surgery, the L3-4 segment and the proximal segment of L2-3 were preserved in the disc, stenosis and facet joint whereas L1-2 showed disc degeneration on the last MRI (p=0.032). Five instances of radiologic ASP were identified, showing characteristic disc-space narrowing at the proximal segments of L1-2 and L2-3. However, no patient underwent additional surgery for ASP after non-fusion dynamic stabilization surgery. Conclusion The proposed non-fusion dynamic stabilization system could be an effective surgical treatment for elderly patients with symptomatic ASP after lumbar fusion.
Crash Risk and Seasoned Equity Offerings

Using a large sample of U.S. firms during 1987-2011, we find robust evidence that the issuance of seasoned equity is associated with abnormally high future stock price crash risk. The association between seasoned equity offerings and crash risk is stronger among offerings that involve the sale of secondary shares (existing shares sold by insiders or large blockholders). We also find that recent seasoned equity issuers are far less likely to experience sudden positive price jumps relative to firms that have not recently issued equity. Our findings of elevated crash risk and diminished jump risk, when taken together, are consistent with a heightened propensity for firms to hoard bad news but not good news when issuing equity. In analyses of open market insider trading prior to crashes, we find that net selling by CEOs and CFOs is abnormally high in years succeeded by crashes relative to years not succeeded by crashes and is especially high among seasoned equity issuers that subsequently crash, which is consistent with crashes, especially those that occur after SEOs, resulting from bad news hoarding.
Curing the firm's indigestion: Organizational restructuring and the dynamics of acquisition performance

In the present paper, we argue that the more intensive the firm's acquisition activity, the more frequently the firm should undertake large-scale organizational restructuring. Drawing on the insight that the integration of acquisitions is inevitably imperfect in the short term, thus giving rise to lingering integration problems that tie up management time and attention in highly acquisitive firms, we first hypothesize that acquisitions are an important driver of restructuring. Subsequently, we juxtapose two counteracting forces: one that pushes toward more frequent restructuring -- the positive content effect of restructuring -- and one that induces less frequent restructuring -- the negative process effect. Unlike most extant research, which studies the performance effects of isolated acquisitions, we argue, building on a small yet growing research stream, that the position of an acquisition within the sequence of acquisitions undertaken since the firm's last restructuring greatly influences its performa.
Structure and Biosynthesis of Branched Wax Compounds on Wild Type and Wax Biosynthesis Mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana

The cuticle is a waxy composite that protects the aerial organs of land plans from non-stomatal water loss. The chemical make-up of the cuticular wax mixture plays a central role in defining the water barrier, but structure-function relationships have not been established so far, in part due to gaps in our understanding of wax structures and biosynthesis. While wax compounds with saturated, linear hydrocarbon tails have been investigated in detail, very little is known about compounds with modified aliphatic tails, which comprise substantial portions of some plant wax mixtures. This study aimed to investigate the structures, abundances and biosynthesis of branched compounds on the species for which wax biosynthesis is best understood: Arabidopsis thaliana. Microscale derivatization, mass spectral interpretation and organic synthesis identified homologous series of iso-alkanes and iso-alcohols on flowers and leaves, respectively. These comprised approximately 10-15% of wild type wax mixtures. The abundances of both branched wax constituents and accompanying unbranched compounds were reduced on the cer6, cer3 and cer1 mutants but not cer4, indicating that branched compounds are in part synthesized by the same machinery as unbranched compounds. In contrast, the abundances of unbranched, but not branched, wax constituents were reduced on the cer2 and cer26 mutants, suggesting that the pathways to both types of compounds deviate in later steps of chain elongation. Finally, the abundances of branched, but not unbranched, wax compounds were reduced on the cer16 mutant, and the (uncharacterized) CER16 protein may therefore be controlling the relative abundances of iso-alkanes and iso-alcohols on Arabidopsis surfaces.
Study of Herd Behavior Indexes in Brazilian Stock Mutual Funds

The objective of this paper is to investigate herding behavior in the Brazilian stock mutual funds. Through the study of the 100 largest funds of the category, between September/2004 and July/2008, two herding indexes are analyzed: (i) the index, proposed by Lakonishok, Shleifer and Vishny (1992) and the index, which is a new method, introduced by Frey, Herbst and Walter (2007). Results of the research suggest the existence of herding behavior in the Brazilian stock mutual funds, with similar intensity as of in the USA, UK and German markets.
Business Alliance & Partnership Performance and its Value Drivers: An Intellectual Capital Approach

This paper contributes to the field of alliance research by extending and testing the research framework of Moeller (2006) in a specific research setting. Singularly relating behavioral value drivers to financial performance of alliances ignores intangible performance components. This research shows that behavioral value drivers directly affect alliance performance and, additionally, indirectly affect intangible performance. The direct relationship to tangible performance is found to be positively significant for six value drivers: trust, commitment, open communication, strategic interdependence, participation, and coordination of work. The only variable not being significant is the one of symmetry.The indirect relationship by means of intangible performance shows a positive effect of the value drivers of open communication, strategic interdependence, participation, and coordination of work. Overall, symmetry does not have any impact on performance. The closely related drivers of trust and of commitment are important for the overall performance of business partnerships but do not increase the performance of specific intangible components.
Plasma Exchange and Interferon-Alpha Pharmacokinetics in Patients with Hepatitis C Virus-Associated Systemic Vasculitis

Different types of vasculitis have been reported in association with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, i.e. type II mixed cryoglobulinemia and polyarteritis nodosa (PAN). Therapeutic approach of such severely symptomatic patients include interferon-alpha (IFN) plus plasma exchange (PE). There are no data on IFN pharmacokinetic changes related to PE. Patients and Methods: We studied 7 HCV-infected patients (mean age: 57 years) presenting with symptomatic type II mixed cryoglobulinemia (n = 5) or biopsy-proven PAN (n = 2). All patients underwent subcutaneous IFN therapy with concomitant PE. Serum IFN concentration was measured in serial samples on days with and without PE. Results: Without PE, IFN Cmax (range: 100–750 IU/ml) was obtained 3–6 h after subcutaneous injection, followed by a 3- to 9-hour plateau. IFN concentration declined subsequently reaching a residual concentration 24 h after injection, ranging from 20 to 40 IU/ml. PE performed 6 h after IFN administration resulted in increased IFN clearance in that the concentration-time IFN-α area under the curve decreased from 3,005 IU·h/ml (1,563–4,614) on days without PE to 2,142 IU·h/ml (973–4,123) on day with PE. Conclusions: In patients with HCV-associated vasculitis, PE increase IFN clearance. Combined IFN-α and PE therapy schedule have to be further studied to optimize its biological activity.
Attitudes toward the prenatal diagnosis of cystic fibrosis: factors in decision making among affected families.

The objective of this study was to explore psychosocial factors underlying decisions about use of prenatal diagnosis for cystic fibrosis (CF), among parents of affected children. Anonymous survey questionnaires, supplemented by voluntary interviews, were used at 12 CF centers in six New England states, for a consecutive sample of families of minor children visiting CF centers during a 4-mo period. In all, 227 (71%) of 318 families responded. We hypothesized that attitudes toward utilization would be affected by (a) intentions to have children, (b) knowledge, (c) perception of risk, (d) the health of the child with CF, (e) expectations about the child's future, (f) attitudes toward abortion, (g) insurance, (h) genetic counseling, and (i) sociodemographic factors (including attendance at religious services). Of the 227 couples who responded, 69% were surgically sterile, over 45 years of age, widowed, or divorced, and 31% were at risk. Of 70 at-risk couples, 44% intended to have more children; of these, 77% had had or were considering CF prenatal diagnosis. Most families knew CF could be diagnosed prenatally; 20% would terminate for CF. Among intended prenatal diagnosis users, 44% would carry a fetus with CF to term, 28% would abort, and 28% were undecided. Stepwise logistic regression showed three variables significantly related to intentions to use prenatal diagnosis: (1) respondent's willingness to abort for CF (P less than .02, odds ratio 3.36), (2) respondent's siblings' approval of abortion for CF (P less than .03, odds ratio 2.99), and (3) respondent listed no accomplishments for the child with CF (P less than .09, odds ratio 3.01). The majority of affected families reject selective abortion for CF; many will curtail childbearing rather than use prenatal diagnosis.
Functional similarities between the P1 component and alpha oscillations

The present study attempts to demonstrate functional similarities between the P1 component of event‐related potentials and alpha oscillations that are predicted by the ‘alpha inhibition‐timing’ hypothesis. On the basis of findings showing that the frequency characteristic of the P1 component lies in the alpha range and that alpha oscillation is functionally associated with inhibition, we predict that the P1 component also reflects inhibitory processes. This hypothesis is tested in two experiments, a spatial‐cuing task and a visual‐semantic categorization task. The results of the cuing task demonstrate that in a similar way as alpha power, the P1 component is larger over task‐irrelevant ipsilateral sites. For the categorization task, we found that the P1 component, in a similar way to alpha oscillations, is larger for task‐irrelevant, distorted pictures. We conclude that the P1 component may be generated at least in part by evoked alpha oscillations and reflects inhibition in the sense of suppressing task‐irrelevant processes.
Item Nonresponse Analysis for a Mixed-Mode Survey

The literature is equivocal on the existence of a systematic difference in item completion rates between the mail (postal) mode and web modes, two self-administered data collection modes. This exploratory study addresses this issue in the context of a concurrent mixed-mode contact strategy with self-selection of the data collection mode. In order to balance the differences in demographic properties of the respondents, who were free to choose the mode for their participation, a propensity score weighting was used; and in order to take into account various properties of the items comprising the questionnaire, a logistic regression was applied. The results show a small but significant difference in the base item completion rate in favour of the web mode, not attributable to any of the investigated item properties. Additionally, several item level factors were found to differentially influence item completion rates in the two modes. Some of the results are directly translatable into improvements in questionnaire design while others await further theoretical development in order to understand their causes better.
GnRH analog, leuprorelin acetate, promotes regeneration of rat spermatogenesis after severe chemical damage

Future fertility is a major concern for cancer patients who undergo intensive chemotherapy. There has been controversy about whether hormonal treatments may have protective effects against the severe spermatogenic damage caused by chemotherapy or irradiation. Recently, it has been proposed that gonadotrophin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) analogs administered after testicular damage stimulate the recovery of spermatogenesis. In this study, we have investigated the effects of GnRH agonist, leuprorelin, on the damage to spermatogenesis induced by busulfan.