Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Industrial Processing on the Immunogenicity of Commonly Ingested Fish Species

Background: Food-processing techniques may induce changes in fish protein immunogenicity. Allergens from >100 fish species have been identified, but little is known on the effects of processing on fish protein immunogenicity. Methods: IgE binding of sera of patients allergic to fresh and processed (smoked, salted/sugar-cured, canned, lye-treated and fermented) cod, haddock, salmon, trout, tuna, mackerel and herring and of hydrolysates based on salmon and whiting was investigated using immunoblot and inhibition ELISA. Results: Parvalbumin oligomers were identified using monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. IgE binding was seen in most sera at 12–14 kDa (parvalbumin), and at 17–60 kDa for all fish except tuna. Changes in IgE binding appeared to reflect altered parvalbumin monomers and oligomers. Smoked haddock, salmon and mackerel had increased IgE binding and novel bands at 30 kDa. Chemically processed cod, salmon, trout and pickled herring had reduced or abolished IgE binding. The serum of 1 subject, however, had increased IgE binding to these products and also inhibition of binding by both fish hydrolysates to their constituent fish species. Conclusion: Process-induced changes in fish protein immunogenicity were more dependent on process rather than species, although individual responses varied. Changes in the allergenicity of a product may depend on the net effect of processing on parvalbumin oligomerization patterns, which may also vary in different species. Chemical processes generally caused loss in IgE-binding activity, though sensitization may occur to modified or degraded rather than intact peptides as shown by increased binding by chemically processed fish and hydrolysates in 1 subject. The clinical significance of these findings remains to be established.
Mycobacterium bovis BCG Response Regulator Essential for Hypoxic Dormancy

ABSTRACT Obligately aerobic tubercle bacilli are capable of adapting to survive hypoxia by developing into a nonreplicating or dormant form. Dormant bacilli maintain viability for extended periods. Furthermore, they are resistant to antimycobacterials, and hence, dormancy might play a role in the persistence of tuberculosis infection despite prolonged chemotherapy. Previously, we have grown dormant Mycobacterium bovis BCG in an oxygen-limited Wayne culture system and subjected the bacilli to proteome analysis. This work revealed the upregulation of the response regulator Rv3133c and three other polypeptides (α-crystallin and two “conserved hypothetical” proteins) upon entry into dormancy. Here, we replaced the coding sequence of the response regulator with a kanamycin resistance cassette and demonstrated that the loss-of-function mutant died after oxygen starvation-induced termination of growth. Thus, the disruption of this dormancy-induced transcription factor resulted in loss of the ability of BCG to adapt to survival of hypoxia. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of protein extracts from the gene-disrupted strain showed that the genetic loss of the response regulator caused loss of the induction of the other three dormancy proteins. Thus, the upregulation of these dormancy proteins requires the response regulator. Based on these two functions, dormancy survival and regulation, we named the Rv3133c gene dosR for dormancy survival regulator. Our results provide conclusive evidence that DosR is a key regulator in the oxygen starvation-induced mycobacterial dormancy response.
Corporate investment, debt and liquidity choices

We study the simultaneous choice of investment, debt financing and liquidity for a large sample of US corporates between 1980 and 2014. We partition the sample according to the firms’ financial constraints and their needs to hedge against future shortfalls in operating income. In contrast to results derived from isolated analyses of individual corporate decisions, our joint estimation approach shows that cash flow sensitivities of investment, net debt issuance and cash holdings are much higher for unconstrained firms than for constrained firms. Companies with high hedging needs moreover manage their ability to cover future financing needs in different ways: While unconstrained firms increase their debt issues with improving investment opportunities, constrained firms drive up their cash stocks to preserve financial flexibility. Even though the financial crisis erupting in 2007 greatly reduced the size of the cash flow sensitivities of corporate investment, financing and liquidity decisions, it left these general relations intact.
Expression and immune response to hepatitis C virus core DNA–based vaccine constructs

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major worldwide cause of acute and chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The development of vaccines against HCV have been complicated by the high variability of the envelope region, and it is likely that the cellular immune responses to viral structural proteins may be important for eradicating persistent viral infection. Recently, it was reported that the injection into muscle cells of plasmids encoding viral genes resulted in the generation of strong cellular immune responses. We constructed vectors that express the highly conserved HCV core gene. In this regard, the pHCV 2‐2 construct contained the entire HCV core region and pHCV 4‐2 contained both the 5′ noncoding region and the core gene. Cellular expression of HCV core protein was assessed following transfection into human and murine cell lines, and higher intracellular levels of the 21‐kd core protein were observed with pHCV 2‐2. These HCV core DNA constructs were used to immunize BALB/c mice and produced low‐level anti‐HCV core humoral immune responses. To assess cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte (CTL) activity generated in vivo, a cloned syngeneic SP2/O myeloma cell line constitutively expressing HCV core protein was established and inoculated into BALB/c mice to produce growth of plasmacytomas. Strong CTL activity was generated because the tumor size and weight in pHCV 2‐2‐immunized mice were remarkably reduced compared with mice injected with mock DNA. Spontaneous CTL activity was also exhibited by splenocytes in an in vitro cytotoxicity assay. These investigations demonstrate that plasmid constructs expressing HCV core protein generate strong CTL activity, as assessed both in vivo and in vitro, and are promising candidates as antiviral agents.
Pengaruh Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Profitabilitas, Leverage, dan Komisaris Independen Terhadap Praktik Penghindaran Pajak

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk untuk memperoleh bukti empiris pengaruh Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), profitabilitas, leverage, dan komisaris independen terhadap praktik penghindaran pajak. Sampel yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah perusahaan yang terdaftar di BEI, berdasarkan metode proposive sampling diperoleh sampel sebanyak 24 perusahaan, dengan periode penelitian tahun 2011-2013. Variabel dependen penelitian ini adalah penghindaran pajak perusahaan diproksikan dengan Effective Tax Rate (ETR). Variabel independen CSR diukur dengan menggunakan check list indikator luas pengungkapan tanggung jawab sosial dan lingkungan dari Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Variabel independen berikutnya profitabilitas diukur dengan menggunakan rasio ROA, sedangkan untuk variabel leverage diukur dengan perbandingan total utang dengan total aset. Variabel komisaris independen merupakan proporsi komisaris independen dalam dewan komisaris. Data-data dalam penelitian ini diolah menggunakan bantuan SPSS dengan metode regresi berganda. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa CSR dan profitabilitas berpengaruh terhadap praktik penghindaran pajak. Sedangkan variable leverage dan komisaris independen tidak berpengaruh terhadap praktik penghindaran pajak. This research aimed to obtain empirical evidence of the influence of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), profitability, leverage, and independent commissioner to the practice of tax avoidance. The sample that used in this research is companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (BEI), based on purposive sampling method was obtained 24 companies. Observation period was 2011-2013. Corporate tax avoidance is proxy by ETR. The indicators disclosure of CSR is using Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guideline. Variable profitability is measured by a ratio of ROA, while leverage measured by the ratio of total debt to total assets. The variable independent commissioner is the proportion of independent commissioner in the board of commissioners. The data in this research was processed using SPSS with multiple regression method. The result of this research shows that the CSR and profitability have significant influence to the practice of tax avoidance. While the variable leverage and independent commissioner do not significant influence to the practice of tax avoidance.
Hearing impairment, undescended testis, circumferential skin creases, and mental handicap (HITCH) syndrome: A case report

We report on a 3‐year‐old boy with circumferential skin creases as seen in Michelin tire baby syndrome (MTBS), hearing impairment, undescended testes, short stature, and mental handicap. Skin biopsy from the inguinal region showed degenerative collagen, which has never been found in MTBS. Similar clinical manifestations shared by our patient and a boy reported previously suggest a new clinical entity, in which degenerative collagen is etiologically involved. We propose an acronym to designate it: hearing impairment, undescended testis, circumferential skin creases, and mental handicap (HITCH) syndrome. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Protective effects of dexpanthenol against acetaminophen-induced hepatorenal damage

Acetaminophen (paracetamol, APAP) has a worldwide usage. Nevertheless, overdosing may induce severe toxicity. Dexpanthenol (DXP) is the alcohol provitamin form of vitamin B5 with antiinflammatory and antioxidant efficacy. In the present study, the biochemical and histological protective effects of DXP against acetaminophen-induced oxidative hepatorenal damage were examined. Rats were divided into the following groups: healthy control (HG); APAP (AG (APAP Group), 1500 mg/kg, orally); DXP (DXG, 500 mg/kg, intraperitoneally); APAP+N-acetylcysteine (NAC) (ANG, 100 mg/kg, intraperitoneally); APAP+DXP (ADXG) and APAP+NAC+DXP (ANDXG) groups. Liver and kidney function tests, oxidant/antioxidant parameters and histological assessment were performed. In the AG group, marked hepatorenal damage occurred with the significant elevation of kidney (urea and creatinine) and liver (alanine aminotransaminase, aspartate aminotransaminase lactate dehydrogenase) function tests, and oxidative stress markers such as malondialdehyde, myeloperoxidase and nitric oxide when compared with the HG group (p<0.05). Concurrently, an apparent decrease in catalase and glutathione levels was determined in the AG group (p<0.05). In the ADXG group, DXP significantly decreased oxidant levels in both liver and kidney tissues while increasing the antioxidant levels when compared with the AG group (p<0.05). The resultant histological changes were improved and almost normal organ structures in the ADXG group. Furthermore, the biochemical and histological assessment results revealed that DXP has nearly the same hepatoprotective efficacy with NAC. In renal tissues, when all groups were compared against the AG group, there was a statistically significant difference between all groups (p<0.001) except the ANG group. The histological sections of the ANG group were nearly the same, with the AG group indicating the inadequate nephroprotective effect of NAC. In the light of these findings, we think that DXP may be used in daily clinical practice of acute hepatorenal APAP-induced toxicity. However, further studies are needed to illuminate its efficacy.
Corporate Governance and Firm Performance: Analyzing the Social Capital of Corporate Insiders

This dissertation is concerned with how the social capital of corporate insiders is associated with the governance and performance of publicly listed small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) in Canada. The premise of social capital theory is that relationships matter and that network structures have implications for outcomes. Encouraging SME growth and performance is an important part of economic policy. In Canada, going public is one way innovative SMEs can access capital for growth. This research considers the network of relationships between directors, owners and senior officers in a public corporation – i.e. the social capital of corporate insiders – to better understand corporate governance. Family-run firms, large corporate ownership and professional relationships between directors have been the subject of numerous corporate governance studies. They can also be considered networks. In this research, I assume that these various networks act to unite corporate insiders into coalitions with similar interests. I consider the implications of social capital on firm performance in terms of effective control, director independence, CEO ownership, and family control of the firm. The hypotheses, generated from the theory of internal social capital of the firm, are tested using fixed and random effects regression models on a panel of Canadian industrial SMEs that had an initial public offering between 2000 and 2010. SME performance is measured by Tobin’s Q. I find support for the idea that the structure of social capital within the firm is related to corporate governance and associated with performance. My results indicate that having multiple coalitions in the firm, as well as more independent directors, are both positively associated with performance. There are also indirect effects related to the social capital of the firm. After controlling for the structure of social capital in the firm, CEO ownership is found to have no association with firm performance, except in a few cases where the CEO owns in excess of 40 percent of the firm. Once these cases are omitted from the sample there does not appear to be a significant relationship between CEO ownership and performance. These few cases suggest the role of CEO may be important to performance outcomes in
Manual therapy is an effective treatment for frozen shoulder in diabetics: an observational study.

OBJECTIVES This study aims to compare the efficacy of manual therapy in the frozen shoulder patients with or without diabetes mellitus. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between May 2006 and January 2008, 50 patients (10 males, 40 females; mean age 52 ± 10 years; range 40 to 65 years) orthopedic surgeons referred to the Sports Physiotherapy Unit were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups, including patients with primary frozen shoulder with type II diabetes mellitus (n=12) and non diabetics (n=38). All patients underwent a rehabilitation program including cold application, manual therapy and exercises twice a week. A total of 16 treatment sessions were performed. The most important part of the manual therapy included scapular mobilization and posterior capsule stretching. The range of motion was measured by goniometry. Functional activity status was assessed by Constant's score. The pain level was evaluated by visual analog scale, while muscle strength was evaluated by hand-held dynamometer. Student t-test was used to compare between the parameters of groups, while Paired sample t-test was used to compare pre- and post-treatment parameters of the patients. RESULTS The range of motion, functional activity status and muscular strength were improved and the pain level was reduced after rehabilitation in all of the patients in both groups (p<0.05). There was no difference in duration of the treatment between the groups (p>0.05). There were no differences in range of motion, functional activity status, pain level, and muscle strength before and after rehabilitation between the groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSION Manual therapy approaches may be safely applied in diabetic patients with frozen shoulder.
Endothelial Dysfunction in Metabolic and Vascular Disorders

Abstract Vascular endothelium has important regulatory functions in the cardiovascular system and a pivotal role in the maintenance of vascular health and metabolic homeostasis. It has long been recognized that endothelial dysfunction participates in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis from early, preclinical lesions to advanced, thrombotic complications. In addition, endothelial dysfunction has been recently implicated in the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Considering that states of insulin resistance (eg, metabolic syndrome, impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, and T2DM) represent the most prevalent metabolic disorders and risk factors for atherosclerosis, it is of considerable scientific and clinical interest that both metabolic and vascular disorders have endothelial dysfunction as a common background. Importantly, endothelial dysfunction has been associated with adverse outcomes in patients with established cardiovascular disease, and a growing body of evidence indicates that endothelial dysfunction also imparts adverse prognosis in states of insulin resistance. In this review, we discuss the association of insulin resistance and T2DM with endothelial dysfunction and vascular disease, with a focus on the underlying mechanisms and prognostic implications of the endothelial dysfunction in metabolic and vascular disorders. We also address current therapeutic strategies for the improvement of endothelial dysfunction.
Early time courses of recurrent thromboembolism and bleeding during apixaban or enoxaparin/warfarin therapy

Summary Risks of recurrence and bleeding are highest during the first weeks of anticoagulant therapy for venous thromboembolism (VTE). We therefore examined the early time course of recurrence and major bleeding in a pre-specified sub-analysis of the AMPLIFY trial, a randomised, double-blind, six-month comparison of oral apixaban with conventional therapy (enoxaparin followed by warfarin) in 5,395 patients with symptomatic proximal deep-vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. Early events were of particular interest because apixaban was given without initial heparin treatment. The primary efficacy and safety outcomes were the incidences of the adjudicated composite of recurrent symptomatic VTE or death related to VTE, and of adjudicated major bleeding, respectively. This analysis reports on recurrence and bleeding after 7, 21, and 90 days of therapy, in addition to the previously reported end-of-study results. These were the times specified before statistical analysis. Recurrent VTE after 7, 21, and 90 days, and six months had occurred in 18 (0.7%), 29 (1.1%), 46 (1.8%), and 59 patients (2.3%), respectively, given apixaban, and in 23 (0.9%), 35 (1.3%), 58 (2.2%), and 71 patients (2.7%), respectively, given conventional therapy. Major bleeding had occurred during these time intervals in 3 (0.1%), 5 (0.2%), 11 (0.4%), and 15 patients (0.6%), respectively, who received apixaban, and in 16 (0.6%), 26 (1.0%), 38 (1.4%), and 49 patients (1.8%), respectively, given conventional therapy. Efficacy of apixaban was non-inferior at each time point, with no excess of early recurrences. The reduced bleeding risk associated with apixaban began early during the course of treatment.
What is the risk of sham surgery in Parkinson disease clinical trials? A review of published reports

Placebo, or sham surgery, as a control condition in surgical clinical trials in Parkinson disease (PD) remains controversial. The authors reviewed the adverse effects reported in double blind, placebo surgery controlled trials for PD. Placebo surgeries were generally safe and well tolerated but the number of subjects receiving the procedure was small. Harm occurred more frequently in subjects randomized to the experimental intervention.
Untangling the Relationship between Human Resource Management and Corporate Entrepreneurship: The Mediating Effect of Middle Managers’ Knowledge Sharing

Abstract Although there is a growing body of literature linking human resource management (HRM) and corporate entrepreneurship (CE), there is still insufficient understanding of the mechanisms underlying this relationship. This paper focuses on middle managers’ knowledge-sharing behavior as an important mediator in the HRM–CE relationship. We test our hypotheses using data collected from 163 Malaysian middle managers. The paper finds that about a third of the relationship between High-Performance Human Resource Practices and CE can be accounted for by middle managers’ knowledge-sharing behavior. The findings provide quantitative empirical support for theoretical claims of the importance of middle managers’ knowledge sharing in fostering CE, and for the importance of HRM in fostering such knowledge sharing. The study contributes to the literature on the HRM–CE relationship by disentangling the underlying mechanisms and by providing empirical support for this relationship in a Malaysian context.
Contemporary management accounting in the UK service sector

This study demonstrates an original contribution to knowledge by providing a deeper understanding of management accounting practices in the context of service organisations. It explores a number of traditional and contemporary tools and their relationship to service organisations. The study focuses on the extent to which both traditional and contemporary tools are utilised in practice and also the underlying reasons why some tools become embedded in practice and the barriers and enablers of management accounting change in a service sector context. The study is explanatory in nature and uses a cross sectional survey to provide an understanding of what tools are used by service sector organisations and five in depth case studies to explore the nature of how the tools are used and the factors influencing the diffusion of new tools and the replication of existing tools. The analysis of the cases is done using Stones (2005) quadripartite framework which allows a sensitising of the data to provide insights into the external and internal structures which govern and are governed by the actions of the accountants. From the empirical research it was concluded that the management accounting practices of service sector organisations are similar to those of other organisational sectors and mainly rely upon the use of the traditional tools with limited use of the more contemporary tools. The exploration of the tools used in the case studies showed the internal structures in place which allowed the traditional tools to be embedded and replicated over time and also the external structures which when coupled with the internal structures resulted in barriers and enablers of change to the management accounting tools used. This thesis contributes to knowledge by providing a greater understanding of service sector management accounting and by the development of the strong structuration model to provide valuable insights into management accounting change and to demonstrate the continued theory practice gap in management accounting.
Methods of Midtrimester Abortion: Which Is Safest?

In the United States, the three principal methods of abortion for patients at 13 or more menstrual weeks' gestation are intraamniotic instillation of saline or prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) and dilatation and evacuation (D&E). The relative safety of these methods, however, has not been established. This report compares the three methods using data on 17467 abortions collected by the Joint Program for the Study of Abortion under the auspices of the Center for Disease Control (JPSA/CDC). Abortion by D&E was found to be significantly safer than abortion by saline instillation (p<0.001), and abortion by saline instillation was significantly safer than by PGF2α (p<0.01). Moreover, midtrimester D&E is both safe and practical; it is a direct and rapid procedure which can be performed on an outpatient basis. Although PGF2α accelerated the time required for abortion, it also significantly increased serious morbidity.