Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phytoremediation of Heavy and Transition Metals Aided by Legume-Rhizobia Symbiosis

Legumes are important for nitrogen cycling in the environment and agriculture due to the ability of nitrogen fixation by rhizobia. In this review, we introduce an important and potential role of legume-rhizobia symbiosis in aiding phytoremediation of some metal contaminated soils as various legumes have been found to be the dominant plant species in metal contaminated areas. Resistant rhizobia used for phytoremediation could act on metals directly by chelation, precipitation, transformation, biosorption and accumulation. Moreover, the plant growth promoting (PGP) traits of rhizobia including nitrogen fixation, phosphorus solubilization, phytohormone synthesis, siderophore release, and production of ACC deaminase and the volatile compounds of acetoin and 2, 3-butanediol may facilitate legume growth while lessening metal toxicity. The benefits of using legumes inoculated with naturally resistant rhizobia or recombinant rhizobia with enhanced resistance, as well as co-inoculation with other plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) are discussed. However, the legume-rhizobia symbiosis appears to be sensitive to metals, and the effect of metal toxicity on the interaction between legumes and rhizobia is not clear. Therefore, to obtain the maximum benefits from legumes assisted by rhizobia for phytoremediation of metals, it is critical to have a good understanding of interactions between PGP traits, the symbiotic plant-rhizobia relationship and metals.
Heritable variation and genetic correlation of quantitative traits within and between ecotypes of Avena barbata

We examined heritable variation for quantitative traits within and between naturally occurring mesic and xeric ecotypes of the slender wild oat (Avena barbata), and in 188 recombinant inbred lines derived from a cross between the ecotypes. We measured a suite of seedling and adult traits in the greenhouse, as well as performance‐related traits in field sites native to the two ecotypes. Although the ecotypes were genetically diverged for most traits, few traits showed significant heritable variation within either ecotype. In contrast, considerable heritable variation was released in the recombinant progeny of the cross, and transgressive segregation was apparent in all traits. Heritabilities were substantially greater in the greenhouse than in the field, and this was associated with an increase in environmental variance in the field, rather than a decrease in genetic variance. Strong genetic correlations were evident among the recombinants, such that 22 measured traits could be well represented by only seven underlying factors, which accounted for 80% of the total variation. The primary axis of variation in the greenhouse described a trade‐off between vegetative and reproductive allocation, mediated by the date of first flowering, and fitness was strongly correlated with this trade‐off. Other factors in the greenhouse described variation in size and in seedling traits. Lack of correlation among these factors represents the release of multivariate trait variation through recombination. In the field, a separate axis of variation in overall performance was found for each year/site combination. Performance was significantly correlated across field environments, but not significantly correlated between greenhouse and field.
Interleukin-6 as an inflammatory mediator and target of therapy in chronic periaortitis.

OBJECTIVE Chronic periaortitis (CP) usually responds to glucocorticoids, but some patients have glucocorticoid-refractory disease or contraindications to glucocorticoid therapy. This study was undertaken to evaluate treatment with the anti-interleukin-6 receptor (anti-IL-6R) antibody tocilizumab in 2 patients with CP, one with refractory disease and the other with contraindications to glucocorticoids, and to assess IL-6 levels in an additional cohort of patients with CP. METHODS Both patients were given intravenous tocilizumab (8 mg/kg) once every 4 weeks for 6 months. Serum IL-6 was measured in 22 patients with active CP and 16 healthy controls. Tissue IL-6 expression was assessed by confocal microscopy in biopsy specimens obtained from 6 patients with CP. RESULTS In the first patient, whose disease was refractory to various immunosuppressive treatments, tocilizumab added to ongoing therapy with prednisone and methotrexate allowed prednisone withdrawal and induced resolution of symptoms, acute-phase reactant normalization, and reduction in (18) F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18) F-FDG) uptake on positron emission tomography. The patient experienced a relapse 7 months later and was successfully retreated with tocilizumab. In the second patient, who was unable to tolerate glucocorticoids because of psychiatric side effects, tocilizumab monotherapy induced sustained clinical and laboratory remission, (18) F-FDG uptake disappearance, and CP shrinkage. Serum IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients with active CP than in controls (P < 0.0001), and IL-6 was abundantly expressed in biopsy specimens from CP patients, particularly by T cells, B cells, histiocytes, fibroblasts, and vascular smooth muscle cells. CONCLUSION Tocilizumab may be a therapeutic option for CP. The systemic and tissue up-regulation of IL-6 in CP, together with the clinical benefit of IL-6R blockade observed in our 2 patients, suggest that IL-6 may contribute to CP pathogenesis.
The Effect of Intangible Assets Intensity on Volatility of Stock Prices for Firms Listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of intangible assets intensity on the volatility of stock prices for firms listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange. The study checks if the intensity of intangible assets in a firm‟s balance sheet affects the volatility of their stock price. In most cases, it is expected that intangible assets intensity would results to a positive effect on stock price volatility. The study relies on secondary data of 13 sampled publicly listed companies with data of up to five years from 2010 to 2014. These firms were randomly selected from five different industry groupings namely: banking, energy and petroleum, investments, information & telecommunication and manufacturing. The various analyses of these firms were computed from the data collected and extracted from their audited financial statements for the periods 2010-2014. The data was then analysed using linear regression models in excel to establish if there were any significant effect of intangible assets intensity on stock price volatility. From the results of the data set, the study shows a positive correlation between intensity of intangible assets and volatility of stock prices. However, results from the control variables, company size and debt had negative correlation between them and stock prices volatility. A possible explanation for this finding is the fact that intangible assets activities tend to increase the level of information asymmetry on projects and future earning for a firm and this in turn generates an increase in stock price volatility. Additionally, the findings could be attributed to the impact of uncertainty and expectation on the behaviour of investors in the Nairobi Securities Exchange market due to the increasing high level of intangible assets investment going at NSE. Although, intangible assets intensity had a positive effect on the volatility of stock price at the NSE, the results were inconclusive. The study therefore recommends that further research should be conducted with more details on the specific types of intangible assets like goodwill, R & D, intellectual capital while other variables which were not factored in and identify which are the major factors that affect volatility of stock prices for firms listed at the NSE. This will enable them to control these factors to ensure sustained improvement on stock prices for firms listed at the NSE. In order that we find more reliable and accurate results, the study further recommends that company managers review the existing methods of recognizing and recording intangible assets which would be a step towards a more broad understanding of the effect of book value of intangible assets on the volatility of stock prices.
Exhaustion from Information System Career Experience: Implications for Turn-Away Intention

While the U.S. economy is recovering slowly, reports tell us that the supply of information systems (IS) professionals is declining and demand is once again on the rise. With organizations challenged in their efforts to hire additional staff, IS professionals are being asked to do even more, often leading to burnout, turnover, and turnaway intentions. Building on Ahuja et al.'s (2007) work on turnover intentions and using the job demands-- resources model of burnout as an organizing framework for the antecedents to exhaustion from IS career experience (EISCE), this illustrative research note draws attention to exhaustion in IS professionals that spans an individual's professional career. Findings indicate that IS professionals' perceived workload (demand) was associated with higher levels of EISCE, whereas fairness and perceived control of career (resources) were associated with lower levels of EISCE. The influence of EISCE on affective commitment to the IS profession (ACISP) was found to be negative and, ultimately, ACISP fully mediated the effect of EISCE on the intention to turn away from an IS career. The results suggest the importance of studying IS professionals' perceptions regarding the demands and resources associated with working in the IS field when testing exhaustion across IS career experience.
Genetic structure in the coral‐reef‐associated Banggai cardinalfish, Pterapogon kauderni

In this study, we used 11 polymorphic microsatellite loci to show that oceanic distances as small as 2–5 km are sufficient to produce high levels of population genetic structure (multilocus FST as high as 0.22) in the Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni), a heavily exploited reef fish lacking a pelagic larval dispersal phase. Global FST among all populations, separated by a maximum distance of 203 km, was 0.18 (RST = 0.35). Moreover, two lines of evidence suggest that estimates of FST may actually underestimate the true level of genetic structure. First, within‐locus FST values were consistently close to the theoretical maximum set by the average within‐population heterozygosity. Second, the allele size permutation test showed that RST values were significantly larger than FST values, indicating that populations have been isolated long enough for mutation to have played a role in generating allelic variation among populations. The high level of microspatial structure observed in this marine fish indicates that life history traits such as lack of pelagic larval phase and a good homing ability do indeed play a role in shaping population genetic structure in the marine realm.
Interferon-alpha 2a does not improve response or survival when combined with dacarbazine in metastatic malignant melanoma: results of a multi-institutional Australian randomized trial.

Following extensive phase II trials of the combination of dacarbazine and interferon-alpha 2a we performed a prospective, randomized, controlled trial of this combination versus dacarbazine alone as systemic therapy for symptomatic, measurable metastatic malignant melanoma. The two treatment arms were well matched for age, sex, performance, status, relapse-free survival, prior therapy and sites of disease. Therapy consisted of dacarbazine given in combination in escalating doses of 200 mg/m2, 400 mg/m2 and 800 mg/m2 i.v. every 3 weeks, or alone at 800 mg/m2 i.v. every 3 weeks. Interferon was administered subcutaneously starting at 3 mU daily on days 1-3, 9 mU daily on days 4-70, then 9 mU three times per week. Therapy was continued for at least 6 months unless overt progressive disease was observed. Eighty seven patients were randomized to the combination and 83 patients to dacarbazine alone. Response rates were respectively, complete 7% and 2%, and partial 14% and 15%, for a total response rate of 21% (95% confidence limits 13-31%) and 17% (95% confidence limits 10-27%). Median duration of response was 258 and 286 days, and survival of the whole groups 229 and 269 days respectively. Toxicity was worse in the combination arm, with more patients experiencing fatigue, nausea and anorexia, flu-like symptoms and neutropenia. However quality of life was not significantly different in either group, except that fatigue, as measured at week 12 by LASA scales, and activity, as measured by the functional living index, were both improved in the combination. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Institutional Compatibility and the Diffusion of “Best Practices”: Human Resource Management in Foreign-Invested Enterprises in China

Abstract We advance the literature on global diffusion, currently dominated by the world polity theory, by examining how the local institutional environment shapes the diffusion of global best practices. We argue that global best practices that are more compatible with the local institutional environment are more likely to be adopted by local actors, and that they also exert a greater positive impact on the adopters. In contrast to existing research that typically focuses on a single policy or structure, we collected original data on the diffusion of twenty-five human resource management best practices in foreign-invested enterprises in China. Our analysis shows considerable variation in the adoption level across practices, much of which is attributable to their different levels of compatibility with China's local institutional environment. Furthermore, we find that adopting more compatible practices indeed makes greater contribution to organizational performance.
Sorin Bicarbon bileaflet valve: a 9.8-year experience. Clinical performance of the prosthesis after heart valve replacement in 587 patients.

OBJECTIVES To determine early and mid-term clinical performance of the Sorin Bicarbon bileaflet prosthesis. METHODS Between January 1993 and October 2000, 1092 patients received at least one Sorin Bicarbon prosthesis. Six hundred and fourteen of those fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were contacted by mail and/or telephone interview. Five hundred and eighty-seven (95.6%) patients aged 16.2-85.9 years (mean 61.5 years), 368 males and 219 females, were available for clinical evaluation. Four hundred and fifteen patients underwent aortic--(AVR) (70.7%), 122 mitral--(MVR) (20.8%), 50 double valve replacement (DVR) (8.5%). 86.4% of the patients were in NYHA functional class III or IV. Cumulative duration of follow-up is 2474 patient-years (py) with a maximum of 9.8 years. RESULTS Overall hospital mortality (30 days) rate was 4.2% (n=26). The early mortality rate was significantly higher in females and patients older than 70 years (P<0.05). Valve related early deaths were not documented. There were 49 late deaths (8.3%). Overall late mortality was 1.98%/patient-years. Cumulative survival rate at 9.8 years was for AVR, MVR and DVR, 80.1, 95.1 and 76.4, respectively. Multivariable logistic analysis identified high age at operation (>or=70 years) as an independent mortality risk factor (P=0.03). Valve related complications were thromboembolism: 1.33%/patient-years (n=34), anticoagulant related hemorrhage: 1.21%/patient-years (n=30), bacterial endocarditis: 0.16%/patient-years (n=4), reoperation: 0.69%/patient-years (n=17), paravalvular leak: 0.69%/patient-years (n=17). No structural dysfunction of the prosthesis has been reported. Actuarial freedom from complications at 9.8 years was: thromboembolism 86.7%, major hemorrhage 92.3%, prosthetic valve endocarditis 99.1% and reoperation 95.8%. CONCLUSIONS Sorin Bicarbon prosthesis provides excellent clinical results and mid-term survival with very low complication rates comparable with those of other bileaflet prostheses currently in use.
Fatty acid transport regulatory proteins in the developing rat placenta and in trophoblast cell culture models.

The placenta forms a selective barrier that is able to transport nutrients that are of critical use to the fetus. Delivery of essential fatty acids to the fetus is dependent upon transplacental transport and provides the backbone for the biosynthesis of biological membranes, myelin and various signalling molecules. The primary objective of this research was to elucidate the expression patterns of genes that regulate fatty acid transport across the placenta. Several fatty acid transport regulatory genes have been identified in the rat including; cytoplasmic heart fatty acid binding protein (hFABP), plasma membrane fatty acid binding protein (FABPpm), fatty acid translocase (FAT) and fatty acid transport protein (FATP). In this study, we have elucidated temporal and spatial expression patterns for these genes in the rat placenta and in cell culture models of the rat placenta by Northern blot, RT-PCR, Western blot and/or by in situ hybridization analyses. Expression of hFABP was specific to the labyrinth zone, the main barrier and site of transplacental transport in the rat placenta. In addition, the levels of hFABP expression increased with gestational age, suggesting a growing requirement for fatty acid transport with advancing stages of pregnancy. FABPpm, FAT and FATP are expressed in both the junctional and labyrinth zones of the rat placenta. FAT was predominantly localized to the labyrinth zone by in situ hybridization analysis. The placental cell expression patterns of the genes involved in fatty acid transport were supported by our observations of HRP-1 (labyrinth zone) and Rcho-1 (junctional zone) trophoblast cell culture models. Given their cell surface location, we predict that FABPpm, FAT and FATP potentially participate in placental fatty acid uptake. The predominant expression of hFABP and FAT in the labyrinth zone of the chorioallantoic placenta implicates hFABP and FAT in the transplacental movement of fatty acids from maternal to fetal compartments.
The Influence of Celebrity Chefs on Restaurant Customers’ Behavior

ABSTRACT Celebrity chefs have been a ubiquitous marketing tool utilized in the food service industry. This study investigates the impact of restaurant attributes on customers’ willingness to pay (WTP), likelihood to repurchase, and tip amount in celebrity chef restaurants by conducting an experimental design. The results highlight the importance of food quality at celebrity chef restaurants on customers’ WTP and the likelihood to repurchase, Additionally, the inter-relationships between service quality and ambience on tipping amount and between service and food quality on repurchase intention are also significant. This study contributes to theoretical and practical implications for food-service operators in the development of effective marketing strategies.
Fair Value Concept Specifics in Financial Reporting and Auditing

Abstract Investors have become the most important users of financial statements in modern business conditions, and mixed base of financial reporting has been established in order to meet their information needs and it includes elements of the concept of historical cost and the fair value concept, with an increasing shift towards the fair value concept. The primary task of fair value accounting becomes the expression of the fair value of the net assets at the reporting date, while the financial results represent the change in fair value of net assets between the two reporting periods. In our country the application of the "full IFRS" is mandatory for large enterprises and the application of IFRS for SMEs is mandatory for small and medium-sized entities, thus fair value accounting becomes an integral part of the financial statements of domestic companies. However, fair value accounting is not a suitable concept for our country characterized by shallow and underdeveloped financial market, companies whose owners are the company managers at the same time, and low level of economic and technological development. A financial statement audit in terms of the use of the fair value concept becomes much more demanding and complex than the audit of the financial statements based on historical cost accounting.
Internal Control Weakness and Information Quality

This paper explores the effect of internal control weaknesses (hereafter ICW) and their remediation on information precision for firms who filed Section 404 reports with the SEC. First, we find that the presence of ICW is associated with lower precision of both public and private information. Second, we find that the effect of ICW on public information precision is stronger for firms with firm-level ICW than for those with account-specific ICW. However, we find no such a relation for private information precision. Third, we find that the precision of both private and public information are higher for firms remedying previous weaknesses relative to firms who do not remedy their weaknesses. Further analyses indicate that overall information uncertainty is higher for ICW firms than non-ICW firms. However, we find no difference in consensus among investors between ICW and non-ICW firms. The results suggest that lower precision of public information is offset by lower precision of private information such that consensus among investors is not affected. Finally, we find that firms with different internal control opinions in successive years exhibit changes in precision of public and private information, consistent with our prediction.
Relationship Quality: The Role of Commitment on Customer Behavioural Intentions in Kenya's Banking Sector

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of relational commitment on customer behavioural intentions in Kenya's banking sector. The basic research question examined was whether or not customer commitment in service relationships always leads to favourable customer behavioural intentions, as the study was the first to examine the nature of both relationship commitment and customers behavioural intentions and the inter-relationships between them within the financial services sector of a developing country such as Kenya. Thus, utilizing a descriptive survey research design and adapted measures of relational commitment and behavioural intentions on a sample of 334 bank account holders from 43 commercial bank branches in Mombasa, Kenya, the study provides empirical evidence of multi-dimensional nature of relational commitment and its positive and significant predictive impact on favourable customer behavioural intentions with respect to customer loyalty to the bank, re-purchase intention, willingness to pay a higher price for the bank's services over others and a tendency to recommend it to surrounding people. A clarion call to marketing relationship practitioners and marketing scholars is to focus their attention on enhancing customer commitment that drives crucial customer behaviours. Keywords: Relational Affective Commitment; Relational Normative Commitment, Behavioural Intentions.