Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On e‐banking adoption: from banker perception to customer reality

It has been established that increasing the role of technology in a service organisation can serve to reduce costs and often improve service reliability. For this reason and as the Internet becomes yet more pervasive in retail banking the importance of understanding influences on customer adoption behaviour for e‐banking is increasingly important. This study adopts a quantitative methodology and examines customer communication preferences when interacting with their bank, with a particular focus on Internet banking registration. The customer satisfaction questionnaire was issued to over 2,000 retail customers. Through regression analysis the key predictors that indicate whether or not customers will register as Internet banking users were identified. Twenty‐five senior branch bank managers were then asked to rank the same set of issues to ascertain what they felt to be the key influencers to customer registration for Internet banking. The similarities and differences between the two sets of findings are identified and the managerial implications for the case bank's marketing strategy discussed.
Fibroblast growth factor 2 retargeted adenovirus has redirected cellular tropism: evidence for reduced toxicity and enhanced antitumor activity in mice.

Adenovirus (Ad) have been used as vectors to deliver genes to a wide variety of tissues. Despite achieving high expression levels in vivo, Ad vectors display normal tissue toxicity, transient expression, and antivector immune responses that limit therapeutic potential. To circumvent these problems, several retargeting strategies to abrogate native tropism and redirect Ad uptake through defined receptors have been attempted. Despite success in cell culture, in vivo results have generally not shown sufficient selectivity for target tissues. We have previously identified (C. K. Goldman et al., Cancer Res., 57: 1447-1451, 1997) the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) ligand and receptor families as conferring sufficient specificity and binding affinity to be useful for targeting DNA in vivo. In the present studies, we retargeted Ad using basic FGF (FGF2) as a targeting ligand. Cellular uptake is redirected through high-affinity FGF receptors (FGFRs) and not the more ubiquitous lower-affinity Ad receptors. Initial in vitro experiments demonstrated a 10- to 100-fold increase in gene expression in numerous FGFR positive (FGFR+) cell lines using FGF2-Ad when compared with Ad. To determine whether increased selectivity could be detected in vivo, FGF2-Ad was administered i.v. to normal mice. FGF2-Ad demonstrates markedly decreased hepatic toxicity and liver transgene expression compared with Ad treatment. Importantly, FGF2-Ad encoding the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (TK) gene transduces Ad-resistant FGFR+ tumor cells both ex vivo and in vivo, which results in substantially enhanced survival (180-260%) when the prodrug ganciclovir is administered. Because FGFRs are up-regulated on many types of malignant or injured cells, this broadly useful method to redirect native Ad tropism and to increase the potency of gene expression may offer significant therapeutic advantages.
Induction of interleukin‐12 production in mouse macrophages by berberine, a benzodioxoloquinolizine alkaloid, deviates CD4+ T cells from a Th2 to a Th1 response

In this study we investigated whether berberine‐mediated induction of interleukin‐12 (IL‐12) production in antigen‐presenting cells could regulate a cytokine profile of antigen‐primed CD4+ T helper (Th) cells. Pretreatment with berberine induced IL‐12 production in both macrophages and dendritic cells, and significantly increased the levels of IL‐12 production in lipopolysaccharide‐stimulated macrophages and in CD40 ligand‐stimulated dendritic cells. Importantly, berberine pretreatment of macrophages increased their ability to induce interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) and reduced their ability to induce IL‐4 in antigen‐primed CD4+ T cells. Berberine did not influence the macrophage cell surface expression of the class II major histocompatibility complex molecule, the co‐stimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86, and intracellular adhesion molecule‐1. Addition of neutralizing anti‐IL‐12p40 monoclonal antibody to cultures of berberine‐pretreated macrophages and CD4+ T cells restored IL‐4 production in antigen‐primed CD4+ T cells. The in vivo administration of berberine resulted in the enhanced induction of IL‐12 production by macrophages when stimulated in vitro with lipopolysaccharide or heat‐killed Listeria monocytogenes, leading to the inhibition of the Th type 2 cytokine profile (decreased IL‐4 and increased IFN‐γ production) in antigen‐primed CD4+ T cells. These findings may point to a possible therapeutic use of berberine or medicinal plants containing berberine in the Th type 2 cell‐mediated immune diseases such as allergic diseases.
Photosynthetic Acclimation to Temperature in the Desert Shrub, Larrea divaricata: I. Carbon Dioxide Exchange Characteristics of Intact Leaves.

Larrea divaricata, a desert evergreen shrub, has a remarkable ability to adjust its photosynthetic temperature response characteristics to changing temperature conditions. In its native habitat on the floor of Death Valley, California, plants of this C(3) species when provided with adequate water are able to maintain a relatively high and constant photosynthetic activity throughout the year even though the mean daily maximum temperature varies by nearly 30 C from winter to summer. The temperature dependence of light-saturated net photosynthesis varies in concert with these seasonal temperature changes whereas the photosynthetic rate at the respective optimum temperatures shows little change.Experiments on plants of the same age, grown at day/night temperatures of 20/15, 35/25, and 45/33 C with the same conditions of day length and other environmental factors, showed a similar photosynthetic acclimation response as observed in nature. An analysis was made of a number of factors that potentially can contribute to the observed changes in the temperature dependence of net CO(2) uptake at normal CO(2) and O(2) levels. These included stomatal conductance, respiration, O(2) inhibition of photosynthesis, and nonstomatal limitations of CO(2) diffusive transport. None of these factors, separately or taken together, can account for the observed acclimation responses. Measurements under high saturating CO(2) concentrations provide additional evidence that the observed adaptive responses are primarily the result of changes in intrinsic characteristics of the photosynthetic machinery at the cellular or subcellular levels. Two apparently separate effects of the growth temperature regime can be distinguished: one involves an increased capacity for photosynthesis at low, rate-limiting temperatures with decreased growth temperature, and the other an increased thermal stability of key components of the photosynthetic apparatus with increased growth temperature.
Stakeholder perspectives regarding the governance of legacy at the Olympic Games

This paper critically analyses how event stakeholders perceived the governance of legacy at an edition of the Olympic Games. This discussion is based on case studies of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The cases were built from archival materials and interview data, and analysed through content analysis. The findings illustrate how event stakeholders saw proper governance practices as essential for the provision of a positive and sustainable legacy and regularly associated it with the delivery of a successful event. In summary, accountability, participation, performance, and transparency could be used to promote ‘good’ governance practices for event legacy and act as a reassurance to both internal and external stakeholders that appropriate decision-making is being accomplished, at least in the cases examined in this research. However, it is important to understand that this approach is not a zero sum game and that decisions should balance the democratization of the governance process with the attainment of the governance system's legacy goals and objectives.
Indirect Calorimetry: From Bench to Bedside

Accurate determination of energy expenditure (EE) is vitally important yet often neglected in clinical practice. Indirect calorimetry (IC) provides one of the most sensitive, accurate, and noninvasive measurements of EE in an individual. Over the last couple of decades, this technique has been applied to clinical circumstances such as acute illness and parenteral nutrition. Beyond assessing the nutritional needs, it has also shed light on various aspects of nutrient assimilation, thermogenesis, the energetics of physical exercise, and the pathogenesis of obesity and diabetes. However, because of little or no experience with IC provided during medical education, the benefits of IC are poorly appreciated. Newer technology, cost-effectiveness, and a better understanding of how to interpret measurements should lead to more frequent use of IC. This review focuses on the physicochemical background of IC, the various indications for use, techniques and instruments, potential pitfalls in measurement, and the recent advances in technology that has adapted the technique to long-term studies in humans.
Comparison of virus production in chicken embryo fibroblasts infected with the WR, IHD-J and MVA strains of vaccinia virus: IHD-J is most efficient in trans-Golgi network wrapping and extracellular enveloped virus release.

Modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) is an attenuated strain derived from vaccinia virus (VV) Ankara that grows efficiently in primary chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEFs) and baby hamster kidney cells only. MVA produces significantly more of the enveloped forms of VV in infected CEFs compared with VV strain Copenhagen. In the present study, production of the different infectious forms of VV was compared in CEFs infected with MVA or with two well-characterized replication-competent VV strains, WR and IHD-J. In a time-course experiment, the infectivity associated with the extracellular enveloped virus (EEV), the cell-associated enveloped virus (CEV) and intracellular mature and enveloped viruses was determined. Further, the production of the different viral forms was quantified by electron microscopy (EM). The data collectively indicate that IHD-J is most efficient in producing all of the trans-Golgi network-wrapped forms and releases the highest titres of EEVs into the extracellular medium, with WR being least efficient. MVA initially replicated with faster kinetics, resulting in more intracellular virus and CEVs between 8 and 24 h post-infection (p.i.). As assessed by EM, the faster growth kinetics of MVA resulted in 3.5-fold more CEVs at the cell surface at 24 h p.i. , compared with both WR and IHD-J. Accordingly, we found that despite the presence of two in-frame deletions in the A36R gene of MVA, this virus was able to make actin tails in CEFs.
The Effect of Product Adaptation and Market Orientation on Export Performance: A Survey of Thai Managers

This paper investigates the effect of product adaptation on performance of exporters in Thailand. It focuses on an issue that has not been addressed in past research: Does market orientation moderate the relationship between product adaptation strategy and performance? Results indicate that product design adaptation strategy was positively associated with performance; furthermore, paradoxically, the relationship between product adaptation and performance was stronger for firms that had lower levels of market orientation, though it was firms with larger market orientation that had an overall higher level of product adaptation and performance.
Micro-level determinants of innovation: analysis of the Nigerian manufacturing sector

This paper uses the binary logistic regression to test two hypotheses among manufacturing firms in Nigeria. First, the influence of firms’ innovation activities on the propensity to implement innovations and second, whether size influences the type of innovation implemented by firms. Using the data from the Nigerian Innovation Survey 2008, the results show that intramural R&D influences firms’ likelihood of implementing all the four innovation types being statistically significant at 0.05 level. In addition, investment in machinery and equipment specifically increases firms’ likelihood of introducing product innovation. Similarly, market introduction of innovations impacts on marketing innovation. The binary regression result however shows that the size of manufacturing firms in Nigeria does not significantly influence the introduction of any type of innovation.
Cu, Zn-Superoxide Dismutase is Lower and Copper Chaperone CCS is Higher in Erythrocytes of Copper-Deficient Rats and Mice

Discovery of a sensitive blood biochemical marker of copper status would be valuable for assessing marginal copper intakes. Rodent models were used to investigate whether erythrocyte concentrations of copper, zinc–superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the copper metallochaperone for SOD (CCS) were sensitive to dietary copper changes. Several models of copper deficiency were studied in postweanling male Holtzman rats, male Swiss Webster mice offspring, and both rat and mouse dams. Treatment resulted in variable but significantly altered copper status as evaluated by the presence of anemia, and lower liver copper and higher liver iron concentrations in copper-deficient compared with copper-adequate animals. Associated with this copper deficiency were consistent reductions in immunoreactive SOD and robust enhancements in CCS. In most cases, the ratio of CCS:SOD was several-fold higher in red blood cell extracts from copper-deficient compared with copper-adequate rodents. Determination of red cell CCS:SOD may be useful for assessing copper status of humans.
Cyst formation in tubificidae (Naidinae) and opistocystidae (Annelida, Oligochaeta) as an adaptive strategy for drought tolerance in fluvial wetlands of the Paraná River, Argentina

During a broad study of invertebrate colonization in marginal fluvial wetlands of the Middle Paraná River in Argentina, cyst formation was observed in two of the 26 species of aquatic oligochaetes identified from the study—Dero multibranchiata Steiren, 1892 (Tubificidae, Naidinae), andTrieminentia corderoi (Harman, 1969) (Opistocystidae). All specimens of the two species in which cyst formation was observed had been collected after drying conditions ranging from 14 to 28 days. A clitellum was not observed in any of the specimens collected. Lengths of specimens ranged from 0.88 mm to 2.84 mm inDero multibranchiata and 2.25 mm to 2.40 mm inTrieminentia corderoi. The development of protective cysts byDero multibranchiata andTrieminentia corderoi, and perhaps many other species of aquatic oligochaetes, appears to be an adaptive strategy enabling them to survive drought in temporary wetlands, recolonize freshwater habitats upon inundation, and disperse both laterally and downstream with rising water levels in wetlands and streams.
Young "healthy" smokers have functional and inflammatory changes in the nasal and the lower airways.

BACKGROUND Smoking is responsible for most COPD. Although people with COPD often have concomitant nasal disease, there are few studies that report physiologic or inflammatory changes in the upper airways in young asymptomatic smokers. We investigated physiologic and inflammatory changes in the nasal and lower airways of young smokers and if these changes were related to smoking history. METHODS Seventy-two subjects aged between 18 and 35 years (32 healthy nonsmokers and 40 young smokers) participated in this study. We measured nasal mucociliary clearance (MCC), nasal mucus surface contact angle, cell counts, myeloperoxidase and cytokine concentrations in nasal lavage fluid, exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH, and lung function. RESULTS Smokers had faster MCC, an increased number of cells (macrophages, ciliated cells, and goblet cells), increased lavage myeloperoxidase concentration, and decreased EBC pH compared with nonsmokers. There was a significant inverse relationship between pack-year smoking history and EBC pH. There were no differences in lung function or mucus surface properties comparing smokers to nonsmokers. CONCLUSIONS Young adult smokers have functional and inflammatory changes in the nasal and lower airways and these correlate with smoking history. However, in these young smokers, smoking history was not associated with pulmonary function decline, probably because it is unlikely that spirometry detects early physiologic changes in the airways. TRIAL REGISTRY ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT01877291; URL: www.clinicaltrials. gov.
Cointegration of Real Estate Stocks and Reits with Common Stocks, Bonds and Consumer Price Inflation - an International Comparison

This paper analyses the performance of real estate securities and their relationship to other asset classes as well as to consumer price inflation in an international comparison over the period from 1990 to 2004. The analysis focuses on the long run relationships, applying three different cointegration tests. It covers the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany. Results show that real estate securities in most countries had a high performance in nominal and real terms. The average performance over the whole period (1990 – 2004) has been particularly high in capital market oriented countries in the sample (US, Australia), and also in France. Real estate securities have outperformed bond markets on a risk adjusted basis only in the US and in Australia, while an outperformance of stock markets can be observed also in Japan and France. Particularly in the period 2001 to 2004 real estate security market have soared in most countries with the notable exception of Germany. In general, real estate securities seem to represent an asset class distinct from bonds and stocks in most countries. In the long run they seem provide a potential for further diversification of asset portfolios. Additionally, real estate stocks provide a (weak) hedge against consumer price inflation in almost every country.
Economic assessment on the management of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

In the last decade, several new promising treatments for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) have been developed. Healthcare costs are increasing and new treatments tend to be very expensive; therefore, information about the cost effectiveness in treatments for CLL is urgently needed. The authors performed a literature review on the currently available economic evaluations on CLL treatments. A total of 65 articles were found, of which 11 could be included. These articles were evaluated on the basis of six methodological requirements for economic evaluations, enabling readers to judge the value of the studies. Only a small amount of information was available on the costs of CLL treatments. Future economic evaluations should be performed according to the methodological requirements for these studies, which should also be properly documented.
Overexpression of TFAP2C in invasive breast cancer correlates with a poorer response to anti‐hormone therapy and reduced patient survival

The AP‐2γ transcription factor encoded by the TFAP2C gene is a member of a family of homologous DNA binding proteins that play essential roles during vertebrate embryogenesis but show a restricted pattern of expression in the adult. Elevated expression of the AP‐2α and AP‐2γ family members has been associated with a number of neoplasms, particularly breast cancer. Here we present an exploratory immunohistochemical study of an archival primary breast tumour series (n = 75) with parallel clinicopathological data using a new, well‐characterized antibody to AP‐2γ. Heterogeneous, exclusively nuclear expression of AP‐2γ was found in the epithelial and myoepithelial compartments of normal breast and within tumour epithelial cells. In the breast cancer series, the most notable association was a correlation between elevated levels of AP‐2γ and shortened patient survival (p = 0.0009*). This relationship was also conserved in ER‐positive and ErbB2‐negative patients; sub‐groups generally considered to have a relatively good prognosis. When patient data for survival and duration of treatment response on anti‐hormone therapy were examined by multivariate analysis, AP‐2γ was revealed in this study to be an independent predictor of outcome for both survival (p = 0.005) and response to anti‐hormone therapy (p = 0.046). Studies using in vitro models confirmed that while tamoxifen response is associated with lower levels of AP‐2γ, acquisition of resistance to this and other anti‐hormone measures (eg faslodex or oestrogen deprivation) is associated with high levels of nuclear AP‐2γ. Together these data suggest that elevated tumour AP‐2γ expression can contribute to the failure of cells to growth arrest following anti‐hormone treatment and lead to sustained growth and poorer patient outcome. Copyright © 2008 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The xyloglucan–cellulose assembly at the atomic scale

The assembly of cell wall components, cellulose and xyloglucan (XG), was investigated at the atomistic scale using molecular dynamics simulations. A molecular model of a cellulose crystal corresponding to the allomorph Iβ and exhibiting a flexible complex external morphology was employed to mimic the cellulose microfibril. The xyloglucan molecules considered were the three typical basic repeat units, differing only in the size of one of the lateral chain. All the investigated XG fragments adsorb nonspecifically onto cellulose fiber; multiple arrangements are equally probable, and every cellulose surface was capable of binding the short XG molecules. The following structural effects emerged: XG molecules that do not have any long side chains tended to adapt themselves nicely to the topology of the microfibril, forming a flat, outstretched conformation with all the sugar residues interacting with the surface. In contrast, the XG molecules, which have long side chains, were not able to adopt a flat conformation that would enable the interaction of all the XG residues with the surface. In addition to revealing the fundamental atomistic details of the XG adsorption on cellulose, the present calculations give a comprehensive understanding of the way the XG molecules can unsorb from cellulose to create a network that forms the cell wall. Our revisited view of the adsorption features of XG on cellulose microfibrils is consistent with experimental data, and a model of the network is proposed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 82: 59–73, 2006
New Insights into the Mechanism of Inhibition of p53 by Simian Virus 40 Large T Antigen

ABSTRACT Simian virus 40 (SV40) large tumor antigen (T antigen) has been shown to inhibit p53-dependent transcription by preventing p53 from binding to its cognate cis element. Data presented in this report provide the first direct functional evidence that T antigen, under certain conditions, may also repress p53-dependent transcription by a mechanism in which the transactivation domain of p53 is abrogated while DNA binding is unaffected. Specifically, p53 purified as a complex with T antigen from mouse cells was found to bind DNA as a transcriptionally inactive intact complex, while that purified from human cells was found to bind DNA independently of T antigen and could activate p53-dependent transcription. This difference in activity may be dependent on a different interaction of T antigen with mouse and human p53 and, in addition, on the presence of super T, which is found only in transformed rodent cells. These results suggest that subtle yet important differences exist between the inhibition of p53 by T antigen in mouse and human cells. The implications of this finding with respect to SV40-associated malignancies are discussed.