Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Body composition and hormonal effects following exposure to mycotoxin deoxynivalenol in the high-fat diet-induced obese mouse.

SCOPE To characterize the effects of ingesting the common foodborne mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) on body weight and composition in the high-fat (HF) diet-induced obese mice, a model of human obesity. METHODS AND RESULTS Female B6C3F1 mice were initially fed HF diets containing 45% kcal (HF45) or 60% kcal (HF60) as fat for 94 days to induce obesity. Half of each group was either continued on unamended HF diets or fed HF diets containing 10 mg/kg DON (DON-HF45 or DON-HF60) for another 54 days. Additional control mice were fed a low-fat (LF) diet containing 10% kcal as fat for the entire 148-day period. DON induced rapid decreases in body weights and fat mass, which stabilized to those of the LF control within 11 days. These effects corresponded closely to a robust transient decrease in food consumption. While lean body mass did not decline in DON-fed groups, further increases were suppressed. DON exposure reduced plasma insulin, leptin, insulin-like growth factor 1, and insulin-like growth factor acid labile subunit as well as increased hypothalamic mRNA level of the orexigenic agouti-related protein. CONCLUSION DON-mediated effects on body weight, fat mass, food intake, and hormonal levels in obese mice were consistent with a state of chronic energy restriction.
The Pursuit of the Efficient Scale Size: Implications for Firm Growth

The paper examines the longitudinal impact that returns to scale and organisational variables have upon firm sales' growth. To attain this, and using a Spanish data set for the period 1995-2001, we introduce a non-parametric technique (Data Envelopment Analysis) to obtain qualitative information about the returns to scale exhibited by firms. In a second step, we carry out a regression analysis using the GMM technique in order to address endogeneity and firm specific effects. The main contribution of the paper indicates that returns to scale and their dynamics over time are important determinants of firm growth. Our findings reveal that firms that reached the technological interval characterised by constant returns to scale show higher growth rates, where technological change and efficiency improvements are important determinants of this process. In addition, empirical findings indicate that ownership concentration improves monitoring tasks within the firm leading to higher growth rates. However, we also find that ownership concentration may create costs that outweigh its benefits, and this is especially relevant when the main shareholder also serves as chairman.
Evaluation of Drought Implications on Ecosystem Services: Freshwater Provisioning and Food Provisioning in the Upper Mississippi River Basin

Drought is one of the most widespread extreme climate events with a potential to alter freshwater availability and related ecosystem services. Given the interconnectedness between freshwater availability and many ecosystem services, including food provisioning, it is important to evaluate the drought implications on freshwater provisioning and food provisioning services. Studies about drought implications on streamflow, nutrient loads, and crop yields have been increased and these variables are all process-based model outputs that could represent ecosystem functions that contribute to the ecosystem services. However, few studies evaluate drought effects on ecosystem services such as freshwater and food provisioning and quantify these services using an index-based ecosystem service approach. In this study, the drought implications on freshwater and food provisioning services were evaluated for 14 four-digit HUC (Hydrological Unit Codes) subbasins in the Upper Mississippi River Basin (UMRB), using three drought indices: standardized precipitation index (SPI), standardized soil water content index (SSWI), and standardized streamflow index (SSI). The results showed that the seasonal freshwater provisioning was highly affected by the precipitation deficits and/or surpluses in summer and autumn. A greater importance of hydrological drought than meteorological drought implications on freshwater provisioning was evident for the majority of the subbasins, as evidenced by higher correlations between freshwater provisioning and SSI12 than SPI12. Food provisioning was substantially affected by the precipitation and soil water deficits during summer and early autumn, with relatively less effect observed in winter. A greater importance of agricultural drought effects on food provisioning was evident for most of the subbasins during crop reproductive stages. Results from this study may provide insights to help make effective land management decisions in responding to extreme climate conditions in order to protect and restore freshwater provisioning and food provisioning services in the UMRB.
Assessing inflammatory status in cardiovascular disease

Growing evidence suggests that the immune system plays a critical role in all the stages of atherogenesis, from lesion formation to plaque rupture.1 The inflammatory component of atherothrombosis is a topic of intensive research, since it is still unclear whether inflammatory markers measurable in peripheral blood can be useful tools for risk assessment in the general population; it is also unknown whether therapeutic strategies leading to a decrease of these inflammatory markers can modify cardiovascular risk.w1 Early in the atherogenesis process, resident or circulating leucocytes bind to the site of a developing lesion in response to oxidised low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), injury, or infection. Proinflammatory cytokines play a central regulatory role in this early stage of atherogenesis, since they induce the migration of these inflammatory cells to the subendothelial space, both by acting directly on these leucocytes and by upregulating the expression of several adhesion molecules (such as vascular cells adhesion molecules, intercellular adhesion molecules and selectins) which participate in leucocyte adhesion, rolling and subendothelial migration (fig 1). w2 Figure 1 Cytokines and adhesion molecules in the early stages of atherogenesis. Circulating leucocytes are activated by proinflammatory cytokines, and they adhere to vascular endothelium. Adhesion molecules, whose expression is also regulated by proinflammatory cytokines, play a key role in the subendothelial migration of leucocytes. ICAM-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1; PECAM-1, platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule; Sel, selectin; VCAM-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1. As these monocytes accumulate in the subendothelial space, they continue to ingest chemically modified lipids and lipoproteins, they become macrophages and finally develop into foam cells, and initiate fatty streaks. At the same time, other inflammatory cells, such as activated T cells and mast cells, also attach themselves to the endothelium, contributing to the formation of the atheromatous lesion, which consists of a lipid pool covered by a …
Do Prior Alliances Influence Alliance Contract Structure

As the cost and risk of technological development grow, firms continue to look for alternatives to purely in-house RD in both cases cooperative behaviour becomes more attractive, since it serves to preserve either the relationship or the reputation. Despite the growing literature on how firms select the organization form for their alliance activities (Pisano, 1989; Oxley, 1997; Sampson, 2004), we still know little about alliance contract structure and whether selection of this structure is systematic. Here, we examine technology alliance contracts, to explore if and how formal contract terms vary with prior alliances – either with a specific partner or generally. Extending the current literature on contracting to the context of alliances yields two competing predictions
SELECTIVE ELECTRON STAINING OF NUCLEIC ACIDS

\\_ovill define a sPe iflc staimuing procedure for electron ntiicroscopy as one in which (only a single chemuical grouping or tissue componentis rendered visible (enzymatic staining is not considered here) . That is, only the stain can be seen, and time stain is l)res(-nt only on the desired compoIte! it. B\’ a selective l)rooedure, we will niean one in which a praticular colutiponent is emphasized, but in which others arcnot totally excluded. It has been a! iil)lV (lemiionstrated that the staining of scot-ions with uran l is selective foor nucleic acids provided organic fixatiye or hjrief osmium fixative is used (2). Much of this selectivity resides in the fact that nucleic acid has an unusually high concentration of acidic groups: about one
Achieving Universal Coverage in Thailand: What Lessons Do We Learn?

This paper reviews the policy process of achieving universal coverage of health care (UC) in Thailand and critically assess how the reform achieve policy objectives of improving equity and efficiency of the health care system with sustainable health care finance. Findings from the study indicate that bureaucrat-led reformists played an important role in bridging researchers and policy makers. While agenda setting was vested in the political leadership and commitment to achieve universal coverage, the system design and monitoring and evaluation were guided by researchers; and successful policy implementation was based on the health system capacity. Evidence played a strong foundation of the health sector reform.Several lessons were drawn. First, the strength of health care infrastructure and geographical distribution of well-functioning primary care services in rural and urban areas serves as a strong basis for success in the smooth implementation of the UC policy. The availability of qualified human resources for health at district and provincial health facilities is also a key factor enabling the capacity of the health care system to provide essential health services to the whole population, and cope with the increasing demand for health care. Second, financial feasibility of the country influenced by a long period of internal peace and the economic growth, coupled with appropriate health financing arrangements of the UC scheme, makes a possibility to implement the UC policy. Third, relevant knowledge and evidence for policy formulation and implementation, and skills in the estimate of budget requirement was acquired through the establishment of effective knowledge management mechanisms and sufficient long term investment in human resources in health system research and international linkage to keep abreast. Also, the national capacity to coordinate data producers (i.e. the National Statistical Office) and data users (i.e. the MOPH), and ability of researchers to communicate with health care reformists and policy makers support the conception of "The triangle that moves the mountain".
Implementing A Balanced Scorecard In A Not-For-Profit Organization

This paper examines the use of the Balanced Scorecard in a not-for-profit organization (Cattaraugus County ReHabilitation Center). The ReHabilitation Center has begun using the Balanced Scorecard paradigm in its strategic planning process. In this paper an overview is presented of the basic concepts of the Balanced Scorecard including the financial perspective, customer perspective, internal process perspective, and learning and growth perspective. The history and services of the ReHabilitation Center are then summarized. The application of the Balanced Scorecard approach to the ReHabilitation Center is discussed in detail. Implications in using the Balanced Scorecard are discussed. Finally, conclusions regarding the use of the Balanced Scorecard in a not-for-profit organization are presented.
Anti-human FSH receptor monoclonal antibodies: immunochemical and immunocytochemical characterization of the receptor.

The extracellular domain of the human FSH receptor was expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with ubiquitin. It was tagged with a poly-His tract which was used for its purification. Immunization of mice allowed the preparation of high affinity antireceptor monoclonal antibodies. The latter fell into two categories: some of them were inhibited hormone binding and adenylate cyclase activation whereas others were devoid of these properties. None of the antibodies had agonistic activity (i.e., stimulated adenylate cyclase). Immunoaffinity chromatography allowed us to purify the native receptor in a single step either from a permanently transfected L cell line (75% recovery) or from human ovaries (33% recovery). Immunoblotting of the receptor in human ovaries showed the presence of a major band of 87 kDa and of a minor band of 81 kDa. Endoglycosidase digestion and pulse-chase experiments showed the former to be the mature receptor and the latter the precursor containing mannose-rich carbohydrates. Thus, as in the case for the LH receptor, there was an accumulation (albeit to a lower degree) of the precursor in target cells. We did not detect variant forms of the protein corresponding to the alternative mRNA transcripts previously described. Additive binding to the receptor of several antibodies, but not of the same antibody, allowed us to establish a sandwich-type ELISA for the receptor (sensitivity approximately 1 fmol) and to obtain evidence against the existence of previously described oligomeric forms of the protein. All monoclonal antibodies were able to label the receptor immunocytochemically in transfected cells, and two of them were also able to detect it at the markedly lower physiological concentrations, i.e., in human Sertoli and granulosa cells.
Role of satisfaction in an integrative model of brand loyalty

Purpose – Despite an extensive body of research on brand loyalty, it has been demonstrated that customer‐based brand research is still in a state of evolution. The purpose of this paper is to develop and test alternative models of the brand loyalty process by examining the effects of customer orientation, brand association, perceived service quality, and satisfaction on brand loyalty utilizing data from South Korea and China. Further, relatively little attention has been given to the competing process of individual‐level brand loyalty. Thus, this paper aims to examine the relationships among satisfaction and other key constructs that may potentially affect brand loyalty.Design/methodology/approach – Structural equation analysis of six competing models is provided. Although competing models are supported by prior research, they differ with respect to the particular mechanism that underlies the alternative explanations and the mediating effects. In this study, Armstrong's notion is adopted to show that the .
Manufacturers forming successful complex business services

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to isolate and characterize organizational factors that enable the formation of high‐performing business services in product manufacturing firms.Design/methodology/approach – This study employed a case research design. In total, 32 depth interviews were conducted with 11 different managers from a Global 100 information technology manufacturing firm. These managers were directly responsible for forming a highly successful business service. All interviews were tape‐recorded, transcribed, and the resulting 500 pages of interview data were open‐coded in QSR NUDIST. A case report was reviewed by study participants to enhance construct validity.Findings – The general conclusion is that forming high‐performing business services in product manufacturing firms stems largely from managers' ability to create internal alignment among several organizational factors that collectively “fit” conditions in the market.Research limitations/implications – This study does not provide th.
Doing staff development: Practices, dilemmas and technologies

Online learning technologies now pervade higher education institutions, and the convergence of teaching and learning onto technological systems has created new work practices and a demand for staff development. Educational developers are located at a nexus between the institutional and pragmatic imperatives, from which tensions and incongruencies emerge and need to be resolved in daily practice. In this paper, this nexus is explored by analysing accounts of educational development practice from one institution, based on interviews with educational developers. This paper considers staff development practices in higher education in response to the processes of change associated with learning technology, and the strategies used to resolve incongruencies and conflicts that emerged from these practices were analysed. The discourse analytic method of "interpretative repertoires" (Potter & Wetherell, 1987) is used to explore the resolution of dilemmas in practice. In this case study, two contrasting repertoires are used to account for staff development: one that 'enables' academic staff in their use of learning technologies, and another which 'guides' staff in their online teaching towards specified technologies. The intersection of the two repertoires in the institution presented dilemmas for educational developers. The responses to these contexts and the implications for educational development are explored.
High-affinity Binding of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) to EGF Receptor Is Disrupted by Overexpression of Mutant Dynamin (K44A)*

Activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase was analyzed in cells conditionally defective for clathrin-dependent endocytosis by overexpression of mutant dynamin (K44A). EGF-induced autophosphorylation of the EGFR on ice was strongly reduced in cells overexpressing mutant dynamin, and consistently, binding analyses showed that high-affinity EGFRs were lost. In the absence of mutant dynamin the cells displayed both high- and low-affinity EGFR. At 4 °C EGF-EGFR localized mainly outside coated pits regardless of expression of mutant dynamin. However, also low-affinity EGFR efficiently moved to coated pits upon incubating cells at 37 °C. Thus, expression of mutant dynamin disrupts high-affinity binding of EGF, but not ligand-induced recruitment of EGFR to clathrin-coated pits.
Psychosocial factors related to cardiovascular disease risk in UK South Asian men: a preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE To compare the exposure to psychosocial factors associated with cardiovascular risk in UK South Asian and white European men. DESIGN Interview study of 63 healthy UK South Asian and 42 white European men aged 35-75 years, randomly selected from a larger study group in West London. Interviews were administered in Punjabi and English. Measures of psychosocial and cardiovascular risk factors were obtained. SETTING Ealing Hospital, West London. RESULTS The South Asian men had lived in the UK for an average of 27.9 (SD 11.6) years, and had higher educational attainment than the white Europeans. Compared with the white Europeans, the South Asian men lived in significantly more crowded homes, experienced lower job control, greater financial strain, lower neighbourhood social cohesion and more racial harassment. They received less emotional support, and were more depressed and less optimistic on standard questionnaires. These men also had higher waist/hip ratios and were more sedentary, but there were no significant ethnic differences in biological risk factors. CONCLUSIONS South Asian men living in London showed a higher risk profile in psychosocial factors thought to contribute to cardiovascular disease risk. This preliminary investigation is consistent with the possibility that psychosocial adversity contributes to increased vulnerability to coronary heart disease in South Asians resident in the UK.
Searching for Gambles: Gambling Sentiment and Stock Market Outcomes

Abstract Using Internet search volume for lottery to capture gambling sentiment shifts, we show that when the overall gambling sentiment is strong, investor demand for lottery stocks increases, these stocks earn positive short-run abnormal returns, managers are more likely to split stocks to cater to the increased demand for low-priced lottery stocks, and initial public offerings (IPOs) earn higher first day returns. Further, the sentiment-return relation is stronger among low institutional ownership firms, headquartered in regions where gambling is more acceptable and local bias is stronger. These results suggest that gambling sentiment has a spillover effect on the stock market.
Development and validation of the Cholinergic Urticaria Quality‐of‐Life Questionnaire (CholU‐QoL)

Cholinergic urticaria (CholU), a common form of chronic inducible urticaria, is characterized by itchy weals that occur in response to physical exercise or passive warming. CholU patients frequently exhibit a high burden of disease. As of yet, no specific instrument is available to assess their disease‐related quality‐of‐life (QoL) impairment.
Price Behaviour Of New Share Listings In Nigeria

The paper investigates whether new listings on the Nigerian Stock Exchange are under-priced or not. On aggregate, we find that investors are able to make abnormal gains from new listings on the first tier (main) market of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). Our analyses show that up to one year after listing the average differences of real share prices are positively significant to confirm the observation. The situation is however different in the second (emerging) tier market. Our analyses show that the real prices of newly listed shares in the second tier market do fall. Such an observation could, however, be attributed to thin trading of shares which phenomenon is characteristic of second tier markets. When we partition the data into pre-and post-deregulation periods, we observe under-pricing of new equity listings to have been severe during the pre-deregulation period, and hence more opportunity for abnormal gains. We find opportunities for making abnormal gains to be not as strong during the post-deregulation period. When the data is analysed on the basis of whether or not new listings are financial institution firms, some interesting patterns of price behaviour are found. While we observe possibilities of making abnormal gains in new listings of non-financial companies and insurance companies, these possibilities are absent in new listings of banking sector shares indicating that they are efficiently priced relative to those of other sectors.