Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Furin-induced Cleavage and Activation of Shiga Toxin (*)

Shiga toxin has a single A subunit non-covalently associated with a pentamer of B subunits. The toxin has a trypsin-sensitive region near the COOH-terminal end of the A-chain, and upon cleavage, two disulfide bonded fragments, A1 and A2, are generated. These fragments are also formed upon incubation with cells. The disulfide loop contains the sequence (Arg- X-X-Arg), which is a consensus motif for cleavage by the membrane-anchored protease furin. We found that a soluble form of furin cleaves intact A-chain producing A1 and A2 fragments, and furin also seems to be responsible for rapid cellular cleavage of Shiga toxin. LoVo cells, which normally do not produce functional furin, cleave intact A-chain very efficiently when transfected with furin (LoVo/fur), whereas a control cell (LoVo/neo) cleaves the toxin very slowly. To investigate the role of this cleavage for intoxication of cells, we studied the ability of unnicked and furin-nicked toxin to inhibit protein synthesis in LoVo/fur and LoVo/neo cells. LoVo/fur cells were intoxicated equally well with unnicked and nicked toxin, whereas in LoVo/neo cells nicked toxin was about 20 times more active than unnicked toxin. The results suggest that cleavage of Shiga toxin is important for intoxication of cells, and they indicate that furin can cleave and thereby activate Shiga toxin in cells.
Online Adaptive Decision Trees: Pattern Classification and Function Approximation

Recently we have shown that decision trees can be trained in the online adaptive (OADT) mode (Basak, 2004), leading to better generalization score. OADTs were bottlenecked by the fact that they are able to handle only two-class classification tasks with a given structure. In this article, we provide an architecture based on OADT, ExOADT, which can handle multiclass classification tasks and is able to perform function approximation. ExOADT is structurally similar to OADT extended with a regression layer. We also show that ExOADT is capable not only of adapting the local decision hyperplanes in the nonterminal nodes but also has the potential of smoothly changing the structure of the tree depending on the data samples. We provide the learning rules based on steepest gradient descent for the new model ExOADT. Experimentally we demonstrate the effectiveness of ExOADT in the pattern classification and function approximation tasks. Finally, we briefly discuss the relationship of ExOADT with other classification models.
The navicular position test - a reliable measure of the navicular bone position during rest and loading.

BACKGROUND Lower limb injuries are a large problem in athletes. However, there is a paucity of knowledge on the relationship between alignment of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) of the foot and development of such injuries. A reliable and valid test to quantify foot type is needed to be able to investigate the relationship between arch type and injury likelihood. Feiss Line is a valid clinical measure of the MLA. However, no study has investigated the reliability of the test. OBJECTIVES The purpose was to describe a modified version of the Feiss Line test and to determine the intra- and inter-tester reliability of this new foot alignment test. To emphasize the purpose of the modified test, the authors have named it The Navicular Position Test. METHODS Intra- and inter-tester reliability were evaluated of The Navicular Position Test with the use of ICC (interclass correlation coefficient) and Bland-Altman limits of agreement on 43 healthy, young, subjects. RESULTS Inter-tester mean difference -0.35 degrees [-1.32; 0.62] p = 0.47. Bland-Altman limits of agreement -6.55 to 5.85 degrees, ICC = 0.94. Intra-tester mean difference 0.47 degrees [-0.57; 1.50] p = 0.37. Bland-Altman limits of agreement -6.15 to 7.08 degrees, ICC = 0.91. DISCUSSION The present data support The Navicular Position Test as a reliable test of the navicular bone position during rest and loading measured in a simple test set-up. CONCLUSION The Navicular Position Test was shown to have a high intraday-, intra- and inter-tester reliability. When cut off values to categorize the MLA into planus, rectus, or cavus feet, has been determined and presented, the test could be used in prospective observational studies investigating the role of the arch type on the development of various lower limb injuries.
Role of the hippocampus in imagination and future thinking

Squire et al. (1) recently asserted that patients with bilateral hippocampal damage can imagine future experiences. This contradicts a number of previous reports where amnesia and bilateral hippocampal lesions have been found to cause significant impairment in imagining fictitious and future scenarios (2–4). Based on their findings, Squire et al. (1) concluded that the capacity for imagining the future is independent of the hippocampus. However, there are several aspects of their study that make this conclusion uncertain.
Using the UTAUT Model to Determine Factors Affecting Acceptance and Use of Mobile Health (mHealth) Services in Bangladesh

mHealth is one of the most promising technologies that has emerged in recent years and could prove to have considerable value to both health services providers and patients for achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs). But, the adoption of mHealth faces many challenges and barriers, including cultural, technological, personal, organizational and social issues which must be addressed and treated carefully by mHealth services providers. The aim of this study is to identify the critical factors affecting the adoption of mHealth in healthcare system of Bangladesh by extending the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model to include perceived reliability and price value. A cross sectional survey questionnaire was used to collect data from 296 participants from different public and private hospitals in Dhaka city of Bangladesh. Result demonstrates that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating condition & perceived reliability had significant influence on the intention to adopt mHealth services in Bangladesh. Surprisingly, price value (p>0.05) had no significant influence on adoption of mHealth services. With the proposed model, it is possible to develop better mHealth services to meet the requirements of the common people based on widely available smartphone. The findings of this study will be beneficial for the government agencies, mobile phone operators, policy makers, healthcare providers and NGOs in developing countries.
Hearing aid and cochlear implant use in children with hearing loss at three years of age: Predictors of use and predictors of changes in use

Abstract Objective: To examine usage patterns of hearing aids and cochlear implants in children up to three years of age, how usage changes longitudinally, and factors associated with device usage. Design: Parent report and Parent’s Evaluation of Aural/oral Performance of Children (PEACH) data were obtained at six and twelve months after hearing-aid fitting or cochlear implant switch-on, and again at three years of age. The effect of device use on auditory functional performance was investigated using the PEACH questionnaire. Study sample: Four hundred and thirteen participants from the Longitudinal Outcomes of Children with Hearing Impairment (LOCHI) study were included for analysis. Results: For users of hearing aids, higher usage at three years was associated with higher maternal education, and more severe hearing loss. For users of cochlear implants, higher usage was associated with higher maternal education and the absence of additional disabilities. Higher PEACH scores were associated with higher usage scores. After allowing for the effects of demographic characteristics, device use was not a significant predictor of functional performance. Conclusions: Sixty-two percent of children achieved consistent use (> 75% of waking hours) within the first year of receiving a hearing aid or a cochlear implant, and 71% by three years of age.
Electrically induced vasomotor responses and their propagation in rat renal vessels In vivo

1 Vasomotor responses (VMR) induced by local electrical stimulation were studied in the vasculature of the split hydronephrotic rat kidney by in vivo microscopy. 2 Unipolar pulses, which were applied by a micropipette positioned close to the vessel wall, elicited local and propagated VMR. Depolarizing and hyperpolarizing currents caused vaso‐constriction and vasodilatation, respectively. 3 The magnitude of VMR could be controlled within seconds by variation of pulse frequency, pulse width and voltage. VMR were abolished by slight retraction of the stimulating micro‐pipette. Repetitive electrical stimulation resulted in reproducibly uniform VMR. 4 Propagated VMR decayed with increasing distance from the stimulation site. They decayed more rapidly in the upstream than in the downstream flow direction in interlobular arteries. The longitudinal decay was well approximated by an exponential function with significantly different length constants of 150 ± 40 μm (upstream, n= 5) and 420 ± 90 μm (downstream, n=8). 5 Our results show that vasomotor responses, which are initiated by changes in membrane potential, are propagated over distances of potential physiological importance in interlobular arteries.
Risk Perceptions of Smoking in China

Approximately one million smokers die in China every year. Risk perceptions of smoking have been theorized as being important in explaining behaviour change and have been found to be associated with initiating and quitting smoking. This study examined the extent to which smokers in China perceive risks associated with smoking (i.e., perceived likelihood of getting a smoking-related disease) and the roles of socio-demographic factors (i.e., gender, age, ethnicity, income and education) and knowledge of the consequences of smoking in explaining risk perceptions of smoking. Participants included 4861 smokers from six cities in China. The prevalence of perceived risk for smoking was very low: 19.9% (95% CI: 17.5%-22.7%). Multivariable logistic regression analyses revealed that those more likely to perceive risk were in the youngest age group, with medium education, and higher health knowledge. Interventions may be needed in China to improve knowledge and perceptions about the health harms of
Impact of Ownership Type and Board Characteristics on the Pay–Performance Relationship: Evidence from India

Abstract The present research has been undertaken to study the role of ownership type and board mechanisms in moderating the executive pay-corporate performance linkage in the Indian context. A sample of 209 companies listed on the S&P BSE 500 Index has been studied over the period 2008–2009 to 2012–2013. Rigorous statistical analysis of the panel data highlights that some of the governance mechanisms are, in practice, instrumental in improving the relationship between pay and performance. Whereas efforts must, indeed, be channelled towards the better functioning of certain other internal control mechanisms. Specifically, of noteworthy consequence is the difference in the way the shareholders and the board of directors ameliorate the pay–performance relationship with respect to accounting vis-à-vis market-based corporate performance. Further, the weak monitoring role discharged by the institutional investors warrant immediate policy concern. The study brings forth important implications for practitioners and policy makers in designing corporate performance-based pay keeping in view the predominant influence exerted by the institutional environment of the emerging economy of India.
Association between Magnesium Disorders and Hypocalcemia following Thyroidectomy

Objective To identify factors associated with postoperative hypocalcemia after thyroid surgery and to understand the relationship among hypocalcemia, length of hospitalization, and costs of care. Study Design Retrospective database analysis. Methods Discharge data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample for 620,744 patients who underwent thyroid surgery from 2001 to 2010 were analyzed through cross-tabulations and multivariate regression modeling. Hypocalcemia, length of stay, and costs were examined as dependent variables. Secondary independent variables included magnesium and phosphate metabolism disorders, vitamin D deficiency, menopause, sex, extent of surgery, malignancy, and surgeon volume. Results Hypocalcemia was reported in 6% of patients and was significantly more common for the following variables: women, age <65 years, patients from the Northeast, total thyroidectomy ± neck dissection patients, low-volume surgical care, malignancy, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, and patients with disorders of magnesium or phosphate metabolism (P < .001). Magnesium and phosphate disorders were present in <1% of patients. Magnesium disorders were significantly more likely for patients with hypocalcemia (7%; P < .001), and hypocalcemia was present in 52% of patients with magnesium disorders (P < .001). On multiple logistic regression analysis, the odds of hypocalcemia were greatest for patients with magnesium disorders (odds ratio, 12.71; 95% confidence interval, 8.59-18.82). This relationship was not attenuated by high-volume surgical care. Hypocalcemia and magnesium disorders were both associated with increased length of stay and costs, with a greater effect for magnesium disorders than for hypocalcemia (P < .001). Conclusions Disorders of magnesium metabolism are an independent risk factor for postthyroidectomy hypocalcemia and are associated with significantly increased costs and length of stay.
Are turbulent spheres suitable initial conditions for star-forming clouds?

To date, most numerical simulations of molecular clouds, and star formation within them, assume a uniform density sphere or box with an imposed turbulent velocity field. In this work, we select molecular clouds from galactic scale simulations as initial conditions, increase their resolution, and re-simulate them using the smoothed particle hydrodynamics code GADGET2. Our approach provides clouds with morphologies, internal structures and kinematics that constitute more consistent and realistic initial conditions for simulations of star formation. We perform comparisons between molecular clouds derived from a galactic simulation, and spheres of turbulent gas of similar dimensions, mass and velocity dispersion. We focus on properties of the clouds such as their density, velocity structure and star formation rate. We find that the inherited velocity structure of the galactic clouds has a significant impact on the star formation rate and evolution of the cloud. Our results indicate that, although we can follow the time evolution of star formation in any simulated cloud, capturing the entire history is difficult as we ignore any star formation that might have occurred before initialization. Overall, the turbulent spheres do not match the complexity of the galactic clouds.
Balanced Scorecard as a Performance Measurement System in Malaysian Private Institutions of Higher Learning: Empirical Findings

Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is a well-known performance measurement tools and some researchers have highlighted its relevance to Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL). In order to response to the globalization phenomenon today, IHL must adopt the most suitable tool such as Performance Measurement System (PMS) in assessing academicians’ performance. The adoption of Strategic Performance Measurement System (SPMS), proven to realize significant cost saving, improve personal satisfactions and enhance organizational performances based on previous studies. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to determine the relationship between leadership, communication and academic qualification towards the adoption of BSC. Data were collected quantitatively through a survey questionnaire with the usable response rate of 78.57%. The descriptive results of this study revealed that the majority of academicians’ extensively agrees that the measurement used in the BSC are effective in assessing academicians’ performances. This finding also reveals that leadership, communication and academic qualification were significantly influenced the adoption of BSC. The findings from this study have advanced the literature on BSC especially in the education sector. It also provides a better understanding of BSC as the performance measurement tool in assessing academicians’ performance.
How Does Corporate Governance Influence Hedging Strategy? An Empirical Study

This paper investigates the influence of corporate governance on the choice of hedging instruments. Using a panel data of 370 firm-year observations from gold mining industry, we found that boards with a strong presence of institutional investors as directors were more likely to defend shareholders’ interests in decisions on how to hedge firm exposure. Results also indicated that firms whose managers had risk incentives induced by stock options were more likely to use insurance strategies (put options), while CEO equity ownership was positively correlated with linear hedging (forwards, spot-deferred contracts, and gold loans).
Performance of drivers with Parkinson's Disease under the effect of cognitive overloading: insinuation for assessment and training

Background: Signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) include a combination of slowness of movement, increased tone, tremor and loss of postural reflexes. Cognitive changes and dementia can also be found in older people affected by PD. The excessive expenditure of cerebral resources in multitasks can cause cognitive overload resulting in deterioration of functional performance. Previous research has highlighted that the balance of cognitive load is essential for safe driving; however, this has not yet been researched in relation to people with PD. Coupled with mental inflexibility and sluggish reasoning, PD drivers exposed to demanding traffic scenarios may reach dangerous levels of cognitive overload. The present study employed computation of arithmetic sums as secondary task to investigate the effect of cognitive overloading on older PD drivers. Methodology: A pre-post case-control study design was implemented. Convenience sample of 28 mild to moderate stages of PD drivers and 30 age-matched healthy controls were recruited and their motor and cognitive functions were assessed using the Digit Vigilance Test (DVT), Perdue Pegboard, Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) and Trail-Making Test- Part A and B. Participants were then assessed twice using a driving simulator: with and without exposure to the secondary task. Results: When compared with healthy controls, PD drivers scored lower in motor and cognitive psychometric assessments and performed less competently in driving assessments. However, PD drivers drove more cautiously and took more time to complete all the driving tests when compared with the healthy counterparts. With the distraction of the secondary task, both the performance of PD drivers and controls declined, but PD drivers to a greater extent. The Trail-Making Test-B was found to be valuable in predicting the overall performance of PD drivers. The ability of PD participants was observed to have significant deterioration in driving through T-junctions and roundabouts. Conclusion: PD drivers should avoid cognitive overload caused by, for example, multitasking while driving. Cognitive overload may compound the problem of indecisiveness of the drivers; leading to inconvenience or dangers to other road users. Training of PD drivers should emphasize intersection manoeuvre management.
Emotion Talk in Mother-Child Conversations of the Shared Past: The Effects of Culture, Gender, and Event Valence

We examined how mother-child emotional reminiscing is affected by culture, gender, and the valence of the event. Thirty-one Euro-American and 30 Chinese middle-class mothers and their 3-year-old children discussed 1 highly positive and 1 highly negative experience. Mothers and children in both cultures used a greater variety of negative emotion words than positive emotion words and were more likely to confirm a shared emotional perspective when discussing the positive event but to negotiate emotion when discussing the negative event. Moreover, Chinese dyads used more negative emotion words overall than did Euro-American dyads but Euro-American dyads engaged in more negotiations of emotion than did Chinese dyads. Surprisingly, there were no effects of gender. Implications of these findings for emotional socialization are discussed.
Herd behavior in sales launch: an empirical study of the Chinese residential market

This paper examines the herd behavior in sales launch decisions by developers in China’s housing market. Using a sample of 6,930 development projects from 1997 to 2009, we find that the propensity of sales launch is positively related to the number of prior sales launches within a certain distance. This effect is more pronounced when the time interval between sales dates is shorter and when the distance is shorter. Furthermore, lead projects that are developed by reputable developers have a greater influence on later developers’ decisions than non-reputable ones. These findings provide evidence of herd behavior in developers’ sales launch decisions and are in line with informational and reputational herding theories.
Factors Affect to Relationship Marketing for Creating Customer Loyalty in Hospital Services Business

Manuscript type: Research paper. Research Aims: The purpose of this paper is to understand and answer problems from the variables of service quality (interaction quality, physical environment quality, & outcome quality), customer trust, customer value, and customer loyalty to hospital consumer that has applied JCI standard accreditations through green hospital concept. Design/methodology/approach: The study uses a descriptive research design, with 209 valid respondents. SPSS is used to pretest the variables that well construct variables, and SEM to analyze significant construct variables and influence the construct variables. Research Findings: There study findings are: 1) interaction quality, physical environment quality, and outcome quality positively influences customer trust; 2) customer trust positively influences customer value; 3) customer value positively influences customer loyalty; 4) customer trust negatively influences customer loyalty; and 5) the mediating effect of customer value positively influences customer trust and customer loyalty in high to a great extent, so it can have a full mediating effect. Originality/value: The study is one of the few empirical investigations into service quality based on customer trust, customer value, and customer loyalty in the healthcare industry that implements the green hospital concept, builds long-term relationships between customers and medical staff, and the healthcare is doing the examining the mediating effects of customer value on customer trust and customer loyalty. Practitioner/Policy Implications: This study can explain customer trust, customer value, customer loyalty based on hospital services quality through relationship marketing. Hospital has been applied JCI standard accreditation through green hospital build long-term relationship for their customer and good businesses for its hospital. Research limitation/Implications: The research results indicate that service quality is the basic step in increasing customer trust, customer value and customer loyalty in hospital management. The findings of the study will help hospital management to 1) build relationships between medical staff and their customers, and create customer loyalty in long-term relationships, 2) to develop and implement the green hospital concept based on Joint Commission International standards within a green marketing framework.