Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Insights into the mechanisms of catalysis and heterotropic regulation of Escherichia coli aspartate transcarbamoylase based upon a structure of the enzyme complexed with the bisubstrate analogue N‐phosphonacetyl‐L‐aspartate at 2.1 Å

A high‐resolution structure of Escherichia coli aspartate transcarbamoylase has been determined to 2.1 Å; resolution in the presence of the bisubstrate analog N‐phosphonacetyl‐L‐aspartate (PALA). The structure was refined to a free R‐factor of 23.4% and a working R‐factor of 20.3%. The PALA molecule is completely saturated with interactions to side chain and backbone groups in the active site, including two interactions that are contributed from the 80s loop of the adjacent catalytic chain. The charge neutralization of the bound PALA molecule (and presumably the substrates as well) induced by the electrostatic field of the highly positively charged active site is an important factor in the high binding affinity of PALA and must be important for catalysis. The higher‐resolution structure reported here departs in a number of ways from the previously determined structure at lower resolution. These modifications include alterations in the backbone conformation of the C‐terminal of the catalytic chains, the N‐ and C‐termini of the regulatory chains, and two loops of the regulatory chain. The high‐resolution of this structure has allowed a more detailed description of the binding of PALA to the active site of the enzyme and has allowed a detailed model of the tetrahedral intermediate to be constructed. This model becomes the basis of a description of the catalytic mechanism of the transcarbamoylase reaction. The R‐structural state of the enzyme‐PALA complex is an excellent representation of the form of the enzyme that occurs at the moment in the catalytic cycle when the tetrahedral intermediate is formed. Finally, improved electron density in the N‐terminal region of the regulatory chain (residues 1 to 7) has allowed tracing of the entire regulatory chain. The N‐terminal segments of the R1 and R6 chains are located in close proximity to each other and to the regulatory site. This portion of the molecule may be involved in the observed asymmetry between the regulatory binding sites as well as in the heterotropic response of the enzyme. Protein 1999;37:729–742. ©1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
African American Female Students and STEM: Principals’ Leadership Perspectives

Abstract:This qualitative case study explored how principals, at STEM-specific programmed schools, support African American female students. Interviews, documents, and observations were conducted to evaluate principals’ leadership styles.Critical race theory (CRT) was used as a theoretical framework to highlight the inadequate support of minority students, and due to its emancipatory character, transformative leadership model was referenced to code data. The results uncovered principal leadership characteristic of a multifaceted underrepresented school population.Emergent themes included a distinction between leadership styles, the influence of school community, and the significance of school culture. The principals reflected actions of a transformative leader through the acknowledgement of differentiated supports and obstacles students of color face.
Institutional Pressures, Green Supply Chain Management Practices on Environmental and Economic Performance: A Two Theory View

The adoption of green practices within and outside organizational boundaries is imperative to ascertain environmental and economic performance goals. This article examined whether internal and external green supply chain management (GSCM) practices have the same or different kinds of regulatory, market, or competitive pressures. We employed institutional theory to identify different kinds of pressures, and resource dependence theory to explore the impact of internal and external GSCM practices on performance. An empirical study was conducted by collecting data through a structured questionnaire administered in Pakistan to the executives in the manufacturing industry. A total of 207 responses were used for data analysis by employing the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method. Normative pressures were found to be the most significant in both internal and external GSCM practices, while coercive and mimetic pressures positively affected internal and external GSCM practices, respectively. Internal GSCM practices proved to be more significant in improving environmental performance, and also had a substantial impact on external GSCM practices. In contrast, External GSCM practices had a significant positive effect on economic performance, while environmental performance also contributed to improving economic performance. The theoretical and managerial implications are discussed for academics, policymakers, and industry practitioners.
Effect of Different Seed Rate and Spacing on Yield and Economics of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc) Cultivation

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc) is widely used in food, beverage, confectionery and medicine. It is valued in medicine as a carminative and stimulant of gastro intestinal tract. Dry ginger is used for the manufacture of oil, oleoresin, essence, soft drinks etc. India is the largest producer, consumer and exporter of ginger in the world. The size of planting materials and spacing are among the major factors influencing growth, yield and economics of ginger. Considering these the present investigation was undertaken to study the effect of different spacing and seed rate i.e. size of seed materials on yield and yield component and economics of ginger cultivation.
An Exploration of Principal Change Facilitator Style, Teacher Bureaucratic and Professional Orientations, and Teacher Receptivity to Change. (Volumes I and II).

The primary purpose of this study was to utilize conceptions of principal change facilitator style, bureaucratic and professional orientations and teacher receptivity to change to extend our understanding of schools as organizations and to develop a comprehensive theoretical conception of planned organizational change in schools. A secondary purpose of this study was to report the results of a series of data analyses used to refine operational definitions of the study variables. This study is the first known in the literature to examine relationships among these variables in concert with a common set of schools, principals and teachers. The sample for this study consisted of all principals and teachers in 94 public schools in southern Louisiana. A total of 1921 teachers and 87 principals participated in the study. The study used an ex post facto survey research design (Campbell & Stanley, 1963). Four instruments were used in data collection: 1) a revised form of the Receptivity to Change Inventory (Hennigar, 1979); 2) the Attitudes of Professional Autonomy scale (Forsyth & Danisiewicz, 1985); 3) the Bureaucratic Orientation Scale (Kuhlman & Hoy, 1974; DiPaola, 1990); and 4) the Change Facilitator Style Questionnaire (Hall & Vandenberghe, 1987). Findings suggested that considerable work is needed in refining conceptual and operational definitions of these key variables in studying planned organizational change in schools. Results of analyses pertinent to research questions guiding the study revealed that principal change facilitator style is a useful variable for understanding teacher receptivity to change. Other major conclusions included: 1) perceptions of principals’ and teachers’ roles appear to be mediated by school context variables; 2) identified relationships are somewhat at odds with prior findings reported in the literature relating to change in schools and to principal leadership; 3) relationships among variables do not appear to be moderated by SES, and various demographic variables; and 4) relationships among variables established using school means may not generalize to individual schools at all. The findings raise a considerable number of issues about appropriate units of analysis in school research, and methodological issues about understanding the relationships among variables studied within the unique contexts of schools as complex organizations.
The association between orthostatic hypotension and medication use in the British Women's Heart and Health Study.

OBJECTIVE to determine the prevalence of orthostatic hypotension (OH) and associations with medication use in community-dwelling older women. DESIGN cross-sectional analysis using data from the British Women's Heart and Health Study. SETTING general practices in 23 towns in the UK. PARTICIPANTS 3,775 women aged 60-80 years from 1999 to 2001. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE orthostatic hypotension-drop of > or =20 mmHg in systolic and/or a drop of > or =10 mmHg in diastolic blood pressure on standing. RESULTS prevalence of OH was 28% (95% confidence interval [CI] 26.6, 29.4), which increased with age and hypertension. Regardless of treatment status or diagnosed hypertension, raised blood pressure was strongly associated with OH (P < 0.001). OH was strongly associated with number of antihypertensives taken (none vs three or more: odds ratio [OR] 2.24, 95% CI 1.47-3.40, P < 0.001); the association was slightly attenuated after allowing for age and co-morbidities (OR 1.99; 95% CI 1.30, 3.05; P = 0.003). Women with multiple co-morbidities had markedly increased odds of OH independent of age, number and type of medications taken (none vs four or more diagnoses: OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.58-3.30, P = 0.005). CONCLUSION uncontrolled hypertension, use of three or more antihypertensives and multiple co-morbidities are predictors of OH in older women. Detection or monitoring of OH in these groups may prevent women from suffering its adverse consequences.
Long-Term Collaboration Network Based on ClinicalTrials.gov Database in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Increasing costs, risks, and productivity problems in the pharmaceutical industry are important recent issues in the biomedical field. Open innovation is proposed as a solution to these issues. However, little statistical analysis related to collaboration in the pharmaceutical industry has been conducted so far. Meanwhile, not many cases have analyzed the clinical trials database, even though it is the information source with the widest coverage for the pharmaceutical industry. The purpose of this study is to test the clinical trials information as a probe for observing the status of the collaboration network and open innovation in the pharmaceutical industry. This study applied the social network analysis method to clinical trials data from 1980 to 2016 in ClinicalTrials.gov. Data were divided into four time periods—1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s—and the collaboration network was constructed for each time period. The characteristic of each network was investigated. The types of agencies participating in the clinical trials were classified as a university, national institute, company, or other, and the major players in the collaboration networks were identified. This study showed some phenomena related to the pharmaceutical industry that could provide clues to policymakers about open innovation. If follow-up studies were conducted, the utilization of the clinical trial database could be further expanded, which is expected to help open innovation in the pharmaceutical industry.
Essays In Macro-Finance And Asset Pricing

This dissertation consists of three parts. The first documents that more innovative firms earn higher riskadjusted equity returns and proposes a model to explain this. Chapter two answers the question of why firms would choose to issue callable bonds with options that are always "out of the money" by proposing a refinancing-risk explanation. Lastly, chapter three uses the firm-level evidence on investment cyclicality to help resolve the aggregate puzzle of whether R\&D should be procyclical or countercylical. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Finance First Advisor Nikolai Roussanov
Are patients at Veterans Affairs medical centers sicker? A comparative analysis of health status and medical resource use.

BACKGROUND The Veterans Affairs (VA) health system has been criticized for being inefficient based on comparisons of VA care with non-VA care. Whether such comparisons are biased by differences between the VA patient population and the non-VA patient population is not known. Our objective is to determine if VA patients are different from non-VA patients in terms of health status and medical resource use. METHOD We analyzed 128,099 records from the National Health Interview Survey for the years 1993 and 1994. We compared the VA patient population with the general patient population for self report on health status, number of medical conditions, number of outpatient physician visits, number of hospital admissions, and number of hospital days each year. RESULTS The VA patient population had poorer health status (odds ratio [OR], 14.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 10.7-20.2), more medical conditions (OR, 14; 95% CI, 10.5-18.7), and higher medical resource use compared with the general patient population (OR, 3.7 for 3 or more physician visits per year; OR 5.4 for 3 or more hospital admissions per year; OR, 7.7 for 21 or more days spent in a hospital per year). However, after controlling for health and sociodemographic differences, VA patients had similar resource use compared with the general patient population. CONCLUSION Large differences in sociodemographic status, health status, and subsequent resource use exist between the VA and the general patient population. Therefore, comparisons of VA care with non-VA care need to take these differences into account. Furthermore, health care planning and resource allocation within the VA should not be based on data extrapolated from non-VA patient populations. Arch Intern Med. 2000;160:3252-3257.
Growth hormone‐induced insulin resistance in human subjects involves reduced pyruvate dehydrogenase activity

Insulin resistance induced by growth hormone (GH) is linked to promotion of lipolysis by unknown mechanisms. We hypothesized that suppression of the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase in the active form (PDHa) underlies GH‐induced insulin resistance similar to what is observed during fasting.
Gyroscopic sensing in the wings of the hawkmoth Manduca sexta: the role of sensor location and directional sensitivity

The wings of the hawkmoth Manduca sexta are lined with mechanoreceptors called campaniform sensilla that encode wing deformations. During flight, the wings deform in response to a variety of stimuli, including inertial-elastic loads due to the wing flapping motion, aerodynamic loads, and exogenous inertial loads transmitted by disturbances. Because the wings are actuated, flexible structures, the strain-sensitive campaniform sensilla are capable of detecting inertial rotations and accelerations, allowing the wings to serve not only as a primary actuator, but also as a gyroscopic sensor for flight control. We study the gyroscopic sensing of the hawkmoth wings from a control theoretic perspective. Through the development of a low-order model of flexible wing flapping dynamics, and the use of nonlinear observability analysis, we show that the rotational acceleration inherent in wing flapping enables the wings to serve as gyroscopic sensors. We compute a measure of sensor fitness as a function of sensor location and directional sensitivity by using the simulation-based empirical observability Gramian. Our results indicate that gyroscopic information is encoded primarily through shear strain due to wing twisting, where inertial rotations cause detectable changes in pronation and supination timing and magnitude. We solve an observability-based optimal sensor placement problem to find the optimal configuration of strain sensor locations and directional sensitivities for detecting inertial rotations. The optimal sensor configuration shows parallels to the campaniform sensilla found on hawkmoth wings, with clusters of sensors near the wing root and wing tip. The optimal spatial distribution of strain directional sensitivity provides a hypothesis for how heterogeneity of campaniform sensilla may be distributed.
Altered membrane skeleton of red blood cells participates in cadmium‐induced anemia

Poikilocytosis of red blood cells (RBCs) was observed to be associated with anemia in rats given subcutaneous injections of cadmium (Cd). Phase‐contrast light and scanning electron microscopic examinations revealed that acanthocytes appeared in the early stages of administration, and that the number of RBC fragments increased later. Ultrastructural analysis of RBC ghosts by negative staining demonstrated that the normal lattice structure of the membrane skeleton was abolished. The osmotic fragility curve of the Cd‐exposed RBCs disclosed that most of the cells were less fragile than control RBCs. These data indicate that the RBC membrane skeleton is initially altered by Cd‐exposure, followed by deformation of the cell, thus promoting intrasplenic hemolysis, and resulting in anemia.
A new in vitro model of the glial scar inhibits axon growth

Astrocytes respond to central nervous system (CNS) injury with reactive astrogliosis and participate in the formation of the glial scar, an inhibitory barrier for axonal regeneration. Little is known about the injury‐induced mechanisms underlying astrocyte reactivity and subsequent development of an axon‐inhibitory scar. We combined two key aspects of CNS injury, mechanical trauma and co‐culture with meningeal cells, to produce an in vitro model of the scar from cultures of highly differentiated astrocytes. Our model displayed widespread morphological signs of astrocyte reactivity, increases in expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and accumulation of GFAP in astrocytic processes. Expression levels of scar‐associated markers, phosphacan, neurocan, and tenascins, were also increased. Importantly, neurite growth from various CNS neuronal populations was significantly reduced when neurons were seeded on the scar‐like cultures, compared with growth on cultures of mature astrocytes. Quantification of neurite growth parameters on the scar model demonstrated significant reductions in neuronal adhesion and neurite lengths. Interestingly, neurite outgrowth of postnatal neurons was reduced to a greater extent than that of embryonic neurons, and outgrowth inhibition varied among neuronal populations. Scar‐like reactive sites and neurite‐inhibitory patches were found throughout these cultures, creating a patchwork of growth‐inhibitory areas mimicking a CNS injury site. Thus, our model showed relevant aspects of scar formation and produced widespread inhibition of axonal regeneration; it should be useful both for examining mechanisms underlying scar formation and to assess various treatments for their potential to improve regeneration after CNS injury. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Contextual Exploration of a New Family Caregiver Support Concept for Geriatric Settings Using a Participatory Health Research Strategy

Family caregivers are the backbone of the long-term care support system within the home environment. Comprehensive caregiver support programs require collaboration and coordination within the system. A new public health concept, Vade Mecum, aims to harmonize and professionalize family caregiver support initiatives in geriatric care settings in the Euregion Maas-Rhine. Exploration of the new concept recently started in Germany to gain in-depth insight into current support and the needs of the geriatric care team and family caregivers. Within the context of an exploratory qualitative study, a participatory health research (PHR) strategy was applied to make optimal use of experience and knowledge from the system. Care professionals, engaged as co-researchers, were responsible for decisions about the research question, data collection methods and procedures of engaging family caregivers. A research team representing all professions within the geriatric department was formed. Research objectives were formulated and an appropriate mix of qualitative data collection methods consisting of interviews, focus groups and story-telling was chosen. Needs and expectations of the new concept, and practical solutions for involving family caregivers were discussed. A PHR strategy resulted in initiating a qualitative study in a geriatric care setting carried out by care professionals from the department. Knowledge was generated in a co-creative manner, and co-researchers were empowered. A comprehensive understanding of the system serves as a starting point for advancement of the new family caregiver concept.
Are Higher Co-Moments Priced? A Tale of Two Countries

This study investigates the role of higher co-moments in explaining stock returns in the China and UK stock markets. In China, investors price only coskewness risk, while UK investors price both coskewness and cokurtosis risks. China investors use a two-year window period to evaluate coskewness risk, while UK investors utilize a five-year window period to evaluate. In addition, the significant coskewness risk premium in China is driven mainly by the sub-period after the split share structure reform. We argue that differences in market infrastructure and stage of development contribute to explaining the different higher co-moments pricing behavior in the two markets.
Configural Displays Can Improve Nutrition-Related Decisions: An Application of the Proximity Compatibility Principle

The nutrition label format currently used by consumers to make dietary-related decisions presents significant information-processing demands for integrationbased decisions; however, those demands were not considered as primary factors when the format was adopted. Labels designed in accordance with known principles of cognitive psychology might enhance the kind of decision making that food labeling was intended to facilitate. Three experiments were designed on the basis of the proximity compatibility principle (PCP) to investigate the relationship between nutrition label format and decision making; the experiments involved two types of integration decisions and one type of filtering decision. Based on the PCP, decision performance was measured to test the overall hypothesis that matched task-display tandems would result in better decision performance than would mismatched tandems. In each experiment, a statistically significant increase in mean decision performance was found when the display design was cognitively matched to the demands of the task. Combined, the results from all three experiments support the general hypothesis that task-display matching is a design principle that may enhance the utility of nutrition labeling in nutrition-related decision making. Actual or potential applications of this research include developing robust display solutions that aid in less effortful assimilation of nutrition-related information for consumers.