Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Representatives and Employment Rights Disputes: What Works and What Doesn’t?

Grievances continue to attract much public controversy, but amid the ongoing rhetoric, the research evidence is limited. The popular debate has centred largely on the actions of employers and employees. This study of grievance cases explores the factors that influence the progression of these disputes. The findings highlight the influential role of external representatives in either restoring relationships or escalating disputes. The nature of that influence is associated with three critical attributes of the representative: (a) their current relationships with others involved in the dispute; (b) the extent to which they seek to maintain relationships into the future; and (c) their competency in dispute-handling. While these attributes are largely related to individuals rather than roles, unions have unique potential for functioning as relationship managers and preserving employment relationships. The decline of unions, however, heightens the need for organizations to seek other improved ways of resolving disputes.
Impaired cell cycle control of neuronal precursor cells in the neocortical primordium of presenilin‐1‐deficient mice

Recent studies have implicated presenilin‐1 (PS‐1) in the processing of the amyloid precursor protein and Notch‐1. We show that PS‐1 has biological effects on differentiation and cell cycle control of neuronal precursor cells in vivo using PS‐1‐deficient mice. The expression of Class III β‐tubulin was upregulated throughout the neocortical primordia of PS‐1‐deficient E14 embryos, especially on the ventricular surface. The increased speed of migration of the immature neurons from the ventricular zone outward in the PS‐1‐deficient neocortical primordia was indicated by an in vivo bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)‐labeling assay and a DiI‐labeling assay in slice culture. Furthermore, we investigated the cell cycle of neuronal precursor cells in the neocortical ventricular zone using an in vivo cumulative BrdU‐labeling assay. The length of the cell cycle in the neocortical precursor cells of wild‐type mice was 11.4 hr whereas that of the PS‐1‐deficient mice was 15.4 hr. Among all phases of the cell cycle, S‐phase exhibited the most prominent change in length, increasing from 2.4 hr in the wild‐type mice to 7.4 hr in the mutant mice. The distribution of β–catenin was specifically affected in the ventricular zone of the PS‐1‐deficient mice. These findings suggest that PS‐1 is involved in the differentiation and the cell cycle control of neuronal precursor cells in the ventricular proliferating zone of the neocortical primordium. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Safety Assessment of Ecodriving Vehicles on Following Traffic

Ecodriving aims to achieve the best fuel efficiency by guiding vehicles to travel at a planned speed trajectory, which is developed by making use of topography or signal phasing and timing (SPaT) information. Previous work has mainly focused on algorithm development or the assessment of ecodriving efficiency. However, there has been little research regarding the safety issues of ecodriving. This study addresses safety concerns for normal driving vehicles (FNV) following ecodriving vehicles (EV). Time to collision (TTC) was used as the dependent variable to quantify the critical situation. The effects on TTC of three network-related factors: initial signal status, ambient vehicles, and speed limit, are considered and investigated. Six testing scenarios (experimental group) where FNV (subjects) followed an EV were generated with JMP (statistical software), and six baseline scenarios with conventional cars only were used as the control group. The driving simulation study was designed and implemented with a drive safety DNS-250 simulator. Twenty-nine volunteer drivers participated in the driving simulation study. The results show that the initial signal status has a significant influence on TTC of FNV following EV in the initial signal part, deceleration part, and overall optimization horizon. In addition, the speed limits have a significant impact the TTC of FNV following EV in the acceleration part. Overall, following an EV is safer than following a non-EV, with the exception of FNV in the initial signal part and deceleration part when the initial signal is green.
Melatonin prevents glutamate‐induced oxytosis in the HT22 mouse hippocampal cell line through an antioxidant effect specifically targeting mitochondria

The pineal hormone melatonin has neuroprotective effects in a large number of models of neurodegeneration. Melatonin crosses the blood–brain barrier, shows a decrease in its nocturnal peaks in blood with age that has been associated with the development of neurodegenerative disorders, and has been shown to be harmless at high concentrations. These properties make melatonin a potential therapeutic agent against neurodegenerative disorders but the pathways involved in such neuroprotective effects remain unknown. In the present report we study the intracellular pathways implicated in the complete neuroprotection provided by melatonin against glutamate‐induced oxytosis in the HT22 mouse hippocampal cell line. Our results strongly suggest that melatonin prevents oxytosis through a direct antioxidant effect specifically targeted at the mitochondria. Firstly, none of the described transducers of melatonin signalling seems to be implicated in the neuroprotection provided by this indole. Secondly, melatonin does not prevent cytosolic GSH depletion‐dependent increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), but it totally prevents mitochondrial ROS production despite the fact that the latter is much higher than the former. And finally, there is a high correlation between the concentration at which melatonin and closely related indoles exert a direct antioxidant effect in vitro and a neuroprotective effect against glutamate‐induced oxytosis.
ONTOGENY OF THE ULTRADIAN RHYTHM OF ACTIVITY IN JAPANESE QUAIL

As soon as they hatch, gallinaceous chicks follow broody hens. This matriarchal unit presents a temporal organization of activity. The ontogeny of this ultradian rhythm of activity was followed in Japanese quail during their first 3 weeks of life. Under controlled laboratory conditions, 12 groups of four chicks were recorded using an activity monitoring system. They were observed between the ages of 2 and 17 days. Chicks in groups presented an ultradian rhythm of activity, with a period that increased significantly from 14.3 ± 1.4 minutes when chicks were 2 days old to 26.0 ± 1.9 minutes when they were 16 days old. The increase of ultradian periodicity was particularly pronounced during their first and third weeks of life. Finally, the ultradian period was correlated positively with body weight of the chicks. (Chronobiology International, 17(6), 767–776, 2000)
Empirically corrected estimation of complete-data population summaries under model misspecification

Inference problems with incomplete observations often aim at estimating population-level properties of complete data. We introduce a simple empirical correction that provides partial protection against model misspecification during such estimation. Unlike nonparametric or semiparametric techniques, our empirical correction does not produce consistent estimates. Instead, our method first fits a misspecified parametric model, whose plug-in estimate of the quantity of interest is naturally inconsistent. In the second step of our procedure, we use the misspecified model fit to produce an alternative estimator that is less inconsistent than the parametric plug-in estimate. The main advantage of our two-step procedure is its universality and ease of implementation. We consider four examples to illustrate our new method. The first three examples mainly serve as a proof of concept. In our last example, we consider a less standard missing data problem, where continuous-time Markov chain paths are observed only partially. A particular version of our empirical correction method was originally developed for this problem and extensively studied via simulations. Here, in addition to generalizing this new technique to arbitrary problems with incomplete observations, we provide new theoretical results for the empirical correction applied to estimating partially observed continuous-time Markov chain properties.
Transapical Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Using the JenaValve: A One-Year Follow-up

Abstract Objective Since the first transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in 2002, TAVI technique has gained an increasing popularity especially in high-risk patients. In this study, we present the first echocardiographic midterm outcome with the second-generation transapical JenaValve TAVI system (JenaValve Technology GmbH, Munich, Germany) in patients with aortic stenosis (AS). Methods Between November 2011 and November 2012, a total of 28 patients received transapical TAVI using the JenaValve. Primary endpoint was a combined efficacy endpoint after 1 year, which included all-cause mortality after more than 30 days, failure of current therapy for AS requiring hospitalization for symptoms of valve-related cardiac decompensation or prosthetic heart valve dysfunction. Moreover, we analyzed secondary endpoints after 3 and 12 months including cardiovascular mortality; major stroke; and life-threatening, disabling, or major bleeding. Mean echocardiographic follow-up was 471.35 ± 102.72 days. Results Mean age was 80.43 ± 6.03 years and EuroSCORE II was 8.80 ± 7.21%. Successful implantation was accomplished in 100% (n = 28). Median transvalvular aortic mean pressure gradient was 44.5 mm Hg (interquartile range [IQR]: 34.5; 55.5) preoperatively, 12 mm Hg (IQR: 9; 16) postoperatively, and 11 mm Hg (IQR: 8; 16) after 1 year. After 12 months, no paravalvular leakage was seen in 52.38% of the patients and grade 1 paravalvular leakage was seen in 47.62% of the patients. There was no grade 2 or 3 leakage detected. Stroke, valve thrombosis or dislocation, myocardial infarction, or bleeding was also not observed. However, criteria for the combined efficacy endpoint after 1 year were met in five patients (17.86%). Thirty-day mortality was 14.29% (n = 4) and all-cause mortality after 1 year was 21.43% (n = 6). Conclusion The JenaValve transapical TAVI system is a safe and feasible procedure with low peri- and postoperative complications and convincing midterm performance of the prosthesis.
Decision making for integrating a securities firm with a financial holding company: comparison between the NPV method and the binomial option approach

This study attempts to provide a foundation for decision making regarding integrating (merging) a securities firm with a financial holding company. Besides calculating the static value using the conventionally adopted net present value method, the potential value through strategic flexibility is also measured using a binomial option approach. This study obtains the following findings. First, based on evaluation with the net present value method, the securities firm should immediately be integrated with the financial holding company. However, the firm value may be underestimated by failing to consider strategic flexibility. Second, the integration should be delayed by using a binomial option approach. Third, the alue of the securities firm increases with the range of options (available for consideration). Fourth, given variation in risk-free interest rate, firm value, strike price, time to maturity, and value volatility, the option value may influence the timing of firm decision making.
Alternatives for Welfare Policy: Debt strategies for Sweden and Europe

During the final decades of the previous century, most European countries accumulated large, and in peace time unprecedented, public debts. Interest payments on the debts now constitute an important fiscal burden. Today these countries also face another challenge to the public budget. In the coming 30 to 40 years, the share of people in working age is predicted to fall significantly. Considering this reduction in the relative size of the labour force, it may be wise to start adjusting public policy already now. In particular, fiscal constraints may become less tight in the future if public debts are reduced today. This paper explores what paths for the public debt and the budget surplus are optimal in the face of ageing populations. Twelve European countries are included in the study. For all these countries, the optimal policy is to start reducing public debt immediately and continuously until sometime between year 2030 and 2045. The optimal average budget surplus varies between one and four percent of output annually for these countries. The calculations show that for most countries the welfare loss of pursuing a balanced-budget policy instead of the optimal debt policy would be modest but not negligible.
Identification and validation of new autoantibodies for the diagnosis of DCIS and node negative early‐stage breast cancers

Evidence of circulating autoantibodies in cancer patient sera has created opportunities for exploiting them as biomarkers. We report the identification and the clinical validation of an autoantibody panel in newly diagnosed patients with early‐stage breast cancer. Proteomic approach and serological screening of a discovery set of sera (n = 80) were performed to identify tumor‐associated antigens (TAAs). Autoantibody levels were then measured in an independent validation set (n = 182) against a panel of five TAAs by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Sixty‐seven antigens that elicited a specific humoral response in breast cancer were identified and five antigens (GAL3, PAK2, PHB2, RACK1 and RUVBL1) were selected for validation. GAL3 and RACK1 showed significantly increased reactivity in early‐stage breast cancer. When combined, the five markers significantly discriminated early‐stage cancer from healthy individuals (AUC = 0.81; 95% CI [0.74–0.86]). Interestingly, this value was high in both node‐negative early‐stage primary breast cancer (AUC = 0.81; 95% CI [0.72–0.88]) and ductal carcinoma in situ (AUC = 0.85; 95% CI [0.76–0.95]) populations. This autoantibody panel could be useful as a diagnostic tool in a screening strategy of early‐stage invasive breast cancer and preinvasive breast cancer. It could be particularly appropriate in complement to mammography for women with high breast density.
Nature of Communication: Voices of 11–14 Year Old African-American Girls and Their Mothers in Regard to Talking About Sex

Background: Within the female population between the ages of 13 and 19, African Americans (AA) made up 70% of the cases of HIV seroconversionwithin the US in 2006. In light of this health disparity, prevention strategies should begin prior to age 13. The primary sex educator in families is the mother. Examining how mothers communicate with their daughters about sex and how their daughters respond could help healthcare professionals develop interventions to decrease this population’s sexual risk.Objective:This qualitative study explored what AA mothers say to their daughters about sex, in what context the discussions occur, and how the daughters respond to their mothers’ messages. Methods:Forty-two mother-daughter dyads were recruited from 4 inner-city community centers. Seven separate groups were conducted with mothers and daughters (ages 11–14) using focus group methodology and principles of Participatory Action Research. Results: Four codes emerged from the data, reflecting both verbal and nonverbal sexual communication. These were: level of disclosure; mixed messages; emotional tone; and knowing. Conclusions: Both becoming less reactive and more knowledgeable about her daughter’s information processing may facilitat mother to create an environment that provide a positive emotional tone. This can then lead to increasing the daughter’s comfort in initiatin a conversation with her mother about her intimate feelings and experiences.Implications: Findings from this study could assist in developing interventions geared towards open sexual communication with the goal of delaying sexual debut.
Esp‐independent functional integration of the translocated intimin receptor (Tir) of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) into host cell membranes

The pathogenesis of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is characterized by the type III secretion system‐dependent exploitation of target cells that results in attaching and effacing (A/E) lesions, actin rearrangements and pedestal formation. This pathology is mediated by effector proteins which are translocated by the type III secretion system into the host cell such as the translocated intimin receptor (Tir) and several E. coli secreted proteins (Esp). Secretion of virulence proteins of EPEC is tightly regulated. In response to Ca2+, Esp secretion is drastically reduced, whereas secretion of Tir is increased. Membrane insertion of Tir, secreted under low Ca2+ conditions, is therefore independent of Esp. Furthermore, espB and espD mutant strains of EPEC, unable to form the translocation pore, still translocate Tir into host cells membranes. This autointegrated Tir is functional, as it is able to complement a tir mutant strain in recruiting actin to bacterial contact sites. The uptake of Tir into the host cell appears to depend on the C‐terminal part of the protein, as deletion of this part of Tir prevents autointegration. Together, our results demonstrate that under conditions of limited Ca2+ an alternative mechanism for Tir integration can trigger the induction of A/E lesions.
The epidemiology of blood-injection-injury phobia

Background. We report the prevalence, clinical characteristics, frequency of mental health treatment, demographic correlates, frequency of co-morbid psychiatric conditions, and general health ramifications of DSM-IV blood-injection-injury phobia in the general population. Method. The Diagnostic Interview Schedule (version III-R), which included questions on blood-injection-injury phobia, was administered to 1920 subjects in the Baltimore ECA Follow-up Study. Results. The estimated unweighted lifetime prevalence of blood-injection-injury phobia was 3·5%. The median age of onset was 5·5 years; 78% had had symptoms within the last 6 months. Subjects with blood-injection-injury phobia (cases) had higher lifetime histories of fainting and seizures than those without (non-cases). None reported seeking mental health treatment specifically for phobia. Prevalences were lower in the elderly and higher in females and persons with less education. Cases had significantly higher than expected lifetime prevalences of other psychiatric conditions, including marijuana abuse/dependence, major depression, obsessive–compulsive disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia and other simple phobia. Cases and non-cases did not differ with regard to usual health-care settings, regular care for specific medical conditions, numbers of out-patient visits or hospitalizations, or previous general anaesthesia or live births. However, diabetics with blood-injection-injury phobia had higher than expected rates of macrovascular complications. Conclusion. Blood-injection-injury phobia is common, especially in females and those with less education, and it is associated with several co-morbid psychiatric conditions. No strong, broad general health ramifications of this phobia are apparent. However, diabetics with this phobia appear at particular risk for complications; this deserves further study.
Comparison of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and multiple chemical sensitivities.

BACKGROUND Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), and multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS) are conditions associated with fatigue and a variety of other symptoms that appear to share many clinical and demographic features. Our objectives were to describe the similarities and differences among patients with CFS, FM, and MCS. Additional objectives were to determine how frequently patients with MCS and FM met the criteria for CFS and if they differed in their health locus of control. METHODS Demographic, clinical, and psychosocial measures were prospectively collected in 90 patients, 30 each with CFS, FM, and MCS. Patients were recruited from a university-based referral clinic devoted to the evaluation and treatment of chronic fatigue and three private practices. Variables included demographic features, symptoms characteristic of each condition, psychological complaints, a measure of health locus of control, and information on health care use. RESULTS Overall, the three patient groups were remarkably similar in demographic characteristics and the presence of specific symptoms. Patients with CFS and FM frequently reported symptoms compatible with MCS. Likewise, 70% of patients with FM and 30% of those with MCS met the criteria for CFS. Health care use was substantial among patients with CFS, FM, and MCS, with an average of 22.1, 39.7, and 23.3 visits, respectively, to a medical provider during the prior year. Health locus of control did not differ among the three populations. CONCLUSIONS In general, demographic and clinical factors and health locus of control do not clearly distinguish patients with CFS, FM, and MCS. Symptoms typical of each disorder are prevalent in the other two conditions.
Differential Phosphorylation of T-47D Human Breast Cancer Cell Substrates by D1-, D3-, E-, and A-type Cyclin-CDK Complexes*

The cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) promote cell cycle transitions in mammalian cells by phosphorylation of key substrates. To characterize substrates of the G1and S phase cyclin-CDK complexes, including cyclin D1-CDK4, cyclin D3-CDK4, cyclin D3-CDK6, cyclin E-CDK2, and cyclin A-CDK2, which are largely undefined, we phosphorylated T-47D breast cancer cell nuclear lysates partially purified by ion-exchange chromatography with purified baculovirus expressed cyclin-CDK complexes. A comparison of the substrates that were phosphorylated by the different cyclin D-CDKs revealed some common as well as specific substrates. Hence, cyclin D1-CDK4 specifically phosphorylated a 38-kDa protein while cyclin D3-CDK4 specifically phosphorylated proteins of 105, 102, and 42 kDa. A 24-kDa protein was phosphorylated by both complexes. Cyclin D3-CDK6 exhibited similar substrate preferences to cyclin D3-CDK4, phosphorylating the 105- and 102-kDa proteins but not the 24-kDa protein. Hence, both the cyclin D1 and D3 as well as CDK4 and CDK6 subunits can confer substrate specificity on the overall cyclin D-CDK complex. Cyclin E-CDK2 and cyclin A-CDK2 phosphorylated a greater number of substrates than the cyclin D-CDKs, ranging in size from 10 kDa to over 200 kDa. Twenty-two substrates were common to both complexes, while six were specific for cyclin A-CDK2 and only one protein of 34 kDa was specific for cyclin E-CDK2. These studies indicate that cyclins E and A modulate the specificity of CDK2 and have demonstrated substrates that may be important for the specific roles of these cyclin-CDKs during G1 and S phase progression. Protein sequencing of one of the cyclin-CDK substrates characterized in this study identified this protein as nucleolin, a previously characterized CDC2 (CDK1) substrate, thus indicating the utility of this approach in identifying cyclin-CDK targets. These results show that both the cyclin and CDK subunits can regulate the substrate specificity of the overall cyclin-CDK complex and have demonstrated numerous substrates of D-, E-, and A-type cyclin-CDK complexes potentially involved in regulating transit through the G1and S phases of the cell cycle.