Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Service operations practice and performance of local authorities in Malaysia

Operation practices, commonly deals with design, management, planning, coordination, and control of resources, are the elements in the operational strategies of an organization. These operation practices are improvement programs in organizations that are carried out to achieve competitive advantage in terms of cost, speed of delivery, quality, flexibility, and innovation. There are many service improvement programs that have been undertaken by the government of Malaysia, however, local authorities are still receiving criticisms and complaints from the public stating the inability of local authorities to deliver services that meet the customers' needs. Empirical studies showed that operation practices have an influence on the performance of an organization. However, most studies only focused on specific operation practices such as quality management practices, just in time practices and human resource management practices This study, therefore, focused on examining the relationship between operational practices and performance of local authorities in Peninsular Malaysia. This study uses a cross-sectional design to identify the service operation practice and organization performance measured in one occasion to obtain data and identify relationships between variables studied. Unit of analysis of this study is the departments in the organization of local authorities and respondents are directors or heads of department. The study population was all the departments (416 departments) in the City Council and the Municipal Council in Peninsular Malaysia. Stratified sampling method was used to select 300 departments based on the characteristics of local authorities in Peninsular Malaysia. This study collected data from a total of 202 respondents who are directors or department heads of 300 selected City Councils and Municipal Councils in Peninsular Malaysia. The findings showed that the dimensions of leadership practices have a significant influence on performance. Findings of this study also show that organizational culture practices have a positive and significant influence on performance. In this study, organizational culture is defined as the practice of shared values, beliefs, attitudes, and norms practiced in the department that is conducive to the welfare of workers as employees, recognition, appreciation and listening to workers. Findings of this study also noted a positive and significant influence of the push-pull orientation in service operations with performance. The government should, therefore, emphasize local governments’ ability in the push and pull orientation to improve their performance. New services development and design is the process of preparing a new delivery system procedure or making an investment in organizational resources to facilitate the service delivery organization.
Managing Exam Stress Using UMTS Phones: The advantage of Portable Audio/Video Support

Test-taking anxiety or stress is very common among university students. It can be very distressing and sometimes debilitating. Exam anxiety involves physical components and emotional components that may be taken into account for managing and reducing anxiety. An approach to control exam anxiety is to learn how to regulate emotions. To help students in managing exam stress we developed a specific protocol based on mobile narratives--multimedia narratives experienced on UMTS/3G phones. 30 female university students (M=23.48; sd=1.24) who were going to perform an exam within a week were included in the trial. They were randomly divided in five groups according to the type and mobility of the medium used: (1) audio only narrative (CD at home); (2) audio only narrative (portable MP3); (3) audio and video narrative (DVD at home); (4) audio and video narrative (UMTS based); (5) control group. Audio/video narratives induced a reduction in exam anxiety in more than 80% of the sample vs 50% of the MP3 sample and 0% of the CD sample. Further, all the users who experienced mobile narratives on UMTS phones were able to relax before the exam, against 50% of DVD users and 33% of audio-only users. The trial showed a better efficacy of mobile narratives experienced on UMTS phones in reducing the level of exam stress and in helping the student to relax. These results suggest that for the specific sample considered--Italian university students--the media used for providing an anti-stress protocol has a clear impact on its efficacy.
Derivation of low-dose extrapolation factors from analysis of curvature in the cancer incidence dose response in Japanese atomic bomb survivors.

PURPOSES To assess the degree of overestimation in low-dose cancer risk when models linear in dose are fitted to cancer data. MATERIALS AND METHODS Examination of the quadratic and the linear coefficients (in dose) in the Japanese atomic bomb survivor cancer incidence data, based on follow-up to 1987 and taking separate account of random errors in DS86 neutron and DS86 gamma dose estimates and systematic errors in Hiroshima DS86 neutron dose estimates. RESULTS When the 0-4Gy dose range is used, the low-dose extrapolation factor for all solid tumours, assessing the degree to which low-dose cancer risks are overestimated by fitting a model linear in dose, is 1.06 (95% CI 0.78, 1.62) and so is not significantly different from 1; the associated ratio of the quadratic to the linear coefficients is 0.06 Sv(-1) (95% CI -0.22, 0.67). The best estimate of the low-dose extrapolation factor for leukaemia is 2.47 (95% CI 1.24, > 1,000). The ratio of the quadratic to the linear coefficients is 1.81 Sv(-1) (95% CI 0.21, > 1,000). When various types and groupings of solid tumours are considered there is not generally any strong evidence for upward curvature; for only two out of the six solid tumour groupings are there indications of appreciable upward curvature in the dose response, and in no instance is this statistically significant. Consideration of a lower dose range (0-2Gy rather than 0-4 Gy) results in the low-dose extrapolation factor for solid tumours increasing to 1.21 (95% CI 0.81, 2.45), with corresponding increases for solid tumour subtypes; the corresponding quantity for leukaemia decreases to 1.73 (95% CI 0.79, 147.67). Three out of the six solid tumour subtypes now show appreciable upward curvature. If there is additional adjustment of the Hiroshima neutron dose estimates over the 0-2 Gy dose range, the low-dose extrapolation factor for all solid tumours increases still further, to 1.43 (95% CI 0.97, 2.72), whereas for leukaemia this quantity is further reduced, to 1.58 (95% CI 0.90, 10.58). CONCLUSIONS There is marked upward curvature in the dose response for leukaemia. For solid tumours there is little indication of upward curvature in the dose response over the 0-4 Gy dose range, although over the 0-2 Gy dose range and after adjustment of Hiroshima DS86 neutron dose estimates the upward curvature is more pronounced. Uncertainties in the likely adjustments to the Hiroshima DS86 neutron dose estimates imply that these findings should be treated with caution.
In situ assessment of erythrocyte membrane properties during cold storage

Membrane fluidity and overall protein secondary structure of human erythrocytes were studied in situ using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Erythrocyte membranes were found to have weakly cooperative phase transitions at 14°C and at 34°C, which were tentatively assigned to the melting of the inner membrane leaflet and the sphingolipid rich outer leaflet, respectively. Cholesterol depletion by methyl- g -cyclodextrin (M g CD) resulted in a large increase in the cooperativity of these transitions, and led to the appearance of another phospholipid transition at 25°C. Multiple, sharp membrane phase transitions were observed after 5 days cold storage (4°C), which indicated phase separation of the membrane lipids. Using fluorescence microscopy, it was determined that the lipid probe 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethyl-indocarbocyanine perchlorate (dil-C 18 ) remained homogeneously distributed in the erythrocyte membrane during cold storage, suggesting that lipid domains were below the resolution limit of the microscope. Using thin layer chromatography, changes in the membrane lipid composition were detected during cold storage. By contrast, assessment of the amide-II band with FTIR showed that the overall protein secondary structure of haemoglobin was stable during cold storage.
Analytic Solutions of Mean-Variance Model with Singular Covariance Matrix and Different Interest Rates for Borrowing and Lending

In the mean-variance portfolio model,the covariance matrix is likely to be singular since the multicollinearity and correlation can arise from the increase of financial assets,especially when considering a largescale portfolio. In view of this situation,we reconsider the mean-variance portfolio problem under singular covariance matrix. A new approach based on generalized inverse matrix is proposed as a remedy for the deficiency of conventional methods in which covariance matrix is constrained to be invertible. The analytic solutions of frontier portfolio and portfolio frontier are derived with different interest rates for borrowing and lending,which extending successfully the classic Markowitz portfolio model.
Orphan G Protein-coupled Receptor GPR56 Regulates Neural Progenitor Cell Migration via a Gα12/13 and Rho Pathway*

In the developing forebrain, the migration and positioning of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) are regulated coordinately by various molecules. Mutation of these molecules, therefore, causes cortical malformation. GPR56 has been reported as a cortical malformation-related gene that is mutated in patients with bilateral frontoparietal polymicrogyria. GPR56 encodes an orphan G protein-coupled receptor, and its mutations reduce the cell surface expression. It has also been reported that the expression level of GPR56 is involved in cancer cell adhesion and metastasis. However, it remains to be clarified how GPR56 functions in brain development and which signaling pathways are activated by GPR56. In this study, we showed that GPR56 is highly expressed in NPCs and has the ability to inhibit NPC migration. We found that GPR56 coupled with Gα12/13 and induced Rho-dependent activation of the transcription mediated through a serum-responsive element and NF-κB-responsive element and actin fiber reorganization. The transcriptional activation and actin reorganization were inhibited by an RGS domain of the p115 Rho-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor (p115 RhoGEF RGS) and dominant negative form of Rho. Moreover, we have demonstrated that a functional anti-GPR56 antibody, which has an agonistic activity, inhibited NPC migration. This inhibition was attenuated by p115 RhoGEF RGS, C3 exoenzyme, and GPR56 knockdown. These results indicate that GPR56 participates in the regulation of NPC movement through the Gα12/13 and Rho signaling pathway, suggesting its important role in the development of the central nervous system.
The New Zealand Herald

The Nobel Prize­winning economist Joseph Stiglitz has blamed the "unconscionable" system of generous bonuses paid to investment bankers for exacerbating the global credit crisis. "The system of compensation almost surely contributed in an important way to the crisis," said Professor Stiglitz, a former chairman of the President's Council of Economic Advisers under Bill Clinton. "The system was designed to encourage risk taking ­ but it encouraged excessive risk taking. In effect, it paid them to gamble. When things turned out well, they walked away with huge bonuses. When things turn out badly ­ as now ­ they do not share in the losses. " Despite the turmoil in the markets, bank failures and write­offs amounting to US$120 billion ($152 billion), City bonuses will top £6 billion ($15 billion) this year, though that will be down on the £7.2 billion estimated to have been paid out in 2007, which was itself a reduction on the peak of £8.8 billion in 2006. This year's bonuses will be the lowest since 2003. However, the sums involved remain dizzying, with dozens of bankers at Goldman Sachs, for example, awarded bonuses of at least £5 million each at Christmas, with one lucky trader pocketing more than £10 million in cash and shares. The average bonus at Goldman Sachs last year, one of the more extravagant payers, was £300,000. Staff are thought to be dreading the possibility that the average this year will be a mere £200,000 ­ on top of salaries and other emoluments. Staff numbers, notably at the troubled Bear Stearns, will also be pruned. Professor Stiglitz said he was not impressed. "Even if they lose their jobs, they walk away with large sums. "It was predictable that this system would lead to problems. " While rejecting the idea of limiting bonuses, he is keen to link performance to longer­term success: "The solution is not so much to cap the bonuses, but to make sure that they share the losses as well as the gains ­ for instance, holding the bonuses in escrow for 10 years; if there are losses in the second or third or fourth years, the bonuses would be reduced appropriately. " Reflecting on the collapses at Northern Rock and Bear Stearns and their respective rescues by the British and US governments, Professor Stiglitz added: "It is one thing to gamble with one's own money but these bankers were gambling with other people's money …
Genetic polymorphisms in the DRD2, DRD3, and SLC6A3 gene in elderly patients with delirium

Dopamine excess appears to be critical in the final common pathway of delirium. The aim of this study was to investigate whether genetic polymorphisms in three dopamine‐related genes (the dopamine receptor 2 (DRD2), dopamine receptor 3 (DRD3), and the dopamine transporter (SLC6A3) gene) were associated with delirium. Patients aged 65 years and older acutely admitted to the medical department or to the surgical department following hip fracture were included. Delirium was diagnosed by the Confusion Assessment Method. Sixteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and one variable number of tandem repeats in the SLC6A3 gene, nine SNPs in the DRD2 gene, and six SNPs in the DRD3 gene were genotyped. Fifty percent of the 115 surgical patients and 34% of the 605 medical patients experienced delirium. Delirious patients were older and had more frequently pre‐existing functional and cognitive impairment (P < 0.001). After correction for multiple testing, one SNP in the SLC6A3 gene (rs393795) was associated with reduced risk of delirium (P = 0.032). Adjusted for age, cognitive impairment, and functional impairment, three SNPs in the DRD2 gene and seven SNPs in the SLC6A3 gene were associated with delirium; none of these associations was significant after correction for multiple testing. Variations in the SLC6A3 gene and possibly the DRD2 gene were associated with delirium. Although validation of these results is needed our results support a role for the dopamine transporter and dopamine receptor 2 in the pathogenesis of delirium. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Analysis of Metagenomic Data Containing High Biodiversity Levels

In this paper we have addressed the problem of analysing Next Generation Sequencing samples with an expected large biodiversity content. We analysed several well-known 16S rRNA datasets from experimental samples, including both large and short sequences, in numbers of tens of thousands, in addition to carefully crafted synthetic datasets containing more than 7000 OTUs. From this data analysis several patterns were identified and used to develop new guidelines for experimentation in conditions of high biodiversity. We analysed the suitability of different clustering packages for these type of situations, the problem of even sampling, the relative effectiveness of Chao1 and ACE estimators as well as their effect on sampling size for a variety of population distributions. As regards practical analysis procedures, we advocated an approach that retains as much high-quality experimental data as possible. By carefully applying selection rules combining the taxonomic assignment with clustering strategies, we derived a set of recommendations for ultra-sequencing data analysis at high biodiversity levels.
Dimension of structural usability for Augmented Reality system

Augmented Reality (AR) was a result of scientist vision where earlier application was for composition of augmented image. Since 1960s, the development progression has been focused on improving accuracy in object registration. But people are often incapable of considering the long-term implications for using such technology thus jeopardize overall usability of AR in real world context. However, integration of AR with web 2.0 solutions has permit users to receive virtual information while viewing actual items within a frame of see-through display that has been ergonomically improved. Synthesized view of the real world with AR technology has been seen as futuristic interface for information acquisition. Therefore, this study has been performed to identify factors that affect usability of AR as everyday application prior to actual deployment and evaluation with AR related technology.
CEP‐751 inhibits trk receptor tyrosine kinase activity in vitro and exhibits anti‐tumor activity

The present report describes the in vitro and in vivo profile of CEP‐751, a novel receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor. CEP‐751 at 100 nM inhibits the receptor tyrosine kinase activity of the neurotrophin receptors trkA, trkB and trkC. CEP‐751 has no effect on activity of receptors for EGF, IGF‐I, insulin or on erbB2; inhibition of receptors for PDGF and bFGF was observed but occurred with lesser potency than inhibition of trk. CEP‐751 exhibited anti‐tumor efficacy against tumors derived from NIH3T3 cells transfected with trkA. Inhibition of trk phosphorylation could also be measured in these tumors, suggesting that anti‐tumor efficacy of CEP‐751 is related to inhibition of trk receptor tyrosine kinase activity. CEP‐751 was found to be without effect when administered to nude mice bearing SK‐OV‐3 tumors, which overexpress erbB2 receptors, providing further evidence that inhibition of tumor growth may be related to inhibition of trk receptor tyrosine kinase activity. Our data indicate that CEP‐751 is a potent trk inhibitor which possesses anti‐tumor activity. Int. J. Cancer 72:673–679, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Characterization of the Kexin-Like Maturase ofAspergillus niger

ABSTRACT Secreted yields of foreign proteins may be enhanced in filamentous fungi through the use of translational fusions in which the target protein is fused to an endogenous secreted carrier protein. The fused proteins are usually separated in vivo by cleavage of an engineered Kex2 endoprotease recognition site at the fusion junction. We have cloned the kexin-encoding gene of Aspergillus niger(kexB). We constructed strains that either overexpressed KexB or lacked a functional kexB gene. Kexin-specific activity doubled in membrane-protein fractions of the strain overexpressing KexB. In contrast, no kexin-specific activity was detected in the similar protein fractions of the kexBdisruptant. Expression in this loss-of-function strain of a glucoamylase human interleukin-6 fusion protein with an engineered Kex2 dibasic cleavage site at the fusion junction resulted in secretion of unprocessed fusion protein. The results show that KexB is the endoproteolytic proprotein processing enzyme responsible for the processing of (engineered) dibasic cleavage sites in target proteins that are transported through the secretion pathway of A. niger.
TÜRKİYE'DE AR-GE YATIRIMLARI VE EKONOMİK BÜYÜME ARASINDAKİ İLİŞKİNİN VAR MODELİ İLE ANALİZİ RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENTS IN TURKEY AND THE RELATIONSHIP EXAMINED BETWEEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH VAR MODEL

The increase of R & D spending expected to provide business growth and support the competitive advantages against foreign countries’ firms. Today’s competitive business environment urges businesses to build constant innovation system. Innovation causes increase of productivity and prosperity in the long run. This contributes the economic growth. In this study, the relationship examined between R & D expenditure and economic growth for Turkey analyzing with Johansen cointegration method by using annual data for the period 1990‐2008.
Renal protection by delayed ischaemic preconditioning is associated with inhibition of the inflammatory response and NF‐κB activation

Brief and sublethal ischaemia renders an organ tolerant to subsequent prolonged ischaemia, which is called ischaemic preconditioning (IPC). In regard to the beneficial effects and endogenous mechanisms of renal delayed IPC, few data are available. In this study, we aim at determining reno‐protective effects of delayed IPC against ischaemia‐reperfusion (I/R) injury, and illustrating whether these effects are associated with suppressing inflammation and nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) activation. I/R injury was induced by clamping both renal pedicles for 40 min, followed by 24 h of reperfusion. The rats were subjected to ischaemia for 20 min (preconditioning) or sham surgery (non‐ preconditioning) at day 4 before I/R. Functional and morphological parameters were evaluated at 24 h after reperfusion. At the same time, macrophage (ED‐1+) infiltration, and the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1) and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Moreover, IκB‐α degradation and NF‐κB/DNA binding activity were analyzed. Compared with rats exposed to I/R injury, preconditioned rats had a significant decrease in levels of serum creatinine (Scr, 384.3 ± 21.8 µmol/L vs. 52.5 ± 21.7 µmol/L; p < 0.001), blood urea nitrogen (BUN, 40.4 ± 2.7 mmol/L vs. 15.9 ± 4.2 mmol/L; p < 0.001) and serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST, 486.7 ± 58.6 IU/L vs. 267.3 ± 43.9 IU/L; p < 0.001). Parallel to the above changes, preconditioned rats preserved structural integrity and decreased tubulointerstitial damage scores (3.4 ± 0.3 vs. 0.2 ± 0.05; p < 0.001) and ED‐1+ cell infiltration (25.3 ± 3.5 vs. 6.2 ± 1.2 cells/HPF, p < 0.01). Furthermore, our results showed that the expression of ICAM‐1 and TNF‐α, the degree of IκB‐α degradation, and NF‐κB/DNA binding activity were reduced by IPC. Taken together, our results demonstrated that delayed IPC offered both functional and histological protection, which may be related to suppression of inflammation in preconditioned kidneys. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterization of a Distinctive Motif of the Low Molecular Weight Neurotrophin Receptor that Modulates NGF‐mediated Neurite Growth

The cytoplasmic region of the common neurotrophin receptor (p75NGFR) (rat, human, chick) contains a putative membrane‐associating domain implicated in intracellular signalling. A peptide (R3) identical to this domain (p75NGFR 367–379) and various analogues of this peptide displayed circular dichroism spectra in aqueous and non‐polar environments identical to the amphiphilic tetradecapeptide mastoparan (MP) and were internalized by PC12 rat pheochromocytoma cells. The R3 peptide enhanced neurite growth in PC12 cells, embryo chick primary sensory neurons and fetal rat primary sensory neurons in vitro in the presence of sub‐saturating concentrations of NGF. Peptide analogues of R3 not faithful to the distance and angular relationships of ionic groups and the putative amphiphilic structure of p75NGFR 367–379 displayed reduced potency to enhance NGF‐mediated neurite growth. Exposure of NGF and the R3 peptide to a cell line displaying predominantly p75NGFR (PC12nnr5), had no influence on neurite growth. The R3 peptide had no effects on cell survival, cell binding or uptake of [125I]NGF, affinity cross‐linking of [125I]NGF to p75NGFR or trkA monomers and homodimers, or NGF‐mediated trkA monomer tyrosine phosphorylation. The studies implicate a role for a highly conserved motif of p75NGFR in the downstream modulation of NGF‐mediated neurite growth.