Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Specific Contribution of Tyk2 JH Regions to the Binding and the Expression of the Interferon α/β Receptor Component IFNAR1*

Cytokine signaling involves the activation of the Janus kinase (JAK) family of tyrosine kinases. These enzymes are physically associated with cytokine receptor components. Here, we sought to define the molecular basis of the interaction between Tyk2 and IFNAR1, a component of the interferon α/β receptor, by delimiting a minimal IFNAR1 binding region in the Tyk2 protein. Using an in vitro assay system, we narrowed down the interaction domain to a region comprising the JH7 and part of the JH6 homology boxes (amino acids 22–221). When expressed in Tyk2-negative cells, the JH7-6 region was unable to stabilize IFNAR1 protein levels, a critical function that we previously attributed to the N region (amino acids 1–591) of Tyk2. Moreover, substitution of the JH7-JH6 domain in JAK1 with that of Tyk2 did not restore IFNAR1 level nor interferon α signaling in Tyk2-negative cells. Thus, the major interaction surface lies within JH7-6, but additional JH regions (JH5-4-3) contribute in a specific manner to the in vivo assembly of Tyk2 and IFNAR1. Evidence is also provided of the lack of specificity of the Tyk2 kinase-like and tyrosine kinase domains in interferon α/β receptor signaling.
Knowledge management: An overview of European reality

Purpose – This paper aims to determine whether the implementation of knowledge management (KM) is linked to e‐business performance and to identify the nature of the relationship existing in the different components of knowledge‐sharing and application and internet‐based KM. Design/methodology/approach – This paper establishes a new model of the practices and results of the KM which has been tested in European companies. For that purpose, a structural equation modelling analysis was used. Findings – The results show that product innovation and external employees’ access to databases have a strong positive effect on the maximization of internet‐based KM and that internet‐based KM has also a positive impact on e‐business performance. Research limitations/implications – Limitations of this study include the need for more research into the KM cycle. This paper contributes to the research on this topic with new evidence in a broad sample. Practical implications – These results point to KM's usefulness in improving every day e‐business processes. Therefore managers should be aware of these benefits. Originality/value – The present study advances knowledge on the nature of the relative importance of different components of internet‐based KM as drivers of e‐business performance.
Takeover premiums and the markup pricing puzzle

Pre-oer target stock price runups are traditionally viewed as a consequence of market anticipation of the pending bid. Under this view, the runup should not impact the bid process. However, based on linear cross-sectional projections of oer premiums on runups, Schwert (1996) concludes that a dollar increase in the runup is followed by a dollar markup of the premium (dubbed "markup pricing"). Since markup pricing means "paying twice" if the target runup is in fact driven by rational market anticipation, his conclusion is puzzling. We resolve the puzzle by rst proving that market anticipation implies a highly non-linear relation between expected premiums, markups and runups. We then present strong evidence of this non-linearity, which rejects markup pricing. Rational market anticipation further implies that bidder takeover gains will be increasing in the target runup, which our evidence also supports. Finally, we study bidder open market purchases of target shares during the runup period. Such "toehold" purchases reduce oer premiums, further contradicting the existence of markup pricing.
A New Multimodal Approach for Password Strength Estimation—Part I: Theory and Algorithms

After more than two decades of research in the field of password strength estimation, one clear conclusion may be drawn: no password strength metric by itself is better than all other metrics for every possible password. Building upon this certainty and also taking advantage of the knowledge gained in the area of information fusion, in this paper, we propose a novel multimodal strength metric that combines several imperfect individual metrics to benefit from their strong points in order to overcome many of their weaknesses. The final multimodal metric comprises different modules based both on heuristics and statistics, which, after their fusion, succeed to provide in real time a realistic and reliable feedback regarding the “guessability” of passwords. The validation protocol and the test results are presented and discussed in a companion paper.
Beta-arrestin-related proteins in ocular tissues.

PURPOSE Proteins of the arrestin family contribute to the regulation of G-protein-mediated transduction. In this study, the presence of beta-arrestins in ocular tissues was investigated. METHODS Mouse monoclonal and rabbit polyclonal antibodies were raised against the peptide Val-Asp-Thr-Asn-Ile-Leu-Glu-Leu-Asp-Thr-Asn-Asp-Asp-Asp-Ile, a sequence present in beta-arrestins 1 and 2 but absent from visual arrestin. These antibodies were used for the immunohistologic detection of beta-arrestins in parafin sections of rodent eyes fixed in Bouin's solution. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of RNA from bovine retina, retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells, lens epithelial cells, and human corneal fibroblasts was performed using beta-1 arrestin primers. RESULTS In the eye, bet-arrestin staining predominated in RPE, inner segments of photoreceptors, synaptic spherules of rods, inner plexiform layer and ganglion cell fibers, epithelial cells from ciliary body, and vessels. RT-PCR amplified a 480 bp product, corresponding to the predicted length. The sequence of PCR products from bovine retina and RPE cells was identical with the bovine beta-arrestin mRNA. CONCLUSIONS beta-arrestins were detected in several ocular tissues. In photoreceptor cells, their specific localization in the synaptic terminals and plexiform layer suggests a role of beta-arrestin in synaptic transmission. In other ocular tissues, the presence of beta-arrestin may be related either to adrenergic signal transduction or to signal transduction mediated by other G-protein-coupled receptors.
Analysis of a pannexin 2-pannexin 1 chimeric protein supports divergent roles for pannexin C-termini in cellular localization

Abstract Pannexins (Panxs) are a three-member family of large pore ion channels permeable to ions and small molecules. Recent elegant work has demonstrated that the Panx1 C-terminus plays an important role in channel trafficking. Panx2, another family member, has a longer and highly dissimilar C-terminus. Interestingly, Panx1 is readily found at the plasma membrane, while Panx2 is mainly present on intracellular membranes. Here we used overlap-extension cloning to create the first chimeric Panx, consisting of Panx2 with the Panx1 C-terminus (Panx2Panx1CT), to determine whether the Panx1 C-terminus influences the trafficking of Panx2. We are the first to observe a high level of co-localization between Panx2 and the endolysosomal enriched mannose-6-phosphate receptor. Interestingly this distinct localization of Panx2 is altered by the presence of the Panx1 C-terminus. These novel observations support previous data indicating the importance of the C-terminus in the control of Panx trafficking, and highlight the complexity of molecular signals involved.
The Potential of Low-Frequency SAR Systems for Mapping Ionospheric TEC Distributions

Ionospheric propagation effects have a significant impact on the signal properties of low-frequency synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems. Range delay, interferometric phase bias, range defocusing, and Faraday rotation are the most prominent ones. All the effects are a function of the so-called total electron content (TEC). Methods based on two-frequency global positioning system observations allow measuring TEC in the ionosphere with coarse spatial resolution only. In this letter, the potential of broadband L-band SAR systems for ionospheric TEC mapping is studied. As a basis, the dispersive nature of the ionosphere and its effects on broadband microwave radiation are theoretically derived and analyzed. It is shown that phase advance and group delay can be measured by interferometric and correlation techniques, respectively. The achievable accuracy suffices in mapping small-scale ionospheric TEC disturbances. A differential TEC estimator that separates ionospheric from tropospheric contributions is proposed
Clinical time OSEM3D: infrastructure issues

In previous work we compared two parallel algorithms for calculating 3D forward and backprojection on a distributed-memory cluster computer. These two methods were used to develop an implementation of fully three-dimensional ordered subset expectation maximization iterative reconstruction for emission tomography (OSEM3D). It is, however, necessary to embed these computational kernels in an environment that supports efficient data movement and other infrastructural operations, such as process management. Here we briefly describe two particular components of the infrastructure: the I/O subsystem and the service demon. For the I/O subsystem, a fortuitous relationship between the traditional representation of the fully three-dimensional sinogram S/sub 4DO/(/spl theta/,z,/spl phi/,r) and the distributed representation for image space decomposition permits an efficient solution involving minimal data movement. The service demon is similar to others, but contains additional recovery-oriented mechanisms for minimizing mean time to repair. We conclude with performance benchmarks for fully 3D reconstruction for a scanner that produces a significant volume of data.
Estimating visual quality from wavefront aberration measurements.

PURPOSE Root mean square (RMS) wavefront error may not be the best metric for predicting a patient's visual function; other metrics should be considered. We describe the most important metrics of optical quality, which are being investigated to predict vision quality and visual performance. METHODS Optical quality can be described in two different ways. Pupil plane metrics describe variability of the wavefront error at the pupillary plane (eg, RMS wavefront error). Image plane metrics describe the retinal image and do so for either a point source of light (eg, point-spread function [PSF]) or sinusoidal gratings (optical transfer function [OTF]). Visual quality metrics, however, must also consider neural processing and subjective perception. RESULTS Since vision is more sensitive to rays coming from the center of the pupil, "pupil fraction" appears to be a better predictor of visual acuity (r2 = 0.50) than RMS error (r2 = 0.13). However, image plane metrics, such as the visual Strehl ratio (r2 = 0.62) and the volume between the optical transfer function and neural contrast sensitivity function (r2 = 0.80) appear to be even better. CONCLUSION Visual perception is highly subjective and involves many aspects of image quality. A single metric to describe all aspects of image quality may be unrealistic. Nevertheless, improved visual quality metrics need further investigation and will likely involve preferential weighing of light passing through the central area of the pupil and/or incorporating neural factors into image quality computation.
Family Traditions, Political Periods, and the Development of Partisan Orientations

Two of the most important influences on adult political orientations are the political proclivities of their family of origin and the pressures of the times in which they first enter the electorate. Drawing upon a three-wave panel study of young Americans over the 1965-1982 time period and conceiving of parental orientations as producing a broad familial environment, this article traces the influence of parents on the partisanship and politicization of their children as the youth mature from adolescence to middle adulthood during a particularly turbulent period of American politics. The parental partisan legacy remained strong even though it was eroded by the antipartisan period pressures of the late 1960s and early 1970s. By contrast, family levels of politicization were reproduced only modestly throughout, leaving ample room for attentiveness to politics to develop outside of the family tradition. However, the interaction between the partisanship and the politicization of the family environment governs the dealignment of the youth generation after 1965. Youth from politicized Republican and Democratic families were affected most by the powerful antipartisan pressures of the post-1965 period.
Structural and Cognitive Antecedents to Middle Management Influence on Strategic Inertia

In this paper we explore the influence of middle managers on strategic inertia in organizations. We present and discuss a conceptual model that shows the process by which this influence is exerted, and propose that factors such as the amount of decision making autonomy possessed by middle managers, their cognitive frame, and their emotional commitment to change influences whether, and the extent to which, strategic inertia exists in organizations. We also propose that the disposition of top management in organizations antecedes middle managers’ influence, and that this disposition is moderated by the level of competitive intensity that exists in the industry in which firms operate.
Effects of Renin–Angiotensin–Aldosterone System Blockers and Renoprotective Regimens on Contrast-Induced Nephropathy

We thank Dr Eyuboglu for the comments related to our study. Current guidelines recommend preventive hydration with isotonic saline to be started approximately 12 hours before angiography and continued for at least 24 hours afterward to reduce the risk of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN). Furthermore, infusion of sodiumbicarbonate and N-acetylcysteine is not recommended. Another preventive recommendation is to start high-dose statin therapy before angiography. Following these recommendations, we started hydration with isotonic saline and administered highdose statins for our patients. The association between chronic use of renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system blockers and CIN is not well established; there is only 1 small observational study on this issue, so we did not use this information in our study. As expected, the frequency of diabetes mellitus and hypertension was higher in the CIN group as expected and we included these variables in multivariate analysis with the platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR). In this analysis, PLR was still an independent predictor of CIN. In conclusion we demonstrated that PLR (a readily available parameter) is a good predictor of CIN in acute coronary syndrome.
Agricultural growth, employment and wage rates in developing countries

Drawing upon different specifications and methods of panel data estimation designed to make efficient use of cross-country samples, we have analysed the relationships among agricultural productivity, employment, technology, openness of the economy, and inequality in land distribution. Agricultural productivity varies with technology and employment, but more so with employment. The effect of openness on agricultural productivity is ambiguous -it is positive, negative or not significant, depending on the definition of openness, specification and estimation procedure used. Agricultural employment and diversification of agriculture are inversely related. A somewhat surprising result is the positive effect of inequality in land distribution on agricultural productivity. Arguably, when credit markets are incomplete, greater inequality in land distribution may imply a more significant role for large landowners in agricultural investment through easier access to credit. In another specification, the determinants of growth rates of agricultural and non-agricultural employment, and their linkages are examined using both dynamic and static models. There is a strong (lagged) positive effect of growth rate of agricultural employment on that of non-agricultural employment. Even though the share of agriculture has declined in developing countries, its contribution to overall economic growth and generation of employment is substantial. While a case for acceleration of agricultural growth through modernisation of its technology, crop diversification and exploitation of high value export opportunities rests on more complete credit and insurance markets, and infrastructural support, some negative effects of crop-diversification on employment are likely.
Additional Heparin Preadministration Improves Cardiac Glucose Metabolism Suppression over Low-Carbohydrate Diet Alone in 18F-FDG PET Imaging

Adequate suppression of cardiac glucose metabolism increases the interpretability and diagnostic reliability of 18F-FDG PET studies performed to detect cardiac inflammation and infection. There are no standardized guidelines, though prolonged fasting (>6 h), carbohydrate-restricted diets, fatty meals, and heparin loading all have been proposed. The aim of this study was to compare the 3 preparatory protocols used in our institution. Methods: 18F-FDG PET scans were selected and grouped according to 3 preparatory protocols (50 consecutive scans per group): 6-h fast (group 1), low-carbohydrate diet plus 12-h fast (group 2), and low-carbohydrate diet plus 12-h fast plus intravenous heparin preadministration (50 IU/kg) (group 3). Consecutive scans were retrospectively included from time frames during which the particular protocol was used. Group 1 included oncologic indications, and groups 2 and 3 infection or inflammation detection. Cardiac segments for which inflammation or infection foci had been confirmed on other imaging modalities were excluded from the analysis. 18F-FDG uptake in normal myocardium was scored according to a scale ranging from 0 (uptake less than that in left ventricle blood pool) to 4 (diffuse uptake greater than that in liver). Adequate suppression was defined as uptake less than that in liver and without any focus (scores 0–2). Results: Adequate suppression differed significantly between groups: 28% in group 1, 54% in group 2, and 88% in group 3 (P < 0.0001 for all comparisons). Conclusion: Single-dose heparin administration before 18F-FDG PET in addition to a low-carbohydrate diet significantly outperforms a low-carbohydrate diet alone in adequately suppressing cardiac glucose metabolism.
Comparison of radiographic landmarks and the echocardiographic SVC/RA junction in the positioning of long‐term central venous catheters

Background: When implanting a permanent central venous catheter, the usual aim is to place the tip at the superior vena cava/right atrial (SVC/RA) junction. However, data validating radiographic landmarks of the SVC/RA junction are limited. This investigation was undertaken to compare the radiographic landmarks with the SVC/RA junction as determined by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE).
Start-up size and subsequent firm growth in Kosova: the role of entrepreneurial and institutional factors

The successful establishment and subsequent development of new firms have long been a source of interest for researchers. However, there is still limited evidence with regard to causes of both start-up size and firm growth in transitional contexts characterised by extreme conditions such as Kosova. In this study we examine entrepreneurial and institutional factors influencing initial size and subsequent growth by using data collected by structured interviews with 555 firm founders. Results show that entrepreneurs' intentions to grow the business have a strong positive influence on both variables, whereas their formal education is negatively related to initial size and growth. Our findings also suggest that, in the absence of a strong institutional framework, informal barriers have emerged and tend to hinder firm growth in this particular context.
How responsive are trade flows between Malaysia and China to the exchange rate? Evidence from industry data

This paper investigates the impact of currency depreciation on bilateral trade between Malaysia and China, especially how a real depreciation of ringgit against the yuan on each industry’s inpayments and outpayments affect the trade balance. We employ disaggregated quarterly data on import and export for 52 industries over the period 1993Q1 to 2012Q4. The results from the bounds testing approach to the cointegration and error-correction model reveal that the real bilateral exchange rate has short and long-run effects on the inpayments and outpayments of the industries. However, the short-run effects shift into the long run in 14 out of 35 industries in the inpayment models and 17 out of 44 industries in the outpayments models. Most of these are small industries producing intermediate goods. According to the ML condition, the depreciation of ringgit against yuan improves Malaysia’s trade balance with China in these industries.
Scintigraphic Detection of 125I Seeds After Permanent Brachytherapy for Prostate Cancer

The purpose of this investigation was to monitor the localization and migration of 125I seeds after permanent brachytherapy for prostate cancer using a new scintigraphic technique that may overcome the drawbacks of conventional x-ray methods. Methods: 125I seeds emit γ-rays with an average energy peak of 28 keV. We used a γ-camera equipped with low-energy high-resolution collimators that were tuned to an energy level of 35 keV with a 70% window width. Sixteen patients with prostate cancer were examined after 125I seed insertion. The number of seeds remaining in the prostate was confirmed using pelvic CT for postoperative dose planning; however, seeds that had migrated outside the prostate could not be detected. Furthermore, the migrated seeds were not completely traceable using chest or abdominal radiography. Thus, we adopted a scintigraphic technique to perform this task. The evaluation of radiography and scintigraphy findings was masked, and the rates of migrated seed detection were statistically examined using the McNemar test. To localize the migrated seeds, we fused the scintigraphic images of the migrated seeds and the patients' contours. Results: Scintigraphy was successfully used to detect 20 migrated seeds of a total of 1,182 implanted seeds, whereas radiography was successfully used to detect 7. The sensitivity of the scintigraphy results was 20 of 20 (100%), whereas that of the radiography results was 7 of 20 (35%). Seed migration was detected in 11 of 16 patients (69%) using scintigraphy, whereas seed migration was detected in only 4 patients (25%) using radiography; this difference was statistically significant (P = 0.016). Conclusion: Scintigraphy is more effective for detecting seed migration and monitoring the localization of 125I seeds than radiography. The precise anatomic location of migrated seeds can be pinpointed using fusion images. Scintigraphy may become a standard procedure for monitoring seed migration during 125I brachytherapy in patients with prostate cancer.