Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Core Binding Factor β Plays a Critical Role During Chondrocyte Differentiation

Core binding factor β (Cbfβ) is a partner protein of Runx family transcription factors with minimally characterized function in cartilage. Here we address the role of Cbfβ in cartilage by generating chondrocyte‐specific Cbfβ‐deficient mice (CbfbΔch/Δch) from Cbfb‐floxed mice crossed with mice expressing Cre from the Col2a1 promoter. CbfbΔch/Δch mice died soon after birth and exhibited delayed endochondral bone formation, shorter appendicular skeleton length with increased proliferative chondrocytes, and nearly absent hypertrophic chondrocyte zones. Immunohistochemical and quantitative real‐time PCR analyses showed that the number and size of proliferative chondrocytes increased and the expression of chondrocyte maturation markers at the growth plates, including Runx2, osterix, and osteopontin, significantly diminished in CbfbΔch/Δch mice compared to wild type mice. With regard to signaling pathways, both PTHrP‐Ihh and BMP signaling were compromised in CbfbΔch/Δch mice. Mechanistically, Cbfβ deficiency in chondrocytes caused a decrease of protein levels of Runx transcription factors by accelerating polyubiquitination‐mediated proteosomal degradation in vitro. Indeed, Runx2 and Runx3, but not Runx1, decreased in CbfbΔch/Δch mice. Collectively, these findings indicate that Cbfβ plays a critical role for chondrocyte differentiation through stabilizing Runx2 and Runx3 proteins in cartilage J. Cell. Physiol. 230: 162–171, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Crystal structure of human thioredoxin revealing an unraveled helix and exposed S‐nitrosation site

Thioredoxins reduce disulfide bonds and other thiol modifications in all cells using a CXXC motif. Human thioredoxin 1 is unusual in that it codes for an additional three cysteines in its 105 amino acid sequence, each of which have been implicated in other reductive activities. Cys 62 and Cys 69 are buried in the protein interior and lie at either end of a short helix (helix 3), and yet can disulfide link under oxidizing conditions. Cys 62 is readily S‐nitrosated, giving rise to a SNO modification, which is also buried. Here, we present two crystal structures of the C69S/C73S mutant protein under oxidizing (1.5 Å) and reducing (1.1 Å) conditions. In the oxidized structure, helix 3 is unraveled and displays a new conformation that is stabilized by a series of new hydrogen bonds and a disulfide link with Cys 62 in a neighboring molecule. The new conformation provides an explanation for how a completely buried residue can participate in SNO exchange reactions.
Managerial attitudes toward environmental management within Australia, the People's Republic of China and Indonesia

This study presents a survey of the attitudes of corporate managers and managerial students across Australia, the People's Republic of China and Indonesia toward 18 key contemporary environmental management issues. The study sought to explore whether respondents from these countries, characterized by differing levels of development, also differ in their attitude toward environmental management. Results indicated that, despite age being a moderating factor, significant differences did exist between the 676 country respondents on 15 of the 18 questions. Contrary to expectations, Australian respondents were more cautious of supporting a forthright view on environmental issues, whilst Chinese respondents favoured a more centralized approach to decision making regarding the environment. The results lend marginal support to the new environmental paradigm (NEP), but also to the radicalization of environmental issues and age as a possible influence on respondent beliefs. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Improvement of the Survival Rate by Fetal Liver Cell Transplantation in a Mice Lethal Liver Failure Model

Background. The use of cell transplantation as an alternative therapy for orthotopic liver transplantation has been widely anticipated due to a chronic donor shortage. We previously reported the method used to enrich hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) forming cell aggregations. In this study, we transplanted HPCs into the liver injury model mice to determine whether HPC transplantation may improve the liver dysfunction. Methods. We obtained donor cells from E13.5 fetal livers of green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic mice. We transplanted GFP-positive fetal liver cells into the transgenic mice which express diphtheria toxin (DT) receptors under the control of an albumin enhancer/promoter. Subsequently, we induced selective liver injury to recipient mice by DT administration. We then evaluated the engraftment of the transplanted cells and their effect on survivorship. Results. The low dose of DT induced sublethal liver injury and the high dose of DT was lethal to the liver injury model mice. The transplanted GFP-positive cells were engrafted into the recipient livers and expressed albumin, resembling mature hepatocytes. They continued to proliferate, forming clusters. The survival rate at 25 days after transplantation of the cell-transplanted group (8 of 20; 40.0%) was improved significantly (P=0.0047) in comparison to that of the sham-operated group (0 of 20; 0%). Conclusions. The transplanted cells were engrafted and repopulated the liver of recipient mice, resulting in the improvement of the survival rate of the liver injury model mice. We therefore propose that HPCs are a desirable cell source for cell transplantation.
Why Do Firms Use Private Equity to Opt Out of Public Markets

We investigate how firms weigh the costs and benefits of being public in the decision to opt out of the public market and go private. We draw on previous studies of going private and on the subsequent well-developed theoretical literature on why firms go public to develop our hypotheses. We employ a comprehensive sample of going-private transactions from 1980 to 2004 in the United States and examine how these firms differ over their public life (from IPO to going private) relative to a sample of firms that went and remained public. Our results provide strong support for the importance of information and liquidity considerations in being a public firm. These factors are evident at the IPO, on average thirteen years before the going-private decision. Access to capital and control considerations become increasingly important in the choice of going private over the public life of the firm. The Author 2010. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Society for Financial Studies. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org. , Oxford University Press.
Apoptosis in cavitation of middle ear space

Mesenchyme cells surround early ossicles in the developing middle ear, then are replaced by space that is created by what has been described as an expansion of the pharyngeal pouch. Cell death has not been considered important in cavitation of chick middle ear (Jaskoll and Maderson [1978] Anat. Rec., 190:177–200), but an uncharacterized form of cell death has been reported to play a major role in cavitation of mouse middle ear (Jaskoll [1977] PhD thesis, CUNY). We investigated whether this uncharacterized cell death is the non‐random form known as apoptosis.
The Immigrant Assimilation Puzzle in Late Nineteenth-Centuty America

Recent studies suggest that the earnings of pre-1890 immigrants grew slowly compared with those of natives and imply that these immigrants did not assimilate well into the American labor market. Using data for Michigan and California this article estimates new specifications for immigrant and native-born earnings, and finds that immigrants who arrived as children had similar earnings profiles to the native-born. Immigrants who arrived as adults suffered an initial earnings disadvantage but their earnings grew faster than those of the native-born. These results are consistent with the traditional view that pre-1890 immigrants assimilated well.
Supervised and extended restart in random walks for ranking and link prediction in networks

Given a real-world graph, how can we measure relevance scores for ranking and link prediction? Random walk with restart (RWR) provides an excellent measure for this and has been applied to various applications such as friend recommendation, community detection, anomaly detection, etc. However, RWR suffers from two problems: 1) using the same restart probability for all the nodes limits the expressiveness of random walk, and 2) the restart probability needs to be manually chosen for each application without theoretical justification. We have two main contributions in this paper. First, we propose Random Walk with Extended Restart (RWER), a random walk based measure which improves the expressiveness of random walks by using a distinct restart probability for each node. The improved expressiveness leads to superior accuracy for ranking and link prediction. Second, we propose SuRe (Supervised Restart for RWER), an algorithm for learning the restart probabilities of RWER from a given graph. SuRe eliminates the need to heuristically and manually select the restart parameter for RWER. Extensive experiments show that our proposed method provides the best performance for ranking and link prediction tasks.
A Critical Evaluation of the Challenges and Opportunities of Shipping Line Services in Nigeria

This paper reviews the nature, characteristics, trends, and problems associated with shipping line services as regards movement of cargos from one port of origin to other port of destination. Over the years, these critical services have never been encouraging due to some inherent problems associated with ship owners, shipping company, consignees, consignors and the freight forwarders as it relates to cost of freight, which is not in the interest of the importers. The paper also analyses the critical challenges and opportunities of the shipping lines in terms of freight costs and movement. There is need therefore for the study to look also on the problems/ challenges and opportunities of shipping line services in Nigeria which came as a result of the slow rate of growth of the Maritime industry in Nigeria and the need to critically analyse the situation. The maritime industry being one of the world’s most international industries is the bedrock of development. Primary and secondary data were used in the work. Interviews were also conducted which where necessary and questionnaires were administered to the respondents. The questionnaires were distributed among the staffs of Maersk Nigeria limited and Ideke Shipping limited. 89 out of the 100 distributed were returned. In analysing the data, comparisons were made by the use of percentages and ratios. Chi-square test of independence was used to determine if there is any significant relationship between the activities of pirates and the profitability of shipping lines. It was then discovered that there is a significant relationship between government policies and shipping operations, between the activities of pirates and the profitability of shipping lines and that adequate cargo handling machines leads to faster turn-round time of vessels.
Complex Samples and Regression-Based Inference: Considerations for Consumer Researchers

type="main" xml:id="joca12038-abs-0001"> This article demonstrates that researchers who treat data collected via complex sampling procedures as if they were collected via simple random sample (SRS) may draw improper inferences when estimating regression models. Using complex sample data from the 2004 panel of the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) two models—one ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and one logistic regression—were estimated using three methods: SRS with and without population weights, Taylor series linearization, and Fay's Balanced Repeated Replication (BRR). The results of the alternative models demonstrate that depending on the variables of interest, authors who fail to incorporate sample design information or fail to consider the effects of weighting may draw improper inferences from their regression models. Reasons why researchers continue to neglect complex sample-based variance are proposed and discussed, and example SAS and Stata code is offered to encourage adoption by the consumer research community.
The Determination of Bio-Available Testosterone

from the pituitary during the night. 6 In men, this stimulates the maturation of the Leydig cells and subsequent secretion of testosterone. Serum concentrations increase to reach adult values around the age of 18 years. There is a significant but smaller increase in women around the time of puberty. This is partly due to the conversion of the increased androstenedione.I-" The concentration of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG)9 shows a slight decrease at this time. The changes in testosterone concentration throughout life are shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1. The action of testosterone is both androgenic and anabolic. It is responsible for the development of the male fetus and the characteristic changes at puberty.2 Testosterone action, common to both sexes, is the development of sexual hair. In addition the male has increased facial hair and recession of the hair line on the scalp. The importance of the steroid in the process of puberty is demonstrated in individuals with complete androgen insensitivity. In the complete form the man has a female habitus and no secondary sexual hair despite the presence of Additional key phrases: non-SHBG-bound testosterone; non-protein-bound testosterone; equilibrium dialysis; steady state gel filtration; salivary testosterone
Rice phenology retrieval automatically using polarimetric SAR

Rice fields occupy a land area of more than 100 million ha in Asia, feed about 3.5 billion people worldwide. There is a significant interest in the information provided by remote sensing about rice fields in a timely and efficient manner. Information on phenological development is a fundamental key to rice monitoring because it describes the actual state of the rice plants and their relation with the pedoclimatic conditions. As part of an ongoing effort to explore the use of polarimetric SAR data in rice monitoring, this study proposed an automated method of rice phenology retrieval using a feature optimization strategy integrated support vector machine (SVM) and sequential forward selection (SFS). The optimal polarimetric variables for each phenological stage were acquired, based on which eight rice phenological stages were retrieved automatically. The accuracies were higher than 90% except for the dough stage and the transition period between two stages.
Research approach to develop usability evaluation framework for haptic systems

Usability evaluation is a process to assess system functionality and user's experience. Many usability evaluation methods have been proposed for different types of systems. Haptic systems are unique in a way that these systems deal with sense of touch i.e. haptic feedback. There is a lack of usability evaluation methods/framework for these systems. This paper presents the research approach towards the development of such framework. The adoption of well known research methods for the study ensures the reliability of findings and the development of framework. This research approach may helpful for others to conduct similar studies.
Quantification of Absolute Fat Mass by Magnetic Resonance Imaging: a Validation Study against Chemical Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based approach for quantifying absolute fat mass in organs, muscles, and adipose tissues, and to validate its accuracy against reference chemical analysis (CA). METHODS: Chemical-shift imaging can accurately decompose water and fat signals from the acquired MRI data. A proton density fat fraction (PDFF) can be computed from the separated images, and reflects the relative fat content on a voxel-by-voxel basis. The PDFF is mathematically closely related to the fat mass fraction and can be converted to absolute fat mass in grams by multiplying by the voxel volume and the mass density of fat. In this validation study, 97 freshly excised and unique samples from four pigs, comprising of organs, muscles, and adipose and lean tissues were imaged by MRI and then analyzed independently by CA. Linear regression was used to assess correlation, agreement, and measurement differences between MRI and CA. RESULTS: Considering all 97 samples, a strong correlation and agreement was obtained between MRI and CA-derived fat mass (slope = 1.01, intercept = 1.99g, r(2) = 0.98, p < 0.01). The mean difference d between MRI and CA was 2.17±3.40g. MRI did not exhibit any tendency to under or overestimate CA (p > 0.05). When considering samples from each pig separately, the results were (slope = 1.05, intercept = 1.11g, r(2) = 0.98, d = 2.66±4.36g), (slope = 0.99, intercept = 2.33g, r(2) = 0.99, d = 1.88±2.68g), (slope = 1.07, intercept = 1.52g, r(2) = 0.96, d = 2.73±2.50g), and (slope=0.92, intercept=2.84g, r(2) = 0.97, d = 1.18±3.90g), respectively. CONCLUSION: Chemical-shift MRI and PDFF provides an accurate means of determining absolute fat mass in organs, muscles, and adipose and lean tissues.
TIME-SERIES MODEL WITH PERIODIC STOCHASTIC REGIME SWITCHING

We present a class of stochastic regime-switching models. The time-series models may have periodic transition probabilities and the drifts may be seasonal. In the latter case, the model exhibits seasonal dummy variation that may change with the regime. The processes entail nontrivial interactions between so-called business and seasonal cycles. We discuss the stochastic properties as well as their relationship with periodic ARMA processes. Estimation and testing are also discussed in detail.
Decoupled Tracking Filter with Modified Unbiased Converted Measurements

Target tracking with radar measurements is usually involved with transformation of the measurements from a polar coordinate frame to a Cartesian coordinate frame. Classical conversion method based on linear approximation is often inconsistent and inadequate for a large cross-range target tracking. This paper presents a decoupled tracking filter with measurement transformation based on the modified unbiased conversion method. Equations for the covariance of the converted measurements are derived. It is shown via Monte-Carlo simulation runs that the proposed approach provides much improved consistency of the tracking filter and yields more accurate estimates than the classical method
Endometrial secretion analysis identifies a cytokine profile predictive of pregnancy in IVF.

BACKGROUND The study of human endometrial-embryonic interactions is complicated by the disruptive impact of endometrial sample collection on the process of implantation itself. Endometrial secretion analysis is a novel technique, non-disruptive to implantation. The primary aim of this prospective cohort study was to explore whether a cytokine profile predictive of implantation and clinical pregnancy can be identified in endometrial secretions aspirated immediately prior to embryo transfer following IVF. METHODS Endometrial secretions, aspirated immediately prior to embryo transfer from 210 women undergoing IVF, were analyzed using a multiplex immunoassay for 17 soluble regulators of implantation, namely interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-15, IL-17, IL-18, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interferon (IFN)-gamma, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, eotaxin, IFN-gamma-inducible 10 kDa protein (IP-10), monocyte chemo-attractant protein-1 (MCP-1), Dickkopf homolog 1, heparin-binding epidermal growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In order to detect implantation, daily urine samples were collected after embryo transfer, and human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) concentrations were analyzed by an immunoassay. RESULTS Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed significant associations (negative and positive association, respectively) between MCP-1 (P = 0.005) and IP-10 (P = 0.037) levels and implantation, and between IL-1beta (P = 0.047) and TNF-alpha (P = 0.023) levels and clinical pregnancy. The predictive value for pregnancy of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha was observed to be equivalent and additive to that of embryo quality. CONCLUSIONS Endometrial secretion cytokine profiling offers a novel, non-disruptive approach to study the role of the endometrium in human embryo implantation and identifies a profile which appears to be conducive to clinical pregnancy. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION www.clinicaltrials. gov (nCT00264992).
Unsupervised Learning of Propagation Time for Indoor Localization

Many of today's localization systems for indoor and outdoor positioning are based on propagation time measurements of radio signals. In order to achieve high positioning accuracy in presence of non line of sight (NLOS) propagation, these systems require either an expensive manual calibration or additional information. In this paper, we present a novel approach for a channel impulse response (CIR) based fingerprint system, which reduces the calibration and measurement effort and simultaneously improves localization results. The basic idea is to initialize a simple model, which is improved by an online learning procedure using unlabeled measurements. This unsupervised learning algorithm is composed of two independent components, which exploit the similarity of neighboring CIRs as well as the temporal relation of measurements. Our tests indicate a significant improvement compared to traditional methods in case of time difference of arrival (TDoA) measurements. The algorithm can straightforwardly be adapted to arbitrary propagation time measurements.
Option Pricing When Jump Risk Is Systematic

This paper generalizes the Merton jump-diffusion option pricing model to the case in which jump risk cannot be eliminated in the market portfolio. the option pricing formula is obtained using a general equilibrium asset pricing model. Since jump risk is systematic, the correlation of the underlying stock's jump with the market portfolio's jump affects the option price. Copyright 1992 Blackwell Publishers.
Embedding corporate responsibility: the development of a transformational model of organizational innovation

Purpose – This paper aims to describe a model for embedding corporate responsibility through innovation and organizational transformation.Design/methodology/approach – The model was developed from the findings of a qualitative case study, describing the design and implementation of an innovation development program. Data from semi‐structured interviews with program participants were entered into a qualitative analysis software package and a thematic analysis was conducted based on the principles of grounded theory that uses predominantly emergent coding categories. The results of this analysis were then linked with relevant theoretical concepts from the research literature in order to develop and extend the case through a process of deductive theory‐building, drawing on theories of innovation and organizational design.Findings – The findings illustrate the potential of the model for enhancing and embedding corporate responsibility practices in a bottom‐up way, through a process of customer‐engagement and .