Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rifampin and rpoB mutations can alter DNA supercoiling in Escherichia coli

Two cases are described which indicate that RNA polymerase could alter DNA supercoiling. One occurred in a topA mutant in which abnormally high levels of plasmid supercoiling were lowered by rifampin, an inhibitor of the beta subunit of RNA polymerase. The second case involves suppression of a temperature-sensitive gyrB mutation by a rifampin-resistant allele of rpoB, the gene encoding the beta subunit of RNA polymerase. Measurements of chromosomal DNA supercoiling show that the rpoB mutation reduced DNA relaxation.
Identifying and sustaining services brands' values

Identifying and sustaining the values of a services brand is vitally important for brand success. This paper explores the origins of services brands' values and the issues that arise when identifying and sustaining them. In addition, the failure factors associated with and the people responsible for the identification of services brands' values are discussed. The work is based upon a literature review and in‐depth interviews with leading‐edge services branding consultants. Techniques are discussed for identifying and sustaining services brands' values. These indicate that, while the identification of services brands' values needs to focus internally within the organization, the issue of gaps between image and identity cannot be ignored. It is suggested that core and peripheral brand values need different treatment in order to maximize services brands' success and that human resources management is one of the most effective methods of sustaining services brands' values.
Working Group on Blood Pressure Monitoring of the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol for validation of blood pressure measuring devices in adults

Working Group on Blood Pressure Monitoring of the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol for validation of blood pressure measuring devices in adults Eoin O’Brien,Thomas Pickering, Roland Asmar, Martin Myers, Gianfranco Parati, Jan Staessen, Thomas Mengden, Yutaka Imai, Bernard Waeber and Paolo Palatini and with the statistical assistance of Neil Atkins and William Gerin, on behalf of the Working Group on Blood Pressure Monitoring of the European Society of Hypertension
Who controls the fleet? Initial insights into road freight transport planning and control from an industrial network perspective

Research in logistics and supply chain management typically considers transport activities between shippers (sender), carriers (transport operators) and customers (recipient). However, a closer look into real-world road freight transport systems reveals more complex constellations involving multiple actors with different functions, leading to a fragmentation of transport planning and control activities and accordingly inefficient execution of road freight transport. The purpose of this paper is to pinpoint and explore the gap between supply chain transport theory and empirical reality in road freight transport control. In order to empirically indicate the complexity of control of road freight transport in supply chains, descriptive statistics of fleets in various countries was compiled and two in-depth case studies were conducted. Our finding is that several nested levels of planning and control have to be managed and our results underline the perception that previous approaches of transport planning and control are suitable for simple governance structures but do not cover complex multiple-actor constellations.
Genetic variability among Schistosoma japonicum isolates from the Philippines, Japan and China revealed by sequence analysis of three mitochondrial genes

Abstract The present study examined sequence variability in the mitochondrial (mt) protein–coding genes cytochrome b (cytb), NADH dehydrogenase subunits 2 and 6 (nad2 and nad6) among 24 isolates of Schistosoma japonicum from different endemic regions in the Philippines, Japan and China. The complete cytb, nad2 and nad6 genes were amplified and sequenced separately from individual schistosome. Sequence variations for isolates from the Philippines were 0–0.5% for cytb, 0–0.6% for nad2, and 0–0.9% for nad6. Variation was 0–0.5%, 0.1–0.8%, 0–0.7% for corresponding genes for schistosome samples from mainland China. For worms in Japan, genetic variations were 0–0.2%, 0.1–0.2% and 0 for the three genes, respectively. Sequence variations were 0–1.0%, 0–1.8% and 0–1.1% for cytb, nad2 and nad6, respectively, among schistosome isolates from different geographical strains in the Philippines, Japan and China. Of the three countries, lowest sequence variations were found between isolates from mainland China and the Philippines and highest were detected between Japan and the Philippines in three mtDNA genes. Phylogenetic analyses based on the combined sequences of cytb, nad2 and nad6 revealed that all isolates in the Philippines clustered together sistered to samples from Yunnan and Zhejiang provinces in China, while isolates from Yamanashi in Japan were in a solitary clade. These results demonstrated the usefulness of the combined three mtDNA sequences for studying genetic diversity and population structure among S. japonicum isolates from the Philippines, China and Japan.
Customer's criteria for selecting an Islamic bank: evidence from Pakistan

Purpose – Islamic banking is an emerging financial system in the contemporary world. Currently, it is found mostly in Islamic countries or in countries where OPEC oil revenues have been invested. Most of the research has therefore been oriented towards macro‐environment issues, ignoring the market‐oriented problems. The purpose of this paper is to determine the conditions under which Islamic banks can successfully compete with conventional banks by understanding customer attitudes towards Islamic banking products.Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 250 respondents was taken from four cities of Pakistan to examine customer awareness of key products/services being offered by Islamic banks, usage of those services and customer satisfaction with the service delivery mechanism being used by pure Islamic banks and conventional banks with Islamic bank branches (IBBs). Data for this study were collected by using a structured questionnaire containing two sections, where section I contains ten statements usin.
Improving the operational effectiveness of distributors of low voltage switchgear in India by adoption of internet - a structural equation modelling approach

Low voltage switchgear products are standard products used for distribution and control of electric power in industries, farms, commercial buildings and residential homes. The products are supplied by the manufacturers through distribution channels consisting of resellers who perform a variety of selling and logistics functions. Manufacturers have used IT solutions including ERP for compressing the manufacturer to market cycle times. Internet further enhances the effectiveness of distribution channel by enabling seamless flow of information and online transactions. Other benefits of adoption of internet are reduction in working capital and improvement in customer service. This paper attempts to study the factors which facilitate adoption of internet by the distributors and how the adoption of internet improves the operational effectiveness of distributors of LV switchgear manufacturers in India. Based on the findings of a case study of the Indian LV switchgear industry carried out by the author, a conceptual model has been developed. Data has been collected from the distributors through a questionnaire survey and structural equation modelling has been used test the hypotheses and validates the structural models.
Purification and biochemical characterization of equine pulmonary surfactant protein D.

OBJECTIVE To characterize surfactant protein D (SP-D) isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of healthy horses. SAMPLE POPULATION BALF from 10 Thoroughbreds (5 males, 5 females; 26 to 40 months old) without history or clinical signs of respiratory tract disease. PROCEDURE BALF was obtained and centrifuged at 33,000 X g. The supernatant was applied to a mannose-Sepharose 6B affinity column in the presence of calcium, and the bound protein fraction was analyzed by use of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, immunoblot analysis; amino acid composition was determined and partial sequencing was done. Phospholipid binding and liposome aggregation assay were performed, using purified proteins. RESULTS The protein isolated by use of mannose affinity matrices was SP-D. It bound carbohydrates and phosphatidylinositol, which are the characteristic features of SP-D isolated from other animal species. Amino acid analysis and partial primary sequence of the isolated protein indicated high homology with rat and human SP-D. Furthermore, immunoblot analysis indicated that equine SP-D reacted with human and rat SP-D-specific antibodies. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE SP-D exists in equine lungs; its measurement may be useful in evaluating equine lung disease.
A novel form of hepatitis delta antigen

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is known to express a protein termed the small delta antigen, a structural protein which is also essential for genome replication. During replication, posttranscriptional RNA editing specifically modifies some of the HDV RNA, leading to the production of an elongated form of the delta antigen, the large form, which is essential for virus assembly. The present study showed that yet another form of HDV protein is expressed during genome replication. This novel form is not produced in all infected cells, but it arises during replication in transfected cells and in infected woodchucks, and as was previously reported, patients infected with HDV do make antibodies directed against it. These findings are an indicator of the complexity of gene expression during HDV infection and replication.
Current Problems in the Research and Development of more Effective Antidepressants

Summary This commentary was stimulated by discussions held at the First China Antidepressants Research and Development Summit held in Beijing in October 2015. Hosted by the Chinese Psychiatrist Psychopharmacology Commission and including leading clinicians, neuroscientists, and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry, the summit focused on the major problems that are limiting the development of more effective antidepressant medications. In the absence of clear biomarkers of depression, clinicians must base treatment decisions on clinical phenomenology; the lack of clear biological targets results in currently available antidepressants that take a long time to be effective, have low rates of full remission, and high rates of relapse. Basic research on depression by neuroscientists in China is internationally recognized, but the vast proportion of candidate chemical compounds Chinese researchers propose as potential treatments for depression fail when tested clinically. This high failure rate of proposed agents has rapidly increased the cost of bringing new drugs to market, so pharmaceutical firms prefer to ‘tweak’ currently approved medications rather than take the financial risk of supporting the development of novel antidepressants. Thus, the development of new, more effective treatments for depression is at a stalemate. Given the huge impact of depression on the economic development of China and other countries, it is essential to actively solicit the support of governments and communities in the efforts of clinicians, researchers, and the pharmaceutical industry to overcome this stalemate.
Achieving Multi-Authority Access Control with Efficient Attribute Revocation in smart grid

In smart grid, control center collects and aggregates users' electricity data via the smart meters. The aggregated data is also of great use for markets. To efficiently and securely distribute these data to markets, the existing schemes use Attribute-based Encryption (ABE) technique to achieve privacy preservation of sensitive data and fine-grained access control. However, the efficient attribute revocation problem has not been studied well. In this paper, leveraging the Third Party Auditor and Ciphertext-Policy ABE techniques, we propose a Multi-Authority Access Control with Efficient Attribute Revocation (MAAC-AR) scheme in smart grid. Security analysis demonstrates that MAAC-AR can achieve fine-grained access control, collusion resistance, privacy preservation and secure attribute revocation. Performance evaluation shows that MAAC-AR is more efficient compared with the existing schemes in terms of functionality as well as computation, communication and storage overhead.
Measuring the size and scope of the EU interest group population

We present a new data set enumerating the population of organizations listed and/or registered as lobbyists in the European Union. In the first part of the paper we describe how we arrived at the population data set by drawing on three independent sources (CONECCS; Landmarks; European Parliament registry). We briefly discuss the validity of these registers in the context of recent substantial changes to each of them. In the second part, we present descriptive information on the number and type of groups as well as their territorial origins. In the final section, we outline potential research questions that can be addressed with the new data set for further research on the role of groups in the EU policy process.
How “green” are small wineries? Western Australia's case

Purpose – In the wake of growing concerns about environmental issues in rural areas, some studies present environmental stewardship as a positive way for food producing businesses to benefit from consumer groups receptive to environmentally friendly growing practices. However, very little is reported on how winery operators, including those of small wineries, go about addressing environmental sustainability. The present exploratory study seeks to broaden the understanding of this area from a group of small winery operators from emerging Western Australian wine regions.Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative approach in the form of face‐to‐face and telephone interviews among 42 participating wineries was chosen for this exploratory study.Findings – While participants' comments suggest they are currently involved in different ways to be environmentally sustainable, the study also identifies environmental threats affecting some winery operators severely. Such issues include latent water concerns and gove.
tatin Use and Functional Decline in Patients ith and Without Peripheral Arterial Disease

OBJECTIVES We determined whether statin use (vs. non-use) is associated with less annual decline in lower-extremity functioning in patients with and without lower-extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) over three-year follow-up. BACKGROUND It is unclear whether statin use is associated with less functional decline in patients with PAD. METHODS Participants included 332 men and women with an ankle brachial index (ABI) 0.90 and 212 with ABI 0.90 to 1.50. Functional outcomes included 6-min walk distance and usual and rapid-pace 4-m walking velocity. A summary performance score combined performance in walking speed, standing balance, and time for five repeated chair rises into an ordinal score ranging from 0 to 12 (12 best). RESULTS Adjusting for age, race, gender, comorbidities, education, health insurance, total cholesterol/ high-density lipoprotein level, body mass index, pack-years of smoking, leg symptoms, immediately previous year functioning, statin use/non-use, ABI, and change in ABI, the PAD participants using statins had less annual decline in usual-pace walking velocity (0.002 vs. 0.024 m/s/year, p 0.013), rapid-pace walking velocity ( 0.006 vs. 0.042 m/s/year, p 0.006), 6-min walk performance ( 34.5 vs. 57.9 feet/year, p 0.088), and the summary performance score ( 0.152 vs. 0.376, p 0.067) compared with non-users. These associations were attenuated slightly by additional adjustment for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels. Among non-PAD participants, there were no significant associations between statin use and functional decline. CONCLUSIONS The PAD patients on statins have less annual decline in lower-extremity performance than PAD patients who are not taking statins. (J Am Coll Cardiol 2006;47:998–1004) © 2006 ublished by Elsevier Inc. doi:10.1016/j.jacc. 2005.10. 052
The untapped potential of sustainable domestic tourism in Iran

The majority of tourism literature focuses on international tourism; however, domestic tourism for specific destinations, such as Iran, can contribute to job creation, heritage protection, regional integration, and cross-cultural understanding. The market for domestic tourism in Iran has been downplayed and its true value has been underutilized. This study assumes that the present apathy towards tourism is reinforced by the public sector's lack of decisive governance towards the tourism industry where the public sector “can best act to mediate contemporary tourism-related social, economic, political and environmental policy problems” (Hall, 2011, p. 439). Drawing on “culture-ideology of consumerism” and “ecological economics” theories, study revealed that critiques of international mass tourism have convincing argument that domestic tourism is a domestic investment with a sustainable agenda.
Service Intensiveness and Brand Extension Evaluations

The authors have performed an experimental study to assess whether an extension with relatively low service intensiveness compared to the parent product is evaluated differently from an extension with higher service intensiveness. The empirical evidence from this article indicates that the quality of an extension product will be evaluated more favorably when it involves lower service intensiveness than higher service intensiveness. Furthermore, the results reveal that the difference in extension evaluations, due to the varying levels of service intensiveness involved in the extension products, is positively affected by the perceived similarity between an extension and its parent product. Finally, it is also found that consumers have different postevaluations on the parent brand due to different degrees of service intensiveness involved in the extension products. Meanwhile, the perceived similarity will reinforce this difference in consumers’postevaluations.
A Robust Frame-Sequential Video Segmentation Method

Accurate video object segmentation is still a difficult task so far due to the following reasons: the inseparable color between foreground and background (F/B) scenes is hard to segment only by color model, Occlusion/disocclusion caused by large movement, new exposed regions and topology change often breaks the continuity of video, Lastly, accurately building color model plays a critical role in obtaining a satisfactory result, which has often been ignored by people. In our method, all these problems have been considered: A kind of motion prediction method based on local coherence is adopted to separate the inseparable color. Then a self-adapting distance support model is used to build the object color by which our model can become much more robust against occlusion/disocclusion and color confusion. At last the final probability is generated by fusing all the clues, and the binary segmentation is finished by 3D Graph-Cut optimization. The experimental results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method at achieving high quality results, as well as the robustness of the proposed method against several challenging test inputs.
How trainee teachers of IT approach teaching their subject

This paper explores the nature of Information Technology (IT) as a separate subject in the secondary school curriculum. It reports on research carried out with a cohort of specialist IT post-graduate trainee teachers at a local university. The paper explores IT trainees' approach to teaching their subject and describes their strong focus on purpose when teaching IT. Important characteristics of the purposeful approach are the use of authentic data; the transformation of data by pupils; and a focus on problem solving within a context to which pupils can relate. However in their work in schools, trainees found constraints on developing a strong focus on purpose in their lessons. They were encouraged to experiment but felt they needed more support to carry out purposeful activities with pupils. The implications of this research on teacher training and on the value of IT as a curriculum subject are discussed.
The body remembers: Adolescent conflict struggles predict adult interleukin-6 levels

Abstract Struggles managing conflict and hostility in adolescent social relationships were examined as long-term predictors of immune-mediated inflammation in adulthood that has been linked to long-term health outcomes. Circulating levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a marker of immune system dysfunction when chronically elevated, were assessed at age 28 in a community sample of 127 individuals followed via multiple methods and reporters from ages 13 to 28. Adult serum IL-6 levels were predicted across periods as long as 15 years by adolescents’ inability to defuse peer aggression and poor peer-rated conflict resolution skills, and by independently observed romantic partner hostility in late adolescence. Adult relationship difficulties also predicted higher IL-6 levels but did not mediate predictions from adolescent-era conflict struggles. Predictions were also not mediated by adult trait hostility or aggressive behavior, suggesting the unique role of struggles with conflict and hostility from others during adolescence. The implications for understanding the import of adolescent peer relationships for life span physical health outcomes are considered.
Revisiting genome wide association studies (GWAS) in coeliac disease: replication study in Spanish population and expression analysis of candidate genes

Introduction Recent genome wide association studies (GWAS) on coeliac disease (CD) have identified risk loci harbouring genes that fit the accepted pathogenic model and are considered aetiological candidates. Methods Using Taqman single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and expression assays, the study genotyped 11 SNPs tagging eight GWAS regions (1q31, 2q11–2q12, 3p21, 3q25–3q26, 3q28, 4q27, 6q25 and 12q24) in a Spanish cohort of 1094 CD patients and 540 controls, and performed expression analyses of candidate genes (RGS1, IL18R1/IL18RAP, CCR3, IL12A/SCHIP1, LPP, IL2/IL21-KIAA1109, TAGAP, and SH2B3) in intestinal mucosa from 29 CD children and eight controls. Results Polymorphisms in 1q31, 2q11–2q12, and 3q25 showed association in our cohort, and also 3q28 and 4q27 when combined with a previous study. Expression levels of IL12A, IL18RAP, IL21, KIAA1109, LPP, SCHIP1, and SH2B3 were affected by disease status, but the correlation between genotype and mRNA levels was observed only in IL12A, LPP, SCHIP1, and SH2B3. Conclusions Expression differences between treated CD patients and controls along with SNP expression associations suggest a possible primary role for these four genes and their variants in pathogenesis. The lack of SNP effect in the remaining genes is probably a consequence of arbitrary candidate gene selection within association signals that are not based on functional studies.