Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigating the Perceived of E-Leadership Style Change and Its Consequence in Virtual Context

The main purpose of this study was to test the prescriptions for virtual leadership and leadership style change, based on the situational leadership theory. This study first manipulated virtual leadership by using email in accordance with transformational and transactional leadership theory. Then, this study investigated the possibility of changing leadership style and examined its effects on leadership effectiveness. This research employed a 2x2x2 factorial experiment design to investigate the impacts of virtual leadership style (transformational vs. transactional), leadership style change (transformational to transactional/ transactional to transformational/ pure transformational/ pure transactional), and control mechanism (process-oriented vs. outcome-oriented) on leadership effectiveness. 130 undergraduate students served as virtual team members that were required to use a Web-based group decision support system to support their teamwork. The results indicated that perception of transformational or transactional leadership style and leadership change was significantly stronger in accord with the assigned situation. Further evidence revealed that the interaction effect of leadership style change and control mechanism on leadership effectiveness were also significant. Corresponding to the situational leadership theory, the leadership matched with control mechanism led to higher leadership effectiveness relative to the mismatched condition. This research yield important inferences regarding the situational leadership in virtual context. The suggestions and contributions of this study as well as the managerial implications are also presented.
Novel Ordered Stepped-Wedge Cluster Trial Designs for Detecting Ebola Vaccine Efficacy Using a Spatially Structured Mathematical Model

Background During the 2014 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak, policy-makers were confronted with difficult decisions on how best to test the efficacy of EVD vaccines. On one hand, many were reluctant to withhold a vaccine that might prevent a fatal disease from study participants randomized to a control arm. On the other, regulatory bodies called for rigorous placebo-controlled trials to permit direct measurement of vaccine efficacy prior to approval of the products. A stepped-wedge cluster study (SWCT) was proposed as an alternative to a more traditional randomized controlled vaccine trial to address these concerns. Here, we propose novel “ordered stepped-wedge cluster trial” (OSWCT) designs to further mitigate tradeoffs between ethical concerns, logistics, and statistical rigor. Methodology/Principal Findings We constructed a spatially structured mathematical model of the EVD outbreak in Sierra Leone. We used the output of this model to simulate and compare a series of stepped-wedge cluster vaccine studies. Our model reproduced the observed order of first case occurrence within districts of Sierra Leone. Depending on the infection risk within the trial population and the trial start dates, the statistical power to detect a vaccine efficacy of 90% varied from 14% to 32% for standard SWCT, and from 67% to 91% for OSWCTs for an alpha error of 5%. The model’s projection of first case occurrence was robust to changes in disease natural history parameters. Conclusions/Significance Ordering clusters in a step-wedge trial based on the cluster’s underlying risk of infection as predicted by a spatial model can increase the statistical power of a SWCT. In the event of another hemorrhagic fever outbreak, implementation of our proposed OSWCT designs could improve statistical power when a step-wedge study is desirable based on either ethical concerns or logistical constraints.
Efficacy of virtual reality-based balance training versus the Biodex balance system training on the body balance of adults

[Purpose] This study investigated efficacy of virtual reality (VR)-based balance training on enhancing balance and postural reactions of adults as a low-cost new modality compared to the established Biodex Balance System (BBS). [Subjects] Thirty normal adults of both genders were divided randomly into two equal-sized experimental groups of 15: BBS balance training and VR balance training. [Methods] The training programmes were conducted in 12 sessions, three 15-min sessions per week. The Nintendo® Wii Fit Plus (NWFP) and its balance board were used to train of the VR group. Each participant answered a questionnaire concerning usability, enjoyment, balance improvement, and fatigue at the end of the training programs. [Results] The study found a significant increase the measure of mean overall balance (OLB) in both groups. No significant difference was found between the groups, but a significant decrease in the mean balance-test time was found for both groups, with no significant difference between the two training methods. The VR programme was rated highly enjoyable by 81.8% of the group. [Conclusion] The Wii Fit Plus system with the balance board as a new VR balance-training technique, can be considered an effective and enjoyable tool for the training of adults’ body balance.
Growth Rate of Chlorella in Flashing Light.

An apparatus is described for precise measurement of growth rate of an alga as a function of intensity and intermittency of illumination. Dilution of a culture is controlled by a photometric device to just such a rate as will maintain constant density of population and balance the growth rate. Maintenance of constant volume by an automatic siphon allows direct application of the differential form of the growth equation in evaluating specific growth rate. The relationships of the new apparatus to other steady-state growth devices are discussed. Grateful acknowledgment is made to the Carnegie Institution of Washington for aid received by the junior author as a Visiting Investigator in its Department of Plant Biology.
Omic analyses unravels global molecular changes in the brain and liver of a rat model for chronic Sake (Japanese alcoholic beverage) intake

The effects of chronic administration of Sake (Japanese alcoholic beverage, Nihonshu) on brain and liver of female F334 (Fisher) rats were surveyed via global omic analyses using DNA microarray, 2‐DE, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance. Rats weaned at 4 wk of age were given free access to Sake (15% alcohol), instead of water. At 13 months of age, and 24 h after withdrawal of Sake supply, rats were sacrificed, and the whole brain and liver tissues dissected for analyses. In general, molecular changes in brain were found to be less than those in liver. Transcriptomics data revealed 36 and 9, and 80 and 62 up‐ and down‐regulated genes, in the brain and liver, respectively, with binding and catalytic activity gene categories the most prominently changed. Results suggested Sake‐induced fragility of brain and liver toxicity/damage, though no significant abnormalities in growth were seen. At protein level, a striking decrease was found in the expression of NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) Fe‐S protein 1 in brain, suggesting attenuation of mitochondrial metabolism. In liver, results again suggested an attenuation of mitochondrial function and, in addition, glycoproteins with unknown function were induced at protein and gene levels, suggesting possible changes in glycoprotein binding in that organ. Metabolomic analysis of brain revealed significant increases in valine, arginine/ornithine, alanine, glutamine, and choline with decreases in isoleucine, N‐acetyl aspartate, taurine, glutamate, and gamma aminobutyric acid. Our results provide a detailed inventory of molecular components of both brain and liver after Sake intake, and may help to better understand effects of chronic Sake drinking.
Measures of Prefrontal Dysfunction after Closed Head Injury

Tasks sensitive to frontal lobe dysfunction (delayed response, delayed alternation, object alternation, and Wisconsin Card Sort) were administered to 20 patients with post-acute closed-head injury (CHI). Time since injury varied (6 to 280 months; mean, 48 months), as did length of coma (2 hr to 120 days; mean, 38 days). Compared to normal controls, CHI patients showed no deficits on delayed response tasks, but were impaired on delayed alternation, object alternation, and the Wisconsin Card Sort Test. Analyses of the performance profiles of the CHI patients suggested that they may have difficulty in establishing set (a consequence of damage to the orbitofrontal system).
Flow-diverter devices for intracranial aneurysms: systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND Although the introduction of flow-diverter devices (FDDs) has aroused great enthusiasm, the level of evidence supporting their use has not been systematically evaluated. OBJECTIVE To report a systematic review of medical literature up to May 2012 on FDDs to assess the morbidity, case fatality rate, and efficacy of FDDs for intracranial aneurysms. METHODS The literature was searched by using MEDLINE, Embase, and all Evidence-Based Medicine in the OVID database. Eligibility criteria were studies including at least 10 patients, reporting duration of follow-up and number of patients lost to follow-up, and documenting the rate of aneurysm occlusion and death and neurological complications. The endpoints were angiographic success, early and late mortality, and neurological morbidity. RESULTS Fifteen studies were analyzed consisting of 897 patients with 1018 aneurysms. The mean value of methodological quality score was 14.4 using the STROBE score. The early mortality rate was 2.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.7-3.8; I(2) = 93.4%) and the late mortality rate was 1.3% (95% CI: 0.2-2.3; I(2) = 36.9%). The early neurological morbidity rate was 7.3% (95% CI: 5.7-9; I(2) = 91.8%) and the late morbidity rate was 2.6% (95% CI: 1.1-4; I(2) = 81.3%). The Egger test for early and late morbidity and aneurysm occlusion was <0.001. CONCLUSION With the available data from the studies, both heterogeneity and publication biases imply that the current clinical use of FDDs is not supported by high-quality evidence. In the absence of reliable evidence, the use of FDDs in patients eligible for more conventional treatments should be restricted to controlled clinical trials.
LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE TO IMPROVE EARLY FORECASTS : A POSTERIOR MODE APPROACH

This paper presents a new Bayesian method that can incorporate knowledge gained from past experience to improve early forecasting of new products and services. The method is based on maximum likelihood estimation of a pure birth process with a Bass-type adoption rate that can capture price and promotion effects. Direct maximum likelihood estimation of the model parameters is numerically infeasible. We develop an indirect estimator using a Monte-Carlo EM algorithm and Gibbs sampling. We also develop procedures for estimating standard errors of parameter estimates and forecasts. We apply the method to data on a new telecommunications service.
Control of bacteriophage P2 gene expression: analysis of transcription of the ogr gene

The bacteriophage P2 ogr gene encodes an 8.3-kDa protein that is a positive effector of P2 late gene transcription. The ogr gene is preceded by a promoter sequence (Pogr) resembling a normal Escherichia coli promoter and is located just downstream of a late transcription unit. We analyzed the kinetics and regulation of ogr gene transcription by using an ogr-specific antisense RNA probe in an S1 mapping assay. During a normal P2 infection, ogr gene transcription starts from Pogr at an intermediate time between the onset of early and late transcription. At late times after infection the ogr gene is cotranscribed with the late FETUD operon; the ogr gene product thus positively regulates its own synthesis from the P2 late promoter PF. Expression of the P2 late genes also requires P2 DNA replication. Complementation experiments and transcriptional analysis show that a nonreplicating P2 phage expresses the ogr gene from Pogr but is unable to transcribe the late genes. A P2 ogr-defective phage makes an increased level of ogr mRNA, consistent with autogenous control from Pogr. Transcription of the ogr gene in the prophage of a P2 heteroimmune lysogen is stimulated after infection with P2, suggesting that Pogr is under indirect immunity control and is activated by a yet-unidentified P2 early gene product during infection.
A HUMAN HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT FOR ENTEROVIRUSES

NARRATIVE SUMMARY Primary recreational water contact (wading, swimming, surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving) represents the greatest public health threat when waters are contaminated with sewage (Fujioka 1997). However, non-point source pollution, rather than sewage, is the source of most coastal water pollution (Novotny 1988) where the concentrations of fecal indicators are no longer reliable predictors of health risk (Calderon, et al. 1991). Contaminated Tijuana River water that flows into the ocean at the U.S.-Mexican border is a result of both point (wastewater treatment plant effluent) and non-point sources of pollution (storm water runoff from urban and rural areas) (Cross, et al. 1992). Therefore, the recreational waters from the Tijuana River mouth to the Imperial Beach pier represent a unique environment for the investigation of the relationship between fecal indicators and viral contamination. Similarly, sources of indicators are generally never known in coastal waters (Fujioka 1997; Hardina and Fujioka 1991), making this investigation applicable to marine waters in general. There is an urgent need for more accurate monitoring of recreational water quality to protect public health.
Rapid recovery of gonadotroph function after down-regulation of receptors for GnRH in ewes.

Several characteristics of the hypothalamo-hypophysial axis were examined after down-regulation of GnRH receptors and the desensitization which accompanies it in the ewe. Down-regulation of GnRH receptors, induced by i.v. infusion of GnRH (2.5 micrograms/h) for 24 h, resulted in a 50% decrease in the number of receptors for GnRH at the end of the infusion period. The number of receptors for GnRH was restored to control values by 6 h after the infusion ended and remained stable at 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h after infusion. The amount of LH released in response to an i.v. injection of 100 micrograms GnRH was reduced by 82% at the end of the infusion period, but there was no significant reduction in the GnRH-induced release of FSH. The GnRH-induced release of LH was restored by 12 h after the infusion ended; however, the amount of FSH released in response to GnRH was not different from control values at any time. A decrease in both the amplitude and frequency of endogenous pulses of LH was observed from 0 to 12 h after the end of the infusion period. At no time did the concentration of gonadotrophins in the pituitary change. These results demonstrate that replenishment of receptors for GnRH and recovery of the ability of the gonadotroph to release LH are associated events. However, the GnRH-induced release of FSH does not appear to be closely related to the number of GnRH receptors. We suggest that continuous exposure to GnRH may inhibit the hypothalamic pulse generator as well as the pituitary response to the pulse generator.
UvA-DARE ( Digital Academic Repository ) Clinical evaluation of a dynamic test for lateral ankle ligament laxity

The dynamic anterior ankle tester (DAAT) has shown a good reliability in testing anterior talar translation in earlier studies. The goal of the present study was first to evaluate the reliability of the DAAT in a clinical setting and second to analyze its ability to detect increased ligament laxity. In 39 patients with unilateral chronic lateral ankle instability, the anterior talar translation of the affected and non-affected side was measured pre and postoperatively using the DAAT, Telos stress radiographs, and the manual anterior drawer test. In contrast to both other tests, the DAAT was not able to accurately detect increased ligament laxity preoperatively or decreased laxity of the affected ankle postoperatively. The DAAT showed a low sensitivity to change (the difference between the mean pre and postoperative value) and a low reliability compared to both other tests. There were no correlations between the three tests. In conclusion, the DAAT showed a low reliability in effectively testing lateral ankle ligament laxity in a clinical setting. This is in contrast to earlier evaluations.
Mapping Religious and Civil Spaces in Traditional and Charismatic Christianities in the Philippines

This study of Filipino Christianity focuses on typical constructions of religious space as represented by four constituencies or groups: (a) traditional Catholicism, which defines religious space as enclosed and geographically bound; (b) alternative sects on Mount Banahaw in Southern Luzon, which have moved away from this enclosed space to localize Christianity; (c) Couples for Christ, a Catholic charismatic group, which extends religious space into the household and the wider world; and (d) El Shaddai, a charismatic group founded by Mike Velarde, which incorporates mass media into its religious space. These constructions of religious space shape each group's presence and practice in civil space.
Accelerated wound healing of alkali-burned corneas in MRL mice is associated with a reduced inflammatory signature.

PURPOSE The present study was conducted to investigate healing of alkali-burned corneas in MRL/MpJ (MRL) mice. METHODS Gross, clinical, and histologic criteria were used to compare healing of alkali-burned corneas in MRL and control C57BL/6J (B6) mice. Effects of neutrophil depletion of B6 mice and allogeneic reconstitution of B6 mice with MRL bone marrow on wound healing were evaluated. Gene expression patterns in normal and wounded corneas were surveyed with array-based quantitative real-time RT-PCR (AQPCR). RESULTS MRL mice showed accelerated reepithelialization and decreased corneal opacity compared with B6 mice after alkali wounding. Marked inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis were evident in the corneas and anterior chambers of B6 mice. MRL mice showed less severe lesions, except for stromal edema. Rapid reepithelialization and reduced keratitis/iritis were also observed in neutrophil-depleted B6 mice, but not in B6 mice reconstituted with MRL bone marrow. AQPCR showed transcriptional changes of fewer genes associated with inflammation and corneal tissue homeostasis in alkali-burned corneas from MRL mice. Increased expression of an anti-inflammatory gene, Socs1, and a gene associated with healing, Mmp1a, were evident in MRL corneas. CONCLUSIONS Alkali-burned corneas heal faster and more completely in MRL mice than in B6 mice, by means of rapid reepithelialization, reduced inflammation, and reduced fibrosis. Reduced inflammation, including decreased neutrophil infiltrates and the lack of a robust proinflammatory gene expression signature correlates with the rapid healing. However, the rapid-healing phenotype is not intrinsic to MRL hematopoietic progenitor cells.
Regulation of Gating and Rundown of HCN Hyperpolarization-activated Channels by Exogenous and Endogenous PIP2

The voltage dependence of activation of the HCN hyperpolarization-activated cation channels is shifted in inside-out patches by −40 to −60 mV relative to activation in intact cells, a phenomenon referred to as rundown. Less than 20 mV of this hyperpolarizing shift can be due to the influence of the canonical modulator of HCN channels, cAMP. Here we study the role of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2) in HCN channel rundown, as hydrolysis of PI(4,5)P2 by lipid phosphatases is thought to underlie rundown of several other channels. We find that bath application of exogenous PI(4,5)P2 reverses the effect of rundown, producing a large depolarizing shift in HCN2 activation. A synthetic short chain analogue of PI(4,5)P2, dioctanoyl phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, shifts the HCN2 activation curve to more positive potentials in a dose-dependent manner. Other dioctanoyl phosphatidylinositides with one or more phosphates on the lipid headgroup also shift activation, although phosphatidylinositol (PI) is ineffective. Several lines of evidence suggest that HCN2 is also regulated by endogenous PI(4,5)P2: (a) blockade of phosphatases slows the hyperpolarizing shift upon patch excision; (b) application of an antibody that binds and depletes membrane PIP2 causes a further hyperpolarizing shift in activation; (c) the shift in activation upon patch excision can be partially reversed by MgATP; and (d) the effect of MgATP is blocked by wortmannin, an inhibitor of PI kinases. Finally, recordings from rabbit sinoatrial cells demonstrate that diC8 PI(4,5)P2 delays the rundown of native HCN currents. Thus, both native and recombinant HCN channels are regulated by PI(4,5)P2.
LA-FD : a Low-overhead Accrual Failure Detector ?

Failure detector is one of the fundamental components for building a distributed system with high availability. In order to maintain the efficiency and scalability of failure detection in a complicate largescale distributed system, accrual failure detectors that can adapt to multiple applications have been studied extensively. In this paper, an accrual failure detector — LA-FD with low system overhead has been proposed specifically for current mobile network equipment on Internet whose processing power, memory space and power supply are all constrained. It does not rely on the probability distribution of message transmission time, or on the maintenance of history message window. By simple calculation, LA-FD provides adaptive failure detection service with high accuracy to multiple upper applications. The related experiments and results have also been presented.
The Unfolded Protein Response Regulates Uterine Myocyte Antioxidant Responsiveness During Pregnancy

ABSTRACT There is considerable evidence that implicates oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of human pregnancy complications. However, the role and the mechanism of maintaining an antioxidant prosurvival uterine environment during normal pregnancy is largely unresolved. Herein we report that the highly active uterine unfolded protein response plays a key role in promoting antioxidant activity in the uterine myocyte across gestation. The unfolded protein response (UPR) senses the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and activates a signaling network that consists of the transmembrane protein kinase eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha kinase 3/PKR-like-ER kinase (EIF2AK3), which acts to decrease protein translation levels, allowing for a lowered need for protein folding during periods of ER stress. However, independent of its translational regulatory capacity, EIF2AK3-dependent signals elicit the activation of the transcription factor, nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2 (NFE2L2) in response to oxidative stress. NFE2L2 binds to antioxidant response elements in the promoters of a variety of antioxidant genes that minimize the opportunities for generation of reactive oxygen intermediates. Our analysis demonstrates that in the absence of EIF2AK3, the uterine myocyte experiences increased levels of reactive oxygen species due to decreased NFE2L2 activation. Elevated levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species were observed in the EIF2AK3 null cells, and this was associated with the onset of apoptotic cell death. These findings confirm the prosurvival and antioxidant role of UPR-mediated EIF2AK3 activation in the context of the human uterine myocyte.