Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mechanism-Based Inhibition of Human Steroid 5α-Reductase by Finasteride:  Enzyme-Catalyzed Formation of NADP−Dihydrofinasteride, a Potent Bisubstrate Analog Inhibitor

Finasteride is employed in treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia in man, where its target enzyme is steroid 5α-reductase. It is a novel, potent mechanism-based inhibitor of the human prostate (type 2) isozyme. Although it is accepted as an alternate substrate and is ultimately reduced to dihydrofinasteride, this proceeds through an enzyme-bound NADP−dihydrofinasteride adduct. Finasteride is processed with a second-order rate constant, ki/Ki = 1 × 106 M-1 s-1, that approaches kcat/Km for reduction of testosterone, 3 × 106 M-1 s-1, and essentially every catalytic event is lethal (partition ratio ≤ 1.07). The membrane-bound enzyme−inhibitor complex formed from [3H]finasteride appears to release [3H]dihydrofinasteride with a half-life of 1 month at 37 °C (k = (2.57 ± 0.03) × 10-7 s-1), as identified by mass spectroscopy. The intermediate NADP−dihydrofinasteride adduct can be recovered intact by denaturation of the enzyme−inhibitor complex and has been purified. Free in solution, it likewise decomposes to .
RHYTHMIC FLOWERING RESPONSES AND PHYTOCHROME CHANGES IN A SELECTION OF CHENOPODIUM RUBRUM

Flowering of Chenopodium rubrum L. , selection 374, was examined with respect to an endogenous circadian rhythm, the state of phytochrome, and the result of changing the form of phytochrome during a single dark period of 2 to 96 hours interrupting continuous light. Darkness was imposed either 4 or 5 days after seeds were placed on moist filter paper in Petri dishes.The following working hypothesis, which is partly retrospective, is projected to explain the main features of the experimental results. Flowering is controlled by a product of the enzymatic action of the far-red absorbing form of phytochrome (Pfr) on a single but unknown substrate. In acting, Pfr finally reverts to the inactive red-absorbing form of phytochrome (Pr) or is changed from the Pfr form in some other way. The available substrate, if not utilized by Pfr action, is soon depleted by other reactions. The substrate for Pfr action is low during the skotophile but high during the photophile phases. The significant time for phasing is the beg.
Re-Identifying the Rebound – What About Asymmetry?

Rebound effects measure the behaviorally induced offset in the reduction of energy consumption following efficiency improvements. Using panel estimation methods and household travel diary data collected in Germany between 1997 and 2009, this study identifies the rebound effect in private transport by allowing for the possibility that fuel price elasticities--from which rebound effects can be derived--are asymmetric. This approach rests on empirical evidence suggesting that the response in individual travel demand to price increases is stronger than to decreases. We argue that such an asymmetric response would require referencing price elasticities derived from price decreases in order to identify the rebound effect, as it represents the response to a decrease in unit cost for car travel due to improved fuel efficiency. Failing to reject the null hypothesis of a symmetric price response, we alternatively estimate a reversible specification and obtain a rebound estimate for single-vehicle households being in the range of 46 to 70%, which is in line with an earlier German study by Frondel, Peters, and Vance (2008).
Antisense Targeting Protein Kinase C α and β1 Inhibits Gastric Carcinogenesis

Protein kinase C (PKC) family, which functions through serine/threonine kinase activity, is involved in signal transduction pathways necessary for cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Its critical role in neoplastic transformation and tumor invasion renders PKC a potential target for anticancer therapy. In this study, we investigated the effect of targeting individual PKCs on gastric carcinogenesis. We established gastric cancer cell lines stably expressing antisense PKCα, PKCβ1, and PKCβ2 cDNA. These stable transfectants were characterized by cell morphology, cell growth, apoptosis, and tumorigenicity in vitro and in vivo. PKCα-AS and PKCβ1-AS transfectants showed a different morphology with flattened, long processes and decreased nuclear:cytoplasmic ratio compared with the control cells. Cell growth was markedly inhibited in PKCα-AS and PKCβ1-AS transfectants. PKCα-AS and PKCβ1-AS cells were more responsive to mitomycin C- or 5-fluorouracil-induced apoptosis. However, antisense targeting of PKCβ2 did not have any significant effect on cell morphology, cell growth, or apoptosis. Furthermore, antisense inhibition of PKCα and PKCβ1 markedly suppressed colony-forming efficiency in soft agar and in nude mice xenografts. Inhibition of PKCα or PKCβ1 significantly suppressed transcriptional and DNA binding activity of activator protein in gastric cancer cells, suggesting that PKCα or PKCβ1 exerts their effects on cell growth through regulation of activator protein activity. These data provide evidence that targeting PKCα and PKCβ1 by antisense method is a promising therapy for gastric cancer.
Need for a Contextualist IAD framework

Theories on Common Pool Resources (CPR) have had a significant impact on natural resource management policies throughout the world. This emphasis on greater local control over decision-making about the management of natural resources is a positive turn from overly centralized (government) or diffuse (market) models. However, in practice, two important factors are too often overlooked in the implementation of theories related to community management of common pool resources. First, Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) projects conceived and designed by an external party frequently lack adequate attention to socio-cultural and historical context. This stems, in part, from the lack of attention given to context in the CPR literature, which has greatly influenced policy on CBNRM. Second, analyzing community institutions already in place is different than designing institutions, certainly different from imposing new institutions on communities from external sources, and the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework is being used for both. So, we propose a refinement of the extensively used IAD framework by combining the existing IAD framework with insights from contextualist theory. We contend that this addition will further sensitize the IAD framework to contextual factors which, in turn, will promote more context-relevant policy.
Style Factor Timing: An Application to the Portfolio Holdings of U.S. Fund Managers

This study develops a style rotation model based on quarterly forecasts of style factor returns, across four style categories, generated using market and macroeconomic data. The prescriptions from this model are tested on a sample of U.S. active equity mutual funds’ portfolio holdings. An annual buy-and-hold style timing strategy investing in the factor with the highest forecast return each quarter achieves an average annual excess return of 7.26%, significant at the 1% level over 1981-2011. However, a fund-of-fund timing strategy investing in the funds with the greatest exposure (i.e., the preferred funds) to the style predicted to outperform over the following year does not generate statistically significant DGTW-adjusted performance. The lack of performance is primarily because the long-only funds are by nature unable to fully exploit the long-short style factor returns. This highlights the issue of using long-short portfolio returns, particularly when evaluating fund performance.
Constructing Continuous Household Income Measurement on the British Election Study Internet Panel

This research note describes the procedure for constructing continuous measurements of income on the British Election Study Internet Panel using several imputation steps. As with most social surveys not focusing directly on income measurement, the British Election Study Internet Panel uses a household income question that asks respondents to place their income within discrete bins. The most common analysis practices are either to group incomes into coarser bins such as quintiles which loses information or to impute a continuous income measure based on bin midpoints, which ignores the likely underlying distribution of continuous income, which will not be uniform within each bucket. We adapt a recently developed technique to interpolate a cumulative density function from discrete categories for aggregate counts to apply to the individual level data. Using this approach will allow the incorporation of external information about mean incomes within subgroups to be further integrated into the imputation approach.
Detection of Cryptomeria japonica roots with ground penetrating radar

Abstract Coarse tree roots, which are responsible for most root carbon storage, are usually measured by destructive methods such as excavation and coring. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a non-destructive tool that could be used to detect coarse roots in forest soils. In this study, we examined whether the roots of Cryptomeria japonica, a major plantation species in Japan, can be detected with GPR. We also looked for factors that impact the analysis and detection of roots. Roots and wooden dowels of C. japonica were buried 30 cm deep in sandy granite soil. From GPR measurements with a 900 MHz antenna, the distribution and diameter of samples in several transects were recorded. The buried roots were detected clearly and could be distinguished at diameters of 1.1–5.2 cm. There were significant positive relationships between root diameter and parameters extracted from the resultant GPR waveform. The difference in water content between roots and soil is a crucial factor impacting the ability to detect roots with GPR. We conclude that GPR can be used as a non-destructive tool, but further investigation is needed to determine optimal conditions (e.g. water content) and analytical methods for using GPR to examine roots in forest sites.
Crazy in Love with a Tech Giant? Exploring Consumer Perceptions of Digitally-Driven Brand Alliances

In many industries, digitalization has considerably changed the skills and capabilities that are necessary for success. Since traditional industry incumbents often lack these capabilities, they have started to enter strategic partnerships with ‘tech giants’ (big technology companies) that possess wide-ranging digital capabilities. It is not yet clear how these digitally-driven alliances influence consumers’ brand perceptions of the traditional industry incumbents. In this phenomenon-driven research, we present the findings of an experimental study (n = 912) conducted in the context of the automotive industry, where car manufacturers increasingly use Apple (‘CarPlay’) and Google (‘Android Auto’) solutions for their infotainment systems. Our results show different effects depending on the brand character of the traditional industry incumbent. In particular, alliances between premium brands and digital companies lead to negative consumer responses. However, non-premium brands can benefit from these partnerships, as we found favourable consumer perceptions. Our research emphasizes the importance of the careful consideration of digitally-driven brand alliances that are visible to consumers, because they can lead to both favourable and undesirable consumer responses.
Corporate Growth and FDI: Are Multinationals Stimulating Local Industrial Development?

The aim of this Paper is to improve our understanding of the empirical determinants of corporate growth by extending the literature to include a new group of variables related to FDI, namely the degree of foreign ownership and technology spillovers. Based on recent developments in the field, our analysis takes also into account the role of sunk costs and financial structure, while quantile regression techniques as more suitable to the data available (2640 manufacturing firms operating in Greece in the 1992-97 period) are used. Our findings highlight the role of multinationals in increasing corporate growth with varying intensity depending on industry groups and regression quantiles, and vindicate the use of new variables.
Institutional Drivers of Responsible Innovation: The Impact of the UN Global Compact in the Digital Age

Various actors have increasingly recognized the need to join forces in tackling “grand challenges” – that is, global societal and environmental problems. A core outcome envisioned by such joint efforts is responsible innovation. While the responsible innovation literature has long focused on national initiatives, governmental actors, and the field of science, insights on multi-actor efforts in contributing to responsible innovation remain scarce. Moreover, the changing conditions for actors to communicate and collaborate with each other in the age of digitalization have not yet been sufficiently acknowledged in this context. Drawing on the largest multi-actor sustainability initiative worldwide, the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), we seek to close these gaps. Building on the concept of deliberative democracy, we theorize and empirically analyze how and why local UNGC activities and information and communication technologies drive responsible innovation. Our study contributes to the literatures on responsible innovation, global governance initiatives and grand challenges.
The Dynamics of Smallholder Marketing Behavior: Explorations Using Ugandan and Mozambican Panel Data

Market participation by smallholders farmers has the potential to pull farmers out of poverty while at the same time increasing food security at the more aggregate level. This paper looks at the dynamics of smallholder maize and beans marketing in Uganda and Mozambique. Using panel data from both countries, we categorize households according to their gross sales position over multiple periods of time and differentiate the occasional seller from the persistent seller. We describe patterns in the dynamics of smallholder commodity marketing and explore correlations with factors identified in previous theoretical and empirical work that are assumed to affect market participation. We also estimate multinomial random-effects models and compare the results of such an analysis of the dynamics of smallholder marketing with a static analysis.
Pricing VIX Derivatives with Infinite-Activity Jumps

In this paper, we investigate a two-factor VIX model with infinite-activity jumps, which is a more realistic way to reduce errors in pricing VIX derivatives, compared with Mencía and Sentana (2013). Our two-factor model features central tendency, stochastic volatility and infinite-activity pure jump Lévy processes which include the variance gamma (VG) and the normal inverse Gaussian (NIG) processes as special cases. We find empirical evidence that the model with infinite-activity jumps is superior to the models with finite-activity jumps, particularly in pricing VIX options. As a result, infinite-activity jumps should not be ignored in pricing VIX derivatives.
Phenology of Winter Moth Feeding on Common Heather: Effects of Source Population and Experimental Manipulation of Hatch Dates

1. Winter moth Operophtera brumata outbreaks on common heather Calluna vulgaris have recently caused extensive damage to moorlands in Scotland. 2. The importance of synchrony between O. brumata hatching and C. vulgaris bud-burst in determining subsequent larval survival and development was investigated. 3. Heather-feeding O. brumata populations hatched at least 15 days in advance of an oak-feeding population, and achieved close synchrony with the onset of C. vulgaris shoot growth. 4. Heather-feeding O. brumata biotypes showed significantly greater survival rates than oak-feeding biotypes on C. vulgaris. 5. Experimental delay of O. brumata hatching by 30 days resulted in no drop in larval survival or developmental performance on C. vulgaris, despite a decline in foliar nitrogen concentration over this time. 6. Nutritional compensation mechanisms may explain the apparent insensitivity of O. brumata development to host-plant phenology and nitrogen content.
Population structure and trophic composition of the free-living nematodes inhabiting carbonate sands of Davies Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Population structure and trophic composition of free-living nematodes from carbonate sands within different functional zones (reef crest, reef flat and lagoon) of Davies Reef in the Great Barrier Reef were examined. At the reef crest (station C) and at a shallow lagoon area unprotected by the back wall of the reef flat (station G), sediments were subjected to intense wave action and supported significantly (P < 0.05) lower mean nematode densities (<60 individuals per 10 cm2) than sands within the other reef zones (100-400 individuals per 10 cm2). Mean nematode densities and numerical species richness were highest (P < 0.05) in a shallow lagoon habitat protected from hydrodynamic- induced disturbances by the back wall of the reef flat (station H). Differences in population densities among the reef zones were not related to water depth or sediment granulometry. Species diversity was low within the reef, with only six species present in deep lagoon sands co-inhabited by actively bioturbating ghost shrimps (Callianassa spp.). Normal classification, nodal analysis and detrended correspondence analysis indicated that faunal groups were distinct among the different reefal zones. Very coarse to medium sands at the reef crest and across the reef flat were inhabited primarily by omnivorous and epistrate-feeding nematodes. Most nematodes within the very fine to fine sands of the lagoon were non-selective or selective deposit feeders. Nematode community structure from the reef crest to the shallow lagoon appears to be determined primarily by sediment granulometry as controlled by reef hydrodynamics, whereas in the deep lagoon nematode communities are negatively affected by the presence of thalassinid ghost shrimps.
A Solution to Aggregation and an Application to Multidimensional 'Well-Being' Frontiers

We propose a new technique for identification and estimation of aggregation functions in multidimensional evaluations and multiple indicator settings. These functions may represent "latent" objects. They occur in many different contexts, for instance in propensity scores, multivariate measures of well-being and the related analysis of inequality and poverty, and in equivalence scales. Technical advances allow nonparametric inference on the joint distribution of continuous and discrete indicators of well-being, such as income and health, conditional on joint values of other continuous and discrete attributes, such as education and geographical groupings. In a multi-attribute setting, "quantiles" are "frontiers" that define equivalent sets of covariate values. We identify these frontiers nonparametrically at first. Then we suggest "parametrically equivalent" characterizations of these frontiers that reveal likely weights for, and substitutions between different attributes for different groups, and at different quantiles. These estimated parametric functionals are "ideal" aggregators in a certain sense which we make clear. They correspond directly to measures of aggregate well-being popularized in the earliest multidimensional inequality measures in Maasoumi (1986). This new approach resolves a classic problem of assigning weights to multiple indicators such as dimensions of well-being, as well as empirically incorporating the key component in multidimensional analysis, the relationship between the indicators. It introduces a new way for robust estimation of "quantile frontiers", allowing "complete" assessments, such as multidimensional poverty measurements. In our substantive application, we discover extensive heterogeneity in individual evaluation functions. This leads us to perform robust, weak uniform rankings as afforded by tests for multivariate stochastic dominance. A demonstration is provided based on the Indonesian data analyzed for multidimensional poverty in Maasoumi & Lugo (2008).
An Analysis of Correlation between Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) and Emotional Intelligence (EI)

This paper examines the relationship of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) with emotional intelligence (EI) of the followers. Organizational citizenship behavior can be defined as voluntary and spontaneous behaviors that extend beyond employees' normal job duties. In other word, Organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) describe actions in which employees are willing to go above and beyond their prescribed role requirements. A sample of 57 dyads of managers and their supervisors (i.e., 114 respondents) participated in this study. The reliabilities of the scales were . 83 organizational citizenship behaviors and . 86 emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence was significantly correlated to conscientiousness, civic virtue, and altruistic behaviors of followers. The method suggested by Barron and Kenny (1986) was used to test mediation of organizational citizenship behavior between emotional intelligence, but nothing significant was found. The results indicated that emotional intelligence of the organizational citizenship behavior of followers.
Effect of irradiated chitosan on the rancidity of radiation‐processed lamb meat

Summary We report here the production of irradiated chitosan and its novel use as a natural antioxidant for minimising lipid peroxidation of radiation-processed lamb meat. Antioxidant activity of chitosan isolated from shrimp waste was determined by the beta-carotene bleaching assay and 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity. Irradiation of chitosan at 25 kGy dose of gamma radiation resulted in a six-fold increase in its antioxidant activity as compared to the non-irradiated chitosan as measured by DPPH assay. Similarly the reducing power of irradiated chitosan was 6-fold greater than autoclaved chitosan. The suitability of irradiated chitosan for controlling lipid oxidation of radiation-processed meat was also investigated. Irradiated chitosan when added to meat before radiation processing was found to be more effective in minimising lipid perioxidation than non-irradiated chitosan as measured by TBA number and carbonyl content. TBA values of irradiated meat containing irradiated chitosan decreased by 88% (leg) and 54% (rib) as compared to the corresponding sample without chitosan. Further development of post-processing rancidity was reduced by 39% (leg) and 59% (rib) in the samples treated with chitosan as compared to non-treated controls even after a week of storage at 0–3°C.
CAD2 deficiency causes both brown midrib and gold hull and internode phenotypes in Oryza sativa L. cv. Nipponbare.

Several brown midrib (bm) mutants have so far been isolated from the C4 grasses, maize, sorghum and pearl millet, but have not been detected in C3 grasses including rice (Oryza sativa). In the present study we characterized the cad2 (cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase 2) null mutant isolated from retrotransposon Tos17 insertion lines of Oryza sativa L. ssp. japonica cv. Nipponbare. This mutant exhibited brown-colored midribs in addition to hulls and internodes, clearly indicating both bm and gold hull and internode (gh) phenotypes. The enzymatic saccharification efficiency in the culm of cad2 null mutant was increased by 16.1% than that of the control plants. The lignin content of the cad2 null mutant was 14.6% lower than that of the control plants. Thioacidolysis of the cad2 null mutant indicated the presence of cinnamaldehyde structures in the lignin. Taken together, our results show that deficiency of OsCAD2 causes the bm phenotype in addition to gh, and that the coloration is probably due to the accumulation of cinnamaldehyde-related structures in the lignin. Additionally, this cad2 null mutant was useful to silage purposes and biofuel production.