Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Asymptomatic bacteriuria in antenatal women.

A total of 500 antenatal women in their first or second trimesters were screened over a period of 2 years for asymptomatic bacteriuria. Out of them, 8.4% (42) were culture positive. A control group of 100 non-pregnant women, both married and unmarried, was also simultaneously screened. The control group yielded an overall culture positivity of 3% (4% in the married non-pregnant women and 2% in the unmarried women). Primigravida had highest percent culture positivity of 66.6%. The incidence was higher in less than 20 years age group i.e. 71.42%. Of the screening tests, Gram stained smear when compared with the standard loop method, showed the highest sensitivity of 95.2%. The specificity of the screening tests was high [Gram stained smear (98.6%), catalase test (97.1%) and pus cell count (96.5%)]. Escherichia coli was the most common organism isolated in the test and control groups. The organisms were sensitive to cephalexin, nitrofurantoin, amoxycillin and norfloxacin in decreasing order. Incidence of prematurity was 75% and that of low birth weight was 50% in untreated patients.
Characterization and Structure Analysis of a Novel Bacteriocin, Lacticin Z, Produced by Lactococcus lactis QU 14

A novel bacteriocin, lacticin Z, produced by Lactococcus lactis QU 14 isolated from a horse’s intestinal tract was identified. Lacticin Z was purified through a three step procedure comprised of hydrophobic-interaction, cation-exchange chromatography, and reverse-phase HPLC. ESI-TOF MS determined the molecular mass of lacticin Z to be 5,968.9 Da. The primary structure of lacticin Z was found to consist of 53 amino acid residues without any leader sequence or signal peptide. Lacticin Z showed homology to lacticin Q from L. lactis QU 5, aureocin A53 from Staphylococcus aureus A53, and mutacin BHT-B from Streptococcus rattus strain BHT. It exhibited a nanomolar range of MICs against various Gram-positive bacteria, and the activity was completely stable up to 100 °C. Unlike many of other LAB bacteriocins, the stability of lacticin Z was emphasized under alkaline conditions rather than acidic conditions. All the results indicated that lacticin Z belongs to a novel type of bacteriocin.
Quantitative Proteomic Analyses Identify ABA-Related Proteins and Signal Pathways in Maize Leaves under Drought Conditions

Drought stress is one of major factors resulting in maize yield loss. The roles of abscisic acid (ABA) have been widely studied in crops in response to drought stress. However, more attention is needed to identify key ABA-related proteins and also gain deeper molecular insights about drought stress in maize. Based on this need, the physiology and proteomics of the ABA-deficient maize mutant vp5 and its wild-type Vp5 under drought stress were examined and analyzed. Malondialdehyde content increased and quantum efficiency of photosystem II decreased under drought stress in both genotypes. However, the magnitude of the increase or decrease was significantly higher in vp5 than in Vp5. A total of 7051 proteins with overlapping expression patterns among three replicates in the two genotypes were identified by Multiplex run iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomic and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry methods, of which the expression of only 150 proteins (130 in Vp5, 27 in vp5) showed changes of at least 1.5-fold under drought stress. Among the 150 proteins, 67 and 60 proteins were up-regulated and down-regulated by drought stress in an ABA-dependent way, respectively. ABA was found to play active roles in regulating signaling pathways related to photosynthesis, oxidative phosphorylation (mainly related to ATP synthesis), and glutathione metabolism (involved in antioxidative reaction) in the maize response to drought stress. Our results provide an extensive dataset of ABA-dependent, drought-regulated proteins in maize plants, which may help to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of ABA-enhanced tolerance to drought stress in maize.
How does program leadership effect teacher job satisfaction and organizational climate

OF THE THESIS How Does Program Leadership Effect Teacher Job Satisfaction and Organizational Climate by Emily Constance Huck Master of Science in Child Development San Diego State University, 2012 This study will investigate how program leadership affects teacher job satisfaction & organizational climate in a for profit childcare program. Data will be collected from 4 childcare development centers using both qualitative and quantitative methodology. Through a mixed methods design, survey and informal focus group 120 teachers will be asked to fill out two questionnaires. First The Work Attitudes survey measuring work attitudes from the Blue Print for Action Handbook and second The Early Childhood Work Environment Survey. The Childhood Work Environment Survey provided by the McCormack Center or Early Childhood Leadership written by Dr. Paula Jorde Bloom, Ph.D. is designed to find out how employees feel about an early childhood center as a place to work. The question provides opportunity for participants to express feelings and opinions concerning various center policies and practices. It includes questions regarding general work conditions, staff relations, supervisor support, pay and promotion opportunities and the physical setting. Measuring Work Attitudes survey from the Blue Print for Action Handbook provided by the McCormack Center or Early Childhood Leadership written by Dr. Paula Jorde Bloom, Ph.D. is designed to find out how employees feel about different facets of their job. The purpose of these surveys is to help the researcher become more aware of the aspects of teachers jobs that most contribute to job satisfaction as well as what teachers would like to see improved. Directors and assistant directors will be surveyed through the Program Administrative Scale (PAS) provided by the McCormack Center or Early Childhood Leadership written by The McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership scholars, Teri Talan and Paula Jorde Bloom, measuring the overall quality of administrative practices of early care and education programs. The PAS assesses quality in ten areas: human resources development, personnel cost and allocation, center operations, child assessment, fiscal management, program planning and evaluation, family partnerships, marketing and public relations, technology, and staff qualifications qualitative data will consist of interviews conducted with four -child care center director’s using the Program Administrative Scale (PAS) by Teri Talan and Paula Jorde Bloom.
Testing for unemployment hysteresis in selected transition economies

This study aims to examine the hysteresis hypothesis in unemployment using panel data of 11 Asian countries covering the period 1980-2012. We employ the second generation panel unit root tests recently advanced by Smith et al. (2004). These tests have an advantage as they are able to exploit the cross-section variations of the series. This study provides strong empirical evidence against the hysteresis hypothesis in unemployment for the Asian countries. Finding shows that the unemployment rates of these countries have a tendency for meanreverting. As such, an increase in the unemployment rates is most likely only temporary. Hence, policy makers may not require short-run policies to curb the problem of rising unemployment. Instead, they may consider to pursue long-run strategies for strengthening the fundamental of the domestic labour markets. More importantly, the finding suggests that these countries will benefit from having a wider choice of fiscal and monetary policies as the polices may not result in the long-run negative impact on the unemployment rates.
Aggregate performance measures in business unit manager compensation: The role of intrafirm interdependencies

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the determinants of the extent to which the incentive compensation of business unit managers is based on aggregate performance criteria measured at an organizational level higher than a manager's business unit level. We present a simple agency model of a multidivisional firm to show that the use of aggregate performance measures relative to more localized performance measures is an increasing function of intrafirm interdependencies. Using proprietary compensation data from Hewitt Associates LLC, we test whether the relative use of aggregate performance measures is related to our empirical proxies for intrafirm interdependencies and find evidence consistent with our predictions. Management accounting textbooks usually emphasize the controllability principle within the framework of responsibility accounting as the basis for
Mitogenic Activation, Phosphorylation, and Nuclear Translocation of Protein Kinase Bβ*

Protein kinase B (PKB) is a member of the second messenger-dependent family of serine/threonine kinases that has been implicated in signaling pathways downstream of growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. Here we report the characterization of the human β-isoform of PKB (PKBβ). PKBβ is ubiquitously expressed in a number of human tissues, with mRNA and protein levels elevated in heart, liver, skeletal muscle, and kidney. After transfection into HEK-293 or COS-1 cells, PKBβ is activated 2- to 12-fold by mitogens and survival factors. Activation was due to phosphorylation on Thr-309 and Ser-474, which correspond to Thr-308 and Ser-473 implicated in the regulation of PKBα. Both phosphorylation and activation were prevented by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin. Moreover, membrane-targeted PKBβ was constitutively activated when overexpressed in HEK-293 cells. Although the specific activity of PKBβ was lower than that of PKBα toward Crosstide as a substrate (23 nmol/min/mg compared with 178 nmol/min/mg for PKBα), both enzymes showed similar substrate specificities. Using confocal microscopy, we show that activation of PKBβ results in its nuclear translocation within 20 to 30 min after stimulation. These observations provide evidence that PKBβ undergoes nuclear translocation upon mitogenic activation and support a role for PKB in signaling from receptor tyrosine kinases to the nucleus through phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase.
Current concepts of hip arthroplasty for radiologists: part 1, features and radiographic assessment.

OBJECTIVE This article will systematically review radiographic assessment of hip arthroplasty including classifications based on different types and techniques of hip arthroplasty, terminology for prosthetic designs and materials, surgical techniques, and initial and follow-up radiographic assessments. CONCLUSION Assessment of postoperative hip arthroplasty radiographs is extremely important. It is well known that patients with complications may be asymptomatic, and for this reason, routine radiographic follow-up is recommended for all patients with hip arthroplasty. The foundation of radiologic interpretation of hip arthroplasty is knowledge of the normal appearance of the many different types of prostheses. A standard approach to radiologic reporting should be undertaken.
The impact of anti-smoking policies on tobacco consumption in Australia

Issue addressed: What has been the effect of government policy interventions on aggregate tobacco consumption in Australia over the past 35 years? Methods: We review the implications of a recent econometric study of aggregate tobacco consumption in Australia from 1962-63 to 1995-96. The effects of price (including tax), income, demographics, tobacco industry advertising, anti-smoking advertising and education, workplace smoking bans, tobacco advertising bans and health warnings on cigarette packs were included in the model. Addiction dynamics were modelled using the Becker Murphy method. Results: Income, price and demographic change explain virtually all the variation in aggregate tobacco consumption over the past 35 years. In particular tobacco taxes have had a very large effect. The effect of tobacco industry advertising is small compared with these economic variables. The effect of the other policy interventions that were studied is also small. Conclusions: Virtually all of the reduction in aggregate tobacco consumption over the past 35 years has been due to higher cigarette prices induced by taxes. In comparison, other policy interventions have had a relatively minor effect. So what? High cigarette prices are the key to reducing tobacco consumption. (author abstract)
Foreign Equity Flows and Market Return Linkages: Evidence of Malaysian Stock Market

This study examines the linkages between foreign equity flows and stock market returns of Bursa Malaysia. Specifically this article intends to investigate whether past stock returns influence foreign equity flows or vice versa in a short-term time horizon. To explore the linkages between these two variables, this study employs bivariate vector autoregressive (VAR) model. In addition, to determine the causal relation between stock returns and foreign equity flows, this study utilizes VAR Granger causality test. The findings of this study provide evidence that foreign institutional investors are momentum traders, while foreign retail investors are contrarian traders with regard to the return of Malaysian equity market. Another main finding is that domestic equity returns have an effect on fund flows of foreign retail investors and vice versa; meanwhile, there is a positive causal relation between domestic equity returns and foreign institutional fund flows.
The dnaAcos allele of Escherichia coli: hyperactive initiation is caused by substitution of A184V and Y271H, resulting in defective ATP binding and aberrant DNA replication control

Chromosomal DNA replication is regulated at the level of commitment to this biochemical pathway. In Escherichia coli, DnaA protein appears to regulate this process. A mutant form, DnaAcos, carrying four amino acid substitutions, is apparently defective in responding to regulatory signals, because it induces hyperactive initiation from the bacterial replication origin (oriC). In this report, the phenotype of hyperactive initiation is shown to be the result of two specific amino acid substitutions. One (A184V) immediately adjacent to a Walker A box (P loop motif) causes a defect in ATP binding (Carr and Kaguni, 1996, Mol Microbiol 20: 1307–1318). The second amino acid substitution (Y271H) appears to stabilize the activity of the mutant protein carrying the A184V substitution. The mutant protein carrying both amino acid substitutions (A184V + Y271H) is defective in modulating the frequency of initiation from oriC, as demonstrated by marker frequency analysis of oriC and a locus near the replication terminus. These results indicate that a defect in ATP binding results in aberrant control of DNA replication.
The Velocity of M1 in the 1980s: Evidence from a Multivariate Time Series Model

The velocity of M declined in the 1980s after an upward trend over the previous twenty years. This apparent break in the process generating velocity was an important consideration in the Federal Reserve's deemphasis of M as an intermediate target in 1982. Discussion of the behavior of velocity has focused upon whether the process generating velocity underwent a shift, perhaps due to the financial innovation and deregulation in the 1980s, or whether the behavior of velocity merely reflects the underlying variability in its determinants. Tatom [34], Darby et al. [7], Stone and Thornton [33], and Rasche [30] provide summaries of this debate. No consensus has emerged on whether the process generating the velocity of M 1 shifted after 1982. The aim of the present paper is to analyze the behavior of velocity before and after 1982. The approach taken here is quite different from the traditional method of analyzing velocity which relies upon single-equation estimates of velocity or money demand functions. A vector autoregressive (VAR) model that contains the income velocity of M1 and its key economic determinants (income, interest rates, inflation, and money growth variability) is estimated using quarterly data for the period 1961:1-1981:4. The adequacy of this model is evaluated by calculating variance decompositions. A Monte Carlo simulation technique similar to that described in Doan and Litterman [8] is used to compute standard errors for the variance decompositions. This allows a judgement as to the significance of the response of velocity to its economic determinants. The effects of these variables on velocity for the period 1982:1-1988:4, the period of velocity's unusual behavior, are estimated through computation of historical decompositions. Formal stability tests are also performed to determine if there was a change in the process generating velocity after 1982.
Identification of the tRNA-Dihydrouridine Synthase Family*

5,6-Dihydrouridine (D) is a modified base found abundantly in the D-loops of tRNA from Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya. D is thought to be formed post-transcriptionally by the reduction of uridines in tRNA transcripts. Despite its abundance, no enzymes that catalyze D-formation have been identified. Using comparative genomics and computational methods we have identified members of the cluster of orthologous genes, COG0042, as putative dihydrouridine synthase encoding genes. Escherichia coli contains three COG0042 family members (yjbN, yhdG, andyohI). Strains were created where one, two, or all three of the COG0042 genes were deleted. Purified tRNA samples were investigated from the three single and the three double knockout strains, as well as from the triple deletion strain. The results showed that the COG0042 gene family is responsible for tRNA-dihydrouridine synthase activity inE. coli. They also suggest that the COG0042-encoded family members act site-specifically on the tRNA D-loop and contain non-redundant catalytic functions in vivo.
Design of Asymmetrical Doherty Power Amplifier with Reduced Memory Effects and Enhanced Back-off Efficiency

This paper presents the design of an asymmetrical Doherty power amplifier (DPA) with improved linearity and efficiency performance. Resonator-type drain bias networks, providing high impedances at the carrier frequency and low impedances with small variation at the envelope frequency, are introduced to reduce the DPA's memory effects when transmitting wideband signals. The general criteria for DPA design are summarized, and the approach to obtain optimum fundamental and harmonic impedances is proposed to achieve back-off efficiency enhancement. For experimental validation, the asymmetrical DPA is designed and implemented using two identical GaN HEMTs. Measured with continuous wave (CW), the proposed DPA delivers a saturation power greater than 49.3 dBm from 3400 to 3600 MHz, along with high drain efficiency of over 62% and 48% at peak and 8-dB back-off power, respectively. Driven with 100-MHz LTE-advanced signals, the adjacent channel leakage ratio (ACLR) asymmetry of the DPA at 20-MHz offset is lower than 1-dB. After digital predistortion (DPD) linearization, the proposed DPA achieves an ACLR of better than �48 dBc at an average output power about 41 dBm and the drain efficiency over 45% across the frequency band.
Relaxin, Oxytocin, and Prostaglandin Effects on Progesterone Secretion from Bovine Luteal Cells during Different Stages of Gestation 1

Abstract To determine the effects of relaxin, oxytocin, and prostaglandin F2α on progesterone secretion, bovine luteal cells from different stages of gestation were dispersed in Medium 199 with 200 units/ml penicillin, 1.0% kanamycin, 0.5% bovine serum albumin, and 400 units/ml collagenase. Cells (105) were cultured in 400 μl of Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium and Ham's F-12 medium containing fetal bovine serum and antibiotics, in Falcon multiwell plates, in a humidified environment of 95% O2 and 5% CO2 at 37°C. Cells were cultured for 24 hr without treatment and thereafter with medium-hormone replacement every 24 hr. Progesterone was quantified from unextracted media by radioimmunoassay. Basal progesterone secretion after 24 hr was 1.81 ± 0.14, 1.76 ± 0.17, 0.54 ± 0.49, and 0.57 ± 0.21 pg/ml per viable luteal cell from 145-, 165-, 185-, and 240-day-old corpora lutea, respectively. Basal progesterone secretion increased (P < 0.05) with time in culture. Relaxin induced a dose-dependent (>100 ng/ml) increase in progesterone release, compared with the controls. Oxytocin and prostaglandin F2α induced greater release (P < 0.05) of progesterone than relaxin at all stages of gestation, but progesterone release was dependent on the stage of gestation and the duration in culture. Luteinizing hormone (100 ng/ml) stimulated whereas 17β-estradiol (50 ng/ml) inhibited progesterone secretion by luteal cells at all stages of gestation examined. Relaxin obliterated the prostaglandin- and oxytocin-induced progesterone secretion by bovine luteal cells from 145 to 214 days of gestation. Thus, relaxin, cloprostenol, and oxytocin regulate progesterone production by cultured bovine luteal cells, but hormone secretion was dependent on the stage of gestation.
A descriptive analysis of patient’s preferences in bone graft therapy in dentistry

Objectives: Therapeutic and procedural aspects have been primarily focused on the bone graft treatments with least priority to patients’ perception and preferences. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the patient’s choices about various bone grafts used in the bone replacement dental treatments. Methods: A self-structured, an anonymous questionnaire with eight items was administered to 100 patients. The questionnaire recorded the responses of selected patients regarding their acceptance and refusal to each type of bone grafts; intraoral and extraoral autograft, allograft, xenograft, and alloplast. The patients’ responses were compared with age, gender, and educational level. The descriptive statistical analysis was performed for the collected data, and with P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The overall acceptance ratio for intraoral autografts, extraoral autografts, allografts, xenografts, and alloplasts was 89%, 72%, 46%, 33%, and 87%, respectively. The xenograft (67%) had the highest rate of refusal followed by allografts (54%), extraoral autogenous grafts (28%), alloplast (13%), and intraoral autograft (11%) being the least refused bone graft. Age had no statistically significant influence on the acceptance rate to different types of bone grafts, whereas the gender and educational levels were associated with higher acceptance rates. Conclusions: The xenograft (67%) had the highest rate of refusal, followed by allografts (54%), extraoral autogenous grafts (28%), alloplast (13%), and intraoral autograft (11%) being the least refused bone graft among the surveyed participants. Moreover, age had no statistically significant influence on the acceptance and refusal to different types of bone grafts, whereas the gender and education level was associated with the acceptance and rejection rates.