Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Purification, Cloning, and Characterization of Nek8, a Novel NIMA-related Kinase, and Its Candidate Substrate Bicd2*

We describe the isolation, cloning, and characterization of human Nek8, a new mammalian NIMA-related kinase, and its candidate substrate Bicd2. Nek8 was isolated as a β-casein kinase activity in rabbit lung and has an N-terminal catalytic domain homologous to the Nek family of protein kinases. Nek8 also contains a central domain with homology to RCC1, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the GTPase Ran, and a C-terminal coiled-coil domain. Like Nek2, Nek8 prefers β-casein over other exogenous substrates, has shared biochemical requirements for kinase activity, and is capable of autophosphorylation and oligomerization. Nek8 activity is not cell cycle regulated, but like Nek3, levels are consistently higher in G0-arrested cells. During the purification of Nek8 a second protein co-chromatographed with Nek8 activity. This protein, Bicd2, is a human homolog of the Drosophila protein Bicaudal D, a coiled-coil protein. Bicd2 is phosphorylated by Nek8in vitro, and the endogenous proteins associate in vivo. Bicd2 localizes to cytoskeletal structures, and its subcellular localization is dependent on microtubule morphology. Treatment of cells with nocodazole leads to dramatic reorganization of Bicd2, and correlates with Nek8 phosphorylation. This may be indicative of a role for Nek8 and Bicd2 associated with cell cycle independent microtubule dynamics.
Effect of Experimental Design on Choice‐Based Conjoint Valuation Estimates

In this article, we investigate the effect of several commonly used experimental designs on willingness-to-pay in a Monte Carlo environment where true utility parameters are known. All experimental designs considered in this study generated unbiased valuation estimates. However, random designs or designs that explicitly incorporated attribute interactions generated more precise valuation estimates than main effects only designs. A key result of our analysis is that a large sample size can substitute for a poor experimental design. Overall, our results indicate that certain steps can be taken to achieve a manageably sized experimental design without sacrificing the credibility of welfare estimates. Copyright 2005, Oxford University Press.
Mechanical Determinants of Faster Change of Direction and Agility Performance in Female Basketball Athletes

Abstract Spiteri, T, Newton, RU, Binetti, M, Hart, NH, Sheppard, JM, and Nimphius, S. Mechanical determinants of faster change of direction and agility performance in female basketball athletes. J Strength Cond Res 29(8): 2205–2214, 2015—Change of direction (COD) and agility require the integration of multiple components to produce a faster performance. However, the mechanisms contributing to a faster performance without the confounding factor of athlete expertise or gender is currently unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess body composition, strength, and kinetic profile required for a faster COD and agility performance across multiple directional changes. Six faster and 6 slower (n = 12) elite female basketball athletes completed a maximal dynamic back squat; eccentric and concentric only back squat; isometric midthigh pull; whole-body scan to determine lean, fat, and total mass; 505 COD test; T-test; and a multidirectional agility test over in-ground force plates to obtain relevant kinetic measures. Group (faster and slower) by test (2 × 3) multivariate analyses of variance with follow-up analyses of variance were conducted to examine differences between faster and slower groups and each COD and agility test (p ⩽ 0.05). Faster athletes during the 505 COD test produced significantly greater vertical force (p = 0.002) and eccentric and isometric strength capacity (p = 0.001). Faster agility and T-test athletes demonstrated significantly shorter contact times (p = 0.001), greater propulsive impulse (p = 0.02), isometric strength, and relative lean mass compared with slower athletes. Differences between faster athletes across each test seem to be attributed to the mechanical demands of the directional change, increasing force and impulse application as the degree of directional change increased. These findings indicate that different mechanical properties are required to produce a faster COD and agility performances, and the importance of a greater strength capacity to enable greater mechanical adjustment through force production and body control, during different directional changes.
Life Events, Stress and Depression: A Review of Recent Findings

Objective: To review recent empirical prospective studies on the relation between life event stressors and depression. Method: A systematic literature search focusing on predictive studies was carried out from 1980 to early 2001 using Medline, Embase and PsychInfo. Results: The empirical findings for the most part support clinical impressions of the relation of stressors to depression but at the same time provide some clearer understanding in relation to differences of stressor impact on depression type and on index episode, relapse or recurrence. Twin studies now provide the strongest evidence of the relative magnitude of effect of environmental stressors and genetic factors: the former explains at least as much of the variance in depression as our genes. Conclusions: Continuing research into life events and depression have been fruitful especially those studies assessing the effect of stressors in combination with other aetiological variables such as genetic factors.
IPO Survival in a Reputational Market

We examine IPO survival in a ? reputational? market, the Alternative Investment Market (AIM), where principle-based regulation pivots on the role of a regulatory agent, the nominated advisor (Nomad) to the IPO company. We find that Nomad reputation has a significant impact on IPO survival. IPOs backed by reputable Nomads survive longer (by about two years) than those backed by other Nomads. We also find that survival rates of AIM IPOs are broadly comparable to those of North American IPOs. While these results are of obvious interest to various stakeholders of AIM firms, they also provide important lessons for market places modeled on AIM including the upper-tier of the U.S. over-the-counter market (OTCQX), Italy? s AIM Italia, and Japan? s Tokyo AIM.
Explaining strategic change in international organisations.

This thesis explains the processes and varying outputs of international organisational change. Specifically, it examines how and why strategic change in international organisations varies across one global thematic area: forests. Three types of change - punctuated, incremental and regressive - resulted in a number of international organisations from May 1994-May 2005. Change processes in the forest arena are particularly complex and political, and provide for highly variable planning approaches. Yet, little is known about the way in which strategic change processes occurred in these organisations and why particular types of change ensued. This research expands theories of organisational change and closes gaps in empirical research about strategic processes in international organisations. Specifically, it challenges Baumgartner and Jones' (2002) use of the punctuated equilibrium view of politics and expands Sastry's (1997) theory of punctuated organisational change. The empirical work centres around two research questions: How and why do strategic change processes occur in international organisations. What affects each output of the process. A qualitative, comparative case study methodology was used to capture the dynamic and complex strategic change processes in four organisations, the: UN Forum on Forests; International Tropical Timber Organization; World Bank; and Food and Agriculture Organization. The empirical data is explained using insights from system dynamics, especially causal loop diagrams, to show the dominant effects of negative and positive feedback on strategic change outputs. The comparative research explains why different strategic change processes can, but rarely do, produce radical shifts in change outputs. The research concludes that radical strategic change occurred in organisations where clear qualitative and quantitative assessments of performance and process innovation were strongest. It reveals the need for 'loose' governance structures early in strategic processes, the importance of clear organisational performance criteria and the key role of powerful institutions in supporting change initiatives. It proposes a model of strategic change in international organisations and suggests future areas of research.
Performance Evaluation on Cell Clustering Interference Mitigation and CoMP in Multi-Pico Network with Dynamic TDD

The dynamic uplink-downlink reconfiguration of TD- LTE is regarded as an effective method to increase the resource efficiency and optimize the system performance. With different transmission directions and the dense deployment of small cells in the heterogeneous network, the interference situation becomes complex and critical in both uplink and downlink, especially for the cell-edge UE. In this paper, we discuss the interference coordination and mitigation problem in the dynamic TDD network. With cell-clustering interference mitigation, the synchronous operation can be provided in a cluster and well isolation can be obtained between cells in the different clusters. Furthermore, we propose that the simplified downlink CoMP DCS mode can be used in the clusters to optimize the downlink performance. At last of the paper, we analyze the performance gain of the proposed scheme by system level simulation. The results show that both uplink and downlink performance for the cell-edge UE are improved.
Knowledge, gender, and changing mobility regimes: women migrants in Europe

The chapter explores how gender affects mobility regimes and immobilizes some women more than others. It outlines five types of knowledge in the knowledge economy and then looks at gender and mobility in Europe and its impact on knowledge, where the national/global interface interacts with a European regime of mobility, knowledge transfer and citizenship. Lastly, it examines how Europe stratifies migrants and the social justice implications of unequal outcomes in the mobility-justice nexus.
Reward prospect interacts with trial-by-trial preparation for potential distraction

When attending for impending visual stimuli, cognitive systems prepare to identify relevant information while ignoring irrelevant, potentially distracting input. Recent work showed that a supramodal distracter-filtering mechanism is invoked in blocked designs involving expectation of possible distracter stimuli, although this entails a cost (distraction-filtering cost) on speeded performance when distracters are expected but not presented. Here we used an arrow-flanker task to study whether an analogous cost, potentially reflecting the recruitment of a specific distraction-filtering mechanism, occurs dynamically when potential distraction is cued trial-to-trial (cued distracter-expectation cost). In order to promote the maximal utilization of cue information by participants, in some experimental conditions the cue also signalled the possibility of earning a monetary reward for fast and accurate performance. This design also allowed us to investigate the interplay between anticipation for distracters and anticipation of reward, which is known to engender attentional preparation. Only in reward contexts did participants show a cued distracter-expectation cost, which was larger with higher reward prospect and when anticipation for both distracters and reward were manipulated trial-to-trial. Thus, these results indicate that reward prospect interacts with the distracter expectation during trial-by-trial preparatory processes for potential distraction. These findings highlight how reward guides cue-driven attentional preparation.
Association of mitral annular calcification with endothelial dysfunction, carotid intima-media thickness and serum fetuin-A: an observational study.

OBJECTIVE Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is characterized by degenerative calcification of the mitral valve annulus. Atherosclerosis plays role in progression of MAC. Fetuin A is the inhibitor of pathological calcification. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between MAC and fetuin A with carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) and endothelial dysfunction. METHODS In this observational cross-sectional study, 40 patients with documented MAC on transthoracic echocardiography and 40 without MAC were included. All patients had coronary artery disease (CAD). Endothelial functions were assessed by brachial artery Doppler ultrasound (USG) and carotid artery Doppler USG. Serum fetuin-A level was also measured. Linear regression analysis and receiver operator curve analysis were performed. RESULTS Endothelial derived vasodilatory response (EDVR) was significantly decreased and CIMT value was increased in MAC group. There was a strong positive correlation between EDVR and serum fetuin-A value. There was a strong negative correlation between CIMT and EDVR, moderately negative correlation between CIMT and serum fetuin-A level. Simple linear regression analysis revealed that CIMT (β=0.367, p=0.001) and serum fetuin-A level (β=-0.291, p=0.009) were independent factors associated with MAC. The area under the curve (AUC) for serum fetuin-A level was 0.731 (95% 0.620-0.824) and AUC for CIMT was 0.724 (95% CI 0.613-0.818). CONCLUSION We observed that MAC is closely related with CIMT and serum fetuin-A level. Serum fetuin-A and CIMT can be used as independent markers in the diagnosis of MAC. We suggest that MAC can be used as an early determinant of CAD.
The impact of adjuvant chemotherapy in older breast cancer patients on clinical and biological aging parameters

Purpose This prospective observational study aimed to evaluate the impact of adjuvant chemotherapy on biological and clinical markers of aging and frailty. Methods Women ≥ 70 years old with early breast cancer were enrolled after surgery and assigned to a chemotherapy (Docetaxel and Cyclophosphamide) group (CTG, n=57) or control group (CG, n=52) depending on their planned adjuvant treatment. Full geriatric assessment (GA) and Quality of Life (QoL) were evaluated at inclusion (T0), after 3 months (T1) and at 1 year (T2). Blood samples were collected to measure leukocyte telomere length (LTL), levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and other circulating markers potentially informative for aging and frailty: Interleukin-10 (IL-10), Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α), Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1), Monocyte Chemotactic Protein 1 (MCP-1) and Regulated on Activation, Normal T cell Expressed and Secreted (RANTES). Results LTL decreased significantly but comparably in both groups, whereas IL-6 was unchanged at T2. However, IL-10, TNF-α, IGF-1 and MCP-1 suggested a minor biological aging effect of chemotherapy. Clinical frailty and QoL decreased at T1 in the CTG, but recovered at T2, while remaining stable in the CG. Conclusion Chemotherapy (TC) is unlikely to amplify clinical aging or induce frailty at 1 year. Accordingly, there is no impact on the most established aging biomarkers (LTL, IL-6).
Decomposition of Fraud Risk Assessments and Auditors' Sensitivity to Fraud Cues

Practitioners and regulators are concerned that when auditors perceive management's attitude or character as indicative of low fraud risk, they are not sufficiently sensitive to high levels of incentive or opportunity risks in their overall fraud risk assessments. In this study, we examine whether a fraud-triangle decomposition of fraud risk assessments (i.e., separately assessing attitude, opportunity, and incentive risks prior to assessing overall fraud risk) increases auditors' sensitivity to opportunity and incentive cues when perceptions of management's attitude suggest low fraud risk. In an experiment with 52 practicing audit managers, we find that auditors who decompose fraud risk assessments are more sensitive to opportunity and incentive cues when making their overall assessments than auditors who simply make an overall fraud risk assessment. However, this increased sensitivity to opportunity and incentive cues appears to happen only when those cues suggest low fraud risk. When opportunity and incentive cues suggest high fraud risk, auditors are equally sensitive to those cues whether they use a decomposition or a holistic approach. We discuss and examine potential explanations for this finding.
Fine‐scale phylogeographical analysis of Mediterranean Anacamptis palustris (Orchidaceae) populations based on chloroplast minisatellite and microsatellite variation

The phylogeographical history of the rare marsh orchid Anacamptis palustris (Orchidaceae) was reconstructed using highly polymorphic chloroplast minisatellite and microsatellite loci. Allelic variation at chloroplast microsatellite loci was due to length variation in poly(A/T) repeats and was informative on a regional scale, but was not sufficient to unravel relationships among populations on a local geographical scale. The minisatellite locus, however, was found to be highly variable. Nine distinct repeat types were found and variation in repeat number occurred in five repeat types. The distribution of chloroplast haplotypes, combining microsatellite and minisatellite repeat type variation, provided a clear phylogeographical picture on a large geographical scale, whereas length variation in one highly polymorphic minisatellite repeat type provided fine‐scale phylogeographical information. Mediterranean populations could be divided into four main lineages, a western European lineage, a northern and central Italian lineage, a well‐isolated southern Italian (Apulian) lineage, and an eastern European lineage. Variation at the most variable minisatellite repeat type N revealed 19 alleles and allowed the study of seed‐mediated gene flow and an estimation of the ratio of pollen to seed flow among neighbouring populations.
Volatility and Information Linkages Across Markets and Countries

This study examines information and volatility linkages across the equity, money and bond markets within Australia and the US and across the two countries. These volatility linkages are due to common information and information spillovers caused by cross-market hedging. We employ a rational expectations framework in which information arrives randomly, causing volatility to be stochastic. The model imposes restrictions on the moments of returns which we estimate using GMM. We find that the model fits extremely well. The parameters are very stable across the various bivariate specifications. Cross-market linkages estimated using GMM are much stronger than those found with the commonly used proxies for volatility.
The significance of direct sunlight and polarized skylight in the ant’s celestial system of navigation

As textbook knowledge has it, bees and ants use polarized skylight as a backup cue whenever the main compass cue, the sun, is obscured by clouds. Here we show, by employing a unique experimental paradigm, that the celestial compass system of desert ants, Cataglyphis, relies predominantly on polarized skylight. If ants experience only parts of the polarization pattern during training but the full pattern in a subsequent test situation, they systematically deviate from their true homeward courses, with the systematics depending on what parts of the skylight patterns have been presented during training. This “signature” of the polarization compass remains unaltered, even if the ants can simultaneously experience the sun, which, if presented alone, enables the ants to select their true homeward courses. Information provided by direct sunlight and polarized skylight is picked up by different parts of the ant’s compound eyes and is channeled into two rather separate systems of navigation.
The inspiratory workload of patient-initiated mechanical ventilation.

We quantified inspiratory effort during patient-triggered ventilator cycles in 20 critically ill patients receiving assisted mechanical ventilation (AMV). An index of the patient's work per liter of ventilation (WP) was defined as the difference in the mechanical work done by the ventilator during controlled and assisted breathing cycles at similar settings of tidal volume and flow. WP was estimated graphically from plots of airway pressure against inflation volume for peak flow settings of 60 L/min and 100 L/min. During patient-initiated cycles, effort did not cease with the onset of gas delivery. Values for WP varied widely but at both flow settings frequently equalled or exceeded the total workload expected for a spontaneously breathing normal subject. Furthermore, the patient's component of the mechanical workload during AMV was often a large percentage of the work performed during spontaneous breathing 30 s after discontinuing ventilator support (at 60 L/min: mean 62.6%; range 30.3 to 116.3%). The addition of deadspace to the external circuit increased VE and WP significantly. Both the maximally negative pressure generated against an occluded airway and the deflection of esophageal pressure in the first 100 ms after the onset of inspiratory effort were highly correlated with WP, suggesting the importance of strength and ventilatory drive as determinants of patient effort. WP correlated poorly with measures of chest mechanics, and there was no separation of WP values for the two flow rates we studied, perhaps because both settings exceeded the patient's spontaneous demand for airflow (FD). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Determinants of Foreign Institutional Investment in India: An Empirical Analysis

The purpose of the study is to explore the determinants of foreign institutional investments (FIIs) in India through the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach. Using quarterly time series data, the empirical analysis was carried out for the period January 2004 to December 2011. Our study shows that exchange rate has significant negative impact on FII inflows both in the short run and long run, implying that depreciation of currency adversely affects the FII flows into India. Moreover, the Indian equity market returns has negative short-run and positive long-run effects on FII inflows to India. This confirms the evidence of positive and negative feedback trading hypothesis in the short run and long run, respectively. The US equity market returns have positive and significant influence on FII flows in the long run but positive and insignificant influence on FII flows in the short run. The risks associated with US equity market encourage foreign institutional investors to invest more in the Indian equity markets. Furthermore, domestic inflation exerts negative and positive significant influence on FII flows in the long run and short run, respectively. It can be concluded that FII inflows to India are essentially determined by exchange rate, domestic inflation, domestic equity market returns, returns and risk associated with US equity market.
Intraoperative, fluoroscopy‐based planning for complex osteotomies of the proximal femur

Intertrochanteric osteotomy of the proximal femur is a surgical technique that aims at changing the orientation of the proximal part of the femur in the hip joint by removing a bone wedge between the trochanters. Due to its six degrees of freedom, it presents a complex planning problem for the surgeon. In this paper, we propose an intraoperative planning system for proximal femur osteotomies. Based on two fluoroscopic images taken during the procedure, a primitive femur model is reconstructed, which then allows the user to interactively determine the osteotomy parameters and perform the intervention with the help of a navigation system. Besides the fluoroscopic images, no other imaging is needed. Compared to the traditional approach, this system allows the intervention to be performed with higher precision and less radiation exposure for both patient and surgeon, requiring only little time overhead. An in vitro study has demonstrated the high accuracy and ease of use of this system. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.