Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Training carers of stroke patients: randomised controlled trial

Abstract BackgroundInformal care givers support disabled stroke patients at home but receive little training for the caregiving role. ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of training care givers in reducing burden of stroke in patients and their care givers. DesignA single, blind, randomised controlled trial. SettingStroke rehabilitation unit. Subjects300 stroke patients and their care givers. InterventionsTraining care givers in basic nursing and facilitation of personal care techniques. Main outcome measuresCost to health and social services, caregiving burden, patients' and care givers' functional status (Barthel index, Frenchay activities index), psychological state (hospital anxiety and depression score), quality of life (EuroQol visual analogue scale) and patients' institutionalisation or mortality at one year. ResultsPatients were comparable for age (median 76 years; interquartile range 70-82 years), sex (53% men), and severity of stroke (median Barthel index 8; interquartile range 4-12). The costs of care over one year for patients whose care givers had received training were significantly lower (£10 133 v£13 794 ($18 087 v$24 619; € 15 204 v€20 697); P = 0.001). Trained care givers experienced less caregiving burden (care giver burden score 32 v41; P = 0.0001), anxiety (anxiety score 3 v4; P = 0.0001) or depression (depression score 2 v3; P = 0.0001) and had a higher quality of life (EuroQol score 80 v70; P = 0.001). Patients' mortality, institutionalisation, and disability were not influenced by caregiver training. However, patients reported less anxiety (3 v4.5; P < 0.0001) and depression (3 v4; P < 0.0001) and better quality of life (65 v60; P = 0.009) in the caregiver training group. ConclusionTraining care givers during patients' rehabilitation reduced costs and caregiver burden while improving psychosocial outcomes in care givers and patients at one year.
Methanogenesis produces strong 13C enrichment in stromatolites of Lagoa Salgada, Brazil: a modern analogue for Palaeo‐/Neoproterozoic stromatolites?

Holocene stromatolites characterized by unusually positive inorganic δ13CPDB values (i.e. up to +16‰) are present in Lagoa Salgada, a seasonally brackish to hypersaline lagoon near Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Such positive values cannot be explained by phototrophic fixation of CO2 alone, and they suggest that methanogenesis was a dominating process during the growth of the stromatolites. Indeed, up to 5 mm methane was measured in the porewater. The archaeal membrane lipid archaeol showing δ13C values between −15 and 0‰ suggests that archaea are present and producing methane in the modern lagoon sediment. Moreover, 13C‐depleted hopanoids diplopterol and 3β‐methylated C32 17β(H),21β(H)‐hopanoic acid (both −40‰) are preserved in lagoon sediments and are most likely derived from aerobic methanotrophic bacteria thriving in the methane‐enriched water column. Loss of isotopically light methane through the water column would explain the residual 13C‐enriched pool of dissolved inorganic carbon from where the carbonate constituting the stromatolites precipitated. The predominance of methanogenic archaea in the lagoon is most likely a result of sulphate limitation, suppressing the activity of sulphate‐reducing bacteria under brackish conditions in a seasonally humid tropical environment. Indeed, sulphate‐reduction activity is very low in the modern sediments. In absence of an efficient carbonate‐inducing metabolic process, we propose that stromatolite formation in Lagoa Salgada was abiotically induced, while the 13C‐enriched organic and inorganic carbon pools are due to methanogenesis. Unusually, 13C‐enriched stromatolitic deposits also appear in the geological record of prolonged periods in the Palaeo‐ and Neoproterozoic. Lagoa Salgada represents a possible modern analogue to conditions that may have been widespread in the Proterozoic, at times when low sulphate concentrations in sea water allowed methanogens to prevail over sulphate‐reducing bacteria.
Recurring Pain and the Potential of Employer Support to Improve Participant Health

Objective: This study describes the relationships between a set of workplace psychosocial factors, including health-related employer support and recurring pain. Methods: This study used a pooled sample of participants from 14 US employers (N = 34,359) from 2010 (for one employer, 2008). Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the relationships, after controlling for many additional factors. Results: Emotional, but not physical, health-related employer support was associated with reduced probability of pain. Job satisfaction, getting to use strengths at work, and having a supervisor who created a trusting and open environment were also associated with a reduced probability of pain. Conclusions: Although more research is needed to firmly establish the causal nature of the relationships, psychosocial workplace factors were associated with reduced probability of pain in this study.
Sphere Image for 3-D Model Retrieval

The view-based 3-D model retrieval system represents a 3-D model by its projected views. Most of the existing view-based 3-D model retrieval systems only analyze the features of the projected views, but not well consider the spatial arrangements of the viewpoints. Furthermore, most of these systems suffer from the high computational cost due to pairwise comparing the projected views of 3-D models. In this paper, we propose a new 3-D model descriptor called Sphere Image, which is defined as a collection of view features. A viewpoint of a 3-D model is regarded as a “pixel”: (1) The position of the viewpoint is denoted as the coordinate of the “pixel”. (2) The feature descriptor of the projected view is denoted as the value of the “pixel”. We also propose a probabilistic graphical model for 3-D model matching, and develop a 3-D model retrieval system to test our approach. We have conducted experiments based on the SHape REtrieval Contest (SHREC) 2012 generic 3-D model date set and the SHREC2009 partial 3-D model data set. Experimental results indicate that our system outperforms some state-of-the-art 3-D model retrieval systems.
Gas Chromathography as a Tool in Quorum Sensing Studies

Since cell differentiation was studied cell-to-cell signaling and cell regulated cycles were considered exclusive of eukaryotic organisms, prokaryotic organisms were regarded as isolated cells without cooperative behaviors. It took us more than 30 years, after Nealson et al., (1970) explained bioluminescence as an auto-induced regulated mechanism of bacterial groups, to assume in microbiology research that bacteria can synchronize group behaviors. In consequence, it was possible to explain that inter-cell signaling regulates some bacterial phenotypes and this phenomenon was called Quorum Sensing (QS). QS is one of the most revolutionary mechanisms discovered in the past 15 years. It involves the cell control of bacterial population by communication using chemical signals and a complex network of genetic circuits with a positive feedback regulation (for review see: Waters et al., 2005). Sensing these chemical signals bacteria can respond as groups and detect the “quorum” of a population in order to regulate different phenotypes.
Research on the relationship of cross-border M&As and international competitiveness — Based on the perspective of specific advantage

This paper explores Chinese enterprises' cross-border M&As behavior from the perspective of specific advantage. In cross-border M&As, Foreign-oriented enterprises develop country-specific advantages and establish firm-specific advantages. Domestic-oriented enterprises develop both country-specific advantages and firm-specific advantages, but only the transferable firm-specific advantages can help establish international competitiveness.
A determinant‐based criterion for working correlation structure selection in generalized estimating equations

In generalized estimating equations (GEE), the correlation between the repeated observations on a subject is specified with a working correlation matrix. Correct specification of the working correlation structure ensures efficient estimators of the regression coefficients. Among the criteria used, in practice, for selecting working correlation structure, Rotnitzky‐Jewell, Quasi Information Criterion (QIC) and Correlation Information Criterion (CIC) are based on the fact that if the assumed working correlation structure is correct then the model‐based (naive) and the sandwich (robust) covariance estimators of the regression coefficient estimators should be close to each other. The sandwich covariance estimator, used in defining the Rotnitzky‐Jewell, QIC and CIC criteria, is biased downward and has a larger variability than the corresponding model‐based covariance estimator. Motivated by this fact, a new criterion is proposed in this paper based on the bias‐corrected sandwich covariance estimator for selecting an appropriate working correlation structure in GEE. A comparison of the proposed and the competing criteria is shown using simulation studies with correlated binary responses. The results revealed that the proposed criterion generally performs better than the competing criteria. An example of selecting the appropriate working correlation structure has also been shown using the data from Madras Schizophrenia Study. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Crystal structures of E. coli CcmG and its mutants reveal key roles of the N‐terminal β‐sheet and the fingerprint region

CcmG, also designated DsbE, functions as a periplasmic protein thiol:disulfide oxidoreductase and is required for cytochrome c maturation. Here we report the crystal structures of Escherichia coli CcmG and its two mutants, P144A and the N‐terminal fifty seven‐residue deletion mutant, and two additional deletion mutants were studied by circular dichroism. Structural comparison of E. coli CcmG with its deletion mutants reveals that the N‐terminal β‐sheet is essential for maintaining the folding topology and consequently maintaining the active‐site structure of CcmG. Pro144 and Glu145 are key residues of the fingerprint region of CcmG. Pro144 is in cis‐configuration, and it makes van der Waals interactions with the active‐site disulfide Cys80–Cys83 and forms a CH…O hydrogen bond with Thr82, helping stabilize the active‐site structure. Glu145 forms a salt‐bridge and hydrogen‐bond network with other residues of the fingerprint region and with Arg158, further stabilizing the active‐site structure. The cis‐configuration of Pro144 makes the backbone nitrogen and oxygen of Ala143 exposed to solvent, favorable for interacting with binding partners. The key role of cis‐Pro144 is verified by the P144A mutant, which contains trans‐Ala144 and displays redox property changes. Structural comparison of E. coli CcmG with the recently reported structure of CcmG in complex with the N‐terminal domain of DsbD reveals that Tyr141 undergoes conformational changes upon binding DsbD. A cis‐proline located at the N‐terminus of the first β‐strand of the ββα motif of the thioredoxin‐like domain is a conserved structural feature of the thioredoxin superfamily. Proteins 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Toll-Like Receptors and Leishmaniasis

More than 10 million people around the world are currently affected by Leishmania sp. (33). Infection with this protozoan parasite continues to be a problem in underdeveloped countries and is a continuous worry in developed countries due to the possibility of the disease afflicting tourists returning from countries where the organism is endemic (82). Leishmaniasis is a neglected infectious disease, and it affects poor and marginalized populations. It is distributed, in its visceral, mucosal, and cutaneous forms, throughout more than 90 countries in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe (5). It constitutes a serious public health problem and causes significant morbidity and mortality. In recent years, economic globalization and the increase in travel have extended the distribution of the disease to developed countries. Approximately 350 million people live in areas where there is active parasite transmission of zoonotic and anthroponotic leishmaniasis. Zoonotic transmission occurs in rural and periurban environments, whereas anthroponotic transmission occurs in urban environments (7). From a strictly biological point of view, de Almeida et al. described humans as just one of the actors in the leishmaniasis drama (23). Also involved are the parasite, the insect, and other hosts. Several immunological studies have increased our understanding of the adaptive response in leishmaniasis. Thus, this disease has been used as a model of Th1 and Th2 responses. Unfortunately, there are still several aspects of the initial steps of Leishmania infection in humans that are largely unknown.
Culturability in Mobile Data Services: A Qualitative Study of the Relationship Between Cultural Characteristics and User-Experience Attributes

As the use of mobile data services has spread across the globe, the effect of cultural differences on user requirements has become an important issue. To date, however, little research has been conducted on the role cultural factors play in the design of mobile data services. This article proposes a set of critical design attributes for mobile data services that takes cross-cultural differences into account. To determine these attributes, a qualitative method was devised and in-depth interviews in Korea, Japan, and Finland were conducted. Twenty-one critical user-experience attributes that showed a clear correlation with characteristics of the user's culture were found. The article ends with a discussion of limitations and of implications for developers of mobile data services.
Do Investors Under-React to ROE?

Previous researches document a delayed market response to public information (Bernard, and Thomas 1989, 1990; Abarbanell and Bernard 1992; Daniel, Hirshleifer and Subrahmanyam 1998; Foster, Olsen and Shevlin 1984). In this study, we uncovered the investors' under-reaction to ROE (Return on Equity), commonly known as the cross sectional gauge of firms' profit generating efficiency. Using in excess of 31 years' of firms' fundamental financial information and stock return data, we investigate, employing three asset-pricing models including Fama and French 3-factor model (1993), Fama-French 4-factor model and a proprietary Jensen Measure 4-factor model, the stock return performance on deciles of portfolios formed based on holding firms' ROE ranking. We found that, over time, all three models are able to explain a significant portion of the variations in returns of stocks ranked on ROE while the proprietary Jensen Measure 4-factor model provides the best explanation. A quarterly rebalanced portfolio holding the top 10 percent highest ROE stocks will earn an annual abnormal excess return of approximately 15.2 percent due to investors' under-reaction. We also discovered that investors' under-reaction to ROE diminishes with decreasing ROE level and almost vanishes at the lowest two deciles of firms ranked by ROE level. More importantly, investors have been persistently under-reacting to ROE information since 1973, especially the recent period from 1980 to 2004 during which the annual abnormal excess returns stayed at over 16 percent.
Objective markers for sleep propensity: comparison between the Multiple Sleep Latency Test and the Vigilance Algorithm Leipzig

The regulation of wakefulness is important for high‐order organisms. Its dysregulation is involved in the pathomechanism of several psychiatric disorders. Thus, a tool for its objective but little time‐consuming assessment would be of importance. The Vigilance Algorithm Leipzig allows the objective measurement of sleep propensity, based on a single resting state electroencephalogram. To compare the Vigilance Algorithm Leipzig with the standard for objective assessment of excessive daytime sleepiness, a four‐trial Multiple Sleep Latency Test in 25 healthy subjects was conducted. Between the first two trials, a 15‐min, 25‐channel resting electroencephalogram was recorded, and Vigilance Algorithm Leipzig was used to classify the sleep propensity (i.e. type of vigilance regulation) of each subject. The results of both methods showed significant correlations with the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ρ = −0.70; ρ = 0.45, respectively) and correlated with each other (ρ = −0.54). Subjects with a stable electroencephalogram‐vigilance regulation yielded significant increased sleep latencies compared with an unstable regulation (multiple sleep latency 898.5 s versus 549.9 s; P = 0.03). Further, Vigilance Algorithm Leipzig classifications allowed the identification of subjects with average sleep latencies <6 min with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 77%. Thus, Vigilance Algorithm Leipzig provides similar information on wakefulness regulation in comparison to the much more cost‐ and time‐consuming Multiple Sleep Latency Test. Due to its high sensitivity and specificity for large sleep propensity, Vigilance Algorithm Leipzig could be an effective and reliable alternative to the Multiple Sleep Latency Test, for example for screening purposes in large cohorts, where objective information about wakefulness regulation is needed.
Role of the primary motor and sensory cortex in precision grasping: a transcranial magnetic stimulation study

Human precision grip requires precise scaling of the grip force to match the weight and frictional conditions of the object. The ability to produce an accurately scaled grip force prior to lifting an object is thought to be the result of an internal feedforward model. However, relatively little is known about the roles of various brain regions in the control of such precision grip‐lift synergies. Here we investigate the role of the primary motor (M1) and sensory (S1) cortices during a grip‐lift task using inhibitory transcranial magnetic theta‐burst stimulation (TBS). Fifteen healthy individuals received 40 s of either (i) M1 TBS, (ii) S1 TBS or (iii) sham stimulation. Following a 5‐min rest, subjects lifted a manipulandum five times using a precision grip or completed a simple reaction time task. Following S1 stimulation, the duration of the pre‐load phase was significantly longer than following sham stimulation. Following M1 stimulation, the temporal relationship between changes in grip and load force was altered, with changes in grip force coming to lag behind changes in load force. This result contrasts with that seen in the sham condition where changes in grip force preceded changes in load force. No significant difference was observed in the simple reaction task following either M1 or S1 stimulation. These results further quantify the contribution of the M1 to anticipatory grip‐force scaling. In addition, they provide the first evidence for the contribution of S1 to object manipulation, suggesting that sensory information is not necessary for optimal functioning of anticipatory control.
The Public and Private Politics of Industrial Relations - ‘Are We in Or Out?’

The Public and Private Politics of Industrial Relations - 'Are We In Or Out? ' was the theme at the NSW Industrial Relations Society Annual Conference in 1998. This paper addresses the private and public politics of industrial relations. It examines the role Government should play in industrial relations, the importance of tribunals in Australian industrial relations and the collective nature of the NSW Industrial Relations system.
Identification of Three Essential Regulatory Gene Loci Governing Expression of Staphylococcus epidermidis Polysaccharide Intercellular Adhesin and Biofilm Formation

ABSTRACT The formation of adherent multilayered biofilms embedded into a glycocalyx represents an essential factor in the pathogenesis ofStaphylococcus epidermidis biomaterial-related infections. Using biofilm-producing S. epidermidis 1457 and transposon Tn917 carried on plasmid pTV1ts, we isolated nine isogenic biofilm-negative transposon mutants. Transduction byS. epidermidis phage 71 was used to prove the genetic linkage of transposon insertions and altered phenotypes. Mapping of the different transposon insertions by Southern hybridization and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis indicated that these were inserted in four unlinked genetic loci. According to their phenotypes, including quantitative differences in biofilm production in different growth media, in the amount of the polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA) produced, in the hemagglutination titers, and in the altered colony morphology, the mutants could be separated into four phenotypic classes corresponding with the genetic classes. Synthesis of PIA was not detectable with class I and II mutants, whereas the amount of PIA produced reflected the residual degree of biofilm production of class III and IV mutants in different growth media. Chromosomal DNA flanking the transposon insertions of five class I mutants was cloned and sequenced, and the insertions were mapped to different locations of icaADBC, representing the synthetic genes for PIA. Expression of icaADBC from a xylose-dependent promoter in the different isogenic mutant classes reconstituted biofilm production in all mutants. In a Northern blot analysis no icaADBC-specific transcripts were observed in RNA isolated from mutants of classes II, III, and IV. Apparently, in addition to icaADBC, three other gene loci have a direct or indirect regulatory influence on expression of the synthetic genes for PIA on the level of transcription.
PRH75, a new nucleus-localized member of the DEAD-box protein family from higher plants

The putative RNA helicases of the DEAD-box protein family are involved in pre-mRNA splicing, rRNA maturation, ribosome assembly, and translation. Members of this protein family have been identified in organisms from Escherichia coli to humans, but except for the translation initiation factor 4A, there have been no reports on the characterization of other DEAD-box proteins from plants. Here we report on a novel member of the DEAD-box protein family, the plant RNA helicase 75 (PRH75). PRH75 is localized in the nucleus and contains two domains for RNA binding. One is located at the C terminus and is similar to RGG RNA-binding domains of nucleus-localized RNA-binding proteins. The other one is located between amino acids 308 and 622, a region containing the conserved motif VI characteristic of DEAD-box proteins and known as the RNA-binding site of eIF-4A. The N-terminal 81 amino acids are sufficient for nuclear targeting of the protein. Northern and Western blot analyses show that PRH75 is mainly expressed in young and rapidly developing tissues. The purified recombinant PRH75 has a weak ATPase activity which is barely stimulated by RNA ligands. The fractionation of spinach whole-cell extracts by glycerol gradient centrifugation and gel filtration on a Superdex 200 column shows that the protein exists in a complex of about 500 kDa. Possible biological functions of PRH75 as well as structure-function relationships in the context of its modular primary structure are discussed.