Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phosphorylation-dependent Changes in Nucleotide Binding, Conformation, and Dynamics of the First Nucleotide Binding Domain (NBD1) of the Sulfonylurea Receptor 2B (SUR2B)*

Background: Phosphorylation of SUR2B NBD1 activates ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels. Results: Phosphorylation-dependent changes in NBD1 conformation and nucleotide binding are mimicked by removing the N-terminal tail that contains the phosphorylation sites. Conclusion: Phosphorylation disrupts interactions of the N-terminal tail with the NBD1 core, leading to increased nucleotide binding. Significance: These data provide insights into the molecular basis by which NBD1 phosphorylation activates KATP channels. The sulfonylurea receptor 2B (SUR2B) forms the regulatory subunit of ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels in vascular smooth muscle. Phosphorylation of the SUR2B nucleotide binding domains (NBD1 and NBD2) by protein kinase A results in increased channel open probability. Here, we investigate the effects of phosphorylation on the structure and nucleotide binding properties of NBD1. Phosphorylation sites in SUR2B NBD1 are located in an N-terminal tail that is disordered. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data indicate that phosphorylation of the N-terminal tail affects multiple residues in NBD1, including residues in the NBD2-binding site, and results in altered conformation and dynamics of NBD1. NMR spectra of NBD1 lacking the N-terminal tail, NBD1-ΔN, suggest that phosphorylation disrupts interactions of the N-terminal tail with the core of NBD1, a model supported by dynamic light scattering. Increased nucleotide binding of phosphorylated NBD1 and NBD1-ΔN, compared with non-phosphorylated NBD1, suggests that by disrupting the interaction of the NBD core with the N-terminal tail, phosphorylation also exposes the MgATP-binding site on NBD1. These data provide insights into the molecular basis by which phosphorylation of SUR2B NBD1 activates KATP channels.
In vivo detection of mutations induced by aflatoxin B1 using human CYP3A7/HITEC hybrid mice.

CYP3A7-M10 mouse is a transgenic mouse carrying human CYP3A7 cDNA, in which CYP3A7 is expressed in the small intestine but not in the kidney. HITEC mouse is a transgenic mouse developed to detect mutagenic potency of various chemicals in vivo. The M10/HITEC mouse was established by crossmating of these two strains of mice. When a 9,000 x g supernatant fraction prepared from the small intestine was added to an incubation mixture for Ames test with Salmonella typhimurium TA98 strain to examine the mutagen-producing activity from aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), the mutagen-producing activities of the 9, 000 x g supernatant fraction from the small intestine was found to be 1.7-fold higher in the M10/HITEC mice than in HITEC mice. Such a difference in the capacity to activate AFB1 was not seen with the 9, 000 x g supernatant fraction from the kidney from both strains of mice. Male M10/HITEC mice of 8 weeks old were treated with a single i.p. injection of AFB1 ( 8 mg/kg body weight). The mutation of the introduced rpsL gene in the genomic DNA from the small intestine and the kidney was analyzed. The mutation frequency in the small intestine of M10/HITEC mice was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that of HITEC mice, while the mutation frequency in both strains was similar in the kidney. These results provide the first evidence for the toxicological function of CYP3A7 in vivo.
The recovery of Guatemalan children with mild to moderate wasting: factors enhancing the impact of supplementary feeding.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to identify factors that enhance the recovery due to supplementary feeding in wasted children. METHODS Recovery rates were obtained in mild to moderately wasted 6- to 48-month-old rural Guatemalan children living in four villages. Children in two villages received a high protein-energy supplement (supplemented children), while children in the other villages received a low protein-energy supplement (nonsupplemented children). The difference in recovery rates between the groups was the attributable benefit. The net supplementation amounted to 11% of the recommended energy intake and its associated nutrients. RESULTS Attributable supplement benefits were achieved in younger children (6 to 24 months old) and increased with decreasing weight for length, longer duration of supplementation, and duration of diarrhea, but not with chronicity of wasting. CONCLUSIONS Supplementation's effectiveness can be improved in similar populations by programs targeted according to these findings.
“Smokers' larynx” and carcinoma of the larynx in syrian hamsters exposed to cigarette smoke

Several groups of investigators have recently produced carcinoma of the larynx in Syrian hamsters. This study reports on the effects of cigarette smoke from Kentucky reference cigarettes in an inbred strain (BIO 15.16) of Syrian hamsters. After “smoking” five days each week for two years, 20 percent of the surviving animals had cancer of the larynx; 40 percent had severe epithelial changes.
Impairment Test and Disclosure: An International Comparison

Introduction of the IAS/IFRS entails important changes for European companies, characterised by different accounting systems, including assessment and accounting of the impairment test which is one of the most fundamental issues. Our attention focuses on companies listed in the main European Stock Exchange Indexes (S&P/Mib, CAC 40 and FTSE 100) in which the impairment test is one of the most critical elements of company management. After a brief presentation of the main characteristics of the IAS 36, the aim of this paper is to study the effects of IAS 36 application on financial disclosure via an empirical analysis. The level of disclosure regarding the impairment test is compared among the three indexes and is studied in greater depth (69 items). In the paper the focus is on disclosure since, as the scholars also agree, financial communication does not represent a neutral process but affects the behaviour of the recipients, and consequently that of the prepares. Consolidated financial reports of 2006 and 2007 have been analysed: empirical results confirm that there are a lot of differences in disclosure level among the three countries and between companies with and without an impairment loss.
Boosting Classification Based Similarity Learning by using Standard Distances

Metric learning has been shown to outperform standard classification based similarity learning in a number of different contexts. In this paper, we show that the performance of classification similarity learning strongly depends on the sample format used to learn the model. We also propose an enriched classification based set-up that uses a set of standard distances to supplement the information provided by the feature vectors of the training samples. The method is compared to state-of-the-art metric learning methods, using a linear SVM for classification. Results obtained show comparable performances, slightly in favour of the method
Revisit service classification to construct a customer‐oriented integrative service model

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to construct a customer‐oriented integrative service model based on the generic service process. Business strategies can then be formulated by using the model.Design/methodology/approach – The key classifying dimensions and their respective attributes are identified through literature reviews. Operational dimensions are formed by combining their attributes weighted by manager‐determined importance weights (IW). A generalized mathematical model is built to integrate the core services of a firm with customer‐based performance weight (PW). The integrative service model is constructed by combining the operational dimensions.Findings – The selected classification model covers knowledge, information and virtual space dimensions that most of the previous service‐process based model lack. The developed model is simpler to understand and to use for managers comparing to the other complicated mathematical models.Research limitations/implications – Empirical studies need to be .
Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Growth: The Role of Domestic Financial Sector

Recent theoretical and empirical literature suggests that foreign direct investment (FDI) exerted positive impact on economic growth through the process of technological diffusion. The literature also suggests that the development of the domestic financial system of the host country is an important pre-condition for FDI to have a positive impact on economic growth. A welldeveloped domestic financial sector enhances efficient allocation of financial resources and improves the absorptive capacity of a country with respect to FDI inflows. Particularly, a more developed financial system positively contributes to the process of technological diffusion associated with foreign direct investment. In this study, we examine the link between FDI, domestic financial sector, and economic growth for Pakistan over the period 1972–2005. Empirical analysis is based on the bound testing approach of cointegration advanced by Pesaran, et al. (2001). The results suggest that FDI inflows exerted positive impact on economic growth in the short-run and the long-run if the domestic financial system has achieved a certain minimum-level development. The results further suggest that better domestic financial conditions not only attract foreign companies to invest in Pakistan, but also allow maximising the benefits of foreign investment
Interaction behavior modeling of advanced driving assistance systems by using Petri net

An advanced driving assistance system (ADAS) becomes more and more important since it can improve driving safety. It is composed of a human driver and an automated system called co-pilot. To make it effective, the driver and co-pilot should properly cooperate. Hence, it is very important to define and model their cooperation behavior such that an ADAS can be effectively designed and realized. This paper presents a colored hybrid Petri net model to describe it. The model is shown to be deadlock-and-conflict-free. Therefore, it is useful for ADAS design, analysis, and simulation.
Rab1a and Multiple Other Rab Proteins Are Associated with the Transcytotic Pathway in Rat Liver*

To better understand the function of Rab1a, we have immunoisolated Rab1a-associated transport vesicles from rat liver using affinity-purified anti-Rab1a-coated magnetic beads. A fraction enriched in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to Golgi transport vesicles (CV2, ρ = 1.158) was subjected to immunoisolation, and proteins of the bound and non-bound subfractions were analyzed by Western blotting. To our surprise, we found that immunoisolated vesicles contained not only ER markers (105-kDa form of the polymeric IgA receptor (pIgAR)) but also transcytotic markers (dIgA and the 120-kDa form of pIgAR), suggesting that Rab1a is associated with transcytotic vesicles in rat liver. To investigate this possibility, we used an antibody to the cytoplasmic domain of pIgAR to immunoisolate transcytotic vesicles from a fraction (CV1, ρ = 1.146) known to be enriched in these vesicles. Rab1a was detected in the immunoadsorbed subfractions. The composition of the vesicles immunoisolated from the CV1 fraction on anti-Rab1a was similar to that of transcytotic vesicles immunoisolated from the same fraction on pIgAR. Both were enriched in transcytotic markers and depleted in ER and Golgi markers. The main difference between the two was that those isolated on anti-Rab1a appeared to be enriched in postendosomal transcytotic vesicles, whereas those isolated on pIgAR contained both pre- and postendosomal elements. Analysis of anti-Rab1a isolated vesicles using [α-32P]GTP overlay demonstrated the presence of multiple GTP-binding proteins. Some of these were identified by immunoblotting as epithelia-specific Rab17 and ubiquitous Rabs1b, −2, and −6. Taken together, these results indicate that: 1) Rab1a is associated with both ER to Golgi and postendosomal transcytotic vesicles, and 2) multiple GTP-binding proteins are associated with each class of isolated vesicle.
Single-Case and Small-n Experimental Designs

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A prospective study of minimal residual disease in childhood B‐lineage acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: MRD level at the end of induction is a strong predictive factor of relapse

We prospectively investigated minimal residual disease (MRD) in 51 children with B‐lineage acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) treated according to the Fralle 93 protocol. PCR follow‐up was performed in children in morphological and cytogenetic complete remission, provided an immunoglobulin (IgH) gene rearrangement could be detected using FR3/JH amplimers. MRD was studied according to our previously described methodology, with a few modifications including the use of a consensus JH probe to control for PCR efficiency variations.
Dynamics of NK cell interactions in vivo

Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes endowed with the capacity to survey and eliminate infected and transformed cells. Like T cells and B cells, NK cells fulfill their task by responding to soluble factors and to signals exchanged during cell‐cell contacts. In this respect, cellular interactions established by NK cells are critical at every stage of their life. They regulate their survival and tune their responsiveness in the periphery. They are also important during their activation and for the targeted delivery of their cytotoxic granules. With the help of two‐photon imaging, the occurrence and dynamics of these interactions as they occur in vivo are being uncovered. Interestingly, several of these initial observations were not predicted by in vitro studies and revealed the transient nature of many NK cell interactions. We review here our recent understanding of NK cell interactions in vivo at steady state, during inflammation, and during tumor elimination, emphasizing the similarities and differences with T cells.
Practicing Strategic Planning: In Search of Critical Features to Explain the Strategic Character of Plans

Abstract Strategic planning is “hot” in many places (cities, regions, etc.) today. And, the literature on strategic planning is expanding (Healey 2007; Balducci et al. 2011; Oosterlynck et al. 2011). As in traditional planning, there are different traditions of strategic planning and there is no one way or best way to do strategic planning. But to what extent are the (often self-proclaimed) strategic plans really strategic? To what extent are they different from traditional planning? The purpose of this paper is to examine some of the critical features that make these plans really strategic. We look at the reasons to embark on a strategic planning process; context: political, institutional, challenges ahead, problems, etc.; issues, actors, legal status of the plan in the official planning system; momentum, time frame of the plan, plan horizon, and the link with projects. In this way we intend to question and enrich our own view, in theory and in practice, of strategic planning, which we have constructed over the last decade (Albrechts 2004, 2006; Motte 2006; Balducci 2008).
Perspective role of goat milk and products: A review

Goats play a vital role in livestock industries and socio-economic structure of rural people. South Asian countries are major producers of goat milk, whereas, European countries are the most developed dairy goat industries. Goat milk contains higher amount of vitamins, minerals and lower amount of lactose than cow milk, which is beneficial for lactose intolerance patients. It also contains trace elements, enzymes, protein and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The unique characteristics of goat milk have been fairly surveyed regarding nutritional value and some health benefits. Goat milk and its products thereof may be useful for fast brain development, curing dengue fever, lactose intolerance, digestive utilization of fat, antiinflammatory, anti-carcinogenic properties, anti-microbial activity and less allergenic as an infant formula. Goat milk and goat milk based products are sold commercially, which purports numerous health benefits. Goat milk products other than cheeses are considered to be the dairy products with greatest marketing potential.
A Limited Rationality Model of Interlocking Directorates.

Conflicting models of interlocking directorates are examined, and a limited ratinality model is proposed as a more complete and accurate alternative. This model considers the costs, benefits, and limitations to optimal decision making concerning the creation of interlocking directorates from the viewpoints of (1) the participating directors, (2) the interlocking organizations, and (3) society. This framework is used to explain why interlocking directorates exist, to determine the net impact interlocks have on various constituencies, and to make predictions concerning their future use.
Hypermarket retail store efficiency in Portugal

This paper analyses the efficiency of individual retail stores belonging to a Portuguese multi‐market hypermarket retailing chain, employing data envelopment analysis (DEA). The use of DEA for the analysis of intra‐chain comparative store efficiency can be of value in examining the competitiveness of the chain as a whole. Competitiveness should be based on benchmarking the retail outlets which compose the chain. We conclude from our research that some outlets are at the frontier of best practice, while others are inefficient. Managerial implications arising from the study are considered.
Conjoint measurement of preferences for traditional cheeses in Lisbon

The study of consumers’ motivations, attitudes and preferences are of great importance for marketing strategy definitions when considering protected designation of origin (PDO) cheeses. Previous research, a survey on PDO cheese retailers, and in depth interviews with PDO cheese producers showed that: “price per kilo”, “cheese texture”, “unit of sale size” and “recognition as PDO” were the main attributes affecting preferences for cheeses in Greater Lisbon’s market. Conjoint analysis was used to estimate utilities for those attributes and to determine the existence of consumer groups with similar preference profiles. Results show that recognition as PDO is the most important attribute for the choice of traditional cheeses, followed by price, texture and unit of sale. Three groups of consumers were identified. The first accounts for 28 per cent of respondents who prefer creamy cheese and are not price‐sensitive. A second group is particularly price‐sensitive: it sums up to 16 per cent of respondents. Finally, representing 56 per cent, are those who value certification quality labels but are not willing to pay a premium price for it. The results found may encourage producers to adjust their marketing efforts to consider the different PDO cheese consumer segments.
Testicular stem cells for fertility preservation: Preclinical studies on male germ cell transplantation and testicular grafting

Spermatogonial stem cells open novel strategies for preservation of testicular tissue and fertility preservation in boys and men exposed to gonadotoxic therapies. This review provides an update on the physiology of spermatogonial stem cells in rodent and primate testes. Species‐specific differences must be considered when new technologies on testicular stem cells are considered. Germ cell transplantation is presented as one novel and promising strategy. Whereas this technique has become an important research tool in rodents, a clinical application must still be regarded as experimental and many aspects of the procedure need to be optimized prior to a safe and efficient clinical application in men. Testicular grafting opens another exciting strategy for fertility preservation. Autologous and xenologous transfer of immature tissue revealed a high regenerative potential of immature testicular tissue. Grafting was applied in rodents and primates and resulted in the generation of sperm. Further research is needed before an application in humans can be considered safe and efficient. Despite the current limitations in regard to the generation of sperm from cryopreserved male germline cells and tissues, protocols for cryopreservation of testicular tissue are available and reveal a promising outcome. Since future improvements of germ cell transplantation and grafting approaches can be assumed, bioptic retrieval and cryopreservation of testicular tissue fragments should be performed in oncological patients at high risk of fertility loss since this is their only option to maintain their fertility potential. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009;53:274–280. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Resolution of a Posttraumatic Pancreatic Pseudocyst with Octreotide Acetate in a Pediatric Patient

A pancreatic pseudocyst is a complication of abdominal trauma in pediatric patients. Octreotide acetate is an effective adjunct therapy used in combination with traditional surgical approaches. We describe a 19‐month‐old boy with a pancreatic pseudocyst secondary to blunt abdominal trauma who was successfully managed with octreotide acetate in combination with percutaneous drainage and the placement of a pancreatic stent. Octreotide acetate 1 μg/kg/hour was administered as a continuous intravenous infusion for 24 hours, followed by 2.5 μg/kg/dose every 12 hours subcutaneously for 11 days. The patient was discharged after the pseudocyst had resolved and oral feeding was restored. He had no recurrence of the pseudocyst. The published literature regarding octreotide acetate therapy for pediatric pancreatic pseudocysts is limited. Previously reported cases demonstrated successful resolution of pancreatic pseudocysts with varying doses of intravenous and subcutaneous octreotide acetate within 23–30 days; however, with our patient's regimen, along with surgical interventions, the pseudocyst resolved within 11 days. In addition, our patient's regimen involved higher doses of octreotide acetate given more frequently than those reported in the literature. This case report illustrates that use of higher octreotide acetate dosages may be a potential adjunct therapy to surgical interventions for the management of pancreatic pseudocysts in children.
GALL STONES ; FREQUENCIES OF GALL STONES IN THE PATIENTS ATTENDING SURGICAL OPD AT ISRA

Objectives: Recognition of various gall stones in the patients attending surgical OPD by biochemical analysis of gall stones. Study design: Cross sectional study. Place & duration of study: ISRA Hospital, Hyderabad and Institute of Biochemistry Sindh University Jamshoro. Duration of study was 18 months. Methods: Cases were patients with gall stones who were diagnosed on ultrasonography. Gall stone analysis was done from Institute of Biochemistry Sindh University Jamshoro. A total of sixty nine subjects were included in the study. Results: In the present study the mean Age was 35.81+ 8.12 years. Frequencies in different age groups are 15-24 (11.60%), 25-34 (24.64%), 35-44 (53.63%), 45-54 (8.69%), 55-64 (01.45%). Age distribution is shown in Graph III-1. In the present study 49(71.0%) were females and 20(29%) were males with the female to male ration of 2.45:1. gender distribution is shown in Graph III-2. In the present frequencies of different types of gall stones was, cholesterol stones 38(55.07%), pigmented stones 20(28.99%) and mixed type of stones 11(15.94%). Frequencies of different types of gall stones is shown in Graph III-3. Conclusions: In our study the frequency of cholesterol gall stone is more as compared to pigmented and mixed gall stones. A total of 55.07% of cholesterol gallstones were found in our study with the female predominance.