Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differential morphology of pyramidal tract‐type and intratelencephalically projecting‐type corticostriatal neurons and their intrastriatal terminals in rats

Two types of corticostriatal projection neurons have been identified: 1) one whose intrastriatal arborization arises as a collateral of a projection to the ipsilateral brainstem via the pyramidal tract (PT‐type); and 2) one that projects intratelencephalically to the cortex and striatum, in many cases bilaterally, but not extratelencephalically (IT‐type). To assess possible functional differences between these two neuron types, we characterized their laminar location in the cortex, their perikaryal size, and the morphology of their intrastriatal terminals. IT‐type neurons were retrogradely labeled by tetramethylrhodamine‐dextran amine (RDA)3k injection into the contralateral striatum, whereas their intrastriatal terminals were labeled anterogradely by biotinylated dextran amine (BDA)10k injection into the contralateral motor or primary somatosensory cortex. To label PT‐type neurons and their ipsilateral intrastriatal terminals retrogradely, BDA3k was injected into the pontine pyramidal tract. We found that IT‐type neuronal perikarya are medium‐sized (12–13 μm) and located in layer III and upper layer V, whereas PT‐type perikarya are larger (18–19 μm) and most commonly located in lower layer V. At the electron microscopic level, the intrastriatal terminals of both corticostriatal neuron types made asymmetric synaptic contact with spine heads and less frequently with dendrites. IT‐type axospinous terminals were characteristically small (0.4–0.5 μm) and regular in shape, whereas PT‐type terminals were typically large (0.8–0.9 μm) and often irregular in shape. Perforated postsynaptic densities were common for PT‐type terminals, but not IT‐type. The clear differences between these two corticostriatal neuron types in perikaryal size and laminar location in the cortex, and in the size and shape of their intrastriatal terminals, suggest that they may differ in the nature of their influence on the striatum. J. Comp. Neurol. 457:420–440, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Evaluating Effectiveness of Advertising on Sales: A Study Using Firm Level Data

There are different views about the role of advertising in an economy. The ultimate objective of advertising is to increase sales. This paper studies the effectiveness of advertising on sales using simple regression models and dummy variable regression models with a cross-section data set of 100 firms in India. The paper evaluates the effectiveness of advertising on sales separately for large firms and small firms, and for MNCs and Indian firms. The results show that advertising influences sales, though its relative effectiveness is not the same for all categories of firms.
A novel co‐infection model with Toxoplasma and Chlamydia trachomatis highlights the importance of host cell manipulation for nutrient scavenging

Toxoplasma and Chlamydia trachomatis are obligate intracellular pathogens that have evolved analogous strategies to replicate within mammalian cells. Both pathogens are known to extensively remodel the cytoskeleton, and to recruit endocytic and exocytic organelles to their respective vacuoles. However, how important these activities are for infectivity by either pathogen remains elusive. Here, we have developed a novel co‐infection system to gain insights into the developmental cycles of Toxoplasma and C. trachomatis by infecting human cells with both pathogens, and examining their respective ability to replicate and scavenge nutrients. We hypothesize that the common strategies used by Toxoplasma and Chlamydia to achieve development results in direct competition of the two pathogens for the same pool of nutrients. We show that a single human cell can harbour Chlamydia and Toxoplasma. In co‐infected cells, Toxoplasma is able to divert the content of host organelles, such as cholesterol. Consequently, the infectious cycle of Toxoplasma progresses unimpeded. In contrast, Chlamydia's ability to scavenge selected nutrients is diminished, and the bacterium shifts to a stress‐induced persistent growth. Parasite killing engenders an ordered return to normal chlamydial development. We demonstrate that C. trachomatisenters a stress‐induced persistence phenotype as a direct result from being barred from its normal nutrient supplies as addition of excess nutrients, e.g. amino acids, leads to substantial recovery of Chlamydia growth and infectivity. Co‐infection of C. trachomatis with slow growing strains of Toxoplasma or a mutant impaired in nutrient acquisition does not restrict chlamydial development. Conversely, Toxoplasma growth is halted in cells infected with the highly virulent Chlamydia psittaci. This study illustrates the key role that cellular remodelling plays in the exploitation of host intracellular resources by Toxoplasma and Chlamydia. It further highlights the delicate balance between success and failure of infection by intracellular pathogens in a co‐infection system at the cellular level.
Audit committee's propensity to challenge significant accounting estimates: the joint effects of audit report content and investor type

Drawing on two perspectives of accountability theory, this study experimentally examines the joint effect of audit report content and investor type (i.e., primary shareholders of the firm) on audit committee members’ propensity to challenge management’s significant accounting estimates. Findings indicate that audit committee members engage in the highest level of questioning when sophisticated investors are the primary shareholders of the firm and a standard, unqualified audit report is issued with no additional information about management’s significant accounting estimate. By contrast, their questioning level is significantly lower when unsophisticated investors are the primary shareholders of the firm and/or when the audit report includes an explanatory paragraph about management’s significant accounting estimate. Further analysis suggests this pattern of results is more pronounced for audit committee members who are designated as financial experts. These findings have implications in terms of both research and practice inasmuch as facets of a recent PCAOB Exposure Draft advocates for widespread and required usage of explanatory paragraphs in audit reports that, herein, decrease audit committee’s propensity to challenge management and/or auditors.
Myelin degrading activity in the CSF of HIV‐1-infected patients with neurological diseases

DEGRADATION of purified myelin basic protein (MBP) was studied by SDS gel electrophoresis after addition of CSF samples obtained from HIV-1-infected patients. An increase in MBP degradation was detected in patients with neurological complications, such as AIDS dementia complex (ADC) or progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), when compared with patients with no neurological symptoms (NA) or with other neurological opportunistic infections (OI). In the ADC, and PML patients, in addition to CSF proteolytic activity, an increase in CSF-MBP levels, and presence of white matter lesions were also observed by neuroimaging (MRI). In other opportunistic infections of the brain, MBP levels but not anti-MBP proteolytic activity increased. Results suggest the involvement of proteases in the virus-induced demyelination.
PENGARUH GAYA KEPEMIMPINAN TERHADAP MOTIVASI DAN DAMPAKNYA TERHADAP KINERJA SUMBER DAYA MANUSIA

PT Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk (PTBA) is a state-owned companies in the field of the largest coal mine in Indonesia. The purpose of this study was to determine how much influence the leadership style to employee motivation human resource Human Resources Division, how much influence employee motivation to employee performance Human Resources Division Human Resources Division and how much influence the style of Leadership Human Resources Division directly or indirectly against employees HR Human Resources Division office Tanjung Enim mining center unit PTBA. The method in this study is associative with the design of the study through the survey method by distributing questionnaires to the respondents by simple random sampling and data processed with SPSS 17.0 software. From the results of research studies can be explained that the leadership style that has a positive and significant impact on employee motivation high and low HR Division PTBA directly with the influence of (0.349) 2 = 12.18%, as well as motivation to have a positive and significant influence of high low level of employee performance PTBA Human Resources Division directly, further direct leadership style has positive and significant impact on employee performance PTBA Human Resources Division and influential leadership style indirectly through employee motivation to the Human Resources Division kenerja PTBA.
Identification of a H+/Glucose and Galactose Symporter Gene glt from Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae

We identified a glucose and galactose transporter gene from the plant‐pathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. Sequence analysis indicated that the gene, named glt, encoded a polypeptide of 592 amino acid residues and the product was significantly homologous with members of the Na+/glucose cotransporter (SGLT) family from mammalian and bacterial origin, especially with vSGLT from Vibrio parahaemolyticus (50% identity). GLT functioned as a glucose and galactose transporter in an Escherichia coli mutant deficient in glucose and galactose transport activity. A protonophore inhibited the transport activity, suggesting that GLT is a H+‐coupled glucose/galactose symporter.
Post-Issue Performance of IPOs in India

Initial Public Offers (IPOs) market is considered to be the safest way to invest in the stocks and it also assures profits due to underpricing. Therefore, it attracts every type of investors and very particularly the retail investors. However, gaps do appear in perceived profits and the actual profits. Expectations have been built around some sector stocks such as Public sector – considered as safe bet; Petrochemical and Infrastructure sector stocks – for assured long term appreciation; Finance and IT sector for quick profits, etc. This study is an attempt to capture the performance of IPOs across different sectors, over different time frames, to identify the performing sectors and the effect of the non-performing IPOs. Our results indicate that public sector stocks outperform all other sector stocks during short as well as long term period. Manufacturing sector stocks appear to be least performing stocks during short as well as long term duration. Further, if non-performing IPOs could be checked out, there would be substantial gains for the investors. We expect our study to serve as a guiding tool for retail investors to enable them to focus their investments.
Risk factors for financial hardship in patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer: a population-based exploratory analysis.

PURPOSE Characteristics that predispose patients to financial hardship during cancer treatment are poorly understood. We therefore conducted a population-based exploratory analysis of potential factors associated with financial hardship and treatment nonadherence during and following adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients diagnosed with stage III colon cancer between 2008 and 2010 were identified from a population-based cancer registry representing 13 counties in Washington state. Patients were asked to complete a comprehensive survey on treatment-related costs. Patients were considered to have experienced financial hardship if they accrued debt, sold or refinanced their home, borrowed money from friends or family, or experienced a 20% or greater decline in their annual income as a result of treatment-related expenses. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate factors associated with financial hardship and treatment nonadherence. RESULTS A total of 284 responses were obtained from 555 eligible patients (response rate, 51.2%). Nearly all patients in the final sample were insured during treatment. In this sample, 38% of patients reported one or more financial hardships as a result of treatment. The factors most closely associated with treatment-related financial hardship were younger age and lower annual household income. Younger age, lower income, and unemployment or disability (which occurred in most instances following diagnosis) were most closely associated with treatment nonadherence. CONCLUSION A significant proportion of patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer may experience financial hardship, despite having health insurance coverage. Interventions to help at-risk patients early on during therapy may prevent long-term financial adverse effects.
Respiratory health effects of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke

Abstract: Tobacco smoke is a major component of indoor air pollution. Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is prevalent worldwide despite growing awareness of its adverse health effects on non‐smokers. ETS contains the same toxic substances as identified in mainstream tobacco smoke. Cotinine (a metabolite of nicotine) can be measured in urine and serum of non‐smokers exposed to ETS and reflects the degree of exposure. In children, exposure to ETS leads to reduced lung function, increased risk of lower respiratory tract illnesses, acute exacerbation of asthma resulting in hospitalization, increased prevalence of non‐allergic bronchial hyperresponsiveness, increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and possibly increased risk for asthma. Exposure to ETS is responsible for excess cost to the family's financial resources and demands on health services. In adults, exposure to ETS is associated with increased risk of lung cancer, particularly in those with high exposure and acute and chronic respiratory symptoms that improve after the cessation of exposure. Healthcare providers should advocate for non‐smokers’ rights in the community and support legislation to limit tobacco exposure.
Managers, Firms and (Secret) Social Networks : The Economics of Freemasonry

This paper studies the relationships between managers’ a¢ liations with Freema- sonry and companies' performance. Using a unique data set of 410 companies quoted on the London Stock Exchange between 1895 and 1902, I find that Masonic managers were associated with greater access to credit in small and young companies whose se- curities where traded over the counter. These companies earned higher profits, but the effect is not statistically significant. On the other hand, large publicly quoted corpora- tions that were managed by Freemasons did not obtain greater access to credit; they had lower profiys and lower Tobin's Q. These findings help to understand how social networks are related to companies' performances. Although social networks help to resolve agency problems between lenders and borrowers in firms that have difficulties in obtaining debt finance, in larger publicly quoted companies they are associated with worse agency conflicts between managers and shareholders and with worse economic performance.
Student Empowerment In An Online Program

Given that online higher education is a competitive marketplace, this paper discusses how to ensure online student success. Within the online learning environment, the following may create the vitality of the online institution: (a) The online learning environment; (b) The role of the instructor; (c) Learning Communities; (d) Computer-mediated Communication Technologies; and (e) Policy and practice. These factors may be managed by the institution of higher education, the faculty member, or the learner; however, a commitment is needed by all stakeholders in the program.
Infectious Bursal Disease Virus VP3 Upregulates VP1-Mediated RNA-Dependent RNA Replication

ABSTRACT Genome replication is a critical step in virus life cycles. Here, we analyzed the role of the infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) VP3, a major component of IBDV ribonucleoprotein complexes, on the regulation of VP1, the virus-encoded RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Data show that VP3, as well as a peptide mimicking its C-terminal domain, efficiently stimulates the ability of VP1 to replicate synthetic single-stranded RNA templates containing the 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs) from the IBDV genome segments.
2-Arachidonyl glyceryl ether, an endogenous agonist of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor

Two types of endogenous cannabinoid-receptor agonists have been identified thus far. They are the ethanolamides of polyunsaturated fatty acids—arachidonoyl ethanolamide (anandamide) is the best known compound in the amide series—and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol, the only known endocannabinoid in the ester series. We report now an example of a third, ether-type endocannabinoid, 2-arachidonyl glyceryl ether (noladin ether), isolated from porcine brain. The structure of noladin ether was determined by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and was confirmed by comparison with a synthetic sample. It binds to the CB1 cannabinoid receptor (Ki = 21.2 ± 0.5 nM) and causes sedation, hypothermia, intestinal immobility, and mild antinociception in mice. It binds weakly to the CB2 receptor (Ki > 3 μM).
Essential Elements of Self-Help/Minimal Intervention Strategies for Smoking Cessation

Two decades of research suggest that self-help/minimal intervention strategies for smoking cessation* may be the preferred means by which smokers stop and can produce success rates approximating those of more formal programs, at lower cost and with greater access to relevant populations. In order to make the best possible use of these self-help/ minimal intervention approaches, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) supported a series of randomized, controlled intervention trials and, in June of 1988, convened an Expert Advisory Panel to address the question "What are the essential elements of self-help/ minimal intervention strategies for smoking cessation? ". The panel's recommendations were that: (1) Intervention efforts should focus on increasing smokers' motivations to make serious quit attempts; (2) Delivery of programs be broadened to include all smokers; (3) Programs be targeted to stages of cessation and specific populations; (4) All programs include (a) elements focused on health and social consequences of smoking, and (b) strategies and exercises aimed at quitting, maintenance of nonsmoking, relapse preven tion, and recycling; (5) Materials and programs be made widely available rather than "fine tuning" existing programs or developing new ones; and (6) Programs make use of specific adjunctive strategies. In this way, a reacceleration of the decline in smoking prevalence may be realized in the 1990s and significantly contribute to the NCI's Year 2000 goals and the Surgeon General's aim of a smoke-free society.
Debt Dilution and Maturity Structure of Sovereign Bonds

We develop a dynamic model of sovereign default and renegotiation to study how expectations of default and debt restructuring in the near future affect the ex ante maturity structure of sovereign debts. This paper argues that the average maturity is shorter when a country is approaching financial distress due to two risks: default risk and "debt dilution" risk. Long-term yield is generally higher than short-term yield to reflect the higher default risk incorporated in long-term debts. When default risk is high and long-term debt is too expensive to afford, the country near default has to rely on short-term debt. The second risk, "debt dilution" risk, is the focus of this paper. It arises because there is no explicit seniority structure among different sovereign debts, and all debt holders are legally equal and expect to get the same haircut rate in the post-default debt restructuring. Therefore, new debt issuances around crisis reduce the amount that can be recovered by existing earlier debt-holders in debt restructuring, and thus ``dilute'' existing debts. As a result, investors tend to hold short-term debt which is more likely to mature before it is "diluted" to avoid the "dilution" risk. Model features non-contingent bonds of two maturities, endogenous default and endogenous hair cut rate in a debt renegotiation after default. We show that ``debt dilution'' effect is always present and is more severe when default risk is high. When default is a likely event in the near future, both default risk and ``dilution'' risk drive the ex ante maturity of sovereign debts to be shorter. In a quantitative analysis, we try to calibrate the model to match various features of the recent crisis episode of Argentina. In particular, we try to account for the shifts in maturity structure before crisis and the volatility of long-term and short-term spreads observed in the prior default episode of Argentina
The relationship between economic value added, return on assets, and return on equity with market value added in Tehran stock Exchange (TSE)

This study aim is to examine the relationship between economic value added (EVA, return on assets (ROA), and return on equity (ROE) with market value added (MVA) in Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE). The sample involves 87 non - financial companies listed in Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) over the period 2004–2008. Pearson correlation coefficient and regression method was employed to analysis the scondary data. The results indicated there are meaningful correlation between EVA, and ROE with MVA, but there is not meaningful association between ROA and MVA.
Corporate Governance and Earnings Management

This study investigates whether a firm's corporate governance practices have an effect on the quality of its publicly released financial information. In particular, we examine the relationship between audit committee and board of directors characteristics and the extent of corporate earnings management as measured by the level of positive and negative discretionary accruals. Using two groups of US firms, one with relatively high and one with relatively low levels of discretionary accruals in the year 1996, we find that earnings management is significantly associated with some of the governance practices by audit committees and boards of directors. For audit committees, income increasing earnings management is negatively associated with a larger proportion of outside members who are not managers in other firms, a clear mandate for overseeing both the financial statements and the external audit, and a committee composed only of independent directors that meets more than twice a year. We also find that short-term stocks options held by non-executive committee members are associated with income increasing earnings management. Income decreasing earnings management is negatively associated with the presence of at least a member with financial expertise and a clear mandate for overseeing both the financial statements and the external audit. For the board of directors, we find less income increasing earnings management in firms whose outside board members have experience as board members with the firm and with other firms. We also find that larger board, the importance of the ownership stakes in the firm held by non-executive directors, and experience as board members seems to reduce income decreasing earnings management. Our results provide evidence that effective boards and audit committees constrain earnings management activities. These findings have implications for regulators, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as they attempt to supervise firms whose financial reporting is in the gray area between legitimacy and outright fraud and where earnings statements reflect the desires of management rather than the underlying financial performance of the company, as pointed out by the Blue Ribbon Committee (1999).