Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Electrophoretic, biosensor, and bioactivity analyses of perlecans of different cellular origins

Three cellular sources of perlecan were examined in this study, namely human umbilical arterial endothelial cells (HUAEC), a transformed human umbilical venous endothelial cell line (C 1 1 STH) and a human colon carcinoma cell line (WiDr). Perlecans were immunopurified from conditioned media of the above cells and the purity of the perlecan preparations was examined by composite agarose polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (CAPAGE) and semidry immunoblotting with monoclonal antibodies directed to either the perlecan core protein (mAb A76) or heparan sulphate (HS) side‐chain (mAb10E4). The ability of each perlecan species to bind fibroblast growth factor‐l (FGF‐1) was examined using a biosensor (BIAcore). The bioactivity of perlecan FGF‐1 interactions was also analysed using BaF3 cells transfected with fibroblast growth factor receptors FGFR1b and 1c. CAPAGE demonstrated subtle differences between the perlecans, indicating they had differing charge to mass ratios with C 11 STH perlecan being slightly more mobile in CAPAGE than the HUAEC and WiDr sample. BIAcore biosensor analysis demonstrated distinct differences in the ability of perlecan preparations to bind FGF‐1; HUAEC and C 11 STH perlecan showed similar high binding responses as compared to WiDr perlecan, which bound FGF‐1 very poorly. Binding of FGF‐1 to endothelial perlecans was shown to be HS‐dependent. Interestingly, HUAEC perlecan stimulated the growth of FGFR1b and FGFR1c expressing cells in the presence of FGF‐1 comparable to heparin, whereas C 11 STH perlecan showed only very limited stimulation of FGFR 1b cells and was incapable of stimulating FGFR1c cells. WiDr perlecan exhibited no stimulation of growth in either cell line. Collectively the data presented herein indicate that. different cell types express perlecans which vary in the growth factor binding capabilities, which may suggest differences in their HS chain substructure. This may represent a subtle mechanism whereby cells can modulate the responsiveness of perlecan to a range of biologically important ligands and thus in a broader context may have important implications for cell signalling.
Factors influencing consumer perceptions of brand trust online

Unlike the traditional bricks‐and‐mortar marketplace, the online environment includes several distinct factors that influence brand trust. As consumers become more savvy about the Internet, the author contends they will insist on doing business with Web companies they trust. This study examines how brand trust is affected by the following Web purchase‐related factors: security, privacy, brand name, word‐of‐mouth, good online experience, and quality of information. The author argues that not all e‐trust building programs guarantee success in building brand trust. In addition to the mechanism depending on a program, building e‐brand trust requires a systematic relationship between a consumer and a particular Web brand. The findings show that brand trust is not built on one or two components but is established by the interrelationships between complex components. By carefully investigating these variables in formulating marketing strategies, marketers can cultivate brand loyalty and gain a formidable competitive edge.
Epstein-Barr Virus–Associated Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and Local Polymorphic B-Cell Lymphoproliferative Disorder in a Patient With HIV Disease

A rare case report of HIV-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma concurrent with local polymorphic B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder is reported and discussed on the ground of the most recent literature evidences. Only very few reports of nasopharyngeal carcinoma have been described until now in patients infected with HIV (one case in adults), and a coexisting lymphoid cell proliferation with a concurrent role of Epstein-Barr virus in prompting both disorders was never reported to date. The relevant pathogenetic, diagnostic, and therapeutic questions raised by this infrequent intriguing association retrieved in a patient with prominent HIV-related immunodeficiency are focused on.
Creating satisfaction in the demand‐supply chain: the buyers' perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this research paper is to analyze the concept of satisfaction in firm‐supplier relationships.Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative approach is considered in the study. The paper offers a set of scales to analyze the main antecedents of the relationship quality concept. Causal relations are also analyzed by testing a model based on structural equations.Findings – Cooperation, communication, trust and adaptation to expectations explain satisfaction. Proposals for further research related to commitment and long‐term orientation of supply relationships are also included.Research limitations/implications – This paper takes the Spanish context as reference. Generalization of the conclusions should begin with a previous analysis to consider the similarities and differences between contexts. The data of the research are based on the buyer's perspective.Practical implications – Suppliers are able to identify elements affecting satisfaction. In order to establish lasting relationship.
Potential to alter the content and composition of milk fat through nutrition.

Nutritional manipulation of the rumen ecosystem provides a strategy to alter the content and composition of milk fat. Dietary fat supplements affect the content and composition of milk fat. The magnitude of changes is influenced by the degree of protection; as protection increases, the deleterious effects fatty acids on microbial activity decreases, and biohydrogenation of C18 unsaturated fatty acids is reduced. In addition, change is influenced by the transfer of dietary fat into milk, which is related to fatty acid composition, degree of ruminal metabolism, and efficiency of digestion. A cascade of metabolic events involving specific nutrients (e.g., trans fatty acids and cyclopropene acids) occurs that regulates the activity of key enzymes in pathways of endogenous fat synthesis within the mammary gland. When cattle are fed oilseeds (e.g., canola and cotton) with > 75% protection from biohydrogenation, the proportion of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids is changed, and the fat content of milk is increased. Human consumption of dairy products containing elevated proportions of C18 mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids reduces the content of cholesterol in plasma low density lipoproteins. These fat-modified dairy products are more susceptible to autoxidation, which can be controlled by including vitamin E in the diet of lactating cow. These products also have much less solid fat, which improves spreadability of butter. By protecting different oilseeds from ruminal metabolism, demands for energy can be satisfied while producing milk fat that can be designed for consumer and manufacturing requirements.
The need for trial identifiers

SUMMARY The medical literature is distorted by publication bias, duplicate publication and under-reporting of clinical trials. This can create problems in systematic reviews and meta-analysis which are increasingly used as the basis for evidence-based guidelines and therefore for treatment decisions. Various schemes for identifying trials and their associated publications are reviewed. These include trial registers and trial numbering systems. The inclusion of trial identifiers in all publications could greatly enhance the value of the medical literature and increase the robustness of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
Pilot study assessing the effectiveness of long-lasting permethrin-impregnated clothing for the prevention of tick bites.

INTRODUCTION Tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and ehrlichiosis are a significant concern for many thousands of workers who have frequent and unavoidable exposure to tick-infested habitats. Many North Carolina state employees with outdoor occupations report multiple tick bites each year, indicating that existing tick preventive strategies may be underutilized or ineffective. Treatment of clothing with permethrin, a nontoxic chemical with insecticidal, knockdown, and repellent properties, is highly effective against ticks. However, most permethrin products must be reapplied after several washings to maintain insecticidal activity. Recently, a factory-based method for long-lasting permethrin impregnation of clothing has been developed by Insect Shield, Inc., that allows clothing to retain insecticidal activity for over 70 washes. METHODS A nonrandomized open label pilot study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of Insect Shield-treated clothing for the prevention of tick bites among 16 outdoor workers from the North Carolina Division of Water Quality under actual field conditions. Participants completed questionnaires at the start of follow-up (March, 2008) and at the end of follow-up (September, 2008), and tick bites and outdoor work hours were reported on weekly tick bite logs for the entire follow-up period. RESULTS Subjects wearing Insect Shield-treated clothing had a 93% reduction (p < 0.0001) in the total incidence of tick bites compared to subjects using standard tick bite prevention measures. CONCLUSION This study provides preliminary evidence that long-lasting permethrin-impregnated clothing may be highly effective against tick bites.
NAD and ADP‐ribose metabolism in mitochondria

Mitochondrial metabolism is intimately connected to the universal coenzyme NAD. In addition to its role in redox reactions of energy transduction, NAD serves as substrate in regulatory reactions that lead to its degradation. Importantly, all types of the known NAD‐consuming signalling reactions have been reported to take place in mitochondria. These reactions include the generation of second messengers, as well as post‐translational protein modifications such as ADP‐ribosylation and protein deacetylation. Therefore, the availability and redox state of NAD emerged as important factors in the regulation of mitochondrial metabolism. Molecular mechanisms and targets of mitochondrial NAD‐dependent protein deacetylation and mono‐ADP‐ribosylation have been established, whereas poly‐ADP‐ribosylation and NAD‐derived messenger generation in the organelles await in‐depth characterization. In this review, we highlight the major NAD‐dependent reactions occurring within mitochondria and describe their metabolic and regulatory functions. We also discuss the metabolic fates of the NAD‐degradation products, nicotinamide and ADP‐ribose, and how the mitochondrial NAD pool is restored.
Analysis on the measurement of sound value model for investment real estates

In accordance with the new accounting standards as well as foreign models on the sound value of the relevant provisions,and we make a comparative analysis on the sound value measurement of the investment real estates.In view of the problems that exist in the sound value measurement of the investment real estates we propose measures and recommendations:strengthen the framework research of the sound value;establish system info of the present value and the sound value measurement;establish a fair market to investment real estates transaction;and increase the supervision of the sound value measurement and disclosure.
Follicle stimulating hormone-beta subunit gene is expressed in parallel with a transcription factor Ad4BP/SF-1 in human pituitary adenomas.

OBJECTIVES A transcription factor Ad4BP/SF-1 is implicated in the differentiation of gonadotrophs in the pituitary gland, but it is not known whether human pituitary cells express this factor. The present study aimed to disclose (1) whether human pituitary adenomas express Ad4BP/SF-1, and (2) if this is the case, what kinds of adenoma express the factor. MATERIAL Total RNA was extracted from 23 pituitary adenomas obtained by transsphenoidal surgery, and subjected to Northern blot analyses using cDNAs of bovine Ad4BP/SF-1, porcine FSH-beta, LH-beta and glycoprotein hormone-alpha (GPH-alpha) subunts as radiolabelled probes. These adenomas included 13 clinically non-functioning adenomas, 1 GH/PRL-producing adenoma, 6 GH-producing adenomas, 2 PRL-producing adenomas and 1 ACTH-producing adenoma. RESULTS The expression of Ad4BP/SF-1 exactly coincided with the expression of FSH-beta. Thus 5 out of 13 clinically non-functioning adenomas expressed Ad4BP/SF-1 and only these 5 adenomas expressed FSH-beta. Interestingly, only one of the GH-producing adenomas also expressed Ad4BP/SF-1 as well as FSH-beta. GPH-alpha was expressed in 4 non-functioning adenomas and 2 hormonally functioning adenomas, but did not necessarily coincide with Ad4BP/SF-1 expression. None of the 23 adenomas we tested expressed LH-beta, probably because LH-beta-producing adenomas are rather rare. CONCLUSIONS The expression of FSH-beta was parallel with Ad4BP/SF-1 expression, indicating that the expression of Ad4BP/SF-1 is restricted to cells derived from gonadotroph lineages in human pituitary adenomas.
Conceptualizing a relationship management capability

The call for marketing practitioners and academics alike to move relationship marketing’s dyadic perspective into a multi-firm network context is building momentum. As network forms of organizing work expand, organizations will need to build their capability to leverage not only their customer assets but also the value-creating knowledge and innovation assets spanning multiple relationships within their business network form. Drawing on theories of evolutionary economics, resource advantage, organizational learning, and organizational capabilities, a model of a relationship management capability is conceptualized. The relationship management capability, combining both functional and integrative capabilities, is represented through second order constructs of relationship infrastructure capability, relationship learning capability and relationship behavioral capability.
An Empirical Study of the Split-share Structure Reform and Corporate Governance

The split-share structure reform cause a fundamental change to China's capital market.Many researches have unanimously affirmed its positive role.Whether the split-share structure reform has improved the corporate governance of China's listed companies? Using the principal component analysis,we construct the Corporate Governance Index(CGI) including the controlling shareholder,board of directors,managers,the information disclosure in four dimensions,then we analysis the role of the split-share structure reform on Corporate Governance Index.The empirical results find that:①The split-share structure reform has significantly improved the corporate governance of listed companies;②Within the four dimensions of corporate governance,the split-share structure reform have the most notable influence on the controlling shareholder;③Those companies having the ultimate ownership of the state-owned shares and those companies having the concentrated ownership have a bigger improvement on corporate governance;④Considering the stage of the split-share structure reform,after we control the self-selection of the sample,we find the effects of the reform are gradually manifested,those companies implemented the reform have a bigger improvement on corporate governance than those companies haven't implemented it.
Randomized trial of letrozole following tamoxifen as extended adjuvant therapy in receptor-positive breast cancer: updated findings from NCIC CTG MA.17.

BACKGROUND Most recurrences in women with breast cancer receiving 5 years of adjuvant tamoxifen occur after 5 years. The MA.17 trial, which was designed to determine whether extended adjuvant therapy with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole after tamoxifen reduces the risk of such late recurrences, was stopped early after an interim analysis showed that letrozole improved disease-free survival. This report presents updated findings from the trial. METHODS Postmenopausal women completing 5 years of tamoxifen treatment were randomly assigned to a planned 5 years of letrozole (n = 2593) or placebo (n = 2594). The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS); secondary endpoints included distant disease-free survival, overall survival, incidence of contralateral tumors, and toxic effects. Survival was examined using Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank tests. Planned subgroup analyses included those by axillary lymph node status. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS After a median follow-up of 30 months (range = 1.5-61.4 months), women in the letrozole arm had statistically significantly better DFS and distant DFS than women in the placebo arm (DFS: hazard ratio [HR] for recurrence or contralateral breast cancer = 0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.45 to 0.76; P < .001; distant DFS: HR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.43 to 0.84; P = .002). Overall survival was the same in both arms (HR for death from any cause = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.57 to 1.19; P = .3). However, among lymph node-positive patients, overall survival was statistically significantly improved with letrozole (HR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.38 to 0.98; P = .04). The incidence of contralateral breast cancer was lower in women receiving letrozole, but the difference was not statistically significant. Women receiving letrozole experienced more hormonally related side effects than those receiving placebo, but the incidences of bone fractures and cardiovascular events were the same. CONCLUSION Letrozole after tamoxifen is well-tolerated and improves both disease-free and distant disease-free survival but not overall survival, except in node-positive patients.
The Effects of Shared Consumption on Product Life Cycles and Advertising Effectiveness: The Case of the Motion Picture Market

Consumers frequently consume hedonic products together with other consumers and derive value from this shared experience. This article investigates the impact of shared consumption, a type of social influence that determines the enjoyment of joint experiences, in the context of a typical hedonic product: movies. The authors argue that this type of influence has important consequences for the diffusion curves of hedonic goods that are consumed together and the effectiveness of advertising in generating launch and postlaunch sales. An empirically validated agent-based model simulates the U.S. motion picture market, with new movies launching, competing, and exiting. The agent-based model serves as a means to demonstrate the essential role of shared consumption for explaining movie life cycles and tests how advertising expenditures accelerate and/or acquire movies’ demand in markets with varying levels of shared consumption. The results provide key theoretical insights for the new product diffusion of hedonic products and help managers predict the financial consequences of their strategic decisions.
Update on Plastid Proteomics in Higher Plants Plastid Proteomics in Higher Plants : Current State and Future Goals 1

Plastids are plant cell organelles with many essential functions in plant metabolism. Among these are photosynthesis, amino acid and fatty acid biosynthesis, as well as the synthesis of several secondary metabolites. All plastids originate from undifferentiated proplastids, which are restricted to meristematic tissues and undifferentiated cells. Depending on the tissue, proplastids can develop into different plastid types (e.g. amyloplasts in storage tissue, chloroplasts in photosynthetic tissues, and chromoplasts in fruits and flowers). Other specialized plastid types include gerontoplasts, the plastids of senescent leaves that are important for resource allocation, oleoplasts, which are oil storage plastids in olive (Olea europaea), and etioplasts, the final stage of proplastid development in photosynthetic tissues in the dark (Wise, 2006). Finally, plastid types can possibly specialize to different degrees depending on cell type, developmental state, and (a)biotic conditions. An extreme case are the highly specialized C4 chloroplasts in bundle-sheath and mesophyll cells in the maize (Zea mays) leaf, with strong differences in proteome composition (Friso et al., 2010). With the ability to develop and differentiate, plastids add versatile biosynthetic capacity to the plant cell and are responsible for unique biosynthetic pathways that make plants unrivaled biochemical factories that are essential for life on earth. Thus, significant research efforts are underway that aim at understanding plastid biology in depth. A decade ago, the first plastid proteomics study was published and the potential of plastid proteomics was outlined (van Wijk, 2000). Since then, proteomics of plastids and plant (sub)proteomes has delivered on its promise. Here, we provide an update on the current status of plastid proteome research a decade after the first reports. ADVANCES IN PLASTID PROTEOMICS AND PROTEOMICS TECHNOLOGY
Eamiys management and audit quality in Spaiu: un empirical study

Earnings management is currently considered a very interesting topic. There exists a very extensive Anglo-Saxon literature on audit, and particularly, on audit quality as a mechanism that constrains those practices. The aim of this paper is to investigate earnings management in Spain by using discretionary-accruals models in order to determine whether high audit quality is able to constrain those practices. Additionally, we also analyse other factors that are related to accruals. Evidence suggests income smoothing is a pervasive phenomenon among listed Spanish firms although unlike the Anglo-Saxon context, earnings management is not limited by audit quality.
Proprioceptive Feedback and Intrinsic Motivations in Early-Vocal Development

This work introduces new results on early-vocal development in infants and machines using artificial intelligent agents. It is addressed using the perspective of intrinsically-motivated learning algorithms for autonomous exploration. The agent autonomously selects goals to explore its own sensorimotor system in regions where a certain competence measure is maximized. Unlike previous experiments, we propose to include a somatosensory model to provide a proprioceptive feedback to reinforce learning. We argue that proprioceptive feedback will drive the learning process more efficiently than algorithms taking into account only auditory feedback. Considering the proprioceptive feedback to generate a constraint model, which is unknown beforehand to the learner, guarantees that the agent is less prone to selecting goals that violated the system constraints in previous experiments.
Channels activated by stretch in neurons of a helix snail.

Single-channel recordings from central neurons of the helix snail, Cepaea nemoralis, revealed two types of channels that could be activated by stretch (i.e., by the membrane deformation produced when suction is applied to the patch pipette). One, a K+ channel (58 pS in physiological solution), was evident in excised and cell-attached patches. Its conductance in symmetrical [K+] solutions indicated a channel of high K+ permeability (PK = 3.4 x 10(-13) cm/s). Though osmoregulation has been suggested as a function for such channels, comparisons among molluscs indicate osmotic milieu does not govern their expression; Cepaea is terrestrial, and stretch-activated K+ channels similar to those described here occur in aquatic and marine molluscs. The second type of channel, observed only in excised patches, was Cl- permeant; it had a large conductance (130 pS) and was inactive prior to patch excision. Membrane tension may not be the physiological activator of either the K+ or Cl- channel; the channels are designated as stretch-activated channels on the basis of their experimental behaviour during single-channel recording.