Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fostering the Corporate Bond Market in Pakistan

A well functioning corporate bond market is an important component of financial sector development of an emerging economy. This paper gives an overview of the corporate bond market in Pakistan and compares it to the international market. It also identifies some impediments to corporate bond market development including: crowding out by government borrowing, administrative barriers and lack of liquidity in the corporate bond market. Finally, the paper concludes with some discussion on future prospects and policy recommendations for corporate bond market development in Pakistan.
The Potential of Small Tourism Operators in the Promotion of Pro-Poor Tourism

South Africa, like many developing countries, views tourism as a panacea to the evils of poverty that bedevil the country's rural African communities. Whilst there has been substantial growth in the tourism sector since 1994, the anticipated benefits have not materialized for those most in need of an improved quality of life. Work undertaken in the field of pro-poor tourism focuses predominantly on the large tourism actors and their potential role in the alleviation of poverty through the development of sustainable supply chains and joint venture arrangements. The role that could be played by the myriad small operators, who collectively comprise the bulk of the South African tourism industry, has largely been ignored. This article argues that greater attention should be paid to the cumulative potential of small tourism operators to play a significant role in the alleviation of poverty through tourism to the mutual benefit of both operators and local communities.
Effects of a novel cognition-enhancing agent on fetal ethanol-induced learning deficits.

BACKGROUND Drinking during pregnancy has been associated with learning disabilities in affected offspring. At present, there are no clinically effective pharmacotherapeutic interventions for these learning deficits. Here, we examined the effects of ABT-239, a histamine H₃ receptor antagonist, on fetal ethanol-induced fear conditioning and spatial memory deficits. METHODS AND RESULTS Long-Evans rat dams stably consumed a mean of 2.82 g ethanol/kg during a 4-hour period each day during pregnancy. This voluntary drinking pattern produced a mean peak serum ethanol level of 84 mg/dl. Maternal weight gain, litter size and birth weights were not different between the ethanol-consuming and control groups. Female adult offspring from the control and fetal alcohol-exposed (FAE) groups received saline or 1 mg ABT-239/kg 30 minutes prior to fear conditioning training. Three days later, freezing time to the context was significantly reduced in saline-treated FAE rats compared to control. Freezing time in ABT-239-treated FAE rats was not different than that in controls. In the spatial navigation study, adult male offspring received a single injection of saline or ABT-239 30 minutes prior to 12 training trials on a fixed platform version of the Morris Water Task. All rats reached the same performance asymptote on Trials 9 to 12 on Day 1. However, 4 days later, first-trial retention of platform location was significantly worse in the saline-treated FAE rats compared control offspring. Retention by ABT-239-treated FAE rats was similar to that by controls. ABT-239's effect on spatial memory retention in FAE rats was dose dependent. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that ABT-239 administered prior to training can improve retention of acquired information by FAE offspring on more challenging versions of hippocampal-sensitive learning tasks. Further, the differential effects of ABT-239 in FAE offspring compared to controls raises questions about the impact of fetal ethanol exposure on histaminergic neurotransmission in affected offspring.
Integrating cross-cultural psychiatry into the study of mental health disparities.

Snowden’s article in the February issue of the Journal presents a comprehensive review of the literature regarding the role that practitioners’ bias plays in the development of racial and ethnic disparities in the current mental health system.1 Missing from this review is the growing literature that directly examines the role that culture plays in the expression, presentation, and course of mental illnesses.2–4 The integration of this body of work into the current discussion of mental health disparities in service use and quality of care can help clarify and expand our understanding of the sociocultural processes that create these inequities. For instance, Good, in a critical review of the literature on cultural issues related to diagnosis and comorbidity,5 specifies 3 key areas of research that can help address the gaps identified by Snowden. First, supplement experimental studies that identify factors related to clinician bias with ethnographic studies to elucidate how local cultural and institutional contexts influence illness narratives. Such studies could directly examine how the context in which clinician-client interactions occur influences diagnostic and treatment decisions. Second, pay attention to how presentation of symptoms and expression of disorders vary across cultures. There is a rich literature in cross-cultural psychiatry that examines how illnesses are organized and expressed in local idioms and how these organizations and expressions may affect help-seeking behaviors and service use.3,4,6 Third, test the validity of diagnostic categories across patient populations. Literature dealing with this issue has revealed how different ethnic groups present different symptoms for the same disorder7 or present culturally bound clusters of symptoms.8 A multidisciplinary approach that combines epidemiological, clinical, and anthropological data can produce a better empirical base for determining the roots of mental health disparities and can inform the translation of this knowledge into practice to eliminate inequities in service use and quality of care.
Cytoreductive surgery followed by intra peritoneal hyperthermic perfusion in the treatment of peritoneal surface malignancies: morbidity and mortality with closed abdomen technique.

AIMS The purpose of this phase II study was to analyze the morbidity and mortality of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) + intraperitoneal hyperthermic perfusion (IPHP) in the treatment of peritoneal surface malignancies. PATIENTS AND METHODS One hundred and sixty four patients (36 ovarian cancer, 32 abdominal sarcomatosis, 34 peritoneal mesothelioma, 36 pseudomyxoma peritonei, 12 gastric cancer, 8 colon adenocarcinoma and 8 from other origins) underwent 166 procedures. Two patients underwent the intervention twice due to disease relapse. The mean follow-up was 20.6 months (range: 0.4 - 91.3). The mean age was 52 years (range: 24-76). CRS was performed with peritonectomy procedures. IPHP through Closed abdominal technique was conducted with preheated (42.5 degrees) perfusate containing cisplatin+mitomycin C or cisplatin+doxorubicin for 60/90 minutes. RESULTS grade 3/4 morbidity rate was 12.0%. Some frequent post-operatory complications were intestinal fistulas (17), respiratory (5) and abdominal bleeding (4). Multivariate analysis with logistic regression model with the backward elimination method identified carcinomatosis extension (OR: 5.3, CI95%: 1.2-24.5) as the best predictor of morbidity grade 3/4. Four patients presented grade 3/4 toxicity. Operative mortality rate was 0.6%. CONCLUSIONS CRS+ IPHP presented acceptable morbidity 3/4 toxicity and mortality rates what support the need to be tested in prospective phase III clinical trial.
The role of cultural capital towards the development of a sustainable business model for design firm internationalization

This paper reports the results of three case studies of firms involved with design for the built environment who have been working in international markets for more than two decades. The first two firms are architectural practices and the third is a construction firm which designs and constructs. Their markets are diverse and their strategies have evolved over the two decades. There are numerous differences between countries including cultural, social, project governance structures, regulatory, procurement strategies, terminology, codes, etc. What is it that makes these firms able to develop sustainable business models in internationalisation? A grounded theory approach was used to examine the three case studies and develop a reflexive capability model drawing from the sociological theory of reflexivity to interpret the characteristics of the firms' ability to be able to adapt different international conditions. Twenty-two interviews were conducted across the three firms. Results indicated that sustainable business models rely upon the management of social, cultural and intellectual capital. The strategic management of capital leads to the development of increasing reflexive capability within the processes related to internationalisation. Reflexive capability is a characteristic of the three successful case study firms internationalising and working within global models of practice. This paper focuses on the role of cultural capital in a reflexive capability model for sustainable internationalisation.
Hierarchy of Demand and Participation of Financial Markets:Does Life Cycle Effects Exist in Household Financial Behavior?——Empirical Analysis Based on China Households

It is found that the characteristic of hierarchy in households' participation in different kinds of financial markets is significant,which is affected by factors such as income level,life cycle and financial products abundance from micro- survey of household in China. Viewed from this,the effect of life cycle in household participation in financial markets is not significant. In order to attract more households participating financial markets,starting from the hierarchy of households financial demand,the pyramid of households financial demand should be fixed with internal structure optimizing and households should get more benefits from the development of financial markets.
A contingency model of behavioural intentions in a services context

Numerous studies have shown customer satisfaction to be the crucial antecedent of perhaps the most important constructs in marketing – loyalty and customer retention. However the satisfaction→customer retention linkage is not as simple as it might first seem. This study examines the impact of switching barriers as potential moderators of the satisfaction→customer retention linkage. The results show that across each industry studied, the satisfaction→repeat purchase link is stronger under conditions of low switching barriers, and weaker when switching barriers are perceived to be higher, thus supporting a contingency model of customer retention.
The Importance of a Network Disaster Recovery Plan

Network disaster recovery plans (DRPs) are just emerging as a business issue. The need to make contingency plans in case of a computer disaster, or major disruptions to the network, is a vital part of corporate strategy. Discusses the roles that users, IT management and staff must play. Identifies users as responsible directly for the problem of security and for establishing the levels of security; whereas IT management staff must be responsible for the availability of IT. Highlights what measures can be taken to set up network DRPs, although advises against too complex strategies and plans, and emphasizes easy‐to‐maintain strategies. Concludes that a corporate policy must be developed to accommodate all the changes needed in selecting an appropriate DRP.
Identification of a partial oil palm polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein (EgPGIP) gene and its expression during basal stem rot infection caused by Ganoderma boninense.

Basal stem rot disease (BSR) is a common and serious fungal disease of the oil palm caused by Ganoderma boninense . This fungal disease infects thousands of hectares of plantings in Southeast Asia every year causing not only yield but also tree losses. A natural plant self defence mechanism against fungal infection is the production of fungal resistance protein. A fungal resistance gene that has been reported previously in other monocotyledonous plants such as rice and barley is polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein ( PGIP ) gene, a plant defence cell wall glycoprotein that has been shown to inhibit the activity of fungal endopolygalacturonase (endo-PGs) and modulate their activity and has the potential to be developed as a disease or resistance biomarker for the oil palm. The identification and isolation of this gene in oil palm allowed for the study of its differential expression during the fungal infection. The oil palm PGIP gene ( EgPGIP ) has between 60-100% similarities with the database sequence of PGIP from other monocotyledons. Interestingly, we found that the expression of EgPGIP gene measured using Real-Time PCR showed that the expression level of EgPGIP in infected oil palm was temporally down regulated. The results suggest that, down regulation of the EgPGIP is related to the establishment of infection by G. boninense . Keywords : Polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein, basal stem root, ganoderma infection, oil palm
E¢ cient Exclusion

In an important paper, Aghion and Bolton (1987) argue that a buyer and a seller may agree on high liquidation damages in order to extract rents from future suppliers. As this may distort future trade, it may be socially wasteful. We argue that Aghion and Bolton’s’analysis is incomplete in some respects, as they do not model the entry of new suppliers. We construct a model where entry is costly, so that entering suppliers have to earn a quasi-rent in order to recoup the entry cost. Reducing an entrant’s pro…ts by the help of a breach penalty then reduces the probability of entry in the …rst place, thus making a breach penalty less attractive for the contracting parties. We show that the initial buyer and seller only have incentives to include a breach penalty if there is excessive entry without it. Forcing the initial buyer and seller to eliminate the breach penalty reduces welfare.
Physician-patient interaction for smoking cessation medications: a dance of mutual accommodation?

OBJECTIVE To study physician-smoker interactions around the receipt of smoking cessation medication prescriptions to better understand the low rates of reported assistance and follow-up. METHODS A stratified random sample of smokers recently filling prescriptions for cessation medications was identified for a phone interview about the quitting experience. The transcriptions of those portions of 50 interviews that addressed cessation contacts with clinicians were reviewed by the co-authors and analyzed for quantifiable data, observations, and themes. RESULTS Although there were low levels of reported physician adherence to the Assist and Arrange recommendations of the Public Health Service 5As clinical guideline for smoking cessation, 27 (55%) of these smokers were quit at 1 to 3 months after the medication fill. Smoker descriptions of the contacts with their physicians about smoking cessation suggested nonconfrontational, collaborative, and satisfying interactions that were flexibly dominated by either party. Physician assistance predominantly concerned use of the medication (66%). CONCLUSIONS These physician-smoker interactions seemed to be mutually accommodative. Given the apparent high quit rates and limited evidence of smoker interest in other forms of assistance, perhaps a physician-dominant encounter is not as common or as necessary as has been thought.
The mechanism of proton translocation driven by the respiratory nitrate reductase complex of Escherichia coli.

Low concentrations (1-50mum) of ubiquinol(1) were rapidly oxidized by spheroplasts of Escherichia coli derepressed for synthesis of nitrate reductase using either nitrate or oxygen as electron acceptor. Oxidation of ubiquinol(1) drove an outward translocation of protons with a corrected -->H(+)/2e(-) stoichiometry [Scholes & Mitchell (1970) J. Bioenerg.1, 309-323] of 1.49 when nitrate was the acceptor and 2.28 when oxygen was the acceptor. Proton translocation driven by the oxidation of added ubiquinol(1) was also observed in spheroplasts from a double quinone-deficient mutant strain AN384 (ubiA(-)menA(-)), whereas a haem-deficient mutant, strain A1004a, did not oxidize ubiquinol(1). Proton translocation was not observed if either the protonophore carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone or the respiratory inhibitor 2-n-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline N-oxide was present. When spheroplasts oxidized Diquat radical (DQ(+)) to the oxidized species (DQ(++)) with nitrate as acceptor, nitrate was reduced to nitrite according to the reaction: [Formula: see text] and nitrite was further reduced in the reaction: [Formula: see text] Nitrite reductase activity (2) was inhibited by CO, leaving nitrate reductase activity (1) unaffected. Benzyl Viologen radical (BV(+)) is able to cross the cytoplasmic membrane and is oxidized directly by nitrate reductase to the divalent cation, BV(++). In the presence of CO, this reaction consumes two protons: [Formula: see text] The consumption of these protons could not be detected by a pH electrode in the extra-cellular bulk phase of a suspension of spheroplasts unless the cytoplasmic membrane was made permeable to protons by the addition of nigericin or tetrachlorosalicylanilide. It is concluded that the protons of eqn. (3) are consumed at the cytoplasmic aspect of the cytoplasmic membrane. Diquat radical, reduced N-methylphenazonium methosulphate and its sulphonated analogue N-methylphenazonium-3-sulphonate (PMSH) and ubiquinol(1) are all oxidized by nitrate reductase via a haem-dependent, endogenous quinone-independent, 2-n-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline N-oxide-sensitive pathway. Approximate-->H(+)/2e(-) stoichiometries were zero with Diquat radical, an electron donor, 1.0 with reduced N-methylphenazonium methosulphate or its sulphonated analogue, both hydride donors, and 2.0 with ubiquinol(1) (QH(2)), a hydrogen donor. It is concluded that the protons appearing in the medium are derived from the reductant and the observed-->H(+)/2e(-) stoichiometries are accounted for by the following reactions occurring at the periplasmic aspect of the cytoplasmic membrane. : [Formula: see text]
Bacterial scaffold directs pole-specific centromere segregation

Significance Bacteria use molecular partitioning systems based on the ATPase ParA to segregate chromosome centromeres before cell division, but how these machines target centromeres to specific locations is unclear. This study shows that, in Caulobacter crescentus, a multimeric complex composed of the PopZ protein directs the ParA machine to transfer centromeres to the cell pole. Spent ParA subunits released from the mitotic apparatus during segregation are recruited throughout a 3D PopZ matrix at the pole. ParA recruitment and sequestration by PopZ stimulates the cell-pole proximal recycling of ParA into a nucleoid-bound complex to ensure pole-specific centromere transfer. PopZ therefore utilizes a 3D scaffolding strategy to create a subcellular microdomain that directly regulates the function of the bacterial centromere segregation machine. Bacteria use partitioning systems based on the ParA ATPase to actively mobilize and spatially organize molecular cargoes throughout the cytoplasm. The bacterium Caulobacter crescentus uses a ParA-based partitioning system to segregate newly replicated chromosomal centromeres to opposite cell poles. Here we demonstrate that the Caulobacter PopZ scaffold creates an organizing center at the cell pole that actively regulates polar centromere transport by the ParA partition system. As segregation proceeds, the ParB-bound centromere complex is moved by progressively disassembling ParA from a nucleoid-bound structure. Using superresolution microscopy, we show that released ParA is recruited directly to binding sites within a 3D ultrastructure composed of PopZ at the cell pole, whereas the ParB-centromere complex remains at the periphery of the PopZ structure. PopZ recruitment of ParA stimulates ParA to assemble on the nucleoid near the PopZ-proximal cell pole. We identify mutations in PopZ that allow scaffold assembly but specifically abrogate interactions with ParA and demonstrate that PopZ/ParA interactions are required for proper chromosome segregation in vivo. We propose that during segregation PopZ sequesters free ParA and induces target-proximal regeneration of ParA DNA binding activity to enforce processive and pole-directed centromere segregation, preventing segregation reversals. PopZ therefore functions as a polar hub complex at the cell pole to directly regulate the directionality and destination of transfer of the mitotic segregation machine.
HDAC6 Modulates Hsp90 Chaperone Activity and Regulates Activation of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Signaling*

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-activated member of the basic helix-loop-helix family of transcription factors, binds with high affinity to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and the environmental toxin 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (dioxin). Most of the biochemical, biological, and toxicological responses caused by exposure to PAHs and polychlorinated dioxins are mediated, at least in part, by the AhR. The AhR is a client protein of Hsp90, a molecular chaperone that can be reversibly acetylated with functional consequences. The main objective of this study was to determine whether modulating Hsp90 acetylation would affect ligand-mediated activation of AhR signaling. Trichostatin A and suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid, two broad spectrum HDAC inhibitors, blocked PAH and dioxin-mediated induction of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 in cell lines derived from the human aerodigestive tract. Silencing HDAC6 or treatment with tubacin, a pharmacological inhibitor of HDAC6, also suppressed the induction of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1. Inhibiting HDAC6 led to hyperacetylation of Hsp90 and loss of complex formation with AhR, cochaperone p23, and XAP-2. Inactivation or silencing of HDAC6 also led to reduced binding of ligand to the AhR and decreased translocation of the AhR from cytosol to nucleus in response to ligand. Ligand-induced recruitment of the AhR to the CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 promoters was inhibited when HDAC6 was inactivated. Mutation analysis of Hsp90 Lys294 shows that its acetylation status is a strong determinant of interactions with AhR and p23 in addition to ligand-mediated activation of AhR signaling. Collectively, these results show that HDAC6 activity regulates the acetylation of Hsp90, the ability of Hsp90 to chaperone the AhR, and the expression of AhR-dependent genes. Given the established link between activation of AhR signaling and xenobiotic metabolism, inhibitors of HDAC6 may alter drug or carcinogen metabolism.