Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ursolic acid inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis of HT-29 colon cancer cells by inhibiting the EGFR/MAPK pathway

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of ursolic acid on the proliferation and apoptosis of human HT-29 colon cancer cells.Methods3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and flow cytometry assays were performed to evaluate the effects of ursolic acid on the growth and apoptosis of HT-29 cells. Western blot analysis was applied to investigate the inhibitory effects of ursolic acid on the phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), extracellular signalregulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), and the activity of B cell leukemia-2 (Bcl-2), B cell leukemia-xL (Bcl-xL), caspase-3, and caspase-9.ResultsUrsolic acid inhibited the growth of HT-29 cells in dose- and time-dependent manners. The median inhibition concentration (IC50) values for 24, 48, and 72 h treatment were 26, 20, and 18 μmol/L, respectively. The apoptotic rates of 10, 20, and 40 μmol/L ursolic acid treatments for 24 h were 5.74%, 14.49%, and 33.05%, and for 48 h were 9%, 21.39%, and 40.49%, respectively. Ursolic acid suppressed the phosphorylation of EGFR, ERK1/2, p38 MAPK, and JNK, which is well correlated with its growth inhibitory effect. 10, 20, and 40 μmol/L ursolic acid significantly inhibited the proliferation of EGF-stimulated HT-29 cells (P<0.05). Cell proliferation was most significantly inhibited when treated with 10 and 20 μmol/L ursolic acid combined with 200 nmol/L AG 1478 or 10 μmol/L U0126 (P<0.01). Besides, it also down-regulated the expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL and activated caspase-3 and caspase-9.ConclusionUrsolic acid induces apoptosis in HT-29 cells by suppressing the EGFR/MAPK pathway, suggesting that it may be a potent agent for the treatment of colorectal cancer.
Investor Motivations in Investment-Based Crowdfunding

We investigate determinants of investment decisions in investment-based (equity and real estate) crowdfunding, using a novel investment-, investor- and campaign-level database. We find that this market is a man's world, with nearly 93% of investments made by men. We find that women invest less in the riskiest investments but more in safer ones. These findings are better explained by differences in risk aversion than differences in overconfidence between men and women. Investors located in an area considered more "sociable" (socially friendly) also invest more, but only if the investor is a woman. Overall, the findings contribute to our understanding of how investment-based crowdfunding can be a viable source of entrepreneurial finance and how entrepreneurs' campaign decisions affect investor participation.
Study of rabbit septal cartilage grafts placed on the nasal dorsum.

OBJECTIVE To compare the reabsorption characteristics of fresh septal cartilage autografts, preserved homografts, and preserved autografts in the nasal dorsum of rabbits. METHODS Rabbit nasal dorsum cartilage grafts were placed in 3 groups. The first group used fresh autologous cartilage; the second group, alcohol-preserved homologous cartilage; and the third group, alcohol-preserved autologous cartilage. Each rabbit received 2 grafts, one crushed and another noncrushed. After 16 weeks, the grafts were removed for analysis. RESULTS No graft calcification occurred in any group. Chondrogenesis was observed in all groups. The fresh autograft group had the best results in the evaluation of the area of graft recovered and chondrocyte viability. The preserved autologous and homologous grafts did not differ in relation to any of the variables analyzed. Crushed grafts had inferior results in the area of graft recovered and chondrocyte viability compared with the noncrushed forms. No significant difference among the 3 groups was noted in the thickness of the fibrous capsule that developed around the graft. CONCLUSIONS The fresh cartilage autograft was superior to the crushed and uncrushed preserved homografts and autografts; both types of preserved grafts had equivalent histological results. The uncrushed forms were superior to the crushed forms.
African American Young Adult Smoking Initiation: Identifying Intervention Points and Prevention Opportunities

Background African Americans have one of the lowest smoking rates as teens yet have one of the highest smoking rates as adults. Approximately 40% of African Americans who have ever smoked started smoking between the ages of 18 and 21. Purpose This study aimed to identify why African American young adults began smoking in young adulthood and what personal, social, and environmental influences promoted the transition to regular smoking. Methods Twelve focus groups were conducted with African American young adults (n = 99) between the ages of 18 and 29 who began smoking regularly after the age of 18. Results Participants did not smoke while they were younger because of strong maternal antismoking messages, out of respect for elders, or because they smoked marijuana instead. Factors influencing smoking initiation were perceived smoking social norms, changing parental messages about smoking, believing that smoking was an adult coping strategy, and extending a marijuana high. Discussion African American young adult smokers described multiple levels of influences on smoking initiation and the transition to regular smoking. Translation to Health Education Practice Recommendations include continuing strong parental messages against smoking, preparing youth for the transition to young adulthood, targeting normative smoking beliefs, and delinking smoking from marijuana use.
Political Representation in France

There can scarcely be a greater tribute to the vitality of the Fifth Republic's democracy than this monumental work. A searching analysis of how the will of the voters is translated into authoritative political decision making, this book not only uncovers political truths about contemporary France but also provides a model for the study of other popular forms of government. The authors set out to find an answer to the perplexing question of how representative government operates in France in the seemingly unstable context of multiparties. By interviewing voters as well as legislators in 1967 and in 1968 after the great upheaval, and by monitoring policies of the National Assembly from 1967 to 1973, the authors test relationships between public opinion and decision making. They are able to sort out the abiding political cues that orient the French voter, to establish the normal electoral processes, to gauge the nature of mass perceptions of the political options available to voters, and to interpret the strikes, riots, and demonstrations of 1968 as a channel of communication parallel to the electoral process itself. Lucid in style, methodologically sophisticated, and often comparative in approach, Political Representation in France is a seminal work for political scientists, sociologists, and historians.
Vitreous Humor Biochemical Constituents: Evaluation of Between-Eye Differences

The present study was conducted to investigate the differences in the vitreous humor biochemical concentrations for vitreous electrolytes and calcium in the same pair of eyes at identical postmortem interval (PMI). The vitreous humor samples were collected independently in both eyes from 48 autopsies (PMI range, 4.5–84.3 hours) with documented time of death. The samples were analyzed for potassium, sodium, chloride, and calcium using a Beckman Coulter LX20 Automated Analyzer based on ion-selective electrode methodology. There were no statistically significant between-eye differences at identical postmortem interval. A significantly high correlation was observed between paired potassium concentrations of both the eyes. A highly significant linear correlation was observed between the individual eye and mean potassium concentrations of both the eyes with postmortem interval. The observed differences were not significantly correlated with postmortem interval. The results demonstrated that the between-eye differences for vitreous electrolytes and calcium are insignificant. Therefore, the utility of vitreous biochemistry, particularly potassium in postmortem interval estimation and other forensic applications, cannot be questioned solely on the basis of these differences.
A spitting image: specializations in archerfish eyes for vision at the interface between air and water

Archerfish are famous for spitting jets of water to capture terrestrial insects, a task that not only requires oral dexterity, but also the ability to detect small camouflaged prey against a visually complex background of overhanging foliage. Because detection of olfactory, auditory and tactile cues is diminished at air–water interfaces, archerfish must depend almost entirely on visual cues to mediate their sensory interactions with the aerial world. During spitting, their eyes remain below the water's surface and must adapt to the optical demands of both aquatic and aerial fields of view. These challenges suggest that archerfish eyes may be specially adapted to life at the interface between air and water. Using microspectrophotometry to characterize the spectral absorbance of photoreceptors, we find that archerfish have differentially tuned their rods and cones across their retina, correlated with spectral differences in aquatic and aerial fields of view. Spatial resolving power also differs for aquatic and aerial fields of view with maximum visual resolution (6.9 cycles per degree) aligned with their preferred spitting angle. These measurements provide insight into the functional significance of intraretinal variability in archerfish and infer intraretinal variability may be expected among surface fishes or vertebrates where different fields of view vary markedly.
Positive and negative hematopoietic cytokines produced by bone marrow endothelial cells.

Recently, cytokines and interleukins such as SCF, GM-CSF, G-CSF, TGF-beta, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-11 have been reported to be elaborated by endothelial cells. For further study, serum free bone marrow endothelial cell conditioned medium (BMEC-CM) was collected and ultrafiltrated by using a centriprep 10. The concentrated retentate (R-BMEC-CM) contained some substances whose molecular weight was more than 10 000 daltons. The filtrate (F-BMEC-CM) contained some substances whose molecular weight was less than 10 000 daltons. The effects of R-BMEC-CM and F-BMEC-CM on the growth of haematopoietic progenitors and the expression of cytokine and interleukin mRNAs of BMEC were investigated. The results showed that R-BMEC-CM stimulated the growth of CFU-GM, HPP-CFC, BFU-E, CFU-E, and CFU-Meg; while F-BMEC-CM inhibited the growth of these progenitors. Using the method of hybridizing to the Atlas cDNA Array, we were able to detect the presence of mRNAs of cytokines and interleukins in bone marrow endothelial cells. Our finding of the existence of mRNAs of SCF, GM-CSF, IL-6, TGF-beta, IL-1, and IL-11 in these cells was in agreement with the data reported previously. Furthermore, we detected mRNAs of MIP-2, Thymosion-beta4, PDGF, MSP-1, IFN-gamma, IL-13 and inhibin, which are related to haematopoiesis. Among these cytokines and interleukins, SCF, GM-CSF, IL-6, IL-1, and IL-11 are haematopoietic stimulators which may be responsible for the stimulative effects on the growth of haematopoietic progenitors. One of our new findings, the thymosin-beta4, is a small molecular haematopoietic inhibitor. It may be responsible for the inhibitory effect of F-BMEC-CM on haematopoietic progenitors. The presence of mRNAs of BMP, MSP-1, MIP-2, PDGF and IL-13 suggests that bone marrow endothelial cells might elaborate these substances. Their influence on haematopoietic progenitors needs further study.
Illustrative Rendering of Seismic Data

In our work we present techniques for illustrative rendering of interpreted seismic volume data by adopting elements from geology book illustrations. We also introduce combined visualization techniques of interpreted and uninterpreted data for validation, comparison and interdisciplinary communication reasons. We introduce the concept of smooth transitions between these two semantical levels. To achieve this we present transfer functions that map seismic volume attributes to 2D textures that flow according to a deformation volume describing the buckling and discontinuities of the layers of the seismic data. Figure 1: Geological and rendered illustrations. Top left: A cutout with extruding features. Top right: Textured layers with a fault discontinuity in the middle. Pictures are taken from Grotzinger et al. [6]. Bottom: Illustration rendered with our techniques.
Environmental Visual Distraction during Retrieval Affects the Quality, Not the Quantity, of Eyewitness Recall

Eyewitnesses instructed to close their eyes during retrieval remember more correct, and fewer incorrect, visual and auditory details. These effects are assumed to arise because eye-closure reduces distraction from the retrieval environment, and so increased environmental distraction should have the reverse effects. To test this idea, 48 participants witnessed a video clip before verbally answering questions about visual and auditory details in the presence of irrelevant visual distraction varying in amount and predictability. More distraction led to fewer correct and more incorrect visual and auditory details being recalled, but the predictability of the distraction had no effect. These findings suggest that environmental distraction impacts upon memory quality rather than quantity, a pattern that may be hard for interviewers to detect. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Psychopathy and criminal behaviour: a psychosocial research perspective

Purpose – This paper aims to provide a critical review of the psychopathy literature, with a particular focus on recent research examining the relationship between psychopathy and various forms of criminal behaviour.Design/methodology/approach – The authors provide an overview of the studies conducted to date. To identify relevant published studies for this review, literature searches were completed using Web of Science, Scopus, PsychINFO, and PubMed.Findings – Substantial empirical research exists to suggest that psychopathy is a robust predictor of criminal behaviour and recidivism. Furthermore, considerable support for the assertion that the violence perpetrated by psychopathic offenders is more instrumental than the violence committed by other offenders was found. In addition, some research suggests that the greater use of instrumental violence among psychopathic offenders may be due to the interpersonal/affective traits of psychopathy, and not the impulsive/antisocial traits.Originality/value – The c.
Policy Implications of Implicit Social Cognition

Basic research in implicit social cognition demonstrates that thoughts and feelings outside of conscious awareness or conscious control can influence perception, judgment and action. Implicit measures reveal that people possess implicit attitudes and stereotypes about social groups that are often distinct from their explicitly endorsed beliefs and values. The evidence that behavior can be influenced by implicit social cognition contrasts with social policies that assume that people know and control the causes of their behavior. We consider the present state of evidence for implicit social cognition and its implications for social policy. We conclude that consideration of implicit social cognition can improve policy, and that most policy use of implicit measures as selection or evaluation devices is not easily justified.
Facial muscle activity during induced mood states: differential growth and carry-over of elated versus depressed patterns.

Two groups of 14 women volunteers each read a standard set of 40 self-referent statements and engaged in imagery designed to induce moods of either elation or depression. Subjective ratings of emotion and facial muscle activity constituted the dependent measures. Feelings of depression as well as anger and sadness grew over time for Depression subjects, white feelings of happiness increased for Elation subjects. Elation led to increased zygomatic muscle activity while depression led to enhanced corrugator activity and slightly decreased zygomatic activity. Facial muscle activity was correlated with subjective ratings primarily for Depression subjects. For these subjects, corrugator activity grew over time and carried over into non-imagery rest periods. In contrast, the increased zygomatic activity of Elation subjects returned to baseline during rest periods. The differential growth and carry-over effects of the two mood states are discussed in terms of a positive psychobiological feedback loop which may serve to perpetuate depressive patterns of cognitive as well as somatic activity.
3. MENTALITY AS A SOCIAL EMERGENT: CAN THE ZEITGEIST HAVE EXPLANATORY POWER?1

This paper probes the explanatory value of mentality as a social emergent in general and of the Zeitgeist in particular. Durkheim's contention that social facts have emergent properties is open to the charge that it implies logically inconsistent “downward causation. ” on the basis of an analogy with the brain-mind dilemma and mental emergentism, the first part of the essay discusses and dismisses the notion of social emergent properties that cannot be reduced to the properties of their component parts—individuals—and their internal relations. However, ontological individualism need not compel us to methodological individualism. The second part introduces two challenges to methodological individualism. The most radical is Rajeev Bhargava's assertion that the meaning of a belief is determined not by the individual holding the belief but by the entire linguistic community. Bhargava's “contextualism” is closely related to the (post)structural demand that we focus on discourse as a communal entity instead of continuing a delusive quest for the intentions of individual speakers. a more modest alternative is Margaret Gilbert's plea for using “plural subjects”—social groups in which “participant agents” act jointly or have a jointly accepted view—in the practical syllogisms that are central to rationalizing action explanation. The notion of plural subjects lends credence to, and is reinforced by, “situationist” social psychology, which shows how people conform to peer groups, authorities, and roles. building on Wesley Salmon's and Peter Railton's ecumenical accounts of explanation, the essay argues that both individual rationalizing action explanations and explanations based on plural agents can give explanatory information: we need not choose one or the other. The third part discusses how the Zeitgeist can provide added explanatory value in an analysis of the New left. This is possible if the “spirit of the sixties” is seen as representing the values and worldviews of the “sixties generation” as a social group in Gilbert's terms. Radical youth would suspend judgment and pool their wills to conform to what they perceived were the views of the imagined “sixties community” or—rendering more explanatory force—to smaller parts of it in the guise of peer groups and organizations.
Interferon-a Inhibits Proliferation in Human T Lymphocytes by Abrogation of Interleukin 2-induced Changes in Cell Cycle-regulatory Proteins 1

IFN-a exerts prominent regulatory functions on the immune system. One such effect is the inhibition of proliferation of in vitro stimulated T lymphocytes. The exact physiological function of this activity is not known, but it has been implicated in the antiviral effects of IFN, its antitumor action in T-cell malignancies, and the regulation of the in vivo T-cell response. Here, we have investigated the mechanism underlying the IFN-a-mediated growth inhibition of normal human PHAand IL-2-stimulated T lymphocytes by an analysis of how IFN-a treatment influences known molecular events that normally accompany the transition from quiescence to proliferation in these cells. IFN-a treatment was found to profoundly block Sphase entry of stimulated T lymphocytes. This correlated with a strong inhibition of IL-2-induced changes in G1-regulatory proteins, including the prevented up-regulation of G1 cyclins and cyclindependent kinases as well as an abrogation of mitogen-induced reduction of p27 levels. This latter effect was due to a maintained stability of the p27 protein in the IFN-a-treated cells. In line with these findings, phosphorylation of the pocket proteins was abrogated in IFN-a-treated cells. Furthermore, our data indicate that IFN-a has selective effects on the pathways that emerge from the IL-2 receptor because IFN-a treatment does not block IL-2-induced upregulation of c-myc or Cdc25A.
Work–Family Conflict and Stress

Over the past twenty years, increasing attention has been given by researchers and organizations to the interface between people's work and their family lives. In 1977 Rosabeth Kanter argued that the notion that work and life off the job are separate worlds is a 'myth'. Since then there has been a growing volume of research on the interaction between job or work demands and experiences and family life. The burgeoning literature on this topic can be attributed to a variety of reasons, including: changing family structures, with a significant increase in the number of dual-earner families and single-parent families; changing family orientations, with many couples now delaying the onset of children and also reducing the overall number of children; increasing participation of women in the workforce, to the point where in many Western countries in particular, employed women now outnumber their male colleagues; and finally, a greater desire to achieve some kind of 'balance' between work and family responsibilities, to enhance both individual and family well-being.
The effect of free pre-school education on children ’ s subsequent academic performance : Empirical Evidence from England

This paper addresses the question of whether starting formal education part-time at age 3 has a positive effect on children’s academic attainment when they reach age 7, and whether this depends on the sector providing this early education. Using a panel of English Local Education Authorities I initially utilise the fact that mandatory provision of free early education for 3-year olds was introduced at different times according to the deprivation of the LEA and then estimate effects separately for more and less deprived LEAs. Exploiting the time dimension of the panel dataset, I am able to control for unobserved heterogeneity at the LEA level that may confound estimates from other British cohort studies which rely primarily on cross-sectional variation. The main finding is that early education in public sector nursery and primary schools in more deprived LEAs has a small positive effect – approximately 1/3 of a standard deviation of the results distribution – on attainment in reading and writing. These findings suggest that state maintained nursery settings are more effective than private sector providers of early education, especially in more deprived LEAs, which has important implications for the Government’s early years education policy. Matt Dickson, Economics Department, University of Warwick, Coventry. CV4 7AL. e: m.r. dickson@warwick.ac.uk w: http://go.warwick.ac.uk/mdickson