Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Edaravone Protects against Methylglyoxal-Induced Barrier Damage in Human Brain Endothelial Cells

Background Elevated level of reactive carbonyl species, such as methylglyoxal, triggers carbonyl stress and activates a series of inflammatory responses leading to accelerated vascular damage. Edaravone is the active substance of a Japanese medicine, which aids neurological recovery following acute brain ischemia and subsequent cerebral infarction. Our aim was to test whether edaravone can exert a protective effect on the barrier properties of human brain endothelial cells (hCMEC/D3 cell line) treated with methylglyoxal. Methodology Cell viability was monitored in real-time by impedance-based cell electronic sensing. The barrier function of the monolayer was characterized by measurement of resistance and flux of permeability markers, and visualized by immunohistochemistry for claudin-5 and β-catenin. Cell morphology was also examined by holographic phase imaging. Principal Findings Methylglyoxal exerted a time- and dose-dependent toxicity on cultured human brain endothelial cells: a concentration of 600 µM resulted in about 50% toxicity, significantly reduced the integrity and increased the permeability of the barrier. The cell morphology also changed dramatically: the area of cells decreased, their optical height significantly increased. Edaravone (3 mM) provided a complete protection against the toxic effect of methylglyoxal. Co-administration of edaravone restored cell viability, barrier integrity and functions of brain endothelial cells. Similar protection was obtained by the well-known antiglycating molecule, aminoguanidine, our reference compound. Conclusion These results indicate for the first time that edaravone is protective in carbonyl stress induced barrier damage. Our data may contribute to the development of compounds to treat brain endothelial dysfunction in carbonyl stress related diseases.
From Reader to Mediated Witness

This study tests the claim that news narratives about shocking criminal acts enable readers to become mediated witnesses, which implies that readers identify with actual eyewitnesses to a crime and vicariously experience the crime from up close. In an experiment (n = 128), participants read an original narrative newspaper article about a mass shooting or an original non-narrative article about the same event. Results provided evidence for a mediated witness experience: Readers of the narrative identified more strongly with eyewitnesses of the crime and had a stronger sense of being present at the shooting than readers of the non-narrative article.
Investigating Donating Behavior Using Hypothetical Dictator Game Experiments

We conduct dictator game experiments to investigate donating behavior by simultaneously examining the time delay when the donee receives the donation and the individual characteristics of the donor. We show that donations decrease as the time delay rises and that gender, education level, neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and utilitarianism affect donations independent of the time delay.
Nab-Paclitaxel Is an Active Drug in Preclinical Model of Pediatric Solid Tumors

Purpose: To investigate the antitumor effect of nab-paclitaxel, an albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation of paclitaxel, on pediatric solid tumor models. Experimental Design: A panel of three rhabdomyosarcoma, one osteosarcoma and seven neuroblastoma cell lines were exposed to increasing concentrations of nab-paclitaxel in vitro. Cell viability was evaluated using the Alamar Blue Assay. Antitumor effect was further assessed in vivo in NOD/SCID xenograft and metastatic neuroblastoma mouse models. Tumor sections were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for cleaved caspase-3 and phospho-histone H3. Plasma and intratumoral paclitaxel concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Ratio of intratumoral and plasma concentration was compared between nab-paclitaxel and paclitaxel treatment groups. Results: Nab-paclitaxel displayed significant cytotoxicity against most pediatric solid tumor cell lines in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo, nab-paclitaxel showed antitumor activity in both rhabdomyosarcoma (RH4 and RD) and neuroblastoma [SK-N-BE(2) and CHLA-20] xenograft models. In the SK-N-BE(2) metastatic model, nab-paclitaxel treatment significantly extended animal survival compared with control (P < 0.01). Nab-paclitaxel treatment induced tumor cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis in vivo. In the RH4 model, increased local relapse-free intervals were observed with nab-paclitaxel treatment (37.7 ± 3.2 days) comparing with paclitaxel (13.6 ± 2.07 days). Local relapsed tumors following paclitaxel treatment proved to be paclitaxel-resistant and remained responsive to nab-paclitaxel. Mechanistically, a higher tumor/plasma paclitaxel drug ratio in favor of nab-paclitaxel was observed. Conclusions: Nab-paclitaxel showed significant antitumor activity against all pediatric solid tumors associated with an enhanced drug intratumor delivery. Furthermore, testing of nab-paclitaxel in pediatric solid-tumor patient population is under development. Clin Cancer Res; 19(21); 5972–83. ©2013 AACR.
The Roles of University English Teachers in Malaysia

The roles of language teachers at higher institutions need to be re-defined as modern technologies, curriculum development, job market and education reform influence their roles. As the Internet acts as the guru for the learners and the information is at everyone’s fingertips , the roles of traditional gurus are expected to be changed and transformed . The purpose of this study is to study the changing roles of university English teachers from being language teachers to being learners, facilitators and researchers and to identify these new roles . In order to understand the role transformation whether it is feasible and realistic, it is imperative to study the many roles of university English teachers defined by the teachers and the university administrators. The findings suggest that by understanding the many roles of university English teachers, university English teachers are able to embrace their new roles.
Impact of Elevated Core Body Temperature on Attention Networks

Objective and Background:Cognitive function can be impaired after passive heat exposure and with an elevation in core body temperature (Tcore). This study examined the dynamic correlation among passive heat exposure, Tcore, and cognition. Methods:We gave the Attention Network Test of alerting, orienting, and executive control to five groups of five young men who were being exposed to a hyperthermic condition (50°C, 40% relative humidity) for 0, 10, 20, 30, or 40 minutes. We used the participants’ reaction time, accuracy (correct responses), efficiency (accuracy÷reaction time), and Tcore to estimate optimal curve models for best fit of data. Results:We could not estimate an appropriate curve model for either alerting or orienting with Tcore, change in Tcore, or duration of passive heat exposure. We estimated quadratic models for Tcore and duration (adjusted R2=0.752), change in Tcore and duration (0.906), executive control score and duration (0.509), and efficiency of executive control and duration (0.293). We estimated linear models for executive control score and Tcore (0.479), efficiency of executive control and Tcore (0.261), executive control score and change in Tcore (0.279), and efficiency of executive control and change in Tcore (0.262). Conclusions:Different attentional abilities had different sensitivities to thermal stress. Executive control of attention deteriorated linearly with a rise in Tcore within the normal physiologic range, but deteriorated nonlinearly with longer passive heat exposure.
American Finance Association Portfolio Choice over the Life-Cycle when the Stock and Labor Markets Are Cointegrated

We study portfolio choice when labor income and dividends are cointegrated. Economically plausible calibrations suggest young investors should take substantial short positions in the stock market. Because of cointegration the young agent's human capital effectively becomes "stock-like. " However, for older agents with shorter timesto-retirement, cointegration does not have sufficient time to act, and thus their human capital becomes more "bond-like. " Together, these effects create hump-shaped life-cycle portfolio holdings, consistent with empirical observation. These results hold even when asset return predictability is accounted for. THE OPTIMAL PORTFOLIO CHOICE problem over the life cycle has received considerable attention in political, financial, and academic circles. Yet, in spite of the vast work on this topic, there is still much disagreement across empirical observation, conventional wisdom, and the predictions of most of the academic literature. While the level of stock market participation has increased significantly over the decades, several studies report that risky asset holdings have typically been low at young ages, and then either increasing or hump-shaped over the life cycle (see, for example, Ameriks and Zeldes (2001), Faig and Shum (2002), Heaton and Lucas (2000), and Poterba and Samwick (2001)). In contrast, conventional wisdom maintains that for reasonable levels of risk aversion, young agents should place a large proportion of their wealth into the market portfolio, *Luca Benzoni is from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; Pierre Collin-Dufresne is from the Haas School of Business, University of California at Berkeley, Goldman Sachs, and NBER; and Robert S. Goldstein is from the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota, and NBER. We thank Alexandre Baptista, Marco Cagetti, Graham Candler, Gjergji Cici, Joio Cocco, Bernard Dumas, Murray Frank, Lorenzo Garlappi, Francisco Gomes, Luigi Guiso, John Heaton, Ravi Jagannathan, Ross Levine, Hong Liu, Debbie Lucas, James MacKinnon, Valery Polkovnichenko, Rob Stambaugh (the Editor), Chris Telmer, Stijn Van Nieuwerburgh, Luis Viceira, Amir Yaron, the anonymous Associate Editor and Referee, and seminar participants at Washington University, the University of Virginia, the 2005 WFA conference, and the 2006 AEA conference for helpful comments and suggestions. We are grateful to Huiyan Qiu, who provided excellent research assistance. Part of this research was done while Luca Benzoni was a visiting scholar at the Kellogg School of Management in 2003 and was supported by a 3M Nontenured Faculty Grant and a grant by the McKnight Foundation. All errors remain our sole responsibility. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Federal Reserve Banks of Chicago or St. Louis or the Federal Reserve System.
Dissociation of Obstructive Sleep Apnea From Hypersomnolence and Obesity in Patients With Stroke

Background and Purpose— Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is seldom considered in the diagnostic investigation in the poststroke period although it is a stroke risk factor and has adverse prognostic implications after stroke. One reason might be that widely used clinical criteria for detection of OSA in the general community are not applicable in patients with stroke. We hypothesized that patients with stroke report less sleepiness and are less obese than subjects from a community sample with the same severity of OSA. Methods— We performed polysomnography in 96 consecutive patients with stroke admitted to a stroke rehabilitation unit and in a community sample of 1093 subjects without a history of stroke. We compared the degrees of subjective sleepiness assessed by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and body mass index between the 2 samples according to OSA categories assessed by the frequency of apneas and hypopneas per hour of sleep (<5, no OSA; 5 to <15 mild OSA; and ≥15, moderate to severe OSA). Results— Compared with the community sample, patients with stroke with OSA had significantly lower Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores and body mass index for mild OSA (Epworth Sleepiness Scale 9.3±0.3 versus 5.6±0.5, P<0.001 and body mass index 33.1±0.5 versus 28.5±1.1, P<0.048) and for moderate to severe OSA (Epworth Sleepiness Scale 9.7±0.4 versus 7.1±0.9, P=0.043 and body mass index 36.4±0.8 versus 27.2±0.8 kg/m2, P<0.025). Conclusions— For a given severity of OSA, patients with stroke had less daytime sleepiness and lower body mass index than subjects without stroke. These factors may make the diagnosis of OSA elusive in the poststroke period and preclude many such patients from the potential benefits of OSA therapy.
The First Parallel Multilingual Corpus of Persian: Toward a Persian BLARK

In this article, we have introduced the first parallel corpus of Persian with more than 10 other European languages. This article describes primary steps toward preparing a Basic Language Resources Kit (BLARK) for Persian. Up to now, we have proposed morphosyntactic specification of Persian based on EAGLE/MULTEXT guidelines and specific resources of MULTEXT-East. The article introduces Persian Language, with emphasis on its orthography and morphosyntactic features, then a new Part-of-Speech categorization and orthography for Persian in digital environments is proposed. Finally, the corpus and related statistic will be analyzed.
The Stability of Disks in Cusped Potentials

We confirm that a high rate of shear at the center is able to stabilize an entire stellar disk against bar-forming (m = 2) modes, irrespective of the dark halo density. Our simulations of unstable power-law disks also yield the growth rate and pattern speed of the dominant lopsided (m = 1) mode, in close agreement with that predicted by linear theory in our cleanest case. The one-armed modes, which dominate models with extensive disks, can be controlled by tapering the outer disk. Two-armed instabilities of hard-centered disks are more difficult to identify because they are easily overwhelmed by particle noise. Nevertheless, we have detected the predicted m = 2 modes in simulations with very large numbers of particles. Such bisymmetric instabilities in these disks are provoked only by sharp edges and are therefore easily eliminated. We have constructed a cool disk model with an almost flat rotation curve and a quasi-exponential density profile that is unambiguously stable. The halo in this stable model has a large core radius, with the disk and bulge providing almost all the rotational support in the inner parts.
Foetal supraventricular tachycardia with hydrops fetalis: a role for direct intraperitoneal amiodarone

Abstract Introduction: Persistent foetal tachyarrythmias complicated by hydrops fetalis carry a poor prognosis, with foetal death reported in excess of a quarter despite treatment. We present our experience with direct intraperitoneal amiodarone administration in eight hydropic foetuses with resistant supraventricular tachycardia. Methods: Amiodarone was injected slowly into foetal peritoneal cavity under ultrasound guidance. All mothers were loaded with oral amiodarone before the procedure and maintained on it. The procedure was repeated guided by foetal rhythm. Result: All eight cases had severe hydrops with a median foetal heart rate of 255 bpm (range 240–300 bpm), and the median gestational age was 27+1 weeks (range 21–33+3 weeks) at presentation. In six cases, the average time for supraventricular tachycardia to revert to sinus rhythm from the first procedure was 11.5 days. In one case, intravascular injection of amiodarone into the umbilical vein was performed before intraperitoneal injection, which resulted in conversion to sinus rhythm sustained until delivery. In the last case, supraventricular tachycardia and severe hydrops persisted and the baby was delivered 5 days later at 34 weeks’ gestation. Hydrops resolved in five foetuses with a mean resolution time of 28.4 days. The mean gestational age at delivery was 34+5 days and seven of eight cases survived beyond the neonatal period with good postnatal outcomes. Conclusion: Intraperitoneal administration of amiodarone is a relatively simple and effective strategy in refractory supraventricular tachycardia complicated by severe hydrops. The intraperitoneal route assures delivery of the drug to the severely hydropic foetus and enables a bolus dose to be delivered for sustained absorption.
Comparative Study of Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory of Job Satisfaction among Public and Private Sectors

The purpose of this study was to identify through hypothesis testing how Herzberg's theory of job satisfaction applied to two different working populations using a questionnaire based on Herzberg's classification scheme. The study was conducted using private and public sector employees for comparison analysis. The t-test technique was applied and the t-value was computed to test the four formulated hypotheses in order to determine whether any significant differences were revealed between the two employee groups. The result of this analysis showed that employees' motives for work in both sectors tended to emphasize intrinsic or motivator factors of employment, while those who worked in the public sector tended to value the extrinsic or hygiene factors significantly higher than those in the private sector. Also, the satisfaction of employees in both sectors was not attributable to hygiene factors.
Wounding the Spirit: Discrimination and Traditional American Indian Belief Systems

When educators debate the effects of cultural differences on educational practice, they are normally concerned with issues of language, learning patterns, and preferred communication styles. Seldom do they consider how differences in belief systems might affect educational practice. Carol Locust argues that fundamental differences exist between the belief systems of American Indians and those of non-Indians, and that the lack of knowledge about these belief systems on the part of the U.S. educational system has led to discriminatory treatment of American Indian students. Locust concludes that educators must understand and respect American Indian belief systems before they can begin to improve the educational experiences of American Indian children.
Acellular Dermal Matrices and Radiotherapy in Breast Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Literature

The increasing use of commercially available acellular dermis matrices for postmastectomy breast reconstruction seems to have simplified the surgical procedure and enhanced the outcome. These materials, generally considered to be highly safe or with only minor contraindications due to the necessary manipulation in preparatory phases, allow an easier one-phase surgical procedure, in comparison with autologous flaps, offering a high patient satisfaction. Unfortunately, the claim for a higher rate of complications associated with irradiation at the implant site, especially when the radiation therapy was given before the reconstructive surgery, suggested a careful behaviour when this technique is preferred. However, this hypothesis was never submitted to a crucial test, and data supporting it are often discordant or incomplete. To provide a comprehensive analysis of the field, we searched and systematically reviewed papers published after year 2005 and registered clinical trials. On the basis of a meta-analysis of data, we conclude that the negative effect of the radiotherapy on the breast reconstruction seems to be evident even in the case of acellular dermis matrices aided surgery. However, more trials are needed to make solid conclusions and clarify the poor comprehension of all the factors negatively influencing outcome.
Knowledge management in software engineering

Software organizations' main assets are not plants, buildings, or expensive machines. A software organization's main asset is its intellectual capital, as it is in sectors such asconsulting, law, investment banking, and advertising. The major problem with intellectual capital is that it has legs and walks home every day. At the same rate experience walks out the door, inexperience walks in the door. Whether or not many software organizations admit it, they face the challenge ofsustaining the level of competence needed to win contracts and fulfill undertakings.
Hearing preservation after acoustic tumor removal: Long‐term results

This report examines the durability of preserved postoperative hearing in 25 middle fossa acoustic tumor patients with a minimum follow‐up of 3 years. The mean follow‐up time for this group was more than 8 years, with a maximum of almost 20 years. The initial postoperative au‐diogram was compared to the most recent audiogram for each patient, with change in the nonoperated ear serving as the control.
Protection from myocardial reperfusion injury by acute administration of 17 beta-estradiol.

Although several studies have demonstrated that chronic exposure to estrogen appears to be cardioprotective, acute circulatory effects of estrogen are largely unknown. Therefore, we studied the effects of acute administration of 17 beta-estradiol in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion. Cats were subjected to 90 min of left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion and 270 min of reperfusion (MI/R). Either the estrogenic steroid, 17 beta-estradiol or its non-estrogenic isomer, 17 alpha-estradiol was administered (i.v.) 30 min prior to reperfusion at 1 microgram/kg bolus followed by a constant infusion lasting the remaining duration of the protocol at 1 microgram/kg/h. Control cats were subjected to sham MI/R. Cats treated with 17 beta-estradiol demonstrated a marked reduction in cardiac necrosis following MI/R compared to cats receiving 17 alpha-estradiol or phosphate buffered saline (17 +/- 2% v 33 +/- 1% or 34 +/- 4% area of necrosis indexed to the area-at-risk, P < 0.01). In addition, cats receiving 17 beta-estradiol exhibited reduced myocardial PMN infiltration in necrotic tissue as compared to 17 alpha-estradiol treated cats. Moreover, 17 beta-estradiol administration attenuated neutrophil adherence to ex vivo coronary vascular endothelium compared to the two controls (44 +/- 8 PMNs/mm2 v 79 +/- 7 PMNs/mm2 or 86 +/- 7 PMNs/mm2 P < 0.01). These data indicate that 17 beta-estradiol protects against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion, in part, by attenuating PMN infiltration and subsequent injury due to PMN mediator release.
Two Critical and Functionally Distinct Stages of Face and Body Perception

Cortical regions that respond preferentially to particular object categories, such as faces and bodies, are essential for visual perception of these object categories. However, precisely when these regions play a causal role in recognition of their preferred categories is unclear. Here we addressed this question using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Across a series of experiments, TMS was delivered over the functionally localized right occipital face area (rOFA) or right extrastriate body area (rEBA) at different latencies, up to 150 ms, after stimulus onset while adult human participants performed delayed match-to-sample tasks on face and body stimuli. Results showed that TMS disrupted task performance during two temporally distinct time periods after stimulus onset, the first at 40/50 ms and the second at 100/110 ms. These two time periods exhibited functionally distinct patterns of impairment: TMS delivered during the early time period (at 40/50 ms) disrupted task performance for both preferred (faces at rOFA and bodies at rEBA) and nonpreferred (bodies at rOFA and faces at rEBA) categories. In contrast, TMS delivered during the later time period (at 100/110 ms) disrupted task performance for the preferred category only of each area (faces at rOFA and bodies at rEBA). These results indicate that category-selective cortical regions are critical for two functionally distinct stages of visual object recognition: an early, presumably preparatory stage that is not category selective occurring almost immediately after stimulus onset, followed by a later stage of category-specific perceptual processing.