Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ABM/P-15 modulates proliferation and mRNA synthesis of growth factors of periodontal ligament cells

Objective. Periodontal regeneration is histologically defined as regeneration of the tooth supporting structures, including alveolar bone, periodontal ligament, and cementum. Cells in the remaining periodontal tissues need optimal conditions if they are to perform their functions in the regeneration process. The present study is an investigation of the molecular effects of ABM/P-15 on human periodontal ligament cells (PDL) in vitro. Material and methods. PDL cells obtained from healthy subjects were used for in vitro experiments. Cell proliferation, morphology, and mineralization using Von kossa staining were evaluated. mRNA expressions for transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), bone morphogenic protein-2 (BMP-2), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and type 1 collagen (COL1) were assessed on days 3 and 7 using RT-PCR. Results. ABM/P-15 enhanced proliferation of cultured PDL cells. It increased the mRNA expression of TGF-β and BMP-2 in cultured PDL cells on days 3 and 7. IGF-I and b-FGF mRNA expressions showed a slight decrease, while PDGF expression was observed to have increased on day 3. VEGF and COL1 mRNA expressions were found not to be different on days 3 and 7. No differences were observed in the mineralization properties of cultured PDL cells treated with or without ABM/P-15. Conclusions. Based on the results of this in vitro study, it may be concluded that ABM/P-15 enhanced the regenerative capacity of PDL by regulating specific gene expressions of cells during early wound healing.
Krylov subspace approximation of eigenpairs and matrix functions in exact and computer arithmetic

Many researchers are now working on computing the product of a matrix function and a vector,using approximations in a Krylov subspace. We review our results on the analysis of one implemen-tation of that approach for symmetric matrices, which we call the Spectral Lanczos DecompositionMethod (SLDM). We have proved a general convergence estimate, relating SLDM error bounds to those obtainedthrough approximation of the matrix function by a part of its Chebyshev series. Thus, we arrivedat e ective estimates for matrix functions arising when solving parabolic, hyperbolic and ellipticpartial di erential equations. We concentrate on the parabolic case, where we obtain estimatesthat indicate superconvergence of SLDM. For this case a combination of SLDM and splittingmethods is also considered and some numerical results are presented.We implement our general estimates to obtain convergence bounds of Lanczos approximationsto eigenvalues in the internal part of the spectrum. Unlike Kaniel-Saad estimates, our estimatesare independent of the set of eigenvalues between the required one and the nearest spectrumbound.We consider an extension of our general estimate to the case of the simple Lanczos method(without reorthogonalization) in nite computer arithmetic which shows that for a moderatedimension of the Krylov subspace the results, proved for the exact arithmetic, are stable up toroundo .
Accuracy of microbial community diversity estimated by closed- and open-reference OTUs

Next-generation sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA is widely used to survey microbial communities. Sequences are typically assigned to Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs). Closed- and open-reference OTU assignment matches reads to a reference database at 97% identity (closed), then clusters unmatched reads using a de novo method (open). Implementations of these methods in the QIIME package were tested on several mock community datasets with 20 strains using different sequencing technologies and primers. Richness (number of reported OTUs) was often greatly exaggerated, with hundreds or thousands of OTUs generated on Illumina datasets. Between-sample diversity was also found to be highly exaggerated in many cases, with weighted Jaccard distances between identical mock samples often close to one, indicating very low similarity. Non-overlapping hyper-variable regions in 70% of species were assigned to different OTUs. On mock communities with Illumina V4 reads, 56% to 88% of predicted genus names were false positives. Biological inferences obtained using these methods are therefore not reliable.
‘Mental Health and Employment of the Elderly in Taiwan: A Simultaneous Equation Approach

Longer life expectancy and declining birth rates have contributed to an aging population in many countries. This paper addresses the relationship between mental health and employment status among the elderly in Taiwan. A simultaneous equation system is developed that accommodates the discrete and censored nature of the two endogenous variables. Using data from a nationwide survey of the elderly in Taiwan, we find that older adults with mental illness are less likely to work, while those currently working are less prone to mental illness compared to their unemployed cohort.
Biorhythm theory does not predict admission for acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVES Temporal variations in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have been described. However, AMI occurrence and biorhythm theory, which proposes the existence of three endogenous independent infradian cycles and AMI occurrence, has not been well studied. The purpose of this study is to determine whether specific days in the biorhythm cycles are related to AMI incidence. MEASURES Patients (40-85 years old) admitted for AMI at the Sherbrooke University Hospital Center, 1993-2008 were subjects of this study. Potential vulnerable days and performance days of the biorhythm cycles were calculated using birth and admission dates from the warehouse database. Observed AMI frequencies were compared to those expected using χ² tests. RESULTS There were 11,395 admissions for AMI. No relation was noted between single, double, or triple critical or noncritical days and AMI (χ² = 3.78; p > 0.05). Observed and expected AMI frequencies for maximal and minimal performance days were similar (χ² = 15.06; p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS We found no evidence for a possible relationship between the date of AMI and critical maximum and minimum performance days of an individual's physical, emotional, or intellectual biorhythm cycles. We conclude that biorhythm theory does not predict admission for AMI.
An Experimental Investigation of Bond Properties of Reinforcements Embedded in Geopolymer Concrete

Abstract—Geopolymer concretes are new class of construction materials that have emerged as an alternative to Ordinary Portland cement concrete. Considerable researches have been carried out on material development of geopolymer concrete; however, a few studies have been reported on the structural use of them. This paper presents the bond behaviors of reinforcement embedded in fly ash based geopolymer concrete. The development lengths of reinforcement for various compressive strengths of concrete, 20, 30 and 40 MPa, and reinforcement diameters, 10, 16 and 25 mm, are investigated. Total 27 specimens were manufactured and pull-out test according to EN 10080 was applied to measure bond strength and slips between concrete and reinforcements. The average bond strengths decreased from 23.06MPa to 17.26 MPa, as the diameters of reinforcements increased from 10mm to 25mm. The compressive strength levels of geopolymer concrete showed no significant influence on bond strengths in this study. Also, the bond-slip relations between geopolymer concrete and reinforcement are derived using non-linear regression analysis for various experimental conditions.
Congo red uptake by motile Aeromonas species

Virulence of several species of enteropathogenic bacteria has been correlated with the ability of isolates to take up the dye Congo red. To determine whether Congo red uptake might be a useful marker for virulence of motile Aeromonas species, we examined 50 strains of diverse clinical origin on a medium containing 50 micrograms of Congo red per ml. All of the strains took up the dye to various degrees. For most strains, uptake was greatest at 37 degrees C and least at 22 degrees C. Production of acetyl methyl carbinol (Voges-Proskauer test) or lysine decarboxylase has been reported by some investigators to be a virulence marker for Aeromonas species. Congo red uptake did not correlate with either acetyl methyl carbinol or lysine decarboxylase production in our study. These data suggest that Congo red uptake may not be a useful marker for virulence of motile Aeromonas species.
China: Further Evidence on the Evolution of Stock Markets in Transition Economies

We revisit the weak-form efficiency of China's stock markets by examining its changing behaviour over the entire history of the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges. The Kalman Filter technique is applied to the system consisting of a time-varying AR model and an asymmetric TGARCH equation. The estimates of predictability combined with other non-quantifiable, evolutionary characteristics of the markets are used to infer on their efficiency. It is shown that, at their initial development stages, both the Shanghai and Shenzhen markets were inefficient. However, the past decade saw a steady convergence of the two markets towards efficiency. An abnormal leverage effect is detected for Shanghai, but no strong evidence is found that there exists the information transmission between the two markets.
Power, rights, and poverty: concepts and connections

Following discussion during a two day working meeting, this publication brings together the edited papers, along with a selection of supplementary materials. A first series of papers addresses competing definitions and conceptual issues around power and rights, illustrating these with experiences observing and applying the concepts in practice in different countries. Following this, papers address topics aimed at helping development practitioners to apply these concepts to their work. Part II contains the supplemental materials, including a summary of the major theoretical conceptualizations of power, and an overview of the literature on power and rights. Prepared by leading thinkers on the topics of power and rights these materials offer both development professionals and students of development studies succinct summaries of the relationship between theory and practice.
Research on the best chemohyperthermia technique of treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis after complete resection.

BACKGROUND The complete or almost complete resection of peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) followed by intraperitoneal chemohyperthermia (IPCH) is potentially capable of curing some patients presenting with disease confined to the peritoneum. AIMS The aim of this prospective phase I-II study was to develop an efficient IPCH procedure with good thermal homogeneity and good spatial diffusion, that would be reproducible (and thus could be standardized and exported), and to evaluate patient tolerance and its efficiency in eradicating tumor tissue. METHODS Seven IPCH procedures were tested successively in 32 patients (up to a total of 35 IPCH). Each procedure was tested in at least 4 patients before modifications for technical reasons or due to inacceptable tolerance. Five of them were followed by early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (EPIC) lasting 4 days. Thermal homogeneity was measured with 6 thermal probes placed in different positions inside the abdominal cavity. Spatial diffusion was studied in the last patients by adding methylene blue to the IPCH liquid. The mean follow-up was 23.85 months for the series. RESULTS From the technological point of view, we have progressively shown that procedures with closure of the abdomen are not satisfactory: it was impossible to obtain thermal homogeneity when the entire parietal wound was closed, but markedly improved when only the skin was closed. However, these "closed" procedures did not allow us to treat all surfaces at risk. The peritoneal cavity "expander" did not permit treatment of the parietal wound and an indeterminate amount of the perfusion oozed out at its periphery. The open technique with traction of the skin upwards was superior. Using different procedures successively undermined the quality of the postoperative results. Three patients (8.6%) died and morbidity (albeit minimal) occurred in 27 patients (77%) during the postoperative course. Mortality and morbidity were significantly correlated (P = 0.02) with the peritoneal index (scoring the extent of PC). The 2-year survival rate was 60% and PC did not recur in 49% of the patients. The survival rate was correlated with the extent of PC (peritoneal index greater than or below 15) (P = 0.004), and with the absence of extraperitoneal disease (P = 0.01).
Nicotine increases sucrose self‐administration and seeking in rats

Associations between nicotine in cigarettes and food consumption may alter the incentive value of food such that food cue‐reactivity is exaggerated during abstinence from smoking. This effect may contribute to the weight gain associated with cessation of smoking. We examined the effects of nicotine (0.4 mg/kg base subcutaneous) paired (NPD) or unpaired (NUP) with 10% sucrose self‐administration (SA; 0.2 ml/delivery, 1 h/day for 10 days) on SA response rate and intake as well as sucrose cue‐reactivity following either 1 or 30 days of forced abstinence. Rats were administered the training dose of nicotine prior to a second, consecutive cue‐reactivity session. NPD rats responded at over three times the rate for sucrose and earned nearly twice the number of sucrose deliveries as NUP rats or saline controls. Sucrose cue‐reactivity was greater after 30 days versus 1 day of forced abstinence for all groups. History of nicotine exposure had no effect on sucrose cue‐reactivity. However, the subsequent injection of nicotine increased sucrose cue‐reactivity only in the NPD groups. There were no abstinent‐dependent effects of nicotine challenge on sucrose cue‐reactivity. A study conducted in parallel with water as the reinforcer revealed a less dramatic effect of nicotine on intake. There was no history or abstinence‐dependent effects of nicotine on water cue‐reactivity. Nicotine increases the reinforcing effects of sucrose and sucrose‐paired cues when nicotine is present. An implication of these findings is that relapse to nicotine (cigarettes) could substantially elevate food cue‐reactivity.
From Dot-Edu to Dot-Com: Predictors of College Students' Job and Career Information Seeking Online

One of the key elements of understanding mechanisms of social stratification in job market entry is looking at the ways in which groups learn about careers and seek jobs in early adulthood. Online resources for job seeking are growing, yet we know very little about the nature of young adults' use of the Internet for this purpose. Are there types of people who utilize the Internet more than others? If so, are these patterns unique to the Internet or are they the same as those for other sources of information? We address these questions using survey data of 1,060 college first-years at one of the most ethnically diverse universities in the United States. The survey includes extensive measures of demographics, academic achievement, Internet experiences, as well as job-seeking practices. We find that African Americans, Asians, and Caucasians who grew up speaking a language other than English are more likely than Caucasian native English speakers to use the Internet for investigating jobs and careers. We also look at other sources of information, but only with the Internet do we find significant effects for these groups.
Turning full circle? Changing industrial relations in the magazine industry in Britain

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to examine the processes and outcomes under which employers in the magazine industry in the UK ended the collective bargaining agreements for journalists with the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and instituted a unilateral‐based regime in the employment relationship.Design/methodology/approach – The research data were generated primarily via interviews with lay office holders and full‐time paid officials of the NUJ.Findings – The journalists' union maintained a presence despite employer hostility and has been able to use this as a basis to regain collective bargaining agreements. Nonetheless, the relative weakness of the NUJ has meant that it has been unable to date to force the magazine employers into conducting genuine collective bargaining. This represents a case of impeded but not dissipated “union renewal”, suggesting the union renewal could be termed as being of a “stunted” nature.Research limitations/implications – The findings of the research should be .
Use of Platelet Rich Plasma Gel on Wound Healing: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: Autologous platelet rich plasma is an advanced wound therapy used in hard-to-heal acute and chronic wounds. To better understand the use and clinical outcomes of the therapy, a systematic review of the published literature in cutaneous wounds was performed. Methods: Electronic and hand searches for randomized controlled trials and comparative group studies using platelet rich plasma therapy in cutaneous wounds and published over the last 10 years was conducted. Eligible studies compared the treatment to standard care or other interventions. All citations were screened and eligible studies were assessed for validity, quality, and bias using accepted scoring methods. The primary outcomes were effect of platelet rich plasma and control wound care on wound healing and related healing measurements. Secondary outcomes related to healing such as infection, pain, exudate, adverse events, and quality of life were also considered. The meta-analysis utilized appropriate statistical methods to determine the overall treatment effect on chronic and acute wound healing and infection. Results: The search terms resulted in 8577 citations and after removing duplicates and screening for protocol eligibility, a total of 24 papers were used. The meta-analysis of chronic wound studies revealed platelet rich plasma therapy is significantly favored for complete healing. The meta-analysis of acute wounds with primary closure studies demonstrated that presence of infection was reduced in platelet rich plasma treated wounds. Conclusions: This systematic review and meta-analysis of platelet rich plasma therapy in cutaneous wounds showed complete and partial wound healing was improved compared to control wound care.
Developing Absorptive Capacity through e‐Business: The Case of International SMEs

This research uses the absorptive capacity concept as a theoretical lens to study the effect of e‐business upon the internationalization performance of small and medium‐sized enterprises (), addressing the following research issue: To what extent are manufacturing successful in developing their potential and realized absorptive capacity in response to the environmental uncertainty brought about by their internationalization? Results of a survey study of 588 manufacturing indicate that e‐business capabilities have a significant impact on internationalization performance to the extent that these capabilities are developed as a response to increased environmental uncertainty. Moreover, these capabilities are realized through the development of networking, advanced manufacturing, and marketing capabilities that also respond to environmental uncertainty.
Yeast TFIID Serves as a Coactivator for Rap1p by Direct Protein-Protein Interaction

ABSTRACT In vivo studies have previously shown that Saccharomyces cerevisiae ribosomal protein (RP) gene expression is controlled by the transcription factor repressor activator protein 1 (Rap1p) in a TFIID-dependent fashion. Here we have tested the hypothesis that yeast TFIID serves as a coactivator for RP gene transcription by directly interacting with Rap1p. We have found that purified recombinant Rap1p specifically interacts with purified TFIID in pull-down assays, and we have mapped the domains of Rap1p and subunits of TFIID responsible. In vitro transcription of a UASRAP1 enhancer-driven reporter gene requires both Rap1p and TFIID and is independent of the Fhl1p-Ifh1p coregulator. UASRAP1 enhancer-driven transactivation in extracts depleted of both Rap1p and TFIID is efficiently rescued by addition of physiological amounts of these two purified factors but not TATA-binding protein. We conclude that Rap1p and TFIID directly interact and that this interaction contributes importantly to RP gene transcription.
The budding yeast rRNA and ribosome biosynthesis (RRB) regulon contains over 200 genes

The ribosome biogenesis pathway constitutes one of the major metabolic obligations for a dividing yeast cell and it depends upon the activity of hundreds of gene products to produce the necessary rRNA and ribosomal protein components. Previously, we reported that a set of 65 S. cerevisiae genes that function in the rRNA biosynthesis pathway are transcriptionally co‐regulated as cells pass through a variety of physiological transitions. By analysing multiple microarray‐based transcriptional datasets, we have extended that study and now suggest that the ribosomal and rRNA biosynthesis regulon contains over 200 genes. This regulon is distinct from the set of ribosomal protein genes, and the promoters of the expanded RRB gene set are highly enriched for the PAC and RRPE motifs. Since a similar pattern of organization and gene regulation can be recognized in C. albicans, the RRB regulon appears to be a conserved, extensive, and metabolically important group of genes. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The local minima-free condition of feedforward neural networks for outer-supervised learning

In this paper, the local minima-free conditions of the outer-supervised feedforward neural networks (FNN) based on batch-style learning are studied by means of the embedded subspace method. It is proven that only if the rendition that the number of the hidden neurons is not less than that of the training samples, which is sufficient but not necessary, is satisfied, the network will necessarily converge to the global minima with null cost, and that the condition that the range space of the outer-supervised signal matrix is included in the range space of the hidden output matrix Is sufficient and necessary condition for the local minima-free in the error surface. In addition, under the condition of the number of the hidden neurons being less than that of the training samples and greater than the number of the output neurons, it is demonstrated that there will also only exist the global minima with null cost in the error surface if the first layer weights are adequately selected.
Factors Associated with the Development of Board Sub-Committees

This study examines the factors associated with the presence of board sub-committees, specifically audit, remuneration and nomination committees. Factors which are hypothesised in this study to affect sub-committee presence are Big 6 auditors, non-executive directors, non-executive chairmen, number of intercorporate relationships of the board and shareholder type. Company size, number of board members and leverage are employed as control variables as suggested by earlier research. Copyright Blackwell Publishers Ltd 2002.