Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tanshinone IIA ameliorates dextran sulfate sodium-induced inflammatory bowel disease via the pregnane X receptor

Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) (C19H18O3) is one of the major active lipophilic components in a conventional Chinese medicine called danshen, and it has long been used in the People’s Republic of China and other neighboring countries to treat patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Previous experiments by many teams determined which mechanism of Tan IIA is relevant to the treatment of IBD associated with inflammation and the pregnane X receptor (PXR). The current study demonstrated that Tan IIA is an efficacious PXR agonist and its ability to induce CYP3A4 mRNA and protein expression was mediated by the transactivation of PXR, a known target of abrogating inflammation in IBD. Clinical symptoms in mice and histological assessment data suggested that administration of Tan IIA in mice demonstrated significant protection and showed that in DSS-induced IBD it acts in a concentration-dependent manner. PXR-silenced mice treated with Tan IIA demonstrated low protection against DSS-induced mouse IBD and exacerbated the severity of IBD compared with wild-type mice; PXR-silenced mice demonstrated the necessity for PXR in Tan IIA-mediated upregulation of xenobiotic metabolism genes. The IBD treatment effects of Tan IIA are partially due to PXR-mediated upregulation of xenobiotic metabolism and downregulation of inflammatory mediators. The novel findings reported here may contribute to the effective utilization of Tan IIA and its derivatives as a PXR ligand in the treatment of human IBD. This suggests that Tan IIA may have considerable clinical utility.
Education, HIV Status and Risky Sexual Behavior: How Much Does the Stage of the HIV Epidemic Matter?

We study the relationship between education and HIV status using nationally representative data from 39 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) in Sub-Saharan Africa. First, we construct an innovative algorithm that systematically defines aggregate stages of the HIV epidemic in a comparable manner across time and across space. Second, we exploit the variation in the aggregate HIV stages in the DHS data, and find that the education gradient in HIV shows a U-shaped (positive-zero-positive) pattern over the course of the epidemic. Further, educational disparities in the number of extramarital partners are largely consistent with the evolution of the education gradient in HIV. We propose a simple theoretical model of risky sex choices that accounts for these stylized facts.
Empirical Analysis of Affine Versus Nonaffine Variance Specifications in Jump-Diffusion Models for Equity Indices

This article investigates several crucial issues that arise when modeling equity returns with stochastic variance. (i) Does the model need to include jumps even when using a nonaffine variance specification? We find that jump models clearly outperform pure stochastic volatility models. (ii) How do affine variance specifications perform when compared to nonaffine models in a jump diffusion setup? We find that nonaffine specifications outperform affine models, even after including jumps.
An appreciation of simulated annealing to maze routing

The simulated annealing optimisation technique is used to provide a framework for controlling ripup and rerouting transformations within an implementation of Lee‘s routing algorithm. The performance of the optimised router is compared with a more traditional implementation of Lee’s algorithm. The results show a significant improvement in completion rate obtained by the optimised router. In addition, the versatility of the optimised router is confirmed by the diverse nature of the experimental data.
Nuclear retinoid acid receptor beta in bronchial epithelium of smokers before and during chemoprevention.

BACKGROUND Retinoids can reverse neoplastic lesions and prevent second primary tumors in the aerodigestive tract. These effects are thought to be mediated by nuclear retinoic acid receptors (RARs) and retinoid X receptors (RXRs), each receptor group including three subtypes (alpha, beta, and gamma). Previously, we found that RARbeta expression was suppressed in lung cancer. In this study, we investigated whether expression of RARbeta is modulated by chemopreventive intervention. METHODS Using in situ hybridization, we analyzed RARbeta messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in bronchial biopsy specimens from heavy smokers, at baseline and after 6 months of treatment with 13-cis-retinoic acid (13-cis-RA) or placebo. Since we had previously detected RARbeta expression in 90% of bronchial specimens from nonsmokers, we considered loss of RARbeta mRNA expression in at least one of six biopsy specimens at baseline in this study to be aberrant. RESULTS RARbeta mRNA expression was aberrant in 30 (85.7%) of 35 subjects in the 13-cis-RA group and in 24 (72.7%) of 33 subjects in the placebo group. After 6 months of 13-cis-RA treatment, the number of subjects who were RARbeta positive in all six biopsy specimens increased from five of 35 to 13 of 35 (2.6-fold), so that the percentage of individuals with aberrant RARbeta expression decreased to 62.9% (22 of 35), which represents a statistically significant difference from baseline expression (two-sided P =.01). In the placebo group, no statistically significant difference in RARbeta expression was observed between baseline and 6 months. RARbeta expression was not related to current smoking status or reversal of squamous metaplasia. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that RARbeta is an independent marker of response to 13-cis-RA and may serve as an intermediate biomarker in chemoprevention trials of upper aerodigestive tract cancers.
Image analytic study of nuclear area in mantle cell lymphoma

Background Malignant lymphomas are classified on the basis of morphology, immunohistochemistry, and genetic and molecular biological features. Morphology is considered the most important and basic feature. Lymphomas can be classified as small, medium, or large depending on the cell size, but this criterion tends to be rather subjective. The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of an objective approach based on quantitative measurements. Methods Twenty specimens of mantle cell lymphoma and 2 specimens of the tonsil were examined. The nuclear area of 6,401 tumor cells of mantle cell lymphoma and 743 normal mantle cells of reactive tonsils were measured by 3 authors by using a user-controlled image-analyzer. The images of the nuclei were outlined using the spline method and the i-solution software, and the data were assessed using ANOVA and Student's t-test. Results The mean nuclear areas of mantle cell lymphoma cells measured by the 3 authors were 37.9 [7.9] µm2, 37.9 [7.2] µm2, and 38.2 [7.7] µm2 and those of normal mantle cells in reactive tonsil were 28.6 [2.3] µm2, 28.8 [2.0] µm2, and 27.0 [3.0] µm2. There was no statistical difference between the 3 observations of mantle cell lymphoma (P=0.580) and normal tonsils. Conclusion For morphology, nuclear area is considered an important feature in the classification schemes of lymphoma. We showed that nuclear area measurement by using image analyzer can be used as an objective quantitative method. We think that nuclear morphometry may play a significant role in the diagnosis of lymphoma.
Vintage Effects and the Diffusion of Time-Saving Technological Innovations

Abstract An important aspect of the study of technological innovations is the explanation of the extent and pace of diffusion. We show that pooling data across vintages of a technology may result in misleading conclusions about the impact of key factors on the duration of time to adoption of the innovation. This is especially important for a technology that affects both product/service quality and a firm's costs of operation to different degrees as the technology evolves over time. Using data on the diffusion of point-of-sale optical scanners between 1974 and 1985, we find that factors such as the stock of prior adopters, household income, family size, the four-firm concentration ratio and item-pricing laws had predictably different effects on the diffusion rate depending on the vintage of the technology. These results are robust to controlling for unobserved heterogeneity among firms, inclusion of additional regressors and a change in functional form.
KEMAMPUAN PREDIKTIF EARNINGS DAN ARUS KAS DALAM MEMPREDIKSI ARUS KAS MASA DEPAN

The objective of this study is to investigate whether earnings or operatingcash flows have more predictive ability to predict future operating cash flowsbetween firms reporting positive profit and firms reporting negative profit.Although prior study indicates a strengthening relationship between earnings andfuture operating cash flows for both firms reporting profits and losses, whilerelationship between current and future operating cash flows is neither increasingnor decreasing, our result indicates that both earnings and cash flows have abilityto predict future operating cash flow for firms reporting positive profit. On theother hand, for firms reporting negative profit, earnings are not significant topredict future operating cash flows while current operating cash flows still haveability to predict future operating cash flows.
Can Managers Forecast Aggregate Market Returns?

Previous studies have found that the proportion of equity in total new debt and equity issues is negatively correlated with future equity market returns. Researchers have interpreted this finding as evidence that corporate managers are able to predict the systematic component of their stock returns and to issue equity when the market is overvalued. In this article we show that the predictive power of the share of equity in total new issues stems from pseudo-market timing and not from any abnormal ability of managers to time the equity markets. Copyright 2005 by The American Finance Association.
Fibroblast Growth Factors: Biology, Function, and Application for Tissue Regeneration

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) that signal through FGF receptors (FGFRs) regulate a broad spectrum of biological functions, including cellular proliferation, survival, migration, and differentiation. The FGF signal pathways are the RAS/MAP kinase pathway, PI3 kinase/AKT pathway, and PLCγ pathway, among which the RAS/MAP kinase pathway is known to be predominant. Several studies have recently implicated the in vitro biological functions of FGFs for tissue regeneration. However, to obtain optimal outcomes in vivo, it is important to enhance the half-life of FGFs and their biological stability. Future applications of FGFs are expected when the biological functions of FGFs are potentiated through the appropriate use of delivery systems and scaffolds. This review will introduce the biology and cellular functions of FGFs and deal with the biomaterials based delivery systems and their current applications for the regeneration of tissues, including skin, blood vessel, muscle, adipose, tendon/ligament, cartilage, bone, tooth, and nerve tissues.
Low-overhead, digital offset compensated, SRAM sense amplifiers

Device variability in modern processes has become a major concern in SRAM design, degrading performance, yield, power, and reliability. While low-swing bitlines can reduce power consumption and increase performance, offset in the sense amplifiers due to device variability hinders the scalability of this technique. A promising method for decreasing the offset is post-silicon tuning using digitally controlled offset compensation. Thus, we have designed and implemented low-overhead, digital offset compensated, SRAM sense amplifiers using both the latch-style and StrongARM topologies. Measured results from a 4mm2 testchip design in a 45nm bulk CMOS process containing 3000 sense amplifier instances per chip show that we can reduce the standard deviation of offset (σOFFSET) by over 5x.
Surfimage: a flexible content-based image retrieval system

A2thozgh pouleTful image TepT~entatiom have been proposed for cozienf-based image Tetieval, most of the cument systems aTe “tigid”, i.e. they rettieve a fied set of images as Tesponse to a given que~ and an image featuTe. We introduce S=fitaage, a useT-fiendly, genetic and flw-ble content-based image TetievaI system. Stiiatage wes the que~-by-sample appToachfor ~ettieving images and integrate advanced ~eatuTessuch as image signatuTe combination, classification, multiple queti~ and queq Refinement. The classic and advanced featuTes of SMiraage aTe detaild in the papeT. Stiiraage has been eztensive[y t~ted oz dozens of databas~ and p~oauced ezcellent Tetm-evalTeS-dts; a sample of Tetm”eva~Tau~ts h pr~ented here.
Bank Performance and Regional Economic Growth: Evidence of a Regional Credit Channel

This paper examines the relationship between bank performance and economic growth at the state level. We develop a regional credit view to explain how, due to information costs, regional banking conditions can influence local economic activity by affecting a region's ability to fund local investments. The model suggests that local banking-sector problems may constrain economic activity in financially distressed regions, whereas no such link need be evident in financially sound regions. We test the empirical relevance of this credit view for the 1983-1990 period using state-level data and find evidence of a regional financial channel to output. Specifically, local banking-sector conditions explain more of real personal income growth in states whose share of nonperforming loans is above the national share.
Rosiglitazone-Mediated Effects on Skeletal Muscle Gene Expression Correlate with Improvements in Insulin Sensitivity in Individuals with HIV-Insulin Resistance

Rosiglitazone, an agonist of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPARγ), improves insulin sensitivity by increasing insulin-stimulated glucose uptake into muscle tissue. This study was undertaken to assess changes in expression of PPAR-regulated genes in muscle tissue following treatment of HIV-associated insulin resistance with rosiglitazone. Muscle gene expression was assessed in twenty-two seronegative HIV subjects (control), 21 HIV-infected individuals with normal insulin sensitivity (HIV-IS) and 19 HIV-infected individuals with insulin resistance (HIV-IR). A subset of the HIV-IR group (N = 10) were re-evaluated 12 weeks after treatment with 8 mg/d of rosiglitazone. The HIV-IR group's rosiglitazone-mediated improvement in insulin sensitivity was highly correlated with increased expression of PPARγ and carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1 (CPT-1), (r = 0.87, P < .001) and (r = 0.95, P < .001), respectively. The changes in PPARγ expression were also correlated with the changes in CPT1 expression (r = 0.75, P = .009). The results suggest that rosiglitazone; may have a direct effect on muscle tissue to improve insulin sensitivity.
Is There a Child Labor Trap? Intergenerational Persistence of Child Labor in Brazil*

This paper examines inter-generational persistence in child labor by developing a dynamic model and exploring its implications empirically in Brazil. We begin by building a simple overlapping generations model of the household child labor decision. We assume that this decision is made by the head of the household, where parents decide to send their child to work only if by doing so the childi? ½s contribution to the present consumption of the family outweighs the future consumption benefit the family would enjoy from keeping the child in school. The main predictions of the model are that children are more likely to work when they come from households with parents who were child laborers, from households with parents who have lower educational attainment and that child labor has adverse effects on childreni? ½s educational attainment and their adult earnings. Evidence of persistence in child labor is found by examining household survey data from Brazil. We exploit the fact that the survey data includes information on child labor of both parents and children in a household, as well as information on the educational achievement of the grandparents. We find that children are more likely to be child laborers the younger their parents were when they entered the labor force and the lower the educational attainment of the parents and of the grandparents. Another important finding is that individuals who start work at a younger age tend to end up with lower earnings as adults suggesting that the vocational training aspect of child labor does not the negative effect from loss of schooling.
Modeling and Simulation of Instant Messageing on Internet

Instant messaging (IM) has been a very popular application on Internet. The network of IM users was proved to be a kind of social network which reflects the cliques of users in real world. We argue that the evolution of the IM networks follows two main principles: preferential attachment in local world and acquaintance recommending. Based on these two principles, the statistical properties of the IM user network are analyzed.
Entrepreneurship, Happiness and Supernormal Returns: Evidence from Britain and the Us

Do entrepreneurs earn supernormal returns, or does competitive pressure ensure that entrepreneurs receive the same utility level as workers? If those who run their own businesses get supernormal returns (or 'rents') they should be happier than those who work as employees. The paper tests this hypothesis. It uses survey data from Britain and the USA to show that, in comparison with those in regular forms of employment, the self-employed report significantly higher levels of utility as proxied by overall satisfaction data.
Gauging Heterogeneity in Online Consumer Behaviour Data: A Proximity Graph Approach

In this paper we explore and analyse the heterogeneity existent within a seemingly homogenous sample of online consumer behaviours in terms of their demographic profile. The data from a sample of 371 survey respondents is clustered using various distance functions and a clustering algorithm. In doing so, the respondents are clustered based on their response profiles to online behaviour questions rather than their demographic characteristics or brand preferences. Through our results we highlight that high levels of heterogeneity amongst consumers within the same cluster exists in terms of the 'types' of brand categories they engage with through social media. This finding has implications for marketing strategies and consumer behaviour analysis as it highlights the importance of investigating consumer's behavioural profiles in the online brand setting. Our method also provides an empirical guide to examining respondents' heterogeneity in terms of response profiles rather than 'traditional' segmentation strategies based on basic demographic information or brand categories.
Gender Differences in Performance Predictions: Evidence from the Cognitive Reflection Test

This paper studies performance predictions in the 7-item Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) and whether they differ by gender. After participants completed the CRT, they predicted their own (i), the other participants’ (ii), men’s (iii), and women’s (iv) number of correct answers. In keeping with existing literature, men scored higher on the CRT than women and both men and women were too optimistic about their own performance. When we compare gender-specific predictions, we observe that men think they perform significantly better than other men and do so significantly more than women. The equality between women’s predictions about their own performance and their female peers cannot be rejected. Our findings contribute to the growing literature on the underpinnings of behavior in economics and in psychology by uncovering gender differences in confidence about one’s ability relative to same and opposite sex peers.
Some new results on one-dimensional outflow dynamics

In this paper we introduce a modified version of the one-dimensional outflow dynamics in the spirit of the Sznajd model, which simplifies the analytical treatment. The equivalence between original and modified versions is demonstrated in simulations. Using the Kirkwood approximation, we obtain an analytical formula for the exit probability and we show that it agrees very well with computer simulations in the case of random initial conditions. Moreover, we compare our results with earlier analytical calculations obtained from the renormalization group method and from the general sequential probabilistic frame introduced by Galam and show that our result is superior to the others. Using computer simulations we investigate the time evolution of several correlation functions in order to check the validity of the Kirkwood approximation. Surprisingly, it turns out that the Kirkwood approximation gives correct results even for such initial conditions for which it cannot be easily justified.
Teacher Influence on Elementary School Students to Participate in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of elementary school teachers on encouraging students’ interest and participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The researcher sought to understand what methods teachers use in their classrooms to encourage students to participate in STEM subjects and programs. This mixed methods study consisted of a questionnaire to collect quantitative data, as well as an interview of selected teachers who participated in the questionnaire to collect qualitative data. The data was analyzed to determine the overall perceptions of teachers regarding the importance of encouraging students to participate in STEM. The qualitative interview process was then used to explore in more detail what specific methods the teachers implemented to encourage students to participate in STEM. Results of this study suggest that the participants strongly agreed that it was important for students to be interested in STEM subjects and for teachers to encourage students’ interest in STEM subjects. However, the teachers did not as strongly agree in their abilities to effectively teach STEM content or make it fun and engaging for the students. This showed that the teachers’ belief in encouraging students to participate in STEM was more highly rated than their feeling of efficacy in teaching and engaging the students in STEM. The qualitative portion of this study revealed strategies used by veteran teachers who increased their teaching and engaging students in STEM subjects at the elementary level. Thesis Mentor:________________________ Dr. Meca William-Johnson Honors Director:_______________________ Dr. Steven Engel April 2016 Department of Teaching and Learning University Honors Program Georgia Southern University