Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biological and pharmacokinetic evidence for generic equivalence of three imipramine preparations: comparison with a new imipramine analogue.

: The biological availability of three imipramine preparations and an imipramine analogue, Leo 640, has been studied using a recently developed biological procedure. The isolated rat iris, was used to elucidate the inhibitory power of these drugs on noradrenaline uptake into adrenergic nerve terminals. Irides incubated in patients’ plasma before and during drug treatment were compared in two series of cross-over studies on hospitalized patients. It was found that the drugs compared seemed to be identical with regard to their effect on noradrenaline neurons. It has been hypothesized that the antidepressive effect of this type of tricyclic drugs is brought about by their inhibition of reuptake of monoamines released into central synapses. This method provides a new way for comparing these drugs and their active metabolites at the presumed site of action.
Identification of Niclosamide as a Novel Anticancer Agent for Adrenocortical Carcinoma

Purpose: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare and aggressive cancer, and no current effective therapy is available for locally advanced and metastatic ACC. Drug repurposing is an emerging approach for identifying new indications for existing drugs, especially for rare cancers such as ACC. The objective of this study was to use quantitative high-throughput screening to identify agents with antineoplastic activity against ACC. Experimental Design: A screening of 4,292 compounds was performed on three ACC cell lines: BD140A, SW-13, and NCI-H295R. Results: Twenty-one active compounds were identified, with an efficacy of >80% in all three cell lines. Of these, niclosamide showed higher efficacy and lower IC50 than established anti-ACC drugs. We then validated niclosamide-inhibited cellular proliferation in all three ACC cell lines. Next, we investigated the mechanism by which niclosamide inhibited ACC cell proliferation, and found that it induced caspase-dependent apoptosis and G1 cell-cycle arrest. Niclosamide also decreased cellular migration and reduced the level of mediators of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, such as N-cadherin and vimentin. Furthermore, niclosamide treatment resulted in decreased expression of β-catenin. We also evaluated the effect of niclosamide on energy metabolism in ACC cell lines and found it resulted in mitochondrial uncoupling. Niclosamide treatment inhibited ACC tumor growth with no observed toxicity in mice in vivo. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that niclosamide has anti-ACC activity through its inhibition of multiple altered cellular pathways and cellular metabolism in ACC. Our results provide a preclinical rationale for evaluating niclosamide therapy in a clinical trial for ACC. Clin Cancer Res; 22(14); 3458–66. ©2016 AACR.
Difference between upper and lower limb blood pressure in normal neonates using Doppler technique

Using the Doppler technique, systolic upper limb blood pressure was found to be greater than lower limb blood pressure (mean difference 17 mmHg) in 20 normal neonates. Therefore, the finding of such a difference does not necessarily signify the presence of a pathological degree of coarctation of the aorta.
Long‐Term Changes in the Economic Activity of Older Males in Korea

This study estimates the labor force participation rate (LFPR) of older males in Korea from 1955 through 2000 and analyzes the effects of several determining factors on labor force participation decisions at older ages. The LFPR of men age 60 and older increased substantially from the mid‐1960s to the late 1990s. This pattern is in sharp contrast to the historical experiences of most other OECD countries, where the LFPR of older males declined rapidly over the last century. The rise in the LFPR of older males in Korea between 1965 and 1995 is largely explained by the dramatic increase in the labor market activity of the rural elderly population. The results of regression analyses suggest that the acceleration of population aging in rural areas as a result of the selective out‐migration of younger persons was the major cause of the sharp increase in the LFPR of older males. It is likely that the relative decline of the rural economy in the course of industrialization made it increasingly difficult for the rural elderly population to save for retirement.
Forecasting yield spreads under crisis-induced multiple breakpoints

We perform a real time, out-of-sample forecasting exercise concerning seven fixed income spreads sampled at weekly frequency over a sample that spans the US financial crisis. We compare the predictive accuracy obtained from univariate, mean-reverting models of spreads that ignore the evidence of structural breaks in correspondence of the crisis, with models that take estimated and exogenous break dates into account. We also benchmark these predictive performances to standard random walk models. We find little or no evidence that accounts for breaks in the conditional mean process of yield spreads that would have improved real time predictive accuracy. We speculate on the reasons of such failure and we find informal indications that poor estimation of the breakpoint and the higher variance characterizing the post-break period is responsible for our results.
Mexico's Economic Growth and the Balance of Payments Constraint: A cointegration analysis

This paper applies the basic balance-of-payments constraint model (BPCmodel), developed by A.P. Thirlwall, to the analysis of Mexico's economic growth in 1950-96.With the use of unit-root tests and cointegration analysis it estimates the long-run association between the growth of Mexico's real exports and real output in 1950-96, and selected subperiods. The results tend to show significant and positive cointegration between these two variables, thus giving support to the BPC-model as a relevant hypothesis to explain Mexico's long-term economic growth. Moreover, the findings of cointegration tests for selected subperiods suggest that the slowdown in its economic growth since 1982 is associated with an increase in the long-term income elasticity of imports that made more binding the balance-of-payments constraint on the expansion of domestic output.
Ozone oxidative preconditioning is mediated by A1 adenosine receptors in a rat model of liver ischemia/ reperfusion

The liver is damaged by sustained ischemia in liver transplantation, and the reperfusion after ischemia results in further functional impairment. Ozone oxidative preconditioning (OzoneOP) protected the liver against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of A1 adenosine receptor on the protective actions conferred by OzoneOP in hepatic I/R. By using a specific agonist and antagonist of the A1 subtype receptor (2‐chloro N6 cyclopentyladenosine, CCPA and 8‐cyclopentyl‐1,3‐dipropylxanthine, DPCPX respectively), we studied the role of A1 receptor in the protective effects of OzoneOP on the liver damage, nitiric oxide (NO) generation, adenosine deaminase activity and preservation of the cellular redox balance. Immunohistochemical analysis of nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α) and heat shock protein‐70 (HSP‐70) was performed. OzoneOP prevented and/or ameliorated ischemic damage. CCPA showed a similar effect to OzoneOP + I/R group. A1AR antagonist DPCPX blocked the protective effect of OzoneOP. OzoneOP largely reduced the intensity of the p65 expression, diminished TNF‐α production, and promoted a reduction in HSP‐70 immunoreactivity. In summary, OzoneOP exerted protective effects against liver I/R injury through activation of A1 adenosine receptors (A1AR). Adenosine and . NO produced by OzoneOP may play a role in the pathways of cellular signalling which promote preservation of the cellular redox balance, mitochondrial function, glutathione pools as well as the regulation of NF‐κB and HSP‐70.
Cerebral hyperemia, stroke, and transfusion in sickle cell disease

To investigate cerebral hemodynamics in sickle cell disease (SCD), we used the 133Xenon inhalation technique of quantifying cerebral blood flow (CBF) in 67 patients. Clinical examinations and cerebral magnetic resonance imaging also were performed in all patients. Compared with age-matched healthy controls, CBF was elevated by 68% in patients, and inversely related to hematocrit. An experimental index of cerebral blood volume, pr4, was also elevated in the patients in a similar manner. Cerebral blood volume was positively correlated to CBF in SCD patients but not in controls. History of stroke and current neurologic symptoms were associated with lower flow and higher cerebral blood volume. Transfusion therapy reduced the hyperemia, the reduction being greater than expected by hematocrit elevation alone. These findings document a vasodilatory hyperemia in SCD. This dilatation may be a risk factor for ischemic distal-field infarctions, as visualized by MRI, due to a limitation of cerebrovascular reserve capacity.
Economic Globalization and Financial Development in East Asia: A Panel Cointegration and Causality Analysis

This study examines the role of economic globalization in financial development in eight East Asian economies. The heterogeneous panel cointegration test reveals that cointegration is present among economic globalization, institutions, financial development, real gross domestic product per capita, and financial reforms. The Granger causality test results indicate that economic globalization has a significant causal influence on institutional quality, and institutional reforms have in turn facilitated and supported financial development, in particular of the banking sector in East Asia. Economic globalization is also found to have a favorable causal impact on stock market development without going through the institutional quality channel.
A Cross-Sectional Survey in Rural Bihar, India, Indicates That Nutritional Status, Diet, and Stimulation Are Associated with Motor and Mental Development in Young Children

Background: Many malnourished children in resource-poor settings fail to fulfill their developmental potential. Objective: The objectives of this analysis were to examine the nutritional, psychosocial, environmental, and household correlates of child development in Bihar, India, and identify mediators between dietary diversity and mental development. Methods: Using 2-stage cluster randomized sampling, we surveyed 4360 households with children 6–18 mo of age in the West Champaran district of Bihar. We measured motor and mental development with the use of the Developmental Milestones Checklist II. In a random subsample (n = 2838), we measured anthropometric characteristics and hemoglobin. Cluster-adjusted multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the associations between nutrition indicators and development scores. Sobel’s test was used to assess significant mediators in the association between diet diversity and development scores. Analyses were stratified by children 6–11 and 12–18 mo of age. Results: In all children, length-for-age z score (LAZ), dietary diversity, and psychosocial stimulation were significant (P < 0.05) correlates of motor development scores [(β coefficient ± SE) in children 6–11 mo: LAZ = 0.46 ± 0.08, dietary diversity = 0.43 ± 0.09, and stimulation = 0.15 ± 0.04; in children 12–18 mo: LAZ = 0.73 ± 0.07, dietary diversity = 0.30 ± 0.09, and stimulation = 0.31 ± 0.05] and mental development scores [(β coefficient ± SE) in children 6–11 mo: LAZ = 0.57 ± 0.10, dietary diversity = 0.84 ± 0.13, and stimulation = 0.54 ± 0.07; in children 12–18 mo: LAZ = 0.54 ± 0.11, dietary diversity = 0.40 ± 0.16, and stimulation = 0.62 ± 0.09]. Stimulation, gross motor development, and fine motor development were significant mediators in the relation between dietary diversity and mental development. Conclusion: Strategies to improve dietary diversity and psychosocial stimulation could have important implications for child development of young North Indian children. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02593136.
Firm performance and complementary strategy development processes

Purpose – This paper sets out to continue exploration of the process‐performance linkage by positing several relationships between a multidimensional operationalization of the strategy development process and firm performance, specifically identifying a strategy process configuration that is complementary to constrained environmental conditions.Design/methodology/approach – Hypotheses and empirical results from a survey of practicing senior managers are presented.Findings – The results infer that, in conjunction, the enforced choice and political strategy development process modes are superior to other strategy‐making archetypes in generating return on assets within constrained environments in for‐profit firms. No significant differences in firm performance were found for not‐for‐profit firms or for firms employing four other strategy development process modes prevalent in the current strategy process literature.Practical implications – When assessing their strategic management process, organizations must.
Are Debt and Leases Substitutes?

Abstract Lease valuation models often begin with the assumption that leases and debt are substitutes. This paper demonstrates that, because leasing is a mechanism for selling excess tax deductions, it can motivate the lessee firm to increase the proportion of debt in its capital structure relative to an otherwise identical firm that does not use leasing. Thus, debt and leases can be complements. We also show that a competitive lessor will use diversification to reduce risk and increase the probability that tax deductions are fully utilized so that it can lower lease payments.
Alkali-Activated Geopolymers: A Literature Review

Abstract : Information presented in this report is organized along specific issues such as the advantages and disadvantages of using geopolymer concrete for industrial applications, the benefits and risks associated with binder variables (alkaline concentration, pozzolan ratios, curing methodologies), mechanical variance resulting from differences in microstructural evolution and performance in harsh environments (extreme temperatures and chemical attack).
Dividend Policy and Corporate Governance

Dividends are not only a signal about a firm's prospects under asymmetric information, but they can also act as a corporate governance device to align the management's interests with those of the shareholders. Dividend Policy and Corporate Governance is the first comprehensive volume on the relationship between dividend policy and corporate governance, and examines in detail empirical studies and current theories. Reviewing the interactions between dividend policy and other corporate governance mechanisms, it compares results for the UK and the US with those for other countries such as France, Germany, and Japan, and provides new empirical evidence on corporate governance in continental Europe and its impact on dividends. Focusing on one of the main representatives of this system, Germany, it highlights major differences between the dividend policies of German firms and those of UK or US firms. Conventional wisdom states that German dividends are lower than UK or US dividends, yet on a published-profits basis the exact converse is true. In addition, the authors demonstrate a link between corporate control structures and dividend payouts, report evidence that the existence of a loss is an additional determinant of dividend changes, and demonstrate that the tax status of the controlling shareholder and the firm's dividend payout are not linked. The conclusions reached in this book have important implications for the current debate on corporate governance, making it invaluable for academics, finance professionals, regulators, and legal advisors.
Risk of severe climate change impact on the terrestrial biosphere

The functioning of many ecosystems and their associated resilience could become severely compromised by climate change over the 21st century. We present a global risk analysis of terrestrial ecosystem changes based on an aggregate metric of joint changes in macroscopic ecosystem features including vegetation structure as well as carbon and water fluxes and stores. We apply this metric to global ecosystem simulations with a dynamic global vegetation model (LPJmL) under 58 WCRP CMIP3 climate change projections. Given the current knowledge of ecosystem processes and projected climate change patterns, we find that severe ecosystem changes cannot be excluded on any continent. They are likely to occur (in > 90% of the climate projections) in the boreal–temperate ecotone where heat and drought stress might lead to large-scale forest die-back, along boreal and mountainous tree lines where the temperature limitation will be alleviated, and in water-limited ecosystems where elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration will lead to increased water use efficiency of photosynthesis. Considerable ecosystem changes can be expected above 3 K local temperature change in cold and tropical climates and above 4 K in the temperate zone. Sensitivity to temperature change increases with decreasing precipitation in tropical and temperate ecosystems. In summary, there is a risk of substantial restructuring of the global land biosphere on current trajectories of climate change.
Wildlife Viewing Preferences of Visitors to Protected Areas in South Africa: Implications for the Role of Ecotourism in Conservation

Ecotourism has a potentially vital role to play in conservation by generating economic incentives for nature conservation. However, some authors contend that this potential may be limited by narrow viewing preferences among visitors to protected areas, suggesting that most tourists are primarily interested in seeing charismatic mega-fauna largely confined to government or privately-owned parks. We assessed viewing preferences among tourists at four protected areas in South Africa to test the validity of this contention. Mega-herbivores and large carnivores were the most popular species, particularly among first-time and overseas visitors, but African visitors and experienced wildlife viewers were more interested in bird and plant diversity, scenery, and rarer, less easily-observed and/or less high-profile mammals. Several of these favored species are extinction prone and often absent from wildlife areas due to sensitivity to human encroachment and competition with more abundant species. Hence, ecotourism may provide incentives for the conservation of intact guilds, and management for ecotourism may align more closely with biodiversity conservation objectives than suggested by critics. This potential could be enhanced by diversification of tour operator advertising to feature aspects of biodiversity other than the ‘big five’. Nonetheless, charismatic mega-fauna have a vital flagship role by attracting most overseas and first-time visitors to protected areas.
Inter-Functional Integration and Industrial New Product Portfolio Decision Making: Exploring and Articulating the Linkages

This study investigates the relationship between the nature of inter-functional integration and industrial new product/service portfolio decision making. While inter-functional integration has been widely researched, there is little understanding of its influence on resource allocation decisions within the context of a broad portfolio of development projects. The detailed activities and decisions underpinning the inter-functional management of the new product portfolio, as well as three specific new product/service projects, at a large European industrial product manufacturer are analysed. Detailed findings are provided. Two critical inter-functional dimensions - functional domination and nature of evaluation criteria - are derived and discussed. Implications for managerial action are given.
Strong Photocurrent Enhancements in Highly Efficient Flexible Organic Solar Cells by Adopting a Microcavity Configuration

Organic solar cells often show inefficient light harvesting due to a short absorption path length limited by the low charge mobility of organic semiconductors. We demonstrate a flexible organic solar cell in a microcavity configuration using a TeO2/Ag semitransparent electrode to confine the optical field within the device with significant performance improvements and reaching a power conversion efficiency of 8.56%.
The vulnerability of 'self-help' : women and microfinance in South India

A popular strategy in India has been to encourage links between banks and village women's self-help groups, with some credit lines subsidised by state anti-poverty programmes. The intention is to lower transaction costs, enable banks and local government departments to meet their targets for social lending, and give poor women access to subsidised credit for starting local enterprises as well as unsubsidised loans for consumption. The banks also see longer term commercial potential in servicing a growing rural market for financial services.
The effects of control signal noise on simultaneous submovements

Understanding the stereotypical characteristics of human movement can better inform rehabilitation practices by providing a template of healthy and expected human motor control. Multiplicative noise is inherent in goal-directed movement, such as reaching to grasp an object. Multiplicative noise plays an important role in computational motor control models to help support phenomena such as stereotypical kinematic profiles in time-constrained and unconstrained tasks. Most tasks are not carried out along an isolated degree-of-freedom (DOF), and modelling the contribution of noise can be difficult. Here we add a noise term proportional to the degree of simultaneity for multi-DOF tasks to approximate the contribution of system noise. With this approach, we are able to explain previously observed motor phenomena including the presence of submovements in multi-DOF tasks, and the transition from simultaneous to sequential control of joints without the presence of feedback. Inclusion of a simultaneous multiplicative noise term presents a simple theory that expands on previous research in order to describe characteristics of multiple-DOF movements. This model can be used as a guide to compare healthy human motor control to the movements of patients receiving rehabilitation in an effort to improve their motor planning.