Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The growth of brain tumors can be suppressed by multiple transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells expressing cytosine deaminase

Suicide genes have recently emerged as an attractive alternative therapy for the treatment of various types of intractable cancers. The efficacy of suicide gene therapy relies on efficient gene delivery to target tissues and the localized concentration of final gene products. Here, we showed a potential ex vivo therapy that used mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as cellular vehicles to deliver a bacterial suicide gene, cytosine deaminase (CD) to brain tumors. MSCs were engineered to produce CD enzymes at various levels using different promoters. When co‐cultured, CD‐expressing MSCs had a bystander, anti‐cancer effect on neighboring C6 glioma cells in proportion to the levels of CD enzymes that could convert a nontoxic prodrug, 5‐fluorocytosine (5‐FC) into cytotoxic 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) in vitro. Consistent with the in vitro results, for early stage brain tumors induced by intracranial inoculation of C6 cells, transplantation of CD‐expressing MSCs reduced tumor mass in proportion to 5‐FC dosages. However, for later stage, established tumors, a single treatment was insufficient, but only multiple transplantations were able to successfully repress tumor growth. Our findings indicate that the level of total CD enzyme activity is a critical parameter that is likely to affect the clinical efficacy for CD gene therapy. Our results also highlight the potential advantages of autograftable MSCs compared with other types of allogeneic stem cells for the treatment of recurrent glioblastomas through repetitive treatments.
Bharatanatyam hand gesture recognition using polygon representation

For automatic hand gesture recognition of `Bharatanatyam' dance, a 4-stage system has been designed. In the first stage, texture based segmentation is done to detect the hand of the dancer from the background. Thus boundary of the hand is extracted. In the next stage, boundary of the hand is approximated using straight lines. Now at the third stage, each straight line is represented by the sides of a decagon by comparing the slopes and thus a chain code is obtained from this. In the last level, matching of an unknown chain code is done with the chain codes from the database with an accuracy rate of 89.3%. This simple yet effective code is very useful for e-learning of `Bharatanatyam' dance. It is a fast and effective way to spread the dance form world-wide.
Education for sustainability: the role of capabilities in guiding university curricula

While pressing sustainability issues climb international and national agendas, most Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have yet to respond in a systematic and coherent way in terms of embedding sustainability concepts, values and skills into the student learning experience. The paper reviews some schemas and views in the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) debate regarding what constitutes 'capability' in this area, and finds an emerging pattern of broad consensus. Whilst some see sustainability as implying a major challenge for the purposes and nature of university education as a whole, it is still necessary to indicate curriculum ideas that any HEI can begin to implement, ideally as a precursor to deeper change. Between the undesirable extremes of curriculum prescription and emergence, the authors suggest some indicative schemas that might help academics design curricula for ESD. Further, a model of staged learning and change linking institutional change with deepening student experience is suggested, based on current work at RMIT and the University of Plymouth.
Understanding and exploiting hTERT promoter regulation for diagnosis and treatment of human cancers

Telomerase activation is a critical step for human carcinogenesis through the maintenance of telomeres, but the activation mechanism during carcinogenesis remains unclear. Transcriptional regulation of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene is the major mechanism for cancer‐specific activation of telomerase, and a number of factors have been identified to directly or indirectly regulate the hTERT promoter, including cellular transcriptional activators (c‐Myc, Sp1, HIF‐1, AP2, ER, Ets, etc.) as well as the repressors, most of which comprise tumor suppressor gene products, such as p53, WT1, and Menin. Nevertheless, none of them can clearly account for the cancer specificity of hTERT expression. The chromatin structure via the DNA methylation or modulation of nucleosome histones has recently been suggested to be important for regulation of the hTERT promoter. DNA unmethylation or histone methylation around the transcription start site of the hTERT promoter triggers the recruitment of histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity, allowing hTERT transcription. These facts prompted us to apply these regulatory mechanisms to cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. Telomerase‐specific replicative adenovirus (Telomelysin, OBP‐301), in which E1A and E1B genes are driven by the hTERT promoter, has been developed as an oncolytic virus that replicates specifically in cancer cells and causes cell death via viral toxicity. Direct administration of Telomelysin was proved to effectively eradicate solid tumors in vivo, without apparent adverse effects. Clinical trials using Telomelysin for cancer patients with progressive stages are currently ongoing. Furthermore, we incorporated green fluorescent protein gene (GFP) into Telomelysin (TelomeScan, OBP‐401). Administration of TelomeScan into the primary tumor enabled the visualization of cancer cells under the cooled charged‐coupled device (CCD) camera, not only in primary tumors but also the metastatic foci. This technology can be applied to intraoperative imaging of metastatic lymphnodes. Thus, we found novel tools for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics by utilizing the hTERT promoter. (Cancer Sci 2008; 99: 1528–1538)
Treatment Results of Radiotherapy Combined with Balloon-occluded Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy for Invasive Bladder Cancer.

AIM We present preliminary results from our clinical study evaluating the effectiveness of combination of radiotherapy with balloon-occluded arterial infusion (BOAI) and hemodialysis (HD) for bladder cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS We investigated 134 patients with a median age of 67 years (range=38-88 years) and a median follow-up time of 31 months. According to the UICC classification, 89 patients were at clinical stage T2, 40 at T3, and 5 at T4. All patients received external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT) of 50 Gy to the whole pelvis with 10 Gy to the bladder as a boost. During EBRT, BOAI of cisplatin (CDDP) (100 mg/body) was administered from bilateral internal iliac arteries with simultaneous HD to prevent back-flow of CDDP into the systemic circulation. RESULTS Three-year local control and overall survival (OS) rates were 68% and 80%, respectively, and 3-year bladder preservation rate was 90%. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that T stage and primary effect were significant prognostic factors for OS. In addition, primary effect was a significant prognostic factor for bladder preservation. None of the patients had grade 2 or more severe hematological toxicity. Late grade ≥3 genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) complications were observed in 6% and 2% of the patients, respectively. CONCLUSION Combination of radiotherapy with BOAI and HD, associated with reduced hematological toxicity, may be regarded as a curative therapy for patients with bladder cancer. Late GU and GI complications were within acceptable limits. T stage is an important predictive factor for the outcome of this therapy.
Exploring use of the ICF in health education

Abstract Purpose: Currently, little is known regarding use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) in health education applications. Therefore, this review sought to examine the scope of work that has been conducted regarding the application of the ICF in health education. Methods: A review of the current literature related to use of the ICF in health education programs was conducted. Twelve electronic databases were searched in accordance with a search protocol developed by a health sciences librarian. In total, 17 878 records were reviewed, and 18 articles met the criteria for inclusion in this review. Results: Current evidence regarding use of the ICF in healthcare education revealed that program and participant properties can be essential facilitators or barriers to successful education programs. In addition, gaps in comprehensive outcome measurement were revealed as areas for future attention. Educational applications of the ICF are very much a work in progress as might be expected given the ICF’s existence for only a little over a decade. Conclusions: To advance use of the ICF in education, it is important to incorporate the measurement of both knowledge acquisition and behavior change related to ICF-based programs. Ultimately, widespread implementation of the ICF represents not only a substantial opportunity but also poses a significant challenge. Implications for Rehabilitation ICF integration in health education is a relatively new, but growing phenomenon that is primarily limited to developed educational and healthcare systems. When incorporating the ICF into health education initiatives, special consideration should be paid to both the intended audience and the method of delivery.
Marketing Margins and Price Uncertainty: The Case of the U.S. Wheat Market

This paper seeks to determine the effect of changes in output price risk on marketing margins. A theoretical model of price determination in a marketing channel with risk-averse firms is developed. This model shows that if marketing firms ate competitive and decreasingly absolute risk averse, then an increase in output price risk should result in higher expected marketing margins. Empirical evidence from the wheat marketing channel supports the theoretical model: increased price variability significantly increases wheat marketing margins for both the farm-mill margin and the mill-retail margin. These results suggest a potential benefit from price stabilization programs.
Inter-firm technology transfer: partnership-embedded licensing or standard licensing agreements?

When companies decide to engage in technology transfer through licensing to other firms, they have two basic options: to use standard licensing contracts or to set-up more elaborate partnership-embedded licensing agreements. We find that broader partnership-embedded licensing agreements are preferred with higher levels of technological sophistication of industries, with greater perceived effectiveness of secrecy as a means of appropriability, and when licensors are smaller than their licensees. Innovative differentials between companies, innovative supremacy of the licensor, and market and technological overlap between partners appear to have no effect on the preference for a particular form of licensing.
The Link between Business Strategy and Industrial Relations Systems in American Steel Minimills

This study tests the “strategic choice” proposition that variation in workplace industrial relations policies and practices is related to differences in business strategy. A cluster analysis of data from a 1988–89 questionnaire examining workplace industrial relations and business strategies in U.S. steel minimills suggests that the industrial relations systems of these mills can be broadly categorized as emphasizing either cost reduction or employee commitment; similarly, the business strategies of the mills appear to stress either the manufacture of a few products in large quantities at the lowest possible cost, or more flexible manufacturing, with products marketed on some basis other than cost. Further investigation shows a significant association between the type of workplace industrial relations system and the business strategy choices in these mills.
Quantitative Analysis of the Impact of Exchange Rate Policies on Nigeria's Economic Growth: a Test of Stability of Parameter Estimates

Exchange rate policy in Nigeria has oscillated from a fixed exchange rate regime in 1960, and to a pegged regime between 1970s and mid 1980s and finally to various variants of the floating regime from 1986 with the introduction of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP). This study tested the impact of the two basic exchange rate policies, namely, the fixed and flexible regimes, using the Chow test procedure to determine the structural stability of the relationship between exchange rate and output of goods and services during the two regimes. However, before the Chow test was applied, the time series characteristics of the variables used in the model were tested, using Augmented Dickey-Fuller unit root tests and Johansson co integrating tests. All the variables were integrated of order one, and co integrated. The estimated long run equation revealed that, apart from government expenditure (GEX), both exchange rate (EXR) and money supply (M2) are highly significant in the determination of Nigeria's economic growth performance. The adjusted R-square value of about 0.85 was considerably high implying that about 85% of the variability in Nigeria's economic growth performance is determined by the regressors. The joint influence of the explanatory variables measured by the F-value of 76.19601 is also highly significant. The D-W value of 0.288965 indicated the presence of autocorrelation of the first order. The conducted Chow test showed that the relationship between exchange rate and economic growth performance in Nigeria have not undergone any significant structural changes. The implication is that no matter the exchange rate regime, whether fixed or flexible, what matters is the effectiveness of the management. Nigeria can substantially improve on its economic growth performance through improvements in the overall management of its exchange rate policy.
Women's Labor Force Participation and the Residential Mobility of Families

Families in which the wife works are more likely to undertake short-distance moving and slightly less likely to undertake long-distance migration than families in which the wife does not work. The effect of the wife's employment is greater in raising the family's local mobility rates than in lowering migration rates. The reasons behind these findings are explored, along with the implied consequences. It is concluded that the migration of husbands interferes substantially with career development among wives and in this way contributes to explaining why women earn less than men at the same age, occupation, and educational level.
Proximity to the SEC and Stock Price Crash Risk

We explore the possibility that SEC oversight influences disclosure practices in a manner that reduces the likelihood of individual stock price crashes. Firms located farther from the SEC have greater stock price crash risk and this result is more pronounced for firms with financial statements that are less readable (those with larger 10-K filings) and more pronounced when SEC budgets are relatively smaller. Similar results are obtained in response to SEC regional office location changes that are more likely to be exogenous. Our results suggest that SEC oversight induces disclosure practices that reduce the likelihood of large negative disclosures.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Coprinoid Mushroom Coprinopsis strossmayeri

ABSTRACT Coprinopsis strossmayeri is a coprinoid mushroom favoring the habitat of herbivore dung. As a result of this highly competitive environment, C. strossmayeri is anticipated to produce a wide array of antimicrobial secondary metabolites (SMs) of potential pharmaceutical importance. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of C. strossmayeri.
Is Earnings Fraud Associated with High Deferred Tax and/or Book Minus Tax Levels?

The objective of this paper is to provide preliminary evidence whether SFAS No. 109 tax data might be useful in distinguishing between firms that do versus do not engage in earnings overstatement fraud (hereafter fraud). We examine the associations of various versions of deferred tax expense (DTE) variables and book income minus taxable income (BMT) variables with fraud, in the year of fraud onset and the year prior to fraud. The analysis is based upon a sample of 65 firms with positive pretax income, sanctioned by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), in Accounting and Auditing Enforcement Releases (AAERs). A set of control firms are matched by asset size, two‐digit SIC code, year, and nature of income (positive versus negative pretax income). We also perform analyses using a larger, nonmatched control sample. Our results indicate that, for firms with positive pretax income, DTE‐based variables have strong incremental associations with fraud occurrence, beyond discretionary accruals and selected .
Failed mourning in the Adult Attachment Interview: The case of Holocaust child survivors

In the present study attachment theory was used as a conceptual framework to investigate the long-term effects of the Holocaust on child survivors. Child survivors who as children lost both mothers and fathers as a result of the Holocaust (N=48), were administered the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) in their late adulthood. They were expected to display enduring disorganization from their horrible experiences with loss of attachment figures, and indeed the results confirmed the lasting effects of the Holocaust on the survivors who displayed a very high rate of unresolved loss (U; 42%). At the same time, however, a number of child survivors (n=4) displayed clear markers of failed mourning that might be seen as another alternative to unsatisfactory completion of the mourning process (integral part of the traditional U-category). Such markers were never discussed in length by the traditional coding system of the AAI. The implications of viewing failed mourning as part of unresolved loss are discussed.
The political economy of urban poverty and environmental management in Asia: access, empowerment and community based alternatives

The political economy of urban poverty and environmental management in Asia describes the major environmental problems facing the urban poor in this regionand suggests the need for alternative avenues of action to address them. It concentrates on the current and potential role of community level initiatives, including what constrains their effectiveness and the pre-conditions for empowering and mobilizing the poor to manage their environment.
Winter resource wealth drives delayed dispersal and family-group living in western bluebirds

Delayed dispersal, where offspring remain with parents beyond the usual period of dependence, is the typical route leading to formation of kin-based cooperative societies. The prevailing explanations for why offspring stay home are variation in resource wealth, in which offspring of wealthy parents benefit disproportionately by staying home, and nepotism, where the tendency for parents to be less aggressive and share food with offspring makes home a superior place to wait to breed. These hypotheses are not strict alternatives, as only wealthy parents have sufficient resources to share. In western bluebirds, Sialia mexicana, sons usually delay dispersal until after winter, gaining feeding advantages through maternal nepotism in a familial winter group. Experimentally reducing resource wealth (mistletoe) by half on winter territories caused sons to disperse in summer, even though their parents remained on the territory during the winter. Only 8% of sons remained with their parents on mistletoe-removal territories compared to 50% of sons on control territories (t9,10=3.33, p<0.005). This study is the first to demonstrate that experimentally reducing wealth of a natural food resource reduces delayed dispersal, facilitating nepotism and family-group living. The results clarify the roles of year-round residency, resource limitation and relative wealth outside the breeding season in facilitating the formation of kin-based cooperative societies.
Transient Deafness in Young Candidates for Cochlear Implants

This study describes 5 infants who were diagnosed with auditory neuropathy (AN) associated with severe to profound neural hearing loss shortly after birth. However, on repetition of the tests 7–12 months later, all infants showed full or partial recovery. The follow-up electrophysiological patterns were characterized by the appearance of wave I, followed by wave III and V, reflecting synchronization of auditory pathways and improvement in auditory nerve function. Suspected causative or contributory factors were neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, hypoxia, ischemia, and central nervous system immaturity, alone or in combination. These findings indicate that lack of an auditory brain stem response does not necessarily mean no hearing and that the situation where AN exists can improve. Thus, clinicians should be made aware that although cochlear implants may yield better auditory performance when applied early, they should be considered a therapeutic option only after repeated measures have proved persistent AN, and no child should be considered for an implant until a behavioral measure of hearing has been obtained.
Postsecondary Transitions of Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Tribal Scholarship Program Students

Abstract:The purpose of this study was to explore the postsecondary education transition experiences of graduates of Choctaw Central High School (CCHS) who received support from the tribal scholarship program (TSP), to better understand the barriers to successful postsecondary completion and means of overcoming barriers. A total of 87 TSP-supported students participated as survey respondents. Purposeful sampling in the form of maximum variation was used to select six respondents for interviews. Findings documented three barriers to successful postsecondary completion: (1) racial conflict with peers or faculty, (2) being overwhelmed academically, and (3) having to care for a legal dependent. The barriers are discussed in the context of three primary factors related to postsecondary completion for American Indian students: sociocultural, academic, and personal factors.
The return to initial public offerings: a Sino-Indian comparison

The ability of entrepreneurs and other promoters of start-up businesses to exit through an initial public offering is an important component of a mature capital market. The returns on initial public offerings (IPOs) on the Shanghai and Bombay stock exchanges over a 14-year period to May 2007 are analysed in this paper. Consideration is given to the medium to longer-term returns accruing to the new listings. The focus is not on initial subscribers' gains or losses on listing but rather on the extent to which new listings continue and generate at least normal returns. The two emerging economies considered have differing political, legal and economic systems and exhibit significantly different return patterns.