Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bank Corporate Governance: A Proposal for the Post-Crisis World

The corporate governance problems of banks are qualitatively and quantitatively different from those of other firms. The authors argue that a key factor contributing to this difference is the growing opacity and complexity of bank activities, a trend that has increased the difficulty of managing risk in financial firms. They also cite the governance challenges posed by the holding company organization of banks, in which two boards of directors? the bank? s own board and the board of the holding company that owns the bank? monitor the bank. This paradigm results in significant confusion about the role of bank holding company directors: While regulators focus on directors? safety and soundness responsibilities, state corporate laws governing the conduct of managers focus on the conflicting goal of maximizing shareholder wealth. Reviewing the existing solutions to bank corporate governance problems, the authors argue that it is time to impose a more rigorous standard of conduct on bank directors. They contend that ? post-crisis? bank directors should be held to high professional standards rather than the amateur standard that governs directors generally, and they propose ? banking expert? requirements for risk committee members akin to the requirements that Sarbanes-Oxley imposes on audit committees. They further assert that all bank directors should be ? banking literate,? possessing the specialized knowledge needed to monitor and control risk taking in complex banking institutions.
Development of AIDS in a chimpanzee infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1

The condition of a chimpanzee (C499) infected with three different isolates of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) for over 10 years progressed to AIDS. Disease development in this animal was characterized by (i) a decline in CD4+ cells over the last 3 years; (ii) an increase in viral loads in plasma; (iii) the presence of a virus, termed HIV-1JC, which is cytopathic for chimpanzee peripheral blood mononuclear cells; and (iv) the presence of an opportunistic infection and blood dyscrasias. Genetic analysis of the V1-V2 region of the envelope gene of HIV-1JC showed that the virus present in C499 was significantly divergent from all inoculating viruses (> or = 16% divergent at the amino acid level) and was suggestive of a large quasispecies. Blood from C499 transfused into an uninfected chimpanzee (C455) induced a rapid and sustained CD4+-cell decline in the latter animal, concomitant with high plasma viral loads. These results show that HIV-1 can induce AIDS in chimpanzees and suggest that long-term passage of HIV-1 in chimpanzees can result in the development of a more pathogenic virus.
Klotho expression in cervical cancer: differential expression in adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma

Aims Klotho is a trans-membrane protein that serves as a tumour suppressor in a wide array of malignancies. Recent data suggest it as an epigenetically silenced tumour suppressor in cervical cancer. Yet, the expression pattern of klotho in cervical cancer has not been determined. We aimed to study the expression of klotho in squamous cell carcinomas (SQCC) and adenocarcinoma (ADC) of the cervix. Methods Klotho expression was analysed by immunohistochemistry in 44 SQCC samples, 38 ADC samples and the adjacent normal tissue. For each sample, percentage of positive stained cells, staining intensity and a combined staining score were recorded. Staining was validated by measuring klotho mRNA levels, using quantitative RT-PCR, in 18 of the samples. Results Klotho expression was high in all endocervical and exocervical normal tissues adjacent to tumour. No expression of klotho was noted in 7 out of 38 (18.4%) ADC samples and in 2 out of 44 (4.5%) SQCC samples. Staining intensity, number of positively stained cells and combined intensity score were all lower in tumours compared with normal adjacent tissues in ADC and SQCC. Klotho mRNA levels highly correlated with immunohistochemical (IHC) staining (p=0.008). Conclusions We found reduced klotho expression in cervical carcinoma, especially in ADC, compared with normal adjacent tissue. Our results support the role of klotho as a potential tumour suppressor in cervical cancer. Further studies are required in order to establish the therapeutic role of klotho in cervical carcinoma and identify patients who may benefit from it.
Market Design with Blockchain Technology

Blockchain or, more generally, distributed ledger technology allows to create a decentralized digital ledger of transactions and to share it among a network of computers. In this paper, we argue that the implementation of this technology in financial markets offers investors new options for managing the degree of transparency of their holdings and their trading intentions. We first identify two intrinsic features of a distributed ledger that impact the availability of these new options, namely the mapping between identifiers and end-investors and the degree of transparency of the ledger, and we then examine how the implementation design of these critical features affects investor trading behavior, trading costs, and investor welfare, in a theoretical model of intermediated and peer-to-peer trading. We find that, despite the risk of front-running, the most transparent setting yields the highest investor welfare. In the absence of full transparency, for low levels of liquidity in the intermediated market, welfare is highest if investors are required to concentrate their holdings under single identifiers.
Preoperative Maximal Oxygen Uptake and Exercise-induced Changes in Pulse Oximetry Predict Early Postoperative Respiratory Complications in Lung Cancer Patients

Background: Postoperative respiratory complications often arise in lung cancer patients after lung resection, although these are often difficult to predict. We sought to identify reliable predictors of early-onset postoperative respiratory complications in lung cancer patients who had moderate-to-severe preoperative respiratory impairment. Methods: This was a prospective observational study that included 107 consecutive lung cancer patients with forced expiratory volume in 1 s <60% of predicted who were scheduled for thoracotomy and lung resection. Preoperative functional assessments included pulmonary function testing by spirometry, single breath diffusion capacity of lung for carbon monoxide, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Risk factors for early-onset postoperative respiratory complications that occurred within 30 days postoperatively were sought from among these pulmonary function testing and cardiopulmonary exercise testing results. Results: By multivariable logistic regression, peak oxygen uptake (V′O2max%; p < 0.001) and the transcutaneous pulse oxygen saturation difference during load exercise (ΔSPO2%; p < 0.001) were independent predictors of postoperative respiratory complications. A receiver operating characteristic curve had an area under the curve of 0.846 for the combination of V′O2max% and ΔSPO2%, while the area under the curve with V′O2max% only was 0.726. From this, the probability of postoperative respiratory complications was P complication = e ( 2 . 58 − 0 . 08 V ′ O 2 max % + 0 . 56 Δ SP O 2 % ) / [ 1 + e ( 2 . 58 − 0 . 08 V ′ O 2 max % + 0 . 56 Δ SP O 2 % ) ] . Pcomplication ≥ 0.202 for postoperative respiratory complications had a sensitivity of 80.8% and a specificity of 81.5%. Conclusions: For lung cancer patients with forced expiratory volume in 1 s <60% of predicted, in addition to common preoperative tests, V′O2max% and ΔSPO2% may be an aid for predicting early-onset postoperative respiratory complications.
Characterisation of the Cdc 2-related kinase 2 gene from Plasmodium knowlesi and P . berghei 1

The complete sequence of the cdc2-related kinase 2 (CRK2) gene from Plasmodium knowlesi and from P. berghei was determined. In both species, the CRK2 gene is closely linked to an elongation factor 1 a gene. The two CRK2 proteins are highly homologous to the P. falciparum PfPK5 protein. The CRK2 gene of both species is expressed at a low level during the asexual cell-cycle within the host erythrocytes. The P. berghei CRK2 mRNA is also present in gametocytes and in stages during development in the mosquito, suggesting a role of this protein in different parts of the life cycle. A conserved sequence located in the 5% untranslated region immediately upstream of the initiator ATG has the potential to form a stem-loop structure. Although the CRK2 protein possesses most of the domains that are conserved among cdc2-proteins, neither a recombinant P. knowlesi CRK2 protein nor a recombinant P. berghei protein was able to complement a yeast cdc28 mutant. Furthermore and in contrast to the P. falciparum PfPK5 protein, a recombinant monomeric P. knowlesi CRK2 protein showed no kinase activity. © 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Potential for Stem Cell‐Based Periodontal Therapy

Periodontal diseases are highly prevalent and are linked to several systemic diseases. The goal of periodontal treatment is to halt the progression of the disease and regenerate the damaged tissue. However, achieving complete and functional periodontal regeneration is challenging because the periodontium is a complex apparatus composed of different tissues, including bone, cementum, and periodontal ligament. Stem cells may represent an effective therapeutic tool for periodontal regeneration due to their plasticity and their ability to regenerate different tissues. This review presents and critically analyzes the available information on stem cell‐based therapy for the regeneration of periodontal tissues and suggests new avenues for the development of more effective therapeutic protocols. J. Cell. Physiol. 230: 50–61, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Novel Pathway Regulating Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Shock by ST2/T1 Via Inhibition of Toll-Like Receptor 4 Expression1

ST2/ST2L, a member of the IL-1R gene family, is expressed by fibroblasts, mast cells, and Th2, but not Th1, cells. It exists in both membrane-bound (ST2L) and soluble forms (ST2). Although ST2L has immunoregulatory properties, its ligand, cellular targets, and mode of action remain unclear. Using a soluble ST2-human IgG fusion protein, we demonstrated that ST2 bound to primary bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMM) and that this binding was enhanced by treatment with LPS. The sST2 treatment of BMMs inhibited production of the LPS-induced proinflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-12, and TNF-α but did not alter IL-10 or NO production. Treatment of BMMs with sST2 down-regulated expression of Toll-like receptors-4 and -1 but induced nuclear translocation of NF-κB. Administration of sST2 in vivo after LPS challenge significantly reduced LPS-mediated mortality and serum levels of IL-6, IL-12, and TNF-α. Conversely, blockade of endogenous ST2 through administration of anti-ST2 Ab exacerbated the toxic effects of LPS. Thus, ST2 has anti-inflammatory properties that act directly on macrophages. We demonstrate here a novel regulatory pathway for LPS-induced shock via the ST2-Toll-like receptor 4 route. This may be of considerable therapeutic potential for reducing the severity and pathology of inflammatory diseases.
Analysts’ coverage allocation decisions and corporate bankruptcy prediction

This study examines different methods used for bankruptcy prediction purposes. Results provide evidence on inconsistencies in financial ratios evaluation of corporate performance and low accuracy of bankruptcy forecasting using financial predictive models. Meanwhile, a positive and significant relation is captured between analysts’ tendency to drop coverage and companies’ propensity for bankruptcy filing. These findings suggest that the number of analysts covering a particular stock might be a better proxy for corporate failure prediction. In general, all three methods studied show similar patterns during the last years of the companies’ life and are able to predict corporate bankruptcy with different levels of accuracy.
Preparation of aminoglycoside-loaded chitosan nanoparticles using dextran sulphate as a counterion

Purpose. To prepare aminoglycoside (AG) (streptomycin, gentamicin and tobramycin) loaded chitosan nanoparticles with high drug incorporation efficiency and test the in vivo oral efficacy of streptomycin (SM) loaded chitosan nanoparticles in a Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) chronic infection mouse model. Method. Dextran sulphate (a polyanion) was used to shield the positive charge of AG and increase the drug incorporation in the chitosan nanoparticle. By varying the concentration of each component, the formulation of SM-loaded chitosan nanoparticle was optimized by monitoring the drug incorporation efficacy and particle size. The mechanism of the nanoparticle formation was suggested and the preparation method was applied to two other aminoglycosides (AG): gentamicin (GM) and tobramycin (TM). The resulting nanoparticles were characterized by particle diameter, drug incorporation efficacy, drug loading efficacy and zeta potential. The in vitro drug release from these nanoparticles was carried out in pH 1.2 and pH 7.4 buffer. Preliminary in vivo oral efficacy studies of SM-loaded chitosan nanoparticles was performed in a Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) chronic infection mouse model. Results. The optimal concentration of streptomycin (SM)/dextran sulphate/chitosan/tripolyphosphate (TPP) for SM nanoparticles preparation was 2/1.2/2/0.8 mg mL−1. Through calculation, the optimal concentrations of dextran sulphate are 2.5 mg mL−1 and 2.4 mg mL−1 for 2 mg mL−1 gentamicin and tobramycin, respectively (Table 1. ). The resulting AG chitosan nanoparticles had a high drug incorporation efficacy with particle sizes in the nanometre range. The in vitro drug release studies showed that more than 60% drug is retained inside the nanoparticles in pH 1.2 buffer after 6 h. The preliminary in vivo results indicated that oral SM chitosan nanoparticles induced one log 10 reduction (p < 0.01) in growth of the bacilli and were as effective as subcutaneously injected aqueous SM solution at the same concentration (100 mg kg−1). Table 1. The optimal amount of dextran sulphate for AG (2 mg) chitosan nanoparticles based upon charge-neutralization calculation.Aminoglycoside (AG)StreptomycinGentamicinTobramycinFormulaC21H39N7O12C19H39N5O7C18H37N5O9Number of associated H2SO43/211Total MW728547565.5Number of positive charges355Calculated dextran amount (mg)1.22.52.4 Conclusion. Dextran sulphate can significantly increase AG incorporation into the chitosan nanoparticles. The concentration of each component was critical in preparing AG-loaded chitosan nanoparticles. The chitosan nanoparticles designed in this study may provide a promising oral drug delivery formulation for AG which usually, in tuberculosis treatment, is administrated as an injectible preparation.
Combination immune checkpoint blockade with ipilimumab and nivolumab in the management of advanced melanoma

ABSTRACT Introduction: The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of advanced melanoma has evolved beyond monotherapies such as ipilimumab and nivolumab to combination strategies involving both. This combination approach results in response rates around 60% and superior progression-free survival compared with ipilimumab monotherapy (median 11.5 versus 2.9 months). Areas covered: A comprehensive literature search was undertaken including search terms of ‘ipilimumab and nivolumab’ and ‘combination immune checkpoint therapy’. Relevant information contained in abstracts and conference presentations was included. This article summarizes the mechanism of action, efficacy and safety of combination ipilimumab and nivolumab across Phase I, II and III clinical trials. It also describes the place of combination therapy in the current market of advanced melanoma treatment options. Expert Opinion: Efficacy for the combination approach is seen across a wide array of subgroups and occurs regardless of BRAF mutation status. Counterbalancing the apparent advantages, combination ipilimumab with nivolumab is associated with a high rate (55%) of grade 3/4 adverse events leading to discontinuation in a third of those treated. Most of these are manageable and do not appear to compromise durability of response. Overall survival information is currently immature but appears promising.
How can entrepreneurship education influences cofounders’ nepotism and cronyism definition?

This study presents an analysis of how can entrepreneurship education influence nepotism and cronyism in entrepreneurship. The aggregated dimensions of this problem results in extended factors are also observed in this study: the importance of venture capitalist in the entrepreneurship process, the impact of business cycles in the ventures decision making and the extended-household capital. The increase of the knowledge-based economy in Portugal is also influencing the entrepreneurship environment context. All of the previous are observed under the perspective of the impact resulting of the entrepreneurship education in cofounders' nepotism and cronyism definitions.
Inducible costimulator-dependent IL-10 production by regulatory T cells specific for self-antigen

In this study, we investigated the relationship between the expression levels of self-antigen and the function of self-reactive T cells in the periphery. To this end, we used two rat insulin promoter-ovalbumin (RIP-OVA) transgenic mice (RIP-OVAhigh, RIP-OVAlow) in which was produced only in pancreatic β-islet cells. The OVA-producing transgenic mice were crossed to DO.11. 10 (DO) mice expressing a T cell antigen receptor specific for OVA323–339. The responsiveness of peripheral CD4+ T cells in the double transgenic mice was examined. We demonstrated that hyporesponsive but highly IL-10-producing T cells were developed in DO × OVAhigh mice only, not in DO × OVAlow mice. These IL-10-producing T cells exhibited regulatory activity both in in vitro and in vivo experiments. Moreover, these IL-10-producing regulatory T (Tr) cells expressed high levels of inducible costimulator (ICOS) before in vitro stimulation. Blockade of ICOS-signaling inhibited the production of IL-10 and abrogated the inhibitory function of these Tr cells. Thus, these results suggested that the development of IL-10-producing Tr cells depends on the expression levels of self-antigen in vivo and that ICOS signal plays a critical role in immune regulation by IL-10-producing Tr cells in self-tolerance.
The Use of a New Gel Foam for the Evaluation of Tubal Patency

Aims: To evaluate the feasibility and the reliability of hysterosalpingo-foam sonography (HyFoSy) using gel foam in the assessment of tubal patency. Methods: Nonrandomized, observational, academic and single-center study of 20 women being investigated because of subfertility and scheduled for a laparoscopy with chromopertubation. A detailed description of HyFoSy with a newly developed gel foam is given in the way it proved to be most efficient in our hands. The results of HyFoSy are compared to the data regarding tubal patency testing during laparoscopy by chromopertubation. Results: All 20 HyFoSy were technically successful. Four of the 40 tubes, 1 right tube and 3 left tubes, were not patent at HyFoSy (3 tubes with proximal block and 1 tube with distal block). There was a 100% agreement between tubal patency data according to HyFoSy testing and laparoscopic chromopertubation testing. Conclusion: HyFoSy is both feasible and accurate in the diagnosis of tubal patency.
SURFACE ALBEDO AND SPECTRAL VARIABILITY OF CERES

Previous observations suggested that Ceres has active, but possibly sporadic, water outgassing as well as possibly varying spectral characteristics over a timescale of months. We used all available data of Ceres collected in the past three decades from the ground and the Hubble Space Telescope, as well as the newly acquired images by the Dawn Framing Camera, to search for spectral and albedo variability on Ceres, on both a global scale and in local regions, particularly the bright spots inside the Occator crater, over timescales of a few months to decades. Our analysis has placed an upper limit on the possible temporal albedo variation on Ceres. Sporadic water vapor venting, or any possibly ongoing activity on Ceres, is not significant enough to change the albedo or the area of the bright features in the Occator crater by >15%, or the global albedo by >3% over the various timescales that we searched. Recently reported spectral slope variations can be explained by changing Sun–Ceres–Earth geometry. The active area on Ceres is less than 1 km2, too small to cause global albedo and spectral variations detectable in our data. Impact ejecta due to impacting projectiles of tens of meters in size like those known to cause observable changes to the surface albedo on Asteroid Scheila cannot cause detectable albedo change on Ceres due to its relatively large size and strong gravity. The water vapor activity on Ceres is independent of Ceres’ heliocentric distance, ruling out the possibility of the comet-like sublimation process as a possible mechanism driving the activity.
DEHP induces obesity and hypothyroidism through both central and peripheral pathways in C3H/He mice

Di(2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is reported to cause obesity and hypothyroidism in both humans and rodents, but the underlying mechanisms were largely unknown. This study was designed to clarify the effects and the mechanisms of DEHP on the pathogenesis of obesity and hypothyroidism and to discover the relationship between them.
Assessing the Capability of Code Smells to Support Software Maintainability Assessments: Empirical Inquiry and Methodological Approach

Code smells are indicators of software design shortcomings that can decrease software maintainability. An advantage of code smells over traditional software measures is that the former are associated with an explicit set of refactoring strategies to improve the existing design. As such, code smell analysis is a promising approach to address both the assessment and the improvement of maintainability. An important challenge in code smell analysis is understanding the interplay between code smells and different aspects of maintenance. Research on code smells conducted in the past decade has emphasized the formalization and automated detection of code smells. Much less research has been conducted to empirically investigate how comprehensive and informative code smells are for the assessment of software maintainability. If we are to use code smells to assess maintainability, we need to understand their potential in explaining and predicting different maintenance outcomes and their usefulness in industrial settings. Relevant questions in using code smells as maintainability indicators include: “What and how much can code smells tell me about the maintainability of a system as a whole? ” and “How suitable are code smells in identifying code segments (i.e., files) with low software maintainability? ” The main goal of this thesis is to empirically investigate, from different perspectives and in a realistic setting, the strengths and limitations of code smells in supporting software maintainability assessments. The secondary goal is to suggest approaches to address the limitations of code smells and the assessments based on them. Both goals are reflected in our attempt to answer the following research questions: • Research Question 1: How good are code smells as indicators of system-level maintainability of software, and how well do code-smell-based assessments perform compared with other assessment approaches? • Research Question 2: How good are code smells in distinguishing source code files that are likely to require more maintenance effort than others? • Research Question 3: How good are code smells in discriminating between source code files that are likely to be problematic and those that are not likely to be so during maintenance?