Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Penetration of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles through Slightly Damaged Skin in Vitro and in vivo

Purpose Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs) have been widely developed for versatile use, but the potential risk form their skin exposure is still unclear. To evaluate this risk, the skin penetration of TiO2-NPs is necessary to be understood first. The aims of this study are to investigated the penetration of TiO2-NPs through slightly damaged skin and intact skin in vitro and in vivo. Methods TiO2-NPs with a diameter of 20 nm was labeled with 125I. The skin of rat was treated with 2% SLS solution and obtained as slightly damaged skin. The 125I labeled TiO2-NPs (125I-TiO2-NPs)solution and 0.9% PS solution were added into the donor chamber and receptor chamber of static diffusion cells which clamped the skin at the middle of two half-cells, respectively. During 24 hours, samples were extracted from the receptor chamber and counted for 1 min using γ-counter to detect the radioactivity. The skin penetration of TiO2-NPs in vitro was expressed as the percentage of radioactivity of receptor chamber solution compared with total radioactivity in the donor chamber. Thereafter, the 125I-TiO2-NPs was exposed to the rats. After 1 day and 3 days, the blood and tissues of rats were harvested, weighed and counted for 1 min using γ-counter to detect the tissue radioactivity. The skin penetration of TiO2-NPs in vivo was expressed as the percentage dose per gram tissue (% dose/g). Results In the skin penetration experiment in vitro, the radioactivity of receptor chamber solution through damaged skin was higher than that of through intact skin and was about 2% radioactivity of donor chamber on 24 h. In the skin penetration experiment in vivo, the radioactivity of blood and tissues of rats after exposing to 125I-TiO2-NPs solution though damaged skin or intact skin were less than 0.05% dose/g on 1 d and quickly declined on 3 d. The skin penetration rates of TiO2-NPs through slightly damaged skin and intact skin in vitro and vivo were lower than the rate of free 125I in the TiO2-NPs solution. Conclusions The TiO2-NPs could not penetrate through the damaged skin or intact skin both in vitro and in vivo. It suggested that the TiO2-NPs should be safe when it was applied and contacted with skin.
The relationship between homovanillic/vanillylmandelic acid ratios and prognosis in neuroblastoma.

A total of 44 cases with neuroblastoma cases (excluding true positive cases detected in mass screenings) who were born from 1979 to 1991, and had data concerning the clinical stage and values of vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and homovanillic acid (HVA) at diagnosis (microg/mg creatinine) were followed up until the end of 1994. Deaths were confirmed using the record of vital statistics of the Hokkaido Government. The 60-month survival rate of those who had an HVA/VMA ratio of 1-2 was 80.0%. Conversely, those with ratios <1 or >2 had respective survival rates of 24.1% and 5.3%. Most of those with a ratio >2 died within 24 months of diagnosis. Many of the cases with a ratio <1 lived over 12 months but died within about 36 months. Many tumors of those cases with a ratio of 1-2 originated in extra-adrenal glands, and had negative n-myc amplification. Most of the patients with a ratio >2 were diagnosed at 1 year of age or older. The HVA/VMA ratio at diagnosis is useful in estimating both the survival period and the prognosis.
Bilateral finger temperature and the law of initial values.

Twenty-two male and 43 female right-handed subjects engaged in three different cognitive tasks while finger temperature was recorded bilaterally. The tasks, presented in randomized order, were: counting backwards by 17's, the Stroop task (Stroop, 1935). and a spatial task. All tasks produced significant (p < .001) temperature decreases on both sides of the body. Relative changes in left-right temperature did not differ significantly among tasks, indicating no task related asymmetries. The right hand decreased in temperature significantly more than The left hand to two of the three tasks, but it is argued that this difference reflects the Law of Initial Values, not differential hemispheric involvement. The Law of Initial Values is shown to hold for finger temperature, contrary to an earlier report. Additionally, left-right temperature differences are shown to reflect the law of Initial Values.
Delimitation and description of the immature stages of a pollinating fig wasp, Ceratosolen solmsi marchali Mayr (Hymenoptera: Agaonidae)

Abstract The mutualism between fig trees and their wasp pollinators is a model system for many ecological and evolutionary studies. However, the immature stages of pollinating fig wasps have rarely been studied. We monitored developing fig wasps of known ages and performed a series of dissections at 24 h intervals to identify key developmental traits of Ceratosolen solmsi marchali Mayr (Hymenoptera: Agaonidae), a pollinator of Ficus hispida L. (Moraceae). We identified where in the Ficus ovary eggs were deposited and time to hatch. We were also able to identify the timing and key underlying characters of five larval instars, three sub-pupal stages, and a single prepupal stage. We provide detailed morphological descriptions for the key stages and report some behavioral observations of the wasps in the several developmental stages we recorded. Scanning electron microscope images were taken.
WeedTurf: a predictive model to aid control of annual summer weeds in turf

Abstract Predicting weed emergence is useful for planning weed management programs. Unfortunately, our ability to anticipate initial emergence and subsequent levels of emergence from simple field observations or weather reports is often inadequate to achieve optimal control. Weed emergence models may provide predictive tools that help managers anticipate best management options and times and, thereby, improve weed control. In this study, the germination characteristics of four annual grass weeds (large crabgrass, goosegrass, green foxtail, and yellow foxtail) were investigated under different temperatures and water stresses to calculate base temperatures and base water potentials. These parameters were used to develop a mathematical model describing seedling emergence processes in terms of hydrothermal time. Hydrothermal time describes seed germination in a single equation by considering the interaction of soil water potential and soil temperature. The model, called WeedTurf, predicted emergence with some accuracy, especially for large crabgrass (lowest efficiency index [EF] value 0.95) and green foxtail (lowest EF value 0.91). These results suggest the possibility of developing interactive computer software to determine the critical timing of weed removal and provide improved recommendations for herbicide application timing. Nomenclature: Goosegrass, Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn. ELEIN; green foxtail, Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv. SETVI; large crabgrass, Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop. DIGSA; yellow foxtail, Setaria glauca (L.) Beauv. SETLU.
Prepayment Penalties : Efficiency and Predation October 2011

This paper presents evidence that reductions in mortgage interest rates associated with prepayment penalties are greater for riskier borrowers, as measured by mortgage type, credit scores, and local incomes and education levels. This is consistent with an efficiency view that, by reducing the reclassification risk faced by lenders, prepayment penalties can be welfareimproving. Additional findings indicate that prepayment penalties are also used as a predatory lending tool, but that the efficiency view dominates the predatory view in most circumstances. State anti-predatory lending laws restricting the duration and amount of prepayment penalties appear to curb the predatory use of prepayment penalties. JEL Classifications: G21, G28, G01, D18, L85
Labor Market Entry and Earnings Dynamics: Bayesian Inference Using Mixtures-of-Experts Markov Chain Clustering

This paper analyzes patterns in the earnings development of young labor market entrants over their life cycle. We identify four distinctly different types of transition patterns between discrete earnings states in a large administrative data set. Further, we investigate the effects of labor market conditions at the time of entry on the probability of belonging to each transition type. To estimate our statistical model we use a model-based clustering approach. The statistical challenge in our application comes from the di±culty in extending distance-based clustering approaches to the problem of identify groups of similar time series in a panel of discrete-valued time series. We use Markov chain clustering, proposed by Pamminger and Fruhwirth-Schnatter (2010), which is an approach for clustering discrete-valued time series obtained by observing a categorical variable with several states. This method is based on finite mixtures of first-order time-homogeneous Markov chain models. In order to analyze group membership we present an extension to this approach by formulating a probabilistic model for the latent group indicators within the Bayesian classification rule using a multinomial logit model.
Spontaneous and voltage‐activated Ca2+ release in adult mouse skeletal muscle fibres expressing the type 3 ryanodine receptor

The physiological properties and role of the type 3 ryanodine receptor (RyR3), a calcium release channel expressed in a wide variety of cell types, remain mysterious. We forced, in vivo, the expression of RyR3 in adult mouse skeletal muscle fibres using a GFP‐RyR3 DNA construct. GFP fluorescence was found within spatially restricted regions of muscle fibres where it exhibited a sarcomere‐related banded pattern consistent with a localization within or near the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane. Immunostaining confirmed the presence of RyR3 together with RyR1 within the GFP‐positive areas. In ∼90% of RyR3‐positive fibres microinjected with the calcium indicator fluo‐3, we detected repetitive spontaneous transient elevations of intracellular Ca2+ that persisted when fibres were voltage‐clamped at −80 mV. These Ca2+ transients remained essentially confined to the RyR3 expression region. They ranged from wide local events to propagating Ca2+ waves and were in some cases associated with local contractile activity. When voltage‐clamp depolarizations were applied while fluo‐3 or rhod‐2 fluorescence was measured within the RyR3‐expressing region, no voltage‐evoked ‘spark‐like’ elementary Ca2+ release event could be detected. Still global voltage‐activated Ca2+ release exhibited a prominent early peak within the RyR3‐expressing regions. Measurements were also taken from muscles fibres expressing a GFP‐RyR1 construct; positive fibres also yielded a local banded pattern of GFP fluorescence but exhibited no spontaneous Ca2+ release. Results demonstrate that RyR3 is a very potent source of voltage‐independent Ca2+ release activity. Conversely we find no evidence that it could contribute to the production of discrete voltage‐activated Ca2+ release events in differentiated mammalian skeletal muscle.
Concurrent validity of resting pulse-rate measurements: a comparison of 2 smartphone applications, the polar H7 belt monitor, and a pulse oximeter with bluetooth.

CONTEXT Pulse rate is commonly measured manually or with commercial wrist or belt monitors. More recently, pulse-rate monitoring has become convenient with the use of mobile technology that allows monitoring through a smartphone camera. This optical technology offers many benefits, although the clinimetric properties have not been extensively studied. DESIGN Observational study of reliability Setting: University kinesiology laboratory. PARTICIPANTS 30 healthy, recreationally active adults. INTERVENTION Concurrent measurement of pulse rate using 2 smartphone applications (fingertip, face-scan,) with the Polar H7 belt and pulse oximeter. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Average resting pulse rate for 5 min in 3 positions (supine, sitting, and prone). RESULTS Concurrent validity in supine and standing was good between the 2 applications and the Polar H7 (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] .80-.98) and pulse oximeter (ICC .82-.98). For sitting, the validity was good between the fingertip application, Polar H7 (ICC .97), and pulse oximeter (ICC .97). The face-scan application had moderate validity with the Polar H7 (ICC .74) and pulse oximeter (ICC .69). The minimal detectable change (MDC90) between the fingertip application and Polar H7 ranged from 1.38 to 4.36 beats/min (BPM) and from 0.69 to 2.97 BPM for the pulse oximeter with both positions. The MDC90 between the face-scan application and Polar H7 ranged from 11.88 to 12.83 BPM and from 0.59 to 17.72 BPM for the pulse oximeter. The 95% limits of agreement suggest that the fingertip application may vary between 2.40 and 3.59 BPM with the Polar H7 and between 3.40 and 3.42 BPM with the pulse oximeter. The face-scan application may vary between 3.46 and 3.52 BPM with the Polar H7 and between 2.54 and 3.46 BPM with the pulse oximeter. CONCLUSION Pulse-rate measurements may be effective using a fingertip application, belt monitor, and pulse oximeter. The fingertip scanner showed superior results compared with the face scanner, which only demonstrated modest validity compared with the Polar H7 and pulse oximeter.
Management consensus of inflammatory bowel disease for the Asia–Pacific region

At the present there are no large‐scale epidemiologic data on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the Asia–Pacific region, but several studies have shown an increased incidence and prevalence of IBD in this region. Compared to the West, there appears to exist a time lag phenomenon. With regard to the two main forms of IBD, ulcerative colitis (UC) is more prevalent than Crohn's disease (CD). In addition to geographic differences, ethnic differences have been observed in the multiracial Asian countries. Moreover, the genetic backgrounds are different in the Asian compared to Western patients. For instance, NOD2/CARD15 variants have not been found in Asian CD patients. In general, the clinical course of IBD seems to be less severe in the Asia–Pacific region than in Western countries. Diagnosis of IBD in this region poses special problems. The lack of a gold standard for the diagnosis of IBD, and the existence of a variety of infectious enterocolitis with similar manifestations to those of IBD make the differential diagnosis particularly difficult. So far, Western diagnostic criteria have been introduced for the diagnosis of IBD. A stepwise approach to exclude non‐IBD enterocolitis also must be introduced, and a definite diagnosis must include typical histological features. In some patients, follow up and therapeutic trials might be necessary to obtain a definitive diagnosis. A better understanding of the pathogenesis of IBD will allow the development of better diagnostic markers. The management of IBD also poses some special problems in the Asia–Pacific Region. There is often a delay in using proper medications for IBD, and alternative local remedies are still widely used. With a combination of Western guidelines and regional experiences, similar principles can be used for induction and maintenance of remission. A stepwise selection of medications is advocated depending on the extent, activity and severity of the disease. Comprehensive and individualized approaches are suggested for different IBD patients. Deeper understanding of disease pathogenesis and the unique characteristics of IBD in the Asia–Pacific region, combined with reasonable and practical guidelines for drug management and the future use of biological agents would improve the therapeutic outlook of IBD in this region.
[Effect of nucleosomal binding protein 1 in androgen-independent prostatic carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE To investigate biological function of nucleosomal binding protein 1 (NSBP1) in androgen-independent prostate cancer cells. METHODS Androgen-independent prostate cancer cells of the line PC-3 were cultured and transfected with recombinant inhibiting siRNA expression plasmid pSilencer 2. 1-U6 neo. Before transfection and 12, 36, 60, 84, 108 and 132 h after transfection RT-PCR and Western blotting was used to detect the inhibition effect. CCK-8 was used to detect the viability of the cells. The cell cycle was examined by flow cytometry. RESULTS The cell viability was significantly reduced since 60-108 h after the transfection (all P < 0.05), the inhibition ratio reaching climax 108 hours after the transfection (P = 0.028). However, the inhibition ratio began to increase. FC showed that since 60 h after the transfection the proportion of PC-3 cells at the G2M + S phase began to increased compared to that of the control group (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION NSBP1 has important effect on maintaining cell viability and enhancing growth and proliferation of androgen-independent prostate cancer cells.
Employee Dissatisfaction and Turnover Crises in the Malaysian Hospitality Industry

Turnover crises have had great impacts on the hospitality industry. Many studies have been done on employee turnover, but further investigation is needed as labor intensive employees are part of the hospitality product. This study reviews the literature relevant to turn over crises and provides a theoretical review of the Mobley model (1977). The purpose of this study is to give an overview of the causes of job dissatisfaction which force an employee to quit from their current job and consider other job opportunities. This is to clarify the steps of the Mobley model from the feeling of job dissatisfaction to an actual turnover crisis. This study highlights the turnover crises not only on an international level but also the national crises in Malaysia which may not be far away. Furthermore, the findings from the literature review indicates that an international perspective on a turnover crisis begins when an employee faces the case of dissatisfaction from a poor working environment and considers leaving his current job. The Mobley model could be used to predict the case of dissatisfaction and better understand how to retain the employee. Further studies could be useful to shed light on turnover crises.
Is a Unique Cournot Equilibrium Locally Stable?

Abstract We consider a homogeneous product oligopoly, where the Cournot equilibrium is regular and unique. We show that for a duopoly, a unique Cournot equilibrium is always locally stable. For a “ n ” firm asymmetric cost oligopoly a unique Cournot equilibrium is locally stable under very general conditions. The sufficient conditions for local stability of a unique Cournot equilibrium are much less restrictive than what the existing literature suggests. For a symmetric cost oligopoly the unique Cournot equilibrium is almost always locally stable, except for a perverse case. Journal of Economic Literature Classification number: L13.
A comparative study of Japanese multiple sclerosis patients with and without oligoclonal IgG bands

The cerebrospinal fluid oligoclonal IgG bands (OB) are less frequently observed in Japanese multiple sclerosis (MS) patients compared with Caucasian patients. We studied 40 consecutive Japanese MS patients to investigate the differences in the clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of MS between OB-positive patients and OB-negative ones. Among the 40 patients, 22 (55%) patients were OB-positive by either agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) or isoelectric focusing (IEF), and 18 (45%) patients were OB-negative by both AGE and IEF. There were differences between the two groups only in the clinical forms of MS, but not in terms of gender, onset age, disease duration, or disease severity. In the OB-negative group, nine (50%) of the patients had the optic-spinal form of MS (OS-MS), but only one patient (4.5%) in the OB-positive group had OS-MS. Although most OB-positive patients showed brain MRI lesions typical of MS, 13 (72%) of the OB-negative patients showed no or few brain MRI lesions and the rest of the OB-negative patients showed atypical MS lesions, such as diffuse white matter lesions or large ring-enhanced lesions. Our results suggest that the majority of OB-negative Japanese MS patients show either no or few brain MRI lesions or atypical brain MRI lesions.
Recombinant human neurotrophic factors accelerate colonic transit and relieve constipation in humans.

BACKGROUND & AIMS The aim of this study was to assess the effects of recombinant human brain-derived neurotrophic factor (r-metHuBDNF) and recombinant human neurotrophic factor 3 (r-metHuNT-3) on gastrointestinal motor functions in healthy people and in patients with constipation. METHODS Gastrointestinal and colonic transit was measured by scintigraphy before and after 2 weeks of treatment. Daily diaries documented symptoms over 6 weeks before, during, and after treatment. In a randomized study of healthy subjects, 40 received 100 microg/kg r-metHuBDNF or placebo subcutaneously (SC) daily. In a separate study, 8 healthy subjects and 8 patients with constipation received 300 microg/kg r-metHuNT-3 SC thrice weekly. RESULTS r-met-HuBDNF accelerated overall and proximal colonic emptying (P<0.05) in health. r-metHuNT-3 accelerated overall colonic transit in health and constipation (all P<0.05) and gastric and small bowel transit (both P<0.05) in health. r-metHuBDNF tended to increase stool frequency compared with placebo in health (P = 0.09). r-metHuNT-3 increased stool frequency (P = 0.05) and facilitated passage of stool (P < 0.01) in constipated patients. The effects on stool frequency started within 3 days of the beginning of neurotrophin administrations and lasted up to 5 days after treatment ended. r-metHu neurotrophic factors were well tolerated, although half of the participants in the 2 studies developed injection site reactions or paresthesiae. CONCLUSIONS Exogenous neurotrophic factors stimulate human gut motility in health and constipation.
Transplantation of the Intestine: Is it Truly Different?

Since Dr Joseph Murray performed the first kidney transplant that resulted in long-term success in 1954, transplantation has grown remarkably and now is considered optimal therapy for many diseases that result in failure of the kidney, liver, heart, pancreas, lung, and intestine. Interestingly, as transplantation has expanded to include new organs and as new immunosuppressive agents have been developed, only limited attempts to design organ-specific immunosuppressive strategies have been undertaken. This is despite the fact that both clinical and experimental evidence demonstrate significant differences in the immunogenicity of different organs (1,2). For example, while rejection rates of approximately 10% are now widely reported following kidney transplantation, rejection remains the rule following intestinal transplantation (3,4). In fact, the poorer outcomes associated with transplantation of the intestine are largely the result of the more frequent and severe rejection observed following intestinal transplantation and the complications of the intense immunosuppression required to control the immune response (3,5). When attempts to design organ-specific approaches to immunosuppression have been undertaken, by necessity their design has been empiric rather than being based upon an understanding of organ or tissue-specific mechanisms of allograft damage. Perhaps because the empiric approach to study design does not appeal to a transplant community grounded in scientific method, it remains common to use combinations of immunosuppressive agents to prevent the rejection of one type of transplanted organ that have been proven effective in clinical trials that studied a different type of transplanted organ.