Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Studies on adrenal steroid hydroxylases. Complex formation of the hydroxylase components.

Abstract Adrenodoxin reductase and adrenodoxin have been shown to form a complex with a stoichiometric molar ratio of 1:1. The dissociation constant of the complex is found to be approximately 10-9 m in a low ionic strength medium, and approximately 10-6 m in a high ionic strength medium. The reductase is relatively labile upon heat treatment; the adrenodoxin-dependent cytochrome c reductase activity decreases about 80% when reductase is treated at 45° for 15 min. The presence of adrenodoxin largely protects the inactivation. The NADPH-2,6-dichloroindophenol reductase activity of adrenodoxin reductase is stimulated either by the addition of adrenodoxin or by increasing the concentrations of salts. Antiserum prepared against adrenodoxin has no effect on the adrenodoxin-stimulated NADPH-2,6-dichloroindophenol reductase activity. The NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity of the complex has a maximal activity at an ionic strength of 0.04, and no activity at an ionic strength over 0.4. Antiserum against adrenodoxin completely inhibits this activity. The reductase-adrenodoxin complex has been shown to produce superoxide anion radicals in the presence of NADPH and molecular oxygen. The site responsible for superoxide anion radical generation is predominantly on the iron-sulfur protein. Adrenodoxin reductase, adrenodoxin, or their complex fails to show any indication of a stable stoichiometric complex with partially purified cytochrome P-450, as judged by a Sephadex gel filtration technique.
Identifying Priorities in Infrastructure Investment in Portugal

In this paper we use a vector autoregressive approach to analyze the effects of infrastructure investment on economic performance using a newly developed data set for Portugal. Our overall goal is to identify priorities in infrastructure investments, i.e., areas of infrastructures investments with virtuous economic and budgetary effects. We find that investments in other transportation infrastructures - railroads, ports and airports - and social infrastructures - health and education infrastructures - have the largest effects with long-term multipliers of 15.00 and 8.45, respectively. Investments in road transportation - roads and freeways - and on utilities - electricity, gas, water, refineries, and telecommunications - induce much smaller effects with multipliers of 2.75 and 3.52, respectively. We also show that for other transportation and social infrastructure investments, the short-term effects are small relative to the accumulated effects and yet, in absolute terms, they exceed the long-term effects for road transportation and utilities. Finally, we show that investments in other infrastructures and in social infrastructures will pay for themselves in the form of long-term enhanced tax revenues under rather reasonable effective tax rates. Overall, we have clearly identified other transportation infrastructures and social infrastructures as the key target areas for policy intervention in this context.
Development of the innervation of the human inner ear

Studies on the formation of neuronal structures of the human cochlea are rare, presumptively, due to the difficult accessibility of specimens, so that most investigations are performed on mouse models. By means of immunohistochemical and transmission electron microscopic techniques, we investigated an uninterrupted series of unique specimens from gestational week 8 to week 12. We were able to demonstrate the presence of nerve fibers in the prosensory domain at gestational week 8, followed by afferent synaptogenesis at week 11. We identified PAX2 as an early marker for hair cell differentiation. Glutamine synthetase‐positive peripheral glial cells occurred at the beginning of week 8. Transcription factor MAF B was used to demonstrate maturation of the spiral ganglion neurons. The early expression of tyrosine hydroxylase could be assessed. This study provides insights in the early assembly of the neural circuit and organization in humans. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 75: 683–702, 2015
Expectation, Service Quality, Satisfaction, and Behavioral Intention â€“ Evidence from Taiwanâ€™s Medical Tourism Industry

Medical tourism in recent years has been increasingly promoted in many AsianÂ nations. This study uses Hong Kong, Macao, and mainland China people whoÂ have ever visited Taiwan as research subjects to investigate the relationships andÂ effects of expectation, service quality, satisfaction, and behavioral intention ofÂ Taiwanâ€™s medical tourism industry through a questionnaire. The researchÂ findings show that expectation has a direct effect on both service quality andÂ satisfaction. Service quality also has a direct effect on both satisfaction andÂ behavioral intention. Moreover, satisfaction has a significantly direct effect onÂ behavioral intention. Results of this study can be a reference for the medical andÂ tourism industries in cross-industry cooperation as well as in the development ofÂ medical tourism programs and related facilities. Limitations and suggestions forÂ future research are also provided.JEL classification numbers: L5, L8, M31Keywords: Medical tourism, Expectation, Service quality, Satisfaction,Â Behavioral intention
Strategic Management For Large Engineering Projects: The Stakeholder Value Network Approach

A critical element of the challenges and opportunities for today’s large engineering projects are associated with the multi-type and networked relationships between these projects and their various stakeholders. This dissertation advances a multidisciplinary approach—Stakeholder Value Network (SVN) analysis—as a unique lens to examine, understand, model, and manage these stakeholder relationships. The SVN approach, based on the Social Exchange Theory (SET), unifies both social and economic relationships into a common framework, under which all the stakeholder relationships are formed by the use of subjective utility analysis and the comparison of alternatives. Next, restricted and generalized exchanges are identified as two basic patterns for stakeholders to exchange both tangible and intangible value, and from this, the missing links between relationship types and exchange patterns are also discovered. In the end, the network implications, such as stakeholder importance or salience, are inferred as the outcome of both value exchanges and the structural properties of the network consisting of stakeholders and their exchange relationships. According to the above theoretically grounded assumptions, a four-step methodological framework (viz., Mapping, Quantifying, Searching, and Analyzing) is developed for the SVN analysis. As part of this development, a network utility model is built to quantify the value delivered to the focal organization (viz., the large engineering projects) through the channel of generalized exchanges. Meanwhile, the benefits from as well as a feasible way for the integration of stakeholders and strategic issues are explored under the SVN framework. In addition, for the purpose of reducing the egocentric bias associated with the pre-selection of a focal organization, the four-step framework is further developed to interpret the implications of the SVN from the perspective of the whole network. The computational challenges arising from this new development are met by the construction of a dedicated mathematical tool for the SVN analysis, namely, the Dependency Structure Matrix (DSM) modeling platform.
Bank Deposits and the Stock Market

I show that households’ demand for retail deposits decreases during stock market booms, which induces a contraction in bank lending and a decrease in real activity in bank-dependent firms. I identify this channel using geographic heterogeneity in households’ stock market participation. Banks in areas with greater stock ownership see a greater reduction in deposit growth when stock returns are high. This holds even across branches of the same bank and across ZIP codes within counties. Counties served by banks financed by more stock-active depositors see a greater decline in bank lending and bank-dependent-firm employment following high stock returns.
Comparison of Penetration of Irrigant Activated by Traditional Methods with A Novel Technique.

INTRODUCTION The effectiveness of irrigation depends upon various irrigation activation methods & devices used. AIM To compare and evaluate the penetration of irrigant upto working length and into simulated lateral canals using four different irrigation activation techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS The root canals of 60 single-rooted teeth were instrumented using the proTaper rotary system. After decalcification of each sample tooth, three simulated lateral canals were created at 2mm, 4mm and 6mm levels from the root apex using a 06-size C+ file. After clearing the samples they were randomly assigned into four experimental groups (n=15) and 1ml of Irrigating Contrast Solution (ICS) was delivered into all samples and then it is activated with 4 different methods Group I-Conventional syringe and needle, Group II - Sonic activation with Endo activator, Group III - Ultrasonic activation with ultrasonic tips and Group IV - Activation using reciprocation movement. All the samples were examined under a stereomicroscope and irrigant penetration was evaluated by means of penetration of ICS. RESULTS Group III and Group IV resulted in better penetration of ICS into lateral canals at 2mm and 4mm depth (p<0.001), when compared with Group I and II. At lateral canals 6mm all the groups except Group I, had shown 100 % penetration. CONCLUSION The activation of irrigant using reciprocation was able to achieve penetration of irrigating contrast solution both up to the working length and into lateral canals. Hence the clinical significance of this method of irrigant activation is that it can be used for effective penetration of irrigants both upto working length and into lateral canals.
Expression of PCA 3 and PSA genes as a biomarker for differential diagnosis of nodular hyperplasia and prostate cancer

We evaluated the expression of the PCA3 gene in urine from patients with nodular hyperplasia/benign prostatic hyperplasia (PNH) or adenocarcinoma type prostate cancer (PCa). The study included 59 men: 22 with PCa, 26 with PNH, and 11 with no alterations (controls). Patients’ urine was collected following prostatic massage and quantified by quantitative real-time PCR for prostate cancer antigen 3 gene (PCA3) and prostate-specific antigen gene (PSA) expression with the ACTB gene for normalization. PCA3 gene expression was detected in 16 patients with PCa and 4 with PNH; in the control group, there was no expression of the gene. No significant difference was observed in the mean levels of PCA3 13520 F. Fonseca Coelho et al. ©FUNPEC-RP www.funpecrp. com.br Genetics and Molecular Research 14 (4): 13519-13531 (2015) and PSA expression, the PCA3/PSA ratio, and the total PSA levels when the groups of patients with PCa and PNH were compared. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.625, 0.596, 0.559, and 0.503 for PCA3 and PSA expression, the PCA3/PSA ratio, and total PSA levels, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the PCA3 test were 73 and 85%, respectively. Considering the estimated cutoff values (0.2219 and 0.5007 for PCA3 and PCA3/PSA, respectively), we observed a significant difference between the frequency of individuals with values above in the PCa group compared with the PNH group (P < 0.001). We conclude that the qualitative PCA3 test could be applied to initial screening for differentiation between individuals with PCa or PNH and those without prostate changes.
Long-term impact of prophylactic antiviral treatment in Hepatitis B surface antigen positive renal allograft recipients.

BACKGROUND Antiviral prophylaxis has been shown to prevent hepatic dysfunction in Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-positive kidney transplantation recipients (KTRs). However the long-term effects of antiviral prophylaxis on the patient death, graft loss, or hepatic decompensation have not been determined. METHOD We therefore retrospectively analyzed outcomes in 94 HBV-positive patients, who underwent KT between February 1997 and November 2009 and were followed-up for a mean 75.7 months. Of the 94 KTRs, 56 received antiviral prophylaxis (Group 1), 51 with lamivudine and 5 with entecavir, and 38 did not (Group 2). RESULT Of the latter group, 20 experienced HBV reactivation and 18 did not (mean 85 months); of those with reactivation, 16 received lamivudine, 2 received entecavir and 2 received no antiviral treatment. Cox-regression analysis showed that antiviral prophylaxis had no benefit on patient death (OR 1.29, 95% CI 0.37 - 4.49, p = 0.693), graft failure (OR 1.25, 0.45 - 3.46, p = 0.666) or hepatic decompensation (OR 2.01, 0.35 - 11.57, p = 0.434). Lamivudine resistance occurred in 21 lamivudine-treated Group 1 and 4 lamivudine-treated Group 2 patients (p = 0.243), with mean times of resistance after KT of 82 and 132 months, respectively (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION These findings indicate that lamivudine-based antiviral prophylaxis for HBV-positive renal recipients has no long-term clinical benefits.
Export Concentration and Competition: Does the Firms Type Matter?

Trade liberalization enhances the competition in the market as it increases the quality and the quantity of the products available to domestic buyers. This paper contributes to the literature in two ways. First, using Egyptian firm level data, it attempts to examine how export market concentration is affected by competition at the destination market and how firms adjust their product scope following periods of trade openness. Second, we disentangle this effect by the size of exporter to see how small and large firms adjust their trade in response to a fiercer competition. Our findings show that the market potential exerts a positive and significant impact on the concentration index showing that tougher competition in an export market induces a firm to skew its export sales towards its best performing products. Market potential does matter more for small exporters rather than large ones as it helps them become more specialized.
The potential for targeting HER2 therapeutically in esophageal cancer – a grasp at straws?

Introduction: Human EGFR-2 (HER2) has an impact on cellular proliferation and survival. HER2 overexpression has been shown to be a marker for poorer prognosis in several malignancies. Trastuzumab, a humanized mAb, is successfully used to target HER2 in breast cancer. The effect of targeting HER2 in esophageal cancer (EC) is the focus of current trials. Areas covered: Basic knowledge, detection techniques and definitions of HER2 overexpression, as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of trastuzumab on HER2, are reviewed. An overview of research on the prognostic and predictive relevance of HER2 in EC is given, as well as an overview of current trials targeting HER2 in EC. Expert opinion: The first aim of novel targeted therapies must be perioperative neoadjuvant and adjuvant applications, as surgery is the only option for curative treatment in patients with stage I – III EC. Regarding targeted therapies in EC, HER2 is currently the most promising target. Trials of trimodal neoadjuvant therapy regimes (neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy plus trastuzumab) are currently recruiting. However, the prognostic impact of HER2 overexpression in EC remains ambiguous. Targeting HER2 may have negative and positive impacts on survival, depending on which subgroup of EC patients is treated.
Efficient Multi-Keyword Fuzzy Search on Encrypted Data in Cloud Storage

Efficient multi-keyword fuzzy search over encrypted data is a desirable technology for data outsourcing in cloud storage. The current solutions can only support part of these goals. In this paper, we propose a novel encrypted data searching scheme that can support multiples keywords fuzzy search with high efficiency. To support fuzzy search, a new keyword-hash mapping function is designed to transform similar keywords into similar hash values. In addition, we introduce the idea of multi-keyword index function and curve matching to searchable encryption and improve the efficiency of secure fuzzy searching impressively. Our proposed scheme achieves fuzzy matching without expending index table or sacrificing computational efficiency. The theoretical analysis and experiment results show that our scheme is secure, accurate, error-tolerant and very efficient.
Anti-IgE and chemotherapy: a critical appraisal of treatment options for severe asthma

In this narrative review the scientific rationale for the development of a therapeutic modality for asthma based on decreasing the circulating and cell-bound levels of immunoglobulin-E (IgE) is outlined. The one drug that has so far entered clinical practice to do this is a humanised monoclonal antibody to the Fc portion of the IgE molecule, omalizumab. It is highly effective in reducing IgE blood levels and its established mode of delivery is by subcutaneous injection. The clinical trial development of omalizumab is reviewed and the published data and claims for its efficacy and role in clinical practice is critically appraised. The target group of omalizumab has become focused on severe asthmatics who are still symptomatic after being administered with high-dose inhaled corticosteroids plus long-acting β-agonists. The strongest evidence for effect is in those with frequent severe exacerbations.
Ownership structure and concentration and the timeliness of corporate earnings : Malaysian evidence

This thesis provides the first evidence on how ownership concentration and structure relate to the timeliness of price discovery and reporting lags in Malaysia. Based on a sample of 1,276 Malaysian firms from 1996 to 2009, the results show that ownership concentration and the identity of the largest shareholder matter to the timeliness of price discovery and reporting lags. Specifically, closely-held firms are more timely in their price discovery and have shorter reporting lags, particularly if the largest shareholder is a foreigner or a financial institution. Government-owned firms have longer reporting lags, as expected, but we find no evidence that family-owned firms have significantly different timeliness of price discovery and reporting lags than other firms. Additional analysis shows that prior to the implementation of the Malaysian Code of Corporate Governance, firms were more timely in their price discovery but longer in their reporting lag.
The improvement of the motivation system of the personnel according to the age features of the employees

The article analyzes the definitions of the personnel motivation known in the literature. It also shows that all the definitions describe the personnel motivation as a continual and permanent process of forming and providing the incentives from the enterprise (organization) to its employees. This process is aimed to promote the employees to complete the tasks of the company. The questioning method was used to study the motivation factors of the employees of different ages at the certain enterprise. The necessity of consideration of the age factor for improving the motivation system of the personnel at the enterprise was explained. The defects of the existing system at the enterprise were formulated. The recommendations for managers were made as follows: 1) to identify the goals of the company and to inform the employees about them; 2) to develop a system of key performance indicators of the efficiency of the company and to use them to measure the results of the activity of the enterprises, departments and each participant of the work process; 3) to use scientific methods to monitor the situation with the personnel at the enterprise; 4) to improve the reward system; 5) to have the wage and labor correlation criteria.
Apurinic/Apyrmidinic Endonuclease 1 Regulates Endothelial NO Production and Vascular Tone

The dual-function protein apurinic/apyrmidinic endonuclease/redox factor-1 (APE1/ref-1) is essential for DNA repair and also governs the reductive activation of many redox-sensitive transcription factors. We examined the role of APE1/ref-1 in regulation of endothelium-dependent tone and systemic blood pressure. APE1/ref-1+/− mice have impaired endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation, reduced vascular NO levels, and are hypertensive. APE1/ref-1 upregulates H-ras expression and leads to H-ras–mediated, phosphoinositide-3 kinase/Akt kinase–dependent calcium sensitization of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), stimulating NO production. The reducing property of APE1/ref-1 is essential for upregulation of H-ras and for the calcium sensitization of eNOS. These findings uncover a novel physiological role for APE1/ref-1 in regulating vascular tone by governance of eNOS activity and bioavailable NO.
Selective Radiosensitization of Human Cervical Cancer Cells and Normal Cells by Artemisinin Through the Abrogation of Radiation-Induced G2 Block

Objective Artemisinin has been shown to inhibit the growth of some human cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the radiosensitizing effects of artemisinin on cervical cancer cells and normal human fibroblast cells and also assessed some possible mechanisms for these effects. Materials and Methods Two cervical cancer cell lines, HeLa and SiHa cells, and GM0639 normal human fibroblast cell line were treated with various concentrations of artemisinin plus radiation; the cell viability was tested using both 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2-y1)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and clonogenic assays. Radiation dose-modifying factors were measured by clonogenic survival assay. Annexin V/propidium iodide assay for the evaluation of apoptosis and cell cycle phase were determined by flow cytometry, and the expression of the cell cycle–associated proteins Wee 1 and cyclin B1 were analyzed by Western blot analysis. Results Artemisinin showed higher cytotoxicity in cervical cancer cell lines, especially in SiHa cells, than in the normal cell line. In both clonogenic assay and apoptosis, artemisinin sensitized the HeLa cancer cells to the cytotoxicity of radiation, yielding a dose-modifying factor of 1.24, but not SiHa cancer cells and GM normal cells. At a dose of 110 nmol/L, artemisinin did not change the distribution of cell cycle in 3 tested cell lines, but artemisinin abrogated the radiation-induced G2 blockade. Analyses of G2-checkpoint-related proteins, the activation of Wee 1 and depression of cyclin B1 expression induced by radiation, could be restored to the control level by artemisinin. Conclusions Given the unique cytotoxic profile of artemisinin on cancer cells and normal cells, artemisinin may be a potentially promising radiosensitizer through the regulation of the expression of G2 checkpoint-related proteins like Wee 1 and cyclin B1, and improve therapeutic ratios for the combination of artemisinin and ionizing irradiation in the treatment of patients with cervical cancer.
REM sleep behavior disorder, hallucinations, and cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), hallucinations, and cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD). One hundred and ten PD patients, divided into three groups (without RBD or hallucinations; with RBD but no hallucinations; with RBD and hallucinations), were submitted to neuropsychological evaluation. The group without RBD and hallucinations showed normal neuropsychological tests when compared to normal controls. The group with hallucinations was characterized by a more severe cognitive impairment affecting both short‐ and long‐term memory, logical abilities, and frontal functions, while the RBD‐only group presented frontal impairment. The hypothesis that RBD in PD can be considered a risk factor not only of the hallucinations but also of more severe and diffuse cognitive abnormalities needs to be strengthened through a longitudinal evaluation. © 2005 Movement Disorder Society