Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Fluoride Anions on Gramicidin Photoinactivation Sensitized by Sulfonated Aluminum Phthalocyanines¶

Abstract Interaction of potent photodynamic agents, sulfonated aluminum phthalocyanines (AlPcSn where n is a number of sulfonic groups), with biological membranes was studied here using model systems: sensitized photoinactivation of gramicidin channels in planar lipid bilayers and adsorption on lipid monolayers. Fluoride anions known to form complexes with aluminum were found to inhibit both the adsorption of aluminum phthalocyanines on lipid monolayers, as measured with a Langmuir trough by surface pressure and surface potential changes, and photodynamic efficacy of the dyes, as studied by gramicidin channel photoinactivation. The similar effects were caused by the alkalinization of the medium. Fluoride anions appeared to be much more effective in the case of AlPcS4 as compared to AlPcS3. The suppression of the photodynamic potency of aluminum phthalocyanines was attributed to desorption of the dyes from lipid bilayers induced by fluoride or hydroxyl ions. With AlPcS4 an enhancement of the dye aggregation leading to a decrease in the sensitizing activity was probably involved in the fluoride effect as revealed by absorption and fluorescence spectral measurements. Capillary electrophoresis was employed to understand the mechanism of the dye desorption. The results of these experiments indicated that the reduction in the membrane affinity was associated with an increase in the negative charge of the dye molecules due to the binding of fluoride or hydroxyl ions.
Targeting Ewing sarcoma with activated and GD2-specific chimeric antigen receptor-engineered human NK cells induces upregulation of immune-inhibitory HLA-G

ABSTRACT Activated and in vitro expanded natural killer (NK) cells have substantial cytotoxicity against many tumor cells, but their in vivo efficacy to eliminate solid cancers is limited. Here, we used chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to enhance the activity of NK cells against Ewing sarcomas (EwS) in a tumor antigen-specific manner. Expression of CARs directed against the ganglioside antigen GD2 in activated NK cells increased their responses to GD2+ allogeneic EwS cells in vitro and overcame resistance of individual cell lines to NK cell lysis. Second-generation CARs with 4-1BB and 2B4 co-stimulatory signaling and third-generation CARs combining both co-stimulatory domains were all equally effective. By contrast, adoptive transfer of GD2-specific CAR gene-modified NK cells both by intratumoral and intraperitoneal delivery failed to eliminate GD2-expressing EwS xenografts. Histopathology review revealed upregulation of the immunosuppressive ligand HLA-G in tumor autopsies from mice treated with NK cells compared to untreated control mice. Supporting the relevance of this finding, in vitro co-incubation of NK cells with allogeneic EwS cells induced upregulation of the HLA-G receptor CD85j, and HLA-G1 expressed by EwS cells suppressed the activity of NK cells from three of five allogeneic donors against the tumor cells in vitro. We conclude that HLA-G is a candidate immune checkpoint in EwS where it can contribute to resistance to NK cell therapy. HLA-G deserves evaluation as a potential target for more effective immunotherapeutic combination regimens in this and other cancers.
Wealth inequality and efficiency in the Commons, part II: the regulated case

Does more inequality lead to more efficiency in the management of common property resources? To answer this question, an attempt is made to develop relevant theoretical models and to articulate them with empirical evidence drawn mainly from social science studies. The paper is divided into two parts. In this, the first part, assuming away the possibility of regulatory instruments, the authors construct a series of arguments pointing to the ambiguous impact of wealth inequality on the efficiency of the equilibrium outcomes. Copyright 1997 by Royal Economic Society.
Corruption, Environmental Resources, and International Trade

Abstract It is shown how corruption in the management of environmental resources can give rise to a comparative advantage in environment-intensive industries. International trade, in this setting, is not necessarily welfare improving. When corruption responds endogenously to the over-exploitation of resources, it is possible for international trade to generate forces that improve resource management by reducing corruption. Therefore, in this case trade could provide gains in addition to the usual gains.
The Housing Careers of Turkish Households in Middle-sized Swedish Municipalities

This paper examines how Turkish households adjust their housing consumption to their needs by making a housing career. The study was conducted in three middle-sized municipalities in the central part of Sweden: Gävle, Västerås and Jönköping. The longitudinal analysis is based on specially processed census data, and is limited to the period 1975-90. The study focuses on the housing choice by Turkish immigrants put into the conceptual framework of the life course. The supply of dwellings and their accessibility as well as the households' resources as constraining factors are explicitly recognised. This study reports a strong impact of higher income and increased household size on the households' moves to larger dwellings, and, in some cases, a move from rented into owner-occupied dwellings. This is in accordance with results from earlier residential mobility studies. Therefore, it would be expected that Turks go through more or less the same housing career as indigenous households, in this case as Swedes, but this is not true. The study reports that Turkish immigrant households are less likely to move out of the municipal rented sector and have a higher probability of remaining in certain immigrant-dense areas of the municipality than indigenous Swedish households.
Individual learning on environmental vocational education and training courses does not always lead to the workplace application of knowledge and skills

Empirical research on three commercial environmental vocational education and training programmes revealed distinct personal, teaching and work-based presage factors, which influenced individual learning and learning transfer to the workplace. The extent to which behaviour change and learning transfer occurred depended on a diverse range of factors, notably the workplace utility of the course; student’s level of personal commitment and position within the employing organisation; strength of the organisation’s environmental culture; level of post-course managerial/supervisory support available within the workplace; and changing workplace circumstances/priorities.
Modeling very large-fire occurrences over the continental United States from weather and climate forcing

Very large-fires (VLFs) have widespread impacts on ecosystems, air quality, fire suppression resources, and in many regions account for a majority of total area burned. Empirical generalized linear models of the largest fires (>5000 ha) across the contiguous United States (US) were developed at ∼60 km spatial and weekly temporal resolutions using solely atmospheric predictors. Climate−fire relationships on interannual timescales were evident, with wetter conditions than normal in the previous growing season enhancing VLFs probability in rangeland systems and with concurrent long-term drought enhancing VLFs probability in forested systems. Information at sub-seasonal timescales further refined these relationships, with short-term fire weather being a significant predictor in rangelands and fire danger indices linked to dead fuel moisture being a significant predictor in forested lands. Models demonstrated agreement in capturing the observed spatial and temporal variability including the interannual variability of VLF occurrences within most ecoregions. Furthermore the model captured the observed increase in VLF occurrences across parts of the southwestern and southeastern US from 1984 to 2010 suggesting that, irrespective of changes in fuels and land management, climatic factors have become more favorable for VLF occurrence over the past three decades in some regions. Our modeling framework provides a basis for simulations of future VLF occurrences from climate projections.
A new dynamic in Australian higher education: the emergence of private for-profit higher education

Abstract Private for-profit higher education has grown rapidly in many parts of the world. This growth is attributed to many factors, including a broadening of the student population and the recognition that wider access to higher education will be economically beneficial to individuals, governments and the society as a whole. In Australia, the number of students in private for-profit higher education is rising, with dramatic projections in the next 10 years, based on current trends. This article analyses the current growth of private for-profit higher education in Australia and the factors contributing to the growth. In addition, the article also outlines issues around quality and standards and challenges facing the private for-profit sector in Australia. This article makes a very important contribution to the higher education sector as there is limited research and literature on private-for profit higher education in the Australian context.
The Nature and Determinants of Investments by Institutional Investors in the Indian Stock Market

In India, the recent unprecedented rise in the capital market index is attributed to institutional investors like foreign institutional investors (FIIs) and domestic mutual funds. The nature of investments by FIIs has been examined in the literature, but that of mutual funds remains unexplored. This article tries to identify the possible determinants of the investment decision of mutual funds and compares the nature and determinants of their investment decisions to that of the FIIs. One of the most interesting findings is that mutual funds influence the decision of FIIs when they invest in equity and FIIs do exactly opposite to what mutual funds do. However, they both track international interest rates. Another remarkable finding suggests that mutual funds are more cautious when they invest in debt compared to equity. They look at so many factors in case of debt investment, but do not even look at the market return when they invest in equity.
The Impact of Income and Employment Status on Leaving Home: Evidence from the Italian ECHP Sample

In this paper we investigate the role economic resources play in the decision of young Italian adults to leave the parental home. This is of particular interest given that, in Italy, young people leave home considerably later than in other European countries. We use the first two waves of the Italian sample of the European Community Household Panel. We use a Heckman selectiondtype probit procedure to account for left censoring and unobserved heterogeneity. We find that economic circumstances are important. In particular, we find personal income resources, as well as parental income levels, to be crucial in leaving home. Our results suggest that stable employment is an important prerequisite for men to start their own household. For women, on the other hand, finding a partner seems to the most important factor in becoming independent of their parents. Copyright Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini and Blackwell Publishers Ltd 2001.
Market Structure, Informed Trading, and Analysts' Recommendations

Abstract We examine stock price behavior in response to initial coverage, buy recommendations that are pre-released to important clients before the stock market opens, and find a strong positive valuation effect at the open. On average, it takes five minutes of trading for NYSE/AMEX stocks and 15 minutes for NASDAQ stocks to reflect the private information contained in these analyst recommendations, so when informational asymmetry is high, the centralized call market is more efficient than a competitive, but fragmented dealer market. Public news release leaves share prices unaltered. Overall, competition among informed traders causes private information to be rapidly incorporated into stock prices.
Clinical and Biochemical Assessment of Hypogonadism in Men With Type 2 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE—The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of clinical hypogonadism, based on both symptoms and biochemical available measures of testosterone deficiency, in men with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—In a cross-sectional study of 355 type 2 diabetic men aged >30 years, total and bioavailable testosterone, sex hormone–binding globulin, BMI, and waist circumference were measured and free testosterone was calculated. Overt hypogonadism was defined as the presence of clinical symptoms of hypogonadism and low testosterone level (total testosterone <8 nmol/l and/or bioavailable testosterone <2.5 nmol/l). Borderline hypogonadism was defined as the presence of symptoms and total testosterone of 8–12 nmol/l or bioavailable testosterone of 2.5–4 nmol/l. RESULTS—A low blood testosterone level was common in diabetic men, and a significant proportion of these men had symptoms of hypogonadism. Overt hypogonadism was seen in 17% of men with total testosterone <8 nmol/l and 14% with bioavailable testosterone <2.5 nmol/l. Borderline hypogonadism was found in 25% of men with total testosterone 8–12 nmol/l and bioavailable testosterone between 2.5 and 4 nmol/l; 42% of the men had free testosterone <0.255 nmol/l. BMI and waist circumference were both significantly negatively correlated with testosterone levels in men, with the association being stronger for waist circumference. CONCLUSIONS—Testosterone levels are frequently low in men with type 2 diabetes, and the majority of these men have symptoms of hypogonadism. Obesity is associated with low testosterone levels in diabetic men.
Occupational profiling of civil engineers using systematic job analysis

Job analysis contains reports that detail the system, environmental conditions and performance of each job for obtaining higher efficiency. In order to do job analysis properly, information regarding the job have to be evaluated accurately and realistically. The originating point of the current research is based on this requirement. Related researches have mainly focused on either traditional or strategic approaches. Current study, however, has blended these two approaches together with systems approach in order to model a job analysis system and develop related documents. The developed job analysis form has been used to collect data from fifty civil engineers. Collected data has been statistically analyzed in order to be used for job analysis of civil engineers. Key words: Productivity, job profile, job requirements, time research, project management.
AGENCY CONFLICTS IN DELEGATED PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT: EVIDENCE FROM NAMESAKE MUTUAL FUNDS

Namesake funds provide a unique sample for studying the two agency conflicts that exist within a mutual fund. The first is between the fund management company and fund shareholders, and the second is between the fund management company and the fund manager. A typical namesake fund manager sits on his or her fund's board, frequently as the chairman, is the majority owner of the fund management company, and has significant investments in the fund he or she manages. Our results indicate that namesake funds charge higher fees, suggesting that the boards of namesake funds are less effective. We find that namesake funds are more tax efficient, consistent with the idea that managerial ownership helps align the interests of managers with those of shareholders. Because of fewer career concerns, namesake fund managers herd less while assuming greater unsystematic risk. We find weak evidence that namesake fund managers outperform their benchmarks and peers. Finally, we observe that namesake funds attract higher levels of investor cash flow. 2007 The Southern Finance Association and the Southwestern Finance Association.
K-12 Online Learning and Students with Disabilities: Perspectives from State Special Education Directors.

K-12 special education policies and practices that ensure students with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment are coming under pressure from rapid expansion of online learning. Forty-six state and non-state jurisdiction special education directors responded to a brief survey about K-12 online learning. Findings demonstrated the increased number of states providing online instruction; indicated students with many different types of disabilities participate in online learning; and described the directors’ reflections on current issues as well as anticipated barriers to students with disabilities participating in online learning. Ambiguity and variability existed across state policies as each state may have been in a different stage of adopting this relatively new approach to K-12 education. The authors suggest that federal guidance might be required to safeguard the civil rights of students with disabilities in online learning.
Reform and the HuKou System in China

China created the dual hukou system in an effort to modernize and manage rural to urban migration. The system restricted the mobility of most Chinese and limited rural peasant migration. In 1978 the demand for labour increased rapidly and rules controlling migration, including the hukou system were loosen to encourage relocation. The establishment of a semi-capitalist market system in 1991 further encouraged the flow of labour and forced the liberalization of some aspect of the registration policy and by 2014 and in response to continued growth the Chinese government implemented a unified hukou system to build equality among rural and urban citizens. In this brief, we review the reforms and argue that the hukou system can play an important role in Chinese development.
Analyses of FDI determinants in developing countries

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the best determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) in developing countries. Design/methodology/approach - This paper investigates whether FDI determinants affect FDI based on both a panel of data (FMOLS-fully modified OLS) and cross-section SUR (seemingly unrelated regression) for 24 developing countries, over the period 1983-2005 for FMOLS and 1976-2005 for cross-section SUR. Findings - The interaction of FDI with some FDI determinants have a strong positive effect on economic progress in developing countries, while the interaction of FDI with the total debt service/GDP and inflation have a negative impact. The most important determinant of FDI is the communication variable. Research limitations/implications - The limitations of the study are based on the development of data set which could be found uninterrupted for 30 years in 24 developing countries. Originality/value - The main objective of this study is to define the main FDI determinants that show the capital flows to developing countries in a globalization framework. The secondary objective of this study is to assign countries' convergence by using the same FDI determinants. FDI flow is one of the main dynamics of globalization phenomenon thus FDI flow determinations will contribute to countries' process of political development.
Factuality Annotation and Learning in Spanish Texts

We present a proposal for the annotation of factuality of event mentions in Spanish texts and a free available annotated corpus. Our factuality model aims to capture a pragmatic notion of factuality, trying to reflect a casual reader judgements about the realis / irrealis status of mentioned events. Also, some learning experiments (SVM and CRF) have been held, showing encouraging results.
Adenovirus-mediated transfer of a gene encoding acyloxyacyl hydrolase (AOAH) into mice increases tissue and plasma AOAH activity

Although the host response to gram-negative bacterial infection follows largely from the interactions of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS or endotoxin) with host cells, little information is available concerning the mechanisms by which the host eliminates or detoxifies LPS. Acyloxyacyl hydrolase (AOAH) is an enzyme, found in phagocytic cells, that catalyzes the enzymatic deacylation of the lipid A moiety of LPS. Enzymatically deacylated LPS is much less potent than LPS at inducing responses in human cells, and it can antagonize the ability of LPS to activate human macrophages, neutrophils, and endothelial cells. Despite these observations, the physiologic role of LPS deacylation remains undefined. To investigate the ability of AOAH to carry out LPS deacylation in vivo, we produced a recombinant adenovirus carrying a gene encoding (AOAH) (Ad.CMV-AOAH) and employed this vector to elicit transient overexpression of AOAH in mice. Mice infected with Ad.CMV-AOAH expressed high levels of the enzyme in plasma, liver, spleen, and kidney. Although adenovirus-induced hepatitis reduced hepatic uptake of intravenously injected [3H]LPS, animals expressing the transgene deacylated a larger fraction of the [3H]LPS taken up by their livers than did mice infected with a control adenovirus. These studies indicate that AOAH can catalyze the deacylation of LPS in vivo, and they provide evidence that the rates of hepatic LPS uptake and deacylation are not closely linked.
Clarithromycin ion pair in a liposomal membrane to improve its stability and reduce its irritation caused by intravenous administration

ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of this study was to improve the drug loading (DL) and stability of clarithromycin (CLA)-loaded liposomes, and reduce the irritation caused by intravenous administration of CLA. Methods: A CLA–cholesteryl hemisuccinate (CHEMS) ion pair (CIP) was prepared by the solvent evaporation method and confirmed by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray powder diffraction. Subsequently, CIP liposomes (CIP-Lip) were prepared by the thin-film dispersion method and evaluated in terms of their size, zeta-potential, in vitro release, stability, in vitro antimicrobial activity and irritation. Results: The CIP-Lip exhibited a homogeneous round shape, and their size, ζ-potential, encapsulation efficiency (EE) and DL were 71.89 ± 2.6 nm, −9.91 ± 0.82 mV, 95.1 ± 1.5% and 7.8 ± 0.3%, respectively. The physical appearance and drug content of CIP-Lip over a three-month storage remained almost unchanged. The release of CLA in CIP-Lip was pH-dependent, with a more rapid release at pH 6.0 than at pH 7.4. Although the in vitro antimicrobial activity of CIP-Lip was comparable with free CLA, the irritation produced by CIP-Lip was significantly reduced compared with CLA solution. Conclusions: These findings suggest that CIP-Lip is a promising intravenous drug delivery system, especially on account of its high DL and reduced irritation.
Serial Nonparticipation in Repeated Discrete Choice Models

We consider alternative econometric strategies for addressing serial nonparticipation, that is, repeated choice of the same alternative or same type of alternative across a series of choice occasions, in data typically analyzed within the repeated discrete choice framework. Single and double hurdle variants of the repeated discrete choice model are developed and applied to choice experiment and multisite seasonal recreation demand data. Our results suggest that hurdle models can generate significant improvements in statistical fit and qualitatively different policy implications, particularly in choice experiment applications where the proper treatment of serial nonparticipation is relatively more ambiguous.