Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Melatonin prevents oxidative stress‐mediated mitochondrial permeability transition and death in skeletal muscle cells

Abstract: Oxidative stress‐induced mitochondrial dysfunction plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of a wide range of diseases including muscle disorders. In this study, we demonstrate that melatonin readily rescued mitochondria from oxidative stress‐induced dysfunction and effectively prevented subsequent apoptosis of primary muscle cultures prepared from C57BL/6J mice. In particular, melatonin (10−4–10−6 m) fully prevented myotube death induced by tert‐butylhydroperoxide (t‐BHP; 10 μm–24 hr) as assessed by acid phosphatase, caspase‐3 activities and cellular morphological changes. Using fluorescence imaging, we showed that the mitochondrial protection provided by melatonin was associated with an inhibition of t‐BHP‐induced reactive oxygen species generation. In line with this observation, melatonin prevented t‐BHP‐induced mitochondrial depolarization and mitochondrial permeability transition pore (PTP) opening. This was associated with a highly reduced environment as reflected by an increased glutathione content and an increased ability to maintain mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides and glutathione in a reduced state. Using isolated mitochondria, in a similar manner as cyclosporin A, melatonin (10−8–10−6 m) desensitized the PTP to Ca2+ and prevented t‐BHP‐induced mitochondrial swelling, pyridine nucleotide and glutathione oxidation. In conclusion, our findings suggest that inhibition of the PTP essentially contributes to the protective effect of melatonin against oxidative stress in myotubes.
The Pricing of Skewness in Commodity Futures Markets : Risk or Lottery ?

This article studies the relation between skewness and subsequent returns in commodity futures markets. Systematically buying commodities with low skewness and shorting commodities with high skewness generates a significant excess return of 8% a year, which is not merely a compensation for the risks associated with backwardation and contango. Skewness is also found to explain the cross-section of commodity futures returns beyond exposures to the backwardation and contango risk factors previously identified. These results are robust to various alternative specifications and extend the documented importance of skewness in the equity market to the commodity futures markets.
The kappa opioid receptor antagonist JDTic attenuates alcohol seeking and withdrawal anxiety

The role of kappa‐opioid receptors (KOR) in the regulation of alcohol‐related behaviors is not completely understood. For example, alcohol consumption has been reported to increase following treatment with KOR antagonists in rats, but was decreased in mice with genetic deletion of KOR. Recent studies have further suggested that KOR antagonists may selectively decrease alcohol self‐administration in rats following a history of dependence. We assessed the effects of the KOR antagonist JDTic on alcohol self‐administration, reinstatement of alcohol seeking induced by alcohol‐associated cues or stress, and acute alcohol withdrawal‐induced anxiety (‘hangover anxiety’). JDTic dose‐dependently reversed hangover anxiety when given 48 hours prior to testing, a time interval corresponding to the previously demonstrated anxiolytic efficacy of this drug. In contrast, JDTic decreased alcohol self‐administration and cue‐induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking when administered 2 hours prior to testing, but not at longer pre‐treatment times. For comparison, we determined that the prototypical KOR antagonist nor‐binaltorphimine can suppress self‐administration of alcohol at 2 hours pre‐treatment time, mimicking our observations with JDTic. The effects of JDTic were behaviorally specific, as it had no effect on stress‐induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking, self‐administration of sucrose, or locomotor activity. Further, we demonstrate that at a 2 hours pre‐treatment time JDTic antagonized the antinociceptive effects of the KOR agonist U50,488H but had no effect on morphine‐induced behaviors. Our results provide additional evidence for the involvement of KOR in regulation of alcohol‐related behaviors and provide support for KOR antagonists, including JDTic, to be evaluated as medications for alcoholism.
The heterogeneous response of the stock market to emission allowance price: evidence from quantile regression

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the effects of the European Union Emission Allowance (EUA)’s price on European carbon-intensive industries’ stock returns based on daily data from April 25, 2005 to July 24, 2017. Utilizing a multifactor market model specification and a panel quantile regression approach, the study tests whether the influences of the EUA price on the stock market are heterogeneous and asymmetric concerning each phase. The results show that a significant negative impact of the EUA price on the stock market is found in the middle- and high-return markets during Phases I and III, whereas in Phase II, the impacts are positive. Additionally, no asymmetric feature of the carbon market effect is shown in Phases I and III, but it shows a strong asymmetric effect across quantiles during Phase II. Some factors such as allocation rules and macroeconomic stability may cause this dissimilarity.
Design and Progress of a Trial of Selenium to Prevent Prostate Cancer among Men with High-Grade Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia

High-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) is generally regarded as a premalignant lesion that progresses toward prostate cancer. In light of the significant sequelae of prostate cancer treatment, prevention is desirable, and men with HGPIN would be suitable, high-risk subjects. There is in vitro, in vivo, epidemiologic, and human experimental evidence that selenium supplementation may protect against prostate cancer. This article introduces the rationale for, and progress to date, of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of selenium supplementation (200 μg/d in the form of selenomethionine), to prevent the development of prostate cancer among men with HGPIN. The trial, Southwest Oncology Group Protocol 9917, funded by a National Cancer Institute program supporting pivotal prevention trials has registered 537 patients and has randomized >380 to date. Subject accrual is expected to be completed by the fall of 2006, with trial completion in 2009. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15(8):1479–84)
Wait times for physical and occupational therapy in the public system for people with arthritis in quebec.

PURPOSE Although arthritis is the leading cause of pain and disability in Canada, and physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) are beneficial both for chronic osteoarthritis (OA) and for inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), there appear to be problems with access to such services. The aim of this study was to document wait times from referral by physician to consultation with PT or OT in the public health care system for people with arthritis in Quebec, Canada. METHOD Appointments were requested by telephone, using hypothetical case scenarios; wait times were defined as the time between initial request and appointment date. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the wait times in relation to diagnosis, service provider and geographic area. RESULTS For both scenarios (OA and RA) combined, 13% were offered an appointment within 6 months, 13% offered given an appointment within 6-12 months, 24% were told they would need to wait longer than 12 months, and 22% were refused services. The remaining 28% were told they would require an evaluation appointment for functional assessment before being given an appointment for therapy. No difference was found between RA and OA diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests that most people with arthritis living in the province of Quebec are not receiving publicly accessible PT or OT intervention in a timely manner.
Response to Comment on “Aberrant Regulation of Synovial T Cell Activation by Soluble Costimulatory Molecules in Rheumatoid Arthritis”

T cell activation and function are critically regulated by positive and negative costimulatory molecules. Aberrant expression and function of costimulatory molecules have been associated with persistent activation of self-reactive T cells in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study, initial analysis of costimulatory molecules led to the unexpected observation that, in addition to CD80, several negative regulators (e.g., CTLA-4, programmed death-1 (PD-1), and PD ligand-1) were overexpressed in synovial T cells and macrophages derived from RA patients as opposed to controls. The expression of CD80 and PD ligand-1 on monocytes could be induced in vitro by IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha that were produced abundantly in RA-derived synovial fluid (SF). Furthermore, the soluble form of negative costimulatory molecules occurred at high concentrations in sera and SF of RA patients and correlated with titers of rheumatoid factor in RA patients. In particular, the levels of soluble PD-1 were found to correlate significantly with those of TNF-alpha in SF derived from RA patients. Detailed characterization of soluble PD-1 revealed that it corresponded to an alternative splice variant (PD-1Deltaex3) and could functionally block the regulatory effect of membrane-bound PD-1 on T cell activation. Our data indicate a novel pathogenic pathway in which overexpression of negative costimulatory molecules to restrict synovial inflammation in RA is overruled by the excessive production of soluble costimulatory molecules.
Cultural and creative entrepreneurs: understanding the role of entrepreneurial identity

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore whether and how entrepreneurs in the cultural and creative industries develop an entrepreneurial identity. It also aims to expand research on cultural and creative entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on longitudinal qualitative cases and analyses the potential entrepreneurial identity development of eight cultural and creative entrepreneurs from Germany. The researchers create a framework to ascertain whether and, if so, how cultural and creative entrepreneurs develop an entrepreneurial identity. Findings The findings suggest that cultural and creative entrepreneurs do develop an entrepreneurial identity and incorporate their cultural and creative identity into that entrepreneurial identity whereas self-reflection is a key driver in the development. Practical implications Cultural and creative entrepreneurs are a key driver of economic development. Hence, it is important to generate a more detailed understanding of their entrepreneurial mind-set and their behaviour. Originality/value The study suggests that cultural and creative entrepreneurs actively develop an entrepreneurial identity and that self-reflection, communication with other entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial experience are the main drivers of their identity development. Nevertheless, their cultural and creative identity does have an influence on their entrepreneurial identity. In addition, the study demonstrates how such entrepreneurs develop their identity.
Semidefinite Relaxation of Optimal Power Flow for AC–DC Grids

The proliferation of technologies operating on dc power has motivated the system planners toward integration of dc and ac grids. The optimal power flow (OPF) analysis is widely used to determine the economically efficient operating points of the power grids. The OPF problem in ac-dc grids is a non-convex optimization problem due to the nonlinear power flow equations and the operating constraints imposed by the ac-dc converters. In this paper, we study the OPF problem in ac-dc grids to address the non-convexity of the problem. The objective of the ac-dc OPF problem is to jointly minimize the generation cost and the losses on the lines and converters. The optimization problem is subject to the ac and dc power flow constraints, the limits of the voltages and line flows, and the operating limits of the converters. We use convex relaxation techniques and transform the problem to a semidefinite program. We derive a sufficient condition for zero relaxation gap to obtain the global optimal solution. Simulations are performed on an IEEE 118-bus test system connected to sample dc grids. We show that the zero relaxation gap condition holds for the case study and the global optimal solution can be obtained.
Looking Through a Trauma Lens: A Caregiver's Perspective of Child Welfare Involvement

The majority of maltreatment perpetrated against children is at the hand of their primary caregiver, most often their mother. The reasons why caregivers maltreat their children are still being investigated. However, the caregiver’s history of trauma, in particular cumulative trauma that leads to trauma symptomology is emerging as an explanation for maltreatment. Popular theory describes the coercive and oppressive nature of child welfare system policy and practices, as a source of re-traumatization for caregivers with a trauma history (Harris & Fallot, 2001). Currently, the field of child welfare practice is largely guided by the use of trauma-informed practices, which are meant to bring to light the prevalence of trauma in these populations. Yet, little research has focused on examining the experiences of caregivers involved with child welfare through a trauma lens. Additionally, research that investigates caregivers in child welfare almost always focuses on biological mothers. Therefore, we know even less about caregivers who identify outside this norm, such as fathers, kinship providers and adoptive parents. This research seeks to fill this gap in knowledge by asking the question: How do caregivers with a history of trauma experience child welfare involvement? An exploratory design with a phenomenological approach was employed to answer this question. Ten caregivers; seven biological mothers, one adoptive mother, one kinship provider, and one father were interviewed. The caregiver’s experiences of trauma in this iii study were extensive. All caregivers had experienced at least one traumatic event and the majority reported multiple, chronic, and cumulative traumas. For these caregivers the experience of child welfare involvement was filled with potentially traumatic experiences, starting with the initial allegation and the lingering threat of continued involvement even after the case was closed. Caregivers often found these experiences as betraying of their trust, coercive, leaving them powerless, and stigmatizing. It was found that the assumption that child welfare is re-traumatizing was not sufficient to explain the caregiver experience rather, child welfare involvement, in and of itself, is traumatic.
Intergenerational housing asset transfer and the reproduction of housing inequality in urban China

After the massive commodification of urban housing in the 1990s, housing inequality is now a major source of wealth inequality in urban China. Previous studies of housing inequality have rarely explored the extent and mechanisms of intergenerational housing inequality reproduction. This study fills this gap and examines how intergenerational housing asset transfer affects housing status in contemporary urban China. An analysis of data from the 2006 Chinese General Social Survey yields two important findings. First, ascribed factors such as parental social status have a greater influence than individuals’ own social status on their housing status. Second, intergenerational housing asset transfer has become an important mechanism of housing inequality reproduction. Elite parents are more likely to provide transferred assets, which prevents their downward-mobilised children from changing their relative housing status. Against the backdrop of rising wealth inequality in China, this study illustrates how the intergenerational transmission of economic resources is becoming an increasingly important mechanism of inequality reproduction.
Anti‐viral protection and prevention of lymphocytic choriomeningitis or of the local footpad swelling reaction in mice by immunization with vaccinia‐recombinant virus expressing LCMV‐WE nucleoprotein or glycoprotein

The viral antigen specificity of primary cytotoxic T cell responses (CTL) of H‐2b, H‐2k, H‐2q, H‐2s, H‐2f and some H‐2‐recombinant mice against lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV‐WE isolate) as well as the specificity of some CTL clones and T cell lines was defined on target cells infected with vaccinia‐recombinant virus expressing nucleoprotein (Np) or glycoprotein (Gp). Np was recognized together with H‐2q (Dq), H‐2d (DLd), H‐2s and H‐2b (Db). Gp specificity was restricted to H‐2f and H‐2b (Kb and Db); H‐2k‐restricted CTL anti‐LCMV responses were neither Gp nor Np specific.
Allergic aspergillus sinusitis with proptosis

Abstract Allergic aspergillus sinusitis has recently been increasingly recognized. Five cases are discussed. All presented with proptosis, signs and symptoms of allergic rhinitis and radiological evidence of expansile masses with calcification and bony erosions involving multiple sinuses. Greenish cheesy material was seen at surgery. Histologically the lesions contained eosinophils, Charcot-Lyden crystals and fungal septate hyphae. Aspergillus fumigatus was grown from all cases. Surgical removal with drainage and aeration were performed. The follow-up period ranged between three to 18 months. Recurrence occurred in one patient. Allergic aspergillus sinusitis can mimic malignant disease and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of lesions involving multiple sinuses. It should also be considered in all cases of proptosis.
On having royal relatives: Interpreting misidentifications in a case of impaired person recognition

We report data from a patient, NE, who after surviving encephalitis made misidentification responses to faces known to her premorbidly. NE frequently mistook one famous person for another, one relative for another, and, under some conditions, believed that a picture of a famous person actually depicted one of her relatives. Unlike previously reported patients who have misidentified faces, NE (1) performed reasonably well on tests of facial perception, (2) showed no obvious executive deficits in tests of frontal lobe function, and (3) showed an ability to constrain her misidentification responses in certain situations. A cognitive neuropsychological investigation revealed that NE was able to judge misidentified faces as familiar but failed to access precise semantic information. There were also semantic deficits when knowledge of people was probed through nonvisual modalities—for example, when naming people from definition. We argue that a semantic, as opposed to executive, deficit plays the major (though probably not sole) role in NE's misidentification responses, and we consider how the inter‐active activation model of face recognition (Burton, Bruce, & Johnston, 1990) can account for such disorders of person recognition more comprehensively than the Bruce and Young (1986) model.
Exercise therapy for schizophrenia.

For people with mental health disorders such as schizophrenia, improvement in quality of life tends to enhance the individual’s ability to cope with and manage their disorder. As such, physical activity has the potential to improve quality of life for people with mental health disorders through two routes: physical and psychological (Faulkner 2006). In terms of physical health, individuals with mental health disorders have the same physical health needs as the general population. Individuals with serious mental illness are more likely to be sedentary than the general population (Brown 1999; Chamove 1986; Davidson 2001) and are consequently at high risk for chronic medical conditions associated with inactivity. For example, much of the increase in chronic medical illness among individuals with serious mental illness may be attributed to the increased prevalence of obesity in this population (Goff 2005) and physical inactivity likely contributes to this increased prevalence. In terms of mental health, positive psychological effects from physical activity in clinical populations have been reported even among those individuals who experience no objective diagnostic improvement. Improved quality of life is particularly important for individuals with severe and enduring mental health problems when complete remission may be unrealistic (Faulkner 1999). For example, there is a potential role for exercise in the treatment of schizophrenia, Faulkner 2005 concludes that exercise may alleviate secondary symptoms of schizophrenia such as depression, low self-esteem and social withdrawal.
Leadership, goal acceptance, and QMS conformance readiness: exploring the mediating effects of audit team cohesion

The significance of quality management system certification continues to increase as signalled by growth in the number of companies that have implemented quality systems conforming to the ISO 9001 standard. Even though the ISO 9001 standard requires organisational leaders to work with internal and external auditors to assess quality management system readiness and conformance, there are claims that the largest obstacle to certification is lack of leader involvement. The purpose of this study is to explore involvement, in terms of leader capability to foster acceptance of team goals, and its relationship to team performance and operational outcomes and whether these relationships are mediated by audit team cohesion. This research examines leadership and group dynamics in relation to system conformance to ISO 9001 through views from external auditors. Data from 106 external auditors were analysed using PLS path modelling. Results showed that audit team cohesion mediates relationships between fostering acceptance of team goals and satisfaction with team performance and quality management system conformance readiness.
Testing Alphas in Conditional Time-Varying Factor Models With High-Dimensional Assets

ABSTRACT For conditional time-varying factor models with high-dimensional assets, this article proposes a high-dimensional alpha (HDA) test to assess whether there exist abnormal returns on securities (or portfolios) over the theoretical expected returns. To employ this test effectively, a constant coefficient test is also introduced. It examines the validity of constant alphas and factor loadings. Simulation studies and an empirical example are presented to illustrate the finite sample performance and the usefulness of the proposed tests. Using the HDA test, the empirical example demonstrates that the FF three-factor model is better than CAPM in explaining the mean-variance efficiency of both the Chinese and U.S. stock markets. Furthermore, our results suggest that the U.S. stock market is more efficient in terms of mean-variance efficiency than the Chinese stock market. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.