Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of Interest Rate on Capital Market Growth (A Case of Nigeria)

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of interest rate on capital markets growth and to shed some light on how other macroeconomic variables such as inflation rate, exchange rate also influence capital markets growth. Multiple regression analysis of the ordinary least square was employed to determine the impact of interest rate as well as other macroeconomic variables such as inflation rate, exchange rate on capital market growth. Pooled data regression method was employed to estimate the specified model equations. E-view econometrics software was used to facilitate the estimation process.Augmented Dickey –Fuller (ADF) Test was used to determine the order of integration that is the number of times a variable has to be differenced before it becomes stationary Findings of the study revealed that interest rates have an adverse effect on capital market growth. The Regression analysis results reveal that a 1% increase in interest rate will lead to a 44% decrease in all share price index, this implies that as the rate of interest increases, the performance of the capital market reduces. Inflation rate and exchange rate are however not significant, especially at the 5 percent level of significance. The study revealed further that although interest rate is not negatively linked to the all share index, on its own but when examined along side other control variables such as inflation rate and exchange rate, it behaves true to type. In order to enable the capital market to take full advantage of the various opportunities and cope with challenges, interest rates must be properly put at check. This must be done in relation to appropriate monetary policies to ensure macroeconomic stability
Kinetics of the Inhibition of Tissue Factor-Factor Vila by Tissue Factor Pathway Inhibitor

Summary Tissue factor-factor VIIa catalysed activation of factor X and factor IX is inhibited by the complex of tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) and factor Xa. At present, no information is available as to what extent the kinetics of complex formation between TFPI and factor Xa during factor X activation contribute to the overall rate of inactivation of the factor X converting complex. We have determined the kinetic parameters of the individual reactions, i. e. factor X activation, formation of the TFPI-factor Xa complex, and inactivation of tissue factor-factor VIIa by the TFPI-factor Xa complex. We modelled the overall reaction by assuming a two-step reaction: factor Xa generated by tissue factor-factor VIIa forms a reversible complex with TFPI and in the second step this complex forms a reversible quaternary complex with tissue factor- factor VIIa. The validity of the model was demonstrated by analysis of factor Xa generation curves in the presence of TFPI. Independently determined constants for factor X activation (kcat= 12 s-1, Km = 70 nM) and inhibition of tissue factor-factor VIIa by TFPI-factor Xa complex (rate constant of inhibition of 1.1 × 108 M-1s-1) were used. The association rate constant of the formation of the TFPI-factor Xa complex was estimated by fitting the model to the data. The rate constants of association of the complex between factor Xa and the variants full length TFPI, TFPI 1-247 and TFPI1-61 were very close to the values determined independently in a kinetic study on the inhibition of factor Xa in the presence of phospholipids, namely 3.4 × 106 M-1s-1, 0.4 × 106 M-1s-1 and 0.3 × 106 M-1s-1, respectively. These results indicate that the factor Xa-dependent inhibition of tissue factor-factor VIIa-catalysed factor X activation by TFPI can be adequately described by the two-step reaction sequence. We found that phospholipids (25 mol % phosphat-idylserine/75 mol % phospatidylcholine) increased the rate constant of association with factor Xa for full length TFPI, but not for the C-ter- minus truncated TFPI. Our results further indicate that optimal inhibition of tissue factor-factor VIIa activity is obtained with full length TFPI because of the higher rate of TFPI-factor Xa complex formation.
Risk Factors for Fatality and Neurological Sequelae after Status Epilepticus in Children

Using multivariate regression analysis, we examined risk factors for fatality and neurological sequelae after status epilepticus (SE) in children. Possible risk factors included sex, age at onset, the cause of SE, pyrexia, asthmatic attack during SE, past history of seizure, predisposing neurological abnormality, seizure duration, type of seizure, and medication with theophylline. Consecutive patients with SE, aged 1 month to 18 years, who were referred to Tottori University Hospital from 1984 to 2002 were reviewed. Of the 234 patients enrolled, 45 patients (19.2 %) showed poor outcomes, namely early death in 9 and neurological sequela in 36. Acute neurological insult and progressive neurological disease as the cause of SE were very significantly related to poor outcome (OR = 33.68, p = 0.000). We excluded 21 patients with the etiology of acute neurological insult and progressive neurological disease and then reanalyzed risk factors in the remaining 213 patients. Twenty-nine patients (13.6 %) showed poor outcome, namely early death in 6 and neurological sequela in 23. Seizure duration of more than 2 hours (OR = 12.73, p = 0.000) and moderate to severe asthmatic attack (OR = 31.61, p = 0.010) were associated with poor outcome. These results indicate that long-lasting seizure activity and asthmatic attack can exacerbate SE-associated brain injury.
Comparison of different depletion strategies for improved resolution in proteomic analysis of human serum samples

Serum proteins may often serve as indicators of disease and is a rich source for biomarker discovery. However, the large dynamic range of proteins in serum makes the analysis very challenging because high‐abundant proteins tend to mask those of lower abundance. A prefractionation step, such as depletion of a few high‐abundant proteins before protein profiling, can assist in the discovery and detection of less abundant proteins that may prove to be informative biomarkers. In the present study, five different depletion columns were investigated considering efficiency, specificity, and reproducibility. Our research included quantitative determination of total protein, albumin, and immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations, one‐ and two‐dimensional gels and mass spectrometric analysis of the serum samples before and after the depletion step. Our results showed that all five depletion columns tested removed albumin and IgG with high efficiency. We found that based on reproducibility and binding specificity, the Multiple Affinity Removal Column that removed a total of six high‐abundant proteins (albumin, IgG, antitrypsin, IgA, transferring, and haptoglobin) offered the most promising depletion approach. Among the disposable (single‐use) products, the ProteoExtract™ Albumin/IgG Removal kit displayed the best results. Depleted serum from the Multiple Affinity Removal column was further evaluated by 2‐D gel electrophoresis (2‐DE) analysis, and the results indicated increased resolution and improved intensity of low‐abundant proteins in a reproducible fashion. Our study provides a comprehensive investigation of commercially available depletion columns and will be of high importance for future proteomic studies on serum samples.
A Simplified Headspace Biochemical Oxygen Demand Test Protocol Based on Oxygen Measurements Using a Fiber Optic Probe

Batch respirometric tests have many advantages over the conventional biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) method for analysis of wastewaters, including the use of nondiluted samples, a more rapid exertion of oxygen demand, and reduced sample preparation time. The headspace biochemical oxygen demand (HBOD) test can be used to obtain oxygen demands in 2 or 3 days that can predict 5–day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) results. The main disadvantage of the HBOD and other respirometric tests has been the lack of a simple and direct method to measure oxygen concentrations in the gas phase. The recent commercial production of a new type of fiber optic oxygen probe, however, provides a method to eliminate this disadvantage. This fiber optic probe, referred to here as the HBOD probe , was tested to see if it could be used in HBOD tests. Gas–phase oxygen measurements made with the HBOD probe took only a few seconds and were not significantly different from those made using a gas chromatograph (t test; n 5 15, R2 5 0.9995, p , 0.001). In field tests using the HBOD probe procedure, the probe greatly reduced sample analysis time compared with previous HBOD and BOD protocols and produced more precise results than the BOD test for wastewater samples from two treatment plants (University Area Joint Authority [UAJA] Wastewater Treatment Plant in University Park, Pennsylvania, and The Pennsylvania State University [PSU] Wastewater Treatment Plant in University Park). Headspace biochemical oxygen demand measurements on UAJA primary clarifier effluent were 59.9 ± 2.4% after 2 days (HBOD2) and 73.0 ± 3.1% after 3 days (HBOD3) of BOD5 values, indicating that BOD5 values could be predicted by multiplying HBOD2 values by 1.67 ± 0.07 or HBOD3 by 1.37 ± 0.06. Similarly, tests using PSU wastewater samples could be used to provide BOD5 estimates by multiplying the HBOD2 by 1.24 ± 0.04 or by multiplying the HBOD3 by 0.97 ± 0.03. These results indicate that the HBOD fiber optic probe can be used to obtain reliable oxygen demands in batch respirometric tests such as the HBOD test.
Effects of Postmortem Delay and Temperature on Neurotransmitter Receptor Binding in a Rat Model of the Human Autopsy Process

Abstract: Studies of neurotransmitter and drug receptor alterations in neurodegenerative disorders have contributed to our understanding of the pathophysiology of these conditions. The effect of postmortem delay in freezing tissue after death and prolonged storage of tissue prior to analysis on receptor binding assays are potential artifacts that may limit interpretation of the effects of disease on receptor populations. We used a rat model of the human autopsy process to study the effects of increasing postmortem delay and storage time on N‐methylscopolamine (NMS), p‐aminoclonidine (PAC), flunitrazepam (FLU), and spiperone binding in a variety of rat brain regions. The rat brains were cooled using a temperature‐controlled environment and thermistor probe to follow cooling curves obtained in human brain. Brains were cooled to either room temperature (22°C) or refrigerator temperature (4°C). For three of the four receptors, receptor binding decreased as postmortem delay before freezing increased, particularly in tissue cooled to room temperature. Unlike binding at other receptor sites, FLU binding increased with increasing postmortem delay to freezing. Different effects on KD and Bmax were noted for each ligand studied. No effects of the freezing process itself or storage at ‐80°C were detectable.
Pre-and postsynaptic modulations of hypoglossal motoneurons by-adrenoceptor activation in wild-type and Mecp 2 / Y mice

Jin XT, Cui N, Zhong W, Jin X, Wu Z, Jiang C. Preand postsynaptic modulations of hypoglossal motoneurons by -adrenoceptor activation in wild-type and Mecp2 /Y mice. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 305: C1080–C1090, 2013. First published August 28, 2013; doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00109. 2013. —Hypoglossal motoneurons (HNs) control tongue movement and play a role in maintenance of upper airway patency. Defects in these neurons may contribute to the development of sleep apnea and other cranial motor disorders including Rett syndrome (RTT). HNs are modulated by norepinephrine (NE) through -adrenoceptors. Although postsynaptic mechanisms are known to play a role in this effect, how NE modulates the synaptic transmissions of HNs remains poorly understood. More importantly, the NE system is defective in RTT, while how the defect affects HNs is unknown. Believing that information of NE modulation of HNs may help the understanding of RTT and the design of new therapeutical interventions to motor defects in the disease, we performed these studies in which glycinergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents and intrinsic membrane properties were examined in wild-type and Mecp2 /Y mice, a mouse of model of RTT. We found that activation of 1-adrenoceptor facilitated glycinergic synaptic transmission and excited HNs. These effects were mediated by both preand postsynaptic mechanisms. The latter effect involved an inhibition of barium-sensitive G proteindependent K currents. The preand postsynaptic modulations of the HNs by 1-adrenoceptors were not only retained in Mecp2-null mice but also markedly enhanced, which appears to be a compensatory mechanism for the deficiencies in NE and GABAergic synaptic transmission. The existence of the endogenous compensatory mechanism is an encouraging finding, as it may allow therapeutical modalities to alleviate motoneuronal defects in RTT.
The zinc transporter LIV-1 is a novel regulator of stemness in pancreatic cancer cells

Abstract Objective. Recent studies have identified the existence a portion of cancer cells, called “cancer stem cells”, within the entire cancer tissue. Cancer stem cells harbor highly tumorigenic and chemo-resistant phenotypes, which lead to recurrence or re-growth of the tumor after surgery. The mechanisms that regulate the stemness of cancer cells remain largely unknown. We hypothesized that LIV-1, a zinc transporter, regulates the stemness in pancreatic cancer cells. Material and methods. We established two stable Panc-1 pancreatic cancer cell lines in which LIV-1 expression was knocked down by the introduction of siRNA against LIV-1. Expression of cancer stem cell–related molecules was examined by quantitative real-time PCR. Expression of ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 2 was also determined by flow cytometry. Spheroid culture was performed in low-adhesion coated plates. Cell migration was determined by using a modified 2-chamber migration assay. In vivo tumor formation was assessed in nude mice after the subcutaneous injection of cancer cells. The Agilent's miRNA microarray was used to identify differentially expressed miRNAs. Results. Knockdown of LIV-1 expression resulted in (i) decreased expression of cancer stem cell-related molecules such as LIN28 and ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 2, (ii) decreased spheroid-forming ability, (iii) decreased migration, (iv) decreased incidence of tumor formation in nude mice, and (v) upregulation of miR-7 expression. Conclusions. Our results suggest that LIV-1 might act as a novel regulator of stemness in pancreatic cancer cells.
Low-Temperature Solution-Processed Zirconium Oxide Gate Insulators for Thin-Film Transistors

Transparent amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) were fabricated using spin-coating technique at a low annealing temperature of 300 <sup>°</sup>C on the 200 mm × 200 mm glass substrate. Solution-processed high-dielectric zirconium oxide dielectric layer, with its amorphous structure and smooth surface, was used to reduce the TFT operating voltage. The resulting TFT was produced with a maximum process temperature of 300 <sup>°</sup>C, and had a saturation mobility of 0.8 cm<sup>2</sup>/V s, an ON/OFF ratio of 10<sup>4</sup>, and a threshold voltage of 0.1 V.
Post-thermocycling shear bond strength of a gingiva-colored indirect composite layering material to three implant framework materials

Abstract Objective. To evaluate shear bond strength of a gingiva-colored indirect composite to three implant framework materials, before and after thermocycling, and verify the effect of surface pre-treatment for each framework. Materials and methods. Commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti), American Dental Association (ADA) type 4 casting gold alloy (Type IV) and zirconia ceramics (Zirconia) were assessed. For each substrate, 96 disks were divided into six groups and primed with one of the following primers: Alloy Primer (ALP), Clearfil Photo Bond (CPB), Clearfil Photo Bond with Clearfil Porcelain Bond Activator (CPB+Activator), Estenia Opaque Primer (EOP), Metal Link (MLP) and V-Primer (VPR). The specimens were then bonded to a gingiva-colored indirect composite (Ceramage Concentrate GUM-D). Shear bond strengths were measured at 0 and 20 000 thermocycles and data were analyzed with the Steel-Dwass test and Mann-Whitney U-test. Results. Shear bond strengths were significantly lower after thermocycling, with the exception of Type IV specimens primed with CPB (p = 0.092) or MLP (p = 0.112). For CP-Ti and Zirconia specimens, priming with CPB or CPB+Activator produced significantly higher bond strengths at 0 and 20 000 thermocycles, as compared with the other groups. For Type IV specimens, priming with ALP or MLP produced higher bond strengths at 0 and 20 000 thermocycles. Conclusions. Shear bond strength of a gingiva-colored indirect composite to CP-Ti, gold alloy and zirconia ceramics was generally lower after thermocycling. Application of a hydrophobic phosphate monomer and polymerization initiator was effective in maintaining bond strength of CP-Ti and zirconia ceramics. Combined use of a thione monomer and phosphoric monomer enhanced the durable bond strength of gold alloy.
The C Terminus of the B5 Receptor for Herpes Simplex Virus Contains a Functional Region Important for Infection

ABSTRACT The expression of a previously uncharacterized human hfl-B5 cDNA confers susceptibility for herpes simplex virus (HSV) to porcine cells and fulfills criteria as an HSV entry receptor (A. Perez, Q.-X. Li, P. Perez-Romero, G. DeLassus, S. R. Lopez, S. Sutter, N. McLaren, and A. Oveta Fuller, J. Virol. 79:7419-7430, 2005). Heptad repeats found in the B5 C terminus are predicted to form an α-helix for coiled coil structure. We used mutagenesis and synthetic peptides with wild-type and mutant sequences to examine the function of the heptad repeat motif in HSV binding and entry into porcine cells that express B5 and for infection of naturally susceptible human HEp-2 cells. B5 with point mutations predicted to disrupt the putative C-terminal coiled coil failed to mediate HSV binding and entry into porcine cells. Synthetic peptides that contain the single amino acid changes lose the blocking activity of HSV entry. We concluded that the C terminus of B5 contains a functional region that is important for the B5 receptor to mediate events in HSV entry. Structural evidence that this functional region forms coiled coil structures is under investigation. Blocking of HSV interaction with the C-terminal region of the B5 receptor is a new potential target site to intervene in the virus infection of human cells.
Bone Marrow‐Derived Stem Cells Do Not Reconstitute Spermatogenesis In Vivo

Spermatogenesis is a self-renewing process leading to production of spermatozoa in adult testis. The existence of male germinal stem cells was demonstrated by regeneration of spermatogenesis after transplantation of total testicular germ cells in testis [1], and we have previously shown that mouse testicular cells contain a side population (SP) of stem cells (Hoechst 33342 fluorescent dye efflux) that can repopulate germ celldepleted testis when transplanted into adult mice [2]. Several breakthroughs concerning the in vitro derivation of male and female germ cells from embryonic stem cells have challenged the field of reproductive biology and opened new perspectives for treatment of infertility [3–5]. Some reports have suggested that adult bone marrow-derived stem cells are able to regenerate various nonhematopoietic cell lineages in several organs, by
Cyclic Diarylheptanoids from Corylus avellana Green Leafy Covers: Determination of Their Absolute Configurations and Evaluation of Their Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities.

The methanol extract of the leafy covers of Corylus avellana, source of the Italian PGI (protected geographical indication) product "Nocciola di Giffoni", afforded two new cyclic diarylheptanoids, giffonins T and U (2 and 3), along with two known cyclic diarylheptanoids, a quinic acid, flavonoid-, and citric acid derivatives. The structures of giffonins T and U were determined as highly hydroxylated cyclic diarylheptanoids by 1D and 2D NMR experiments. Their relative configurations were assigned by a combined quantum mechanical/NMR approach, comparing the experimental 13C/1H NMR chemical shift data and the related predicted values. The absolute configurations of carpinontriol B (1) and giffonins T and U (2 and 3) were assigned by comparison of their experimental electronic circular dichroism curves with the TDDFT-predicted curves. The ability of the compounds to inhibit the lipid peroxidation induced by H2O2 and H2O2/Fe2+ was determined by measuring the concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity of the methanol extract of leafy covers of C. avellana and of the isolated compounds against the Gram-positive strains Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus and the Gram-negative strains Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was evaluated. Carpinontriol B (1) and giffonin U (3) at 40 μg/disk caused the formation of zones of inhibition.