Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Suppression of transforming growth factor‐beta isoforms, TGF‐β receptor type II, and myofibroblast differentiation in cultured human corneal and limbal fibroblasts by amniotic membrane matrix

Down‐regulation of the transforming growth factor‐beta (TGF‐β) signaling system is a strategy for preventing scarring during wound healing. Human corneal and limbal fibroblasts were cultured on the stromal matrix side of preserved human amniotic membrane. The levels of TGF‐β1, β2, and β3 and TGF‐β type II receptor transcripts and TGF‐β1 and β2 proteins were suppressed as early as 8 hr and more dramatically at 24 hr after contact with an amniotic membrane. This suppressive effect was accompanied by down‐regulation of α‐smooth muscle actin, EDA spliced form of fibronectin, and integrin α5. It persisted even when challenged by 10 ng/ml TGF‐β1. In contrast with their counterparts grown on plastic or in collagen gel, such suppression in amniotic membrane cultures remained complete after 1 week of culturing. Cells cultured on amniotic membrane showed significantly reduced [3H]‐thymidine incorporation compared to cells cultured on plastic and displayed no DNA fragmentation. These results reveal a novel mechanism by which the TGF‐β signaling system, DNA synthesis, and subsequent myofibroblast differentiation can be suppressed by an amnionic membrane matrix. This action explains in part the antiscarring results of amniotic membrane transplantation used for ocular surface reconstruction, a surgical technique applicable to other subspecialties. It may also explain in part why fetal wound healing is scarless. J. Cell. Physiol. 179:325–335, 1999. © 1999 Wiley–Liss, Inc.
Semi-automatic WordNet Linking using Word Embeddings

Wordnets are rich lexico-semantic resources. Linked wordnets are extensions of wordnets, which link similar concepts in wordnets of different languages. Such resources are extremely useful in many Natural Language Processing (NLP) applications, primarily those based on knowledge-based approaches. In such approaches, these resources are considered as gold standard/oracle. Thus, it is crucial that these resources hold correct information. Thereby, they are created by human experts. However, manual maintenance of such resources is a tedious and costly affair. Thus techniques that can aid the experts are desirable. In this paper, we propose an approach to link wordnets. Given a synset of the source language, the approach returns a ranked list of potential candidate synsets in the target language from which the human expert can choose the correct one(s). Our technique is able to retrieve a winner synset in the top 10 ranked list for 60% of all synsets and 70% of noun synsets.
Bone marrow stem cells‐derived microvesicles protect against renal injury in the mouse remnant kidney model

Aims: Several studies have demonstrated administration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) could reverse kidney injury by paracrine mechanisms rather than by MSC transdifferentiation. Recently, a few researchers found microvesicles (MV) derived from MSC might be a paracrine mechanism for cell‐to‐cell communication. The aim of this study was to investigate the repair effects of MV in a 5/6 subtotal nephrectomy (Nx) mice model.
Drug delivery applications for superporous hydrogels

Introduction: Considerable advances have been made to hydrogels with the development of faster swelling superporous hydrogels (SPHs). These new-generation hydrogels have large numbers of interconnected pores, giving them the capacity to absorb large amounts of water at an accelerated rate. This gives SPHs the ability to be used in a variety of novel drug delivery applications, such as gastric retention and peroral intestinal delivery of proteins and peptides. Areas covered: This review focuses on the applications of SPHs for drug transport and targeted drug therapies, as well as the characteristics and historical advancements made to SPH synthesis as it pertains to drug delivery. Manufacturing considerations and challenges that must be overcome are also discussed, such as scale-up, biocompatibility and safety. Expert opinion: Modern SPHs have high swelling and high mechanical strength making them suitable for many diverse pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. However, demonstrative preclinical animal studies still need to be confirmed in human trials, to further address safety issues and confirm therapeutic success when using SPHs as platforms for drug delivery. The focus of forthcoming applications of SPHs is likely to be in the area of oral site-specific delivery and regenerative medicine.
Ultraviolet-Absorption Spectra of Dry Bacterial Spores

Bailey, Glen F. (Western Regional Research Laboratory, Albany, Calif.), Saima Karp, and L. E. Sacks. Ultraviolet-absorption spectra of dry bacterial spores. J. Bacteriol. 89:984–987. 1965. —The possibility of obtaining reasonably satisfactory ultraviolet-absorption spectra of dry spores embedded in KBr has been demonstrated. Such spectra show the three peaks characteristic of calcium dipicolinate. The dipicolinate spectra are more distinct when reference pellets containing appropriate amounts of the analogous spore coats are employed. These spectra are considered evidence that some type of calcium-dipicolinic acid chelate accounts for at least part of the calcium and dipicolinic acid content of the spore.
A high-voltage DC bias architecture implementation in a 17 Gbps low-power common-cathode VCSEL driver in 80 nm CMOS

This paper describes a new, robust system-architecture for common-cathode (CC) vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) drivers for highly-scaled CMOS technologies with low supply voltages. The concept implies converting the input signal into a current which is transferred to an amplifier built in a floating well by the level-shifter. Setting the potential of the well as high as the parasitic diode break-down voltage, a high DC bias voltage is possible for the VCSEL, several times higher than the gate-oxide break-down of CMOS technologies. The architecture is demonstrated with the design of a VCSEL driver in 80 nm CMOS with 1.2 V breakdown. The VCSEL DC bias can go as high as 4.5 V. The fabricated chip was bonded to a CC VCSEL. Electrical, optical and robustness measurements were performed. The optical eye was open until 17 Gbps at a bit-error-rate (BER) of 10-12 with only 60 mW power consumption including the VCSEL current. The driver met the electrical robustness evaluation offering a more reliable alternative to stacked CC architecture. The active area is of only 0.003 mm2, one of the smallest existing VCSEL diode drivers for this data-rate.
High‐resolution 1H NMR and magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopic investigation of the biochemical effects of 2‐bromoethanamine in intact renal and hepatic tissue

The metabolic consequences of xenobiotic‐induced toxicity were investigated using high‐resolution magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectroscopy of intact tissue. Renal papillary necrosis (RPN) was induced in Sprague‐Dawley rats (n = 12) via a single i.p. dose of 250 mg/kg 2‐bromoethanamine (BEA) hydrobromide. At 2, 4, 6, and 24 h after treatment with BEA, three animals were killed and tissue samples were obtained from liver, renal cortex, and renal medulla. Tissue samples were also removed at 2 and 24 h from matched controls (n = 6). 1H MAS NMR spectroscopic techniques were used to analyze samples of intact tissue (∼10 mg). Decreased levels of nonperturbing renal osmolytes (glycerophosphocholine, betaine, and myo‐inositol) were observed in the renal papilla of BEA‐treated animals at 6 and 24 h postdose (p.d.), concomitant with a relative increase in the tissue concentration of creatine. Increased levels of glutaric acid were found in all tissues studied in BEA‐treated animals at 4 and 6 h p.d. , indicating the inhibition of mitochondrial fatty acyl CoA dehydrogenases and mitochondrial dysfunction. Increased levels of trimethylamine‐N‐oxide occurred in the renal cortex at 6 h p.d. Changes in the metabolite profile of liver included an increase in the relative concentrations of triglycerides, lysine, and leucine. The novel application of 1H MAS NMR to the biochemical analysis of intact tissues following a toxic insult highlights the potential of this technique as a toxicological probe in providing a direct link between urinary biomarkers of toxicity and histopathological evaluation of toxicological lesions. Magn Reson Med 45:781–790, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Integration of optical applicator with balloon catheter for photothermal treatment of biliary stricture

Bile duct stricture is an uncommon disease in gastroenterology resulting from postoperative trauma. In spite of non‐surgical treatments, clinical outcomes for the biliary strictures still encounter high restenosis and stent migration. The objective of the current study was to investigate the feasible application of a balloon catheter‐integrated diffing applicator to thermally treat the bile duct stricture.
Did Firms Manage Earnings More Aggressively during the Financial Crisis?

We investigate the extent of earnings management during the financial crisis of 2008 (The Great Recession). Based on a large sample of 14,000 observations across 15 years, our results show that firms managed earnings less aggressively during the crisis. We also show a severe decline in firm value and profitability during the crisis. Our results are consistent with the notion that, during the crisis, firm performance was so far below the target that no amount of earnings management would have been sufficient to reverse the poor earnings picture. As a result, managers were less motivated to manage earnings. Furthermore, the crisis serves as a convenient excuse for poor performance, lessening the motivation and necessity for managers to manage earnings. Additional analysis including fixed‐effects regressions, propensity score matching, and GMM dynamic panel data estimation shows that our results are robust and are not driven by unobserved heterogeneity. Further analysis documents similar findings for the Dot‐com crisis in 2001 and the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997–1998.
The Effects of Subsidies on Increasing Consumption through For-Profit and Not-For-Profit Newsvendors

Subsidy programs are widely offered in both developing and developed countries to encourage consumption of products that generate positive social, health and environmental externalities. We study the effect of subsidies on product consumption under uncertain market demand. To reach a target consumer population, the program sponsor may subsidize a for-profit or a not-for-profit firm on each unit of the product purchased by the firm or on each unit of the sale generated by the firm. We show that subsidy programs provide stronger incentives to a not-for-profit firm than to its for-profit counterpart in inducing a large consumption whenever the sponsor is having a very limited budget or a very generous budget. When subsidizing a not-for-profit firm, the sponsor should always choose the purchase subsidy over the sales subsidy, because the former can induce a larger consumption than the latter with the same subsidy spending. However, this is not always true when the subsidy program is administered through a for-profit firm, unless the firm is a price taker in the market or the sponsor has a limited budget. Our analysis leads to new theoretical development of price-setting newsvendor problem for both the for-profit and not-for-profit operations under subsidy.
On the selection of adaptive modulation and coding modes over OFDM

In this paper we address the problem of how best selecting the smallest set of transmission modes (i.e. modulation and channel code formats) to be employed in adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) schemes for OFDM. In fact, by decreasing the number of allowable modes, the complexity of the ACM scheme is greatly reduced. The method makes use of an optimum throughput maximization algorithm for the bit and power allocation. We start with a large set of possible transmission modes. Then, for a given channel, we iterate the loading algorithm with mode sets having successive removal of the mode which yields the smallest contribution to the overall throughput. By using this method in a Rayleigh fading channel, we are able to show that in the test case of the HIPERLAN/2 modes, up to five modes out of seven can be removed with a very small impact on the average achievable throughput.
Gain‐of‐function mutation in the KlPDR1 gene encoding multidrug resistance regulator in Kluyveromyces lactis

KlPdr1p is a single Kluyveromyces lactis homologue of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ScPdr1p/ScPdr3p, the main transcriptional regulators of genes involved in S. cerevisiae multidrug resistance. KlPDR1 deletion leads to a sharp increase in K. lactis drug susceptibility. The presence of putative PDRE and YRE regulatory elements in the KlPDR1 gene promoter suggests an autoregulation of its transcription as well as its control by KlYap1p, the transcription factor involved in oxidative stress response. In this study, one plasmid‐borne Klpdr1‐1 allele that led to amino acid substitution (L273P) in the KlPdr1p was isolated. Overexpression of the Klpdr1‐1 allele from a multicopy plasmid in the K. lactis wild‐type and Klpdr1Δ mutant strain increased the tolerance of transformants to oligomycin. The plasmid‐borne Klpdr1‐1 allele increased the activation of the ScPDR5 promoter and complemented the drug hypersensitivity of the S. cerevisiae pdr1Δ pdr3Δ mutant strain. The results indicate that L273P amino acid substitution is the result of a gain‐of‐function mutation in the KlPDR1 gene that confers KlPdr1p hyperactivity, as revealed by a high expression of the ABC transporter gene KlPDR5, leading to multidrug resistance and rhodamine 6G efflux out of the cells. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Direct Approach to Teaching Business Ethics

This paper focuses on the teaching of business ethics experientially. It presents a relatively straightforward approach to encouraging business students to articulate their core personal values, and then apply them to a real-life situation that they encountered. In this paper, we contrast this more direct approach with an approach which is less direct, in that it seeks opinions, beliefs, actions, or intentions on the part of students in the context of a situation introduced by the instructor. Weâ€™ve implemented this approach twice, and we discuss the outcomes.
From the catastrophe to a humane mental‐health care and successful research in German psychiatry (1951–2012) – as I remember it

Since I took up my first job as a resident at the Psychiatric Hospital of the University of T€ ubingen on 1 June, 1951, psychiatry, in Germany in particular, has undergone a barely imaginable change. A professional life of more than 60 years spent under such conditions is not easy to condense. In addition, my duties outgrew those of a mere physician, researcher and an academic teacher at various points of my professional career. For this reason, I can offer only fragments from my past.
Magnets for the MANX 6-D muon cooling demonstration experiment

MANX is a 6-dimensional muon ionization-cooling experiment that has been proposed to Fermilab to demonstrate the use of a Helical Cooling Channel (HCC) for future muon colliders and neutrino factories. The HCC for MANX has solenoidal, helical dipole, and helical quadrupole magnetic components which diminish as the beam loses energy as it slow down in a liquid helium absorber inside the magnets. Additional magnets that provide emittance matching between the HCC and upstream and downstream spectrometers are also described as are the results of G4Beamline simulations of the beam cooling behavior of the complete magnet and absorber system.
Millimeter-Wave Substrate Integrated Waveguide Long Slot Leaky-Wave Antennas and Two-Dimensional Multibeam Applications

Two types of substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) long slot leaky-wave antennas with controllable sidelobe level are proposed and demonstrated in this paper. The first prototype is able to achieve an excellent sidelobe level of -27.7&nbsp;dB by properly meandering a long slot etched on the broadside of a straight SIW section from the centerline toward the sidewall then back. But it is known that an asymmetrically curved slot would worsen the cross-polar level. To overcome this drawback, a modified leaky-wave antenna is proposed, which has a straight long slot etched on the broadside of a meandering SIW section. It yields an outstanding sidelobe level of -29.3 dB and also improves the cross-polar level by more than 11 dB at 35 GHz. Experimental results agree well with simulations, thus validating our design. Then, a two-dimensional (2-D) multibeam antenna is developed by combining such 14 leaky-wave antennas with an SIW beamforming network (BFN). It has features of scanning both in elevation orientation by varying frequency and in cross-plane direction by using the BFN. Excited at ports 1-10 of such a 2-D multibeam antenna at 35 GHz, angular region of 86.6° in azimuth can effectively be covered by 3 dB beam-width of ten pencil beams. Varying frequency from 33 GHz to 37 GHz, the angular region of 37.5° and 38.9° in elevation can be covered by 3 dB beam-width of those continuous scanning beams excited at ports 6 and 8 respectively.
Sequence analysis of BRCA1 and BRCA2: correlation of mutations with family history and ovarian cancer risk.

PURPOSE Previous studies of mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 have used detection methods that may underestimate the actual frequency of mutations and have analyzed women using heterogeneous criteria for risk of hereditary cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 238 women with breast cancer before age 50 or ovarian cancer at any age and at least one first- or second-degree relative with either diagnosis underwent sequence analysis of BRCA1 followed by analysis of BRCA2 (except for 27 women who declined analysis of BRCA2 after a deleterious mutation was discovered in BRCA1). Results were correlated with personal and family history of malignancy. RESULTS Deleterious mutations were identified in 94 (39%) women, including 59 of 117 (50%) from families with ovarian cancer and 35 of 121 (29%) from families without ovarian cancer. Mutations were identified in 14 of 70 (20%) women with just one other relative who developed breast cancer before age 50. In women with breast cancer, mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 were associated with a 10-fold increased risk of subsequent ovarian carcinoma (P = .005). CONCLUSION Because mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 in women with breast cancer are associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer, analysis of these genes should be considered for women diagnosed with breast cancer who have a high probability of carrying a mutation according to the statistical model developed with these data.
Endothelial Dysfunction After Repeated Chlamydia pneumoniae Infection in Apolipoprotein E–Knockout Mice

BackgroundArterial relaxation is largely regulated by endothelial nitric oxide (NO). Its diminished activity has been associated with incipient atherosclerosis. We investigated the endothelium-dependent relaxation of aorta in apolipoprotein E–knockout (apoE-KO) mice exposed to single or repeated Chlamydia pneumoniae inoculation. Methods and ResultsForty-eight apoE-KO mice, 8 weeks old, were inoculated intranasally with C pneumoniae (n=24) or saline (n=24) every 2 weeks over a 6-week period. Twenty mice (10 infected and 10 controls) were killed at 2 weeks and 6 weeks, respectively, after the first inoculation. The smooth muscle tone of aortic rings was measured in vitro at both time points. The norepinephrine-precontracted thoracic aortic rings were successively exposed to methacholine in the absence and presence of NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and diclofenac. The methacholine-induced relaxation was attenuated in the infected mice at 6 weeks in both the absence and presence of L-NAME (P <0.05 and P <0.01, respectively). When administered together with L-NAME, diclofenac enhanced the relaxation of the L-NAME–pretreated aortas in infected mice at 2 weeks (P <0.05) but not in noninfected mice. The relaxation response from infected mice tended to differ in the same manner at 6 weeks (P <0.1). No intimal thickening was detected at either time point. ConclusionsC pneumoniae impairs arterial endothelial function, and the NO pathway is principally involved. Cyclooxygenase-dependent vasoconstricting products may also account for the infection-induced impaired relaxation. These findings further support the role of C pneumoniae infection in atherosclerosis development.
Internationalising a school: teachers’ perspectives on pedagogy, curriculum and inclusion

The increase of internationalisation in Australian schools marks this as a significant teaching and learning experience for many teachers, specifically those in the secondary school. This case study of a secondary school investigated the concerns of teachers impacted by the implementation of an internationalisation policy. The study examined the teachers’ responses to issues often associated with internationalisation in schools: pedagogy, curriculum and student inclusion. Four key concerns emerged in the data: (i) feelings of being ill-prepared; (ii) questions about curriculum enactment and student participation; (iii) the need for greater intercultural competence; and (iv) a lack of clarity about the relationship between language and literacy. The paper explores the implications of these concerns for teachers’ practices and professional development as well as the place of international students in the school community.
Polymorphisms of the vincristine pathway and response to treatment in children with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

BACKGROUND Vincristine (VCR) is a standard component in the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). VCR cytotoxicity is primarily due to its ability to disrupt the formation of microtubules of the mitotic spindle. PATIENTS & METHODS Seventeen polymorphisms in regulatory and coding regions of genes controlling VCR targets (TUBB1, MAP4, ACTG1 and CAPG) or potentially influencing VCR levels (ABCB1 and CYP3A5) were investigated for an association with peripheral neuropathy and outcome in childhood ALL patients. RESULTS High-grade neurotoxicity was more frequent in carriers of the A allele of synonymous (Ala310) G to A (rs1135989) variation in the ACTG1 gene. Substitution (rs4728709) in the promoter of the ABCB1 gene had a protective effect against lower grade neurotoxicity and C to A variation (rs3770102) located 17 nucleotides upstream from the transcription start site had a protective effect against high-grade neurotoxicity. Patients with the ABCB1 3435TT genotype had lower event-free survival; the association with event-free survival was not supported by the analysis in the replication patient set. CONCLUSION The polymorphisms in the ACTG1, CAPG and ABCB1 genes may modulate VCR-related neurotoxicity, whereas the risk of relapse seems not to be affected by the genes of the VCR pathway.