Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Surface engineering of poly(D,L-lactic acid) by entrapment of chitosan-based derivatives for the promotion of chondrogenesis.

Chitosan and chitosan-amino acid derivatives were explored to engineer poly(D,L-lactic acid) (PDL-LA) as an extracellular matrix-like surface to promote cell adhesion and growth. Four kinds of chitosan-amino acid derivatives were prepared to mimic the carbohydrate moieties of cell matrix glycoprotein. The chitosan-amino acid derivatives were characterized by using Fourier transform infrared and ultraviolet spectra. The amino acid content on chitosan-amino acid derivatives was determined by using a ninhydrin-ultraviolet method. A new strategy, entrapment, was therefore used to modify the PDL-LA membrane with chitosan and chitosan-amino acid derivatives. The results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared, and contact angle confirmed that a stable thin film of chitosan and its derivatives can be entrapped on the surface of the PDL-LA membrane. From the results of chondrocyte cytocompatibility, MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide] assays, and cell morphology, the chitosan-amino acid derivative modified PDL-LA membranes were shown to promote chondrogenesis. The novel surface treatment method combines the good mechanical property of PDL-LA with the good cytocompatibility of chitosan derivatives, which may have potential for tissue engineering.
Understanding the influence of water droplet initiated discharges on damage caused to corona-aged silicone rubber

Corona activity on the surface of silicone rubber has high impact on variation in hydrophobicity of the material, and on corona inception voltage (CIV) of water droplet sitting on the corona degraded surface. The CIV is high under negative DC as compared to positive DC/AC voltages. Increase in conductivity of water droplet reduces CIV. Surface charge accumulation studies indicate that the charge retention capability of the insulating material gets reduced drastically with silicone rubber damaged due to corona causing degradation of surface. Irrespective of the number of cycles of corona discharge activities carried out, the time constant of charge decay, after the removal of charge injection, remains the same. The water droplet initiated discharges under AC and DC voltages radiate UHF signal in the bandwidth 0.3–1.2 GHz. With single droplet sitting on top of the corona damaged silicone rubber, the amount of charge retained by the water droplet is low when the droplet is placed and charged immediately after corona discharge activity to surface of the insulating material. When the water droplet is placed after a certain time period, the charge accumulation characteristics of silicone rubber are regained. Leakage current measured during water droplet discharge studies through recurrent plot (RP) analysis reveals that, under AC voltage, it is possible to classify corona inception, arcing and bridging of water droplet between high voltage and ground electrode. The RP obtained for the current signals generated due to water droplet discharges under positive and negative DC voltages are different. The amount of damage caused to silicone rubber due to water droplet is high under negative DC voltage as compared to positive/AC voltages. While correlating the level of damage to the insulating material due to water droplet and the RQA parameters of RP, it is observed that higher the recurrence rate along with high determinism can cause severe damage to the insulating material. Structural analysis using ATR-FTIR and pyrolysis-GC/MS studies reveal significant functional group variation on surface of silicone rubber, especially when the number of cycles of corona ageing is more.
Application of fast Fourier transform cross-correlation for the alignment of large chromatographic and spectral datasets.

Preprocessing of chromatographic and spectral data is an important aspect of analytical sciences. In particular, recent advances in proteomics have resulted in the generation of large data sets that require analysis. To assist accurate comparison of chemical signals, we propose two methods for the alignment of multiple spectral data sets. Based on methods previously described, each chromatograph or spectrum to be aligned is divided and aligned as individual segments to a reference. However, our methods make use of fast Fourier transform for the rapid computation of a cross-correlation function that enables alignments between samples to be optimized. The proposed methods are demonstrated in comparison with an existing method on a chromatographic and a mass spectral data set. It is shown that our methods provide an advantage of speed and a reduction of the number of input parameters required. The software implementations for the proposed alignment methods are available under the downloads section at http://ptcl.chem.ox.ac. uk/~jwong/specalign.
Low-loss ZnO optical waveguides for SAW-AO applications

Acoustooptic Bragg deflectors (ABDs) with high diffraction efficiencies were fabricated using ZnO thin films deposited on sapphire, glass, and Si substrates by an RF magnetron sputtering system. Optical waveguide losses of the ZnO films were about 0.5 dBcm/sup -1/. Diffraction efficiencies of 95 and 98% for the TE/sub 0/ mode beam (at 632.8 nm) were accomplished by acoustic powers of 90 mW in a ZnO film on glass and 80 mW in a ZnO film on Si, respectively. The diffraction efficiencies of the ABD using a ZnO film on sapphire with interdigital transducers of different Q values and with the surface-acoustic-wave propagating along and perpendicular to the c-axis of the ZnO film were also determined. <<ETX>>
The mediating effect of management accounting system on the relationship between competition and managerial performance

Purpose - This study aims to examine the effect of interaction between market competition and management accounting system (MAS) characteristics on managerial performance. Scope of the study is concentrated on Iranian financial organizations and managers of these organizations were identified as respondents for the questionnaire survey. Design/methodology/approach - This study used the SmartPLS to analyze the data, and the model of the study was estimated with structural equation modeling (SEM). It follows the recommended two-stage analytical procedures of SEM: assessing confirmatory measurement models (factor analysis) and confirmatory structural models (path analysis). Findings - The study uncovered the existence of direct relationships between competition and MAS, and between MAS and managerial performance. The study also confirmed that the relationship between competition and managerial performance is mediated by MAS. Research limitations/implications - The findings provide valuable insights to guide managers in financial organizations to improve their performance through suitable MAS by considering internal and environmental factors. Recommendations on how to improve MAS and managerial performance are provided accordingly. Originality/value - Prior researches confirm that there is no unique and universal MAS for all organizations, as this depends on internal firm characteristics and environmental features. However, there has been a lack of empirical evidence on MAS researches in the service organizations.
Off‐pump CABG reduces complement activation but does not significantly affect peripheral endothelial function: a prospective randomized study

Objective—Cardiac surgery initiates a systemic inflammatory response, which may affect endothelial function. The aim of this study was to investigate if off‐pump CABG (OPCAB) reduces the postoperative inflammatory response and affects endothelial function less than conventional on‐pump CABG. Design—Fifty‐two patients submitted for elective CABG were included in a prospective, randomized study. Twenty‐six patients were operated with, and 26 without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Plasma levels of complement (C3a), cytokines (IL‐8, TNF‐α), endothelin‐1 and neopterin were measured before and during surgery and 2 and 24 h after surgery. Endothelial function was assessed by forearm plethysmography and acetylcholine infusion in 30 patients 2–4 h after surgery. Results—C3a and neopterin concentrations were significantly higher during and early after surgery in the CPB group while TNF‐α and IL‐8 tended to be higher in the CPB group but the difference did not reach statistical significance. Endothelial function did not differ significantly between the two groups. Conclusion—OPCAB reduces complement activation compared with on‐pump CABG but does not significantly affect TNF‐α and IL‐8 release or endothelial function.
The potential of imaging techniques as a screening tool for colorectal cancer: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

OBJECTIVE Imaging may be promising for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, since it has test characteristics comparable with colonoscopy but is less invasive. We aimed to assess the potential of CT colonography (CTC) and MR colonography (MRC) in terms of (cost-effectiveness) using the Adenoma and Serrated pathway to Colorectal CAncer model. METHODS We compared several CTC and MRC strategies with 5- or 10-yearly screening intervals with no screening, 10-yearly colonoscopy screening and biennial faecal immunochemical test (FIT) screening. We assumed trial-based participation rates in the base-case analyses and varied the rates in sensitivity analyses. Incremental lifetime costs and health effects were estimated from a healthcare perspective. RESULTS The health gain of CTC and MRC was similar and ranged from 0.031 to 0.048 life-year gained compared with no screening, for 2-5 screening rounds. Lifetime costs per person for MRC strategies were €60-110 higher than those for CTC strategies with an equal number of screening rounds. All imaging-based strategies were cost-effective compared with no screening. FIT screening was the dominant screening strategy, leading to most LYG and highest cost-savings. Compared with three rounds of colonoscopy screening, CTC with five rounds was found to be cost-effective in an incremental analysis of imaging strategies. Assumptions on screening participation have a major influence on the ordering of strategies in terms of costs and effects. CONCLUSION CTC and MRC have potential for CRC screening, compared with no screening and compared with three rounds of 10-yearly colonoscopy screening. When taking FIT screening as the reference, imaging is not cost-effective. Participation is an important driver of effectiveness and cost estimates. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE This is the first study to assess the cost-effectiveness of MRC screening for CRC.
Evaluation of the antioxidant activity of different flavonoids by the chemiluminescence method

The objective of the present investigation was to study the antioxidant action of different flavonoids (quercetin, glabridin, red clover, and Isoflavin Beta, an isoflavones mixture) in order to determine if they could be added to a topical formulation used to treat damage caused by free radicals. Samples of 10 μL of the test compounds at different concentrations were mixed with 0.1 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.4, and a luminol solution was added to yield a final concentration of 0.113 mM. Hydrogen peroxide was then added at a final concentration of 0.05 mM. The reaction was started by introducing the horse-radish peroxidase enzyme at a final concentration of 0.2 IU/mL, in a final volume of 1.0 mL. Chemiluminescence was measured for 10 minutes at room temperature, and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) was used as a control. All samples showed marked inhibition of oxidative stress, with a concentration-dependent action for quercetin and Isoflavin Beta. The highest inhibition was observed with glabridin and the dry red clover extract. All flavonoids proved to be adequate for addition to topical formulations because of their high antioxidant activity.
Monetary Policy in Financial Economies

This dissertation explores a critical question that arose naturally as a consequence of the Great Recession: What is the appropriate role for and design of monetary policy in financial economies? In addition to analyzing the unprecedented actions taken by policy makers in the wake of the worst Financial Crisis since the Great Depression, I also examine how conventional monetary policy instruments should be designed and implemented in New-Keynesian economies the workhorse model of monetary policy for central banks. Conventional Monetary Policy in Financial Economies Unconventional monetary policy is designed as a response to financial crises. However, in chapters 1, 2 and 3 I show that even conventional monetary policy must be adapted in financial economies. Specifically, I analyze the performance of both Friedman ‘K-percent’ money growth rules and Taylor rules in New-Keynesian models – the workhorse central bank model for monetary policy. However, unlike standard New-Keynesian models, I examine the theoretical aspects of monetary policy in models with a meaningful financial sector. The cumulative results of this section show the case against using monetary aggregates by central bankers is significantly diminished once the financial sector is included. Chapter 1: Price vs. Financial Stability: A role for Money in Taylor rules A consensus among central bankers, especially in the U.S., is that money plays no meaningful role in the formation, nor execution of, monetary policy.
Modeling of the Pore network by Image Processing: Application to the Nonwoven Material

The knowledge of structural parameters of nonwovens media is poorly understood. The pores size distribution (PSD) function is one of those parameters. The difficulty is not only the understanding of the distribution of pores but also the identification of the pores geometry distribution (PGD) and of their dynamic properties. In this paper, we present an efficient and reliable method based on image analysis which on the one hand, performs the estimation of the PSD function and takes into account the geometric aspect of pores, and on the other hand, analyses fluid transport in nonwoven made from polyester. We set up a test bed in order to observe the dynamic properties of our samples. We extract frames directly from this test bed. In this paper, we present results obtained from two samples. Results show PSD containing a large variety of pores. We also determine the PGD which informs us about the shape of pores. The resulting PSD are used as a reference to determine the PSD of filled pores versus time. Results show that the fluid transport in the pore network is defined by three essential parameters: geometric parameter (size, shape), the capillary pressure and the connection in the pores network
Investing in education in Europe: Evidence from a new survey of public opinion

Public opinion research has found that increasing the investment in education is generally very popular among citizens in Western Europe. However, this evidence from publicly available opinion surveys may be misleading, because these surveys do not force respondents to prioritize between different parts of the education system or between education and other social policies, nor do they provide information about citizens’ willingness to pay for additional investment in education. To address these deficiencies, we conducted an original, representative survey of public opinion on education and related policies in eight European countries. Our analysis confirms that citizens express high levels of support for education even when they are forced to choose between education and other areas of social spending. But not all educational sectors enjoy equally high levels of support: increasing spending on general schooling and vocational education is more popular than increasing spending on higher education and early childhood education. Furthermore, we find that citizens are, in fact, willing to pay additional taxes in order to finance investment in education, at least in some countries and for some sectors of the education system.
Oxidative Stress‐Induced Depolymerization of Microtubules and Alteration of Mitochondrial Mass in Human Cells

Abstract: Mitochondrial biogenesis is a biological process that has been intensively studied over the past few years. However, the detailed molecular mechanism underlying this increase in mitochondria remains unclear. To investigate the mechanism of such a mitochondrial proliferation, we examined alterations in mitochondria of human osteosarcoma 143B cells that had been treated with 100 to 500 μM hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for 48 h. The results showed that mitochondrial mass of the cell was increased with the increase of the concentration of H2O2. On the other hand, by using real‐time PCR techniques, we observed the changes of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content in the cells exposed to oxidative stress. The copy number of mtDNA was increased by treatment with a low dose of H2O2 but was drastically decreased after treatment with H2O2 higher than 300 μM. Transmission electron microscopic images revealed that mitochondria were abnormally proliferated in cells exposed to oxidative stress. Moreover, we found that the percentage of 143B cells arrested at the G2/M phase increased upon treatment with H2O2. Immunostaining and microtubule fractionation assay revealed that microtubules were depolymerized in the cells that had been treated with H2O2. To understand the effect of microtubules depolymerization on the mitochondrial mass, we treated the cells with several kinds of microtubule‐active drugs, which arrest cultured cells at the G2/M phase. The results showed that mitochondrial mass and mtDNA copy number all were increased after such treatments. Taking these findings together, we suggest that oxidative stress‐induced microtubule derangement is one of the molecular events involved in the increase of mitochondrial mass upon treatment of human cells with H2O2.
Оценивание Гравитационных Моделей Международной Торговли: Обзор Основных Подходов [Estimating gravity models of international trade: a survey of methods]

Gravity models, which relate volume of exports from one country to another to the economic size of those countries and various trade costs, have long been successfully used in empirical analysis of international trade flows and their determinants. Recent decades saw a substantial increase in a number of methods to estimate such models due to the emergence of theoretically founded modifications of the gravity equation. This paper surveys these advances in the estimation methodology. First, alternative techniques to account for structural multilateral resistance terms (introducing remoteness measures, using price indices, non-linear estimation and its linear approximation, importer and exporter fixed effects) are examined. Variants of gravity specifications on panel data (country-pair fixed and random effects, Hausman-Taylor model) are then reviewed. Next, common errors in gravity modeling associated with atheoretical calculations of bilateral trade and economic size variables are analyzed. Finally, ways to consistently estimate gravity models in the presence of zero trade flows using Poisson regression, Tobit and Heckman models are discussed. All the methods considered have their own advantages and drawbacks. The choice of estimator in an application is not obvious, and depends on properties of available data and goals of research. A good practice in the modern empirical literature is to utilize simultaneously several techniques, at least for robustness checks.
CSF Removal in Infantile Posthemorrhagic Hydrocephalus Results in Significant Improvement in Cerebral Hemodynamics

Rational intervention in infants with posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH) would be facilitated greatly by bedside measure of impaired cerebral perfusion, as there is substantial evidence that impaired perfusion and oxidative metabolism contribute to irreversible brain injury in hydrocephalus. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) measures changes in the cerebral concentration of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin and oxidized cytochrome oxidase at the bedside of infants continuously and noninvasively. The total hemoglobin and the hemoglobin difference signal are derived from the sum and difference, respectively, of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin. Changes in total hemoglobin reflect changes in cerebral blood volume; our previous work has shown that changes in hemoglobin difference signal reflect changes in cerebral blood flow. We hypothesized that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) removal in infants with PHH would result in significant increases in cerebral perfusion, cerebral blood volume, and oxidative metabolism, as measured by NIRS. Continuous NIRS recordings were performed during CSF removal on 16 infants with PHH. There was a statistically significant increase in oxygenated hemoglobin (p = 0.001), total hemoglobin (p < 0.001), and hemoglobin difference signal (p = 0.006), but not oxidized cytochrome oxidase, accompanying CSF removal. There was no significant correlation between either the volume of CSF removed (in milliliters per kilogram body weight) or the opening pressure and the change in any of the measured or calculated NIRS signals. These findings demonstrate the pronounced effect of CSF removal on cerebral perfusion in infants with PHH. NIRS may be a useful technique to detect impending cerebral ischemia in such infants and thereby provide a means to guide the rational management of PHH.
Modulation of fibronectin expression and proteolytic activity associated with the invasive and metastatic phenotype in two new murine mammary tumor cell lines.

Two cell lines obtained by sequential subcultures from primary cultures of the murine mammary adenocarcinomas M3 and MM3 were characterized. During LM3 cell line evolution an increase in the anchorage-independent growth ability, a displacement towards a triploid level in the chromosomic distribution and a loss of fibronectin (FN) expression were observed. LMM3 cell line showed a tetraploid chromosomic number and was unable to produce FN, behaving in a similar way as its parental tumor MM3. The local invasive ability as well as the spontaneous metastatic capacity of LM3 cells inoculated subcutaneously (s.c.) increased with the passage number and were associated with the progressive loss of FN expression as well as to the appearence of membrane bound uPA. LMM3 cells, which did not express FN, maintained the high spontaneous metastasic capacity already shown by the parental tumor MM3 but acquired a higher local invasive phenotype.