Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Osteogenic induction of menstrual blood mesenchymal stem cell by different Ferula species extracts

Objective: Ferula spp. have many applications in complementary medicine and are recognized as the most important sources of natural products for bone health and regeneration especially in postmenopausal women. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the extracts from three Ferula species on proliferation and osteogenesis potential of human menstrual blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MenSCs). Materials and Methods: The possible cytotoxic activity of three members of Ferula spp. (at concentrations of 5 to 100 μg/ml) was determined using MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay, Alizarin Red-S staining, and the expression analysis of an osteoblastic gene were performed to evaluate osteogenic differentiation potential. Results: The extracts of F. flabelliloba and F. szowitsiana decreased the viability and growth of MenSCs while F. foetida increased the proliferation of cells after 72 hr incubation. Treatment of MenSCs with selected plant extracts revealed that F. foetida and F. szowitsiana could enhance the osteogenic potential of MenSCs in terms of ALP activity. The Runx-2 expression in the presence of F. foetida was significantly greater than observed following treatment with 17β-estradiol (as positive control). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that F. foetida and F. szowitsiana may have therapeutic values as a nutraceutical with respect to their considerable influence on osteogenic potential of mesenchymal stem cells.
Probing the Effects of the FGFR-Inhibitor Derazantinib on Vascular Development in Zebrafish Embryos

Angiogenesis is a fundamental developmental process and a hallmark of cancer progression. Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) are targets for cancer therapy which may include their action as anti-angiogenic agents. Derazantinib (DZB) is an inhibitor of the fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) 1–3 as well as other kinase targets including vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), colony stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF1R) and platelet-derived growth factor beta receptor (PDGFRbeta). This study aimed to investigate the effect of DZB on blood vessel morphogenesis and to compare its activity to known specific FGFR and VEGFR inhibitors. For this purpose, we used the developing vasculature in the zebrafish embryo as a model system for angiogenesis in vivo. We show that DZB interferes with multiple angiogenic processes that are linked to FGF and VEGF signalling, revealing a potential dual role for DZB as a potent anti-angiogenic treatment.
Salary Inequality, Team Success and the Superstar Effect

In this paper, I examine the relationship between a professional sports team's salary distribution and its performance. I first develop a simple model of a team's salary distribution and then using data from the period covered by the recent Collective Bargaining Agreement between players and owners in the National Hockey League, I examine the relationship between a team's salary distribution and its winning percentage. Using a variety of estimators and a variety of measures to describe the distribution of player salaries on a team, I find that teams with higher relative payrolls and lower salary inequality have higher winning percentages. I also find evidence of a superstar effect, in that teams with a higher maximum player salary have higher winning percentages. The results are sensitive; however, to the particular measure of salary inequality used and the endogeneity of the salary distribution.
TGF-b 1 induces transendothelial migration of the pathogenic fungus Sporothrix schenckii by a paracellular route involving extracellular matrix proteins

Received 20 December 2006 Revised 4 May 2007 Accepted 29 May 2007 Sporotrichosis, a mycosis caused by Sporothrix schenckii, is characterized by lymphocutaneous lesions. In immunocompromised hosts, this fungus may invade the bloodstream and disseminate to other tissues, such as lung and bone. Our group previously showed that S. schenckii yeasts adhere to endothelial monolayers and that this interaction is modulated by cytokines. Using 3.0 mm-pore culture inserts, the present work shows that transforming growth factor (TGF)-b1 led to a 80±26 % increase in fungal migration across endothelial monolayers and inhibited fungus internalization by 55±23.5 %, when compared to untreated cells. The major surface endothelial molecules recognized by S. schenckii were not modulated by TGF-b1. These data suggested that a paracellular route is preferentially used by S. schenckii during the transmigration of cultured endothelial cells. It was further observed that TGF-b1 increased the subendothelial matrix exposure and that anti-fibronectin (anti-FN) and anti-laminin (anti-LM) antibodies abolished the increase in S. schenckii association with endothelial monolayers induced by TGF-b1. These antibodies also inhibited (38.2±4.29 % and 50.8±17.3 %, respectively) the adhesion of S. schenckii to freshly prepared native endothelial matrices. Furthermore, transendothelial migration of S. schenckii was blocked by anti-FN and anti-LM antibodies. These data indicate that TGF-b1-induced S. schenckii adhesion to endothelial monolayers results from the increased exposure of the subendothelial extracellular matrix and that this event may contribute to the enhancement of transendothelial migration.
Involvement of cAMP-Dependent Protein Kinase in the Nucleus Accumbens in Cocaine Versus Social Interaction Reward

Evidence suggests that PKA activity in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) plays an essential role in reward-related learning. In this study, we investigated whether PKA is differentially involved in the expression of learning produced by either natural reinforcers or psychostimulants. For that purpose, we inhibited PKA through a bilateral infusion of Rp-cAMPS, a specific PKA inhibitor, directly into the NAc. The effects of PKA inhibition in the NAc on the expression of concurrent conditioned place preference (CPP) for cocaine (drug) and social interaction (natural reward) in rats were evaluated. We found that PKA inhibition increased the expression of cocaine preference. This effect was not due to altered stress levels or decreased social reward. PKA inhibition did not affect the expression of natural reward as intra-NAc Rp-cAMPS infusion did not affect expression of social preference. When rats were trained to express cocaine or social interaction CPP and tested for eventual persisting preference 7 and 14 days after CPP expression, cocaine preference was persistent, but social preference was abolished after the first test. These results suggest that PKA in the NAc is involved in drug reward learning that might lead to addiction and that only drug, but not natural, reward is persistent.
Measuring the analgesic effect of adding pre-operative single-shot rectus sheath blocks to postoperative rectus sheath continuous blocks for major urological surgery: A double-blind randomised study.

concentration of local anaesthetics. This disagreement may be explained by the inaccurate estimation of high quantiles far from the midpoint by the Dixon-Mood method. A single experienced anaesthetist performed all the blocks, which may limit the generalisability of our results. Also, caution should be exercised when studies with different criteria of block success are compared. In conclusion, an optimal dose of ropivacaine for doubleinjection ultrasound-guided SCB in middle-aged adults is 0.275%wt vol 1 32.0 ml1⁄4 88.0 mg.
Multiple View Image Rectification Vincent Nozick

This paper presents an extension of image rectification methods for an arbitrary number of views with aligned camera center. This technique can be used for stereoscopic rendering to enhance the perception comfort or for depth from stereo. In this paper, we first expose that epipolar geometry is not suited to solve this problem. Then we propose a non linear method that includes all the images in the rectification process. Our method only requires point correspondences between the views and can handle images with different resolutions. The tests show that the method is robust to noise and and to sparse point correspondences among the views.
Preparation and in vitro evaluation of cyclodextrin based piroxicam transdermal gel ( release and permeation study )

Piroxicam; a widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug(NSAID) , was prepared as a transdermal gel by mixing with a cyclodextrin in equal amounts and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC) as a matrix polymer in 3 and 6% concentrations. Piroxicam was examined for its melting point and characterized by its fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The prepared formulas were tested in terms of their release and diffusion behavior and compared with a marketed piroxicam gel. The results of the release and diffusion studies were subjected into different mathematical models to elucidate the pattern and mechanism of their release and diffusion. It was concluded that (F1) which contain 0.15 g of piroxicam and cyclodextrin in a matrix consist of 3% NaCMC represent the best one in terms of release and diffusion during the study period where 95% of piroxicam released during 3 hours and 78% of the drug was diffused through cellophane membrane during 4 hours.
Artist-Teachers' In-Action Mental Models While Teaching Visual Arts.

Studies have examined the assumption that teachers have previous perceptions, beliefs and knowledge about learning (Cochran-Smith & Villegas, 2015). This study presented the In-Action Mental Model of twenty leading artist-teachers while teaching Visual Arts in three Israeli art institutions of higher Education. Data was collected in two stages: videotaping of art lessons and stimulated recall interviews. Data was analyzed in three steps: Three artists-teachers' data was analyzed and based on the results, explicit (behavioral) and implicit (mental models) categories were built. In the second step, all the categories were analyzed in accordance to the three teachers' data. In the third step, data collected only from the artist-teacher that used different lesson patterns in the same lesson was analyzed. The teacher's mental model is influenced by the subject matter – visual arts. As evidence, the general mental model (Mevorach & Strauss, 2012) does not include all the components of the in-action mental model of teachers teaching visual arts. The characteristics of various types of subject matters may contribute to the understanding of the in-action mental model of teaching, and understand how these subject matters influence the in-action mental model, and the Teaching Model as a whole.
WHAMM is essential for spindle formation and spindle actin polymerization in maturing mouse oocytes

ABSTRACT WHAMM (WAS Protein Homolog Associated with Actin, Golgi Membranes, and Microtubules) is involved in Golgi membrane association, microtubule binding, and actin nucleation as a nucleation-promoting factor, which activates the actin-related protein 2/3 complex (the Arp2/3 complex). However, the role of WHAMM in mammalian oocyte maturation is poorly understood. The presence of WHAMM mRNA and protein during all stages of mouse oocyte maturation has been verified. It is mainly co-localized with the actin cage permeating the spindle during mouse oocyte maturation. Through the knockdown of WHAMM, we confirmed that it regulates spindle formation and affects the localization of the microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) during the early stages of spindle formation. Moreover, depletion of WHAMM impaired the formation of the spindle actin and chromosome alignment, which might be the cause of chromosomal aneuploidy and abnormal, asymmetric division. Treatment with brefeldin A (BFA), an inhibitor of vesicle transport from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi apparatus, induced abnormal and dispersed localization of WHAMM. Taken together, these findings show that WHAMM is an essential component of the actin cytoskeleton machinery and plays a crucial role in oocyte maturation, presumably by controlling the formation of spindles with normal length by activating the formation of the spindle actin via the Arp2/3 complex.
Letter regarding periodontitis and hypertension.

W e thank Ishak et al. [1] for sharing their concerns and offering us the opportunity to emphasize several results of our review. In the methods of our review, we state that ‘the accuracy of BP measurements over a sleeve breaks down to possible bias (systematic error) and possible imprecision (random error)’ [2]. Our results convincingly show that the bias is small, if any, with thin sleeves. Ishak et al. [1] are worried by the imprecision of BP measurements over a sleeve in individual patients that may lead to misclassifying them. This was analyzed in a single study (376 patients) and these results are reported in Table S6 of our review: the variability between measurements on a bare arm and over a thin sleeve at the individual level was similar to the variability between two successive measurements on a bare arm at the individual level [3]. The imprecision induced by thin sleeves is, therefore, also small, if any. Taken together, these two points support our conclusion that BP measurement over a thin sleeve is acceptable when the shirt can not be removed, and preferred to measurement below the rolled-up sleeve, which might be less reliable. The risk of misclassification because of BP measurement errors is an important issue but based on the best available evidence, measurements over a thin sleeve should not be our greatest fear with this regard. Anecdotal evidence is prone to confounding. It is unlikely that a thin sleeve has induced a measurement error above 30 mmHg for SBP and other factors should be considered, such as the activities performed by the patient in the afternoon, before he replaced the cuff once quiet at home in the evening.
Adolescents' Exposure to Sexually Explicit Internet Material and Notions of Women as Sex Objects: Assessing Causality and Underlying Processes

The aim of this study was to clarify causality in the previously established link between adolescents’ exposure to sexually explicit Internet material (SEIM) and notions of women as sex objects. Furthermore, the study investigated which psychological processes underlie this link and whether the various influences varied by gender. On the basis of data from a three-wave panel survey among 962 Dutch adolescents, structural equation modeling initially showed that exposure to SEIM and notions of women as sex objects had a reciprocal direct influence on each other. The direct impact of SEIM on notions of women as sex objects did not vary by gender. However, the direct influence of notions of women as sex objects on exposure to SEIM was only significant for male adolescents. Further analyses showed that, regardless of adolescents’ gender, liking of SEIM mediated the influence of exposure to SEIM on their beliefs that women are sex objects, as well as the impact of these beliefs on exposure to SEIM.
Real-Time Measurements of Engine-Out Trace Elements : Application of a Novel Soot Particle Aerosol Mass Spectrometer for Emissions Characterization Citation Cross

Lubricant-derived trace element emissions are the largest contributors to the accumulation of incombustible ash in diesel particulate filters (DPF), eventually leading to filter plugging and an increase in engine fuel consumption. Particulate trace element emissions also pose adverse health effects and are the focus of increasingly stringent air quality regulations. To date, the rates and physical and chemical properties of lubricant-derived additive emissions are not well characterized, largely due to the difficulties associated with conducting the measurements. This work investigated the potential for conducting real-time measurements of lubricant-derived particle emissions. The experiment used the Soot Particle Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (SP-AMS) developed by Aerodyne Research to measure the size, mass and composition of submicron particles in the exhaust. Results confirm the ability of the SP-AMS to measure engine-out emissions of calcium, zinc, magnesium, phosphorous, and sulfur. Further, emissions of previously difficult to detect elements, such as boron, and low-level engine wear metals, such as lead, were also measured. This paper provides an overview of the results obtained with the SP-AMS, and demonstrates the utility of applying real-time techniques to engine-out and tailpipe-out trace element emissions. The SP-AMS used in this study was developed for real-time characterization of refractory particles (i.e. black carbon or soot) in the ambient atmosphere. The instrument consists of an intra-cavity laser (1064 nm) for particle vaporization followed by electron impact ionization and ion detection via a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Application of the SP-AMS for engine exhaust characterization followed a two-part approach: (1) measurement validation, and (2) measurement of engine-out exhaust. Measurement validation utilized a diesel burner with precise control of lubricant consumption. Results showed a good correlation between CJ-4 oil consumption and measured levels of lubricant-derived trace elements in the particle phase. Following measurement validation, the SP-AMS measured engine-out emissions from a medium-duty diesel engine, operated over a standard speed/load matrix. This work demonstrates the utility of state-of-the-art online techniques (such as the SP-AMS) to measure engine-out emissions, including trace species derived from lubricant additives. Results help optimize the combined enginelubricant-aftertreatment system and provide a real-time characterization of emissions. As regulations become more stringent and emission controls more complex, advanced measurement techniques with high sensitivity and fast time response will become an increasingly important part of engine characterization studies. Proceedings of the ASME 2011 Internal Combustion Engine Division Fall Technical Conference
The Root Nodule Symbiosis between Rhizobium ' hedysar i ' and its Drought-Tolerant Host

The symbiotic interaction occurring between the legume Hedysarum coronarium, a drought-tolerant forage crop relevant for the Mediterranean basin, and its natural host-specific, nitrogen-fixing bacterial symbiont, Rhizobium 'hedysari ', was studied by combined light and transmission electron microscopy. Several unusual morphological features of this root nodule symbiosis were found: in nature the plant is able to form modified pseudo-roots called 'shovels'; we observed that these structures can form independently from the presence of bacteria. Computer-assisted image analyses suggested three size classes of root hair lengths, one of which was longer than 600 J-lm. The primary infection route is through infection threads in deformed root hairs. Transmission electron micxoscopy of infection threads within the nodule revealed an atypical double layered wall. Nodules were indeterminant with an apical meristem, infection zone, and central bacteroid tissue. The predominant shape of differentiated R. 'hedysari' bacteroids is cruciform.
Serum Vitamin D Affected Type 2 Diabetes though Altering Lipid Profile and Modified the Effects of Testosterone on Diabetes Status

Numerous studies have investigated the associations between serum vitamin D or testosterone and diabetes; however, inconsistencies are observed. Whether there is an interaction between vitamin D and testosterone and whether the lipid profile (total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)) mediates the association between vitamin D and diabetes is unclear. To investigate the effect of vitamin D and testosterone on impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), 2659 participants from the Henan Rural Cohort were included in the case-control study. Generalized linear models were utilized to estimate associations of vitamin D with IFG or T2DM and interactive effects of vitamin D and testosterone on IFG or T2DM. Principal component analysis (PCA) and mediation analysis were used to estimate whether the lipid profile mediated the association of vitamin D with IFG or T2DM. Serum 25(OH)D3, 25(OH)D2, and total 25(OH)D levels were negatively correlated with IFG (odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence intervals (CIs)): 0.99 (0.97, 1.00), 0.85 (0.82, 0.88), and 0.97 (0.96, 0.98), respectively). Similarity results for associations between serum 25(OH)D2 and total 25(OH)D with T2DM (ORs (95%CIs): 0.84 (0.81, 0.88) and 0.97 (0.96, 0.99)) were observed, whereas serum 25(OH)D3 was negatively correlated to T2DM only in the quartile 2 (Q2) and Q3 groups (both p < 0.05). The lipid profile, mainly TC and TG, partly mediated the relationship between 25(OH)D2 or total 25(OH)D and IFG or T2DM and the proportion explained was from 2.74 to 17.46%. Furthermore, interactive effects of serum 25(OH)D2, total 25(OH)D, and testosterone on T2DM were observed in females (both p for interactive <0.05), implying that the positive association between serum testosterone and T2DM was vanished when 25(OH)D2 was higher than 10.04 ng/mL or total 25(OH)D was higher than 40.04 ng/mL. Therefore, ensuring adequate vitamin D levels could reduce the prevalence of IFG and T2DM, especially in females with high levels of testosterone.
Panel unit root tests based on sample variance

In this paper, we propose a novel way to test for unit root in a panel setting.The new tests are based on the observation that the trajectory of the cross sectional samplevariance behaves dierently for stationary than for non-stationary processes. Three dierenttest statistics are considered and their limiting distributions are derived. Interestingly, oneof the statistics has a non-standard limiting distribution which can be described in terms offunctionals of a Gaussian process. A small scale simulation study indicates that our proposedtests have good power properties, quite close to the test of Levin, Lin and Chu (2002)(LLC). However, the empirical size of one of our tests is better than LLC when T is small and N islarge, and this suggest a good property for unit root tests in micro panels. In addition, the studyalso suggests that our tests are robust to cross section dependence for a particular covariancestructure.
Exponential Stability of Primal-Dual Gradient Dynamics with Non-Strong Convexity

This paper studies the exponential stability of the primal-dual gradient dynamics (PDGD) for solving convex optimization problems where constraints are in the form of Ax + By = d and the objective is minx,y f (x) + g(y) with strongly convex smooth f but only convex smooth g. We show that when g is a quadratic function or when g and matrix B together satisfy an inequality condition, the PDGD can achieve global exponential stability given that matrix A is of full row rank. These results indicate that the PDGD is locally exponentially stable with respect to any convex smooth g under a regularity condition. Two quadratic Lyapunov functions are designed to prove the exponential stability. Lastly, numerical experiments further complement the theoretical analysis.