Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization and Bioavailability Study of Baicalin-mesoporous Carbon Nanopowder Solid Dispersion

Background: Baicalin is the main bioactive constitute of the dried roots of Scutellaria baicalensis and possesses various biological activities. However, the poor water solubility and low oral bioavailability limit its efficacy. Objective: The present study was conducted to enhance the dissolution and oral bioavailability of baicalin (BA) through a novel mesoporous carbon nanopowder (MCN) drug carrier. Materials and Methods: Solid dispersions (SDs) of BA with MCN were prepared using a solvent evaporation method. The physical state of the formulations was investigated using SEM, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). The pharmaceutical performance of pure BA, physical mixture (PM) and SDs was evaluated by performing an in-vitro dissolution test. The pharmacokinetic studies were conducted in SD rats and the analysis of the biological samples was performed on an Acquity UPLC–MS system. The intestinal and renal toxicity test of MCN was also evaluated. Results: The drug release profile indicated that the BA dissolution rate from SDs with a BA/MCN ratio of 1:6 greatly increased in comparison with that of the pure crystalline drug. Furthermore, a pharmacokinetic analysis in rats showed that the BA area under the concentration–time curve for SDs of MCN/BA was 1.83 times larger than that of pure BA. In comparison with the pure drug, the MCN–BA system significantly shortened the time to T max and generated higher C max. There was no intestinal and renal toxicity of MCN. Conclusion: These results indicated that the oral bioavailability of BA was remarkably improved by the MCN carrier. Additionally, intestinal toxicity test showed that MCN produced no toxicity in the gastrointestinal tract. Our results show that MCN-based SDs could be used to enhance the bioavailability of drugs with poor water solubility. Abbreviations used: BA: baicalin, MCN: mesoporous carbon nanopowder, SDs: solid dispersions, SEM: scanning electron microscopy, DSC: differential scanning calorimetry, XRD: powder X-ray diffraction, HPLC: high-performance liquid chromatography, PM: physical mixture, S.D. : standard deviation, ANOVA: analysis of variance, RSD: relative standard deviation, ESI: electrospray ionization, IS: internal standard, MRM: multiple reaction monitoring
Participatory IT in semi-public spaces

This paper reports on an in-the-wild design experiment aiming to support participation and engagement in the semi-public space of a temporary art exhibition. Through interviews with 19 visitors we analyze the collaborative production of text about artworks in the exhibition in the physical space of the gallery. Our design, deployed throughout the venue for one month, makes use of people's personal mobile phones to interact with shared digital displays in the gallery. The findings help us understand and develop the notion of local participatory IT from actual use. We discuss people's diverging perceptions of what one is participating in and why as well as the impact of previous experiences with mobile technology. This leads us to propose three strong concepts to support understanding and design of technologies that foster local participation: Local area networking, hyperlocality, and global read/local write.
Theory vs. Data-Driven Learning in Future E-Commerce

As personalization, adaptation and persuasion are called for in e-commerce and as computational power increases, a question emerges: should companies use theories to develop and run their e-commerce operations or does mere data based optimization do a better job? We explore different types of computer-based learning methods and present two evaluations of primarily data-driven learning applications that advance e-commerce in the direction of interactive e-selling relationships.
Mixing of the intestinal content and variations of fermentation capacity do not affect the results of hydrogen breath test

OBJECTIVES:Although the hydrogen (H2) breath test has been in use for many years for diagnosis of sugar malabsorption, research is still underway to improve its diagnostic accuracy. In this study, we investigated whether possible confusing factors caused by the ingestion of the test solution itself (such as the delivery to the colon of other fermentable substrates pre-existing in the small bowel lumen, the release of preformed H2 trapped in the feces, or differences in the fermenting capacity of the colonic bacteria) may interfere with the increase of breath H2 concentration, an expression of malabsorption of the test substrate.METHODS:In 25 patients with untreated celiac disease and 23 sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers, breath H2 excretion was measured after ingestion of a 250-ml solution containing sorbitol, a poorly absorbed alcohol sugar. On 2 other separate days, 12 randomly selected subjects in each group underwent breath H2 excretion measurement after ingestion of 250 ml of a sugar free, nonabsorbable electrolyte solution and 250 ml of a solution containing lactulose, a nonabsorbable disaccharide.RESULTS:After sorbitol ingestion, celiac disease patients showed a significantly higher breath H2 excretion than did healthy volunteers. Otherwise, breath H2 responses to electrolyte solution and lactulose showed no difference between the two groups of subjects.CONCLUSIONS:In a group of patients with sugar malabsorption, increased breath H2 excretion does reflect malabsorption. The washout or the mixing of the intestinal content or intergroup difference of fermenting activity of the colonic bacteria do not represent interfering factors and do not modify the accuracy of the H2 breath test in day-to-day clinical practice.
A criança no varejo de baixa renda

This work deals with a market segment that is so far little studied in Brazil: children up to 14 years old who come from low income families. With this focus and using the theory on this theme, the behavior patterns of this market segment are detected and analyzed within a retail supermarket, as is their influence on this particular environment. This work is supported by the main theoretical works that deal with psychological development and the process of child socialization, as well as by specific texts taken from the area of consumption by children. The empirical part of this research resorted to observation and interview techniques to obtain a greater understanding of the object of the study. This work's contribution is that it has generated categories that help with the construction of a holistic view of behavior and of the socialization process of children in a retail environment.
Mode of invasion, bleomycin sensitivity, and clinical course in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity

Forty patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity were treated with bleomycin prior to undergoing surgery. The degree of the clinical effect of bleomycin and the postoperative clinical course of each case were estimated from the viewpoint of correlation with the mode of invasion. A strong correlation was found among the mode of invasion, bleomycin sensitivity, and clinical course. A slight effect of bleomycin and poor prognosis existed in the group with a diffuse invasion of mode of invasion, while the greatest effect of bleomycin and good clinical course were achieved in the group with a welldefined tumor‐host borderline.
Eph receptor–ligand interactions are necessary for guidance of retinal ganglion cell axons in vitro

Previous results of an in vitro guidance test, the stripe assay, have demonstrated the presence of a repulsive axon guidance activity for temporal retinal axons in the posterior part of the vertebrate optic tectum. Ephrin‐A5 and Ephrin‐A2 are ligands for the EphA subfamily of Eph receptor tyrosine kinases, which are expressed in overlapping gradients in the posterior part of the tectum. When recombinantly expressed, both proteins have been shown to guide retinal ganglion cell axons in the stripe assay. While these results suggest that Ephrin‐A5 and Ephrin‐A2 form part of the posterior repulsive guidance activity, they do not elucidate whether they are necessary components. Here we report that soluble forms of the ligands at nanomolar concentrations completely abolish this repulsive activity. Similar results were obtained with the soluble extracellular domain of EphA3, which is a receptor for Ephrin‐A2 and Ephrin‐A5, but not with the corresponding domain of EphB3, a receptor for the transmembrane class of Eph ligands. These experiments show that the repulsive axon guidance activity seen in the stripe assay is mediated by Ephrin‐A ligands.
Amygdala atrophy and seizure outcome after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery

Surgical outcome in hippocampal atrophy (n = 44) and amygdalohippocampal atrophy (n = 14) were compared. Hippocampal atrophy had better seizure-free outcome than amygdalohippocampal atrophy (80% versus 50%, p = 0.043). Severity of hippocampal atrophy correlated with duration of epilepsy in patients with hippocampal atrophy (r = 0.4, p = 0.007), but not in those with amygdalohippocampal atrophy, suggesting that these two groups may have a different pathogenesis.
Local vs. non-local institutional embeddedness, corporate entrepreneurship, and firm performance in a transitional economy

Previous studies have examined performance implications of institutional network for firms in large complex transition economies. However, these studies are silent on the underlying mechanisms through which embeddedness in such network is translated into firm performance. To fill this gap, we propose that corporate entrepreneurship (CE) (i.e. innovation and corporate venturing) can be viewed as a dynamic capability. Then, we argue that CE integrates institutional capital derived from institutional network with other internal and external organisational resources to create new resources and capabilities that respond to changing opportunities and challenges in the environment, thereby promoting performance outcomes. Based upon a sample of firms in China, our results support these arguments.
[Expression of the cyclooxygenase-2 gene in human breast carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE To study the expression of the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene in breast cancer in contrast to that of normal breast tissues or benign breast tumors and its significance in the carcinogenesis and development of breast cancer. METHODS With reference to the expression of the beta-actin gene, the expression of COX-2 mRNA was examined in cancerous tissues and adjacent normal breast tissue from 30 patients and benign breast tumors from 15 patients by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Quantitation of relative band densities was performed using densitometry-scanning software. Estrogen receptors of 30 breast cancers were investigated by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Enhanced expression of COX-2 was observed in ninety percent of cancers tissue with a range of 0.05 - 0.91 (median 0.53). Rare cases showed significant COX-2 expression in normal breast tissues with a range of 0 - 0.09 (median 0). In part of benign breast tumors, COX-2 expressions were obviously elevated with a range of 0 - 0.68 (median 0.07). The difference of expression of COX-2 mRNA among breast cancers, normal breast tissues, mastopathy or fibroadenomas was significant (rank-sum test, P < 0.05) and the difference of that between estrogen receptor negative and positive was also observed (rank-sum test, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION The level of expression of COX-2 mRNA is obviously higher in breast cancer tissue than in normal breast tissue, mastopathy or fibroadenomas. The expression of COX-2 in hormone-dependent breast cancer is higher than that in hormone-independent breast cancer. The overexpression of COX-2 may play a crucial role in the carcinogenesis and development of cancer in patients with breast carcinoma.
How Important is Having Skin in the Game? Originator-Sponsor Affiliation and Losses on Mortgage-Backed Securities

This article examines the relationship between a mortgage originator's affiliation with the sponsor of a securitization or the servicer of the securitized loans and the default rate on the securitized mortgages. We find that default rates are significantly lower for securitizations in which the originator is affiliated with the sponsor or servicer. Consistent with investors expecting performance to vary with affiliation, we find that the initial yields on mortgage-backed securities (MBS) are lower and the percentage of AAA-rated securities issued against the securitized pool of loans is higher when the originator is affiliated with either the sponsor or servicer. The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Society for Financial Studies. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com. , Oxford University Press.
p21cip1 Degradation in Differentiated Keratinocytes Is Abrogated by Costabilization with Cyclin E Induced by Human Papillomavirus E7

ABSTRACT The human papillomavirus (HPV) E7 protein promotes S-phase reentry in a fraction of postmitotic, differentiated keratinocytes. Here we report that these cells contain an inherent mechanism that opposes E7-induced DNA replication. In organotypic raft cultures of primary human keratinocytes, neither cyclin E nor p21cip1 is detectable in situ. However, E7-transduced differentiated cells not in S phase accumulate abundant cyclin E and p21cip1. We show that normally p21cip1 protein is rapidly degraded by proteasomes. In the presence of E7 or E6/E7, p21cip1, cyclin E, and cyclin E2 proteins were all up-regulated. The accumulation of p21cip1 protein is a posttranscriptional event, and ectopic cyclin E expression was sufficient to trigger it. In constract, cdk2 and p27kip1 were abundant in normal differentiated cells and were not significantly affected by E7. Cyclin E, cdk2, and p21cip1 or p27kip1 formed complexes, and relatively little kinase activity was found associated with cyclin E or cdk2. In patient papillomas and E7 raft cultures, all p27kip1-positive cells were negative for bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation, but only some also contained cyclin E and p21cip1. In contrast, all cyclin E-positive cells also contained p27kip1. When the expression of p21cip1 was reduced by rottlerin, a PKC δ inhibitor, p27kip1- and BrdU-positive cells remained unchanged. These observations show that high levels of endogenous p27kip1 can prevent E7-induced S-phase reentry. This inhibition then leads to the stabilization of cyclin E and p21cip1. Since efficient initiation of viral DNA replication requires cyclin E and cdk2, its inhibition accounts for heterogeneous viral activities in productively infected lesions.
Climate change and carbon markets: a panoramic history

International carbon markets have grown quickly in recent years, but have also experienced serious problems and faced harsh criticism. This paper looks at the history of climate science, at how the economics of emissions trading developed, and at the formation of international institutions to address climate change. From this historical perspective it appears that climate change was a problem in need of a solution, and that emissions trading was a solution in search of bigger and bigger problems to solve. The political pressure to reach an international climate agreement was building rapidly in the 1990s, and the resulting marriage of climate change and carbon markets occurred before the quality of the match could be adequately assessed. Many of the problems with international carbon markets can, at a fundamental level, be traced to this imperfect match. This panoramic historical perspective draws attention to the fact that climate change is a very different kind of pollution problem than emissions trading was originally designed to remedy. This helps shed light on recent experiences, and on how international carbon markets must change to provide the benefits they promise.
Harvest Date Influences Superficial Scald Development in Granny Smith Apples During Long Term Storage

The effects of harvest dates on superficial scald development and postharvest quality in 'Granny Smith' apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) were investigated. Apples were harvested at 15-day intervals during 2 consecutive years (2000-2001) and stored at 0 °C with 90% relative humidity for 8 months. At the end of the 8 - month storage period plus an additional 1 week at 20 °C the percentage of superficial scald was lower (24.4%) in late harvested (November 15) apples than in apples harvested early (October 15), which was 85.4%. The apples harvested late reached a climacteric maximum quicker than those harvested early. The percentage of weight loss, soluble solids, titratable acidity and flesh firmness varied among the different harvest dates. Delaying harvest achieved an increase in soluble solids percentage. Flesh firmness, titratable acidity and soluble solids remained at acceptable levels regardless of harvest dates and storage durations. Loss of chlorophyll was slower in apples harvested late than in those harvested early. The percentage of decay was lower in fruit harvested early. We conclude that 'Granny Smith' apples could be stored for 8 months with minimal scald incidences (0% to 14.2% depending on storage length) if they are harvested in November in Korkuteli, Antalya ecological conditions.
Metasurfaces for antennas and sensors

The engineering of metasurfaces for antenna and sensing applications is studied. The metasurfaces composed of LC-resonant cells, are designed to achieve either phase modulation or high quality factor resonances. While the phase modulated metasurface used as a superstrate in a Fabry-Perot cavity antenna, shows the capability to steer the radiated beam to an off-normal radiation, the high quality factor resonant metasurface presents high sensitivity to the presence of substances.
The chick oligozeugodactyly (ozd) mutant lacks sonic hedgehog function in the limb

We have analyzed a new limb mutant in the chicken that we name oligozeugodactyly (ozd). The limbs of this mutant have a longitudinal postaxial defect, lacking the posterior element in the zeugopod (ulna/fibula) and all digits except digit 1 in the leg. Classical recombination experiments show that the limb mesoderm is the defective tissue layer in ozd limb buds. Molecular analysis revealed that the ozd limbs develop in the absence of Shh expression, while all other organs express Shh and develop normally. Neither Ptc1 nor Gli1 are detectable in mutant limb buds. However, Bmp2 and dHAND are expressed in the posterior wing and leg bud mesoderm, although at lower levels than in normal embryos. Activation of Hoxd11-13 occurs normally in ozd limbs but progressively declines with time. Phase III of expression is more affected than phase II, and expression is more severely affected in the more 5′ genes. Interestingly, re-expression of Hoxd13 occurs at late stages in the distal mesoderm of ozd leg buds, correlating with formation of digit 1. Fgf8 and Fgf4 expression are initiated normally in the mutant AER but their expression is progressively downregulated in the anterior AER. Recombinant Shh protein or ZPA grafts restore normal pattern to ozd limbs; however, retinoic acid fails to induce Shh in ozd limb mesoderm. We conclude that Shh function is required for limb development distal to the elbow/knee joints, similar to the Shh-/- mouse. Accordingly we classify the limb skeletal elements as Shh dependent or independent, with the ulna/fibula and digits other than digit 1 in the leg being Shh dependent. Finally we propose that the ozd mutation is most likely a defect in a regulatory element that controls limb-specific expression of Shh.
The Valuation of Athletes as Risky Investments: A Theoretical Model

The desire to hire the best athletes and coaches in order to maximize team performance necessitates generous compensation contracts, which in turn increase the risk of financial distress or even bankruptcy for team owners. Indeed, one of the largest expense items in the budget of professional sport teams is the remuneration of players and coaches. Yet an investment made today in a given team yields an uncertain income in the future, as team profitability depends on the (uncertain) performance of each player and the synchronization among players - both influenced by the coach. We present a formal theoretical model that assesses athletes' valuation, accounting for the abovementioned factors. The optimal compensation schedule is determined empirically by regressing expected performance measures of each player with the aggregate team performance. Once the optimal schedule has been determined, the expected rate of return for the owner is earned at the lowest possible risk.
Distinctive research patterns on public sector performance measurement of public administration and accounting disciplines

Abstract This article explores distinctive research patterns of public administration and accounting disciplines concerning public sector performance measurement (PSPM). Our review shows that accounting researchers from Europe investigate reasons for limited PM use and factors explaining a rational or symbolic PM use, inspired by organization theory and institutional theory and conducting case/field studies. Public administration researchers from Europe and the USA prefer to study PM design and PM impact respectively, mainly using surveys in combination with various theories, like political theory. Public administration research from the USA examines the types of performance indicators in PM systems and contingent factors for PM design. Public administration research from Europe shows an interest in evaluating public sector reforms like Best Value and explaining learning processes for improvement. We argue that PSPM research could benefit from interdisciplinary efforts and intensified mutual communication between public administration and accounting.
Neurobiology of Autism

Autism is a behaviorally defined, life‐long static developmental disorder of the brain that is poised for neurobiological investigation. It affects at least 1 or 2 in 1000 persons and has a broad range of severity. It has multiple causes, with genetics playing a major role. According to the DSM‐IV, defining features are impaired sociability, language and communication, and range of interests and activities. Mental deficiency is frequent but by no means universal. The cognitive profile is characterstic, occasionally with a superior but narrow talent. Perseveration, concreteness, affective blunting, and lack of insight into other persons' thinking may be conspicuous. The neurological basis of autism's many sensorimotor features, including stereotypies, is unknown. Attention and sleep are affected, and one third of individuals experience epilepsy by adulthood. Whether subclinical epilepsy plays a role in the developmental regression of the one third of the toddlers who lose their language skills and become autistic remains to be determined. Clinical neuroimaging and biochemical investigations are generally unremarkable. Fewer than 35 brains have been examined pathologically, none with modern techniques. The findings thus far suggest subtle prenatal neruonal maldevelopment in the cerebellum and certain limbic structures. Abnormalities in distributed networks involving serotonin and perhaps other neurotransmitters require further documentation.