Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Altered Oral Absorption of Alcohol by Combined Aqueous Extracts of Four Herbal Plants in Rats

This study examined the effect of combined aqueous extracts (BHR) of Ginko biloba, Mentha arvensis var. piperascens, Citrus unshiu, and Pueraria lobata var. chinensis on oral absorption of alcohol in rats. The rats were pretreated with BHR, placebo solution identical to BHR without the herbal extract, and isotonic saline. Alcohol was administered orally at 1- and 3-g/kg doses and the absorption profiles were compared. After oral administration of 1-g/kg doses, mean area under the curve (AUC) and Cmax values were significantly reduced in BHR-treated rats (16.1 ± 10.0 and 0.3 ± 0.1 mg/ml, respectively) as compared with saline-treated (37.9 ± 14.4 and 0.7 ± 0.7 mg/ml, respectively) and placebo solution-treated (63.0 ± 46.4 and 0.7 ± 0.4 mg/ml, respectively) rats. Similarly, after administration of 3-g/kg doses, mean AUC and Cmax values in BHR-treated rats (188.1 ± 119.7 mg.min/ml and 1.0 ± 0.4 mg/ml) were significantly reduced over those in saline-treated rats (571.4 ± 512.4 mg.min/ml and 1.8 ± 0.9 mg/ml, respectively). The relative oral bioavailability of alcohol calculated as the ratio of AUCBHR/AUCSaline was 42.5% and 32.9% at 1- and 3-g/kg doses, respectively. The reduced serum alcohol levels as well as the reduced AUC and Cmax after pretreatment with BHR appear to be a result of a reduced systemic absorption not due to an increased metabolic clearance.
Effects Of Students Gender On Mathematics Performance In Primary Schools In Keiyo South District, Kenya

Mathematics has been viewed as a subject favouring male students due to factors like attitude, methods used for teaching and so on. This has resulted to gender differences between male and female students in Mathematics performance. The study sought to find out the relationship gender of students and mathematics performance. Descriptive survey design was used in the study to investigate the attitudes of primary school learners towards mathematics. Data was collected by use of questionnaires, interview schedules and class examination administered previously. The accessible population was teachers of Mathematics and Standard Eight learners from selected primary schools in Keiyo South District, Ken ya. Sample study comprised of 300 learners (150 male students and 150 female students) and all teachers of Mathematics from the sampled schools in Keiyo South District, Kenya. Stratified random sampling was used to categorize schools in either boarding or day schools. Simple random s ampling was used to select 50 schools from 119 primary schools and 5 male students and 5 female students from each selected Standard Eight class. The study used purposive sampling technique to select Mathematics Teachers. Simple random sampling technique was used to select Mathematics teachers for interview. Data was collected using questionnaire and interview schedule. It was established that majority of the students (boys and girls) had a positive attitude towards learning of mathematics. However, when comparing the attitudes of boys and girls, the results demonstrated t hat boys were more inclined to positive attitudes than girls. Key Terms: Gender, Mathematics, Performance, Primary Schools ————————————————————
Types of cholecystokinin‐containing periglomerular cells in the mouse olfactory bulb

The periglomerular cells (PG) of the olfactory bulb (OB) are involved in the primary processing and the refinement of sensory information from the olfactory epithelium. The neurochemical composition of these neurons has been studied in depth in many species, and over the last decades such studies have focused mainly on the rat. The increasing use of genetic models for research into olfactory function demands a profound characterization of the mouse olfactory bulb, including the chemical composition of bulbar interneurons. Regarding both their connectivity with the olfactory nerve and their neurochemical fate, recently, two different types of PG have been identfied in the mouse. In the present report, we analyze both the synaptology and the chemical composition of specific PG populations in the murine olfactory bulb, in particular, those containing the neuropeptide cholecystokinin. Our results demonstrate the existence in the mouse of non‐GABAergic PG and that these establish synaptic contacts with the olfactory nerve within the glomeruli. Based on previous classifications, we propose that this population would constitute a new subtype of type 1 mouse PG. In addition, we demonstrate the partial coexistence of cholecystokinin with the calcium‐binding proteins neurocalcin and parvalbumin. All these findings add further data to our knowledge of the synaptology and neurochemistry of mouse PG. The differences observed from other rodents reflect the neurochemical heterogeneity of PG in the mammalian OB. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Methylphenidate (Ritalin) Effects on the Grapho-Motor Artwork of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

We examined the artwork of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to identify any changes produced by methylphenidate (MPH). Seven children diagnosed with ADHD were examined under double-blind, placebo-controlled conditions in the context of a clinical assessment of their responsiveness to medication (MPH). These children's artwork tended to use more page space and show a more expansive style on placebo and baseline compared to performance on test sessions after stimulant medication. Some children on MPH may experience cognitive constriction, manifested in drawings, that occurs at higher doses. More work is needed to understand the frequency and with whom this occurs.
Biodegradable Materials in Arthroscopy

The use of biodegradable materials as implants has revolutionized the way medicine is practiced today. This review provides a general description of salient biodegradable polymeric materials currently used in arthroscopy. These materials include polyglycolic acid, self-reinforced polyglycolic acid, poly-L-lactic acid, self-reinforced polylactic-L-acid, poly-D-L-lactic acid, copolymer of poly-D-L-lactic acid polyglycolic acid, and polyglyconate. The mechanical strength, degradation properties, and widespread use of these materials, especially in the knee and shoulder, are discussed individually. Also discussed are the relatively few complications that are related to these materials' arthroscopic use. Future directions in biodegradable materials, including smart polymers, are also considered. In the future, novel techniques to identify the ideal polymer for a particular application will need to be developed to minimize the risk for implant complications.
Phenomenal characteristics of the peripheral drift illusion

The peripheral drift illusion refers to an anomalous motion illusion that can be observed in peripheral vision 1-3) (Fig. 1). Although this illusion has been characterized by gratings that have sawtooth luminance profiles, we demonstrate that ones with stepwise profiles are more effective. Moreover, the order of four regions of different luminances is critical, i.e. the combination of black and dark-gray or the combination of white and light-gray. Specifically, illusory motion tends to appear in the direction from a black region to an adjacent dark-gray region or in the direction from a white region to an adjacent light-gray region (Fig. 2). This order enhances the peripheral drift illusion as shown in Fig. 3. We point out two novel factors that affect the strength of illusory motion. (1)The peripheral drift illusion is enhanced by stepwise luminance profiles, as mentioned above. Stimuli with smooth luminance profiles, like Fig. 1, give weaker illusion. (2)The peripheral drift illusion is enhanced by fragmented or curved edges. Stimuli made up of long edges give weaker illusion. Fig. 4 is produced
Serum macrophage‐derived chemokine/CCL22 levels are associated with glioma risk, CD4 T cell lymphopenia and survival time

Defects in antigen presenting cell function have been implicated in glioma immunosuppression. We measured peripheral CCL22, a dendritic cell/macrophage derived T cell trafficking chemokine, in sera from 1,208 glioma cases and 976 controls to assess whether it might provide a biomarker of glioma risk, survival and immune dysfunction. Cluster models were used to examine the relationship between CCL22 and glioma risk. Patient survival was assessed using Cox regression models. We also examined the relationship between CCL22 levels and CD4 cell counts, as well as allergy history and IgE levels. CCL22 levels were significantly lower among glioma cases compared with controls (Mean ± SEM: 1.23 ± 0.03 ng/mL in cases vs. 1.60 ± 0.03 ng/mL in controls, p < 0.0001) and this difference remained significant even after controlling for other covariates in the cluster models (highest quartile versus lowest Odds Ratio = 0.21, p < 0.0001). CD4 cell counts were positively correlated with CCL22 in glioma cases (Spearman r2 = 0.51, p < 0.01) and were significantly lower in cases compared with controls. Higher CCL22 levels were associated with longer survival in all cases combined and in GBM cases (hazard ratioallcases = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.72–0.91, p = 0.0003). CCL22 levels were not associated with IgE level or self‐reported allergies. Circulating CCL22 levels are related to both glioma risk and survival duration independent of age, histology, grade and IDH mutation status. CCL22 should be considered a marker of immune status with potential prognostic value.
Phase Estimation in Single-Channel Speech Enhancement: Limits-Potential

In this paper, we present an overview on the previous and recent methods proposed to estimate a clean spectral phase from a noisy observation in the context of single-channel speech enhancement. The importance of phase estimation in speech enhancement is inspired by the recent reports on its usefulness in finding a phase-sensitive amplitude estimation. We present a comparative study of the recent phase estimation methods and elaborate their limits. We propose a new phase enhancement method relying on phase decomposition and time-frequency smoothing filters. We demonstrate that the proposed time-frequency phase smoothing method successfully reduces the variance of the noisy phase at harmonics. Our results on different speech and noise databases and different signal-to-noise ratios show that in contrast to the existing benchmark methods only the proposed method balances a tradeoff between a joint improvement in perceived quality of 0.2 in PESQ score and speech intelligibility of 2% by phase-only enhancement.
Intolerance of Uncertainty as a Predictor of Performance Anxiety and Robustness of Sport Confidence in University Student-Athletes

A growing body of research has provided evidence for intolerance of uncertainty (IU)—a dispositional characteristic resulting from negative beliefs about uncertainty and its implications—as a possible transdiagnostic maintaining factor across a range of anxiety disorders. No studies have yet examined IU in performance anxiety in sport. The purpose of the present investigation, therefore, was to investigate the relationship between IU and performance anxiety in sport. Participants included 160 university athletes (51% female) who completed measures of IU, performance anxiety, and robustness of sport confidence. Regression analyses revealed that the inhibitory dimension of IU and robustness of sport confidence were significant predictors of performance anxiety. A simple mediation model was also tested and suggested indirect and direct effects of inhibitory IU on performance anxiety symptoms through robustness of sport confidence. Implications of these findings for researchers and practitioners and direction.
Chemosignals of Stress Influence Social Judgments

Human body odors have important communicative functions regarding genetic identity, immune fitness and general health, but an expanding body of research suggests they can also communicate information about an individual’s emotional state. In the current study, we tested whether axillary odors obtained from women experiencing psychosocial stress could negatively influence personality judgments of warmth and competence made about other women depicted in video scenarios. 44 female donors provided three types of sweat samples: untreated exercise sweat, untreated stress sweat and treated stress sweat. After a ‘washout’ period, a commercial unscented anti-perspirant product was applied to the left axilla only to evaluate whether ‘blocking’ the stress signal would improve the social evaluations. A separate group of male and female evaluators (n = 120) rated the women in the videos while smelling one of the three types of sweat samples. Women in the video scenes were rated as being more stressed by both men and women when smelling the untreated vs. treated stress sweat. For men only, the women in the videos were rated as less confident, trustworthy and competent when smelling both the untreated stress and exercise sweat in contrast to the treated stress sweat. Women’s social judgments were unaffected by sniffing the pads. The results have implications for influencing multiple types of professional and personal social interactions and impression management and extend our understanding of the social communicative function of body odors.
The Media’s Role in Fighting Corruption

This study measures the relationship between media freedom and corruption, accounting for elements of vertical accountability (electoral competitiveness, civil society, and voter turnout) and horizontal accountability (judicial independence and political system). Results suggest a strong association between media freedom and corruption that runs from high levels of media freedom to low levels of corruption. This study also implies that media freedom might have a stronger indirect effect on corruption when coupled with powerful institutions of horizontal accountability. The data suggest that the association between media freedom and corruption is strongest in countries with parliamentary systems than in those with presidential systems, and that this impact amplifies as the judiciary independence increases.
Protection of the Gametes Embryo/Fetus From Prenatal Radiation Exposure

AbstractThere is no convincing evidence of germline mutation manifest as heritable disease in the offspring of humans attributable to ionizing radiation, yet radiation clearly induces mutations in microbes and somatic cells of rodents and humans. Doses to the embryo estimated to be in the range of 0.15–0.2 Gy during the pre-implantation and pre-somite stages may increase the risk of embryonic loss. However, an increased risk of congenital malformations or growth retardation has not been observed in the surviving embryos. These results are primarily derived from mammalian animal studies and are referred to as the “all-or-none phenomenon. ” The tissue reaction effects of ionizing radiation (previously referred to as deterministic effects) are congenital malformations, mental retardation, decreased intelligence quotient, microcephaly, neurobehavioral effects, convulsive disorders, growth retardation (height and weight), and embryonic and fetal death (miscarriage, stillbirth). All these effects are consistent with having a threshold dose below which there is no increased risk. The risk of cancer in offspring that have been exposed to diagnostic x-ray procedures while in utero has been debated for 55 y. High doses to the embryo or fetus (e.g., >0.5 Gy) increase the risk of cancer. Most pregnant women exposed to x-ray procedures and other forms of ionizing radiation today received doses to the embryo or fetus <0.1 Gy. The risk of cancer in offspring exposed in utero at exposures <0.1 Gy is controversial and has not been fully resolved. Diagnostic imaging procedures using ionizing radiation that are clinically indicated for the pregnant patient and her fetus should be performed because the clinical benefits outweigh the potential oncogenic risks.
Blastocystis: Genetic diversity and molecular methods for diagnosis and epidemiology

Blastocystis , an unusual anaerobic, single-celled stramenopile, is a remarkably successful intestinal parasite of a vast array of host species including humans. Fecal Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis by nucleic-acid based methods in particular has led to significant advances in Blastocystis diagnostics and research over the past few years enabling accurate identification of carriers and molecular characterization by high discriminatory power. Moreover, Blastocystis comprises a multitude of subtypes (STs) (arguably species) many of which have been identified only recently and molecular epidemiological studies have revealed a significant difference in the distribution of STs across host species and geographical regions. Having a cosmopolitan distribution, the parasite is a common laboratory finding in the stools of individuals with and without intestinal symptoms across the entire globe and while the parasite remains extremely difficult to eradicate and isolate in culture, appropriate molecular tools are now available to resolve important questions such as whether the clinical outcome of colonization is linked to ST and whether Blastocystis is transmitted zoonotically. This review summarizes some of the recent advances in the molecular diagnosis of Blastocystis and gives an introduction to Blastocystis STs, including a recommendation of subtyping methodology based on recent data and method comparisons. A few suggestions for future directions and research areas are given in the light of relevant technological advances and the availability of mitochondrial and nuclear genomes.
Role innovation through employee social networks

We theorize that the location of individual actors in the context of the larger social network within the organization has important but to date overlooked implications for employee role innovations. Complementing past research that places primary emphasis on individual predictors of role innovations, we developed arguments about the nature of basic characteristics of the social structure (the nature of distal and proximal ties) as resources that provide employees with the potential to be innovative about their roles in ways that enhance job satisfaction and career success.
Sex differences in responses to relationship threats in England and Romania

Prior research on sex differences in relationship jealousy and on reactions to third-party rivals has been conducted primarily within the U.S., Central Europe, and Asia. As these effects vary in magnitude across cultures, it is important to investigate both how these patterns differ across a wider range of cultures and the key mediating cultural variables. One hundred and fourteen English and 202 Romanian participants provided their reactions to hypothetical relationship infidelity situations and to various traits that a mate rival could possess. In both samples, males were more upset than females by sexualinfidelity, as compared with emotional infidelity, but this effect was much smaller for the Romanian sample. In line with evolutionary predictions, men were more upset by a rival who had better financial prospects, greater status and prestige, and was physically stronger, whereas women were more upset by a rival with a more attractive body and face. Additional, unpredicted, sex differences in the evaluation of rival traits were also found. Finally, different correlations were found (both across cultures and across sexes) between reported reactions to infidelities and to specific mate rival traits.
Identification and characterization of a novel adenine phosphoribosyltransferase gene (ZmAPT2) from maize (Zea mays L.)

Adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) is the key enzyme that converts adenine to adenosine monophosphate (AMP) in the purine salvage pathway. It was found that several different forms of APRT gene exist in plants, but no APRT gene in maize has been reported up to now. In this study, a novel maize APRT gene was cloned and characterized through a combination of bioinformatic, RT-PCR and RACE strategies. The full length of APRT cDNA sequence is 1202 nucleotides, with an ORF encoding 214 amino acid residues. Alignment of the deduced protein with that of other plant APRT genes indicates that the new gene is the form 2 of maize APRT, thus it was named ZmAPT2. Through basic local alignment search tool, search in the genomic survey sequence database of MaizeGDB, the putative genomic sequence of ZmAPT2 was obtained. Comparison of the cDNA and genomic sequence of the ZmAPT2 gene revealed that it contained seven exons and six introns. The locations of the introns within the maize ZmAPT2 coding region were consistent with those in the previously isolated APRTs of arabidopsis and rice. RT-PCR analysis showed that ZmAPRT was constitutively expressing in different organs under high temperature and salt stresses. Southern blot analysis indicated that at least three APRT genes existed in maize genome. These results confirmed that the novel maize ZmAPT2 gene was truly identified, and its potential role in maize growth and development was discussed.
Techniques for small-signal analysis of semiconductor devices

Techniques for ascertaining the small-signal behavior of semiconductor devices in the context of numerical device simulation are discussed. Three standard approaches to this problem will be compared: (i) transient excitation followed by Fourier decomposition, (ii) incremental charge partitioning, and (iii) sinusoidal steady-state analysis. Sinusoidal steady-state analysis is shown to be the superior approach by providing accurate, rigorously correct results with reasonable computational cost and programming commitment.
The availability of lysine in protein concentrates for pigs and the relationship between ileal digestibility and availability have been investigated in two separate research projects : Dr

Ileal digestibility and availability of lysine in protein concentrates ,for pigs The availability of lysine in protein concentrates for pigs and the relationship between ileal digestibility and availability have been investigated in two separate research projects : Dr Jane Leibholz of the University of Sydney, with weaner pigs, and myself at the Wollongbar Agricultural Institute, using grower pigs. The findings have been published in two separate series of papers in the British Journal of Nutrition. The results and conclusions have been diametrically opposed; Dr Leibholz found that ileal digestibility and availability were similar, we found that ileal digestibility overestimated availability in heat-damaged meals. In her latest paper Dr Leibholz (1992) offers explanations for these differences and why her results differ from mine. I would like to offer readers alternative explanations. The major differences in our findings are summarized in Table 1, using soya-bean meal and cottonseed meal as examples of highand low-quality meals. They indicate: (1) both centres found similar values for the ileal digestibility of lysine in cottonseed meal (0.56-0.74) and soya-bean meal (0.88-0.92); (2) Dr Leibholz found the availability of lysine was similar to the ileal digestibility, we found the availability of lysine was similar to the ileal digestibility for soya-bean meal, but only about half the ileal digestibility for cottonseed meal; ( 3 ) Dr Leibholz reported high estimated retentions of absorbed lysine from cottonseed meal (0.94) which suggest that all the absorbed lysine was available, we found much lower retention (0.36), which indicates it wasn't! ; (4) Dr Leibholz also reported high retentions of absorbed methionine from soya-bean meal (0.98), again we found much lower retention (0.45); (5) both centres conducted experiments which they claimed validated their values. The results described were the basis for Dr Leibholz concluding that the ileal digestibility of amino acids reflected availability. We concluded that the ileal digestibility assay overestimated availability in heat-processed meals. Clearly both conclusions can't be right !