Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of monofloral bee pollen

The main aim of this study was to determine antioxidant properties and antibacterial activity of monofloral bee pollen samples to pathogenic bacteria. These samples were collected in different localities in Slovakia. The antioxidant properties of examined plant species were different and decreasing in the following order: Brassica napus subsp. napus L > Papaver somniferum L. > Helianthus annuus L. The antimicrobial effect of the bee product samples were tested by using the agar well diffusion method. The methanol (99.9% and 70%) and the ethanol (96% and 70%) were used for extraction. In this study, five different strains of bacteria were tested: Listeria monocytogenes CCM 4699; Pseudomonas aeruginosa CCM 1960; Staphylococcus aureus CCM 3953; Salmonella enterica CCM 4420; and Escherichia coli CCM 3988. The most sensitive bacteria of the poppy pollen ethanolic extract was Staphylococcus aureus was (70%) The most sensitive bacteria of rape bee pollen methanolic extract (70%) and sunflower ethanolic extract (70%) was Salmonella enterica.
Effectiveness of hemodialysis in a case of severe valproate overdose

A case of severe sodium valproate overdose is presented in which medicinal management failed to reverse coma of the patient. High-flux hemodialysis was then used to eliminate sodium valproate. This case demonstrated the effectiveness of hemodialysis in not only decreasing valproate levels very rapidly but also as an effective anti-coma management.
Characterization of Lactobacillus gasseri isolates from a breast-fed infant

The potential health benefits of probiotic bacteria have led to the isolation of new microbial strains for incorporation into food products. However, newly isolated candidate probiotic organisms do not automatically share the “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) status of traditional lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Before their introduction into food products, the safety of new isolates has to be evaluated. The objective of this study was to characterize LAB isolates from the stool of a newborn infant, and evaluate their safety and probiotic potential, in vitro. Thirty colonies were identified as Lactobacillus gasseri through sequencing of 16S rDNA. Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis using restriction enzymes SmaI and Apa I revealed that 29 of the L. gasseri were nearly identical, however one isolate exhibited a distinctive DNA fingerprint. All 30 L. gasseri were evaluated for resistance to antibiotics, bile tolerance, hemolytic activity and antagonism toward selected pathogens. All 30 strains harbored three plasmids, with one strain that showed strong tolerance to 0.5% of bile and harbored a unique fourth plasmid encoding a putative multidrug resistance transporter protein (LmrB). No hemolytic activity or antagonism, beyond acid inhibition was observed. Three selected strains UFVCC1083, 1091 and 1112 showed strong resistance to simulated small intestinal and gastric juices and adhered in vitro to mucin and two intestinal epithelial cell lines, Caco-2 and HT-29. This study identified and characterized recently isolated L. gasseri strains from faeces of a breast fed infant as potential probiotic candidates for use in the human milk banks in Brazil.
Diagnostic Yield of Triple-Rule-Out CT in an Emergency Setting.

OBJECTIVE The objective of the present study is to quantify the diagnostic yield of triple-rule-out (TRO) CT for the evaluation of acute chest pain in emergency department patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS All TRO CT studies performed at our institution from 2006 to 2015 were reviewed. Scans were performed on a 256-MDCT scanner, with the use of ECG gating and a biphasic contrast injection. Radiology reports were reviewed to identify diagnoses that could explain chest pain, including coronary and noncoronary diagnoses, and significant incidental findings that did not account for the patient's presentation. The total numbers of coronary and noncoronary diagnoses and incidental findings were calculated. RESULTS Four of 1196 total cases that were identified were excluded from the study because of inadequate image quality. A total of 970 patients (81.4%) had a negative study result without a significant coronary or noncoronary diagnosis. A total of 139 patients (11.7%) had significant coronary artery disease (50% stenosis or greater). One hundred six patients (8.9%) had a noncoronary diagnosis that could explain chest pain (p < 0.02), most commonly pulmonary embolism (28 patients [2.3%]), aortic aneurysm (24 patients [2.0%]), or pneumonia (20 patients [1.7%]). Thirty cases (27.3%) of pulmonary embolism and aortic pathologic findings would not have been detected with coronary CT angiography because of unopacified right-side circulation or limited z-axis coverage. A total of 528 incidental findings not considered to explain chest pain were noted in 418 patients (35.1%). CONCLUSION In 8.9% of patients, TRO CT detected a significant noncoronary diagnosis that could explain acute chest pain, including pathologic findings that would not be identified on dedicated coronary CT angiography.
Neurodegeneration Induced by PVC-211 Murine Leukemia Virus Is Associated with Increased Levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Macrophage Inflammatory Protein 1α and Is Inhibited by Blocking Activation of Microglia

ABSTRACT PVC-211 murine leukemia virus (MuLV) is a neuropathogenic retrovirus that has undergone genetic changes from its nonneuropathogenic parent, Friend MuLV, that allow it to efficiently infect rat brain capillary endothelial cells (BCEC). To clarify the mechanism by which PVC-211 MuLV expression in BCEC induces neurological disease, we examined virus-infected rats at various times during neurological disease progression for vascular and inflammatory changes. As early as 2 weeks after virus infection and before any marked appearance of spongiform neurodegeneration, we detected vessel leakage and an increase in size and number of vessels in the areas of the brain that eventually become diseased. Consistent with these findings, the amount of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) increased in the brain as early as 1 to 2 weeks postinfection. Also detected at this early disease stage was an increased level of macrophage inflammatory protein 1α (MIP-1α), a cytokine involved in recruitment of microglia to the brain. This was followed at 3 weeks postinfection by a marked accumulation of activated microglia in the spongiform areas of the brain accompanied by an increase in tissue plasminogen activator, a product of microglia implicated in neurodegeneration. Pathological observations at the end stage of the disease included loss of neurons, decreased myelination, and mild muscle atrophy. Treatment of PVC-211 MuLV-infected rats with clodronate-containing liposomes, which specifically kill microglia, significantly blocked neurodegeneration. Together, these results suggest that PVC-211 MuLV infection of BCEC results in the production of VEGF and MIP-1α, leading to the vascular changes and microglial activation necessary to cause neurodegeneration.
Synoptic studies of 17 blazars detected in very high-energy γ-rays

Since 2002, the number of detected blazars at γ-ray energies above 100 GeV has more than doubled. I study 17 blazars currently known to emit E > 100 GeV γ-rays. Their intrinsic energy spectra are reconstructed by removing extragalactic background light attenuation effects. Luminosity and spectral slope in the E > 100 GeV region are then compared and correlated among each other, with X-ray, optical and radio data, and with the estimated black hole (BH) masses of the respective host galaxies. According to expectations from synchrotron self-Compton emission models, a correlation on the 3. 6σ significance level between γ-ray and X-ray fluxes is found, while correlations between γ-ray and optical/radio fluxes are less pronounced. Further, a general hardening of the blazar spectra in the E > 100 GeV region with increasing γ-ray luminosity is observed, both for the full 17-source sample and for those sources which have been detected at distinct flux levels. This goes in line with a correlation of the γ-ray luminosity and the synchrotron peak frequency, which is also seen. Tests for possible selection effects reveal a hardening of the spectra with increasing redshift. The blazar γ-ray emission might depend on the mass of the central BH. The blazars under study do, however, show no correlation of the BH masses with the spectral index and the luminosity in the E > 100 GeV region. I also consider temporal properties of the X-ray and E > 100 GeV γ-ray flux. No general trends are found, except for the observation that the blazars with the most massive BHs do not show particularly high duty cycles. These blazars include Mkn 501 and PKS 2155−304, for which recently very fast flares have been reported. In general, very high-energy flare time-scales are not found to scale with the BH mass. As a specific application of the luminosity study, a constraint for the still undetermined redshift of the blazar PG 1553+113 is discussed.
NGC 6340: an old S0 galaxy with a young polar disc. Clues from morphology, internal kinematics and

Context. Lenticular galaxies are believed to form by a combination of environmental effects and secular evolution. Aims. We study the nearby disc-dominated S0 galaxy NGC 6340 photometrically and spectroscopically to understand the mechanisms of S0 formation and evolution in groups. Methods. We use SDSS images to build colour maps and the light profile of NGC 6340, which we decompose using a three-component model including Sersic and two exponential profiles. We also use Spitzer Space Telescope archival near-infrared images to study the morphology of regions containing warm interstellar medium and dust. Then, we re-process and re-analyse deep long-slit spectroscopic data for NGC 6340, applying a novel sky subtraction technique and recover its stellar and gas kinematics, distribution of age and metallicity with the NBursts full spectral fitting. Results. We obtain the profiles of internal kinematics, age, and metallicity out to >2 half-light radii. The three structural components of NGC 6340 are found to have distinct kinematic and stellar population properties. We see a kinematic misalignment between inner and outer regions of the galaxy. We confirm the old metal-rich centre and a wrapped inner gaseous polar disc (r ∼ 1 kpc) having weak ongoing star formation, counter-rotating in projection with respect to the stars. The central compact pseudo-bulge of NGC 6340 looks very similar to compact elliptical galaxies. Conclusions. In accordance with the results of numerical simulations, we conclude that the properties of NGC 6340 can be explained as the result of a major merger of an early-type galaxy and a spiral galaxy that occurred about 12 Gyr ago. The intermediate exponential structure might be a triaxial pseudo-bulge formed by a past bar structure. The inner compact bulge could be the result of a nuclear starburst triggered by the merger. The inner polar disc appeared recently, 1/3-1/2 Gyr ago, as a result of another minor merger or cold gas accretion.
Relationships Between Drinking Motives and Smoking Expectancies Among Daily Smokers Who Are Also Problem Drinkers

Objective: There is a high co-occurrence of problem drinking and regular cigarette smoking, and cognitive processes (e.g., motivation to use, expectations about the consequences of use) related to each are positively associated with one another. We explored drinking motives in relation to cognitive-based smoking processes among smokers with problematic drinking. We expected that drinking coping motives would be associated with smoking consequences related to negative reinforcement and negative personal outcomes and inflexibility of smoking behavior; observed effects for coping motives would be unique from shared variance with other motives and incrementally evident beyond the variance accounted for by tobacco-related health problems, smoking rate, negative affectivity, cannabis use, and gender. Methods: The sample included 195 individuals recruited into a larger study of smoking cessation treatments (i.e., they were interested in quitting), who were heavy drinkers and smoked daily. Participants were primarily male (n = 122, 63%), fairly young (Mage = 30.3 years; SD = 12.46), and predominantly White/Caucasian (n = 175, 80%). Roughly 57% (n = 111) had at least one comorbid Axis I disorder, the most common being social anxiety (n = 21, 11%) and generalized anxiety disorder (n = 12, 6%). Results: Coping drinking motives predicted negative smoking consequences, negative reinforcement, and smoking inflexibility. Enhancement drinking motives marginally predicted positive reinforcement. Conformity drinking motives predicted smoking consequences related to appetite/weight control. Social drinking motives predicted negative reinforcement and barriers to cessation and marginally predicted positive reinforcement. Conclusions: Theoretical models and clinical activities focused on smoking cessation among problem drinkers may benefit from considering the role of drinking motives, particularly coping-oriented motives, to better understanding cognitive-based smoking processes.
Interactive effects of dietary protein concentration and aflatoxin B1 on performance, nutrient digestibility, and gut health in broiler chicks.

A 20-day trial was conducted to determine the impact of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and dietary protein concentration on performance, nutrient digestibility, and gut health in broiler chicks. The 6 dietary treatments were arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial with 3 crude protein (CP) concentrations (16, 22, and 26%) with or without 1.5 mg/kg AFB1 Each diet was fed to 6 replicate cages (6 chicks per cage) from zero to 20 d of age. Endogenous N and amino acid loss were estimated from birds fed a N-free diet with or without 1.5 mg/kg AFB1 A significant interaction between AFB1 and CP concentration was observed for growth performance, where reduction of BW gain, feed intake, gain:feed ratio, and breast muscle weight by AFB1 were most profound in birds fed the 16%-CP diet, and were completely eliminated when birds were fed the 26%-CP diet (AFB1 by CP interaction; P ≤ 0.023). Similarly, AFB1 reduced serum albumin, total protein, and globulin concentrations in birds fed 16 and 22% CP diets, but not in those fed the 26%-CP (AFB1 by CP interaction; P ≤ 0.071). Gut permeability was increased in birds fed AFB1-contamiated diets as measured by serum lactulose/rhamnose ratio (main effect; P = 0.04). Additionally, AFB1 tended to increase endogenous N loss (P = 0.09), and significantly reduced apparent ileal digestible energy and standardized ileal N and amino acid digestibility in birds fed the 16%-CP diet, while birds fed higher dietary CP were not affected (AFB1 by CP interaction; P ≤ 0.01). Further, AFB1 increased the translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein (4EBP1), claudin1, and multiple jejunal amino acid transporters expression (main effect; P ≤ 0.04). Results from this study indicate that a 1.5 mg AFB1/kg diet significantly impairs growth, major serum biochemistry measures, gut barrier, endogenous loss, and energy and amino acid digestibility. Aflatoxicosis can be augmented by low dietary CP, while higher dietary CP completely eliminated the impairment of performance, serum proteins, and nutrient digestibility from aflatoxicosis in zero to 20 d broiler chicks.
The flavonolignan‐silymarin protects enzymatic, hematological, and immune system against γ‐radiation‐induced toxicity

The main focus of this study is evaluation of radioprotective efficacy of silymarin, a flavonolignan, against γ‐radiation‐induced damage to hematological, vital organs (liver and intestine), and immune system. Survival studies revealed that silymarin (administered orally for 3 days) provided maximum protection (67%) at 70 mg/kg body weight (b.wt.) against lethal 9 Gy γ‐irradiation (dose reduction factor = 1.27). The study revealed significant (p < 0.05) changes in levels of catalase (12.57 ± 2.58 to 30.24 ± 4.89 units), glutathione peroxidase (6.23 ± 2.95 to 13.26 ± 1.36 µg of reduced glutathione consumed/min/mg protein), glutathione reductase (0.25 ± 5.6 to 11.65 ± 2.83 pM NADPH consumed/min/mg protein), and superoxide dismutase (11.74 ± 0.2 to 16.09 ± 3.47 SOD U/mg of protein) activity at 30th day. Silymarin pretreated irradiated group exhibited increased proliferation in erythrocyte count (1.76 ± 0.41 × 106 to 9.25 ± 0.24 × 106), hemoglobin (2.15 ± 0.48g/dL to 14.77 ± 0.25g/dL), hematocrit (4.55 ± 0.24% to 37.22 ± 0.21%), and total leucocyte count (1.4 ± 0.15 × 106 to 8.31 ± 0.47 × 106) as compared with radiation control group on 15th day. An increase in CD4:CD8 ratio was witnessed (0.2–1%) at 30th day time interval using flow cytometry. Silymarin also countered radiation‐induced decrease (p < 0.05) in regulatory T‐cells (Tregs) (11.23% in radiation group at 7th day versus 0.1% in pretreated silymarin irradiated group at 15th day). The results of this study indicate that flavonolignan‐silymarin protects enzymatic, hematological, and immune system against γ‐radiation‐induced toxicity and might prove useful in management of nuclear and radiological emergencies. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 641–654, 2016.
Connectivity of Quadratic Hypersurfaces and Its Applications in Optimization, Part I: General Theory

In this paper we establish a basic theory on the connectivity of quadratic hypersurfaces. In addition, we examine how both the connectivity and the hidden convexity of quadratic functions are related to each other and prove several connectivity theorems on quadratic functions that combine and generalize Dines's and Brickman's results on the hidden convexity of quadratic mappings in real field. Many classical results in quadratic optimization are reproved by the unified approach, and more properties involving the matrix pencils are given.
The Sodium Channel Scn8a Is the Major Contributor to the Postnatal Developmental Increase of Sodium Current Density in Spinal Motoneurons

Sodium currents were recorded from motoneurons that were isolated from mice at postnatal days 0–8 (P0–P8) and maintained in culture for 12–24 hr. Motoneurons from normal mice exhibited a more than threefold increase in peak sodium current density from P0 to P8. For mice lacking a functional Scn8a sodium channel gene, motoneuronal sodium current density was comparable at P0 to that of normal mice but failed to increase from P0 to P8. The absence of Scn8asodium channels is associated with the phenotype “motor end plate disease,” which is characterized by a progressive neuromuscular failure and is fatal by 3–4 postnatal weeks. Thus, it appears that the development and function of mature motoneurons depends on the postnatal induction of Scn8a expression.
An Overview of Bioinspired and Biomimetic Self-Repairing Materials

During the 3.8 billion years of biological evolution, a multitude of functional principles has been developed in all kingdoms of life enabling the sealing and healing of diverse types of damage. Inspired by this treasure trove, biologists and engineers have become increasingly interested in learning from biological insights for the development of self-repairing materials. In this review, particular attention is paid to the systematic transfer of knowledge from wound reactions in biological role models to technical applications with self-repair function. This knowledge transfer includes bioinspiration in terms of the conscious implementation of an idea from nature or biomimetics in the form of a systematic transfer of underlying functional principles found in selected biological role models. The current overview presents a selection of breakthroughs regarding bioinspired or biomimetic self-repairing materials, including the initial basic publications and the recent publications of the last eight years. Each reviewed publication is presented with reference to three key criteria: (i) self-repair mechanisms in plants or animals as role models; (ii) knowledge transfer from living nature to technology; and (iii) bioinspired or biomimetic materials with self-repair function. Finally, damage control is discussed with a focus on damage prevention and damage management.
Gravitational force distribution in fractal structures

We study the (Newtonian) gravitational force distribution arising from a fractal set of sources. We show that, in the case of real structures in finite samples, an important role is played by morphological properties and finite-size effects. For dimensions smaller than d − 1 (being d the space dimension) the convergence of the net gravitational force is assured by the fast decaying of the density, while for fractal dimension D > d − 1 the morphological properties of the structure determine the eventual convergence of the force as a function of distance. We clarify the role played by the cut-offs of the distribution. Some cosmological implications are discussed.
Title Nonlinear planetary wave reflection in the troposphere

Forty-four years (1958-2001) of daily data from two reanalysis datasets are used to investigate the occurrence of nonlinear reflection from planetary wave breaking (PWB). PWB is manifested in the the large-scale and rapid irreversible overturning of potential vorticity (PV) contours on isentropic surfaces in the upper troposphere. PWB takes place as a midlatitude wave train propagates equatorward toward a region of weak background zonal flow. As breaking occurs wave propagation is no longer possible. Linear theory predicts that wave activity will be absorbed in the wave-breaking region following the event. Our results show that almost a third of all PWB events result in nonlinear reflection rather than absorption. The signature of the reflected wave train arching northward and downstream into midlatitudes is very similar to that of nonlinear reflection seen in a hierarchy of modeling studies.
Ribosome abundance regulates the recovery of skeletal muscle protein mass upon recuperation from postnatal undernutrition in mice

Inadequate nutrient intake during early life can programme a low adult muscle mass. We have used a mouse model to identify the developmental window when the skeletal musculature is vulnerable to programming and to identify factors that limit the muscle's ability to respond when normal nutrition is restored. We established that the developmental age when nutritional rehabilitation occurs following an episode of poor nutrition, rather than the duration or severity of the nutrient restriction, is the critical factor that determines if muscle mass can be recuperated. The ability to recover depends on whether the muscles’ translational capacity, i.e. ribosomal abundance, can increase sufficiently to raise protein synthesis rates sufficiently to accelerate protein deposition. We show that the ability to increase ribosomal abundance was associated with increased expression of the nucleolar transcription factor UBF (upstream binding factor), which regulates RNA polymerase 1 activity and rRNA transcription, the limiting factor for ribosomal production.