Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparative Study of the Nutritional Value of Four Types of Egyptian Palm Pollens

Abstract : -Pollen grains are good sources of vitamins, minerals and amino acids with a high nutritional value that can be used as human food supplement. Date palm pollens are used in the middle East especially Egypt in herbal mixtures as a folk medicine remedy for curing male infertility and promoting fertility in women . The raw materials purchased from the market are found to be a mixture of several palm pollens. The main objective of this study was to determine the nutritional value of four local Egyptian date pollen grains {Amhat(A), Hayani(H), Sewy(S)& Zaghloul(Z)} by microscopical and chemical means. These differences could determine the quality of separate pollen grains and show to what extent they affect the quality of the natural products manufactured from them? Each of the pollen samples were treated identically: collected from locations of similar clay loamy soils, in March 2011 at an early time of the day, also were all subjected to electron microscope examination and chemical analysis of trace elements, amino acids & vitamins. The results showed that there are clear differences in the quality of the four different Egyptian palm pollens and they could be distinguished microscopically and chemically by the percentage of the trace elements, amino acids & vitamins. Key words: - Egyptian date palm pollen grains, microscopical and chemical {trace elements, amino acids &vitamins} analysis.
Wait a second! delayed impact of argument roles on on-line verb prediction

ABSTRACT Comprehenders can use rich contextual information to anticipate upcoming input on the fly, but recent findings suggest that salient information about argument roles may not impact verb prediction. We took advantage of the word order properties of Mandarin Chinese to examine the time course with which argument role information impacts verb prediction. We isolated the contribution of argument role information by manipulating the order of pre-verbal noun phrase arguments while holding lexical information constant, and we examined its effects on accessing the verb in long-term semantic memory by measuring the amplitude of the N400 component. Experiment 1 showed when the verb appeared immediately after its arguments, even strongly constraining argument role information failed to modulate the N400 response to the verb. An N400 effect emerged in Experiment 2 when the verb appeared at a greater delay. Experiment 3 corroborated the contrast between the first two experiments through a within-participants manipulation of the time interval between the arguments and the verb, by varying the position of an adverbial phrase. These results suggest time is a key factor governing how diverse contextual information contributes to predictions. Here argument role information is shown to impact verb prediction, but its effect is not immediate.
Associations between substance use, sexual risk taking and HIV treatment adherence among homeless people living with HIV

Abstract Prior research suggests that the interconnections between substance use, HIV risk and lack of adherence to HIV medications are especially strong among homeless individuals. Thus, study of these interconnections warrants public health attention. The objectives of this paper are to describe patterns of alcohol and drug use, associations between substance use and participation in high-risk sex, and associations between substance use and adherence to HIV treatment regimens among a sample of 602 homeless or unstably housed HIV-seropositive individuals who are part of a housing-based intervention – the Housing and Health Study. Participants experienced high levels of substance use. Significant associations were found between substance use and adherence to HIV treatment medications, and between substance use and high-risk sexual practices within the entire group. Group analyses by sexual orientation/gender show that the association between substance use and treatment adherence is found primarily among heterosexual males whereas the relationship between several drugs and high-risk sexual practices is strongest among gay and bisexual men. Health professionals working with HIV-seropositive individuals should routinely ascertain housing status and screen for substance use and risky sex.
Down‐Regulation of AQP4 Expression via p38 MAPK Signaling in Temozolomide‐Induced Glioma Cells Growth Inhibition and Invasion Impairment

Glioma is the most common and lethal central nervous system tumors. Temozolomide (TMZ) is an effective drug for malignant glioma, however, the intracellular and molecular mechanisms behind this anti‐cancer effect have yet to be fully understood. The aim of the present study was to determine whether TMZ inhibits proliferation, invasion of glioma cells in vitro and whether these effects can be mediated through modulation of aquaporin 4 (AQP4) and phosphorylation of the MAPK pathway. The viability of U87 and U251 human glioma cells was evaluated using MTT assay. The cell cycle distribution was detected with flow cytometry. Migration ability and invasion ability were tested by scratch assays and transwell assays, respectively. The levels of AQP4 and MAPK were measured using immunoblot analyses. Our results showed that TMZ inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion, and induced G2/M arrest in U87 and U251 glioma cell lines. These changes were associated with a decrease in the levels of AQP4 expression as well as activation phosphorylated level of p38. Treatment with a p38 chemical activator (anisomycin) resulted in similar effects as TMZ treatment on glioma cells. And p38 chemical inhibitor (SB203580) could block these effects in glioma treated with TMZ, suggesting a direct up‐regulation of the p38 signaling pathway. Therefore, we identified that TMZ might have therapeutic potential for controlling proliferation, invasion of malignant glioma by inhibiting AQP4 expression through activation of p38 signal transduction pathway. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 4905–4913, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Frontal Hypoactivation During a Working Memory Task in Children With 22q11 Deletion Syndrome

Impairments in executive function, such as working memory, are almost universal in children with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Delineating the neural underpinnings of these functions would enhance understanding of these impairments. In this study, children and adolescents with 22q11 deletion syndrome were compared with healthy control participants in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study of working memory. When the 2-back condition was contrasted with the 1-back and 0-back conditions, the participants with 22q11 deletion syndrome showed lower activation in several brain areas involved in working memory—notably dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate, and precuneus. This hypoactivation may be due to reduced gray matter volumes or white matter connectivity in the frontal and parietal regions, differences that have previously been documented in children with 22q11 deletion syndrome. Understanding differences in brain function will provide a foundation for future interventions to address the wide range of neurodevelopmental deficits observed in 22q11 deletion syndrome.
Effect of different heat treatments on the microstructure and mechanical properties in selective laser melted INCONEL 718 alloy

ABSTRACT The microstructure and tensile properties of selective laser melted (SLM) Inconel 718 alloy were studied in the as-printed and different heat treat conditions. The SLM as-print microstructures exhibited columnar grain structures with very fine dendritic structure with segregation of elements. Apart from the standard heat treatment, three other heat treat cycle variants were carried out in an attempt to remove the extensive segregation of elements and modify the textured grain structure of the SLM as-print microstructure. Increasing the homogenization temperature reduced the segregation and coarsened the grain structure. However, the grains still remained columnar, and the material became softer with reduction in strength. After the ageing treatment, the tensile strength improved significantly for all the heat treated samples, which is typical for precipitation hardening of IN718 alloy. The microstructures of the heat treated samples exhibited the needle shaped δ, carbides, and finely dispersed γ″, γ′ phases.
Formulation of a nucleopolyhedrovirus with boric acid for control of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in maize

The degree of control of the fall armyworm, Spodo- ptera frugiperda, by a multiple nucleopolyhedrovi- rus (SfMNPV) appears to be limited by the quantity of inoculum consumed by the insect and the delivery of the virus to the insect feeding site. The formula- tion of the virus with phagostimulants and/or viral synergists, such as boric acid, may help overcome this problem. The present study aimed to determine the degree of potentiation of boric acid toward SfM- NPV in a granular phagostimulant formulation. In a laboratory bioassay the LC50 value for second-instar larvae was reduced from 114 virus occlusion bodies (OBs)/mm 2 of diet surface for virus alone to 51 OBs/ mm 2 of diet in the presence of 1% boric acid. The mean time to death of larvae exposed to virus mixed with 0.5 or 1% boric acid was not significantly differ- ent from that of larvae inoculated with virus alone. Increasing the concentration of boric acid at a single determined concentration of virus (80 OBs/mm 2 )r e- sulted in a significant increase in the prevalence of virus-induced mortality. The boric acid alone did not cause S. frugiperda mortality at the concentra- tions tested. A field trial performed with S. frugi- perda larvae held on plants within fine gauze bags indicated that application of maize flour granules containing virus 1 1% boric acid caused a significant increase in virus-induced mortality compared to ap- plication of granules containing virus alone. A ran- domized block experiment performed later also re- sulted in a higher prevalence of virus-induced mor- tality in S. frugiperda larvae exposed to virus mixed with 1% boric acid in samples collected at 5 days postapplication and reared in the laboratory until death or pupation, but not in samples made at 1 day and 3 days postapplication. Differences in the prev- alence of virus infection in insects collected at each time point may have been related to the consistency of the granular formulation, which turned into a paste and adhered to the surface of maize plants under con- ditions of heavy rainfall. Granules containing 1 and 4% boric acid were not toxic to the earwig, Doru taenia- tum, in the laboratory. The same concentrations of boric acid sprayed onto maize plants did not signifi- cantly reduce the abundance of natural enemies or other nontarget insects at any sample time point. Bo- ric acid offers an economical means of enhancing bac- ulovirus activity with little apparent risk to nontarget arthropods. © 2002 Elsevier Science
Influence of Defects on the Young's Modulus of [110] Silicon Nanowires with Different Cross Sections

The size dependence becomes more significant as the devices scale down from micro-to nanodimensions, which is generally attributed to surface effects due to the very high surface-to-bulk ratios in nanoscale structures. However, significant discrepancies between experimental measurements and computational studies indicate that there could be other influences besides surface effects, such as the influences of native oxide layer, fabrication-induced defects and boundary conditions. In this paper, our purpose is to investigate mainly the influence of fabrication-induced defects on the elasticity of [110] silicon nanowires (SiNWs) with different cross sections. We accomplish this by using the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Our MD results show that the H-passivated [110] SiNWs without surface defects is slightly elastically softer than bulk, which is in good agreement with other literature MD values. However, the effective Young’s modulus of SiNWs with surface defects can significantly decreases as the defects increase. This softening behavior of [110] SiNWs is severe, which indicates the importance of surface defects. It is noted that the influence of defects on the Young's Modulus of SiNWs strongly depended on the distribution and morphology of defects as well as the cross-sectional shapes of SiNWs. It is observed that the influence of defects on square SiNWs is significantly different from those of hexagonal and triangle SiNWs. Our work reveals that fabrication-induced surface defects could be one of the important origins of the reduced effective Young’s modulus experimentally observed in ultra-thin SiNWs. Therefore, the effect of defects on the characterization of the mechanical properties of nanowire must be carefully considered.
The Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture for the Treatment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objectives. We aimed to summarize and critically evaluate the available evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods. We searched 13 databases for studies published up to December 2016. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy of acupuncture for children with ASD were included. Outcome measures were the overall scores on scales evaluating the core symptoms of ASD and the scores for each symptom, such as social communication ability and skills, stereotypies, language ability, and cognitive function. Effect sizes were presented as mean differences (MD). Results. Twenty-seven RCTs with 1736 participants were included. Acupuncture complementary to behavioral and educational intervention significantly decreased the overall scores on the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) (MD −8.10, 95% CI −12.80 to −3.40) and the Autism Behavior Checklist (MD −8.92, 95% CI −11.29 to −6.54); however, it was unclear which of the ASD symptoms improved. Acupuncture as a monotherapy also reduced the overall CARS score. The reported adverse events were acceptable. Conclusions. This review suggests that acupuncture may be effective and safe for pediatric ASD. However, it is not conclusive due to the heterogeneity of the acupuncture treatment methods used in the studies.
A Specificity Map for the PDZ Domain Family

PDZ domains are protein–protein interaction modules that recognize specific C-terminal sequences to assemble protein complexes in multicellular organisms. By scanning billions of random peptides, we accurately map binding specificity for approximately half of the over 330 PDZ domains in the human and Caenorhabditis elegans proteomes. The domains recognize features of the last seven ligand positions, and we find 16 distinct specificity classes conserved from worm to human, significantly extending the canonical two-class system based on position −2. Thus, most PDZ domains are not promiscuous, but rather are fine-tuned for specific interactions. Specificity profiling of 91 point mutants of a model PDZ domain reveals that the binding site is highly robust, as all mutants were able to recognize C-terminal peptides. However, many mutations altered specificity for ligand positions both close and far from the mutated position, suggesting that binding specificity can evolve rapidly under mutational pressure. Our specificity map enables the prediction and prioritization of natural protein interactions, which can be used to guide PDZ domain cell biology experiments. Using this approach, we predicted and validated several viral ligands for the PDZ domains of the SCRIB polarity protein. These findings indicate that many viruses produce PDZ ligands that disrupt host protein complexes for their own benefit, and that highly pathogenic strains target PDZ domains involved in cell polarity and growth.
Reusing and Modifying Rulebases by Predicate Substitution

We propose a method for reusing and modifying a deductive database. The need for such techniques occurs when new rulebased applications differ only slightly from existing ones or when an application is to be incrementally updated. Such techniques are particularly important when reprogramming is expensive or unreliable. In order to facilitate reuse, we extend deductive database systems by the concept ofpredicate substitution. In this way, during query evaluation, not only variables, but also predicates can be substituted. We provide a proof theory and a model theory for this language, including a fixpoint semantics. In addition, we show that substitution increases the expressive power of Datalog: not only does its data complexity increase from PTIME to EXPTIME, but substitution also allows large sets of Datalog rules to be succinctly expressed. In fact, finite rulebases with substitution can express infinite rulebases without substitution
Evaluation of Polyphenol Anthocyanin-Enriched Extracts of Blackberry, Black Raspberry, Blueberry, Cranberry, Red Raspberry, and Strawberry for Free Radical Scavenging, Reactive Carbonyl Species Trapping, Anti-Glycation, Anti-β-Amyloid Aggregation, and Microglial Neuroprotective Effects

Glycation is associated with several neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), where it potentiates the aggregation and toxicity of proteins such as β-amyloid (Aβ). Published studies support the anti-glycation and neuroprotective effects of several polyphenol-rich fruits, including berries, which are rich in anthocyanins. Herein, blackberry, black raspberry, blueberry, cranberry, red raspberry, and strawberry extracts were evaluated for: (1) total phenolic and anthocyanins contents, (2) free radical (DPPH) scavenging and reactive carbonyl species (methylglyoxal; MGO) trapping, (3) anti-glycation (using BSA-fructose and BSA-MGO models), (4) anti-Aβ aggregation (using thermal- and MGO-induced fibrillation models), and, (5) murine microglia (BV-2) neuroprotective properties. Berry crude extracts (CE) were fractionated to yield anthocyanins-free (ACF) and anthocyanins-enriched (ACE) extracts. The berry ACEs (at 100 μg/mL) showed superior free radical scavenging, reactive carbonyl species trapping, and anti-glycation effects compared to their respective ACFs. The berry ACEs (at 100 μg/mL) inhibited both thermal- and MGO-induced Aβ fibrillation. In addition, the berry ACEs (at 20 μg/mL) reduced H2O2-induced reactive oxygen species production, and lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide species in BV-2 microglia as well as decreased H2O2-induced cytotoxicity and caspase-3/7 activity in BV-2 microglia. The free radical scavenging, reactive carbonyl trapping, anti-glycation, anti-Aβ fibrillation, and microglial neuroprotective effects of these berry extracts warrant further in vivo studies to evaluate their potential neuroprotective effects against AD.
Variation of serum prostate-specific antigen levels: an evaluation of year-to-year fluctuations.

CONTEXT Serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing is frequently used in early detection programs for prostate cancer. While PSA testing has resulted in an increase in prostate cancer detection, its routine use has been questioned because of a lack of specificity. OBJECTIVE To determine whether year-to-year fluctuations in PSA levels are due to natural variation and render a single PSA test result unreliable. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Retrospective analysis of an unscreened population of 972 men (median age, 62 years) participating in the Polyp Prevention Trial (1991-1998). Five consecutive blood samples were obtained during a 4-year period and were assessed for total and free PSA levels. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Abnormal PSA test result based on a PSA level higher than 4 ng/mL; a PSA level higher than 2.5 ng/mL; a PSA level above the age-specific cutoff; a PSA level in the range of 4 to 10 ng/mL and a free-to-total ratio of less than 0.25 ng/mL; or a PSA velocity higher than 0.75 ng/mL per year. RESULTS Prostate biopsy would have been recommended in 207 participants (21%) with a PSA level higher than 4 ng/mL; in 358 (37%) with a level higher than 2.5 ng/mL; in 172 (18%) with a level above the age-specific cutoff; in 190 (20%) with a level between 4 and 10 ng/mL and a free-to-total ratio of less than 0.25 ng/mL; and in 145 (15%) with a velocity higher than 0.75 ng/mL per year. Among men with an abnormal PSA finding, a high proportion had a normal PSA finding at 1 or more subsequent visits during 4-year follow-up: 68 (44%) of 154 participants with a PSA level higher than 4 ng/mL; 116 (40%) of 291 had a level higher than 2.5 ng/mL; 64 (55%) of 117 had an elevated level above the age-specific cutoff; and 76 (53%) of 143 had a level between 4 and 10 ng/mL and a free-to-total ratio of less than 0.25 ng/mL. CONCLUSION An isolated elevation in PSA level should be confirmed several weeks later before proceeding with further testing, including prostate biopsy.
Bilingualism, Theory of Mind and Perspective-Taking: The Effect of Early Bilingual Exposure

The present study investigates the link between bilingualism, Theory of Mind and empathy among 240 mono- and bilinguals. We hypothesize that bilinguals have better theory of mind capabilities and empathic skills. Possible explanations for this evidence of a bilingual advantage are the early exposure to a second language and/or greater inhibitory control. 240 individuals, divided into two groups, participated in this study: Hungarian-Serbian bilinguals and Hungarian monolinguals. They filled out two questionnaires, one for the language profiles and Davis’s Interpersonal Reactivity Index; and they participated in the Adult Theory of Mind test. Our hypotheses have been proven to be true. Bilinguals really have better empathic skills and the stories in the Theory of Mind test showed the difference in favor of the bilinguals, so we can assume a correlation between bilingualism, theory of mind and empathy, it is a trend and it is important for further upcoming bilingual researches.
Miscanthus and switchgrass production in central Illinois: impacts on hydrology and inorganic nitrogen leaching.

Biomass crops are being promoted as environmentally favorable alternatives to fossil fuels or ethanol production from maize (Zea mays L.), particularly across the Corn Belt of the United States. However, there are few if any empirical studies on inorganic N leaching losses from perennial grasses that are harvested on an annual basis, nor has there been empirical evaluation of the hydrologic consequences of perennial cropping systems. Here we report on the results of 4 yr of field measurements of soil moisture and inorganic N leaching from a conventional maize-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ] system and two unfertilized perennial grasses harvested in winter for biomass: Miscanthus x giganteus and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum cv. Cave-in-Rock). All crops were grown on fertile Mollisols in east-central Illinois. Inorganic N leaching was measured with ion exchange resin lysimeters placed 50 cm below the soil surface. Maize--soybean nitrate leaching averaged 40.4 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1), whereas switchgrass and Miscanthus had values of 1.4 and 3.0 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1), respectively. Soil moisture monitoring (to a depth of 90 cm) indicated that both perennial grasses dried the soil out earlier in the growing season compared with maize-soybean. Later in the growing season, soil moisture under switchgrass tended to be greater than maize-soybean or Miscanthus, whereas the soil under Miscanthus was consistently drier than under maize--soybean. Water budget calculations indicated that evapotranspiration from Miscanthus was about 104 mm yr(-1) greater than under maize-soybean, which could reduce annual drainage water flows by 32% in central Illinois. Drainage water is a primary source of surface water flows in the region, and the impact ofextensive Miscanthus production on surface water supplies and aquatic ecosystems deserves further investigation.