Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DIURETIC ACTIVITY OF FIVE MEDICINAL PLANTS USED POPULARLY IN CUBA

Summary Introduction: diuretics are drugs capable of increase levels of urine, so they are useful in the treatment of diseases related with the retention of fluids. In Cuba it is attributed diuretic action to 179 vegetable species based on its traditional use but only a few of them has been experimentally valuated. The objective of this investigation was to experimentally proof the diuretic action because of its traditional use attributed to: Bidens alba (romerillo), Carica papaya (fruta bomba), Rhoeo spathacea (SW) Stearn (cordovan), Costus cylindricus Jack (cana de la India) and Capraria biflora (esclaviosa) and to evaluate the toxic potential at a single dose of those more pharmacologically effective. Materials and Methods: Primary phytochemical characterization was made to all extracts; diuretic effect was carried out in S/D rats (180 - 220 g BW) by measuring the urine volume every hour in the first 6 hours and later at 24 hours. Positive control was furosemide (20 mg/kg BW). The aqueous extracts were administered at 400 mg/kg BW and those who exerted similar diuretic effect to that of furosemide at doses of: 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg BW. Results: Bidens pilosa and Costus Cylindricus showed the best diuretic effects but with higher K + and Na + excretion compared to positive control ones. It was proved that Bidens pilosa and Costus cylindricus are non toxic after single dose administration. Conclusions: it was determined that all the extracts show diuretic effect outstandingly those of Bidens alba and Costus cylindricus.
Cross: Efficient Low-rank Tensor Completion

The completion of tensors, or high-order arrays, attracts significant attention in recent research. Current literature on tensor completion primarily focuses on recovery from a set of uniformly randomly measured entries, and the required number of measurements to achieve recovery is not guaranteed to be optimal. In addition, the implementation of some previous methods is NP-hard. In this article, we propose a framework for low-rank tensor completion via a novel tensor measurement scheme we name Cross. The proposed procedure is efficient and easy to implement. In particular, we show that a third order tensor of Tucker rank-$(r_1, r_2, r_3)$ in $p_1$-by-$p_2$-by-$p_3$ dimensional space can be recovered from as few as $r_1r_2r_3 + r_1(p_1-r_1) + r_2(p_2-r_2) + r_3(p_3-r_3)$ noiseless measurements, which matches the sample complexity lower-bound. In the case of noisy measurements, we also develop a theoretical upper bound and the matching minimax lower bound for recovery error over certain classes of low-rank tensors for the proposed procedure. The results can be further extended to fourth or higher-order tensors. Simulation studies show that the method performs well under a variety of settings. Finally, the procedure is illustrated through a real dataset in neuroimaging.
Determinants of Transition From Child and Adolescent to Adult Mental Health Services: A Western Australian Pilot Study

Objective The aim of this research was to explore the transition pathways of transition‐aged youth out of child and adolescent mental health services in Perth, Western Australia. A secondary aim was to identify factors that have some impact upon the transition process. Method Cases discharged from seven child and adolescent mental health community clinics in the Perth metropolitan area, from 1 June 2004 to 30 June 2013, at transition age (16–25 years of age), were examined retrospectively. Two hundred and forty‐five cases met the selection criteria and were reviewed on the Psychiatric Services Online Information System. Results Four specific pathways of referral and acceptance into an adult mental health service were identified: not referred, referred with immediate engagement, referred with delayed engagement, and referred with no engagement and not accepted. Principal discharge diagnosis, length of stay, and housing situation on discharge were all found to influence likelihood of referral. Only principal discharge diagnosis was found to influence successful acceptance into an adult mental health service. Conclusions The factors found to influence transition pathways in the present study were largely consistent with findings from the UK. Findings of the present research can assist clinicians to make more informed decisions when discussing transition with clients. More broadly, findings can be used by policy makers to support the formation and maintenance of transition protocols.
The Chicago Consensus on Sustainable Food Systems Science

As participants at the Ecosystem Inception Meeting convened by the Global Dairy Platform and held in Chicago in June 2016, we have identified some concepts as central to the study of food systems science. Following the definition developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization for sustainable diets, the food supply needs to provide foods that are healthy and safe, affordable, culturally acceptable, and with low impact on the environment. Therefore, the four main domains of sustainable food systems science can be described as health, economics, society, and the environment. Food systems science needs to embrace and engage with all relevant allied disciplines that may include environmental health sciences, epidemiology, geography, history, sociology, anthropology, business, and political science. Research and training in food systems science, both domestic and international, would benefit from a set of competencies, from more extensive research networks, and from more public–private engagement. This document builds on major advances in the area of food system research, training, and practice, already achieved by individuals, institutions, foundations, and local and national governments.
Understanding sports violence: revisiting foundational explorations

Abstract Within this paper, we discuss the importance of attending to definitions of ‘violence’. Through a return to a selection of important foundational works, we attempt to unpack the fundamental meanings of violence in a general sense, and sport violence in particular. With a specific focus on the need for definitional clarity, and particular attention to the ‘ritual’ dimensions of sport violence, we argue that engaging with these concepts is essential when conducting research on ‘violent’ contexts. Based on a critical reading of a small selection of relatively recent scholarship in sports settings, we ultimately argue that without careful consideration of what can constitute ‘violence’, scholars risk misrepresenting the social worlds they investigate. In conclusion, we call for researchers to enter into a dialogue with foundational explorations of violence, and also to attend more closely to the definitions favoured by practitioners who engage with apparent ‘violence’ on a regular basis.
The Role of Children's Emotions during Design-based Learning Activity - A Case Study at a Dutch High School

Design-based learning (DBL) is attracting increasing attention for its potential to support informal learning, and as a way to enhance science and technology education at schools. However, related research has not yet considered the emotions children experience during DBL and how these affect the learning process. We report a case study aimed at developing a deeper understanding of children's emotional experience during DBL. In total 9 children (12-13 years old) are involved in this case study. In order to assess children's emotions during DBL lessons we used a self-reporting non-verbal instrument (the emotion card, which adapted from Five Degrees of Happiness Smiley Face Likert) and a verbal instrument (the Geneva Emotion Wheel Questionnaire, which contains 16 emotions). In addition, a group interview probed into the role of children's emotion during DBL. We discuss the methodological challenges exposed in this study, which will need to be addressed in future studies regarding the measurement of children's emotions in DBL.
Development of a Flow Injection System for Differential Pulse Amperometry and Its Application for Diazepam Determination

This work presents the development of a flow injection system for differential pulse amperometry (DPA) for diazepam determination in the presence of oxygen. The thin flow cell consisted of the bare glassy carbon electrode, reference silver/silver chloride, and stainless steel as the auxiliary electrode. Electrochemical reduction of diazepam (DZP) was characterised by cyclic voltammetry. Azomethine reduction peak was used for DZP quantification. The detector response was linear in the range 20–250 µmol/dm3 of diazepam, with a calculated detection limit of 3.83 µg/cm3. Intraday and interday precision were 1.53 and 10.8%, respectively. The method was applied on three beverage samples, energetic drink, and two different beer samples, and obtained recoveries were from 93.65 up to 104.96%. The throughoutput of the method was up to 90 analyses per hour.
Behavioral Addictions as Mental Disorders: To Be or Not To Be?

Should excessive and problematic engagement in nonsubstance use behaviors be mental disorders? The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) repositioned gambling disorder in the substance use disorders section and introduced Internet gaming disorder in the research appendix; the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) is also considering it. This article outlines pros and cons of considering behavioral addictions as mental disorders and also reviews the DSM-5 decision-making processes. It focuses on three conditions: gambling disorder, Internet gaming disorder (IGD), and Internet addiction (IA). We detail assessment methods and prevalence rates for these conditions and outline psychiatric comorbidities, demographic and biological risk factors, and promising treatment approaches. We also briefly discuss other putative behavioral addictions: eating/food, sex, exercise, shopping, and tanning "addictions. " Overall, data are inconclusive, and consistent terminology and methodology are needed to define and evaluate these conditions more fully prior to considering them mental disorders.
7.8-GHz Graphene-Based 2-μm Monolithic Waveguide Laser

We report a pulsed waveguide laser working at 1944 nm, mode-locked with a saturable absorber consisting of a graphene film deposited on an output coupler mirror. The waveguide is created into a ceramic Thulium-doped Yttrium Aluminium Garnet by ultrafast laser inscription. Q-switched mode-locking is achieved, with 6.5 mW average output power and ~7.8 GHz pulse rate. This is a convenient, compact, high repetition rate laser for various applications, such as medical diagnostics and spectroscopy.
A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO FORENSIC EARWITNESS IDENTIFICATION : CONSTRUCTING A VOICE LINE-UP

In the last decade there has been a growing interest in questions raised by the identification of persons by victims and witnesses based on their voices. In the absence of clear criteria for the design of earwitness identification procedures, a set of guidelines has been developed which is partly based on a tried and trusted method developed by the Dutch police and judiciary for the visual identification of persons by eyewitnesses. Parallels and differences between person identification in the visual and the auditory domains are illustrated. Some of the issues which needed to be resolved in designing the procedure laid down in the guidelines are: the choice between single and multiple formats, between repeated trials and single trials, the use of actors, the choice between verbatim text or free speech, and the choice between suspect similarity versus culprit description in the selection of foils. Critical elements of the procedure are described in detail. A condensed English version of the guidelines is available on request.
Sub-Gaussian estimators of the mean of a random matrix with heavy-tailed entries

Estimation of the covariance matrix has attracted a lot of attention of the statistical research community over the years, partially due to important applications such as Principal Component Analysis. However, frequently used empirical covariance estimator (and its modifications) is very sensitive to outliers in the data. As P. J. Huber wrote in 1964, ". This raises a question which could have been asked already by Gauss, but which was, as far as I know, only raised a few years ago (notably by Tukey): what happens if the true distribution deviates slightly from the assumed normal one? As is now well known, the sample mean then may have a catastrophically bad performance. " Motivated by this question, we develop a new estimator of the (element-wise) mean of a random matrix, which includes covariance estimation problem as a special case. Assuming that the entries of a matrix possess only finite second moment, this new estimator admits sub-Gaussian or sub-exponential concentration around the unknown mean in the operator norm. We will explain the key ideas behind our construction, as well as applications to covariance estimation and matrix completion problems.
Heat inactivation of avian influenza and Newcastle disease viruses in egg products

Avian influenza (AI) and Newcastle disease (ND) viruses are heat labile viruses, but exact parameters for heat inactivation at egg pasteurization temperatures have not been established. In this study we artificially infected four egg products with two AI (one low [LP] and one high pathogenicity [HP]) and three ND (two low and one highly virulent) viruses, and determined inactivation curves at 55, 57, 59, 61 and 63°C. Based on D t values, the time to inactivation of the viruses was dependent on virus strain and egg product, and was directly related to virus titre, but inversely related to temperature. For all temperatures, the five viruses had the most rapid and complete inactivation in 10% salt yolk, while the most resistant to inactivation was HPAI virus in dried egg white. This study demonstrated that the LPAI and all ND viruses were inactivated in all egg products when treated using industry standard pasteurization protocols. By contrast, the HPAI virus was inactivated in liquid egg products but not in dried egg whites when using the low-temperature industry pasteurization protocol.
The Effect of Diagnosis-Related Group Payment System on Quality of Care in the Field of Obstetrics and Gynecology among Korean Tertiary Hospitals

Purpose To examine changes in clinical practice patterns following the introduction of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) under the fee-for-service payment system in July 2013 among Korean tertiary hospitals and to evaluate its effect on the quality of hospital care. Materials and Methods Using the 2012–2014 administrative database from National Health Insurance Service claim data, we reviewed medical information for 160400 patients who underwent cesarean sections (C-secs), hysterectomies, or adnexectomies at 43 tertiary hospitals. We compared changes in several variables, including length of stay, spillover, readmission rate, and the number of simultaneous and emergency operations, from before to after introduction of the DRGs. Results DRGs significantly reduced the length of stay of patients undergoing C-secs, hysterectomies, and adnexectomies (8.0±6.9 vs. 6.0±2.3 days, 7.4±3.5 vs. 6.4±2.7 days, 6.3±3.6 vs. 6.2±4.0 days, respectively, all p<0.001). Readmission rates decreased after introduction of DRGs (2.13% vs. 1.19% for C-secs, 4.51% vs. 3.05% for hysterectomies, 4.77% vs. 2.65% for adnexectomies, all p<0.001). Spillover rates did not change. Simultaneous surgeries, such as colpopexy and transobturator-tape procedures, during hysterectomies decreased, while colporrhaphy during hysterectomies and adnexectomies or myomectomies during C-secs did not change. The number of emergency operations for hysterectomies and adnexectomies decreased. Conclusion Implementation of DRGs in the field of obstetrics and gynecology among Korean tertiary hospitals led to reductions in the length of stay without increasing outpatient visits and readmission rates. The number of simultaneous surgeries requiring expensive operative instruments and emergency operations decreased after introduction of the DRGs.
Dietary flavonoid intake and incidence of erectile dysfunction1

Background: The predominant etiology for erectile dysfunction (ED) is vascular, but limited data are available on the role of diet. A higher intake of several flavonoids reduces diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk, but no studies have examined associations between flavonoids and erectile function. Objective: This study examined the relation between habitual flavonoid subclass intakes and incidence of ED. Design: We conducted a prospective study among 25,096 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Total flavonoid and subclass intakes were calculated from food-frequency questionnaires collected every 4 y. Participants rated their erectile function in 2000 (with historical reporting from 1986) and again in 2004 and 2008. Results: During 10 y of follow-up, 35.6% reported incident ED. After multivariate adjustment, including classic cardiovascular disease risk factors, several subclasses were associated with reduced ED incidence, specifically flavones (RR = 0.91; 95% CI: 0.85, 0.97; P-trend = 0.006), flavanones (RR = 0.89; 95% CI: 0.83, 0.95; P-trend = 0.0009), and anthocyanins (RR = 0.91; 95% CI: 0.85, 0.98; P-trend = 0.002) comparing extreme intakes. The results remained statistically significant after additional adjustment for a composite dietary intake score. In analyses stratified by age, a higher intake of flavanones, anthocyanins, and flavones was significantly associated with a reduction in risk of ED only in men <70 y old and not older men (11–16% reduction in risk; P-interaction = 0.002, 0.03, and 0.007 for flavones, flavanones, and anthocyanins, respectively). In food-based analysis, higher total intake of fruit, a major source of anthocyanins and flavanones, was associated with a 14% reduction in risk of ED (RR = 0.86; 95% CI: 0.79, 0.92; P = 0.002). Conclusions: These data suggest that a higher habitual intake of specific flavonoid-rich foods is associated with reduced ED incidence. Intervention trials are needed to further examine the impact of increasing intakes of commonly consumed flavonoid-rich foods on men’s health.
Extracellular Vesicles Shed By Trypanosoma cruzi Potentiate Infection and Elicit Lipid Body Formation and PGE2 Production in Murine Macrophages

During the onset of Trypanosoma cruzi infection, an effective immune response is necessary to control parasite replication and ensure host survival. Macrophages have a central role in innate immunity, acting as an important trypanocidal cell and triggering the adaptive immune response through antigen presentation and cytokine production. However, T. cruzi displays immune evasion mechanisms that allow infection and replication in macrophages, favoring its chronic persistence. One potential mechanism is the release of T. cruzi strain Y extracellular vesicle (EV Y), which participate in intracellular communication by carrying functional molecules that signal host cells and can modulate the immune response. The present work aimed to evaluate immune modulation by EV Y in C57BL/6 mice, a prototype resistant to infection by T. cruzi strain Y, and the effects of direct EV Y stimulation of macrophages in vitro. EV Y inoculation in mice prior to T. cruzi infection resulted in increased parasitemia, elevated cardiac parasitism, decreased plasma nitric oxide (NO), reduced NO production by spleen cells, and modulation of cytokine production, with a reduction in TNF-α in plasma and decreased production of TNF-α and IL-6 by spleen cells from infected animals. In vitro assays using bone marrow-derived macrophages showed that stimulation with EV Y prior to infection by T. cruzi increased the parasite internalization rate and release of infective trypomastigotes by these cells. In this same scenario, EV Y induced lipid body formation and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production by macrophages even in the absence of T. cruzi. In infected macrophages, EV Y decreased production of PGE2 and cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 24 h after infection. These results suggest that EV Y modulates the host response in favor of the parasite and indicates a role for lipid bodies and PGE2 in immune modulation exerted by EVs.
Recovery of sparse signals from noisy measurements using an ℓp regularized least-squares algorithm

A new algorithm for the reconstruction of sparse signals from noise corrupted compressed measurements is presented. The algorithm is based on minimizing an ℓp,∊-norm regularized ℓ2 error. The minimization is carried out by iteratively taking descent steps along the basis vectors of the null space of the measurement matrix and its complement space. The step size is computed using a line search based on Banach's fixed-point theorem. Simulation results are presented, which demonstrate that the proposed algorithm yields improved reconstruction performance and requires a reduced amount of computation relative to several known algorithms.
Degradation of Ochratoxin A by Proteases and by a Crude Enzyme of Aspergillus niger

Ochratoxin A is a mycotoxin present in food commodities as cereals, wine, coffee, figs, dried vine fruits or beer and in feeds for animals. The enhancement of its conversion into ochratoxin α is considered to be a way to reduce its presence in the body and, therefore, its toxicity. In this paper we report the ability of several commercial proteases to hydrolyze ochratoxin A into ochratoxin α in different amounts. After an incubation period of 25 h. , a significant hydrolytic activity at pH 7.5 for Protease A (87.3%), and for Pancreatin (43.4%) was detected. At pH 3.0, a weak hydrolytic activity was detected for Prolyve PAC (3%). None of the other commercial enzymes tested were able to hydrolyze ochratoxin A in the tested conditions. Also, the isolation of an enzyme extract from an Aspergillus niger strain with very strong ochratoxin A hydrolytic activity at pH 7.5 (99.8%) is reported. This activity is similar to the activity detected in Protease A. Data about the inhibition effect of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride on the involved hydrolytic enzymes showed that enzymes involved in ochratoxin A hydrolysis are metalloproteins.
Farther on Down the Road: Transport Costs, Trade and Urban Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa

This paper investigates the role of inter-city transport costs in determining the income of sub-Saharan African cities. In particular, focusing on fifteen countries whose largest city is a port, I find that an oil price increase of the magnitude experienced between 2002 and 2008 induces the income of cities near that port to increase by 7 percent relative to otherwise identical cities 500 kilometers farther away. Combined with external estimates, this implies an elasticity of city economic activity with respect to transport costs of -0.28 at 500 kilometers from the port. Moreover, the effect differs by the surface of roads between cities. Cities connected to the port by paved roads are chiefly affected by transport costs to the port, while cities connected to the port by unpaved roads are more affected by connections to secondary centers.