Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of quercetin-5'-sulfonic acid sodium salt on SOD activity and ADMA/DDAH pathway in extracorporeal liver perfusion in rats.

BACKGROUND Quercetin-5'-sulfonic acid sodium salt (NaQSA) exerts good aqueous solubility, strong antioxidant activity and low toxicity. OBJECTIVES The aims of this study were to investigate the effect of NaQSA on superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and ADMA/DDAH pathway during extracorporeal liver perfusion (ELP). MATERIAL AND METHODS The study was carried out on male Wistar rats. Isolated livers were perfused with Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer (KHB) + 1 microM ADMA (group C), or with KHB + 1 microM ADMA and either 10 microM NaQSA (Q10) or 50 microM NaQSA (Q50). In group 0 (sham) livers were perfused with KHB alone. Levels of ADMA, alanine (ALT) and aspartate (AST) aminotransferases activities were measured during perfusion. After 90 min. of perfusion superoxide dismutase (SOD) and dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) activities were estimated in liver homogenates. RESULTS DDAH activity in Q10 group was significantly higher as compared to control and Q50 groups. No significant differences were observed between Q50 and control group. The decrease in ADMA concentration during perfusion was observed in all groups, but the most pronounced in the group Q10 and the least in group Q50. During perfusion AST activities were the lowest in Q50 group. No significant difference in SOD activity in groups perfused with NaQSA as compared to control group was noted. CONCLUSIONS The impact of NaQSA on ADMA/DDAH system depends on its concentration. In lower concentration NaQSA exerted some beneficial properties which vanished in higher concentration. No increase in SOD activity during perfusion with NaQSA was observed.
Mathematical Modelling and Performance Analysis of Single Server Two-State Batch Arrivals and Batch Service Markovian Queue with Multiple Vacations

Here a two-state batch arrivals and batch service Markovian queue with server vacation model has been taken into consideration for its mathematical modelling and performance analysis under transient state. The present Markovian queueing model considers a single server with multiple vacations and both arrivals and services in batches of variable size. Arriving customers are processed by a single server under FIFO queue discipline and arrival process follows Poisson distribution. In addition to this, both service time and vacation time of the server follows exponential distribution. Using Laplace transforms technique, solution of governing differential-difference equations of the model has been achieved and significant performance measures of the model have been explored and some special cases have been discussed as well. Finally, some valuable conclusive observations have been found and a few suggestions for future research of the model have been focused.
IL-17A-producing CD8+T cells as therapeutic targets in autoimmunity

Introduction: The involvement of IL-17-producing CD8+T cells (TC17) in various conditions, such as infection, cancer and autoimmune inflammation, has been documented in both humans and mice; however, TC17 cells have received only marginal attention. Areas covered: Here, we provide an overview of the cytokines, chemokines, and cytokine and chemokine receptors that characterize the murine and human TC17 cell phenotype. We also discuss signaling pathways, molecular interactions, and transcriptional and epigenetic events that contribute to TC17 differentiation and acquisition of effector functions. Heterogeneity and inherent phenotypic instability of TC17 cells were shown both in humans and murine models. Aberrant expression of TC17 cells was observed in many autoimmune conditions. Moreover, functional analysis demonstrated in vivo plasticity of TC17 cells may be a key feature of TC17 cell biology in autoimmune diseases. Expert opinion: Due to its important roles in inflammation and autoimmunity, TC17 cell pathway may have promise as a potential therapeutic target for autoimmune diseases. The strategies include the suppression of TC17 cell generation and migration and the blockade of TC17 cell instability and heterogeneity. TMP778 may open an avenue to novel therapeutic strategies.
Manipulating Co-Continuous Polymer Blends to Create PCL Scaffolds with fully Interconnected and Anisotropic Pore Architecture

Purpose Polymer blending is an attractive route to obtain new materials with superior properties. Control of their characteristics may be initially achieved by manipulating the phase morphology with different aspects (i.e, lamellar, dispersed or fibrillar) to form tailored architectures for different application fields. In particular, co-continuous microstructures due to the interpenetration of two different polymer phases in three dimensions are particularly interesting because they are able to offer a fully interconnected network with improvement of mechanical properties and fluid permeability for tissue engineering applications. Materials and Methods Macro/microporous substrates with controlled architecture were obtained by blending hydrophylic and hydrophobic polymers, i.e, polycaprolactone (PCL) and poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO) respectively, in a co-continuous state by a twin-screw extruder. Results In accordance with the leaching-based approaches traditionally used in scaffold manufacturing, the removal of water soluble phases (i.e., PEO and sodium chloride (NaCl) crystals) enables a fully interconnected porous network to be formed, whereas post-extrusion stretching of the melt blend allows a desired elongation of polymer phases to be imparted before the polymer leaching, thus providing a controlled pore alignment. Conclusion The proposed investigation confirms that polymer blending is a promising approach to realize structurally organized platforms able to guide the regeneration processes of hierarchically organized tissues (i.e, tendons, muscles, ligaments and nerves).
Students’ Behavioural Intentions Towards Peers with Disability

Background The objectives of this study were: (i) to compare the behavioural intentions of high school students towards individuals with intellectual disabilities and individuals with physical disabilities and (ii) to explore reasons for these behavioural intentions. Materials and methods A sample of 319 Grade 9 and Grade 12 students in Ontario, Canada, completed a questionnaire regarding their behavioural intentions towards peers with intellectual or physical disabilities. They also responded to open-ended questions concerning their feelings about participating in a class task or social activity with these individuals. Results Behavioural intentions towards students with intellectual disabilities were significantly more negative than were those towards students with physical disabilities. This difference was also reflected in responses to the open-ended questions. Common reasons for discomfort were perceived dissimilarities in interests or abilities. Conclusions Future efforts should aim to help students with and without disabilities find commonalities and to encourage reciprocity in their interactions.
Brazilian Soybean Varieties for Human Use

In the present days, the export trade in soybean and its derivatives has a major impact on the Brazilian agro-industrial system and economy. Brazil is the second largest producer, be‐ hind only the United States, and three states represent 63% of national production: Mato Grosso, Parana and Rio Grande do Sul. The 2010/2011 crop has maintained its growth mo‐ mentum, with higher volume than the previous one, with the climatic factor as primarily re‐ sponsible for these results.
The roles of blink reflex and sympathetic skin response in multiple sclerosis diagnosis

The neurological history and examination are important in multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis, but early and accurate diagnosis of MS often requires judicious use of paraclinical information. Electrophysiolgic techniques have an important role in demonstrating lesions that are clinically silent, but magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is accepted as the most sensitive paraclinical test for detecting asymptomatic dissemination in space for MS patients. In order to test the sensitivity of electrophysiologic techniques in diagnosing asymptomatic MS lesions, we performed blink reflex (BR) and sympathetic skin response (SSR) studies on 13 female (mean age 39∓9 years) and 8 male (mean age 35∓14 years) patients with a diagnosis of definite MS who do not have any clinical symptoms nor signs referable to brainstem or autonomic system dysfunction. Forty three percent of patients on SSR testing and 40% of patients on BR testing demonstrated abnormal results. In countries with unfavorable economic conditions, diagnosis, especially the follow-up evaluation of MS patients, poses a major dilemma. The role of diagnostic techniques in MS diagnosis when MRI is available is an economic problem. Diagnostic evaluation adds to the cost of health expenses. We usually choose to perform MRI only at the initial diagnosis of MS and perform follow-up evaluations during remissions and exacerbations with the aid of electrophysiologic techniques. We stress the importance of electrophysiologic screenings in MS patients because they provide data that cannot be obtained through clinical evaluations, only with a little cost.
Value Orientations, Acculturative Stress and Mental Health Among African German Immigrants

This study describes the relationship between value orientations, acculturative stress, and wellbeing of African migrants in Germany. Concepts from culture learning theory are applied in the context of intercultural interaction. Data were collected from 85 African migrants (males=73.4, females=26.5%; age range =18–46 years recruited from several German metropolitan areas. The participants completed the MMPI-2, a stress checklist developed by the author and Schwartz Value Survey. Data were analyzed using hierarchical regression analysis and tested with structural equation modelling. Results showed that value preferences significantly influenced mental health: African migrants who cherish self-enhancement values (power and achievement values) experience a poorer mental health than their fellow migrants who place a lower value on the same attributes. Self-transcendence values related to good mental health. Openness values predicted higher perceived racism scores.
Dilution of reporter gene with stuffer DNA does not alter the transfection efficiency of polyethylenimines

Polyethylenimines (PEIs) are among the most efficient non‐viral gene transfer agents developed so far. However, transfections with these polymers were shown to require a very high copy number of plasmid DNA per cell to achieve gene expression. Here, we investigate whether it is possible to reduce the amount of plasmid DNA while keeping a high transfection efficiency.
Tracking patient-reported outcomes in spinal disorders

Background: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) quantify health status from the patient's point of view. While the number of published outcomes studies grows each year, so too has the number of instruments being reported, leading to confusion on which instruments are appropriate to use for various spinal conditions. Methods: A broad search was conducted to identify commonly used PROMs in patients undergoing spinal surgery. We searched PubMed for combinations of terms related to anatomic location and a measure of patient-reported outcome in the title or text. We supplemented the search using the “related articles” feature of PubMed and by manually searching the bibliographies of selected articles. Results: Major categories of PROMs in spine surgery include health-related quality-of-life, pain, and disease-specific disability, for which several different instrument options were identified and detailed. The minimal clinically important difference varies between instruments and differentiates statistical significance from clinical significance. In addition, the accurate estimation of costs has become a challenging but intrinsically linked variable to outcomes as increased attention is paid to the relative value of surgical interventions. Conclusion: While a number of PROMs are available for tracking outcomes in spine surgery, only a handful appear to be widely used. At least one instrument from each category should be measured pre- and post-operatively to quantify treatment effect. In addition, while the primary goal is to select the most appropriate instruments for the patient's condition, one should keep in mind sustainability of efforts with regard to patient and administrative burden.
Comparsion of Multimedia Computer Assisted Instruction, Traditional Instruction and Combined Instruction on Learning the Skills of Long Jump

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of multimedia computer assisted instruction (MCAI), traditional instruction (TI), and combined instruction (CI) methods on learning the long jump event. Fortyeight middle school students of seventh and eighth grade were randomly assigned into three teaching method groups: MCAI, TI and CI. Each group received ten 45-min periods of instruction divided into 4 sections: a) 5 min warm-up, b) 15-min instructional time c) 15-min main practice time and d) 10-min cool dawn and review. Students took pre-, post-, and retention skill test and written test covering rules and concepts of the event. Two-way analysis of variances (ANOVA), with repeated measures on the last factor, were conducted to determine effect of method groups (MCAI, TI, CI) and measures (pre-test, post-test, 1-week retention test) on knowledge and skill test. Post-test results indicated no significant differences between the groups concerning the written test. Nevertheless, the mean skill test scores of the TI and CI groups were significantly greater than MCAI group. Retention test results showed that groups retained the knowledge and skill learning. However, the mean skill test score of the MCAI group was significantly lower than the TI and CI groups. Conclusively, the CI method tended to be the most effective for cognitive learning and skill development.
Platelia-Toxo IgA, a new kit for early diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis by detection of anti-P30 immunoglobulin A antibodies

With the aim of achieving earlier diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis, anti-P30 immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies were assayed by using a Platelia-Toxo IgA kit with samples from 72 children born to mothers who seroconverted during pregnancy. A total of 148 serum samples and 1 cerebrospinal fluid samples were from 23 congenitally infected children (2 serum samples were collected from fetuses), and 74 serum samples were from 49 uninfected children. Among the 23 infected children, anti-P30 IgA antibodies were present in all infants either at birth or in the following weeks, whereas anti-P30 IgM antibodies were present in 13 from the 23 infected children either at birth or in the following weeks. Serum samples collected in utero from two infected children were also tested. One of these samples was positive for both anti-P30 IgA and anti-P30 IgM antibodies, whereas both children were negative at birth for these antibodies. Neither anti-P30 IgA nor anti-P30 IgM antibodies were detected in 47 of 49 uninfected children. These results suggest that detection of anti-P30 IgA antibodies by the Platelia-Toxo IgA kit is a very effective method for early diagnosis of congenital toxoplasma infection.
Power and Influence in and Around the Boardroom

This paper presents the early findings of a pilot study of the power and influence of part-time board members in the top 200 U.K. industrial and commercial firms by turnover and the top 50 U.K. financial institutions. The part-time board members hold multiple roles of either chairman and/or non-executive director of these organizations. The findings are presented around a tripartite model of power and influence. The results indicate that the power and influence of part-time board members is shaped by the simultaneous and interactive effects of a set of structural and contextual factors, position and skill in mobilizing a constellation of power sources, and skill and will in converting potential power into actual influence.
Food Approach and Food Avoidance in Young Children: Relation with Reward Sensitivity and Punishment Sensitivity

It has recently been suggested that individual differences in Reward Sensitivity and Punishment Sensitivity may determine how children respond to food. These temperamental traits reflect activity in two basic brain systems that respond to rewarding and punishing stimuli, respectively, with approach and avoidance. Via parent-report questionnaires, we investigate the associations of the general motivational temperamental traits Reward Sensitivity and Punishment Sensitivity with Food Approach and Food Avoidance in 98 preschool children. Consistent with the conceptualization of Reward Sensitivity in terms of approach behavior and Punishment Sensitivity in terms of avoidance behavior, Reward Sensitivity was positively related to Food Approach, while Punishment Sensitivity was positively related to Food Avoidance. Future research should integrate these perspectives (i.e., general temperamental traits Reward Sensitivity and Punishment Sensitivity, and Food Approach and Avoidance) to get a better understanding of eating behavior and related body weight.
Immunocompetence and its costs during development: an experimental study in blue tit nestlings

The allocation into T–cell–mediated immunocompetence was experimentally increased in 68 out of 139 nestlings by supplementary feeding methionine to half of the nestlings in 15 blue tit nests. Methionine–supplemented nestlings had an increased T–cell–mediated immunocompetence, but a reduced growth compared with control siblings. Nestlings that had low initial weights and nestlings that were supplemented with methionine had an increased mortality risk. The investment that nestling blue tits make in immunocompetence appears to be tightly controlled by survival costs paid through a trade–off between immunocompetence and growth.
Educational leadership and market values: A study of school principals in Iceland

This article reports on the findings of a larger case study about the impact of values on educational leaders in Iceland. The environment of Icelandic schools has changed considerably in recent years. These changes have affected schools and changed the nature and scope of principals' work. Scholars have argued that these changes are primarily market driven and have made schools subject to market pressures. Ten principals, five women and five men, were interviewed and asked how recent changes had affected their roles. They were also asked to share information about difficult decisions they had made during this time. Moreover, in all the ten schools, one mid-level administrator was interviewed. This article shows that Icelandic principals work in a changing and unstable environment, where values of school stakeholders often compete for recognition. It highlights the conflicting demands principals were faced with and the difficult issues they had to resolve in a competitive environment. Many of the conflicts involved core activities of teaching and learning against various other new services. Their narrative shows that they focus on their role as pedagogical leaders and see care as a core value in their practice. This holds true regardless of gender.
PETAL LOSS, a trihelix transcription factor gene, regulates perianth architecture in the Arabidopsis flower

Perianth development is specifically disrupted in mutants of the PETAL LOSS (PTL) gene, particularly petal initiation and orientation. We have cloned PTL and show that it encodes a plant-specific trihelix transcription factor, one of a family previously known only as regulators of light-controlled genes. PTL transcripts were detected in the early-developing flower, in four zones between the initiating sepals and in their developing margins. Strong misexpression of PTL in a range of tissues universally results in inhibition of growth, indicating that its normal role is to suppress growth between initiating sepals, ensuring that they remain separate. Consistent with this, sepals are sometimes fused in ptl single mutants, but much more frequently in double mutants with either of the organ boundary genes cup-shaped cotyledon1 or 2. Expression of PTL within the newly arising sepals is apparently prevented by the PINOID auxin-response gene. Surprisingly, PTL expression could not be detected in petals during the early stages of their development, so petal defects associated with PTL loss of function may be indirect, perhaps involving disruption to signalling processes caused by overgrowth in the region. PTL-driven reporter gene expression was also detected at later stages in the margins of expanding sepals, petals and stamens, and in the leaf margins; thus, PTL may redundantly dampen lateral outgrowth of these organs, helping define their final shape.
In Search of Organizational Virtue in Business: Agents, Goods, Practices, Institutions and Environments

In this paper we argue that MacIntyre’s virtues-goods-practice-institution schema (MacIntyre 1985) provides a conceptual framework within which organizational virtue in general, and virtue in business in particular, can be explored. A heuristic device involving levels of individual agency, mode of institutionalization and environment is used to discuss why some businesses protect practices, develop virtues and encourage the exercise of moral agency in their decision making, while others struggle or fail to do so. In relation to conventional shareholder-owned capitalist business, both the mode of institutionalization and the environment are shown to be largely antithetical to the development of practices. Other businesses may meet the necessary internal conditions for the sustenance of practice-like features but remain dependent upon features within their environments. To illustrate this, we use participant observation to show how one particular organization—Traidcraft plc—meets the relevant conditions.