Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Polyphenolic content and comparative antioxidant capacity of flavoured black teas

The content of selected flavonoids and phenolic acids of 12 commercial flavoured black tea infusions was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry in the negative electrospray ionization mode. Assays for the evaluation of their antioxidant capacity were carried out by cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity, Folin–Ciocalteu assay, cyclic voltammetry and potentiometry. Flavonoids were predominantly present as glycosides in the studied infusions. Only quercetin as a free aglycone was found at trace levels. Notable amount of naringin and hesperidin was determined in teas with citrus aromas or fruits. These compounds were not found in premium black tea. Two principal groups of the studied teas were found using cluster analysis in relation to the values of their antioxidant activities.
Vascular Oxidative Stress and Endothelial Dysfunction in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure: Role of Xanthine-Oxidase and Extracellular Superoxide Dismutase

Background—Impaired flow-dependent, endothelium-mediated vasodilation (FDD) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) results, at least in part, from accelerated degradation of nitric oxide by oxygen radicals. The mechanisms leading to increased vascular radical formation, however, remain unclear. Therefore, we determined endothelium-bound activities of extracellular superoxide dismutase (ecSOD), a major vascular antioxidant enzyme, and xanthine-oxidase, a potent radical producing enzyme, and their relation to FDD in patients with CHF. Methods and Results—ecSOD and xanthine-oxidase activities, released from endothelium into plasma by heparin bolus injection, were determined in 14 patients with CHF and 10 control subjects. FDD of the radial artery was measured using high-resolution ultrasound and was assessed before and after administration of the antioxidant vitamin C (25 mg/min; IA). In patients with CHF, endothelium-bound ecSOD activity was substantially reduced (5.0±0.7 versus 14.4±2.6 U · mL−1 · min−1;P <0.01) and closely related to FDD (r =0.61). Endothelium-bound xanthine-oxidase activity was increased by >200% (38±10 versus 12±4 nmol O2·− · &mgr;L−1;P <0.05) and inversely related to FDD (r =−0.35) in patients with CHF. In patients with low ecSOD and high xanthine-oxidase activity, a greater benefit of vitamin C on FDD was observed, ie, the portion of FDD inhibited by radicals correlated negatively with ecSOD (r =−0.71) but positively with xanthine-oxidase (r =0.75). Conclusions—These results demonstrate that both increased xanthine-oxidase and reduced ecSOD activity are closely associated with increased vascular oxidative stress in patients with CHF. This loss of vascular oxidative balance likely represents a novel mechanism contributing to endothelial dysfunction in CHF.
A bounce-averaged kinetic model of the ring current ion population

A bounce-averaged ring current kinetic model for arbitrary pitch angle, including losses due to charge exchange and Coulomb collisions along ion drift paths, is developed and solved numerically. Results from simplified model runs, intended to illustrate the effects of adiabatic drifts and collisional losses on the proton population, are presented. The processes of i) particle acceleration under the conditions of time-independent magnetospheric electric fields; ii) a predominant loss of particles with small pitch angles due to charge exchange; and iii) a buildup of a low-energy population caused by the Coulomb drag energy degradation, are discussed. The terrestrial ring current is associated with the motion of energetic charged particles, governed not only by the magnetospheric convection and corotation electric fields, but also by the gradient and curvature of the geomagnetic field. The trajectories of these particles have been studied during different magnetospheric conditions using adiabatic drift theory (e.g. Ejiri, 1978; Takahashi and Iyemori, 1989). Such investigations are very useful in order to explain not only the process of formation of the storm-time ring current, but also some features in the measured energy spectra of the ring current ion species like dips in different local time sectors (Mcllwain, 1972) and nose events (Ejiri et al., 1980). The local time variations of the ring current particle distributions caused by changes in the magnetospheric electric fields have also been modeled. Thus, tracing equatorially mirroring protons, Chen et al. (1994) found that convective transport has a predominant role for the storm-time enhancements in the phase space densities for energies between 30 - 160 keV at L=2.5 - 5. Kistler et al. ( 1989) and Fok et al. (1993) investigated the decay of the ring current in simple models of magnetic storms, considering drift paths of equatorially mirroring ions and different loss mechanisms along them. In this way, the former found that charge exchange is the most important loss process for the ring current population, while the latter demonstrated that Coulomb collisions between ring current ions and thermal plasma in the plasmasphere have also non negligible effects. In the present study we take these investigations further by considering nonequatorially mirroring particles. We solve the bounce-averaged kinetic equation for arbitrary pitch angle, including losses due to charge exchange and Coulomb drag. We
Asia Pacific science education in a knowledge society

Science education, since the end of the nineteenth century has been a formal vehicle to ensure the perpetuation of scientific knowledge necessary for general scientific literacy and the creation of a society of scientists. However, since then, beliefs about knowledge and knowing have changed from science being described as being just a pile of chronologically documented facts, through the dynamic growth of scientific knowledge as explained by Kuhn in his Structure of Scientific Revolutions, to the present twenty-first century concept of knowledge societies by which new scientific knowledge is being interpreted. Science education perspectives in relation to teacher education and pedagogies need to be frequently revisited. Indeed, many nations in the Asia-Pacific region are doing just that. How then is the teaching and learning of scientific knowledge in the region? This article will review and compare research related to science achievement, quality of science education and approaches to teaching science in the Asia-Pacific region in particular five nations, in an attempt to answer this question.
Conjunctival Lesions; a Histopathologic Review in Fars Province, Iran

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of various types of conjunctival lesions, at a tertiary ophthalmic center in Fars Province, South of Iran. Methods: Histopathologic slides and medical records of conjunctival lesions submitted to the pathology department of Khalili Hospital, Shiraz, Iran were reviewed from April, 2009 to July, 2013. The histopathologic diagnoses were categorized into benign, pre-malignant, and malignant lesions. The prevalence of various types of conjunctival lesions was calculated. Results: Histologic sections of 631 conjunctival lesions were reviewed. Benign lesions were most prevalent (81.8%), followed by premalignant (10.8%) and malignant (7.4%) lesions. Pterygia were the most common benign lesions (69.2%), intraepithelial dysplasia constituted most cases of premalignant lesions (94.1%), and squamous cell carcinoma was the most frequent malignant lesion (93.6%). Benign lesions were the most common type of lesions in all age groups, however the prevalence of malignant lesions increased significantly with age (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Benign lesions were the most common conjunctival lesions with pterygia on top of the list, while intraepithelial neoplasia and squamous cell carcinoma were the most common premalignant and malignant lesions, respectively. Conjunctival malignant lesions were more prevalent with older age.
EMAGE: a spatial database of gene expression patterns during mouse embryo development

EMAGE () is a freely available, curated database of gene expression patterns generated by in situ techniques in the developing mouse embryo. It is unique in that it contains standardized spatial representations of the sites of gene expression for each gene, denoted against a set of virtual reference embryo models. As such, the data can be interrogated in a novel and abstract manner by using space to define a query. Accompanying the spatial representations of gene expression patterns are text descriptions of the sites of expression, which also allows searching of the data by more conventional text-based methods.
Aphasia and return to work in younger stroke survivors

Background: Younger stroke patients (i.e., typically those between 18 and 65 years of age) experience fewer stokes than older patients. However, younger stroke survivors are more likely to live longer with disability, have dependants, and be engaged in full- or part-time employment. Aphasia post stroke occurs in 10% of younger survivors, and can significantly impact the ability to resume previous activities of daily living. Unfortunately traditional rehabilitation often does not account for language impairments that impact vocational status. Aims: This review reports the rate of successful return to work (RTW) for younger stroke survivors with aphasia. Aphasia is consistently regarded as a barrier to an individual's ability to RTW post stroke. However, the degree to which working-age stroke survivors with aphasia successfully RTW remains unknown. In addition, conflicting evidence has been found as to the predictive nature of communication impairments on RTW. Main Contribution: The primary outcome in which we were interested was the degree to which younger survivors with aphasia return to work. Secondary outcomes were the type of assessment used, the definition of work, and the age of the study sample. Nine studies were identified (aphasia N = 415, total N = 1612). The average rate of successful RTW for young survivors with aphasia was 28.4% compared to 44.7% for all young stroke survivors. Conclusions: Younger survivors with aphasia were less likely to RTW post stroke than those without aphasia. Strategies to reduce this disparity, such as specialised vocational rehabilitation, should be made available to this population.
Efeitos do reforçador empregado em história de reforço recente e remota

Twelve undergraduates in four groups responded by clicking on a button presented on a computer screen. Participants of Groups 1 and 3 were exposed to the sequence FR - DRL - FI and those of Groups 2 and 4 to the sequence DRL - FR - FI. Reinforcers were points exchanged by money (Groups 1 and 2) or points only (Groups 3 and 4). Effects of recent histories over FI performance were consistently observed when points were exchanged by money. DRL histories, recent or remote, affected subsequent performance especially when reinforcers were points only. Results suggest that the reinforcer that is used modulates history effects over FI performance and that its manipulation can clarify some discrepancies between human and non-human in schedules of reinforcement.
Improving Teacher Feedback During Active Learning

This study focuses on improving teacher feedback during active learning. Changing teachers’ behavior sustainably, however, is very difficult. Several conditions should be taken into account, and programs should build on teachers’ cognitions and practices. Effects of a specifically designed professional development program on 16 elementary schoolteachers’ knowledge, beliefs, perceived problems, and classroom behavior were examined via observations, a beliefs instrument, and a questionnaire prior to and twice after the program was implemented. Results show that several aspects of feedback during active learning were improved, both in the short and in the long term. It is concluded that the professional development of teachers can be effective and sustainable, if certain conditions are met.
Prospective examination of pregnant and nonpregnant women’s physical activity beliefs and behaviours

Objective: The purpose was to prospectively assess if the theory of planned behaviour guided physical activity (PA) beliefs and behaviours for pregnant compared to nonpregnant women. Background: Theoretically based prospective studies can advance our understanding and promotion of PA during each trimester of pregnancy. Methods: Participants (N = 81) completed self-report assessments of their PA beliefs and behaviours at Time 1 (first trimester/baseline), Time 2 (second trimester/3 months), and Time 3 (third trimester/6 months). Results: The elicited PA beliefs and behaviours varied by assessment time and group. For the PA beliefs, the nonpregnant women’s (n = 43) salient beliefs were consistent across time. For the pregnant women (n = 38) the beliefs varied across time, with pregnant-specific beliefs that differed by trimester. For example, nausea was a common PA disadvantage reported in the first trimester, compared to increased weight/size in the third trimester; whereas the nonpregnant women reported time as the main disadvantage across all three assessments. For PA behaviour, the nonpregnant women reported more moderate PA than the pregnant women across all three assessments; with the pregnant women’s moderate PA decreasing from the first, to the second, to the third trimester. Conclusion: Trimester-specific PA interventions are encouraged to increase and maintain PA during pregnancy.
Laforin and Malin Deletions in Mice Produce Similar Neurologic Impairments

Abstract Lafora disease is a progressive myoclonus epilepsy caused by mutations in the EPM2A gene encoding laforin or in the EPM2B gene encoding malin. It is characterized by the presence of polyglucosan intracellular inclusion bodies (Lafora bodies) in brain and other tissues. Targeted disruption of Epm2a or Epm2b genes in mice produced widespread neuronal degeneration and accumulation of Lafora bodies in neuronal and nonneuronal tissues. Here we analyzed the neurologic alterations produced by disruption of the laforin gene in Epm2a−/− mice and compared them to those in malin-deficient mice. Both Epm2a−/− and Epm2b−/− mice showed altered motor activity, impaired motor coordination, abnormal hind limb clasping, and episodic memory deficits. Epm2a−/− mice also had tonic-clonic seizures, whereas both Epm2a−/− and Epm2b−/− mice had spontaneous single spikes, spike-wave, polyspikes, and polyspike-wave complexes with correlated myoclonic jerks. Neurologic alterations observed in the mutants were comparable and correlated with the accumulation of abundant Lafora bodies in the cerebral cortex, the hippocampus, the basal ganglia, the cerebellum, and the brainstem, suggesting that these inclusions could cause cognitive and behavioral deterioration. Thus, both Epm2a−/− and Epm2b−/− mice exhibit many pathologic aspects seen in patients with Lafora disease and may be valuable for the study of this disorder.
Laparoscopic US-guided radiofrequency ablation of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma in liver cirrhosis: feasibility and clinical outcome.

BACKGROUND Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a safe, effective treatment in patients with unresectable primary liver malignancies. The laparoscopic approach to RFA (LRFA) has proved to be superior to the percutaneous approach in lesions that are difficult or impossible to be treated in such a way or in severe liver disease. Recent advances in laparoscopic ultrasound (LUS) have greatly improved the accuracy in detecting intrahepatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) nodules, many of which were missed by computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Our aim was to assess the feasibility, clinical outcome, and efficacy of laparoscopic RFA under LUS guidance. METHODS Between February 2006 and May 2007, 24 consecutive patients (male/female, 20/4) with unresectable HCC in liver cirrhosis were treated with LRFA under LUS guidance. Most patients were in Child-Pugh class A (54.1%). Mean age of the patients was 61.79 +/- 7.74 years (range, 45-76; median, 60). RESULTS LRFA procedure was completed in all patients and a thermoablation of 62 HCC nodules was achieved. LUS identified 13 new malignant lesions (20%) undetected by preoperative imaging. Mean length of surgery was 148 minutes (range, 60-315). Six procedures were associated in 5 patients: adhesiolysis (3), liver resection (1), partial splenectomy (1), and cholecystectomy (1). A pneumothorax needing immediate drainage during the procedure occurred in 1 case. One patient died 4 weeks after surgery because of liver failure. Mean hospital stay was 6.9 days and postoperative morbidity rate was 4 of 24 (16.6%). A complete tumor necrosis was observed in 56 of the 62 thermoablated nodules (90.3%) through spiral CT 1 month after treatment. CONCLUSIONS LRFA is a safe, feasible treatment modality to achieve tumor destruction in selected patients with unresectable HCC that are not treatable with the percutaneous approach. Further, LUS demonstrated great accuracy during the procedure permitting to detect new HCC nodules missed at preoperative imaging.
The Calibration of Situation Awareness and Confidence Within a Multinational Operational Net Assessment

Individuals from 5 countries participated in an experiment to examine the effect of an operational net assessment (ONA) multinational information sharing (MNIS) procedure on coalition conflict resolution within a hypothetical precrisis situation. This article reports the findings for the effect of an ONA MNIS on situation awareness (SA) and the calibration of SA and confidence. In general, the findings revealed that the ONA MNIS procedure used in this experiment facilitated shared SA among the coalition teams. Although the participants were generally well calibrated, there was a trend toward overconfidence in their SA responses. These findings are discussed within the context of current and future multinational coalition environments.
Amplification of local changes along the timescale processing hierarchy

Significance Changing a few words in a story can drastically alter the interpretation of the narrative. How does the brain amplify sparse changes in word selection to create a unique neural representation for each narrative? In our study, participants listened to one of two stories while being scanned using fMRI. The stories had an identical grammatical structure but varied in a small number of words, resulting in two distinct narratives. We found that differences in neural responses between the stories were amplified as story information was transferred from low-level regions (that are sensitive to the words’ acoustic features) to high-level regions (that accumulate and integrate information across sentences). Our results demonstrate how subtle differences can be accumulated and amplified along the cortical hierarchy. Small changes in word choice can lead to dramatically different interpretations of narratives. How does the brain accumulate and integrate such local changes to construct unique neural representations for different stories? In this study, we created two distinct narratives by changing only a few words in each sentence (e.g., “he” to “she” or “sobbing” to “laughing”) while preserving the grammatical structure across stories. We then measured changes in neural responses between the two stories. We found that differences in neural responses between the two stories gradually increased along the hierarchy of processing timescales. For areas with short integration windows, such as early auditory cortex, the differences in neural responses between the two stories were relatively small. In contrast, in areas with the longest integration windows at the top of the hierarchy, such as the precuneus, temporal parietal junction, and medial frontal cortices, there were large differences in neural responses between stories. Furthermore, this gradual increase in neural differences between the stories was highly correlated with an area’s ability to integrate information over time. Amplification of neural differences did not occur when changes in words did not alter the interpretation of the story (e.g., sobbing to “crying”). Our results demonstrate how subtle differences in words are gradually accumulated and amplified along the cortical hierarchy as the brain constructs a narrative over time.
Self-Adaptive Induction of Regression Trees

A new algorithm for incremental construction of binary regression trees is presented. This algorithm, called SAIRT, adapts the induced model when facing data streams involving unknown dynamics, like gradual and abrupt function drift, changes in certain regions of the function, noise, and virtual drift. It also handles both symbolic and numeric attributes. The proposed algorithm can automatically adapt its internal parameters and model structure to obtain new patterns, depending on the current dynamics of the data stream. SAIRT can monitor the usefulness of nodes and can forget examples from selected regions, storing the remaining ones in local windows associated to the leaves of the tree. On these conditions, current regression methods need a careful configuration depending on the dynamics of the problem. Experimentation suggests that the proposed algorithm obtains better results than current algorithms when dealing with data streams that involve changes with different speeds, noise levels, sampling distribution of examples, and partial or complete changes of the underlying function.
Audit committee gender differences and earnings management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether gender diversity of audit committees has a significant impact on the firm's earnings management.Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses a performance‐adjusted discretionary accrual model to examine the association between gender variables and the firm's earnings management. Regression analysis is applied using 320 firms from the S&P Small Cap 600.Findings – The authors find consistent evidence to show that the presence of a female director on the audit committee constrains earnings management by increasing negative (income‐decreasing) discretionary accruals.Research limitations/implications – Future research can explore the behavior of female managers by applying the gender theory. Furthermore, the paper's evidence has implications for regulators and policy makers, since the presence of a female director in the audit committee may affect management decisions and audit quality in a positive way. Therefore, gender diversity on the board sho.
A home-based intervention for attentional slips during reading following head injury ; A single case study

Abstract In the absence of evidence of generalisation of computer-based attention training effects to everyday life, a single-case, goal setting methodology employing simple materials was used to train a head-injured subject to reduce the frequency of attention slips during reading. The intervention was carried out at home from 9–13 months post-injury, before the subject attempted to return to work. Training initially led to his being able to read a novel for 5 minutes without a slip when there was no distraction. Further training against background noise led to a statistically significant reduction in frequency of attention slips while reading a technical text, a measure used throughout the study.