Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
“Unlock Paradise with your own Blood”: Martyrdom and Salvation in Islam and Christianity

‘Unlock Paradise with your own Blood’: Martyrdom and Salvation in Islam and Christianity Paul Middleton There was none other good enough To pay the price of sin; He only could unlock the gate Of heaven and let us in. (Cecil F. Alexander ‘There is a Green Hill far away’, 1847) If you have to lay down your life for God.it is not in gentle fevers and on soft beds, but in the sharp pains of martyrdom. You must take up the cross and bear it after your Master, as he himself instructed you. The sole key to unlock Paradise is your own life’s blood. (Tertullian, On the Soul, 55)
Influencia del aula invertida en el rendimiento académico. Una revisión sistemática

El metodo flipped classroom o en su traduccion, aula invertida, se alza como una de las metodologias docentes con gran proyeccion para su implementacion en la etapa de educacion superior. Este metodo basado en las Tecnologias de la Informacion y Comunicacion permite el aprendizaje activo del estudiantado. Ante su auge, cabe cuestionarnos que tipo de influencia presenta en el aprendizaje de los estudiantes. Por lo que en este trabajo se propuso como objetivo analizar la produccion cientifica sobre aula invertida para comprobar su efecto en el rendimiento academico. Asi pues, se ha empleado una metodologia de revision sistematica de la literatura. Se determinaron siete variables de analisis con influencia en el constructo principal rendimiento academico, entre ellas: tamano muestral, materia de estudio, pais, diseno metodologico, instrumento de recogida de datos, duracion de los estudios y resultados de las investigaciones. Entre los resultados obtenidos destaca la variabilidad de ambitos de conocimiento, el empleo del diseno cuasiexperimental con grupo control y experimental y medidas pretest y postest y el test como instrumento de recogida de datos. Ademas, la mayor parte de los estudios indican un aumento del rendimiento academico en los grupos donde se implementa el aula invertida frente a los que siguen un metodo tradicional. Finalmente, el trabajo presenta un marco optimista para la implementacion del aula invertida, ya que se verifican distintos beneficios en el aprendizaje de los estudiantes.
Soluble mesothelin-related peptides in the diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma.

BACKGROUND Diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma is a challenging issue. Potential markers in mesothelioma diagnosis include soluble mesothelin-related peptides (SMRPs) and osteopontin, but no subsequent validation has been published yet. METHODS We prospectively evaluated SMRPs in serum and pleural effusion from patients with mesothelioma (n = 74), pleural metastasis of carcinomas (n = 35), or benign pleural lesions associated with asbestos exposure (n = 28), recruited when first suspected for mesothelioma. FINDINGS Mean serum SMRP level was higher in patients with mesothelioma (2.05 +/- 2.57 nM/L [median +/- interquartile range]) than in patients with metastasis (1.02 +/- 1.79 nM/L) or benign lesions (0.55 +/- 0.59 nM/L). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for serum SMRP was 0.872 for differentiating mesothelioma and benign lesions, cut-off = 0.93 nM/L (sensitivity = 80%, specificity = 82.6%). The AUC for serum SMRP differentiating metastasis and mesothelioma was 0.693, cut-off = 1.85 nM/L (sensitivity = 58.3%, specificity = 73.3%). SMRP values in pleural fluid were higher than in serum in all groups (mesothelioma: 46.1 +/- 83.2 nM/L; benign lesions: 6.4 +/- 11.1 nM/L; metastasis: 6.36 +/- 21.73 nM/L). The AUC for pleural SMRP-differentiating benign lesions and mesothelioma was 0.831, cut-off = 10.4 nM/L (sensitivity = 76.7%, specificity = 76.2%). The AUC for pleural SMRP-differentiating metastasis and mesothelioma was 0.793. INTERPRETATION We show that SMRPs may be a promising marker for mesothelioma diagnosis when measured either in serum or pleural fluid. The diagnostic value of SMRPs was similar in both types of samples, but pleural fluid SMRPs may better discriminate mesothelioma from pleural metastasis.
THE PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF AN AQUEOUS EXTRACT FROM SMILAX EXCELSA L. AGAINST CARBON TETRACHLORIDE-INDUCED LIVER INJURY IN RATS

Background: Because reactive oxygen species (ros) contribute to the pathogenesis of various acute and chronic liver diseases, dietary antioxidants and drugs from herbal origins have been proved to be beneficial as therapeutic agents in reversing hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress. The objective of this study was to investigate the protective effect of an aqueous extract from smilax excelsa l. Shoots and leaves against acute ccl4-induced liver injury as well as the changes in antioxidative defense system in female wistar albino rats. Materials and Methods: S. Excelsa extract was administered orally in doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight, once daily for 9 days. Acute hepatic toxicity was induced by intraperitoneal injection of ccl4 (1 ml/kg) on the 10th day. 24 h after ccl4 intoxication, biochemical and histopathological analyses were undertaken on sera and liver tissues. Results: Ccl4 challenge caused significant increases in the activities of liver enzymes as well as the levels of bilirubin, malondialdehyde and nitric oxide, while total serum protein levels and antioxidant defense system parameters were reduced significantly compared to the normal group. Administration of s. Excelsa extract at a dose of 400 mg/kg resulted in a suppression of ccl4-induced lipid peroxidation and altered oxidative stress parameters to nearly normal values in comparison to ccl4-treated rats. Nevertheless the extract did not reduce the extent of ccl4-induced mild liver injury, as seen by the histopathology of liver damage. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that s. Excelsa could protect the liver tissues against ccl4-induced oxidative stress probably by increasing antioxidative defense activities.
BLOOD PARASITES OF SOME JAMAICAN BIRDS

The prevalence of avian hematozoa in 1791 birds of 80 species and 22 families from Jamaica was determined. Species of Haemoproteus were the most common hematozoan encountered. Species of Leucocytozoon were diagnosed only in three over-wintering North American migrants and the genus was absent in native Jamaican birds. The low prevalence of infection (7.4%) of blood parasites in Jamaican birds was closely similar to that seen in Neotropical birds and far below that noted for the Nearctic avifauna of the same families. Prevalence in adult and young birds was virtually identical; transmission occurred primarily during the period February-April.
Analysis of Drug Interactions Involving Fruit Beverages and Organic Anion‐Transporting Polypeptides

Recently there has been speculation regarding prescription drug interactions with fruit beverages through inhibition of drug uptake transport by organic anion transporter polypeptides (OATPs). A review of clinical trials indicates that grapefruit juice (GFJ), orange juice (OJ), and apple juice can reduce oral bioavailability of fexofenadine, potentially reducing pharmacodynamic effects of fexofenadine. However, the clinical importance of the interaction is not clearly established. The effect is diminished by temporal separation of fruit juice and fexofenadine administration. GFJ and OJ substantially reduce oral bioavailability of celiprolol, a beta‐blocker not available in the United States. Beyond these two examples, other meaningful drug interactions with fruit beverages via OATP inhibition are not established at the present time.
Quality of life for children and disabled children based on health as a resource concept.

Disease "clustering" Although there has been no formal correspondence for publication, a paper in the last number excited some controversy. It related to "clustering" of illnesses, and this number has several other papers in this general area although with different hypotheses and different illnesses. We do not believe that discerning readers will be disturbed by the airing of important problems even though the methods may be difficult and even arguable. Coronary heart disease This remains a constant theme, including studies of and recommendations about diet dietary fat in particular. Maintaining a European and worldwide perspective will no doubt help in extending our understanding of the public health implications of research in this area.
Linking bacterial diversity and geochemistry of uranium-contaminated groundwater

To understand the link between bacterial diversity and geochemistry in uranium-contaminated groundwater, microbial communities were assessed based on clone libraries of 16S rDNA genes from the USDOE Oak Ridge Field Research Centre (FRC) site. Four groundwater wells (GW835, GW836, FW113-47 and FW215-49) with a wide range of pH (3 to 7), nitrate (44 to 23,400 mg L−1), uranium (0.73 to 60.36 mg L−1) and other metal contamination, were investigated. Results indicated that bacterial diversity correlated with the geochemistry of the groundwater. Microbial diversity decreased in relation to the contamination levels of the wells. The highly contaminated well (FW113-47) had lower gene diversity than less contaminated wells (FW215-49, GW835 and GW836). The high concentrations of contaminants present in well FW113-47 stimulated the growth of organisms capable of reducing uranium (Shewanella and Pseudomonas), nitrate (Pseudomonas, Rhodanobacter and Xanthomonas) and iron (Stenotrophomonas), and which were unique to this well. The clone libraries consisted primarily of sequences closely related to the phylum Proteobacteria, with FW-113-47 almost exclusively containing this phylum. Metal-reducing bacteria were present in all four wells, which may suggest that there is potential for successful bioremediation of the groundwater at the Oak Ridge FRC. The microbial community information gained from this study and previous studies at the site can be used to develop predictive multivariate and geographical information system (GIS) based models for microbial populations at the Oak Ridge FRC. This will allow for a better understanding of what organisms are likely to occur where and when, based on geochemistry, and how these organisms relate to bioremediation processes at the site.
Les propriétés antiapoptotiques et antiautophagiques du Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide assurent une protection neuronale dans des modèles in vitro et in vivo de la maladie de Parkinson

La maladie de Parkinson (MP) est caracterisee par la degenerescence des neurones dopaminergiques du mesencephale. Elle est notamment causee par des evenements deleteres tels le stress oxydatif et la neuro-inflammation, et ceux-ci menent a la destruction des neurones par divers types de mort cellulaire. Dans ce contexte, le Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-activating Polypeptide (PACAP), avec ses proprietes antiapoptotiques, anti-inflammatoires et antioxydantes et son aptitude a traverser la barriere hemoencephalique (BHE), est capable d’exercer une puissante activite neuroprotectrice dans divers modeles de la MP. Par consequent, cette molecule est prometteuse pour le developpement d’une therapie medicamenteuse. Toutefois, ses profils pharmacologiques (actions non selectives) et pharmacocinetiques (faible stabilite metabolique) limitent son utilisation clinique. Ainsi, dans une perspective de mise au point d’une approche therapeutique, nous avons concu l’Ac-[Phe(pI)6, Nle17]PACAP(1-27), un analogue du PACAP possedant des profils pharmacologiques et metaboliques ameliores, et avons teste son effet sur des modeles in vitro et in vivo de la MP. In vitro (neuroblastomes humains SH-SY5Y), l’analogue stimule efficacement la production d'AMPc et reduit l’alteration de l’activite mitochondriale provoquee par un agent neurotoxique (MPP+; 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium). In vivo (souris traitees avec le 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine, un precurseur metabolique du MPP+), le PACAP et son derive synthetique restaurent l’expression de la tyrosine hydoxylase dans la substance noire et modulent la reponse inflammatoire. Bien que des baisses de la pression arterielle soient observees avec les deux peptides, l'intensite de la chute ainsi que sa duree sont significativement moins elevees avec l'analogue. Nos caracterisations biologiques ont donc montre que la mort neuronale causee par l’agent neurotoxique est considerablement attenuee par l’analogue peptidique. Elles ont egalement etabli que cet effet est peut-etre lie a une activite antiapoptotique soutenue. Dans un deuxieme temps, nous avons explore l’effet du PACAP sur le processus autophagique observe dans ces memes modeles de la MP. Nous avons ainsi demontre que le PACAP reduit significativement l’activite autophagique, comme evaluee par la production du complexe LC3-II, le retablissement des niveaux proteiques de la p62, et la diminution de la formation des vacuoles autophagiques. La capacite du PACAP a inhiber l'autophagie a egalementete observee in vitro, et ce, en inhibant l'activite de p62 induite par la rapamycine, uninducteur de l'autophagie. Ainsi, nos travaux ont conduit a la description d’une molecule derivee du PACAP, metaboliquement stable, qui s’avere aussi puissante que le peptide natif au niveau de la neuroprotection. Ils ont aussi revele que le PACAP possede des proprietes antiautophagiques dans des modeles de la MP.
Cathelicidin-WA Improves Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Function and Enhances Host Defense against Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 Infection

Impaired epithelial barrier function disrupts immune homeostasis and increases inflammation in intestines, leading to many intestinal diseases. Cathelicidin peptides suppress intestinal inflammation and improve intestinal epithelial barrier function independently of their antimicrobial activity. In this study, we investigated the effects of Cathelicidin-WA (CWA) on intestinal epithelial barrier function, as well as the underlying mechanism, by using enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC)–infected mice and intestinal epithelial cells. The results showed that CWA attenuated EHEC-induced clinical symptoms and intestinal colitis, as did enrofloxacin (Enro). CWA decreased IL-6 production in the serum, jejunum, and colon of EHEC-infected mice. Additionally, CWA alleviated the EHEC-induced disruption of mucin-2 and goblet cells in the intestine. Interestingly, CWA increased the mucus layer thickness, which was associated with increasing expression of trefoil factor 3, in the jejunum of EHEC-infected mice. CWA increased the expression of tight junction proteins in the jejunum of EHEC-infected mice. Using intestinal epithelial cells and a Rac1 inhibitor in vitro, we demonstrated that the CWA-mediated increases in the tight junction proteins might depend on the Rac1 pathway. Furthermore, CWA improved the microbiota and short-chain fatty acid concentrations in the cecum of EHEC-infected mice. Although Enro and CWA had similar effects on intestinal inflammation, CWA was superior to Enro with regard to improving intestinal epithelial barrier and microbiota in the intestine. In conclusion, CWA attenuated EHEC-induced inflammation, intestinal epithelial barrier damage, and microbiota disruption in the intestine of mice, suggesting that CWA may be an effective therapy for many intestinal diseases.
Control of molting in mandibulate and chelicerate arthropods by ecdysones.

1. The ability of ecdysones to induce molting in arthropods other than insects was examined in representatives of both the mandibulate and chelicerate subphyla.2. All five ecdysones tested caused molting in the fresh-water crayfish, Procambarus. Their relative activities were: ecdysterone > inokosterone > α ecdysone > ponasterone A > cyasterone. Doses as low as 3 µg/g of ecdysterone caused 100% of all test crayfish to undergo apolysis and secrete a new cuticle within 14 days after injection, but only in a few cases did the animals shed their old cuticles spontaneously after experimental treatment. At higher doses the new cuticle was thinner than normal and had abnormal bristles. The stimulation of molting was specific for ecdysones and was not copied by a variety of ecdysone analogues or other steroids.3. Histological and autoradiographic studies revealed that ecdysterone at the levels used in these experiments caused molting in crayfish without DNA replication.4. Ecdysterone also caused molting in the ma.
The WiggleZ Dark Energy Survey: mapping the distance-redshift relation with baryon acoustic oscillations

We present measurements of the baryon acoustic peak at redshifts z = 0.44, 0.6 and 0.73 in the galaxy correlation function of the final dataset of the WiggleZ Dark Energy Survey. We combine our correlation function with lower-redshift measurements from the 6-degree Field Galaxy Survey and Sloan Digital Sky Survey, producing a stacked survey correlation function in which the statistical significance of the detection of the baryon acoustic peak is 4.9-σ relative to a zero-baryon model with no peak. We fit cosmological models to this combined baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) dataset comprising six distance-redshift data points, and compare the results to similar fits to the latest compilation of supernovae (SNe) and Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) data. The BAO and SNe datasets produce consistent measurements of the equation-ofstate w of dark energy, when separately combined with the CMB, providing a powerful check for systematic errors in either of these distance probes. Combining all datasets we determine w = 1.03 ± 0.08 for a flat Universe, consistent with a cosmological constant model. Assuming dark energy is a cosmological constant and varying the spatial curvature, we find k = 0.004± 0.006.
Explaining vowel systems: dispersion theory vs natural selection

Abstract We argue that the cross-linguistic distribution of vowel systems is best accounted for by grammar-external forces of learnability operating in tandem with cognitive constraints on phonological computation, as argued for other phonological phenomena by Blevins (2004). On this view, the range of possible vowel systems is constrained only by what is computable and learnable; the range of attested vowel systems is a subset of this, constrained by relative learnability (Hale and Reiss 2000a, Hale and Reiss 2000b; Newmeyer 2005). A system that is easier to learn (e.g., one whose members are more dispersed in perceptual space) is predicted by our model to become more common cross-linguistically over evolutionary time than its less learnable competitors. This analysis efficiently accounts for both the typological patterns found in vowel systems and the existence of a non-trivial number of “unnatural” systems in the world’s languages. We compare this model with the leading forms of Dispersion Theory (notably Flemming’s (1995) implementation in Optimality Theory), which seek to explain sound patterns in terms of interaction between conflicting functional constraints on maximization of perceptual contrast and minimization of articulatory effort. Dispersion Theory is shown to be unable to generate the attested range of vowel systems or predict their interesting properties, such as the centralization typically found in two-vowel systems and the quality of epenthetic segments.
Hypermutable Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Cystic Fibrosis Patients from Two Brazilian Cities

ABSTRACT Hypermutable (HPM) strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa have been found at high frequencies in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients in Europe. We report the results of testing for HPM frequencies, mutator genotype, and antimicrobial resistance of P. aeruginosa strains from Brazilian CF patients. A modified disk diffusion technique was used to quantify antibiotic-resistant subpopulations of an isolate, and estimations of the frequency of mutation to rifampin resistance were determined for 705 isolates from 149 patients attending clinics in two Brazilian cities. Mutations in the mutS gene were detected by sequencing assays. We found 194 (27.5%) HPM isolates in samples from 99 (66.4%) patients. Thirty-five HPM isolates (18.0%) from 31 (31.3%) patients exhibited a high increased spontaneous mutation rate compared with controls, and eight isolates from six patients displayed a defective mutS gene. The dominant HPM population was associated with very low antibiotic resistance levels, while HPM subpopulations were generally more resistant to antimicrobials. A relatively high prevalence of HPM P. aeruginosa in CF patients was associated with surprisingly low antibiotic resistance levels, in contrast to some earlier studies.
The performance of simple error control protocols under correlated packet losses

A study is made of the effect of correlated packet losses for some simple automatic repeat request (ARQ) protocols: go-back- infinity , and Blast. The packet losses are modeled by a two state Markov chain and it is assumed that the round trip delay is random. Expressions are derived for the z-transform and the first and second moments of the time ( tau ), taken to successfully transmit N packets for go-back- infinity and variations of the Blast protocol. For go-back- infinity , bounds are derived for E( tau ), and it is shown that for a fixed mean round trip delay, E( tau ) is minimized when the distribution of the round trip delay is such that its variance is minimized. Some of the protocols investigated show a significant improvement in performance when packet losses occur in bursts. The authors propose and analyze a variation of the Blast protocol which seems particularly suited to bursty packet loss situations. <<ETX>>
Linking Perceived Quality and Customer Satisfaction to Store Traffic and Revenue Growth

Effects of perceived merchandise and service quality, relative to competition, on retail store performance are investigated using store traffic and revenue growth as outcome variables. A model is proposed and tested using aggregate customer data and store performance outcomes from a group of stores owned by a national retail organization. Results suggest that both service and merchandise quality exert significant influence on store performance, measured by sales growth and customer growth, and their impact is mediated by customer satisfaction. Implications of the results and future research directions are discussed.
Incorporation of MAL, an integral protein element of the machinery for the glycolipid and cholesterol-mediated apical pathway of transport, into artificial membranes requires neither of these lipid species.

The MAL proteolipid, an integral membrane protein with selective residence in glycolipid- and cholesterol-enriched membrane (GEM) microdomains, has recently been identified as being an element of the integral protein machinery necessary for apical transport in MDCK cells. With the use of a recombinant baculovirus, we have expressed and purified polyhistidine-tagged MAL to determine whether MAL has special lipid requirements for becoming incorporated into membranes. In contrast with caveolin-1, a component of GEMs that requires cholesterol for its integration into artificial membranes, MAL incorporation took place with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine as the only lipid component. The presence of cholesterol, sphingomyelin, or galactocerebrosides did not affect the efficiency of this process. These results indicated that MAL is compatible with membranes containing either only phospholipids or also glycolipids and cholesterol and are consistent with the reported requirement of a sorting event for the specific targeting of MAL to GEM microdomains.