Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Completely Polyherbal Conditioning and Antioxidant Shampoo: A Phytochemical Study and Pharmaceutical Evaluation

Aim: A recent approach in shampoo research has been to find a natural alternative for synthetic detergents that have deteriorative effects on hair follicles. This study aimed at the formulation of a completely herbal shampoo containing a natural foaming agent, in addition to having conditioning, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects. Material and Methods: The leaves of Salix babylonica L. , Ziziphus spina-christi L. (Willd), and Glycyrrhiza glabra rhizomes were extracted with 70% methanol then quantified for their phenolic and flavonoid contents using colorimetric assays that were qualitatively identified by Ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) with tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS). The mineral content was also estimated. The radical scavenging activity was estimated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-Picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was determined. Additionally, the antimicrobial activity was tested using agar diffusion assay and compared to vancomycin and ketoconazole. Four formulations, consisting of the different plant extracts and a combination of the extracts, were prepared and evaluated for several physicochemical properties. The best formula was evaluated for its conditioning effects using scanning electron microscope and blind touch tests by asking volunteers for grading the formulations. Results and Discussion: UPLC-MS-MS analysis of S. babylonica and Z. spina-christi allowed tentative identification of 12 phytoconstituents in each. Z. spina-christi showed the highest phenolic content and a high copper, zinc, and manganese content beside the best antioxidant activity, whereas G. glabra had a high potency against Bacillus cereus and Candida albicans. The polyherbal shampoo formulation (F4) was selected as an optimized formulation because of a high foam stability after 4 min, low wetting time (2 s), surface tension reduction, and comparable results for percent solid content. F4 showed good conditioning effect and consumer contentment. Conclusion: The formulated polyherbal shampoo is chemical free, extra-nourishing shampoo with excellent conditioning, cleansing, and antimicrobial effects.
Adverse social circumstances and depression in people of Pakistani origin in the UK

Background The social origins of depression in people of Pakistani origin in the UK are not fully understood; they may not be the same as for the indigenous White population. Method Patients attending a GP's surgery were screened with the Personal Health Questionnaire to detect depressive illness, which was confirmed using the Psychiatric Assessment Schedule; the estimated prevalence of major depression was 42%. Forty-four people with depression and 33 non-depressed comparison subjects were successfully interviewed using the Life Event and Difficulty Schedule, either in Urdu or English. Results Seventy-five per cent of the sample were Pakistani born; 57% of cases and 33% of non-cases spoke English with difficulty. Seventy-five per cent of the cases and 36% of the non-cases had experienced an independent severe event and/or a major difficulty (P=0.0015). Difficulties associated with depression were most commonly in the marital, health and housing categories; overt racial harassment and discrimination were rare. Conclusions This is a preliminary study because of the small sample of GP attenders. The somatic presentation of depression in this population is clear. Acceptable forms of social support and help with marital, housing and employment problems will be needed to help relieve the depression in this population.
Assessment of trabecular structure using high resolution CT images and texture analysis.

PURPOSE Our goal was to use high resolution (HR) CT images combined with texture analysis to investigate the trabecular structure of human vertebral specimens and to compare these techniques with bone mineral density (BMD) in the prediction of bone strength. METHOD HR CT images with a slice thickness of 1 mm were obtained of 28 bone cubes. Four different groups of texture analysis techniques were used to assess these images. In addition, quantitative CT (QCT) was performed and elastic modulus (EM) was determined biomechanically. RESULTS R2 between EM and BMD was 0.78 (p < 0.01). R2 values for EM versus most of the texture measures were also significant. Texture measures in addition to measures of BMD in a multivariate regression model significantly increased R2 up to 0.87. CONCLUSION In an experimental setting, texture parameters calculated using HR CT images correlated significantly with EM. Combining texture measures with BMD improved the prediction of EM significantly.
Periodically Collapsing Bubbles in the Asian Emerging Stock Markets

This paper investigates empirically the existence of periodically collapsing bubbles in the Asian emerging stock markets using the Enders-Siklos (2001) momentum threshold autoregressive model. As explained in Bohl (2003), this non-linear time series technique can be used to analyze bubble driven run-ups in stock prices followed by a crash in a non-cointegration framework with asymmetric adjustment. This technique offers a more potent insight in the stock prices behavior than can possibly be obtained using conventional non-cointegration tests. The empirical findings for 10 Asian emerging stock markets from 1993 to 2005 refute the bubble hypothesis.
Hereditary kidney cancer

Kidney cancer is not a single disease; it is comprised of several different types of cancer, each with a different histology, with a different clinical course, caused by a different gene, and responding differently to therapy. The VHL gene is the gene for the hereditary cancer syndrome, von Hippel‐Lindau, as well as for the common form of sporadic, noninherited, clear cell kidney cancer. Understanding the VHL‐hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) pathway has provided the foundation for the development of several agents targeting this pathway, such as sunitinib, sorafenib, and temsirolimus. Hereditary papillary renal carcinoma (HPRC) is a hereditary renal cancer syndrome in which affected individuals are at risk for the development of bilateral, multifocal, type 1 papillary renal cell carcinoma. The genetic defect underlying HPRC is MET, the cell surface receptor for hepatocyte growth factor. Mutations of MET also have been identified in a subset of tumors from patients with sporadic type 1 papillary renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Clinical trials targeting the MET pathway are currently underway in patients with HPRC and in patients with sporadic (nonhereditary) papillary kidney cancer. The BHD gene (also known as folliculin or FLCN) is the gene for Birt‐Hogg‐Dube syndrome, an autosomal‐dominant genodermatosis associated with a hereditary form of chromophobe and oncocytic, hybrid RCC. Preclinical studies are underway targeting the BHD gene pathway in preparation for clinical trials in Birt‐Hogg‐Dube and sporadic chromophobe RCC. Patients with hereditary leiomyomatosis RCC (HLRCC) are at risk for developing cutaneous and uterine leiomyomas and a very aggressive type of RCC. HLRCC is characterized by germline mutation of the Krebs cycle enzyme, fumarate hydratase (FH). Studies of the tricarboxylic acid cycle and the VHL‐HIF pathways have provided the foundation for therapeutic approaches in patients with HLRCC‐associated kidney cancer as well as other hereditary and sporadic forms of RCC. Cancer 2009;115(10 suppl):2252‐61. Published 2009 by the American Cancer Society.
Mineral Metabolism and Mortality in Dialysis Patients: A Reassessment of the K/DOQI Guideline

Background: Several studies found associations between higher plasma calcium and phosphorus and mortality in dialysis patients. However, different predefined categories and reference values were applied and the precise shape of these relationships remains unclear. Methods: We evaluated 1,621 patients from NECOSAD, a prospective multicenter cohort study of incident dialysis patients (60 ± 15 years, 61% male, 64% hemodialysis). We used multivariate Cox regression and restricted cubic spline regression to study the effects of time-updated plasma concentrations on mortality in a flexible manner. Results: 486 patients (30%) died during follow-up. Elevated phosphorus concentration was associated with higher mortality (p = 0.0009). The association of high calcium with mortality was borderline significant (p = 0.07). Within the studied ranges, we could not identify a threshold where an appreciable change in mortality risk occurred. Conclusions: Mortality risk started to increase at a relatively low phosphorus concentration (4.5 mg/dl). Low-normal calcium combined with low-normal phosphorus concentration was associated with the lowest mortality.
The Use Of The Money In The Deposits Banking. Some Questions Of Roman Law Within The Framework Of The Present Financial Crisis

The use of the deposited money has become a practice generalized in the present bank although it finds its origin in the Middle Age. The necessity to maintain a required cash reserve of the 100% or on the contrary, with fractional reserve, continues nowadays being discussed by economists and jurists mainly in circumstances of financial crisis in which, after putting in circulation high amount of money, the cyclical retraction has taken place. In Rome, that also knew this kind of crisis, the money deposits were recognized; in them, the faculty of use derived from the own delivery of the simply counted money that it determined the transfer of ownership of it to the depositary. Nevertheless, the obligation of the depositary to give back the thing in the moment when it was required by the depositor, served as a barrier to the possibility of an effective use of this amount for the own business of the depositary.
Effects of stimulus intensity on signals from human somatosensory cortices

WE recorded somatosensory evoked magnetic fields (SEFs) to left median nerve electric stimulation from seven healthy subjects. The stimulus intensity was varied in three sessions: sensory stimuli evoked a clear tactile sensation without any movement, weak motor stimuli exceeded the motor threshold, and strong motor stimuli caused a vigorous movement. Responses were modelled with sources in the contralateral primary somatosensory cortex (SI), the contralateral and ipsilateral secondary somatosensory cortices (SIIs) and the contralateral posterior parietal cortex (PPC). The amplitude of the 20 ms response from the SI cortex and the subjective magnitude estimations followed the stimulus intensity whereas signals from the three other areas saturated already at the level of the motor threshold. The results implicate differential roles for various somatosensory cortices in intensity coding.
Lipid and lipoprotein levels in premenopausal systemic lupus erythematosus patients

The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of dyslipoproteinemia and to analyze the clinical variables that are associated with it in a sample of premenopausal systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. We studied 53 premenopausal (34.5 y) SLE outpatients and 45 controls. Clinical variables studied included patient age, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), age at disease onset, disease duration, clinical activity of SLE, renal involvement and drug therapy. Total cholesterol (TC), high-and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C and LDL-C), and triglycerides were measured using standard enzymatic techniques. Apolipoproteins (apo) A-I and B were determined by radial immunodiffusion. Twenty-nine patients (55%) and 14 controls (30%) had dyslipoproteinemia. An increase in TC, triglycerides, HDL3-C, apo A-I and apo B, and a decrease in HDL2-C and HDL-C/TC index was found in SLE patients in comparison with controls. TC (P ‘ 0.007), apo B (P ‘ 0.02), LDL-C (P ‘ 0.03) and triglycerides (P ‘ 0.0001) were significantly correlated with proteinuria. Patients on prednisone therapy had higher triglycerides levels (P ‘ 0.03) than untreated patients. TC (P ‘ 0.01), LDL-C (P ‘ 0.006) and triglycerides (P ‘ 0.04) were also correlated with the dose of prednisone. Dyslipoproteinemia is a common feature in adult SLE premenopausal patients which is characterized by an increase in TC, triglycerides and apo B, and an abnormal distribution of HDL subclasses. Corticosteroid therapy and proteinuria are the best predictors of dyslipoproteinemia in these patients.
A family of single-phase hybrid step-down PFC converters

The conventional Boost PFC usually suffers from high output voltage and low efficiency at low input condition. Recently, the Buck PFC has attracted a lot of research interests for its low output voltage and high efficiency at low input condition. However, the conventional Buck PFC converter usually has low power factor (PF) and poor harmonic performance due to the inherent dead angle of the input current, especially at low input condition. How to achieve high power factor, low output voltage and high efficiency at the same time is still a big challenge for the PFC converters. This paper proposes a family of hybrid PFC converter topologies combine the advantages of Boost PFC and Buck PFC converters, which feature low output voltage and continuous input current (high PF). The derivation methodology is presented. The experimental results verify the advantages of the proposed topologies.
Relationship of glycaemia and triglycerides with BMI in diabetic patients.

BACKGROUND Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterised by chronic hyperglycaemia with disturbances in carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism arising from defect in insulin secretion or action or both. The clinical guidelines recommend measurement of BMI as "vital signs" for evaluating the obese and diabetic patients. METHODS This study was carried out on 160 diabetics, which were divided on the basis of BMI into obese (120) and non-obese (40) diabetics from Peshawar district. All patients had their triglycerides and glucose checked after over night fast. RESULTS The serum triglyceride in diabetics having BMI >30 (obese) was increased as compared to patients having BMI <30 (non-obese). The comparison of serum glucose level in obese diabetics was found to be significantly raised as compared to non-obese diabetics. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS It was concluded that dyslipidemia is common in all diabetics. The abnormal triglyceride level can improve with good glycaemic control, but do not reach the normal state. Good glycaemic control, Reducing BMI, periodic checkups of lipids and blood glucose are recommended for all diabetics in order to avoid complications.
An Aloe Vera-Based Cosmeceutical Cream Delays and Mitigates Ionizing Radiation-Induced Dermatitis in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing Curative Radiotherapy: A Clinical Study

Background: This study was planned to evaluate the efficacy of topical application of an Aloe vera-based cream (AVC) for the prevention of ionizing radiation (X ray)-induced dermatitis in head and neck cancer patients requiring therapeutic radiation treatment (>62 Gy). Methods: From July 2012 to December 2012, a total of 60 head and neck cancer patients requiring curative radiotherapy (RT) of more than 66 Gy were prospectively enrolled and treated with AVC or a comparator Johnson’s Baby Oil (JBO). Acute skin reaction was monitored and classified according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) four-point rating scale on a weekly basis. Results: The results indicate that there was a statistically significant delay in the incidence (p = 0.04) of dermatitis at week three in the AVC application group. Application of AVC reduced the incidence of Grade 1, 2, and 3 dermatitis at subsequent time points, while Grade 4 dermatitis was not seen in either cohort. The other most important observation was that the continued application of AVC two weeks after the completion of RT was effective in reducing the average grade of dermatitis and was statistically significant (p < 0.02). Conclusions: Prophylactic use of an AVC-based cream is thus effective in delaying radiation dermatitis in head and neck cancer.
A planning theory perspective on the EIA

This paper is an extensive comment on five Nordic EIA studies from the perspective of planning theory. It is shown how issues raised and problems encountered in several of these studies relate to current debates in the international planning literature. The themes receiving most attention are the different functions of the EIA process as deliberative democracy and technocratic prediction of effects, EIA as managing uncertainty and locational conflict, EIA as a vehicle for public involvement, communicative distortions in impact assessment, the use and misuse of EIA results, and the relationship between EIA problems and organisational design.
Contributions of Matrix and Large Protein Genes of the Measles Virus Edmonston Strain to Growth in Cultured Cells as Revealed by Recombinant Viruses

ABSTRACT The Edmonston strain of measles virus (MV) was obtained by sequential passages of the original isolate in various cultured cells. Although attenuated in vivo, it grows efficiently in most primate cell lines. Previous studies have revealed that MV tropism cannot be solely explained by the use of CD150 and/or CD46 as a cellular receptor. In order to evaluate the contributions of individual genes of the Edmonston strain to growth in cultured cells, we generated a series of recombinant viruses in which part of the genome of the clinical isolate IC-B (which uses CD150 as a receptor) was replaced with the corresponding sequences of the Edmonston strain. The recombinant virus possessing the Edmonston hemagglutinin (H) gene (encoding the receptor-binding protein) grew as efficiently in Vero cells as the Edmonston strain. Those viruses having either the matrix (M) or large (L) protein gene from the Edmonston strain could also replicate well in Vero cells, although they entered them at low efficiencies. P64S and E89K substitutions were responsible for the ability of the M protein to make virus grow efficiently in Vero cells, while the first half of the Edmonston L gene was important for better replication. Despite efficient growth in Vero cells, the recombinant viruses with these mutations had growth disadvantage in CD150-positive lymphoid B95a cells. Thus, not only the H gene but also the M and L genes contribute to efficient replication of the Edmonston strain in some cultured cells.
Multi‐state Markov models for disease progression in the presence of informative examination times: An application to hepatitis C

In many chronic diseases it is important to understand the rate at which patients progress from infection through a series of defined disease states to a clinical outcome, e.g. cirrhosis in hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐infected individuals or AIDS in HIV‐infected individuals. Typically data are obtained from longitudinal studies, which often are observational in nature, and where disease state is observed only at selected examinations throughout follow‐up. Transition times between disease states are therefore interval censored. Multi‐state Markov models are commonly used to analyze such data, but rely on the assumption that the examination times are non‐informative, and hence the examination process is ignorable in a likelihood‐based analysis. In this paper we develop a Markov model that relaxes this assumption through the premise that the examination process is ignorable only after conditioning on a more regularly observed auxiliary variable. This situation arises in a study of HCV disease progression, where liver biopsies (the examinations) are sparse, irregular, and potentially informative with respect to the transition times. We use additional information on liver function tests (LFTs), commonly collected throughout follow‐up, to inform current disease state and to assume an ignorable examination process. The model developed has a similar structure to a hidden Markov model and accommodates both the series of LFT measurements and the partially latent series of disease states. We show through simulation how this model compares with the commonly used ignorable Markov model, and a Markov model that assumes the examination process is non‐ignorable. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Introduction to Polyspectral Modeling and Compensation Techniques for Wideband Communications Systems

The requirements/environments for broadband commercial and military communication systems have focused attention on the issues of efficiency and nonlinearity characterization of power amplifiers, and the mitigation of the distortion they produce. Common system modeling approaches, which are dominated by probing signals of at most a multi-tone nature, prove to be inadequate for representing channels with operational bandwidths reaching the multi-GHz range. This shortfall in modeling fidelity is especially the case for higher-order, non-constant envelope modulations that are often needed to meet bandwidth efficiency demands. As a natural consequence, distortion compensation designs based on these models will likewise prove to be less than optimal in their effectiveness. This paper introduces an established nonlinear system identification technique from the mechanical systems field that essentially solves the wideband modeling problem, and in addition provides very unique assessment and design tools for distortion compensation. The technique is a special case of a formal operator series representation for the given nonlinearity with memory, and its construction is based on an extremely accurate baseband time-domain measurement technique¿using pseudo-randomly modulated signals ¿ that will also be described. The basic modeling and compensation features of the method will then be provided, followed by two representative high-power amplifier (HPA) applications to illustrate and validate the modeling method. The fidelity evaluation will be performed in the time-domain using a normalized mean-square error (NMSE) waveform metric, and compared with results found for standard block model approaches.
Changes in the blood antioxidant defense of advanced age people

Introduction: Since 1956 there have been numerous scientific articles about free radical theory of aging which both confirm and deny the theory. Due to oxygen metabolism, there are relatively high concentrations of molecular oxygen in human cells, especially in mitochondria. Under normal physiological conditions, a small fraction of oxygen is constantly converted to ROS, such as superoxide radical (O2−•), H2O2, and related metabolites. Aim of the study: The aim of this work was to show the relation between the activity of main antioxidative enzymes and the age of the examined patients. Materials and methods: The analysis of antioxidant defense was performed on the blood samples from 184 “aged“ individuals aged 65–90+ years, and compared to the blood samples of 37 individuals just about at the beginning of aging, aged 55–59 years. Results: The statistically significant decreases of Zn,Cu-superoxide dismutase (SOD-1), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities were observed in elderly people in comparison with the control group. Moreover, an inverse correlation between the activities of SOD-1, CAT, and GSH-Px and the age of the examined persons was found. No age-related changes in glutathione reductase activities and malondialdehyde concentrations were observed. Conclusion: Lower activities of fundamental antioxidant enzymes in the erythrocytes of elderly people, which indicate the impairment of antioxidant defense in the aging organism and the intensity of peroxidative lipid structures, were observed.