Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tea consumption modulates hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes in Wistar rats

The antioxidant, antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic activities of green tea and its polyphenols have been reported. As bioactivation of the precarcinogens and detoxification of ultimate carcinogens are mainly carried out by hepatic metabolizing enzymes, we have investigated the modulation of these enzyme activities subsequent to tea consumption in rats. Female Wistar rats were divided into eight groups (n = 5). Six groups were given aqueous solutions (2%, w/v) of six different teas (New Zealand green tea, Australian green tea, Java green tea, Dragon green tea, Gunpowder green tea or English Breakfast black tea) as the sole source of fluid. One group was given a standard green tea extract (0.5%, w/v) while the control group had free access to water. At the end of four‐weeks treatment, different cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoform and phase II enzyme activities were determined by incubation of the liver microsomes or cytosols with appropriate substrates. CYP 1A2 activity was markedly increased in all the tea treatment groups (P < 0.05). CYP 1A1 activity was increased significantly in most of the groups except for the Madura, Gunpowder, and Java green tea‐treatment groups. Cytosolic glutathione‐S‐transferase activity was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the New Zealand, Gunpowder, and Java green tea‐treatment groups. The microsomal UDP‐glucuronosyl transferase activity remained unchanged or was moderately increased in most of the groups. The balance between the phase I carcinogen‐activating enzymes and the phase II detoxifying enzymes could be important in determining the risk of developing chemically‐induced cancer.
Factors affecting peasants’ empowerment in West Halmahera District – a case study from Indonesia

Agricultural development has not yet created empowered farmers in Indonesia. Most farmers living in eastern Indonesia are peasants with low access to development resources. This condition causes most of the peasants to be classified as poor citizens. This research was meant to formulate improvement strategies for empowerment of the peasants. The data were collected between March – May 2012 using the following methods: observation, interview and focus group discussion. The data was analysed using descriptive statistic and structural equation modelling (SEM) and showed that: (1) the empowerment of peasants was within the lowest category for all variables, namely: the peasant characteristics, the role of the agents for development, program quality, the learning process and access to environmental support, (2) the determining factors affecting the empowerment of the peasants were: program implementation quality, the role of the agents of development, environmental access and support, the peasant characteristics, and the appropriateness of the learning process and (3) the strategy to improve empowerment of the peasants could be through corrective efforts towards program implementation quality, the role of facilitators, environmental access and support while considering the peasant characteristics and the learning process of the peasants.
Involving consumers in quality of care assessment.

Prologue: The voices of medical care consumers, never a major influence on providers, are beginning to enter the debate with increasing frequency. Despite our society's general acceptance of a market-driven economy, however, the question remains whether health care consumer data are a valid measurement of technical quality. Does the consumer have the knowledge base to make such a judgment? Opponents of consumers' ratings and data feel they reflect more about the interpersonal aspects of care and may be influenced by such factors as the quantity of services rather than technical quality. Here, Allyson Ross Davies and John Ware examine the assumption that consumers can provide valid information about the quality of medical care, specifically identifying those quality assessment and assurance activities that can rely on consumer data. After reviewing the research, the authors conclude that consumers can provide a valid assessment of quality and that bias from personal characteristics is not strong enough to .
Just for the Image? The Impact of Web 2.0 for Public Institutions

Web 2.0 is of growing importance and nowadays also a hot topic for public institutions. However, it is still an open question if users appreciate and recognize the merit of Web 2.0 applications in the context of public institutions. The presented paper describes first empirical findings on usersâ? reactions on the linkage of a modern library 2.0 with Web 2.0 applications, namely the presence in social networks and the integration of blogs and wikis. The results showed that most users didnâ? t recognize the benefit of Web 2.0 in the context of the homepage of a library 2.0. However, even though they didnâ? t use the accordingly Web 2.0 links by themselves, they thought that the connection to Web 2.0 is a necessity for the image of a modern library. These findings imply that the connection to Web 2.0 is important for the image of a modern public institution but the surplus benefit has to be better communicated and to be made more visible on the conventional homepage in Web 1.0.
Deep Level Sets for Salient Object Detection

Deep learning has been applied to saliency detection in recent years. The superior performance has proved that deep networks can model the semantic properties of salient objects. Yet it is difficult for a deep network to discriminate pixels belonging to similar receptive fields around the object boundaries, thus deep networks may output maps with blurred saliency and inaccurate boundaries. To tackle such an issue, in this work, we propose a deep Level Set network to produce compact and uniform saliency maps. Our method drives the network to learn a Level Set function for salient objects so it can output more accurate boundaries and compact saliency. Besides, to propagate saliency information among pixels and recover full resolution saliency map, we extend a superpixel-based guided filter to be a layer in the network. The proposed network has a simple structure and is trained end-to-end. During testing, the network can produce saliency maps by efficiently feedforwarding testing images at a speed over 12FPS on GPUs. Evaluations on benchmark datasets show that the proposed method achieves state-of-the-art performance.
Khat chewing and bladder neck dysfunction. A randomized controlled trial of alpha 1-adrenergic blockade.

OBJECTIVE To assess whether the effect of chewing khat leaves (Catha edulis) on the urodynamics of healthy males is altered by the selective alpha 1-adrenergic blocking agent indoramin in a prospective randomized double-blind controlled trial. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The urodynamics of 11 healthy males were studied before and during a khat chewing session preceded by indoramin or placebo. RESULTS Khat chewing produced a fall in average and maximum urine flow rate. This effect was inhibited by indoramin. CONCLUSIONS The urinary side-effects of khat chewing are probably mediated through stimulation of alpha 1-adrenergic receptors.
Tissue and cell specific methylation, repair and synthesis of DNA in the upper gastrointestinal tract of Wistar rats treated with single doses of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine.

Several potential cancer risk factors have been monitored concurrently in the upper gastrointestinal tract of young adult male Wistar rats given single (i.g.) doses of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) which readily induces forestomach tumours under these conditions. Radioimmunoassay was used to determine the formation of O6-methyl-2'-deoxyguanosine (O6-MedG) in DNA after MNNG doses of 1, 5, 25 or 50 mg/kg and was found to be highest in the pylorus, with progressively lower levels in the corpus, forestomach, duodenum, oesophagus and jejunum. Immunohistochemical procedures showed that cells with nuclei containing O6-MedG were heterogeneously distributed in these tissues. O6-Alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase activity in untreated animals was highest in the mucosae of the corpus, lower and relatively similar in that of the pylorus, duodenum and jejunum and lowest in the tissues of oesophagus and forestomach. Estimates of DNA synthesis and cell proliferation indicated a 5-fold increase in the DNA labelling index in the forestomach whereas perturbations of DNA synthetic activity in the other tissues of the upper gastrointestinal tract were much less marked. As a result of these changes, cells with nuclei that contained O6-MedG and were also undergoing DNA synthesis (determined by sequential immunohistochemical analysis and autoradiography) were found most commonly in the forestomach and to a lesser extent in the pylorus. This distribution of replicating damaged cells corresponds with the relative tumour yields in these upper gastrointestinal tract tissues and such cells are the probable targets in this single dose carcinogenesis regime. Thus, whilst the highest concentration of O6-MedG did not correlate tumour incidence, the overall risk for tumour induction did correlate with a significant level of DNA damage, a lower capacity for DNA repair and a marked increase in DNA synthesis over the constitutive level in the target cells. Carcinogenic risk in this system is therefore more readily determined by studying several risk factors simultaneously.
Factor Structure and Invariance of an Adolescent Risks and Needs Assessment

The Washington Assessment of Risks and Needs of Students is a youth self-report screening instrument developed for use by high school and juvenile court personnel faced with the legal and practical challenges of high truancy and dropout rates. It purports to measure six facets of risks and needs of youth relevant to improving school outcomes. In this study, a bifactor model measuring a general factor and six specific factors was examined for fit and invariance across different groups defined by sex and race/ethnicity, with a sample of court-petitioned high school students (N = 937; ages 13-17 years). The results of multigroup confirmatory factor analysis revealed an essentially invariant bifactor structure across the groups. Further analysis of reliability support the use of the general factor to guide decision making for youth at risk for truancy and school failure, and scores deriving from the six specific factors as providing insight on specific areas of risk and need.
Algebraic characterization of regular languages: how to cope with all these equivalences?

1. THE PROBLEM Algebraic characterization of regular languages is one of the difficult parts in Automata Theory course. Typically, this part covers two topics. One is Nerod theorem: it provides an algebraic criterion for regularity of a language; for regular language it also provides a basis for understanding the structure of the minimal DFA that accepts it. Another topic is minimization of finite automata. Both topics are based on consideration of a variety of equivalences (general equivalence relation on words, rightinvariant equivalence, equivalence L R induced by a given language L, equivalence and k-equivalence of states, equivalence of automata). Moreover, relations between different equivalences (such as equality and refinement) are also employed. Being rather abstract, these concepts and techniques cause numerous difficulties and misconceptions that lead students to severe errors in problem solutions.
Increase in Takeover Protection and Firm Knowledge Accumulation Strategy

We argue that the extent to which a firm faces takeover threats affects its knowledge structure. In particular, takeover threats may lead to managers’ reluctance to adopt a strategy toward firm-specific knowledge accumulation, because implementing this strategy requires them to acquire specialized skills, which are at risk under takeover threats. Conversely, takeover protection leads to an increase in firm-specific knowledge. Further, the relationship between takeover protection and firm-specific knowledge is positively moderated by managerial ownership, which helps align managerial interests with those of shareholders. But the relationship is negatively moderated by managerial tenure, as long-tenured managers have already committed to their firms. Using a differences-in-differences method with Delaware antitakeover rulings in mid-1990s as an exogenous shock, we found results supporting these arguments.
Impact of Ivabradine on Central Aortic Blood Pressure and Myocardial Perfusion in Patients With Stable Coronary Artery Disease

Abstract—Treatment of hypertensive patients with &bgr;-blockers reduces heart rate and decreases central blood pressure less than other antihypertensive drugs, implying that reducing heart rate without altering brachial blood pressure could increase central blood pressure, explaining the increased cardiovascular risk reported with &bgr;-blocker. We describe a randomized, double-blind study to explore whether heart rate reduction with the If inhibitor ivabradine had an impact on central blood pressure. We included 12 normotensive patients with stable coronary artery disease, heart rate ≥70 bpm (sinus rhythm), and stable background &bgr;-blocker therapy. Patients received ivabradine 7.5 mg BID or matched placebo for two 3-week periods with a crossover design and evaluation by aplanation tonometry. Treatment with ivabradine was associated with a significant reduction in resting heart rate after 3 weeks versus no change with placebo (−15.8±7.7 versus +0.3±5.8 bpm; P=0.0010). There was no relevant between-group difference in change in central aortic systolic blood pressure (−4.0±9.6 versus +2.4±12.0 mm Hg; P=0.13) or augmentation index (−0.8±10.0% versus +0.3±7.6%; P=0.87). Treatment with ivabradine was associated with a modest increase in left ventricular ejection time (+18.5±17.8 versus +2.8±19.3 ms; P=0.074) and a prolongation of diastolic perfusion time (+215.6±105.3 versus −3.0±55.8 ms with placebo; P=0.0005). Consequently, ivabradine induced a pronounced increase in Buckberg index, an index of myocardial viability (+39.3±27.6% versus −2.5±13.5% with placebo; P=0.0015). In conclusion, heart rate reduction with ivabradine does not increase central aortic blood pressure and is associated with a marked prolongation of diastolic perfusion time and an improvement in myocardial perfusion index. Clinical Trial Registration—URL: https://www.clinicaltrialsregister. eu. Unique identifier: 2011-004779-35.
No Collar: The Humane Workplace And Its Hidden Costs

No collar The Humane Workplace and Its Hidden Costs January 19th, 2019 No collar The Humane Workplace and Its Hidden Costs A writer for Artforum The Nation The Village Voice and many other publications he is the author or editor of thirteen books including The Celebration Chronicles Real Love The Chicago Gangster Theory of Life Strange Weather No Respect and most recently Low Pay High Profile The Global Push for Fair Labor
Estimating the Productivity Selection and Technology Spillover Effects of Imports

In the wake of falling trade costs, two central consequences in the importing economy are, first, that stronger competition through increased imports can lead to market share reallocations among domestic firms with different productivity levels (selection). Second, the increase in imports might improve domestic technologies through learning externalities (spillovers). Each of these channels may have a major impact on aggregate productivity. This paper presents comparative evidence from a sample of OECD countries. We find that the average long run effect of an increase in imports on domestic productivity is close to zero. If the scope for technological learning is limited, the selection effect dominates and imports lead to lower productivity. If, however, imports are relatively technology-intensive, imports also generate learning that can on net raise domestic productivity. Moreover, there is somewhat less selection when the typical domestic firm is large. The results support models in which trade triggers both substantial selection and technological learning.
13 GHz CMOS Active Inductor LC VCO

A 13 GHz active inductor LC voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) has been realized in 90 nm CMOS technology by ST-Microelectronics. The VCO consists of two complementary cross-coupled pairs, an active LC tank implemented by means of a differential high-Q low-noise active inductor and two p-MOSFET varicaps, and an output buffer stage. The measurements show a phase noise of -105.25 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz frequency offset. The current consumption of the VCO core and differential boot-strapped inductor amount to 0.7 and 1.8 mA, respectively, from a 1.2 V supply voltage.
Quality and Export Performance Evidence from Cheese Industry

The paper questions the impact of quality label on firm export competitiveness in the cheese and cream industry. We use firm level data from the French custom and an original dataset of firms and products concerned by protected designations of origin (PDO). Our econometric estimations shows that PDO labelling impacts both the extensive margin (the number of destinations) and the intensive margin of trade (the value of trade), and increases the average export unit value. The role of label in export performance varies with the market of destination and is more important when exporting to EU countries.
Quantum theory of light propagation: Linear medium.

We have developed a quantum-mechanical formalism which permits the treatment of light propagation within the conceptual framework of quantum optics. The formalism rests on the calculation of the momentum operator for the radiation field, and yields directly a description for the spatial progression of the electromagnetic waves. In this paper we give a quantum-mechanical treatment for refraction and reflection by applying our formalism to propagation through a linear dielectric. The fidelity with which this formalism reproduces all results known from classical optics demonstrates its validity.
Innovation and cooperation with horizontal spillovers

The paper proposes a theory of innovation and market structure. The model incorporates n firms with horizontal spillovers all interacting within a hypothetical industry. In a two-stage sequential game framework, four types of cooperation are studied: full non-cooperation; cooperation in both stages; cooperation only in the RD and simultaneous cooperation and non-cooperation in the R&D stage. It is shown that the effect of competition on total innovation investment varies among all four cases and mostly depends on the level of spillover effects as well as the level of coordination among competing firms.
The maximal expiratory flow-volume curve. Normal standards, variability, and effects of age.

From a randomly selected population representative of the white population of Tucson, Ariz. , satisfactory flow-volume data were obtained for 3,115 persons. Data from the 746 subjects who were totally free of symptoms or history of cardiorespiratory disease and who had never smoked were used in determining "normal" prediction equations for spirometric parameters and maximal expiratory flows. The maximal expiratory flow-volume curve showed considerable intersubject variability, but little change in shape of the mean maximal expiratory flow-volume curve was seen with advancing age when the effects of disease, insult, or injury were excluded.
Factors influencing food safety management system adoption in Thai food‐manufacturing firms: Model development and testing

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate factors affecting the adoption of food‐safety management systems by Thai food‐manufacturing firms.Design/methodology/approach – The study employs a survey questionnaire using a sample of Thai food‐manufacturing firms. The three‐part questionnaire was mailed to managers performing food‐safety management activities in 480 firms. A total of 217 questionnaires were returned, with a response rate of 45.2 percent.Findings – The results of hypothesis testing indicated that the adoption of a food safety management system can be significantly predicted by: expected gain of social legitimacy; expected gain of economic competitiveness; perceived importance of external stakeholders (government, community, food safety organizations, and media); top management commitment to food safety; firm size and amount of export sales. It can also be predicted by the extent to which firms exchange food safety knowledge with other stakeholders.Practical implications – The result.
Mergers and acquisitions valuation: the choice of cash as payment method

This paper studies the relevance of the acquiring ownership structure and its legal and institutional environment on the decision to pay for a merger and acquisition (M&A) with cash and how this decision influences the acquiring shareholders’ M&A valuation. At the same time, we deal with the potential endogeneity problem. The results show that the acquiring ownership structure and the legal and institutional environment influence both the choice of cash as the payment method and the acquiring shareholders’ valuation, being the payment method an endogenous decision. High levels of ownership concentration in the acquiring firm or in countries with strong legal and institutional environments reduce the probability of cash paid M&As and provoke higher acquiring shareholders valuation around the announcement of an M&A paid in cash.
Leukocyte, red blood cell and morphological adaptation to moderate physical training in rats undernourished in the neonatal period

Objective To analyze the impact of moderate physical exercise on the total and differential leukocyte counts and red blood cell count of 36 sixty-day-old adult male Wistar rats subjected to early malnourishment. Methods The rats were divided in nourished (N - casein 17%) and malnourished groups (M - casein 8%) and thesegroups were then subdivided in trained (T) untrained (U) creating four groups NT, NU, MT and MU. The NT and MTgroups were submitted to moderate physical exercise using a treadmill (60 min/day, 5 days/week for 8 weeks). Onthe 1st day, before the training started T0 and 24 hours after the last training day of the week (T1 until T8), a 1 mLaliquot of blood was collected from the animals' tails for analysis. The total leukocyte count was evaluated in a cellcounter with an electronic microscope. The cyanmethemoglobin technique was used to measure the hemoglobin level. The hematocrit values were determined as a percentage using the micro-hematocrit technique with a microcapillaryreader and a cell counter was used to determine the red blood cell count. The t-test was used for statistical analysis and a p-value < 0.05 was considered significant. Data are expressed as means ± standard deviation. Results There was a significant difference in the total leukocyte count between the NT (9.1 ± 0.1) and MT groups (8.0 ± 0.1) from T1 and in neutrophils between the NT (22.1 ± 0.6) and MT groups (24.6 ± 1.8) from T7 (p < 0.05). There was no statistical significance in the hemoglobin, hematocrit and red blood cell count from T1. Conclusions According to the results of this study, moderate physical exercise seems to have induced physiologic adaptation in adult rats from T1.