Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PLUM JAMS WITH DIFFERENT SWEETENERS

Jam production is one of the oldest food conserving methods, where the properties of the raw material are transferred to the finished product. The most frequently used sweetener in jam production is sucrose, however, other sweeteners may also be used. In order to determine and compare the characteristics of jams produced by using different sweeteners, different types of plum jams were produced and their chemical properties were determined. Jams were produced by boiling down previously prepared fruits, in open stainless steel vats on direct flame, temperature of ≈ 100 0C, for a period of 15 minutes. The sweeteners used include: sucrose (reduced amount), fructose, sorbitol, and agave syrup. The research was repeated three times, in a period of three years. Analysis was conducted on the fresh plum fruits of the Stanley variety and on the obtained jams of the following chemical parameters: total dry matter (by oven drying, 105 0C), soluble solids (with the refractometer), sugars (HPLC method), total acids (titration with a 0,1 M solution of NaOH), pH (pH meter), pectin’s (Carre and Haynes method), vitamin C (iodometric titrimetric method), anthocyanins (spectrophotometric), proteins (Kjeldahl method), fats (Soxhlet method) and ash (gravimetric determination). Microbiological tests of the obtained jams were also conducted. The samples were tested for Salmonella spp. , Listeria monocytogenes, Enterobacteriaceae, Clostridium perfrigens, yeasts and moulds using tested ISO microbial determination methods. The resulting values for the average content of total dry matter in the jams (43.29 44.36%) are correlated with the average values obtained for the soluble solids (42.04 42.89%). Lower values were obtained for the content of vitamin C (11.35 11.73 mg/100 g), as well as for the content of anthocyanins (5.56 28.19 mg CGE / 100 g FW) in jams compared with the established values in the fresh fruits (13.93 mg/100 g and 34.81 mg CGE/100 g FW, respectively). From the results it can be concluded that the obtained jams possess the necessary quality in compliance with the standards. All jams are according the regulations for microbiological food safety.
Chemical composition of PM 2 . 5 from two tunnels with different vehicular fl eet characteristics

• Composition profiles of PM2.5 were obtained in smaller city, Yantai. • Characteristics of PM2.5 were changed by emission standards and fuel policy. • Source profiles of PM2.5 for gasoline vehicles and diesel vehicles were given. • The diesel vehicles play a major role in PM2.5 emissions in Yantai. Abbreviations:OC, organic carbon; EC, elemental carbo Wuzushan; KXL, Kuixinglou; HMW, higher molecular we ⁎ Correspondence to: Y. Chen, Key Laboratory of Coast Sciences, Yantai, China. ⁎⁎ Corresponding author. http://dx.doi. org/10.1016/j.scitotenv. 2016.01. 077 0048-9697/© 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o
Randomized Trial Implication of Two Different Doses of Intradiscal Ozone-Oxygen Injection upon the Pain Alleviation in Patients with Low Back Pain : A Randomized , Single-Blind Study

Methods: Sixty patients with symptomatizing single lumbar DH were subjected to O3-O2 intradiscal injection and randomly allocated into one of 2 groups; group A: received 10 mL, 40 μg/ mL of O3-O2 and group B: received 10 mL, 30 μg/mL of O3-O2. Pain score and functional ability of the patients using the visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were evaluated after 1, 6, and 12 months and compared to the basal values. Patient satisfaction and reduction of DH were evaluated after the sixth month.
Lysophosphatidic acid promotes survival of androgen‐insensitive prostate cancer PC3 cells via activation of NF‐κB

Dysregulated cell survival contributes to the poor efficacy of many chemotherapeutic regimens for patients with advanced prostate cancer. In this study we examined ability of the lipid growth factor lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a G protein‐coupled receptor (GPCR) ligand, to promote prostate cell survival.
Pathways for psychosocial care of cancer survivors

Today, the growing number of survivors from many sites of cancer necessitates that thought be given to ways that ensure follow‐up psychosocial care and its integration into ongoing medical surveillance. The establishment of standards of care together with evidence‐ and consensus‐based clinical practice guidelines have provided a highly effective method of enhancing quality care for treatment of cancer. There remain, however, major problems in dissemination and application of these guidelines on the clinical level. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) formed a Panel on Distress Management that developed the first set of consensus‐based standards for psychosocial care and clinical practice guidelines specific to cancer illnesses. This article proposes the extension of their concepts to cancer survivors. A model is presented that can assist oncologists and multidisciplinary teams in busy ambulatory settings to more readily identify those survivors who are distressed, whose quality of life is impaired, and who may benefit from further psychological evaluation and treatment.
Zygosaccharomyces sapae sp. nov., isolated from Italian traditional balsamic vinegar.

Fourteen yeast isolates were recovered from two traditional balsamic vinegar (TBV) samples collected in the provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy. Microsatellite-primed-PCR (MSP-PCR) was used to de-replicate the isolate collection into two representative strains, ABT301(T) and ABT601. Phylogenetic analysis based on the D1/D2 domains of the 26S rRNA gene indicated that these strains represented a distinct species of the genus Zygosaccharomyces, closely related to Zygosaccharomyces rouxii and Zygosaccharomyces mellis. Physiological and morphological tests supported the recognition of a novel taxon of halotolerant, osmotolerant, non-psychrotolerant and maltose-fermentation-negative yeasts showing a chain or star-shaped pattern of budding cells, which remained attached to each other. Morphological observations offered evidence of ascospore formation. A novel species, Zygosaccharomyces sapae sp. nov., is proposed to accommodate these strains, with strain ABT301(T) (= CBS 12607(T) = MUCL 54092(T)) as the type strain. Based on D1/D2 domain phylogenetic analysis, the novel strains shared the highest sequence similarity (100 %) with Zygosaccharomyces sp. strain NCYC 3042, previously isolated from sugar [James, S. A. , Bond, C. J., Stratford, M. & Roberts, I. N. (2005). FEMS Yeast Res 5, 747-755]. However, based on phylogenetic (internal transcribed spacers, ITS), PCR fingerprinting and physiological analyses, marked differences were observed between the novel species and strain NCYC 3042, and these results are discussed in more detail.
Characterization of a Highly Pathogenic Molecular Clone of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Clade C

ABSTRACT We have derived and characterized a highly pathogenic molecular isolate of feline immunodeficiency virus subtype C (FIV-C) CABCpady00C. Clone FIV-C36 was obtained by lambda cloning from cats that developed severe immunodeficiency disease when infected with CABCpady00C (Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada). Clone FIV-C36 Env is 96% identical to the noninfectious FIV-C isolate sequence deposited in GenBank (FIV-Cgb; GenBank accession number AF474246 ) (A. Harmache et al.) but is much more divergent in Env when compared to the subgroup A clones Petaluma (34TF10) and FIV-PPR (76 and 78% divergence, respectively). Clone FIV-C36 was able to infect freshly isolated feline peripheral blood mononuclear cells and primary T-cell lines but failed to productively infect CrFK cells, as is typical of FIV field isolates. Two-week-old specific-pathogen-free cats infected with FIV-C36 tissue culture supernatant became PCR positive and developed severe acute immunodeficiency disease similar to that caused by the uncloned CABCpady00C parent. At 4 to 5 weeks postinfection (PI), 3 of 4 animals developed CD4+-T-cell depletion, fever, weight loss, diarrhea, and opportunistic infections, including ulcerative stomatitis and tonsillitis associated with abundant bacterial growth, pneumonia, and pyelonephritis, requiring euthanasia. Histopathology confirmed severe thymic and systemic lymphoid depletion. Interestingly, the dam also became infected with a high viral load at 5 weeks PI of the kittens and developed a similar disease syndrome, requiring euthanasia at 11 weeks PI of the kittens. This constitutes the first report of a replication-competent, infectious, and pathogenic molecular clone of FIV-C. Clone FIV-C36 will facilitate dissection of the pathogenic determinants of FIV.
The Relationship Between Perceived Stress , and Severe Obesity Unhealthy Eating Behaviors ,

Background: Stress has been associated with poor eating behaviors and diet quality, as well as high body mass index (BMI). Low-income women may be particularly vulnerable to stress and severe obesity. Yet it is unknown how stress increases the risk of severe obesity through disordered eating behaviors and poor diet quality or through mechanisms independent of diet. Methods: We examined cross-sectional data from women (n = 101) with a child enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children in Cumberland County, North Carolina (spring 2012). We collected measured heights and weights to calculate BMI. Using structural equation modeling, we differentiated pathways from stress to weight status: (1) indirectly through eating behaviors (cognitive restraint, emotional eating, and uncontrolled eating) and diet quality, which we examined with the Healthy Eating Index 2010 and 24-h dietary recalls, and (2) directly through possible unmeasured risk factors independent of diet. The analysis controlled for race/ethnicity, income, age, whether the dietary recall day was typical, and whether the respondent completed one or two 24-h dietary recalls. Results: Perceived stress was positively associated with uncontrolled eating (β = 0.38, p < 0.001) and emotional eating (β = 0.50, p < 0.001). However, higher stress was not associated with weight status through eating behaviors and diet quality. Independent of eating behaviors and diet quality, stress was positively associated with severe obesity (β = 0.26, p = 0.007). Conclusions: Improving stress coping strategies for low-income women may improve eating behaviors and reduce severe obesity.
Characterization of Anthraquinone-Derived Redox Switchable Ionophores and Their Complexes with Li

Anthraquinone derived redox switchable ionophores 1,5 bis (2-(2-(2-ethoxy) ethoxy) ethoxy)anthracene-9,10-dione (V1) and 1,8bis(2-(2-(2-ethoxy)ethoxy)ethoxy) anthracene—9,10-dione (V2) have been used for isolation, extraction and liquid membrane transport studies of Li+, Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ metal ions. These isolated complexes were characterized by melting point determination, CV and IR, 1H NMR spectral analysis. Ionophore V2 shows maximum shift in reduction potential (ΔE) with Ca(Pic)2. The observed sequence for the shifting in reduction potential (ΔE) between V2 and their complexes is V2 calcium picrate (42 mV) > V2 potassium picrate (33 mV) > V2 lithium picrate (25 mV) > V2 sodium picrate (18 mV) > V2 magnesium picrate (15 mV). These findings are also supported by results of extraction, back extraction and transport studies. Ionophore V2 complexed with KPic and showed much higher extractability and selectivity towards K+ than V1. These synthetic ionophores show positive and negative cooperativity towards alkali and alkaline earth metal ions in reduced and oxidized state. Hence, this property can be used in selective separation and enrichment of metal ions using electrochemically driven ion transport.
The comparative impact of conservative treatment versus superficial venous surgery, for the treatment of venous leg ulcers: A systematic review of the impact on patients’ quality of life

Objectives Leg ulcers are known to have a profound effect on patients’ quality of life; however, the influence of different treatment approaches is unclear. This review aims to evaluate the comparative impact of conservative treatments and superficial venous surgery, for venous leg ulcers, on patients’ Quality of Life. Data sources Three electronic databases (PsycInfo, Medline and CINAHL), and reference lists of relevant articles, were searched. A total of 209 articles were initially identified, and 16 articles were included in the review. Results The results lend cautious support to the suggestion that all treatments have a positive effect on quality of life, regardless of type, whilst wound status also appears to be an important factor. Conclusions Some evidence suggests that surgical treatment methods may lead to greater improvements in patients’ quality of life than compression bandaging alone; however, future research may focus on the psychological mechanisms underlying such changes.
Structure variation of a sidewall quantum well on a GaN nanorod

A theoretical model for evaluating the height-dependent variations of quantum well (QW) thickness and In concentration in a sidewall QW of a single- or two-section GaN nanorod (NR) is proposed. By reasonably choosing modeling parameter values, the obtained numerical results are quite consistent with the available experimental data. In particular, the model clearly demonstrates the increasing trends of QW thickness and In concentration with height on a sidewall of a single-section NR. Also, it successfully explains the larger QW thickness and higher In concentration in the upper uniform section, when compared with the lower uniform section, in a two-section NR. In this model, three III-group adatom supply sources are considered for sidewall deposition on a single-section NR, including the downward diffusion of adatoms collected on the slant facets at the NR top, the upward diffusion of adatoms collected on the NR base, and the direct adsorption of atoms on the sidewall from the vapor phase. For a two-section NR, the upward and downward diffusions of adatoms collected on the slant facets of the tapering section between the two uniform sections serve as extra adatom supply sources.
The effect of DL‐, L‐isomers and DL‐hydroxy analog administered at 2 levels as dietary sources of methionine on the metabolic and antioxidant parameters and growth performance of turkeys

ABSTRACT A hypothesis was verified that dietary methionine (Met) improves the growth and antioxidant status of turkeys, and that its effects depend on dietary inclusion levels and sources. A total of 816 female Hybrid Converter turkeys was fed wheat‐soybean meal‐based diets supplemented with 3 sources of Met: DL‐, L‐isomers and DL‐hydroxy analog (DLM, LM, and MHA, respectively). In 4 4‐week periods (from one to 16 wk of age), dietary Met content corresponded to NRC (1994) recommendations or was increased by approximately 50% (in one to 8 wk by 44 to 46% and in 9 to 16 wk by 55 to 56% vs. the NRC guidelines) to match the recommendations of some breeding companies. Increased Met content resulted in higher final body weights of turkeys (P = 0.002), an improved feed conversion ratio (P = 0.049), increased total glutathione concentration and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) values, and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration (all P < 0.001) in the blood plasma of turkeys. In comparison with DLM, LM and MHA contributed to an increase in plasma glutathione concentration (P = 0.001), a decrease in plasma triacylglycerol (P = 0.003) and uric acid (P = 0.001) concentrations, and a decrease in liver MDA (P = 0.001) levels. A decrease in plasma MDA (vs. DLM) and lipid peroxides (LOOH) (vs. DLM and LM) concentrations as well as a decrease in plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (vs. DLM and LM) also were noted in the MHA treatment (P = 0.016, P = 0.001 and P = 0.011, respectively). In conclusion, the results of the study indicate that the antioxidant status of turkeys could be affected by dietary Met levels and sources. The dietary Met content increased by 50% relative to NRC recommendations, improved the growth performance of turkeys, and strengthened their antioxidant defense system. In comparison with DLM, LM and MHA could be considered positive nutritional factors as manifested by a beneficial decrease in plasma and hepatic MDA concentrations as well as an increase in plasma glutathione levels, and the effect of MHA was more pronounced.
Rifabutin-based 10-day and 14-day triple therapy as a third-line and fourth-line regimen for Helicobacter pylori eradication: A pilot study

Background and aim This prospective randomized study was designed to assess the efficacy of 10-day and 14-day rifabutin-based triple therapy as a third- or fourth-line rescue therapy. Methods Patients who failed first- and second-line eradication therapy were enrolled. H. pylori was isolated from gastric biopsy specimens and the rpoB mutation status, a factor of resistance to rifamycins, and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of rifabutin and amoxicillin were determined. Enrolled patients were randomly assigned to receive 10-day or 14-day eradication therapy with esomeprazole (20 mg, 4 times a day (q.i.d.)), amoxicillin (500 mg, q.i.d.), and rifabutin (300 mg, once a day (q.d.s.)). Poor compliance was defined as intake of <80% of study drugs. Successful H. pylori eradication was confirmed using a [13C] urea breath test or a stool antigen test, 12 weeks after the end of therapy. Results Twelve patients were assigned to the 10-day group, and 17, to the 14-day group. Intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses of eradication rates were 83.3% and 81.8% for the 10-day group and 94.1% and 91.7% for the 14-day group, respectively. All patients with rpoB mutation-positive strains (n = 3) showed successful eradication, irrespective of the regimen received. Therapy was stopped due to adverse events in 8.3% and 29.3% of patients in the 10-day and 14-day groups, respectively. Conclusion Both the 10-day and 14-day therapies were effective as rescue regimens. In particular, the 14-day therapy resulted in successful eradication in over 90% of patients, but the 10-day treatment may be enough to obtain a successful eradication rate, considering the tolerability of therapy.
Increased Susceptibility of Human-PrP Transgenic Mice to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Infection following Passage in Sheep

ABSTRACT The risk of the transmission of ruminant transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) to humans was thought to be low due to the lack of association between sheep scrapie and the incidence of human TSE. However, a single TSE agent strain has been shown to cause both bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and human vCJD, indicating that some ruminant TSEs are transmissible to humans. While the transmission of cattle BSE to humans in transgenic mouse models has been inefficient, indicating the presence of a significant transmission barrier between cattle and humans, BSE has been transmitted to a number of other species. Here, we aimed to further investigate the human transmission barrier following the passage of BSE in a sheep. Following inoculation with cattle BSE, gene-targeted transgenic mice expressing human PrP showed no clinical or pathological signs of TSE disease. However, following inoculation with an isolate of BSE that had been passaged through a sheep, TSE-associated vacuolation and proteinase K-resistant PrP deposition were observed in mice homozygous for the codon 129-methionine PRNP gene. This observation may be due to higher titers of the BSE agent in sheep or an increased susceptibility of humans to BSE prions following passage through a sheep. However, these data confirm that, contrary to previous predictions, it is possible that a sheep prion is transmissible to humans and that BSE from other species is a public health risk.
A 500kHz-10MHz multimode power-performance scalable 83-to-67dB DR CTΔΣ in 90 nm digital CMOS with flexible analog core circuitry

A fully flexible continuous-time (CT) ΔΣ with programmable bandwidth, resolution and power consumption in 1.2V 90 nm CMOS is presented. By introducing flexibility into the core building blocks, a DR of 67/72/78/83dB is achieved in maximum performance mode for WLAN, DVB, UMTS and BT for a power consumption of 6.8/5.5/6.4/5.0mW respectively. GSM operation is also feasible with a DR of 87dB. For a given bandwidth, the flexibility allows to obtain the lowest power consumption for a desired performance.
Effect of X-ray Tube Parameters and Iodine Concentration on Image Quality and Radiation Dose in Cerebral Pediatric and Adult CT Angiography: A Phantom Study

ObjectivesThe aim of the present phantom study was to investigate the effect of x-ray tube parameters and iodine concentration on image quality and radiation dose in cerebral computed tomographic (CT) angiographic examinations of pediatric and adult individuals. Materials and MethodsFour physical anthropomorphic phantoms that represent the average individual as neonate, 1-year-old, 5-year-old, and 10-year-old children and the RANDO phantom that simulates the average adult individual were used. Cylindrical vessels were bored along the brain-equivalent plugs of each physical phantom. To simulate the brain vasculature, vessels of 0.6, 1, 2, and 3 mm in diameter were created. These vessels were filled with contrast medium (CM) solutions at different iodine concentrations, that is, 5.6, 4.2, 2.7, and 1.4 mg I/mL. The phantom heads were scanned at 120, 100, and 80 kV. The applied quality reference tube current-time product values ranged from a minimum of 45 to a maximum of 680. The CT acquisitions were performed on a 16-slice CT scanner using the automatic exposure control system. Image quality was evaluated on the basis of image noise and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between the contrast-enhanced iodinated vessels and the unenhanced regions of interest. Dose reduction was calculated as the percentage difference of the CT dose index value at the quality reference tube current-time product and the CT dose index at the mean modulated tube current-time product. ResultsImage noise that was measured using the preset tube current-time product settings varied significantly among the different phantoms (P < 0.0001). Hounsfield unit number of iodinated vessels was linearly related to CM concentration (r2 = 0.907) and vessel diameter (r2 = 0.918). The Hounsfield unit number of iodinated vessels followed a decreasing trend from the neonate phantom to the adult phantom at all kilovoltage settings. For the same image noise level, a CNR improvement of up to 69% and a dose reduction of up to 61% may be achieved when CT acquisition is performed at 80 kV compared with 120 kV. For the same CNR, a reduction by 25% of the administered CM concentration may be achieved when CT acquisition is performed at 80 kV compared with 120 kV. ConclusionsIn cerebral CT angiographic studies, appropriate adjustment of the preset tube current-time product settings is required to achieve the same image noise level among participants of different age. Cerebral CT angiography at 80 kV significantly improves CNR and significantly reduces radiation dose. Moreover, at 80 kV, a considerable reduction of the administered amount of the CM may be reached, thus reducing potential risks for contrast-induced nephropathy.