Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The contribution of agreeableness and self‐efficacy beliefs to prosociality

The present study examined how agreeableness and self‐efficacy beliefs about responding empathically to others' needs predict individuals' prosociality across time. Participants were 377 adolescents (66% males) aged 16 at Time 1 and 18 at Time 2 who took part at this study. Measures of agreeableness, empathic self‐efficacy and prosociality were collected at two time points. The findings corroborated the posited paths of relations to assigning agreeableness a major role in predicting the level of individuals' prosociality. Empathic self‐efficacy beliefs partially mediated the relation of agreeableness to prosociality. The posited conceptual model accounted for a significant portion of variance in prosociality and provides guidance with respect to interventions aimed at promoting prosociality. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from Wrapping Films and Wrapped PDO Italian Cheeses by Using HS-SPME and GC/MS

Nowadays food wrapping assures attractive presentation and simplifies self-service shopping. Polyvinylchloride (PVC)- and polyethylene (PE)-based cling-films are widely used worldwide for wrapping cheeses. For this purpose, films used in retail possess suitable technical properties such as clinginess and unrolling capacity, that are achieved by using specific plasticizers during their manufacturing process. In the present study, the main VOCs of three cling-films (either PVC-based or PE-based) for retail use were characterized by means of Solid-Phase Micro-Extraction and GC/MS. In addition, the effects of cling film type and contact time on the migration of VOCs from the films to four different PDO Italian cheeses during cold storage under light or dark were also investigated. Among the VOCs isolated from cling-films, PVC released 2-ethylhexanol and triacetin. These compounds can likely be considered as a “non-intentionally added substance”. These same compounds were also detected in cheeses wrapped in PVC films with the highest concentration found after 20 days storage. The PE cling-film was shown to possess a simpler VOC profile, lacking some molecules peculiar to PVC films. The same conclusions can be drawn for cheeses wrapped in the PE cling-film. Other VOCs found in wrapped cheeses were likely to have been released either by direct transfer from the materials used for the manufacture of cling-films or from contamination of the films. Overall, HS-SPME is shown to be a rapid and solvent free technique to screen the VOCs profile of cling-films, and to detect VOCs migration from cling-films to cheese under real retail storage conditions.
A new flavonol glycoside from the flowers of Hosta plantaginea with cyclooxygenases-1/2 inhibitory and antioxidant activities

Abstract Hosta plantaginea was a traditional Chinese medicinal plants used to treat inflammatory and painful diseases with partial scientific validation. Solvent extractions followed by repeated chromatographic purification of the H. plantaginea flowers led to the isolation of one new flavonoid glycoside, hostaflavone A (1), together with one related known compound, kaempferol-3-O-sophoroside-7-O-glucoside (2), and their structures were elucidated on the basis of chemical and spectral evidence, as well as by comparison with literature data. Compounds 1 and 2 were evaluated for the anti-inflammatory activites against cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2) and DPPH free radical-scavenging activities in vitro. The results revealed that 1 and 2 exhibited significant COX-1 inhibition and moderate COX-2 inhibition compared to the reference celecoxib. Additionally, 1 and 2 displayed insignificant antioxidant activities compared to the positive control L-ascorbic acid.
Development of vaccines against pertussis caused by Bordetella holmesii using a mouse intranasal challenge model

Bordetella holmesii is recognized as the third causative agent of pertussis (whooping cough) in addition to Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella parapertussis. Pertussis caused by B. holmesii is not rare around the world. However, to date, there is no effective vaccine against B. holmesii. We examined the protective potency of pertussis vaccines available in Japan and vaccines prepared from B. holmesii. A murine model of respiratory infection was exploited to evaluate protective potency. No Japanese commercial pertussis vaccines were effective against B. holmesii. In contrast, a wBH vaccine and an aBH vaccine prepared from B. holmesii were both protective. Passive immunization with sera from mice immunized with aBH vaccine established protection against B. holmesii, indicating that B. holmesii‐specific serum antibodies might play an important role in protection. Immuno‐proteomic analysis with sera from mice immunized with aBH vaccine revealed that the sera recognized a BipA‐like protein of B. holmesii. An aBH vaccine prepared from a BipA‐like protein‐deficient mutant strain did not have a protective effect against B. holmesii. Taken together, our results suggest that the BipA‐like protein plays an important role in the protective efficacy of aBH vaccine.
Magnetization Processes of Fe–(Si,Al)—Steels With Homogeneous and Inhomogeneous Distributions of (Si,Al)

Recently, there has been a lot of activity trying to produce steel with an increased concentration, i.e., over 3 wt. %, of Si and/or Al. Materials with homogeneous as well as inhomogeneous spatial distributions of (Si,Al) have been obtained. We will discuss in this paper aspects of the magnetization processes in these new types of materials. We will compare the resulting structure properties and magnetization behavior for samples with a large gradient of the (Si,Al) content and a more smooth distribution across the thickness of the strips. It will be demonstrated that the magnetization processes in both types of materials are qualitatively the same. There is no indication that the material with a larger gradient in the (Si,Al) content across the thickness has to be described by a superposition of two materials.
Hyperbaric Oxygenation as an Adjunct Therapy in Strokes Due to Thrombosis: A Review of 122 Patients

Results are reported using hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) in 122 patients with strokes due to thrombosis, both acute and completed. HBO is used as adjunctive treatment and there appears to be justification for a controlled study to delineate the treatment further. The authors beliere it is essential to treat patients with stroke at 1.5 to 2 atmospheres absolute (ATA).
MIMO Cloud Transmission Based on BICM-ID for High Data Rate Local Contents Delivery

A novel cloud transmission (CTxn) technique is proposed based on the multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), called MIMO CTxn. Even though conventional single-input single-output (SISO) CTxn is operated at a negative signal-to-interference plus noise power ratio (SINR), where interference power is the same as the desired signal power, a critical drawback of SISO CTxn is that the maximum achievable spectral efficiency is less than 1 bit/s/Hz. Applying a MIMO technique to the conventional SISO CTxn provides a very efficient way to support high-date-rate service for delivering local contents, even at a negative SINR. Simulation results show that MIMO CTxn outperforms SISO CTxn while supporting high-order modulation and a high code rate. For instance, 16-QAM code rate 1/3 MIMO CTxn outperforms 4-QAM code rate 1/3 SISO CTxn from the SINR point of view. Further, the performance of MIMO CTxn is invariant with respect to the power imbalance and the difference between the received signal strengths. This makes the coverage planning much easy because all the other regions operate well without any loss of data rate if the coverage is planned with respect to the worst case.
Physiological and morphological responses of invasive Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed) to different irradiances

Invasion by the exotic herb Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. has become a serious agricultural and environmental problem and of increasing research interest as the species continues its southward spread into subtropical regions of China. To better understand the possible physiological and morphological adaptations of A. artemisiifolia in this region, we conducted a greenhouse experiment using seedlings of A. artemisiifolia and a comparative native species, Urena lobata L. (Caesar's weed), which is an erect annual shrub in the Malvaceae that commonly co-occurs with A. artemisiifolia in open, disturbed habitats in southern China. Seedlings of both plants were grown under four irradiance regimes (10%, 30%, 55%, and 100% irradiance) from 14 May to 13 July 2010. Ambrosia artemisiifolia showed significantly higher total biomass, total leaf area, specific leaf area, relative growth rate, and net assimilation rate but lower leaf mass fraction than U. lobata at the 30%-100% irradiance levels. With decreasing irradiance, A. artemisiifolia significantly increased biomass allocation to stems and decreased allocation to roots. Meanwhile, A. artemisiifolia exhibited higher light-saturated photosynthetic rates and light saturation points with wide variances except at the 10% irradiance treatment. These findings suggest that A. artemisiifolia has generally higher irradiance plasticity for traits pertaining to biomass partitioning, growth, and plant structure than U. lobata. The ability of A. artemisiifolia to tolerate high shade conditions while maintaining high growth rates at elevated irradiance levels may afford it a competitive advantage and may help explain its recent colonization and spread in southern China.
Consumer Health Informatics Interventions Must Support User Workflows, Be Easy-To-Use, and Improve Cognition: Applying the SEIPS 2.0 Model to Evaluate Patients’ and Clinicians’ Experiences with the CONDUIT-HID Intervention

ABSTRACT The aim of this research was to gain a holistic understanding of patients’ and clinicians’ experiences with the CONDUIT-HID (CONtrolling Disease Using Inexpensive Technology—Hypertension In Diabetes) intervention, intended to be a technology-enabled consumer health informatics (CHI) approach to control hypertension. We examined patients’ experiences utilizing the technologies to share patient blood pressure data with their care team via a qualitative analysis of patient (n = 21) and clinician (n = 5) interviews. Using the SEIPS 2.0 sociotechnical systems model, our evaluation revealed that minimizing usability issues and supporting participant workflow were important—but not sufficient—for CHI intervention success. The ability of the CHI intervention to support the cognitive development of patients’ self-management skills and to facilitate strategic collaboration among care team members was also important. These insights can provide CHI and the human–computer interaction (HCI) communities with a framework of generalizable findings to better design future CHI interventions.
Study of Antioxidants' Enzymes Kinetics, Superoxide Dismutase, Glutathione Peroxidase and Catalase, in Neonatal Sepsis

Context: sepsis is associated with severe oxidative stress. During sepsis, there are several potential sources of reactive oxygen species, including the respiratory burst associated with neutrophil activation. Aim: We try to monitor the kinetics of the scavengers’ antioxidant enzymes, erthrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD), whole blood glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and serum catalase in the pathogenesis of neonatal sepsis and the effect of antibiotics therapy on their levels. Study Design: This study was carried out on blood samples from children suffering from sepsis proved by positive blood culture in addition to 11 healthy children. Blood samples were subjected for determination of antioxidant enzyme activities including red blood cell superoxide dismutase (SOD), whole blood glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and serum catalase Results; There was highly significant decrease in erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (RBC SOD) (P<0.001) and whole blood glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (P=0.01) at admission and after 48 hours of start of antibiotics therapy (P<0.001, for each) in patients compared with controls. There was highly significant increase in serum catalase level in patients at admission (P<0.001) and after 48 hours of antibiotics therapy compared with controls. The commonest isolated organism from blood culture was Staphylococci species (66.7%) with Staphylococcus aureus (40.0%) and Staphylococci epidermidis (26.7%). There was significant decrease of SOD (P1=.0001) and GPx (P1=.049) at start of sepsis associated with Staphylococcus aureus infection. After 48 hours from clinical response to antibiotics therapy, both SOD and GPx had significant decrease with all types of bacteria isolated. Conclusion: Our study suggests that children with sepsis are susceptible to high oxidative stress which may play a role in the pathogenesis of sepsis. The administration of antibiotics therapy was not associated with the improvement of level of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, so the utility of supplementation of antioxidant enzymes in neonates with septicemia needs further evaluation.
Efficacy of Breast Milk Expression Using an Electric Breast Pump

The authors compared breastfeeding and expression characteristics in 30 mothers of exclusively breastfeeding, healthy term infants. Mean (± SD)volume per breastfeed from one breast was 71.8 ± 26.3 mL, and mean duration per breastfeed for one breastwas 16.6 ± 10.5 minutes. Mean volume of milk expressed in 5 minutes from one breast was 60.6 ± 39.0 mL and corresponded to the expression of 99.4 ± 82.6% of the milk stored in the breast. The rate of milk expression differed greatly between mothers (P = .0001)b ut remained constant for the first 2.5 minutes before decreasing with time (P = .0001). These results show the mean breastfeed volumewas similar to the volume of milk expressed in a 5-minute period. Furthermore, this study is the first to establish protocols that allow for the objective determination of breast pump efficacy.
Type 2 Metabotropic Glutamate (mGlu) Receptors Tonically Inhibit Transmitter Release in Rat Caudate Nucleus: In Vivo Studies with (2S,1′S,2′S,3′R)‐2‐(2′‐carboxy‐3′‐phenylcyclopropyl)glycine, a New Potent and Selective Antagonist

Anatomical, biochemical and electrophysiological studies have previously shown that cortico‐striatal terminals contain abundant presynaptic group 2 metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors. Using brain slices we have previously shown that these receptors inhibit depolarization‐induced transmitter release. Using microdialysis in freely moving rats, we now report the effects of group 2 mGlu receptor agonists and antagonists on glutamate concentration in the caudate extracellular fluid. A mild decrease (20–30%) in glutamate concentration in caudate dialysates was observed when 1S,3R‐1‐aminocyclopentane‐1,3‐dicarboxylic acid or (2S,3S,4S)‐α‐carboxycyclopropyl‐glycine (L‐CCG‐1), mGlu receptor agonists, was locally administered. On the contrary, α‐methyl‐4‐carboxyphenylglycine, an antagonist of type 1 and type 2 mGlu receptors, increased the glutamate concentration in dialysates by up to 3.5‐fold, and its effects were prevented by the simultaneous administration of L‐CCG‐1, a preferential type 2 mGlu receptor agonist. A significant increase of glutamate output in striatal dialysate was also found after local administration of (2S,1′S,2′S,3′R)‐2‐(2′‐carboxy‐3′‐phenylcyclopropyl)glycine, another structurally unrelated, relatively selective and potent type 2 mGlu receptor antagonist. The results suggest that type 2 mGlu receptors tonically inhibit transmitter release from corticostriatal terminals. Since the cortico‐striatal pathway profoundly affects the function of a large percentage of caudate neurons, it is reasonable to predict that the use of selective type 2 mGlu receptor agents will be helpful for scientific and therapeutic studies on the physiopathology of basal ganglion disorders.
Assessment of blood flow distal to coronary artery stenoses. Correlations between myocardial positron emission tomography and poststenotic intracoronary Doppler flow reserve.

BACKGROUND Previous studies have correlated quantitative coronary angiographic stenosis severity with positron emission tomography (PET) myocardial perfusion and proximal measurements of intracoronary flow velocities in normal and diseased coronary arteries. The aim of this study was to correlate regional myocardial blood flow (RMBF) derived from [15O]H2O PET with directly measured poststenotic intracoronary Doppler flow velocity data acquired under basal conditions and dipyridamole-induced hyperemia. METHODS AND RESULTS Eleven consecutive patients 53 +/- 13 years old with ischemic chest pain and isolated proximal left coronary artery stenoses (left anterior descending, 9; left circumflex, 2; mean, 59 +/- 23% diameter stenosis) underwent [15O]H2O myocardial PET and intracoronary Doppler flow velocity studies within 1 week. PET RMBF (mL.g-1.min-1) and myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR) were calculated in poststenotic and normal reference vascular beds. Poststenotic Doppler average peak flow velocities (APV; cm/s) and coronary flow velocity reserve (CFR) were compared with corresponding PET data and quantitative angiographic lesional parameters. PET RMBF and Doppler APV were linearly correlated (r = .60; P < .001), as were poststenotic PET MPR and Doppler CFR (r = .76; P < .0002). Relative coronary flow velocity and MPR ratios between poststenotic and angiographically normal vascular beds were comparably reduced (0.83 +/- 0.25 versus 0.86 +/- 0.21, respectively; P = NS). CONCLUSIONS Intracoronary Doppler flow velocities acquired distal to isolated left coronary artery stenoses correlated with [15O]H2O PET regional myocardial perfusion and are useful for assessment of the physiological significance of coronary stenoses in humans.
Conducting a meta‐analysis: basics and good practices

Meta‐analysis is a statistical method to compare and combine effect sizes from a pool of relevant empirical studies. It is now a standard approach to synthesize research findings in many disciplines, including medical and healthcare research. This paper is the third paper of a mini‐series introducing systematic review and meta‐analysis. First, common effect sizes used in meta‐analysis are presented. Fixed‐, random‐ and mixed‐effects models are then introduced. Next, a real data set from a published meta‐analysis will be used to illustrate the procedures and interpretations. Last, software packages that may be used to conduct meta‐analyses will be highlighted.
Possible mechanisms for delayed neurological damage in lightning and electrical injury

Aim: This article provides and reviews hypotheses to help explain the poorly understood phenomenon of delayed neurological injury following lightning or electrical injury. Method: A review of extant literature provides a starting point to integrate what is already known in an attempt to provide new hypotheses for this phenomenon, as well as to discuss existing hypotheses. Result: The author proposes two theories which stem from the literature on the damaging effects of oxidative stress, and also reviews an existing hypothesis, the electroporation hypothesis. The former two theories can account for delayed damage which is either of vascular or nonvascular origin. The electroporation hypothesis can explain changes both in cases where there is cellular loss as well as cases where there only appears to be change in function after lightning or electrical injury. Conclusion: Although all theories discussed are speculative, the formation of hypotheses is always a starting point in the scientific process. In cases where there is delayed neurological damage with a vascular origin, it is possible that free radicals resulting from oxidative stress may gradually damage spinal vascular endothelial cells, cutting off blood supply, and ending in death of spinal neurons. When the delayed condition is demyelination without vascular damage, it is possible that the free radicals from oxidative stress are formed directly from the lipids found in abundance in myelin cells. The electroporation hypothesis, the formation of additional pores in neurons, may best explain immediate or progressive changes in structure and function after lightning or electrical injury.
Brain Actin Synthesized In Vitro Undergoes Two Different and Sequential Posttranslational Modifications

Abstract: We have studied the posttranslational processing of actin molecules synthesized in a cell‐free system. The results of these experiments indicate that during the in vivo synthesis of the actins from rat brain the primary translational products undergo two different and sequential posttranslational modifications. These modifications are accompanied by slight changes in the isoelectric points of the proteins and can be detected by isoelectric focusing analysis. The same posttranslational modifications can be detected during the in vitro synthesis of chick embryo skeletal muscle actin. The evidence presented suggest that the first posttranslational modification may correspond to the methylation of a histidine residue, and the second modification most likely corresponds to the acetylation of the NH2‐terminal amino acid residues of actin molecules.
Plasma miR-216a as a potential marker of pancreatic injury in a rat model of acute pancreatitis.

AIM To study the potential value and specificity of plasma miR-216a as a marker for pancreatic injury. METHODS Two rat models were applied in this article: L-arginine-induced acute pancreatitis was used as one model to explore the potential value of plasma miR-216a for detection of pancreatic injury; nonlethal sepsis induced in rats by single puncture cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was used as the other model to evaluate the specificity of plasma miR-216a compared with two commonly used markers (amylase and lipase) for acute pancreatitis. Plasmas were sampled from rats at indicated time points and total RNA was isolated. Real-Time Quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was used to quantify miR-216a in plasmas. RESULTS In the acute pancreatitis model, among five time points at which plasmas were sampled, miR-216a concentrations were significantly elevated 24 h after arginine administration and remained significantly increased until 48 h after operation (compared with 0 h time point, P < 0.01, Kruskal-Wallis Test). In the CLP model, plasma amylase and lipase, two commonly used biomarkers for acute pancreatitis, were significantly elevated 24 h after operation (compared with 0 h time point, P < 0.01 and 0.05 respectively, Pairwise Bonferroni corrected t-tests), while miR-216a remained undetectable among four tested time points. CONCLUSION Our article showed for the first time that plasma miR-216a might serve as a candidate marker of pancreatic injury with novel specificity.
Conservation Policy-Community Conflicts: A Case Study from Bogda Nature Reserve, China

Bogda Nature Reserve is a World Heritage Site (WHS) in Xinjiang, China. Potential conflicts between community development and heritage conservation are important topics to study and may have an impact on the sustainable development of heritage sites. In this study, we conducted a survey with the community residents of the Bogda Nature Reserve to examine major potential conflicts arising from local residents’ perceptions regarding conservation policy and its interventions. The results indicated that the local community supports heritage conservation and development, but they expressed negative attitudes towards their present living conditions, especially due to policy-induced loss of benefits. Through the research, three major conflicts were identified: (1) a divergence in residents’ awareness of the WHS designation and the conservation policy (grazing restriction policy); (2) negative changes in living conditions compared to before the WHS designation; (3) the degradation of well-being caused by tourism. In addition, expectations from residents were combined to assess the implications for the present situation and advise on conservation plans to facilitate sustainable management in Bogda.