Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antibacterial properties of Passiflora foetida L. – a common exotic medicinal plant

Passiflora foetida L. (stinking passion flower) is an exotic medicinal vine. The antibacterial properties of leaf and fruit (ethanol and acetone) extracts were screened against four human pathogenic bacteria i.e. Pseudomonas putida, Vibrio cholerae, Shigella flexneri and Streptococcus pyogenes by well-in agar method. The results showed the leaf extract having remarkable activity against all bacterial pathogens compared to fruits. This study supports, the traditional medicines (herbal extracts) to cure many diseases like diarrhea, intestinal tract, throat, ear infections, fever and skin diseases.
Hybrid Distributed Instrumentation Network for Integrating Meteorological Sensors Applied to Modeling RF Propagation Impairments

Rainfall rate is the main cause of fades in the frequency bands above 10 GHz. To optimize the planning of satellite and terrestrial radio communication systems operating on these frequency bands, it is essential to have a detailed knowledge of the temporal and spatial distributions of the rainfall rate. For this reason, it is necessary to develop experimental networks, which provide adequate data to study, prevent, and compensate the rain fade. In this paper, an experimental instrumentation network is presented. This network comprises weather stations that are capable of measuring rainfall rate, temperature, and humidity; a weather radar; and three radio links. This paper first introduces the rationale and the state of the art in meteorological sensors and describes the experimental network for automatic data acquisition as a distributed process system. The design of the experimental network is explained in detail. Finally, the interest in millimeter wavelength for broadband applications is outlined, and some research lines from the collected data are presented.
Credit for What? Informal Credit as a Coping Strategy of Market Women in Northern Ghana

Abstract This paper explores the use of informal credit as a strategy for managing risks by market women in northern Ghana. A broad concept of the costs of risk management strategies is introduced and encompasses both a time and monetary dimension. Based on qualitative data, the analysis reveals that market women invest a considerable amount of time in maintaining complex networks of informal credit providers to ensure their access to credit once a shock occurs. Informal credit involves high transaction costs and prevents market women from growing out of poverty in the long term.
A model of resilience and meaning after military deployment: Personal resources in making sense of war and peacekeeping experiences

The aim of the present study was to examine whether the specific personal resources of self-esteem, optimism and perceived control, combined in the latent variable called ‘resilience’, were associated with cognitive processing of war-zone experiences. Data were collected by questionnaires from a sample of 1.561 veterans who had participated in various war or peacekeeping operations. Structural equation modelling was performed to assess the expected relationships between the observed and latent variables. The construct of resilience was well-defined and proved to be strongly associated with both construals of meaning, comprehensibility versus personal significance, after military deployment. According to our model, higher resilience predicted less distrust in others and the world, more personal growth and less intrusions and avoidance after military deployment.
Structural homology and developmental transformations associated with ovary diversification in Lithophragma (Saxifragaceae).

Lithophragma, comprising only ten species, encompasses a remarkable diversity of ovary positions, reported to range from inferior to superior. The structural homology of the gynoecium and developmental transformations associated with ovary diversification are investigated for Lithophragma. Scanning electron and light microscopy indicate that all species of Lithophragma have epigynous flowers. Lithophragma campanulatum, L. glabrum, and L. heterophyllum have ovaries that externally appear nearly superior, but are actually shallowly inferior or "pseudosuperior. " The inferior ovaries of Lithophragma species can be conceptually divided into superior and inferior regions that meet at the point of perianth and androecial insertion. Static and ontogenetic allometry reveal that across the species of Lithophragma the lengths of these two ovary regions are coordinated. Ovary regions in mature flowers display an approximately linear relationship that can be expressed through the allometric equation SL = -0.5314 IL + 2.0348 (where SL and IL are the lengths of the superior and inferior regions of the ovary, respectively; r = 0.7683, df = 35, P = 2.45 × 10). Mapping ontogenetic allometries onto a recent phylogeny for Lithophragma shows that ovary position evolution is bidirectional and has shifted toward greater superiority in some species and greater inferiority in others.
Seeing the hand being touched modulates the primary somatosensory cortex

Recent behavioral studies have shown that viewing the stimulated body part can enhance tactile acuity. We examined effects of viewing the stimulated body part by using neuromagnetic source imaging. Study participants were covertly stimulated on their first digit (D1) while watching a video that showed a hand where D1 was stimulated. The video hand appeared in the region where the real hand would be expected. In addition, participants were stimulated on D1 without watching the video. The results demonstrated a shift of D1 to a more inferior position and an increase of the dipole strength of D1 during the observation of tactile stimulation. We discuss these cross-modal interactions with recent studies on visuotactile enhancement.
Up-Regulation of Akt and eNOS Induces Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Differentiation in Hypertension In Vivo

Recent studies have shown that angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor-mediated Akt activation induces vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) dedifferentiation in vitro. However, the critical signal transductions affecting the VSMC phenotype remain unclear in vivo. We examined whether signal transduction through AT1 receptor-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) could regulate the VSMC phenotype in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSPs). Male SHRSPs were randomized and treated for 6 weeks with a vehicle, an ACE inhibitor cilazapril, or an AT1 receptor antagonist E4177. The 2 drugs showed equipotent effects on the blood pressure, aortic morphology, and collagen deposition. Both drugs also significantly reduced aortic NAD(P)H oxidase activity and p38MAPK and ERK expression, whereas p-Akt, eNOS, and SM2 were significantly increased in SHRSP aortas. Furthermore, E4177 was more effective than cilazapril at inducing VSMC differentiation by reducing NAD(P)H oxidase activity, and up-regulating p-Akt, eNOS, and SM2. Thus, an ACE inhibitor and an AT1 receptor antagonist inhibited VSMC dedifferentiation through inhibition of NAD(P)H oxidase activity and up-regulation of eNOS and Akt in SHRSP aortas, suggesting that in contrast to the in vitro experiments, AT1 receptor-mediated NAD(P)H oxidase-generated ROS, eNOS, and Akt might be crucial determinants for the VSMC phenotype in hypertension in vivo.
Transcriptome and Proteome Studies Reveal Candidate Attachment Genes during the Development of the Barnacle Amphibalanus Amphitrite

The acorn barnacle, Balanus amphitrite, is the main biofouling organism in marine environments. In the present study we profiled the transcriptome and proteome of B. amphitrite at different life stages (nauplius II, nauplius VI and cyprid) from the Red Sea, where the average water surface temperature is 34°C and the salinity reaches 41‰. We identified 65,784 expressed contigs, and a total of 1,387 expressed proteins measured by quantitative proteomics. We found that osmotic stress, salt stress, hyperosmotic response and the Wnt signaling pathway were strongly up-regulated during the planktonic stage, while the MAPK pathway, lipid metabolism, and cuticle development genes were down-regulated. In the transition stage between the nauplius VI and the cyprid, genes that are involved in blood coagulation, cuticle development and eggshell formation were highly up-regulated, while the nitric oxide pathway, which stimulates the swimming and feeding response in marine invertebrates, was down-regulated. We are able to report for the first time that sound sensory system proteins are highly abundant in the nauplius VI stage, implying that these proteins are good targets for the development of new antifouling compounds. The results presented here together with the new genome-wide datasets for a non-model specie represent an important resource for the study of biofouling and development.
[Effect of M8046 on expression of COX-2/PGE2 in spinal cord and DRG in rats with neuropathic pain].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of glucocorticoid receptor antagonist-M8046 on the behavior and the cyclooxygenase-2/prostaglandin E2( COX-2/PGE2) expression in spinal cord dorsal horn and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) in chronic constrictive injury (CCI) rats. METHODS One hundred and forty-four male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, 36 rats in each group: Sham operation group (Sham), chronic constrictive group (CCI), M8046 treated group (M8046) and solvent controlled group (Sc). M8046 3 mg/(kg x d) intraperitoneal injection was given after operation in group M8046. Paw thennal withdrawal (PTWL) and paw mechanical withdrawal threshold (PMWT) of rats were measured on 2 pre-operative and 1, 3, 7, 10, 14 post-operative days. The spinal cord and L15 DRG of the operated side was removed at 3, 7, 14 days after surgery. The change of COX-2 and PGE2 expression was determined by immunohistochemical staining and ELISA separately. RESULTS PTWL and PMWT in CCI group were significantly lower than those in Sham group on every post-operative day (P < 0.05). PTWL and PMWT in M8046 group were significantly higher than those in CCI group on 7, 10, 14 post-operative day (P < 0.05). In spinal dorsal horn, the level of COX-2 and PGE2 expression in CCI group was significantly higher than that in Sham group (P < 0.05). M8046 could significantly attenuate the activation of COX-2 and PGE2 induced by CCI (P < 0.05). The expression of COX-2 and PGE2 in DRG was similar to that in spinal dorsal horn. CONCLUSION The effects of M8046 ameliorate the CCI-induced neuropathic pain may be related to attenuate the expression of COX-2 and PGE2 in spinal cord and DRG.
DNA‐damaging activity of biotic and xenobiotic aldehydes in chinese hamster ovary cells

Alkaline elution was employed to study DNA damage in CHO‐Kl cells treated with a series of biotic and xenobiotic aldehydes. DNA cross‐linking was measured in terms of the reduction in the effect of methyl methanesulphonate on the kinetics of DNA elution and was observed in cells treated with formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, methylglyoxal and malonaldehyde. Propionaldehyde, valeraldehyde, hexanal and 4‐hydroxynonenal produced DNA single‐strand breaks, or lesions which were converted to breaks in alkali. Both types of DNA damage occurred in cells exposed to malealdehyde. These findings support the hypothesis of a carcinogenic effect of the aldehydic products (malonaldehyde, methylglyoxal, propionaldehyde, hexanal, 4‐hydroxynonenal) released in biomembranes during lipid peroxidation.
The evolving role of lenalidomide in the treatment of hematologic malignancies

Lenalidomide is an immunomodulatory drug, structurally related to thalidomide, which has pleotropic activity, including antiangiogenic and antineoplastic properties. This agent is the product of advances in the understanding of the biology of neoplastic cells, their interaction with the microenvironment and of the underlying molecular pathways. Lenalidomide has shown significant activity in refractory/resistant multiple myeloma, and further studies have shown its activity in other hematologic malignancies with some very encouraging results, especially in subsets of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. This article reviews the data on lenalidomide use in patients with multiple myeloma, as well as in myelodysplastic syndromes, chronic lymphocytic leukemia and myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia.
Wild-Type p53 Enhances Efficiency of Simian Virus 40 Large-T-Antigen-Induced Cellular Transformation

ABSTRACT Abortive infection of BALB/c mouse embryo fibroblasts differing in p53 gene status (p53+/+ versus p53−/−) with simian virus 40 (SV40) revealed a quantitatively and qualitatively decreased transformation efficiency in p53−/− cells compared to p53+/+ cells, suggesting a supportive effect of wild-type (wt) p53 in the SV40 transformation process. SV40 transformation efficiency also was low in immortalized p53−/− BALB/c 10-1 cells but could be restored to approximately the level in immortalized p53+/+ BALB/c 3T3 cells by reconstituting wt p53, but not mutant p53 (mutp53), expression. Stable expression of large T antigen (LT) in p53+/+ 3T3 cells resulted in full transformation, while LT expression in p53−/− 10-1 cells could not promote growth in suspension or in soft agar to a significant extent. The helper effect of wt p53 is mediated by its cooperation with LT and resides in the p53 N terminus, as an N-terminally truncated p53 (ΔNp53) could not rescue the p53-null phenotype. The p53 N terminus serves as a scaffold for recruiting transcriptional regulators like p300/CBP and Mdm2 into the LT-p53 complex. Consequently, LT affected global and specific gene expression in p53+/+ cells significantly more than in p53−/− cells. Our data suggest that recruitment of transcriptional regulators into the LT-p53 complex may help to modify cellular gene expression in response to the needs of cellular transformation.
The presenting ECG pattern in survivors of cardiac arrest and its relation to the subsequent long‐term survival

In a prospective multi‐center study, 262 patients were given general intensive care therapy following cardiopulmonary resuscitation if they were still comatose and unresponsive to pain 10 min after restored spontaneous circulation. Mortality (mainly cardiac) was 53.4% over the first 10 days, and 49% of the remaining survivors died between 10 days and 6 months. In the subsequent 6 months few patients died. Presenting electrocardiograms (ECG) showed ventricular fibrillation (VF) in 54.2%, asystole in 29.8% and electromechanical dissociation (EMD) in 9.2% of the patients. One‐year survival, 14.1% for asystole, 4.2% for EMD and 26.0% for VF and VT (ventricular tachycardia), differed significantly (P<0.01). VF/VT patients were older and had more cardiovascular disease. Adjustments of these and other covariates increased the significance of difference between ECG groups. Successful resuscitations from asystole or EMD appeared to be more common than has previously been reported, but this group of patients experienced an extremely high cardiac mortality over the first 6 months following resuscitation.
Outcomes of Transracial Adoption

In the United States, the first transracial adoption placements in substantial numbers were of Japanese and Chinese children following World War II. During the 1950s, after the Korean War, Korean children were adopted by American families in large numbers. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, more than 10,000 African-American children were adopted by white parents. Subsequently, however, this practice decreased dramatically in response to strong condemnation by many African-American social workers and others. Research on transracial adoption indicates that most minority children in transracial placement adjust very well to their mixed-race environments. Delay in placement and preplacement physical and emotional problems have a negative impact on the development and adjustment of these children. Most transracial adoptees have a sense of identity with their racial heritage, but the strength of this identity depends, to a large degree, on the commitment of the adoptive parents to foster it. In view of the growing number of minority children in need of permanent homes, it is urged that transracial adoption be retained as one viable alternative.
Methionine-Loading Rapidly Impairs Endothelial Function, by Mechanisms Independent of Endothelin-1: Evidence for an Association of Fasting Total Homocysteine with Plasma Endothelin-1 Levels

Objective: Homocysteinemia is associated with elevated oxidative stress and impaired endothelial function. In the present study we examined the impact of oxidative stress in the development of endothelial dysfunction in both chronic and acute (methionine-induced) homocysteinemia in humans. We also examined the role of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in the development of endothelial dysfunction in these two conditions. Methods: In this double-blind placebo controlled study, 28 subjects of both genders (14 with homocysteinemia and 14 healthy controls) underwent methionine-loading (100mg/Kg body weight) in a standard juice, containing vitamins C (2g) plus E (800IU) (n = 14) or no vitamins (placebo group, n = 14). Forearm vasodilatory response to reactive hyperemia, plasma total homocysteine (tHcy), oxidized LDL (ox-LDL), ET-1 and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM-1), were evaluated at baseline and 4 hours post methionine loading (4hPML). Results: Chronic homocysteinemia was associated with increased oxLDL (p < 0.01), higher ET-1 (p < 0.05) and impaired endothelial function (p < 0.01). However, oxLDL (but not ET-1) was increased 4hPML in the placebo group, an effect prevented by antioxidant vitamins. The development of severe endothelial dysfunction 4hPML was not however prevented by antioxidants. In linear regression analysis, fasting tHcy was an independent predictor of baseline oxLDL (p = 0.0001), but not of ET-1 levels. On the contrary, oxLDL was the main predictor of ET-1 (p = 0.008), suggesting that tHcy may increase ET-1 by enhancing the production of oxLDL. Conclusions: Both chronic and acute methionine-induced homocysteinemia are associated with elevated oxidative stress status. Although ET-1 is increased in chronic homocysteinemia, it does not participate in the rapid development of endothelial dysfunction after methionine loading. These findings suggest that despite its potential role in chronic homocysteinemia, ET-1 has a limited contribution to the development of endothelial dysfunction in acute, methionine-induced homocysteinemia in humans.
Time to remission for eating disorder patients: A 2½-year follow-up study of outcome and predictors

The aim of the present study was to analyse outcome, time to remission, and predictors of time to remission in a cohort of Danish eating disorder patients. Seventy-eight patients (35 anorexic, 30 bulimic and 13 unspecified eating disorder patients) were interviewed 2½ years after initial assessment. Method of assessment was Eating Disorder Examination (EDE), Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation of Eating Disorders (LIFE-EAT-II), Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI), Symptom Check List (SCL-90R), Present State Examination (PSE) and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R Axis-II (SCID-II). Method of analysis was Kaplan–Meier estimate of survival, Log Rank test and Cox regression analysis. In total 48.7% reached remission with mean time to remission at 27 months. A trend difference between the diagnostic groups when measuring time to remission was found, i.e. patients with unspecified eating disorders remitted faster than bulimic (BN) patients who in turn remitted faster than anorexic (AN) patients. Body mass index (BMI) at baseline was the best predictor of time to remission for the total sample. Predictors differed when looking at diagnostic groups separately. Final outcome was comparable with earlier studies while relapse frequency was low. Patients with AN remitted faster than found in earlier survival analysis studies, while the remission rate for BN patients was comparable with earlier studies. Despite the prognostic value of BMI for the total sample, predictor analysis implied more disorder diversity than homogeneity.
Resetting the evolution of marine reptiles at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary

Ichthyosaurs were important marine predators in the Early Jurassic, and an abundant and diverse component of Mesozoic marine ecosystems. Despite their ecological importance, however, the Early Jurassic species represent a reduced remnant of their former significance in the Triassic. Ichthyosaurs passed through an evolutionary bottleneck at, or close to, the Triassic-Jurassic boundary, which reduced their diversity to as few as three or four lineages. Diversity bounced back to some extent in the aftermath of the end-Triassic mass extinction, but disparity remained at less than one-tenth of pre-extinction levels, and never recovered. The group remained at low diversity and disparity for its final 100 Myr. The end-Triassic mass extinction had a previously unsuspected profound effect in resetting the evolution of apex marine predators of the Mesozoic.
Automatic auditory change detection in humans is influenced by visual–auditory associative learning

Automatic detection of auditory changes that violate a regular sound sequence is indexed by the mismatch negativity (MMN) component of the event-related potential. The MMN is considered to reflect an auditory sensory memory and attention switching mechanism. Our aim was to study whether the auditory MMN can be associated with visual cues that have predictive value. By using visual cues that predicted the appearance of a deviant sound in most but not all of the cases, we were able to elicit MMN not only to the deviant sounds but also to those regular sounds that were misleadingly preceded by the visual cue. This result indicates high flexibility in the human automatic auditory change detection system, as it is affected by short-term visual–auditory associative learning.
Consulta puerperal: orientação sobre sua importância

Objetivo: investigar la orientacion sobre la importancia de la consulta puerperal durante el prenatal y el puerperio inmediato en ambiente hospitalario. Metodo: se trata de un estudio del tipo epidemiologico observacional, con evaluacion descriptiva, de cuno transversal, fundamentado con abordaje cuantitativo. El levantamiento de los datos ocurrio entre el periodo de marzo de 2016 a enero de 2017 en la maternidad de un hospital municipal de la ciudad de Barra do Garcas, MT. Se estudiaron 216 puerperas. Un instrumento con cuestiones cerradas fue utilizado para la recoleccion de datos. Para la organizacion y la descripcion de los datos se utilizo la estadistica descriptiva. Resultados: el 92,1% de las puerperas no fueron orientadas en cuanto a la consulta puerperal aunque realizaron en promedio 6,59 consultas de prenatal. Solo el 5,6% fue esclarecido, en el ambiente hospitalario, durante el puerperio inmediato, de las cuales solo el 0,92% ya habian sido orientadas durante el prenatal. Consideraciones finales: Por falta de orientacion, las mujeres son tolhidas de beneficiarse de la consulta puerperal. Se sugiere que se efectuen medidas que promuevan la concientizacion de los profesionales sobre la importancia de orientar y programar la consulta puerperal, concretar referencia y contra referencia entre atencion basica y maternidade
(2-Chloro-8-methoxyquinolin-3-yl)methanol monohydrate

In the title compound, C11H10ClNO2·H2O, the organic molecule is roughly planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.074 Å). In the crystal structure, molecues are linked by O—H⋯O and O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds and weak C—H⋯π and π–π interactions [centroid–centroid distance = 3.578 (3) Å] consolidate the packing. A short Cl⋯O contact [3.147 (3) Å] is also observed.