Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DPPH free radical scavenging activity and phenotypic difference in hepatoprotective plant (Silybum marianum L.)

Silybum marianum L. is medicinally important for its active principle component silymarin. Silymarin regenerates damaged hepatic tissues. On the basis of such regenerative properties, the radical scavenging activity (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)) of different tissues and the phenotypic difference of the hepatoprotective species, S. marianum L. were evaluated. There was less phenotypic difference in purple and white varieties of S. marianum. Assay of the antioxidant potential of different parts of the plant revealed that significantly higher activity (78.2%) was observed in seeds of the purple flowering plant than seeds of white flowering plant (49%) after different time intervals. Young leaves collected from white flowering plant exhibit 64.8% activity, which is higher than the purple flowering plant (55.1%). Significantly, same activity was observed in mature leaves of white (52%) and purple flowering plants (50%). The main stem collected from both the varieties exhibits similar activity from 50 to 52%. A 67.2% activity was recorded for mature roots of white flowering plant followed by roots of the purple variety (65%). The present study revealed that seeds and roots of both the varieties scavenge and detoxify more DPPH free radicals than other plant parts and can be used as a source of natural antioxidants and food additives.
Financial Intermediation in a Global Environment

I develop a two-country DSGE model with global banks (financial intermediaries in one country lend to banks in the other country). Banks are financially constrained on how much they can borrow from households. The main goal is to obtain a framework that captures the international transmission of a financial crisis through the balance sheet of the global banks, as well as to explain the insurance mechanism of the international asset market. A negative shock to the value of the capital in one country generates a global financial crisis through the international interbank market. In this model, unconventional credit policies help to mitigate the effects of a financial disruption. The policies are carried out by the policy maker of the country directly hit by the shock. Consumers of that country are better off with policy than without it, while consumers from the other country are worse off.
Investigation of the herbicide glyphosate and the plant growth regulators chlormequat and mepiquat in cereals produced in Denmark

An LC-MS/MS method for analysing glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in cereals was developed. The method is based on extraction with water and detection of the ions from the fragmentation m/z 170-->88 (glyphosate) and m/z 112-->30 (AMPA), using electrospray interface in the positive mode. Investigation from the harvests of 1998 and 1999 showed residues of glyphosate and/or its degradation product AMPA in more than half of the cereal samples produced in Denmark. The average concentration of glyphosate in 46 samples from the 1999 harvest was 0.11 mg/kg compared with 0.08 mg/kg for the 1998 harvest (n = 49). Thus, the figures were well below the maximum residue limit (MRL) and no violations were observed. The plant growth regulators chlormequat and/or mepiquat were investigated in cereals from the Danish harvest of 1999 where 83% of the samples contained chlormequat (n = 46) compared with 87% of the samples from the 1997 harvest (n = 52). The average concentration of chlormequat in 1999 was 0.32 mg/kg compared with 0.23 mg/kg in 1997. At 2.9 mg/kg, one sample of wheat bran was exceeding the MRL of 2 mg/kg for wheat. The intakes of the pesticides through the diet of cereals were estimated to comprise 0.04% of the acceptable daily intake (ADI) for glyphosate and 1% of the ADI for chlormequat for an adult Dane.
Expression of HLA Class I Antigens in Skeletal Muscle Is a Diagnostic Marker in Juvenile Dermatomyositis

HLA class I gene products are immunocytochemically detectable in the skeletal muscle of many patients with inflammatory conditions. We report three cases of juvenile dermatomyositis with minimal histologic abnormalities and no inflammation in the muscle biopsies. All three showed strong expression of HLA class I antigens on muscle fibers. Analysis of HLA class I expression is thus a useful marker for the diagnosis of inflammatory muscle disease, even in the absence of histologic changes. (J Child Neurol 1997;12:60-63).
Block map implementation of difference expansion reversible watermarking

This paper investigates the block implementation of median edge detector (MED) based prediction error expansion reversible watermarking. Image is divided in overlapping blocks. A block is considered for data embedding only if all its pixels can be embedded. By embedding on blocks, the size of the location map is reduced. The block map implementation provides considerably better results than the classical location map implementation and rather similar to the histogram shifting ones. Experiments for different block sizes are provided.
Solid State Organic X-Ray Detectors Based on Rubrene Single Crystals

In this work we report the results on the investigation of rubrene single crystals as solid state direct ionizing radiation detectors. With the aim to understand how electrical properties, and in particular a large charge carrier mobility, affect the radiation detection process in organic semiconducting single crystals, we compare the detection performance of rubrene-based devices with those of 1,5-dinitronaphthalene (DNN)-based ones. DNN has been recently proven to be a stable and reliable X-ray direct detector, operating at very low voltages, in air and at room temperature, with a carrier mobility values about two orders of magnitude lower than rubrene. We demonstrate here that the large charge carrier mobility of rubrene crystals does not result in a better X-rays detection performance. In fact, rubrene devices are shown to be less performing than DNN as detectors, with lower sensitivity to X-rays, poorer stability and reproducibility, and longer rise and decay times of the signal.
Effect of exclusion of frequently consumed dietary triggers in a cohort of children with chronic primary headache

Background: Although dietary factors are known to trigger headaches, the relationship between food and headache in children remains unclear. This prospective, observational case series aimed to evaluate the effect of exclusion of frequently-consumed foods in a cohort of children with headache. Methods: One hundred and fifteen children aged 3–15 (mean 10.5) years with primary headache were followed in a paediatric outpatient clinic. Patients who frequently consumed foods or food additives known to trigger headaches were advised to exclude them for six weeks and to return for follow-up with headache and food diary. Results: One hundred patients attended follow-up. Of these 13 (13%) did not respond to dietary exclusion; 87 (87%) achieved complete resolution of headaches by exclusion of 1–3 of the identified food(s). Caffeine was the most common implicated trigger (28), followed by monosodium glutamate (25), cocoa (22), aspartame (13), cheese (13), citrus (10) and nitrites (six). One patient was sensitive to tomatoes. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the potential scale and significance of seven frequently consumed foods or food additives as triggers for primary headache in children. Also this is the first study to show that headaches can be triggered by the cumulative effect of a food that is frequently consumed, rather than by single time ingestion.
Neurosecretory and Non‐Neurosecretory Parvocellular Neurones of the Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus Express Distinct Electrophysiological Properties

Parvocellular neurones of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) comprise neurosecretory and non‐neurosecretory subpopulations. We labelled neurosecretory neurones with intravenous injection of the retrograde tracer, fluoro‐gold, and recorded from fluoro‐gold‐positive and negative PVN parvocellular neurones in hypothalamic slices. Non‐neurosecretory parvocellular neurones generated a low‐threshold spike (LTS) and robust T‐type Ca2+ current, whereas neurosecretory neurones showed no LTS and a small T‐current. LTS neurones were located in non‐neurosecretory regions of the PVN, and non‐LTS neurones were located in neurosecretory regions of the PVN. These findings indicate that neurosecretory and non‐neurosecretory subtypes of parvocellular PVN neurones express distinct membrane electrical properties.
Helicobacter pylori and other Helicobacter species in gallbladder and liver of patients with chronic cholecystitis detected by immunological and molecular methods

Objective Despite several recent reports on the detection of Helicobacter DNA in human bile, there are still uncertainties concerning the correlation of these findings with biliary tract and liver diseases. Material and methods Using molecular methods and immunohistochemistry (IHC), we investigated gallbladder and liver biopsy specimens from 22 adult Ukrainian patients with chronic cholecystitis for the presence of Helicobacter species. Patient sera were collected and tested for antibody reactivity to antigens of three Helicobacter spp. Detection of Helicobacter DNA was performed using a Helicobacter genus-specific 16S rDNA PCR. Amplified DNA was identified by PCR-denaturating gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and DNA sequencing. Tissue sections of gallbladder and liver were examined by IHC with antibodies specific to H. pylori, the CagA and VacA cytotoxins of H. pylori, H. hepaticus and to Campylobacter jejuni. Patient sera were analysed by immunoblot for IgG antibodies to soluble surface proteins of H. pylori, H. hepaticus and H. bilis. Results Helicobacter DNA was found in 16/22 (73%) of the gallbladder samples and in 11/22 (50%) of the liver samples. IHC showed the presence of the H. pylori specific cytotoxins CagA and VacA inside the gallbladder epithelial cells without co-localization of H. pylori at the epithelial lining. Immunoblot analysis of the patient sera did not show any correlation between the presence of Helicobacter DNA and IgG antibody responses. Conclusions The high prevalence of Helicobacter DNA and the positive findings by IHC in gallbladder and liver raise questions concerning an infectious role of Helicobacter in patients with chronic cholecystitis.
Políticas públicas y ecoturismo en comunidades indígenas de México

A partir de la crisis del modelo convencional del turismo en la decada de los noventa, la expansion del turismo alternativo y la creciente preocupacion medioambiental, en Mexico, la sustentabilidad fue incorporada como elemento central en el discurso y se inicio el fomento al ecoturismo. Sin embargo, en este ultimo aspecto fueron las acciones de las dependencias encargadas del combate a la pobreza y de la conservacion productiva de los recursos naturales y areas naturales protegidas las que tuvieron mayor incidencia. El intento de aprovechar los crecientes beneficios que el ecoturismo generaba llevo a que, en 1989, el Instituto Nacional Indigenista (ini) apoyara la creacion de ocho proyectos de ecoturismo entre las comunidades y pueblos indigenas, propiciando un largo proceso de reapropiacion y reuso de los recursos y territorios de que fueron privados cuando estos se convirtieron en areas naturales protegidas. Las comunidades y pueblos indigenas encontraron en el ecoturismo una alternativa economica que, al tiempo que les permitia conservar su patrimonio natural y cultural, les posibilitaba modificar su relacion subordinada y dependiente del mercado nacional.
Economic Efficiency and the Distribution of Benefits from College Instruction

Economic efficiency implies an equating, at the margin, of benefits and costs. In this paper we explore a concept of "efficiency" which is broader than the usual framework and which applies to commodities and services produced and distributed largely outside the private, profit maximizing sector. An assessment of the economic efficiency of producing such a commodity requires the determination of its outputs and the valuation or weighting of these outputs. ' Our principal point is that these weights, in turn, depend on who receives the outputs; thus, distributional issues are at the heart of economic efficiency studies involving a wide range of activities undertaken in the governmental and private, nonprofit sectors.2 One of these activities-the production and distribution of college instruction in economicsillustrates well the significance of this particular approach to the analysis of economic efficiency. We argue that in analyzing the economic efficiency of instruction, distributional issues-that is, who receives the benefits-should be considered explicitly; if not, they will necessarily be considered implicitly. The pervasive failure to include distributional issues in efficiency studies suggests an excessively narrow concept of efficiency. This is particularly inappropriate in evaluating instruction, since in education, as in most services, decisions regarding what to teach and how to teach have a strong influence on who receives the benefits.3
Simulated hypoxia does not further improve aerobic capacity during sprint interval training.

AIM The aim of this study was to investigate the use of hypoxic sprint interval training (SIT) for the improvement of aerobic capacity. METHOD Twenty-seven participants (mean±SD), age 21±1 yrs, body mass 72.4±9.7 kg and height 175±7 cm, completed an V̇O2peak Incremental Exercise Test and time to exhaustion (TTE) trial (80% V̇O2peak) pre and post SIT. Participants were randomly assigned to either, control (CONT), normoxic (NORM) or hypoxic (FiO2: 0.15) (HYP) conditions. SIT involved 30 s sprints interspersed with 4 min rest. The number of sprints progressed from four to seven over six sessions separated by 1-2 days rest. Two-way mixed design ANOVA was performed to determine changes between conditions. RESULTS V̇O2peak improved (P<0.05) pre to post SIT in NORM (11.2±10.8%) and HYP (10.9±6.2%), but not CONT (0.7±14.3%). TTE post SIT was significantly improved from pre SIT in NORM and HYP but not CONT (CONT=1±6, NORM=56±25, HYP=34±25%, P<0.05). Peak and recovery heart rate was lower in NORM (P<0.05) than HYP as SIT sessions progressed. SpO2 (%) was lower in HYP (86.1±4.3%) compared to NORM (97.1±0.7%), decreasing within all HYP sessions, and increasing with SIT. CONCLUSION Hypoxic and normoxic SIT caused improvement in V̇O2peak and TTE compared to a control. Hypoxic SIT did not cause further improvements, indicating hypoxia based SIT offers no additional benefit for improvement of endurance performance.
Depression in elderly homecare patients: patient versus informant reports

Background. This study compares patient and informant reports of depressive disorders in a community sample of elderly medical homecare patients. The associations between specific patterns of agreement/disagreement and other patient and informant characteristics are examined. Method. A random sample of 355 elderly medical homecare patients and their informants were interviewed using the current mood section of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID). Results. Thirty-seven patients (10·4%) reported a depressive disorder (major or subsyndromal) that was also identified by their informant while 27 (7·6%) patients self-reported depression that the informant did not identify. There were 250 patients (70·4%) who were not depressed according to both patient and informant report and 41 patients (11·5%) were identified as depressed by informant report alone. Patients identified as depressed by informant report alone were similar to patients who self-reported depression on a number of the sociodemographic and clinical correlates of depression, but had significantly poorer performance on items assessing orientation and short-term recall. These patients also had poorer functioning in a number of domains (social, cognitive, and functional) when compared with patients who were not depressed according to both the patient and informant. Finally, patients with younger informants were more likely to be identified as depressed by their informant. Conclusions. Obtaining informant reports of depression may be a useful method for detecting clinically significant cases of late-life depression that would otherwise be missed when relying only on patient report.
Locking-Free Optimal Discontinuous Galerkin Methods for Timoshenko Beams

In this paper, we consider the so-called $hp$-version of discontinuous Galerkin methods for Timoshenko beams. We prove that, when the numerical traces are properly chosen, the methods display optimal convergence uniformly with respect to the thickness of the beam. These methods are thus free from shear locking. We also prove that, when polynomials of degree $p$ are used, all the numerical traces superconverge with a rate of order $h^{2p+1}/p^{2p+1}$. Numerical experiments verifying the above-mentioned theoretical results are shown.
Temporal and stage-specific effects of recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone on the maintenance of spermatogenesis in gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist-treated rat.

Despite considerable attention to the hormonal regulation of spermatogenesis, the role of FSH in adult mammals remains controversial. This is mainly due to the unavailability until recently of FSH preparations free of contaminating LH and discrepant results in various species. Using LH-free recombinant human FSH (rhFSH), we sought to determine if FSH is able to maintain spermatogenesis in rats in which both LH and FSH, but not other pituitary hormones, are markedly suppressed by GnRH-A treatment. Groups of five adult SD rats were given daily sc injections of vehicle, Nal-Glu-GnRH-A (1.25 mg/kg BW) or GnRH-A + 10 IU rhFSH for up to 4 weeks. In agreement with our previous report, GnRH-A treatment for 1 week led to a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in testis weight (26.6%) and in the number of specific germ cells involving preleptotene (27.7%) and pachytene spermatocytes (36.7%) and step 7 spermatids (30.3%) at stage VII of the seminiferous epithelial cycle. The number of advanced spermatids declined by 44.3%. Concomitant administration of rhFSH for 1 week resulted in a significant increase in testicular weight, tubular areas at stage VII-VIII, and in the absolute volumes of seminiferous tubules and their lumens compared to GnRH-A alone. Most importantly, FSH replacement to GnRH-A-treated rats fully attenuated the early (1 week) GnRH-A-induced reduction in germ cell numbers at stage VII as well as the number of advanced (steps 17-19) spermatids, and effectively prevented GnRH-A-induced reduction in the number of pachytene spermatocytes and step 7 spermatids for 2 weeks. In addition, FSH replacement to GnRH-A-treated rats was able to increase the number of B spermatogonia available for entry into meiosis and maintain the number of preleptotene spermatocytes throughout the treatment period. The observed beneficial effects of rhFSH on spermatogenesis in GnRH-A-treated rats are most likely not due to the stimulation of the Leydig cell function (via paracrine interaction between Sertoli and the Leydig cells), because FSH addition to GnRH-A had no discernible effect on intratesticular or plasma T levels, accessory organs weight, and the total volume of the Leydig cells when compared with GnRH-A alone. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Chemotaxonomic value of alkaloids in Solanum nigrum complex

The comparison of alkaloidal profile of delimited species in the 5 locally available taxa of S. nigrum complex were used to establish the boundaries among close taxonomic groups. Several glycoalkaloids (Solasonine, α-Solamargine, β-Solamargine and α-Solanine) and their aglycones (Solasodine and Solanidine) were analysed that were shown to be a valuable tool to resolve the international taxonomic controversy based on morphological characters. HPLC and GC-MS were used for the first time for the analysis of alkaloids in S. nigrum complex. Qualitative and quantitative comparison by cluster analysis demonstrated significant distances among S. chenopodioides and S. villosum as well as in S. americanum and S. nigrum, in their respective clusters, indicated them as distinct species. But S. retroflexum did not show such a marked difference and hence might be regarded as a variety or subspecies of S. nigrum.
In vitro fertilization of oocytes from polyovular follicles in mouse ovaries exposed neonatally to diethylstilbestrol.

In 35-day-old female ICR/JCL mice given 5 daily injections of 1 microgram diethylstilbestrol (DES) from the day of birth, a significantly higher incidence of polyovular follicles was found in the ovaries than in those of age-matched control mice. Gap junctions of granulosa cells of mature follicles in neonatally DES-exposed mice were larger than those of the controls. When stimulated by gonadotropins (PMSG and hCG) and caged with males, the number of tubal embryos in DES-exposed mice was less, but the rate of fertilization and development was not different compared to the controls. Division of oocytes collected from the ovaries of 40-day-old DES-exposed and control mice after stimulation of gonadotropins was examined 24 to 72 h after in vitro insemination to ascertain whether fertilization had occurred in oocytes from polyovular follicles. Seventy-seven % of oocytes from uniovular follicles of control mice developed up to 8-cell stage embryos following in vitro insemination; 66% of those from similar follicles of DES-exposed mice developed into the same stage. By contrast, only 47% of oocytes from polyovular follicles of DES-exposed mice showed the division up to 8-cell stage 72 h after insemination, indicating a significantly lower fertilization rate compared to the oocytes from uniovular follicles of control and DES-exposed mice. Without insemination, oocytes taken from the same pools in these experiments never divided during the period of manipulation and incubation. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Methicillin-resistant staphylococcal contamination of clothing worn by personnel in a veterinary teaching hospital.

OBJECTIVE To determine the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) contamination rate of white coats (WC) and surgical scrubs (SS) worn by personnel at the Ontario Veterinary College Health Sciences Centre (OVCHSC) and to identify risk factors associated with clothing contamination. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SAMPLE POPULATION Personnel including clinical faculty, house officers, technicians, and veterinary students working at the OVCHSC. METHODS Electrostatic cloths were used to sample WC and SS of hospital personnel. Samples were tested for MRSA and MRSP and isolates were typed. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire and data was evaluated for risk factors. RESULTS Of 114 specimens, MRS were isolated from 20 (17.5%), MRSA from 4 (3.5%), and MRSP from 16 (14.0%). Technicians were 9.5× (OR = 0.95, 95% CI: 1.2-∞, P = .03) more likely than students to have clothing contaminated with MRSA. No risk factors were identified for MRSP or for overall MRS contamination. CONCLUSIONS Standard hospital clothing was found to have a high prevalence of MRS contamination in a veterinary teaching hospital and could be a source of hospital-acquired infections.
Evaluation of global wave energy resource

In this work, we make use of two wave databases, satellite measurements and numerical modeling, to develop a methodology to obtain reliable estimates of the spatial and temporal variability of global wave energy resources. As a result, the global distribution of wave energy resources has been evaluated (since 1948) at a global scale analyzing its variability in time (within seasons and months) and space. The inter-annual variability is also addressed by analyzing the correlation with several climate indices.