Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of allergens in propolis by ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

The purified extract of propolis is used as a traditional remedy for the treatment of several diseases. Its beneficial activities are mainly attributed to the polyphenolic fraction. Nevertheless, propolis can cause allergic dermatitis and the sensitization rate in humans is increasing significantly mainly in younger subjects. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a selective and sensitive ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis (UPLC/MS/MS) for the evaluation of the amount of caffeic acid and its esters with allergenic action in raw propolis samples and commercial formulations. The separation was carried out on a 1.7 μm C(18) BEH Shield column and the detection performed by means of electrospray ionization in negative ion mode with multiple reaction monitoring. The confirmation of formulae of the precursor and product ions was accomplished by injection into a high-resolution system (FTICR-MS) using accurate mass measurements. The error was below 1.4 ppm.The range of the standard curves was 0.5-10 μg/mL and dihydrocaffeic acid was used as internal standard (IS). The lower limit of detection (LLOD) for 3-methyl-2-butenyl-(3M2B), 3-methyl-3-butenyl-(3M3B), 2-methyl-2-butenyl-(2M2B), benzyl-(CABE), phenylethylcaffeic acid (CAPE) and for caffeic acid (CA) and the IS was 0.1 and 0.3 μg/mL, respectively. The recoveries were in the range 96-104% and the intra- and inter-day precisions were within 6.2%. In the European (n=8) and Asiatic (n=3) propolis the most abundant allergens were CABE>3M2B>CAPE>3M3B>CA>2M2B. These compounds were not found in the red (n=1) and green (n=1) Brazilian propolis. Hydroalcoholic extracts (n=6) and tablets (n=6) were analyzed by the proposed UPLC/MS/MS method. The results showed that in the commercial products CABE, 3M2B, CAPE and 3M3B were also the most abundant.
Evanescent-mode propagation and quantum tunneling.

The tunneling of particles is in direct analogy with the transmission of evanescent electromagnetic waveguide modes as has been shown quite recently. We compare experimental data of an electromagnetic wave packet traversing an evanescent waveguide region with theoretical values derived for particle tunneling through a rectangular potential barrier. The transmission time was deduced by transformation of the experimental frequency data to the time domain. The data are in agreement and reveal superluminal wave-packet velocities for opaque evanescent regions
Activity-dependent fluorescent staining and destaining of living vertebrate motor nerve terminals

Living motor nerve terminals from several species can be stained in an activity-dependent fashion by certain styryl dyes, such as RH414, RH795, and a new dye, FM1–43, which can be imaged independently of the others. The dyes evidently become trapped within recycled synaptic vesicles. In frog cutaneus pectoris muscle, bright fluorescent spots spaced regularly along the length of the nerve terminals appear after stimulation in the presence of the dye. The spots align well with postsynaptic ACh receptors and are persistent for many hours, unless further stimulation is given, in which case the spots disappear. Destaining, like staining, requires transmitter release and proceeds gradually over several minutes at high stimulus frequencies (e.g., 30 Hz), and fluorescent spots in the same terminal disappear at about the same rate. We suggest that each spot is a cluster of hundred of synaptic vesicles and that the mechanism of staining involves the ability of the dyes to partition reversibly into the outer leaflet of surface membranes, without being able to penetrate the entire membrane thickness. Then, during endocytosis following transmitter release, dye molecules become trapped in recycled synaptic vesicle membranes. The dyes therefore make it possible optically to study vesicle exocytosis and recycling in living nerve terminals in real time, and should be useful for marking terminals in a variety of preparations according to their level of activity.
Marking Universals and the Structure and Evolution of Kinship Terminologies: Evidence from Salish

Cet article a pour but de demontrer comment les regles de signalement, telles qu'elles sont formulees dans la theorie linguistique et cognitive de Greenberg sur les principes universels de la parente, rendent compte des asymetries dans la structure et l'evolution des terminologies de parente. La demonstration s'appuye sur l'etude comparative faite par Elmendorf de 14 terminologies de la famille linguistique Salish au nord-ouest de l'Amerique du Nord. La theorie de Greenberg est importante pour trois raisons: 1) elle dirige l'attention sur l'interaction entre les determinants cognitifs et linguistiques et les determinants sociaux des terminologies de parente; 2) elle offre un outil intellectuel de valeur pour l'analyse historique des terminologies de parente; 3) elle developpe un rapport entre l'anthropologie et l'etude scientifique de la cognition par le biais de l'analyse des effets prototypiques dans les systemes de classification humains.
Co-existence of two different α-synuclein oligomers with different core structures determined by hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry.

Neurodegenerative disorders are characterized by the formation of protein oligomers and amyloid fibrils, which in the case of Parkinson's disease involves the protein α-synuclein (αSN). Cytotoxicity is mainly associated with the oligomeric species, but we still know little about their assembly and structure. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) monitored by mass spectrometry is used to analyze oligomers formed by wild-type (wt) αSN and also three familial αSN mutants (A30P, E46K, and A53T). All four variants show co-existence of two different oligomers. The backbone amides of oligomer type I are protected from exchange with D2 O until they dissociate into monomeric αSN by EX1 exchange kinetics. Fewer residues are protected against exchange in oligomer type II, but this type does not revert to αSN monomers. Both oligomers are protected in the core sequence Y39-A89. Based on incubation studies, oligomer type I appears to form straight fibrils, while oligomer type II forms amorphous clusters that do not directly contribute to the fibrillation process.
Relations of inflammatory markers to lipid levels and autonomic tone in patients with moderate and severe chronic kidney disease and in patients under maintenance hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Chronic kidney disease is associated with enhanced inflammatory response and autonomic dysfunction. Evidence exists of a potential interaction of inflammation and nervous system. We sought to investigate determinants of heart rate variability (HRV) and relations between the inflammatory markers C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and autonomic tone in patients with moderate and severe chronic kidney disease and in maintenance hemodialysis patients, and relations of CRP and IL-6 with clinical characteristics and lipid levels. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study of 51 hemodialysis and 53 moderate and severe chronic kidney disease patients. Autonomic tone was assessed using 24-hour HRV analysis in time and frequency domain. All patients underwent measurements of high sensitivity CRP, IL-6 and lipid levels. RESULTS CRP and IL-6 were elevated in the non-dialysis group at levels similar to hemodialysis patients. Hemodialysis patients had lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B levels (p < 0.05), and in this group of patients lipids were related to CRP and IL-6 (p < 0.05). The inflammatory marker IL-6 was associated to HRV in the moderate and severe chronic kidney disease group (R = -0.4, p < 0.01 for standard deviation of RR intervals and very low frequency power, R = -0.5, p < 0.01 for standard deviation of all five-minute RR intervals, R = 0.35, p < 0.05, for total power and low frequency power). Adequacy of dialysis, but not the inflammatory markers, was associated to HRV in the hemodialysis group (R = 0.6, p < 0.01 for high frequency power). CONCLUSION Enhanced inflammatory response occurs already in stages 3 and 4 chronic kidney disease. IL-6 is related to HRV in these patients, but not in the hemodialysis group, suggesting that IL-6 may interact with autonomic tone in that stage of disease.
A new expert system for learning management systems evaluation based on neutrosophic sets

There has been a sudden increase in the usage of Learning Management Systems applications to support learner's learning process in higher education. Many studies in learning management system evaluation are implemented under complete information, while the real environment has uncertainty aspects. As these systems were described by development organizations with uncertainty terms such as vague, imprecise, ambiguity and inconsistent, that is why traditional evaluation methods may not be effective. This paper suggests neutrosophic logic as a better option to simulate human thinking than fuzzy logic because unlike fuzzy logic, it is able to handle indeterminacy of information which expresses the percentage of unknown parameters. As previous studies suggested neutrosophic decision maker and neutrosophic expert systems as future work in ecommerce and e‐learning applications, this paper presents neutrosphic expert system for learning management systems evaluation. Information for building and validating the neutrosophic expert system is collected from five experts using surveys, and then analysis is done by using Fuzzytech 5.54d software. Finally, the comparison between fuzzy expert system and neutrosophic expert system results show that the neutrosophic logic is capable of representing uncertainty in human thinking for evaluating Learning Management Systems.
Thyroid dysfunction in patients with diabetes: clinical implications and screening strategies

Background: Patients with diabetes mellitus are at an increased risk of thyroid disease. The frequency of thyroid dysfunction in diabetic patients is higher than that of the general population and up to a third of patients with type‐1 diabetes (T1DM) ultimately develop thyroid dysfunction. Unrecognised thyroid dysfunction may impair metabolic control and add to cardiovascular disease risk in diabetic patients.
Is there a Reliable Method to Assess the Complete Pathologic Response on the Tumor after Neo‐adjuvant Chemotherapy in Inflammatory Breast Cancer toward Recommendations for the Pathologic Process? Experience in 56 Patients Treated in a Single Institution

Abstract: The aim of this study was to compare the complete pathologic response (CPR) rate in 56 nonmetastatic inflammatory breast cancer patients according to the classification used and to look for a correlation between the CPR and overall survival. Initial biopsies and mastectomy specimens were reviewed by the same pathologist. The clinical response rate was 75%. A CPR was observed in 11 cases according to Sataloff, three according to Chevallier and five according to the NSABP. There was no correlation between the clinical and pathologic responses and none of them was predictive of relapse free survival or overall survival. We propose a standardization of the pathologic process of the mastectomy specimens so that a CPR has a clear definition across the institutions, with a good reproducibility whatever the classification used.
The Role of Transfusion-Transmitted Virus in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis

Goals To study transfusion-transmitted virus (TTV) infection in 75 patients on hemodialysis and examine its relationship with age, sex, duration of dialysis, history of transfusion, and chronic elevation of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. Study Serum TTV was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), TTV genotypes by restriction fragment length polymorphism, and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA by PCR. Results Transfusion-transmitted virus was detected in 32 patients (42.7%). Transfusion-transmitted virus genotypes were as follows: G1 in 16 patients; G2, 3; G3, 1; G4, 2; G2-G5, 6; and unclassified, 4. Mean duration of dialysis was 37 ± 32 months for TTV-positive patients and 43 ± 37 months for TTV-negative patients (not significant). Twenty-seven (84%) TTV-positive patients and 27 (63%) TTV-negative patients had a history of transfusions (p = 0.04). Chronic ALT elevation was observed in 9 patients; 5 of them were TTV-positive (16%) and 4 were TTV-negative (9%) (not significant). Four (40%) HCV RNA–positive patients and 5 (8%) HCV RNA–negative patients had chronic ALT elevation (p = 0.003). Three TTV-positive patients with chronic ALT elevation were also infected with HCV. The two patients with isolated TTV infection did not have another clinical feature to explain their ALT elevation. Conclusions Transfusion-transmitted virus had a high prevalence in the patients on hemodialysis; genotype G1 accounts for half of the cases. Transfusion-transmitted virus infection depends on the transfusional antecedent but not on the duration of dialysis. Chronic ALT elevation is significantly associated with HCV infection but not TTV infection. However, TTV could be a causative agent of chronic ALT elevation in some patients.
Effect of thyroxine on antioxidant defense system in the liver of rats of different age

The effects of altered thyroid state on the antioxidant defense system in the liver of differently aged rats were examined. Male rats aged 15, 45 and 75 days were treated with L-thyroxine, T(4) (40 microg/100 g body mass, s.c., one dose per day) for 14 days (finally aged 30, 60 and 90 days, respectively). The following antioxidant defense enzymes were measured: superoxide dismutases (both copper zinc, CuZn-SOD and manganese containing, Mn-SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), as well as the content of low molecular mass antioxidant glutathione (GSH). The effect of T(4) on antioxidant defense system in the liver differs with respect to age. T(4) treatment decreased CAT and GST activities, as well as the content of GSH in animals aged 60 and 90 days. The same treatment elevated GR activity in rats at 30 days of age, this phenomenon was not observed in older animals. The different response of immature rats to thyroxine compared to older animals could be attributed to the differences in thyroxine metabolism and the developmental pattern. Direct effect of T(4) on mature rats can be considered as a part of its overall catabolic action.
An efficient strategy for establishing a model of sensorineural deafness in rats

Ototoxic drugs can be used to produce a loss of cochlear hair cells to create animal models of deafness. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no report on the establishment of a rat deafness model through the combined application of aminoglycosides and loop diuretics. The aim of this study was to use single or combined administration of furosemide and kanamycin sulfate to establish rat models of deafness. The rats received intravenous injections of different doses of furosemide and/or intramuscular injections of kanamycin sulfate. The auditory brainstem response was measured to determine the hearing threshold after drug application. Immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy were performed to evaluate inner ear morphology. In the group receiving combined administration of furosemide and kanamycin, the auditory brainstem response threshold showed significant elevation 3 days after administration, higher than that produced by furosemide or kanamycin alone. The hair cells showed varying degrees of injury, from the apical turn to the basal turn of the cochlea and from the outer hair cells to the inner hair cells. The spiral ganglion cells maintained a normal morphology during the first week after the hair cells completely disappeared, and then gradually degenerated. After 2 months, the majority of spiral ganglion cells disappeared, but a few remained. These findings demonstrate that the combined administration of furosemide and kanamycin has a synergistic ototoxic effect, and that these drugs can produce hair cell loss and hearing loss in rats. These findings suggest that even in patients with severe deafness, electronic cochlear implants may partially restore hearing.
Toothbrushing behaviour in relation to plaque and gingivitis in adolescent schoolchildren.

Fifty seven 13-year-old children were asked to brush their teeth and were unaware that they were recorded on video tape. Gingival inflammation was measured (G.I.) before brushing and plaque levels (PI.I) after brushing. By viewing the films, each of 12 areas of the mouth were recorded as brushed or not brushed, together with the type and nummer of stokes used. For each area, plaque and gingivitis levels were related to the type of strokes used. The results showed the inability of these uninstructed adolescents to remove plaque, despite brushing for a mean time of 51s. For all of the areas no one stroke was consistently related to less plaque. In 3 out of the 4 buccal areas where the circular stroke was used, it was associated with the least plaque; in the remaining 2 buccal areas the long horizontal was associated with the least plaque. The relationship between gingival inflammation and brushing stoke mirrored that between plaque levels and brushing stroke.
Techniques, Timing & Prognosis of Post Infarct Ventricular Septal Repair: a Re-look at Old Dogmas

Objective The study aimed to identify the factors affecting the prognosis of post myocardial infarction (MI) ventricular septal rupture (VSR) and to develop a protocol for its management. Methods This was a single center, retrospective-prospective study (2009-2014), involving 55 patients with post MI VSR. The strengths of association between risk factors and prognosis were assessed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The UNM Post MI VSR management and prognosis scoring systems (UPMS & UPPS) were developed. Results Thirty-day mortality was 52.5% (35% in the last 3 years). Twenty-eight (70%) patients underwent concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting. Residual ventricular septal defect was found in 3 (7.5%) patients. The multivariate analysis showed low mean blood pressure with intra-aortic balloon pump (OR 11.43, P=0.001), higher EuroSCORE II (OR 7.47, P=0.006), higher Killip class (OR 27.95, P=0.00), and shorter intervals between MI and VSR (OR 7.90, P=0.005) as well as VSR and Surgery (OR 5.76, P=0.016) to be strong predictors of mortality. Concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (P=0.17) and location (P=0.25) of VSR did not affect the outcome. Mean follow-up was 635.8±472.5 days and 17 out of 19 discharged patients were in NYHA class I-II. Conclusion The UNM Post-MI VSR Scoring Systems (UPMS & UPPS) help in management and prognosis, respectively. They divide patients into 3 groups: 1) Immediate Surgery - Patients with scores of <25 require immediate surgery, preferably with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support, and have poor prognosis; 2) Those with scores of 25-75 should be managed with "Optimal Delay" and they have intermediate outcomes; 3) Patients with scores of >75 can undergo Elective Repair and they are likely to have good outcomes.
Intestinal Stromal Tumors in a Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-infected, Simian Retrovirus-2 Negative Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta)

Multifocal submucosal stromal tumors were diagnosed in a 5.5-year-old rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) experimentally infected with simian immunodeficiency virus, strain SIVsmE660, and CD4+ T cell depleted. The animal was negative for simian retroviruses, SRV-1, -2, and -5. Polymerase chain reaction analysis of DNA from tumor and spleen tissue revealed abundant, preferential presence of retroperitoneal fibromatosis herpesvirus, the macaque homologue of the Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (human herpesvirus-8), in the tumors. This was corroborated by demonstration of viral latent nuclear antigen-1 in the nuclei of a majority of the spindeloid tumor cells. Low levels of an additional macaque herpesvirus, rhesus rhadinovirus, were also detected in the spleen and tumor tissues. The spindeloid cells labeled positively for vimentin and CD117 but were negative for CD31, CD68, desmin, and smooth muscle cell actin. Collectively, these findings suggest a relation to but not absolute identity with simian mesenchymoproliferative disorders (MPD) or typical gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).
A Tail-Injected Divide-by-4 SiGe HBT Injection Locked Frequency Divider

This letter presents a silicon-germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) divide-by-4 injection locked frequency divider (ILFD). The ILFD is based on a single-stage voltage-controlled oscillator with active-inductor, and was fabricated in the 0.35 mu m SiGe 3P3M BiCMOS technology. The divide-by-4 function is performed by injecting a signal to the base of the tail HBT. Measurement results show that when the supply voltage VDD is 3.1 V and the tuning voltage is tuned from 2.0 to 2.8 V, the divider free-running oscillation frequency is tunable from 2.12 to 2.76 GHz, and at the incident power of 0 dBm the operation range is about 1.15 GHz, from the incident frequency 8.55 to 9.7 GHz. The die area is 0.65 times 0.435 mm2.
Cellular fatty acid composition of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Haemophilus aphrophilus

Strains of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans isolated from deep pockets of patients with juvenile periodontitis were analyzed for their content of cellular fatty acids. Oral Haemophilus strains, morphologically and biochemically similar to Haemophilus aphrophilus, were also examined for their content of cellular fatty acids. The extractable lipids of the actinobacilli represented approximately 10% of the cell dry weight, with the bound lipids representing 2 to 5%. The major fatty acids consisted of myristic (C14:0) and palmitic (C16:0) acids and a C16:1 acid, possibly palmitoleic acid, accounting for 21, 35, and 31% of the total extractable fatty acids, respectively. Haemophilus strains had a similar cellular fatty acid content.
Initial Experimental Studies of Metal Fiber Brushes in a Magnetic Field

Metal fiber brushes were evaluated in a magnetic test fixture with variable speed, transport current and magnetic flux density. Silver alloy fiber brushes with a cross sectional area of 8.4 square millimeters were operated at a current of up to 90 amps, with a current density of 1070 amps per square centimeter. The brushes were operated in humidified air, at speeds of up to 15.5 meters per second and a flux density of up to about 0.6 Tesla. Significant differences between anode and cathode brush impedance characteristics were observed. The current-voltage curves of the cathode brush was approximately linear with current indicating constant contact resistance while the anode generally had higher impedance and in some cases its characteristic was non-linear with a diode like behavior. The magnetically induced circulating current losses were insignificant because of the small brush geometry and moderate magnetic flux density. Non-dimensional wear rates were on the order of 5E-11. Although operating temperatures in the brushes reached over 120 o C for the higher speeds and currents, thermal runaway was not observed at temperatures up to 120 o C.
Childhood causes of adult diseases.

The search for influences in the adult environment which determine the risk of the major non-malignant diseases, cardiovascular disease, and chronic bronchitis has met with limited success. Cigarette smoking has been implicated; evidence on dietary fat has accumulated to the point where a public health policy of reduced intake is considered prudent, even if the case is not proven. Much, however, remains unexplained. puzzling aspect of the epidemiology bron-