Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antifungal Activity of Eight Selected Medicinal Herbs Used for the Treatment of Diabetes , Malaria and Pneumonia in Kisii Region , Southwest Kenya

A diploid fungus, Candida albicans, is a form of yeast that is a casual agent of opportunistic oral and genital infections in humans and is traditionally treated using herbs. Amongst the indigenous herbs used for the purpose in Kisii region, southwest Kenya are: Carissa spinarum, Urtica dioica, Warburgia ugandensis, Senna didymobotrya, Physalis Peruviana, Bidens pilosa, Leonotis nepetifolia and Toddalia sciatica. A study was carried out on these herbal plants in the year 2011and 2012. The objective was to determine the antifungal activity of these herbs that are also used for the treatment of diabetes, malaria and pneumonia. In the study, leaf samples of these plants were obtained from Kisii region, washed, air-dried and milled. The samples were extracted with four solvents namely hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and ethanol. Portions of the crude extracts were screened against Candida albicans, by the well diffusion method. Results showed that the standard antibiotics namely chloramphenicol, minocycline, erythromycin and cotrimoazol had diameters of the inhibition zones measuring (mm), 33, 32, 31 and 25, respectively which indicated inhibition of microbial growth. However, the extracts of hexane and solvents had no antifungal activity against the Candida albicans as they had diameters of the inhibition zones of 12 mm. The dichloromethane extracts of Leonotis nepetifolia and Bidens pilosa showed antifungal activity of diameters of the inhibition zones measuring 19 mm and 16 mm respectively. The ethyl acetate extracts of Leonotis nepetifolia, Bidens Pilosa, Senna didymobotrya, Toddalia asiatica and Physalis Peruviana recorded antifungal activity with diameters of the inhibition zones measuring (mm) 24, 18, 18, 17 and 15 respectively. The ethanol extracts of Leonotis nepetifolia and Physalis Peruviana displayed antifungal activity with diameters of the inhibition zones 27 mm and 19 mm, respectively. The dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts of Leonotis nepetifolia recorded maximum antifungal activity against Candida albicans. The findings suggest that the herbal extracts of Leonotis nepetifolia, Bidens Pilosa, Senna didymobotrya, Toddalia asiatica and Physalis Peruviana have a potential to control Candida albicans as they have diameter zone of inhibition above 12 mm.
Performance Comparison of Apache Spark and Tez for Entity Resolution

Entity Resolution is among the hottest topics in the field of Big data. It finds duplicates in datasets, which actually belong to same entity in the real world. Algorithms that perform Entity Resolution are computation intensive and consume a lot of time especially for large datasets. A lot of research has been conducted for improving Entity Resolution solutions. A number of algorithms are developed, in attempt to reduce the time required to execute Entity Resolution algorithms on a given dataset. Efficiency of Entity Resolution algorithms has significantly improved but is still not adequate for large datasets in the Big data field. We are contributing to enhance its performance in terms of time, not by improving the algorithm but finding the most suitable platform on which it runs. This would, in turn, increase its efficiency and indirectly elevate the accuracy of Entity Resolution by empowering it to run more computation intensive algorithm. We have shortlisted Apache Spark(RDD, DataFrame and Dataset) and Apache Tez (Hive) as the set of platforms. In this research work we have chosen the Blocking technique for implementing Entity Resolution in the four above mentioned different applications. We have performed a number of experiments with different configurations to find the most efficient platform by analyzing, comparing and evaluating the results in great detail.
Distribution of Mercury and Selenium in Egg Components and Egg-White Proteins 1

Summary Methylmercuric chloride (Hg) at 20 ppm and sodium selenite (Se) at 8 ppm were fed, separately and in combination, to laying hens. Oral doses of CH3 203HgCl and H2 75SeO3 also were given to all hens. The concentration of 203 Hg and 75 Se in egg white and egg yolk, and the distribution of the radioisotopes among proteins of egg white, were determined. The highest concentrations of 203Hg were observed in egg white. The 8 ppm of dietary Se significantly increased the concentrations of 203 Hg in egg white when compared with a diet containing no added Se. At the same time, the addition of Se to the diet reduced 203 Hg in the egg yolk. 75Se was found primarily in egg yolk, but 20 ppm dietary Hg significantly decreased 75 Se in the egg yolk and increased it in the egg whites. A significant Hg × Se interaction was observed for deposition of 75 Se in egg white. When dietary Hg was fed separately from dietary Se, 75Se deposition was increased in the egg whites. More than 97% of the total 203 Hg in egg white was associated with ovalbumin. Similarly, total Hg was found in greatest quantities in ovalbumin, irrespective of the addition of dietary Hg or Se. The largest proportion of total 75 Se dose and the highest concentration of total Se per unit of protein occurred in globulin, especially when 8 ppm Se were fed. The data illustrate preferential binding of Hg by ovalbumin and of Se by globulin as compared with other major proteins of egg white.
Decreased toxicity of liposomal amphotericin B due to association of amphotericin B with high-density lipoproteins: role of lipid transfer protein.

Previously, we have shown that liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmpB) composed of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol (DMPG) was less nephrotoxic but equally as effective as Fungizone, which consists of amphotericin (AmpB) and deoxycholate. We have also observed that AmpB predominantly associates with high-density lipoproteins (HDL) in human serum and that the amount of AmpB associated with HDL increases when AmpB is incorporated into negatively charged liposomes. Furthermore, we observe that AmpB was less toxic in vitro to pig kidney cells when associated with HDL, but still toxic when associated with LDL. To further understand why HDL-associated AmpB causes reduced renal toxicity, we first examined LLC PK1 cells for the presence of LDL and HDL receptors and then the cytotoxic effects of HDL- and LDL-associated AmpB following trypsin treatment of LLC PK1 renal cells, which removed only the high-affinity LDL receptors. We found that LLC PK1 renal cells expressed high- and low-affinity LDL receptors but only low-affinity HDL receptors. Furthermore, when LLC PK1 cells were treated with trypsin, HDL- and LDL-associated AmpB were less toxic to the cells than was AmpB. The reduced renal cell toxicity of HDL-associated AmpB may be due to its lack of interaction with renal cells because of the absence of HDL receptors. Since AmpB interacts with cholesteryl esters (CE) whose transfer among lipoproteins is regulated by lipid transfer protein (LTP), the role of LTP on the distribution of AmpB to HDL and LDL was next investigated. We observed that LTP facilitated the transfer of AmpB, but not L-AmpB, from HDL to LDL. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The Prevalence of Sexual Violence in Prison

The issue of prison violence and misconduct has been the subject of considerable academic attention, yet particularized areas of violent victimization within prisons have gone relatively unnoticed. One such area involves sexual violence in prisons. Scholars have argued that sexual violence contributes to a host of institutional and individual-level problems, yet the primary limitation of this body of literature is that it has been largely confined to methodologically questionable studies of prison rape prevalence. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to critically take stock of what is and what is not currently known about the prevalence of prison sexual violence. In doing so, it highlights the direction that future research should take so that evidence-based policies concerning prison sexual violence may be developed.
Guanine riboswitch variants from Mesoplasma florum selectively recognize 2′-deoxyguanosine

Several mRNA aptamers have been identified in Mesoplasma florum that have sequence and structural features resembling those of guanine and adenine riboswitches. Two features distinguish these RNAs from established purine-sensing riboswitches. All possess shortened hairpin-loop sequences expected to alter tertiary contacts known to be critical for aptamer folding. The RNAs also carry nucleotide changes in the core of each aptamer that otherwise is strictly conserved in guanine and adenine riboswitches. Some aptamers retain the ability to selectively bind guanine or adenine despite these mutations. However, one variant type exhibits selective and high-affinity binding of 2′-deoxyguanosine, which is consistent with its occurrence in the 5′ untranslated region of an operon containing ribonucleotide reductase genes. The identification of riboswitch variants that bind nucleosides and reject nucleobases reveals that natural metabolite-sensing RNA motifs can accrue mutations that expand the diversity of ligand detection in bacteria.
Regional norepinephrine spillover in response to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition in healthy subjects

Objectives Even though most previous studies have shown that central nervous angiotensin II causes sympatho-excitation, there are data suggesting that blockade of the renin–angiotensin system (RAS) could activate the renal sympathetic nerves. The aim of the present study was to investigate overall, cardiac and renal sympathetic nerve activity, before and after intravenous enalaprilat, in healthy normotensive subjects without an activated RAS. Methods Thirty healthy subjects underwent catheterization of the radial artery, right renal and coronary sinus veins with blood sampling at baseline and 30–40 min after 1.25 or 2.5 mg of intravenous enalaprilat, respectively. Regional and overall sympathetic nervous activity was estimated using isotope dilution, calculating spillovers of norepinephrine. Results Mean arterial blood pressure decreased by 5% (P < 0.05) after the higher dose and remained unchanged after the lower dose of enalaprilat, whereas renal norepinephrine spillover increased after both doses by 49 and 26% respectively (P < 0.05 for both). Cardiac and total body norepinephrine spillover remained unchanged after both doses of enalaprilat. Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, which was measured in eight subjects after 2.5 mg enalaprilat, fell by 43% (P < 0.05). Conclusions In the absence of, or after a minor, blood pressure fall, intravenous enalaprilat selectively activates the renal nerves in healthy subjects without an activated RAS. Unloading of the low-pressure baroreceptor system and/or a central nervous effect of enalaprilat may be responsible for this differentiated sympathetic nervous response.
On the construction, comparison, and local characteristic decomposition for high-Order central WENO schemes

In this paper, we review and construct fifth- and ninth-order central weighted essentially nonoscillatory (WENO) schemes based on a finite volume formulation, staggered mesh, and continuous extension of Runge-Kutta methods for solving non-linear hyperbolic conservation law systems. Negative linear weights appear in such a formulation and they are treated using the technique recently introduced by Shi et al. (J. Comput. Phys. 175, 108 (2002)). We then perform numerical computations and comparisons with the finite difference WENO schemes of Jiang and Shu (J. Comput. Phys. 150, 97 (1999)) and Balsara and Shu (J. Comput. Phys. 160, 405 (2000)). The emphasis is on the performance with or without a local characteristic decomposition. While this decomposition increases the computational cost, we demonstrate by our numerical experiments that it is still necessary to use it to control spurious oscillations when the order of accuracy is high, both for the central staggered grid and for the upwind nonstaggered grid WENO schemes. We use the shock entropy wave interaction problem to demonstrate the advantage of using higher order WENO schemes when both shocks and complex solution features coexist.
Dielectric breakdown strength of silicone gel under various environmental conditions

Silicone gel belongs to the group of RTV-2 silicone rubbers, which are room-temperature-vulcanizable materials consisting of two components. The material combines the advantages of the electrical and chemical properties of silicones with the unique mechanical properties of gels. The attempt to use silicone gel as insulation material in long-term stable and reliable medium voltage applications, e.g. as insulation material for power cable joints, requires a comprehensive and consolidated knowledge of the dielectric breakdown strength. A test program has been performed testing model insulations consisting of silicone gel under various stress conditions. The influence of the processing of the material, the influence of humidity and temperature on the dielectric breakdown strength of silicone gel is investigated. Also, the findings on the interdependency between the dielectric breakdown strength and the electrically stressed material volume (scaling effect) are reported. A further section of this paper describes the ageing performance of silicone gel under homogeneous and strong inhomogeneous electrical field stress. Finally, the dielectric breakdown strengths of a silicone gel/silicone gel interface model on the one hand and a silicone gel/polypropylene interface model on the other hand are analysed.
Increased cardiac sympathetic nerve activity following acute myocardial infarction in a sheep model

The time course of cardiac sympathetic nerve activity (CSNA) following acute myocardial infarction (MI) is unknown. We therefore undertook serial direct recordings of CSNA, arterial blood pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) in 11 conscious sheep before and after MI, and compared them with 10 controls. Conscious CSNA recordings were taken daily from electrodes glued into the thoracic cardiac nerves. Infarction was induced under pethidine and diazepam analgesia by applying tension to a coronary suture. MI size was assessed by left ventricular planimetry (%) at postmortem, peak troponin T and brain natriuretic peptide levels (BNP). Baroreflex slopes were assessed daily using phenylephrine‐nitroprusside ramps. The mean infarcted area was 14.4 ± 2.9%, troponin T 1.88 ± 0.39 μg l−1 and BNP 8.4 ± 1.3 pmol l−1. There were no differences in haemodynamic parameters or CSNA between groups at baseline. MAP and HR remained constant following MI. CSNA burst frequency increased from baseline levels of 55.8 ± 7.1 bursts min−1 to levels of 77.5 ± 8.7 bursts min−1 at 2 h post‐MI, and remained elevated for 2 days (P < 0.001). CSNA burst area also increased and was sustained for 7 days following MI (P= 0.016). Baroreflex slopes for pulse interval and CSNA did not change. CSNA increases within 1 h of the onset of MI and is sustained for at least 7 days. The duration of this response may be longer because the recording fields decrease with time. This result is consistent with a sustained cardiac excitatory sympathetic reflex.
Competitive Swimmers Modify Racing Start Depth Upon Request

To expand upon recent findings showing that competitive swimmers complete significantly shallower racing starts in shallower pools, 12 more experienced and 13 less experienced swimmers were filmed underwater during completion of competitive starts. Two starts (1 routine and 1 “requested shallow”) were executed from a 0.76 m block height into water 3.66 m deep. Dependent measures were maximum head depth, head speed at maximum head depth, and distance from the starting wall at maximum head depth. Statistical analyses yielded significant main effects (p < 0.05) for both start type and swimmer experience. Starts executed by the more experienced swimmers were deeper and faster than those executed by the less experienced swimmers. When asked to dive shallowly, maximum head depth decreased (0.19 m) and head speed increased (0.33 ms-1) regardless of experience. The ability of all swimmers to modify start depth implies that spinal cord injuries during competitive swimming starts are not necessarily due to an inherent inability to control the depth of the start. Reports from high school and collegiate sports suggest that in competitive
Functional evidence for inward-rectifier potassium channels in rat cremaster muscle arterioles.

Moderate increases in extracellular K(+) produce vasodilation in fourth order cremasteric arterioles in the anesthetized rat. We studied the contribution of different subtypes of K(+) channels to this response. Cremaster muscle arteriolar diameters were observed during superfusion with buffer containing 5-30 mM K(+) in the absence (control) and presence of barium (Ba(2+), 50 microM), glibenclamide (GLIB, 1 microM), or iberiotoxin (IBTX, 100 nM) to block inward-rectifier, ATP-sensitive, or Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels, respectively. Under control conditions, vessels dilated in response to 10-25 mM K(+) and constricted at higher concentrations. At 5 mM K(+), vessel diameters were significantly decreased by GLIB and Ba(2+), but not IBTX, suggesting that basal diameter was regulated by inward-rectifier and ATP-sensitive K(+) channels. In contrast, Ba(2+), but not GLIB or IBTX, prevented K(+)-induced dilation. The data indicate that the inward-rectifier K(+) channel (blocked by low concentrations of Ba(2+), but not GLIB or IBTX) was most likely responsible for the K(+)-induced arteriolar dilation.
Pretectal connections in turtles with special reference to the visual thalamic centers: A hodological and γ‐aminobutyric acid‐immunohistochemical study

Projections of the pretectal region to forebrain and midbrain structures were examined in two species of turtles (Testudo horsfieldi and Emys orbicularis) by axonal tracing and immunocytochemical methods. Two ascending γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic pathways to thalamic visual centers were revealed: a weak projection from the retinorecipient nucleus lentiformis mesencephali to the ipsilateral nucleus geniculatus lateralis pars dorsalis and a considerably stronger projection from the nonretinorecipient nucleus pretectalis ventralis to the nucleus rotundus. The latter is primarily ipsilateral, with a weak contralateral component. The interstitial nucleus of the tectothalamic tract is also involved in reciprocal projections of the pretectum and nucleus rotundus. In addition, the pretectal nuclei project reciprocally to the optic tectum and possibly to the telencephalic isocortical homologues. Comparison of these findings with previous work on other species reveals striking similarities between the pretectorotundal pathway in turtles and birds and in the pretectogeniculate pathway in turtles, birds, and mammals. J. Comp. Neurol. 426:31–50, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Antimonotonicity and maximal complexity in optically injected two-section lasers

In this paper, we investigate some special dynamic characteristics of two-section semiconductor lasers subject to optical injection. Forward and reverse period-doubling cascades are presented in the parameter space of frequency detuning /spl omega/ and injection strength K, a phenomenon known as antimonotonicity. Furthermore, we investigate the Kaplan-Yorke dimension (D/sub KY/) and the largest Lyapunov exponent (LLE) of chaotic attractors in this laser setup. It is found that the latter is a dynamical system that can possess a dimension D/sub KY/ anywhere between 2 and close to 4 as the control and material parameters are varied, making it the most complex laser setup using optical injection. Finally, the criteria for achieving a high LLE and a high D/sub KY/ are examined (by varying all possible material and control parameters) and presented with potential applications to chaotic communications.
The intelligent water drops algorithm: a nature-inspired swarm-based optimization algorithm

A natural river often finds good paths among lots of possible paths in its ways from the source to destination. These near optimal or optimal paths are obtained by the actions and reactions that occur among the water drops and the water drops with the riverbeds. The intelligent water drops (IWD) algorithm is a new swarm-based optimisation algorithm inspired from observing natural water drops that flow in rivers. In this paper, the IWD algorithm is tested to find solutions of the n-queen puzzle with a simple local heuristic. The travelling salesman problem (TSP) is also solved with a modified IWD algorithm. Moreover, the IWD algorithm is tested with some more multiple knapsack problems (MKP) in which near-optimal or optimal solutions are obtained.
CT Detection of Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Meckel Diverticulum.

OBJECTIVE The objective of our study was to determine how often symptomatic Meckel diverticulum and asymptomatic Meckel diverticulum are detected on CT in patients with known Meckel diverticulum and to evaluate factors that influence detection. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 85 CT examinations of 40 patients (eight pediatric patients and 32 adult patients; 29 male patients and 11 female patients; average age, 46.2 ± 23.7 [SD] years) with a pathologic diagnosis of Meckel diverticulum were retrospectively evaluated. These patients included 26 adult patients with incidentally found asymptomatic Meckel diverticulum and 14 patients (eight pediatric and six adult patients) with symptomatic Meckel diverticulum. The CT technical factors and patients' morphologic factors were compared with the detection of Meckel diverticulum using mixed-effect logistic regression models. RESULTS Meckel diverticulum was detected on at least one CT examination in eight of 14 (57.1%) symptomatic patients (two of four patients with bleeding, two of six patients with small-bowel obstruction, two of two patients with acute diverticulitis, one of one patient with incisional hernia, and one of one patient with inverted Meckel diverticulum) and in 13 of 23 (56.5%) total CT examinations. Asymptomatic Meckel diverticulum was detected on at least one CT examination in 11 of 26 (42.3%) patients and in 16 of 62 (25.8%) total CT examinations. The amount of peritoneal fat was related to the detection of Meckel diverticula (p = 0.02). Although not statistically significant, the subjective quality of axial CT (p = 0.05) tended to be related to detection, whereas the use of IV (p = 0.59) or positive oral (p = 0.41) contrast material was unrelated to detection. In the original CT reports, none of the asymptomatic cases of Meckel diverticulum was prospectively detected, whereas Meckel diverticulum was detected or mentioned as a possibility in 64% of the symptomatic cases. CONCLUSION In patients with known Meckel diverticulum, CT can detect Meckel diverticulum in up to 47.5% of all patients. Meckel diverticulum is more commonly detected in symptomatic patients than in asymptomatic patients, and detection is related to the amount of peritoneal fat.