Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spray-dried solid dispersions containing ferulic acid: comparative analysis of three carriers, in vitro dissolution, antioxidant potential and in vivo anti-platelet effect

Abstract This article aimed to improve the relative solubility and dissolution rate of ferulic acid (FA) by the use of spray-dried solid dispersions (SDs) in order to ensure its in vitro antioxidant potential and to enhance its in vivo anti-platelet effect. These SDs were prepared by spray-drying at 10 and 20% of drug concentration using polyvinylpyrrolidone K30 (PVP-K30), polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG 6000) and poloxamer-188 (PLX-188) as carriers. SDs and physical mixtures (PM) were characterized by SEM, XRPD, FTIR spectroscopy and TGA analysis. Spray-dried SDs containing FA were successfully obtained. Relative solubility of FA was improved with increasing carrier concentration. PVP-K30 and PEG 6000 formulations showed suitable drug content values close to 100%, whereas PLX-188 presented mean values between 70 and 90%. Agglomerates were observed depending on the carrier used. XRPD patterns and thermograms indicated that spray-drying led to drug amorphization and provided appropriate thermal stability, respectively. FTIR spectra demonstrated no remarkable interaction between carrier and drug for PEG 6000 and PLX-188 SDs. PVP-K30 formulations had changes in FTIR spectra, which denoted intermolecular O–H•••O = C bonds. Spray-dried SDs played an important role in enhancing dissolution rate of FA when compared to pure drug. The free radical-scavenging assay confirmed that the antioxidant activity of PEG 6000 10% SDs was kept. This formulation also provided a statistically increased in vivo anti-platelet effect compared to pure drug. In summary, these formulations enhanced relative solubility and dissolution rate of FA and chosen formulation demonstrated suitable in vitro antioxidant activity and improved in vivo anti-platelet effect.
Sustainability of the Rural ICT Project: a Case Study of aAQUA e-Agriservice, Maharashtra, India

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are continuously emerging as key tools to support development activities undertaken by Governments, civil society and private enterprises. It has been showing significant result in addressing information asymmetry gap in many sectors and localities, especially in agriculture & allied sector. The rural people, specifically farming communities have been getting timely & relevant information, services & support, and farming inputs. However, the sustainability of these ICT based efforts in improving well-being of farming communities is key to the effectiveness of a rural ICT projects in India. The present paper aimed to determine the sustainability of the aAQUA (Almost All Questions Answered) e-Agriservice in Maharashtra state, western parts of India covering the four districts of the state. The study used the ex-post facto (cause to effect) research design in a quasi-intervention setting. The list of registered users was obtained from the service provider (presently Agrocom Software Technologies Pvt. Ltd.) and total of 120 users were selected randomly from four districts (30 users from each district). The sustainable-Agriservice Index (SeAGRSI) was computed based on the five dimensions viz. technological, economic, social, institutional, and political by using Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA), Mixed Method Approach and Normalized Rank Order Method (NROM). The study revealed that the SeAGRSI for the social indicators was the highest among other dimensions of the sustainability (SeAGRSI = 0.77) followed by the technologically (0.73), economic (0.71) political (0.62) and institutional (0.58) sustainable. It was also found that the mean SeAGRSI was 0.70 as reported by one third (32.50%) of the users, which means 70 per cent the aAQUA e-Agriservice was technologically, socially, economically, institutionally and politically sustainable.
Tree growth and vegetation activity at the ecosystem-scale in the eastern Mediterranean

Linking annual tree growth with remotely-sensed terrestrial vegetation indices provides a basis for using tree rings as proxies for ecosystem primary productivity over large spatial and long temporal scales. In contrast with most previous tree ring/remote sensing studies that have focused on temperature-limited boreal and taiga environments, here we compare the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) with a network of Pinus brutia tree ring width chronologies collected along ecological gradients in semiarid Cyprus, where both radial tree growth and broader vegetation activity are controlled by drought. We find that the interaction between precipitation, elevation, and land-cover type generate a relationship between radial tree growth and NDVI. While tree ring chronologies at higher-elevation forested sites do not exhibit climate-driven linkages with NDVI, chronologies at lower-elevation dry sites are strongly correlated with NDVI during the winter precipitation season. At lower-elevation sites, land cover is dominated by grasslands and shrublands and tree ring widths operate as a proxy for ecosystem-scale vegetation activity. Tree rings can therefore be used to reconstruct productivity in water-limited grasslands and shrublands, where future drought stress is expected to alter the global carbon cycle, biodiversity, and ecosystem functioning in the 21st century.
Expression and activity of angiotensin-regulating enzymes is associated with prognostic outcome in clear cell renal cell carcinoma patients

The discovery of the intrarenal renin-angiotensin system (iRAS), which regulates angiogenesis, cell differentiation and proliferation, has opened new perspectives in the knowledge of kidney carcinogenesis. In this study we analyzed the immunohistochemical expression and fluorimetric activity of four key peptidases of iRAS in tumor tissue (n = 144) and serum samples (n = 128) from patients with renal neoplasms. Neutral endopeptidase (NEP/CD10), Angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2), and aminopeptidase A (APA) were expressed in tumor cells whilst Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) was expressed in the endothelial cells of intratumor blood vessels. The expression of ACE, ACE2 and NEP/CD10 was highest in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC) and papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC). The expression of these enzymes correlated with CCRCC aggressiveness. In addition, NEP/CD10 correlated with 15-year overall survival. On the other hand, APA expression was decreased in CCRCC with higher grade and stage. The loss of expression of APA independently correlated with a worse 15-year overall survival. Serum activity of ACE2, NEP/CD10 and APA was significantly higher in renal tumor patients than in healthy subjects. Serum ACE activity was lower in high grade and metastatic CCRCC patients, and NEP/CD10 activity was negatively correlated with UISS (UCLA Integrated Staging System) and SSIGN (Mayo Clinic stage, size, grade and necrosis model) scores and with overall survival of CCRCC patients. These results suggest a metabolic imbalance of iRAS in renal tumors. This finding should be taken into account in the search of new diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic tools for this disease.
Leading El-Niño SST Oscillations around the Southern South American Continent

The inter-annual variations in the sea surface temperatures (SSTs) of the tropical and subtropical Pacific Ocean have been widely investigated, largely due to their importance in achieving the sustainable development of marine ecosystems under a changing climate. The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a widely recognized variability. In the subpolar region in the southern hemisphere, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is one of the main sources of the Peru Current. A change in the SST in the Southern Ocean may change the physical properties of the seawater in the tropical and subtropical Pacific Ocean. However, the variations in the SST in the Southern Ocean have rarely been addressed. This study uses a 147-year (1870–2016) dataset from the Met Office Hadley Centre to show that the SST anomalies (SSTAs) in the oceans west and east of South America and the Antarctic Peninsula have strong positive (R = 0.56) and negative (R = −0.67) correlations with the Niño 3.4 SSTA, respectively. Such correlations are likely related to the changes in circulations of the ACC. We further show that, statistically, the temporal variations in the SSTAs of the ACC lead the Niño 3.4 SSTA by four to six months. Such findings imply that change in the strength of ENSO or circulation under the changing climate could change the climate in regions at higher latitudes as well.
THE INFLUENCE OF INFLATION RATE, BI RATE, AND EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES TO THE FINANCIAL SECTOR STOCK PRICE INDEX RETURN IN THE INDONESIAN STOCK MARKET

The objective of this study is to find out how macroeconomic factors such as exchange rate changes, BI rate and inflation rate can affect the financial sector stock price index in IDX from 2011 until 2017. Generalize Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH) is used as the analysis method in this research to find the fittest model. The results are, only exchange rate change that has significant effect to financial sector stock price index. Inflation and BI rate have no significant effect to financial sector stock price index.
Trends’ Signal Strength and the Performance of CTAs

We propose a new asset-based factor that relies on aggregating momentum signals over different horizons. Aggregating signals this way captures assets’ trend signal strength, thereby addressing a limitation in existing time series momentum strategies. Our factor mimics a trend-following manager that increases exposure to markets where trends develop and decreases exposure to markets where trends fade. Taking into account a number of practical implementation issues, we found that our proposed factor performs better at replicating the stylized facts of Commodity Trading Advisors’ returns than previous methods and allows a more meaningful assessment of fund alpha. A practitioner's perspective on this article is provided in the In Practice piece "Trends’ Signal Strength and the Performance of CTAs (In Practice)" by Phil Davis. Editor's Note: The original version had a typographical error in Equation 5, which has been corrected in this version. Disclosure: The authors report no conflicts of interest. Editor’s Note Submitted 9 November 2017 Accepted 31 August 2018 by Stephen J. Brown
Use of quinolones in urinary tract infections and prostatitis.

The newer quinolones (ciprofloxacin, enoxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, pefloxacin, and fleroxacin) cover the spectrum of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria causing urinary tract infections, including complicated and nosocomial infections and those caused by multiresistant strains. Even against Chlamydia trachomatis and Ureaplasma urealyticum, some newer quinolones are sufficiently active for successful treatment. These agents reach high and long-lasting concentrations not only in serum and urine, but also in prostatic and seminal fluid and in prostatic tissue. In the treatment of uncomplicated acute cystitis in women, a single dose or short-term treatment has been effective. Comparative studies in complicated urinary tract infections and in geriatric patients with urinary tract infections have demonstrated similar or significantly better results with the newer quinolones than with conventionally used antibiotics (e.g., amoxicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and pipemidic acid). Only a few noncomparative studies in infections of the male accessory glands (prostatitis, vesiculitis, epididymitis) have been reported so far; the initial results are promising, but further investigations are needed.
Preschool Israeli Children Exposed to Rocket Attacks: Assessment, Risk, and Resilience.

Preschool children are among the most vulnerable populations to adversity. This study described the effects of 4 weeks of daily exposure to rocket attacks on children living on Israel's southern border. Participants enrolled in this study were 122 preschool children (50% boys) between the ages 3 and 6 years from 10 kindergartens. We assessed mothers' report of children's symptoms according to the DSM-IV and alternative criteria resembling the DSM-5 criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), general adaptation, traumatic exposure, and stressful life events 3 months after the war. The prevalence of PTSD was lower when the diagnosis was derived from the DSM-IV (4%) than from the DSM-5 criteria (14%). Mothers of children with 4 or more stressful life events reported more functional impairment in social, occupational, and other important areas of functioning compared to children with 0 or 1 stressful life event. Children with more severe exposure showed more severe symptoms and mothers had more concerns about the child's functioning (η(p)(2) = . 09-. 25). Stressful life events and exposure to traumatic experiences accounted for 32% of the variance in PTSD and 19% of the variance in the adaptation scale. Results were explored in terms of risk and resilience factors.
Nine mutations including three novel mutations among Russian patients with acute intermittent porphyria

Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) is a metabolic disease due to a partial deficiency of hydroxymethylbilane synthase (HMBS) in heme biosynthesis. Direct sequencing of genomic DNA samples of 11 unrelated Russian AIP patients, 32 of their relatives and 50 healthy controls from northwestern Russia including Saint Petersburg revealed nine mutations in the HMBS gene. Three novel mutations, c.825+5G>C, c.825+3_825+6del, and c.770T>C, resulted in varying amounts of abnormal transcripts, r. 822_825del and [r.770U>C, r. 652_771del, r. 613_771del]. Six mutations, c.77G>A (p.R26H), c.517C>T (p.R173W), c.583C>T (p.R195C), c.673C>T (p.R225X), c.739T>C (p.C247R), and c.748G>C (p.E250A), have previously been identified in AIP patients from Western and other Eastern European populations. All mutations expressed in COS‐1 cells demonstrated low residual activities (0.1–1%). The majority of the mutations were family‐specific and also confirmed allelic heterogeneity among Russian AIP patients. The diversity of mutations may reflect the old international history of Saint Petersburg and immigration of people from other parts of Europe. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A proposed model for reuse of software requirements in requirements catalog

Nowadays, the demand for higher quality in software products causes the increased complexity of these products. These two aspects (quality and complexity) combined with productivity are key elements for improving the competitiveness between software companies and differentiating success from failure in the software industry. In this sense, software reuse, and requirements reuse in particular, has been widely recognized as an effective way to improve software quality and productivity. In this paper, we propose a model to reuse the software requirements in a Requirements Catalog. This research aims to define the guidelines to carry out the requirements reuse process through four principal activities: searching, selecting, adapting, and implementing. Also, the commercial tool Computer‐Aided Requirements Engineering Rational RequisitePro was tailored to make feasible the implementation of the proposed model; in this sense, a tool plug‐in was developed. Finally, a case study is presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed model. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Marriage Trafficking: Women in Forced Wedlock

This book examines the traffic in women for marriage, a phenomenon that has been largely overlooked in international efforts to address the problem of human trafficking. In contrast to current international and state-based approaches to trafficking, which tend to focus on sex trafficking and trafficking for forced labour, this book seeks to establish how marriage as an institution is often implicated in the occurrence of trafficking in women. The book aims firstly to establish why marriage has tended not to be included in dominant conceptions of trafficking in persons and secondly to determine whether certain types of marriage may constitute cases of human trafficking, in and of themselves. Through the use of case studies on forced marriage, mail-order bride (MOB) marriage and Fundamentalist Mormon polygamy, this book demonstrates that certain kinds of marriage may in fact constitute situations of trafficking in persons and together form the under-recognised phenomenon of marriage trafficking. In addition, the book offers a new perspective on the types of harm involved in trafficking in women by developing a framework for identifying the particular abuses characteristic to marriage trafficking. It argues that the traffic in women for marriage cannot be understood merely as a subset of sex trafficking or trafficking for forced labour, but rather constitutes a distinctive form of trafficking in its own right. This book will be of great interest to scholars and postgraduates working in the fields of human rights theory and institutions, political science, international law, transnational crime, trafficking in persons and feminist political theory.
Arthrosonographic Reference Values of the Shoulder Joint in Healthy Children and Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Multicentre Ultrasound Study

Abstract Background Defining of gray scale ultrasound standard reference values of the shoulder joint in childhood and adolescence during maturation. Patients: We examined 445 healthy girls and boys between 1 year and 18 years of age. Method A cross-sectional multicentre grey-scale ultrasound study was performed to examine the shoulder joint on both sides. The children were divided according to their gender and were further classified into six age groups, which constituted three-year age ranges, to record anatomical development changes. We measured the capsule-bone distance (BCD) as a representation of the intracapsular cavity, as well as the thickness of the joint capsule and joint cartilage. Values were expressed in mean±standard deviation (SD) and minimum-maximum (min-max). The shape of the joint capsule and capsule-bone junction zone was qualitatively analysed. Results The joint cartilage thickness decreased with increasing age in all joints independently from sex and body side. However, the BCD and the capsule thickness increased with age. There was no intraarticular fluid visible. The joint capsule had a predominantly concave form, whereas the capsule-bone junction was mostly sharp. Discussion This study is the first describing age-related normal values of the intracapsular cavity, joint capsule and cartilage thickness as well as their respective shape in a large cohort of healthy children. Conclusion The findings could be helpful to differentiate between physiological and pathological joint conditions and thereby distinguishing age-related variations from alterations caused by inflammation.
Clinical Investigation : Genitourinary Cancer Treatment Trends and Outcomes of Small-Cell Carcinoma of the Bladder

This study analyzed outcomes for 533 patients with small cell carcinoma of the bladder using the SEER-Medicare database. We demonstrated that there was no significant difference in overall survival between two strategies for cure: a bladder-sparing approach of TURBT combined with chemotherapy and radiation, and at least a cystectomy with chemotherapy. Less than 20% of patients received one of these curative strategies. We also analyzed the use of radiation and chemotherapy with TURBT, finding different roles for these adjuvant therapies with respect to disease stage. Interestingly, for patientswith locally advanced disease (SEER regional stage) who received TURBTas their
Analysis and Design of a Reconfigurable Antenna Based on Half-Mode Substrate-Integrated Cavity

The detailed analysis, design, and optimization of a reconfigurable antenna based on a periodically stub-loaded half-mode substrate-integrated waveguide (HMSIW) cavity is presented in this paper. The analysis demonstrates an excellent prediction of the resonance frequency for the cavity with an error of less than 2% compared to numerical simulations performed over a wide range of parameters. The fast computation of the resonance frequency based on the analytical model gives deep insight into the antenna operation and allows an efficient optimization process. The reconfigurable antenna has been designed and optimized to cover the whole S-band (WR-284 waveguide band), i.e., 2.60-3.95 GHz, using three varactors with measured capacitance varying from 0.149 to 1.304 pF. Experimental results validate the concept across the whole tuning range, with a return loss and antenna gain greater than 15 and 2.1 dB, respectively at resonance.
Patient satisfaction with nurse practitioner care in emergency departments in Canada

PurposeTo measure patient satisfaction with care delivered by nurse practitioners (NPs) in emergency departments (EDs) in Canada using a psychometrically valid survey. Data sourcesAll patients who received care from an NP in six participating EDs in Ontario province over a 1-week period were asked to complete a self-administered patient satisfaction survey designed specifically to assess satisfaction with NP care in EDs. ConclusionsOne hundred and thirteen patients completed the survey. Principal components analysis of the survey revealed three factors or subscales: Attentiveness, Comprehensive care, and Role clarity. Scores on the three subscales indicated that patients were satisfied with Attentiveness (M= 3.72, SD = 0.38) and Comprehensive care (M= 3.52, SD = 0.49) and had a moderate understanding of Role clarity (M= 2.99, SD = 0.66). Participants with higher income levels reported higher levels of satisfaction with the attentiveness they received, whereas patients with previous experience with an NP reported higher levels of satisfaction with the comprehensive care they received. There was no appreciable increase in patient satisfaction with the NP based on age, gender, education, or health status. Implications for practiceThese findings indicate that attentiveness, comprehensive care, and role clarity are reflected by the NP in emergency healthcare settings as indicated by the patient's responses to the survey. This study supports that meeting expectations is a critical component of patient satisfaction.
γδ T Cells Regulate the Extent and Duration of Inflammation in the Central Nervous System by a Fas Ligand-Dependent Mechanism1

γδ T cells have been shown to regulate immune responses associated with inflammation, but the mechanism of this regulation is largely unknown. Using the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model of the human CNS autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis, we demonstrate that γδ T cells are important regulators of CNS inflammation. This was shown using γδ T cell-deficient mice that were unable to recover from EAE. The chronic disease was accompanied by a prolonged presence of both macrophages and lymphocytes in the CNS. This extended inflammatory response was due to alterations in both cell proliferation and death. In mice lacking γδ T cells, proliferation of encephalitogenic T cells was 3-fold higher, and caspase activity, indicating apoptosis, was 2-fold lower compared with those in control mice recovering from EAE. γδ T cell-deficient mice reconstituted with wild-type γδ T cells recovered from EAE and resolved inflammation in the CNS, whereas mice reconstituted with Fas ligand-dysfunctional γδ T cells did not. Thus, γδ T cells regulate both inflammation in the CNS and disease recovery via Fas/Fas ligand-induced apoptosis of encephalitogenic T cells, and a quick resolution of inflammation in the CNS is essential to prevent permanent damage to the CNS resulting in chronic disease.