Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Visible Spectrophotometric Methods for Determination of Gabapentin in Pharmaceutical Tablet and Capsule Dosage Forms

Two simple, rapid, accurate, precise and economic spectrophotometric methods have been developed for the estimation of gabapentin in pharmaceutical formulation. These methods are based on the formation of chloroform soluble ion-association complexes of gabapentin with bromocresol green in a phosphate buffer of pH 4.0 (Method I) and with bromothymol blue in a phosphate buffer of pH 4.0 (Method II). This property of the drug was followed for the development of colorimetric methods for analysis of drug. The complex of
A Scalable Distributed Concolic Testing Approach

Although testing is a standard method for improving the quality of software, conventional testing methods often fail to detect faults. Concolic testing attempts to remedy this by automatically generating test cases to explore execution paths in a program under test, helping testers achieve greater coverage of program behavior in a more automated fashion. Concolic testing, however, consumes a significant amount of computing time to explore execution paths, which is an obstacle toward its practical application. In this paper we describe a distributed concolic testing framework that utilizes large numbers of computing nodes to generate test cases in a scalable manner. We present the results of an empirical study that shows that the proposed framework can achieve a several orders-ofmagnitude increase in test case generation speed compared to the original concolic approach, and also demonstrates clear potential for scalability.
Protein phosphatases in MAPK signalling: we keep learning from yeast

Because of their key role in cell signalling, a rigorous regulation of mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs) is essential in eukaryotic physiology. Whereas the use of binding motifs and scaffold proteins guarantees the selective activation of a specific MAPK pathway, activating kinases and downregulating phosphatases control the appropriate intensity and timing of MAPK activation. Tyrosine, serine/threonine and dual‐specificity phosphatases co‐ordinately dephosphorylate and thereby inactivate MAPKs. In budding yeast, enzymes that belong to these three types of phosphatases have been shown to counteract the MAPKs that govern the cellular response to varied extracellular stimuli. Studies carried out with these yeast phosphatases have expanded our knowledge of essential key aspects of the biology of these negative regulators, such as their function, the mechanisms that operate in their modulation by MAPK pathways and their binding to MAPK substrates. Furthermore, yeast MAPK phosphatases have been shown to play additional and essential roles in MAPK‐mediated signalling, controlling MAPK localization or cross‐talk among pathways. This review stresses the importance of these negative regulators in eukaryotic signalling by discussing the recent developments and perspectives in the study of yeast MAPK phosphatases.
LIFE‐HISTORY QTLS AND NATURAL SELECTION ON FLOWERING TIME IN BOECHERA STRICTA, A PERENNIAL RELATIVE OF ARABIDOPSIS

Plants must precisely time flowering to capitalize on favorable conditions. Although we know a great deal about the genetic basis of flowering phenology in model species under controlled conditions, the genetic architecture of this ecologically important trait is poorly understood in nonmodel organisms. Here, we evaluated the transition from vegetative growth to flowering in Boechera stricta, a perennial relative of Arabidopsis thaliana. We examined flowering time QTLs using 7920 recombinant inbred individuals, across seven laboratory and field environments differing in vernalization, temperature, and photoperiod. Genetic and environmental factors strongly influenced the transition to reproduction. We found directional selection for earlier flowering in the field. In the growth chamber experiment, longer winters accelerated flowering, whereas elevated ambient temperatures delayed flowering. Our analyses identified one large effect QTL (nFT), which influenced flowering time in the laboratory and the probability of flowering in the field. In Montana, homozygotes for the native allele at nFT showed a selective advantage of 6.6%. Nevertheless, we found relatively low correlations between flowering times in the field and the growth chambers. Additionally, we detected flowering‐related QTLs in the field that were absent across the full range of laboratory conditions, thus emphasizing the need to conduct experiments in natural environments.
The journey from vitamin D-resistant rickets to the regulation of renal phosphate transport.

In 1937, Fuller Albright first described two rare genetic disorders: Vitamin D resistant rickets and polyostotic fibrous dysplasia, now respectively known as X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets (XLH) and the McCune-Albright syndrome. Albright carefully characterized and meticulously analyzed one patient, W.M. , with vitamin D-resistant rickets. Albright subsequently reported additional carefully performed balance studies on W.M. In this review, which evaluates the journey from the initial description of vitamin D-resistant rickets (XLH) to the regulation of renal phosphate transport, we (1) trace the timeline of important discoveries in unraveling the pathophysiology of XLH, (2) cite the recognized abnormalities in mineral metabolism in XLH, (3) evaluate factors that may affect parathyroid hormone values in XLH, (4) assess the potential interactions between the phosphate-regulating gene with homology to endopeptidase on the X chromosome and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) and their resultant effects on renal phosphate transport and vitamin D metabolism, (5) analyze the complex interplay between FGF23 and the factors that regulate FGF23, and (6) discuss the genetic and acquired disorders of hypophosphatemia and hyperphosphatemia in which FGF23 plays a role. Although Albright could not measure parathyroid hormone, he concluded on the basis of his studies that showed calcemic resistance to parathyroid extract in W.M. that hyperparathyroidism was present. Using a conceptual approach, we suggest that a defect in the skeletal response to parathyroid hormone contributes to hyperparathyroidism in XLH. Finally, at the end of the review, abnormalities in renal phosphate transport that are sometimes found in patients with polyostotic fibrous dysplasia are discussed.
Medulloblastoma in infants: the critical issues of the dilemma.

~Brain tumours have now become the leading cause of cancer death in children under the age of 18. Although advances in management have resulted in improvements in survival, pediatric oncologists face a number of challenges in dealing with childhood brain tumours, particularly when they affect younger patients. In an earlier issue of Current Oncology, Lafay– Cousin et al. reviewed a 22-year institutional experience of medulloblastoma management in infants and young children under the age of 3 years 1 . That series encompassed several eras during which significant changes occurred in the treatment of medulloblastoma. In the late 1980s, the Pediatric Oncology Group set a benchmark by using prolonged postoperative chemotherapy in an attempt to delay radiation in infants and young children with malignant brain tumours— including medulloblastoma 2 . The planned duration of chemotherapy was 24 months for children under 24 months of age and 12 months for children 24–36 months of age at diagnosis; the radiation therapy was started 3–4 weeks after the last cycle of chemotherapy. Although this cooperative effort was associated with significant hope and enthusiasm, the effectiveness of the strategy was soon questioned, because most enrolled children with medulloblastoma experienced early relapse (within the first 6–8 months of therapy). In addition, the incidence of late effect and second malignancy among survivors raised additional concerns 3 .
The differential localization of human cyclins A and B is due to a cytoplasmic retention signal in cyclin B.

We have shown previously that human cyclins A and B1 are localized differentially in the cell during interphase; cyclin A is nuclear and cyclin B1 is a cytoplasmic protein. To understand the basis of this difference we created deletion mutants and various chimeras between the two types of cyclin and expressed them in tissue culture cells by transient transfection. We find that the N‐terminus of cyclin B1 contains a 42 amino acid region that is sufficient to retain the normally nuclear cyclin A in the cytoplasm. Conversely, deleting the cytoplasmic retention signal region from cyclin B1 causes the protein to become nuclear. Although the cytoplasmic retention signal region is outside the cyclin box, its sequence is well conserved in human cyclin B2, and is both necessary and sufficient to keep cyclin B2 in the cytoplasm. Thus we propose that the subcellular distribution of the B‐type cyclins is determined primarily by a small region of the N‐terminus which targets the cyclin‐‐CDK complexes to particular structures in the cytoplasm.
THERMODYNAMICS OF TWO COMPONENT BOSONS IN ONE DIMENSION

On the basis of Bethe ansatz solution of two-component bosons with SU(2) symmetry and δ-function interaction in one dimension, we study the thermodynamics of the system at finite temperature by using the strategy of thermodynamic Bethe ansatz (TBA). It is shown that the ground state is an isospin "ferromagnetic" state by the method of TBA, and at high temperature the magnetic property is dominated by Curie's law. We obtain the exact result of specific heat and entropy in strong coupling limit which scales like T at low temperature. While in weak coupling limit, it is found there is still no Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) in such 1D system.
Evaluation of a tidal expiratory flow index in healthy and diseased infants

Patterns of tidal respiratory flow have been shown to relate well to airway function in adults, and one epidemiological study in infants has demonstrated the value of the ratio of time to reach peak tidal expiratory flow to the total expiratory time (tpef/te) in predicting subsequent wheezing. The aim of this study was to evaluate tpef/te as a measure of lung function, by sequential observations over the first year, on a group of 22 healthy infants and on 32 infants with a history of mild recurrent lower respiratory illness (LRI), and by single observations on 20 infants with asthma and 20 with severe chronic lung disease of prematurity. We compared tpef/te measured in quiet, supine sleep (under sedation) through a face mask and pneumotachograph, with a measure of airway function, maximal flow at functional residual capacity (VmaxFRC), obtained from partial forced expiratory flow volume loops using the “squeeze” technique. In healthy infants tpef/te was significantly longer at 1 month than at 6 months (median values, 0.38 (95% CI, 0.3M.43) and 0.28 (95% CI, 0.26–0.33), respectively). Between 6 and 12 months tpef/te did not alter significantly and it was independent of VmaxFRC. Both tpef and te as well as their ratio varied with frequency of breathing over the first year of life, but not within each individual age band, due to the narrow spread of frequencies at each age. In assessing airway obstruction, tpef/te was less sensitive than VmaxFRC. There was no difference between healthy infants, those with LRI, and infants with asthma. Values outside the 95% CI for our control group of healthy infants were only seen in the group of infants with severe chronic lung disease of prematurity (median value, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.12–0.22), most of whom demonstrated expiratory flow limitation during tidal breathing. We found the tidal breathing index tpef/te to be an insensitive measure of airway function in infants, compared with VmaxFRC. Pediatr Pulmonol. 1994; 17:285–290. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
An efficient deniable authentication protocol

The aim of deniable authenticated protocol allows the receiver to identity the source of a given message but not prove the identity of the sender to a third party. In this article, we propose a new non-interactive deniable authenticated protocol based on Diffie-Hellman key distribution protocol. It has lower communication costs and computational complexity than previously proposed schemes
Comparison of brain connectivity between Internet gambling disorder and Internet gaming disorder: A preliminary study

Background and aims Given the similarities in clinical symptoms, Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is thought to be diagnostically similar to Internet-based gambling disorder (ibGD). However, cognitive enhancement and educational use of Internet gaming suggest that the two disorders derive from different neurobiological mechanisms. The goal of this study was to compare subjects with ibGD to those with IGD. Methods Fifteen patients with IGD, 14 patients with ibGD, and 15 healthy control subjects were included in this study. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data for all participants were acquired using a 3.0 Tesla MRI scanner (Philips, Eindhoven, The Netherlands). Seed-based analyses, the three brain networks of default mode, cognitive control, and reward circuitry, were performed. Results Both IGD and ibGD groups demonstrated decreased functional connectivity (FC) within the default-mode network (DMN) (family-wise error p < .001) compared with healthy control subjects. However, the IGD group demonstrated increased FC within the cognitive network compared with both the ibGD (p < .01) and healthy control groups (p < .01). In contrast, the ibGD group demonstrated increased FC within the reward circuitry compared with both IGD (p < .01) and healthy control subjects (p < .01). Discussion and conclusions The IGD and ibGD groups shared the characteristic of decreased FC in the DMN. However, the IGD group demonstrated increased FC within the cognitive network compared with both ibGD and healthy comparison groups.
Distributed Beamforming in Two-Way Relay Networks With Interference and Imperfect CSI

This paper studies the problem of optimal beamforming and power allocation for an amplify-and-forward (AF)-based two-way relaying network in the presence of interference and channel state information (CSI) uncertainty. In particular, we obtain the beamforming vector as well as the users' transmit powers under two assumptions on the availability of the CSI of the interfering links, namely norm-bounded uncertainty model and the second-order statistics scenario. To do so, we develop two design approaches. The first approach is based on the total transmit power minimization technique. We start with the norm-bounded uncertainty model and derive the optimal solution to the corresponding problem. To reduce the computational complexity, we also develop a low-complexity algorithm which offers performance that is very close to the optimal one. In the second approach, we apply a signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) balancing technique. We propose another low-complexity algorithm based on the SINR balancing criteria. Next, we consider the scenario where the second-order statistics of the CSIs are available. Again we start with the total power minimization method and derive both optimal and suboptimal algorithms. Finally, we apply the SINR balancing technique to this scenario and develop another low-complexity algorithm, which is suitable for practice.
Biocomposites of plasticized starch reinforced with cellulose crystallites from cottonseed linter.

Environmentally friendly starch biocomposites were successfully developed using a colloidal suspension of cottonseed linter cellulose crystallite as a filler to reinforce glycerol plasticized starch (PS). The cellulose crystallites, having lengths of 350 +/- 70 nm and diameters of 40 +/- 8 nm on average, were prepared from cottonseed linters by acid hydrolysis. The dependence of morphology and properties of the PS-based biocomposites on cellulose crystallites content in the range from 0 to 30 wt. -% was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning thermal analysis, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, and measurements of mechanical properties and water absorption. The results indicate that the strong interactions between fillers and between the filler and PS matrix play a key role in reinforcing the resulting composites. The PS/cellulose crystallite composites, conditioned at 50% relative humidity, undergo an increase in both tensile strength and Young's modulus from 2.5 MPa for PS film to 7.8 MPa and from 36 MPa for PS film to 301 MPa. Further, incorporating cottonseed linter cellulose crystallites into PS matrix leads to an improvement in water resistance for the resulting biocomposites. The mechanical behaviors of the starch-based biocomposites as a function of cellulose crystallites content.
Are there differences in immune function between continental and insular birds?

Generally, immune system architecture varies with different environments, which presumably reflect different pathogen pressures. Specifically, populations from relatively disease-free, oceanic islands are expected to exhibit reorganized immune systems, which might be characterized by attenuated responses, given the costs of immune function. Some insular animals exhibit an ‘island syndrome,’ including increased susceptibility to disease, and some insular populations have declined when they failed to resist infection by introduced pathogens. I measured eight indices of immune function (haemolysis, haemagglutination, concentration of haptoglobin and concentration of five leukocyte types) in 15 phylogenetically matched pairs of bird populations from North America and from the islands of Hawaii, Bermuda and the Galápagos. Immune responses were not attenuated in insular birds, and several indices, including the concentration of plasma haptoglobin, were elevated. Thus, I find no support for the specific hypothesis that depauperate parasite communities and the costs of immune defences select for reduced immune function. Instead, I suggest that life on islands leads to an apparent reorganization of immune function, which is defined by increases in defences that are innate and inducible. These increases might signal that systems of acquired humoral immunity and immunological memory are less important or dysfunctional in island populations.
Developing individualized care in nursing homes: integrating the views of nurses and certified nurse aides.

Despite recent attention devoted to the development of individualized care in nursing homes, empirical research assessing changes in practice is quite limited, and very few studies have explored specifically the experiences and perceptions of certified nurse aides (CNAs). This study reports findings from a comparative analysis conducted on a data set including quantitative and qualitative data from CNAs (N = 289) and nurses in Connecticut (N = 245). Measures of obstacles to individualized care and needs for future supports were explored. A number of significant differences in perceptions of obstacles to providing individualized care were found. The nurses were significantly more likely to identify the following impediments to change: cost (p < .0001), concepts not integrated into work (p < .0001), lack of administrative support (p < .10), and staff attitudes (p < .10). The CNAs were significantly more likely to report inadequate staffing (p < .001), lack of interdisciplinary teams (p < .001), and resident and family attitudes (p < .01) as problematic. These findings suggest substantial discordance among nurses and CNAs on a number of important issues surrounding individualized care. Such disparate perceptions pose challenges to nursing homes committed to the implementation of individualized care alternatives. Successful approaches must consider the various vantage points of caregivers and administrators.
Diminished contraction‐induced intracellular signaling towards mitochondrial biogenesis in aged skeletal muscle

The intent of this study was to determine whether aging affects signaling pathways involved in mitochondrial biogenesis in response to a single bout of contractile activity. Acute stimulation (1 Hz, 5 min) of the tibialis anterior (TA) resulted in a greater rate of fatigue in old (36 month), compared to young (6 month) F344XBN rats, which was associated with reduced ATP synthesis and a lower mitochondrial volume. To investigate fiber type‐specific signaling, the TA was sectioned into red (RTA) and white (WTA) portions, possessing two‐ to 2.5‐fold differences in mitochondrial content. The expression and contraction‐mediated phosphorylation of p38, MKK3/6, CaMKII and AMPKα were assessed. Kinase protein expression tended to be higher in fiber sections with lower mitochondrial content, such as the WTA, relative to the RTA muscle, and this was exaggerated in tissues from senescent, compared to young animals. At rest, kinase activation was generally similar between young and old animals, despite the age‐related variations in mitochondrial volume. In response to contractile activity, age did not influence the signaling of these kinases in the high‐oxidative RTA muscle. However, in the low‐oxidative WTA muscle, contraction‐induced kinase activation was attenuated in old animals, despite the greater metabolic stress imposed by contractile activity in this muscle. Thus, the reduction of contraction‐evoked kinase phosphorylation in muscle from old animals is fiber type‐specific, and depends on factors which are, in part, independent of the metabolic milieu within the contracting fibers. These findings imply that the downstream consequences of kinase signaling are reduced in aging muscle.
Impact and correlates of poor sleep quality in Japanese white-collar employees.

STUDY OBJECTIVES This study estimated the prevalence, examined associated impacts, and identified correlated factors of poor sleep quality among Japanese white-collar employees who were working in a labor market that included extensive downsizing and restructuring. DESIGN A cross-sectional self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted as part of 2 consecutive studies on sleep. Sleep quality was measured with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. SETTING A telecommunications company in the Tokyo metropolitan area. PARTICIPANTS Of 5,924 workers, 5,090 responded (85.9%). Results from 4,868 daytime employees were analyzed. INTERVENTIONS N/A. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS The 1-month point prevalence of poor sleep quality was approximately 30% to 45% across age and gender and was significantly higher than in the general population of Japanese adults. The overall prevalence of absenteeism, poor physical and psychological health, problems in work performance and personal relationships, and accidents were 16.5%, 18.3%, 17.3%, 2.5%, 2.1%, and 1.8%, respectively. Poor sleepers were more likely to take sick leave, suffer from poor physical and psychological health, and have problems in occupational activities and personal relationships. The most strongly associated factor underlying poor sleep quality was perceived stress, followed by job dissatisfaction, being unmarried, poor bedroom environment, lower academic attainment, younger age, and hypertension. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that the cost related to poor sleep quality is extremely high. Comprehensive countermeasures against poor sleep quality at not only the individual, but also the organizational and societal levels, need to be considered for both employees and employers in order that health, safety, and productivity are ensured.