Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of combined doses of gamma ray and sodium azide (mutagenic agents) on the morphological traits of some varieties of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus)

Abelmoschus esculentus (okra) is a popular health food because of its high fiber, vitamin C and folate content. It is also rich in antioxidants, a good source of calcium and potassium. Three varieties of okra: Jokoso, NHAe47-4 and Beru (a local variety) were irradiated with 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 kr doses of gamma rays then soaked in 2.0 mM and 3.0 Mm of Sodium azide for 2h with the aim of determining the effects of the combined mutagens on their morphology. There were significant differences between the control and the treated seeds used in their germination, seedling survival, seeding length, survival to maturity and height at maturity. The effective concentrations and doses of combined mutagens for Beru and NHAe47-4 varieties were: 2.0 mM + 20 kr, 2.0 mM + 40 kr, and 2.0 mM + 60 kr and 3.0 mM + 20 kr, 3.0 mM + 40 kr, and 3.0 mM + 60 kr) while the effective concentrations and doses for Jokoso variety were: 2.0 mM + 20 kr, 2.0 mM 40 kr 2.0 mM 60 kr and 3.0 mM + 20 kr only. Jokoso variety was worse affected than any other. Sodium azide and gamma rays can be used for inducing mutation that will produce genetic variability in Okra. Key words: Abelmoschus esculentus, germination, genetic variability.
ROLE OF EBSELEN, A SELENOORGANO COMPOUND IN CISPLATIN INDUCED NEPHROTOXICITY IN WISTAR RATS

Objective: Nephrotoxicity is encountered worldwide, irrespective of several factors, but drug induced nephrotoxicity is a complication that is attributed to the high dose and even low dose of drugs. Cisplatin, a platinum complex used in the chemotherapy of several solid tumors was found to have a chief dose limiting side effect namely nephrotoxicity, which occurred due to lipid peroxidation and formation of reactive oxygen species. Ebselen, a eleno organo compound, a glutathione peroxidase mimic with anti-oxidant activity was used in our study to evaluate its nephro protective potential. Methods: Male wistar rats, 6-8 wks old, weighing 180-200 grams were used for the study, which was carried out for a period of 7 wks. Animals were divided into five groups; each group consisting of 6 animals. Group I served as control. Group IV & V received the test drug Ebselen in doses of 10 mg/kg & 20 mg/kg respectively. Group III received Amifostine at 50 mg/kg. The drugs were administered once a week intraperitoneally for 5 wks. Nephrotoxicity was induced at a dose of 5 mg/kg single dose for groups II to V in the 6 th wk and the drugs in group III, IV & V continued for 5 days post induction. In the 7 th wk blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis and kidney tissues for histopathological study. Results: The serum urea, creatinine levels were significantly increased in Cisplatin group compared to other groups. The estimation of antioxidant levels (catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidise) was significantly decreased in cisplatin group and increased in other groups. The estimation of Malondialdehyde an indicator of lipid peroxidation was significantly increased in group II and decreased in drug treated group. Histopathology results of animals treated with Cisplatin showed inflammatory changes such as tubular degeneration, edema, and necrosis, infiltration of cells in tubular interstitum, mild intertubular hemorrhage and atrophy of glomeruli which was severe in group II. Some changes were also observed in Group III, IV and V animals but with less severity. Conclusion: The result of our study effectively proves the antioxidant potential of Ebselen in ameliorating Cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity. Keywords : Cisplatin, Ebselen, Nephrotoxicity, Malondialdehye, Amifostine.
Final Report Ultrabroad Bandwidth Slow Light in Semiconductor Nanostructures Supported by DARPA Slow Light Program Contract N 00014-061-0920

Slow and fast light enables key functionality in various RF applications and all-optical networks. Semiconductor based schemes offer electrical control of velocity at very high bandwidths in an extremely compact device. Further they operate at room temperature and can be easily integrated into various optical systems. Ultra-fast non-linear processes in semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) have been used to achieve tunable advance and delay at THz bandwidth. For a 700 fs pulse, we show electrically and optically controllable advance of 1.9 ps corresponding to an advance-bandwidth product (ABP) of 2.5. Further, by leveraging self-phase modulation in these devices we extend the performance to an ABP of 3.7. We develop comprehensive theory using density matrix approach to explain the experimental results. Our results show that an ultra-short pulse propagating through the SOA experiences non-linear index change due to spectral-hole burning and wave mixing between different spectral components. We derive analytical expressions for non-linear index induced by these ultra-fast processes and numerically solve the propagation of an ultra-short pulse through the SOA. Our theoretical predictions agree very well with our experimental results. Finally, we show fast light for two ultra-short pulses separated by 7.2 ps which demonstrates the feasibility of this scheme at high bit-rates. I. AWARDS AND HONORS BY CONNIE CHANG-HASNAIN Nick Holonyak Jr. Award, Optical Society of America, 2007. Citation: for significant contributions to vertical cavity surface emitting laser arrays, injection locking and slow light II. AWARDS RECEIVED BY MENTORED STUDENTS 1. Forrest Sedgwich received the 2008-09 Leon Chua Award. This award is presented to a graduate student or undergraduate student or recent alumnus for outstanding research in the area of nonlinear science. 2. Bala Pesala, Demetri Angelakos Award, EECS, University of California, Berkeley 2009 3. Best Paper of Topical Meeting, OSA Slow and Fast Light Topical Meeting, 2007. Bala Pesala, Forrest G. Sedgwick, Alexander V. Uskov, Connie Chang-Hasnain, Tony H. Lin, "THz Tunable Slow Light and Fast Light of Ultrashort Pulses in Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers" 4. P. C. Ku, Ross Tucker Award, AIME Electronic Materials Awards, 2004
Does the skull carry a phylogenetic signal? Evolution and modularity in the guenons

Form and genes often tell different stories about the evolution of animals, with molecular data generally considered to be more objective than morphological data. However, form provides the basis for the description of organisms, and the study of fossils crucially depends on morphology. Complex organisms tend to evolve as ‘mosaics’, in which parts may be modified at varying rates and in response to different selective pressures. Thus, individual anatomical regions may contain different phylogenetic signals. In the present study, we used computerized methods to ‘dissect’ the skulls of a primate clade, the guenons, into functional and developmental modules (FDM). The potential of different modules as proxies for phylogenetic divergence in modern lineages was investigated. We found that the chondrocranium was the only FDM in which shape consistently had a strong and significant phylogenetic signal. This region might be less susceptible to epigenetic factors and thus more informative about phylogeny. The examination of the topology of trees from the chondrocranium suggested that the main differences evolved at the time of the radiation of terrestrial and arboreal guenons. However, phylogenetic reconstructions were found to be strongly affected by sampling error, with more localized anatomical regions (i.e. smaller/less complex FDMs) generally producing less reproducible tree topologies. This finding, if confirmed in other groups, implies that the utility of specific FDMs for phylogenetic inference could, in many cases, be hampered by the low reproducibility of results. The study also suggested that uncertainties due to sampling error may be larger than those from character sampling. This might have implications for phylogenetic analyses, which typically provide estimates of support of tree nodes based on characters but do not generally take into account the effect of sampling error on the tree topology. Nonetheless, studies of the potential of different FDMs as proxies for phylogenetic divergence in modern lineages, such as the present study, provide a framework that may help in modelling the morphological evolution of present and fossil species. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 93, 813–834. ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS: Cercopithecini – geometric morphometrics – morphological evolution – reliability and reproducibility – skull modules.
The Determinants of Cash Flows in Greek Bond Mutual Funds

This paper examines the factors that affect inflows – outflows of capital in bond mutual funds that operated in the Greek market during the period 1997-2005. Investors in bond mutual funds do not seek for high gross returns in order to determine their investment decisions in contrast with investors in the stock market. The risk weighted returns however represent a crucial factor in investment decision making. Bond mutual funds that invest primarily in government bonds, appear to be more affected by commissions charged by mutual fund managers, since investors avoid mutual funds charging high commissions, while on the other hand investors that prefer corporate bonds show reduced sensitivity in the commissions charged by mutual funds. Investors in government bonds increase their investment positions when stock markets experience small or negative returns, a clue that shows they seek for safe heavens for their investments. This phenomenon is more evident when investors face a temporary period of low stock market returns and is not as strong when low returns in the stock markets are extended to a period of years. In these cases investment positions in bond mutual funds appear to be part of a more permanent investment policy where bond investments are considered to be an integral part of a diversified portfolio.
The upper atmosphere of the exoplanet HD 209458 b revealed by the sodium D lines: Temperature-pressure profile, ionization layer, and thermosphere

A complete reassessment of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations of the transits of the extrasolar planet HD 209458 b has provided a transmission spectrum of the atmosphere over a wide range of wavelengths. Analysis of the NaI absorption line profile has already shown that the sodium abundance has to drop by at least a factor of ten above a critical altitude. Here we analyze the profile in the deep core of the NaI doublet line from HST and high-resolution ground-based spectra to further constrain the vertical structure of the HD 209458 b atmosphere. With a wavelength-dependent cross section that spans more than 5 orders of magnitude, we use the absorption signature of the NaI doublet as an atmospheric probe. The NaI transmission features are shown to sample the atmosphere of HD 209458 b over an altitude range of more than 6500 km, corresponding to a pressure range of 14 scale heights spanning 1 millibar to 10 −9 bar pressures. By comparing the observations with a multi-layer model in which temperature is a free parameter at the resolution of the atmospheric scale height, we constrain the temperature vertical profile and variations in the Na abundance in the upper part of the atmosphere of HD 209458 b. We find a rise in temperature above the drop in sodium abundance at the 3 mbar level. We also identify an isothermal atmospheric layer at 1500 ± 100 K spanning almost 6 scale heights in altitude, from 10 −5 to 10 −7 bar. Above this layer, the temperature rises again to 2500 +1500 −1000 Ka t∼10 −9 bar, indicating the presence of a thermosphere. The resulting temperature-pressure (T-P) profile agrees with the Na condensation scenario at the 3 mbar level, with a possible signature of sodium ionization at higher altitudes, near the 3×10 −5 bar level. Our T-P profile is found to be in good agreement with the profiles
The largest earthquakes in Algeria in the modern period : the El Asnam and Zemmouri-Boumerdès faults

Algeria has experienced many destructive earthquakes during the last few centuries (e.g., Ayadi and Bezzeghoud, 2015). The city of El Asnam (formerly Orléanville, today Chlef) was severely damaged in 1954 and 1980 by magnitude 6.7 and 7.3 earthquakes, respectively. On October 10, 1989, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck the Mont Chenoua-Tipasa coastal area approximately 150 km west of 1 Department of Physics & Institute of Earth Sciences (ICT), Escola de Ciências e Tecnologia (ECT), University of Évora (Portugal). E-mail: mourad@uevora.pt 2 Centre de Recherche en Astronomie, Astrophysique et Géophysique, Algiers (Algeria). E-mail: abdelhakim.ayadi@gmail.com 3 Department of Physics & Institute of Earth Sciences (ICT), Escola de Ciências e Tecnologia (ECT), University of Évora (Portugal). E-mail: bafcc@uevora.pt 4 Department of Physics & Institute of Earth Sciences (ICT), Escola de Ciências e Tecnologia (ECT), University of Évora (Portugal). E-mail: jfontiela@uevora.pt 5 Department of Physics & Institute of Earth Sciences (ICT), Escola de Ciências e Tecnologia (ECT), University of Évora (Portugal). E-mail: jborges@uevora.pt ARTÍCULOS
The global precedence eŒ ect is not aŒ ected in inhibition of return

This study assessed whether inhibitory processes occurring in IOR aŒ ect perceptual processing of hierarchically organised stimuli. Experiment 1 used a global/local task that presented stimuli to the left or the right side. Results showed a global task advantage and a larger interference in the local than in the global task‐ the global precedence eŒ ect (GPE). These eŒ ects were larger than in previous studies using centrally presented stimuli, which suggests a greater involvement of low spatial frequency analysis with peripheral than with central stimuli. Experiment 2 combined the global/local task with IOR. Results replicated those of Experiment 1 but there was no interaction with stimulus location. That is, the GPE was not aŒ ected in IOR. Thus, we conclude that the GPE and inhibitory processing occurring in IOR are subserved by diŒ erent mechanisms. When a cue anticipates the location where the target will be presented, responses to targets appearing in that location will be speeded and more accurately performed than if the target is presented in a previously noncued location (Posner, 1980). However, if the cue is not informative with respect to where the target will be presented, and the interval between the cue and the target is longer than 300ms, responses to targets now appearing at cued locations will be slower and less accurate than when targets are presented at non-cued locations. This striking eŒ ect has been termed inhibition of return (IOR; Posner & Cohen, 1984), and has been
Rare chronic stridor: case report and literature review

This paper reports the case of a toddler with chronic stridor of four months of evolution, treated several times by micro-nebulization (MNB) with beta 2, adrenergics, O 2 and corticosteroids with partial improvement. The patient did not have complementary studies nor a clear history of foreign body aspiration (FB). During the last visit to the ER, a neck X-ray revealed a stippling sign in the upper airway. A bronchoscopy was performed, and a sharp foreign body (fishbone) was found in the upper airway, which was subsequently removed. This case is reported due to the unusual evolution of the foreign body in the upper airway, which manifested as a chronic stridor that resolved without further complications.
Monitoring twenty‐first century climate using GPS radio occultation bending angles

Simulations of radio occultation bending angle profiles in transient climate experiments using a state‐of‐the‐art global coupled climate model show a clear signal in bending angle emerging over the first half of the twenty‐first century. The bending angle signal can be related to the predicted changes in the climate over this period in response to increasing greenhouse gas concentrations and is shown to be primarily a combination of three distinct effects: the changing temperature structure of the atmosphere, increased water vapor in the troposphere, and the expansion of the atmosphere due to the warming. Analysis of the predicted trends in the bending angle indicates that the climate change signal in the tropical upper troposphere and lower and middle stratosphere may become distinguishable from natural variability, i.e. “detected”, after approximately ten to sixteen years of measurements. This suggests that such observations may be one of our best prospects for monitoring the evolution of the climate over the coming decades.
La Vita del monaco etiope Iyasus-Mo'a (sec. XIII): agiografia e storiografia

Le moine ethiopien Iyasus-Mo'a fut l'un des premiers grands abbes de l'antique monastere de Debra Nagwadgwad (Eglise Saint Stephane) en Ethiopie antique. A partir des documents mis a la disposition de l'A. , l'article se presente a la fois comme une hagiographie et une historiographie retracant la vie du moine en question. Ces documents sont principalement des vies pour la plupart ecrites en Ethiopie
EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON THE OUT-OF-PLANE BUCKLING STRENGTH OF STEEL ARCHES WITH OPEN CROSS SECTION

Experiments for total of 11 specimens are carried out to observe the behavior of elasto-plastic out-of-plane buckling of the arch structures with open cross section which are subjected to uniform vertical load. The effects of several factors on ultimate strength are investigated, that is, slenderness ratios of arch rib, load directions, types of bracing system and braced length ratios. The experimental results are compared with the theoretical ones. In general, the theoretical predictions show good correspondence with the experimental results in ultimate strength and buckling modes and so on. Validity and efficiency of the theoretical procedure are confirmed.
Vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) properties versus critical exponent theory - on new approximate mathematical approach to determine the critical exponent value of the vapor-liquid coexistence curve

A novel mathematical rigorous method to obtain the vapor-liquid equilibrium curves near the critical point has been proposed covering the cases of well-known and commonly used equations of state for real gases - Van der Waals and Dieterici, which are prototypes to determine the critical exponent value of the coexistence curves system. We explain that the critical exponent value of the vapor-liquid equilibrium curves can be regarded as the analogy to the results based on classical assumptions - mean field theory. The novelty of our method has been exposed in comparison to the standard thermodynamic limit discussed thoroughly and extensively in the literature.
A systematic investigation into relationships within Mexican pocket gophers, Thomomys umbrinus (Rodentia Geomyidae)

In the genus Thomomys, external phenotypic differences account for much of the variation among currently named species. Allozyme and mitochondrial studies of the Mexican species, T. umbrinus, have shown strong discordance between genetically defined clades and current species taxonomy. In this study, I analyzed mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences, chomosomes, and morphological characters, and used ecological niche modeling to investigate the phylogenetic status of a phenotypically divergent subspecies of T. umbrinus, T. u. atrovarius. Although quantitative morphometrics provided little discrimination among groups within T. umbrinus, the molecular data indicated that there are three allopatric clades. The Pacific coastal clade (T. u. atrovarius) is diagnosable based on multiple characters, including nuclear genotype, habitat preference, and qualitative morphological characters. Accordingly, I resurrect Allen’s (1898) species Thomomys atrovarius to represent members of this clade, which occurs in the Pacific coastal region of western Mexico.
A Dynamic Model of Order Execution and the Intraday Cost of Limit Orders

We developed a dynamic model of limit order in an order-driven market, wherein traders differ in their share valuations. Taking into consideration the traders’learning process, and allowing variations in the conditional probability of limit order execution, we can analyze the dynamics of such order execution. Our results, which have interesting empirical implications, are closely related to existing literature on order sequences and order execution, and yield further insight into the dynamic process of order execution. Furthermore, the paper complements literature on transaction costs of limit orders, as this study shows that the intraday pattern of the cost of limit order submitted by uninformed traders is U-shaped.
Presence of Candida albicans in potentially malignant oral mucosal lesions

Recently, an interest in the study of oral candidiasis has markedly increased mainly because of its association with viral infections due to human immunodeficiency, but also because of its relation with potentially malignant lesions of oral mucosa. These lesions belong to the wide group of leukoplakia. Leukoplakia is a clinical term used to describe a range of nonspecific white lesions, whose appearance does not generally correlate well with histopathologic changes; therefore, biopsy should be performed in all cases to determine which are precancerous or potentially malignant ones. In order to study the association of Candida albicans and the types of mucosal lesions, we took 30 consecutive biopsies of oral mucosa and the smears for microbiologic examination from the changed surface of mucosa and from the rest of oral cavity. The study group consisted of 30 patients, 21 women and 9 men, with the average age of 50.23 years (range, 25-77 years). In 6 cases Candida was diagnosed in mucosal biopsy. In the smear from the lesion, it was present in 3 cases, and 2 cases were found in the smear from an unchanged oral mucosa. In 9/30 cases (30%) Candida was positive regardless of the smear area or mode of diagnosis. The most common lesion is leukoplakia, diagnosed in 12/30 cases (40%), in 6 female and 6 male patients. The average age of those patients was 52.42 years. The lesions were located as follows: cheek mucosa - 5 cases; gingival mucosa - 2; lower lip - 2; floor of the mouth - 2; soft palate - 1; Candida was present in 3/12 cases. The lesion with the second highest incidence is lichen planus (9 cases), with positive Candida infection in 4/9 (44.44%). Epithelial dysplasia, although diagnosed in a very small number of cases (1/30 or 3.3%) with leukoplakia, was associated with a Candida infection. Generally, Candida is present in potentially malignant oral mucosal lesions (in 3/12 or 25% of leukoplakia cases, in 4/9 or 44.44% of lichen planus cases, and 1/1 squamous papilloma), with an increasing incidence in lesions with serious dysplastic epithelial changes.
Moral Reasoning in Sport: Validation of the Portuguese Version of the RSBH Value-Judgement Inventory in Adolescents

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the Portuguese version of the Rudd Stoll Beller Hahm Value-judgement Inventory (RSBHVI) in a sample of adolescents. The RSBHVI, which measures moral and social reasoning, was translated using a back translation method. A sample of 238 10th to 12th grade high school students (age mean value 16.93 years, s = 1.34) completed the Portuguese versions of RSBH, and the Task and Ego-orientation Questionnaire. Partial support for the original structure of the moral reasoning scale, but not the social reasoning scale, was found. Females, and non-athletes and individual sport athletes scored significantly higher than males and team sport athletes in moral reasoning, respectively. Moral reasoning was negatively correlated with ego-orientation (r = −30; p <. 001) and uncorrelated with task-orientation (r = .10, p > .05). Participants who were low-ego scored higher in moral reasoning than those who were high-ego. It is suggested that decreasing levels of ego-orientation may be necessary to improve athletes’ moral reasoning.