Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Leishmania tropica: Another Etiological Agent of Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis in Iran.

Dogs have been previously reported to be reservoirs of Leishmania infantum as the etiological agent of human visceral leishmaniasis in Iran. We report a case of canine visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by L. tropica from the north- west of Iran where human visceral leishmaniasis is endemic. Methods: The canine VL was initially screened by dipstick rK39 and direct agglutination test, then the dog was dissected and obtained samples were examined by para- sitological (direct exam, cultivation) and molecular techniques (RAPD-PCR and RFLP-PCR). Results: Leishmania para- sites were found in spleen and liver of the dog. The serological tests for the detection of specific anti-leishmania antibod- ies showed positive results. Conclusion: L. tropica as another agent of canine VL was determined.
Posttranscriptional regulation of MMP‐9 by HuR contributes to IL‐1β‐induced pterygium fibroblast migration and invasion

Inflammation is considered to be critical in the pterygium progression and recurrence. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is not well understood. Herein, we investigated the potential role of RNA binding protein human antigen R (HuR) responsible for the impact of inflammation on pterygium development. The expression of HuR and matrix metallopeptidase‐9 (MMP‐9) in pterygium and normal conjunctiva was detected with immunohistochemistry and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). The influence of interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) on HuR expression and cellular distribution was determined with western blot and immunofluorescence. The pterygium fibroblast (PTF) migration was determined with scratch wound healing assay and Transwell migration assay. MMP‐9 production was determined with qRT‐PCR and gelatin zymography. The interaction between HuR and MMP‐9 was investigated with RNP immunoprecipitation (IP) followed by RT‐PCR and messenger RNA (mRNA) stability analysis. HuR and MMP‐9 expression are elevated in pterygium, especially progressive pterygium compared with normal conjunctiva. IL‐1β could increase the expression and nucleus–cytoplasm shuttle of HuR in cultured PTFs. HuR mediated the stimulatory effect of IL‐1β on PTF migration and MMP‐9 production. HuR bound to MMP‐9 mRNA and in turn increased it stability. Our results suggest that posttranscriptional regulation of MMP‐9 via stabilizing mRNA by HuR might contribute to the stimulatory effect of inflammatory factor IL‐1β on pterygium progression. These findings shed light on the pathogenesis of pterygium and provide a promising target for adjuvant treatment of pterygium.
A comparative study on Pb 2+ removal efficiencies of fired clay soils of different particle size distributions

Batch adsorption studies were carried out to evaluate the Pb 2+ adsorption capacities of three different fired clay soils with different particle size distributions. Adsorption efficiency was observed to increase with an increase in clay content. Adsorption efficiencies of the fired clay soils were also influenced by the firing temperature, the solution’s acidity, initial Pb 2+ concentration, shaking time and adsorbent dose. Adsorption of Pb 2+ by the clay soils was observed to increase linearly from pH 1 to 5 and then remained nearly constant at higher pH values. The adsorption of Pb 2+ was observed to increase sharply with Pb 2+ for the lower initial concentrations (5 to 10 mg/L), while a modest increase in Pb 2+ adsorption was found from 10 to about 50 mg/L, a concentration at which maximum removal was attained. The Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models were applied to the adsorption data and the Langmuir model represented the adsorption process better than the Freundlich model, with correlation coefficients (R 2 ) ranging from 0.97 to 0.99. The adsorption capacities (qm) calculated from Langmuir for the adsorption of Pb 2+ by S 3F , S 2F and S 1F were found to be 17.3, 15.9, and 11.2 mg/g, respectively. Key words : Adsorption, fired clay soils, isotherm, adsorption kinetics, sand, silt, particle size.
Histochemical and Anatomical Studies of Phloem and Xylem Cells of Jackfruit ( Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) Tree

The localization of starch, lipid and protein, nuclei in the phloem and xylem cells of stem of Jackfruit trees ( Artocarpus heterophyllus ) has been studied. The optical digital images of anatomical features and localization of nuclei and reserve materials were obtained by light microscopy and fluorescence microscopy. Starch granules in the ray parenchyma cells were more abundant in the outer xylem close to the cambium than in the inner xylem and phloem. Radial localization of starch granules provided more clear data than transverse and tangential observations. Lipid and protein appeared as droplets and were uniformly distributed in the outer xylem. The parenchyma cells of phloem have large amount of lipid bodies but those were almost absent in cambium and xylem ray parenchyma cells. The results on the localization of storage starch, lipid droplets and proteins in phloem, cambium and xylem cells indicating that reserve materials might be important for wood formation in jackfruit trees. This data would be helpful for further study in tree breeding program and clarification of the mechanism of utilization of such reserve materials and their distribution pattern within the cells. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.3329/ijns.v2i1. 10876 International Journal of Natural Sciences (2012), 2(1): 01- 07
The impact of population growth on Human Development Index: a comparative analysis of Middle Eastern countries

This paper tests the growth of population on the determinants of Human Development Index (HDI). The HDI is a composite index constructed from measures of life expectancy, education and per capita income. This paper reviews the literature on population growth and using those arguments tries to find any link between population growth and HDI for Middle Eastern countries. Implications for policy makers are discussed.
Hyperprogressive Disease during Anti-PD-1 (PDCD1) / PD-L1 (CD274) Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Hyperprogressive disease (HPD) is a recently acknowledged pattern of rapid tumor progression after the initiation of immune checkpoint inhibitors. HPD has been observed across various types of tumors and has been associated with poor survival. We performed a meta-analysis to identify baseline (i.e., prior to programmed cell death 1 [PD-1, PDCD1] / programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 [PD-L1, CD274] inhibitor therapy) patient factors associated with risks of developing HPD during PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor therapy. We searched eight databases until 6 June 2019. We calculated the summary odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) using the random-effects model and explored between-study heterogeneity and small-study effects. A total of nine articles was eligible (217 HPD cases, 1519 cancer patients) for meta-analysis. There was no standard definition of HPD, and the incidence of HPD ranged from 1 to 30%. We identified twenty-three baseline patient factors, of which five factors were statistically significantly associated with HPD. These were serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) above the upper normal limit (OR = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.02–3.49, p = 0.043), more than two metastatic sites (OR = 1.86, 1.34–2.57, p < 0.001), liver metastases (OR = 3.33, 2.07–5.34, p < 0.001), Royal Marsden Hospital prognostic score of 2 or above (OR = 3.33, 1.96–5.66, p < 0.001), and positive PD-L1 expression status that was inversely correlated with HPD (OR = 0.60, 0.36–0.99, p = 0.044). Between-study heterogeneity was low. Evidence of small-study effect was found in one association (PD-L1 expression). Subset analyses of patients with non-small cell lung cancer showed similar results. Future studies are warranted to identify underlying molecular mechanisms and to test their roles as predictive biomarkers of HPD.
Controversies in medicine: the role of calcium and vitamin D supplements in adults

Vitamin D is made in the skin when exposed to sunlight, so deficiency is usually the result of low sunlight exposure (eg, in frail older people and in individuals who are veiled). Calcium and/or vitamin D supplements have been used for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. The major trials in community‐dwelling individuals have not demonstrated fracture prevention with either calcium, vitamin D, or their combination, but the results of a large study in vitamin D‐deficient nursing home residents indicated a reduced fracture incidence. Trials show that vitamin D increases bone density when winter 25‐hydroxyvitamin D levels are below 25–30 nmol/L. However, assay expense and variability suggest that supplements are better targeted based on clinical status to frail older people and possibly to people with dark skin living at higher latitudes. A daily dose of 400–800 units (10–20 μg) is usually adequate. Parenteral antiresorptive drugs can cause hypocalcaemia in severe vitamin D deficiency (< 25 nmol/L), which should therefore be corrected before treatment. Clinical trials have not demonstrated benefits of vitamin D on non‐skeletal endpoints. Calcium supplements in healthy individuals are not needed, nor are they required in most people receiving treatment for osteoporosis, where they have not been shown to affect treatment efficacy. Calcium supplements cause constipation, bloating and kidney stones, and some evidence suggests they may cause a small increase in the risk of myocardial infarction. Low dose vitamin D is safe, but high doses result in more falls and fractures. Current evidence does not support the use of these supplements in healthy community‐dwelling adults.
Understanding Voters' Decisions: A Theory of Planned Behaviour Approach

A political party can be regarded as a service-provider. In exchange for a ‘price’ (i.e., a persons vote) the political party promises to deliver some societal and other benefits (i.e., the service-output), which usually are claimed to improve people’s lives and the overall society. In a marketing context, voters can thus be seen as consumers who are consuming a service, i.e., the decisions and the actions of the political party. Based on such considerations, this paper tests the ability of a well-known consumer theory, the theory of planned behavior, in explaining political voting intentions. Data were collected from a web-based survey of Danish voters using self-administered questionnaires. Lisrel results suggest that the theory of planned behavior, with the inclusion of a path from perceived behavioral control to attitude, provides a good fit to the data and explains a high proportion (63.2%) of variation in voting intention.
Molecular Classification of the Genus Grateloupia (Halymeniaceae, Rhodophyta) in Korea

The genus Grateloupia is the largest with more than 96 currently recognized species in the family Halymeniaceae, but morphological features of the genus are highly homoplasious making species identification difficult. In this study, we analyzed rbcL gene from 34 samples collected in Korea and compared the haplotypes of Korean species with those already published. The rbcL tree confirmed the occurrence of eight species in Korea: G. asiatica, G. catenata, G. divaricata, G. elliptica, G. imbricata, G. lanceolata, G. subpectina, and G. turuturu. All, except G. asiatica and G.catenata, been introduced from their native northeastern Asian waters to Australasian, European, and North American waters. The introduced haplotypes of G. lanceolata in Europe and North America were absent in Korea, while haplotype sharing of G. turuturu in Korea and Europe was common. Further sampling will show a source population of each introduced species and also provide a correct list of Grateloupia from Korea, including the other remaining 11 species of the genus.
L-CARNITINE AND TRANS-10, CIS-12 CONJUGATED LINOLEIC ACID ON IN VITRO BOVINE EMBRYO PRODUCTION AND CRYOPRESERVATION

Lipids within oocytes and embryos are a potential energy source. Some species like bovine and swine accumulate large amounts of intracellular fatty acids in oocytes and embryos, which is related to the long time between ovulation and implantation in these species. Despite this relation between lipid content and the pre-implantation period, large amounts of intracellular lipid can compromise the success of cryopreservation and the removal of such lipids has been subject of considerable effort. L-carnitine has an effect as an activator of lipid metabolism and, consequently, ATP synthesis. Fatty acid metabolism occurs within the mitochondria via -oxidation. The transport of active fatty acids into mitochondria is a limiting step catalyzed by L-carnitine. Once inside the mitochondria, fatty acids are oxidized to produce ATP. The potential to improve oocyte and embryo quality and cryotolerance by modulating fatty cid metabolism and oxidation with L-carnitine in culture media formulations has received little attention . This review investigated the developmental importance of L-carnitine on oocyte and embryo development and cryotolerance. Overall, there is some evidence that inclusion of L-carnitine to in vitro embryo production media improves embryo outcomes, most likely by supplying the oocyte and embryo with an essential co-factor required to utilize fatty acids. However, the effects of L-carnitine on oocyte and embryo cryosurvival i s variable and studies evaluating the effects of in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro culture (IVC) media supplementation with L-carnitine on pregnancy rates are needed.
Assessment of Anxiolytic Activity of Nuts of Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Almond) in Mice

The incidence of anxiety in the community is very high and is associated with lot of morbidity. The most widely prescribed medications for anxiety disorders are the benzodiazepines in which there use are limited by their side effects, hence many herbs employed in traditional and alternate medicine for sleep disorders and related diseases. The nuts of Prunus amygdalus (almond ) are found to possess anti-stress properties, also is an effective health building food, both for the body and the mind. Anxiolytic activity of of Prunus amygdalus dulcis were studied using open-field tests in mice. The efficacy of two doses of Prunus amygdalus dulcis 800 and 1600 mg/kg was compared with standard anxiolytic drug the diazepam (1mg/kg). Both the diazepam and almond (1600 mg/kg) treated groups in this study showed extremely significant increased (p 0.05) in compare to the control group. The group that given 800mg/kg of almond showed highly significant decrease (p 0.05) in the number of rearing against the wall, the time spend in central squares and the number of squares crossed in compare to the control group. These findings suggest that Prunus amygdalus dulcis in a dose 1600 mg/kg possess anxiolytic-like properties equal to that of diazepam while 800mg/kg Prunus amygdalus dulcis has less effect .
The antecedents of leadership development practices in SMEs: The influence of HRM strategy and practice

This article explores leadership development in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We investigate determinants of the adoption of leadership development practices in established SMEs expecting human resource management (HRM)-strategy fit, human resource (HR)/leadership expertise and the existence of gaps in leadership capability to influence both the presence and intensity of leadership development practices. We found that all three variables positively related to both measures of adoption. The attitudes of owner-managers towards development mediated the HRM-strategy fit–adoption relationship. The theory and practice implications of our findings are evaluated.
Learning Activities That Combine Science Magic Activities with the 5E Instructional Model to Influence Secondary-School Students' Attitudes to Science.

The purpose of this study was to investigate how learning materials based on Science Magic activities affect student attitudes to science. A quasi-experimental design was conducted to explore the combination of Science Magic with the 5E Instructional Model to develop learning materials for teaching a science unit about friction. The participants were recruited from among the students of a middle school in central Taiwan. Based on our results, we conclude that our combined teaching method involving Science Magic activities and the 5E Instructional Model is effective for developing learning materials for teaching, and that this method improves students’ attitudes toward science.
The Effects of Ownership and Corporate Governance Reforms on Efficiency of Privatized Companies in Kenya

This study investigated the effects of ownership and corporate governance reforms on efficiency of privatized companies in Kenya for the period 2007-2013. Data was extracted from financial reports. A unit root test examined stationarity of data. A fixed effects (FE) regression model with a robust standard error option was used to control for firm specific effects which could bias results. The results indicate government ownership has a negative effect on cost and technical efficiency. Local institutional investors influence technical efficiency positively. Large individual shareholders have a positive influence on cost efficiency while dispersed ownership influence cost efficiency negatively. Both non-executive and women directors influence cost efficiency positively. This study recommends further reduction of state and dispersed ownership to pass more ownership and control to institutional investors. Diversity in corporate boards should be enhanced to enable firms to attract managerial and technical expertise from the non-executive and women directors.
Association of Craving and Depressive Symptoms in Ketamine-Dependent Patients Undergoing Withdrawal Treatment.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Ketamine has emerged as one of the major illicit substances worldwide. Craving, a primary symptom for addiction, is a key challenge for ketamine abusers attempting abstinence. A link between craving and negative affect has been suggested previously for other substances. We examined the relationship between craving and negative effect (depression and anxiety) in patients with ketamine dependence (KD) undergoing withdrawal treatment. METHODS We included 104 patients with KD (76 males and 28 females) who received inpatient treatment for ketamine withdrawal and assessed them by using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory, and a visual analog scale (VAS; 0-100 mm) for ketamine craving on day 2 to 3 of admission. RESULTS Fifty-nine (59%) and 38 (38.7%) of our patients reported moderate-to-severe depression and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Patients with greater cravings (ie, greater than the median VAS) reported spending more days on ketamine in the preceding month and displayed severer depressive symptoms than did those with lower cravings. VAS was significantly correlated with BDI scores after adjustment. Patients who stayed in the treatment longer (more than 2 weeks) experienced more cravings and depressive symptoms than those who did not. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS We observed a high prevalence of depression in patients with KD, particularly those with higher cravings. Patients with greater cravings and severer depression might require a longer duration of withdrawal treatment. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE This research provides intimal evidence for an association between depression and craving in patients with KD. Screening and management of depression are recommended for this population. (Am J Addict 2019;00:00-00).
Synthetic, Spectroscopic And Antibacterial Studies Of Fe(II),Co(II),Ni(II),Cu(II),and Zn(II)Mixed Ligand Complexes Of Nicotinamide And Cephalexin antibiotics

Mixed ligand complexes of bivalent metal ions, viz; M= Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) of the composition [M(Ceph)(NA) 3 ]Cl in 1:1:3 molar ratio, (where Ceph = Cephalexin and NA = Nicotinamide have been synthesized and characterized by repeated melting point determination, Solubility, Molar conductivity, determination the percentage of the metal in the complexes by flame(AAS), FT-IR, magnetic susceptibility measurements and electronic spectral data. The ligands and their metal complexes were screened for their antimicrobial activity against six bacteria(gram +ve) and (gram -ve). Key words :(Cephalexin antibiotics,Nicotinamide ,mixed ligand) Complexes,Antibacterial activities, and spectral studies
UNIVERZA V LJUBLJANI SKUPNI INTERDISCIPLINARNI PROGRAM DRUGE STOPNJE KOGNITIVNA ZNANOST V SODELOVANJU Z UNIVERSITÄT WIEN, UNIVERZITA KOMENSKÉHO V BRATISLAVE IN EÖTVÖS LORÁND TUDOMÁNYEGYETEM

The field which includes the study of body poses as they pertain to pain threshold perception is exceptionally poorly researched. One of a few studies which addressed this problem is the study performed by V. Bohns and S. Wiltermuth (2012) about how dominant or submissive poses affect pain threshold. The purpose of the master’s thesis was to replicate and improve the main experiment performed by V. Bohns and S. Wiltermuth (2012). First, we performed a preliminary online study which aided in picking the most dominant and the most submissive pose, as judged by a sample of Slovenian populace, which was completed by 98 participants aged between 18 and 64 years. The online study used 3 dominant and 3 submissive poses used in the aforementioned paper and the study done by D. Carney, A. Cuddy, and A. Yap (2010). Participants rated each pose on a scale from 1 to 11 based on how powerful or powerless it made them feel while they were holding the pose. Results showed that participants rated D1 as the most dominant pose and S1 as the most submissive pose. These two poses were then used in the main study, where we tested the hypothesis that adopting a randomly designated dominant pose increases acute pain threshold while adopting a randomly designated submissive pose lowers it. This study was completed by 129 participants who were between 18 and 61 years of age. We improved the V. Bohns' and S. Wiltermuth's study's protocol: by recording pain thresholds using a computercontrolled thermal sensor we ensured results that are more objective. Whilst adopting the poses for three repetitions we ensured an increase in the magnitude of any possible effects on the participants. Using a Medoc Pathways Pain & Sensory Evaluation System probe, all the participants had their hot and cold pain thresholds measured before and after adopting a randomly designated dominant or submissive pose. Our findings show that adopting a dominant pose increases the pain threshold for hot temperatures with statistical significance while adopting a submissive pose does not affect it. We excluded pain threshold for cold from further analysis because the device was not able to record it reliably. Our findings partially support our hypothesis and are in line with the results of V. Bohns' and S. Wiltermuth's study. The average results of self-reported feelings of power and powerlessness for each of both poses were comparable to the ratings gathered via the online survey. By studying physiological and psychological effects of a body pose in humans, our research ties together the fields of psychology and neuroscience. Our findings support the use of selected approaches in aid of the acute pain management in everyday life, as well as in medicine, physiotherapy, or sports.