Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes in Chlorophyll-Carotenoid Contents, Antioxidant Enzyme Activities and Lipid Peroxidation Levels in Zn-Stressed Mentha pulegium

The relationships between chlorophyll-carotenoid contents, the antioxidant enzyme activities, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate-dependent peroxidase (AsA-dep POD) and guaiacol-dependent peroxidase (Gua-dep POD), and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels were investigated in leaves at different positions of M. pulegium grown in nutrient medium containing 0-1 m M Zn. The maximum chlorophyll-carotenoid content's SOD and CAT activities and the minimum LPO level were observed in leaf 6 at 7.6 10-2 m M Zn (as control). While chlorophyll-carotenoid contents in the absence of Zn were lower than those of the control, SOD and CAT activities significantly increased with decreasing Zn concentration. With excess Zn, chlorophyll-carotenoid content exhibited a trend similar to that of the control. However, SOD, CAT and Gua-dep POD activities and also AsA-dep POD activities after leaf position 4 were inhibited by excess Zn. Absence of Zn in the nutrient medium caused significantly higher LPO levels than in the control. Excess Zn showed its toxic effects after leaf position 4. The effects of decreasing Zn concentrations in the range 7.67-1.8 10-2 m M on the same parameters were also investigated with respect to time. The sharp decreases in antioxidant enzyme activities caused increasing LPO levels after the 12th day. According to the results, the highest antioxidative capacity of M. pulegium is in the range 0.38-7.67 10-2 m M, which is the optimum for preventing Fe2+-initiated lipid peroxidation.
Competition and Price Adjustment in the Euro Area

This paper explores the role of a number of factors in explaining the heterogeneity in the degree of price stickiness across industries, on the basis of the information provided by surveys on pricing behavior conducted in nine euro area countries. The main focus is placed on the influence of competition on the degree of price flexibility. Our results suggest that the price setting strategies of the most competitive firms give them a greater capacity to react to shocks and make, in practice, for greater flexibility in their prices. The direct influence of market competition on price flexibility is corroborated by a cross-country cross-industry econometric analysis based on the information provided by surveys. This analysis also shows that the cost structure and demand conditions help to explain the degree of price flexibility. Finally, it suggests that countries in which product market regulation is more relevant are characterized by less price flexibility.
On the ( non ) universality of the preference for subject-object word order in sentence comprehension : A sentence-processing study in Kaqchikel

The processing load of sentences with three different word orders (VOS, VSO, and SVO) in Kaqchikel Maya was investigated using a sentence-plausibility judgment task. The results showed that VOS sentences were processed faster than VSO and SVO sentences. This supports the traditional analysis in Mayan linguistics that the syntactically determined basic word order is VOS in Kaqchikel, as in many other Mayan languages. More importantly, the result revealed that the preference for subject-object word order in sentence comprehension observed in previous studies may not be universal; rather, the processing load in sentence comprehension is greatly affected by the syntactic nature of individual languages. *
FIELD GONIOMETER SYSTEM FOR ACCOMPANYING DIRECTIONAL MEASUREMENTS

Field measurements with the “Mobile Unit for Field Spectroradiometric Measurements” (MUFSPEM) accompanying the CHRIS/Proba data have been planned for 2002 at the core test site Gilching. The experiment was cancelled as while the instability of parameter extraction in the daily cycle by applying ProSail inversion algorithms did not satisfy our expectations. To eliminate as much error sources as possible a new system was designed and constructed in 2003, working according to the goniometer principle, but allowing the measurements from 10m above the canopy in the 400 – 2200 nm range. Mounted on the top of a 4WD vehicle the change of position is very fast. Delays in construction progress but component delivery prohibited the introduction of the system during the 2003 vegetation period. The system will be finished and free for application during the 2004 measurement season. Existing angular measurement systems are briefly reviewed, the developed new mobile field goniometer construction is presented and moot under discussion.
Discrete Plio-Pleistocene phases of tilting and counterclockwise rotation in the southeastern Aegean arc (Rhodos, Greece): early Pliocene formation of the south Aegean left-lateral strike-slip system

The island of Rhodos represents an uplifted block in the largely submerged southeastern Aegean forearc. It has a complex history of subsidence, uplift and counterclockwise rotation during the Plio-Pleistocene, in response to the interplay between large-scale geodynamic processes. In this paper, we present a new chronostratigraphic framework for the continental Pliocene Apolakkia basin of southwestern Rhodos. We combine these time constraints with recently published chronostratigraphic data from the marine Plio-Pleistocene basins of northeastern Rhodos to reconstruct rotational and vertical motions. Our palaeomagnetic results identify two rotation phases for Rhodos: c. 10° (9 ± 6°) counterclockwise (ccw) rotation between 3.8 and 3.6 Ma, and c. 17 ± 6° ccw rotation since 0.8 Ma. Between these phases, Rhodos tilted to the SE, drowning the southeastern coast to a depth of 500–600 m between 2.5 and 1.8 Ma, then to the NW, which resulted in the re-emergence of the drowned relief between 1.5 and 1.1 Ma. We relate the rotations of Rhodos to incipient formation of the south Aegean sinistral strike-slip system and the foundering of the Rhodos basin. The previously shown absence of Messinian evaporites in the deep-marine Rhodos basin in combination with the 3.8 Ma onset of ccw rotation of Rhodos constrains the onset of the formation of the south Aegean strike-slip system between 5.3 and 3.8 Ma. The formation of this strike-slip system is probably related to the interplay of oblique collision between the southeastern Aegean region and the northward moving African plate, the westward motion of Anatolia, gravitational spreading of the overthickened Aegean lithosphere and the recently postulated southwestward retreat of the African subducted slab along a subduction-transform edge-propagator fault.
Effect of Passive Integrated Transponder Tag Implantation Site on Tag Retention, Growth, and Survival of Two Sizes of Juvenile Bluegills and Yellow Perch

Abstract Passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags are commonly used to monitor growth, habitat use, activity rates, and survival of individual fish. However, for successful completion of research objectives, the tags must be retained and must not affect fish growth or survival. We compared the effects of PIT tagging location on tag retention, growth, and survival of juvenile bluegills Lepomis macrochirus and yellow perch Perca flavescens. In total, 80 bluegills and 80 yellow perch from two size-classes (75–101 and 128–162 mm total length) were randomly assigned to a control or to one of three tagging location treatments: isthmus, body cavity, or dorsal musculature. Fish received daily ad libitum rations and were monitored for survival. On days 14, 28, and 42, the fish were measured, weighed, and checked for tag retention. Use of the isthmus as a tagging location resulted in lower tag retention for both species and both size-classes relative to the body cavity and dorsal musculature locations. Tagging loc.
Tax Knowledge, Penalties and Tax Compliance in Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in Nigeria

The study investigated the impacts of tax payers’ knowledge and penalties on tax compliance amongst small and medium enterprises in Nigeria using a survey research design. The data obtained from questionnaire were analyzed using the Ordinary Least Square regression method. The results showed that tax knowledge had a positive significant impact on tax compliance while tax penalty had insignificant positive impact on tax compliance. Thus, the study shows that tax knowledge has a higher tendency to promote tax compliance than tax penalty. Government should therefore do everything possible to increase public knowledge on tax matters and tax education should be included in school curricula at all times. Small and medium scale business owners should also seek to advance their tax knowledge and awareness for the mutual benefits of the governments and taxpayers.
Modelling the vertical UL 94 test: competition and collaboration between melt dripping, gasification and combustion

An experimental and numerical investigation of the effect of bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate) (BDP) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) on the fire behaviour of bisphenol A polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC/ABS) in the vertical UL 94 scenario is presented. Four PC/ABS blends were discussed, which satisfy different UL 94 classifications due to the competing effects of gasification, charring, flame inhibition and melt flow/dripping. For numerical investigation, the particle finite element method (PFEM) is used. Its capability to model the complex fire behaviour of polymers in the UL 94 is analysed. The materials' properties are characterised, in particular the additives impact on the dripping behaviour during thermal exposure. BDP is an efficient plasticiser; adding PTFE prevents dripping by causing a flow limit. PFEM simulations reproduce the dripping and burning behaviour, in particular the competition between gasification and dripping. The thermal impact of both the burner and the flame is approximated taking into account flame inhibition, charring and effective heat of combustion. PFEM is a promising numerical tool for the investigation of the fire behaviour of polymers, particularly when large deformations are involved. Not only the principal phenomena but also the different UL 94 classifications and the extinction times are well predicted. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
AN INTEGRAL FIELD STUDY OF ABUNDANCE GRADIENTS IN NEARBY LUMINOUS INFRARED GALAXIES

We present for the first time metallicity maps generated using data from the Wide Field Spectrograph on the ANU 2.3 m of 10 luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) and discuss the abundance gradients and distribution of metals in these systems. We have carried out optical integral field spectroscopy (IFS) of several LIRGs in various merger phases to investigate the merger process. In a major merger of two spiral galaxies with preexisting disk abundance gradients, the changing distribution of metals can be used as a tracer of gas flows in the merging system as low-metallicity gas is transported from the outskirts of each galaxy to their nuclei. We employ this fact to probe merger properties by using the emission lines in our IFS data to calculate the gas-phase metallicity in each system. We create abundance maps and subsequently derive a metallicity gradient from each map. We compare our measured gradients to merger stage as well as several possible tracers of merger progress and observed nuclear abundances. We discuss our work in the context of previous abundance gradient observations and compare our results to new galaxy merger models that trace metallicity gradient. Our results agree with the observed flattening of metallicity gradients as a merger progresses. We compare our results with new theoretical predictions that include chemical enrichment. Our data show remarkable agreement with these simulations.
Epizoochory via the hooves - the European bison (Bison bonasus L.) as a dispersal agent of seeds in an open-forest-mosaic Epizoochore Samenausbreitung durch die Klauen des Wisents (Bison bonasus L.) in einem Wald-Offenland-Mosaik

Large herbivores are significant vectors for the long-distance dispersal of seeds in various habitats, both attached to animals (epizoochory) and via gut passage (endozoochory). The majority of studies on epizoochory have examined dispersal in the fur of domesticated ungulates. Studies on wild ungulates are important to understand dispersal processes in many habitats, but rare due to methodological constraints. We studied epizoochory of seeds by European bison in an open-forest-mosaic (nutrient-poor grassland and heathland, mixed forest) in NW Germany, where bison had been introduced for the purpose of nature conservation. At the study site it was possible to apply a method by which hoof material of free-ranging bison was non-invasively collected. We identified a total of 1082 seeds from 32 plant species in the hoof material. The three most abundant species were Polygonum aviculare, Agrostis capillaris and Betula spp. Seed species originated from various habitat types of the study area, while the majority of seeds derived from trampled areas. Compared to the non-dispersed plant species of the study area, dispersed plant species had a higher seed longevity index, suggesting that many seeds were picked up from the soil seed bank. Epizoochory ranking indices of dispersed seed species, classifying the importance of epizoochory, revealed that transport in the fur may be of minor importance for many species, i.e. epizoochory by the hooves turned out to be negatively correlated to epizoochory in the fur. We conclude that European bison disperses a considerable number of seed species through trampling. Further research should consider epizoochory via the hooves and include integrative approaches to understand the different dispersal mechanisms by ungulates and their long-term synergetic effect on plant communities.
Maternal stress in Shank3ex4-9 mice increases pup-directed care and alters brain white matter in male offspring

Gene-environment interactions contribute to the risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Among environmental factors, prenatal exposure to stress may increase the risk for ASD. To examine if there is an interaction between exposure to maternal stress and reduced dosage or loss of Shank3, wild-type (WT), heterozygous (HET) and homozygous (HOM) female mice carrying a deletion of exons four through nine of Shank3 (Shank3ex4-9) were exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) from prior to conception throughout gestation. This study examined maternal care of these dams and the white matter microstructure in the brains of their adult male offspring. Overall, our findings suggest that maternal exposure to CUMS increased pup-directed care for dams of all three genotypes. Compared to WT and HET dams, HOM dams also exhibited increased maternal care behaviors with increased time spent in the nest and reduced cage exploration, regardless of exposure to CUMS. Diffusion tensor imaging showed higher mean fractional anisotropy in the hippocampal stratum radiatum of WT and HOM male offspring from dams exposed to CUMS and HOM offspring from unexposed dams, compared to WT male offspring from unexposed dams. These data support that CUMS in Shank3-mutant dams results in subtle maternal care alterations and long-lasting changes in the white matter of the hippocampus of their offspring.
Increased uterine artery blood flow in hypoxic murine pregnancy is not sufficient to prevent fetal growth restriction†

Abstract Incomplete maternal vascular responses to pregnancy contribute to pregnancy complications including intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preeclampsia. We aimed to characterize maternal vascular dysfunction in a murine model of fetal growth restriction as an approach toward identifying targetable pathways for improving pregnancy outcomes. We utilized a murine model of late-gestation hypoxia-induced IUGR that reduced E18.5 fetal weight by 34%. Contrary to our hypothesis, uterine artery blood flow as measured in vivo by Doppler ultrasound was increased in mice housed under hypobaric hypoxia (385 mmHg; 5500 m) vs normoxia (760 mmHg; 0 m). Using wire myography, uterine arteries isolated from hypoxic mice had similar vasodilator responses to the two activators A769662 and acetylcholine as those from normoxic mice, although the contribution of an increase in nitric oxide production to uterine artery vasodilation was reduced in the hypoxic vs normoxic groups. Vasoconstrictor responses to phenylephrine and potassium chloride were unaltered by hypoxia. The levels of activated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) were reduced with hypoxia in both the uterine artery and placenta as measured by western blot and immunohistochemistry. We concluded that the rise in uterine artery blood flow may be compensatory to hypoxia but was not sufficient to prevent fetal growth restriction. Although AMPK signaling was reduced by hypoxia, AMPK was still receptive to pharmacologic activation in the uterine arteries in which it was a potent vasodilator. Thus, AMPK activation may represent a new therapy for pregnancy complications involving reduced uteroplacental perfusion. Summary sentence Late-gestation hypoxia in murine pregnancy induces fetal growth restriction while raising uterine artery volumetric blood flow and reducing uteroplacental adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation.
The possibilities of silymarin extract use in alcoholic liver disease – a literature review

The development of alcoholic liver disease (ALD), characterised by different degrees of liver damage, may be one of the possible effects of the long-term, excessive alcohol consumption. The treatment is based on total abstinence, which affects a significant mortality reduction and on nutritional therapy associated with excessive weight loss and muscle atrophy prevention, as well as reducing vitamin and mineral deficiency, especially as these patients are very often at risk of malnutrition. Ethanol transformation in the body leads to the free radical production, which generates so called oxidative stress. As this is considered the main factor in the liver damage, researchers have been trying to identify substances that could have a significant effect on oxidative stress reduction. The aim of the study was to define the possibility of applying the silymarin extract from seeds of milk thistle as a supporting element in the nutritional treatment of alcoholic liver disease and to characterise its potential adStreszczenie
Australian long-term care personnel’s knowledge and attitudes regarding palliative care for people with advanced dementia

This study aimed to describe Australian long-term care (LTC) personnel’s knowledge and attitudes concerning palliative care for residents with advanced dementia, and explore relationships with LTC facility/personnel characteristics. An analysis was undertaken of baseline data from a cluster randomised controlled trial of facilitated family case conferencing for improving palliative care of LTC residents with advanced dementia (the ‘IDEAL Study’). Participants included any LTC personnel directly involved in residents’ care. Knowledge and attitudes concerning palliative care for people with advanced dementia were measured using the questionnaire on Palliative Care for Advanced Dementia. Univariate and multivariate analyses explored relationships between personnel knowledge/attitudes and facility/personnel characteristics. Of 307 personnel in the IDEAL Study, 290 (94.5%) from 19/20 LTCFs provided sufficient data for inclusion. Participants included 9 (2.8%) nurse managers, 59 (20.5%) registered nurses, 25 (8.7%) enrolled nurses, 187 (64.9%) assistants in nursing/personal care assistants and 9 (3.1%) care service employees. In multivariate analyses, a facility policy not to rotate personnel through dementia units was the only variable associated with more favourable overall personnel knowledge and attitudes. Other variables associated with favourable knowledge were a designation of nursing manager or registered or enrolled nurse, and having a preferred language of English. Other variables associated with favourable attitudes were tertiary level of education and greater experience in dementia care. Like previous international research, this study found Australian LTC personnel knowledge and attitudes regarding palliative care for people with advanced dementia to be associated with both facility and personnel characteristics. Future longitudinal research is needed to better understand the relationships between knowledge and attitudes, as well as between these attributes and quality of care.
Credit limits and heterogeneity in general equilibrium models with a finite number of agents

We introduce two-period general equilibrium models with heterogeneous producers and financial frictions. Any agent can borrow to realize their productive project but the debt repayment does not exceed a fraction (so-called credit limit) of the project's value. Our framework allows us to investigate the aggregate and distributional effects of credit limits and heterogeneity of agents. The connection between credit limits, welfare, and efficiency is also explored.
DiceCT Analysis of the Extreme Gouging Adaptations Within the Masticatory Apparatus of the Aye‐Aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis)

Relative to all other primates, the aye‐aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) exists at the extremes of both morphology and behavior. Its specialized anatomy—which includes hypselodont incisors and highly derived manual digits—reflects a dietary niche, unique among primates, which combines tap‐foraging with gouging to locate and extract wood‐boring larvae. Here, we explore the impact of this extreme dietary ecology upon the masticatory musculature of this taxon with reference to a second, similarly sized but highly generalist lemuriform—the mongoose lemur (Eulemur mongoz). Using non‐destructive, high‐resolution diffusible iodine‐based contrast‐enhanced computed tomography techniques, we reconstruct the three‐dimensional volumes of eight masticatory muscles, and, for the first time in strepsirrhines, isolate and visualize their constituent muscle fascicles in situ and in three dimensions. Using these data, we report muscle volumes, forces, and fascicle lengths from each muscle portion, as well as their orientation relative to two standardized anatomical planes. Our findings demonstrate the overbuilt nature of the aye‐aye's masticatory apparatus, in which each muscle possesses an absolutely and relatively larger muscle volume and PCSA than its counterpart in the mongoose lemur. Likewise, for several adductor muscles, aye‐ayes also possess relatively greater fascicle lengths. Finally, we note several unusual features within the lateral pterygoid of the aye‐aye—the muscle most responsible for jaw protrusion—that relate to force maximization and reorientation. As this jaw motion is critical to gouging, we interpret these differences to reflect highly specific specializations that facilitate the aye‐aye's extreme subsistence strategy. Anat Rec, 2019. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy Anat Rec, 303:282–294, 2020. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy
Glioblastoma stem cells: a therapeutic challenge

Erdoğan Pekcan ERKAN, Ufuk VURGUN, Reşat Serhat ERBAYRAKTAR, Zübeyde ERBAYRAKTAR* İzmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Health Sciences, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey PharmaPlus Laboratories, PharmaPlus İlaç ve Sağlık Ürünleri Ltd. Şti. , İzmir, Turkey Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey