Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Alexithymia Profile in Relation to Negative Affect in Parents of Autistic and Typically Developing Young Children

In our study, we explored the construct of alexithymia in parents of children with and without ASD using a multi-method approach based on self-rated and external rater assessment. We also assessed the level of self-report measures of negative affect states such as trait anxiety and depression, and investigated the correlation between the alexithymia construct, trait anxiety, and depression within the broader autism phenotype (BAP). A total sample of 100 parents (25 mothers and 25 fathers in each group) were administered the TAS-20 and the TSIA to measure self-reported and observer-rated alexithymia traits, as well as self-report measures of anxiety and depression. Study results showed that the TSIA but not the TAS-20 was able to detect significant group differences in alexithymia traits among parents of children with and without ASD, with parents of ASD children displaying significantly higher levels of alexithymia. Furthermore, differently from the TAS-20, no significant correlations between the TSIA and measures of anxiety and depression were detected. Taken together, our results suggest the importance of using multi-method approaches to control for potential measurement bias and to detect psychological constructs such as alexithymia in subclinical samples such as parents of children with ASD.
Effects of boiling and microwaving treatments on nutritional characteristics and antioxidant activities of Agaricus blazei Murril

Summary The effects of boiling and microwaving on nutritional compositions, antioxidant components and antioxidant activities of fresh and frozen A. blazei Murril (AbM) were evaluated and compared. The results showed that the contents of crude protein, ash, total soluble protein, total soluble sugar, vitamin C, and total phenolics decreased by both cooking treatments, but no significant changes were observed in lipids. Amino acid composition analysis showed that the ratio of total essential amino acids to total amino acids increased, and the ratio of total non-essential amino acids to total amino acids thus decreased by both cooking treatments. Boiling and microwaving significantly decreased the contents of glucose, galactose and mannose, and the effect of boiling was higher than that of microwaving. Furthermore, boiling and microwaving significantly decreased the DPPH-scavenging activity and reducing power of AbM. Analysis of the relations between the antioxidant activities and total phenolic concentrations testified that the cooking treatments not only decreased the total phenolic contents, but also changed the types and relative amounts of phenolic compounds of AbM.
Perforated peptic ulcer disease at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi

Background: Published reports on perforated peptic ulcers indicate increasing rates for the elderly, those chronically ill and females. Our local observations are at variance. This study analysed patients treated for peptic ulcer perforations at the Kenyatta National Hospital between January 2005 and December 2006. Methods: Clinical charts for patients admitted and treated for perforated peptic ulcer disease were reviewed. Data sought included patient demographic data, clinical presentation, and time from onset of symptoms to treatment, operative findings and treatment complications. The determinants of post-operative complications were evaluated using univariate analysis. Results: Forty four patients with perforated ulcers were admitted and treated over a two year study period. Twenty eight were analyzed (retrieval rate 63.6%). Males (86.2%) and those 35 years of age and younger (57.1%) predominated. Alcohol, smoking and prior use of non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs were respectively documented in 39.3%, 39.3% and 10.7% of patients. The complication rate was 25%. Four patients died. The factors significantly related to complications was treatment delay (p=0.007) and acute perforation (0.027) Conclusion: Perforated peptic ulcer disease is a disease of young males. Efforts to reduce delay in presentation in this population may reduce the complications.
The biosynthetic potential of plant roots

The contribution of roots to the biology of the whole plant is being reevaluated in the light of classical and recent findings. In addition to their role in water and nutrient uptake and in symbiotic associations, plant roots also synthesize a remarkable variety of secondary metabolites. These chemicals, many of which are used as pharmaceuticals, agrichemicals, flavors, dyes, or fragrances, may help the plant cope with biotic and abiotic stress. Root cultures are being used as experimental systems to explore both root‐specific secondary metabolites and their biological significance. They may also provide future systems for commercial production of plant specialty chemicals.
COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF A LOCALISED SUPPLY OF PHOSPHATE, NITRATE, AMMONIUM AND POTASSIUM ON THE GROWTH OF THE SEMINAL ROOT SYSTEM, AND THE SHOOT, IN BARLEY

SUMMARY Barley plants were grown for 21 days in sand culture, continuously irrigated with nutrient solution. The rooting depth was divided into three compartments, one above another, such that different zones of the root system could be supplied with very low or high concentrations of a single inorganic nutrient, all other nutrients being maintained at a high concentration. Exposure of parts of the main seminal roots (axes) to high concentrations of phosphate caused a localized promotion of the initiation and subsequent extension of both first and second order laterals, compared with zones receiving very low concentrations of phosphate. This resulted in considerable modification to root form, but with only a small depression in shoot growth, compared with control plants receiving an ample supply to all parts of the root system. The extension of seminal axes was little affected by the concentration of phosphate to which they were exposed. Similar responses to those described for phosphate occurred with variation in concentration of nitrate or ammonium, but with potassium a localized supply promoted the growth of laterals to approximately the same extent as controls throughout the entire root system. The experiments show that adequate external concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus are required by any part of the root system for optimal growth of laterals, but not axes. Possible mechanisms which compensate shoot growth when nutrients are supplied to only part of the root system, and agronomic implications, are discussed.
Development of an assessment tool for repetitive tasks of the upper limbs (ART).

The prevention, control and management of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD) are a priority for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and one of the key ways of improving occupational health in Great Britain. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Local Authority (LA) Inspectors play an important role in preventing WRMSD. As well as enforcing health and safety law, they provide advice on risk factors and control measures on a range of health and safety issues. To support this work, assessment tools are required that offer an intuitive and relatively quick process to screen workplaces for high-risk activities, raise awareness of risk factors, demonstrate the presence of risk, and recommend areas for improvement. The Manual handling Assessment Charts tool (MAC, Monnington et al., 2002) has been recognised as a useful process to screen workplaces for high-risk manual handling operations (Melrose et al., 2006; Lee and Ferreira, 2003; Tapley, 2002). The MAC tool is designed to identify and help assess high-risk manual handling operations (lifting, lowering, carrying and team handling). However, its scope is limited to manual handling of heavy items, which primarily present a risk of lower back disorders. There was a demand for a similar tool that Inspectors can use to screen more frequent handling of light loads or other repetitive tasks and the common physical risk factors in work that may contribute to upper limb disorders (ULDs). This led to the development of the assessment of repetitive tasks (or ART) tool. This report and the work it describes were funded by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Its contents, including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect HSE policy. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors wish to acknowledge the support and contribution of colleagues in policy and operational directorates who assisted and participated in the user trials. We also acknowledge the contributions of colleagues in human factors and ergonomics teams who played an active part in the workshops and development of ART. We are also grateful for the constructive contributions made by other ergonomists during the initial consultation exercise:
Childhood-Onset Myasthenia Gravis, a Troublesome Clinical Entity with Heterogeneity in China

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a T cell dependent, antibodymediated neuromuscular junction disease with complement system activation [1], often presenting with muscle weakness and fatigability of affected muscles. The distribution of affected muscles varies significantly from case to case, and the same regarding the onset ages. Some studies reported the bimodal distribution of ages at onset in the Western countries, with a peak of onset 20-40 years old in females and 50-60 years old in males [2,3]. However in China, the disease tends to more frequently affect children than adults [46]. In literatures, the term, juvenile MG (JMG) is frequently used to describe the disease happened before age of 19 years [7], which are subdivided into prepubertal and postpubertal patients, according to occurrence of the first symptoms before or after puberty [8]. Childhood onset myasthenia gravis (CMG) depicts the condition that MG patients who develop the disease before age of 14 years and accounted for more than half of MG population in China and harbored unique features different from the cases of JMG in the Western countries or the ones of adult onset myasthenia gravis (AMG). The following paragraphs focus on the research concerning the CMG.
Diurnal behaviour and habitat use of nonbreeding Marbled Teal, Marmaronetta angustirostris

The diurnal behaviour and habitat use of the globally threatened Marbled Teal, Marmaronetta angustirostris, were studied in Morocco and Spain from October to March. This is the first study of nonbreeding Marbled Teal, the most primitive member of the pochards (tribe Aythyini). Like other Aythyini, Marbled Teal pair relatively late: only 35% of individuals were paired by mid-March. Feeding was mainly nocturnal, and less than 2% of daytime was spent feeding from November to March. Feeding behaviour was similar to that of dabbling ducks (tribe Anatini). A steady increase in swimming activity from October to March was related to increased courtship activity and raptor-avoidance behaviour. Teal selected areas close to the shoreline and avoided open water. Selection of shoreline habitats and dis - tance to shoreline covaried with month and behaviour type. The Marbled Teal is an aberrant pochard with a stronger ecological affinity with the Anatini. Resume : Nous avons etudie le comportement diurne et l'utilisation de l'habitat chez la Marmaronette marbree, Mar- maronetta angustirotris, au Maroc et en Espagne, d'octobre a mars; il s'agit d'une espece menacee dans toute sa repar- tition. Ce travail constitue la premiere etude, hors de la periode de reproduction, de la Marmaronette marbree, espece la le plus primitive des Aythyini. Comme chez les autres Aythyini, l'accouplement est relativement tardif chez la Mar- maronette marbree et seulement 35 % des individus avaient un partenaire au milieu de mars. L'alimentation s'est averee surtout nocturne et, de novembre a mars, moins d e2%d e laperiode diurne etait consacree a l'alimentation. Le comportement alimentaire des marmaronettes etait semblable a celui des canards barboteurs (Anatini). L'augmentation progressive de l'activite de nage observee d'octobre a mars etait reliee a l'augmentation de la frequence des comporte- ments de cour et a la fuite des rapaces. Les oiseaux se tenaient surtout pres de la cote et evitaient les zones d'eau libre. La preference pour les habitats cotiers et la distance jusqu'a l'eau etaient en covariation avec le mois et le com- portement. La Marmaronette marbree est un oiseau aberrant dans sa categorie et a des affinites ecologiques plus mar- quees avec les Anatini. (Traduit par la Redaction) Green and El Hamzaoui 2118
Efficient phosphorus utilization in poultry feeding to lessen the environmental impact of excreta

This review summarizes the environmentally friendly methods that are available to manage phosphorus (P) excretion. Phase feeding reduces P excretion up to 10–25% by adding precise amounts of P to broiler diets. Increasing of the Ca: P ratio in diets from 1: 1 to 2: 1 decreased the availability of P from phytic acid. Feeding diets supplemented with vitamin D can increase phytin P (PP) utilization from 31–50 to 68–87%. Total P (TP) excretion by poultry may be reduced by up to 50% through the use of supplemental phytase. Reductions in phytic acid P ranging from 50 to 65% with no decreases in TP of the seed were seen in ‘low-phytic acid’ or ‘high-available P’ (HAP) mutants when phytase supplementation was contained in diet. However, total activity of phytase was 35% higher in the small intestine of laying hens because of different pH. And both microbial phytase and lactic acid enhanced the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of ash, Ca and Mg and apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of phytic acid.
Characterization and PCR multiplexing of novel highly variable tetranucleotide Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) microsatellites

Seven novel and highly variable tetranucleotide microsatellite markers, and conditions for multiplexing and simultaneous genotyping six of these in a single run, are described for Atlantic salmon. These provide a highly informative and cost-effective set of molecular markers for genetic studies on cultured and wild populations of the species. The primers sets showed cross-species amplification of appropriately sized amplified products in a number of other salmonid species and suggests the primer sets may have wider application.
The functional role of somatostatin receptor subtypes in pituitary adenomas

textabstractThe main subject of the current thesis is the role of somatostatin (SRIF) receptors subtype 2 and 5 in the patho-physiological regulation of GH and ACTH release from human pituitary adenomas. The sst expression pattern in both types of pituitary adenomas is evaluated with respect to the inhibitory effects by SRIF-analogs on hormone secretion from the primary cultured tumor cells. The novel multiligand SOM230, compared with the current clinically available SRIF-analog OCT, is evaluated both for its clinical potential in the medical treatment of acromegaly, as well for in vitro for its potential in the medical treatment in patients with Cushing’s disease. SOM230, together with sst-selective analogs and chimeric molecules, targeting the sst2, sst5 and Dopamine D2 Receptor, are used as tools to retrieve insights with respect to the functional interplay between sst2, sst5 and D2R in the regulation of adenylyl cyclase activity as well the susceptibility of sst receptors to undergo ligand-induced adaptation, i.e. tachyphylaxis, of inhibition of adenylyl cyclase activity by SRIF-analogs.
Spiritual Experiences of Women with Breast Cancer in Singapore: a Qualitative Study

Objective: Although there has been increasing emphasis on the importance of spirituality in patients with cancer, few studies have examined the spiritual experiences of an ethnically diverse sample of Asian women with breast cancer. The objective of this study was to examine the spiritual experiences of Singaporean women with breast cancer in the first year of diagnosis. Methods: A qualitative exploratory study design was used and data were gathered using individual semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling selected the participants and data saturation sample size was reached after interviews with 28 participants. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic approach. Results: The participants were aged between 28 and 64 years and included women from the three major ethnic groups. The three themes that emerged from the data included transcendental experiences, meaning and purpose, and changing perspectives. Conclusions: This study informs that while spiritual needs are common, Singaporean women in their first year of the breast cancer diagnosis express spirituality in culturally specific ways. The clinical implications of the study emphasize the importance of addressing women's spiritual concerns, with attention to cultural differences so as to render holistic patient-centered care.
Mate Choice by Lekking Males: Evidence from the Mediterranean Fruit Fly from Field Cage Trials (Diptera: Tephritidae)

ABSTRACT The Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), exhibits a lek mating system characterized by intense female choice apparently based on male courtship performance. However, recent observations showed that receptive females are aggressive toward one another and compete for access to displaying males, suggesting that the traditional view that sexual competition in the medfly is restricted exclusively to males may not be accurate. The current study further examines the accepted view of the medfly mating system by investigating the possibility that males discriminate among potential mates on the basis of female age. In field cage trials, we scored matings for males presented with virgin females of different ages. Young females were mated more frequently than old females, and additional tests revealed that this pattern did not reflect age-dependent variation among virgin females in mating propensity or response to male signaling. Although the experimental environment was artificial in simultaneously providing males with young and old virgin females, the existence of nonrandom mating nonetheless was unexpected given the accepted view that, given limited mating opportunities, male medflies will copulate indiscriminately with available females. Fecundity, fertility, egg-to-pupal yield, and longevity were compared among females of different ages to assess the potential reproductive benefits gained by males via age discrimination among potential mates. Young females (10–15 d old) had significantly higher fecundity, fertility, and egg-to-pupal yield than old females (35–40 d old), and consequently male choice for young females appears to confer substantial fitness benefits.
Ecology of Common Insect Pests of Rice

Rice, the staple diet of over half the world's population, is grown over about 124 million hectares and occupies almost one fifth of the total world area under cereals. Classified primarily as a tropical and subtropical crop, it is cultivated as far north as 49° and as far south as 35°, and from sea level to altitudes of 3000 meters. It is established by direct sowing-broad­ cast or drilled-or transplanted, and under diverse water regimes: as an upland crop where there is no standing water and the rains are the sole source of moisture, or under lowland conditions whereby water, derived ei­ ther from rain or irrigation systems, is impounded in the fields. On slopes it is cultivated in terraces, and in valleys or other low-lying sites, floating rice may be grown in several feet of standing water. As many as 10,000 varieties of rice have been distinguished. The tradi­ tional tropical varieties are talI, leafy, and often lodge during the later stages of growth; whereas those grown in temperate areas are short, usual­ ly about 1 meter high, stiff-straw ed, erect-leaved and lodge-resistant. The plant characters of the latter group are commonly associated with high yields and are regarded as desirable. Low temperature is a major factor limiting rice cultivation. The opti­ mum temperature is about 30° C but during the flowering stage tempera­ tures of about 20° C inducc stcrility. Consequently, in regions of cool win­ ters only one crop a year can therefore be grown. In warm areas as many as three crops are common. Thus, although rice is grown under diverse cultural conditions and over a wide geographical range, it is essentially a crop of warm humid en­ vironments conducive to the survival and proliferation of insects. Of the more than 70 species recorded as pests of rice, about 20 have major significance. Together, they infest all parts and growth stages of the plant, are vectors of virus diseases, and are a major factor responsible for low rice yields-particularly in tropical Asia, the world's rice bowl. The insect problem is accentuated in multi cropping rice areas where the insects do not usually undergo a distinct diapause or dormancy but occur throughout the year in overlapping generations. The intensity of the insect problem in such areas can be illustrated by the experience at the Interna­ tional Rice Research Institute where, in 24 separate experiments conducted over the last six cropping seasons, plots protected from insects yielded al­ most twice as much as those left unprotected. Data from a large number of experiments from a number of countries which have average yields of
Thaumatotibia leucotreta and the Navel orange: ovipositional preferences and host susceptibility

False codling moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), presents a significant threat to the South African citrus industry. To limit income loss due to direct larval damage or from fruit rejection due to the phytosanitary status of this pest, additional pre‐harvest control techniques are required for Navel oranges, which are known to be susceptible to T. leucotreta damage. A number of Navel orange cultivars have been developed, and differences in female T. leucotreta ovipositional preference and susceptibility of cultivars to larval penetration are known to exist. Navel orange cultivars were grouped according to time of maturity (early, mid‐ and late season). Female T. leucotreta were subjected to choice and no‐choice tests with these cultivars, measured by oviposition. Host susceptibility was tested by allowing neonate T. leucotreta larvae to penetrate the different Navel cultivars. In the early maturing group, Fischer Navels were least preferred for oviposition and the least susceptible to larval penetration. The mid‐ and late season maturing groupings showed limited differences in oviposition preference, although host susceptibility did appear to be an important factor in assessing the vulnerability of fruit to T. leucotreta. Despite being widely planted in South Africa, the mid‐season Palmer Navels were highly susceptible to larval penetration, while for the late season cultivars, Cambria and Glen Ora Late were the least susceptible to T. leucotreta. As a result of these laboratory trials, it is recommended that farmers increase cultivation of Fischer Navels as the principal early season cultivar, avoid Palmer Navels in favour of other mid‐season maturing cultivars and give preference to the late maturing Cambria and Glen Ora Late cultivars, to limit T. leucotreta damage.