Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Repetition of Ischemic Preconditioning Augments Endothelium-Dependent Vasodilation in Humans

Background— Several studies have shown that both early and late effects of ischemic preconditioning (IPC) protect against myocardial injury after ischemic reperfusion. Methods and Results— The purpose of this study was to evaluate the late effects of IPC on endothelial function in humans. Late phase of IPC was induced by upper limb ischemia (cuff inflation of over 200 mm Hg for 5 minutes) 6 times a day for 1 month. We evaluated forearm blood flow (FBF) responses to acetylcholine (ACh) and to sodium nitroprusside (SNP) before and after IPC stimulus in 30 young healthy men. FBF was measured using a strain-gauge plethysmograph. The IPC stimulus significantly increased plasma concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), circulating level of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), and FBF responses to ACh, but these did not change in the control group. The FBF responses to SNP were similar before and after the IPC stimulus. Infusion of NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, co.
Nonlocal solutions and controllability of Schrödinger evolution equation

The paper deals with semilinear evolution equations in complex Hilbert spaces. Nonlocal associated Cauchy problems are studied and the existence and uniqueness of classical solutions is proved. The controllability is investigated too and the topological structure of the controllable set discussed. The results are applied to nonlinear Schrödinger evolution equations with time dependent potential. Several examples of nonlocal conditions are proposed. The evolution system associated to the linear part is not compact and the theory developed in Okazawa-Yoshii [21] for its study is used. The proofs involve the Schauder-Tychonoff fixed point theorem and no strong compactness is assumed on the nonlinear part.
Familial Syndromes of Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Regulation of serum calcium in vertebrates is maintained by the actions of the parathyroid glands working in concert with vitamin D and critical target tissues that include the renal tubules, the small intestine, and bone cells. The parathyroid glands release parathyroid hormone (PTH) into the systemic circulation as is required in order to maintain the serum calcium concentration within a narrow physiologic range. Excessive secretion of PTH from one or more abnormal parathyroid glands however results in primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT), a metabolic disease typically associated with abnormally elevated serum calcium. Although HPT is typically a sporadic disease, it can represent a manifestation of an inherited syndrome. Many sporadic parathyroid tumors result from inactivating mutations in tumor suppressor genes that were first discovered by the analysis of genomic DNA from patients with HPT as part of an inherited syndrome. Somatic and inherited alterations in DNA encoding proto-oncogenes can also cause parathyroid neoplasia. Two promis-ing future approaches for the discovery of novel genes pertinent to parathyroid tumor development are the analysis of acquired genetic alterations in DNA isolated from parathyroid tumors and the investigation of familial HPT in kindreds lacking germline mutation in the known genes predisposing to HPT.
Service quality evaluation of satellite data distribution system based on BP‐IPA

With the remarkable advances in remote sensing technology, remote sensing data collected by satellites play an important role in many application domains, in particular the smart city. The service quality of satellite data distribution systems (SDDS) is vital for both administrators and end users. Therefore, it is of practical significance to fully understand the factors that affect the satellite data distribution service. Based on prior studies of e‐service quality evaluation and the characteristics of the satellite data, a multidimensional and multi‐level service quality evaluation model of the SDDS is proposed. A questionnaire was designed based on the proposed model to collect users' evaluation data. Backpropagation neural network was employed to examine whether and how factors in the proposed model affect the overall service quality. The results were interpreted using importance and performance analysis to assess the relationship between the keys of service quality of the SDDS and the overall service quality. Findings have important managerial implications for the quality management of the SDDS.
Changes in Growth and Physiological Parameters of ×Amarine Following an Exogenous Application of Gibberellic Acid and Methyl Jasmonate

×Amarine hybrids are attractive ornamental geophytes grown for cut flower production. Their cultivation is limited due to lesser flowering percentages and lesser bulb weight gain. To optimize the growth and propagation of geophytes, plant growth regulators (PGRs) are used, but so far none have been tested in ×Amarine. We investigated the effect of gibberellic acid (GA3; 50, 100, and 200 mg dm−3) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA; 100, 500, and 1000 µmol dm−3) on growth, flowering, bulb yield, and select physiological parameters of ×A. tubergenii “Zwanenburg”. PGRs were applied as foliar sprays on the 70th and 77th day after planting. GA3 treatment at 200 mg dm−3 exhibited the greatest leaf number, leaf length, bulb weight, daughter bulb number, CO2 assimilation intensity, greenness index, total sugars, and total protein content in bulbs. GA3 application at 100 and 200 mg dm−3 accelerated flowering and at 50 and 100 mg dm−3 significantly increased the bulb flowering percentage. MeJA at all tested concentrations prolonged anthesis time and reduced the bulb flowering percentage. GA3 at all concentrations and MeJA at 500 and 1000 µmol dm−3 stimulated daughter bulbs formation. GA3, especially at 200 mg dm−3 can improve anthesis and increase ×A. tubergenii “Zwanenburg” bulb yield.
Evaluating the effect of in-situ rainwater harvesting techniques on maize production in moisture stress areas of humbo woreda, wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia

The study was conducted to investigate the effect of different in-situ water harvesting structures as soil moisture conservation techniques under maize crop production in Abela Sippa kebele Wolaita zone, Ethiopia where rainfall variation is affecting agriculture with prolonged dry spells during critical crop growth stages. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design, with three replications and four treatments. The four treatments used in the study were; Control, Targa, Tie-ridge and Zai pits. Findings from this study revealed that maize grain yield and yield components, such as, grain yield, dry matter biomass, and cob length were highly significant (p<0.05) on Targa. Soil-moisture content over the crop growing season at dry spell periods was significantly higher in Targa and Tie ridges than the control. Maize yield of (7150 kg ha-1), (6190 kg ha-1), (4500 kg ha-1) and (4900 kg ha-1) was obtained from Targa, Tie ridge, Zai pits and Control, respectively. Targa and Tie ridge treatments recorded higher net returns (29712 and 25164 kg ha-1) than Control (20370 kg ha-1) and Zai (14350 kg ha-1) treatments. The results revealed that the in-situ rainwater harvesting techniques could play great role in improving crop yield in dry periods. However, the utilization of the technology is surrounded by various constraints. The major constraints include labour, cost, lack of knowledge and crops planted on bunds. The findings suggest that Targa structure improved water availability during the growing season, thereby protecting crops from dry periods and it needs minimum cost, less labor power ,and easily constructed by local farmers (not require complicated knowledge). Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 10(1): 71-79, June 2020
Injury by Contarinia (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) to early-seeded and late-seeded canola in northeastern Saskatchewan, Canada, and assessment of seed treatments for midge control

Abstract A three-year field study in northeastern Saskatchewan, Canada, determined the effects of seeding date and seed treatment on feeding injury by Contarinia Róndani (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) midges to canola, Brassica napus Linnaeus (Brassicaceae), and subsequent seed yield. Emergence cage monitoring indicated the presence of two generations of midges at the four locations observed. Intensity of midge injury to canola was low, but damaged plants were common. Field location and seeding date influenced probability of midge injury and canola growth stage. The wettest of the four locations had the greatest number of midges but low levels of probability of damage in two of three years. Early-seeded plots had higher injury probability than late-seeded plots, with the highest probability of injury occurring one to two weeks after flowering commenced. Seed treatment marginally affected midge injury ratings, suggesting that insecticide efficacy dissipated before the midges attacked. Seed yield was higher in early-seeded than in late-seeded plots in two of three years, despite the greater level of damage seen in early-seeded plots. Overall, the research showed that the agronomic benefits of early seeding outweighed the effects of the midge damage observed; therefore, producers in the Canadian prairie provinces should seed canola when conditions are most agronomically suitable.
Genetic, epigenetic and pharmacological influences modulating tissue specific regulation of the cannabinoid receptor-1 gene (CB1); implications for cannabinoid pharmacogenetics

Cannabinoid receptor-1 (CB1) represents a potential drug target against conditions that include obesity and substance abuse. However, drug trials targeting CB1 (encoded by the CNR1 gene) have been compromised by differences in patient response. Towards addressing the hypothesis that genetic and epigenetic changes within the regulatory regions controlling CNR1 expression contribute to these differences, we isolated the human CNR1 promotor (CNR1prom) and demonstrate its activity in primary cells and transgenic mice. We also provide evidence of CNR1prom in CB1 autoregulation and its repression by DNA-methylation. We further characterised a conserved regulatory sequence (ECR1) in CNR1 intron 2 that contained a polymorphism in linkage disequilibrium with disease associated SNPs. Deletion of ECR1 from mice using CRISPR genome editing significantly reduced CNR1 expression in the hippocampus. These mice also displayed reduced ethanol intake and hypothermia response to CB1 agonism. Moreover, human specific C-allele variants of ECR1 (ECR1(C)) drove higher levels of CNR1prom activity in hippocampal cells than did the ancestral T-allele. We further demonstrate a role for the AP-1 transcription factor in driving higher ECR1(C) activity. In the context of the known roles of CB1 the current study suggests a mechanism through which ECR1(C) may be neuroprotective in the hippocampus against stress. The cell-specific approaches used in our study to determine the functional effects of genetic and epigenetic changes on the activity of tissue-specific regulatory elements at the CNR1 locus represent an important step in gaining a mechanistic understanding of cannabinoid pharmacogenetics.
Performance, diameter of muscle fibers, and gene expression of mechanistic target of rapamycin in pectoralis major muscle of broilers supplemented with leucine and valine

Abstract: Two experiments were performed to study the interaction between the standardized ileal digestible (SID) leucine (Leu) and valine (Val) levels on the mRNA expression of genes involved in the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway (experiment I) and determine the requirement of these amino acids in low-protein diets, and their effects on performance, serum parameters and muscle fiber diameters of broilers (experiment II) from day 1 to day 21 post hatch. Broiler chickens were distributed in a completely randomized design in a 3 × 3 and 5 × 5 factorial arrangement for a total of 9 and 25 treatments in experiments I and II, respectively. There was no (P > 0.05) interaction between the SID Leu and Val levels on mRNA expression of mTOR, S6 kinase 1 (S6K1), 4E-binding protein-1 (4EBP1), eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) genes in pectoralis major muscle. Leucine supplementation increased (P < 0.05) mRNA expression of mTOR and S6K1 genes in muscle tissue, whereas Val supplementation did not affect (P > 0.05) mRNA expression of the genes investigated. Interaction was observed (P < 0.05) between dietary Leu and Val levels on feed intake and gain:feed. Leucine supplementation may stimulate mRNA expression of mTOR and S6K1 genes in pectoralis major muscle of broilers from day 1 to day 21 post hatch. The SID Leu and Val levels required for the optimization of feed intake, weight gain, and gain:feed in low-crude protein diets for broiler chickens from day 1 to 21 post hatch were estimated at 1.29% and 0.96%, 1.28% and 0.92%, and 1.27% and 0.91%, respectively; however, these requirements may be greater to maximize muscle fiber growth.
Early Hemoglobin Status as a Predictor of Long-Term Mortality for Sepsis Patients in Intensive Care Units.

OBJECTIVES It is still not clear what influences hemoglobin has on the outcomes of patients with sepsis. The intention of this research is to investigate the impact of early hemoglobin levels on clinical outcomes for sepsis. METHODS In this single-center, cohort study, each patient was put into one of four groups dependent on hemoglobin levels of 70 g/L, 80 g/L, or 90 g/L in the first 48 h of being admitted to intensive care unit (ICU). Adjustments for baseline/confounding factors were made using the multiple Cox regression model. RESULTS In all, 235 septic patients were examined in this research. The non-survivors exhibited significantly higher levels for early hemoglobin status at or below 80 g/L (33.7% vs. 19.4%, P = 0.016) than survivors. Survival curve demonstrated that septic patients with early hemoglobin levels at or below 80 g/L survived at significantly lower rates than those with hemoglobin above 80 g/L. Multivariate Cox analysis demonstrated that levels of 1-year mortality rose as early hemoglobin levels fell in the first 48 h after ICU admission, with relative risks for 80 g/L to 90 g/L, 70 g/L to 80 g/L, and at or below 70 g/L being respectively 1.11 (95% CI: 0.654-1.882), 1.742 (95% CI: 0.969-3.133), 1.981 (95% CI: 1.124-3.492) times higher than those for hemoglobin levels above 90 g/L. CONCLUSIONS Hemoglobin levels at or below 80 g/L in the first 48 h after ICU admission are an alternative indicator for predicting long-term mortality of sepsis. Awareness should be encouraged of the importance of targeting early hemoglobin levels when treating sepsis to improve prognosis.
Product Market Competition and Financial Flexibility: Evidence from China

This paper discusses the effects of product market competition on the value and level of corporate financial flexibility of Chinese listed firms for the period 2001-2014. We use three different measures of product market competition: predation risk, natural hedge and price-cost margin. Predation risk is used to measure how firms’ growth opportunities covary with those of their industry rivals. We thus calculate the correlation of firm stock returns with industry stock returns. The regression coefficient on the industry return is then used as the proxy for predation risk. Greater values of this measure indicate a greater predation risk, more interdependence of investment opportunities and therefore fiercer competition. Natural hedge is calculated as the absolute value of the difference between a firm’s ratio of net fixed assets per employee and the median ratio in the industry. To make this difference comparable across industries, the difference is then scaled by the industry range of the capital-to-labor ratio. Smaller values of this measure indicate greater similarity of a firm’s operations with industry counterparts and therefore signal fierce competition. The results show that when the other conditions remain unchanged, the predation risk weakens the spare debt capacity and excessive cash holdings and ultimately decreases corporate financial flexibility. Except for the natural hedge used to measure the degree of product market competition, which does not significantly affect spare debt capacity, the other results show that natural hedge reduces excessive cash holdings and corporate financial flexibility. On the one hand, product market competition increases the demand for financing; because Chinese listed firms are subjected to China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) supervision for issuing securities, they must increase debt and reduce their spare debt capacity. On the other hand, product market competition increases investment expenditure, consumes cash, and reduces excessive cash holdings. In the end, product market competition reduces corporate financial flexibility.
Detectability of Osseous Lesions with a Pre-Programmed Low-Dose Protocol for Cone-Beam Computed Tomography

The present study aimed to compare the diagnostic reliability of a pre-set, manufacturer-specific, low-dose mode against a standard-dose mode in the detection of four different osseous lesions in the mandible with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Four types of lesions (periapical lesion, extended periodontal gap, recession of the buccal lamella, sequestrum/fracture) were prepared on 40 pig mandibles. CBCT images were obtained from each mandible, with both the low-dose and standard-dose modes using the Orthophos SL CBCT device (Dentsply-Sirona, Bensheim, Germany). Twelve assessors quantitatively (detection of lesions) and qualitatively (assessment of detectability) evaluated the CBCT images in SIDEXIS 4 (Dentsply-Sirona) using a study-specific digital examination tool. A correct diagnosis was achieved in almost 71% (LD: 70.8%; SD: 70.9%) of 1920 lesions, without a statistically significant difference between the low-dose and standard-dose mode. This finding was consistent across all four lesion types. In conclusion, while low-dose mode and standard-dose mode CBCT scans performed similarly in the detection of four prepared lesions of the mandible, the former may be a promising, user-friendly alternative method of obtaining radiation-optimized, three-dimensional images in accordance with the As Low As Diagnostically Acceptable (ALADA) principle.
Seeing is achieving: religion, embodiment, and explanations of racial inequality in STEM

ABSTRACT Ample research demonstrates how religious commitments influence beliefs about racial inequality within US society without considering how individuals’ explanations of inequality might differ with relationship to different racialized structures and institutions. Here we focus on science, an institutional sector perceived to be in tension with religious institutions and marked by persistent disparities in racial representation. Drawing on focus groups with fourteen pastors from twelve different churches, as well as interviews with twenty congregants, we find that Black and Latinx Christians in our sample draw on both individualistic and structural explanations of STEM inequality. Individualistic attributions, however, were primarily seen as products of structural constraints. Discursively, respondents saw STEM inequality resulting from not “seeing” aspects of science that would promote engagement. These results complicate prior work on religious understandings of racial inequality while also providing guidance for interventions designed to promote racial equality in STEM fields in particular.
Possible selves and health behavior in adolescents: A systematic review

ABSTRACT We conducted a systematic review of studies focused on the influence of possible selves on health-risk and health-promoting behaviors in adolescents. Fourteen studies were reviewed. Most studies focused on health-risk behaviors, with substance use the most frequently addressed outcome. Drawing firm conclusions based on study findings was hampered by the lack of convergence in possible self properties addressed and inconsistencies in methodology. However, possible self properties that show the most promise are likelihood of achieving a possible self in a target domain and presence of a possible self in a target domain. Findings have important implications for guiding future research on health behaviors in adolescents and indicate that possible selves may be an important target for designing health-promoting and risk-reduction interventions.
SFL praxis in U.S. teacher education: a critical literature review

Abstract This literature review analyzes the influences of systemic functional linguistics (SFL) in U.S. teacher education from 2000 to 2019. First, we describe how SFL has been contextualized in United States in response to changing demographics, new technologies, policies, and the impacts of globalization. Second, we outline our methodology, which yielded 136 publications from the fields of literacy research, teacher education, and applied linguistics. Third, we present four findings: (1) the main vehicles for introducing U.S. teachers to SFL theory and practice are grant-funded university-school partnerships, courses in colleges of education, and self-contained professional development workshops; (2) most interventions focused on introducing teachers to functional metalanguage and text analysis, with fewer focusing on multimodality; (3) SFL interventions positively influenced teachers’ level of semiotic awareness and ability to design focused disciplinary literacy instruction. Teachers’ critical awareness and confidence for literacy instruction were influenced to a lesser extent; and (4) more sustained investments in teacher professional development led to greater gains in teacher learning as well as a critical awareness of the relationship between disciplinary literacy practices and ideologies at work in K-12 schools. Based on these findings, we conclude with three recommendations for the future of critical SFL praxis in teacher education.
DEMAND AND SUPPLY ESTIMATION OF MAIZE IN NIGERIA

This study provides important information regarding the factors that affect maize demand and supply in Nigeria. Maize demand and supply models were estimated for the period 1995 to 2017 using the autoregressive distributed lag model technique to cointegration. Based on the estimated demand and supply model, the factors that affected maize demand include retail price of maize, retail price of sorghum, and per capita income. Maize demand was found to be inelastic with estimated short and long-run elasticities of 0.15 and 0.28 respectively.On the other hand, the producer prices of maize and sorghum, interest rate, and government expenditure on the agricultural sector determined maize production. The estimated short and long-run elasticities of maize acreage are respectively 0.28 and 3.31. It is concluded that in the long-run the elasticity of demand was lower than that of supply suggesting that maize producers are more sensitive to price changes than consumers.The design and implementation of price stabilization policies will position and strengthen the maize industry in Nigeria and boost maize production for sustainable food security.