Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High resolution scanning of radial strips cut from increment cores by near infrared spectroscopy

Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy provides a rapid method for the determination ofwood properties of radial strips. The spatial resolution of the NIR measurements has generally been limited to sections 10mm wide and as a consequence the estimation of wood properties of individual rings or within rings has not been possible. Many different NIR instruments can be used to collect NIR spectra from the surface of radial strips at relatively high spatial resolution and the purpose of this study was to compare wood property calibrations obtained using NIR spectra collected in 5 mm and 2 mm seetions with several different NIR instruments. We found that calibrations based on spectra collected in 5 mm seetions had good statistics, with those based on the Bruker Vector 22/N spectrometer the strongest. Of the three properties examined (density, microfibril angle and stiffness), density had the weakest statistics. When the spatial resolution was decreased to 2 mm, calibration and prediction statistics were weaker than those at 5 mm. RPDp's were relatively low with the highest being 1.76 for predicted stiffness based on NIR spectra obtained using the ASD Field Spec Pro spectrometer. Based on the low RPDp's, we conclude that none of the instruments examined were suitable for scanning radial strips at a spatial resolution of 2 mm.
Association of Estrogen Receptor β Gene Polymorphism with Bone Mineral Density

Abstract Chromosomal mapping of the human estrogen receptor β (ERβ) gene by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) reveals that ERβ is located at human chromosome 14, region q23-24.1, where the aberration of DNA copy number in the bone disorders is frequently involved. Then, we investigated the association between dinucleotide (cytosine-adenine; CA) repeat polymorphism located in the flanking region of ERβ gene and bone mineral density (BMD) in 204 healthy postmenopausal Japanese women. The genotype was classified into “A” through “O” according to the number of the repeats, from 18 to 32. BMD was expressed in Z score (a deviation from the weight-adjusted average BMD of each age using the standard deviation as a unit). When we separate the subjects into two groups bearing at least one I allele (26 CA repeats) and those who did not, the former subjects had significantly higher Z score of L2-4 BMD (mean ± standard deviation; 0.674 ± 1.53 vs 0.128 ± 1.38; P = 0.027). These data suggest that genetic variation at the ERβ locus may be associated with some determinants for BMD and the possible involvements of this polymorphism in the cause of postmenopausal osteoporosis in Japanese women.
Habitat improvement and effects on brown hare Lepus europaeus and roe deer Capreolus capreolus: a case study in northern Italy

Abstract After the Common Agricultural Policy reform of 1992 and the application of agro-environmental measures, most EU countries have introduced specific measures for wildlife habitat improvement. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of two habitat improvement actions on brown hare Lepus europaeus and roe deer Capreolus capreolus populations in two study areas in the hills of Emilia-Romagna in Italy. The study was carried out from October 1996 to October 1997. Data on brown hares were collected at night using spotlights. Density was estimated at 26 (area A) and 29 (area B) sampling sites. Data on roe deer were collected at 17 sampling sites (fields observed) during 2-hour periods, before sunset and after sunrise, respectively, using binoculars. We recorded 736 brown hares. Brown hare density was higher in study area A (0.27 individuals/ha) than in study area B (0.23 individuals/ha). We counted 153 roe deer during the diurnal surveys. The highest roe deer density was observed in February–March 1997 (0.306 individuals/ha). We used Bonferroni confidence intervals, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests to compare the densities in different habitats. Brown hares avoided uncultivated fields in both study areas, while they selected habitat improvements in area A and forage crops in area B. Roe deer selected habitat improvements and secondarily forage crops, but avoided uncultivated fields. Our study demonstrates that extensive cultivated fields (maintained or reintroduced according to EU agro-environmental regulations) can play an important role in territories with agriculture retirement and abandonment, acting primarily as a source of food (mostly green forage) for several herbivorous wildlife species.
Ultra-Sensitive Ultrasound

Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a dynamic, real-time, non-invasive bedside tool that offers increased sensitivity over standard imaging modalities in identifying pulmonary edema. This case highlights acute post-operative hypoxia secondary to pulmonary edema that was initially missed by chest radiography (CXR) and chest computed tomography (CT). The edema was diagnosed first on same day by bedside LUS, later seen on next day follow-up CXR and resolved with diuresis. LUS has demonstrated superior accuracy compared to CXR, but scant evidence compares it to CT. This case presentation serves to increase awareness of LUS as a highly sensitive and easy-to-use diagnostic tool for hospital providers in the evaluation of acute hypoxia.
Urinary incontinence due to chronic disc disease and sciatica

Introduction: Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common health problem, which affects an increasing number of people at any age. This disease influences the physical and mental condition. People who suffer from chronic lumbar pain are more likely to have stress urinary incontinence. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of involuntary urine leakage among group of patients with lumbar spine disc disease. An additional purpose was to find risk factors of UI in this group. Material and methods: The study was conducted in the spine surgery department in one of orthopedic hospitals. The study group consisted of adults diagnosed with lumbar spine discopathy with sciatica. The control group included healthy participants. There were 50 subjects in each group. Results: Based on statistical analysis, there is no significant difference between the study and the control group in the occurrence of urinary incontinence problem. Subjects with UI had a higher level of disability. Almost 74% people of the study group and 66% of the control group have never heard about the most popular form of urinary incontinence treatment, which is a pelvic floor muscles training. Conclusions: 1. The main risk factors for urinary incontinence in the study group were the nature of the work performed and the sex. Hard physical work significantly increases the risk of UI. 2. The level of knowledge of treatment and prevention of urinary incontinence among participants was very low, therefore there is a need for education in this area.
Lack of Correlation Between DNA Strand Breakage and p53 Protein Levels in Human Fibroblast Strains Exposed to Ultraviolet Light¶

Abstract The contribution of DNA strand breaks accumulating in the course of nucleotide excision repair to upregulation of the p53 tumor suppressor protein was investigated in human dermal fibroblast strains after treatment with 254 nm ultraviolet (UV) light. For this purpose, fibroblast cultures were exposed to UV and incubated for 3 h in the presence or absence of 1-β-d-arabinofuranosylcytosine (araC) and/or hydroxyurea (HU), and then assayed for DNA strand breakage and p53 protein levels. As expected from previous studies, incubation of normal and ataxia telangiectasia (AT) fibroblasts with araC and HU after UV irradiation resulted in an accumulation of DNA strand breaks. Such araC/HU-accumulated strand breaks (reflecting nonligated repair-incision events) following UV irradiation were not detected in xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) fibroblast strains belonging to complementation groups A and G. Western blot analysis revealed that normal fibroblasts exhibited little upregulation of p53 (∼1.2-fold) when incubated without araC after 5 J/m2 irradiation, but showed significant (three-fold) upregulation of p53 when incubated with araC after irradiation. AraC is known to inhibit nucleotide excision repair at both the damage removal and repair resynthesis steps. Therefore, the potentiation of UV-induced upregulation of p53 evoked by araC in normal cells may be a consequence of either persistent bulky DNA lesions or persistent incision-associated DNA strand breaks. To distinguish between these two possibilities, we determined p53 induction in AT fibroblasts (which do not upregulate p53 in response to DNA strand breakage) and in XP fibroblasts (which do not exhibit incision-associated breaks after UV irradiation). The p53 response after treatment with 5 J/m2 UV and incubation with araC was similar in AT, XPA, XPG and normal fibroblasts. In addition, exposure of XPA and XPG fibroblasts to UV (5, 10 or 20 J/m2) followed by incubation without araC resulted in a strong upregulation of p53. We further demonstrated that HU, an inhibitor of replicative DNA synthesis (but not of nucleotide excision repair), had no significant impact on p53 protein levels in UV irradiated and unirradiated human fibroblasts. We conclude that upregulation of p53 at early times after exposure of diploid human fibroblasts to UV light is triggered by persistent bulky DNA lesions, and that incision-associated DNA strand breaks accumulating in the course of nucleotide excision repair and breaks arising as a result of inhibition of DNA replication contribute little (if anything) to upregulation of p53.
A gold–carbon dots nanoprobe for dual mode detection of ketamine HCl in soda drinks

This work describes a dual-mode colorimetric and fluorometric nanoprobe for determination of ketamine hydrochloride (KET) in soda beverages. KET is a widely known club drug that is spiked in beverages to get rape victims vulnerable. The proposed nanoprobe utilizes gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and fluorescent carbon dots (CDs). AuNPs act as a color probe and quencher of CDs fluorescence. KET destabilizes the citrate-capped AuNPs leading to a color change and subsequent disruption of the inner filter quenching mechanism in this acceptor/donor pair. Nanoparticles are characterized by transmission electron microscopy as well as molecular absorption and emission spectroscopy. The dual-detection mode has been optimized for the concentration of nanoparticles, reaction time and medium pH. The fluorescence recovery efficiency of CDs and the absorbance ratio of AuNPs bands are used as analytical signals for dual detection of KET. A linear response in the range of 5 × 10−5–6.5 × 10−4 mol L−1 is achieved for the fluorescent sensor, with a detection limit of 2.32 × 10−5 mol L−1. The respective values for the color sensor are 1 × 10−4–9 × 10−4 and 2.70 × 10−5 mol L−1. The selectivity of this dual-mode nanoprobe has been investigated by application to different spiked soda drinks. The sensor exhibits good selectivity towards Sprite® and Coca-Cola® in the average oral KET dose; however, the orange coloration in Fanta® seems to have high absorbance over the AuNPs characteristic band that hinders the detection of KET at the average concentration level.
The ‘psychological turn’ in self-help services for sexual abuse victims: Drivers and dilemmas

This article describes an ongoing process of transformation in sexual abuse counselling centres in Norway that involves a new classification of groups of victims. These centres have traditionally operated at the grassroots level and outside the statutory system of services for victims and with an open-door policy for all victims. Drawing on field visits and interviews with staff, we explore how the centres are now working to secure their place within the expanding organisational field of services engaged in victim support and anti-violence work – and the dilemmas this produces related to some victims. Theoretically, our analysis departs from a Bourdieusian approach to organisational fields as well as Abbott’s concept of professional regression. We find that the centres have adopted ways of thinking and working that stem from the discipline of psychology and the powerful trauma-discourse that has permeated the organisational field they are part of. This ‘psychological turn’ manifests in different ways in the centres, including an increasing problematisation and marginalisation of the centres’ original user group – women who are severely affected by childhood sexual abuse – who no longer are seen as benefitting from the services offered. Hence, it involves a regression from what used to be the centres’ purpose and niche, to care for the most vulnerable and marginalised victims.
Fairness perceptions in educational assessment: the role of positive and negative affect

ABSTRACT The current study examines the perceived fairness of an educational assessment process, considering the influence of positive and negative affect. The first objective was to determine if a person’s evaluation of fairness fluctuates depending on the incidental affect (pre-evaluation affect). The second objective was studying the connection between emotional reactions (post-evaluation affect) and the perceived fairness of the assesment. Finally, we verify if the change in affect between pre-evaluation and post-evaluation is mediated by perceived fairness. A total of 607 students reported their evaluation of perceived fairness as well as their measured affect after and before the same exam. Results suggests the need to control for the impact of negative affect when investigating variations in the perception of fairness, as well as the need to take preventive actions to promote a positive affective state before exams.
Compositional variation in β‐carotene content, carbohydrate and antioxidant enzymes in selected banana cultivars

Banana is one of the most important tropical fruits, and India ranks first in its world production. Banana cultivars rich in provitamin A carotenoids may offer a potential food source for alleviating vitamin A deficiency, particularly in developing countries. With a view to exploit banana peels as a source of valuable components, in the present study, proximate composition, carotenoids, beta-carotene and some antioxidative enzymes as well as carbohydrate content of selected Indian banana varieties were determined. Karpooravalli cultivar of banana showed the maximum accumulation of carotenoid content in the non-edible (68 μg g -1 d.w.) portion of banana, while being the second highest in beta-carotene content (143.12 μg per 100 g). However, Red Banana ranked highest in total carotenoid contents for pulp (4 μg g -1 d.w.) and beta-carotene was estimated to be the highest in the case of peels (241.91 μg per 100 g) and in pulp (117.2 μg per 100 g). Karpooravalli cultivar of banana is also rich in carbohydrate content in terms of total starch (1786.0 μg g -1 d.w. in peels and 544.85 μg g -1 d.w. in pulp) and sugars (53.53 μg g -1 d.w. in peels and 39.05 μg g -1 d.w. in pulp). The catalase enzyme activity in these peels ranged from 5.66 to 35.57 nmol min -1 mg -1 proteins and was found at a higher level in cultivar Poovan, while the ascorbate peroxidase showed the range of 2.25 to 6.22 μmol min -1 mg -1 proteins. The peels of cultivars Red Banana and Karpooravalli are rich source of bioactive compounds, such as carotenoids (beta-carotene), antioxidative enzymes and carbohydrate contents.
Multiple or multiphasic uptake mechanisms in plants

Abstract Borstlap (1983) has alleged that (a) there are no abrupt changes in curves for the concentration dependence of solute uptake in plants, and (b) many such uptake isotherms may be described by the sum of two Michaelis-Menten terms and a linear term. These claims are considered in detail in connection with the recent finding (Nandi, Pant & Nissen, 1987) that phosphate uptake by corn roots increased more rapidly within the higher phases, i.e. at high external phosphate concentrations, but also levelled off faster than predicted from Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Similar deviations are, in retrospect, also found for uptake of other solutes and result in fewer phases at high external solute concentrations. The simplified and strikingly similar multiphasic patterns in the present paper show that (a) the abrupt changes in published isotherms are not due to error in the data, and (b) uptake isotherms cannot be adequately represented by the sum of two Michaelis-Menten terms and a linear term, or by similar continuous functions, if sufficiently detailed and precise data are used. These findings are not consistent with the existence of multiple uptake mechanisms, including free diffusion, in the plasmalemma. Uptake occurs instead by a single, multiphasic mechanism for each solute or group of related solutes. The similarities in the multiphasic patterns indicate, furthermore, that influx of the various solutes may be coupled.
Population structure of Leptothorax ambiguus, a facultatively polygynous and polydomous ant species

We examined the genetic and spatial structure of Leptothorax ambiguus in a Vermont site. Nests of this tiny ant species have variable queen number and comprise larger polydomous colonies, as do their closest relatives in North America. Nests are patchily distributed in the forest, and sometimes occur in local abundance. We collected 121 nests in four years from plots in which all nests were mapped; furthermore, we subjected nests collected in two separate years to starch gel electrophoresis and estimated relatedness according to the Queller—Goodnight (1989) algorithm. Queens that share a nest site also share 33% of their alleles on average, and relatedness among worker nestmates is about 0.5. The existence of diploid males and nonzero F‐values demonstrate inbreeding in this species, an unusual phenomenon for social insects in general. Mapping data showed that nests with like genotypes tended to cluster in space, forming polydomous colonies. Colonies consisted of 1–6 nest subunits, and about half of all colonies were polygynous. We compare these features of L. ambiguus to its close relative L. longispinosus and a European congener L. acervorum. These comparisons allow us to conclude that an interplay between ecological and genetic factors produces the observed pattern of multiple queening and nest spatial distribution in this species.
EFFECTS OF FLOOR TYPE ON SERUM FOLATES, SERUM VITAMIN B12, PLASMA BIOTIN AND ON GROWTH PERFORMANCES OF PIGS

Forty-eight 5-wk-old piglets were grouped into six blocks of eight pigs each. Each block comprised two pens of four pigs, two castrates and two females; one pen had a solid floor (free access to feces) while the other had a slatted floor (limited access to feces). Pigs were fed ad libitum a diet computed to meet NRC requirements for 18 wk. Every 14 d, each animal was weighed and a blood sample was taken for the determination of folates, vitamin B12, biotin, hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Ht) levels. There was no effect (P > 0.05) of floor type on serum folates or vitamin B12, nor on plasma biotin which averaged, respectively, 72.2 ± 2.9 ng mL−1, 246.0 ± 21.3 pg mL−1 and 1.34 ± 0.1 ng mL−1 at the end of the experiment. Biotin concentration was about 16-fold greater in the feces than in the diet, which was indicative of active bacterial synthesis of B-complex vitamins in the gut. Hb and Ht were about 4% higher (P < 0.05) in pigs on slatted floors than in those on solid floors. From 5 to 11 wk, pigs raised .
ECONOMIC ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS OF POVERTY IN INDIGENOUS COLLEGE STUDENTS IN MEXICO FROM THE INTERCULTURAL APPROACH

Behavioral economics has tried to explain the economic and financial decisions of the individuals. It has been used to understand the economic perceptions and attitudes of vulnerable groups; however, for indigenous peoples, especially in Latin America, there are unresolved issues. Thus, from an intercultural perspective, this research examines the association between the economic attitude and the perception of poverty through the comparison of a sample of intercultural college students from different ethnic groups in Mexico. For this reason, a quantitative, descriptive and correlational research was carried out with a non-experimental design from a sample of 207 intercultural college students. Two research questions were raised, the questions were tested by Pearson correlation and linear regression. Attribution theory was analyzed to assess the association between the economic attitude and the perception of poverty in intercultural students. It was found that the economic attitude is related to the perception of poverty, because the students presented attitudes of financial optimism oriented towards the structural causes of poverty. Consequently, the model of an intercultural university could benefit the development of indigenous communities, through a pedagogy oriented towards the creation of significant economic attitudes.
A Meta-Analysis of the Cognitive, Affective, and Interpersonal Outcomes of Flipped Classrooms in Higher Education

This paper aims to quantify the effects of flipped classrooms in higher education by reviewing 43 empirical studies of students’ cognitive, affective, and interpersonal outcomes. The innovative pedagogy of a flipped classroom in higher education fosters a sustainable, interactive, and student-centered learning environment (as opposed to the traditional lecture style, in which there is little room for interaction). This study’s results show the positive effects of flipped classrooms and highlight the improvement in students’ educational outcomes between 2012 and 2017. Overall, effect sizes were medium—effect size (ES) = 0.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.24 to 0.47—across three outcome domains using a random effects model. In the outcomes, affective (ES = 0.59), interpersonal (ES = 0.53), and cognitive (ES = 0.24) domains were of a higher order than the effect sizes. However, the results indicated that flipped classrooms benefitted students studying chemistry, engineering, mathematics, and physics less than they did students studying other subjects.
Potent hypolipidemic activity of mimetic amides of fibrates based on the 2‐methoxy‐4‐(2‐propenyl)phenoxyacetic scaffold

A series of bioisosteric analogues of fibrates, such as clofibrate (2) and bezafibrate (3), was designed, considering the pharmacophore potential of phenoxyacetic derivatives 4 related to α‐asarone (1) in their structure. Thus, the hypolipidemic activity of the series of amides 5a‐5j, 6a‐6d, and 7a‐7c, amines 8b‐8d, and amino acids 9a‐9e has been evaluated. A significant decrease in serum cholesterol was observed in mice for a number of these compounds. Some of them also showed a lowering of low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and a few had an effect on increasing the high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and on reducing the triglyceride serum contents. Phenoxyacetic, phenoxyethyl‐amido and ‐amino moieties, as well as the presence of a chlorine atom in their aromatic rings, were identified as potential pharmacophores. Unexpectedly, derivatives 9a‐9e, bearing an amino acid group, did not exhibit any hypolipidemic activity under a similar pharmacological protocol. Drug Dev. Res. 61:19–36, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Phytophagous Neomegalotomus parvus (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Alydidae) feeding on carrion and feces

The phytophagous bug Neomegalotomus parvus (West.) feeds on pods and seeds of legumes. However, by the first time, in a laboratory colony, adults were found feeding on coespecific nymph and adult cadavers. Second instar nymphs, deprived of leguminous seeds, fed exclusively on died nymphs, reached the third instar. In the field, adults of N. parvus were found on animal carrions and feces, apparently feeding. Aggregations of adults were found on dog feces, as well.