Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Thou shalt sport a banana in thy pocket: Gendered body size ideals in advertising and popular culture

The present article addresses the issue of how idealized accounts of penis size — a bodily feature that plays a crucial role in how masculinity is constructed today — gets produced and reproduced through advertising and popular culture. The analysis shows that there are plenty of normative accounts of a particular penis size, despite a lack of explicit representations in mainstream cultural outlets. These normative messages are so ubiquitous that men in Western consumer cultures are bombarded with the archaic imperative: thou shalt sport a banana in thy pocket. Discourse analysis is used to illustrate the different sets of interpretive repertoires available that circumvent the taboos surrounding penis size in subtle and roundabout ways in order to create a sense of an ideal that should be adhered to. These sets of discourses function to give an ambivalent message in which males are caught in a discursive cross-fire where they are potentially made to feel anxious about their anxiousness and embarrassed about their embarrassedness.
Effects of selenite and selenate on the antioxidant systems in Senecio scandens L

Abstract Selenate and selenite are the most prevalent bioavailable selenium (Se) forms and most easily taken up by plants. Some studies indicate that they are differently absorbed and accumulated in plants and that selenium is toxic if accumulated at high concentrations. Toxicity is due to substitution of sulphur by selenium in cysteine and methionine aminoacids with alteration of the tertiary structure and catalytic activity of proteins and with inhibition of enzymes involved in chlorophyll biosynthesis. Moreover, the interaction between Se and thiol groups induces loss of efficiency of plant defence systems and increases the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production thus enhancing the oxidative stress. To further elucidate the role of Se in higher plants, in this study the antioxidative response to the phytotoxicity of selenite and selenate in Senecio scandens L. was evaluated. The data indicate that while selenite induces oxidative stress enhancing ROS production, lipid peroxidation and the oxidised forms of ascorbate and glutathione, selenate does not significantly affect the analysed pathways. This article outlines that the synergistic action of different antioxidant components is necessary to overcome the phytotoxicity of selenium in Senecio.
The development of an UPLC-MS/MS method for determination of lysoglobotriaosylceramide (lysoGb3) and (lyso)-sulfatide in body fluids and tissues from patients with Fabry disease and metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD)

Chapter 1 of this Master thesis is a description of the development of determination of lysoglobotriaosylceramide (lysoGb3). Optimal conditions were established for the separation of lysoGb3 by UPLC and for the detection of lysoGb3 by tandem mass spectrometry. The assay allowed quantitation of lysoGb3 in normal control plasma and plasma of hemizygotes and heterozygotes affected by classical and variant forms of Fabry disease. The newly developed assay is specific, reproducible, sensitive and robust and is superior to the hitherto used HPLC based method for the determination of lysoGb3 in plasma. Chapter 2 focuses on the development of a tandem mass spectrometry method for determination of lysosulfatide and intact sulfatides in body fluids of metachromatic leukodystrophy patients. A novel sensitive LC-MS/MS method is developed for lysosulfatide. The method was used in preliminary experiments to measure lysosulfatide in plasma from normal individuals and patients with metachromatic leukodystrophy and to monitor the development of a method to measure sulfatides as their lysoderivative after chemical deacylation. For the determination of intact sulfatides a direct infusion MS/MS method and a LC-MS/MS method were developed, which were applied to the measurement of sulfatides in urinary samples of metachromatic leukodystrophy patients.
The natural plasma testosterone profile of male blue tits during the breeding season and its relation to song output

Foerster, K. , Poesel, A. , Kunc, H. and Kempenaers, B. 2002. The natural plasma testosterone profile of male blue tits during the breeding season and its relation to song output. ‐ J. Avian Biol. 33: 269‐275. In male birds, the gonadal hormone testosterone (T) is known to influence territorial and mating behaviour. Plasma levels of T show seasonal fluctuations which vary in relation to mating system and social instability. First, we determined the natural T profile of male blue tits Parus caeruleus during the breeding season. We found that plasma levels of T increased at the onset of nest building. Thus, the increase in circulating T was not associated with territory establishment, nor with the fertile period of the males’ mates. In most individuals, T levels dropped to values close to zero during the period of chick feeding. Second, we investigated the relationship between plasma levels of T and male age, size, and singing behaviour. During the mating period, T levels did not differ between 1 yr old and older males and did not correlate with body size or condition. However, song output during the dawn chorus tended to be positively correlated with T levels. Therefore, if high T levels are costly, song output might be an honest indicator of male quality in blue tits. Finally, we show that plasma levels of T are significantly higher during the night than during the day. This pattern has also been observed in captive non-passerine birds, but its functional significance remains unknown.
Do Regulations Always Work? The Moderate Effects of Reinforcement Sensitivity on Deviant Tourist Behavior Intention

Deviant tourist behavior is destructive to both the tourist experience and tourism development. Punishment and reward are two regulation approaches that are widely used to reduce deviant tourist behavior. However, few scholars have considered why punishment and reward are occasionally ineffective. Based on reinforcement sensitivity theory, this article explored the effects of punishment and reward on reducing deviant tourist behavior intention. Following the rules of a quasi-experiment design, a scenario-based survey was conducted to test hypotheses. The results showed that both punishment and reward have negative effects on deviant tourist behavior intention. However, groups with high sensitivity and groups with low sensitivity to punishment or reward exhibited significant disparities. In addition, the awareness of the impact of tourism was found to mediate the effects of punishment and reward on reducing deviant tourist behavior intention. This study contributes to a better understanding of this phenomenon for scholars and practitioners.
Parasitism of Adult Poecilus versicolor (Coleoptera: Carabidae) by Hymenopteran Larvae

Abstract We report the presence and effects of parasitoid larvae (Hymenoptera) in the carabid beetle Poecilus versicolor (Sturm). Dissection of one female and one male live host found 33 and 25 hymenopteran larvae, respectively. Although eggs were absent in the female host, likely because of consumption by parasitoids, distinct corpora lutea (present in parous females) were observed. In the male host, reproductive organs were undamaged. These observations suggest incomplete “parasitic castration” of the host beetle by the parasitoids. Parasitism rates in specimens from three localities were markedly low (0%–3.2%). At one locality, only one male and three female beetles containing parasitoids were found; those individuals each contained 9–27 larvae (mean 19.3). These results suggest that hymenopterous parasitoids in adult P. versicolor have little effect on the population dynamics of this beetle. The parasitoid larvae included two morphological types belonging to at least two taxa. Mitochondrial DNA analyses suggested that one of the types represented two species of Microctonus Wesmael (Braconidae: Euphorinae). The result of the genus-level identification, however, requires confirmation because the analyzed data set did not cover all braconid genera.
Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Dipalmitate, Ascorbyl Stearate, Erythorbic Acid, and sodium Erythorbate

Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Dipalmitate, Ascorbyl Stearate, Erythorbic Acid, and Sodium Erythorbate are related ingredients that function as antioxidants in cosmetic formulations. Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Dipalmitate, and Ascorbyl Stearate are esters and diesters of ascorbic acid with long-chain fatty acids. Erythorbic Acid is a stereoisomer of ascorbic acid and Sodium Erythorbate is the sodium salt of Erythorbic Acid. Although all of these ingredients are used, uses of Ascorbyl Palmitate and Erythorbic Acid predominate, with combined uses in over a thousand cosmetic formulations at low concentrations. Ascorbyl Palmitate is used at concentrations between 0.01 and 0.2% , and Erythorbic Acid is used at concentrations of 0.5-1% . Ascorbyl Palmitate has vitamin C activity approximately equal to that of L-ascorbic acid, whereas Erythorbic Acid has only 5% activity. The esters are likely to penetrate the skin readily, but the acid and its salt are not likely to penetrate. These ingredients exhibit low acute oral toxicity in animals. In chronic feeding studies, decreased body weight gain, the formation of oxalate stones in the bladder, and hyperplasia were seen in rats fed high levels of Ascorbyl Palmitate. Ascorbyl Palmitate (10%) and Ascorbyl Dipalmitate (100%) were not irritating to the intact skin of albino rabbits. Ascorbic Acid (30 % ) itself caused barely perceptible erythema and Sodium Erythorbate powder caused no irritation to the intact and abraded skin of rabbits. In animal studies, Ascorbic acid was not a sensitizer, and Erythorbic Acid (10%) applied topically to porcine skin reduced ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced phototoxicity. In clinical studies, Ascorbyl Palmitate caused no dermal irritation or sensitization. These ingredients are minimally irritating to the eye. Sodium Erythorbate did not cause fetal or maternal toxicity or developmental toxicity in rats and mice fed high levels. Although these ingredients were generally negative in a wide range of genotoxicity tests, Erythorbic Acid and Sodium Erythorbate did produce isolated positive genotoxicity test results. As antioxidants, these ingredients have been studied in animals after initiation with various carcinogens. In some cases reductions in tumor incidence were seen, in others no effect was noted. In no case did treatment with these ingredients increase tumor incidence. The highest use concentrations of Erythorbic Acid and Sodium Erythorbate are in oxidative hair dyes, where they are completely consumed in the chemical reaction that takes place at mixing. The fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid are used at lower concentrations in leave-on formulations. In consideration of these uses and based on the available safety test data, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Dipalmitate, Ascorbyl Stearate, Erythorbic Acid, and Sodium Erythorbate are safe for use as cosmetic ingredients in the present practices of use.
Effects of Phytogenic Feed Additive with Reduced Dietary Metabolizable Energy and Digestible Essential Amino Acids on Carcass Yields and Meat Quality of Pekin Ducks

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of phytogenic feed additive with reduced dietary metabolizable energy and digestible essential amino acids on carcass yields and meat quality of pekin ducks. Ducking were mixed sex and fed broken-rice-soy-based diets formulated to contain 0 (control), 100, 200 and 300 ppm of supplemental phytogenic feed additive (PFA; blend of essential oils from capsaicin, thymal, cinnamaldehyde and carvacol; Biomin® P.E.P) and 3 levels of reduced dietary metabolizable energy (ME) and digestible essential amino acids (DEAA) at 0 (control), 1.5 and 3.0% levels from the recommendation of NRC (1994) and INRA (2004). Starter diets were fed for the first four weeks of age and 5 to 8 weeks of age and 9 to 12 weeks of age were fed for grower and finisher diets. The experimental design was 4x3 factorial arrangement in CRD (completely randomized design) with 12 experimental dietary treatments and comprised with 4 replicates of 10 birds per each and all of nutrients excepted ME and DEAA were followed by the suggestion of NRC (1994) and INRA (2004). Birds were reared in open-side houses during June until September, 2012 in Thailand and temperature ranged between 28 to 33°C. At the end of experiment periods (12 weeks of age) 4 birds (2 male and 2 females) per replication were randomly selected for measurement of carcass yields and meat quality. The results found that there has no interaction between PFA levels and dietary ME and DEAA and found that reduced dietary ME has no adverse affected on eviscerated carcass percentage, liver, heart and gizzard percentage but had higher (P<0.05) breast meat yield than birds fed the control diet. Feeding the reduced dietary DEAA significantly decreased (P<0.05) breast, thigh and drumstick percentage when compared with control group. However, when supplemented with PFA had significantly improved (P<0.05) breast meat yield, thigh and drumstick percentage and significantly improved (P<0.05) breast meat drip loss percentage when compared with control group and feeding group with reduced dietary ME and DEAA. In conclusion, reduced dietary ME and DEAA levels significantly affected on breast meat yield, thigh and drumstick percentage. However, supplementation of the diets with PFA significantly improved breast meat yield, thigh and drumstick percentage as well as significantly improved meat quality of pekin ducks in term of breast meat drip loss percentage.
A novel technique for isolation of Frankia and generation of single-spore cultures

The conventional isolation techniques for Frankia strains are likely to yield mixed cultures of genetically different strains. This makes genetic studies difficult. We report the development of a method based on calcium alginate beads for the isolation and genetic purification of Frankia strains.Key words: Frankia, alginate beads, isolation, single-spore cultures.
Integration of insect sterility and insecticides for control of Glossina morsitans morsitans Westwood (Diptera: Glossinidae) in Tanzania. I. Production of tsetse flies for release

A colony of Glossina morsitans morsitans Westw. was established in the laboratory in Tanga, Tanzania. After being expanded to the planned level of 60 000 flies, the stabilised colony was used to support a field trial using surplus males that were sterilised and released. The production system consisted of an adaptation of the in vivo rearing techniques developed at the Tsetse Research Laboratory, England. Goats were hosts for 90 % of the production; the balance was fed on rabbits. Techniques were developed to standardise the pupal off-take from stabilised colonies in each of three separate insectary units. Puparia were collected daily and kept separately until 52% emergence had occurred; these emerging flies, mostly females, were used to replenish the stock colony as needed. Further eclosion was prevented by chilling the remaining puparia (mostly males) quickly at 4°C and then storing at 10 ± 1°C for up to four days prior to irradiation and shipment to the field. About 68 % of the males produced were available for sterilisation. During the 15-month period of production in support of the field experiments, 1·3 million puparia were produced; 0·6 million of these puparia were released at a production cost of $220 per thousand.
Desenvolvimento relativo dos tecidos ósseo, muscular e adiposo dos cortes da carcaça de cordeiros Santa Inês

An experiment was carried out at the Sheep Production Sector of Federal University of Lavras to study the allometric growth of bone, muscular and fat tissues of commercial joints in lambs. Twenty-four Santa Ines lambs were used. The animals were kept confined in individual pens and fed ad libitum. The animals were slaughtered when they reached the target live weight of 15, 25, 35 and 45 kg. After the carcass had been dressed and chilled, the commercial joints were obtained from the left half part. The amount of the different tissues were got through the dissection of the leg, lion, rib, breast and shoulder. The allometric study was carried out using the model developed by HUXLEY(1932). The allometric coefficient of bone was lower than 1, the coefficient for the fat tissue was higher than 1 in all joints, and the muscular tissue in the ribs and shoulder were analysed for these joints, the coefficient was not different from 1.
Investigating the Effect of Ratio Lactobacilus acidophillus to the Antioxidant of Fermented Eggplant (Solanum melongena)

Fruit juice serves as a source of energy, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. In addition, certain fruit juices contribute bioactive compounds with different functional properties to human. Eggplant is ranked as one of top ten vegetable sin terms of oxygen radical scavenging capacity due to the fruit’s phenolic constituents. Among the various processing options, lactic acid (LA) fermentation is considered as a valuable processing method for maintaining and improving the safety, nutritional and sensory properties of vegetables. In this study, the ratio of Lactobacillus acidophilus 1x1010 cells/ml supply to fermented eggplant have the highest level of total polyphenol and antioxidant and higher material.
Survival of strains of lactic streptococci during frozen storage

Summary Sixteen single-strain cultures, 10 of Streptococcus cremoris, 3 of Str. lactis and 3 of Str. diacetilactis were examined for their ability to withstand freezing and storage at –17·8 and –23·3°C. The numbers of surviving bacteria decreased as storage time increased. For the majority of strains, the survival rate was greater at the lower temperature. At both storage temperatures there were differences between the percentages of surviving bacteria for different strains. The results suggest that the relative proportion of strains in mixed cultures would not remain constant under frozen storage.
Use of pellet group counts in determining density and habitat use of moose Alces alces in Finland

In Finland, monitoring of the moose Alces alces population has been based on moose sighting cards and on aerial or ground censuses. However, considerable criticism has been levelled at these techniques, and there is an increasing need for alternative census methods in monitoring and managing moose populations. In this study, pellet group counts were carried out to determine the density and habitat use of moose in a wintering area in central Finland. Pellet group counts were made using both strip and plot sampling procedures. Estimates of moose density depended significantly on the sampling procedures and on the parameters used. Moose density estimates based on plots were twice those based on strips. Different plot intervals in plot sampling gave similar results. Both sampling procedures gave similar results concerning the habitat use of moose. The highest pellet group densities were observed in young Scots pine Pinus sylvestris dominated thinning stands where winter food availability is considerably high. Because food is a limiting factor in winter, pellet group numbers should obviously well reflect moose habitat affinity, which can be classified in terms of forest stand characteristics. Pellet group counts could possibly be used to estimate population densities for moose management. However, it would appear that the plot method, which up to now is the widely used method, overestimates moose densities. Because of the great variation in the results, other possible sources of error in the parameters used should also be taken into account in order to improve the accuracy of the method to be applied.
Synthese und Testung neuer Dendrimer-Zytostatika-Konjugate

Bendamustine and melphalan are nitrogen mustard derivatives from the group of alkylating agents and are used for the treatment of various cancers such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or breast cancer. However their use is limited by numerous side effects. Therefore, 1,3,5-tris(3-aminopropyl)benzene (G0) and the G1 analogous 1,3,5-tris[3,5-bis(3aminopropyl)-N-propylbenzamide]benzene were chosen to synthesize cytostatic-dendrimer conjugates and to achieve ‘tumor targeting' through the EPR-effect and accumulation in the tumor cells by endocytosis. In this work a new series of dendrimer and dendrimer-spacer derivatives with the cytostatics melphalan and bendamustine was successfully synthesized. The antiproliferative effects of these compounds and their maleimide precursors were determined on the MCF-7 and MDAMB-231 breast cancer cell lines, with no selectivity observed for any of the cell lines. The cytotoxicity of melphalan was dependent on the presence of a free amino group. The type of binding to the spacer or dendrimer had no effect on the antitumor activity. The esterification of bendamustine with the N-(2-hydroxyethyl)maleimide spacer reduced the hydrolysis and a strong increase of antiproliferative effects could be demonstrated. By comparison, the direct amide bond to the G0 led to the inactivation of the conjugate. It is therefore very likely that cell death is caused by the intact bendamustine released after transport into the tumor cells. In addition, cytostatic-spacer-diamine conjugates were synthesized and their antiproliferative effect on the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines was investigated. However, the bivalent compounds have been obtained as a mixture of isomers and tested as such. The in vitro tests of the bivalent derivatives with bendamustine showed a significant increase in the antitumor activity of these conjugates compared to free bendamustine. With the exception of the diaminododecane derivative, all bivalent compounds showed cytotoxic effects on both cell lines. The analogue melphalan derivatives were much more active and reached cytocidal
Implementing Sustainability Strategies in Emerging Economies: Challenges and Opportunities for Supply Chain Management

Although research on sustainable supply chain has made many valuable contributions, there is a dearth of empirical evidence and theoretical reflection on sustainability strategies adopted by supply chains operating in emerging economies. Consequently, the literature still lacks a framework that incorporates the context and dynamics encountered in such settings. The aim of this paper is to help to fill this gap by exploring a successful case of a focal company that was able to deal with the challenges and exploit the opportunities associated with such contexts towards the incorporation of cleaner production innovations and sustainability strategies into supply chains. Drawing from capability accumulation, innovation and sustainability literatures, this paper develops a theoretical framework that provides a more fine-grained understanding of the dynamics, challenges and opportunities associated with the incorporation and management of sustainability within supply chains in emerging economies. This research employs case study method in the oil and gas supply chain in Brazil based on 52 interviews with key informants between 2004 and 2012. Our findings suggest that incorporating cleaner production innovations and sustainability strategies into supply chains in emerging economies presents additional barriers and higher levels of uncertainty when compared to supply chainsoperating elsewhere. This research contributes to the literature by identifying and discussing those salient barriers and arguing that in emerging economies, due to unique institutional idiosyncrasies, focal companies play an even more important role to endorse cleaner production innovations and promote sustainability strategies than in other countries. Also, it contributes to the research by asserting that sustainable supply chains can only be successfully pursued and implemented through innovation, which is a critical driver for supply chain enhanced sustainability performance.