Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fenofibrate Prevents Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rat Hearts

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of Fenofibrate, a sctivator of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-α (PPAR-α), on ischemia-reperfusion (I/R)-induced myocardial injury. The isolated Langendorff-perfused rat hearts were subjected to global ischemia for 30 min followed by reperfusion for 120 min. Myocardial infarct size was assessed by volume methods using triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. Coronary effluent was analyzed for the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) to assess the degree of cardiac injury. Moreover, oxidative stress in the heart was assessed by measuring lipid peroxidation, superoxide anion generation and reduced glutathione. I/R were noted to produce myocardial injury, as assessed in terms of increase in myocardial infarct size, LDH and CK in coronary effluent. Moreover, oxidative stress was noted to be increased due to I/R injury as assessed in terms of decreased TBARS (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance) and superoxide anion generation levels alongwith increase in reduced glutathione levels in the heart. Fenofibrate afforded cardioprotection against I/R-induced myocardial injury in rat hearts as assessed in terms of reductions in myocardial infarct size, LDH and CK levels in coronary effluent. Moreover, I/Rinduced oxidative stress was noted to be reduced by Fenofibrate treatment. It may be concluded that the observed cardioprotective potential of Fenofibrate against I/R-induced myocardial injury was due to the reductions in infarct size and oxidative stress.
Monoclinic high-pressure polymorph of AlOOH predicted from first principles

Aluminum oxide hydroxide, AlOOH, is a prototypical hydrous mineral in the geonomy. The study of the high-pressure phase evolution of AlOOH is of fundamental importance in helping to understand the role of hydrous minerals in the water storage and transport in Earth, as in other planets. Here, we have systematically investigated the high-pressure phase diagram of AlOOH up to 550 GPa using the efﬁcient crystal structure analysis by particle swarm optimization (CALYPSO) algorithm in conjunction with ﬁrst principles calculations. We predict a peculiar monoclinic phase (space group P 2 1 /c , 16 atoms/cell, Z = 4 ) as the most stable phase for AlOOH above 340 GPa. The occurrence of this new phase results in the breakup of symmetric linear O-H-O hydrogen bonds into asymmetric, bent O-H-O linkages and in sevenfold coordinated metal cations. The new P 2 1 /c phase turns out to be a universal high-pressure phase in group 13 oxide hydroxides, and stable for both compressed GaOOH and InOOH. The formation of the new phase in all compounds is favored by volume reduction due to denser packing.
Farmer Assessment of Velvetbean as a Green Manure in Veracruz, Mexico: Experimentation and Expected Profits

This study explores factors associated with farmers' decision to experiment with velvetbean (Mucuna spp.) , a green manure, as a maize intercrop in three villages of Veracruz, Mexico. T o assess whether velvetbean might be adopted on a wide scale in the region, the study also examines variation in farmers' perceptions of profits achieved by using the velvetbean intercrop compared to the farmers' usual practice. A stratified random sample of 92 households was selected from three villages reflecting differing conditions in the study area. All farmers who practiced in a velvetbean extension program in the previous year were included; a random sample was drawn of the remaining households in the villages. The analysis reveals that the current practice to which the farmers compared the maize/velvetbean intercrop played an important role in the perceived profitability of the new technology. Farmers who used neither herbicides nor fertilizer perceived a much larger positive difference in expected profits than farmers who compared the velvetbean intercrop with maize production using fertilizer or herbicides both. Farmers with opportunities to earn off-farm income were less likely to experiment with the velvetbean. Thus velvetbean may be adoptable on a wide scale by poorer farmers with limited access to chemical inputs and off-farm employment. However, these conclusions should be qualified in several ways. First, this study did not account for the full costs of using modern chemicals. Second. since the study was conducted, falling maize prices, coupled with higher prices for chemical inputs and more restricted availability of credit, may have made the intercrop more attractive to farmers. Third, the study was conducted early in the technology dissemination process, and farmers' judgements are based on only limited experience with velvetbean. Future experimentation with velvetbean, or another green manure in combination with inorganic fertilizer might prove acceptable to farmers and enhance the sustainability of maize production in ways that the use of chemical fertilizer alone could not do. It would also be useful if future research could assess whether velvetbean as an intercrop is actually more sustainable than current practices or whether social benefits of wide-scale velvetbean adoption would be greater than social costs.
L2 Processing of Japanese Scrambling under the Parallel Architecture Framework

This paper presents evidence that learners can establish filler-gap dependencies in processing scrambling sentences in Japanese by using linguistic information beyond the lexical-semantic type derivable from the verb. The evidence is inconsistent with Clahsen and Felser’s (2006a; 2006b) shallow structure hypothesis. The paper also proposes linguistic analyses under Culicover and Jackendoff’s (2005) Simpler Syntax within the Parallel Architecture framework (Jackendoff, 2002a, 2007). The framework allows for a fine-grained, unified account of both native-like and first language (L1)-influenced processing of scrambling in Japanese. The sentence-final probe recognition study reported below utilized two properties of Japanese, those of verb-finality and scrambling, and it included two learner groups, Korean and Chinese. Use of the two properties along with the research design enabled the study to avoid two problems of inconclusiveness in previous L2 studies that found no evidence of learners’ syntactic gap-processing. The present study found that Korean learners of Japanese showed antecedent reactivation effects resulting from processing of syntactic gaps that occurred in scrambling sentences. Chinese learners showed no evidence of antecedent reactivation effects because of L1 effects.
DEPOSITION OF PVP-PROTECTED PLATINUM NANOPARTICLES ON SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATES FOR HYDROGEN SENSING

High quality Schottky diode hydrogen sensors were prepared by the deposition of colloidal graphite on ntype InP substrates partly covered with PVP-protected Pt nanoparticles (NPs). A sub-monolayer of the Pt NPs was created by simple evaporation of the solvent in which Pt NPs were dispersed. The Pt NPs serve to dissociate hydrogen molecules into atomic hydrogen, which is absorbed at the metal-semiconductor interface. Hydrogen absorption leads to the formation of the dipole layer, which changes the Schottky barrier height and results in the increase of both forward and reverse current. The proposed hydrogen sensor showed high sensitivity response of ~10 6 to 1000 ppm H2 in N2 at room temperature.
Evaluation of Self-Medication Practices and Awareness among Students in Al Qassim Region of Saudi Arabia

Objective: The aims of this study were to evaluate the student’s knowledge, awareness and the reasons behind self medication in two higher education institutes in Al Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. Subjects and method: This pre-validated anonymous questionnaire was used in English and Arabic language that contains both open ended and close ended questions and it was distributed among students of two higher education institutes of Al Qassim region i.e. Buraidah Private Colleges and Qassim University. A total number of 61 students from Buraydah Private Colleges studying in different levels belong to pharmacy, dentistry and nursing college participated in this study and 71 students of final year medical college in Qassim University participated in the study. The data has been analyzed by descriptive statistics and summarized in frequencies and percentages. Results: Self medications were very common among students of Qassim University (QU) and Buraydah Private Colleges (BPC) and about more than two third students have practiced self medication in past year prior to this study. Majority of participants in our study self medicate for one week to treat self-recognized or self-diagnosed conditions and most of them obtained their medication from pharmacy. About one half of BPC students and slightly more than one half QU students used antibiotic as self medication. The awareness of rational use of medicine was found 63.3% among QU students and 45 % in BPC students. The highly significant difference (p< 0.05) was observed between the students of QU and BPC about the rational use of medication. The main reason for self medication in our study was found to be non serious health problems and quick relief. Conclusion: The self medication practice among students of two higher educational institutes of Al Qassim region was high and often inappropriate. There was an alarming self medication of antibiotics among students that was obtained from local pharmacies without prescription
Rubberised bitumen manufacturing assisted by rheological measurements

This paper investigates the effect of processing temperature and time on the rheological properties of recycled tyre rubber-modified bitumens (RTR-MBs) produced using two different base binders and an ambient ground crumb rubber modifier (CRM). The production of the RTR-MBs was accomplished by means of a standard Brookfield rotational viscometer together with a modified impeller, dual helical impeller, to allow mixing as well as real-time viscosity measurements of the produced RTR-MBs. The rheological properties of the final RTR-MBs were determined by means of standard dynamic mechanical analysis oscillatory and multiple stress creep recovery testing using a dynamic shear rheometer. The results indicate that the low processing conditions (160°C and 60 min) are not appropriate for developing RTR-MBs with enhanced physical and rheological properties. However, allowing the crumb rubber to interact with the base binder for longer mixing times (140 min) led to the development of an enhanced rubber (polymer) network structure within the blend (i.e. swelling of the CRM particles) and superior rheological properties. At the other extreme, using high-processing conditions (200°C and 140 min) led to RTR-MBs in which the rubber network had been subjected to devulcanisation and depolymerisation with a subsequent reduction in modification.
Enforcement and Good Corporate Governance in Developing Countries and Transition Economies

More than regulations, laws on the books, or voluntary codes, enforcement is a key to creating an effective business environment and good corporate governance, at least in developing countries and transition economies. A framework is presented to help explain enforcement, the impact on corporate governance when rules are not enforced, and what can be done to improve corporate governance in weak enforcement environments. The limited empirical evidence suggests that private enforcement tools are often more effective than public tools. However, some public enforcement is necessary, and private enforcement mechanisms often require public laws to function. Private initiatives are often also taken under the threat of legislation or regulation, although in some countries bottom-up, private-led initiatives preceded and even shaped public laws. Concentrated ownership aligns incentives and encourages monitoring, but it weakens other corporate governance mechanisms and can impose significant costs. Various steps can be taken to reduce these costs and reinforce other corporate governance mechanisms. But political economy constraints, resulting from the intermingling of business and politics, often prevent improvements in the enforcement environment and the adoption and implementation of public laws.
Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition from Reading an Authentic Text.

A number of studies have demonstrated that second/foreign language learners can acquire vocabulary from reading. This study was designed to examine whether advanced EFL learners can acquire vocabulary incidentally from reading an authentic text. Eighteen firstyear English major students read and listened to the first eight chapters of Pride and Prejudice. Fifty-one words that appeared between two and ten times in the text were selected as targets. The pretest showed that on average, the participants knew the meaning of 26.9 of the target words. Results showed that participants learned the meaning of 24% of the unknown target words, or one in four words. There were no significant differences in the acquisition rates between participants with different vocabulary sizes. The vocabulary learning gains were, to a certain extent, affected by the words frequency in the text and their general frequency.
Negative perception of socioeconomic status with depressive mood down-regulates expression of PPBP and SLC1A7 genes in peripheral blood leukocytes

Abstract Inequality in socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with an increased risk for the development of mental health problems. Here, we examined the association between socioeconomic status (SSS) and psychological distress, and measured gene expression signatures in peripheral blood leukocytes responsible for this association, in 129 healthy adults (27 males and 102 females, aged 44.0 ± 13.0 years) working in a private hospital in Japan. Depressive mood was assessed by Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). A multiple regression analysis adjusted for gender and age showed that subjective SSS was independently and negatively associated with SDS score. We next focused on 9 subjects who exhibited low SSS scores and 11 subjects with high SSS scores. Microarray analysis revealed that levels of 522 mRNAs were differentially expressed in periheral leukocytes between low and high-SSS groups. The differentially expressed genes were preferentially involved in cellular movement or inflammatory responses. Among them, mRNA levels of pro-platelet basic protein (PPBP) and solute carrier family 1 (glutamine transporter), member 7 (SLC1A7) were negatively correlated with SSS scores. Our results re-confirmed the association between negative perception of SES and depressive mood in healthy adults, and suggest a possible involvement of PPBP and SLC1A7 in the association.
Effects of Foot-Massage on Mood and Autonomic Nervous System and the Interaction with Personality

Massage is often used to reduce psychological distress or to improve local circulation, but, the effects of massage are neither stable nor consistent. The purpose of this study was to evaluate effects of foot-massage on mood and autonomic nervous system in highly stressed students, and the interaction with personality. We selected highly stressed students by scores of daily hassles scale and profile of mood states (POMS). We employed POMS and visual analogue scale to assess mood, and employed heart rate variability, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), and baroreflex sensitivity to assess autonomic nervous function. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed increase of vigor and comfortableness, and decrease of diastolic BP after foot-massage. To evaluate the interaction with personality, repeated measures ANOVA was applied to two groups (low- and high-) divided by the score of clinical scale of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). High-Pa group (considered to be sensitive in human relationships) showed significant decrease of tension-anxiety after the massage,but low-Pa did not. Low-Si group (considered to be socially active) showed significant decrease of angerhostility and fatigue after the massage, but high-Si did not. And low-Ma group (considered to be temperate and adjusting slowly) showed remarkable decrease of diastolic BP after the massage, but high-Ma did not. These results suggest that foot-massage would generally raise vigor and comfortableness, and decrease diastolic BP, however, the effects would be different from person to person, and beneficial effects to reduce tension-anxiety, anger-hostility and fatigue can be expected dependent on their personality.
Knowledge of HIV-AIDS a dominant factor of antiretroviral therapeutic adherence in women with HIV-AIDS

Background Antiretroviral therapy adherence (ART adherence) is a factor significantly extending life expectancy of people living with HIV/AIDS. The objective of this study was determine several factors on ART adherence in women infected with HIV/AIDS. Methods A cross-sectional study involving 99 women with HIV/AIDS who were infected through their sexual partner or spouse was conducted in Dharmais Hospital between March and August 2014. The instruments used were demographic and self-esteem questionnaires, Hamilton rating scale for depression, Hamilton rating scale for anxiety, knowledge, perception of ART benefits and limitations, family support, peer support as well as assessment of ART adherence. The knowledge questionnaire has been validated with Cronbach’s alpha = 0.823. Data were analyzed using Chi-Square test and multivariate logistic regression. Results A total of 99 women with HIV/AIDS participated in the study, with an age range of 30- 60 years and mean age of 36 ± 3.72 years. A total of 57.58% of participants showed poor ART adherence. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that knowledge, ART side effects, depression, peer support and ARV availability significantly affected ART adherence (p<0.05). The most dominant factor affecting ART adherence was knowledge, with OR = 64.02 (95% CI 4.99-670.12). Conclusion With good knowledge about HIV/AIDS infection, ART benefits, and possible ARV side effects, women living with HIV/AIDS are expected to carry out ART adherence according to the recommended rules.
Characterizations of classes of lifetime distributions generalizing the NBUE class

We introduce a new class of lifetime distributions exhibiting a notion of positive ageing, called the ℳ-class, which is strongly related to the well-known ℒ-class. It is shown that distributions in the ℳ-class cannot have an undesirable property recently observed in an example of an ℒ-class distribution by Klar (2002). Moreover, it is shown how these and related classes of life distributions can be characterized by expected remaining lifetimes after a family of random times, thus extending the notion of NBUE. We give examples of ℳ-class distributions by using simple sufficient conditions, and we derive reliability bounds for distributions in this class.
SRF ACTIVITIES AT PEKING UNIVERSITY

Superconducting RF technology has been developed at Peking University for more than 20 years. In the recent years, the researches are mainly focused on producing high performance superconducting cavities and installing the DC-SRF photocathode injector as well as related 2K cryogenic facility and other auxiliary equipment. The cavities designed and fabricated by Peking University mainly include TESLA type 9-cell cavities, 1.3 GHz 5cell cavity for high current electron beam acceleration and 450 MHz spoke cavity for low energy proton acceleration. Vertical tests of the cavities indicate that the cavities show good performances and can be used for superconducting accelerators. The gradient of a 9-cell TESLA type cavity with end groups (PKU3) reaches 28.6 MV/m. To promote the industrialization process in China, a new company, Ningxia Orient Superconductor Technology Co., Ltd., was founded jointly by Ningxia OTIC and Peking University in 2011. The goal of this company is to produce various types of superconducting cavities and pure niobium materials with high quality.
IMPROVED TOPOGRAPHIC MODELS VIA CONCURRENT AIRBORNE LIDAR ANDDENSE IMAGE MATCHING

Abstract. Modern airborne sensors integrate laser scanners and digital cameras for capturing topographic data at high spatial resolution. The capability of penetrating vegetation through small openings in the foliage and the high ranging precision in the cm range have made airborne LiDAR the prime terrain acquisition technique. In the recent years dense image matching evolved rapidly and outperforms laser scanning meanwhile in terms of the achievable spatial resolution of the derived surface models. In our contribution we analyze the inherent properties and review the typical processing chains of both acquisition techniques. In addition, we present potential synergies of jointly processing image and laser data with emphasis on sensor orientation and point cloud fusion for digital surface model derivation. Test data were concurrently acquired with the RIEGL LMS-Q1560 sensor over the city of Melk, Austria, in January 2016 and served as basis for testing innovative processing strategies. We demonstrate that (i) systematic effects in the resulting scanned and matched 3D point clouds can be minimized based on a hybrid orientation procedure, (ii) systematic differences of the individual point clouds are observable at penetrable, vegetated surfaces due to the different measurement principles, and (iii) improved digital surface models can be derived combining the higher density of the matching point cloud and the higher reliability of LiDAR point clouds, especially in the narrow alleys and courtyards of the study site, a medieval city.
TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY IN ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL FARMING: EVIDENCE FROM ITALIAN CEREAL FARMS

A stochastic frontier production model was applied to estimate technical efficiency in a sample of Italian organic and conventional cereal farms. The main purpose was to assess which production technique revealed higher efficiency. Statistical tests on the common production function model suggested that the two cultivation methods might lie on different frontiers. Separate analyses of two sub-samples (93 and 138 observations for organic and conventional farms, respectively) found that conventional farms were significantly more efficient than organic farms, with respect to their specific technology (0.902 vs. 0.831). Analysis also estimated that efficiency plays a crucial role into the factors affecting productivity in the organic process. Some policy implications can be drawn from these findings.