Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phytoestrogens Soymilk and Fenugreek Oil Perturb Lipid and Hormonal Profile and Other Physiological Parameters of Male Albino Rats

Background: phytoestrogens are a diverse group of plant-derived compounds that structurally or functionally mimic mammalian estrogens. They have been investigated at the epidemiological, clinical and molecular levels to determine their potential health benefits. Aim: the present study was carried out to investigate some biochemical effects of fenugreek oil and soymilk on male albino rats. Materials and Methods: eighteen (18) animals were divided randomly into three groups with 6 animals per group. Group “1” received normal saline 1 mL/kg body weight orally for four weeks. Group “2” rats were treated with oral dose of soymilk 1 ml/kg body weight/day once daily for four weeks, while rats in group “3” were treated with oral dose of fenugreek 1 ml/kg body weight/day once daily for four weeks. Blood samples were collected on the last day of the experiment for biochemical analysis. Results: the fenugreek oil and soymilk induced highly significant decrease (p<0.01) in total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, low-density lipoprotein, very low-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein high-density lipoprotein ratio (LDL/HDL) and a significant increase (p<0.05) in high-density lipoprotein. The results also showed highly significant decrease in follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, testosterone and sperm count compared to normal control group. Conclusion: the results of this study suggest that high levels of fenugreek and soymilk intake can cause hormonal disturbance and decrease sperm count.
USAD: undetectable steganographic approach in DCT domain

ABSTRACT In this work, we propose a new adaptive chaotic steganographic method based on the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) and a reversible mapping function. The mapping function is used to map the secret bits into their corresponding symbols. This mapping technique has to preserve the same dynamics, properties and distribution of the original DCT coefficients. The novelty of our approach is based on the adaptive selection phase of embedding spots. This selection is established through a blindness condition which is applied over each image of the database. The proposed embedding scheme within the middle DCT coefficients shows lower probability of detection and higher flexibility in extraction. We evaluate the detection of our method using the Ensemble Classifiers and a set of frequency and spatial domain feature extractors such as the Spatial domain Rich Model (SRM) features, Chen et al.'s 486-dimensional both inter- and intra-block Markov-based features and Liu's 216-dimensional adaptive steganography-based features.
Light-Induced Reactions of Chlorpromazine in the Presence of a Heterogeneous Photocatalyst: Formation of a Long-Lasting Sulfoxide

A commercial carbon-modified titanium dioxide, KRONOClean 7000, was applied as a UV(A) and visible-light active photocatalyst to investigate the conversion of the antipsychotic pharmaceutical chlorpromazine in aqueous phase employing two monochromatic light sources emitting at wavelengths of 365 and 455 nm. Photocatalytic and photolytic conversion of chlorpromazine under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions was analyzed using a HPLC-MS technique. Depending on the irradiation wavelength and presence of oxygen, varying conversion rates and intermediates revealing different reaction pathways were observed. Upon visible light irradiation under aerobic conditions, chlorpromazine was only converted in the presence of the photocatalyst. No photocatalytic conversion of this compound under anaerobic conditions upon visible light irradiation was observed. Upon UV(A) irradiation, chlorpromazine was successfully converted into its metabolites in both presence and absence of the photocatalyst. Most importantly, chlorpromazine sulfoxide, a very persistent metabolite of chlorpromazine, was produced throughout the photolytic and photocatalytic conversions of chlorpromazine under aerobic conditions. Chlorpromazine sulfoxide was found to be highly stable under visible light irradiation even in the presence of the photocatalyst. Heterogeneous photocatalysis under UV(A) irradiation resulted in a slow decrease of the sulfoxide concentration, however, the required irradiation time for its complete removal was found to be much longer compared to the removal of chlorpromazine at the same initial concentration.
Static Adsorption of Cesium Ions on Kaolin/Vermiculite and Dynamic Adsorption/Desorption Using the Electrokinetic Process

Yasuhiro Akemoto1,†, Masahiko Kan2 and Shunitz Tanaka1,3,4 1 Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 10 Nishi 5, Kita-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido 060-0810, Japan 2 Environmental Information Measurement Sciences, Hokkaido University of Education Sapporo, 5-3 Ainosato, Kita-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido 002-8502, Japan 3 Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 10 Nishi 5, Kita-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido 060-0810, Japan 4 Hokkaido Environmental Science and Technology Center (General Incorporated Foundation), Kita 24 Nishi 14, Kita-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido 001-0024, Japan
Extracellular vesicles mediate the horizontal transfer of an active LINE-1 retrotransposon

ABSTRACT Long interspersed element-1 (LINE-1 or L1) retrotransposons replicate through a copy-and-paste mechanism using an RNA intermediate. However, little is known about the physical transmission of retrotransposon RNA between cells. To examine the horizontal transfer of an active human L1 retrotransposon mediated by extracellular vesicles (EVs), human cancer cells were transfected with an expression construct containing a retrotransposition-competent human L1 tagged with a reporter gene. Using this model, active retrotransposition events were detected by screening for the expression of the reporter gene inserted into the host genome by retrotransposition. EVs including exosomes and microvesicles were isolated from cells by differential centrifugation. The enrichment of L1-derived reporter RNA transcripts were detected in EVs isolated from cells expressing active L1 retrotransposition. The delivery of reporter RNA was confirmed in recipient cells, and reporter genes were detected in the genome of recipient cells. Additionally, employing qRT-PCR, we found that host-encoded factors are activated in response to increased exposure to L1-derived RNA transcripts in recipient cells. Our results suggest that the horizontal transfer of retrotransposons can occur through the incorporation of RNA intermediates delivered via EVs and may have important implications for the intercellular regulation of gene expression and gene function.
An energy and monensin supplement reduces methane emission intensity of stocker cattle grazing winter wheat

ABSTRACT Objective The objective of this study was to determine the effect of an energy supplement with monensin on CH4 emissions and performance of stocker calves grazing winter wheat. Materials and Methods Eight steers and 8 heifers were grazed in a 9-ha winter wheat pasture, and CH4 emissions were recorded. Animals were randomly assigned within sex to receive from 0 to 1.07 kg of a supplement (as fed, primarily ground corn, wheat middlings, and 34 mg/kg monensin) per day. Animals were supplemented 3 d per week in individual stalls and orts were weighed. Forage intake was estimated with TiO2 as an external marker. As several independent variables were available, dependent variables of interest were subjected to backward stepwise regression with baseline CH4, total supplement intake, forage intake, initial BW, sex, and monensin dose in the model. Results and Discussion Animal performance increased, but at a decreasing rate, with increased total supplement intake and forage intake (P Implications and Applications Taken together, these results suggest that supplementation with energy and monensin likely reduces methane emission intensity, and provide equations useful for future modeling efforts.
Proactive and Prudent: A Report of a Holistic Cyclical Electronic Resources Review Pilot at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

ABSTRACT In 2016, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Library piloted a cyclical review process for five academic departments. The goal was to go beyond the traditional library portion of a department’s accreditation/program review and holistically assess electronic resources for these departments and provide recommendations for changes when necessary. This article describes the need for this kind of review, the process used to review Engineering and Computer Science resources, suggestions and decisions made as a result of the review, reflections on the experience, and hopes for the future.
Effect of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the composition and bioactivity of anthocyanins in the fruits of cultivated Lycium ruthenicum Murray

ABSTRACT The composition of anthocyanins in cultivated Lycium ruthenicum Murray (CLM) before and after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion was determined using an HPLC system coupled with an electrospray ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. The antioxidant activity and α-glucosidase inhibition of the anthocyanins before and after digestion were also studied. The results showed that most of the anthocyanins in CLM were found in glycosylated form, containing glycoside ligands. After digestion, the glycosylated anthocyanins were transformed to anthocyanidins (without glycol-ligands) which exhibited higher antioxidant activity comparatively. Interestingly, although the inhibitory activity of anthocyanins against α-glucosidase was increased by in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, as suggested by IC50 value, the binding affinity of the anthocyanidins to α-glucosidase remained stable, as demonstrated by fluorescence quenching constant. This suggested that the anthocyanidins might have formed the anthocyanidin-α-glucosidase-substrate tertiary complex. Conclusively, in vitro gastrointestinal digestion may enhance the biological activities of CLM anthocyanins, regarding the antioxidant activity and α-glucosidase inhibition.
Understanding aggregation of solvating extractants in applied separations

Solvent extraction is an efficient and effective method for the industrial-scale recovery and purification of metals from mixed raw materials. Understanding the molecular-scale forces driving extraction remains an area of active research despite over 70 years of experience with industrial-scale solvent extraction processes. This thesis presents a series of studies on the extraction chemistry of two extractants relevant to applied separations. The extractant tributyl phosphate (TBP) is used in the Plutonium Uranium Reduction Extraction (PUREX) process for recovering uranium and plutonium from used nuclear fuel. The extractant N,N,N’,N’-tetraoctyl diglycolamide (TODGA) is being considered for use in the Actinide Lanthanide Separation (ALSEP) process for separation and purification of lanthanides and minor actinides from PUREX process wastes. Distribution data collected for the extraction of trace amounts of fission and corrosion products by TBP in the presence of bulk uranium were mostly consistent with extraction through a traditional solvation mechanism. The exeception was the decreased extraction of low valence transition metals with increasing uranium concentration, which suggests another extraction mechanism such as reversed micelle formation. Distribution data collected for lanthanides in a TODGA solvent extraction system were also consistent with a traditional solvation mechanism. The selectivity trend for TODGA across the lanthanide series was found to follow the amount of water co-extracted with each lanthanide, suggesting that the extraction of lanthanides by TODGA is impacted by species in the outer coordination sphere of the extracted complexes. Diffusion NMR spectroscopy was used to determine the sizes and interactions of colloidal TBP aggregates in 20% TBP samples containing nitric acid, zirconium, and uranium. The aggregate sizes calculated from diffusion experiments were similar to those found previously using small angle neutron scattering (SANS). However, diffusion experiments suggested the
Impacts of the substrate stiffness on the anti-wear performance of graphene

Owing to its excellent mechanical and tribological properties, graphene has been proposed to be a promising atomically-thin solid lubricant for engineering applications. However, as a typical two-dimensional (2D) material, graphene has an exceptionally high surface-to-volume ratio and is very susceptible to the surrounding environments. By performing nanoscale scratch tests on graphene deposited on four different substrates, we have shown that the anti-wear performance of graphene, characterized by the maximum load carrying capacity, is not an intrinsic material property. Instead, its value is significantly affected by the stiffness the substrates: Stiffer substrate typically results in a higher load carrying capacity. As revealed by finite element simulations, stiffer substrate can effectively share the normal load and reduce the in-plane stress of graphene by limiting graphene deformation, which enhances the overall load carrying capacity. In addition to the load sharing mechanism, the experimental results also suggest that the frictional shear stress during scratch tests may facilitate wear of graphene by lowering its equivalent strength. The deformation mechanism of graphene/substrate systems revealed in this work provides guidelines for optimizing the mechanical performance of 2D materials for a wide range of tribological applications.Owing to its excellent mechanical and tribological properties, graphene has been proposed to be a promising atomically-thin solid lubricant for engineering applications. However, as a typical two-dimensional (2D) material, graphene has an exceptionally high surface-to-volume ratio and is very susceptible to the surrounding environments. By performing nanoscale scratch tests on graphene deposited on four different substrates, we have shown that the anti-wear performance of graphene, characterized by the maximum load carrying capacity, is not an intrinsic material property. Instead, its value is significantly affected by the stiffness the substrates: Stiffer substrate typically results in a higher load carrying capacity. As revealed by finite element simulations, stiffer substrate can effectively share the normal load and reduce the in-plane stress of graphene by limiting graphene deformation, which enhances the overall load carrying capacity. In addition to the load sharing mechanism, the experimental resu.
Off-centre charge model of the planar electric double layer for asymmetric 2:1/1:2 valencies

ABSTRACT Grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation results are reported for the structure and capacitance of a planar electric double layer containing off-centre charged rigid sphere cations and centrally charged rigid sphere anions. The ion species are assigned asymmetric valencies, +2:−1 and +1:−2, respectively, and set in a continuum dielectric medium (solvent) characterised by a single relative permittivity. An off-centre charged ion is obtained by displacing the ionic charge from the centre of the sphere towards its surface, and the physical double layer model is completed by placing the ionic system next to a uniformly charged, non-penetrable, non-polarizable planar electrode. Structural results such as electrode-ion singlet distribution functions, ionic charge density and orientation profiles are complemented by differential capacitance results at electrolyte concentrations of 0.2 mol/dm3 and 1 mol/dm3, respectively, and for various displacements of the cationic charge centre. The effect of asymmetry due to off-centre cations and valency asymmetry on the double layer properties is maximum for divalent counterions and when the cation charge is closest to the hard sphere surface. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Roles of cholesterol in the proliferation and differentiation of bovine myoblasts

Academic) The objective of this study was to assess the potential role of extracellular, cytosolic, and membrane cholesterol in the proliferation and differentiation of bovine myoblasts. In the first experiment, myoblasts isolated from Angus or Angus crossbred steers were cultured with 2% lipoprotein deficient fetal calf serum (LPDS) or normal fetal calf serum. Culturing with LPDS did not alter the cytosolic or membrane cholesterol content, or myoblast differentiation, but inhibited myoblast proliferation, compared to culturing with normal fetal calf serum. In the second experiment, myoblasts were cultured with or without lovastatin, a selective inhibitor of cholesterol synthesis. Culturing with 5 μM lovastatin did not affect medium concentration of cholesterol, but reduced cytosolic and membrane cholesterol contents, compared to culturing with vehicle control. Culturing with 5 μM lovastatin inhibited both myoblast proliferation and differentiation. In the third experiment, myoblasts were cultured with or without methyl-βcyclodextrin (MβCD), a chemical that depletes cholesterol from cell membranes. Treating myoblasts with 10 mM MβCD for 30 minutes reduced membrane and cytosolic cholesterol contents while increasing medium cholesterol concentration. Treating with MβCD inhibited both myoblast proliferation and differentiation compared to treating with vehicle control. Overall, this study showed that lovastatinor MβCD-induced reductions in cytosolic and membrane cholesterol contents were associated with reduced proliferation and differentiation in bovine myoblasts. These associations suggest that cytosolic cholesterol, membrane cholesterol, or both may play a role in bovine myoblast proliferation and differentiation.
Multiobjective Simultaneous Topology, Shape and Sizing Optimization of Trusses Using Evolutionary Optimizers

This paper presents design of two-dimensional (2D) trusses to achieve their simultaneously optimal topology, shape and size. The optimization problems are posed to search for structural topology, shape and sizing such that multiobjective functions consisting of mass and compliance are minimized while stresses and displacements are assigned as design constraints. The design approach is based on a ground structure approach meaning that a structure having all possible truss element connection is initiated. Design variables determine how to remove or maintain those elements and at the same time nodal positions are varied. Truss optimization problems are assigned whereas a number of multiobjective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs) are implemented to solve the problems. Based on the hypervolume indicator, it is found that Hybridization of Real-Code Population-Based Incremental Learning and Differential Evolution (RPBIL-DE) is the best performer. This study gives the baseline results for implementing MOEAs for simultaneous topology, shape and sizing optimization of trusses.
Analysis of the influence of gradation on the strength of a cemented filling body and the cementation strength model

Abstract Backfill mining can effectively improve the environment and protect resources. In the filling mining method, the gradation of filling aggregate is the most important aspect. The filling gradation of waste rock + wind sand and waste rock + river sand in the No. 2 mining area of the Jinchuan company was quantitatively described by the fractal equation of filling gradation. The effect of gradation on bonding strength was studied through a laboratory bonding strength test. The results show that the fractal dimension of filling aggregate gradation has a quadratic function relationship with the bonding strength, and there is an optimal extreme value of the bonding strength. The optimal cement strength can be quantitatively calculated by regression analysis, which provides guidance and a basis for the grading design of filling aggregate.
Gene silencing using adenoviral RNAi vectors in adult cardiac myocytes

RNA Interferenz stellt eine weit verbreitete Methode zur funktionellen Charakterisierung von Genen dar, die jedoch an ausdifferenzierten Zellen nur unzureichend etabliert ist. Die vorliegende Arbeit beschreibt RNA Interferenz an ausdifferenzierten, postmitotischen Herzmuskelzellen unter Verwendung adeno-viraler Vektoren, die, unter Kontrolle des murinen U6 Promoters, eine Transkription von endogenen siRNAs vermitteln. Die effiziente Inaktivierung (> 90 %) eines Transgens (EGFP) sowie eines Gens, das fur die endogene Untereinheit Kir2.1 eines einwarts gleichrichtenden Ionenkanals (I\(_{K1}\)) kodiert, erfolgte innerhalb von 6 bis 8 Tagen. Die Verminderung des Stromes I\(_{K1}\) fuhrte zu einer Depolarisation des Membranruhepotentials sowie in einigen Zellen zu einem Schrittmacher-ahnlichen Phanotyp. Weiterhin fuhrte die Reduktion des Hintergrundstromes I\(_{K1}\) zu einer Zunahme des muskarinergen Stromes I\(_{K(ACh)}\) , anhand derer der Nachweis einer stromabhangigen Interaktion nativer K\(_{ir}\)-Kanale gezeigt wurde.
Lipase Production by Solid-State Cultivation of Thermomyces Lanuginosus on By-Products from Cold-Pressing Oil Production

This study shows that by-products obtained after cold-pressing oil production (flex oil cake, hemp oil cake, hull-less pumpkin oil cake) could be used as substrates for the sustainable and cost-effective production of lipase when cultivating Thermomyces lanuginosus under solid-state conditions (T = 45 °C, t = 9 days). Lipase showed optimum activity at T = 40 °C. The produced lipase extract was purified 17.03-folds with a recovery of 1% after gel chromatography. Three different batch experiments were performed in order to test the possibility of using the lipase in biodiesel production. Experiments were performed with a commercial, unpurified enzyme, and partially purified lipase with sunflower oil and methanol as substrates in a batch reactor at 40 °C. During the experiments, the operational stability of the enzyme was studied. The obtained results clearly showed that produced crude and purified lipase can be used for biodiesel production, but the process needs some additional optimization. As for operation stability, it was noticed that the commercial enzyme was deactivated after 30 h, while produced crude enzyme remained 8.25% of its activity after 368 h.
Material encapsulation in poly(methyl methacrylate) shell: A review

Material encapsulation is a relatively new technique for coating a micro/nanosize particle or droplet with polymeric or inorganic shell. Encapsulation technology has many applications in various fields including drug delivery, cosmetic, agriculture, thermal energy storage, textile, and self-healing polymers. Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is widely used as shell material in encapsulation due to its high chemical stability, biocompatibility, nontoxicity, and good mechanical properties. The main approach for micro/nanoencapsulation of materials using PMMA as shell comprises emulsion-based techniques such as emulsion polymerization and solvent evaporation from oil-in-water emulsion. In the present review, we first focus on the encapsulation techniques of liquid materials with PMMA shell by analyzing the effective processing parameters influencing the preparation of PMMA micro/nanocapsules. We then describe the morphology of PMMA capsules in emulsion systems according to thermodynamic relations. The techniques to investigation of mechanical properties of capsule shell and the release mechanisms of core material from PMMA capsules were also investigated. (c) 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 48039.