Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ANTIOXIDANT PROFILE AND PHYTOCHEMICAL CONTENT OF THREE KINDS OF LEMON GRASS GROWN IN WEST JAVA-INDONESIA

ABSTRACT Objective: The aims of this research were to determine antioxidant activity from various herbs extracts of three kinds of lemon grass using two antioxidant testing methods which were 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and correlation of total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and total carotenoid contents (TCC) with their inhibitory concentration 50% (IC ) of DPPH and exhibitory concentration 50% (EC 50 ) of FRAP. Methods: A sample was extracted by reflux method using different polarity solvents. The extracts were evaporated using rotary evaporator. Antioxidant activities using DPPH and FRAP assays, determination of TPC, TFC, and TCC were carried out by ultraviolet -visible spectrophotometry and correlation with their IC 50 of DPPH and EC 50 of FRAP capacities were analyzed by Pearson’s method. Results: The ethanolic herbs extract of Cymbopogon citratus (CC) had the lowest IC 50 50 of DPPH scavenging activity 2.75 µg/ml and the lowest EC of FRAP capacity 12.22 µg/ml. Ethanolic herbs extract of Cymbopogon winterianus exposed the highest phenolic content and its n-hexane extract presented the highest carotenoid content. Ethyl acetate herbs extract of CC gave the highest flavonoid content. There was significantly negative correlation between TPC in CC herbs extract with their IC 50 of DPPH and EC 50 of FRAP. Conclusions: All herbs extracts from three kinds of lemon grass were categorized as a very strong antioxidant by DPPH method. Phenolic compounds in CC were the major contributor in antioxidant activities by DPPH and FRAP methods. DPPH and FRAP gave linear result in antioxidant activities of herbs extract of three kinds of lemon grass. Keywords: Antioxidant, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, Ferric reducing antioxidant power, Lemon grass, Three kinds, Herbs. 50
Short-Sale Constraints and Options Trading: Evidence from Reg SHO

We examine the effects of a temporary suspension of short-sale price tests on the options market. Consistent with the notion that put option trading substitutes for short selling, we find a significant reduction in put option volume. In addition, pressure on put option prices significantly declines, violations of the put-call parity become significantly less frequent, and option volume becomes less informed. Our findings add clarity to a long-standing debate on whether investors use options to circumvent equity short-selling restrictions.
Motives for coffee consumption at coffee shops in Mexico

Coffee is one of the main sources of foreign exchange for developing countries. Mexico accounts only 2.68% of the world coffee production, but represent the most important source of foreign exchange in the agricultural sector. The Mexican coffee began to be recognized in recent years, and despite the increase of the consumption, Mexico is not considered an important consumer. The objective was to analyse the motives for coffee consumption at coffee shops with quality labels. A national and a transnational company were selected in central Mexico to carry out a total of 600 questionnaires. Thequestionnaire had four sections: frequency of consumption, Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ), some images of coffee quality labels, and a socio-economic. The data were analysed using multivariate statistics, factor and cluster analysis. Indifferent, Pragmatic and Hedonic-Dependent consumers were identified; who are mostly young and middle-aged, single, childless and college educated. Their interest in attending coffee shops is to socialize; they are not interested in quality labels which have negative implications for the use of this type of labels in Mexico. Key words: Consumers; food choice questionnaire; factor and cluster analysis.
Temporal Changes and Alternating Host Tree Root and Shoot Growth Affect Soil Microbiomes

Patterns of trees’ endogenous rhythmic growth (ERG) and paralleled C allocation shift between root and shoot systems have been studied, but there is still a need to understand their impact in shaping soil microbiomes. Moreover, the impact of plants on soil microbial communities can be modulated or overweighed by time-induced plant and/or seasonal changes. Thus, we intended to analyze the structure of soil microbiomes as response to simultaneous alternated host tree root and shoot flushes and time-induced changes within one vegetation period at two sites in Central Germany. In this study, we utilized oak phytometers (Quercus robur L., clone DF159) as host trees, and made use of their ERG, whereby consecutive root and shoot flushes make a complete growth cycle. We studied two complete growth cycles during the same vegetation period, performed a non-destructive soil sampling and applied high-throughput amplicon sequencing of the bacterial 16S gene and the fungal ITS2 region. As C allocation shifts between the tree root and shoot, released root exudates and consequently the nutrient availability alternate for soil microorganisms. We therefore anticipated different microbial communities in the host tree root zone along the growth cycles until autumnal leaf senescence. In our results, the bacterial community exhibited a directional change over time along the vegetation period. In contrast, the fungal community appeared sample specific. Our findings enlarge the current understanding of the temporal microbial assembly in the host tree root zone.
Cellulose dialdehyde : comparison of the methods of determination

The three methods currently used for the determination of aldehyde groups in aldehyde cellulose (reaction with NH 2 OH.HCl, oxidation by alkaline iodine and reduction with NaBH 4 ) were compared. The phenomenon of ageing of cellulose dialdehyde was observed; depending upon the length of storage time decrease of effective present, determinable aldehyde groups were found (using the NH 2 OH.HCl method till 11% during two months). Decrease of determinable aldehyde groups in cellulose in cellulose dialdehyde is reversible. Practically, the original values could be reached after heating up the suspension of the samples for a definite time
Cyclodextrin grafted calcium carbonate vaterite particles: efficient system for tailored release of hydrophobic anticancer or hormone drugs

Porous CaCO3 microparticles have been used earlier for sustained drug release of hydrophilic drugs but have certain drawbacks for use with hydrophobic drugs. Hence, to overcome these drawbacks, a novel composite of CaCO3 along with cyclodextrin (CD–CaCO3) for the delivery of hydrophobic drugs was developed. Cyclodextrins (CDs), when incorporated within CaCO3, increased the porosity and surface area of microparticles thereby enhancing the encapsulation efficiency of hydrophobic drugs (5-Fluorouracil or Na-L-thyroxine) by forming inclusion complexes with cyclodextrin. Thermogravimetric and FTIR studies confirmed the interaction between the cyclodextrin and CaCO3 microparticles. Raman spectra confirmed the peak of vaterite crystals before and after loading of hydrophobic drugs within the composite. In vitro release studies when performed at pH 4.8 (5-Fu) and pH 1.2 (Na-L-thy) showed release at low pH as CaCO3 is soluble at acidic pH unlike slower release at basic pH. Release kinetics followed a Higuchi kinetic model at pH 4.8 (5-Fu) and pH 1.2 (Na-L-thy) respectively.
Characterization of two components of the chloroplastic Tic complex

Translocation of nuclear-encoded preproteins across the inner envelope of chloroplasts is catalyzed by the multi-subunit Tic translocon. This machinery can be considered a bottleneck in the pathway of preproteins from the cytosol into the chloroplast. It is therefore perfectly situated to receive signals from inside of the organelle and implement regulatory control over the import process. Seven components have been identified as Tic subunits so far, two of which have been implicated in channel function: Tic110, the central protein of the translocon, and Tic20, a putative alternative channel protein. Another component, Tic62, is part of the so called " redox regulon " of the complex and was proposed to act as a redox sensor, in part because of its specific interaction with the photosynthetic protein ferredoxin-NADP(H) oxidoreductase (FNR) and its redox-dependent shuttling behavior between envelope and stroma. In the present work, the localization, structure, function, and regulation of Tic62 was analyzed in detail. In particular its association with FNR and the physiological role of a third, thylakoid-bound pool of Tic62 were investigated. Structural analyses reveal that Tic62 binds to FNR in a novel binding mode for flavoproteins with major contribution of hydrophobic interactions. At the thylakoids, both proteins form high molecular weight complexes that are dynamically regulated by light-and redox-signals, but clearly not involved in photosynthetic electron transfer. In absence of Tic62, membrane binding and stability of FNR is found to be drastically reduced. Moreover, loss of Tic62 affects the redox state of the stromal thioredoxin pool, which is likely due to an impaired allocation of FNR between the stroma and thylakoid compartments. It is concluded that Tic62 represents a major FNR interaction partner not only at the envelope and in the stroma, but also at the thylakoid membranes of higher plants. Association with Tic62 stabilizes FNR and is involved in its dynamic and light-dependent membrane binding and correct regulation of the stromal redox poise. In the second part of the work, two efficient expression systems for the putative alternative channel protein Tic20 were established, allowing the heterologous production of protein for further analysis. The purified protein was used to obtain first biochemical and structural data. Moreover, since Tic20 and Tic110 have been suggested to possibly act in concert in the import of precursors, the basic preconditions for this hypothesis were investigated. The results however indicate that (I) both genes are not co-regulated throughout the plant and (II) Tic20 and …
Spread Options: From Margrabe to Kirk

Kirk provided an approximate closed-form solution for the price of a spread option. This paper is written in response to ref. published in Applied Mathematics Letters in which the author believes no explicit derivation of Kirk’s approximation from Margrabe’s exchange option formula is available or has ever been published. Here we provide such an explicit derivation.
Development of A Vitamin-Related Gene Signature to Predict the Immune Characteristics and Prognosis of Glioma

Background: Vitamins not only play a pivotal role in maintaining homeostasis of the body, but also have complex impacts on the occurrence and progression of tumors. However, the effects of vitamins on glioma and the underlying mechanism have not been fully elucidated. Methods: Vitamin -related genes were extracted from the Molecular Signature Database v7.1 (MSigDB). The overlapping overall survival (OS)-related genes in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA), and GSE16011 cohorts screened out by univariate COX regression analysis were utilized to construct a risk model based on the TCGA cohort via random survival forest analysis and multivariate COX regression analysis. The powerful prognostic predictive potential of the vitamin-related risk signature was verified by Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis in the three datasets. The ssGSEA method of the GSVA package was used for functional enrichment and immune cell component analyses. ESTIMATE score analysis was used for auxiliary analysis of glioma immune characteristics. A nomogram was constructed and assessed based on the TCGA dataset.Results: The vitamin-related six-gene (POSTN, IRX5, EEF2, RAB27A, MDM2, and ENO1) risk signature constructed based on the TCGA dataset accurately predicted the outcomes of glioma patients and credibly distinguished between different levels and molecular subtypes of glioma in the TCGA, CGGA, and GSE16011 cohorts. Gliomas with high risk scores exhibited high immune scores, low tumor purity, and immunosuppressive features. The nomogram constructed by combining the vitamin-related risk signature and clinicopathological factors precisely predicted the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS of glioma patients.Conclusions: Our study revealed that the vitamin-related six-gene risk signature, as an independent prognostic factor, could accurately distinguish the grade, molecular subtype, and immune characteristics of glioma.
Surface plasmon resonance hydrogen sensor using an optical fibre

An optical fibre SPR sensor has been developed for the detection of hydrogen leakages. This sensor uses a selective injection of a monochromatic light and a thin palladium layer as transducer. Detectable concentrations of hydrogen in nitrogen have been found within the range [0,8%, 100%] with response times varying between 300 to 3 seconds at room temperature.
The application of dynamic nuclear polarization enhanced NMR to non-equilibrium systems

The Application of Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Enhanced NMR to Non-Equilibrium Systems. (December 2011) Sean Michael Bowen, B.S., Purdue University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Christian Hilty Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) yields remarkably detailed structural information about virtually any molecule. However, its application to non-equilibrium systems is hampered by a lack of sensitivity. To increase the amount of signal that can be obtained from an NMR experiment, hyperpolarization schemes such as dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) have been previously introduced. The work detailed here focuses on the development of methods utilizing DNP to study non-equilibrium systems such as chemical and biochemical reactions in real-time. To work with hyperpolarized samples, we have designed and constructed a rapid injection and mixing system. This system permits the use of samples with short spinlattice relaxation times. For the study of reactions under non-equilibrium conditions, the system provides the capability for samples to be mixed with a second reagent. A chromogenic trypsin catalyzed ester hydrolysis reaction was used to validate the DNP-NMR technique as a tool for kinetic analysis. It is shown that the DNP-NMR method agrees with the conventional UV method within the uncertainty of the measurement. In addition to the determination of kinetics, DNP-NMR is amenable to
Clinical effect of 3.0% hydrogen peroxide containing bleaching patch with primer in a double-blind randomized controlled trial

Background: To clinically evaluate the efficacy and safety of a primer that contains taurine and self-bleaching patches containing 3.0% hydrogen peroxide.Methods: Overall, 55 participants were selected in this double-blinded randomized clinical trial between March and May 2019. Bleaching patches containing 3.0% hydrogen peroxide were attached using the primer on the labial surface of the upper six anterior teeth for 30 min once daily. △E* values of color changes were measured using Shade Eye NCC for determining the efficacy of bleaching on days 3, 5, 7, and 10 before and after attachment. The safety was assessed using gingival index and visual analog scale for tooth sensitivity and gingival irritation, respectively.Results: △E* values were visibly detected from day 7 after the attachment of patches, and the bleaching effect was identifiable. No statistically significant difference was observed in the gingival index (p = 0.069), tooth sensitivity (p = 0.983), and gingival irritation (p = 0.518). Conclusions: When the self-bleaching patches using 3.0% hydrogen peroxide with the primers were attached for 30 min once daily, visible bleaching effect was observed from day 7 of attachment, and it was verified to be safe for use without any significant adverse effect.Clinical Relevance: This study was conducted after securing safety for clinical trials.Trial registration: ISRCTN63650330
How does the CMIP6 ensemble change the picture for European climate projections?

We compare Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP) ensemble (CMIP6) projections for seasonal mean temperature and precipitation to CMIP5 for northern Europe, central Europe and the Mediterranean. The CMIP6 ensemble shows increased projected summer warming compared to CMIP5, which was found to be statistically significant in central Europe and the Mediterranean. Precipitation projections for Central Europe in CMIP6 were found to have a stronger drying trend in the summer months, there was also a substantially narrower projection range. Spatial comparisons indicate that this stronger drying trend also extends into a large part northern Europe. We show that warmer projected summer temperatures in northern Europe and the Mediterranean are largely driven by the higher global climate sensitivities in CMIP6 models, while regional changes are broadly similar. In central Europe a significant difference in the regional responses was found and in these cases the picture can be said to have changed. We find the difference in regional sensitivity is important in central Europe where it accounts for roughly 40 % of the differences between ensembles in projected regional temperature.
CONSTRUCTION OF COMPUTATIONAL 3D STRUCTURES OF PROTEIN DRUG TARGETS OF MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS

Objective: This study aims in constructing a three-dimensional modeled protein structure of potential drug targets in Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria. Methods: The protein models were constructed using SWISS-Model online tool. The constructed protein models were submitted in online database called Protein Model Database (PMDB) for public access to the structures. Results: A total of 100 protein sequences of M. tuberculosis were retrieved from UniProt database and were subjected for sequence similarity search and homology model construction. The constructed models were subjected for Ramachandran plot analysis to validate the quality of the structures. A total of 69 structures were considered to be of significant quality and were submitted to the online database PMDB. Conclusion: These predicted structures would help greatly in identification and drug design to various strains of M. tuberculosis that are sensitive and resistant to different antibiotics. This would greatly help in drug development and personalized drug treatment against different strains of the pathogen. This database would significantly support the structure-based computational drug design applications toward personalized medicine in regard to differences in the various strains of the pathogen.
Estimação de idade em imagens digitais a partir de deep learning para apoiar análise pericial

Com o decorrer da evolucao tecnologica de redes sociais e comunidades online, a privacidade e seguranca na Internet se tornaram questionaveis. O elevado numero de informacoes compartilhadas pela rede sustenta a propagacao de conteudos ilicitos envolvendo pornografia infantil. A visao computacional, fazendo uso de redes neurais como tecnica de aprendizado profundo, tem a capacidade de reconhecer caracteristicas associadas a classificacao de conteudo pornografico infantil. Aplicadas em imagens digitais e utilizando estruturas neurais pre-treinadas para identificacao de rosto infantil e exposicao de pele em bases de imagens pre-selecionadas, este trabalho teve o objetivo de fornecer subsidios capazes de agregar conhecimento aos metodos de analise pericial.
Measurement of CO2 Solubility in NaCl Brine Solutions at Different Temperatures and Pressures Using the Potentiometric Titration Method

The solubility of CO2 in brine is one of the trapping mechanisms by which the CO2 is sequestrated in aquifers. In this research, an unconventional method, called the potentiometric titration, was used to obtain the solubility of CO2 in distilled water and NaCl brine. The solubility data for the low salinity range are scarce in the literature. Thus, in this research, the CO2 solubility was obtained in NaCl brines of low salinity (0–15 000 ppm) at temperatures between 60 °C and 100 °C and pressures up to 25 MPa. Moreover, the salting-out effect was estimated using the Setchenov’s constant as a measure of reduction in solubility when salt is added to the solution. The solubility points obtained by the potentiometric titration method demonstrated very good consistency with those obtained by the previous methods.
Downside Risk and the Cross-section of Corporate Bond Returns

We rationalize in a theoretical framework the empirically documented importance of volatility and downside risk in the cross-section of corporate bond returns. Our framework features time-varying macroeconomic uncertainty and generalized disappointment aversion. The model yields three downside risk factors versus one documented in the empirical literature. We find that our factors are able to explain the cross-sectional variation of corporate bond returns both at the individual bond- and portfolio-level. Our factors provide significant explanatory power beyond other established factors in the literature. Moreover, we find that volatility downside risk matters, while pure volatility risk is marginally significant. Last, we show that our three downside risk factors subsume the documented predictability of the Bai, Bali, and Wen (2019) downside risk factor.
Host Microbiome Dictates Infection Risk after Chemotherapy Revealing New Avenues for Antibiotic Stewardship in Oncology

Background: Mucosal barrier injury (MBI) is a recognized risk factor for blood stream infection (BSI) in people undergoing chemotherapy, permitting expansion and translocation of enteric pathobionts; a phenomenon now clinically referred to as MBI-associated laboratory-confirmed BSI. Although recognized to originate from endogenous gastrointestinal sources, MBI-associated BSI continue to be treated with antibiotics; a counterintuitive approach that may increase infection risk by depletion of the host microbiome. While this point has been argued in numerous clinical studies and opinion pieces, there are few data describing mechanistic strategies to decrease MBI-associated BSI, reflecting a lack of translationally robust preclinical models. Here, we report on a new translational model of MBI caused by the chemotherapeutic drug, melphalan. We aimed to identify candidate pathways to strengthen the mucosal barrier and prevent infection, prompting new antibiotic stewardship initiatives. Results: Melphalan caused dose-dependent, systemic toxicity characterized by severe neutropenia, self-limiting intestinal injury, inflammation and biphasic fever, all of which were clinically and molecularly consistent with the dynamics of melphalan conditioning. The fecal microbiome following melphalan was depleted in richness and commensal taxa, impairing colonization resistance and the microbial metabolome and prompting expansion of enteric pathogens. Breakdown of the intestinal barrier was initiated by melphalan and exacerbated by mucotoxic bile acids.Conclusions: MBI-associated BSI is simply a form of collateral damage resulting from breakdown of the gastrointestinal microenvironment and self-perpetuating injury. Efforts to intervene early in these sequelae are therefore of great clinical significance to restrict antibiotic use and mitigate their detrimental consequences on treatment outcomes and antibiotic resistance. Our data support interventions targeting the host microbiome and metabolome due to its ubiquitous control of inflammation, mucosal injury, bile acid transformation; all of which contribute to infection risk in cancer.