Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A new steroidal ester from Tinospora cordifolia Miers. stems

Tinospora cordifoliya (Gioe, Gudduchi or Amrita) is very well known in Ayurvedic system of medicine and found its use in various ailments. The present paper describes the isolation and structure elucidation of a new steroidal ester along with aliphatic alcohols and fatty acid esters from the alcoholic extract of Tinospora cordifolia stems. To carry out phytochemical investigation of dried stems of Tinospora cordifolia Miers. (Menispermaceae) for the isolation of a new steroidal ester. Column was eluted with different concentrations of petroleum ether: chloroform and their isolation and characterization was done with spectroscopic techniques. Results: Phytoconstituents characterized as stigmast-5-en-3β, 21-dio-3β-yl hexadecanoate (5) along with n-heptacosanol (1), n-octacosanol (2), n-nonacosanol (3), n-tetracontanol (4), n-triacontanyl palmitate (6) and n-hexacosanyl stearate (7). The structures of all these phytoconstituents have been established by means of chemical, spectral and chromatographic means.
Aminoflavone induces oxidative DNA damage and reactive oxidative species‐mediated apoptosis in breast cancer cells

Aminoflavone (5‐amino‐2‐(4‐amino‐3‐fluorophenyl)‐6,8‐difluoro‐7‐methylchromen‐4‐one; AF; NSC 686288), a novel anticancer candidate agent, is undergoing clinical evaluation. AF induces DNA‐protein cross‐links (DPCs), γ‐H2AX phosphorylation, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) signaling, apoptosis and its own metabolism via cytochrome P4501A1 and 1A2 (CYP1A1/1A2) activation in sensitive estrogen receptor positive (ER+) MCF7 breast cancer cells. Estrogen receptor negative (ER−) breast cancer is typically more aggressive with a poorer prognosis. In this investigation, we evaluated the ability of AF to induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, oxidative DNA damage and apoptosis in ER− MDA‐MB‐468 breast cancer cells. The antioxidant, N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine (NAC), attenuated the cytotoxic effects of AF in MDA‐MB‐468 cells; an effect is also observed in ER+ T47D breast cancer cells. Nonmalignant MCF10A breast epithelial cells were resistant to the cytotoxic effects of AF. AF increased intracellular ROS, an effect blocked by NAC and the CYP1A1/1A2 inhibitor, α‐Naphthoflavone (α‐NF). AF induced oxidative DNA damage as evidenced by increased 8‐oxo‐7,8‐dihydroguanine (8‐oxodG) levels and DPC formation in these cells. AF caused S‐phase arrest corresponding to an increase in p21(waf1/cip1) protein expression. AF induced caspase 3, 8 and 9 activation, caspase‐dependent apoptotic body formation and poly [ADP‐ribose] polymerase (PARP) cleavage. Pretreatment with the pan‐caspase inhibitor, benzyloxycarbonyl‐Val‐Ala‐DL‐Asp(OMe)‐fluoromethylketone inhibited apoptosis and partially inhibited ROS formation and oxidative DNA damage. Pretreatment with NAC attenuated AF‐induced apoptotic body formation and caspase 3 activation. These studies suggest AF inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells in part, by inducing ROS production, oxidative DNA damage and apoptosis and has the potential to treat hormone‐independent breast cancer. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Estradiol and testosterone levels in the peripheral and ovarian circulations in patients with endometrial cancer

Estradiol and testosterone levels in the peripheral and ovarian circulations of patients with endometrial cancer and of postmenopausal women were studied. These levels proved to be the same in the two groups. The ovaries of neither group secreted estradiol. The testosterone level in the ovarian circulation of all examined women was four times higher than that in the peripheral circulation, thus indicating the ovarian origin of testosterone.
Application de la technique de modélisation de l’architecture du palmier dattier (Phoenix dactylifera L.) pour la caractérisation des cultivars.

Notre travail a ete realise dans le cadre de la mise en place d'une nouvelle technique de caracterisation varietale par l'utilisation des parametres non specifiques au Phoenix dactylifera L. mis en evidence par l’etude de modelisation architecturale de cette espece. Nos resultats ont revele que les valeurs de l’angle phyllotaxique des neuf cultivars etudies vont de 136.8° et 137.9° par la methode CNC et de 136.6° et 137.6° par celle de AMAP, l’analyse de la variance de cet angle selon differents cultivars, sites et âges nous amene a dire que cet angle est un caracteristique varietal pour le dattier. Les parametres traites sur les palmes coupes montrent la dissymetrie de la palme, sa forme virtuelle obtenue par le logiciel Xplo est le resultat d'arrangements geometriques de toutes ses parties, la palme virtuelle est comparable au palme reelle ce qui nous permettions de considerer l’architecture et la modelisation comme des outils de caracterisation des cultivars du palmier dattier dans des periodes hors fructification
Semilunar Granule Cells: Glutamatergic Neurons in the Rat Dentate Gyrus with Axon Collaterals in the Inner Molecular Layer

Synaptic reorganization of the dentate gyrus inner molecular layer (IML) is a pathophysiological process that may facilitate seizures in patients with temporal-lobe epilepsy. Two subtypes of IML neurons were originally described by Ramón y Cajal (1995), but have not been thoroughly studied. We used two-photon imaging, infrared-differential interference contrast microscopy and patch clamp recordings from rat hippocampal slices to define the intrinsic physiology and synaptic targets of spiny, granule-like neurons in the IML, termed semilunar granule cells (SGCs). These neurons resembled dentate granule cells but had axon collaterals in the molecular layer, significantly larger dendritic arborization in the molecular layer, and a more triangular cell body than granule cells. Unlike granule cells, SGCs fired throughout long-duration depolarizing steps and had ramp-like depolarizations during interspike periods. Paired recordings demonstrated that SGCs are glutamatergic and monosynaptically excite both hilar interneurons and mossy cells. Semilunar granule cells appear to represent a distinct excitatory neuron population in the dentate gyrus that may be an important target for mossy fiber sprouting in patients and rodent models of temporal lobe epilepsy.
Skeletal Scintigraphy of the Wrist in Suggested Scaphoid Fracture

Skeletal scintigraphy was performed in 187 patients with clinical suspicion of a scaphoid fracture but with normal radiographic findings. In 85 patients focally moderately (12 patients) or markedly to intensely (73 patients) increased radionuclide uptake was seen, over either the distal radius or carpal bones. A fracture corresponding to markedly increased uptake was eventually verified in 15 out of 26 patients in the distal radius, in 21 out of 28 in the scaphoid but in only 6 out of 18 in other carpal bones. One fracture of the body and one of the hook of the hamate were found, one fracture of the capitate and three of the triquetrum. Not a single fracture was verified in 10 patients with markedly, often intensely, increased activity over the trapezium/trapezoid. It is concluded that scintigraphy is of value in carpal trauma not only to exclude scaphoid fracture but also to direct the attention to the possibility of other carpal fractures, otherwise usually missed.
Population Heterogeneity of Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1 Microcolonies in Response to and Recovery from Acid Stress

ABSTRACT Within an isogenic microbial population in a homogenous environment, individual bacteria can still exhibit differences in phenotype. Phenotypic heterogeneity can facilitate the survival of subpopulations under stress. As the gram-positive bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum grows, it acidifies the growth medium to a low pH. We have examined the growth of L. plantarum microcolonies after rapid pH downshift (pH 2 to 4), which prevents growth in liquid culture. This acidification was achieved by transferring cells from liquid broth onto a porous ceramic support, placed on a base of low-pH MRS medium solidified using Gelrite. We found a subpopulation of cells that displayed phenotypic heterogeneity and continued to grow at pH 3, which resulted in microcolonies dominated by viable but elongated (filamentous) cells lacking septation, as determined by scanning electron microscopy and staining cell membranes with the lipophilic dye FM4-64. Recovery of pH-stressed cells from these colonies was studied by inoculation onto MRS-Gelrite-covered slides at pH 6.5, and outgrowth was monitored by microscopy. The heterogeneity of the population, calculated from the microcolony areas, decreased with recovery from pH 3 over a period of a few hours. Filamentous cells did not have an advantage in outgrowth during recovery. Specific regions within single filamentous cells were more able to form rapidly dividing cells, i.e., there was heterogeneity even within single recovering cells.
Étude de l'impact du sexe sur la coagulation vitamine K dépendante chez le rat

Les anticoagulants anti-vitamines K (AVK) sont des inhibiteurs du mecanisme de regeneration de la vitamine K. Celle-ci est impliquee dans l'activation post-traductionnelle par gamma-carboxylation de nombreuses proteines, et notamment de quatre proteines essentielles a la coagulation. L'apport alimentaire en vitamine K n'etant pas suffisant pour remplacer le cycle de regeneration, un cycle efficace de regeneration de la vitamine K est necessaire. Les AVK bloquant ce cycle, la gammacarboxylation des facteurs de la coagulation n'est plus assuree, ainsi, la production de facteurs de la coagulation utilisables est fortement diminuee, ce qui affecte, par consequent, le potentiel de la coagulation sanguine. Une inhibition importante du cycle de regeneration peut entrainer la mort par hemorragies, c'est dans ce but que sont utilises les AVK dans la lutte contre les rongeurs. Depuis une trentaine d'annees, il a ete remarque que les rats femelles etaient moins sensibles aux AVK que les rats mâles. Plusieurs hypotheses pourraient expliquer cette difference : (i) une activite microsomale responsable de la regeneration de la vitamine K plus efficace chez les femelles; (ii) une elimination plus rapide des AVK par les rats femelles; (iii) des concentrations basales et des demi-vies des facteurs de la coagulation vitamine K dependants plus elevees chez les femelles. Le but principal de ce travail est de determiner l'origine de la difference de sensibilite des rats femelles aux AVK.Les resultats mettent en evidence des differences significatives entre les mâles et les femelles concernant les niveaux basaux et les cinetiques d'evolution certains facteurs de la coagulation, pouvant expliquer la plus faible sensibilite des femelles aux AVK
Semantic prediction assistant approach applied to energy efficiency in Tertiary buildings

Fulfilling occupants’ comfort whilst reducing energy consumption is still an unsolved problem in most of tertiary buildings. However, the expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Knowledge Discovery in Databases (KDD) techniques lead to research this matter. In this paper the EEPSA (Energy Efficiency Prediction Semantic Assistant) process is presented, which leverages the Semantic Web Technologies (SWT) to enhance the KDD process for achieving energy efficiency in tertiary buildings while maintaining comfort levels. This process guides the data analyst through the different KDD phases in a semiautomatic manner and supports prescriptive HVAC system activation strategies. That is, temperature of a space is predicted simulating the activation of HVAC systems at different times and intensities, so that the facility manager can choose the strategy that best fits both the user’s comfort needs and energy efficiency. Furthermore, results show that the proposed solution improves the accuracy of predictions.
Terahertz Imaging With Quantum-Well Photodetectors

We present an imaging system based on a terahertz (THz) quantum-well photodetector (QWP). The THz QWP possessing high sensitivity at THz frequency band (0.3-10 THz) is utilized as a detector for imaging. We obtained images of a concealed sample in envelope by detecting the transmitted THz radiation from a black-body source as background radiation. This letter shows the potential of THz QWPs for imaging.
Duplicated DQ Haplotypes Increase the Complexity of Restriction Element Usage in Cattle1

The MHC of cattle encodes two distinct isotypes of class II molecules, DR and DQ. Unlike humans, cattle lack the DP locus and about half the common haplotypes express duplicated DQ genes. The number and frequency of DQA and DQB alleles means that most cattle are heterozygous. If inter- and/or intrahaplotype pairing of DQA and DQB molecules occurs, cattle carrying DQ-duplicated haplotypes may express more restriction elements than would be predicted by the number of expressed alleles. We are investigating whether duplicated haplotypes cause differences in immune response, particularly in terms of generating protective immunity. We have analyzed the Ag-presenting function of DQ molecules in two heterozygous animals, one of which carries a duplicated haplotype. We compared the class II isotype specificity of T cell clones recognizing a putative vaccinal peptide from foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV15). We show for the first time that bovine T cells can recognize Ag in the context of DQ molecules. We also present evidence that interhaplotype pairings of DQA and DQB molecules form functional restriction elements. Both animals showed distinct biases to usage of particular restriction elements. Mainly DQ-restricted clones were derived from the animal with duplicated DQ genes, whereas the majority of clones from the animal with a single DQ gene pair were DR restricted. Furthermore, haplotype bias was observed with both animals. These experiments show that understanding of class II chain pairing in addition to knowledge of the genotype may be important in vaccine design where effective epitope selection is essential.
Steht die Wahrheit in den Sternen?

Zusammenfassung Apps sind in allen Lebensbereichen inzwischen Begleiter des täglichen Lebens. Auch für gesundheitliche Fragestellungen und speziell auch im Adipositas-Kontext steht ein beeindruckendes Angebot zur Verfügung. Anwendern fällt die Wahl der passenden App nicht leicht. Als Entscheidungskriterien werden oft die am leichtesten verfügbaren und einfach zu interpretierenden Kriterien, z.B. die prominent angegebenen durchschnittlichen Sternebewertungen herangezogen. Die App-Stores, über die die Apps erhältlich sind, sind allerdings international ausgerichtet und Anbieter schränken nur selten die regionale Verfügbarkeit ihrer Apps ein. Somit geben die dargestellten durchschnittlichen Bewertungen auch eher die Meinung eines internationalen Publikums wieder und berücksichtigen nicht unbedingt regionale Besonderheiten oder Bedürfnisse. Ziel dieser Arbeit war daher, für Apps im Adipositas-Kontext zu ergründen, inwieweit die im Store angegebenen Sternebewertungen die von Anwendern aus dem deutschsprachigen Sprachraum geäußerten und im Store aufgeführten Bewertungen erkennbar widerspiegeln und festzustellen, ob sie einen validen Beitrag zur Meinungsbildung bei der App-Suche leisten können.
The yin and yang of fibrin in the airways.

Every day the practitioner witnesses the results of obvious imbalances between coagulation and fibrinolysis, because they are central to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease, stroke, uncontrolled bleeding, and pulmonary thromboembolism. Astute observers have suspected that the deposition of fibrin in the distal air spaces may have a similar role in both acute and chronic lung disorders, typified by the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, respectively. Diffuse alveolar damage, the pathologic counterpart of the early stages of ARDS, is characterized by widespread damage to the microvascular endothelial and alveolar epithelial cells, resulting in the formation of intraalveolar .
Enhancement of burn wounds healing by platelet dressing.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of platelet dressing in the treatment of burn wounds and compare its results with silver sulfadiazine dressing. MATERIAL AND METHODS Between 21 march 2011 to 21 September, 50 patients with burn injuries were selected by a randomized double-blind controlled trial. In order to eliminate the biological and personal variables among the various treated burn wounds, in the same patient, distal or proximal, lateral or medial part of burn wound were selected for dressing with platelet or silver sulfadiazine. All patients were designated for homologous component use. The dressing was repeated every day up to complete healing. RESULTS The results indicated that treatment with platelet enhanced epithelialization and accelerate epithelialization and granulation tissue formation. Platelet dressing to be most significant in this respect compared with silver sulfadiazine dressing. CONCLUSION It is concluded that topical application of platelet enhanced the wound healing process in burn patients.
Blockade of acid sensing ion channels attenuates the augmented exercise pressor reflex in rats with chronic femoral artery occlusion

Non‐technical summary In patients with peripheral artery disease arterial blood flow to the legs is adequate at rest, but does not increase to meet metabolic demand of the muscles during exercise. Consequently, the arterial blood pressure response to exercise in these patients is greater than it is in healthy subjects. We tested the hypothesis that this exaggerated arterial pressure response to exercise is caused by the stimulation of the ion channel ASIC3 on the endings of sensory nerves in contracting skeletal muscle. We performed our experiments in decerebrated rats. Three days before the experiment, we ligated the left femoral artery, a manoeuvre which has been shown to simulate the arterial blood flow patterns to hindlimb skeletal muscles that are found in patients with peripheral artery disease. We found that blockade of ASIC3 with two different compounds attenuated the increase in arterial pressure evoked by left hindlimb muscle contraction.
Effect of Quercetin on the Short-term Impairment of Learning Induced by X- rays in Wistar Rats. Nonlinear Regression Analysis of Morris Water Maze Latencies

The analysis of learning curves obtained from Morris water maze tests has been traditionally carried out using repeated-measures analysis of variance [6], analysis of linear regression slopes [7], and analysis of non-linear exponential regression coefficients [8]. However, when the learning curve is altered by applying a disruptive agent (such as X-irradiation), these approaches may not be appropriate to best explain the behavioural changes induced. Piecewise (segmented) linear regression could be useful when a change in experimental conditions can be presumed to produce a sharp transition point in the response curve.
A comparison of the results of renal transplantation from non-heart-beating, conventional cadaveric, and living donors.

BACKGROUND In an attempt to address the shortage of conventional kidney donors, a non-heart-beating donor (NHBD) organ retrieval program has been established. We compared the results of kidney transplants from NHBDs (N = 77) with those from heart-beating cadaveric (HBD; N = 224) and living donors (LD; N = 49), performed in the same eight-year period. METHODS Patients dying after failed attempts at resuscitation in the accident department or after intracerebral hemorrhage/anoxia were considered as potential NHBDs. After death, in situ kidney perfusion and cooling were achieved using an intra-aortic catheter inserted via a femoral artery cut down. Kidney retrieval and transplant operations were performed using standard techniques. RESULTS The median (range) warm ischemic time for NHBD kidneys was 25 minutes (5 to 53 min). The initial function rates for NHBD, HBD, and LD transplants were 6.5, 76.3, and 93%, respectively. Primary nonfunction occurred in 5 of 75 evaluable NHBD transplants (7%) compared with only 6 out of 224 (2.7%) HBD and 1 out of 49 (2%) LD transplants (P = NS). Eighty-four percent of NHBD kidney recipients required postoperative dialysis for a median of 19 days. The mean (SD) serum creatinine at 12 months was 179 (73) micromol/L in NHBD kidneys compared with 152 (57) micromol/L for HBD kidneys and 138 (44) micromol/L for LD kidneys. The actuarial five-year graft survival rates for NHBD, HBD, and LD transplants were 79, 75, and 78%, respectively. During the period under study, NHBD organs accounted for 22% of the total renal transplant program. CONCLUSIONS Despite being associated with poor initial graft function, the long-term allograft survival of NHBD kidneys does not differ significantly from the results of HBD and LD transplants.
Cloud service discovery and analysis: a unified framework

Over the past few years, cloud computing has been more and more attractive as a new computing paradigm due to high flexibility for provisioning on-demand computing resources that are used as services through the Internet. The issues around cloud service discovery have considered by many researchers in the recent years. However, in cloud computing, with the highly dynamic, distributed, the lack of standardized description languages, diverse services offered at different levels and non-transparent nature of cloud services, this research area has gained a significant attention. Robust cloud service discovery approaches will assist the promotion and growth of cloud service customers and providers, but will also provide a meaningful contribution to the acceptance and development of cloud computing. In this dissertation, we have proposed an automated cloud service discovery approach of cloud services. We have also conducted extensive experiments to validate our proposed approach. The results demonstrate the applicability of our approach and its capability of effectively identifying and categorizing cloud services on the Internet. Firstly, we develop a novel approach to build cloud service ontology. Cloud service ontology initially is built based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) cloud computing standard. Then, we add new concepts to ontology by automatically analyzing real cloud services based on cloud service ontology Algorithm. We also propose cloud service categorization that use Term Frequency to weigh cloud service ontology concepts and calculate cosine similarity to measure the similarity between cloud services. The cloud service categorization algorithm is able to categorize cloud services to
From Autocracy to Empowerment: Teams with Shared Leadership Perceive their Coaches to be Better Leaders

Sports coaches often fear that empowering the players in their team would undermine their own leadership status. To investigate the legitimacy of this perception, we mapped the leadership structure within 64 sports teams (N = 840). The results highlight that the perceived leadership quality of the coaches is positively related to the density of their team's leadership networks (i.e., the average leadership qualities of all players). This finding held for task, motivational, social, and external leadership. The best coaches are thus the ones who adopt a shared leadership approach and who strengthen the leadership quality of their players. Lay Summary Sports coaches often feel that empowering the players in their teams undermines their own leadership status. This study investigates the legitimacy of this perception within 64 sports teams. Our findings provide evidence for the opposite view; by creating and developing leaders in their teams, coaches are perceived as better leaders themselves.