Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mycooestrogen-Zearalenone Affects Insulin/Glucagon Ratio and Glycogen Content in Ovariectomized Female Rats

Zearalenone, the most common mycooestrogen, is a secondary mould metabolite of many species of fungi, mainly Fusarium genus, proliferating in poorly stored grain, oil seeds and hay (Price and Fenwick 1985). Kiang, Kennedy, Pathre and Mirosha (1978) found that mammalian oestrogen receptors bind zearalenone and this is probably the mechanism of its antireproductive action (Mirosha, Harrison, Nicols and McClintock 1968; Bauer, Heintritzi, Gareis and Gedek 1987; Branton, Deaton, Hagler Jr., Maslin and Hardin 1989). On the other hand, zearalenone has been shown to increase weight gain when implanted subcutaneously in sheep (Hidy, Baldwin, Greasham, Keith and McMullen 1977). The studies on steers and heifers confirmed its anabolic action (Willemart and Bouffault 1983). Insulin is the most important anabolic hormone regulating carbohydrate, lipid and amino acid metabolism. It is well known that insulin influences carbohydrate not only through its concentration, but rather through insulin/glucagon ratio (Mandour, Kissebah and Wynn 1977). The present study was designed to determine if zearalenone affects tissue glycogen content and if its anabolic action is mediated by pancreatic hormones. Table 1 Effect of zearalenone on uterus weight, pancreatic hormones and carbohydrates of ovariectomized female rats (mean±SEM).
Efficient Hardware Implementation of KMAP+: An Ultralightweight Mutual Authentication Protocol

Internet of Things (IoTs) are becoming one of the integral parts of our lives, as all of the modern devices including pervasive systems use internet for its connectivity with the rest of the world. The Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) provides unique identification and nonline of sight capabilities, therefore plays a very important role in development of IoTs. However, the RFID systems incorporate wireless channel for communication, therefore have some allied risks to the system from threat agents. In order to prevent the system from malicious activities in a cost effective way, numerous Ultralightweight Mutual Authentication Protocols (UMAPs) have been proposed since last decade. These UMAPs mainly involve simple bitwise logical operators such as XOR, AND, OR, etc., in their designs and can be implemented with extremely low cost RFID tags. However, most of the UMAP designers didn’t provide the proper hardware approximations of their UMAPs and presented only theoretical results which mostly mislead t.
The Construct Validity of the German Academic Self-regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-A) within Primary and Secondary School Children

The assessment of students' motivation can be a powerful tool in enhancing and understanding students' learning. One valid and often applied self-report measure is the Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-A) which is grounded in the self-determination theory. However, to date, there is still no German equivalent to the English version of this questionnaire. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to adapt and validate the SRQ-A on a representative German student sample, consisting of 672 children (327 girls), ages 8–14 from one primary and two secondary German schools. First, the translation-back-translation method was used to ensure the linguistic equivalence of the German questionnaire. Second, item analysis of the generated scores of the German SRQ-A were conducted. Third, the multidimensional factorial structure of the original measure was tested with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using maximum likelihood estimation. Last, additional construct validity of the German SRQ-A was tested using correlational analyses with convergent and divergent measures. After conducting CFA, four items were excluded from the original questionnaire, due to loadings lower than 0.40, resulting in 28 items. The German SRQ-A showed good internal consistency for all subscales, with Chronbach's α ranging between 0.75 and 0.88. The simplex-structure of the original measurement could also be confirmed, however, the four-factorial model could not be replicated. The measurement showed good convergent and discriminant validity with other related questionnaires. In summary, the German SRQ-A is a reliable and valid self-report instrument for the assessment of self-determined motivational styles within the school context.
Inhibitors of Pantothenate Kinase: Novel Antibiotics for Staphylococcal Infections

ABSTRACT Pantothenate kinase (CoaA) catalyzes the first step of the coenzyme A biosynthetic pathway. Here we report the identification of the Staphylococcus aureus coaA gene and characterization of the enzyme. We have also identified a series of low-molecular-weight compounds which are effective inhibitors of S. aureus CoaA.
Human Resource in Recession

This paper suggested the New dimensions of HR Role in global recession in the organization through surveys and case studies. Last year the Global economy was grappled with the most severe Financial Shock. Indicative the magnitude of the shock, Equity market volatility is at or unprecedented, corporate Bonds yield are extremely high related to U.S. treasury yield, stocks and equity Prices have plummeted. With the Global Financial System deleveraging and the U.S. Economy in the midst of a severe Recession. The biggest challenge for companies and especially Human Resource in this economy downturn is to survive and to remain competitive, companies reorganized and reengineered to reduce waste. Recession poses the unique challenges to the HR department. Investments in human capital are not likely to be a high priority for companies whose very survival is threatened by the global downturn. Organizations have been buffeted about like leaves in a storm by many trends; recently the recession is one of the major results of it. Each Recession, as it unfolds, create the need for HR Practitioners to take a fresh look on there traditional model. Traditional Model of human resource management focuses on administrative functions: application processing, benefits, compensation benchmarking, dispute resolution, employee grievances, performance review, and rules compliance. It is the time to step back, understand the actual needs of the employees and the employers, strike a balance, redesign and innovate the New Roles of HR policies as per the need of company objective and market Environment.
Rapid Generation of Digital Elevation Models from Topographic Maps

Abstract In this article we demonstrate that substantial gains in time can be made when using point sampling rather than contour line digitising for generation of Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). A simple sampling scheme, based on regularly distributed points, was used supplemented with points near break-lines in the terrain. An evaluation of surfaces created with three different interpolation methods at three different resolutions shows that the statistical distribution was better when using points as opposed to contours, and that the accuracy was comparable despite the much smaller amount of input data.
CLPP: Context-aware location privacy protection for location-based social network

Location-based social network (LBSN) has grown exponentially over the past several years. Given its high utility value, LBSN, however, has raised serious concerns about users' location privacy. Although users may avoid releasing geo-content in sensitive locations, this, however, does not necessarily prevent the adversary from inferring users' privacy through spatial-temporal correlations and historical information. In this paper, we introduce a new location privacy problem: context-aware location privacy protection (CLPP) problem where the privacy requirements of users are not constant and isolated. We propose a novel metric to quantify the privacy risks. Then the CLPP is formalized as how to accurately and efficiently evaluate whether the users' published geo-content meet the user's privacy requirement. To achieve online evaluating, we design two novel algorithms to calculate the correlation between the locations. Eventually, our experimental results demonstrate the validity and practicality of the proposed strategy.
Balancing Longevity Risk and Market Risk In Target Date Funds

There are two basic types of risk that investors try to balance when saving for retirement: longevity risk and market risk. Using an asset-liability framework, we demonstrate how creating a defined contribution plan that encourages participants to contribute early, contribute increasing amounts, and invest in a target date fund with a conservative glide path helps achieve a balance of these two types of risk.
Supply Network Strategies

Preface. Part I: PURCHASING CHALLENGES. The role of Purchasing in the Company. Purchasing Dynamics and Challenges. Purchasing and the New Economy. Part II: NETWORK ANALYSIS. Purchasing and the Activity Structure. Purchasing and the Resource Structure. Purchasing and the Actor structure. Part III: SUPPLY STRATEGIES. Determining the Boundaries of the Firm. Developing Relationships with Suppliers. Designing Supply Networks. Network Strategies and Networking. References. Index.
Role of Microorganisms in the Consumption and Production of Atmospheric Carbon Monoxide by Soil

Consumption and production of atmospheric CO was measured under field conditions in three different types of soil. CO was consumed by an apparent first-order reaction and produced by an apparent zero-order reaction, resulting in a dynamic equilibrium with the consumption of atmospheric CO as the net reaction. CO consumption was higher in summer than in winter. Laboratory experiments on five different soil types showed that CO consumption was strongly inhibited by the presence of streptomycin or cycloheximide (Actidione), or both. Thus, eucaryotic as well as procaryotic microorganisms were apparently responsible for the observed CO consumption. The aerobic carboxydobacterium Pseudomonas carboxydovorans added to sterile soil was able to utilize the low amounts (ca. 0.7 ppmv) of CO present in laboratory air. CO was consumed by soil under aerobic as well as anaerobic conditions. Anaerobic preincubation of the soil stimulated the anaerobic CO consumption and reduced the aerobic CO consumption. In contrast to CO consumption, CO production was stimulated by autoclaving, by ultraviolet-irradiation, by fumigation with NH3 or CHCl3, by treatment with streptomycin or cycloheximide or both, by addition of NaCN, NaN3, or Na2HAsO4 (or all three) in the presence of glucose under an atmosphere of pure oxygen, or by a drying and rewetting procedure. The consumption of atmospheric CO by soil is a microbial process, but the production of CO is apparently not a metabolic process.
Reconstructing paternal genotypes to infer patterns of sperm storage and sexual selection in the hawksbill turtle

Postcopulatory sperm storage can serve a range of functions, including ensuring fertility, allowing delayed fertilization and facilitating sexual selection. Sperm storage is likely to be particularly important in wide‐ranging animals with low population densities, but its prevalence and importance in such taxa, and its role in promoting sexual selection, are poorly known. Here, we use a powerful microsatellite array and paternal genotype reconstruction to assess the prevalence of sperm storage and test sexual selection hypotheses of genetic biases to paternity in one such species, the critically endangered hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata. In the majority of females (90.7%, N = 43), all offspring were sired by a single male. In the few cases of multiple paternity (9.3%), two males fertilized each female. Importantly, the identity and proportional fertilization success of males were consistent across all sequential nests laid by individual females over the breeding season (up to five nests over 75 days). No males were identified as having fertilized more than one female, suggesting that a large number of males are available to females. No evidence for biases to paternity based on heterozygosity or relatedness was found. These results indicate that female hawksbill turtles are predominantly monogamous within a season, store sperm for the duration of the nesting season and do not re‐mate between nests. Furthermore, females do not appear to be using sperm storage to facilitate sexual selection. Consequently, the primary value of storing sperm in marine turtles may be to uncouple mating and fertilization in time and avoid costly re‐mating.
Finite element analysis applied to 3-T MR imaging of proximal femur microarchitecture: lower bone strength in patients with fragility fractures compared with control subjects.

PURPOSE To determine the feasibility of using finite element analysis applied to 3-T magnetic resonance (MR) images of proximal femur microarchitecture for detection of lower bone strength in subjects with fragility fractures compared with control subjects without fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS This prospective study was institutional review board approved and HIPAA compliant. Written informed consent was obtained. Postmenopausal women with (n = 22) and without (n = 22) fragility fractures were matched for age and body mass index. All subjects underwent standard dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Images of proximal femur microarchitecture were obtained by using a high-spatial-resolution three-dimensional fast low-angle shot sequence at 3 T. Finite element analysis was applied to compute elastic modulus as a measure of strength in the femoral head and neck, Ward triangle, greater trochanter, and intertrochanteric region. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare bone mineral density T scores and elastic moduli between the groups. The relationship (R(2)) between elastic moduli and bone mineral density T scores was assessed. RESULTS Patients with fractures showed lower elastic modulus than did control subjects in all proximal femur regions (femoral head, 8.51-8.73 GPa vs 9.32-9.67 GPa; P = .04; femoral neck, 3.11-3.72 GPa vs 4.39-4.82 GPa; P = .04; Ward triangle, 1.85-2.21 GPa vs 3.98-4.13 GPa; P = .04; intertrochanteric region, 1.62-2.18 GPa vs 3.86-4.47 GPa; P = .006-.007; greater trochanter, 0.65-1.21 GPa vs 1.96-2.62 GPa; P = .01-.02), but no differences in bone mineral density T scores. There were weak relationships between elastic moduli and bone mineral density T scores in patients with fractures (R(2) = 0.25-0.31, P = . 02-. 04), but not in control subjects. CONCLUSION Finite element analysis applied to high-spatial-resolution 3-T MR images of proximal femur microarchitecture can allow detection of lower elastic modulus, a marker of bone strength, in subjects with fragility fractures compared with control subjects. MR assessment of proximal femur strength may provide information about bone quality that is not provided by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.
BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE (BYOD): SECURITY RISKS AND MITIGATING STRATEGIES

The growth of mobile technology, with regard to availability of 3G/4G services and devices like Smartphone’s has created new phenomenon for communication and data processing ability to do business. One such phenomenon that has emerged in the business environment is BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), which means that employees use their personal device to access company resources for work, inside or outside organizational environment. This new phenomenon brings with itself new opportunities but has many risks associated with it. Using mobile devices for personal as well as professional work brings with itself risks that need to be mitigated. The aim of this work is to provide various mobility strategies, defences and measures, control aspect, management and governance aspect to look forth in implementing a BYOD strategy in an organization.
Chronic continuous PTH infusion results in hypertension in normal subjects.

The factors responsible for the frequent occurrence of hypertension in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism have not been elucidated. Suggested mediators have included hypercalcemia, renal insufficiency, and increased plasma renin activity. However, experimental results have not been reported in any species that test the hypothesis that sustained hypertension in this clinical syndrome is due to consequences of parathyroid hormone (PTH) excess versus unrelated factors (e.g., primary hypersecretion of other hormones, NaCl sensitivity, genetic factors). Moreover, no systematic evaluation of the renin or adrenal cortical responses to chronic PTH excess has been reported in any species. Accordingly, the present studies assessed the effects of chronic (12 days) continuous intravenous b-(1-34) PTH infusion in normal human subjects (n = 4). PTH infusion resulted in persistent hypercalcemia and hypertension, reversible during a 4-8-day recovery period. Transient but significant increases in urinary tetrahydroaldosterone excretion and plasma cortisol concentration were observed as hypercalcemia and hypertension developed. No significant changes in plasma potassium concentration or plasma renin activity were observed, suggesting that hypercalcemia-induced transient hypersecretion of ACTH was responsible for both cortisol and aldosterone responses. The present results suggest that hypertension associated with clinical primary hyperparathyroidism results from either direct or indirect effects of PTH excess, per se, and requires neither the long-term consequences/complications of the clinical disorder (e.g., severe nephrocalcinosis, renal insufficiency) nor primary hypersecretion of additional hormones. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that hypercalcemia alone or in combination with at least permissive levels of PTH can generate short-term, but persistent (12 days) hypertension in human subjects and thus may be the initiating mechanism for hypertension in clinical primary hyperparathyroidism.
Fragile X premutation in women with sporadic premature ovarian failure in Slovenia.

BACKGROUND Fragile X premutation carriers are at increased risk of premature ovarian failure (POF), which is usually defined as menopause before the age of 40 years. METHODS We evaluated 83 women with sporadic premature ovarian failure, treated at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Centre, Ljubljana, between 1991 and 2001. There was no family history of mental retardation in any of the patients. They were phenotypically normal and had normal female karyotype (46,XX), without a past history of pelvic surgery, chemotherapy or autoimmune diseases. RESULTS The premutation in the FRAXA locus was found in four of the women screened (4.8%; 95% confidence interval 1.9-11.7). This prevalence (1 in 21) was statistically significantly higher than expected in the female Caucasian population. CONCLUSION In this study we have confirmed an important association between FRAXA premutation and the pathogenesis of POF. This result has practical implications for genetic counselling and fertility treatment.
Beneficial effect of soy isoflavones on bone mineral content was modified by years since menopause, body weight, and calcium intake: a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial

Objective:Many studies have shown that soy isoflavones have an effect in preventing estrogen-related bone loss, but no data reported whether such an effect could be influenced by other important factors affecting bone loss. This study examines whether the associations between isoflavone supplementation and rates of change in bone mineral content (BMC) could be modified by years since menopause (YSM), body weight (BW), and dietary calcium intake in postmenopausal Chinese women aged 48 to 62 years. Design:A group of 203 eligible women were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: placebo (daily dose of 0 mg isoflavones + 500 mg calcium, n = 67), mid-dose (40 mg isoflavones + 500 mg calcium, n = 68); and high-dose (80 mg isoflavones + 500 mg calcium, n = 68). Bone mineral density (BMD) and BMC at the whole body, spine, and hip were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at baseline and posttreatment after 1 year. YSM, BW, and dietary calcium intake stratified analyses were performed to evaluate whether the associations between isoflavones supplementation and BMC change rates were varied with these factors. Results:Both univariate and multivariate analyses observed significant favorable effect of isoflavone supplementation on rates of change in BMC at the total hip and trochanter among later postmenopausal women (> 4 y), in women with lower BW (≤median, 55.5 kg), or among women with lower level of calcium intake (≤median, 1095 mg/d). Conclusions:The independent effect of soy on the maintenance of hip BMC is more marked in women in later menopause or those with lower BW or calcium intake.
Social Security Provisions and Entrepreneurial Risk Taking

We investigate the eects of social security provisions on entrepreneurial activities, measured by the amount of wealth that entrepreneurs are willing to invest in their businesses. (i) If the pension scheme only has lump-sum components and there is no specific old-age uncer- tainty, entrepreneurial activities will increase if and only if the pension scheme is actuarially fair. (ii) If the pension scheme only has lump-sum components but if specific old-age uncertainty pre- vails, entrepreneurial activities might increase even if the pension scheme is less than actuarially fair. (iii) Bismarckian pension schemes marginally distort the incentives to invest. (iv) If the entrepreneur partially finances old-age consumption by selling his business, the pension scheme may boost investment even if it is actuarially less than fair.
Characterization of Anastral, Bipolar Spindle Development and Atypical Cytokinesis in Ammonia-Activated Sea Urchin Eggs

Fucus zygotes can be polarized by many environmental vectors. These include those created by pieces of all the intertidal marine plants tested. At distances of up to 5-10 mm away from such pieces, Fucus zygotes form their intitial outgrowths or germinate towards them. Earlier papers had inferred that this so-called 'thallus effect' is mediated by diffusing molecules. The present reinvestigation indicates that the thallus effect is exerted by influences that can go right through glass barriers. This indicates action via luminescence. This luminescence may come from bacteria growing in biofilms on the similar surfaces of these otherwise unrelated source plants. Moreover, this directive luminescence is inferred to lie at wavelengths in the red or longer and may take the form of more or less coherent biophotons.
Do bilateral investment treaties attract foreign direct investment? Only a bit - and they could bite

Touted as an important commitment device that attracts foreign investors, the number of bilateral investment treaties (BITs) ratified by developing countries has grown dramatically. The author tests empirically whether BITs have actually had an important role in increasing the foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to signatory countries. While half of OECD FDI into developing countries by 2000 was covered by a BIT, this increase is accounted for by additional country pairs entering into agreements rather than signatory hosts gaining significant additional FDI. The results also indicate that such treaties act more as complements than as substitutes for good institutional quality and local property rights, the rationale often cited by developing countries for ratifying BITs. The relevance of these findings is heightened not only by the proliferation of such treaties, but by recent high profile legal cases. These cases show that the rights given to foreign investors may not only exceed those enjoyed by domestic investors, but expose policymakers to potentially large-scale liabilities and curtail the feasibility of different reform options. Formalizing relationships and protecting against dynamic inconsistency problems are still important, but the results should caution policymakers to look closely at the terms of agreements.