Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lactoferrin: Antimicrobial and Diagnostic Properties

Lactoferrin is the major antimicrobial agent present in human milk, where it has a significant role in the protective effects ascribed to breast-feeding. The mechanisms of the antimicrobial effects of lactoferrin are critically discussed in relation to important bacterial and viral pathogens and the most promising areas for basic and applied research are specifically highlighted. Applications of lactoferrin in the study of the mechanisms of iron uptake by microbial pathogens, as well as in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal inflammation of infectious and autoimmune origin, are addressed. The progress in the use of lactoferrin as an immunomodulating agent are briefly discussed and the observed side effects of lactoferrin administration are singled out for consideration in clinical studies. As with the rest of the components of the innate immune system, the final outcome of the biological activity of lactoferrin is the result of combined effects with other innate and adaptive immune factors. In this regard, the availability of recombinant lactoferrin will allow clinical trials addressing the innocuity and efficacy of single or combined formulations of lactoferrin with other biologically active molecules. Diseases such as AIDS, chronic Hepatitis C, bacterial sepsis, arthritis, and bacterial infections in diabetic subjects, which lack effective treatment and have the potential to be modulated by lactoferrin, may be considered as targets for such trials. Lactoferrin research has reached a stage where a rigurous clinical evaluation of the multiple effects observed in vitro would provide a definitive answer to its actual antimicrobial and diagnostic value.
ANTIOXIDANT AND HYPOGLYCEMIC EFFECTS OF WATERCRESS (NASTURTIUM OFFICINALE) EXTRACTS IN DIABETIC RATS

Background: Watercress is a semi-aquatic plant used in traditional medicine to treat various ailments, such as flu, cough, avitaminosis, and anorexia; it is also used as a diuretic and for hypoglycemia treatment in diabetes. In this study, we report the antioxidant and hypoglycemic activity of orally administered aqueous (WAQE), acetonic (WAE), and alcoholic (WOHE) watercress extracts. The effect of subchronic administration of watercress extracts on oxidative stress was also studied. Materials and Methods: WAQE, WAE, and WOHE were obtained and administered orally. Alloxan (200 mg/kg) and streptozotocin (60 mg/kg) were applied to induce hyperglycemia in male Wistar rats. Phenolic and flavonoid content, as well as antioxidant activity of the extracts were measured. The acute and subchronic effects (8 weeks) of WAQE were evaluated. The activity of antioxidant enzymes levels of malondialdehyde, hepatic enzyme markers in the serum, and renal function markers, were assessed. Histopathological evaluation of the pancreas, kidney, and liver was performed using hematoxylin-eosin staining. Results: Watercress extracts have high concentrations of phenols, polyphenols, and flavonoids, in addition to a very high antioxidant effect. The hypoglycemic effect of WAQE upon acute administration was 76.6% higher than that of insulin. When administered chronically, glucose levels were normalized on the third week up to the eighth week. Furthermore, the antioxidant enzymes and biochemical parameters improved. Conclusion: WAQE administration to diabetic rats reduced oxidative stress damage and decreased glucose levels. This study supports the use of this plant for the treatment of diabetes.
Second-Order Structure Preserving Model Reduction

There are two main categories of model reduction, namely SVD-based techniques and Krylov based techniques. The first category is used for systems of moderate order, but provides global error bounds. The second category can be applied to systems of very large order (say several thousands) but without global error bound available. Here we consider second-order linear time-invariant systems, meaning systems of the type { Mq̈(t) + Dq̇(t) + Kq(t) = Bu(t) y(t) = Cq(t) , (1)
The Composition Analysis of Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) from Xinjiang and Its Antifatigue Activity

Environment would affect the nutritional composition of maca, especially its secondary metabolite. The chemical compositions and function of Xinjiang maca were not very clear. The chemical compositions and bioactivity of Xinjiang maca were determined. A mouse model was also used to evaluate the antifatigue activity of Xinjiang maca as a forced swimming test was performed and certain biochemical parameters related were estimated. The results show that the Xinjiang maca is rich in protein content and amino acids, especially branched chain amino acids such as Valine and Isoleucine related to the effect of antifatigue. It also has considerable minerals ions such as Ca and Mg. Besides, bioactive ingredients such as maca amide, glucosinolate, and alkaloid of Xinjiang maca are similar to those of maca from other areas, which qualify the biological value of Xinjiang maca. The results of mice model suggest that maca has a dose-dependent antifatigue activity by decreasing blood lactic acid, as well as increasing liver glycogen content and the forced swimming time.
ARCHITECTURE OF COOPERATION FOR MULTI-ROBOT SYSTEMS

Abstract This paper presents a new architecture for coordinating multiple autonomous robots in the execution of cooperative tasks. The architecture is based on the definition of a strategy that uses different tactics, setplays and roles. Roles enable to configure individual behaviour by performing specific tasks using a given set of actions. The proposed architecture allows flexible and efficient multi-robot operation in dynamic environments. The paper also presents an application of the proposed architecture to a complex domain such as middle-size robotic soccer. Our architecture is also generally enough to be applied in different robotic soccer leagues and similar multi-robot problems.
Myocardial viability in modern qualification for revascularization in patients with ischemic heart failure

Non-randomized studies indicated significant correlation between revascularization and improvement of survival in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and preserved myocardial viability. Almost 80% reduction of 1-year all-cause mortality was observed. This benefit was inversely correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction. However, thorough analysis of the STICH trial — with all its limitations — indicate no association between preserved myocardial viability and predicted benefit of surgical revascularization. These conflicting data signalize that the assessment of myocardial vitality cannot be the only determinant in choice of the best therapeutic option in patients with ischemic heart failure. Hence, a well-controlled IMAGE-HF trail was planned. The authors hypothesized, that advanced cardiac imaging techniques, including anatomical ones such as CMR and PET/CT will be more accurate in the identification of patients who benefit from coronary revascularization as compared with SPECT imaging. Nevertheless, at present, there is lack of arguments for discontinuing myocardial viability assessment before qualification for revascularization in patients with ischemic heart failure. Taking into account all limitations of myocardial viability assessment, we are aware of very high mortality rate in this group of patients, which tells us to exhaust all opportunities that could improve their prognosis.
Hybrid burst/packet switching architectures from IP NOBEL

In spite of its long term promise, all-optical switching is still plagued by high cost, low efficiency when handling bursty data traffic, immature management and protection and poor output port contention resolution leading to heavy loss. Given the current situation, hybrid approaches that keep the best features of optics, reverting to the electrical plane when expedient, constitute sensible interim steps that can offer cost-effective solutions along the road to an eventual all-optical core. Two such approaches developed in the framework of the European IP project NOBEL are presented in this work. The first is a quite mature solution that extends present day concepts to achieve multiplexing gain while keeping all the management and restoration benefits of SDH. The other mimics early LANs in executing a distributed switching via its electrical control plane using two-way reservations, thus restricting its applicability to smaller domains. Combining the two leads to a system fulfilling most of today's requirements for Tb/s core networks.
Dynamic Service Product Family for Mass Service Customization

Service business today plays a significant role in the global economy. It aims to provide value for customers and ultimately related to customization in its nature. Although a variety of services are offered to customers, there still lack systematic ways to provide service customization efficiently. This paper aims to customize services efficiently to satisfy various customer needs. Particularly, we wish to achieve economies of scale, economies of scope with capability of manage the complexity of demands. In this paper, we develop a service product family structure for service customization by extending the idea of product family in product design. The hierarchically functional representation forms the basis of service product family. In the meantime, the service product family can also be extended to dynamic service product family to manage service changes over time via process mining technique. A case study of hotel service management is introduced to illustrate the proposed approach.
Veins Based Personal Identification Systems: A Review

Identification of people among each other has always been a tough and challenging task for the researchers. There are many techniques which are used for identify ing a person but biometric technique is the standard one which allows us for online identification of individuals on the basis of their physiological and behavioral features. The veins based systems include finger veins, face veins, palm veins, head veins, heart veins, iris, palatal veins of the rogue etc. The multi-veins based systems use the veins of different physiological traits for identifying a person. This paper illustrates an overview of veins based personal identificat ion systems. The perfo rmance of different single and multi-veins based identification systems are analyzed in this paper. The features like reliability, security, accuracy, robustness and long term stability along with the strengths and weaknesses of various veins based biometric approaches were taken into considerations while analyzing the results of existing research papers published so far. At last the future research directions in the field of veins based identification systems have also been outlined.
On ultralow frequency waves in the lobes of the Earth's magnetotail

Motivated by Thermal Catastrophe Model (TCM) of Goertz and Smith (1989), we turn attention to ultralow frequency (ULF) waves in the lobes, where waves are usually of relatively low amplitude. Remarkably little attention has been paid to characterizing the lobe spectra and the relation of lobe wave power to geophysical processes. In this paper we examine ULF waves (0.26 to 5 mHz or 3.2- to 64-min periods) in the Earth's magneto tail lobe region (−10 ≲ XGSM ≲ −23 RE) using data from the ISEE 2 flux gate magnetometer. The studies used all the tail data from the year 1978. Data from the ISEE 2 Fast Plasma Experiment (FPE) enabled us to exclude from the analysis all intervals not in the tail lobe region. The relation between the substorm activity, characterized by the AE index, and the wave power is also described. We find that the wave amplitudes at periods of ∼3 to 16 min (∼1 to 5 mHz) are below 0.8 nT for the transverse magnetic field components and below 0.6 nT for the compressional components ∼90% of the time. The amplitudes of lower frequency waves are somewhat larger. For waves with periods 16 to 64 min (∼0.26 to 1 mHz) the amplitudes are below 1 nT for both the compressional and transverse components ∼90% of the time. The wave amplitudes and the AE index, which characterizes substorm activity, are weakly correlated, the correlation coefficients being ∼0.55 and ∼0.35, for the compressional and transverse components respectively. The correlation coefficients between the transverse wave amplitudes and the AE index change little when AE is taken for 1 hour prior to or subsequent to the hour in which the wave amplitude is measured. For the compressional component the correlation coefficient remains unchanged when AE is measured for the subsequent or simultaneous hour but decreases when AE is taken for the previous hour. A primarily statistical study of frequency-weighted power of ULF waves at frequencies of 1 to 5 mHz is provided. The probability is 50% (5%) of observing frequency-weighted power for the frequency range 1 to 5 mHz in excess of 10−4 nT² Hz (10−3 nT² Hz). Three extended intervals in the lobe were selected for case studies. The largest wave amplitude we observed was about 5 nT which occurred when the AE index was higher than 1500 nT. The period corresponding to the largest wave amplitudes was ∼35 min (∼0.48 mHz). Power spectra from three different substorm intervals are provided as examples of wave activity in the lobes. The power spectral density of all components falls off as ƒ−2 or faster. Statistical study by itself does not provide an appropriate test of the requirement on wave power for the TCM. Additional case studies using ground magnetometers to relate wave power to substorm phases will be needed to test the assumptions of the TCM.
A field test of the extent of bias in selection estimates after accounting for emigration

Question: To what extent does trait-dependent emigration bias selection estimates in a natural system? Organisms: Two freshwater cohorts of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) juveniles. Field site: A 1 km stretch of a small stream (West Brook) in western Massachusetts, USA from which emigration could be detected continuously. Methods: Estimated viability selection differentials for body size either including or ignoring emigration (include = emigrants survived interval, ignore = emigrants did not survive interval) for 12 intervals. Results: Seasonally variable size-related emigration from our study site generated variable levels of bias in selection estimates for body size. The magnitude of this bias was closely related with the extent of size-dependent emigration during each interval. Including or ignoring the effects of emigration changed the significance of selection estimates in 5 of the 12 intervals, and changed the estimated direction of selection in 4 of the 12 intervals. These results indicate the extent to which inferences about selection in a natural system can be biased by failing to account for trait-dependent emigration.
MARKET POLICY AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY : THE CASE OF THE CONSULTATION BOARD FOR THE ELECTION OF THE GOAL OF REDUCING THE CONTAMINATING LOAD DISCHARGE INTO THE MEDELLÍN RIVER DURING THE PERIOD 2006-2011 *

This article describes the agents participating in the process of implementing the remuneration rate due to the use of water, through negotiating the global goal of reducing the contaminating load, in the Metropolitan Area of Valle de Aburrá (2006-2011). The exploratory analysis based on the inductive method permitted analyzing a case study of implementing an instrument of contamination control in the given region. The study concludes that characteristics of each of the agents are decisive to participate in the political market of electing the global goal of reducing the contaminating load.
The Preprocessing Method of Control Points in Geometric Correction for UAV Remote Sensing Image

This paper focuses on the preprocessing method of control points in geometric correction for UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) remote sensing image. Control points preprocessing refers to find out the calibration points from the selected control points, so as to use the calibration points to fit the geometric correction function. Because in traditional K-means algorithm, clustering results have a strong dependence on initial clustering centers, so selecting initial clustering centers randomly will lead to the clustering results instability when preprocessing control points with traditional K-means algorithm, and it will influence the effect of the UAV remote sensing image geometric correction. Therefore, the paper imports the thought of Huffman tree to traditional K-means algorithm, aiming at optimizing the selection of initial clustering centers and improving the effect of UAV remote sensing image geometric correction ultimately.
Unified Gas Chromatographic Method for Determination of Methanol in Natural Gas and Related Products

Method for determination of methanol traces in natural gas and the corresponding semi-products is developed. Method is based on pre-concentration of methanol from natural gas samples by passing it through two glasses containing water solution of sodium sulphate. Then the content of methanol was determined in the solutions obtained by analysis of their equilibrium gas phase at 60 oC. For this purpose, gas chromatography with a packed column filled with a modified polymer adsorbent was applied. When probe containers with a volume of 300 ml are applied, the method developed allows to determine methanol in natural gas in the range 0.010-5 mg l1 (1.3x10-6 – 6.5x10-4 vol%). This high sensitivity of the method is reached due to the pre-concentration of the analyte. Partial separation of methanol from the matrix components allows to decrease partial superposition of chromatographic peaks of methanol and iso-butane that improves correctness of the analysis and decreases the detection limit. With the corresponding changes in the sample preparation procedures, the method developed may be used for analysis of various technological semi-products (such as non-stable and stable condensate), as well as wastes
Mitochondrial DNA variation in spiny lobster Palinurus delagoae suggests genetically structured populations in the southwestern Indian Ocean

The spiny lobster Palinurus delagoae inhabits the deep shelf waters and oceanic ridges of the southwestern Indian Ocean, where it supports commercial fisheries. To investigate population structure and the physical processes that may have influenced female gene flow in this species, a por- tion of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region (547 base pairs) was sequenced for 285 lob- sters from the southeastern coast of Africa (6 sites) and 49 lobsters from Walters Shoals, a submerged seamount on the Madagascar Ridge. Lobsters from these 2 areas shared no haplotypes and differed by at least 27 mutational steps. An analysis of molecular variance showed significant genetic parti- tioning, and pairwise comparisons suggested that lobsters from Walters Shoals are distinct from those of other sampling areas. There was shallow genetic partitioning between 4 southern sites (South Africa) and 2 northern sites (Mozambique), suggesting 2 Management Units along the African coast. A mismatch distribution and Fu's F-test indicated fairly recent demographic changes within popula- tions, consistent with that found in the sister species P. gilchristi. Female gene flow along the African coast may be propagated by larval dispersal in the Mozambique and Agulhas Currents and counter- current migrations by benthic juveniles along the shelf, but the mtDNA data strongly suggest that lar- vae at Walters Shoals have been, or are currently still retained by other oceanographic processes. The magnitude of mtDNA divergence among lobsters from the southeastern coast of Africa and those at Walters Shoals, together with the absence of any shared haplotypes between these regions strongly suggest that these 2 taxa might in fact represent distinct species.
Awareness, utilization and diversity of medicinal plants at Palanan, Isabela, Philippines

A survey on the awareness, utilization and diversity of medicinal plants was conducted at Palanan, Isabela through floating of questionnaires to 10 households respondents per Barangay or 90 households respondent in the municipality. Results showed that all of the respondents are aware of the medicinal plants which they have learned from their ancestors. A total of 52 plant species were documented and used at the study area. The respondents uses herbals not only for curing some diseases or substitute for synthetic drugs but also, for first aid, tonic drinks, as well as for crop protection from pests. Leaves are more preferred by the respondents for ailment remedies and being prepared by boiling or decoction. Herbals are acquired frequently by them in their backyards. Majority of the respondents using the medicinal plants claimed that it is effective in the purposes they may serve.
Artificial Neural Network And Its Islamic Relevance

This paper begins with an introduction to neural networks and presents some mathematical models and their applications on complex systems, especially in learning processes. The paper introduces simple mathematical models which relate aspects of artificial neural network ANN to human information processing. The role of these models on learning process and their relevance to the Islamic worldview are investigated. The complex workings and wonders of the human brain have become mysterious since time immemorial. Human brain is a thinking organ that learns and grows by interacting with the world through perception and action; and it is able to continually adapt and rewire itself. Only recently scientists have been able to learn how the neural network of the brain forms. (ANN) is a mathematical model or computational model that inspired by the structure and functional aspects of biological neural networks. As a final verdict, the complex structure of ANN which resembles the ordinary human brain mechanism may help for better understanding of the creative Power and lead to the enhancement of our faith in God as the Mighty Creator. The method used was analytical outlook to comprehend ANN in an Islamic approach. Keywords: Complex systems, artificial neural network, brain mechanism, Islamic world view
Exact Electronic Potentials in Coupled Electron-Ion Dynamics

We develop a novel approach to the coupled motion of electrons and ions that focuses on the dynamics of the electronic subsystem. Usually the description of electron dynamics involves an electronic Schr\"odinger equation where the nuclear degrees of freedom appear as parameters or as classical trajectories. Here we derive the exact Schr\"odinger equation for the subsystem of electrons, staying within a full quantum treatment of the nuclei. This exact Schr\"odinger equation features a time-dependent potential energy surface for electrons (e-TDPES). We demonstrate that this exact e-TDPES differs significantly from the electrostatic potential produced by classical or quantum nuclei.
Moral Absolutism and the Problem of Hard Cases

In The Theory of Morality Alan Donagan discusses two problems recently raised for anti-consequentialist moral theories. He calls these "cases of necessity" anti "the problem of dirty hands. " What is common to each is that anti-consequentialist theories seem to posit requirements the fulfillment of which sometimes results in disastrous consequences. Donagan argues that the anti-consequentialist theory which underlies the Hebrew-Christian moral tradition can avoid these problems. It is argued that Donagan's defense is inadequate. At the end of the paper what the anti-consequentialist must do to deal with these problems is discussed.