Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
[Phenol constituents of Pachysandra terminalis and their antioxidant activity].

OBJECTIVE To study the phenol constituents from Pachysandra terminalis and their antioxidant activities. METHOD Constituent isolation and purification was carried by repeated column chromatography (silica gel, Toyopearl HW-40 and preparative HPLC), and their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral data analysis. DPPH method was used to evaluate the free radical scavenging activity of the isolated compounds. RESULT Nine phenol compounds (1-9) were isolated and their structures were identified as follow: p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (1), vanillin (2), 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) -ethanone (3), syringaldehyde (4), salicylic acid (5), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (6), ferulic acid (7), 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzoic acid (8), 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (9). The isolated compounds showed obviously antioxidant activity. At the concentration of 50 micromol x L(-1), compounds 7-9 revealed DPPH free radical scavenging rates were 87.8%, 97.8% and 92%, respectively. CONCLUSION Compounds 1-9 were isolated from this genus for the first time. They showed the significant antioxidant activity.
[Effect of C5a on expression of thrombomodulin in endothelial cells in vitro].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of C5a on the expression of thrombomodulin (TM) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). METHODS HUVECs cultured in vitro were stimulated with C5a for 8, 12, 16, 20 hours in a concentration of 200 microg/L, and also with different concentrations of 100, 200, 300 microg/L for 12 hours respectively. The levels of both mRNA and protein expression of TM was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blotting respectively, and the dose and time dependent effects of C5a on the expression of TM were evaluated. RESULTS C5a down-regulated the TM expression at both protein and mRNA level. The down-regulation was time-dependent [(93.11+/- 1.57) x10(-2) , (71.05+/-3.39)x10(-2), (65.48+/-4.28)x10(-2), (62.69+/-4.03)x10(-2)at protein level and (301.71+/-80.40)x10(-6), (38.29+/-20.24)x10(-6), (8.82+/-2.66)x10(-6), (7.05+/-0.80)x10(-6) at mRNA level, all P<0.05] and dose-dependent [(113.25+/-3.97)x10(-2), (80.18+/-2.56)x10(-2), (73.22+/- 4.36)x10(-2) at protein level and (401.77+/-20.46)x10(-6), (31.12+/-3.51)x10(-6), (18.19+/-1.46)x10(-6) at mRNA level , all P<0.05]. When concentration of C5a at 300 microg/L was used to stimulate HUVECs for longer than 12 hours, the lowering of TM at protein level was slowed down obviously. And concentration of C5a at 200 microg/L was used to stimulate HUVECs for 12 hours, the lowering of TM at mRNA level was slowed down obviously. CONCLUSION C5a can depress the gene expression of TM, and then affect the protein's translation. By this means, C5a can lead to hypercoagulability and inflammatory injuries in sepsis.
Human NKCC2 cation–Cl– co‐transporter complements lack of Vhc1 transporter in yeast vacuolar membranes

Cation–chloride co‐transporters serve to transport Cl– and alkali metal cations. Whereas a large family of these exists in higher eukaryotes, yeasts only possess one cation–chloride co‐transporter, Vhc1, localized to the vacuolar membrane. In this study, the human cation–chloride co‐transporter NKCC2 complemented the phenotype of VHC1 deletion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its activity controlled the growth of salt‐sensitive yeast cells in the presence of high KCl, NaCl and LiCl. A S. cerevisiae mutant lacking plasma‐membrane alkali–metal cation exporters Nha1 and Ena1‐5 and the vacuolar cation–chloride co‐transporter Vhc1 is highly sensitive to increased concentrations of alkali–metal cations, and it proved to be a suitable model for characterizing the substrate specificity and transport activity of human wild‐type and mutated cation–chloride co‐transporters. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enhanced Spurious-Free Dynamic Range Using Mixed Polarization in Optical Single Sideband Mach–Zehnder Modulator

We analyze in theory, simulation, and experiment the spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) for a radio-over-fiber system using an optical single sideband (OSSB) Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) that is linearized using mixed polarization. The mixed polarization OSSB MZM makes use of a dual-electrode z-cut LiNbO3 MZM, where a linear polarizer is placed in front and in behind the optical modulator, respectively. It is found that intermodulation distortion can be suppressed significantly regardless of modulation index. Thus intermodulation induced power fading and crosstalk via fiber chromatic dispersion for a given RF carrier is reduced compared to using the conventional OSSB MZM. Improvements of ~ 13 dB in SDFR is predicted in theory, simulation, and demonstrated experimentally.
Motion correction of respiratory-gated SPECT image and clinical usefulness of the extracted motion information

A respiratory-gated SPECT allows image reconstruction at various phase of the respiration and therefore the blur in an image can be avoided. However, it requires long time to accumulate sufficient number of counts at each phase. If the acquisition time is not long enough, the detected count becomes inadequately small and hence the reconstructed image becomes noisy. We have been proposed a method for correcting the motion between different phase images obtained with the respiratory-gated SPECT. By summing motion-corrected phase images, a less noisy and less blurred SPECT image can be obtained. In this paper, the other advantage of motion correction information produced in the middle of motion correction and summation process is described in addition to the review of the proposed method. We found that there are clear differences in respiratory motion between normal lung and lung with disorder, especially, emphysema. Detail analysis of the motion of the lung may serve as an aid for diagnosis. In this paper, the clinical usefulness is discussed through investigation including quantitative evaluation of the respiratory motion, comparison with ventilation planar images and physician's observation on them.
Retention in care for HIV-infected patients in the eye of the Ebola storm: lessons from Monrovia, Liberia.

According to the World Health Organization 1 December report, Liberia is the country most affected by the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa, with an estimated number of 7635 cases, and 3145 deaths [1,2]. In addition, more than 50% of Ebola-related deaths in healthcare workers were reported from Liberia [3], although Guinea and Sierra Leone have been affected for longer. The reasons why Liberia paid the heaviest toll to this scourge are many [4], but the long and devastating civil war that lasted from the 1980s to the beginning of the 2000s probably played a significant part: although the healthcare system was carefully rebuilt after 2003, this 10year-old system proved to be fragile in terms of infection prevention and control (IPC), trust among users (patients and healthcare workers), and above all its capacity to address an emerging public health threat of this size [5].
Non-local interaction equations : Stationary states and stability analysis

This equation can be seen as a many particles limit of discret processes where particles (or individuals) can interact at a large distance, through an interaction potential W (see [27, 20]), and may be subjected to an external potential V . Such equations appear in various biological phenomenons like swarming (see [7, 15]), distribution of actin-filament networks (see [16, 19]), as well as in physical problems, for example in the field of granular media (see [2, 32, 14]). For some interaction potentials, this equation can lead to surprisingly complicated paterns, such as solutions converging to singular steady states, as shown in [4, 29, 17, 18], or more recently in [23, 8, 1]. Many of the above models couple the long-range interaction between particles with a diffusive term. Nevertheless, in this paper we shall not consider a diffusion term, and focus our study on the effect of a long-range interaction. Let us now describe typical interaction potentials W which appear in the models quoted above:
Antidepressants and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical regulation.

I. Introduction PAST studies of antidepressants have focused almost exclusively on their effects on the metabolism and receptors of monoamine neurotransmitters in various brain regions. These studies have been extended to the molecular effects of antidepressants and have led to a profoundly expanded understanding of their actions in the central nervous system. For example, long-term administration of antidepressants decreases the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase, down-regulates cAMP-dependent protein kinase, modulates the mRNA expression of central β-adrenoceptors and serotonin (5-HT) receptors, and alters the functional activity of specific G protein subunits and adenylyl cyclase (1). Taken together, these and many other recent observations clearly indicate that antidepressants interfere not only with the production and release of catecholamines and indolamines but also with the signal transduction of those neurotransmitters that have long been implicated in the pathogenesis and treatment of depression.
Presynaptic facilitatory adenosine A2A receptors mediate fade induced by neuromuscular relaxants that exhibit anticholinesterase activity

1. Pancuronium, cisatracurium and vecuronium are antinicotinic agents that, in contrast with d‐tubocurarine and hexamethonium, exhibit anticholinesterase activity. Pancuronium‐, cisatracurium‐ and vecuronium‐induced fade results from blockade of facilitatory nicotinic receptors on motor nerves, but fade produced by such agents also depends on the presynaptic activation of inhibitory muscarinic M2 receptors by acetylcholine released from motor nerve terminals and activation of inhibitory adenosine A1 receptors by adenosine released from motor nerves and muscles. The participation of presynaptic facilitatory A2A receptors in fade caused by pancuronium, cisatracurium and vecuronium has not yet been investigated. In the present study, we determined the effects of ZM 241385, an antagonist of presynaptic facilitatory A2A receptors, on fade produced by these neuromuscular relaxants in the rat phrenic nerve–diaphragm (PND) preparation.
Nonlinear magneto-optical rotation with amplitude modulated light

The technique of nonlinear magneto-optical rotation with amplitude modulated light is developed. The technique is an alternative to its counterpart with frequency modulated light and can be applied to sensitive measurements of magnetic fields ranging from microgauss to the Earth-field level. The rotation signals exhibit nontrivial features such as narrowed non-Lorentzian line shapes and multicomponent resonances.
Hopping Charge Transport in Honeycomb Carbon Network Structures

Honeycomb-type nitrocellulose network patterns based on a hexagonal elementary cell with a diameter of about 2 μm have been fabricated by means of a self-organized preparation process. Our method takes advantage of the spreading of a drop of the initial polymer solution on the surface of distilled water cooled down to a temperature of 3 to 5 °C and the subsequent influence of the water vapor (i.e., air with relative humidity in the range from 19 to 100 %) on the resulting polymer thin film. In the following, an advanced structuring model is proposed capable to explain the morphology and growth of the individual cells inside the network obtained in the experiment. The values of their electrical conductivity extending steadily from insulator to metal behavior distinctly change via heat treatment under vacuum conditions and at process temperatures ranging from 600 to 1000 °C. Upon variation of the ambient temperature T from 4.2 to 295 K, four different transport mechanisms can be unveiled. For the case of carbon nets, the conductivity of which is far beyond the metal-insulator transition, the specific resistivity p depends on T as p(T) T - b exp ([T 0 /T] 1 / p ). In the low-temperature regime, a Coulomb gap in the density of states located near the Fermi energy level occurs, that means, the characteristic value of the exponent is p = 2. At high temperatures, the pre-exponential part ρ(T) T - b dominates. In the intermediate temperature range, we disclose Mott's hopping law with p = 3. The electrical field dependence of the variable range hopping process of porous carbon networks is examined in the region of validity of the law In ρ(T) T - 1 / 2 . We show that the electrical conductivity σ caused by thermally nonactivated charge carriers at high fields complies with In σ(E) E - 1 / 3 . The current density j changes as In j(E) E - 1 / 6 . The temperature dependence of the threshold electrical field E t h , which characterizes the transition from the low-field to the high-field regime, follows E t h T 1 . 5 .
Random matrix theory of a chaotic Andreev quantum dot.

A new universality class distinct from the standard Wigner-Dyson class is identified. This class is realized by putting a metallic quantum dot in contact with a superconductor, while applying a magnetic field so as to make the pairing field effectively vanish on average. A random-matrix description of the spectral and transport properties of such a quantum dot is proposed. The weak-localization correction to the tunnel conductance is nonzero and results from the depletion of the density of states due to the coupling with the superconductor. Semiclassically, the depletion is caused by a singular mode of phase-coherent long-range propagation of particles and holes. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society. }
Low-O2 acclimation shifts the hypoxia avoidance behaviour of snapper (Pagrus auratus) with only subtle changes in aerobic and anaerobic function

SUMMARY It was hypothesised that chronic hypoxia acclimation (preconditioning) would alter the behavioural low-O2 avoidance strategy of fish as a result of both aerobic and anaerobic physiological adaptations. Avoidance and physiological responses of juvenile snapper (Pagrus auratus) were therefore investigated following a 6 week period of moderate hypoxia exposure (10.2–12.1 kPa PO2, 21±1°C) and compared with those of normoxic controls (PO2=20–21 kPa, 21±1°C). The critical oxygen pressure (Pcrit) limit of both groups was unchanged at ~7 kPa, as were standard, routine and maximum metabolic rates. However, hypoxia-acclimated fish showed increased tolerances to hypoxia in behavioural choice chambers by avoiding lower PO2 levels (3.3±0.7 vs 5.3±1.1 kPa) without displaying greater perturbations of lactate or glucose. This behavioural change was associated with unexpected physiological adjustments. For example, a decrease in blood O2 carrying capacity was observed after hypoxia acclimation. Also unexpected was an increase in whole-blood P50 following acclimation to low O2, perhaps facilitating Hb–O2 off-loading to tissues. In addition, cardiac mitochondria measured in situ using permeabilised fibres showed improved O2 uptake efficiencies. The proportion of the anaerobic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase, at least relative to the aerobic marker enzyme citrate synthase, also increased in heart and skeletal red muscle, indicating enhanced anaerobic potential, or in situ lactate metabolism, in these tissues. Overall, these data suggest that a prioritization of O2 delivery and O2 utilisation over O2 uptake during long-term hypoxia may convey a significant survival benefit to snapper in terms of behavioural low-O2 tolerance.
7-1-2013 An Empirical Investigation On Business Intelligence Use In Budgeting

This empirical study addresses the research questions of how and why BI is used or not used to support the flexibility and integration needs in budgeting. Budgeting is considered a process with four main activities namely budget construction, budget consolidation, budget monitoring and budget reporting which belong equally to the flexibility and integration domains. Empirical data is obtained from business controllers in seven companies in Thailand which use BI in their budgeting processes. The result from the flexibility domain shows that BI constrains business controllers to achieve the flexibility required to support budget construction and budget reporting. The result from the integration domain shows that an improper enterprise architecture design causes a BI non-use to support budget consolidation and budget monitoring. The analysis concludes that BI non-use occurs from two reasons. First, BI cannot support flexibility in budgeting. Second, BI faces integration limitations due to improper enterprise architecture design. This study contributes to the AIS research in three ways. It contributes to the limited empirical BI research. It urges academia and practitioners to consider BI initiatives in a more critical manner. It observes that BI use for decision-making needs to be complemented with spreadsheets.
Object-based spatial cluster analysis of urban landscape pattern using nighttime light satellite images: a case study of China

Previous studies have demonstrated urban built-up areas can be derived from nighttime light satellite (DMSP-OLS) images at the national or continent scale. This paper presents a novel object-based method for detecting and characterizing urban spatial clusters from nighttime light satellite images automatically. First, urban built-up areas, derived from the regionally adaptive thresholding of DMSP-OLS nighttime light data, are represented as discrete urban objects. These urban objects are treated as basic spatial units and quantified in terms of geometric and shape attributes and their spatial relationships. Next, a spatial cluster analysis is applied to these basic urban objects to form a higher level of spatial units – urban spatial clusters. The Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) is used to represent spatial proximity relationships among urban objects. An algorithm based on competing propagation of objects is proposed to construct the MST of urban objects. Unlike previous studies, the distance between urban objects (i.e., the boundaries of urban built-up areas) is adopted to quantify the edge weight in MST. A Gestalt Theory-based method is employed to partition the MST of urban objects into urban spatial clusters. The derived urban spatial clusters are geographically delineated through mathematical morphology operation and construction of minimum convex hull. A series of landscape ecologic and statistical attributes are defined and calculated to characterize these clusters. Our method has been successfully applied to the analysis of urban landscape of China at the national level, and a series of urban clusters have been delimited and quantified.
The effects and effectiveness of electromotive drug administration and chemohyperthermia for treating non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

INTRODUCTION Preliminary studies show that device assisted intravesical therapies appear more effective than passive diffusion intravesical therapy for the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) in specific settings, and phase III studies are now being conducted. Consequently, we have undertaken a non-systematic review with the objective of describing the scientific basis and mechanisms of action of electromotive drug administration (EMDA) and chemohyperthermia (CHT). METHODS PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov and the Cochrane Library were searched to source evidence for this non-systematic review. Randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses were evaluated. Publications regarding the scientific basis and mechanisms of action of EMDA and CHT were identified, as well as clinical studies to date. RESULTS EMDA takes advantage of three phenomena: iontophoresis, electro-osmosis and electroporation. It has been found to reduce recurrence rates in NMIBC patients and has been proposed as an addition or alternative to bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy in the treatment of high risk NMIBC. CHT improves the efficacy of mitomycin C by three mechanisms: tumour cell cytotoxicity, altered tumour blood flow and localised immune responses. Fewer studies have been conducted with CHT than with EMDA but they have demonstrated utility for increasing disease-free survival, especially in patients who have previously failed BCG therapy. CONCLUSIONS It is anticipated that EMDA and CHT will play important roles in the management of NMIBC in the future. Techniques of delivery should be standardised, and there is a need for more randomised controlled trials to evaluate the benefits of the treatments alongside quality of life and cost-effectiveness.
Assembly of the RAG1/RAG2 Synaptic Complex

ABSTRACT Assembly of antigen receptor genes by V(D)J recombination requires the site-specific recognition of two distinct DNA elements differing in the length of the spacer DNA that separates two conserved recognition motifs. Under appropriate conditions, V(D)J cleavage by the purified RAG1/RAG2 recombinase is similarly restricted. Double-strand breakage occurs only when these proteins are bound to a pair of complementary signals in a synaptic complex. We examine here the binding of the RAG proteins to signal sequences and find that the full complement of proteins required for synapsis of two signals and coupled cleavage can assemble on a single signal. This complex, composed of a dimer of RAG2 and at least a trimer of RAG1, remains inactive for double-strand break formation until a second complementary signal is provided. Thus, binding of the second signal activates the complex, possibly by inducing a conformational change. If synaptic complexes are formed similarly in vivo, one signal of a recombining pair may be the preferred site for RAG1/RAG2 assembly.
Vehicular Wireless Burst Switching Network: Enhancing Rural Connectivity

This paper introduces a network architecture called vehicular wireless burst switching (VWBS). The main objective of this architecture is to provide low-cost connectivity solution for isolated and dispersed regions with no networks infrastructure. The proposed architecture is based on the concept of delay tolerant networks (DTN) and can be applied to various scenarios, including rapid deployment of emergency communication systems when all communication links have failed. In this paper, we present an overview of VWBS networks and show how their performance, in terms of average packet delays, can be improved using store-and-forward devices called relay nodes. Furthermore, we introduce several heuristic algorithms, which can be used to place minimum number of relay nodes. Through computer simulations, we compare the performance of the algorithms and their tradeoffs. We conclude our work by examining possible open research issues in VWBS.