Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of sex, gonadectomy and sex hormones in the development of nitric oxide inhibition‐induced hypertension

In this study we have evaluated the influence of sex, gonadectomy and sex hormones on the development of l‐NAME‐induced hypertension in the rat, focusing our investigation on blood pressure (BP), plasma renin activity (PRA), cardiac hypertrophy and proteinuria. Three experiments were performed to investigate: (i) the influence of sex on the development of l‐NAME‐induced hypertension; (ii) the effects of gonadectomy on the dimorphism of l‐NAME‐induced hypertension; and (iii) the effects of testosterone in ovariectomized female and of 17β‐oestradiol in orchidectomized male rats. Male l‐NAME‐treated rats had higher BP values than females. Orchidectomy of l‐NAME‐treated rats reduced BP to the levels of females and ovariectomy did not affect hypertension in females. Oestrogenized and orchidectomized males had a BP level similar to intact female l‐NAME‐treated rats. However, androgenization and ovariectomy did not change BP in female l‐NAME‐treated rats. PRA was greater in intact male l‐NAME hypertensive rats than in female rats, and gonadectomy protected against the increase in PRA such that PRA was similar among all the groups. Intact female hypertensive rats showed significantly greater ventricular hypertrophy compared with male hypertensive rats. Male l‐NAME hypertensive rats had increased proteinuria that was not present in female rats. Moreover, testosterone increased proteinuria in males and females regardless of the BP level. Male l‐NAME‐treated rats developed higher BP, PRA and proteinuria than female rats, but were more resistant to the development of cardiac hypertrophy. The higher PRA of male l‐NAME‐treated rats might be involved in the sex‐dependent dimorphism of this model of hypertension.
Could mining be protective against prostate cancer? A study and literature review

Objective Prostate canceris one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in Western men and one in three Australian men develops the cancer before the age of 75. Currently, only increasing age, race and family history have been well established as risk factors. A growing number of studies have investigated occupation in relation to prostate cancer but, like other risk factors, no associations have been confirmed. Mining employs a significant proportion of the work force in Western Australia. The aims of this study were to describe the characteristics of miners in the Western Australian Prostate Health Study, investigate mining as a risk factor for prostate cancer, conduct a systematic search of the literature for studies that have investigated mining as an occupational risk factor for prostate cancer and compare and contrast their methodologies and results. Methods Data were obtained from a population-based case–control study conducted from 1 January 2001 to 20 August 2002 at The University of Western Australia. Results After controlling for age, family history and military service in Vietnam, miners had a statistically significantly reduced risk of prostate cancer (adjusted OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.75). The systematic literature search of studies examining mining and prostate cancer found a reasonably consistent trend of a decreased risk of prostate cancer among miners. None of the published articles discussed their results regarding mining and prostate cancer in detail, and a biological mechanism to support these results has not previously been suggested. Conclusion The relationship between mining and prostate cancer deserves further investigation.
Broccoli sprouts: an exceptionally rich source of inducers of enzymes that protect against chemical carcinogens.

Induction of phase 2 detoxication enzymes [e.g., glutathione transferases, epoxide hydrolase, NAD(P)H: quinone reductase, and glucuronosyltransferases] is a powerful strategy for achieving protection against carcinogenesis, mutagenesis, and other forms of toxicity of electrophiles and reactive forms of oxygen. Since consumption of large quantities of fruit and vegetables is associated with a striking reduction in the risk of developing a variety of malignancies, it is of interest that a number of edible plants contain substantial quantities of compounds that regulate mammalian enzymes of xenobiotic metabolism. Thus, edible plants belonging to the family Cruciferae and genus Brassica (e.g., broccoli and cauliflower) contain substantial quantities of isothiocyanates (mostly in the form of their glucosinolate precursors) some of which (e.g., sulforaphane or 4-methylsulfinylbutyl isothiocyanate) are very potent inducers of phase 2 enzymes. Unexpectedly, 3-day-old sprouts of cultivars of certain crucifers including broccoli and cauliflower contain 10-100 times higher levels of glucoraphanin (the glucosinolate of sulforaphane) than do the corresponding mature plants. Glucosinolates and isothiocyanates can be efficiently extracted from plants, without hydrolysis of glucosinolates by myrosinase, by homogenization in a mixture of equal volumes of dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethylformamide, and acetonitrile at -50 degrees C. Extracts of 3-day-old broccoli sprouts (containing either glucoraphanin or sulforaphane as the principal enzyme inducer) were highly effective in reducing the incidence, multiplicity, and rate of development of mammary tumors in dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-treated rats. Notably, sprouts of many broccoli cultivars contain negligible quantities of indole glucosinolates, which predominate in the mature vegetable and may give rise to degradation products (e.g., indole-3-carbinol) that can enhance tumorigenesis. Hence, small quantities of crucifer sprouts may protect against the risk of cancer as effectively as much larger quantities of mature vegetables of the same variety.
X-band printed rectenna design and experiment for wirelss power transfer

This paper presents a printed rectenna design and experimental characteristics versus distance between transmitting antenna and the rectenna. The designed rectifier shows 67% of maximum efficiency and 2×2, 4×4 conventional array antennas are connected with rectifier using via hole transition. Within 50cm, 2×2 array rectenna shows higher efficiency and outside the 60 cm, 4×4 array rectenna shows higher efficiency. The maximum efficiencies of two rectennas are 7% and 4%, respectively.
Toxicological effects of three types of silver nanoparticles and their salt precursors acting on human U-937 and HL-60 cells

Abstract The growing popularity of nanomaterials requires a systematic study of their effects on the human body. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), due to their antiseptic properties, are used in almost every area of life. The purpose of the study was to examine whether the precursor used for the synthesis of nanoparticles affects their bio-influence and modifies their impact on cells of the human immune system. To compare the effects of precursor silver salts (AgNO3, CH3COOAg and AgClO4) and corresponding nanoparticles (TAN TAA and TAC) cytotoxicity study was conducted on two cell lines U-937 and HL-60. For both cell lines, silver salts are more toxic than the corresponding nanoparticles. Cell viability after treatment with the two forms of silver (salt/particle) is dependent on silver dose and degree of cells differentiation. Addition of the silver salt of doses greater than 5 mg/L results in decreased cell viability by over 60%, whereas nanoparticles’ addition reduces cell viability on average by 30%. On the basis of the determined LD50 values it can be stated that for the tested cells the most toxic are AgClO4 and TAC. Production of nitric oxide, which is a mediator of inflammation, is the greatest after treatment of the cells by TAC. Different interactions of studied nanoparticles with albumin has been found and it was shown that addition of albumin to the cells treated by nanoparticles reduces their toxic effects. Obtained by us highly purified, mono-disperse AgNPs exhibit diverse effects relative to the biological systems, depending on the precursor salt used.
Melting analysis on microbeads in rapid temperature-gradient inside microchannels for single nucleotide polymorphisms detection.

A continuous-flow microchip with a temperature gradient in microchannels was utilized to demonstrate spatial melting analysis on microbeads for clinical Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) genotyping on animal genomic DNA. The chip had embedded heaters and thermometers, which created a rapid and yet stable temperature gradient between 60 °C and 85 °C in a short distance as the detection region. The microbeads, which served as mobile supports carrying the target DNA and fluorescent dye, were transported across the temperature gradient. As the surrounding temperature increased, the fluorescence signals of the microbeads decayed with this relationship being acquired as the melting curve. Fast DNA denaturation, as a result of the improved heat transfer and thermal stability due to scaling, was also confirmed. Further, each individual microbead could potentially bear different sequences and pass through the detection region, one by one, for a series of melting analysis, with multiplex, high-throughput capability being possible. A prototype was tested with target DNA samples in different genotypes (i.e., wild and mutant types) with a SNP location from Landrace sows. The melting temperatures were obtained and compared to the ones using a traditional tube-based approach. The results showed similar levels of SNP discrimination, validating our proposed technique for scanning homozygotes and heterozygotes to distinguish single base changes for disease research, drug development, medical diagnostics, agriculture, and animal production.
The empirical evaluation of monetary policy shock in dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model with financial frictions

Large body of empirical literature points to the tight integration of financial and credit markets with real economic activity as well as the need for inclusion of financial frictions into macroeconomic modelling. After the recent mortgage loan crisis which spilled over into the global financial crisis, the assessment of relationship of monetary policy and house prices gained in importance. The aim of this article is to test the compliance of monetary policy shock in calibrated dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model which includes financial frictions with the empirical impact of monetary policy shock in Croatia estimated using vector autoregression (VAR) model. After the DSGE model is calibrated, the VAR model is estimated for Croatia. The comparative analysis of impulse response functions of DSGE and VAR model is conducted. In both models, monetary policy shock has positive initial impact on interest rate and negative initial impact on house prices and output gap. Results indicate that empirical impact of the monetary policy shock adequately reflects the impact of monetary shock in DSGE model with financial frictions.
Synthesis of Motion-Reproduction Systems Based on Motion-Copying System Considering Control Stiffness

Following advancements in the field of visual and audio information, a third medium of information, namely, haptic information, is expected to become the basis of a key technology in the robotics industry. Haptic information includes position and force information, and such information is obtained through a motion-copying system (MCS). An MCS can store human motion in a motion database and reproduce the motion later at any other location. However, the MCS has a major disadvantage. The situations under which the motion-saving and motion-reproducing phases are carried out should be the same. If differences exist, the stored human motion will not be correctly reproduced. To solve this problem, the various motion-reproduction systems have been proposed previously. However, each motion-reproduction system proposed in previous research can provide a solution only for a particular problem. Therefore, in this study, motion-reproduction systems are unified in terms of control stiffness. By the integration of the motion-reproduction systems, it became clear that position and force control in an MCS can be realized only though compliance control, which was obtained conventionally. In other words, motion-reproduction systems can be synthesized depending on the situation and the associated problem can become solved. The validity of the concept proposed in this paper was confirmed by testing it for an application of the MCS.
Effect of Estradiol on Mouse Uterine Epithelial Cell Transepithelial Resistance (TER)

Problem: The effects of estradiol on epithelial cell function in the uterus may either be direct or indirect through the paracrine effects of underlying stromal cells. The aim of this study was to test whether estradiol‐17β (E2) acts directly to regulate uterine epithelial cell monolayer integrity.
Entrepreneurship education, gender and family background as antecedents on the entrepreneurial orientation of university students

This study aims to evaluate the impact of entrepreneurship education (EE) on the entrepreneurial orientation (EO) of higher education students, as mediated by gender and family history. A survey tool for measuring EO was developed and used in one university. The responses were processed using statistical methods. ,The data were collected with an online questionnaire distributed to students of engineering and business and social sciences in the past year of their degree program at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Some respondents had a class in entrepreneurship, while others did not have it. ,The results highlight that EE generally has a greater impact on business and social sciences students. Family background and gender are moderating variables with a positive influence on individual entrepreneurial orientation (IEO). ,This study’s main practical implication is that evidence was found that universities need to develop more effective didactic approaches to EE. These must take into account new market demands and students’ profile and always taking into account their different academic areas and levels of previous EE. ,This paper contributes to filling a gap in the literature by identifying the importance of EE, gender and family background to the development of IEO in students of different academic programs (i.e. engineering, business and social sciences).
Electron-Bombarded CMOS Image Sensor in Single Photon Imaging Mode

Solid-state devices utilizing “photonic events amplification” (PEA) are used for low-level light imaging (LLLI) and are exploited in military, scientific, astronomy, surveillance, and other applications. The PEA imagers are more sensitive by a few orders of magnitude than regular CCD cameras and by an order of magnitude than most sensitive scientific LLLI CCD cameras. The Electron-Bombarded CMOS Image Sensor (EB-CMOS-IS) is a novel PEA technology and has just recently become commercially available. The EB-CMOS-IS technology is a best price/performance combination among concurrent technologies such as EBCCD, EMCCD, Intensified CCD, and Intensified CMOS image sensors. Although the EB-CMOS-IS-based applications demonstrate outstanding sensitivity, they are exploited today far from their maximal potential. In this study, we developed a comprehensive model of the EB-CMOS-IS used for simulation of the sensor performance as a function of the device parameters, e.g., photocathode quantum efficiency, acceleration bias, electrons-to-voltage conversion factor, and operation parameters, e.g., amplifier gain, offset, and exposure time. We selected parameters enabling a single photon imaging (SPI) mode and performed imaging simulations for an object under various low-level illumination conditions. We present a method of the EB-CMOS-IS operation in the SPI mode for low-light-level imaging of a stationary object, boosting the sensor sensitivity to a level better than 10-7 lux.
Ca2+-independent Protein Kinase Cs Mediate Heterologous Desensitization of Leukocyte Chemokine Receptors by Opioid Receptors*

Heterologous desensitization of chemokine receptors by opioids has been considered to contribute to their immunosuppressive effects. Previous studies show that Met-enkephalin, an endogenous opioid, down-regulates chemotaxis of selected chemokine receptors via phosphorylation. In the present study, we further investigated the molecular mechanism of such cross-regulation. Our data showed that preincubation with Met-enkephalin inhibited both MIP-1α-mediated chemotaxis and Ca2+ flux of monocytes in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effects were maximal using nanomolar concentrations of activating chemokines, a concentration found in physiological conditions. A decrease both in chemokine receptor affinity and in coupling efficiency between receptors and G protein were observed, which directly contributed to the desensitization effects. However, comparing with chemokines such as MIP-1α and MCP-1, opioids did not elicit a calcium flux, failed to induce MIP-1α receptors internalization, and mediated a less potent heterologous desensitization. We hypothesized that these differences might originate from the involvement of different protein kinase C (PKC) isotypes. In our studies, opioid-mediated down-regulation of MIP-1α receptors could be blocked by the general PKC inhibitor calphostin C, but not by the calcium-dependent classic PKC inhibitor Go6976. Western blotting analysis and immunofluorescent staining further showed that only calcium-independent PKCs were activated upon opioid stimulation. Thus, opioids achieve desensitization of chemokine receptors via a unique pathway, involving only calcium-independent PKC isotypes.
In vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities of levofloxacin (l-ofloxacin), an optically active ofloxacin

The antibacterial activity of levofloxacin was compared with those of ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and other antibiotics. In general, levofloxacin was equally active or up to fourfold more active than ofloxacin against all 801 organisms tested. Levofloxacin was twofold [corrected] more active than ciprofloxacin against Streptococcus pneumoniae and 2- to 4-fold more active than ciprofloxacin against Staphylococcus aureus, Xanthomonas maltophilia, and Bacteroides fragilis. Levofloxacin was two- to eightfold more active than ciprofloxacin against coagulase-negative staphylococci and Acinetobacter spp. , although these improvements in potency may not be clinically relevant. Levofloxacin inhibited 90% of streptococci when it was used at concentrations of 1 to 2 micrograms/ml. Levofloxacin was two- to fourfold less active than ciprofloxacin against most members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, such as Escherichia coli; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Citrobacter, Proteus, Providencia, Salmonella, and Yersinia spp. ; and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Both compounds were equally active against Pseudomonas cepacia. The in vitro DNA gyrase inhibitory activity of levofloxacin was as potent as that of ciprofloxacin, with a 50% inhibitory concentration of 0.65 micrograms/ml against an E. coli enzyme. In vivo, oral treatment with levofloxacin was as efficacious or more efficacious than that with ciprofloxacin in systemic as well as pyelonephritis infections in mice. Levofloxacin achieved higher concentrations in the serum and tissue of mice than did ciprofloxacin. This study presents some potential advantages of the pure L isomer of ofloxacin over ciprofloxacin and other quinolones.
Elaboration and Innervation of the Vibrissal System in the Rock Hyrax (Procavia capensis)

Mammalian tactile hairs are commonly found on specific, restricted regions of the body, but Florida manatees represent a unique exception, exhibiting follicle-sinus complexes (FSCs, also known as vibrissae or tactile hairs) on their entire body. The orders Sirenia (including manatees and dugongs) and Hyracoidea (hyraxes) are thought to have diverged approximately 60 million years ago, yet hyraxes are among the closest relatives to sirenians. We investigated the possibility that hyraxes, like manatees, are tactile specialists with vibrissae that cover the entire postfacial body. Previous studies suggested that rock hyraxes possess postfacial vibrissae in addition to pelage hair, but this observation was not verified through histological examination. Using a detailed immunohistochemical analysis, we characterized the gross morphology, innervation and mechanoreceptors present in FSCs sampled from facial and postfacial vibrissae body regions to determine that the long postfacial hairs on the hyrax body are in fact true vibrissae. The types and relative densities of mechanoreceptors associated with each FSC also appeared to be relatively consistent between facial and postfacial FSCs. The presence of vibrissae covering the hyrax body presumably facilitates navigation in the dark caves and rocky crevices of the hyrax's environment where visual cues are limited, and may alert the animal to predatory or conspecific threats approaching the body. Furthermore, the presence of vibrissae on the postfacial body in both manatees and hyraxes indicates that this distribution may represent the ancestral condition for the supraorder Paenungulata.
Interdisciplinary collaboration between primary care, social insurance and social services in the rehabilitation of people with musculoskeletal disorder: Effects on self-rated health and physical performance

Previous research shows there can be good results from co-financing between welfare sectors on the perceived quality of interprofessional collaboration. However, little is known about the impact on patient outcome of such schemes. This study aimed to assess whether co-financed teams with personnel from primary care, social insurance and social services have any effect on patients' health status. A comparative study of patients attending health care centres with and without a co-financed collaboration model was carried out. Although research has shown positive results from co-financed collaboration on staff and organization, we could not find that this new interdisciplinary team structure gave a better patient health outcome than conventional care.