Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of the Nonlinear Biaxial Mechanical Behavior of Human Ureter Using Constitutive Modeling and Artificial Neural Networks

Characterization of the mechanical properties of soft tissues is a fundamental issue in a variety of medical applications. As such, constitutive modeling of tissues that serves to establish a relationship between the kinematic variables has been used to formulate the tissue’s mechanical response under various loading conditions. However, the validation of the developed analytical and numerical models is accompanied by a length of computation time. Hence, the need for new advantageous methods like artificial intelligence (AI), aiming at minimizing the computation time for real-time applications such as in robotic-assisted surgery, sounds crucial. In this study, the mechanical nonlinear characteristics of human ureter were obtained from planar biaxial test data, in which the examined specimens were simultaneously loaded along their circumferential and longitudinal directions. To do so, the biaxial stress-strain data was used to fit the well-known Fung and Holzapfel-Delfino hyperelastic functions using the genetic optimization algorithm. Next, the potential of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), as an alternative method for prediction of the mechanical response of the tissue was evaluated such that, multilayer perceptron feedforward neural network with different architectures was designed and implemented and then, trained with the same experimental data. The results showed both approaches were practically able to predict the ureter nonlinearity and in particular, the ANN model can follow up the tissue nonlinearity during the entire loading phase in both low and high strain amplitudes (RMSE
Assessment of the Preservative Efficacy of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. and Psidium guajava L. Leaf Extracts on Capsicum annuum L. (Bell Pepper)

This study assessed the preservative efficacy of Azadirachta indica (Neem) and Psidium guajava (Guava) leaf extracts on Capsicum annuum (Bell pepper). The phytochemical compositions of A. indica and P. guajava leaf extracts were determined using standard methods. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of saponnin, anthraquinone tannin, steroid, terpenoid, flavonoid and glycosides in ethanol extracts of Azadirachta Indica A. Juss. and Psidium guajava L. leaves and tannin, terpenoid, flavonoid and glycosides are present in n-hexane extracts of the selected plants. Among the phytochemicals identified, Terpenoid was the highest in value (25.79mg/g) and saponnin has the least value (3.27 mg/g). The ethanolic extracts of Guava had the highest inhibition against the growth of Staphyloccoccus aureus (35.00±1.15 mm). The n-hexane extracts of Neem leaves had the lowest inhibition against the growth of Staphyloccoccus sp (8.00±0.57 mm). Ethanolic extract has the highest antifungal effect against Saccharomyces cerevisiae (58.66±0.90 mm). Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that the ethanol extracts of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. and Psidium guajava L. leaves are more effective than the n-hexane Original Research Article Oyun and Oyetayo; SAJRM, 7(2): 19-33, 2020; Article no.SAJRM. 58838 20 extracts of P. guajava and A. indica leaves because it effectively inhibited the growth of the microorganisms. The Capsicum annuum L. fruits coated with selected plant extracts were preserved for a longer period than the uncoated fruits. All these results therefore suggest that the leaf extracts of P. guajava and A. indica can be used as bio preservatives for the extension of the shelf life of C. annuum.
Physiochemical and Microbiological Analysis of Drinking Water in Chattogram City, Bangladesh

Chattogram is the second most populated city in Bangladesh. This port city faces a serious threat mainly due to the lack of safe drinking water. This study was conducted for determining drinking water quality of groundwater sources in Chattogram city. The study was performed in the BCSIR laboratory, Chattogram. It was carried out for a period of six months from 1st July, 2018 to 31th December, 2018. Total six water samples were collected from three different locations (Baluchora, C&B colony and Khulshi area). Each sampling location consists of two separate sampling points. Physicochemical parameters of the collected samples like Temperature, pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total dissolved solid (TDS), Hardness, Turbidity and concentration of Cl, As, Mn, Fe, Pb, Cr and Cd were examined. Microbial parameters like Total Coliform (TC) were also measured. All the analyzed parameters compared with BSTI and WHO drinking water quality standards to understand the overall ground water quality status of the study area. The results reveal that water samples in almost all locations were contaminated with microbial contamination and that the range of physico-chemical parameters was not adequate for consumption. Preliminary treatments like boiling, filtering etc are required before using groundwater for drinking and the necessary measures must be taken for a safe alternative source of drinking water. Original Research Article Nishan et al.; AJARR, 12(2): 42-50, 2020; Article no.AJARR. 52708 43
Effect of Timing and Rates of Nitrogen Application on Yield, Chemical Compositions, Pharmacologic Activities, and Cytotoxicity of Herbal Bush Tea (Athrixia phylicoides DC.)

Bush tea is a popular South African herbal and medicinal tea with the potential for commercialization. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of different rates of applied nitrogen (N) and timing (early and late) of N application on yield, chemical composition, pharmacologic activity, and cytotoxicity of bush tea. Factorial treatments consisted of timed N application rates (0, 75, 150, and 225 kg·ha–1) for both early and late N application. The treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with five replicates. The results show a significant positive response of bush tea fresh and dry leaf and twig weight, chlorophyll, leaf tissue N, total polyphenols, and total flavonoids in response to applied N rates, regardless of the timing of N application, reaching a maximum at 225 kg·ha–1 of N. Later, regardless of the timing of N application, total tannins and total antioxidant activity increased with increasing applied N from 0 to 225 kg·ha–1, reaching a maximum of 150 kg·ha–1 N. The results of this study suggest that, with the exception of antimicrobial activity, most of the parameters recorded increased with increasing rates of N applied. The results further denote that parameters recorded were consistently greater on early applied N compared with late applied N. However, there was no significant difference between the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) and minimum microbicide concentration (MMC) of early and late applied N. Bush tea applied with 75 N and 150 N had a significant MIC value (3.1 mg·mL–1) for Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia compared with 6.3 mg·mL–1 reached at 225 kg·ha–1 N. Among N rates applied, the MIC for Klebsiella oxytoca, Proteus vulgaris, Salmonella typhi, Serratia marcescence, and Staphylococcus aureus were not significantly different. Hence, N rates applied did not have a significant effect on bush tea MMC values of all microbial species tested. The cytotoxicity of bush tea leaf and twigs harvested from early and late N application were significantly reduced with increasing nitrogen levels reaching a maximum at 225 kg·ha─1. There was a wide variation of compounds despite rates of N applied as well as timing of application, with most compounds such as norfenfluramine, phytol, caryophyllene, propylene glycol, α-copaene, and squalene detected in greater quantities.
Anti-epileptic potentials of the partitioned fractions of chamaecrista mimosoides

This research work aimed to establish scientific basis for the use of Chamaecrista mimosoides, in traditional medicine as anti-epileptic medication. The whole plant part of Chamaecrista mimosoides was extracted with ethanol and screened for phytochemicals. Acute toxicity study was carried out using Lorke’s method and the antiepileptic activity was evaluated using maximal electroshock induced seizure test in day-old chicks, pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) and strychnine using mice. The phytochemical study revealed the presence of saponins, cardiac glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids and cardenolides. Both the chloroform, ethylacetate and n-butanol portions at 100, 250, and 500mg/kg body weight did not protect the chicks against tonic hind limb extension (THLE) in maximal electro-shock test (MEST). The chloroform and n-butanol portions at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight protected 40% and 60% of mice against clonic spasm induced by pentylenetetrazole, while ethyl-acetate soluble portion did not protect the mice against clonic spasm induced by pentylenetetrazole at all doses used when compared to Valproic acid (200 mg/kg) protected all the mice (100%) against clonic spasm induced by pentylenetetrazole. The chloroform soluble portion at the doses of 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight protected 40%, 100%, 100% against death induced by strychnine, while ethylacetate and n-butanol portions did not protect the rats against death induced by strychnine but prolonged the onset of convulsion. In all the tests, phenobarbitone (20 mg/kg) was used as positive control and protected 80% of mice against convulsion induced by strychnine. The antiepileptic investigation suggests that the chloroform portion of Chamaecrista mimosoides has a promising antiepileptic activity.
PLATELET ADHESION TO THROMBIN-TREATED HUMAN ENDOTHELIAL CELLS

Platelets do not, or hardly ever, adhere to normal endothelial cells (EC), although the reason is not completely clear. It is assumed that breakdown of this non-thrombogenic properties of EC may lead to initiation of thrombotic process. In this communication, we have clearly shown that significant number of platelets adhere to thrombin-treated EC. Platelet adhesion to cultured human umbilical vein EC was quantitatively determined according to the method of Curwen et al. using 3H-adenine-labelled human platelets. When EC were treated with human ±-thrombin (a generous gift of Dr. J.W.Fenton) at various concentrations (0.05-lU/ml) for 10 minutes followed by addition of hirudin, the number of attached platelets increased in a concentration dependent manner. When EC were preincubated with lU/ml α-thrombin for various time intervals (5-100 minutes), maximal adherence of platelets to EC was observed in 5 minutes' incubation. After treatment of EC with ±-thrombin for 60 minutes, the number of attached platelets returned to the basal level. EC were, then, maintained in M199-20%FCS for 24 hours and the same experiment was repeated. Again, α-thrombin caused the alteration of EC, which permitted platelets to adhere. The DNA content of monolayer cells was unchanged throughout the experiments indicating that no loss of EC occured during the procedures. Scanning electron microscopy showed that platelets tended to attach to the periphery of thrombin-treated EC. Treatment of EC with monoclonal anti-thrombomodulin IgG (a gift of Dr. I.Maruyama) had no inhibitory effect on thrombin-induced pla-telet-EC interaction. Our results may indicate that α-thrombin causes the temporary loss of non-thrombogenic properties of EC
Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria and Plants’ Improvement- A Mini-Review

The soil is a rich compendium of diverse organisms which have multifaceted roles in the ecological dynamics. The diversity and functional activity of the soil-borne organisms depend on the soil structure and the types of nutrients available there. From the perspectives of plants growth and development, these organisms may be beneficial, harmful or neutral. Among the organisms, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) constitute a significant and ecologically important portion which directly or indirectly corresponds to the growth improvement of plants. PGPR are of diverse types. Some of these bacteria are found in symbiotic association with hosts while others remain free living. They are efficiently involved in nitrogen fixation, phosphate, and iron solubilization, mitigation of heavy metals and other pollutants, antagonism with phytopathogens, and the production of growth promoting molecules. The net consequences of PGPR activities are growth stimulation of plants. Here we review the importance of PGPR and their role in growth improvement of cultivated crops.
Prospects For The Development Of Remote Banking Services In The Context Of Bank Transformation

The article analyzes the current trends in banking technologies and the future development of banking technologies in the process of transformation of banks around the world due to the increasing provision of banking services on the basis of remote mobile, Internet and other banking technologies. The results of this study are of practical importance for the development of remote banking services in the banking system of Uzbekistan.
Fluxes of particulate matter, carbonates, organic carbon and nitrogen in the northern Adriatic continental shelf: A synthesis overview

Time series of composition and fluxes of settling particles in the marine environment, obtained by sediment traps, contribute to define the main processes driving the dynamics of particulate matter and of the time/space variability of benthic-pelagic exchanges. With this aim, the composition and seasonal and annual fluxes of settling matter, obtained from different projects and from published papers, at 8 sites of the Northern Adriatic shelf were estimated. The mean yearly particulate fluxes varied from 2763 to 14,447 g m-2 y-1, from 66 to 236 gC m-2y-1 for organic carbon (OC) flux, from 861 to 7525 g m-2y-1 for carbonates and from 12 to 42 gN m-2y-1 for nitrogen (N). The fluxes were characterized by high seasonal variations with marked increase in autumn or in winter with respect to spring or summer. The sink of particles occurs in relatively short episodes as about 50% of annual particle flux settles in less than 1-2 months in the western coastal area. This seasonality can be related to the riverine discharges, primary production and wind regimes of the basin. Utilizing the N/OC ratio as an index for discriminating the different origin of organic matter (i.e., resuspended/riverine and autochthonous), the primary marine carbon flux was estimated to range from 10 to 28% of the OC fluxes and accounted for 8-40% of the primary production, depending on the site. Then, due to the shallow waters of the basin and to the relevant riverine inputs, the total fluxes near the sea bottom were highly dependent on resuspension and advective transport processes. The important contribution of these last processes as source of organic matter is suggested also by the comparison between fluxes determined by sediment traps with mass accumulation rates (MAR) in sediments, derived from radionuclide measurements. Indeed, the fraction of OC fluxes which is not buried in the sediment is sufficient to support the benthic respiration processes.
Antimicrobial Paper Embedded with Nanoparticles as Spread-Breaker for Corona Virus

Submitted: 18 July 2020 Approved: 21 July 2020 Published: 25 July 2020 Cite this article: Patel M. Antimicrobial Paper Embedded with Nanoparticles as Spread-Breaker for Corona Virus. Am J Nanotechnol Nanomed. 2020; 3(1): 001-012. Copyright: © 2020 Patel M. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. American Journal of Nanotechnology & Nanomedicine
Davidsonia pruriens F. Muell. Fruit and Leaf Extracts Lack Antibacterial and Antifungal Activity

Pharmacognosy Communications, Vol 10, Issue 2, Apr-Jun, 2020 113 ABSTRACT Introduction: High antioxidant levels have been linked with multiple therapeutic properties, including antibacterial activity. Therefore, high antioxidant plant preparations are good targets for antibacterial testing. D. pruriens has high antioxidant capacity although it is yet to be tested for the ability to inhibit the growth of bacterial pathogens. Methods: The ability of D. pruriens fruit and leaf extracts to inhibit the growth of a panel of bacterial and fungal pathogens was investigated by disc diffusion assay. Toxicity was examined using the Artemia franciscana nauplii bioassay. Results: All D. pruriens fruit and leaf extracts were completely ineffective at inhibiting the growth of gram-positive and gram-negative panels of bacteria, as well as fungi. The extracts were non-toxic in the Artemia bioassay following 24 h exposure. Conclusion: Despite their high antioxidant capacity, D. pruriens fruit and leaf extracts were completely ineffective bacterial and fungal growth inhibitors. However, these extracts may have other therapeutic properties and testing against protozoa, virus and tumour cells is required.
Harvesting of Microalgae by Flocculation

Due to increasing demands for microalgal biomass and products originating from microalgae, large-scale production systems are necessary. However, current microalgal production technologies are not cost-effective and are hindered by various bottlenecks, one of which is the harvesting of microalgal biomass. Cell separation is difficult because of the low sedimentation velocity of microalgae, their colloidal character with repelling negative surface charges, and low biomass concentrations in culture broths; therefore, large volumes need to be processed in order to concentrate the cells. Flocculation is considered to be one of the most suitable methods for harvesting microalgal biomass. This article provides an overview of flocculation methods suitable for microalgal harvesting, their mechanisms, advantages and drawbacks. Special attention is paid to the role of surface charge in the mechanism of flocculation. The novelty of the review lies in the interconnection between the context of technological applications and physico-chemical surface phenomena.
Diversidad microbiana de las aguas mineromedicinales de los balnearios de Jaraba

Se ha estudiado la diversidad microbiana de cinco manantiales de aguas mineromedicinales pertenecientes a los Balnearios de Seron, Sicilia y La Virgen, en la localidad de Jaraba (Zaragoza). Las muestras se tomaron durante las distintas estaciones de ano, en un periodo de dos anos. Con el fin de conocer la composicion y caracteristicas de la microbiota de interes sanitario y ecologico de estos manantiales, se ha estudiado los microorganismos indicadores de calidad asi como diferentes grupos microbianos que intervienen en los ciclos biogeoquimicos del carbono, nitrogeno y azufre. El numero de microorganismos totales ha sido bajo, con valores entre 1-25x10elevado a 4 microorganismos por ml, estando la mayoria vivos (71-100%), con un valor medio de 90%. Se observo muy poca fluctuacion estacional, lo que evidencia una poblacion microbiana constante en el tiempo. El numero de bacterias heterotrofas aerobias ha sido inferior a 14 ufc/ml, manteniendose constante a lo largo de las estaciones del ano. No se han detectado microorganismos de interes sanitario como: coliformes totales, coliformes fecales, enterococos, Clostridium sulfito reductores, Salmonella, Legionella pneumophila ni Staphylococcus aureus. El numero de cepas de bacterias heterotrofas aisladas ha sido de 478 de la que se han identificado el 87% que corresponden a bacterias Gram. negativas (66,1%) y bacterias Gram positivas (33,9%). En las bacterias Gram negativas han predominado las Grammaproteobacterias (45,7%). Los generos principalmente identificados han sido: de los bacilos Gram negativos, Enterobacter (34,7%) y Pseudomonas (29,5%), de los cocos Gram positivos, Staphylococcus (66,2%) y de los bacilos Gram positivos, Cellulomonas (8,3%). La mayoria de los manantiales presentan una gran diversidad microbiana, excepto el manantial La Pena. En relacion a los microorganismos de interes ecologico, los mas abundantes han sido los amonificantes (media anual: 42-296 NMP/100 ml), seguid
Stress induced alterations in redox status and telomere length as a potential mechanism of biological ageing

Biological ageing, i.e. the loss of physiological functioning leading to increased frailty and mortality risk with advancing age, is influenced both by genotype and environmental factors as well as their interactions. The leading evolutionary hypothesis is that the resource allocation from self-maintenance and repair to growth and reproduction is the cause for this detrimental process. In this thesis I studied redox metabolism and telomere attrition, which have been suggested to be molecular mechanisms of biological ageing across species. Redox status is a dynamic state composed of reactive species (RS) induced oxidative damage and antioxidant (AO) defense. In healthy tissues most of the RS are produced by normal metabolism, however, several stressors can enhance RS production. Telomeres are protective DNA sequences at the end of chromosomes, which shorten with each cell division and advancing age. Telomeres are vulnerable to RS and short telomere length (TL) is linked with increased mortality and age-related disease risk. In the first two studies, the main interest was to elucidate the impacts of different stressors on TL and redox status in free-living vertebrates. In the first study, the effects of heavy metal pollution on TL and on redox status were investigated in adult and nestling great tits and pied flycatchers. The results varied remarkably among the species and age groups. Both of these passerine species showed pollution induced redox status alterations, but great tits, especially at an early age were more vulnerable to pollution induced oxidative stress and telomere attrition. In addition to pollution, within-brood competition induced growth stress was also found to cause TL attrition and alterations in AO-defense in great tit nestlings. In the second study, the potential roles of TL and AO defense in pathogen resistance and disease severity were investigated in Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae-parasite infected brown trout. Parasite load was not directly associated with either AOs or with TL, but some AO-activities were lower in fish with severe disease symptoms than in fish with modest symptoms. It seems that TL may reflect individuals’ ability to tolerate infection, as the fish which were less sensitive to parasite-induced impaired growth had longer TLs and lower levels of certain AOs than the more sensitive fish. In the last two studies, experimentally produced selection lines of wild house mice with divergent TLs were used to obtain better understanding of the relationship between redox status and TLs in constant laboratory conditions. In the third study, the age and sex-depended alterations in AOs in relation to TL were examined with a longitudinal approach. Most of the measured AOs increased from the age of 8 weeks to 6 months, and females had, in general, higher AO-levels than males. TL was also found to correlate positively with some of the AOs. In addition,