Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine Inhibitory Effect of Seabuckthorn ( Hippophea rhamnoides ) on Platelet Aggregation and Oxidative Stress

Extracts from seabuckthorn (Hippophea rhamnoides) leaves, fruit and seed oil were screened for anti-platelet properties in-vitro using human platelets stimulated with 0.2 mM ADP. Half maximal inhibitory concentration was found to be 55 microg/ml platelet rich plasma(PRP) for leaf extract, 47.7 microg/ml PRP for fruit extract and 0.62 microl/ml PRP for seed oil. In-vitro incubation of platelets with increasing concentrations of seed oil was found to inhibit oxidative stress in resting as well as agonist stimulated platelets as evident by decreased formation of peroxide and superoxide radicals. Leaf extract and seed oil were further evaluated for antiplatelet and antioxidant action in-vivo in cholesterol-induced experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits. Rabbits fed on diet supplemented with cholesterol (0.5% or 1%) for 60 days showed statistically significant increase in platelet aggregation stimulated by ADP and collagen as compared to platelet aggregation in control rabbits. Malondialdehyde levels in platelets of cholesterol fed rabbits were significantly higher than those of control rabbits. Both leaf extract and seed oil supplementation prevented cholesterol induced alterations in platelet aggregation and platelet malondialdehyde levels. The study shows that SBT leaf extract and seed oil inhibit oxidative stress and hyperactivity of platelets both in-vitro as well as in-vivo and plausibly attenuate atherogenesis.
Cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in human prion diseases

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is the main component of the brain extracellular space and participates in the exchange of many biochemical products in the CNS. Consequently, CSF contains a dynamic and complex mixture of proteins that reflect the physiological or pathological state of the CNS. Changes in the CSF proteome have been described in various neurodegenerative disorders. These alterations are also thought to reflect pathological changes in the brain, and thus understanding them will contribute to a better awareness of the pathophysiology that underlies these disorders. Proteomics offers a new methodology for the analysis of pathological changes and mechanisms occurring in neurodegenerative processes and provides the possibility of novel biomarker discovery in order to supplement faster, earlier and more precise diagnosis. In general, the following criteria have to be applied in order to qualify a protein or a gene as a potential biomarker: the selected parameters have to be sensitive (able to detect th.
Induction Temperature of Heat‐Shock Protein Synthesis in Wheat

The adverse effects of heat stress are a major limitation to realizing the genetic potential for productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). This study was undertaken to characterize the temperature-dependent induction response of heat-shock protein (HSP) synthesis in wheat seedlings, and to determine if HSPs could be detected in flag leaves of flowering wheat plants at nonlethal temperatures similar to those encountered during agricultural production(.)
Genetic studies of the Drosophila nasuta subgroup, with notes on distribution and morphology

The evolutionary genetic studies of more than ten species or subspecies belonging to the D. nasuta subgroup lead the following conclusions:Morphological differentiation has been observed qualitatively as well as quantitatively, but closely related species could not be identified by means of the techniques of external morphology.By the hybridization tests, D. nasuta, Indian D. nasuta, D. albomicans, and D. kepulauana are closely related species, and four subspecies of D, sulfurigaster are close to D, pulaua. D. kohkoa, D, pallidifrons and Taxon-F are related species to D, sulfurigaster, but are differentiated from each other.Judging from the allozyme analyses, the local populations of D. nasuta were genetically similar in two Esterase loci. The Chiangmai population was differentiated from other allopatric populations of D. sulfurigaster albostrigata. The pattern of the speciation process in the D. nasuta subgroup was discussed.
Pfmdr1Asn1042AspandAsp1246TyrPolymorphisms, Thought to Be Associated with Chloroquine Resistance, Are Present in Chloroquine-Resistant and -Sensitive Brazilian Field Isolates ofPlasmodium falciparum

Parasite resistance to antimalarial drugs, particularly chloroquine, is the most disturbing problem of malaria chemotherapy. There is evidence that the codon 86Tyr polymorphism of the Pfmdr1 gene is associated with chloroquine resistance in West African Plasmodium falciparum. The association of this and four other coding alterations of the Pfmdr1 gene with chloroquine resistance has not been extensively investigated in South American isolates. In this study, we examined 51 Brazilian P. falciparum isolates for the presence or absence of Asn86Tyr, Asn1042Asp, and Asp1246Tyr polymorphisms. While these isolates were all sensitive in vitro to mefloquine, amodiaquine, and quinine, only 2 (4%) were chloroquine-sensitive. The findings reported here provide the first observations of this kind on a large number of field parasite samples from South America. We show that in vitro chloroquine-resistant and -sensitive strains carry the Asn1042Asp and Asp1246Tyr polymorphisms and provide support for earlier suggestions that Asn86Tyr may be rare or absent in South American P. falciparum.
Song Features Essential for Species Discrimination and Behaviour Assessment By Male Blackbirds (Turdus Merula)

The present study tested the signal value of different parameters of the blackbird song by comparing territory owner's responses to unmodified motif parts. Parameters were modified with reference to their natural limits of variation which were known a priori for some of the parameters. Those for the frequency of occurrence of the three types of motif sound figures (unmodulated and/or complex toned FM-figures, and compound MIX-figures composed of pieces of both the CF- and the FM-type) and their modulations, and the relative sound pressure (SP) of their harmonics, were determined in this study. The following results were obtained: The frequency of occurrence of the sound figure types is essential for species discrimination in the sense that motif parts must contain CF-pieces with a relatively constant frequency (either as CF-figures or as parts of MIX-figures), and it communicates additional information: a high proportion of FM-figures giving a gurgling sound character communicates a high arousal and vice versa. The ratio of SP of the fundamental to that of the 1 st and the 2nd overtone is also essential for species discrimination. The ratio must be greater than about 1:0.2:0.2 making the motif parts relatively pure toned. Above this value the SP ratio may communicate additional information: a relatively low ratio giving a hoarse sound character seems to represent a high arousal and vice versa. Also, a high sound pressure level of the motif parts communicates a high arousal and vice versa. Neither the order of sound figures, nor the specific variation across the motif part of the sound figures' frequency level, duration and amplitude is essential for species discrimination. So is, however, a certain variation per se of each of the three features across the motif part. The results fit in with the 'room for variation hypothesis' on the principles of coding information into bird song. Thus the species-essential parameters seem to be 'tuned' to their natural limits of variation in the sense that species discrimination ceases when they are changed beyond these limits; within these limits some of them convey additional behavioural information; and they include all sorts of parameters, e.g. basic as well as higher order syntactical and sound type parameters, and invariant as well as variable ones.
Controlling for natural variability in assessing the response of fish metrics to human pressures for lakes in north‐east USA

1. While fish-based Indices of Biotic Integrity (IBIs) have been developed for a wide array of lotic systems, equivalent tools have seldom been adapted to the monitoring and assessment of lakes. Major difficulties arise in such work: (i) collecting data that allow statistically robust analyses, (ii) choosing the relevant variables to describe the biotic, environmental and anthropogenic data sets and (iii) assessing the relative importance of the latter two in explaining the former. The aim of the present paper is to produce such an assessment for the fish communities of the lakes of north-east USA. 2. Fish surveys, environmental features and catchment-scale descriptors of human stresses (agricultural and urban land-uses) were collected for 112 natural lakes. 3. Fish metrics, i.e. species richness and percentages of species belonging to reproductive, trophic, and tolerance guilds, were regressed against anthropogenic variables, then against anthropogenic variables and the natural environmental conditions. 4. It was shown that failing to control for the natural environmental conditions in the IBI construction led to selecting metrics (percentage of intolerant species and percentage of omnivorous species) that did not display response to stresses when the environment was controlled for. Moreover, controlling for natural variability of the metrics allowed identifying the impact of agricultural land-use on the percentage of diadromous species. 5. Fish communities appear valuable for the bioassessment of lakes. Appropriate statistical methods have proved that the natural variability in the bioassessment tools could be accounted for, thereby allowing assessments at the scale of multiple basins and ecoregions. This opens new perspectives for the development of IBIs for lentic systems in lake-poor regions, such as southern Europe, and therefore represents a significant contribution to the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Aboveground and belowground biomass and sapwood area allometric equations for six boreal tree species of northern Manitoba

Allometric equations were developed relating aboveground biomass, coarse root biomass, and sapwood area to stem diameter at 17 study sites located in the boreal forests near Thompson, Man. The six species studied were trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.), paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.), black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP), jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.), tamarack (Larix laricina (Du Roi) Koch. ), and willow (Salix spp.). Stands ranged in age from 4 to 130 years and were categorized as well or poorly drained. Stem diameter ranged from 0.1 to 23.7 cm. Stem diameter was measured at both the soil surface (D0) and breast height (DBH). The relationship between biomass and diameter, fitted on a log-log scale, changed significantly at 3 cm DBH, suggesting that allometry differed between saplings and older trees. To eliminate this nonlinearity, a model of form log 10 Y = a + b(log10 D )+ c(AGE) + d(log10 D × AGE) was used, where D is stem diameter, AGE is stand age, and the cross prod- uct is the interaction between diameter and age. Most aboveground biomass equations (N = 326) exhibited excellent fits (R 2 > 0.95). Coarse root biomass equations (N = 205) exhibited good fits (R 2 > 0.90). Both D0 and DBH were ex- cellent (R 2 > 0.95) sapwood area predictors (N = 413). Faster growing species had significantly higher ratios of sap -
Mrs. MRF. Aqeela, Ramakrishnan Vivek

In order to improve our understanding of mediating variables. This paper examines the relationship between high-performance work practices (HPWP) practices and employee attitudes. Using a randomly selected, national population sample, clear evidence was found for a positive relationship between HPWS practices and the attitudinal variables of job satisfaction and organizational commitment, implying that HPWP can provide win win outcomes for employees and employers. However, the study also tests – from an employee perspective – the ̳complementarities thesis‘ and finds Positive interaction effects among HPWS practices. This strengthens the argument that there are likely to be limits to the positive outcomes of HPWSs for employees. Evidence of sequencing in the employee attitudinal responses to HPWSs was also found, with job satisfaction as the key mediating variable. Regression analysis showed that there is a positive significant relationship between High performance work practices and job satisfaction, and also there is a positive significant relationship between High performance work practices and organizational commitment.
The EU vs US corporate R&D intensity gap: investigating key sectors and firms

This paper presents a firm-level examination of the European Union (EU) vs US research and development (R&D) intensity differences based on four pictures taken during the time span 2005–2017. It contributes to the literature on the topic by inspecting for the first time which sectors and firms account the most for the aggregate R&D intensity performance of these two economies. Analyzing the top 1250 R&D investors worldwide in four different years, it finds that (i) only few companies within key (for their relative impact on the overall R&D intensity) high-tech sectors determine (positively and negatively) the bulk of the sector’s intensity, (ii) the EU holds a much lower number of both larger and smaller R&D investors than the United States in the key high-tech sectors, and (iii) there is a high heterogeneity in firms’ R&D intensity within such key sectors. These findings are crucial to better understand the aggregate transatlantic corporate R&D intensity gap.
Survival, Birth Characteristics, and Cause-Specific Mortality of White-Tailed Deer Neonates

Abstract Understanding survival of and factors that may predispose newborn deer (Odocoileus spp.) to mortality contribute to improved understanding of population dynamics. We captured free-ranging white-tailed deer neonates (n = 66) of radiocollared females that survived severe (Winter Severity Index [WSI] = 153) and mild (WSI = 45) winters 2000–2001 and 2001–2002. Mean dates of birth (26 May ± 1.7 [SE] days and 26 May ± 1.3 days) and estimated birth-masses of 2.8 ± 0.1 kg and 3.0 ± 0.1 kg were similar between springs 2001 (n = 31) and 2002 (n = 35), respectively. Neonate survival was similar between years; pooled mortality rates of neonates were 0.14, 0.11, and 0.20 at 0–1 weeks, 2–4 weeks, and 5–12 weeks of age, respectively, and overall survival rate for neonates to 12 weeks of age was 0.47. Predation accounted for 86% of mortality; the remaining 14% of deaths were attributed to unknown causes. Black bears (Ursus americanus) were responsible for 57% and 38% of predation of neonates in springs 2001 and 2002, respectively, whereas bobcats (Felis rufus) accounted for 50% in 2002. Wolves (Canis lupus) accounted for only 5% of predator-related deaths. Low birth-mass, smaller body size, and elevated concentrations of serum urea nitrogen (26.1 ± 2.6 mg/dL vs 19.3 ± 0.8 mg/dL) and tumor necrosis factor-α (82.6 ± 78.6 pg/mL vs. 2.3 ± 0.5 pg/mL) were associated with neonates that died within 1 week of birth. Even though we did not detect a direct relation between winter severity and birth or blood characteristics of neonates, evidence suggests that birth-mass and key serum indices of neonate nutrition were associated with their early mortality. Thus, managers can make more informed predictions regarding survival and cause-specific mortality of fawns and adjust management strategies to better control deer population goals.
Analyzing User Emotions via Physiology Signals

Recently some studies have shown that the major inﬂuential factor of our health is not only physical activities, but the states of our emotion that we experience through our daily life, which continuously build our behavior and aﬀect our physical health signiﬁcantly. Therefore, emotion recognition draws more and more attention for many researchers in recent years. In this paper, we propose a system that uses oﬀ-the-shelf wearable sensors, including heart rate, galvanic skin response, and body temperature sensors, to read physiological signals from the user and apply machine learning techniques to recognize emotional states of the user. These states are key steps, toward improving not only the physical health but also emotional intelligence in advanced human-machine interaction. Moreover, we consider three types of emotional states and conduct experiments on real-life scenarios. Experimental results shows that the proposed system has good performance for emotion recognition.
PREM Note 124 aid predictability.indd

Effectiveness and aid predictability Researchers are giving more attention to aid predictability. In part, this is because of increases in the number of aid agencies and aid dollars and the growing complexity of the aid community (World Bank 2008). A growing body of research is examining key questions: Is aid unpredictable? What causes unpredictability? What can be done about it? This note draws from a selection of recent literature to bring some clarity to the basic story emerging.1 We start by presenting evidence from the literature on various problems with aid flows. Then we discuss how researchers use terms like volatility and unpredictability when discussing aid predictability; we suggest that these concepts can be sharpened by introducing two new concepts—expectations and reliability. These new concepts are particularly useful in conceptualizing the problems of unpredictable flows in government budget processes. This approach allows a basic analysis of how timing and different types of aid affect predictability, and the implications for policy making.
Pre‐anthesis Interaction of Cytokinins and ABA in the Transport of 14C‐sucrose to the Ear of Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

The effect of the application of abscisic acid (ABA, 10−4 mol 1−1), benzyl adenine (BA, 10−6 mol - 1−1), N6-m-hydroxybenzyl-adenosine (HBA, 10−6 mol - 1−1) and combinations of these cytokinins with ABA on the transport of 14C-sucrose into the developing kernels of winter wheat, their number and mass, was studied. Growth substances were applied in the period 10 to 5 days before anthesis and their effects were examined 4 and 18 days after anthesis on ears that were detached 10 days before anthesis and then cultivated on a complete nutrient solution. The stimulating effect of HBA on the transport of 14C-sucrose, number of kernels and their mass was higher than that of BA. ABA partly decreased the stimulating effect of cytokinins and reduced up to several days after anthesis the transport of 14C-sucrose to the developing kernels, their number and mass. The results revealed that a higher level of cytokinins in the period before anthesis could effectively interact with the inhibiting effect of ABA in that period and influence the accumulation of assimilates in the kernels.
Term Extraction for User Profiling: Evaluation by the User

We compared three term scoring methods in their ability to extract descriptive terms from a knowledge worker's document collection. We compared the methods in two different evaluation scenarios, both from the perspective of the user: a perterm evaluation, and a holistic (term cloud) evaluation. We found that users tend to prefer a term scoring method that gives a higher score to multi-word terms than to single-word terms. In addition, users are not always consistent in their judgements of term profiles, if they are presented in different forms (as list or as cloud).
Parametric Compositional Data Types

In previous work we have illustrated the benefits that compositional data types (CDTs) offer for implementing languages and in general for dealing with abstract syntax trees (ASTs). Based on Swierstra's data types \'a la carte, CDTs are implemented as a Haskell library that enables the definition of recursive data types and functions on them in a modular and extendable fashion. Although CDTs provide a powerful tool for analysing and manipulating ASTs, they lack a convenient representation of variable binders. In this paper we remedy this deficiency by combining the framework of CDTs with Chlipala's parametric higher-order abstract syntax (PHOAS). We show how a generalisation from functors to difunctors enables us to capture PHOAS while still maintaining the features of the original implementation of CDTs, in particular its modularity. Unlike previous approaches, we avoid so-called exotic terms without resorting to abstract types: this is crucial when we want to perform transformations on CDTs that inspect the recursively computed CDTs, e.g. constant folding.
Population regulation in white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) in a suboptimal habitat

A white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) population living in a suboptimal habitat was monitored weekly throughout the year over a 4-year period. Data obtained were used to examine the hypothesis that populations living in suboptimal habitats are not self-regulating. A total of 880 different mice were handled on 3023 occasions. Population density fluctuated on both a seasonal and an annual basis, and differences in demographic structure among years included shifts in predominance of subadults versus adults, proportion of the population composed of juveniles, survivorship of males, and reproductive effort. In general, the 2nd year was distinctive in that it was lower in density, dominated by subadults, had few juveniles, poor overwinter survival, and low reproductive effort. A phase space plot of density against proportion of females breeding indicated that reproductive effort was being regulated in response to density, suggesting that this suboptimal habitat population was self-regulating.
Country Crisis: A Content Analysis of Rural Opioid Epidemic News Coverage

The spread of non-prescription opioid abuse has increased to the point that a person is now more likely to die from an accidental overdose than an automobile accident. Rural areas have been hit particularly hard, and many farmers indicate direct impacts resulting from the opioid epidemic. Researchers have recognized the role of the media in communicating complicated issues and influencing potential solutions. This study analyzed the frames and sources used to communicate issues regarding the rural opioid epidemic in The New York Times and five additional newspapers from states most affected by the opioid epidemic. A total of 115 news, feature, editorial, and other articles were analyzed. The most often used frame was “growth or spread” of the epidemic and the sources most frequently referenced were medical professionals and elected officials. Although a non-traditional issue in agriculture, agricultural communicators should not shy away from getting involved given the potential for harm to rural communities and, in turn, the agriculture industry. Future studies should investigate rural community member and journalist perceptions on the issue, as well as coverage in other states.
Is Segmental Interference Position-dependent?

The paper investigates the existence of position-independent segments in written and typed word production. In two experiments, we employed the segmental interference effect to first replicate past findings that naming a picture is more difficult in the context of another picture with which it shares segments in the same position (e.g., glow-flow) compared to an unrelated word (e.g., glow-cave). We then tested a new condition, in which the same target word is paired with an anagram of the original competitor (glow-wolf). Critically, the anagram shared the same number of segments with the target word, but never in the same position. Both experiments found robust interference for targets produced in the context of anagrams, with a magnitude comparable to the interference induced by the position-overlapping word. The results suggest that not only are position-independent segments represented in the production system, but they also play a critical role in activating segmentally related words and creating competition during word production.