Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Functional foods: the new concept emerging from the traditional nutrition

The present study was aimed to review the scientific evidences that the traditional nutrition of Bulgarians during the centuries could be considered as a dietary pattern with functional characteristics. Historical sources indicated that the diet of our ancestors was low processed, rich in dietary fibers, polyphenols and many other functional components. Traditional foods and beverages containing probiotics were identified as traditional functional foods. Based on the concept of functional foods we concluded that the traditional diet of Bulgarians could be considered as a healthy nutritional pattern.
Differences in L 1 and L 2 Speech Processing

The theoretical framework of second language (L2) speech perception and processing is based on the nature–nurture interplay in language learning. Theories have traditionally been dominated by the critical-period hypothesis (CPH), which suggests a maturationbased constraint in learning, resulting from the loss of plasticity of the brain after puberty. Current views posit that L2 speech learning is infl uenced by linguistic experience, as later learning may be constrained by initial exposure to a native language (L1). Nevertheless, speech learning can improve as learners gain experience in the L2, as the mature human brain is believed to remain malleable. While the nature–nurture issues cannot be framed in all-or-none dichotomies, the debate is still current as to the extent to which speech processing and learning are infl uenced by linguistic experience, or refl ect lower-level encoding of physical properties, as well as the extent to which they involve an interconnected system within the realm of cognitive processing. Specifi cally, research in L2 speech processing and learning has addressed these issues from three perspectives: (a) whether the processing of L2 speech employs specialized neural substrates and how it is infl uenced by experi ence with an L1 speech system; (b) how learning-induced plasticity is instantiated in the brain; and (c) how L2 speech learning patterns extend across lower-level sensory physical and higher-level cognitive processes.
Gene expression profile in rat pancreatic islet and RINm 5 F cells

To clarify tissue-specificity of pancreatic cells, comparison of mRNA expression in various conditions of the tissue of multiple organisms is important. Although the developed methodologies for mRNA monitoring such as microarray, rely on the growth of dbEST (database of expressed sequence tag), a large number of unknown genes in the genome, especially in the rat, have not been shown to be expressed. In this study, we have established the first database of ESTs from rat pancreatic islet and RINm5F cells. Two cDNA libraries were constructed using mRNAs from rat pancreatic islet and RINm5F cells to cover a wider spectrum of expressed genes. Over 40 000 clones were randomly selected from the two libraries and partially sequenced. The sequences obtained were subjected to BLAST database analyses. This large-scale sequencing generated 40 710 38-ESTs. Clustering analysis and homology search of nucleotide and peptide databases using both 38and 58-ESTs revealed 10 406 non-redundant transcripts representing 4078 known genes or homologs and 6328 unknown genes. To confirm actual expression, the unknown sequences were further subjected to dbEST search, resulting in the identification of 5432 significant matches to those from other sources. Interestingly, of the remaining sequences showing no match, 779 were found to be encoded by exon–intron organization in the corresponding genomic sequences, suggesting that these are newly found as actually expressed in this study. Since many genes are upor down-regulated in differing conditions, applications of the expression profile should facilitate identification of the genes involved in cell-specific functions in normal and disease states. Journal of Molecular Endocrinology (2005) 35, 1–12
The correspondence metaphor of memory: Right, wrong, or useful?

Abstract Our response to the commentators covers four general issues: (1) How useful is our proposed conceptualization of the real-life/laboratory controversy in terms of the contrast between the correspondence and storehouse metaphors? (2) What is the relationship between these two metaphors? (3) What are the unique implications of the correspondence metaphor for memory assessment and theory? (4) What are the nature and role of memory metaphors in memory research? We stress that the correspondence metaphor can be usefully exploited independent of the real-life/laboratory controversy, but that a variety of other metaphors, including the storehouse, should also be utilized in order to more fully capture the myriad facets and functions of memory in everyday life.
The Boom-Bust Cycle in Japanese Asset Prices

The Japanese economy experienced a substantial increase and a subsequent crash in land and stock prices in the 1980s and 90s. I use a neoclassical growth model to determine how much of these asset price movements can be accounted for by the observed changes in fundamentals of the Japanese economy; in particular changes in productivity growth and government policy regarding land taxation. In the model, corporations issue land-collateralized debt to reduce their tax liabilities and the government follows a land-taxation policy that is countercyclical to land prices. These features substantially magnify the effect of small shocks by reducing the required return on land. With the model calibrated to Japanese data, I find that the observed changes in fundamentals cannot simultaneously account for the movements in asset prices and macroeconomic variables. In particular, with persistent changes in fundamentals, the observed asset prices can be justified, but at the cost of counter-predicting macroeconomic variables.
The Embryology and Larval Development of the Goldfish (Carassius Auratus L.) from Lake Erie

Osburn (1901) noted that the common goldfish (Carassius auratus L.) had escaped from cultivation in some parts of Ohio and as early as 1888 was reported by Henshall as "not rare in the canal basin near Elmwood, Hamilton County. " The species has become quite common in Lake Erie in shallow parts, especially bays and creek mouths (Greeley, 1928). It has been reported by fishermen off the north shore at Port Stanley where it is said to attain a length of 14 to 15 inches. The description of its early development has not, however, been included by Mrs. Fish (1932) probably because it is not an indigenous species. The goldfish and other Cyprinidae have long been used by geneticists, and also by embryologists, for specialized studies in fish development. However, other than the account by Khan (1929) and the illustrations by Dr. F. J. Myers in the volume by Innes (1936) an adequate description of the general features of its embryonic and larval development is lacking. The following account is an attempt to fill this gap since the goldfish is becoming increasingly important not only from the standpoint of the ornamental fish trade, and as an experimental test animal, but also because of its ability to adapt itself successfully to environmental conditions in Lake Erie.
Response of sedimentary bacteria in a Louisiana salt marsh to contamination by diesel fuel

In a 28 d microcosm study, we examined the effects of diesel-contaminated sediment on the sedimentary bacterial community of a Louisiana (USA) salt marsh that has been chronically exposed to petroleum hydrocarbons for decades Diesel contaminants in n1icrocosms as determined from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentration ranged from 0.55 to 55 ppm (dry weight). Bacterial metabolism (incorporation of I4C-acetate and 3H-leucine) and bacterial abundance were not affected by diesel-contaminated sediment at any concentration. Bacterial degradation of I4Cphenanthrene, however, increased in direct proportion to the amount of dieselcontaminated sediment added. Ambient sediment also exhibited significant capacity to degrade PAH. The half life of phenanthrene (based on "'C-phenanthrene-degradation experiments) ranged from 137 d in ambient sediments to 4.5 d in sediment chronically exposed to high levels of diesel-contaminated sediments for 28 d. Twoand three-ring PAH, including naphthalenes, phenanthrenes, and dibenzothiophenes, constituted the bulk of PAH composition of diesel and were rapidly metabolized. Alkylated PAH were also readily metabolized. The rapid removal of PAH suggests that even if the marsh were exposed to chronically high levels of petroleum hydrocarbons, chemical evidence of the contaminants would not be detected in sediments. Collectively, these results are consistent with the hypothesis that the bacterial community in this salt marsh has adapted to chronic exposure to petroleum hydrocarbons.
Organized Classification of Melanoma Images Using Gaussian Mixture Model and Artificial Neural Network

The most dangerous form of skin cancer ,tese cancerous growths develop when unrepired DNA damage to the skin cells genetic defects that lead the ski cells to multiply rapidy and form maligant tumors . In melanoma diagnosis, the intersect and ascertain detection of the melanocytes in the epidermis area is an important step before the diagnosis is made. If the melanocytes can be found correctly, architectural and cellular features e.g. size, distribution, location etc. they can be used to grade or determine the malignancy of the skin tissue. So border detection of the infected regions in this automated system is the major step as all other results depends on accuracy of detected area. In this work, we have proposed a neural network based segmentation system which can efficiently classify the pixels of the input images into infected or non-infected parts. In this we used the pixel surroundings which contain the neighborhood texture information of the pixels which helps in better classification of pixels into similar clusters depending upon the surroundings. For getting the features of theses neighborhood Gaussian mixtures has been evaluated first from a few selected pixels from different intensity areas and then each pixel has been put into a particular cluster based on modeling of Gaussian mixtures. For further improving the segmentation results and to get results in two categories, neural network based classification has been preferred as they gave much better efficiency than the pre-segmentation done by Gaussian clustering. The proposed work has been tested on variety of images and the results shows that it gives higher accuracy in terms of sensitivity and specificity values.
Structural and functional leaf traits of two Gochnatia species from distinct growth forms in a sclerophyll forest site in Southeastern Brazil

Gochnatia is very common in different phytophysiognomies in the Cerrado of Sao Paulo State, occupying open and closed areas. In this study, we compared the leaf anatomy and some ecophysiological traits of two species of Gochnatia, one a shrub (Gochnatia barrosii Cabrera) and the other a tree (Gochnatia polymorpha (Less.) Cabrera), which both occur in an area of "cerradao" at the Estacao Ecologica de Assis, SP. We found qualitative structural differences between the species, with G. barrosii presenting amphistomatic leaves with a uniseriate epidermis and G. polymorpha showing hypostomatic leaves and a multiple epidermis or hypodermis on the adaxial surface. Moreover, the G. barrosii leaves had lower values in tissue thickness (with the exception of the epidermis on the abaxial surface) and leaf thickness in relation to G. polymorpha. There were differences in CO2 assimilation both in area and leaf dry mass basis, and differences in specific leaf area, which was higher in G. barrosii. Although the G. barrosii leaves were much less sclerophyllous than the G. polymorpha leaves, we found no differences in the efficiency of water use. The results suggest that plants from the same genus, but with distinct growth forms, differ in their leaf traits to deal with the environmental variations that they grow in.
VLT-VIMOS integral field spectroscopy of luminous and ultraluminous infrared galaxies - II. Evidence for shock ionization caused by tidal forces in the extra-nuclear regions of interacting and merging LIRGs

Context Luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) are an important class of objects in the low-z universe bridging the gap between normal spirals and the strongly interacting and starbursting ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs). Since a large fraction of the stars in the Universe have been formed in these objects, LIRGs are also relevant in a high-z context. Studies of the two-dimensional physical properties of LIRGs are still lacking. Aims. We aim to understand the nature and origin of the ionization mechanisms operating in the extra-nuclear regions of LIRGs as a function of the interaction phase and infrared luminosity. Methods. This study uses optical integral field spectroscopy (IFS) data obtained with VIMOS. Our analysis is based on over 25 300 spectra of 32 LIRGs covering all types of morphologies (isolated galaxies, interacting pairs, and advanced mergers), and the entire 10 11 ―10 12 L ⊙ infrared luminosity range. Results. We found strong evidence for shock ionization, with a clear trend with the dynamical status of the system. Specifically, we quantified the variation with interaction phase of several line ratios indicative of the excitation degree. While the [N II]λ6584/Ha ratio does not show any significant change, the [S II]λλ6717,6731/Hα and [O I]λ6300/Hα ratios are higher for more advanced interaction stages. Velocity dispersions are higher than in normal spirals and increase with the interaction class (medians of 37, 46, and 51 km s ―1 for class 0-2, respectively). We constrained the main mechanisms causing the ionization in the extra-nuclear regions (typically for distances ranging from ∼0.2―2.1 kpc to ∼0.9―13.2 kpc) using diagnostic diagrams. Isolated systems are mainly consistent with ionization caused by young stars. Large fractions of the extra-nuclear regions in interacting pairs and more advanced mergers are consistent with ionization caused by shocks of ν s ≲ 200 km s ―1 . This is supported by the relation between the excitation degree and the velocity dispersion of the ionized gas, which we interpret as evidence for shock ionization in interacting galaxies and advanced mergers but not in isolated galaxies. This relation does not show any dependence with the infrared luminosity (i.e. the level of star formation). All this indicates that tidal forces play a key role in the origin of the ionizing shocks in the extra-nuclear regions. We also showed for the first time what appears to be a common log([OI]λ6300/Hα) ― log(σ) relation for the extranuclear ionized gas in interacting (U)LIRGs (i.e. covering the entire 10 11.0 ―10 12.3 L ⊙ luminosity range). This preliminary result needs to be investigated further with a larger sample of ULIRGs.
A very compact 1 MS / s Nyquist-rate A / D-converter with 12 effective bits for use as a standard cell

We present a very compact analog-to-digital convertor (ADC) for use as a standard cell. To achieve an inherent accuracy of at least 12-bits without trimming or calibration, extended counting A/D-conversion is used. Here, the circuit performs a conversion by passing through two modes of operation: first it works as a 1st-order incremental convertor and then it is reconfigured to operate as a conventional algorithmic converter. This way, we obtain a Nyquist-rate converter that requires only 1 operational amplifier and achieves 12-bit accuracy performance in 13 clock cycles with 9 bit capacitor matching. The circuit is designed in 0.18 μm CMOS with a thick oxide option. The resulting analog core occupies a chip area of only 0.011 mm and the complete digital control and reconstruction logic (including additional test features and storage registers) is 0.02 mm. The analog blocks of the circuit consume 1.2mW and the digital 0.4mW. At a sample rate of 1 MS/s, the peak SNDR is 74.5dB and the dynamic range is 78dB, constant over the Nyquist band. The worst-case integral non-lineairity (INL) is within ±0.55 LSB.
National-scale assessment of ecological content in the world's largest land management framework

Meeting the diverse sustainability targets of modern society has led to the development of national-level management frameworks meant to guide resource management actions and conservation funding decisions. In U.S. rangelands, state-and-transition models have been developed within the Ecological Site Description (ESD) Database as an application of alternative state theory and to move the discipline toward a more dynamic platform for resource management. After 15 years of development, and with government-mandated collaboration among federal agencies, these models are set to become one of the world's largest guiding frameworks for terrestrial ecosystem management. Yet, ESD state-and-transition models are being marketed for broad-scale application without a national-level critique evaluating their strengths and limitations. In this article, we conduct a national assessment of ESDs with a central focus on evaluating the specific details of ESD state-and-transition models. Importantly, we are not evaluating the conceptual underpinnings of the state-and-transition management framework, but rather its application. Specifically, we (1) quantify and summarize the information presented in ESD state-and-transition models; (2) determine whether ESDs fully meet U.S. Congress's goal of a nationally consistent system for defining, mapping, and interpreting ecological sites; (3) identify limitations and logical holes in ESD predictions; and (4) evaluate whether conservation funding priorities are consistent with output from ESDs. Our evaluation reveals multiple shortcomings in the application of the state-and-transition model concept within ESDs, primarily that they are highly subjective, inconsistent in design and application, focus on a single historical climax community, and overuse grazing as a driver of both ecological degradation and restoration. Considering that many of these limitations have been a consistent criticism of rangeland assessment procedures throughout the history of the discipline, state-and-transition models within ESDs will require major reconstruction beyond the current plans for revision if they are to meet society's demand for more effective management and utilization of rangeland resources. While ESDs were developed to link science and management in rangeland ecology, our assessment suggests well-intentioned management frameworks built upon expert opinion and qualitative inputs will not effectively shift ecosystem management from long-held practices rooted in community climax theory to modern scientific perspectives based on alternative state theory.
Hopes and Fears in Implementation of Electronic Health Records in Bangladesh

Health is seen as a major key for development and many developing country governments invest in ICT‐based Health Information Systems (HIS). The purpose of this paper is to explore physicians’ hopes and fears for implementing Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems in Bangladeshi hospitals. Data was collected through interviews and observations at two Bangladeshi hospitals. We found very little use of EHR systems at the hospitals and many physicians were skeptical of using EHR systems. Whereas this skepticism could be seen as a symptom of backward thinking our analysis found much of this skepticism to be reasonable. In this way this research contributes to the ongoing debate on how to implement HIS in developing countries. We articulate and analyze users’ concerns beyond mere “attitudes” and “acceptance”. Our results show that the fears and concerns on the hospital floors are legitimate and should be taken into consideration when HIS projects are initiated.
The easternmost tropical Pacific. Part II: Seasonal and intraseasonal modes of atmospheric variability

This is Part II of a two-part review about climate and climate variability focused on the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) and the Caribbean Sea (CS). Both parts are aimed at providing oceanographers, marine biologists, and other ocean scientists, a guiding base for ocean-atmosphere interaction processes affecting the CS, the ETP, and the waters of Isla del Coco. Isla del Coco National Park is a Costa Rican World Heritage site. Part I analyzed the mean fields for both basins and a larger region covering 25o S - 35o N, 20o W - 130o W. Here we focus on a smaller area (65o W - 95o W, 0o - 20o N), as a complement to Part 1. Incoming solar radiation and surface energy fluxes reveal the complex nature of the ETP and CS for convective activity and precipitation on seasonal and intraseasonal time scales. Both regions are relevant as sources of evaporation and the associated moisture transport processes. The American Monsoon System influences the climate and climate variability of the ETP and CS, however, the precise way systems affect regional precipitation and transport of moisture, within the Intra Americas Sea (IAS) are not clear. Although the Caribbean Low-Level Jet (CLLJ) is known to act as a conveyor belt for moisture transport, intraseasonal and seasonal modes of the CLLJ and their interactions with other IAS systems, have to be further investigated. Trans-isthmic jets, exert a variable seasonal wind stress force over the ocean surface co-generating regions of great marine productivity. Isolated convection, the seasonal migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, the hurricane season, the Mid-Summer Drought, the seasonal and intraseasonal behavior of low-level jets and their interactions with transients, and the southward incursion of cold fronts contribute to regional seasonal precipitation. Many large-scale systems, such as El Nino-Southern Oscillation, the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation and the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO, also influence the variability of precipitation by modulating regional features associated with convection and precipitation. Monthly tropical storm (TS) activity in the CS and ETP basins is restricted to the period May-November, with very few cases in December. The CS presents TS peak activity during August, as well as for the number of hurricanes and major hurricanes, in contrast to the ETP that shows the same features during September.
1 SN 1 transporter regulation by Sp 1 in ammonia-2 treated mouse cortical astrocytes : role of Sp 1 3 phosphorylation status 4

The involvement of astrocytic SN1 (SNAT3) transporter in ammonia-induced L-glutamine 11 retention was recently documented in mouse cultured astrocytes. Here we investigated the 12 involvement of specificity protein 1 (Sp1) transcription factor in SN1 regulation in ammonium 13 chloride (“ammonia”)-treated astrocytes. Sp1 expression and its cellular localization were 14 determined using real-time qPCR, Western blot and confocal microscopy, respectively. Sp1 binding 15 to Snat3 promoter was analyzed by chromatin immunoprecipitation. Ammonia-induced Sp1 16 regulatory role in SN1-mediated [3H]glutamine transport was verified using siRNA and 17 mithramycin A. The involvement of protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms in Sp1 level/phosphorylation 18 status was verified using siRNA technology. Sp1 translocation to the nuclei and its enhanced 19 binding to Snat3 promoter, along with Sp1 dependence of system N-mediated [3H]glutamine 20 transport were observed in astrocytes upon ammonia exposure. Ammonia decreased the level of 21 phosphorylated Sp1, and the effect was reinforced by long-term incubation with PKC modulator, 22 phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, a treatment likely to dephosphorylate Sp1. Furthermore, 23 silencing of PKCδ isoform abolished the increase of Sp1 level by ammonia. Collectively, the results 24 demonstrate the regulatory role of Sp1 in regulation of SN1 expression and activity in ammonia25 treated astrocytes and implicate altered Sp1 phosphorylation status in this capacity. 26