bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
TLC determination of flavonoids from different cultivars of Allium cepa and Allium ascalonicum
Authors: Pobłocka-Olech Loretta , Głód Daniel , Żebrowska Maria E. , Sznitowska Małgorzata , Krauze-Baranowska Miroslawa 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
This study comprises the optimization and validation of a new TLC method for determination of flavonols in the bulbs of seven cultivars of onions and shallots. Separation was performed on RP-18 plates with the solvent mixture tetrahydrofuran/water/formic acid (40+60+6, V/V/V) as a mobile phase. The method was evaluated for precision, linearity, LOD, LOQ, accuracy and robustness. Chromatographic analysis of the extracts revealed the presence of three main flavonols, quercetin, quercetin-4′-O-glucoside and quercetin-3,4′-O-diglucoside in the majority of analyzed cultivars. The content of flavonols in the analyzed extracts of onion bulbs varied from 123 (‘Exihibition’) to 1079 mg kg-1 fresh mass (fm) (‘Hybing’) in edible parts, and from 1727 (‘Hyline’) to 28949 mg kg-1 fm (‘Red Baron’) in outer scales. The bulbs of two shallot cultivars contained 209 (‘Ambition’) and 523 mg kg-1 fm (‘Matador’) of flavonols in edible parts and 5426 and 8916 mg kg-1 fm in outer scales, respectively.
A dual strategy to improve psychotic patients’ compliance using sustained release quetiapine oral disintegrating tablets
Authors: Refaat Ahmed , Sokar Magda , Ismail Fatma , Boraei Nabila 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
Quetiapine (QT) is a short acting atypical antipsychotic drug effective in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This study aims at designing a novel dosage form of sustained release taste-masked QT orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs) based on solid lipid micro-pellets (SLMPs). QT SLMPs were prepared using the hot melt extrusion technique and utilizing three lipid carriers: Compritol, Precirol and white beeswax either alone or in mixtures. They showed sustained QT release and a taste masking effect. The selected QT SLMP was further blended with an aqueous solution containing polyvinylpyrollidone (2.5 %), croscarmellose sodium (2 %) and mannitol (50 %); it was then lyophilized into ODT in a mass ratio of 1:2, respectively. ODTs containing QT SLMPs showed: average wetting time (40.92 s), average oral disintegration time (21.49 s), average hardness (16.85 N) and also imparted suitable viscosity to suspend pellets during the lyophilization process. In conclusion, lyophilization is a promising technique for the formulation of multiparticulate systems into ODTs.
Ionophore-based potentiometric PVC membrane sensors for determination of phenobarbitone in pharmaceutical formulations
Authors: Alrabiah Haitham , Al-Majed Abdulrahman , Abounassif Mohammed , Mostafa Gamal A.E. 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
The fabrication and development of two polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membrane sensors for assaying phenobarbitone sodium are described. Sensors 1 and 2 were fabricated utilizing β- or γ-cyclodextrin as ionophore in the presence of tridodecylmethylammonium chloride as a membrane additive, and PVC and dioctyl phthalate as plasticizer. The analytical parameters of both sensors were evaluated according to the IUPAC guidelines. The proposed sensors showed rapid, stable anionic response (-59.1 and -62.0 mV per decade) over a relatively wide phenobarbitone concentration range (5.0 × 10-6-1 × 10-2 and 8 × 10-6-1 × 10-2 mol L-1) in the pH range of 9-11. The limit of detection was 3.5 × 10-6 and 7.0 × 10-6 mol L-1 for sensors 1 and 2, respectively. The fabricated sensors showed high selectivity for phenobarbitone over the investigated foreign species. An average recovery of 2.54 μg mL-1 phenobarbitone sodium was 97.4 and 101.1 %, while the mean relative standard deviation was 3.0 and 2.1 %, for sensors 1 and 2, respectively. The results acquired for determination of phenobarbitone in its dosage forms utilizing the proposed sensors are in good agreement with those obtained by the British Pharmacopoeial method.
Pleiotropic effects of niacin: Current possibilities for its clinical use
Authors: Zeman Miroslav , Vecka Marek , Perlík František , Staňková Barbora , Hromádka Robert , Tvrzická Eva , Širc Jakub , Hrib Jakub , Žák Aleš 
Published: October 2016

AbstractNiacin was the first hypolipidemic drug to significantly reduce both major cardiovascular events and mortality in patients with cardiovascular disease. Niacin favorably influences all lipoprotein classes, including lipoprotein[a],and belongs to the most potent hypolipidemic drugs for increasing HDL-C. Moreover, niacin causes favorable changes to the qualitative composition of lipoprotein HDL. In addition to its pronounced hypolipidemic action, niacin exerts many other, non-hypolipidemic effects (e.g., antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic), which favorably influence the development and progression of atherosclerosis. These effects are dependent on activation of the specific receptor HCA2. Recent results published by the two large clinical studies, AIM-HIGH and HPS2-THRIVE, have led to the impugnation of niacin’s role in future clinical practice. However, due to several methodological flaws in the AIM-HIGH and HPS2-THRIVE studies, the pleiotropic effects of niacin now deserve thorough evaluation. This review summarizes the present and possible future use of niacin in clinical practice in light of its newly recognized pleiotropic effects.
Pharmacokinetic evaluation of the interaction between oral kaempferol and ethanol in rats
Authors: Zhou Zhaoxiang , Wang Meng , Guo Zengjun , Zhang Xiaoying 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
This study was aimed at investigating the effect of ethanol on oral bioavailability of kaempferol in rats, namely, at disclosing their possible interaction. Kaempferol (100 or 250 mg kg-1 bm) was administered to the rats by oral gavage with or without ethanol (600 mg kg-1 bm) co-administration. Intravenous administration (10 and 25 mg kg-1 bm) of kaempferol was used to determine the bioavailability. The concentration of kaempferol in plasma was estimated by ultra high performance liquid chromatography. During coadministration, a significant increase of the area under the plasma concentration-time curve as well as the peak concentration were observed, along with a dramatic decrease in total body clearance. Consequently, the bioavailability of kaempferol in oral control groups was 3.1 % (100 mg kg-1 bm) and 2.1 % (250 mg kg-1 bm). The first was increased by 4.3 % and the other by 2.8 % during ethanol co-administration. Increased permeability of cell membrane and ethanolkaempferol interactions on CYP450 enzymes may enhance the oral bioavailability of kaempferol in rats.
Furan-induced hepatotoxic and hematologic changes in diabetic rats: the protective role of lycopene
Authors: Baş Hatice , Pandır Dilek , Kalender Suna 
Published: October 2016

AbstractFuran forms as a result of thermal treatment of food and induces harmful effects on organisms. In our work, lycopene, furan, and a combination of the two were given to diabetic male rats for 28 days. Hematological changes, total protein and cholesterol, triglyceride, and albumin levels, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase activities of the serum, malondialdehyde levels, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, glutathione-S-transferase, superoxide dismutase activities, DNA damage in liver tissues and hepatic histopathological alterations were compared to a control group. There were significant changes in the liver function tests, DNA damage, activities of antioxidant enzymes, and malondialdehyde levels between diabetic control and non-diabetic control groups, between diabetic control and diabetic lycopene groups, and also between diabetic furan and diabetic control groups. In diabetic lycopene and diabetic furan + lycopene treated groups we designated the preventive effects of lycopene against diabetes and furan, however, on the analysed parameters only. In spite of some pathological alterations designated in diabetic furan treated group’s liver, fewer pathological alterations were observed in furan+lycopene treated groups at the end of week 4. Consequently, lycopene significantly reduced furan- and diabetes-induced toxicity in rat liver.
Impact of meteorological parameters and air pollution on emergency department visits for cardiovascular diseases in the city of Zagreb, Croatia
Authors: Pintarić Sanja , Zeljković Ivan , Pehnec Gordana , Nesek Višnja , Vrsalović Mislav , Pintarić Hrvoje 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate whether nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), and certain meteorological conditions had an impact on cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related emergency department (ED) visits in the metropolitan area of Zagreb. This retrospective, ecological study included 20,228 patients with a cardiovascular disease as their primary diagnosis who were examined in the EDs of two Croatian University Hospitals, Sisters of Charity and Holy Spirit, in the study period July 2008-June 2010. The median of daily CVD-related ED visits during the study period was 28 and was the highest during winter. A significant negative correlation was found between CVD-related emergency visits and air temperature measured no more than three days prior to the visit, and the highest negative correlation coefficient was measured two days earlier (R=0.266, p≤0.001). The number of CVD-related emergency visits significantly correlated with the average NO2 concentration on the same day (R=0.191, p<0.001). The results of multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that the number of CVD-related emergency visits depended on air temperature, and NO2 and O3 concentrations. The higher the air temperatures, the lower the number of daily CVD-related emergency visits (p<0.001). An increase in NO2 concentrations (p=0.005) and a decrease in O3 concentrations of two days earlier (p=0.006) led to an increase in CVD-related ED visits. In conclusion, the decrease in O3 concentrations and the increase in NO2, even if below the legally binding thresholds, could be associated with an increase in CVD-related emergency visits and a similar effect was observed with lower temperature measured no more than three days prior to the visit.
Phytoremediation potential of wild plants growing on soil contaminated with heavy metals
Authors: Čudić Vladica , Stojiljković Dragoslava , Jovović Aleksandar 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
Phytoremediation is an emerging technology that employs higher plants to cleanup contaminated environments, including metal-polluted soils. Because it produces a biomass rich in extracted toxic metals, further treatment of this biomass is necessary. The aim of our study was to assess the five-year potential of the following native wild plants to produce biomass and remove heavy metals from a polluted site: poplar (Populus ssp.), ailanthus (Ailanthus glandulosa L.), false acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), ragweed (Artemisia artemisiifolia L.), and mullein (Verbascum thapsus L). Average soil contamination with Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, and As in the root zone was 22,948.6 mg kg-1, 865.4 mg kg-1, 85,301.7 mg kg-1, 3,193.3 mg kg-1, 50.7 mg kg-1, 41.7 mg kg-1,and 617.9 mg kg-1, respectively. We measured moisture and ash content, concentrations of Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, and As in the above-ground parts of the plants and in ash produced by combustion of the plants, plus gross calorific values. The plants’ phytoextraction and phytostabilisation potential was evaluated based on their bioconcentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TF). Mullein was identified as a hyperaccumulator for Cd. It also showed a higher gross calorific value (19,735 kJ kg-1) than ragweed (16,469 kJ kg-1).The results of this study suggest that mullein has a great potential for phytoextraction and for biomass generation, and that ragweed could be an effective tool of phytostabilisation.
Multi-scale curvature tensor analysis of machined surfaces
Authors: Bartkowiak Tomasz , Brown Christopher 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
This paper demonstrates the use of multi-scale curvature analysis, an areal new surface characterization technique for better understanding topographies, for analyzing surfaces created by conventional machining and grinding. Curvature, like slope and area, changes with scale of observation, or calculation, on irregular surfaces, therefore it can be used for multi-scale geometric analysis. Curvatures on a surface should be indicative of topographically dependent behavior of a surface and curvatures are, in turn, influenced by the processing and use of the surface. Curvatures have not been well characterized previously. Curvature has been used for calculations in contact mechanics and for the evaluation of cutting edges. In the current work two parts were machined and then one of them was ground. The surface topographies were measured with a scanning laser confocal microscope. Plots of curvatures as a function of position and scale are presented, and the means and standard deviations of principal curvatures are plotted as a function of scale. Statistical analyses show the relations between curvature and these two manufacturing processes at multiple scales.
Capital Accumulation in a Region. Cooperatives Versus Foreign Direct Investments
Authors: Zimnoch Krystyna 
Published: October 2016

AbstractThe main aim of this article is to demonstrate the ability of cooperatives to create internal resources of a region through foreign direct investments and the creation of financial, physical, human, and social capital. It concerns the comparing and emphasizing of the stability of resources created in a region by these forms of action. In order to demonstrate the stability of internal resources of a region, generated through foreign direct investment, a research was conducted involving the analysis of the rankings of the largest foreign investors in Poland, statistical data from the Central Statistical Office and the NBP, showing the inflow and outflow of FDIs, the number of companies with foreign capital participation, and the number of people working in them. In addition, a case study was used for the regions where the investments have been withdrawn, showing the importance of cooperatives for the stabilization of the potential of the regions. The study shows that the transfer of FDIs is always guided by the maximization of profit, tax optimization of a location, and the native currency exchange rate fluctuations. The following consequences of withdrawal have no significance to foreign investors but affect the regions: the increase in the unemployment rate, the reduction in the income of local residents, the increase in debt, the acquisition of real estate purchased on credit. The case study shows that cooperative enterprises can replace foreign capital in the region, ensuring the stability and durability of its internal resources. The concepts and strategies for regional development should focus on cooperatives as a way to create the internal resources of a region, which are seen as the current development source. Co-operatives can prevent the leaching of resources and backwash effects. The economic policy must ensure the equal treatment of all of the entities investing in the region. Currently, Poland gives the priority to foreign investors over the domestic ones. Cooperative enterprises are particularly discriminated against through double taxation. It is worthwhile to examine the scale of the cooperative movement in the economy of the EU and the US and the policy instruments applied to this form of business in those areas.
Project Management in Behavioural Perspective – Cognitive Biases in the Formulation of the Aim of the Project
Authors: Kiełczewski Dariusz , Matel Anna , Poskrobko Tomasz 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
The article contains a behavioural analysis of the aim-formulating stage of the project. The purpose of the article is to point out that in the process of formulating the aim of the project, it comes to such decision-making situations which favour heuristic thinking. The article presents the results of the secondary research. As a result of verified theory, according to which in the process of formulating the aim of the project, the interference in decision-making processes may occur on the part of the heuristics and the resulting cognitive biases.
Taxonomic and Econometric Analysis of Road Transport Development in Poland – The Voivodship Approach
Authors: Czech Artur , Lewczuk Jerzy 
Published: October 2016

AbstractTransport is considered one of the basic aspects of the movement of people, raw materials as well as goods from the place of origin to the destination. Moreover, in the wider sense, transport includes economic bodies that aim to achieve goals similar to those of businesses that produce a wide range of goods required by customers. Hence, the efficient operations of basic branches of the transportation system determine the entire national economy. Furthermore, transport is considered a basic factor of development, both on the macro- and microeconomic scales.The aim of the paper is to attempt the assessment of the road transport in Poland as an important element of macro logistics. Furthermore, one of the aims of the investigation was the explanation of its influence on the level of economic development in Poland.As the source of information, the research used the data drawn from the Central Statistical Office of Poland. The main methods implemented in this study were both classic and order synthetic measure construction. Further, these measures were used in econometric models as well as for the prediction of their values.The main result of the analysis indicates that the development level of the widely considered infrastructure is strictly correlated with the socio-economic development of particular voivodships.The study on the level of road transport development can lead to a better understanding of the socio-economic development of particular areas of Poland as well as the more efficient use of the support funds.
Type-II singularities of two-convex immersed mean curvature flow
Authors: Bourni Theodora , Langford Mat 
Published: October 2016

AbstractWe show that any strictly mean convex translator of dimension n ≥ 3 which admits a cylindrical estimate and a corresponding gradient estimate is rotationally symmetric. As a consequence, we deduce that any translating solution of the mean curvature flow which arises as a blow-up limit of a two-convex mean curvature flow of compact immersed hypersurfaces of dimension n ≥ 3 is rotationally symmetric. The proof is rather robust, and applies to a more general class of translator equations. As a particular application, we prove an analogous result for a class of flows of embedded hypersurfaces which includes the flow of twoconvex hypersurfaces by the two-harmonic mean curvature.
The Influence of Interspecies Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer on Epigenetic Enzymes Transcription in Early Embryos
Authors: Morovic Martin , Murin Matej , Strejcek Frantisek , Benc Michal , Paál Dusan , Østrup Olga , Niemann Heiner , Pendovski Lazo , Laurincik Jozef 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
One of the main reason for the incorrect development of embryos derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer is caused by insufficient demethylation of injected somatic chromatin to a state comparable with an early embryonic nucleus. It is already known that the epigenetic enzymes transcription in oocytes and early embryos of several species including bovine and porcine zygotes is species-dependent process and the incomplete DNA methylation correlates with the nuclear transfer failure rate in mammals. In this study the transcription of DNA methyltransferase 1 and 3a (DNMT1, DNMT3a) genes in early embryonic stages of interspecies (bovine, porcine) nuclear transfer embryos (iSCNT) by RT-PCR were analyzed. Coming out from the diverse timing of embryonic genome activation (EGA) in porcine and bovine preimplantation embryos, the intense effect of ooplasm on transferred somatic cell nucleus was expected. In spite of the detection of ooplasmic DNA methyltransferases, the somatic genes for DNMT1 and DNMT3a enzymes were not expressed and the development of intergeneric embryos stopped at the 4-cell stage. Our results indicate that the epigenetic reprogramming during early mammalian development is strongly influenced by the ooplasmic environment.
Pharmacokinetics of Doxycycline in Ducks with Steatosis due to Force-feeding
Authors: Bratoev Neno , Milanova Aneliya , Pavlova Ivelina , Lashev Lubomir 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
The pharmacokinetics of doxycycline was investigated in force-fed and normally fed ducks after single intravenous (i.v.) and oral (p.o.) administration at a dose of 15 mg/kg bw. Serum concentrations of the drug were determined by the HPLC method. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using compartmental analysis. Serum concentrations of doxycycline after i.v. administration in both groups were not statistically different. The values of half-lives were 5.82±1.85 h and 6.06±5.51 h in normal and force-fed birds. The total body clearance was respectively 0.40±0.05 L/h/kg and 0.34±0.10 L/h/kg, and volume of distribution (Vss) was 2.80±0.85 L/kg and 2.18±0.89 L/kg. After p.o. administraton the maximum serum levels in the control group were 0.70±0.12 μg/mL and in force-fed birds were 1.93±0.32 μg/mL, measured at 2.95±0.60 h and 1.45±0.24 h, respectively. The values of absolute bioavailability were 18.89±6.48% and 37.58±13.63%. Longer doxycycline retention in force-fed ducks was registered. Our data can be accepted as an information for possible prolonged retention of doxycycline in force fed ducks compared to normally fed ones.
Studies on the carbonation of Czatkowice limestone in Calcium Looping process
Authors: Tomaszewicz Grzegorz , Kotyczka-Morańska Michalina , Plis Agnieszka 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
The growing demand for the reduction of anthropogenic CO2 emissions has stimulated the development of CO2 capture methods. One of the best capture methods comprises the calcium looping process, which incorporates calcium-based sorbents during the calcination and carbonation cycles. Czatkowice limestone may be considered to be a prospective chemical sorbent for the calcium looping process because of its formation characteristics. This paper addresses the thermogravimetric studies conducted under varying conditions of temperature and various concentrations of CO2 during the carbonation cycles. Moreover, a kinetic analysis of the carbonation stage was performed for the calcined sample at varying temperatures. The kinetic parameters for calcination and diffusion were determined. In addition, there was an increase in the concentration of CO2 with an increased carbonation conversion. The research results demonstrate that in further cycles of carbonation/calcination, the calcium sorbent reaches a higher rate of carbonation conversion with increased levels of CO2.
Efficient Word Alignment with Markov Chain Monte Carlo
Authors: Östling Robert , Tiedemann Jörg 
Published: October 2016

AbstractWe present EFMARAL, a new system for efficient and accurate word alignment using a Bayesian model with Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) inference. Through careful selection of data structures and model architecture we are able to surpass the fast_align system, commonly used for performance-critical word alignment, both in computational efficiency and alignment accuracy. Our evaluation shows that a phrase-based statistical machine translation (SMT) system produces translations of higher quality when using word alignments from EFMARAL than from fast_align, and that translation quality is on par with what is obtained using GIZA++, a tool requiring orders of magnitude more processing time. More generally we hope to convince the reader that Monte Carlo sampling, rather than being viewed as a slow method of last resort, should actually be the method of choice for the SMT practitioner and others interested in word alignment.