Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
- Invited Review - Calcium Digestibility and Metabolism in Pigs*

Calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) are minerals that have important physiological functions in the body. For formulation of diets for pigs, it is necessary to consider an appropriate Ca:P ratio for an adequate absorption and utilization of both minerals. Although both minerals are important, much more research has been conducted on P digestibility than on Ca digestibility. Therefore, this review focuses on aspects that are important for the digestibility of Ca. Only values for apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of Ca have been reported in pigs, whereas values for both ATTD and standardized total tract digestibility (STTD) of P in feed ingredients have been reported. To be able to determine STTD values for Ca it is necessary to determine basal endogenous losses of Ca. Although most Ca is absorbed in the small intestine, there are indications that Ca may also be absorbed in the colon under some circumstances, but more research to verify the extent of Ca absorption in different parts of the intestinal tract is needed. Most P in plant ingredients is usually bound to phytate. Therefore, plant ingredients have low digestibility of P due to a lack of phytase secretion by pigs. During the last 2 decades, inclusion of microbial phytase in swine diets has improved P digestibility. However, it has been reported that a high inclusion of Ca reduces the efficacy of microbial phytase. It is possible that formation of insoluble calcium-phytate complexes, or Ca-P complexes, not only may affect the efficacy of phytase, but also the digestibility of P and Ca. Therefore, Ca, P, phytate, and phytase interactions are aspects that need to be considered in Ca digestibility studies.
The gene coding for a major tumor rejection antigen of tumor P815 is identical to the normal gene of syngeneic DBA/2 mice

We showed previously that mouse mastocytoma P815 expresses several distinct antigens that are recognized by cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL) of syngeneic DBA/2 mice. Antigens P815A and P815B are usually lost jointly and are targets for immune rejection responses in vivo. We used a cosmid library and a CTL stimulation assay to obtain transfectants expressing tumor rejection antigen P815A. From these transfectants we retrieved gene P1A which transferred the expression of both P815A and B. This gene is unrelated to three previously isolated genes coding for tum-antigens. It encodes a putative protein of 224 amino acids which contains two highly acidic domains showing homology with similar regions of nuclear proteins. The P1A gene expressed by tumor P815 is completely identical to the gene present in normal DBA/2 cells. Expression of the gene was tested by Northern blots. Cells from liver, spleen, and a number of mast cell lines were negative, but mast cell line L138.8A produced a high level of P1A message and was lysed by CTL directed against antigens P815A and B. We conclude that major tumor rejection antigens of P815 are encoded by a gene showing little or no expression in most normal cells of adult mice.
Grandmothers caring for their grandchildren orphaned by HIV and AIDS

This exploratory study investigated the psychosocial impact on rural grandmothers in four districts of Gutu, Zimbabwe, caring for their grandchildren orphaned by HIV and AIDS. The participants included 12 grandmother-caregivers, whose ages ranged from 56 to 76 years, with orphans in their care ranging from infants to 18 years. The study made use of Erikson's psychosocial theory of development on late adulthood. Data was gathered using semi-structured, open-ended interviews and interpretive analysis was used to analyse the audio-taped data. The findings revealed that most grandmothers experience considerable difficulty in dealing with the late adult crisis of integrity versus despair, and also find it difficult to resolve the grief of losing their children while engaging in full time grand parenting in a stigmatising society. Participants reported a need for support and interventions tailored to their unique needs. The findings of the study recommend a need for counselling, social support, financial assistance and teaching skills and knowledge about HIV and AIDS.
Effects of Types of Walking Activities on Actual Choices by Adolescent Female Physical Education Students

This study examined the choices made by adolescent girls in physical education classes when allowed to choose from among a variety of walking activities. Following the TARGET (Epstein, 1988; Treasure & Roberts, 1999) structures, nine walking activities were created to reflect one of four themes: social, exercise/fitness, game-like, or competition. Participants were 570 girls from 21 intact 7th and 8th grade classes from five schools in two school districts. Every 3 days for 9 days, students chose from a list of three activities representing a combination of the four themes. They were significantly more likely to choose (a) a social activity over two exercise and fitness activities; (b) either a game-like or competitive activity over an exercise/fitness activity; and (c) a social activity over a game-like activity or a game-like activity over a competitive activity. Adolescent girls may benefit from activities that are designed to be social, game-like, and/or competitive.
An ICT-Based Distance Education Model: an Evaluation of ICT-Based Modes at the University of the South Pacific

This study developed a model for evaluating the ability of ICT-based modes of communication to foster an effective learning environment, by creating telepresence, flexibility, interaction and collaboration, for distance learners at the University of the South Pacific (USP). The model is formulated on the basis of the educational relationship triad developed by Hall and Kidman (2002). Concepts and attributes from foundations of distance education; new models of distance education; and learning theories, which build on the educational relationships are identified and integrated into the ICT-based distance education model developed in the thesis. The study employed a multi-perspective evaluation design with survey questionnaires as the main technique of data collection. Interviews and online conferencing data was used in triangulation to support the main technique of data collection. Nine ICT-based modes of communication used for distance education at USP were assessed in this study. These are video broadcast, audio conferencing, video conferencing, the Web, email, and WebCT-based homepages, text chat, mail and discussion boards. There are two key findings of this study. The first set of findings reveals that the ICT-based distance education model developed in the thesis provided a useful framework for the evaluation of ICT-based modes of communication at USP. The second set of findings shows that distance learners at USP found the use of ICT-based modes of communication fostered an effective learning environment for them, by enhancing telepresence, flexibility, interaction and collaboration. The extent to which the four key attributes were enhanced in each course was influenced by the use of varying modes of communication, the pedagogical design of the course, access to Internet facilities, and the age, occupation and cultural background of distance learners.
Bladder accumulated dose in image-guided high-dose-rate brachytherapy for locally advanced cervical cancer and its relation to urinary toxicity

The purpose of this study was to estimate locally accumulated dose to the bladder in multi-fraction high-dose-date (HDR) image-guided intracavitary brachytherapy (IG-ICBT) for cervical cancer, and study the locally-accumulated dose parameters as predictors of late urinary toxicity. A retrospective study of 60 cervical cancer patients who received five HDR IG-ICBT sessions was performed. The bladder outer and inner surfaces were segmented for all sessions and a bladder-wall contour point-set was created in MATLAB. The bladder-wall point-sets for each patient were registered using a deformable point-set registration toolbox called coherent point drift (CPD), and the fraction doses were accumulated. Various dosimetric and volumetric parameters were calculated using the registered doses, including rDn cm3 (minimum dose to the most exposed n-cm3 volume of bladder wall), r Vn Gy (wall volume receiving at least m Gy), and rEQD2n cm3 (minimum equivalent biologically weighted dose to the most exposed n-cm3 of bladder wall), where n = 1/2/5/10 and m = 3/5/10. Minimum dose to contiguous 1 and 2 cm3 hot-spot volumes was also calculated. The unregistered dose volume histogram (DVH)-summed equivalent of rDn cm3 and rEQD2n cm3 parameters (i.e. sDn cm3 and sEQD2n cm3) were determined for comparison. Late urinary toxicity was assessed using the LENT-SOMA scale, with toxicity Grade 0–1 categorized as Controls and Grade 2–4 as Cases. A two-sample t-test was used to identify the differences between the means of Control and Case groups for all parameters. A binomial logistic regression was also performed between the registered dose parameters and toxicity grouping. Seventeen patients were in the Case and 43 patients in the Control group. Contiguous values were on average 16 and 18% smaller than parameters for 1 and 2 cm3 volumes, respectively. Contiguous values were on average 26 and 27% smaller than parameters. The only statistically significant finding for Case versus Control based on both methods of analysis was observed for r V3 Gy (p = 0.01). DVH-summed parameters based on unregistered structure volumes overestimated the bladder dose in our patients, particularly when contiguous high dose volumes were considered. The bladder-wall volume receiving at least 3 Gy of accumulated dose may be a parameter of interest in further investigations of Grade 2+ urinary toxicity.
Voice symptoms of call-centre customer service advisers experienced during a work-day and effects of a short vocal training course

Occupational voice users often suffer from voice symptoms to varying extents. The first goal of this study was to find out how telephone customer service advisers experience voice symptoms at different moments of the working day. The second goal was to investigate the effects of a short vocal training course arranged for telephone workers. The results indicate that although the subjects did not suffer from severe voice problems, the short vocal training course significantly reduced some of the vocal symptoms they had experienced. The results suggest that systematic consultation and training for occupational voice users in the field of occupational voice care would be advantageous.
Distribution of glycine immunoreactivity in the brain of the Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baeri): Comparison with γ‐aminobutyric acid

Glycine and γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) are the main inhibitory neurotransmitters in the central nervous system (CNS) of vertebrates. Studies on the distribution of glycinergic neurons and fibers have been carried out mainly in rodents and lampreys. With the aim of discovering more about the early evolution of this system in vertebrates, we analyzed the distribution of glycine‐immunoreactive (Gly‐ir) neurons and fibers in the CNS of a basal ray‐finned fish, the Siberian sturgeon (Chondrostei, Acipenseriformes), by use of immunohistochemical techniques. We also compared the distribution of glycine and GABA by the use of double‐immunofluorescence techniques and confocal microscopy. Our results revealed the presence of Gly‐ir cells in different regions of the CNS, such as olfactory bulbs, preoptic area, hypothalamus, thalamus, pretectum, optic tectum, tegmentum and rostral spinal cord, although most of the Gly‐ir cells and the most intensely immunoreactive cells were located in the rhombencephalon, mainly in the octavolateral area and reticular formation. In addition, coronet cells of the basal hypothalamus and saccus vasculosus were Gly‐ir. Glycinergic fibers coursed along most brain regions and were more abundant in the thalamus, hypothalamus, optic tectum, tegmentum, isthmic region, and basal rhombencephalon. The Mauthner cell perikaryon was richly innervated by Gly‐ir boutons, as reported for teleosts. With regard to the colocalization of glycine and GABA, double‐immunoreactive cells were located mainly in the rhombencephalon. The results enable us to conclude that the distribution of glycine in the sturgeon brain is more similar to that observed in lampreys than that observed in mammals. J. Comp. Neurol. 519:1115–1142, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Relationship Between Cognitive Ability and Positive and Negative Priming in Identity and Spatial Priming Tasks

Abstract The authors examined whether stimulus activation and inhibition in the identity priming task are related to the temporal lobe, and whether these processes in the spatial priming task are related to the parietal lobe. Forty participants performed spatial and identity positive and negative priming tasks, the Vandenberg Mental Rotation task, and the Digit Span task. Both men and women showed significant positive and negative priming in the identity and spatial tasks with no gender difference. The magnitude of identity positive priming was predicted by the Digit Span task, and the magnitude of spatial positive priming was predicted by the mental rotation task. Only women showed a correlation between spatial ability and spatial negative priming. The results are partially consistent with the dorsal-ventral model of cognitive inhibition.
Pathological events in platelets of Wiskott‐Aldrich syndrome patients

The Wiskott‐Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is a severe X‐linked platelet/immunological disorder arising from mutations of the gene WASP. At the clinical level, the major platelet abnormalities are small size and low number, both partially correctable by splenectomy. To identify underlying pathological events, we examined WAS platelets at various stages of their lifetime. In spleen sections from WAS patients, fluorescence microscopy showed dramatic co‐localization of markers of platelets (CD41) and macrophages (CD68) compared to non‐thrombocytopenic controls, suggesting that WAS splenic macrophages are involved in platelet removal. Study of isolated WAS blood platelets by flow cytometry showed substantial enhancement of surface exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS), a signal for engulfment by macrophages. Isolated resting WAS platelets were also aberrantly susceptible to microparticle release, and plasma samples of WAS patients contained > 5 times normal numbers of platelet‐derived microparticles which may explain the small size of circulating platelets. Measurements with the Ca2+ sensitive dye fluo‐3 revealed significantly increased Ca2+ levels, 310 ± 13 nmol/l for WAS platelets versus 106 ± 12 nmol/l for normal platelets, and also prolongation of agonist‐induced Ca2+ flux. Cumulatively, these studies identify abnormal events occurring in WAS platelets: increased Ca2+ levels and enhancement of two Ca2+ dependent processes, PS exposure and microparticle release; these abnormal events may contribute to the in vivo decrease of platelet number and reduction of platelet size in this disease.
DARK ENERGY MODELS WITH A TIME-DEPENDENT GRAVITATIONAL CONSTANT

Two phenomenological models of Λ, viz. and , are studied under the assumption that G is a time-variable parameter. Both models show that G is inversely proportional to time, as suggested earlier by others, including Dirac. The models considered here can be matched with observational results by properly tuning the parameters of the models. Our analysis shows that the model corresponds to a repulsive situation and hence correlates with the present status of the accelerating Universe. The other model, , is in general attractive in nature. Moreover, it is seen that due to the combined effect of time-variable Λ and G the Universe evolved with acceleration as well as deceleration. Deceleration indicates a "big crunch".
Metabolic cost of lengthening, isometric and shortening contractions in maximally stimulated rat skeletal muscle.

AIM The present study investigated the energy cost of lengthening, isometric and shortening contractions in rat muscle (n = 19). METHODS With electrical stimulation the rat medial gastrocnemius muscle was maximally stimulated to perform 10 lengthening, isometric and shortening contractions (velocity 25 mm s(-1)) under experimental conditions (e.g. temperature, movement velocity) that resemble conditions in human movement. RESULTS Mean +/- SD force-time-integral of the first contraction was significantly different between the three protocols, 2.4 +/- 0.2, 1.7 +/- 0.2 and 1.0 +/- 0.2 N s, respectively (P < 0.05). High-energy phosphate consumption was not significantly different between the three modes of exercise but a trend could be observed from lengthening (7.7 +/- 2.7 micromol approximately P muscle(-1)) to isometric (8.9 +/- 2.2 micromol approximately P muscle(-1)) to shortening contractions (10.4 +/- 1.6 micromol approximately P muscle(-1)). The ratio of high-energy phosphate consumption to force-time-integral was significantly lower for lengthening [0.3 +/- 0.1 micromol approximately P (N s)(-1)] and isometric [0.6 +/- 0.2 micromol approximately P (N s)(-1)] contractions compared with shortening [1.2 +/- 0.2 micromol approximately P (N s)(-1)] contractions (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The present results of maximally stimulated muscles are comparable with data in the literature for voluntary human exercise showing that the energy cost of force production during lengthening exercise is approximately 30% of that in shortening exercise. The present study suggests that this finding in humans probably does reflect intrinsic muscle properties rather than effects of differential recruitment and/or coactivation.
LAURA-NoC: Local Automatic Rate Adjustment in Network-on-Chips With a Simple DVFS

In this brief, we propose local automatic rate adjustment in network-on-chips (NoC) (LAURA-NoC), a NoC with a distributed approach to dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS). The utilization of the switch buffers is used in a local feedback loop to automatically determine the appropriate clock frequency and voltage that allow the switch to sustain the rate at its input ports, without a global controller. The DVFS controller is simple and uses 2 voltage and 16 frequency values. We report a significant power saving compared to a global DVFS approach in a 45-nm CMOS technology, 33 % on average over four realistic video applications.
Involvement of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in hepatocyte growth factor-induced migration of uveal melanoma cells.

PURPOSE Uveal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adult humans. Unlike cutaneous melanoma, uveal melanoma disseminates preferentially to the liver through the hematogenous system. To date, the mechanism underlying this metastatic homing is largely unknown. This study investigated the effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-triggered signaling pathways to identify the role of HGF and its downstream effectors in inducing the migration of uveal melanoma cells. METHODS Migration of uveal melanoma cells was measured by in vitro wound healing and transwell migration assays. The expression and translocation of c-Met were detected using indirect immunofluorescence. The activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathways was analyzed using specific antibodies against phospho-ERK1/2 and phospho-Akt. The impact of HGF treatment on the expression of cell adhesion molecules was measured using Western blotting. RESULTS HGF was found to enhance cell migration, and that HGF-induced migration depends on PI3K/Akt pathway. The activation of PI3K/Akt pathway induced by the HGF/c-Met axis is involved in the downregulation of cell adhesion molecules E-cadherin and beta-catenin, contributing to the attenuation of cell-cell adhesion and promoting the enhanced motility and migration of uveal melanoma cells. On HGF stimulation, receptor c-Met is translocated to the nucleus in a ligand-dependent manner, suggesting that c-Met may modulate the expression of genes involved in melanoma cell migration. CONCLUSIONS Data from this study directly linked the central PI3K/Akt pathway to uveal melanoma migration and pointed to new avenues for therapeutic intervention in hepatic metastasis.
The effect of water activity on the heat resistance of heat sensitive and heat resistant strains of salmonellae.

Summary. A strain of Salmonella senftenberg and a strain of Salm. bedford have been found with D60° values similar to that of the classical heat resistant salmonella, Salm. senftenberg strain 775W. The resistances of the two heat resistant serotypes and two heat sensitive strains of these serotypes was determined in heart infusion broth containing increasing amounts of sucrose, sodium chloride or glycerol. The observed changes in heat resistance could not be related directly to the aw of the heating menstruum. It is impossible to predict from such studies the heat resistance of salmonellae in foods of low aw.
High Field Magnets With HTS Conductors

Development of high-field magnets using high temperature superconductors (HTS) is a core activity at the NHMFL. Magnet technology based on both YBCO-coated tape conductors and Bi-2212 round wires is being pursued. Two specific projects are underway. The first is a user magnet with a 17 T YBCO coil set which, inside an LTS outsert, will generate a combined field of 32 T. The second is a 7 T Bi2212 demonstration coil set to be operated in a large bore resistive magnet to generate a combined magnetic field of 25 T. Owing to the substantial technological differences of the two conductor types, each project faces different conductor and magnet technology challenges. Two small coils have been tested in a 38-mm cold bore cryostat inserted in a 31 T resistive magnet: a Bi2212 round-wire layer-wound insert coil that generated 1.1 T for a total of 32.1 T and a YBCO double-pancake insert that generated 2.8 T for a total central field of 33.8 T. Four larger layer-wound coils have been manufactured and tested in a 20 T, 186-mm cold bore resistive magnet: a sizeable Bi-2212 coil and three thin large-diameter YBCO coils. The test results are discussed. The current densities and stress levels that these coils tolerate underpin our conviction that >30 T all-superconducting magnets are viable.
A Local Group Polar Ring Galaxy: NGC 6822

Star counts obtained from a 2° × 2° area centered on NGC 6822 have revealed an optical image of this galaxy composed of two components: in addition to the well-known H I disk with its young stellar component, there is a spheroidal stellar structure as extensive as its H I disk, but with its major axis at roughly right angles to it, that we traced to at least 36'. Radial velocities of over 100 intermediate-age carbon stars found within this structure display kinematics contrasting strongly with those of the H I disk. These C stars belong to the spheroid. Although devoid of gas, the spheroid rotation is consistent with the I-band Tully-Fisher relation. The orientation of the rotation axis that minimizes the stellar velocity dispersion coincides with the minor axis of the stellar population ellipsoid, lying very nearly in the plane of the H I disk. We conclude that the H I disk is a polar ring and that the spheroidal component is an erstwhile disk, a fossil remainder of a past close encounter episode.