Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A novel mutation of δ‐aminolaevulinate dehydratase in a healthy child with 12% erythrocyte enzyme activity

Cloning, expression and phenotype studies of the defective gene for δ‐aminolaevulinate dehydratase (ALAD) in a family with an asymptomatic girl who had ALAD deficiency were carried out. The proband was identified by neonatal ALAD screening, and had erythrocyte ALAD activity at 12% of the normal control. She was heterozygous for ALAD deficiency, which was inherited from her father. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the cloned ALAD cDNA revealed C36 to G and T168 to C mutations on the same allele. The former mutation resulted in F12L substitution, whereas the latter was a silent mutation. All family members who had decreased ALAD activity had the same mutation. Expression of the mutant ALAD cDNA in Chinese hamster ovary cells produced an ALAD protein without significant enzyme activity. Additionally, the mutant ALAD cDNA which encodes F12L substitution produced an aberrant migration pattern in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under denaturing conditions. This finding probably reflects an abnormal folding of the F12L protein, since the mutation occurred in the α1 helix of the N‐terminal arm of the enzyme, which is involved in the extensive quaternary interactions among the subunits. This is also the first report of ALAD gene mutation in an asymptomatic subject.
Differentiation between Acute Cyclosporine Nephrotoxicity and Acute Tubular Necrosis Using Enalaprilat Renal Scintigraphy in Rats

Rationale and Objectives: Acute cyclosporine (CsA) nephrotoxicity cannot be easily differentiated from other renal parenchymal complications, such as acute tubular necrosis (ATN), that cause renal function impairment at the early posttransplantation period. The purpose of this study was to differentiate acute CsA nephrotoxicity from ATN using enalaprilat renal scintigraphy in rats. Methods: Twenty‐six rats were divided into 4 experimental groups: CsA group, who were treated with CsA (50 mg/kg/d) for 2 days; ATN group, who received clamping of both renal arteries for 45 minutes; vehicle group, who were treated with olive oil (1 mL/kg/d) for 2 days; and sham‐operated group, who received the same surgical procedure as ATN group without clamping of renal arteries. The baseline study was performed with 300 &mgr;Ci of technetium‐99m diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid and enalaprilat scintigraphy with 2 mCi of technetium‐99m diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid 5 minutes after intravenous enalaprilat injection (30 &mgr;g/kg). The changes of renogram grade and the renal function indices such as Tmax, T1/2, residual cortical activity, and mean transit time between 2 studies were analyzed. Immediately after renal scintigraphy, blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine levels were measured and renal tissues stained by periodic acid Schiff reaction were examined in each group. Results: Blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine levels in the CsA and ATN groups were higher than their control groups (P < 0.05). Histologic study revealed severe ischemic necrosis of tubular epithelium in ATN group, but the other groups remained with essentially normal morphology. After enalaprilat injection, renal function indices became improved in CsA group, whereas they deteriorated in ATN group. The renogram grade was decreased in CsA group and increased or unchanged in ATN group after enalaprilat injection. The Tmax, residual cortical activity, and mean transit time ratio were statistically different between the 2 groups on enalaprilat study (P < 0.05). Conclusions: These results suggest that enalaprilat renal scintigraphy could be used clinically in differentiating acute CsA nephrotoxicity from ATN after renal transplantation.
A fast and conformal heating scheme for producing large thermal lesions using a 2D ultrasound phased array

The treatment conformability and the total treatment time of large tumors are both important issues in ultrasound thermal therapy. Previous heating strategies all show their restrictions in achieving these two issues to satisfactory levels simultaneously. This work theoretically presents a new heating strategy which is capable of both increasing the treatment conformability and shortening the treatment time, when using a 2D ultrasound phased array transducer. To perform this, a set of the multiple-foci patterns (considered the basic heating units) were temporally switched to steer the beam at different focal planes with the lesion length being well-controlled. Then, to conformally cover an irregular target volume, the 2D phased array was laterally shifted by a positioning system to deposit a suitable heating unit to cover a subvolume part. Results demonstrated that the totally treatment time can be largely reduced. The heating rate can be increased up to 0.96 cm3/min compared to the previously reported 0.26 cm3/min. Also, the proposed scheme showed that the tumor regions can be completely treated with the normal tissue damage at satisfactory level. The feasibility of the proposed strategy for irregular tumor treatment was also demonstrated. This study offers useful information in large tumor treatment in ultrasound thermal therapy.
Milk and the city: Raw milk challenging the value claims of value chains

ABSTRACT This article assesses two models of dairy production and distribution to the large city of Dar es Salaam. One is urban and peri-urban raw milk production through territorial markets and the symbiotic food system and the other a dairy value chain intervention. The raw milk system is remarkably resilient and gives lower prices to milk drinkers and better returns to small-scale farmers. The value chain intervention provides opportunities for some dairy farmers but can’t compete and favors corporate entities less aligned with most farmers’ and city residents’ interests. Policy maker’s preference for value chain interventions appears to be ideological as it is not justified by the outcomes, but support for alternatives is growing and needs to be built on.
A Compact Quadrature Hybrid Based on High-Pass and Low-Pass Lumped Elements

In this letter, a novel compact quadrature hybrid using low-pass and high-pass lumped elements is proposed. This proposed topology enables significant circuit size reduction in comparison with former approaches applying microstrip branch line or Lange couplers. In addition, it provides wider bandwidth in terms of operational frequency, and provides more convenience to the monolithic microwave integrated circuit layout since it does not have any bulky via holes as compared to those with lumped elements that have been published. In addition, the simulation and measurement of the fabricated hybrid implemented using PHEMT processes are evidently good. With the operational bandwidth ranging from 25 to 30 GHz, the measured results of the return loss are better than 17.6 dB, and the insertion losses of coupled and direct ports are approximately 3.4plusmn0. 7 dB, while the relative phase difference is approximately 92.3plusmn1. 4deg. The core dimension of the circuit is 0.4 mm times 0.15 mm.
Normothermic Perfusion in the Assessment and Preservation of Declined Livers Before Transplantation: Hyperoxia and Vasoplegia—Important Lessons From the First 12 Cases

Background A program of normothermic ex situ liver perfusion (NESLiP) was developed to facilitate better assessment and use of marginal livers, while minimizing cold ischemia. Methods Declined marginal livers and those offered for research were evaluated. Normothermic ex situ liver perfusion was performed using an erythrocyte-based perfusate. Viability was assessed with reference to biochemical changes in the perfusate. Results Twelve livers (9 donation after circulatory death [DCD] and 3 from brain-dead donors), median Donor Risk Index 2.15, were subjected to NESLiP for a median 284 minutes (range, 122-530 minutes) after an initial cold storage period of 427 minutes (range, 222-877 minutes). The first 6 livers were perfused at high perfusate oxygen tensions, and the subsequent 6 at near-physiologic oxygen tensions. After transplantation, 5 of the first 6 recipients developed postreperfusion syndrome and 4 had sustained vasoplegia; 1 recipient experienced primary nonfunction in conjunction with a difficult explant. The subsequent 6 liver transplants, with livers perfused at lower oxygen tensions, reperfused uneventfully. Three DCD liver recipients developed cholangiopathy, and this was associated with an inability to produce an alkali bile during NESLiP. Conclusions Normothermic ex situ liver perfusion enabled assessment and transplantation of 12 livers that may otherwise not have been used. Avoidance of hyperoxia during perfusion may prevent postreperfusion syndrome and vasoplegia, and monitoring biliary pH, rather than absolute bile production, may be important in determining the likelihood of posttransplant cholangiopathy. Normothermic ex situ liver perfusion has the potential to increase liver utilization, but more work is required to define factors predicting good outcomes.
Complete Axon Arborization of a Single CA3 Pyramidal Cell in the Rat Hippocampus, and its Relationship With Postsynaptic Parvalbumin‐containing Interneurons

The complete axon arborization of a single CA3 pyramidal cell has been reconstructed from 32 (60 /μm thick) sections from the rat hippocampus following in vivo intracellular injection of neurobiotin. The same sections were double‐immunostained for parvalbumin‐a calcium‐binding protein selectively present in two types of GABAergic interneurons, the basket and chandelier cells‐in order to map boutons of the pyramidal cell in contact with dendrites and somata of these specific subsets of interneurons visualized in a Golgi‐like manner. The axon of the pyramidal cell formed 15 295 boutons, 63.8% of which were in stratum oriens, 15.4% in stratum pyramidale and 20.8% in stratum radiatum. Only 2.1% of the axon terminals contacted parvalbumin‐positive neurons. Most of these were single contacts (84.7%), but double or triple contacts (15.3%) were also found. The majority of the boutons terminated on dendrites (84.1%) of parvalbumin‐positive cells, less frequently on cell bodies (15.9%). In order to estimate the proportion of contacts representing synapses, 16 light microscopically identified contacts between boutons of the filled pyramidal cell axon and the parvalbumin‐positive targets were examined by correlated electron microscopy. Thirteen of them were found to be asymmetrical synapses, and in the remaining three cases synapses between the labelled profiles could not be confirmed. We conclude that the physiologically effective excitatory connections between single pyramidal cells and postsynaptic inhibitory neurons are mediated by a small number of contacts, mostly by a single synapse. This results in a high degree of convergence and divergence in hippocampal networks.
Validation of a new metabolic marker to assess the vascular viability of vitrified whole sheep ovaries.

BACKGROUND Whole ovary cryopreservation has been suggested as a means to preserve fertility. In animal models, autologous cryopreserved ovary transplants frequently undergo thrombosis and a method to assess the vascular viability of cryopreserved ovaries would be valuable. We developed a staining method using methylthiazolyl blue tetrazolium (MTT, a metabolic marker) to assess the pedicle metabolism of whole ovaries vitrified using cryoprotectant called 'VS4'. METHODS Whole sheep ovaries were perfused with MTT (1 g/l). In one group, ovarian tissue lesions were induced by immersing the ovarian pedicle in medium at 53°C or 65°C or in liquid nitrogen prior to MTT perfusion. In the second group, several metabolic substrates (d-glucose, l-glucose and pyruvic acid) and inhibitors [2-deoxy-d-glucose for d-glucose metabolism, azide for mitochondrial respiration and diphenyleneiodonium (DPI) for NADPH oxidase (an effector of the pentose phosphate pathway)] were added to the MTT stain. The third group was subjected to VS4 ± vitrification/warming prior to MTT perfusion. Pedicle MTT staining was assessed qualitatively by histological examination of frozen sections or quantified at 564 nm after solubilization in alcohol. RESULTS MTT strongly and reproducibly stained the vascular smooth muscle. Heating at 53°C or 65°C or cooling in liquid nitrogen significantly diminished MTT staining by 48% (P = 0.001, n = 10), 94% (P = 0.0002, n = 10) and 94% (P = 0.0002, n = 10), respectively. MTT staining was affected by d-glucose metabolism: absence of d-glucose, substitution of unmetabolized l-glucose for d-glucose or addition of 2-deoxy-d-glucose significantly decreased MTT staining by 44% (P < 0.01, n = 10), 45% (P < 0.01, n = 10) and 29% (P < 0.01, n = 10), respectively. Pyruvic acid failed to correct the MTT staining decrease induced by d-glucose deprivation and azide did not decrease MTT staining, suggesting that MTT staining could be independent of mitochondrial metabolism. Adding DPI significantly inhibited MTT staining by 25% (P < 0.001, n = 10), suggesting involvement of the pentose phosphate pathway's effectors. Compared with controls, VS4-vitrified/warmed pedicles showed significantly less MTT staining (-30%, P < 0.005, n = 10), with unstained foci, whereas unvitrified VS4-exposed pedicles showed no difference. CONCLUSIONS MTT can serve as a qualitative and quantitative vascular viability marker.VS4 vitrification caused alterations in ovarian vascular metabolism. MTT staining should allow accurate comparisons of whole-organ cryoprotection protocols.
An evaluation of three neuroleptanalgesic combinations in rabbits.

In this study, novel combinations of analgesics and neuroleptics were used in the rabbit in an attempt to produce a surgical level of anesthesia. A commercially available mixture of fentanyl (0.06 mg/kg) and droperidol (3.0 mg/kg; F/D) was evaluated alone and in combination with either the benzodiazepine derivative, diazepam (2 mg/kg) or the alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonist, detomidine (20 micrograms/kg). Rabbits were anesthetized on consecutive weeks with one of the three regimens. Heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and arterial blood gases (pH, PCO2, PO2) were measured throughout each trial. The times of loss and return of palpebral, righting, and pedal reflexes were recorded. The addition of diazepam to the F/D combination caused marked prolongation of the duration of reflex loss for all reflexes. If the duration of reflex loss for F/D is considered to be 100%, then F/D plus diazepam (F/D/diazepam) prolonged the duration of reflex loss to 547% and 204% for righting and pedal reflex, respectively. The combination of F/D/diazepam produced significantly different results from those for either of the other combinations for righting reflex and palpebral reflex. The results for F/D/diazepam were also markedly different from F/D for pedal reflex, but were not significantly different from those for F/D/detomidine. Prolongation of the duration of reflex loss was more moderate with the addition of detomidine (148% and 174% for righting and pedal reflexes, respectively). Reflexes persisted in some rabbits for each anesthetic regimen. Palpebral reflex was preserved in one of the rabbits given F/D/diazepam, four of five rabbits given F/D, and in two rabbits given F/D/detomidine. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
ECONOMICS OF AGRICULTURE EDUCATION IN KARNATAKA: A CASE STUDY OF U.A.S., DHARWAD

The present study examines the receipts-expenditure profile of a farm university, analyses supply of graduates in terms of quantity and quality, estimates relationship between profile characteristics and career preferences of the students, assesses time allocation by teachers for mandated activities, and identifies the HRD and physical resource requirements. The study relies on both primary and secondary data. Primary data was obtained from 175 respondents, including 100 students and 75 teachers, from the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Dharwad. The required secondary data were collected from the Offices of the Comptroller, Registrar and Library of the University. Data were processed using descriptive analytical tools, compound annual growth rate and Garrett ranking method. The study reveals that the highest proportion of funds was sourced from the State Government (55.97%), followed by receipts from other sources including ICAR (17.26%), while the highest amount of expenditure was incurred on teaching (17.23%), followed by administration (14.83%). The expenditure incurred by an individual B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. student for his/her entire degree programme accounted for 1,81,159, 1,33,154 and 1,60,456 respectively. Amongst available career preferences, service sector was the overall preferred field by the sample students (93%) followed by business (3%) and farming (4%). The percent Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) actually spent by all faculties for teaching was about 42 per cent, followed by research (27%), extension (16%) and administrative activities (15%). Within service sector, highest preference by graduates was for posts in Government of India, followed by State Agricultural Universities, while least was for those in private organizations. Efforts to attract bright students for higher agriculture education, encourage entrepreneurship in the graduates, provide effective career guidance to graduates, strengthening field visits, RAWE Programme, Experiential Learning and campus recruitments, provide better opportunities for international exposure to teachers, immediate filling-up of vacancies and digitalisation of university, need immediate attention.
Antitumour effects of phyllanthus emblica L.: Induction of cancer cell apoptosis and Inhibition of in vivo tumour promotion and in vitro invasion of human cancer cells

Phyllanthus emblica Linn. (PE) is a medicinal fruit used in many Asian traditional medicine systems for the treatment of various diseases including cancer. The present study tested the potential anticancer effects of aqueous extract of PE in four ways: (1) against cancer cell lines, (2) in vitro apoptosis, (3) mouse skin tumourigenesis and (4) in vitro invasiveness. The PE extract at 50–100 µg/mL significantly inhibited cell growth of six human cancer cell lines, A549 (lung), HepG2 (liver), HeLa (cervical), MDA‐MB‐231 (breast), SK‐OV3 (ovarian) and SW620 (colorectal). However, the extract was not toxic against MRC5 (normal lung fibroblast). Apoptosis in HeLa cells was also observed as PE extract caused DNA fragmentation and increased activity of caspase‐3/7 and caspase‐8, but not caspase‐9, and up‐regulation of the Fas protein indicating a death receptor‐mediated mechanism of apoptosis. Treatment of PE extract on mouse skin resulted in over 50% reduction of tumour numbers and volumes in animals treated with DMBA/TPA. Lastly, 25 and 50 µg/mL of PE extract inhibited invasiveness of MDA‐MB‐231 cells in the in vitro Matrigel invasion assay. These results suggest P. emblica exhibits anticancer activity against selected cancer cells, and warrants further study as a possible chemopreventive and antiinvasive agent. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Marketing investments and firm performance in manufacturing sector: a panel threshold model for China

Abstract Many firms find it difficult to accurately identify the level of investments in marketing activities that can maximize their profitability. The current work is aimed at helping firms in identifying the optimal level of marketing expenditure. The study has been conducted for 1363 publicly listed firms in China for the period 2008–2017. The current study utilizes threshold panel regression analysis. The study contends that the optimal level of investments in marketing is contingent upon firm’s size. The results confirm the existence of a single threshold value that helps in determining the optimal level of marketing investments. It is found that, for firms that are smaller that the cut-off value of size, high level of investments in marketing is associated with improved firm performance. However, for the firms that are larger than the cut-off value of size, high level of investment in marketing is associated with reduced firm performance.
An Empirical Model for Television Frequency Interference Correction of AMSR2 Data Over Ocean Near the U.S. and Europe

Television (TV) radio frequency interference (TFI) signals are found in the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) observations of those channels with their frequencies centered at 18.7- or 10.65-GHz frequencies over coastal regions near the U.S. and Europe, respectively. When TV signals are reflected off the ocean surface and get into AMSR2 field of views, the AMSR2-measured radiance contains not only information of natural emission from Earth's surface but also the reflected TV signals. If not detected and corrected, TFI introduces errors into the geophysical retrieval products. The occurrence and intensity of TFI are determined by the angle between the observation beam vector and the reflected TV signal vector (i.e., TFI glint angle) and the background TV signal intensity. In this paper, an empirical model is developed to quantitatively calculate the contribution of TFI signals to AMSR2 observations based on TFI glint angle and TV signal intensity. This empirical model is then applied to AMSR2 K-band channels over North America and X-band channels over Europe. It is shown that the annual mean bias for the TFI-affected observations of the 18.7-GHz channel at horizontal (vertical) polarization reduces from a value of more than 5 K (2 K) to about -0.5 K (0.5) after TFI correction over the coastal ocean near North America. The annual mean bias for the TFI-affected observations of the 10.65-GHz channel at horizontal (vertical) polarization reduces from a value of about 2.5 K to about -0.7 K (0.5 K) after TFI correction over the coastal ocean near Europe. False maxima in AMSR2-retrieved cloud liquid water path and dry anomalies in AMSR2-retrieved total precipitable water near the coastal regions are also eliminated after incorporating the TFI correction.