Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Manipulation of rumen ecology by dietary lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf.) powder supplementation.

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of lemongrass [Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf. ] powder (LGP) on rumen ecology, rumen microorganisms, and digestibility of nutrients. Four ruminally fistulated crossbred (Brahman native) beef cattle were randomly assigned according to a 4 x 4 Latin square design. The dietary treatments were LGP supplementation at 0, 100, 200, and 300 g/d with urea-treated rice straw (5%) fed to allow ad libitum intake. Digestibilities of DM, ether extract, and NDF were significantly different among treatments and were greatest at 100 g/d of supplementation. However, digestibility of CP was decreased with LGP supplementation (P < 0.05), whereas ruminal NH(3)-N and plasma urea N were decreased with incremental additions of LGP (P < 0.05). Ruminal VFA concentrations were similar among supplementation concentrations (P > 0.05). Total viable bacteria, amylolytic bacteria, and cellulolytic bacteria were significantly different among treatments and were greatest at 100 g/d of supplementation (4.7 x 10(9), 1.7 x 10(7), and 2.0 x 10(9) cfu/mL, respectively). Protozoal populations were significantly decreased by LGP supplementation. In addition, efficiency of rumen microbial N synthesis based on OM truly digested in the rumen was enriched by LGP supplementation, especially at 100 g/d (34.2 g of N/kg of OM truly digested in the rumen). Based on this study, it could be concluded that supplementation of LGP at 100 g/d improved digestibilities of nutrients, rumen microbial population, and microbial protein synthesis efficiency, thus improving rumen ecology in beef cattle.
CREB-binding protein regulates apoptosis and growth of HMECs grown in reconstituted ECM via laminin-5

Interactions between normal mammary epithelial cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) are important for mammary gland homeostasis. Loss of interactions between ECM and normal mammary epithelial cells are thought to be an early event in mammary carcinogenesis. CREB-binding protein (CBP) is an important regulator of proliferation and apoptosis but the role of CBP in ECM signaling is poorly characterized. CBP was suppressed in basal-cytokeratin-positive HMECs (CK5/6+, CK14+, CK8–, CK18–, CK19–). Suppression of CBP resulted in loss of reconstituted ECM-mediated growth control and apoptosis and loss of laminin-5 α3-chain expression. Suppression of CBP in normal human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs) resulted in loss of CBP occupancy of the LAMA3A promoter and decreased LAMA3A promoter activity and laminin-5 α-3 chain expression. Exogenous expression of CBP in CBP-negative HMECs that have lost reconstituted ECM-mediated growth regulation and apoptosis resulted in (1) CBP occupancy of the LAMA3A promoter, (2) increased LAMA3A activity and laminin-5 α3-chain expression, and (3) enhancement of reconstituted ECM-mediated growth regulation and apoptosis. Similarly, suppression of laminin-5 α3-chain expression in HMECs resulted in loss of reconstituted ECM-mediated growth control and apoptosis. These observations suggest that loss of CBP in basal-cytokeratin-positive HMECs results in loss of reconstituted ECM-mediated growth control and apoptosis through loss of LAMA3A activity and laminin-5 α3-chain expression. Results in these studies may provide insight into early events in basal-type mammary carcinogenesis.
Relationship Between Discharge Practices and Intensive Care Unit In-Hospital Mortality Performance: Evidence of a Discharge Bias

Context:Current intensive care unit performance measures include in-hospital mortality after intensive care unit admission. This measure does not account for deaths occurring after transfer to another hospital or soon after discharge and therefore, may be biased. Objective:Determine how transfer rates to other acute care hospitals and early post-discharge mortality rates impact hospital performance assessments using an in-hospital mortality model. Design, Setting, and Participants:Data were retrospectively collected on 10,502 eligible intensive care unit patients across 35 California hospitals between 2001 and 2004. Measures:We calculated the rates of acute care hospital transfers and early post-discharge mortality (30-day overall mortality—30-day in-hospital mortality) for each hospital. We assessed hospital performance with standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) using the Mortality Probability Model III. Using regression models, we explored the relationship between in-hospital SMRs and the rates of hospital transfers or early post-discharge mortality. We explored the same relationship using a 30-day SMR. Results:In multivariable models, for each 1% increase in patients transferred to another acute care hospital, there was an in-hospital SMR reduction of −0.021 (−0.040−0.001). Additionally, a 1% increase in early post-discharge mortality was associated with an in-hospital SMR reduction of −0.049 (−0.142–0.045). Assessing hospital performance based upon 30-day mortality end point resulted in SMRs closer to 1.0 for hospitals at high and low ends of in-hospital mortality performance. Conclusions:Variations in transfer rates and potentially discharge timing appear to bias in-hospital SMR calculations. A 30-day mortality model is a potential alternative that may limit this bias.
Subjective Fatigue, Influencing Variables, and Consequences in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Background: Fatigue is a common symptom of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but little is known about the specific nature of COPD-related fatigue and its impact on daily life. Objectives: To (a) describe characteristics of fatigue in people with COPD and (b) test a theoretically and empirically supported model of the relationships among subjective fatigue, dyspnea, functional performance, anxious and depressed moods, and sleep quality in people with COPD. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 130 people with moderate to severe COPD. Measures included the following: a Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for frequency, intensity, and distress of fatigue and dyspnea; Fatigue Assessment Instrument (FAI); Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRQ); Profile of Mood States (POMS); Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI); Functional Performance Inventory (FPI); and spirometry. Path analysis was used to examine the relationships among variables. Results: Participants reported moderate amounts of fatigue, which was described as situation-specific, had considerable consequences, and was responsive to rest and sleep. Dyspnea was slightly greater than fatigue, as measured by the NRSs (p <.001), and there was a strong relationship between fatigue and dyspnea (r =.74, p < .001). Dyspnea, depressed mood, and sleep quality accounted for 42% of the variance in subjective fatigue. Fatigue, dyspnea, airflow obstruction, and anxious mood accounted for 36% of the variance in functional performance. Conclusions: Fatigue is an important problem that affects performance of daily activities in people with COPD. The relationships or interactions that exist among fatigue and other symptoms are complex.
National Parliaments’ Use of the Political Dialogue: Institutional Lobbyists, Traditionalists or Communicators?

In this article, we examine the reasons behind national parliamentary engagement in the political dialogue with the Commission. We do so through a qualitative content analysis of over 200 national parliamentary opinions submitted to the Commission in recent years and interviews with national parliamentary representatives and Commission officials. We demonstrate that national parliamentsâ€™ engagement with the Commission is not simply a story about venue shopping in which parliaments seek to compensate for their domestic weaknesses. Their activity is driven by a rich repertoire of institutional actions, where parliaments simultaneously act as institutional lobbyists, traditionalists and communicators. They follow three main strategies, including attempts to control their government, influencing EU legislation directly, and engaging in parliamentary branding. Direct parliamentary lobbying of the Commission does not, however, render parliamentsâ€™ traditional role of controlling their government redundant as it improves domestic scrutiny methods.
Developmental changes in renal renin mRNA half-life and responses to stimulation in fetal lambs

Wang, Jinjuan, and James C. Rose. Developmental changes in renal renin mRNA half-life and responses to stimulation in fetal lambs. Am. J. Physiol. 277 (Regulatory Integrative Comp. Physiol. 46): R1130–R1135, 1999. —In the perinatal period there is increased renin gene expression in the kidney compared with other stages of development. This may be related to changes in responsiveness of the renin gene to stimulation and/or differences in renin mRNA stability as development progresses. To ascertain if either responsiveness or stability changes in fetal life, we studied renin mRNA levels in primary cultures of renal cortical cells obtained from fetal lamb kidneys at two stages (0.7 and 0.9) of gestation after stimulation with isoproterenol, forskolin, or isobutyl methylxanthine and after inhibition of transcription with actinomycin D. Forskolin and isobutyl methylxanthine rapidly increased renin mRNA by at least twofold in the cultured cells from fetuses of both ages, with the sensitivity to stimulation higher in the cells from the mature fetal kidneys. Isoproterenol was effective only in mature fetal cells. In addition, the decay of renin mRNAafter cessation of transcription was slower in mature cells compared with immature cells, the half-life being 11.6 6 0.8 h in mature cells and 6.6 6 0.6 h in immature cells (P , 0.05). The data suggest that increases in both renin mRNA sensitivity to stimulation and in stability can contribute to the enhanced renin expression in the perinatal period.
An ACP Structural Switch: Conformational Differences between the Apo and Holo Forms of the Actinorhodin Polyketide Synthase Acyl Carrier Protein

The actinorhodin (act) synthase acyl carrier protein (ACP) from Streptomyces coelicolor plays a central role in polyketide biosynthesis. Polyketide intermediates are bound to the free sulfhydryl group of a phosphopantetheine arm that is covalently linked to a conserved serine residue in the holo form of the ACP. The solution NMR structures of both the apo and holo forms of the ACP are reported, which represents the first high resolution comparison of these two forms of an ACP. Ensembles of twenty apo and holo structures were calculated and yielded atomic root mean square deviations of well‐ordered backbone atoms to the average coordinates of 0.37 and 0.42 Å, respectively. Three restraints defining the protein to the phosphopantetheine interface were identified. Comparison of the apo and holo forms revealed previously undetected conformational changes. Helix III moved towards helix II (contraction of the ACP), and Leu43 on helix II subtly switched from being solvent exposed to forming intramolecular interactions with the newly added phosphopantetheine side chain. Tryptophan fluorescence and S. coelicolor fatty acid synthase (FAS) holo‐synthase (ACPS) assays indicated that apo‐ACP has a twofold higher affinity (Kd of 1.1 μM) than holo‐ACP (Kd of 2.1 μM) for ACPS. Site‐directed mutagenesis of Leu43 and Asp62 revealed that both mutations affect binding, but have differential affects on modification by ACPS. Leu43 mutations in particular strongly modulate binding affinity for ACPS. Comparison of apo‐ and holo‐ACP structures with known models of the Bacillus subtilis FAS ACP–holo‐acyl carrier protein synthase (ACPS) complex suggests that conformational modulation of helix II and III between apo‐ and holo‐ACP could play a role in dissociation of the ACP–ACPS complex.
Prolene Darn: safe and effective method for primary inguinal hernia repair.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of the study was to evaluate darn repair in terms of morbidity and recurrence rate. DESIGN Descriptive study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Combined Military Hospital, Muzaffarabad from February 1997 to April 2001. SUBJECT AND METHODS Four hundred and sixty-five consecutive patients above the age of 20 years, with primary inguinal hernia underwent darn repair using polypropylene suture. Two hundred and forty-two patients were operated under spinal anaesthesia, 100 under local anaesthesia while 123 patients had general anaesthesia. Patients were examined on 7th and 12th postoperative day for early complications. Subsequently, they were examined at third month, six-month and then yearly for three years. RESULTS Mean age in our study was 52 years (range 20-75). Indirect hernia was present in 305 (65.5%) patients while 160(34.5%) patients had direct hernia. There were 11 (2.4%) postoperative wound infections. Three (0.6%) patients had hematoma formation. Twenty-one (4.5%) patients went into postoperative urinary retention. Three (0.6%) patients developed recurrence; all these patients were among those who had postoperative wound infection. There was no seroma formation. None of the patients developed any testicular complication or postoperative hydrocele. There was no case of dysejaculation or chronic residual neuralgia. CONCLUSION It can be concluded from our results that darn repair using non-absorbable suture is safe procedure. It is easily performed and has a very low recurrence rate which is comparable to any other procedure for primary inguinal hernia.
Life Parameters of Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) on Six Common Bean Cultivars

ABSTRACT It is well recognized that the quality of host plants affects the development and survival of twospotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch. The life table parameters of T. urticae, on six cultivars of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) (chiti Khomein, chiti Ks21189, red Akhtar, red Ks31169, white Pak, and white G11867) were studied at constant laboratory conditions (27 ± 2°C, 70 ± 5% RH and 16:8 L:D). Total development times of immature males and females were significantly influenced by bean cultivar. T. urticae laid significantly more eggs per day on red Akhtar (16.16) than on the other cultivars. The mean generation time ranged from 23.37 to 34.82 d, and a significant varietal effect was seen. Percentage of egg hatchability of twospotted spider mite ranged from 88.25 to 94.20%. The highest intrinsic rate of increase, was recorded on red Akhtar (0.269 ± 0.031) and the lowest value was obtained on white Pak (0.129 ± 0.048). In addition, net reproductive rate and finite rate of increase of the twospotted spider mite had the highest value on red Akhtar: 62.38 ± 1.05 and 1.30 ± 1.02, respectively. The lowest values of these parameters were recorded on white Pak as 26.11 ± 1.40 and 1.13 ± 1.10, respectively. Doubling time varied significantly on different cultivars and the lowest and highest values were obtained on red Akhtar and white Pak, respectively. Our findings revealed that white beans (Pak and G11867) were less suitable cultivars, suggesting that they are more resistant to the twospotted spider mite than the other cultivars.
Bone morphogenetic proteins promote neurite outgrowth in retinal ganglion cells.

PURPOSE The purpose of the present study is to test the ability of members of the transforming growth factor/bone morphogenetic protein family to influence retinal ganglion cell (RGC) survival and neurite outgrowth in primary cell culture using a high throughput analysis. METHODS Primary cell cultures were generated using immunoselection of Thy-1 positive cells from dissociated postnatal rat retina and grown on poly-L-lysine/laminin coated 96 well culture dishes in the presence or absence of members of the transforming growth factor/bone morphogenetic protein family. High throughput analysis was performed following fluorescence staining with Hoechst, Calcein AM, and TOTO-3. Outcomes included overall cell survival, survival of cells with neurite outgrowth, and a variety of parameters of neurite outgrowth. RESULTS Immunomagnetic selection led to an enrichment of cell cultures for RGCs (79%+/-6.8%). While no significant effect on overall survival was observed with any of the factors tested, members of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMPs) family (BMP2, BMP13, and GDF8 (growth differentiation factor 8)) and BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor) increased the number of surviving RGCs with neurite extension in a dose dependent manner. As a group, BMPs increased the number of neurites, length of neurites, and the number of branch points, while BDNF primarily increased neurite length and branch points. CONCLUSIONS We have developed an efficient system that allows for high throughput analysis of cultures enriched for RGCs. Using this assay system, we found that BMPs promote the survival of outgrowth neurons and neurite development in RGC culture.
India’s geoeconomic strategy

ABSTRACT Many observers recognize policy continuity as a prominent feature of India’s statecraft, but practitioners see fundamental changes in the last quarter century. In this article, we explain how India’s economic expansion because of sustained economic growth altered its statecraft. That prosperity is a prerequisite to sustain power has been well recognized through history by major thinkers of strategy. We examine the relationship between India’s economic strategy and its congruence with its foreign policy strategy. In particular, we illustrate how India has viewed geoeconomics, defined here as “the use of economic instruments to achieve specific geopolitical results. ” We highlight the degree and instruments of India’s economic statecraft as an integral component of its foreign policy, and its strengths and limitations relative to other rising powers.
Anthocyanin-rich purple potato flake extract has antioxidant capacity and improves antioxidant potential in rats

Anthocyanins from various vegetables and fruits have antioxidant activities, however, the bioactivities of coloured potato anthocyanins are not well studied. We examined the antioxidant capacities of pigmented fractions from purple potato flakes in vitro, and the antioxidant potentials of purple potato flakes in vivo. 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity of the pigmented fraction from Hokkai no. 92 (H92) potato flakes was higher than that from Kitamurasaki (KM) potato flakes. Extracts equivalent to 600 μg pigmented fractions from KM and H92 potato flakes inhibited linoleic acid oxidation in the order trolox>H92 ≥ KM>control. Rats were fed 25 % KM or H92 potato flake diets for 4 weeks. The major anthocyanin was identified as petanin. Control rats were fed a diet with cornstarch instead of potato flakes for 4 weeks. The serum antioxidant potential level in the H92 group was significantly higher than that in the control group. The degree of hepatic lipid peroxidation in the H92 group was significantly lower than that in the control group. Hepatic Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD), Mn-SOD and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) mRNA levels in the H92 group were significantly higher than those in the control group. Similar significant differences in Cu/Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD mRNA levels between the KM and control groups were found. The present results suggest that purple potato flakes have antioxidant functions with regard to radical scavenging activity and inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation, and that they improve the antioxidant potentials in rats by enhancing hepatic Mn-SOD, Cu/Zn-SOD and GSH-Px mRNA expression.
Relationships between longitudinal changes in radiographic alveolar bone height and probing depth measurements: data from postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND The relationship between loss of radiographic alveolar bone height and probing attachment loss has been studied by a number of investigators, with mixed results. Recent studies have found weak correlations and have suggested that the relationship between bone loss and attachment loss is complex, perhaps because changes in bone height and attachment level are separated in time. METHODS The 85 patients in this report were part of a prospective estrogen replacement interventional study. All patients were in good oral health at entry and received annual oral prophylaxis as part of the study. Standard probing measurements were made with a pressure-sensitive probe at 6 sites on each tooth. Vertical bite-wing radiographs were taken of each patient, radiographs were digitized, and 6 linear measurements (corresponding to probing site measurements) were made from the cemento-enamel junction to the alveolar crest. These procedures were performed at baseline and at annual intervals; this study reports results after 2 years. Data were analyzed both by individual site and by averaging identical sites from all measured teeth for each patient. RESULTS Very weak direct relationships between change in alveolar bone height and change in attachment level were found in both the site data (r2=0.0022; P = 0.189) and the patient average data (r2=0.031; P= 0.104). CONCLUSIONS The changes in these patients were probably due to systemic changes in bone health rather than to periodontal disease. However, the weak correlations between changes in attachment level and bone height are similar to recent studies of periodontal disease. Our results support suggestions in the literature that the link between changes in attachment and alveolar bone height is complex, perhaps because changes in the 2 tissue types are separated by a considerable time delay.
Contracting for the Unknown and the Logic of Innovation

This paper discusses the components of contracts adequatefor governing innovation, and their microfoundations in the logic of innovative decision processes. Drawing on models of discovery and design processes, distinctive logical features of innovative decision making are specified and connected to features of contracts that can sustain innovation processes and do not fail under radical uncertainty. It is argued that if new knowledge is to be generated under uncertainty and risk, 'relational contracts', as usually intended, are not enough and a more robust type of contracting is needed and it is actually often used: formal constitutional contracts that associate resources, leave their uses rationally unspecified, but exhaustively specify the assignment of residual decision rights and other property rights, and the decision rules to be followed in governance. The argument is supported by an analysis of a large international database on the governance of multi-party projects in discovery-intensive and design-intensive industries.