Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
THE APPLICATION OF SPECIFIC PATHOGEN-FREE ANIMALS TO RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION*

TFm ABILITY TO OBTAIN and study animals which are either completely free of micro-organisms, or which contain a knoNvn flora, is based upon the realization that the placenta is an effective barrier against micro-organisms (1). With this in mind, it only remained to devise an aseptic technique of removal, holding and feeding, to have animals completely germ-free. Interest in this procedure was demonstrated as early as 1890, but it remained for Dr. Reyniers and his group at the Lobund Institute at the University of Notre Dame to carry out extensive and successful studies in this field. Little consideration was given by these early workers to this technique as a means of ridding the host of pathogens only. The University of Wisconsin attempted (2) to raise disease-free pigs as early as 1943, and again in 1950. In both cases, pigs were obtained by Caesarean section. The procedure of by-passing disease organisms by removal of the pigs surgically came into prominence when Young and his group developed and perfected the hysterectomy technique (3). An indication of the success of the venture has been evidenced by the large number of laboratories which have been established for the purpose. At the present time, five are operating in Canada. Two of these are private, and three are located at institutions. When the value of animals obtained in this manner for biological research and commercial purposes was realized, a special building was constructed at the Connaught Laboratories to obtain specific pathogen-free swine and other animals. The Caesarean method of delivery was chosen, rather than the hysterectomy technique, because of the valuable breeding stock involved and also because of the problems of disposal of the carcass if the hysterectomy technique were used. It has been suggested that there is better livability in Caesarean-derived pigs (4), but this has been refuted by Dr. Young (5). The facilities and time required to carry out the Caesarean technique adequately is considerable, and, from a simplicity and contamination point of view, hysterectomy may be the method of choica under other circumstances. The following is a brief description of the procedure used at Connaught Medical Research Laboratories. It is understandable that accurate breeding dates must be known, and, although surgery can be performed successfully as early as 110 days, we try to observe the sows so as to choose a time as close to farrowing as possible. In a few cases, our estimation was not correct and naturally-farrowed pigs were presented. The usual pre-surgical preparation is carried out, followed by a heavy dose of intravenous tranquilizer and procaine infiltration at the site. One horn of the uterus is brought out and the pigs removed through one incision if possible (Fig. 1).
A study of float wave energy converter (fwec) model

– Ocean wave energy is a renewable energy that is abundant on Earth. It is a concentrated form of solar energy where differential heating on Earth generate wind which transfer their energy into open water in form of waves. In relation to atmospheric emission, wave power is less environmentally-degrading than most other form of power generation. The fluctuating wave contains potential and mechanical energy which can be converted into electrical energy. A special device needs to be developed to harness the energy which is called Float Wave Energy Converter (FWEC). The purpose of this project is to design, fabricate and test the experimental model of FWEC. The efficiency of the model will be analysed based on wave power and power generated. The model are capable to generate power for small devices with low power consumption. The power generated from designated FWEC will be depends on several parameters which is wave amplitude, diameter ratio and shape of the model. This parameter would be used to determine the best design for FWEC. Copyright © 2015 Penerbit Akademia
Electrochemical determination of hydrazine by using MoS2 nanostructure modified gold electrode

In this paper, MoS2 nanostructure was synthesized by using ammonium molybdate and thiourea as precursors through annealing in a tube furnace. The nanostructure was characterized for morphological, structural and elemental composition by using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), powder X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The as-synthesized nanostructure was then immobilized on the gold electrode (working electrode) for the electrochemical detection of hydrazine. Cyclic voltammogram shows an intense peak at 22 µA, which proved the high electrocatalytic ability of the sensor. The strong electrocatalytic activity regarding the oxidation of hydrazine is ascribed to good electron transfer ability and high surface area of the nanoparticles. Further, the chronoamperometric study was conducted to estimate the sensitivity and the detection limit of the sensor. The sensor exhibited a detection limit and sensitivity of 196 nM and 5.71 µA/µM cm2 respectively. Promising results such as high electrical conductivity, lower detection limit and high sensitivity of the as-synthesized MoS2 nanostructure have proved its potential towards the electrochemical detection of hydrazine.
Can a single-port robot be safely used for robotic total gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer? First experience using the da Vinci SP platform

Abstract Background Many studies have shown the operative feasibility and safety of robotic gastrectomy. Surgeons are pursuing single-port (SP) surgery to leverage the advantages of minimally invasive gastrectomy. The purpose of this study was to describe technical considerations and short-term outcomes from the first reported SP robotic total gastrectomy (RTG) using the da Vinci SP platform. Methods A 75-year-old patient with a body-mass index of 19.8 kg/m2 and clinical stage III cancer (cT3N+M0) underwent SP RTG on 22 January 2022 at the Department of General Surgery, the Chinese PLA General Hospital. All procedures were performed successfully using the da Vinci SP robotic platform. Results The SP RTG was successfully performed with D2 lymphadenectomy including No. 10 lymph-nodes dissection and extracorporeal Roux-en-Y anastomosis. Except for subcutaneous emphysema, no severe adverse events occurred during the operation. According to a visual analogue scale (VAS), the subjective feeling of post-operative pain was given a VAS score of 3 of 10 on Post-Operative Day 1 (POD 1), 1 of 10 on POD 3, and 1 of 10 on POD 7. We removed the gastric tube on POD 2 and advised sipping water, a liquid diet, and a soft diet on PODs 2, 4, and 6, respectively. The patient was discharged without any complications on POD 8. Conclusion RTG is technically feasible and safe using the da Vinci SP robotic platform. To our knowledge, this is the first study using the da Vinci SP platform in RTG for advanced gastric cancer in elderly patients. To verify its superior operative outcomes, further clinical trials are needed.
Corporate governance and earnings management in banks: An empirical evidence from India

Abstract This paper aims to examine the role of corporate governance (CG) on earnings management (EM) in Indian commercial banks. In addition, the study examines the role of board gender diversity within the CG framework using data from 22 publicly traded commercial banks in India from 2010 to 2019. The study uses Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to develop a comprehensive CG measure. Using a Panel Corrected Standard Error (PCSE) approach, the study finds that CG has a significant negative impact on EM in Indian commercial banks. The findings further revealed a positive association between gender diversity of boards and EM, indicating that the lack of gender diversity on a bank’s board outweighs the benefits of gender-diverse boards. Our study shows that CG mechanisms are more effective when combined together than individual governance mechanisms. The study also provides new insight into the role of board gender diversity as a CG mechanism on EM in banks in the context of a developing country. The study provides practical implications for investors, managers, regulators and policymakers.
AN ASSISTIVE DEVICE FOR QUADRIPLEGIC PATIENTS USING NI-MyRIO

One of the primary neural disorders is Paralysis, which causes loss of motion in one or more parts of the body muscles. Quadriplegia is a condition, where both the arms and the legs are paralyzed; as a result, the person is entirely dependent on the caretakers. To help them overcome their difficulties, we proposed a system which can control the house appliances, to communicate, monitor and alert the caregivers or the doctors in the case of an emergency by using his/her eye movements. These eye movements can be recorded using Electrooculography (EOG) that can be used to perform these simple tasks. EOG is the measurement of the corneo-retinal standing potential of the eye. This paper describes how the acquisition of EOG signals is made which can be used to control the home appliances. Also, a communication method for the quadriplegic patients to interact with the caregivers and the designing of a monitoring system which can be used for monitoring the quadriplegic patients and an alarm with pop-up message that can be used to alert the caretakers. The proposed work also describes the electrode placements so as to reduce the artifacts, the types of electrodes used, simple circuits and the programming that are used to control the house appliances using EOG signals. The picked up EOG signal from the subject is given to the processing block which suitably provides an output which can be utilized as an input to the NI MyRIO where the programming is done to control the household appliances and for communication.
Geotechnology Applied to Analysis of Vegetation Dynamics and Occurrence of Forest Fires on Indigenous Lands in Cerrado-Amazonia Ecotone

The Cerrado-Amazonia Ecotone is one of the largest ecosystems in Brazil and is internationally considered a biodiversity hotspot. The occurrence of fires is common in these areas, directly affecting biomass losses and the reduction of vegetative vigor of forest typologies. Information obtained through remote sensing and geoprocessing can assist in the evaluation of vegetation behavior and its relation to the occurrence of forest fires. In this context, the objective of the present study was to analyze temporal vegetation dynamics, as well as their relationship with rainfall and fire occurrence on Indigenous lands, located in the Cerrado-Amazonia Ecotone of Mato Grosso state, Brazil. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) images of the MOD13Q1 MODIS product and burnt area of the MCD45A1 MODIS product, and rainfall images from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) sensor were used. The period analyzed was from 2007 to 2016. After pre-processing the NDVI, TRMM and burnt area images, correlation analyses were performed between the rainfall, vegetation index and burnt area images, considering different lags (−3 to 3), to obtain the best response time for the variables. The analyses of inter-annual vegetation index trends were carried out following Mann–Kendall monotonic trend and seasonal trend analysis methodologies. Significant correlations were observed between NDVI and rainfall (R = 0.84), in grass regions and between NDVI and burnt area (R = −0.74). The Mann–Kendall monotonic trend indicates vegetation index stability with positive variations in grass regions. The analysis of seasonal trends identified different vegetation responses, with this biome presenting a diverse phytophysiognomy and seasonal vegetation with different phases for amplitudes. This variation is evidenced by the various phytophysiognomies and their responses in relation to biomass gains and losses. The correlation and regression of the NDVI and rainfall in the vegetation type of grass areas show that the burnt area tends to increase with the reduction of NDVI. Finally, no defined pattern of vegetation cycles or phases was observed in terms of seasonality and the proposed methodology can be adapted to other world biomes.
Adrenomedullin Improves Cardiac Remodeling and Function in Obese Rats with Hypertension

This study aimed to determine whether adrenomedullin (ADM, 7.2 μg/kg/day, ip), an important endogenous active peptide, has a protective role in cardiac remodeling and function in obesity-related hypertension (OH) rats. A high-fat diet (HFD) was used to induce OH for 20 weeks. H9c2 cells incubated with palmitate (PA, 200 μM) to mimic high free fatty acid in obesity were used as an in vitro model. In OH rats, ADM not only decreased body weight (BW) and blood pressure (BP) but also improved systemic inflammation and oxidative stress. Moreover, ADM still had a greater inhibitory effect on local inflammation and oxidative stress in the hearts of OH rats, and the same anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects were also confirmed in PA-treated H9c2 cells. The ADM receptor antagonist or Akt inhibitor effectively attenuated the inhibitory effects of ADM on inflammation and oxidative stress in PA-stimulated H9c2 cells. Furthermore, ADM application effectively normalized heart function, and hematoxylin-eosin and Masson staining and collagen volume fraction results showed that ADM improved cardiac remodeling in hearts of OH rats. ADM attenuated cardiac inflammation and oxidative stress via the receptor-Akt pathway, which involves the improvement of cardiac remodeling and function in OH rats.
Immunological and virological outcomes in children on lamivudine monotherapy: A South African public sector experience.

BACKGROUND In resource-limited settings, holding regimens such as lamivudine monotherapy (LAM) have been used to manage HIV-positive children failing combination antiretroviral therapy to mitigate the risk of drug resistance developing, while adherence barriers are addressed or when access to second- or third-line regimens is restricted. South African HIV treatment guidelines previously advocated the use of LAM to manage HIV-infected children with virological failure. However, the outcomes of patients on LAM compared with those who continued on a failing regimen have not been well described. Objectives. To investigate characteristics of a large cohort of children placed on LAM and their outcomes. Methods. This was a retrospective review of children with virological failure and the documented M184V drug resistance mutation who were placed on LAM v. a control group of children who continued on a failing regimen despite persistent virological failure. Virological and immunological outcomes of LAM were compared with those in patients who remained on a failing regimen. Results. A total of 179 children were included in the analysis, with 92 in the LAM group and 87 in the control group. The median (interquartile range (IQR)) age at baseline was 9.2 (5.4 - 12) years, the median CD4 count was 384 (184 - 622) cells/μL, and the median HIV viral load was 4.7 (IQR 3.7 - 5.3) log10. Twenty-two children (25.6%) in the LAM group and 15 (17.4%) in the control group experienced immunological deterioration. There was no statistical difference between the two groups with regard to overall time to immunological deterioration (log-rank p-value 0.4810). Conclusion. Given that a higher proportion of children in the LAM group experienced immunological failure, the LAM strategy may be a useful short-term one but should be restricted to children with limited treatment options. Managing children with virological failure will continue to be a challenge until improved adherence strategies are available.
Indescribable: The Construction and Enregisterment of Korean American Ethnolinguistic Identity

ABSTRACT This paper examines how young Korean Americans conceive of the relationship between their ethnic identity and linguistic behavior, focusing on metalinguistic commentary given on the topic of Korean American English (KAE). I argue that the ongoing enregisterment of a unique KAE variety is characterized by the fact that Korean Americans disagree on both what this variety sounds like and where the variety is spoken or where it comes from. Yet, a majority still contend that KAE exists. I connect this paradox to the historical struggle that Korean Americans have over language ownership and hybrid cultural identity.
SUB-CHRONIC TOXICITY STUDY OF T-AYU-HMTM PREMIUM: A HERBO-MINERAL FORMULATION

To perform a sub-chronic toxicity study and to generate scientific data regarding the safety profile of T-AYUHMTM Premium, a herbo-mineral formulation used for sickle cell disease. Experimental animals (Mice) were divided into six groups and were acclimatized and treated with 125 mg T-AYU-HMTM Premium/kg body weight (T1 LD), 625 mg T-AYU-HMTM Premium/kg body weight (T2 MD), and 1250 mg T-AYU-HMTM Premium/kg body weight (T3 HD) and two group of satellite daily for 90 days. 0.5% CMC was administered to the control group as a vehicle. The satellite groups were treated with 125 mg T-AYU-HMTM Premium/kg body weight (S1 LD) and 1250 mg T-AYU-HMTM Premium/kg body weight (S2 HD, 1250 mg/kg) receiving low and high dose respectively. The mice were closely observed for a clinical sign of toxicity, stereotypical behavior and alteration in autonomic activity during the entire study period. Hematological and blood biochemical parameters were observed on days 0, 60, 90. Motor coordination activity and sensory stimuli assessment were performed after the 11th week. At the termination of the study, all animals were sacrificed, and organs such as the heart, brain, kidney, liver, etc., were collected and observed for histopathology. There was no change in the normal gross behavior of animals in the sensory and motor assessment activity in the treatment group compared to the control group. Evaluation of hematological parameters shows a significant increase in red blood corpuscles. Histopathological examination of various organs shows a normal architecture in all the treated groups. T-AYU-HMTM Premium was found to be safe on repeat dose oral administration in NOAEL, dose up to 1250 mg/kg body weight when administered orally for 90 days in both the sexes of Swiss Albino mice.
The Effect of Aerobic Exercise on the Oxidative Capacity of Skeletal Muscle Mitochondria in Mice with Impaired Glucose Tolerance

Methods Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into six different experimental groups (8 animals/group): (1) normal group (NOR), (2) normal control group (NC), (3) normal + exercise group (NE), (4) IGT group (IGT), (5) IGT control group (IC), and (6) IGT+ exercise group (IE). The exercise group received aerobic exercise for 8 weeks. After the intervention, a blood glucose meter was used to detect the level of glucose tolerance in the mouse's abdominal cavity; a biochemical kit was used to detect serum lipid metabolism indicators, malondialdehyde, and superoxide dismutase levels; the ELISA method was used to detect serum insulin and mouse gastrocnemius homogenate LDH, PDH, SDH, and CCO levels. Western blot method was used to detect the protein expression levels of NOX4, PGC-1α, and Mfn2 in the gastrocnemius muscle of mice. Results (1) Mice with high-fat diet for 30 weeks showed impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and lipid metabolism disorders. The level of LDH, PDH, SDH, and CCO in the gastrocnemius homogenate of mice was reduced. The expressions of NOX4 protein were significantly upregulated, while the expressions of PGC-1α and Mfn2 proteins were significantly downregulated. (2) 8-week aerobic exercise improved the disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism in IGT mice and increased homogenized LDH, PDH, SDH, and CCO levels, and the expressions of NOX4, PGC-1α, and Mfn2 proteins in the gastrocnemius muscle of mice were reversed. It is speculated that aerobic exercise can accelerate energy metabolism. Conclusion (1) C57BL/6 mice were fed high fat for 30 weeks and successfully constructed a mouse model of reduced diabetes; the mice with reduced diabetes have impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and lipid metabolism disorders; (2) 8 weeks of aerobic exercise improve glucose tolerance, reduce glucose tolerance in mice, reduce insulin resistance, improve lipid metabolism disorders, and reduce oxidative stress; (3) 8-week aerobic exercise reduces skeletal muscle NOX4 expression and increases glucose tolerance; reduces the expression of LDH, PDH, SDH, and CCO in mouse skeletal muscle; increases the expression level of mitochondrial fusion protein 2 and PGC-1α; improves glucose tolerance; reduces energy metabolism of mouse skeletal muscle; reduces oxidative stress; and reduces insulin resistance. It is speculated that aerobic exercise can accelerate energy metabolism. This process may involve two aspects: firstly, increase the expression level of oxidative metabolism enzymes and promote the tricarboxylic acid cycle; secondly, increase the expression of Mfn2 and accelerate mitochondria fission or fusion to regulate energy metabolism, thereby reducing oxidative stress and insulin resistance.
The Application of circRNA-016901 in Improving the Diagnostic Accuracy of Osteoarthritis

In clinical practice, osteoarthritis (OA) is frequently misdiagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteonecrosis (ON), leading to wrong treatment and disease progression. Circular RNA- (circRNA-) 016901 affects the recovery of irradiation-induced injury in the bone, while its role in OA is unclear. This study is aimed at exploring the role of circRNA-016901 in improving the diagnostic accuracy of OA. The present study included patients with OA (n = 80), patients with RA (n = 80), patients with ON (n = 80), and healthy controls (HCs, n = 80) to collect plasma samples before and after treatment. RT-qPCR was performed to detect RNA accumulation of circRNA-016901 in plasma samples from all participants. The role of plasma expression of circRNA-016901 in predicting OA was studied with ROC curve analysis. Association between plasma expression of circRNA-016901 and patients' clinical features was analyzed with the chi-squared test. Compared to HCs, increased accumulation of circRNA-016901 was only observed in the OA group, but not in the RA and ON groups before treatment. OA patients were effectively separated from the RA, ON, and HC groups using plasma expression of circRNA-016901 before treatment as a biomarker. Plasma expression of circRNA-016901 was closely associated with OA patients' disease severity. After treatment, decreased plasma expression levels of circRNA-016901 were only observed in OA patients, while no alteration in plasma circRNA-016901 accumulation was observed in the RA and ON groups. In conclusion, circRNA-016901 is accumulated to high levels in OA and may be applied to improve the diagnostic accuracy of OA.
Wideband dual‐polarized wide solid angle scanning cylindrically conformal millimeter‐wave phased array

A dual‐polarized substrate‐integrated hollow antenna (SIHA) and its cylindrically conformal phased array are proposed. The bandwidth of the proposed SIHA is 35%. The cylindrically conformal phased array with 24 SIHA subarrays can scan its beam in the whole horizontal plane and scan its beam within ± 60° in the vertical plane. The proposed array with wide band, wide‐angle scanning, and dual‐polarization characteristics is appropriate for millimeter‐wave base station applications.