关键词： agricultural policy   economic welfare analysis   input subsidies   Malawi  

摘要： Most studies that have evaluated the welfare impacts of agricultural input subsidy programmes (ISPs) in developing countries have focused on measuring their effects on various outcomes of interest such as agricultural productivity. I estimate the consumer surplus accrued by direct and indirect beneficiaries of ISPs in Malawi. Malawi's Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP), introduced in 2005, is the largest such scheme in sub-Saharan Africa. I find that the programme provides low direct benefits compared to the public costs of the programme. At the national level, the benefit-cost ratio (BCR) is up to 0.37 for FISP households with no option to resell the fertiliser accessed through the programme. When reselling of the fertiliser is allowed for, the BCR increases to 0.64 including spillover benefits to direct non-beneficiaries of FISP. I also found 60% of all fertiliser vouchers and benefits accrued to farm households with above the median wealth level. Many farmers demand 25 kg of fertiliser or less at the subsidised price. Thus, when resource poor direct beneficiaries have the option to buy 25 kg bags of fertiliser in addition to the 50 kg bags currently being offered under FISP, their benefits increase by about 53% compared to the status quo. Overall, my results suggest that a more flexible redemption of the fertiliser vouchers as well as complementary investments such as improved access to credit could increase the programme's contribution to farmers' welfare.

关键词： PEGylation   L-asparaginase   Reducing agents   Pyridine borane   Pegaspargase  

摘要： PEGylation is a reductive alkylation of a protein N-terminal/alpha-amine of protein with mPEG chain by reducing agent. To obtain quantitative and site-specific PEGylation, sodium cyanoborohydride is commonly used as a reducing agent. The reduction process of sodium cyanoborohydride produces highly poisonous hydrogen cyanide, which may render the final product toxic. Herein, we have studied various reducing agents such as dimethylamine borane, triethylamine borane, trimethylamine borane, pyridine borane, morpholine borane, 2-picoline borane, and 5-ethyl-2-methyl-pyridine borane were tested as alternatives to sodium cyanoborohydride for the PEGylation of L-asparaginase. The characterization of reacted pegaspargase was carried out by SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, SEC-HPLC, RP-HPLC, SEC-MALS, CD, enzyme activity, and cell proliferation assays using with lymphoblast cells and MTS/PMS as substrate. Pyridine borane was determined to be the best acceptable reducing agent for PEGylation in terms of purity and activity. As a result, instead of sodium cyanoborohydride, pyridine borane can be employed.

关键词： GIRK   ion selectivity   mutations  

关键词： Adalimumab   Ankylosing spondylitis   anti-Tumor necrosis factor   Rheumatic disease   Spondyloarthritis   Supplements   Anti-inflammatory diet   Dietary changes  

摘要： Background and purpose: Current treatment strategies for ankylosing spondylitis (AS) include adalimumab and other biological drugs. However, treatment failures and side effects are commonly observed. This report documents the successful use of supplements and dietary changes to treat a patient with AS after cessation of adalimumab therapy. Patient presentation: A 38-year-old human leukocyte antigen B27 positive female patient with AS showed no improvement when treated with a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. The patient then began adalimumab therapy with some success;however, after nine months, she developed a disseminated and refractory Molluscum contagiosum infection. Adalimumab was withdrawn, and the patient started taking supplements, while adopting an anti-inflammatory diet (dairy-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free). Normalization of inflammatory markers was achieved after two months, and magnetic resonance imaging of the sacroiliac revealed a notable physical improvement.

关键词： direct georeferencing   RTK   UAV   SfM   photogrammetry   high-relief terrain   steep slopes   facades  

摘要： Steep rock slopes present key opportunities and challenges within Earth science applications. Due to partial or complete inaccessibility, high-precision surveys of these high-relief landscapes remain a challenge. Direct georeferencing (DG) of unoccupied aerial vehicles (UAVs) with advanced onboard GNSS receivers presents opportunities to generate high-resolution 3D datasets without ground-based access to the study area. However, recent research has revealed large vertical errors using DG that may prove problematic in near-vertical terrain. To address these concerns, we examined more than 75 photogrammetric UAV-datasets with various imaging angles (nadir, oblique, and combinations) and ground control scenarios, including DG, along a steep slope exposure. Results demonstrate that mean errors in DG scenarios are up to 0.12 m higher than datasets using integrated georeferencing with well-distributed GCPs. Inclusion of GCPs greatly reduced mean error values but had limited influence on precision (<0.01 m) for any given imaging strategy. Use of multiple image angles resulted in the highest precisions, regardless of georeferencing strategy. These findings have implications for applications requiring the highest precision and accuracy (e.g., geotechnical engineering, hazard mitigation and mapping, and geomorphic change detection), which should consider using ground control whenever possible. However, for applications less concerned with absolute accuracy, our results show that DG datasets provide strong internal consistency and relative accuracy that may be suitable for high precision measurements within a model, without use of ground control.

关键词： Syzygium cumini   Biosorption   Biochar   Adsorption   Dexamethasone  

摘要： The work aims to synthesize and characterize vegetal charcoal (or biochar) from Syzygium cumini (AC-SC), evaluating the adsorption capacity for dexamethasone drug (DEX) removal, using the kinetic and equilibrium adsorption. The samples were characterized by N-2 porosimetry, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, zeta potential, and zero charge point. Adsorption equilibrium was carried out applying the Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich-Peterson, Sips, and Toth models, and kinetic adsorption applied the pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, Elovich, Avrami, and Weber-Morris models. AC-SC showed a heterogeneous and porous surface, negatively charged, crystalline structure, specific surface area of the 2.14 m(2) g(-1) and pH(ZCP) = 7.36. About the effect of the AC-SC concentration, 5.0 g L-1 showed the best DEX removal (53.02%), about the others' concentration (2.0 and 7.5 g L-1). About the equilibrium and kinetic adsorption, the Sips model and pseudo-second order showed the best experimental data adjusted, indicating that the adsorption monolayer was dependent on the ions onto the biosorbent, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 0.744 mg g(-1) after 180 min. Therefore, AC-SC can be used as an alternative material in the removal of organic pollutants, such as drug removal.

摘要： Relationships between sea urchins and noncrustose macroalgae are typically nonlinear, and an abrupt phase shift from a barren to a macroalgae-dominated state and vice versa happens when the sea urchin abundance exceeds a critical threshold. Here, we have used two mass mortality events as a natural experiment to study progressive changes and dynamics between these stable states. In 2009-2010 and 2018, two mass mortalities decimated the populations of the sea urchin Diadema africanum in the Canary Islands (Eastern Subtropical Atlantic). In these islands, this sea urchin is a key-herbivore controlling the growth of macroalgae, and sea urchin barrens have persisted for more 60 yr. Mass mortality events differed in intensity both in space and time, and two phase shifts from sea urchin barrens to macroalgal beds were detected in both when sea urchin density declined below a critical threshold of 4 indv. center dot m(-2). The first mass mortality was greater in La Palma Island, consequently in this island a long-lasting alternative state dominated by noncrustose macroalgae has been established. Subsequently, a recurrent mass mortality also favored the transition from the sea urchin barrens to noncrustose macroalgal beds in Tenerife Island. After mass mortalities, D. africanum populations were reduced by 94-98% in both islands. No signs of recovery of these populations have been identified after phase shifts;ecosystem feedbacks may be the cause of the low population density of D. africanum.

关键词： MIS-C   COVID-19   Three-dimensional echocardiography   Ventricular systolic-diastolic function  

摘要： Cardiac involvement is a common and serious problem in multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). Echocardiographic evaluation of systolic and diastolic function by traditional, tissue Doppler and three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography was performed in consecutive 50 MIS-C patients during hospitalization and age-matched 40 healthy controls. On the day of worst left ventricular (LV) systolic function (echo-1), all left and right ventricular systolic function parameters were significantly lower (p < 0.001), E/A ratio was significantly lower, and averaged E/e ' ratio was significantly higher (median 1.5 vs. 1.8, p < 0.05;8.9 vs. 6.3, p < 0.001 respectively) in patients compared to control. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to 3D LV ejection fraction (LVEF) on the echo-1: Group 1;LVEF < 55%, 26 patients, and group 2;LVEF >= 55%, 24 patients. E/e ' ratio was significantly higher in group 1 than group 2 and control at discharge (median 7.4 vs. 6.9, p = 0.005;7.4 vs. 6.3, p < 0.001 respectively). Coronary ectasia was detected in 2 patients (z score: 2.53, 2.6 in the right coronary artery), and resolved at discharge. Compared with group 2, group 1 had significantly higher troponin-I (median 658 vs. 65 ng/L;p < 0.001), NT-pro BNP (median 14,233 vs. 1824 ng/L;p = 0.001), procalcitonin (median 10.9 vs. 2.1 mu g/L;p = 0.009), ferritin (median 1234 vs. 308 mu g/L;p = 0.003). The most common findings were ventricular systolic dysfunction recovering during hospitalization, and persisting LV diastolic dysfunction in the reduced LVEF group at discharge. Coronary artery involvement was rare in the acute phase of the disease. Also, in MIS-C patients, the correlation between LV systolic dysfunction and markers of inflammation and cardiac biomarkers should be considered.

关键词： complementary and alternative medicine   skin care   facial plastic  

摘要： Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has become increasingly popular among facial plastic surgery patients. Over the last few decades, there has been a surge in the use of CAM. Despite the increasing prevalence of CAM, patients may feel uncomfortable discussing these therapies with their physicians, and physicians feel under-equipped to engage in meaningful discussions regarding these nontraditional therapies. This article reviews recent literature on the use of CAM for skin treatment in an attempt to provide additional resource. To date, the evidence to support statistically significant symptom improvement with use of non-traditional therapies remains limited. While preliminary data supports essential oil therapy in some cases, the results of the studies investigating other CAM therapies (traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, and homeopathy) have been mixed and inconclusive.

关键词： Neurology   Psychopharmacology   Pharmacotherapy   Neurosciences   Psychiatry  

摘要： Clozapine is the only antipsychotic with proven effectiveness in treatment-resistant schizophrenia. It is usually administered using commercially available oral tablets, but not all patients are willing or able to take medicines in this way. Orodispersible clozapine tablets are available from several manufacturers and may be useful where swallowing solid dosage forms is difficult, or as an aid to observe compliance. Liquid formulations of clozapine can be prepared extemporaneously or purchased commercially, but most preparations are suspensions (clozapine is poorly soluble) and patients may find them unpalatable. The administration of clozapine (suspension or crushed tablets) via enteral feeding tubes (predominantly nasogastric) has been reported both in medically unwell patients and in patients refusing clozapine. Enteral administration is likely to be superseded by intramuscular clozapine, which has recently been re-introduced and is being widely used in some countries. Successful use of this formulation in enforced treatment strategies has been described by several authors with good long-term outcomes when switched to oral treatment. Intramuscular clozapine has also been used in physically ill patients who are unable to take any form of enteral medication. Other methods of delivery (transdermal, nasal) are not yet commercially available, but offer promise of further treatment options for this group of seriously ill patients.