Mouse 11β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2 for Human Application: Homology Modeling, Structural Analysis and Ligand-Receptor Interaction

Mouse (m) 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11βHSD2) was homology-modeled, and its structure and ligand-receptor interaction were analyzed. The modeled m11βHSD2 showed significant 3D similarities to the human (h) 11βHSD1 and 2 structures. The contact energy profiles of the m11βHSD2 model were in good agreement with those of the h11βHSD1 and 2 structures. The secondary structure of the m11βHSD2 model exhibited a central 6-stranded all-parallel β-sheet sandwich-like structure, flanked on both sides by 3-helices. Ramachandran plots revealed that only 1.1% of the amino acid residues were in the disfavored region for m11βHSD2. Further, the molecular surfaces and electrostatic analyses of the m11βHSD2 model at the ligand-binding site exhibited that the model was almost identical to the h11βHSD2 model. Furthermore, docking simulation and ligand-receptor interaction analyses revealed the similarity of the ligand-receptor bound conformation between the m11βHSD2 and h11βHSD2 models. These results indicate that the m11βHSD2 model was successfully evaluated and analyzed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a m11βHSD2 model with detailed analyses, and our data verify that the mouse model can be utilized for application to the human model to target 11βHSD2 for the development of anticancer drugs

Measuring the efficiency of collective floodplain aquaculture of Bangladesh using Data Envelopment Analysis

This study measures efficiency of collective floodplain aquaculture enterprises (FPAs) practiced in floodplains composed of private lands in Bangladesh using data envelopment analysis (DEA). We concentrate on a management system that was initially developed by landowners in the Daudkandi sub-district in 1984. With gradual spread of this management system two important internal variations have emerged in terms of (1) organizational composition that resulted from the investment-based participation of an NGO, and (2) mode of managing aquaculture operation that resulted from leasing out the aquaculture operation instead managing it by themselves in some FPAs. Taking consideration of these two variations, and using four inputs and one output, we measure the technical, scale, mix and overall efficiency of 15 FPAs selected from five districts. While 11 FPAs are technically efficient, only six are overall efficient. On average, NGO-collaborated FPAs (NFPAs) are more efficient (78.27%) than landowners-managed independent FPAs (IFPAs) (75.96%). However, IFPAs are only found in the Daudkandi region, where there are more efficient IFPAs than NFPAs. On the other hand, while lease-based operations show better average efficiency (79.56%), self-managed operations have more efficient units. We also find that the intensive use of inputs in most older FPAs does not make them more efficient, despite their higher fish yield, than relatively newer FPAs. Given the poverty, food security and nutrition linkage of floodplain aquaculture and continuous attempts to increase fish yield, the FPAs along with development partners and government agencies, should take account of efficiency-related aspects in policies and practice

Magnetic Moment of Cu-Modified Ni2MnGa Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys

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Clinicopathologic Features, Genetics, Treatment, and Long-Term Outcomes in Japanese Children and Young Adults with Benign Recurrent Intrahepatic Cholestasis: A Multicenter Study

Background: Few reports of benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis (BRIC) have focused on East Asian patients. We describe the clinicopathologic features, genetics, treatment, and outcomes in Japanese BRIC patients. Methods: We recruited patients with BRIC type 1 (BRIC-1) or 2 (BRIC-2) treated at four pediatric centers and one adult center between April 2007 and March 2022. Demographics, clinical course, laboratory results, molecular genetic findings concerning ATP8B1 and ABCB11 genes, histopathology, and treatment response were examined retrospectively. Results: Seven Japanese patients with BRIC were enrolled (four male, three female; four BRIC-1 and three BRIC-2). The median age at onset for BRIC-1 was 12 years; for BRIC-2, it was 1 month. Intermittent cholestatic attacks numbered from one to eight during the 11 years of median follow-up. Six patients received a mainstream education; only one patient attended special education. None developed cirrhosis. Three with BRIC-1 showed compound heterozygosity for a variant ATP8B1 gene, while one was heterozygous; two BRIC-2 patients showed compound heterozygosity in ABCB11 and one was heterozygous. Liver biopsy specimens obtained during cholestatic attacks showed fibrosis varying from none to moderate; inflammation was absent or mild. Rifampicin administered to three patients for cholestatic attacks was effective in all, as was cholestyramine in two of three. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first East Asian multicenter study of BRIC patients. Onset age and number of cholestatic attacks varied. Rifampicin and cholestyramine were effective against attacks. No patient developed cirrhosis; most had normal growth and development. The long-term outcomes were satisfactory

Magnetic Properties of the Ferromagnetic Shape Memory Alloys Ni50+xMn27−xGa23 in Magnetic Fields

Thermal strain, permeability, and magnetization measurements of the ferromagnetic shape memory alloys Ni50+xMn27−xGa23 (x = 2.0, 2.5, 2.7) were performed. For x = 2.7, in which the martensite transition and the ferromagnetic transition occur at the same temperature, the martensite transition starting temperature TMs shift in magnetic fields around a zero magnetic field was estimated to be dTMs/dB = 1.1 ± 0.2 K/T, thus indicating that magnetic fields influences martensite transition. We discussed the itinerant electron magnetism of x = 2.0 and 2.5. As for x = 2.5, the M4 vs. B/M plot crosses the origin of the coordinate axis at the Curie temperature, and the plot indicates a good linear relation behavior around the Curie temperature. The result is in agreement with the theory by Takahashi, concerning itinerant electron ferromagnets