Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Metabolic Status Drives Acclimation of Iron Deficiency Responses in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as Revealed by Proteomics Based Hierarchical Clustering and Reverse Genetics*

Iron is a crucial cofactor in numerous redox-active proteins operating in bioenergetic pathways including respiration and photosynthesis. Cellular iron management is essential to sustain sufficient energy production and minimize oxidative stress. To produce energy for cell growth, the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii possesses the metabolic flexibility to use light and/or carbon sources such as acetate. To investigate the interplay between the iron-deficiency response and growth requirements under distinct trophic conditions, we took a quantitative proteomics approach coupled to innovative hierarchical clustering using different “distance-linkage combinations” and random noise injection. Protein co-expression analyses of the combined data sets revealed insights into cellular responses governing acclimation to iron deprivation and regulation associated with photosynthesis dependent growth. Photoautotrophic growth requirements as well as the iron deficiency induced specific metabolic enzymes and stress related proteins, and yet differences in the set of induced enzymes, proteases, and redox-related polypeptides were evident, implying the establishment of distinct response networks under the different conditions. Moreover, our data clearly support the notion that the iron deficiency response includes a hierarchy for iron allocation within organelles in C. reinhardtii. Importantly, deletion of a bifunctional alcohol and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ADH1), which is induced under low iron based on the proteomic data, attenuates the remodeling of the photosynthetic machinery in response to iron deficiency, and at the same time stimulates expression of stress-related proteins such as NDA2, LHCSR3, and PGRL1. This finding provides evidence that the coordinated regulation of bioenergetics pathways and iron deficiency response is sensitive to the cellular and chloroplast metabolic and/or redox status, consistent with systems approach data.
Thin layer microcolony culture associated with PCR for early identification of Mycobacterium bovis

The initial growth of mycobacteria from 49 samples of cattle and buffalo organs collected in commercial slaughterhouses was compared between modified Middlebrook 7H11 thin layer microcolony culture and Stonebrink medium used in the isolation of Mycobacterium bovis. Aliquots were decontaminated by Petroff’s method, processed and cultured in both media. The identity of the acid-fast bacilli stained by Ziehl-Neelsen was confirmed by PCR. Optical microscopy showed that results of the early observation of Mycobacterium bovis colonies in thin layer culture were similar to those obtained in macroscopic observation of the colonies in Stonebrink medium. However, early observation of the colonies enabled early confirmation by PCR, given the shorter time to the visualization of colonies when thin layer culture was used (between the 12nd and 25th day of culture).
Strathprints Institutional Repository (2016) a Transient Translaminar Gabaergic Interneuron Circuit Connects Thalamocortical Recipient Layers in Neonatal a Transient Translaminar Gabaergic Interneuron Circuit Connects Thalamocortical Recipient Layers in Neonatal Somatosensory Cortex a Transient Tran

Strathprints is designed to allow users to access the research output of the University of Strathclyde. Unless otherwise explicitly stated on the manuscript, Copyright © and Moral Rights for the papers on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyright owners. Please check the manuscript for details of any other licences that may have been applied. You may not engage in further distribution of the material for any profitmaking activities or any commercial gain. You may freely distribute both the url (http://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/) and the content of this paper for research or private study, educational, or not-for-profit purposes without prior permission or charge. Highlights d Early postnatal thalamic synaptic input onto L5b somatostatin interneurons d Transient reciprocal connectivity between L5b INs and L4 spiny stellate cells d Sensory activity is required for the transition to a local L4 GABAergic circuit d Molecular bias toward early local IN synapses delays thalamic innervation of SSNs In Brief Marques-Smith et al. identify a transient, early postnatal GABAergic interneuron circuit involved in thalamocortical integration in primary somatosensory cortex. Perturbation of sensory and molecular cues alters the temporal dynamics of this circuit and thereby maturation of thalamocortical afferent input. SUMMARY GABAergic activity is thought to influence developing neocortical sensory circuits. Yet the late postnatal maturation of local layer (L)4 circuits suggests alternate sources of GABAergic control in nascent thala-mocortical networks. We show that a population of L5b, somatostatin (SST)-positive interneuron receives early thalamic synaptic input and, using laser-scanning photostimulation, identify an early transient circuit between these cells and L4 spiny stel-lates (SSNs) that disappears by the end of the L4 critical period. Sensory perturbation disrupts the transition to a local GABAergic circuit, suggesting a link between translaminar and local control of SSNs. Conditional silencing of SST+ interneurons or conversely biasing the circuit toward local inhibition by overex-pression of neuregulin-1 type 1 results in an absence of early L5b GABAergic input in mutants and delayed thalamic innervation of SSNs. These data identify a role for L5b SST+ interneurons in the control of SSNs in the early postnatal neocortex.
Oxygen Storage Capacity and Morphology of Alumina-Supported Ceria Catalyst

1 緒 言 近年,全世界的に環境問題に対する関心が高まる中, 自動車から排出される大気汚染物質の低減に対する要求 が年々厳しくなっており,自動車触媒の性能の向上が望 まれている. 自動車触媒(三元触媒)は主に,担体であ るアルミナに,触媒である白金やロジウムなどの貴金属 と,触媒の浄化能および耐久性の向上を目的として添加 される助触媒としてセリアなどの金属酸化物,複合酸化 物を担持させたものである. 助触媒として用いられるセ リアは,セリアの酸化還元サイクルに従い,燃料のリッ チ条件とリーン条件における排ガスの組成の変動を抑制 する酸素ストレージ能 (oxygen storage capacity : OSC) を有する. セリアは酸化活性を促進するだけではなく, 三つの主な汚染物質であるHC,CO,NOxのすべてを除 去できる,空気燃料比のウィンドウ幅を広げる. OSCは, 貴金属による浄化反応と並んで浄化性能にかかわる重要 な研究課題となっている. 1)~ 4)セリアは次のような反応に よって気相中の酸素の吸収,気相への酸素の放出に関与 し,貴金属触媒の近傍での雰囲気変動を抑制し,全体と して浄化活性を高く保つ役割をしている. (1) 自動車触媒において,担体としてはアルミナが用いら れるので,セリア-アルミナ系複合粒子も有用な触媒組 成である. 触媒反応は固体表面で起こるため,複合粒子 における添加量や熱処理によるセリアの凝集,それに伴 う比表面積の低下は OSCへ影響すると考えられる. こ れまでに,添加量や作製法による分散性の相違やその OSCへの影響などが研究されている. セリア-アルミナ 系複合粒子では,還元条件下でセリアがアルミナと境界 面で反応して化合物を生じ,酸素を放出するとされる報 告がある. 5)~ 7)しかし,これらは 800°C以上の高温での還 元雰囲気(水素)中での処理をしているので,低温での 酸素放出への影響については未解明である. また,これ までの報告では主にセリアが 20wt%以下の少量の場合で あり,添加量が多くなったときのセリア-アルミナ粒子界 面やセリア粒径とOSCとの関連性については調べられて いない. 本研究では,添加量の異なるセリア粒子を分散 させたアルミナ触媒を含浸法により調製し,添加量の多 い試料におけるセリアの結晶子とセリア-アルミナ粒子界 面,OSCの関係および添加量による相違について調べた. 2 実 験 方 法 2・1 試料の作製 γアルミナ(Al2O3:住友化学(株))に対して 10,20,30, 40,50mol%相当のCeを加えるために必要な硝酸セリウ ム(Ce (NO3)3・6H2O:和光純薬(株))を秤量し,少量の 水に溶かした. その溶液に所定量の γアルミナ粉末を加 え,γアルミナ粉末に溶液を含浸させ,この試料を十分 にかく拌混合した後,120°Cで 12時間乾燥し,空気中 500°C(昇温速度 5°C/min)で 3時間焼成後,粉砕しア ルミナ担持セリア触媒を作製した. 粉末 X線回折装置 Rint 2000((株)リガク)を使用し, CuKα線,40kV−40mAの測定条件で回折角 20~ 80°に おける試料からの X線回折強度の測定を行い,各試料に おける生成相を調べた. 得られた複数の回折線からHall の式を用い以下のようにして微視ひずみを考慮した結晶 子径を算出した. XRD測定におけるピークの広がりが結 晶子径とそのひずみの両方の影響を受け,それらの簡単 な足し合わせによって表されるとすると,微視ひずみを 考慮した結晶子径と半価幅の関係は以下の式によって表 される(Hallの式). 8)
UvA-DARE ( Digital Academic Repository ) Role of voiding and storage symptoms for the quality of life before and after treatment in men with voiding dysfunction

Purpose Previous studies on associations between voiding dysfunction and quality of life (QoL) have largely been limited to baseline data. Therefore, we have explored associations between Qmax and voiding and storage sub-scores of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) before and after treatment with QoL. Methods Analysis of a single-center database of 2,316 men with voiding dysfunction attributed to benign prostatic hyperplasia undergoing various medical and surgical treatment forms. Results Qmax exhibited little correlation with QoL before or after treatment. IPSS inversely correlated with QoL at baseline and after treatment, and IPSS improvements correlated with those of QoL. The associations applied to both the voiding and storage sub-score of the IPSS, with the latter consistently exhibiting somewhat tighter associations. Conclusions Our post-treatment data support the idea of a cause–eVect relationship between voiding symptoms and QoL irrespective of treatment form. While both voiding and storage symptoms contribute to this relationship, storage symptoms play a somewhat greater role.
The Relative Responsiveness of Certain Properties of Cotton Fiber to Microbial Action

In continuation of an inquiry into the effect of microbial action and weathering on cotton fiber, experiments have been carried out to determine the relative responsiveness of certain fiber properties to the growth of fungi. Raw cotton fiber and unbleached cotton fabric were inocu lated and incubated for varying periods up to 28 days in a water-vapor-saturated atmosphere with each of three common fungi under pure-culture conditions, and various properties of the fiber and fabric were measured subsequently. In general, the aqueous-extract pH and the reducing- substance content of the incubated samples changed quickly and substantially, the former in creasing and the latter decreasing. Degree of swelling in 18% NaOH and Congo red values changed little during the first few days of incubation, but later increased progressively. Strength, as measured on fiber by the use of a Pressley breaker equipped with 1-mm. -gap jaws or on fabric by the 3-in. ravelled-strip method on a Scott tester, showed little or no decrease. Length, determined by the Suter-Webb sorter method, decreased moderately with one of the fungi, but little if at all with the other two. Wax content decreased, but only moderately. Cladosporium-incubated fiber became measurably and visibly darker. Absorption of the direct dye Chlorantine Fast Green by fiber incubated with Cladosporium and mercerized before dyeing increased markedly with increasing periods of incubation. Incubation at 95% R.H. greatly slowed down the rate of change in pH and reducing-sub stance content as compared with results obtained in a saturated atmosphere and prevented change in the alkali-swelling response.
Muscle-Specific Loss of Apoptosis-Inducing Factor Leads to Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Skeletal Muscle Atrophy, and Dilated Cardiomyopathy

ABSTRACT Cardiac and skeletal muscle critically depend on mitochondrial energy metabolism for their normal function. Recently, we showed that apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), a mitochondrial protein implicated in programmed cell death, plays a role in mitochondrial respiration. However, the in vivo consequences of AIF-regulated mitochondrial respiration resulting from a loss-of-function mutation in Aif are not known. Here, we report tissue-specific deletion of Aif in the mouse. Mice in which Aif has been inactivated specifically in cardiac and skeletal muscle exhibit impaired activity and protein expression of respiratory chain complex I. Mutant animals develop severe dilated cardiomyopathy, heart failure, and skeletal muscle atrophy accompanied by lactic acidemia consistent with defects in the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Isolated hearts from mutant animals exhibit poor contractile performance in response to a respiratory chain-dependent energy substrate, but not in response to glucose, supporting the notion that impaired heart function in mutant animals results from defective mitochondrial energy metabolism. These data provide genetic proof that the previously defined cell death promoter AIF has a second essential function in mitochondrial respiration and aerobic energy metabolism required for normal heart function and skeletal muscle homeostasis.
Macroscopic description of phase separation in the 2D Ising model

We review recent results about the macroscopic description of phase separation in the 2D Ising model, with special emphasis on boundary effects and related surface phase transitions. In particular, after having recalled some facts about the wetting transition, we describe two situations in which this transition has major consequences at the macroscopic scale. We also briefly describe a more general situation for which it is possible to derive the thermodynamical variational problem characterizing the interfaces of the equilibrium state.
Essential Role of Insulin Receptor Substrate-2 in Insulin Stimulation of Glut4 Translocation and Glucose Uptake in Brown Adipocytes*

Insulin and insulin-like growth factor I signals are mediated via phosphorylation of a family of insulin receptor substrate (IRS) proteins, which may serve both complementary and overlapping functions in the cell. To study the metabolic effects of these proteins in more detail, we established brown adipocyte cell lines from wild type and various IRS knockout (KO) animals and characterized insulin action in these cells in vitro. Preadipocytes derived from both wild type and IRS-2 KO mice could be fully differentiated into mature brown adipocytes. In differentiated IRS-2 KO adipocytes, insulin-induced glucose uptake was decreased by 50% compared with their wild type counterparts. This was the result of a decrease in insulin-stimulated Glut4 translocation to the plasma membrane. This decrease in insulin-induced glucose uptake could be partially reconstituted in these cells by retrovirus-mediated re-expression of IRS-2, but not overexpression of IRS-1. Insulin signaling studies revealed a total loss of IRS-2-associated phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase activity and a reduction in phosphotyrosine-associated PI 3-kinase by 30% (p < 0.05) in the KO cells. The phosphorylation and activity of Akt, a major downstream effector of PI 3-kinase, as well as Akt-dependent phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3 and p70S6 kinase were not affected by the lack of IRS-2; however, there was a decrease in insulin stimulation of Akt associated with the plasma membrane. These results provide evidence for a critical role of IRS-2 as a mediator of insulin-stimulated Glut4 translocation and glucose uptake in adipocytes. This occurs without effects in differentiation, total activation of Akt and its downstream effectors, but may be caused by alterations in compartmentalization of these downstream signals.
Defining the volume and intensity of sport participation in adolescent rugby union players.

PURPOSE Investigating adolescent training loads might help us understand optimal training adaptations. GPS tracking devices and training diaries were used to quantify weekly sport and other physical activity demands placed on adolescent rugby union players and profile typical rugby training sessions. METHODS Participants were 75 males age 14 to 18 y who were recruited from rugby teams representing 3 levels of participation: schoolboy, national representative, and a selective sports school talent squad. RESULTS Schoolboy players covered a distance of (mean +/- SD) 3511 +/- 836 m, representative-squad players 3576 +/- 956 m, and talent-squad players 2208 +/- 637 m per rugby training session. The representative squad recorded the highest weekly duration of sport and physical activity (515 +/- 222 min/wk), followed by the talent squad (421 +/- 211 min/week) and schoolboy group (370 +/- 135 min/wk). Profiles of individual players identified as group outliers showed participation in up to 3 games and up to 11 training sessions per week, with twice the weekly load of the team averages. CONCLUSION Optimal participation and performance of adolescent rugby union players might be compromised by many high-load, high-impact training sessions and games and commitments to other sports and physical activities. An improved understanding of monitoring and quantifying load in adolescent athletes is needed to facilitate best-practice advice for player management and training prescription.
Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of bipolar disorder versus intermittent explosive disorder in children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVE The diagnosis of bipolar disorder in juveniles is controversial. This study was designed to compare proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H MRS) in patients with bipolar disorder or intermittent explosive disorder, two groups with symptomatic overlap but categorical distinction. Children with intermittent explosive disorder designate patients whose illness clinically resembles pediatric bipolar disorder but does not satisfy DSM-IV criteria for mania. Based on the authors' previous report of higher levels of (1)H MRS cingulate myo-inositol/creatine in youngsters with bipolar disorder than in normal comparison subjects, they hypothesized that patients with bipolar disorder would have higher cingulate myo-inositol/creatine-phosphocreatine measurements than patients with intermittent explosive disorder and normal comparison subjects. METHOD Myo-inositol levels were measured with a 2x2x2 cm(3) voxel placed in the anterior cingulate for acquisition of (1)H MRS in 10 patients with bipolar disorder, 10 patients with intermittent explosive disorder, and 13 normal comparison subjects. N-Acetylaspartate, choline moieties, creatine-phosphocreatine, and glutamate-glutamine metabolite levels were also measured. RESULTS The patients with bipolar disorder showed significantly higher anterior cingulate myo-inositol/creatine-phosphocreatine and myo-inositol (mmol/liter) levels than the patients with intermittent explosive disorder and the normal comparison subjects. No significant differences were found across groups for myo-inositol or other metabolites in the occipital cortex. CONCLUSIONS These data provide evidence that differences in the concentration of myo-inositol (mmol/liter) in the anterior cingulate cortex in (1)H MRS may differentiate these two populations. Follow-up studies involving larger samples may conclusively estimate the biological specificity between pediatric bipolar disorder and other disorders, which overlap clinically.
Designing business models for cloud platforms

Platform as a service (PaaS) has become a strategic option for software vendors who expect to benefit from value co‐creation with partners by developing complementary components and applications. In reality, however, established and new software vendors are battling to redefine their offering to embrace PaaS. They face the challenges of transforming, configuring and calibrating their PaaS business models to align them with existing business models, customer expectations and competitive pressures. This motivates our research question: How can software providers design viable business models for PaaS? Our study develops a design theory for PaaS business models. This theory is grounded on a 12‐month action design research study at one of the largest global software companies (here called Alpha) with mixed PaaS experiences in the past. Our primary research contribution is a set of design principles that guide software providers to define a viable PaaS business model in order to create a flourishing software ecosystem for their cloud platform. By synthesizing prescriptive knowledge related to business model design for emerging cloud platforms, our study advances PaaS research towards the existing body of research on software platforms and business models.
Identification of a signaling complex involving CD2, ζ chain and p59fyn in T lymphocytes

CD2 is a cell surface receptor molecule which has been implicated in cell‐cell adhesion and signaling functions in T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. The mechanism by which extracellular stimuli induce CD2‐regulated signal transduction events is largely unknown. However, there is increasing evidence that in cells of hematopoietic origin several receptor‐mediated signaling mechanisms involve transmembrane polypeptides related to the CD3 ζ chain and the activation of protein tyrosine kinases. We have therefore investigated the potential involvement of ζ chain and src family protein tyrosine kinases in signal transduction pathways initiated by CD2. Using in vitro kinase assays on CD2 immunoprecipitates from detergent lysates of T lymphocytes, we identified a complex consisting of CD2, ζ chain and the src family kinases p59fyn and p56lck. Furthermore, using double indirect immunofluorescence combined with capping techniques, we have revealed such complexes in viable T lymphocytes. These findings provide evidence for a multimolecular signaling complex consisting of at least CD2, ζ chain and p59fyn in T lymphocytes and suggest a critical role for this complex in the initiation of CD2‐mediated cellular activation by regulating the activation of intracellular signaling molecules.
Rectilinear shortest paths through polygonal obstacles in O(n(logn)2) time

The problem of finding a rectilinear shortest path amongst obstacles may be stated as follows: Given a set of obstacles in the plane find a shortest rectilinear (<italic>L</italic><subscrpt>1</subscrpt>) path from a point <italic>s</italic> to a point <italic>t</italic> which avoids all obstacles. The path may touch an obstacle but may not cross an obstacle. We study the rectilinear shortest path problem for the case where the obstacles are non-intersecting simple polygons, and present an <italic>&Ogr;</italic>(<italic>n</italic> (log<italic>n</italic>)<supscrpt>2</supscrpt>) algorithm for finding such a path, where <italic>n</italic> is the number of vertices of the obstacles. We also study the case of rectilinear obstacles in three dimensions, and show that <italic>L</italic><subscrpt>1</subscrpt> shortest paths can be found in <italic>&Ogr;</italic>(<italic>n</italic><supscrpt>2</supscrpt>(log <italic>n</italic>)<supscrpt>3</supscrpt>) time.
Analytical Prediction of Flexural Behavior of Concrete Beams Reinforced by FRP Bars

An analytical model to predict the flexural strength and deformations in concrete beams reinforced with fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) bars is presented. It is based on the equilibrium of forces and compatibility of deformation. The model uses a more rational representation of the behavior of all composite constituents. It also accounts for the concrete tensile stresses, the variation of stresses, strains and curvature over the depth of the cross section and the length of the beam. The model predicts the moment-curvature, load-deflection, and load-strain of any of the composite constituents. The model predictions were checked against the experimental results of nine test beams reinforced with steel or FRP bars. The behavior of the concrete tested beams were characterized by their moment-curvature, load-strain in the reinforcement, and load-deflection response up to failure. The results indicate that the analytical model predicts the behavior of GFRP reinforced concrete beams with good accuracy. Furthermore, the accuracy of the model was checked by comparing its capacity prediction with that of a parallel model available in the literature based on measured data and reported by other researchers. Results of the comparison showed that the suggested model provided better prediction.