Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Expression and Phosphorylation of the Na-Pump Regulatory Subunit Phospholemman in Heart Failure

Intracellular [Na] is ≈3 mmol/L higher in heart failure (HF; in our arrhythmogenic rabbit model;3), and this can profoundly affect cardiac Ca and contractile function via Na/Ca exchange and Na/H exchange. Na/K-ATPase is the primary mechanism of Na extrusion. We examine here in HF rabbits (and human hearts) expression of Na/K-ATPase isoforms and phospholemman (PLM), a putative Na/K-ATPase regulatory subunit that inhibits pump function and is a major cardiac phosphorylation target. Na/K-ATPase &agr;1- and &agr;2-isoforms were reduced in HF in rabbit ventricular homogenates (by 24%) and isolated myocytes (by 30% and 17%), whereas &agr;3 was increased (50%) in homogenates and decreased (52%) in myocytes (P<0.05). Homogenate Na/K-ATPase activity in left ventricle was also decreased in HF. However, we showed previously that Na/K-ATPase characteristics in intact ventricular myocytes were unaltered in HF. To reconcile these findings, we assessed PLM expression, phosphorylation, and association with Na/K-ATPase. PLM coimmunoprecipitated with Na/K-ATPase &agr;1 and &agr;2 in control and HF rabbit myocytes. PLM expression was reduced in HF by 42% in isolated rabbit left ventricular (LV) myocytes, by 48% in rabbit LV homogenates, and by 24% in human LV homogenate. The fraction of PLM phosphorylated at Ser-68 was increased dramatically in HF. Our results are consistent with a role for PLM analogous to that of phospholamban for SR Ca-ATPase (SERCA): inhibition of Na/K-ATPase function that is relieved on PLM phosphorylation. So reduced Na/K-ATPase expression in HF may be functionally offset by lower inhibition by PLM (because of reduced PLM expression and higher PLM phosphorylation).
Discordance between protein and transcript levels detected by selected reaction monitoring

Expression levels between transcript and protein are not always correlated. In the present study, the abundance of protein PDR9/ABCG37 in 3 Arabidopsis pdr9/abcg37 mutant alleles was evaluated using selected reaction monitoring analysis. The results showed that protein and mRNA expression levels were similar in 2 mutant alleles. The mRNA expression levels in another mutant, determined by both semi-quantitative and quantitative RT-PCR, were similar to the wild-type, although the abundance of protein was about half the abundance of the wild-type. These results suggested that using only mRNA expression levels to infer protein abundance, compare mutants or responses to various stimuli may lead to incorrect interpretation and conclusions.
Challenges and Opportunities with Big Data

- Data is exploding at a rapid rate. Big data is the term for data sets so large and complicated that it becomes difficult to process using traditional data management tools or processing applications. Heterogeneity, scale, timeliness, complexity, and privacy problems with Big Data impede progress at all phases of the pipeline that can create value from data. The problems start right away during data acquisition, when the data tsunami requires us to make decisions, currently in an ad hoc manner, about what data to keep and what to discard, and how to store what we keep reliably with the right metadata. Much data today is not natively in structured format, tweets and blogs are weakly structured pieces of text, while images and video are structured for storage and display, but not for semantic content and search. Transforming such content into a structured format for later analysis is a major challenge. The value of data explodes when it can be linked with other data, thus data integration is a major creator of value. Since most data is directly generated in digital format today, we have the opportunity and the challenge both to influence the creation to facilitate later linkage and to automatically link previously created data. Data analysis, organization, retrieval, and modeling are other foundational challenges. Data analysis is a clear bottleneck in many applications, both due to lack of scalability of the underlying algorithms and due to the complexity of the data that needs to be analyzed. Finally, presentation of the results and its interpretation by non-technical domain experts is crucial to extracting actionable knowledge.
Absence of adverse effects of sodium metabisulphite in manufactured biscuits: results of subacute (28-days) and subchronic (85-days) feeding studies in rats

Sulphites are extensively used in the food and drinks industry. Their toxicity has been previously evaluated by addition to the diet or drinking water of laboratory animals. Because interactions between sulphites and food constituents occur, the present work was conducted to determine the subacute and subchronic toxicity of sulphite-bound compounds in a finished product: manufactured biscuits. The studies were performed on Sprague Dawley rats for 28 and 85 days of dietary exposure. Diets were prepared from sulphited or untreated (controls) biscuits with the addition of sugar, protein, vitamins and minerals according to the nutritional requirements of the animals. Groups of 10 male and 10 female rats were administered diets containing sulphited biscuits at levels of 0, 10, 35 and 75%, corresponding to 10–15, 35–45, 150–170 and 310–340mg SO2/kg diet. In both studies, no death or clinical abnormalities were reported. Growth rate, food consumption and food conversion efficiency were not affected by treatment. No dose-related changes were observed for haematology, clinical chemistry, ocular examination, renal-function, urinalysis, organ weights or gross and microscopic examinations. The liver concentrations of vitamins A, B1, C and E were not significantly changed except for an increase in vitamin E in high-dose males after 28 days' exposure. Based on these data, the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of sulphites in baked biscuits was judged to be 310mg SO2/kg diet or 25mg/kg body weight/day.
PCI express and advanced switching: evolutionary path to building next generation interconnects

With processor and memory technologies pushing the performance limit, the bottleneck is clearly shifting towards the system interconnect. Any solution that addresses the PCI bus-based interconnect, which has serious scalability problems, must also protect the huge legacy infrastructure. PCI Express provides such an evolutionary approach and allows a smooth migration towards building a highly scalable next generation interconnect. Advanced switching further boosts the capabilities of PCI Express by allowing a rich application space to be covered that includes multiprocessing and peer-to-peer communication. Indeed, the synergy between PCI Express and advanced switching permits the adoption of an evolutionary yet revolutionary approach for building the interconnect of the future.
Practitioner-Based Enquiry: Principles for Postgraduate Research

Introduction 1.What is Practitioner-Based Enquiry? 2.The Basis of Critique of Practitioner-Based Enquiry 3.Opening the Tool Bag: Proactive Behaviour in Planning an Enquiry 4. 'Ologies and Analogies: Tuning the Mind to Research Design 5.Contriving Methodology: Bringing Unity to Knowing and Doing in Research Activity 6.Analysing and Writing - Writing and Analysing 7.Making a Difference: Using PBE to Influence Policy and Practice
Characterization of a locus from Carnobacterium piscicola LV17B involved in bacteriocin production and immunity: evidence for global inducer-mediated transcriptional regulation

Mutational, nucleotide sequence, and transcriptional analyses of a 10-kb fragment (carnobacteriocin locus) from the 61-kb plasmid of Carnobacterium piscicola LV17B demonstrated the presence of two gene clusters (cbnXY and cbnSKRTD) upstream of the previously sequenced carnobacteriocin B2 structural and immunity genes (cbnB2 and cbiB2). Deduced products of cbnK and cbnR have sequence similarity to proteins of Agr-type two-component signal transduction systems, and those of cbnT and cbnD have sequence similarity to proteins of signal sequence-independent secretion systems. Deduced products of cbnX, cbnY, and cbnS are class II-type bacteriocin precursors with potential leader peptides containing double-glycine cleavage sites. Genetic analysis indicated that the 10-kb locus contains information required for the production of, and immunity to, the plasmid-encoded carnobacteriocin B2 and the chromosomally encoded carnobacteriocin BM1. In addition, this locus is involved in the production of at least one additional antimicrobial compound and an inducer factor that plays a role in the regulation of carnobacteriocin B2. Transcription analysis indicated that the operons cbnXY, cbnB2-cbiB2, and cbnBM1-cbiBM1 (with the latter encoding carnobacteriocin BM1 and its immunity protein on the chromosome) and two small transcripts containing cbnS are transcribed only in induced cultures. These transcripts are coregulated and subject to inducer-mediated transcriptional control. Similar regulation of the cbn operons is mirrored by the similarity in the nucleotide sequence of their promoter regions, all of which contain two imperfect direct repeats resembling those in Agr-like regulated promoters upstream of the transcription start sites.
Geographic Variation in Cold Ischemia Time: Kidney Versus Liver Transplantation in the United States, 2003 to 2011

Background Regional variations in kidney and liver transplant outcomes have been reported, but their causes remain largely unknown. This study investigated variations in kidney and liver cold ischemia times (CITs) across organ procurement organizations (OPO) as potential causes of variations in transplant outcomes. Methods This retrospective study analyzed the Standard Transplant Analysis and Research data of deceased donor kidney (n = 61,335) and liver (n = 39,285) transplants performed between 2003 and 2011. The CIT variations between the 2 types of organs were examined and compared. Factors associated with CIT were explored using multivariable regressions. Spearman rank tests were used to associate CIT with graft failure at the OPO level. Results Significant CIT variations were found across OPOs for both organs (P < 0.05). The variation was particularly large for kidney CIT. Those OPOs with longer average kidney CIT were likely to have a lower graft survival rate (P = 0.01). For liver, this association was insignificant (P = 0.23). The regression analysis revealed sharp contrasts between the factors associated with kidney and liver CITs. High-risk kidney transplant recipients and marginal kidneys were associated with longer average CIT. The reverse was true for liver transplants. Conclusions Large variations in kidney CIT compared to liver CIT may indicate that there is a room to reduce kidney CIT. Reducing kidney CIT through managerial improvements could be a cost-effective way to improve the current transplant system.
Endothelial Cells Inhibit Flow-Induced Smooth Muscle Cell Migration: Role of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1

Background —The endothelium may play a pivotal role in hemodynamic force–induced vascular remodeling. We investigated the role of endothelial cell (EC) plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in modulating flow-induced smooth muscle cell (SMC) migration. Methods and Results —Human SMCs cocultured with or without human ECs were exposed to static (0 mL/min) or flow (26 mL/min; shear stress 23 dyne/cm2) conditions for 24 hours in a perfused capillary culture system. SMC migration was then assessed with a Transwell migration assay. In the absence but not in the presence of ECs, pulsatile flow significantly increased the migration of SMCs (264±26%) compared with SMCs under static conditions, concomitant with a 3- and 4-fold increase in PAI-1 mRNA and protein, respectively, in cocultured ECs. In the presence of PAI-1−/− ECs, flow increased wild-type SMC migration (226±25%), an effect that was reversed by exogenous PAI-1. To determine whether the antimigratory activity of PAI-1 was dependent primarily on inhibition of PAs or its association with vitronectin, experiments were conducted with PAI-1R (a mutant PAI-1 that binds to vitronectin but does not inhibit PA) and PAI-1K (a mutant that inhibits PA but has reduced affinity for vitronectin). PAI-1R inhibited both basal and flow-induced migration, whereas PAI-1K inhibited flow-induced migration in the absence of any effect on baseline migration. Conclusions —Flow-induced EC PAI-1 inhibits flow-induced SMC migration in vitro. EC PAI-1 expression may be one of the predominant mechanisms responsible for controlling the process of vascular remodeling.
Sites in the CH3 Domain of Human IgA1 That Influence Sensitivity to Bacterial IgA1 Proteases1

The influence of regions, other than the hinge, on the susceptibility of human IgA1 to cleavage by diverse bacterial IgA1 proteases, was examined using IgA1 mutants bearing amino acid deletions, substitutions, and domain swaps. IgA1 lacking the tailpiece retained its susceptibility to cleavage by all of the IgA1 proteases. The domain swap molecule α1α2γ3, in which the CH3 domain of IgA1 was exchanged for that of human IgG1, was resistant to cleavage with the type 1 and 2 serine IgA1 proteases of Neisseria meningitidis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Haemophilus influenzae, but remained sensitive to cleavage with the metallo-IgA1 proteases of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus sanguis, and Streptococcus mitis. Substitution of the IgA1 Cα3 domain motif Pro440-Phe443 into the corresponding position in the Cγ3 domain of α1α2γ3 resulted now in sensitivity to the type 2 IgA1 protease of N. meningitidis, indicating the possible requirement of these amino acids for sensitivity to this protease. For the H. influenzae type 2 protease, resistance of an IgA1 mutant in which the CH3 domain residues 399–409 were exchanged with those from IgG1, but sensitivity of mutant HuBovα3 in which the Cα3 domain of bovine IgA replaces that of human IgA1, suggests that CH3 domain residues Glu403, Gln406, and Thr409 influence sensitivity to this enzyme. Hence, unlike the situation with the metallo-IgA1 proteases of Streptococcus spp. , the sensitivity of human IgA1 to cleavage with the serine IgA1 proteases of Neisseria and Haemophilus involves their binding to different sites specifically in the CH3 domain.
Boosting Vaccine for Tuberculosis

ABSTRACT An effective new vaccine for the control of tuberculosis is badly needed. While current research attempts to improve vaccination are concentrating on new prophylactic or immunotherapeutic vaccines, virtually no emphasis has been placed on boosting individuals already inoculated with Mycobacterium bovis BCG. It is shown here that mice vaccinated with BCG gradually lose their capacity to resist an aerosol challenge infection as they age. However, if these mice are inoculated with the 30-kDa mycolyl transferase A protein in midlife, after challenge when aged they express levels of protection in the lungs comparable to those of young mice, associated with minimal pathological damage.
Repolarization of the presynaptic action potential and short‐term synaptic plasticity in the chick ciliary ganglion

Stimulation‐induced increases in synaptic efficacy have been described as being composed of multiple independent processes that arise from the activation of distinct mechanisms at the presynaptic terminal. In the chick ciliary ganglion, four components of short‐term synaptic plasticity have been described: F1 and F2 components of facilitation, augmentation, and potentiation. In the present study, intracellular recording from the presynaptic calyciform nerve terminal of the chick ciliary ganglion revealed that the late repolarization and afterhypolarization (AHP) phases of the presynaptic action potential are affected by repetitive stimulation and that the time course of these effects parallel that of facilitation. The effects of these changes in the presynaptic action potential time course on calcium influx were tested by using the recorded action potential waveforms as voltage command stimuli during whole‐cell patch‐clamp recordings from acutely isolated chick ciliary ganglion neurons. The “facilitated” action potential waveform (slowed repolarization, decreased AHP amplitude) evoked calcium current with slightly but significantly greater total calcium influx. Taken together, these results are consistent with the hypothesis that activity‐dependent changes in the presynaptic action potential are one of several mechanisms contributing to the facilitation phase of stimulation‐induced increases in transmitter release in this preparation. Synapse 46:189–198, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Two types of detergent‐insoluble, glycosphingolipid/cholesterol‐rich membrane domains from isolated myelin

Two different types of low‐density detergent‐insoluble glycosphingolipid‐enriched membrane domain (DIG) fractions were isolated from myelin by extraction with Triton X‐100 (TX‐100) in 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer at room temperature (20°C) (procedure 1), in contrast to a single low‐density fraction obtained by extraction with TX‐100 in Tris buffer containing 150 mM NaCl and 5 mM EDTA at 4°C (procedure 2). Procedure 1 has been used in the past by others for myelin extraction to preserve the cytoskeleton and/or radial component of oligodendrocytes and myelin, whereas procedure 2 is now more commonly used to isolate myelin DIG fractions. The two DIG fractions obtained by procedure 1 gave opaque bands, B1 and B2, at somewhat lower and higher sucrose density respectively than myelin itself. The single DIG fraction obtained by procedure 2 gave a single opaque band at a similar sucrose density to B1. Both B1 and B2 had characteristics of lipid rafts, i.e. high galactosylceramide and cholesterol content and enrichment in GPI‐linked 120‐kDa neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM)120, as found by others for the single low‐density DIG fraction obtained by procedure 2. However, B2 had most of the myelin GM1 and more of the sulfatide than B1, and they differed significantly in their protein composition. B2 contained 41% of the actin, 100% of the tubulin, and most of the flotillin‐1 and caveolin in myelin, whereas B1 contained more NCAM120 and other proteins than B2. The single low‐density DIG fraction obtained by procedure 2 contained only low amounts of actin and tubulin. B1 and B2 also had size‐isoform selectivity for some proteins, suggesting specific interactions and different functions of the two membrane domains. We propose that B1 may come from non‐caveolar raft domains whereas B2 may derive from caveolin‐containing raft domains associated with cytoskeletal proteins. Some kinases present were active on myelin basic protein suggesting that the DIGs may come from signaling domains.
A New Self-Consistent Unbounded Magnetic Field 3-D FE Computation for Electron Guns

An innovative 3-D Finite Element approach for the computation of the self-consistent unbounded magnetic field of electron beams is presented for the analysis of electron guns. The solution of the whole problem is obtained by solving iteratively a Vlasov-Maxwell equation assuming stationary conditions together with the relativistic dynamical equations of motion. The self-consistent unbounded magnetostatic field is computed by using an edge elements curl-curl formulation for the magnetic vector potential. A fictitious boundary iterative algorithm is adopted to overcome the problem of boundary conditions assignment. An accuracy test concerning the spread of a relativistic beam and the simulation of a complex gridded electron gun are shown in order to validate and better illustrate the procedure.
The Archaeology of Kinship: Advancing Interpretation and Contributions to Theory

Archaeology has been subjected to a wide range of misunderstandings of kinship theory and many of its central concepts. Demonstrating that kinship is the foundation for past societies' social organisation, particularly in non-state societies, Bradley E. Ensor offers a lucid presentation of kinship principles and theories accessible to a broad audience. He provides not only descriptions of what the principles entail but also an understanding of their relevance to past and present topics of interest to archaeologists. His overall goal is always clear: to illustrate how kinship analysis can advance archaeological interpretation and how archaeology can advance kinship theory. The Archaeology of Kinship supports Ensor's objectives: to demonstrate the relevance of kinship to major archaeological questions, to describe archaeological methods for kinship analysis independent of ethnological interpretation, to illustrate the use of those techniques with a case study, and to provide specific examples of how diachronic analyses address broader theory. As Ensor shows, archaeological diachronic analyses of kinship are independently possible, necessary, and capable of providing new insights into past cultures and broader anthropological theory. Although it is an old subject in anthropology, The Archaeology of Kinship can offer new and exciting frontiers for inquiry. Kinship research in general--and prehistoric kinship in particular--is rapidly re-emerging as a topical subject in anthropology. This book is a timely archaeological contribution to that growing literature otherwise dominated by ethnology.
The arousal: Cost-reward model and the process of intervention

A wear bar for a snowmobile ski comprises two opposing steel sides which are downwardly depending and which meet to form an integral joint longitudinally of said wear bar. The joint has at least one longitudinal edge for contacting the ground surface which supports the ski. The wear bar may be case-hardened so that each edge consists of hardened steel. In a depression defined between the sides, fastening means are located to facilitate fastening of the wear bar to the ski where the longitudinal edge is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ski. A wear bar of this structure provides the snowmobiler with improved steering control at a reasonable cost.
Surgical-Site Complications Associated With a Morphine Nerve Paste Used for Postoperative Pain Control After Laminectomy

Abbreviations: NI, nosocomial infection; RMB, the unit of currency in China. causes patients to die, but also increases the work load of doctors, affects the sickbed-turnover in the hospital, and increases the cost of care and the economic burden on patients. From January 1997 to October 1998, 452 patients were discharged from the tumor faculty of Wuhan No. 4 Hospital; 75 (17%) had NI, as compared to 5% of nontumor patients. To estimate the effect of these NIs on costs, we compared 22 lung cancer patients with NI to 22 lung cancer patients without NI (Table). It can be seen that there are remarkable differences between the two groups in costs, particularly for medicine and transfusion. It should be pointed out that NIs also give rise to a great deal of indirect economic loss; for example, sufferers create less wealth for the country because they are absent or dead, and their relations visit, consuming resources. Therefore the actual loss is larger than this. Controlling NI calls for prevention and countermeasures. First, we must increase the patients' own resistance. We give them a great deal of sustained treatment using combined Chinese and Western medicines. Second, we must use antibiotics with reason. Third, we must reduce invasive operations and treatment. Most importantly, we must build the perfect system of family sickbed service, so that doctors and nurses can cure them in their family. It not only saves a great number of costs but also avoids cross-infection. It fits our country's situation completely.