Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phosphorylation of Histone H2A at Serine 95: A Plant-Specific Mark Involved in Flowering Time Regulation and H2A.Z Deposition[OPEN]

Phosphorylation of H2A at serine 95, a plant-specific modification in the histone core domain, is required for flowering time regulation and deposition of the histone variant H2A.Z in Arabidopsis. Phosphorylation of histone H3 affects transcription, chromatin condensation, and chromosome segregation. However, the role of phosphorylation of histone H2A remains unclear. Here, we found that Arabidopsis thaliana MUT9P-LIKE-KINASE (MLK4) phosphorylates histone H2A on serine 95, a plant-specific modification in the histone core domain. Mutations in MLK4 caused late flowering under long-day conditions but no notable phenotype under short days. MLK4 interacts with CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED1 (CCA1), which allows MLK4 to bind to the GIGANTEA (GI) promoter. CCA1 interacts with YAF9a, a co-subunit of the Swi2/Snf2-related ATPase (SWR1) and NuA4 complexes, which are responsible for incorporating the histone variant H2A.Z into chromatin and histone H4 acetylase activity, respectively. Importantly, loss of MLK4 function led to delayed flowering by decreasing phosphorylation of H2A serine 95, along with attenuated accumulation of H2A.Z and the acetylation of H4 at GI, thus reducing GI expression. Together, our results provide insight into how phosphorylation of H2A serine 95 promotes flowering time and suggest that phosphorylation of H2A serine 95 modulated by MLK4 is required for the regulation of flowering time and is involved in deposition of the histone variant H2A.Z and H4 acetylation in Arabidopsis.
Nidek MK 2000 microkeratome clinical evaluation.

PURPOSE To evaluate flap dimension, flap thickness, hinge size, and cut deterioration with second blade use with the Nidek MK 2000 automatic microkeratome. METHODS The Nidek MK 2000 with different head options (130 and 160 microm) and suction rings (8.5 and 9.5 mm) was used during 328 consecutive LASIK procedures, reusing the blade for the second eye in the same patient. Flap diameter and hinge size were measured under microscopy with a Castroviejo caliper and thickness was calculated using the Pachete ultrasonic pachymeter. RESULTS The mean flap thickness was 116.03 +/- 19.26 microm using the 130-microm head and 147.7 +/- 21.74 microm using the 160-microm head. The average vertical flap size was 8.56 +/- 0.36 mm with the 8.5-mm suction ring and 9.45 +/- 0.32 mm with the 9.5-mm ring. The hinge size was 4.7 +/- 0.72 mm. The second cut was thinner than the first; 14.7 microm average using the 130-microm head, and 19.1 microm average using the 160-microm head. CONCLUSION The Nidek MK 2000 microkeratome was simple, safe, predictable, and reliable for LASIK.
Clinical management of an outbreak of Babesiosis in a herd of cattle: a Case Report

Eight Friesian-Sahiwal cattle aged between 8 months and 1 ½ years old of both sexes weighing between 100 and 170 kg were infected. The cattle were managed semi intensively. Two weeks before presentation to the University Veterinary Hospital, Universiti Putra Malaysia, two calves died out of 10. The 8 remaining cattle were presented with chief clinical signs of pale mucous membrane, jaundice, and increased respiratory rate, and were diagnosed with Babesiosis. Diagnostic work up was carried out by taking venipuncture blood sample from the cattle and sent to the Clinical Pathology Laboratory for complete blood count (CBC) and biochemistry. Blood sample was also sent to Parasitology Laboratory for blood protozoa evaluation. Ticks were also collected and sent to Parasitology Laboratory for the identification of parasites. Berenil ® 5% (Diminazene Aceturate) injection was administered intramuscularly and Ivermectin pour on was applied topically against the blood parasites and for both endo and ecto parasites. The most significant features of the disease are the persistent and consistent lymphocytosis and monocytosis that proves suggestive of the disease from the blood picture and the disease is also associated with muscle degenerations and severe pains and these are additional signs to be observed during the diagnosis of Babesiosis. Keyword: Cattle, Babesiosis, Jaundice, 5 % Diminazene Aceturate, Ivermectin
Ruminal lactic acidosis: relationship of forestomach motility to nondissociated volatile fatty acids levels.

Ruminal lactic acidosis was produced in 9 overnight fasted rumen-fistulated sheep by placing ground wheat (40 g/kg of body weight) into the rumen. Ruminal stasis occurred within 8 hours of grain engorgement in 6 sheep (early stasis group) and between 10 and 12 hours in the remaining 3 sheep (late stasis group). The initial impairment to forestomach motility was a decrease in the mean frequency of reticulo-ruminal contractions which occurred within 4 hours of the intraruminal placement of wheat in the early stasis group and within 6 hours in the late stasis group. Since blood pH, carbon dioxide pressure, and serum bicarbonate were all normal, systemic acidosis was not a contributing factor to this decrease in contraction frequency. The concentrations of total nondissociated volatile fatty acids (VFA; acetic, propionic, and butyric acid) in ruminal fluid, however, were significantly increased, being 13.60 mM/L (mean, pH 4.92) in the early stasis group and 15.77 mM/L (pH 4.80) in the late stasis group. Free DL-lactic acid in ruminal fluids was 6.37 +/- 6.1 mM/L (mean +/- SD) in the early stasis group and 9.72 +/- 4.2 mM/L in the late stasis group. A reduction in contraction amplitude was observed within 6 hours of grain engorgement in the early stasis group and within 8 hours in the late stasis group. At these times, the concentrations of nondissociated VFA were 10.19 mM/L (pH 4.46) in the early stasis group and 10.52 mM/L (pH 4.62) in the late stasis group. The ruminal values of free DL-lactic acid were 13.93 mM/L in the early stasis group and 16.14 mM/L in the late stasis group. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The Impact of Salary Structure, Performance Requirements, and Type of Business on the Performance of Housing Brokerage Employees

This study investigated the effects of salary structure, performance requirements, and type of business on the performance of housing agents. The participants in the study survey consisted of the employees of real estate firms in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Restricted and unrestricted regression models were used to compare the goodness-of-fit of the regression models. A total of 1500 questionnaires were distributed to the branches of the real estate firms, and 734 questionnaires were returned. 284 of the returned questionnaires were ineffective or had missing items. An effective sample of 450 questionnaires was thus collected for an effective recovery rate of 30%. The empirical results indicated that the type of business did not have a significant effect on individual performance with respect to base pay, individual bonuses, group bonuses, and performance requirements. In contrast, base pay, high individual bonuses, and group bonuses had a significant positive effect on individual performance. The empirical results in this study indicated that the effects of base pay, individual bonuses, and group bonuses on individual performance cannot be ignored when investigating the effect of the type business on individual performance.
Clinical Implications of T Cell Receptor Repertoire Analysis after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

Abstract Stem cell transplantation (SCT) constitutes a major challenge to the immune system. Long-term impairment of immunity against various common infectious stimuli leads to increased susceptibility to infectious diseases; in contrast, an immune response against the recipient may cause the devastating graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Recovery of the immune system (both qualitative and quantitative) after SCT is perhaps the most important factor in determining the clinical outcome. Consequently, immune reconstitution has been extensively studied using different approaches, including quantitative analysis of immune cells as well as their phenotypic characterization. Analysis of diversity and clonality is an important tool in determining competence of the immune system, assuming that a broad diversity assures efficient response to different stimuli and clonal dominance reflects ongoing, potentially relevant immune responses. Detailed analysis of the immune repertoire through the flow cytometric and molecular study of the T cell receptor repertoire has been applied to gain quantitative and qualitative insights about the T cell immune competence and responsiveness. After SCT, a contraction of the T cell pool and a reduction in T cell receptor diversity is clearly associated with clinical immunodeficiency. Reconstitution of the immune system is often characterized by dominance of oligoclonal T cell populations, reflecting specific antigen-driven immune responses. Detailed characterization of T lymphocytes by T cell receptor analysis is possible, and may lead to the identification of individual clones involved in specific immune reactions, such as alloresponses in GvHD, the closely related graft-versus-leukemia effect and opportunistic viral agents such as CMV or EBV.
TLR5, a Novel and Unidentified Inflammatory Mediator in Rheumatoid Arthritis that Correlates with Disease Activity Score and Joint TNF-α Levels

The innate immune system plays an important role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis. Previous studies support the role of TLR2 and 4 in RA and experimental arthritis models; however, the regulation and pathogenic effect of TLR5 is undefined in RA. In this study, we show that TLR5 is elevated in RA and osteoarthritis ST lining and sublining macrophages and endothelial cells compared with normal individuals. Furthermore, expression of TLR5 is elevated in RA synovial fluid macrophages and RA peripheral blood monocytes compared with RA and normal peripheral blood in vitro-differentiated macrophages. We also found that TLR5 on RA monocytes is an important modulator of TNF-α in RA synovial fluid and that TLR5 expression on these cells strongly correlates with RA disease activity and TNF-α levels. Interestingly, TNF-α has a feedback regulation with TLR5 expression in RA monocytes, whereas expression of this receptor is regulated by IL-17 and IL-8 in RA macrophages and fibroblasts. We show that RA monocytes and macrophages are more responsive to TLR5 ligation compared with fibroblasts despite the proinflammatory response being mediated through the same signaling pathways in macrophages and fibroblasts. In conclusion, we document the potential role of TLR5 ligation in modulating transcription of TNF-α from RA synovial fluid and the strong correlation of TLR5 and TNF-α with each other and with disease activity score in RA monocytes. Our results suggest that expression of TLR5 may be a predictor for RA disease progression and that targeting TLR5 may suppress RA.
Bacteriophages Carrying Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Fecal Waste from Cattle, Pigs, and Poultry

ABSTRACT This study evaluates the occurrence of bacteriophages carrying antibiotic resistance genes in animal environments. blaTEM, blaCTX-M (clusters 1 and 9), and mecA were quantified by quantitative PCR in 71 phage DNA samples from pigs, poultry, and cattle fecal wastes. Densities of 3 to 4 log10 gene copies (GC) of blaTEM, 2 to 3 log10 GC of blaCTX-M, and 1 to 3 log10 GC of mecA per milliliter or gram of sample were detected, suggesting that bacteriophages can be environmental vectors for the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes.
Partitioning plant genetic and environmental drivers of above and belowground community assembly

Host-plant genetic variation affects the diversity and composition of associated above and belowground communities. Most evidence supporting this view is derived from studies within a single common garden, thereby constraining the range of biotic and abiotic environmental conditions that might directly or indirectly (via phenotypic plasticity) affect communities. If natural variability in the environment renders host-plant genetic effects on associated communities unimportant, then studying the community-level consequences of genetic variation may not be warranted. We addressed this knowledge gap by planting a series of common gardens consisting of 10 different clones (genotypes) of the willow Salix hookeriana in a coastal dune ecosystem and manipulated natural variation in ant-aphid interactions (biotic) and wind exposure (abiotic) in two separate experiments. We then quantified the responses of associated species assemblages both above (foliar arthropods) and belowground (rhizosphere fungi and bacteria). In addition, we quantified plant phenotypic responses (plant growth, leaf quality, and root quality) to tease apart the effects of genetic variation, phenotypic plasticity, and direct environmental effects on associated communities. In the ant-aphid experiment, we found that willow genotype explained more variation in foliar arthropod communities than aphid additions and proximity to aphid-tending ant mounds. However, aphid additions modified willow genetic effects on arthropod community composition by attracting other aphid species to certain willow genotypes. In the wind experiment, wind exposure explained more variation than willow genotype in structuring communities of foliar arthropods and rhizosphere bacteria. Still, willow genotype had strong effect sizes on several community properties of arthropods and fungi, indicating that host-plant genetic variation remains important. Across both experiments, genetic variation in plant traits was more important than phenotypic plasticity in structuring associated communities. The relative importance of genetic variation vs. direct environmental effects though depended on the type of environmental gradient (G > Eaphid, but Ewind > G). Synthesis. Our results suggest that host-plant genetic variation is an important driver of above and belowground biodiversity, despite natural variation in the biotic and abiotic environment.
Sensor gain and phase estimation

We present three algorithms for joint estimation of source angles and sensor gains and phases. These algorithms are based on the principles of weighted noise subspace fitting (WNSF), conditional maximum likelihood, and unconditional maximum likelihood. We study the statistical performances of the three algorithms assuming the source angles are known. The WNSF algorithm with an optimum weight is shown to be statistically the most efficient among the three and is implementable in an iterative quadratic fashion.
Role of Microglial Cells in Selective Replication of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Genotypes in the Brain

ABSTRACT An accelerated, consistent macaque simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) model in which over 90% of pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina) coinoculated with SIV/17E-Fr and SIV/DeltaB670 developed encephalitis was used to determine whether central nervous system (CNS) lesions are associated with the replication of specific genotypes in the brain and, more specifically, in the microglia. Ten of 11 inoculated macaques had severe (n = 3), moderate (n = 5), or mild (n = 2) encephalitis at 3 months postinoculation. To compare actively replicating viral genotypes in the CNS and in microglia with those in the periphery, the V1 region of the SIV envelope gene was amplified and sequenced from RNA extracted from basal ganglia, from microglial cells isolated from the brain, and from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from blood at the time of death. To distinguish between actively replicating with latent viral genotypes in the CNS, viral genotypes in RNA and DNA from basal ganglia were compared. Two macrophage-tropic, neurovirulent viruses, SIV/17E-Fr and SIV/DeltaB670 Cl-2, predominated in the brain RNA of macaques with encephalitis, comprising 95% of the genotypes detected. The same two viral genotypes were present at the same frequencies in microglial cell RNA, suggesting that microglia are pivotal in the selective replication of neurovirulent viruses. There was a significantly greater number of viral genotypes in DNA than there were in RNA in the brain (P = 0.004), including those of both the macrophage- and lymphocyte-tropic viral strains. Furthermore, significantly fewer viral genotypes were detected in brain RNA than in PBMC RNA at the time of death (P = 0.004) and the viral strain that predominated in the brain frequently was different from that which predominated in the PBMC of the same animal. These data suggest that many viral genotypes enter the brain, but only a limited subset of macrophage-tropic, neurovirulent viruses replicate terminally in the brains of macaques with encephalitis. They further suggest that the selection of macrophage-tropic, neurovirulent viruses occurs not at the level of the blood-brain barrier but at a stage after virus entry and that microglial cells may play an important role in that selection process.
Dynamics of molecular parameters of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 activity in vivo

The dynamics of viral activity during different phases of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection were investigated by competitive PCR methods. In particular, we studied the time course of three quantitative molecular parameters of viral activity (genomic RNA copy number in plasma and provirus and late HIV-1 transcript molecule copy numbers in peripheral blood CD4+ T lymphocytes) in untreated patients and patients treated with specific anti-HIV-1 compounds. The results shown here indicate that direct RNA parameters are quantitative molecular indices sensitive enough to be used for a more accurate evaluation of the natural history of this infection and that an indirect parameter, the mean transcriptional activity for each provirus in CD4+ T lymphocytes, may be important in studying this infection in vivo at the molecular level. A dramatic decrease of the indices was evident at seroconversion, but the quantitative values were virtually stable throughout the time the untreated patients were studied during the clinical latency phase. Furthermore, the results indicate that an early response to antiretroviral compounds is detected in most subjects as a decrease in the viral activity level.
FOR STUDY OF PROTEIN DYNAMICS AND PROTEIN-PROTEIN INTERACTION IN PROTEIN-UBIQUITINATION BY ELECTRON PARAMAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY

1. Abstract 2. Introduction 3. Sample preparation 4. Structural information derived from EPR spectra analysis 4.1. Nitroxide dynamics and motional freedom 4.2. Molecular dynamics simulations and EPR spectra calculations 4.3. Solvent accessibility of the attached nitroxides 4.4. Polarity of the nitroxide micro-environment 4.5. Inter-nitroxide distance measurement 5. Time resolved detection of conformational changes 5.1. Changes in tertiary interaction 5.2. Detection of inter-spin distance changes 5.2. 1. Bacteriorhodopsin: dynamic changes in the same protein 5.2. 2. Sensory rhodopsin – transducer interaction: changes upon protein-protein interaction 6. Perspectives: SDSL study of conformational changes in protein substrates that affect their rates of ubiquitination 7. Acknowledgment 8. References
Relativistic all-order calculations of energies and matrix elements in cesium.

All-order methods recently developed for high-accuracy calculation of energies and matrix elements in Li are extended and applied to cesium. We employ a relativistic, linearized, coupled-cluster formalism, incorporating single, double, and an important subset of triple excitations. A coupled-cluster formulation of the matrix element of a one-body operator, incorporating the random-phase approximation exactly, is used to calculate hyperfine constants and transition-matrix elements. We find agreement with experiment at the 0.5% level or better for ionization energies and dipole-matrix elements, and at the 1% level for hyperfine constants. Modifications of the method that have the potential of higher accuracy are discussed.
Coupler and Real-Ear Measurement of Hearing Aid Gain and Output in the NIDCD/VA Hearing Aid Clinical Trial

Objective Because the NIDCD/VA Hearing Aid Clinical Trial was conducted across eight clinical sites, rigorous control of the electroacoustic characteristics of the experimental devices was required. Design The parameters monitored included the gain and output of the approximately 720 hearing aids in the trial, measured both in the 2 cm3 coupler and in situ. Each measurement was repeated six times on each hearing aid across the 9-mo duration of the study to insure both the stability and the accuracy of the circuits under investigation. Results The gain data obtained in the coupler and in situ adequately demonstrated the stability of the instrument and the repeated measurements over time and across study sites. The output values produced by the experimental device also maintained acceptable constancy, both within and across treatment periods. Conclusions These measurements reflected satisfactory stability and sufficient accuracy within the circuits to achieve the intended goals of the study.
Short communication Comparison of Anticardiolipin antibody and Antiphospholipid antibody in women with recurrent abortions

Recurrent abortion is a critical problem in which many factors play a crucial role such as anticordiolipin antibody and antiphospholipid antibody. This study was conducted to evaluate the frequency of anticardiolipin antibody and antiphospholipid antibody in pregnancy failures in women with the history of recurrent pregnancy loss. In 154 women with the history of two or more recurrent pregnancy losses, serum anticardiolipin and serum antiphospholipid were measured using ELISA method. The positive IgG anticardiolipin and IgG antiphospholipid were detected in 12. 34% (19 patients) and 6.5% (10 patients) of patients respectively. Although 16 out of 19 patients with positive IgG anticardiolipin were negative for IgG antiphospholipid and 7 out of 10 patients with positive IgG antiphosphplipid were negative IgG anticardiolipin, but there was a significant correlation between IgG anticardiolipin and IgG antiphaspholipid ( r = 0.222 p=0.000). Our data concluded that anticardiolipin antibody is found to be more important than anti phospholipid antibody in recurrent abortion.
CK2 Controls Multiple Protein Kinases by Phosphorylating a Kinase-Targeting Molecular Chaperone, Cdc37

ABSTRACT Cdc37 is a kinase-associated molecular chaperone whose function in concert with Hsp90 is essential for many signaling protein kinases. Here, we report that mammalian Cdc37 is a pivotal substrate of CK2 (casein kinase II). Purified Cdc37 was phosphorylated in vitro on a conserved serine residue, Ser13, by CK2. Moreover, Ser13 was the unique phosphorylation site of Cdc37 in vivo. Crucially, the CK2 phosphorylation of Cdc37 on Ser13 was essential for the optimal binding activity of Cdc37 toward various kinases examined, including Raf1, Akt, Aurora-B, Cdk4, Src, MOK, MAK, and MRK. In addition, nonphosphorylatable mutants of Cdc37 significantly suppressed the association of Hsp90 with protein kinases, while the Hsp90-binding activity of the mutants was unchanged. The treatment of cells with a specific CK2 inhibitor suppressed the phosphorylation of Cdc37 in vivo and reduced the levels of Cdc37 target kinases. These results unveil a regulatory mechanism of Cdc37, identify a novel molecular link between CK2 and many crucial protein kinases via Cdc37, and reveal the molecular basis for the ability of CK2 to regulate pleiotropic cellular functions.
Flavor Asymmetry of the Light Quark Sea from Semi-inclusive Deep-Inelastic Scattering

The flavor asymmetry of the light quark sea of the nucleon is determined in the kinematic range 0.02<x<0.3 and 1 GeV^2<Q^2<10 GeV^2, for the first time from semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering. The quantity (dbar(x)-ubar(x))/(u(x)-d(x)) is derived from a relationship between the yields of positive and negative pions from unpolarized hydrogen and deuterium targets. The flavor asymmetry dbar-ubar is found to be non-zero and x dependent, showing an excess of dbar over ubar quarks in the proton.