Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Immunological and Microbiologic Changes during Caries Development in Young Children

We explored the association between caries development, colonization with caries-associated microflora, and immunity as children begin the transition to mixed dentition. Forty children received dental examinations at 3–4 years of age, repeated a year later. Children were grouped into caries-free (n = 23; CF) and caries-active (n = 17; CA ≧3 new lesions on follow-up). Salivary IgA and IgA antibody to Streptococcus mutans virulence epitopes were measured by Luminex assay. Mutans streptococci (MS), lactobacilli and total microorganisms were enumerated on selective media from plaque samples. There was no significant difference in baseline levels of MS or lactobacilli between CF and CA groups. However, both MS and lactobacilli levels were higher at follow-up in the CA group. Furthermore, children with detectable lactobacilli at baseline had significantly higher caries risk. Salivary IgA concentrations increased significantly in both groups during the study. Both CF and CA groups also displayed significant increases in salivary IgA antibody levels to glucosyltransferase, glucan-binding protein (Gbp) and antigen I/II salivary binding region. CF antibody levels to seven peptides associated with domains of biological importance increased at follow-up, in contrast to increases to only three peptides in CA saliva samples. Multivariate modeling showed that a lower baseline level of salivary IgA anti-GbpB was associated with higher caries risk. These data indicate that MS and lactobacilli are associated with caries in this population, that the secretory immune system is undergoing significant maturation during this period, and that the breadth of mucosal IgA response to epitopes of S. mutans virulence components may influence the degree to which these cariogenic microorganisms can cause disease.
Identification of transferrin as one of multiple EDTA‐extractable extracellular proteins involved in early chick heart morphogenesis

It was demonstrated previously that a polyclonal antibody (ES1) raised against EDTA extractable proteins from embryonic chicken heart blocks cardiac endothelial‐mesenchymal transformation in a culture bioassay and stains extracellular matrix at sites of embryonic inductive interactions, e.g., developing heart, limb buds, and neural crest forming region (Krug et al., 1987, Dev Biol 120:348–355; Mjaatvedt et al., 1991, Dev Biol 145:219–230). In the present study, by using an antiserum (ES3) to a similar immunogen, we affinity purified four major EDTA‐soluble proteins. These proteins migrated as 27, 44, 63, and 70 kD molecules under reduced conditions and 27, 41, 52, and 59 kD under nonreduced conditions, respectively, on SDS‐PAGE. Based on several criteria, the protein migrating at 70/59 kD (reduced/nonreduced) was indistinguishable from chicken transferrin (conalbumin): (1) amino acid sequencing showed that eight N‐terminal residues were identical to those of chicken transferrin, (2) acid hydrolysates of both proteins had nearly identical compositions, (3) the protein co‐migrated exactly with chicken transferrin under both reduced and nonreduced conditions, and (4) ES3 IgG recognized both the 70/59 kD protein and chicken transferrin by western blot analysis of nonreduced samples, but not with reduced samples. Immunohistochemistry of chicken embryonic heart with antibodies against transferrin demonstrated that anti‐transferrin immunoreactivity is present in myocardium but absent in cardiac endothelium before the initiation of cardiac endothelial‐mesenchymal formation. However, both cardiac endothelium and migrating mesenchymal cells became immunoreactive with anti‐transferrin at the time transformation occurred. These findings suggest a possible involvement of transferrin in the inductive process of cardiac endothelial‐mesenchymal transformation.
ECLIPSING BINARIES FROM THE CSTAR PROJECT AT DOME A, ANTARCTICA

The Chinese Small Telescope ARray (CSTAR) has observed an area around the Celestial South Pole at Dome A since 2008. About 20,000 light curves in the i band were obtained during the observation season lasting from 2008 March to July. The photometric precision achieves about 4 mmag at i = 7.5 and 20 mmag at i = 12 within a 30 s exposure time. These light curves are analyzed using Lomb–Scargle, Phase Dispersion Minimization, and Box Least Squares methods to search for periodic signals. False positives may appear as a variable signature caused by contaminating stars and the observation mode of CSTAR. Therefore, the period and position of each variable candidate are checked to eliminate false positives. Eclipsing binaries are removed by visual inspection, frequency spectrum analysis, and a locally linear embedding technique. We identify 53 eclipsing binaries in the field of view of CSTAR, containing 24 detached binaries, 8 semi-detached binaries, 18 contact binaries, and 3 ellipsoidal variables. To derive the parameters of these binaries, we use the Eclipsing Binaries via Artificial Intelligence method. The primary and secondary eclipse timing variations (ETVs) for semi-detached and contact systems are analyzed. Correlated primary and secondary ETVs confirmed by false alarm tests may indicate an unseen perturbing companion. Through ETV analysis, we identify two triple systems (CSTAR J084612.64-883342.9 and CSTAR J220502.55-895206.7). The orbital parameters of the third body in CSTAR J220502.55-895206.7 are derived using a simple dynamical model.
Repair of large experimental perforations of the tympanic membrane

ALTHOUGH perforations of the tympanic membrane (T.M.) have been known for over 400 years, the healing potential of this organ has been relatively neglected even though the middle and inner ears have received detailed investigations of all descriptions. In the last 100 years many methods and materials have been used to close a perforation; however, an understanding of the healing mechanisms involved and, perhaps more important, why a chronic lesion results from an acute one were, and still are, incomplete. There are many reports in the literature (Blake, 1882; Stinson, 1936; Link, 1952; Magnoni, 1938; Litton, 1963, 1968; Alberti, 1964) of the migration of the stratified squamous epithelial cells over the surface of the T.M. and the repair of small experimental perforations has been reported by McMinn and Taylor (1966) and Mclntire and Benitez (1970). The present work was undertaken to study the healing of larger wounds of the T.M. at the light microscope level to investigate any obvious faults in the basic healing processes, for example the migration of epithelial cells, and in the hope of achieving some chronic lesions which might shed some light on the processes responsible for their chronicity.
Small regulatory RNAs control the multi‐cellular adhesive lifestyle of Escherichia coli

Small regulatory RNA molecules have recently been recognized as important regulatory elements of developmental processes in both eukaryotes and bacteria. We here describe a striking example in Escherichia coli that can switch between a single‐cell motile lifestyle and a multi‐cellular, sessile and adhesive state that enables biofilm formation on surfaces. For this, the bacterium needs to reprogramme its gene expression, and in many E. coli and Salmonella strains the lifestyle shift relies on control cascades that inhibit flagellar expression and activate the synthesis of curli, extracellular adhesive fibres important for co‐aggregation of cells and adhesion to biotic and abiotic surfaces. By combining bioinformatics, genetic and biochemical analysis we identified three small RNAs that act by an antisense mechanism to downregulate translation of CsgD, the master regulator of curli synthesis. Our demonstration that basal expression of each of the three RNA species is sufficient to downregulate CsgD synthesis and prevent curli formation indicates that all play a prominent role in the curli regulatory network. Our findings provide the first clue as to how the Rcs signalling pathway negatively regulates curli synthesis and increase the number of small regulatory RNAs that act directly on the csgD mRNA to five.
Functional connectivity in late-life depression using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging.

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether there are differences in brain connectivity in late-life depression (LLD) and nondepressed subjects using the left and right heads of caudate nuclei (hCN) as the seed regions. DESIGN Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were collected using a 3-Tesla MRI System. SETTING Subjects were recruited from primary or secondary care services in the Newcastle area. PARTICIPANTS Thirty-three subjects aged 65 years and older; 16 who had a recent episode of LLD and 17 nondepressed subjects. MEASUREMENTS Functional connectivity was analyzed by extracting the temporal signal variation from the left and right hCN and cross correlating with the rest of the brain. RESULTS Significant connectivity between the hCN and frontal areas was observed in the nondepressed group, whereas in LLD, connectivity was seen over a much wider area. Regions showing significantly greater connectivity (p < or =0.05) in LLD compared with the nondepressed group were frontal (precentral, subgyral, middle frontal, and paracentral lobule), sublobar (thalamus and insula), limbic (cingulate), parietal (postcentral gyrus, precuneus, inferior parietal lobule, and supramarginal gyrus), and temporal (superior temporal gyrus). Conversely, no brain regions showed greater connectivity in the nondepressed group than LLD. In both groups, the right hCN showed significantly greater connectivity than the left in numerous brain regions, but connectivity for the left hCN did not exceed the right in any brain regions. CONCLUSIONS This resting-state study showed increased connectivity in specific brain regions in LLD compared with the nondepressed group, which supports the view that functional connectivity is altered in depression.
Nearest-neighbor rebinning in clinical PET: fast and accurate on-line 3-D LOR-to-bin mapping on the HRRT with the new PDR card

A fundamental requirement for 3D PET is the proper positioning of each coincidence event into the 3D projection data space. When this positioning calculation - i.e. nearest-neighbor LOR-to-projection-bin mapping or "rebinning" - is performed rapidly, higher patient throughput results. High-sensitivity, high-resolution PET - such as the CPS HRRT - requires that more complex rebinning calculations be performed at higher rates. These requirements place increasing demands on the data acquisition electronics. This article describes a new PCI card for on-line translation of 64-bit detector-pair event packets into (32-bit or 64-bit) bin-address packets at 15 M packets/sec. The PDR (PETLINK/spl trade/ DMA Rebinner) receives and/or transmits event packets on dual Fibre Channel fiber-optic links as well as a 64/66 PCI interface. The PDR contains flash memory and FPGA devices to form a digital pipeline. This pipeline delivers nearest-neighbor rebinning calculations at 15 M event-packets/sec. The combination of flash memory (a set of 20 chips -each with 4 M/spl times/16-bit capacity and 60 ns access time) and large-capacity FPGAs (set of 3 - each with >600 user I/O pins) results in extreme flexibility for complex PET applications. The main focus of this article is the application of the PDR to the HRRT. The PDR delivers accurate axial and transaxial LOR nearest-neighbor rebinning. Even the more oblique HRRT LOR are mapped into the proper sinogram bins. This accurate rebinning is significant for optimal resolution in HRRT images.
A meta-analysis on content based image retrieval system

The objective of this paper is to analyze the research work in the field of content based image retrieval (CBIR). Content based image retrieval is very important filed for efficient image retrieval system. This paper focuses on the latest trends available and the methodology in the current research. Based on the study several result comparison and research gaps have been discussed. The discussions provided in this paper provide a basis for the future research and also help in identifying the gaps or the area where focus can be centered in the future.
Influence of Aae Autotransporter Protein on Adhesion and Biofilm Formation by Aggregat ibacter a c t

by binding to and invading epithelial cells as well as by participating in biofilms formed on hard surfaces. Aae, an autotransporter protein, is implicated in bacterial adhesion to epithelial cells. Due to the multiple functions of bacterial autotransporter proteins, this study aimed to evaluate the role of aae in A. actinomycetemcomitans ability to adhere to both saliva-coated hydroxyapatite (SHA) and biofilm. An aae null mutant was constructed. Its hydrophobic properties as well as its ability to adhere to epithelial cells, SHA and to form biofilm were evaluated and compared with the parental strain, A. actinomycetemcomitans VT1169. The aae null mutant showed reduced hydrophobicity, as well as decreased binding to SHA and biofilm formation compared to the parental strain. These data suggest that aae mediates A. actinomycetemcomitans adhesion to epithelial cells and may be involved in biofilm formation and interaction with adsorbed salivary proteins. Influence of Aae Autotransporter Protein on Adhesion and Biofilm Formation by Aggregat ibacter a c t i n o m y c e t e m c o m i t a n s
Structural basis for operator and antirepressor recognition by Myxococcus xanthus CarA repressor

Blue light induces carotenogenesis in Myxococcus xanthus. The carB operon encodes all but one of the structural genes involved, and its expression is regulated by the CarA‐CarS repressor‐antirepressor pair. In the dark, CarA‐operator binding represses carB. CarS, produced on illumination, interacts physically with CarA to dismantle the CarA‐operator complex and activate carB. Both operator and CarS bind to the autonomously folded N‐terminal domain of CarA, CarA(Nter), which in excess represses carB. Here, we report the NMR structure of CarA(Nter), and map residues that interact with operator and CarS by NMR chemical shift perturbations, and in vivo and in vitro analyses of site‐directed mutants. We show CarA(Nter) adopts the winged‐helix topology of MerR‐family DNA‐binding domains, and conserves the majority of the helix‐turn‐helix and wing contacts with DNA. Tellingly, helix α2 in CarA, a key element in operator DNA recognition, is also critical for interaction with CarS, implying that the CarA‐CarS protein‐protein and the CarA‐operator protein–DNA interfaces overlap. Thus, binding of CarA to operator and to antirepressor are mutually exclusive, and CarA may discern structural features in the acidic CarS protein that resemble operator DNA. Repressor inactivation by occluding the DNA‐binding region may be a recurrent mechanism of action for acidic antirepressors.
Reliable control for linear systems with time-varying delays and parameter uncertainties

ABSTRACT In this paper, reliable control for linear systems with time-varying delays and parameter uncertainties is considered. By constructing newly augmented Lyapunov–Krasovskii functionals and utilizing some mathematical techniques such as Leibnitz's rule, Schur's complement, reciprocally convex combination, and so on, a reliable controller design method for linear systems with time-varying delays and parameter uncertainties will be suggested in Theorem 1. Based on the result of Theorem 1, a non-reliable stabilization criterion will be presented in Corollary 1. Theorem 1 and Corollary 1 are derived within the framework of linear matrix inequalities(LMIs) which can be easily solved by utilizing various optimization algorithms. Two numerical examples are included to show the effectiveness and necessity of the proposed results.
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors as potential drugs for B-cell lymphoid malignancies and autoimmune disorders

Introduction: In the last few years, several tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been synthesized and become available for preclinical studies and clinical trials. This article summarizes recent achievements in the mechanism of action, pharmacological properties, and clinical activity and toxicity, as well as the emerging role of TKIs in lymphoid malignancies, allergic diseases, and autoimmune disorders. Areas covered: A literature review was conducted of the MEDLINE database PubMed for articles in English. Publications from 2000 through January 2012 were scrutinized. The search terms used were Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) inhibitors, PCI-32765, GDC-0834, LFM-A13, AVL-101, AVL-292, spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) inhibitors, R343, R406, R112, R788, fostamatinib, BAY-61-3606, C-61, piceatannol, Lyn, imatinib, nilotinib, bafetinib, dasatinib, GDC-0834, PP2, SU6656 in conjunction with lymphoid malignancy, NHL, CLL, autoimmune disease, allergic disease, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis. Conference proceedings from the previous 5 years of the American Society of Hematology, European Hematology Association, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meetings were searched manually. Additional relevant publications were obtained by reviewing the references from the chosen articles. Expert opinion: The use of TKIs, especially inhibitors of Btk, Syk, and Lyn, is a promising new strategy for targeted treatment of B-cell lymphoid malignancies, autoimmune disorders and allergic diseases. However, definitive data from ongoing and future clinical trials will aid in better defining the status of TKIs in the treatment of these disorders.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 Pyocin Production Affects Population Dynamics within Mixed-Culture Biofilms

ABSTRACT Transcriptomic and phenotypic studies showed that pyocins are produced in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 aerobic and anaerobic biofilms. Pyocin activity was found to be high in slow-growing anaerobic biofilms but transient in aerobic biofilms. Biofilm coculture of strain PAO1 and a pyocin-sensitive isolate showed that pyocin production had a significant impact on bacterial population dynamics, particularly under anaerobic conditions.
Statistical Methodology for Optimal Sensor Locations for Damage Detection in Structures

A Bayesian statistical methodology is presented for optimally locating the sensors in a structure for the purpose of extracting the most information about the model parameters which can be used in model updating and in damage detection and localization. This statistical approach properly handles the unavoidable uncertainties in the measured data as well as the uncertainties in the mathematical model used to represent the structural behavior. The optimality criterion for the sensor locations is based on information entropy which is a measure of the uncertainty in the model parameters. The uncertainty in these parameters is computed by the Bayesian statistical methodology and then the entropy measure is minimized over the set of possible sensor configurations using a genetic algorithm. Results presented illustrate how both the minimum entropy of the parameters and the optimal sensor configuration depend on the location of sensors, number of sensors, number and type of contributing modes and the structural parameterization (substructuring) scheme used.
Structural and Kinetic Characterization of an Archaeal β-Class Carbonic Anhydrase

ABSTRACT The β-class carbonic anhydrase from the archaeonMethanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (Cab) was structurally and kinetically characterized. Analytical ultracentrifugation experiments show that Cab is a tetramer. Circular dichroism studies of Cab and the Spinacia oleracea (spinach) β-class carbonic anhydrase indicate that the secondary structure of the β-class enzymes is predominantly α-helical, unlike that of the α- or γ-class enzymes. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure results indicate the active zinc site of Cab is coordinated by two sulfur and two O/N ligands, with the possibility that one of the O/N ligands is derived from histidine and the other from water. Both the steady-state parameters kcat andkcat/Km for CO2 hydration are pH dependent. The steady-state parameterkcat is buffer-dependent in a saturable manner at both pH 8.5 and 6.5, and the analysis suggested a ping-pong mechanism in which buffer is the second substrate. At saturating buffer conditions and pH 8.5, kcat is 2.1-fold higher in H2O than in D2O, consistent with an intramolecular proton transfer step being rate contributing. The steady-state parameterkcat/Km is not dependent on buffer, and no solvent hydrogen isotope effect was observed. The results suggest a zinc hydroxide mechanism for Cab. The overall results indicate that prokaryotic β-class carbonic anhydrases have fundamental characteristics similar to the eukaryotic β-class enzymes and firmly establish that the α-, β-, and γ-classes are convergently evolved enzymes that, although structurally distinct, are functionally equivalent.
Pimecrolimus: a new choice in the treatment of vitiligo?

keratinocytes cultured on the DED, expression of differentiation markers such as keratin 1, keratin 10 and filaggrin was much decreased or absent. These results indicate that dermal fibroblasts controls epidermal morphogenesis in three-dimensional culture models by delaying keratinocyte differentiation. However, further studies are required to evaluate the components of epidermal differentiation by biochemical analysis.
Moving horizon observation for autonomous operation of agricultural vehicles

Varying terrain conditions influencing the ground friction challenge model-based control methods for precise autonomous driving of agricultural vehicles on off-road terrains. We apply moving horizon estimation (MHE) to cope with these uncertainties in a predictive control framework for autonomous driving of a sensor-equipped tractor using a (nonlinear) rigidbody dynamic model featuring a simple tire slip model. Using the ACADO Code Generation tool feedback times in the range of few miliseconds are achieved. Estimation results on real-world experimental data are presented.
Towards Comparative Mining of Web Document Objects with NFA: WebOMiner System

The process of extracting comparative heterogeneous web content data which are derived and historical from related web pages is still at its infancy and not developed. Discovering potentially useful and previously unknown information or knowledge from web contents such as "list all articles on 'Sequential Pattern Mining' written between 2007 and 2011 including title, authors, volume, abstract, paper, citation, year of publication," would require finding the schema of web documents from different web pages, performing web content data integration, building their virtual or physical data warehouse before web content extraction and mining from the database. This paper proposes a technique for automatic web content data extraction, the WebOMiner system, which models web sites of a specific domain like Business to Customer B2C web sites, as object oriented database schemas. Then, non-deterministic finite state automata NFA based wrappers for recognizing content types from this domain are built and used for extraction of related contents from data blocks into an integrated database for future second level mining for deep knowledge discovery.