Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Saccharomyces cerevisiae Dmc1 Protein Promotes Renaturation of Single-strand DNA (ssDNA) and Assimilation of ssDNA into Homologous Super-coiled Duplex DNA*

Dmc1 and Rad51 are eukaryotic RecA homologues that are involved in meiotic recombination. The expression of Dmc1 is limited to meiosis, whereas Rad51 is expressed in mitosis and meiosis. Dmc1 and Rad51 have unique and overlapping functions during meiotic recombination. Here we report the purification of the Dmc1 protein from the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and present basic characterization of its biochemical activity. The protein has a weak DNA-dependent ATPase activity and binds both single-strand DNA (ssDNA) and double-strand DNA. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays suggest that DNA binding by Dmc1 is cooperative. Dmc1 renatures linearized plasmid DNA with first order reaction kinetics and without requiring added nucleotide cofactor. In addition, Dmc1 catalyzes strand assimilation of ssDNA oligonucleotides into homologous supercoiled duplex DNA in a reaction promoted by ATP or the non-hydrolyzable ATP analogue AMP-PNP.
Dendritic cells, but not macrophages, produce IL‐12 immediately following Leishmania donovani infection

Infection with Leishmania, an obligate intracellular parasite of mononuclear phagocytes, stimulates the production of IFN‐γ from NK cells, via a pathway which is dependent upon IL‐12 and IL‐2. IL‐12 is also essential for the development of host protective T cell responses to this parasite. However, previous in vitro studies have indicated that macrophages fail to make IL‐12 following infection with Leishmania, and that subsequent to infection, macrophages become refractory to normal IL‐12‐inducing stimuli. We have used an in situ approach to attempt to resolve this apparent paradox, and by immunostaining for IL‐12 p40 protein, we now demonstrate for the first time, that dendritic cells (DC) are the critical source of early IL‐12 production following Leishmania infection. IL‐12 production by DC is transient, peaking at 1 day post infection and returning to the levels seen in uninfected mice by day 3. Although resident tissue macrophages fail to produce IL‐12 after Leishmania infection, these cells are not totally refractory to cytokine inducing stimuli, as TNF‐α production is induced by day 3 post infection. Not only do these data satisfactorily explain the dfferences between in vivo and in vitro data by identifying the cellular source of IL‐12, but they also suggest a novel model for NK cell activation; namely that in response to pathogens which fail to trigger IL‐12 production by macrophages, DC‐T cell clusters provide the microenvironment for initial NK cell activation.
Generalized Nonquadratic Stability of Continuous-Time Takagi–Sugeno Models

This paper provides generalized nonquadratic stability conditions for continuous-time nonlinear models in the Takagi-Sugeno (TS) form obtained by sector-nonlinearity approach. Should global quadratic stability fail for a given nonlinear model, the proposed approach allows the obtaining of progressively better estimations of the stability domain via local asymptotic conditions in the form of linear-matrix inequalities (LMIs), which are efficiently solved by convex optimization techniques. Illustrative examples are presented to emphasize the broadening capabilities of the new stability analysis.
Obtaining Dynamic Scheduling Policies with Simulation and Machine Learning

Dynamic scheduling of tasks in large-scale HPC platforms is normally accomplished using ad-hoc heuristics, based on task characteristics, combined with some backfilling strategy. Defining heuristics that work efficiently in different scenarios is a difficult task, specially when considering the large variety of task types and platform architectures. In this work, we present a methodology based on simulation and machine learning to obtain dynamic scheduling policies. Using simulations and a workload generation model, we can determine the characteristics of tasks that lead to a reduction in the mean slowdown of tasks in an execution queue. Modeling these characteristics using a nonlinear function and applying this function to select the next task to execute in a queue improved the mean task slowdown in synthetic workloads. When applied to real workload traces from highly different machines, these functions still resulted in performance improvements, attesting the generalization capability of the obtained heuristics.CCS CONCEPTS • Computing methodologies $\rightarrow$ Parallel computing methodologies; Machine learning approaches;
The Challenges of Providing Postpartum Education in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Narratives of Nurse-Midwives and Obstetricians

Postpartum education can save lives of mothers and babies in developing countries, and the World Health Organization recommends all mothers receive three postpartum consultations. More information is needed to better understand how postpartum education is delivered and ultimately improves postpartum health outcomes. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how postpartum care was delivered in three postnatal hospital clinics in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Semistructured interviews with 10 nurse-midwives and three obstetricians were conducted. Feminist poststructuralism guided the research process. Postpartum education was seen to be an urgent matter; there was a lack of supportive resources and infrastructure in the hospital clinics, and nurse-midwives and obstetricians had to negotiate conflicting health and traditional discourses using various strategies. Nurse-midwives and obstetricians are well positioned to deliver life-saving postpartum education; however, improvements are required including increased number of nurse-midwives and obstetricians.
Analyzing human intentions in natural language text

In this paper, we introduce the idea of Intent Analysis, which is to create a profile of the goals and intentions present in textual content. Intent Analysis, similar to Sentiment Analysis, represents a type of document classification that differs from traditional topic categorization by focusing on classification by intent. We investigate the extent to which the automatic analysis of human intentions in text is feasible and report our preliminary results, and discuss potential applications. In addition, we present results from a study that focused on evaluating intent profiles generated from transcripts of American presidential candidate speeches in 2008.
Connexins in the early development of the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis (Amphibia): The role of the connexin43 carboxyl terminal tail in the establishment of the dorso-ventral axis

Connexins are a family of related proteins identified in vertebrate forming gap junctions, which mediate cell-to-cell communication in early embryos, with an important role in establishing embryonic asymmetry and communication compartments. By in situ hybridization, immunocytochemistry, reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) and western blotting we show that a Cx43-like molecule is present in oocytes and embryos of the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis, with specific localization in the animal-vegetal axis. This specific distribution is suggestive for an important role for this protein in the establishment of the dorso-ventral axis. Antisense RNA and antibodies directed against rat carboxyl terminal tail of the Cx43 (CT-Cx43) and injected in 1-cell stage Xenopus embryos, induced pronounced alterations in nervous system development, with a severe ventralization phenotype. Coherently, the overexpression of CT-Cx43 produced a dorsalization of the embryos. In antisense treated embryos, the expression of the b-catenin gene is eliminated from the Nieuwkoop center, the pattern expression of the Chordin, Xnot and Xbra is modified, with no effect in expression of the Goosecoid gene. In CT-Cx43 mRNA treated embryos the pattern of expression of the b-catenin, Chordin, Goosecoid, Xnot and engrailed-2 genes is modified. The expression of b-catenin is increased in the Nieuwkoop center, the expression pattern of Chordin and Goosecoid is expanded to the posterior neural plate and engrailed-2 presents ectopic expression in the ventral region. Taken together our data suggest a role for CT-Cx43 as a maternal determinant with a critical function in the formation of the dorso-ventral axis in Xenopus laevis. The Cx43 may be one of the earliest markers of the dorso-ventral axis in these embryos and could possibly be acting through regionalization of factors responsible for the establishment of this axis.
Reconsidering simulations in science education at a distance: features of effective use

This paper proposes a reconsideration of use of computer simulations in science education. We discuss three studies of the use of science simulations for undergraduate distance learning students. The first one, The Driven Pendulum simulation is a computer-based experiment on the behaviour of a pendulum. The second simulation, Evolve is concerned with natural selection in a hypothetical species of a flowering plant. The third simulation, The Double Slit Experiment deals with electron diffraction and students are provided with an experimental setup to investigate electron diffraction for double and single slit arrangements. We evaluated each simulation, with 30 students each for The Driven Pendulum and Evolve simulations and about 100 students for The Double Slit Experiment. From these evaluations we have developed a set of the features for the effective use of simulations in distance learning. The features include student support, multiple representations and tailorability.
Influence of castration on the response of the rat vas deferens to fluoxetine.

Antidepressant drugs such as desipramine and fluoxetine increase norepinephrine (NE) contractile response in rat vas deferens by inhibiting neuronal amine uptake. Fluoxetine, unlike other antidepressants, also inhibits calcium fluxes, which results in an inhibition of maximal NE effect. Since the contractile response of the reproductive tract is under the influence of testosterone, the effect of fluoxetine could be modified according to the endocrine status of the animal. In the present study we evaluated the influence of castration and testosterone replacement (1 mg per 100 g body wt.) on the peripheral action of fluoxetine. Castration was followed by a decrease in vas deferens weight and the appearance of spontaneous activity. Testosterone replacement reversed these effects. Concentration-response curves to NE and calcium were obtained in the absence and the presence of fluoxetine in vasa deferentia from normal, castrated and testosterone-treated castrated rats. After castration the effect of fluoxetine on vas deferens contractility was markedly altered. The spontaneous activity that appears after castration was prevented by fluoxetine and the stimulatory effect on NE-induced contractions was not observed. In contrast, the inhibitory action of fluoxetine on maximal NE effect was increased. Testosterone replacement restored vas deferens response to NE in the presence of fluoxetine. Fluoxetine did not modify the binding parameters of [(3)H]prazosin in vasa deferentia from normal or castrated animals. Cocaine shifted the NE concentration-response curve to the left in all groups, suggesting that the changes in fluoxetine effect following castration were not the result of an alteration of the neuronal uptake mechanism. The nitric oxide synthase inhibitor l-NMMA did not modify vas deferens response to NE in castrated animals either in the absence or presence of fluoxetine. An increased sensitivity to the inhibitory effect of fluoxetine was observed in the calcium concentration-response curves in vasa deferentia from castrated rats, an effect that was reversed by testosterone replacement. The results suggest that the alteration in the responsiveness of vasa deferentia from castrated rats to calcium could be responsible for increased sensitivity to the inhibitory effect of fluoxetine. It is concluded that vas deferens contractile response is testosterone dependent and that this behaviour modifies the effect of drugs such as fluoxetine that have dual effect on contractility.
Prediction of Mortality After ALPPS Stage-1: An Analysis of 320 Patients From the International ALPPS Registry.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to identify predictors of 90-day mortality after Associating Liver Partition and Portal Vein Ligation for Staged Hepatectomy (ALPPS), available after stage-1, either to omit or delay stage-2. BACKGROUND DATA ALPPS is a two-stage hepatectomy for patients with extensive liver tumors with predicted small liver remnants, which has been criticized for its high mortality rate. Risk factors for mortality are unknown. METHODS Patients in the International Registry undergoing ALPPS from April 2011 to July 2014 were analyzed. Primary outcome was 90-day mortality. Liver function after stage-1 was assessed using the criteria of the International Study Group for Liver Surgery (ISGLS) after stage-1 among others. A multivariable model was used to identify independent predictors of 90-day mortality. RESULTS Three hundred twenty patients registered by 55 centers worldwide were evaluated. Overall 90-day mortality was 8.8% (28/320). The predominant cause for 90-day mortality was postoperative liver failure in 75% of patients. Fourteen percent of patients developed liver failure according to ISGLS criteria already after stage-1 ALPPS. Those and patients with a model of end-stage liver disease (MELD) score more than 10 before stage-2 were at significantly higher risk for 90-day mortality after stage-2 with an odds ratio (OR) 3.9 [confidence interval (CI) 1.4-10.9, P = 0.01] and OR 4.9 (CI 1.9-12.7, P = 0.006), respectively. Other factors, such as size of future liver remnant (FLR) before stage-2 and time between stages, were not predictive. CONCLUSIONS This analysis of the largest cohort of ALPPS patients so far identifies those patients in whom stage-2 ALPPS surgery should be delayed or even denied. These findings may help to make ALPPS safer.
Inducible mouse model of chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction by smooth muscle-specific inactivation of the SRF gene.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Serum response factor (SRF) regulates the expression of muscle genes and immediate early genes. We investigated the consequences of inactivating this transcription factor SRF in adult gastrointestinal smooth muscle cells. METHODS SRF-floxed mice were crossed with SM-CreER(T2)(ki) mice expressing a tamoxifen-inducible recombinase in smooth muscle cells. Tamoxifen was injected into 12-week-old animals to activate the CreER(T2) and excise the SRF gene. RESULTS SRF was down-regulated in the smooth muscle cells of the gastrointestinal tract, urinary bladder, and aorta. The mutant mice developed severe dilation of the intestinal tract associated with food stasis and air-fluid levels in the lumen 13 days after tamoxifen treatment. Mutant mice displayed cachexia and died between days 13 and 22. The dilation was associated with a thinning of the muscularis propria and was also observed in the urinary bladder. Ex vivo colonic contraction induced by electric field stimulation and carbachol was impaired in the mutant mice before the occurrence of the dilation phenotype. The expression of several genes, including those encoding smooth muscle actin, the heavy chain of smooth muscle myosin, and smoothelin, was 60% to 70% lower in mutants than in controls, and mutants also had a lower F/G actin ratio. CONCLUSIONS SRF plays a central role in maintaining visceral smooth muscle contractile function in adults. Mice with a smooth muscle cell-specific SRF mutation develop a severe motility disorder resembling chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction in humans and may be used as an inducible model of this disorder.
Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Antagonism Attenuates Abnormalities in Dynamic Renal Blood Flow Autoregulation in Rats with Endotoxin-Induced Acute Kidney Injury

Background: The aim was to examine the role of angiotensin II type 1 receptors in dynamic autoregulation of renal blood flow (RBF) in endotoxemia. Methods: Experiments were performed on anesthetized rats 16 h after intraperitoneal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or vehicle administration. After baseline measurements, groups Sham-Saline, LPS-Saline and LPS-Candesartan received isotonic saline or candesartan (10 µg kg–1 i.v.). Data were collected during eight consecutive 20-min clearance periods (C1–8). Transfer function (TF) analysis in the frequency domain was used to examine dynamic autoregulation of RBF. Results: Endotoxemic rats showed an approximate 50% reduction in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and RBF (p < 0.05 vs. Sham-Saline). Candesartan significantly increased RBF (+40 ± 6% vs. baseline; p < 0.05) but did not significantly influence GFR. Endotoxemic animals showed a normal myogenic response but had elevated TF gain values in the frequency range of the tubuloglomerular feedback mechanism (TGF; 0.01–0.03 Hz) reflecting impaired autoregulation (periods C3–4, 2.2 ± 1.6 vs. –2.6 ± 0.6 dB, p < 0.05, and C7–8, –0.4 ± 1.3 vs. –4.0 ± 0.8 dB, p < 0.05; in groups LPS-Saline and Sham-Saline, respectively). Candesartan normalized TF gain in this frequency range (periods C7–8, –6.1 ± 2.3 dB in group LPS-Candesartan, p < 0.05 vs. LPS-Saline). Conclusion: Candesartan ameliorates the adverse effect of endotoxin on the TGF component of dynamic autoregulation of RBF.
Prediction of risk of falling, physical disability, and frailty by rate of decline in grip strength: the women's health and aging study.

Bishop); Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York (Dr Federman); and Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Hospital, San Francisco (Dr Keyhani). Correspondence: Dr Bishop, Department of Public Health, Weill Cornell Medical College, 402 E 67th St, Room LA218, New York, NY 10021 (tlfernan@med.cornell.edu). Author Contributions: Study concept and design: Bishop, Federman, and Keyhani. Analysis and interpretation of data: Bishop and Federman. Drafting of the manuscript: Bishop. Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: Federman and Keyhani. Statistical analysis: Bishop. Study supervision: Federman and Keyhani. Financial Disclosure: None reported. Funding/Support: This specific project was not grant supported. Drs Federman and Keyhani are supported by grants from the National Institute on Aging; the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; and the Veterans Administration Health Services Research and Development Service. Online-Only Material: The eTable is available at http: //www.archinternmed. com.
Validation of a melasma quality of life questionnaire for Brazilian Portuguese language: the MelasQoL‐BP study and improvement of QoL of melasma patients after triple combination therapy

Background Pigmentation disorders, such as melasma, greatly influence the quality of life (QoL) of affected individuals who usually consider the disorder to be more severe than the objective clinical scores. Several instruments have been successfully developed to evaluate QoL. However, they must be adapted to the target population in terms of language and cultural diversity. The first, specific QoL questionnaire for melasma (MelasQoL) was developed for English speaking patients.
Superconvergence of the iterated degenerate kernel method

First, in this paper, a generally theory for the iterated operator approximation is developed. Some of the known results of the superconvergence of the various iterated schemes can be formulated as special cases of this theory. The method is then subsequently used to prove the superconvergence of the iterated degenerate kernel method for the Fredholm equations of the second kind. A similar result of the superconvergence of the degenerate kernel method for the Hammerstein equations is also given.
Journal of Enterprise Information Management Exploring mobile government from the service quality perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify service quality dimensions and their sub-dimensions for mobile government services. Despite studies conducted on mobile services, there is lack of a comprehensive framework of mobile government service quality. Researchers and practitioners must outline a taxonomy of mobile government service quality before they can begin to test their effects empirically. It cannot be assumed that e-government is the same as m-government. Therefore, it is important to understand the dimensions that affect mobile government service quality. Design/methodology/approach –Mobile government service quality dimensions were extracted from the literature on m-government from its development and transition from e-government to service models being used. This helps understand what service quality dimensions are necessary when creating more efficient, reliable, and responsible forms of m-government. The dimensions are demonstrated within a holistic framework of m-government service quality, presented for both academic and practitioner appreciation. Findings – This paper identifies 20 mobile government service quality sub-dimensions classified within six dimensions. Originality/value – The literature on mobile government service quality is scarce. With the expectation of mobile subscriptions worldwide reaching 8 billion by 2016, it is the most lucrative time to be researching how the design of mobile government affects service quality. This paper is the first to provide information on m-government service quality dimensions available for assessment.
Does Reoperation Predispose to Postoperative Wound Infection in Women Undergoing Operation for Breast Cancer?

Reoperations for breast cancer predispose to a higher risk of postoperative wound infections than primary procedures. We accomplished a retrospective chart review of 320 women who underwent multiple breast cancer procedures between 10/97 and 8/02. The mean number of procedures was 2.4 (range, 2–5). The overall incidence of wound infection was 6.1 per cent. Wound infections developed, on average, 12 days after surgery (range, 2–30). There was a statistically significant difference in the incidence of wound infection comparing the initial procedure versus the subsequent operation (1.6% vs. 9.4%, P < 0.001). This was also seen with reoperation after an operative biopsy compared to operation after a core biopsy (11.1% vs. 9.7%, P < 0.01). The incidence was increased to 22.0 per cent when the initial operation involved lymph node dissection (sentinel lymph node biopsy or complete axillary lymph node dissection). Wire localization did not increase the incidence of postoperative wound infections, and prophylactic antibiotics were associated with a decreased incidence of wound infection in the reoperative setting. The incidence of wound infection is increased with reoperation after operative biopsy compared to operation after core biopsy and is further increased when the initial biopsy involved lymph node dissection.