Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phosphotransfer between CheA, CheY1, and CheY2 in the chemotaxis signal transduction chain of Rhizobium meliloti.

The soil bacterium Rhizobium meliloti responds to chemotactic stimuli by modulating the rotary speed of its flagella. Unlike in Escherichia coli, the signal transduction chain of R. meliloti contains two different response regulators, CheY1 and CheY2, but no CheZ phosphatase. Phosphorylation of CheY1 and CheY2 by the central ATP-dependent autokinase, CheA, is the crucial step in signal transduction. In vivo, phospho-CheY2 (CheY2-P) is the chief regulator of flagellar rotation, its action being modulated by CheY1 [Sourjik, V. , and Schmitt, R. (1996) Mol. Microbiol. 22, 427-436]. In this study, we have investigated these phosphotransfer reactions in vitro using the radiolabeled recombinant proteins, CheA (labeled via [gamma-32P]ATP), CheY1, and CheY2 (labeled via acetyl [32P]phosphate). Our results are consistent with the following four-step phosphotransfer: (i) ATP-dependent autophosphorylation of CheA (with a limiting rate constant of 0.008 s-1 at saturating ATP concentrations); (ii) rapid phospho transfer from phospho-CheA to CheY1 and CheY2; (iii) autodephosphorylation of CheY1-P and CheY2-P with half-lives of 12 +/- 1 s and 10.5 +/- 1 s, respectively; and (iv) reversible phosphotransfer from CheY2-P to CheA. In the three-component mixture, CheA/CheY1/CheY2, we observed rapid phosphotransfer from CheY2-P via CheA to CheY1. Thus, CheY1 assumes the role of a "phosphatase" of CheY2-P by acting as a sink for phosphate, whenever unphosphorylated CheA is present. The intracellular concentrations of CheA/CheY1/CheY2 determined immunochemically were 1.5 microM:20 microM:20 microM, a range that was adopted for in vitro assays. The results reflect a unique control by CheY1 of the active, phosphorylated state of the main response regulator, CheY2-P. This mechanism appears to be a new twist to signal transduction among members of the alpha-subgroup of proteobacteria.
A Snapshot of Gene Expression Signatures Generated Using Microarray Datasets Associated With Excessive Scarring

Objective:The aim of this study was to examine the gene expression signatures of 2 types of excessive scarring, keloid and hypertrophic scar (HS), through the integrated bioinformatics analysis of multiple published gene expression profile datasets. Methods:A literature search of microarray data published in focusing on keloid and HS was performed. The microarray data were reanalyzed to identify the common significantly dysregulated (CSD) genes. The experimental and statistical parameters of the studies were systematically evaluated to reveal any influences on the consensus findings among the studies. Overrepresentation analysis of gene ontology (GO) categories and pathways was used to explore the significantly dysregulated genes functionally associated with the pathogenesis of excessive scarring. Results:Seven published microarray studies on keloid and 4 studies on HS were identified. A total of 64 CSD genes were identified in keloid; 9 upregulated CSD genes were identified in HS. The 48 consistently dysregulated genes that overlapped in least 1 keloid study and 1 HS study were defined as the CSD genes in excessive scarring. The differences in the variables associated with the study protocols and data management were systematically documented and evaluated. Activated GO categories and pathways related to skeletal development, binding, extracellular matrix–receptor interaction, and adhesion were found to have significance in excessive scarring, implying a common pathological basis for keloid and HS formation. Notably, the GO categories related to cancer and the TGF-beta signaling pathway were significantly enriched in keloids. Conclusions:As gene signatures and molecular markers of excessive scarring, the identified CSD genes may be particularly relevant to disease pathogenesis and serve as new therapeutic targets.
Economic Freedom and Racial Differences in Entrepreneurship

We investigate the relationship between economic freedom and black versus white entrepreneurship rates. An extensive literature examines why black entrepreneurship rates lag behind white, focusing on socioeconomic characteristics, intergenerational knowledge transfers, work experience, and credit access. Another literature examines how regulations affect entrepreneurial behavior, finding that a more heavily regulated economy deters start-ups. We combine these literatures and use the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity and the Economic Freedom of North America Index to examine whether state-level variation in economic freedom causes differences in entrepreneurial behavior across races. Overall, we find that blacks and whites differ in their entrepreneurial response to public policy. One interesting finding is that more economically free labor markets, due primarily by a lower minimum wage, diminish black entrepreneurship but does not affect whites. This is important if an unintended consequence of the minimum wage is to reduce black entrepreneurship, thereby increasing the black–white entrepreneurship gap.
Ethnic background as a factor in temporomandibular disorder complaints.

AIMS To examine the associations between the ethnic backgrounds of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients in the Netherlands and the level of TMD pain complaints and psychological/behavioral factors and whether these associations are influenced by socioeconomic factors. METHODS A sample of 504 consecutive patients from a TMD clinic completed the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (RDC/TMD) Axis II questionnaire (pain intensity, pain-related disability, somatization, depression, ethnic background, and socioeconomic status), an oral parafunctions questionnaire, and questions related to stress. Ethnic background was classified, following the method of Statistics Netherlands (CBS), using the country of birth from subject and both parents. This resulted in a classification into three subgroups: Native Dutch (ND; 69.6%), Non-Native Western (NNW; 14.8%), and Non-Native Non-Western (NNNW; 15.6%). Statistics used were chi-square, one- and two-way ANOVA, and Kruskall-Wallis tests; for post-hoc interpretation, standardized residual values, Bonferroni, and Mann-Whitney U tests were used. RESULTS No differences in age or gender were found between the three ethnic groups, nor were there any differences in characteristic pain intensity or oral parafunctions. However, TMD patients from the NNNW subgroup had significantly higher scores on psychological factors, namely pain-related disability, disability days, somatization, depression, and stress. These patients had a lower incidence of employment, a lower level of education, and a lower income level than patients from the ND and NNW ethnic backgrounds. Analysis of variance showed no interaction effects between ethnic background and socioeconomic factors in relation to the psychological variables mentioned. CONCLUSION Ethnic background of TMD patients in the Netherlands is associated with psychological factors, regardless of socioeconomic status, but not with TMD pain complaints or oral parafunctions.
Hypoplasia and Hypodontia in Van der Woude Syndrome

Objective The purpose of this study was (1) to assess maxillary development in cleft individuals with Van der Woude syndrome (VWS) and (2) to compare hypodontia in VWS and nonsyndromic cleft matched controls. Design and Setting Retrospective case-control study from the Center for Craniofacial Anomalies, University of California, San Francisco, California. Patients and Participants The sample consisted of 15 individuals with Van der Woude syndrome and 15 nonsyndromic cleft lip and/or palate controls paired for age, gender, and cleft type in the age range of 5 to 13 years. Main Outcome Measures Cephalograms were digitized, and 31 linear and angular measurements were made. Serial panoramic radiographs were used to assess the presence or absence of permanent teeth. Results The maxillary sagittal position represented by midface length (Co-A) was significantly shorter in the Van der Woude syndrome subjects than in the matched controls (p = .031), suggesting a trend towards greater maxillary hypoplasia, particularly in Van der Woude syndrome with bilateral cleft lip and/ or palate. Measurements indicating sagittal jaw relationship (ANB angle and the Wits) were significantly smaller in the children with Van der Woude syndrome than in matched controls (p = .008 and p = .006). A significantly larger number of individuals with Van der Woude syndrome than matched controls had missing teeth (p = .014). The mandibular second premolar was missing more frequently in children with Van der Woude syndrome than in the matched controls (p = .031). The differences concerning both maxillary hypoplasia and hypodontia were most marked in the more severe cleft type, represented by bilateral cleft lip and/or palate. Conclusions Based on these findings, the expectation is that there will be maxillary hypoplasia and hypodontia of greater severity in Van der Woude syndrome than in nonsyndromic clefts.
Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy in central nervous system tumors: role of blood-brain barrier permeability.

UNLABELLED Somatostatin receptors are expressed in meningiomas and low-grade gliomas, raising the hope that scintigraphy with 111In-DTPA-D-Phe1-octreotide might be helpful in the in vivo localization, differential diagnosis and postoperative/postradiotherapy brain tumor follow-up. METHODS Indium-111-DTPA-D-Phe1-octreotide scintigraphy and brain scintigraphy using 99mTc-DTPA as a nonspecific tracer for blood-brain barrier integrity were simultaneously performed in 60 patients with CNS tumors using dual-isotope acquisition mode SPECT. For 23 patients, the scintigraphic findings were also compared with in vitro somatostatin receptor autoradiography of surgical biopsy specimens. RESULTS In meningiomas (located outside the blood-brain barrier), the somatostatin receptor scan showed all tumors and scintigraphic signal intensity correlating with in vitro SSR density positive in all meningiomas. Less contrast was seen on 99mTc-DTPA scans. In all tumors inside the blood-brain barrier, the 111In-DTPA-D-Phe1-octreotide scan visualized the tumors with a disrupted blood-brain barrier, as seen by 99mTc-DTPA scintigraphy. Discrepancies, however, were observed between somatostatin receptor scintigraphy and in vitro receptor autoradiography. CONCLUSION Combined somatostatin receptor and 99mTc-DTPA scintigraphy may be helpful for noninvasive differentiation between meningiomas and other CNS tumors. False-negative scans were observed as a result of shielding by the intact blood-brain barrier. Interpretation of negative and positive somatostatin receptor scans in CNS tumors must therefore be done with caution.
Effective School Performance Stages at Public Senior High Schools in Indonesia

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the stages of effective school performance based on 11 characteristics of effective schools as well as to evaluate the level of correlation between individual characteristics of effective schools and the contribution of the school principal leadership to an effective school. 60 school principals and 105 teachers in 16 schools became sample of the research. The number of teachers took as many as 7 to 10 people for each school. The quantitative data were obtained through a set of instruments on 11 characteristics of effective schools. The data were then analyzed descriptively using frequency, min score, percentage, standard deviation, and inferential statistics (Pearson’s correlation, simple linear regression). Findings showed the stages of effective school performance of Public Senior High Schools in Padang as perceived by the principals and teachers were very high. There was a significant correlation between the professional principal leadership with the realization of 11 characteristics of effective schools. The professional principal leadership contributed as much as 58.5% to the realization of 11 characteristics of effective schools in Public Senior High Schools in Padang while the other percentage was contributed by other variabels not included in this study. The principal leadership was an important factor for the realization of 11 characteristics of effective schools in Public Senior High Schools in Padang.
Population pharmacokinetics of tamsulosin hydrochloride in paediatric patients with neuropathic and non-neuropathic bladder.

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT Tamsulosin is available on prescription as a modified release capsule in the US (Flomax), and in most European countries for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The pharmacokinetics of tamsulosin hydrochloride (HCl) have been extensively studied in adults, but no pharmacokinetic data for paediatrics have been published to date. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS A population pharmacokinetic model of tamsulosin HCl was developed in paediatric patients. Covariate analysis revealed that body weight and alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein influenced both the apparent clearance and the apparent volume of distribution. This study confirms that there is no major difference in the pharmacokinetics of tamsulosin HCl between paediatrics (age range 2-16 years) and adults when the effect of body weight is taken into consideration. AIMS The main objective of this study was to characterize the population pharmacokinetics of tamsulosin hydrochloride (HCl) in paediatric patients with neuropathic and non-neuropathic bladder. A secondary objective was to compare the pharmacokinetics in paediatric patients and adults. METHODS Tamsulosin HCl plasma concentrations in 1082 plasma samples from 189 paediatric patients (age range 2-16 years) were analyzed with NONMEM, applying a one compartment model with first-order absorption. Based on the principles of allometry, body weight was incorporated in the base model, along with fixed allometric exponents. Covariate analysis was performed by means of a stepwise forward inclusion and backward elimination procedure. Simulations based on the final model were used to compare the pharmacokinetics with those in adults. RESULTS Beside the priori-implemented body weight, only alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein had an effect on both apparent clearance and apparent volume of distribution. No other investigated covariates, including gender, age, race, patient population and concomitant therapy with anti-cholinergics, significantly affected the pharmacokinetics of tamsulosin HCl (P < 0.001). The results of simulations indicated that the exposure in 12.5 kg paediatric patients was 3.5-4.3 fold higher than that in 70.0 kg adults. After a weight-based dose administration, the exposure in paediatric patients was comparable with that in healthy adults. CONCLUSIONS A population pharmacokinetic model of tamsulosin HCl in paediatric patients was established and it described the data well. There was no major difference in the pharmacokinetics of tamsulosin HCl between paediatric patients (age range 2-16 years) and adults when the effect of body weight was taken into consideration.
Mutational analysis of Escherichia coli
 σ28 and its target promoters reveals recognition of a composite −10 region, comprised of an ‘extended −10’ motif and a core −10 element

σ28 controls the expression of flagella‐related genes and is the most widely distributed alternative σ factor, present in motile Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria. The distinguishing feature of σ28 promoters is a long −10 region (GCCGATAA). Despite the fact that the upstream GC is highly conserved, previous studies have not indicated a functional role for this motif. Here we examine the functional relevance of the GCCG motif and determine which residues in σ28 participate in its recognition. We find that the GCCG motif is a functionally important composite element. The upstream GC constitutes an extended −10 motif and is recognized by R91, a residue in Domain 3 of σ28. The downstream CG is the upstream edge of −10 region of the promoter; two residues in Region 2.4, D81 and R84, participate in its recognition. Consistent with their role in base‐specific recognition of the promoter, R91, D81 and D84 are universally conserved in σ28 orthologues. σ28 is the second Group 3 σ shown to use an extended −10 region in promoter recognition, raising the possibility that other Group 3 σs will do so as well.
Effect of cognitive remediation on gait in sedentary seniors.

BACKGROUND Attention and executive functions show strong associations with slow gait and falls in seniors and have been shown to be amenable to cognitive remediation. However, cognitive remediation as a strategy to improve mobility has not been investigated. METHODS Using a randomized single-blind control design, 24 sedentary older adults (exercise less than or equal to once weekly and gait velocity <1 m/s) were randomly assigned to an 8-week computerized cognitive remediation program or wait-list. Primary outcome was change in gait velocity during normal pace and "walking while talking" conditions. We also compared the proportion of improvers (velocity change ≥4 cm/s) in each group. RESULTS The 10 participants who completed cognitive remediation improved gait velocity from baseline during normal walking (68.2 ± 20.0 vs 76.5 ± 17.9 cm/s, p = .05) and walking while talking (36.7 ± 13.5 vs 56.7 ± 20.4 cm/s, p = .002). The 10 intervention participants improved gait velocity over the 8-week intervention both during normal walking (change: 8.2 ± 11.4-1.3 ± 6.8 cm/s, p = .10) and walking while talking (change: 19.9 ± 14.9-2.5 ± 20.1 cm/s, p = .05) compared with the 10 control participants. Six intervention participants were improvers on normal pace walking compared with three controls (odds ratio = 3.0, 95% confidence interval = 0.5-19.6). All 10 intervention participants improved on walking while talking compared with 3 controls (odds ratio = 3.5, 95% confidence interval = 1.5-8.0). CONCLUSIONS The findings of this pilot trial are promising and suggest that cognitive remediation may improve mobility in sedentary seniors. This approach should be validated in larger scale trials.
Leveraging Innovations for Inclusive Governance

The concern for making services of public systems accessible, accountable and affordable for the disadvantaged people has been there since independence of the country. However, after recognising the limitations of trickle down theory despite witnessing economic growth for a decade, government has realised the need for more inclusive approach. The disparities have increased just as they had in the post green revolution era. The declaration of this decade as the ‘decade of innovation’ by the Prime Minister and the President of India has underlined the concern for inclusiveness. On Civil Service Day, April 24, 2010, I had the opportunity to witness the awards to the outstanding civil servants and also share my thoughts in a panel having concerned Minster and former Cabinet Secretary and Advisor to Prime Minister. I have argued that the urgent concern is not so much about triggering new innovations as about learning from existing innovations. I also refer to the efforts of 13th Finance Commission in this regard. Two major changes were enacted on the advice of Finance Commission based on the background papers prepared by NIF. The Commission has recommended in the paras 12.92 and 12.96 setting up of “Centre for Innovations in Public Systems to identify, document and promote innovations in public services across states”. A grant of Rs.20 crore has been recommended for the purpose. In addition, “a second grant of Rs.1 crore per district is for the creation of District Innovation Fund [DIF] aimed at increasing the efficiency of capital assets already created. ” I hope that the paper will trigger discussion about the need for a more systematic cataloguing of innovation in public system so that the benefits thereof can reach the masses rapidly.
An Exploration of Resilient Nonprofit Organizations: How Human Services Providers in Virginia Survived and Thrived During and After the Great Recession of 2007-2009

Nonprofits are primarily dependent upon external sources for funding and other critical resources; therefore during recessionary periods the nonprofit sector faces a crisis of its own as crucial resources become scarce. The Great Recession of 2007-2009 had widespread adverse impact on the nonprofit sector yet, some nonprofit organizations managed to not only restore their finances and operations to their pre-recession state, but also capitalize on the economic conditions and emerge stronger and more prosperous than before the recession began. Specifically, these organizations embody resiliency by realizing positive outcomes or exhibiting optimal performance during and after tough economic times. In the face of increasing demands, shifting funding streams, and operational challenges, organizational resilience is more important than ever for the sector. The purpose of this research was to develop a better understanding of the nature of organizational resiliency as it relates to nonprofits impacted by economic recession. The primary research question that directed this research was: What attributes are exhibited by resilient nonprofit organizations? Using a multiple case study approach, this study explored the essence and meaning of resilience through the experiences of seven nonprofit organizations in Virginia during and after the recession. Data were collected from pertinent organizational documents and semi-structured interviews with the executive director of each organization. Nine themes emerged from the data. Conclusions drawn from the findings suggest that resilient
Comparative repellency of 38 essential oils against mosquito bites

The mosquito repellent activity of 38 essential oils from plants at three concentrations was screened against the mosquito Aedes aegypti under laboratory conditions using human subjects. On a volunteer's forearm, 0.1 mL of oil was applied per 30 cm2 of exposed skin. When the tested oils were applied at a 10% or 50% concentration, none of them prevented mosquito bites for as long as 2 h, but the undiluted oils of Cymbopogon nardus (citronella), Pogostemon cablin (patchuli), Syzygium aromaticum (clove) and Zanthoxylum limonella (Thai name: makaen) were the most effective and provided 2 h of complete repellency.
Influence of Soft Contact Lens Design on Clinical Performance

A double-masked, randomized study in four parts was conducted to evaluate the effect of varying certain soft contact lens design parameters on clinical performance. The effects of varying back optic zone radius (BOZR) (8.20 to 9.00 mm), back surface design (monocurve, bicurve, aspheric), edge thickness (0.12 to 0.24 mm), and back vertex power (+1.00 to −6.00 D) were investigated using test lenses manufactured in a high water content material. In each part of the study, between 20 and 35 volunteer subjects wore a range of lenses which were assessed after >30 min settling periods. Postblink movement and lens “tightness” as assessed by the push-up test were unaffected by the variation in BOZR. Lenses of flatter BOZR centered lower and more temporally than steeper lenses. Lenses of similar back surface sagittal depth, but differing in terms of back surface design, did not center the same; the monocurve lenses decentered more than bicurve or aspheric lenses. Edge thickness had no significant effect on comfort or lens fit. Plus power lenses resulted in more postblink movement than minus lenses of similar power. The results are discussed in relation to the design and fitting of soft contact lenses.