Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Novel Indole Compound That Inhibits Pseudomonas aeruginosa Growth by Targeting MreB Is a Substrate for MexAB-OprM

ABSTRACT Drug efflux systems contribute to the intrinsic resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to many antibiotics and biocides and hamper research focused on the discovery and development of new antimicrobial agents targeted against this important opportunistic pathogen. Using a P. aeruginosa PAO1 derivative bearing deletions of opmH, encoding an outer membrane channel for efflux substrates, and four efflux pumps belonging to the resistance nodulation/cell division class including mexAB-oprM, we identified a small-molecule indole-class compound (CBR-4830) that is inhibitory to growth of this efflux-compromised strain. Genetic studies established MexAB-OprM as the principal pump for CBR-4830 and revealed MreB, a prokaryotic actin homolog, as the proximal cellular target of CBR-4830. Additional studies establish MreB as an essential protein in P. aeruginosa, and efflux-compromised strains treated with CBR-4830 transition to coccoid shape, consistent with MreB inhibition or depletion. Resistance genetics further suggest that CBR-4830 interacts with the putative ATP-binding pocket in MreB and demonstrate significant cross-resistance with A22, a structurally unrelated compound that has been shown to promote rapid dispersion of MreB filaments in vivo. Interestingly, however, ATP-dependent polymerization of purified recombinant P. aeruginosa MreB is blocked in vitro in a dose-dependent manner by CBR-4830 but not by A22. Neither compound exhibits significant inhibitory activity against mutant forms of MreB protein that bear mutations identified in CBR-4830-resistant strains. Finally, employing the strains and reagents prepared and characterized during the course of these studies, we have begun to investigate the ability of analogues of CBR-4830 to inhibit the growth of both efflux-proficient and efflux-compromised P. aeruginosa through specific inhibition of MreB function.
Age at first birth, mode of conception and psychological wellbeing in pregnancy: findings from the parental age and transition to parenthood Australia (PATPA) study.

BACKGROUND It is increasingly common for women in high-income countries to delay childbearing. We aimed to describe the context of pregnancy for first-time mothers of different ages and examine relationships among maternal age at first birth, mode of conception and psychosocial wellbeing in pregnancy. METHODS Using stratified sampling, we recruited similar numbers of women conceiving through assisted reproductive technology (ART; n = 297) or spontaneously (n = 295) across three age groups: younger, ≤ 20-30 years; middle, 31-36 years; older, ≥ 37 years. Women participated in a structured interview and completed validated questionnaires assessing socio-economic status, personality, quality of partner relationship, state and trait anxiety, pregnancy-focused (P-F) anxiety and maternal-fetal attachment. RESULTS Older maternal age was associated with lower depression and anxiety symptoms, lower maternal-fetal attachment (P< 0.05), greater psychological hardiness (resilience) (P< 0.001) and lower ratings of control in the partner relationship (P< 0.05) at a univariate level. ART conception, but not older maternal age, was associated with more P-F anxiety. Although most main effects of age and mode of conception became non-significant after controlling for contextual/reproductive history variables, a significant association between ART conception and more intense fetal attachment emerged (P< 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Women having their first baby when older appear to have some psychological advantages over their younger counterparts; they are more resilient, report their partners as less controlling and report lower symptoms of depression and anxiety during pregnancy. However, women conceiving through ART have a more complex experience of pregnancy, simultaneously experiencing more P-F anxiety and more intense emotional attachment to the fetus.
Cortical Dysplasia: Electroclinical, Imaging, and Neuropathologic Study of 13 Patients

Summary: Purpose: The aim of this study was to correlate the electroclinical and radiologic data with the neuropathologic findings and surgical outcome in epileptic patients with epilepsy and Taylor's focal cortical dysplasia (TFCD) and to characterize further the abnormal intermediate filaments expression in the balloon cell present in the peculiar dysplasia.
Polymorphous low‐grade adenocarcinoma of the salivary glands

Six cases of polymorphous low‐grade adenocarcinoma (terminal duct adenocarcinoma) of the minor salivary glands are presented. In all but one there was a history of a painless intra‐oral mass of fairly long duration. The histopathological appearances were characterized by cytological uniformity in a variety of morphological patterns, including tubular, solid, fascicular and cribriform areas. At a cellular level, the tumours possessed regular, often vesicular nuclei and generally eosinophilic cytoplasm. Five of the patients are still alive, although one had recurrent disease 16 years after her original operation: none died of their tumour. These findings are compared with those of six salivary adenoid cystic carcinomas, a neoplasm with many similar histological features, but with a much worse prognosis. The microscopic differences were mainly cytological and, to a lesser extent, morphological. The immunohistochemical reactions of the two tumours were not sufficiently dissimilar to be of practical value. Polymorphous low‐grade adenocarcinoma has only rarely been reported in Britain, but we believe it deserves wider recognition as a distinct clinicopathological entity and, in particular, separation from adenoid cystic carcinoma.
Sequence diversity patterns suggesting balancing selection in partially sex‐linked genes of the plant Silene latifolia are not generated by demographic history or gene flow

DNA sequence diversity in genes in the partially sex‐linked pseudoautosomal region (PAR) of the sex chromosomes of the plant Silene latifolia is higher than expected from within‐species diversity of other genes. This could be the footprint of sexually antagonistic (SA) alleles that are maintained by balancing selection in a PAR gene (or genes) and affect polymorphism in linked genome regions. SA selection is predicted to occur during sex chromosome evolution, but it is important to test whether the unexpectedly high sequence polymorphism could be explained without it, purely by the combined effects of partial linkage with the sex‐determining region and the population's demographic history, including possible introgression from Silene dioica. To test this, we applied approximate Bayesian computation‐based model choice to autosomal sequence diversity data, to find the most plausible scenario for the recent history of S. latifolia and then to estimate the posterior density of the most relevant parameters. We then used these densities to simulate variation to be expected at PAR genes. We conclude that an excess of variants at high frequencies at PAR genes should arise in S. latifolia populations only for genes with strong associations with fully sex‐linked genes, which requires closer linkage with the fully sex‐linked region than that estimated for the PAR genes where apparent deviations from neutrality were observed. These results support the need to invoke selection to explain the S. latifolia PAR gene diversity, and encourage further work to test the possibility of balancing selection due to sexual antagonism.
Anti‐sense RNA efficiently inhibits formation of the 10 kd polypeptide of photosystem II in transgenic potato plants: analysis of the role of the 10 kd protein.

A chimeric gene encoding an anti‐sense RNA of the 10 kd protein of the water‐splitting apparatus of photosystem II of higher plants under the control of the CaMV 35S promoter was introduced into potato using Agrobacterium based vectors. The expression of the anti‐sense RNA led to a significant reduction of the amounts of the 10 kd protein and RNA in a number of transgenic plants. In three out of 36 plants tested, the level of the 10 kd protein was only up to 1‐3% compared with the wild‐type control. The drastic reduction of the 10 kd protein did not influence the accumulation of other photosystem II associated polypeptides at both the RNA and protein level. Furthermore no phenotypic differences were observed between potato plants expressing wild‐type and drastically reduced levels of the 10 kd protein with respect to growth rate, habitus or ultrastructure of the chloroplasts. Measurements of the relaxation of the flash‐induced enhancement in the fluorescence quantum yield as determined in intact leaves and the rates and characteristic oscillation pattern of O2 evolution as determined in isolated thylakoid samples however, show that the elimination of the 10 kd protein on the one hand retards reoxidation of QA‐ and on the other hand introduces a general disorder into the PSII complex.
Navigational Bronchoscopy With Biopsy Versus Computed Tomography—guided Biopsy for the Diagnosis of a Solitary Pulmonary Nodule: A Cost-Consequences Analysis

Background:Solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) are frequent and can be malignant. Both computed tomography-guided biopsy and electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy (ENB) with biopsy can be used to diagnose a SPN. A nondiagnostic computed tomography (CT)–guided or ENB biopsy is often followed by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) biopsy. The relative costs and consequences of these strategies are not known. Methods:A decision tree was created with values from the literature to evaluate the clinical consequences and societal costs of a CT-guided biopsy strategy versus an ENB biopsy strategy for the diagnosis of a SPN. The serial use of ENB after nondiagnostic CT-guided biopsy and CT-guided biopsy after nondiagnostic ENB biopsy were tested as alternate strategies. Results:In a hypothetical cohort of 100 patients, use of the ENB biopsy strategy on average results in 13.4 fewer pneumothoraces, 5.9 fewer chest tubes, 0.9 fewer significant hemorrhage episodes, and 0.6 fewer respiratory failure episodes compared with a CT-guided biopsy strategy. ENB biopsy increases average costs by $3719 per case and increases VATS rates by an absolute 20%. The sequential diagnostic strategy that combines CT-guided biopsy after nondiagnostic ENB biopsy and vice versa decreases the rate of VATS procedures to 3%. A sequential approach starting with ENB decreases average per case cost relative to CT-guided biopsy followed by VATS, if needed, by $507; and a sequential approach starting with CT-guided biopsy decreases the cost relative to CT-guided biopsy followed by VATS, if needed, by $979. Conclusions:An ENB with biopsy strategy is associated with decreased pneumothorax rate but increased costs and increased use of VATS. Combining CT-guided biopsy and ENB with biopsy serially can decrease costs and complications.
Use of a Fitness Tracker to Promote Physical Activity in Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Children with cancer identify fatigue as a pervasive symptom, which increases during the corticosteroid pulse in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) maintenance. The FitBit® is a fitness tracker that downloads activity measurements to the Internet in real time. In this feasibility study, we explored if children who received daily FitBit® coaching for 2 weeks before a maintenance steroid pulse had an increase in steps per day and determined the relationship between steps per day prepulse and fatigue postpulse.
The Arabidopsis thaliana ABC transporter AtMRP5 controls root development and stomata movement

In the present study, we investigated a new member of the ABC transporter superfamily of Arabidopsis thaliana, AtMRP5. AtMRP5 encodes a 167 kDa protein and exhibits low glutathione conjugate and glucuronide conjugate transport activity. Promotor‐β‐glucuronidase fusion constructs showed that AtMRP5 is expressed mainly in the vascular bundle and in the epidermis, especially guard cells. Using reverse genetics, we identified a plant with a T‐DNA insertion in AtMRP5 (mrp5‐1). mrp5‐1 exhibited decreased root growth and increased lateral root formation. Auxin levels in the roots of mrp5‐1 plants were increased. This observation may indicate that AtMRP5 works as an auxin conjugate transporter or that mutant plants are affected in ion uptake, which may lead to changes in auxin concentrations. Experiments on epidermal strips showed that in contrast to wild type, the sulfonylurea glibenclamide had no effect on stomatal opening in mrp5‐1 plants. This result strongly suggests that AtMRP5 may also function as an ion channel regulator.
Effect of Postnatal Nutrition Restriction on the Oxidative Status of Neonates with Intrauterine Growth Restriction in a Pig Model

Objective: In offspring with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), where oxidative stress may play an important role in inducing metabolic syndrome, nutrition restriction has been shown to improve oxidative status. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of postnatal nutrition restriction on the oxidative status of IUGR neonates. Methods: A total of twelve pairs of piglets, of normal birth-weight (NBW) and with IUGR (7 days old), respectively, were randomly allocated to have adequate nutritional intake (ANI) and restricted nutritional intake (RNI) for a period of 21 days, respectively. This design produced 4 experimental groups: NBW-ANI, IUGR-ANI, NBW-RNI and IUGR-RNI (n = 6 per group). Serum, ileum and liver samples were analyzed for antioxidant parameters and the mRNA expression of genes with regard to oxidative status. The data were subjected to general linear model analysis and Duncan's test with a 5% significance level. Results: Irrespective of nutritional intake, the IUGR pigs had markedly lower activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), gene expressions of liver mitochondrial manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) and ileum cytoplasmic copper/zinc (CuZn)-SOD and, accordingly, there was a markedly higher malondialdehyde concentration in the liver of these pigs compared to in the NBW pigs. Irrespective of body weight, pigs receiving ANI treatment had significantly lower activities of antioxidant enzymes in the serum (total antioxidative capability, CuZn-SOD and GPX) and liver (total SOD and glutathione reductase) and decreased gene expression of liver CuZn-SOD and Mn-SOD compared to the pigs receiving RNI. In addition, the IUGR pigs had a markedly lower concentration of liver reduced glutathione (GSH), ratio of GSH to oxidized glutathione, gene expression of ileum CuZn-SOD and extracellular SOD than the NBW pigs when receiving ANI, but not all of these differences were observed in those receiving RNI. Conclusion: IUGR neonates may have poor antioxidant defense systems, and postnatal nutrition restriction has the potential to prevent oxidative stress. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel
Temporal JSON Schema Versioning in the JSchema Framework

: JSchema is a framework for the management of temporal documents stored in JSON format in a NoSQL database, similar to the τ XSchema framework proposed for XML. In this work, we extend Schema to temporal schema versioning support. The proposed approach provides a systematic solution to the challenging task of evolving a JSON schema while maintaining all schema versions with their corresponding instances and, thus, guarantees the bookkeeping of a full history of both data and schemas. All components of a temporal JSON schema (i.e., conventional schema, temporal logical and physical characteristics) are allowed to vary over time to reflect changes in the real world and, thus, in application requirements. To this end, four sets of primitives for changing JSON schema components and their related JSON instance documents are introduced. The feasibility of our approach and the usage of the proposed primitives have been shown through a detailed and illustrative example.
Exercise renography in untreated subjects with essential hypertension.

UNLABELLED Exercise induced renal dysfunction is reported to occur in treated hypertensive patients but not seen normotensive subjects. It is unclear if this phenomenon is related to the disease or to treatment. METHODS Four normal volunteers and 15 hypertensive subjects (antihypertensive medications were discontinued for more than 4 wk) were studied with upright radionuclide renography at rest and during bicycle exercise. The amount of exercise was sufficient to increase the heart rate at least 20 bpm above the resting value. All subjects were healthy, without evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy renal disease or hypertensive retinal disease. BUN, serum creatinine concentration and urinalysis were normal in all subjects. Renograms were performed for 12-15 min after injection of either 1 mCi[123]orthoidohippurate (OIH) or 2-7 mCi 99mTc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3). Visual analysis and mean transit time calculation were performed on the rest and exercise studies. RESULTS Seven of 14 hypertensive subjects and none of the normal volunteers demonstrated abnormal prolongation in renal transit during exercise which was not seen on the resting renogram. Four of these seven subjects had a history of hypertension for 2 yr or less. CONCLUSION About 50% of individuals with mild-to-moderate hypertension and normal renal function may have abnormal renal transit of renal excretion agents during exercise, although their baseline studies are normal. This finding is unassociated with therapy and appears to be related directly to the pathophysiology of essential hypertension.
Mind-Body Practices for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Background Mind-body practices are increasingly used to provide stress reduction for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Mind-body practice encompasses activities with the intent to use the mind to impact physical functioning and improve health. Methods This is a literature review using PubMed, PsycINFO, and Published International Literature on Traumatic Stress to identify the effects of mind-body intervention modalities, such as yoga, tai chi, qigong, mindfulness-based stress reduction, meditation, and deep breathing, as interventions for PTSD. Results The literature search identified 92 articles, only 16 of which were suitable for inclusion in this review. We reviewed only original, full text articles that met the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies have small sample size, but findings from the 16 publications reviewed here suggest that mind-body practices are associated with positive impacts on PTSD symptoms. Mind-body practices incorporate numerous therapeutic effects on stress responses, including reductions in anxiety, depression, and anger, and increases in pain tolerance, self-esteem, energy levels, ability to relax, and ability to cope with stressful situations. In general, mind-body practices were found to be a viable intervention to improve the constellation of PTSD symptoms such as intrusive memories, avoidance, and increased emotional arousal. Conclusions Mind-body practices are increasingly used in the treatment of PTSD and are associated with positive impacts on stress-induced illnesses such as depression and PTSD in most existing studies. Knowledge about the diverse modalities of mind-body practices may provide clinicians and patients with the opportunity to explore an individualized and effective treatment plan enhanced by mind-body interventions as part of ongoing self-care.
Do the Stock Market Indices Follow Random Walk?

The market in which all the available information is absorbed and reflected in the prices without much of time gap can be called as the efficient market. In an efficient market, there is no further scope for earning abnormal profits. In the finance literature, the market efficiency tests have been put under the category of efficient market hypothesis (EMH). Since it is extremely difficult to test the market efficiency in its absolute form, the researchers have divided the market efficiency into three forms. They are weak, semi-strong and strong forms. This study investigates the random walk hypothesis by taking the daily closing prices of prominent stock market indices. The autocorrelation test, Runs test, unit root test, variance ratio test, integrated generalised autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (GARCH) (1, 1), threshold GARCH (TGARCH) and exponential (EGARCH) models are used to test the hypothesis that the stock markets follow random walk. Our results show that market indices do not follow random walk.
Measurement and Control Practices in Finnish Wastewater Networks

In this paper, we describe measurement and control practices in Finnish wastewater networks. We have surveyed the 14 largest wastewater treatment plants in the country, which account for approximately 40% of total Finnish treatment capacity. It was found that these plants still only rely on a few, traditional measurement techniques. The treatment processes could be improved, and the treatment could be made more energy‐efficient by installing modern instrumentation. We review some recent developments in wastewater plant instrumentation technology and suggest improvements to Finnish plants.
ASTHMA MORTALITY IN SWEDEN AMONG CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS DURING THE PERIOD 1952–1972

Asthma mortality in Sweden during the period of 1952-1972 in the age-group of 1-24 years, comprising a total of 183 cases, has been studied. As compared with the 1950's, there is a conspicuous increase in the number of deaths during the greater part of the sixties, reaching a maximum in 1967. Since then the mortality has shown a marked decrease. Further, a trend towards an averagely higher age at death has been ascertained in the latter part of the investigation period. The factors underlying the conspicuous variations in mortality rate were discussed. It was emphasized that the abuse of sympathomimetics in pressurized aerosols could not be accepted as the one and only cause. In all probability, the increase in the mortality during the 1960's can be attributed to a number of factors.
Flow cytometric analysis of activated sludge with rRNA-targeted probes

Samples from a wastewater treatment plant were hybridized with fluorescein-labeled oligonucleotide probes specific for members of the domains Bacteria and Eucarya; the alpha, beta, and gamma subclasses of the class Proteobacteria; or the genus Acinetobacter. Subsequently, they were counterstained with the DNA-specific dye Hoechst 33342 and analyzed by flow cytometry. By quantifying forward angle light scatter and Hoechst- and probe-conferred fluorescence as measures for cell size, DNA content, and rRNA content, respectively, not only relative abundances but also assessments of general metabolic activity for each of these groups were obtained. Hybridizations with a positive control probe binding to all bacteria showed that in the activated-sludge samples examined, 70 to 80% of the Hoechst-stained cells could unambiguously be identified by this method. The majority of the detected cells (approximately 40%) were beta-subclass Proteobacteria. Flow cytometric and microscopic counts were in general agreement. Discrepancies were found in particular for those populations that occurred predominantly in flocs (alpha subclass of the Proteobacteria) or chains (Acinetobacter spp.). Although the dispersal of aggregates needs to be improved, flow cytometry combined with rRNA-based in situ probing appears to be a powerful tool for the rapid and highly automated analysis of the microbial communities in activated sludge.