Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of the mar-sox-rob Regulon in Regulating Outer Membrane Porin Expression

ABSTRACT Multiple factors control the expression of the outer membrane porins OmpF and OmpC in Escherichia coli. In this work, we investigated the role of the mar-sox-rob regulon in regulating outer membrane porin expression in response to salicylate. We provide both genetic and physiological evidence that MarA and Rob can independently activate micF transcription in response to salicylate, leading to reduced OmpF expression. MarA was also found to repress OmpF expression through a MicF-independent pathway. In the case of OmpC, we found that its transcription was moderately increased in response to salicylate. However, this increase was independent of MarA and Rob. Finally, we found that the reduction in OmpF expression in a tolC mutant is due primarily to Rob. Collectively, this work further clarifies the coordinated role of MarA and Rob in regulating the expression of the outer membrane porins.
IgG Binding Characteristics of Rhesus Macaque FcγR

Indian rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) are routinely used in preclinical studies to evaluate therapeutic Abs and candidate vaccines. The efficacy of these interventions in many cases is known to rely heavily on the ability of Abs to interact with a set of Ab FcγR expressed on innate immune cells. Yet, despite their presumed functional importance, M. mulatta Ab receptors are largely uncharacterized, posing a fundamental limit to ensuring accurate interpretation and translation of results from studies in this model. In this article, we describe the binding characteristics of the most prevalent allotypic variants of M. mulatta FcγR for binding to both human and M. mulatta IgG of varying subclasses. The resulting determination of the affinity, specificity, and glycan sensitivity of these receptors promises to be useful in designing and evaluating studies of candidate vaccines and therapeutic Abs in this key animal model and exposes significant evolutionary divergence between humans and macaques.
An Asymptotic Analysis of the Period-Doubling Secondary Bifurcation in a Film/Substrate Bilayer

It has previously been observed experimentally and simulated numerically that when a thin film bonded to a much softer substrate is subjected to a uni-axial compression parallel to the interface, the initial buckled pattern will suffer a secondary bifurcation that doubles the period of the original pattern when the compressive strain reaches a critical value. This period-doubling phenomenon is analyzed in this paper using an asymptotically self-consistent approach based on the exact theory of nonlinear elasticity. The predicted critical strain based on a four-term expansion shows good agreement with that obtained using fully numerical simulations, and it is demonstrated that four is the minimum number of terms that should be included in order to give realistic predications. Although our illustrative calculations are conducted for neo-Hookean materials, the proposed approach can deal with any material models and can be extended to higher orders.
Interaction of Arsenic with Zinc and Organics in a Rice (Oryza sativa L.)—Cultivated Field in India

A laboratory experiment on an Inceptisol with pH 7.6, organic carbon 6.8 g kg-1, and 0.5 M NaHCO3 extractable arsenic 0.4 mg kg-1 was conducted to study the interaction effect of graded levels of arsenic (0, 5, and 10 mg kg-1) with zinc (0, 10, and 20 mg kg-1) and organics (0, 1, and 2% on soil weight basis) separately on the mobilization of arsenic in soils.The results show that the amount of 0.5 M NaHCO3 extractable arsenic at pH 8.5 increased with the progress of submergence up to 35 days. However, the increase in arsenic concentration was correlated with decreasing application of graded levels of Zn as zinc sulfate. The intensity of reduction varied with varying levels of Zn, being higher (0.73—2.72 mg kg-1) in the treatment where Zn was at 10 mg kg-1 and lower (0.70—1.08 mg kg-1) with Zn at 20 mg kg-1 application.The amount of arsenic content in the soil significantly decreased with the application of varying levels of organics. However, such depressive effect was found more pronounced with well-decomposed farm yard manure than that of vermicompost. The results of field experiments showed that the grain yield between continuous flooding (4.84 t ha-1) and intermittent flooding up to 40 days after transplanting then continuous flooding (4.83 t ha-1) with the application of ZnSO4 at 25 kg ha-1 did not vary. The lowest grain yield (3.65 t ha-1) was recorded in the treatment where intermittent flooding was maintained throughout the growth period without the application of Zn. The amount of arsenic content was, however, recorded much lower in the treatment where intermittent flooding throughout the growth period was maintained with ZnSO4.
Explicit and Implicit Grammar Teaching Strategies: New Empirical Data.

WHEN FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS are preparing curricula or supervising student teachers, the question of how to teach grammar is often the central issue. In addition, the concepts and terminology which abound today in foreign language teaching, such as "proficiency," "communicative competence," "cognitive approach," "natural approach," add to the sense of confusion about the role of teaching grammar in today's foreign language class. It is vital that foreign language teachers regain a sense of what kinds of grammar teaching strategies best facilitate learning in the classroom in order to orient their teaching toward a realistic, empirically sound approach. While there are many different grammar teaching strategies that are currently being used in high school and college foreign language classrooms, there are essentially two basic approaches, namely explicit and implicit. An explicit approach to teaching grammar insists upon the value of deliberate study of a grammar rule, either by deductive analysis or inductive analogy, in order to organize linguistic elements efficiently and accurately.1 An implicit approach, by contrast, is one which suggests that students should be exposed to grammatical structures in a meaningful and comprehensible context in order that they may acquire, as naturally as possible, the grammar of the target language.2 Scott's article, "An Empirical Study of Explicit and Implicit Teaching Strategies in Foreign Language Education" compares explicit and implicit grammar teaching strategies. Two groups of students listened to specific grammar structures presented explicitly and implicitly. The students under the explicit teaching condition heard rules and example sentences of a given grammar structure while the students under the implicit teaching condition heard a story with the same grammar structure embedded in the text naturally and frequently. Even though the students under the implicit condition heard ten times more examples of the target structure than the students under the explicit condition, a comparison of mean scores of students under each condition revealed a statistically significant difference, with the students under the explicit teaching condition performing better.3 This result provides tangible evidence that implicit grammar teaching strategies, which require that students listen to a grammar structure repeated in a natural context, do not promote learning of the targeted struc-
Results of a high-resolution genome screen of 437 Alzheimer's disease families.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder of late life with complex inheritance. Mutations in three known genes lead to the rare early-onset autosomal dominant form of AD, while a common polymorphism (epsilon 4) in the gene encoding apolipoprotein E (APOE ) is a risk factor for more typical late-onset (>60 years) AD. A recent study concluded that there are up to four additional genes with an equal or greater contribution to the disease. We performed a 9 cM genome screen of 437 families with AD, the full National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) sample, which has been carefully ascertained, evaluated and followed by our group over the last decade. Performing standard parametric and non-parametric linkage analyses, we observed a 'highly significant' linkage peak by Lander and Kruglyak criteria on chromosome 19q13, which probably represents APOE. Twelve additional locations-on 1q23, 3p26, 4q32, 5p14, 6p21, 6q27, 9q22, 10q24, 11q25, 14q22, 15q26 and 21q22-met criteria for 'suggestive' linkage [i.e. two-point lod score (TLS) >/=1.9 and/or multipoint lod score (MLS) >/=2.2] in at least one of our analyses. Although some of these will surely prove to be false positives, these linkage signals should provide a valuable framework for future studies aimed at identifying additional susceptibility genes for late-onset AD.
Cleavage of endoplasmic reticulum proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma: Detection of generated fragments in patient sera.

BACKGROUND & AIMS In the past decade, there has been a rising incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and a progressive increase in HCC-related mortality in the United States and Western Europe. The poor survival of patients with HCC is largely related to the lack of reliable tools for early diagnosis. METHODS We have applied proteomics tools to the comparative analysis of protein profiles between HCC and adjacent nontumor tissues as a means for discovering novel molecular markers. RESULTS Forty-seven protein spots that showed reproducible variation were identified by mass spectrometry, corresponding to 23 distinct genes. A positive correlation between transcript and protein level variations was observed for only 7 out of the 23 genes. Proteolytic cleavage accounted for the discrepancies between messenger RNA and protein level changes for 7 genes including calreticulin, PDIA3, PDI, and GRP78. We detected a fragment of each of these 4 endoplasmic reticulum proteins in the culture supernatant of the PLC-PRF5 hepatoma cell line, suggesting that their cleavage leads to release of selected cleaved products in the extracellular compartment. We also detected calreticulin and PDIA3 cleavage products in sera of patients with HCC. A statistically highly significant difference in calreticulin and PDIA3 fragment serum levels between patients with HCC and healthy individuals was observed. Amounts of calreticulin and PDIA3 fragments were also significantly different between patients with HCC and at-risk patients (patients with chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis). CONCLUSIONS Specific isoforms in general and cleavage products in particular should therefore be further evaluated as new markers for HCC.
Linear Variable Filter Based on a Gradient Grating Period Guided-Mode Resonance Filter

In this letter, we fabricated and characterized a linear variable filter based on a guided-mode resonance filter (GMRF) with gradient grating periods. The GMRF was first fabricated through nanoreplica molding on a plastic substrate, which was followed by the deposition of a thin TiO2 film. The grating periods of the GMRF vary from 250 to 550 nm with a 2-nm increment in each period consisting of 100 cycles. The results show that a 6-mm-long GMRF has a filtering range of 506-915 nm.
The Effects of Bursts of Loud Noise on a Continuous Visual Task

Nowadays there are many situations in which men doing mental work with visual material are sub jected to brief loud noises heard at irregular intervals from a source close at hand. The study described in this paper was directed at two questions arising from these working conditions. (1) Does the noise interfere with levels of individual efficiency ? (2) If any such adverse effects are evident, are the men already making the maximum effort to deal with the distracting noise or could they be warned and encouraged to overcome it ? (It is often useful to detect as far as possible any differences between what people will do and what they can do.) Research into the psychological effects of loud noise on human performance has generally been concerned with noise presented over a moderately prolonged period of time? a few minutes, an hour, or even a working day. Smith (1950), however, used bursts of sound lasting from 10 to 50 seconds, given at irregular intervals to a group doing paper tests of matching and form-assembling. The intensity was 100 db. , heard through speakers, one on either side of the test room. The subjects' hearing was not tested, but a control group was used. Test results from the experimental group were quantitatively better and qualitatively worse than the controls, but it was concluded that the differences were negligible for practical purposes. A report from the National Defence Research Council (U.S.A.) in 1942 des cribed two experiments to test the hypothesis that sudden and continued loud sounds, such as en countered in battle, might have harmful effects on the accuracy of tracking and range finding. The sounds lasted two to three minutes, intensities ranged from 100 to 130 db. Subjects indicated physiological effects, but test performance did not deteriorate. The present author has not been able to trace any work demonstrating psychological methods of combating the effects of short bursts of sound. The experiment described below was designed primarily to discover whether brief loud noise affected performance in a visual task. It was fol lowed by a further test to investigate whether alert ing and encouraging the operator could assist in combating these effects.
Efficient trans-Complementation of the Flavivirus Kunjin NS5 Protein but Not of the NS1 Protein Requires Its Coexpression with Other Components of the Viral Replicase

ABSTRACT Successful trans-complementation of the defective Kunjin virus (KUN) RNA FLdGDD with a deletion of the RNA polymerase motif GDD in the NS5 gene by using a BHK cell line, repBHK, that continuously produced a functionally active KUN replication complex (RC) from replicon RNA was recently reported (A. A. Khromykh, M. T. Kenney, and E. G. Westaway, J. Virol. 72:7270–7279, 1998). In order to identify whether this complementation of FLdGDD RNA was provided by the wild-type NS5 protein alone or with the help of other nonstructural (NS) proteins also expressed in repBHK cells, we generated BHK cell lines stably producing the individual NS5 protein (SRns5BHK) or the NS1-NS5 polyprotein (SRns1-5BHK) by using a heterologous expression vector based on a modified noncytopathic Sindbis replicon. Western blot analysis with anti-NS5 antibodies showed that the level of production of NS5 was significantly higher in SRns5BHK cells than in SRns1-5BHK cells. Despite the higher level of expressed NS5,trans-complementation of FLdGDD RNA was much less efficient in SRns5BHK cells than in SRns1-5BHK cells and produced at least 100-fold less of the secreted complemented virus. In contrast, efficient complementation of KUN RNA with lethal cysteine-to-alanine mutations in the NS1 gene was achieved both in BHK cells producing the individual KUN NS1 protein from the Sindbis replicon vector and in repBHK cells, with both cell lines expressing similar amounts of NS1 protein. These results clearly demonstrate that flavivirus NS5 coexpressed with other components of the viral replicase possesses much higher functional (trans-complementing) activity than individually expressed NS5 and that efficienttrans-complementation of mutated flavivirus NS1 and NS5 proteins occurs by different mechanisms. The results are interpreted and discussed in relation to our proposed model of formation of the flavivirus RC largely based on previous ultrastructural and biochemical analyses of KUN replication.
Randomized comparison of transurethral electroresection and holmium: YAG laser vaporization for symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the safety and efficacy of holmium:YAG laser vaporization v transurethral electroresection (TURP) for benign prostatic hyperplasia. PATIENTS AND METHODS Thirty-six patients were randomized. Two laser procedures (60 to 80 W) were performed for one TURP. Symptom Score, peak flow rate, potency, and ejaculation status were measured at baseline and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS The mean operative time was 75 minutes for laser and 56 minutes for TURP (P = 0.0407). With a mean laser energy delivered of 103.6 kJ, hemostasis was satisfactory during vaporization. The mean catheterization time was 1.7 and 2.1 days in the laser and TURP group, respectively. For the laser and TURP groups, the mean AUA Score improved from 20 preoperatively to 7 and from 24.1 to 5, respectively, at 12 months. The mean peak flow increased from 8.4 to 19.5 mL/sec and from 7.6 to 16.8 ml/sec, respectively, at 12 months. These results are not statistically different. No significant initial dysuria occurred. No significant difference between the groups appeared in potency or ejaculatory status during the follow-up. One patient in the laser group (Day 5) and two in the TURP group (2nd and 6th month) had to undergo a second procedure to relieve obstruction. CONCLUSION Although taking slightly longer to accomplish, holmium:YAG laser vaporization of BPH provides early results very similar to those of TURP with a shorter catheterization time and no initial dysuria or pain.
Regulated Pole-to-Pole Oscillations of a Bacterial Gliding Motility Protein

Little is known about directed motility of bacteria that move by type IV pilus–mediated (twitching) motility. Here, we found that during periodic cell reversals of Myxoccocus xanthus, type IV pili were disassembled at one pole and reassembled at the other pole. Accompanying these reversals, FrzS, a protein required for directed motility, moved in an oscillatory pattern between the cell poles. The frequency of the oscillations was controlled by the Frz chemosensory system, which is essential for directed motility. Pole-to-pole migration of FrzS appeared to involve movement along a filament running the length of the cell. FrzS dynamics may thus regulate cell polarity during directed motility.
Five Miles Away, A World Apart: One City, Two Schools, and the Story of Educational Opportunity in Modern America

INTRODUCTION FIVE MILES AWAY, A WORLD APART 1. Why Didn't Richmond Ever Desegregate? 2. From Consolidation to Reparation 3. Desegregating Dollars 4. Limited Choices 5. Lowering the Bar: The Standards and Testing Movement 6. In Search of Ties That Bind CONCLUSION FREEMAN AND TJ REVISITED
Suicidal strangulation by double ligature: A case report

This article reports a self-strangulation suicide in which a double complex group of ligatures was used. Although similar cases have been referenced in forensic literature, this case is notable because of the unusual method used by the victim. A 61-year-old man was found in a locked room with a double elaborate ligature comprising six wire clothes hangers completely encircling the neck and a black rubber band in a double loop. Autopsy also documented parallel superficial cut lesions in proximal forearm interpreted as hesitation marks. It stresses the importance of characteristics such as analysis of number of ligatures, position of the knots, number of knots and turns of ligature marks and the absence of any defense and relevant internal injuries inherent to suicide ligature strangulation cases.
Surgical Treatment of Congenital Coronary Artery Fistulas: 27 Years' Experience and a Review of the Literature

Abstract Background and aim of the study: A congenital coronary artery fistula (CAF) is a relatively rare congenital anomaly and is defined as an abnormal direct communication between any coronary artery and any of the cardiac chambers. This article reviews our experience over the past 27 years, as well as other literature, and discusses the surgical indications and methods relating to CAF. Methods: From 1973, 25 patients aged from 2 to 69 years underwent surgical treatment for congenital CAF. Seventeen patients were diagnosed as isolated CAF. All patients under 19 years of age with isolated CAF were asymptomatic. Twenty fistulas originated from the left coronary artery and 9 from the right. The pulmonary artery was the most dominant drainage site. Four patients among the isolated CAF cases were surgically treated without a cardiopulmonary bypass. Results: All patients were discharged from hospital without any perioperative complications. Postoperative coronary angiography was done on all patients with only one slightly residual CAF flow. The average follow‐up time was 9.6 years and all patients were asymptomatic and doing well. Conclusions: Definitive surgical correction is safe and effective, with good results. Therefore, it should be considered even in asymptomatic patients because of the risk of future complications.
Intellectual Impairment with Regional Cerebral Dysfunction after Low Neonatal Cerebral Blood Flow

Lou, H. C. , Skov, H. and Henriksen, L. (Department of Neuropaediatrics, J. F. Kennedy Institute, Glostrup, and Departments of Paediatrics and Neurology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark). Intellectual impairment with regional cerebral dysfunction after low neonatal cerebral blood flow. Acta Paediatr Scand Suppl 360: 72, 1989.
Lack of HPV in Benign and Malignant Epithelial Ovarian Tumors in Iran

Background: Ovarian epithelial tumors one of the most common gynecological neoplasms; we here evaluated the presence of HPV in benign and malignant examples. Methods: In this cross-sectional study the records of 105 patients with epithelial ovarian tumors (benign and malignant) referred to Imam Hossein University Hospital from 2012 to 2015 were evaluated along with assessment of the presence of the HPV infection using PCR. Results: Among 105 patients, comprising 26 (24.8%) with malignant and 79 (75.2%) with benign lesions, the factors found to impact on malignancy were age at diagnosis, age at first pregnancy, number of pregnancies and hormonal status. However, malignancies was not related to abortion, late menopause, and early menarche. In none of the ovarian tissues (benign and malignant) was HPV DNA found. Conclusion: In this study HPV DNA could not be found in any epithelial ovarian tumors (benign and malignant) removed from 105 women; more studies with larger sample size are needed for a definite conclusion.
Surface changes of metal alloys and high-strength ceramics after ultrasonic scaling and intraoral polishing

PURPOSE This study was to evaluate the effect of repeated ultrasonic scaling and surface polishing with intraoral polishing kits on the surface roughness of three different restorative materials. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 15 identical discs were fabricated with three different materials. The ultrasonic scaling was conducted for 20 seconds on the test surfaces. Subsequently, a multi-step polishing with recommended intraoral polishing kit was performed for 30 seconds. The 3D profiler and scanning electron microscopy were used to investigate surface integrity before scaling (pristine), after scaling, and after surface polishing for each material. Non-parametric Friedman and Wilcoxon signed rank sum tests were employed to statistically evaluate surface roughness changes of the pristine, scaled, and polished specimens. The level of significance was set at 0.05. RESULTS Surface roughness values before scaling (pristine), after scaling, and polishing of the metal alloys were 3.02±0.34 µm, 2.44±0.72 µm, and 3.49±0.72 µm, respectively. Surface roughness of lithium disilicate increased from 2.35±1.05 µm (pristine) to 28.54±9.64 µm (scaling), and further increased after polishing (56.66±9.12 µm, P<.05). The zirconia showed the most increase in roughness after scaling (from 1.65±0.42 µm to 101.37±18.75 µm), while its surface roughness decreased after polishing (29.57±18.86 µm, P<.05). CONCLUSION Ultrasonic scaling significantly changed the surface integrities of lithium disilicate and zirconia. Surface polishing with multi-step intraoral kit after repeated scaling was only effective for the zirconia, while it was not for lithium disilicate.