Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recombinant Yersinia YopT Leads to Uncoupling of RhoA-Effector Interaction

ABSTRACT Yersinia enterocolitica, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, and Yersinia pestis deliver different Yop (Yersinia outer proteins) effector proteins into mammalian cells by a type III secretion mechanism. Recently, it was shown thatYersinia producing YopT leads to disruption of the actin cytoskeleton of HeLa cells (M. Iriarte and G. R. Cornelis, Mol. Microbiol. 29:915–929, 1998). To analyze the molecular mechanism of YopT, we cloned and expressed YopT as a glutathioneS-transferase fusion protein. Recombinant YopT caused rounding up of embryonic bovine lung cells and redistribution of the actin cytoskeleton rapidly after microinjection. The Escherichia coli cytotoxic necrotizing factor (CNF1), which constitutively activates Rho proteins, was not able to inhibit or revert YopT-induced cell rounding. YopT caused release of RhoA from embryonic bovine lung membranes and released recombinant isoprenylated RhoA from artificial PE or PE/PIP2 vesicles. Incubation of lysate or cytosol with YopT caused inhibition of the RhoA-rhotekin interaction but led to increased RhoA-RhoGDI interaction. It is suggested that inhibition of the interaction between RhoA and effectors is the underlying mechanism of the YopT action on the cytoskeleton.
Local properties of economic NMPC, dissipativity and dynamic programming

Classical model predictive control (MPC) implementations rely on a quadratic, positive definite cost function. In economic MPC on the contrary, the stage cost can be any generic function. Recent research has focused on establishing the conditions for stability of economic MPC where strict dissipativity has been shown to play an important role. In this paper, starting from the linear quadratic case and successively extending the analysis to the nonlinear case, we attempt at clarifying the relationship between strict dissipativity and the properties of the MPC optimal control problem.
A Renter or Homeowner Nation?

This article performs an exercise in which we identify the potential impact of key drivers of home ownership rates on home ownership outcomes by 2050. We take no position on whether these key determinants in fact will come about. Rather we perform an exercise in which we test for their impact. We demonstrate the result of shifts in three key drivers for home ownership forecasts: demographics (projected from the census), credit conditions (reflected in the fast and slow scenarios), and rents and housing cost increases (based on California). Our base case average scenario forecasts a decrease in home ownership to 57.9 percent by 2050, but alternate simulations show that it is possible for the home ownership rate to decline from current levels of around 64 percent to around 50 percent by 2050, 20 percentage points less than at its peak in 2004. Projected declines in home ownership are about equally due to demographic shifts, continuation of recent credit conditions, and potential rent and house price increases over the long term. The current and post WW II normal of two out of three households owning may also be in our future: if credit conditions improve, if (as we move to a majority-minority nation) minorities' economic endowments move toward replicating those of majority households, and if recent rent growth relative to income stabilizes.
Independent and Interactive Association of Blood Antioxidants and Oxidative Damage in Elderly People

Oxidative stress is recognized as one of the major contributors to the increased risk of several diseases. Many recent population studies have established a close link between antioxidant defense and lowered risk of morbidity and mortality from cancer and heart disease, but little is known about the cooperative interactions of antioxidants. We examined the cross-sectional independent and interactive association of serum lipid-soluble antioxidant levels and free radical scavenging enzymes to serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, as a marker of oxidative damage. The participants were 160 nonsmoker institutionalized elderly. Upper tertile values of erythrocyte-superoxide-dismutase (E-SOD) constituted the strongest-associated single compound with a 74% decreased risk of high MDA. Upper tertiles of carotenoids and f -tocopherol independently showed a similar lowering of risk of about 57%. The highest tertiles of lycopene and either g -carotene or f -tocopherol simultaneously reveal a higher decreased risk for oxidative damage (74 and 71%, respectively), very similar to those in the upper tertiles of all these three vitamins (75%). This study represents one of the few attempts to date to understand the interactive effect between antioxidants and suggests that lipid-soluble antioxidants act not individually, but rather cooperatively with each other. The efficacy of this interaction is more effective when lycopene is present.
Parents’ perceptions of eating skills of pre-term vs full-term infants from birth to 3 years

Abstract Difficulties with feeding and eating are more common among pre-term infants compared with full-term infants. The primary objective of this study was to describe parents’ perceptions of developmental eating patterns and occurrence of eating difficulties in a group of pre-term infants, compared with a control group. A parent questionnaire was administered for a study group (27 pre-term infants born between 28–33 weeks gestation) and a control group (29 full-term infants born between 38–41 weeks gestation). Parents of the pre-term children reported significantly more problems with early feeding, but only half of them reported that their infants received intervention to aid their feeding development during neonatal care. At 3 years of age the pre-term children weighed significantly less than the full-term children, but their parents were more satisfied with their eating habits and portion sizes than the control group parents. This finding may reflect differing parenting experiences between the two groups rather than an actual difference in eating skills. It suggests that parents of pre- term infants would benefit from practical guidance in supporting their premature infants in developing eating skills. Future studies using objective measures are recommended to verify the findings reported here.
Chapter 6 Extending Cosmology : The Metric Approach

In this chapter it is reviewed a possible physical scenario for which the introduction of a fundamental constant of nature with dimensions of acceleration into the theory of gravity makes it possible to extend gravity in a very consistent manner. In the non-relativistic regime a MOND-like theory with a modification in the force sector is obtained. This description turns out to be the the weak-field limit of a more general metric relativistic theory of gravity. The mass and length scales involved in the dynamics of the whole universe require small accelerations which are of the order of Milgrom’s acceleration constant and so, it turns out that this relativistic theory of gravity can be used to explain the expansion of the universe. In this work it is explained how to build that relativistic theory of gravity in such a way that the overall large-scale dynamics of the universe can be treated in a pure metric approach without the need to introduce dark matter and/or dark energy components.
'They all look alike to me': prejudice and cross-race face recognition.

We investigated whether prejudice level influences the size of the other-race effect (poorer recognition of other-race compared with own-race faces). Previous studies, using self-report measures of prejudice, failed to find a relationship between prejudice and the other-race effect. We used an implicit prejudice measure, developed by Fazio, Jackson, Dunton, and Williams (1995), to determine whether implicit prejudice influences the size of the other-race effect. A self-report measure of prejudice, Walker's (1994) Attitudes to Asians Scale, was also included to replicate previous results. A group of 30 high prejudice and 30 low prejudice Caucasian participants, as determined by the self-report measure, were run through a procedure which assesses implicit prejudice and recognition performance at the same time. Neither implicit nor self-reported prejudice level influenced the size of the other-race effect. Unexpectedly, implicit and self-report prejudice influenced (in opposite ways) recognition of own-race faces. The implications of these results for understanding the other-race effect are discussed.
Survey of owner motivations and veterinary input of owners feeding diets containing raw animal products

Background The practice of feeding of diets containing raw animal products (RAP) to pets (dogs and cats) is discouraged by veterinary organizations and governmental public health organizations. Nevertheless, the practice of feeding RAP to pets is increasing in popularity. Pet owner motivations for feeding RAP diets to pets have not been explored and the benefits of RAP diets remain largely anecdotal. We hypothesized that pet owners feeding RAP diets would not rely on veterinary advice in choosing their pet’s diet. We also hypothesized that these owners would have lower levels of trust in veterinary advice with respect to nutrition relative to pet owners not feeding RAP. Methods An anonymous web-based survey was developed to identify pet owner motivations for feeding RAP diets, and to characterize the veterinarian-client relationships of individuals feeding RAP diets. Results There were 2,337 respondents and 2,171 completed surveys. Of survey respondents, 804 reported feeding RAP at the time of the survey. While 20% of pet owners feeding RAP relied on online resources to determine what or how much RAP to feed, only 9% reported consulting with a veterinarian in making decisions about feeding RAP. Pet owners feeding RAP reported lower levels of trust in veterinary advice both ‘in general’ and ‘with respect to nutrition’ than pet owners not feeding RAP. Most pet owners reported that a discussion regarding their pet’s nutrition does not occur at every veterinary appointment. Discussion Pet owners feeding a RAP diet have lower trust in veterinary advice than pet owners not feeding a RAP diet. Owners feeding RAP are more reliant on online resources than their own veterinarian in deciding what and how much RAP to feed. Pet owners perceive that nutrition is not discussed at most veterinary appointments. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the veterinarian-client communication with regards to nutrition.
[Discrepancy between radiological and pathological sizes of renal masses].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the differences between tumor sizes measured by preoperative computed tomography (CT) imaging and pathologic examination of surgical specimens in Chinese patients who received extirpative surgery for renal tumors. METHODS From September 2008 to September 2010, 204 patients with renal tumors treated in the Renji Hospital were enrolled in this study, and their clinicopathological data were collected and analyzed. The paired Student's t-test was used to compare the mean radiological tumor maximum diameter and the mean pathological tumor maximum diameter. All cases in which post-operative down-staging or up-staging occurred due to the discrepancy between radiological and pathological tumor maximum diameters were identified. In addition, the relationship between radiological and pathological tumor maximum diameters and histological subtypes was analyzed. RESULTS Overall, the radiological mean maximum diameter of tumors on CT was 48.3 mm and the pathological mean maximum diameter was 47.0 mm. On average, CT overestimated pathological size by 1.3 mm (P = 0.018). CT overestimated pathological tumor size in 111 (54.4%) patients, underestimated in 71 (34.8%) patients and equal pathological size in 22 (10.8%) patients. Among the 190 patients with pT1 or pT2 tumors, there was a discrepancy between clinical and pathological staging in 35 (18.4%) patients. Of these, 29 (15.3%) patients were down-staged post-operatively and 6 (3.2%) were up-staged. When subjects were categorized according to radiographic tumor size associated with clinical stage, statistically significant difference (average of 1.76 mm) was observed between radiographic and pathologic maximum diameters ranging 41-70 mm (P = 0.035). For clear cell carcinoma, mean radiographic tumor maximum diameter was significantly larger than the pathologic maximum diameter by 1.69 mm (P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS There is a statistically significant but small difference (1.3 mm) between mean radiological and mean pathological tumor maximum diameters. For some patients, this difference leads to a discrepancy between clinical and pathological staging, which may have implications on pre-operative clinical decision and prognosis prediction.
Racial Disparities in VA Service Connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Disability

Background. “Service connected” veterans are those with documented, compensative conditions related to or aggravated by military service, and they receive priority for enrollment into the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system. For some veterans, service connection represents the difference between access to VA health care facilities and no access. Objectives. To determine whether there are racial discrepancies in the granting of service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by the Department of Veterans Affairs and, if so, to determine whether these discrepancies could be attributed to appropriate subject characteristics, such as differences in PTSD symptom severity or functional status. Research Design. Mailed survey linked to administrative data. Claims audits were conducted on 11% of the sample. Setting and Subjects. The study comprised 2700 men and 2700 women randomly selected from all veterans filing PTSD disability claims between January 1, 1994 and December 31, 1998. Results. A total of 3337 veterans returned useable surveys, of which 17% were black. Only 16% of respondents carried private health insurance, and 44% reported incomes of $20,000 or less. After adjusting for respondents’ sociodemographic characteristics, symptom severity, functional status, and trauma histories, black persons’ rate of service connection for PTSD was 43% compared with 56% for other respondents (P = 0.003). Conclusion. Black persons’ rates of service connection for PTSD were substantially lower than other veterans even after adjusting for differences in PTSD severity and functional status.
Designing gamification: creating gameful and playful experiences

In recent years, gamification - the use of game design elements in non-game contexts - has seen rapid adoption in the software industry, as well as a growing body of research on its uses and effects. However, little is known about the effective design of such gameful systems, including whether their evaluation requires special approaches. This workshop therefore convenes researchers and industry practitioners to identify current practices, challenges, and open research questions in the design of gameful systems.
Glycosylated Hydroxytryptophan in a Mussel Adhesive Protein from Perna viridis*

The 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-l-alanine (Dopa)-containing proteins of mussel byssus play a critical role in wet adhesion and have inspired versatile new synthetic strategies for adhesives and coatings. Apparently, however, not all mussel adhesive proteins are beholden to Dopa chemistry. The cDNA-deduced sequence of Pvfp-1, a highly aromatic and redox active byssal coating protein in the green mussel Perna viridis, suggests that Dopa may be replaced by a post-translational modification of tryptophan. The N-terminal tryptophan-rich domain of Pvfp-1 contains 42 decapeptide repeats with the consensus sequences ATPKPW1TAW2K and APPPAW1TAW2K. A small collagen domain (18 Gly-X-Y repeats) is also present. Tandem mass spectrometry of isolated tryptic decapeptides has detected both C2-hexosylated tryptophan (W1) and C2-hexosylated hydroxytryptophan (W2), the latter of which is redox active. The UV absorbance spectrum of W2 is consistent with 7-hydroxytryptophan, which represents an intriguing new theme for bioinspired opportunistic wet adhesion.
Cell Cycle Modulation in the Response of the Primary Root of Arabidopsis to Salt Stress1

Salt stress inhibits plant growth and development. We investigated the importance of cell cycle regulation in mediating the primary root growth response of Arabidopsis to salt stress. When seedlings were transferred to media with increasing concentrations of NaCl, root growth rate was progressively reduced. At day 3 after transfer of seedlings to growth medium containing 0.5% NaCl the primary roots grew at a constant rate well below that prior to the transfer, whereas those transferred to control medium kept accelerating. Kinematic analysis revealed that the growth reduction of the stressed roots was due to a decrease in cell production and a smaller mature cell length. Surprisingly, average cell cycle duration was not affected. Hence, the reduced cell production was due to a smaller number of dividing cells, i.e. a meristem size reduction. To analyze the mechanism of meristem size adaptation prior to day 3, we investigated the short-term cell cycle events following transfer to saline medium. Directly after transfer cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) activity and CYCB1;2 promoter activity were transiently reduced. Because protein levels of both CDKA;1 and CDKB1;1 were not affected, the temporary inhibition of mitotic activity that allows adaptation to the stress condition is most likely mediated by posttranslational control of CDK activity. Thus, the adaptation to salt stress involves two phases: first, a rapid transient inhibition of the cell cycle that results in fewer cells remaining in the meristem. When the meristem reaches the appropriate size for the given conditions, cell cycle duration returns to its default.
Pesticide regulations for agriculture: Chemically flawed regulatory practice

ABSTRACT Two categories of pesticide soil models now exist. Government regulatory agencies use pesticide fate and transport hydrology models, including versions of PRZM.gw. They have good descriptions of pesticide transport by water flow. Their descriptions of chemical mechanisms are unrealistic, having been postulated using the universally accepted but incorrect pesticide soil science. The objective of this work is to report experimental tests of a pesticide soil model in use by regulatory agencies and to suggest possible improvements. Tests with experimentally based data explain why PRZM.gw predictions can be wrong by orders of magnitude. Predictive spreadsheet models are the other category. They are experimentally based, with chemical stoichiometry applied to integral kinetic rate laws for sorption, desorption, intra-particle diffusion, and chemical reactions. They do not account for pesticide transport through soils. Each category of models therefore lacks what the other could provide. They need to be either harmonized or replaced. Some preliminary tests indicate that an experimental mismatch between the categories of models will have to be resolved. Reports of pesticides in the environment and the medical problems that overlap geographically indicate that government regulatory practice needs to account for chemical kinetics and mechanisms. Questions about possible cause and effect links could then be investigated.
Psychometric properties of a Chinese version of the home environment measure for motor development

Purpose. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Affordance in the Home Environment for Motor Development – Toddler version (AHEMD-Toddler-C) for children developing typically (DT) or having motor delays (MD). Methods. This was a methodology study. Parent–child dyads with DT (n == 106, mean age of 27.9 months) and with MD (n == 45, 23.6 months) were enrolled. For test-retest reliability, parents completed AHEMD-Toddler-C twice within 2 weeks. For convergent validity, correlations were analysed between AHEMD-Toddler-C and Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment Inventory (HOME), and between AHEMD-Toddler-C and family variables. Results. Test-retest reliabilities for AHEMD-Toddler-C were adequate except for Variety of Stimulation (VS) subscale. For convergent validity, the correlation coefficients between AHEMD and HOME were 0.44 (p <0.05). Two subscales of motor toys of AHEMD demonstrated convergent validity with Learning Material subscale of HOME and some family variables in children with MD. Inside Space subscale of AHEMD correlated with family variables. Outside Space (OS) subscale of AHEMD was not significantly correlated with HOME or family variables. Conclusion. AHEMD-Toddler-C is a new measure option to explore the relationships between home environment and motor development in Chinese-speaking countries. Nevertheless, VS and OS subscales should be used cautiously.
Functional Dissection of CCR5 Coreceptor Function through the Use of CD4-Independent Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Strains

ABSTRACT With rare exceptions, all simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) strains can use CCR5 as a coreceptor along with CD4 for viral infection. In addition, many SIV strains are capable of using CCR5 as a primary receptor to infect CD4-negative cells such as rhesus brain capillary endothelial cells. By using coupled fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) and infection assays, we found that even very low levels of CCR5 expression could support CD4-independent virus infection. CD4-independent viruses represent valuable tools for finely dissecting interactions between Env and CCR5 which may otherwise be masked due to the stabilization of these contacts by Env-CD4 binding. Based on the ability of SIV Env to bind to and mediate infection of cells expressing CCR5 chimeras and mutants, we identified the N terminus of CCR5 as a critical domain for direct Env binding and for supporting CD4-independent virus infection. However, the activity of N-terminal domain CCR5 mutants could be rescued by the presence of CD4, indicating that other regions of CCR5 are important for post-binding events that lead to viral entry. Rhesus CCR5 supported CD4-independent infection and direct Env binding more efficiently than did human CCR5 due to a single amino acid difference in the N terminus. Interestingly, uncleaved, oligomeric SIV Env protein bound to both CD4 and CCR5 less efficiently than did monomeric gp120. Finally, several mutations present in chronically infected monkey populations are shown to decrease the ability of CCR5 to serve as a primary viral receptor for the SIV isolates examined.