Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
NahW, a Novel, Inducible Salicylate Hydroxylase Involved in Mineralization of Naphthalene by Pseudomonas stutzeri AN10

ABSTRACT Two genes, nahG and nahW, encoding two independent salicylate 1-hydroxylases have been identified in the naphthalene-degrading strain Pseudomonas stutzeri AN10. While nahG resides in the same transcriptional unit as themeta-cleavage pathway genes, forming the naphthalene degradation lower pathway, nahW is situated outside but in close proximity to this transcriptional unit. The nahG andnahW genes of P. stutzeri AN10 are induced and expressed upon incubation with salicylate, and the enzymes that are encoded, NahG and NahW, are involved in naphthalene and salicylate metabolism. Both genes, nahG and nahW, have been cloned in Escherichia coli JM109. The overexpression of these genes yields peptides with apparent molecular masses of 46 kDa (NahG) and 43 kDa (NahW), respectively. Both enzymes exhibit broad substrate specificities and metabolize salicylate, methylsalicylates, and chlorosalicylates. However, the relative rates by which the substituted analogs are transformed differ considerably.
Finite Length Analysis of Rateless Codes and Their Application in Wireless Networks

Mobile communication systems are undergoing revolutionary developments as a result of the rapidly growing demands for high data rates and reliable communication connections. The key features of the next-generation mobile communication systems are provision of high-speed and robust communication links. However, wireless communications still need to address the same challenge–unreliable communication connections, arising from a number of causes including noise, interference, and distortion because of hardware imperfections or physical limitations. Forwarding error correction (FEC) codes are used to protect source information by adding redundancy. With FEC codes, errors among the transmitted message can be corrected by the receiver. Recent work has shown that, by applying rateless codes (a class of FEC codes), wireless transmission efficiency and reliability can be dramatically improved. Unlike traditional codes, rateless codes can adapt to different channel conditions. Rateless codes have been widely used in many multimedia broadcast/multicast applications. Among the known rateless codes, two types of codes stand out: Luby transform (LT) codes and Raptor codes. However, our understanding of LT codes and Raptor codes is still incomplete due to the lack of complete theoretical analysis on the decoding error performance of these codes. Particularly, this thesis focuses on the decoding error performance of these codes under maximum likelihood (ML) decoding, which provides a benchmark on the optimum system performance for gauging other decoding schemes. In this thesis, we discuss the effectiveness of rateless codes in
Bifurcations in Dc-dc Switching converters: Review of Methods and Applications

This paper presents, in a tutorial manner, nonlinear phenomena such as bifurcations and chaotic behavior in DC–DC switching converters. Our purpose is to present the different modeling approaches, the main results found in the last years and some possible practical applications. A comparison of the different models is given and their accuracy in predicting nonlinear behavior is discussed. A general Poincare map is considered to model any multiple configuration of DC–DC switching converters and its Jacobian matrix is derived for stability analysis. More emphasis is done in the discrete-time approach as it gives more accurate prediction of bifurcations. The results are reproduced for different examples of DC–DC switching converters studied in the literature. Some methods of controlling bifurcations are applied to stabilize Unstable Periodic Orbits (UPOs) embedded in the dynamics of the system. Statistical analysis of these systems working in the chaotic regime is discussed. An extensive list of references i.
Contributions to the Analysis of Scaling Laws and Quality of Service in Networks: Experimental and Theoretical Aspects. (Contributions à l'analyse des lois d'échelles et de la qualité de service dans les réseaux : aspects expérimentaux et théoriques)

Dans le contexte actuel d'expansion rapide de l'Internet, la comprehension profonde des proprietes statistiques du trafic reseau est essentielle pour que les fournisseurs d'acces puisse offrir la meilleure Qualite de Service possible aux utilisateurs. Une avancee majeure dans cette direction a ete la decouverte en 1993 de l'auto-similarite du trafic, suivie en 1997 par le modele ON/OFF qui interprete cette propriete par les tailles de fichiers a queue lourde. Bien qu'ils soient d'un grand interet, de tels modeles mathematiques s'appuient necessairement sur des hypotheses simplificatrices qui peuvent en limiter l'applicabilite en situation reelle, en particulier du fait de la complexite du protocole TCP. Dans cette these, nous utilisons une approche hybride, basee sur la combinaison de traces de trafic reelles, d'experiences controlees et de modeles theoriques, pour aborder certaines questions ouvertes sur le trafic reseau et la Qualite de Service. Nos experiences utilisent une plate-forme controlable a grande echelle et un systeme performant de capture du trafic. Nous abordons dans un premier temps des questions liees au trafic agrege : nous etendons les modeles existants de longue memoire et nous proposons un estimateur du parametre de sueue lourde sous echantillonnage. Nous etudions ensuite empiriquement l'impact de la longue memoire et des queues lourdes sur la Qualite de Service. Nous nous tournons enfin vers le trafic d'une seule source TCP et montrons, a l'aide d'un principe de grances deviations, qu'il peut etre finement caracterise par une structure multifractale reliee au mecanisme de controle AIMD, et naturellement reproduite par des modeles markoviens.
Longevity Expectations and Death: Can People Predict Their Own Demise?

Using four waves of the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) this paper tests whether longevity expectations predict actual mortality at the individual level. The results suggest longevity expectations do predict mortality reasonably well. Serious health shocks and new activity limitations do reduce longevity expectations. Given one is prepared to accept that other unobserved causal factors have the same means for those who die and those who survive in each wave it is possible to test whether longevity expectations can serve as a sufficient statistic. The test findings imply that they do not appear to reflect all that individuals know about their personal odds of living to seventy-five.
8q24 Copy number gains and expression of the c‐myc mRNA stabilizing protein CRD‐BP in primary breast carcinomas

The coding region determinant binding protein (CRD‐BP) was isolated by virtue of its high affinity to the c‐myc mRNA coding region stability determinant and shown to shield this message from nucleolytic attack, prolonging its half‐life. CRD‐BP is normally expressed during fetal life but is also activated de novo in tumors. Considering that aberrant CRD‐BP expression may represent an additional mechanism interfering with c‐myc regulation, we screened 118 primary breast carcinomas for CRD‐BP expression, 60 of which had also been analyzed by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). Copy number gains encompassing 8q24, the chromosome band that contains the c‐myc locus, were detected in 48.3% (29/60) of tumors, whereas gains involving band 17q21, which contains the CRD‐BP locus, were observed in 18.3% (11/60) of tumors. CRD‐BP expression was detected in 58.5% (69/118) of tumors, implying mechanisms of activation alternative to gene amplification. Altogether, some 75% of the tumors had alterations pertaining to c‐myc since they either harbored 8q24 gains and/or expressed CRD‐BP. Significant associations were detected between CRD‐BP expression and the absence of estrogen receptors (p = 0.005) and between the presence of 8q24 gains and an increased number of genomic changes as measured by CGH (p = 0.0017). Tumors were divided into 4 groups according to CRD‐BP expression and 8q24 gains. The odds for tumors having both characteristics to be classified as poorly differentiated (grade III vs. grade I and II) were 19.6 times the corresponding odds for tumors neither expressing CRD‐BP nor harboring 8q24 gains. For tumors either harboring 8q24 gains only or expressing CRD‐BP alone, the corresponding odds were 6.4 and 3, respectively. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Hyperglycaemic emergency admissions to a secondary-Level hospital—an unnecessary financial burden

Background and objectives. Diabetes affects approximately 1 million South Africans. Hospital admissions, the largest single item of diabetes expenditure, are often precipitated by hyperglycaemic emergencies. A recent survey of a 200-bed hospital, serving approximately 1.3 million Cape Town residents, showed that hyperglycaemic emergencies comprised 25.6% of high-care unit admissions. A study was undertaken to determine the reasons for, and financial cost of, these admissions. Methods. All hyperglycaemic admissions during a 2-month period (1 September—31 October 2005) were surveyed prospectively. Admissions were classified using the American Diabetes Association classification of hyperglycaemic emergencies. Demographic data, and the reason for, duration of and primary outcome of admission, were recorded. The following costs per admission were calculated using public-sector pricing: (i) total costs; (ii) patient-specific costs; (iii) non-patient-specific costs; and (iv) capital costs. Results. Sepsis (36%), non-compliance with therapy (32%) and a new diagnosis of diabetes (11%) were the predominant reasons for admission of 53 hyperglycaemic emergency cases. Mean duration of hospital stay was 4 days, with an in-hospital mortality of 7.5%. Mean cost per admission was R5 309. Clinical staff (25.8%), capital (25.6%) and overhead (34%) costs comprised 85.4% of expenditure. Discussion and recommendations. Hyperglycaemic admissions, costing more than R5 300 per patient, represent a health burden that has remained unchanged over the past 20 years. Urgently required primary care preventive strategies include early diagnosis of diabetes, timely identification and treatment of precipitating causes, specifically sepsis, and education to improve compliance.
Organization of care for acute myocardial infarction in rural and urban hospitals in Kansas.

CONTEXT One in 4 Americans lives in a rural community and relies on rural hospitals and medical systems for emergent care of acute myocardial infarctions (AMI). The infrastructure and organization of AMI care in rural and urban Kansas hospitals was examined. METHODS Using a nominal group process, key elements within hospitals that might influence quality of AMI care were identified, including personnel, equipment, organizational systems, and quality improvement activities. These elements were included in a survey of 45 rural and 12 urban Kansas hospitals. FINDINGS Though emergency 911 systems were widely available in both urban and rural communities, paramedics and advanced cardiac life support were less likely to be available in rural communities. Few rural hospitals were capable of emergent catheterization, angioplasty, or coronary artery bypass surgery; cardiologists, though readily available by phone, were rarely available on-site. Nevertheless, most rural ambulances could not bypass local hospitals. Most rural hospitals transferred the vast majority of their patients to urban medical centers within an average distance of 78 miles. Standardized protocols were used for emergent AMI care in 67% of urban and 62% of rural hospitals. Hospitals included aspirin in 53% and beta-blockers in 28% of either protocols or standing orders. CONCLUSIONS Although faced with more limited resources, some rural hospitals, like their urban counterparts, have implemented protocols to address emergent care of AMI patients. Nevertheless, many of these protocols omit crucial aspects of AMI care. Rural and urban hospitals should jointly develop systems that assure consistent, rapid delivery of AMI care.
Association of RAP1 binding sites with stringent control of ribosomal protein gene transcription in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

An amino acid limitation in bacteria elicits a global response, called stringent control, that leads to reduced synthesis of rRNA and ribosomal proteins and increased expression of amino acid biosynthetic operons. We have used the antimetabolite 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole to cause histidine limitation as a means to elicit the stringent response in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Fusions of the yeast ribosomal protein genes RPL16A, CRY1, RPS16A, and RPL25 with the Escherichia coli lacZ gene were used to show that the expression of these genes is reduced by a factor of 2 to 5 during histidine-limited exponential growth and that this regulation occurs at the level of transcription. Stringent regulation of the four yeast ribosomal protein genes was shown to be associated with a nucleotide sequence, known as the UASrpg (upstream activating sequence for ribosomal protein genes), that binds the transcriptional regulatory protein RAP1. The RAP1 binding sites also appeared to mediate the greater ribosomal protein gene expression observed in cells growing exponentially than in cells in stationary phase. Although expression of the ribosomal protein genes was reduced in response to histidine limitation, the level of RAP1 DNA-binding activity in cell extracts was unaffected. Yeast strains bearing a mutation in any one of the genes GCN1 to GCN4 are defective in derepression of amino acid biosynthetic genes in 10 different pathways under conditions of histidine limitation. These Gcn- mutants showed wild-type regulation of ribosomal protein gene expression, which suggests that separate regulatory pathways exist in S. cerevisiae for the derepression of amino acid biosynthetic genes and the repression of ribosomal protein genes in response to amino acid starvation.
The effect of hospital proximity and numbers of students on reference service in medical school libraries.

Many factors can influence the level of reference service activity. A survey of U.S. and Canadian academic medical schools was carried out to examine the effect of two variables on reference service. One variable was the proximity of a medical school library to a hospital. The second variable was the number of students admitted to the medical school. A literature search revealed no previous studies relating either the proximity of a hospital or the number of medical students enrolled to the number of reference questions received at medical school libraries.
Teachers' recognition and referral of anxiety disorders in primary school children

This study investigated the ability of primary school teachers to recognise and refer children with anxiety symptoms. Two hundred and ninety-nine primary school teachers completed a questionnaire exploring their recognition and referral responses to five hypothetical vignettes that described boys and girls with varying severity of anxiety symptoms. Results revealed that teachers were generally able to recognise and make the decision to refer children with severe levels of anxiety. However, they had difficulty distinguishing between children with moderate anxiety symptoms and a severe anxiety disorder. Female teachers were more likely to refer children than were male teachers. The implications and future research are discussed.
A controlled trial of cue exposure treatment in alcohol dependence.

The clinical effectiveness of cue exposure (CE) treatment in alcohol dependence was evaluated in a controlled trial. Thirty-five men who were detoxified and severely alcohol dependent received either CE or relaxation control (RC) treatment. CE Ss had 400 min exposure to the sight and smell of preferred drinks over 10 days in a laboratory setting. RC Ss spent identical time in the laboratory but had relaxation therapy and only 20 min exposure to alcohol cues. During 6-month follow-up, personal interview was achieved with 91% of Ss. CE Ss had a more favorable outcome than the RC Ss in terms of latency (length of time) to relapse of heavy drinking (p < .01) and total alcohol consumption (p < .05). Significant predictors of latency to heavy drinking and dependence included skin conductance level (p < .001) and experimental condition (p < .01). Results point to the potential importance of cue exposure as a treatment for addictive behavior.
Isolation and Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies Against Structural Proteins of Infectious Laryngotracheitis Virus

Abstract Thirteen infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV)-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were isolated after immunization of mice with purified infectious laryngotracheitis virions. On the basis of their reactions in western blot analyses of ILTV-infected cells, the MAbs were assigned to five different virus proteins or protein groups. Two of the viral target proteins could be identified after transient expression of cloned ILTV genes in eucaryotic cells. The MAbs of group II detected a 60-kD protein that was shown to be the ILTV homologue of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein (g)C. The MAbs of group I reacted with the positional homologue of HSV-1 gJ, which is encoded by the open reading frame (ORF) 5 gene within the unique short genome region of ILTV. The ORF 5 gene product of ILTV was previously described as a 60-kD glycoprotein (gp60), whereas multiple protein bands with apparent molecular masses of 85, 115, 160, and 200 kD were identified in the present study. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that both gC and gJ of ILTV are localized in the envelope of virus particles, whereas the 15-kD protein detected by the MAbs of group III presumably represents a tegument component. Immunofluorescence analyses of infected cells demonstrated that the epitopes of the gC- and gJ-specific MAbs are conserved in all tested ILTV isolates originating from different parts of the world and that these MAbs are also suitable for in situ antigen detection in tissues of ILTV-infected chickens. The remaining ILTV-specific MAbs recognized viral proteins of 22 kD (group IV) and 38 kD (group V) that were not further characterized up to now.
High-frequency rTMS applied over bilateral leg motor areas combined with mobility training for gait disturbance after stroke: A preliminary study

Abstract Objective: A double cone coil enables delivery of magnetic stimulation to leg motor areas and modulates neural activities of the areas. It is expected that combined application of facilitatory rTMS with the coil and physical therapy would improve walking function after stroke. The purpose of this study is to clarify the clinical effect of an in-patient protocol featuring rTMS with a double cone coil and mobility training for gait disturbance after stroke. Subjects and methods: Nineteen post-stroke hemiparetic patients with gait disturbance were studied (aged 56.2 ± 11.9 years). During the 13-day hospitalization, each patient received 20 sessions of high-frequency rTMS and mobility training featuring treadmill training. In one rTMS session, 2000 pulses of 10-Hz rTMS were delivered over bilateral leg motor areas using the double cone coil. Walking velocity, Physiological Cost Index (PCI) and Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) were evaluated on the day of admission and discharge. Results: The protocol was completed without any adverse effects in all patients. The combination treatment significantly increased walking velocity (p < 0.05) and decreased PCI (p < 0.05), decreased the performance time for TUG (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The protocol featuring high-frequency rTMS and mobility training is safe and feasible and can improve walking function after stroke.
Effects of intravenous glucagon-like peptide-1 on gastric emptying and intragastric distribution in healthy subjects: relationships with postprandial glycemic and insulinemic responses.

CONTEXT The inhibitory action of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) on gastric emptying (GE) is likely to be important in mediating its effects on postprandial glycemia, appetite, and gastrointestinal symptoms. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of "low" and "high" doses of iv GLP-1 on GE, intragastric meal distribution, glycemia, insulinemia, and appetite. DESIGN Ten healthy males were studied on 3 d. GE of a solid (ground beef)/liquid (glucose) meal, blood glucose, plasma insulin, glucagon and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide, appetite perceptions, and gastrointestinal symptoms were evaluated during iv infusion of: 1) GLP-1 at 0.3 pmol x kg(-1) x min(-1) (GLP-1 0.3); 2) GLP-1 at 0.9 pmol x kg(-1) x min(-1) (GLP-1 0.9); and 3) 0.9% saline. RESULTS GLP-1 0.3 and 0.9 slowed GE of solid (intragastric retention at t = 100 min; saline: 28 +/- 5%; GLP-1 0.3: 53 +/- 6%; GLP-1 0.9: 58 +/- 7%; P < 0.001) and liquid (time for 50% of the liquid to empty, saline: 28 +/- 2 min; GLP-1 0.3: 42 +/- 7 min; GLP-1 0.9: 50 +/- 9 min; P < 0.001). Both doses of GLP-1 induced gastroparesis in about half the cohort and increased meal retention in the distal stomach (P < 0.05). GLP-1 attenuated the rises in glucose, insulin, and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (P < 0.05). There was an inverse relationship between blood glucose at t = 15 min and the time for 50% of the liquid to empty (r = -0.70, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS In healthy subjects exogenous GLP-1 increases meal retention in the distal stomach and, even when administered in a "low" dose, frequently induces "gastroparesis," and the effects of GLP-1 on postprandial glycemia are predictable on the basis of its effect on GE, supporting the concept that GE is a major target mechanism for the clinical use of incretin mimetics.
Excitation contraction coupling in normal and mdx mice

The protein dystrophin is absent from patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and from the muscles of mdx mice. Recent studies have shown that dystrophin is located at the surface membrance and at the triadic junction, where it is associated with the transverse tubular membrane. Since the triadic junction is the site of excitation‐contraction (EC) coupling, we have investigated whether intramembrane charge movement, a step in EC coupling, is modified by the absence of dystrophin. Charge movements are thought to arise from the transverse tubular membrane and to underlie the dependence of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release on transverse tubular membrane potential. We find no differences between intramembrane charge movements or passive membrane electrical properties measured in muscles from mdx mice compared with normal mice. If dystrophin does play a role in EC coupling, that role is likely to be subsequent to the charge movement step.
Etiopathology and Management Challenges of Blunt Chest Trauma in Nigeria

Blunt chest trauma had not been roundly studied in Nigeria. This study was conducted to determine the etiopathological and management challenges of chest trauma in a developing country. In a prospective multicenter hospital-based study of 10-years duration in the city of Lagos, the data of 896 patients were recorded. The male-to-female ratio was 8:1, and the mean age was 27.1 years. The majority of patients (76.9%) were aged 20–39 years. Road traffic accidents caused 98.1% of the injuries. Lung parenchymal injuries occurred in 66% of patients, and cardiac trauma in 0.1%. Isolated chest trauma was found in 85% of patients, and 134 had associated injuries. The incidence of blunt chest trauma could be reduced if the number of road traffic accidents in Nigeria is reduced.