Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
N-terminal Processing of Lhca3 Is a Key Step in Remodeling of the Photosystem I-Light-harvesting Complex Under Iron Deficiency in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii*

Iron deficiency induces a remodeling of the photosynthetic apparatus in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. In this study we showed that a key mechanistic event in the remodeling process of photosystem I (PSI) and its associated light-harvesting proteins (LHCI) is the N-terminal processing of Lhca3. N-terminal processing of Lhca3 is documented independently by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS) analysis as well as by quantitative comparative MS/MS peptide profiling using isotopic labeling of proteins. Dynamic remodeling of the LHCI complex under iron deficiency is further exemplified by depletion of Lhca5 and up-regulation of Lhca4 and Lhca9 polypeptides in respect to photosystem I. Most importantly, the induction of N-terminal processing of Lhca3 by progression of iron deficiency correlates with the functional drop in excitation energy transfer efficiency between LHCI and PSI as assessed by low temperature fluorescence emission spectroscopy. Using an RNA interference (RNAi) strategy, we showed that the truncated form of Lhca3 is essential for the structural stability of LHCI. Depletion of Lhca3 by RNAi strongly impacted the efficiency of excitation energy transfer between PSI and LHCI, as is the case for iron deficiency. However, in contrast to iron deficiency, comparative MS/MS peptide profiling using isotopic labeling of proteins demonstrated that RNAi depletion of Lhca3 caused strong reduction of almost all Lhca proteins in isolated PSI particles.
Expression of ghrelin gene in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and plasma ghrelin concentrations in patients with metabolic syndrome.

OBJECTIVE We examined the expression of ghrelin and ghrelin receptors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and evaluated the effect of weight loss or exercise on plasma ghrelin concentrations in subjects with the metabolic syndrome. DESIGN AND METHODS Data from 75 overweight/obese subjects randomized to a weight loss, aerobic exercise, resistance exercise or control group for a 33-week intervention period were analysed. The plasma ghrelin concentrations and indices of insulin and glucose metabolism were assessed, and mRNA expression of ghrelin, its receptors and various cytokines in PBMCs was studied using real-time PCR. RESULTS Ghrelin and GH secretagogue receptor 1b were expressed in PBMCs of subjects with metabolic syndrome. Ghrelin gene expression correlated positively with the expressions of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (P<0.001), interleukin-1beta (P<0.001) and interleukin-6 (P=0.026) during the study, but was not associated with the plasma ghrelin concentration. Genotype-specific ghrelin gene expression in PBMCs was found for the -604G/A and the -501A/C polymorphisms in the ghrelin gene. At baseline, the plasma ghrelin levels were associated with fasting serum insulin concentrations, insulin sensitivity index and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. However, longitudinally weight, BMI or waist circumference and acute insulin response in i.v. glucose tolerance test were stronger predictors of the ghrelin concentration. Plasma ghrelin did not change over the study period in the weight reduction group, but it tended to decrease in the control group (P=0.050). CONCLUSIONS Ghrelin mRNA expression in PBMCs suggests an autocrine role for ghrelin within an immune microenvironment. Moderate long-term weight loss may prevent a decline in ghrelin concentration over time in individuals with metabolic syndrome.
High throughput screening of particle conditioning operations: I. System design and method development

The biotech industry is under increasing pressure to decrease both time to market and development costs. Simultaneously, regulators are expecting increased process understanding. High throughput process development (HTPD) employs small volumes, parallel processing, and high throughput analytics to reduce development costs and speed the development of novel therapeutics. As such, HTPD is increasingly viewed as integral to improving developmental productivity and deepening process understanding. Particle conditioning steps such as precipitation and flocculation may be used to aid the recovery and purification of biological products. In this first part of two articles, we describe an ultra scale‐down system (USD) for high throughput particle conditioning (HTPC) composed of off‐the‐shelf components. The apparatus is comprised of a temperature‐controlled microplate with magnetically driven stirrers and integrated with a Tecan liquid handling robot. With this system, 96 individual reaction conditions can be evaluated in parallel, including downstream centrifugal clarification. A comprehensive suite of high throughput analytics enables measurement of product titer, product quality, impurity clearance, clarification efficiency, and particle characterization. HTPC at the 1 mL scale was evaluated with fermentation broth containing a vaccine polysaccharide. The response profile was compared with the Pilot‐scale performance of a non‐geometrically similar, 3 L reactor. An engineering characterization of the reactors and scale‐up context examines theoretical considerations for comparing this USD system with larger scale stirred reactors. In the second paper, we will explore application of this system to industrially relevant vaccines and test different scale‐up heuristics. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2015;112: 1554–1567. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Comparison of Three Alleles at a Major Solid Stem QTL for Wheat Stem Sawfly Resistance and Agronomic Performance in Hexaploid Wheat

Solid stems provide resistance to the wheat stem sawfly (WSS, Cephus cinctus Nort.) in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). A major quantitative trait locus, designated Qss.msub-3BL, controls most of the variation for stem solidness. Two alleles that differ for temporal expression of stem solidness have been identified. An allele derived from the cultivar ‘Rescue’, designated Qss.msub-3BL.b, results in solid stems throughout stem development. An allele derived from the cultivar ‘Conan’, designated Qss.msub3BL.c, causes high stem solidness early in plant development, but solidness declines as the plant matures. The objective of this study was to develop near-isogenic lines (NILs) derived from marker-assisted backcrossing to compare the impact of Qss.msub-3BL alleles in different genetic backgrounds on stem solidness, WSS resistance, and agronomic traits. The Conanderived allele Qss.msub-3BL.c resulted in lower WSS infestation than the Rescue-derived allele Qss.msub-3BL.b in two genetic backgrounds. Both alleles showed a high level of early stem solidness, though this declined as the stem matured for NIL with the Conan-derived allele. The Conan-derived allele Qss.msub-3BL.c resulted in lower WSS infestation and stem cutting than the allele for hollow stems in two genetic backgrounds. Based on yield trials grown over 2 yr, there were no significant differences in grain yield between the NIL pairs. Our results indicate the Conan-derived allele at Qss. msub-3BL results in lower infestation of WSS and does not significantly affect agronomic performance, thus providing a novel source of resistance for the development of WSS-resistant cultivars. J.P. Cook, A.C. Varella, J.D. Sherman, H. -Y. Heo, N.K. Blake, and L.E. Talbert, Dep. of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State Univ., Bozeman MT 59717; D.K. Weaver, C. Caron, and M.L. Hofland, Dep. of Land Resources, Montana State Univ., Bozeman MT 59717; P.F. Lamb, Dep. of Research Centers, Montana State Univ., Bozeman MT 59717. Received 4 Jan. 2019. Accepted 7 Mar. 2019. *Corresponding author (ltalbert@montana.edu). Assigned to Associate Editor Jochum Wiersma. Abbreviations: KASP, Kompetitive allele specific polymerase chain reaction; MAB, marker-assisted backcrossing; NIL, near-isogenic line; QTL, quantitative trait locus/loci; RIL, recombinant inbred line; WSS, wheat stem sawfly. Published in Crop Sci. 59:1–9 (2019). doi: 10.2135/cropsci2019.01. 0009 © 2019 The Author(s). Re-use requires permission from the publisher. Published online May 3, 2019
Characterization of the herpes simplex virion-associated factor responsible for the induction of alpha genes

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) genes form three groups, alpha, beta, and gamma, whose synthesis is coordinately regulated and sequentially ordered in a cascade fashion. Earlier studies by Post et al. (Cell 24:555-565, 1981) have shown that chimeric genes constructed by fusion of 5' noncoding leader and upstream sequences of alpha genes to the 5' noncoding leader and structural sequences of the viral thymidine kinase (TK), a beta gene, are regulated as alpha genes upon recombination into the viral genome. In cells converted from TK- to TK+ phenotype, these chimeric genes are induced by infection with homologous TK- virus. The induction of the resident chimeric gene does not require viral protein synthesis and is independent of the presence of functional alpha gene 4 product required for the expression of beta genes. In this paper, we report on the properties of the alpha-TK gene chimera resident in converted TK+ murine (L316) and human (I316) cells. Our results were as follows. (i) The pattern of induction of L316 cells exposed to 0.1, 1.0, and 10 PFU per cell suggested that exposure to competent virus is required for induction and that in untreated preparations this virus corresponds to infectious virus. (ii) UV light-irradiated virus was just as effective as untreated virus in inducing alpha-TK chimeras. (iii) HSV-1(HFEM)tsB7 induced the alpha-TK gene chimeras at the nonpermissive (39 degrees C) temperature; at 39 degrees C the parental HSV-1(HFEM)tsB7 capsids accumulate at nuclear pores and do not release viral DNA. (iv) The alpha-TK gene chimeras were not induced by infection with spontaneous TK- mutants of pseudorabies virus and bovine mammillitis virus or with human cytomegalovirus or adenovirus type 2 or by exposure to lysates of HSV-1-infected cells from which the virus was removed by centrifugation. These results indicate that the alpha gene inducer is a virion component located outside the capsid and that its function might be to stimulate the transcription of alpha genes by recognizing regulatory sites on viral DNAs or host cell products or both.
Normative values of pulmonary function testing in Chinese adults.

OBJECTIVES To compare the difference in pulmonary function between Caucasians and Chinese and assess the best reference values of pulmonary function for Chinese adults. METHODS Values for pulmonary function were predicted by tests on 4773 Chinese healthy subjects (male: 2560, female: 2213, aged 15-78 years) in six parts (north, northeast, northwest, east, southwest and south) of China. Prediction equations of the European Community for Steel and Coal (ECSC), other equations for overseas Chinese or for Caucasians were also selected. The regression coefficients of forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC, total lung capacity (TLC) and residual volume (RV) were summarized. RESULTS ECSC predictions were closer to the Chinese ones than other selected equations. Comparison with ECSC predictions showed that on average the values for FVC, FEV1 were 5.3% smaller in Chinese males and 3.3% smaller in Chinese females, with the maximal differences in south China and the minimal differences in North China. RV and TLC in Chinese were lower than in Caucasians (males 4.8%, 5.5%, respectively; females 8.7% and 6.0%, respectively). Conversion factors were given for adjusting ECSC equations to fit Chinese. CONCLUSIONS For predicting values of pulmonary function in Chinese, we suggest to use the equations reported here. Alternatively, ECSC regression equations may be used with appropriate conversion factors.
A phase I trial of two sequence-specific schedules of decitabine and vorinostat in patients with acute myeloid leukemia

This phase I trial evaluated two schedules of escalating vorinostat in combination with decitabine every 28 days: (i) sequential or (ii) concurrent. There were three dose-limiting toxicities: grade 3 fatigue and generalized muscle weakness on the sequential schedule (n = 1) and grade 3 fatigue on the concurrent schedule (n = 2). The maximum tolerated dose was not reached on both planned schedules. The overall response rate (ORR) was 23% (three complete response [CR], two CR with incomplete incomplete blood count recovery [CRi], one partial response [PR] and two morphological leukemic free state [MLFS]). The ORR for all and previously untreated patients in the sequential arm was 13% (one CRi; one MLFS) and 0% compared to 30% (three CR; one CRi; one PR; one MLFS) and 36% in the concurrent arm (p = 0.26 for both), respectively. Decitabine plus vorinostat was safe and has clinical activity in patients with previously untreated acute myeloid leukemia. Responses appear higher with the concurrent dose schedule. Cumulative toxicities may limit long-term usage on the current dose/schedules.
Arterial hypertension, myocardial infarction and stroke: risk of development and psychosocial factors.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate an influence of personal anxiety on risk of development of arterial hypertension (AH), myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke in men aged 25-64. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Within the framework of program WHO MONICA-MOPSY a representative sample of men 25-64 years old (1984, 1988, 1994 years) was examined. The total sample was 2,149 persons. The period of supervision was 10-20 years. We counted as outcome all cases of AH, MI and stroke which had arisen for the first time. We used Spielberger's scale for estimation of personal anxiety (PA). Cox-proportional regression model was used for estimation of relative risk (RR). RESULTS 58.7% men with developed MI had a high level of personal anxiety (HLA) and 41.3% an average level of anxiety (ALA); 72.2% men with developed stroke had HLA and 27.8% ALA, 42% men with developed AH had HLA. The relative risk of developed cardiovascular disease within five years in a group of men with HLA in comparison with a group of men with ALA was 2.5 times higher for MI and 6.4 times higher for stroke, 6.0 for AH. Within 10 years, RR of MI development increased 3.1 times, stroke -3.8 times, AH--5.0 times. Within 15 years, RR of MI development increased three times (p < 0.01), stroke -2.9 times. Within 20 years the tendency to RR decrease for development of MI (RR = 2.7) and stroke (RR = 1.6), AH (RR = 1.4) was observed. CONCLUSION The data indicate that high level of personal anxiety may predict higher cardiovascular risk in middle-age men.
THE CASH FLOW STATEMENT'S COMPONENT EFFECT ON MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE IN FIRMS ENLISTED IN TEHRAN STOCK EXCHANGE

Abstract: Important information is broadcast through cash flow statements which affect the judgments and decisions of investors and also are effective in creating company profitability and assessing management performance. Thus, in the present research we want to find an answer for the following question: Are cash flows resulting from the cash flow statement’s component affective over return on assets which is among criteria to assess management performance? The statistical society for the present research entail 138 firms enlisted in Tehran Stock Exchange that has been investigated during a time period of 5 years between 2008 and 2012. Ti test the hypotheses we have used linear regression model and research findings showed that there is a negative and meaningful relationship between cash flows resulting from investment return and the interest paid to finance, and also between cash flows resulting from income tax and cash flows resulting from investment activities and return on assets. Also there is no relationship between cash flows resulting from operational activities, and financing activities and return on assets.
Sensitive Detection of Human Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase mRNA in the Serum of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background/Aim: Telomerase reverse transcriptase protein (hTERT) mRNA has been reported to be detectable by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in the serum of patients with breast cancer. We measured serum hTERT mRNA in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and examined its clinical usefulness. Methods: We performed RT-PCR to detect the expression of hTERT mRNA in 78 patients with HCC, 10 with liver cirrhosis (LC), 12 with chronic hepatitis (CH), and 34 healthy individuals without any liver diseases and cancers, and statistically analyzed the association with clinical parameters which include age, sex, etiology, Child classification, underlying liver disease, biochemical data, α-fetoprotein (α-AFP) number and size of tumor, and histological differentiation of HCC regarding HCC patients. Results: 70 of 78 (89.7%) patients with HCC, 7 of 10 (70.0%) with LC, and 5 of 12 (41.7%) with CH were positive for hTERT expression, whereas all healthy individuals were negative for it. A multivariate analysis showed that positivity of hTERT mRNA was independently associated with AFP, tumor size, and differentiation degree. Conclusions: These results suggest that this assay is sensitive enough to detect hTERT mRNA in serum, and that it would be applicable for early detection and diagnosis of HCC or other cancers by a quantitative method.
Interpretation of refelction seismic data from the Usangu Basin, East African Rift System

Reflection seismic data collected by AMOCO Tanzania Oil Company in the 80s, are herin used to correlate the main Usangu Basin parameters to those estimated from outcrop, gravity and aeromagnetic data. The seismic data are further used to constrain the geometry of crustal extension in this south-western sector of the East African Rift System (EARS) in Tanzania. Three distinct sedimentary packages on top of the basement reflector are interpreted and correlated to the Permo-Carboniferous Karoo rocks, the Jurassic/Cretaceous and Miocene Red Sandstone Group and Miocene to recent Lake Beds in the adjacent Rukwa basin, where the ages of the sedimentary sequences have been established on the basis of drill hole data. The Karoo beds, deposited on an undulating weathered basement surface are relatively thin (~ 200m). The Red Sandstone Group reach a maximum thickness of up to 420 m while the Lake Beds are up to 289 m thick. Beneath the Karoo, seismic reflections show interval velocities of 3.22 km/s, which are less than typical crystalline basement velocities of 4.2 km/s in the adjacent Rukwa Rift. These “sub-basement” velocities are attributed to the slightly metamorphosed sediments of Upper Proterozoic, Buanji Group that crop out extensively on top of the Chimala scarp. Previous estimate of the thicknesses of Buanji sediments from outcrop data has been up to 1.086 km. The present study, however, suggests a thickness of more than 2 km for the Buanji sediments beneath the Mesozoic to recent sediments in the Usangu Basin. Age wise the Usangu Basin, which has always been considered to be much younger than its south-western continuation, the Luangwa valley, is here suggested to be an old structure in which sedimentation has been going on since Karoo time. Recent faulting mechanism inferred from recent earthquake data and the present interpretation of seismic sections suggest that deformation in the Usangu Basin has been predominantly strike slip. Thus, the Usangu Basin is best interpreted as a transfer fault, accommodating the relative movement between the southern-most sub-basin of the Rukwa Rift and the northernmost sub-basin of the Malawi Rift. Tanzanian Journal of Science Vol. 28(1) 2002: 83-97
Progressive Bovine Paratuberculosis Is Associated with Local Loss of CD4+ T Cells, Increased Frequency of γδ T Cells, and Related Changes in T-Cell Function

ABSTRACT Bovine paratuberculosis is caused by the infection of young calves with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, resulting in a chronic granulomatous infection of predominantly the ileum. After an incubation period of 2 to 5 years, the disease becomes progressive in some of the chronically infected, but asymptomatic cows. This results in a protein-losing enteropathy that will ultimately be fatal. A loss of cell-mediated immune responses in symptomatic animals has been described, but no information is available concerning immune reactivity in the intestine. We sought to investigate putative disease status-associated lymphocyte subset distributions and antigen-specific functional characteristics of mononuclear cells isolated from blood, gut-associated lymphoid tissue, and the intestinal walls of 22 cows in different stages of disease and in control animals. The results demonstrated a significant decrease in CD4+ T-cell frequency and a significant increase in TcR1-N12+ γδ T-cell frequency in ileum lamina propria lymphocytes of symptomatic animals compared to the asymptomatic shedders. Immunohistology revealed that there was also an absolute decrease in the number of CD4+ T cells in sections of the lesional ileum. Our findings also indicated that both peripheral and intestinal cell-mediated responses are decreased in symptomatic animals compared to asymptomatic animals. We conclude that the decrease in cell-mediated responses is likely related to a loss of antigen-specific CD4+ T cells, which is most prominent in the lesional ileum from symptomatic animals, thus contributing to the progressive nature of bovine paratuberculosis.
Association between pain in the hip region and radiographic changes of osteoarthritis: results from a population-based study.

OBJECTIVES The relationship between hip pain and radiographic change in the population is unclear due to lack of agreed definition for hip pain and difficulties in obtaining radiographs from asymptomatic random samples. Our objective was to assess the relationship between hip pain and radiographic change in osteoarthritis (OA) in a population sample aged over 45. METHODS One thousand and seventy-one responders to a postal questionnaire using a recently validated approach to defining hip pain were stratified into hip pain-positive and -negative groups and samples of each were X-rayed and scored for OA using both minimum joint space and the Croft score. The association between pain and X-ray score was estimated, weighting back to the age and gender distribution of the original population. RESULTS Hip pain prevalence was 7% in males and 10% in females. Severe OA was present in 16% of those with and 3% of those without pain. Adjusting for age and gender, there was a very strong association of pain with severe OA [odds ratio (OR) 17.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.0-102], but no association with mild/moderate OA (OR 1.4, 95% CI 0.4-4.7). By contrast, only 22% of men aged 45-54 with severe OA had current pain, though in older age groups the proportions with pain were higher (54-70%). CONCLUSIONS Hip pain is relatively infrequent in the general population compared with the published reports of other regional pain syndromes. Mild/moderate radiographic change is very frequent and not related to pain, whereas severe change is rare but strongly related. In younger males, severe radiographic change is much less likely to be associated with pain.