Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High Specificity in CheR Methyltransferase Function

Background: Many bacteria possess multiple CheR methyltransferases that methylate the conserved chemoreceptor signaling domains. Results: CheR2 of Pseudomonas putida is essential for chemotaxis, whereas CheR1 is required for efficient biofilm formation, and only CheR2 methylates chemotaxis receptors McpS and McpT. Conclusion: Paralogous CheR have different functions. Significance: CheR have evolved to specifically recognize cognate chemoreceptors. Chemosensory pathways are a major signal transduction mechanism in bacteria. CheR methyltransferases catalyze the methylation of the cytosolic signaling domain of chemoreceptors and are among the core proteins of chemosensory cascades. These enzymes have primarily been studied Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium, which possess a single CheR involved in chemotaxis. Many other bacteria possess multiple cheR genes. Because the sequences of chemoreceptor signaling domains are highly conserved, it remains to be established with what degree of specificity CheR paralogues exert their activity. We report here a comparative analysis of the three CheR paralogues of Pseudomonas putida. Isothermal titration calorimetry studies show that these paralogues bind the product of the methylation reaction, S-adenosylhomocysteine, with much higher affinity (KD of 0.14–2.2 μm) than the substrate S-adenosylmethionine (KD of 22–43 μm), which indicates product feedback inhibition. Product binding was particularly tight for CheR2. Analytical ultracentrifugation experiments demonstrate that CheR2 is monomeric in the absence and presence of S-adenosylmethionine or S-adenosylhomocysteine. Methylation assays show that CheR2, but not the other paralogues, methylates the McpS and McpT chemotaxis receptors. The mutant in CheR2 was deficient in chemotaxis, whereas mutation of CheR1 and CheR3 had either no or little effect on chemotaxis. In contrast, biofilm formation of the CheR1 mutant was largely impaired but not affected in the other mutants. We conclude that CheR2 forms part of a chemotaxis pathway, and CheR1 forms part of a chemosensory route that controls biofilm formation. Data suggest that CheR methyltransferases act with high specificity on their cognate chemoreceptors.
Comparative Transcriptome Profiling Reveals Coding and Noncoding RNA Differences in NSCLC from African Americans and European Americans

Purpose: To determine whether racial differences in gene and miRNA expression translates to differences in lung tumor biology with clinical relevance in African Americans (AAs) and European Americans (EAs). Experimental Design: The NCI-Maryland Case Control Study includes seven Baltimore City hospitals and is overrepresented with AA patients (∼40%). Patients that underwent curative NSCLC surgery between 1998 and 2014 were enrolled. Comparative molecular profiling used mRNA (n = 22 AAs and 19 EAs) and miRNA (n = 42 AAs and 55 EAs) expression arrays to track differences in paired fresh frozen normal tissues and lung tumor specimens from AAs and EAs. Pathway enrichment, predicted drug response, tumor microenvironment infiltration, cancer immunotherapy antigen profiling, and miRNA target enrichment were assessed. Results: AA-enriched differential gene expression was characterized by stem cell and invasion pathways. Differential gene expression in lung tumors from EAs was primarily characterized by cell proliferation pathways. Population-specific gene expression was partly driven by population-specific miRNA expression profiles. Drug susceptibility predictions revealed a strong inverse correlation between AA resistance and EA sensitivity to the same panel of drugs. Statistically significant differences in M1 and M2 macrophage infiltration were observed in AAs (P < 0.05); however, PD-L1, PD-L2 expression was similar between both. Conclusions: Comparative transcriptomic profiling revealed clear differences in lung tumor biology between AAs and EAs. Increased participation by AAs in lung cancer clinical trials are needed to integrate, and leverage, transcriptomic differences with other clinical information to maximize therapeutic benefit in both AAs and EAs. Clin Cancer Res; 23(23); 7412–25. ©2017 AACR.
Deficient Classical Complement Pathway Activity in Newborn Sera

Summary: The bactericidal activity of 20 maternal-neonatal paired sera was assessed employing a clinical type la, group B streptococcal isolate, strain 515, known to be opsonized by the classical complement pathway in a non-antibody dependent fashion. Twelve neonatal sera had efficient bactericidal activity for this isolate (mean 96%, range 91-99%) whereas eight had significantly lower bactericidal indices (mean 29%, range 0-54%) (p < 0.001). The mean bactericidal index for 20 maternal sera (88%) did not differ from that of 20 adult control sera (91%). Bactericidal activity was not influenced by the concentration of antibody to the capsular polysaccharide antigen of type Ia, group B Streptococcus present in these sera. When the classical pathway of selected neonatal sera with high or low bactericidal activity was inactivated by MgEGTA chelation of C1, bacterial growth was observed uniformly when concentrations of specific antibody were low. The bactericidal index of neonatal sera correlated significantly with the total hemolytic complement titer (r = 0.611, P < 0.01). The mean levels of each complement component or control protein assessed by radial immunodiffusion (C1q, C4, C3, B, H, and I) were lower in neonatal sera with low than in those with efficient bactericidal activity, and levels of C1q and H were depressed significantly (P < 0.025 and <0.001, respectively). Hemolytic titers of C4 but not C1 or C2 were also significantly lower for low than for selected high-killing neonatal sera (P < 0.05). Bactericidal activity in neonatal serum with a bactericidal index of zero was restored in a dose-dependent fashion by the addition of fresh frozen plasma.
Investigation on Power Scalability of Diffraction-Limited Yb-Doped Fiber Lasers

The power scalability of diffraction-limited Yb-doped fiber lasers is investigated with a new model which takes into consideration the spectrums of absorption and emission cross sections of active ions. It is found that the maximum output power of a fiber laser is not only dependent on the pump wavelength, but also depends on the core size and cladding-to-core area ratio of active fiber. To increase the pump wavelength is not sufficient to improve the maximum output power, where at the same time the large core, small cladding, high pump brightness and dopant concentration are simultaneously required. Further investigations show that to maximize the output power, the best choice of pump wavelength is highly dependent on parameters such as the pump brightness, dopant concentration, core size and cladding-to-core area ratio. It is found that the pump wavelength with the largest absorption cross section should be the best choice when the core size is small. Besides, the upper limitation of pump brightness for elevating the output power of fiber lasers is given.
Rho‐kinase and effects of Rho‐kinase inhibition on the lower urinary tract

Altered smooth muscle cell contractility/tone contributes, at least in part, to the lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) seen in men with benign prostatic obstruction (BPO). Accordingly, many of the therapies to date have focused largely on blockade of individual membrane receptors to diminish smooth muscle contractility and provide symptomatic relief. This pharmacologic approach has been associated with variable results, limited efficacy, and untoward side effects. Such limited clinical success is not surprising given the plethora of neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and hormones that are now known to modulate LUT smooth muscle cell tone. In the pursuit of improved treatment options, more recent investigations have focused attention on intracellular signal transduction events that represent convergence points for membrane receptor activation. In particular, calcium sensitization and the role of the Rho‐kinase pathway has received much attention. In this report, we review the literature on the role of the Rho‐kinase pathway in the modulation of LUT smooth muscle cell tone. In short, the available data support an important role for Rho‐kinase in the physiologic and pathophysiologic regulation of LUT smooth muscle cell tone. Rho‐kinase inhibitors thus appear to represent a potentially attractive therapeutic possibility for the treatment of LUTS. Neurourol. Urodynam. 26:948–954, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Who Facilitated Misreporting in Securitized Loans

This paper examines apparent fraud among securitized nonagency loans using three indicators: unreported second liens, owner occupancy misreporting, and appraisal overstatements. We find that around 48% of loans exhibited at least one indicator of misrepresentation. Surprisingly, misreporting is similar in both low and full documentation loans and is associated with a 51% higher likelihood of delinquency. Two-thirds of loans with unreported second liens had the same originator issuing both the first and second lien. Misrepresentations in MBS pools can explain substantial cross-sectional differences in future losses. Losses were predictable and initiating from apparent fraud by MBS underwriters and loan originators. Received August 24, 2015; accepted September 11, 2015 by Editor Matthew Spiegel.
A Critical Role of the 3′ Terminus of Nascent DNA Chains in Recognition of Stalled Replication Forks*

Arrest of replication forks by various internal and external threats evokes a myriad of cellular reactions, collectively known as DNA replication checkpoint responses. In bacteria, PriA is essential for restoration of stalled replication forks and recombinational repair of double-stranded DNA breaks and is a candidate sensor protein that may recognize arrested forks. Here, we report that PriA protein specifically recognizes 3′ termini of arrested nascent DNA chains at model stalled replication forks in vitro. Mutations in the putative “3′ terminus binding pocket” present in the N-terminal segment of PriA result in reduced binding to stalled replication fork structures and loss of its biological functions. The results suggest a mechanism by which stalled replication forks are recognized by a sensor protein for checkpoint responses.
Prevalence of silent gastroesophageal reflux in association with recurrent lower respiratory tract infections.

PURPOSE Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) has long been associated with pulmonary symptoms and diseases. This retrospective analysis was undertaken to determine the prevalence of GER detected by gastroesophageal scintigraphy in children with recurrent lower respiratory tract infections but none of the typical gastroesophageal symptoms of GER. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 312 children (mean age, 2.36 years; age range, 4 months to 11 years) were evaluated. All studies were performed using Tc-99m sulfur colloid (3.7 to 7.4 MBq; 100 to 200 microCi). RESULTS Of 312 children, 108 (34.6%) had GER on gastroesophageal scintigraphy. The children were separated into four groups, depending on their age. Group 1 (119 children, younger than 1 year), group 2 (131 children, ages 1 to 3 years), group 3 (36 children, ages 3 to 6 years), and group 4 (26 children, ages 6 to 12 years) showed silent GER with prevalences of 38.7%, 37.4%, 22.2%, and 19.2%, respectively. Because physiologic GER is common in children younger than 18 months, we also analyzed the prevalence of GER in children younger than 18 months and older than 18 months of age. The prevalences of GER in these groups were 41.7% and 24.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS A significant number of children with recurrent lower respiratory tract infection have scintigraphic evidence of GER. This high prevalence, even in children older than 18 months, cannot be ignored. Prospective studies including many patients are needed to establish the exact role of GER in these patients.
Improving Student Satisfaction in a First-Year Undergraduate Accounting Course by Team Learning

ABSTRACT: This paper discusses student satisfaction and course experiences of first-year undergraduate students in an introductory financial accounting course where team learning was implemented during tutorials. Course experiences and satisfaction, as perceived by students in the team learning condition, were compared to those in a traditional lecture-based control condition. A post-experimental questionnaire, with open and closed-ended questions, was administered. Students reported significantly higher levels of satisfaction in the team learning condition and a more positive course experience compared to students in the lecture-based condition. The increased time spent on accounting in the team learning condition resulted in increased learning, as evidenced by higher grades on the final exam in the team learning condition. An analysis of open-ended questions revealed that both learning conditions fit for particular students. High pre-class preparation was considered a strength of the team learning cond.
Hypernatraemia in critically ill patients: too little water and too much salt.

BACKGROUND Our objective was to study the risk factors and mechanisms of hypernatraemia in critically ill patients, a common and potentially serious problem. METHODS In 2005, all patients admitted to the medical, surgical or neurological intensive care unit (ICU) of a university hospital were reviewed. A 1:2 matched case-control study was performed, defining cases as patients who developed a serum sodium >/=150 mmol/l in the ICU. RESULTS One hundred and thirty cases with ICU-acquired hypernatraemia (141 +/- 3 to 156 +/- 6 mmol/l) were compared to 260 controls. Sepsis (9% versus 2%), hypokalaemia (53% versus 34%), renal dysfunction (53% versus 13%), hypoalbuminaemia (91% versus 55%), the use of mannitol (10% versus 1%) and use of sodium bicarbonate (23% versus 0.4%) were more common in cases (P < 0.05 for all) and were independently associated with hypernatraemia. During the development of hypernatraemia, fluid balance was negative in 80 cases (-31 +/- 2 ml/kg/day), but positive in 50 cases (72 +/- 3 ml/kg/day). Cases with a positive fluid balance received more sodium plus potassium (148 +/- 2 versus 133 +/- 3 mmol/l, P < 0.001). On average, cases were polyuric (40 +/- 5 ml/kg). Mortality was higher in cases (48% versus 10%, P < 0.001), for which hypernatraemia was an independent predictor (odds ratio 4.3, 95% confidence interval 2.5 to 7.2). CONCLUSIONS Hypernatraemia seems to develop in the ICU because various factors promote renal water loss, which is then corrected with too little water or overcorrected with relatively hypertonic fluids. Therapy should therefore rely on adding electrolyte-free water and/or creating a negative sodium balance. Adjustments in intravenous fluid regimens may prevent hypernatraemia.
The Case of the Impoverished Sophisticate: Human Capital and Swedish Economic Growth before World War I

Around 1850 Sweden had a stock of human capital wildly disproportionate to its very low income level. This situation contributed significantly to the speed of the growth spurt that occurred between that time and World War I. In the short run, this large human capital stock allowed Sweden to take fuller advantage of the new opportunities for exports which appeared around 1860. In the longer run Sweden benefited because it is easier to achieve a rapid accumulation of physical than of human capital. The disproportionate early accumulation of human capital is explained in terms of religious, political, and military events of the previous three centuries.
Privatisation Results: Private Sector Participation in Water Services after 15 Years

Privatisation of public infrastructure has been the mantra of many development agencies since the late 1980s. Water supply is no exception, and various forms of private sector participation (PSP) have been tried in the water and sanitation sector. This article examines the results of these experiments. It suggests that PSP has had mixed results and that in several important respects the private sector seems to be no more efficient in delivering services than the public sector. Despite growing evidence of failures and increasing public pressure against it, privatisation in water and sanitation is still alive, however. Increasingly, it is being repackaged in new forms such as that of public-private partnership.
Why Chamberlain failed and Bismarck succeeded: The political economy of tariffs in British and German elections

This article analyses three crucial elections which determined the fate of free trade in Britain and Germany. These are the elections of 1906 in the UK and 1877 and 1878 in Germany. We examine the political economy of trade policy by examining the voting patterns of the electorates in their choice of commercial policy. The underlying hypothesis to be explored is that voting behaviour was based on the economic interests of the constituents as determined by the international trade performance of the sector in which they were employed. An econometric model reveals the degree to which the support for and opposition to free trade was based on occupational characteristics and well explains the outcome for Germany in 1877. The analysis for Britain extends previous work by Irwin (1994) by assessing how considerations of turnout. , religion and restricted voting rights alter the results of his original model. In 1878 in Germany religious affiliation and turnout played a significant role in the result although not in the ways assumed by historians, in particular the outcome of the election was not determined by the mobilisation of agricultural labourers on the great estates. The results of estimating the model shows that franchise restrictions contributed to the victory of free trade in Britain, but their absence had no impact on the result in Germany.
Networked Coproduction of Public Services in Virtual Communities: From a Government-Centric to a Community Approach to Public Service Support.

Research on and practical attention for the coproduction of public services is increasing. Coproduction is seen as a way to strengthen the quality and legitimacy of public service and reduce costs. Scholarship on coproduction of public services repeatedly ignores the role of the new media. This is surprising since many proponents highlight its potential for changing traditional, government-centric approaches to delivering public services. This article shows that digital communities form an important addition to the government-centric form of public service provision since they foster both an exchange of experiential information and social-emotional support.
Reappraisal of the antimicrobial susceptibilities of Chryseobacterium and Flavobacterium species and methods for reliable susceptibility testing

Several Flavobacterium species, comprising a heterogeneous group of gram-negative bacilli that are capable of causing opportunistic infections in humans, have recently been reclassified as Chryseobacterium or Myroides species. Intrinsically resistant to a number of antibiotics, these organisms have been reported to be susceptible to vancomycin and certain other drugs that are normally active against gram-positive bacteria. By using the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) broth microdilution procedure, 58 clinical isolates of former flavobacteria (36 Chryseobacterium meningosepticum isolates, 11 C. indologenes isolates, 3 C. gleum isolates, 4 unspeciated former members of Flavobacterium group IIb, and 4 Myroides odoratum isolates) were tested with 23 antibiotics, including conventional and investigational agents. In addition, the broth microdilution results were compared to those generated by agar dilution, E-test, and disk diffusion for vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam. Compared to the NCCLS microdilution results, there were 7.1 and 17.9% very major errors with piperacillin-tazobactam by agar dilution and E-test, respectively. In addition, there were from 12.1 to 48.3% minor errors with both procedures with vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam. The very major and minor error rates were unacceptably high with disk testing of piperacillin-tazobactam; the use of enterococcal vancomycin disk breakpoints (zone diameter of > or =17 mm = susceptible) resulted in >20% minor errors but only one very major error. All of the isolates were susceptible to minocycline; over 90% were susceptible to sparfloxacin, levofloxacin, and clinafloxacin; and 88% were susceptible to rifampin. None was susceptible to vancomycin. When Chryseobacterium or Myroides species are isolated from serious infections, susceptibility testing by broth microdilution should be performed and therapy should be guided by those results.
Life-altering outcomes after lower extremity injury sustained in motor vehicle crashes.

BACKGROUND Lower extremity injuries (LEIs) sustained in vehicular crashes result in physical problems and unexpected psychosocial consequences. Their significance is diminished by low Abbreviated Injury Scale scores. METHODS Drivers who sustained LEIs were identified as part of the Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) and interviewed during hospitalization, at 6 months, and at 1 year. All were occupants of newer vehicles with seatbelts and airbags. RESULTS Sixty-five patients were followed for 1 year. Injuries included mild brain injury (43%), ankle/foot fractures (55%), and bilateral injuries (37%). One year post-injury, 46% reported limitations in walking and 22% with ankle/foot fractures were unable to return to work. Depression (39%), cognitive problems (32%), and post-traumatic stress disorder (18%) were significant in the mild brain injury group. CONCLUSIONS Long-lasting physical and psychological burdens may impede recovery and alter the lifestyle of patients with LEI. These issues need to be addressed by trauma center personnel.
Internal Versus External Sources of Anti-Americanism

To assess the relative importance of internal and external sources of anti- Americanism, both cross-sectional and longitudinal data were examined. Multiple regression analysis of the cross-sectional data—which cover 68 countries for the period 1956—1965—revealed that both internal stress and U.S. penetration affect anti-Americanism independently, with internal stress being a stronger determinant of anti-Americanism than U.S. penetration. When the countries were grouped together in regional clusters, stress was more important in generating European and Latin American anti-Americanism, while, in the Afro-Asian nations, U.S. presence was more important. Longitudinal data were collected and analyzed for Canada and Mexico, each for the period 1936-1968. Both simultaneous and time-lagged multiple regressions again showed stress and penetration as independent determinants of anti-Americanism. While, in Canada, U.S. presence was a stronger determinant of anti-Americanism than was stress, stress was more influential in generating Mexican anti-U.S. sentiments. In fact, in the Mexican case, U.S. presence was negatively related to anti-Americanism.
Publicly financed education in an endogenous growth model

This paper constructs an endogenous growth model, applicable largely to developing countries, based on human capital accumulation in which education is publicly provided and financed, and schooling is compulsory. Public investment in human and physical capital are financed from taxes on wage and capital income, and consumption. The equilibrium growth properties of the model are examined and the steady-state effects of education and fiscal policy are derived. The specification of the human capital production function and the strength of labour supply effects are shown to be important for the magnitude of steady-state outcomes. Simulations illustrate the model's properties.