Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of Transmitter Release Correlates with the Proteolytic Activity of Tetanus Toxin and Botulinus Toxin A in Individual Cultured Synapses of Hirudo medicinalis

We have studied the effects of tetanus toxin and botulinus toxin A on neurotransmitter release in the Retzius→P-cell synapse of the leech and exploited the unique properties of this system, which allow for combined physiological and biochemical analyses in single-cell pairs. The sequences of Hirudo medicinalis synaptobrevin and synaptosomal-associated protein of 25 kDa (SNAP-25), deduced by cDNA cloning, are 61 and 55% identical, respectively, to their corresponding mammalian homologs. Whereas Hirudosynaptobrevin is proteolyzed by tetanus toxin, its SNAP-25 isoform is resistant to botulinus toxin A cleavage because of amino acid substitutions within and around the putative cleavage site. In close correlation, microinjection of tetanus toxin into the presynaptic neuron produced a block of transmitter release, whereas botulinus toxin A had no effect on synaptic transmission. Subsequent immunoblotting of single-cell pairs demonstrated directly that the tetanus toxin-mediated block of exocytosis is accompanied by cleavage of synaptobrevin in the injected neuron, resulting in the generation of a detectable C-terminal cleavage product. Immunoblotting also confirmed the resistance of SNAP-25 to botulinus toxin A cleavage in vivo. Using recombinant proteins, we show that the N-terminal fragment of synaptobrevin released by tetanus toxin, but not its C-terminal membrane-anchored cleavage product, participates with syntaxin and SNAP-25 in synaptic SNAP receptor (SNARE) ternary complex formation inHirudo. Our data demonstrate a direct correlation between the inhibition of transmitter release and the ability of the neurotoxin to proteolyze its target protein and support the view that SNARE ternary complex formation is an important step leading to synaptic vesicle exocytosis.
Programmed disorders of β‐cell development and function as one cause for type 2 diabetes? The GK rat paradigm

Now that the reduction in β‐mass has been clearly established in humans with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) 1–4 , the debate focuses on the possible mechanisms responsible for decreased β‐cell number and impaired β‐cell function and their multifactorial etiology. Appropriate inbred rodent models are essential tools for identification of genes and environmental factors that increase the risk of abnormal β‐cell function and of T2DM. The information available in the Goto‐Kakizaki (GK) rat, one of the best characterized animal models of spontaneous T2DM, are reviewed in such a perspective. We propose that the defective β‐cell mass and function in the GK model reflect the complex interactions of three pathogenic players: (1) several independent loci containing genes causing impaired insulin secretion; (2) gestational metabolic impairment inducing a programming of endocrine pancreas (decreased β‐cell neogenesis) which is transmitted to the next generation; and (3) secondary (acquired) loss of β‐cell differentiation due to chronic exposure to hyperglycemia (glucotoxicity). An important message is that the ‘heritable’ determinants of T2DM are not simply dependant on genetic factors, but probably involve transgenerational epigenetic responses. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cooperative sensor solution to enhancing the performance of spectrum sensing

Cognitive radio (CR) is a promising technology for future wireless networks. In order to reduce the interference to primary system, CR users have to detect the spectra with low overhead and reliably in sensing slots, which has to occupy part of the available resources. In this paper, we propose a novel spectrum sensing solution that is based on cooperative wireless sensors to detect and collect available channels information and then establish a regional database managing regional spectrum information. We classify wireless sensors into relay wireless sensors (RWSs) and ordinary wireless sensors (OWSs), considering the diversity of multi-sensors and Cooperative Amplify-and-Forward (CAF) spectrum detection and CRC-based Decode-and-Forward (CDF) cooperative result reporting. Soften hard combination mechanism is proposed to further enhance the performance of spectrum sensing with one-bit overhead. If observed signals in OWSs fall in uncertain energy region, OWSs relay the signals to RWSs by CAF, otherwise, OWSs report the detection results to RWSs and then RWSs relay to Cognitive Radio Bastion (CR-BS) by CDF. Simulations show that spectrum sensing performance is improved by means of the two-layer sensing mechanism.
Investigating the role of virtual reality in geography via Google Expeditions

This workshop-session explored the use of Google Expeditions (GEs), virtual reality-based field trips, to support and encourage outdoor fieldwork and facilitate visualisation of processes and locations. Participants had the opportunity to trial GEs and were invited to discuss and evaluate the outcomes (particularly the educator’s perspective) of a project investigating the role of virtual reality in geography education. We first showed several Expeditions to the educators, such as Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo or Borneo Rainforest: Plant Adaptations. We then invited participants to share their experience on teaching geography with a focus on inquiry-based learning. We asked educators to discuss: a) their inquiry-based learning (IBL) practices in geography lessons and how they would use virtual reality for IBL in lessons; b) discuss their IBL practices before, during and after a field trip and how they would use virtual reality to practice IBL for fieldwork.
A Conserved Cysteine Residue in the runt Homology Domain of AML1 Is Required for the DNA Binding Ability and the Transforming Activity on Fibroblasts*

The AML1 gene encodes DNA-binding proteins that contain the runt homology domain and is found at the breakpoints of t(8;21), t(3;21), and t(12;21) translocations associated with myelogenous leukemias. AML1 heterodimerizes with PEBP2β/CBFβ, resulting in the enhanced affinity with DNA. The runt homology domain is responsible for binding with DNA and heterodimerizing with PEBP2β/CBFβ. AML1 is suggested to perform a pivotal role in myeloid cell differentiation, whereas it can cause neoplastic transformation when overexpressed in fibroblasts. In this study, we demonstrated that the reducing reagent, dithiothreitol (DTT), markedly enhances the DNA binding of AML1 expressed in COS7 cells. Oxidation by diamide or modification by N-ethylmaleimide of the free sulfhydryl residues inhibited the interaction of AML1 with DNA. The diamide effect was reversible with excess of DTT, whereas DTT could not restore the DNA binding of AML1 treated with N-ethylmaleimide. Site-directed mutagenesis of the amino acid residue 72, a highly conserved cysteine in the runt homology domain of AML1, to serine almost completely abolished DNA binding without altering the interaction with PEBP2β/CBFβ. This substitution also impaired transactivation through the consensus DNA sequence and transformation of fibroblasts induced by AML1b. These data indicate an essential role of the conserved cysteine residue in DNA binding of AML1, and it is possible that the redox state of AML1 could contribute to the regulation of its function.
Professional Music Training and Novel Word Learning: From Faster Semantic Encoding to Longer-lasting Word Representations

On the basis of previous results showing that music training positively influences different aspects of speech perception and cognition, the aim of this series of experiments was to test the hypothesis that adult professional musicians would learn the meaning of novel words through picture–word associations more efficiently than controls without music training (i.e., fewer errors and faster RTs). We also expected musicians to show faster changes in brain electrical activity than controls, in particular regarding the N400 component that develops with word learning. In line with these hypotheses, musicians outperformed controls in the most difficult semantic task. Moreover, although a frontally distributed N400 component developed in both groups of participants after only a few minutes of novel word learning, in musicians this frontal distribution rapidly shifted to parietal scalp sites, as typically found for the N400 elicited by known words. Finally, musicians showed evidence for better long-term memory for novel words 5 months after the main experimental session. Results are discussed in terms of cascading effects from enhanced perception to memory as well as in terms of multifaceted improvements of cognitive processing due to music training. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing that music training influences semantic aspects of language processing in adults. These results open new perspectives for education in showing that early music training can facilitate later foreign language learning. Moreover, the design used in the present experiment can help to specify the stages of word learning that are impaired in children and adults with word learning difficulties.
Incidence of myocardial infarction in women. A cohort study of risk factors and modifiers of effect

STUDY OBJECTIVE To assess whether the increased incidence of myocardial infarction and death associated with smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and diabetes varies significantly between groups defined in terms of occupation, education and marital status. SETTING Malmö, Sweden. PARTICIPANTS 9351 women, aged 28–55, with a mean follow up of 10.7 years. MAIN RESULTS Smoking, hypertension (⩾160/95 mm Hg or treatment), hyperlipidaemia (cholesterol ⩾6.5 mmol/l or triglycerides ⩾2.3 mmol/l), diabetes, low occupation and education levels were significantly more common among women who experienced a fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarction during the follow up (n=104) than in other women (n=9247). Exposure to smoking, hypertension and hyperlipidaemia showed substantial differences between groups defined in terms of education, occupation and marital status. The association between low occupation and myocardial infarction remained statistically significant after adjustments for several potential confounders (RR=2.6, 95%CI 1.1, 6.0). Single women had similarly higher adjusted mortality rates than married women (RR=1.4, 95%CI 1.1, 1.8). When other major risk factors were taken into account, the relative risk for mortality and myocardial infarction associated with smoking was 2.6 (95%CI 2.0, 3.4) and 7.8 (95%CI 4.4, 13.9), respectively. CONCLUSION In this urban female population, short education and low occupation level were both associated with an increased prevalence of smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and diabetes. Low occupation level increases the rate of cardiac events caused by exposure to these four risk factors.
DUSTING OFF THE ARCHIVES: WHAT ARCHIVES CAN TELL US ABOUT CHANGES IN WATER STORAGE AND STREAMFLOW DUE TO URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Land-surface alteration that accompanies urbanization influences hydrologic changes within watersheds. The urbanization of a watershed can profoundly impact groundwater and surface water interaction presented as decrease in watershed storage, variability in discharge, fluctuations in low flow magnitude, increased low flow duration, and more. Although urbanization’s effects on watershed hydrology have been explored in recent decades through land-use modeling, hydrological modeling, remote sensing, and empirical approaches, clarification of urbanization’s effects remains a challenge due to limited availability and accessibility of high temporal resolution data. Historical streamflow records for Abers Creek in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, provide a unique opportunity to study the effects of urbanization on watershed functions, such as storage and discharge. The discharge record (1948-1993) spans the complete residential development of the watershed as reconstructed from property records, this providing the timing and intensity of watershed development. Recession analysis was used to evaluate altered hydrologic response, particularly relationships between watershed storage and streamflow that may occur during urbanization. Sub-daily USGS stage data from archival records were converted to hourly or bihourly streamflow in Abers Creek to permit various hydrograph recession analyses on this unique streamflow record. Results relate build out to changes in hydrograph patterns identified through recession methods. Analysis of daily and sub-daily streamflow records suggest groundwater-surface water interactions driven by urbanization, previously only observed through modeled data or smaller datasets. Refined connections between development history and changes in hydrology allow improved mitigation of stream impacts in urban areas.
Migrating protocols in multi-threaded message-passing systems

Dynamic software update is a technique by which a running program can be updated with new code and data without interrupting its execution. Often we will want to preserve properties of programs across update boundaries. Preserving simple typing across update boundaries for single-threaded programs is well studied. There are other higher-level properties we may wish to preserve, particularly for multi-threaded programs. Session typing is used to guarantee that a set of parallel threads communicate according to a given protocol. Hence we investigate preserving correct communications behaviour of a set of parallel threads correctly across update boundaries which change the running protocol. We present a procedure for updating multiple threads to cleanly migrate a system from one protocol to another.
Scan Test Planning for Power Reduction

Many STUMPS architectures found in current chip designs allow disabling of individual scan chains for debug and diagnosis. In a recent paper it has been shown that this feature can be used for reducing the power consumption during test. Here, we present an efficient algorithm for the automated generation of a test plan that keeps fault coverage as well as test time, while significantly reducing the amount of wasted energy. A fault isolation table, which is usually used for diagnosis and debug, is employed to accurately determine scan chains that can be disabled. The algorithm was successfully applied to large industrial circuits and identifies a very large amount of excess pattern shift activity.
The Allometry of Bee Proboscis Length and Its Uses in Ecology

Allometric relationships among morphological traits underlie important patterns in ecology. These relationships are often phylogenetically shared; thus quantifying allometric relationships may allow for estimating difficult-to-measure traits across species. One such trait, proboscis length in bees, is assumed to be important in structuring bee communities and plant-pollinator networks. However, it is difficult to measure and thus rarely included in ecological analyses. We measured intertegular distance (as a measure of body size) and proboscis length (glossa and prementum, both individually and combined) of 786 individual bees of 100 species across 5 of the 7 extant bee families (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila). Using linear models and model selection, we determined which parameters provided the best estimate of proboscis length. We then used coefficients to estimate the relationship between intertegular distance and proboscis length, while also considering family. Using allometric equations with an estimation for a scaling coefficient between intertegular distance and proboscis length and coefficients for each family, we explain 91% of the variance in species-level means for bee proboscis length among bee species. However, within species, individual-level intertegular distance was a poor predictor of individual proboscis length. To make our findings easy to use, we created an R package that allows estimation of proboscis length for individual bee species by inputting only family and intertegular distance. The R package also calculates foraging distance and body mass based on previously published equations. Thus by considering both taxonomy and intertegular distance we enable accurate estimation of an ecologically and evolutionarily important trait.
Molecular Cloning of cpcU and Heterodimeric Bilin Lyase Activity Analysis of CpcU and CpcS for Attachment of Phycocyanobilin to Cys-82 on the β-Subunit of Phycocyanin in Arthrospira platensis FACHB314

A new bilin lyase gene cpcU was cloned from Arthrospira platensis FACHB314 to study the assembly of the phycocyanin β-Subunit. Two recombinant plasmids, one contained the phycocyanobilin (PCB) producing genes (hoxI and pcyA), while the other contained the gene of the β-Subunit of phycobiliprotein (cpcB) and the lyase gene (cpcU, cpcS, or cpcU/S) were constructed and separately transferred into Escherichia coli in order to test the activities of relevant lyases for catalyzing PCB addition to CpcB during synthesizing fluorescent β-PC of A. platensis FACHB314. The fluorescence intensity examination showed that Cys-82 maybe the active site for the β-Subunit binding to PCBs and the attachment could be carried out by CpcU, CpcS, or co-expressed cpcU/S in A. platensis FACHB314.
A Computer Study of the Left Ventricular Performance Based on Fiber Structure, Sarcomere Dynamics, and Transmural Electrical Propagation Velocity

A model of the left ventricle which combines a spheroidal geometry with a spatial fiber angle distribution is presented. The mechanics of each muscle fiber is described by its passive stress-strain relationship, active stress-strain relationship, and an activation function (half a sinusoid) which represents the time-dependent degree of activation of the fiber. A stress-strain rate relationship which characterizes the muscle fibers is used to calculate the mechanics of left ventricular contraction during ejection. Furthermore, a radial electrical signal propagation from the endocardium to the epicardium is used here as a first approximation to the actual depolarization sequence. The model is used to describe the process of contraction throughout the systole. The different calculated parameters and indices of left ventricular function are presented and discussed for different preloading, afterloading and contractility conditions. The maximum elastance is found to be an optimal macroscale parameter of contractility, as it is completely preload and afterload independent, and is a good reflection of the active microscale sarcomere stressstrain relationship.
Joint Optimization for Chinese POS Tagging and Dependency Parsing

Dependency parsing has gained more and more interest in natural language processing in recent years due to its simplicity and general applicability for diverse languages. Previous work demonstrates that part-of-speech (POS) is an indispensable feature in dependency parsing since pure lexical features suffer from serious data sparseness problem. However, due to little morphological changes, Chinese POS tagging has proven to be much more challenging than morphology-richer languages such as English (94% vs. 97% on POS tagging accuracy). This leads to severe error propagation for Chinese dependency parsing. Our experiments show that parsing accuracy drops by about 6% when replacing manual POS tags of the input sentence with automatic ones generated by a state-of-the-art statistical POS tagger. To address this issue, this paper proposes a solution by jointly optimizing POS tagging and dependency parsing in a unique model. We propose for our joint models several dynamic programming based decoding algorithms which can incorporate rich POS tagging and syntactic features. Then we present an effective pruning strategy to reduce the search space of candidate POS tags, leading to significant improvement of parsing speed. Experimental results on two Chinese data sets, i.e. Penn Chinese Treebank 5.1 and Penn Chinese Treebank 7, demonstrate that our joint models significantly improve both the state-of-the-art tagging and parsing accuracies. Detailed analysis shows that the joint method can help resolve syntax-sensitive POS ambiguities {\ssrNN,\ssrVV}. In return, the POS tags become more reliable and helpful for parsing since the syntactic features are used in POS tagging. This is the fundamental reason for the performance improvement.
Perceived Social Support and Maternal Competence in Primipara Women during Pregnancy and After Childbirth

ABSTRACT Background: Developing maternal competence in first time mothers has a significant impact on neonate’s growth psychosocial development and neonates growth and psychological development. Social support can be an important element for becoming a new mother. We aimed to investigate how social support and maternal competence change during pregnancy and 4 months after it and examine the relationships among social support and maternal competence. Methods: This longitudinal study was conducted on 100 first time mothers attending health centers in Alborz city, Alborz Province, between February 2015 and January 2016. Data were collected through perceived social support questionnaire that consisted of 12 questions and Parenting Sense of Competence Scale consisting of 17 items scored based on Likert’s scale. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS software, version 16. Repeated-measure test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient were used. P<0.05 was considered significant. Results: Maternal competence significantly reduced during the study (P=0.008), while perceived social support did not show any significant reduction (P=0.286). A direct relationship was found between social support and maternal competent six weeks after childbirth (r=0.19, P=0.049), and also social support and maternal competence sixteen weeks after childbirth (r=0.23, P=0.01). Conclusion: Considering the reduction of maternal competency during the study, social support by healthcare providers may be helpful for the mothers’ transition to motherhood, and midwives must design specific interventions to promote the sense of maternal competence and perceived social support in first time mothers.
Prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes in the States of The Co-Operation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf: A Systematic Review

Aims The recent and ongoing worldwide expansion in prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) is a considerable risk to individuals, health systems and economies. The increase in prevalence has been particularly marked in the states of the Co-operation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), and these trends are set to continue. We aimed to systematically review the current prevalence of T2DM within these states, and also within particular sub-populations. Methods We identified 27 published studies for review. Studies were identified by systematic database searches. Medline and Embase were searched using terms such as diabetes mellitus, non-insulin-dependent, hyperglycemia, prevalence, epidemiology and Gulf States. Our search also included scanning reference lists, contacting experts and hand-searching key journals. Studies were judged against pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria, and where suitable for inclusion, data extraction and quality assessment was achieved using a specifically-designed tool. All studies where prevalence of diabetes was investigated were eligible for inclusion. The inclusion criteria required that the study population be of a GCC country, but otherwise all ages, sexes and ethnicities were included, resident and migrant populations, urban and rural, of all socioeconomic and educational backgrounds. No limitations on publication type, publication status, study design or language of publication were imposed. However, we did not include secondary reports of data, such as review articles without novel data synthesis. Conclusions The prevalence ofT2DM is an increasing problem for all GCC states. They may therefore benefit to a relatively high degree from co-ordinated implementation of broadly consistent management strategies. Further study of prevalence in children and in national versus expatriate populations would also be useful.