Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Esterase A, a Pseudomonas stutzeri A15 Autotransporter

ABSTRACT Autotransporters are a widespread family of proteins, generally known as virulence factors produced by Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, the esterase A (EstA) autotransporter of the rice root-colonizing beneficial bacterium Pseudomonas stutzeri A15 was characterized. A multiple sequence alignment identified EstA as belonging to clade II of the GDSL esterase family. Autologous overexpression allowed the investigation of several features of both autotransporter proteins and GDSL esterases. First, the correctly folded autotransporter was shown to be present in the membrane fraction. Unexpectedly, after separation of the membrane fraction, EstA was detected in the N-laurylsarcosine soluble fraction. However, evidence is presented for the surface exposure of EstA based on fluorescent labeling with EstA specific antibodies. Another remarkable feature is the occurrence of a C-terminal leucine residue instead of the canonical phenylalanine or tryptophan residue. Replacement of this residue with a phenylalanine residue reduced the stability of the β-barrel. Regarding the esterase passenger domain, we show the importance of the catalytic triad residues, with the serine and histidine residues being more critical than the aspartate residue. Furthermore, the growth of an estA-negative mutant was not impaired and cell mobility was not disabled compared to the wild type. No specific phenotype was detected for an estA-negative mutant. Overall, P. stutzeri A15 EstA is a new candidate for the surface display of proteins in environmentally relevant biotechnological applications.
Unsupervised embrace pose recognition using K-means clustering

Embrace is an essential part of human-social interactions. It also gives positive health benefits as much as other touch gestures. However, in the recent years, studies of embrace recognition has been largely ignored when compared to recognition of touch gestures such as pat or rub. There are different kinds of embrace, with humans and pets, which can express different meanings. As embraces can be as important as touches, we are interested in what kind of embraces we can model, specially for human-robot interaction. In this paper, we investigate an unsupervised embrace pose recognition system based on a soft-stuffed robot platform. Our proposed method includes a hardware implementation of soft fabric-based capacitive touch sensors and a software algorithm comprising of k-means clustering based on locational features extracted from a sliding window. The result shows that our proposed method can model embrace patterns as different clusters. The method is capable of recognizing and clustering unseen data to a similar cluster's patterns, though there is a limitation when modeling two poses whose touches are similar but different in the alignment of the robot. In the next step, we plan to improve and test the proposed method in real-time environment, and make adjustments to our sensing system to cope with found limitations. If successful, the proposed method will be integrated with a touch gesture recognizer into a gesture recognition system for creating interactive and affective responses with stuffed-toy robot, which can become a medium for robot therapy or our own pets at home.
Recent Chlamydia pneumoniae infection is highly associated with active ankylosing spondylitis in a Chinese cohort

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cp) antibodies in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) to determine whether there is an association with AS disease activity. Methods: Seventy-nine AS outpatients and 73 normal controls were enrolled in this case–control study. Serum anti-Cp immunoglobulins (CpIg) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Antibodies to Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) were also measured. Clinical and experimental data were collected, and the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) was determined. Patients with positive Cp IgM or Cp IgA were considered to have had a recent Cp infection. Results: Cp IgG was detected in the majority of AS patients and also controls (88.8% vs. 91.8%, respectively). The seroprevalence of Cp IgA and Cp IgM was significantly higher in AS patients than in the controls (51.9% vs. 31.5%, p = 0.010 for Cp IgA; 79.7% vs. 20.5%, p < 0.0001 for Cp IgM). Seropositivity of Cp IgM was associated with elevation of the disease activity index, including erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR; p = 0.021), C-reactive protein (CRP; p = 0.007) and the BASDAI (p = 0.009). Persistent positive Cp IgM was associated with active disease, while seroreversion of Cp IgM was associated with a reduction in these disease activity indices. There was no correlation between Cp IgM or Cp IgA and symptomatic upper respiratory infections or other clinical manifestations. Conclusions: Recent Cp infections occur frequently in AS patients and Cp IgM antibody is correlated with active disease. These findings indicate that Cp infections may be a triggering factor for active AS.
Identification of a Translocation Intermediate Occupying Functional Protein Import Sites in the Chloroplastic Envelope Membrane*

We used complexes of avidin and biotinylated precursors to generate translocation intermediates that occupy functional transport sites and thereby block the transport of other precursor proteins into pea chloroplasts. Cysteine residues of purified precursor to the small subunit of rubisco (prSS) were modified with the biotinylation reagent biotin-1-biotinamido-4-[-4′-(maleimidomethyl)-cyclohexane-carboxamido]butane. Chemically biotinylated prSS was readily imported into chloroplasts. The addition of avidin, however, resulted in the formation of an avidin-biotinylated precursor complex that could not be imported into chloroplasts even when precursors had already engaged the transport apparatus before avidin was added. On fractionation, the avidin-biotinylated precursor complex associated with envelope membranes. Titration of transport sites with avidin-biotinylated precursor complexes revealed that saturation was reached at 2,000 molecules/chloroplast. Even with less than saturating levels of complexes, a sufficient number of translocation sites could be occupied with avidin-precursor complexes so that the import rate of freshly added radiolabeled prSS was reduced by 35%. From these observations we conclude that the trapped intermediates were blocking functional translocation sites. These biotinylated translocation intermediates should be useful in future efforts to purify and characterize the chloroplastic protein import machinery.
Resistance and aerobic exercise have similar effects on 24-h nutrient oxidation.

BACKGROUND Whether resistance exercise is as effective as aerobic exercise for body-weight management is debated. PURPOSE To compare 24-h energy expenditure (EE) and macronutrient oxidation elicited by comparable bouts of stationary cycling (BK) and weightlifting (WTS). METHODS 24-h EE and macronutrient oxidation were measured in 10 nonobese male subjects on three occasions using whole-room indirect calorimetry. BK and WTS days were compared with a nonexercise control day (Con). RESULTS During BK, subjects exercised for 49 +/- 7 min (mean +/- SEM) at 70% of OV(2max) and expended 546 +/- 16 kcal. During WTS, subjects performed a 70-min circuit consisting of four sets of 10 different exercises at 70% of exercise-specific 1-repetition maximum and expended 448 +/- 21 kcal (P < 0.001 vs BK). 24-h EE on BK and WTS days (2,787 +/- 76 kcal x d(-1), 2,730 +/- 106 kcal x d(-1), respectively, P > 0.05) was elevated compared with Con (2,260 +/- 96 kcal x d(-1), P < 0.001), but 24-h respiratory exchange ratio (RER) was not different. 24-h carbohydrate oxidation was significantly elevated on the exercise days (BK = 370 +/- 18 g x d(-1), WTS = 349 +/- 23 g x d(-1), P > 0.05) compared with Con (249 +/- 29 g x d(-1), P = 0.04). 24-h fat and protein oxidation were the same on BK, WTS, and Con days. EE and macronutrient oxidation in the periods after exercise also did not differ across conditions. CONCLUSION In men, resistance exercise has a similar effect on 24-h EE and macronutrient oxidation as a comparable bout of aerobic exercise. Neither exercise produced an increase in 24-h fat oxidation above that observed on a nonexercise control day.
Response to volume resuscitation in children with severe malaria*

Objectives To examine whether hypovolemia is an important cause of the acidosis in children with severe malaria. Design Prospective phase 1 study examining the safety of volume expansion using detailed hemodynamic monitoring. Setting High-dependency unit of Kilifi District Hospital on the coast of Kenya. Patients Kenyan children admitted with clinical features of severe malaria (impaired consciousness or deep breathing) complicated by acidosis (base excess of less than −8). Three groups were considered: severe malarial anemia plus acidosis if hemoglobin of <5 mg/dL and base excess less than −8; moderate malaria acidosis if the base excess was between −8 and −15; severe malaria acidosis if the base excess was less than −15. Interventions Patients received between 10 and 40 mL/kg of either 0.9% normal saline or 4.5% human albumin solution. Measurements and Main Results A total of 53 children were recruited, and all had evidence of compensated shock at admission, with tachycardia, tachypnea, and prolonged capillary refill time. Mean central venous pressure (se) at admission was 2.9 cm H2O (0.5 cm H2O); in the severe malaria acidosis group, 44% had hypotension (systolic blood pressure of <80 mm Hg). Improvements of hemodynamic indices and a reduction in acidosis followed administration of either saline or albumin. By 8 hrs, mean central venous pressure had increased to 7.5 cm H2O (0.5 cm H2O, F = 34.4, p < .001) and was associated with a reduction in mean respiratory rate from 49 to 41 breaths/min (2 to 1 breaths/min, respectively; F = 7.0; p = .009), a reduction in tachycardia from 151 to 141 beats/min (5 to 3 beats/min, respectively; F = 3.4; p = .06), and a reduction in capillary refill time. No child developed evidence of the life threatening complications of pulmonary edema and increased intracranial pressure. Conclusions Volume depletion is present at admission in the majority of children with severe malaria complicated by acidosis. Volume expansion corrects the hemodynamic abnormalities and is associated with improved organ function and reduction in acidosis. Formal trials of volume expansion are needed to determine whether volume expansion will reduce mortality.
Pharmacokinetics and tolerability of olmesartan medoxomil plus hydrochlorothiazide combination in healthy Chinese subjects: drug-drug interaction, bioequivalence, and accumulation.

OBJECTIVES The study is to investigate drug-drug interaction (DDI) between olmesartan medoxomil and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), to confirm bioequivalence (BE) of a new combined formulation and coadministration of separate local tablets, and to receive pharmacokinetics and tolerability of the new combined formulation after multiple doses in healthy Chinese subjects. METHODS The 3-in-1 study was separated into 2 stages. Stage 1 is a four-period crossover study. 28 healthy subjects were equally randomized into four groups. Each group received the four following regimens in a sequence as Latin square (4 × 4) design: A: olmesartan medoxomil; B: HCTZ; C: test drug (new combined formulation); D: reference drugs (co-administration of separate tablets). In stage 2, half of 28 subjects were daily dosed with regimen C for 7 days. Blood and urine samples were obtained to receive pharmacokinetics of olmesartan and HCTZ, which were analyzed using the BE evaluation method. Tolerability was also assessed. RESULTS All subjects completed the study and nobody reported serious adverse event (SAE). The 90% confidence intervals (CI) of geometric mean ratio (GMR) of log transformed Cmax, AUC0-t, and AUC0-∞ after single dose showed no DDI and claimed BE. The mean ratio of accumulation (Ra) (SD) of olmesartan and HCTZ after multiple doses of new combination formulation is 1.03 (0.182) and 0.954 (0.128). CONCLUSIONS No significant DDI between olmesartan and HCTZ was found. The new combination formulation is bioequivalent to co-administration of two separate local tablets. After multiple doses of the new combination formulation, no significant accumulation was observed. The new combination formulation is reasonably tolerated well in healthy Chinese subjects after multiple doses.
Topographical organization of the efferent projections of the medial prefrontal cortex in the rat: An anterograde tract‐tracing study with Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the topographical organization of efferent projections from the cytoarchitectonic divisions of the mPFC (the medial precentral, dorsal anterior cingulate and prelimbic cortices). We also sought to determine whether the efferents from different regions within the prelimbic division were organized topographically. Anterograde transport of Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin was used to examined the efferent projections from restricted injection sites within the mPFC.
Development status and aberration overview of micro spectrometer with Czerny-Turner structure

With the advantages of quick identification, simple operation, reliable working, no pollution, non-invasive detection, the Czerny-Turner structure micro spectrometer as an important analysis tool has a wide range applications. In this paper, the domestic and foreign products of the current micro spectrometers are introduced, at the same time, the performance parameters are summarized and compared. The optical aberrations including spherical aberration, coma, astigmatism and field curvature are further summarized and discussed. The development direction and prospects of the Czerny-Turner structure micro spectrometer are prospected. The revelant outline can provide the basis for the development of the micro CT structure spectrometer with a wide band, low cost and high performance index.
The Potential of Human Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells as a Novel Cellular Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex disease of neurological disability, affecting more than 300 out of every 1 million people in the world. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the therapeutic effects of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell (hUC-MSC) transplantation in MS patients. Twenty-three patients were enrolled in this study, and 13 of them were given hUC-MSC therapy at the same time as anti-inflammatory treatment, whereas the control patients received the anti-inflammatory treatment only. Treatment schedule included 1,000 mg/kg of methylprednisolone intravenously (IV) daily for 3 days and then 500 mg/kg for 2 days, followed by oral prednisone 1 mg/kg/day for 10 days. The dosage of prednisone was then reduced by 5 mg every 2 weeks until reaching a 5-mg/day maintenance dosage. Intravenous infusion of hUC-MSCs was applied three times in a 6-week period for each patient. The overall symptoms of the hUC-MSC-treated patients improved compared to patients in the control group. Both the EDSS scores and relapse occurrence were significantly lower than those of the control patients. Inflammatory cytokines were assessed, and the data demonstrated a shift from Th1 to Th2 immunity in hUC-MSC-treated patients. Our data demonstrated a high potential for hUC-MSC treatment of MS. This manuscript is published as part of the International Association of Neurorestoratology (IANR) special issue of Cell Transplantation.
Miniaturized FR4 spectrometers

A miniaturized and electromagnetically driven FR4 based moving platform is developed for Fourier Transform spectrometer applications. Both Michelson interferometer and Lamellar Grating interferometer configurations are demonstrated. ±500 µm translational motion (corresponding to 5 cm−1 spectral resolution) is demonstrated with the moving platform. Two methods are proposed and partially demonstrated for pure translational motion: (1) integrated control system using a quad photo detector feedback and (2) corner cube retroreflector. The fundamental advantages and the limits of the lamellar grating interferometers are also discussed.
Myocardin Marks the Earliest Cardiac Gene Expression and Plays an Important Role in Heart Development

Myocardin belongs to the SAP domain family of transcription factors and is expressed specifically in cardiac and smooth muscle during embryogenesis and in adulthood. Myocardin functions as a transcriptional coactivator of SRF and is sufficient and necessary for smooth muscle gene expression. However, the in vivo function of myocardin during cardiogenesis is not completely understood. Here we clone myocardin from chick embryonic hearts and show that myocardin protein sequences are highly conserved cross species. Detailed studies of chick myocardin expression reveal that myocardin is expressed in cardiac and smooth muscle lineage during early embryogenesis, similar to that found in mouse. Interestingly, the expression of myocardin in the heart was found enriched in the outflow tract and the sinoatrial segments shortly after the formation of linear heart tube. Such expression pattern is also maintained in later developing embryos, suggesting that myocardin may play a unique role in the formation of those cardiac modules. Similar to its mouse counterpart, chick myocardin is able to activate cardiac and smooth muscle promoter reporter genes and induce smooth muscle gene expression in nonmuscle cells. Ectopic overexpression of myocardin enlarged the embryonic chick heart. Conversely, repression of the endogenous chick myocardin using antisense oligonucleotides or a dominant negative mutant form of myocardin inhibited cardiogenesis. Together, our data place myocardin as one of the earliest cardiac marker genes for cardiogenesis and support the idea that myocardin plays an essential role in cardiac gene expression and cardiogenesis. Anat Rec, 291:1200–1211, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Nonlinear dielectric effects in liquids: a guided tour

Dielectric relaxation measurements probe how the polarization of a material responds to the application of an external electric field, providing information on structure and dynamics of the sample. In the limit of small fields and thus linear response, such experiments reveal the properties of the material in the same thermodynamic state it would have in the absence of the external field. At sufficiently high fields, reversible changes in enthalpy and entropy of the system occur even at constant temperature, and these will in turn alter the polarization responses. The resulting nonlinear dielectric effects feature field induced suppressions (saturation) and enhancements (chemical effect) of the amplitudes, as well as time constant shifts towards faster (energy absorption) and slower (entropy reduction) dynamics. This review focuses on the effects of high electric fields that are reversible and observed at constant temperature for single component glass-forming liquids. The experimental challenges involved in nonlinear dielectric experiments, the approaches to separating and identifying the different sources of nonlinear behavior, and the current understanding of how high electric fields affect dielectric materials will be discussed. Covering studies from Debye’s initial approach to the present state-of-the-art, it will be emphasized what insight can be gained from the nonlinear responses that are not available from dielectric relaxation results obtained in the linear regime.
Transparencia de la información en Internet del sector no lucrativo en España

En este articulo se realiza un analisis de la informacion que las entidades del sector no lucrativo en Espana (ONLs) estan divulgando en Internet. Para ello, los autores formulan un indice de transparencia y toman como muestra a las ONLs pertenecientes a la Plataforma de ONG de Accion Social.
Occupational Asthma to Carmine in a Butcher

Hypersensitivity to carmine (E120) has been identified as a cause of food intolerance and occupational asthma. We present a case of occupational asthma following exposure to carmine in a manufacturer of sausages and review the literature. Case Report: A 42-year-old non-atopic male presented with a 5-year history of rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma on occupational exposure to food additive dusts. Symptoms increased after work. The patient had been exposed for more than 20 years. Methods: Skin prick tests were performed with a battery of common inhalant allergens and spices. Cochineal, carmine lake and additive mixes used by the patient were extracted and subsequently used for skin prick test, bronchial provocation and in vitro measurements (specific IgE, Western blot and chromatographic fractionation). Results: Prick tests were positive to carmine and carmine-containing additives; carmine-specific IgE and bronchial challenge tests were also positive (PC20 = 0.0004 mg/ml and 1.6 kU/l). Western blot showed IgE binding to bands of about 30 kDa on cochineal extract and a diffuse pattern at 40–97 kDa on carmine. This result was confirmed by gel filtration chromatography and dot blot. Carmine completely inhibited IgE binding to cochineal extract. Discussion: Carmine is a potential sensitizer in an occupational setting: 18 cases of occupational asthma have been described to date. Carmine allergens are poorly defined; in general, proteins from cochineal not removed by the extraction process are considered as the main allergens in carmine. Our results are consistent with this, but show that these proteins may be subject to chemical modification.
Adeno-associated virus general transduction vectors: analysis of proviral structures

We used two kinds of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors to transduce the neomycin resistance gene into human cells. The first of these (dl52-91) retains the AAV rep genes; the second (dl3-94) retains only the AAV terminal repeats and the AAV polyadenylation signal (428 base pairs). Both vectors could be packaged into AAV virions and produced proviral structures that were essentially the same. Thus, the AAV sequences that are required in cis for packaging (pac), integration (int), rescue (res), and replication (ori) of viral DNA are located within a 284-base-pair sequence that includes the terminal repeat. Most of the G418r cell lines (73%) contained proviruses which could be rescued (Res+) when the cells were superinfected with the appropriate helper viruses. Some produced high yields of viral DNA; other rescued at a 50-fold lower level. Most of the lines that were Res+ (79%) contained a tandem repeat of the AAV genome (2 to 20 copies) which was integrated randomly with respect to cellular DNA. Junctions between two consecutive AAV copies in a tandem array contained either one or two copies of the AAV terminal palindrome. Junctions between AAV and cellular sequences occurred predominantly at or within the AAV terminal repeat, but in some cases at internal AAV sequences. Two lines were seen that contained free episomal copies of AAV DNA. Res+ clones contained deleted proviruses or tandem repeats of a deleted genome. Occasionally, flanking cellular DNA was also amplified. There was no superinfection inhibition of AAV DNA integration. Our results suggest that AAV sequences are amplified by DNA replication either before or after integration and that the mechanism of replication is different from the one used during AAV lytic infections. In addition, we have described a new AAV general transduction vector, dl3-94, which provides the maximum amount of room for insertion of foreign DNA and integrates at a high frequency (80%).