Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Early Senescence and Cell Death in Arabidopsis saul1 Mutants Involves the PAD4-Dependent Salicylic Acid Pathway1[W][OA]

Age-dependent leaf senescence and cell death in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) requires activation of the transcription factor ORESARA1 (ORE1) and is not initiated prior to a leaf age of 28 d. Here, we investigate the conditional execution of events that regulate early senescence and cell death in senescence-associated ubiquitin ligase1 (saul1) mutants, deficient in the PLANT U-BOX-ARMADILLO E3 ubiquitin ligase SAUL1. In saul1 mutants challenged with low light, the switch of age-dependent cell death was turned on prematurely, as indicated by the accumulation of ORE1 transcripts, induction of the senescence marker gene SENESCENCE-ASSOCIATED GENE12, and cell death. However, ORE1 accumulation by itself was not sufficient to cause saul1 phenotypes, as demonstrated by double mutant analysis. Exposure of saul1 mutants to low light for only 24 h did not result in visible symptoms of senescence; however, the senescence-promoting transcription factor genes WRKY53, WRKY6, and NAC-LIKE ACTIVATED BY AP3/PI were up-regulated, indicating that senescence in saul1 seedlings was already initiated. To resolve the time course of gene expression, microarray experiments were performed at narrow intervals. Differential expression of the genes involved in salicylic acid and defense mechanisms were the earliest events detected, suggesting a central role for salicylic acid in saul1 senescence and cell death. The salicylic acid content increased in low-light-treated saul1 mutants, and application of exogenous salicylic acid was indeed sufficient to trigger saul1 senescence in permissive light conditions. Double mutant analyses showed that PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT4 (PAD4) but not NONEXPRESSER OF PR GENES1 (NPR1) is essential for saul1 phenotypes. Our results indicate that saul1 senescence depends on the PAD4-dependent salicylic acid pathway but does not require NPR1 signaling.
Component-based software engineering for distributed embedded real-time systems

The aim of component-based software engineering is to create applications from reusable, exchangeable and connectable components. However, current component models lack support for important concepts of distributed embedded real-time systems, such as execution time and resource usage. These non-functional properties of a component are as important as its functionality. In addition, the non-functional properties are influenced by the platform on which the component is executed. A component model is proposed that separates the component's functionality from the platform-specific issues of concurrency, synchronisation and distribution. A technique that describes the behaviour of a component in a path-based notation similar to use case maps (UCMs) is presented. A method for deducing from these descriptions the behaviour of an application that consists of connected components is also shown. The paths also contain information on real-time requirements of the application. The authors also show how to adapt the components to an execution platform and how to create real-time applications with predictable properties from these components.
The Rice XA 21 Ectodomain Fused to the Arabidopsis EFR Cytoplasmic Domain 1 Confers Resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae pv . oryzae 2

Department of Plant Pathology and the Genome Center, University of California, Davis, 5 Davis, California, United States of America 6 The Australian National University, Research School of Biology, Acton ACT 2601, 7 Australia. 8 Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, University of California, Riverside, 9 California 92521, USA 10 * These authors contributed equally to this work and are shown in reverse alphabetical 11 order 12
Unmet psychological, social, and economic needs of persons with cancer in pennsylvania

Six hundred twenty‐nine persons with cancer (PWC) selected from the Pennsylvania Cancer Registry plus 397 nonprofessional (support) persons involved in their care (SP) were interviewed to determine their views of the unmet psychological, social and economic needs of PWC. The most frequently mentioned unmet need was for help in dealing with emotional problems (estimated at 25% of PWC state‐wide). Other unmet need estimates ranged from 14% for financial to 4% for transportation, with 59% of PWC reporting at least one unmet need. Characteristics of PWC reporting unmet needs included being younger, a history of emotional problems, a chronic illness in addition to cancer, more advanced stage at diagnosis, and a diagnosis of lung cancer. The percent of PWC and CP reporting unmet needs were very similar. These findings indicate that more effective screening for psychosocial problems and referral to supportive services is needed.
The Role of β-Fibrinogen Genotype in Determining Plasma Fibrinogen Levels in Young Survivors of Myocardial Infarction and Healthy Controls from Sweden

Summary β-fibrinogen G/A-455 polymorphism genotype was determined in 123 young survivors of myocardial infarction and 86 healthy controls from Sweden. Frequency of the A-455 allele was 0.25 (95% Confidence Interval 0.21–0.29) in both patients and controls, significantly higher than that reported previously (0.19, 95% Cl 0.16–0.22) in 292 men from the UK (1). Mean plasma fibrinogen level was significantly higher in patients (3.6 g/1) than in controls (3.1 g/1), with p <0.001. Genotype was significantly associated with (adjusted) plasma fibrinogen level in controls (p = 0.003). This effect was confined to the smokers (n = 50) where mean fibrinogen level was significantly (p = 0.001) higher in G/A-455 and A/A-455 individuals (3.5 g/1) compared with G/G-455 homozygotes (2.9 g/1). There was a significant interaction between smoking status and genotype in determining plasma fibrinogen levels in the controls. These data provide independent confirmation of the association between β-fibrinogen G/A-455 genotype and plasma fibrinogen levels previously observed in healthy men from the UK (1).
Estimation of induction motor efficiency in-situ under unbalanced voltages using genetic algorithms

An effective technique for estimating parameters, losses, shaft power and efficiency of three-phase induction motors in field conditions, is proposed in this paper. It is focused on the determination of the operating efficiency of motors under unbalanced voltages or deviated voltage and frequency without caring out special tests, removing the motors, or measuring the output power or torque. Only few sets of data: voltage, current, power and speed or slip, measured in the motor in-situ, are utilized. With these data, genetic algorithms techniques, applying the method of symmetrical components of voltage and considering parameters variations (especially in the rotor) related to the effect of negative sequence voltage system, are developed. Once the parameters are known, it is possible to obtain the estimated efficiency. The experimental results indicate that this technique has a high accuracy.
A global frequency estimator based on a frequency-locked-loop filter

In this paper, a novel frequency estimator is proposed with global convergence properties, i.e. the frequency estimate asymptotically converges, under the assumptions of an averaging approach, from any initial condition to the actual one. The estimator makes use of an adaptive notch filter coupled with an adaptation mechanism guaranteeing the convergence of the notch resonant frequency to the absolute value of the input one, and, in the case of pure sinusoidal input signal, the simultaneous reconstruction of amplitude, frequency and phase.
Geo-informative discriminative image representation by semi-supervised hierarchical topic modeling

Nowadays, the prevalence of sharing tourist photos to online communities has created an increasing demand for mining discriminative architecture aspects from historic landmarks. Some previous researches have demonstrated that topic models could discover discriminative features represented by meaningful visual-topics. However, they seldom exploited the indicative function of geo-tags and the hierarchy in architecture characteristics. In order to utilize this information, we proposed a semi-supervised hierarchical topic modeling approach (namely, shTM). In our approach, every image could be represented by a probability distribution over selected geo-related visual-topics from a partly randomized topic tree. We evaluated our approach on a real-world dataset with over 26 thousand geo-informative photos from Flickr. Experiments show that shTM topics could reveal more discriminative aspects of a specific architecture than other well-known image features, such as HOG and SIFT, on the tasks of automatic photo categorization and geographical information retrieval.
Long-term safety of recombinant human growth hormone in turner syndrome.

CONTEXT Turner syndrome (TS) affects more than 50,000 girls and women in the United States. The National Cooperative Growth Study (NCGS) has collected efficacy and safety data for 5220 TS children treated with recombinant human GH (rhGH) during the last 20 yr. OBJECTIVES Our objective was to determine frequencies of specific targeted adverse events (AEs) and additional AEs of interest in TS patients. Corresponding safety data in non-TS patients or normal populations were compared for selected AEs. METHODS Patients may be enrolled at rhGH initiation and followed until discontinuation. Investigators submit AE reports describing any event that is potentially rhGH related or is a targeted event. RESULTS The Genentech Drug Safety department received 442 AE reports for TS NCGS patients as of June 30, 2006, including 117 serious AEs. Seven deaths occurred; five resulted from aortic dissections/ruptures. The incidence of certain events known to be associated with rhGH (targeted events), including intracranial hypertension, slipped capital femoral epiphysis, scoliosis, and pancreatitis, was increased compared with other non-TS patients in NCGS. There were 10 new-onset malignancies that occurred, including six in patients without known risk factors. Type 1 diabetes also appeared to be increased compared with other NCGS groups. CONCLUSIONS Children with TS who were treated with rhGH exhibit an increased underlying risk for selected AEs associated with rhGH and for type 1 diabetes, which is likely unrelated to rhGH. The aortic dissection/rupture incidence reflects the higher baseline risk for these events in TS, was consistent with current epidemiological data in smaller TS populations, and is likely unrelated to rhGH. It is not known whether the reported malignancies represent an inherently increased risk in TS patients. Twenty years of experience in 5220 patients indicates no new rhGH-related safety signals in the TS population. The NCGS and similar registries, although focused on the years during rhGH treatment, may also be a window into the natural history of TS in childhood.
Echocardiographic findings and abnormalities in HIV-infected patients: results from a large, prospective, multicenter HIV-heart study.

AIMS The aim of the current study was to assess cardiac structure and function as well as cardiac abnormalities in a large patient-population based multicenter study of HIV-infected subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS We enrolled 803 HIV-positive adults (83.4% men, mean age: 44.2 ± 10.3 yrs) in this prospective, cross-sectional cohort study. The study protocol included a standardized documentation of patient history, medical treatment and clinical examination. All subjects underwent a standardized transthoracic echocardiographic examination protocol including Doppler and tissue Doppler imaging. RESULTS Echocardiographic measurements revealed a structural dilatation of the left ventricle in 10.1% of all HIV-infected subjects. Interventricular septum and posterior wall thickness were increased in 18.0% and 11.1%, respectively, with elevated muscle mass in 14.3% male and 19.4% female patients. Of all participants 13.5% exhibited a pathologic contraction characteristic of one or more myocardial segments. Prevalence of systolic and diastolic dysfunction was 34.3% and 48.0%, respectively. However, severe forms of ventricular dysfunction were rare. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion our results demonstrate the relevance of echocardiography in this patient-population in the era of antiretroviral therapy. Above all, left ventricular wall thickness and function should be controlled regularly in HIV-infected subjects. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01119729).
Definition of Minimal Domains of Interaction Within the Recombination-Activating Genes 1 and 2 Recombinase Complex1

During V(D)J recombination, recognition and cleavage of the recombination signal sequences (RSSs) requires the coordinated action of the recombination-activating genes 1 and 2 (RAG1/RAG2) recombinase complex. In this report, we use deletion mapping and site-directed mutagenesis to determine the minimal domains critical for interaction between RAG1 and RAG2. We define the active core of RAG2 required for RSS cleavage as aa 1–371 and demonstrate that the C-terminal 57 aa of this core provide a dominant surface for RAG1 interaction. This region corresponds to the last of six predicted kelch repeat motifs that have been proposed by sequence analysis to fold RAG2 into a six-bladed β-propeller structure. Residue W317 within this sixth repeat is shown to be critical for mediating contact with RAG1 and concurrently for stabilizing binding and directing cleavage of the RSS. We also show that zinc finger B (aa 727–750) of RAG1 provides a dominant interaction domain for recruiting RAG2. In all, the data support a model of RAG2 as a multimodular protein that utilizes one of its six faces for establishing productive contacts with RAG1.
Router UDP Switch support NAT Traversal

The direct routing among each devices in a pervasive computing environment because the amount of devices is so enormous. In order to ease the overhead introduced by various server-based NAT traversal methods, a router-based UDP switch scheme is proposed in this paper. The scheme provide direct traffic forwarding in IP route path without any excess traffic overhead and public servers.
Stabilization for linear uncertain system with time latency

Recently, various remote control systems through the public Internet have been broadly applied in factory automation, information appliance (IA), surgery, space exploration, the military, and also in our daily life. However, the time delay is unavoidable when the remote control systems through the Internet are distant from each other in the remote locations. Time delay usually causes control systems to become unstable or fail, even if the system is stable under no time delay. In this paper, stabilization for a class of linear uncertain systems with time latency is considered. The proposed control is based on the optimal control for its delay-free linear system with quadratic performance index. A Lyapunov functional theorem is used in the proof of our main result. A delay-dependent criterion is provided to guarantee asymptotic stabilizability for time-latency systems.
Swarming: A coordinated bacterial activity

Swarming is an intrinsically surface-linked and cell density-dependent phenomenon involving cell differentiation, extensive flagellation, contact between neighbouring bacteria, and in particular, highly coordinated migration of swarm cells. Various extracellular compounds such as biosurfactants and polysaccharide also facilitate surface translocation. Recently, two regulatory systems, namely, Flagellar master FlhD-FlhC and AHLs-based quorum sensing systems have been identified, which play an important role in regulation of swarming behaviour. Interest in bacterial multicellular bahaviour is increasing not only as a focus for study of developmental regulation, but also in its role in virulence, biofilm formation and its connection with pathogenicity. So far, only a few of the Serratia liquefaciens quorum-sensing target genes have been identified. Some of these genes may encode potential virulence determinants, whose expression is sensitive to furanones. This may form a valuable model system for understanding the structure and function of bacterial signaling systems. The information on interaction of cognate signals with other modulatory signals may help to develop new strategies in the battle against infectious diseases.
Predicting the structural effect upon single amino acid exchange

Of particular interest in personalized medicine are mutations that result in a different amino acid (non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms, nsSNPs) in the gene product since they could lead to molecular effects and disease. Here, we studied effects occurring on amino acid change in protein structure. A first coarse-grained analysis revealed a highly dynamic behavior of secondary structure and protein disorder. Furthermore, we developed a machine-learning model that successfully predicted structural effect induced by a single amino acid exchange. We applied our new method to nsSNPs annotated as disease-related. Our findings showed that these variants were enriched in mutations with strong predicted structural effect. This indicated that a severe effect on protein structure could raise the likelihood for disease. We combined predictions of structural and functional effects to separate disease-related from non-deleterious variants. Based on this analysis we concluded that predicted functional impact alone sufficed to accurately predict whether a nsSNP leads to disease or not.
Small Heat Shock Protein Hsp17.8 Functions as an AKR2A Cofactor in the Targeting of Chloroplast Outer Membrane Proteins in Arabidopsis1[W][OA]

Plastid proteins that are encoded by the nuclear genome and synthesized in the cytosol undergo posttranslational targeting to plastids. Ankyrin repeat protein 2A (AKR2A) and AKR2B were recently shown to be involved in the targeting of proteins to the plastid outer envelope. However, it remains unknown whether other factors are involved in this process. In this study, we investigated a factor involved in AKR2A-mediated protein targeting to chloroplasts in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Hsp17.8, a member of the class I (CI) cytosolic small heat shock proteins (sHsps), was identified in interactions with AKR2A. The interaction between Hsp17.8 and AKR2A was further confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation experiments. The carboxyl-terminal ankyrin repeat domain of AKR2A was responsible for AKR2A binding to Hsp17.8. Other CI cytosolic sHsps also interact with AKR2A to varying degrees. Additionally, Hsp17.8 binds to chloroplasts in vitro and enhances AKR2A binding to chloroplasts. HSP17.8 was expressed under normal growth conditions, and its expression increased after heat shock. Hsp17.8 exists as a dimer under normal physiological conditions, and it is converted to high oligomeric complexes, ranging from 240 kD to greater than 480 kD, after heat shock. High levels of Hsp17.8 together with AKR2A resulted in increased plastid targeting of Outer Envelope Protein7 (OEP7), a plastid outer envelope protein expressed as a green fluorescent protein fusion protein. In contrast, artificial microRNA suppression of HSP17.8 and closely related CI cytosolic sHSPs in protoplasts resulted in a reduction of OEP7:green fluorescent protein targeting to plastids. Based on these data, we propose that Hsp17.8 functions as an AKR2A cofactor in targeting membrane proteins to plastid outer membranes under normal physiological conditions.
Draft Genome Sequence of Serratia fonticola LMG 7882T Isolated from Freshwater

ABSTRACT Serratia fonticola is a Gram-negative bacterium with a wide distribution in aquatic environments. On some occasions, it has also been regarded as a significant human pathogen. In this work, we report the first draft genome sequence of an S. fonticola strain (LMG 7882T), which was isolated from freshwater.
PARENTAL EFFECTS IN PLANTAGO LANCEOLATA L. I.: A GROWTH CHAMBER EXPERIMENT TO EXAMINE PRE‐ AND POSTZYGOTIC TEMPERATURE EFFECTS

In spite of the potential evolutionary importance of parental effects, many aspects of these effects remain inadequately explained. This paper explores both their causes and potential consequences for the evolution of life‐history traits in plants. In a growth chamber experiment, I manipulated the pre‐ and postzygotic temperatures of both parents of controlled crosses of Plantago lanceolata. All offspring traits were affected by parental temperature. On average, low parental temperature increased seed weight, reduced germination and offspring growth rate, and accelerated onset of reproduction by 7%, 50%, 5%, and 47%, respectively, when compared to the effects of high parental temperature. Both pre‐ and postzygotic parental temperatures (i.e., prior to fertilization vs. during fertilization and seed set, respectively) influenced offspring traits but not always in the same direction. In all cases, however, the postzygotic effect was stronger. The prezygotic effects were more often transmitted paternally than maternally. Growth and onset of reproduction were influenced both directly by parental temperature as well as indirectly via the effects of parental temperature on seed weight and germination. Significant interactions between parental genotypes and prezygotic temperature treatment (G × E interactions) show that genotypes differ in their intergenerational responses to temperature with respect to germination and growth. The data suggest that temperature is involved in both genetically based and environmentally induced parental effects and that parental temperature may accelerate the rate of evolutionary change in flowering time in natural populations of P. lanceolata. The environmentally induced temperature effects, as mediated through G × (prezygotic) E interactions are not likely to affect the rate or direction of evolutionary change in the traits examined because postzygotic temperature effects greatly exceed prezygotic effects.
Non-A, Non-B Hepatitis: Toward the Discovery of Hepatitis C and E Viruses

The enterically and parenterally transmitted forms of non-A, non-B hepatitis (ET-NANBH and PT-NANBH, respectively) have long been recognized as important causes of morbidity and mortality in man. Until recently, however, little was known about the etiology of either ET-NANBH or PT-NANBH except that viral agents were strongly suspected on the basis of the epidemiologic, clinical, and histologic features of each disease. The development of sensitive and specific serologic assays for markers of acute infection by hepatitis A virus (HAV)'. ' and hepatitis B virus (HBV)'. 4 led to the realization that many epidemics of hepatitis associated with fecally contaminated water were not caused by HAV5 and that the majority of post-transfusion hepatitis was due to infection with an agent other than HBV. ' Laboratory studies of both ET-NANBH and PT-NANBH were largely unsuccessful until suitable primate models of human disease were identified and developed in the late 1970s and early-to-mid 1980s. The following discussion chronicles research conducted at the Centers For Disease Control (CDC) that led to the discovery of the viruses responsible for the majority of NANBH worldwide. More extensive general reviews of ET-NANBH and PT-NANBH
Evaluation of the Vitek 2 System with a Variety of Staphylococcus Species

ABSTRACT The Vitek 2 gram-positive (GP) card was compared with an oligonucleotide array approach for the identification of 190 Staphylococcus strains, including 35 species, isolated from clinical and environmental specimens. The GP card provided a rapid and reliable identification of most species, whatever their origin.