Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Roles of Alanine Dehydrogenase and Induction of Its Gene in Mycobacterium smegmatis under Respiration-Inhibitory Conditions

ABSTRACT Here we demonstrated that the inhibition of electron flux through the respiratory electron transport chain (ETC) by either the disruption of the gene for the major terminal oxidase (aa3 cytochrome c oxidase) or treatment with KCN resulted in the induction of ald encoding alanine dehydrogenase in Mycobacterium smegmatis. A decrease in functionality of the ETC shifts the redox state of the NADH/NAD+ pool toward a more reduced state, which in turn leads to an increase in cellular levels of alanine by Ald catalyzing the conversion of pyruvate to alanine with the concomitant oxidation of NADH to NAD+. The induction of ald expression under respiration-inhibitory conditions in M. smegmatis is mediated by the alanine-responsive AldR transcriptional regulator. The growth defect of M. smegmatis by respiration inhibition was exacerbated by inactivation of the ald gene, suggesting that Ald is beneficial to M. smegmatis in its adaptation and survival under respiration-inhibitory conditions by maintaining NADH/NAD+ homeostasis. The low susceptibility of M. smegmatis to bcc1 complex inhibitors appears to be, at least in part, attributable to the high expression level of the bd quinol oxidase in M. smegmatis when the bcc1-aa3 branch of the ETC is inactivated. IMPORTANCE We demonstrated that the functionality of the respiratory electron transport chain is inversely related to the expression level of the ald gene encoding alanine dehydrogenase in Mycobacterium smegmatis. Furthermore, the importance of Ald in NADH/NAD+ homeostasis during the adaptation of M. smegmatis to severe respiration-inhibitory conditions was demonstrated in this study. On the basis of these results, we propose that combinatory regimens including both an Ald-specific inhibitor and respiration-inhibitory antitubercular drugs such as Q203 and bedaquiline are likely to enable a more efficient therapy for tuberculosis.
Integrating knowledge of soilborne pathogens to minimise disease risk in potato production

The occurrence of soilborne diseases of potato is difficult to predict. Assessment of risk can be made from knowledge of the field into which potatoes will be sown. However, this is an imprecise way to assess risk and no set criteria are established. Soil tests are in their infancy to measure soil inoculum. In the UK, bioassays are currently considered the most effective way to measure soil inoculum. However, considerable further study is needed in order to validate them and to establish effective soil sampling regimes. Estimation of the risk of soilborne disease enables the grower to avoid disease by selecting another field, to manage disease by using husbandry or chemical control measures, or to select a resistant variety. Where risk of soilborne disease exists, monitoring disease development of certain pathogens can permit control measures to be implemented to minimise disease development on the progeny crop. Disease control is just one factor that must be considered when selecting a field. Factors such as soil type and water availability, which affect skin finish, and economic and practical factors also influence the decision.
Estimating the Hemodynamic Impact of Interventional Treatments of Aneurysms: Numerical Simulation with Experimental Validation: Technical Case Report

OBJECTIVE:The goal of this study was to use phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging and computational fluid dynamics to estimate the hemodynamic outcome that might result from different interventional options for treating a patient with a giant fusiform aneurysm. METHODS:We followed a group of patients with giant intracranial aneurysms who have no clear surgical options. One patient demonstrated dramatic aneurysm growth and was selected for further analysis. The aneurysm geometry and input and output flow conditions were measured with contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography and phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging. The data was imported into a computational fluid dynamics program and the velocity fields and wall shear stress distributions were calculated for the presenting physiological condition and for cases in which the opposing vertebral arteries were either occluded or opened. These models were validated with in vitro flow experiments using a geometrically exact silicone flow phantom. RESULTS:Simulation indicated that altering the flow ratio in the two vertebrals would deflect the main blood jet into the aneurysm belly, and that this would likely reduce the extent of the region of low wall shear stress in the growth zone. CONCLUSIONS:Computational fluid dynamics flow simulations in a complex patient-specific aneurysm geometry were validated by in vivo and in vitro phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging, and were shown to be useful in modeling the likely hemodynamic impact of interventional treatment of the aneurysm.
IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE ACTIVITY OF L-ASPARAGINASE IN MICE

The administration of L-asparaginase causes regression of certain lymphoid tumours in rodents, suggesting that the enzyme may inhibit the activity of normal lymphoid cells and thus have an immunosuppressive effect. The effect of L-asparaginase treatment in mice on the survival of skin allografts and on the antibody response to i.p. injected sheep red blood cells was studied. In both experimental situations, the degree of response to the antigenie challenge was reduced. A single dose of asparaginase was effective when given at the same time as the sheep red blood cells and up to 48 hr afterward. The enzyme was unable to diminish the response to a second injection of sheep red blood cells in previously stimulated mice.
Hair Transplantation in the Surgical Treatment of Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia

BACKGROUND Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) is a progressive primary scarring alopecia that occurs mainly on the vertex of the scalp and expands centrifugally. To date, there is a paucity of published prospective studies reporting successful surgical therapy for CCCA. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of hair transplantation using the round (punch) grafting technique in African American women with CCCA. MATERIALS AND METHODS We describe 2 African American female patients with CCCA who had endured nearly 5 to 6 years of progressive hair loss on the crown of the scalp. After a scalp biopsy and hair transplant test session, both patients underwent hair transplantation with the use of round grafts. Digital photographs were obtained before and after hair transplantation to determine the hair growth success and response rates. RESULTS Hair growth was visibly observed at the recipient sites in both patients beginning between 4 to 5 months post-test session. No postoperative scarring in the recipient or donor areas of the scalp were noted in either patient. CONCLUSION Hair transplantation is a safe well-tolerated procedure to improve hair loss in African American women with end-stage CCCA who histologically display a lack of inflammation on scalp biopsy.
Continuous Color Reflective Display Fabricated in Integrated MEMS-and-TFT-on-Glass Process

The single mirror interferometric MEMS display is a full-color, daylight-visible, video-rate reflective display with high brightness that consumes power only during content updates. It consists of an array of identical pixels each of which can produce a continuous range of colors through precise analog positioning of one moving element, a mirror. Electrostatic actuation is driven with an integrated active-matrix backplane of indium-gallium–zinc oxide thin-film transistors. Displays of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$384\times384$ </tex-math></inline-formula> pixels built on a surface micromachining process on glass substrates have been demonstrated on both 6-in wafers and Gen 4.5 panels (730 mm <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\times920$ </tex-math></inline-formula> mm) showing good yield and uniformity. [2016-0206]
Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria: Novel Metalloenzyme Inhibitors

β‐Lactam antibiotics are among the most important drugs used to fight bacterial infection. Overuse and misuse of β‐lactam antibiotics has caused the evolution of resistance mechanisms, allowing pathogenic bacteria to survive antibiotic treatment. The major source of resistance to β‐lactam antibiotics occurs through production of enzymes called β‐lactamases capable of catalyzing hydrolysis of the β‐lactam rings in these drug compounds. The metallo‐β‐lactamases have become a major threat due to their broad substrate specificities; there are no clinically useful inhibitors for these metalloenzymes. We have obtained single‐stranded DNA’s that are potent inhibitors of the Bacillus cereus 5/B/6 metallo‐β‐lactamase. These are rapid, reversible, non‐competitive inhibitors of the metalloenzyme, with Ki and Ki′ values in the nanomolar range. The inhibition patterns and metal ion dependence of their inhibition suggest that the oligonucleotides alter the coordination of the active site metal ion(s); inhibition is efficient and highly specific. Microbiological growth experiments, using combinations of ssDNA with the β‐lactam antibiotic cephalexin, reveal that the inhibitor is capable of causing cell death in liquid cultures of both Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative metallo‐β‐lactamase producing bacteria in the micromolar concentration range.
Differentiating between Alzheimer's Disease and Vascular Cognitive Impairment: Is the "Memory Versus Executive Function" Contrast Still Relevant?

BACKGROUND The contrast between memory versus executive function impairments is commonly used to differentiate between neurocognitive disorders (NCDs) due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). We reconsidered this question because of the current use of AD biomarkers and the recent revision of the criteria for AD, VCI, and dysexecutive syndrome. OBJECTIVE To establish and compare the neuropsychological profiles in AD (i.e., with positive CSF biomarkers) and in VCI. METHODS We included 62 patients with mild or major NCDs due to pure AD (with positive CSF biomarker assays), and 174 patients (from the GRECogVASC cohort) with pure VCI. The neuropsychological profiles were compared after stratification for disease severity (mild or major NCD). We defined a memory-executive function index (the mean z score for the third free recall and the delayed free recall in the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test minus the mean z score for category fluency and the completion time in the Trail Making Test part B) and determined its diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS Compared with VCI patients, patients with AD had significantly greater memory impairments (p = 0.001). Executive function was impaired to a similar extent in the two groups (p = 0.11). Behavioral executive disorders were more prominent in the AD group (p = 0.001). Although the two groups differed significant with regard to the memory-executive function index (p < 0.001), the latter's diagnostic accuracy was only moderate (sensitivity: 63%, specificity: 87%). CONCLUSION Although the contrast between memory and executive function impairments was supported at the group level it does not reliably discriminate between AD and VCI at the individual level.
Subcellular Pathways of β-Endorphin Synthesis, Processing, and Release from Immunocytes in Inflammatory Pain

The opioid peptide beta-endorphin (END) as well as mRNA for its precursor proopiomelanocortin (POMC) are found not only in the pituitary gland, but also within various types of immune cells infiltrating inflamed sc tissue. During stressful stimuli END is released and interacts with peripheral opioid receptors to inhibit pain. However, the subcellular pathways of POMC processing and END release have not yet been delineated in inflammatory cells. The aim of the present study was to examine the presence of POMC, carboxypeptidase E, the prohormone convertases 1 (PC1), and 2 (PC2), PC2-binding protein 7B2, and the release of END from inflammatory cells in rats. Using immunohistochemistry we detected END and POMC alone or colocalized with PC1, PC2, carboxypeptidase E, and 7B2 in macrophages/monocytes, granulocytes, and lymphocytes of the blood and within inflamed sc paw tissue. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that END is localized within secretory granules packed in membranous structures in macrophages, monocytes, granulocytes, and lymphocytes. Finally, END is released by noradrenaline from immune cells in vitro. Taken together, our results indicate that immune cells express the entire machinery required for POMC processing into functionally active peptides such as END and are able to release these peptides from secretory granules.
Maternal Child Sexual Abuse Is Associated With Lower Maternal Warmth Toward Daughters but Not Sons

ABSTRACT Mothers with a history of child sexual abuse report less warmth toward their children, but whether this association differs by child gender is unknown. We examined the association of maternal child sexual abuse and warmth across child gender, accounting for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and child physical abuse. We verbally administered self-report measures to a cross-sectional sample of 154 mothers with a child between 8 and 12 years old. Eighty-five mothers based warmth responses on a son, and 69 on a daughter. We conducted a hierarchical multiple regression, including child gender, maternal child sexual abuse, child physical abuse, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and 4 two-way interaction terms with child gender. Maternal depression predicted decreased warmth, regardless of child gender, and maternal child sexual abuse predicted decreased warmth, but only toward daughters. Given previous research suggesting that maternal warmth predicts child well-being, the current finding may represent an important avenue of intergenerational transmission of risk in girls.
Adaptive Low-Rank Matrix Completion

The low-rank matrix completion problem is fundamental to a number of tasks in data mining, machine learning, and signal processing. This paper considers the problem of adaptive matrix completion in time-varying scenarios. Given a sequence of incomplete and noise-corrupted matrices, the goal is to recover and track the underlying low rank matrices. Motivated from the classical least-mean square (LMS) algorithms for adaptive filtering, three LMS-like algorithms are proposed for estimating and tracking low-rank matrices. Performance of the proposed algorithms is provided in form of nonasymptotic bounds on the tracking mean-square error. Tracking performance of the algorithms is also studied via detailed simulations over real-world datasets.
The Impact of Social Media as Technostress Inhibitor on Employee Productivity

The positive and negative sides of information technology and systems are of interest to the researchers across different domains. Technostress, being a negative and unintended consequence rendered by the use of various information systems, has recently obtained significant attention in the information systems (IS) literature. It has been demonstrated in various studies how technostress affects the overall organizational performance by increasing role stress and reducing employees' job satisfaction, productivity, and performance. We extend the existing literature on technostress by reasoning that certain information technologies (IT) and systems may induce technostress that can be inhibited by certain other IT and systems such as social media. Drawing on coping theory, we explain the role of social media as technostress inhibitor. We thus provide the research model depicting the moderating role of social media, in which, we posit that the negative impact of technostress creators on employee productivity can be mitigated by the use of social media. We also provide the potential implications of the study and outline the research methodology that will be taken up in the next stage of our present research.
Nonlinear path following control of the underactuated AUV via reduced-order LESOs and NTD

This paper proposes a novel nonlinear controller for path following control of underactuated autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) in the horizon plane. In order to overcome the drawback of dependence on the accurate dynamic model that are present in a number of path following control strategies described in the literature, the unknown environmental disturbances and unmodeled dynamics are viewed as lumped uncertainties, and reduced-order linear extended state observers (LESOs) are used to estimate and compensate these uncertainties. For handling the problem of computational complexity inherent in the conventional back-stepping method, nonlinear tracking differentiator (NTD) is employed to construct the derivative of virtual control command. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed control law is demonstrated through simulations.
A comparison of SVM-based cascade multitemporal classifiers

In this work we compare empirically five cascade classification schemes based on Support Vector Machines. Data fusion as well as decision fusion variants are considered. Data fusion is implemented by simply stacking feature vectors, whereas decision fusion is performed by a multitemporal SVM classifier, which classifies input patterns consisting of probability vectors produced by monotemporal SVMs. The exploitation of prior knowledge in terms of possible class transitions is a further aspect investigated in the present paper. The analysis is conducted upon a pair of IKONOS images from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The study reveals that a considerable accuracy improvement may be brought by the multitemporal approaches regarding their monotemporal counterparts. In particular, for the decision fusion schemes, the improvement is highly dependent on the relative accuracy of the monotemporal classifiers, whose individual decisions are combined to produce a consensual decision.
The Transformation From Custodial to Recovery-Oriented Care: A Paradigm Shift That Needed to Happen

ABSTRACT As custodial mental health services are beginning to adopt a recovery-oriented model of care, it is imperative that successes in the transformation to recovery are captured. The aim of this illustrative case study was to describe the organizational procedure that enabled the systematic transformation of a custodial mental health service to a service with a self-professed recovery orientation as its model of service delivery. One-to-one interviews with key stakeholders and a document analysis were completed to thoroughly describe the transformation of the service. Four major themes arose from the data: (a) “We had this whole paradigm shift that needed to happen;” (b) “Think recovery,” the development of a manualized guide; (c) “Stepping out my recovery;” adaptation of the service guide to the secure care context; and (d) developing the culture. The “developing the culture” major theme was subcategorized to consist of (a) the right people, (b) education, (c) reflective learning, and (d) leadership. The themes provided insights to assist mental health nurses to understand the processes involved in systems transformation. However, the major successes of the service, although only recently evaluated, commenced over a decade ago and yet continue to evolve.
Predicting the outcome in non‐Hodgkin lymphoma with molecular markers

The World Health Organization classification divides non‐Hodgkin lymphomas into B‐cell, T‐cell and natural killer‐cell lymphomas. They are heterogeneous in epidemiology, histopathology and outcome. Clinical prognostic indices rely only on patient factors and staging. Molecular prognostic markers reflect the intrinsic lymphoma biology, measure tumour load and may provide novel therapeutic targets. Lymphomagenesis involves mutations, deletions or dysregulations of genes critical in the control of cell cycle and apoptosis, which are in turn prognostically important. Genome‐wide gene expression profiling, either by allowing lymphomas to be classified according to different stages of lymphoid maturation, or by defining specific gene expression signatures, is also of prognostic significance. In lymphomas where viral infections of the neoplastic cells occur, quantification of viral copies is a surrogate marker for tumour load and hence prognosis. Molecular markers together with patient and clinicopathological features will provide more accurate prognostic models for risk stratification, in order to improve treatment outcome.
Right or wrong sample received for coagulation testing? Tentative algorithms for detection of an incorrect type of sample

Inappropriate blood collection potentially comprises the major pre‐analytical problem for coagulation testing. Inappropriate samples are most difficult to detect when received as secondary aliquots, common for referred tests. This study aimed to identify a simple, quick and inexpensive process to help laboratories distinguish the type of sample, should there be suspicion of inappropriate collection. Samples from 15 patients [selected on the basis that four different primary tubes were available: serum, citrated plasma, ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) plasma, lithium‐heparin plasma], were tested for common electrolytes that might substantially differ according to the type of sample. In citrated plasma, potassium, chloride, calcium and magnesium were significantly decreased compared with serum and lithium‐heparin plasma, while sodium was markedly increased. In EDTA plasma, sodium and chloride were significantly decreased compared with both serum and lithium‐heparin plasma, potassium was always >14 mmol/l, whereas magnesium and calcium were virtually undetectable. These data allowed development of two algorithms for differential identification of citrated plasma vs. other samples with 100% sensitivity and specificity, the former based on the sequential measurement of potassium, calcium and sodium, the latter on potassium and sodium. These simple assays can supplement classical coagulation test methods to identify most inappropriate blood collections and validate sample rejection.
ISEcp1-Mediated Transposition of qnrB-Like Gene in Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT A novel QnrB-like plasmid-mediated resistance determinant, QnrB19, was identified from an Escherichia coli clinical isolate from Colombia. Its gene was associated with an ISEcp1-like insertion element that did not act as a promoter for its expression. Using an in vitro model of transposition, we showed that the ISEcp1-like element was able to mobilize the qnrB19 gene.
Genetic programming with negative selection for volunteer computing system optimization

Volunteer computing systems like BOINC or Comcute are strongly supported by a great number of volunteers who contribute resources of their computers via the Web. So, the high efficiency of such grid system is required, and that is why we have formulated a multi-criterion optimization problem for a volunteer grid system design. In that dilemma, both the cost of the host system and workload of a bottleneck host are minimized. On the other hand, a reliability of this grid structure is maximized. Moreover, genetic programming has been applied to determine the Pareto solutions. Finally, a negative selection procedure to handle constraints has been discussed.