Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
YjdE (AdiC) Is the Arginine:Agmatine Antiporter Essential for Arginine-Dependent Acid Resistance in Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT To survive in extremely acidic conditions, Escherichia coli has evolved three adaptive acid resistance strategies thought to maintain internal pH. While the mechanism behind acid resistance system 1 remains enigmatic, systems 2 and 3 are known to require external glutamate (system 2) and arginine (system 3) to function. These latter systems employ specific amino acid decarboxylases and putative antiporters that exchange the extracellular amino acid substrate for the intracellular by-product of decarboxylation. Although GadC is the predicted antiporter for system 2, the antiporter specific for arginine/agmatine exchange has not been identified. A computer-based homology search revealed that the yjdE (now called adiC) gene product shared an overall amino acid identity of 22% with GadC. A series of adiC mutants isolated by random mutagenesis and by targeted deletion were shown to be defective in arginine-dependent acid resistance. This defect was restored upon introduction of an adiC+-containing plasmid. An adiC mutant proved incapable of exchanging extracellular arginine for intracellular agmatine but maintained wild-type levels of arginine decarboxylase protein and activity. Western blot analysis indicated AdiC is an integral membrane protein. These data indicate that the arginine-to-agmatine conversion defect of adiC mutants was at the level of transport. The adi gene region was shown to be organized into two transcriptional units, adiAY and adiC, which are coordinately regulated but independently transcribed. The data also illustrate that the AdiA decarboxylase:AdiC antiporter system is designed to function only at acid levels sufficient to harm the cell.
Decomposition Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm Based on Adaptive Neighborhood Adjustment Strategy

The multi-objective evolutionary algorithm based on decomposition (MOEA/D) uses a fixed neighborhood size and allocates the same algorithm resources for all sub-problems. This approach makes it harder to effectively optimize the sub-problems in different periods of time, slows the convergence of the algorithm and reduces the quality of the decomposition. This paper proposes an adaptive neighborhood adjustment strategy designed to solve this problem. The neighborhood size of each generation of different subproblems can be adjusted adaptively, and limited algorithm resources can be allocated more efficiently to balance the convergence and diversity of the algorithm. In the algorithm performance comparison experiment, this paper compares the proposed algorithm with the MOEA/D, MOEA/D-GR, MOEA/D-DU and MOEA/D-DN in ZDT and DTLZ series test problems. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can efficiently allocate limited algorithm resources, improve algorithm convergence, and achieve better overall performance of the decomposition set.
Empirical Model Including the Statistics of Location Variability for the Over-Rooftop Path in the 32 GHz Band

This paper proposes a propagation prediction model including the statistics of location variability for over-rooftop path in millimeter-wave suburban environments. The predictive model derived from the measurement was developed to analyze the propagation characteristic of the signal according to the distance within the area of a millimeter-wave band or future fifth-generation service band. The measurement was carried out using a radio wave characteristic measurement system called the channel sounder, and the signal transmitted to the air was captured to make the received signal level data. The measurement system was constructed to predict spatial propagation characteristics by transmitting and receiving a signal with a 500 MHz bandwidth, and this system was capable of predicting characteristics of a signal that varied with space and time by capturing wideband multipath signals. Measurements were performed in a small town covered with low-rise commercial restaurants or houses. The transmission signal propagated through the rooftops of low-rise houses on average 10 meters high. Their multipath signal arrived at a receiving station located under the roof of the house through reflection, diffraction, and scattering mechanisms. The change in the signals due to the variation in location was measured up to a distance of about 500 meters from the transmitter. The basic transmission loss prediction model with a probability density distribution was analyzed and interpreted based on these measurements. In practice, it was necessary to statistically model for path loss according to the characteristics of the location due to the various environment changes, such as buildings and roads. The proposed prediction model derived from the measurement data reflects the propagation impact on over-rooftop paths in a small town and includes the statistics of location variability in line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight regions.
Photochemical and microbial degradation of external dissolved organic matter inputs to rivers

Photochemical and microbial degradation of external inputs of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from both natural (forests) and anthropogenic (swine and equine pastures) non-point sources to rivers were examined through field and laboratory microcosm experiments. Little or no photo- chemical degradation of DOM to inorganic N or P occurred in either the agricultural or forest runoff. The dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), NH4 + , and PO4 3- concentra- tions did not change during the photochemical experiments for any of the sources examined. A small, but significant increase in the NO3 - /NO2 - (+0.7 µM; p = 0.004) concentration was detected in the forest runoff, suggesting that a small fraction (4 to 9%) of the DON may be photochemically degraded to dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN). Bacteria readily utilized DOC and DON in the agriculture and forest runoff. The percent of DOC and DON consumed by the bacteria ranged from 6 to 14% and 21 to 25%, respectively. Light exposure did not alter the biological availability of the DOC and DON in either the equine pasture or forest runoff. Our results emphasize the importance of microbial processes in degrading DOM in riverine environments; they appear to degrade DOM more rapidly than photochemical processes and may be more important in affecting the quantity and quality of the DOM exported from rivers to estuaries.
Cardiac steroidogenesis and glucocorticoid in the development of cardiac hypertrophy during the progression to heart failure

Background Elevated plasma glucocorticoid level is an independent predictor of increased mortality risk in chronic heart failure, but local biosynthesis and pathophysiological roles of glucocorticoids in the heart remain unclear. Methods Dahl salt-sensitive rats on high-salt diet and mice with transthoracic aortic banding (TAC) operation (TAC mice), both of which finally represent heart failure, were assessed at compensatory hypertrophic stage. As a model of cardiac-specific activation of steroidogenesis, α-myosin heavy chain–steroidogenic acute regulatory protein transgenic mice were used. Results In hypertrophied hearts of Dahl salt-sensitive rats and TAC mice, the gene expressions of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and CYP11A, rate limiting factors of steroid biosynthesis, were significantly upregulated and cardiac corticosterone level was increased compared with age-matched control. Although transgenic mice represented no morphological changes at basal condition, TAC induced greater increases in a ratio of left ventricular weight to body weight (4.8 ± 0.2 vs.4.3 ± 0.1 mg/g, P < 0.05) and left ventricular corticosterone level (104.5 ± 13.3 vs. 69.8 ± 3.8 pg/mg, P < 0.05) in the transgenic mice than in littermates. In neonatal cardiomyocytes, corticosterone increased atrial natriuretic peptide expression, protein synthesis and cell surface area, and provided the additive hypertrophic effects on phenylephrine-induced hypertrophied myocytes. These effects were prevented by glucocorticoid receptor blockade but not by mineralocorticoid receptor blockade. Conclusion In hypertrophied hearts, cardiac steroidogenesis was activated with an increase in cardiac glucocorticoid level. Glucocorticoid had potential of augmenting cardiac hypertrophy via glucocorticoid receptor even under the activation of α-adrenoceptor-mediated hypertrophic signaling. Cardiac steroidogenesis system and local glucocorticoid may play important roles in the development of hypertrophy and the progression to heart failure.
Transfer of tactile input from an artificial hand to the forearm: experiments in amputees and able-bodied volunteers

Purpose: This study explores the possibilities of transferring peripheral tactile stimulations from an artificial hand to the forearm skin. Method: A tactile display applied to the forearm skin was used to transfer tactile input to the forearm from various locations on a hand displayed on a computer screen. Discernment of location, levels of pressure and a combination of the two in simulated functional grips was tested to quantify the participants’ ability to accurately perceive the tactile stimulations presented. Ten participants (5 forearm amputees and 5 able-bodied volunteers) unfamiliar with the equipment participated in the three-stage experiments comprising a learning session with vision, a reinforced learning session without vision and a validation session without vision. Results: The location discernment accuracy was high in both groups (75.2% and 89.6% respectively). The capacity to differentiate between three different levels of pressure was also high (91.7% and 98.1% respectively in the two groups). Recognition of simulated grip was slightly more difficult with the groups scoring 58.7% and 68.0% respectively for accuracy in the validation session. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that it is possible, following a brief training period, to transfer tactile input from an artificial hand to the forearm skin. The level of accuracy was lower for the more complex task, simulated grip recognition, possibly because this represents a more complex task requiring higher order brain functions. These results could form the basis for developing sensory feedback in hand prostheses. Implications for Rehabilitation It is possible, following a brief training period, to transfer tactile input from an artificial hand to the forearm skin. This would be useful to make upper extremity amputees experience their prosthesis in a new way with the addition of sensory feedback
Can the checklist for autism in toddlers differentiate young children with autism from those with developmental delays?

OBJECTIVE The Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (CHAT) has been demonstrated to be sensitive to the presence of autism in otherwise normally developing 18-month-old children. However, its ability to differentiate autism from other significant developmental delays is unknown. This study examined this question. METHOD The CHAT was applied to a group of 44 children aged 2 and 3 years, rigorously diagnosed with autism or with other developmental problems. RESULTS By the original CHAT authors' criteria, the sensitivity and specificity of the CHAT were 65% and 100%, respectively. Slightly altering the criteria resulted in a sensitivity of 85% in the current group of children with developmental disabilities while maintaining specificity of 100%. CONCLUSIONS The current study is the first to demonstrate that the CHAT successfully discriminates 2-year-old children with autism from those with other developmental disorders. In addition, the increased sensitivity of the Denver Criteria in children with developmental disabilities may improve its usefulness as a screening tool for community-based early-diagnostic teams and general practitioners.
Hand Guidance Using Grasping Metaphor and Wearable Haptics

In this work, we propose a novel method for hand guidance, combining grasping metaphor and wearable haptics. To guide the hand towards the desired orientation, the system generates vibrations exploiting the grasp theory, asking the user to align the perceived wrench with the gravity. To evaluate the system and demonstrate its potentiality, different vibrotactile feedback approaches have been tested. Both constant and error-depending vibration intensities were considered as feedback methods. Experimental results confirmed the capability of the proposed approach in guiding the hand of the users towards target orientations in a limited time with high accuracy. Users’ experience feedback, supported by the statistical analysis of the data, shows that providing information about the actual orientation error is crucial to accomplish the task in minor time.
Deletion of SPARC Enhances Retinal Vaso-Obliteration in Mouse Model of Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy.

BACKGROUND Secreted Protein Acidic and Rich in Cysteine (SPARC) is a matricellular protein which is implicated in regulation of angiogenesis. PURPOSE To characterize the changes in SPARC expression and effect of its deletion in a mouse model Oxygen Induced Retinopathy (OIR). MATERIALS AND METHODS Wild type (wt) and SPARC-deficient mice were subjected to high oxygen (75%) for 5 days (p7-p12) before room air for additional 5 days (p12-p17). Retinas from both groups were flat mounted and retinal vessels were labeled with Isolectin-B4. Areas of Retinal Neovascularization (RNV) and vaso-obliteration were measured by Image-J and normalized to total retinal areas. SPARC expression was analyzed in both groups at p14 and p17 in retinal homogenates and sections by Western Blotting (WB) and immunofluorescence respectively. Human Retinal Endothelial Cells (HRECs) were exposed to hypoxia (1% O2) for 6 hours then SPARC was measured in cell lysate and condition medium by WB and ELISA. Moreover, HRECs were treated with VEGF or SPARC to study their mutual regulatory effect. RESULTS SPARC-deficient mice demonstrated significant increase in the vaso-obliteration (p=0.03) and modest increase in RNV compared to the wt control. Retinal levels of SPARC was significantly decreased during OIR at p14 (p=0.01) and partially restored to normal level by p17. Moreover, hypoxia significantly reduced SPARC expression and secretion in HRECs (p=0.001). We noticed a mutual positive regulatory feedback between SPARC and VEGF. CONCLUSION SPARC deletion enhances ischemic retinopathy, thus modulation of SPARC expression could be a novel therapeutic approach to prevent pathological RNV.
Effect of Dexamethasone Treatment on Serum GH, IGF-I, and the Binding Proteins IGFBP-1 and -3 in Ventilated Very Preterm Infants

Very preterm infants developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia frequently show a compromised growth in the neonatal period especially when steroids are given to facilitate weaning from the ventilator. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term effect of dexamethasone (DEXA) on the GH-IGF axis in ventilated very preterm infants developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia. We studied 10 very preterm artificially ventilated infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia [median (range) gestational age 27.5 wk (25.9-32.0 wk), median (range) birth weight 970 g (610-2150 g)] immediately before and 2 d after the start of DEXA treatment. On both days of study, serum GH profiles were obtained, and serum IGF-I and IGF binding protein (IGFBP) −1 and −3 levels were measured. The ventilation score and the nutritional intake were calculated. Before the start of DEXA treatment, the median serum mean GH level was 12.0 μg/L (6-28.4 μg/L), whereas 2 d after the start of DEXA treatment the median serum mean GH level declined significantly to a value of 4.4 μg/L (1.7-11.9 μg/L). During DEXA treatment, mean, baseline, and maximal GH levels (Pulsar analysis) were significantly lower compared with pretreatment levels (p < 0.01, p < 0.01, and p < 0.05, respectively). Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels did not decline during DEXA. Serum IGFBP-1 levels were significantly lower compared with pretreatment levels (p < 0.01). Serum GH levels during DEXA treatment were correlated with neither the time interval between the administration of DEXA and the second GH profile nor the cumulative DEXA dose administered. Ventilation score and nutritional intake did not significantly correlate with serum GH, IGF-I, or IGFBP-1 or -3 levels, either before or after the start of DEXA. Two days of DEXA treatment in very preterm ventilated infants has a suppressive effect on serum GH levels, without an acute decline in serum IGF-I levels. A concomitant decrease in serum IGFBP-1 levels was found.
Do Gender-Predominant Primary Health Care Organizations Have an Impact on Patient Experience of Care, Use of Services, and Unmet Needs?

Physicians’ gender can have an impact on many aspects of patient experience of care. Organization processes through which the influence of gender is exerted have not been fully explored. The aim of this article is to compare primary health care (PHC) organizations in which female or male doctors are predominant regarding organization and patient characteristics, and to assess their influence on experience of care, preventive care delivery, use of services, and unmet needs. In 2010, we conducted surveys of a population stratified sample (N = 9180) and of all PHC organizations (N = 606) in 2 regions of the province of Québec, Canada. Patient and organization variables were entered sequentially into multilevel regression analyses to measure the impact of gender predominance. Female-predominant organizations had younger doctors and nurses with more expanded role; they collaborated more with other PHC practices, used more tools for prevention, and allotted more time to patient visits. However, doctors spent fewer hours a week at the practice in female-predominant organizations. Patients of these organizations reported lower accessibility. Conversely, they reported better comprehensiveness, responsiveness, counseling, and screening, but these effects were mainly attributable to doctors’ younger age. Their reporting unmet needs and emergency department attendance tended to decrease when controlling for patient and organization variables other than doctors’ age. Except for accessibility, female-predominant PHC organizations are comparable with their male counterparts. Mean age of doctors was an important confounding variable that mitigated differences, whereas other organization variables enhanced them. These findings deserve consideration to better understand and assess the impacts of the growing number of female-predominant PHC organizations on the health care system.
A Novel Coupled-Inductor Soft-Switching Bidirectional DC-DC Converter with High Voltage Conversion Ratio

In this paper, a novel soft-switching bidirectional DC-DC converter based on coupled inductors is suggested. This converter includes four switches and a pair of coupled inductors and can achieve high voltage conversion ratio in step-up/step-down modes. Employing the interleaved technique reduces input current ripple and thereby increases the efficiency of the converter. The ZVS turn-on characteristic is obtained in both boost and buck directions for all converter switches. The uncomplicated and efficient control, as well as operation under proper duty cycle, are the other advantages of the suggested converter. A 500W prototype 36V/400V is simulated to validate theoretical conclusions.
Subcellular localization and transcription regulatory potency of KCNIP/Calsenilin/DREAM/KChIP proteins in cultured primary cortical neurons do not provide support for their role in CRE‐dependent gene expression

KCNIP3/KChIP3 (voltage‐dependent K+ channel interacting protein 3), alias Calsenilin and downstream regulatory element antagonist modulator (DREAM), is a multifunctional protein that modulates A‐type potassium channels, affects processing of amyloid precursor protein and regulates transcription. KCNIP3 has been described to negatively influence the activity of CREB (cAMP/Ca2+‐response element binding protein), an essential factor in neuronal activity‐dependent gene expression regulation. However, reports on intracellular localization of KCNIP3 in neurons are diverse and necessitate additional analyses of distribution of KCNIPs in cells to clarify the potential of KCNIP3 to fulfill its functions in different cell compartments. Here, we examined localization of the entire family of highly similar KCNIP proteins in neuronal cells and show that over‐expressed isoforms of KCNIP1/KChIP1, KCNIP2/KChIP2, KCNIP3/KChIP3, and KCNIP4/KChIP4 had varied, yet partially overlapping subcellular localization. In addition, although some of the over‐expressed KCNIP isoforms localized to the nucleus, endogenous KCNIPs were not detected in nuclei of rat primary cortical neurons. Moreover, we analyzed the role of KCNIP proteins in cAMP/Ca2+‐response element (CRE)‐dependent transcription by luciferase reporter assay and electrophoretic mobility shift assay and report that our results do not support the role for KCNIPs, including DREAM/Calsenilin/KChIP3, in modulation of CREB‐mediated transcription in neurons.
Synthesis Design of Equal-Ripple and Quasi-Elliptic Wideband BPFs With Independently Reconfigurable Lower Passband Edge

This paper presents a new synthesis design of equal-ripple and quasi-elliptic wideband band-pass filters (WB BPFs) with independently reconfigurable lower passband edge. The synthesis design starts from a 5th-order LC circuit. By using optimum multipole concept, a T-shaped resonator for the design of Chebyshev BPF without redundant elements can be directly derived, which is formed by a pair of parallel-coupled lines and short-ended stub. To sharpen the selectivity and maintain equal-ripple response, a pair of transmission zeros are introduced through replacing the short-ended stub by its multi-section counterparts. Thus, two prototypes, whose equivalent LC circuits can be directly derived, are presented for the synthesis of equal-ripple and quasi-elliptic BPFs. To realize the desired reconfigurable response, a capacitor is used. By controlling the capacitance value, the lower passband edge can be independently tunable in continue manners while the upper one is fixed. For validation, two prototypes with fixed and reconfigurable band-width are fabricated and measured. As the measured and simulated results agree well with each other, a high-efficiency design of reconfigurable-bandwidth WB BPFs is validated.