Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cytoskeleton as an Emerging Target of Anthrax Toxins

Bacillus anthracis, the agent of anthrax, has gained virulence through its exotoxins produced by vegetative bacilli and is composed of three components forming lethal toxin (LT) and edema toxin (ET). So far, little is known about the effects of these toxins on the eukaryotic cytoskeleton. Here, we provide an overview on the general effects of toxin upon the cytoskeleton architecture. Thus, we shall discuss how anthrax toxins interact with their receptors and may disrupt the interface between extracellular matrix and the cytoskeleton. We then analyze what toxin molecular effects on cytoskeleton have been described, before discussing how the cytoskeleton may help the pathogen to corrupt general cell processes such as phagocytosis or vascular integrity.
Combined role of vitamin D status and CYP24A1 in the transition to systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective We examined whether measures of vitamin D were associated with transitioning to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in individuals at risk for SLE. Methods 436 individuals who reported having a relative with SLE but who did not have SLE themselves were evaluated at baseline and again an average of 6.3 (±3.9) years later. Fifty-six individuals transitioned to SLE (≥4 cumulative American College of Rheumatology criteria). 25-Hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels were measured by ELISA. Six single-nucleotide polymorphisms in four vitamin D genes were genotyped. Generalised estimating equations, adjusting for correlation within families, were used to test associations between the vitamin D variables and the outcome of transitioning to SLE. Results Mean baseline 25[OH]D levels (p=0.42) and vitamin D supplementation (p=0.65) were not different between those who did and did not transition to SLE. Vitamin D deficiency (25[OH]D <20 ng/mL) was greater in those who transitioned compared with those who did not transition to SLE (46% vs 33%, p=0.05). The association between 25[OH]D and SLE was modified by CYP24A1 rs4809959, where for each additional minor allele increased 25[OH]D was associated with decreased SLE risk: zero minor alleles (adjusted OR: 1.03, CI 0.98 to 1.09), one minor allele (adjusted OR: 1.01, CI 0.97 to 1.05) and two minor alleles (adjusted OR: 0.91, CI 0.84 to 0.98). Similarly, vitamin D deficiency significantly increased the risk of transitioning to SLE in those with two minor alleles at rs4809959 (adjusted OR: 4.90, CI 1.33 to 18.04). Conclusions Vitamin D status and CYP24A1 may have a combined role in the transition to SLE in individuals at increased genetic risk for SLE.
Plastic deformation of Ti-6Al-4V micro-pillars at room temperature

In this work, the deformation behaviour of Ti-6Al-4V micro-pillars was studied via compression tests at room temperature. Micro-pillars containing either the single α phase region or both α and β phases were prepared and either prismatic slips or slips were activated. Thin foils for TEM study were prepared using the FIB from the selected deformed pillars. STEM was used to image dislocations and their interaction with the α/β interfaces. Sample yield strength has been observed in all groups of micro-pillars and its relationship with the β phase, α/β interface, orientation and extrinsic sample size was discussed. The β phase is proved weaker than the α phase and the α/β interfaces behaviour as both the barriers and sources of dislocations. The magnitude of influence depending on the volume fraction, orientation and morphology of the β phase and the α/β interfaces. The work-hardening rate is related to the orientation of micro-pillars and the α/β interfaces in the micro-pillars. The strain bursts can be suppressed by the α/β interface and smaller sample size. The sample with smaller size expressed the larger strain burst in the stress-strain curves. The orientation influences the number and magnitude of strain bursts.
Human Becoming: Scope and Challenges Continued

JF: Christine, would you please tell our readers about your human becoming theory-guided work? CMJ-S: The human becoming theory guides both my nursing research and my nursing practice. The theory has provided the opportunity for me to be creative and use music as a medium for true presence in my research and practice. One of my studies addressed the phenomenon of feeling understood as described by 10 community-dwelling women, ranging in age from their late 20s to their early 80s, who were living with enduring health situations (Jonas-Simpson, 2001). In that study, I asked the women to speak about their lived experience of being understood and then invited them to create a musical expression of the experience. They did so after I asked them if they wished their music to start on a high, low, or medium note, or to be fast, slow, or loud. They then directed me—with words, singing, or use of their hands and arms—while I followed with notes on my flute. Interestingly, some participants had dreamt about their musical expressions prior to the dialogical engagement. Another study addressed the lived experience of being listened to, as described by 10 women. The women, who ranged in age from their late 60s to their early 90s, were receiving rehabilitation at a large Canadian healthcare center (Jonas-Simpson, 2003). In this study, I asked the women to please talk to me about their experience of being listened to. When I invited them to create a musical expression of their lived experience, I simply asked, “What does being listened to sound like in music? ” The women then directed me, with words or by moving their arms and hands, to play notes of music on my flute that were low, high, quiet, loud, slow, or fast. The findings from both of these studies were reported in musical notes and words according to the requirements of the method. JF: Your use of music as a way to be in true presence with people is exceptionally creative. Did you encounter any challenges when using this distinctive approach? CMJ-S: Yes. A challenge occurred when I used music in the research process of dialogical engagement, where the nurse is required to be truly present. I discovered that I was able to be truly present until I had to transcribe the notes to capture the participants’ musical expressions of the phenomenon under study (Jonas-Simpson, 2001). However, when I changed the method so that I taped the session with the participant and transcribed the music later (JonasSimpson, 2003), the music once again enhanced the true presence. Furthermore, I found that the participants often spoke more about the lived experience under study while they directed the music. Thus, the process of dialogical engagement in the Parse research method was not altered. Rather, I modified my approach to using the music. JF: Your openness to changing the method to be consistent with the Parse research method is noteworthy. Turning to
Adaptive Immunity Cross-Priming, and the Induction of That Facilitates Antigen Processing, Hypochlorous Acid: A Natural Adjuvant

The production of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is a characteristic of granulocyte activation, a hallmark of the early phase of innate immune responses. In this study, we show that, in addition to its well-established role as a microbicide, HOCl can act as a natural adjuvant of adaptive immunity. HOCl enhances the T cell responses to the model Ag OVA, facilitating the processing and presentation of this protein via the class II MHC pathway. HOCl modiﬁcation also enhances cross-presentation of the tumor Ag tyrosinase-related protein 2 via class I MHC. The adjuvant effects of HOCl are independent of TLR signaling. The enhanced presentation of HOCl-modiﬁed OVA is mediated via modiﬁcation of the N-linked carbohydrate side chain rather than formation of protein aldehydes or chloramines. HOCl-modiﬁed OVA is taken up more efﬁciently by APCs and is degraded more efﬁciently by proteinases. Atomic force microscopy demonstrated that enhanced uptake is mediated via speciﬁc receptor binding, one candidate for which is the scavenger receptor lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor, which shows enhanced binding to chlorinated OVA. A function of HOCl is therefore to target glycoprotein Ags to scavenger receptors on the APC surface. This additional mechanism linking innate and adaptive immunity suggests novel strategies to enhance immunity to vaccines. The Journal of Immunology , 2010, 184: 824–835.
Phylogenetic and Chemical Diversity of Three Chemotypes of Bloom-Forming Lyngbya Species (Cyanobacteria: Oscillatoriales) from Reefs of Southeastern Florida

ABSTRACT The cyanobacterial genus Lyngbya includes free-living, benthic, filamentous cyanobacteria that form periodic nuisance blooms in lagoons, reefs, and estuaries. Lyngbya spp. are prolific producers of biologically active compounds that deter grazers and help blooms persist in the marine environment. Here, our investigations reveal the presence of three distinct Lyngbya species on nearshore reefs in Broward County, FL, sampled in 2006 and 2007. With a combination of morphological measurements, molecular biology techniques, and natural products chemistry, we associated these three Lyngbya species with three distinct Lyngbya chemotypes. One species, identified as Lyngbya cf. confervoides via morphological measurements and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, produces a diverse array of bioactive peptides and depsipeptides. Our results indicate that the other two Lyngbya species produce either microcolins A and B or curacin D and dragonamides C and D. Results from screening for the biosynthetic capacity for curacin production among the three Lyngbya chemotypes in this study correlated that capacity with the presence of curacin D. Our work on these bloom-forming Lyngbya species emphasizes the significant phylogenetic and chemical diversity of the marine cyanobacteria on southern Florida reefs and identifies some of the genetic components of those differences.
Point of View.

The 43 patients in this review 10 years after Graf ligamentoplasty all had sciatica in addition to back pain. While the improvement in the JOA scores reached significance, it is unclear whether this was due to the instrumentation or to the decompressive laminectomy that, from the illustrated cases, appears to have been a routine part of the procedure. One criticism of the concept of ligamentoplasty is that loss of band tension and/or loosening of screw fixation leads to loss of lordosis. The results of this study confirm that the improvement in lordosis is not maintained in the longer term. Furthermore, while the reduced mobility at the target level was attributed to the Graf procedure, the study was not controlled to assess the normal stabilizing effect of the degenerative process. At first sight, it seems remarkable that there were no cases of “new leg pain” from foraminal stenosis given the very high incidence of this in other series. The low incidence of foraminal stenosis in this review may be related to the avoidance of the L5–S1 motion segment where, because of the relatively small vertical height of the L5–S1 intervertebral foramen, the L5 nerve root is particularly vulnerable. The authors quoted the papers by Lehman et al and Leong et al to support the view that fusion leads to a high incidence of adjacent segment degeneration. However, these studies did not assess the state of the adjacent segments before surgery other than by myelography; whereas in a more exacting measure of adjacent segment degeneration after ALIF, the incidence was found to be no different than in normal asymptomatic populations. The present study aimed to assess the incidence of “adjacent segment breakdown. ” Although this was not specifically addressed in the Results, the authors reported a 7% incidence of adjacent segment surgery. As this is similar to the incidence ( 10%) of adjacent segment surgery 20 years after ALIF, it does not support the view that the Graf device protects against adjacent level degeneration. Perhaps the main value of this retrospective study is the finding that Graf ligamentoplasty is not effective in the treatment of patients with degenerative scoliosis, but the longer-term efficacy of the Graf procedure for other lumbar conditions is yet to be proven.
Some improvements over the continuation call tabling implementation technique

Tabled evaluation has been proved an effective method to improve several aspeets of goal-oriented query evaluation, including termination and complexity. Several "native" implementations of tabled evaluation have been developed which offer good performance, but many of them need significant changes to the underlying Prolog implementation. More portable approaches, generally using program transformation, have been proposed but they often result in lower efficieney. We explore some techniques aimed at combining the best of these worlds, i.e., developing a portable and extensible implementation, with minimal modifications at the abstract machine level, and with reasonably good performance. Our preliminary results indicate promising results.
(1:-glucan Exposure Levels among Workers in Four British Columbia Sawmills

glucans were extracted from wood dust samples taken during the summer of 1997 at four British Columbia sawmills. Personal dust samples were collected using a GSP-sampler for inhalable dust and the sampling strategy targeted all production and maintenance jobs at least once at each mill. Potential exposure determinants data were documented concurrently, including weather conditions, log VWRUDJH PHWKRGV ZRRG FRQGLWLRQV VSHFLHV SURGXFWLRQ OHYHO MREV DQG WDVNV:-glucans were measured by enzyme inhibition immunoassay (EIA). A total of 223 SHUVRQDO :-glucan samples were analyzed. 45.7% were below the limit of detection (LOD). Geometric mean concentration ranged from 3.5 to 18.9 µg/m 3 across the four mills. The highest levels were measured at the Interior mills, particularly in the log processing and sawmill areas. Multivariate regression models indicated that land-based log storage, clean-up jobs, high wood dust concentration, lumber yard department and the interaction between land-based log storage method and log processing department were associated with increasHG:-glucan concentration.
How geometric frustration shapes twisted fibres, inside and out: competing morphologies of chiral filament assembly

Chirality frustrates and shapes the assembly of flexible filaments in rope-like, twisted bundles and fibres by introducing gradients of both filament shape (i.e. curvature) and packing throughout the structure. Previous models of chiral filament bundle formation have shown that this frustration gives rise to several distinct morphological responses, including self-limiting bundle widths, anisotropic domain (tape-like) formation and topological defects in the lateral inter-filament order. In this paper, we employ a combination of continuum elasticity theory and discrete filament bundle simulations to explore how these distinct morphological responses compete in the broader phase diagram of chiral filament assembly. We show that the most generic model of bundle formation exhibits at least four classes of equilibrium structure—finite-width, twisted bundles with isotropic and anisotropic shapes, with and without topological defects, as well as bulk phases of untwisted, columnar assembly (i.e. ‘frustration escape’). These competing equilibrium morphologies are selected by only a relatively small number of parameters describing filament assembly: bundle surface energy, preferred chiral twist and stiffness of chiral filament interactions, and mechanical stiffness of filaments and their lateral interactions. Discrete filament bundle simulations test and verify continuum theory predictions for dependence of bundle structure (shape, size and packing defects of two-dimensional cross section) on these key parameters.
Role of sarA in the Pathogenesis of Staphylococcus aureus Musculoskeletal Infection

ABSTRACT We recently demonstrated that mutation of sarA in clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus results in a phenotype that is distinct by comparison to sarA mutants generated in the laboratory strain RN6390 (J. S. Blevins, K. E. Beenken, M. O. Elasri, B. K. Hurlburt, and M. S. Smeltzer, Infect. Immun. 70:470-480, 2002). This raises the possibility that studies demonstrating that RN6390 sarA mutants are attenuated do not accurately reflect the role of sarA in the pathogenesis of staphylococcal disease. To test this hypothesis, we used a murine model of musculoskeletal infection to assess the virulence of sarA and agr mutants generated in a clinical isolate of S. aureus (UAMS-1). By using this model, we confirmed that mutation of sarA and/or agr results in a reduced capacity to cause both septic arthritis and osteomyelitis.
Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins in legumes

Plants are exposed to different external conditions that affect growth, development, and productivity. Water deficit is one of these adverse conditions caused by drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures. Plants have developed different responses to prevent, ameliorate or repair the damage inflicted by these stressful environments. One of these responses is the activation of a set of genes encoding a group of hydrophilic proteins that typically accumulate to high levels during seed dehydration, at the last stage of embryogenesis, hence named Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins. LEA proteins also accumulate in response to water limitation in vegetative tissues, and have been classified in seven groups based on their amino acid sequence similarity and on the presence of distinctive conserved motifs. These proteins are widely distributed in the plant kingdom, from ferns to angiosperms, suggesting a relevant role in the plant response to this unfavorable environmental condition. In this review, we analyzed the LEA proteins from those legumes whose complete genomes have been sequenced such as Phaseolus vulgaris, Glycine max, Medicago truncatula, Lotus japonicus, Cajanus cajan, and Cicer arietinum. Considering their distinctive motifs, LEA proteins from the different groups were identified, and their sequence analysis allowed the recognition of novel legume specific motifs. Moreover, we compile their transcript accumulation patterns based on publicly available data. In spite of the limited information on these proteins in legumes, the analysis and data compiled here confirm the high correlation between their accumulation and water deficit, reinforcing their functional relevance under this detrimental conditions.
Work of fracture of a composite resin: fracture-toughening mechanisms.

The aim of this work was to investigate those mechanical parameters able to describe the fracture behavior of dental composite resins. A commercially available fine-particle micro-hybrid resin composite was used. Classical parameters as Young's modulus, strength distribution, and critical stress intensity factor were considered. Strength values were determined using the diametrical compression of discs test and for the critical stress intensity factor both unstable and controlled fracture tests were used. Controlled fracture tests allowed determining the work of fracture. Microstructure was studied by optical and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The obtained properties have been Young's modulus, 17.7 +/- 0.6 GPa; Weibull modulus, m = 14 (upper and lower limits for 90% confidence: 17 and 10); characteristic strength 51 MPa (upper and lower limits for 90% confidence: 53 and 49 MPa); critical stress intensity factor in mode I, K(IC) = 1.3 +/- 0.1 and work of fracture, gamma(wof) = 8-9 J/m(2). Pores and bubbles formed during the packing of the composite were identified as critical defects in the tested specimens. Crack deflection and branching have been identified as toughening mechanisms. Classical mechanical parameters (Young's modulus, hardness.) are not able to efficiently predict the major clinical failure mode of composite resins by fatigue. Work of fracture analysis, which is dependant on microstructural parameters such as particle size and shape, have to be included when testing mechanical properties of dental composite resins in future research studies.
Intraoperative monopolar mapping during 5-ALA-guided resections of glioblastomas adjacent to motor eloquent areas: evaluation of resection rates and neurological outcome.

OBJECT Resection of glioblastoma adjacent to motor cortex or subcortical motor pathways carries a high risk of both incomplete resection and postoperative motor deficits. Although the strategy of maximum safe resection is widely accepted, the rates of complete resection of enhancing tumor (CRET) and the exact causes for motor deficits (mechanical vs vascular) are not always known. The authors report the results of their concept of combining monopolar mapping and 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-guided surgery in patients with glioblastoma adjacent to eloquent tissue. METHODS The authors prospectively studied 72 consecutive patients who underwent 5-ALA-guided surgery for a glioblastoma adjacent to the corticospinal tract (CST; < 10 mm) with continuous dynamic monopolar motor mapping (short-train interstimulus interval 4.0 msec, pulse duration 500 μsec) coupled to an acoustic motor evoked potential (MEP) alarm. The extent of resection was determined based on early (< 48 hours) postoperative MRI findings. Motor function was assessed 1 day after surgery, at discharge, and at 3 months. RESULTS Five patients were excluded because of nonadherence to protocol; thus, 67 patients were evaluated. The lowest motor threshold reached during individual surgery was as follows (motor threshold, number of patients): > 20 mA, n = 8; 11-20 mA, n = 13; 6-10 mA, n = 10; 4-5 mA, n = 13; and 1-3 mA, n = 23. Motor deterioration at postsurgical Day 1 and at discharge occurred in 30% (n = 20) and 10% (n = 7) of patients, respectively. At 3 months, 3 patients (4%) had a persisting postoperative motor deficit, 2 caused by vascular injury and 1 by mechanical injury. The rates of intra- and postoperative seizures were 1% and 0%, respectively. Complete resection of enhancing tumor was achieved in 73% of patients (49/67) despite proximity to the CST. CONCLUSIONS A rather high rate of CRET can be achieved in glioblastomas in motor eloquent areas via a combination of 5-ALA for tumor identification and intraoperative mapping for distinguishing between presumed and actual motor eloquent tissues. Continuous dynamic mapping was found to be a very ergonomic technique that localizes the motor tissue early and reliably.