Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of a lysine-specific active transport system in Rickettsia prowazeki

Rickettsia prowazeki possesses an active transport system for lysine with a Kt of influx of 1 muM. Extraction and chromatographic analysis of the accumulated labeled material show the material to be lysine rather than a derivative. This intracellular lysine pool can be exchanged with external unlabeled substrates for at least 10 min; The lysine analogues L-aminoethyl cysteine, N-methyl lysine, hydroxylysine, and D-lysine competitively inhibit uptake of L-lysine, but cadaverine, diaminopimelate, arginine, ornithine, and epsilon-aminocaproate do not. Accumulation of lysine can be inhibited by the energy poisons potassium cyanide, triphenylmethyl phosphonium bromide, and 2,4-dinitrophenol. The effect of potassium cyanide, but not 2,4-dinitrophenol or triphenylmethyl phosphonium bromide, can be overcome by adenosine 5'-triphosphate. Both energy-dependent influx and energy-independent efflux are inhibited by the sulfhydryl reagents N-ethyl maleimide and p-chloromercuriphenyl sulfonic acid.
Method for presenting virtual objects to multiple fingers on two-hands using multiple single-point haptic devices

In this paper, we discuss a method for presenting virtual objects to multiple fingers on both hands using multiple single-point haptic devices operating over a network. We evaluated the effect of the number of fingers used on ability to recognize shapes using this system. The experimental results suggest that the number of contact points do not sufficiently improve the ability to recognize shapes, and the method used for recognizing object shape is rather different between using one finger and using multiple fingers.
The Acquisition of English and the Maintenance of Spanish in a Bilingual Education Program.

Spanish and English versions of a 38-item grammar test were administered to 40 Spanish-surnamed pupils equally divided by sex at grade levels K, one, three, and five (10 subjects per grade) in a bilingual education program. The test was a revision of part of an earlier test for oral proficiency in Spanish and English. The reliability of the new test, measured by Cronbach a, was . 95 for the Spanish version and . 96 for the English version, but many items failed to elicit the expected grammatical constructions. English scores increased significantly with grade level, while Spanish scores varied only slightly among grade levels. Balance between mean scores on the English and Spanish versions was reached at grade three. Test subjects were also questioned about language use and preference. The relationships between reported language use and test results appeared to indicate that Spanish proficiency was determined by use of the language in the home. English proficiency showed some relationship to use with the peer group. There were no significant correlations between the English and Spanish version scores and only very slight relationships among the factors influencing them. Achievement in English thus appeared to be unrelated to the maintenance of Spanish for bilingual children.
DETECTION OF PROSTATE SPECIFIC mRNAs IN CIRCULATION AND IN PROSTATIC TISSUE

7 1. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 9 1.1. Prostate cancer 9 1.2. Prostate specific antigen (PSA) and human glandular kallikrein (hK2) 11 1.2. 1. Genes, mRNAs and proteins 11 1.2. 2. Expression and function 12 1.2. 3. Clinical aspects 13 1.3. Prostate specific membrane antigen (PSM) 14 1.3.1. Gene, mRNA and protein 14 1.3.2. Expression and function 15 1.3. 3. Clinical aspects 16 1.4. Genetic changes in prostate cancer 16 1.4.1. Germ line changes 16 1.4.2. Somatic changes 17 1.5. RT-PCR techniques 19 1.5.1. RNA isolation 19 1.5.2. Reverse transcription 20 1.5. 3. Polymerase chain reaction 21 1.5. 4. Detection and quantification of the RT-PCR products 21 1.5. 4.1. Real time quantification 21 1.5. 4.2. Endpoint quantification 22 1.5. 5. Internal standards and normalization 24 1.6. Hematogenous spread of prostate cancer 26 2. AIMS OF THE STUDY 30 3. MATERIALS AND METHODS 31 3.1. Samples 31 3.1.1. Cultured cells 31 3.1.2. Blood samples 31 3.1.3. Tissue samples 31 3.2. Detection and quantification of the mRNA 31 3.2. 1. RNA extraction 31 3.2. 2. Determination of the detection limit 32 3.2. 3. Oligonucleotide primers 32 3.2. 4. Internal standards 32 3.2. 5. RT-PCR 33 3.2. 5.1. Qualitative assays 33 3.2. 5.2. Quantitative assays 33 3.2. 6. Restriction enzyme analysis, cloning and sequencing of the PCR products.33 3.2. 7. Southern blot analysis 34 3.2. 8. Solid-phase minisequencing 34
Non-genomic progesterone actions in female reproduction.

BACKGROUND The steroid hormone progesterone is indispensable for mammalian procreation by controlling key female reproductive events that range from ovulation to implantation, maintenance of pregnancy and breast development. In addition to activating the progesterone receptors (PRs)-B and -A, members of the superfamily of ligand-dependent transcription factors, progesterone also elicits a variety of rapid signalling events independently of transcriptional or genomic regulation. This review covers our current knowledge on the mechanisms and relevance of non-genomic progesterone signalling in female reproduction. METHODS PubMed was searched up to August 2008 for papers on progesterone actions in ovary/breast/endometrium/myometrium/brain, focusing primarily on non-genomic signalling mechanisms. RESULTS Convergence and intertwining of rapid non-genomic events and the slower transcriptional actions critically determine the functional response to progesterone in the female reproductive system in a cell-type- and environment-specific manner. Several putative progesterone-binding moieties have been implicated in rapid signalling events, including the 'classical' PR and its variants, progesterone receptor membrane component 1, and the novel family of membrane progestin receptors. Progesterone and its metabolites have also been implicated in the allosteric regulation of several unrelated receptors, such as gamma-aminobutyric acid type A, oxytocin and sigma(1) receptors. CONCLUSIONS Identification of the mechanisms and receptors that relay rapid progesterone signalling is an area of research fraught with difficulties and controversy. More in-depth characterization of the putative receptors is required before the non-genomic progesterone pathway in normal and pathological reproductive function can be targeted for pharmacological intervention.
Somatosensory Information Processing in the Aging Population

While it is well known that skin physiology – and consequently sensitivity to peripheral stimuli – degrades with age, what is less appreciated is that centrally mediated mechanisms allow for maintenance of the same degree of functionality in processing these peripheral inputs and interacting with the external environment. In order to demonstrate this concept, we obtained observations of processing speed, sensitivity (thresholds), discriminative capacity, and adaptation metrics on subjects ranging in age from 18 to 70. The results indicate that although reaction speed and sensory thresholds change with age, discriminative capacity, and adaptation metrics do not. The significance of these findings is that similar metrics of adaptation have been demonstrated to change significantly when the central nervous system (CNS) is compromised. Such compromise has been demonstrated in subject populations with autism, chronic pain, acute NMDA receptor block, concussion, and with tactile–thermal interactions. If the metric of adaptation parallels cortical plasticity, the results of the current study suggest that the CNS in the aging population is still capable of plastic changes, and this cortical plasticity could be the mechanism that compensates for the degradations that are known to naturally occur with age. Thus, these quantitative measures – since they can be obtained efficiently and objectively, and appear to deviate from normative values significantly with systemic cortical alterations – could be useful indicators of cerebral cortical health.
A Grid-Based Stable Routing Algorithm in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Since nodes in the mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) network move freely and randomly, routes often get disconnected. The major challenge for MANETs is therefore to implement routing protocols that must respond to changes in the network topology in order to maintain and reconstruct the routes in a timely manner as well as to establish reliable routes. In this paper, we propose a new routing algorithm called grid-based stable routing algorithm (GSRA), GSRA exploits the concept of a routing protocol called Grid. The main difference, between these two protocols is that GSRA considers grid head stability and route stability but the Grid does not. In GSRA, grid partitioning is the same as in the Grid routing protocol. Each grid zone selects a grid head to route. Also, GSRA defines a new parameter called grid head stability to select stable grid head. In routing discovery, each node receives the RREQ packet and uses the link stability metric to evaluate link stability. The destination node collects several feasible routes and then selects the most stable route according to end-to-end reliability. Simulation results indicate that GSRA has a higher packet delivery ratio, lower end-to-end delay and lower routing load than Grid and AODV
On the control of space free-flyers using multiple impedance control

Multiple impedance control (MIC) is a new algorithm which enforces a designated impedance on both a manipulated object, and all cooperating manipulators. In this paper, the MIC is applied to a space robotic system in which robotic arms, mounted on a free-flying-base, manipulate an object. The general formulation of the MIC is extended to include the dynamic coupling between the arms and the base. It is shown that under the MIC law, all participating manipulators, the free-flyer base, and the manipulated object exhibit the same designated impedance behavior. This guarantees good tracking of system manipulators and the object, in performing a manipulation task. A system of two cooperating two-link manipulators is simulated, in which a remote centre compliance is attached to the second end-effector. The object is grabbed with a pivoted grasp condition, i.e. both the translational and rotational motions of the object have to be controlled by end-effector forces. As simulation results show, the response of the MIC algorithm is smooth, even in the occurrence of an impact due to collision with an obstacle.
Analysis of the mechanism(s) of metaphase I arrest in maturing mouse oocytes.

Fully grown mouse oocytes are normally competent to progress from prophase I to metaphase II without interruption. However, growing mouse oocytes initially become only partially competent to undergo meiotic maturation. Meiotic maturation in these oocytes does not progress beyond metaphase I. In contrast to the oocytes of most strains of mice, most oocytes of strain LT/Sv mice become arrested at metaphase I even when they are fully grown. The initiation of oocyte maturation is correlated with an increase in p34cdc2 kinase activity that continues to rise until metaphase I. The transition into anaphase I is normally correlated with a decrease in p34cdc2 kinase activity. This study demonstrated that metaphase I arrest in both partially competent growing oocytes and fully grown LT/Sv oocytes is correlated with a sustained elevation of p34cdc2 kinase activity. In fact, p34cdc2 activity continued to increase during the time when activity normally decreased. In normally maturing oocytes, some, but not all, of the cyclin B, the regulatory protein associated with p34cdc2, became degraded in oocytes that entered anaphase I. In contrast, the amount of cyclin B present in the metaphase I-arrested oocytes continued to increase at the time when it was being degraded in normal oocytes progressing to metaphase II. These results suggest that the progression of meiosis is arrested at metaphase I in both groups of oocytes because of continued p34cdc2 kinase activity sustained, at least in part, by restricted degradation of cyclin B. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Informational and Normative Social Influence in Buyer Behavior

An experiment was conducted to clarify the nature of the influence active in most prior marketing research on the social influence process. Experimental subjects were exposed to evaluations of coffee which were attributed to either a similar or dissimilar source. These evaluations were high in uniformity, low in uniformity or of unknown uniformity. Subjects then tasted and evaluated the coffee. The subjects' evaluations were made either under a visible (identifiable) condition or an anonymous condition. The data supported a hypothesis of informational social influence.
A "nonnegative PCA" algorithm for independent component analysis

We consider the task of independent component analysis when the independent sources are known to be nonnegative and well-grounded, so that they have a nonzero probability density function (pdf) in the region of zero. We propose the use of a "nonnegative principal component analysis (nonnegative PCA)" algorithm, which is a special case of the nonlinear PCA algorithm, but with a rectification nonlinearity, and we conjecture that this algorithm will find such nonnegative well-grounded independent sources, under reasonable initial conditions. While the algorithm has proved difficult to analyze in the general case, we give some analytical results that are consistent with this conjecture and some numerical simulations that illustrate its operation.
Evolutionary Conservation and Network Structure Characterize Genes of Phenotypic Relevance for Mitosis in Human

The impact of gene silencing on cellular phenotypes is difficult to establish due to the complexity of interactions in the associated biological processes and pathways. A recent genome-wide RNA knock-down study both identified and phenotypically characterized a set of important genes for the cell cycle in HeLa cells. Here, we combine a molecular interaction network analysis, based on physical and functional protein interactions, in conjunction with evolutionary information, to elucidate the common biological and topological properties of these key genes. Our results show that these genes tend to be conserved with their corresponding protein interactions across several species and are key constituents of the evolutionary conserved molecular interaction network. Moreover, a group of bistable network motifs is found to be conserved within this network, which are likely to influence the network stability and therefore the robustness of cellular functioning. They form a cluster, which displays functional homogeneity and is significantly enriched in genes phenotypically relevant for mitosis. Additional results reveal a relationship between specific cellular processes and the phenotypic outcomes induced by gene silencing. This study introduces new ideas regarding the relationship between genotype and phenotype in the context of the cell cycle. We show that the analysis of molecular interaction networks can result in the identification of genes relevant to cellular processes, which is a promising avenue for future research.
Visualizations and Interaction Strategies for Hybridization Interfaces

We present two complementary approaches for the visualization and interaction of dimensionally reduced data sets using hybridization interfaces. Our implementations privilege syncretic systems allowing one to explore combinations (hybrids) of disparate elements of a data set through their placement in a 2-D space. The first approach allows for the placement of data points anywhere on the plane according to an anticipated performance strategy. The contribution (weight) of each data point varies according to a power function of the distance from the control cursor. The second approach uses constrained vertex colored triangulations of manifolds with labels placed at the vertices of triangular tiles. Weights are computed by barycentric projection of the control cursor position.
Contribution of injection in current noise due to generation and recombination of carriers in p–n junctions

A theory for the current noise associated with carrier generation and recombination in the space-charge region of p–n junctions is presented. We propose a noise model based on the response of the electric field to fluctuations of the trapped charge in this region, and make use of a collective transport-noise theory. The effects of the fluctuations of the space-charge region borders due to the fluctuations of the trapped charge are now taken into account. This new contribution is negligible when generation–recombination current governs the diode current. However, it is significant when diffusion current dominates, allowing the analytical study of generation–recombination noise to be extended to wider ranges of bias and temperature. Experimental results at low and high temperatures are explained with our theory. Empirical formulas of current noise density are also explained according to this complete theory of current noise calculation.
Lipid-lowering therapy in people with type 2 diabetes

Purpose of review The risk of cardiovascular disease is markedly increased in people with type 2 diabetes. There is abundant epidemiological and clinical trial evidence that lipid abnormalities play a major role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic vascular disease in diabetes. Although the benefits of lipid-lowering therapy are well established in people without diabetes, the evidence in people with diabetes is not as well established. Recent findings Recent population studies of lipid-lowering therapy and cardiovascular disease outcomes that included people with diabetes and performed a separate subgroup analysis were reviewed. Lipid lowering with statins and fibrates is effective in improving cardiovascular disease outcomes in diabetes, and their effectiveness is similar to that in the non-diabetic population. This effect is well established in secondary prevention and is accumulating for primary prevention. Summary Individuals with diabetes require aggressive management of dyslipidaemia as part of an overall management strategy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Individuals with a previous cardiovascular disease event should be on lipid-lowering therapy, whereas in those who have not had a previous cardiovascular disease event, the decision to use lipid-lowering therapy should be based on lipid levels and the overall risk of a future event. The results of large studies that are currently in progress specifically in people with diabetes should resolve outstanding questions in relation to lipid-lowering therapy in diabetes.
Chiral Symmetry Breaking in Brane Models

We discuss the chiral symmetry breaking in general intersecting Dq/Dp brane models consisting of Nc Dq-branes and a single Dp-brane with an s-dimensional intersection. There exists a QCD-like theory localized at the intersection and the Dq/Dp model gives a holographic description of it. The rotational symmetry of directions transverse to both of the Dq and Dp-branes can be identified with a chiral symmetry, which is non-Abelian for certain cases. The asymptotic distance between the Dq-branes and the Dp-brane corresponds to a quark mass. By studying the probe Dp-brane dynamics in a Dq-brane background in the near horizon and large Nc limit we find that the chiral symmetry is spontaneously broken and there appear (pseudo-)Nambu-Goldstone bosons. We also discuss the models at finite temperature.
Dietary diversity, socioeconomic status and maternal body mass index (BMI): quantile regression analysis of nationally representative data from Ghana, Namibia and Sao Tome and Principe

Objectives To (a) assess the association between dietary diversity (DD) score, socioeconomic status (SES) and maternal body mass index (BMI), and (b) the variation of the effects of DD and SES at different points of the conditional distribution of the BMI. Methods The study used Demographic and Health Surveys round 5 data sets from Ghana, Namibia and Sao Tome and Principe. The outcome variable for the analysis was maternal BMI. The DD score was computed using 24-hour dietary recall data. Quantile regression (QR) was used to examine the relationship between DD and SES, and maternal BMI, adjusting for other covariates. The QR allows the covariate effects to vary across the entire distribution of maternal BMI. Results Women who consumed an additional unit of DD achieved an increase of 0.245 in BMI for those in the 90th quantile in Ghana. The effect of household wealth increases for individuals across all quantiles of the BMI distribution and in all the 3 countries. A unit change in the household wealth score was associated with an increase of 0.038, 0.052 and 0.065 units increase in BMI for individuals in the 5th quantile in Ghana, Namibia and Sao Tome and Principe, respectively. Also, 0.237, 0.301 and 0.174 units increased for those in the 90th quantile in Ghana, Namibia and Sao Tome and Principe, respectively. Education had a significant positive effect on maternal BMI across all quantiles in Namibia and negative effect at the 5th, 10th and 90th quantiles in Sao Tome and Principe. Conclusions There is heterogeneity in the effects of DD and SES on maternal BMI. Studies focusing on the effects of diet and socioeconomic determinants on maternal BMI should examine patterns of effects at different points of the conditional distribution of the BMI and not just the average effect.
Morphology and electrophysiological properties of hamster spinal dorsal horn neurons that express VGLUT2 and enkephalin

The excitatory amino acid glutamate mediates transmission at spinal synapses, including those formed by sensory afferent fibers and by intrinsic interneurons. The identity and physiological properties of glutamatergic dorsal horn neurons are poorly characterized despite their importance in spinal sensory circuits. Moreover, many intrinsic spinal glutamatergic synapses colocalize the opioid peptide enkephalin (ENK), but the neurons to which they belong are yet to be identified. Therefore, we used immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy to investigate expression of the VGLUT2 vesicular glutamate transporter, an isoform reported in nonprimary afferent spinal synapses, and ENK in electrophysiologically identified neurons of hamster spinal dorsal horn. VGLUT2 immunoreactivity was localized in restricted fashion to axon varicosities of neurons recorded from laminae II–V, although the occurrence of immunolabeling in individual varicosities varied widely between cells (39 ± 36%, n = 31 neurons). ENK colocalized with VGLUT2 in up to 77% of varicosities (17 ± 21%, n = 21 neurons). The majority of neurons expressing VGLUT2 and/or ENK had axons with dense local terminations or projections consistent with propriospinal functions. VGLUT2 and ENK labeling were not correlated with cellular morphology, intrinsic membrane properties, firing patterns, or synaptic responses to sensory afferent stimulation. However, VGLUT2 expression was significantly higher in neurons with depolarized resting membrane potential. The results are new evidence for a population of dual‐function dorsal horn interneurons that might provide another mechanism for limiting excitation within dorsal horn circuits during periods of strong sensory activation. J. Comp. Neurol. 501:790–809, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A review of inflation targeting in developed countries

In “A Review of Inflation Targeting in Developed Countries,” Mike Dotsey examines five countries that have been targeting inflation for at least 10 years and whose inflation rates, though fairly well contained before inflation targeting, were nonetheless considered too high by policymakers. For purposes of comparison, he also looks at the economic performance of six noninflation-targeting countries