Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid, a catabolite of gallic acids in Pseudomonas species

2-Pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylate hydrolase was purified from 4-hydroxybenzoate-grown Pseudomonas testosteroni. Gel filtration and electrophoretic measurements indicated that the preparation was homogeneous and gave a molecular weight of 37,200 for the single subunit of the enzyme. Hydrolytic activity was dependent upon a functioning sulfhydryl group(s) and was freely reversible; the equilibrium position was dependent upon pH, with equimolar amounts of pyrone and open-chain form present at pH 7.9. Since the hydrolase was strongly induced when the nonfluorescent organisms P. testosteroni and P. acidovorans grew with 4-hydroxybenzoate, it is suggested that 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylate is a normal intermediate in the meta fission degradative pathway of protocatechuate. Laboratory strains of fluorescent pseudomonads did not metabolize 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylate, but a strain of P. putida was isolated from soil that utilized this compound for growth; the hydrolase was then induced, but it was absent from extracts of 4-hydroxybenzoate-grown cells that readily catabolized protocatechuate by ortho fission reactions. 2-Pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid was the major product formed when gallic acid was oxidized by purified protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase. Protocatechuate 4,5-dioxygenase gave only the open-chain ring fission product when gallic acid was oxidized, but the enzyme attacked 3-O-methylgallic acid, giving 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid as the major product. Cell suspensions of 4-hydroxybenzoate-grown P. testosteroni readily oxidized 3-O-methylgallate with accumulation of methanol.
Cooperation between actin‐binding proteins of invasive Salmonella: SipA potentiates SipC nucleation and bundling of actin

Pathogen‐induced remodelling of the host cell actin cytoskeleton drives internalization of invasive Salmonella by non‐phagocytic intestinal epithelial cells. Two Salmonella actin‐binding proteins are involved in internalization: SipC is essential for the process, while SipA enhances its efficiency. Using purified SipC and SipA proteins in in vitro assays of actin dynamics and F‐actin bundling, we demonstrate that SipA stimulates substantially SipC‐mediated nucleation of actin polymerization. SipA additionally enhances SipC‐ mediated F‐actin bundling, and SipC–SipA collaboration generates stable networks of F‐actin bundles. The data show that bacterial SipC and SipA cooperate to direct efficient modulation of actin dynamics, independently of host cell proteins. The ability of SipA to enhance SipC‐induced reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton in vivo was confirmed using semi‐ permeabilized cultured mammalian cells.
A Gerbil Model of Sloping Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Objective: The goal of the overall project is to develop knowledge about cochlear physiology during cochlear implantation and develop procedures for assessing its status during hearing preservation surgery. As a step toward this goal, for this study, we established an animal model of sloping high frequency sensorineural hearing loss that mimics the hearing condition of candidates for combined electric-acoustic stimulation. Methods: Mongolian gerbils were exposed to band-pass noise using various cutoff frequencies, intensities, exposure times, and survival times. Hearing loss was assessed in far-field recording using preexposure and postexposure auditory brainstem responses (ABRs), and in acute, near-field recordings of the cochlear microphonic and compound action potential from an electrode on the round window. Anatomic loss of hair cells was assessed from dissections. Results: Postexposure ABRs and near-field recordings from the round window revealed sensorineural hearing loss that varied with the overall noise exposure. Loss of hair cells ranged from relatively sparse to large areas of complete absence depending on the noise exposure. Cases with high intensity (120 dB SPL) and long exposure times (3 h) showed sloping patterns of hearing loss with profound high-frequency loss and mild-to-moderate low-frequency loss. These cases showed complete loss of hair cells in the basal cochlea and preserved hair cells in the apical cochlea. The frequencies comprising the slope in the ABRs and the location of the transition zone between preserved and lost hair cells varied according to the cutoff frequency used. Conclusion: We were able to reliably induce sensorineural hearing loss and loss of hair cells in the gerbil that is comparable to candidates for hearing preservation surgery. This model can be used to evaluate the effects of electrode introduction in a system with a hearing condition similar to that in cases of hearing preservation operations.
Characterization of the Arabidopsis Augmin Complex Uncovers Its Critical Function in the Assembly of the Acentrosomal Spindle and Phragmoplast Microtubule Arrays[W]

This study reports the discovery of the Arabidopsis thaliana augmin complex composed of at least eight subunits, two of which are plant specific, that regulate the function of the γ-tubulin complex during mitosis and cytokinesis. Plant cells assemble the bipolar spindle and phragmoplast microtubule (MT) arrays in the absence of the centrosome structure. Our recent findings in Arabidopsis thaliana indicated that AUGMIN subunit3 (AUG3), a homolog of animal dim γ-tubulin 3, plays a critical role in γ-tubulin–dependent MT nucleation and amplification during mitosis. Here, we report the isolation of the entire plant augmin complex that contains eight subunits. Among them, AUG1 to AUG6 share low sequence similarity with their animal counterparts, but AUG7 and AUG8 share homology only with proteins of plant origin. Genetic analyses indicate that the AUG1, AUG2, AUG4, and AUG5 genes are essential, as stable mutations in these genes could only be transmitted to heterozygous plants. The sterile aug7-1 homozygous mutant in which AUG7 expression is significantly reduced exhibited pleiotropic phenotypes of seriously retarded vegetative and reproductive growth. The aug7-1 mutation caused delocalization of γ-tubulin in the mitotic spindle and phragmoplast. Consequently, spindles were abnormally elongated, and their poles failed to converge, as MTs were splayed to discrete positions rendering deformed arrays. In addition, the mutant phragmoplasts often had disorganized MT bundles with uneven edges. We conclude that assembly of MT arrays during plant mitosis depends on the augmin complex, which includes two plant-specific subunits.
Ecological niche and potential geographic distribution of the invasive fruit fly Bactrocera invadens (Diptera, Tephritidae)

Abstract Two correlative approaches to the challenge of ecological niche modeling (genetic algorithm, maximum entropy) were used to estimate the potential global distribution of the invasive fruit fly, Bactrocera invadens, based on associations between known occurrence records and a set of environmental predictor variables. The two models yielded similar estimates, largely corresponding to Equatorial climate classes with high levels of precipitation. The maximum entropy approach was somewhat more conservative in its evaluation of suitability, depending on thresholds for presence/absence that are selected, largely excluding areas with distinct dry seasons; the genetic algorithm models, in contrast, indicate that climate class as partly suitable. Predictive tests based on independent distributional data indicate that model predictions are quite robust. Field observations in Benin and Tanzania confirm relationships between seasonal occurrences of this species and humidity and temperature.
The effect of retail cigarette pack displays on impulse purchase.

AIMS To assess the extent to which point-of purchase (POP) cigarette displays stimulate impulse purchases. DESIGN Telephone-administered population survey. SETTING Victoria, Australia. PARTICIPANTS A total of 2996 adults, among whom 526 smoked factory-made cigarettes and 67 were recent quitters (quit in the past 12 months). MEASUREMENTS Reported cigarette purchase behaviour; perceived effect on smoking of removing cigarettes from view in retail outlets; reported urges to buy cigarettes as a result of seeing the cigarette display. FINDINGS When shopping for items other than cigarettes, 25.2% of smokers purchased cigarettes at least sometimes on impulse as a result of seeing the cigarette display. Thirty-eight per cent of smokers who had tried to quit in the past 12 months and 33.9% of recent quitters experienced an urge to buy cigarettes as a result of seeing the retail cigarette display. One in five smokers trying to quit and one in eight recent quitters avoided stores where they usually bought cigarettes in case they might be tempted to purchase them. Many smokers (31.4%) thought the removal of cigarette displays from stores would make it easier for them to quit. CONCLUSIONS POP cigarette displays act as cues to smoke, even among those not explicitly intending to buy cigarettes, and those trying to avoid smoking. Effective POP marketing restrictions should encompass cigarette displays.
Polarimetric Calibration of CASMSAR P-Band Data Affected by Terrain Slopes Using a Dual-Band Data Fusion Technique

For airborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) polarimetric calibration (PolCAL) based on distributed targets, it is important to ensure the removal of both the polarimetric distortion and terrain slope effect. This paper proposes a new technique for PolCAL in mountainous areas, without the use of corner reflectors (CRs). The technique based on dual-band data fusion consists of two steps. First, the polarization orientation angle shift (POAS), as a priori asymmetry information, is derived from X-band interferometry and applied to P-band fully-polarimetric data. Second, the crosstalk and cross-polarization (cross-pol) channel imbalance are iteratively determined using the POAS after dual-band data fusion. The performance and feasibility of the technique was evaluated by CRs. It was demonstrated that the proposed technique is capable of deriving the distortion parameters and performs better than the methods presented in Quegan and Ainsworth et al. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and pedestal height have been investigated in polarimetric signatures. The proposed technique is useful for PolCAL in mountainous areas and for monitoring systems without CRs in long-term operation.
Effect of increased consumption of whole-grain foods on blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk markers in healthy middle-aged persons: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND Three daily portions of whole-grain foods could lower cardiovascular disease risk, but a comprehensive intervention trial was needed to confirm this recommendation. OBJECTIVES We aimed to assess the effects of consumption of 3 daily portions of whole-grain foods (provided as only wheat or a mixture of wheat and oats) on markers of cardiovascular disease risk in relatively high-risk individuals. DESIGN This was a randomized controlled dietary trial in middle-aged healthy individuals. After a 4-wk run-in period with a refined diet, we randomly allocated volunteers to a control (refined diet), wheat, or wheat + oats group for 12 wk. The primary outcome was a reduction of cardiovascular disease risk factors by dietary intervention with whole grains, which included lipid and inflammatory marker concentrations, insulin sensitivity, and blood pressure. RESULTS We recruited a total of 233 volunteers; 24 volunteers withdrew, and 3 volunteers were excluded. Systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure were significantly reduced by 6 and 3 mm Hg, respectively, in the whole-grain foods groups compared with the control group. Systemic markers of cardiovascular disease risk remained unchanged apart from cholesterol concentrations, which decreased slightly but significantly in the refined group. CONCLUSIONS Daily consumption of 3 portions of whole-grain foods can significantly reduce cardiovascular disease risk in middle-aged people mainly through blood pressure-lowering mechanisms. The observed decrease in systolic blood pressure could decrease the incidence of coronary artery disease and stroke by ≥15% and 25%, respectively. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as ISRCTN27657880.
Preemptive olmesartan for the delay or prevention of microalbuminuria in diabetes.

Patients with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus are at high risk for chronic kidney disease, which is usually first evident with the onset of microalbuminuria. There is overall consensus that agents that block the renin–angiotensin system — particularly angiotensin-converting–enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) — slow the progression of chronic kidney disease in patients with diabetes who already have microalbuminuria. Long-term trials with losartan (the Reduction of Endpoints in NIDDM with the Angiotensin II Antagonist Losartan [RENAAL] trial)1 and irbesartan2 showed that ARBs slowed the course of diabetic nephropathy in patients with baseline evidence of renal .
A Game Theoretical Incentive Scheme for Relay Selection Services in Mobile Social Networks

Rapid developments in mobile services and wireless technologies have prompted users to form mobile social networks (MSNs), where bundles can be delivered via opportunistic peer-to-peer links in a store-carry-forward mode. This mode needs all nodes to work in a cooperative way. However, mobile nodes may be selfish and might not be willing to forward data to others due to the limited resources (e.g., buffer and energy), resulting in degraded system performance. To tackle the aforementioned problem, this paper proposes a novel incentive scheme to stimulate selfish nodes to participate in bundle delivery in MSNs. At first, a virtual currency is introduced to pay for the relay service. Then, a bundle carrier selects a relay node from its friends or other strangers based on its status. Next, a bargain game is employed to model the transaction pricing for relay service. In addition, the simulation results show that the proposal can improve the performance of the existing schemes significantly.
Serum cholesterol concentration and mortality from accidents, suicide, and other violent causes

Abstract Objective : To study the association of mortality from accidents, suicides, and other violent deaths with serum cholesterol concentration. Design - Baseline measurements in two randomly chosen independent cohorts were carried out in 1972 and 1977. Mortality was monitored over 10-15 years through the national death registry. Setting : Eastern Finland. Subjects : The two cohorts comprised men (n=10 898) and women (n=11 534) born between 1913 and 1947. There were 193 deaths due to accidents, suicides, and violence among men and 43 among women. Main outcome measure : Mortality from accidents, suicides, and other violent deaths was used as the end point. Deaths from these causes were pooled together in the analyses. Results : Serum cholesterol concentration was not associated with mortality from accidents, suicides, and other violent deaths in the univariate analyses or in the proportional hazards regression analyses including smoking, systolic blood pressure, alcohol drinking, and education. In both genders smoking was more prevalent among those who died from accidents, suicides, and other violent causes than from other causes. Frequent use of alcohol increased mortality from these causes. Conclusion : The risk of accidents, suicides, and other violent deaths was not related to serum cholesterol concentration, whereas such deaths were more prevalent in smokers and alcohol drinkers.
[Social cognition in bipolar disorder].

BACKGROUND Bipolar disorder is characterised by disturbed mood regulation. Recently, research has focused on cognitive deficits, including social-cognitive deficits, which have a major impact on daily functioning. AIM To review the recent literature on social cognition in both the symptomatic and the remission phases in bipolar disorder and to discuss the link between social cognition and psychosocial functioning. METHOD We reviewed the literature systematically using the most important literature databases and cross-references. RESULTS Deficits in social-cognitive domains such as emotion recognition and Theory of Mind become apparent during both the symptomatic and remission phases. These deficits are influenced by moderating variables such as medication use, clinical symptoms and neurocognitive deficits. Furthermore, in some recent studies these social-cognitive deficits have been linked to poorer functioning. CONCLUSION In bipolar disorder, social-cognitive deficits are present in different areas and are to a large extent independent of the mood phase. There is an urgent need for more research into the various cognitive domains and into the effect that these have on daily functioning in all phases of bipolar disorder.
Opposite Regulation of Oligodendrocyte Apoptosis by JNK3 and Pin1 after Spinal Cord Injury

Although oligodendrocytes undergo apoptosis after spinal cord injury, molecular mechanisms responsible for their death have been unknown. We report that oligodendrocyte apoptosis is regulated oppositely by c-Jun N-terminal kinase 3 (JNK3) and protein interacting with the mitotic kinase, never in mitosis A I (Pin1), the actions of which converge on myeloid cell leukemia sequence-1 (Mcl-1). Activated after injury, JNK3 induces cytochrome c release by facilitating the degradation of Mcl-1, the stability of which is maintained in part by Pin1. Pin1 binds Mcl-1 at its constitutively phosphorylated site, Thr163Pro, and stabilizes it by inhibiting ubiquitination. After injury JNK3 phosphorylates Mcl-1 at Ser121Pro, facilitating the dissociation of Pin1 from Mcl-1. JNK3 thus induces Mcl-1 degradation by counteracting the protective binding of Pin1. These results are confirmed by the opposing phenotypes observed between JNK3−/− and Pin1−/− mice: oligodendrocyte apoptosis and cytochrome c release are reduced in JNK3−/− but elevated in Pin1−/− mice. This report thus unveils a mechanism by which cytochrome c release is under the opposite control of JNK3 and Pin1, regulators for which the activities are intricately coupled.
Waveform inversion of synthetic reflection data for VTI attenuation parameters

In a previous project report, we proposed a waveform inversion (WI) algorithm for attenuation analysis in heterogeneous VTI (transversely isotropic with a vertical symmetry axis) media. Here, we supplement that method with the local similarity technique designed to remove the time shifts between the simulated and observed data. In the presence of velocity errors, this technique substantially stabilizes computation of the WI gradients and improves parameter estimation. The gradients are derived with the adjoint-state method, and four parameters describing the attenuation of Pand SVwaves are updated simultaneously. The algorithm is applied to multicomponent reflection data generated for a modified section of the BP TI model. The inversion significantly reduces the data misfit and recovers the long-wavelength components of the attenuation parameters, especially in the upper part of the section. Synthetic testing also shows that the inversion algorithm remains stable when the data are contaminated by mild Gaussian noise.
Pulmonary metastasectomy: review of experience at a tertiary cancer care center.

BACKGROUND Thirty to 40% of all extra thoracic cancers lead to secondary pulmonary lesions and approximately 20% of these cases feature metastases that are confined to the lungs. There is benefit of pulmonary metastasectomy in a select subset of patients. AIMS The goal of this study was to evaluate the patient profile, treatment patterns, and outcomes following surgical treatment of lung metastasis and to identify prognostic factors for long-term survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS Retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained computerized database at a tertiary cancer care centre was done. 36 patients underwent curative resection for isolated pulmonary metastasis from January 1999 to December 2009. All metastasis were detected by non-contrast CT scan of the chest. Lung function tests were performed in all patients. Posterolateral thoracotomy was performed for resection of pulmonary metastasis by lung sparing procedures. A routine protocol of complete resection of all visible and palpable lung metastasis with a margin of 0.5 to 10 mm was followed in all patients. Staged thoracotomy was done for bilateral metastases. All palpable nodules were resected by wedge resection except in one case where pneumonectomy was done to achieve R0 resection. All patients underwent complete resection. CONCLUSIONS Disease-free interval of more than 1 year along with less than 2 malignant nodules in patients with non-visceral pulmonary metastasis are variables identified in the present study which have enabled pulmonary metastasectomy to be offered as a safe therapeutic lifeline to patients.
Prótesis subactuadas de manos humanas: una revisión - Human hands underactuated prosthetic: an review

En las ultimas decadas del siglo xx y especialmente en lo recorrido del siglo xxi, se han desarrollado protesis de mano que son muy cercanas a la funcionalidad y apariencia de una real. Esto se ha logrado gracias a los grandes avances que se han dado en los materiales, la electromecanica, la automatizacion y el conocimiento de la biomecanica del cuerpo humano. Una de las opciones de desarrollo que se han abordado desde la investigacion y lo comercial son las protesis subactuadas, por lo tanto, se propone en este articulo una revision de las principales protesis de este tipo, presentando una corta historia y clasificacion segun su antropomorfismo, y su funcionalidad en la destreza y la controlabilidad
Reduced-order controller synthesis with regional pole constraint

ABSTRACT A reduced order output feedback controller is designed for a linear time invariant system, which guarantees that the closed-loop poles are placed within some pre-specified stability region in the complex plane. A convex approximation of the non-convex constraints is used to pose a sequence of semi-definite programs, which provide the lowest order proper controller satisfying the approximate constraints. The proposed method is demonstrated on two practical controller design applications.
Electron tunneling through alkanedithiol self-assembled monolayers in large-area molecular junctions

The electrical transport through self-assembled monolayers of alkanedithiols was studied in large-area molecular junctions and described by the Simmons model [Simmons JG (1963) J Appl Phys 34:1793–1803 and 2581–2590] for tunneling through a practical barrier, i.e., a rectangular barrier with the image potential included. The strength of the image potential depends on the value of the dielectric constant. A value of 2.1 was determined from impedance measurements. The large and well defined areas of these molecular junctions allow for a simultaneous study of the capacitance and the tunneling current under operational conditions. Electrical transport for octanedithiol through tetradecanedithiol self-assembled monolayers up to 1 V can simultaneously be described by a single effective mass and a barrier height. There is no need for additional fit constants. The barrier heights are in the order of 4–5 eV and vary systematically with the length of the molecules. Irrespective of the length of the molecules, an effective mass of 0.28 was determined, which is in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions.