Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Cre gene directed by a human TSPY promoter is specific for germ cells and neurons

The testis‐specific protein Y‐encoded (TSPY) gene is a candidate for the gonadoblastoma locus on the Y chromosome and is expressed in normal testicular germ cells and gonadoblastoma cells of XY sex‐reversed females. Although TSPY expression has been demonstrated in gonadoblastoma tissues, it is uncertain if such expression is involved in a causative or consequential event of the oncogenic process. We postulate that if TSPY is involved in gonadoblastoma development, its promoter should be functional in the female gonad before and/or at early stages of tumorigenesis. To test this hypothesis, we generated several lines of transgenic mice harboring a Cre‐recombinase transgene directed by a 2.4‐kb hTSPY promoter. These mice were crossed with the Z/EG reporter line that expresses EGFP only after a Cre‐mediated recombination. Our results showed that hTSPY‐Cre;Z/EG double transgenic mice expressed EGFP specifically in the germ cells of both male and female gonads. Further, neurons of the central and peripheral nervous systems also expressed EGFP as early as E12.5 embryonic stage. EGFP was particularly observed in the trigeminal nerve, trigeminal ganglion, dorsal root of the ganglia, and in postnatal and adult brains. These observations support the hypothesis that TSPY plays an active role in gonadoblastoma. The tissue‐specific expression of the hTSPY‐Cre transgene should also be useful in studies utilizing Cre‐mediated gene activation/inactivation strategies in gamatogenesis and/or neurogenesis. genesis 42:263–275, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Stress induction of the Bacillus subtilis clpP gene encoding a homologue of the proteolytic component of the Clp protease and the involvement of ClpP and ClpX in stress tolerance

The Bacillus subtilis clpP gene, encoding the proteolytic component of the Clp or Ti protease, was cloned and sequenced. The amount of clpP‐specific mRNA increased after heat shock, salt and ethanol stress, as well as after treatment with puromycin. Two transcriptional start sites upstream of the clpP structural gene were identified, preceded by sequences resembling the consensus sequences of promoters recognized by σA andσB transcriptional factors of the B. subtilis RNA polymerase respectively. Transcription initiation occurred predominantly at the putative σA‐dependent promoter in exponentially growing cells and was induced under stress conditions. After exposure to stress, initiation of transcription also increased at the σB‐dependent promoter, but to a lesser extent, indicating that clpP belongs to a double promoter‐controlled subgroup of class III general stress genes in B. subtilis. In a sigB mutant strain, clpP remained heat and stress inducible at the σA‐dependent promoter. BgaB–reporter gene fusions, carrying either the σA‐ or the σB‐dependent promoter, showed a higher bgaB induction at the σA‐dependent promoter, whereas a significantly lower level of induction was measured at the σB‐dependent promoter. The σA‐dependent promoter appeared to be crucial for the heat‐inducible transcription of clpP. A CIRCE (controlling inverted repeat of chaperone expression) element, the characteristic regulation target of class I heat shock genes such as dnaK and groESL, was not found between the transcriptional and translational start sites. Mutants lacking either the proteolytic component ClpP or the regulatory ATPase component ClpX were phenotypically distinct from the wild type. Both mutants produced chains of elongated cells and exhibited severely impaired growth under stress conditions and starvation. Comparison of two‐dimensional protein gels from wild‐type cells with those from clpP and clpX mutant cells revealed several changes in the protein pattern. Several proteins, such as GroEL, PpiB, PykA, SucD, YhfP, YqkF, YugJ and YvyD, which were found preferentially in higher amounts in both clpP and clpX mutants, might be potential substrates for the ClpXP protease.
Antifungal use in intensive care units.

OBJECTIVES To provide benchmarking data on antifungal use in intensive care units (ICUs), to analyse risk factors and to look for correlations with antibiotic use data and structure parameters. METHODS Antimicrobial use data for 13 ICUs were obtained from computerized databases from January 2004 through June 2005. Antimicrobial usage density (AD) is expressed as daily defined doses/1000 patient-days. Correlations were calculated by the Spearman correlation or for binomic variables by the two-sided Wilcoxon test. A multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors for the outcome 'antifungal use'. RESULTS Mean systemic antifungal drug use was 93.0, the range being between ADs of 18.9 and 232.2. ICUs treating transplant patients had a significantly higher mean antifungal usage at 152.9 compared with ICUs not treating transplant patients where the AD was 46.0. Fluconazole was the most frequently prescribed antifungal (mean AD 69.6) followed by amphotericin B (11.4) and voriconazole (6.2). Antifungal use correlated significantly with the consumption of quinolones, carbapenems and extended-spectrum penicillins, but not with total antibiotic use and not with the type of ICU or university status. In the multivariate linear regression analysis, two parameters, i.e. high quinolone use (P = 0.002) and ICUs which treat transplant patients (P = 0.027), were independent risk factors for a high level of antifungal use. CONCLUSIONS Antifungal use was heterogeneous in German ICUs with the mean AD lying at 93. Benchmarking data might provide a useful method for assessing strategies that aim to reduce antifungal use in ICUs. However, data should be stratified for ICUs with and without transplant patients.
Infrastructure Sustainability in a Multi-Hazard Environment

Infrastructure faces multiple threats, including aging and deterioration, increased demand by a growing population, and natural hazards that may become more frequent with climate change. These threats result not only in physical damage, but cascading social, environmental, and economic impacts that impair the sustainability of the infrastructure system and its parent community. This discussion paper raises central issues related to the provision for infrastructure sustainability in a multi-hazard environment, such as: a) emerging methods to quantify infrastructure resilience and sustainability; b) tradeoffs in design and management of risks posed by multiple hazards; c) the importance of systems level analysis across various spatial and temporal scales; and d) the role of transdisciplinary research to achieve multi-hazard resilience and sustainability of infrastructure systems.
Public Protection? The Implications of Grayling’s ‘Transforming Rehabilitation’ Agenda on the Safety of Women and Children: A Review, 5 Years On

In 2013 I wrote an article published in a special edition of British Journal of Community Justice (BJCJ) suggesting that the proposed Transforming Rehabilitation (TR) agenda would jeopardise the work undertaken with perpetrators of domestic abuse (Gilbert, 2013). I suggested that under new changes proposed by the then Secretary of State for Justice, Chris Grayling, domestic abuse cases would be assigned to the private sector Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs), and that perpetrators would, as a result receive inadequate levels of intervention by a variety of CRC organisations and by less qualified and/or experienced probation practitioners. This change in practice would then translate into women and children bearing the brunt of the impact in terms of an increased risk of experiencing harm.
Aging‐Related Muscle Dysfunction: Failure of Adaptation to Oxidative Stress?

Oxygen-free radicals and oxidant-induced damage to cellular molecules have been implicated as important contributors to the aging process. In aged muscle, there is an increased content of products of oxidative damage to proteins and DNA1,2 together with a marked increase in the number and variety of mitochondrial DNA rearrangements.3 Mammalian cells respond to oxidative stress by variations in the rate of cell growth, changes in cell cycle length, and marked responses in resistance to oxidative stress.4 In muscle there is a transient response to contractile activity by increased expression of several stress or heat shock proteins (HSPs) and by increasing activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase enzymes.5 Evidence also exists that aging results in a reduced ability to express HSPs in response to stress.6 The decline in skeletal muscle function that occurs with age appears to be due primarily to a loss of muscle fibers. Reduction in fiber number may be related to an increased susceptibility of aged muscle to contraction-induced damage and a reduced rate of regeneration following damage.7 Muscles from aged animals take significantly longer to recover from exercise involving lengthening contractions than do muscles from adult animals and do not show the same adaptive response to preventing muscle damage induced by further exercise protocols.8 Oxidative stress therefore plays an important role in the aging process, and studies in nonmammalian systems suggest that a reduction in this stress may reduce agerelated tissue dysfunction. It is also clear that cells respond to episodes of oxidative stress to prevent further tissue damage and that failure of adaptation is a feature of the aging process.
The use of transcutaneous oximetry to predict complications of chronic wound healing: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Transcutaneous oximetry (PtcO2) has been proposed as a method to predict nonhealing of chronic wounds and the occurrence of healing complications. However, the validity of this method as an independent predictor and an optimal threshold value for this tool are poorly defined. We undertook a systematic review and meta‐analysis to address these questions, searching five major medical databases, relevant review articles, and reference lists. We included all studies that used multivariable analysis to evaluate PtcO2 for its ability to predict chronic wound healing complications. Article selection and data abstraction were conducted independently and in duplicate. Four studies, enrolling 901 patients with 910 lower extremity chronic wounds, met our inclusion criteria. These studies showed that a peri‐wound PtcO2 level below a cutoff of 20 mmHg or 30 mmHg was an independent predictor of chronic wound healing complications (odds ratio 3.21, 95% confidence interval 1.07–9.69, I2 = 77%). A threshold value of 20 mmHg was used most frequently in the included studies and showed the strongest association. This review was limited by the small number of studies, a possible reporting bias, and heterogeneity. These results suggest that PtcO2 measurements have independent prognostic value in the assessment of chronic wounds, but further research is required to confirm these findings and define an optimal threshold value.
OXYTOCIN AND ITS RECEPTOR IN PREGNANCY AND PARTURITION: CURRENT CONCEPTS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Objective To present our current understanding of oxytocin and its receptors during pregnancy and parturition and their potential clinical applications. Data Sources A MEDLINE search was conducted for pertinent articles from 1966 to October 1996 related to oxytocin and its receptor and their clinical implications during pregnancy and parturition. Review articles, book chapters, and published trials were also searched. Methods of Study Selection Only references in English that were deemed relevant were used. When possible, human data and sometimes animal data pertinent to understanding the interaction of oxytocin and its receptors were selected. Tabulation, Integration, and Results Oxytocin is synthesized in the hypothalamus and in many reproductive tissues during pregnancy, whereas the receptors are synthesized in reproductive tissues. The genes for oxytocin and its receptors are on chromosomes 20 and 3, respectively. Oxytocin and its receptors are regulated by sex steroids and by oxytocin itself. The paracrine and autocrine mechanisms regulating oxytocin and its receptor within the fetoplacentaluterine unit are central to the control of uterine contractions and parturition. Such current understanding provides the basis for appropriate oxytocin regimens to induce or augment labor, to inhibit preterm labor by blockade of oxytocin receptors, and to achieve cervical ripening. Conclusion Advances in our knowledge of oxytocin and its receptor have provided rational and sound principles for current concepts about their role in parturition, the appropriate use of oxytocin to stimulate the pregnant uterus or ripen the cervix, and the use of oxytocin antagonist to inhibit uterine contractions and preterm labor.
Design and Demonstration of an 8-bit Bit-Serial RSFQ Microprocessor: CORE e4

We present a design of an 8-bit bit-serial rapid single-flux-quantum (RSFQ) microprocessor, which is called CORE e4, and its high-speed functionality test results. The CORE e4 is equipped with four general-purpose registers and can execute 20 different instructions. The first version of the CORE e4, which is called CORE e4v1, has been implemented using the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) 10-kA/cm2 advanced process (ADP2) and the CONNECT cell library. The CORE e4v1 consists of approximately 7000 Josephson junctions and occupies a circuit area of 3.00 mm × 1.98 mm. The estimated power consumption and performance are 2.03 mW and 333 million instructions per second, respectively. CORE e4 is one of the highest performing RSFQ microprocessors.
Synthesis and characterization of vanadium(IV) complexes with cis-inositol in aqueous solution and in the solid-state.

The complex formation of vanadium(IV) with cis-inositol (ino) and the corresponding trimethyl ether 1,3,5-trideoxy-1,3,5-trimethoxy-cis-inositol (tmci) was studied in aqueous solution and in the solid-state. With increasing pH, the formation of [VO(H-2L)], [(VO)2L2H-5]-, [VO(H-3L)]- (L = ino) or [(VO)2L2H-6]2- (L = tmci), [V(H-3L)2]2-, and [VO(H-3L)(OH)2]3- was observed. For the vanadium(IV)/ino system, [(VO)2L2H-7]3- was observed as an additional dinuclear species. The formation constants of these complexes were determined by potentiometric titrations (25 degrees C, 0.1 M KCl). In addition, the vanadium(IV)/ino system was investigated by means of UV-vis spectrophotometric methods. EPR spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry confirmed this complexation scheme. EPR measurements indicated the formation of three distinct isomers of the non-oxo complex [V(H-3ino)2]2- in weakly basic solution. This type of isomerism, which is not observed for the vanadium(IV)/tmci system, was assigned to the ability of ino to bind the vanadium(IV) center with three alkoxo groups having either a 1,3,5-triaxial or an 1,2,3-axial-equatorial-axial arrangement. The structures of [V(H-3ino)2][K2(ino)2]. 4H2O (1) and [Na6V(H-3ino)2](SO4)2.6H2O (2) were determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis. In both compounds, the coordination of each ino molecule to the vanadium(IV) center via three axial deprotonated oxygen donors was confirmed. The centrosymmetric structure of the coordination spheres corresponds to an almost regular octahedral geometry with a twist angle of 60 degrees. The crystal structure of the potassium complex 1 represents an unusual 1:1 packing of [V(H-3ino)2]2- dianions and [K2(ino)2]2+ dications, in which both K+ ions have a coordination number of nine and are bonded simultaneously to a 1,3,5-triaxial and an 1,2,3-axial-equatorial-axial site of ino. In 2, the [V(H-3ino)2]2- complexes are surrounded by six Na+ counterions that are bonded to the axial alkoxo oxygens and to the equatorial hydroxy oxygens of the cis-inositolato moieties. The six Na+ centers are further interlinked by bridging sulfate ions. According to EPR spectroscopy, the D3d symmetric structure of the [V(H-3ino)2]2- anion is retained in H2O, in dimethylformamide, and in a mixture of CHCl3/toluene 60:40 v/v.
Datagram Convergence Layers for the Delay- and Disruption-Tolerant Networking (DTN) Bundle Protocol and Licklider Transmission Protocol (LTP)

This document specifies the preferred method for transporting Delay- and Disruption-Tolerant Networking (DTN) protocol data over the Internet using datagrams. It covers convergence layers for the Bundle Protocol (RFC 5050), as well as the transportation of segments using the Licklider Transmission Protocol (LTP) (RFC 5326). UDP and the Datagram Congestion Control Protocol (DCCP) are the candidate datagram protocols discussed. UDP can only be used on a local network or in cases where the DTN node implements explicit congestion control. DCCP addresses the congestion control problem, and its use is recommended whenever possible. This document is a product of the Delay-Tolerant Networking Research Group (DTNRG) and represents the consensus of the DTNRG.
Inhibitory synaptic potentials in guinea‐pig substantia nigra dopamine neurones in vitro.

1. The properties of stimulus‐evoked and spontaneous inhibitory synaptic potentials were examined in guinea‐pig substantia nigra dopamine neurones in sagittal and coronal midbrain slices in the presence of glutamate receptor antagonists. 2. Focal electrical stimulation within the substantia nigra, cerebral peduncle, internal capsule or the striatum evoked a biphasic IPSP consisting of a fast and a slow component, with peak latencies of about 30 and 250 ms, respectively. The fast component was sensitive to chloride injection, reversed polarity at ‐79.4 +/‐ 1.1 mV and was blocked by the GABAA receptor antagonists picrotoxin and bicuculline. The slow IPSP reversed at ‐99.3 +/‐ 5.4 mV and was blocked by the GABAB receptor antagonists 2‐hydroxysaclofen and CGP 35348. 3. Spontaneous IPSPs were observed in many neurones. These events reversed polarity at ‐77.5 +/‐ 2.6 mV and were completely blocked by bicuculline and/or picrotoxin. In the presence of TTX, small spontaneous events remained which probably represent miniature IPSPs. In coronal slices, application of 4‐aminopyridine raised the frequency of spontaneous IPSPs, presumably by activating nigral interneurones, but failed to reveal spontaneous biphasic IPSPs or spontaneous pure slow IPSPs. 4. The amplitude of the fast IPSPs fluctuated from trial to trial. Amplitude histograms of minimal fast IPSPs displayed evenly spaced peaks, suggesting that synaptic transmission is quantal at these synapses. The measured peak spacing depended on the driving force for Cl‐. 5. The fast IPSP showed little or no paired‐pulse depression, and in the presence of 2‐hydroxysaclofen (400‐600 microM) showed paired‐pulse facilitation. The GABAB agonist baclofen inhibited the fast IPSP via a presynaptic mechanism. The pharmacologically isolated slow IPSP showed marked paired‐pulse facilitation. 6. It is concluded that synaptic inhibition in the substantia nigra is mediated by GABA, is relatively resistant to frequency‐dependent depression and is regulated by presynaptic GABAB autoreceptors. Striatonigral and pallidonigral fibres activate both GABAA and GABAB receptors, while intranigral pathways appear to activate predominantly GABAA receptors.
Predicting Rice Yield Under Salinity Stress Using K/Na Ratio Variable in Plant Tissue

ABSTRACT Estimation of yield reduction in crop caused by the salinity stress is mostly based on variations of soil electrical conductivity and the severity of water stress. Crop response curves to salinity were developed without considering ion toxicity and nutritional imbalance in the plant. The objective of this study was to explore the possibility of using the ratio of the concentration of potassium by sodium in rice leaf (leaf-K/Na) to predict yield under the salinity stress. The rice (Oryza sativa L.) yield under fresh and saline condition and the leaf-K/Na related database was created. Data were collected from consecutive three seasons of a field experiment in the Africa Rice Center experimental farm in Senegal (16° 11ʹ N, 16° 15ʹW). We studied the relationship between the relative yield (Yr), a ratio of yield under the salinity stress to the potential yield and the leaf-K/Na (x). Furthermore, we did regression analyses and F-test to determine the best fitting function. Results indicate that the exponential function [i.e. Yr = 100 exp (-b x)] was the best fitting model with the lowest root mean square error (9.683) and the highest R2 value (0.90). Example applications on independent data from published papers showed relatively good predictions, suggesting that the model can be used to predict rice yield in saline soils.
Task Oriented Web Service Requirement Framework

Aiming to overcome the mismatch between coarse grain of Web service's functions and fine grain of current Web service requirements with inputs and outputs as functional requirements, a three layer task oriented Web service requirement framework is proposed. The top the is task layer which defines the tasks and their relationships, the middle is the method layer which represents multiple implementations of the primitive task, and the low is the operation layer which represents the abstract features of typical operations that a method owns. The task oriented Web service requirement framework proposed well matches the coarse grain feature of Web service's functions and provides a more natural way to express the service requirements.
Lactobacilli inhibit interleukin-8 production induced by Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide-activated Toll-like receptor 4.

AIM To investigate the effect of Lactobacillus bulgaricus (LBG) on the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathway and interleukin-8 (IL-8) production in SGC-7901 cells treated with Helicobacter pyloriSydney strain 1 lipopolysaccharide (H pyloriSS1-LPS). METHODS SGC-7901 cells were treated with H pyloriSS1-LPS in the presence or absence of pretreatment for 1 h with viable LBG or supernatant recovered from LBG culture MRS broth (LBG-(s)). Cellular lysates were prepared for Western blot with anti-TLR4, anti-transforming growth factor beta-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), anti-phospho-TAK1, anti-nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB), anti-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK), and anti-phospho-p38MAPK antibodies. The amount of IL-8 in cell culture medium was measured by ELISA. RESULTS H pyloriSS1-LPS up-regulated the expression of TLR4, stimulated the phosphorylation of TAK1, subsequently enhanced the activation of NF-kappaB and the phosphorylation of p38MAPK in a time-dependent manner, leading to augmentation of IL-8 production in SGC-7901 cells. Viable LBG or LBG-(s) pretreatment attenuated the expression of TLR4, inhibited the phosphorylation of TAK1 and p38MAPK, prevented the activation of NF-kappaB, and consequently blocked IL-8 production. CONCLUSION H pyloriSS1-LPS induces IL-8 production through activating TLR4 signaling in SGC-7901 cells and viable LBG or LBG-(s) prevents H pyloriSS1-LPS-mediated IL-8 production via inhibition of the TLR4 pathway.