Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Different relative importances of the par operons and the effect of conjugal transfer on the maintenance of intact promiscuous plasmid RK2

The par region of the broad-host-range, IncP alpha plasmid RK2 has been implicated as a stability determinant by its ability to enhance the maintenance of mini-RK2 plasmids or heterologous replicons in a growing population of host cells. The region consists of two operons: parCBA, which encodes a multimer resolution system, and parDE, which specifies a postsegregational response mechanism that is toxic to plasmidless segregants. To assess the importance of this region to the stable maintenance of the complete RK2 plasmid in different hosts, we used the vector-mediated excision (VEX) deletion system to specifically remove the entire par region or each operon separately from an otherwise intact RK2 plasmid carrying a lacZ marker. The par region was found to be important to stable maintenance of RK2lac (pRK2526) in Escherichia coli and five other gram-negative hosts (Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Azotobacter vinelandii, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Caulobacter crescentus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). However, the relative importance of the parCBA and parDE operons varied from host to host. Deletion of parDE had no effect on the maintenance of pRK2526 in A. calcoaceticus, but it severely reduced pRK2526 maintenance in A. vinelandii and resulted in significant instability in the other hosts. Deletion of parCBA did not alter pRK2526 stability in E. coli, A. tumefaciens, or A. vinelandii but severely reduced plasmid maintenance in A. calcoaceticus and P. aeruginosa. In the latter two hosts and C. crescentus, the delta parCBA mutant caused a notable reduction in growth rate in the absence of selection for the plasmid, indicating that instability resulting from the absence of parCBA may trigger the postsegregational response mediated by parDE. We also examined the effect of the conjugal transfer system on RK2 maintenance in E. coli. Transfer-defective traJ and traG mutants of pRK2526 were stably maintained in rapidly growing broth cultures. On solid medium, which should be optimal for IncP-mediated conjugation, colonies from cells containing the pRK2526 tra mutants displayed significant numbers of white (Lac-) sectors on X-Gal (5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside) plates, whereas sectors appeared rarely in colonies from tra+ plasmid-containing cells. Both the traJ and traG mutations further reduced the maintenance of the already unstable deltapar derivative. Thus, these experiments with defined mutations in an intact RK2 plasmid have revealed (i) that the par region allows RK2 to adapt to the different requirements for stable maintenance in various hosts and (ii) that conjugal transfer can contribute to the maintenance of RK2 in a growing population, particularly under conditions that are favorable to RK2 transfer.
The Natural History of Hypertension: Prehypertension or Masked Hypertension?

ypertension is often regarded as a disease of H civilization, on the grounds that it is relatively uncommon in traditional village societies but becomes more prevalent when people adopt urban westernized lifestyles. Thus, although it is generally conceived as an essential component of aging, an age-related increase of blood pressure (BP) is by no means inevitable. Many years ago the physiologist Jim Henry wrote a classic article reviewing the epidemiology of hypertension in various societies around the world’; he described numerous societies in which the age-related change was basically flat and others in which there was a pronounced increase of BP with age. He claimed that the anriiral rate of rise of BP could be correlated with a “Social tensiorl score” in the different societies, but this idea met with resistance at the time. Since then, the existence of societies experiencing little increase of BP with age has been confirmed, for example in the INTERSALT study,2 but much of the debate has centered on the role of salt intake as opposed to social stress. One of the most widely quoted examples of a western society with little or no increase of BP with age is the study done by Timio and colleagues3 of nuns living in Italy,
A Thalamic Sleep Tonic

GABAA Receptor-Mediated Tonic Inhibition in Thalamic Neurons Cope DW, Hughes SW, Crunelli V J Neurosci 2005;25:11553–11563 Tonic GABAA receptor-mediated inhibition is typically generated by δ subunit-containing extrasynaptic receptors. Because the δ subunit is highly expressed in the thalamus, we tested whether thalamocortical (TC) neurons of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) and ventrobasal complex exhibit tonic inhibition. Focal application of gabazine (GBZ) (50 μM) revealed the presence of a 20 pA tonic current in 75 and 63% of TC neurons from both nuclei, respectively. No tonic current was observed in GABAergic neurons of the nucleus reticularis thalami (NRT). Bath application of 1 μM GABA increased tonic current amplitude to 70 pA in 100% of TC neurons, but it was still not observed in NRT neurons. In dLGN TC neurons, the tonic current was sensitive to low concentrations of the δ subunit-specific receptor agonists allotetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (100 nM) and 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo[5,4-c]-pyridin-3-ol (THIP) (100 nM) but insensitive to the benzodiazepine flurazepam (5 μM). Bath application of low concentrations of GBZ (25–200 nM) preferentially blocked the tonic current, whereas phasic synaptic inhibition was primarily maintained. Under intracellular current-clamp conditions, the preferential block of the tonic current with GBZ led to a small depolarization and increase in input resistance. Using extracellular single-unit recordings, block of the tonic current caused the cessation of low-threshold burst firing and promoted tonic firing. Enhancement of the tonic current by THIP hyperpolarized TC neurons and promoted burst firing. Thus, tonic current in TC neurons generates an inhibitory tone. Its modulation contributes to the shift between different firing modes, promotes the transition between different behavioral states, and predisposes to absence seizures.
THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF COPD : WHAT GOES WRONG AND WHY ?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a growing worldwide problem. Although several effective therapies exist to prevent exacerbations and improve quality of life in these patients, there are no therapies to halt the devastating and progressive loss of lung function in COPD. While COPD is clearly a disease with a major cause—cigarette smoking—research now demonstrates this single cause is merely the entry point to a bewildering array of potential pathophysiologic pathways in the lungs. Not all COPD cases are alike. Many patients, for example, carry unique genetic susceptibilities to COPD-associated lung damage, and several specific genetic loci have been linked to an increased risk of early-onset COPD. In addition, several proteases, including the classic neutrophil elastase, and several matrix metalloproteinases are overexpressed in association with human COPD. Animal studies involving mice lacking the ability to produce these key proteases indicate these elastolytic enzymes may be released by macrophages and neutrophils in response to cigarette-smoke exposure. In addition to degrading extracellular matrix, these proteases may also lead to increased recruitment of inflammatory cells to the lung and cause fibrosis in small airways. Protease inhibitors may eventually be useful in halting the progression of emphysema. However, data showing multiple interactions of inflammatory cells and proteins in COPD emphasize the need for more animal research to untangle the underlying pathophysiology of this complex and heterogeneous disease. The 4 opportunistic cerebral mycoses that occur in Europe are cryptococcosis, which is the most frequent, and the rarer zygomycosis, candidiasis, and aspergillosis. Whereas the clinical picture and treatment of cryptococcosis are well known, management of the rarer fungal infections of the brain and central nervous system is also clinically challenging. (Adv Stud Med. 2003;3(2B):S91-S98)
Quality of life improves with treatment in the Canadian Trial of Atrial Fibrillation.

BACKGROUND The impact of atrial fibrillation (AF) and its treatment on health-related quality of life (QOL) is not well understood. We assessed QOL in patients with symptomatic AF participating in the Canadian Trial of Atrial Fibrillation. METHODS Self-report QOL questionnaires including the Short-Form-36 (SF-36), symptom checklist (SCL) and AF Severity Scale (AFSS) were completed at baseline and 3, and 12 months after randomization. RESULTS The study group was aged 65 +/- 10 years and 59% were male. By design, 50% of patients were randomized to amiodarone (n = 132), 25% to sotalol (n = 66), and 25% to propafenone (n = 66). Most patients had normal left ventricular function (89%). Physical (41.9 +/- 9.3 to 43.7 +/- 9.2, P =.001) and mental health (47.5 +/- 10.5 to 49.0 +/- 9.8, P =.023) summary measures from the SF-36 improved significantly from baseline to 3 months. Arrhythmia symptom frequency and severity (SCL) also improved markedly from baseline to 3 months (symptom frequency 20.4 +/- 9.4 to 16.2 +/- 9.5 and symptom severity 16.7 +/- 8.2 to 12.9 +/- 7.4, both P <.001). QOL improvements were not significantly different among the groups randomized to amiodarone, sotalol, or propafenone. However, patients with no symptomatic recurrences of AF had higher scores at 3 months on measures of global well-being than those with recurrences in the first 3 months (7.4 +/- 1.8 vs 6.9 +/- 1.8, P <.05). There were no significant QOL changes from the 3 to 12 month assessment. CONCLUSION In patients with symptomatic AF, QOL improves after treatment, independent of the specific drug used for treatment. This is especially true for patients in whom treatment prevents AF recurrence.
Physical Modeling of 10 GbE Optical Communication Systems

A physical model of 10 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) optical communications systems based on 50-μm graded-index multimode fibers (MMFs) is presented in this paper. It includes a model of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) that accounts for the spatiotemporal dynamic of such transversally multimode lasers, commonly used in 10 GbE optical systems, and an accurate MMF model. This complete model is compared to the 10 GBASE-S Link Budget Spreadsheet developed within the IEEE P802.3ae 10 GbE Task Force and to experimental transmissions. Finally, VCSEL-to-MMF interactions and their impacts on 10 GbE transmissions are detailed and explained.
Optimization models for improving periodic maintenance schedules by utilizing opportunities

We present mathematical models for finding optimal opportunistic maintenance schedules for systems, in which components are assigned maximum replacement intervals. Our mod- els are applied to safety-critical components in an aircraft engine, for which maintenance opportunities naturally arise since entire modules are sent to the workshop when mainte- nance is required on one or more components. Case study results illustrate the advantage of the mathematical models over simpler policies, the benefit of coordinating the maintenance in economically dependent systems, and that our models can be utilized also for strategic investment decision support.
Molecular Mechanism of Substrate Specificity for Heparan Sulfate 2-O-Sulfotransferase*

Background: Sulfotransferases with distinct specificities act in sequence in the heparan sulfate biosynthetic pathway. Results: The crystal structure of 2-O-sulfotransferase with bound substrate reveals its requirements for substrate recognition. Conclusion: The 2-O-sulfotransferase recognizes N-sulfate but excludes 6-O-sulfate on substrates. Significance: The results advance the understanding of cellular control for the biosynthesis of heparan sulfate. Heparan sulfate (HS) is an abundant polysaccharide in the animal kingdom with essential physiological functions. HS is composed of sulfated saccharides that are biosynthesized through a complex pathway involving multiple enzymes. In vivo regulation of this process remains unclear. HS 2-O-sulfotransferase (2OST) is a key enzyme in this pathway. Here, we report the crystal structure of the ternary complex of 2OST, 3′-phosphoadenosine 5′-phosphate, and a heptasaccharide substrate. Utilizing site-directed mutagenesis and specific oligosaccharide substrate sequences, we probed the molecular basis of specificity and 2OST position in the ordered HS biosynthesis pathway. These studies revealed that Arg-80, Lys-350, and Arg-190 of 2OST interact with the N-sulfo groups near the modification site, consistent with the dependence of 2OST on N-sulfation. In contrast, 6-O-sulfo groups on HS are likely excluded by steric and electrostatic repulsion within the active site supporting the hypothesis that 2-O-sulfation occurs prior to 6-O-sulfation. Our results provide the structural evidence for understanding the sequence of enzymatic events in this pathway.
Structure of the GTPase-binding Domain of Sec5 and Elucidation of its Ral Binding Site*

The exocyst complex is involved in the final stages of exocytosis, when vesicles are targeted to the plasma membrane and dock. The regulation of exocytosis is vital for a number of processes, for example, cell polarity, embryogenesis, and neuronal growth formation. Regulation of the exocyst complex in mammals was recently shown to be dependent upon binding of the small G protein, Ral, to Sec5, a central component of the exocyst. This interaction is thought to be necessary for anchoring the exocyst to secretory vesicles. We have determined the structure of the Ral-binding domain of Sec5 and shown that it adopts a fold that has not been observed in a G protein effector before. This fold belongs to the immunoglobulin superfamily in a subclass known as IPT domains. We have mapped the Ral binding site on this domain and found that it overlaps with protein-protein interaction sites on other IPT domains but that it is completely different from the G protein-geranyl-geranyl interaction face of the Ig-like domain of the Rho guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor. This mapping, along with available site-directed mutagenesis data, allows us to predict how Ral and Sec5 may interact.
Improved contrast of enhancing brain lesions on postgadolinium, T1-weighted spin-echo images with use of magnetization transfer.

PURPOSE To prove that the contrast of enhancing brain lesions on post-gadolinium T1-weighted spin-echo (SE) images can be statistically significantly improved with magnetization-transfer (MT) indirect saturation. MATERIALS AND METHODS The contrast-to-noise ratios (C/Ns) of 201 enhancing brain lesions in 110 patients were compared on conventional and MT T1-weighted SE images obtained at 1.5 T after injection of 0.05-0.10 mmol/kg gadopentetate dimeglumine or gadodiamide. RESULTS The MT T1-weighted SE images showed a 37% reduction in signal intensity of background white matter and thereby provided a 108% improvement in the C/N of enhancing brain lesions over the conventional T1-weighted SE images (P < .001). CONCLUSION The C/Ns obtained with single-dose gadolinium and the MT T1-weighted SE technique were twice those obtained with the conventional technique and are at least equivalent to reported values obtained with triple-dose gadolinium and conventional T1-weighted SE images.
Recommendations Based on Collaborative Filtering By Tag Weights

With the advent of social media and the exponential growth of information generated by online users, how to help users find knowledge from vast amounts of data has become the major problem to be solved. Probabilistic matrix factorization, which can handle massive amounts of data by learning low dimensional approximation matrices, but various works have ignored this relationships among users and resources. In this paper, a method is proposed to be based on tag weight of users and resources (TWPMF), which our use custom tags to more accurately identify the user interests and resource characteristics, so the influential neighbors are more accurately. First our use the operation weight and time factor to build user preference model to find the user neighbor set, and the resource neighbor set is obtained according to the custom label of the resource. Then those influential neighbors are successfully applied into the recommendation process based on probabilistic matrix factorization. The real-world data sets demonstrate that TWPMF algorithm can get more accurate rating predictions.
Test bench for switched reluctance motor drives

After a switched reluctance motor (SRM) has been designed and built a set of tests are performed to verify its main design parameters and characteristics. This paper shows a test bench and the instrumentation that allows coping with this task. Although the test rig has been sized for a 300 W SRM to be used in a domestic washing machine the scheme can easily be adapted for higher power drives
A 4-kB 500-MHz 4-T CMOS SRAM using low-VTHN bitline drivers and high-VTHP latches

The design and physical implementation of a prototypical 500-MHz CMOS 4-T SRAM is presented in this work. The latch of the proposed SRAM cell is realized by a pair of cross coupled high-V/sub THP/ pMOS transistors, while the bitline drivers are realized by a pair of low-V/sub THN/ nMOS transistors. The wordline voltage compensation circuit and bitline boosting circuit, then, are neither needed to enhance the data retention of memory cells. Built-in self-refreshing paths make the data retention possible without the appearance of any external refreshing mechanism. The advantages of dual threshold voltage transistors can be used to reduce the access time, and maintain data retention at the same time. Besides, a new design of cascaded noise-immune address transition detector is also included to filter out the unwanted chip select glitches when the SRAM is asynchronously operated.
Combinatorial Structures to Represent Simple Games

: We connect three different topics: combinatorial structures, simple games and inﬂuence games. We establish the bases to represent some simple games or some inﬂuence games by using combinatorial structures. These considerations are also able to generate any object of any topic based in graphs, for instance, molecules applied to chemistry, among others.
A Real-Life Experimental Investigation of Cross Interference between WiFi and ZigBee in Indoor Environment

Communication networks are the artery of modern smart building environment where increasingly pervasive WiFi (IEEE 802.11) networks and sensor networks (e.g., enabled by ZigBee or IEEE 802.15.4) co-exist, among many other wireless networks such as 4G/5G cellular networks. This paper considers a heterogeneous network comprising of both WiFi and ZigBee (as such named as WiZi networks). Since both WiFi and ZigBee work at 2.4GHz frequency band how to avoid interference between them becomes an important problem. For this purpose, this paper presents some experimental investigation into this cross interference in real life scenarios. Since WiFi signals are usually much stronger than ZigBee signals it is normally the case that ZigBee signals suffer from interference by WiFi signals. This is intolerant especially when ZigBee signals are transmitting mission-critical messages. Therefore in this paper we are particularly interested in how ZigBee signal is negatively affected by WiFi signals. Some observations are made based on the experimental results, which in some cases are contradictory to the theoretical deductions. This paper serves to provide some real-life observations of the cross-interference between WiFi and ZigBee, with the hope that more practical algorithms to mitigate or avoid this cross-interference can be designed that are suitable to real-life indoor environment.
On the Role of Localized Relationships in Image Scaling and Interpolation

A new approach to image interpolation using the relationships between adjacent pixels in an image is introduced. In the first stage, the localized relationships are learned from the input image. In the second stage, the relationships and the concluded governing rules are used to build an interpolated image. Our method is compared with the main existing interpolation methods bilinear, bi-cubic and spline for enlargement of images by a factor of 2. The results indicate significant reduction in the blockiness and smoothing effects compared to existing methods. The new method is also applicable to audio signals and for interpolating color imaging of single CCD cameras. Key-Words: Image compression, Image reconstruction, Markov process, Least square method.
Positive pre‐transplant flow‐panel reactive antibody detected after accelerated acute rejection with negative pre‐transplant flow crossmatch

Abstract: A 30‐yr‐old woman underwent kidney transplantation from a flow cytometric lymphocyte crossmatch‐negative donor. Immunosuppression consisted of tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, basiliximab and three days of steroid. On day 5 post‐transplant, she developed acute rejection and underwent anti‐rejection therapy consisting of steroid pulse and deoxyspurgualin. Retrospective analyses of anti‐human leukocyte antigen antibody revealed high flow panel reactive antibody (PRA) in the pre‐transplant serum without donor specific antibody (DSA) and positive DSA at the time of rejection. Anti‐rejection therapy was successful in treating cellular rejection but her graft function further deteriorated after three months post‐transplant and graft biopsy revealed chronic allograft nephropathy with positive staining for C4d in peritubular capillary, suggesting the presence of chronic antibody‐mediated rejection. Pre‐transplant positive flow PRA without DSA may also be a risk for acute and chronic rejection.
Wavelet-based fixed and embedded L-infinite-constrained image coding

∞A new wavelet-based L∞-constrained fixed and embedded coding technique is proposed. The embedded bit stream can be truncated for any desired distortion bound at a corresponding bit rate, so that the target upper bound on the elements of the reconstruction error signal is guaranteed. The original image can also be coded up to a fixed a priori user-defined distortion bound, ranging up to lossless coding. A lifting-based wavelet decorrelating transform is employed on the original image, and exact relations are established between spatial and wavelet domain distortions. The wavelet coefficients are quantized by symmetric uniform quantizers for fixed-distortion coding and by families of embedded uniform deadzone scalar quantizers for embedded coding. The quantized coefficients are finally losslessly encoded using a quadtree-based coding algorithm. Any floating-point lifting-based wavelet transform can be used, and a few of the popular wavelet transforms included in the JPEG2000 verification model are worked out as examples. We compare other L∞-constrained coding schemes and show that our proposed coder offers in addition a fully embedded L∞-oriented bit stream. We illustrate also that the proposed coder retains the same capabilities as the state-of-the-art embedded wavelet-based codecs, while providing superior compression results and embeddedness with respect to the L distortion measure.