Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transcriptional regulators ChlR and CnfR are essential for diazotrophic growth in nonheterocystous cyanobacteria

Significance Nitrogen fixation is a process of conversion of atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia catalyzed by nitrogenase, which is quickly inactivated by oxygen. Cyanobacteria are a group of prokaryotes that perform oxygenic photosynthesis, and many cyanobacterial species have the ability to fix nitrogen. How nitrogen fixation is coordinated with oxygenic photosynthesis remains largely unknown. Here we report two transcriptional regulators, ChlR (chlorophyll regulator) and CnfR (cyanobacterial nitrogen fixation regulator), that activate the transcription of genes responsible for anaerobic chlorophyll biosynthesis and the nitrogen fixation genes, respectively, in response to low-oxygen conditions in Leptolyngbya boryana, a diazotrophic cyanobacterium lacking heterocysts. Leptolyngbya boryana (Plectonema boryanum) is a diazotrophic cyanobacterium lacking heterocysts. How nitrogen fixation is regulated in filamentous nonheterocystous cyanobacteria remains unclear. Here we describe a large 50-kb nitrogen fixation (nif) gene cluster in L. boryana containing 50 genes. This gene cluster contains 14 nif genes (nifBSUHDKVZT and nifPENXW), two genes encoding transcriptional regulators showing high similarity to ChlR (chlorophyll regulator) and PatB, three genes encoding ferredoxin, three genes encoding cytochrome oxidase subunits, and 28 genes encoding nif-related proteins and proteins with putative or unknown functions. Eleven mutants lacking one gene or a subset of genes were isolated. Five of them did not grow under diazotrophic conditions, including two mutants lacking the transcriptional regulators. Although the chlR homolog-lacking mutant showed a normal level of nitrogenase activity, various intermediates of chlorophyll biosynthesis were accumulated under micro-oxic conditions. The phenotype suggested that ChlR activates the expression of the genes responsible for anaerobic chlorophyll biosynthesis to support energy supply for nitrogen fixation. In another mutant lacking the patB homolog, no transcripts of any nif genes were detected under nitrogen fixation conditions, which was consistent with no activity. Constitutive expression of patB in a shuttle vector resulted in low but significant nitrogenase activity even under nitrate-replete conditions, suggesting that the PatB homolog is the master regulator of nitrogen fixation. We propose to rename the patB homolog as cnfR, after cyanobacterial nitrogen fixation regulator.
Leukostasis in adult acute hyperleukocytic leukemia: a clinician's digest

Leukostasis is a poorly understood and life‐threatening complication of acute hyperleukocytic leukemia. The incidence of hyperleukocytosis and leukostasis differs among various subtypes of leukemias. While the pathophysiology of leukostasis is not fully understood, recent research has elucidated many novel pathways that may have therapeutic implications in the future. Respiratory and neurological compromise represents the classical clinical manifestations of leukostasis. If it is not diagnosed and treated rapidly, the one‐week mortality rate is approximately 40%. Targeted induction chemotherapy is an important component of the successful treatment of leukostasis, although other modalities of cytoreduction are being used and investigated. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Broadband dielectric measurement of liquids

In this paper, we report on the use of two methods for the measurement of the dielectric properties of liquids. When combined, these methods can yield broadband, high-accuracy measurements of liquids from MHz to GHz frequencies. These methods are the shielded open-circuited holder and a novel, dielectric resonator method.
The successful induction of T-cell and antibody responses by a recombinant measles virus-vectored tetravalent dengue vaccine provides partial protection against dengue-2 infection

ABSTRACT Dengue has a major impact on global public health, and the use of dengue vaccine is very limited. In this study, we evaluated the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a dengue vaccine made from a recombinant measles virus (MV) that expresses envelope protein domain III (ED3) of dengue-1 to 4. Following immunization with the MV-vectored dengue vaccine, mice developed specific interferon-gamma and antibody responses against dengue virus and MV. Neutralizing antibodies against MV and dengue viruses were also induced, and protective levels of FRNT50 ≥ 10 to 4 serotypes of dengue viruses were detected in the MV-vectored dengue vaccine-immunized mice. In addition, specific interferon-gamma and antibody responses to dengue viruses were still induced by the MV-vectored dengue vaccine in mice that were pre-infected with MV. This finding suggests that the pre-existing immunity to MV did not block the initiation of immune responses. By contrast, mice that were pre-infected with dengue-3 exhibited no effect in terms of their antibody responses to MV and dengue viruses, but a dominant dengue-3-specific T-cell response was observed. After injection with dengue-2, a detectable but significantly lower viremia and a higher titer of anti-dengue-2 neutralizing antibodies were observed in MV-vectored dengue vaccine-immunized mice versus the vector control, suggesting that an anamnestic antibody response that provided partial protection against dengue-2 was elicited. Our results with regard to T-cell responses and the effect of pre-immunity to MV or dengue viruses provide clues for the future applications of an MV-vectored dengue vaccine.
Anti-epileptic drugs in pregnancy: current safety and other issues

Women with epilepsy of child-bearing years have their own considerations, which must be taken into account if management of their epilepsy is to be optimised. The main issues to consider include the effects of: female hormones on seizure control, anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) on hormonal methods of contraception, epilepsy and AEDs on fertility, epilepsy and AEDs on pregnancy itself, pregnancy on AEDs and seizure control and epilepsy, seizures and AEDs on the developing embryo/fetus. Whereas previous studies have concentrated on the increased risk of major congenital malformations from prenatal AED exposure, the effects on cognitive and behavioural development are increasingly being explored. This article looks at the evidence currently available for all of the above issues, taking into account the increased number of AEDs which are now available.
Learned self-regulation of EEG frequency components affects attention and event-related brain potentials in humans

Learned enhancement of EEG frequency components in the lower beta range by means of biofeedback has been reported to alleviate attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. In order to elucidate frequency-specific behavioural effects and neurophysiological mediators, this study applied neurofeedback protocols to healthy volunteers, and assessed impact on behavioural and electrocortical attention measures. Operant enhancement of a 12–15 Hz component was associated with reduction in commission errors and improved perceptual sensitivity on a continuous performance task (CPT), while the opposite relation was found for 15–18 Hz enhancement. Both 12–15 Hz and 15–18 Hz enhancement were associated with significant increases in P300 event-related brain potential amplitudes in an auditory oddball task. These relations are interpreted as stemming from band-specific effects on perceptual and motor aspects of attention measures.
Multiple Case Study Approach to Identify Aggravating Variables of Insider Threats in Information Systems

Malicious insiders present a serious threat to information systems due to privilege of access, knowledge of internal computer resources, and potential threats on the part of disgruntled employees or insiders collaborating with external cybercriminals. Researchers have extensively studied insiders’ motivation to attack from the broader perspective of the deterrence theory and have explored the rationale for employees to disregard/overlook security policies from the perspective of neutralization theory. This research takes a step further: we explore the aggravating variables of insider threat using a multiple case study approach. Empirical research using black hat analysis of three case studies of insider threats suggests that, while neutralization plays an important role in insider attacks, it takes a cumulative set of aggravating factors to trigger an actual data breach. By identifying and aggregating the variables, this study presents a predictive model that can guide IS managers to proactively mitigate insider threats. Given the economic and legal ramifications of insider threats, this research has implications relevant both for both academics and security practitioners.
Surveillance video summarisation by jointly applying moving object detection and tracking

With the growth of massive storage of surveillance video data, it has become imperative to design efficient tools for video content browsing and management. This paper describes an integrative approach for surveillance video summarisation that jointly apply moving object detection and tracking. In the proposed scheme, moving objects are first detected and tracked. The static summarisation is generated to contain some key frames which provide details of the moving objects. The main advantages of our approach include the preservation of important information and economic computational cost. The high performance background modelling with Gaussian mixture model, together with the multi-scale morphological processing, brings together a highly accurate moving object detection tool. The proposed matching criterions for Kalman filtering enhances the tracking accuracy. We experimented with highway surveillance videos and outdoor surveillance videos, demonstrating satisfactory performances.
Sustainable use of plant protection products in Nigeria and challenges

Nigeria’s drive to boost food security and to fight off insect pests and yield-limiting crop pathogens has led to an unintended consequence: the mass importation and build-up of obsolete and toxic pesticides. Nigerian farmers have been relying heavily on these agrochemicals for the control of various weeds, insect pests and pathogens, leading to the high importation of these products. Although syntheticchemical pesticides can be used to control some pests economically, rapidly and effectively; most of them cause serious negative impacts to the ecosystem. This paper highlights the need to improve the sustainability of the use of plant protection products. This can be achieved by integrating existing plant protection measures (chemical, mechanical, physical, biological, host-plant resistance, use of pheromones, cultural, etc.) under the framework of what is termed Integrated Pest Management (IPM) while identifying, advocating for and promoting the use of botanical pesticides in the pest management process.
Strain‐Dependent Neurodevelopmental Abnormalities in Caspase‐3‐Deficient Mice

Targeted gene disruptions have revealed significant roles for caspase family members in the regulation of neuronal programmed cell death. Both caspase-3- and caspase-9-deficient mice exhibit a variably severe neurodevelopmental phenotype that may include marked ventricular zone expansion, exencephaly, and ectopic neuronal structures. Our previous studies of caspase-3- and caspase-9-deficient mice were performed using mice on mixed genetic backgrounds, raising the possibility that strain-specific genetic factors influence the effects of caspase deficiency on nervous system development. To directly test this hypothesis, we backcrossed the caspase-3 mutation for 7–10 generations onto pure C57BL/6J and 129X1/SvJ genetic backgrounds. Caspase-3-deficient 129X1/SvJ mice were uniformly and severely affected. These mice died during the perinatal period and exhibited marked neural precursor cell expansion and exencephaly. In contrast, caspase-3-deficient C57BL/6J mice reached adulthood, were fertile and showed minimal brain pathology. Intercrosses of C57BL/6J and 129X1/SvJ mutants revealed that the vast majority of caspase-3−/− F1 mice displayed the severe 129X1/SvJ-“like” phenotype. These findings are consistent with an incompletely penetrant strain-dependent genetic modifier (or modifiers) that alters the neurodevelopmental consequences of caspase-3 deficiency. Since caspase-9- and Apaf-1-deficient mice also display variably severe developmental neuropathology, this strain-dependent modifier(s) may be involved in the activation of a caspase-independent death pathway; alternatively, strain-dependent compensatory caspase activation and/or its inhibition may influence the severity of the caspase-3-deficient neuronal phenotype.
An analysis of the Wang algebra of networks

The application of the Wang algebra to networks can be illustrated by the problem of the joint resistance of the Wheatstone bridge. The diagram of the Wheatstone bridge network is shown in Figure 1. The letters a, b, c, d, and k designate the five branches of the network. The numbers 0, 1, 2, 3 designate the four junctions of the network. The problem of interest is the determination of the current I flowing when a battery of potential difference E is connected Presented to the Society, December 29, 1950 by R. J. Duffin and Raoul Bott under the title The Wang algebra of networks; received by the editors August 11, 1958. (1) Part of the work on this paper was supported by the Office of Ordnance Research, U. S. Army, Contract DA-36-061-ORD-490. 114
Cambio social y nuevas tecnologías de la información. Un enfoque psicosocial

LA PRESENTE TESIS HA EFECTUADO UN SEGUIMIENTO DE LOS PRINCIPALES ESCENARIOS EN LOS QUE SE ESTAN DESARROLLANDO LAS NUEVAS TECNOLOGIAS DE LA INFORMACION Y SUS EFECTOS PSICOSOCIALES. HAY EN ELLA, POR OTRO LADO, UNA REFLEXION EN TORNO A LAS PRINCIPALES APORTACIONES.
Fiber optic method for health assessment of pipelines subjected to earthquake-induced ground movement

Natural disasters, in particular earthquakes, can cause damage to pipelines with disastrous humanitarian, social, economic, and ecologic consequences. Thus, real-time, automatic, or on-demand assessment of damage to pipelines after the earthquake is essential for early emergency response, efficient preparation of rescue plans, and mitigation of these disastrous consequences. This article presents the development of a method for buried pipelines health assessment based on distributed fiber optic sensors, which are sensitive to strain at every point along their lengths. The sensors are both bonded to pipeline and embedded in the soil, in the proximity of the pipeline. The research includes determination of sensor topology, identification of required sensor properties, selection of sensors, development of installation procedures, implementation, and validation. The validation of the method was made through a large-scale testing: a 13-m-long real-size concrete segmented pipeline was assembled in a large test basin filled with soil and was tested under simulated permanent ground displacement. The basin consisted of two parts: the movable north part and the fixed south part. The movable north part of the test basin was attached to four hydraulic actuators, which were used to apply controlled displacement of the basin, and it induced damage to the pipeline by crushing the joints between adjacent pipeline segments. As a part of validation, the results obtained from distributed sensors were compared with resistive strain gauges. Two validation tests were performed: the first in 2010 and the second in 2011. The method is presented in detail, and the most significant results of both tests are analyzed, compared, and discussed. The validation tests confirmed the capacity of the method to reliably detect and localize the damage on pipeline and the displacement in the soil.
Easy-to-Swallow Wireless Telemetry

Many countries will experience the effects of an aging population, resulting in a high demand of healthcare facilities. Development of novel biomedical technologies is an urgent necessity to improve diagnostic services for this demographic. Electrocar diogram (ECG) and temperature recording have been used for more than 50 years in medical diagnosis to understand various biological activities [1], [2]. A more recent development, electronic pill technology, requires the integration of more complex systems on the same platform when compared to conventional implantable systems. A small miniaturized electronic pill can reach areas such as the small intestine and can deliver real time video images wirelessly to an external console. Figure 1 shows an electronic pill system (i.e., wireless endoscopy) for a medical monitoring system. The device travels through the digestive system to collect image data and transfers the data to a nearby computer for display with a distance of one meter or more. A high resolution videobased capsule endoscope produces a large amount of data, which can then be delivered over a high-capacity wireless link.
Muscular strength, aerobic fitness, and metabolic syndrome risk in Flemish adults.

PURPOSE To investigate the association of muscular strength and aerobic fitness with a continuous metabolic syndrome risk score in male and female adults. METHODS This cross-sectional study included 1019 (571 men) Flemish adults, aged 18-75. Muscular strength was evaluated by measuring isometric knee extension and flexion peak torque, using a Biodex System Pro 3 dynamometer. Aerobic fitness was quantified as VO2peak and was determined during a maximal cycle ergometer exercise test. Both strength and aerobic fitness were scaled for differences in FFM, using allometric analyses. A validated metabolic syndrome risk score that was based on waist circumference, triglycerides, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, and HDL cholesterol was used. Metabolic syndrome risk score, strength, and aerobic fitness were analyzed as continuous variables using multiple linear regression. RESULTS Metabolic syndrome risk was inversely associated with strength, independently of aerobic fitness, and after adjustment for age, height, education level, smoking status, and dietary intake in women (beta = -0.172, P < 0.001). In men, however, adjustment for aerobic fitness attenuated the inverse association between strength and metabolic syndrome risk (beta = -0.044, P > 0.05). Independently of strength, aerobic fitness was inversely associated with metabolic syndrome risk (men: beta = -0.309, P < 0.001; women: beta = -0.208, P < 0.001). Furthermore, independent associations were found for strength and aerobic fitness with several individual metabolic syndrome risk factors in women, and most of these associations were only partially mediated by central and general adiposity indicators. CONCLUSION Although cross-sectional, the present results support inclusion of strength training in addition to aerobic exercise in physical activity recommendations for women, because both types of activity might show additional effects in reducing the risk of the metabolic syndrome.
Body mass, habitat generality, and avian community composition in forest remnants

Aim Many theories of biodiversity and biogeography assume that species respond equally to variability in habitat area and isolation. This assumption does not allow for differential responses due to interspecific competition or other mechanisms, and therefore does not allow community composition to be predicted. As body size is relevant to area requirements and interspecific dominance, a natural experiment was conducted to quantify the differential responses of avian species abundance to variability in remnant area, isolation and forest cover based on average species body mass.
A Neuroscientific Perspective of Language Processing in Transforming Input into Intake

Language research has endeavoured to provide evide nce to support the notions that language proficiency is a function of either the quantity or the quality of input, or a combination of both. Most research into second language acquisition has focus ed on the auditory-dependent, verbal characteristic s of input and seems to have neglected to address the role of the visually-dependent, non-verbal languag e in enhancing the facilitative characteristic of inp ut and its consequential role in intake. This paper postulates that this improvement in learning under multi-channel exposure (i.e. the simultaneous exposure to verbal and non-verbal stimuli) may be t h result of the learner being able to attend selectively to the stimuli in a way that would enha ce the transforming of input into intake, and it advances a neuroscientific perspective which argues that the brain structures and neural networks responsible for these processes are seen as being c ritical to explaining why the exposure to multisensory input can enhance intake, and ultimately co mprehension and language production.
Une CNS pour l'acheminement de messages instantanément stabilisant

A snap-stabilizing algorithm ensures that it always behaves according to its specifications whenever it starts from an arbitrary configuration. In this paper, we interest in the message forwarding problem in a message-switched network. We must manage network ressources in order to deliver messages to any processor of the network. In this goal, we need information given by a routing algorithm. But, due to the context of stabilization, this information can be initially corrupted. It is why the existence of snap-stabilizing algorithms for this task (proved in [CDV09]) implies that we can ask the system to begin forwarding messages even if routing tables are initially corrupted. In this paper, we generalize the previous result given a necessary and sufficient condition to solve the forwarding problem in a snap-stabilizing way.
Correlation between diffusion tensor imaging and histological brain injury in ventilated preterm lambs

Objective: Inflammation and mechanical ventilation contribute additively to white matter injury in the preterm infant. We examined whether in vivo diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) indices correlate with immunohistochemical analyses of brain inflammation and injury caused by injurious ventilation at birth, in the presence or absence of intrauterine inflammation. Methods: Twin-bearing ewes received an ultrasound guided injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; n=11) or saline (n=12) 7 days prior to delivery at ~125 days gestation. Immediately after delivery, lambs received either an injurious (LPS+INJ; n=5 and INJ; n=6) or protective (LPS+PROT; n=6 and PROT; n=5) ventilation strategy for 90 min, after which DTI was assessed. Following imaging, neuronal density (NeuN antibody) in the thalamus (Th) and myelin density (myelin basic protein, MBP) in the internal capsule (IC) and periventricular white matter (PVWM) were assessed. Results: LPS exposure significantly increased axial diffusivity (P=0.01) and decreased myelin density in the IC (P=0.02) compared to saline groups. Moreover, there was a strong inverse correlation between fractional anisotropy values and myelin density in PVWM (P=0.01), and a trend in the IC (P=0.07) in all lambs. Injurious ventilation tended to reduce radial and mean diffusivity in the Th (P=0.07 and P=0.08). Conclusion: DTI was able to detect microstructural changes associated with a reduction in myelination due to inflammation in the short term. However, DTI indices were not sensitive enough to consistently detect the microstructural changes induced by injurious ventilation immediately after birth.
Energieaufnahme, Makronährstoffverzehr und Essverhalten von 100 adipösen Patienten vor und nach individueller Ernährungsumstellung

Aufgrund der steigenden Pravalenz der Adipositas ist es dringend erforderlich die Therapie weiter zu optimieren. Dazu wurden 2400 Ernahrungsprotokolle von 100 adiposen Patienten vor bzw. nach individueller Ernahrungstherapie ausgewertet. Die Ergebnisse belegen, dass durch eine Ernahrungsumstellung auf Basis der Energiedichte eine langfristige Gewichtsreduktion erreicht werden kann. Eine Reduktion der Energiedichte ist dabei mit einer Reduktion der Fett- und Kohlenhydrataufnahme verbunden.