Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distribution of In Vitro Fermentation Ability of Lacto-N-Biose I, a Major Building Block of Human Milk Oligosaccharides, in Bifidobacterial Strains

ABSTRACT This study investigated the potential utilization of lacto-N-biose I (LNB) by individual strains of bifidobacteria. LNB is a building block for the human milk oligosaccharides, which have been suggested to be a factor for selective growth of bifidobacteria. A total of 208 strains comprising 10 species and 4 subspecies were analyzed for the presence of the galacto-N-biose/lacto-N-biose I phosphorylase (GLNBP) gene (lnpA) and examined for growth when LNB was used as the sole carbohydrate source. While all strains of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum, B. longum subsp. infantis, B. breve, and B. bifidum were able to grow on LNB, none of the strains of B. adolescentis, B. catenulatum, B. dentium, B. angulatum, B. animalis subsp. lactis, and B. thermophilum showed any growth. In addition, some strains of B. pseudocatenulatum, B. animalis subsp. animalis, and B. pseudolongum exhibited the ability to utilize LNB. With the exception for B. pseudocatenulatum, the presence of lnpA coincided with LNB utilization in almost all strains. These results indicate that bifidobacterial species, which are the predominant species found in infant intestines, are potential utilizers of LNB. These findings support the hypothesis that GLNBP plays a key role in the colonization of bifidobacteria in the infant intestine.
Regulation of glutamate metabolism by protein kinases in mycobacteria

Protein kinase G of Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been implicated in virulence and in regulation of glutamate metabolism. Here we show that this kinase undergoes a pattern of autophosphorylation that is distinct from that of other M. tuberculosis protein kinases characterized to date and we identify GarA as a substrate for phosphorylation by PknG. Autophosphorylation of PknG has little effect on kinase activity but promotes binding to GarA, an interaction that is also detected in living mycobacteria. PknG phosphorylates GarA at threonine 21, adjacent to the residue phosphorylated by PknB (T22), and these two phosphorylation events are mutually exclusive. Like the homologue OdhI from Corynebacterium glutamicum, the unphosphorylated form of GarA is shown to inhibit α‐ketoglutarate decarboxylase in the TCA cycle. Additionally GarA is found to bind and modulate the activity of a large NAD+‐specific glutamate dehydrogenase with an unusually low affinity for glutamate. Previous reports of a defect in glutamate metabolism caused by pknG deletion may thus be explained by the effect of unphosphorylated GarA on these two enzyme activities, which may also contribute to the attenuation of virulence.
Challenges of postgraduate research: case of developing countries

Postgraduate research is a form of study offered by a university or an institution of advanced learning. The emphasis of postgraduate research is on developing systematic skills of investigation in research process. It is not necessarily aimed at producing ground breaking innovation or extending knowledge as is commonly perceived. Most postgraduate research involves basic and to a lesser extent applied and/or collaborative research. This article is an offshoot of a paper presented at the Department of Information Studies (University of Zululand, South Africa) Annual Conference from 10-11 September 2009. The article discusses the challenges of postgraduate research with special reference to universities in Africa. The author proffers suggestions on minimizing the challenges of postgraduate research faced by university institutions in Africa.
An Overview Of Oral Cancer In Indian Subcontinent And Recommendations To Decrease Its Incidence.

The Objective of this article is to review the current prevalence and risk factors for oral carcinoma across the Indian subcontinent. Oral cancer is increasing in Indian subcontinent mainly due to lack of hygiene, tobacco use, chewing tobacco leaves, smoking and many other factors which are discussed in detail in this article. Cancer is the second most common cause of mortality and morbidity today after cardiovascular problems. Oral cancer is the eleventh most common cancer in the world and two third deaths due to oral cancer occurs in developing world, out of which one third occurs in Indian Subcontinent. Human papilloma virus is a known risk factor oral cancer specially type 16 and 18. This is causing not only huge impact on the health of the community but also the economy of the Indian subcontinent countries. We have summarized few recommendations in this article, by which oral cancer can be tackled in Indian subcontinent. We have recommended different approaches from primary prevention to secondary and tertiary prevention methods. These include better hygiene, health education, and proper screening methods to detect those at risk, earlier treatment and smoking cessation clinics, proper legislation at government level and global approach as well.
Role of leptin in hypothalamic-pituitary function.

A defect in the structure of the obese gene is responsible for development of obesity in the ob/ob mouse. The product of expression of the gene is the protein hormone leptin. Leptin causes weight loss in ob/ob and normal mice, it is secreted by adipocytes, and it is an important controller of the size of fat stores by inhibiting appetite. The ob/ob mouse is infertile and has a pattern of gonadotropin secretion similar to that of prepubertal animals. Consequently, we hypothesized that leptin might play a role in the control of gonadotropin secretion and initiated studies on its possible acute effects on hypothalamic-pituitary function. After a preincubation period, hemi-anterior pituitaries of adult male rats were incubated with leptin for 3 hr. Leptin produced a dose-related increase in follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) release, which reached peaks with 10(-9) and 10(-11) M leptin, respectively. Gonadotropin release decreased at higher concentrations of leptin to values indistinguishable from that of control pituitaries. On the other hand, prolactin secretion was greatly increased in a dose-related manner but only with leptin concentrations (10(-7)-10(-5) M). Incubation with leptin of median eminence-arcuate nuclear explants from the same animals produced significant increases in LH-releasing hormone (LHRH) release only at the lowest concentrations tested (10(-12)-10(-10) M). As the leptin concentration was increased, LHRH release decreased and was significantly less than control release at the highest concentration tested (10(-6) M). To determine if leptin can also release gonadotropins in vivo, ovariectomized females bearing implanted third ventricle cannulae were injected with 10 microg of estradiol benzoate s.c. , followed 72 hr later by microinjection into the third ventricle of leptin (0.6 nmol in 5 microl) or an equal volume of diluent. There was a highly significant increase in plasma LH, which peaked 10-50 min after injection of leptin. Leptin had no effect on plasma FSH concentrations, and the diluent had no effect on either plasma FSH or LH. Thus, leptin at very low concentrations stimulated LHRH release from hypothalamic explants and FSH and LH release from anterior pituitaries of adult male rats in vitro and released LH, but not FSH, in vivo. The results indicate that leptin plays an important role in controlling gonadotropin secretion by stimulatory hypothalamic and pituitary actions.
How accurate is parent rating of hearing for children with otitis media?

OBJECTIVE To determine the accuracy of parent assessment of child hearing. DESIGN Prospective study. SETTING Hospital-based pediatric otolaryngology practice in a metropolitan area. PATIENTS One hundred eighty-six children aged 6 months to 12 years (median age, 3.4 years) with chronic otitis media with effusion or recurrent acute otitis media enrolled in a quality-of-life study. INTERVENTION Parents rated their child's hearing over the prior 4 weeks using a 7-point response scale. Otoscopic findings, static admittance, tympanometric width, and audiometric thresholds were recorded concurrently. Fifty children were reassessed to monitor changes in hearing. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Correlation of parent hearing assessments with baseline hearing status (pure tone average for the better hearing ear) and with changes in hearing status. RESULTS The hearing loss questions had good test-retest reliability (R=0.79) but did not correlate with audiometric results (R=-0.13; P=.09). Only when caregivers reported hearing to be an "extreme problem" were median hearing levels (31 dB) significantly greater than the median response (20 dB). Conversely, static admittance and tympanometric gradient were significant predictors of hearing levels (2-way analysis of variance, P<.01) and explained 44% of the ear-specific variations. Abnormal immittance measures in both ears had an 84% predictive value for hearing loss (20-dB hearing level or poorer), and normal immittance measures in both ears had a 76% predictive value for normal hearing. Caregiver assessments of change in hearing status did not correlate with changes in audiometric results (R=0.07; P=.65). CONCLUSIONS Caregiver assessments of child hearing do not accurately predict hearing levels or changes in hearing status. Immittance measures can help identify children at low or high risk for hearing loss, but cannot substitute for audiometry.
Resistance to cisplatin‐induced cell death conferred by the activity of organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATP) in human melanoma cells

Expression of organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATP) transporters can be modified with potential incidence in cancers, yet they have not been considered in melanoma. Here, we demonstrate transcriptional and protein expression of OATP members in human melanoma cell lines with sodium‐independent organic anion uptake activity. Importantly, uptake of different organic anions over 24 h led to a common resistance signal to apoptotic cell death, induced further by cisplatin in 24 h. The mechanism is not dependent on the transport of cisplatin by the OATP, as it is not an OATP substrate. The resistance signal was modulated by PKC, disclosing it as signal mediator. This study suggests that OATP, which can be constantly activated by endobiotics, may contribute to melanoma chemotherapeutic resistance, thereby justifying the development of OATP targeting strategies.
Variation of the relaxographic “shutter‐speed” for transcytolemmal water exchange affects the CR bolus‐tracking curve shape

Contrast reagents (CRs) may enter the tissue interstitium for a period after a vascular bolus injection. As the amount of interstitial CR increases, the longitudinal relaxographic NMR “shutter‐speed” (T–1) for the equilibrium transcytolemmal water exchange process increases. The quantity T–1 is given by |r1o[CRo] + R1o0 – R1i| (where r1o and [CRo] represent the interstitial (extracellular) CR relaxivity and concentration, respectively, and R1o0 and R1i are the extra‐ and intracellular 1H2O relaxation rate constants, respectively, in the absence of exchange). The increase of T–1 with [CRo] causes the kinetics of the water exchange equilibrium to appear to decrease. Here, analytical theory for two‐site‐exchange processes is combined with that for pharmacokinetic CR delivery, extraction, and distribution in a method termed BOLus Enhanced Relaxation Overview (BOLERO©). The shutter‐speed effect alters the shape of the bolus‐tracking (B‐T) time‐course. It is shown that this is mostly accounted for by the inclusion of only one additional parameter, which measures the mean intracellular lifetime of a water molecule. Simulated and real data demonstrate that the effect of shutter‐speed variation on pharmacokinetic parameters can be very significant: neglecting this effect can lead to an underestimation of the parameter values by 50%. This phenomenon can be heterogeneous. Within a tiny gliosarcoma implanted in the rat brain, the interstitial CR in the tumor core never rises to a level sufficient to cause apparent slowing of the exchange process. However, within the few microns needed to reach the proliferating rim, this occurs to a significant degree. Thus, even relative pharmacokinetic quantities can be incorrectly represented in a parametric map that neglects this effect. The BOLERO analysis shows promise for in vivo vascular phenotyping in pathophysiology. It also includes a provision for approximating the separation of the perfusion and permeability contributions to CR extravasation. Magn Reson Med 50:1151–1169, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A robust watermarking method for high quality image

We propose a new image watermarking method for copyright protection. This method is a block based approach in the spatial domain. In addition to the perceptual invisibility and robustness, the image quality is also considered during the embedding procedure. Block activity is calculated to embed watermark. The watermark strength and the spread of the signal into a block are controlled by the block activity measurement. Experimental results show that the proposed method is suitable for the high quality image.
Multi-Objectivization-Based Localization of Underwater Sensors Using Magnetometers

Underwater sensor networks are necessary to detect and track unknown targets in the maritime environment. Localization of sensors becomes a crucial problem. This paper presents a new method based on multi-objectivization to localize the sensors using triaxial magnetometers. In this localization system, a DC current-carrying solenoid coil serves as a magnetic source and the inertial magnetometer measure the three-component of magnetic flux intensity. Then, the localization problem is translated into a multi-objective optimization problem by minimizing each error function. Without using depth sensor, it is difficult to find the global optimum of the functions due to the homogeneous magnetic field. Accordingly, we propose a hybrid algorithm using improved non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm and linear multi-metering method to determine the sensor position. To reduce time consumption during the optimization process, a simplified discrete model of the magnetic field is derived. Experiment results show that the proposed localization method has a high accuracy and strong robustness.
Characterization of the Interleukin-1β System During Porcine Trophoblastic Elongation and Early Placental Attachment1

Abstract Conceptus-uterine communication is established during trophoblastic elongation when the conceptus synthesizes and releases estrogen, the maternal recognition signal in the pig. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is a differentially expressed gene during rapid trophoblastic elongation in the pig. The current investigation determined conceptus and endometrial changes in gene expression for IL-1β, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Rant), IL-1 receptor type 1 (IL-1RT1), and IL-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAP) in developing peri- and postimplantation conceptuses as well as uterine endometrium collected from cyclic and pregnant gilts. Conceptus IL-1β gene expression was enhanced during the period of rapid trophoblastic elongation compared with earlier spherical conceptuses, followed by a dramatic decrease in elongated Day 15 conceptuses. IL-1RT1 and IL-1RAP gene expression was greater in Day 12 and 15 filamentous conceptuses compared with earlier morphologies while IL-1Rant gene expression was unchanged by conceptus development. The uterine lumenal content of IL-1β increased during the process of trophoblastic elongation on Day 12. Uterine IL-1β content declined on Day 15, reaching a nadir by Day 18 of pregnancy. IL-1β gene expression in porcine conceptuses was temporally associated with an increase in endometrial IL-1RT1 and IL-1RAP gene expression in pregnant gilts. Endometrial IL-1β and IL-1Rant gene expression were lowest during Days 10–15 of the estrous cycle and pregnancy. The temporal expression of IL-1β during conceptus development and the initiation of conceptus-uterine communication suggests conceptus IL-1β synthesis plays an important role in porcine conceptus elongation and the establishment of pregnancy in the pig.
Lost in the middle of nowhere: the AvrLm1 avirulence gene of the Dothideomycete Leptosphaeria maculans

Leptosphaeria maculans, a Dothideomycete causing stem canker on oilseed rape (Brassica napus), develops gene‐for‐gene interactions with its host plants. To date, nine resistance genes (Rlm1–9) have been identified in Brassica spp. The corresponding nine avirulence genes (AvrLm1–9) in L. maculans have been mapped at four independent loci, thereby revealing two clusters of three and four linked avirulence genes. Here, we report the completion of map‐based cloning of AvrLm1. AvrLm1 was genetically delineated within a 7.3 centimorgan interval corresponding to a 439 kb BAC contig. AvrLm1 is a single copy gene isolated within a 269 kb non‐coding, heterochromatin‐like region. The region comprised a number of degenerated, nested copies of four long‐terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons, including Pholy and three novel Gypsy‐like retrotransposons. AvrLm1 restored the avirulent phenotype on Rlm1 cultivars following functional complementation of virulent isolates. AvrLm1 homologues were not detected in other Leptosphaeria species or in known fungal genomes including the closely related species Stagonospora nodorum. The predicted AvrLm1 protein is composed of 205 amino acids, of which only one is a cysteine residue. It contains a peptide signal suggesting extracellular localization. Unlike most other fungal avirulence genes, AvrLm1 is constitutively expressed, with a probable increased level of expression upon plant infection, suggesting the absence of tight regulation of AvrLm1 expression.
Using association rules to guide evolutionary search in solving constraint satisfaction

The evolutionary algorithms find difficulties in solving constraint satisfaction problems. The paper verifies if such algorithms could improve their results by using data mining techniques. The proposed approach uses association rules mining to guide the evolutionary search. The association rules are found from the past experience of the algorithm and are applied on individuals in order to keep the good direction and to improve them. A new escaping local optima strategy is proposed based on the mined rules. The considered problems to be solved are over-constrained constraint satisfaction problems where the number of satisfied constraints must be maximized. Results on randomly generated binary Max-CSP instances and on real world problems are given.
Blood Velocity Profile Measurements in Microchannels Using Micro-Particle Image Velocimetry

Experimental studies of blood microflows in rectangular biocompatible polymer microchannels measured using micro-particle image velocimetry are reported. The data processing methods, data collection methods, and choice of channel material are demonstrated to impact the velocity profile measurements obtained. Results show that the use of red blood cells as tracer particles creates a large depth of correlation which can approach the size of the vessel itself and decrease the accuracy of the method. It is shown that changing the amount of overlap in the post-processing parameters affects the results by nearly 10%. The velocity profile is studied as a function of the flow rate of the blood, the hematocrit, or percentage of red blood cells, the shape of the channel, and the channel material. The results highlighted here show that the best processing options include pre-processing, the use of fluorescent tracer particles instead of the red blood cells themselves as tracers give a more accurate prediction of the profile, and the use of silicone as the channel material more closely mimics the behavior of physiology. Acrylic biocompatible polymer channels are shown to give a more parabolic profile at lower levels of hematocrit, while silicone biocompatible polymer channels give a velocity profile that looks more like in vivo flow studies.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
2 What is Innovative about Alignment ?

Cooperation and coordination in action and communication have been major research issues in the cognitive sciences and the study of artificial agents in recent years. Started in July 2006, the Bielefeld CRC 673 “Alignment in Communication” investigates special modes of coordination, called alignment. Alignment covers the adaptation processes among agents which are assumed to be subconscious in humans and which do not involve explicit negotiation and control by those engaged in a common enterprise. Alignment thus conceived can be observed in human-human communication with respect to a variety of linguistic and cognitive phenomena. At the same time, alignment in human-robot communication and human interface management may serve as one of the main assets in the construction of robots and virtual reality avatars that are better tailored to human needs.
Postnatal refinement of proprioceptive afferents in the cat cervical spinal cord

Proprioceptive afferent (PA) information is integrated with signals from descending pathways, including the corticospinal tract (CST), by spinal interneurons in the dorsal horn and intermediate zone for controlling movements. PA spinal projections, and the reflexes that they evoke, develop prenatally. The CST projects to the spinal cord postnatally, and its connections are subsequently refined. Consequently, the tract becomes effective in transmitting control signals from motor cortex to muscle. This suggests sequential development of PAs and the CST rather than co‐development. In this study we determined if there was also late postnatal refinement of PA spinal connections, which would support PA–CST co‐development. We examined changes in PA spinal connections at 4 weeks of age, when CST terminations are immature, at 8 weeks, after CST refinement, and at 11 weeks, when CST terminations are mature. We electrically stimulated PA afferents in the deep radial nerve. Evoked PA responses were small and not localized at 4 weeks. By 8 and 11 weeks, responses were substantially larger and maximal in laminae VI and dorsal VII. We used intramuscular injection of cholera toxin β subunit to determine the distribution of PAs from the extensor carpii radialis muscle in the cervical enlargement at the same ages as in the electrophysiological studies. We found a reduction of the distribution of PAs with age that paralleled the physiological changes. This age‐related sharpening of PA spinal connections also paralleled CST development, suggesting coordinated PA–CST co‐development rather than sequential development. This is likely to be important for the development of adaptive motor control.
Opioid Receptor Blockade Prevents Propofol-induced Hypotension in Rats

Background: Propofol is an intravenous anesthetic that is widely used to anesthetize patients during neurosurgical procedures. Although propofol is considered to be an essential component of contemporary management of acute brain injury in the operating room and in critical care settings, propofol-induced hypotension (PIH) remains a frequent and undesirable side effect. After 3 decades of clinical use, multiple proposed causes of PIH, and conflicting experimental results, the mechanism of PIH is still a puzzle for neuroscience and anesthesiology. This study evaluated the role of opioid receptors in PIH. Methods: Pentobarbital-anesthetized rats were subjected to systemic or central pretreatment with naloxone followed by intravenous or central administration of propofol. Results: In the absence of pretreatment with naloxone, intravenous (7.5 mg/kg) and intracistenal propofol (10 µg) injection induced 45% and 35% reductions in the mean arterial pressure, respectively (P<0.05). Both systemic (5 mg/kg) and central (100 µg) pretreatment with naloxone prevented PIH without independently affecting mean arterial pressure. Conclusions: This experiment in anesthetized rats indicates that central and peripheral opioid receptor blockade prevents PIH, suggesting that these receptors are involved in the cardiovascular alterations elicited by propofol administration.