Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
RtsA and RtsB Coordinately Regulate Expression of the Invasion and Flagellar Genes in Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium

ABSTRACT Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium encounters numerous host environments and defense mechanisms during the infection process. The bacterium responds by tightly regulating the expression of virulence genes. We identified two regulatory proteins, termed RtsA and RtsB, which are encoded in an operon located on an island integrated at tRNAPheU in S. enterica serovar Typhimurium. RtsA belongs to the AraC/XylS family of regulators, and RtsB is a helix-turn-helix DNA binding protein. In a random screen, we identified five RtsA-regulated fusions, all belonging to the Salmonella pathogenicity island 1 (SPI1) regulon, which encodes a type III secretion system (TTSS) required for invasion of epithelial cells. We show that RtsA increases expression of the invasion genes by inducing hilA expression. RtsA also induces expression of hilD, hilC, and the invF operon. However, induction of hilA is independent of HilC and HilD and is mediated by direct binding of RtsA to the hilA promoter. The phenotype of an rtsA null mutation is similar to the phenotype of a hilC mutation, both of which decrease expression of SPI1 genes approximately twofold. We also show that RtsA can induce expression of a SPI1 TTSS effector, slrP, independent of any SPI1 regulatory protein. RtsB represses expression of the flagellar genes by binding to the flhDC promoter region. Repression of the positive activators flhDC decreases expression of the entire flagellar regulon. We propose that RtsA and RtsB coordinate induction of invasion and repression of motility in the small intestine.
Whole-body cooling does not compromise muscle oxidative capacity in subjects with multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND Whole-body cooling improves exercise tolerance in patients with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). To be able to exercise at greater intensities and/or for longer durations with whole-body cooling, it should be examined whether this compromises skeletal muscle oxidative capacity (assessed by exercise-onset VO2 kinetics). OBJECTIVE To study the impact of whole-body cooling on exercise-onset VO2 kinetics in pwMS. METHODS From 12 pwMS (EDSS 3.5 ± 1.5) and 12 healthy age, BMI, and gender-matched subjects exercise-onset VO2 kinetics (mean response time [MRT]) and body temperature were determined under normothermic and hypothermic (pre-exercise 60-min whole-body cooling) conditions during submaximal exercise testing (two 6-min constant-load exercise bouts). Moreover, heart rate, blood lactate content, expiratory volume and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were assessed during exercise. RESULTS Exercise heart rate (-7 ± 6 beats/min) and end-exercise body temperature (-0.9 ± 0.5°C) was significantly lower in hypothermic vs. normothermic conditions in both populations (p < 0.05). In pwMS exercise RPE was lower in hypothermic vs. normothermic condition (p = 0.056). No significantly different MRT was found between normothermic vs. hypothermic conditions in both populations. CONCLUSIONS Lowering body temperature prior to endurance exercise does not affect muscle oxidative capacity in pwMS, but lowers RPE, thus making it possible to prescribe exercises of greater intensity and/or longer duration.
Histochemical and biochemical changes in human skeletal muscle with age in sedentary males, age 22--65 years.

Biopsies for histochemical and biochemical analyses were taken from the vastus lateralis muscle of 55 untrained, healthy male subjects from 22 to 65 years of age. Fibre type distribution changed towards a decrease in the percentage of type II fibres, both in type IIA and type IIB fibres, whereas type IIB/IIA fibre ratio and type IIC percentage did not change with increasing age. It was found that the type IIB/IIA fibre ratio was inversely related to type I fibres, i.e. subjects rich in type I fibres had a relatively smaller proportion of type IIB fibres. Fibre area determinations revealed a selective decrease in type II fibre area. Consequently, the type II/I fibre area ratio and relative type II fibre area decreased. No changes in the specific activities of Mg2+ stimulated ATPase and myokinase were observed, while the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was higher in the youngest groups than in the oldest. LDH isozyme pattern shifted towards a decrease in percentage distribution of the muscle specific isozymes and a corresponding decrease in muscle specific activity while the activity of the heart specific isozymes did not change.
How long do new‐onset seizures in children last?

Although there are data on the duration of seizures in patients with refractory epilepsy, little is known about the duration of seizures in nonrefractory epilepsy populations. In a prospective study, seizure duration was determined in 407 children with a first unprovoked seizure using a structured interview and review of medical and ambulance records. Analysis focused on the distribution of seizure duration and on the conditional probability that a seizure would stop once it had already lasted for a specified time. Seizures lasted ≥5 minutes in 50% of cases, ≥10 minutes in 29%, ≥20 minutes in 16%, and ≥30 minutes in 12%. Seizure duration data were best fit as the sum of two exponential distributions, one with a mean of 3.6 minutes accounting for 76% of cases and the other with a mean of 31 minutes accounting for 24% of cases. The longer a seizure lasted, the less likely it was to stop within the next few minutes. In the 182 children with 2 or more seizures, the durations of the first and second seizures were highly correlated (r = 0.395, p < 0.0001). We conclude that the distribution of seizure duration in children with a first unprovoked seizure differs markedly from that observed in patients with refractory epilepsy. A subgroup of patients are predisposed to prolonged seizures. The data suggest that, once a seizure lasts for more than 5–10 minutes, it is unlikely to stop spontaneously within the next few minutes, and intervention is therefore indicated. These findings also support the continued use of the current definition of status epilepticus as a seizure lasting for 30 minutes or longer for epidemiologic studies.
Cash-Settled Swaptions: A New Pricing Model

The market for cash-settled swaptions has changed its quotation conventions. Cash-settled zero-wide collars struck at the swap-settled forward have started trading at nonzero prices. Apart from full-fledged term-structure models, a simple arbitrage-free model to consistently value both cash-settled and swap-settled swaptions has been lacking so far. We propose a straightforward arbitrage-free model that consistently values cash-settled and swap-settled swaptions, and that also allows one to match zero-wide collar premiums. The defining characteristic of the model is to explicitly specify the swap-settled annuity as a function of a discount swap rate under the swap-settled annuity measure. The new methodology has many desirable features, and we show via a numerical example how the model performs in realistic market scenarios.
An Optimization Method for Training Generalized Hidden Markov Model based on Generalized Jensen Inequality

Recently a generalized hidden Markov model (GHMM) was proposed for solving the problems of aleatory uncertainty and epistemic uncertainty in engineering application. In GHMM, the aleraory uncertainty is derived by the probability measure while epistemic uncertainty is modelled by the generalized interval. Given any finite observation sequence as training data, the problem of training GHMM is often encountered. In this paper, an optimization method for training GHMM, as a generalization of Baum-Welch algorithm, is proposed. The generalized convex and concave functions based on the generalized interval are proposed for inferring the generalized Jensen inequality. With generalized Baum-Welch’s auxiliary function and generalized Jensen inequality, similar to the multiple observations training, the GHMM parameters are estimated and updated by the lower and the bound observation sequences. A set of training equations and re-estimated formulas have been derived by optimizing the objective function. Similar to multiple observations (expectation maximization) EM algorithm, this method guarantees the local maximum of the lower and the upper bound and hence the convergence of the GHMM training process.
The relationship between affective state and the rhythmicity of activity in bipolar disorder.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to test the relationships between mood state and rhythm disturbances as measured via actigraphy in bipolar disorder by assessing the correlations between manic and depressive symptoms as measured via Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and 30-item Inventory for Depressive Symptomatology, Clinician-Rated (IDS-C-30) scores and the actigraphic measurements of rhythm, the 24-hour autocorrelation coefficient and circadian quotient. METHOD The research was conducted at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas from February 2, 2009, to March 30, 2010. 42 patients with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of bipolar I disorder were included in the study. YMRS and the IDS-C-30 were used to determine symptom severity. Subjects wore the actigraph continuously for 7 days. The 24-hour autocorrelation coefficient was used as an indicator of overall rhythmicity. The circadian quotient was used to characterize the strength of a circadian rhythm. RESULTS A greater severity of manic symptoms correlated with a lower degree of rhythmicity and less robust rhythms of locomotor activity as indicated by lower 24-hour autocorrelation (r = -0.3406, P = .03) and circadian quotient (r = -0.5485, P = .0002) variables, respectively. No relationship was noted between the degree of depression and 24-hour autocorrelation scores (r = -0.1190, P = .45) or circadian quotient (r = 0.0083, P = .96). Correlation was noted between the 24-hour autocorrelation and circadian quotient scores (r = 0.6347, P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS These results support the notion that circadian rhythm disturbances are associated with bipolar disorder and that these disturbances may be associated with clinical signatures of the disorder. Further assessment of rhythm disturbances in bipolar disorder is warranted.
Pole-Zero Cancellation Circuit for Charge Sensitive Amplifier with Pile-up Pulses Tracking System

The pole-zero cancellation circuit with pile-up pulses tracking system is discussed. The CSA uses a MOS transistor biased in a triode region to continuous discharge the integration capacitance. The low noise requirements of the front-end electronics place the feedback CSA resistance in hundreds of the MOmega range. However, the high rate of input pulses generates a DC voltage shift at the CSA output and this influences the active feedback circuit. We propose a novel circuit to bias transistors in the feedback of the CSA and in the PZC circuit which tracks the mentioned above voltage shift at the CSA output and ensures the proper cancellation of the CSA feedback pole. We present measurements of a test structure for the continuous CSA feedback discharge and the implementation of this circuit in a fast multichannel ASIC fabricated in the 0.35 mum CMOS technology.
Power loss evaluation for active and magnetic components in a SiC MOSFET-based power electronic system

This paper introduces a general method to evaluate the power losses of active (power semiconductors) and magnetic (inductors) components in power electronic systems. The bidirectional current conduction of silicon-carbide MOSFETs is analyzed to more accurately estimate the conduction and switching losses. Compared to conventional methods, the core loss of the magnetic components is estimated in a more accurate and generalized way, which is suited to non-sinusoidal flux waveforms. Simulation and experimental results verify the proposed method.
Novel Capacitorless 1T-DRAM Cell for 22-nm Node Compatible With Bulk and SOI Substrates

A new concept of multibody single-transistor dynamic-random-access-memory cell fully compatible with both standard bulk and silicon-on-insulator substrates is presented. Its novelty comes from the juxtaposition of two silicon films with opposed doping polarities (i.e., a p-n junction), which define a body partitioning for hole storage and current sense. The charge accumulated in the top body controls the current flowing through the bottom body. The scalability is ensured due to the suppression of the supercoupling effect, thus allowing the coexistence of electrons and holes in very thin transistors. Numerical simulations of electrostatics and dynamic operation show how the transient response of this device can be used for dynamic-memory applications, achieving attractive performance in terms of state discrimination and retention time in very scaled devices.
Tackling the Child Malnutrition Problem: From What and Why to How Much and How

There is strong economic evidence to invest in improving the economic status of young children, yet programs remain underresourced. Returns on investment in child nutrition in terms of improved health, better education outcomes and increased productivity are substantial, and cost estimates for effective programs are in the range of $2.8 to $5.3 billion. These amounts are modest when compared with total international development assistance or current spending on luxury goods in wealthy nations. New initiatives to redefine nutrition science and to apply innovative problem-solving technologies to the global nutrition problem suggest that steps are being taken to accelerate progress toward a malnutrition-free world.
Evo-devo of Child Growth: The Role of Weaning in the Transition from Infancy to Childhood

Homo sapiens are unique in having a life history phase of childhood, which follows infancy, as defined by breastfeeding. This review uses evolutionary life history theory in understanding child growth in a broad evolutionary perspective, using the data and theory of evolutionary predictive adaptive growth-related strategies for transition from infancy to childhood. We have previously shown that a delayed infancy–childhood transition has a lifelong impact on stature. Feeding practices during infancy are fundamental elements of nutrition as they program for future growth and body composition. A relationship between the duration of breastfeeding and the nature of weaning has been suggested as a possible cause for later obesity and growth patterns. This review highlights the role that breast milk feeding and variations in the weaning age have on transition to childhood, growth, and body composition.
Launching an Interdisciplinary Network for Understanding Student Engagement (INFUSE)

The Interdisciplinary Network for Understanding Student Engagement (INFUSE) began as a request to put together a team of faculty from each department within the College to focus on teaching and learning. Faculty members initially met and brainstormed ideas to pursue. A report of the United States National Survey of Student Engagement data spurred the team in a direction to explore student engagement and create a model for recognition of effective practices that are already occurring within the college and examine ways to increase student engagement throughout the college. A highlight of efforts to highlight effective strategies that can be utilized by faculty across the lifespan of a student were generated, with follow-up activities to engage faculty in prolonged study of student engagement techniques were implemented.
Glutamate transporter EAAC1 is expressed in neurons and glial cells in the rat nervous system

Oligonucleotide and cRNA probes were used for non‐radioactive in situ hybridization, carried out to identify the cell types in the nervous system of rat expressing the glutamate transporter EAAC1 mRNA. The results were compared with immunocytochemical data obtained using an antibody against a synthetic EAAC1 peptide. The present data confirm that EAAC1 is expressed in neurons of the CNS. Additionally, our findings indicate the localization of EAAC1 mRNA and protein in peripheral neurons (spinal ganglia) and in glial cells, i.e., oligodendrocytes in various white matter regions of the CNS, ependymal cells, and epithelial cells of the plexus choroideus of the four ventricles, as well as in satellite cells of spinal ganglia. Immunolabeling revealed a preferentially cytoplasmic staining of neurons and glial cells. The cytoplasmic staining was frequently granular, suggesting a localization of EAAC1 protein in vesicle membranes. A membrane localization of EAAC1 was also indicated by Western blotting, which showed immunoreactivity only in the 100,000 × g pellet of brain homogenate. We conclude that the glutamate transporter EAAC1 is not restricted to neurons but may also play an important role in glial cells, particularly in oligodendrocytes. GLIA 27:129–142, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A Practical Implementation of an Improved Packet Combining Scheme for Wireless Sensor Networks

An improvement to a recently proposed packet combining procedure based on the use of a CRC is developed. Upon receiving two packets, sent over independent channels, a large error burst may appear in one; however, it is unlikely that the same situation will have occurred for its pair. By making an intelligent choice as to which packet the burst is most likely to be in, and choosing the other packet for correction, the decoding time can be reduced significantly. A practical implementation is provided with real results that show not only can this decision be made correctly on the majority of occasions but, once the correct packet is chosen, an intelligent search operation can be performed further reducing overhead.
Distributed Feedbacks for Time-Delay Signature Suppression of Chaos Generated From a Semiconductor Laser

Chaotic dynamics of a semiconductor laser subject to distributed feedbacks from a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) are investigated through detailed simulations. Because of distributed reflections along the FBG, the approach of FBG feedback performs better than the conventional approach of mirror feedback in concealing the feedback delay time in chaos generation. The time-delay signature obtained from the autocorrelation function decreases as the FBG bandwidth decreases, which is attributed to the associated increase in the FBG dispersion. Such time-delay signature suppression is generally observed over a range of feedback parameters. The dynamical mappings of the laser subject to FBG feedback reveal large regions of chaotic states, except when the FBG bandwidth is much narrower than the relaxation resonance frequency of the laser.
Exposure of Air Pollution and Its Health Effects in Traffic Police Persons of Gwalior City, India

ABSTRACT This article examines the perceived health effects of air pollution among traffic police persons of Gwalior city, India. The first part of the results reveals the health effects of air pollution on respondents and the second part reports the awareness of respondents regarding air pollution, pollutants, particulate pollutants, gaseous pollutants, and sources of pollutants etc. This perceptional study examines twenty-two types of health effects and an option for other health effects was also included. Eye irritation and sleeplessness were found consistently while difficulty in concentration, headache, sneezing, and nose irritation were found in less extant. A part of health effects were very serious and not curable. Traffic police persons were neither aware adequately regarding air pollutants nor used any type of personal protective equipment. The study covers respondents of four age categories: 15–24, 25–34, 35–44, and 45-above.
Mitochondrial respiratory supercomplex association limits production of reactive oxygen species from complex I.

AIMS The mitochondrial respiratory chain is recognized today to be arranged in supramolecular assemblies (supercomplexes). Besides conferring a kinetic advantage (substrate channeling) and being required for the assembly and stability of Complex I, indirect considerations support the view that supercomplexes may also prevent excessive formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) from the respiratory chain. In the present study, we have directly addressed this issue by testing the ROS generation by Complex I in two experimental systems in which the supramolecular organization of the respiratory assemblies is impaired by: (i) treatment either of bovine heart mitochondria or liposome-reconstituted supercomplex I-III with dodecyl maltoside; (ii) reconstitution of Complexes I and III at high phospholipids to protein ratio. RESULTS The results of our investigation provide experimental evidence that the production of ROS is strongly increased in either model, supporting the view that disruption or prevention of the association between Complex I and Complex III by different means enhances the generation of superoxide from Complex I. INNOVATION Dissociation of supercomplexes may link oxidative stress and energy failure in a vicious circle. CONCLUSION Our findings support a central role of mitochondrial supramolecular structure in the development of the aging process and in the etiology and pathogenesis of most major chronic diseases.
Neutral loss of amino acid residues from protonated peptides in collision-induced dissociation generates N- or C-terminal sequence ladders.

The widespread occurrence of the neutral loss of one to six amino acid residues as neutral fragments from doubly protonated tryptic peptides is documented for 23 peptides with individual sequences. Neutral loss of amino acids from the N-terminus of doubly charged tryptic peptides results in doubly charged y-ions, forming a ladder-like series with the ions [M + 2H](2+) = y(max) (2+), y(max - 1) (2+), y(max - 2) (2+), etc. An internal residue such as histidine, proline, lysine or arginine appears to favor this type of fragmentation, although it was sometimes also observed for peptides without this structure. For doubly protonated non-tryptic peptides with one of these residues at or near the N-terminus, we observed neutral loss from the C-terminus, resulting in a doubly charged b-type ion ladder. The analyses were performed by Q-TOF tandem mass spectrometry, facilitating the recognition of neutral loss ladders by their 2+ charge state and the conversion of the observed mass differences into reliable sequence information. It is shown that the neutral loss of amino acid residues requires low collision offset values, a simple mechanistic explanation based on established fragmentation rules is proposed and the utility of this neutral loss fragmentation pathway as an additional source for dependable peptide sequence information is documented.