Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparative proteome profiling of bovine and human Staphylococcus epidermidis strains for screening specifically expressed virulence and adaptation proteins

The present study reports a comparative proteome cataloging of a bovine mastitis and a human‐associated Staphylococcus epidermidis strain with a specific focus on surfome (cell‐wall bound and extracellular) proteins. Protein identification by 1DE coupled with LC‐MS/MS analyses resulted in 1400 and 1287 proteins from the bovine (PM221) and human (ATCC12228) strains, respectively, covering over 50% of all predicted and more than 30% of all predicted surfome proteins in both strains. Comparison of the identification results suggests elevated levels of proteins involved in adherence, biofilm formation, signal transduction, house‐keeping functions, and immune evasion in PM221, whereas ATCC12228 was more effective in expressing host defense evasion proteases, skin adaptation lipases, hemagglutination, and heavy‐metal resistance proteins. Phenotypic analyses showed that only PM221 displays protein‐ and DNA‐mediated adherent growth, and that PM221 was more efficient in cleaving tributyrin, a natural compound of milk fat under low CO2 conditions. These findings are in line with the identification data and suggest that distinct expression of lipases and adhesive surfome proteins could lead to the observed phenotypes. This study is the first extensive survey of S. epidermidis proteomes to date, providing several protein candidates to be examined for their roles in adaptation and virulence in vivo. All MS data have been deposited in the ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD000404 (http://proteomecentral.proteomexchange.org/dataset/PXD000404).
Time Course of Changes in Performance and Inflammatory Responses After Acute Plyometric Exercise

Chatzinikolaou, A, Fatouros, IG, Gourgoulis, V, Avloniti, A, Jamurtas, AZ, Nikolaidis, MG, Douroudos, I, Michailidis, Y, Beneka, A, Malliou, P, Tofas, T, Georgiadis, I, Mandalidis, D, and Taxildaris, K. Time course of changes in performance and inflammatory responses after acute plyometric exercise. J Strength Cond Res 24(5): 1389-1398, 2010-The objectives of the present investigation were to study the inflammatory and performance responses after an acute bout of intense plyometric exercise during a prolonged recovery period. Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (P, n = 12) that performed intense plyometric exercises or a control group (C, n = 12) that rested. The delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS), knee range of motion (KROM), creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities, white blood cell count, C reactive protein (CRP), uric acid (UA), cortisol, testosterone, IL-6, IL-1b strength (isometric and isokinetic), and countermovement (CMJ) and static (SJ) jumping performance were measured at rest, immediately postexercise and at 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 hours of recovery. Lactate was measured at rest and postexercise. Strength remained unchanged throughout recovery, but CMJ and SJ declined (p < 0.05) by 8-20%. P induced a marked rise in DOMS, CK, and LDH (peaked 24-48 hours postexercise) and a KROM decline. An acute-phase inflammatory response consisting of leukocytosis (postexercise and at 24 hours), an IL-6, IL-1b, CRP, and cortisol elevation (during the first 24 hours of recovery) and a delayed increase of UA (peaked at 48 hours) and testosterone (peaked at 72 hours) was observed in P. The results of this investigation indicate that performing an acute bout of intense plyometric exercise may induce a short-term muscle damage and marked but transient inflammatory responses. Jumping performance seems to deteriorate for as long as 72 hours postexercise, whereas strength appears to remain unchanged. The acute-phase inflammatory response after a plyometric exercise protocol appears to follow the same pattern as in other exercise models. These results clearly indicate the need of sufficient recovery between successive plyometric exercise training sessions.
Pattern of fluid accumulation in NO2-induced pulmonary edema in dogs. A morphometric study.

To ascertain whether the pattern of fluid accumulation could be altered by an agent introduced through the airways, the authors studied the physiology and morphology of 11 dogs exposed to 150-494 ppm.hr NO2 and compared them with 3 new and 5 previously reported control dogs. NO2 caused a partly reversible decrease in systemic arterial pressure and cardiac output, a fall in arterial PO2, and rapid shallow breathing, while pulmonary arterial and wedge pressures remained normal. Post mortem, lower (LL) and middle (ML) lobes were frozen, sections fixed for light microscopy by freeze-substitution, and wet weight/dry weight (W/D) ratios were measured. Alveolar edema was graded, and the distribution of interstitial edema around arteries and veins and within bronchovascular bundles was studied with morphometry: edema ratios (ER) were calculated as area of interstitium/area of vessel or airway. We found that NO2 produced an exposure-dependent increase in lung water (r = 0.73), and that both LL and ML had similar W/D ratios (7.77 and 8.39, respectively) and percent alveolar edema (30% and 34%). Morphometry of interstitial edema showed that the ER for vessels and airways of edematous LL were essentially similar to controls, while those of the ML were markedly increased. It is concluded that NO2 produces exposure-related lung edema and preferential alveolar flooding with probable secondary interstitial accumulation. The discrepancies in interstitial edema between middle and lower lobes may be due to differences in lung volume or in ventilation.
Hyaluronan in inflammatory joint disease.

Hyaluronan (HYA) (Laurent et al. 1992) is a linear extracellular polysaccharide found in all tissues and body fluids but in highest concentrations in loose connective tissue. It is present in synovial fluid, where it is responsible for the unique rheological properties, in cartilage, where it forms the backbone of the proteoglycan aggregates and in the synovial tissue and joint capsule. HYA is also present in muscular tissues between the muscle bundles.
Paralelismo en visualización volumétrica

Se estudia la paralelizacion de un conocido algoritmo de visualizacion volumetrica sobre una arquitectura MIMD mediante dos esquemas de descomposicion de dominios: espacio del objeto y espacio de la imagen. La meta es evaluar el desempeno de cada uno utilizando un esquema de asignacion estatica de carga de trabajo. Las pruebas fueron realizadas en una plataforma distribuida de estaciones de trabajo SUN, donde la disponibilidad de recursos es exclusiva. Los resultados revelaron que el primer metodo aventaja considerablemente en efectividad al segundo e indican que en ambos esquemas, factores como el criterio de balance de carga de trabajo y operaciones de manejo de estructuras especiales provenientes de la paralelizacion, tienen mayor peso que el "overhead" de comunicacion.
Astrocyte Response and Transforming Growth Factor‐&bgr; Localization in Acute Spinal Cord Injury

Study Design. An experimental histologic and immunohistological investigation of acute spinal cord injury was performed in a rat model. Objective. This study determined (1) the immediate cellular and molecular responses within the spinal cord that result from a clinically relevant compression injury, (2) the acute astrocytic response to injury using the astrocyte specific GFAP antibody, and (3) the temporal pattern of cellular and extracellular localization of transforming growth factor‐&bgr;1 (TGF‐&bgr;1) within the spinal cord injury zone immediately after injury. Summary of Background Data. Ultimate neurologic outcome from spinal cord injury results from both the primary mechanical trauma and a subsequent cascade of cellular and molecular events that are termed the secondary injury. Efforts aimed at improving neurologic outcome may depend on the manipulation of cellular and molecular mechanisms that are responsible for propagating this secondary injury cascade. Astrocytes and TGF‐&bgr; are two potentially key components of this secondary injury. Methods. Twenty‐one Sprague‐Dawley adult rats underwent open thoracic spinal cord injuries using the Allen weight‐drop technique. Spinal cord specimens were harvested at 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 24, and 72 hours after injury for histologic and immunohistochemical evaluation. Harvesting of injured and surrounding uninjured cord was performed before sectioning in sagittal and transverse planes. These paraffin‐embedded sections were stained with polyclonal antibodies against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP, an astrocytic cvtoskeleton marker) and TGF‐01. Results. A complex astrocytic response to the spinal cord injury was found within 24 hours of injury. Both the geographic and temporal patterns of astrocyte localization suggest a role in the regulation of spinal cord injury propagation. High concentrations of extracellular TGF‐&bgr; were seen immediately after injury within the hematoma at the zone of impact. Subsequently, intracellular TGF‐&bgr; was seen in astrocytic nuclei and cytoplasm, intramedullary and extramedullar capillary endothelial cells, and in motor neurons. Conclusions. The neurologic outcome in patients with SCI results in part from a secondary injury whose cellular and molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. This study suggests that both astrocytes and TGF‐&bgr; are involved in the regulation of spinal cord secondary injury. An improved understanding of their specific roles may result in novel treatments to improve the outcome from SCI. [Key words: acute spinal cord injury, astrocytes, transforming growth factor‐&bgr;, glial fibrillary acidic protein] Spine 1994;19:2321‐2330
Linguistic experience modifies lexical stress perception

ABSTRACT Sensitivity to differences in lexical stress pattern was examined in 4- and 5-year-old monolingual French-, German- and Swedish-speaking children. For most stimulus discriminations, the 5-year-olds outperformed their 4-year-old comparison groups. For a discrimination involving a trisyllabic distinction not found in French, however, the French 5-year-olds performed worse than their 4-year-old compatriots, suggesting that the older children had ‘learned’ not to hear the trisyllabic distinction. In follow-up testing of the French 4-year-olds six months later, half of them showed a similar decrease in performance specific to the trisyllabic stimuli. These data support an ‘attunement’ theory of language acquisition, in which potentially relevant abilities that are already partially or fully developed at birth may become attenuated or completely lost if they are inappropriate or irrelevant for the child's language.
Vitamin E and immune response in the aged: molecular mechanisms and clinical implications

Summary: Nutritional status has been indicated as a contributing factor to age‐related dysregulation of the immune response. Vitamin E, a lipid‐soluble antioxidant vitamin, is important for normal function of the immune cells. The elderly are at a greater risk for vitamin E intake that is lower than recommended levels. Vitamin E supplementation above currently recommended levels has been shown to improve immune functions in the aged including delayed‐type hypersensitivity skin response and antibody production in response to vaccination, which was shown to be mediated through increased production of interleukin (IL)‐2, leading to enhanced proliferation of T cells, and through reduced production of prostaglandin E2, a T‐cell suppressive factor, as a result of a decreased peroxynitrite formation. Vitamin E increased both cell‐dividing and IL‐producing capacities of naïve T cells, but not memory T cells. The vitamin E‐induced enhancement of immune functions in the aged was associated with significant improvement in resistance to influenza infection in aged mice and a reduced risk of acquiring upper respiratory infections in nursing home residents. Further studies are needed to determine the signaling mechanisms involved in the upregulation of naïve T‐cell function by vitamin E as well as the specific mechanisms involved in reduction of risk for upper respiratory infections.
Control of Mutation Frequency by Bacteriophage T 4 DNA Polymerase

The ts CB120 (antimutator) mutation in bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase increases the accuracy of DNA replication since it results in a decrease in the frequency of mutations in other phage genes. The CB120 polymerase differs from the wild type enzyme in the slow rate at which it copies templates where primer extension requires displacement of polynucleotides base-paired to the template strand, even in the presence of the T4 DNA unwinding protein (gene 32.protein). The ratio of nucleotides turned over (DNA-dependent conversion of deoxynucleoside triphosphate to deoxynucleoside monophosphate) to nucleotides stably incorporated into product is 10 to 100 times higher with the mutant than wild type enzyme, depending on the DNA used as the template. This high turnover rate may increase the efficiency of removal of noncomplementary nucleotides by the antimutator enzyme and is in agreement with the findings of Muzyczka et al. (Muzyczka, N., Poland, R. L., and Bessman, M. J. (1972) J. Biol. Chem. 247,7116-7122) with the L141 and L42 antimutator T4 DNA polymerases. Since the 3’to 5’. exonuclease activity of the CB120 mutant polymerase is not higher than that of the wild type enzyme, it is suggested that the high turnover rate may result from increased opportunity to remove newly incorporated nucleotides due to the slow rate at which the mutant enzyme moves to the next template nucleotide. In the accompanying paper we show that the CB120 antimutator polymerase also initially selects incorrect nucleotides for incorporation less frequently than the wild type enzyme. Thus this antimutator polymerase appears to have both greater accuracy in nucleotide selection and an enhanced ability to remove incorrect nucleotides.
The nutritional pattern of frailty – Proceedings from the 5th Italian Congress of Endocrinology of Aging, Parma, Italy, 27–28 March 2009

Frailty has become one of the ‘hot spots’ in geriatric research. Frailty has multifactorial origin, and is regarded as a fundamental risk factor for deteriorating health status and disability in elderly people and is highly prevalent in the population above the age 65. It is estimates that prevalence rates up to 27% and pre-frailty rates up to 50% qualify for the term “epidemic”. Although the role of nutritional deficiency in the development of age-related frailty was suggested long ago, research conducted in this area is relatively recent. The critical role of micronutrients in this context suggests the need to improve the quality of food eaten by elderly people whereas quantity of food appears to be less relevant. This review summarizes the recent literature on the nutritional pathways to frailty with particular focus on the effect of energy, protein and micronutrients.
Effect of short-chain fatty acids on contraction of smooth muscle in the canine colon.

OBJECTIVE To determine effects of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) on canine colonic smooth muscle. SAMPLE POPULATION Colonic tissue obtained from 14 healthy dogs. PROCEDURE Short-chain fatty acid (SCFA; acetate, propionate, and butyrate; 1 to 100 mmol/L)-induced contractions were compared with responses obtained with acetylmethylcholine (AMCh; 10(-4) mol/L). Roles of enteric neurons, cholinergic receptors, calcium stores in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and extracellular calcium in the SCFA-induced responses were investigated by incubating muscle strips with tetrodotoxin (1 micromol/L), atropine (1 micromol/L), ryanodine (10 micromol/L), nifedipine (1 micromol/L), ethylene glycol-bis (beta-aminoethylether)-N,N,N',N'-tetra-acetate (EGTA; 0.1 mmol/L), or an extracellular calcium-depleted (zero extracellular calcium) solution prior to the addition of propionate or butyrate. RESULTS Incubation with SCFA elicited isometric stress responses (0.25 to 2.15 x 10(4) N/m2) in colonic longitudinal smooth muscle. Maximal responses to butyrate and propionate (50 mmol/L) were 37 and 23%, respectively, of the maximal AMCh response. Acetate was least effective in stimulating contractile responses. Tetrodotoxin and atropine did not affect SCFA-induced contractions. Nifedipine and zero extracellular calcium solution abolished responses to butyrate and propionate, whereas EGTA attenuated (> 60%) but did not abolish those responses. Ryanodine did not affect SCFA-induced contractile responses. The SCFA did not affect colonic circular smooth muscle. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RESPONSE: The SCFA stimulate longitudinal but not circular colonic smooth muscle contractions via a direct effect on smooth muscle. The mechanism of the SCFA effect appears to involve the influx of extracellular calcium. These findings may account for some of the effects of fiber on canine colonic motility [corrected].
Przeszczepianie nerek u osób w podeszłym wieku

Starzenie sie populacji oraz wydluzenie zycia sprawiają, ze coraz wieksza liczba pacjentow w podeszlym wieku rozpoczyna leczenie dializami i jest kwalifikowana do przeszczepienia nerki. W doświadczonych ośrodkach transplantacyjnych przezywalnośc starszych biorcow jest dobra, a przezywalnośc nerek porownywalna z osiąganą u mlodszych biorcow. Dlugośc oraz jakośc zycia są lepsze, a koszty leczenia nerkozastepczego nizsze po transplantacji niz w porownywalnej grupie pacjentow pozostających na dializie (hemodializa lub dializa otrzewnowa). Zasadniczą przyczyną utraty nerki u starszych biorcow jest śmierc pacjenta z funkcjonującą nerką (50%). Pod wzgledem czestości zgony te są spowodowane chorobami ukladu sercowo-naczyniowego, infekcjami (glownie w okresie pierwszego roku) i nowotworami, ktorych czestośc wzrasta wraz z uplywem czasu od transplantacji. Dlatego przed zakwalifikowaniem pacjenta do przeszczepienia nerki obowiązuje wnikliwa diagnostyka ukladu sercowo-naczyniowego (choroba naczyn wiencowych, choroby naczyn obwodowych), ocena ryzyka infekcji oraz rozwoju nowotworu. Optymalny protokol immunosupresyjny u starszych biorcow nie jest do konca ustalony, ale powinien on uwzgledniac takie czynniki, jak: wieksze ryzyko rozwoju przewleklej nefropatii nerki przeszczepionej w porownaniu z biorcami mlodszymi, wieksze ryzyko infekcji, zmienioną farmakokinetyke i farmakodynamike lekow oraz wynikające z tego czeste wystepowanie objawow niepoządanych. Dlugoterminowa opieka medyczna powinna dotyczyc nie tylko problemow związanych z transplantacją (funkcja nerki, immunosupresja). Konieczne jest identyfikowanie i leczenie modyfikowalnych czynnikow ryzyka potransplantacyjnej choroby sercowo- naczyniowej, monitorowanie pod kątem rozwoju nowotworu, chorob przewodu pokarmowego, chorob ukladu kostno stawowego oraz infekcji. Dostep do wielodyscyplinarnego zespolu specjalistow oraz opieka wykwalifikowanego zespolu pielegniarskiego umozliwiają uzyskanie odpowiedniej jakości zycia chorych, a z punktu widzenia systemu opieki zdrowotnej dobrych wynikow leczenia.
A Proteomic Strategy for Gaining Insights into Protein Sumoylation in Yeast*S

Sumoylation represents a vital post-translational modification that pervades numerous aspects of cell biology, including protein targeting, transcriptional regulation, signal transduction, and cell division. However, despite its broad reaching effects, most biological outcomes of protein sumoylation remain poorly understood. In an effort to provide further insight into this complex process, a proteomics approach was undertaken to identify the targets of sumoylation en mass. Specifically, SUMO-conjugated proteins were isolated by a double-affinity purification procedure from a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain engineered to express tagged SUMO. The components of the isolated protein mixture were then identified by subsequent LC-MS/MS analysis using an LTQ FT mass spectrometer. In this manner, 159 candidate sumoylated proteins were identified by two or more peptides. Furthermore, the high accuracy of the instrument, combined with stringent search criteria, enabled the identification of an additional 92 putative candidates by only one peptide. The validity of this proteomics approach was confirmed by performing subsequent Western blot experiments for numerous proteins and determining the actual sumoylation sites for several other substrates. These data combine with recent works to further our understanding of the breadth and impact of protein sumoylation in a diverse array of biological processes.
Microwave filtering power-distribution planar networks

In this paper, a new concept of single/multi-band microwave planar two-way circuit featuring a dual RF power-dividing/ filtering functionality is presented. This circuit, based on signal-interference techniques, is applied to develop multi-stage power-distribution networks with intrinsic filtering capability. Design equations and rules for the proposed dual-function circuit, helping in the synthesis of a given transfer function, are provided. Moreover, for experimental validation, two broadband microstrip prototypes corresponding to eight-way single-band and four-way quintuple-band networks are manufactured and characterized.
Antimicrobial activity of cuticle and outer eggshell protein extracts from three species of domestic birds

1. The eggshell cuticle is the proteinaceous outermost layer of the eggshell which regulates water exchange and protects against entry of micro-organisms. In this study, we investigated the hypothesis that the cuticle may also reduce microbial contamination by providing a chemical defence. 2. Outer eggshell and cuticle protein was extracted from domestic chicken (Gallus gallus), duck (Anas platyrhynchos) and goose (Anser anser) eggs by HCl and urea treatment, respectively. Antimicrobial activity of the extracts against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was evaluated. 3. C-type lysozyme, ovotransferrin and ovocalyxin-32 were identified in all extracts by Western blotting. All extracts from all species demonstrated lysozyme enzymatic activity. Immobilised c-type lysozyme retained some enzymatic activity. Protein extracts demonstrated activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis suggesting the action of antimicrobial proteins in addition to lysozyme. 4. The results suggest that the antimicrobial outer eggshell and cuticle proteins present in a number of avian species may be a mechanism which enhances avian reproductive success.
Optimum length of multimode optical branching waveguide for reducing its mode dependence.

In this paper, we theoretically analyze the loss and branching ratio of multimode optical branching waveguides by using a ray tracing method to obtain less mode-dependent branching characteristics. First, a 2 × 2 optical mixing and branching waveguide with a step-index profile are considered. It is found that an optimum length to achieve a low loss and stable branching ratio exists. Second, a waveguide with mode scrambler is investigated. By sacrificing some amount of insertion loss, the mode dependence can be minimized.