Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Intrinsically Disordered N-terminal Region of AtREM1.3 Remorin Protein Mediates Protein-Protein Interactions*

Background: AtREM1.3 is involved in plant immune signaling. Results: The N-terminal region of AtREM1.3 is intrinsically disordered. Conclusion: N-terminal region facilitates protein interactions. Significance: Remorins are dynamic signaling proteins with respect to structure and localization. The longstanding structure-function paradigm, which states that a protein only serves a biological function in a structured state, had to be substantially revised with the description of intrinsic disorder in proteins. Intrinsically disordered regions that undergo a stimulus-dependent disorder-to-order transition are common to a large number of signaling proteins. However, little is known about the functionality of intrinsically disordered regions in plant proteins. Here we investigated intrinsic disorder in a plant-specific remorin protein that has been described as a signaling component in plant-microbe interactions. Using bioinformatic, biochemical, and biophysical approaches, we characterized the highly abundant remorin AtREM1.3, showing that its N-terminal region is intrinsically disordered. Although only the AtREM1.3 C-terminal domain is essential for stable homo-oligomerization, the N-terminal region facilitates this interaction. Furthermore, we confirmed the stable interaction between AtREM1.3 and four isoforms of the importin α protein family in a yeast two-hybrid system and by an in planta bimolecular fluorescent complementation assay. Phosphorylation of Ser-66 in the intrinsically disordered N-terminal region decreases the interaction strength with the importin α proteins. Hence, the N-terminal region may constitute a regulatory domain, stabilizing these interactions.
Posibilidades de la ingeniería artificial en el análisis de auscultación de presas

El comportamiento estructural de las presas de embalse es dificil de predecir con precision. Los modelos numericos para el calculo estructural resuelven bien las ecuaciones de la mecanica de medios continuos, pero estan sujetos a una gran incertidumbre en cuanto a la caracterizacion de los materiales, especialmente en lo que respecta a la cimentacion. Asi, es dificil discernir si un estado que se aleja en cierta medida de la normalidad supone o no una situacion de riesgo estructural. Por el contrario, muchas de las presas en operacion cuentan con un gran numero de aparatos de auscultacion, que registran la evolucion de diversos indicadores como los movimientos, el caudal de filtracion, o la presion intersticial, entre otros. Aunque hoy en dia hay muchas presas con pocos datos observados, hay una tendencia clara hacia la instalacion de un mayor numero de aparatos que registran el comportamiento con mayor frecuencia [1]. Como consecuencia, se tiende a disponer de un volumen creciente de datos que reflejan el comportamiento de la presa. En la actualidad, estos datos suelen tratarse con metodos estadisticos para extraer informacion acerca de la relacion entre variables, detectar anomalias y establecer umbrales de emergencia. El modelo general mas comun es el denominado HST (Hydrostatic-Season-Time), que calcula la prediccion de una variable determinada de una presa a partir de una serie de funciones que tienen en cuenta los factores que teoricamente mas influyen en la respuesta: la carga del embalse, el efecto termico (en funcion de la epoca del ano) y un termino irreversible. Puntualmente se han aplicado modelos mas complejos, en algunos casos introduciendo un numero mayor de variables, como la precipitacion [2], y en otros con otras expresiones como la funcion impulso-respuesta [3]. En otros campos de la ciencia, como la medicina o las telecomunicaciones el volumen de datos es mucho mayor, lo que ha motivado el desarrollo de numerosas herramientas para su tratamiento y para el desarrollo de modelos de prediccion. Algunas de ellas, como las redes neuronales, ya han sido aplicadas al caso de la auscultacion de presas [4], [5] con resultados prometedores. El trabajo que se presenta es una revision de las herramientas disponibles en los campos de la mineria de datos, inteligencia artificial y estadistica avanzada, potencialmente utiles para el analisis de datos de auscultacion. Se describen someramente, indicando sus ventajas e inconvenientes. Se presenta ademas el resultado de aplicar un modelo basado en bosques aleatorios [6] para la prediccion del caudal de filtracion en un caso piloto. Los bosques aleatorios estan basados en los arboles de decision [7], que son modelos que dividen el conjunto de datos observados en grupos de observaciones “similares”. Posteriormente, se ajusta un modelo sencillo (tipicamente lineal, o incluso un valor constante) que se aplica a los nuevos casos pertenecientes a cada grupo.
Serine Acts as a Metabolic Signal for the Transcriptional Control of Photorespiration-Related Genes in Arabidopsis1[W]

Photorespiratory metabolites contribute to the transcriptional regulation of photorespiration. Photosynthetic carbon assimilation including photorespiration is dynamically regulated during the day/night cycle. This includes transcriptional regulation, such as the light induction of corresponding genes, but little is known about the contribution of photorespiratory metabolites to the regulation of gene expression. Here, we examined diurnal changes in the levels of photorespiratory metabolites, of enzymes of the photorespiratory carbon cycle, and of corresponding transcripts in wild-type plants of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and in a mutant with altered photorespiratory flux due to the absence of the peroxisomal enzyme Hydroxypyruvate Reductase1 (HPR1). Metabolomics of the wild type showed that the relative amounts of most metabolites involved in photorespiration increased after the onset of light, exhibited maxima at the end of the day, and decreased during the night. In accordance with those findings, both the amounts of messenger RNAs encoding photorespiratory enzymes and the respective protein contents showed a comparable accumulation pattern. Deletion of HPR1 did not significantly alter most of the metabolite patterns relative to wild-type plants; only serine accumulated to a constitutively elevated amount in this mutant. In contrast, the hpr1 mutation resulted in considerable deregulation of the transcription of photorespiration-related genes. This transcriptional deregulation could also be induced by the external application of l-serine but not glycine to the Arabidopsis wild type, suggesting that serine acts as a metabolic signal for the transcriptional regulation of photorespiration, particularly in the glycine-to-serine interconversion reactions.
Concentration effect of dispersed-graphene based saturable absorber on stabilizing and shortening mode-locked pulse

We investigated the concentration effect of dispersed graphene in polymer films for being a saturable absorber (SA) to optimize the mode locking performance of the Erbium-doped fiber (EDFL) laser pulse. With the concentrations of 1.65 and 3.25 wt%, the mode-locked (ML) pulse is stabilized with the pulse duration of 543 and 443 fs, respectively. For a short pulse of 443 fs, the 3-dB spectral bandwidth and time-bandwidth product were 5.78 nm and 0.316, respectively.
The isolation and bacteriostatic properties of lactoferrin from bovine milk whey

The bacteriostatic effect of the iron-chelating protein, lactoferrin against Escherichia coli was demonstrated by Bullen, Rogers & Leigh (1972) and Reiter, Brock & Steel (1975). Bullen et al. (1972) suggested that lactoferrin, which is present at concentrations of > 2 mg/ml in human milk, plays a part in the protection of suckling infants from E. coli infections of the gut. They reported that dosing suckling guineapigs with haematin increased the intestinal count of E. coli compared with untreated controls. Since guinea-pig milk contains appreciable amounts of lactoferrin and transferrin (up to 2 mg/ml each), haematin would provide an alternative source of iron for multiplication of the bacteria. If lactoferrin is an effective inhibitor of E. coli in the gut it may find application as an additive to milk replacers for rearing suckling animals. However, no direct demonstration of the effect of lactoferrin against E. coli infections in vivo has been reported, presumably because of the large quantities of the purified protein required for the experimental trials with animals. Lactoferrin can be isolated from sources such as human milk, bovine colostrum and dry period secretion using ion exchange methods (Masson, 1970), but although the starting materials are rich in lactoferrin they are only available in small quantities. A colourless iron-binding protein has been isolated previously from bovine whey (Gordon, Zeigler & Basch, 1962), but it was not positively identified as lactoferrin and its ability to inhibit bacterial growth was not studied. Bullen et al. (1972) showed that for human lactoferrin, iron binding alone was insufficient to give strong inhibition, antibodies being required for the lactoferrin to be fully effective. Large volumes of bovine milk whey are readily available, but it contains only a low concentration of lactoferrin (0-02-0-2 mg/ml). This communication describes the isolation, identification and properties of bacteriostatically active lactoferrin from concentrated whey.
Robotic person-tracking with modified multiple instance learning

Robotic person-following is an essential component for natural human robot interaction. To follow a person, the robot should track the target person robustly and in real time. Object tracking algorithms in the computer vision field typically require abundant features and heavy computing power, and thus cannot be directly applied to person-following robots due to the problems arising in practical robotic environments. This paper proposes a robotic person-tracking algorithm based on modified multiple instance learning. In order to resolve the problems raised by the rearward view of the target person, the tracker is modified to be guided by color histogram back-projection. Additionally, the search area model is modified from circle to ellipse and the number of features is reduced so that the tracker should adapt the robotic environment in real-time. The algorithm is validated through system integration and experiments.
Purification and Sequence Analysis of a Novel NADP ( H )-Dependent Type III Alcohol Dehydrogenase from Thermococcus Strain AN 1 DONGHUI

An NADP(H)-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase was isolated from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus strain AN1. This enzyme is a homotetramer with a subunit molecular weight of 46,700. The enzyme oxidizes a series of primary linear alcohols but not methanol. The pH and temperature optima with ethanol as the substrate are 6.8 to 7.0 and 85°C, respectively. The enzyme readily reduced acetaldehyde with NADPH as the cofactor. The gene encoding this enzyme has been cloned and sequenced. An open reading frame of 1,218 bp, starting with ATG and ending with TGA, was identified and corresponded to 406 amino acids. Sequence comparisons show that this Thermococcus strain AN1 enzyme has significant homologies with enzymes from the newly defined type III alcohol dehydrogenase family. Thermococcus strain AN1 alcohol dehydrogenase is the first archaeal enzyme belonging to this family.
Efficacy of huperzine in preventing soman‐induced seizures, neuropathological changes and lethality

Summary— Huperzine A (HUP) is a potent reversible inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) that crosses the blood‐brain barrier. Its ability to prevent seizures and subsequent hippocampal neuropathological changes induced by the organophosphate soman was studied in guinea pigs. Results were compared to guinea pigs treated with pyridostigmine (PYR, 0.2 mg/kg, subcutaneously). HUP pretreatment at 0.5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally, totally prevented seizures and ensured the survival of all animals for 24 h after intoxication. Hippocampal tissue was then free of any neuronal damage. Comparatively, all animals pretreated with PYR exhibited epileptic activity after soman poisoning and five of six animals died. Examination of the hippocampus of the only surviving guinea pig pretreated with PYR showed extensive neuropathological changes. Although HUP or PYR induced similar inhibitions of blood AChE activity, only HUP pretreatment led to a decrease in central AChE activity. In binding studies on guinea‐pig brain homogenates, HUP had no affinity for muscarinic, alpha‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) and gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)A receptors and only a very low one for N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) receptors. In conclusion, HUP, unlike PYR, protects against soman‐induced convulsions and neuropathological changes in the hippocampus. This efficacy seems to be related to a protection by HUP of both peripheral and central stores of AChE.
Alkaline Anion‐Exchange Membranes Containing Mobile Ion Shuttles

A new class of alkaline anion-exchange membranes containing mobile ion shuttles is developed. It is achieved by threading ionic linear guests into poly(crown ether) hosts via host-guest molecular interaction. The thermal- and pH-triggered shuttling of ionic linear guests remarkably increases the solvation-shell fluctuations in inactive hydrated hydroxide ion complexes (OH(-) (H2 O)4 ) and accelerates the OH(-) transport.
Vision and quality of life: the development of a utility measure.

PURPOSE To identify the content for a vision and quality of life-related utility measure (Vision Quality of Life Index [VisQoL]) for the economic evaluation of eye care and rehabilitation programs. METHODS Focus groups of the visually impaired elicited key concepts. Based on these and previous research, 33 items were generated. These were administered to visually impaired adults (n = 70) and a representative sample of unimpaired adults (n = 86). The item bank was reduced through examination of item properties, exploratory factor (EFA), item response theory (IRT), and structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses. The resultant model was confirmed through administration to a second sample of participants. RESULTS Focus group themes included physical well-being, social well-being, independence, self-actualization, emotional well-being, and planning and organization. Poorly performing items were eliminated on basic psychometric properties, including failure to discriminate. Next, EFA loadings were used to select items. Twelve items survived. To minimize redundancy, IRT analysis and SEM reduced the VisQoL item pool to six items (Cronbach alpha = 0.88). To confirm this model, these items were then administered to an additional 218 participants; 35% with a vision impairment. A pooled SEM analysis showed the model to have very good fit properties (root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.000). A preliminary test of the model against visual acuity showed a significant monotonic relationship. CONCLUSIONS The short 6-item VisQoL has excellent psychometric properties as a simple summative instrument. It can be used in its present state as a condition-specific outcome measure for the evaluation of healthcare interventions for the visually impaired. The descriptive model is also suitable for generating utility values for the economic evaluation of vision-related programs and services.
Neocortical Development in Brain of Young Children—A Stereological Study

Abstract The early postnatal development of neuron and glia numbers is poorly documented in human brain. Therefore we estimated using design‐based stereological methods the regional volumes of neocortex and the numbers of neocortical neurons and glial cells for 10 children (4 girls and 6 boys), ranging from neonate to 3 years of age. The 10 infants had a mean of 20.7 × 109 neocortical neurons (range 18.0‐24.8 × 109) estimated with a coefficient of variation (CV) = 0.11; this range is similar to adult neuron numbers. The glia populations were 10.5 × 109 oligodendrocytes (range 5.0‐16.0 × 109; CV = 0.40); 5.3 × 109 astrocytes (range 2.7‐8.3 × 109, CV = 0.39); and 0.32 × 109 microglia (range 0.15‐0.43 × 109, CV = 0.31). Thus, the estimated mean composite number of neocortical neuron and glial cells was 36.8 × 109 (range 26.8‐48.3 × 109, CV = 0.21), of which approximately one‐half were glial cells. There was a significant linear increase in oligodendrocyte and astrocyte numbers during the first 3 years of life, but no change in the total number of neurons. This is in line with our expectation that the total number of neocortical neurons is already determined in mid‐fetal life.
Depression among nursing students associated to their self-esteem, health perception and interest in mental health.

UNLABELLED This study aimed to identify the presence of depression among nursing students in relation to their self-esteem, perception of physical health and interest in mental health. METHODOLOGY the research was carried out in class among 224 nursing students. The Depression Knowledge and Points of View questionnaire was used, as well as Beck's inventory, the Self-esteem scale and information about health and quality of life. Sociodemographic and clinical data were investigated, as well as the students' interest in mental health. The project was approved by the Ethics Committee. RESULTS depression is present among nursing students at levels expected for the population. The statistically assessed results evidenced a correlation between physical health perception (bad and medium), interest and attendance to courses in the field, concluding that there are greater chances of depression among nursing students.
Profile of Bacteria and Short Chain Fatty Acids of Caecal Digesta in Malnourished Rat Fed Goat Milk Yoghurt

The intestinal microbiota is an important determinant for general health of the human body, and disturbance of the proper balance of microbiota is involved in several pathologies. The profile of gastrointestinal microbiota can be influenced by nutritional factors and or health status of individuals. This study aimed to determine the effect of goat milk yogurt on the profile of caecal bacteria and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) in malnourished rats. Yoghurt was prepared by using of pasteurized goat milk with adding the Lacto-B powder containing Lactobacillus acidophilus, Sterptococcus thermophilus and Bifidobacterium longum. Male malnourished Wistar rats 3 weeks old were created using standard feed restriction up to 50% of normal rats for 21 d. After 21 d, the rats continued to restricted feeding and supplemented with goat milk yoghurt for 7 d. The rats were killed and analyzed the profile of caecal bacteria and SCFA. There were no significantly differences in the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and bifidobacteria in both of caecal digesta of malnourished or normal rats fed yoghurt and control rats. However, the amount of E. coli was higher in malnourished rats than the normal rats. The acetic acid of caecal digesta was lower in the rats fed goat milk yoghurt than the control rats, whereas the butyric acid was higher in the caecal digesta of normal rats compared to the malnourished rats. The pH and moisture of caecal digesta in rats fed yoghurt were not significantly different from the control. In conclusion, goat milk yoghurt supplemented up to 2.0 ml/100 g body weight for 7 d had no effect on profile of caecal bacteria and physical properties and could not increase of caecal SCFA in malnourished and normal rats. Malnourished condition could increase the number of E. coli, decrease the butyric acid and weight of caecal.
Solid-state characterization of bifonazole-β-cyclodextrin binary systems. Note I

Antimycotic bifonazole (BIF) is a very hydrophobic compound, which is a major drawback for obtaining topical pharmaceutical formulations with optimal bioavailabiliy and for the penetration into hydrophilic human nail matrices. Cyclodextrins may increase local drug delivery by enhancing the drug release and/or permeation. The binary systems between bifonazole and β-cyclodextrin were prepared in two (BIF:β-CD) molar ratios by physical-mixture and kneaded method. Hot-stage microscopy (HSM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffractometry and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were used to characterize solid state interactions between bifonazole and βcyclodextrin (β-CD) in their binary systems. The X-ray diffractograms, as well as the FTIR analysis suggest the formation of a new solid phase, indicating a molecular interaction between the components.The HSM analysis and the DSC analysis sustain the hypothesis of formation of partial inclusion complexes between BIF and β-CD.
HIV replication is associated with increased severity of liver biopsy changes in HIV‐HBV and HIV‐HCV co‐infection

Histological parameters were assessed in liver biopsies (n = 48) performed in patients co‐infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) in order to evaluate factors which were associated with significant liver disease. Necroinflammation and fibrosis was scored by the Ishak classification system, and binary logistic regression analysis was used to assess HIV and antiretroviral‐related determinants of necroinflammation and fibrosis. A total of 46 biopsies were included; 33 were from HIV‐positive patients co‐infected with HCV and 15 biopsies were from HIV‐positive patients co‐infected with HBV. One HIV‐positive patient was co‐infected with HBV and HCV. Median biopsy inflammatory grade for the cohort was 8.5 (IQR 6–10), the median fibrosis Stage 2 (IQR 1.8–4), and the median steatosis score was 1 (IQR 0–2). At the univariate level, HIV‐related variables that were significantly associated with more severe biopsy changes were higher HIV RNA at the time of biopsy (associated with inflammatory Grade 10+; P = 0.018) and any exposure to didanasine (ddI) or stavudine (D4T; associated with fibrosis Stage 3+; P = 0.022). HIV RNA at the time of biopsy remained significant at the multivariate level. Patients with HIV hepatitis co‐infection in this cohort had surprisingly mild changes in liver histology, and there were no statistically significant differences between biopsy results in HBV compared to HCV co‐infection. The association between HIV RNA and necroinflammation supports current recommendations for earlier initiation of HAART in patients with HIV‐hepatitis co‐infection. J. Med. Virol. 84: 993–1001, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Computer Ethics and Cyber Laws to Mental Health Professionals

The explosive growth of computer and communications technology raises new legal and ethical challenges that reflect tensions between individual rights and societal needs. For instance, should cracking into a computer system be viewed as a petty prank, as trespassing, as theft, or as espionage? Should placing copyrighted material onto a public file server be treated as freedom of expression or as theft? Should ordinary communications be encrypted using codes that make it impossible for law-enforcement agencies to perform wiretaps? As we develop shared understandings and norms of behaviour, we are setting standards that will govern the information society for decades to come.
Infectivity of blood from PCR‐positive, HBsAg‐negative, anti‐HBs‐positive cases of resolved hepatitis B infection

BACKGROUND: Numerous reports have noted the existence of sera, particularly from resolving cases of HBV infection, that are positive for HBV DNA by PCR, despite being negative for HBsAg and IgM anti‐HBc. If such blood is infective and detectable by HBV NAT screening, it seems desirable to introduce such screening for transfused blood.
Complete Genome Sequence of the Chloromethane-Degrading Hyphomicrobium sp. Strain MC1

ABSTRACT Hyphomicrobium sp. strain MC1 is an aerobic methylotroph originally isolated from industrial sewage. This prosthecate bacterium was the first strain reported to grow with chloromethane as the sole carbon and energy source. Its genome, consisting of a single 4.76-Mb chromosome, is the first for a chloromethane-degrading bacterium to be formally reported.