Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Crystal Structures of Clostridium thermocellum Xyloglucanase, XGH74A, Reveal the Structural Basis for Xyloglucan Recognition and Degradation*

The enzymatic degradation of the plant cell wall is central both to the natural carbon cycle and, increasingly, to environmentally friendly routes to biomass conversion, including the production of biofuels. The plant cell wall is a complex composite of cellulose microfibrils embedded in diverse polysaccharides collectively termed hemicelluloses. Xyloglucan is one such polysaccharide whose hydrolysis is catalyzed by diverse xyloglucanases. Here we present the structure of the Clostridium thermocellum xyloglucanase Xgh74A in both apo and ligand-complexed forms. The structures, in combination with mutagenesis data on the catalytic residues and the kinetics and specificity of xyloglucan hydrolysis reveal a complex subsite specificity accommodating seventeen monosaccharide moieties of the multibranched substrate in an open substrate binding terrain.
Effects of Tumbling Trauma, Scalding and Hemorrhage on Rat Tissue Non-Protein Sulfhydryl.∗

Summary 1. Significant decreases in concentration of non-protein -SH were noted in rat liver following tumbling trauma, and in rat liver and kidney following severe scalding. 2. In analyses confined to the liver, a significant decrease in liver non-protein -SH was noted following severe hemorrhage. No appreciable change was noted in either liver protein -SH or extractable liver protein. 3. Blood non-protein -SH concentrations were practically identical for control and tumbled rats. Scalded rats exhibited a moderate increase in concentration of blood non-protein -SH, paralleling the hemoconcentration.
Spectrally selective infrared detector based on an ultra-thin piezoelectric resonant metamaterial

This paper reports on the first demonstration of a spectrally selective uncooled microelectromechanical resonant infrared (IR) detector based on an ultra-thin piezoelectric resonant metamaterial. The use of an ultra-thin (600 nm) piezoelectric metamaterial to form the resonant body of the device eliminates the electromechanical loading effect associated with the integration of an IR absorber (guaranteeing high electromechanical performance: quality factor, Q~1407 and electromechanical coupling coefficient, kt2~1.9%) and enables strong and spectrally selective absorption of long wavelength infrared (LWIR) radiation in an ultra-low volume device, resulting in a fast (thermal time constant ~650 μs) and high resolution (noise equivalent power ~7 nW/Hz1/2 for a 200 Hz bandwidth) LWIR detector prototype with a ~40% absorption for an optimized spectral wavelength of 8.8 μm with Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) of 1.88 μm.
Comparison of Capacitive versus Resistive Joint Contact Stress Sensors

Cartilage contact stress elevations might be associated with pain or other symptoms after malunited, incongruous intraarticular fractures. Studies identifying fractures with patterns of elevated contact stresses would help to ensure more appropriate choices of treatment. However, appropriate instrumentation for such studies is crucial. We tested two such systems, one capacitive and one resistive, under identical loading conditions presumed to occur in the ankle. We used a materials testing machine and customized-loading fixtures to measure force detection error, contact area error, repeatability, homogeneity, creep, and one-axis and two-axis bending artifacts. The loading regimen caused pressures up to 2.5 MPa. An error in force detection between −3% and +5% was observed with the capacitive sensor whereas an error between −12% and +20% was observed with the resistive sensor. Repeatability and homogeneity were greater for the capacitive sensor. Errors in contact area measurement were less than 2% for the resistive sensor and less than 6% for the capacitive sensor. The resistive sensor could not conform to spherical surfaces without crinkling. Creep artifact was observed with both sensors. We concluded that the capacitive sensor had superior performance even though its thickness and high compliance may be disadvantageous in intraarticular measurements. The resistive sensor is required for use where higher pressures are expected despite its inferior accuracy.
Role of Long-chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in the First Year of Life

The 2 most abundant long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) in the brain are docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA), where they have a functional and structural role in infant development. DHA is concentrated in the prefrontal cortex, which is important for association and short-term memory, and in some retinal cells. Concentrations of PUFAs in human breast milk are relatively consistent during the first year of life, and studies have shown that breast-fed infants have a greater mean weight percentage of DHA and a greater proportion of DHA in their red blood cells and brain cortex than formula-fed infants. Furthermore, cortex DHA in breast-fed infants increases with age, probably due to the length of feeding. Maternal supplementation with cod liver oil, which is rich in DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid, improved children's intelligence quotient compared with corn-oil supplementation by 4 years of age. The LCPUFA content of human breast milk is affected by a number of factors, including diet, gestational age, parity, and smoking. Supplementation of formula feed with DHA and ARA results in infant development that is similar to breast-feeding, and may have benefits on blood pressure in later childhood. The beneficial effects of LCPUFA supplementation on visual acuity continue after weaning irrespective of the type of diet. The long-term effects and duration of supplementation of breast- and formula-fed infants requires further investigation.
Vestibular, balance, microvascular and white matter neuroimaging characteristics of blast injuries and mild traumatic brain injury: Four case reports

Abstract Background: Case reports are presented on four Veterans, aged 29–46 years, who complained of chronic dizziness and/or postural instability following blast exposures. Two of the four individuals were diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injury and three of the four were exposed to multiple blasts. Comprehensive vestibular, balance, gait, audiometry and neuroimaging procedures were used to characterize their injuries. Case report: Vestibular assessment included videonystagmography, rotary chair and cervical and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials. Balance and gait testing included the sensory organization test, preferred gait speed and the dynamic gait index. Audiometric studies included pure tone audiometry and middle-ear measurements. Neuroimaging procedures included high resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging, susceptibility-weighted imaging and diffusion-tensor imaging. Findings: Based on the neuroimaging and vestibular and balance test results, it was found that all individuals had diffuse axonal injuries and all had one or more micro-hemorrhages or vascular anomalies. Three of the four individuals had abnormal vestibular function, all had abnormally slow walking speeds and two had abnormal gait and balance dysfunction. Conclusion: The use of contemporary neuroimaging studies in conjunction with comprehensive vestibular and balance assessment provided a better understanding of the pathophysiology and pathoanatomy of dizziness following blast exposures than standard vestibular and balance testing alone.
Activated Platelets Induce Tissue Factor Expression on Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells by Ligation of CD40

Summary CD40 is a type I member of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily of proteins, and is present on a wide variety of cells including vascular endothelial cells. Ligation of this receptor on endothelial cells is known to increase expression of inflammatory adhesion molecules. We have recently demonstrated that platelets express the ligand of CD40 (CD154) within seconds of exposure to agonist, and interact with endothelial cells to participate directly in the induction of an inflammatory response. Here we show that activated platelets induce tissue factor (TF) expression on endothelial cells in a CD40/CD154-dependent manner, and that the magnitude of this response can equal that induced by TNFα. Moreover, CD40 ligation on endothelial cells downregulates the expression of thrombomodulin. We also show that CD40-mediated TF expression is less sensitive to inhibition with the oxidative radical scavenger pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate than is that mediated by TNFα, indicating that CD40 has a distinct signalling pathway. Tissue factor is a cell membrane protein which functions as the main trigger of the extrinsic pathway of blood coagulation, and its expression on endothelial cells is implicated in wound healing and angiogenesis. Since platelets are among the first cells involved in haemostasis following tissue injury, our data showing that ligation of CD40 by CD154 induces a procoagulant phenotype on vascular endothelial cells suggests that platelets may play an important role in the induction of wound healing.
The Effects of Perceived Enjoyment and Perceived Risks on Trust Formation and Intentions to Use Online Payment Systems: New Perspectives from an Arab Country

Electronic payments systems (EPS) still have a low adoption rate in Arabic countries.We study EPS in Kuwait using a trust-based model.We find customer trust and enjoyment influence Kuwait EPS adoption.We find risk has no influence on EPS adoption.Enjoyment, third-party seals, familiarity, trust propensity, and personal innovativeness positively influence trust. Although there is a large body of research on trust in e-commerce, a crucial gap is that extant studies have not examined the role of perceived enjoyment on trust in the presence of risk perception in Arab countries. In this paper, an online trust model is presented that exhibits the impact of four external factors (personal innovativeness, propensity to trust, familiarity, and presence of third-party seals) on the intention to use an online payment via the mediation of three endogenous variables (enjoyment, risk, and customer trust). The data was collected from Kuwait, an Arab country, with a mixed of data collection survey methods of 150 online questionnaires and 200 paper-based questionnaires. The data was then analyzed using partial least squares (PLS) regression. The findings revealed that customer trust and enjoyment are two important drivers of the online payment adoption, which neutralized risk perceptions. This study discusses these results as well as research and a managerial perspectives that could assist in enhancing online payment acceptance in Kuwait.
Assessing global and gene specific DNA methylation in anorexia nervosa: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE At present there are no genome-wide methylation data available in anorexia nervosa (AN) and no studies have examined the potential dynamic nature of DNA methylation during treatment, so it is unclear whether epigenetic disruption established over long periods of malnourishment is reversible. The current study examined global levels of DNA methylation and methylation at a labile imprinted locus in women with AN. METHOD Buccal swabs were collected from 10 women who were admitted to hospital for treatment of AN and 10 age-matched healthy controls DNA methylation of LINE-1 repetitive elements and the H19 imprinting control region was measured using previously validated assays using the Sequenom Mass Array platform. RESULTS No evidence for altered global or gene-specific DNA methylation was observed in association with AN. DISCUSSION Larger, genome-wide studies of epigenetic modifications, encompassing both DNA methylation and other epigenetic marks, are required to determine the degree to which AN is associated with specific epigenetic changes, potentially modifiable through appropriate treatments that improve nutrition.
Microscopy‐based multicolor tissue cytometry at the single‐cell level

Cytomics is a novel perspective from which to look at life. As with genomics and proteomics before, this discipline requires novel and innovative techniques and technologies to focus on its substrate of research—the cytome. With cytomics being the discipline that analyzes cellular systems and their interdependencies, advanced microscopy represents a key technology in cytomics research. Yet, conventional microscopy‐based investigations, i.e., “look and conclude” analyses, do not meet the major cytomics criteria of 1) relating multiple parameters to each other, 2) within large populations of cells, 3) on a single‐cell basis, and 4) in a quantitative and observer‐independent manner. However, emerging improvements in the fields of fluorophore technology, sensitive fluorescence detection devices, and sophisticated image analysis procedures, are important and necessary steps into the cytomics era. Tissue represents an important class of cytomes, hence tissue cytometry—on the single cell level—can be expected to become an important cytomics technology. In this report, the techniques and technologies of microscopy‐based multicolor tissue cytometry (MMTC) are outlined and applications are discussed, including the phenotypic characterization of tissue infiltrating leukocytes, in situ quantification of proliferation markers and tumor suppressors, and in situ quantification of apoptosis. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Internal Compact Dual-Band Printed Loop Antenna for Mobile Phone Application

A novel dual-band printed loop antenna very promising for application in mobile phones as an internal antenna is presented. The antenna comprises an outer loop strip and an inner inverted-L strip connected to and enclosed by the outer loop strip. The antenna occupies a compact area of 15 times 50 mm2 only, yet generating three resonant modes to form two wide bands at about 900 and 1800 MHz for the Global System for Mobile Communication/Digital Communication System operation. Detailed design considerations of the three excited modes are described in the paper. When a shielding metal case is placed close to the antenna, small effects on the antenna's impedance matching are seen, allowing compact integration of the antenna with nearby conducting elements or electronic components. The antenna is also found to result in small excited surface current distributions on the system ground plane of the mobile phone. This behavior is expected to lead to reduced user's hand effects on the radiation efficiency of the antenna
Conformal Doping of FINFET's: A Fabrication and Metrology Challenge

This article deals with the developments in the measurement and identification of conformality which is a key function in conformal doping. For this purpose this paper extensively uses SSRM to characterize the vertical/lateral junction depths, concentration levels and degree of conformality. As a complement to the SSRM technique this paper developes a concept based on resistance measurements of fin's which allows to map the sidewall doping across the wafers and provides fast feedback on conformality. The concept uses the reduction of the sheet resistance of a fin which was covered with a hardmask during the implantation, as a measure for the degree of side wall doing. The concept is supported by theoretical simulations and verified using tilted implants.
The effects of hemodynamic shock and increased intra-abdominal pressure on bacterial translocation.

BACKGROUND We hypothesized that hemorrhagic shock followed by the abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) resulted in bacterial translocation (BT) from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. METHODS Nineteen Yorkshire swine (20-30 kg) were divided into two groups. In the experimental group, group 1 (n = 10), animals were hemorrhaged to a mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 25-30 mm Hg for a period of 30 minutes and resuscitated to baseline MAP. Subsequently, intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) was increased to 30 mm Hg above baseline by instilling sterile normal saline into the peritoneal cavity. The IAP was maintained at this level for 60 minutes. Acid/base status, gastric mucosal ph (pHi), superior mesenteric artery (SMA) blood flow, and hemodynamic parameters were measured and recorded. Blood samples were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of bacteria. Spleen, lymph node, and portal venous blood cultures were obtained at 24 hours. Results were analyzed by ANOVA and are reported as mean +/- SEM. The second group was the control. These animals did not have the hemorrhage, resuscitation, or intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) but were otherwise similar to the experimental group in terms of laparotomy and measured parameters. RESULTS SMA blood flow in group 1 (baseline of 0.87 +/- 0.10 l/min) decreased in response to hemorrhage (0.53 +/- 0.10 l/min, p = 0.0001) and remained decreased with IAH (0.63 l/min +/- 0.10, p = 0.0006) as compared to control and returned towards baseline (1.01 +/- 0.5 l/min) on relief of IAH. pHi (baseline of 7.21 +/- 0.03) was significantly decreased with hemorrhage (7.04 +/- 0.03, p = 0.0003) and decreased further after IAH (6.99 +/- 0.03, p = 0.0001) in group 1 compared to control, but returned toward baseline at 24 hours (7.28 +/- 0.04). The mean arterial pH decreased significantly from 7.43 +/- 0.01 at baseline to 7.27 +/- 0.01 at its nadir within group 1 (p = 0.0001) as well as when compared to control (p = 0.0001). Base excess was also significantly decreased between groups 1 and 2 during hemorrhage (3.30 +/- 0.71 vs. 0.06 +/- 0.60, p = 0.001) and IAH (3.08 +/- 0.71 vs. -1.17 +/- 0.60, p = 0.0001). In group 1, 8 of the 10 animals had positive lymph node cultures, 2 of the 10 had positive spleen cultures, and 2 of the 10 had positive portal venous blood cultures for gram-negative enteric bacteria. Only 2 of the 10 animals had a positive PCR. In group 2, five of the nine animals had positive lymph node cultures, zero of the nine had positive spleen cultures, and one of the nine had positive portal venous blood cultures. Two of the nine animals had positive PCRs. There was no significant difference in cultures or PCR results between the two groups (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.3). CONCLUSION In this study, hemorrhage followed by reperfusion and a subsequent insult of IAH caused significant GI mucosal acidosis, hypoperfusion, as well as systemic acidosis. These changes did not appear to be associated with a significant bacterial translocation as judged by PCR measurements, tissue, or blood cultures.
Clinical Assessment of Hemispatial Neglect: Evaluation of Different Measures and Dimensions

The multidimensional nature of the neglect syndrome constitutes a challenge for clinical assessments. This study evaluates the sensitivity of different clinical measures to detect neglect and explores ways to evaluate the diversity of the syndrome in a clinical sample. An extensive battery of tests was used to examine aspects of visuospatial, representational, and personal neglect. A total of 31 normal control participants and 34 patients with right hemisphere stroke were examined 16.8 days post-stroke, on average. Of the patients, 24 showed neglect in at least one task. The Random shape cancellation test, Star cancellation, and two line bisection tasks appeared to be the most sensitive tests of visuospatial neglect. Personal neglect and neglect in far space occurred only together with extrapersonal neglect. Besides near space, other spatial aspects of neglect are important to consider in clinical assessments, but standardized methods are needed. In this patient group a minimum of 10 tests were needed to cover various aspects of detection, dissociations, and severity of neglect. A multifactorial approach in clinical testing of neglect is recommended.
Should patients with dementia who wander be electronically tagged? Yes

Technology that allows real time tracking is being pushed by authorities to cut the costs of finding patients who have got lost. Rupert McShane says GPS tracking reduces risk of harm for some patients who wander and that ethical risks are slight, but Desmond O’Neill (doi:10.1136/bmj.f3606) thinks that care must be patient centred rather than looking for quick fixes to suit carers
Minimal Functions and Physiological Conditions Required for Growth of Salmonella enterica on Ethanolamine in the Absence of the Metabolosome

ABSTRACT During growth on ethanolamine, Salmonella enterica synthesizes a multimolecular structure that mimics the carboxysome used by some photosynthetic bacteria to fix CO2. In S. enterica, this carboxysome-like structure (hereafter referred to as the ethanolamine metabolosome) is thought to contain the enzymatic machinery needed to metabolize ethanolamine into acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA). Analysis of the growth behavior of mutant strains of S. enterica lacking specific functions encoded by the 17-gene ethanolamine utilization (eut) operon established the minimal biochemical functions needed by this bacterium to use ethanolamine as a source of carbon and energy. The data obtained support the conclusion that the ethanolamine ammnonia-lyase (EAL) enzyme (encoded by the eutBC genes) and coenzyme B12 are necessary and sufficient to grow on ethanolamine. We propose that the EutD phosphotransacetylase and EutG alcohol dehydrogenase are important to maintain metabolic balance. Glutathione (GSH) had a strong positive effect that compensated for the lack of the EAL reactivase EutA protein under aerobic growth on ethanolamine. Neither GSH nor EutA was needed during growth on ethanolamine under reduced-oxygen conditions. GSH also stimulated growth of a strain lacking the acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (EutE) enzyme. The role of GSH in ethanolamine catabolism is complex and requires further investigation. Our data show that the ethanolamine metabolosome is not involved in the biochemistry of ethanolamine catabolism. We propose the metabolosome is needed to concentrate low levels of ethanolamine catabolic enzymes, to keep the level of toxic acetaldehyde low, to generate enough acetyl-CoA to support cell growth, and to maintain a pool of free CoA.
Smart MISO vs. Dumb MIMO for cross-layer scheduling in indoor environments

The data rate of a point-to-point link can be substantially increased by using antenna arrays at both transmitter and receiver. Similar gains can be realized in the downlink of a cellular system with respect to the total cell throughput, if the base station serves multiple single-antenna mobiles simultaneously; however, the maximum rate of each individual user is relatively small then. In this paper, it is investigated, whether channel state information at the base station (“smart MISO”) or additional receive antennas at the mobile terminals (“dumb MIMO”) are more important from a cross-layer scheduling perspective. To this end, simulation results for a typical indoor scenario are presented.