Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Methylglyoxal resistance in Bacillus subtilis: contributions of bacillithiol‐dependent and independent pathways

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a toxic by‐product of glycolysis that damages DNA and proteins ultimately leading to cell death. Protection from MG is often conferred by a glutathione‐dependent glyoxalase pathway. However, glutathione is absent from the low‐GC Gram‐positive Firmicutes, such as Bacillus subtilis. The identification of bacillithiol (BSH) as the major low‐molecular‐weight thiol in the Firmicutes raises the possibility that BSH is involved in MG detoxification. Here, we demonstrate that MG can rapidly and specifically deplete BSH in cells, and we identify both BSH‐dependent and BSH‐independent MG resistance pathways. The BSH‐dependent pathway utilizes glyoxalase I (GlxA, formerly YwbC) and glyoxalase II (GlxB, formerly YurT) to convert MG to d‐lactate. The critical step in this pathway is the activation of the KhtSTU K+ efflux pump by the S‐lactoyl‐BSH intermediate, which leads to cytoplasmic acidification. We show that cytoplasmic acidification is both necessary and sufficient for maximal protection from MG. Two additional MG detoxification pathways operate independent of BSH. The first involves three enzymes (YdeA, YraA and YfkM) which are predicted to be homologues of glyoxalase III that converts MG to d‐lactate, and the second involves YhdN, previously shown to be a broad specificity aldo‐keto reductase that converts MG to acetol.
Hypertension and the Metabolic Syndrome: Closely Related Central Origin?

In primary hypertension a mild hyperresponsiveness of hypothalamic, sympatho-hormonal centres to psychosocial stimuli forms a major pathogenetic element, although high salt intake in some subjects may contribute via volume expansion. Hypertension is often associated with another ? civilisation? disorder, the metabolic syndrome, defined as abdominal obesity, insulin resistance and dyslipidaemia. According to recent research, the metabolic syndrome has in all likelihood a central neuroendocrine origin in the form of enhanced engagement of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Here the peripheral endocrine perturbations act as triggers for both central obesity and the metabolic abnormalities. The reaction pattern characterising early primary hypertension is identical with, or closely related to, the ? defence reaction? , while that leading to the metabolic syndrome is similar to that of the ? defeat reaction? Both belong to the primitive survival reactions, common to all mammals, though man can control, or at least mask, his outward-behavioural part but not the neuro-hormonal expressions. Animal experiments show how frequent or chronic mental challenges are capable of engaging these limbic-hypothalamic centres, affecting blood pressure regulation as well as endocrine-metabolic regulation. Furthermore, these centres are tightly coupled functionally, and their signals to the periphery often combined. On a long-term basis their engagements appear to be decisive for the development of both primary hypertension and the metabolic syndrome, as suggested by intervention studies. In both these ? disorders of civilisation? , observations strongly indicate that psychosocial stress, socioeconomic handicaps, lack of exercise, abuse and also psychiatric traits are involved. Such factors, characteristic of current competitive society, probably cause mixed engagements of the two above-mentioned neuro-hormonal patterns, and thereby, with time, primary hypertension and the metabolic syndrome, with end-points such as coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type2 and stroke. Susceptibilty to such developments is probably enhanced by genetic factors. This overview of recent developments therefore serves to emphasise how both primary hypertension and the metabolic syndrome seem to have a common central origin. Central regulatory factors are often overlooked, partly because it is not realised that limbic-hypothalamic centres are the major regulators of both circulatory and metabolic events, and partly because of the long period of time required before these disease end-points are reached.
Transesophageal Echocardiographic Monitoring of Hemodynamics

Ultrasound transducers use piezoelectric crystals to emit and receive high-frequency sound waves. As emitted ultrasound waves are propagated through the surrounding tissues, the energy is absorbed, scattered, and then reflected back to the transducer. The amount of ultrasound energy reflected back to the transducer is dependent on the differences in acoustic impedance between 2 tissues. The larger the difference in density between tissues, the greater the reflection of sound waves. Because sound waves travel through soft tissue at a constant velocity, the length of time for the ultrasound beam to be returned back to the transducer can be used to calculate the precise distance between the transducer and the object being interrogated. Doppler technology provides information about blood flow in the heart and major vessels. The Doppler effect is based on the principle that a moving object changes the frequency of an emitted ultrasound beam. If an object is moving toward the transducer, the ultrasound beam is compressed, which increases the frequency of the transmitted signal. Conversely, an object moving away from the transducer lowers the frequency of the transmitted ultrasound beam. This information then permits the calculation of blood flow velocity and direction within the cardiovascular system. Current transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) machines use 3 Doppler systems: pulsed-wave, continuous-wave, and color flow Doppler. Pulsed-wave Doppler uses a single crystal to transmit and receive short bursts of ultrasound at a known frequency (pulse repetition frequency). By measuring the time required for the transmitted ultrasound bursts to return to the transducer, the velocity of blood flow at precise locations in the heart
Action plans for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND The effectiveness of action plans as treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is not known. OBJECTIVES To assess the efficacy of action plans in the management of COPD. SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the Cochrane Airways Group Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, CINAHL and the National Research Register of Ongoing Trials. We also searched reference lists of identified studies. The search was completed in August 2004. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised controlled trials of action plans in COPD. Studies with a primary diagnosis of asthma excluded. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two reviewers independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. Investigators were contacted for additional information when necessary. Study results were combined in meta-analyses using the Cochrane Collaboration software RevMan. MAIN RESULTS There was evidence of a positive effect of action plans on self-management knowledge. The mean difference (MD) for recognition of a severe exacerbation was 2.50; 95% confidence interval 1.04 to 3.96, for self-action in severe exacerbations MD 1.50; 95% confidence interval 0.62 to 2.38 and the use of antibiotics MD 6.00; 95% confidence interval 2.68 to 9.32. There was also evidence of a positive effect on the initiation of antibiotics (odds ratio (OR) 10.16; 95% confidence interval 2.02 to 51.09) and/or oral steroids (OR 6.58; 95% confidence interval 1.29 to 33.62). However, there was no evidence of significant effects on healthcare utilisation, health-related quality of life, lung function, functional capacity, symptom scores, mortality, anxiety, or depression. No trials used as outcomes: number of exacerbations, length of exacerbations, or days lost from work. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS This review shows there is evidence that action plans aid people with COPD in recognising and reacting appropriately to an exacerbation of their symptoms via the self-initiation of antibiotics or steroids. Further research needs to be completed with more comprehensive outcomes measures in order to ascertain whether this results in significantly decreased morbidity and/or mortality.
Automatic face tracking and identity verification

The main objective of this work is to automate face tracking and verify the identity of the person. In fact the most pure algorithms of tracking has two major problems, namely the initialization problem and the lost track problem. To avoid these problems. The initialization is done by real time face detector. The verification of the presence of the searched face is done using a new technique of template matching based on robust correlation of the orientation of the second derivatives. The tracking is done using the sum of squared difference (SSD). The modules of face detection and SSD face tracker work orthogonally so that when one fails the other succeeds. The proposed framework is able to track and verify face identity of a person looking toward the camera.
Based observer fault detection for uncertain delayed discrete-time switched systems: A reduced LMI size

In this paper, fault detection problem for uncertain discrete-time switched systems with state delay is studied. Sufficient conditions of building an observer are obtained by using multiple Lyapunov function. These condition are worked out in a new simple way to obtain new LMIs with slack variables and multiple weighted residual matrices. The obtained results are applied on a numerical example.
Meat quality variation in the robotic sorting of pork loins.

A robot was used to make fiber-optic reflectance measurements from 400 to 700 nm in 10-nm increments at six sites, 10 cm apart, along the length of 48 pork loins. Meat quality was assessed in the longissimus dorsi near the thoracolumbar junction using 1) a bag-drip method for fluid loss, 2) a subjective evaluation of wetness, 3) a colorimeter measurement of paleness (CIE L), and 4) a subjective evaluation for Japanese pork color scores (JPCS). Sorting of the loins in the commercial plant from which they originated was correlated (P < .01) with fluid loss (r=.57), with wetness scores (r=-.57), with CIE L* (r=.71), and with JPCS (r=-.64). Laboratory measurements of pH at the site of meat quality assessment were correlated (P < .01) with fluid loss (r=-.61), with wetness scores (r=.65), with CIE L* (r=-.74), and with JPCS (r=.77). Average spectra obtained robotically were correlated (P < .01) with fluid loss (r=.56 at 670 nm, and R=.76 adding 560 and 540 nm), with wetness score (r=-.65 at 480 nm, and R=.75 adding 530 and 570 nm), with CIE L* (r=.76 at 480 nm, and R=.82 adding 690 and 520 nm), and with JPCS (r=-.70). In sorting loins that were all categorized as normal at the plant, mean reflectance data collected robotically were correlated with fluid loss, r=. 42 (P > .05) at 700 nm and R=. 58 (P > .05) adding 430 nm; with wetness score, r=. 25 (P > .05); with CIE L*, r=. 58 (P < .025) at 700 nm; and with JPCS, r=-. 71 (P < .01) at 700 nm. Thus, as well as detecting obvious PSE loins, the robotic probe also had a limited capability to sort loins all categorized as normal at the plant.
Accommodating Small Sample Sizes in Three-Level Models When the Third Level is Incidental

ABSTRACT Small samples sizes are a pervasive problem when modeling clustered data. In two-level models, this problem has been well studied, and several resources provide guidance for modeling such data. However, a recent review of small-sample clustered data methods has noted that no studies have investigated methods for modeling three-level data with small sample sizes. Furthermore, strategies for two-level models do not necessarily translate to the three-level context. Moreover, three-level models are prone to small samples because the “small sample” designation is primarily based on the sample size of the highest level, and large samples are increasingly difficult to amass as one progresses up a hierarchy. In this study, we focus on the case when the third level is incidental, meaning that the third level is important to consider but there are no explicit research questions at the third level. This study performs a simulation study to examine the performance of seven methods for modeling three-level data with a small sample at the third level. A motivating educational psychology example is also provided to demonstrate how the choice of method can greatly affect results.
Using economic models to capture importance policy for tuning in autonomic database management systems

A key advantage of autonomic database management systems will be their ability to manage according to business policies. Translating high-level business policies into low-level tuning actions and parameters is, however, a non-trivial problem as there is little similarity in the metrics used for measuring database performance and business performance. These translations can be simplified, however, by having a model that reflects the business policies. In this paper, we utilise an economic model to implement importance policy as a parameter for the allocation of system resources. The relative importance of the workloads can therefore be utilised in allocating system resources, such as main memory for buffer space and shares of the CPU. We simulate the model in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach. We present experiments to show the impact of the relative importance of workloads on the allocation of resources, specifically buffer area and CPU.
A wireless sensor network for the metallurgical gas monitoring

The design of a wireless sensor network is introduced for the metallurgical gas monitoring, in which the sensor node support a slot-based configurable gas sensor array both for metallurgical-specific and general purposes at the factory or far regions. The key technologies to compress the multisensor vector data is discussed with an amendatory LBG vector quantization and Huffman coding algorithms. Both the proposed network design and data compression schemes are verified with the hardware prototype and practical data. To the best of our knowledge, it is a novel exploration and practice for the applications of wireless sensor networks in the metallurgical industries, especially for the metallurgical gas monitoring.
A Model to Overcome Integrity Challenges of an Untrusted DSMS Server

Despite the fact that using the services of outsourced data stream servers has been welcomed extremely, still the problem of obtaining assurance about the received results from these untrusted servers in unsecure environment is one of the basic challenges. In this paper, we present a probabilistic model for auditing received results from an outsourced data stream server through unsecure communication channels. In our architecture, the server is considered as a black box and the auditing process is fulfilled by cooperation between the data stream owner and users. Our method imposes an ignorable overhead on the user and needs no change in the structure of the server. The probabilistic modeling of the system proves algorithms convergence and the experimental evaluations show very acceptable results.
Supervisory Protection and Automated Event Diagnosis Using PMU Data

This paper presents a new framework for supervisory protection and situational awareness to enhance grid operations and protection using modern wide-area monitoring systems. In contrast to earlier approaches dealing with the combined processing of data from multiple phasor measurement units (PMUs), the proposed approach analyzes only the PMU data with the strongest or the most prominent disturbance signature. The specific contributions of this paper are: (a) new criteria for identification of PMU with the strongest signature, (b) simplified approach for quick detection of faults, (c) early classification of eight other disturbances suitable for near real-time response, (d) time-frequency transform-based feature extraction techniques for speedy and reliable classifiers, and (e) a promising approach to locate disturbances within narrow geographical constraints. The contributions are verified with exhaustive simulation data from the Western Electricity Coordination Council system model and limited real PMU data.
Stability and Efficiency of Screen-Printed Wearable and Washable Antennas

Wearable antennas, integrated into garments, are prone to get dirty. Therefore, for the first time in literature, washable antennas are proposed by covering textile antennas by a breathable thermoplastic polyurethane coating, protecting the antennas against water absorption and corrosion. The washability of coated wearable antennas produced by screen printing conductive ink onto a textile substrate is compared to coated wearable antennas based on an electrotextile, analyzing performance in terms of their reflection coefficient and radiation efficiency before and after washing. The combination of screen printing and coating provides stable antenna performance with sufficiently high radiation efficiency after several washing cycles.
Realization of Fail-Safe Sequential Machines by Using a k-out-of-n Code

A fail-safe sequential machine is one that produces safe-side output when failures occur in the machine. This paper presents a new method of realization of fail-safe sequential machines under the following assumptions: 1) failure is caused by a single fault of element in the machine, 2) output of faulty element is stuck at one or zero, and 3) input does not malfunction.
Association of DLG5 variants with gluten-sensitive enteropathy

Both gluten-sensitive enteropathy (GSE) and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are characterised by inflammation of the intestinal mucosa and enhanced intestinal epithelial permeability. Previous studies have identified shared susceptibility genes for IBD and GSE. Myosin IXB , first identified as associated with GSE, was also proven to be associated with ulcerative colitis (UC). 1 We would like to respond to the recent study performed by Wapenaar et al that identified two tight-junction genes, PARD3 and MAGI2 , to be associated with both GSE and UC ( Gut 2008; 57 :438). We have also found IBD-associated genetic variants in DLG5 to be associated with GSE.2 DLG5 is, like Myosin IXB , PARD3 and MAGI2 , involved in maintaining the epithelial integrity, which makes it a suitable candidate gene for …
Irregular migration in Europe : myths and realities

Contents: Irregular migration in Europe in the early 21st century, Anna Triandafyllidou EU irregular migration policies, Anna Triandafyllidou and Maria Ilies Austria: irregular migration a " a phenomenon in transition, Albert Kraler and Christina Hollomey Czech Republic: irregular migration a " 'old wine in new bottles', Dusan Drbohlav and Lenka MedovA! Irregular migration in Greece: size and features, causes and discourses, Thanos Maroukis Irregular migration in France, Catherine Wihtol de Wenden Undocumented migration in Germany: many figures, little comprehension, Norbert Cyrus and Vesela Kovacheva Hungary: a quantitative overview of irregular migration, Peter Futo The quest for la dolce vita? Undocumented migration in Italy, Francesco Fasani The Netherlands: assessing the irregular population in a restrictive setting, Joanne van der Leun and Maria Ilies Poland: 'waiting for' irregular migration, Krystyna Iglicka and Katarzyna Gmaj Slovakia: irregular migration a " from old challenges to new, Boris DivinskA1/2 Spain: irregularity as a rule, Carmen GonzA! lez-EnrA-quez Dichotomized discourses and changing landscapes: counting the uncountable in the UK, Bastian Vollmer Irregular migration in the European Union: evidence, facts and myths, Anna Triandafyllidou and Dita Vogel Index.
Microchromosomes in human preleukemia and leukemia

Microchromosomes have been observed in direct bone‐marrow chromosome preparations in 9 patients. Seven of these patients had overt myelomonocytic leukemia, one had a preleukemic syndrome initially and subsequently had acute leukemia, and one is believed to be in the preleukemic phase of myelomonocytic leukemia. It is suggested that the microchromosomes in these cases are marker chromosomes which identify a clone or clones of leukemic cells. Microchromosomes appear to be frequent findings in myelomonocytic leukemia.
Selection Pressures for a Theory-of-Mind Faculty in Artificial Agents

To have a theory of mind (ToM) is to anticipate the behaviour of other agents by considering what they want and what they know. It requires a representation of the environment that includes the internal states (e.g., beliefs) of other agents. Adult humans generally possess a ToM ability, demonstrated by reasoning like “he did not see the chocolate being switched from the red box to the blue one, so I predict he will choose the red box. ” Note the distinction between what the speaker believes to be true, and what the speaker believes about the other agent’s belief states. ToM is of interest in developmental psychology (when and how do children acquire it? ) and primatology (do our near relatives possess it? ).
More Haemophilus and Mycoplasma genes.

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Collagens and collagen-related diseases

The collagen superfamily of proteins plays a dominant role in maintaining the integrity of various tissues and also has a number of other important functions. The superfamily now includes more than 20 collagen types with altogether at least 38 distinct polypeptide chains, and more than 15 additional proteins that have collagen-like domains. Most collagens form polymeric assemblies, such as fibrils, networks and filaments, and the superfamily can be divided into several families based on these assemblies and other features. All collagens also contain noncollagenous domains, and many of these have important functions that are distinct from those of the collagen domains. Major interest has been focused on endostatin, a fragment released from type XVIII collagen, which potently inhibits angiogenesis and tumour growth. Collagen synthesis requires eight specific post-translational enzymes, some of which are attractive targets for the development of drugs to inhibit collagen accumulation in fibrotic diseases. The critical roles of collagens have been clearly illustrated by the wide spectrum of diseases caused by the more than 1000 mutations that have thus far been identified in 22 genes for 12 out of the more than 20 collagen types. These diseases include osteogenesis imperfecta, many chondrodysplasias, several subtypes of the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Alport syndrome, Bethlem myopathy, certain subtypes of epidermolysis bullosa, Knobloch syndrome and also some cases of osteoporosis, arterial aneurysms, osteoarthrosis, and intervertebral disc disease. The characterization of mutations in additional collagen genes will probably add further diseases to this list. Mice with genetically engineered collagen mutations have proved valuable for defining the functions of various collagens and for studying many aspects of the related diseases.
A terahertz plasmonic metamaterial structure for near-field sensing applications

A highly sensitive terahertz surface wave sensor structure is proposed for near field spectroscopy and sensing applications. A periodically patterned metallic structure is used to guide plasmonic surface waves at THz frequencies. The quasi-optical continuous wave (CW) terahertz radiation is coupled to this structure using the Otto attenuated total reflection (ATR) configuration. It is shown that terahertz surface waves can be supported by the proposed structure. The sensitivity of the device is discussed.