Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phosphatidylethanolamine Synthesis Is Required for Optimal Virulence of Brucella abortus

ABSTRACT The Brucella cell envelope contains the zwitterionic phospholipids phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). Synthesis of PC occurs exclusively via the PC synthase pathway, implying that the pathogen depends on the choline synthesized by the host cell to form PC. Notably, PC is necessary to sustain a chronic infection process, which suggests that the membrane lipid content is relevant for Brucella virulence. In this study we investigated the first step of PE biosynthesis in B. abortus, which is catalyzed by phosphatidylserine synthase (PssA). Disruption of pssA abrogated the synthesis of PE without affecting the growth in rich complex medium. In minimal medium, however, the mutant required choline supplementation for growth, suggesting that at least PE or PC is necessary for Brucella viability. The absence of PE altered cell surface properties, but most importantly, it impaired several virulence traits of B. abortus, such as intracellular survival in both macrophages and HeLa cells, the maturation of the replicative Brucella-containing vacuole, and mouse colonization. These results suggest that membrane phospholipid composition is critical for the interaction of B. abortus with the host cell.
The convergence of single-rank quasi-Newton methods

Analyses of the convergence properties of general quasi-Newton methods are presented, particular attention being paid to how the approximate solutions and the itera- tion matrices approach their final values. It is further shown that when Broyden's algorithm is applied to linear systems, the error norms are majorised by a superlinearly convergent sequence of an unusual kind.
Effects of acute “binge” cocaine on preprodynorphin, preproenkephalin, proopiomelanocortin, and corticotropin‐releasing hormone receptor mRNA levels in the striatum and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis of mu‐opioid receptor knockout mice

Cocaine administration increases activity at dopamine receptors, increases preprodynorphin (ppDyn) gene expression in the caudate‐putamen (CPu), and activates the stress responsive hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. To examine the hypothesis that mu‐opioid receptors (MOR) may play roles in these cocaine effects, we tested the effects of acute “binge” pattern cocaine administration in mice with targeted disruption of the MOR gene. Wild‐type (+/+) and homozygous MOR‐deficient (−/−) mice received three injections of 15 mg/kg cocaine at 1‐h intervals. Mice were sacrificed 30 min after the last injection and mRNAs for ppDyn and preproenkephalin (ppEnk) in the CPu and nucleus accumbens (NAc), and for type I corticotropin‐releasing hormone receptor (CRH1 receptor) and pro‐opiomelanocortin (POMC) in the hypothalamus and pituitary, were measured by solution hybridization RNase protection assays. Cocaine elevated ppDyn mRNA in the CPu, but not NAc, of both the MOR −/− and wild‐type mice. ppEnk mRNA in the CPu, but not NAc, was lower in MOR −/− mice than in wild‐type mice following cocaine administration. Hypothalamic CRH1 receptor and POMC mRNAs were expressed at similar levels in untreated and in cocaine‐treated mice of each genotype. However, there were lower basal levels of CRH1 receptor mRNA in the anterior pituitary of the MOR −/− mice than in wild‐type mice and the MOR −/− mice failed to show the cocaine‐induced decreases in CRH1 receptor mRNA found in the wild‐type mice. Cocaine activated the HPA axis similarly in MOR −/− and wild‐type mice, as reflected in similar increases in plasma corticosterone levels in both genotypes. These results support a specific role for MORs in acute cocaine effects on striatal ppEnk gene expression and fail to support critical roles for these receptors in acute cocaine's effects on either ppDyn gene expression or HPA activation. MOR −/− mice are useful models for studying cocaine effects on ppEnk gene expression that could aid interpretation of the similar postmortem phenomena found in human cocaine addicts. Synapse 45:220–229, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Assessment of protein disorder region predictions in CASP10

The article presents the assessment of disorder region predictions submitted to CASP10. The evaluation is based on the three measures tested in previous CASPs: (i) balanced accuracy, (ii) the Matthews correlation coefficient for the binary predictions, and (iii) the area under the curve in the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of predictions using probability annotation. We also performed new analyses such as comparison of the submitted predictions with those obtained with a Naïve disorder prediction method and with predictions from the disorder prediction databases D2P2 and MobiDB. On average, the methods participating in CASP10 demonstrated slightly better performance than those in CASP9. Proteins 2014; 82(Suppl 2):127–137. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Performance of a blind equalization algorithm for Rayleigh and Rician channels

This document surveys the blind equalization issue. Our approach is based on the reformulation of the equalization problem in an identification problem in existence of limited noise. The objective of the proposed method is to estimate the settings of the equalizer such that the output of the equalizer is in a neighborhood of the input constellation. The proposed method can be applied in real-time and under different type of fading channel. Some numerical experiments are presented to clarify performance of our approach under different channels: Rayleigh and Rician channels.
Underwater image colour constancy based on DSNMF

Different wavelengths of light may undergo changes in underwater environment resulting in altered images. For example, the presence of floating particles causes underwater images to appear bluish and blurred. In this study, the authors propose a method called the deep sparse non-negative matrix factorisation (DSNMF) to estimate the illumination of an underwater image. The image under observation is divided into patches and each channel of a single patch is reshaped as an [ R, G, B ] matrix. The DSNMF method deeply factorises each input matrix into multiple layers with a sparseness constraint. The last layer of the factorised matrix is used as the illumination of the patch. The sparseness constraint adjusts the appearance of the final image. After factorisation, the estimated illumination is applied to each patch of the original image to obtain the final image. Compared with state-of-the-art underwater image enhancement methods using no reference image quality assessment, not only does the proposed method outperforms current techniques in terms of its visual effect and IQA, but is also simpler to implement.
Psychological Science in the Public Interest: The Case for Juried Analyses

The inaugural issue of Psychological Science in the Public Interest (PSPI), a new publishing initiative by the American Psychological Society, accompanies this issue of Psychological Science. The report it contains, “Psychological Science Can Improve Diagnostic Decisions,” by John Swets, Robyn Dawes, and John Monahan, represents a careful effort by those authors to summarize the potential of modern psychological science to enhance real-world diagnostic decisions. Such decisions (Is a cancer present? Will this individual commit violence? Will an impending storm strike? Will this applicant succeed? ) are prevalent and crucial to the lives of individuals and to the well-being of our society. Subsequent issues of PSPI will address other important topics of public interest in areas where psychological science may have the potential to inform and improve public policy. Each of those reports will also represent the efforts of a distinguished team of scientists to report the available evidence, and the implications of that evidence, fairly and comprehensively. In this article, we describe the goals, procedures, and potential of PSPI.
Delay-dependent robust stability for uncertain stochastic neural networks with multiple mixed time-varying delays

In this paper, the stability problem is considered for uncertain stochastic neural networks with multiple discrete and distributed time-varying delays. By choosing the suitable Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional, and combining with Jensen integral inequality, two delay-dependent stability and robust stability conditions are proposed in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). The obtained results generalize and improve some existing ones in the literatures.
Diagnóstico del programa de reinserción en Colombia: mecanismos para incentivar la desmovilización voluntaria individual

Conscientes del creciente numero de desmovilizados individuales voluntarios y de la necesidad de identificar y superar las limitaciones que podrian obstaculizar y retrasar la atencion de esta poblacion, la Direccion de Justicia y Seguridad a traves de su Grupo de Estudios de Gobierno y Asuntos Internos, elaboro el siguiente documento para identificar y proponer soluciones a los principales problemas en la atencion y reinsercion economica de los desmovilizados voluntaria e individualmente.
Identifying roles for neurotransmission in circuit assembly: Insights gained from multiple model systems and experimental approaches

In the adult nervous system, chemical neurotransmission between neurons is essential for information processing. However, neurotransmission is also important for patterning circuits during development, but its precise roles have yet to be identified, and some remain highly debated. Here, we highlight viewpoints that have come to be widely accepted or still challenged. We discuss how distinct techniques and model systems employed to probe the developmental role of neurotransmission may reconcile disparate ideas. We underscore how the effects of perturbing neurotransmission during development vary with model systems, the stage of development when transmission is altered, the nature of the perturbation, and how connectivity is assessed. Based on findings in circuits with connectivity arranged in layers, we raise the possibility that there exist constraints in neuronal network design that limit the role of neurotransmission. We propose that activity‐dependent mechanisms are effective in refining connectivity patterns only when inputs from different cells are close enough, spatially, to influence each other's outcome.
Blood pressure treatment in acute ischemic stroke: a review of studies and recommendations.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Elevated blood pressure (BP) is frequent in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Pathophysiological data support its usefulness to maintain adequate perfusion of the ischemic penumba. This review article aims to summarize the available evidence from clinical studies that examined the prognostic role of BP during the acute phase of ischemic stroke and intervention studies that assessed the efficacy of active BP alteration. RECENT FINDINGS We found 34 observational studies (33,470 patients), with results being inconsistent among the studies; most studies reported a negative association between increased levels of BP and clinical outcome, whereas a few studies showed clinical improvement with higher BP levels, clinical deterioration with decreased BP, or no association at all. Similarly, the conclusions drawn by the 18 intervention studies included in this review (1637 patients) were also heterogeneous. Very recent clinical data suggest a possible beneficial effect of early treatment with some antihypertensives on late clinical outcome. SUMMARY Observational and interventional studies of management of acute poststroke hypertension yield conflicting results. We discuss different explanations that may account for this and discuss the current guidelines and pathophysiological considerations for the management of acute poststroke hypertension.
Observations of internal wave generation in the seasonally ice‐free Arctic

The Arctic is generally considered a low energy ocean. Using mooring data from the northern Chukchi Sea, we confirm that this is mainly because of sea‐ice impeding input of wind energy into the ocean. When sea‐ice is present, even strong storms do not induce significant oceanic response. However, during ice‐free seasons, local storms drive strong inertial currents (>20 cm/s) that propagate throughout the water column and significantly deepen the surface mixed layer. The large vertical shear associated with summer inertial motions suggests a dominant role for localized and seasonal vertical mixing in Arctic Ocean dynamics. Our results imply that recent extensive summer sea‐ice retreat will lead to significantly increased internal wave generation especially over the shelves and also possibly over deep waters. This internal wave activity will likely dramatically increase upper‐layer mixing in large areas of the previously quiescent Arctic, with important ramifications for ecosystems and ocean dynamics.
Long-term exposure of MCF-12A normal human breast epithelial cells to ethanol induces epithelial mesenchymal transition and oncogenic features

Alcoholism is associated with breast cancer incidence and progression, and moderate chronic consumption of ethanol is a risk factor. The mechanisms involved in alcohol's oncogenic effects are unknown, but it has been speculated that they may be mediated by acetaldehyde. We used the immortalized normal human epithelial breast cell line MCF-12A to determine whether short- or long-term exposure to ethanol or to acetaldehyde, using in vivo compatible ethanol concentrations, induces their oncogenic transformation and/or the acquisition of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT). Cultures of MCF-12A cells were incubated with 25 mM ethanol or 2.5 mM acetaldehyde for 1 week, or with lower concentrations (1.0–2.5 mM for ethanol, 1.0 mM for acetaldehyde) for 4 weeks. In the 4-week incubation, cells were also tested for anchorage-independence, including isolation of soft agar selected cells (SASC) from the 2.5 mM ethanol incubations. Cells were analyzed by immunocytofluorescence, flow cytometry, western blotting, DNA microarrays, RT/PCR, and assays for miRs. We found that short-term exposure to ethanol, but not, in general, to acetaldehyde, was associated with transcriptional upregulation of the metallothionein family genes, alcohol metabolism genes, and genes suggesting the initiation of EMT, but without related phenotypic changes. Long-term exposure to the lower concentrations of ethanol or acetaldehyde induced frank EMT changes in the monolayer cultures and in SASC as demonstrated by changes in cellular phenotype, mRNA expression, and microRNA expression. This suggests that low concentrations of ethanol, with little or no mediation by acetaldehyde, induce EMT and some traits of oncogenic transformation such as anchorage-independence in normal breast epithelial cells.
TME EFFECT OF FOREIGN AND LOCAL , VISITORS ON GRANTING PARK CONCESSIONS

ARTICLES Page Optimal Water Storage and Pricing: The Effects of Monopoly Paul C. Dalziel 3 Stochastic Simulation of the Reserve Bank's Model of the New Zealand Economy J.N. Lye 17 Evaluation of the Forecasting Performance of the Real Private Sector Output Variable of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Core Model Roselyne Joyeux 3 1 Disaggregate Labour Supply Functions for Married Women in New Zealand Russell T . Ross 41 Accident Compensation Law: An Economic View Alex Sundakov 57 Measuring the Welfare Effects of the Tariff Cuts of 19th December 1985 M . Pickford 75 The Effect of Foreign and Local Visitors on Granting Park Concessions Brooks B. Hull 83 NOTES, COMMENTS, REPLIES Aggregate Demand Curves in General-Equilibrium Macroeconomic Models: Comparisons with Partial-Equilibrium Microeconomic Demand Curves P. Dorian Owen 97 Aggregate Demand Curves in Macroeconomic Theory: Comment Paul C. Dalziel 105 Aggregate Demand Curves in Macroeconomic Theory: Reply Ken Henry and Alan Woodfield 1 13 Rationing and Carless Days: Comment K. Stuart Birks and Gary B. Buurman 117 Rationing and Carless Days: Reply David J. Walker 121 Non-Market Valuation in New Zealand: Comment Geoff Kerr and Ross Cullen 125 CORRIGENDUM 129 BOOK REVIEWS Martin Ricketts, The Economics of Business Enterprise: New Approaches to the Firm Alan Bollard 13 1
Comparative Bioavailability of the Microemulsion Formulation of Cyclosporine (Neoral) With a Generic Dispersion Formulation (Cicloral) in Young Healthy Male Volunteers

The aim of this study was to compare the bioavailability of cyclosporine (CyA) from the generic dispersion formulation Cicloral (CIC) with the microemulsion formulation Neoral (NEO) and the original Sandimmune (SIM) capsules after single doses of 100, 300, or 600 mg of drug, respectively. The study was performed according to an open 3-period cross-over design with 12 young healthy male volunteers for each dosage. The concentrations of CyA and its main metabolites were determined by high performance liquid chromatography in whole blood and urine up to 48 hours postdosing. Peak concentrations and area under the time-concentration curve were greater for the NEO and CIC formulations compared with SIM, and the mean bioavailability of CIC was significantly (P<0.05) lower compared with NEO. The bioavailability of SIM compared with NEO was 54% to 71%, in agreement with previous results. Bioequivalence was not demonstrated between CIC (test) and NEO (reference) as the 90% confidence intervals were outside the 80% to 125% guidelines based on log-transformed AUCs, and were 75.2% to 87.7% at 100 mg, 79.2% to 91.8% at 300 mg, and 76.6% to 94.5% at 600 mg doses. The respective values for Cmax were 78.9% to 94.6%, 80.7% to 95.0%, and 71.4% to 84.1%. A good correlation was demonstrated between the urinary recovery of CyA and the AUC4. Therefore, the urinary recovery of CyA may be helpful as a surrogate parameter for the systemic exposure of patients to CyA. Whereas the relative amount of hydroxylated metabolites (AM1, AM9, AM1c) was similar for all formulations and doses, the urinary recovery of the N-demethylated metabolite AM4N decreased with increasing dose indicating saturable metabolism. No relationship could be demonstrated between CYP3A activity using dextromethorphan as a probe for the metabolic clearance of CyA.
The Distribution of the Birds of California

THIS work was commenced by the late Joseph Grinnell in 1934, and before he died in 1939 he had completed about half the species. In 1940 Mr. Alden Miller undertook to finish the volume and, in addition, to revise the typescript already prepared.The Distribution of the Birds of CaliforniaBy Joseph Grinnell Alden H. Miller. (Pacific Coast Avifauna, No. 27.) Pp. 608. (Berkeley, Calif.: Cooper Ornithological Club, 1944.) n.p.
Mutationsanalyse in ABCA4-assoziierten Netzhautdystrophien mittels der Didesoxymethode nach Sanger

Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde das ABCA4-Gen von insgesamt 62 Morbus Stargardt (STGD)-, Zapfen-/Stabchen-Dystrophie (ZSD)- und altersabhangiger Makuladegeneration (AMD)-Patienten mittels direkter Sanger-Sequenzierung untersucht, bei denen im Rahmen der Routinediagnostik lediglich ein krankheitsverursachendes Allel gefunden worden war. Durch die hierbei zusatzlich detektierten ABCA4-Varianten gelang in 32 Fallen eine Diagnosesicherung, was fur den betroffenen Patienten v.a. bezuglich Prognose und ggf. Familienplanung entscheidend ist. Weiter konnte durch die Detektion von 30 bisher nicht beschriebenen Mutationen auch das Spektrum der bekannten pathogenen ABCA4-Veranderungen erweitert werden, was die Basis fur Diagnostik und Forschung am ABCA4-Gen und den damit assoziierten Erkrankungen erweitert. So steigt beispielsweise die Detektionsrate des in der Routinediagnostik verwendeten ABCR400 Genchips (Diagnostikarray mit bekannten ABCA4 Mutationen) mit der Entdeckung neuer Mutationen stetig an und wird zu einem immer wertvolleren Instrument der Routinediagnostik. Bei 24 (44,4 %) der STGD- bzw. ZSD-Patienten wurde keine zusatzliche potentiell pathogene ABCA4-Vartiante detektiert und weitere Untersuchungen sind notig um die molekularen Grunde fur die jeweiligen Krankheitsbilder aufzuklaren. Aufgrund methodischer Einschrankungen und kleiner Fallzahlen konnte diese Arbeit Fragen nach der Relevanz des Genotyp-Phanotyp-Modells der mit ABCA4-assoziierten Erkrankungen und dem Zusammenhang zwischen dem ABCA4-Gen und AMD nicht vollstandig klaren. Sie liefert jedoch Hinweise zur weiteren Stutzung des Modells. Insgesamt ist es daher notig die Forschung im Bereich des ABCA4-Gens und der damit assoziierten Erkrankungen weiter voranzutreiben, um die Diagnostik weiter zu verbessern und Ansatze zur Entwicklung neuer therapeutischer Optionen liefern zu konnen.
A 0.07-ppm/step differential digitally controlled crystal oscillator with guaranteed monotonicity

This paper presents a differential digitally controlled crystal oscillator with differential 26MHz sine wave outputs. The DCXO achieves a phase noise of −138dBc/Hz at 1 kHz offset and −152dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset. And it has a ±32 ppm fine tuning range with 0.07ppm tuning step, which satisfy the GSM, WLAN and WCDMA specification. The circuit is implemented by differential architecture with a cheap off-chip crystal. The overall power consumption is 3.7 mA with 1.6 V power supply.
Lipopolysaccharides and divalent cations are involved in the formation of an assembly‐competent intermediate of outer‐membrane protein PhoE of E.coli.

To identify the requirements for the biogenesis of outer‐membrane proteins in Gram‐negative bacteria, the sorting and assembly of the trimeric, pore‐forming protein PhoE was studied in vitro. Purified lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in combination with low amounts of Triton X‐100 and divalent cations induced the formation of folded monomers. LPS of deep‐rough strains was far less efficient in the formation of folded monomers than wild‐type LPS was. These folded monomers could be converted into heat‐stable trimers upon addition of outer membranes and higher amounts of Triton X‐100. Trimerization could precede the insertion step. These in vitro data suggest that the assembly in vivo proceeds sequentially by (i) formation of a folded monomer by interaction with LPS; (ii) sorting of the folded monomers to assembly sites in the outer membrane; (iii) trimerization; and (iv) insertion.
Associations of leisure-time physical activity with balance and lower extremity strength: a validation of the neuromuscular part of the Physical Activity Pie.

BACKGROUND The importance of neuromuscular-type exercise (NME) has been recognized in recent recommendations for public health. However, the knowledge on associations and dose response of different types of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) with musculoskeletal fitness and health is incomplete. This study evaluated the validity of the NME recommendation for public health introduced by the Physical Activity Pie. METHODS Engagement in LTPA and health-related fitness were assessed in 2 consecutive studies with the same adult population age 30 to 69 years (n = 575). Cross-sectional associations between different LTPA types and motor and musculoskeletal fitness were examined by logistic-regression models. RESULTS Engagement in NME was associated with good static and dynamic balance and lower extremity strength. The highest odds ratios (OR) were found between brisk NME and static balance (most vs least fit OR = 2.39, moderate vs least fit OR = 1.94) and brisk NME and leg strength (more vs least fit OR = 2.10). Some associations were also found between brisk aerobic exercise and good balance. CONCLUSIONS This cross-sectional study suggests that the recommendation for NME in the Physical Activity Pie is valid in terms of balance and leg strength, the 2 major fitness factors related to mobility functioning, especially among aging adults.