Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Growth Factor-induced Serine Phosphorylation of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Converting Enzyme and of an Alternatively Translated Polypeptide*

Tumor necrosis factor-α converting enzyme (TACE) is a prototype member of the adamalysin family of transmembrane metalloproteases that effects ectodomain cleavage and release of many transmembrane proteins, including transforming growth factor-α. Growth factors that act through tyrosine kinase receptors, as well as other stimuli, induce shedding through activation of the Erk mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway without the need of new protein synthesis. How MAP kinase regulates shedding by TACE is not known. We now report that the cytoplasmic domain of TACE is phosphorylated in response to growth factor stimulation. We also identified a naturally expressed smaller polypeptide corresponding to most of the cytoplasmic domain of TACE. This protein, which we named SPRACT, is derived through alternative translation of the TACE-coding sequence and is, similarly to TACE, phosphorylated in response to growth factor and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate stimulation. Phosphoamino acid analysis revealed that growth factor-induced phosphorylation of TACE occurs only on serine and not on threonine or tyrosine. Tryptic mapping experiments coupled with site-directed mutagenesis identified Ser819 as the major target of growth factor-induced phosphorylation, whereas Ser791undergoes dephosphorylation in response to growth factor stimulation. The phosphorylation of Ser819, but not the dephosphorylation of Ser791, depends on activation of the Erk MAP kinase pathway. Increased SPRACT expression or mutation of the TACE cytoplasmic domain to inactivate growth factor-induced phosphorylation did not detectably affect growth factor-induced shedding of transmembrane transforming growth factor-α by TACE. The roles of SPRACT and the cytoplasmic phosphorylation of TACE remain to be defined.
A Test Bed for Synchronization in Heterogeneous Network Environments

The paper presents a test bed designed to evaluate synchronization performances for a generic network environment in a variety of different conditions. The emphasis is on the effects of cross-traffic on the one-way delay of packets containing timing information, as well as the study of timestamping inaccuracies. The work discusses and motivates the choices made in the design of the test bed and analyze a few case studies where the factors mentioned above can be quantitatively assessed.
Distributed Coding of Sources with Unknown Correlation Parameter

Binary source estimation using a cluster of Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is considered. The correlation between binary data source and received data at each sensor is modeled as an independent Binary Symmetric Channel (BSC). A novel distributed joint source channel coding (DJSCC) scheme is proposed to estimate source data using the intrinsic correlation in received data from sensors. Encoder is based on distributed structure of turbo codes and decoder is equipped with a self correlation estimation block to track data correlation adaptively. Low complexity encoding, fast decoding convergence, and self correlation parameter estimation capability makes the proposed system an appropriate choice for distributed source estimation in wireless sensor networks with unknown, unpredictable or even time-varying correlation parameter.
Relationship between radiobiological hypoxia in a C3H mouse mammary carcinoma and osteopontin levels in mouse serum

Purpose: To investigate the possible relationship between radiobiological hypoxia in a C3H mouse mammary carcinoma and osteopontin (OPN) levels measured in mouse serum. Material and methods: Experiments were performed in CDF1 mice that were either non-tumour bearing or with different sized tumours implanted in the right rear foot. Osteopontin levels in extracted mouse blood serum and tissue from the transplanted tumours were measured using an ELISA assay. The tumour oxygenation status was estimated using the Eppendorf Histograph and the fraction of oxygen partial pressure (pO2) values ≤5 mm Hg (HF5) was calculated. Necrosis was measured in haematoxylin and eosin-stained sections. Tumour hypoxia was increased by placing animals in a low-oxygen (10%) environment. Single radiation doses (240 kV x-rays) were given locally to tumours under ambient or clamped conditions and response assessed using a tumour control assay. Results: Serum OPN levels increased linearly with increasing tumour volume and this increase correlated with tumour OPN. HF5 and necrosis also increased with increasing tumour volume, but this increase was non-linear. Converting the HF5 results into equivalent tumour volume gave results that were directly correlated to OPN serum levels. Placing mice in a 10% oxygen environment for 12 hours significantly increased HF5. However, serum OPN only increased if reoxygenation occurred before measurement. Radiobiological hypoxic fraction in this tumour model did not change with increasing tumour size, but the total number of hypoxic cells did increase. Conclusions: These findings suggest that serum OPN measurement may predict the proportion of hypoxic cells in this tumour model, although increased serum OPN levels simply resulting from an increased tumour burden can not be ruled out.
Dysregulation of KRAS signaling in pancreatic cancer is not associated with KRAS mutations and outcome

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a tumor with a poor prognosis, and no targeted therapy is currently available. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prognostic significance of the expression of V-Ki-ras2 Κirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS), downstream signaling pathway genes and the association with clinical characteristics in PDAC patients undergoing radical surgery. Tumors and adjacent non-neoplastic pancreatic tissues were examined in 45 patients with histologically verified PDAC. KRAS and B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase (BRAF) gene mutation analysis was performed using the KRAS/BRAF/phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit α array. The transcript profile of 52 KRAS downstream signaling pathway genes was assessed using quantitative-polymerase chain reaction. KRAS mutation was detected in 80% of cases. The genes of four signaling pathways downstream of KRAS, including the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1/V-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog 1, RAL guanine nucleotide exchange factor, Ras and Rab interactor 1/ABL proto-oncogene-1, non-receptor tyrosine kinase, and RAF proto-oncogene serine/threonine-protein kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways, exhibited differential expression in PDAC compared with that in the adjacent normal tissues. However, no significant differences in expression were evident between patients with KRAS-mutated and wild-type tumors. The expression of KRAS downstream signaling pathways genes did not correlate with angioinvasion, perineural invasion, grade or presence of lymph node metastasis. Additionally, the presence of KRAS mutations was not associated with overall survival. Among the KRAS downstream effective signaling pathways molecules investigated, only v-raf-1 murine leukemia viral oncogene homolog 1 expression was predictive of prognosis. Overall, KRAS mutation is present in the majority of cases of PDAC, but is not associated with changes in the expression of KRAS downstream signaling pathways and the clinical outcome. This may partly explain the failure of KRAS-targeted therapies in PDAC.
A set of two monoclonal antibodies specific for the cell surface-exposed 39K major outer membrane protein of Haemophilus influenzae type b defines all strains of this pathogen

Six murine plasma cell hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies (mabs) directed against the 39,000-molecular-weight (39K) major outer membrane protein of Haemophilus influenzae type b were employed in the antigenic analysis of the 39K protein. The initial characterization of the mabs by radioimmunoprecipitation analysis showed that four of these mabs reacted with antigenic determinants of the 39K protein that are exposed on the bacterial cell surface and accessible to antibody. The other two mabs reacted with antigenic determinants of the 39K protein that are either not exposed on the H. influenzae type b cell surface or not accessible to antibody (internal determinants). A total of 126 clinical isolates of H. influenzae type b obtained from pediatric research centers throughout the United States were examined for reactivity with the six mabs by using a solid-phase radioimmunoassay in which bacterial colony growth from agar plates was placed on filter paper and used as antigen. The reactivities of these strains with two of the mabs recognizing cell surface-exposed antigenic determinants of the 39K protein were used to divide the 126 strains into four different groups. Group 1 strains reacted with mab 12D9, group 2 strains reacted with mab 4C4, group 3 strains reacted with both mabs 12D9 and 4C4, and group 4 strains (only one was found) did not react with either mab. The reactivities of two other mabs recognizing cell surface-exposed antigenic determinants of the 39K protein were used to further divide the four groups into eight subgroups. A single mab recognizing an internal antigenic determinant of the 39K protein reacted with every H. influenzae type b strain examined in this study. These data indicate that only limited antigenic heterogeneity exists among the cell surface-exposed antigenic determinants of the 39K outer membrane proteins among H. influenzae type b strains and that at least one internal antigenic determinant of the 39K protein is universally present in all H. influenzae type b strains. Radioimmunoprecipitation analysis also demonstrated that H. influenzae type b strains which lacked a 39K major outer membrane protein possessed a 38K major outer membrane protein which reacted with the anti-39K mabs, indicating that the 38K and 39K outer membrane proteins of different H. influenzae type b strains are antigenically related.
Visual performance and optical properties of Fresnel membrane prisms.

ABSTRACTThe Fresnel prism, an outgrowth of the early nineteenth century lenses designed for lighthouses by Augustin J. Fresnel, can be imagined as a series of small prisms lying adjacent to each other on a thin transparent platform. Ophthalmic quality Fresnel prisms of almost any power have recently
Analytical Force Determination in an Electromagnetic Actuator

We present an original analytical determination of the force acting on the moving coil in an electromagnetic actuator. The actuator magnetic field is solved analytically by Schwarz-Christoffel (SC) mapping. The SC integral is solved analytically using the elliptic functions. We verified the results by finite-element methods.
Genetic Diversity of the MHC Class-II DQA Gene in Brown Bears (Ursus arctos) on Hokkaido, Northern Japan

To investigate genetic diversity of a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene in the brown bear (Ursus arctos) population on Hokkaido Island, northern Japan, we cloned and sequenced parts of exon 2 and intron 2 of the MHC class-II DQA gene from 32 brown bears. According to strict criteria for allele identification established by mammalian MHC nomenclature committees, four DQA types (Urar-DQA*01 to Urar-DQA*04) were identified. Of the four, however, Urar-DQA*04 had a 12-bp deletion not detected in a cDNA analysis, indicating that this is a pseudogene at a distinct locus generated by gene duplication. The nucleotide sequences of the other three DQA alleles, which were expressed (because detected from cDNA), were very similar, indicating lower DQA variation in the Hokkaido brown bear population than in other mammals. We attribute this low genetic diversity to (1) some limited effect of possible balancing selection; (2) bottlenecks and inbreeding after migration and isolation of the Hokkaido brown bear population from the Eurasian Continent; (3) a much slower evolutionary rate in DQA than in other MHC genes in the Hokkaido brown bear population.
A Longitudinal Study on the Impact of CLIL on Affective Factors

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) programmes are burgeoning in European school contexts due to the widespread belief that they help to significantly improve foreign language learning while content learning is not negatively affected. However, some of its purported benefits still need to be empirically confirmed. Thus, while this approach is widely believed to positively influence students’ affective stance, research studies are scant, and hardly any are longitudinal in nature. In an attempt to fill this gap, the present longitudinal study aims to analyse the impact of CLIL on different affective components. The participants are 304 secondary education students who were enrolled in CLIL and non-CLIL programmes. Contrary to expectations and the reviewed literature, the downward motivational trend observed in non-CLIL students in previous studies was not found. The results also indicate that CLIL does not help to sustain students’ motivation over time, but motivation to learn the subject matter is maintained in CLIL classes.
Serial transvaginal sonographic measurement of cervical dimensions after 20 weeks of gestation in South Indian women

This study was conducted with objective to assess serial changes of cervical dimensions during pregnancy from mid second trimester till delivery by transvaginal sonography. It comprises 50 healthy pregnant women who underwent serial transvaginal ultrasound every four week from 20th week of gestation till delivery. Cervical length and width were measured. The gestational age at delivery was recorded. Cervical changes were analysed using student – t test with three classifying factors; gestational age ( 23). Percentile charts were established for cervical length and width from 20th week of pregnancy till delivery. The associations between cervical dimensions and gestational age, parity and body mass index were calculated by multiple linear regression analysis. Cervical length decreased gradually from 4.05 cm from 20th week to 3.25 cm at term. The equivalent values were 2.98 cm and 3.86 cm for cervical width measurement showing opposite trend. The rate of cervical length reduction was significantly higher in preterm delivery group compared to term delivery group (0.65 mm vs. 0.37 mm per week of gestation, p 23; however this was statistically significant only in the beginning (at 20th and 24th week of gestation). Cervical length decreases gradually through out the gestation where as cervical width increases and these changes are not affected by parity. The knowledge of pattern of change in cervical length may help in early detection of preterm labour. Keywords : cervical length, cervical width, preterm delivery, transvaginal ultrasound. Internet Journal of Medical Update Vol. 2 (1) 2007: pp. 8-16
Breathing and Propelling in Crawl as a Function of Skill and Swim Velocity

This study analyzes apnea (A), exhalation (E), and inhalation (I) duration with respect to stroke organization in front crawl as a function of inhalation side, swim velocity and performance level. Thirty-six male subjects comprised two groups based on performance level: more expert (ME) and less expert (LE) swimmers. All swam with one inhalation per cycle to the preferred side at speeds corresponding to two specific race paces: 100-m (V100) and 800-m (V800) velocities. The breathing arm (BA) is located on the inhalation side, and the non-breathing arm (NBA) on the opposite side. The sound of air passing in and out of the swimmers' mouths was captured by a microphone and synchronized with video frames. Stroke phases and arm coordination were identified by video analyses. Arm coordination was quantified using two indices of coordination (IdC) corresponding to the lag time between the beginning of the BA (IdC-BA) or NBA (IdC-NBA) propulsive action and the end of that of the other arm. As velocity increases, the ME are observed to reduce I during BA recovery (-19.4 +/- 31.6 %, p < 0.05) while the LE increase A (+ 34.8 +/- 25.2 %, p < 0.05) during BA entry, catch and recovery and NBA pull and push. These variations are related to a lengthening of the pull for both arms at the expense of BA non-propulsive phases. At V100, the ME have greater E (p < 0.05) during BA entry and catch (+ 21.1 +/- 38.2 %) and NBA push (+ 26.3 +/- 39.5 %) compared to the LE. This increase, at the expense of A, corresponds to a shorter BA push and NBA recovery. At V800, the ME exhibit a longer A (p < 0.05) during BA recovery (+ 19.9 +/- 33.2 %) and NBA pull (+ 24.2 +/- 31.5 %), and decreased I during NBA push and pull. These differences are related to a shortening of BA recovery and pull and a longer push for both arms. These breath and stroke adaptations correspond to an increase in stroke rate and IdC-BA with the velocity and performance level. This study points out the breathing-propelling aspects of coordination that indicate technical skill in swimming.
Experimental characterization of phase tuning using fine wavelength offset in a complex-coefficient optical FIR filter

We propose and characterize varying the tap-phases of the recently introduced complex-coefficient tunable conversion/dispersion based FIR filter by fine tuning of pump lasers. Full tap-phase tuning (- π to π) is achieved by detuning the frequency of laser pumps by <;10GHz, with close agreement to the theory.
Biliary excretion of organic anions in diabetic rats.

Little definitive data are available concerning the effects of insulin deficiency on the hepatic uptake and biliary excretion of endogenous or xenobiotic substances. To expand our understanding of this area, male Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated with streptozotocin (45 mg/kg i.v.) to induce uncontrolled diabetes. Four to five weeks later, diabetic rats exhibited elevations in serum glucose (640 +/- 13 mg/dl), biliary glucose (307 +/- 35 mg/dl), urine output (166 +/- 11 ml/24 hr), basal bile flow rate (73 +/- 2 microliter/min/kg), liver weight/body weight ratio and bile acid pool size. Polyphagia and generalized muscle atrophy were also evident. Plasma disappearance and biliary excretion of several organic anions were studied after i.v. administration. There were no differences between control and diabetic rats in the plasma elimination and biliary excretion of eosin, phenol-3,6-dibromphthalein disulfonate and sulfobromophthalein. Although hepatic uptake was unchanged, the biliary excretion of amaranth was decreased 30% in diabetic rats. There were no differences in bile flow rate in control or diabetic rats after administration of these four anions. In contrast, administration of indocyanine green, bromcresol green and rose bengal did not depress bile flow in diabetic rats as was observed in control rats. In addition, the rate of maximal biliary excretion was increased by 390, 240 and 151% for rose bengal, indocyanine green and bromcresol green, respectively. Plasma clearance of rose bengal was 65% higher in diabetic rats. Total body clearance and steady-state volume of distribution values for all other anions were not different after induction of diabetes. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A Combinatorial Approach to Materials Discovery

A method that combines thin film deposition and physical masking techniques has been used for the parallel synthesis of spatially addressable libraries of solid-state materials. Arrays containing different combinations, stoichiometries, and deposition sequences of BaCO3, Bi2O3, CaO, CuO, PbO, SrCO3, and Y2O3 were generated with a series of binary masks. The arrays were sintered and BiSrCaCuO and YBaCuO superconducting films were identified. Samples as small as 200 micrometers by 200 micrometers in size were generated, corresponding to library densities of 10,000 sites per square inch. The ability to generate and screen combinatorial libraries of solid-state compounds, when coupled with theory and empirical observations, may significantly increase the rate at which novel electronic, magnetic, and optical materials are discovered and theoretical predictions tested.
Both Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV)‐encoded trans‐acting factors, EB1 and EB2, are required to activate transcription from an EBV early promoter.

We have identified two Epstein‐‐Barr virus (EBV) transacting factors which are involved in the transcriptional activation of EBV early promoters in latently infected Raji cells. In Raji cells, expression of the factor EB1 encoded by the open reading frame (ORF) BZLF1 is necessary and sufficient to disrupt latency. However, factor EB2 encoded by the ORF BMLF1‐ BSLF2 does not disrupt latency when expressed alone in Raji cells. Expression of an EBV activatable early promoter depends on the presence of both EB1 and EB2.
Novel 44-Kilodalton Subunit of Axonemal Dynein Conserved from Chlamydomonas to Mammals

ABSTRACT Cilia and flagella have multiple dyneins in their inner and outer arms. Chlamydomonas inner-arm dynein contains at least seven major subspecies (dynein a to dynein g), of which all but dynein f (also called dynein I1) are the single-headed type that are composed of a single heavy chain, actin, and either centrin or a 28-kDa protein (p28). Dynein d was found to associate with two additional proteins of 38 kDa (p38) and 44 kDa (p44). Following the characterization of the p38 protein (R. Yamamoto, H. A. Yanagisawa, T. Yagi, and R. Kamiya, FEBS Lett. 580:6357-6360, 2006), we have identified p44 as a novel component of dynein d by using an immunoprecipitation approach. p44 is present along the length of the axonemes and is diminished, but not absent, in the ida4 and ida5 mutants, both lacking this dynein. In the ida5 axoneme, p44 and p38 appear to form a complex, suggesting that they constitute the docking site of dynein d on the outer doublet. p44 has potential homologues in other ciliated organisms. For example, the mouse homologue of p44, NYD-SP14, was found to be strongly expressed in tissues with motile cilia and flagella. These results suggest that inner-arm dynein d and its subunit organization are widely conserved.
Development of a Low‐Cost Wastewater Treatment System for Small‐Scale Wineries

A pilot‐scale winery wastewater treatment system was developed to treat wastewater produced by a small winery (approximately 1200 metric tons of grapes crushed). The pilot system consisted of a sedimentation/aerobic process combined with a bioremediation wastewater cell planted with Juncus ingens. The main design specifications, detailed descriptions of the plant, and analysis of the influent and effluent characteristics (pH, electrical conductivity, total suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand [COD], etc.) are reported for each segment of the system. Over the study period, the mean winery wastewater flowrate was 3.5 m 3/d at organic loads of 5000 to 14 000 mg‐COD/L. The study measured average removal rates of 72% for COD and 65% for total organic carbon and dissolved carbon. The application of wastewater to the soil increased the soil salinity in the top 30 cm, but remained stable below this. The system also seemed to be effective at neutralizing the pH of the acidic winery wastewater and at removing the phosphorus pool (65%) in the wastewater, whereas the levels of nitrogen and most of the cations increased in the treated effluent. The absorbing/adsorbing and degradation capacity of the soil of the wastewater bioremediation cell did not appear to be exhausted after one vintage. Juncus ingens appeared to grow moderately well, until the end of the vintage, when dieback began to occur. An infilling with organic matter of the surface soil layer under the root zone was observed, which reduced water infiltration and hence system treatment capacity. The data provide evidence that this is a potentially effective wastewater treatment approach for small wineries located in rural areas.