Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Proton motive force may regulate cell wall-associated enzymes of Bacillus subtilis

Bacterial metabolism excretes protons during normal metabolic processes. The protons may be recycled by chemiosmosis, diffuse through the wall into the medium, or bind to cell surface constituents. Calculations by Koch (J. Theor. Biol. 120:73-84, 1986) have suggested that the cell wall of gram-positive bacteria may serve as a reservoir of protons during growth and metabolism, causing the wall to have a relatively low pH. That the cell wall may possess a pH lower than the surrounding medium has now been tested in Bacillus subtilis by several independent experiments. When cultures of B. subtilis were treated with the proton conductors azide and carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, the cells bound larger amounts of positively charged probes, including the chromium (Cr3+) and uranyl (UO2(2+) ions and were readily agglutinated by cationized ferritin. In contrast, the same proton conductors caused a decrease in the binding of the negatively charged probe chromate (CrO4(2-)). Finally, when levansucrase was induced in cultures by the addition of sucrose, the enzyme was inactive as it traversed the wall during the first 0.7 to 1.0 generation of growth. The composite interpretation of the foregoing observations suggests that the wall is positively charged during metabolism, thereby decreasing its ability to complex with cations while increasing its ability to bind with anions. This may be one reason why some enzymes, such as autolysins, are unable to hydrolyze their substrata until they reach the wall periphery or are in the medium.
Dispute resolution under the general conditions of contract 2010

In the light of the nature of the construction industry and the fact that it is often burdened with disputes arising from the contract, appropriate and unique alternative dispute resolution procedures are indispensable for disputes to be resolved quickly, efficiently and effectively. Section 34 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 provides for the right to have disputes resolved by means of a public hearing before a court, alternatively, where appropriate, by means of an independent, impartial forum. Arbitration, mediation, conciliation and adjudication, to name but a few, are alternative methods used in resolving South African construction disputes. Some of these alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods are provided for in the Construction Industry Development Board recommended standard contracts. This study entails an analysis of the ADR methods in construction agreements with specific reference to the General Conditions of Contract for Construction Works 2010 (GCC 2010) and a comparison thereof with the English position. The application of the recommended ADR methods in the South African construction industry, especially adjudication, faces many challenges. There is no certainty as to the definition nor the procedure to be followed in the use thereof. The study concluded that there is a definite need for the contract to be reviewed, in particular the dispute resolution clause. The introduction of online dispute resolution was also recommended. This will contribute towards efficient, effective and expedient dispute resolution that is required due to the nature and role of the construction industry in a country‟s economy. There is also a definite need for legislation to be implemented which will assist in clarifying as well as regulating the adjudication procedure as used in the South African construction industry.
Effects of flax supplementation and a combined trenbolone acetate and estradiol implant on circulating insulin-like growth factor-I and muscle insulin-like growth factor-I messenger RNA levels in beef cattle.

We evaluated effects of a 5% (dry matter basis) ground flaxseed supplement (flax) and a trenbolone acetate and estradiol-17beta implant, Revalor-S, on circulating IGF-I and muscle IGF-I messenger RNA (mRNA). Sixteen crossbred yearling steers (initial BW = 397 kg) were assigned randomly to one of four treatments: 1) flax/implant; 2) nonflax/implant; 3) flax/nonimplant; and 4) nonflax/nonimplant. Serum was harvested from blood collected on d 0 (before implant or flax addition), 14, and 28, and used in subsequent analyses of circulating IGF-I. Biopsy samples (0.5 g) were obtained from the longissimus muscle on d 0, 14, and 28. Total RNA was isolated from the muscle samples, and real-time quantitative-PCR was used to assess relative differences in IGF-I mRNA. Flax supplementation had no effect (P > 0.10) on circulating IGF-I concentrations. Following implantation, sera from implanted steers had 52 and 84% greater (P < 0.05) IGF-I concentrations than sera from nonimplanted steers on d 14 and 28, respectively. On d 28, local muscle IGF-I mRNA levels increased 2.4-fold (P < 0.01) in biopsy samples obtained from implanted compared with nonimplanted steers. Muscle biopsy samples from nonflax cattle had 4.4-fold higher (P < 0.01) levels of IGF-I mRNA than those from flax cattle on d 28. To determine whether a component of flax, alpha-linolenic acid (alphaLA), was directly responsible for IGF-I mRNA down-regulation, we incubated primary cultures of bovine satellite cells, from implanted and nonimplanted steers, in two concentrations of alphaLA (10 nM and 1 microM). An implant x dose interaction (P < 0.05) was observed for IGF-I mRNA concentrations in bovine satellite cells cultured for 72 h with alphaLA. Satellite cells from nonimplanted steers had similar (P > 0.10) IGF-I mRNA concentration regardless of the level of alphaLA exposure; however, satellite cells from implanted steers exposed to 10 nM and 1 microM alphaLA had 2.5- and 2.0-fold greater IGF-I mRNA levels, respectively, than cells from implanted steers that were not exposed to alphaLA (P < 0.05). Administration of a Revalor-S implant increased circulating IGF-I and local muscle IGF-I mRNA concentrations in finishing cattle. However, muscle IGF-I mRNA levels were decreased by flax supplementation. Muscle cell culture experiments suggested that alphaLA was not responsible for the IGF-I mRNA down-regulation.
Prospective analysis of hip arthroscopy with 2-year follow-up.

PURPOSE Numerous indications, but little outcome data, have been reported for hip arthroscopy. The purpose of this prospective study is to report the 2-year results of hip arthroscopy performed on a consecutive series of patients for a variety of disorders. TYPE OF STUDY Case series. MATERIALS AND METHODS There were 38 procedures performed on 35 patients who have achieved 2-year follow-up. All patients were assessed with a modified Harris hip score (pain and function) preoperatively and postoperatively at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months or until a subsequent procedure was performed. Variables studied included age, sex, diagnosis, duration of symptoms, onset of symptoms, center-edge angle, Workers' Compensation, and pending litigation. RESULTS Follow-up was obtained on all patients. The median score improved from 57 to 85 points. This included 10 cases (9 patients) who underwent a subsequent procedure at an average of 10 months (6 total hip arthroplasty, 1 core decompression, 3 second arthroscopy) with an index score of 54 compared with 52 at the time of the second procedure. The median improvement for the following diagnoses was: loose body (34), labral lesion (27), synovitis (26), chondral injury (18), arthritis (14), and avascular necrosis (-11). Of the variables studied, the most statistically significant finding was that older men with longer duration of symptoms did worse. Two complications occurred in 1 patient: partial neuropraxia of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve and focal myositis ossificans along the anterior portal tract. CONCLUSIONS Hip arthroscopy can be performed for a variety of conditions (except end-stage avascular necrosis) with reasonable expectations of success and an acceptable complication rate. This is the first report to quantitate the results of hip arthroscopy for a heterogeneous population.
Production of monozygotic twins after freezing and thawing of bisected mouse embryos.

We examined the viability of mouse bisected embryos after freezing and thawing and produced monozygotic twin mice from these embryos. Two-cell embryos were collected from superovulated mature agouti, F1 hybrid (C57BL/6 x CBA) female mice. For bisection, one blastomere of the embryo was aspirated with a micropipette and injected into an empty zona pellucida. After culture for 24 to 28 h to the compacted 4- to 8-cell stage or 48 to 52 h to the late morula to blastocyst stage, the embryos were slowly frozen (-0.5 to -1.0 degrees C/min), thawed (30 degrees C/min), cultured for 24 h, and then transferred to recipient females. The bisected embryos without zonae pellucidae had developmental ability in vitro similar to those with zonae pellucidae (88% vs 89%). However, after freezing and thawing at the compacted 4- to 8-cell stage, bisected embryos with zonae pellucidae had higher viability than those without (60% vs 15%). Zona enclosed, bisected embryos frozen at the compacted 4- to 8-cell stage were more resistnat to freezing and thawing than those at the late morula to blastocyte stage (60% vs 23%). After transfer to recipients 26% of the zona enclosed bisected embryos frozen-thawed at the 4- to 8-cell stage developed to living fetuses a day 17.5 to 18.0 of pregnancy, which was slightly but not significantly lower than that of fresh bisected embryos (48%). On the other hand, only 5% of bisected embryos frozen-thawed at the late morula to blastocyst stage developed to young. The transfer of 15 sets of twin blastocysts as pairs that had been frozen and thawed at the compacted 4- to 8-cell stage yielded 2 (13%) sets of monozygotic twins.
Kinetic Properties and Ammonium-dependent Regulation of Cytosolic Isoenzymes of Glutamine Synthetase in Arabidopsis*

Glutamine synthetase (GS; EC 6.3.1.2) is a key enzyme of nitrogen assimilation, catalyzing the synthesis of glutamine from ammonium and glutamate. In Arabidopsis, cytosolic GS (GS1) was accumulated in roots when plants were excessively supplied with ammonium; however, the GS activity was controlled at a constant level. The discrepancy between the protein content and enzyme activity of GS1 was attributable to the kinetic properties and expression of four distinct isoenzymes encoded by GLN1;1, GLN1;2, GLN1;3 and GLN1;4, genes that function complementary to each other in Arabidopsis roots. GLN1;2 was the only isoenzyme significantly up-regulated by ammonium, which correlated with the rapid increase in total GS1 protein. GLN1;2 was localized in the vasculature and exhibited low affinities to ammonium (Km = 2450 ± 150 μm) and glutamate (Km = 3.8 ± 0.2 mm). The expression of the counterpart vascular tissue-localizing low affinity isoenzyme, GLN1;3, was not stimulated by ammonium; however, the enzyme activity of GLN1;3 was significantly inhibited by a high concentration of glutamate. By contrast, the high affinity isoenzyme, GLN1;1 (Km for ammonium < 10 μm; Km for glutamate = 1.1 ± 0.4 mm) was abundantly accumulated in the surface layers of roots during nitrogen limitation and was down-regulated by ammonium excess. GLN1;4 was another high affinity-type GS1 expressed in nitrogen-starved plants but was 10-fold less abundant than GLN1;1. These results suggested that dynamic regulations of high and low affinity GS1 isoenzymes at the levels of mRNA and enzyme activities are dependent on nitrogen availabilities and may contribute to the homeostatic control of glutamine synthesis in Arabidopsis roots.
Perspectives de l'industrie francaise de l'alimentation animale

Au cours de la premiere phase de son developpement, dans le cadre d'un marche en expansion, l'industrie de l'alimentation animale dynamise les nouveaux ateliers intensifs de production de volailles. Ce sont les firmes d'aliments du betail qui mobilisent les eleveurs, les informent, transmettent les innovations avec les souches selectionnees et les formules d'aliments, organisent la mise en marche des produits. Le mode d'organisation est fortement marque par l'integration des activites. Avec la saturation progressive des marches des produits animaux au debut des annees quatre vingts, le maillon strategique des filieres se deporte vers l'aval. Ce sont les abattoirs qui assurent desormais le pouvoir d'organisation. L'activite aliments du betail devient une activite subordonnee des groupes agro-alimentaires. Cette evolution s'accompagne d'une transformation de l'organisation interne des groupes. Les groupes polyvalents integres eclatent leurs activites en de multiples filiales specialisees coordonnees par des holdings. Sur le marche diversifie des aliments pour animaux, une douzaine de groupes influencent plus ou moins directement 80 pour cent de la production qui est fortement concentree dans l'ouest de la france. L'analyse de cette mutation, fondee sur la structure des marches, les caracteristiques des firmes et des groupes, les strategies, aboutit a l'examen de cinq scenarios d'organisation pour les filieres animales qui permettent de situer les perspectives a moyen terme de l'activite de l'aliment du betail.
Localization of metabotropic GABA receptor subunits GABAB1 and GABAB2 relative to synaptic sites in the rat developing cerebellum

The highest densities of the two metabotropic GABA subunits, GABAB1 and GABAB2, have been reported as occurring around the glutamatergic synapses between Purkinje cell spines and parallel fibre varicosities. In order to determine how this distribution is achieved during development, we investigated the expression pattern and the cellular and subcellular localization of the GABAB1 and GABAB2 subunits in the rat cerebellum during postnatal development. At the light microscopic level, immunoreactivity for the GABAB1 and GABAB2 subunits was very prominent in the developing molecular layer, especially in Purkinje cells. Using double immunofluorescence, we demonstrated that GABAB1 was transiently expressed in glial cells. At the electron microscopic level, immunoreactivity for GABAB receptors was always detected both pre‐ and postsynaptically. Presynaptically, GABAB1 and GABAB2 were localized in the extrasynaptic membrane of parallel fibres at all ages, and only rarely in GABAergic axons. Postsynaptically, GABAB receptors were localized to the extrasynaptic and perisynaptic plasma membrane of Purkinje cell dendrites and spines throughout development. Quantitative analysis and three‐dimensional reconstructions further revealed a progressive developmental movement of the GABAB1 subunit on the surface of Purkinje cells from dendritic shafts to its final destination, the dendritic spines. Together, these results indicate that GABAB receptors undergo dynamic regulation during cerebellar development in association with the establishment and maturation of glutamatergic synapses to Purkinje cells.
Ethnic differences in the prevalence of new and known diabetes mellitus, impaired glucose tolerance, and impaired fasting glucose. Diabetes Heart and Health Survey (DHAH) 2002-2003, Auckland New Zealand.

AIM To estimate the prevalence of new and known diabetes mellitus, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) by ethnic group in Auckland. METHODS The Diabetes Heart and Health Survey (DHAH) was a cross-sectional population based survey and was carried out in Auckland between January 2002 and December 2003, inclusive. Participants answered a self-administered questionnaire to assess whether they had previously diagnosed diabetes. Those participants who were not previously diagnosed with diabetes were then given a glucose tolerance test (GTT) to determine diabetes status. RESULTS Of the total sample 6.7% were previously diagnosed (known) with type 2 diabetes, and a further 2.6% were newly diagnosed. Within the ethnic groups Europeans had the lowest level of both new and known diabetes followed by Maori and then Pacific people (mostly of Samoan, Tongan, Niuean, or Cook Islands origin). The proportions of new/known diabetes by ethnicity were 1.8%/3.9% for Europeans, 3.8%/12.0% for Maori, and 4.0%/19.5% for Pacific. Only Pacific were found to have a significantly greater relative risk (RR) than Europeans of being newly diagnosed with diabetes, particularly in the <45 (RR 11.6), and 45-54 year (RR 4.2) age groups. Compared to Europeans, Maori had a significantly greater risk of known diabetes in the 45-54 (RR 6.4) and 55-64 (RR 4.1) year age groups, while Pacific had a significantly greater risk in all age groups which ranged from RR 2.5 in those aged 65+ to RR 9.3 in the 55-64 year age group. For Europeans and Maori, the greatest proportions of diabetes occurred in the 65+ year age group, however for Pacific this occurred in the 55-64 year age group. IFG levels were only found to be significantly different from Europeans in Maori aged 45-54, and Pacific aged 45-54 and <45 years. IGT levels were only found to be significantly different from Europeans in Pacific aged 45-54 years. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of diabetes was 2.8 times greater for Maori, and 4.1 times greater for Pacific compared with Europeans. However for every two European people with previously diagnosed diabetes there was approximately one (0.92) person in the community undiagnosed while for every three Maori people with diagnosed diabetes was one Maori person undiagnosed. For every five Pacific with diagnosed diabetes there was just over one (1.1) Pacific person undiagnosed.
Care Pathway for Cancer Survivorship in Korea: Trend of Breast Cancer Pathway from 2003 to 2010

Objectives The survival rate of cancer patients has exceeded 60%. Although cancer survivors may die of other diseases except cancer, the health management system including chronic disease prevention-management for cancer survivors, has not been established in the diverse aspects. Therefore, services according to care pathway of cancer patients need to be provided through a support system based on a platform concept that can be used to meet patient needs in various ways. Methods A sample cohort database (2002–2010) of approximately 1 million persons—2% of the whole nation (50 million)—was used to estimate cancer survivors through a principal care pathway for cancer management. The sample cohort database was built to estimate the number of breast cancer survivors in the five stage: ‘Diagnosis and treatment,’ ‘Supportive care,’ ‘Monitoring,’ ‘Progress illness,’ and ‘Hospice care’. In this way, the scale of breast cancer survivors was estimated. Results There were 330 (9.8%) cases of the incidence of cancer in 2010 in the ‘Diagnosis and treatment. ’ Among the cases of the incidence of cancer in the previous year, the number of one-year survivors was 328 (9.7%); these were included in the category ‘Supportive care. ’ In the ‘Monitoring’ category, 2,593 (76.9%) who maintained health lives were included. A total of 84 (2.5%) survivors were checked to identify an ongoing disease; these were included in the category ‘Progress illness. ’ In the category ‘Hospice care,’ 36 (1.1%) end-stage cancer patients requiring hospice care were included. Conclusions We established a care pathway by survival stage in order to fulfill prevention and health management services post-treatment management steps.
DNA interstrand cross-links promote chromosomal integration of a selected gene in human cells

We have used integrative pSV2 plasmids to learn how DNA lesions affect nonhomologous recombination with human chromosomes. Enhanced stable transformation of fibrosarcoma cells with a selectable gene was observed after chemical modification of the plasmid DNA; thus, cells transfected with plasmid pSV2-gpt carrying photoadducts of the cross-linking agent 4'-hydroxymethyl-4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen (HMT) yielded four- to sevenfold-higher levels of Gpt+ transformants than were obtained with untreated plasmid. The enhancement due to HMT interstrand cross-links was at least as great as that due to the monoadducts. DNA hybridization analysis indicated that the enhanced transformation frequency resulted from an increased number of cells carrying integrated plasmid sequences rather than from a higher copy number per transformant. The enhancement was not seen with a plasmid missing the sequences flanking the minimal simian virus 40 gpt transcription unit. Cotransfection with untreated and HMT-treated plasmids suggested that the HMT-containing DNA interacted preferentially with some cellular factor that promoted chromosomal integration of the plasmid DNA. It is concluded that (i) interstrand cross-linking as well as intrastrand DNA adducts promote nonhomologous recombination in human chromatin and (ii) DNA sequences flanking the selectable genes are the targets for such recombinational events.
Stakeholders' Opinions Regarding Important Measures of Nursing Home Quality for Consumers

This article reports on a survey of opinions about specific categories and indicators of quality used by the Health Care Financing Administration in the survey and certification process for nursing homes in the US. The survey was conducted of a selected sample of administrators, directors of nursing, state survey agency training coordinators, state ombudsmen, and nursing home advocates in 1996. General patterns of agreement were found across all respondent groups that the 3 most important categories of quality were as follows: quality of care, quality of life, and residents' rights. The 3 most important quality-of-care survey items were as follows: general quality of care, maintenance of activities of daily living, and appropriate treatment for impairment in activities of daily living. The 3 most important quality-of-life items were as follows: dignity, self-determination and participation, and accommodation of resident needs. Important residents' rights items were as follows: to be able to exercise general rights, to be informed of one's condition, and to be free of reprisal when making complaints. Quality assurance should focus greater attention on the areas considered to be the most important by the various stakeholders in nursing home care.