Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
31P-NMR in vivo measurement of renal intracellular pH: effects of acidosis and K+ depletion in rats.

Renal intracellular pH (pHi) was measured in vivo from the chemical shift (sigma) of inorganic phosphate (Pi), obtained by 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). pH was calculated from the difference between sigma Pi and sigma alpha-ATP. Changes of sigma Pi closely correlated with changes of sigma monophosphoesters; this supports the hypothesis that the pH determined from sigma Pi represents pHi. Renal pH in control rats was 7.39 +/- 0.04 (n = 8). This is higher than pHi of muscle and brain in vivo, suggesting that renal Na-H antiporter activity raises renal pHi. To examine the relationship between renal pH and ammoniagenesis, rats were subjected to acute (less than 24 h) and chronic (4-7 days) metabolic acidosis, acute (20 min) and chronic (6-8 days) respiratory acidosis, and dietary potassium depletion (7-21 days). Acute metabolic and respiratory acidosis produced acidification of renal pHi. Chronic metabolic acidosis (arterial blood pH, 7.26 +/- 0.02) lowered renal pHi to 7.30 +/- 0.02, but chronic respiratory acidosis (arterial blood pH, 7.30 +/- 0.05) was not associated with renal acidosis (pH, 7.40 +/- 0.04). At a similar level of blood pH, pHi was higher in chronic metabolic acidosis than in acute metabolic acidosis, suggesting an adaptive process that raises pHi. Potassium depletion (arterial blood pH, 7.44 +/- 0.05) was associated with a marked renal acidosis (renal pH, 7.17 +/- 0.02). There was a direct relationship between renal pH and cardiac K+. Rapid partial repletion with KCl (1 mmol) significantly increased renal pHi from 7.14 +/- 0.03 to 7.31 +/- 0.01. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Comparison of infectious JC virus DNAs cloned from human brain

We cloned JC virus DNA obtained directly from brain tissue of 10 cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy and compared DNAs by restriction endonuclease mapping. Before cloning, each DNA preparation was homogeneous with respect to restriction patterns, but with the cloned DNAs we found variability in three regions of the genome among DNAs from different cases. There was a region of hypervariability between 0.67 and 0.725 map units; no two DNAs were exactly alike in this region. We determined that the origin of DNA replication also was in this region at 0.69 +/- 0.02 map units. In 4 of the 10 DNAs examined there was a deletion of approximately 75 base pairs between 0.14 and 0.235 map units, the region presumed to contain the codons for the C-terminal ends of the structural protein Vpl and for T antigen. JC virus DNA from these same four cases had an additional HincII-HpaI site at 0.895 map units in the presumptive Vp3 and Vp2 coding regions. Overall, no two JC virus genomes were identical although all were from fatal central nervous system infections and were infectious in vitro. Our restriction patterns suggest that there are two subtypes of JC virus circulating in the population.
From sneeze to wheeze: Non-invasive studies on asthma and rhinitis

Asthma and allergic rhinitis are diseases that cause major disability and illness in all ethnic groups and ages. It is well established that allergic rhinitis and asthma are closely linked entities and more than 75 % of the patients with asthma reports concomitant rhinitis. Asthma is also closely associated to bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and a large part of patients with rhinitis alone show a reactive pattern in bronchial provocation tests, even though they have no symptoms of clinical asthma. The fact that patients can react with airway obstruction to bronchial challenge, which is a hallmark of asthma, without experiencing symptoms is curious and could possible be explained by difference in degree and/or geographical distribution of inflammation. In this thesis I wanted to investigate the distribution of inflammation and obstruction in asthmatics compared to patients with allergic rhinitis with or without bronchial hyperresponsiveness. We found that patients with asthma had a greater perception of the obstruction induced during methacholine challenge test compared to patients with rhinitis and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. By using non-invasive techniques such as induced sputum, exhaled nitric oxide and impulse oscillometry in addition to bronchial provocation tests we found signs indicating a higher degree of peripheral airway involvement in the asthmatic group. The transition from allergic rhinitis to clinical asthma is probably a gradual one, with bronchial hyperresponsiveness possibly representing an intermediate step. The geographical distribution of the airway inflammation seems to be a key element in the progress of the airway disease. (Less)
Climate-driven local adaptation of ecophysiology and phenology in balsam poplar, Populus balsamifera L. (Salicaceae).

PREMISE OF THE STUDY During past episodes of climate change, many plant species experienced large-scale range expansions. Expanding populations likely encountered strong selection as they colonized new environments. In this study we examine the extent to which populations of the widespread forest tree Populus balsamifera L. have become locally adapted as the species expanded into its current range since the last glaciation. METHODS We tested for adaptive variation in 13 ecophysiology and phenology traits on clonally propagated genotypes originating from a range-wide sample of 20 subpopulations. The hypothesis of local adaption was tested by comparing among-population variation at ecologically important traits (Q(ST)) to expected variation based on demographic history (F(ST)) estimated from a large set of nuclear single nucleotide polymorphism loci. KEY RESULTS Evidence for divergence in excess of neutral expectations was present for eight of 13 traits. Bud phenology, petiole length, and leaf nitrogen showed the greatest divergence (all Q(ST) > 0.6), whereas traits related to leaf water usage showed the least (all Q(ST) ≤ 0.30) and were not different from neutrality. Strong correlations were present between traits, geography, and climate, and they revealed a general pattern of northern subpopulations adapted to shorter, drier growing seasons compared with populations in the center or eastern regions of the range. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates pronounced adaptive variation in ecophysiology and phenology among balsam poplar populations. These results suggest that as this widespread forest tree species expanded its range since the end of the last glacial maximum, it evolved rapidly in response to geographically variable selection.
Do differences in general trust explain cultural differences in dispositionism? 1

It has been suggested that Westerners are more inclined than Easterners to endorse dispositionism. To help explain what produces this cultural difference, I examined the responses of Japanese and American students to determine whether levels of general trust, which is the expectation of benign or cooperative behavior based on the goodwill of another person (Yamagishi & Yamagishi, 1994), would matter. As predicted, in accounting for either a prosocial or deviant behavior, high trusters were more likely than low trusters to show dispositionism on all three measures (dispositional attribution, trait inference, and behavioral consistency), whereas cultural differences in dispositionism almost vanished. This tendency was found regardless of the desirability of behaviors.
A Formal Ontology for Business Process Model TAP: Tasks-Agents-Products

TAP is a general process modeling framework with which we can describe process specifications in terms of tasks, agents and products that are relevant to the concept of processes. However, its formal semantics and pragmatics have not been rigorously studied, i.e. the usage of vocabulary words provided by TAP framework and the pieces of reality which TAP framework captures has not been formally considered. In this paper, we clarify the pragmatics of TAP and the world structures of TAP process models by formal approach. We present the semantic structure for TAP process models and introduce a logical language to restrict world structures of TAP. A formal ontology for business process model TAP is the characterization described as a set of axioms in our logical language.
Modulation of joint moments and work in the goat hindlimb with locomotor speed and surface grade

SUMMARY Goats and other quadrupeds must modulate the work output of their muscles to accommodate the changing mechanical demands associated with locomotion in their natural environments. This study examined which hindlimb joint moments goats use to generate and absorb mechanical energy on level and sloped surfaces over a range of locomotor speeds. Ground reaction forces and the three-dimensional locations of joint markers were recorded as goats walked, trotted and galloped over 0, +15 and −15 deg sloped surfaces. Net joint moments, powers and work were estimated at the goats' hip, knee, ankle and metatarsophalangeal joints throughout the stance phase via inverse dynamics calculations. Differences in locomotor speed on the level, inclined and declined surfaces were characterized and accounted for by fitting regression equations to the joint moment, power and work data plotted versus non-dimensionalized speed. During level locomotion, the net work generated by moments at each of the hindlimb joints was small (less than 0.1 J kg−1 body mass) and did not vary substantially with gait or locomotor speed. During uphill running, by contrast, mechanical energy was generated at the hip, knee and ankle, and the net work at each of these joints increased dramatically with speed (P<0.05). The greatest increases in positive joint work occurred at the hip and ankle. During downhill running, mechanical energy was decreased in two main ways: goats generated larger knee extension moments in the first half of stance, absorbing energy as the knee flexed, and goats generated smaller ankle extension moments in the second half of stance, delivering less energy. The goats' hip extension moment in mid-stance was also diminished, contributing to the decrease in energy. These analyses offer new insight into quadrupedal locomotion, clarifying how the moments generated by hindlimb muscles modulate mechanical energy at different locomotor speeds and grades, as needed to accommodate the demands of variable terrain.
Efficient probabilistic sphere decoding architecture

An efficient probabilistic sphere decoding (SD) architecture, which applies a probabilistic search algorithm to the depth-first SD architecture, is proposed for multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems. The proposed architecture evaluates the more promising candidates earlier in the search while retaining hardware efficiency of the depth-first SD architecture by adding special hardware blocks. The architecture either improves the error performance or increases the throughput of the state-of-the-art depth-first SD architecture significantly
Uncoupling of 3′-Phosphatase and 5′-Kinase Functions in Budding Yeast

Polynucleotide kinase is a bifunctional enzyme containing both DNA 3′-phosphatase and 5′-kinase activities seemingly suited to the coupled repair of single-strand nicks in which the phosphate has remained with the 3′-base. We show that the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae is able to repair transformed dephosphorylated linear plasmids by non-homologous end joining with considerable efficiency independently of the end-processing polymerase Pol4p. Homology searches and biochemical assays did not reveal a 5′-kinase that would account for this repair, however. Instead, open reading frame YMR156C (here named TPP1) is shown to encode only a polynucleotide kinase-type 3′-phosphatase. Tpp1p bears extensive similarity to the ancient l-2-halo-acid dehalogenase and DDDD phosphohydrolase superfamilies, but is specific for double-stranded DNA. It is present at high levels in cell extracts in a functional form and so does not represent a pseudogene. Moreover, the phosphatase-only nature of this gene is shared by Saccharomyces mikatae YMR156C and Arabidopsis thaliana K15M2.3. Repair of 3′-phosphate and 5′-hydroxyl lesions is thus uncoupled in budding yeast as compared with metazoans. Repair of transformed dephosphorylated plasmids, and 5′-hydroxyl blocking lesions more generally, likely proceeds by a cycle of base removal and resynthesis.
A new switched-capacitor dc-dc converter with improved line and load regulations

A new switched-capacitor (SC) step-down dc-dc converter is presented. It exhibits smaller size, lighter weight and stronger regulation capabilities than previous SC converters of the same power ratings. Its operation principles and analysis are described in detail and an accurate as well as an approximate expression governing input, output and circuit parameters is presented. A discussion on the achievable conversion efficiency is also given. A 12 V/5 V prototype based on the proposed topology has been implemented and tested. Theoretical prediction of its regulation and efficiency is verified experimentally.
Simultaneous Out-of-focus Blur Estimation And Restoration For A Digital Auto-focusing System

111. PROPOSED IMAGE DEGRADATION SYSTEM Digital image restoration based on estimated PSF Ab8tractIn order to increase accuracy in estimating the point spread function (PSF) of out-of-focus blur, we subdivided the input image and then averaged PSFs from each sub-image. The PSF of each subimage is estimated by differentiating step response along the appropriately estimated edge direction under assumption that an image usually has piece-wise linear boundary between an object and background. Once the averaged PSF is obtained we can use any kind of image restoration filter according to a speciflc application requirements, such as computational complexity or processing time.
Pro-apoptotic effect of cecropin AD on nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells.

鼻咽的癌(NPC ) 是在东南亚洲的高度流行的恶意之一。 化疗和放射疗法通常被管理对待鼻咽的癌，但是这些治疗不能阻止肿瘤房间的复发和转移。 而且，这些治疗有严重副作用。 因此，发现更有效的治疗是重要的， e。 g. ，为鼻咽的癌的处理的基因治疗。 Cecropin 广告(恶棍) 是比自然 cecropin 展出更高的抗菌剂活动的混合的肽。 在在 cecropin D 的 thec 结束的 cecropin A 和 12-37 氨基酸残余的 N 结束的 1-11 氨基酸残余的 Itconsists。 在恶意的房间的恶棍的角色仍然保持不清楚。 在这研究， Cadgene 被克隆并且转了进 NPC CNE2 房间和它的 pro-apoptotic 效果被调查。
Supercontinuum generation in all solid photonic crystal fiber with flat all-normal dispersion

Experimental demonstration of supercontinuum in an in-house fabricated, all-solid, flat-top normal dispersion photonic crystal fiber is given. Presented study comprises characterization of developed fiber in terms of microstructure design, attenuation and dispersion characteristic, followed by experiment and numerical analysis of supercontinuum generation spanning an octave from around 900 nm to 2400 nm under 1530 nm excitation with 70 fs pulses.
The APC 11 RING-H 2 Finger Mediates E 2-Dependent Ubiquitination

Polyubiquitination marks proteins for degradation by the 26S proteasome and is carried out by a cascade of enzymes that includes ubiquitin-activating enzymes (E1s), ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2s), and ubiquitin ligases (E3s). The anaphase-promoting complex or cyclosome (APC/C) comprises a multisubunit ubiquitin ligase that mediates mitotic progression. Here, we provide evidence that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae RING-H2 finger protein Apc11 defines the minimal ubiquitin ligase activity of the APC. We found that the integrity of the Apc11p RING-H2 finger was essential for budding yeast cell viability, Using purified, recombinant proteins we showed that Apc11p interacted directly with the Ubc4 ubiquitin conjugating enzyme (E2). Furthermore, purified Apc11p was capable of mediating E1and E2-dependent ubiquitination of protein substrates, including Clb2p, in vitro. The ability of Apc11p to act as an E3 was dependent on the integrity of the RING-H2 finger, but did not require the presence of the cullin-like APC subunit Apc2p. We suggest that Apc11p is responsible for recruiting E2s to the APC and for mediating the subsequent transfer of ubiquitin to APC substrates in vivo.
Reconfigurable transmit-array antenna with multiple focal sources

In this contribution we present the design of a reconfigurable transmit-array with multiple focal sources. Two quadruple-feed configurations (cross and square arrangements) with standard gain horns are considered. The simulation results show a gain of 23.6 dBi for both configurations and a maximum side lobe level (SLL) of -18.4 dB and -17 dB, respectively. We also show the radiation patterns for different tilted beam configurations in H-plane. The proposed design demonstrates a focal distance reduction by a factor of about 2, paving the way for possibilities of integration for this kind of radiating systems over moving platforms for instance.
Static and dynamic γ‐motor output to ankle flexor muscles during locomotion in the decerebrate cat

In locomotion, the flexor muscles of the leg are mainly concerned with the relatively constant task of raising the foot, whereas the extensors have the more variable task of support and propulsion at different speeds. This suggests that the way in which the fusimotor system works may differ between the two muscle groups. Observations previously made of the static and dynamic γ‐motor firing patterns in the ankle extensor medial gastrocnemius (MG) have therefore been repeated in the flexor tibialis anterior (TA). One or more single γ‐motor axons, dissected from a small filament of TA nerve, were recorded simultaneously with a number of single spindle afferents in dorsal rootlets. Cats were decerebrated and locomoted spontaneously on a treadmill. Identification of each γ‐motor axon depended on relating the changes in firing caused by midbrain stimulation to the changes in static and dynamic behaviour of the spindle afferents in response to repetitive ramp and hold stretches. Static γ axons all showed a smooth modulation in frequency, increasing in phase with muscle shortening, superimposed on a minimum frequency of about 20–30 impulses s−1. Dynamic γ axons showed interrupted firing with the frequency rising abruptly from zero at the onset of shortening, and falling again to zero shortly after the onset of lengthening. The frequency during the active periods was relatively constant, even when movement amplitudes varied. The basic similarity in the static and dynamic gamma discharge patterns for the two muscles suggests that the strategy of γ‐motor control is common to both flexors and extensors. The static γ pattern is thought to be a ‘temporal template’ of the expected movement, effectively expanding the dynamic response range of the spindles in active movements. The dynamic γ pattern sensitizes the primary afferents to detect the onset of muscle lengthening and to detect departures from the intended movement trajectory.
Bacterivorousgrazers facilitate organicmatter decomposition : a stoichiometricmodelingapproach

There is widespread empirical evidence that protist grazing on bacteria reduces bacterial abundances but increases bacteria-mediated decomposition of organic matter. This paradox has been noted repeatedly in the microbiology literature but lacks a generally accepted mechanistic explanation. To explain this paradox quantitatively, we develop a bacteria-grazer model of organic matter decomposition that incorporates protozoa-driven nutrient recycling and stoichiometry. Unlike previous efforts, the current model includes explicit limitation, via Liebig’s law of minimum, by two possible factors, nutrient and carbon densities, as well as their relative ratios in bacteria and grazers. Our model shows two principal results: (1) when the environment is carbon limiting, organic matter can always be decomposed completely, regardless of the presence/absence of grazers; (2) when the environment is nutrient (such as nitrogen) limiting, it is possible for organic matter to be completely decomposed in the presence, but not absence, of grazers. Grazers facilitate decomposition by releasing nutrients back into the environment, which would otherwise be limiting, while preying upon bacteria. Model analysis reveals that facilitation of organic matter decomposition by grazers is positively related to the stoichiometric difference between bacteria and grazers. In addition, we predict the existence of an optimal density range of introduced grazers, which maximally facilitate the decomposition of organic matter in a fixed time period. This optimal range reflects a trade-off between grazer-induced nutrient recycling and grazer-induced mortality of bacteria.
Borrelia burgdorferi bba74 Is Expressed Exclusively during Tick Feeding and Is Regulated by Both Arthropod- and Mammalian Host-Specific Signals

ABSTRACT Although BBA74 initially was described as a 28-kDa virulence-associated outer-membrane-spanning protein with porin-like function, subsequent studies revealed that it is periplasmic and downregulated in mammalian host-adapted spirochetes. To further elucidate the role of this protein in the Borrelia burgdorferi tick-mammal cycle, we conducted a thorough examination of its expression profile in comparison with the profiles of three well-characterized, differentially expressed borrelial genes (ospA, ospC, and ospE) and their proteins. In vitro, transcripts for bba74 were expressed at 23°C and further enhanced by a temperature shift (37°C), whereas BBA74 protein diminished at elevated temperatures; in contrast, neither transcript nor protein was expressed by spirochetes grown in dialysis membrane chambers (DMCs). Primer extension of wild-type B. burgdorferi grown in vitro, in conjunction with expression analysis of DMC-cultivated wild-type and rpoS mutant spirochetes, revealed that, like ospA, bba74 is transcribed by σ70 and is subject to RpoS-mediated repression within the mammalian host. A series of experiments utilizing wild-type and rpoS mutant spirochetes was conducted to determine the transcriptional and translational profiles of bba74 during the tick-mouse cycle. Results from these studies revealed (i) that bba74 is transcribed by σ70 exclusively during the larval and nymphal blood meals and (ii) that transcription of bba74 is bracketed by RpoS-independent and -dependent forms of repression that are induced by arthropod- and mammalian host-specific signals, respectively. Although loss of BBA74 does not impair the ability of B. burgdorferi to complete its infectious life cycle, the temporal compartmentalization of this gene's transcription suggests that BBA74 facilitates fitness of the spirochete within a narrow window of its tick phase. A reexamination of the paradigm for reciprocal regulation of ospA and ospC, performed herein, revealed that the heterogeneous expression of OspA and OspC displayed by spirochete populations during the nymphal blood meal results from the intricate sequence of transcriptional and translational changes that ensue as B. burgdorferi transitions between its arthropod vector and mammalian host.