Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Brutonˈs tyrosine kinase—an integral protein of B cell development that also has an essential role in the innate immune system

Btk is the protein affected in XLA, a disease identified as a B cell differentiation defect. Btk is crucial for B cell differentiation and activation, but its role in other cells is not fully understood. This review focuses on the function of Btk in monocytes, neutrophils, and platelets and the receptors and signaling cascades in such cells with which Btk is associated.
The Hyrcanus Group of Anopheles (Anopheles) in China (Diptera: Culicidae): Species Discrimination and Phylogenetic Relationships Inferred by Ribosomal DNA Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 Sequences

Abstract The Hyrcanus group comprises many closely related species with wide distributions in the Oriental and Palaearctic regions. The sequences of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) of ribosomal DNA were determined for 12 species in China—An. crawfordi, An. hyrcanus, An. junlianensis, An. kunmingensis, An. kweiyangensis, An. lesteri, An. liangshanensis, An. peditaeniatus, An. pullus, An. sinensis, and two unknown species within the group. The length of the ITS2 ranged from 436 bp in An. hyrcanus to 469 bp in An. crawfordi, with GC contents of 44.9–46.8%. Intraspecific variation was found in three species (An. junlianensis, An. liangshanensis, and An. pullus) at the level of 0.0–0.4%, whereas interspecific differences ranged from 1.6% between An. liangshanensis and An. kunmingensis to 50.8% between An. peditaeniatus and sp. 1. The ITS2 comparisons revealed two unknown species, verified the valid species status for An. kunmingensis, and found An. pullus in China. We agree that An. anthropophagus is a junior synonym of An. lesteri. The validation of An. junlianensis awaits recognition of the molecular identity of the entity identified as An. yatsushiroensis. The ITS2 divergences were used for inferring phylogenetic relationships among 12 species in China. The estimation revealed close relationships among An. liangshanesis, An. kunmingensis, An. kweiyangensis, An. lesteri, and An. sinensis. Our study emphasizes the need for the molecular identity of the species members in integrated studies in systematics, bionomics, and population genetics for the Hyrcanus group.
Real-Time System-on-Chip Emulation of Electrothermal Models for Power Electronic Devices via Hammerstein Configuration

Real-time emulation of device-level power electronics plays an essential role in many industrial applications for design and hardware-in-the-loop testing of system components and controllers. Due to the complexity and heavy computational burden of the real-time hardware implementation of the analytical and the numerical models, this paper proposes dynamic electrothermal behavioral models for diode, thyristor, and insulated-gate bipolar transistor based on the Hammerstein configuration. The power electronic device model parameters are extracted from the known device datasheets and implemented in Zynq System-on-Chip platform with accelerated processing for real-time application. An electromagnetic rail gun system has been employed as the study case to compare the performance of the proposed electrothermal behavioral models with that of off-line simulation models on SaberRD software.
Regulation of Neurotoxin Production and Sporulation by a Putative agrBD Signaling System in Proteolytic Clostridium botulinum

ABSTRACT A significant number of genome sequences of Clostridium botulinum and related species have now been determined. In silico analysis of these data revealed the presence of two distinct agr loci (agr-1 and agr-2) in all group I strains, each encoding putative proteins with similarity to AgrB and AgrD of the well-studied Staphylococcus aureus agr quorum sensing system. In S. aureus, a small diffusible autoinducing peptide is generated from AgrD in a membrane-located processing event that requires AgrB. Here the characterization of both agr loci in the group I strain C. botulinum ATCC 3502 and of their homologues in a close relative, Clostridium sporogenes NCIMB 10696, is reported. In C. sporogenes NCIMB 10696, agr-1 and agr-2 appear to form transcriptional units that consist of agrB, agrD, and flanking genes of unknown function. Several of these flanking genes are conserved in Clostridium perfringens. In agreement with their proposed role in quorum sensing, both loci were maximally expressed during late-exponential-phase growth. Modulation of agrB expression in C. sporogenes was achieved using antisense RNA, whereas in C. botulinum, insertional agrD mutants were generated using ClosTron technology. In comparison to the wild-type strains, these strains exhibited drastically reduced sporulation and, for C. botulinum, also reduced production of neurotoxin, suggesting that both phenotypes are controlled by quorum sensing. Interestingly, while agr-1 appeared to control sporulation, agr-2 appeared to regulate neurotoxin formation.
A programming model and runtime system for approximation-aware heterogeneous computing

Heterogeneous platforms that include diverse architectures such as multicore CPUs, FPGAs and GPUs are becoming very popular due to their superior performance and energy efficiency. Besides heterogeneity, a promising approach for minimizing energy consumption is through approximate computing which relaxes the requirement that all parts of a program are considered equally important to the output quality, thus, all should be executed at full accuracy. Our work extends a traditional OpenMP-like programming model and runtime system to support seamless execution on hybrid architectures with approximation semantics. Starting from a common application code, annotated with our programming model, the programmer can not only target heterogeneous architectures comprising CPU, FPGA and GPU components, but can also regulate the amount of approximation. We evaluate our framework on a number of large-scale applications and demonstrate that the combination of heterogeneous and approximate computing can provide a powerful dynamic interplay between performance and output quality.
The Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-2 Kinase Pathway Facilitates Differential GADD45a Expression in Response to Environmental Stress*

Phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor-2 (eIF2) regulates general and gene-specific translation in response to diverse environmental stresses. Central to gene expression induced by eIF2 phosphorylation is the preferential translation of ATF4, a basic zipper transcription activator. Phosphorylation of eIF2 and its attendant induction of ATF4 can lead to different patterns of gene expression depending on the environmental stress. This is of fundamental importance because eIF2 kinases can induce the expression of genes involved in survival as well as in apoptosis. In this report, we explore the molecular basis for why there can be differential expression of GADD45a, a stress-responsive protein that regulates genome stability, apoptosis, and immune responses. We find that whereas ATF4 is required for GADD45a transcription during many different environmental stresses, GADD45a protein accumulates only during a limited number of stress arrangements. The basis for this difference between measurable GADD45a mRNA and protein lies in the observation that GADD45a protein is labile. Those stress agents that enhance ATF4-directed GADD45a transcription and impede the turnover of GADD45a protein by blocking ubiquitin/proteasome-mediated degradation elevate GADD45a protein levels. By comparison, those stress arrangements that trigger ATF4 levels and GADD45a transcription, but do not perturb the proteasome pathway, only elevate GADD45a mRNA levels. This study highlights the molecular mechanisms by which environmental stresses can differentially control central regulatory proteins targeted by the eIF2 kinase pathway.
Effects of forward trunk lean on hamstring muscle kinematics during sprinting

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the effects of forward trunk lean on hamstring muscle kinematics during sprinting. Eight male sprinters performed maximal-effort sprints in two trunk positions: forward lean and upright. A three-dimensional musculoskeletal model was used to compute the musculotendon lengths and velocity of the biceps femoris long head, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus muscles during the sprinting gait cycle. The musculotendon lengths of all the three hamstring muscles at foot strike and toe-off were significantly greater during the forward trunk lean sprint than during the upright trunk sprint. In addition, a positive peak musculotendon lengthening velocity was observed in the biceps femoris long head and semimembranosus muscles during the late stance phase, and musculotendon lengths at that instant were significantly greater during the forward trunk lean sprint than during the upright trunk sprint. The present study provides significant evidence that a potential for hamstring muscle strain injury involving forward trunk lean sprinting would exist during the stance phase. The results also indicate that the biceps femoris long head and semimembranosus muscles are stretched during forward trunk lean sprinting while contracting eccentrically in the late stance phase; thus, the elongation load on these muscles could be increased.
Switched-capacitor charge equalization circuit for series-connected batteries

In this paper, a novel switched-capacitor charge-equalization circuit is proposed. Electric charge is transferred to a capacitor from two series-connected cells; whereas charge is returned back one of the cells by the charged capacitor. In this way, a larger equalization current can be achieved, and therefore effectively shorten the equalization time. In order to enhance the energy efficiency, voltage-sensing and comparison circuits are added. By comparing the voltages of the adjacent cells, switches are differentially operated to allow selective energy transfer. Thereafter, meaningless energy transfers are reduced and the equalization circuit can achieve higher efficiency.
Systematic identification of genes with coding microsatellites mutated in DNA mismatch repair‐deficient cancer cells

Microsatellite instability (MSI) caused by deficient DNA mismatch‐repair functions is a hallmark of cancers associated with the hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) syndrome but is also found in about 15% of all sporadic tumors. Most affected microsatellites reside in untranslated intergenic or intronic sequences. However, recently few genes with coding microsatellites were also shown to be mutational targets in MSI‐positive cancers and might represent important mutation targets in their pathogenesis. The systematic identification of such genes and the analysis of their mutation frequency in MSI‐positive cancers might thus reveal major clues to their functional role in MSI‐associated carcinogenesis. We therefore initiated a systematic database search in 33,595 distinctly annotated human genes and identified 17,654 potentially coding mononucleotide repeats (cMNRs) and 2,028 coding dinucleotide repeats (cDNRs), which consist of n ≥ 6 and n ≥ 4 repeat units, respectively. Expression pattern and mutation frequency of 19 of these genes with the longest repeats were compared between DNA mismatch repair‐deficient (MSI+) and proficient (MSS) cancer cells. Instability frequencies in these coding microsatellite genes ranged from 10% to 100% in MSI‐H tumor cells, whereas MSS cancer cells did not show mutations. RT‐PCR analysis further showed that most of the affected genes (10/15) were highly expressed in tumor cells. The approach outlined here identified a new set of genes frequently affected by mutations in MSI‐positive tumor cells. It will lead to novel and highly specific diagnostic and therapeutic targets for microsatellite unstable cancers. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Water continuous oil-water flow velocity measurement based on continuous waves ultrasonic doppler method

A method for water continuous oil-water two-phase flow velocity measurement by using Continuous-Wave Ultrasonic Doppler (CWUD) technique is proposed. Two ultrasonic transducers with a center frequency of 1 MHz were used for emitting and receiving the ultrasound signals. The frequency of received signals changes with flow velocity, and these signals were collected through a PXI based data acquisition system. The acquired signals were transformed from time domain to frequency domain through Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) for obtaining the Doppler frequency shift. Theoretical models were set up to correlate the Doppler frequency shift with mean flow velocity. Experiments in a horizontal pipe were completed. The measured results show good agreement with reference flow velocity.
Induced pluripotent stem cells for modeling of pediatric neurological disorders

The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying childhood neurological disorders have remained obscure due to a lack of suitable disease models reflecting human pathogenesis. Using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology, various neurological disorders can now be extensively modeled. Specifically, iPSC technology has aided the study and treatment of early‐onset pediatric neurodegenerative diseases such as Rett syndrome, Down syndrome, Angelman syndrome. Prader–Willi syndrome, Friedreich's ataxia, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), fragile X syndrome, X‐linked adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), and SCN1A gene‐related epilepsies. In this paper, we provide an overview of various gene delivery systems for generating iPSCs, the current state of modeling early‐onset neurological disorders and the ultimate application of these in vitro models in cell therapy through the correction of disease‐specific mutations.
Electromagnetic scattering from 1-D dielectric sea surface based on second-order small slope approximation

In this paper, electromagnetic scattering from one dimensional dielectric sea surface is investigated, for both TE and TM polarizations, employing the second-order small slope approximation (SSA-II). The second order terms of the small slope approximation method have been numerically implemented in order to obtain accurate results for a large range of slope. The sea surfaces are modeled as realizations of a Gaussian random process with the Pierson-Moskowitz spectrum, while the tapered incident wave is chosen to reduce the truncation error. The numerical results obtained by SSA-II are presented by comparison with benchmark numerical method.
The Nutrient-Load Hypothesis: Patterns of Resource Limitation and Community Structure Driven by Competition for Nutrients and Light

Resource competition theory predicts that the outcome of competition for two nutrients depends on the ratio at which these nutrients are supplied. Yet there is considerable debate whether nutrient ratios or absolute nutrient loads determine the species composition of phytoplankton and plant communities. Here we extend the classical resource competition model for two nutrients by including light as additional resource. Our results suggest the nutrient-load hypothesis, which predicts that nutrient ratios determine the species composition in oligotrophic environments, whereas nutrient loads are decisive in eutrophic environments. The underlying mechanism is that nutrient enrichment shifts the species interactions from competition for nutrients to competition for light, which favors the dominance of superior light competitors overshadowing all other species. Intermediate nutrient loads can generate high biodiversity through a fine-grained patchwork of two-species and three-species coexistence equilibria. Depending on the species traits, however, competition for nutrients and light may also produce multiple alternative stable states, suppressing the predictability of the species composition. The nutrient-load hypothesis offers a solution for several discrepancies between classical resource competition theory and field observations, explains why eutrophication often leads to diversity loss, and provides a simple conceptual framework for patterns of biodiversity and community structure observed in nature.
Smoking is an occupational hazard.

BACKGROUND Even though the prevalence of tobacco smoking has declined in the general population and among white-collar workers, the prevalence of tobacco smoking among blue-collar workers remains unacceptably high. Blue-collar workers experience greater exposure to workplace toxins which can add to, or even multiply, their risk of adverse health effects from tobacco smoking. Among blue-collar workers, workers in the restaurant, bar, and gaming industries are exposed to much higher levels of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) than are office workers, and are at increased risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases even if they are non-smokers themselves. METHODS The literature on health risks, and the disparity between white and blue collar workers in smoking prevalence, and the literature on various tobacco control strategies provide the sources on which this review is based. CONCLUSIONS Over the past 20 years, the accumulating scientific evidence about smoking as an occupational hazard has prompted the implementation of various educational, economic, and legal tobacco control strategies.
Driving Motor Recovery After Stroke

Abstract There have been exciting new discoveries over the past two decades regarding how plastic the adult brain is in response to behavioral experience, such as motor training. Increases in brain trophic factors and upregulation of protein-controlling genes, increases in synaptogenesis, and increases or alterations in motor representations are a few of the neural adaptations observed in response to motor skill training. This neural reorganization after stroke is seen as critical to enhancing upper extremity function, and many therapy protocols have preliminary evidence for their impact on neural reorganization and efficacy in facilitating improvements in motor functioning. Yet, there remain many questions regarding how to predict which particular participants with stroke will respond to the therapy, how great of a response can be expected, how intense therapy should be, and the exact nature of the best practice schedule. In this article, we briefly review the basic science literature demonstrating behavior-induced neural reorganization and then review the evidence for several of the most commonly studied motor rehabilitation interventions for humans with stroke.
Fine root biomass, production and turnover in a fertilized Larix leptolepis plantation in central Korea

The effects of fertilization [control (C), 200 kg N ha−1 + 25 kg P ha−1 (LNP) and 400 kg N ha−1 + 50 kg P ha−1 (HNP)] on fine root dynamics were examined in a 40-year-old Larix leptolepis plantation in central Korea. The average fine root biomass during the growing season for C, LNP and HNP was 957, 934 and 814 kg ha−1, respectively, whereas the fine root production for C, LNP and HNP was 2103, 2131 and 2066 kg ha−1, respectively. Nitrogen and P inputs into the soil via fine root turnover for C, LNP and HNP were 23.0 and 1.2, 23.3 and 1.2 and 22.6 and 1.2 kg ha−1, respectively. There were no significant differences in fine root biomass, production and N and P inputs through fine root turnover between the fertilization treatments during the first growing season after fertilization.
Modulation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor‐regulated genes by acute administration of ammonium metavanadate in kidney, lung and heart of C57BL/6 mice

We recently reported that vanadium (V5+) was able to decrease the 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD)‐mediated induction of Cyp1a1 and Nqo1 at mRNA, protein and catalytic activity levels in mouse hepatoma Hepa 1c1c7 and human hepatoma HepG2 cells. However, little is known regarding the in vivo effects. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate whether similar effects would occur at the in vivo level. Therefore, we examined the effect of exposure to V5+ (5 mg kg−1) with or without TCDD (15 µg kg−1) on the AhR‐regulated genes in kidney, lung and heart of C57BL/6 J mice. Our results demonstrated that V5+ alone significantly decreased Cyp1b1 protein and catalytic activity levels in kidney at 24 h. Moreover, it significantly potentiated Nqo1 and Gsta1 gene expression in the heart, and only Gsta1 gene expression in the lung. Upon co‐exposure, we found that V5+significantly inhibited the TCDD‐mediated induction of Cyp1a1, Cyp1a2 and Cyp1b1 mRNA, protein and catalytic activity levels in the kidney at 24 h. On the other hand, V5+ significantly potentiated the TCDD‐mediated induction of Nqo1 and Gsta1 protein and activity levels in the kidney. Cyp1a1, Cyp1b1, Nqo1 mRNA, protein and catalytic activity levels in the lung were significantly potentiated at 6 h. Interestingly, all tested genes in the heart were significantly decreased at 6 h with the exception of Gsta1 mRNA. The present study demonstrates that V5+ modulates TCDD‐induced AhR‐regulated genes. Furthermore, the effect on one of these enzymes could not be generalized to other enzymes even if it was in the same organ. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Redox regulation of NLRP3 inflammasomes: ROS as trigger or effector?

SIGNIFICANCE Inflammasomes are multiprotein complexes localized within the cytoplasm of the cell that are responsible for the maturation of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18, and the activation of a highly inflammatory form of cell death, pyroptosis. In response to infection or cellular stress, inflammasomes are assembled, activated, and involved in host defense and pathophysiology of diseases. Clarification of the molecular mechanisms leading to the activation of this intracellular inflammatory machinery may provide new insights into the concept of inflammation as the root of and route to human diseases. RECENT ADVANCES The activation of inflammasomes, specifically the most fully characterized inflammasome-the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor containing pyrin domain 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, is now emerging as a critical molecular mechanism for many degenerative diseases. Several models have been developed to describe how NLRP3 inflammasomes are activated, including K(+) efflux, lysosome function, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, intracellular calcium, ubiquitination, microRNAs, and, in particular, reactive oxygen species (ROS). CRITICAL ISSUES ROS may serve as a "kindling" or triggering factor to activate NLRP3 inflammasomes as well as "bonfire" or "effector" molecules, resulting in pathological processes. Increasing evidence seeks to understand how this spatiotemporal action of ROS occurs during NLRP3 inflammasome activation, which will be a major focus of this review. FUTURE DIRECTIONS It is imperative to know how this dual action of ROS works during NLRP3 inflammation activation on different stimuli and what relevance such spatiotemporal redox regulation of NLRP3 inflammasomes has in cell or organ functions and possible human diseases.