Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Molecular Cloning and Characterization of cgt, the Brucella abortus Cyclic β-1,2-Glucan Transporter Gene, and Its Role in Virulence

ABSTRACT The animal pathogen Brucella abortus contains a gene cgt, which complemented Sinorhizobium meliloti nodule development (ndvA) and Agrobacterium tumefaciens chromosomal virulence (chvA) mutants. Complemented strains recovered the presence of anionic cyclic β-1,2-glucan, motility, tumor induction in A. tumefaciens, and nodule occupancy in S. meliloti, all traits strictly associated with the presence of cyclic β-1,2-glucan in the periplasm. Nucleotide sequencing revealed that B. abortus cgt contains a 1,797-bp open reading frame coding for a predicted membrane protein of 599 amino acids (65.9 kDa) that is 58.5 and 59.9% identical to S. meliloti NdvA and A. tumefaciens ChvA, respectively. Additionally, B. abortus cgt, like S. meliloti ndvA and A. tumefaciens chvA possesses ATP-binding motifs and the ABC signature domain features of a typical ABC transporter. Characterization of Cgt was carried out by the construction of null mutants in B. abortus 2308 and S19 backgrounds. Both mutants do not transport cyclic β-1,2-glucan to the periplasm, as shown by the absence of anionic cyclic glucan, and they display reduced virulence in mice and defective intracellular multiplication in HeLa cells. These results suggest that cyclic β-1,2-glucan must be transported into the periplasmatic space to exert its action as a virulence factor.
Internet security facing Jihadist propaganda in Europe: the last challenge for society?

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés. Internet security facing Jihadist propaganda in Europe: the last challenge for society? Noemi M. Rocca
Impact of a Clinical Pathway in Patient Care Following Surgery on Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of clinical pathway (CP) implementation in laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) has had on patient care and clinical evolution after discharge. Materials and Methods Eighty-six patients were included in 2 groups: first group was composed of patients operated since the new technique (LRP) was used until the CP was implemented (26 patients operated in 2002) and, second group, with 60 patients, followed the CP during 2004 and 2005. Results The operative time was reduced from 377.7 to 172.3 minutes after the CP implementation. The duration of bladder catheterization decreased by more than 10 days (from 26.17 to 15.85 days) and that of thromboprophylaxis was reduced from 6.44 to 3.38 days. No difference was found in the rate of complications in the first month after surgery, nor was there any difference in the rate of occurrence of erectile dysfunction, incontinence, and biochemical recurrence during the first year after surgery. Conclusion After the implementation of the CP, there have been better results in patient care, such as reduction in the duration of catheterization and thromboprophylaxis. In comparison with other studies, we observed a clear reduction in length of stay and operative time. However, there is still room for improvement in reducing the duration of catheterization.
Hospitality and Tourism Online Review Research: A Systematic Analysis and Heuristic-Systematic Model

With tremendous growth and potential of online consumer reviews, online reviews of hospitality and tourism are now playing a significant role in consumer attitude and buying behaviors. This study reviewed and analyzed hospitality and tourism related articles published in academic journals. The systematic approach was used to analyze 55 research articles between January 2008 and December 2017. This study presented a brief synthesis of research by investigating content-related characteristics of hospitality and tourism online reviews (HTORs) in different market segments. Two research questions were addressed. Building upon our literature analysis, we used the heuristic-systematic model (HSM) to summarize and classify the characteristics affecting consumer perception in previous HTOR studies. We believe that the framework helps researchers to identify the research topic in extended HTORs literature and to point out possible direction for future studies.
Comparison of thiazide‐like diuretics versus thiazide‐type diuretics: a meta‐analysis

Thiazide diuretics are widely used for the management of hypertension. In recent years, it has been actively debated that there is interchangeability of thiazide‐type diuretics hydrochlorothiazide and thiazide‐like diuretics including indapamide and chlorthalidone for the treatment of hypertension. With the purpose of seeking out the best thiazide diuretic for clinicians, we summarized the existing evidence on the two types of drugs and conducted a meta‐analysis on their efficacy in lowering blood pressure and effects on blood electrolyte, glucose and total cholesterol. Twelve trials were identified: five based on the comparison of indapamide versus hydrochlorothiazide and seven based on the chlorthalidone versus hydrochlorothiazide. In the meta‐analysis of blood pressure reduction, thiazide‐like diuretics seemed to further reduce systolic BP ([95% CI]; −5.59 [−5.69, −5.49]; P < 0.001) and diastolic BP ([95% CI]; −1.98 [−3.29, −0.66]; P = 0.003). Meanwhile, in the analysis of side effects, the incidence of hypokalemia ([95% CI]; 1.58 [0.80, 3.12]; P = 0.19), hyponatremia ([95% CI]; −0.14 [−0.57, 0.30], P = 0.54), change of blood glucose ([95% CI];0.13 [−0.16, 0.41], P = 0.39) and total cholesterol ([95% CI]; 0.13 [−0.16, 0.41], P = 0.39) showed that there is no statistical significant differences between the two groups of drugs. In conclusion, using thiazide‐like diuretics is superior to thiazide‐type diuretics in reducing blood pressure without increasing the incidence of hypokalemia, hyponatraemia and any change of blood glucose and serum total cholesterol.
Ultrasound and computed tomography of the iliosacral lymphatic centre in dogs with anal sac gland carcinoma

In this prospective study, we hypothesized that computed tomography (CT) would identify more normal and abnormal iliosacral lymph nodes (LNs) than abdominal ultrasound in dogs with anal sac gland carcinoma (ASGC). Twelve client-owned dogs with ASGC but without distant metastasis were enrolled. Abdominal ultrasound and contrast-enhanced CT scans of the abdomen were obtained. Iliosacral LNs were counted and assessed for location, laterality and size. Significantly (P < 0.00001) more iliosacral LNs were identified with CT (61) than ultrasound (30), including significantly (P = 0.00012) more medial iliac LNs with CT (33) than ultrasound (19). There was no difference in number of internal iliac LNs identified with CT versus ultrasound. Significantly (P = 0.000061) more sacral LNs were identified with CT (15) than ultrasound (0). Ultrasound identified slightly more (7) abnormal iliosacral LNs than CT (5). Contrast CT was able to identify more normal but not more abnormal LNs than ultrasound.
Does the effect of immunotherapy last after termination of treatment?

In a previous study, 39 adults with grass pollen allergy were hyposensitized for approximately 21/2 years. Treatment was performed in a double‐blind fashion with extract made from timothy grass ‐ either Alutard SQ, 20‐component extract or a purified 2‐component extract, including only the two major allergens Phi p V and VI. Standardized symptom + medicine scores and challenge tests demonstrated a clinical effect, most markedly in the group receiving 20‐component extract. Six years after termination of treatment, 38 patients could be approached and 16 in each group were examined and repeated symptom scoring during the subsequent season. When adjustment for variations in pollen counts were made, medicine + symptom scores stayed low during the follow‐up period. Specific IgE‐antibodies against timothy showed an increase to initial values during the same period, whereas total IgE antibodies remained low. Skin prick test reactions with timothy allergen tended to increase but were still smaller than before treatment. Retrospectively, the patients reported symptoms to have stabilized or even further decreased after termination of treatment, with no significant difference between groups. In conclusion, the clinical effect was still present more than 6 years after termination of treatment. Some in vitro parameters tended to return to pretreatment level. The spontaneous course of the disease in non‐hyposensitized patients was not investigated.
Age-related endothelial dysfunction : potential implications for pharmacotherapy.

Aging per se is associated with abnormalities of the vascular wall linked to both structural and functional changes that can take place at the level of the extracellular matrix, the vascular smooth muscle and the endothelium of blood vessels. Endothelial dysfunction is generally defined as a decrease in the capacity of the endothelium to dilate blood vessels in response to physical and chemical stimuli. It is one of the characteristic changes that occur with age, independently of other known cardiovascular risk factors. This may account in part for the increased incidence of cardiovascular events in elderly people that can be reversed by restoring endothelial function. A better understanding of the mechanisms involved and the aetiopathogenesis of this process will help in the search for new therapeutic agents.Age-dependent alteration of endothelium-dependent relaxation seems to be a widespread phenomenon both in conductance and resistance arteries from several species. In the course of aging, there is an alteration in the equilibrium between relaxing and contracting factors released by the endothelium. Hence, there is a progressive reduction in the participation of nitric oxide and endothelium-derived hyperpolarising factor associated with increased participation of oxygen-derived free radicals and cyclo-oxygenase-derived prostanoids. Also, the endothelin-1 and angiotensin II pathways may play a role in age-related endothelial dysfunction. The use of drugs acting at different levels of these signalling cascades, including antioxidant therapy, lipid-lowering drugs and estrogens, seems to be promising.
Estimating Extracellular Concentrations of Dopamine and 3,4‐Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid in Nucleus Accumbens and Striatum Using Microdialysis: Relationships Between In Vitro and In Vivo Recoveries

Abstract: It is common practice in microdialysis studies for probes to be “calibrated” in artificial CSF and in vitro recoveries determined for all substances to be measured in vivo. Dialysate concentrations of such substances are then “corrected” for in vitro recoveries to provide “estimates” of extracellular concentrations. At least for dopamine, in vitro and in vivo recoveries are significantly different and, therefore, an estimate of extracellular dopamine based on correction for in vitro recovery is likely to be erroneous. Generally, however, the relative relationships of such estimates among animals are of interest rather than the “true” extracellular values. Such relationships would be valid to the extent that estimated values are correlated with or predictive of true values. Using the “no net flux” procedure, the present study sought to determine, for both dopamine and its metabolite 3,4‐dihydroxy‐phenylacetic acid (DOPAC), whether in vitro and in vivo recoveries would correlate with each other as well as whether respective estimated and true (no net flux) values of these substances would correlate with each other. Probes (3 mm; BAS/CMed MF‐5393), previously calibrated, were lowered into both the nucleus accumbens and striatum of freely moving rats the day before sample collection was begun. In vitro and in vivo recoveries were not significantly correlated (r= 0.1–0.3), for either dopamine or DOPAC. For both dopamine and DOPAC, however, there were significant correlations (r= 0.7–0.8) between estimated and true values. Surprisingly, when using these commercial probes, absolute dialysate levels for both substances were even better correlated (r = 0.9–0.95) with true values. This suggests that, with these probes, a direct comparison of dialysate concentrations can be used to determine relative changes in basal extracellular levels of dopamine and DOPAC when it is not practical to do no net flux studies (e.g., because of the time required to characterize a drug effect). The use of in vitro calibrations adjusts the values closer to the true values but also adds noise to each value and therefore should be avoided.
Dra/AfaE Adhesin of Uropathogenic Dr/Afa+Escherichia coli Mediates Mortality in Pregnant Rats

ABSTRACT Escherichia coli bearing adhesins of the Dr/Afa family frequently causes urogenital infections during pregnancy in humans and has been associated with mortality in pregnant rats. Two components of the adhesin, Dra/AfaE and Dra/AfaD, considered virulence factors, are responsible for bacterial binding and internalization. We hypothesize that gestational mortality caused by Dr/Afa+E. coli is mediated by one of these two proteins, Dra/AfaE or Dra/AfaD. In this study, using afaE and/or afaD mutants, we investigated the role of the afaE and afaD genes in the mortality of pregnant rats from intrauterine infection. Sprague-Dawley rats, on the 17th day of pregnancy, were infected with the E. coli afaE+afaD and afaE afaD+ mutants. The clinical E. coli strain (afaE+afaD+) and the afaE afaD double mutant were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. The mortality rate was evaluated 24 h after infection. The highest maternal mortality was observed in the group infected with the afaE+afaD+ strain, followed by the group infected with the afaE+afaD strain. The mortality was dose dependent. The afaE afaD double mutant did not cause maternal mortality, even with the highest infection dose. The in vivo studies corresponded with the invasion assay, where the afaE+ strains were the most invasive (afaE+afaD strain > afaE+afaD+ strain), while the afaE mutant strains (afaE afaD+ and afaE afaD strains) seemed to be noninvasive. This study shows for the first time that the afaE gene coding for the AfaE subunit of Dr/Afa adhesin is involved in the lethal outcome of gestational infection in rats. This lethal effect associated with AfaE correlates with the invasiveness of afaE+E. coli strains in vitro.
Purification and characterization of bovine hepatic uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase.

Uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.37) has been purified to homogeneity from bovine liver by using isoelectric and salt precipitations, followed by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, phenyl-Sepharose, hydroxylapatite, and Sephacryl S-200. The purified enzyme is a monomer with an Mr approximately 57 000 and an isoelectric point at pH 4.6. Enzyme activity is optimal in buffers having an ionic strength of approximately 0.1 M and a pH of 6.8. The purified enzyme has a specific activity (expressed as the disappearance of uroporphyrinogen I) of 936 nmol X h-1 X (mg of protein)-1. The purified enzyme catalyzes all four decarboxylation reactions in the conversion of uroporphyrinogen I or III to the corresponding coproporphyrinogen. The rate-limiting step in the physiologically significant conversion of uroporphyrinogen III to coproporphyrinogen III is the decarboxylation of heptacarboxylate III. Kinetic data suggest that the enzyme has at least two noninteracting active sites. At least one sulfhydryl group is required for catalytic activity. The enzyme is inhibited by sulfhydryl-specific reagents and by divalent metal ions including Fe2+, Co2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, and Pb2+. The pattern of accumulation of intermediate (hepta-, hexa-, and pentacarboxylate porphyrinogens) and final (coproporphyrinogen) decarboxylation products is affected by the ratio of substrate (uroporphyrinogen I or III) concentration to enzyme concentration. Under physiologic conditions where the uroporphyrinogen to enzyme ratio is low, the substrate is nearly quantitatively decarboxylated, and the major product is coproporphyrinogen. If the ratio of uroporphyrinogen to enzyme is high, intermediates accumulate, and heptacarboxylate porphyrinogen becomes the major decarboxylation product. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Edge-based image restoration

In this paper, we propose a new image inpainting algorithm that relies on explicit edge information. The edge information is used both for the reconstruction of a skeleton image structure in the missing areas, as well as for guiding the interpolation that follows. The structure reconstruction part exploits different properties of the edges, such as the colors of the objects they separate, an estimate of how well one edge continues into another one, and the spatial order of the edges with respect to each other. In order to preserve both sharp and smooth edges, the areas delimited by the recovered structure are interpolated independently, and the process is guided by the direction of the nearby edges. The novelty of our approach lies primarily in exploiting explicitly the constraint enforced by the numerical interpretation of the sequential order of edges, as well as in the pixel filling method which takes into account the proximity and direction of edges. Extensive experiments are carried out in order to validate and compare the algorithm both quantitatively and qualitatively. They show the advantages of our algorithm and its readily application to real world cases.
Results from England's 2014 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth.

BACKGROUND The Active Healthy Kids 2014 England Report Card aims to provide a systematic assessment of how England is performing in relation to engaging and facilitating physical activity (PA) in children and young people. METHODS The systematic methods and processes that underpin the Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card were used and adapted. Data and evidence were consolidated, reviewed by a panel of content experts, and used to inform the assignment of letter grades (A, B, C, D, F) to 9 core indicators related to PA. RESULTS Children's Overall Physical Activity received a grade of C/D. Active Transportation and Organized Sport Participation received grades of C and C-, respectively. The indicators of School and Community and the Built Environment were graded favorable with grades of A- and B, respectively. Active Play, Sedentary Behaviors, Family and Peers, and Government Strategies and Investments were graded as INC (incomplete) due to a lack of nationally representative data and/or as a result of data not mapping onto the benchmarks used to assign the grades. CONCLUSIONS Substantial provision for PA opportunities in England exists. Yet more effort is required to maximize use of these resources to increase PA participation.
Zebrafish as a Developmental Model Organism for Pediatric Research

Zebrafish has many advantages as a model of human pediatric research. Given the physical and ethical problems with performing experiments on human patients, biomedical research has focused on using model organisms to study biologic processes conserved between humans and lower vertebrates. The most common model organisms are small mammals, usually rats and mice. Although these models have significant advantages, they are also expensive to maintain, difficult to manipulate embryonically, and limited for large-scale genetic studies. The zebrafish model nicely complements these deficiencies in mammalian experimental models. The low cost, small size, and external development of zebrafish make it an excellent model for vertebrate development biology. Techniques for large-scale genome mutagenesis and gene mapping, transgenesis, protein overexpression or knockdown, cell transplantation and chimeric embryo analysis, and chemical screens have immeasurably increased the power of this model organism. It is now possible to rapidly determine the developmental function of a gene of interest in vivo, and then identify genetic and chemical modifiers of the processes involved. Discoveries made in zebrafish can be further validated in mammals. With novel technologies being regularly developed, the zebrafish is poised to significantly improve our understanding of vertebrate development under normal and pathologic conditions.
Purification and Characterization from Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) Leaves of Six Small, Wound-Inducible, Proteinase Isoinhibitors of the Potato Inhibitor II Family

Six small molecular mass, wound-inducible trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor proteins from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) leaves were isolated to homogeneity. The isoinhibitors, cumulatively called tobacco trypsin inhibitor (TTI), have molecular masses of approximately 5500 to 5800 D, calculated from gel filtration analysis and amino acid content. The amino acid sequence of the entire 53 residues of one isoinhibitor, TTI-1, and the sequence of 36 amino acid residues from the N terminus of a second isoinhibitor, TTI-5, were determined. The two isoinhibitors differ only at residue 11, which is threonine in TTI-1 and lysine in TTI-5. The isoinhibitors are members of the potato inhibitor II family and show considerable identity with the small molecular mass members of this family, which include the eggplant inhibitor, two small molecular mass trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitors from potatoes, and an inhibitor from pistils of the ornamental plant Nicotiana alata. Antibodies produced against the isoinhibitors in rabbits were used in radial immunoassays to quantify both the systemic wound inducibility of TTI in tobacco leaves and its constitutive levels in flowers.
Trends in social inequality in the economic and political contexts

The problem of inequality has been known in society since time immemorial and has not lost its significance to this day. Moreover, in the contemporary world, it acquires the features of a global problem, attracting the attention of representatives of various sciences, primarily economists and political scientists. In this article, certain approaches of the economists and political scientists to the analysis of the issues of inequality and its consequences are considered. The author concludes that there is the convergence of their research fields.
Severity factors associated with borderline personality disorder among misusers in an outpatient sample in Spain

ABSTRACT The comorbidity between substance-use disorders and borderline personality disorder (SUD-BPD) with other psychiatric disorders has been little studied. A total of 937 drug-dependent patients were evaluated using semistructured interviews and 13.7% were SUD-BPD patients. After multivariate analysis, gender, Affective Disorder (OR 2.59), Anxiety Disorder (OR 1.90), Eating Disorders (OR 4.29), Cocaine (OR 2.16), benzodiazepine dependence (OR 1.90), early age of onset of drug consumption (OR 0.94), and dependent (OR 4.04), paranoid (OR 3.70) and antisocial personality disorders (OR 3.46) were associated with SUD-BPD. Several psychiatric comorbidities are the norm in SUD-BPD patients; therefore these patients are a challenge for clinicians.