Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Beta-lactam resistance and beta-lactamase expression in clinical Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolates having defined phylogenetic relationships.

AIMS To test the hypothesis that Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolates from certain phylogenetic groups have predictable beta-lactamase expression and beta-lactam resistance profiles. METHODS Isolates were grouped using sequences of the 16S rRNA gene and smeT-smeD intergenic region. beta-Lactamase activities in cell extracts were quantified spectrophotometrically and beta-lactam MICs were determined using agar dilution methodology and Etest as appropriate. RESULTS A collection of 50 clinical S. maltophilia isolates from Europe and North, South and Central America were phylogenetically grouped. Group 'A' (22 out of 50) includes remarkably genetically homogeneous isolates; group 'B' (17 out of 50) includes isolates that are genetically heterogeneous and quite distinct from those of group A. Members of these two groups are, however, indistinguishable in terms of their beta-lactam resistance and beta-lactamase expression phenotypes. In contrast, isolates from group 'C', which are less common (8 out of 50), are considerably more susceptible to beta-lactams owing to reduced inducibility of beta-lactamase expression following beta-lactam challenge. CONCLUSIONS The majority of S. maltophilia clinical isolates behave similarly in terms of beta-lactamase expression and beta-lactam resistance properties, despite considerable phylogenetic variability.
Thymic selection and peptide‐induced activation of T cell receptor‐transgenic CD8 T cells in interleukin‐2‐deficient mice

The requirement for interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) in repertoire selection and peripheral activation of CD8 T cells was tested in mice rendered IL‐2 deficient by gene targeting and expressing a transgenic T cell receptor (TcR) (F5) specific for influenza nucleoprotein (NP) 366‐374 + H‐2Db. Positive selection of the transgenic F5 TcR into the CD8 compartment proceeded normally. Both in vivo and in vitro, the antigenic peptide induced depletion of immature thymocytes and proliferation of mature CD8 T cells regardless of the presence of an intact IL‐2 gene. In contrast, cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity was only generated by T cells from IL‐2+ F5 transgenic mice. Exogenous IL‐2 was able to fully restore the CTL response of IL‐2−/− responder cells in vitro. Thus, both in vivo and in vitro, clonal expansion of CD8 T cells can proceed in the absence of IL‐2, whereas in peptide‐immunized F5 transgenic mice, induction of cytotoxic effector function is IL‐2 dependent.
A unique short signal sequence in membrane‐anchored proteins of Archaea

Detailed information is available on the signal sequences of bacteria and eukaryotes that direct secretory proteins out of the cell (von Heijne, 1990). It is generally assumed that such signals in Archaea are identical to the bacterial and eukaryotic signals. Recently, we have identified a glucose binding protein in
Stratégie de développement d'un serious game : entre processus de gamification et de disengamement

In recent years two expressions to qualify partial or complete use of elements from games in non-play contexts have emerged. These expressions are those of serious games and gamification. A serious game and serious game is a game developed for professional purposes, which uses a fun interface to achieve professional goals. Gamification is a process that borrows design elements to make video games more friendlest serious activities, dynamic, motivating, etc. The gamification process does not aim to develop a serious game or transform a serious business in a serious game, but we can consider that a sufficiently advanced gamification process produces a serious game. In this paper, we focus on the concept of serious games to wonder about the transformation process that can lead to it. We begin our discussion by examining what is a serious game, from its literature, as well as in terms of structure, context and attitude of the game. This then allows us to consider from the process gamification, five other processes that can lead to the development of a serious game.
Practice on Level-based College English Teaching Model under CALL Environments

In the present study we call attention to the close connection between languages and globalization and we emphasize the importance of the Internet and online websites in foreign language teaching and learning as unavoidable elements of computer assisted language learning (CALL). Most of the educators can notice the traditional teacher-centered teaching model has been unable to cater for the present situation of College English teaching and learning. The arrival and the development of computers and the Internet offer a turning point in English learning methodology. Promoting student's autonomy in English learning has become an urgent task. What EFL teachers in China need to do now is to modernize English teaching and combine the new with the old so as to adapt the communicative approach to traditional teaching structures. The level-based college English teaching model combined with information technology can not only facilitate the cultivation of professional teachers with teaching proficiency and researching potential but also develop students' creative thinking, promote the students' cross-cultural awareness and strengthen the emotional communication as well. Teachers can utilize the network resources to provide students with a rich visual learning reference, which caters for classroom teaching, students' self-learning and improves teaching efficiency. College English teaching practice needs continued exploration and innovation, the accumulation of teaching experience to receive the best teaching results. However, the effects of such teaching model still depend on program design, classroom management and adequate support from administrators, technicians, teachers and learners themselves.
Analysis of DHHC Acyltransferases Implies Overlapping Substrate Specificity and a Two‐Step Reaction Mechanism

Asp‐His‐His‐Cys (DHHC) cysteine‐rich domain (CRD) acyltransferases are polytopic transmembrane proteins that are found along the endomembrane system of eukaryotic cells and mediate palmitoylation of peripheral and integral membrane proteins. Here, we address the in vivo substrate specificity of five of the seven DHHC acyltransferases for peripheral membrane proteins by an overexpression approach. For all analysed DHHC proteins we detect strongly overlapping substrate specificity. In addition, we now show acyltransferase activity for Pfa5. More importantly, the DHHC protein Pfa3 is able to trap several substrates at the vacuole. For Pfa3 and its substrate Vac8, we can distinguish two consecutive steps in the acylation reaction: an initial binding that occurs independently of its central cysteine in the DHHC box, but requires myristoylation of its substrate Vac8, and a DHHC‐motif dependent acylation. Our data also suggest that proteins can be palmitoylated on several organelles. Thus, the intracellular distribution of DHHC proteins provides an acyltransferase network, which may promote dynamic membrane association of substrate proteins.
Spectral methods in machine learning and new strategies for very large datasets

Spectral methods are of fundamental importance in statistics and machine learning, because they underlie algorithms from classical principal components analysis to more recent approaches that exploit manifold structure. In most cases, the core technical problem can be reduced to computing a low-rank approximation to a positive-definite kernel. For the growing number of applications dealing with very large or high-dimensional datasets, however, the optimal approximation afforded by an exact spectral decomposition is too costly, because its complexity scales as the cube of either the number of training examples or their dimensionality. Motivated by such applications, we present here 2 new algorithms for the approximation of positive-semidefinite kernels, together with error bounds that improve on results in the literature. We approach this problem by seeking to determine, in an efficient manner, the most informative subset of our data relative to the kernel approximation task at hand. This leads to two new strategies based on the Nyström method that are directly applicable to massive datasets. The first of these—based on sampling—leads to a randomized algorithm whereupon the kernel induces a probability distribution on its set of partitions, whereas the latter approach—based on sorting—provides for the selection of a partition in a deterministic way. We detail their numerical implementation and provide simulation results for a variety of representative problems in statistical data analysis, each of which demonstrates the improved performance of our approach relative to existing methods.
GASTEROPHILUS SP. BOTFLY LARVAE IN HORSES FROM THE SOUTH-EASTERN PART OF POLAND

In 2006, 725 horses aged 8 months to 16 years from different farms from the southern-eastern part of Poland were examined post-mortem for the presence of botfly larvae. One hundred and four horses (14.75%) demonstrated the presence of botfly larvae. An average infection rate was 52 larvae but low rate dominated. The larvae found belonged to Gasterophilus intestinalis and Gasterophilus nasalis. The 3 rd instars dominated in the infected horses; however, more than 25% of the horses harboured both 2 nd and 3 rd instars.
Comparison of the Etest and the Sensititre Colorimetric Methods with the NCCLS Proposed Standard for Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Aspergillus Species

ABSTRACT The susceptibilities of 25 clinical isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus, A. flavus, A. terreus, A. nidulans, and A. ustus to itraconazole and amphotericin B were determined by an agar diffusion-dilution method (the Etest method) and a colorimetric broth microdilution method (the Sensititre method); and the results were compared with those obtained by the NCCLS proposed standard M-38P method for antifungal susceptibility testing of filamentous fungi. Various MIC endpoints for the three methods were determined visually by four different observers in three blinded experiments, and the reproducibilities among the observers (interobserver agreement) and among the replicates (interexperimental agreement) as well as the levels of agreement between the NCCLS, the Etest, and the Sensititre methods were calculated. High levels of reproducibility (within 1 twofold dilution) were found for the NCCLS method (>95%) with the MIC-0 endpoint (complete inhibition of growth) for both drugs and with the MIC-1 endpoint (slight growth) for itraconazole and for the Sensititre method (>90%) with all MIC endpoints, although for the latter the interexperimental agreement for itraconazole was comparatively lower (83 to 93%). The Etest method was less reproducible (67 to 87%) for both drugs. Using the recommended MIC endpoints, high levels of agreement (within one twofold dilution) between the NCCLS and the Sensititre methods for all species were found for amphotericin B (>77%) but not for itraconazole (<66%), for which the MICs by the Sensititre method were up to 3 twofold dilutions lower than the corresponding MICs by the NCCLS method. The use of the first blue well as an endpoint for the Sensititre method and 48 h of incubation improved the levels of agreement with the NCCLS method. Low levels of agreement between the NCCLS and the Etest methods using the recommended MIC endpoints were found for most species, especially after 48 h of incubation (<50%), when the MICs obtained by the Etest method were up to 9 twofold dilutions higher than the corresponding MICs obtained by the NCCLS method. Relatively better agreement was found after 24 h, although it was species dependent, with the highest levels of agreement (>82%) found for A. terreus and A. ustus for amphotericin B and A. fumigatus for both drugs. Overall, better agreement was found when MIC-0 was used as the MIC endpoint for the NCCLS method for both drugs and when the MICs by the Etest method were determined after 48 h of incubation for itraconazole and after 24 h of incubation for amphotericin B.
One-generation reproductive toxicity study of epichlorohydrin in Sprague-Dawley rats

This study was conducted to evaluate the potential reproductive toxicity of epichlorohydrin in a one-generation reproduction toxicity study in compliance with OECD Test Guideline 415. Twenty-four male and female rats per group were given epichlorohydrin by gavage at 0, 3.3, 10, and 30 mg/kg/day. Males were dosed for 10 weeks prior to and during mating. Females were dosed from 2 weeks before mating to day 21 of lactation. At 30 mg/kg, an increase in the incidence of clinical signs (i.e., nasal discharge, soft feces, depression, and piloerection), gross necropsy findings (i.e., cystic pustule of the epididymidis and enlargement of the kidney) and the weights of heart, liver, and epididymidis, a decrease in male fertility, and an increased incidence of histopathological changes of the testis, epididymidis, and kidney were observed. At 10 mg/kg, decreased male fertility and increased kidney weight and incidence of histopathological changes of the epididymidis were found. There was a slight, but nonsignificant, reduction in the male fertility index at the dose of 3.3 mg/ kg. Under these experimental conditions, the lowest-observed-adverse-effect level of epichlorohydrin was 3.3 mg/kg/day for parent animals and their offspring. The absolute toxic dose for parent animals and their offspring was estimated to be 10 mg/kg/day.
Developmental changes in GABAergic actions and seizure susceptibility in the rat hippocampus

The immature brain is prone to seizures but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We explored the hypothesis that increased seizure susceptibility during early development is due to the excitatory action of GABA. Using noninvasive extracellular field potential and cell‐attached recordings in CA3 of Sprague‐Dawley rat hippocampal slices, we compared the developmental alterations in three parameters: excitatory actions of GABA, presence of the immature pattern of giant depolarizing potentials (GDPs) and severity of epileptiform activity generated by high potassium. The GABA(A) receptor agonist isoguvacine increased firing of CA3 pyramidal cells in neonatal slices while inhibiting activity in adults. A switch in the GABA(A) signalling from excitation to inhibition occurred at postnatal day (P) 13.5 ± 0.4. Field GDPs were present in the form of spontaneous population bursts until P12.7 ± 0.3. High potassium (8.5 mm) induced seizure‐like events (SLEs) in 35% of slices at P7–16 (peak at P11.3 ± 0.4), but only interictal activity before and after that age. The GABA(A) receptor antagonist bicuculline reduced the frequency or completely blocked SLEs and induced interictal clonic‐like activity accompanied by a reduction in the frequency but an increase in the amplitude of the population spikes. In slices with interictal activity, bicuculline typically caused a large amplitude interictal clonic‐like activity at all ages; in slices from P5–16 rats it was often preceded by one SLE at the beginning of bicuculline application. These results suggest that, in the immature hippocampus, GABA exerts dual (both excitatory and inhibitory) actions and that the excitatory component in the action of GABA may contribute to increased excitability during early development.
How college students use the Web to conduct everyday life research

This paper reports on college students’ everyday life information-seeking behavior and is based on findings from 8,353 survey respondents on 25 U.S. college campuses. A large majority of respondents had looked for news and, to a slightly lesser extent, decision-making information about purchases and health and wellness within the previous six months. Almost all the respondents used search engines, though students planning to purchase something were more likely to use search engines, and those looking for spiritual information were least likely to use search engines. Despite the widespread use of search engines, the process of filtering relevant from non-relevant search results was reportedly the most difficult part of everyday life research. As a whole, these students used a hybrid information-seeking strategy for meeting their everyday life information needs, turning to search engines and Wikipedia almost as much as they did to friends and family. A preliminary theory is introduced that describes the relationship between students’ evaluation practices and their risk-associated searches.
STUDIES he effects of chelators on zinc levels in patients with thalassemia major

Zinc which is an essential element has very important effects on growth and immune system in patients with thalassemia major (TM). The effects of two oral iron chelator agents, desferrioxamine (DFO) and deferiprone (DFP), on zinc levels were investigated in previous studies and they were found to cause zinc deficiency. Zinc level alteration by the new chelator deferasirox (DFX) is not present in the literature. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of different oral chelators on serum and urine zinc levels in TM patients. Zinc levels are compared in the patients who received different chelators: only DFX, combined chelation with DFO plus DFP and the healthy control group. A total of 56 patients with TM were involved in this study: 39 patients received only DFX and 17 patients were given combined treatment DFO + DFP between August 2008 and August 2009. In addition, a control group was established from the healthy population. Blood was taken from all the patients for serum zinc levels and 24 hour-urine samples were collected for urine zinc levels. Serum zinc levels were found to be 64.8 ± 14.8 g/dL in DFX group and 66.5 ± 15.1 g/dL in DFO + DFP group. These levels were statistically lower than that in the control group (149 ± 54.3 g/dL) (p < 0.05), but there was no statistically difference between the two different chelation groups (p > 0.05). The urine zinc levels of DFX and DFO + DFP group were 662.2 ± 428.2 g/day and 1182.3 ± 980.3 g/day respectively (p < 0.05). Urinary zinc excretion in the chelation groups (DFX and DFO + DFP) was significantly higher than the control group (395.1 ± 208.9 g/day) (p < 0.05). As a conclusion, the new chelation agent, DFX, also leads to zinc deficiency, though its urinary zinc excretion is lower. New studies are required to examine the effects of DFX on zinc extensively. Zinc levels of patients with TM should be followed up regularly and zinc supply should be given at early ages.
Improving the accessibility of dynamic web content for older users

The Web is changing. The much vaunted Web 2.0 sees once static pages evolving into hybrid applications. Content that was once simple to surf is now becoming increasingly complicated due to the many areas of dynamic content "dotted" throughout the page. In previous studies, we have shown that unlike younger users, older users have more varied interaction patterns when using dynamic content. In addition, some older users are not aware of what to expect when interacting with dynamic content and show signs of hesitancy and uncertainty when completing tasks. In this paper, we present a tool designed to assist older uses as they use Web 2.0 content and reduce the hesitancy and frustration that was previously identified.
Review Article : Genetics of Neurofibromatosis 1 and the NF1 Gene

Neurofibromatosis 1 serves as a paradigm for understanding the principles of human genetics. The concepts of gene mutation, penetrance of the condition, variable clinical expressivity, mosaicism, age-dependent expression of clinical manifestations, and pleiotropy are evident in this autosomal dominant condition. The lack of genotype-phenotype correlation, except the whole-gene deletion phenotype, leads to speculation on modifiers of the haploinsufficient state of the NF1 gene product neurofibromin. The variant form of neurofibromatosis, neurofibromatosis Noonan's syndrome, suggests potential interaction of independent biochemical pathways. Identification of the NF1 gene led to the discovery of its role in ras signal transduction. Neurofibromin is a negative regulator of intracellular ras signaling. This observation now provides the framework for the development of rational medical therapies. In addition, knowledge of the molecular basis of the variable expression of clinical manifestations could provide better anticipatory guidance and more effective management of the medical complications that are associated with this condition. (J Child Neurol 2002;17:562-570).
Collagen XXVIII, a Novel von Willebrand Factor A Domain-containing Protein with Many Imperfections in the Collagenous Domain*

Here we describe a novel collagen belonging to the class of von Willebrand factor A (VWA) domain-containing proteins. This novel protein was identified by screening the EST data base and was subsequently recombinantly expressed and characterized as an authentic tissue component. The COL28A1 gene on human chromosome 7p21.3 and on mouse chromosome 6A1 encodes a novel protein that structurally resembles the beaded filament-forming collagens. The collagenous domain contains several very short interruptions arranged in a repeat pattern. As shown for other novel minor collagens, the expression of collagen XXVIII protein in mouse is very restricted. In addition to small amounts in skin and calvaria, the major signals were in dorsal root ganglia and peripheral nerves. By immunoelectron microscopy, collagen XXVIII was detected in the sciatic nerve, at the basement membrane of certain Schwann cells surrounding the nerve fibers. Even though the protein is present in the adult sciatic nerve, collagen XXVIII mRNA was only detected in sciatic nerve of newborn mice, indicating that the protein persists for an extended period after synthesis.
Effect of mithramycin on a mouse glioma.

Summary Mithramycin is an effective antitumor agent in the clinical treatment of disseminated embryonal cell carcinoma of the testis, hypernephroma, and glioblastoma multiforme. Despite its marked antibacterial activity and cytotoxic action in tissue culture, mithramycin has not shown significant activity against the experimental animal tumors currently employed in screening studies of anticancer agents. Mithramycin was administered to C57 black mice with a transplantable glioma tumor. The maximum tumor inhibition was 40% of that of the control tumors. When mithramycin was administered 3 times every week, the duration of inhibition was extended. Prolonged therapy was associated with accumulated drug toxicity. This tumor system has been of value in the study of the mechanisms of mithramycin activity. The drug appears to exert its cytotoxic effect by inhibition of RNA synthesis.