jimnoneill/paper-to-field-training huggingface dataset:
Spatial organization of RNA polymerase and its relationship with transcription in Escherichia coli

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (Life Sciences)

Recent studies have shown that RNA polymerase (RNAP) is organized into distinct clusters in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis cells. Spatially organized molecular components in prokaryotic systems imply compartmentalization without the use of membranes, which may offer insights into unique functions and regulations. It has been proposed that the formation of RNAP clusters is driven by active ribosomal RNA (rRNA) transcription and that RNAP clusters function as factories for highly efficient transcription. In this work, we examined these hypotheses by investigating the spatial organization and transcription activity of RNAP in E. coli cells using quantitative superresolution imaging coupled with genetic and biochemical assays. We observed that RNAP formed distinct clusters that were engaged in active rRNA synthesis under a rich medium growth condition. Surprisingly, a large fraction of RNAP clusters persisted in the absence of high rRNA transcription activities or when the housekeeping σ 70 was sequestered, and was only significantly diminished when all RNA transcription was inhibited globally. In contrast, the cellular distribution of RNAP closely followed the morphology of the underlying nucleoid under all conditions tested irrespective of the corresponding transcription activity, and RNAP redistributed into dispersed, smaller clusters when the supercoiling state of the nucleoid was perturbed. These results suggest that RNAP was organized into active transcription centers under the rich medium growth condition; its spatial arrangement at the cellular level, however, was not dependent on rRNA synthesis activity and was likely organized by the underlying nucleoid.
A Resazurin Disk Assay Method for Detecting Antibiotics and Natural Starter Inhibitory Activity in Milk

Field: Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics (Life Sciences)

A relatively rapid method for detecting antibiotics in milk is described.It involves flushing the agar in the disk assay method with resazurin.The presence of antibiotics in milk is revealed by the retention of a red or purple zone in the plate due to the inhibition of the microbial reduction of resazurin by antibiotics.The method requires a few extra manipulations but takes less time than the standard disk assay test.It takes a total of 1.5-3.6 hr.The method can detect antibiotics and naturally existing inhibitory substances in milk.To establish i£ the inhibition zones are due to antibiotics or to some other inherent antibacterial substance in milk, heating milk prior to testing, to inactivate the latter substances, may facilitate the differentiation.Heating milk also partially inactivates the antibiotics.The lowest concentrations that can be detected with the method are in the concentrations generally found to be capable of inhibiting starter activity.Normal residual concentrations of sanitizing agents can not be detected by this method.Antibiotics used in the treatment of mastitis are secreted in milk and impede the lactic acid fermentation desired in the manufacture of cheese and other cultured products.During recent years, the incidence of antibiotics in milk has been tile subject of considerable investigation.Welch et at.( 14) conducted three nation-wide surveys and have reported that there has been an increase in the incidence of antibiotics in milk in 1955 and 1956 over 1954.The need is evident, therefore, for a relatively rapid method to determine the presence of antibiotics in raw milk intended for the manufacture of cultured dairy products.There are available several chemical and bacteriological methods for the determination of antibiotic content of pharmaceutical preparations and biological materials.Previously, attempts were made in this laboratory to adapt to mille the eolorimetrie methods of Scudi (9) and Boxer and Everett (1).These attempts were unsuccessful since these methods, originally devised for relatively high concentrations of antibiotics, could not be applied to the extremely small concentrations of antibiotics generally found in milk.Consideration was given to applying to milk the rapid fluorometric method developed by Seudi and Jelinek (10).The method required the extraction of penicillin in an aqueous or chloroform solution.Preliminary trials made of this method were unsuccessful, since small concentrations of penicillin in milk could not be extracted quantitatively.Also, since the method is specifie only for penicillin, it would not be applicable to other antibiotics.
Abstract 17224: Macrophage Expressed CD36 Promotes Plaque Vulnerability in Atherosclerosis

Field: Medicine (Health Sciences)

Introduction: Atherosclerosis is characterised by a chronic lipid-driven inflammation that accounts for the majority of deaths worldwide. CD36 is an immunoregulatory scavenger receptor at the interface of lipid metabolism and inflammation that is critically involved in atherogenesis. However, due to the lack of cell-specific animal models the exact role of CD36 on macrophages in atherosclerosis remains unknown to date. Research Question: Here, we aimed to study the role of macrophage expressed CD36 in atherogenesis. Methods: To screen for a potential role of macrophage expressed CD36 in atherosclerosis we assessed CD36 gene expression across different leukocyte populations in scRNAseq data from atherosclerotic LDLR-/- mice. To evaluate the role of macrophage expressed CD36 in atherogenesis, we generated tamoxifen inducible macrophage (CX3CR1)-specific CD36-deficient mice on a LDLR-/- background. To interrogate a potential role of CD36 in human atherosclerosis, human atherosclerotic plaques were studied by scRNAseq. Results: Analysis of murine scRNAseq data identified macrophages as the main CD36 expressing cell type. In line, CD36 protein expression in aortic cell suspensions from LDLR-/- mice was significantly higher in macrophages compared to B and T cells as assessed by flow cytometry. Notably, macrophage-specific CD36 deficiency substantially reduced lesional necrotic core area after 16 weeks of high cholesterol diet feeding indicating ameliorated plaque vulnerability. In vitro, macrophage-specific CD36 deficiency reduced ROS production and oxLDL uptake. Similar to our observations in mice, cellular CD36 expression was highest in human macrophages/monocytes. Pathway analysis revealed that CD36-expressing macrophages exhibited a more pro-inflammatory gene signature than CD36-negative macrophages. Finally, unstable carotid plaques displayed a significantly higher CD36 expression compared to stable lesions. Conclusion: All in all, our data indicates a pro-inflammatory role of macrophage expressed CD36 in murine and human atherosclerosis. These findings suggest that targeting CD36 on macrophages may represent a potential target for anti-atherosclerotic therapy.
Genetic variation in anti-parasite behavior in oysters

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences (Life Sciences)

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 594:107-117 (2018) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12511 Genetic variation in anti-parasite behavior in oysters Tal Ben-Horin1,2, Standish K. Allen Jr.3, Jessica M. Small3, Dina A. Proestou1,* 1National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center, United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, Kingston, RI 02881, USA 2Department of Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences, College of the Environment and Life Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA 3Aquaculture Genetics and Breeding Technology Center, Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, USA *Corresponding author: dina.proestou@ars.usda.gov ABSTRACT: Behavioral avoidance of disease-causing parasites provides a first line of defense against the threat of infection. We report that the suspension-feeding oysters Crassostrea virginica respond to the presence of the water-borne parasite Perkinsus marinus by increasing the rate of shell closure and decreasing the clearance of suspended particles from the surrounding seawater. The extent of feeding behavior modification varied among selectively bred oyster families, indicating genetic variation in this trait. Oyster families susceptible to P. marinus infection were less likely to modify their feeding behavior when this parasite was present, if at all. Characterizing the role of anti-parasite behavior in minimizing P. marinus proliferation in oysters and the implications of variability among individuals will refine our understanding of mechanisms of disease resistance in suspension-feeding bivalves. KEY WORDS: Anti-parasite behavior · Avoidance · Disease · Suspension feeding · Oysters Full text in pdf format Supplementary material PreviousNextCite this article as: Ben-Horin T, Allen SK Jr, Small JM, Proestou DA (2018) Genetic variation in anti-parasite behavior in oysters. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 594:107-117. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12511 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 594. Online publication date: April 26, 2018 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2018 Inter-Research.
Predicting and Planning for Musculoskeletal Service-Connected Disabilities in VA Using Disability for Active Duty OEF/OIF Military Service Members

Field: Health Professions (Health Sciences)

ABSTRACT Introduction Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions are commonly seen among military service members (SM) and Veterans. We explored correlates of award of MSK-related service-connected disability benefits (SCDB) among SM seeking care in Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals. Materials and Methods Department of Defense data on SM who separated from October 1, 2001 to May 2017 were linked to VA administrative data. Using adjusted logistic regression models, we determined the odds of receiving MSK SCDB. Results A total of 1,558,449 (79% of separating SM) had at least one encounter in VA during the study period (7.8% disability separations). Overall, 51% of this cohort had at least one MSK SCDB (88% among disability separations, 48% among normal). Those with disability separations (as compared to normal separations) were significantly more likely to receive MSK SCDB (odds ratio 2.37) as were females (compared to males, odds ratio 1.15). Conclusions Although active duty SM with disability separations were more likely to receive MSK-related service-connected disability ratings in the VA, those with normal separations also received such awards. Identifying those at highest risk for MSK-related disability could lead to improved surveillance and prevention strategies in the Department of Defense and VA health care systems to prevent further damage and disability.
Customer Sentiment Analysis and Prediction of Insurance Products’ Reviews Using Machine Learning Approaches

Field: Computer Science (Physical Sciences)

The study’s goal is to analyse and predict customer reviews of insurance products using various machine learning techniques. We gathered consumer rating data from the Yelp website and filtered the initial data set to only include insurance reviews. Following cleaning, the filtered summary texts were graded as positive, neutral or negative sentiments, and the AFINN and Valence Aware Dictionary for Sentiment Reasoning (VADER) sentiment algorithms were used to rate those sentiments. Furthermore, the current investigation employs five supervised machine learning approaches to divide customer ratings of insurance companies into three sentiment groups. The results of the current study revealed that the majority of customer reviews for the insurance products were negative, with the average number of words with negative sentiment being higher. In addition, current research discovered that while all of the approaches (decision tree, K Neighbours classifier, support vector machine (SVM), logistic regression and random forest classifier) can correctly classify review text into sentiment class, logistic regression outperforms in high accuracy. We analysed and predicted customer review messages using a variety of machine learning methods, which could help companies better understand how customers respond to their products and services. As a result, companies can learn how to use machine learning methods to better understand the behaviour of their customers.
P3.60: Native spleen preservation attenuate graft versus host disease in an experimental model of modified multivisceral transplantation.

Field: Medicine (Health Sciences)

Introduction: Native spleen used to be removed in patients undergoing modified multivisceral transplantation (MMVT) increasing the risk of sepsis and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The mechanistic basis of these effects including mixed chimerism level is poorly understood. Based on a novel experimental procedure of MMVT that triggers GVHD, we aimed to evaluate the effects of native spleen preservation in this model in order to gain insight into the mechanisms that may mediate this phenomenon. Material and Methods: Heterotopic MMVT from Lewis to Brown Norway rats was performed. MMVT graft consisted of stomach, duodenum, pancreas, spleen and the small bowel of the donor. The native spleen was removed (MMVT-S) in half of the MMVT recipients (N=5), while the remaining preserved their own spleen (MMVT+NSP) (N=5). After MMVT mixed hematopoietic chimerism was determined in native spleen and peripheral blood samples by flow cytometry using strain-specific HLA antibodies. Also, histopathological (using Pintar score) and clinical signs of GVHD such as skin rash were evaluated. Results: all animals in the group MMVT-S presented clinical signs of GVHD such as skin rash, weight loss, and diarrhea, among others, between 7–10 days after transplantation. Skin rash was particularly remarkable in the ears and periocular area. Clinical signs of GVHD were less frequent in MMVT+NSP recipients (40%; p<0.05). Also, significant differences between groups were observed in the histopathological study and mixed chimerism in peripheral blood 3 days after MMVT (36.6 and 23.62 % in MMVT-S and MMVT+NSP respectively) (Figure 1). Also, native spleen showed an 18±5 % of chimerism (CD3+ donor cells) 1 week after transplantation. After day 10 post-MMVT, when the signs of transient GVHD disappeared, both groups presented graft rejection. Conclusions: Native spleen preservation in MMVT recipients attenuated the occurrence of GVHD and reduced the level of chimerism compared to recipients that underwent spleen removal during MMVT. Despite more studies are necessary, our preliminary results suggest that native spleen preservation increase the efficacy in removal of anti-recipient reactive clones that would explain the protective effect of native spleen preservation against GVHD.
A del(X)(p11) carrying SRY sequences in an infant with ambiguous genitalia

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (Life Sciences)

SRY (sex-determining region, Y) is the gene responsible of gonadal differentiation in the male and it is essential for the regular development of male genitalia. Translocations involving the human sex chromosomes are rarely reported, however here we are reporting a very rare translocation of SRY gene to the q -arm of a deleted X chromosome. This finding was confirmed by cytogenetic, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).A 7-month infant was clinically diagnosed as an intersex case, with a phallus, labia majora and minora, a blind vagina and a male urethra. Neither uterus nor testes was detected by Ultrasonography. G-banding of his chromosomes showed 46,X,del(X)(p11) and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis showed a very small piece from the Y chromosome translocated to the q-arm of the del(X). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis revealed the presence of material from the sex-determining region Y (SRY) gene.It is suggested that the phenotype of the patient was caused by activation of the deleted X chromosome with SRY translocation, which is responsible for gonadal differentiation.
Cholesterol Crystals and the Formation of Cholesterol Gallstones

Field: Medicine (Health Sciences)

To examine the relation of cholesterol crystallization to the formation of gallstones, gallbladder bile was obtained by means of duodenal intubation in 54 patients (eight with asymptomatic gallstones) and from 17 patients undergoing cholecystectomy for cholelithiasis. Hepatic bile was obtained from nine patients with common-duct stones. Bile samples were examined for cholesterol monohydrate crystals and analyzed to determine the percentage of cholesterol saturation. Intubation in the eight patients with asymptomatic gallstones revealed a cholesterol saturation of 142 +/- 42 per cent (mean +/- S.D.) and crystals in five patients. Crystals were absent in the other 36 patients with supersaturated bile (cholesterol saturation, 166 +/- 44 per cent) and in the 10 patients with undersaturated bile (cholesterol saturation, 81 +/- 24 per cent). In the 26 patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis or common-duct stones, crystals were not seen in the bile of the seven patients with pigment stones but were present in the bile of all 19 patients with cholesterol stones. (In some cases crystals appeared only after 24 to 48 hours of incubation.) Cholesterol crystallization is probably a prerequisite for the formation of cholesterol gallstones; however, many subjects have no crystallization despite marked supersaturation.
Common mistakes in designing and implementing service guarantees

Field: Business, Management and Accounting (Social Sciences)

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore companies' experiences in designing and implementing service guarantees. Design/methodology/approach The methodology relied on 22 in‐depth personal interviews across a sample of ten Australian service firms. Findings The effectiveness of a service guarantee depends on how well a firm designs and implements it. It was found that service guarantees were generally not well conceived, implemented, or monitored after launch. Through a comparison of theory and practice, this study identifies a number of common mistakes, including inadequate or non‐existent pre‐launch market research; ambiguous definition of the role of the guarantee; inadequate market testing of alternative guarantee promises; a lack of consultation with key functional managers during development; a lack of CEO commitment; ambiguous assignment of responsibility for ongoing management of the guarantee; and an absence of performance evaluation. Research limitations/implications The study employs qualitative research techniques and considers only Australian firms. Practical implications While the common mistakes offer cautions for managers when planning a service guarantee, some outstanding examples of successfully implemented service guarantees also emerged. A notable example is the customer charter, a more comprehensive conditional guarantee that avoids many of the pitfalls associated with traditional service guarantees. Originality/value Previous studies do not address the experiences of a broad sample of companies that have designed and implemented a service guarantee. The findings in this paper extend the understanding of how service guarantees could become more effective and identify directions for future research.
Cloning of the Gene Encoding a Novel Thermostable α-Galactosidase from Thermus brockianus ITI360

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (Life Sciences)

ABSTRACT An α-galactosidase gene from Thermus brockianus ITI360 was cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli , and the recombinant protein was purified. The gene, designated agaT , codes for a 476-residue polypeptide with a calculated molecular mass of 53,810 Da. The native structure of the recombinant enzyme (AgaT) was estimated to be a tetramer. AgaT displays amino acid sequence similarity to the α-galactosidases of Thermotoga neapolitana and Thermotoga maritima and a low-level sequence similarity to α-galactosidases of family 36 in the classification of glycosyl hydrolases. The enzyme is thermostable, with a temperature optimum of activity at 93°C with para -nitrophenyl-α-galactopyranoside as a substrate. Half-lives of inactivation at 92 and 80°C are 100 min and 17 h, respectively. The pH optimum is between 5.5 and 6.5. The enzyme displayed high affinity for oligomeric substrates. The K m s for melibiose and raffinose at 80°C were determined as 4.1 and 11.0 mM, respectively. The α-galactosidase gene in T. brockianus ITI360 was inactivated by integrational mutagenesis. Consequently, no α-galactosidase activity was detectable in crude extracts of the mutant strain, and it was unable to use melibiose or raffinose as a single carbohydrate source.
Lars Saabye Christensen, "Bunica mea chinezoaică" (Min kinesiske farmor/My Chinese Grandmother), traducere din limbile norve-giană și daneză cu note de Sanda Tomescu Baciu, Cluj-Napoca: Casa Cărții de Știință, 2022, 232 p.

Field: Arts and Humanities (Social Sciences)

The aged photo of a ship would normally not determine you to return to the first pages of a text and read it again and again. But if you are the reader of Lars Saabye Christensen’s new book, Min kinesiske farmor [My Chinese grandmother], it does. Because Lars Saabye Christensen’s text is not only a book about the journey to China that the narrator’s grandmother took in 1906, but it is in fact a journey in itself. It takes the reader from the present to the near and far past, from Norway to Denmark and China, as it renders the power of memory and love and the changes that come along with the passing of time. Bunica mea chinezoaică [My Chinese Grandmother] is admirably translated from Norwegian and Danish by Professor Sanda Tomescu Baciu, with the financial support of NORLA (Norwegian Literature Abroad) and appeared in 2022 at Casa Cărții de Știință publishing house. It brings a flood of memories revolving around S/S Protector, whose picture we can see on the cover of the Romanian translation of the novel, thanks to Professor Sanda Tomescu Baciu and M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark.