Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Role of CRISPR-Cas Systems in Virulence of Pathogenic Bacteria

SUMMARY Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated (Cas) genes are present in many bacterial and archaeal genomes. Since the discovery of the typical CRISPR loci in the 1980s, well before their physiological role was revealed, their variable sequences have been used as a complementary typing tool in diagnostic, epidemiologic, and evolutionary analyses of prokaryotic strains. The discovery that CRISPR spacers are often identical to sequence fragments of mobile genetic elements was a major breakthrough that eventually led to the elucidation of CRISPR-Cas as an adaptive immunity system. Key elements of this unique prokaryotic defense system are small CRISPR RNAs that guide nucleases to complementary target nucleic acids of invading viruses and plasmids, generally followed by the degradation of the invader. In addition, several recent studies have pointed at direct links of CRISPR-Cas to regulation of a range of stress-related phenomena. An interesting example concerns a pathogenic bacterium that possesses a CRISPR-associated ribonucleoprotein complex that may play a dual role in defense and/or virulence. In this review, we describe recently reported cases of potential involvement of CRISPR-Cas systems in bacterial stress responses in general and bacterial virulence in particular.
A “Perversion” of Choice

In an apartment building on Chicago's Southside, fifty of the seventy-five residents are sex workers. Our study uses in-depth interviews and participant observation of Chicago's sex work economy to argue that sex work is one constituent part of an overall low-wage, off-the-books economy of resource exchange among individuals in a bounded geographic setting. To an outsider, the decision to be a sex worker seems irrational; in this article we argue that specific localized conditions invert this decision and render it entirely rational. For the men and women in our study, sex work acts as a short-term solution that “satisfices” the demands of persistent poverty and instability, and it provides a meaningful option in the quest for a job that provides autonomy and personal fulfillment.
The Moderating Effect of Different Forms of Commitment on Role Ambiguity‐Job Tension Relations

Abstract Whereas some authors have suggested that organizational commitment might have a buffering effect on stressor-strain relations, others have suggested that commitment may exacerbate these relations. We examined the potential moderating effect of different forms of organizational commitment on relations between role ambiguity (a particular form of stressor) and job tension (an outcome of stress) in an organization that was undergoing significant change. We surveyed 225 individuals working for a public-sector organization that was being partially privatized. Results supported the hypothesis that continuance commitment exacerbates relations between role ambiguity and job tension. Contrary to our hypothesis, affective commitment also exacerbated these relations. Resume Alors que certains auteurs laissent entendre que l'engagement organisationnel aurait un effet tampon sur les relations entre les agents stressants et la tension (stressor-strain relations), d'autres suggerent que l'engagement peut exacerber ces rapports. Nous avons examine l'effet moderateur que peuvent avoir differents types d'engagement organisationnel sur les relations entre l'ambiguite du role (un genre particulier d'agent stressant) et la tension au travail (un resultat du stress) au sein d'un organisme subissant des changements profonds. Nous avons effectue un sondage aupres de 225 personnes travaillant au sein d'un organisme du secteur public qui etait en voie d'etre privatise. Les resultats ont confirme l'hypothese suggerant que l'engagement de continuite (continuance commitment) exacerbe les relations entre l'ambiguite du role et la tension au travail. Contrairement e notre hypothese, l'engagement affectif (affective commitment) a egalement exacerbe ces relations.
DEMONIC programming: a computational language for single-particle equilibrium thermodynamics, and its formal semantics

Maxwell's Demon, 'a being whose faculties are so sharpened that he can follow every molecule in its course', has been the centre of much debate about its abilities to violate the second law of thermodynamics. Landauer's hypothesis, that the Demon must erase its memory and incur a thermodynamic cost, has become the standard response to Maxwell's dilemma, and its implications for the thermodynamics of computation reach into many areas of quantum and classical computing. It remains, however, still a hypothesis. Debate has often centred around simple toy models of a single particle in a box. Despite their simplicity, the ability of these systems to accurately represent thermodynamics (specifically to satisfy the second law) and whether or not they display Landauer Erasure, has been a matter of ongoing argument. The recent Norton-Ladyman controversy is one such example. In this paper we introduce a programming language to describe these simple thermodynamic processes, and give a formal operational semantics and program logic as a basis for formal reasoning about thermodynamic systems. We formalise the basic single-particle operations as statements in the language, and then show that the second law must be satisfied by any composition of these basic operations. This is done by finding a computational invariant of the system. We show, furthermore, that this invariant requires an erasure cost to exist within the system, equal to kTln2 for a bit of information: Landauer Erasure becomes a theorem of the formal system. The Norton-Ladyman controversy can therefore be resolved in a rigorous fashion, and moreover the formalism we introduce gives a set of reasoning tools for further analysis of Landauer erasure, which are provably consistent with the second law of thermodynamics.
Reversibility of Retinal Microvascular Changes in Severe Falciparum Malaria

Malarial retinopathy allows detailed study of central nervous system vascular pathology in living patients with severe malaria. An adult with cerebral malaria is described who had prominent retinal whitening with corresponding retinal microvascular obstruction, vessel dilatation, increased vascular tortuosity, and blood retinal barrier leakage with decreased visual acuity, all of which resolved on recovery. Additional study of these features and their potential role in elucidating the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria is warranted.
Parents' structuring of children's daily lives in relation to the quality and stability of children's friendships

This study focused on the implications of parents' structuring of their children's home lives for the friendships of their children. Participants were 224 elementary-school children (108 girls and 116 boys) from four grade levels in two schools in Aixen-Provence, France. Most of the families were of middle or high socio-economic status. The participating children were seen twice during the same school year in order to assess the stability of their friendship choices and the quality of their friendships. We used Lautrey's (1989) questionnaire in order to assess the parents' styles in the structuring of family life and related child-rearing practice. This questionnaire delineates three structuring styles: 1) rigid, characterized by considerable imposition of routines with little leeway for exceptional circumstances; 2) flexible, in which established routines can be modified as circumstances dictate; and 3) laissez-faire, characterized by an absence of predictability and routine. We measured friendship quali.
Effect of sex of fetus on asthma during pregnancy: blind prospective stud

The course of asthma during pregnancy is variable and may remain unchanged, worsen, or improve, returning to the pre-pregnancy state within three months after parturition.1 Some patients experience the same changes in each pregnancy, but nearly half do not, suggesting some intrinsic or extrinsic factor unique to each pregnancy such as the sex of the fetus.1 We observed that the condition of patients with moderate to severe asthma generally deteriorated when they were pregnant with girls but not boys, raising the intriguing possibility that the sex of the fetus might influence the course of asthma during pregnancy. We investigated this possibility in a blind prospective study. All women aged 25-34 who were receiving regular drug treatment for asthma and were in the second trimester of pregnancy (12-21 weeks' gestation) were approached directly to participate in the study. Twenty eight women were recruited from …
Stabilization of Cortical Actin Induces Internalization of Transient Receptor Potential 3 (Trp3)-associated Caveolar Ca2+ Signaling Complex and Loss of Ca2+ Influx without Disruption of Trp3-Inositol Trisphosphate Receptor Association*

Ca2+ influx via plasma membrane Trp3 channels is proposed to be regulated by a reversible interaction with inositol trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) in the endoplasmic reticulum. Condensation of the cortical actin layer has been suggested to physically disrupt this interaction and inhibit Trp3-mediated Ca2+ influx. This study examines the effect of cytoskeletal reorganization on the localization and function of Trp3 and key Ca2+ signaling proteins. Calyculin-A treatment resulted in formation of condensed actin layer at the plasma membrane; internalization of Trp3, Gαq/11, phospholipase Cβ, and caveolin-1; and attenuation of 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol- and ATP-stimulated Sr2+ influx. Importantly, Trp3 and IP3R-3 remained co-localized inside the cell and were co-immunoprecipitated. Jasplakinolide also induced internalization of Trp3 and caveolin-1. Pretreatment of cells with cytochalasin D or staurosporine did not affect Trp3 but prevented calyculin-A-induced effects. Based on these data, we suggest that Trp3 is assembled in a caveolar Ca2+signaling complex with IP3R, SERCA, Gαq/11, phospholipase Cβ, caveolin-1, and ezrin. Furthermore, our data demonstrate that conditions which stabilize cortical actin induce loss of Trp3 activity due to internalization of the Trp3-signaling complex, not disruption of IP3R-Trp3 interaction. This suggests that localization of the Trp3-associated signaling complex, rather than Trp3-IP3R coupling, depends on the status of the actin cytoskeleton.
What happens to pupils permanently excluded from special schools and pupil referral units in England

There is widespread consensus in the research and policy‐related literature over the last decade that young people who have been permanently excluded from school are at a far greater risk of a variety of negative outcomes than young people who have not had this experience. These negative outcomes include prolonged periods out of education and/or employment; poor mental and physical health; involvement in crime; and homelessness. This article presents evidence from a small‐scale qualitative study of destinations and outcomes post‐exclusion for a group of young people considered to be at particular risk of such negative outcomes: namely, those who have been permanently excluded from special schools or Pupil Referral Units (now known as short‐stay schools). The specific focus of this paper is on the 24 young people’s educational trajectories pre‐ and post‐exclusion; the reasons for their exclusion from school; and on what forms of alternative provision were available to them after their permanent exclusion.
Lessons from the Best and Worst Student Team Experiences: How a Teacher can make the Difference

This study empirically identifies which teacher-controlled (contextual) variables have the greatest impact on whether the student will have a great team experience or a miserable one. The results indicate that the clarity of instructions to the team, the longevity of the team experience, and self-selection of teammates all positively affect team experiences. The level of management education, the team size, and the percentage of the course grade associated with team performance did not differ across best and worst team experiences. Contrary to previous empirical findings and conventional wisdom, the use of peer evaluations was negatively associated with good team experiences. Further insights from the data and implications for the use of student teams are discussed.
Awareness of Text Structure: Effects on Children's Recall of Expository Text.

THE PURPOSE of this research was to examine whether good and poor readers in elementary school are aware of text structure and whether an awareness of text structure influences recall. Twenty good readers were selected from both third grade and fifth grade, and 20 poor readers were selected from fifth grade. All subjects read and orally recalled two expository passages. Recalls were analyzed to determine how closely structure found in the retellings resembled the author's structure, as well as for proportionate retelling of superordinate and subordinate idea units. The results indicated that fifth-grade good readers are more aware of text structure and recall proportionately more total and superordinate idea units than fifthgrade poor or third-grade good readers. Further, fifth-grade poor readers displayed some awareness of text structure and recalled proportionately more superordinate ideas than third-grade good readers. Third-grade good readers did not display an awareness of text structure and recalled more subordinate than superordinate idea units. These results suggest that some young readers are aware of text structure and this awareness is correlated with recall of important textual information.
Differentiating the Effects of Juvenile Court Sentences on Eliminating Recidivism

Conflicting results from research examining the effects of delinquent sentencing on recidivism have caused debate over what direction the juvenile court should take in treating delinquents. Correcting for several methodological problems of past research, this study examines the relative effectiveness of twelve different juvenile court dispositions on eliminating recidivism among 2,038 juvenile offenders from four Illinois jurisdictions. Results support the idea that an emphasis on community treatment should not be abandoned for an emphasis on proportionality and punishment, and that sentences of detention should be limited to relatively short terms to reduce probabilities of recidivism.
Oocyte-Secreted Factor Activation of SMAD 2/3 Signaling Enables Initiation of Mouse Cumulus Cell Expansion1

Abstract Expansion of the mouse cumulus-oocyte complex (COC) is dependent on oocyte-secreted paracrine factors. Transforming growth factor beta (TGFB) superfamily molecules are prime candidates for the cumulus expansion-enabling factors (CEEFs), and we have recently determined that growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) alone is not the CEEF. The aim of this study was to examine oocyte paracrine factors and their signaling pathways that regulate mouse cumulus expansion. Using RT-PCR, oocytes were found to express the two activin subunits, Inhba and Inhbb, and activin A and activin B both enabled FSH-induced cumulus expansion of oocytectomized (OOX) complexes. Follistatin, an activin-binding protein, neutralized activin-induced expansion but had no effect on oocyte-induced expansion. The type I receptors for GDF9 and activin are activin receptor-like kinase 5 (ALK5) and ALK4, respectively, both of which activate the same SMAD 2/3 signaling pathway. We examined the requirement for this signaling system using an ALK 4/5/7 inhibitor, SB-431542. SB-431542 completely ablated FSH-stimulated GDF9-, activin A-, activin B-, and oocyte-induced cumulus expansion. Moreover, SB-431542 also antagonized epidermal growth factor-stimulated, oocyte-induced cumulus expansion. Using real-time RT-PCR, SB-431542 also attenuated GDF9-, activin A-, and oocyte-induced OOX expression of hyaluronan synthase 2, tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced protein 6, prostaglandin synthase 2, and pentraxin 3. This study provides evidence that the CEEF is composed of TGFB superfamily molecules that signal through SMAD 2/3 to enable the initiation of mouse cumulus expansion.
ARAGONITIC ALGAE IN CALCITE SEAS : EFFECT OF SEAWATER Mg / Ca RATIO ON ALGAL SEDIMENT PRODUCTION

Secular variation in seawater Mg/Ca would have subjected the aragonite-producing codiacean algae to two intervals of low-Mg calcite seas (mMg/Ca , 2) and two intervals of aragonite + high-Mg calcite seas (mMg/Ca . 2) seas since their origin in the Ordovician. It is asserted that the aragonite + high-Mg calcite affinity of modern and Recent tropical seas (mMg/Ca . 2) has enabled the aragonitic Codiaceae to act as major carbonate sediment producers in these seas. To test this assertion, specimens of the sediment-producing codiacean alga Udotea flabellum were grown in artificial seawaters formulated at mMg/Ca ratios (1.0, 2.5, 5.2) that have occurred in the oceans throughout the geologic history of the Codiaceae. While the U. flabellum algae produced exclusively aragonite in both the artificial boundary seawater (mMg/Ca 5 2.5) and the artificial aragonite + high-Mg calcite seawater (modern seawater; mMg/Ca 5 5.2), the algae produced a portion (25 6 3%) of their CaCO3 as low-Mg calcite (# 4 mol% MgCO3) in the artificial calcite seawater (mMg/Ca 5 1.0), suggesting that their CaCO3 polymorph control can be partially overridden by ambient seawater chemistry. Primary productivity, calcification, and linear growth of the algae decreased with reductions in ambient Mg/Ca, despite increases in absolute Ca concentration of the seawater. Reduced calcification in the lower Mg/Ca seawaters is probably due to kinetic difficulties of producing aragonite from seawater that favors the nucleation of calcite. The decreased linear growth and primary production are likely associated with reductions in the ambient CO2 available for photosynthesis, resulting from the reduced calcification. These findings support the assertion that the dominant ecological and sedimentological roles of codiacean algae in Recent tropical seas is facilitated by a seawater Mg/Ca ratio that favors the nucleation of aragonite over calcite. Furthermore, producing aragonite in seawater that favors the nucleation of low-Mg calcite (mMg/Ca , 2) may have reduced the rates of growth and calcification of codiacean algae, making them less competitive for space on the shallow tropical seafloor and more susceptible to predatory grazing, thereby reducing their contribution to carbonate sedimentation.
Managing the Human Animal

No wonder you activities are, reading will be always needed. It is not only to fulfil the duties that you need to finish in deadline time. Reading will encourage your mind and thoughts. Of course, reading will greatly develop your experiences about everything. Reading managing the human animal is also a way as one of the collective books that gives many advantages. The advantages are not only for you, but for the other peoples with those meaningful benefits.
Mycoplasma lipoproteins are major determinants of neutrophil extracellular trap formation

Neutrophil granulocytes are paramount to innate responses as major effectors of acute inflammation. Among the various strategies enacted by neutrophils to eliminate microbes NETosis is a novel distinct antimicrobial activity in which an interlacement of chromatin fibres rich in granule‐derived antimicrobial peptides and enzymes is extruded (NETs, neutrophils extracellular traps ). NETs contribute to the pathogenesis of acute and chronic inflammatory disorders. The interactions of mycoplasmas and innate immune cells, in particular neutrophil granulocytes, are poorly defined. Here, we describe NET formation in vivo in the mammary gland and milk of sheep naturally infected by Mycoplasma agalactiae. Also, we assess the contribution of liposoluble proteins, the most abundant component of the Mycoplasma membrane, in inducing NETosis. We demonstrate that Mycoplasma liposoluble proteins induce NET release at levels comparable to what observed with other stimuli, such as lipopolysaccharides and phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate. Stimulation of neutrophils with synthetic diacylated lipopeptides based on the M. agalactiae P48, P80, and MAG_1000 proteins, combined in a mix or used individually, suggests that NETosis might not be dependent on a specific lipopeptide sequence. Also, NETosis is partially abolished when TLR2 is blocked with specific antibodies. The results presented in this work provide evidences for the mechanisms underlying NET activation in mycoplasma infections, and on their contribution to pathogenesis of mycoplasmosis.
CUBIC POLYNOMIALS: A MEASURABLE VIEW OF PARAMETER SPACE

We study the ne geometric structure of bifurcation currents in the parameter space of cubic polynomials viewed as dynamical systems. In particular we prove that these currents have some laminar structure in a large region of parameter space, reecting the possibility of quasiconformal deformations. On the other hand, there is a natural bifurcation measure, supported on the closure of rigid parameters. We prove a strong non laminarity statement relative to this measure.
Federal Reserve Bank of New York Staff Reports Fiscal Foundations of Inflation: Imperfect Knowledge Fiscal Foundations of Inflation: Imperfect Knowledge

paper presents preliminary findings and is being distributed to economists and other interested readers solely to stimulate discussion and elicit comments. The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and are not necessarily reflective of views at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or the Federal Reserve System. Any errors or omissions are the responsibility of the authors. Abstract This paper proposes a theory of the fiscal foundations of inflation based on imperfect knowledge and learning. The theory is similar in spirit to, but distinct from, unpleasant monetarist arithmetic and the fiscal theory of the price level. Because the assumption of imperfect knowledge breaks Ricardian equivalence, details of fiscal policy, such as the average scale and composition of the public debt, matter for inflation. As a result, fiscal policy constrains the efficacy of monetary policy. Heavily indebted economies with debt maturity structures observed in many countries require aggressive monetary policy to anchor inflation expectations. The model predicts that the Great Moderation period would not have been so moderate had fiscal policy been characterized by a scale and composition of public debt now witnessed in some advanced economies in the aftermath of the 2007-09 global recession. and the Sveriges Riksbank. The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or the Federal Reserve System.
Confidence in psychodiagnosis: what makes us so sure?

When psychologists are asked to estimate the probability that their clinical judgments are correct, they often reveal an overconfidence effect. In an effort to identify sources of unwarranted confidence in clinical judgment, this study examined the relationship between four different inferential biases (dispositionism, confirmationism, data-search truncation, and narrow problem construal) and diagnostic confidence in the context of a psychological assessment task. Thirty-six clinicians were individually presented a written client case-file to read and clinically interpret aloud. Analyses of participants' verbal protocols revealed that dispositionism alone accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in psychodiagnostic confidence scores. These results indicate that dispositionally-driven assessments tend to be expressed with the highest levels of confidence. The roles that professional psychology and psychology in general play in propagating this bias are considered. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.