Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Visual pigment in the lens eyes of the box jellyfish Chiropsella bronzie

Box jellyfish (Cubomedusae) possess a unique visual system comprising 24 eyes of four morphological types. Moreover, box jellyfish display several visually guided behaviours, including obstacle avoidance and light-shaft attractance. It is largely unknown what kind of visual information box jellyfish use for carrying out these behaviours. Brightness contrast is almost certainly involved, but it is also possible that box jellyfish extract colour information from their surroundings. The possible presence of colour vision in box jellyfish has previously been investigated using behavioural, electrophysiological and immunohistochemical methods. However, the results from these studies are to some degree conflicting and inconclusive. Here, we present results from an investigation into the visual system of the box jellyfish Chiropsella bronzie, using microspectrophotometry and immunohistochemistry. Our results strongly indicate that only one type of visual pigment is present in the upper and lower lens eyes with a peak absorbance of approximately 510 nm. Additionally, the visual pigment appears to undergo bleaching, similar to that of vertebrate visual pigments.
Educational Reforms and Coping Strategies under the Tidal Wave of Marketisation: A comparative study of Hong Kong and the mainland

It has been a global trend, since the 1980s, that the process of marketisation has been influential in the decision making of social policies around the world, and that this tidal wave is now crossing over to the Asia-Pacific region as well. Education policy, as one of the important social policies for many developing countries, has been influential in the forefront of national development in terms of manpower training, as well as in other arenas of economic and social developments. In this way, these countries are trying to improve the quality of their educational services so that they can be more competitive in order to cater for the demands in the international markets. One of the outcomes of this global trend is the international quality assurance movement in streamlining the educational institutions as well as in using different coping strategies to promote quality education for all concerned. For the Chinese mainland, it seems that the central government is adopting a policy of decentralisation in getting local governments to use multiple channels of resources and other methods to provide for their own educational services. Hong Kong as a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China, however, has adopted quite a different approach by employing the principle of managerialism in order to enhance its competitiveness in providing quality education to meet the increasing market demands. Hence, the present study is to compare and contrast the educational reforms and coping strategies that have been adopted by the socialist mainland, on the one hand, and the capitalist Hong Kong SAR, on the other hand, in order to face this new challenge of marketisation.
Contribution of histological, serological, and genetic factors to the clinical heterogeneity of adult-onset coeliac disease

Objective. Although the factors predisposing to coeliac disease (CD) are largely understood, it remains unclear what determines the clinical heterogeneity of the disease. The aim of this study was to explore the contribution of histological, serological, and genetic factors to disease presentation. Material and methods. The study was designed as a retrospective chart review of 384 unrelated Caucasian patients diagnosed with CD after the age of 16 at a single UK centre. Results. We found that 8.8% of IgA-competent CD patients were endomysial antibody (EMA)-negative. Compared with the EMA-positive group, EMA-negative CD patients had a lower prevalence of iron deficiency (52.0% versus 72.6%, p=0.03) and Marsh IIIb-c lesions (66.7% versus 85.3%, p=0.03). Histological severity at diagnosis correlated with anaemia (p<0.01), folate deficiency (p<0.01), and iron deficiency (p=0.05), but no other laboratory or clinical features. Compared with human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DQ2.5-positive patients, those carrying HLA-DQ2.2 were similar in terms of all the characteristics we considered, whereas those carrying HLA-DQ8 had a lower frequency of EMA positivity (62.5% versus 92.6%, p<0.01). The proportion of EMA-positive patients increased with frequency of the HLA-DQB1*0201 allele (76.7% versus 92.3% versus 96.4% for 0 versus 1 versus 2 alleles, p<0.01); no other evidence of a gene–dose effect of HLA-DQB1*0201 was observed. Conclusions. Histological severity at diagnosis of CD is associated with anaemia and some micronutrient deficiencies, but no other clinical features. The proportion of EMA-positive patients is higher amongst those carrying HLA-DQ2 than in those carrying HLA-DQ8, and is highest in HLA-DQ2 homozygotes. We found no correlation between frequency of the HLA-DQ alleles encoding HLA-DQ2.5 and CD severity.
Beyond shape and gravity: children’s ideas about the Earth in space reconsidered

Children’s ideas about the Earth in space have been of interest to science educators and cognitive psychologists for some time. By focusing almost exclusively on shape and gravity alone, however, other important Earth attributes have been largely neglected or overlooked. Findings from a quasi‐experimental study of knowledge acquisition and concept learning in astronomy among 9‐ to 11‐year‐olds attending a single primary school in England are presented which not only begin to address the situation but challenge some of the common assertions in this field. The processes of weak and radical knowledge restructuring and conceptual extension as well as conceptual change are exemplified.
Cognitive Enhancement and Academic Misconduct: A Study Exploring Their Frequency and Relationship

We investigated the acceptability and use frequency of cognitive enhancement medication and three different types of academic misconduct (plagiarism, cheating, and falsifying/fabricating data). Data collected from a web-based survey of German university students were used in our analysis. Moral acceptability of cognitive enhancers was relatively low and moderate for academic misconduct. The correlation between these measures was moderately weak. The use frequency of cognitive enhancers was lower than for academic misconduct and was (very) lightly correlated with the occurrences of reported plagiarism and fabrication/falsification. A higher acceptability of each act was associated with a higher use frequency of each act.
Robustness and Plasticity of Metabolic Pathway Flux among Uropathogenic Isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a human pathogen that frequently causes urinary tract and catheter-associated urinary tract infections. Here, using 13C-metabolic flux analysis, we conducted quantitative analysis of metabolic fluxes in the model strain P. aeruginosa PAO1 and 17 clinical isolates. All P. aeruginosa strains catabolized glucose through the Entner-Doudoroff pathway with fully respiratory metabolism and no overflow. Together with other NADPH supplying reactions, this high-flux pathway provided by far more NADPH than needed for anabolism: a benefit for the pathogen to counteract oxidative stress imposed by the host. P. aeruginosa recruited the pentose phosphate pathway exclusively for biosynthesis. In contrast to glycolytic metabolism, which was conserved among all isolates, the flux through pyruvate metabolism, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and the glyoxylate shunt was highly variable, likely caused by adaptive processes in individual strains during infection. This aspect of metabolism was niche-specific with respect to the corresponding flux because strains isolated from the urinary tract clustered separately from those originating from catheter-associated infections. Interestingly, most glucose-grown strains exhibited significant flux through the glyoxylate shunt. Projection into the theoretical flux space, which was computed using elementary flux-mode analysis, indicated that P. aeruginosa metabolism is optimized for efficient growth and exhibits significant potential for increasing NADPH supply to drive oxidative stress response.
It starts with once upon a time…

On a cold night in February 2008, I ran a workshop on ‘Narrative Research’ for postgraduate students at the University of Bristol. A great believer in building on existing knowledge, I invited participants to share words or phrases that they associated with the term ‘narrative research’. Somewhat predictably, the word ‘story’ came up followed by a proposition that ‘stories are universal’. Ever the devil’s advocate, I asked these students from many different cultures to describe the structure of a story. One participant, a British student, said, ‘It starts with once upon a time and has a happy ending’ – reflecting the linear approach referred to by Julia Preece in her Presidential Address, the first article in this Special Issue. I was mindful of the words used by Trinh (1989, 141) in her assessment of the ‘man of the West’s’ depiction of a ‘good story’ as having a beginning, a development, a climax and an end. In her critique of this definition, Trinh pointed out that many non-Western stories would be defined as ‘bad’ stories, as they do not ‘leave the mind at rest’ (1989, 142). Consequently, I challenged the group with the question – ‘Is this the way that all stories are constructed? ’ Many heads were shaken in gestures of denial and, gradually, examples of narrative variability (Cortazzi and Jin 2006) – different ways of sharing stories in different cultures – emerged. Preece explains that stories in Africa are told by ‘going round and round a point so that its complexity is grounded’. This strategy is ‘used as a tool to motivate readers to go on reading, to discover more and to keep the reader/listener curious to find out what the climax of the story would be’. Similarly, Cortazzi and Jin (2006) consider the ways in which the positioning of the audience in the telling of a story differs from culture to culture. The Athabascan people of North America for instance, wait for their audience to anticipate the conclusion of a story, to give it both an ending and a meaning. Such examples illustrate that, although stories may be a universal way of attributing meaning to our lives, the ways in which we tell and hear those stories differ. Nor are the stories that we tell simple, unproblematic carriers of ‘facts’ – rather they are mediated by social, cultural and historical influences. As ‘both narrative and comparative research focus on gathering stories across cultures and contexts and communicating those stories to other audiences’ (Trahar 2006, 15), such fundamental differences in storytelling need to be taken account of when exploring the potential of narrative methodologies for international and comparative education. In addition, ‘interpretations of events can always be otherwise . usually expressed as a kind of uncertainty’ (Clandinin and Connolly 2000, 31) and this uncertainty is often held up as another distinguishing feature of narrative research, as will be seen in the articles in this Special Issue. Compare Vol. 38, No. 3, June 2008, 259–266
Predicting smoking reduction among adolescents using an extended version of the theory of planned behaviour

This study tested the ability of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to predict adolescents’ intentions to reduce smoking and the subsequent behaviour one year later. In addition, past behaviour (PB), moral norms, self-identity as a smoker, group identification, group norms and action planning were assessed. A prospective sample of 145 adolescents (M = 14 years, Time 1) participated in the study. The TPB provided good predictions of intentions (adjusted R 2 = 0.28). An extended TPB model including self-identity, moral norms, and the group identification and group norm interaction accounted for 39% (adjusted R 2) of the variance in intentions. The TPB components did not have a direct impact on subsequent behaviour, while PB and the perceived behavioural control (PBC) intention interaction accounted for 35% of the variance in behaviour after one year. The practical implications of these results for the development of interventions to encourage adolescent smokers to reduce or quit smoking are outlined.
An exploratory study of multiple distinct gambling trajectories in emerging adults

This study uses data from a four-wave longitudinal survey of emerging adults (18–20 years of age in Wave 1) to examine whether there are multiple distinct trajectories of problem gambling risk severity and whether membership in these trajectory classes can be predicted by certain risk and protective factors. Four trajectory classes of gambling risk severity were identified – nonproblem-diminishing (73.9%), low-risk-stable (16.8%), marginal/nongambler-diminishing (7.1%), moderate-risk-increasing (2.2%) – with most youths' gambling involvement remaining stable or diminishing across the years and only the smallest most at-risk group showing a slight increase in severity across this transitional period. Three risk factors were significant predictors of class membership – being male, scoring higher on alcohol dependence, and escape-avoidance coping were all associated with increased probability of being in one of the more gambling involved trajectory classes, while lower alcohol dependence scores were associated with increased likelihood of being in the marginal/nongambling class.
Anglo-Saxon Sociologies of the Punitive Turn. Critical Timidity, Reductive Perspectives, and the Problem of Totalization

Depuis le debut des annees 2000 semble s’etablir un consensus a la fois criminologique et politique au sujet d’une nouvelle donne culturelle en regard de la question penale. Dans le champ penal, ce (relatif) consensus est saisi par le biais d’expressions telles que « virage punitif » et « nouvelle punitivite ». En sciences sociales, trois principaux groupes de symptomes sont utilises pour etablir le diagnostic de cette mutation generale de la penalite : le boom carceral, la prison post-disciplinaire, et la reemergence d’une penalite « expressive ». Cette contribution propose de dissequer la facon dont le changement social, particulierement dans le domaine de la penalite institutionnalisee, est theorise par les analystes du virage punitif. Les cinq ‘sociologies du virage punitif’ qui dominent les debats theoriques dans le champ penal academique anglo-saxon sont ici analysees. Cette analyse revele notamment leur timidite critique et leur conception reductrice du champ penal.
Acid stress activation of the σE stress response in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium

The alternative sigma factor σE is activated by unfolded outer membrane proteins (OMPs) and plays an essential role in Salmonella pathogenesis. The canonical pathway of σE activation in response to envelope stress involves sequential proteolysis of the anti‐sigma factor RseA by the PDZ proteases DegS and RseP. Here we show that σE in Salmonella enterica sv. Typhimurium can also be activated by acid stress. A σE‐deficient mutant exhibits increased susceptibility to acid pH and reduced survival in an acidified phagosomal vacuole. Acid activation of σE‐dependent gene expression is independent of the unfolded OMP signal or the DegS protease but requires processing of RseA by RseP. The RseP PDZ domain is indispensable for acid induction, suggesting that acid stress may disrupt an inhibitory interaction between RseA and the RseP PDZ domain to allow RseA proteolysis in the absence of antecedent action of DegS. These observations demonstrate a novel environmental stimulus and activation pathway for the σE regulon that appear to be critically important during Salmonella–host cell interactions.
Structures of Human ALKBH5 Demethylase Reveal a Unique Binding Mode for Specific Single-stranded N6-Methyladenosine RNA Demethylation*

Background: ALKBH5 catalyzes demethylation of m6A single-stranded RNA (ssRNA). Results: ALKBH5 structures reveal the structural basis of its substrate selectivity and inhibition by citrate. Conclusion: ALKBH5 specifically binds to and demethylates m6A ssDNA/ssRNA. Citrate is a modest inhibitor of ALKBH5. Significance: This study provides insights into the molecular mechanism of ALKBH5 as an m6A ssRNA demethylase and will facilitate the design of selective inhibitors. N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent internal RNA modification in eukaryotes. ALKBH5 belongs to the AlkB family of dioxygenases and has been shown to specifically demethylate m6A in single-stranded RNA. Here we report crystal structures of ALKBH5 in the presence of either its cofactors or the ALKBH5 inhibitor citrate. Catalytic assays demonstrate that the ALKBH5 catalytic domain can demethylate both single-stranded RNA and single-stranded DNA. We identify the TCA cycle intermediate citrate as a modest inhibitor of ALKHB5 (IC50, ∼488 μm). The structural analysis reveals that a loop region of ALKBH5 is immobilized by a disulfide bond that apparently excludes the binding of dsDNA to ALKBH5. We identify the m6A binding pocket of ALKBH5 and the key residues involved in m6A recognition using mutagenesis and ITC binding experiments.
Antibodies That Induce Phagocytosis of Malaria Infected Erythrocytes: Effect of HIV Infection and Correlation with Clinical Outcomes

HIV infection increases the burden of disease of malaria in pregnancy, in part by impairing the development of immunity. We measured total IgG and phagocytic antibodies against variant surface antigens of placental-type CS2 parasites in 187 secundigravidae (65% HIV infected). In women with placental malaria infection, phagocytic antibodies to CS2VSA were decreased in the presence of HIV (p = 0.011) and correlated positively with infant birth weight (coef = 3.57, p = 0.025), whereas total IgG to CS2VSA did not. Phagocytic antibodies to CS2VSA are valuable tools to study acquired immunity to malaria in the context of HIV co-infection. Secundigravidae may be an informative group for identification of correlates of immunity.
Difference in mesothelin‐binding ability of serum CA125 between patients with endometriosis and epithelial ovarian cancer

The epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) is an aggressive malignant tumor, and is currently the leading cause of gynecologic cancer death. CA125 is the most commonly used serum marker for EOC, but shows a high‐false‐positive rate for several benign diseases such as endometriosis. The purpose of our study is therefore to identify a useful biochemical tool for detecting qualitative differences between CA125 from patients with endometriosis and EOC, and to facilitate differential diagnosis of these diseases. In our study, using two different CA125‐binding molecules, i.e., recombinant mesothelin and an anti‐CA125 monoclonal antibody, a novel sandwich ELISA for determining the serum levels of CA125 with mesothelin‐binding ability (CA125meso) was developed, and tested for patients with endometriosis (n = 59) and EOC (n = 36). We found that both the serum CA125meso level and the ratio of the serum CA125meso to CA125 levels (CA125meso/CA125) were significantly higher in patients with EOC than in patients with endometriosis (p < 0.00005 and p < 0.000001, respectively). Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the CA125meso assay was superior to the conventional antibody‐based CA125 assay in discriminating endometriosis from EOC. Thus, mesothelin‐binding ability may be a useful indicator for qualitatively evaluating CA125 in patients with endometriosis and EOC.
Source Populations Act as Coevolutionary Pacemakers in Experimental Selection Mosaics Containing Hotspots and Coldspots

Natural populations of hosts and their enemies are often spatially structured, with patches that vary in the strength of reciprocal selection, so‐called coevolutionary hotspots and coldspots with strong or weak reciprocal selection, respectively. Theory predicts that dispersal from hotspots should intensify coevolution in coldspots, whereas dispersal from coldspots should weaken coevolution in hotspots; however, there have been few empirical tests. We addressed this using paired populations of the bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens and the phage SBW25Φ2 linked by one‐way dispersal. Within each population, the strength of reciprocal selection was manipulated by altering the bacteria‐phage encounter rate, which changes the rate of coevolution without affecting environmental productivity. We observed that dispersal from hotspots accelerated coevolution in coldspots, while dispersal from coldspots decelerated coevolution in hotspots. These results confirm theoretical predictions and suggest that source populations can act as coevolutionary “pacemakers” for recipient populations, overriding local conditions.
What do tender points measure? Influence of distress on 4 measures of tenderness.

OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between current pain, distress, and ascending and random measures of tenderness. METHODS Manual tender point counts and dolorimeter measures of the pressure pain threshold were determined in a sample of 47 women representative of the general population with respect to tenderness. In addition, discrete pressure stimuli of varying intensities to the left thumb were applied in random fashion. Distress was measured with the Brief Symptom Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory, and pain was evaluated with the Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire. RESULTS Only the random measure of tenderness was relatively independent of an individual's current psychological state. The respective correlation coefficients between measures of tenderness and psychological state were generally greatest for the manual tender point count and also significant for the dolorimeter measures. In contrast, all measures were highly correlated with ratings of spontaneous pain, again with the manual tender point count showing the strongest, and the random method the weakest, correlations. Linear regression analysis replicated the results of the correlational analysis. CONCLUSION As a measure of tenderness, the number of positive tender points is clearly influenced by an individual's distress. Other more sophisticated measures of tenderness that randomly present stimuli in an unpredictable fashion appear to be relatively immune to these biasing effects, although our results obtained in a research setting have yet to be replicated in clinical practice.
Consensual validity of the EPQ: Self-reports and spouse-reports.

One important question in trait theory is the concept of validity, that is, whether a given test actually measures what it is intended to measure. This is easy to establish when we have a criterion against which the test can be evaluated. Unfortunately, the criterion is not always available. One way of overcoming this problem could be to validate questionnaire responses by correlating them with ratings made by external assessors who know the ratee well: This is what is known as consensual validity. This study assesses the consensual validity of the EPQ by means of self-reports and spouse-reports. Self-reports of 198 men and women with a mean age of 35 years were correlated with their spouses' reports. Correlations ranged from . 43 to . 70 for the three dimensions. A multitrait-multimethod analysis showed evidence of convergent and discriminant validity in the entire sample as well as in both men and women. Two factors probably contributed to the relatively higher correlations: the psychometrical adequacy of.