Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sertoli Cells Initiate Testicular Innate Immune Responses through TLR Activation1

TLRs play a crucial role in early host defense against invading pathogens. In the seminiferous epithelium, Sertoli cells are the somatic nurse cells that mechanically segregate germ cell autoantigens by means of the blood-tubular barrier and create a microenvironment that protects germ cells from both interstitial and ascending invading pathogens. The objective of this study was to examine TLR expression and their functional responses to specific agonists in mouse Sertoli cells. We measured the expression of TLR2, TLR4, TLR5, and TLR6 mRNAs and confirmed by FACS analysis the presence of proteins TLR2 and TLR5 on which we focused our study. Stimulation of Sertoli cells with macrophage-activating lipopeptide-2, agonist of TLR2/TLR6, and with flagellin, agonist of TLR5, induces augmented secretion of the chemokine MCP-1. To assess the functional significance of MCP-1 production following TLR stimulation, conditioned medium from either macrophage-activating lipopeptide-2 or flagellin-treated Sertoli cells was tested for in vitro chemotaxis assay, and a significant increase of macrophage migration was observed in comparison with unstimulated conditioned medium. Moreover, we studied the role of NF-κB and of MAPKs in regulating TLR-mediated MCP-1 secretion by using inhibitors specific for each transduction pathway and we demonstrated a pivotal role of the IκB/NF-κB and JNK systems. In addition, TLR2/TLR6 and TLR5 stimulation induces increased ICAM-1 expression in Sertoli cells. Collectively, this study demonstrates the novel ability of Sertoli cells to potentially respond to a wide variety of bacteria through TLR stimulation.
Distinct Domains Control the Addressing and the Insertion of Bax into Mitochondria*

The translocation of Bax from the cytosol into the mitochondrial outer membrane is a central event during apoptosis. We report that beyond the addressing step, which involves its first α-helix (hα1), the helices α5 and α6 (hα5α6) are responsible for the insertion of Bax into mitochondrial outer membrane bilayer. The translocation of Bax to mitochondria is associated with specific changes in the conformation of the protein that are under the control of two prolines: Pro-13, which controls the unfolding of hα1, and Pro-168, a proline located immediately before the hydrophobic carboxyl-terminal end (i.e. helix α9, hα9), which controls the disclosure of hα5α6. An additional step, the disruption of an electrostatic bond formed between Asp-33 (hα1) and Lys-64 (BH3), allows the mitochondria addressing of Bax. We conclude that, although the intramolecular interactions of hα1 with the BH3 region control the addressing of Bax to mitochondria, the Pro-168 is involved in the control of its membrane insertion through hα5α6.
Sustainable Management in Crop Monocultures: The Impact of Retaining Forest on Oil Palm Yield

Tropical agriculture is expanding rapidly at the expense of forest, driving a global extinction crisis. How to create agricultural landscapes that minimise the clearance of forest and maximise sustainability is thus a key issue. One possibility is protecting natural forest within or adjacent to crop monocultures to harness important ecosystem services provided by biodiversity spill-over that may facilitate production. Yet this contrasts with the conflicting potential that the retention of forest exports dis-services, such as agricultural pests. We focus on oil palm and obtained yields from 499 plantation parcels spanning a total of ≈23,000 ha of oil palm plantation in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. We investigate the relationship between the extent and proximity of both contiguous and fragmented dipterocarp forest cover and oil palm yield, controlling for variation in oil palm age and for environmental heterogeneity by incorporating proximity to non-native forestry plantations, other oil palm plantations, and large rivers, elevation and soil type in our models. The extent of forest cover and proximity to dipterocarp forest were not significant predictors of oil palm yield. Similarly, proximity to large rivers and other oil palm plantations, as well as soil type had no significant effect. Instead, lower elevation and closer proximity to forestry plantations had significant positive impacts on oil palm yield. These findings suggest that if dipterocarp forests are exporting ecosystem service benefits or ecosystem dis-services, that the net effect on yield is neutral. There is thus no evidence to support arguments that forest should be retained within or adjacent to oil palm monocultures for the provision of ecosystem services that benefit yield. We urge for more nuanced assessments of the impacts of forest and biodiversity on yields in crop monocultures to better understand their role in sustainable agriculture.
Thin Description: Surface and Depth in Science and Science Studies

Since the time of the French Revolution, a sequence of modern thinkers has theorized the thinning of the world in relation to the growth of science. In a large, diverse, and politicized world, subtlety seems to recede into nooks and corners, while information is revered for its ready accessibility and seeming solidity. The sciences, adapting their public voice and some of their inward practices to such expectations, have over the twentieth century flourished more and more in the public sphere as preeminent sites of facts, data, and statistics. Yet the aspiration to superficiality yields up all kinds of unexpected consequences, which provide fascinating opportunities for historical and social studies of science if we can ourselves resist the siren song of thinness.
Can Family Financial Resources Buy Friends?

This study examines empirically the relationship between the economic conditions back home and the friendship patterns of migrants at the new destination. The migrant adjustment process is not just associated with the individual socioeconomic status, but is also related to family economic conditions in their place of origin. Our study, based on data collected in 2010 on migrant workers in seven cities located in Pearl River Delta and Yangzi River Delta in China, confirms the relationship. Our findings indicate that rural migrants in China with higher income and better economic conditions back home are associated with more friends in the host society. We also find friendship patterns to be different between male and female migrant workers. In particular, family economic conditions back home are particularly important for males’ friendship pattern, but not for females. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Visually-guided irrigation in patients with early knee osteoarthritis: a multicenter randomized, controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE To determine if visually-guided arthroscopic irrigation is an effective therapeutic intervention in patients with early knee osteoarthritis. DESIGN Ninety patients with knee osteoarthritis were randomized in a double-blind fashion to receive either arthroscopic irrigation with 3000 ml of saline (treatment group) or the minimal amount of irrigation (250 ml) required to perform arthroscopy (placebo group). The primary outcome variable was aggregate WOMAC score. RESULTS The study did not demonstrate an effect of irrigation on arthritis severity as measured by aggregate WOMAC scores, the primary outcome variable; the mean change in aggregate WOMAC score at 12 months was 15.5 (95% CI 7.7, 23.4) for the full irrigation group compared to 8.9 (95% CI 4.9, 13.0) for the minimal irrigation group (P=0.10). Full irrigation did have a statistically significant effect on patients' self-reported pain as measured by the WOMAC pain subscale and by a visual analog scale (VAS) (the secondary outcome variables). Mean change in WOMAC pain scores decreased by 4.2 (95% CI -0.9, 9.4) for the full irrigation group compared with a mean decrease of 2.3 (95% CI -0.1, 4.7) in the minimal irrigation group (P=0.04). Mean VAS pain scores decreased by 1.47 (95% CI -1.2, 4.1) in the full irrigation group compared to a mean decrease of 0.12 (95% CI 0.0, 0.3) in the minimal irrigation group (P=0.02). A hypothesis-generating post-hoc analysis of the effect of positively birefrigent intraarticular crystals showed that patients with and without intraarticular crystals had statistically significant improvements in pain assessments and aggregate WOMAC scores at 12 months; patients with crystals had statistically greater improvements in pain. CONCLUSIONS Visually-guided arthroscopic irrigation may be a useful therapeutic option for relief of pain in a subset of patients with knee OA, particularly in those who have occult intraarticular crystals.
Differential and cell‐type specific regulation of responses to Toll‐like receptor agonists by ISO‐1

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) plays vital roles in the regulation of responses to stimuli acting via Toll‐like receptor (TLR)‐4. Recently, a specific small molecule inhibitor of MIF (ISO‐1) has been described. We investigated the effects of ISO‐1 on TLR responses in primary human monocytes and monocyte‐derived macrophages (MDM). In monocytes, ISO‐1 caused marked suppression of TLR4‐induced proinflammatory cytokine production, and to a lesser extent suppression of TLR2‐induced responses. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced activation of cocultures of monocytes and endothelial cells was strongly inhibited by ISO‐1. Suppression of monocyte TLR4 signalling by ISO‐1 was associated with alterations in extracellular signal‐related kinase (ERK)‐1/2 activation status. Previously, regulation of TLR4 signalling by MIF has been noted to be through control of TLR4 expression, but we observed that the actions of ISO‐1 were mediated without changes in cell surface TLR4 levels. In contrast, ISO‐1 pretreatment did not inhibit responses of MDM to LPS. ISO‐1 is a promising parent molecule which inhibits TLR‐induced ERK activation and inflammatory cytokine production in monocytes, whose role may be complicated by cell‐type specificity.
Influenza immunization in hemodialyzed or kidney transplanted adolescents and young adults

Aim: To clarify the immunogenicity and safety of influenza vaccine in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) on dialysis or who have received a kidney transplant. Methods: Sixty adolescents and young adults with ESKD (25 on hemodialysis and 35 kidney transplant recipients) were randomized 1:1 to receive a traditional trivalent split virion vaccine (TIIV) or a virosome-adjuvanted trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (VATIIV). The immunogenicity and safety of the two vaccines was evaluated and compared with the findings observed in 30 healthy subjects of similar age and gender distribution who received TIIV. Results: The results indicate that the immune response of the patients to TIIV and VATIIV were similar. The administered vaccines were safe and well tolerated, and no advantage was found with the use of VATIIV. Conclusion: Given the potential clinical relevance of influenza in patients with ESKD, these findings support the official recommendation that they should receive annual influenza vaccinations.
ALS mutant FUS disrupts nuclear localization and sequesters wild-type FUS within cytoplasmic stress granules

Mutations in the gene encoding Fused in Sarcoma (FUS) cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disorder. FUS is a predominantly nuclear DNA- and RNA-binding protein that is involved in RNA processing. Large FUS-immunoreactive inclusions fill the perikaryon of surviving motor neurons of ALS patients carrying mutations at post-mortem. This sequestration of FUS is predicted to disrupt RNA processing and initiate neurodegeneration. Here, we demonstrate that C-terminal ALS mutations disrupt the nuclear localizing signal (NLS) of FUS resulting in cytoplasmic accumulation in transfected cells and patient fibroblasts. FUS mislocalization is rescued by the addition of the wild-type FUS NLS to mutant proteins. We also show that oxidative stress recruits mutant FUS to cytoplasmic stress granules where it is able to bind and sequester wild-type FUS. While FUS interacts with itself directly by protein–protein interaction, the recruitment of FUS to stress granules and interaction with PABP are RNA dependent. These findings support a two-hit hypothesis, whereby cytoplasmic mislocalization of FUS protein, followed by cellular stress, contributes to the formation of cytoplasmic aggregates that may sequester FUS, disrupt RNA processing and initiate motor neuron degeneration.
Chemical Composition of Volatile Oil from Cinnamomum zeylanicum Buds

The hydro-distilled volatile oil of the Cinnamomum zeylanicum (C. zeylanicum) buds was analyzed using GC and GC-MS for the first time. Thirty-four compounds representing ≈ 98% of the oil was characterized. It consists of terpene hydrocarbons (78%) and oxygenated terpenoids (9%). α-Bergamotene (27.38%) and α-copaene (23.05%) are found to be the major compounds. A comparison of the chemical composition of the oil was made with that of flowers and fruits.
TVD Algorithms Applied to the Solution of the Euler and Navier-Stokes Equations in Three-Dimensions

In the present work, the Yee, Warming and Harten, the Harten, the Yee and Kutler, and the Hughson and Beran schemes are implemented, on a finite volume context and using a structured spatial discretization, to solve the Euler and the Navier-Stokes equations in three-dimensions. All four schemes are TVD (“Total Variation Diminishing”) high resolution flux difference splitting ones, second order accurate. An implicit formulation is employed to solve the Euler equations, whereas the Navier-Stokes equations are solved by an explicit formulation. Turbulence is taken into account considering the algebraic models of Cebeci and Smith and of Baldwin and Lomax. The physical problems of the transonic flow along a convergent-divergent nozzle and the supersonic flow along a compression corner in the inviscid case are studied. In the viscous case, the supersonic flow along a ramp is solved. The results have demonstrated that the most severe results are obtained with the Hughson and Beran TVD high resolution scheme, whereas the Yee, Warming and Harten and the Yee and Kutler schemes present more accurate results. Key-Words: Yee, Warming and Harten algorithm, Harten algorithm, Yee and Kutler algorithm, Hughson and Beran algorithm, TVD high resolution schemes, Finite Volumes, Three-dimensions.
A global sampling approach to designing and reengineering RNA secondary structures

The development of algorithms for designing artificial RNA sequences that fold into specific secondary structures has many potential biomedical and synthetic biology applications. To date, this problem remains computationally difficult, and current strategies to address it resort to heuristics and stochastic search techniques. The most popular methods consist of two steps: First a random seed sequence is generated; next, this seed is progressively modified (i.e. mutated) to adopt the desired folding properties. Although computationally inexpensive, this approach raises several questions such as (i) the influence of the seed; and (ii) the efficiency of single-path directed searches that may be affected by energy barriers in the mutational landscape. In this article, we present RNA-ensign, a novel paradigm for RNA design. Instead of taking a progressive adaptive walk driven by local search criteria, we use an efficient global sampling algorithm to examine large regions of the mutational landscape under structural and thermodynamical constraints until a solution is found. When considering the influence of the seeds and the target secondary structures, our results show that, compared to single-path directed searches, our approach is more robust, succeeds more often and generates more thermodynamically stable sequences. An ensemble approach to RNA design is thus well worth pursuing as a complement to existing approaches. RNA-ensign is available at http://csb.cs. mcgill.ca/RNAensign.
Impact of Health Status Label on Medical Students' Expectations for Children's Coping Style and Choice of Approach Strategy

Whether medical students' judgments about how a child might cope with an injection as well as whether students' recommended choice of approach in administering an injection are influenced by expectations concerning a child's health status were experimentally tested. 102 first-year and fourth-year medical students were randomly assigned to view a healthy child labelled healthy (HL) or in remission from leukemia (RLL). Assigned health status labels affected expectations, such that RLL children were more likely to be expected to use distraction than HL children in coping with a medical stressor. Fourth-year medical students were more likely than first-year medical students to recommend time-expedient approach strategies in administering an injection to a child. Female medical students were more likely to recommend the use of less-time expedient approach strategies than male medical students. Students reported an overall bias to use an active, monitoring strategy when approaching a child, regardless of their .
Food consumption and nutrient intake in Finnish 1–6-year-old children

Abstract Objective To study food consumption and nutrient intake in Finnish children aged 1–6 years and to assess the effect of age and sex on food consumption and nutrient intake. Design Cross-sectional samples of children participating in the Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) birth cohort study in Finland. Subjects The study population comprised healthy children recruited in the nutrition study within the DIPP study in 1998–2003. Three-day food records (2535 in total) from 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 6-year-old children were kept between the years 2003 and 2005. Results The energy-adjusted consumption of fruits and berries, cereal products, infant formulas and meat dishes was higher and the consumption of vegetables, salads, breads, dairy products, fat spreads, drinks, sweets and sugar was lower among 1-year-old children than older age groups (P for all <0·05). The mean daily energy intake increased with age and was higher among boys than girls in all age groups, except among the 2-year-olds (P for all <0·05). The diet of the 2–6-year-old children contained too much saturated fat and sucrose, and too little PUFA compared with the current Nordic Nutrition Recommendations. The intakes of most vitamins and minerals met the recommendations. However, the intakes of vitamin D, E and iron fell below the recommended levels. The nutrient density of the diet decreased after the age of 1 year at the time that the children adapted to the regular family diet. Conclusions In order to improve the diet of young children, it is essential to evaluate the diet of the whole family.
BUILDING ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT: THE SOCIALIZATION OF MANAGERS IN WORK ORGANIZATIONS

Bruce Buchanan 11 Based on a questionnaire survey of 279 business and government managers, this study sheds light on two questions: (a) which organizational experiences have the greatest impact on managers' organizational commitment attitudes and (b) how does the significance of such experience vary with organizational tenure, particularly at early career stages? The results identify several commitment-relevant experiences and suggest that the influence potential of particular experiences varies significantly with tenure.
Lexical Tendencies of High and Low Barrier Personalities in Narratives of Everyday and Dream Memories

The use of computerized content analysis has encouraged great interest in the assessment of personality. Given the psychological importance of body boundaries in the maintenance and regulation of the self, this study aimed to assess the lexical tendencies of High and Low Barrier personalities (Fisher & Cleveland, 1956, 1958), as measured using the BTD (Wilson, 2006), with regard to lexical frequencies, as classified by the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) (Pennebaker, Booth, & Francis, 2007). Consistent with previous research that has identified an association between body boundary imagery and regressive cognitive functioning in autobiographical memories, the results of this study showed that High Barrier personalities used higher frequencies of semantic content associated with primordial mental activity, such as group references, somatosensory processes, and spatial references. In contrast, Low Barrier personalities showed increased use of semantic content related to conceptual thought, such as self-reference, as well as affective and cognitive processes. The discussion conceptualizes the identified lexical tendencies in High and Low Barrier personalities by drawing on various cognitive and social psychological theories.
Evaluation of Well-Being in Schools – A Multilevel Analysis of General Subjective Well-Being

The aim of this study was to explore the variation of general subjective well-being on individual and school levels. The classroom survey data of the School Health Promotion Survey (SHPS) were gathered in 1998 (N = 39 886) and in 1999 (N = 47 455) in different parts of Finland. The subjects were 8th and 9th graders from 458 secondary schools. Well-being was measured using the General Subjective Well-being Indicator (GSWI). The variation was studied using linear multilevel modeling. One percent of the variation in GSW occurred at the school level. The great majority of subjective well-being variation occurred between pupils.
cAMP Elevation Down-Regulates β3 Integrin and Focal Adhesion Kinase and Inhibits Leptin-Induced Migration of MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells

Abstract Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies and a major cause of cancer death among women worldwide. The high mortality rate associated with breast cancer is mainly due to a propensity of the tumor to metastasize, even if small or undetectable. Given the relevant role of leptin in breast cancer growth and metastasis, novel strategies to counteract biological effects of this obesity-linked cytokine are warranted. Recently, we demonstrated that in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, intracellular cAMP elevation completely abrogates both ERK1/2 and STAT3 phosphorylation in response to leptin. Very surprisingly, this provided evidence that when cAMP levels are increased, leptin drives cells towards apoptosis associated with a marked decrease of Bcl2 protein levels and accompanied by down-regulation of protein kinase A (PKA). The aim of the current study was to investigate the role of cAMP in leptin-associated motility of breast cancer cells. Here we show that cAMP elevation completely prevents leptin-induced migration of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Interestingly, the inhibition by cAMP-elevating agents of leptin-mediated cell migration is accompanied by a strong decrease of β3 integrin subunit and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) protein levels. Analysis of the underlying cAMP-dependent molecular mechanisms revealed that PKA blockers partly counteract the inhibition of leptin-induced migration and completely prevent the antiproliferative action by cAMP elevation. Moreover, a cAMP analogue that specifically activates Epac and not PKA has an inhibitory effect on leptin-induced cell migration as well. The present study confirms initial evidence for the efficacy of cAMP elevation against oncogenic effects of leptin, identifies β3 integrin subunit and FAK as proteins strongly down-regulated by cAMP elevation, and suggests that both cAMP/PKA- and cAMP/Epac-dependent pathways are involved in inhibition of leptin-induced migration of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. The potential clinical significance and therapeutic applications of our data are discussed.
Reflective practice: origins and interpretations

The idea of reflection is central to the theory and practice of learning – especially learning which is grounded in past or current experience. This paper proposes a working definition of reflection and reviews its origins and recent developments. The author also provides an account of ‘critical reflection’, including its rationale and characteristics, and argues for its particular suitability in the practice of action learning.