Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A single amino acid substitution in hypervariable region 5 of the envelope protein of feline immunodeficiency virus allows escape from virus neutralization

We infected a specific-pathogen-free cat (cat 14) with molecularly cloned feline immunodeficiency virus clone 19k1 (FIV19k1 [K. H. J. Siebelink, I. Chu, G. F. Rimmelzwaan, K. Weijer, A. D. M. E. Osterhaus, and M. L. Bosch, J. Virol. 66:1091-1097, 1992]). Serum of this cat obtained 22 weeks postinfection (serum 1422) neutralized FIV19k1 but not FIV19k32, which is 99.3% identical to FIV19k1 in the envelope gene. Serum 1422 also neutralized virus isolated from cat 14 at weeks 2 and 32 postinfection. We then cultured FIV19k1 in the continuous presence of serum 1422, which resulted in a delay in virus replication of 6 weeks. The resulting virus population appeared to be resistant to virus neutralization by serum 1422. Nucleotide sequencing of the env open reading frame of this presumed escape mutant revealed the presence of one silent and two substitution mutations, both of the latter in hypervariable region 5. Through the construction of chimeric viruses and site-directed mutagenesis, we demonstrated that one of these mutations, the substitution of lysine to glutamine at amino acid position 560 in hypervariable region 5, was sufficient to allow the escape of FIV19k1 from neutralization by serum 1422.
Regulation of GIP and GLP1 Receptor Cell Surface Expression by N-Glycosylation and Receptor Heteromerization

In response to a meal, Glucose-dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide (GIP) and Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) are released from gut endocrine cells into the circulation and interact with their cognate G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Receptor activation results in tissue-selective pleiotropic responses that include augmentation of glucose-induced insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells. N-glycosylation and receptor oligomerization are co-translational processes that are thought to regulate the exit of functional GPCRs from the ER and their maintenance at the plasma membrane. Despite the importance of these regulatory processes, their impact on functional expression of GIP and GLP-1 receptors has not been well studied. Like many family B GPCRs, both the GIP and GLP-1 receptors possess a large extracellular N-terminus with multiple consensus sites for Asn-linked (N)-glycosylation. Here, we show that each of these Asn residues is glycosylated when either human receptor is expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. N-glycosylation enhances cell surface expression and function in parallel but exerts stronger control over the GIP receptor than the GLP-1 receptor. N-glycosylation mainly lengthens receptor half-life by reducing degradation in the endoplasmic reticulum. N-glycosylation is also required for expression of the GIP receptor at the plasma membrane and efficient GIP potentiation of glucose-induced insulin secretion from the INS-1 pancreatic beta cell line. Functional expression of a GIP receptor mutant lacking N-glycosylation is rescued by co-expressed wild type GLP1 receptor, which, together with data obtained using Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer, suggests formation of a GIP-GLP1 receptor heteromer.
The Effect of Social Capital on Fertiliser Adoption: Evidence from Rural Tanzania

Do the characterisitics of local social structures affect fertilizer adoption among rural households? This paper extends the model of technology adoption of Feder and Slade (1984) to incorporate social capital, and then tests the model with household data from two agro-ecological zones in rural Tanzania. Probit estimates of the model show that the probability of adoption of improved fertilizer in 1994-95 in the Central Plateau region in increasing in land under cultivation, cumulative adoption patterns, ethnically-based social affiliations, the adoption of improved seeds, the availability of credit and extension services, and the average years of residence in the village. In the Plains region, this probability is increasing in land under cultivation, ethnically based social affiliations and consultative norms. Overall, these results, which are robust after testing for the likely reverse causality of land under cultivation, support the finding that ethnically based and participatory social affiliations act as forms of social capital in the adoption decision.
The Congenital Cataract-Linked G61C Mutation Destabilizes γD-Crystallin and Promotes Non-Native Aggregation

γD-crystallin is one of the major structural proteins in human eye lens. The solubility and stability of γD-crystallin play a crucial role in maintaining the optical properties of the lens during the life span of an individual. Previous study has shown that the inherited mutation G61C results in autosomal dominant congenital cataract. In this research, we studied the effects of the G61C mutation on γD-crystallin structure, stability and aggregation via biophysical methods. CD, intrinsic and extrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy indicated that the G61C mutation did not affect the native structure of γD-crystallin. The stability of γD-crystallin against heat- or GdnHCl-induced denaturation was significantly decreased by the mutation, while no influence was observed on the acid-induced unfolding. The mutation mainly affected the transition from the native state to the intermediate but not that from the intermediate to the unfolded or aggregated states. At high temperatures, both proteins were able to form aggregates, and the aggregation of the mutant was much more serious than the wild type protein at the same temperature. At body temperature and acidic conditions, the mutant was more prone to form amyloid-like fibrils. The aggregation-prone property of the mutant was not altered by the addition of reductive reagent. These results suggested that the decrease in protein stability followed by aggregation-prone property might be the major cause in the hereditary cataract induced by the G61C mutation.
Eosinophil granule proteins in the assessment of airway inflammation in pediatric bronchial asthma

Eosinophil granule proteins such as eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) and eosinophil protein X (EPX) in serum and urine are indirect measures of eosinophil activity. The measures have been evaluated for prediction, diagnosis and monitoring of anti‐inflammatory treatment modalities in children with asthma. Assessments in serum and urine are highly dependent on sampling procedures and must be performed under strictly controlled conditions using standardized sampling and laboratory procedures. The measures are influenced by circadian and seasonal variations. Measurement of the eosinophil granule proteins does not improve the predictive value of a family history of atopy. Due to insufficient sensitivity and specificity, the measures are not useful in the diagnosis of asthma in children, and the clinical use of eosinophil proteins in the individual child for assessment of asthma severity has not been sufficiently validated. Serum and urine eosinophil granule proteins, however, may be useful in extending our knowledge of suppressive effects on eosinophil activity of various doses, devices and administration regimens of inhaled glucocorticoids in children. Such evaluations may be performed in randomized, double‐blind trials of well‐defined age groups and they should include measures of compliance. One important aspect to look at would be the distinction between suppressive effects on eosinophil activity and clinically important anti‐inflammatory effects. Considering the complexity of airway inflammation and the heterogeneity of childhood asthma, however, it may be too simplistic to look for a single measure of the inflammatory processes. In the future, perhaps, a combination of products of inflammatory cells may give more clinically relevant information with respect to prediction, diagnosis, monitoring and outcome of childhood asthma.
An Overview of Yield-to-Bus Programs in Florida

This paper presents an overview of Yield-to-Bus (YTB) programs in Florida, including a review of bus operator surveys, operational and safety effects of YTB signage, and Florida YTB statutes. The statewide bus operators’ survey highlighted different aspects of YTB programs in Florida. First, it was apparent that bus operators often have difficulty moving back into the flow of traffic from any off-line position, including bus pullout bays, right-turn lanes, and wide paved shoulders. Even with the law implemented, motorists typically do not yield to the bus. The study found that the decal currently implemented on the back of the bus has no significant safety or operational effects, and there are no roadside signs or pavement markings for YTB laws.
Overprecision in Judgment

Overprecision in judgment is both the most durable and the least understood form of overconfidence. This chapter reviews the evidence on overprecision, highlighting its consequences in everyday life and for our understanding the psychology of uncertainty. There are some interesting explanations for overprecision, but none fully accounts for the diversity of the evidence. Overprecision remains an important phenomenon in search of a full explanation. Moore, D. A. , Tenney, E. R. , & Haran, U. (in press). Overprecision in judgment. In G. Wu and G. Keren (Eds.), Handbook of Judgment and Decision Making. New York: Wiley
Demographic Diversity and Faultlines: The Compositional DYnamics of Organizational Groups

In this article we address issues of diversity within organizational groups by discussing and summarizing previous approaches and by introducing a new variable—faultlines—which depends on the alignment of individual member characteristics. By analyzing a group's faultlines, we focus attention on the underlying patterns of group member characteristics, which can be an important determinant of subgroup conflict, particularly when the group's task is related to one of its faultlines. We discuss the dynamics of faultlines from the early to later stages of a group's development and show how they may be strongest and most likely when diversity of individual member characteristics is moderate.
The impact of individual efficacy beliefs on group goal selection and group goal commitment

Collective efficacy research has begun to progress from simply trying to verify the relationship between collective efficacy and performance to examining the mechanisms through which collective efficacy impacts on performance. To test hypotheses concerning the impact of collective efficacy on group goal selection and commitment, 24 participants were assigned to triads (consisting of the participant and two confederates) and performed two time-trials on cycle ergometers. Before each trial, the participants were asked to select both a finishing time and position goal for their group and to indicate their commitment towards these goals. After trial 1, the participants were assigned to either a high or low collective efficacy condition and received appropriate bogus performance feedback. Analysis of variance and post-hoc tests revealed that participants in the low collective efficacy group significantly reduced both finishing time and group position goals from trial 1 to trial 2, whereas participants in the high collective efficacy group maintained their goals. These results provide support for Bandura's suggestions concerning the mechanisms through which collective efficacy impacts upon performance.
Dynamics of Human Telomerase Holoenzyme Assembly and Subunit Exchange across the Cell Cycle*

Background: Telomerase elongation of chromosome ends is restricted within the cell cycle. Results: A human telomerase holoenzyme subunit mediating Cajal body and telomere localization disassembles reversibly from the RNP catalytic core in each cell cycle. Conclusion: Telomerase holoenzyme assembly and disassembly are favored at distinct stages of the cell cycle. Significance: Human telomerase is relicensed for telomere synthesis in G1. Human telomerase acts on telomeres during the genome synthesis phase of the cell cycle, accompanied by its concentration in Cajal bodies and transient colocalization with telomeres. Whether the regulation of human telomerase holoenzyme assembly contributes to the cell cycle restriction of telomerase function is unknown. We investigated the steady-state levels, assembly, and exchange dynamics of human telomerase subunits with quantitative in vivo cross-linking and other methods. We determined the physical association of telomerase subunits in cells blocked or progressing through the cell cycle as synchronized by multiple protocols. The total level of human telomerase RNA (hTR) was invariant across the cell cycle. In vivo snapshots of telomerase holoenzyme composition established that hTR remains bound to human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) throughout all phases of the cell cycle, and subunit competition assays suggested that hTERT-hTR interaction is not readily exchangeable. In contrast, the telomerase holoenzyme Cajal body-associated protein, TCAB1, was released from hTR in mitotic cells coincident with TCAB1 delocalization from Cajal bodies. This telomerase holoenzyme disassembly was reversible with cell cycle progression without any change in total TCAB1 protein level. Consistent with differential cell cycle regulation of hTERT-hTR and TCAB1-hTR protein-RNA interactions, overexpression of hTERT or TCAB1 had limited if any influence on hTR assembly of the other subunit. Overall, these findings revealed a cell cycle regulation that disables human telomerase association with telomeres while preserving the co-folded hTERT-hTR ribonucleoprotein catalytic core. Studies here, integrated with previous work, led to a unifying model for telomerase subunit assembly and trafficking in human cells.
Capacity bounds and estimates for the finite scatterers MIMO wireless channel

We consider the limits to the capacity of the multiple-input-multiple-output wireless channel as modeled by the finite scatterers channel model, a generic model of the multipath channel which accounts for each individual multipath component. We assume a normalization that allows for the array gain due to multiple receive antenna elements and, hence, can obtain meaningful limits as the number of elements tends to infinity. We show that the capacity is upper bounded by the capacity of an identity channel of dimension equal to the number of scatterers. Because this bound is not very tight, we also determine an estimate of the capacity as the number of transmit/receive elements tends to infinity which is asymptotically accurate.
Executive functions and cognitive subprocesses in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea

In recent years, special interest has been focused on impairments of executive functions in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS). However, the majority of studies have not clearly separated deficits in executive functions from impairments in other cognitive processes involved in task solving. In the present study, working memory (WM) functions of 20 patients with OSAS were compared with those of 10 age‐, sex‐ and education‐matched healthy subjects. Cognitive functions were measured four times a day; each of these measurements was accompanied by an assessment of subjective and objective daytime sleepiness. To separate dysfunctions of WM from those of additionally involved processes, n‐back tasks were applied embedded in a reaction‐time‐decomposition approach. Deficits in n‐back tasks could be observed in OSAS patients in accuracy and reaction times. However, the slowing could already be observed in simple reaction time tasks. The drop in 1‐back accuracy in the morning was related to daytime sleepiness. During the afternoon, accuracy of OSAS patients dropped in 2‐back tasks, an effect which correlated neither with sleepiness nor with the extent of sleep apnoea or oxygen desaturation. In conclusion, our data reflect a complex perspective upon cognitive deficits in OSAS. Cross‐group differences in processing time on the higher level WM task appeared to be attributable to slowing at a more elementary cognitive processing level. In contrast, reduced accuracy during the WM task in the OSAS group could not be explained by deficits in more elementary cognitive processes.
School Level Factors Associated with Pennsylvania High Schools That Exceed PVAAS Growth Projections in Reading.

An abundance of research exists related to student and school factors that influence student achievement; however, due to the increase in value-added assessment models and the number of states that are instituting such models, there is a significant need to investigate school characteristics and programs that promote academic growth as measured through value-added analysis. The research study was an effort to explore programs and characteristics common among high schools in Pennsylvania that issue reading growth projections provided by the Pennsylvania Value-Added Assessment System. High growth reading high schools were identified using Average Growth Index (AGI) scores. Sixty-five high school principals working in these high reading growth schools completed a survey and provided insight into those characteristics and programs in their schools that promoted reading development. Six onsite visits were completed and personal interviews were conducted with principals of these high growth schools to develop information regarding what these schools did to attain such positive results. Additionally, a multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine if there was a relationship between a school’s three-year mean AGI score and several variables. Results of the study concluded that high schools that exceed PVAAS reading projections contained the following characteristics and/or programs: (a) had remediation and/or tutoring programs in place for students who are not meeting the prescribed academic standards, (b) obtained, reviewed, and utilized student data to maximize the learning potential, (c) utilized a focused approach to staff development, and (d) had high expectations for student achievement as shared by the community, parents, staff, and students. Regression analyses showed that Graduation Rate, “Other” Race, Percentage of Low Income Students, Number of Students, and Math Growth Indexes demonstrated a relationship to the reading growth scores in Pennsylvania high schools.
Learning to Integrate Relational Databases with Wikipedia

Wikipedia is a general encyclopedia of unprecedented breadth and popularity. However, much of the Web’s factual information still lies within relational databases, each focused on a specific topic. While many database entities are described by corresponding Wikipedia pages, in general this correspondence is unknown unless it has been manually specified. As a result, Web databases cannot leverage the relevant rich descriptions and interrelationships captured in Wikipedia, and Wikipedia readers miss the extensive coverage that a database typically provides on its specific topic. In this paper, we present ETOW, a system that automatically integrates relational databases with Wikipedia. ETOW uses machine learning techniques to identify the correspondences between database entities and Wikipedia pages. In experiments with two distinct Web databases, we demonstrate that ETOW outperforms baseline techniques, reducing error overall by an average of 19%, and reducing false positive rate by 50%. In one experiment, ETOW is able to identify approximately 13,000 correct matches at a precision of 0.97. We also present evidence suggesting that ETOW can substantially improve the coverage and utility of both the relational databases and Wikipedia.
Lassa and mopeia virus replication in human monocytes/macrophages and in endothelial cells: Different effects on IL‐8 and TNF‐α gene expression

Cells of the mononuclear and endothelial lineages are targets for viruses which cause hemorrhagic fevers (HF) such as the filoviruses Marburg and Ebola, and the arenaviruses Lassa and Junin. A recent model of Marburg HF pathogenesis proposes that virus directly causes endothelial cell damage and macrophage release of TNF‐α which increases the permeability of endothelial monolayers [Feldmann et al., 1996]. We show that Lassa virus replicates in human monocytes/macrophages and endothelial cells without damaging them. Human endothelial cells (HUVEC) are highly susceptible to infection by both Lassa and Mopeia (a non‐pathogenic Lassa‐related arenavirus). Whereas monocytes must differentiate into macrophages before supporting even low level production of these viruses, the virus yields in the culture medium of infected HUVEC cells reach more than 7 log10 PFU/ml without cellular damage. In contrast to filovirus, Lassa virus replication in monocytes/macrophages fails to stimulate TNF‐α gene expression and even down‐regulates LPS‐stimulated TNF‐α mRNA synthesis. The expression of IL‐8, a prototypic proinflammatory CXC chemokine, was also suppressed in Lassa virus infected monocytes/macrophages and HUVEC on both the protein and mRNA levels. This contrasts with Mopeia virus infection of HUVEC in which neither IL‐8 mRNA nor protein are reduced. The cumulative down‐regulation of TNF‐α and IL‐8 expression could explain the absence of inflammatory and effective immune responses in severe cases of Lassa HF. J. Med. Virol. 59:552–560, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Soft Magnetic Properties of High-Entropy Fe-Co-Ni-Cr-Al-Si Thin Films

Soft magnetic properties of Fe-Co-Ni-Al-Cr-Si thin films were studied. As-deposited Fe-Co-Ni-Al-Cr-Si nano-grained thin films showing no magnetic anisotropy were subjected to field-annealing at different temperatures to induce magnetic anisotropy. Optimized magnetic and electrical properties of Fe-Co-Ni-Al-Cr-Si films annealed at 200 °C are saturation magnetization 9.13 × 105 A/m, coercivity 79.6 A/m, out-of-plane uniaxial anisotropy field 1.59 × 103 A/m, and electrical resistivity 3.75 μΩ·m. Based on these excellent properties, we employed such films to fabricate magnetic thin film inductor. The performance of the high entropy alloy thin film inductors is superior to that of air core inductor.
Patterns of Mind-Body Therapies in Adults with Common Neurological Conditions

Background: Over 40% of adults with common neurological conditions use complementary and alternative medicine, and mind-body therapies are the most commonly used form. Our objective was to describe mind-body use in adults with common neurological conditions. Methods: We compared mind-body use between adults with and without common neurological conditions (regular headaches, migraines, back pain with sciatica, strokes, dementia, seizures or memory loss) using the 2007 National Health Interview Survey of 23,393 sampled American adults. Results: Adults with common neurological conditions used mind-body therapies more frequently than those without (24.5 vs. 16.6%, p < 0.0001); differences persisted after adjustment. Deep breathing exercises, meditation and yoga were used most frequently. Nearly 70% of the adults with common neurological conditions did not discuss their mind-body use with their health care provider. Those with neurological conditions used mind-body therapies more than those without these conditions because of provider recommendation (26 vs. 13%) or because conventional treatments were perceived ineffective (12 vs. 4%) or too costly (7 vs. 2%), respectively. Conclusions: Mind-body therapies are used more frequently among adults with common neurological conditions, more often when conventional treatments were perceived ineffective. More research is warranted on the efficacy of mind-body use for common neurological conditions.