Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Arresting Pore Formation of a Cholesterol-dependent Cytolysin by Disulfide Trapping Synchronizes the Insertion of the Transmembrane β-Sheet from a Prepore Intermediate*

Perfringolysin O (PFO), a member of the cholesterol-dependent cytolysin family of pore-forming toxins, forms large oligomeric complexes comprising up to 50 monomers. In the present study, a disulfide bridge was introduced between cysteine-substituted serine 190 of transmembrane hairpin 1 (TMH1) and cysteine-substituted glycine 57 of domain 2 of PFO. The resulting disulfide-trapped mutant (PFOC190-C57) was devoid of hemolytic activity and could not insert either of its transmembrane β-hairpins (TMHs) into the membrane unless the disulfide was reduced. Both the size of the oligomer formed on the membrane and its rate of formation were unaffected by the oxidation state of the Cys190-Cys57 disulfide bond; thus, the disulfide-trapped PFO was assembled into a prepore complex on the membrane. The conversion of this prepore to the pore complex was achieved by reducing the C190-C57 disulfide bond. PFOC190-C57 that was allowed to form the prepore prior to the reduction of the disulfide exhibited a dramatic increase in the rate of PFO-dependent hemolysis and the membrane insertion of its TMHs when compared with toxin that had the disulfide reduced prior mixing the toxin with membranes. Therefore, the rate-limiting step in pore formation is prepore assembly, not TMH insertion. These data demonstrate that the prepore is a legitimate intermediate during the insertion of the large transmembrane β-sheet of the PFO oligomer. Finally, the PFO TMHs do not appear to insert independently, but instead their insertion is coupled.
Cross-sectional Analysis of the Relationship between Paranasal Sinus Balloon Catheter Dilations and Industry Payments among Otolaryngologists

Objective To characterize the relationship between industry payments and use of paranasal sinus balloon catheter dilations (BCDs) for chronic rhinosinusitis. Study Design Cross-sectional analysis of Medicare B Public Use Files and Open Payments data. Setting Two national databases, 2013 to 2014. Subjects and Methods Physicians with Medicare claims with Current Procedural Terminology codes 31295 to 31297 were identified and cross-referenced with industry payments. Multivariate linear regression controlling for age, race, sex, and comorbidity in a physician’s Medicare population was performed to identify associations between use of BCDs and industry payments. The final analysis included 334 physicians performing 31,506 procedures, each of whom performed at least 11 balloon dilation procedures. Results Of 334 physicians, 280 (83.8%) received 4392 industry payments in total. Wide variation in payments to physicians was noted (range, $43.29-$111,685.10). The median payment for food and beverage was $19.26 and that for speaker or consulting fees was $409.45. One payment was associated with an additional 3.05 BCDs (confidence interval [95% CI],1.65-4.45; P < .001). One payment for food and beverages was associated with 3.81 additional BCDs (95% CI, 2.13-5.49; P < .001), and 1 payment for speaker or consulting fees was associated with 5.49 additional BCDs (95% CI, 0.32-10.63; P = .04). Conclusion Payments by manufacturers of BCD devices were associated with increased use of BCD for chronic rhinosinusitis. On separate analyses, the number of payments for food and beverages as well as that for speaker and consulting fees was associated with increased BCD use. This study was cross-sectional and cannot prove causality, and several factors likely exist for the uptrend in BCD use.
The Effects of Motivational Factors in Learning among Students in Secondary School in Negeri Sembilan

This article highlights some of the major research findings regarding the extrinsic motivational factors in learning Mathematic among Students in Secondary School in Negeri Sembilan. This study is aimed to find out the relationship between extrinsic motivational factors which include teacher, peer-group, family, environment, and language with the academic performances in Mathematic. This study also aimed to find out the dominant extrinsic motivational factor in learning Mathematic among the factors studied. A total of 203 Form Four students from all three Students in Secondary Schools in Negeri Sembilan were chosen to participate in this study by using random sampling method. The extrinsic motivational factors in learning Mathematic were measured using a self-constructed questionnaire that includes all motivational factors investigated. The internal consistency reliability coefficient of Alpha Cronbach, a for this study was 0.816. Pearson Correlation used to test the relationships among extrinsic motivational factors and academic performances in Mathematic. Results of the study showed all five extrinsic motivational factors have significant relationship with academic achievement of Mathematic. Peer-group has the most significant mean where it is the most significant extrinsic motivational factor in this study. Keyword: Mathematic, achievement, environment, extrinsic motivation, peer-group, language.
Technical Features of Curriculum-Based Measures for Beginning Writers

The purpose of the two studies reported in this article was to examine technical features of curriculum-based measures for beginning writers. In Study 1, 50 first graders responded to word copying, sentence copying, and story prompts. In Study 2, 50 additional first graders responded to letter, picture-word, picture-theme, and photo prompts. In both studies, 3- to 5-minute prompts were administered in winter and spring and scored using a variety of quantitative procedures. Students were also administered the Test of Written Language—Third Edition , and teacher ratings and scores on a district rubric for writing were collected. Test-retest (Study 1 only) and alternate-form reliability, criterion validity, and winter-to-spring growth were examined for each measure. Sentence-copying, story, picture-word, and photo prompts emerged as promising beginning-writing measures. Findings have implications for monitoring student progress within a seamless and flexible system across ages and skill levels.
Spatio-Temporal Analyses of Symbiodinium Physiology of the Coral Pocillopora verrucosa along Large-Scale Nutrient and Temperature Gradients in the Red Sea

Algal symbionts (zooxanthellae, genus Symbiodinium) of scleractinian corals respond strongly to temperature, nutrient and light changes. These factors vary greatly along the north-south gradient in the Red Sea and include conditions, which are outside of those typically considered optimal for coral growth. Nevertheless, coral communities thrive throughout the Red Sea, suggesting that zooxanthellae have successfully acclimatized or adapted to the harsh conditions they experience particularly in the south (high temperatures and high nutrient supply). As such, the Red Sea is a region, which may help to better understand how zooxanthellae and their coral hosts successfully acclimatize or adapt to environmental change (e.g. increased temperatures and localized eutrophication). To gain further insight into the physiology of coral symbionts in the Red Sea, we examined the abundance of dominant Symbiodinium types associated with the coral Pocillopora verrucosa, and measured Symbiodinium physiological characteristics (i.e. photosynthetic processes, cell density, pigmentation, and protein composition) along the latitudinal gradient of the Red Sea in summer and winter. Despite the strong environmental gradients from north to south, our results demonstrate that Symbiodinium microadriaticum (type A1) was the predominant species in P. verrucosa along the latitudinal gradient. Furthermore, measured physiological characteristics were found to vary more with prevailing seasonal environmental conditions than with region-specific differences, although the measured environmental parameters displayed much higher spatial than temporal variability. We conclude that our findings might present the result of long-term acclimatization or adaptation of S. microadriaticum to regionally specific conditions within the Red Sea. Of additional note, high nutrients in the South correlated with high zooxanthellae density indicating a compensation for a temperature-driven loss of photosynthetic performance, which may prove promising for the resilience of these corals under increase of temperature increase and eutrophication.
An Investigation of Reversal Learning in Octopus Vulgaris Lamarck

Eighteen octopuses were trained by a method of successive discrimination training to discriminate between a vertical and a horizontal rectangle. They were then overtrained for either 20 or 60 trials, after which they learnt the reverse discrimination. At the beginning of each reversal they were given 20 trials pretraining on the new positive stimulus. The subjects completed from two to nine reversals. It was found that the amount of overtraining had no effect on the rate of learning the subsequent reversal. The first four reversals all took significantly longer to learn than the original problem, but did not differ significantly from one another. However, examination of the raw data suggests that later reversals do take longer to learn. The performance when learnt (i.e. on the first day of overtraining) was as good after reversal learning as after the learning of the original problem. The results do not show definite signs that could be interpreted as an exhaustion of a limited supply of neurones available for learning.
Prediction, Regressions and Critical Realism

Abstract This paper considers the possibility of prediction in land use planning, and the use of statistical research methods in analyses of relationships between urban form and travel behaviour. Influential writers within the tradition of critical realism reject the possibility of predicting social phenomena. This position is fundamentally problematic to public planning. Without at least some ability to predict the likely consequences of different proposals, the justification for public sector intervention into market mechanisms will be frail. Statistical methods like regression analyses are commonly seen as necessary in order to identify aggregate-level effects of policy measures, but are questioned by many advocates of critical realist ontology. Using research into the relationship between urban structure and travel as an example, the paper discusses relevant research methods and the kinds of prediction necessary and possible in spatial planning of urban development. Finally, the political implications of positions within theory of science rejecting the possibility of predictions about social phenomena are addressed.
Policies for Macrofinancial Stability: Options to Deal with Real Estate Booms

DISCLAIMER: This Staff Discussion Note represents the views of the authors and does not necessarily represent IMF views or IMF policy. The views expressed herein should be attributed to the authors and not to the IMF, its Executive Board, or its management. Staff Discussion Notes are published to elicit comments and to further debate.
Exosome Uptake Depends on ERK1/2-Heat Shock Protein 27 Signaling and Lipid Raft-mediated Endocytosis Negatively Regulated by Caveolin-1

Background: Exosome vesicles can transfer molecular information previously shown to stimulate tumor development; however, the mechanism of exosome uptake is unknown. Results: Mammalian cells internalize exosomes through lipid raft-mediated endocytosis negatively regulated by caveolin-1. Conclusion: Our findings provide novel insights into cellular uptake of exosomes. Significance: Our data provide potential strategies for how the exosome uptake pathway may be targeted. The role of exosomes in cancer can be inferred from the observation that they transfer tumor cell derived genetic material and signaling proteins, resulting in e.g. increased tumor angiogenesis and metastasis. However, the membrane transport mechanisms and the signaling events involved in the uptake of these virus-like particles remain ill-defined. We now report that internalization of exosomes derived from glioblastoma (GBM) cells involves nonclassical, lipid raft-dependent endocytosis. Importantly, we show that the lipid raft-associated protein caveolin-1 (CAV1), in analogy with its previously described role in virus uptake, negatively regulates the uptake of exosomes. We find that exosomes induce the phosphorylation of several downstream targets known to associate with lipid rafts as signaling and sorting platforms, such as extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 (ERK1/2) and heat shock protein 27 (HSP27). Interestingly, exosome uptake appears dependent on unperturbed ERK1/2-HSP27 signaling, and ERK1/2 phosphorylation is under negative influence by CAV1 during internalization of exosomes. These findings significantly advance our general understanding of exosome-mediated uptake and offer potential strategies for how this pathway may be targeted through modulation of CAV1 expression and ERK1/2 signaling.
Octopus: An Edge-fog Mutual Authentication Scheme

Authentication is an important and challenging issue for the security of Fog computing since, services are offered to massive-scale end users (Fog users or Edge) by front Fog servers (or Fog nodes). In this paper, we propose a secure and efficient mutual authentication scheme for the Edge-Fog-Cloud network architecture, to mutually authenticate Fog users at the Edge of the network, with the Fog servers at the Fog layer. Our scheme requires a user － roaming randomly in the network { to hold only one long-lived master secret key (with long enough bit-length) allowing him to communicate with any of the Fog servers in the network, in a fully authenticated way. The Fog users are able to mutually authenticate with new Fog servers joining the network, without the need to re-register and without any extra overheads. Moreover, the servers in the Fog are required to store only one secret key for each Fog user. On the other hand, the Fog users are totally unrelated to any public-key infrastructure. The scheme requires the Fog user to perform very few hash invocations and symmetric encryptions/decryptions. Therefore, the scheme is suitable to be efficiently implemented on the Fog user's smart card/device.
Predicting Drug Arrest Rates: Conflict and Social Disorganization Perspectives

Using 1989 data on illegal drug possession and trafficking arrests and socioeconomic data from the 1990 census, this article presents a series of models of drug arrest rates for a sample of U.S. cities. Comparing predictions derived from social disorganization and conflict theories, the models demonstrate that the racial composition of these cities, even while controlling for economic deprivation variables, is the strongest predictor of drug arrest rates. In addition, and also consistent with conflict theory, a measure of police force strength exerts a significant positive effect on trafficking arrest rates.
‘A uniform seemed the obvious thing’: experiences of careers guidance amongst potential HE participants

The growth of higher education is a global phenomenon and provides challenges for educational leaders in schools and universities. Raising aspiration and participation requires an understanding of the sources of advice and information available to potential participants and how these are used when they decide whether or not to participate. This article draws on a qualitative study using social network analysis undertaken in England. This study examined the nature of decision making amongst individuals who have chosen not to participate in higher education despite possessing the qualifications and experience which would enable them to be admitted to a university programme. The research sought to identify their decision‐making processes within the ‘networks of intimacy’ that are their family, friends and significant individuals in their educational and/or working environments, past or present. Lying at the heart of the research is the belief that, in social network analysis, it is the interpersonal relationships rather than the individuals that form the unit of analysis. This article examines the role of information, advice and guidance (IAG) on individuals when they make the decision whether or not to participate in higher education. It considers the experience that individuals had at school, and explores their career decision making engaged in outside the school environment, and beyond the age of 18. It spells out the implications for educational leaders and managers in schools and universities as well as policy makers concerned about improving participation rates in all sectors of the community.
Children's Understanding of Economics

This article is a summary of research-often conducted with children from other countries-about how children think about economic ideas and values. Several researchers characterize children's economic reasoning as following a developmental pattern. Thinking about such concepts as scarcity, money, exchange, price, and profit becomes progressively abstract and flexible with increasing age. However, reasoning does not improve evenly with each concept. Advanced reasoning appears sooner for some concepts and later for others. For example, a clear understanding about profit, which is essential to understanding a market economy, does not emerge until around age 11. These studies also reveal that children's thinking about economic values begins at an early age. Children apparently become more supportive of the existing economic system as they grow older. Implications from these studies include the following. Teachers need to understand the type of reasoning that children use about economic ideas so they can reduce misconceptions that young people have. Teachers also need to emphasize concrete ideas when teaching economic ideas, giving special attention to the personal experiences of young people. Curriculum planners should specify and define the economic ideas to be taught at each grade level, taking into account children's varying types of economic reasoning. Finally, it is important to recognize that there is a value dimension to teaching economics at the elementary level.
Men's Talk

Building on previous discourse analytic studies in the context of male athletic cultures and subcultures, this article uses pro-feminist perspectives to analyse the talk of male university football (soccer) players in the UK. The (re)production of hegemonic masculinity in men's football has largely been taken for granted in sociology of sport, with very little literature producing actual empirical research to support the claim. The study presents extracts of players' conversations from the changing room and student bar, and examines the ways in which the men negotiate masculine positional identity and (re)affirm separation from the `other', such as women and gay men. The three most predominant topics of conversation (excluding omnipresent talk about football itself) were identified as academic studies, alcohol consumption, and women. Each extract of the men's talk was subjected to critical discourse analysis and is discussed in this article in relation to (pro)feminist debates about hegemony and constructions of masculine self.
Le stress perçu: validation de la traduction d'une échelle de mesure de stress en dialecte marocain

Introduction L'article a pour objectif de valider la traduction en dialecte arabe Marocain, de l’échelle du stress perçu « Perceived Stress Scale » chez un large échantillon de la population marocaine. Méthodes Une méthode de traduction et contre traduction en dialecte Marocain a été réalisée pour l’échelle « Perceived Stress Scale » à 10 items. Une étude de type transversale, a été menée par la suite en suivant un échantillonnage par quotas qui a ciblé les individus âgés de plus de 18 ans et appartenant à différentes catégories sociales. Les participants ont répondus aux versions marocaines de l’échelle « Perceived Stress Scale » et d'une version réduite de l’échelle « The Survey of Recent Life Experience ». La validation des qualités métrologiques a été établie en examinant: la fiabilité interne, la fiabilité test-retest, la validité convergente et la structure factorielle. Résultats Cinq cent trente-cinq participants ont répondu aux questionnaires. La version marocaine de l’échelle « Perceived Stress Scale » a présenté une bonne fiabilité interne (α = 0,80) et fiabilité test-retest (CCI= 0,87). D'autant plus, l'analyse en composante principale de l’échelle « Perceived Stress Scale » a permis d'extraire deux facteurs qui ont permis d'expliquer 53,4% de la variance totale. Les deux échelles utilisées étaient assez bien corrélées (r = 0,467, p < 0,01). Conclusion La présente étude a permis d'obtenir une version marocaine de l’échelle « Perceived Stress Scale » avec des propriétés psychométriques satisfaisantes, dont l'utilisation sera d'une grande aide dans la pratique médicale, aussi bien que dans la réalisation des études de recherche qui s'intéressent au stress psychologique.
On Structure and Leadership in Mentalization-based Group Therapy and Group Analysis

Mentalization-based group therapy (MBT-G) has its roots in group analytic psychotherapy. Modifications were made in order to suit the needs of more disturbed personality disordered patients, and to avoid the chaotic and destructive processes often encountered in groups dominated by these patients. In this article I outline the kind of leadership, structure and authority that MBT proscribes and discuss these principles in comparison with group analysis. I also comment upon a study of a MBT group that failed to establish a good mentalizing culture, with reference to Bion’s concept of ‘attack on linking’. This study reminds us that strong professional support and competent supervision is necessary in order to achieve sound communicational ideals, when the group is composed of members who easily resort to prementalistic modes of thinking.
Sharp-Hook Acupuncture (Feng Gou Zhen) for Patients with Periarthritis of Shoulder: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The Feng Gou Zhen (sharp-hook acupuncture) as a traditional form of ancient acupuncture is said to be particularly effective for managing periarthritis of shoulder. We conducted this randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of Feng Gou Zhen as an add-on compared to conventional analgesics for patients with PAS. 132 patients were randomly assigned in a 1 : 1 ratio to either a acupuncture group receiving sharp-hook acupuncture plus acupoint injection with conventional analgesics or a control group. Patients from both groups were evaluated at week 0 (baseline), week 1, and week 4. The primary outcome measure was the change from baseline shoulder pain, measured by Visual Analogue Scale at 7 days after treatment. Secondary outcome measures include the (i) function of shoulder joint and (ii) McGill pain questionnaire. The results showed that patients in acupuncture group had better pain relief and function recovery compared with control group (P < 0.05) at 1 week after treatment. Moreover, there were statistical differences between two groups in VAS and shoulder joint function and McGill pain questionnaire at 4 weeks after treatment (P < 0.05). Therefore, the sharp-hook acupuncture helps to relieve the pain and restore the shoulder function for patients with periarthritis of shoulder.
W.E.B. Du Bois and the Material World of African-Americans in Great Barrington, Massachusetts

Objects are related to social relations, ideologies and human beings in intricate and often contradictory ways. Teasing out these interconnections in the past and the present should be the task of archaeology. However, while focusing on the past, archaeologists often forget that objects are also signs within symbolic systems today. Historical archaeology’s focus on African-American related objects has variously misidentified them, ignored them, identified them as products of an exotic culture, as markers of social distinctiveness, and as components in anti-racist arguments. These tacks are products of contemporary political and ideological struggles, and the objects and histories provide groundings for the next round of these debates.