Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Viral coinfection is shaped by host ecology and virus–virus interactions across diverse microbial taxa and environments

Infection of more than one virus in a host, coinfection, is common across taxa and environments. Viral coinfection can enable genetic exchange, alter the dynamics of infections, and change the course of viral evolution. Yet, a systematic test of the factors explaining variation in viral coinfection across different taxa and environments awaits completion. Here I employ three microbial data sets of virus-host interactions covering cross-infectivity, culture coinfection, and single-cell coinfection (total: 6,564 microbial hosts, 13,103 viruses) to provide a broad, comprehensive picture of the ecological and biological factors shaping viral coinfection. I found evidence that ecology and virus-virus interactions are recurrent factors shaping coinfection patterns. Host ecology was a consistent and strong predictor of coinfection across all three datasets: cross-infectivity, culture coinfection, and single-cell coinfection. Host phylogeny or taxonomy was a less consistent predictor, being weak or absent in the cross-infectivity and single-cell coinfection models, yet it was the strongest predictor in the culture coinfection model. Virus-virus interactions strongly affected coinfection. In the largest test of superinfection exclusion to date, prophage sequences reduced culture coinfection by other prophages, with a weaker effect on extrachromosomal virus coinfection. At the single-cell level, prophage sequences eliminated coinfection. Virus-virus interactions also increased culture coinfection with ssDNA-dsDNA coinfections >2x more likely than ssDNA-only coinfections. The presence of CRISPR spacers was associated with a ~50% reduction in single-cell coinfection in a marine bacteria, despite the absence of exact spacer matches in any active infection. Collectively, these results suggest the environment bacteria inhabit and the interactions among surrounding viruses are two factors consistently shaping viral coinfection patterns. These findings highlight the role of virus-virus interactions in coinfection with implications for phage therapy, microbiome dynamics, and viral infection treatments.
Strategic human resource management in European transition economies: building a conceptual model on the case of Slovenia

The general SHRM models explain the link between HR and company performance; however, due to several specific internal and external factors, they have to be modified in order to be applied to companies in European transition economies (ETEs). By analysing the current state of HRM and the HR context in Slovenia, we develop a conceptual SHRM model for ETEs. The model introduces a new specification of the HR context, emphasizing HR facilitators, and an additional moderating construct the HR power, to have more explanatory power for studying the HR–company performance link in ETEs. The paper also addresses the importance of issues relating to the empirical validation of the model in ETEs and suggests ways to further develop SHRM in these countries.
Presentation and outcome of severe anticholinesterase insecticide poisoning

Aims: To document the patterns of presentation and outcome of severe anticholinesterase insecticide poisoning in children requiring intensive care. Methods: Retrospective case note review of all 5541 children admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a university hospital during the 10 years from January 1990 to May 2000. Fifty four children (1%) with anticholinesterase insecticide poisoning were identified. Presenting features, route of exposure, treatment, complications, and mortality were recorded. Data were analysed by the Fisher's exact and Mann–Whitney tests. Results: More children than expected were from a rural area (46% versus 25%). Decontamination occurred in 50% of children prior to PICU admission. Enteral exposure was most common (n = 27; 50%). Median pseudocholinesterase level was 185 IU/l (range 75–7404). Median total dose of atropine required to maintain mydriasis was 0.3 mg/kg (range 0.03–16.7) over a median of 10 hours (range 1–160). Complications included coma (31%), seizures (30%), shock (9%), arrhythmias (9%), and respiratory failure requiring ventilation (35%). No significant differences were detected in incidence of seizures, cardiac arrhythmias, respiratory failure, mortality, duration of ventilation, or PICU stay, according to route of exposure, or state of decontamination. Four children died (7%). Mortality was associated with the presence of a cardiac arrhythmia (likelihood ratio 8.3) and respiratory failure (likelihood ratio 3.3). Conclusion: The mortality and morbidity of severe anticholinesterase insecticide poisoning in childhood is not related to route of exposure, or to delay in decontamination. However, the presence of either a cardiac arrhythmia or respiratory failure is associated with a poor prognosis.
Audit Fees for Initial Audit Engagements Before and After SOX

SUMMARY: Legislators, regulators, and the media have expressed concerns that auditors “lowball” the fees for initial‐year audits and that such fee discounts can lead to reduced audit quality. We hypothesize that initial‐year audit fee discounts will be less likely in the post‐SOX period than in the pre‐SOX period. Using both fee‐levels and fee‐changes models, we find that Big 4 clients receive initial‐year audit fee discounts of about 24 percent in 2001; this finding is consistent with results from many prior studies that have examined various periods prior to SOX. However, we find that in 2005–2006 Big 4 clients pay an initial‐year audit fee premium of around 16 percent. We also document that the Big 4 are much less likely to serve as a successor, following an auditor change, in 2005–2006 than in 2001. Overall, the findings suggest that concerns about initial‐year audit fee discounts are not supported by empirical evidence in the post‐SOX period. The results also suggest that the Big 4 have become more c.
GRADUATION DETERMINANTS OF PRODUCTIVE SAFETY NET PROGRAM BENEFICIARY HOUSEHOLDS: A LOGISTIC ANALYSIS, TIGRAI-ETHIOPIA

Household food security issues have become the concern of international communities as well as national government of Ethiopia. Social safety nets (like Productive Safety Net Program in Ethiopia) are programs that offer protection to poor rural people by providing income through transfer programs and employment opportunities. The main objective of this study was to identify the major graduation determinants of Productive safety Net Program beneficiary rural households using a logistic regression technique from a total of 400 sample respondents using Eastern zone of Tigrai regional national state, northern Ethiopia, as case study site. The researcher was initially identified about sixteen predicting factors of which just ten of them were found to be statistically significant, and all exhibited the expected signs. Regression results revealed thatan introduction to integrated agricultural package make use of, male-headed household, age squared of the household head, educational status of the household head, saving culture, male adults, non-government organizations follow-up, access to credit, access to petty trading and irrigation have led productive safety net program beneficiary households to have more probability of graduation. Finally, it is recommended that assisting farming rural households to diversify and expand their sources of income in order to be able to meet their minimum food requirement and graduate soon through the provision of integrated agricultural packages. Besides, program participants should be followed up by non-government organizations and highly engaged in petty trading to graduate sooner, boost their income and food secure.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Variants Isolated from Single Plasma Samples Display a Wide Spectrum of Neutralization Sensitivity

ABSTRACT Individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) harbor a mixture of viral variants with different sequences and in some instances with different phenotypic properties. Major and rapid fluctuations in the proportion of viral variants coexisting in an infected individual can be observed under strong pharmacological and immune selective pressure. Because of the short half-life of HIV-infected cells and of HIV virions in the blood, plasma virus populations are highly relevant to HIV evolution in the face of these selective pressures. Here we analyzed the sensitivity to antibody-mediated neutralization of viral variants coexisting in the plasma virus populations of two infected patients. For each patient, several replication-competent viral clones were constructed that carry primary envelope gene sequences obtained from a single plasma sample. Viral clones differed in their tropism and replicative capacity and in the number and positions of glycosylation sites in the envelope glycoproteins. Viruses were tested against heterologous and autologous sera obtained at different time points. Interestingly, we found that viral variants coexisting in each plasma sample were highly heterogeneous in terms of sensitivity to neutralization. The order of sensitivity depended on the serum used and was not associated with virus tropism. The neutralization potency of sera increased with the duration of the infection for both autologous and heterologous neutralization.
Tundra vegetation effects on pan-Arctic albedo

The Environmental Research Letters publishing team would like to apologise to the authors of the above paper. Due to an inadvertent omission, the paper was published without the correct acknowledgments. This section should read: 'Funding for this research was provided by the National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs-IPY (Grant 0732954), the NASA Carbon Cycle & Ecosystems Program (Grant NNX08AG13G), and the NOAA Global Carbon Cycle Program (Grant NA08OAR4310526). We wish to thank Yufang Jin, Jim Randerson, and two anonymous reviewers whose comments helped to improve the manuscript. We also acknowledge the MODIS Land Science Team for continued maintenance and development of the BRDF/Albedo products. '
Pacing strategy in schoolchildren differs with age and cognitive development.

PURPOSE The study's purpose was to examine differences in pacing strategy between schoolchildren of different age, gender, and stage of cognitive development. METHODS Schoolchildren (n = 106) from four age groups (5-6, 8-9, 11-12, and 14 yr) participated in this study. Each schoolchild completed four conservation tasks to evaluate his or her Piagetian stage of cognitive development. Each schoolchild then performed a best-effort running task on a 150-m running track that was video recorded to analyze pace at 5% increments. The length of the run was varied for each age group to ensure that all schoolchildren were running for approximately 4 min (5-6 yr = 450 m, 8-9 yr = 600 m, 11-12 yr = 750 m, and 14 yr = 900 m). RESULTS Differences in pacing strategy were found between schoolchildren of different age (P < 0.0001), gender (P < 0.0001), and cognitive development (P < 0.0001). Pacing differences were also found between age groups after controlling for cognitive development (P < 0.001), between cognitive abilities after controlling for age (P < 0.01), and between genders after controlling for both age (P < 0.0001) and cognitive ability (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Younger schoolchildren with less advanced cognitive development exhibited a negative pacing strategy indicating an inability to anticipate exercise demand. Older schoolchildren at a more advanced stage of cognitive development exhibited a more conservative U-shaped pacing strategy characterized by faster running speeds during the first 15% and last 20% of the run. Anticipatory pacing strategy seems to be related to both the age and cognitive development of schoolchildren.
Soochong virus: An antigenically and genetically distinct hantavirus isolated from Apodemus peninsulae in Korea

Hantaan (HTN) virus, the etiologic agent of clinically severe hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), was first isolated in 1976 from lung tissue of a striped‐field mouse (Apodemus agrarius) captured in Songnae‐ri, Gyeonggi Province, Republic of Korea. Found primarily in mountainous areas, the Korean field mouse (A. peninsulae) is the second‐most dominant field rodent species found throughout Korea. A new hantavirus, designated Soochong (SOO), was isolated in Vero E6 cells from four A. peninsulae captured in August 1997 at Mt. Gyebang in Hongcheon‐gun, Mt. Gachil, Inje‐gun, Gangwon Province, and in September 1998 at Mt. Deogyu, Muju‐gun, Jeollabuk Province. The entire S, M, and L genomic segments of SOO virus, amplified by RT‐PCR from lung tissues of seropositive A. peninsulae and from virus‐infected Vero E6 cells, diverged from HTN virus (strain 76–118) by 15.6%, 22.8%, and 21.7% at the nucleotide level and 3.5%, 9.5%, and 4.6% at the amino acid level, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses of the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences, using the maximum parsimony and neighbor‐joining methods, indicated that SOO virus was distinct from A. agrarius‐borne HTN virus. SOO virus shared a common ancestry with Amur virus from Far East Russia, as well as with H5 and B78 hantaviruses, previously isolated from HFRS patients in China. Cross‐focus‐reduction neutralizating antibody tests showed that SOO virus, which is the first hantavirus isolated in cell culture from A. peninsulae, could be classified as a new hantavirus serotype. J. Med. Virol. 78:290–297, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
IgG4 and IgE are the major immunoglobulins targeting the NC16A domain of BP180 in Bullous pemphigoid: serum levels of these immunoglobulins reflect disease activity.

BACKGROUND Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune blistering disease associated with autoantibodies against the hemidesmosomal glycoprotein BP180. The noncollagenous (NC)16A domain of BP180 has recently been shown to harbor major antigenic sites recognized by BP sera. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to characterize the subclass distribution and fine specificities of autoantibodies to BP180 NC16A present in the circulation of patients with BP before, and during the course of, therapy for this disease. METHODS Eighteen BP sera were analyzed by immunoblotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the presence of IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, and IgE reactive with various sites on the BP180 NC16A domain. The sera were collected before treatment was started and at 4- and 8-week time points after initiation of treatment. RESULTS We identified IgG4 and IgE as the major immunoglobulins that preferentially react with two distinct epitopes (MCW-1 and MCW-2) within BP180 NC16A. Levels of these autoantibodies correlated with disease activity in BP. During the course of disease, no change was observed with regard to the immunoglobulin subclass predominantly reacting with BP180 NC16A or the specific epitopes within this domain. CONCLUSION Our data demonstrate that remission of BP is paralleled by a decrease of serum levels of IgE and the different IgG subclasses reactive with BP180 NC16A.
Metal-Protein Complex-Mediated Transport and Delivery of Ni2+ to TCR/MHC Contact Sites in Nickel-Specific Human T Cell Activation1

Nickel allergy clearly involves the activation of HLA-restricted, skin-homing, Ni-specific T cells by professional APCs. Nevertheless, knowledge concerning the molecular details of metal-protein interactions underlying the transport and delivery of metal ions to APC during the early sensitization phase and their interactions with HLA and TCRs is still fragmentary. This study investigates the role of human serum albumin (HSA), a known shuttling molecule for Ni2+ and an often-disregarded, major component of skin, in these processes. We show that Ni-saturated HSA complexes (HSA-Ni) induce and activate Ni-specific human T cells as potently as Ni salt solutions when present at equimolar concentrations classically used for in vitro T cell stimulation. However, neither HSA itself nor its Ni-binding N-terminal peptide are involved in determining the specificity of antigenic determinants. In fact, HSA could be replaced by xenogeneic albumins exhibiting sufficient affinity for Ni2+ as determined by surface plasmon resonance (Biacore technology) or atomic absorption spectroscopy. Moreover, despite rapid internalization of HSA-Ni by APC, it was not processed into HLA-associated epitopes recognizable by Ni-specific T cells. In contrast, the presence of HSA-Ni in the vicinity of transient contacts between TCR and APC-exposed HLA molecules appeared to facilitate a specific transfer of Ni2+ from HSA to high-affinity coordination sites created at the TCR/HLA-interface.
Fertility dimensions of patriarchy and development in India.

This study examines the relative importance of the marriage system the means of active discrimination against women and womens economic value in a patriarchal system in affecting the total fertility rate (TFR) for 358 districts in India. Data were obtained from the Development District Database from the 1981 Census of India. TFR was adjusted for undercounts based on the methods of Bhat Preston and Dyson. Regional diversity in fertility was expected to vary with levels of economic and social development and gender biases in kinship structure. Women in the south and to some extent in the east were better off and had greater female autonomy. Womens status measures reveal that female sex ratios of mortality exceeded 1.00 in over 60% of districts and that over 50% of girls were married at 15-19 years in over 50% of districts. Literacy and labor force participation approach equity in only 6% of districts. In general the north-south pattern of womens status and TFR held. However some hill districts of the north had lower female sex ratios of child mortality and some south districts had a prevalence of early marriage. Womens status was more favorable in coastal areas. The 6 indicators did not mesh exactly geographically. The best fitting models included measures of social development and gender discrimination. Because of multicollinearity problems only 2 patriarchy measures were found to be statistically significant. In the full model the sex ratio of child mortality and female labor force had the most significant effects on fertility. Social measures of child mortality and literacy also have strong impacts on fertility. The proportion landless was the only social stratification factor that was significant and negative. Residence in the south and east had a negative impact. Patriarchy had a major influence on TFR by district was multidimensional and overlapped with other structural factors. Some patriarchy measures were virtually substitutable and others were independent.
Location of Public Firm in the Presence of Multinational Firm: A Mixed Duopoly Approach

By incorporating a multinational private firm into the mixed duopoly model with Hotelling-type spatial competition, we show that the private firm's nationality is a matter of the public firm's location. As the share of foreign capital increases in the private (multinational) firm, the public firm moves to a central place. The effects of price regulation and sequential location choice are also discussed.
SME financing in the UK and in China: a comparative perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to outline the preliminary results of an empirical investigation into access to finance and related issues, as experienced by SME owner/managers in the UK and in China.Design/methodology/approach – The authors employed a telephone survey involving a sample of SME owner/managers operating in the UK and in China. A detailed, semi‐structured questionnaire was administered to a selected sample of 32 matched SMEs. The survey requested quantitative and qualitative information on sources of finance, both preferred and actually used by owner/managers, during three stages in their firm's business cycle: at start up, after two years and over the next five years.Findings – Evidence suggests that there are similarities as well as differences between SME financing in the UK and in China. In terms of initial (start‐up) funding, a large proportion of respondents relied exclusively on financial support from their immediate family. After two years in business, respondents exhibite.
Reduced expression of IL‐3 mediates intestinal mast cell depletion in diabetic rats: role of insulin and glucocorticoid hormones

Rats turned diabetic by alloxan treatment are refractory to systemic anaphylactic shock, in a direct association with reduced intestinal haemorrhage and tissue response to antigen challenge. As diabetic rats show reduction in mast cell numbers in different body compartments, this study was undertaken to investigate the influence of alloxan diabetes on mast cell population as well as the expression of the mast cell growth factor interleukin (IL)‐3 in the small intestine of rats. We also analysed the putative involvement of endogenous insulin and glucocorticoid hormones in this phenomenon. There was a significant decrease in the number of mast cells present in the small intestine (ileum segment) of diabetic rats. Likewise, the immunohistochemical analysis revealed that IL‐3 labelling was markedly attenuated in diabetic rats, as compared with normal animals, a phenomenon which paralleled with a decreased mRNA expression as attested by Reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction technique. Treatment with insulin and with the steroid receptor antagonist RU 486 restored basal mast cell numbers, normal levels of IL‐3 labelling and mRNA expression for IL‐3 in the ileum of diabetic rats. In conclusion, our findings show that there is a causative relationship between down‐regulation of mast cell numbers and the expression of IL‐3 associated with diabetic state. In addition, as both parameters were suppressed by administration of insulin and RU 486, it indicates that an imbalance between the systemic levels of insulin and glucocorticoid hormones seems to be implicated in the reduction in intestinal mast cell population and refractoriness to antigen provocation in alloxan diabetes.
The Role of Predevelopment Activities in the Relationship between Market Orientation and Performance

To determine how critical predevelopment activities are for a market-oriented firm to achieve superior performance, our study uses data from 126 firms in The Netherlands to investigate the structural relationships among market orientation, the proficiency in predevelopment activities, new product performance, and organizational performance. The results provide evidence that market orientation is positively related to the proficiency in strategic planning, idea generation and idea screening. Strategic planning and idea generation are positively related to new product performance, which in itself is positively related to organizational performance. Market orientation has no direct relationship with new product performance and organizational performance. Another interesting finding is that the links between market orientation and new product performance, and between market orientation and organizational performance are not moderated by the characteristics of the market environment.