Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Retrograde trafficking and quality control of yeast synaptobrevin, Snc1, are conferred by its transmembrane domain

Synaptobrevin/vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP2) is an essential soluble N-ethyl maleimide–sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) protein that has been extensively studied in its role in synaptic vesicle fusion. However, sorting and trafficking of VAMP2 within the endosomal system is not well understood. Here, we use the yeast VAMP2 homologue Snc1 to investigate the pathways and signals required for endocytic trafficking. We identify two genetically distinct retrieval pathways from the endosomal system: a plasma membrane recycling pathway that requires the Rcy1 F-box protein and a retrograde pathway originating from the multivesicular/prevacuole endosome dependent on the Snx4-Atg20 sorting nexin complex. Lysine residues within the transmembrane domain of Snc1 are necessary for presentation of a Snx4-Atg20–dependent sorting signal located within its juxtamembrane region. Mutations of the transmembrane lysine residues ablate retrograde sorting and subject Snc1 to quality control via sorting into the degradative multivesicular endosome pathway. Degradative sorting requires lysine residues in the juxtamembrane region of Snc1 and is mediated by the Rsp5 ubiquitin ligase and its transmembrane adapters, Ear1 and Ssh4, which localize to endosome and vacuole membranes. This study shows that Snc1 is trafficked between the endosomal system and the Golgi apparatus via multiple pathways and provides evidence for protein quality control surveillance of a SNARE protein in the endo-vacuolar system.
A randomized clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of a brief alcohol intervention supplemented with a substance-free activity session or relaxation training.

OBJECTIVE Behavioral economic theory suggests that a reduction in alcohol use is most likely when there is an increase in rewarding substance-free activities. Anxiety has also been linked to heavy drinking, and strategies to reduce anxiety may enhance alcohol interventions. The goal of this 2-site randomized controlled clinical trial was to evaluate the efficacy of a brief alcohol intervention that was supplemented with either a behavioral economic substance-free activity session (SFAS) or a relaxation training (Relaxation training [RT]) session. METHOD Participants were 393 college students (61% female, mean age = 18.77 years) who reported 2 or more past-month heavy drinking episodes. Participants were randomized to 1 of 3 conditions: (a) assessment; (b) alcohol brief motivational intervention (BMI) plus SFAS; or (c) BMI plus RT. Both treatment conditions included 2 in-person sessions plus a phone booster session. Outcomes were evaluated 1-, 6-, 12-, and 16-months postintervention. RESULTS Generalized linear mixed models indicated that the combination of a BMI plus either the SFAS or RT was associated with significant reductions in alcohol use and problems across the 16-month follow-up compared with assessment only. There were no significant differences between the two active treatment conditions. Changes in proportional reinforcement from substance-related activities, and protective behavioral strategies mediated treatment effects. CONCLUSION Two-session (plus booster) interventions that combine BMI and either substance-free activity enhancement or RT can result in enduring reductions in alcohol misuse among college drinkers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Biochemical, Histopathological and Morphological Profiling of a Rat Model of Early Immune Stimulation: Relation to Psychopathology

Perinatal immune challenge leads to neurodevelopmental dysfunction, permanent immune dysregulation and abnormal behaviour, which have been shown to have translational validity to findings in human neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g. schizophrenia, mood and anxiety disorders, autism, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease). The aim of this animal study was to elucidate the influence of early immune stimulation triggered by systemic postnatal lipopolysaccharide administration on biochemical, histopathological and morphological measures, which may be relevant to the neurobiology of human psychopathology. In the present study of adult male Wistar rats we examined the brain and plasma levels of monoamines (dopamine, serotonin), their metabolites, the levels of the main excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid and the levels of tryptophan and its metabolites from the kynurenine catabolic pathway. Further, we focused on histopathological and morphological markers related to pathogenesis of brain diseases - glial cell activation, neurodegeneration, hippocampal volume reduction and dopaminergic synthesis in the substantia nigra. Our results show that early immune stimulation in adult animals alters the levels of neurotransmitters and their metabolites, activates the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism and leads to astrogliosis, hippocampal volume reduction and a decrease of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the substantia nigra. These findings support the crucial pathophysiological role of early immune stimulation in the above mentioned neuropsychiatric disorders.
Invalidation Experiences Among Non-Binary Adolescents

Mental health disparities among transgender adolescents are well documented and have generally been attributed to minority stress. However, significantly less is known about the minority stress experiences of non-binary adolescents or those who do not identify as exclusively male or female. This study qualitatively explored the unique ways that non-binary adolescents experience minority stress and how it influences their mental health and well-being. Lifeline methodology and photo elicitation were used to interview 14 ethnically diverse non-binary adolescents between the ages of 16 and 20, residing in New York City (NYC) and the San Franscicso Bay Area (SFBA). We present participants’ experiences using a novel construct of invalidation, defined as the refusal to accept one’s identity as real or true. Our findings indicate that invalidation is conceptually distinct from the established minority stressor of “non-affirmation. ” Non-binary adolescents experienced myriad forms of invalidation within multiple social contexts, which contributed to negative affective and cognitive processes, including confusion, self-doubt, rumination, and internalized shame. For many participants, the cumulative stressors related to invalidation contributed to poor mental health outcomes. Data from this study suggest that identity invalidation is a unique form of minority stress that may especially affect non-binary individuals, with significant implications for their social and emotional well-being.
N6‐methyladenosine regulatory machinery in plants: composition, function and evolution

Summary N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation, one of the most pivotal internal modifications of RNA, is a conserved post‐transcriptional mechanism to enrich and regulate genetic information in eukaryotes. The scope and function of this modification in plants has been an intense focus of study, especially in model plant systems. The characterization of plant m6A writers, erasers and readers, as well as the elucidation of their functions, is currently one of the most fascinating hotspots in plant biology research. The functional analysis of m6A in plants will be booming in the foreseeable future, which could contribute to crop genetic improvement through epitranscriptome manipulation. In this review, we systematically analysed and summarized recent advances in the understanding of the structure and composition of plant m6A regulatory machinery, and the biological functions of m6A in plant growth, development and stress response. Finally, our analysis showed that the evolutionary relationships between m6A modification components were highly conserved across the plant kingdom.
Interspecific variation in seed mass and the co-existence of conifer species: A null model test

In many plant communities, there is remarkable variation in seed mass among co-existing species. Plant ecologists have focused on explaining the evolution of this variation but have directed relatively little attention towards examining its significance for species co-existence. This study represents the first empirical attempt to link variation in seed mass with species co-existence. Recent models have suggested that variation in seed mass may promote species co-existence if seedlings compete and if a trade-off exists between seed number and seed mass. We used a null model to test whether the pattern of interspecific variation in seed mass in 124 assemblages of montane conifer species was random or non-random. In most assemblages (mountain ranges), the variation appeared to be random. However, in assemblages consisting solely of pine species, seed masses were more evenly spaced than expected by chance alone. We therefore conclude that variation in seed mass is not important to species co-existence in diverse conifer assemblages but it may promote co-existence among pine species. Further empirical tests are needed before ecologists can come to a consensus opinion concerning the role of variation in seed mass in species co-existence.
Quality Questions Need Quality Code: Classifying Code Fragments on Stack Overflow

Stack Overflow (SO) is a question and answers (Q&A) web platform on software development that is gaining in popularity. With increasing popularity often comes a very unwelcome side effect: A decrease in the average quality of a post. To keep Q&A websites like SO useful it is vital that this side effect is countered. Previous research proved to be reasonably successful in using properties of questions to help identify low quality questions to be later reviewed and improved. We present an approach to improve the classification of high and low quality questions based on a novel source of information: the analysis of the code fragments in SO questions. We show that we get similar performance to classification based on a wider set of metrics thus potentially reaching a better overall classification.
Scale effects, time-varying markups, and the cyclical behaviour of primal and dual productivity

This paper presents estimates of the degree of returns to scale using nonparametric measures of primal and dual productivity for 2-digit US manufacturing industries. As part of the analysis, the cyclical behaviour of primal and dual productivity measures are considered, time-varying markups are allowed for, and the small sample properties of the instrumental variables estimator used to derive the estimates from the primal and dual relations examined. Both the primal and dual estimates indicate the existence of increasing returns to scale for the durable goods industries. The simulation results indicate there is a slight tendency for the dual equation estimates to overestimate the degree of returns to scale. However, small sample bias appears to be most severe for the non-durable goods industries.
Relevance of DC‐SIGN in DC‐induced T cell proliferation

The role of dendritic cell‐specific ICAM‐3‐grabbing nonintegrin (DC‐SIGN) in DC‐T cell communication was assessed by analyzing the effect of DC‐SIGN‐blocking mAb in MLR. The results show that the degree of inhibition by DC‐SIGN and LFA‐1 mAb depends on the magnitude of the MLR and the maturation status of the DC. Addition of DC‐SIGN mAb at several time‐points during MLR showed that DC‐SIGN is involved early on in DC‐T cell contacts. This initial role is masked by strong adhesive and costimulatory mechanisms, indicating a short‐lived effect of DC‐SIGN in DC‐T cell interactions. To examine this concept in more detail, the percentage of PBL capable of binding DC‐SIGN was determined. Analysis of several donors revealed that 1–20% PBL bind to beads coated with recombinant DC‐SIGN, and the DC‐SIGN‐binding cells comprised all major cell subsets found in blood. PBL isolated from a donor with high DC‐SIGN‐binding capacity were more prone to blocking by DC‐SIGN mAb in MLR than PBL from a donor with low DC‐SIGN‐binding capacity. This study indicates an initial and transient role for DC‐SIGN in T cell proliferation, which becomes apparent when T cell proliferation is low and when the percentage of DC‐SIGN binding PBL is high.
ISI-free pulses for high-data-rate ultra-wideband wireless systems

Modified intersymbol interference (ISI)¿free pulses and ISI-free band-limited polynomial pulses for ultra-wideband (UWB) communication systems are proposed to provide the possibility of very high data rates not achievable by conventional pulses and the pulse design algorithms available in the literature. The power spectrum of the proposed pulses fits the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) spectral mask for very high data rates that have quantized values with various levels. Using this scheme and a particular choice of design variables, it is possible to design orthogonal pulses that could be used for multi-user data communication after they are truncated for the same time interval. Several possible improvements for these proposed pulses are considered for certain practical cases.
An Integer Optimization Approach to Large-Scale Air Traffic Flow Management

This paper presents a new integer programming (IP) model for large-scale instances of the air traffic flow management (ATFM) problem. The model covers all the phases of each flight---i.e., takeoff, en route cruising, and landing---and solves for an optimal combination of flow management actions, including ground-holding, rerouting, speed control, and airborne holding on a flight-by-flight basis. A distinguishing feature of the model is that it allows for rerouting decisions. This is achieved through the imposition of sets of “local” conditions that make it possible to represent rerouting options in a compact way by only introducing some new constraints. Moreover, three classes of valid inequalities are incorporated into the model to strengthen the polyhedral structure of the underlying relaxation. Computational times are short and reasonable for practical application on problem instances of size comparable to that of the entire U.S. air traffic management system. Thus, the proposed model has the potential of serving as the main engine for the preliminary identification, on a daily basis, of promising air traffic flow management interventions on a national scale in the United States or on a continental scale in Europe.
Firm-Specific Labor, Trend Inflation, and Equilibrium Stability

The present paper explores the implications for monetary policy of different labor market structures. In one labor market workers are identical and thus easily interchangeable between firms, while in another labor market workers are specialized to fill the needs of specific firms. The labor market structure turns out to be a crucial determinant of the effectiveness of monetary policies guided by the Taylor principle in an environment of high trend inflation. ; According to the Taylor principle, an undesirable rise in inflation requires a disproportionately strong response of interest rates. Otherwise, self-fulfilling private-sector expectations of inflation may push prices upward. It is widely believed that the Federal Reserve’s approach to setting interest rates did not conform to the Taylor principle prior to the early 1980s, but since then has done so, to good effect. Recent research, however, has suggested that when trend inflation is high—about four percent or higher—the Taylor principle may become less effective. ; Studies on the subject have made varying assumptions about the structure of the labor market, with some presuming that all firms hire the same type of labor, while others assume that firms need specialized labor. These differing assumptions matter: the need for specialized labor affects the way firms’ costs adjust in reaction to shifts in demand, and that has implications for inflation dynamics and for the Taylor principle. ; We find that in a model economy with specialized labor, a policy rule for setting interest rates cannot ensure keeping inflation stable even if it satisfies the Taylor principle, if trend inflation is high. This differs from a model where workers are identical, in which adhering to the Taylor principle does achieve stability of inflation, whether trend inflation is high or low. The finding suggests that whether the Federal Reserve’s policy shift in the early 1980s was sufficient, alone, to bring about the period of stable inflation that followed, or whether it also depended on a decline in trend inflation, depends on the structure of the labor market.
Attitude of Nurses Toward the Care of Older Adults in China

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the attitudes of registered nurses toward older adults in China. Method: An online questionnaire was sent to registered nurses of five hospitals. The sample included 1,367 registered nurses in this study. Kogan’s Attitudes toward Older People Scale and Facts of Aging Quiz were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way analysis of variance and logistic regression were used for data analysis. Results: Registered nurses held a positive attitude toward older adults (155.09 ± 21.94). The experience of being cared by older adults (odds ratio [OR] = 1.545, p = .007) and relationship with older adults (OR = 2.440, p = .000) were associated with the attitudes of registered nurses. Discussion: Registered nurses in China held a positive attitude toward older adults. The results contribute to care practice for the older adults in hospitals.
A Spectrum of Pleiotropic Consequences in Development Due to Changes in a Regulatory Pathway

Regulatory evolution has frequently been proposed as the primary mechanism driving morphological evolution. This is because regulatory changes may be less likely to cause deleterious pleiotropic effects than changes in protein structure, and consequently have a higher likelihood to be beneficial. We examined the potential for mutations in trans acting regulatory elements to drive phenotypic change, and the predictability of such change. We approach these questions by the study of the phenotypic scope and size of controlled alteration in the developmental network of the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus. We perturbed the expression of a key regulatory gene (fruA) by constructing independent in-frame deletions of four trans acting regulatory loci that modify its expression. While mutants retained developmental capability, the deletions caused changes in the expression of fruA and a dramatic shortening of time required for completion of development. We found phenotypic changes in the majority of traits measured, indicating pleiotropic effects of changes in regulation. The magnitude of the change for different traits was variable but the extent of differences between the mutants and parental type were consistent with changes in fruA expression. We conclude that changes in the expression of essential regulatory regions of developmental networks may simultaneously lead to modest as well as dramatic morphological changes upon which selection may subsequently act.
Revisiting the Temperature of the Diffuse ISM with CHESS Sounding Rocket Observations

Measuring the temperature and abundance patterns of clouds in the interstellar medium (ISM) provides an observational basis for models of the physical conditions within the clouds, which play an important role in studies of star and planet formation. The Colorado High-resolution Echelle Stellar Spectrograph is a far-ultraviolet rocket-borne instrument designed to study the atomic-to-molecular transitions within diffuse molecular and translucent cloud regions. The final two flights of the instrument observed Scorpii (β Sco) and γ Arae. We present flight results of interstellar molecular hydrogen excitation on the sightlines, including measurements of the column densities and temperatures. These results are compared to previous values that were measured using the damping wings of low J″ H absorption features. For β Sco, we find that the derived column density of the J″ = 1 rotational level differs by a factor of 2–3 when compared to the previous observations. We discuss the discrepancies between the two measurements and show that the source of the difference is due to the opacity of higher rotational levels contributing to the J″ = 1 absorption wing, increasing the inferred column density in the previous work. We extend this analysis to 9 Copernicus and 13 Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer spectra to explore the interdependence of the column densities of different rotational levels and how the H kinetic temperature is influenced by these relationships. We find a revised average gas kinetic temperature of the diffuse molecular ISM of T01 = 68 ± 13 K, 12% lower than the value found previously.
The Shifting and Twisting Beveridge Curve: An Aggregate Perspective

One of the most striking aspects of the Great Recession in the United States is the persistently high level of unemployment despite an uptick in economic activity and an increased willingness by firms to hire. This has stimulated a debate on mismatch in the labor market. The argument is that despite the high unemployment rate the effective pool of job seekers is considerably smaller due to adverse effects of long-term unemployment, high unemployment benefits or structural change. Despite high vacancy postings, firms are therefore unable to hire desired workers. I study this issue from an aggregate perspective by deriving the Beveridge curve from a discrete-time search and matching model of the labor market driven by a variety of shocks. I first establish that the observed pattern in the data can only be described in the context of the model by the interaction of a cyclical decline in productivity and a decline in match efficiency. I then estimate the model using Bayesian methods on unemployment and vacancy data before the onset of the Great Recession. The posterior estimates indicate that the recent behavior of the Beveridge curve is most likely explained by a structural decline in match efficiency.
Leiomyomatosis Peritonealis Disseminata Positive for Progesterone Receptor

Patient: Female, 30 Final Diagnosis: Leiomyomatosis Symptoms: Abnormal finding in abdominal-pelvic CT scan Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Surgical tumorectomy Specialty: Oncology Objective: Rare disease Background: Leiomyomatosis peritonealis disseminata (LPD) is a rare condition that occurs in reproductive-age women. The pathogenesis of LPD is considered to be related to female sex hormones. Case Report: A 30-year-old woman who had undergone an ovariectomy due to calcified thecoma at 24 years of age and had delivered a baby boy at 29 years of age showed abnormal abdominal-pelvic masses in a computed tomography scan. The peritoneal nodules were resected and histologically diagnosed as LPD. Smooth muscle cells in LPD lesions expressed progesterone receptor, while estrogen receptor and luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptor were negative. Conclusions: LPD should be considered when multiple nodules mimicking dissemination of malignancies are found in the abdominal cavity. In the present case, progesterone may have been involved in the pathogenesis of LPD.