Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
IL-17A Synergizes with IFN-γ to Upregulate iNOS and NO Production and Inhibit Chlamydial Growth

IFN-γ-mediated inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression is critical for controlling chlamydial infection through microbicidal nitric oxide (NO) production. Interleukin-17A (IL-17A), as a new proinflammatory cytokine, has been shown to play a protective role in host defense against Chlamydia muridarum (Cm) infection. To define the related mechanism, we investigated, in the present study, the effect of IL-17A on IFN-γ induced iNOS expression and NO production during Cm infection in vitro and in vivo. Our data showed that IL-17A significantly enhanced IFN-γ-induced iNOS expression and NO production and inhibited Cm growth in Cm-infected murine lung epithelial (TC-1) cells. The synergistic effect of IL-17A and IFN-γ on Chlamydia clearance from TC-1 cells correlated with iNOS induction. Since one of the main antimicrobial mechanisms of activated macrophages is the release of NO, we also examined the inhibitory effect of IL-17A and IFN-γ on Cm growth in peritoneal macrophages. IL-17A (10 ng/ml) synergizes with IFN-γ (200 U/ml) in macrophages to inhibit Cm growth. This effect was largely reversed by aminoguanidine (AG), an iNOS inhibitor. Finally, neutralization of IL-17A in Cm infected mice resulted in reduced iNOS expression in the lung and higher Cm growth. Taken together, the results indicate that IL-17A and IFN-γ play a synergistic role in inhibiting chlamydial lung infection, at least partially through enhancing iNOS expression and NO production in epithelial cells and macrophages.
Abnormal Ergosterol Biosynthesis Activates Transcriptional Responses to Antifungal Azoles

Fungi transcriptionally upregulate expression of azole efflux pumps and ergosterol biosynthesis pathway genes when exposed to antifungal agents that target ergosterol biosynthesis. To date, these transcriptional responses have been shown to be dependent on the presence of the azoles and/or depletion of ergosterol. Using an inducible promoter to regulate Neurospora crassa erg11, which encodes the major azole target, sterol 14α-demethylase, we were able to demonstrate that the CDR4 azole efflux pump can be transcriptionally activated by ergosterol biosynthesis inhibition even in the absence of azoles. By analyzing ergosterol deficient mutants, we demonstrate that the transcriptional responses by cdr4 and, unexpectedly, genes encoding ergosterol biosynthesis enzymes (erg genes) that are responsive to azoles, are not dependent on ergosterol depletion. Nonetheless, deletion of erg2, which encodes C-8 sterol isomerase, also induced expression of cdr4. Deletion of erg2 also induced the expression of erg24, the gene encoding C-14 sterol reductase, but not other tested erg genes which were responsive to erg11 inactivation. This indicates that inhibition of specific steps of ergosterol biosynthesis can result in different transcriptional responses, which is further supported by our results obtained using different ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitors. Together with the sterol profiles, these results suggest that the transcriptional responses by cdr4 and erg genes are associated with accumulation of specific sterol intermediate(s). This was further supported by the fact that when the erg2 mutant was treated with ketoconazole, upstream inhibition overrode the effects by downstream inhibition on ergosterol biosynthesis pathway. Even though cdr4 expression is associated with the accumulation of sterol intermediates, intra- and extracellular sterol analysis by HPLC-MS indicated that the transcriptional induction of cdr4 did not result in efflux of the accumulated intermediate(s). This study demonstrates, by detailed genetic and chemical analysis, that transcriptional responses by a major efflux pump and genes of the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway to ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitors can be independent of the presence of the drugs and are linked with the accumulation of ergosterol intermediate(s).
Strength Properties of Medium Density Fiberboards (MDF) Manufactured with Pinus Elliottii Wood and Polyurethane Resin Derived from Castor Oil

The Ob jective of this work was to evaluate the mechanical properties: modulus of rupture (MOR), tensile strength in perpendicular direction (TP) and tensile strength in surface direction (TS) of Mediu m Density Fiberboards (MDF) manufactured with polyurethane resin prepared with castor oil (PU Castor Oil) and fibers of Pinus elliottii wood. To the essay characterizat ion was used the European Standard EM B/IS -2:1995, and was prepared fiberboards with 500×500 mm and two thickness (8mm and 15 mm), one proportion of resin (6%), hot pressing (50 bar and 160°C), no minal density of 0,75 g/cm 3 and fiber with 12% of mo isture content. The results of the mechanical properties obtained shows that the Medium Density Fiberboards can be manufactured with 6% of the PU Castor Oil.
On the Interaction of Metonymies and Anaphora

From the analysis of naturally occurring texts we obtained evidence for the systematic interaction between nominal anaphora and metonymies. This leads us to postulate an integrated model incorporating both phenomena simultaneously. The consideration of discourse constraints for metonymy resolution allows us to challenge the commonly held view that the interpretation of metonymies should proceed from a literal-meaning-first approach. Thus, we argue for an equally balanced treatment of literal and figurative language use.
Spermatogenesis in the golden hamster: The role of c‐kit

c‐kit is related to the family of transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptors. Mutations in genes for either c‐kit or its ligand, Steel factor, result in infertility, but the role of c‐kit/SCF system in spermatogenesis is not well understood. In this study Western blot analysis together with confocal microscopy were used to follow c‐kit expression in hamsters during the first spermatogenic wave in mature animals and in old age. Three antibodies raised against different domains of c‐kit were tested on Western Blot. Confocal microscopy was performed after incubation of fixed seminiferous tubules with tested antibodies followed by binding of FITC‐labeled secondary antibody. Longitudinal sections of seminiferous tubule were observed by confocal microscopy to determine in which stages of spermatogenesis and in which cell types c‐kit was found. C‐kit bands of 80,140, and 150 kDa were observed on Western blot, indicating that c‐kit is a name related to several proteins sharing some common domains. Only the band of 150 kDa correlated with positive staining of c‐kit in tubules using confocal microscopy. We term this protein c‐kit150T (150 kDa, testis). We demonstrated that c‐kit150T appeared in differentiating hamster spermatogonia at stages VII–VIII of adult spermatogenesis and at day 13–14 during the first spermatogenic wave. It remained attached to the cell until late pachytene. This suggests that c‐kit may play a role in preparing the germinal cells to enter meiosis. In order to evaluate the effect of aging on the number of germ cells, B2 spermatogonia/Sertoli cell ratio was calculated in the group of young animals (5–7 months) compared to this ratio in older ones (20–26 months). A significant decrease (P < 0.01) in the number of B2 spermatogonia in the group of old hamsters as compared to young ones was seen. The calculated value for the B2 spermatogonia/Sertoli cell ratio was 5.6 ± 0.7 in young animals and 3.8 ± 1.2 in the 20–26 months ones. In addition, decrease in the intensity of staining for c‐kit was detected in the old hamsters. These may be the reasons for subfertility in old age and in other cases of testicular disorders. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 60: 562–568, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Differential Neuroprotection of Selective Estrogen Receptor Agonists against Autonomic Dysfunction and Ischemic Cell Death in Permanent versus Reperfusion Injury

In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that selective activation of estrogen receptor subtypes (ERα and ERβ) would be neuroprotective following ischemia and/or ischemia-reperfusion, as well as prevent the associated autonomic dysfunction. The selective ERα agonist, PPT, when administered 30 min prior to occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (pMCAO), resulted in a dose-dependent neuroprotection as measured 6 hours postpermanent MCAO, but not following 30 mins of MCAO followed by 5.5 hrs of reperfusion (I/R). In contrast, 30 min pretreatment with the selective ERβ agonist, DPN, resulted in a dose-dependent neuroprotection following I/R, but was not protective following pMCAO. Both drugs prevented the ischemia-induced autonomic dysfunction as measured by a decrease in the baroreceptor reflex sensitivity (BRS). The data presented here suggest a differential role of each ER subtype in targeting the mechanisms of cell death that occur in ischemia versus reperfusion injury.
Ocean water vapor and cloud liquid water trends from 1992 to 2005 TOPEX Microwave Radiometer data

[1] The continuous 1992–2005 data set of the TOPEX Microwave Radiometer (TMR) has been reprocessed to provide global, zonal, and regional scale histories of overocean integrated water vapor (IWV) and cloud liquid water (CLW). Results indicate well-defined trends in IWVon global and hemisphere scales, with values of 1.8 ± 0.4%/decade (60S– 60N), 2.4 ± 0.4%/decade (0–60N), and 1.0 ± 0.5%/decade (0–60S). The uncertainties represent 1 standard deviation of the regressed slope parameter adjusted for lag 1 autocorrelation. These results are comparable to earlier results based on analyses of the multiinstrument SSM/I ocean measurements beginning in 1988. For the 1992–2005 interval, comparisons between SSM/I- and TMR-derived IWV trends show remarkable agreement, with global trends differing by less than 0.3%/decade, comparable to the statistical uncertainty level and about one-sixth of the global TMR-derived trend. Latitudinal and regional analyses of IWV trends show large variability about the global mean, with synoptic scale variations of IWV trends ranging from �� 8 to +8%/decade. Averaged over 5 latitude bands the IWV trends reveal a near zero minimum in the Southern Tropical Pacific and maximum values of � 4%/decade over the 30–40N latitude band. Comparisons with band latitude averaged SST data over the same 1992–2005 interval roughly match a delta_IWV/delta_SST trend scaling of � 11%/K, consistent with previouslyobservedtropicalandmidlatitudeseasonalvariability.TMR-derivedCLWtrends are fractionally comparable to the IWV trends. The CLW values are 1.5 ± 0.6%/decade (60S–60N),2.0±0.8%/decade(0–60N),and1.1±0.8%/decade(0–60S). Whenscaled to global mean CLW derived from SSM/I and compared seasonally, the TMR CLW variations exhibit excellent tracking with the SSM/I results. Unlike IWV, however, the CLW statistical uncertainties do not likely reflect the dominant error component in the retrieved trends. The 1992–2005 CLW trend estimates were particularly sensitive to shortterm trends in the first and last 2 years of the TMR archive. Additional errors difficult to quantify include strong aliasing effects from precipitation cells and uncertainties in the radiative transfer models utilized in the generation of the TMR CLW algorithm.
Competitive repair pathways in immunoglobulin gene hypermutation

This review focuses on the contribution of translesion DNA polymerases to immunoglobulin gene hypermutation, in particular on the roles of DNA polymerase eta (Polη) in the generation of mutations at A/T bases from the initial cytosine-targeted activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID)-mediated deamination event, and of Polκ, an enzyme of the same polymerase family, used as a substitute when Polη is absent. The proposition that the UNG uracil glycosylase and the MSH2–MSH6 mismatch recognition complex are two competitive rather than alternative pathways in the processing of uracils generated by AID is further discussed.
Assessing Shifting Cultivation Trajectories in the Southern Part of Cameroon

Good understand of changes in shifting cultivation and factors involved is a way forward in finding appropriate respond to preserve forested landscapes. A study was conducted with the aim of analyzing different pathways that could be taken in shifting cultivation trajectories. A total of 470 households were randomly sampled in the three study sites of the southern part in Cameroon. Data were collected using household survey, focus group discussion, interview of key informants and remote sensing based analysis of land cover. We found that shifting cultivation could migrate from traditional to a relatively modern form. Modern form is characterized by the evolution of objective from consumption to commercialization, a very short fallow, improvement of technique, and introduction of new market crops and diversification of crops produced. It is affected by population density, availability of forest land and accessibly (road and transport). In the site where traditional form is observed, 88 % of respondents revealed that there is still forest land belonging to nobody where they can create new farm. Therefore, a good management of land will constraint shifting cultivators to shift to modern agricultural technique. Moreover, it is advisable to develop policy measures to promote the progressive change of this old practice towards the adoption of appropriate agricultural techniques in the context of preservation of forested landscape.
Globalization, Domestic Institutions, and Enforcement of Labor Law: Evidence from Latin America

This paper provides new measures of government enforcement of labor regulations in eighteen Latin American countries between 1985 and 2009, and explores how it is affected by external and domestic factors. The results suggest that governments react to the competitive pressures produced by trade opening by turning a blind eye to noncompliance, but increase enforcement in response to higher FDI. Governments also react to the demands of their constituent base to keep their support and reinforce partisan affinities, and workers are more effective in more democratic systems.
Identity and Search in Social Networks

Social networks have the surprising property of being “searchable”: Ordinary people are capable of directing messages through their network of acquaintances to reach a specific but distant target person in only a few steps. We present a model that offers an explanation of social network searchability in terms of recognizable personal identities: sets of characteristics measured along a number of social dimensions. Our model defines a class of searchable networks and a method for searching them that may be applicable to many network search problems, including the location of data files in peer-to-peer networks, pages on the World Wide Web, and information in distributed databases.
Aortic Annular Sizing Using a Novel 3-Dimensional Echocardiographic Method: Use and Comparison With Cardiac Computed Tomography

Background—Previous studies have shown cross-sectional 3-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) measurements to severely underestimate multidetector row computed tomographic (MDCT) measurements for the assessment of aortic annulus before transcatheter aortic valve replacement. This study compares annulus measurements from 3D-TEE using off-label use of commercially available software with MDCT measurements and assesses their ability to predict paravalvular regurgitation. Methods and Results—One hundred patients with severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis who had both contrast MDCT and 3D-TEE for annulus assessment before balloon-expandable transcatheter aortic valve replacement were analyzed. Annulus area, perimeter, and orthogonal maximum and minimum diameters were measured. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed with mild or greater paravalvular regurgitation as the classification variable. Three-dimensional TEE and MDCT cross-sectional perimeter and area measurements were strongly correlated (r=0.93–0.94; P<0.0001); however, the small differences (⩽1%) were statistically significant (P=0.0002 and 0.0074, respectively). Discriminatory ability for ≥ mild paravalvular regurgitation was good for both MDCT (area under the curve for perimeter and area cover index=0.715 and 0.709, respectively) and 3D-TEE (area under the curve for perimeter and area cover index=0.709 and 0.694, respectively). Differences in receiver operating characteristic analysis between MDCT and 3D-TEE perimeter and area cover indexes were not statistically significant (P=0.15 and 0.35, respectively). Conclusions—Annulus measurements using a new method for analyzing 3D-TEE images closely approximate those of MDCT. Annulus measurements from both modalities predict mild or greater paravalvular regurgitation with equivalent accuracy.
Clinical Significance and Epidemiology of NO-1, an Unusual Bacterium Associated with Dog and Cat Bites

From 1974 to 1998, 22 isolates of an unusual bacterium, designated as CDC group nonoxidizer 1 (NO-1), were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for identification. The organism's phenotypic characteristics were similar to asaccharolytic strains of Acinetobacter, but differed in their cellular morphology and cellular fatty acid profile. We report here on NO-1's clinical and epidemiologic significance. In all cases, isolates were recovered from an animal bite wound; 17 (77%) were isolated from a dog bite wound, 4 (18%) from a cat bite wound, and one (5%) from an unspecified animal bite. Clinical data were retrieved and reviewed for 12 (55%) of the 22 bite victims. None of the patients had pre-existing conditions associated with immunosuppression. Seven (58%) patients were hospitalized for a median stay of 5 days (range, 2 to 11 days). The median time between bite to the worsening of symptoms was 17.5 hours (range, 3 to 78 hours). All patients recovered following antibiotic treatment.
Measurement of Ultrafine Particles and Other Air Pollutants Emitted by Cooking Activities

Cooking emissions show a strong dependence on cooking styles and parameters. Measurements of the average ultrafine particle (UFP) concentration, PM2.5 and black carbon concentrations emitted by cooking activities ranged from 1.34 × 104 to 6.04 × 105 particles/cm3, 10.0 to 230.9 μg/m3 and 0.1 to 0.8 μg/m3, respectively. Lower UFP concentrations were observed during boiling, while higher levels were emitted during frying. The highest UFP concentrations were observed when using a gas stove at high temperature with the kitchen exhaust fan turned off. The observed UFP profiles were similar in the kitchen and in another room, with a lag of approximately 10 min.
Involvement of the cis/trans Isomerase Cti in Solvent Resistance of Pseudomonas putidaDOT-T1E

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas putida DOT-T1E is a solvent-resistant strain that is able to grow in the presence of high concentrations of toluene. We have cloned and sequenced the cti gene of this strain, which encodes the cis/trans isomerase, termed Cti, that catalyzes the cis-trans isomerization of esterified fatty acids in phospholipids, mainly cis-oleic acid (C16:1,9) and cis-vaccenic acid (C18:1,11), in response to solvents. To determine the importance of this cis/trans isomerase for solvent resistance a Cti-null mutant was generated and characterized. This mutant showed a longer lag phase when grown with toluene in the vapor phase; however, after the lag phase the growth rate of the mutant strain was similar to that of the wild type. The mutant also showed a significantly lower survival rate when shocked with 0.08% (vol/vol) toluene. In contrast to the wild-type strain, which grew in liquid culture medium at temperatures up to 38.5°C, the Cti-null mutant strain grew significantly slower at temperatures above 37°C. An in-frame fusion of the Cti protein with the periplasmic alkaline phosphatase suggests that this constitutively expressed enzyme is located in the periplasm. Primer extension studies confirmed the constitutive expression of Cti. Southern blot analysis of total DNA from various pseudomonads showed that the cti gene is present in all the tested P. putida strains, including non-solvent-resistant ones, and in some other Pseudomonasspecies.
Testing low-degree polynomials over prime fields

We present an efficient randomized algorithm to test if a given function f : F/sub p/ /sup n/ /spl rarr/ F/sub p/ (where p is a prime) is a low-degree polynomial. This gives a local test for generalized Reed-Muller codes over prime fields. For a given integer t and a given real /spl epsiv/ > 0, the algorithm queries f at 1//spl epsiv/ + t/spl middot/p/sup 2r/p-1+O(1)/ points to determine whether f can be described by a polynomial of degree at most t. If f is indeed a polynomial of degree at most t, our algorithm always accepts, and if f has a relative distance at least e from every degree t polynomial, then our algorithm rejects f with probability at least 1/2. Our result is almost optimal since any such algorithm must query f on at least /spl Omega/(1//spl epsiv/ + p/sup r+1/p-1/) points.
The Nash bargaining solution in economic modelling

This article establishes the relationship between the static axiomatic theory of bargaining and the sequential strategic approach to bargaining. We consider two strategic models of alternating offers. The models differ in the source of the incentive of the bargaining parties to reach agreement: the bargainers' time preference and the risk of breakdown of negotiations. Each of the models has a unique perfect equilibrium. When the motivation to reach agreement is made negligible, in each model the unique perfect equilibrium outcome approaches the Nash bargaining solution with utilities that reflect the incentive to settle and with the proper disagreement point chosen. The results provide a guide for the application of the Nash bargaining solution in economic modelling.
100‐kyr Paced Climate Change in the Pliocene Warm Period, Southwest Pacific

The mid to late Pliocene (~4.2–2.8 Ma.) represents an experiment in climate sensitivity to orbital pacing in which nearly all continental ice was confined to the Southern Hemisphere. Most studies have emphasized the dominant role of obliquity in determining changes in ice volume and temperature at this time, although most records come from the Northern Hemisphere, instead of the hemisphere where the bulk of ice resided. We present the first orbitally‐resolved, mid to late Pliocene Southern Hemisphere paired records of surface and subsurface variability from two deep ocean archives from the Southwest Pacific Ocean (Sites 594 and 1125). These records indicate dominance of low frequencies centered at ~100 kyr for this time period. Because these signatures extend coherently and synchronously from middepth water properties (δ13C, δ18O of benthic foraminifera), which have their chemistry set in the subantarctic belt, to the surface (alkenone‐derived surface temperature estimates, color reflectance, and magnetic susceptibility), we infer that the fingerprint of the ~100‐kyr cycles must have extended over a large region of the Southern Hemisphere. We propose that nonlinearities in climate response to precessional forcing—most likely through ice sheet and/or carbon cycle behavior—generated the observed low frequency. A review of published mid to late Pliocene time series suggests that the ~100‐kyr pacing may be a widespread phenomenon and that major approximately 100‐kyr excursions in Pliocene climate were an important overlay to the underlying 41‐kyr glacial‐interglacial rhythm. These results caution against uncritical use of existing Pliocene isotopic templates to construct high‐resolution age models.