Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mycobacterium tuberculosis Prolyl Oligopeptidase Induces In vitro Secretion of Proinflammatory Cytokines by Peritoneal Macrophages

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease that leads to death over 1 million people per year worldwide and the biological mediators of this pathology are poorly established, preventing the implementation of effective therapies to improve outcomes in TB. Host–bacterium interaction is a key step to TB establishment and the proteases produced by these microorganisms seem to facilitate bacteria invasion, migration and host immune response evasion. We presented, for the first time, the identification, biochemical characterization, molecular dynamics (MDs) and immunomodulatory properties of a prolyl oligopeptidase (POP) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (POPMt). POP is a serine protease that hydrolyzes substrates with high specificity for proline residues and has already been characterized as virulence factor in infectious diseases. POPMt reveals catalytic activity upon N-Suc-Gly-Pro-Leu-Gly-Pro-AMC, a recognized POP substrate, with optimal activity at pH 7.5 and 37°C. The enzyme presents KM and Kcat/KM values of 108 μM and 21.838 mM-1 s-1, respectively. MDs showed that POPMt structure is similar to that of others POPs, which consists of a cylindrical architecture divided into an α/β hydrolase catalytic domain and a β-propeller domain. Finally, POPMt was capable of triggering in vitro secretion of proinflammatory cytokines by peritoneal macrophages, an event dependent on POPMt intact structure. Our data suggests that POPMt may contribute to an inflammatory response during M. tuberculosis infection.
Relevance of hot spots in the evolution and transmission of Tn1546 in glycopeptide-resistant Enterococcus faecium (GREF) from broiler origin.

OBJECTIVES Glycopeptide-resistant enterococci are still present within the broiler sector, despite the EU ban of avoparcin more than a decade ago. In the present study, we have developed a rapid method for screening the flanking regions at the integration point of Tn1546 in glycopeptide-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolated from broiler farms. METHODS Total DNA was digested, ligated and amplified using primers from inside Tn1546. The resulting amplicons were purified and sequenced. Two new primers were designed based on obtained sequences. RESULTS Two main insertion points have been repeatedly found in isolates from the UK (n = 150). The first insertion point revealed that 25 isolates harboured Tn1546 positioned in a sequence with 96% homology to a streptomycin adenyltransferase gene (AY604739) from a Staphylococcus intermedius plasmid. At this insertion point, a direct repeat (GTCCT) was duplicated as previously described, indicating transposition at the target site. Furthermore, this 'hot spot' was also detected in isolates from Norway (2/8) and Denmark (17/20). The second insertion point detected in 45 isolates from the UK revealed integration into an Inc18-like plasmid, most likely by a process of target site recombination. CONCLUSIONS The presence of a common insertion point for isolates from different geographical areas could suggest the insertion of Tn1546 by transposition in a plasmid-specific site, followed by genetic rearrangement both inside the transposon and in the flanking regions.
Measuring What Matters Most

Jeffrey Lucas Deputy Director, Baldrige National Quality Program What happens when a K‐12 school system sets a goal beyond meeting the minimum state and federal standards for student achievement, and instead commits to “Igniting a Passion for Learning”? In the case of Iredell‐Statesville Schools (I‐SS) in North Carolina, a 2008 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient with over 22,000 students and a staff of over 3,400, the system can produce results like these:
Extending periodic eddy covariance latent heat fluxes through tree sap-flow measurements to estimate long-term total evaporation in a peat swamp forest

A combination of measurement and modelling was used to find a pragmatic solution to estimate the annual total evaporation from the rare and indigenous Nkazana Peat Swamp Forest (PSF) on the east coast of Southern Africa to improve the water balance estimates within the area. Actual total evaporation (ET a ) was measured during three window periods (between 7 and 9 days each) using an eddy covariance (EC) system on a telescopic mast above the forest canopy. Sap flows of an understory tree and an emergent tree were measured using a low-maintenance heat pulse velocity system for an entire hydrological year (October 2009 to September 2010). An empirical model was derived, describing the relationship between ET a from the Nkazana PSF and sap-flow measurements. These overlapped during two of the window periods ( R 2 = 0.92 and 0.90), providing hourly estimates of ET a from the Nkazana PSF for a year, totalling 1125 mm (while rainfall was 650 mm). In building the empirical model, it was found that to include the understory tree sap flow provided no benefit to the model performance. In addition, the relationship between the emergent tree sap flow with ET a between the two field campaigns was consistent and could be represented by a single empirical model ( R 2 = 0.90; RMSE = 0.08 mm h −1 ). During the window periods of EC measurement, no single meteorological variable was found to describe the Nkazana PSF ET a satisfactorily. However, in terms of evaporation models, the hourly FAO Penman–Monteith reference evaporation (ET o ) best described ET a during the August 2009 ( R 2 = 0.75), November 2009 ( R 2 = 0.85) and March 2010 ( R 2 = 0.76) field campaigns, compared to the Priestley–Taylor potential evaporation (ET p ) model ( R 2 = 0.54, 0.74 and 0.62 during the respective field campaigns). From the extended record of ET a (derived in this study from sap flow) and ET o , a monthly crop factor ( K c ) was derived for the Nkazana PSF, providing a method of estimating long-term swamp forest water-use from meteorological data. The monthly K c indicated two distinct periods. From February to May, it was between 1.2 and 1.4 compared with June to January, when the crop factor was 0.8 to 1.0. The derived monthly K c values were verified as accurate (to one significant digit) using historical data measured at the same site, also using EC, from a previous study. The measurements provided insights into the microclimate within a subtropical peat swamp forest and the contrasting sap flow of emergent and understory trees. They showed that expensive, high-maintenance equipment can be used during manageable window periods in conjunction with low-maintenance systems, dedicated to individual trees, to derive a model to estimate long-term ET a over remote heterogeneous forests. In addition, the contrast in annual ET a and rainfall emphasised the reliance of the Nkazana PSF on groundwater.
Internationalization and the Cosmopolitical University

This article discusses some of the issues that surround the internationalization of higher education as a way to open discussion about the construction of an alternative cosmopolitical vision of the university, necessary if the university is to fulfill any historic tasks concerning the creation of globally aware citizens. The authors indicate that economic and technological globalization has resulted not only in the growth of international education, but also in the increasing significance of transnational spaces. In this environment, the internationalization of higher education refers to strategies to attract students and also to specific patterns of movement. The authors maintain that the neoliberal metanarrative informing strategies of internationalization not only ignores the complexity of those patterns of interaction, connectedness and movement, but also implies modes of insertion of higher education into transnational spaces, as receptors or senders of certain flows. The way in which students' movements are managed by university institutions and systems leads the authors to reflect about the cosmopolitical project of the university implicit in those strategies. The article presents different concepts of cosmopolitanism linked to projects of political integration in transnational spaces influencing university institutions and brings forward the argument that cosmopolitical neo-liberalism looks at the cultivation of students as consumers, ignoring the potential social and cultural disjunctures in current globalization projects. Moreover, it maintains that this neo-liberal project essentially ignores the potential contributions of university institutions to the creation of public transnational spaces. Finally, against this, the article presents a vision of a cosmopolitical project of the university as an alternative to the one implicit in neo-liberal internationalization strategies.
Epstein-Barr Virus-Encoded Latent Membrane Protein 1 Impairs G2 Checkpoint in Human Nasopharyngeal Epithelial Cells through Defective Chk1 Activation

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common cancer in Southeast Asia, particularly in southern regions of China. EBV infection is closely associated with NPC and has long been postulated to play an etiological role in the development of NPC. However, the role of EBV in malignant transformation of nasopharyngeal epithelial cells remains enigmatic. The current hypothesis of NPC development is that premalignant nasopharyngeal epithelial cells harboring genetic alterations support EBV infection and expression of EBV genes induces further genomic instability to facilitate the development of NPC. The latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) is a well-documented EBV-encoded oncogene. The involvement of LMP1 in human epithelial malignancies has been implicated, but the mechanisms of oncogenic actions of LMP1, particularly in nasopharyngeal cells, are unclear. Here we observed that LMP1 expression in nasopharyngeal epithelial cells impaired G2 checkpoint, leading to formation of unrepaired chromatid breaks in metaphases after γ-ray irradiation. We further found that defective Chk1 activation was involved in the induction of G2 checkpoint defect in LMP1-expressing nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. Impairment of G2 checkpoint could result in loss of the acentrically broken chromatids and propagation of broken centric chromatids in daughter cells exiting mitosis, which facilitates chromosome instability. Our findings suggest that LMP1 expression facilitates genomic instability in cells under genotoxic stress. Elucidation of the mechanisms involved in LMP1-induced genomic instability in nasopharyngeal epithelial cells will shed lights on the understanding of role of EBV infection in NPC development.
VOT as an Indirect Measure of Laryngeal Function

A ~ z n A. Tyler. Ph.D., and Thornas L: 1~I~uttenon. Ph.D. Voice onset time (VOT) is defined as the time interval. in milliseconds. from oral release of a stop consonant to the onset of glottal pulsing in the following vowel (Lisker and Abramson, 1964). VOT is a temporal characteristic of stop consonants that reflects the complex timing of glottal articulation relative to supraglottal articulation. Stop consonants are a "natural" class of sounds found in most languages of the world (Edwards and Shriberg, 1983). They are characterized by creation of a pressure difference across a complete occlusion in the vocal tract, followed by a sudden release "burst" due to opening that occlusion. Production of wordinitial stop consonants involves: (1) velopharyngeal closure to separate the oral tract from the nasal tract, (2) closure and release of supraglottal articulators, and (3) onset of vocal fold oscillation (i.e., glottal articulation). Most languages separate stop consonants into groups or contrasts that are achieved through differences in the timing of glottal articulation relative to supraglottal articulation. Differences in this temporal relationship are represented in the acoustic signal by nonoverlapping VOT ranges. However, it is important to recognize that VOT measures fall on a continuum. That is, physiologically, the timing of glottal articulation relative t o supraglottal articulation is free to vary over a continuous range.
Experimental bacterial endocarditis. 3. Production and progress of the disease in rabbits.

A simple and reliable model for endocarditis in rabbits has been studied and standardized. Non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis was produced on either side of the heart by the presence of a polyethylene catheter. One day later, this was converted into bacterial endocarditis by single intravenous injections of streptococci, staphylococci, Proteus and Candida. No infection resulted from injection of L-forms or virus. Reduction of inoculum size or withdrawal of the catheter reduced the incidence of bacterial endocarditis, but the presence of a catheter in the heart for only a few minutes predisposed to infection. Left-sided Streptococcus viridans infection was uniformly fatal, with average survival of about two weeks. Right-sided infection was not always fatal; approximately 25% of infected vegetations healed spontaneously. The advantages of a standardized model for endocarditis which allows exact timing of infection are discussed.
Learning by observation in children with autism spectrum disorder

Background Observing another person performing a complex action accelerates the observer's acquisition of the same action and limits the time-consuming process of learning by trial and error. Learning by observation requires specific skills such as attending, imitating and understanding contingencies. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit deficits in these skills. Method The performance of 20 ASD children was compared with that of a group of typically developing (TD) children matched for chronological age (CA), IQ and gender on tasks of learning of a visuomotor sequence by observation or by trial and error. Acquiring the correct sequence involved three phases: a detection phase (DP), in which participants discovered the correct sequence and learned how to perform the task; an exercise phase (EP), in which they reproduced the sequence until performance was error free; and an automatization phase (AP), in which by repeating the error-free sequence they became accurate and speedy. Results In the DP, ASD children were impaired in detecting a sequence by trial and error only when the task was proposed as first, whereas they were as efficient as TD children in detecting a sequence by observation. In the EP, ASD children were as efficient as TD children. In the AP, ASD children were impaired in automatizing the sequence. Although the positive effect of learning by observation was evident, ASD children made a high number of imitative errors, indicating marked tendencies to hyperimitate. Conclusions These findings demonstrate the imitative abilities of ASD children although the presence of imitative errors indicates an impairment in the control of imitative behaviours.
As Seen on TV: Brand Placement and Its Influence on the Identity of Emerging Adults

Dr. Terry Rentner, Advisor Advertisers’ use of hybrid messages and branded entertainment continues to increase in response to technologies such as the digital video recorder (DVR) and the TiVo which allow audiences to zip past commercial messages. The purpose of this study is to examine how exposure to one type of hybrid message—brand placement—may impact consumers’ identity formation. Three research questions and two hypotheses were proposed in order to gain a better understanding about the role that brand placement in television programming may play in identity formation among 18-25 year-olds, a population known as Emerging Adults. This particular population was selected because during these formative years, emerging adults are shedding their adolescent identities and beginning to develop new ones as they become contributing members of adult society. The undergraduate student population at a small, Eastern college received a survey containing Russell, Norman, and Heckler’s (2004) Connectedness Scale in order to find individuals who were most likely to be affected by incidents of brand placement in television programs. Those who scored highest on the Connectedness Scale and who indicated they would be willing to participate in follow-up interviews provided the majority of the data analyzed for this project. In order to obtain a contrasting view, those who were least likely to be affected by incidents of brand placement (participants who scored lowest on the Connectedness Scale) were also recruited for follow-up interviews. The analysis of survey results and interview transcripts indicates that those who are highly connected to a particular television show can have their identity influenced by instances of brand placement. Purchasing objects associated with their favorite shows, incorporating BRAND PLACEMENT AND ITS INFLUENCE iii fashion and personal style brands into their wardrobes, and using products that are placed within the shows, enable emerging adults enact and shape their emerging identities. BRAND PLACEMENT AND ITS INFLUENCE iv
Differential expression of glucocorticoid receptor in human breast tissues and related neoplasms

Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is a steroid hormone receptor that has been shown to play important roles in mammary development and differentiation, and has been implicated in breast tumourigenesis, but its precise biological significance in mammary pathophysiology remains unclear. In order to generate a comprehensive expression profile for GR in normal versus neoplastic breast tissues, GR expression was investigated in situ in 400 human breast tissue samples, comprising normal tissue and a range of benign, pre‐invasive, and invasive lesions, using immunohistochemical assays. The novel expression of GR in myoepithelium, not observed in luminal epithelium, not only demonstrates expression patterns exclusive to the alpha form of oestrogen receptor and progesterone receptor and suggests distinctive functions between GR and these two important steroid hormone receptors in the breast, but may also indicate unique physiological and perhaps pathological roles for the myoepithelium in mediating the effects of glucocorticoid hormones in the breast. The strong expression of GR in metaplastic carcinomas (94.4%) and malignant phyllodes tumours (92.3%) suggests a pathogenetic role for GR, and implies that targeting GR in these tumours may have potential therapeutic application. However, studies on the roles of GR in mammary carcinogenesis should be interpreted with great caution, based on the lack of GR expression in cancer cells in the great majority (98.2%) of non‐metaplastic carcinomas, which has gone unnoticed in previous studies. This marked discrepancy warrants a re‐examination of the biological roles of GR in the pathophysiology of breast malignancy. The lack of methylation in the promoter region of the GR gene in all 118 non‐metaplastic carcinomas, as demonstrated by methylation‐specific PCR and bisulphite DNA sequencing analysis, indicates that methylation is less likely to play a role in the reduction of GR expression in non‐metaplastic carcinoma of the breast. Copyright © 2006 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Traits, Motives, and Depressive Styles as Reflections of Agency and Communion

Helgeson proposed a comprehensive model of agency, communion, and well-being that was based on a review of the literature on agentic and communal personality traits, power and intimacy motivation, and self-critical and dependent depressive styles. The present study empirically examined the overlap among these personality dimensions as well as their relations to positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, and social adjustment. A factor analysis of the various personality measures yielded two factors, labeled communion and agency. Power motivation loaded negatively with four communal qualities: communal traits, communal role behaviors, intimacy motivation, and dependency. Self-criticism loaded negatively with two other agentic qualities: agentic traits and agentic role behaviors. Both agency and communion were significantly positively associated with positive affect and social adjustment. Agency also was sig nificantly associated with higher life satisfaction and lower negative affect. The positive adjustment outcomes related to agency were confirmed by peer reports.
Towards multiscale reconstruction of perturbated phase from Hartmann-Shack acquisitions

Atmospheric turbulence perturbates to a great extent the optical path of incoming light from outer space thereby limiting the resolution power of capturing devices. One of the most common techniques used in astronomical imaging to compensate for this perturbation is Adaptive Optics (AO). In this paper we explore the potential of Microcanonical Multiscale Formalism (MMF) for the reconstruction of the perturbated wavefront, from the low-resolution acquisition of the turbulent phase by a Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensor used in AO. In fact, turbulent flows, although chaotic in nature, are characterised by scale hierarchy and develop cascade like structures where transfer of energy takes place from one scale to the other. We make use of MMF to infer properties along the scales of the complex signal consisting of optical phase perturbation and perform reconstruction using an appropriate wavelet decomposition associated to the cascading properties of the turbulent flow.
Potential of [18F]β‐CFT‐FE (2β‐carbomethoxy‐3β‐(4‐fluorophenyl)‐8‐(2‐[18F]fluoroethyl)nortropane) as a dopamine transporter ligand: A PET study in the conscious monkey brain

A dopamine transporter (DAT) ligand 2β‐carbomethoxy‐3β‐(4‐fluoro‐phenyl)‐8‐(2‐[18F]fluoroethyl)nortropane ([18F]β‐CFT‐FE) was synthesized and evaluated in comparison with [11C]β‐CFT in monkey brain using animal positron emission tomography (PET). [18F]β‐CFT‐FE and [11C]β‐CFT were injected intravenously to conscious monkeys for a 91‐min PET scan with arterial blood sampling for metabolite analysis. In the conscious state, [18F]β‐CFT‐FE provided a peak about 20 min after the injection and declined thereafter in the striatum of monkey brain, while [11C]β‐CFT continuously increased with time up to 91 min after injection. Metabolite analysis revealed that [18F]β‐CFT‐FE was more rapidly metabolized in plasma than [11C]β‐CFT. The striatal binding of both ligands was dose‐dependently displaced by preadministration of a specific DAT inhibitor, GBR12909, at doses of 0.5 and 5 mg/kg; however, the displacement degree of [11C]β‐CFT‐FE was higher than that of [18F]β‐CFT. The effects of the anesthetics, ketamine and isoflurane, on binding were more prominent in [11C]β‐CFT than [18F]β‐CFT‐FE. Specificity and affinity of β‐CFT‐FE to DAT were evaluated in an in vitro assay using cloned human DAT, serotonin transporter, and norepinephrine transporter in comparison with other conventional DAT ligands, showing that β‐CFT‐FE had lower affinity and higher specificity to DAT than β‐CFT and β‐CIT. These results suggested that [18F]β‐CFT‐FE could be a potential imaging agent for DAT, providing excellent selectivity and tracer kinetics for quantitative PET imaging. Synapse 54:37–45, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.