Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mitosis-specific phosphorylation of vimentin by protein kinase C coupled with reorganization of intracellular membranes

Using two types of anti-phosphopeptide antibodies which specifically recognize vimentin phosphorylated by protein kinase C (PKC) at two distinct PKC sites, we found that PKC acted as a mitotic vimentin kinase. Temporal change of vimentin phosphorylation by PKC differed form changes by cdc2 kinase. The mitosis-specific vimentin phosphorylation by PKC was dramatically enhanced by treatment with a PKC activator, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), while no phosphorylation of vimentin by PKC was observed in interphase cells treated with TPA. By contrast, the disruption of subcellular compartmentalization of interphase cells led to vimentin phosphorylation by PKC. Cytoplasmic and nuclear membranes are fragmented and dispersed in the cytoplasm and some bind to vimentin during mitosis. Thus, targeting of activated PKC, coupled with the reorganization of intracellular membranes which contain phospholipids essential for activation, leads to the mitosis-specific phosphorylation of vimentin. We propose that during mitosis, PKC may phosphorylate an additional subset of proteins not phosphorylated in interphase.
Cellular Islet Autoimmunity Associates with Clinical Outcome of Islet Cell Transplantation

Background Islet cell transplantation can cure type 1 diabetes (T1D), but only a minority of recipients remains insulin–independent in the following years. We tested the hypothesis that allograft rejection and recurrent autoimmunity contribute to this progressive loss of islet allograft function. Methodology/Principal Findings Twenty-one T1D patients received cultured islet cell grafts prepared from multiple donors and transplanted under anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) induction and tacrolimus plus mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) maintenance immunosuppression. Immunity against auto- and alloantigens was measured before and during one year after transplantation. Cellular auto- and alloreactivity was assessed by lymphocyte stimulation tests against autoantigens and cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursor assays, respectively. Humoral reactivity was measured by auto- and alloantibodies. Clinical outcome parameters - including time until insulin independence, insulin independence at one year, and C-peptide levels over one year- remained blinded until their correlation with immunological parameters. All patients showed significant improvement of metabolic control and 13 out of 21 became insulin-independent. Multivariate analyses showed that presence of cellular autoimmunity before and after transplantation is associated with delayed insulin-independence (p = 0.001 and p = 0.01, respectively) and lower circulating C-peptide levels during the first year after transplantation (p = 0.002 and p = 0.02, respectively). Seven out of eight patients without pre-existent T-cell autoreactivity became insulin-independent, versus none of the four patients reactive to both islet autoantigens GAD and IA-2 before transplantation. Autoantibody levels and cellular alloreactivity had no significant association with outcome. Conclusions/Significance In this cohort study, cellular islet-specific autoimmunity associates with clinical outcome of islet cell transplantation under ATG-tacrolimus-MMF immunosuppression. Tailored immunotherapy targeting cellular islet autoreactivity may be required. Monitoring cellular immune reactivity can be useful to identify factors influencing graft survival and to assess efficacy of immunosuppression. Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00623610
Neurotransmitters Mediating the Intestinal Peristaltic Reflex in the Mouse

The motor, modulatory, and sensory neurotransmitters that mediate the peristaltic reflex in the mouse colon were identified by direct measurement, and their involvement in various pathways was determined by selective receptor antagonists. Mucosal stimulation in the central compartment of a three-compartment flat sheet preparation of mouse colon elicited ascending contraction and descending relaxation in the orad and caudad compartments, respectively. Ascending contraction was accompanied by substance P release, a marker for excitatory neurotransmitter release, into the orad compartment and was partly inhibited by atropine and spantide, and abolished by a combination of the two antagonists. Descending relaxation was accompanied by vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) release, a marker for inhibitory neurotransmitter release, into the caudad compartment, and was partly inhibited by VIP10-28 and NG-nitro-l-arginine, and abolished by a combination of the two agents. Somatostatin release increased during descending relaxation: immunoneutralization of somatostatin or blockade of its effect with a selective somatostatin type 2 receptor antagonist inhibited descending relaxation. The δ-opioid receptor antagonist naltrindole augmented descending relaxation and ascending contraction. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) release increased in the central compartment and was mediated by concurrent release of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) because its release was blocked by a 5-HT4 receptor antagonist. Both the latter and the CGRP antagonist CGRP8-37, inhibited ascending contraction and descending relaxation. Thus, the reflex in mouse like that in rat and human intestine is initiated by mucosal release of 5-HT and activation of 5-HT4 receptors on CGRP sensory neurons and is relayed via somatostatin and opioid interneurons to VIP/nitric-oxide synthase inhibitory motor neurons and via cholinergic interneurons to acetylcholine/tachykinin excitatory motor neurons.
Do International Students' Direct Experiences With the Host Country Lead to Strong Attitude-Behavior Relations? Advancing Public Diplomacy Research and Beyond

The attitude-behavior (AB) relation with direct experience has produced a decades-long debate between two camps. Early on, Regan and Fazio first argued for a strong AB relation, whereas Schlegel and DiTecco found the opposite. This article examines the issue in the context of the attitudinal domain of international students as to their host country. Using the SEM technique to analyze a survey of 300 Chinese students inKorea, the study found a weak AB relation among the whole group and indicated that more direct experience led to a weaker AB relation in two split subgroups (long stay vs. short stay). This article discusses the implications not only for public diplomacy research on international students but for attitude literature in general.
Seeking Congruency or Incongruency Online?

This study examined how citizens select science information online based on their preexisting issue attitudes. Voluntary national samples browsed through an online news magazine featuring divergent viewpoints about four controversial science topics (stem cell, evolution, genetically modified foods, and global warming). Their online activities, including article selection and the length of exposure, were unobtrusively measured by behavior tracking software. Participants tended to choose science information that challenged rather than supported their views concerning stem cell and genetically modified foods. However, those who perceived that they had sufficient science knowledge and were religious exhibited confirmation-bias, preferring congruent to incongruent information.
The Influence of Incarceration Length and Protection Status on Perceptions of Prison Social Climate

Using a 2 (incarceration length) × 2 (custody type) between-groups design, the present study assessed whether inmates’ perceptions of the prison social climate were influenced by their security classification and length of time they had been incarcerated. Analyses of data collected from 76 male prisoners who completed a 15-item measure of prison social climate revealed an interaction effect between length of incarceration and protective prisoner status. Those housed in protective custody who had been incarcerated for longer than 6 months rated the social climate significantly more positively than both protective custody prisoners incarcerated for less than 6 months and those not in protective custody. This interaction was strongest on those social climate dimensions relating to therapeutic hold and social cohesion. A univariate effect was also observed whereby protective custody prisoners, irrespective of incarceration length, reported that they experienced the environment as less safe than their mainstream (non-protective custody) counterparts.
Variability of Wax Ester Fermentation in Natural and Bleached Euglena gracilis Strains in Response to Oxygen and the Elongase Inhibitor Flufenacet

ABSTRACT. Euglena gracilis is able to synthesize adenosine triphosphate under anaerobic conditions through a malonyl‐independent fatty acid synthesis leading to wax ester fermentation. Mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis uses acetyl‐CoA and propionyl‐CoA as C2‐ and C3‐donors for de novo synthesis of even‐ and odd‐numbered fatty acids, respectively. Euglena's wax ester fermentation has only been described in the E. gracilis strain 1224‐5/25 Z. Here we investigate eight E. gracilis strains isolated in 1932–1958 from different localities in Europe and two bleached substrains of E. gracilis 1224‐5/25, obtained by treatment with streptomycin and ofloxacin, and examine their anaerobic growth, wax ester fermentation, and wax ester composition. Under ambient oxygen levels, all strains accumulated wax esters in concentrations between 0.3% and 3.5% of the dry weight, but the strains revealed marked differences in wax ester accumulation with respect to anaerobic growth. Most fermenting strains tested showed increased wax ester synthesis under anaerobic conditions as well as the increased synthesis of odd‐numbered fatty acids and alcohols suggesting an activation of the mitochondrial fatty acid biosynthesis pathway. Addition of the elongase inhibitor flufenacet to the growth medium specifically reduced the accumulation of odd‐numbered fatty acids and alcohols and tended to increase the overall yield of anaerobic wax esters.
The nucleotide sequence of an untranslated but conserved domain at the 3' end of the avian sarcoma virus genome

The genomes of numerous avian retroviruses contain at their 3' termini a conserved domain denoted "c". The precise boundaries and function of "c" have been enigmas. In an effort to resolve these issues, we determined the sequence of over 900 nucleotides at the 3' end of the genome of the Schmidt-Ruppin subgroup A strain of avian sarcoma virus (ASV). We obtained the sequence from a suitable fragment of ASV DNA that had cloned into the single-stranded DNA phage M13mp2. Computer-assisted analysis of the sequence revealed the following structural features: i) the length of "c" - 473 nucleotides; ii) the 3' terminal domain of src, ending in an amber codon at the 5'boundary of "c"; iii) terminator codons that preclude continuous translation from "c"; iv) suitably located sequences that may serve as signals for the initiation of viral RNA synthesis and for the processing and/or polyadenylation of viral mRNA; v) a repeated sequence that flanks src and that could facilitate deletion of this gene; vi) repeated sequences within "c"; and vii) unexplained homologies between sequences in "c" and sequences in several other nucleic acids, including the 5' terminal domain of the ASV genome, tRNATrp and its inversion, the complement of tRNATrp and its inversion, and the 18S RNA of eukaryotic ribosomes. We conclude that "c" probably does not encode a protein, but its sequence may nevertheless serve several essential functions in viral replication.
Antipneumocystis activity of 17C91, a prodrug of atovaquone

The prophylactic efficacy of 17C91, a carbamate prodrug of atovaquone (ATQ), was investigated in a severe combined immunodeficient mouse model of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). At an oral dosage equivalent to 100 mg of ATQ per kg of body weight per day, 17C91 protected 9 of 10 mice from PCP and had a prophylactic efficacy comparable to that of co-trimoxazole (at 250 mg of sulfamethoxazole plus 50 mg of trimethoprim per kg per day orally). The intensity of P. carinii infection (infection score) of mice treated with 17C91 correlated with the concentration of ATQ in the plasma, with clearance of the infection associated with plasma ATQ levels of >35 micrograms/ml. 17C91 given orally provided enhanced levels of ATQ in the plasma compared with the conventional ATQ formulation. Additional studies reported in this paper demonstrate that the prophylactic activity of 17C91 against PCP in severe combined immunodeficient mice is comparable to that of a new oral microparticulate formulation of ATQ.
Metal Foams for Electromagnetics: Experimental, Numerical and Analytical Characterization

This work focuses on the use of metal foams, a relatively new class of materials, for high added-value electromagnetic (EM) shields. First, the Shielding Efiectiveness (SE) of aluminum foam slabs is experimentally evaluated, showing very good shielding properties. Successively, accurate numerical models of metal foams are proposed and used in a proprietary Variable-Mesh Parallel Finite Difierence Time Domain code, in order to characterize the EM properties of slabs of such materials. Afterwards, a third approach is adopted. It consists in the application of the efiective medium theories in order to obtain an analytical EM model of the metal foams; this way, their SE can be evaluated with a negligible computational time by using common mathematical tools. Finally, a methodology to design/analyze customized metal foams for EM shield applications is suggested. It takes advantage from the joint use of the numerical and analytical presented approaches, thus allowing a computationally e-cient evaluation of SE and other electromagnetic properties of metal foams. Results demonstrate the suitability of metal foam structures for efiective EM shielding in many industrial applications, as well as the accuracy of the proposed analytical and numerical approaches.
The influence of plural dominance in aphasic word production

Background: Plural dominance refers to the relative difference between the frequencies of a word in its singular and plural forms. Most of the evidence for theoretical accounts of plural dominance has come from psycholinguistic perception experiments (e.g., Baayen, Burani, & Schreuder, 1996; Baayen, Dijkstra, & Schreuder, 1997; Baayen, Schreuder, & Sproat, 1998). Only a few studies have investigated the production side of dominance, even in unimpaired speakers (e.g., Baayen, Levelt, Schreuder, & Ernestus, 2008). To our knowledge there is only one published neuropsychological study from Luzzatti, Mondini, and Semenza (2001) that uses reading-aloud data from an Italian brain-impaired speaker. Although findings across paradigms are inconsistent, they do indicate that plural-dominant nouns behave differently from singular-dominant nouns, and therefore suggest a difference in representation. Aims: This paper investigates processing of plural nouns in aphasia with a specific focus on effects of dominance. Methods & Procedures: We carried out two single-case studies with two women with aphasia, FME and DRS, who showed word retrieval deficits in picture naming as a result of different underlying functional impairments. The main task of interest was picture naming of single and multiple objects in order to test effects of plural dominance. In addition, word–picture matching tested number representation in comprehension. Outcome & Results: DRS showed a specific morphological impairment with plural marking, whereas FME had no specific morphological deficit. The results are discussed in the framework of current psycholinguistic accounts on the representation and processing of plural nouns (e.g., Levelt, Roelofs, & Meyer, 1999; Schreuder & Baayen, 1995). Conclusions: Different effects of plural dominance shown by both women with aphasia result from different underlying functional deficits, which indicate differences in the representation of plural dominance across processing levels.
Falling asleep at the wheel among Italian professional drivers (PDs): Results from the HiRis PD study

ObjectivesA high percentage of professional drivers (PDs) often report feeling fatigue during their work, and falling asleep at the wheel (FAW) is a major contributing factor to the occurrence of near-miss or actual accidents. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of FAW among Italian PDs and the effect of fatigue on this occurrence (corrected for the main predictive factors already known). Material and MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Data from PDs (N = 497) were used for analyses. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association of reported sudden-onset sleep at the wheel with working conditions and general lifestyle factors.ResultsForty-one percent of the interviewees experienced at least 1 episode per month of sudden-onset sleep at the wheel (4.7% per week). Predictive factors of self-reported FAW were: age > 55 years old (odds ratio (OR) = 4.91, confidence interval (CI): 1.79–13.50, p < 0.01), traveling more than 40 thousand miles per year (OR = 1.86, 95% CI: 1.08–3.22, p < 0.05), body mass index ≥ 30 (OR = 2.16, 95% CI: 1.01–4.64, p < 0.05) and Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire score > 22 (OR = 3.93, 95% CI: 1.90–8.14, p < 0.01). ConclusionsThere are different work and human factors underlying FAW among PDs. The Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire might be useful in measuring fatigue in this group and in detecting PDs at high risk of experiencing FAW.
Bilingualism and Network Externalities

The authors develop a model in which the benefit of language acquisition is increasing in the number of individuals who speak the language. This gives rise to a network externality and, if language acquisition is costly, the language acquisition decisions by individuals may be inefficient. If the available policy instruments affect all members of a language group homogeneously, then policies that effectively subsidize language acquisition are warranted only for the majority language.
P2X receptors as targets for the treatment of status epilepticus

Prolonged seizures are amongst the most common neurological emergencies. Status epilepticus is a state of continuous seizures that is life-threatening and prompt termination of status epilepticus is critical to protect the brain from permanent damage. Frontline treatment comprises parenteral administration of anticonvulsants such as lorazepam that facilitate γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) transmission. Because status epilepticus can become refractory to anticonvulsants in a significant proportion of patients, drugs which act on different neurotransmitter systems may represent potential adjunctive treatments. P2X receptors are a class of ligand-gated ion channel activated by ATP that contributes to neuro- and glio-transmission. P2X receptors are expressed by both neurons and glia in various brain regions, including the hippocampus. Electrophysiology, pharmacology and genetic studies suggest certain P2X receptors are activated during pathologic brain activity. Expression of several members of the family including P2X2, P2X4, and P2X7 receptors has been reported to be altered in the hippocampus following status epilepticus. Recent studies have shown that ligands of the P2X7 receptor can have potent effects on seizure severity during status epilepticus and mice lacking this receptor display altered seizures in response to chemoconvulsants. Antagonists of the P2X7 receptor also modulate neuronal death, microglial responses and neuroinflammatory signaling. Recent work also found altered neuronal injury and inflammation after status epilepticus in mice lacking the P2X4 receptor. In summary, members of the P2X receptor family may serve important roles in the pathophysiology of status epilepticus and represent novel targets for seizure control and neuroprotection.
Do Accountability Policy Sanctions Influence Teacher Motivation? Lessons From Chicago’s Low-Performing Schools

The federal No Child Left Behind Act and previous performance-based accountability policies are based on a theoretical assumption that sanctions will motivate school staff to perform at higher levels and focus attention on student outcomes. Using data from Chicago, this article draws on expectancy and incentive theories to examine whether motivation levels changed as a result of accountability policies and the policy mechanisms that affected teacher motivation. Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative data, the authors found that the value teachers placed on their professional status and their goals for students focused and increased their effort, but low morale had the potential to undercut the sustainability of teachers’ responses.
Condom use adoption and continuation: a transtheoretical approach

Even though using latex condoms can reduce an individuals risk of contracting and transmitting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) most programs to motivate such use have demonstrated little effect upon overall condom use. Many traditional behavioral change programs are limited by the manner in which they are based upon an action paradigm which implicitly or explicitly views behavior change as a discrete and dramatic movement such as going from never using condoms to always using them. The Transtheoretical Model of Change (TMC) offers an alternative framework for understanding condom use behavior a stage paradigm in which behavior change is seen as an incremental process through a series of stages. This paper summarizes how measures and models of condom use based upon the TMC have been developed and continue to be refined presents preliminary findings with diverse populations and describes intervention applications of a stage paradigm approach to condom use adoption and continuation.
Failure Mechanisms in Sand over a Deep Active Trapdoor

An experimental testing program was undertaken to investigate failure mechanisms induced by the active movement of a deep rectangular trapdoor underlying a granular soil. Reduced-scale models were tested under normal gravity as well as under an increased gravitational field using a centrifuge facility. Some models were used to evaluate the performance of both flexible and rigid pipes undergoing a localized loss of support. Failure mechanisms in the longitudinal direction of the models were characterized by a single, well-defined failure surface that developed within the limits of the trapdoor. However, failure mechanisms in the transverse direction of the models were characterized by multiple failure surfaces extending outside the limits of the trapdoor. Significant dilation of the soil located immediately above the trapdoor was identified in the failure of the models. The pattern of the failure mechanisms was found to be affected by the stress level and backfill density. Higher stress levels were found to lead to well-developed failure zones. The influence of backfill density was found to be more relevant in models involving flexible pipes. Pipes embedded within loose backfill were severely damaged after loss of support, while pipes embedded in dense backfill experienced negligible deformations. These results indicate that damage to pipelines caused by ground loss of support can be significantly minimized by controlling the compaction of the fill.
Aging and the Immune Response to theHaemophilus influenzae Type b Capsular Polysaccharide: Retention of the Dominant Idiotype and Antibody Function in the Elderly

ABSTRACT Anti-Haemophilus influenzae b polysaccharide (Hib PS) antibodies elicited in elderly subjects following conjugate vaccination expressed a light-chain variable-region (VL)-associated idiotype and had functional activities similar to those previously observed in children and younger adults. These findings indicate that advanced age is not accompanied by shifts in the major VLcomponent of the Hib PS-specific repertoire or by diminution of the protective function of antibodies.