Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A homologue of the axonally secreted protein axonin-1 is an integral membrane protein of nerve fiber tracts involved in neurite fasciculation

Axonin-1 is a glycoprotein that is released from axons of cultured neurons (Stoeckli, E. T., P. F. Lemkin, T. B. Kuhn, M. A. Ruegg, M. Heller, and P. Sonderegger. 1989. Eur. J. Biochem. 180:249-258). It has recently been purified from the ocular vitreous fluid of the chicken embryo (Ruegg, M. A., E. T. Stoeckli, T. B. Kuhn, M. Heller, R. Zuellig, and P. Sonderegger. 1989. EMBO (Eur. Mol. Biol. Organ.) J. 8:55-63). Immunohistochemistry localized axonin-1 prevalently in developing nerve fiber tracts. The presence of anti-axonin-1 Fab fragments during axon growth in vitro resulted in antibody binding to the axonal surfaces and in a marked perturbation of the fasciculation pattern. Hence, a fraction of axonin-1 is associated with axonal membranes and, by operational criteria, qualifies as a cell adhesion molecule. The major proportion of membrane-associated axonin-1 co- solubilized with the integral membrane proteins. By physico-chemical, immunological, and protein-chemical criteria, the integral membrane form was found to be highly similar to soluble axonin-1. In common with a number of other cell adhesion molecules, both soluble and membrane- bound axonin-1 express the L2/HNK-1 and the L3 epitopes. Radioactive pulse-chase and double-labeling experiments revealed that the released form was not derived from the membrane-bound form by shedding from the membrane surface, but directly secreted from an intracellular pool. Due to its high degree of similarity to the membrane-associated form and the presence of the L2/HNK-1 and L3 epitopes, reported to be ligands in adhesive cell interactions, adhesive properties are postulated for secreted axonin-1. As a soluble adhesive protein, it may function as a regulator of cell adhesion around its most likely site of secretion, the growth cone.
An agent-based model of exposure to human toxocariasis: a multi-country validation

SUMMARY Seroprevalence data illustrate that human exposure to Toxocara is frequent. Environmental contamination with Toxocara spp. eggs is assumed to be the best indicator of human exposure, but increased risk of exposure has also been associated with many other factors. Reported associations are inconsistent, however, and there is still ambiguity regarding the factors driving the onset of Toxocara antibody positivity. The objective of this work was to assess the validity of our current conceptual understanding of the key processes driving human exposure to Toxocara. We constructed an agent-based model predicting Toxocara antibody positivity (as a measure of exposure) in children. Exposure was assumed to depend on the joint probability of 3 parameters: (1) environmental contamination with Toxocara spp. eggs, (2) larvation of these eggs and (3) the age-related contact with these eggs. This joint probability was linked to processes of acquired humoral immunity, influencing the rate of antibody seroreversion. The results of the simulation were validated against published data from 5 different geographical settings. Using simple rules and a stochastic approach with parameter estimates derived from the respective contexts, plausible serological patterns emerged from the model in nearly all settings. Our approach leads to novel insights in the transmission dynamics of Toxocara.
Proprotein interaction with the GPI transamidase

For characterizing how the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) transamidase complex functions, we exploited a two‐step miniPLAP (placental alkaline phosphatase) in vitro translation system. With this system, rough microsomal membranes (RM) containing either [35S]‐labeled Gaa1p or epitope‐tagged Gpi8p, alternative components of the enzymatic complex, were first prepared. In a second translation, unmodified or mutant miniPLAP mRNA was used such that [35S]‐labeled native or variant miniPLAP nascent protein was introduced. Following this, the RM were solubilized and anti‐PLAP or anti‐epitope immunoprecipitates were analyzed. With transamidase competent HeLa cell RM, anti‐PLAP or anti‐epitope antibody coprecipitated both Gaa1p and Gpi8p consistent with the assembly of the proprotein into a Gaa1p:Gpi8p‐containing complex. When RM from K562 mutant K cells which lack Gpi8p were used, anti‐PLAP antibody coprecipitated Gaa1p. The proprotein coprecipitation of Gaa1p increased with a nonpermissive GPI anchor addition (ω) site. In contrast, if a miniPLAP mutant devoid of its C‐terminal signal was used, no coprecipitation occurred. During the transamidation reaction, a transient high Mr band forms. To definitively characterize this product, RM from K cells transfected with FLAG‐tagged GPI8 were employed. Western blots of anti‐FLAG bead isolates of solubilized RM from the cells showed that the high Mr band corresponded to Gpi8p covalently bound to miniPLAP. Loss of the band following hydrazinolysis demonstrated that the two components were associated in a thioester linkage. The data indicate that recognition of the proprotein involves Gaa1p, that the interaction with the complex does not depend on a permissive ω site, and that Gpi8p forms a thioester intermediate with the proprotein. The method could be useful for rapid analysis of nascent protein interactions with transamidase components, and possibly for helping to prepare a functional in vitro transamidase system. J. Cell. Biochem. 88: 1025–1037, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Disentangling the Effects of Nativity Status, Race/Ethnicity, and Country of Origin to Better Predict Educational Outcomes for Young, Immigrant Children A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts at George Mason University

DISENTANGLING NATIVITY STATUS, RACE/ETHNICITY, AND COUNTRY OF ORIGIN TO BETTER PREDICT EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR YOUNG, IMMIGRANT CHILDREN Jessica Johnson De Feyter, M.A. George Mason University, 2008 Thesis Director: Dr. Adam Winsler Though much valuable research has been conducted on the academic achievement and development of school-age immigrant youth, we know much less about the early academic competencies of younger immigrant children. This study describes the school readiness of 2,194 low-income children receiving subsidies to attend childcare with emphasis on how nativity status (generation), race/ethnicity, and national origins might influence children’s preparedness for kindergarten. The Learning Accomplishments Profile – Diagnostic (LAP-D), was used to measure cognitive and language skills, while teacher-report on the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) measured socioemotional protective factors and behavior. A school readiness screener administered at the beginning of the kindergarten year (Early Screening Inventory; ESI-K) and end of year grades for kindergarten, 1, and 2 grade were also examined. Results demonstrate variation does exist in school readiness according to nativity, ethnicity, and national origins. Firstand second-generation immigrants lagged behind non-immigrant children in cognitive and language skills but excelled by comparison in socio-emotional skills and behavior. First-generation immigrant children had slight advantages over the other two nativity groups in early academic grades. In many cases, first-generation immigrant children showed more advanced development than second-generation immigrant children, providing some evidence in the early years for the immigrant paradox. The present study raises awareness regarding strengths immigrant children bring with them from a very young age and provides a starting point from which these strengths can be built upon to encourage their success and later academic achievement.
Spatial Processes and the Duality of Church and Faith: A Simmelian Perspective on U.S. Denominational Growth, 1900–1930

With information on all U.S. denominations of nontrivial sizes, this paper examines various spatial and temporal prcesses underlying religious expansion between 1900 and 1930. Simmel's provocative and complex essay, “Soziologie des Raumes” (1903) poses the central paradox that religion is both faith—cultural constellations of beliefs—and church—social associations that are spatially situated. This distinction helps to clarify differences among denominations with regard to the extent to which they exert strong demands on their members, and leads to predictions about variation in denominational growth rates, in spatial dynamics, and in the extent to which denominations accommodate to contextual heterodoxy (diversity) or not. In these terms, we re-examine the debate about whether adherence rates increase in competitive markets (under conditions of diversity) or under monopoly conditions (under conditions of little diversity). We finally suggest that Simmel's theoretical emphasis on spatial and temporal dynamics has relevance for understanding the nature of mobilization efforts of various kinds, not only by religious groups, but also by those that organize social and political movements
Sparse Prediction with the $k$-Support Norm

We derive a novel norm that corresponds to the tightest convex relaxation of sparsity combined with an l1 penalty. We show that this new k-support norm provides a tighter relaxation than the elastic net and can thus be advantageous in in sparse prediction problems. We also bound the looseness of the elastic net, thus shedding new light on it and providing justification for its use.
User Attitude Towards Instant Messaging: The Effect of Espoused National Cultural Values on Awareness and Privacy

Abstract This paper investigates how user perceptions of privacy and awareness mediate the relationship between espoused national cultural values and attitude towards using Instant Messaging (IM). We present a conceptual model to explain the relationships between (1) espoused national cultural values and user perceptions of privacy and (2) espoused national cultural values and user perceptions of awareness, and (3) how these user perceptions affect attitude towards using IM. Hypotheses were tested using an online survey instrument and data analysis was performed using Structural Equation Modeling. We found that users' attitude towards using IM was positively affected by their perceptions of personal privacy and awareness, which were in turn positively impacted by the espoused cultural value dimensions of uncertainty avoidance.
Frequency of forks in epidermal-ridge minutiae in the finger print.

The frequency of minutia types was studied in finger prints of 77 males and 82 females. Dermal ridges were clearly printed by a revised method for this purpose. The fork index, which represents the frequency of forks in minutiae, is higher in females for each finger than in males. It differs on each finger, i.e., low on the digit I, high on the digits, III, IV and V, and intermediate on the digit II. The mean of the index for each finger distributes from about 15 to 24. Bilateral difference is not evident. The correlation coefficient between right and left hands ranges from 0.52 to 0.79. Forks appear more frequently in ulnar loops than in whorls. It is revealed that the occurrence of forks differs in dermal regions.
A model to predict educators’ attitudes towards technology and thus technology adoption

Abstract “Technology”, the buzz word for the last ten to fifteen years in South Africa. Technology availability is quite often mistaken for technology adoption and use. Technology has been made available to almost all tertiary institutions and at least some public schools. However, in most tertiary institutions many professors still refuse to use technology to enhance their lectures and many educators in schools have not yet “come on board” in a manner of speaking. The South African government has indicated its intention to ensure that every school has access to a wide choice of diverse, high quality communication services that will benefit all learners and local communities (DOE 2004). It is important that the Department of Basic Education recognizes that regardless of the amount of technology and its sophistication, technology will not be used unless educators have the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary to infuse it into the curriculum. The aim of this paper is to determine educators’ attitudes towards technology and thus technology adoption in teaching and learning. In doing so, this study attempted to determine what educators’ attitudes/perceptions (used synonymously) are towards constructs (e.g. relative advantage, perceived behavioural control, complexity) extracted from the different information systems (IS) technology adoption models. Thereafter, regression analysis was used to determine the best predictor of educators’ attitudes and thus technology adoption. The findings of this study suggest that overall the educators perceptions are somewhat positive across most IS constructs with the notable exception of Perceived Behavioural Control and Facilitating Conditions where the mean are below 3.5. The analysis suggests that the independent variables explaining the greatest amount of variance in computer attitudes are in order of predicative value: extrinsic motivation, perceived usefulness, complexity, perceived behavioural control and relative advantage. The results point to the importance of educators’ vision of technology itself, their experiences with it, their perceptions towards computer attributes and the conditions that surround its introduction into schools in shaping their attitudes towards technology and its subsequent diffusion into their educational practice.
Induction of a prenylated 65‐kd protein in macrophages by interferon or lipopolysaccharide

Treatment of murine bone marrow‐derived macrophages with interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) and/or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) resulted in changes in the abundance of a number of prenylated proteins. The most significant change involved a protein of 65 kd (p65) that became one of the most abundant prenylated proteins following treatment. The 65‐kd protein was induced by agents that stimulate macrophage activation (IFNs or LPS) but not by cytokines that promote macrophage proliferation, such as granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF), M‐CSF, or interleukin‐3. The majority of p65 was localized to subcellular fractions containing internal and plasma membranes but was not detected in nuclear membranes. The farnesyltransferase inhibitor BZA‐5B caused a dramatic decrease in p65 prenylation, suggesting that this protein may be modified by the C15 isoprenoid farnesyl. These observations provide the first direct evidence that interferons and LPS cause changes in the abundance of specific isoprenoid‐modified proteins in macrophages.
p21+/+ (CDKN1A+/+) and p21–/– (CDKN1A–/–) Human Colorectal Carcinoma Cells Display Equivalent Amounts of Thermal Radiosensitization

Abstract Larsson, C. L. and Ng, C. E. p21+/+ (CDKN1A+/+) and p21–/– (CDKN1A–/–) Human Colorectal Carcinoma Cells Display Equivalent Amounts of Thermal Radiosensitization. Radiat. Res. 160, 205–209 (2003). The mechanism of thermal radiosensitization is related to the inhibition of repair of radiation-induced DNA damage by heat. Due to the interaction of the gene p21/WAF1/CIP1 (now known as CDKN1A) with a variety of DNA repair proteins, its involvement in thermal radiosensitization was investigated. Two isogenetic human colorectal cancer cell lines with wild-type TP53 status were used. The 80S4 cell line was deficient in CDKN1A and the HCT116 cells were CDKN1A proficient. Both cell lines were significantly more sensitive to 44°C than 42°C heating (P < 0.01), and both cell lines expressed thermotolerance for heating times longer than about 2 h at the lower temperature. There were no significant differences in the X-radiation response of the two cell lines. Further, the two cell lines displayed similar cell survival levels after hyperthermia given before or after X radiation for both hyperthermia temperatures. Comparison of thermal enhancement ratios confirmed that there was no difference in the amount of thermal radiosensitization induced in the two cell lines. The induction and subsequent repair of DNA double-strand breaks, as measured by clamped homogeneous gel electrophoresis, was also the same in both cell lines. These findings strongly suggest that the gene CDKN1A does not play an important role in the expression of thermal radiosensitization.
A Review of Evaluations of Project Head Start

After twenty-three years, Project Head Start is alive and well. Since its inception in 1965 by the then-Office of Economic Opportunity, the overall goal of Project Head Start has been "to bring about a greater degree of social competence in children of low-income families. " To accomplish this goal, the following objectives and performance standards were adopted: 1. the improvement of the child's health and physical abilities, including appropriate steps to correct present physical and mental problems and to enhance every child's access to an adequate diet; the improvement of the family's attitude toward future health care and physical abilities; 2. the encouragement of self-confidence, spontaneity, curiosity, and self-discipline, which will assist in the development of the child's social and emotional health; 3. the enhancement of the child's mental processes and skills, with particular attention to conceptual and communication skills; 4. the establishment of patterns and expectations of success for the child, which will create a climate of confidence for present and future learning efforts and overall development; 5. an increase in the ability of the child and the family to relate to each other and to others; and, 6. the enhancement of the sense of dignity and self-worth within the child and the family. ' These objectives speak clearly to the comprehensive nature of Head Start.
Recollections of Parental Rejection, Self-Criticism and Depression in Suicidality

The present study examines whether self-criticism and depressive symptoms mediate the relationship between recollections of parental rejection and suicidality. A community sample of 200 Portuguese adults completed, in counterbalanced order, a socio-demographic questionnaire, the short form of the Inventory for Assessing Memories of Parental Rearing Behaviour (EMBU), the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire (DEQ), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and reports of any suicide intention and/or ideation and suicide attempts. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) indicated that recollections of parental rejection are significantly associated with depressive symptoms and suicidality. Recollections of parental rejection are indirectly associated with depressive symptoms and suicidality through self-criticism. The association between self-criticism and suicidality is mediated by depressive symptoms. In addition to a significant direct association between recollections of parental rejection and suicidality, the final model indicated that recollections of parental rejection are significantly associated with self-criticism. That same self-criticism is significantly associated with depressive symptoms which, in turn, are significantly associated with suicidality. Individuals with recollections of parental rejection are at greater risk for suicide ideation and behavior, possibly because such experiences predispose them to intense self-criticism which is a risk factor for depression associated with suicidal ideation and behavior.
Mean-square boundedness of stochastic networked control systems with bounded control inputs

We consider the problem of controlling marginally stable linear systems using bounded control inputs for networked control settings in which the communication channel between the remote controller and the system is unreliable. We assume that the states are perfectly observed, but the control inputs are transmitted over a noisy communication channel. Under mild hypotheses on the noise introduced by the control communication channel and large enough control authority, we construct a control policy that renders the state of the closed-loop system mean-square bounded.
Mutations in copper-zinc superoxide dismutase that cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis alter the zinc binding site and the redox behavior of the protein.

A series of mutant human and yeast copper-zinc superoxide dismutases has been prepared, with mutations corresponding to those found in familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; also known as Lou Gehrig's disease). These proteins have been characterized with respect to their metal-binding characteristics and their redox reactivities. Replacement of Zn2+ ion in the zinc sites of several of these proteins with either Cu2+ or Co2+ gave metal-substituted derivatives with spectroscopic properties different from those of the analogous derivative of the wild-type proteins, indicating that the geometries of binding of these metal ions to the zinc site were affected by the mutations. Several of the ALS-associated mutant copper-zinc superoxide dismutases were also found to be reduced by ascorbate at significantly greater rate than the wild-type proteins. We conclude that similar alterations in the properties of the zinc binding site can be caused by mutations scattered throughout the protein structure. This finding may help to explain what is perhaps the most perplexing question in copper-zinc superoxide dismutase-associated familial ALS-i.e., how such a diverse set of mutations can result in the same gain of function that causes the disease.
Virulence and Local Adaptation of a Horizontally Transmitted Parasite

Parasites are thought to maximize the number of successfully transmitted offspring by trading off propagule production against host survival. In a horizontally transmitted microparasitic disease in Daphnia, a planktonic crustacean, increasing geographic distance between host and parasite origin was found to be correlated with a decrease in spore production and virulence. This finding indicates local adaptation of the parasite, but contradicts the hypothesis that long-standing coevolved parasites are less virulent than novel parasites. Virulence can be explained as the consequence of balancing the positive genetic correlation between host mortality and strain-specific spore production.
On the Use of PLA-PHB Blends for Sustainable Food Packaging Applications

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is the most used biopolymer for food packaging applications. Several strategies have been made to improve PLA properties for extending its applications in the packaging field. Melt blending approaches are gaining considerable interest since they are easy, cost-effective and readily available processing technologies at the industrial level. With a similar melting temperature and high crystallinity, poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) represents a good candidate to blend with PLA. The ability of PHB to act as a nucleating agent for PLA improves its mechanical resistance and barrier performance. With the dual objective to improve PLAPHB processing performance and to obtain stretchable materials, plasticizers are frequently added. Current trends to enhance PLA-PHB miscibility are focused on the development of composite and nanocomposites. PLA-PHB blends are also interesting for the controlled release of active compounds in the development of active packaging systems. This review explains the most relevant processing aspects of PLA-PHB based blends such as the influence of polymers molecular weight, the PLA-PHB composition as well as the thermal stability. It also summarizes the recent developments in PLA-PHB formulations with an emphasis on their performance with interest in the sustainable food packaging field. PLA-PHB blends shows highly promising perspectives for the replacement of traditional petrochemical based polymers currently used for food packaging.