Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Validity of Sessionrating of Perceived Exertion Method for Quantifying Training Load in Teamgym

Minganti, C, Capranica, L, Meeusen, R, Amici, S, De Pero, R, and Piacentini, MF. The validity of session-rating of perceived exertion method for quantifying training load in teamgym. J Strength Cond Res 24(11): 3063-3068, 2010-Teamgym is a new and emerging closed-skill sport, which includes tumbling, trampette, and floor programs performed by teams ranging from 6 to 12 athletes. The purpose of this study was to verify the concurrent validity of the session-rating of perceived exertion ([RPE] session-RPE) to quantifying the internal training load (ITL) of tumbling, trampette, and floor training sessions using Edwards' summated heart rate (HR)-zone method as a criterion measure. Session-RPE was obtained with 2 different instruments (i.e., CR-10 Borg's scale and visual analog scale) multiplied by the training duration (minutes). Ten female teamgym athletes (age = 21.7 ± 1.2 years; height = 164.9 ± 6.6 cm; and body mass = 54.6 ± 5.4 kg) participated in this study. High and significant correlations (r range: 0.77-0.85; R2 range: 0.59-0.85; p < 0.01) were found between Edwards' HR and the session-RPE methods and between the 2 session-RPE instruments (r range: 0.92-0.97; R2 range: 0.85-0.94; p < 0.01). The significant (p < 0.05) differences emerged between training sessions indicate that session-RPE discriminates ITL in relation to various technical skills. Hence, session-RPE can be a useful and inexpensive tool to quantify ITL in teamgym, and coaches could use this instrument to monitor their periodization plan as experienced by the athletes.
Early life stress, MAOA, and gene‐environment interactions predict behavioral disinhibition in children

Several, but not all, studies have shown that the monoamine oxidase A functional promoter polymorphism (MAOA‐LPR) interacts with childhood adversity to predict adolescent and adult antisocial behavior. However, it is not known whether MAOA‐LPR interacts with early life (pre‐birth–3 years) stressors to influence behavior in prepubertal children.
Introductory economics courses and the university’s commitments to sustainability

In 1990, fearing that unsustainable production and consumption patterns were aggravating poverty and undermining prospects for future generations, university leaders issued the Talloires Declaration, committing their institutions to fostering sustainability, which the Declaration describes as “an equitable and sustainable future for all humankind in harmony with nature”. They pledged to work toward population stabilization, eco-friendly technologies, and ecological restoration, implicitly acknowledging ecological limits to economic activity. My dissertation focuses on the implications of universities’ sustainability commitments—such as the Talloires Declaration—for introductory economics courses (Econ101) at Canadian universities. Sustainability commitments and the sustainability in higher education literature point to the desirability of integrating sustainability across the curriculum. Universities have made considerable progress in the greening of campus infrastructure, yet there has been little progress in updating curriculum. I proceeded on the basis that if students are to have the knowledge to improve prospects for sustainability, they need an understanding of environment-economy linkages. These linkages include: how the economy depends upon ecosystem services; how resources are extracted from the environment and returned as waste products; and how habitats are converted in the process of economic development. I had three main reasons for selecting the way sustainability commitments play out in introductory economics courses as the research topic. First, environmental change is largely the result of economic drivers. Second, a growing body of literature suggests that if prospects for sustainability are to be improved, new economic models
Developmental alterations of the spinal trigeminal nucleus disclosed by substance P immunohistochemistry in fetal and infant sudden unexplained deaths

We investigated the immunohistochemical expression of substance P (SP) in the brainstems of 56 subjects aged from 17 gestational weeks to 10 post natal months, who died of unknown (sudden unexplained fetal deaths and SIDS) and known causes (controls). The goals of this study were: (i) to obtain basic information about the expression of SP during the first phases of human nervous system development; (ii) to evaluate whether there are alterations of this neuromodulator in victims of sudden death; and (iii) to verify any correlation with maternal cigarette smoking. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated SP immunoreactivity in the caudal trigeminal nucleus area, with a progressive increase in the density of SP‐positive fibers of the corresponding tract during normal development from fetal life to the first post natal months. Delineation of the structure of the human trigeminal nucleus, little investigated so far, provided essential data on its morphologic and functional development. Instead, a negative or low SP expression was detectable in the fibers of this tract in a wide subset of SIDS victims and, conversely, a high SP‐expression in a wide subset of sudden fetal deaths. We postulate, on the basis of these results, that SP has a functional importance in the early phases of central nervous system development and in the regulation of autonomic functions. In addition, the observation of a significant correlation between sudden unexplained death, altered SP staining and maternal smoking leads us to suggest a close relation between the absorption of cigarette smoke in utero and a decreased functional activity of the trigeminal nucleus, that can trigger sudden death of the fetus during pregnancy or of the infant in the first months of life.
Post-exposure prophylaxis with human monoclonal antibodies prevented SHIV89.6P infection or disease in neonatal macaques

Background: The majority of infants infected through maternal transmission acquire the virus during birth or postpartum through breastfeeding: mucosal exposure is considered to be a major route of infection. Objectives: To develop passive immunization with human neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against mother-to-child transmission of HIV during delivery and through breastfeeding. Design: An oral challenge model in newborn rhesus macaques mimicked peri- and postpartum virus transmission. Methods: Neonatal rhesus macaques were challenged orally with the highly pathogenic, chimeric simian–human immunodeficiency virus SHIV89.6P and given post-exposure prophylaxis with a quadruple combination of neutralizing human mAbs, IgG1b12, 2G12, 2F5, and 4E10, directed against conserved epitopes of HIV envelope glycoproteins. Control animals were virus challenged but left untreated. All infants were followed prospectively for signs of viremia and immunodeficiency. Results: Two out of four macaque infants treated with neutralizing mAbs showed no evidence of infection; the other two maintained normal CD4 T cell counts. In contrast, all control animals became highly viremic and had profound CD4 T cell losses; three out of four died from AIDS within 1.5–6 weeks of the challenge. Conclusions: Passive immunization with this quadruple neutralizing mAbs combination may represent a promising approach to prevent peri- and postnatal HIV transmission. Furthermore, the epitopes recognized by the four neutralizing mAbs are key determinants to achieve complete protection and represent important targets against which to develop active, antibody-response-based AIDS vaccines.
Wobble Splicing Reveals the Role of the Branch Point Sequence-to-NAGNAG Region in 3′ Tandem Splice Site Selection

ABSTRACT Alternative splicing involving the 3′ tandem splice site NAGNAG sequence may play a role in the structure-function diversity of proteins. However, how 3′ tandem splice site utilization is determined is not well understood. We previously demonstrated that 3′ NAGNAG-based wobble splicing occurs mostly in a tissue- and developmental stage-independent manner. Bioinformatic analysis reveals that the nucleotide preceding the AG dinucleotide may influence 3′ splice site utilization; this is also supported by an in vivo splicing assay. Moreover, we found that the intron sequence plays an important role in 3′ splice site selection for NAGNAG wobble splicing. Mutations of the region between the branch site and the NAGNAG 3′ splice site, indeed, affected the ratio of the distal/proximal AG selection. Finally, we found that single nucleotide polymorphisms around the NAGNAG motif could affect the splice site choice, which may lead to a change in mRNA patterns and influence protein function. We conclude that the NAGNAG motif and its upstream region to the branch point sequence are required for 3′ tandem splice site selection.
Excellent products or servitisation? Analysing retailers’ preference before and after a loyalty programme

This paper compares two manufacturer strategies focused on their retailers: (i) product strategy and (ii) service process strategy (before, during, and after selling). Additionally, the role of time in the manufacturer–retailer relationship is measured, testing the relevance of both strategies: before and after a loyalty programme. To this end, a sample of 51 international retailers who work with a furniture manufacturer throughout the time were contacted in two different periods of time: in 2009, before implementing a loyalty programme, and in 2012, after implementing a loyalty programme. Results probe the importance of the service strategy compared to product strategy to explain retailers’ satisfaction. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that the length of time does not strengthen the manufacturer–distributor relationship. That is, the efficacy of loyalty programmes to strengthen retailers’ satisfaction and loyalty could not be probed in this paper, may be due to the situation of the current economy and the size of our sample.
A Retrospective Cohort Study into Acquisition of MRSA and Associated Risk Factors after Implementation of Universal Screening in Scottish Hospitals

Objective. To estimate the proportion of patients who acquire methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) while in hospital and to identify risk factors associated with acquisition of MRSA. Design. Retrospective cohort study. Patients. Adult patients discharged from 36 general specialty wards of 2 Scottish hospitals that had implemented universal screening for MRSA on admission. Methods. Patients were screened for MRSA on discharge from hospital by using multisite body swabs that were tested by culture. Discharge screening results were linked to admission screening results. Genotyping was undertaken to identify newly acquired MRSA in MRSA-positive patients on admission. Results. Of the 5,155 patients screened for MRSA on discharge, 2.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.43–3.34) were found to be positive. In the subcohort screened on both admission and discharge (n = 2,724), 1.3% of all patients acquired MRSA while in hospital (incidence rate, 2.1/1,000 hospital bed-days in this cohort [95% CI, 1.5–2.9]), while 1.3% remained MRSA positive throughout hospital stay. Three risk factors for acquisition of MRSA were identified: age above 64 years, self-reported renal failure, and self-reported presence of open wounds. On a population level, the prevalence of MRSA colonization did not differ between admission and discharge. Conclusions. Cross-transmission of MRSA takes place in Scottish hospitals that have implemented universal screening for MRSA. This study reinforces the importance of infection prevention and control measures to prevent MRSA cross-transmission in hospitals; universal screening for MRSA on admission will in itself not be sufficient to reduce the number of MRSA colonizations and subsequent MRSA infections.
Genetic Characterization of Fall Armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Host Strains in Argentina

ABSTRACT Fall armyworm is a major economic pest throughout the Western Hemisphere. Previous studies of populations in the southern United States, Brazil, and the Caribbean demonstrated the existence of two morphologically identical but genetically distinct host strains that can only be distinguished using genetic markers, including polymorphisms in the mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) gene and in the Z-chromosome linked Triose phosphate isomerase (Tpi) gene. The strains differ in some physiological and behavioral characteristics, most notably their preference for different plant hosts, but are capable of hybridizing in the laboratory and in the field. These traits suggest that the strains are in the process of divergence, which may or may not be hemispheric in scope. The objective of this study was to determine whether the two strains are present in Argentina. It was found that the strain-diagnostic haplotypes of the COI and Tpi genes subdivided the Argentina population into two major groups. Each group displayed biases in their distribution among different host plants that were generally consistent with expected strain behavior. The overall results indicated that Argentina fall armyworm exhibit similar genetics and behavior to populations in the rest of the hemisphere. In addition, the Argentina populations had comparable haplotype frequencies to those from Brazil and Texas, consistent with possible interactions with these fall armyworm groups, but appeared to have had minimal exchanges with those from Puerto Rico or Florida.
Hospitalization Attributable to Influenza and Other Viral Respiratory Illnesses in Canadian Children

Background: We sought to estimate the incidence of hospitalization attributable to influenza virus infection in Canadian children while controlling for the impact of other respiratory viruses. Methods: Hospital admissions for children and youth 0 to 19 years of age, 1994–2000, were modeled as a function of proxy variables for influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other respiratory viral activity, seasonality and trend, using a Poisson regression model with a linear link. These proxy variables were developed from influenza mortality and laboratory test results for influenza, RSV and other viruses. Various checks for consistency, model fit and robustness were conducted and guided model development. Results: Overall, 1.5% of all pediatric respiratory admissions could be attributed to influenza (18 admissions per 100,000 per year). The largest burden was seen in infants 6 to 11 months of age with rates of 200 per 100,000 infants and approximately equivalent to the rate for adults aged 65 to 69. During peak influenza activity, 7% of respiratory admissions were attributable to influenza as were 35% of febrile seizure admissions. RSV and parainfluenza (PIV) were the major viral causes of hospital admission with rates of 130 and 160 per 100,000, respectively. Another 70 per 100,000 admissions were attributed to other influenza-like illnesses. Conclusions: Influenza is a significant cause of morbidity leading to hospitalization in Canadian children, particularly for those under 2 years of age. RSV, PIV and other respiratory viruses were found to be major causes of respiratory illness leading to hospital care, surpassing influenza.
Complete Sequence of the First Chimera Genome Constructed by Cloning the Whole Genome of Synechocystis Strain PCC6803 into the Bacillus subtilis 168 Genome

ABSTRACT Genome synthesis of existing or designed genomes is made feasible by the first successful cloning of a cyanobacterium, Synechocystis PCC6803, in Gram-positive, endospore-forming Bacillus subtilis. Whole-genome sequence analysis of the isolate and parental B. subtilis strains provides clues for identifying single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 2 complete bacterial genomes in one cell.
Analysis of SOX10 mutations identified in Waardenburg‐Hirschsprung patients: Differential effects on target gene regulation

SOX10 is a member of the SOX gene family related by homology to the high‐mobility group (HMG) box region of the testis‐determining gene SRY. Mutations of the transcription factor gene SOX10 lead to Waardenburg‐Hirschsprung syndrome (Waardenburg‐Shah syndrome, WS4) in humans. A number of SOX10 mutations have been identified in WS4 patients who suffer from different extents of intestinal aganglionosis, pigmentation, and hearing abnormalities. Some patients also exhibit signs of myelination deficiency in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Although the molecular bases for the wide range of symptoms displayed by the patients are still not clearly understood, a few target genes for SOX10 have been identified. We have analyzed the impact of six different SOX10 mutations on the activation of SOX10 target genes by yeast one‐hybrid and mammalian cell transfection assays. To investigate the transactivation activities of the mutant proteins, three different SOX target binding sites were introduced into luciferase reporter gene constructs and examined in our series of transfection assays: consensus HMG domain protein binding sites; SOX10 binding sites identified in the RET promoter; and Sox10 binding sites identified in the P0 promoter. We found that the same mutation could have different transactivation activities when tested with different target binding sites and in different cell lines. The differential transactivation activities of the SOX10 mutants appeared to correlate with the intestinal and/or neurological symptoms presented in the patients. Among the six mutant SOX10 proteins tested, much reduced transactivation activities were observed when tested on the SOX10 binding sites from the RET promoter. Of the two similar mutations X467K and 1400del12, only the 1400del12 mutant protein exhibited an increase of transactivation through the P0 promoter. While the lack of normal SOX10 mediated activation of RET transcription may lead to intestinal aganglionosis, overexpression of genes coding for structural myelin proteins such as P0 due to mutant SOX10 may explain the dysmyelination phenotype observed in the patients with an additional neurological disorder. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Elucidating the Role of Disulfide Bond on Amyloid Formation and Fibril Reversibility of Somatostatin-14

Background: Peptide/protein hormones are stored as amyloids within endocrine secretory granules. Results: Disulfide bond cleavage enhances conformational dynamics and aggregation kinetics in somatostatin-14, resulting in amyloid fibrils with increased resistance to denaturing conditions and decreased reversibility. Conclusion: Disulfide bond could be a key modulating factor in somatostatin-14 amyloid formation associated with secretory granule biogenesis. Significance: Defective disulfide bonding might cause dysregulation of hormone storage/secretion. The storage of protein/peptide hormones within subcellular compartments and subsequent release are crucial for their native function, and hence these processes are intricately regulated in mammalian systems. Several peptide hormones were recently suggested to be stored as amyloids within endocrine secretory granules. This leads to an apparent paradox where storage requires formation of aggregates, and their function requires a supply of non-aggregated peptides on demand. The precise mechanism behind amyloid formation by these hormones and their subsequent release remain an open question. To address this, we examined aggregation and fibril reversibility of a cyclic peptide hormone somatostatin (SST)-14 using various techniques. After proving that SST gets stored as amyloid in vivo, we investigated the role of native structure in modulating its conformational dynamics and self-association by disrupting the disulfide bridge (Cys3–Cys14) in SST. Using two-dimensional NMR, we resolved the initial structure of somatostatin-14 leading to aggregation and further probed its conformational dynamics in silico. The perturbation in native structure (S-S cleavage) led to a significant increase in conformational flexibility and resulted in rapid amyloid formation. The fibrils formed by disulfide-reduced noncyclic SST possess greater resistance to denaturing conditions with decreased monomer releasing potency. MD simulations reveal marked differences in the intermolecular interactions in SST and noncyclic SST providing plausible explanation for differential aggregation and fibril reversibility observed experimentally in these structural variants. Our findings thus emphasize that subtle changes in the native structure of peptide hormone(s) could alter its conformational dynamics and amyloid formation, which might have significant implications on their reversible storage and secretion.
Placental Vascularization in Early Onset Small for Gestational Age and Preeclampsia

The objective was to determine whether chorionic villous vascularization is diminished in cases of early onset (<34 weeks) small for gestational age (SGA) and/or preeclampsia (PE). Placental morphometrical measurements were performed in 4 gestational-age-matched groups complicated by SGA, SGA with PE, PE, and spontaneous preterm delivery without SGA or PE as the reference group. Using a video image analysis system, in randomly selected intermediate and terminal villi, the stromal area and the following villous vascular parameters were manually traced and analyzed: number of total, centrally and peripherally localized vessels, vascular area, and vascular area density. No differences were observed in intermediate and terminal villous vascular area. Preeclampsia was associated with smaller terminal villous stromal area (reference 2299 μm2, SGA 2412 μm2, SGA + PE 2073 μm2, and PE 2164 μm2, P = .011), whereas SGA was associated with an increased terminal villous vascular area density (reference 26.1%, SGA 35.7%, SGA + PE 33.4%, and PE 32.0%, P = .029). Compared with preserved flow, lower terminal villous vascular area density was found in cases with absent or reversed end-diastolic (ARED) umbilical artery flow (39.3% vs 30.3%, P = .013). These data demonstrate that villous vascularization was not influenced by PE, whereas in terminal villi an increased vascular area density was associated with SGA. Lower terminal villous vascular area density was associated with ARED flow in SGA pregnancies, indicating an increased risk of fetal compromise.
Corona Current and Field Profile Underneath Vertical Bipolar HVDC Lines with Bundle Conductors

For the cases of monopolar and horizontal bipolar coronas, the corona equations are solved for vertical bipolar geometry without restrictions with regard to the number of subconductors. The variation of ion mobility with lifetime, as well as the change of corona onset voltage from point to point around each subconductor, are taken into account. The lateral distribution of the field intensity and current density calculated and compared with those measured experimentally. These profiles also are compared with those for a horizontal bipolar test line. The effect of applied voltage, number of subconductors and the surface factor is studied.