Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regulation of ATG6/Beclin-1 homologs by abiotic stresses and hormones in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Autophagy, a complex and conserved mechanism, serving as a defense response in all eukaryotic organisms, is regulated by several proteins, among which ATG proteins are the most important due to their involvement in autophagosome formation. ATG6/Beclin-1 proteins, reported to be essential for autophagosome formation and assigned as a conserved domain, were subjected to database searches. We found three homologs in the rice (Oryza sativa) genome. A phylogeny tree was constructed to establish their across species relationship, which divided them into three distinct groups; two for plants, i.e., monocots and dicots, and one for animals. Evolutionary study of this family by critical amino acid conservation analysis revealed significant functional divergence. The finding of important stress-related cis-acting elements in the promoter region of rice ATG6 genes demonstrated their involvement in abiotic stress responses. Furthermore, expression profiling of rice ATG6 genes based on microarray data, as well as by semi-quantitative RT-PCR showed differential expression when subjected to different stresses suggesting the involvement of OsATG6 genes in abiotic stresses (heat, cold and drought) and hormone (abscisic acid) responses. Analysis of co-expressed genes showed that most of them annotated to DNA repair pathways and proteolysis, etc. Collectively, these results suggest the involvement of OsATG6 genes in different stresses, and provide a basis for further functional studies to investigate the biological mechanism of action of these genes under abiotic stresses.
Therian mammals experience an ecomorphological radiation during the Late Cretaceous and selective extinction at the K–Pg boundary

It is often postulated that mammalian diversity was suppressed during the Mesozoic Era and increased rapidly after the Cretaceous–Palaeogene (K–Pg) extinction event. We test this hypothesis by examining macroevolutionary patterns in early therian mammals, the group that gave rise to modern placentals and marsupials. We assess morphological disparity and dietary trends using morphometric analyses of lower molars, and we evaluate generic level taxonomic diversity patterns using techniques that account for sampling biases. In contrast with the suppression hypothesis, our results suggest that an ecomorphological diversification of therians began 10–20 Myr prior to the K–Pg extinction event, led by disparate metatherians and Eurasian faunas. This diversification is concurrent with ecomorphological radiations of multituberculate mammals and flowering plants, suggesting that mammals as a whole benefitted from the ecological rise of angiosperms. In further contrast with the suppression hypothesis, therian disparity decreased immediately after the K–Pg boundary, probably due to selective extinction against ecological specialists and metatherians. However, taxonomic diversity trends appear to have been decoupled from disparity patterns, remaining low in the Cretaceous and substantially increasing immediately after the K–Pg extinction event. The conflicting diversity and disparity patterns suggest that earliest Palaeocene extinction survivors, especially eutherian dietary generalists, underwent rapid taxonomic diversification without considerable morphological diversification.
Immunological Quantitation of Rabbit Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 in Biological Samples

Summary Two immunoassays for the specific quantitation of rabbit plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) antigen and activity in biological samples were developed and applied for the evaluation of PAI-1 in rabbits. Levels of PAI-1 antigen in rabbit plasma were 9.8 ± 4.6 ng/ml (mean ± SD, n = 6), with a corresponding value of 20.5 ± 13.5 ng/ml for PAI-1 activity. In rabbit serum PAI-1 antigen was 11.8 ± 4.9 ng/ml (n = 6) and PAI-1 activity was 2.9 ± 2.0 ng/ml (n = 6). Endotoxin injection (20 μg/kg, iv) induced a time-dependent increase of both PAI-1 antigen and PAI-1 activity levels in rabbit plasma, eventually resulting in a 40- to 90-fold increase (p <0.0001 vs baseline). A linear correlation was found between PAI-1 antigen and activity levels in normal plasma (r = 0.90, n = 6, p <0.05) and in plasma from endotoxin-treated rabbits (r = 0.98, n = 20, p <0.001). Analysis of PAI-1 antigen and activity in lysates of washed rabbit platelets revealed the absence of PAI-1 (i.e. <0.03 ng/108 platelets). In conclusion, development of specific immunological assays allowed the quantitation of PAI-1 in rabbit samples. In striking contrast to other species (human, rat, mouse, pig) rabbit platelets lack detectable amounts of PAI-1 (i.e. >100-1000 fold lower vs other species studied). This observation may have important implications for the use of experimental rabbit models especially in studies on the role of platelets in various pathological conditions including thrombosis and atherosclerosis.
Structural Basis for Modulation of Gating Property of G Protein-gated Inwardly Rectifying Potassium Ion Channel (GIRK) by i/o-family G Protein α Subunit (Gαi/o)*

Background: Although Gβγ is known to activate GIRK, Gαi/o also modulates GIRK gating. Results: The α2/α3 helices of Gαi3 in the GTP-bound state directly bind to the αA helix of GIRK. Conclusion: The complex model explains how Gαi/o sequesters Gβγ efficiently from GIRK upon GTP hydrolysis. Significance: The structural basis for the rapid closure of GIRK by Gαi/o is provided. G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium channel (GIRK) plays a crucial role in regulating heart rate and neuronal excitability. The gating of GIRK is regulated by the association and dissociation of G protein βγ subunits (Gβγ), which are released from pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein α subunit (Gαi/o) upon GPCR activation in vivo. Several lines of evidence indicate that Gαi/o also interacts directly with GIRK, playing functional roles in the signaling efficiency and the modulation of the channel activity. However, the underlying mechanism for GIRK regulation by Gαi/o remains to be elucidated. Here, we performed NMR analyses of the interaction between the cytoplasmic region of GIRK1 and Gαi3 in the GTP-bound state. The NMR spectral changes of Gα upon the addition of GIRK as well as the transferred cross-saturation (TCS) results indicated their direct binding mode, where the Kd value was estimated as ∼1 mm. The TCS experiments identified the direct binding sites on Gα and GIRK as the α2/α3 helices on the GTPase domain of Gα and the αA helix of GIRK. In addition, the TCS and paramagnetic relaxation enhancement results suggested that the helical domain of Gα transiently interacts with the αA helix of GIRK. Based on these results, we built a docking model of Gα and GIRK, suggesting the molecular basis for efficient GIRK deactivation by Gαi/o.
Dosing of 3-Factor Prothrombin Complex Concentrate for International Normalized Ratio Reversal

BACKGROUND: Three-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) is commonly used for reversal of international normalized ratio (INR) in patients who are bleeding or require emergency surgery. However, there is little information regarding the optimal dosing strategy for achieving adequate INR reversal. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether patients with higher initial INR levels are less likely to achieve adequate INR reversal after receiving 3-factor PCC. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a tertiary care medical center in the US. Patients who received 3-factor PCC were grouped into 2 categories based on degree of INR reversal after PCC infusion: (1) adequate reversal (final INR ≤1.5) or (2) inadequate reversal (final INR >1.5). Initial INR was compared between the 2 groups using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to adjust for confounders and determine predictors of adequate INR reversal. RESULTS: Fifty patients met criteria for inclusion in the final analyses. Of these, 58% achieved adequate reversal after PCC. There were no significant differences in patient demographics or in vitamin K or fresh frozen plasma (FFP) use between the 2 groups. Median PCC dose was also similar between the adequate and inadequate reversal groups (25.2 vs 24.5 units/kg, respectively; p = 0.2). The group that did not achieve adequate reversal had a significantly higher initial INR (3.5 vs 2.5, p = 0.012) prior to PCC administration. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, initial INR was a significant predictor of adequate INR reversal (ie, reversal less likely as INR increases) after adjusting for PCC dose and concurrent use of vitamin K or FFP (OR = 0.38; 95% CI 0.17 to 0.87; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a higher initial INR are less likely to achieve adequate INR reversal after receiving 3-factor PCC and may require higher doses than were used in the study.
In vitro studies on H‐2‐linked unresponsiveness to synthetic polypeptides

The in vitro production, assay and partial characterization of an extremely potent antigen‐specific T helper cell factor to poly‐L‐(Tyr, Glu)‐poly‐DL‐Ala‐poly‐L‐Lys [(T, G)‐A–L] which may be an important physiological mediator of T cell function in vivo is described. The factor has an antigen‐binding site, Ia and Ig‐like determinants on the same molecular complex. The response to (T, G)‐A‐L is under H‐2‐linked Ir gene control, some but not all low responder haplotypes will produce the factor.
How Effective are Active Labor Market Policies in Developing Countries? A Critical Review of Recent Evidence

Jobs are the number one policy concern of policy makers in many countries. The global financial crisis, rising demographic pressures, high unemployment rates, and concerns over automation all make it seem imperative that policy makers employ increasingly more active labor market policies. This paper critically examines recent evaluations of labor market policies that have provided vocational training, wage subsidies, job search assistance, and assistance moving to argue that many active labor market policies are much less effective than policymakers typically assume. Many of these evaluations find no significant impacts on either employment or earnings. One reason is that urban labor markets appear to work reasonably well in many cases, with fewer market failures than is often thought. As a result, there is less of a role for many traditional active labor market policies than is common practice. The review then discusses examples of job creation policies that do seem to offer promise, and concludes with lessons for impact evaluation and policy is this area.
Identifying the serotonin transporter signal in Western blot studies of the neurotoxic potential of MDMA and related drugs

A number of published studies have questioned the serotonin neurotoxic potential of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “ecstasy”) and related drugs (fenfluramine, p‐chloroamphetamine) based upon results from Western blot studies using a custom synthesized serotonin transporter (SERT) antibody that found no reduction in the abundance of a 50kDa protein after substituted amphetamine treatment. The purpose of this study was to collect Western blot data using the same SERT antibody used in those studies, but with positive and negative controls to identify the SERT protein signal. A 63–68 kDa band that had the regional distribution expected of rat brain SERT, was decreased by 5,7‐DHT, and was absent in SERT KO animals was identified as the SERT protein. Significant, lasting decreases in the abundance of the 63–68 kDa band were evident in the rat brain after treatment with MDMA and related drugs (FEN, PCA). Thus, when the band corresponding to the SERT protein is identified in Western blots through the use of positive and negative controls, reduced abundance of the SERT protein can be readily demonstrated after substituted amphetamine treatment. These data provide further evidence of lasting loss of the SERT protein after exposure to MDMA and other substituted amphetamines. Synapse, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Assessment of general anxiety in patients with breast disease and breast cancer using the Spielberger STAI self evaluation test: a prospective case-control study in Finland.

BACKGROUND Trait anxiety (T-Anxiety) was assessed using the subscale from the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory test (STAI form Y-2), with statements refering to how a person generally feels, and a higher total score reflecting a higher T-Anxiety. To the authors' knowledge, the associations between the STAI test and the risk of breast cancer (BC) are rarely considered together in a prospective study. PATIENTS AND METHODS In an extension of the Kuopio Breast Cancer Study 115 women with breast symptoms were evaluated for anxiety using the STAI form Y-2 test before any diagnostic procedures were carried out. RESULTS The clinical examination and biopsy showed BC in 34 patients, benign breast disease (BBD) in 53 patients and 28 individuals were shown to be healthy study subjects (HSS). There was a trend for the HSS women to have less severe anxiety in the STAI test (1/28 patients, 3.6%) than those in the BBD (7/53 patients, 13.2%) and BC groups (4/34 patients, 11.8%). The subjects in the HSS group reported being significantly more happy in the STAI test (STAI mean score, 1.54) than the BBD group (STAI mean score, 1.98) and the BC group (STAI mean score, 2.00) (p=0.01). The subjects in the HSS group also reported being more content in the STAI test (STAI mean score, 1.68) than the BBD group (STAI mean score, 1.87) and the BC group (STAI mean score, 1.97). CONCLUSION Patients with BC and BBD tend to have more unhappy and uncontent feelings, but no specific link between the STAI test (form Y-2) and breast cancer risk is supported.
Transthoracic Ultrasound of Lung and Pleura in the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Embolism: A Novel Non-Invasive Bedside Approach

The diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) presents a considerable challenge and requires a high index of clinical suspicion from the attending physician. In addition, diagnosing PE may require the use of one or more direct and indirect diagnostic methods. Here, transthoracic sonography (TS) provides an alternative and attractive bedside approach which is based on (1) detecting alterations in the lung parenchyma, (2) involvement of the pleura and (3) peripheral perfusion characteristics associated with thromboembolism. Using a 5 MHz or 3.5 MHz convex scanner, occasionally supplemented by a 7.5 MHz linear scanner or colour-flow Doppler mode, the intercostal areas are systematically examined by TS. Most of the PE-related lesions are localised in the lower lobes of the lung and are often associated with an area of pleuritic chest pain. The characteristic sonographic findings of TS in PE are multiple, hypoechoic, pleural-based parenchymal lesions which adopt a wedge-shape. In addition, a central echo may occasionally be detectable within the lesion. Another regular sonographic feature is the involvement of the pleura manifesting as either localised effusion, basal effusion or both. However, several differential diagnoses such as pneumonia, bronchogenic carcinoma, metastases of extra-pulmonary malignancies, and simple pleurisy need to be excluded. Since localisation of PE-associated lesions may occasionally escape sonographic detection, an inconspicuous sonographic result does not fully exclude PE. As detection of PE-associated lesions using chest ultrasonography has a high specificity and sensitivity, can be rapidly performed, is widely available, non-invasive, cost-effective, and avoids transport of critically ill patients to the investigation site, the technique may prove a valuable tool in the diagnosis of PE at bedside facilitating immediate treatment decision. Further, because the method focuses on detection of peripheral lesions it complements other diagnostic techniques employed when PE is suspected.
Chromosomal location of the structural gene cluster encoding murine immunoglobulin heavy chains

To determine the chromosomal location of mouse immunoglobulin heavy chain structural genes unambiguously, a panel of somatic cell hybrids was scored for the presence of DNA sequences homologous to gamma 2b-, mu-, and alpha-heavy chain-constant region DNA probe molecules. The hybrids, formed between mouse and hamster cells, contained various combinations of mouse chromosomes plus a full set of hamster chromosomes. Hybrids that retained mouse chromosome 12 reacted with the probes, whereas hybrids that had lost the chromosome, or its distal half, failed to react. These results indicate that structural genes for the gamma 2b-, mu-, and alpha-heavy chain-constant regions map to the distal half of this chromosome.
Glycylprolyl beta-naphthylamidase activity in human serum.

Glycylprolyl beta-naphthylamidase activities in sera from 40 normal subjects (18-81 years) were: 22.6 +/- 0.9 (S.E.) (11.8-38.2) I.U. /1 serum at 37 degrees C. The enzyme activities did not differ significantly with age between the younger group under 40-years-old and the older group over 40-years-old. Males, especially under 40-years-old, had slight but significantly higher activities than females. The levels were decreased in patients with gastric cancer. The levels were elevated in patients with hepatobiliary diseases, and had significant correlations with the results of the serum tests in hepatic diseases such as glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin, but had no correlation with serum lactate dehydrogenase. In cellulose acetate electrophoresis, normal sera had a single peak at the beta-globulin region, but the sera in hepatitis or liver cirrhosis showed not only an increase in the normal peak at the beta-globulin region but also the appearance of the other one or two new peaks in the alpha1 and alpha2-globulin regions.
A Docking Site in MKK4 Mediates High Affinity Binding to JNK MAPKs and Competes with Similar Docking Sites in JNK Substrates*

Specific docking interactions between MAPKs and their activating MAPK kinases (MKKs or MEKs) are crucial for efficient and accurate signal transmission. Here, we report the identification of a MAPK-docking site, or “D-site,” in the N terminus of human MKK4/JNKK1. This docking site conforms to the consensus sequence for known D-sites in other MKKs and contains the first of the two cleavage sites for anthrax lethal factor protease that have been found in the N terminus of MKK4. This docking site was both necessary and sufficient for the high affinity binding of the MAPKs JNK1, JNK2, JNK3, p38α, and p38β to MKK4. Mutations that altered conserved residues in this docking site reduced JNK/p38 binding. In addition, a peptide version of this docking site, as well as a peptide version of the JNK-binding site of the JIP-1 scaffold protein, inhibited both MKK4/JNK binding and MKK4-mediated phosphorylation of JNK1. These same peptides also inhibited JNK2-mediated phosphorylation of c-Jun and ATF2, suggesting that transcription factors, MKK4, and the JIP scaffold compete for docking to JNK. Finally, the selectivity of the MKK4, MEK1, and MEK2 D-sites for JNK versus ERK was quantified. The MEK1 and MEK2 D-sites displayed a strong selectivity for their cognate MAPK (ERK2) versus a non-cognate MAPK (JNK). In contrast, the MKK4 D-site exhibited only limited selectivity for JNK versus ERK.
An Analysis of the Ethics Infrastructure and Ethical Climate in Slovenian Public Administration

Abstract In consideration of the fact that public administrations worldwide face a number of challenges, many governments are dedicated to improving the ethical climate in public administrations. The same issue is also the focus of the attention of many transnational associations. The basic goal is to ensure the development of comparable ethical climates, ethical behaviour in different public administrations and to develop comparable, suitable ethics infrastructures to enable this. Modern public administrations must bring ethical conduct to the fore and resist unethical behaviour. There are different ideas on how to build ethics infrastructures in public administrations, and examples of good practice that could facilitate the development of such infrastructures are found in the public and private sectors of different countries. In this paper, we connect ethics infrastructures and ethical climates. The evaluation of Slovenia’s ethics infrastructures is based on the framework prepared by the OECD, using its questionnaire developed by Victor and Cullen. The results show that there is no general relationship between ethics infrastructures and ethical climates in public administrations. Nevertheless, some determinants of ethics infrastructures correlate to a high degree to the ethical climate, the strongest impact on ethics climates being the ethical infrastructure’s determinant “public involvement and scrutiny”.
Variability in Cross‐Domain Risk Perception among Smallholder Farmers in Mali by Gender and Other Demographic and Attitudinal Characteristics

Previous research has shown that men and women, on average, have different risk attitudes and may therefore see different value propositions in response to new opportunities. We use data from smallholder farm households in Mali to test whether risk perceptions differ by gender and across domains. We model this potential association across six risks (work injury, extreme weather, community relationships, debt, lack of buyers, and conflict) while controlling for demographic and attitudinal characteristics. Factor analysis highlights extreme weather and conflict as eliciting the most distinct patterns of participant response. Regression analysis for Mali as a whole reveals an association between gender and risk perception, with women expressing more concern except in the extreme weather domain; however, the association with gender is largely absent when models control for geographic region. We also find lower risk perception associated with an individualistic and/or fatalistic worldview, a risk‐tolerant outlook, and optimism about the future, while education, better health, a social orientation, self‐efficacy, and access to information are generally associated with more frequent worry—with some inconsistency. Income, wealth, and time poverty exhibit complex associations with perception of risk. Understanding whether and how men's and women's risk preferences differ, and identifying other dominant predictors such as geographic region and worldview, could help development organizations to shape risk mitigation interventions to increase the likelihood of adoption, and to avoid inadvertently making certain subpopulations worse off by increasing the potential for negative outcomes.
The internal migration-development nexus: Evidence from southern India

This study examines the extent to which the internal migration-development nexus is operational in four panchayats or village councils in northwest Tamil Nadu. We investigate who participates in labor migration in this context and explore the experiences of and outcomes from labor migration for migrant workers and their households. In addition, we examine the motivations for migration among migrant households and the barriers to migration among non-migrant households. We argue that internal labor migration can contribute to development in this setting. However, recognition of the barriers to and within migration is needed to frame subsequent policy discussions and rural development planning.