Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The binding of a Fos/Jun heterodimer can completely disrupt the structure of a nucleosome

An important first step in the chromatin remodelling process is the initial binding of a transcriptional activator to a nucleosomal template. We have investigated the ability of Fos/Jun (a transcriptional activator involved in the signal transduction pathway) to interact with its cognate binding site located in the promoter region of the mouse fos‐related antigen‐2 (fra‐2) promoter, when this site was reconstituted into a nucleosome. Two different nucleosome assembly systems were employed to assemble principally non‐acetylated or acetylated nucleosomes. The ability of Fos/Jun to interact with an acetylated or an unacetylated nucleosome differed markedly. Fos/Jun bound to an unacetylated nucleosome with only a 4‐ to 5‐fold reduction in DNA binding affinity compared with naked DNA. Strikingly, the binding of Fos/Jun to a single high‐affinity site incorporated into an acetylated nucleosome resulted in the complete disruption of nucleosomal structure without histone displacement. Moreover, this disruption was sufficient to facilitate the subsequent binding of a second transcription factor.
How does a low-mass cut-off in the stellar IMF affect the evolution of young star clusters?

We investigate how different stellar initial mass functions (IMFs) can affect the mass-loss and survival of star clusters. We find that IMFs with radically different low-mass cut-offs (between 0.1 and 2 M⊙) do not change cluster destruction time-scales as much as might be expected. Unsurprisingly, we find that clusters with more high-mass stars lose relatively more mass through stellar evolution, but the response to this mass-loss is to expand and hence significantly slow their dynamical evolution. We also argue that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to have clusters with different IMFs that are initially ‘the same’, since the mass, radius and relaxation times depend on each other and on the IMF in a complex way. We conclude that changing the IMF to be biased towards more massive stars does speed up mass-loss and dissolution, but that it is not as dramatic as might be thought.
Usefulness of the serum ferritin concentration in the detection of iron deficiency in a general hospital.

The efficacy of measuring the transferrin saturation and the serum ferritin concentration to detect iron deficiency was determined under routine conditions in a general hospital. The tests were performed on 100 adult patients who consecutively underwent bone marrow aspiration for the appraisal of a wide range of clinical conditions. The absence of stainable reticuloendothelial iron in smears of the aspirate was used as the benchmark of iron deficiency. Of the 86 patients who were anemic 19 lacked hemosiderin in the bone marrow. The percentage of patients with iron deficiency who were correctly classified by the tests (i.e., the tests' sensitivity) was 84% for the transferrin saturation and 79% for the serum ferritin concentration, and the percentage of patients free of iron deficiency who were correctly classified by the tests (i.e., the tests' specificity) was 63% and 96% respectively. The predictive value of an abnormal (positive) result for the detection of iron deficiency was 39% for the transferrin saturation and 83% for the serum ferritin concentration, whereas the predictive value of a normal or high (negative) result for the exclusion of iron deficiency was 93% and 94% respectively. Measurement of the serum ferritin concentration was superior to measurement of the transferrin saturation only in its specificity. The former is of particular value in clinical settings where the prevalence of iron deficiency is low and conditions that increase the serum ferritin concentration out of proportion to the size of the body iron stores are infrequent.
Influenza defective interfering viral RNA is formed by internal deletion of genomic RNA.

The 3'- and 5'-terminal nucleotide sequences of the defective interfering (DI) RNAs present in a preparation of DI influenza virus were determined. It was found that all DI RNAs possessed identical terminal sequences for at least the first 13 nucleotides at the 5' end and at least the last 12 nucleotides at the 3' end. The sequence of the DI RNAs is (5')A-G-U-A-G-A-A-A-C-A-A-G-G-. -C-C-U-G-C-U-U-U-C-G-C-U-OH(3'). In addition, the same sequences were present at the 3' and 5' termini of the viral polymerase genes (P1, P2, and P3) from which these DI RNAs originate. These results indicate that DI RNAs of influenzing virus are formed by an internal deletion of the genomic RNA.
Causal Pathways of the Effects of Age and the CCR5-Δ32, CCR2-64I, and SDF-1 3′A Alleles on AIDS Development

Objective:To investigate the causal pathways by which age and the CCR5-Δ32, CCR2-64I, and SDF-1 3′A alleles influence progression to AIDS. Design:Analysis of follow-up data from 2 cohort studies among homosexual men (n = 400), having >10 years of follow-up. Methods:The effects of the 4 cofactors on the CD4 and HIV-1 RNA trajectories after seroconversion were modeled in a random-effects model. A proportional hazards model was used to investigate their effect on the risk of AIDS after correction for CD4 cell count and RNA level. This approach allows investigation as to whether they influence AIDS progression by affecting CD4 count and RNA level or by other pathways. Results:Persons of younger age or having the CCR2-64I or SDF-1 3′A mutation have significantly higher CD4 levels. Persons with the CCR5-Δ32 deletion or CCR2-64I mutation have significantly lower RNA levels. After correction for both CD4 count and RNA level, only the SDF-1 3′A mutation significantly increases the AIDS risk. Conclusions:Age and the CCR5-Δ32 deletion and CCR2-64I mutation influence AIDS progression by affecting CD4 and HIV-1 RNA. The SDF-1 3′A allele increases the AIDS risk, but this effect is countered by its effect on CD4 and HIV-1 RNA level.
Study on the relationship between exchange rate fluctuation and stock return: Evidence from listed companies in China

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the foreign exchange risk exposure and its determinants of listed companies on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchange based on panel data over the period July 2005 to July 2011. The risk evaluation model and determinants model are built to estimate the sensitivity of stock returns to exchange rate fluctuation and examine the influence of financial indexes on exchange risk. The findings are shown as follows: (1) Listed companies in China have significant exposure to foreign exchange risk and firms are damaged by the appreciation of RMB-USD. (2) From an average level, U.S. dollar exchange rate fluctuations influences three industries remarkably, which are transportation, mechanical electrics and textile and garment industry. (3) The exchange risk exposure of companies are affected greatly by the firm's market value of equity (SIZE), dividend payout ratio (DIV), quick ratio (QR), and long-term debt ratio (DE), and the level of export ratio (EXPR), while firms are not significant to book-to-market equity value (BM). Generally speaking, the larger size, the higher export ratio and quick ratio a firm has, the greater foreign exchange risk exposure it will have. While the higher dividend payout ratio and long-term debt ratio a firm has, the less risk exposure it will have.
Pramipexole modulates the neural network of reward anticipation

Pramipexole is widely prescribed to treat Parkinson's disease. It has been found to cause impulse control disorders such as pathological gambling. To examine how pramipexole modulates the network of reward anticipation, we carried out a pharmacological functional magnetic resonance imaging study with a double‐blind, within‐subject design. During the anticipation of monetary rewards, pramipexole increased the activity of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), enhanced the interaction between the NAcc and the anterior insula, but weakened the interaction between the NAcc and the prefrontal cortex. These results suggest that pramipexole may exaggerate incentive and affective responses to possible rewards, but reduce the top‐down control of impulses, leading to an increase in impulsive behaviors. This imbalance between the prefrontal‐striatum connectivity and the insula‐striatum connectivity may represent the neural mechanism of pathological gambling caused by pramipexole. Hum Brain Mapp, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Theiler's virus antigen detected in mouse spinal cord 2½ years after infection

Spinal cord sections from mice injected with Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) and surviving for 1 year and longer after infection were stained for virus antigen by two immunohistochemical techniques. Virus antigen was detected from 1 to 2½ years after infection, a time when no virus was recovered at an assay sensitivity of 50 plaqueforming units per gram of tissue. The implication this has regarding the detection of a virus in MS is discussed.
Beyond panaceas in water institutions

The past 50 years of water policy have seen alternating policies emphasize the state, user groups, or markets as essential for solving water-management problems. A closer look reveals that each of these solutions has worked in some places but failed in others, especially when policies attempted to spread them over too many countries and diverse situations. A study of the variable performances of user groups for canal irrigation in India illustrates the factors that affect institutional performance. Research that identifies the critical factors affecting irrigation institutions can lead to sustainable approaches that are adapted to specific contextual attributes.
Identification of a Conserved Residue of Foamy Virus Gag Required for Intracellular Capsid Assembly

ABSTRACT In contrast to all retroviruses but similar to the hepatitis B virus, foamy viruses (FV) require expression of the envelope protein for budding of intracellular capsids from the cell, suggesting a specific interaction between the Gag and Env proteins. Capsid assembly occurs in the cytoplasm of infected cells in a manner similar to that for the B- and D-type viruses; however, in contrast to these retroviruses, FV Gag lacks an N-terminal myristylation signal and capsids are not targeted to the plasma membrane (PM). We have found that mutation of an absolutely conserved arginine (Arg) residue at position 50 to alanine (R50A) of the simian foamy virus SFV cpz(hu) inhibits proper capsid assembly and abolishes viral budding even in the presence of the envelope (Env) glycoproteins. Particle assembly and extracellular release of virus can be restored to this mutant with the addition of an N-terminal Src myristylation signal (Myr-R50A), presumably by providing an alternate site for assembly to occur at the PM. In addition, the strict requirement of Env expression for capsid budding can be bypassed by addition of a PM-targeting signal to Gag. These results suggest that intracellular capsid assembly may be mediated by a signal akin to the cytoplasmic targeting and retention signal CTRS found in Mason-Pfizer monkey virus and that FV Gag has the inherent ability to assemble capsids at multiple sites like conventional retroviruses. The necessity of Env expression for particle egress is most probably due to the lack of a membrane-targeting signal within FV Gag to direct capsids to the PM for release and indicates that Gag-Env interactions are essential to drive particle budding.
War and Third-party Trade

Few studies explain how wars affect trade with third parties. We argue that wartime trade policies should raise trade with friendly and enemy-hostile third parties but reduce trade with hostile and enemy-friendly third parties. At the same time, the private motivation of firms and households may be incompatible with national wartime trade policies and constrain the effectiveness of wartime trade policies. Our directed dyadic data set consists of almost all of the states from 1885 to 2000. Running a high definition fixed effects regression with two-way clustering of standard errors, we find that hostile third parties tended to reduce trade with a combatant state by roughly 30 percent. In addition, trade with third parties friendly to the enemy fell by a similar magnitude. In contrast, on average, war hardly affected trade with third parties because of substitution of war-ridden markets with third-party business partners.
Applying the quarter‐hour rule: can people with insomnia accurately estimate 15‐min periods during the sleep‐onset phase?

The ‘quarter‐hour rule’ (QHR) instructs the person with insomnia to get out of bed after 15 min of wakefulness and return to bed only when sleep feels imminent. Recent research has identified that sleep can be significantly improved using this simple intervention (Malaffo and Espie, Sleep, 27(s), 2004, 280; Sleep, 29 (s), 2006, 257), but successful implementation depends on estimating time without clock monitoring, and the insomnia literature indicates poor time perception is a maintaining factor in primary insomnia (Harvey, Behav. Res. Ther., 40, 2002, 869). This study expands upon previous research with the aim of identifying whether people with insomnia can accurately perceive a 15‐min interval during the sleep‐onset period, and therefore successfully implements the QHR. A mixed models anova design was applied with between‐participants factor of group (insomnia versus good sleepers) and within‐participants factor of context (night versus day). Results indicated no differences between groups and contexts on time estimation tasks. This was despite an increase in arousal in the night context for both groups, and tentative support for the impact of arousal in inducing underestimations of time. These results provide promising support for the successful application of the QHR in people with insomnia. The results are discussed in terms of whether the design employed successfully accessed the processes that are involved in distorting time perception in insomnia. Suggestions for future research are provided and limitations of the current study discussed.
To Detain or to Release? Correlates of Dispositions for Individuals Declared Not Criminally Responsible on Account of Mental Disorder

Objective: The extent to which risk assessment advances have influenced release decision-making by review boards (RBs) of individuals found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder (NCRMD) remains unclear. Our objective is to identify the psychosocial, criminological, and risk measure correlates of RB decision-making. Method: Data were collected through structured interviews and file reviews conducted between October 2004 and August 2006 in the sole forensic psychiatric hospital in Quebec and in 2 civil psychiatric hospitals in a large metropolitan area designated to care for people found NCRMD. The final sample consisted of 96 men. Results: Dynamic, clinical risk factors are associated with decisions to detain or release people found NCRMD, rather than traditional historical risk factors such as criminal history. Conclusion: Dynamic variables seem appropriate for the RBs to consider given the intention of the NCRMD legislation. Further, dynamic variables provide direction for titration of treatment and supervision. Results are discussed regarding enhancing evidence-informed RB dispositions.
Cerebrospinal tau, phospho‐tau, and beta‐amyloid and neuropsychological functions in Parkinson's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD)‐pathology may play a role in Parkinson's disease (PD)‐related dementia (PDD). The aim of this study was to assess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of tau, phospho‐tau, and beta‐amyloid, proposed AD biomarkers, and their relationship with cognitive function in PD. Forty PD patients [20 nondemented (PDND); 20 PDD] and 30 controls underwent CSF tau, phospho‐tau, and beta‐amyloid analysis using specific ELISA techniques. All PD patients and 15 controls underwent neuropsychological testing of fronto‐subcortical (attention, fluency) and neocortical (memory, naming, visuoperceptive) functions. CSF markers levels were compared between groups, and compared and correlated with neuropsychological measures in PDND and PDD separately and as a continuum (PD). CSF tau and phospho‐tau were higher in PDD than in PDND and controls (P < 0.05). CSF beta‐amyloid ranged from high (controls) to intermediate (PDND) and low (PDD) levels (P < 0.001). In all PD and PDD patients, high CSF tau and phospho‐tau were associated with impaired memory and naming. In PDND, CSF beta‐amyloid was related with phonetic fluency. These findings suggest underlying AD‐pathology in PDD in association with cortical cognitive dysfunction, and that low CSF beta‐amyloid in PDND patients with impaired phonetic fluency can constitute an early marker of cognitive dysfunction. © 2009 Movement Disorder Society
Midterm Outcome After Surgical Correction of Anomalous Left Coronary Artery From Pulmonary Artery

Background: Early establishment of a two-coronary artery system has become the standard surgical approach in patients with anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery. After surgical repair, presentation of severely impaired ventricular function and mitral regurgitation is a common finding. Methods: We reviewed midterm outcome of 18 consecutive patients with anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) undergoing surgical repair for establishment of dual coronary system operated on between September 1999 and July 2009. Mortality, morbidity, echocardiography assessment of left ventricular function, mitral valve regurgitation, and indications for reoperation were studied retrospectively. Results: The mean age at the time of surgery was 26 ± 44 months (range, 14 days-12.7 years), 14 patients were younger than 6 months. There was no in-hospital or late mortality. Recovery of left ventricular function was associated with improvement in the degree of mitral valve regurgitation. At the latest follow-up, mitral valve regurgitation was none or trace in 14 patients (78%), mild to moderate in 3 patients (16%), and remained severe in 1 patient (6%). Left ventricular function normalized in 16 patients and remained mildly impaired in 2 patients. Late postoperative echocardiograms demonstrated a patent left coronary artery in 17 patients. In 5 patients temporary left heart bypass (LHB) was needed. Conclusions: Early establishment of a 2-coronary artery system artery results in complete recovery of left ventricular function and without relevant mitral valve dysfunction. Reoperation rates are acceptable. Our results support the use of LHB in patients with refractory low cardiac output. The need of mechanical circulatory support was short and very effective in our patient cohort.
Customer Satisfaction Theory in Public Administration Education: Revisiting Student Evaluation of Teaching

Who are the customers in public administration (PA) education? Many scholars have criticized the tendency of educators to misidentify students as customers. At the same time, a multitude of PA education programs have utilized the Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) as a means to gauge consumer satisfaction. However, there is lack of knowledge about the relationship between Customer Satisfaction Theory (CST) and SET. This study is focused on investigating the potential link between SET and CST, in order to gain a better understanding of instructional evaluation, and examines the impact of 13 aspects of SET on the evaluation of teaching effectiveness. This study finds that students prioritize the attributes of an instructor's perceived effectiveness, which are disproportionately influenced by negative responses on certain measures within the evaluation. This study concludes by discussing improvement strategies for instructors, as well as future implications of instructional evaluation at the department and college level.
Incidence, bacteriology, and clinical outcome of ventilator-associated pneumonia at tertiary care hospital

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most frequent Intensive Care Unit acquired infection. Aims: The aim is to determine the incidence, bacteriology and factors affecting VAP and to determine the multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogens. Settings and Design: This was a prospective observational study conducted over a period of 1 year from April 1, 2011, to March 31, 2012. Materials and Methods: The patients fulfilling criteria of VAP were included in this study. Statistical Analysis: This was performed using SPSS trial version 11.0 software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA) and the values of P< 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Totally 74 (27.71%) patients were developed VAP. Of total 74 patients with VAP 53 (71.62%) were females and 21 (28.37%) were females (P < 0.0001). Total 13 (17.56%) patients had early-onset VAP and 61 (82.43%) had late-onset VAP (P < 0.0001). The overall incidence of VAP rate per 1000 ventilator days was 39.59. Total 126 bacterial isolates found in 74 patients with VAP. Predominant isolates were Gram-negative 52 (70.27%). Total 41 (55.40%) patients had polymicrobial VAP, and 33 (44.59%) had single isolate. Total 55 (43.65%) isolates were MDR organisms. Total 22 patients with VAP succumbed during treatment with overall case fatality rate of 29.72%. Of total 55 MDR isolates in VAP, 13 (26.63%) were Klebsiella spp. , 11(20%) Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 14 (25.45%) Acinetobacter, 8 (14.54%) Escherichia coli, and 9 (16.36%) coagulase positive Staphylococcus aureus. Total 12 (21.41%) patients succumbed among MDR isolates. Conclusions: There was a high incidence of MDR pathogens in late-onset VAP. The Gram-negative organisms Klebsiella, Pseudomonas E. coli and Acinetobacter were the most commonly isolated organisms with high mortality rates.
Water safety education among primary school children in Grenada

Drowning is a common cause of death among children. Successful prevention interventions currently used in developed countries are often not transferable into developing countries due to differences in both environment and resources. In this study, we adapted a water safety education programme developed by the American Red Cross for primary school students in Grenada. Water safety knowledge before and after the training session was assessed using a nine-question evaluation tool. Following the training, a survey was administered to all teachers to assess the adaptability and effectiveness of the WHALE Tales training. Fifty-six students (30% males) completed the training. The age range was between 5 and 12 years old. Participants’ water safety knowledge increased 15% (p < 0.01). Mean scores of correct answers increased for every grade level, ranging from a 5% increase for first graders to 33% increase for second graders. The findings from this study suggested that implementation of such a programme is effective. With cultural modifications and outsourcing, we believe this adapted programme would be successful in Grenada and other similar settings.