Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Different roles of bases within the integration signal sequence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in vitro

To investigate the roles of bases near the tips of each strand of the long terminal repeat of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in the integration reaction, we examined the efficiencies of both binding and integration activities of staggered-ended substrates and mismatched mutant substrates by the integration assay and the UV cross-linking assay. Our results suggest that some bases of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 long terminal repeat are required primarily for binding, whereas others are more critical for later reaction steps in vitro.
Is emotional dissonance more prevalent in oncology care? Emotion work, burnout and coping

Objectives: Emotional burden on oncology care workers is considerable. These workers develop confidential relationship with the patient through interpersonal communication, which entails managing their own emotions as well as the emotions displayed by their patients, and it involves a great deal of emotion work. The objectives in our study were to assess the prevalence of burnout and emotional dissonance and to investigate the interrelationship among burnout, emotion work and coping in oncology care.
Black Walnuts ( Juglans nigra L . ) : Potential as a Health Promoting Food

Nut consumption has been reported to protect against cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, diabetes and others disease states, including neurodegenerative conditions. The nutrient composition of black walnuts indicates that this edible nut has a strong potential on human health promoting. However, scientific studies on the functional properties of black walnut are extremely scarce. Thus, the aim of this review was to evaluate the potential black walnuts consumption on human-health promotion, using recent evidences obtained from English walnuts research, as both classes have comparable bioactive compounds composition. Compared to English walnut, the most marketed and studied walnut, and other classes of nuts, black walnut contains higher content of polyunsaturated fatty acids levels and antioxidants agents, such as polyphenolic compounds and γ-tocopherol, which has been extensively correlated with prevention and/or attenuation of those cited diseases. Moreover, other nutrients present in black walnuts are linked with those benefic effects, , including dietary fiber, folate, phytosterols, vegetable protein, melatonin, among others. The information provided herein provide strong evidence that black walnuts can be readily incorporated into diet as a means to produce multiple beneficial health outcomes.
Homeostatic Synaptic Scaling Is Regulated by Protein SUMOylation*

Background: SUMOylation regulates many cell pathways. Results: Synaptic scaling elicited by suppression of neuronal activity decreases the deSUMOylating enzyme SENP1; overexpression of SENP1 prevents synaptic scaling. Conclusion: SUMOylation is required for AMPA receptor trafficking underlying scaling, an important form of neuronal plasticity. Significance: Regulation of synaptic dynamics and plasticity is fundamental to understanding brain function and dysfunction. Homeostatic scaling allows neurons to alter synaptic transmission to compensate for changes in network activity. Here, we show that suppression of network activity with tetrodotoxin, which increases surface expression of AMPA receptors (AMPARs), dramatically reduces levels of the deSUMOylating (where SUMO is small ubiquitin-like modifier) enzyme SENP1, leading to a consequent increase in protein SUMOylation. Overexpression of the catalytic domain of SENP1 prevents this scaling effect, and we identify Arc as a SUMO substrate involved in the tetrodotoxin-induced increase in AMPAR surface expression. Thus, protein SUMOylation plays an important and previously unsuspected role in synaptic trafficking of AMPARs that underlies homeostatic scaling.
Knowledge sharing framework for educators in Southern Africa: A case study of secondary schools in Tshwane South district

The major objective of this paper is to report on the designed framework for utilizing IT to enhance knowledge sharing (KS) among educators. By using existing constructs derived from the information systems theories, namely: Social Exchange Theory (SET), Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). Based on the three existing theories tested, 17 selected secondary schools were chosen as a case study in Tshwane South district. 103 questionnaires were distributed among the mathematics and science teachers in 17 different schools in Tshwane South district. Out the 103 distributed questionnaires only 96 were returned giving a response rate of 93.2%. A total of 84 were usable for data analysis and the other questionnaires were discarded due to the fact that, some of the questionnaires had missing information. This response rate was considered highly enough when compared to the number of mathematics and science educators per school. However, the 84 returned questionnaires were analysed by using SPSS. Based on the findings, this study indicates that higher levels of praise, recognition, respect, prestige and image of the educators increase knowledge sharing in the developed framework.
Interhemispheric neural summation in the absence of the corpus callosum.

One subject with full forebrain commissurotomy (L.B.), two with callosotomy (J.W. and M.E.), one with callosal agenesis (R.B.) and 10 normal subjects performed a simple reaction time task in which visual stimuli were either presented singly in one or other visual field, or in both visual fields simultaneously. Reaction times were faster to double stimuli than to single ones, but in the normal subjects this 'redundancy gain' did not exceed that predicted by probability summation (the horse-race model). In the four subjects lacking the corpus callosum, the gain did exceed that predicted by probability summation when the stimuli were brighter than the background, implying subcortical neural summation. In the three surgical cases (L.B., J.W. and M.E.) the gain was greatly diminished when the stimuli were equiluminant with the background, suggesting that neural summation occurred at the collicular level. In normal subjects, callosal transfer may ensure that at least some degree of interhemispheric neural summation occurs, even with unilateral input. The acallosal subject (R.B.) was anomalous in that neural summation was not diminished by equiluminance.
Reduced lipopolysaccharide phosphorylation in Escherichia coli lowers the elevated ori/ter ratio in seqA mutants

The seqA defect in Escherichia coli increases the ori/ter ratio and causes chromosomal fragmentation, making seqA mutants dependent on recombinational repair (the seqA recA colethality). To understand the nature of this chromosomal fragmentation, we characterized ΔseqA mutants and isolated suppressors of the ΔseqA recA lethality. We demonstrate that our ΔseqA alleles have normal function of the downstream pgm gene and normal ratios of the major phospholipids in the membranes, but increased surface lipopolysaccharide (LPS) phosphorylation. The predominant class of ΔseqA recA suppressors disrupts the rfaQGP genes, reducing phosphorylation of the inner core region of LPS. The rfaQGP suppressors also reduce the elevated ori/ter ratio of the ΔseqA mutants but, unexpectedly, the suppressed mutants still exhibit the high levels of chromosomal fragmentation and SOS induction, characteristic of the ΔseqA mutants. We also found that colethality of rfaP with defects in the production of acidic phospholipids is suppressed by alternative initiation of chromosomal replication, suggesting that LPS phosphorylation stimulates replication initiation. The rfaQGP suppression of the seqA recA lethality provides genetic support for the surprising physical evidence that the oriC DNA forms complexes with the outer membrane.
Nonphagocytic clearance of Staphylococcus aureus from murine lungs

Several investigations of host and bacterial factors critical to staphylococcal clearance from lungs suggest that alveolar macrophages may not provide the principal defense against inhaled staphylococci. We evaluated possible contributions of extracellular bactericidal activities in lungs with a standard aerosol challenge model by using methods which allowed recovery of macrophages for in vitro bactericidal assays and recovery of intrapulmonary staphylococci for clearance studies. Macrophages recovered by a gentle lavage technique immediately after aerosol exposure contained 6.0 +/- 2.3 colony-forming units of viable staphylococci per 100 glass-adherent macrophages. These intracellular staphylococci were killed in vitro with a half-life of 10.8 +/- 2.1 h, which is identical to our results with a completely in vitro system for ingestion and killing. However, 99.4 +/- 0.2% and 94.9 +/- 1.5% of the viable cocci recovered in bronchoalveolar lavage at 0.5 and 6.0 h after aerosol exposure were sensitive to lysostaphin, a rapidly bactericidal enzyme with no demonstrable activity against intracellular organisms and therefore, presumably extracellular. Photomicrographs from lavage pellets obtained 0.5, 1.5, 3.0, and 5.5 h after aerosol exposure confirmed the presence of numerous extracellular cocci. These extracellular cocci were eliminated at the same rate as whole lung cocci (half-life = 3.07 and 3.14 h, respectively) and at a much faster rate than intracellular cocci. In summary, we found large numbers of extracellular staphylococci in bronchoalveolar spaces during the first 6 h after aerosol exposure that are inactivated at the same rate as the whole lung bacterial population. Since only a small number of staphylococci are ingested by macrophages and intracellular bactericidal activity appears too slow to explain intrapulmonary killing, we conclude that an as yet unidentified extracellular killing process contributed to staphylococcal clearance.
TNF-alpha elimination with high cut-off haemofilters: a feasible clinical modality for septic patients?

BACKGROUND Renal replacement therapies with high cut-off haemofilters are new approaches in the adjuvant therapy of sepsis. We analysed the cytokine elimination capacity of a newly developed polyflux high cut-off haemofilter. Different renal replacement therapies are compared and tested for their clinical feasibility. METHODS Blood from healthy volunteers (n=15) was incubated for 4 h with 1 mg of endotoxin and then circulated through a closed extracorporeal circuit. A newly developed polyflux haemofilter (P2SX) was used. Haemofiltration, haemodialysis and albumin dialysis were tested. IL-1ra (17 kDa), interleukin-6 (IL-6) (28 kDa), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) (51 kDa), albumin (64 kDa), creatinkinase (CK) (80 kDa) and IgG (140 kDa) were measured in blood and filtrates prior to the initiation and after 5 min, 1, 2 and 4 h. RESULTS Haemofiltration was superior to haemodialysis in the clearance capacity of all substances when applied in the 1 l/h ultrafiltration mode. Increasing the ultrafiltration rate/dialysate flow from 1 to 3 l/h led to a significant increase in cytokine clearances (P<0.001). At 3 l/h the differences between haemofiltration and haemodialysis vanished and both techniques achieved comparable cytokine clearances. Median clearance values ranged between 25 and 54 ml/min for interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), 23 and 42 ml/min for IL-6 and 15 and 28 ml/min for TNF-alpha. Albumin loss was highest in the haemofiltration group with albumin clearances ranging between 7 and 13 ml/min. Using diffusion instead of convection significantly reduced the loss of albumin (P<0.01 for 1 l/h, P<0.05 for 3 l/h). Albumin dialysis was able to completely inhibit albumin loss but cytokine clearance capacity was limited. CONCLUSIONS High cut-off haemofilters achieve high clearances for inflammatory IL-6 and TNF-alpha. Due to the high protein loss in haemofiltration, dialysis in combination with balanced protein substitution seems to be a suitable approach for clinical trials.
Insights into regioselective metabolism of mefenamic acid by cytochrome P450 BM3 mutants through crystallography, docking, molecular dynamics, and free energy calculations

Cytochrome P450 BM3 (CYP102A1) mutant M11 is able to metabolize a wide range of drugs and drug‐like compounds. Among these, M11 was recently found to be able to catalyze formation of human metabolites of mefenamic acid and other nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Interestingly, single active‐site mutations such as V87I were reported to invert regioselectivity in NSAID hydroxylation. In this work, we combine crystallography and molecular simulation to study the effect of single mutations on binding and regioselective metabolism of mefenamic acid by M11 mutants. The heme domain of the protein mutant M11 was expressed, purified, and crystallized, and its X‐ray structure was used as template for modeling. A multistep approach was used that combines molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, and binding free‐energy calculations to address protein flexibility. In this way, preferred binding modes that are consistent with oxidation at the experimentally observed sites of metabolism (SOMs) were identified. Whereas docking could not be used to retrospectively predict experimental trends in regioselectivity, we were able to rank binding modes in line with the preferred SOMs of mefenamic acid by M11 and its mutants by including protein flexibility and dynamics in free‐energy computation. In addition, we could obtain structural insights into the change in regioselectivity of mefenamic acid hydroxylation due to single active‐site mutations. Our findings confirm that use of MD and binding free‐energy calculation is useful for studying biocatalysis in those cases in which enzyme binding is a critical event in determining the selective metabolism of a substrate. Proteins 2016; 84:383–396. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Insulin Receptor Binding and Tyrosine Kinase Activity in Skeletal Muscle From Normal Pregnant Women and Women With Gestational Diabetes

Objective: To ascertain whether the decreased glucose tolerance and insulin resistance found in normal and gestational diabetic pregnancy might be associated with changes in insulin receptor function. Methods: Eight nonpregnant healthy women (nonpregnant controls), eight healthy pregnant women (pregnant controls), and eight women with gestational diabetes were investigated. All were non-obese. Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis muscle, and insulin binding and tyrosine kinase activities in partially purified skeletal muscle insulin receptors were studied. The pregnant controls were investigated in late pregnancy, and the women with gestational diabetes were investigated at the time of diagnosis of gestational diabetes. A further examination was carried out 2 months after delivery. Results: Insulin binding at tracer insulin concentration (60 pmol/L) was diminished in women with gestational diabetes compared to nonpregnant controls (P < .05), whereas normal pregnant women did not differ from the other two groups. Postpartum, no differences in insulin binding were found between the groups. Basal and maximal tyrosine kinase activities toward the exogenous substrate poly(Glu4Tyr1) were the same in nonpregnant controls, pregnant controls, and women with gestational diabetes. Postpartum, no differences in tyrosine kinase activity were found among the groups. Moreover, no significant differences in insulin binding or tyrosine kinase activity were found comparing pregnancy and postpartum values within the groups. Conclusion: The insulin resistance found in normal and gestational diabetic pregnancy is not likely to be caused by a defective insulin receptor tyrosine kinase, whereas decreased insulin receptor binding might have some pathogenic importance in gestational diabetes.
Long-term results of enterprise stent-assisted coiling of cerebral aneurysms.

BACKGROUND The Enterprise Vascular Reconstruction Device and Delivery System (Cordis; the Enterprise stent) was approved for use in conjunction with coiling of wide-necked aneurysms in 2007. No published long-term aneurysm occlusion or complication data exist for the Enterprise system. OBJECTIVE We compiled data on consecutive patients treated with Enterprise stent-assisted coiling of aneurysms from 9 high-volume neurointerventional centers. METHODS A 9 center registry was created to evaluate large volume data on the delayed safety and efficacy of the Enterprise stent system. Pooled data were compiled for consecutive patients undergoing Enterprise stent-assisted coiling at each institution prior to May 2009. RESULTS Two-hundred twenty-nine patients with 229 aneurysms, 32 of which were ruptured aneurysms, were included in the study. Mean clinical and angiographic follow-up was 619.6 ± 26.4 days and 655.7 ± 25.2 days, respectively. Mean aneurysm size was 9.2 ± 0.4 mm. Fifty-nine percent of patients demonstrated 100% coil obliteration and 81% had 90% or higher occlusion at last follow-up angiography. A total of 19 patients (8.3%) underwent retreatment of their aneurysms during the follow-up period. Angiographic in-stent stenosis was seen in 3.4% and thromboembolic events occurred in 4.4%. Overall, 90% of patients who underwent Enterprise-assisted coiling had a modified Rankin Scale score of 2 or less at last follow-up. A poor modified Rankin Scale score was strongly associated with rupture status (P < .001). CONCLUSION Although this study is limited by its retrospective nature, the Enterprise stent system appears to be an effective, safe, and durable treatment for intracranial aneurysms when used in conjunction with coiling.
Nanoparticles of In 2 O 3 / SnO 2 ( 90 / 10 ) and ( 80 / 20 ) at Two Different Proportions and Its Properties

ITO nanoparticles were obtained by combustion reaction of urea as fuel. The gel form structures were fired at 350 ̊C in furnace for 20 min to yield powdery products and these products were calcined to five different temperatures from 100 ̊C to 500 ̊C for an hour to yield ITO powders. From the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) photographs and particle size analysis the average sizes of the cubic particle of powders are found to be less than 15 nm and less than 20 nm respectively. The ratio of doping concentration In/Sn is 90/10 and 80/20. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) data were evaluated by Scherer equation for the estimation of the average crystal size of the powders (less than 20 nm) for 90/10 and (less than 25 nm) for 80/20. The synthesized ITO powder characterized by XRD, UV-Vis-NIR and PL shows high specific surface area and possesses small primary crystallite size and good optical band gap.
A Study on Laboratory Rearing of Lady Bird Beetle (Coccinella Septempunctata) to Observe Its Fecundity and Longevity on Natural and Artificial Diets

Development and reproductive potential of the Coccinella septempunctata L. (CSL) was conducted underlaboratory conditions to determine its fecundity and longevity on natural and artificial diets. Tests were made onlaboratory rearing materials and all development stages were carefully recorded. Success ratios in theseexperiments were a matter of logistic and synchronization of these life cycles, the plant phytophagous andentomophagous insects. A positive correlation was obtained between food consumption and egg production, sofecundity of CSL is affected by the type of food. CSL consumed highly significant (Rhopalosiphum maidis) 32.2aphids per day as compared to other treatments. Oviposition response was the maximum on these beetles whichconsumed 1st and 2nd instars of Macrosiphon roseae. CSL reared under artificial diet showed more longevity 41.6days on plain water. Greater emphasis was pertinent on evaluation of predator specificity, understanding ofcolonization in new environments and assessment of community-level interactions to maximize the use ofCoccinellids in Biological Control (BC).
Soil quality indicators as affected by a long term barley-maize and maize cropping systems.

Most soil studies aim a better characterization of the system through indicators. In the present study nematofauna and soil structure were chosen as indicators to be assess soil health as related to agricultural practices. The field research was carried out on the two fodder cropping systems continuous maize (CM, Zea mays L.) and a 3-year rotation of silage-maize – silage-barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) with Italian ryegrass (R3) and grain-maize maintained in these conditions for 18 years. Each crop system was submitted to two management options: 1) the high input level (H), done as a conventional tillage, 2) the low input level (L), where the tillage was replaced by harrowing and the manure was reduced by 30%. The effects of the two different cropping systems was assessed on soil nematofauna and soil physic parameters (structure or aggregate stability). Comparison was made of general composition, trophic structure and biodiversity of the nematofauna collected in both systems. Differences in nematode genera composition and distribution between the two systems were also recorded. The monoculture, compared to the three year rotation, had a negative influence on the nematofauna composition and its ecological succession. The Structural Stability Index (SSI) values indicate that both the cropping systems had a negative effect on the aggregate stability. The results indicate that nematofauna can be used to assess the effects of cropping systems on soil ecosystem, and therefore be considered a good indicator of soil health to integrate information from different chemical or physical indicators.
Mutants in a yeast Ran binding protein are defective in nuclear transport.

Ran, a Ras‐like GTPase, has been implicated in controlling the movement of proteins and RNAs in and out of the nucleus. We have constructed strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae which produce fusion proteins containing glutathione‐S‐transferase (GST) fused to Gsp1p, which encodes the essential yeast Ran homolog, and a mutant form of Gsp1p that mimics the GTP‐bound state. A major protein with the apparent size of 34 kDa co‐purifies with the GTP‐bound form of Gsp1p. This protein was identified as Yrb1p (Yeast Ran Binding Protein) and stimulates GTP hydrolysis by Gsp1p in the presence of Rna1p, the Gsp1 GTPase activating protein. Yrb1p is located in the cytoplasm with some concentration at the nuclear periphery. Temperature‐sensitive yrb1 mutants are defective in nuclear protein import and RNA export. A mutation in the highly conserved Ran binding region of Yrb1p reduces its ability to interact with Gsp1p. These data indicate that Yrb1p functions with Gsp1p and suggest that together they can control transport of macromolecules across the nuclear envelope.