Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of HIV-1 Replication in Lymphocytes by Mutants of the Rev Cofactor eIF-5A

Eukaryotic initiation factor 5A (eIF-5A) is a cellular cofactor required for the function of the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) Rev trans-activator protein. The majority of a set of eIF-5A mutants did not support growth of yeast cells having an inactivated genomic copy of eIF-5A, indicating that the introduced mutation eliminated eIF-5A activity. Two nonfunctional mutants, eIF-5AM13 and eIF-5AM14, retained their binding capacity for the HIV-1 Rev response element: Rev complex. Both mutants were constitutively expressed in human T cells. When these T cells were infected with replication-competent HIV-1, virus replication was inhibited. The eIF-5AM13 and eIF-5AM14 proteins blocked Rev trans-activation and Rev-mediated nuclear export.
Differential effect of ECM molecules on re‐expression of cartilaginous markers in near quiescent human chondrocytes

The limited source of healthy primary chondrocytes restricts the clinical application of tissue engineering for cartilage repair. Therefore, method to maintain or restore the chondrocyte phenotype during in vitro expansion is essential. The objective of this study is to establish the beneficial effect of ECM molecules on restoring the re‐expression of cartilaginous markers in primary human chondrocytes after extensive monolayer expansion. During the course of chondrocyte serial expansion, COL2A1, SOX9, and AGN mRNA expression levels, and GAG accumulation level were reduced significantly in serially passaged cells. Exogenous type II collagen dose‐dependently elevated GAG level and induced the re‐expression of cartilaginous marker mRNAs in P7 chondrocytes. Chondroitin sulfate did not show significant effect on P7 chondrocytes, while hyaluronic acid inhibited the expression of SOX9 and AGN mRNAs. Upon treatment with type II collagen, FAK, ERK1/2, and JNK were activated via phosphorylation in P7 chondrocytes within 15 min. Furthermore, GFOGER integrin blocking peptide, MEK inhibitor and JNK inhibitor, not p38 inhibitor, significantly reduced the type II collagen‐induced GAG deposition level. Finally, in the presence of TGF‐β1 and IGF‐I, P7 chondrocytes cultured in 3D type II collagen matrix exhibited better cartilaginous features than those cells cultured in the type I collagen matrix. In conclusion, type II collagen alone can effectively restore cartilaginous features of expanded P7 human chondrocytes. It is probably mediated via the activation of FAK‐ERK1/2 and FAK‐JNK signaling pathways. The potential application of type II collagen in expanding a scarcity of healthy chondrocytes in vitro for further tissue engineering is implicated. J. Cell. Physiol. 226: 1981–1988, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
RISK PREFERENCE HETEROGENEITY AND MULTIPLE DEMAND FOR INSURANCE

We examined the relationship between unobserved risk preferences and four insurance purchase decisions: health Medigap insurance, long-term insurance, life insurance and annuity. Standard economic theory assumes that individuals take decision over a set of risky domains according to their own risk preferences which are stable across decision contexts. This assumption of context-invariant risk preference has caused debate in the literature concerning its validity. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we exploit latent class analysis to identify conditional on predicted and realized risk how heterogeneity in risk preferences affects multiple insurance demand. Our results provide evidence of the existence of domain general component of risk preferences, although non-preference factors - such as context specificity - play also an important role. JEL Classi_cation Numbers G11, Keywords
Efficient Preparation of Incensole and Incensole Acetate, and Quantification of These Bioactive Diterpenes in Boswellia papyrifera by a RP-DAD-HPLC Method

Incensole and incensole acetate, found in incense, are encouraging potent bioactive diterpenic cembrenoids, inhibiting Nuclear Factor-κB activation. Furthermore, incensole acetate elicits psycho-activity in mice by activating the TRPV3 channels in the brain. Starting from crude extracts of the incense species Boswellia papyrifera Hochst. , a convenient procedure for the efficient large-scale synthesis of incensole and its acetate is presented. Additionally, a reversed-phase, diode-array-detection, high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-DAD-HPLC) method for the quantification of incensole and incensole acetate is reported, indicating that these two compounds are typical biomarkers for B. papyrifera.
Working alone or in the presence of others: exploring social facilitation in baggage X-ray security screening tasks

This study investigated whether the mere presence of a human audience would evoke a social facilitation effect in baggage X-ray security screening tasks. A 2 (target presence: present vs. absent) × 2 (task complexity: simple vs. complex) × 2 (social presence: alone vs. human audience) within-subject experiment simulating a real baggage screening task was conducted. This experiment included 20 male participants. The participants' search performance in this task was recorded. The results showed that the presence of a human audience speeded up responses in simple tasks and slowed down responses in complex tasks. However, the social facilitation effect produced by the presence of a human audience had no effect on response accuracy. These findings suggested that the complexity of screening tasks should be considered when designing work organisation modes for security screening tasks. Practitioner summary: This study investigated whether the presence of a human audience could evoke a social facilitation effect in baggage X-ray security screening tasks. An experimental simulation was conducted. The results showed that the presence of a human audience facilitated the search performance of simple tasks and inhibited the performance of complex tasks.
Purification and characterization of polygalacturonases produced by the hyphal fungus Aspergillus niger

Five endo‐polygalacturonases (poly(1,4‐alpha‐D‐galacturonide) glycanohydrolase, EC 3.2. 1.15) and one exo‐polygalacturonase (poly(1,4‐alpha‐D‐galacturonide) galacturonohydrolase, EC 3.2. 1.67) were isolated from a commercial pectinase preparation derived from Aspergillus niger. All five endo‐enzymes could be purified to homogeneity by affinity chromatography on cross‐linked alginate, ion‐exchange chromatography, chromatofocusing, and gel permeation chromatography. The exo‐polygalacturonase was only partially purified but free from endo‐polygalacturonase activity. The two most abundant endo‐polygalacturonases (endo‐I and endo‐II), with molecular masses of 55 and 38 kDa, respectively, are quite different with respect to their isoelectric point, specific activity, mode of action on oligomeric substrates, and amino acid composition. The physicochemical properties of the other three endo‐polygalacturonases (endo‐IIIA, endo‐IIIB, and endo‐IV), present in low amounts, are quite similar to those of the endo‐I type. The pH optima of all these endo‐polygalacturonases are in the range of 4.3–4.9.
Modulation of tropoelastin and fibrillin‐1 by infrared radiation in human skin in vivo

Background: The heat produced by exposure to infrared radiation (IR) has been demonstrated to modulate the expression of tropoelastin and fibrillin‐1, the two main components of elastic fibers in human skin in vivo. However, the effect of IR range of radiations on tropoelastin and fibrillin‐1 expression has not been thoroughly investigated.
Peripheral signals in the control of satiety and hunger

Purpose of reviewFood intake is critical for survival and is a complex behavior with multiple levels of control. Short-term, meal-related signals arise from many sources including the gastrointestinal tract, the environment, and higher centers in the brain. As described in this review, inputs from the gastrointestinal tract can exert potent effects on meal initiation, meal termination, and meal frequency. The complex array of signals generated from the gastrointestinal system and from adipose tissue, which participate in the regulation of food intake, and specifically how these signals relate to satiety and hunger, is the focus of this review. Recent findingsLiterature on the role of the well-studied gastrointestinal peptide, cholecystokinin, in satiety, in addition to its interaction with long-term adiposity signals in mediating food intake will be reviewed. In addition, literature on the gastrointestinal hormones glucagon-like-peptide 1, apolipoprotein A-IV and peptide YY, and how they may act to regulate satiety, is described. Finally, the newly discovered hormone, ghrelin, and how it relates to meal initiation and hunger is discussed. SummaryA better understanding of these systems and how they relate to body adiposity will prove to have important clinical applications. The available data suggest that interventions directed at multiple targets in the energy homeostasis system may be necessary to achieve and maintain weight loss.
The state strikes back: industrial policy, regulatory power and the divergent performance of telefonica and telecom Italia

ABSTRACT Contributing to the debate on the state’s role in helping domestic firms to internationalise, this paper compares the divergent performance of the Italian and Spanish telecommunications incumbents Telefonica and Telecom Italia (TI). Telefonica has grown since the early 1990s to become one of the largest telecommunications utilities worldwide, while TI is now a small firm controlled by the French media group Vivendi. This divergence occurred even though both the Italian and Spanish government implemented an activist industrial policy strategy aimed at favouring the internationalisation of, respectively, TI and Telefonica. The paper shows how these contrasting outcomes can be traced to the different regulatory power relationship between the state and domestic blockholders in the two countries. The findings shed light on the factors that lie behind the successful internationalisation of inward-looking firms active in regulated sectors.
Effect of articulatory suppression on task‐switching performance: Implications for models of working memory

In a series of experiments, we examine some effects of articulatory suppression in task switching. The results from Experiments 1a and 2a showed that switch costs in the articulatory suppression condition were larger than those in the control and tapping conditions when the switching cues were not provided. On the other hand, articulatory suppression did not have any effect on switch costs in Experiments 1b and 2b, where the switching cues were provided. In Experiment 3, using a computer‐assisted experimentation, this pattern of data was replicated in a two‐factor design with articulatory suppression and switching cues factors. The results indicate that a specific component in working memory, the phonological loop, might contribute to the performance in task switching, at least in situations where the external task cues were not available. The data reported here suggest that the phonological loop plays an important role in one of the executive control processes, and challenge the traditional idea that the slave systems are simply governed by the central executive in the working memory.
Response of Stock Returns to Oil Price Shocks : Evidence from Oil Importing and Exporting Countries

This paper examines the entire dependence structure of the quantile of stock return and that of oil price shocks, thereby extending the Quantile Regression to a Quantile-on- Quantile Regression. Based on historical monthly data covering the period April 1994~September 2015, it was shown that there is substantial heterogeneity in the stock returns and oil price relationship across oil importing countries and oil exporting countries. We find that the stocks of oil exporters that possess large proven oil reserves, in particular,Venezuela, Russia, and Saudi Arabia are typically more responsive toward demand-side oil shocks than those of oil importers. The intensity and the extent of these responses differ depending on the different stock market conditions and the nuances of oil price movements. profitable speculation and arbitrage strategies can be built.
On the Fundamental Relation between Equity Returns and Interest Rates

This paper uses contingent claim asset pricing and exploits capital structure priority to better understand the relation between corporate security returns and interest rate changes (i.e., duration). We show theoretically and, using a novel dataset, confirm empirically that lower priority securities in the capital structure, such as subordinated or distressed debt and equity, have low or even negative durations because these securities are effectively short higher priority, high duration fixed rate debt. This finding has important implications for interpreting existing results on (i) the time-varying correlation between the aggregate stock market and government bonds, (ii) the use of bond factors for multifactor asset pricing models and forecasting bond and stock returns, (iii) the Fisher effect and inflation, and (iv) the betas of corporate bonds.
Estimating the Monetary Policy Interest-Rate-To-Performance Sensitivity of the European Banking Sector at the Zero Lower Bound

Using an event-study design, we investigate monetary policy interest-rate-to-performance sensitivity of the European banking sector over the 07/2012–06/2017 period when interest rates were (close to) zero. We apply the Wordscores approach to introductory statements of ECB's Governing Council press conferences to estimate a ‘shadow prime rate’. Based on short-run intraday event windows, we find shadow prime rate changes positively affect changes in the EURO-STOXX-Banks Future. Our findings add to the recent evidence documenting that banks benefit from increasing interest rate levels in a low-interest-rate environment.
Hematoma-Induced Enhanced Cerebral Vasoconstrictions to Leukotriene C4 and Endothelin-1 in Piglets: Role of Prostanoids

ABSTRACT: Cerebral hematoma enhances vasoconstriction induced by topical application of the vasoconstrictor agents endothelin-1 (ET-1) and leukotriene C4 (LTC4). We investigated the influence of dilator prostanoids on vasoconstrictions induced by ET-1 and LTC4 in piglets. Newborn pigs anesthetized with α-chloralose were fitted with closed cranial windows 4 d after cortical subarachnoid injections of artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) (control) or blood (hematoma). The responsiveness of pial arterioles to topical application of the vasoconstrictors ET-1 and LTC4 was examined in the control and hematoma groups before and after treatment with indomethacin (5 mg/kg, i.v.). Vasoconstriction to topical application of LTC4 and ET-1 was enhanced by hematoma compared with the control (28 ± 2% versus 21 ± 2% for 10-8 M LTC4 and by 25 ± 2% versus 15 ± 1% for 10-8 M ET-1, respectively). The lower dose of ET-1 (10-12 M) dilated pial arterioles in the control group by 6 ± 2%, hematoma blocked this dilation and it was converted to constriction (10 ± 1%). Indomethacin treatment enhanced vasoconstriction to LTC4 in the control group to a similar constriction to that observed in the hematoma group. Indomethacin treatment also enhanced vasoconstriction to ET-1 in the control group (25 ± 1% for 10-8 M) to similar constrictions to those observed in the hematoma group (25 ± 2% for 10-8 M). Dilation to the lower dose of ET-1 was blocked and converted to constriction (17 ± 2% for 10-12 M) by indomethacin treatment. These results show that indomethacin and cerebral hematoma similarly enhance vasoconstriction to topical application of LTC4 and ET-1. Loss of dilator prostanoid influence caused by hematoma may result in prolonged and uninhibited constriction of pial arterioles by constrictor vasoactive agents, leading to the sustained and prolonged arteriolar wall narrowing observed after cerebral hemorrhage.
On the FEM treatment of wedge singularities in waveguide problems

In modern micro- and millimeter wave technology, there exist many different devices based on microstrip lines. These include coplanar waveguides, patch antennas, filters, power dividers, directional couplers etc. In this work, a simple and computationally advantageous extension to a standard 2D polynomial finite element basis is introduced to cope with wedge singularities in uniform cylindrical structures. To enhance the computation, variable-order elements are used.
Premotor neuronal plasticity in monkeys adapting to a new dynamic environment

Recent evidence indicates that premotor cortex (PM) in addition to their well‐established motor functions, also play a role in nonmotor processes such as spatial attention and working memory. In the present study, neuronal activities in dorsal PM (PMd) and ventral PM (PMv) were recorded in a force field adaptation task. This study found that PM neurons show learning‐related plasticity and that a neuron demonstrates either one type or multiple types of properties (i.e. kinematic, dynamic, and memory). The current study reveals that memory properties could be displayed by one or a combination of the cell activity parameters [i.e. average firing rate (AFR), dynamic range (DR), and preferred direction (PD)]. A predominant percentage of cells displayed memory properties with AFR or AFR plus other parameters. This study investigated the memory properties vs. the time sequence of the task trial [i.e. delay time (DT), movement time (MT), and target holding time (THT)] and found that: (i) most neurons display memory properties only in one time window; (ii) few neurons display memory properties in three time windows, and (iii) there are significantly more cells showing memory properties during MT than during any other time windows. There are cells that show memory I (changing their tuning curves in the force field and retaining those changes after the force field was removed), memory II (changing their tuning curves after the force field was removed), or both properties. Significantly more cells display one type of memory property (memory I or memory II) rather than both types of memory properties (memory I and memory II).
Comparison of Coronary Artery Disease Consortium 1 and 2 Scores and Duke Clinical Score to Predict Obstructive Coronary Disease by Invasive Coronary Angiography

The first step in evaluating a patient with suspected stable coronary artery disease (CAD) is the determination of the pretest probability. The European Society of Cardiology guidelines recommend the use of the CAD Consortium 1 score (CAD1), which contrary to CAD Consortium 2 (CAD2) score and Duke Clinical Score (DCS), does not include modifiable cardiovascular risk factors.
Evolutionary Dynamics of Regulatory Changes Underlying Gene Expression Divergence among Saccharomyces Species

Heritable changes in gene expression are important contributors to phenotypic differences within and between species and are caused by mutations in cis-regulatory elements and trans-regulatory factors. Although previous work has suggested that cis-regulatory differences preferentially accumulate with time, technical restrictions to closely related species and limited comparisons have made this observation difficult to test. To address this problem, we used allele-specific RNA-seq data from Saccharomyces species and hybrids to expand both the evolutionary timescale and number of species in which the evolution of regulatory divergence has been investigated. We find that as sequence divergence increases, cis-regulatory differences do indeed become the dominant type of regulatory difference between species, ultimately becoming a better predictor of expression divergence than trans-regulatory divergence. When both cis- and trans-regulatory differences accumulate for the same gene, they more often have effects in opposite directions than in the same direction, indicating widespread compensatory changes underlying the evolution of gene expression. The frequency of compensatory changes within and between species and the magnitude of effect for the underlying cis- and trans-regulatory differences suggests that compensatory changes accumulate primarily due to selection against divergence in gene expression as a result of weak stabilizing selection on gene expression levels. These results show that cis-regulatory differences and compensatory changes in regulation play increasingly important roles in the evolution of gene expression as time increases.
Assessment of perioperative transfusion therapy and complications in sickle cell disease patients undergoing surgery.

BACKGROUND Perioperative blood transfusion is usually given to sickle cell disease patients to reduce or prevent perioperative morbidity. Assessment of such a practice was the subject of our study. METHODS A retrospective one year survey of sickle cell disease patients undergoing surgery at Salmaniya Medical Complex, Bahrain was conducted. The medical records were reviewed to characterize the surgical procedure, transfusion management and perioperative complications. RESULTS 85 sickle cell disease patients who underwent surgery were studied. Preoperatively, 21.2% had exchange transfusion (ETX), 24.7% had simple transfusions (STX) and 54.1% had no transfusion (NTX). 14.1% of all patients had postoperative complications, and 50% of those, had complications from the laparoscopic cholecystectomy group. The incidence of sickle cell crisis postoperatively was 22.2% in ETX group, 9.5% in STX group and 4.34% in the NTX group. The incidence of acute chest syndrome postoperatively was found to be 5.55% in the ETX group, 4.76% in the STX group and 4.34% in the NTX group. No intraoperative complications were recorded in all groups. All patients who had postoperative complications had a preoperative HBSS > 40%. CONCLUSION Exchange transfusion does not prevent perioperative complications of sickle cell disease patients. HBSS > 40% carries a higher risk of postoperative complications.
Low activity allele of catechol‐o‐methyltransferase gene and Japanese unipolar depression

SEVERAL studies have shown that depressed patients have significantly lower catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) activity than healthy controls. Two COMT genes coding for low activity, COMTL, and high activity, COMTH have been identified. We undertook an association study on 75 depressive disorder patients, 40 bipolar disorder patients and 135 healthy controls. All the subjects were Japanese. Patients with depressive disorders exhibited a significantly higher rate of genotypes with the COMTL allele than healthy controls (p = 0.012), which was not the case in patients with bipolar disorders. The presence of the COMTL allele was significantly associated with depressive disorders (odds ratio 2.19, 95% CI 1.19–4.03). Our results suggest the COMTL allele contributed to the etiologies of depressive disorders.
Isolated dorsal root ganglion neurones inhibit receptor‐dependent adenylyl cyclase activity in associated glial cells

Hyper‐nociceptive PGE2 EP4 receptors and prostacyclin (IP) receptors are present in adult rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurones and glial cells in culture. The present study has investigated the cell‐specific expression of two other Gs‐protein coupled hyper‐nociceptive receptor systems: β‐adrenoceptors and calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) receptors in isolated DRG cells and has examined the influence of neurone–glial cell interactions in regulating adenylyl cyclase (AC) activity.