Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fcγ Receptor III and Fcγ Receptor IV on Macrophages Drive Autoimmune Valvular Carditis in Mice

Arthritis and valvular carditis coexist in several human rheumatic diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatic fever, and rheumatoid arthritis. T cell receptor–transgenic K/BxN mice develop spontaneous autoantibody‐associated arthritis and valvular carditis. The common Fc receptor γ (FcRγ) signaling chain is required for carditis to develop in K/BxN mice. FcRγ pairs with numerous receptors in a variety of cells. The aim of this study was to identify the FcRγ‐associated receptors and Fcγ receptor (FcγR)–expressing cells that mediate valvular carditis in this model.
Lysobacter terricola sp. nov., isolated from greenhouse soil.

Strain 5GH22-11T, which was isolated from greenhouse soil in the Yangpyeong region, Gyeonggi province, Republic of Korea, was characterized to be an aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, flagellated, rod-shaped bacterium. It could grow at temperatures from 10 to 33 °C (optimum of 28-30 °C), in the pH range of 6.0-10.0 (optimum of pH 7.0) and without NaCl. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain 5GH18-14T showed the highest sequence similarities with Lysobacter niabensis GH34-4T (98.6 %), Lysobacter yangpyeongensis GH19-3T (98.1 %), 'Lysobacter fragariae' THG-DN8.7 (97.9 %), Lysobacter terrae THG-A13T (97.3 %), 'Lysobacter rhizosphaerae' THG-DN8.3 (97.2 %), 'Lysobacter tyrosinelyticus' THG-DN8.2 (97.2 %) and Lysobacter oryzae YC6269T (97.2 %), revealing less than 95.5 % sequence similarities with all other species with validly published names. Phylogenetic trees also indicated that strain 5GH18-14T formed a compact subcluster with L. niabensis GH34-4T, L. yangpyeongensis GH19-3T, L. terrae THG-A13T and L. oryzae YC6269T within the genus Lysobacter. The predominant quinone of strain 5GH18-14T was Q-8. The polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine in large amounts, and moderate or small amounts of three unknown phospholipids and two unknown aminophospholipids. DNA-DNA hybridization values with closely related species were below 70 %. The DNA G+C content was 65.9 mol%. Based on the phylogenetic, physiological and chemotaxonomic data, it has been demonstrated that strain 5GH18-14T represents a novel species of the genus Lysobacter, for which the name Lysobacter terricola sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 5GH18-14T ( = KACC 16954T = JCM 30862T).
Induction by a Lactic Acid Bacterium of a Population of CD4+ T Cells with Low Proliferative Capacity That Produce Transforming Growth Factor β and Interleukin-10

ABSTRACT We investigated whether certain strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) could antagonize specific T-helper functions in vitro and thus have the potential to prevent inflammatory intestinal immunopathologies. All strains tested induced various levels of both interleukin-12 (IL-12) and IL-10 in murine splenocytes. In particular,Lactobacillus paracasei (strain NCC2461) induced the highest levels of these cytokines. Since IL-12 and IL-10 have the potential to induce and suppress Th1 functions, respectively, we addressed the impact of this bacterium on the outcome of CD4+ T-cell differentiation. For this purpose, bacteria were added to mixed lymphocyte cultures where CD4+ T-cells from naive BALB/c mice were stimulated weekly in the presence of irradiated allogeneic splenocytes. In these cultures, L. paracasei NCC2461 strongly inhibited the proliferative activity of CD4+ T cells in a dose-dependent fashion. This was accompanied by a marked decrease of both Th1 and Th2 effector cytokines, including gamma interferon, IL-4, and IL-5. In contrast, IL-10 was maintained and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) was markedly induced in a dose-dependent manner. The bacteria were not cytotoxic, because cell viability was not affected after two rounds of stimulation. Thus, unidentified bacterial components from L. paracasei NCC2461 induced the development of a population of CD4+ T cells with low proliferative capacity that produced TGF-β and IL-10, reminiscent of previously described subsets of regulatory cells implicated in oral tolerance and gut homeostasis.
Protected areas reduced poverty in Costa Rica and Thailand

As global efforts to protect ecosystems expand, the socioeconomic impact of protected areas on neighboring human communities continues to be a source of intense debate. The debate persists because previous studies do not directly measure socioeconomic outcomes and do not use appropriate comparison groups to account for potential confounders. We illustrate an approach using comprehensive national datasets and quasi-experimental matching methods. We estimate impacts of protected area systems on poverty in Costa Rica and Thailand and find that although communities near protected areas are indeed substantially poorer than national averages, an analysis based on comparison with appropriate controls does not support the hypothesis that these differences can be attributed to protected areas. In contrast, the results indicate that the net impact of ecosystem protection was to alleviate poverty.
Associations of workplace aggression with work-related well-being among nurses in the Philippines.

OBJECTIVES We examined whether workplace aggression was associated with self-rated health and work-related injury and illness among nurses in the Philippines. METHODS Our data came from a cross-sectional survey of nurses (n = 687) in the Philippines. We assessed the associations of self-reported physical assault and verbal abuse with self-rated health, work-related injury and illness, and missed workdays with Poisson regression. Control variables included demographic and work characteristics (e.g., hours worked, work setting, shift). RESULTS Verbal abuse was associated with poor general health (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.94; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.09, 3.45). Both physical assault and verbal abuse were associated with work-related injury (PR = 1.48; 95% CI = 1.00, 2.20; PR = 1.72; 95% CI = 1.34, 2.23, respectively) and work-related illness (PR = 1.46; 95% CI = 0.99, 2.15; PR = 1.68; 95% CI = 1.32, 2.14, respectively) after demographic and work characteristics were accounted for in the model. In addition, physical assault was associated with missed workdays (PR = 1.56; 95% CI = 1.02, 2.33). CONCLUSIONS Workplace aggression was associated with increased risks of poor general health and adverse work-related health outcomes among nurses in the Philippines.
A C-Terminal Disulfide Bridge in Pediocin-Like Bacteriocins Renders Bacteriocin Activity Less Temperature Dependent and Is a Major Determinant of the Antimicrobial Spectrum

ABSTRACT Several lactic acid bacteria produce so-called pediocin-like bacteriocins that share sequence characteristics, but differ in activity and target cell specificity. The significance of a C-terminal disulfide bridge present in only a few of these bacteriocins was studied by site-directed mutagenesis of pediocin PA-1 (which naturally contains the bridge) and sakacin P (which lacks the bridge). Introduction of the C-terminal bridge into sakacin P broadened the target cell specificity of this bacteriocin, as illustrated by the fact that the mutants were 10 to 20 times more potent than the wild-type toward certain indicator strains, whereas the potency toward other indicator strains remained essentially unchanged. Like pediocin PA-1, disulfide-containing sakacin P mutants had the same potency at 20 and 37°C, whereas wild-type sakacin P was approximately 10 times less potent at 37°C than at 20°C. Reciprocal effects on target cell specificity and the temperature dependence of potency were observed upon studying the effect of removing the C-terminal disulfide bridge from pediocin PA-1 by Cys→Ser mutations. These results clearly show that a C-terminal disulfide bridge in pediocin-like bacteriocins contributes to widening of the antimicrobial spectrum as well as to higher potency at elevated temperatures. Interestingly, the differences between sakacin P and pediocin PA-1 in terms of the temperature dependency of their activities correlated well with the optimal temperatures for bacteriocin production and growth of the bacteriocin-producing strain.
Making Strategic Connections : Stimulative Policies for a Dynamic Network

We perform simulations on a network of venture capitalists in Silicon Valley. We test several rules implied by the literature to identify ways to make strategic connections that enhance a policy-maker’s goals. Some rules target fairness and others target connectivity; but one strategy may be especially attractive. A ‘smart small world’ rule attends to agent diversity as a way to facilitate both output and social fairness by using a cellular automata approach to predict network evolution. The information in social networks might contribute to overall output yet flatten the informal hierarchy to bring peripheral members closer to the network center.
Activation of p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway in long-term potentiation induced by nicotine in hippocampal CA1 region in rats.

AIM To investigate the relationship between activation of p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and hippocampal long term potentiation (LTP) induced by nicotine in area CA 1. METHODS Extracellular recording of population spike (PS) was performed within the pyramidal cell layer of hippocampal area CA1 in vitro; Western blot analysis was employed to detect the active phosphorylated state and the total protein expression of p42/44 MAPK. RESULTS PD98059 concentration-dependently (25 micromol/L, 50 micromol/L) attenuated the induction of LTP induced by nicotine 10 micromol/L; both p42 and p44 MAPK were activated with their total protein expression increasing in CA1 subregion in response to LTP induced by nicotine. CONCLUSION Activation of p42/44 MAPK pathway is required for hippocampal LTP induced by nicotine.
Coaching , HRD , and OD : Towards Three ‘ Silo ’ Fields of Practice or a Single ‘ Unified ’ Profession ?

During the past few years, the growth of an emergent ‘coaching industry’ in many countries has resulted in some scholars calling for the development of a ‘coaching profession. ’ Yet, contemporary HRD and OD professionals conceive of coaching as a necessary area of expertise. This paper reports the results of a qualitative study of different conceptualizations and definitions of ‘coaching,’ OD, and contemporary ‘HRD’ as reported in the literature. Findings and implications are presented.
Prevention and diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia: a survey on current practices in Southern Spanish ICUs.

STUDY OBJECTIVES To assess the implementation of selected ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) prevention strategies, and to learn how VAP is diagnosed in the ICUs of Southern Spain. DESIGN Multicentric survey. SETTING The ICUs of 32 hospitals of the public health-care system of Southern Spain. PATIENTS OR PARTICIPANTS Directors of ICUs. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Twenty-eight ICUs (87.5%) returned completed questionnaires. Ventilator circuits were changed every 72 h or longer in 75% of ICUs. Use of heat and moisture exchangers and open endotracheal suction systems were reported in 96% of ICUs. Subglottic secretion drainage was never used, and 57% of ICUs checked endotracheal tube cuff pressure at least daily. Semi-recumbent position was common (93%), and 67.5% of ICUs used frequently noninvasive ventilation. Continuous enteral feeding was reported in all ICUs. Sedative infusions were usually interrupted every day in 11% of ICUs. Seventy-five percent of ICUs had specific guidelines for antibiotic therapy of VAP, but rotation of antibiotics was uncommon (11%). Twenty-nine percent of ICUs diagnosed VAP without microbiological confirmation. The most used technique for microbiologic diagnosis was qualitative culture of endotracheal aspirates (42.8%). The centers with a larger structural complexity reported using VAP therapy guidelines more frequently than the smaller centers, but they did not utilized bronchoscopic techniques for diagnosing VAP. CONCLUSIONS Common prevention and diagnostic procedures in clinical practice, including large teaching institutions, significantly differed from evidence-based recommendations and reports by research groups of excellence. In addition, our study suggests that clinical practice for preventing and diagnosing VAP is variable and many opportunities exist to improve the care of patients receiving mechanical ventilation.
The Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS): Conceptual and Theoretical Foundations

The Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) was the first instrument developed in order to provide for comprehensive assessment of negative symptoms in schizophrenia (Andreasen, 1982, 1983). It consists of five scales that evaluate five different aspects of negative symptoms: alogia, affective blunting, avolition-apathy, anhedonia-asociality, and attentional impairment. Each of these negative symptoms can be rated globally, but in addition detailed observations are made in order to achieve the global rating. It is complemented by a Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS), which permits detailed evaluation and global ratings of hallucinations, delusions, positive formal thought disorder and bizarre behaviour (Andreasen, 1984). Taken together, the two scales provide a comprehensive set of rating scales in order to measure the symptoms of schizophrenia and to assess their change over time.
Transport of LAPTM 5 to lysosomes requires association with the ubiquitin ligase Nedd 4 , but not LAPTM 5 ubiquitination

Ubiquitin, especially monoubiquitin, has been a well-documented sorting signal for both endocytosed plasma membrane (PM) proteins and intracellular resident proteins traffi cking from the TGN to endosomes or lysosomes (Hicke, 2001). This has been extensively studied in yeast, where ubiquitination serves an important sorting signal to determine protein targeting to either the lumen or the limiting membrane of the vacuole (lysosome; Helliwell et al., 2001; Katzmann et al., 2001; Soetens et al., 2001; Blondel et al., 2004). The role of ubiquitin in sorting proteins from the Golgi to endosomes/lysosomes in mammalian cells is not as clear. Either blocking ubiquitin modifi cation or adding a single ubiquitin to cargo proteins diverts them away from their normal cellular destination. For example, blocking ubiquitination of the vacuolar carboxypeptidase S or adding a ubiquitin to the hydrolase dipeptidylaminopeptidase B in yeast diverts these proteins to the limiting membrane or lumen of the vacuole, respectively (Katzmann et al., 2001, 2002). Likewise, the ubiquitination status of the yeast GAP1 and Fur4 permeases determines their fate during sorting at the Golgi (Blondel et al., 2004; Helliwell et al., 2001; Soetens et al., 2001). In both yeast and mammalian cells, most of the ubiquitinated proteins that reach the vacuole/lysosome interior are either PM proteins, which then undergo degradation (Levkowitz et al., 1998; Hicke, 2001; Rocca et al., 2001), or hydrolytic enzymes activated inside the vacuolar lumen (Odorizzi et al., 1998). If proteins are not ubiquitinated, they are either recycled back to the PM (Levkowitz et al., 1998) or delivered to the limiting membrane of multivesicular bodies (MVBs) or the vacuole/lysosome (Katzmann et al., 2001). Therefore, monoor multimonoubiquitination plays a critical role in targeting cargo proteins to their proper cellular destination (Terrell et al., 1998; Shih et al., 2000; Mosesson et al., 2003), hence deciding their fate (degradation vs. recycling). The monoubiquitin sorting signal can be recognized and transmitted by several proteins involved in both the endocytic and biosynthetic pathways through direct physical interaction. These proteins often possess ubiquitin-binding motifs/domains (“ubiquitin receptors”), such as ubiquitin-interacting motif (UIM; Hofmann and Falquet, 2001), GAT (GGA and Tom homologue), UBA, UEV, VHS, and CUE (Hicke et al., 2005). The UIMs in epsin and eps15/eps15R play an important role in Transport of LAPTM5 to lysosomes requires association with the ubiquitin ligase Nedd4, but not LAPTM5 ubiquitination
Basic‐education mexican teachers' knowledge of biotechnology and attitudes about the consumption of genetically modified foods*

Over the past few years, a new research field has emerged, focusing on the social‐scientific criteria for the study of opinions toward genetically modified foods (GMFs), since these may be limiting factors for the success or failure of these products. Basic education is the first step in the Mexican education system, and teachers may wield an outsized influence on the attitudes and preferences of children, prospective future consumers of these products. To better understand the current state of knowledge of biotechnology issues and opinions toward the consumption of GMF of Mexican teachers, a questionnaire was distributed, and 362 Mexican teachers of basic education responded. The survey included questions about the benefits and risks of consuming GMF. The mean percentage of teachers expressing knowledge of a given topic in biotechnology was 50%. More than 60% of teachers believed that GMFs would be useful in preventing world hunger, while 39.2% considered GMF to be hazards for future generations. Although 47.0% reported not having enough knowledge about these topics, almost all (90.3%) respondents expressed an interest and willingness to learn about biotechnology. In light of the fact that teachers of basic education represent the first and potentially most lasting stage in the education of young children, this survey establishes the urgent need to develop strategies to improve the scientific knowledge of teachers and to facilitate decision making and the promotion of scientific and technological advances for their students. © 2017 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(5):396–402, 2017.
Protein instability during HIC: Evidence of unfolding reversibility, and apparent adsorption strength of disulfide bond‐reduced α‐lactalbumin variants

A two‐conformation, four‐state model has been proposed to describe protein adsorption and unfolding behavior on hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) resins. In this work, we build upon previous study and application of a four‐state model to the effect of salt concentration on the adsorption and unfolding of the model protein α‐lactalbumin in HIC. Contributions to the apparent adsorption strength of the wild‐type protein from native and unfolded conformations, obtained using a deuterium labeling technique, reveal the free energy change and kinetics of unfolding on the resin, and demonstrate that surface unfolding is reversible. Additionally, variants of α‐lactalbumin in which one of the disulfide bonds is reduced were synthesized to examine the effects of conformational stability on apparent retention. Below the melting temperatures of the wild‐type protein and variants, reduction of a single disulfide bond significantly increases the apparent adsorption strength (∼6–8 kJ/mol) due to increased instability of the protein. Finally, the four‐state model is used to accurately predict the apparent adsorption strength of a disulfide bond‐reduced variant. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009;102: 1416–1427. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Impaired apoptosis and immune senescence – cause or effect?

Summary: Aged animals and humans exhibit a decreased T‐cell activation response although they also exhibit increased susceptibility to responses to self‐antigens and a loss of self‐tolerance. The age‐related alteration in T‐cell reactivity, polyclonal expansion of T cells, and enhanced production of autoantibodies may reflect the numerous age‐associated alterations in the T‐cell arm of the immune system that have been revealed in numerous studies. These studies suggest that subpopulations of T cells are not deleted appropriately in older animals. They further suggest that an age‐related impairment of Fas/Fas ligand (FasL)‐mediated apoptosis – which plays a major role in activation‐induced cell death (AICD) of T cells – may contribute to compromised regulation of the immune system. The likely mechanisms that may lead to impaired induction of FasL in AICD senescent T cells include an age‐related shift from the apoptosis‐sensitive T‐helper 1 cell (Th1) response to the AICD‐resistant Th2 response, aberrant T‐cell receptor/CD3 downstream‐signaling pathways, and altered CD28/B7‐mediated T‐cell costimulatory signals. Pathologically, accumulation of AICD‐senescent T cells is associated with a defective cytotoxic T lymphocyte response and generation of autoreactive T cells. Based on the accumulating evidence, we propose that the emergence of the FasLlo AICD‐senescent T cells is not only an effect of immune aging but also an important cause of T‐cell proliferative senescence in both humans and mice.
Lysyl oxidase activity is dysregulated during impaired alveolarization of mouse and human lungs.

RATIONALE Disordered extracellular matrix production is a feature of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). The basis of this phenomenon is not understood. OBJECTIVES To assess lysyl oxidase expression and activity in the injured developing lungs of newborn mice and of prematurely born infants with BPD or at risk for BPD. METHODS Pulmonary lysyl oxidase and elastin gene and protein expression were assessed in newborn mice breathing 21 or 85% oxygen, in patients who died with BPD or were at risk for BPD, and in control patients. Signaling by transforming growth factor (TGF-beta) was preemptively blocked in mice exposed to hyperoxia using TGF-beta-neutralizing antibodies. Lysyl oxidase promoter activity was assessed using plasmids containing the lox or loxl1 promoters fused upstream of the firefly luciferase gene. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS mRNA and protein levels and activity of lysyl oxidases (Lox, LoxL1, LoxL2) were elevated in the oxygen-injured lungs of newborn mice and infants with BPD or at risk for BPD. In oxygen-injured mouse lungs, increased TGF-beta signaling drove aberrant lox, but not loxl1 or loxl2, expression. Lox expression was also increased in oxygen-injured fibroblasts and pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. CONCLUSIONS Lysyl oxidase expression and activity are dysregulated in BPD in injured developing mouse lungs and in prematurely born infants. In developing mouse lungs, aberrant TGF-beta signaling dysregulated lysyl oxidase expression. These data support the postulate that excessive stabilization of the extracellular matrix by excessive lysyl oxidase activity might impede the normal matrix remodeling that is required for pulmonary alveolarization and thereby contribute to the pathological pulmonary features of BPD.