Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cytological and Transcriptomic Analyses Reveal Important Roles of CLE19 in Pollen Exine Formation1[OPEN]

The proper amount of CLE19 is required for the normal formation of pollen exine through regulating the expression of AMS and its downstream networks. The CLAVATA3/ESR-RELATED (CLE) peptide signals are required for cell-cell communication in several plant growth and developmental processes. However, little is known regarding the possible functions of the CLEs in the anther. Here, we show that a T-DNA insertional mutant, and dominant-negative (DN) and overexpression (OX) transgenic plants of the CLE19 gene, exhibited significantly reduced anther size and pollen grain number and abnormal pollen wall formation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Interestingly, the DN-CLE19 pollen grains showed a more extensively covered surface, but CLE19-OX pollen exine exhibited clearly missing connections in the network and lacked separation between areas that normally form the lacunae. With a combination of cell biological, genetic, and transcriptomic analyses on cle19, DN-CLE19, and CLE19-OX plants, we demonstrated that CLE19-OX plants produced highly vacuolated and swollen aborted microspores (ams)-like tapetal cells, lacked lipidic tapetosomes and elaioplasts, and had abnormal pollen primexine without obvious accumulation of sporopollenin precursors. Moreover, CLE19 is important for the normal expression of more than 1,000 genes, including the transcription factor gene AMS, 280 AMS-downstream genes, and other genes involved in pollen coat and pollen exine formation, lipid metabolism, pollen germination, and hormone metabolism. In addition, the DN-CLE19(+/+) ams(−/−) plants exhibited the ams anther phenotype and ams(+/−) partially suppressed the DN-CLE19 transgene-induced pollen exine defects. These findings demonstrate that the proper amount of CLE19 signal is essential for the normal expression of AMS and its downstream gene networks in the regulation of anther development and pollen exine formation.
National population based HIV prevalence surveys in sub-Saharan Africa: results and implications for HIV and AIDS estimates

Background: Sentinel surveillance among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics (ANCs) has been the main source of information on HIV trends in sub-Saharan Africa. These data have also been used to generate national HIV and AIDS estimates. New technologies and resources have allowed many countries to conduct national population based surveys that include HIV prevalence measurement, as an additional source of information on the AIDS epidemic. Methods: The authors reviewed the reports of 20 national population based surveys from 19 countries carried out in sub-Saharan Africa since 2001. They examined the sampling methodology, HIV testing and response rates, and female:male and urban:rural prevalence ratios. They also constructed adjusted prevalence scenarios assuming different relative risks for survey non-responders. Results: The national population based surveys vary considerably in quality, as reflected in the household response rate (ranging from 75.4% to 99.7%), women’s testing rate (ranging from 68.2% to 97.3%), and men’s testing rate (ranging from 62.2% to 95.4%), while for some surveys detailed response information is lacking. While 95% confidence intervals around the female:male and urban:rural prevalence ratios in individual countries are large, the median female:male ratio of the combined set of surveys results is 1.5 and the median urban:rural ratio 1.7. A scenario assuming that non-responders have twice the HIV prevalence of those who fully participated in the survey suggests that individual non-response could result in an adjusted HIV prevalence 1.03 to 1.34 times higher than the observed prevalence. Conclusions: Population based surveys can provide useful information on HIV prevalence levels and distribution. This information is being used to improve national HIV and AIDS estimates. Further refinements in data collection, analysis, and reporting, combined with high participation rates, can further improve HIV and AIDS estimates at national and regional level.
THE DEMAND FOR CAPITAL GOODS BY MANUFACTURERS: A STUDY OF QUARTERLY TIME SERIES'

Quarterly time series for all manufacturing are used in this study to test the relationship between plant and equipment expenditures and (a) output and capacity, (b) the flow of internal funds, and (C) the level of corporate bond yields. The study makes use of a newly derived capacity index for all manufacturing and experiments with a number of different lag distributions. THE PURPOSE of this paper is a simple one: to confront some widely held hypotheses about the demand for capital goods with some widely used quarterly figures measuring business investment. The hypotheses relate to the influence on investment of output and capacity, of gross profits less dividends, and of rates of interest. The figures are the Commerce-SEC quarterly series on capital expenditures by manufacturers, and other manufacturing statistics. The figures and the hypotheses are so often used together in analyzing current business developments that it seems profitable to attempt to relate them systematically.2 In doing so, furthermore, byproducts of interest will be developed, namely, an index of manufacturing capacity and some experimentation with lag distributions. The first section of the paper will present the hypothesis to be tested and reduce it to a form which relates to available quarterly time series. The second section will develop and modify the quarterly time series for manufacturing so that they relate as closely as possible to the final hypothesis of Section 1. The third section will present the results of testing the hypothesis. The principal substantive indication of the paper will be that under certain assumption as to lags, a modified acceleration principle variable ("capital
Stock Market Volatility and Macroeconomic Fundamentals

Abstract We revisit the relation between stock market volatility and macroeconomic activity using a new class of component models that distinguish short-run from long-run movements. We formulate models with the long-term component driven by inflation and industrial production growth that are in terms of pseudo out-of-sample prediction for horizons of one quarter at par or outperform more traditional time series volatility models at longer horizons. Hence, imputing economic fundamentals into volatility models pays off in terms of long-horizon forecasting. We also find that macroeconomic fundamentals play a significant role even at short horizons.
Evolutionary origin of whiteflies (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Aleyrodidae) inferred from 18S rDNA sequences

Phylogenetic analysis of 18S rDNA nucleotide sequences of hemipteran exemplars shows Sternorrhyncha (psyllids, whiteflies, aphids and scales) is monophyletic and forms a sister group to all other hemipterans (Euhemiptera). Whiteflies form a sister group to aphids and scales. Psyllids form a sister group to all other Sternorrhyncha. Primary structures of 18S rDNAs of all sternorrhynchans are exceptionally long (˜2200 to ˜2500 bp) due to internal expansions. These expansions are a synapomorphy of Sternorrhyncha; other hemipterans possess shorter 18S rDNAs (˜1900 to ˜1925 bp). The 18S rDNA of whiteflies is the longest recorded to date and has a base substitution rate of ˜3 times greater than Euhemiptera taxa examined. The relevance of these findings to the fossil record, feeding strategies, reproductive biologies, and geoclimatic distribution is discussed.
FINANCIAL-REPORTING PRACTICES - DISCLOSURE AND COMPREHENSIVENESS IN AN INTERNATIONAL SETTING

Several recent studies used data on European securities to look at specific aspects of what is generally referred to as market efficiency. Both McDonald' and Solnik2 reported results which are consistent with the widely held belief by European investors that the equity markets of Continental Europe are less efficient than those of the United Kingdom and the United States. These two authors cited ". current financial reporting practice . and ". loose requirements for disclosure of information. " among the possible explanations for the apparent inefficiencies of the Continental European markets. This study focused upon two specific dimensions of the financial reporting practices reflected in the annual reports of major firms located in seven countries, including five in Europe. The two dimensions were (1) the overall extent of financial disclosure and (2) the degree of comprehensiveness of firms' financial statements. The extent of financial disclosure was measured by an index constructed on seventeen categories of information. The comprehensiveness of financial statements was assessed on the basis of four variables relating either to accounting for related companies or to the "all-inclusiveness" of the net income figure. The data in the study were drawn from the annual reports of 103 firms for the years 1963 to 1972. The annual report sample consisted of fifteen firms located in the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, France,
Changing parental perceptions of children with disabilities physical capability in physical activity through a family fitness program

ii TABLE OF CONTENTS . iv INTRODUCTION . 1 Purpose Statement . 3 Research Hypothesis . 3 REVIEW OF LITERATURE . 4 Physical Activity and Children with Disabilities . 4 Parental Support . 5 Parental Perceptions of Child’s Physical Activity and Movement Competence . 6 Family Physical Activity Programs . 7 Limitations . 9 Delimitations . 9 Assumptions . 10 METHODS . 11 Participants . 11 Instrument . 11 Procedure . 12 Data Analysis . 13 RESULTS . 14 DISCUSSION . 15 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH . 18
Positive and Negative Affect in Depression: Influence of Sex and Puberty

Abstract: To examine adolescent depression as a model for unusual emotion regulation, the current study considered the influence of gender, pubertal development, and cortisol on self‐reported mood. Children and adolescents with major depressive disorder (n= 35, mean age 12.5 years) were compared with psychiatrically healthy children and adolescents (n= 36, mean age 10.5 years). During a three‐day assessment, participants rated their mood at three time points, pubertal development was determined through physical examination, and plasma cortisol was sampled during the second night. Depressed participants experienced less positive affect and more negative affect than did controls. Diagnostic group, gender, and pubertal status interacted to predict negative affect, with depressed adolescent girls experiencing especially high levels of negative affect. Cortisol was generally unrelated to depression and mood. Findings are consistent with emotion‐based models of depression and with the literature on depression and emotion regulation during adolescence.
Environmental disclosure and stock market liquidity: evidence from Arab MENA emerging markets

ABSTRACT The objective of this study is to examine the impact of environmental disclosure levels on the stock market liquidity of Arab Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) companies. For that, a self-constructed disclosure index was applied to the annual reports for the years 2010, 2011 and 2012 and the bid-ask spread was used as a proxy for stock market liquidity. Results indicate that levels of environmental disclosure in MENA companies are quite low. In addition, using a sample of 276 firm-year observations, multivariate analysis shows that the higher the level of environmental disclosure provided in the annual reports, the lower the spread between the market bid and ask prices, thereby indicating an increase in stock market liquidity.
Female Mayors and Women in Municipal Jobs

Analysts and political activists have expressed considerable interest in female representation in elective office, but very little is yet known about the impacts of female officeholding. This analysis examines the effect of female mayors on the governmental output of female employment in municipal bureaucracies in a national sample of cities. The findings suggest that a variety of supply and demand factors play a role in determining a given level of female employment representation, but that the presence of a female mayor is also significant, especially in regard to changes in employment representation.
Delayed Presentation to Clinics for Sexually Transmitted Diseases by Symptomatic Patients: A Potential Contributor to Continuing STD Morbidity

Objective: To determine the proportion of symptomatic patients attending public sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics who fail to seek care within 7 days of the onset of STD symptoms and their self‐reported reasons for delays in obtaining care. Design: Interviewers administered 23‐item questionnaire to a cross section of STD clinic clients between April and September 1995. Setting: Five urban STD clinics in the United States (Birmingham, AL; St Paul, MN; San Francisco CA; Seattle, WA; and Raleigh, NC). Results: Of 1,621 patients with genitourinary symptoms, over one third (35% of men, 37% of women) presented to STD clinics only after 1 week or more of symptoms. Men with genital warts (73%) or with nongonococcal urethritis (23.1%) or symptomatic men who were recent contacts to sex partners with STDs were significantly more likely to delay clinic attendance more than a week than men with gonorrhea (6.5%, p < 0.001 for each). Overall 43.8% of women receiving specific clinical diagnoses other than genital warts delayed clinic attendance for more than 1 week. When asked why they delayed clinic attendance, respondents were most likely to respond that they had hoped their symptoms would “go away” (48.5% of men and 49.4% of women who waited a week or more before seeking care). Conclusion: A substantial proportion of patients with genitourinary symptoms attending public STD clinics delay seeking care for a week or more, increasing their likelihood of complications and of transmission of infection to others. Interventions to promote more timely clinic attendance may help reduce STD morbidity in the United States.
Psychogenic voice disorder unresponsive to speech therapy: psychological characteristics and cognitive-behaviour therapy.

An exploration was undertaken of the psychological characteristics of 19 patients with psychogenic voice disorders who failed to respond to standard methods of speech therapy. Excessive anxiety, musculoskeletal tension and difficulties in expressing feelings or being assertive were common, usually associated with unsatisfactory interpersonal relationships, especially with members of the family. Fifteen were offered psychological therapy, 14 being offered joint therapy with a speech therapist and a psychologist employing a cognitive-behavioural approach. Of the 12 who participated in the co-therapy programme, six improved both in their voice and psychosocial adjustment.
Fiber Patterns in Young Adults Living in Different Environments (USA, Spain, and Tunisia). Anthropometric and Lifestyle Characteristics

Benefits of dietary fiber go beyond its effect on chronic diseases associated with development. Consequently, the pattern of fiber intake has been considered an indicator for diet quality. Young adults are especially vulnerable to a food environment that drives an increase in chronic diseases linked to economic development. The aim of this work was to characterize patterns of fiber intake among university students. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 730 students enrolled at the University of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain), the University of Carthage (Tunisia), and Florida International University (USA). Mean age was 21.2. Food consumption was self-reported in two 24-h recalls. Mean dietary fiber intake was 17.8 g, not reaching the adequate intake. Contrary to expectations, American participants were the highest consumers (p < 0.001), and also exhibited the highest BMI. Cereals, legumes, vegetables and fruit were the main food sources of fiber. Fiber from appetizers, prepared and precooked meals, sauces, spices and condiments accounted for 16.7% in American participants, 7.4% in Spanish participants and 2.6% in Tunisian participants. Total fiber intake increased with energy intake but did not depend on smoking habits and physical activity in any country. It is essential to improve consumers’ interpretation of guidelines on fiber intake.
Dynamics of Hybridization and Introgression in Red Wolves and Coyotes

Abstract: Hybridization and introgression are significant causes of endangerment in many taxa and are considered the greatest biological threats to the reintroduced population of red wolves (Canis rufus) in North Carolina (U.S.A.). Little is known, however, about these processes in red wolves and coyotes (C. latrans). We used individual‐based simulations to examine the process of hybridization and introgression between these species. Under the range of circumstances we considered, red wolves in colonizing and established populations were quickly extirpated, persisted near the carrying capacity, or had intermediate outcomes. Sensitivity analyses suggested that the probabilities of quasi extinction and persistence of red wolves near the carrying capacity were most affected by the strength of two reproductive barriers: red wolf challenges and assortative mating between red wolves and coyotes. Because model parameters for these barriers may be difficult to estimate, we also sought to identify other predictors of red wolf population fate. The proportion of pure red wolves in the population was a strong predictor of the future probabilities of red wolf quasi extinction and persistence. Finally, we examined whether sterilization can be effective in minimizing introgression while allowing the reintroduced red wolf population to grow. Our results suggest sterilization can be an effective short‐term strategy to reduce the likelihood of extirpation in colonizing populations of red wolves. Whether red wolf numbers are increased by sterilization depends on the level of sterilization effort and the acting reproductive barriers. Our results provide an outline of the conditions likely required for successful reestablishment and long‐term maintenance of populations of wild red wolves in the presence of coyotes. Our modeling approach may prove generally useful in providing insight into situations involving complex species interactions when data are few.
Induction of apoptosis by baculovirus transactivator IE1

Apoptosis is induced upon infection of SF-21 cells by mutants of the baculovirus Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV) lacking a functional p35 gene which encodes a stoichiometric inhibitor of members of the interleukin-1beta converting enzyme family of cysteine proteases (N.J. Bump et al, Science 269:1885-1888, 1995; R.J. Clem, M. Fechheimer, and L.K. Miller, Science 254:1388-1390, 1991). We found that transfection of SF-21 cells with the AcMNPV ie-1 gene was sufficient to induce apoptosis, which was characterized by fragmentation of cellular DNA into oligonucleosomal fragments and apoptotic body formation. No signs of apoptosis were observed in Trichoplusia ni TN-368 cells transfected with ie-1, a result which is consistent with the observation that p35 mutants of AcMNPV do not induce apoptosis in this cell line. Cotransfection of SF-21 cells with p35 blocked ie-1-induced apoptosis, indicating that expression of ie-1 activates apoptosis through a p35-inhibitable cysteine protease pathway. Cotransfection with Cp-iap, an active member of another family of antiapoptotic inhibitors of apoptosis (iaps), also inhibited IE1-induced apoptosis. Thus, ie-1 may participate in inducing apoptosis in AcMNPV-infected cells, although the dependence of induction on DNA replication suggests that ie-1 is not the direct apoptotic signal during infection. The ie-1 gene product, IE1, is known to be a potent transactivator of baculovirus gene expression that interacts with specific palindromic sequences which can act as transcriptional enhancers and as origins of DNA replication in transient assays.
Differential regulation of Notch signal transduction in leukaemia and lymphoma cells in culture

The transduction of Notch signal plays an intricate role in cell differentiation and pathogenesis of haematological malignancies as well as in certain congenital conditions. We found no genomic changes in either gene in 34 leukaemic samples and 25 leukaemia and lymphoma cell lines. The functionality of Notch signalling was tested using HES1 gene activation. We show that Notch signalling is differentially regulated in T‐acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and B‐lymphoma cells. The Notch pathway is intact in a majority of B‐lymphoma cell lines, but EBNA2, which mimics notch function, can occasionally activate the pathway. In contrast, the Notch pathway is constitutively active in T‐ALL. This is the first demonstration of a distinction between B‐lymphomas and T‐cell leukaemias in the functioning of the Notch‐signalling pathway. This might be related to their pathogenesis. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Synaptic Vesicles in Mature Calyx of Held Synapses Sense Higher Nanodomain Calcium Concentrations during Action Potential-Evoked Glutamate Release

During development of the calyx of Held synapse, presynaptic action potentials (APs) become substantially faster and briefer. Nevertheless, this synapse is able to upregulate quantal output triggered by arriving APs. Briefer APs lead to less effective gating of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (VGCCs). Therefore, mechanisms downstream of Ca2+ entry must effectively compensate for the attenuated Ca2+ influx associated with shorter APs in more mature calyces. This compensation could be achieved by tighter spatial coupling between VGCCs and synaptic vesicles, so that the latter are exposed to higher intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). Alternatively or additionally, the Ca2+ sensitivity of the release apparatus may increase during synapse development. To differentiate between these possibilities, we combined paired patch-clamp recordings with Ca2+ imaging and flash photolysis of caged Ca2+ and estimated the [Ca2+]i requirements for vesicle release in the developing mouse calyx of Held synapse. Surprisingly, the dose–response relationship between [Ca2+]i and release rate was shifted slightly to the right in more mature calyces, rendering their vesicles slightly less sensitive to incoming Ca2+. Taking into account the time course and peak rates of AP-evoked release transients for the corresponding developmental stages, we estimate the local [Ca2+]i“seen” by the Ca2+ sensors on synaptic vesicles to increase from 35 to 56 μm [from postnatal day 9 (P9)–P11 to P16–P19]. Our results reinforce the idea that developmental tightening of the spatial coupling between VGCCs and synaptic vesicles plays a predominant role in enhancing quantal output at this synapse and possibly other central synapses.