Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic parameters for natural antibody isotype titers in milk of Dutch Holstein-Friesians.

The objective of the present study was to estimate genetic parameters for natural antibody isotypes immunoglobulin (Ig) A, IgG1 and IgM titers binding the bacterial antigens lipopolysaccharide, peptidoglycan and the model antigen keyhole limpet hemocyanin in Dutch Holstein-Friesian cows (n = 1695). Further, this study included total natural antibody titers binding the antigens mentioned above, making no isotype distinction, as well as total natural antibody titers and natural antibody isotypes IgA, IgG1 and IgM binding lipoteichoic acid. The study showed that natural antibody isotype titers are heritable, ranging from 0.06 to 0.55, and that these heritabilities were generally higher than heritabilities for total natural antibody titers. Genetic correlations, the combinations of total natural antibody titers and natural antibody isotype titers, were nearly all positive and ranged from -0.23 to 0.99. Strong genetic correlations were found between IgA and IgM. Genetic correlations were substantially weaker when they involved an IgG1 titer, indicating that IgA and IgM have a common genetic basis, but that the genetic basis for IgG1 differs from that for IgA or IgM. Results from this study indicate that natural antibody isotype titers show the potential for effective genetic selection. Further, natural antibody isotypes may provide a better characterization of different elements of the immune response or immune competence. As such, natural antibody isotypes may enable more effective decisions when breeding programs start to include innate immune parameters.
The winner takes it all, the loser has to fall: Provoking the agency perspective in employability research

In this paper, we provoke the strong focus on personal agency in employability research. We counter three dominant assumptions in the literature, namely, (a) that employability is an individual asset, (b) that employability is owned by the individual, and (c) that employability leads to positive outcomes. A key observation is that the three dominant theories that are being used in employability studies, namely, human capital theory, conservation of resources theory, and social exchange theory, also question these core agency assumptions that form the basis of those studies. Based on these theories, we identify three blind spots in employability research: Employability is (a) contextual, (b) relational, and (3) polarising. Taken together, we make the case that the agency perspective overlooks a potential dark side of employability: The winner takes it all, the loser has to fall. We outline a future research agenda on this potential dark side of employability.
Corydaline Inhibits Multiple Cytochrome P450 and UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase Enzyme Activities in Human Liver Microsomes

Corydaline is a bioactive alkaloid with various antiacetylcholinesterase, antiallergic, and antinociceptive activities found in the medicinal herb Corydalis Tubers. The inhibitory potential of corydaline on the activities of seven major human cytochrome P450 and four UDP-glucuronosyltransferase enzymes in human liver microsomes was investigated using LC-tandem MS. Corydaline was found to inhibit CYP2C19-catalyzed S-mephenytoin-4’-hydroxylatoin and CYP2C9-catalyzed diclofenac 4-hydroxylation, with Ki values of 1.7 and 7.0 μM, respectively. Corydaline also demonstrated moderate inhibition of UGT1A1-mediated 17β-estradiol 3-glucuronidation and UGT1A9-mediated propofol glucuronidation with Ki values of 57.6 and 37.3 μM, respectively. In the presence of corydaline, CYP3A-mediated midazolam hydroxylation showed a decrease with increasing preincubation time in a dose-dependent manner with Ki values of 30.0 μM. These in vitro results suggest that corydaline should be evaluated for potential pharmacokinetic drug interactions in vivo due to potent inhibition of CYP2C19 and CYP2C9.
Binding of the IS903 transposase to its inverted repeat in vitro.

We have purified the transposase of IS903 in three different ways. We find that transposase expressed as a fusion protein with either glutathione‐S‐transferase or maltose‐binding protein is soluble and can be purified rapidly using affinity chromatography. The third purification requires extracting the native transposase from an insoluble pellet using an alkaline pH buffer. All three proteins bind specifically to the ends of IS903 and give identical patterns of protection when challenged with DNase I. We have used the more stable fusion proteins to examine transposase‐‐DNA interactions in vitro. Methylation interference experiments have identified critical bases for transposase binding; methylated purines that inhibit binding all lie within the inner part of the 18 bp inverted repeat (bp 7–16). Moreover, the positions and identities of these purines suggest that the transposase interacts with base pairs in adjacent major and minor grooves. Binding assays with mutant inverted repeats confirm that transposase binding is sensitive to sequence changes only within this inner region. We propose that the transposase binding site is limited to this domain of the inverted repeat. These data are consistent with our previous analysis of the behaviour of mutant ends in vivo, from which we postulated that the inverted repeat was composed of two functional domains; an inner binding domain (bp 6–18), which included a region of minor groove interactions, and an outer domain that was involved in a step subsequent to transposase binding.
New Evidence on the Markup of Prices Over Marginal Costs and the Role of Mega-Firms in the Us Economy

The markup of price over marginal cost reveals market power. The distinction between marginal and average cost is key. Average cost is easy to measure, but the price/average cost ratio understates the price/marginal cost ratio when fixed costs are present. In particular, in free-entry equilibrium, where revenue equals cost, the price/average cost ratio is always one, while the price/marginal cost ratio may be above one. The idea here is to calculate marginal cost as the ratio of the adjusted expenditure on inputs to the adjusted change in output. The first adjustment is to remove the change in expenditure that arises from the changes in input costs. The second adjustment is to remove the change in output attributed to productivity growth. Application to KLEMS productivity data finds a typical markup ratio of 1.3. Markup ratios grew between 1988 and 2015. For mega-firms, the paper uses employment at firms with 10,000+ workers. Substantial heterogeneity occurs across sectors and in growth rates. There is no evidence that mega-firm-intensive sectors have higher price/marginal cost markups, but some evidence that markups grew in sectors with rising mega-firm intensity.
Mechanism of action of BAY v 3522, a new cephalosporin with unusually good activity against enterococci

The in vitro activity of BAY v 3522, a new cephalosporin with unusually good activity against enterococci, was tested on 100 clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecalis. The MIC for 86.3% of the strains was 4 micrograms/ml, whereas the MIC for 13.7% ranged from 8 to 16 micrograms/ml. No differences were found between MICs determined with low- or high-density inocula. The bactericidal activity of BAY v 3522 was tested on eight clinical strains; most strains showed a ca. 3-log decrease of the original inoculum at two to eight times the MIC. The interaction of BAY v 3522 and of other beta-lactams with penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) was studied with a laboratory strain, E. hirae ATCC 9790, producing a discernible amount of PBP 5, a protein belonging to the family of low-affinity PBPs, responsible for the low susceptibility of enterococci to beta-lactams. PBPs 3 and 5 of ATCC 9790 showed the highest affinity for the new cephalosporin. Bay V 3522 at the MIC (8 micrograms/ml) saturated these two PBPs without any significant binding to the other PBPs. This result may explain the good antienterococcal activity of BAY v 3522.
Breaking the News in Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract Summary: Breaking the bad news in terms of prognosis for significant motor recovery following a neurologically complete spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most difficult tasks for the spinal cord medicine specialist. Learning the skills to facilitate this communication is extremely important to better assist patients to understand their prognosis as well as foster hope for their future. If bad news is delivered poorly it can cause confusion and long-lasting distress and resentment; if done well, it may assist understanding, adjustment, and acceptance. This article provides the physician who cares for patients with SCI with some concepts to consider when discussing prognosis with patients and their families.
Post-materialism: What Divides Youth in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Mainland China

Post-materialism is a value orientation that gives priority to freedom of expression and participation in public affairs over fulfilment of material needs such as economic and physical security. Youth in Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China have significantly different levels of post-materialist values, with Hong Kongers scoring the highest and Mainlanders the lowest. These differences have led to their different political orientations.
Safety and efficacy of a recombinant hepatitis E vaccine.

BACKGROUND Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an important cause of viral hepatitis. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of an HEV recombinant protein (rHEV) vaccine in a phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. METHODS In Nepal, we studied 2000 healthy adults susceptible to HEV infection who were randomly assigned to receive three doses of either the rHEV vaccine or placebo at months 0, 1, and 6. Active (including hospital) surveillance was used to identify acute hepatitis and adverse events. The primary end point was the development of hepatitis E after three vaccine doses. RESULTS A total of 1794 subjects (898 in the vaccine group and 896 in the placebo group) received three vaccine doses; the total vaccinated cohort was followed for a median of 804 days. After three vaccine doses, hepatitis E developed in 69 subjects, of whom 66 were in the placebo group. The vaccine efficacy was 95.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 85.6 to 98.6). In an intention-to-treat analysis that included all 87 subjects in whom hepatitis E developed after the first vaccine dose, 9 subjects were in the vaccine group, with a vaccine efficacy of 88.5% (95% CI, 77.1 to 94.2). Among subjects in a subgroup randomly selected for analysis of injection-site findings and general symptoms (reactogenicity subgroup) during the 8-day period after the administration of any dose, the proportion of subjects with adverse events was similar in the two study groups, except that injection-site pain was increased in the vaccine group (P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS In a high-risk population, the rHEV vaccine was effective in the prevention of hepatitis E. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00287469 [ClinicalTrials.gov].).
The Influence of Teachers’ Perceptions of School Leaders’ Empowering Behaviours on the Dimensions of Psychological Empowerment

Abstract Background and Purpose: School leader has an effect on teachers in divergent ways. If school leader wants their teachers to be successful and satisfied, he or she must have the potential to prompt work conditions that build up teachers’ psychological empowerment. Main aim of our research was to empirically test the relations between teachers’ perceptions of school leaders’ empowering behaviours and all dimensions of psychological empowerment (meaning, competence, self-determination and impact). Design/Methodology/Approach: We tested four hypotheses in one structural model by using structural equation modelling (SEM). The quantitative data was collected through an online survey on a sample of 525 primary school teachers in Slovenia by using two already validated questionnaires, The School Leader Empowering Behaviours (SLEB) and Psychological Empowerment Questionnaire (PEQ). Results: Findings show that teachers’ perceptions of school leaders’ empowering behaviours are positively and statistically significantly related to all dimensions of psychological empowerment (meaning, competence, self-determination and impact). Conclusion: Knowledge of psychological empowerment can be beneficial for school leaders, because with this comprehension they can strengthen apprehension and potential in exercising empowering behaviours towards their teachers to maximize their psychological empowerment.
Molecular Characterization and Typing of Enrofloxacin-Resistant Clinical Isolates of Mycoplasma gallisepticum

Abstract Emergence of resistance to fluoroquinolones is mainly due to chromosomal mutations in genes encoding the subunits of the drug's target enzymes, DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, which are essential for DNA replication. The quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) of these genes were characterized in 25 Mycoplasma gallisepticum strains isolated from commercial poultry flocks during 1997–2007, which exhibited different levels of susceptibility to fluoroquinolones. All enrofloxacin-resistant isolates harbored amino acid substitutions in the QRDRs of each of three proteins (GyrA, GyrB, and ParC). Molecular typing of those strains by random amplification of polymorphic DNA and gene-targeted sequencing supports ongoing, stepwise selection of resistant strains from the existing reservoir of susceptible M. gallisepticum strains. Abbreviations: aa = amino acid; B = broiler chicken; BB = broiler breeder chicken; GTS = gene-targeted sequencing; LB = leghorn-type breeder chicken; MIC = minimal inhibitory concentration; MT = Meat-type turkey; NCCLS = National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards; nt = nucleotide; PCR = polymerase chain reaction; QRDR = quinolone resistance-determining region; RAPD = random amplification of polymorphic DNA Nota de Investigación—Caracterización molecular y tipificación de aislamientos clínicos de Mycoplasma gallisepticum resistentes a la Enrofloxacina. La aparición de resistencia a la fluoroquinolonas se debe principalmente a mutaciones de los cromosomas en genes que codifican las subunidades de las enzimas blanco de la droga, la ADN girasa y la topoisomerasa IV, que son esenciales para la replicación del ADN. Se caracterizaron las regiones determinantes de resistencia a la quinolona de estos genes en 25 cepas de Mycoplasma gallisepticum aisladas de parvadas comerciales de aves domésticas durante los años 1997 al 2007 que mostraban diferentes niveles de susceptibilidad a las fluoroquinolonas. Todos los aislamientos resistentes a la enrofloxacina mostraron substituciones de aminoácidos en las regiones determinantes de resistencia a la quinolona de cada una de tres proteínas (GyrA, GyrB, y ParC). La tipificación molecular de estas cepas mediante amplificación aleatoria de ADN polimórfico y secuenciación directa de genes, apoyan la selección activa y constante de cepas resistentes a partir del reservorio de cepas susceptibles de M. gallisepticum.
Yield of Illicit Indoor Cannabis Cultivation in The Netherlands

ABSTRACT: To obtain a reliable estimation on the yield of illicit indoor cannabis cultivation in The Netherlands, cannabis plants confiscated by the police were used to determine the yield of dried female flower buds. The developmental stage of flower buds of the seized plants was described on a scale from 1 to 10 where the value of 10 indicates a fully developed flower bud ready for harvesting. Using eight additional characteristics describing the grow room and cultivation parameters, regression analysis with subset selection was carried out to develop two models for the yield of indoor cannabis cultivation. The median Dutch illicit grow room consists of 259 cannabis plants, has a plant density of 15 plants/m2, and 510 W of growth lamps per m2. For the median Dutch grow room, the predicted yield of female flower buds at the harvestable developmental stage (stage 10) was 33.7 g/plant or 505 g/m2.
Glucose transporter type 10—lacking in arterial tortuosity syndrome—facilitates dehydroascorbic acid transport

Loss‐of‐function mutations in the gene encoding GLUT10 are responsible for arterial tortuosity syndrome (ATS), a rare connective tissue disorder. In this study GLUT10‐mediated dehydroascorbic acid (DAA) transport was investigated, supposing its involvement in the pathomechanism. GLUT10 protein produced by in vitro translation and incorporated into liposomes efficiently transported DAA. Silencing of GLUT10 decreased DAA transport in immortalized human fibroblasts whose plasma membrane was selectively permeabilized. Similarly, the transport of DAA through endomembranes was markedly reduced in fibroblasts from ATS patients. Re‐expression of GLUT10 in patients’ fibroblasts restored DAA transport activity. The present results demonstrate that GLUT10 is a DAA transporter and DAA transport is diminished in the endomembranes of fibroblasts from ATS patients.
The functional consequence of the Glu298Asp polymorphism of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene in young healthy volunteers.

OBJECTIVE To assess the role of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene variant as a risk factor for atherosclerosis we sought to investigate whether the Glu298Asp polymorphism of the eNOS gene is associated with functional changes in the endothelium in healthy volunteers. METHODS Endothelial function was assessed in 68 normal volunteers (ages 18-44 years) by bilateral forearm venous occlusion plethysmography with intraarterial infusions of increasing doses of acetylcholine for endothelial-dependent vasodilation and, with sodium nitroprusside and verapamil for endothelial-independent vasodilation. Blood was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction and BanII digestion. RESULTS Asp homozygotes (TT) had a decreased vasodilatory response to acetylcholine [forearm blood flow (FBF) ratio between infused and control arm, 2.82 +/- 1.10] when compared to GG variant (FBF ratio to acetylcholine, 3.97 +/- 1.90, p= 0.04) and to a certain extent, the GT variant (FBF ratio to acetylcholine, 3.79 +/- 2.28, p= 0.07). There was no effect of eNOS genotype on the response to the endothelial-independent vasodilators-sodium nitroprusside and verapamil. CONCLUSIONS Our data show that carriage of the Asp298 variant of the eNOS gene is associated with a blunted endothelial-dependent vasodilation in healthy volunteers. These findings support a genetically determined modulation of endothelial dysfunction, a phenotype of early atherosclerosis in humans.
Effects of Dietary Fiber and Carbohydrate on Glucose and Lipoprotein Metabolism in Diabetic Patients

Dietary recommendations for the treatment of diabetic patients issued by national and international diabetes associations consistently emphasize the need to increase carbohydrate consumption. However, these recommendations have been questioned on the basis of growing evidence that, in both insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients, a high-carbohydrate diet does not offer any advantage in terms of blood glucose and plasma lipid concentrations compared with a high-fat (mainly unsaturated) diet. It has been shown repeatedly that a high-carbohydrate diet increases plasma insulin and triglyceride levels and can deteriorate blood glucose control in the postprandial period. However, much of the controversy between advocates and detractors of dietary carbohydrate can be settled by taking into account dietary fiber. Several studies have shown that the adverse metabolic effects of high-carbohydrate diets are neutralized when fiber and carbohydrate are increased simultaneously in the diet for diabetic patients. In particular, these studies demonstrated that a high-carbohydrate/high-fiber diet significantly improves blood glucose control and reduces plasma cholesterol levels in diabetic patients compared with a low-carbohydrate/low-fiber diet. In addition, a high-carbohydrate/high-fiber diet does not increase plasma insulin and triglyceride concentrations, despite the higher consumption of carbohydrates. Unfortunately, dietary fiber represents a heterogenous category, and there is still much to understand as to which foods should be preferred to maximize the metabolic effects of fiber. There are indications that only water-soluble fiber is active on plasma glucose and lipoprotein metabolism in humans. Therefore, in practice, the consumption of legumes, vegetables, and fruits–rich in water-soluble fiber–should be particularly encouraged. The mechanisms by which dietary fiber exerts its hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities are unknown. However, the ability of dietary fiber to retard food digestion and nutrient absorption certainly has an important influence on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. The beneficial effects of high-fiber foods are also exerted by some foods not particularly rich in fiber. The fiber content and physical form of the food can influence the accessibility of nutrients by digestive enzymes, thus delaying digestion and absorption. The identification of these foods with a low-glycemic response would help enlarge the list of foods particularly suitable for diabetic patients. In conclusion, a diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat should be recommended to all diabetic patients to prevent cardiovascular disease. A balanced increase in consumption of fiber-rich foods and unsaturated fat is the most rational way to replace foods rich in saturated fat and cholesterol in the diabetic diet.
Change in intramuscular inorganic phosphate during multiple sets of blood flow‐restricted low‐intensity exercise

Muscular blood flow reduction (BFR) during multiple sets of low‐intensity exercise training has been shown to elicit muscle hypertrophy and strength gain. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the hypertrophic adaptations to low‐intensity BFR exercise, which include muscle fatigue with metabolic stress. However, the change in intramuscular inorganic phosphate (Pi, an index of muscle fatigue) during multiple sets of low‐intensity exercise with BFR is poorly understood. Eight men performed four sets of unilateral plantar flexion exercise (20% 1‐RM) on a 31P‐magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Each subject wore a cuff (5‐cm wide) on the most proximal portion of the thigh; the cuff was inflated during the exercise session at three different pressures [0 mmHg as the control ± (CON), 180 mmHg as moderate restriction (BFR‐M) and 230 mmHg as high restriction (BFR‐H)]. During the first and second exercise sets, the increase in Pi was higher (P<0·05) with BFR‐H than with BFR‐M and CON. On the other hand, the decrease in Pi was lower with BFR‐H than with CON during the second and third rest periods between sets. As a result, the Pi concentration increased progressively (P<0·05) with BFR‐H, while the Pi was relatively constant with BFR‐M and CON during the exercise session. Our results suggest that intramuscular Pi accumulation during multiple sets of low‐intensity exercise can be produced only by a high level of BFR, but not by moderate reduction. The Pi accumulation was associated both with exercise and with the rest period between sets.