Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
β-Galactosyl Yariv Reagent Binds to the β-1,3-Galactan of Arabinogalactan Proteins1[W][OA]

Yariv phenylglycosides specifically bind to β-1,3-galactan main chains of arabinogalactan proteins. Yariv phenylglycosides [1,3,5-tri(p-glycosyloxyphenylazo)-2,4,6-trihydroxybenzene] are a group of chemical compounds that selectively bind to arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs), a type of plant proteoglycan. Yariv phenylglycosides are widely used as cytochemical reagents to perturb the molecular functions of AGPs as well as for the detection, quantification, purification, and staining of AGPs. However, the target structure in AGPs to which Yariv phenylglycosides bind has not been determined. Here, we identify the structural element of AGPs required for the interaction with Yariv phenylglycosides by stepwise trimming of the arabinogalactan moieties using combinations of specific glycoside hydrolases. Whereas the precipitation with Yariv phenylglycosides (Yariv reactivity) of radish (Raphanus sativus) root AGP was not reduced after enzyme treatment to remove α-l-arabinofuranosyl and β-glucuronosyl residues and β-1,6-galactan side chains, it was completely lost after degradation of the β-1,3-galactan main chains. In addition, Yariv reactivity of gum arabic, a commercial product of acacia (Acacia senegal) AGPs, increased rather than decreased during the repeated degradation of β-1,6-galactan side chains by Smith degradation. Among various oligosaccharides corresponding to partial structures of AGPs, β-1,3-galactooligosaccharides longer than β-1,3-galactoheptaose exhibited significant precipitation with Yariv in a radial diffusion assay on agar. A pull-down assay using oligosaccharides cross linked to hydrazine beads detected an interaction of β-1,3-galactooligosaccharides longer than β-1,3-galactopentaose with Yariv phenylglycoside. To the contrary, no interaction with Yariv was detected for β-1,6-galactooligosaccharides of any length. Therefore, we conclude that Yariv phenylglycosides should be considered specific binding reagents for β-1,3-galactan chains longer than five residues, and seven residues are sufficient for cross linking, leading to precipitation of the Yariv phenylglycosides.
Exposure to pulse‐modulated radio frequency electromagnetic fields affects regional cerebral blood flow

We investigated the effects of radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF EMF) similar to those emitted by mobile phones on waking regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in 12 healthy young men. Two types of RF EMF exposure were applied: a ‘base‐station‐like’ and a ‘handset‐like’ signal. Positron emission tomography scans were taken after 30 min unilateral head exposure to pulse‐modulated 900 MHz RF EMF (10 g tissue‐averaged spatial peak‐specific absorption rate of 1 W/kg for both conditions) and sham control. We observed an increase in relative rCBF in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on the side of exposure. The effect depended on the spectral power in the amplitude modulation of the RF carrier such that only ‘handset‐like’ RF EMF exposure with its stronger low‐frequency components but not the ‘base‐station‐like’ RF EMF exposure affected rCBF. This finding supports our previous observation that pulse modulation of RF EMF is necessary to induce changes in the waking and sleep EEG, and substantiates the notion that pulse modulation is crucial for RF EMF‐induced alterations in brain physiology.
Schizophrenic patients who were never treated – a study in an Indian urban community

Background. A significant number of patients with severe psychiatric disorders remain untreated in the community although health services are available. The factors related to non-treatment are not well understood. Method. A door-to-door survey was conducted on an Indian urban population of 100 000 using standardized screening and clinical instruments as a part of a larger epidemiological study. Treatment status was determined from multiple sources of information. Results. Nearly one-third of 261 schizophrenia patients were found never to have received treatment. They were older in age and ill for a longer duration than those who had been treated and were more symptomatic and severely disabled. They were more often uneducated and divorced and lived with larger extended/joint families. This last factor was considered as being the important factor in determining whether the patient received treatment. Conclusion. The larger extended/joint family, which was able to compensate and cope with the dysfunctional member, seemed to be the crucial factor related to non-treatment of the schizophrenic patient.
Studies on Relatives of Glaucoma Patients

Results The findings are shown in the histograms (Figs 2 & 3). In the majority of normal eyes the value of kca is close to 0 4 %, but in most of the affected eyes the value was considerably higher. On average the transfer coefficient in the affected eyes was increased by 40% over that in the control eye of the same patient. Some eyes were receiving treatment, either with idoxuridine, or with idoxuridine and local steroids, but it was not possible to detect any significant difference in the results which might be attributed to the treatment. Owing to swelling of the stroma in an affected eye it contains more fluorescein, for a given fluorescein concentration, than the normal fellow control eye; therefore for a given value of kca a greater total amount of the dye would have passed through the endothelium in a given time. That is, the permeability of the affected cornea would have been still more increased than the increment in the transfer coefficient had suggested. A number of possibilities could account for this finding of increased endothelial permeability in stromal keratitis: (1) The endothelium may have been affected by the virus, or by products of the virus, or by an antigen-antibody reaction, or by another reaction of the cornea to the infection or to the treatment. (2) The increase in permeability may be due to an effect on the endothelial cells, or on the intercellular pores or on Descemet's membrane. (3) The augmented permeability may allow fluid from the anterior chamber to enter the stroma in excess, resulting in corneal cedema causing separation of the lamellk which in turn might allow the characteristic cellular infiltration. (4) The microstructure of the cornea may permit accumulation of fluid in the deepest and the most superficial layers of the stroma, for this is where cellular infiltration is most frequently seen. In fact, one may ask whether increased permeability of the corneal endothelium is responsible for the whole morphological picture of disciform keratitis.
Exchange Rate Predictability in Finite Samples

The goal of the present study is to re‐examine the exchange rate predictability with an approach that accounts for the negative effect of the finite‐sample estimation error on forecast accuracy in the in‐sample test. We consider various exchange rate models and find that despite the presence of significant population‐level predictive content in the exchange rate model, the coefficients of the predictive variables could be small enough that, with the available sample, they are estimated so imprecisely that a random walk model can be expected to forecast at least as well as the exchange rate model.
The effects of seasonal variation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D on diagnosis of vitamin D insufficiency.

AIMS To explore the effects of seasonal variation on the diagnosis of vitamin D sufficiency and to determine whether age, gender, and ethnicity modify these effects. METHODS 21,987 adults had a measurement of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) at Labplus, Auckland City Hospital, between January 2002 and September 2003, and sine curves were fitted for 25OHD versus day of year to predict the 25OHD nadir for each individual. RESULTS 48% (range: 30-63%) of individuals had 25OHD <50 nmol/L in the month of measurement, but 63% were predicted to have 25OHD <50 nmol/L in late winter or early spring based on expected seasonal variation. The 25OHD levels required to ensure 25OHD levels >50 nmol/L throughout the year varied substantially by season (in summer at least 60-75 nmol/L), and tended to be higher in men than women, decrease with age, and vary with ethnicity. Mean 25OHD levels were very low (<40 nmol/L) in people of Indian, Middle Eastern, and African descent. CONCLUSION Seasonal variation in 25OHD affects the diagnosis of vitamin D sufficiency. Clinicians should consider the month of sampling when interpreting the results of 25OHD measurements. In New Zealand, a summertime 25OHD <60-75 nmol/L is generally required to ensure year-round 25OHD levels <50 nmol/L.
Morbidity and mortality in ageing HIV‐infected haemophilia patients

Over 25 years of follow‐up is now available for HIV‐infected haemophilia patients. The aim of this study was to retrospectively asses the morbidity and mortality of HIV infection and the effects of HAART in these patients. Data on HIV infection, its treatment and all types of comorbidity were collected from medical records of all 60 HIV‐positive haemophilia patients who were treated at the Van Creveldkliniek since 1980 and compared with data from 152 HIV‐negative patients with severe haemophilia and the general age‐matched male population. AIDS developed in 27 patients (45%), while 31 patients died (52%). Death was solely or partially AIDS‐related in 71%. Development of AIDS and AIDS‐related deaths declined strongly after the introduction of HAART. Only one major ischaemic cardiovascular event occurred in our study population. Of the 27 patients who were still treated at our clinic in 2010, 25 (93%) were on HAART. They had more often hypertension and diabetes, but less often overweight and obesity and lower cholesterol levels than the general population. The occurrence of spontaneous intracranial bleeding was higher in HIV‐positive haemophilia patients on HAART than in HIV‐negative patients with severe haemophilia (16.6 vs. 1.2 per 1000 patient years). Since the introduction of HAART, the impact of HIV infection on morbidity and survival has decreased. The increased prevalences of hypertension and diabetes, however, warrant regular screening. HIV‐positive haemophilia patients on HAART appear to have an increased risk of spontaneous intracranial bleeding.
Remodeling of the Actin Cytoskeleton During Mammalian Sperm Capacitation and Acrosome Reaction1

Abstract The sperm acrosome reaction and penetration of the egg follow zona pellucida binding only if the sperm has previously undergone the poorly understood maturation process known as capacitation. We demonstrate here that in vitro capacitation of bull, ram, mouse, and human sperm was accompanied by a time-dependent increase in actin polymerization. Induction of the acrosome reaction in capacitated cells initiated fast F-actin breakdown. Incubation of sperm in media lacking BSA or methyl-β-cyclodextrin, Ca2+, or NaHCO3, components that are all required for capacitation, prevented actin polymerization as well as capacitation, as assessed by the ability of the cells to undergo the acrosome reaction. Inhibition of F-actin formation by cytochalasin D blocked sperm capacitation and reduced the in vitro fertilization rate of metaphase II-arrested mouse eggs. It has been suggested that protein tyrosine phosphorylation may represent an important regulatory pathway that is associated with sperm capacitation. We show here that factors known to stimulate sperm protein tyrosine phosphorylation (i.e., NaHCO3, cAMP, epidermal growth factor, H2O2, and sodium vanadate) were able to enhance actin polymerization, whereas inhibition of tyrosine kinases prevented F-actin formation. These data suggest that actin polymerization may represent an important regulatory pathway in with sperm capacitation, whereas F-actin breakdown occurs before the acrosome reaction.
Independent Functions of Slit–Robo Repulsion and Netrin–Frazzled Attraction Regulate Axon Crossing at the Midline in Drosophila

Slit and Netrin and their respective neuronal receptors play critical roles in patterning axonal connections in the developing nervous system by regulating the decision of whether or not to cross the midline. Studies of both invertebrate and vertebrate systems support the idea that Netrin, secreted by midline cells, signals through DCC (Deleted in Colorectal Carcinoma)/UNC40/Frazzled receptors to attract commissural axons toward and across the midline, whereas Slit signals through Robo family receptors to prevent commissural axons from recrossing the midline, as well as to prevent ipsilateral axons from ever crossing. Recent evidence from both Xenopus neuronal cell culture and Drosophila genetics have suggested that these signals may interact more directly in a hierarchical relationship, such that one response extinguishes the other. Here we present loss- and gain-of-function genetic evidence showing that the influence of Slit and Netrin on midline axon crossing is dictated by both independent and interdependent signaling functions of the Robo and Frazzled (Fra) receptors. Our results are not consistent with the proposal based on genetic analysis in Drosophila that the sole function of Slit and Robo during midline guidance is to repress Netrin attraction.
Lack of serotonin 5‐HT2B receptor alters proliferation and network volume of interstitial cells of Cajal in vivo

Background Normal gastrointestinal motility requires intact networks of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC). Interstitial cells of Cajal numbers are maintained by a balance between cell loss factors and survival/trophic/growth factors. Activation of 5‐HT2B receptors expressed on ICC increases ICC proliferation in vitro. It is not known whether 5‐HT2B receptors on ICC are activated in vivo. The aims of this study were to investigate if adult ICC proliferate, whether the proliferation of ICC in vivo is affected by knocking out the 5‐HT2B receptor, and if alterations in proliferation affect ICC networks.
Traceability of design project knowledge using PLM

The expertise represents an important capital in a company. The loss of this kind of knowledge has pushed the companies to look for a means to capitalize on it so as to use in the future. In fact, in many companies the design process usually learn from an old similar experience, the designers develop an existent solution, or try to take back old solution in order to adapt it to a new requirement. This tendency to reuse old solutions is strengthened by constraints of time, of efficiency and of search of a maximum of reliability. Therefore, the importance of the capitalization of design project knowledge is more and more increasing. This paper presents techniques to extract and to represent this type of knowledge in a project memory, using Process Life cycle Management (PLM) tools.
Hepatic histology in hepatitis C virus carriers coinfected with hepatitis G virus

Background—A novel flavivirus has been described recently and designated hepatitis G virus (HGV). The virus is transmitted by the parenteral route but it is uncertain whether it is associated with chronic liver disease because liver biopsy is difficult to justify in this group. Aims—To examine histological features of liver biopsy in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) according to the presence or absence of HCV and HGV RNA. Methods—One hundred and thirty one consecutive HCV carriers undergoing staging liver biopsy were studied retrospectively. In each, HCV RNA and HGV RNA were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction on serum samples collected at the time of biopsy. The presence of each RNA was correlated with histological features blind to the RNA results; individual histological features of inflammation or fibrosis were scored separately. Results—Nineteen patients were positive for both HGV and HCV RNA in serum, 91 were positive for HCV RNA alone, two were positive for HGV RNA alone, and 19 were negative for both RNA species. Neither age nor sex differed between the groups; a greater proportion of intravenous drug users were HGV RNA positive, but this was not statistically significant. There was no effect of HGV coinfection on the stage of fibrosis or any other histological parameter except steatosis; patients with HCV and HGV RNA had a higher mean score for fat than those patients with HCV RNA alone (p<0.05). Conclusions—HGV coinfection has no important effects on histological features in chronic HCV carriers. It is unlikely that HGV infection causes chronic liver disease.
Voluntary Individual Carbon Trading

In recent years, the search for regulatory regimes in order to effectively address human induced climate change have become a prominent political and academic issue. Emission trading schemes have risen in popularity and are widely believed to be an effective, as well as economically efficient, measure and have become a favoured government strategy. On the individual level, many individuals in the industrialised nations now undertake actions to offset their personal direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by voluntarily purchasing carbon credits, normally in association with product or service purchase. While this is a fast growing market, advertised as creating a carbon neutral consumer society, the voluntary carbon credit sector raises fundamental problems with respect to verification and credibility of the claimed offsets and associated projects. Lack of regulation and legal oversight leads to the impossibility of actually obtaining or verifying information on the consequences of voluntary credit purchases. Providers of offset credits who are driven by greed and easy profits will underfunded emissions abatement projects and pay little attention to quality standards. Corporate "green washing" is also likely through voluntary offsets marketed as going carbon neutral. This paper connects voluntary offsets to psychological and behavioural impacts on the individual. We identify three specific issues: the psychology of marketing and purchasing of voluntary offsets, commodification and crowding out of intrinsic motivations and the implicit ethics with its own psychological implications. We also discuss the political economy of voluntary carbon markets and their geo-political implications in terms of the global North- South divide and ethical responsibility for action on human induced climate change. This raises serious concerns over the individualisation of a collective problem, what can and should be expected of individuals as ethical consumers and how markets operate in practice. Such aspects place individual behaviour within a broader social and institutional context that questions the trend in market environmentalism and its impacts on the capability of humans to relate to nature. (authors' abstract)
Phoenix 100 versus Vitek 2 in the Identification of Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria: a Comprehensive Meta-Analysis

ABSTRACT Phoenix 100 and Vitek 2 (operating with the current colorimetric cards) are commonly used in hospital laboratories for rapid identification of microorganisms. The present meta-analysis aims to evaluate and compare their performance on Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The MEDLINE database was searched up to October 2010 for the retrieval of relevant articles. Pooled correct identification rates were derived from random-effects models, using the arcsine transformation. Separate analyses were conducted at the genus and species levels; subanalyses and meta-regression were undertaken to reveal meaningful system- and study-related modifiers. A total of 29 (6,635 isolates) and 19 (4,363 isolates) articles were eligible for Phoenix and colorimetric Vitek 2, respectively. No significant differences were observed between Phoenix and Vitek 2 either at the genus (97.70% versus 97.59%, P = 0.919) or the species (92.51% versus 88.77%, P = 0.149) level. Studies conducted with conventional comparator methods tended to report significantly better results compared to those using molecular reference techniques. Speciation of Staphylococcus aureus was significantly more accurate in comparison to coagulase-negative staphylococci by both Phoenix (99.78% versus 88.42%, P < 0.00001) and Vitek 2 (98.22% versus 91.89%, P = 0.043). Vitek 2 also reached higher correct identification rates for Gram-negative fermenters versus nonfermenters at the genus (99.60% versus 95.90%, P = 0.004) and the species (97.42% versus 84.85%, P = 0.003) level. In conclusion, the accuracy of both systems seems modified by underlying sample- and comparator method-related parameters. Future simultaneous assessment of the instruments against molecular comparator procedures may facilitate interpretation of the current observations.
Molecular dissection of Salmonella‐induced membrane ruffling versus invasion

Type III secretion system‐mediated injection of a cocktail of bacterial proteins drives actin rearrangements, frequently adopting the shape of prominent protuberances of ruffling membrane, and culminating in host cell invasion of Gram‐negative pathogens like Salmonella typhimurium. Different Salmonella effectors are able to bind actin and activate Rho‐family GTPases, which have previously been implicated in mediating actin‐dependent Salmonella entry by interacting with N‐WASP or WAVE‐complex, well‐established activators of the actin nucleation machine Arp2/3‐complex. Using genetic deletion and RNA interference studies, we show here that neither individual nor collective removal of these Arp2/3‐ complex activators affected host cell invasion as efficiently as Arp2/3‐complex knock‐down, although the latter was also not essential. However, interference with WAVE‐complex function abrogated Salmonella‐induced membrane ruffling without significantly affecting entry efficiency, actin or Arp2/3‐complex accumulation. In addition, scanning electron microscopy images captured entry events in the absence of prominent membrane ruffles. Finally, localization and RNA interference studies indicated a relevant function in Salmonella entry for the novel Arp2/3‐complex regulator WASH. These data establish for the first time that Salmonella invasion is separable from bacteria‐induced membrane ruffling, and uncover an additional Arp2/3‐complex activator as well as an Arp2/3‐complex‐independent actin assembly activity that contribute to Salmonella invasion.
Educational language policy and the new Latino diaspora in Iowa

The New Latino Diaspora is a demographic phenomenon that describes the immigration of Latinos from across Latin America to small cities and towns in the United States, which have historically not been popular destinations for Spanish speakers. As a result of this demographic shift, Iowa has experienced a 452% increase in its population of English learners (ELs) in public schools over the past 20 years. Thus, communities throughout Iowa (and the rest of the New Latino Diaspora) have struggled to put a support network in place for newcomers, including educational programs that provide educational opportunity for non-native English speakers. The purpose of this study was to examine how Iowa’s educational language policy has adapted to growing numbers of ELs. Findings suggest that policymakers and educators alike have struggled to develop coherent plans for accommodating native Spanish speakers and leverage resources to enact what plans exist. While there is support at the state-level for a diversity of educational programs, including English as a second language (ESL) and bilingual education, there is very little guidance or financial support for districts. In other words, while educators have a lot of agency in determining how to educate non-native English speakers and some very industrious individuals have opened dual language schools, a more robust (funded) structure for language education is needed. We argue that the new language ecology is a linguistic and cultural resource, for both non-native English speakers and students who are currently English monolingual. Our results have implications for the future of linguistic accommodation and educational opportunity for Latinos around the Midwest.