Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determination of the Site-specific O-Glycosylation Pattern of the Porcine Submaxillary Mucin Tandem Repeat Glycopeptide

The heterogeneously glycosylated 81-residue tryptic tandem repeat glycopeptide from porcine submaxillary mucin (PSM) has been isolated and its glycosylation pattern determined by amino acid sequencing. Key to these studies is the ability to trim the structurally heterogeneous PSM oligosaccharide side chains to homogeneous GalNAc monosaccharide side chains by mild trifluoromethanesulfonic acid treatment. Trypsin treatment of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid-treated PSM releases the 81-residue tandem repeat as an ensemble of 81-residue glycopeptides with different glycosylation patterns. Automated amino acid sequencing using Edman degradative chemistry of the repeat was used to determine the extent of glycosylation of nearly every Ser and Thr residue. The Thr residues are all highly glycosylated within the range of 73-90%, giving an average Thr glycosylation of 83%. In contrast, the Ser residues display a wide range of glycosylations, ranging between 33 and 95%, giving an average Ser glycosylation of 74%. These data are consistent with the known elevated glycosylation of Thr peptides over Ser peptides for the porcine UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase. It is also observed that the extent of glycosylation of the repeat correlates poorly with published predictive methods. An examination of the sequences surrounding the glycosylation sites reveals that nearly all of the highly glycosylated sites have a penultimate Gly residue, whereas those that are less highly glycosylated have medium to large side chain penultimate residues. As observed by others, glycosylation also appears to be modulated by the presence of Pro residues. On the basis of these findings we suggest that the acceptor peptide binds the transferase in a β-like conformation and that penultimate residue side chain steric interactions may play a role in determining extent that a given Ser or Thr is glycosylated. A model for the GalNAc transferase peptide binding site is proposed.
Insulin stimulates endothelin-1 secretion from human endothelial cells and modulates its circulating levels in vivo.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent vasoactive and mitogenic peptide produced by the vascular endothelium. In this study, we evaluated whether insulin stimulates ET-1 secretion by human endothelial cells derived from umbilical cord veins and by human permanent endothelial hybrid cells Ea.hy 926. Moreover, to provide evidence that insulin may stimulate ET-1 secretion in vivo, plasma ET-1 levels were evaluated in 7 type II diabetic normotensive males (mean age, 54.3 +/- 4.0 yr) during 2-h hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamps (287 pmol insulin/m2.min-1) as well as in 12 obese hypertensive males (mean age, 44.2 +/- 4.6 yr) before and after a 12-week period of caloric restriction. Our results showed that insulin stimulated ET-1 release from cultured endothelial cells in a dose-dependent fashion. ET-1 release persisted for 24 h and was also observed at physiological insulin concentrations (10(-9) mol/L). The insulin-induced ET-1 secretion was inhibited by genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, and by cycloheximide, a protein synthesis inhibitor, suggesting that it requires de novo protein synthesis rather than ET-1 release from intracellular stores. In the in vivo experiments, plasma ET-1 levels rapidly increased during euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamps (from 0.76 +/- 0.18 pg/mL at time zero to 1.65 +/- 0.21 pg/mL at 60 min; P < 0.05) and persisted elevated until the end of insulin infusion (1.37 +/- 0.37 pg/mL at 120 min; P < 0.05 vs. time zero). In obese hypertensives, plasma ET-1 levels significantly decreased after 12 weeks of caloric restriction (from 0.85 +/- 0.51 to 0.48 +/- 0.28 pg/mL; P < 0.04). The decrease in body weight induced by caloric restriction was accompanied by a significant reduction in fasting insulin levels (from 167.2 +/- 94.0 to 98.9 +/- 44.9 pmol/L; P < 0.05) which correlated with the reduction in plasma ET-1 levels (r = 0.78; P < 0.003). In conclusion, our data show that insulin stimulates both in vitro and in vivo ET-1 secretion. Such interaction could play a significant role in the development of atherosclerotic lesions in hyperinsulinemic conditions.
The impact of abdominal aortic aneurysm on muscle mass and energy expenditure: A novel preliminary investigation

Objective Vascular surgical patients, including those with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), are nutritionally vulnerable. The aim of this study was to compare resting energy expenditure (REE) of patients with AAA relative to age- and gender-matched controls and explore relationships between aneurysm size and muscle mass. Methods Twenty patients with AAA underwent assessment of REE using indirect calorimetry. Mid-arm circumference and triceps skinfold thickness were measured and corrected arm muscle area calculated. Twenty gender- and age-matched controls were assessed using the same procedures. Results Mean (SD) age of participants with AAA was 74.7 (7.7) years, size of AAA ranged from 45 to 70 mm. Median (IQR) REE was significantly higher than controls [5990 (5469, 7017) kJ/day versus 5086 (4536, 5886) kJ/day, p = . 011; or 69 (64, 80) kJ/kg/day versus 66 (61, 69) kJ/kg/day, p = . 046]. While weight-adjusted REE was independent of aneurysm size (r = .200; p = .397), as aneurysm size increased, weight-adjusted corrected arm muscle area decreased (r = −.576; p = .008). Conclusion The raised REE and decline in muscle mass associated with larger AAA suggest that early detection and attention to nutritional requirements of patients with AAA may be warranted.
Effectiveness and Acceptability of Congestion Pricing

Effectiveness and Acceptability of Congestion Pricing Urban congestion is a pervasive and growing problem in developed and developing countries. The lack of excludability for scarce urban space, speci cally roads and parking spaces, creates a common resource problem yielding a congestion externality that generates many external costs. Marginal social cost pricing has long been advocated as a means of alleviating market failures resulting from such negative (environmental) externalities. Congestion pricing comes in numerous forms (e.g., tolls on roads or express lanes), but has only been sporadically adopted despite congestion being a growing problem. The literature argues that concerns on equity and fairness issues and revenue redistribution are major hurdles of making an e ective congestion pricing policy politically feasible and publicly acceptable. This dissertation investigates the e ectiveness and acceptability of congestion pricing schemes in di erent contexts and examines whether individual beliefs in addition to the objective welfare e ects determine voter acceptability. The rst chapter employs laboratory experiments to examine the evolution of voting behavior after individuals become accustomed to the congestion problem and the congestion pricing policy, and the nature of the experience from the congestion policy. The congestion pricing policy exogenously creates inequitable outcomes which in some cases makes some people worse o . The second chapter develops and examines a three-player bottleneck congestion game and examines the ex-ante and ex-post welfare implications of an ex-ante e cient tolling policy. The third chapter examines the e ectiveness and acceptability of tolls in the three-player bottleneck congestion game using laboratory experiments where equity concerns are endogenously determined. The results
Correlation between testosterone and the inflammatory marker soluble interleukin-6 receptor in older men.

CONTEXT An age-associated decline in testosterone (T) levels and an increase in proinflammatory cytokines contribute to chronic diseases in older men. Whether and how these changes are related is unclear. OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that T and inflammatory markers are negatively correlated in older men. DESIGN This was a cross-sectional study. SETTING A population-based sample of older men was studied. PARTICIPANTS AND MEASURES After excluding participants taking glucocorticoids or antibiotics or those with recent hospitalization, 467 men, aged 65 yr or older, had complete determinations of total T, bioavailable T, SHBG, albumin, IL-6, soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6r), TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and C-reactive protein. RESULTS After adjusting for potential confounders, sIL-6r was significantly and inversely correlated with total T (r = -0.20; P < 0.001) and bioavailable T (r = -0.12; P < 0.05). T was not correlated with any other inflammatory marker. CONCLUSIONS These preliminary findings suggest an inverse relationship between T and sIL-6r. Longitudinal studies are needed to establish the causality of this association.
Life stages and reproductive components of the Marmorkrebs (marbled crayfish), the first parthenogenetic decapod crustacean

Recently, we briefly reported on the first case of parthenogenesis in the decapod Crustacea which was found in the Marmorkrebs or marbled crayfish, a cambarid species of unknown geographic origin and species identity. Curiously, this animal is known only from aquarium populations, where it explosively propagates. By means of light and electron microscopic techniques we have now investigated the reproductive components of this crayfish, using more than 100 specimens ranging from hatchling to repeatedly spawned adult. Additionally, we documented its principal life stages. Our results revealed that the external sexual characters and also the gonads of the marbled crayfish are purely female, making this fast‐reproducing species a good model for investigating female reproductive features in crayfish. Testicular tissues, ovotestes, or male gonoducts, gonopores, or gonopods were never found, either in small juveniles or large adult specimens, confirming the parthenogenetic nature of this crayfish. Parthenogenesis may have arisen spontaneously or by interspecific hybridization since Wolbachia‐like feminizing microorganisms were not found in the ovaries. The external sexual characters of the marbled crayfish are first recognized in Stage 4 juveniles and are structurally complete ∼2 months after hatching in specimens of ∼2 cm total length. In the same life stage the ovary is fully differentiated as well, although the oocytes are in previtellogenic and primary vitellogenic stages only. The architecture of the mature ovary and also the synchronous maturation of cohorts of primary vitellogenic oocytes by secondary vitellogenesis are in general agreement with data published on ovaries of bisexual crayfish. New results were obtained with respect to the muscular nature of the ovarian envelope and its extensive proliferation after the first spawning, the distribution of hemal sinuses in the ovarian envelope and in the interstitium around the oogenetic pouches, the high transport activity of the follicle cells, and the colonization of oogenetic pouches by previtellogenic oocytes that originate in the germaria. Investigation of the nuclei of oocytes in the germaria and oogenetic pouches revealed no signs of meiosis, as usually found in females of bisexual decapods, suggesting that parthenogenesis in the marbled crayfish might be an apomictic thelytoky. The detection of new rickettsial and coccidian infections in the ovary and further organs raises fears that the marbled crayfish might endanger native European species by transmission of pathogens once escaped into the wild. J. Morphol. 261:286–311, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Elucidation of kinetic mechanisms of human translesion DNA polymerase κ using tryptophan mutants

To investigate the conformational dynamics of human DNA polymerase κ (hpol κ), we generated two mutants, Y50W (N‐clasp region) and Y408W (linker between the thumb and little finger domains), using a Trp‐null mutant (W214Y/W392H) of the hpol κ catalytic core enzyme. These mutants retained catalytic activity and similar patterns of selectivity for bypassing the DNA adduct 7,8‐dihydro‐8‐oxo‐2′‐deoxyguanosine, as indicated by the results of steady‐state and pre‐steady‐state kinetic experiments. Stopped‐flow kinetic assays with hpol κ Y50W and T408W revealed a decrease in Trp fluorescence with the template G:dCTP pair but not for any mispairs. This decrease in fluorescence was not rate‐limiting and is considered to be related to a conformational change necessary for correct nucleotidyl transfer. When a free 3′‐hydroxyl was present on the primer, the Trp fluorescence returned to the baseline level at a rate similar to the observed kcat, suggesting that this change occurs during or after nucleotidyl transfer. However, polymerization rates (kpol) of extended‐product formation were fast, indicating that the slow fluorescence step follows phosphodiester bond formation and is rate‐limiting. Pyrophosphate formation and release were fast and are likely to precede the slower relaxation step. The available kinetic data were used to fit a simplified minimal model. The extracted rate constants confirmed that the conformational change after phosphodiester bond formation was rate‐limiting for hpol κ catalysis with the template G:dCTP pair.
Growth and Inequality in Africa: Reconsideration

Considering the recent interest in the need to curb inequality and enhance economic growth as a tool for fighting poverty in Africa, we employ a panel of 20 African countries. The paper empirically examines the determinants of growth and income inequality and the channel through which growth determinants influences income inequality. The study is restricted to the period 1991 to 2015 based on data availability. We employ Panel Fixed Effect (PFE) models to investigate growth-inequality relationships and find that, there exists a positive long-run relationship between growth and inequality in the selected African countries. For causality analysis, we employ Dumitrescu and Hurlin (2012) Granger causality for heterogeneous non-causality test approach, where we found neutrality hypothesis between growth and income inequality, and between foreign direct investment and inequality, while between other regressors all with a feedback. The results suggest that population growth; mortality rate, government consumption expenditure and foreign direct investment are principal determinants of the long-run growth and income inequality within the selected African countries.
U.S. STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL POLICY AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY: DO WE KNOW MORE NOW?

Early reviews of the academic literature on the economic effects of state and local taxes and expenditures suggested that not enough was known upon which to base policy. The reviews called for better data and improvements in empirical methodology. This paper reviews studies conducted since the early literature reviews to assess our current state of knowledge. The conclusion of the study is that we know more now. But our knowledge is unlikely to ever be sufficient to provide universal policy guidance. Rather, we suggest that more research is needed on specific state and local policies for specific circumstances, consistent with the general principles that guide place-based policy.
Circulatory volume expansion therapy for aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage.

BACKGROUND Secondary ischaemia is a frequent complication after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), and responsible for a substantial proportion of patients with poor outcome after SAH. The cause of secondary ischaemia is unknown, but hypovolaemia and fluid restriction are important risk factors. Therefore, volume expansion therapy (hypervolaemia) is frequently used in patients with SAH to prevent or treat secondary ischaemia. OBJECTIVES To determine the effectiveness of volume expansion therapy for improving outcome in patients with aneurysmal SAH. SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register (last searched September 2003). In addition we searched MEDLINE (1966 to January 2004) and EMBASE (1980 to January 2004) and contacted trialists to identify further published and unpublished studies. SELECTION CRITERIA All randomised controlled trials of volume expansion therapy in patients with aneurysmal SAH. We also sought controlled trials based on consecutive groups of patients quasi-randomly allocated to treatment or control group and included these in the analysis if the two groups were well comparable with regard to major prognostic factors. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two reviewers independently extracted the data and assessed trial quality. Trialists were contacted to obtain missing information. MAIN RESULTS We identified three trials. One truly randomised trial and one quasi-randomised trial with comparable baseline characteristics for both groups were included in the analyses. Volume expansion therapy did not improve outcome (Relative Risk (RR) 1.0; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.5 to 2.2), nor the occurrence of secondary ischaemia (RR 1.1; 95% CI 0.5 to 2.2). Hypervolaemia tended to increase the rate of complications (RR 1.8; 95% CI 0.9 to 3.7) In another quasi-randomised trial, outcome assessment was done only at the day of operation (7 to 10 days after SAH). In the period before operation, treatment resulted in a reduction of secondary ischaemia (RR 0.33; 95% CI 0.11 to 0.99) and case fatality (RR 0.20; 95% CI 0.07 to 1.2). REVIEWERS' CONCLUSIONS The effects of volume expansion therapy have been studied properly in only two trials of patients with aneurysmal SAH, with very small numbers. At present, there is no sound evidence for the use of volume expansion therapy in patients with aneurysmal SAH.
Investor Myopia and the Momentum Premium across International Equity Markets

Myopic investors focus on short-run price changes rather than long-term fundamental value, resulting in an overweighting of public information and a slow diffusion of fundamental news. Such processing of information can produce price drifts similar to those seen in behavioral models of momentum. We explore the impact of myopia over an international sample, finding that momentum is stronger in more myopic countries, and this relationship is magnified where the proportion of funds under delegated management is high. We therefore argue that investor myopia, which arises due to agency issues in delegated funds management, is an important determinant of momentum.
Alcohol and homicide: a cross-cultural comparison of the relationship in 14 European countries.

AIMS To assess an empirical basis for cross-national and cross-cultural comparisons of four aspects of the association between alcohol consumption and homicide: the relative strength of the association, the fraction of homicide rates attributable to alcohol consumption, possible gender differences in the association between consumption and victim rates and possible variations in beverage-specific effects on homicide rates. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Time series analyses on different series of annual aggregate-level data on alcohol sales and homicide rates for the period 1950-95 were performed for each individual country. Estimates were pooled across countries within three regions of alleged differences in drinking pattern: southern Europe, central Europe and northern Europe. FINDINGS Total alcohol sales were positively and statistically significantly associated with homicide rates in five countries. Beer sales were positively and statistically significantly associated with homicide rates in four countries, wine sales in another two countries, and spirits sales in two countries. The effect of alcohol sales was stronger for male homicide rates than for female homicide rates, and the estimated fraction of homicides that could be attributed to alcohol consumption appeared to be of the same magnitude in the three regions. When estimates were pooled across countries, the strongest association between total sales and homicides was found in the northern European countries and the weakest, but still statistically significant, in the southern European countries. Pooled estimates showed that beer sales were positively and significantly associated with homicide rates in all three European regions, whereas wine sales were positively and moderately associated with homicide rates only in the traditional wine drinking cultures in southern Europe. CONCLUSION The findings support the hypothesis that homicide rates are influenced by alcohol sales and more so in the northern European countries where the drinking culture is, to a larger extent, characterized by heavy drinking episodes. Moreover, the findings are suggestive of beverage-specific effects on violent behaviour being contingent upon characteristics of the drinking culture.
Research on Texas in U.S. higher education and the effectiveness of race-neutral admissions

 The U.S. has experienced considerable growth of its Hispanic and Black populations, which together constitute the majority of underrepresented students in the nation’s schools: Between 2000 and 2010, the Hispanic population accounted for more than 50 percent of the total increase in the U.S. population (15.2 million out of 27.3 million). The Black population also grew faster than the total U.S. population (12 percent versus 9 percent) (Ennis, Rios-Vargas, & Albert, 2011; Rastogi, Johnson, Hoeffel, & Drewery, 2011).  Texas had the greatest population growth in the nation from 2000 to 2010: During this period, Texas had the greatest numeric population increase of all U.S. states (4 million) making it one of the nation’s major demographic stakeholders. Texas also registered the second largest number of Hispanics (after California) and the third largest number of Blacks (after New York and Florida) (Ennis et al., 2011; Mackun & Wilson, 2011; Rastogi et al., 2011).  Nationally, the demographics of the population increase in Texas is reflected in the nation’s changing postsecondary education population: By 2010, Hispanics were the largest minority on the nation’s college campuses; by 2011 they constituted the largest minority group at the nation’s four-year colleges and universities (Fry, 2011; Fry & Lopez, 2012). Hispanics are the largest minority in Texas, and in the nation as a whole.  The Texas high school graduate population indicates a growing percentage of underrepresented minority students and a declining percentage of White students: Hispanic high school graduates experienced an increase of 72 percent from FY 2002 to FY 2011 (from 74,446 to 127,746); the African American population experienced an increase of 29 percent during this same period (from 30,030 to 38,755). Meanwhile, the population of White high school graduates in Texas decreased by 1,000 from 2010 to 2011 (down to 107,597), following the general trend of a decrease in the White college-age population that began in FY 2008 and is expected to continue at least until 2015 (Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2012).
Ranolazine for the Treatment of Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: Background, Aims, and Design of the RALI‐DHF Study

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), formerly referred to as diastolic heart failure (DHF), accounts for >50% of all HF patients. So far, there has been no specific treatment for impaired left ventricular (LV) relaxation. Data from in vitro and animal studies indicate that ranolazine improves diastolic function by inhibiting the late sodium current.