Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intracellular fate of LDL receptor family members depends on the cooperation between their ligand-binding and EGF domains

The insect low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor (LDLR) homologue LpR mediates endocytosis of an insect lipoprotein (lipophorin) that is structurally related to LDL. Despite these similarities, lipophorin and LDL follow distinct intracellular routes upon endocytosis by their receptors. Whereas LDL is degraded in lysosomes, lipophorin is recycled in a transferrin-like manner. We constructed several hybrid receptors composed of Locusta migratoria LpR and human LDLR regions to identify the domains implicated in LpR-mediated ligand recycling. Additionally, the triadic His562 residue of LDLR, which is putatively involved in ligand uncoupling, was mutated to Asn, corresponding to Asn643 in LpR, to analyse the role of the His triad in receptor functioning. The familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) class 5 mutants LDLRH562Y and LDLRH190Y were also analysed in vitro. Fluorescence microscopic investigation and quantification suggest that LpR-mediated ligand recycling involves cooperation between the ligand-binding domain and epidermal growth factor (EGF) domain of LpR, whereas its cytosolic tail does not harbour motifs that affect this process. LDLR residue His562 appears to be essential for LDLR recycling after ligand endocytosis but not for constitutive receptor recycling. Like LDLRH562N, LDLRH562Y did not recycle bound ligand; moreover, the intracellular distribution of both mutant receptors after ligand incubation coincides with that of a lysosomal marker. The LDLR mutant characterization in vitro suggests that LDLR FH class 5 mutations might be divided into two subclasses.
Utilizing disease surveillance to examine gene flow and dispersal in white-tailed deer

Summary 1. The prevention and management of transmissible diseases hinges upon understanding host dispersal because it influences distribution of wildlife, affects the rate of disease transmission, and alters the spatial distribution of infection. The relationship between host dispersal and chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervids is of interest because potential interspecies transmission of fatal prion diseases creates serious risks for wildlife, domestic species, and humans. 2. We used molecular techniques to examine dispersal in a population of Illinois white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus. Sampled individuals inhabited areas with confirmed cases of CWD, a transmissible prion disease of cervids, with additional sampling in uninfected locations. We genotyped 1410 deer harvested through CWD surveillance using 10 microsatellites and measured gene flow, determined population structure and quantified gender-specific differences in dispersal. Additionally we used spatial autocorrelation and parentage assignments to examine individual movements. 3. Female deer demonstrated philopatry as evidenced by higher levels of genetic structure, positive spatial autocorrelation and maternity assignments within one home range. 4. Male deer were less genetically structured and frequently exchanged genes across >100 km. 5. Synthesis and applications. Dispersal contributes to the spread of wildlife diseases. Therefore, knowledge of wildlife movement patterns can enhance the efficacy of disease control programmes. Our findings show that samples collected for disease surveillance are useful for measuring gene flow and inferring dispersal in white-tailed deer. High genetic admixture indicates males disperse regardless of landscape features. In contrast, distinct clustering of females demonstrates localized dispersal and philopatry. Taken together, results suggest that CWD surveillance and culling of males should be broadly expanded after an outbreak. Furthermore, surveillance of hunter-harvested deer can be used to identify locales in which CWD occurs, and this information should be used to focus culling efforts on females within genetically defined clusters (‘matriarchal groups’). Removal of matriarchal groups at those locations will reduce horizontal transmission more than widely distributed population reductions.
Recent long‐distance transgene flow into wild populations conforms to historical patterns of gene flow in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) at its centre of origin

Over 95% of the currently cultivated cotton was domesticated from Gossypium hirsutum, which originated and diversified in Mexico. Demographic and genetic studies of this species at its centre of origin and diversification are lacking, although they are critical for cotton conservation and breeding. We investigated the actual and potential distribution of wild cotton populations, as well as the contribution of historical and recent gene flow in shaping cotton genetic diversity and structure. We evaluated historical gene flow using chloroplast microsatellites and recent gene flow through the assessment of transgene presence in wild cotton populations, exploiting the fact that genetically modified cotton has been planted in the North of Mexico since 1996. Assessment of geographic structure through Bayesian spatial analysis, BAPS and Genetic Algorithm for Rule‐set Production (GARP), suggests that G. hirsutum seems to conform to a metapopulation scheme, with eight distinct metapopulations. Despite evidence for long‐distance gene flow, genetic variation among the metapopulations of G. hirsutum is high (He = 0.894 ± 0.01). We identified 46 different haplotypes, 78% of which are unique to a particular metapopulation, in contrast to a single haplotype detected in cotton cultivars. Recent gene flow was also detected (m = 66/270 = 0.24), with four out of eight metapopulations having transgenes. We discuss the implications of the data presented here with respect to the conservation and future breeding of cotton populations and genetic diversity at its centre of crop origin.
Demand for milk labels in Germany: organic milk, conventional brands, and retail labels

German milk brands have come under significant price pressure due to the introduction of retail labels at the lower price end and of organic milk as a premium product. This analysis provides elasticity estimates by milk types and analyzes sociodemographic determinants of demand. A censored system of German household demand for organic and conventional milk, further separated into retail-label and brand milk, is estimated using a two-step procedure on data from the 2000-2003 German GfK ConsumerScan Houshold Survey. Own-price elasticities of conventional milk are around unity, but the demand for organic milk is very price-elastic. Results suggest that the price of organic milk should be considered as an important marketing instrument. lJEL-Code: D12, Q11r. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Drivers of organizational creativity: a path model of creative climate in pharmaceutical R&D

A path model of organizational creativity was presented; it conceptualized the influences of information sharing, learning culture, motivation, and networking on creative climate. A structural equation model was fitted to data from the pharmaceutical industry to test the proposed model. The model accounted for 86% of the variance in the creative climate-dependent variable. Information sharing had a positive effect on learning culture, which in turn had a positive effect on creative climate, while there were negative direct effects of information sharing on creative climate and on intrinsic motivation. This study suggests that information sharing and intrinsic motivation are important drivers for organizational creativity in a complex R&D environment in the pharmaceutical industry. Implications of the model are discussed.
Histologic Study of Acute Vocal Fold Wound Healing after Corticosteroid Injection in a Rabbit Model

Objectives: Injectable corticosteroids have been used in phonosurgery to prevent scarring of the vocal fold because of their effects on wound healing, and to ensure better voice quality. We histologically evaluated the effects of dexamethasone sodium phosphate infiltration on acute vocal fold wound healing in rabbits 3 and 7 days after surgically induced injury by quantification of the inflammatory reaction and collagen deposition. Methods: A standardized surgical incision was made in the vocal folds of 12 rabbits, and 0.1 mL dexamethasone sodium phosphate (4 mg/mL) was injected into the left vocal fold. The right vocal fold was not injected and served as the control. The larynges were collected 3 and 7 days after surgery. For histologic analysis, the vocal folds were stained with hematoxylin-eosin for quantification of the inflammatory response and with picrosirius red for quantification of collagen deposition. Results: There was no quantitative difference in the inflammatory response between vocal folds injected with the corticosteroid and control vocal folds. However, the rate of collagen deposition was significantly lower in the corticosteroid-treated group at 3 and 7 days after injury (p = 0.002). Conclusions: The present results suggest that dexamethasone reduces collagen deposition during acute vocal fold wound healing.
An investigation on competitiveness in services: Turkey versus European Union

Purpose - – The aim of this study is to investigate the competitiveness of the selected services in Turkey in comparison with the EU and the selected EU countries based on three comparative advantage indices. Design/methodology/approach - – Three different revealed comparative advantage indices were utilised in a combined way. Import and export figures of six service sectors were taken into account for the period of 2000-2010. The selected services are: transportation, travel, construction, financial services and insurance, communications and IT services, and personal, cultural and recreational services. Consistency of the results was achieved through correlation analyses. Findings - – Strong comparative advantages exist for Turkey in construction, tourism and transportation sectors. Although Turkish financial and insurance and communication and computer-information sectors appear to be weak compared to EU, there is a substantial potential for improvement. Originality/value - – A detailed comparative investigation of services' competitiveness for Turkey was provided. The policy decision makers in Turkey and in Europe's selected countries can utilise the findings and recommendations of the study for projection of the investigated sectors.
Pharmacogenomics of metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 1 and in vivo malignant melanoma formation

We have previously shown that ectopic expression of metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 1 in melanocytes is essential for both development and in vivo growth of melanoma using newly developed transgenic mice which conditionally express metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 1 (mGluR1). In this study, we developed conditional transgenic mice, which harbor melanocytes not only in the dermis and hair follicles but also in the epidermis using stem cell factor transgenic mice. Pigmented plaques on the backs, tails, ears or groins of the transgenic mice began to appear 13 weeks after activation of the mGluR1 transgene, and the transgenic mice produced melanomas at a frequency of 100% 36 weeks after transgene activation. Although this transgenic mouse harbors melanocytes in the epidermis, proliferation of melanoma cells took place in the dermis. To elucidate the signals involved in development and growth of melanoma, inhibitors to phospholipase C, protein kinase C and mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase 1/2, and antagonists to Ca2+ and calmodulin were administrated to transgenic mice. Each signal inhibitor to phospholipase, protein kinase C, Ca2+ release, calmodulin and mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 inhibited melanoma development. However, once melanoma was developed, the growth of melanoma was dramatically inhibited only by the inhibitor to mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 with partial inhibition by inhibitors to protein kinase C and phospholipase C. This inhibition of melanoma growth was well correlated with the expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 1/2 and Ki‐67. These results indicate that for development of melanoma, activation of every signaling pathway from mGluR1 is required. However, for growth of melanoma, the extracellular signal‐regulated kinase pathway plays a key role.
Centralization Versus Decentralization in Educational Administration: Regional Issues

Reduction of regional imbalances is an explicit goal of a wide range of governments. In general, it is more difficult to reduce imbalances in decentralized systems than in centralized ones. Decentralization may still be desirable for political and other reasons, however, in which case national administrators have to devise ways to work within decentralized frameworks but still achieve overall goals. This article outlines strategies employed in a number of countries, paying particular attention to the distribution of financial and human resources. Also addressed are issues of diversity and conformity in education systems. Reduction of regional imbalances does not necessarily require imposition of uniformity, but the diversity encouraged by decentralization is not always desirable.
Opposing Prêt-à-Porter: Mills, Guilds and Government on Ready-made Clothing in Early Nineteenth-Century Stockholm

Abstract This article discusses how economic thought constituted an institutional obstacle to the development of a consumer society in Sweden, during the decades around the year 1800, with reference to the production and distribution of ready-made clothing. The analysis is based on the discussions sparked by the Stockholm Tailor's Guild's repeated applications for permission to open a ‘clothes warehouse’. The article examines the positions taken by the different actors on the local arena and on the state level. It argues that although rivalry over the local market and conflicts between different corporate bodies did play a role, the decisive factor in deciding the question was the role and position of the Swedish textile industry. Appeals to what was beneficial and of practical use to Stockholm inhabitants were countered by warnings of increased smuggling and weakened control over the quality of industrial and craft products, as well as arguments concerning the optimal uses of the country's workforce. Thus, an apparently simple application for permission to sew clothes together, and then sell them, developed into a discussion of the entire basis of Swedish society's economic structure.
Elections and Macroeconomic Policy Cycles

There is an extensive empirical literature on political business cycles, but its theoretical foundations are grounded in pre-rational expectations macroeconomic theory. Here we show that electoral cycles in taxes, government spending and money growth can be modeled as an equilibrium signaling process. The cycleis driven by temporary information asymmetries which can arise if, for example,the government has more current information on its performance in providing for national defense. Incumbents cheat least when their private informationis either extremely favorable or extremely unfavorable. An exogenous increase in the incumbent partyts popularity does not necessarily imply a damped policy cycle.
What's in a Score? Differences in Consumers' Credit Knowledge Using OLS and Quantile Regressions

Credit literacy depends, in part, on understanding credit report information and scores. The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) conducted a study in 2004 to assess consumers’ knowledge of their credit report and credit score, and the dispute resolution process. This study uses the GAO data and estimates a series of OLS and quantile regressions to identify specific subgroups of the population that could benefit from more targeted consumer policies and financial education. The findings from this research have important implications for consumer educators, financial professionals, and policymakers, especially with respect to national strategies designed to improve consumers’ financial well-being.
Transepiphyseal Replacement of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament in Skeletally Immature Patients: A Preliminary Report

Background: Fear of iatrogenic growth disturbance has prevented the routine use, in children, of anatomic methods of anterior cruciate ligament replacement that have proven successful in adults. To minimize the risk of growth disturbance, extra-articular or modified physeal sparing procedures have been performed to stabilize the knee, but these procedures do not provide isometry. This study was performed to evaluate the results of a transepiphyseal replacement of the anterior cruciate ligament in skeletally immature athletes. Methods: From 1993 to 1999, twelve patients with a mean age (and standard deviation) of 13.3 ± 1.4 years underwent replacement of the anterior cruciate ligament with a quadruple hamstring tendon graft performed with an arthroscopic technique and intraoperative fluoroscopic imaging for precise tunnel placement. The femoral and tibial tunnels went through the epiphyses but avoided the physes. Eight of the twelve patients also had a meniscal repair. All patients returned for follow-up, at a mean of 4.1 ± 1.9 years (range, two to 8.2 years) after surgery. Results: The mean amount of growth from the time of surgery to the time of follow-up was 16.5 ± 10.0 cm (range, 8 to 38 cm). The difference between the lengths of the lower limbs, as measured on orthoradiographs, was not clinically relevant. The mean score on the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective knee form was 96.5 ± 4.4 points (range, 86 to 100 points). Ligament laxity testing with a KT-1000 arthrometer revealed a mean side-to-side difference of 1.5 ± 1.1 mm. The rating according to the criteria of the objective 2001 IKDC knee form was normal for seven patients and nearly normal for five. Conclusions: Transepiphyseal replacement of the anterior cruciate ligament, a technically demanding procedure with a small margin of error, should be attempted only by accomplished knee surgeons. The preliminary results in this small series, however, demonstrate that this surgical technique can be performed in prepubescent patients with efficacy and relative safety. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic study, Level IV (case series [no, or historical, control group]). See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
La régulation bancaire dans l'Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine est-elle efficace ?

Cette etude analyse empiriquement l’impact de la regulation bancaire sur le risque de defaillance des banques de l’UEMOA de 2000 a 2010. Nos resultats suggerent que les banques qui ont des ratios de solvabilite eleves, celles qui se concentrent sur l’activite de credit et les grandes banques ont un risque de defaillance plus faible. Cependant, les banques de l’UEMOA semblent financer des d’actifs plus risques et plus remunerateurs pour compenser le surcout des dettes subordonnees. Des conditions macroeconomiques favorables sont un facteur de reduction du risque de defaillance tandis qu’une part relative du secteur financier dans le PIB plus elevee contribue a accroitre ce risque.Classification JEL : G21, G28, O16, O55.
Efficient model-based design of neurophysiological experiments

We apply an adaptive approach to optimal experimental design in the context of estimating the unknown parameters of a model of a neuron's response. We present an algorithm to choose the optimal (most informative) stimulus on each trial; this algorithm can be implemented efficiently even for high-dimensional stimulus and parameter spaces (in particular, no high-dimensional numerical optimizations or integrations are required). Our simulation results show that model parameters can be estimated much more efficiently using this adaptive algorithm rather than random sampling. We also show that this adaptive approach leads to superior performance in the case that the model parameters are nonstationary, as would be expected in real experiments
Synapsin Determines Memory Strength after Punishment- and Relief-Learning

Adverse life events can induce two kinds of memory with opposite valence, dependent on timing: “negative” memories for stimuli preceding them and “positive” memories for stimuli experienced at the moment of “relief. ” Such punishment memory and relief memory are found in insects, rats, and man. For example, fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) avoid an odor after odor-shock training (“forward conditioning” of the odor), whereas after shock-odor training (“backward conditioning” of the odor) they approach it. Do these timing-dependent associative processes share molecular determinants? We focus on the role of Synapsin, a conserved presynaptic phosphoprotein regulating the balance between the reserve pool and the readily releasable pool of synaptic vesicles. We find that a lack of Synapsin leaves task-relevant sensory and motor faculties unaffected. In contrast, both punishment memory and relief memory scores are reduced. These defects reflect a true lessening of associative memory strength, as distortions in nonassociative processing (e.g., susceptibility to handling, adaptation, habituation, sensitization), discrimination ability, and changes in the time course of coincidence detection can be ruled out as alternative explanations. Reductions in punishment- and relief-memory strength are also observed upon an RNAi-mediated knock-down of Synapsin, and are rescued both by acutely restoring Synapsin and by locally restoring it in the mushroom bodies of mutant flies. Thus, both punishment memory and relief memory require the Synapsin protein and in this sense share genetic and molecular determinants. We note that corresponding molecular commonalities between punishment memory and relief memory in humans would constrain pharmacological attempts to selectively interfere with excessive associative punishment memories, e.g., after traumatic experiences.
Continuing Professional Development: Perspectives from Human Resource Professionals

Explores several important issues associated with continuing professional development (CPD). Notes the importance of ensuring that CPD is driven by the needs of the business, and also considers the issue of whether CPD should be compulsory or voluntary. Presents the results of a survey targeted at human resource professionals in South Wales. The survey explored the attitude of respondents to a variety of CPD issues and found that, although most organizations had business plans, such plans were frequently silent on human resource activities which could enhance general business direction. Respondents, while remaining over‐whelmingly opposed to compulsory CPD, were in favour of some certification and recognition for CPD activities.
Skin Manifestations of West Nile Virus Infection

West Nile virus (WNV) infection is a potentially lethal arbovirus infection. Many notable outbreaks have occurred during the last few years throughout the world, including Europe and the USA. The severity of the disease is mainly related to the neurological complications. A maculopapular exanthema is reported as a clinical sign of the disease. Recently an outbreak of WNV infection occurred in southern France. Three patients out of 6 had a similar skin roseola-like eruption. The cluster of 3 cases of similar febrile roseola of unexplained cause during the same week led to the diagnosis of the first WNV human outbreak in France for 40 years.