Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
TLR10 Is a B Cell Intrinsic Suppressor of Adaptive Immune Responses

Toll-like receptors play a central role in the initiation of adaptive immune responses with several TLR agonists acting as known B cell mitogens. Despite thousands of publications on TLRs, the function of TLR10 remains unknown. We have found that Ab-mediated engagement of TLR10 on primary human B cells suppresses B cell proliferation, cytokine production, and signal transduction. When challenged with either a T independent or T dependent Ag, TLR10 transgenic mice exhibit diminished Ab responses. Adoptive transfer of splenic B cells into B cell–deficient mice revealed that the suppressive effects on Ag-specific humoral immune responses are entirely B cell intrinsic. Our results demonstrate that TLR10 has a functional role within the B cell lineage that is distinct from that of other TLR family members and may provide a potential therapeutic target for diseases characterized by dysregulated B cell activity.
Blood feeding in juvenile Paragnathia formica (Isopoda: Gnathiidae): biochemical characterization of trypsin inhibitors, detection of anticoagulants, and molecular identification of fish hosts

SUMMARY The 3 post-marsupial juvenile stages of the gnathiid isopod, Paragnathia formica, are haematophagous ectoparasites of fishes that may, in heavy infestations, cause host mortality. Protein digestion in fed stage 3 juveniles is accomplished by cysteine proteinases, but what bioactive compounds attenuate host haemostatic, inflammatory and immunological responses during feeding is unknown. Trypsin inhibitory activity and anticoagulant activity were detected in crude extracts of unfed P. formica stage 1 juveniles; fractionation of stage 1 crude extracts by ion exchange chromatography resulted in 3 preparations each displaying these bioactivities. Further characterization revealed anti-thrombin activity in 2 of these preparations, whilst the third displayed the strongest anticoagulant activity that targeted a factor of the intrinsic coagulation pathway. Three trypsin inhibitors (18 kDa, 21 kDa, and 22 kDa) were also detected using reverse zymography. In parallel, homogenates of fed stage 2 and 3 juveniles were used to identify their fish hosts by amplifying the 16S mitochondrial rDNA and 18S genomic rDNA vertebrate gene regions. Blood from at least 4 fish families had been ingested by separate individuals during feeding. This study demonstrates that trypsin inhibitors and anticoagulants are present in P. formica juveniles which could suppress host haemostatic, inflammatory and immunological responses during feeding, and that juveniles are not host specific.
Compromised Virus-Induced Gene Silencing in RDR6-Deficient Plants1[W]

RNA silencing in plants serves as a potent antiviral defense mechanism through the action of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), which direct RNA degradation. siRNAs can be derived directly from the viral genome or via the action of host-encoded RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RDRs). Plant genomes encode multiple RDRs, and it has been demonstrated that plants defective for RDR6 hyperaccumulate several classes of virus. In this study, we compared the effectiveness of virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) and RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) in wild-type and RDR6-deficient Nicotiana benthamiana plants. For the potexvirus Potato virus X (PVX) and the potyvirus Plum pox virus (PPV), the efficiency of both VIGS and RdDM were compromised in RDR6-defective plants despite accumulating high levels of viral siRNAs similar to infection of wild-type plants. The reduced efficiency of VIGS and RdDM was unrelated to the size class of siRNA produced and, at least for PVX, was not dependent on the presence of the virus-encoded silencing suppressor protein, 25K. We suggest that primary siRNAs produced from PVX and PPV in the absence of RDR6 may not be good effectors of silencing and that RDR6 is required to produce secondary siRNAs that drive a more effective antiviral response.
Myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia in adult individuals 30 years old or younger: presenting features, evolution and survival

Abstract: Myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia (MMM) usually affects older people and is associated with a median survival of 3.5–5 yr. Survival of MMM patients 55 yr old or younger is longer, but there is no information on the youngest subset. The presenting features, evolution and survival were analyzed in 9 patients with MMM aged 30 yr or less, representing 2.8% of two series including 323 cases. Age ranged from 17 to 30 yr; 3 patients were males and 6 females. Five patients were asymptomatic and none had constitutional symptoms. Anemia was observed in 4 patients, being severe in only one. The WBC count was normal in 7 patients and 2 had mild leukocytosis; moderate thrombocytosis was observed in 7 patients. No patient showed blood blast cells or bone marrow cytogenetic abnormalities. With a median follow‐up of 6.8 (range 0.8–28) yr, 2 patients died 10.7 and 9.9 yr from diagnosis, one from complications of bone marrow transplantation performed after progression of the disease and the other from gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to portal hypertension. Among remaining patients, one developed Budd–Chiari syndrome, another was lost to follow‐up at 3 yr, and 5 remain asymptomatic and currently without treatment (one had been splenectomized at diagnosis). These results indicate that in most young adults with MMM the disease presents without adverse prognostic factors and may remain stable for years, which may be of interest when considering the treatment of such patients.
Seasonal Fluctuation of DNA Photodamage in Marine Plankton Assemblages at Palmer Station, Antarctica¶

Abstract Ultraviolet radiation–induced DNA damage frequencies were measured in DNA dosimeters and natural plankton communities during the austral spring at Palmer Station, Antarctica, during the 1999–2000 field season. We found that the fluence of solar ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B) at the earth's surface correlated with stratospheric ozone concentrations, with significant ozone depletion observed because of “ozone hole” conditions. To verify the interdependence of ozone depletion and DNA damage in natural microbial communities, seawater was collected daily or weekly from Arthur Harbor at Palmer Station, Antarctica, throughout “ozone season,” exposed to ambient sunlight between 0600 and 1800 h and fractionated using membrane filtration to separate phytoplankton and bacterioplankton populations. DNA from these fractions was isolated and DNA damage measured using radioimmunoassay. Under low-ozone conditions cyclobutane dimer concentrations in bacterioplankton and phytoplankton communities were maximal. DNA damage measured in dosimeters correlated closely with ozone concentrations and UV-B fluence. Our studies offer further support to the theory that stratospheric deozonation is detrimental to marine planktonic organisms in the Southern Ocean.
Immunocytochemical and ultrastructural studies of Pick's disease

Cerebral cortical changes in 10 cases with Pick's disease were studied immunocytochemically and ultrastructurally. All cases contained Pick's argentophilic bodies and ballooned neurons. The antibodies against phosphorylated tau proteins that intensely stained all Pick bodies recognized numerous neuronal processes around Pick body–bearing cells and focal portions in the perikarya of ballooned neurons. Monoclonal and polyclonal anti‐ubiquitin antibodies stained not only some Pick bodies with variable intensity, but also the perikarya of all ballooned neurons. Ultrastructurally, Pick bodies consisted of accumulation of randomly oriented, approximately 15‐nm straight filaments and paired twisted profiles with a minimal diameter of 13 nm, maximal diameter of 26 nm, and twist periodicity of 120 nm. These Pick body–type filaments were also observed in the perikarya of ballooned neurons and neuronal processes around Pick body–bearing cells. Our studies demonstrate, for the first time, the characteristic pathological feature of neuropil in Pick's disease. Pick body–bearing cells and ballooned neurons show unique immunocytochemical and ultrastructural properties that may be a clue to the pathogenesis of Pick's disease.
Choanocyte ultrastructure in Halisarca dujardini (Demospongiae, Halisarcida)

Understanding poriferan choanocyte ultrastructure is crucial if we are to unravel the steps of a putative evolutionary transition between choanoflagellate protists and early metazoans. Surprisingly, some aspects of choanocyte cytology still remain little investigated. This study of choanocyte ultrastructure in the halisarcid demosponge Halisarca dujardini revealed a combination of minor and major distinctive traits, some of them unknown in Porifera so far. Most significant features were 1) an asymmetrical periflagellar sleeve, 2) a battery of specialized intercellular junctions at the lateral cell surface complemented with an array of lateral interdigitations between adjacent choanocytes that provides a particular sealing system of the choanoderm, and 3) a unique, unexpectedly complex, basal apparatus. The basal apparatus consists of a basal body provided with a small basal foot and an intricate transverse skeleton of microtubules. An accessory centriole, which is not perpendicular to the basal body, is about 45°. In addition, a system of short striated rootlets (periodicity = 50–60 nm) arises from the proximal edge of the basal body and runs longitudinally to contact the nuclear apex. This is the first flagellar rootlet system ever found in a choanocyte. The accessory centriole, the rootlet system, and the nuclear apex are all encircled by a large Golgi apparatus, adding another distinctive feature to the choanocyte cytology. The set of distinct features discovered in the choanocyte of H. dujardini indicates that the ultrastructure of the poriferan choanocyte may vary substantially between sponge groups. It is necessary to improve understanding of such variation, as the cytological features of choanocytes are often coded as characters both for formulation of hypotheses on the origin of animals and inference of phylogenetic relationships at the base of the metazoan tree. J. Morphol. , 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
High risk of near-crash driving events following night-shift work

Significance Drowsy driving is a major public health issue, particularly impacting the 9.5 million shift workers in America. Previous reports have assessed the impact of night work on driving in driving simulators. This real-vehicle driving study demonstrated increased objective and subjective drowsiness and degraded daytime driving performance in 16 night-shift workers while driving after a night of work, deteriorating with drive duration. No near-crashes occurred during driving after a night of sleep; 11 occurred during driving after night-work; all near-crashes occurred after at least 45 min of driving. Policy makers and night-workers should consider avoiding/minimizing driving or deploying effective countermeasures when driving after night-shift work to reduce drowsy driving and preventable crashes and injuries in this high-risk population. Night-shift workers are at high risk of drowsiness-related motor vehicle crashes as a result of circadian disruption and sleep restriction. However, the impact of actual night-shift work on measures of drowsiness and driving performance while operating a real motor vehicle remains unknown. Sixteen night-shift workers completed two 2-h daytime driving sessions on a closed driving track at the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety: (i) a postsleep baseline driving session after an average of 7.6 ± 2.4 h sleep the previous night with no night-shift work, and (ii) a postnight-shift driving session following night-shift work. Physiological measures of drowsiness were collected, including infrared reflectance oculography, electroencephalography, and electrooculography. Driving performance measures included lane excursions, near-crash events, and drives terminated because of failure to maintain control of the vehicle. Eleven near-crashes occurred in 6 of 16 postnight-shift drives (37.5%), and 7 of 16 postnight-shift drives (43.8%) were terminated early for safety reasons, compared with zero near-crashes or early drive terminations during 16 postsleep drives (Fishers exact: P = 0.0088 and P = 0.0034, respectively). Participants had a significantly higher rate of lane excursions, average Johns Drowsiness Scale, blink duration, and number of slow eye movements during postnight-shift drives compared with postsleep drives (3.09/min vs. 1.49/min; 1.71 vs. 0.97; 125 ms vs. 100 ms; 35.8 vs. 19.1; respectively, P < 0.05 for all). Night-shift work increases driver drowsiness, degrading driving performance and increasing the risk of near-crash drive events. With more than 9.5 million Americans working overnight or rotating shifts and one-third of United States commutes exceeding 30 min, these results have implications for traffic and occupational safety.
Implementation of AF-CBT by Community Practitioners Serving Child Welfare and Mental Health

The Partnerships for Families project is a randomized clinical trial designed to evaluate the implementation of Alternatives for Families: A Cognitive–Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT), an evidence-based treatment for family conflict, coercion, and aggression, including child physical abuse. To evaluate the effectiveness of a training program in this model, 182 community practitioners from 10 agencies were randomized to receive AF-CBT training (n = 90) using a learning community model (workshops, consultation visits) or Training as Usual (TAU; n = 92) which provided trainings per agency routine. Practitioners completed self-report measures at four time points (0, 6, 12, and 18 months following baseline). Of those assigned to AF-CBT, 89% participated in at least one training activity and 68% met a “training completion” definition. A total of 80 (44%) practitioners were still active clinicians in the study by 18-month assessment in that they had not met our staff turnover or study withdrawal criteria. Using an intent-to-train design, hierarchical linear modeling analyses revealed significantly greater initial improvements for those in the AF-CBT training condition (vs. TAU condition) in CBT-related knowledge and use of AF-CBT teaching processes, abuse-specific skills, and general psychological skills. In addition, practitioners in both groups reported significantly more negative perceptions of organizational climate through the intervention phase. These significant, albeit modest, findings are discussed in the context of treatment training, research, and work force issues as they relate to the diverse backgrounds, settings, and populations served by community practitioners.
The public sector wage premium and fiscal consolidation in Serbia

Responding to a high fiscal deficit, the Serbian government introduced a set of fiscal consolidation measures at the beginning of 2015, including a 10% public sector wage cut. This paper analyses the difference in wages between the public and the private sector in Serbia and changes in the public sector wage premium after the measures were introduced. The results show that, similarly to many other countries, wages in the Serbian public sector are on average higher than in the private sector, partially due to the better labour market characteristics of public sector workers. The public sector wage premium was 17.4% in 2014 and was mainly driven by higher returns to education, work experience, and occupation in this sector. In 2015 the premium dropped by 6 percentage points due to a lessening of the difference in returns between the sectors. Therefore, in addition to reducing budget expenditures, fiscal consolidation in Serbia has reduced wage inequality between these sectors.
Destination Personality, Destination Image, and Intent to Recommend: The Role of Gender, Age, Cultural Background, and Prior Experiences

When tourists chose destinations, they usually select locations that satisfy the subjective criteria of their requirements. The purpose of this study was to delineate those criteria by analyzing the interrelationships among destination personality, image, and intent to recommend while examining the effects of gender, age, cultural background, and prior tourist experience. The data were collected from a major tourism destination in South Korea. A total of 316 usable surveys were analyzed using structural analysis. The results show that three of the four factors for destination personality significantly affected destination image. In turn, destination image influenced intent to recommend. Subsequent tests for metric invariances showed differences in the moderating role of cultural background, gender, age, and prior experience.
Ridge Width Gain With Screw Spreaders: A Cadaver Study

Background:The aim of this cadaver study was to evaluate the amount of ridge expansion with screw spreaders. Methods:Eleven edentulous maxillae providing 20 eligible sites were used. Ridges with initial width of 3 to 6 mm were expanded using a set of 6 screw spreaders, and implants (ø3.7 × 10 mm) were subsequently placed. Ridge width at 2 mm apical to the crest was measured at the baseline, after expansion, and implant placement. Buccal plate thickness and incidence of buccal dehiscence after implant placement were measured. Results:The mean initial ridge width was 3.97 ± 0.82 mm. After the expansion, the mean ridge width increased to 4.76 ± 0.77 mm ([INCREMENT] = 0.79 mm). Majority of sites (7/9 sites) with an initial ridge width of <4 mm had a buccal dehiscence after implant placement. A buccal plate thickness of ≥1 mm was consistently present in cases with an initial ridge width of ≥4.5 mm after implant placement. Conclusions:The screw spreaders had a modest effect on ridge expansion. Their use might be limited because additional bone augmentation might be required to prevent or correct the bony dehiscence encountered in ridges <4.5 mm wide. Therefore, using this particular instrument kit for horizontal ridge augmentation is only indicated in specific cases.
The Src-Like Adaptor Protein Regulates GM-CSFR Signaling and Monocytic Dendritic Cell Maturation

GM-CSF is an important cytokine involved in myeloid differentiation and inflammatory processes. Signaling through the GM-CSFR also plays a critical role in the generation of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DC). In this article, we report that the Src-like adaptor protein (SLAP) functions as a negative regulator of the GM-CSFR. In bone marrow-derived DC (BM-DC) lacking SLAP and the closely related SLAP2, downregulation of GM-CSFRβ is impaired, leading to enhanced phosphorylation of Jak2 and prolonged activation of Akt and Erk1/2 in response to GM-CSF stimulation. Compared with wild-type bone marrow, SLAP/SLAP2−/− bone marrow gave rise to similar numbers of CD11c+ and CD11b+ DC, but SLAP/SLAP2−/− BM-DC failed to acquire high levels of MHC class II, CD80, and CD86, indicating an impairment in maturation. Furthermore, MHC class II expression in SLAP/SLAP2−/− BM-DC was rescued by decreasing GM-CSF concentration, suggesting that enhanced GM-CSF signaling mediates the block in maturation. In addition, SLAP/SLAP2−/− BM-DC produced less IL-12 and TNF-α in response to LPS compared with controls and failed to stimulate T cells in an MLR. Ag-specific T cell activation assays showed that SLAP/SLAP2−/− BM-DC were less robust at inducing IFN-γ secretion by DO11.10 T cells. These results indicated that SLAP-mediated GM-CSFR regulation is important for the generation of functionally mature monocytic DC.
Association of salivary lactate dehydrogenase level with systemic inflammation in a Japanese population

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Salivary lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was reported to be a useful parameter for the screening of periodontal disease. We performed a cross-sectional study to verify the usefulness of salivary LDH as a biomarker of periodontitis and to investigate the association of severity of periodontitis with systemic inflammation by measuring salivary LDH and serum high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in a community-based middle-aged and elderly population in Japan. MATERIAL AND METHODS We recruited 644 men and 1171 women, aged 30-79 years, who participated in the Toon Health Study during 2011-15. Periodontal condition was assessed by full-mouth examination including mean value of probing depth, percentage of probing depth of ≥4 mm and ≥6 mm, and bleeding on probing. Saliva and blood serum samples were collected for measurement of salivary LDH level and hs-CRP, respectively. A linear trend across quartiles of salivary LDH was calculated using linear regression. Interaction of salivary LDH and overweight status (body mass index of ≥25 kg/m2 ) was tested using the cross-product term of log-transformed continuous salivary LDH and overweight status. RESULTS Analysis of covariance adjusted for potential confounders revealed strong associations between salivary LDH level and the indicators of periodontal condition (P < .01) in both men and women. Sex- and age-adjusted mean values of hs-CRP according to salivary LDH quartiles were 0.40, 0.45, 0.45 and 0.50 mg/L (P for trend <.01). Although the association was attenuated after further adjustment for body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, alcohol intake, smoking status and physical activity. When stratified by overweight status, the association remained significant in overweight individuals (P = .03). The multivariable adjusted odds ratio of hs-CRP level of ≥1 mg/L for the highest vs lowest quartile of salivary LDH was 1.93 (95% CI, 1.01-3.69) in overweight individuals, but not significant in non-overweight individuals. CONCLUSION Salivary LDH appears to be a promising biomarker for the mass screening of periodontitis in local community health settings. High salivary LDH levels, particularly in overweight individuals might contribute to prevention of cardiovascular disease, through measuring systemic inflammatory burdens as well as traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
Are invasive populations characterized by a broader diet than native populations?

Background Invasive species are among the most significant threats to biodiversity. The diet of invasive animal populations is a crucial factor that must be considered in the context of biological invasions. A broad dietary spectrum is a frequently cited characteristic of invasive species, allowing them to thrive in a wide range of environments. Therefore, empirical studies comparing diet in invasive and native populations are necessary to understand dietary requirements, dietary flexibility, and the associated impacts of invasive species. Methods In this study, we compared the diet of populations of the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis in its native range, with several areas where it has become invasive. Each prey category detected in stomach contents was assigned to an ecological category, allowing a comparison of the diversity of ecological traits among the prey items in the diet of native and introduced populations. The comparison of diets was also performed using evenness as a niche breadth index on all sampled populations, and electivity as a prey selection index for three out of the six sampled populations. Results Our results showed that diet breadth could be either narrow or broad in invasive populations. According to diet and prey availability, zooplankton was strongly preferred in most cases. In lotic environments, zooplankton was replaced by benthic preys, such as ephemeropteran larvae. Discussion The relative proportions of prey with different ecological traits, and dietary variability within and between areas of occurrence, suggest that X. laevis is a generalist predator in both native and invasive populations. Shifts in the realized trophic niche are observed, and appear related to resource availability. Xenopus laevis may strongly impact aquatic ecosystems because of its near complete aquatic lifestyle and its significant consumption of key taxa for the trophic relationships in ponds.